Raise the tax exemption on 13th month pay

MANILA-No tax law is chiseled in stone.  Revenue laws get amended or changed overtime.

Economic developments trigger revisions in our tax code. So does technological advancement.

For tax laws to be relevant, they must respond to, not resist, the changing social landscape. 

The only two constants are that citizens obey them. And for lawmakers whom they elected, to change these laws when these become obsolete.

Because if our tax code were a fossilized document, then we would still be collecting taxes on opium.

A hundred years ago an opium addict, upon paying the Commissioner of Internal Revenue a fee as little as one peso, can secure a license, issued in quadruplicate, allowing him to smoke, chew, swallow or inject opium.

In 1914, there was also a specific tax on matches. Our first internal revenue code, Act 1189, written under American tutelage, slapped a tax of 40 centavos per 120 sticks.

It was also when carabaos were still taxed. So when an addict went to an opium den for his regular fix, then he paid a tax on his drug, on the match he used for lighting the pipe, and, if he was chauffeured there in a carabao-drawn carromata, on his ride.

Looking back, we may dismiss those levies as novelties. Today the mere thought of a tax on a match is already incendiary. But at that time, those who wrote those laws saw wisdom in them and the common good they serve.

It is the same wisdom that led subsequent legislatures to prune our thicket of revenue laws of dead parts.

The Senate, for one, is a huge paper-shredder of antiquated tax laws – and even tax proposals.

Always it has followed the “elevator rule” in taxation. Rates can go up – or down.  The power to tax is not exclusive to raising tax rates; it includes lowering them, not just to impose taxes on goods and income, but to exempt certain ones.

And if taxation is compulsion, then compassion lies in the exceptions to the rule.

Exemptions and deductions are what distinguish taxation from taxidermy.

Taxation is the art of plucking the most amount of feathers from the goose with the least hissing. Taxidermy leaves only the skin.

In 1994, those in this chamber  - Senator Tito is a member of Class ’92 -  pondered long and hard on how much of the 13th month pay and other bonuses shall be kept outside the reach of the taxman.

Republic Act 7833 which they passed that year placed P30,000 as the no-tax zone. Ibig sabihin lahat ng ito pwedeng iregalo sa inaanak. Ano mang lampas, may kaltas na ang BIR.

We combed through the debate records to learn how they arrived at that figure. We found out that there were no esoteric econometric models behind the amount.

The raison d ‘ etre was simple : Because the salary of the President then was P25,000 a month, then P30,000 was presumed to be enough to cover all civil servants.

The buffer of P5,000 was installed in the event that the public sector pay will be increased.

In fact, in anticipation of this, the 10th Congress included a provision in RA 8424 which states that the Secretary of Finance may raise the threshold.

As we all know, in legal construction, there is a whale of a difference between “shall” and “may”. The former is mandatory, the latter optional. Often, the synonym of “may” is “never”.

When it came to the P30,000 threshold, the provision to raise it based on inflation was never invoked. 

Who would have thought that the DoF would love the word “may” when “shall” is a favorite word in the BIR vocabulary as its demand letters are peppered by “shall pay,” “shall remit”,  “shall comply”?

For its inaction, we are stuck with a threshold, carbon-dated to 1 generation, 20 years and 3 presidents ago.

The peso has lost 2/3rds of its value over the past 20 years. One peso in 1994 is worth 36 centavos today.

Adjusted to inflation, the P30,000 then should be P82,300 today.

But instead of retracing the Consumer Price Index back to the era when the Senate was still squatting in the National Museum, when express mail to senators was called telegram, when they were summoned to meetings through SMS in their pagers, it would be better to recite grocery receipts than to show how much the peso has lost value.

When the 17-year-old Bam Aquino sipped his first beer in 1994, Pale Pilsen cost P8.50 a bottle. If he rode a jeepney from Katipunan to the Cubao beer garden, he paid P1.50. 

Of course, Sonny Angara, on vacation from his London studies, wouldn’t be caught taking public transpo. If he borrowed one of his dad’s cars, he would have paid P8.50 for a liter of gasoline.

When the other Sonny was an Upperclassman in PMA, a kilo of rice in the Baguio market was P13, bread at Star Cafe can be had at P7 a loaf.

When Alan was a first-term 23-year-old councilor in Taguig his lakeshore constituents were selling tilapia at P64 a kilo, bangus at P69, and duck eggs at P2.70 each.

At kung nag-go-grocery si Nancy sa Cash and Carry noon, ang kilo ng baboy ay P86, ang isang litro ng mantika ay P25, ang kalahating kilo ng oatmeal ay P55, isang kilo ng longganisa ay P85, ang kilo ng mangga ay P34, at ang sardinas ay P6 isang lata.

Sa Batangas, naalala ko pa na 20 years ago, pwede kang bumarik ng gin na may kasamang isang platitong mani sa halagang P10.

Ito yung presyo ng mga bilihin sa panahong itinakda na P30,000 ang 13th month pay at iba pang benepisyong di na bubuwisan. Ang trenta mil noon, P10,800 na lang ang halaga ngayon.

May ilang nagbabala na P42 billion daw ang malulugi sa pamahalaan kung maipapasa ang panukalang batas na ito na naglalayong itaas sa P75,000 ang 13th month pay na di na bubuwisan.

Wala pong basehan ang ganung pangamba. Una, ang binayad na income tax sa buong Pilipinas noon 2013 ay P214 bilyon.

Kung paniniwalaan natin ang ganung haka-haka, ibig sabihin po ba na one-fifth ng sweldo o kita ng mga taxpayers sa bansang ito ay galing sa 13^th month pay at Christmas bonus or binibigay kung malapit na ang Pasko? Mahirap naman yatang paniwalaan ‘yon.  

Sapagkat numero ang pinagbabasehan sa pagbubuwis, mas kapani-paniwala siguro ang estimate ng foregone revenues na binigay ng PIDS at ni Dr. Stella Quimbo ng UP School of Economics.

Tinataya ng PIDS na P2.6 bilyon lamang ang kabawasan sa taunang koleksyon at ayon naman sa komputasyon ni Dr. Quimbo, na hindi basta namitas ng numero sa ere at sa halip ay ipinakita ang kanyang formula, sagad na ang P5.6 bilyon bilang revenue loss.

But whatever is the revenue loss for the government is actually income gained for the workingman. And even if his 13th month pay is tax exempt upon receipt, it will be taxable when spent, so tax not withheld at source will later be captured in the form of sales tax at points of sale.

This is the season of rising prices of commodities.  

‘Yung pork pata na pwedeng pang-Noche Buena na P63 a kilo noong 1994 ay P170 na ngayon. ‘Yung bigas na tig-trese pesos noon, P42 na ngayon.

We can’t pass a law prohibiting food inflation as much as we can’t repeal the law of supply and demand.

Lower price tags can’t be legislated.  

But there’s something else we can do to ease the plight of our consumers, and perhaps add a little cheer to their Christmas, and that is to pass this law.

In its enrolled form, this bill can be our Christmas card to them.

On IP Month, Legarda Opens ASEAN Textile Exhibit, Sponsors Ethnic Origin Bill

MANILA-In celebration of the Indigenous Peoples Month this October, Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities, has set up an exhibit on ASEAN textiles and will sponsor the proposed Ethnic Origin Act.

Legarda, in partnership with the Office of Senate President Franklin Drilon and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), will launch today the exhibit titled, Woven Identities: Clothing Traditions of ASEAN, displayed at the Second Floor Hallway of the Senate.

“This exhibit showcases traditional garments from ASEAN member-countries and aims not only to reveal the remarkable artistry and unique culture of each nation but also to show what we have in common, to find unity amidst diversity,” said Legarda.

Exhibit curator, Charisse Aquino-Tugade, explained that a wrap-around skirt is a common garment among Southeast Asians, but the way the fabric is knotted or folded could reveal the wearer’s origin or beliefs. It could be knotted into a malong in the Philippines, twisted into a pantaloon or Sampot in Cambodia, or folded into a Sarong in Indonesia.

The ASEAN textile exhibit is displayed beside another exhibit of Tugade, Philippine Indigenous Patterns and Forms, which presents several weaving techniques used by traditional weavers in the modern setting.

Meanwhile, Legarda will also sponsor today the proposed Ethnic Origin Act, which defines ethnicity and indigenous peoples or indigenous cultural communities (ICCs). The definition under the measure shall be the basis for gathering data on ethnic origin.

“The opportunities, privileges and rights embodied in the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) and in other legal instruments, have yet to be fully accorded to our IPs several years after the law was enacted. To be able to carry out our commitments to them, our government must have an adequate understanding of our IPs and ICCs and be sensitive and responsive to their needs. An entry point to this is having a good grasp of population data based on ethnicity,” she explained.

“The population data on ICCs and IPs vary depending on the group handling the research or using the data. The Episcopal Commission on Tribal Filipinos (ECTF) estimates our IP/ICC population to be between 6.5 and 7.5 million, while the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates it to between 12 and 15 million. This reality compels us even more to obtain the accurate data,” she added.

Legarda also said that apart from having data on ICCs and IPs population, there is a need to have a system or set of relational database to come up with timely, accurate and useful statistics on the ICCs and IPs. Such information will contribute to the effective implementation of the IPRA.

Under the Ethnic Origin Act, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), in coordination with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), will employ enumerators or deploy NCIP employees in gathering data on Ethnic Origin during the conduct of the national survey and national census.

The NCIP will ensure that these enumerators will have adequate knowledge of the different IPs and ICCs in their area and should also know the proper manner of asking culturally-sensitive questions.

“Being counted gives one an opportunity to be heard. Being counted with one’s cultural community, gives our indigenous peoples not only the opportunity to be heard but also paves the way towards development—one that ensures that they are included in the process, their rights are respected, and they are responsible as well. With these considerations, I hope the Senate will soon approve the Ethnic Origin Bill,” Legarda concluded.

Drilon: Senate to raise tax exemption limit on Christmas perks, other bonuses before yearend

MANILA-A bill that will increase the take-home pay of public and private employees is among the measures that will be passed before the year ends, said Senate President Franklin M. Drilon.

"In the meeting we had with the House leadership, we have resolved that the tax exemption limit on 13th month pay and other benefits should have the Congress' approval before the year ends. This bill has already the lawmakers' thumbs up, so it's possible that we can pass it this year,” said Drilon.

Drilon said the Senate Committee on Ways and Means is already finished with its committee report and it will be brought to plenary debates this week.

“Once it is laid on the floor, we will immediately calendar it for debates. I am sure we can come up with the solutions on how to address the concerns regarding its effects on our national coffers,” said Drilon.

“What we are more concerned about is how we can help our millions of workers who are struggling from day to day to cope with the effects of inflation. The exemplary actions of our workers, for instance, our teachers, cops and soldiers deserve more support from the government,” stressed Drilon.

The Senate intends to raise the exclusion limit on an individual’s 13^th month pay, Christmas bonus, and other work benefits from income taxation from the current imposed limit of P30, 000 to P75,000.

A house version of the proposed measure had already been transmitted to the Senate last September.

Meanwhile, Drilon said he expects floor deliberations on the 2015 national budget to start by November 18. He said the chamber remains on-track on the budget and is committed to approve it before yearend.

The Senate leader also enumerated a number of measures, mostly economic measures, that will receive urgent legislative action which include the Bangsamoro Basic Law, Fair Competition Act, Rationalization of Fiscal Incentives Law, Customs and Tariff Modernization Act, Rationalization of Mining Revenues Act, the amendments to the charter of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and Built-Operate-Transfer law, and the establishment of an information and communications technology department. 

Senate commends mayor for agri feats

MANILA-The Senate today adopted a resolution commending Zamboanga del Sur Mayor Nacianceno “Jun” Mejos Pacalioga Jr. for winning the 2012 One World Award last September in Legau, Germany.

Senator Cynthia Villar, author of Resolution 807, said Pacalioga was awarded the 2012 One World Award for promoting organic agriculture and sustainable rural development in his hometown of  Dumingag  in Zamboanga del Sur.

One World is a biennial honor that recognizes outstanding people and their projects that serve as examples of globalization and show strong commitment towards a sustainable future.

Villar, chair of the Senate Committee of Agriculture and Food, said Republic Act 10068, otherwise known as the "Organic Agriculture Act of 2010," recognizes best practices in organic agriculture which showcase organic farming technologies and techniques which will seek to set benchmarks for local farmers.

“Mayor Jun bested finalists from around the world for his "outstanding work

(that) is unique in its complexity, targeting agriculture, rural development, forestry and resources management,” Villar said.

“His achievement in his hometown puts Dumingag in the global map as a framework of socially and ecologically sustainable development which can be emulated not only by the country but by communities throughout the world,” she added.

Villar said Pacalioga deserves to be commended and emulated for his dedication and hard work.

Ecozone project to boost dev't in Aurora province

CASIGURAN, Aurora-The creation of the Aurora Pacific Ecozone and Freeport Authority (APECO) here in Casiguran, Aurora is seen to spur local economy in the eastern seaboard of Luzon.

Gerardo Erquiza, president and chief executive officer of APECO, on Tuesday lamented that the Aurora province has been increasingly isolated and neglected over the past few decades.

“Tourism is expected to boost as tourist influx to Baler has dramatically rose. Casiguran has much more to offer than Baler in terms of tourist spots and hotel owners in Baler are keen on putting-up hotel facilities in Casiguran to respond to the call,” said Erquiza.

Travel time between Casiguran and Baler was also shortened due to APECO’s Baler-Casiguran Road project, according to him.

The official was present during the Senate hearing on the proposed 2015 budget of the APECO. Its proposed budget amounts to P250 million.

While he welcomes a number of criticisms regarding APECO, Erquiza appealed for the support of its stakeholders.

Erquiza said they have always been open for “greater consultation and collaboration,” especially with people of Casiguran.

“What we need now is breathing space, not a choking point. Let’s not kill the ideas and visions that APECO has for the eastern seaboard of the Philippines,” he stressed.

During the hearing, Erquiza also dismissed reports that APECO destroyed the lives and resources of the Casiguran farmers.

Renato Prado, chairman of Samahang AKDA ng Aurora, in a press conference at the Senate December last year, debunked land-grabbing claims against APECO.

“Wala pong katotohanan. Wala pong inaalis ang APECO na Dumagat. Sa totoo lang po sila po ‘yung nakatulong sa amin, binigyan po kami ng kabuhayan po,” said Prado.

Ely Dipablo, a Dumagat elder and former officer of Presidential Aim for National Minorities in Casiguran, echoed Prado’s statement.

“Hamunin ko po. Magsabi sila ng kahit na isang pangalan ang na inagawan ng lupa ng APECO. Hinahamon kop o sila ilabas nila kahit isa lang tao kung sino ang inagawan. Walang inagawan ng lupa,” he said. 

Legarda Invites Filipinos to Join Dayaw Festival in Baguio

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda today encouraged Filipinos, especially those in the Cordillera and nearby regions, to participate in the Luzon leg of the 2014 Dayaw Indigenous Peoples Festival, which will be held in Baguio City from October 22-23, 2014.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities, said that through the Dayaw Festival, citizens will be able to witness various indigenous performances, rituals, traditions and crafts, which are all part of the Filipino identity.

“We have a very rich culture and we should rediscover our traditions through the Dayaw Festival. I invite the people in Baguio, in the Cordillera Region, and even those in other regions in Luzon to participate in the Dayaw 2014 in Baguio,” she said.

Cultural performances by cultural masters, traditional games and cuisine demonstrations, parade of IPs, and craft exhibitions are among the highlights of the Dayaw Festival in Baguio.

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the lead agency organizing the Dayaw Festival, earlier announced that the 2014 Dayaw Festival will be held in three different venues—in Baguio City on October 22-23; in Bacolod City on November 10-11; and in Zamboanga City on November 15-16.

“I congratulate the NCCA for bringing our culture and traditions closer to many Filipinos by organizing three Dayaw Festivals this year. This would allow more Filipinos to be part of the celebration,” said Legarda.

“I wish to highlight once more that culture is our common ground as a people. We have to find that common ground so that we remain connected to one another and strengthen the unity among our citizens. And so I wish that our citizens would take this opportunity to know about and be proud of what we have and where we came from so that we may find the essence of being Filipino,” Legarda concluded.

NIA, NUEVA ECIJA LGU HOST WATER SUMMIT, LAY DOWN BATTLE PLAN AGAINST EL NIÑO

PALAYAN City, Nueva Ecija – The National Irrigation Administration led by Administrator Florencio F. Padernal and the provincial government of Nueva Ecija headed by Governor Aurelio M. Umali hosted this year’s Nueva Ecija Water Summit on October 15, 2014 at the Nueva Ecija Convention Center, this city. The activity primarily aimed to present the current water situation in the coverage area of Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System (UPRIIS) – headed by Engr. Reynaldo D. Puno – to base the formulation of measures that would help to mitigate the negative effects of the El Niño phenomenon.

El Niño

PAG-ASA forecasted that the climate phenomenon, which occurs across the tropical Pacific Ocean, will peak during the last quarter of 2014 until beginning of second quarter of 2015. This particular climate pattern is mostly associated with lack of rainfall occurrence, drought, and abnormal weather conditions. Countries that are dependent on agriculture and fisheries like the Philippines are said to be the most affected by El Niño. Due to this event, rice and food production will likely to suffer.

Affected Area

Currently, Pantabangan Dam had been suffering the initial effects of the phenomenon. Due to the lack of rainfall occurrence, particularly in Luzon, the water elevation of the reservoir as of July 2014 is only at 182 meters. Based on the average and maximum inflows, the projected water level on November 30 is 194.22 meters (average inflow) or 209.53 (maximum inflow) which is still below the Operation Rule Curve of 212.15 meters.

In connection to this, it is forecasted that only 70% or 80,842 hectares out of UPRIIS’s total irrigable area of 114,490 hectares can be programmed for irrigation for the Dry Cropping Season 2015 that will affect 27,332 farmers.

Convergence

Also one of the main purposes of the water summit is to convene the stakeholders involved in rice and food production in the province. It became the venue for all the participants to share trends and practices in relation to increasing agricultural productivity amidst the El Niño phenomenon. Aside from Padernal, Umali, and Puno, present during the summit were: DOST-PAGASA Administrator Dr. Vicente B. Malano; Department of Agriculture Asst. Regional Director Cris Bautista; and Representative of the OPAFSAM Ferdinand Hombrebueno. Also present were representatives from other private and government agencies, LGUs, and officials and members of Irrigators Associations (IAs).

Nueva Ecija Governor Aurelio M. Umali said he will allot funds to improve water flow of Peñaranda River hence improving irrigation especially during the peak of El Niño.

NIA Administrator Florencio F. Padernal and UPRIIS Operations Manager Reynaldo D. Puno assured the participants of the Water Summit that NIA is well-prepared for El Niño.

Drilon urges: Renewed zeal for public service on Senate’s 98th Anniversary

MANILA-In celebrating the Senate’s 98^th Anniversary, Senate President Franklin M. Drilon today recalled the challenges that gripped the upper chamber throughout the previous year, and urged Senate employees to do their best in helping the institution regain public trust and credibility.

Drilon spoke before Senate employees in a ceremony held at the Senate on Monday morning, as part of the month-long celebration of the Senate of its 98^th year of existence. The first iteration of the Philippine Senate was convened under the Philippine Legislature in 1916, during the American occupation.

In his address, Drilon recognized that the current senators of the 16^th Congress were hit by “one of the fiercest political storms in recent history.”

“The First Regular Session of the 16^th Congress was personally, the most difficult period of my public career. We were badly bruised from the constant public beatings because of the PDAF scandal,” Drilon said.  

“Our institution did not break or implode as some cynics predicted. It emerged from the crisis with a stronger resolve to give the best service possible to the nation and the Filipino people. We seized and turned it into an opportunity for introspection and reforms that would lead us to a higher level of public service,” he proudly told Senate employees.  

Drilon however assured Senate workers that the public is beginning to acknowledge the Senate’s efforts, noting the most recent SWS survey where the upper chamber has the greatest overall performance rating improvement – 18 points – higher than all of the other government institutions covered by the survey.

“We need to grab this opportunity and show to our people that indeed, the Senate is worthy of their trust,” the Senate leader then said.   

 He stressed the Senate’s vow to guard and perform its constitutional mandate and powers with renewed zeal in its 98^th anniversary: “The Senate has shown and will continue to show to our people that their Senate listens and responds to their pressing concerns and constantly feels their pulse.”  

For the employees of the Senate, Drilon said that the institution “expects nothing from you but hard work, unwavering dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence.”

Harkening back to the Senate’s illustrious history, Drilon underscored that now is a good time for everyone to “reflect on the importance of this institution of democracy, as well as the legacy of former legislators and national leaders who taught us priceless lessons in public policy making and nation building.”

From its roots in the American period to its current iteration established under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the Senate has been composed of the some of the most celebrated figures in Philippine history, including ten of the nation’s fifteen presidents, along with other noted statesmen and leaders of Philippine political thought, such as Benigno S. Aquino Sr., Claro M. Recto, and Jose W. Diokno.  

“I encourage you to honor the sterling qualities, monumental work, courage and integrity of the men and women who have once walked through the Senate’s august halls. They have always inspired us to put forth effective, coherent, relevant and timely laws,” Drilon said.

In the same ceremony, Drilon also took the time to thank Senate workers who were noted for their outstanding performance, and for their long years of service in the legislative branch.  

Quoting the late South African democracy idol Nelson Mandela, Drilon told the exemplary Senate employees that, “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference that we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the live that we lead.”

"I encourage you all to remain tireless in rendering excellent service, the kind of service the Senate is known for throughout the years,” he then concluded.

Senate passes bill prohibiting development of chemical weapons

MANILA-The Senate today passed on third and final reading a bill which seeks to prohibit the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons and at the same time establish a Philippine National Authority for the Chemical Weapons Convention (PNA-CWC).

“In our modern society, the use of chemical weapons, especially by non-state actors such as terrorists, poses a grave threat to international security,” said Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, author and sponsor of Senate Bill No. 2042, otherwise known as the Chemical Weapons Prohibition Act.

The Philippines became a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1993, the first disarmament agreement that provides for the elimination and prohibition of the development of chemical weapons. As of October 2013, 190 nations have already signed to be part of the endeavor.

Trillanes, chair of the Committee on National Defense and Security, said the measure aimed to provide a legislative framework for the effective implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention in the country.

Furthermore, he said, SBN 2042 aimed to establish a separate and permanent bureau that “will serve as the national coordinating body for effective liaison with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the implementing body of the Convention. The PNA-CWC will be the lead agency in the implementation of the provisions of the Convention.”

 “Despite our efforts, we cannot fully implement its provisions in the country due to lack of a legislative framework that will give teeth to its implementation,” Trillanes said.

Under the proposed legislation, PNA-CWC will be comprised of the executive secretary as the chairperson and the secretary of national defense as the vice chairperson. Members will be the National Security Advisor and the secretaries of foreign affairs, justice, interior and local government, finance, health, environment and natural resources, agriculture, transportation and communications, trade and industry, science and technology and energy.

Once passed into law, violators face penalties of imprisonment of 12 years and one day to life imprisonment and a fine of P2 million to P5 million for any person charged with any of the prohibited acts, according to Trillanes.

        “As a signatory to the Convention, the immediate passage of this bill is necessary to maintain our country’s commitment to international peace and security. It would be a vital step towards maintaining the peaceful and meaningful utilization of chemicals and the creation of a treaty regime which will ensure that governments from different states will fulfill their national obligation of implementing chemical disarmament and non-proliferation,” Trillanes said. (Apple Buenaventura)

Legarda Cites Germany’s Experience in Improving PHL’s Natural Resources Governance

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda today said that the Philippines can learn a lot from Germany’s experience in natural resources management and improving relevant policies, particularly on land use planning, coastal protection, sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committees on Environment and Natural Resources and on Climate Change, made the statement following a study visit to Germany with fellow Philippine legislators and policymakers from October 12-17, 2014.

The German Government, through the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), extended the invitation to Philippine legislators as part of a project under the framework of the “Land Use Policy and Spatial Planning, Sustainable Forest Management, Adaptation to Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation” program supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Legarda said that the study tour provided important insights into natural resources management, which Philippine legislators can learn from especially since the Senate and the House of Representatives are working on several proposed measures, including the National Land Use Policy, Final Forest Limits Act, Protected Areas Declaration Act, and the Integrated Coastal Management Act.

“Germany’s experience highlights the strong coordination and open lines of communication between Federal (national), local governments, business and civil society. This should also be the case in our country. A national land use policy is crucial in the government’s current disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation efforts. The cooperation and support of all sectors of society is crucial in crafting this measure and eventually effectively implementing the same,” she said.

“The Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources is currently studying the outcome documents of the public hearings on the National Land Use Policy and the Final Forest Limits Act. These two measures are complementary and with the valuable support of all sectors, the committee targets the approval of the bills by the Senate before the year ends,” Legarda added.

The Senator was also impressed with how Germany has been able to meet its ambitious greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) targets by pursuing both national and local policy measures that have focused on expanding wind and solar power, improving energy efficiency in the transport and construction sectors, promoting urban development measures, and preserving natural carbon sinks like forests.

Germany’s target is 14 percent reduction in 2020 compared to 1990 levels, 55 percent in 2030, 70 percent in 2040, and 85 percent by 2050. Germany is currently off by seven percent.

“I look forward to working with the German government to see how their initiatives could be adopted in the Philippines. Meanwhile, our agencies of government and local government units should boost efforts on natural resources management through the implementation of existing laws. We must link science and policy-making; finance mechanisms for climate and energy solutions—including energy efficiency, clean technology and green infrastructure investment; and enable the private business and financial community to support comprehensive climate and energy policies and to invest in climate and clean energy solutions,” said Legarda.

Ecija cops nab funeral parlor manager for masterminding embalmer’s murder

GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija–Police arrested here a 33-year-old lady manager of a funeral parlor for masterminding the killing of a 42-year-old embalmer here Friday.

          PO3 Dennish Pengson, investigator of the Gapan police, identified the suspect as Cherrylyn Lazaro, branch manager of the St. Peter Chapel Funeral Homes, of Barangay Balite, San Miguel, Bulacan.

          Lazaro was tagged for the killing of embalmer Marty Dela Cruz of 10-A Cynthia St., Doña Carmen Subd., Commonwealth, Quezon City.

          Police said Dela Cruz was sitting at a table inside an eatery and sending text messages through his mobile phone along the Gapan-Olongapo Road in Barangay San Nicolas at around 8:50 am Friday when a lone gunman appeared and shot him repeatedly at point-blank range with a caliber 45 pistol.

          The gunman, wearing a bull cap and a white t-shirt, and described as fair complexioned, between 5’5” to 5’7” in height, medium built and fled on foot towards Barangay Sto. Niño.

Dela Cruz’s co-employee Rick Angelo Sarmiento rushed him to the Good Samaritan Hospital for treatment. He appeared strong despite sustaining gunshot wounds and at the hospital bed, pointed to Lazaro as the one who ordered the attack.

He died two hours later while being operated on.

A police team led by Senior Inspector Jeffrey Alivia arrested Lazaro during a follow-up operation. The gunman remained at large.

Pengson said they are looking at an old grudge as the motive behind the killing. He said the dispute between Lazaro and the victim started when the latter refused to obey Lazaro’s orders to embalm the remains of a man due to lack of certain procedural requirements.

Pengson said the rift worsened when Dela Cruz reported Lazaro’s “extracurricular activities” to the company’s top management in Manila. He said Dela Cruz has in his possession a video showing Lazaro’s having an affair with another man apart from her husband who is set to return soon from abroad.

The video footage has been turned over to the police before the victim died.  

    

Recovered from the crime scene were three live ammunitions from a  caliber .45 pistol. (Manny Galvez)

Clark Museum zooms to tablet, touchscreen and 4Ds to attract younger audience

Shortly by January next year, educational tours at the Clark Museum will never be dull again as students and other young visitors can expect a more upbeat setting and could just tap, swipe, bump or whatever else they can do with their fingers on story lines they prefer to peruse.

Visitors can also better assess historical features and images from exhibit to exhibit or experience watching the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo on a 4D theatre or a 3D movie with sensor-equipped motion seats, wind, strobe, fog, rain and scents.

Architect Lala Rodriguez, a member of the taskforce APEC which handles infrastructure matters related to the 2015 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit said this is going to be the setup of the new Clark Museum that CDC President/CEO Arthur Tugade aspires for the Freeport and wants to showcase to the foreign delegates starting next year.

“The museum itself is going to transform into a modern-day gallery but will maintain its historical quality,’’ said Rodriguez. 

“From the usual dull and dim, the museum will this time turn into a more enthusiastic, colorful and comprehensive institution coupled with ‘cool’ technology to live up to the expectations of the younger audience and meet as well the demands of the new generation,’’ she added.

Rodriguez said the CDC has allocated P13-million for the improvement of the museum on top of the P5-million that has been allotted for the construction of the shell of the extended building for the theater and some P10-million earmarked to purchase the 4D technology.

The two-story museum will house many of the old photographs, artifacts and replicas among others significant to the history of Clark and of Pampanga but with added molding and framing to rouse the interest of students and tourists alike, she explained.

Among the exhibits that will occupy the first floor include countless pictures, scenic dioramas, relics, true-to-life replicas and murals during the American time, the Aetas and Clark’s metamorphosis from a former US military air base to a thriving industrial hub; while the second floor will display the scale model of Mt. Pinatubo and will feature as well Pampanga’s rich cultural heritage.

The newest feature inside the museum, the 4D theater, will allow visitors to view the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo back in 1991 with spectacular in-theater effects including wind, bubbles and mist to add a breathtaking fourth dimension.

“Students or the younger generation will finally be able to relate to the past and be educated on how the eruption of the volcano created massive damage not only to Pampanga and the region but as well the entire country,’’ said Rodriguez.

According to her, President Tugade is thinking forward and wants to engage the visitors especially the younger generation physically, emotionally and intellectually.

Moreover, Tourism and Promotions manager Noemi Garcia said the number of visits and educational tours is expected to increase when the new Clark Museum opens to the public next year.

"Clark's daily visitors may even double once it is known that we have upgraded our gallery and we are more proactive in dealing with the needs of our future audiences,'' she said. 

Data from the CDC tourism office showed that visitors' arrival from January to September this year totaled 1.17-million. On the other hand, day visitors and educational tours at the Clark Museum, Nayon Pilipino and Paradise Ranch reached 59, 124 from January to June. (Clark Development Corporation)