MANILA: A local oil executive on Friday said relatively low prices of petroleum products in the country present a good opportunity for the government to focus on food security goals and for private businesses to pursue expansion targets.

In an interview, Eastern Petroleum chairperson Fernando Martinez said current pump prices are almost identical to their 2008 levels, even while workers’ salaries and transport fares have risen several times in the past 15 years.

He pointed out that the domestic petroleum industry is the only sector in the Philippine economy that has seen virtually flat inflation since 2015, if the price movements of fuel were to be averaged out over the past eight years.

‘We (petroleum industry) are always the scapegoats in justifying fare hikes and raising the prices of other goods due supposedly to higher transport costs. But if you look at the big picture, we seem to be the most inflation-resistant sector. We raise prices when dictated by the world market but we also implement significa
nt rollbacks,’ Martinez told the Philippine News Agency.

The oil executive said that despite deliberate attempts of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to raise world market prices by cutting its production, the slowdown of China’s economy has substantially dampened fuel demand.

The Asian economic giant’s muted demand is the factor currently keeping oil prices at bay, he further explained.

‘With fuel relatively cheap, we should focus on food production… private companies should think about filling the production gap being left by China. The share of fuel in the overall cost of production is shrunken if you study the charts on the movements of oil prices,’ he said.

After being a part of the business delegation that joined President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the 2023 APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in San Francisco, California, USA in November, Martinez said it became evident to him that foreign investors are once again bullish towards the Philippine economy.

Marti
nez, the founding chair of the Independent Philippine Petroleum Companies Association, said Marcos has made himself ‘engaged and accessible’ to the business community, and ‘his focus on bringing in business and technology is what sets him apart from the previous administration.’
Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has directed government agencies to intensify the campaign against sexual harassment in the workplace following the recent celebration of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW) from November 25 to December 12 winds down.

In making the call, CSC Chairperson Karlo Nograles noted that an alarming rate of 22.8 percent of employees worldwide, including in the Philippines, have experienced violence and harassment at work, based on the study conducted by the International Labor Organization, Lloyd’s Register Foundation, and analytics company Gallup.

The study showed that women were slightly more likely than men to have experienced violence and harassment.

‘We need to recognize that gender-based sexual harassment is real, and it is still happening not just on the streets but also in the workplace. Our duty as civil servants is to prioritize and intensify the implementation of laws, policies, and programs that make our workplaces a safe and secure environm
ent for women to flourish and succeed,’ Nograles said in a statement.

‘More than an HR (human resources) issue, violence against women is also a public health problem as it impacts a woman’s attitudes and sense of self, affecting her welfare and productivity at home, at work, and even in the community. Our awareness and compassion will come a long way in the success of our mission to make our communities a safe space for all,’ he said.

Nograles urged government agencies to intensify the implementation of CSC Resolution No. 2100064 (Revised Administrative Disciplinary Rules on Sexual Harassment Cases), which amended provisions of the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service pertaining to the offense of sexual harassment committed by government officials and employees.

The amendment was intended to harmonize CSC rules with the provisions of Republic Act No. 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act (Bawal Bastos Law) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

The resolution requires heads of agencies or
other persons of authority, influence or moral ascendancy to prevent the occurrence of any form of sexual harassment in the workplace and to take immediate action on complaints filed.

Heads of agencies shall also ensure the widest dissemination of the law and rules to all persons in the workplace and institute preventive measures against sexual harassment including the conduct of anti-sexual harassment seminars, and gender sensitivity trainings to all employees, among others.

Heads of agencies must create a Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI), an independent internal mechanism to address and investigate complaints of sexual harassment.

The CODI shall be composed of at least one representative from the management, supervisory staff, rank-and-file employees, and the respective union/s or employees’ association, if any. It shall be headed by a woman, and at least half of its members should be women.

The CODI is given ten (10) days from the termination of the investigation to submit its findings wit
h recommendations to the disciplining authority for decision, averting possible delays in verifying the allegations in the complaint while maintaining confidentiality and observing due process.

Furthermore, they must ensure the protection of a complainant from retaliation without causing her/him any disadvantage, diminution of benefits or displacement, and without compromising his/her security of tenure.

The administrative offense of sexual harassment may be classified as light, less grave, and grave.

A government official or employee found guilty of the administrative offense of sexual harassment may be meted out a penalty ranging from reprimand, suspension, and dismissal from the service, depending on the gravity of the acts committed.

Meanwhile, heads of agencies who fail to create a CODI or take action on complaints filed shall be charged with Neglect of Duty.
Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: A late November survey showed nearly 6 out of 10 Filipinos consider themselves food secure at least for the next six months.

The Nov. 22 to 29 survey of local research and analytics company Capstone-Intel Corp. released Friday indicated that majority of the respondents or 59 percent described themselves as “very secured” or “secured” in terms of food security for the next six months.

Forty-two percent said they have some concern; 34 percent said they are neither secure nor insecure; 6 percent were insecure; and 2 percent very insecure.

The survey, which involved 1503 respondents nationwide, was conducted before the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) issued its November 2023 Consumer Price Index Report that showed that the country’s inflation had further slowed down to 4.1 percent in November, from 4.9 in October.

The pollster said that while a vast majority of Filipinos consider rice and grains as an integral part of their regular diet, around 62 percent of the respondents also perceived this f
ood group incurred the highest price increases.

The next highest food group was fruits and vegetables at 37 percent, followed by meat and poultry at 35 percent, fish and seafood at 30 percent, dairy products at 12 percent, and processed foods at 11 percent.

In terms of weekly expenses, the pollster found that 46 percent of Filipino households spend PHP1,000 to PHP2500 on food purchases.

Capstone-Intel Research and Publications Director Ella Kristina Coronel said the study showed food represents a major household expenditure for most Filipinos, noting that stability in food costs is critical for family budgeting nationwide.

“Persistently elevated food inflation could rapidly push more households into financial distress without mechanisms to offset price pressures on key dietary necessities,” she said.

Coronel said that targeted policy interventions could help strengthen food security foundations nationwide.

She also suggested investing further in cereal crop productivity, supply chain infrastructure, pri
ce stability measures, and agricultural risk mitigation, as these could pay dividends for both farmers and consumers in the long run.

According to the PSA, the country’s headline inflation further eased to 4.1 percent in November this year, lower than the 8 percent posted in the same month last year and the 4.9 percent registered in October this year.

PSA data showed the downtrend was primarily brought about by the lower year-on-year growth rate of the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages at 5.7 percent in November 2023 from 7 percent in October.

Food inflation slowed to 5.8 percent, the lowest recorded since the 5.2 percent in May 2022.

This is due to the deflation in vegetables (-2 percent from 11.9 percent) and lower inflation of fish, meat, sugar, bread and other cereals, and fruits.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has attributed the drop in inflation to the timely implementation of strategies to stabilize food supply amid the anticipated domestic and external head
winds in the coming months.

‘With the right interventions in place, including the proper and timely deployment of trade policy, we are confident that we can effectively manage inflation and prevent unnecessary upticks in prices of goods and commodities to safeguard the purchasing power of Filipino families, especially those from the most vulnerable sectors,’ NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.
Source: Philippines News Agency

Antique: An initial 550 families displaced by Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 finally received their housing units following the official turnover of the 770-unit relocation site in a ceremony held in Barangay Lugta in the Municipality of Laua-an on Thursday.

The remaining 220 families will receive their units next year upon completion of some rehabilitation works in the housing projects.

‘Today is indeed a historic day for the people of Laua-an,’ said Senator Imee R. Marcos, who led the turnover together with National Housing Authority (NHA) Regional Director Hermes Jude Juntilo and Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao.

In her message during the turnover, Marcos recalled the strong typhoon caused massive devastation in various parts of the country.

The same families displaced by Yolanda again suffered devastation due to Typhoon Paeng in 2022.

The local government of Laua-an did not accept the housing project constructed by NHA amid its completion in 2017 due to a flooding problem.

Gerlina Abedaño, a 45-yea
r-old housewife and resident of Barangay Virginia, felt relieved receiving her Certificate of Acceptance for the housing unit.

‘The roofing of our house was blown away during Typhoon Yolanda,’ she said, adding that slowly they rebuilt their house while waiting for the government housing project.

Another beneficiary Ma. Liza Manuel said they only repaired their makeshift house after a tree uprooted by the strong wind damaged the roofing.

‘The NHA housing unit is really a big Christmas gift for us,’ she said.

Laua-an Mayor Aser Baladjay, in an interview, said the municipal council authorized him to accept the housing project after the provincial government of Antique addressed the flooding issue.

‘We are so happy that before the end of 2023, the beneficiaries were finally able to receive their housing units,’ Baladjay said.
Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: Taiwan has formally opened a demo farm in Tarlac on Friday as part of a multi-year program that seeks to boost production and increase the income of Filipino farmer groups in Central Luzon.

The farm operations are fully funded by Taiwan through the International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) and will serve as the implementation site of its Agri-Cluster Consolidation Cooperation (ACCC) project in the Philippines.

The opening follows the establishment of the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) in the country last March 2022, the third of its kind in Southeast Asia next to Indonesia and Thailand.

‘As we all know, food security has become a global concern amidst the worldwide pressures of inflation stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, continued war between Russia and Ukraine, and accelerating climate change,’ Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines Representative Wallace Minn-Gan Chow said during the inauguration ceremony at Barangay Sapang Maragul, Tarlac City.

‘As the clos
est neighbor of the Philippines, Taiwan has realized the importance of developing a strategic partnership between our two countries on food production and safety,’ he added.

Tom Peng, ACCC project coordinator, said the TTM has identified three initial farmer groups in Pampanga, Bulacan, and Tarlac, with hopes of expanding to more groups.

Since partnering with TTM, the less than 20-member Tabon San Jose Farmers Association in Pampanga has already generated PHP860,000 in six months by integrating a new agribusiness model.

‘We just want the farmers’ income to increase because it’s really important for the farmers to get sustainability — it is our first priority at the TTM and we want to see that their life is improved,’ Peng told the Philippine News Agency.

Under the ACCC, the ICDF is also working with the Department of Agriculture to provide beneficiary farmers with new and adaptive high-value crop management models and mentor them on ways to supply their own seedlings.

The ACCC will also introduce smart
agriculture and share best practices on diagnosis of cultivation, harvesting, post-harvest processing, storage, packaging, marketing, and organizational management.

It will feature varieties of fruits and vegetables that are climate resilient, including ‘heat-resistant cauliflower and cabbage’.

In addition, Peng said the TTM is ready to supply seedlings to cover at least 150 hectares in times of disasters, annually.

‘In our demo farm, not only it is a training site but we will also provide seedlings for disaster recovery, especially during the typhoon season to help the farmers recover their income in a short time,’ he said.

Through the TTM demonstration farm, Taiwan hopes to introduce its modern agricultural technology to policymakers and researchers and bring investors to Central Luzon.

Also present during the inauguration were Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General Lien Yu-Ping, DA officials, Tarlac Governor Susan Yap, former Agriculture Secretary William Dar, and Manila Economic and Cult
ural Office Chairman Silvestre Bello III, among others.
Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. vowed Friday to promote the Philippines’ priorities at the 50th Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Japan Friendship and Cooperation Commemorative Summit.

In a departure statement delivered at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, Marcos said he would push for regional economic development during the Japan summit.

‘This last ASEAN-related Summit for the year presents an opportunity to once again affirm the Philippines’ position on current international issues and advance Philippine interests,’ Marcos said.

‘I shall reassure ASEAN member states and Japan that as permanent country coordinator for ASEAN-Japan Economic Relations, the Philippines will always continue to shepherd ASEAN initiatives and projects with Japan not only to co-create a region of economic prosperity, but also an inclusive society that is ready for the future,’ he added.

Marcos said the event is an opportunity to welcome the conferment of comprehensive partner status on Japan, which
is considered as ASEAN’s ‘trusted and reliable partner in peace, economic development, and community-building for the past 50 years or so.’

Marcos noted that the commemorative summit will feature three sessions, each with a particular focus on the ASEAN-Japan framework.

The first session will take stock of Japan’s contribution to ASEAN’s community-building efforts, as well as Japan’s consistent support for ASEAN Centrality and the rules-based international order.

On the other hand, the second session will feature ‘Heart to Heart’ partnership across generations.

Marcos said there will be a recognition of Tokyo’s commitment and initiatives such as the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) Program to promote friendship and camaraderie among the regional bloc and partners.

‘I will highlight that the Philippines has a long history of cultural exchange through the JENESYS Program and has been one of its largest beneficiaries, welcoming Japan’s young people while sending our own
since 2007,’ he said.

Marcos said the last summit program will focus on Co-Creation of Economy and Society of the Future.

‘I will bring the Philippine economic team led by [Trade] Secretary Fred Pascual to participate in those talks,’ he said. ‘I will highlight that the ASEAN-Japan relationship has inexorably evolved and progressed over the past five decades, particularly in shared commitment towards peace and security, trade and investment, food security, climate action, energy security, supply chain resilience, infrastructure development, and now, connectivity.’

Marcos would also attend the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Leaders Meeting to promote the current Philippines’ initiatives toward promoting a clean energy transition.

The AZEC is a separate regional organization composed of ASEAN, Japan, and Australia.

Marcos said he would invite AZEC members to invest in the Philippines’ renewable energy to achieve not only the organization’s intention but also the overall goal of the Paris Agreement.

‘
We will highlight our experience in promoting clean energy projects such as the first wind farms in Southeast Asia in 2003 during my term as governor of Ilocos Norte,’ he said.

‘This administration will see to it that our constructive engagements with ASEAN, our External Partners and stakeholders, will continue to best serve our national interest, inasmuch as we promote the regional interest of peace, security, and prosperity, for the well-being of the Filipino people,’ Marcos added.

The commemorative summit aims to address the pressing international developments within the ASEAN regional bloc.

Critical issues in the South China Sea, East China Sea, North Korea and Myanmar are expected to be discussed, underscoring the persistent challenges that necessitate united attention and collaboration.
Source: Philippines News Agency