69Th Issue Jan. 11
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“Radiating positivity, creating connectivity” CEBU BUSINESS Room 310-A, 3rd floor WDC Bldg. Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City You may visit Cebu Business Week WEEK Facebook page. January 11 - 17, 2021 Volume 3, Series 69 www.cebubusinessweek.com 12 PAGES P15.00 SEAFARERS GIVE ECONOMY P300B 500K working in international vessels despite pandemic: Marino OVER half million Filipino Seafarers with big income By: ELIAS O. BAQUERO ping is unhampered even if He said that in the data seafarers are working continu- and having new families are there is Covid-19 pandemic,” of the Philippine Overseas ously around the world con- mostly investing in the busi- jected to a 14-day quarantine, Lusotan said. Employment Administration tributing to the economy some ness of their choice or keep and other health protocols. Lusotan said about that (POEA), there are more than US$6.5 million, equivalent to big savings in banks, and the The seafarers who are there are more than 3,000 two million Overseas Filipino P300 billion despite the pan- banks are lending capital to affected are those who are seafarers who are waiting to Workers (OFWs) around the demic, said Marino Party-List Micro, Small and Medium En- waiting to replace their coun- be called to board the vessels, world. The highest numbers of Rep. Macnell Lusotan. terprises (MSMEs). terparts who are on board ves- but because of the pandemic, OFWs are in the Middle East. Lusotan told Cebu Busi- Most Filipino seafarers sels and who choose to extend they are stranded in Manila, Of the two million, 25 percent ness Week that the Filipino abroad only problem is their their contract because of the some of whom are living with or 500,000 are seafarers. seafarers are working in dif- failure to go home immedi- pandemic. friends, and some are billeted The traditional seafarers ferent international vessels, ately because of travel ban. On If foreign vessels stop ply- in hotels. Their families are are those manning the ships. travelling in different coun- the other hand, they are lucky ing, Lusotan said there will be expecting that they are already But now, seafarers include tries, continuing the interna- because they are continuously scarcity of supplies of essential on board. those working in cruise ships tional trade. working bringing goods to dif- goods around the world. He said that Marino who are e cruise, Lusotan said The estimated remittance ferent countries. District Collector Charlito Party-List, the government the personnel are about 1,000, of seafarers has helped the Thousands of seafarers Martin Mendoza of the Bureau through the Department of and the tourists that they are government in preventing our have extended their period of Customs (BOC) Port of Cebu Social Welfare and Develop- servicing are about 3,000. So, economy from collapsing be- of work because they cannot said that they are always above ment (DSWD), and the Of- cruise ships stopped operating cause of lockdowns caused by disembark from the vessel be- target collections despite the fice of the Workers Welfare because of social distancing as pandemic. cause of the travel ban. If they pandemic because importa- Administration (OWWA) are one of the health protocols. Lusotan said that sta- will force to go home to the tion of goods had continued. working together to extend “At present, Marino Par- tistics show that goods like Philippines, they will be sub- “The operation in ship- help to stranded seafarers. ty-List is working to hold the computers, construction ma- repatriation of seafarers from terials, among others cannot various countries in Europe be brought to other countries because of the new Covid vari- through airplanes but through ant. But this is temporary be- vessels. cause we believe that in the “Ninety percent of our coming days, the ban will be international trade passes lifted,” Lusotan said. through shipping. The role of The party-list representa- the seafarers is to man ships. tive said that with Rep. Zandro In 2019, Bangko Sentral ng Gonzales, Marino Party-List is Pilipinas (BSP) estimated that continuously helping seafarers all seafarers have earned a who are affected by the pan- combined US$6.5 million or demic. There are seafarers who P300 billion at P50-$1 foreign are in the different internation- exchange rate that has been al vessels wanting to go home added to the Philippine econ- but because of the travel ban, omy,” Lusotan said. they remain in their workplace. 2 January 11 - 17, 2021 Cebu Business Week LOCAL VECO must refund excessive power collection: Ligas CHEAPER power advo- and unreasonable amount, he “I believe that a Senate in- cate Edward Ligas said they will file criminal charges against quiry will force VECO to refund are waiting for the resumption VECO officials and the Aboitiz the excessive payments of pow- of inquiry by the Cebu Provin- family in a competent court. er customers. I am happy that cial Board on the unreasonable He is amenable to the sug- complaints against VECO are and high electric billing by the gestion that Cebu Provincial now by thousands,” Ligas said. Visayan Electric Company Government or any Local Gov- He suggested that if VECO (VECO) during lockdowns ernment Unit (LGU) may hire management headed by Pres- caused by Covid-19 pandemic. a technical team to study the ident/CEO Raul Lucero and Ligas, a radio commenta- VECO electric billings which VECO owners (Aboitiz family) tor and international boxing are subject to complaints to de- will ignore the complaints, the judge, said that in the recent termine any cover up. government may take over its Energy Committee hearing Ligas is also amenable to operation to protect the inter- chaired by Board Member Red a Senate inquiry on VECO’s est of the public. Duterte with Board Member operation like what it did with Ligas also said that it is Glenn Soco, VECO officials ad- Manila Electric Company now time for the government mitted several lapses in power (MERALCO) attended by En- to dismantle the VECO pow- EDWARD LIGAS billing that led to questionable ergy Regulatory Commission er distribution monopoly, charges. the power company. amount. (ERC) Chairperson Agnes especially that Aboitiz is also Unfortunately, Ligas said Ligas said that even busi- Ligas fully paid his power Devanadera. engaged in power generation the committee hearing was at- ness firms that were closed bills for the entire 2020. If he MERALCO refunded all which contradicts the Energy tended by VECO officials who and had no operation during will again receive a VECO elec- the excessive payments made Power Industry Reform Act were not decision makers of lockdowns were billed at a high tric bill with another excessive by power consumers. (EPIRA). ELIAS O. BAQUERO NMIS notes increase in pork prices THE National Meat In- opportunity to sell pork in lation in Cebu is 80 percent spection Service (NMIS) has Metro Manila even at P400 in backyard-raised. The other noted an increase in the price per kilo. There is a high price 20 percent is from commer- of pork caused by high de- if the demand is high,” Oble- cial hog traders. mand as against supply due na said. Swine is categorized to massive transport of the “Our hog raisers observe as backyard, medium, product to Manila and Luzon. preventive measures to pre- semi-commercial and com- Dr. Eduardo Oblena, vent the entry of ASF in Cebu. mercial. NMIS director, said that pork So, even if the price of pork Last year, Cebu City May- now is sold at P250 per kilo, is high, it is safe from ASF,” or Edgar Labella has lifted the although he received infor- Oblena said. ban on the entry of pork from mation that some markets are Oblena will request hog ASF-free provinces in Min- selling it now at P280 per kilo. it was sold at P200 per kilo. P11-billion hog industry. The raisers to limit pork supply to danao. Cebu City is the only In January and February Cebu is one of the few hog traders got more prof- Manila to prevent further in- LGU in Cebu that lifted the 2020, or before the Covid-19 places in the country not hit it when it started supplying crease of prices. pork ban from Mindanao. pandemic hit Cebu in March by the African Swine Fever pork to Metro Manila where At present, traders are But Oblena said the pork 2020, pork was sold in the (ASF). Luzon and other parts businessmen are selling it at buying live pigs at P150 per that enters Cebu City from market at P210 per kilo. of Visayas and Mindanao re- P400 per kilo. kilo, and sell the pork in the Gen. Santos City shall be dis- In other areas where gions were hit by ASF. “We have a free enter- market at P250 per kilo. tributed within the city only. there is less demand of pork, Oblena said that Cebu has prise, and traders took the He said the swine popu- ELIAS O. BAQUERO Cebu City to build drug rehab center COUNCILOR Philiip S. City. Pia made the facilitation first phase, we are hopeful that the Dangerous Drugs Board happened. Zafra said the Cebu City Gov- in the Senate, while Alan Peter Congress will also appropriate (DDB), said that Cebu City, a He said there is a rehabili- ernment will soon construct the in the House of Representatives funds for the Phase 2,” Zafra premier city, failed to construct tation center in Argao, Cebu es- Phase 1 of the P3 million “Balay during the discussion of the said. a rehabilitation center. Ba- tablished by Senate President Silangan” in Barangay Guba for 2021 national annual budget.