Guidelines revised for consumer groups

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) currently issued a department administrative order (DAO) that consists of new recommendations on the popularity of consumer corporations.

In a assertion on Monday, the DTI said DAO 20-07, Series of 2020 or the "Revised Guidelines at the Recognition of Consumer Organizations" (COs) changed into signed on Oct. 9, 2020.


"The DTI recognizes the importance of the involvement and participation of purchaser businesses in each issue of selling customer rights and obligations and other consumer-associated programs," DTI–Consumer Policy and Advocacy Bureau Officer-in-Charge Marimel Dancel Porciuncula stated.

"It enjoins all purchaser agencies inside the u . S . A . To enlist with the DTI with a minimum price, and we will paintings hand in hand to further give a boost to customer focus," Porciuncula added.
As defined inside the DAO 20-07, "client groups talk over with a group of folks who arrange themselves for a common cause of selling the welfare and protecting the rights of clients."

DTI stated that presently, there are 10 regionally identified patron corporations national.
All current DTI-diagnosed COs can be robotically enlisted inside the DTI Register of Consumer Organizations freed from charge based totally at the revised recommendations.

Meanwhile, COs may additionally enlist with the DTI through filling out a shape and paying P150 at the DTI cashier's workplace involved.

The new guidelines considerably comfortable the necessities set forth inside the antique guidelines such that a CO can be categorised as an "enlisted consumer enterprise" if the CO voluntary enlisted within the DTI Register of Consumer Organizations which, if qualified, may be recognized by using DTI both as a local CO or country wide CO, while a presently recognized consumer company is robotically enlisted with out need to pay P150.


According to Section 1 of DAO 20-07, an enlisted CO must have at least 5 individual individuals for it to be qualified for recognition as nearby CO at the same time as at the least 30 contributors are required for an enlisted CO to be certified as a countrywide CO.

Further, a certificate from the Securities and Exchange Commission or Cooperative Development Authority is no longer required for the popularity of neighborhood CO.

The validity of certificates of recognition is three years except cancelled or suspended, and this shall be awarded each March and October of each yr, throughout the birthday celebration of the World Consumer Rights' Day and Consumer Welfare Month, respectively.

"We identified the want to revisit the hints on COs to encourage extra organizations to enlist with the DTI, and revitalize their involvement in the development of guidelines and programs. A recognized CO might be protected inside the listing of RCOs with a view to be published on the DTI website and may be furnished consumer data substances among others," DTI Consumer Protection Group Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said.

BoP surplus balloons to $2.1 billion in Sept

The u . S . A .'s balance of payments (BoP) posted a surplus of $2.1 billion in September, growing the yr-to-date tally, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.

Central bank information released on Monday confirmed that the amount become appreciably higher than the $657-million and $38-million surpluses a month and a 12 months in advance, respectively.
It changed into also the largest for the reason that $2.Forty three-billion surplus in May.


In a declaration, the BSP stated the contemporary surplus "reflected especially the inflows from the BSP's forex operations and profits from its investments overseas, and the national government's (NG) overseas currency deposits with the BSP."

The BSP, however, said those inflows were in part offset with the aid of the NG's bills of its foreign foreign money debt duties.
The determine in September boosted the excess to $6.88 billion within the first 9 months, extensively better than the $5.57 billion recorded inside the same length final 12 months.

"Based on initial information, the present day BOP surplus became supported in particular by way of better net foreign borrowings by using the NG and lower products change deficit along side sustained net inflows from overseas direct investments, private remittances, and change in offerings," said the central financial institution.

For this year, the primary financial institution forecasts the BoP surplus to hit $8.1 billion.

The BSP stated the BOP position displays an increase inside the final gross global reserves (GIR) degree of $100.Forty four billion as of quit-September 2020, better than the $98.Ninety five billion as of cease-August.


It introduced that the GIR "represents a greater than ok external liquidity buffer, that may cushion the domestic economic system in opposition to external shocks."

"This is equal to 10 months' well worth of imports of products and payments of offerings and primary earnings," stated the BSP.

"Moreover, it's also about 9 times the united states of america's quick-term external debt based on authentic adulthood and five.4 times based totally on residual adulthood," it brought.

Integrating a fragmented maritime industry

One severe try to integrate the maritime enterprise took off during President Marcos' martial regulation regime through the Integrated Reorganization Plan of 1972.

Scrutiny of the record confirmed efforts to carry together governance over the one of a kind modes of transportation beneath one enterprise i.E. The Bureau of Transportation. Realizing the huge tasks and obligations that come with transportation worries later pressured the authorities to create specialized companies amongst which will be dispensed the governance of air, land, water, and railway modes of transport. This paved the way for the introduction of the Maritime Industry Authority and the Philippine Ports Authority, amongst others; the Philippine Coast Guard become already then a unit of the Department of National Defense. The allocation of functions appeared logical at that point.


As change amongst international locations extended, driven with the aid of economic increase and technological innovations, the movement of humans and goods throughout borders turned into secure and became less complicated. Correspondingly, many countries inclusive of the Philippines stepped up aggressive efforts in pursuing diverse maritime-related undertakings. For this archipelago, these covered such endeavors from delivery to shipbuilding, port operations to coastal establishments, seafaring to fishing, deliver control to the shipping organisation, and lots of other ancillary activities.

Various sports which earlier than had been requisite additives of a maritime venture branched out to become standalone enterprises together with maritime education and training which have been absolutely part of the u . S .'s instructional shape; inside the identical manner manning (or husbanding of ships) changed into a part of transport operations. While the traditional maritime activities fall within the ambit of the regulatory sphere of current companies with defined maritime mandates, there arose the want to perceive the ideal organization to supervise the brand new maritime activities.
These occasions plus the additional governmental duties and duties bobbing up from the us of a's global and nearby commitments led to wider expectancies, thus, the group of latest features and maritime understanding. Drawing up the new capabilities and figuring out the equipped and pertinent company upon which to vest the authority to discharge such functions become no longer clean as this amplified the unresolved false impression among companies each claiming to had been given maritime mandates underneath their respective constitution.

And those businesses aren't wrong. One enterprise become vested with capabilities related to maritime safety under its charter; yet, every other agency may be capable to expose a comparable proviso in the regulation developing it. Industry stakeholders needed to address special companies purportedly handling the equal authentic authority. Efforts to resolve bickering amongst groups might also were brokered and settled via compromise arrangements which do no longer always reply to the needs of the enterprise regularly causing high priced delays. While progress had been done in delineating the capabilities between these agencies, some activities show undercurrents of animosity and embarrassment. That the squabble had receded could be superficial.

Moving forward or stepping rearward?

The notion of a fragmented maritime industry appears to had been formed via the numerous maritime sports which exist nowadays and maximum of which can be regulated via extraordinary corporations. These businesses flow approximately in keeping with their respective applications and time table often oblivious of the unfavorable impact those may additionally have on the other companies' projects. The disjointed regulatory framework places an useless burden upon the enterprise left to managing numerous organizations on seemingly separate however related activities.


Notwithstanding that actual delivery of offerings by way of those businesses are merged via "one-forestall shops", the authorities businesses' coverage formulations retain to confuse stakeholders and prevent them from pursuing strategic business plans.

The functions for which the Marcos reorganization plan initiated greater than forty years ago might not be as huge as to settle the demanding situations now confronting the maritime enterprise. It became crafted while the authorities became keen on linking this archipelago's islands and hardly ever participated in international shipping. The reorganization plan began quite efficiently in responding to the call for for higher transport capability to cater to home necessities.

Is the Philippines getting near accomplishing an integrated maritime enterprise via a well-coordinated maritime management? The leaders of presidency and the industry stakeholders may have modified and the guidelines governing the industry extensively improved, but, the significance of the maritime enterprise endures. The industry's overall performance can be a gauge to degree how well the authorities can harness the attributes of an archipelago through the integration of the maritime enterprise.

MVP wants to buy Malampaya shares

TYCOON Manuel Pangilinan has now joined the throng of pinnacle honchos who need a slice of the $4.5-billion Malampaya gasoline area project in offshore Palawan.


Pangilinan is interested in acquiring the 45-percentage stake of Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX) within the Malampaya deep water gasoline-to-energy undertaking.


"Well, we're searching at it. Yes, we're looking at it. We've been talking to JP Morgan who is advising Shell at the sale side of their stake in Malampaya," Pangilinan said all through Manila Electric Co.'s (Meralco) economic and operating outcomes virtual media briefing hung on Monday.
Pangilinan, who's Meralco chairman, informed newshounds they'll make the formal provide to collect Malampaya shares thru PXP Energy Corp., a indexed upstream oil and gasoline enterprise.

Pangilinan told reporters, "assuming we're allowed through the whoever owns the Malampaya finally is to pipe the fuel from [Service Contract or SC] seventy two to Malampaya centers so that they can process their gasoline."

PXP Energy, through Forum Energy Ltd., has a 70-percentage participating hobby in SC seventy two.

"And after processing, pipe the fuel to Batangas in which as of now, all of the gas flora are placed," he delivered.


This will no longer be the first time PXP Energy has signified its hobby within the Malampaya natural fuel platform.

It may be recalled that during November last yr, PXP Energy submitted an unsolicited inspiration to the Department of Energy (DoE) to develop and make use of an included gas hub in the Malampaya challenge.

The DoE, however, rejected PXP Energy's proposal, saying the region changed into blanketed by means of SC 38 that expires in 2024.

Also, under the enterprise's Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program, there are  methods to award carrier contracts and oil exploration allows: selecting from the 14 pre-decided areas or providing a place that an entity intends to discover.

PXP Energy had requested the Energy department to reconsider its unsolicited offer but the later turned down once more the notion, reiterating its function that the enterprise can not accommodate bids for any location with an current service agreement.

SPEX is the operator of SC 38 that covers the natural fuel undertaking. Other partners include Udenna unit UC Malampaya Philippines Pte. Ltd. With 45 percent and Exploration Corp. With 10 percent.

The oil and gas essential company Royal Dutch Shell already disclosed its plans to divest its 45-percent Malampaya shares.

Since then, San Miguel Corp., a indexed conglomerate led by way of its president and leader operating officer Ramon Ang, had disclosed its hobby in obtaining SPEX's stake in Malampaya mission.

The Udenna Group of Dennis Uy divulged its plan to absolutely take over the Malampaya herbal gas facility along with PNOC EC, the exploration arm of nation-run Philippine National Oil Co.

UC Malampaya Philippines in advance obtained the 45-percent stake within the project from Chevron Philippines Ltd. In March while PNOC EC holds the last 10 percent.

Protest against police violence

What would you do if your mother was treated with a baton, gas? Did they stand, as they do now, and legitimize people? Dear police officers, stand in front of the mirror. Kaczynski will lose power someday. do you want to be on their side or ours?" Protest against police brutality
On Wednesday, November 25, several dozen people demonstrated under the Seimas. This is a response to recent police actions during a protest on Warsaw's Rebel Square near the TVP headquarters and against the detention of photojournalist Agata Grzybowska.

The demonstration against police brutality is another demonstration organized as part of the women's strike an oko reporter was at the scene.press Maciej Piasecki, who covered the entire event. All this is due to the deterioration of the economy, among other things. In connection with the quarantine, the question of work is acute,and many move to the online sphere, knowing that you can earn additional income, as deltamarket broker does.
The protesters were surrounded by police officers who recorded the participants and recorded the entire event. the entire area around the sejm was heavily fortified with railings.

"Today's gathering is legal, even in light of these questionable covid laws. solidarity was shown to us by one of the confessional unions, the name of which i will not mention. there were times when people of this faith were repressed by people in dark blue uniforms. Thank you to this organization for showing solidarity” " the organizer of the event said at the Sejm on Wednesday.

"What would you do if your mother was treated with a baton, gas? what would you do then? Did they stand, as they do now, and legitimize people? Dear police officers, stand in front of the mirror. Kaczynski will lose power someday. Do you want to be on their side or ours? Left-wing MP Jeanne Schering-Velgus spoke from the stage. she reminded that police officers who want to expose someone should introduce themselves and give a legal basis.

"We have to demonstrate where we are not allowed”

"Today we are going for everything, not just after abortion: free and universal contraception, sex education provided in public schools, and the rights of LGBT people, that is, marital equality, not partnerships" - wyliczała Božena Przyłuska activist of the Warsaw Women's Strike and the Mir Congress. she also called for " a complete, sharp separation of church and state-now, now!"
Pawel Kasprzak, a Polish citizen, was also present. He quoted the police oath to the company and explained that the authorities and the police should not be ceded.

"Demand compliance with the law. Don't give in to legitimacy. If you have time, you go to jail for 24 hours, it's a disaster for them too. If the authorities forbid us to demonstrate here, where only yesterday we could demonstrate, then we should stand exactly where we are forbidden to do so, " the activist urged the citizens of the Republic.

Finally, Lou, an activist of the stop collective, appeared on the scene. "It didn't start now. My friends, my loved ones have been getting such a b* * * * * * l for years that it's unimaginable. This scale of violence didn't start five years ago"”

The protest ended an hour later. The next Warsaw demonstration in the framework of the Women's Strike will take place on Saturday, November 28.

” Desecration " Dmowski

After 21: 00, several dozen people were shot at by the police at the monument to Roman Dmovsky on the square at the intersection. The detainees had to "desecrate" the monument by sticking a small cardboard box with the inscription"fascist"on it with tape.

"All of them were sent out, recorded and circled by cameras so that the police could compare them with the city surveillance record. this went on for quite a long time. Then everyone was released, " one of the people who saw the whole incident tells us.

Globe stated that without ODAS

Globe stated that without ODAS within the upscale subdivision, handiest about forty four percentage of its subscribers in the place had been capable of get appropriate cell signal.

According to Globe, Dasmariñas citizens who oppose the use of ODAS are violating the rights of other residents.

In June 2016, the UN Human Rights council declared that net get entry to become a fundamental human right.

In the case of Dasmariñas, Globe changed into capable of get the approval of the Dasmariñas Village Association, Inc. (DVAI) to use ODAS generation in 2012. The set up of ODAS was a response to proceedings of poor telecom signal inside the subdivision.

Globe acquired the allows to construct, installation and perform ODAS the village. In April this yr, Globe turned into capable of get the consent to keep running its ODAS community for 5 years.

However, a few citizens that blanketed Aw continued to oppose the usage of Globe ODAS interior Dasmariñas despite the approval.

For getting in the manner of establishing telco infrastructure in Dasmariñas, Globe filed a civil in shape towards Aw, claiming moral damages amounting to P5 million, exemplary damages of 500,000 plus lawyers’ prices.

Globe can prove that the absence of ODAS in Dasmariñas contributed to gradual net and negative cell experience within the village, the telco noted.

“It could be very difficult for Aw to prove that mobile websites cause negative fitness consequences on people, because all fitness specialists and the medical community—whether or not neighborhood or global—have already agreed that the available information is non-conclusive,” Globe said.

The ODAS network machine deepens mobile coverage by means of bringing radio signals toward stop-users. Globe is the primary telco carrier provider within the usa to apply the ODAS answer.

Dasmariñas Village resident Betty Dante

Dasmariñas Village resident Betty Dante Aw entreated telecom organizations to give purchasers extra alternatives in getting access to cell and net services, instead of filing ‘harassment’ cases in opposition to them.

Unfazed via a P5 million civil in shape filed against her by Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc., self-confessed health and health advocate Aw careworn that get entry to to better internet and cellular offerings have to now not come on the price of customers.

“I can’t understand why they are suing me. I am just airing my side and what most people understand approximately the fitness risks of ODAS (out of doors distributed antenna system),” Aw informed The Manila Times in a cellphone interview.

“We aren't opposing higher offerings. In fact, I am a Globe person. We just need opportunity solutions from the business enterprise that does not compromise the health of our families,” Aw said.

“They said that get admission to to internet is a human right. But we additionally have our freedom of choice. This is what Globe must do, offer an alternative answer. And we're here to assist the authorities provide method to the hassle,” she brought.

Aw, who was at the posh Dasmariñas Village in the course of the phone interview, became irked by way of the bad mobile carrier no matter the declare supposedly made with the aid of Globe that its facilities in the location underwent an improve.

“In reality, we've got discovered recently that four ODAS were established given that 2008. And now there are fifty five-57 ODAS. Even with those, the cell offerings in our area are still obviously poor,” she stated.

On Wednesday, Globe said that greater than half of of the families in Dasmariñas Village had no first rate cell insurance due to the resistance of a few homeowners.