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Has corruption become the norm? – Magalong

Has corruption become the norm? – Magalong

by | Jul 12, 2023 | Gotcha

GOTCHA

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong worries about the P14.1- trillion national debt. Did the borrowings benefit us Filipinos, he asks, since we, even newborns, are now each in hock for P113,000?

It’s unclear where the Marcos Jr. admin spent P1.3-trillion new debt in just one year. That’s on top of the Duterte admin’s P6.9 trillion, 2016-2022. Of that latter amount, P42 billion was wasted on pricey but faulty pandemic supplies. P12.5 billion went to Pharmally of Chinese national Michael Yang, Duterte special adviser.

Before them the country’s debt was P5.9 trillion under 11 presidents: Roxas, Quirino, Magsaysay, Garcia, Macapagal, Marcos Sr., C. Aquino, Ramos, Estrada, Macapagal-Arroyo, B.S. Aquino, 1946-2016.

Today’s P14.1-trillion debt has breached the threshold of 60 percent of GDP, Magalong warns. Can Filipinos still repay?

Leakages, money lost to corruption and incompetence, worsen the burden. Experts say it’s P1 trillion a year, one-fifth the national budget.

Effects of non-payment are dire. Two-thirds of today’s population were yet unborn when it happened twice before:

• Lenders shut the fund faucet on unearthing in 1984 the Central Bank’s bloating of dollar reserves and understating of losses.

Records reveal why. The CB was hiding Marcos Sr.’s kickbacks from loaned projects like the Westinghouse nuclear plant and behest loans to cronies by PNB, DBP, GSIS, Veteran’s Bank. Also the first lady’s shopping sprees and the children’s extravagance abroad.

Philippine credit standing melted. To keep power plants and transport going, officials paid suitcases of cash to petroleum producers. Buses, jitneys, cars lined up for expensive gas rations. The economy shrank, businesses collapsed, workers lost jobs.

• C. Aquino honored but couldn’t repay Marcos Sr.’s dirty debts. Lenders like the International Monetary Fund imposed austerity.

Government couldn’t expand electric facilities. Blackouts halted industries and employment. Civil unrest persisted.

Graduating from PMA in 1982, Magalong was then a young Constabulary officer. Like Lieutenants Fidel Ramos and Jose Almonte three decades prior, he must have asked himself and “mistahs” the roots of communist insurgency and Moro separatism that they were fighting.

The present admin threatens fiscal collapse. Ballooning veteran retirement pensions, P56 billion for 138,000 this year, supposedly have become untenable. Supermajority lawmakers will thus slash pensions and even deduct from salaries of active-duty soldiers, policemen, coastguards, jail guards.

“We’re willing to sacrifice,” Magalong says of fellow MUPs, military and other uniformed personnel. “We’re used to sacrificing life and limb.”

But then he wonders why no legislator – with multibillion-peso pork barrels – has offered to sacrifice as well. DPWH engineers confide to him the rackets. Lawmakers not only take 40-percent cuts from public works, but also act as contractors-suppliers.

Congress enacts yearly flood controls, unmeasured dredging of rivers and lakes. Ex-senator and PNP chief Panfilo Lacson said dredgers run only for photo-ops. Lawmakers divvy up the fund, P183 billion this 2023, more than triple the P56 billion for MUP pensions.

Whenever Magalong shares experiences, mayors are all agog. When he shifts to good governance and anti-graft, they zone out and stare at mobiles.

“Is corruption now the norm in government?” Magalong asks. “Shouldn’t Filipinos demand accountability from their officials?”

But how, when those officials – political dynasts all – shut them out of the Executive and Legislature, national and local positions? Members of the political elite protect only each other’s interests:

• For pork allotments, legislators grant the Executive, even the politician-education secretary, multibillion, no-audit confidential/intelligence funds.

• They ignore cries against government-sponsored cartels in sugar, transport, utilities.

• In the wake of the “Love the Philippines” fiasco, 62 lawmakers and related local officials purported that the politician-tourism secretary was sabotaged.

European teens are rioting against cruel, opportunistic officials, mostly social/liberal democrats who have moved to the conservative right. The Philippine opposition has joined Congress’ supermajority; only 16 of 312 congressmen and two of 24 senators remain minority.

Instead of rioting, disgruntled Filipino youths emigrate. Left-behinds can get impatient with slow change.

Best to heed Magalong’s alerts. Proven in depth and integrity, he headed the investigation of the 2015 Mamasapano massacre of 44 police commandos. He was pandemic contact-tracing chief, and review panelist of 954 PNP generals and colonels.

Baguio wisely elected Benjamin Bañez Magalong, the good BBM.

Read also: https://tinyurl.com/plunders-vs-soldiers-pensions

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Frasco courts more trouble in retaining ‘Love the Phl’

Frasco courts more trouble in retaining ‘Love the Phl’

by | Jul 7, 2023 | Gotcha

PCOO photo of President Marcos Jr., Frasco and another official, at DOT’s 50th anniversary fete

GOTCHA

Only Tourism Sec. Christina Frasco knows if it’s faith or face-saving. But her retention of “Love the Philippines” as slogan, despite the international scandal its video brought, presents three complications.

First, effectiveness. Will the slogan still entice foreign tourists? Second, disrepute. Can Philippine tourism afford a fourth complaint of plagiarized promos? Third, legal-financial. How can the Department of Tourism terminate without pay the ad agency that created the slogan and controversial video?

The tourism forum that Frasco graced Wednesday, July 5, featured the “Love the Philippines” logo onscreen. Asked if she’ll keep the slogan, she pointed to the stage, saying, “it’s evident.”

The video that launched “Love the Philippines” intended to promote local attractions but used foreign stock footages: Indonesian rice terraces, a Thai fisherman, Dubai sand dunes, Brazil beaches and a Lufthansa jet landing in Zurich.

It keynoted DOT’s 50th anniversary fete last June 27. By weekend world media reported the inappropriate scenes. Netizens and travelogues scoffed at it.

Perplexed, for one, was Indonesia’s tourism minister on viewing the 105-second video. The Philippine affiliate of multinational ad agency Doyle, Dane & Bernbach apologized Sunday, July 2. Next day DOT announced DDB’s termination and forfeiture of performance bond.

Before the fiasco, DDB’s slogan “enjoyed a positive sentiment of 77 percent on social media,” PRWeek quoted media analyst Charles Cheung of Carma. “As a result of the incident, the brand sentiment has become 34.7 percent negative and only 3.7 percent positive.” PRWeek is a global journal of the public relations industry; Carma is a top media-intelligence provider.

Insisting on the slogan makes it doubly difficult for Frasco to sell the Philippines. Despite Filipinos’ vaunted hospitality and the country’s attractions, infrastructure and accessibility pale in comparison to Southeast Asian neighbors. A tainted trademark will further pull down the Philippines’ tourism standing.

Besides, DOT seems confused about its target audience. “Love the Philippines” supposedly is to promote the country abroad. Thus, the shortlisting of DDB and one other global agency in the consultancy contract bidding. But Frasco also directed the slogan to local tourists.

She enthused: “‘Love the Philippines’ is not a mere branding campaign, but a call to action to every Filipino citizen to remember the beauty of our country, to honor our past and to look forward to the future armed with the virtues, values of being a Filipino.”

But “Love the Philippines” is criticized as a copy of two recent promos, “Love Cyprus” and “Love Barbados.” PRWeek recounted three other “plagiarized” Philippine brands.

The logo of “Pilipinas Kay Ganda,” 2010, allegedly aped that of Poland’s. “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” 2012, rehashed the 1951 “It’s more fun in Switzerland.” “Experience the Philippines,” 2017, mimicked aspects of the 2016 “Meet South Africa” featuring blind travelers.

Incidentally, a former Dinagat Island provincial information officer tweeted Tuesday about the unattributed use of her photo in a localized version of “Love the Philippines.” The Dinagat Island’s tourism office quickly apologized and took down the sunset picture at San Jose town.

In 2012-2019 DOT attracted 33.4 million travelers with “It’s More Fun,” compounded annual growth rate of 8.6 percent. “Wow Philippines,” 2002-2010, drew in 20.84 million, 5.8 percent.

Experts attribute the slight increases not so much to the slogans than the slow upgrade of facilities and transport. Bad airports and sanitation, and too few rides, rest stops and emergency clinics continue to turn off tourists.

Frasco has yet to clarify money matters. DDB and DOT claim that no public money was spent for the awkward video. But she said June 27 that the “Love the Philippines” rebranding cost P49 million.

Three components comprise the campaign, DOT’s website shows: branding, P50 million; production of five video ads, P250 million; overseas media placements, P250 million.

DDB’s cancelled contract and forfeited performance security was apparently what Frasco valued at P49 million. As of June 9 it was shortlisted for the two bigger deals.

In apologizing, DDB said it produced on its own “a mood video to excite internal stakeholders.” Impliedly, not for public viewing. Whoever authorized its unveiling last June 27 and posting on DOT’s website has remained unidentified. The ad agency can contest its abrupt firing without remuneration and what DOT calls “any other engagement.”

* * *

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‘Mahal ang Phl’: wasteful obsession with slogans

‘Mahal ang Phl’: wasteful obsession with slogans

by | Jul 5, 2023 | Gotcha

Marcos Jr. vetoed Congress’ budget condition for DOT to retain the old brand

GOTCHA

P250 million, P49 million, or free? How much did that “Love the Philippines” rebranding, with fake videos of local tourism scenes, cost?

People are asking in outrage over the use of stock footages of Indonesia’s rice terraces, a Thai casting a fishnet, Dubai sand dunes, Brazil beaches, a jumbo jet landing in Switzerland and frolicking dolphins in an indeterminate location.

Apologizing Sunday, July 2, ad agency Doyle, Dane & Bernbach Philippines said it produced the video “at own expense; no public funds were or would be released.” The Department of Tourism concurred.

Yet five days earlier, June 27, Tourism Sec. Christina Garcia Frasco told CNN Philippines the rebranding cost P49 million. The video may be free, but the “Love the Philippines” slogan, allegedly copied from Cyprus and Barbados tourism promos, cost much.

Was that all? DOT said it will terminate DDB’s contract and forfeit the performance bond. Did DOT make a down payment?

Last June 9, DOT posted on the PhilGEPS website a “Notice of Eligibility and Shortlisting to Judd Balayan, Group COO/CFO-DDB Philippines, and Vilma Rosalia Sto. Domingo, Business Unit Head-IPG Mediabrands Philippines.

“(1) DOT has received financing from 2023 General Appropriations Act [for] Procurement of Consulting Services for Integrated Marketing Campaign for Rebranding of Philippine Tourism. DOT intends to apply a portion of the funds in the amount of Two Hundred Fifty Million Pesos.

“(2) DOT invites bids [for] Consulting Services: to develop a strategic plan and implement an effective IMC that caters to local/international audiences. This will promote DOT’s products, programs and regional destinations.”

Everyone involved in the fiasco should come clean. Better for gory details to come from them than dug up by mainstream and social media. Blogger Sass Rogando Sasot exposed the use of foreign stock images and Agence France Presse fact-checked the sites.

Was the video presented prematurely last June 27, DOT’s 50th anniversary? DDB called it a “mood video to excite internal stakeholders.” Was it not meant for public release but only for the contract bidding? The PhilGEPS June 9 posting reveals:

“(6) Bidding Documents may be acquired at … DOT Bldg. … from June 9-June 28 (8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.) and June 29 (until 9:00 a.m.) … in the amount of P50,000.00 to the DOT cashier. Payments must be made/deposited before deadline of submission of bids, June 29, 2023.”

Bidding was still ongoing last June 27. So why was the bidder’s mood video for internal stakeholders, “Love the Philippines,” unveiled as the new tourism brand?

All this happened due to officials’ obsession with slogans. As if slogans – not accessibility, convenience, experience – bring in tourists.

Upon appointment Frasco announced to scrap the 10-year-old “It’s More Fun In The Philippines.” Supposedly that slogan, copied from Switzerland’s 1951 promo, was ineffective so Philippine tourism trailed behind Thailand and Indonesia. No mention of insufficient flights, poor facilities, decrepit sites.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. obliged Frasco. In passing the 2023 GAA, Congress allotted P1,270,014,000 for ”Branding Campaign Program,” but stressed that “in no case shall the appropriations be utilized to change the tourism campaign slogan.” Marcos Jr. crossed it out in “direct veto.”

Indonesia’s rice terraces was videoed because ours in Banawe can’t be viewed from Lagawe, Ifugao’s capital, where there are hotels/hostels. Souvenir shops block the roadside. There’s no view deck. Even if there was, the best terraces in Barangay Battad are rundown.

The Thai fisherman was used because plastics litter Philippine seasides. Dubai and Brazil sands were featured because oil slicks blacken Philippine public beaches. The Swiss airport was preferred over Manila’s congested runway.

Tourists endure delayed flights to Manila, then long queues in airport toilets and at Immigration. No highway rest stops, only stinky outhouses without flush, seats, sinks – just dippers to buhos-buhos. Flies infest diners.

Tourism experts are ignored. Like The STAR columnist Cito Beltran, who built and operated a Palawan island resort, and Manuel Gonzalez, who owns Cebu’s world-famous Plantation Bay. They’ve been shouting their voices hoarse, to no avail.

The P49 million, Cito says, could’ve been used for more benches, women’s toilets, WiFi at the Manila airport terminals; directional signs; online portals for transport routes and alternatives; hotlines for passengers suffering flight overbooking, delays and cancellations.

Manong Manuel decries DOT power-trip of star-rating hotels and resorts, which online travelogues already do. Also the contentment with Intramuros’ grimy walls of officials who likely haven’t been to Siem Reap. Plus, DOT’s forcible slashing of hotel/resort rates supposedly to entice foreigners.

Why does Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications Paul Soriano have his own slogan: “We Give The World Our Best. The Philippines.”? On King Charles’ coronation week it was posted on London double-deckers with a photo of a Filipino nurse holding a syringe. Nanay ko po.

That’s not all. Last June 27, columnist Boo Chanco reports, DOT announced prizes for those who bring in tourists in a contest, “Bisita Be My (BBM) guest.” Sipsip.

* * *

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Are additional sugar imports for consumers or cartelists?

Are additional sugar imports for consumers or cartelists?

by | Jun 30, 2023 | Gotcha

Department of Agriculture photo

GOTCHA

Will government’s importation of more sugar finally make it affordable for consumers? Or will it enrich trade cartelists like before?

The 150,000 tons additional sugar is supposedly for buffer – standby for emergency, shortage, price spikes. We’ve heard that before.

The Sugar Regulatory Administration already imported such buffer stock for 2023. Still retail prices are spiking to P100-P140 a kilo.

SRA Sugar Order No. 6, Feb. 15, 2023 states: “Section 4. Volume and Type of Sugar:

“4.1 Two hundred thousand metric tons (200,000 MT) shall be allocated to Consumers.

“4.2 Two hundred forty thousand metric tons (240,000 MT) shall be allocated as buffer stock, for release to consumers upon the approval of the SRA board.”

So what’s the new buffer for? Did SRA botch its data gathering?

There’s only one sugarcane planting-harvest-milling season per year, October-May. Producers vary only by a few weeks in Cagayan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Batangas, Camarines, Ormoc, Iloilo, Capiz, Negros, Bukidnon, Davao and Cotabato. SRA must research supply to determine if the country will export or import.

But favoritism marred Sugar Order No. 6. Agriculture Senior USec. Domingo Panganiban admitted choosing a month prior only three traders, from a three-page list of 120, to import 440,000 tons. Those three had met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang, a photo of which went viral. Panganiban told senators that Marcos Jr. ordered him to limit the selection.

SRA usually holds open bidding, then allocates import volumes to one or two dozen traders. Panganiban preempted the process. That resulted in what Sen. Risa Hontiveros denounced as “government-sponsored cartel.”

The favored trio landed Thai sugar at only P25,000 per ton then sold at P70,000. Profiteering P45,000 per ton, they raked in P19.8 billion from all 440,000 tons. Just like that, Hontiveros exposed.

Consumers suffered. Procuring from the trio at P70 a kilo, wholesalers distributed at P85-upwards. Adding transport, other costs and margin, retailers sold at P100-P140. Same as during last Christmas’ shortage, but higher than P70-P80 in September 2022. In early 2022 before the Marcos Jr. admin, it was only P35-P50.

Malacañang and SRA not only let the trio set the minimum price but also kept it at P70,000 a ton, or P70 a kilo.

Efforts of anti-smugglers were wasted. DA ASec. for Enforcement James Layug and Customs had seized 9,827,000 kilos of contraband sugar in November 2022-February 2023. Government had not invested any capital in it. Valuating smuggled sugar at P100 per kilo, government’s only loss was the five-percent import duty of P5 a kilo.

Government could thus have sold the stuff only that cheap.

Still, Malacañang and SRA retailed it in Kadiwa rolling stores in poor communities at the trio’s price of P70 a kilo.

Same with the 6,500 tons “smuggled” in Batangas by one of the trio before Sugar Order No. 6 came into effect. Panganiban made Customs return it to the trader, who sold at P70,000 a ton, or P70 a kilo.

Panganiban barred industrial users from importing their own sugar, but instead buy only from the trio, Hontiveros bared. Result: prices of biscuits, juices and other sugared foods inflated.

Will SRA set things right with the forthcoming 150,000 tons? Will consumers ever enjoy P35-P50-a-kilo sugar like only 15 months ago?

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Marcos Jr. is said to have won the presidency on his promise of P20-a-kilo rice. One year hence Malacañang says that price was only aspirational, as in “wish ko lang.” Rice retailed this week in urban centers at P36-P60 a kilo.

Grit can make wishes come true. As concurrent agriculture secretary, Marcos Jr. has a Usec. for rice productivity. Thousands of experts have pointed out what need to be done. All await implementing:

Right seedlings for upland, lowland, irrigated and rainfed fields. Cheaper solar, windmill, gravity irrigation. Cheaper fertilizers and pesticides, preferably sourced locally. Support for mechanization in harrowing, harvesting, threshing. Cheaper electricity for drying, storage, milling. Remove “delihensya” in land and sea transport.

A president can work on all those simultaneously while fixing problems that crop up.

Like, ASec. Kristine Evangelista attributes present rice prices to higher palay farmgate rate: P20-P23 a kilo. At such rates, farmers merely recover costs and earn a little but do not become rich. Recovery rate of drying then milling palay to rice is only 50-60 percent. Too low, compared to 68-76 percent in Thailand and Vietnam. Marcos Jr. can call in the problem-solvers.

* * *

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            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

72% of online buyers are females; techies aged 25-34 shop the most

72% of online buyers are females; techies aged 25-34 shop the most

by | Jun 28, 2023 | Gotcha

Stock image

GOTCHA

One who buys online a robot vacuum cleaner for only P250 or an iPhone for P2,500 is bound to be scammed. S/he needs to learn fast that not everything on the Net is true.

Shopping online is no different from the physical store. Smart buyers scrutinize the product, compare price and quality with other sellers, look for bargains and secure warranty.

Best to go with the flow. Eighty-six percent of Filipino buyers pay cash on delivery. Seventy-two percent are female; techies aged 25-34 make the most online purchases.

Tatay, lolo, kuya had better leave to wives, sisters, children and apo the research and selection of product. Even the purchase date: on “holidays” like July 7, Aug. 8, Sept. 9 and so on for big discounts, free deliveries and other come-ons. They’re more facile with e-wallets.

Shopee-Philippines has the highest number of online visits per month, 74.91 million, digital marketing firm Spiralytics reported last May. Next are Facebook Marketplace, Lazada and Carousell.

But Lazada seems the more popular household term, as in, “I-Lazada mo para hindi ka na ma-traffic.” Could it be because Lazada quickly attends to complaints and refunds? Or that its delivery men and women are prompt and friendly? Or that it legitimizes the informal sector and helps first-time sellers become full-fledged entrepreneurs?

Customer service is the new battleground for online retailers, Spiralytics said. Increased competition needs improved customer loyalty.

Speed is important, Spiralytics noted. Since e-commerce’s biggest sell is convenience, delivery times and reach are crucial. Online platforms are partnering with logistics networks to address these.

The stats dictate so. Philippine online selling was only $3 billion in 2019. Fifty-four percent of buyers made their first purchase during the pandemic lockdown; 73 percent of them continued even after lifting of restrictions. By 2022, volume hit $14 billion. Experts forecast a 15 percent rise to $16 billion this year, onto $24 billion by 2025.

Electronics are the hottest sellers online. Not far behind are food, fashion, health and beauty products. Plus spare parts, collectibles and business-to-business transactions.

Online buyers await those double-digit sales. 4.4, 5.5, 6.6 not only enable them to discover new wares. Sellers are able to clear inventories and earn for business expansion. Thousands get employed as delivery drivers, warehouse staff and customer service reps.

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Ride-hailing/delivery service Grab Viber-ed a government official receipt for P10 million dated Apr. 27, 2021. That’s to correct my report that it still hadn’t paid the P10-million fine that LTFRB imposed on July 9, 2018. Thank you, Arvi Lopez, Grab country communications head, and Jika Dalupan, Universalis managing partner.

They didn’t have, however, a Report of Compliance that could’ve explained why it took Grab three years to pay. They referred me to LTFRB, which is media-averse.

In an earlier press statement, LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz said he holds a copy of the receipt, but showed none. No Report of Compliance either.

On record is a report to him by LTFRB’s Information Management System division, May 1, 2023, “2018 Decided Cases-Complaints.” It states: “Remarks – Respondent [My Taxi Ph Inc/Grab] to submit a Report of Compliance one week from the time the rebate has been fully implemented. Amount Paid, Official Receipt No., Date Paid – (blank).”

Guadiz, who joined LTFRB only in December 2022, denied the agency’s leniency towards Grab since 2013. But also on record are complaints by then-Rep. Jericho Nograles.

A 2014 joint administrative order by DOTr, LTO and LTFRB prescribed P5,000 fine for every count of overcharging of passengers. In 2018, Nograles said, that meant a P15-billion fine for Grab’s overcharging of three million passengers. But LTFRB slashed it to only P10 million, claiming that P15 billion was “unrealistic.”

Nograles pointed out the treatment of overcharging taxi drivers. Licenses suspended, they have to queue at LTFRB to pay a P5,000 fine in borrowed money to work again.

Past LTFRB board members quarreled over Grab. One of them, Ariel Inton, now with Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection, has pending complaints for unexplained surge charges. Too, against Grab’s backdoor entry into motorcycle taxi by buying 99.8 percent of MoveIt, one of only three outfits in Congress’ dry-run. Grab had been barred since it already dominates the four-wheeled market.

In Malacañang in January, Grab Holdings’ Singaporean CEO Anthony Tan bragged he could create 500,000 new jobs by expanding locally. LTFRB opened 50,000 slots for driver-partners. On June 21, Tan laid off 1,000 employees, 11 percent of Grab’s Southeast Asian workforce. Grab-PH did not say how many were affected, only that they’d be recompensed.

The Philippine Competition Commission fined Grab P9 million in May for failure to fully refund customers P25.45 million, ordered since 2019 and 2020.

* * *

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            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

How cranes-for-rent make commodities unaffordable

How cranes-for-rent make commodities unaffordable

by | Jun 23, 2023 | Gotcha

Philippine News Agency Photo

GOTCHA

Forced rental of cranes. That’s another racket at seaports that makes commodities costly.

Arrastre servicers control the wharfs. Only their cargadores may load and unload ship cargo to and from trucks. Most also provide stevedores who exclusively may board ships to pull out or stow cargo in the hold.

The Philippine Ports Authority wants quick, efficient arrastre and stevedoring. PPA compels servicers to provide enough cranes, forklifts, pallets, nets, pulleys, chains, ropes, manpower as part of their fees.

But they disobey. Most have no cranes. Forklifts and other equipment are few. On alibi of skilled-labor shortage, only four- to five-man gangs work per ship instead of the required 12.

Many of the 3,623 domestic cargo ships are too small and old to be fitted with front and rear cranes. And cranes frequently break down. The Cebu Ports Authority allows shipowners to park cranes on ground; those who do not own cranes may tap inexpensive lessors.

Most of the country’s 821 other ports give no such leeway. Port managers alibi lack of parking space or security risk. Most ports also do not operate round-the-clock but only in daytime.

Shipowners are obliged to rent cranes from the same arrastre/stevedoring firms that must provide the equipment as part of service fees. Rental cost: P3,500-P6,000 per hour, depending on lift tonnage. Minimum rent is for eight hours, or P28,000-P48,000 per crane.

Since cargo loading/unloading usually takes three days, shipowners rent cranes for P84,000-P144,000.

Worse if arrastre/stevedoring firms dispatch undermanned gangs. Loading/unloading can take ten days. Crane rental: P280,000-P480,000.

No receipts are issued for the forced rentals. Racketeers hide it from PPA. Shipowners pay rather than leave vessels idle in long queues at the wharf or anchored out of harbor.

Shipowners pass on the rental cost to client-shippers, who pass it on to consumers. Food, clothing, shelter, construction, schooling, health, communications and small-business materials become costly.

How much does the racket rake in annually? A vessel can make 25 port stops per year. Meaning, it must rent cranes 25 times for ten-day stretches, or P7 million-P12 million.

Multiply that by even only half of cargo ships, or 1,811: a staggering P12.7 billion-P21.7 billion, untaxed.

That’s the added cost of commodities Filipinos must bear. To think that they’re suffering the worst food inflation since the first three years of martial law, 1972-1975.

Will anyone care to tell President/Agriculture Secretary Ferdinand Marcos Jr. this?

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Expect another price spike of foods and goods shipped through Manila ports – due to an increase in harbor pilotage/tug towing rates.

Everyday hundreds of shipowners who berth in Manila are required to pay the hefty fees. They charge these to shippers, who pass on the burden to consumers.

Unregulated pilotage/towing charges are among the many hidden sea transport costs that push up commodity prices. Agriculture and trade officials go after small overpricing retailers but ignore the port servicers.

Manila Harbor pilots have begun charging vessels P10,000 to dock and another P10,000 to undock – a 43-percent increase from the P7,000 imposed only six months prior.

Most pilotage/towing firms in the country’s 821 other ports may follow suit. Vessels that deliver to those ports will be charged higher docking/undocking rates. That can set off commodity price spirals.

Harbor pilots obligate shipowners to rent tugboats supposedly for safe towing in and out of piers. No exemption, not even for vessels that have their own tugboats.

Ships that don’t pay are barred harbor entry and must anchor out at sea. Those that do pay must handle cost of ship and pier damages caused by negligent pilots they’re forced to hire.

PPA is unable to enforce its much lower prescribed pilotage and towing fees.

The Manila Bay Harbor Pilots’ Partnership last April 14 notified cargo handler SeaFord Shipping of the rate increase. Other shipowners expect similar memos, stating:

“To: All operations clerk (sic) – North Harbor duty

“Subject: Increase in charges when using pilot launch to augment tug assistance during berthing/unberthing

“Despite of (sic) our recent increase to P7,000 last Nov. 2022, our cost evaluation on the expenses incurred when using our Pilot Launch being hired by the Agent to assist their vessel in augmenting the tug during berthing and unberthing at North Harbor; the overall cost for fuel, repairs and maintenance as well as allocating funds for drydocking, has dramatically increased, due to the increase of the above factors.

“The present charge per assist isn’t sustainable which compelled us to increase substantially, effective May 1, 2023 under the following rate:

“(1) SF vessels from P7,000 per assist to P10,000 per assist per pilot launch

“Please advise the Agent that using our pilot launch for mooring isn’t our mandatory obligation, but rather an extension of service to facilitate the smooth berthing/unberthing of their vessel.

“Should they opt to have another service provider to assist their vessel during the pilotage movement, the Pilot on-duty is compelled to use it.

“(Signed) Capt. Rogelio P. Taruc, Sr., Chief Pilot”

PPA prescribes only P41.70 to P300 pilotage/towing charge, depending on ship tonnage, 100 to over 5,000.

In Batangas, government and private ports collect P5,000 to P25,000 to berth/unberth. Usual in other ports is P5,000.

If all 3,623 local ships berth or unberth for P5,000 anywhere in one day, total pilotage/towing is P18,115,000. In one year that’s P6,611,975,000 in added cost to consumers.

* * *

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Site Terms & Conditions (scroll down for the buttons)

This site, jariusbondoc.com, is free for your use.

However, we do have some terms and conditions which you can find below. By continuing to use or to read from this site, that means you understand and agree to comply with the terms and conditions.

I. PRIVACY POLICY

This privacy policy (“policy”) will help you understand how jariusbondoc.com uses and protects the data you provide to us when you visit and use https://jariusbondoc.com/ (“website”, “service”).

We reserve the right to change this policy at any given time. If you want to make sure that you are up to date with the latest changes, we advise you to frequently visit this page.

 

What User Data We Collect

When you visit the website, we may collect the following data:

  • Your IP address
  • Your contact information and email address
  • Other information such as interests and preferences
  • Data profile regarding your online behavior on our website

 

Why We Collect Your Data

We are collecting your data for several reasons:

  • To better understand your needs
  • To improve our services and products
  • To send you promotional emails containing the information we think you will find interesting
  • To contact you to fill out surveys and participate in other types of market research
  • To customize our website according to your online behavior and personal preferences

 

Safeguarding and Securing the Data

jariusbondoc.com is committed to securing your data and keeping it confidential. jariusbondoc.com has done all in its power to prevent data theft, unauthorized access, and disclosure by implementing the latest technologies and software, which help us safeguard all the information we collect online.

 

Our Cookie Policy

Once you agree to allow our website to use cookies, you also agree to use the data it collects regarding your online behavior (analyze web traffic, web pages you spend the most time on, and websites you visit).

The data we collect by using cookies is used to customize our website to your needs. After we use the data for statistical analysis, the data is completely removed from our systems.

Please note that cookies don’t allow us to gain control of your computer in any way. They are strictly used to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not so that we can provide a better experience for you.

If you want to disable cookies, you can do it by accessing the settings of your internet browser.

 

Links to Other Websites

Our website contains links that lead to other websites. If you click on these links jariusbondoc.com is not held responsible for your data and privacy protection. Visiting those websites is not governed by this privacy policy agreement. Make sure to read the privacy policy documentation of the website you go to from our website.

 

Restricting the Collection of your Personal Data

At some point, you might wish to restrict the use and collection of your personal data. You can achieve this by doing the following:

 

  • When you are filling the forms on the website, make sure to check if there is a box which you can leave unchecked, if you don’t want to disclose your personal information.
  • If you have already agreed to share your information with us, feel free to contact us via email and we will be more than happy to change this for you.

 

jariusbondoc.com will not lease, sell or distribute your personal information to any third parties, unless we have your permission. We might do so if the law forces us. Your personal information will be used when we need to send you promotional materials if you agree to this privacy policy.

 

II. COPYRIGHT NOTICE

All materials contained on this site are protected by the Republic of the Phlippines copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of jariusbondoc.com or in the case of third party materials, the owner of that content. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.

However, you may download material from jariusbondoc.com on the Web (one machine readable copy and one print copy per page) for your personal, noncommercial use only.

If you wish to use jariusbondoc.com content for commercial purposes, such as for content syndication etc., please contact us at jariusbondoconline@gmail.com.

Links to Websites other than those owned by jariusbondoc.com are offered as a service to readers. The editorial staff of jariusbondoc.com was not involved in their production and is not responsible for their content.

 

III. TERMS OF SERVICE

 

  1. GENERAL RULES AND DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 If you choose to use the jariusbondoc.com service (the “Service”), you will be agreeing to abide by all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement between you and jariusbondoc.com (“jariusbondoc.com “).

 

1.2 jariusbondoc.com may change, add or remove portions of this Agreement at any time, but if it does so, it will post such changes on the Service, or send them to you via e-mail. It is your responsibility to review this Agreement prior to each use of the Site and by continuing to use this Site, you agree to any changes.

 

1.3 If any of these rules or any future changes are unacceptable to you, you may cancel your membership by sending e-mail to jariusbondoconline.com (see section 10.1 regarding termination of service). Your continued use of the service now, or following the posting of notice of any changes in these operating rules, will indicate acceptance by you of such rules, changes, or modifications.

 

1.4 jariusbondoc.com may change, suspend or discontinue any aspect of the Service at any time, including the availability of any Service feature, database, or content. jariusbondoc.com may also impose limits on certain features and services or restrict your access to parts or all of the Service without notice or liability.

 

  1. JARIUSBONDOC.COM CONTENT AND MEMBER SUBMISSIONS

 

2.1 The contents of the jariusbondoc.com are intended for your personal, noncommercial use. All materials published on jariusbondoc.com (including, but not limited to news articles, photographs, images, illustrations, audio clips and video clips, also known as the “Content”) are protected by copyright, and owned or controlled by jariusbondoc.com or the party credited as the provider of the Content. You shall abide by all additional copyright notices, information, or restrictions contained in any Content accessed through the Service.

 

2.2 The Service and its Contents are protected by copyright pursuant to the Republic of the Philippines and international copyright laws. You may not modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, reproduce (except as provided in Section 2.3 of this Agreement), create new works from, distribute, perform, display, or in any way exploit, any of the Content or the Service (including software) in whole or in part.

 

2.3 You may download or copy the Content and other downloadable items displayed on the Service for personal use only, provided that you maintain all copyright and other notices contained therein. Copying or storing of any Content for other than personal use is expressly prohibited without prior written permission from jariusbondoc.com or the copyright holder identified in the copyright notice contained in the Content.

 

  1. FORUMS, DISCUSSIONS AND USER GENERATED CONTENT

 

3.1 You shall not upload to, or distribute or otherwise publish on the message boards (the “Feedback Section”) any libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, abusive, or otherwise illegal material.

 

3.2 (a)Be courteous. You agree that you will not threaten or verbally abuse jariusbondoc.com columnists and other jariusbondoc.com community Members, use defamatory language, or deliberately disrupt discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or “spam.”

 

3.2 (b) Use respectful language. Like any community, the Feedback Sections will flourish only when our Members feel welcome and safe. You agree not to use language that abuses or discriminates on the basis of race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual preference, age, region, disability, etc. Hate speech of any kind is grounds for immediate and permanent suspension of access to all or part of the Service.

 

3.2 (c) Debate, but don’t attack. In a community full of opinions and preferences, people always disagree. jariusbondoc.com encourages active discussions and welcomes heated debate in our Feedback Sections. But personal attacks are a direct violation of this Agreement and are grounds for immediate and permanent suspension of access to all or part of the Service.

 

3.3 The Feedback Sections shall be used only in a noncommercial manner. You shall not, without the express approval of jariusbondoc.com, distribute or otherwise publish any material containing any solicitation of funds, advertising or solicitation for goods or services.

 

3.4 You are solely responsible for the content of your messages. However, while jariusbondoc.com does not and cannot review every message posted by you on the Forums and is not responsible for the content of these messages, jariusbondoc.com reserves the right to delete, move, or edit messages that it, in its sole discretion, deems abusive, defamatory, obscene, in violation of copyright or trademark laws, or otherwise unacceptable.

 

3.5 You acknowledge that any submissions you make to the Service (i.e., user-generated content including but not limited to: text, video, audio and photographs) (each, a “Submission”) may be edited, removed, modified, published, transmitted, and displayed by jariusbondoc.com and you waive any moral rights you may have in having the material altered or changed in a manner not agreeable to you. You grant jariusbondoc.com a perpetual, nonexclusive, world-wide, royalty free, sub-licensable license to the Submissions, which includes without limitation the right for jariusbondoc.com or any third party it designates, to use, copy, transmit, excerpt, publish, distribute, publicly display, publicly perform, create derivative works of, host, index, cache, tag, encode, modify and adapt (including without limitation the right to adapt to streaming, downloading, broadcast, mobile, digital, thumbnail, scanning or other technologies) in any form or media now known or hereinafter developed, any Submission posted by you on or to jariusbondoc.com or any other website owned by it, including any Submission posted on jariusbondoc.com through a third party.

 

3.6 By submitting an entry to jariusbondoc.com’s Readers’ Corner, you are consenting to its display on the site and for related online and offline promotional uses.

 

  1. ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY OF SERVICE AND LINKS

 

4.1 jariusbondoc.com contains links to other related World Wide Web Internet sites, resources, and sponsors of jariusbondoc.com. Since jariusbondoc.com is not responsible for the availability of these outside resources, or their contents, you should direct any concerns regarding any external link to the site administrator or Webmaster of such site.

 

  1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

5.1 You represent, warrant and covenant (a) that no materials of any kind submitted through your account will (i) violate, plagiarize, or infringe upon the rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, privacy or other personal or proprietary rights; or (ii) contain libelous or otherwise unlawful material; and (b) that you are at least thirteen years old. You hereby indemnify, defend and hold harmless jariusbondoc.com, and all officers, directors, owners, agents, information providers, affiliates, licensors and licensees (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties”) from and against any and all liability and costs, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred by the Indemnified Parties in connection with any claim arising out of any breach by you or any user of your account of this Agreement or the foregoing representations, warranties and covenants. You shall cooperate as fully as reasonably required in the defense of any such claim. jariusbondoc.com reserves the right, at its own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification by you.

 

5.2 jariusbondoc.com does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement, or other information displayed, uploaded, or distributed through the Service by any user, information provider or any other person or entity. You acknowledge that any reliance upon any such opinion, advice, statement, memorandum, or information shall be at your sole risk. THE SERVICE AND ALL DOWNLOADABLE SOFTWARE ARE DISTRIBUTED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF TITLE OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. YOU HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT USE OF THE SERVICE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.

 

  1. COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN JARIUSBONDOC.COM AND MEMBERS

 

6.1 If you indicate on your registration form that you want to receive such information, jariusbondoc.com, its owners and assigns, will allow certain third party vendors to provide you with information about products and services.

 

6.2 jariusbondoc.com reserves the right to send electronic mail to you for the purpose of informing you of changes or additions to the Service.

 

6.3 jariusbondoc.com reserves the right to disclose information about your usage and demographics, provided that it will not reveal your personal identity in connection with the disclosure of such information. Advertisers and/or Licensees on our Web site may collect and share information about you only if you indicate your acceptance. For more information please read the Privacy Policy of jariusbondoc.com.

 

6.4 jariusbondoc.com may contact you via e-mail regarding your participation in user surveys, asking for feedback on the Website and existing or prospective products and services. This information will be used to improve our Website and better understand our users, and any information we obtain in such surveys will not be shared with third parties, except in aggregate form.

 

  1. TERMINATION

 

 

7.1 jariusbondoc.com may, in its sole discretion, terminate or suspend your access to all or part of the Service for any reason, including, without limitation, breach or assignment of this Agreement.

 

  1. MISCELLANEOUS

 

8.1 This Agreement has been made in and shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the Republic of the Philippines law. Any action to enforce this agreement shall be brought in the courts located in Manila, Philippines.

 

8.2 Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, nothing in this Terms of Service will serve to preempt the promises made in jariusbondoc.com Privacy Policy.

 

8.3 Correspondence should be sent to jariusbondoconline.com.

 

8.4 You agree to report any copyright violations of the Terms of Service to jariusbondoc.com as soon as you become aware of them. In the event you have a claim of copyright infringement with respect to material that is contained in the jariusbondoc.com service, please notify jariusbondoconline.com. This Terms of Service was last updated on November 7, 2020.