to doctors: Don’t dupe Philhealth ‘CloseCA borders, cut Omicron exposure risk’
should notforallow themourthepublic health doctors weretoengaged in the reBy Cai U. OrdinarioBy Joel R. San Juan with their loved ones,also while which, sheof said, economy can system. no for government be proactive in
to beregions drawn intolonger this afford. Philhealth’s financial resourc- imposing cruitment living inselves temperate them.of patients for cataract unethical practice,” the CA said. es, and that our nation as a operations, which is detrimental usually want to relax in tropical “It is better that we do protective Previous instances when the Court ofcountries Appealslike the Philippines. The appellate court made is already stretched to the of Philhealth. LOSING the country’sHE borders This preventivewhole, measures than get ex- to country hadinterest the opportunity to im(CA) has urged healththe reminder as ittodeniedposed the again. its We limit. Thea present situation pose travel Abbas recommended the is one of the most immediate year’s influx of OFWs is expected have lot to lose,” restrictions did not precare institutions not petition filed by Dr. Alberto should inspire us to rise above suspension of their claims with courses of action the governbe heavier since many of them were Oplas said. “We should do it now so vent the spread of Covid-19. That was to resort to unscrupulous Castro to set aside thewe canourselves focus on our na- mainly Philhealth pending further inment must take to prevent the latunable to come home forseeking the holidays that open justand before Christbecause the decision was not methods just to avail of the April 11, 2019 decision of the tion’s survival as a whole,” the vestigation. est Covid-19 variant, Omicron, from in December 2020. mas. If it gets contained, we can open made immediately, he said. benefitsaccordbeing provided“My by the Philhealth board affirming on patay the recommenreaching Philippine shores, recommendation is to protect it the again.” CA noted. “KungActing papatay [If we’re Philippine Health Insurance October 26, 2018 decision of Castro’s illegal activities dation of Abbas, Philhealth’s ing to local economists. the borders. Do not allow people with Ateneo Center for Economic Reslow] and we get caught flat-footthetoarbitration office of search Phil- andwere discovered(ACERD) after lawyer ed, [that’s Finding Investigation T he new var iantCorp. is a (Philhealth). threat, a history of travel countries with Development risky] We were and too Enreanid 11-page decision him guilty of Yasser Ismail head of activeforcement Department e s p e c i a l l y w it h t heInhol ay s positive cases tohealth enter,”finding Oplas said. Associate Director SerAbbas, Percival instead of proactive(FFIED) before. penned by Associate “We Justice Al- be more 17 counts of administrative the Philhealth’s legal the services We should conducted own that,” probe.Peñacoming up and more foreigners should restrictive. [We K. Peña-Reyes said closing learnitsfrom IMAGINE MORE The Walt Disney Company recently hosted a special evening to mark the global streaming service’s fonso Ruiz II, the CA’s Fifth Dioffense of breach of warranties unit in the National Capital It selected 12 patients of being a llowed to travel to the have to be] more protective in terms country’s borders would be effecReyes said. “It’s a delicate balancing vision also enjoined Philhealth of accreditation under Republic Region and Rizal conducted Castro who admitted that a free availability in the Philippines. The evening was graced by (from left to right): Pia Colby, Chief Marketing Officer, Globe; Philippines, De La Sa lle Univerof our measures.” tive but should still adhere to the act. We need to push testing and and its officialsOplas “to actsaid that Actwhile 7875 this or the National Health monitoring in Quezon tracing initial up were conducted Issa Guevarra-Cabreira, Chief Commercial Officer, Globe; David Shin, Senior Vice President & Managing The sit yDirector, economist Marmembers ia Ella Oplas will be standardsregular set by the World Health to check be properly informed with prudence and without any Insurance Act. City Eye Center. in their respective barangays Walt Disney Company, Taiwan, Hong Kong & Southeast Asia; Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse; Jay told Trinidad, Senior Vice BusinessMirror. a setback to some industries, this Organization (WHO). of our decisions. Blanket/shotgun corrupt motives” “The presentthat pandemic alAfter several days told of inves- approaches provided thathave the patient is a President & General Manager of Direct-to-Consumer, The Walt Disney Company, Asia Pacific; Jing Yin, General Manager usually The holidays bring in in performing is a fair measure considering What is needed, Peña-Reyes could dire consetheir duties. ready highlighted the anomtigation, Abbas found out that Philhealth member. of Cross Border Payment, Alipay+; Martha Sazon, President and CEO, GCash; and Winsley Bangit, Chief Customer Officer, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) this could help prevent placing the this newspaper, is for travel restricquences on the economy.” Med ic a l prac country t it ioners alies, flaws, and limitations several See “CA,” A2 GCash. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO who are eager to spend“ Christmas in another strict lockdown, tions to beCastro put inalong placewith swiftly andother See “Omicron,” A2 @caiordinario
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@jrsanjuan1573 eigners
Monday, Monday,November November29, 21,2021 2022Vol.Vol.1718No.52 No. 40
NATL GOVT BORROWINGS ‘NEW TAXES KEY TO PHL FOR 10 MOS DIP TO P2.75T FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY’ T T w
ByNicolas Cai U. Ordinario By Bernadette D.
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P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 20 pages |
@caiordinario
Omicron risk spurs revival of quarantine rules in PHL
@BNicolasBM
HE introduction of new taxes is HE national crucial to ensure the country’s government’s fiscal sustainability, according gross to a study from borrowings as of the state-owned think tank Philippine Institute for end-October shrank by almost 6 percent Development Studies (PIDS). year-on-year to Philippine Economic Society P2.75 trillion.
President Charlotte Justine Diokno-Sicat as well as PIDS Senior Research Specialist Robert Hector Latest data from the Bureau of the G. Palomar and Research Treasury showed that the Analyst governII Markgross Gerald C. Ruiz during said inthe a ment’s borrowings recent briefing that taxes would 10-month period fell by 5.99 percent ensure the country’s tax buoyancy from P2.92 trillion a year ago. remains above one. With only two months left for The researchers said when tax this year, the latest figure is already buoyancy is above one, tax revenue equivalent to 89.6 percent of its is moving faster than GDP which P3.07-trillion borrowing program. aids in reducing fiscal deficit borand Broken down, gross domestic supports government If rowings from Januaryspending. to October itsettled is less at than one, there could be a P2.23 trillion, down by
5.08 percent from P2.35 trillion in 2020. The bulk of the amount was sourced from Fixed Rate Treasury Bonds (P1.19 trillion), followed by short-term borrowings from BangByng Andrea E. San Juan ko Sentral Pilipinas or BSP (P540 billion), Retail Treasury Bonds/PreHAI firms have expressed myo Bonds (P463.3 billion), Retail interest in investing in Onshore Dollar Bonds (P80.84 bilthe Philippines particulion). In the same period, there was the areas ofof infrastrucalsolarly a netinredemption Treasury ture, transportation, Bills amounting to P43.94tourism billion. and food Net debt security. redemption means “We more are ready support… there were debtstorepaid cominvesting in food security pared to the amount borrowed durinfrastructure such as ing and the period. transportation promotMeanwhile, grossand foreign boring tourism with the Philiprowings in the same period also pines tobyenhance the to business contracted 9.7 percent P518.7 sector expansion billion fromfor lastmutual year’s P574.4 billion. between the two countries This was raised through global in (P146.17 the future,” K riengkrai bonds billion), program Thiennukul, chairman of the loans (P139.98 billion), euro-deFederation of Thai Industries nominated bonds (P121.97 billion), said Saturday. a project loan (P86.41 billion), and In a statement on Sunday, yen-denominated samurai bonds (P24.19 billion).
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
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NTER NATIONA L concerns over the possible spread of the more infectious Omicron Covid-19 variant prompted the government to reimpose mandatory facility-based quarantine for all arriving passengers in the country. Acting Presidential spokesperson Karlo B. Nograles announced on Sunday that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) suspended the implementation of its Resolution No. 150A (s.2021), effectively imposing See “New taxes,” A2 stricter protocols for all inbound travelers. To note, IATF Resolution 150A had allowed fully vaccinated PEOPLE walk past the mural of Gat Andres Bonifacio at Manila City Hall Underpass. non-visa travelers from Green List The country will celebrate the 158th birth anniversary of Filipino revolutionary areas to enter the country withhero Gat Andres Bonifacio on Tuesday, November 30. ROY DOMINGO out the need for facility-based the Office of the Press Secrequarantine as long as they secure tary (OPS) said Thiennukul negative Reverse Transcriptionmade this commitment in a UNITED States Vice President Kamala Harris looks on as security ushers members of the media out during a meeting with Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha at the Government House, Saturday,(RTPolymerase Chain Reaction roundtable conference with November 19, 2022, in Bangkok. After attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Thailand, Harris will fly to Manila Sunday night to meet President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the next day forprior talks PCR) test within 72 hours T hai business leaders and aimed at reinforcing Washington’s oldest treaty alliance in Asia and strengthening economic ties, said a senior US administration official, who was not identified to according to practice, in an online briefing their departure. Philippine economic managahead of theits visit.registry On Tuesdayfollowing she'll fly to Palawan which liesallows along the South China local fishermen, officialsDuterte and the coast guard. She“Except is the highest-ranking US leader so far to for countries classified By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas dating the province, them. This everyone toSea, seeto meet programs asvillagers, President ers and officials@jearcalas in Bangkok, (HAIYUN JIANG/THE NEW YORK TIMES VIA AP, POOL) visit the frontier island at the forefront of the long-seething territorial disputes involving China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. as ‘Red,’ the testing and quarantine enactment of the Coconut Farmwho are listed in the registry and if is expected to sign the industry Thailand. protocols for all inbound internaers and Industry Trust Fund law. farmer doesn’t see his name then he development plan in early 2022. T hrough ORE stronger ttional travelers in all ports of entry than par 3 million Rosales explained that about shall coordinate with the PCA imRosales said the PCA will not nerships between thefarmers Philip- and shall comply with the testing and coconut 500,000 coconut farmers and mediately,” he explained at a recent stop updating its list of coconut pines and Thailand, the now Thairegisquarantine protocols for ‘Yellow’ workers are workers were added to the PCA’s dialogue with coconut farmers. farmers and enjoined them to regbusiness leader the two reglist countries,” Nograles said, citing tered with thesaid government’s 2018 list that had about 2.5 million “On the other hand, if people ister in order to reap the benefits countries can work By Samuel P.and Medenilla Pacific region, that Philippines China dthe i s cprovision u s s e d p oofs sIATF i ble Resolution p a r t ne r istry, which servestogether as the basis coconut farmers farm workers. would see namesthe on Indo-Pacific the list and ofistry the decades-long idledand coconut to bolster economic growth es@sam_medenilla region. It should be those who live should reject “acts of bullying” in ships in agriculture, energy, and No. 151-A. for the number of people to be The PCA’s next step is to conthey think they are not coconut levy fund. “We will not stop at 3.1 pecially amid similar problems there who will dictate what hapthe SCS. infrastructure. He noted Hong Kong, which has covered by the utilization of the duct an exclusion-inclusion profarmers or their details are incormillion. We hope that more indifaced by both Asian economies, RESIDENT Ferdinand R. pens thecan region,” Thewill Chinese MinisMarcos earlier he supports confirmed a case said of the Omicron P75-billion coconut levy fund. cedure by making the updated rect, in they reportMarcos it to thesaid PCAin viduals registerForeign in our coconut including the impact of climate Marcos, Jr. said countries an with reporters before tr y released thehestatement afthe position of the of variant, will also fallAssociation under the YelPhilippine Coconut Authority farmers’ registry public, providforinterview immediate action,” he added. farmers registry,” said. change on the supply chain, the beyond Asia must not interhis departure from Thailand last ter Marcos’s meeting with ChiSoutheast Asian Nations (Asean) low list countries. (PCA) Deputy Administrator Roel ing everyone the opportunity to The PCA official noted that The updating of the coconut pandemic, andsaid global political in the territorial dispute in the Saturday. nese President Jinping by last to come out with a Code of rules Conduct The suspension of the for M. Rosales about 3.11 million fere check the veracity of the list, Rothe completion of the initial list farmers registry isXimandated instability. South China Sea (SCS). He made the remark when asked T hursday at the A sia Pacific (COC) to address existing territo“Green List” countries will be in coconut farmers and farm worksales added. of coconut farmers registry would Republic Act (RA) 11524 or the See “Thai A2 with the “It“The should be us Asia who deabout hisinreaction to the the statement Economic Cooperation (APEC) rial issues the SCS. 28, 2021 to effect frominNovember ers have beenfirms,” registered list will bein posted in public be just time for expected Coconut Industry Trust Fund Act. See “Marcos,” cides the future of Asia, the Asiaissued by the Chinese Foreign MinSummit, wherein both countries December 15, 2021. A2 government since it started upspaces where people can easily see rollout of coconut levy-funded See “3-M farmers,” A2 risk to fiscal sustainability. “Relatively, there are buoyant taxes but we might still be able to improve. In particular, I’m a strong advocate of the property valuation efforts that are currently in Congress right now,” Diokno-Sicat said in a recent presentation. In a presentation, estimates showed that short-run tax buoyancies were as high as 1.183 while long run estimates were as low as 0.921, indicating that there is a need “for a flexible tax system.”
THAI FIRMS KEEN ON INVESTING IN PHL TOURISM, TRANSPORT
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OVER 3-M FARMERS LISTED FOR P75-B COCO LEVY FUND
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Marcos shuns external interference in sea dispute
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PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 57.4510 n JAPAN 0.4099 n UK 68.1714 n HK 7.3411 n CHINA 8.0294 n SINGAPORE 41.8038 n AUSTRALIA 38.3830 n EU 59.5422 n KOREA 0.0428 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.2877 Source: BSP (November 18, 2022) PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.4600 n JAPAN 0.4374 n UK 67.2329 n HK 6.4722 n CHINA 7.9013 n SINGAPORE 36.8968 n AUSTRALIA 36.2807 n EU 56.5758 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.4531 Source: BSP (November 26, 2021)