Global Demand for Nickel or Destruction of the Philippine mountains?

Mining heavily destroyed the paradise Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte planned on closing all mining in the Philippines. Philippines as world’s largest supplier of nickel; how to suffice the global demand of Nickel if the Philippines would closing down? Photo: ndfp.org

Nickel Falls Most in Eight Weeks on Philippines Supply Outlook

Nickel fell the most in eight weeks on speculation that the government may take longer than expected to close mines that don’t meet environmental rules in the Philippines, the biggest supplier of ore to China.

The metal used in stainless steel advanced 12 percent last month on concern that shipments from the Philippines to China will be disrupted as a new government enforces standards. While Environment Secretary Gina Lopez said an audit of mining operations will be completed in three to four weeks, speculation mounted on the timing of any closures.

“Now doubts have arisen as to whether those mines in the Philippines that are failing to meet the necessary environmental standards could really be shut down in the near future,” Commerzbank AG analysts including Daniel Briesemann said in a note.

Nickel for delivery in three months slipped 4.8 percent to settle at $9,705 a metric ton at 5:52 p.m. on the London Metal Exchange, the biggest loss since May 9.

‘Take Time’

“It will take time for the Philippines to eventually shut the mines and cut supplies,” Jia Zheng, a metal trader with Soochow Futures Co., said by phone from Shanghai. “Ultimately, China can diversify by purchasing from regions like Africa.”

Copper for delivery in three months slipped 1.6 percent in London. Zinc, lead and tin also declined on the LME, while aluminum rose.

A gauge of 18 global base metal producers tracked by Bloomberg Intelligence declined 3.9 percent, the first loss in more than a week. Phoenix-based Freeport-McMoRan Inc. led declines, slipping 8 percent. — With assistance by Luzi-Ann Javier, Winnie Zhu, and Kevin Crowley : Bloomberg

Can You Spare a Nickel, Mr. Duterte?

Nickel has been the worst performer of the London Metal Exchange's six major metals over the past year. The key ingredient in stainless steel, which topped $50,000 a metric ton in 2007, has barely risen above $10,000 in eight months.Between 60 percent and 70 percent of producers are losing money at current prices, Ivan Glasenberg, chief executive of the fourth-biggest producer, Glencore, told an investor call in December.

WINNERS AND LOSERS

In trying to deal a blow to a mining industry he accuses of "spoiling the land," Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, also known as the "Punisher," may have just done global producers a favor.SHARE OF NICKEL PRODUCERS LOSING MONEY60-70%Nickel traded on the LME rose at the fastest pace in more than eight months Monday. The proximate cause was Duterte's new environment and natural resources minister, Gina Lopez, who said miners that don't pass an environmental audit to be completed in three to four weeks face suspension. Less than a third currently meet international standards, Lopez said last week.

Not a Nickel to Spare

The Philippines is by far the biggest producer of the stainless steel alloy. 2015 mine output by country.

The news isn't exactly a bolt from the blue. Duterte has been a longstanding critic of mining companies, passing a law to enforce a ban on them in his home city of Davao while he was mayor. It moved the market because the Philippines is far and away the biggest producer of mined nickel, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, overtaking Indonesia since that country banned exports of metal ores in an attempt to encourage a local smelting industry.The Philippine nickel industry is dominated by small-scale local producers, so Lopez's comments will if anything give global mining companies a long-overdue reason to be cheerful.

More Losses Than Profits

Vale's nickel unit has recorded an aggregate $2.1 billion of losses over the past decade

Vale, the biggest miner, has posted an aggregate $2.1 billion in losses on its nickel unit over the past decade. BHP's Nickel West operation, the third-biggest producer according to Bloomberg Intelligence data, is still operating largely because the costs of closure are greater than the losses that may be incurred from keeping it running, Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mackenzie told an investor call in February.

Coming Up Short

The global nickel market is forecast to head into deficit this year

It's going to take a lot to lift nickel prices from the doldrums, but a shutdown in the Philippines could be just the ticket. The International Nickel Study Group is already forecasting that demand will exceed supply in 2016 for the first time in five years, by 49,000 tons or 2.5 percent of consumption. While the Philippines may be unlikely to close two-thirds of its nickel mines, modeling a production drop on that scale is a useful thought experiment. With 350,000 tons of output quitting the market, supply would be left 21 percent short of demand. That would be more than enough to put a fire under prices. By David Fickling - Bloomberg.

To contact the author of this story: David Fickling in Sydney at dfickling@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Matthew Brooker at mbrooker1@bloomberg.net

Continue reading

Philippine Economy Signs Point to Continue under President Duterte Administration

Bonifacio Global City C3 Block, Taguig City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Bonifacio Global City has been expanded to include this new block as the high end part of the area. This are contains some restaurants as well as some well known high-end brands of clothing and accessories. This block also features the new Dolby Atom and 4-D cinemas. Photo:ryancapulong.com

Signs point to continued growth under Duterte

President Rodrigo Duterte and former President Benigno Aquino present a study in contrasts in leadership styles. The question is whether the differences in personality will affect the politics, policies and, ultimately, the economic performance of the Philippines.

The new government will be formulating its economic and fiscal strategies against a favorable economic and fiscal backdrop. Average real gross domestic product growth since Aquino took office in mid-2010 has been higher than in any previous administration since the 1986 "People Power" revolution. During the January-March quarter of 2016, national government debt fell to its lowest level as a share of GDP since 1997.

These favorable factors led to the Philippines' sovereign credit rating rising by four notches to Baa2 from Ba3 during Aquino's six-year term. Notably, the country's rating went to investment-grade for the first time in 2013.

STAYING THE COURSE

Duterte's party has outlined a 10-point economic agenda that underscores broad policy continuity. The agenda's primary emphasis is on maintaining current macroeconomic policies, and also builds on the key themes emphasized by the Aquino administration, such as ensuring the attractiveness of the Philippines to foreign investors, enhancing tax administration and accelerating infrastructure development.

In line with the anti-establishment bent of his electoral campaign, Duterte has also emphasized that he will focus on more inclusive growth, as seen by his agenda's inclusion of more support for agriculture and education, and the expansion of transfers to low-income households.

The most radical departure that Duterte has indicated he would make from Aquino's economic policy is his willingness to liberalize foreign investment restrictions via changes to the 1987 Constitution. Limits in this area have contributed to the Philippines' low levels of foreign direct investment relative to other countries. The easing of ownership restrictions could significantly support medium-term economic growth.

The credit implications of any future policies for the country will only become apparent over the coming months. In particular, the new government has signaled its willingness to tolerate wider fiscal deficits to accommodate more spending. However, this would entail stepping up public spending -- a departure from the persistent underspending that has contributed to narrow fiscal deficits for much of the past six years.

Indeed, between 2010 and 2015, the Philippines recorded one of the narrowest deficits among emerging countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. In fact, the Philippines was the only country in the bloc to record a fall in general government debt as a share of GDP over that time.

Notwithstanding the impact of any imminent shifts in fiscal policy, growth should remain robust through at least the next two years, and the Philippine central bank will likely maintain its focus on sustaining macroeconomic and financial stability.

Unlike many other more commodity-dependent emerging markets, the Philippines has not experienced a negative terms of trade shock from the turn in commodity prices since 2014. Also, lower prices for energy and food imports have stimulated private consumption, which reached a multiyear high in 2015.

At the same time, rapidly growing services exports and healthy domestic demand have proved resilient to negative spillover from the slowing of the Chinese economy.

POLITICAL RISK

When it comes to sovereign credit ratings, credit analysts have to deal with the assessment of political stability.

As for whether a government under Duterte will be stable, his clear victory in the May election is comparable to Aquino's 15.8-percentage-point advantage during the 2010 polls, and is supportive of political stability. Moreover, a majority of legislators in the House of Representatives are said to align themselves with Duterte, further bolstering the prospects of reform.

The margins of victory in 2010 and 2016 stand in contrast to the 3.5-percentage-point win by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the 2004 presidential vote. Combined with subsequent allegations of cheating, Arroyo's narrow margin contributed to recurring challenges to her electoral legitimacy, including attempted coups, impeachment complaints and a mass resignation of cabinet secretaries in 2005.

The Arroyo administration was marked by declining scores in the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators, including those for political stability and the absence of violence, control of corruption and rule of law.

The WGI provide some useful angles to assess the quality of governance across a wide set of countries according to six dimensions: voice and accountability; political stability and absence of violence; government effectiveness; regulatory quality; rule of law; and control of corruption.

These indicators have generally improved since 2010, reflecting the Aquino administration's emphasis on good governance. Over the past few years, policymaking -- such as the budgetary process -- has become more transparent and predictable. The government has also worked toward deregulation to enhance ease of doing business.

The introduction of a competition law has also helped to level the playing field in the private sector. This situation has in turn contributed to stronger investor confidence and economic performance, as well as higher credit ratings.

Duterte's campaign emphasized law and order issues, and burnished the mayor's reputation for being tough on crime and corruption -- a stance somewhat aligned with the "straight path" that Aquino has espoused. However, the new president's comments promoting an extrajudicial approach to addressing crime, for instance, have attracted widespread criticism and could weigh on such elements of governance as the rule of law, political stability and the absence of violence.

We will soon find out whether Duterte's more controversial pronouncements on the campaign trail will translate into actual policy, and if the improving trend in governance will continue. – Nikkei Asia Review

Christian de Guzman is a vice president and senior credit officer for Moody's Investors Service.

 

Continue reading

Philippines basketball put a scare into France in Olympics qualifying opener, but fall short

The Philippines' Andray Blache attempts a shot against France in their Olympic qualifying contest on tuesday night. Bullit Marquez / AP Photo / July 5, 2016

The Philippines national basketball team brought a tough challenge to France on Tuesday night in their Olympic basketball qualifying opener, but ultimately fell short 93-84 against a well-stocked side featuring NBA stars like Tony Parker and Boris Diaw.

The Gilas Pilipinas went into half-time down merely two, on the strength of strong three-point shooting and the active inside presence of naturalised player Andray Blatche. Despite flurries they could not mount a meaningful comeback in the second half after France pulled away in the third quarter.

The Philippines were aggressive early, with shotmakers like Terrence Romeo heaving audaciously as, playing on home court in Manila, they were undeterred by the prospect of a French side ranked fifth in the world by Fiba.

The Philippines are hosting one of three Olympic qualifying mini tournaments to determine the final three places in Rio. Six teams at each of the three venues are divided into three-team groups from which they will be seeded into the semi-final stages. Only the winner at each site will qualify for the Olympics.

The Philippines will get a chance to keep their hopes alive when they play New Zealand next. Canada, Turkey and Senegal lie on the other side of the bracket, with Canada defeating the Turkish team 77-69 in their opener on Tuesday night as well. The other two tournaments are in Belgrade, Serbia and Turin, Italy.

In their loss, the Philippines struggled to contain San Antonio Spurs guard Parker, who finished with 21 points.

They showed they could go long stretches with France shot-for-shot, however. They made 11-of-28 three-point attempts, good for a solid 39.3 percentage. Romeo had 19 points on 5-of-14 shooting. Stalwart point guard Jayson Castro had 14 points and three assists, and former NBA big man Blatche added 21 points and eight rebounds.

The French, though, also led by CSKA Moscow’s Nando de Colo scoring 27 points and Diaw’s nine-point, nine-rebound effort, went on a 14-4 run in the middle of the third quarter that the Filipinos simply never really recovered from.

Troy Rosario, Castro and Gabe Norwood hit shots in succession as the fourth quarter wound down to get the Philippines back within four, but Diaw and Kim Tillie overwhelmed them inside late.

The Gilas will try their hand again on Wendesday night at 5pm UAE time (9pm local Manila time) against the New Zealanders.

Tony Parker: We had to dig deep to beat the Philippines

French national basketball team bested Gilas Pilipinas 93-84 in their first game at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT), but it definitely wasn’t the demolition job that some expected before the game. Photo: CNN

The French national basketball team bested Gilas Pilipinas 93-84 in their first game at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT), but it definitely wasn’t the demolition job that some expected before the game.

After the game, NBA guard Tony Parker only had good things to say about the Philippine team.

“I want to congratulate the Philippines. They had a great game, they were on fire in the first half,” said Parker. “You have to give a lot of credit to them, you can be proud about the team. They played a great game.”

“They made it tough on us, and we had to dig deep to get the W,” Parker added.

“They were pretty good, they were very aggressive,” said Parker on his counterparts. “They were very aggressive going to the basket and creating shots for their teammates.” – The National / CNN

Continue reading

Philippines' President Duterte names and shames 5 Generals over alleged drug links - Evidence hold

Philippines’ Duterte names and shames five top cops over alleged drug links

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday publicly named five top police officials he said should be investigated for involvement in illegal drugs.

The president, who won elections in May by promising a ruthless war on crime, was making good on an earlier threat to publicly shame officers who were involved in or protecting the illegal drug trade.

“I order them relieved of their assignments and report to the [national police] director-general who would like to talk to them,” he said in a speech to the air force.

He also ordered the police commission to investigate the five, adding: “Don’t give me a song and dance. Find the truth.”

He said information on the alleged involvement of the five in drugs had undergone “so many validations” but he did not elaborate on the evidence against them.

National police spokesmen could not be contacted for comment.

One of the retired police generals named by Duterte told ABS-CBN television that he was innocent, protesting that he was being subjected to “trial by publicity”.

Duterte also reiterated his call for the return of the death penalty as well as his vow to pursue a campaign against illegal drugs.

Scores of suspected drug dealers have been shot dead by police since Duterte won the May 9 elections.

He has previously called on police to kill drug dealers and even urged the public and communist rebels to join in.

In his speech, Duterte stressed, “Many more will die ... It’s going to be a dirty fight, it’s going to be a bloody fight. I’m not apologising for it.”

The president, who has been linked to vigilante death squads that rights groups said killed more than a thousand people when he was mayor of the southern city of Davao, told security forces he would “assume full legal responsibility” for the campaign.

He also said the military should join the effort, adding he would need 3,000 more policemen to crack down on crime.

Duterte has made fighting crime the centrepiece of his administration, brushing aside human rights concerns over possible abuses.

Last weekend, Duterte’s newly appointed national police chief, Director-General Ronald Dela Rosa ordered police officers linked to narcotics trafficking to surrender by Sunday or be killed. - SCMP

Continue reading

A monsoon of music hits the Philippines

OneRepublic performs at MTV Music Evolution Manila 2016. Photo: MTV Asia & Kris Rocha

MTV Music Evolution Manila's a thriller featuring APINK, Far East Movement and OneRepublic

Last year the Philippines capital saw some of the biggest names in hip hop, like Naughty by Nature and the Black Eyed Peas' Apl.de.ap, taking centre stage before tens of thousands at MTV Music Evolution Hip Hop 2015. 

This year, as part of their MTV World Stage Series, MTV Music Evolution returned to Manila on Friday of late last month with a new theme, "Can't Stop Moving", celebrating the evolution of pop music and its recent dance influence through an extraordinary local and international line-up.

Despite torrential rains, music fans, armed with ponchos and umbrellas, danced and sang their hearts out to six electric performances by Filipino pop king Gary V accompanied by his son Gab Valenciano, rising star couple James Reid and Nadine Lustre, top Korean girl band APINK, chart-topping singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha, and anticipated headliners Far East Movement and OneRepublic.

Starting off with a bang as fireworks exploded above the gigantic diamond-shaped stage, MTV Asia VJs Alan Wong and Hanli Hoefer, and MTV Pinoy VJs Yassi Pressman and Andre Paras, riled up the rain-drenched crowd as they introduced the first act, Gary V. The equivalent of Thailand's P'Bird, the 51-year-old local pop legend (who looks amazing for his age) filled the concert grounds with the holy gong sounds of the Philippine traditional instrument kulintang. Getting the audience to dance to their traditional beats, he then launched into some of his most famous hits, such as Shake It Off and Arise while busting out perfect Michael Jackson-like choreography with his backup dancers.

APINK. Photo: Kristian Dowling

A fitting start to the concert as a tribute to early-Philippines pop music, Gary V was then joined by his son Gab Valenciano, a choreographer and dancer whose viral YouTube videos inspired Beyonce’s 7/11music video. Dancing and singing in the rain without a flaw, the duo encouraged their fellow Pinoys to follow their dreams, as their country, without a doubt, is home to some of the world's most talented singers and dancers.

With the rain subsiding, up next in pop evolution was rising Pinoy stars James Reid and Nadine Lustre (think if Nadech and Yaya were actually a couple who are actually accomplished singers). Taking turns singing solos and duets, JaDine, as the Pinoys call them, hammed their love up for the enthralled audience to the point that, as a non-local, it got a bit too awkward to watch. Their vocals and choreography, however, were unsurprisingly on point.

Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha took the stage next with full-on energy and force. Though probably still not a household name, you've definitely heard her music on the radio. She wrote Eminem and Rihanna's The Monster, which made her career. She's lent her voice to David Guetta's Hey Mama, and she wrote G-Eazy's hook for Me, Myself And I, all of which she performed in stripped-down versions, showing off how powerful her vocals really are. Despite technical issues with her microphone due to the downpour, it can easily be said that the 26-year-old sounds much better live than on her studio tracks. Her striking voice and stage presence make her one of the strongest up-and-coming stars in pop music.

Korean girl band APINK surprisingly generated the most noise from the audience, men and women of all ages swooning over the sailor-dressed girls. The thunderous welcome, however, isn't surprising once you realise the Philippines is the third-largest consumer of K-pop in the world. They gave a performance of exactly what you would expect from a top K-pop group -- fine-tuned choreography and perfect vocal harmonies, with audiences singing and chanting along very, very loudly.

Far East Movement. Photo: FERDIE ARQUERO

As the rain finally stopped after the third hour, Far East Movement then turned the concert grounds into an EDM rave, revving up the audience to a climax with reworked versions of their most famous tracks -- G6, Illest and Push -- along with impressive laser shows, and James Roh, aka Prohgress, crowd-surfing and throwing emoji inflatables to the audience.

Finishing their act, audiences waited restlessly for another half-hour while being entertained by the MTV VJs as the most anticipated headliner set up its gear. "I think God is smiling on us," said OneRepublic lead vocalist Ryan Tedder as he got onstage. "It cooled down. It's night. It's not raining. This is perfect!".

James Reid and Nadine Lustre. Photo: MTV Asia & Kristian Dowling

OneRepublic, the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated quintet played hit after hit, like Counting Stars, Stop And Stare and Good Life, as audience members danced and sang along loudly. The most memorable moment, though, was an intimate rendering of their most famous song, Apologize, as Tedder sang soulfully on the piano, accompanied by Brent Kutzle on cello. His voice, like Bebe Rexha's, is definitely better live than on the audio track. As the last song was announced, audiences moaned in despair, but sang cheerfully anyway, screaming with excitement and awe as fireworks and confetti took over the stage and sky for a perfect ending.

MTV Music Evolution Manila 2016 did a lot of things right. It had an amazing stage with impressive visuals and strategically placed screens. It had crazy lights that accompanied the acts, a great sound system despite the uncooperative weather, and swift set changes with the MTV VJS skilfully entertaining and playing games with the audience in between.

Bebe Rexha. Photo: MTV Asia & Kristian Dowling

Most impressive of all was the crowd, waiting in line for hours before the show started, then dancing at the concert for another six, three of them in the pouring monsoon rain. It's a testament to the Filipinos' collective passion for music and partying. So it wouldn't be a surprise if the MTV World Stage Series returns next year for an even better concert. Let's just hope that the Thai music scene can reach this level of awesome soon.

"MTV Music Evolution: Manila Asia Special" will premiere on MTV on July 19 at 11pm Bangkok time with reruns on July 21 at 10.30am, July 23 at 1.30pm, July 24 at 7pm and July 25 at 1pm. – Bangkok Post

Continue reading

Philippines seized ₱900-M or $19 Million USD worth of Illegal Drugs in Northern Philippines' close access to Taiwan - China

‎

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald de la Rosa, Anti-Illegal Drugs Group head Senior Superintendent Albert Ferro and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Isidro Lapeña present 180 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride during a press conference at Camp Crame yesterday. The packs of shabu, which have an estimated street value of P900 million, were seized at a resort in Cagayan on Sunday. BOY SANTOS

 

₱900-M shabu seized, 19 suspects killed

MANILA, Philippines - Law enforcers seized close to ₱1 billion worth of shabu, while at least 18 suspected drug dealers and users were killed and around 800 surrendered since Saturday as the war on drugs continued.

The police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) unearthed P900 million worth of shabu from an abandoned house in Barangay Culao, Claveria, Cagayan last Sunday. 
Law enforcers reported finding 180 ziplocked pouches, each containing one kilo of shabu with an estimated value of P5 million per kilo for a total of P900 million.

These were buried in a knee-deep hole at the property owned by a certain Rene Dimaya, PDEA Region 2 director Derrick Carreon told The STAR.

Julius Pascua, chairman of Barangay Culao, said Dimaya had abandoned the house a year ago. 
The discovery of the drugs in the property was tipped off to authorities following the arrest of four people in a drug sting at a resort hotel last month.

In Parang town in Maguindanao, the military and the police seized ₱1.5 million worth of shabu from six drug traffickers arrested on Sunday.

Suspects Majeed Baulo, Isidro Villaries Jr., Datukon Dalao, Palpah Baulum, Nestor Mariga and Abdullah Ladukah are now detained at the Parang Municipal Police office.

The suspects were cornered in their hideout in Barangay Nituan in Parang by the municipal police and soldiers from the Army's 37th Infantry Battalion.

Investigators found in their lair ₱1.5 million worth of shabu, guns and ammunition. The Parang Municipal Police will separately charge them on Tuesday with violation of the Philippine Dangerous Drugs Act and illegal possession of firearms.

More drug suspects killed

In Bulacan, seven armed suspects were killed and one was arrested in five anti-drug operations in the province over the weekend.

Three suspects were neutralized in Meycauayan City and one each in the municipalities of Pandi, Calumpit, Obando and Doña Remedios Trinidad.

Bulacan acting police director Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat Jr. identified the slain suspects as Bobby Lanoto of Meycauayan City; Randy Rusiano of Valenzuela City; Eric Tolentino, Ronnie Medina and Koji Harada of Obando; and Alfred Allan Abella of Doña Remedios Trinidad.

One slain suspect remained unidentified as of yesterday.

Pampanga's "top 9" drug pusher was also killed, while eight drug pushers were arrested in police operations. The slain suspect was Raffy Francisco of Sto. Domingo, Cabanatuan City.

Two big-time drug dealers in Pikit town, North Cotabato were also killed over the weekend.

Akmad Pananguilon of Barangay Inug-ug died from multiple gunshot wounds he sustained when he and his brother, Emran, engaged in a gunfight with a team from the PDEA that came to their house to arrest them.

Emran Pananguilon surrendered to PDEA agents when he sensed that anti-drug operatives were also ready to neutralize him.

Insp. Sindatu Karim, chief of the Pikit municipal police, said the Pananguilons opened fire first on the PDEA agents, provoking an encounter.

In Pasig City, two suspected drug pushers, Roberto Amorosa and a certain Pogie, were killed in separate buy-bust operations. They sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the body.

Hundreds surrendered, arrested

Meanwhile, at least 482 drug users and peddlers in Eastern Visayas surrendered as the Philippine National Police (PNP) intensified the anti-illegal drug campaign.  

There are at least 3,523 drug personalities listed under the drug watch list of the police and Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council in the region.

As of July 3, at least 273 house visitation, or 11.13 percent of the 2,916 personalities targeted for Oplan Tok/Hang of the PNP, were conducted. – Cecille Suerte Felipe Ricky Bautista, John Unson, Mike Frialde, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Non Alquitran, Lalaine Jimenea, Gerry Lee Gorit, Lino Cruz, Ric Sapnu, Eva Visperas, Francis Elevado, Roel Pareño  - philSTAR

Continue reading

President Duterte in First 5 days killed 30 Dug Dealers - Seized $19M USD 40Lbs Drugs Near Taiwan - China Boundary

Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte on his 5^th day of office. Photo: The Daily Caller

President 'Duterte Harry' Of The Philippines KILLS 30 Drug Dealers In First 5 Days In Office

During his campaign, the new president of the Philippines promised that fighting drugs would be bloody and dirty. After less than a week in office, President Rodrigo Duterte has already killed 30 drug dealers, sacked three police officials, and accused two other retired cops of corruption.

"Duterte Harry," as he has been called in the Filipino press, accused the 5 cops of protecting drug syndicates from within the police force. Their crimes were tantamount to treason, Duterte said in a speech Monday.

Police also say they've killed 30 suspected drug dealers since Duterte took office last Thursday. More than 100 alleged criminals have been killed since Duterte won the election May 9.

Five drug dealers were killed over the weekend in a raid of a methamphetamine ring not far from the presidential palace in Manila.

Widely penned as the "Trump of the Philippines," Duterte is also called "The Punisher" for his tough talk during the presidential campaign this spring. He has not backed down from his harsh rhetoric but he understands that his stance on crime strikes many as extreme.

"I know there are those who do not agree with my methods of fighting criminality," Duterte said in his inaugural address."I know that there are those who do not approve of my methods of fighting criminality, the sale and use of illegal drugs and corruption. In response let me say this: I have seen how corruption bled the government of funds. I have seen how illegal drugs destroy individuals and ruin families' relationships," Duterte said.

Duterte, "the Dark Knight of Davao," promised to wipe out drug crime within six months, even if he has to kill criminals and fatten the fishes of Manila bay with their bodies.

Hundreds of drug users from across the Philippines have surrendered to police for rehabilitation, according to the Philippine Star.

Philippine Police Seize $19 Million Worth of Drugs

180 KG (400 Lbs) Drugs Worth ‎₱900 Million Peso / $19 Million USD seized in Northern Philippines easy access from Taiwan and China. Photo: Philstar

Philippine police have seized about 180 kilograms (400 pounds) of high-grade methamphetamine worth 900 million pesos ($19.2 million), officials said Monday, in a major haul for the government of new President Rodrigo Duterte, who has promised to wipe out crime and corruption within six months.

National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa said police and drug enforcement agents seized the methamphetamine hydrochloride, known locally as shabu, in 180 plastic bags on Sunday in an abandoned farm in northern Cagayan province's Claveria town following a tip from an informant.

Authorities are investigating whether it was smuggled into the Philippines by a foreign syndicate or was manufactured locally, officials said.

"We know that there in the north, in the Cagayan area, which is the nearest point going to China and Taiwan, the shabu coming from abroad is docked there," dela Rosa said.

He also said more than 100 armed drug dealers have been killed in gunbattles with police since last month and thousands of drug users have surrendered to authorities during the intensified anti-drug campaign. The drug users will undergo mandatory drug treatment.

Nine policemen from different regional offices who tested positive for illegal drugs in mandatory tests last Friday will face criminal and administrative charges, he added.  – The Daily Caller / ABC News

Continue reading

Can Philippines Correct the Independence day to July 4, Just changed to June 12 worth $73M ??

.

Filipino Marines raise their country’s flag for Independence Day on June 12, 2012. For the first decade and a half after World War II, the country actually celebrated its independence on July 4.

By Becky Little

The Surprising Connection Between the Philippines and the Fourth of July

Seventy years ago, the Philippines won independence on the famous American holiday.

The United States isn't the only country to ever celebrate independence on July 4. In the mid-20th century, people in the Philippines also marked July 4 as the day that they broke away from a colonizing nation. But in this case, that colonizing nation was the United States.

It’s no coincidence that the Philippines shared an independence day with its former colonizer. But this overlap was short-lived. When the Philippines changed the date of its Independence Day holiday in 1962, it marked yet another step away from a long history of western interference.

Independence, Kind of

Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the Philippines was a colony in the Spanish Empire. In 1896, the islands attempted to break free in what’s called the Philippine Revolution, or Tagalog War. When the Spanish-American War began in 1898, some Filipinos saw an opportunity to ally with the Americans against their imperial rulers.

The Americans encouraged this alliance, and led the Filipinos to believe that they had no desire to colonize the country once it was free from Spain, says Vicente L. Rafael, professor of history and Southeast Asian studies at the University of Washington in Seattle. This culminated with a Filipino declaration of independence on June 12 of that year. An American officer was even among the signees.

The United States’ disregard for that declaration was made plain a few months later. After Spain surrendered, the 1898 Treaty of Paris gave the Philippines to the U.S. But Filipinos fought this handover, and rose up in the Philippine-American War in 1899.

The year in which that war ended depends on who you talk to, says Rafael. Although fighting continued until the 1910s, President Teddy Roosevelt declared a “victory” over the Philippines in 1902.

July 4, 1902, to be exact.

“That’s the irony,” Rafael says. “The Fourth of July is supposed to be a declaration of independence. But for Roosevelt in 1902, the Fourth of July was a declaration of conquest.”

Independence Day(s)

The Philippines continued to push for its independence; and in the mid-1930s, the United States began a transition toward sovereignty. The day the country was planned to become independent? July 4, 1945. That’s right—the Philippines would be freed on the same day that it was conquered.

World War II threw a wrench into the plan. The Japanese invaded the Philippines in 1942, and independence was delayed until July 4, 1946.

But the Philippines only celebrated July 4 as its Independence Day until 1962. That year, President Diosdado Macapagal changed the country’s official Independence Day to June 12, to mark the day that the Philippines had declared independence from Spain in 1898.

Why did Macapagal dump the fourth? Well, there are a few probable reasons.

It was pretty callous of the United States to “give” its former colony the same Independence Day as itself, especially since that was also the day that the U.S. conquered it. Rising Filipino nationalism in the 1960s could have also influenced Macapagal’s decision to reject the date.

Rafael thinks there was also something else in play.

“It was his way of registering his unhappiness with the U.S. Congress, which had turned down a $73 million aid package to the Philippines,” writes Rafael in an essay he shared with National Geographic. “Though he had also claimed to be bringing Philippine independence out of the shadow of its former colonial master, Macapagal’s decision to change the date was also a piece of political brinkmanship.”

When Macapagal threw out the paternalistically bestowed July 4, he replaced it with a day that represented the Philippines’ rejection of the Spanish Empire. But by the 1960s, it’s not clear that that date still held any real significance for everyday citizens.

Friends With Political Benefits

At the time that Macapagal did away with July 4, the June 12 declaration of independence from Spain wasn’t something that many Filipinos were familiar with. Indeed, Rafael thinks that there is still some ambivalence toward the day because the country remained a colony for decades after. Born and raised in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, Rafael recalls that Independence Day is celebrated on a small scale.

“It’s not like this huge orgy of self-congratulation, which is what you get in the United States,” he says.

Augusto Espiritu, associate professor of history and Asian-American studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, also doesn’t recall Independence Day being a huge deal as a child in Manila.

“What’s interesting though is that when I came to this country, in Los Angeles especially, June 12 was celebrated quite a bit” by Filipino immigrants, he says. (It’s not unusual to see this in immigrant communities: St. Patrick’s Day didn’t become the large celebration that it is today until Irish immigrants began to hold parades in America.)

But what became of July 4 in the Philippines? Since 1962, it’s been known as Philippine-American Friendship Day—a non-holiday that, according to Rafael, is basically only celebrated at the U.S. Embassy.

Internationally, July 4 is mainly only celebrated by Americans. And even some Americans argue that Juneteenth, which commemorates the June 19, 1865, abolition of slavery in Texas, should be celebrated in addition to or instead of the Fourth of July.

To date, the most successful globalization of America’s Independence Day is, and will likely remain, the one in the movies. – National Geographic

Continue reading

MyWeps App - Peppermint surges on Philippines license 90,000 Agents

Peppermint surges on Philippines licence

Shares in mobile banking, payments and remittance technology company Peppermint Innovation rose by more than 30% on the ASX yesterday, after receiving a remittance licence from the Central Bank of the Philippines for its MyWeps application. MyWeps is a mobile payments and remittances application developed and powered by Peppermint in the Philippines.

The MyWeps app is now available on Google Play initially to the 1Bro Global agent network, which consists of up to 90,000 agents and 40 business centres across the Philippines, prior to other agent networks, co-operatives and similar organisations identified as suitable proponents of the platform. It launched commercially on Google Play on April 1 and to now 1,000 super agents have downloaded the app.

CEO Chris Kain said: The remittance licence application for the MyWeps app to be used by a large mobile agent network unattached to a bricks and mortar network is the first such licence application to be made to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines BSP), which stated that the MyWeps app is the first of its kind in the Philippines market and that it would promote financial inclusion which is their focus.

Peppermint is now considered as one of the countrys financial inclusion partners by the BSP, and has been invited to join their regular national strategy for financial inclusion tactical plan meetings with the private sector.

These meetings are spear-headed by the BSP governor and chairman of the monetary board and the key officers of the committee which reports on the progress of the BSP in terms of regulatory measures and support on the national strategy on financial inclusion. A key focus of the NSFI is providing financial services to the unbanked.

Having opened at 1.2c and after reaching an intraday high of 2.2c, shares in Peppermint Innovation closed at 1.7c yesterday. Some 23,227,141 shares, worth $434,752, were traded in the day. – News.com.au

Originally published as Peppermint surges on Philippines licence

Continue reading

Philippines' New President Shakes up the South China Sea

New administration veers away from allied position on China’s nine-dash line

In his first cabinet meeting after taking his oath as president on June 30, Rodrigo Duterte slid into his most comfortable mode: rambling on about ways to cut red tape for the poor, setting up a 24-hour hotline for complaints that would directly come to his attention.

But Duterte was upstaged by his foreign secretary, Perfect Yasay Jr., when it came to foreign policy, an issue that might soon change geopolitics in the region and is being closely watched by the littoral nations of the South China Sea as well as the United States and the wester powers.

In 12 days, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is expected to hand down a decision on a case the Philippines lodged in January of 2013 against China, which has claimed most of the South China Sea within its so-called nine-dash line. International legal experts expect the ruling to be favorable to the Philippines.  If the Philippines wins it would send ripples across the world, with China having refused to participate in the suit and saying it would reject the ruling.

Duterte said dealing with the issue should be done with a “soft landing” because it would put the country in an “awkward position” with a giant that is China. “God knows I don’t want to declare any fighting with anybody,” he said.

He then urged Yasay to speak, flicking his wrist to check the time, perhaps unmindful that in the next few minutes the man he chose to be the country’s top diplomat was about to spill an unsettling stream of consciousness on live broadcast to a nation that has felt helpless about external defense.

In words that gave away leverage over a case that has been painstakingly undertaken by the previous administration on a diplomatic front, Yasay said he was “averse” to suggestions of taking a strong stand against China. His briefings with foreign diplomats “especially those who are concerned about ensuring freedom of navigation and maritime security … would like for us to make stronger statements” if the ruling would come to the side of the Philippines.

“I told them in no unmistakable terms that the first thing we will do is to study its implications and ramifications,” he said, seated among cabinet members at a long table under sparkling chandeliers in the presidential palace. No one stopped him from carrying on, not even the president. He spoke as if the subject at hand has not been scrutinized many times over, and hinted that winning may not even be a problem. 

He said the international community’s concern is “simply keeping that disputed area free for navigation” – words that imply he may not have had a closer look at the map, where the country stands as an archipelago smack in the middle of the action. “They’re doing this to pursue their own interests including America which is both economic and military.” He did not say where the Philippine national interest lay.

And just as he had said enough, he then pursued a slightly indifferent tone towards the United States – again without naming it – an ally for decades and with whom the Philippines signed an agreement that was approved by the Philippine Supreme Court for wider defense capability. The claims made before the international court, he said, “[do] not kick into play the mutual defense agreement, but the bottom line is, what will happen if the decision is in our favor?

‘What if in the face of these circumstances China will dig in and put us to a test? They will disallow again our fishermen to fish in Scarborough Shoal.”

At which point the broadcast went dead. It stopped like a curtain falling. President Duterte’s inauguration is supposed to start the unorthodox changes he has promised to end crime and corruption. In the case of the South China Sea, he said once in his campaign that he would get on a jet ski and plant a Philippine flag there.

He later suggested holding bilateral talks with China with whom relations have been frozen since it took control of Scarborough Shoal, which is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone off the northeast of Luzon, in April 2012. The case filed by the Philippines in the aftermath has angered China, which called former President Benigno Aquino’s government a troublemaker.

President Duterte has projected an image of a maverick, although his stand on China appears to consider options that some analysts suggest would renew ties in exchange for monetary gains the country needs to build infrastructure. There had been talk of building a railway from the island of Mindanao, where President Duterte was mayor of Davao City for decades, to the capital in the main island of Luzon.

The other school of thought, as Aquino chose, prefers the international courtroom as the battlefield for rule of law. Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, who leads a personal crusade on the weight of the arbitration, was keen on the outcome because the Philippines didn’t have what it takes to fight China’s military might. He predicted an “intergenerational war,” saying there will be no world policeman that would throw China out even if the Philippines wins. “We just have to be creative about it.” – Asia Sentinel

Continue reading

Pantawid Gutom Cash Transfer in the Philippines Lauded by World Bank as world's best

Conditional cash transfer beneficiaries PHOTO FROM BLOGS.ADB.ORG

PH cash transfer program among world’s best–World Bank

The World Bank gave the country’s conditional cash transfer (CCT) program high marks, saying it was one of the “largest and best-targeted social safety net programs in the world.”

Ruslan Yemstov, World Bank’s leading economist on social protection and labor, presented on Wednesday the results of the bank’s “The State of Social Safety Nets 2015” report which showed that 82 percent of the benefits of the Philippines’ CCT program went to the bottom 40 percent of the population and noted that it was “way superior” to previous social programs.

“The poor and vulnerable in the Philippines benefit from what is today one of the largest and best-targeted social safety net programs in the world,” said Yemstov, who led the team that prepared the WB report, said.

Protecting families

Social safety net programs include cash and in-kind transfers to poor households with the goal of protecting families from the impact of economic shocks, natural disasters, and other crises; ensuring that children grow up healthy, well-fed and stay in school; empowering women and girls, and creating jobs.

According to the World Bank report, more than 1.9 billion people in 136 low- and middle-income countries benefit from social safety net programs.

Across the world, CCT programs account for over 50 percent of social safety net programs, and are being implemented in 64 countries—a dramatic increase from two countries in 1997.

The report also noted that CCT had positive spillover effects on the local economy of target communities. Every dollar transferred to beneficiaries generates income ranging from $1.34 to $2.52 in local communities (“multiplier effects”).

Cash transfers boost school enrollment and attendance, increase live births in safer facilities, improve prenatal and postnatal care, promote regular growth monitoring of children during critically important early ages, and enhance food security, the report said.

In the Philippines, almost 4.5 million households are enrolled in the CCT, or Pantawid Pamilya program, from only 360,000 households in 2008.

“CCT grants account for an average of 11 percent of the income of the poorest recipient households,” noted World Bank Country Director Motoo Konishi.

Keep kids healthy and in school

Evaluation studies, according to Konishi, also show that CCT in the Philippines is delivering on its objectives: keeping poor children healthy and in school.

The program increased prenatal and postnatal care by 10 percentage points and increased the delivery of babies in health facilities by skilled health professionals by 20 percentage points. Children benefited by receiving higher intake of vitamin A and iron supplementation by around 12 percentage points and by increased weight monitoring visits to health facilities by 18 percentage points.

Aleksandra Posarac, program leader of the World Bank in Manila, said the Philippines has developed a system “way superior” to previous ones.

She lauded the government’s information management system, called Listahanan,” that identifies who and where the poor are in the country.

Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, whose agency is the lead implementor of the social safety net program, said the data base, “in a way, makes it corruption-proof.” - INQUIRER

Continue reading

2015 FIBA Asia: Gilas Pilipinas rebounds, mauls Hong Kong for first win by 51

Jayson Castro (William) led the Philippines with 21 points, five rebounds, and two assists. - Photo from FIBA File

A frustrated Gilas Pilipinas bares its teeth and bites down hard on Hong Kong for a strong recovery from a tough loss in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship

Gilas dusts off loss, mauls Hong Kong by 51

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – A different Gilas Pilipinas showed up on Thursday morning, September 24 than had been on display the day before. And they sent quite a strong message to the rest of the competition.

The 2013 FIBA Asia silver medalists vented out their frustrations from an embarrassing opening day defeat to Palestine as the 69th ranked Hong Kong was the unfortunate victim of a 101-50 decimation in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship at the Changsha Social Work College Gymnasium in Changsha, China.

Jayson Castro, or Jayson William in international play, showed why he is considered Asia's top point guard, exploding for 21 points, 5 rebounds, two assists. He also was 5-of-6 from three-point land. The speedy Castro was firing on all cylinders as he provided not only offensive ammunition but also stability and leadership in orchestrating Gilas' sets.

Andray Blatche followed up his 21-point outing vs Palestine with a 17-point, 8-rebound performance, while Dondon Hontiveros, after going one-of-6 from downtown in the previous game, found his shooting touch and went 4-of-6 from long range against Hong Kong for 14 points to go with 8 rebounds.

Terrence Romeo added 11 points on 3-of-11 triples to go with 5 rebounds, two assists and a steal. Ranidel De Ocampo chipped 10 points and 7 rebounds.

The Philippine national men's basketball team, ranked 31 in the world by FIBA, bared its teeth and bit down hard on Hong Kong from the get-go as they raced to a 20-2 lead out of the gates thanks to Castro's taking over early on.

TAKEOVER. Jayson Castro, known internationally as Jayson William, stabilizes, leads, and orchestrates Gilas Pilipinas on both ends of the floor from start to finish as the Philippines makes mince meat of Hong Kong. Photo from FIBA

And although Hong Kong, which easily dispatched Kuwait on opening day, found their stride late in the first period, and were backed by the small crowd at the venue, the Philippines refused to be slayed once again and outscored their foes 23-7 in the second period to take a 51-22 halftime lead they would never relent.

The statement game continued in the third even as cheers echoed through the arena for every made Hong Kong shot as Gilas entered the fourth period armed with an 83-38 advantage.

The Philippines' defense was sticky. They clogged the paint and made sure they had active hands and feet all throughout. Unlike the first game, Gilas found the mark from the outside with a 41.2% 3-point shooting clip as opposed to 23% versus Palestine.

After the horrible loss to Palestine, head coach Tab Baldwin dared his players to do more.

"I got nothing for rebounds. That's on you," he said after explaining some adjustments for the Hong Kong game, as shown on a TV5 report.

"If we have to discuss that issue again then I won't be interested in putting my hand in the circle again with you guys. And you guys shouldn't be interested in that too. Fair enough?"

Watch the Video of 2015 FIBA Asia Championship: Gilas Pilipinas vs Hong Kong

"Let's have integrity. Let's do what Filipino basketball players have been doing for years – let's play with puso (heart)," he added.

The team, clearly disappointed during that huddle in practice, responded nicely as they out-rebounded Hong Kong, 62-38. The Palestinians had the edge a day before, 53-58.

Gilas also remembered to move the ball around again and look for the open man as they registered 16 assists, compared to just 8 against Palestine.

They were much more aggressive, too, being smarter with their shot selection. Instead of mostly chucking three-pointers barely 24 hours earlier, Gilas took it strong to the hoop and went 17-of-28 from the line. While that free throw shooting still needs work, they limited Hong Kong to just 5-of-8 from the stripe.

Turnovers were also decreased from 15 to 10.

Siu Win Chang and Duncan Reid led Hongkong with 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Gilas will round up Group B play with Kuwait on Friday, September 25. The team has no room for a loss through to the second round after dropping the Palestine game. – Rappler.com

Continue reading