Revised Guidelines for GenCos’ Financial Standards

ERC Invites Comments on the Revised Guidelines for GenCos' Financial Standards

 The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), in a Notice issued in connection with ERC Case No. 2019-001 RM in re: Proposed Revised Guidelines for the Financial Standards of Generation Companies, sought the electric power industry participants' comments on the 2nd draft of the subject guidelines.  The proposed revisions to the guidelines seeks to update the 2005 promulgated guidelines to reflect the prevailing economic conditions and developments in the country's electric power industry.

"The Commission takes cognizance of the fact that we need to update our Rules and Guidelines to make them responsive and suitable to the prevailing conditions in the electric power industry.   A lot of developments have taken place in the power industry and the economic conditions now and fourteen (14) years ago, when the Guidelines for the GenCos' Financial Standards was promulgated, have a very huge disparity.  With the revised Guidelines we wanted to ensure that GenCos are financially capable to operate and produce sustainable electricity", ERC Chairperson and CEO Agnes VST Devanadera averred. 

  The Revised Financial Guidelines will set out the minimum financial capability standards to ensure that GenCos meet these standards in order to protect the public interest pursuant to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001 and the Philippine Grid Code (PGC).  The subject Guidelines shall apply to all GenCos, including but not limited to: (i) Entities which own and operate a Generation Facility; (ii) Entities which own a Generation Facility that is operated by another entity under any management contract; (iii) Entities which hold a Capital Lease on generation assets; and (iv) Entities which hold an Operating Lease on generation assets.

The subject Guidelines also sets forth the documents that needs to be submitted for new and renewal of Certificate of Compliance (COC) applications, including the annual submission for the duration of the COC.  

Comments on the Second (2nd) draft of the "Revised Guidelines for the Financial Standards of Generation Companies are advised to be sent both in hard and soft via email at licensing@erc.gov.ph.  

We urge all interested parties to submit their comments on the "Revised Financial Guidelines" on or before 31 July 2020 so that any issues and inputs may be considered in the final version of the guidelines to be promulgated by the Commission", said ERC Chairperson and CEO Agnes VST Devanadera.

Philhealth Scam

REP. JOCELYN P. TULFO
ACT-CIS Party-list
Member, Committee on Social Services
https://www.facebook.com/jocelyntulfoinaction/ | 09177292437

WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION PANAWAGAN NI REP. TULFO PARA SA NAGBITIW NA PHILHEALTH ANTI-FRAUD OFFICER

Seguridad para sa isang whistleblower ang kailangang ibigay sa nag-resign na PhilHealth anti-fraud officer, ayon kay ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo, dahil sa bigat ng mga paratang ng katiwalian ng kawani laban sa ahensiya.

Ani Tulfo, maaaring ibigay ang whistleblower protection ng Department of Justice, ng civil society groups, at ng mga institusyon tulad ng mga simbahan na kilalang nagbibigay ng sanctuary.

"Whistleblower witness protection measures must be provided to Atty Thorrsson Montes Keith, the anti-fraud officer who has resigned from PhilHealth. The protection measures can be mounted by the National Bureau of Investigation or by civil society groups or institutions who can provide safe sanctuary," ani Tulfo.

"I ask Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra to order the NBI to immediately take action, including proper investigation of the accusations the former PhilHealth anti-fraud officer has hurled at PhilHealth," pahayag ni Congresswoman Tulfo.

Hiniling din ni Tulfo sa Commission on Audit at Office of the Ombudsman na maglunsad ng sarili nilang imbestigasyon ayon sa kanilang mandato sa Konstitusyon.

"Preventive measures are also necessary, including specific orders to preserve documents and hold departure orders for if and when formal charges are filed," ani Tulfo.

Dagdag niya, hindi dapat maapektuhan ng anumang imbestigasyon ang operasyon ng PhilHealth lalo na't hindi pa tapos ang COVID-19 pandemic.

"PhilHealth must also fully cooperate with all investigations on the graft and corruption allegations," aniya. (WAKAS)

Philippine OFW Remittances Drop

REP. FRANCISCO GAMBOA DATOL, JR.
SENIOR CITIZEN Party-list
Chair, Special Committee on Senior Citizens
Mobile number - 09177292437

SA PAGBAGSAK NG OFW REMITTANCES, SAAN NA NGAYON KUKUHA NG PAMBILI NG GAMOT ANG OFW DEPENDENTS NA SENIORS?

Dahil damay ang mga seniors na OFW dependents sa pagbagsak ng remittances mula sa abroad, nanawagan si Senior Citizen Party-list Rep. Francisco Datol, Jr. ng agarang dagdag na ayuda para sa OFW dependents. 

"Kabilang ang mga senior citizens sa mga magdurusa sa pagbagsak ng overseas Filipino remittances dahil marami sa kanila ang tumatanggap ng padala mula sa kanilang mga anak sa ibang bansa. Maapektuhan ang kanilang pambili ng gamot at pagkain sa pang-araw-araw," aniya. 

Kaya umapela si Datol sa sangay-ehekutibo.

"I appeal to the economic managers to save our OFW families from the economic impact of the pandemic now and in the coming months," ani Datol.

"OFW families need interest-free grants to enable them to start small businesses. PhilHealth must be ready to provide full coverage of OFW dependents and repatriated OFWs when they get sick for any reason," idinetalye ni Datol.

Napuna ni Datol na $437 million ang malaking pagbaba ng remittances ayon sa datos ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Iyong $437 million na agwat, katumbas ng P21.85 billion na nawala sa budget ng mga OFW dependents.

"Filipino families dependent on OFW remittances collectively lost P21.85 billion pesos last April when the money transfers from their breadwinners abroad dropped to $2.276 billion in April 2020 from $2.713 billion of April last year," ani Datol.

"The 16.1 percent difference is $437 million. P21.85 billion is the rough peso equivalent at an exchange rate of $1 to P50," paliwanag niya.

Maaari umanong lumalala pa ang sitwasyon dahil sa repatriation ng OFWs at mga travel bans sa buong mundo.

"If the official OFW remittances figures of the Bangko Sentral will show further declines in May, June, July and onwards, that would in turn mean more terrible suffering for millions of OFW families. For those on survival mode before the pandemic, they would fall deeper into poverty this year and probably until 2021," ani Datol.

Nangangamba si Datol na sa pagliit ng output ng ekonomiya dahil sa pagsasara ng maraming negosyo, maaaring lumubha pa ang epekto ng pandemic.

"The real estate and housing sector and the banks and other financial institutions could also feel the burn of the drop in OFW remittances because of the resulting dampening of the purchasing power of OFWs, whose spending power had fueled acquisitions of new homes, condominium units, and motor vehicles," ani Datol. - posted at https://ph.mikeligalig.com

DOLE Cash-aid for Workers

REP. JOCELYN P. TULFO
ACT-CIS Party-list
Member, Committee on Social Services
https://www.facebook.com/jocelyntulfoinaction/ | 09177292437

MORAL OBLIGATION OF DOLE TO EXTEND CASH AID AND JOB-MATCHING ASSISTANCE TO ABS-CBN WORKERS DISPLACED AMIDST PANDEMIC

["Millions of  'Kapamilya' will hold us accountable for our words and actions here in Congress." – Rep. Tulfo]

Given the decision of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises to deny ABS-CBN Corporation's application for franchise renewal, I urge the Executive branch to immediately task the Department of Labor and Employment to extend cash aid and job-matching assistance to thousands of ABS-CBN workers who will be displaced due to the Philippines' biggest network's shutdown.

We must find ways to aid those thousands of employees caught in the crossfire of the legal dispute by facilitating their transfer to other existing networks or other competing firms in the same sector.

11,071 ang eksaktong bilang ng mga manggagawa ng ABS-CBN. Batid kong malaki ang mababawas sa bilang na iyan ngayong pormal nang inaalis ng Kongreso ang prangkisa ng network at maaari na lamang silang mag-operate online.

Sa gitna ng krisis na dinaranas ng bansa sanhi ng COVID-19 pandemic, marami nang nagsarang kumpanya kaya't lalong mahihirapang maghanap ng trabaho ang mga taga-ABS-CBN lalo pa yung mga may edad na. Kaya't kailangan ng job-matching assistance.

Moral na obligasyon din ng pamahalaan na bigyang ayuda ang mga apektadong trabahador. Ipinapanukala kong isali ang mga displaced  ABS-CBN workers sa kasalukuyang ipinaiiral na one-time cash assistance ng DOLE.

P5,000 cash assistance lamang ang ipinamamahagi ng DOLE. Hindi kalakihang halaga ngunit mabuti na kaysa zero. Madaling makakakuha ng listahan ng mga ABS-CBN employees ang DOLE kaya't madali itong maipapamahagi sa mga susunod na araw.

P5,000 X 11,000 workers = P55 million.

Considering the success of the Department of Finance in securing loans to augment our country's finances, distributing aid totaling P55 million to displaced workers should not be a challenge. So far, the DOF has secured at least $7.8 billion worth of loans and bonds.
 
I am neither a regular Member nor an ex-officio Member of the Committee on Legislative Franchises that is why I do not vote on any franchise application pending before the Committee.

The quest to push for the ABS-CBN franchise renewal is far from over. ABS-CBN supporters may continue to push for franchise renewal. What happened yesterday was not the end.

Members of Congress will have to contend with the political reality that ABS-CBN has a strong following among millions of Filipinos. They are Kapamilya.

The Kapamilya are not trolls. They are real people. There are millions of them and many of them are voters from whom we get our mandate to serve here in Congress.

The Kapamilya will hold us accountable for our words and actions here in Congress.

Some of us may have had their fleeting moments of fame and infamy.

That is the very real political reality on top of considerations of merit, fairness, and justice. (END) - https://news.mikeligalig.com

Couple on Motorcycle Riding During Pandemic

AKO BICOL PARTY-LIST
REP. ALFREDO A. GARBIN, JR.
Vice-Chair, Committee on Justice
Member, Committee on Transportation
One of House Authors, (RA 11469) Bayanihan to Heal As One Act
09177292437 | Twitter @AlfredoGarbin

'Pag mag-asawa, di na kailangan ng "barrier"

SOLON OFFERS SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO KEEP MOTORCYCLE RIDERS, PASSENGERS SAFE FROM COVID-19 https://ph.mikeligalig.com

[Rep. Alfredo Garbin asks for experts' opinion on that shield attachment; also asks IATF anew to allow back riding for other household members]

I thank the IATF for its formal decision soon to allow motorcycle back riding passengers for spouses and living in the same household of motorcycle drivers.

In my letter to the IATF last May 25, I enumerated the various ways proper safety protocols can be strictly observed. I put forth my stand addressing the issues and presented specific ways it could be done with strict implementation.

Nais ko pong umapela sa mga tagapagpatupad ng batas na kapag mag-asawa di na kailangang ng barrier sa pagitan ng angkas at driver.
 
Sabi ng iba kailangan daw ng barrier para di tumalsik yung laway papunta sa pasahero, eh magkasama nga sa bahay yun eh. Mag-asawa yun eh, nagkakaplitan talaga ng bodily fluids yun, so walang sense kung pagdating sa pag-angkas sa motor ire-require pa silang magpakabit ng barrier. Utterly nonsense po.

I appeal to IATF to consider also the motorcycle riders whose passengers are members of their own household are already in close physical contact even before they ride their motorcycle. Example po nito yung mga mag-tatay o nanay, magkapatid, o basta magkasama sa isang bahay.

Since the IATF said it is open to suggestions, I present that instead of the motorcycle shield, both motorcycle driver and passenger wear any of the following sets of gear:

1.   Full face helmet with visor shield;

2.   Face shield and surgical face mask;

3.   N95 face mask and face shield;

4.   Face shield and protective eye shield; or

5.   Full-body personal protective suit

These options, I believe, offer ample protection against respiratory droplets and  pose less road accident hazards under different road and driving conditions.

Any of these options would be better than attaching that plastic shield with frame to the body of motorcycles.

My fear of serious and deadly road accidents from that shield attachment is real. The trade-off of risks is unacceptable.

Takaw aksidente ang tawag sa mga bagay tulad ng mahiwagang "barrier" na gusto ng IATF.

Insurance premiums for motorcycles and riders should go up if that attachment is going to be used.

I suggest to the IATF that they consult automotive engineers and motorcycle safety experts on that motorcycle attachment and other proposed means to protect both rider and passenger, not just from COVID-19 but also from road accidents.

If they have expert opinion on the use of that shield attachment, I hope it comes from people like the motorcycle makers, engineers, and scientists who actually do research and experiments on moving vehicles, aerosol behavior, aerodynamics, and the physics of moving vehicles.  (END)

REP. FRANCISCO GAMBOA DATOL, JR.
SENIOR CITIZEN Party-list
Chair, Special Committee on Senior Citizens
09177292437  mobile number
PAG-UWI NG LABI SA PINAS - https://ph.mikeligalig.com

OFWs NA NAMATAY SA COVID-19, PINABIBIGYAN NG MILITARY HONORS, BAYARIN SA PAGPAPALIBING, PINASASAGOT DIN

Nararapat umanong gawaran ng full military honors ang labi ng mga overseas Filipino workers na namatay sanhi ng COVID-19 habang ginagampanan ang kanilang tungkulin sa ibang bansa, yan ang nilalaman ng House Resolution 1027 na inihain ni Senior Citizen Party-list Rep. Francisco G. Datol, Jr.

"OFWs have been regarded as our modern-day heroes as they have made significant contributions to the Philippine economy and have sacrificed and toiled under difficult physical, emotional, social, and mental conditions abroad for the sake of their loved ones in the Philippines," paliwanag ni Datol sa kanyang resolusyon.

Sa tala ng Department of Foreign Affairs, umabot na sa 8,679 ang bilang ng mga OFWs na dinapuan ng COVID-19 sa ibang bansa. 577 sa kanila ang nasawi sanhi ng komplikasyong dulot ng virus habang malayo sa kanilang pamilya.

Paliwanag ni Datol, hindi lamang ang mga sundalo, mga beterano ng digmaan, at mga pambansang alagad ng sining ang maaaring pagkalooban ng full-military honors. Pasok din sa itinatadhana ng Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines (Republic Act  8491) ang mga sibilyan na nagpamalas ng natatanging serbisyo sa bansa. Pasok dyan ang mga OFWs giit ni Datol.

Kung maaaprubahan ng parehong kapulungan ng Kongreso ang resolusyon, bawat OFW na nagbuwis ng buhay sanhi ng COVID-19 sa abroad ay kikilalanin sa pamamagitan ng full military honors na kabilang ang mga sumusunod:

·     A flag-draped casket,

·     A vigil guard detail,

·     21-gun salute,

·     Taps, and

·     Defrayment of their funeral expenses

"It is the constitutional and moral duty of Congress to ensure that our OFWs get the proper recognition that they rightfully deserve for their distinguished service and sacrifices for our nation," diin ni Datol, Vice-Chairperson ng House Committee on Foreign Affairs. (END)

Tragic Jolo Shooting PNP vs Army

REP. JOCELYN P. TULFO
ACT-CIS Party-list
https://www.facebook.com/jocelyntulfoinaction/ | 09177292437
'RUBOUT' SA JOLO, MASAMA PARA SA TIWALA NG PUBLIKO SA PNP

Para sa ikabubuti ng buong kapulisan, payo ni ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo sa liderato ng Philippine National Police na dumistansya sa imbestigasyon, ngunit makipag-cooperate sa National Bureau of Investigation, hinggil  naging madugong engkuwentro kung saan kita umano sa mga ebidensiyang CCTV footage na binaril nang walang kalaban-laban ang tropa ng PNP Jolo ang apat na sundalo ng Philippine Army. - More news at https://ph.mikeligalig.com

"If the PNP wants to save public trust in its organization, it would be wise for the PNP to keep its distance, practice ample physical distancing, but cooperate with the investigation," ani Rep. Tulfo.

Puna rin ni Tulfo na panibagong dagok sa tiwala ng publiko sa PNP ang nangyari sa Jolo, ilang linggo makaraan ang pagpatay ng isang kawani ng PNP sa isang dating sundalo sa Quezon City.

"The NBI investigated. They filed murder, perjury, and planting of evidence charges against the PNP officer who shot dead former Corporal Winston Ragos. The NBI caught the police officer lying," ani Tulfo.

Sa Jolo, NBI muli ang nag-iimbestiga.

Nangako si Tulfo na patuloy niyang susubaybayan ang pag-usad ng NBI investigation.

Aniya, hindi na maikakaila ng PNP na magiging kabawasan sa tiwala ng publiko sa PNP ang nangyari sa Jolo, lalo na't ilang buwan pa lamang ang nakakaraan mula noong "Albayalde crisis of confidence" na sariwa pa sa alaala ng madla.

"The new PNP leadership is just months old with PNP Chief Archie Gamboa formally appointed last January," ani Tulfo. (WAKAS) 

REP. BERNADETTE "BH" HERRERA                       
Bagong Henerasyon Party-list
Secretary-General, The Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc.
Deputy Majority Leader | Governor, Rotary Philippines RID3780
One of House Authors, (RA 11469) Bayanihan to Heal As One Act
0917-729-2437 Twitter: @BHherrerady

KINITANG INTERES NG DSWD SAP FUNDS NA NAKA-DEPOSITO SA BANGKO, DAPAT IPAMAHAGI RIN BILANG AYUDA
https://ph.mikeligalig.com

Malamang kumita na ng dalawang buwang interes ang P100 billion para sa Social Amelioration Program na hindi pa ipinapamahagi ng DSWD hanggang ngayon, ayon kay Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Rep . Bernadette Herrera.

Hindi bababa sa P160 million ang interest income na kinita ng P100 billion  kung ang pagbabatayan ay ang Land Bank savings account interest rate, ani Herrera.

Sa kanyang tantiya, hindi bababa sa 20 libong dagdag na beneficiaries ng SAP ang matutulungan kapag ipinamahagi sa kanila ang interest income ng P100 billion.

Dagdag ni Herrera na dapat magkusa na ang Land Bank at iba pang bangko kung saan nakadeposito ang SAP funds, na i-report sa madla kung magkano ang eksaktong halaga ng interest income at magkano ang hindi pa naipamahagi na DSWD SAP funds na nakadeposito pa rin sa kanila.

"Isipin sana nilang maiibsan ang paghihirap ng maraming pamilya kung mapapakinabangan ang interes," ani Herrera.

"Those are funds meant for the beneficiaries, not for anyone else, so they must be spent as intended in the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act", aniya. (WAKAS)