Legarda Lauds Bohol, Urges All LGUs to Pursue Community-Based Ecotourism

As the world celebrates Earth Day on April 22, Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Climate Change Committee, renewed her call for local government units (LGUs) to pursue community-based activities for ecotourism and culture and ease the impact of climate change in their localities.

During her visit to Abatan River in Bohol, Legarda was impressed by efforts of the provincial government in creating a cultural adventure through the convergence of the five municipalities of Maribojoc, Catigbian, Balilihan, Cortes and Antequera.

“The Abatan River is unique as it is a beautiful journey of both nature and culture. You see the rich history of the towns, while appreciating our country’s natural wonders.” Legarda said. “It is a living ecological museum in itself,” she said.

Legarda likewise lauded the local government for leading in the enactment of model ordinances for tourism and environmental conservation. “The Bohol Tourism Code is a good resource for other ecotourism destinations on how to embark on environment-friendly development plans. It can be the basis for national legislation which I will push for in my next Senate term,” she added.

Legarda said there must be incentives for tourist destinations and resorts to have active plans to maintain and sustain the environmental state in their areas. Local resorts and tourist spots can offer outdoor activities, adventure and nature-related attractions provided that the destinations display friendliness to the environment.

Long an environmental crusader, Legarda has advocated for the enactment of laws on environmental governance like the Clean Air Act and the Solid Waste Management Act. As a strong advocate of climate change awareness, Legarda has authored the Climate Change Act of 2009 (Republic Act No. 9729), which created the Climate Change Commission and made the adaptation and mitigation strategies a national priority for development planning.

Legarda: Assist in immediate repatriation of stranded OFWs in Jeddah

Senator Loren Legarda, Senate foreign relations committee chair, today called on the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Foreign Affairs to intensify representations with the Saudi government for the immediate repatriation of stranded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

She also called on personnel of the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh to actively assist OFWs who want to legalize their status after Saudi King Abdullah gave them a three-month grace period.

The stranded Filipinos are considered undocumented and exit passes have to be secured from Saudi authorities before they may be allowed to return home.  Others have pending labor cases.

"The repatriation of hundreds of stranded Filipinos in Jeddah, some of whom are sick, and others even have children in tow, should be a priority of our government.  This problem has gone on for years.  Repatriation of stranded Filipinos should be a matter of course.  It is not the subject of an 'if and when' proposition," the Senator added.

The Senator also noted that the repatriation of stranded Filipinos in Jeddah have been intermittently undertaken over the years.  Some of the stranded Filipinos have been out of status in Jeddah for many years and have been appealing to the government for repatriation assistance over the years. 

Estimates by Migrante indicate that the number of stranded Filipinos who have camped outside  the Consulate General in Jeddah have reached almost 1,500.

"The Migrant Workers Act mandates the extension of government assistance to distressed Filipinos, including their repatriation.  The DFA and the DOLE need to deliver on its obligations under the law.  We should not pay lip service to our overseas Filipinos," Legarda said.

Legarda Calls for Heavy Penalties for Slaughter of Endangered Pangolins

Sen. Loren Legarda today expressed alarm over the discovery of more than 20,000 pounds of meat from the endangered pangolin in the Chinese vessel that ran aground in Tubbataha and urged the authorities to dig deeper into the matter.

            She said the discovery of the banned cargo should prod Philippine Navy and Coast Guard authorities to exercise the highest vigilance as similar illegal activities could be taking place off Philippine waters.  

            Legarda, Senate foreign relations committee chair and a staunch environmentalist, said the crew of the Chinese crew members violated not only the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act but also international law on trading in endangered species.

            “These Chinese crew members are heartless and cruel. They not only rammed their vessel into a World Heritage Site and destroyed valuable marine resources but also slaughtered an endangered species,” Legarda said as she asked Philippine authorities to file the appropriate charges against them. Besides facing poaching charges, the Chinese crew members could be charged with possessing and trading in endangered species.

                The Chinese vessel, which struck a section of the Tubbataha National Marine Park last April 8, was carrying 400 crates of frozen pangolins, also known as the scaly anteater.

An international ban on the trade of pangolins was imposed in 2002. According to the International Union of Conversation of Nature, two species, the Sunda and the Chinese pangolin, are endangered. Another two species, including the Philippine pangolin, are classified as near threatened.

Legarda said Philippine naval and Coast Guard authorities should be on the lookout for similar cargoes and deploy additional personnel and vessels in the area.

“It’s good that the Chinese vessel ran aground in the area and we were able to discover their illegal cargo. What if they were able to pass by undetected and continue with their illegal activity? More harm would have been inflicted by them on our marine resources,” Legarda said.

Legarda: 5,000 Children of Farmers to Benefit Under Pantawid Tuition Program

 About 5,000 students of the Isabela State University who are children of farmers are to be the first batch of beneficiaries of Sen. Loren Legarda’s “Pantawid Tuition Program." Legarda, who has put premium on education, announced her plan for the first batch of student beneficiaries during her visit to the province over the weekend.

            “Kayo ang magiging unang iskolar ng Pantawid Tuition Program na aking ilulunsad para sa mahihirap na pamilya, kasama ng mga pamilya na napapabilang sa Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) na programa ng gobyerno,” Legarda told the students.

            The senator said the first batch of scholars from the Isabela State University will be children of farmers taking up agriculture-related courses. Being from a highly agricultural province, these scholars would be valuable assets to Isabela and nearby provinces as they aim to become an agro-industrial center of the country.

           "Our agricultural sector needs personnel with the education and competence not only to lend their expertise to farmers and agricultural workers but also to man industries," Legarda explained. "Together with the province of Isabela as led by Gov. Faustino Dy III, our target is to be able to offer scholarships to the 21,000 college students at the ISU," she said.

Earlier, Legarda proposed to the government the granting of college scholarship to at least one member of each of the 3.8 million households that are beneficiaries of the CCC program.

“Ang aking hangarin, ang aking gagawin sa aking susunod na termino ay magkaroon ng kahit isang diploma ang bawat pamilyang Pilipino, lalo na yung nasa ilalim ng 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program), para ang bawat mahirap na pamilya ay siguradong magkakaroon ng isang college graduate,” she has said.

She added: “Mas mararamdaman ng bawat isang mahirap na pamilya ang programa ng gobyerno kung isa sa kanilang anak ay makapagtapos sa kolehiyo dahil matutulungan ng isang nagtapos ang kanyang pamilya, lalo ang kanyang nakababatang kapatid, pag siya ay may permanenteng trabaho na.” 

Legarda Lauds El Nido Award, Urges Incentives System for Ecotourism

The Department of Tourism (DOT) should establish an incentive-based system of best practices for ecotourism development among the country’s resorts and ecotourism destinations to make their service globally competitive and at the same time environment-friendly.  

     

            The call was made by Sen. Loren Legarda after El Nido Resorts (ENR), a cluster of four eco-resorts in Bacuit Bay in Palawan, won the Tourism for Tomorrow Award (TTA) during the recent 13th annual World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit held in Abu Dhabi. It was recognized for best practices in sustainable tourism in four categories—Destination Stewardship Award, Conservation Award, Community Benefit Award and the Global Tourism Business Award.

            “I laud El Nido for this achievement, for showing the whole world that it can engage in development while protecting the country's biodiversity and natural wonders,” Legarda, a leading environmentalist, said.

            She said El Nido’s success could be emulated elsewhere in the country with the DOT establishing a system of best practices so that resorts and other ecotourism destinations could undertake world-class development without destroying their areas’ natural wonders.

            Legarda said there must be incentives for resorts and other tourist destinations which have active plans to maintain and sustain the environmental state in their jurisdictions, just like what the late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo did for local government units (LGUs) with good housekeeping plans.

            She said the incentives, to be determined and drawn up by the DOT and other appropriate government agencies, would be the inducement to motivate these resorts and other ecotourism destinations to embark on environment-friendly development plans and practices.

Legarda said local resorts and tourist spots can offer outdoor activities, adventure and nature-related attractions provided that the destinations display friendliness to the environment.

            Earlier, Legarda has hailed the government’s plan to boost ecotourism through a partnership project between the DOT and Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

She said the Philippines has already been hailed as the World’s Center of Marine Biodiversity – the epicentre of biodiversity and evolution. However, the country is also one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots, with a large number of species either endangered or threatened of extinction.

“It is sad to note that the unique biodiversity that our country is greatly blessed with is deeply threatened by the irresponsible acts of man. But I am hopeful that this partnership project between the DENR and DOT will promote the natural attractions in our country while ensuring environmental conservation and sustainable development,” Legarda added. 

Legarda: Rural Growth Through “Bibingka Economics”

Sen. Loren Legarda today in Isabela Province renewed her call for spurring national growth  by enlarging the agricultural and micro-enterprise base in the countryside through a more effective implementation of  the Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act, along with the Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and the Barangay Kabuhayan Act.

            In her visit to the primarily agricultural province of Isabela, Legarda saw a huge potential in income creation as the country's top producer of corn in 2012.

            “The Agri Agra Law which I  principally authored could be more aggressively implemented and bolstered by a sustained awareness campaign among our farmers, the law's intended beneficiaries," Legarda said.

                  Legarda said the Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act requires banks to allocate 25 percent of their loanable funds to the agriculture sector to finance the acquisition of work animals, farm equipment or machinery, seeds, fertilizers, livestock, feeds or other similar items for farm production.

            Legarda said the law would ensure that there is “bibingka economics” or economic growth from the grassroots.

“Ibig sabihin mula sa ilalim ang paglago, na gaya ng pagluto ng bibingka, may apoy sa ilalim. Kailangan ang paglago ng kabuhayan, manggaling sa ilalim,” she stressed, referring to former President Fidel V. Ramos’s symbolism of the “bibingka” as the best path towards progress.

Legarda said the MSME law was enacted to help build up micro, small and medium enterprises nationwide and increase the incomes of underprivileged families, especially those in the provinces.

The law helps facilitate the access of micro, small and medium enterprises to sources of funds, requiring lending institutions to set aside for them at least 8 percent of their loan portfolio.

Micro and small enterprises availing of financing programs and incentives are also not required to undergo burdensome collateral requirements. 

On the other hand, the Barangay Kabuhayan Law seeks to empower would-be micro entrepreneurs through skills trainings offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in 4th, 5th and 6th class municipalities.

              A report from the Department of Trade and Industry shows that programs for MSMEs have generated a total employment of over 920,000 from July 2011 to June 2012 alone. New MSMEs assisted or created reached over 180,000. About 76,000 MSMEs expanded their operatioms.

Legarda Urges OFWs to Vote; Sees Need to Strengthen Their Welfare Fund

MANILA, April 12, 2013-Reelectionist Sen. Loren Legarda today expressed hope that the month-long voting for overseas Filipino workers will proceed smoothly in all the voting precincts worldwide as she called on OFWs to exercise their right to vote.

“Overseas Filipinos should take advantage of the opportunity to choose their next leaders, and to choose wisely,” Legarda, co-author of the Overseas Absentee Voting Law of 2003, said. "Hopefully this time, the 975,263 registered Filipino voters overseas will exercise their right to vote today up to May 13," she noted. 

Legarda said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should see to it that the  registered overseas Filipino voters  are adequately assisted as they cast their votes in Philippine embassies and consulates worldwide.

Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, made the call as she assured OFWs that their welfare would remain in her priority agenda in her next term. "Strengthening the OWWA Charter and ensuring that the OWWA fund which is built on the hard labor of our Filipino workers abroad is safely invested and plowed back for their needs is my promise. Also, I will create an information desk for their families here on entrepreneurial ventures that will multiply their earnings and allow our OFWs to retire comfortably," Legarda emphasized.

Legarda has been responsible for the passage of laws promoting the rights and welfare of OFWs and seafarers.   Through the Senator’s efforts, the Senate has concurred in the ratification of treaties and international agreements that promote the protection of the rights of overseas Filipinos, including the ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers, the  Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006) for the protection of the rights of seafarers; the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT) with the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and China, which establish a legal framework that obligates Contracting Parties to assist in the investigation, prosecution, and suppression of criminal offenses and proceedings related to criminal matters, the Consular Agreement with the People's Republic of China, which provides assistance to Filipino nationals in China, and the Convention on Social Security between the Philippines and Spain, which ensures that Filipinos in Spain are secured upon retirement.

Governor Yap to spearhead Wednesday’s Paggunita sa Capas

CAPAS, Tarlac, April 12, 2013-Tarlac Governor Victor Yap will spearhead on Wednesday the remembrance ceremony for the Filipino and American soldiers who were part of the 1942 Death March in Capas National Shrine, Tarlac.

Yap will offer a wreath then observe a moment of silence as a World War II veteran and a high school student lead the tolling of bell.

This will be followed by the awarding of recognitions to Belino Alumno (posthumous), Esteban Esco, Raymundo Gadgad, Alberto Bugtong, Robert Bellasi, and Santos Fianza.

According to historical accounts, around 75,000 Filipino and American soldiers were forcibly marched by the Japanese troops for five to six days with no food and a single sip of water.

An estimated 10,000 of these soldiers failed to reach their prison camp in Capas alive.

The camp was turned over by the Clark Air Base Military Reservation to the Philippine Government on April 9, 1982.

Former President Corazon Aquino proclaimed it as Capas National Shrine on December 7, 1991.

The shrine encompasses 54 hectares of parkland where the Bataan Death March ended.

35 hectares of land have been planted with rows of trees to represent each of the deceased at the camp and to promote environmental consciousness.

On April 9, 2003, a new memorial wall and obelisk was unveiled.

The 70-meter obelisk towers above the grounds of the former internment camp.

It is surrounded by a black marble wall engraved with the names of the Filipinos and Americans known to have died at the location.

On the three large wall segments that almost encircle the obelisk, there are statistics about the total numbers of prisoners and deaths together with poems for peace.

“Paggunita sa Capas” serves as one of the highlights of the annual commemoration of Philippine Veterans Week.

This year’s observance is guided by the theme “Ang Beterano: Sigla at Inspirasyon ng Kabataan Tungo sa Tuwid na Daan.”

Legarda Bats for “Bibingka Economics”

A job creation revolution in the provinces, especially in low-income class municipalities, has long been possible under existing laws that significantly enlarge the micro-enterprises base nationwide. This is according to reelectionist Senator Loren Legarda, principal author of the Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Barangay Kabuhayan Act, and the Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act.

 During the Inquirer Senate Forum, Legarda said that what is just needed is the full implementation of these laws and an extensive and sustained awareness campaign among the people. 

       “Mayroon na tayong mga polisiya at batas na syang tutugon sa kahirapan at magpapaunlad ng kabuhayan. Kailangan lang i-implement ng mabuti,” Legarda said.  

         Legarda said these laws would ensure that there is “bibingka economics” or economic growth from the grassroots.

          “Ibig sabihin mula sa ilalim ang paglago, na gaya ng pagluto ng bibingka, may apoy sa ilalim. Kailangan ang paglago ng kabuhayan, manggaling sa ilalim,” she stressed, referring to former President Fidel V. Ramos’s symbolism of the “bibingka” as the best path towards progress.

              Legarda said the MSME law was enacted to help build up micro, small and medium enterprises nationwide and increase the incomes of underprivileged families, especially those in the provinces.

         The law helps facilitate the access of micro, small and medium enterprises to sources of funds, requiring lending institutions to set aside for them at least 8 percent of their loan portfolio.

         Micro and small enterprises availing of financing programs and incentives are also not required to undergo burdensome collateral requirements. 

         On the other hand, the Barangay Kabuhayan Law seeks to empower would-be micro entrepreneurs through skills trainings offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in 4th, 5th and 6th class municipalities.

        Legarda said the Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act requires banks to allocate 25 percent of their loanable funds to the agriculture sector to finance the acquisition of work animals, farm equipment or machinery, seeds, fertilizers, livestock, feeds or other similar items for farm production.

        A report from the Department of Trade and Industry shows that programs for MSMEs have generated a total employment of over 920,000 from July 2011 to June 2012 alone. New MSMEs assisted or created reached over 180,000. About 76,000 MSMEs expanded their operations.

        “We need to sustain these gains because aside from generating employment opportunities and better incomes, MSMEs are powerful platforms for promotion of viable rural livelihoods, cultural preservation, socio-economic empowerment of indigenous peoples, and environmental protection,” Legarda emphasized. 

Legarda: Mindanao power crisis needs long-term solutions

Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, today reiterated that the Mindanao power situation is in dire need of long-term and sustainable solutions as the island can no longer rely solely on hydropower for its electricity needs.

            “Mindanao is heavily dependent on hydropower for its electricity requirements with 70% being sourced from hydro facilities, including the Agus and Pulangui hydropower plants. This cannot be sustained in the face of the worsening deforestation of watersheds, the siltation of river systems, and aging power facilities.  The summer heat can only worsen the situation,” Legarda said.

            She said the acquisition by the government of modular generator sets to offset the supply deficit is a short-term solution. The power deficit in Mindanao is at 300 megawatts, resulting in rotating brownouts.

            “We have to look at how we can best maximize the capacities of the government’s remaining assets in Mindanao, including Agus and Pulangi hydropower plants. We need to stop the intentional decay of these facilities only for government to sell them at a “give-away” rate to the private sector,” Legarda stressed.

            One long term solution, the senator said, is tapping renewable energy. “Mindanao has an agriculture-intensive economy. We need to be able to harness the agricultural wastes of Mindanao to fuel biomass facilities.  Hydropower, geothermal, biomass are now competitive with the cost of conventional energy sources.  They are undoubtedly cheaper than the diesel-fired power facilities and the power barges that the government will be mobilizing in the interim to address the power woes of Mindanao.”

Earlier, Legarda has pushed for the approval of her bill establishing an effective policy and regulatory administration over Lake Lanao through the proposed Lake Lanao Development Authority.

The proposed authority would ensure the promotion and development of Lake Lanao in a sustainable manner. Legarda said the worsening deforestation of watersheds, including those located in Lake Lanao, and the siltation of river systems are among the reasons the power supply in the island has become erratic.

She said the continued deterioration of Lake Lanao has affected the supply of water from the lake for six of Mindanao’s existing hydroelectric power plants, including Agus.

Legarda Calls For Vigilance in Guarding Philippine Waters

Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, today called on the Philippine Coast Guard to be more vigilant in guarding Philippine waters off Palawan after reports stated that a Chinese fishing vessel had struck another portion of Tubbataha Reef close to midnight Monday.

            “The grounding of the USS Guardian of the US Navy and now this Chinese fishing vessel on Tubbataha Reef which is within Philippine territorial waters requires a serious review of how our Navy and Coast Guard patrol our maritime boundaries,” Legarda said.

            The senator said while she recognizes the Navy’s and Coast Guard’s limited capabilities, additional resources, including patrol boats and personnel, must be thrown at Tubbataha Reef in view of the recent incidents.

            “We cannot afford that every now and then Tubbataha Reef is damaged by straying of foreign vessels, big or small, into the area,” she said.

            Earlier, Legarda had called for the full disclosure and accounting of the total damages arising from the grounding of the USS Guardian to help strengthen existing mechanisms to prevent a similar occurrence in the future.

            She said the owner and crew of the Chinese fishing vessel should be put to task for encroaching on Philippine waters and damaging the reef, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

According to Legarda, Republic Act 10067, or the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Act, clearly states that any damage to the reef shall subject the responsible person or entity to the payment of administrative fines set by the board based on current valuation standards, as well as the cost of restoration.

She said it is alarming that this jewel in our crown on biodiversity conservation efforts can be so easily accessed and damaged this way.

“Not all may be aware of the implications of coral reef degradation in our daily lives. Beyond aesthetics, corals serve a greater purpose in our marine ecosystems, because without them, marine species would practically be homeless. This incident should raise awareness about the status of our reefs and what else we can do to conserve them,” Legarda was earlier quoted as saying.

Initial reports from the Tubbataha Management Office identified the vessel as “being of Chinese origin,” a fishing boat with the marking 63168 and a crew of 12 Chinese nationals. It was not clear from the report if the vessel had authority to enter Philippine waters. The vessel got stuck at Tubbataha’s north islet where the Ranger Station is located.

‘NO WORK, NO VOTE’, A BETTER SOLUTION TO CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM IN CONGRESS -- ANGARA

MANILA, April 8, 2013-Instead of the proposed “no work, no pay”, Team PNoy senatorial candidate Edgardo “Sonny” Angara on Tuesday/Apr. 9 advocated a “no work, no vote’ policy as a better solution to the chronic absenteeism of lawmakers in Congress.

In a media briefing at the administration coalition’s headquarters in Makati City, the three-term congressman from the lone district of Aurora urged voters to junk candidates with a record of repeated absences in legislative sessions “thereby neglecting their sworn duties and responsibilities to the people.”

“Huwag nating iboto ang bulakbol. Huwag nating iboto ang mga kandidatong hindi nagtratrabaho,” said Angara, who is now popularly known as Senador Solusyon for the many bills that he authored while in the House of Representatives.

Calls for a “no work, no pay” policy mounted after the House of Representatives released the list of absences of congressmen during the 15^th Congress.

Angara reminded voters to be more vigilant and look into the record of the candidates who are mostly incumbent or former members of Congress.  For those who have yet to be members of Congress, Angara said voters could look at their achievements and credentials.

“If they were achievers in their past professional lives, most likely they will be achievers in the Senate. Kung sila ay non-performing asset (NPA) sa dating propesyunal na buhay, malamang magiging NPA din sila sa Senado,” he said.

Angara called for a more transparent use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or more popularly known as “pork barrel” to make sure that these are spent wisely and judiciously.

“We should make sure that the PDAF goes to the programs and projects that would benefit the constituents and not for their personal gain. Politicians who abuse their position for corruption do not deserve the people’s vote,” he said.

7th Infantry caps Army anniversary with 'Concert for Peace'

FORT MAGSAYSAY, Nueva Ecija - The 7th Infantry Division (7ID) recently capped the Philippine Army’s 116th anniversary with a “Concert for Peace” featuring popular rock bands Kamikazee and Soapdish.

“The activity aims to boost the morale of our uniformed men and women in Central Luzon and establish a good rapport with the community showing that we are always ready to lend a helping hand,” said Commander Major General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr.

“We want to instill into the minds of our brothers and sisters in Region 3 that our division is a good neighbor,” Catapang added.

Apart from Kamikazee and Soapdish, other performers were the 7th Civil Military Operations Peace Jammer, 24th Infantry Battalion, 48th Infantry Battalion “Guardians,” 703rd Infantry Brigade “Agila,” Special Operations Command, and local bands in Nueva Ecija.

Four big banks authorized to accommodate tax payments

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga--With less than two weeks before the deadline of filing of the income tax return, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) District No. 4 announced that
taxpayers could file their tax payments through four big banks.

BIR Regional Director Araceli Francisco disclosed that Banco De Oro, Landbank of the Philippines, Metrobank, and the Philippine National Bank are accepting tax payments until the deadline on April 15.

“These authorized banks will be able to accommodate more taxpayers filing their income tax returns or ITRs,” Francisco said.

“Paying taxes is an obligation of every Filipino and one should pay it correctly,” Francisco emphasized.

The annual income tax return filing is for the self-employed, individuals earning purely compensation income, professionals, estates, trusts, businesses, corporations, and partnerships.

BIR Region No.4 which covers six out of the seven provinces of Central Luzon, targets P18 billion in revenue collection this 2013.

The goal is spread out in its 10 district offices in Tarlac City; Paniqui town, Tarlac; Olongapo City; Subic Bay Freeport; Bataan; North Pampanga; South Pampanga; Aurora; North Nueva Ecija; and South Nueva Ecija which has 1,463,688 taxpayers as of December 2012.

HIGH FOREX RESERVES, BOON FOR PHL ECONOMY, SAYS MAGSAYSAY

Team PNoy senatorial candidate former Sen. Ramon “Jun” Magsaysay Jr. on Saturday /April 6 lauded the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for the continued rise of the country’s foreign gross international reserves, pointing out that this is another powerful tool which the government can use to further boost the economy.

“Such reserves can impact on the exchange rates and on the import-export economy as well,” said Magsaysay. “This is another indication that the country is finally taking off under the Aquino administration.

The Philippines’ gross international reserves (GIR) climbed to $84.1 billion last month from P83.6 billion in February, according to the BSP. The central bank expects it to hit P86 billion this year. 

The March reserves, explained BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. is enough to cover 11.9 months worth of import goods and payments of services and income. It is also equivalent to 9.9 times the country’s short-term external debt based on original maturity and 6.3 times based on residual maturity.

“Higher reserves mean a country is rather powerful from the economical and financial point of view,” Magsaysay said. “Having a strong back up, a country can provide negotiations concerning reduced interest rates on its debt and close negotiations with huge international partners on much better terms.”

Magsaysay explained that with higher reserves, the Philippines can choose whatever strategy it wants to further improve its economic footing.

“To attract more foreign potential customers and investors, the Philippines , with its strong market reserve, can weaken the peso on purpose as what the BSP is now doing, keeping it at the P40 to the US dollar level,” Magsaysay said.

Drilon: We'll not pass on problem to next administration; Pimentel offers lasting solutions to Mindanao power crisis

Team PNoy senatorial candidate Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Thursday /Apr. 4 called for immediate and lasting solutions to the Mindanao power shortage, saying this is crucial in propelling economic growth and social progress in the region.

“We should move decisively to meet both the current and future electricity needs of Mindanao,” Pimentel told a media briefing at the administration coalition headquarters in Makati City. “With peace in the horizon, it should be so much easier to propel economic growth and social progress with the construction of more power generation facilities."

Team PNoy campaign manager, Sen. Franklin Drilon, in the same media briefing, said the government has allocated P4.4 billion for the purchase of generator sets to alleviate the problem while the coal-fired power plants are being built.

“The Mindanao power crisis is a problem we inherited," Drilon said. "But rest assured that we will not pass it on to the next administration. We will work on it and solve it during the term of President Aquino."

As Mindanao continues to reel with up to eight-hour brownouts daily, Pimentel offered short-, medium- and long-term solutions to address the power crisis.

Idle power plants should be brought back online to maximize their use while allowing privately-owned generators to participate, added Pimentel, who shot up to fifth place in the latest Pulse Asia survey among senatorial candidates in next month's mid-term elections. 

He also batted for the use of small, hydro-powered generators. 

“Let us find a way to bring them online at the soonest possible time so at least mas kokonti at bababa ang shortfall,” Pimentel said. “Definitely by next summer, it will not be as bad because I’m anticipating that 'yung offline plants ngayon will be online by next summer.”

The medium-term thrust, according to Pimentel, should be the rehabilitation of the Angus-Pulangi hydro power complex while the long-term goal  should be the construction of more base-load power plants that can handle the increased requirements of Mindanao  and the exploration of alternative sources of energy like solar, bio mass, wave energy, wind and geothermal, among others.

“By end of 2014 or early 2015, the shortfall will be met by the plants being built now, which will come online at that time,” Pimentel said.