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DOH wants medicine, support accessible to poor women with breast cancer

Roy — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:46:32 +0000

The Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Cancer Society (PCS) joined hands to launch a program that will allow poor women diagnosed with early stage of breast cancer to have access to medicines and other forms of support. The program hopes to increase the survival rates of breast cancer victims in the Philippines.

Department of Health Secretary Ona said that an awareness campaign should be made to make women realize that breast cancer is a curable disease when detected, treated and managed early. “Cancer is a costly disease, with the cost of medicines and treatment way out of reach for our many countrymen,” he said.

Ona added, “Women must have regular breast examination and never hesitate to go on a medical check-up especially those with lump in the breast before it is too late.”

The health secretary called on women with early stage of breast cancer to enroll in any of the four participating hospitals in Metro Manila. These are: East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC), Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRMC), Philippine General Hospital (PGH), and Rizal Medical Center (RMC).

Ona explained further that through a patient navigation scheme, targeted indigent Filipino women should be provided free medicine entitlement and other forms of support. The DOH and PCS partnership will provide P50 million for a year covering 800 patients and will target an initial 1,000 breast cancer patients. He also said that the there was an estimated 12,262 new cases of breast cancer in 2010 and 4,371 died of the said ailment.

The Philippines is among the countries with high incidence of breast cancer cases. Survival rate for breast cancer in the Philippines is below 40 percent compared to the high survival rates of 80 to 98 percent in developed countries.

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Wage Board increased COLA instead of salary

Roy — Mon, 09 May 2011 16:22:26 +0000

Private employees from Metro Manila will receive and additional P22 in their cost-of-living allowance (COLA) per day, in lieu of a wage increase. The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) approved Wage Order No. 16 increasing the COLA of employees. This will take effect 15 days after its publication on the daily newspapers on May 10, 2011.

Raymundo Agravante, chairman of RTWPB-NCR, said their main consideration in the decision was the argument presented by the employers during the deliberation. A wage increase will be an added cost on the part of the employers, while in COLA, overtime and other benefits are not affected.

Because while the additional allowance would bring the daily compensation to P426 per day, the basis for the computation of the overtime, night differentials, 13th-month pay, bonuses, retirement, and other benefits will still be the prevailing wage whose minimum rate still remains at P404 per day.

“In the end, the employers’ position was P20 COLA but we still managed to haggle P22 or a P2 additional allowance in anticipation of projected increase in prices of basic commodities,” Agravante said. He added that they also considered the warning of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on the possible inflationary effect of giving more than P25 increase in daily compensation of workers.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) slammed the decision. The TUCP said it was a measly wage increase in the form of COLA and called on Congress to rectify the decision.

Rafael Mapalo, spokesperson of TUCP, said “The RTWPB just missed this important opportunity to raise workers standard of living in NCR and to help improve equity as mandated by law. It further institutionalizes the primacy of profits over people, a few people over the masses of suffering workers. That was a shameless decision.”

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Smart cards issued to drivers can now be used

Roy — Sat, 07 May 2011 08:07:36 +0000

The Pantawid Pasada fuel subsidy smart cards released last May 2 to jeepney drivers have already been loaded according to the Department of Energy (DoE). The smart cards were loaded with a value of P1,050 and they can be presented at gasoline stations with signs saying “Pantawid Cards Accepted Here.” The energy department also confirmed that some of the cards were already consumed.

Unfortunately, there were reports that some gasoline stations have turned away jeepney drivers who wanted to use the fuel subsidy cards for jeepneys issued by the DoE. Some gasoline attendants would reply that none of their fuel pumps were designated for the smart cards.

Some jeepney drivers complained that the P1,050 load was not even enough to run their jeep the whole day since they would consume almost P1,500 worth of fuel in a day, while some were still appreciative of what the government was to able to give them.

Meanwhile, independent oil player Flying V have reduced its diesel price by P0.50 per liter but increased its gasoline pump price by P0.50 per liter. The adjustments took effect on 12:01 a.m. of Saturday, May 7.

The DoE also issued the requirements for those who would like to get their smart cards, which are the following: certificate of public convenience (decision/order); official receipt valid from April 2010 to March 2011 and certificate of registration; and one government-issued ID with photo.

The initial sets of smart cards issued were to jeepney operators with routes originating from Baclaran Bacood, Bacoor, Bagbaguin, Bagong Barrio, Bagong Nayon, Bagong Silang, Bagumbayan, Bagumbong, Balara, Balic-balic and Balintawak.

The energy department have scheduled release the smart cards of other routes in Metro Manila on Monday and Tuesday. For provincial jeepney drivers, DoE has tapped the regional offices of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to be the distribution channel of the Pantawid Pasada cards.

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Maggi noodles tested positive for salmonella

Roy — Sat, 07 May 2011 04:21:47 +0000

Nestlé Philippines has voluntarily recalled a number its Maggi instant noodles after some of the tested were tested for possible salmonella contamination. The company said it found traces of salmonella in two batches of the noodle product’s beef variant. “The product recall is a precautionary measure… to ensure the safety and quality of our products,” Nestlé said.

The multinational food manufacturer advised consumers who may have bought Maggi Rich Mami Noodles to contact their hotline at 898-0061 for Metro Manila and 1-800-100-637853 (toll-free) for provincial areas.

Nestlé however said that its products are safe to eat if the cooking instructions properly followed. The batches that were tested positive for salmonella have lot codes 11020598A2 and 11030598A1. The lot code numbers are found at the back of the product pack, between the “Best Before” date and the ingredients list.

Salmonella infections typically affect the intestines, causing vomiting, high fever and abdominal pains. The bacteria can be transmitted from water, soil, animal feces, raw eggs, and raw meat.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) director Suzette Lazo said their office has already been informed regarding the recall. The FDA also posted an advisory on its websites to consumers who may have bought the product with the specified lot codes to return them to the Nestlé office at Nestlé Center, 31 Plaza Drive, Rockwell Center in Makati, or to its licensed distributors.

Lazo said, “According to law, they have to do this (product recall), when they discover that there is something that would be harmful to consumers. They complied with that law and this is a very responsible thing they did.”

She also said their department has made an extensive investigation to determine the cause of the contamination. “Even if it is a voluntary recall, we have to do our own test and get a report from them every day,” Lazo added.

Based on initial findings, the flavor enhancer that comes with the instant noodles in sachet may have caused the salmonella contamination. Said flavor enhancer has also been recalled in the US.

Pending completion of the investigation, Nestlé has temporarily stopped production of all Maggi noodle products.

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SMC to complete construction of MRT 7 by 2014

Roy — Fri, 06 May 2011 05:24:12 +0000

The San Miguel Corp. projected that by 2014, it will be finished with its construction of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 7 line, and by 2015, the new highway to La Union. San Miguel said in its disclosure to the Philippine Stocks Exchanges (PSE) that before the year ends, it would start work on the MRT 7 line which involves the construction of a 22-kilometer train line and the six-lane road beneath it.

The MRT 7 line will have 14 train stations from San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan to the corner of North Avenue and EDSA in Quezon City. It will be linked with the MRT 3 train line and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) line 1 via a common station in North Avenue.

The project is estimated to cost $1.5 billion, 25 percent of which will be funded by company’s equity and the rest through loans. San Miguel expects to shell out around $190 million for the said project.

The MRT 7 line is one of the several rail extension projects for the existing metro rail systems which services Metro Manila. San Miguel acquired a 51-percent equity interest in Universal LRT, which holds the concession for MRT 7. The conglomerate will have 25 year to operate the train line.

As for the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) project which will stretch from Tarlac to Carmen, Pangasinan, San Miguel said the first phase of construction was scheduled for completion by August 2012. Revenue collection through toll will start immediately after the first phase is opened, “while the remainder of the expressway is projected to be completed by August 2014.”

The estimated project cost for the development of TPLEx is P821.6 billion, which will be funded by a combination of debt, equity, and Philippine government subsidy. The subsidy from the government will be available at the start of construction of Stage 3 of TPLEx which is the section from Urdaneta to Rosario, Pangasinan.

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8 companies eyeing the right operate MRT and LRT 1 lines

Roy — Thu, 05 May 2011 05:51:12 +0000

Eight companies are vying for the operations of major Metro Manila train lines. Conglomerate Ayala Corp., San Miguel Corp., and Pangilinan-led infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corps. are the local groups planning to bid for the P15-billion contract, while five foreign companies have also acquired bid documents worth P500,000 each for the project, according to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC).

The DoTC said that the bidding schedule has been set on July 11. Interested bidders may purchase bid documents until July 11.

The contract being eyed by the bidders involved a five-year operations and maintenance contract for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) line 1. This is the first project under the administration’s public-private partnership (PPP) infrastructure program.

US-based Abratique & Associates, London Stock Exchange-list Serco Group, multinational Jorgman Construction and Development, and Japanese companies Sumitomo and Marubeni completes the list of eight groups bidding for the said license. A total 44 companies, most of which are from abroad, have expressed interest in the project.

But the DoTC kept on trimming down the list by telling companies it deemed not likely to stand a chance to win the contract not to bother joining the bidding. Companies were screened in terms of their financial capability and technical expertise. Companies that were affiliated with other potential bidders were also disqualified from the bidding.

The winner in the bidding process will get the contract to operate and manage both train line for four years with an option extend it for another year.

The DoTC hopes that by bidding out a single contract for the LRT1 and MRT train lines would lead to the integration of the train line. The lack of connectivity between the two lines has been causing inconvenience for the one million passengers that use both train lines every day.

The LRT line 1 runs along Taft Avenue from Baclaran in Pasay City to Roosevelt, Quezon City, while MRT runs from Taft Ave. to North Avenue along EDSA.

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DoE starts distribution of Pantawid Pasada cards

Roy — Wed, 04 May 2011 15:30:50 +0000

Major oil player Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation is preparing 200 gasoline stations nationwide to serve as jeepney lanes for the fuel subsidy program of the government, with issuance of the fuel discount card’s under the “Pantawid Pasada” program already underway.

Pilipinas Shell vice president for communications Roberto S. Kanapi assured that the company will “continue to support the government in providing assistance to the transport sector.”

The fuel discount cards were distributed by the Department of Energy (DoE) to jeepney drivers and operators starting May 2, however, the cash loads of the fuel cards will be officially transmitted on May 6, Friday.

The DoE said that the initial P450-million subsidy allotted for the program may not be the only subsidy to be granted to the transport sector. Deliberations are ongoing for another P1.2-billion budget at the Inter-Agency Energy Contingency Committee.

The energy department hopes that, aside from being a fuel subsidy card, the cards may also be used for future purposes, including for the price discounts being offered by the oil companies. The agency also said that the cost of the production Pantawid Pasada cards, amounting to P11 million or P50 per card, were shouldered by the oil firms.

Pantawid Pasada cards issued to jeepney drivers and operators will have a load of P1,050, which may be spent one-time or applied as discount for fuel purchases. Initially distributed will be those in Metro Manila. The fuel cards of those in the provincial areas will follow immediately with the assistance of the regional networks of the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

After the jeepneys, fuel subsidy cards for tricycle drivers will be issued next, which will have a load P150. The DoE is still studying the process of distributing the Pantawid Pasada cards to tricycle drivers although it hopes to finish it within a month’s time.

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Diskwento Caravan rolls out of Metro Manila

Roy — Sun, 01 May 2011 11:38:46 +0000

The Diskwento Caravan (Discount Caravan) will soon roll out to areas outside Metro Manila to bring cheaper goods to more Filipino consumers.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) secretary Gregory L. Domingo said, “We also want consumers in various regions to experience the reduced prices of goods sold at the caravan which Metro Manila residents were afforded.”

Domingo instructed the agency’s regional and provincial directors to coordinate with manufacturers of prime and basic commodities to sell discounted products in provinces and allow consumers in the countryside to purchase products for as low as factory prices. The Diskwento Caravan is participated by manufacturers that sell their wares ranging from generic medicines, bread, sardines, cooking oil, processed meat, fruits, vegetables, detergent bars and school supplies.

The DTI chief said consumers should take this opportunity and take advantage of the discounts, most especially to households that are in need of school supplies for the coming school opening. “Enrollment is just a few days, students and mothers can shop for notebooks, crayolas, ballpens, pencils, etc. and expect big savings on these items.”

The trade department, however, was quick to point out that they do not directly compete with local retailers since the caravans are stationed far from commercial establishments and hosted in city halls and are under the supervision of the mayor’s office.

The schedule of the Diskwento Caravans are as follows: Bukidnon – April 27-28; Antique – May 4-5; Abra – May 10-11; Oriental Mindoro – May 18-19; Pangasinan – May 24-25; Surigao del Norte –May 30-31; Zambales – June 2-3; Zamboanga del Norte – June 7-8; Cagayan – June 14-15; Northern Samar – June 17-18; Sorsogon – June 22-23; Davao Oriental – June 28-29; Negros Oriental July 5-6; Quezon – July 14-15; and Saranggani – July 26-27.

In Metro Manila, the Diskwento Caravan will be at the DTI headquarters in Buendia Ave. corner Makati Ave – May 9 -10, Mandaluyong, May 16; Manila – May 30; Pateros – May 31; Taguig – June 1; Malabon – June 3. The Diskwento Caravans will be enhanced with jobs fair to be conducted by the Labor Department and the National Wages and Productivity Commission at the same venues and schedules.

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DOH says dengue cases may reach 20,000

Roy — Sun, 01 May 2011 06:15:14 +0000

The Department of Health (DOH) reported that the number of dengue cases in the country is almost reaching the 20,000 mark. The report reflected in the National Epidemiology Center (NEC) shows that from January 1 to April 12, the figure reached 17,228 for individuals who have contacted dengue. Said figure is 0.33 percent than the 17,172 cases recorded during the same period in 2010.

Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, DOH program manager for Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases, however said that the number of dengue cases by week in on the decline. “If you look at the figure, it’s going down. That can be expected because it is summer. But the total figure in general is high.”

Lee Suy said the labor department expects that the public may take advantage of the summer time to prepare for expected further increase in dengue cases during the rainy days. He said the public should start getting rid of used tires, empty cans and bottle caps that can hold water, which can become breeding sites of dengue-causing mosquitoes.

The record for this year’s death toll from dengue stands at 12 thus far. For 2010, the total casualties were 36. The highest number of dengue cases this year was from Metro Manila, with a notable increase of 124.93 percent, as it doubles last year’s figure.

Quezon City posted the highest most number of cases, among the cities within Metro Manila, with 815, followed by Manila with 635 and Caloocan City with 584. The most number of deaths from dengue was registered in Valenzuela City with eight, marking the highest in terms of death count in the region.

The highest percentage of increase was posted by Muntinlupa at 745.45 percent, with 93 cases compared to 11 in previous year. Taguig follows with 409.09 percent increase. Central Luzon and Calabarzon posted 3,250 and 3,016 cases respectively.

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No wage increase announcement on Labor Day

Roy — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:37:41 +0000

The much anticipated announcement on Labor Day will not be heard this coming May 1. Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) clarified that there will be no announcement of wage increase on May, despite Malacañang’s pronouncement before that it is coming out with a Labor Day gift to help workers cope with the rising prices.

Baldoz said she has no idea what good news President Aquino was referring to but she was definite there won’t be any increase in salary because the earliest public hearing was set on May 2. She also noted that Aquino had already declared he would leave the decision on salary adjustments to the regional wage boards although he could give instructions to hasten the process.

But she assured workers that the wage boards could grant a salary increase within the month. “I think within the month of May, they should be able to finish the deliberation and come out with their decision,” Baldoz said.

Other officials from the labor department said the president could be referring to a package of non-wage benefits when it made the announcement that good news would be delivered on Labor Day. “The president I think would be announcing non-wage benefits for workers such as discounts and other assistance they would provide to help workers cope with the high cost of commodities,” said a labor official.

The labor department will be having a Jobs and Livelihood Fairs which will take place simultaneously all across the country on Labor Day. There are more than 100,000 jobs available In Metro Manila, which will be held at the Rizal Park, there are 200 companies and recruiters who will be offering 30,000 jobs to new graduates, displaces OFWs and other jobseekers. DOLE is encouraging job applicants to pre-register at the website of PhilJobNet to facilitate processing of application of the Labor Day job fair.

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DOLE announced more than 100,000 jobs available on Labor Day job fair

Roy — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 04:37:32 +0000

The job opportunities available on the Labor Day job fair spearheaded by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) have already reached more 100,000 as confirmed by Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz. She said there are around 1,000 companies and recruitment agencies who would be offering both locals and foreign employment opportunities at the different Jobs and Livelihood Fairs on May 1.

“We have already announced the schedule and venues of the regional job and livelihood fairs and our preparation is in full swing,” she added.

The venue for Metro Manila will be Rizal Park and 200 companies and recruiters will be there offering 30,000 jobs. Labor Undersecretary Hans Cacdac said they are expecting around 50,000 applicants on the Rizal Park job fair. The agency is expecting more applicants this year because of the number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were displaced by the conflicts in Libya and the Middle East.

“As we expect thousands of jobseekers, graduates, and displaced OFWs to (visit) the designated venues across the country…we are continuously exerting all efforts and exhausting all means to provide a vast array of productive and matched job opportunities,” Baldoz said.

The labor secretary is also urging applicants to pre-register for the job fairs by logging on at the www.phil-job.net. She said the Public Employments Services Offices (PESO) will be distributing free Phil-Jobnet digital cards containing the applicant’s curriculum vitae for those who pre-register.

Jobs available in Metro Manila include managers, cashiers, copywriters, data encoders, dining and kitchen personnel, graphic artists, fashion designers, safety engineers, computer technicians, and heavy equipment mechanics and automotive electricians. Information technology (IT) staff and supervisors, as well as call center agents are also in demand.

While in other regions, Baldoz said employment opportunities include jobs in agriculture, fishing, mining, manufacturing, construction, and hotel and restaurant industries.

Bureau of Local Employment Director Maria Criselda Sy said that in 2009, the number of applicants hired on the spot took 10 percent of jobs offered at the livelihood fairs. This was increased to 13 percent in 2010. “So this year, we hope that the trend would continue. Hopefully 15 percent,” Sy said.

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CBCP upgraded Visita Iglesia Online to accommodate more visitors

Roy — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:56:08 +0000

Last year the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) launched the Visita Iglesia Online to offer a virtual Holy Week experience, particularly to Filipinos overseas and devout Catholics who are physically incapable of leaving their homes. It was merely an experiment and not as a serious endeavor as it only featured seven churches.

This year, CBCP media director Msgr. Pedro Quitorio said they have beefed up the capacity of the website in anticipation of a large number of online visitors this Holy Week. Msgr. Quitorio affirmed that the Church hierarchy’s official news service had augmented the website to prevent it from crashing like what happened last year. An unexpected 43,000 visitors logged on to the website. This year, they are expecting the number of online visitors to double.

“It just shows that Filipinos, no matter where they go, will always be religious and the desire to celebrate the Holy Week is always there, too,” the monsignor told reporters.

Yesterday, Palm Sunday marked the start of the Holy Week. Devout Catholics went to their parish churches carrying palm leaves to commemorate the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.

Last year, Msgr. Quitorio recalled that the website suddenly crashed. Checking what went wrong, they discovered that the website had already reached 43,000 hits. “So I thought, ‘This is serious and we cannot just ignore the 43,000 visitors just like that,’ so this year, we prepared for it. We expanded our servers that even if the figures doubled, it would not crash,” he added.

This year, the CBCP News added new features to the website as well. It now shows 14 historical shrines and pilgrimage churches in Metro Manila and nearby provinces to correspond with the 14 Stations of the Cross with reflections given by priests.

The Visita Iglesia Online included in its multimedia presentation the Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila; Quiapo Church or the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene; Our Lady of Manaoag Church in Pangasinan; and the Agoo Church in La Union.

The website also has homilies delivered by some priests during the entire Lenten season this year and catechesis on Lent, Holy Thursday, Palm Sunday and the Kissing of the Cross, among other liturgical practices observed during the Holy Week.

And for Filipinos overseas who miss the “Pabasa,” Visita Iglesia Online has an audio recording of the 21 chapters of the “Pasyon,” the poetical narration of the life and sufferings of Christ.

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Authorities ready for today’s transport strike

Roy — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 03:29:09 +0000

Because of the transport strike scheduled today by major transport groups, the authorities deployed before dawn the first batch of buses to give free rides to commuters who were affected. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino said their personnel also started monitoring as early as 4 a.m. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Metro Manila, headed by Brig. Gen. Tristan Kison said they contributed 35 trucks and buses for the “Libreng Sakay” effort.

The Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) led today’s transport caravan to protest recent fuel price hikes. They were to gather at the Quezon Memorial Circle and proceed to the University of Santo Tomas (UST) area in Manila. From there, they would march to Mendiola Bridge near Malacañang.

Tolentino issued advisories to motorists and commuters to avoid the Quezon Avenue area and other roads which are part of the route the caravan will take, particularly the Welcome Rotonda at the boundary of Manila and Quezon City at 1 p.m.

The MMDA Chairman also warned transport groups who would block the path of public utility drivers and motorists who do not wish to join the protest action. He said Metro Manila police under Director Nicanor Bartolome will be on the lookout against such action.

Earlier, the Land Transportation and Franchise Regulatory Board (LTFRB) issued a warning to those who will join the transport strike. LTFRB said they will face the risk of having their franchise either suspended or cancelled because they have an obligation to the riding public.

LTFRB Board Member Manuel Iway said, “If there will be fewer jeepneys or none on the roads, we will conduct an investigation on these jeepney operators.” He warned that is such a scenario happens, they will send show cause orders to the jeepney operators for them to explain why they should not be sanctioned.

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LTFRB grants provisional P1 fare hike to Metro Manila buses

Roy — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:03:35 +0000

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) granted a P1 provisional fare increase for Metro Manila buses. The resolution was signed last Friday approving the fare adjustment for the first five kilometers. There will be no provisional increase on the succeeding kilometers though.

The increased fare would be P10 for the first five kilometers and P1.85 for every succeeding kilometer for ordinary buses. It will be P12 for the first five kilometers and P2.20 for every succeeding kilometer for air-conditioned buses.

The new fare adjustment will take effect on Tuesday and shall be in place until the final disposition of a pending petition for fare hike of Inter-city Bus Operators Association (Interboa), or unless modified or cancelled by the LTFRB board. The Interboa and other operators’ associations have asked the LTFRB to revoke past orders concerning the provisional reduction of fare rates for buses.

The board granted the provisional increase citing increases in fuel prices and the recent turmoil in oil-producing countries that have burdened the transport sector. The resolution stated, “This board is constrained to grant a provisional increase in the public utility buses or PUBs fare rates in accordance with the Public Service Act.”

LTFRB said that while it recognizes the plight of the commuting public “in this time of crisis,” it could not be insensitive to the clamor of the operators. “For this year alone, the country has experienced a total of 10 price increases with only rollback on diesel prices. March 15, 2011 data show the price of diesel stands at around P46.65 per liter, with no sufficient indication that the oil price in the world market will stabilize and revert back to its previous prices,” the board said.

The board added that it is compounded by the growing “political uncertainties in oil-producing countries, which has caused unnecessary burden on the transport sector.

LTFRB chairman Nelson Laluces and board member Samuel Julius Garcia approved of the resolution while board member Manuel Iway offered a dissenting opinion.

Iway said “judicial notice should be taken that Visayas and Mindanao’s fuel prices are higher by as much as P5 compared to Luzon’s fuel prices and still, a petition was filed in Region 7 praying for a reduction of fare rates on PUBs from P8.50 to P6 for the first five kilometers and from P1.40 to P1.20 for every succeeding kilometer.”

Iway said this case raises a presumption that even with the fuel price increase, the bus operators can still operate profitably.

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SkyCable earmarked P1.5B for its 2011 capex

Roy — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:04:57 +0000

SkyCable allotted P1.5 billion funds for its capital expenditure for 2011 for its Cable Television (CATV) business. Half of the said amount will be used for the roll-out of its digital TV service nationwide and the other half for boosting its broadband subscriber growth, according to company marketing head Rodrigo Montinola.

A subsidiary of network giant ABS-CBN Corp., SkyCable has approximately half a million subscribers as of last year, most of which are from Metro Manila. Almost 85 percent of cable users in Metro Manila are already using digibox, which is essential in viewing digital television programs. The CATV firms hopes to increase that number to 95 percent by the end of the year.

SkyCable is also intensifying its marketing effort to increase the number of its broadband subscribers. “We had flat growth from 2006 to 2009. We started growing again only last year, where we had 35,000 subscribers,” Montinola said. “Our target is to grow our broadband subscribers significantly by about 70,000 by the end of this year,” he added.

Montinola also announced the availability of the DigiBox iRecord, a personal video recorder (PVR) set, a top box capable of simultaneously recording two TV programs while the subscriber watches a third. The box has a 320-GB drive that can store up to 145 hours of standard definition video or 85 hours of high-definition (HD) video. This is equivalent to over 70 movie titles, over 100 episodes of one-hour TV shows, or over 80 documentaries of National Geographic HD. The device also allows for slow-motion and frame-by-frame playback of recorded shows.

The company is optimistic that the new service would lure in at least 3,000 users in the first year of rollout. They are eyeing medium to heavy TV users, as well as busy working people who can’t always catch up on the schedules of free or cable TV. Existing subscribers in Metro Manila can get the DigiBox iRecord for a refundable deposit of P4,999 plus P399 service fee of using the Digibox iRecord on top of their monthly CATV fee.

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Joint Foreign Chamber lauds open skies policy

Roy — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 02:16:04 +0000

A group of foreign businessmen is expressed their support for the implement of an open-skies regime by the Aquino administration via Executive Order (EO) 29. The Joint Foreign Chambers says this would better allow market forces to come into play and ultimately boost tourist arrivals in the country. The group said that the policy was in line with Aquino’s promise that “the Philippines is open for business under new management.”

EO 29 eases restrictions on foreign airlines in international airports outside Metro Manila. It gives the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) authority to grant additional frequencies or capacities to foreign carriers, but still prohibits cabotage, which refers to a foreign airline’s transport of people or good between two or more points within the country.

Local carriers, however, are opposing the implementation of the said executive order. The Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air said it would give foreign carriers undue advantage, while the foreign chambers said its benefits to the Philippines were far-reaching.

The foreign chambers said that with the increasing tourist arrivals, the result would be more and jobs and revenues for people who are directly and indirectly involved in the tourism service industry. The group also noted that for every foreign tourist who comes to the Philippines, an average of $1,000 is spent and one direct or indirect job is created, of which majority are in rural areas and less developed provinces.

“We wish to extend full support for President Aquino’s visionary leadership on civil aviation embodied in EO 29. The policy allows market forces to determine supply and demand for seats to secondary gateways throughout the country. With this new policy, the administration has taken a giant step toward its goal of doubling annual tourist arrivals to more than six million by 2016,” the Joint Foreign Chambers said.

The foreign chamber is also seeking the removal of the common carriers’ tax and the gross Philippine billings tax to unleash the creativity and dynamism of the private sector. “Continuation of these taxes risks losing some of the present international air services into the country, as well as deterring new ones, and departs from standard international practices,” the group said.

It added, “With these proactive reforms of the Aquino administration, we can look forward to continued rapid expansion of the aviation market in the Philippines, more competitive pricing and better service, and new routes to drive tourism, investment and employment.”

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Online gaming business plans to diversify

Roy — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:05:17 +0000

The Premier Entertainment Philippines Inc. (PEP) just got the nod of its shareholders to diversify from its main business of online gaming and into the mining, real estate and information technology. However, the company said it remains in search of its next venture as it assesses “feelers” from potential partners in its new businesses.

Anastacio P. Diaz of PEP said they want to move into a new venture that is not as tightly regulated as gaming business, which is overseen by the state-help Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. He stressed that whatever business they will go into, with any possible business partner, should have “synergy with company’s intentions.”

He said the search for a new business remains in the scouting stage. The final decision may be reached in 18 months.

PEP operates seven online casinos in Metro Manila that provide much of its cash. Each online casino carries an average of 50 terminals, said Diaz. PEP operates the online casino through its unit Digiwave Solutions Inc.

The gaming company hopes to improve its returns from its business. As of its last financial report, it stood at P47.7 million, which should have been P318,000 higher than the previous year’s had it not been for the recognition of a one-time gain from the sale of software by PEP in 2009 that dwarfed its 2010 revenues and more than covered all its cost for that year.

The company remains in the red. As of September, it financial report showed a nine-month loss of P41.25 million compared with an income of P7.65 million in the previous year. For the quarter, PEP’s loss of P6.67 million was lower than the P15.25 million loss in the previous year.

Diaz said they expect a 10 percent growth in revenue in its existing seven sites, even as the company intends to further increase the presence of online casinos. They are eyeing expansion in Manila, Quezon City, Las Piñas and Bulacan province, among others.

“We are able to dramatically reduce our operating expenses, and our e-games have been upgraded. We have a better management group. So we expect revenues to rise and operating expenses to drop,” said Diaz.

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BSP said banking system in the country is stable

Roy — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:52:31 +0000

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said that despite the closure of Banco Filipino Savings and Mortgage Bank last week, the country’s banking industry remains sound and stable. BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said they have not monitored any negative impact on the banking industry sine Banco Filipino was ordered closed by the Monetary Board (MB) last March 17.

“As we said in our statement, the banking system remains sound and stable. We have not observed any negative impact on the rest of the banking system,” he stressed.

Monetary authorities believe that 2010 was a banner year for the Philippine banks contributing largely to the country’s stronger-than-expected economic growth. Bank deposits went up by 9.8 percent to P5.1 trillion last year while banks’ loans posted a double-digit growth of 11 percent to P2.314 trillion as of January.

Income of Philippine banks doubled to about P4.1 billion as of end-June last year from P20.5 billion as of end-June 2009. The total assets of the banking system rose by 7.2 percent to P6.7 trillion as of end-September last year from P6.2 trillion as of end-September 2009.

The BSP reported that the banking system posted a capital adequacy ratio of 15.23 percent on solo basis and 16.21 percent on consolidated basis as of end-June last year. This ratio was well above the 10 percent minimum requirement of the BSP and the 8 percent standard ratio of the Basel Accord.

The implementation of BSP Circular 639 or the implementing regulation on the International Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP) this year would further strengthen the country’s financial sector. And to add to that, BSP also raised the minimum capital requirement for new entrants in the banking industry to boost their competitiveness and further strengthen the country’s banking system.

From the P325 million, the BSP raised the minimum capital requirement for thrift banks to P1 billion for those with head offices in Metro Manila. For those whose head offices are in Cebu and Davao, the capital requirement was raised from P52 million to P500 million. In other areas, minimum capital requirement for thrift banks was also raised to P250 million from P52 million.

This capital requirement will be implemented on new thrift banks, those converting their existing banks to a thrift bank, and those relocating their head office in areas of higher classification.

The minimum capital requirement for rural banks was also raised by BSP last November. For those with head offices in Metro Manila, it is now P100 million from the previous level of P26 million; for those whose head offices are located in Cebu and Davao, it was increased from P13 million to P50 million. Those in municipalities belonging to first to fourth class, it was raised to P10 million from P6.5 million, and those in the fifth to sixth class municipalities, it was raised P5 million from a previous P2.6 million.

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Shell keen on staying in Pandacan depot

Roy — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 01:23:26 +0000

“Our intention is to stay in Pandacan and to continue to reduce the footprint of the depot as economic progress spreads out of Metro Manila.” These were the words of Edgar Chua, country chairman for Shell Companies in the Philippines. Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. is not about to transfer its oil depot in Pandacan, Manila to the proposed oil storage hub which will be within the Manila Bay area.

If and when they would be really forced to move out of its present location, Chua said Shell would still not choose to relocate in Manila Bay. Instead, he said, they would look for a possible site near the 117-kilometer Batangas-Manila pipeline that has been serving its fuel requirements.

The said pipeline is owned by the First Philippine Industrial Corp. (FPIC), and is currently the largest commercial oil pipeline in the country which transports fuel from the Shell refinery in Batangas to its current oil depot in Pandacan, Manila.

The statement was issued by Chua in reaction to news reports that a consortium of local and foreign investors were planning to put up an oil storage hub as an alternative, or a replacement event, for the present Pandacan oil depot. This consortium does not only plan to convince Shell, and other oil companies located in Pandacan, but all the other independent oil companies as well.

Chua said, the company’s stand since 2010, was that they’d rather stay where they are. Their biggest consideration of which was the existence of the pipeline from Batangas to Pandacan. “Building a new facility is just going to add to cost and eventually, we will have to pass that on to the market. We’re trying to avoid incurring additional cost,” he said.

The Pandacan oil depot is considered as the largest and most important depot in the country today, and more 50 percent of the petroleum products there are being supplied by the Batangas-to-Manila pipeline. The Pandacan depot alone affects the fuel supply in 459 stations in Metro Manila, and about 1,800 gas stations in Regions 1 to 4.

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Business name registration now only takes 15 minutes

Roy — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:35:06 +0000

From the usual two days processing time, the amount of time spent in registering a business name has been cut to only 15 minutes because of the enhanced Electronic Business Name Registration System (eBNRS).

Trade Secretary Gregorio Domingo said, “The entire transaction will only take around 15 minutes. The actual processing takes only three minutes and the waiting time usually takes 10 minutes. So it’s really the waiting that makes the transaction time long, but still it’s only 15 minutes.”

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) conducted a random time-and-motion study in different parts of the country. In their study, Metro Manila averaged 278 business name applications in a day with a total processing time placed at 14.35 minutes. In areas where there were fewer applications, the average transaction time were even shorter, ranging from 5 to 12 minutes.

Aside from the faster registration of business name, the eBNRS allows the registration of the all the branches of a company in just one sitting, and the registration of a business in a different locality in the DTI office nearest the business owner. “The new system gives businessmen less hassle in doing business in the country. Our aim in automation is to lessen people handling the process and allow technology to hasten transaction. In a way it makes government transaction transparent and prevents corruption in the workplace,” Domingo said.

The system will also be made available online, according to the secretary. Aside from the eBNRS, Domingo said that the DTI is also working on the Philippine Business Registry (PBR), which is a one-stop shop for businesses that want to get mayor’s permit, and registration and licenses from the DTI, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and other agencies. The system will also be made available for the application of Pag-Ibig, Social Security System (SSS), and Philhealth benefits.

“Business won’t have to go to each of the agencies in order to register. It’s still under development because we don’t want any glitches to happen once we launch it. We’re hoping to finish this before the end of the year,” Doming said.

This is really a good motivation for entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs.