Occidental Mindoro is ‘off limits’ to mining – Sato

Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato said Occidental Mindoro remains “off limits” to mining to protect the province’s fragile environment.

Sato, a former Governor of Occidental Mindoro, iterated that her position on the issue of mining will not falter, as she pitches call to protect watersheds on Mindoro islands against destructive development projects.

Occidental Mindoro is among the first local government units (LGUs) to ban mining on a provincial-wide scale when she signed a measure imposing a 25-year mining moratorium in 2009.

Sato signed on November 7, 2009 Kapisiyahan Blg. 140 affirming Panlalawigang Kautusan (Provincial Ordinance) Blg. 34-09, a measure sponsored by then Vice Governor Gene Mendiola, imposing a 25-year mining moratorium in the entire province.

The lady solon said whether as a Governor, a member of the House of Representative or a member of the Commission on Appointments (CA), her position on the issue of mining will not falter. 

“Ang paninindigan ko laban sa pagmimina ay hindi matitinag.  As a Governor, as a member of the House of Representatives or the Commission on Appointments, I consistently advocated for pro-environment policies,” she said.

Sato said that Occidental Mindoro has a fragile environment which needs to be protected not just against mining, but all forms of destructive development projects.

She underscored the need to protect Mindoro Island’s watersheds and is pushing for its sustainable management protect the country’s rich biodiversity.  Mindoro is home to unique plant and animal species, foremost of which is the Philippine tamaraw or the Mindoro dwarf buffalo (Bubalus mindorensis)

Championing biodiversity conservation, Sato supports the plan to localize the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (PBSAP) 2015-2028 and biodiversity financing, which will be pilot-tested on Mindoro Island.

The PBSAP is the country’s blueprint to protect and conserve its rich biodiversity.

On the other hand, Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) aims to close the financing gap in biodiversity conservation

Sato was recently invited to attend and deliver a keynote speech at the 3^rd BIOFIN Regional Workshop for Europe, Asia and the Pacific, Kazakhstan happening on April 25 to 27 by the UNDP.

BIOFIN is managed and directly implemented by UNDP and its Ecosystems and Biodiversity Programme.

Onno van den Heuvel, UNDP-BIOFIN Manager extended the invitation to Sato to join discussion on the application of the 2016 BIOFIN workbook in countries; support the development of inventories of subsidies harmful to biodiversity; and share experiences of BIOFIN progress.

Alvarez: public utilities should get franchise from Congress

To safeguard public interest, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has filed a bill requiring private proponents seeking to build, operate and maintain public utilities to secure first a franchise from Congress.

Under House Bill No. 5270, Alvarez proposes amendments to Republic Act No. 6957, as amended by R.A. 7718, otherwise known as “An Act Authorizing the Financing, Construction, Operation and Maintenance of Infrastructure Projects by the Private Sector.”

He noted that under Sec. 5 of R.A. 6957, as amended, automatically grants the winning project proponent a franchise to “operate and maintain the facility, including the collection of tolls, fees, rentals and charges.”

“This arrangement, however, has been suspected of serving private interests instead of that of the general public,” Alvarez said.

As an additional safeguard, the bill removes the automatic grant of franchise. Instead, it requires a project proponent to first secure a legislative franchise for public utilities from Congress for it to qualify as a bidder and in order to operate and maintain such facilities, including the collection of fees.

In the case of a build-operate-and-transfer arrangement, the bill provides that the contract shall be awarded to the proponent who, having satisfied the minimum requirements, has submitted the bid that is most advantageous to the government and provides the most favorable terms for the project.

However, when a Filipino contractor submits an equally advantageous bid, with exactly the same price and technical specifications as those of a foreign contractor, the former shall be given preference.

All existing operators must obtain such franchise for public utilities from Congress within one year from the time the proposed law takes effect. Otherwise, the franchises they presently hold shall expire and cease to have any legal effect.

The legislative franchises for public utilities shall be subject to amendment, alteration or repeal by Congress, when the common good requires it.

Likewise, the bill limits the term of such franchises for 25-years, subject to a renewal.

Earlier, Alvarez warned the Dept. of Transportation not to push through with the intended bidding for the development, operations and maintenance of five unbundled airport projects, namely Bacolod-Silay, Davao, Iloilo, Laguindingan, and New Bohol (Panglao) under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.

He said these PPP deals looks disadvantageous to the government as winning bidders will operate the airports for 35 years when most of these have already been built using government funds and need only improvements.

In contrast, Alvarez noted that in similar airport projects in the past, when winning bidders had to start from zero, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) determined that 25 years would be enough for recovery of investments with profit. ####

SIAM Franchise gets nod from House

The House of Representatives recently approved on third and final reading House Bill 5176 seeking to renew the franchise granted to Sarraga Integrated and Management (SIAM) Corporation for another 25 years to operate and maintain radio and television broadcasting stations in the country.

SIAM Corp. acquired its franchise under Republic Act No. 7478, signed in May 1992 towards the end of the 8th Congress, giving the company the authority to construct, install, operate and maintain radio and television broadcasting stations in the country for commercial purposes. Said franchise will expire this year.

The Cagayan de Oro City-based SIAM Corp. operates the commercial broadcast stations known as Bantay Radyo and has three AM radio stations operating in Cebu City (DYDD-1260 kHz),  Bogo City (DYHH-864 kHz) and Bacolod City (DYZZ-1458 kHz), which can be heard all over Cebu, Negros Oriental, Leyte and Samar.

House Bill 5176 authored by Reps. Xavier Jesus D. Romualdo (Lone District, Camiguin) and Franz E. Alvarez (1st District, Palawan), if signed into law, will now include digital television system and any new technology in radio and television.

SIAM Corp.’s mandated obligations under Philippine laws include its responsibility to  provide adequate time for government public service announcements and other educational efforts; promote public participation; advocate balanced programming; and conform to the ethics of honest enterprise.

It is also mandated to secure prior approval from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and appropriate permits and licenses prior to its operation, as well as the requirement to undertake self-regulation and censorship.

The grantee is also mandated to submit an annual report to Congress, through the committee on legislative franchises of the House of Representatives and the committee on public services of the Senate, on its compliance with the terms and conditions of the franchise and on its operations on or before April 30 of every year during the term of the franchise.

Failure of the grantee to submit the requisite annual report to Congress shall be penalized by a fine of P500 per working day of non-compliance. The fine shall be collected by the NTC from the delinquent franchise grantee separate from the reportorial penalties imposed by the NTC.

The bill reiterates the restriction on sale, lease, transfer, usufruct, or assignment of the franchise without the prior approval of Congress. The franchise violation could result in the revocation and cancellation of the franchise.