Day: June 4, 2022

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) slipped by 0.38 percent during Friday’s trading, while the peso was at its weakest since March 2019.

The PSEi ended this week’s trading at 6,686.83, declining by 25.38 points.

All shares also went down by 0.22 percent or 7.99 points to 3,581.91.

Two sectors likewise registered decrements during this day’s trading – Financials was down by 1.92 percent or 31.39 points to 1,602.19, and Industrial, by 0.81 percent or 74.25 points to 9,139.53.

Other counters ended in the green led by Mining and Oil, whose shares improved by 1.28 percent or 154.61 points to 12,188.47. It was followed by Services, up by 0.54 percent or 9.94 points to 1,860.49; Holding Firms, up by 0.16 percent or 10.27 points to 6,264.03; and Property, up by 0.11 percent or 3.45 points to 3,059.11.

The volume of trade reached more than 852 million shares with a total value of PHP5.06 billion.

Decliners outnumbered gainers at 100 to 73, leaving 53 listed firms with shares unchanged.

Meanwhile, the Philippine peso further weakened on Friday as it closed at 52.86 to the US dollar.

It shed PHP0.06 from Thursday’s closing of PHP52.80 to the dollar.

The currency pair opened the day’s trading at PHP52.82, weaker than the previous day’s kick-off at 52.47.

Peso-dollar trading even reached 52.92 and 52.70, bringing the average trading for the day to 52.82.

Total volume climbed to USD1.13 billion on Friday from the previous day’s USD1.1 billion.

The local currency was at its weakest since March 2019 when it was at 52.96 to the dollar.

Analysts also forecast that the peso and US dollar trade is heading toward the 53-level this year.

It was in December 2018 when the peso last touched the 53-level.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Some 24 mass base supporters of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) have withdrawn support for the communist group and took their oath of allegiance to the government in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija on Friday.

Col. Jess B. Mendez, acting provincial director of the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office, said Saturday the personnel of the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company and other police and military units conducted a special intelligence operation that resulted in the withdrawal of support of three members of the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) and 21 mass supporters of the communist terrorist group under Komiteng Larangang Guerilla (KLG) Sierra Madre.

Mendez said the operating units also conducted social investigation and dialogue with mass base members and explained to them the government’s program about ending local terrorism.

As mass supporters, they served as contacts and couriers and facilitated the procurement and delivery of supplies, food, and medicines to the terrorist group.

They also acted as the eyes and ears of the communist terrorist group by monitoring the presence of government forces in the area and identifying possible targets for recruitment.

“I am encouraging the remaining supporters of the CPP/NPA/NDF out there, this would be the perfect time to return to the government’s side. Let us reunite and make our country free from any kind of terrorism,” Mendez said in a statement.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

The NDF has been formally designated as a terrorist organization by the Anti-Terrorism Council on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and inseparable part” of the CPP-NPA created in April 1973.

Source: Philippines News Agency

It was her first time visiting Ilocos Norte and Danish Ambassador to the Philippines Grete Sillasen said the province left a strong impression on her.

Sillasen and the Trade Council headed north on Thursday to visit the onshore wind farms in the province.

She met with representatives of the companies operating the three wind farms in Ilocos Norte – the North Luzon Renewables in Pagudpud, EDC Burgos Wind Power Corp. in Burgos, and Northwind Power Development Corp. in Bangui.

On Friday, Sillasen and Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc met at the Provincial Capitol and discussed possible collaborations on renewable energy, agriculture, fisheries, and the development of smart cities.

In an interview, she said she was impressed by the province’s green landscape and beautiful beaches.

“Unfortunately, I did not come here for the beaches but visited the windmill parks yesterday (Thursday) and met with the mayors,” she said, praising Ilocos Norte as a “showcase of renewable energy in the Philippines.”

“We went to see how these wind parks are being done with respect to nature, authorities, and to the people and they are expanding as well,” she added.

Denmark is one of the countries that have committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050, passing a law in 2020 that seeks to slash its emissions by 70 percent by 2030

Northwind Power, a Danish power firm, initiated the construction of the first 25-megawatt wind farm in Bangui Bay under a build-own-operate scheme.

The Danish International Development Agency funded the project worth USD37 million through subsidized credits.

Aside from the Northwind project, other renewable energy firms followed suit as wind turbines have mushroomed in adjacent towns Burgos and Pagudpud.

Source: Philippines News Agency

An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines hopes that justice and freedom will prevail in the incoming administration.

Bishop Victor Bendico of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Liturgy said he prays for President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to dismiss any kind of violence and promote true unity.

“The essence of Pentecost is unity,” Bendico said in an interview with Church-run Radio Veritas on Saturday.

Pentecost Sunday is celebrated on the 50th day from Easter Sunday to commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem.

“With the new government, let us not put on a spirit of slavery. Let us be led by a spirit of freedom. We are a free people in a free nation,” he said. “In a free country, there can only be free citizens, citizens who love their country and work hard for the common good.”

Bendico likewise prayed for healing of any misunderstanding, guided by the Holy Spirit.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The government on Thursday reassured the inclusivity in the implementation of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) project that provides proof of identity to all Filipinos.

In an advisory, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA bared it has signed a memorandum of agreement with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to provide easy registration access for indigenous tribal members who will be willing to get their own Philippine Identification (PhilID) cards for free.

The deal includes the opening of mobile PhilSys registration sites within IP communities.

The PSA said government personnel will be assisting the IPs in the whole registration process, to make sure that no one will be left behind in the implementation of the PhilSys project.

PSA Undersecretary Dennis Mapa, who is also the National Statistician and Civil Registrar General, said the PhilSys project primary aims to establish a sustainable and inclusive identification system for all Filipinos, most especially for the vulnerable sectors of society.

“We extend our utmost appreciation to NCIP for their support to PhilSys and their commitment to uplifting indigenous communities nationwide,” he said.

On May 18 last year, the PSA initially rolled out a mobile PhilSys registration initiative in Porac, Pampanga, assisting Aeta communities located in the villages of Camisa, Villa Maria, Inararo, Diaz, and Sapang Uwak.

Adamant to its promise of inclusivity, PSA assisted in the registration of 254 more Aetas that are residing in Floridablanca, Pampanga on March 19 this year.

Also, a PhilSys registration for IPs in Occidental Mindoro is ongoing.

To date, a total of 10,972 IPs belonging to tribes of Ratagnon, Hanunuo, Gubatnon, Tao Buid, and Iraya have been successfully registered to PhilSys.

PSA Assistant Secretary Rosalinda Bautista assured the public that the PhilSys Registry Office will exert similar efforts “as it continues to register the last mile of the population.”

“Through this partnership with NCIP, we are confident that we will be able to register more members of indigenous communities and improve their access to financial, social welfare, security, health, education, and other government services,” she said.

More Filipinos, regardless of race, are urged to sign up for the PhilSys Step 1 process via register.philsys.gov.ph, and Step 2 is capturing biometric information such as fingerprints, iris, and front-facing photographs at various registration centers nationwide.

Step 3 is the delivery of the physical PhilID cards to owners by the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost).

The PSA will likewise launch soon a PhilSys mobile application to provide an alternative version of “proof of identification” for transactions while registrants are waiting for their physical cards.

Signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte in August 2018, Republic Act 11055 or the PhilSys Act aims to establish a single national ID for all Filipinos and resident aliens.

The national ID shall be a valid proof of identity that shall be a means of simplifying public and private transactions, enrolment in schools, and the opening of bank accounts.

It will also boost efficiency, especially in dealing with government services where people will only need to present the PhilID during transactions.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The chief of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) expressed hope that the next administration will continue providing adequate and affordable housing and inclusive human settlement programs.

In his recent column titled “Housing sector moving forward”, published by a broadsheet and online news site last week, DHSUD Secretary Eduardo del Rosario wrote that “during this crucial transition period, several government agencies have been working hard to ensure the continuity and sustainability of their operations to ensure a seamless public service”.

“In our case at the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, it translates to assessing our performance, reevaluating our current efforts, and planning for the future of the housing sector,” del Rosario wrote.

“Guided by our vision of providing adequate, affordable housing, and inclusive human settlements in well-planned communities, we intend to move forward with our successes and learning experiences which we hope would be useful for the sector’s development in the ensuing years,” he added.

He said the creation of the DHSUD was one of the significant milestones of the Duterte administration.]

“As a springboard of our continuing endeavors, we have successfully crafted and adopted the 2040 National Housing and Urban Development Sector Plan (NHUDSP) which will serve as a comprehensive guide to the next in lines to follow,” he added.

Del Rosario is confident that the DHSUD has fulfilled its mandate despite facing birth pains and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The DHSUD’s average annual production stood at 197,886 housing units, the highest since 1975.

A total of 1,088,373 housing units and lots were produced and financed by the end of 2021, representing 86 percent of the 1,267,198 units targeted under the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) from 2016 to 2022.

“With this figure, we will surely surpass our PDP target if the 2022 housing production will be added,” del Rosario said.

He said housing bureaus, support services, and regional offices painstakingly implemented and delivered projects and programs to the best of their capabilities even with the limitation in budget and mobility.

“Our accomplishments are a solid testament to the efforts and dedication of our employees,” he added.

The DHSUD assisted 233 local government units in the updating and ratification of their Comprehensive Land Use Plans and Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plans from 2020-2021, to ensure the “efficient and judicious” use of land resources in the country.

It also crafted policies and issued directives for both developers and homebuyers to cushion the adverse impact of the pandemic.

The DHSUD issued 1,437 licenses to sell and certificates of registration to 36,624 dealers, brokers, and salespersons registered over the past two years.

“Through this, we have provided opportunities for our kababayans (countrymen) to own quality houses while professionalizing the industry. We are also committed to building not just houses, but sustainable housing communities to empower home dwellers and their associations,” del Rosario said.

As of December 2021, DHSUD has been serving 25,621 registered homeowners’ associations nationwide.

It has likewise revised the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 9904 or the Magna Carta for Homeowners and Homeowners Associations.

“Equally important is our journey to organizational development. From a low 28 percent fill-up, we now have 65.46 percent of our human resource complement, crafted and submitted for funding our Information Systems Strategic Plan; completed the establishment of all our regional offices; streamlined our institutional systems and processes; and fully operationalized our programs and services down to the regional level,” del Rosario said.

He urged incoming officials to continue innovating programs that would secure adequate and affordable housing, inclusive human settlements, and well-planned communities for every family.

“Whoever will take the magnanimous challenge of leading the country’s housing industry, the 2040 NHUDSP will serve as a template as this is a product of convergence of efforts from concerned sectors, armed with a strong compassion for the shelter need of the Filipino people,” del Rosario said.

He is optimistic that the DHSUD and its partners will continue fulfilling its mandates in the housing sector.

Source: Philippines News Agency