aoa TAMBULI Weekly Newsletter The Official e-Newsletter of the Federation of Philippine Industries Volume 17 Issue No. 43 06 December 2013 _______________________________________________________________________________ FPI Power and Energy Forum - 12 December 2013 The Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) will conduct a Power and Energy Forum on 12 December 2013 (Thursday), 1:30 P.M. at Club Filipino, Greenhills, San Juan City . The objective of the forum is to provide update information to FPI members who are Contestable Customers (CCs) under the Open Access Retail Competition (OARC). The forum will give light on the OARC status, to guide CCs on their actions in this early phase of the OARC scheme. Discussions will attempt to address the following concerns: 1) CCs without RES Contract are in quandary with the coming deadline in December 2013; 2) Experience/reactions, so far of CCs with RES contracts; and 3) Perceived tight Grid power supply, and measures that are and will be put in-place. It will also serve as a gathering to understand, share current and future policies by major energy stakeholders, to enable FPI members in the manufacturing industry to manage and be competitive in their power and energy resources. There will also be an open forum on specific topics presented by each resource speaker. Registration is FREE for FPI MEMBERS. Considering that space is limited, accommodation will be on a first to reserve, first to be served basis (‘walk-ins’ will not be entertained). For particulars, please contact the FPI Secretariat. COM. BIAZON HAS DELICADEZA The Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), admired the decision of Com. Rufino “Ruffy” Biazon, to irrevocably resign as commissioner of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in order to clean his name of the charges levied against him relative to the PDAF controversy. Jesus Lim Arranza, FPI Chairman shared that the irrevocable resignation of Com. Biazon certainly eased the pressure and shielded President Benigno Aquino III from being unnecessarily dragged in the controversy. Chairman Arranza who said that the Federation and Com. Biazon have an effective harmonious professional relationship in jointly fighting smuggling in the BOC, respected the unselfish action of the latter unlike other government officials who cling to their post like a leech. Verily, delicadeza in the government is indeed a rarity and the action of Com. Biazon clearly speaks well of the breeding of this gentlemen, Mr. Arranza added. FPI SUPPORTING THE APPOINTMENT OF LACSON AS REHABILITATION CZAR The Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), is supporting the appointment of former Senator Panfilo Lacson to handle the rehabilitation of the destruction caused by typhoon Yolanda. FPI Chairman Jesus Lim Arranza lauded the appointment of Sen. Lacson saying that he is the right person since he is equipped with the necessary managerial skills and leadership to make the job done. Chairman Arranza noted that the rehabilitation will involve substantial amount of money and Sen. Lacson has proven his honesty in so many positions that he handled in government. The tasks which Pres. Benigno Aquino III directed him to perform is particularly daunting, Chairman Arranza noted, hence, he is enjoining everybody particularly those in the private sector to lend their support so as to facilitate the rehabilitation in the south. Thus, the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), which counts as its members most manufacturers of construction materials, is willing to sit down with Sen. Lacson to help come up with a master plan in the rehabilitation and discuss the possibility of giving reasonable discounts. Moreover, FPI members comprising the sugar, rice and coconut producers could also help the farmers recover, Chairman Arranza added. As a matter of fact, Sen. Lacson could also be named the anti-corruption czar which could go hand in hand as the rehabilitation czar, Chairman Arranza even suggested. Estimated Additional Duties and Taxes recommended by the ITEs For the month of November 2013, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) referred 2,085 import entries to the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) - Industry Technical Expert (ITE) for processing. Out of these 2,085 entries, 112 were found to have discrepancy wherein the FPI- ITE recommended to the BOC for a reclassification Tariff Heading and/or upgrading of declared values equivalent to an estimated total additional duties and taxes of PhP17,023,660.58 to various monitored importations, as follows: Total No. of Entries With Discrepancies Without Discrepancies Estimated Additional Duties and Taxes recommended by the ITEs POM - 1,016 61 955 Php7,092,235.37 MICP - 1,181 51 1130 Php9,931,425.21 TOTAL: 2,197 112 2,085 PhP17,023,660.58 Higher Education and Economic Growth: A Science, Technology, Innovation and Partnership Launch: The Federation is being invited to participate in the launching of the “Higher Education and Economic Growth: A Science, Technology Innovation and Partnership Launch” conducted by the USAID/Philippines on December 11, 2013 at the Rizal Ballroom B, Makati Shangri-la, from 6pm to 8:00 pm. This will inaugurate USAID/Philippines programming in the sector. The event will feature USAID/Philippines’ flagship program called “Science, Technology, Research Innovation for Development (STRIDE) program.” Implemented by RTI International, STRIDE is a five year, PHP 1.3-billion program that will strengthen applied research activity in Philippine universities and industry. The event will also launch the next phase of the Higher Education and Productivity Project, an initiative with the Philippines Business for Education (PBEd) to strengthen industry-academe linkages, as well as the Innovation and Development through Entrepreneurship Acceleration (IDEA) Project with the Philippine Development S&T Foundation. IDEA will work on strengthening entrepreneurship in science and engineering programs in the Philippines. 12th FPI Golf Classic, February 06, 2014 It’s sixty one (61) days to go before the 12 th Annual FPI Golf Classic Tournament tees off on Thursday, February 06, 2014 at the Tagaytay Midlands Golf Course, Tagaytay City. Senior Executives from the country’s Top 1,000 Corporations are expected to play in this tournament and get the chance to compete with their fellow industrialists on the golf course. The Chairman of the FPI Golf Committee is FPI Director Jesus R. Montemayor who is also the President of Philippine Association of Battery Manufacturers and Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation. Members of the Golf Committee include FPI Chairman Jesus Lim Arranza, FPI President George S. Chua, FPI Executive Vice President Edwin Ll. Umali, Vice President (for Manufacturing) Renato R. Ermita, FPI Treasurer Henry A. Tañedo, and FPI Director Jose Ch. Alvarez; Other members include Mr. Chris J. Nelson and Mr. Claro C. Arriola Proceeds will be used in supporting the various advocacies of the Federation. As of today, the initial sponsors of the golf tournament are: CO PRESENTOR: ASIA BREWERY INC.; MAJOR HOLE SPONSORS: BANCO DE ORO and WHEALTH (MEGAFIBER); HOLE SPONSORS: CEMENT MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES, EAST WEST SEED COMPANY, INC., MAGSAYSAY TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS CORPORATION and UNIVERSAL MOTORS CORPORATION The Sponsorship package would include the posting of the trade names of the CO- PRESENTOR and MAJOR HOLE SPONSORS in identified strategic billboards. For details please contact the FPI Secretariat. LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE HEARING: Senate Thursday, December 12 Time & Venue Agenda Public Works jt. with 10:00 A.M. S. Nos. 410 & 1928 - Philippine Green Building Act Environment & Natural Committee Room No. 3 Resources; Finance; and Ways 2/F Core “C”, Senate & Means House of the Representative MONDAY, 09-DECEMBER-2013 Committee/Sub-Committee Time and Venue Agenda/Resource Person WAYS & MEANS 01:00 PM HR 286 – Inquiry into the alleged violations and R. R. Andaya Hall 2/F circumvention of certain provisions of the National SW Bldg. Internal Revenue Code and the Tariff and Customs laws committed by Good Morning International Corporation in connivance with some officers and/or employees of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for the purpose of evading payment of appropriate customs duties and taxes in connection with the importation and exclusive distribution of Hyundai heavy equipment and Daewoo trucks in the Philippines (Rep. Edgar Erice) TUESDAY, 10-DECEMBER-2013 Committee/Sub-Committee Time and Venue Agenda/Resource Person FOOD SECURITY 09:00 AM HB 537 – Establishing a strategic food security Villar Hall SWA Bldg. rice reserve (Rep. Rodolfo Biazon) HB 838 – Institutionalizing a food subsidy program and appropriating funds therefor (Rep. Erlinda Santiago) HB 2935 – Creating a national rice program by integrating government initiatives and interventions for the rice farming sector through food security and self-sufficiency, sustainable resource management, support services from farm to table, and broad-based local partnerships (Rep. Delph Lee) HR 84 – Evaluating the warning made by Mr. Peter Brabeck, Chairman of Nestle, stating that there will be a world food crisis worse than that of 2008, and recommending a comprehensive national plan of action and preemptive measures in order to keep the same at bay (Rep. Winston ‘Winnie’ Castelo) HR 85 – Directing the National Food Authority (NFA), Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to jointly evaluate the report issued by