ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

8:30-9:30 AM

SCRIPT

RLEN Express
(Reliable Local Exclusive News)

Submitted by:
Abella, Kenneth
Agustin, Eunice
Alcos, Merryl
Balbuena, Chimelyn
Bautista, Arjay

Submitted to:
Ms. Jemema Quinsay, CPA
Introduction Video

Anchor: Good Morning Philippines, Good Morning Manila, now on your screen RLEN Express.
This is Meryll Faith Alcos, your anchor, serving you the hottest and most leading news. Your
news our business and for the headlines…

Anchor: For the news on economic trends (1) Unemployment at 5.1%, underemployment at
13.3% in October (2) How government business can use blockchain for transparency (3) PAL
launches Clark-Antique route (4) Bangko Sentral keeps interest rates steady after 5 successive
hikes. Arjay Bergado Bautista Reporting.

Arjay:
1 Unemployment at 5.1%, underemployment at 13.3% in October
According to the official data released, unemployment was steady while underemployment
declined in October as compared to the same period in the year 2017.
As the Philippine Statistics Authority's Labor Force Survey shows, unemployment was at 5.1%
while underemployment was at 13.3 in October which represents 41.3 million employed
Filipinos, 2.2 million unemployed and 5.5 million underemployed in October.
Viewing the past statistics as PSA said, October 2017 unemployment was at 5% while
underemployment was at 15.9%. In July this year, unemployment was at 5.4% while
underemployment was at 17.2%.
Moreover, they stated that the official jobless rate is based on the number of Filipinos 15 years
old and above. The underemployed represent those who have jobs but wish to work additional
hours or have an additional job.
And on the other hand, a Social Weather Stations survey in September that covers those who are
at least 18 years old showed that joblessness rose to 22% from 19.7% in June. The SWS said this
translated to 9.8 million unemployed Filipinos.

2 How government business can use blockchain for transparency

The "immutability" of the blockchain can promote transparency why used in government and
business, a provider of the technology said Monday.
Aside from cryptocurrency exchanges, blockchain can also be used in critical business and
financial transactions, philanthropy and even elections, Traxion Tech Inc founder and CEO Ann
Cuisia told ANC.
"Blockchain is seen as a new technology for sharing, saving and securing data it means that
every transaction cannot be edited and removed... When people cast their votes it is what it is,"
Cuisia said.
The Philippines is "ready" for a blockchain-led 2019 mid-term elections but it should tap good
players, she said.

3 PAL launches Clark-Antique route

Philippine Airlines launched its new Clark-Antique route on December 16, 2018. PAL said its
service to Antique will start with 2 flights a week (Tuesdays and Sundays) and could increase
depending on the demand. Tickets for the Clark-Antique flights sell for as low as P888 one-way.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said it has extended the Antique
Airport's runway to 1.4 kilometers to help make it more viable for commercial aircraft landing
and takeoff.
CAAP said it also constructed a canopy for arriving passengers, repainted runway markers and
made several other upgrades to the facility in preparation for PAL's inaugural flight.
Located in the town of San Jose de Buenavista, the facility is also known as Evelio Javier Airport
and is the only airport serving Antique province.

4 Bangko Sentral keeps interest rates steady after 5 successive hikes

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas kept interest rates steady, pausing for the first time after 5
successive increases as inflation started to ease from near 10-year highs.
The Monetary Board kept the overnight borrowing rate, which banks use to price their loans, at
4.75 percent on its last meeting for the year.
Inflation forecasts were also lowered to 5.2 percent this year, 3.18 percent in 2019 and 3.04
percent in 2020 from 5.3 percent, 3.5 percent and 3.3 percent, respectively, said BSP Assistant
Governor Francisco Dakila.
The 5 successive rate increases, the longest policy tightening streak since the BSP adopted an
inflation-targeting scheme, raised the benchmark from just 3 percent at the start of 2018.
Inflation eased to 6 percent in November, slowing for the first time this year and easing from 6.7
percent both in September and October.
The November inflation print signals that price spikes will likely fall back to the government's 2
to 4 percent target range in 2019, BPI lead economist Jun Neri said before the decision was
announced.
"This turn is crucial as it signals that the risk of further build-up of speculative activities or
hoarding of key commodities has been cut considerably," Neri said.
Economic growth slowed to 6.1 percent in the July to September quarter dragged by a decline in
agriculture and weak consumption.
This is Arjay Bautista from RLEN Express, reporting
Anchor: Thank you for that Arjay ad we’ll be back for more updates. Keep tuned!

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Anchor: Now we’re back here on RLEN Express. For the News on Philippines Economic
Status. (1) Inflation to ‘taper off’ towards end of 2018: Finance Chief (2)Philippine 2018 GDP
growth still among world's fastest: Diokno (3) PH to become 'upper middle income' this year -
Finance official. Kenneth Abela…

Kenneth:
1 Inflation to ‘taper off’ towards end of 2018: Finance Chief
According to Finance Secretary, Carlos Dominguez, despite the elevated inflation in the
Philippines, the economy of the country is still growing at one of the fastest clips in the world.
With the decisive response of the government, he said that we can already expect that the
inflation will taper off in the closing months of the year. But even though the inflation rate of
6.7% in October and other months is still at its highest nearly in a decade (Philippines Statistics
Authority).
2 Philippine 2018 GDP growth still among world's fastest: Diokno
The Philippine economy likely grew 6.5 to 6.7 percent in 2018, maintaining one of the world's
fastest growth rates, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said last January 08, 2019.
Economic growth slowed to 6.1 percent in the July to September 2018 period, dragged by storm
damage to crops. Official data for the succeeding quarter and the full year are due out on Jan. 24.
Diokno told ANC's Headstart that the President is very much aware that it is agriculture that is
dragging the economy. President Rodrigo Duterte described agriculture as the "weakest link" in
the economy, Diokno said, recalling a recent meeting with the executive and Agriculture Sec.
Emmanuel Pinol.
Diokno further said the President was "putting pressure" on Pinol to aid the farm sector. Some
P5 billion for seeds and farm implements were recently released to the Department of
Agriculture, the budget chief said.
Growth will pick up to 7 to 8 percent "in the years to come," Diokno said, adding this statement
“You just trust your government. We are doing everything we can to make up for past neglect."

3 PH to become 'upper middle income' this year - Finance official

MANILA - The Philippines is set to become an upper middle income country this year amid
strong growth, an official of the Department of Finance said Sunday.
The Philippine economy has been growing for the past 3 decades and its current economic
expansion above 6 percent is one of the highest in the world, said Finance Undersecretary Tony
Lambino.
"Kaya po this year, in 2019, papasok na po ang Pilipinas dun sa kategorya na upper middle
income country status," he said in an interview with DZMM Teleradyo.
(That is why this year 2019 we will break into the upper middle income category.)
The World Bank currently defines an upper middle income economy as having a per capita
income of $3,895 to $12,055. An economist from the multilateral lender last year also said the
Philippines was on track to achieving this status by 2019.
China, Malaysia and Thailand count among the ranks of upper middle income economies, said
Lambino.
The Finance official said that they hope that within a generation, the Philippines can become an
upper middle income country like South Korea and Singapore.
The World Bank said that for the Philippines to become a prosperous country free of poverty by
2040, it will need to triple its per capita income in the next 2 decades.

This is Kenneth Abela from RLEN Express, reporting

Anchor: Thank you for the Hot news Kenneth, Stay tuned people and we’ll be back!

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Anchor: An we’re here again on RLEN Express. Agricultural News Headlines. (1) Benguet
farmers forced to throw away vegetables amid low prices, oversupply (2) Agriculture likely grew
1 percent in 2018 due to storm damage. Chimelyn Balbuena
Chimelyn:
1 Benguet farmers forced to throw away vegetables amid low prices, oversupply
Farmers in Benguet province were forced to throw away tons of vegetables they harvested last
week as prices sank in markets and trading posts amid oversupply.
Agot Balanoy, Benguet Farmer's Marketing Cooperative's general manager said there was an
oversupply of vegetables as crops that were supposed to have been harvested weeks earlier were
harvested only in the last few days. Balanoy blamed the weather for the delay in the harvests.
According to him, because of the One month of monsoon rains and then a strong typhoon
harvests were delayed. He further said that the vegetables harvested last January were supposed
to have been harvested last December, which was the peak season. But that didn't happen
because of the destruction caused by the weather so everyone is harvesting today.There was an
oversupply of produce from January 1 to 7. Some vegetables like carrots were sold at P1 to P7
per kilo, while potatoes were sold for P15 per kilo. Normally, these should have been sold at P15
to P50 per kilo.Produce that weren't sold were thrown away. Farmers said they have suffered
huge losses because of the low prices.
One of the farmers named Marion Kimaw said that, they can't recover on their production cost.
They will have to borrow money just to be able to plant againThe supply of vegetables returned
to normal on Tuesday as farmers stopped harvesting, Balanoy said.
He already appealed to the Department of Agriculture (DA) to monitor the farmers' situation and
provide immediate assistance to those who were affected. by the oversupply.
But they were unsure if the DA is really monitoring the situation and it’s really hard for them
because the farmers need money.
Meanwhile, the DA said they is ready to provide cash assistance if needed. The agency also said
it held a dialogue with the farmers’ association about organizing and coordinating with each
other so that harvests are properly timed

2 Agriculture likely grew 1 percent in 2018 due to storm damage

MANILA -- The farm sector likely grew a "measly" 1 percent in 2018, slowing from the
previous year, as the country reeled from typhoons that wrought billions of pesos in damage to
crops, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said January 14, 2019.
Agriculture growth in 2018 missed the department's target with at least 12 storms lashing the
country. It was lower than the 3.9-percent expansion in 2017, Piñol told ANC's Headstart. 
"You have to take into consideration that it was a bad year," he said. "You have factors in
agriculture that cannot be controlled. Can you stop Ompong and Usman?"
Piñol was referring to two weather systems that inundated farmlands towards the end of the
year.Addressing an earlier pronouncement of Budget Sec. Benjamin Diokno that agriculture was
the economy's "weakest link" quoting President Rodrigo Duterte, Piñol said those were not the
chief executive's words.
"The President never used the word the weakest link but he urged us to work harder, implement
more reforms in agriculture," Piñol said.
Piñol said his department's budget was reduced to P55 billion in 2017 from P65 billion in 2016.
Despite the cut, 2017 growth was still at 3.9 percent.
"Even if you do the right things, the fruit tress would just not bear fruit. There are factors in
agriculture that cannot be quantified," he said.
This is Chimelyn Balbuena from RLEN Express, reporting
Anchor: Thank you for that Ms. Balbuena, a wonderful update. Now let’s proceed to the
business news (1) Sun Life looks to provinces for growth, says CEO (2) Continental to hire
more in PH to tap autonomous car demand (3) 11-11, 12-12 sale events lure more Filipino
online shoppers: Lazada. Kenneth Abela

1 Sun Life looks to provinces for growth, says CEO

Sun Life Financial said Monday it was growing "significantly" in the Philippines thanks to its
push to the provinces which helped the insurance provider weather inflation and rising interest
rates.
Sun Life is also looking at ramping up its partnership with Lazada to sell more investment
products online, said its CEO and country head for the Philippines, Benedict Sison.
"We’ve expanded our geographic reach to make our products more available to Filipinos. Instead
of just focusing on Metro Manila we have provincial expansion where a lot of the wealth is
generated," Sison added.
As concluded, targeting millennials, Sun Life goes digital.

2 Continental to hire more in PH to tap autonomous car demand

MANILA - Auto parts supplier Continental Temic Electronics Philippines said last December
13, 2018 it was planning to hire more people for its Laguna plant, citing opportunities in the
electric and autonomous car industries.
Continental will add 300 to 400 people in Calamba, on top of its 4,000-strong workforce in the
next 2 years, its vice president and general manager Glenn Everett told ANC’s The Boss.
The company supplies controllers, electronic systems and sensors worldwide with Japan and
China as its biggest market in the region.
“Every year there’s more electronics in cars, every year there’s more advances in autonomous or
semi-autonomous functions of a car so that means a booming business,” Everett said.
Continental Temic Electronics Philippines General Manager Glenn Everett speaks to Cathy
Yang for ANC's The Boss.
Continental's Calamba plant was the first to receive an ISO 5001 certification that standardizes
energy management and improvement, he said. Currently, 5 to 6 percent of the energy used in
the Calamba plant is from solar. By Dec. 26, Everett said the plant would switch to geothermal
energy sourced in Albay, making 99.9 percent of its power "carbon neutral."
"Its part of our long-term plan to achieve carbon neutrality and renewable energy. We want to do
good. As much as we can, we want to be a force that moves us towards better

3 11-11, 12-12 sale events lure more Filipino online shoppers: Lazada
MANILA -- "Mega sale" events help encourage Filipinos to embrace e-commerce, with more
purchases being made even after the deep discounts expire, the head of online marketplace
Lazada in the Philippines said.
This year's Nov. 11 or 11-11 markdowns generated 3 times as much sales compared to 11-11 in
2017. Lazada followed it up Wednesday with a 12-12 sale in the run up to Christmas, CEO Ray
Alimurung told ABS-CBN News.
Baseline sales, or those made without discount events, move up by around 20 percent after the
11-11 sale, Alimurung said. "We feel that there’s been a significant shift in the market, the
comfort level of Filipinos. Filipinos are shopping a lot more than they’ve ever been," Alimurung
said.
This year, fashion, travel goods and baby diapers were the hot sellers, he said.
Aside from Lazada rival Shoppee, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia also announced one-day sales on
Wednesday, 12-12.
Shopee on Friday said a “record-breaking” 12 million orders were made in Southeast Asia during
its 12.12 Big Christmas Sale last Dec. 12.
From baby diapers to luxury cars: Lazada sees double 11.11 sales this year
Resolving trust issues between buyers and sellers in the online marketplace can help e-commerce
increase its share in total retail, currently at 5 percent, he said.
"Because of addressing the trust, you see the kind of growth we see," he said.
E-commerce also emboldens entrepreneurs to sell almost anything online, giving consumers a
wider choice by just tapping on their mobile screens. Alimurung said 2018 was a year of growth
with the launch of Lazmall, additional business tools and their warehouse in Cabuyao, Laguna.
Lazada goes premium, fights fakes with first 'mall'Where Henry Sy is king of retail, Lazada bets
on YouTube generation
This is Kenneth Abela from RLEN Express reporting,

Anchor: Thank you for that information MR. Abela. Now keep posted people while we take a
break.

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Anchor: For the news on government related projects. (1) Gov't approves upward rates
adjustment of Boracay Island Water Company (2) LTFRB opens 20,000 transport network
vehicle service slots (3) Sale of NFA rice is 'undoubtedly' in the enactment of rice tarrification
(4) Budget department denies 'fund scam' in flood control projects. Eunice Agustin..

Eunice:
1 Gov't approves upward rates adjustment of Boracay Island Water Company
Manila Water Company Inc on Monday said the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone
Authority (TIEZA) has approved an upward adjustment in the rates charged by its subsidiary
Boracay Island Water Company.
Under Resolution No. R-04-12-18-I dated Dec. 4, TIEZA approved a raise equivalent to 18.08
percent of the 2018 Basic Water and Sewer Charge, Manila Water told the stock exchange.
The adjustment represents the third tranche of the adjustments approved during the 2017 Rate
Rebasing Exercise and the corresponding inflation rate, the utility concessionaire said.
An additional 3.00 percent increase will be applied to the Basic Water and Sewer Charge to
account for the Foreign Currency Differential Adjustment, the statement said.
Manila Water said the new rates shall take effect 15 days after publication in 2 newspapers and
the filing of a copy thereof with the University of the Philippines Law Center.
2 LTFRB opens 20,000 transport network vehicle service slots
MANILA - The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) opened
another 20,000 slots for accreditation of transport network vehicle service (TNVS), the
Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Monday.
Online application for new Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) for TNVS will start on Dec.
17, 2018, the DOTr said in a social media advisory.
Appointment or acceptance of applications will start on Jan. 3, the DOTr said.
Grab earlier urged the LTFRB to raise the cap for ride-hailing vehicles, saying that the "overflow
in demand" resulted in long waiting time for passengers.Grab urges LTFRB to raise cap on ride-
sharing vehicles

3 Sale of NFA rice is 'undoubtedly' in the enactment of rice tarrification

The possibility of losing the National Food Authority (NFA) in the market next year if rice
tarrification bill is enacted, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA). DA Secretary
Manny Piñol explained that the measure removes some of the power of the NFA, including the
sale of cheap rice. If the sale of such rice continues, the sale may reach P35 to P36 to compensate
for the cost of buying local rice, told by the secretary.
"It will depend on the Rice Tarrification Bill due for signature of President Duterte if NFA will
still sell rice in the market, but definitely we can not sell at P27 or P32 anymore," Piñol said at a
press conference on Tuesday.
In the case of President Rodrigo Duterte, NFA will not sell the NFA rice in the first quarter of
2019 when the current stock and 500,000 metric tons of imported rice are coming in the country
in January, Piñol said.
The rice tarrification bill is the importation of the NFA's rice supply. If so, it should be from
palay to buy local farmers.
"The recommendation of the technical working group of the NFA is that if we buy locally, we
have to sell the rice at about P36 per kilo so that we will not lose money," Piñol said.
As a result, they are only able to implement the suggested retail price in commercial rice and
save a buffer stock of rice during a disaster.
The bicameral committee of Congress has passed the rice tarrification bill and awaits Duterte's
signature to enact it.
Some groups have also been harassing some of their products because of the measure. Delicious
meat prices, 'tarnished' in rice tarrification and the Removal plan on rice import quota is already
contested. According to the NFA estimates, about 10 million Filipinos depend on NFA rice for
food.

4 Budget department denies 'fund scam' in flood control projects

The Department of Budget and Management on Janaury 7, 2019 denied a House leader's
allegation that it was party to a "scam" involving flood control projects.
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno earlier dismissed claims of irregularities by Majority Leader
Rolando Andaya as "illusory." Questions over alleged irregularities in the 2019 budget prevented
its passage before the end of last year.
Andaya's numbers to illustrate the alleged scam are "irresponsible and misleading," the DBM
said in a statement. Allocations for projects in 2017 and 2018 were "reviewed, amended, and
approved" by the legislature and the executive.
The DBM said it did not give preferential treatment to certain areas, adding it is the job of the
Department Works and Highways to determine which projects should be implemented and in
which areas.
This is Eunice Agustin from RLEN Express Reporting.

Anchor: A load of information Eunice. Thank you Now let’s proceed to another set (1) Build
Build Build' driving infra allocations higher: Diokno (2) Mislatel open to partnerships with
Globe Telecom, PLDT Inc (3) Poe hits 'duopoly' in proposed common tower policy (4) Metro
Pacific unit pushes for more water investments. Arjay Bergado ..

Arjay
1 Build Build Build' driving infra allocations higher: Diokno
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said last January 8, 2019, the government's "Build Build
Build" program was behind larger allocations for infrastructure compared to past
administrations, as he rejected a House leader's allegations of wrongdoing.
The proposed budget for the Department of Public Works and Highways is at P636 billion in
2019, compared to "less than P100 billion" during the time of former President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo.
Diokno said this could be shocking to House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya, Arroyo's former
budget secretary who is now accusing the incumbent budget chief of "insertions" in the 2019
General Appropriations Act to favor in-laws.
"During our family meetings, we don't talk politics. We don't talk projects. Those are taboo
issues," Diokno told ANC's Headstart.
"I've been in government for more than 50 years, I managed to keep my nose clean," he said.
Questions over the alleged insertions caused a delay in the passage of the 2019 budget, and the
government is now operating on last year's, Diokno said.
Salaries for state workers and maintenance of government offices will continue but some P28
billion in "entirely new" infrastructure could be affected by a prolonged impasse on the budget,
he said.

2 Mislatel open to partnerships with Globe Telecom, PLDT Inc

MANILA - The third telecommunications player Mislatel is open to partnerships even with its
competitors Globe Telecom and PLDT Inc, its spokesperson said January 9, 2019.
Such deals will not reduce competition but will instead boost the revenues of existing telcos,
Mislatel's spokesperson Atty. Adel Tamano told DZMM radio.
Partnerships could be in the form of sharing cell sites and domestic roaming, or the use of a
partner's network when its own network is not yet available, he said.
"Gusto namin talaga mag partner at open kami to partnerships even with our competitors because
pareho naman ang vision namin which is to provide the best world-class internet and telco
services for Filipinos," Tamano told DZMM radio.
(We are open to partnerships even with our competitors because we share the same vision which
is to provide the world-class internet and telco services for Filipinos)
"The spirit of us willing to partner with them, is not because we want to collude, but because we
believe that number one kung mag improve ang services natin at magdala tayo ng bagong
technology (if the services improve and if we can bring new technology), instead of shrinking
their source of revenue, lalaki po iyun (it will grow)," Tamano added.
Tamano said the consortium is also working with local government units and the national
government to expedite their roll out plan.
Mislatel is a consortium of businessman Dennis Uy's Udenna Corp and Chelsea Logistics with
state-owned China Telecom.

3 Poe hits 'duopoly' in proposed common tower policy

MANILA - Senator Grace Poe has vowed to block the common tower policy proposed by
Presidential adviser Ramon Jacinto because of its provision limiting the number of tower-
builders to only two companies.
Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services, said capping the number of
companies to just two would slow down the construction of new telecommunications towers just
as the third telco is about to roll out its services.
(Now, Presidential Adviser on Economic Affairs RJ Racinto, he says they are proposing to have
just two cell tower companies, that's how I understood it. What will happen is it will further slow
down the roll out, Poe said in a radio interview.
Poe said that if Jacinto insists on having just two tower companies, she will file a case against the
policy.
Furthermore she added, We will file a case because we need to stop these kinds of policies
which I think will harm the public
Information and Communications Technology acting Secretary Eliseo Rio has also criticized
provisions of the proposed common tower policy, saying these will further delay the entry of the
third major telco.
Jacinto, in an interview with ANC on Wednesday, however parried the criticisms against his
proposal.
He said limiting the number of tower players will ensure that these companies remain viable.

4 Metro Pacific unit pushes for more water investments

A "crisis" is brewing in the water sector due to poor waste management in highly populated areas
and as tourism strains existing infrastructure, a utility official said January 14, 2019.
Bad sewage and water piping systems could lead to health problems and environmental
degradation, Metro Pacific Water Senior Manager for Public, Private Partnership Yang Villa told
ANC.
About 15 million Filipinos are not yet connected to improved water supply as of 2015 while less
than 10 percent have waste water management and sanitation facilities, he said. 
"It’s not talked about very often because it is a crisis happening underneath us. We don’t really
understand our water resources as climate change happens how it would affect our water security
in the future," Villa said. 
Villa said local utilities need to invest more and seek partnerships to improve infrastructure.
Tis is Arjay Bautista from RLEN Express, reporting.

Anchor: Another set of information Mr. Bergado. Now keep posted people until we come back
for our break.

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Anchor: Rolling again RLEN Express. Now let’s continue to proceed on another set of news on
government related projects. (1) Rice tariff measure submitted to Duterte office: Senate (2)
Nancy Binay hits slow Pantawid Pasada rollout (3) Business groups urge Duterte to sign Rice
Tariffication Bill. Chimelyn Balbuena…

Chimelyn
1. Rice tariff measure submitted to Duterte office: Senate
A bill seeking put tariffs on rice in place of import quotas was sent to President Rodrigo
Duterte's office and is awaiting his signature, the Senate Public Relations and Information
Bureau said last January 16, 2019.
The bill was transmitted to the Office of the President on Jan. 15. Unless it is vetoed, the bill will
lapse into law if not acted upon in 30 days, the Senate office said in a statement.
Duterte has certified certified rice tariffs as urgent, after economic managers said it could help
slow inflation. 
One of the key feature of the bill is the creation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund
with an initial appropriation of P10 billion, according to one of the bill's authors, Senator Cynthia
Villar said.

2 Nancy Binay hits slow Pantawid Pasada rollout

Senator Nancy Binay slammed Sunday the slow distribution of subsidy cards meant to cushion
jeepney drivers and operators from fuel price increases. 
Only 69,000 beneficiaries or less than half of the total 171,000 have received their Pantawid
Pasada cards, said Binay, citing the findings of last December's hearings into the proposed
budget of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for this year. Some drivers also complained
that the subsidy was not distributed by their operators or was used for other purposes, she added. 
The lawmaker said she mulls another hearing into the subsidy delay, which she said is hurting
the transport sector, together with a recent fuel price hike and the second round of excise tax
increases this January. 
“Patuloy pong umaaray ang mga kasama nating jeepney driver at operators dahil sa muling
pagtaas ng presyo ng petrolyo, kung kaya’t kailangan nating tanungin ang DOTr at LTFRB kung
kamusta na ang distribution nila ng ayuda,” Binay said.
(Our jeepney drivers and operators continue to suffer because fuel prices went up again so we
need to ask DOTr and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board how their aid
distribution is doing.) 
Pantawid Pasada beneficiaries last year received a P5,000 fuel subsidy. 

3 Business groups urge Duterte to sign Rice Tariffication Bill

MANILA - Some of the Philippines' most influential business groups on Monday called on
President Rodrigo Duterte to sign the Rice Tariffication Bill, saying this will ensure the country's
food security. 
"The Bill is now with Malacañang and we urge the President to sign it into law," the groups said
in a statement. 
The business groups, which include the Makati Business Club, American Chamber of Commerce
of the Philippines, Bankers Association of the Philippines, and the Semiconductors and
Electronics Industries in the Philippines, said rice tariffication will be beneficial to both farmers
and consumers. 
The groups said the proposed measure intends "to decisively and quickly address the rice supply
disruption problem and concomitant high prices experienced last year to the detriment of
consumers."
Removing import restrictions will help stabilize supply and prices, while the 35 percent import
tariff duty will protect farmers from unfair competition, the groups said. 
The Senate said last week the Bill had already been sent to Duterte and was just waiting for his
signature. 
Duterte certified the bill as urgent in October last year, as the country's inflation quickened to its
fastest pace in nearly a decade as food costs, particularly the price of rice, surged. 
This is Chimelyn Balbuena from RLEN Express reporting.

Anchor: Now let’s hear health news update Tobacco Tax Hiked to help Fund Health Care Law
(2) No pneumonia outbreak in the Philippines, says health department (3) WHO fears flu
pandemic; Philippine vaccine shortage feared, Eunice Agustin…

Eunice
1 Tobacco Tax Hiked to help Fund Health Care Law
One senator sought to raise the taxes on tobacco products and with these higher excise taxes, the
Universal Health Care Law fund will certainly increase.
Senator JV Ejercito stated that he sought to raise the tobacco tax into P 90.00 per pack which is
higher than the proposal of Sen. Manny Pacquiao (P 60.00) and also in the House of
Representatives (P 45.00)
Now the senate and the house already approved the bicameral committee report and they are
already making a way for the President Rodrigo Duterte will sign the document.
As stated by Ejercito, “Right now I have already filed an increase in sin taxes, particularly in
tobacco tax because in the Asian Market, we have still the lowest, if not the lowest, price of
tobacco products per pack.
In line with the Universal Health Care Law, they will also provide annual check-ups and
laboratory tests. Thus he added, “People go to the hospital when they are already very sick. We
want to strengthen the preventive side of the health care”.

2 No pneumonia outbreak in the Philippines, says health department

There is no pneumonia outbreak in the Philippines contrary to reports circulating on social
media, the Department of Health (DOH) said on November 15, 2018.
Health Undersecretary Erik Domingo said flu cases are common during this time of the year and
noted that the number of pneumonia cases is not "unusually higher."
Through a message Domingo told ABS-CBN News that, it is not an outbreak because flu is
really expected this time of the year and the rate is not unusually higher than the previous years,"
His remarks come amid a message circulating on social media of a supposed pneumonia
outbreak in the Philippines. Pneumonia is a lung infection commonly characterized by coughing
and fever.
The DOH, however, urged Filipinos to practice proper hygiene to prevent possible contraction of
flu or pneumonia.
"It is flu season and we urge everybody to take extra care not to get infected,Potential
complications such as pneumonia can be prevented by proper hygiene," he further added.

3 WHO fears flu pandemic; Philippine vaccine shortage feared

As the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of the possibility of “another influenza
pandemic” within the year, an expert has revealed a shortage of flu vaccines in the Philippines.
“Vaccine is still the best strategy against vaccine-preventable disease. But now that there is a
shortage of flu vaccine, we should focus on treatment to curb the rising cases of influenza,”
former Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases president Rontgene Solante
noted at a media forum last week. Solante said the Philippines may not have enough vaccines to
protect people from influenza because of the long-standing practice of the pharmaceutical
industry worldwide to allocate supplies. Flu vaccination, Solante said, starts in April for the rainy
season from June to October, which is the peak season for influenza infection.
Solante claimed that the country has a “lag time” of two months before it can receive the
vaccines needed for this quarter when doctors see a rising number of people consulting
physicians. “What we can do now is to focus on treatment… We can also use the vaccines left
from last year, if there are any,” he said.
However, in the event that a new flu strain develops into pandemic potential, WHO has set up
a unique partnership with all the major players to ensure the effective and equitable access to
diagnostics, vaccines and antiviral-treatments, especially in developing countries. 
This is Eunice Agustin from RLEN Express Reporting

Anchor: That’s a little alarming now let’s proceed to the new set. (1) Ayala Corp's FamilyDOC
to double clinic network by 2020 (2) Senate seeks to restore DOH budget with DPWH, DILG
'insertions' (3) Ayala health unit sees opportunity in Universal Healthcare Bill (4) Mom files raps
over doctor son's death due to Dengvaxia. Arjay Bautista…

Arjay
1 Senate seeks to restore DOH budget with DPWH, DILG 'insertions'
Senators are eyeing a portion of the controversial P75 billion in the proposed 2019 Department
of Public Works and Highways budget to restore the roughly P24.4 billion needed this year for
the health facilities and human resources programs of the Department of Health (DOH).
This was the proposal made by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Tuesday, January 15,
to which, he said, Senators Loren Legarda and JV Ejerctio agreed as Senate finance and health
committee chairs, respectively.
During budget deliberations at the Senate on Tuesday, Drilon said that a quick look at the budget
indicates "there is more than sufficient fiscal space available in order to adequately support the
Department of Health."
He was referring to the P75 billion inserted into the public works department budget and the
P27.7 billion inserted into the local government department budget. Referring to the two
departments' secretaries who spoke on the record, Drilon said, “Hindi po nila alam kung para
saan ‘to (We do not know what this is for).”
Drilon made the proposal after he once again questioned the big decrease in funds for the DOH’s
Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), which saw its funds clipped from P30.26
billion in 2018 to P50 million in its proposed 2019 budget. (READ: Restore health department's
P30B or budget won't pass, Drilon tells DBM)
2 Ayala Corp's FamilyDOC to double clinic network by 2020
FamilyDOC, Ayala Corp's primary health clinic chain, said last January 22, 2019 that they was
looking to double in size by 2020, banking on middle income clients who are willing to spend on
health.
The target is to have 100 FamilyDOC clinics by 2020 from the current 54, and to expand its
footprint from the greater Manila area to Bulacan and Laguna, said AC Health CEO Paolo
Borromeo.
"It has been fantastic, so far the reception has been great," Borromeo said in an exclusive
interview with ANC's The Boss.
"We find a middle income segment that's looking for health care and willing to pay for it, not
excessive amounts, willing to pay for convenience, access and quality," he said.
Conceptualized 3 years ago, FamilyDOC combines outpatient clinic, diagnostics facility and
pharmacy.
AC Health also hopes to expand its drugstore businesses, Generika to 1,000 stores and Negros
Grace to 100 outlets, also by 2020, Borromeo said.
FamilyDOC did not raise prices in 2018 and instead cut costs by setting up in areas with cheap
rent, automating some processes and outsourcing diagnostics such as x-ray, he said.
"We've been very good at keeping costs low. The challenge would be to continue to bring it
down some more," he said.
AC Health "absolutely" supports the as yet unsigned Universal Health Law, which will
encourage more Filipinos to see their doctors regularly, he said.

3 Ayala health unit sees opportunity in Universal Healthcare Bill

The head of the health unit of Ayala Corp said Wednesday they see growth opportunities with
the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Bill.
AC Health CEO Paolo Borromeo said the company is "very excited" about the UHC Bill because
it aligns with the firm's goal to "bring healthcare to everybody."
The Bill, which seeks to provide all Filipino families free medical attention, was approvedby a
bicameral conference committee in November last year.
Under the bill, all Filipino families will be covered by the Philippine Health Insurance
Corporation (PhilHealth). 
AC Health operates a chain of healthcare clinics under the FamilyDOC brand as well as generic
drugstores under the Generika brand. 
"We're looking forward to it (UHC Bill) because the bill, if I'm not mistaken, requires every
Filipino basically to have a primary care provider," Borromeo said in an interview with ANC's
The Boss.
"The advocacy behind FamilyDOC is primary care for everyone," he added. 
Watch more in iWant or TFC.tv
Once signed into law, the bill would expand PhilHealth coverage, which will include free
medical checkups, laboratory tests, and other diagnostic services.
Borromeo said AC Health is looking to double the number of FamilyDOC clinics to around 100
branches and grow the number of Generika stores to 1000 by 2020. 
Last year, AC Health bought 75 percent of regional drugstore chain Negros Grace Pharmacy
4 Mom files raps over doctor son's death due to Dengvaxia
A new complaint was filed on Thursday before the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection
with a death attributed to the Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine.
A criminal complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and violations of the Anti-
Torture Act and Consumer Act was filed for the death of Kendric Gotoc, a 39-year-old medical
doctor who died last year after being administered doses of the vaccine.
Before the latest case, the complainants usually consisted of parents and guardians of
schoolchildren who died following complications arising from the Dengvaxia treatment.
In her complaint, Norma Gotoc said her son succumbed to multiple-organ failure, multiple-organ
hemorrhage and Neurotropic-Like Disease (NLD) and Viscerotropic-like Disease (VLD).
“All respondents arbitrarily, maliciously, and deliberately failed to inform the Dengvaxia
recipients and their parents/families of the dangers and risks related to Dengvaxia and did not
obtain their informed consent,” read the complaint.
Named as respondents were former Health secretary Janette Garin and other health officials who
were accused of criminal liability since they “did not conduct proper screening of Dengvaxia
recipients and other relevant tests to determine whether the children may be inoculated with
Dengvaxia.”
This is the 31st case on the Dengvaxia controversy filed before the DOJ.
Three preliminary investigations are pending before the DOJ involving the deaths mostly
involving school children and one police officer. 

Anchor: Thank you Mr. Bergado and we’ll be back again here on RLEN Express

Advertisement

Anchor: And we’re back here on RLEN Express. For the international news, (1) Filipino
English teachers wanted: Firm seeks to hire thousands (2) Trade deficit widens in October as
infra push drives imports (3) ADB approves $408-M in aid to rebuild Marawi (4) Cash
remittances up 8.7 pct in October: BSP. Kenneth Abela…

Kenneth
1 Filipino English teachers wanted: Firm seeks to hire thousands
An online English-teaching platform aimed at the Chinese said December 10, 2018 that it was
looking to hire 100,000 Filipinos in the next 5 years to meet growing demand.
The US-listed 51Talk currently employs 18,000 online English teachers, of which, 16,000 are
Filipino, said its founder and CEO Jack Huang.
English proficiency is key to tapping demand, with online education estimated to be worth $50
billion, Huang told ANC's Early Edition.
"We believe that Filipino teachers are the best teachers, best online English teachers in the world
to teach Chinese kids," Huang said.
"Naturally happy and friendly" Filipinos are a perfect fit to educate children ages 5 to 12 years,
which make up about 80 percent of 51Talk's students, he said.

2 Trade deficit widens in October as infra push drives imports

The trade deficit widened in October reaching $4.2 billion from $3.9 billion the previous month
after imports outpaced exports, data released Tuesday showed.
Imports grew 21.4 percent in October to $10.32 billion compared to the same month last year,
data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
Exports, on the other hand, grew 3.3 percent to $6.11 billion compared to October 2017.
The PSA attributed the trade deficit to imports of raw materials and capital goods for the
administration's massive infrastructure program.
October is the seventh straight month that the gap stayed above $3 billion.
Trade deficit widens in September as exports decline
The Philippines' trade deficit widened in October from the previous month. ABS-CBN Data
Analytics
The trade deficit in the January to October period jumped compared to the same period in 2017.

3 ADB approves $408-M in aid to rebuild Marawi

The Asian Development Bank approved Friday a $408 million financing package to the
Philippines to help rebuild Marawi, a city in the country's south that suffered extensive
destruction during intense fighting between militants and government forces last year.
The Manila-based bank said $300 million comes in the form of a quick-disbursing loan for
programs and projects covering such areas as local governance, housing and settlement.
Another loan of $100 million will finance infrastructure projects, including about 25 kilometers
of roads and 1.7 km of bridges and viaducts.
Grants worth $8 million will go toward rehabilitating water systems, building local health units
and procuring mobile medical clinics, among other things, the bank said.
The predominantly Muslim city on the island of Mindanao saw months of intense fighting
between Islamic State-inspired militants and government forces in 2017 after the armed militants
occupied areas within the city.
Besides extensive damage to the city's buildings and infrastructure, close to 1,500 people died
during the fighting and over 350,000 people were displaced.
Eduardo del Rosario, head of an inter-agency group tasked with rebuilding Marawi, said earlier
that the rehabilitation would cost at least 62.5 billion Philippine pesos (more than $3 billion),
while another 21 billion pesos is required to pay owners of properties that might have to be
acquired for government-led infrastructure projects.

4 Cash remittances up 8.7 pct in October: BSP

Cash remittances from overseas Filipinos hit $2.5 billion in October, up 8.7 percent compared to
the same month last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said last December 17, 2018.
This brought total cash remittances for the first ten months of 2018, to $23.8 billion, or 3.1
percent higher than the same period in 2017.
The BSP said the top countries that contributed to the increase were the United States, Canada,
and Taiwan.
"By country source, 79 percent of the total cash remittances for the first ten months of 2018
came from the US, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Japan, United Kingdom,
Qatar, Canada, Germany, and Hong Kong," the BSP said.
Personal remittances for the Jan-Oct period meanwhile reached $26.5 billion, or a 2.9 percent
year-on-year growth.
The Philippines is one of the world's largest recipients of remittances, with millions of Filipinos
working overseas sending home money that helps power domestic consumption, a key driver of
economic growth.
Remittances together with business process outsourcing (BPO) and tourism receipts serve as a
major source of foreign exchange for the Philippines.

Anchor: That’s a hot news Kenneth now let’s proceed to another. (1) Hanjin Philippines hit by
world shipping downturn, seeks rehab: SBMA (2) Build, Build, Build' can absorb Hanjin
workers: employers' group (3)DTI imposes provisional duty on imported cement amid surge in
imports. Chimelyn Balbuena

Chimelyn
1 Hanjin Philippines hit by world shipping downturn, seeks rehab: SBMA
South Korean shipbuilder Hanjin is seeking court-assisted rehabilitation to be able to pay off its
debt, with demand hit by a slowdown in the global shipping industry, a Filipino official said
Friday.
Hanjin, which has $2.3 billion in assets and a 3,000-strong workforce, "remains to be an investor
of good standing," said Wilma Eisma, administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
where the shipbuilding facility is located.
Five Philippine banks are seeking to cover $412 million in combined loans to Hanjin. Eisma
clarified that the company had not defaulted on loan or interest payments.
"Malaki po ang assets, wala lang pong cash," Eisma told DZMM.
"They are very forward-looking and they are very responsible. Ayaw nila maghintay na magde-
default sila kaya maaga pa lang, they want to come to the table with all the banks and with the
help of the court, magkaroon ng usapin paano nila unti-unti pang mababayaran ang pagkaka-
utang nila," she said.
Hanjin Shipping's container terminal is seen at the Busan New Port in Busan southeast of Seoul.
The company's Philippine shipbuilding unit is seeking court-assisted rehabilitation to help it pay
debt. Lee Jae-Won, Reuters/File
Eisma said Hanjin Philippines was not hobbled by the debts of its parent. She said
representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Trade and
Industry met recently with Hanjin representatives in Subic.
"Ang Hanjin, hindi sila nawawalan ng pag-asa dahil nga po they are very proactive," she said.
A "downturn" in global shipping has affected Hanjin, which builds ships with 6,000-container
capacity and those that could carry liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied natural gas, she said.
"Based sa pag-uusap namin, nangyari ito dahil sa worldwide downturn sa shipping industry. This
is something because of supply and demand," she said.
At the peak of demand in 2014 and 2015, Hanjin employed up to 33,000 people, she said.
"Wala po tayong nadidinig na alingasngas na hindi sila nababayaran ng maayos," she said.
Former Hanjin workers are "very highly employable" because of their training, she said.

2 Build, Build, Build' can absorb Hanjin workers: employers' group

Should shipbuilder Hanjin's debt woes result in job losses, its workers could shift to the
government's "Build, Build, Build" program, the head of an employers' group said
Friday.Hanjin's Philippine unit has sought court-assisted rehabilitation to determine how it could
pay $412 million in debt to 5 banks as it reels from a slowdown in global demand for
shipping.The company's 3,000 workers are "quite a big number," but construction firms catering
to the government's infrastructure push can "easily absorb them," said Employers Confederation
of the Philippines president Sergio Ortiz-Luis.
"I am not worried that they will not be employed," he said.

3 DTI imposes provisional duty on imported cement amid surge in imports

Imported cement will be slapped a provisional P8.40 per bag duty equivalent to 4 percent of its
cost to protect local manufacturers and ensure the commodity's stable supply and price, the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said January 17, 2019
The DTI said that cement imports increased from only 3,558 metric tons in 2013 to more than 3
million tons in 2017.
The share of imports also increased from only 0.02 percent to 15 percent during the same period,
leading to a 49 percent decline in manufacturers' income in 2017.
At present, there's zero tariff on imported cement, the DTI said, which has put local
manufacturers at a disadvantage.
"With the elements of surge and injury clearly established, DTI is mandated to impose a
safeguard duty," the DTI said in a statement.
Besides discouraging imports, the duties on cement will also encourage existing and new players
to build additional facilities for domestic production, and address the country's perennial trade
deficits, the DTI said.
"Again this is a provisional duty (effective for 200 days) in the form of cash bond on imported
cement, while the Tariff Commission undertakes and concludes its formal investigation," the
DTI said.
The agency estimates that current demand for cement is around 25 million metric tons, which
can easily be met by domestic production capacity of 35 million metric tons.
This is Chimelyn Balbuena from RLEN Express reporting

Anchor: Rolling Back on the hot news, Thank you for that Chimelyn. Mexico City's massive
wholesale market quiets amid fuel shortage. Eunice Agustin please report

1 Mexico City's massive wholesale market quiets amid fuel shortage

The mood at Latin America's largest wholesale market, the Central de Abastos in Mexico City,
has morphed from typically cacophonous and bustling to cloudy and anxious as deliveries and
sales grow sluggish amid a days-long fuel shortage.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador late last month launched a sweeping plan to stanch
rampant fuel theft, the first major move of his young administration against widespread
corruption and organized crime.
But the move to close key fuel pipelines that have been tapped by criminals and instead re-route
distribution via trucks has prompted hours-long lines at gas stations, while threatening to crimp
the economy and damage the president's popularity if shortages persist.
The effects of the crackdown have grown noticeably in the past week. At the Central de Abastos,
where 62,000 cars and trucks converge daily to buy and sell fruits, plants and other goods,
according to figures provided by the market, vendors say many have been staying home.
Avocado vendor Juan Carlos Ximil, 35, said he had seen a drop of about 30 to 40 percent in sales
of his stock, which he normally purchases from suppliers outside the capital, including Morelos,
Edomex and the avocado-producing state of Michoacan.
His customers, modest street-side vendors and grocery stores with limited means of transport,
have stayed away too, he said, most likely because fears of long waits to stock up on gasoline, or
a shortage itself, would hit hard at their carefully calibrated daily routines.
This is Eunice Agustin from RLEN Express reporting

Anchor: That would be all for today people. Keep posted on the hottest news in the Philippines,
just visit RLENExpress.com. Good morning Philippines, good morning manila. Your news our
business.

End Video