Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000

Several agencies aim formally joining forces soon to better monitor compliance of election candidates, political parties and party lists with Republic Acts 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000) and 3571 which prohibits cutting, destroying or injuring plants along public roads, in plazas, parks, school premises and other public areas nationwide.

The environment and interior departments, Commission on Elections, National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) and other agencies decided pursuing the matter through the 'Basura-Free Elections 2013' campaign to help make this year's mid-term polls environment-friendly.

"Volume of garbage increases during the election period due to proliferation of campaign paraphernalia so this and indiscriminate posting of candidates' posters on trees must be addressed," said NSWMC Secretariat Deputy Exec. Dir. Eligio Ildefonso.

This week, the agencies commenced finalizing the joint memorandum circular for 'Basura-Free Elections 2013.'

Such agencies plan signing the circular at the campaign's launching in Metro Manila.

Ildefonso said the target launching date is March 20 before local campaigning starts.

The draft circular as of March 8 lists election candidates' and political parties' responsibilities in mounting respective environment-friendly poll bids.

Among such responsibilities are adherence to litter-free campaigning, minimal use of non-reusable and disposable materials as well as observance of proper waste segregation, reuse, recycling, reduction and disposal.

Poll hopefuls must also clean up areas where they held election-related activities, coordinate with local waste collectors for proper disposal of garbage generated and adhere to RA 3571, notes the draft circular.

The draft document further provides that "any local official, political party or candidate to the May 2013 elections who willfully or through negligence fails to observe provisions of this Joint Memorandum Circular shall be subject to sanctions provided under the Local Government Code, Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 and other applicable laws."

Jimmy Alapag and Jared Dillinger Tax Scandal

The Bureau of Internal Revenue(BIR) Thursday filed before the Department of Justice tax evasion cases amounting to at least P31.23 million against popular basketball players Jim Olmedo Alapag and Jared Ryan Dillinger and a bookkeeper from Malolos City, Bulacan.

Alapag and Dillinger both play professionally for Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters of Smart Communications.

Investigation showed that Alapag earned close to P4 million from PLDT in 2007.

His earnings from Smart amounted to P8.77 million in 2012 and the BIR placed his total income as a professional basketball player at P32.28 million.

According to the BIR, Alapag failed to file his income tax returns for taxable years 2007 to 2010 and he also failed to file his value added tax returns from 2007 to 2012.

The BIR computed Alapag's tax deficiency at P17.86 million for the same taxable period, inclusive of surcharges and interests.

On the other hand, Dillinger earned P694,000 from PLDT in 2008.

His earnings from Smart amounted to P6.48 million in 2012 and the BIR's investigation showed his income as a basketball player has totalled P22.19 million.

Dillinger did not file his ITRs from 2008 to 2011 and he also did not file his percentage tax return for 2008.

The BIR said he also failed to file his VAT returns from 2009 to 2012.

It computed Dillinger's tax deficiency at P13.37 million, inclusive of surcharges and interests.

The BIR also filed tax evasion cases against Annalyn D. Forbes, a bookkeeper based in Malolos City, for unlawful pursuit of business and making it appear she filed the tax returns of her clients.

The cases against Forbes stemmed when the BIR's system flagged two of her clients who were then informed by the BIR they have both failed to pay and file their taxes.

Forbes' clients, Jam Cris Trading Machine Surplus in Malolos City and Circle A Grocer in Hagonoy, Bulacan presented their records to the BIR together with their filed tax returns and machine validated receipts of their tax payments.

Upon verification, the supposed tax returns filed by Forbes were not among the list of tax returns received by the Land Bank of the Philippines and were not among the transactions included in the tax payments forms batch control sheet reports submitted by Land Bank to the concerned BIR Revenue District Office.

Philippine Companies That Don't Pay SSS

The Social Security System (SSS) filed charges against more than 1,400 delinquent companies last year for various violations, the most common of which is their failure to remit the monthly SSS contributions of their employees.

SSS Officer-in-Charge Edgar Solilapsi said 1,165 employers were sued in 2012 for non-remittance of contributions totaling P376.33 million, including P193 million in penalties. Under the law, employers are charged a monthly penalty of three percent for overdue contributions.

"We continue to exhaust all legal means available to compel employers to fulfill their obligations under the law. As a result of our campaign against erring employers all over the country, the SSS sued a total of 1,418 companies in 2012, up by 16 percent from our 1,227 total in 2011," he said.

Among those charged last year were 253 employers that failed to report their workers for SSS coverage and those that refused to present their employment records to SSS account officers, who are assigned to check companies' adherence to the Social Security Law.

Under the law, delinquent employers face jail terms of 6 to 12 years and fines ranging from P5,000 to P20,000. Those who deduct SSS contributions and loan payments from workers' salaries without remitting these to the SSS are also liable for estafa or swindling under the Revised Penal Code.

"Apart from possible imprisonment and stiff fines, erring employers must also fully settle their delinquency. This includes the penalties that continue to add to their overdue SSS obligation every month until full payment," Solilapsi said. "The longer they delay, the more they pay."

The agency collected P303.88 million last year from employers that settled their delinquent accounts after the SSS initiated legal actions against them, such as issuance of demand letters and filing of cases in court and before the Social Security Commission, which is empowered to hear and settle SSS-related disputes.

"To protect themselves against negligent employers, we urge member-employees to keep their pay slips, company IDs and other employment documents. They should also register at the SSS website at www.sss.gov.ph so they can personally monitor their remitted SSS payments," Solilapsi said.

A total of 638 companies, or nearly half of the 1,418 employers charged in 2012, were based in the National Capital Region. The SSS also sued last year 335 private firms in Luzon; 192 employers in Visayas; and 253 companies in Mindanao for violations of the SS Law.

Philippines Buys South Korea's F/A-50 Golden Eagle

A ranking Defense official announced that reviews are being conducted for the South Korea's F/A-50 "Golden Eagle."

Fernando Manalo, DND undersecretary for finance, munitions, installation and materiel, said discussions and reviews are now ongoing for the South Korean aircraft.

Earlier, a DND observer stated that the Philippines is now on track to operate again supersonic jet aircraft as the "term of reference" (TOR) of reference for the F/A-50 is now in the works.

"Procurement for the F/A-50 will be on a government-to-government basis," Defense sources said.

They said the go-ahead for the TOR only came recently.

The order came from the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB), an attached agency of the Dept. of Budget and Management.

The observers declined to comment on when the TOR will be completed but stressed it will be done within the year.

The Philippines is in the market for 12 supersonic trainer aircraft which can double as interim fighter and attack planes for the PAF.

It has allocated P18 billion for this program.

The GPPB earlier gave the DND the "green-light" to start pre-negotiations with the South Korean government for 12 F/A 50 aircraft last January.

The plane is manufactured by the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).

The F/A-50 is also known as the TA-50.

The F/A-50 design is largely derived from the F-16 "Fighting Falcon", and they have many similarities: use of a single engine, speed, size, cost, and the range of weapons.

KAI's previous engineering experience in license-producing the KF-16 was a starting point for the development of the F/A-50.

The aircraft can carry two pilots in tandem seating.

The high-mounted canopy developed by Hankuk Fiber is applied with stretched acrylic, providing the pilots with good visibility, and has been tested to offer the canopy with ballistic protection against four-pound objects impacting at 400 knots.

The altitude limit is 14,600 meters, and airframe is designed to last 8,000 hours of service.

There are seven internal fuel tanks with capacity of 2,655 liters, five in the fuselage and two in the wings.

An additional 1,710 liters of fuel can be carried in the three external fuel tanks.

Trainer variants have a paint scheme of white and red, and aerobatic variants white, black, and yellow.

The F/A-50 "Golden Eagle" uses a single General Electric F404-102 turbofan engine license-produced by Samsung Techwin, upgraded with a full authority digital engine control system jointly developed by General Electric and KAI.

Philippine Lenten Season and Summer Vacation

Criminal elements may take advantage of people converging in places such as beach and other tourist destinations, as PNP Chief Director General Alan Purisima ordered a nationwide security plan to ensure safe and secure travel of motorists and commuters this coming Lenten Season and Summer Vacation.

Purisima said aside from May 2013 polls, various occasions such as Holy Week, town fiestas, Flores de Mayo and other related activities that will start on the last week of March until the end of May this year.

These are expected to generate numerous commuters and tourists who will travel to their respective provinces and tourist destinations.

Police said these may cause peace and order concerns including traffic congestions, accidents and other crimes.

In line with this, Acting Director for Operations, Police Chief Superintendent Alex Paul Monteagudo issued a memorandum to all Regional Directors of Police Regional Offices (RD, PROs) and Directors of PNP Operational Units (Aviation Security Group, Maritime Group, Highway Patrol Group, Civil Security Group, Communication and Electronics Service, and Health Service to implement the PNP LOI 13/2011 (SANG-INGAT-CHARLIE) attuned to Summer Vacation 2013.

He also said the PNP will establish of Police Assistance Desks/Centers (PADs/Cs) and deploy Road Safety Marshalls in convergence points particularly in bus terminals, airports, seaports, train stations, recreational areas including highways, main thoroughfares and crime prone areas to ensure maximum police presence.

"PNP personnel who are deployed at convergence points and Police Assistance Desks are assigned to assist the general public. However, the mandatory police operations against criminal elements and dissident terrorists should not be overlooked" said Monteagudo.

Rollback of Philippine Fuel Price

At least four oil companies announced on Friday to implement rollback on their petroleum products for the fourth consecutive weeks.

In separate advisories, big oil players Petron Corporation, Pilipinas Shell, Chevron Philippines (formerly Caltex) and small oil player Eastern Petroleum Philippines announcing price cuts of P0.45 per liter for Unleaded, Premium and Kerosene, and on diesel by P0.40 per liter which would take effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

The oil companies also said that there were no price adjustments for regular gasoline.

The price rollback is due to reflect movements in the international oil market.

Other oil companies have yet to announce their respective movement on their products.

Supporters of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III Sued

Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima Friday confirmed charges will be filed in court either today or Monday against 38 supporters of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and alleged members of the Royal Security Forces who were intercepted by the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard in the waters off Tawi-Tawi province.

According to De Lima, the 38 individuals were placed under inquest proceedings which ended at 8 p.m. Thursday.

Charges for violation of Commission on Elections gun ban and Article 118 of the Revised Penal Code, or inciting to war, will be filed against the 38 individuals.

The suspects will temporarily stay in a naval facility in Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi until further orders from the court.

The case will be filed before the Bongao Regional Trial Court in Tawi-Tawi.

German Expat Got Dengue, Needs Blood

Hello, this Call For Help is being sent out the American Expat Community and certain others.

Alf Lammel, age 36 - Dengue Victim - is quite ill and hospitalized at Davao Doc Hospital and needs B- Blood.  B- blood is apparently extremely rare in the Philippines, racially. Not sure if O- or O+ would work.

Davao Doc's main number is 221-2101 if you want to get more information on blood donation.  Usually, it is taken by the Philippine Red Cross next door to the Marco Polo Hotel on Roxas near Ateneo University. Alf's local number extension is, I believe, 104.

A native of Germany, Alf lives in the Amelia Apartments, Topaz Street, Marfori Heights and has lived in the Philippines for more than two years.  His partner is Michelle. They have no children.

You may coordinate with Michelle at chereshann@yahoo.com. Her cell no. is 09177176562.

It would be good if you could donate, know someone who could, or have contacts in the German Expat Community and could forward this call for assistance to them. Let's all try to help.

J. Stacey Baird
U.S. Embassy Area Warden Volunteer
Spring Village, Ma-a
Davao City
244-0676

Ongoing expansion of Guimaras Provincial Hospital

The ongoing expansion of the Guimaras Provincial Hospital (GPH) is slated to be completed anytime this second quarter of the year, according to Dr. Bobby Yoro, chief of hospital.

The new building that is being funded by the provincial government of Guimaras and the Department of Health (DOH) has a 28-bed capacity for private rooms, he said.

The construction was in response to the clamor of patients who would like to avail of private rooms but could not because the existing facility only has six private rooms. He added that it would also be inconvenient for them if they still have to travel to Iloilo just to avail of the private facility.

The hospital that has a current capacity of a Level II secondary hospital offers major departments and services namely medicine, surgery, pediatrics and obstetrics and gynecology.

However, he admitted that the services are on a limited scale because the hospital lacks resident and part-time physicians. He also cited that they could not hire plantilla personnel due to lack of resources.

With the expansion, they are now trying to improve the amenities of hospital rooms and acquire a backup generator so their services won't be affected in case of brownouts.

He added that any income that will be generated from the private rooms will be used to subsidize their service patients.

The GPH was one of the awardees in today's recognition of hospitals and centers with exemplary performance in newborn screening (NBS).

Chief nurse Emma Ebreo said that they have achieved around 95 to 98 percent accomplishment last year, higher compared with their past performance. Those who were not able to avail of NBS were neonatal cases.

High-value crops farmers in Compostela Valley province

Forty-one million worth of rehabilitation assistance will be provided to high-value crops farmers in Compostela Valley province by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

This amount will immediately provide assistance to farmers and their families who were greatly affected by last year's Typhoon Pablo.

It is also part of the commitment of Agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala through the agency's Task Force Alayon (cooperation) and High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP).

According to DA regional director for Davao Region Remelyn Recoter, most of the affected farmers in the province were those tending high-value crops such as cacao, banana, coffee, and rubber.

"We have to immediately provide them assistance so they can recover from such huge losses," Recoter said.

We also need to fast track our rehabilitation efforts to ensure that there will be no shortage in production," she added.

During last week's Bulawan Festival, the DA turned over the funding support to the provincial government.

A tripartite memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the DA, provincial government and private sector was also forged to fast track various agri-interventions.

Under the cacao rehabilitation program, the DA turned over a total of P13.125 million funds to the provincial government for both agencies including the Kennemer Foods Inc., a private company to establish 1,500 hectares of cacao plantations.

Cacao farmers covered by the program can avail themselves of free seedlings, fertilizers, and technical trainings.