by admin | Nov 7, 2016 | DTI Updates, Headlines, National News
The insatiable desire of the Filipino contractors, consultants, and construction industry players to continuously discover and explore construction business opportunities around the globe, they are now attempting to enter the Melanesia Region in the countries of Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea. These countries identified to be rich in natural resources remained unexploited and undeveloped in their infrastructure and construction projects which Filipino contractors and consultants can aggressively take advantage.
In preparation for the expansion of their activities in the three (3) identified countries of the Melanesia Region, the Philippine Overseas Construction Board (POCB) of the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP) conducted its 5th Philippine Overseas Construction Symposium on 20 October 2016 at the Hotel Jen Manila in Roxas Boulevard to assist and support these Filipino construction industry players in penetrating the Melanesia market.
The welcome address and the assured government support relayed by the new Undersecretary for CIAP, Atty. Ruth B. Castelo, created an atmosphere of sincerity and genuine concern for the participants. It was matched with the inspiring words from the POCB Chairman of the Board and President & CEO of the DMCI Holdings, Engr. Isidro A. Consunji, stimulating the participants to remain motivated and keep interested on improving and adding value to their construction business through networking and business matching like actively participating in construction outbound missions being conducted by the POCB, this time in the Melanesia Region.
The symposium was highlighted by the attendance of one hundred forty-five (145) high ranking officers from the Filipino construction contractors, consultants, suppliers, and other industry players who spent their precious time listening to speakers, networking with each other, exchanging ideas and experiences with their colleagues in the construction industry throughout the day, establishing links and forging comprehensive cooperation amongst themselves.
Director Levinson C. Alcantara of the Marketing Branch of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) arose awareness and interests among the participants in the construction labor market and other construction business opportunities including construction outlooks and investments in the countries of Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea.
The pioneer and expert in overseas construction activities Engr. Salvador P. Castro, Jr., the Chairman and President of SPCastro, Inc. promoted and underlined the Filipino capability in doing construction projects in Brunei Darussalam, Abu Dhabi, and other ASEAN countries, the challenges encountered, the ways and means of overcoming challenges, identifying and capitalizing on ones strengths as well as recognizing and building on ones weaknesses, and the unending quest for an improved and more innovative construction skills and practices.
Experts in the fields of the holistic global practice of Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC), Engr. Hambe Vargas, the Manager in Projects Operations of JGC Philippines, Inc. and the globally competitive, Mr. Joseph Leland D. Sarmiento, Authorized Managing Officer of Whessoe Philippines Construction, Inc. educated the participants and get them familiarized with the process, best practices, benefits and challenges in implementing EPC not only in overseas projects but also in local projects; prompting them to continuously build on their existing capacities and undertaking calculated risks in undertaking overseas projects.
The participants were likewise oriented on the Quadruple A category of the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) interestingly presented by Engr. Rene E. Fajardo, the Acting Executive Director of the Construction Manpower Development Foundation (CMDF) and Head of the Technical Division of PCAB, as the new PCAB Category allowing 100% foreign-owned companies with at least P1.0 Billion capital to undertake privately-funded infrastructure projects besides projects under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) and the Public Private Partnership (PPP) schemes.
An equally important highlight of the symposium and in line with the continuous effort of the CIAP-POCB to improve the delivery of its services, the Corporate Export Information System (CEIS) was launched and introduced by the Project Manager of Asiagate Networks, Inc., the service provider for the Information Technology, Ms. Jahnine A. Baliao. The CEIS is the POCB’s information system which automates its processes particularly the on-line filing of applications, and the eventual integration of databases with the PCAB licensing and registration to facilitate the process in securing the license.
The symposium was successfully concluded with clamor from the participants to continue the program and to continuously promote and develop the Philippine Overseas Construction.
by admin | Nov 4, 2016 | DTI Updates, Headlines, National News
Eight out of 10 Filipinos know their consumer rights, according to the latest Pulse Asia survey. Data showed that level of consumer awareness for the month of September was recorded at 78 percent, the highest recorded since 2012 for the months of September.
“The result should not be a source of complacency, but instead a motivation to improve even more our service to our consumers,” said Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez, adding that recent findings are a good testament that DTI is on the right track in fulfilling its mandate.
Respondents in the same survey were asked whether or not prices of basic goods like canned fish and bread have been reasonable so far.
In September 2015, only 32 percent found the price of canned fish reasonable. This figure rose to 41 percent in September 2016. There was also notable increase in the percentage finding the price of bread reasonable from 34 percent in September 2015 to 49 percent in September 2016. For all months of September since 2012, this year’s figures have been the highest recorded percentages.
“The challenge is for us to continue the momentum, if not improve the positive trajectory,” said Sec. Lopez.
An average of 73 percent of respondents also said that products and services available in the market today are safe, according to the same survey.
The DTI has been commissioning Pulse Asia to monitor public perception on prices, and safety standards, as well as level of consumer awareness since 2012 as part of the Ulat sa Bayan survey. Survey period was from September 25 to October 1, with a margin of error of +/- 3 % at the national level, at 95% confidence level.
by admin | Nov 3, 2016 | Headlines, National News
MANILA, November 3 (PIA)–Gimanduan ni Presidente Rodrigo Duterte ang National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) nga ibalhin na ang pokus gikan sa anti-criminality ug anti-illegal drugs paingon sa anti-graft and corruption operations.
Miingon si Presidente Duterte nga gusto niyang padayon nang matuldokan ang korapsiyon sa gobyerno.
Matud pa sa Presidente, grabe na ka lapad ang korapsiyon nga ultimo ang linya sa mga kapolisan ug mga taas nga opisyal sa gobyerno, gikaon naman niining sistema.
Una niini, gipatangtang ni Presidente Duterte kang Bureau of Customs (BoC) Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon ang Deputy Chief for Intelligence tungod sa pagkalambigit niini sa anomaliya.
Gawas niini, gipatangtang usab sa Presidente ang pipila ka polis nga nadestino sa syudad sa Makati human giingong mangilkil sa mga turista. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)
by admin | Nov 3, 2016 | Headlines, National News
MANILA, November 3 (PIA)–Magpatuman og top-to-bottom lifestyle check si Department of Finance (DOF) Kalihim Carlos Dominguez sa mga ahensiyang sakop sa iyang buhatan ilabi na sa Bureau of Customs (BoC).
Sa gipahigayong pulong balitaan sa Malakanyang kagahapon, partikular nga ipalili ni Dominguez ang bank accounts sa mga kawani sa BoC.
Giingong kinahanglan usab masusi ang mga balay, sakyanan ug uban pang kabtangan sa mga kawani sa maong ahensiya.
Dugang pa ni Dominguez nga sa legislative agenda nga ilang giduso, gusto unta nilang ipatangtang ang privacy provisions nga nahisulod sa bank secrecy law.
Kini aron magbaton og otoridad ang gobyerno nga masusi ang bank records sa mga indibidwal nga gidudahang adunay gihimong anomaliya o nalambigit sa korapsiyon kauban na ang tax evasion.
Tuyo sa ilang ahensiya nga masumpo ang korapsiyon sa gobyerno apil na ang mga hiwing kawani sa gobyerno. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)
by admin | Nov 3, 2016 | Headlines, National News
MANILA, November 3 (PIA)–Gipahinumdoman sa Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ang mga pribadong kumpanya nga angay ihatag og sayo ug dili molapas sa Disyembre 24 ang paghatag sa 13th month pay sa ilang mga kawani.
Kini ang gipahayag ni DOLE Kalihim Silvestre Bello III tungod kay giingong ang paghatag sa 13th month pay nahisubay man sa Labor Code of the Philippines ug ang mga patakaran ug regulasyon sa pagpatuman niini.
“Ang 13th month pay ay ang pamantayan sa batas-paggawa na hindi ikokompromiso ng DOLE ang pagbabayad nito. Nakasaad sa batas na dapat iulat ng mga employer sa pribadong sektor ang kanilang pagtupad sa benepisyo ng manggagawa,” matud pa ni Bello.
Ubos sa Labor Code, ang tanang sakop nga employer angay magsumiter og taho sa pagtuman sa balaod sa pinakaduol nga DOLE regional office nga dili molapas sa Enero 15 matag tuig.
Ang 13th month pay kapareho sa 1/12 nga basic salary sa trabahante sa usa ka tuig.
Kauban sa basic salary ang tanang bayad o kita nga gibayad sa employer sa empleyado alang sa serbisyong gihatag, apan mahimong dili apil ang cost-of-living allowances (COLA), profit-sharing payments, cash equivalents sa wala nagamit nga vacation ug sick leave credits, overtime pay, premium pay, night shift differential pay, holiday pay, ug tanang allowance ug monetary benefits nga gikonsiderar nga dili parte o kauban sa regular o basic salary sa empleyado. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)
by admin | Nov 2, 2016 | Headlines, National News
AS OF 30 SEPTEMBER 2016
The Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP) is mandated to promote, accelerate and regulate the growth and development of the construction industry in conformity with national goals. Through CIAP’s licensing arm, the Philippine Construction Accreditation Board (PCAB), the government ensures that all contractors are reliable, competent and qualified to engage in construction contracting business in the country. PCAB revokes and/or suspends the license offering contractors. With the help of the Philippine Domestic Construction Board (PDCB), another implementing arm of CIAP, appropriate policies and guidelines for pre-qualification, bidding and contract award for public infrastructure projects are formulated and recommended. CIAP assures that Filipinos receive premium service through government infrastructure projects.
The CIAP, through PDCB, implements the Construction Performance Evaluation System (CPES), a uniform rating system for evaluating the performance of constructors based on a set of criteria. These are workmanship, materials used in the construction, timeliness, facilities, environmental safety and health and human resources deployment during construction. Its implementation is governed by Section 12, Annex E of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act).The evaluation is done at certain stages during the actual construction of the project, and upon its completion.
Based on the CPES results, among others, contractors are blacklisted by various infrastructure agencies (agency-level). The list are consolidated and submitted by PDCB to the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) are posted at the GPPB website for reference by the Bids and Awards Committees of various agencies. The Consolidated Blacklisting Report contains the list of contractors blacklisted by the procuring entities.
Based on the List of Consolidated Blacklisted Contractors at GPPB website, as of 30 September 2016, there are 36 blacklisted contractors. Thirty-two (32) of which were blacklisted by various government infrastructure agencies due to the following grounds/offenses: rescission of the contract due to failure to complete the project, abandonment of the contract/project, intolerable negative slippage, failure to comply with contractual obligations/contract violations, failure to comply with any lawful instructions, falsification of public documents, quality of materials not complying with the approved plan and specs, poor performance or unsatisfactory quality of work and termination of the Contract.
Contractors included in the Blacklist are not allowed to participate in any government procurement or bidding during the period of disqualification.
The following is a list of agency-blacklisted contractors as of 30 September 2016: National Housing Authority (NHA): A. P. Torres, B.J. Contractors, Constructive Builder, Inc., and Ramona Mining and Development Corp.; National Power Corporation (NPC): Al-alamiah Construction and Sarbet Builders; Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS): Alpha Trine Motors Corporation, Infra-Structural Construction, R. T. Katigbak Construction Corporation, and Stern Builders Corporation; Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) & Department of Transportation (DOTr): AQA Global Construction; Department of Education (DepEd): ARPEE Construction & Supply, and F.N.A. Construction; Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH): B.E. Construction, J.R. Maliwanag Trading and Construction, Jonice Engineering Construction, Suzuka Construction Co., Ltd., and Villcruz Construction and Supply; AFP: DJ Builders Corporation; National Irrigation Administration (NIA): E.S. Almuete Construction, and Francis Lim Construction; Local Government of Quezon City: HUXLEY Builders General Contractor; Philippine Army: MECON Systems Services and Maintenance Products, MRRM Trading and Construction, and Northstar IBEX Construction Corporation; Municipality of Calamba: River Concrete Construction and Development Corporation; Philippine National Police (PNP) Region 8: Ruby Lim Construction and Supplies Incorporated; Philippine Ports Authority (PPA): S&W Construction and Gen. Merchandise; Department of Health (DOH): Square ‘R’ Builders and Development Corp.; City of Zamboanga: WERR Corporation International. For updates and lists of blacklisted contractors, please visit the GPPB website (https://www.gppb.gov.ph).
Four (4) contractors were blacklisted by the PCAB due to either of the following offenses: misinterpretation of financial qualification, submission of spurious contractor’s license, submission of spurious or false documents or misinterpretation of Sustaining Technical Employee (STE). These contracting companies are Geety Realty & Development Corp., Lime Light Construction, R2D Construction & Supply, and Transpower Builders and Development Corporation.
A blacklisted contractor will automatically be removed from the blacklisting on the succeeding licensing period after payment of the appropriate penalty, unless the blacklisting agency requests the GPPB to maintain the blacklisted person/entity in the GPPB Consolidated Blacklisting Report due to justifiable reasons. In the latter case, the blacklisted person/entity shall be delisted only upon the blacklisting agency’s issuance of a Delisting Order.
