Lala Sotto: MTRCB has no jurisdiction over social media, online streamers

MTRCB chairperson Diorella ‘Lala’ Sotto-Antonio (Facebook)

by Robert Requintina, Manila Bulletin

Violent themes and sexual content may proliferate on social media, but the newly appointed chairperson of the Movie and TV Review Classification Board (MTRCB) Diorella “Lala” Sotto-Antonio pointed out that the agency has no jurisdiction over online streams and posts.

“Wala po talagang juridisction ang MTRCB over social media and online streamers. So we are very limited to television programs and motion pictures. But as I’ve said, I don’t see anything wrong with working with them,” says Lala, during a lunch with the entertainment media at Mario’s Restaurant in Morato, Quezon City last Wednesday.

 Lala suggests that it would help if the jurisdiction of MTRCB would be expanded.

“I hope it will not be taken against me, but my humble opinion is yes, makakatulong siguro kung ma e-expand yung juridisction ng MTRCB. One of my goals is for the MTRCB to be the partner-parent at home, especially for parents who are busy. I want to ensure a safe-viewing experience for children,” she says.

Lala, 45, says there were no specific instructions or orders from President Marcos Jr. when she was appointed to MTRCB. But she reveals that her team has met with popular streaming service networks in the country.

“It’s safe to say that we have had short talks with Netflix already. We also started meeting with Amazon Prime. I’m looking forward to a healthy and harmonious relationship with them because the role of MTRCB is very limited to motion pictures and television programs,” she adds. “With the local streamers, I choose to work with them. I am open to dialogues and open to communication with them.”

When asked if she would be a strict MTRCB head, Lala says: “I cannot say na magiging mahigpit ako because I don’t want to compare my being the chairman to the previous ones. I feel I have big shoes to fill because I choose to emulate Senator Grace Poe. But the chairmen who came after her did a great job naman. Lahat magaganda yung nagawa during their term. Wala naman akong nakikita na dapat kaming magcensor. MTRCB is just an agency which will rate and classify movies and TV shows. I am blessed to have a working board.”

 Lala says she’s confident that the movie industry will bounce back following the lockdowns brought about by the pandemic. “Kaka-open lang ng ating cinema but am very confident that we will be able to work with them. Makaka-ahon din sila.”

Daughter of Senator Tito Sotto III and actress Helen Gamboa, Lala earned her Bachelor of Arts major in Diplomatic Affair degree at the Dela Salle University College of St. Benilde. She also earned credits from the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education for the short-term course Applying Behavioral Insights to the Design of Public Policy, and the two-month course on Strengthening Community Health Workers.

Prior to her appointment, Lala was in public service for 22 years. She was a three-termer councilor in Quezon City’s sixth district from 2013 until 2022. Before that, she also served as councilor from 2001 to 2010 in the city’s third district.

Lala was the author of the ordinance requiring bicycle riders to wear helmets while within Quezon City’s borders. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, she authored ordinances granting a special risk allowance to frontline Quezon City public health workers, requiring the use of facemasks or other coverings in the city’s public places, and establishing the Quezon City General Hospital dialysis and a separate dialysis center for Covid positive patients.

If time permits, Lala says she enjoys watching historical movies and documentaries. The first two movies that the MTRCB board reviewed were “Maid In Malacanang” and “Katips.”

Recalling the first time she got a call from the Palace, Lala says: “I was so surprised. They asked me to attend the July 5 oath-taking. But I was positive for Covid so nahiya naman ako sabihin na I couldn’t make it because I had to complete the seven-day quarantine period. Then they called asking me to attend the July 7 oath-taking.”

On the reminders of her parents, the MTRCB chief states: “Yung mga paalala sa akin ng mga magulang ko, nagsimula yan 22 years ago, noong unang pumasok ako sa politics. So ngayon andyan pa rin ang simple reminders nila on humility, about being sensitive to other’s feelings and needs, diligence, conscientious, working that is glorifying to the Lord, yung ang paalala sa akin ng mga magulang ko na paulit-ulit. My passion for public service will be with me wherever I go. So yung malasakit mo sa bayan mo, sa mga kapwa Pilipino, hindi mawawala yun. Dala-dala ko lagi yun. Kasama na rin doon yung natutunan ko bilang konsehala sa loob ng 18 years. Wala na po akong plan bumalik sa city council because panahon na i-expand yung kakayahan natin na makatulong sa iba at sa mas nakararami.”

Lala reveals her goal as chairperson of MTRCB. “I just want to do a great job that is glorying the Lord. Gusto kong lang paghusayan at patunayan na deserving ako sa katungkulan ko ngayon.”

Biz leader: More European consulates to open here

Photo by Mark Perandos/SunStar Davao file

By: IONA FINLAY C. MENDOZA

MORE European countries are expected to open their respective consulates in Davao City soon, said the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Southern Mindanao Business Council (ECCP-SMBC) on July 27.

Chairman Antonio Peralta said during the Wednesdays Media Forum at Ayala Abreeza Mall that most of the new foreign consulates would be from Nordic and other European countries.

“Those consulates that are coming from different countries, especially from Nordic countries like Finland. The Netherlands has recently opened here but there are still upcoming countries,” Peralta said, citing Italy and Switzerland as among the 11 consulates that would open soon.

According to Peralta, these countries and their investors see prospects in Davao City, along with the rest of the Philippines. He also said the recent amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, Foreign Investments Act, and the Public Service Act attract foreign investors.

The Republic Act (RA) 11595 “An Act Amending RA 8762 or the Retail Trade Liberalization Act of 2000” lowers the paid-up capital requirements for foreign retail enterprises, among others; RA 11647 “An Act Amending RA 7042 or the Foreign Investments Act of 1991” allows foreign investors full ownership of small and medium-sized enterprises; while the RA 11659 “An Act Amending Commonwealth Act 146 or the Public Service Act” also allows full foreign ownership of public services in the country.

“When these consulates come, they are like listening posts advising their respective embassies in Manila that there is this opportunity that they should pursue in Davao or Mindanao,” Peralta said.

The chairman added that ECCP-SMBC, in coordination with the Davao City Investment Promotion Center, has been continuing its efforts to promote Davao City to European countries.

“This is one of the clear dividends that we got under the governance of former Mayor Sara Duterte... We want to see more investments coming in,” Peralta said. ICM

Internet down in parts of Luzon following big earthquake

by Robert D. Reyes, Manila Bulletin

Following the massive magnitude 7.0 earthquake that shook the island of Luzon this morning, several parts of the region, particularly Ilocos Sur and Abra, remain not to have electric power and Internet services as of this posting.

Converge ICT issued advisories for their subscribers in Narvacan and Tagudin, both in the province of Ilocos Sur for possible connectivity issues as of 10:50 AM. The Internet Service Provider (ISP) assures their clientele that their technical team is working to resolve the issue at the soonest possible time.

As of 12:30 PM, Smart Communications issued a network advisory stating that emergency power generators are active on their towers (where available) and that the telecommunications company is working with power companies, as well as local government units to help restore services as soon as possible.

DITO Telecommunity and Globe Telecom have yet to issue network advisories as of this posting.

According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development – Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DSWD-DROMIC), Internet and electricity are currently down in some parts of Baguio City as of 12:35 PM.

Massive quake relief effort begins

 Marcos in Abra This handout photo taken and received on Thursday, July 28, 2022 courtesy of Irelee Beralde shows President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (front row) visiting hospital patients evacuated to the grounds of the provincial hospital in Bangued town, Abra. AFP PHOTO

By Kristina Maralit , William B. Depasupil, Francis Earl Cueto and Arlie O. Calalo

THE government has mounted full-blown relief efforts in areas in Northern Luzon that were jolted by a 7.3-magnitude earthquake last Wednesday.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Thursday flew to Abra, which was the worst hit by the earthquake, to inspect and assess the resulting damage. He was joined by Secretaries Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr. of Interior and Local Government, Erwin Tulfo of Social Welfare and Development, Jose Faustino Jr. of National Defense, and Anton Lagdameo, special assistant to the President.

At a situation briefing in the town of Bangued, Marcos ordered national government agencies to work closely with local governments "so that we can make sure na walang nangangailangan na hindi natin nabigyan ng tulong (that anyone needing our help will not be denied).

"We will just have to do as much as we can, as quickly as possible," he said.

With power in the entire province restored and communication lines and internet service steadily stabilizing, the President said the next step is to ensure all affected residents have enough food and potable water.

He said he will order the procurement of potable water purifying systems so that the use of plastic bottles for collecting water is minimized.

Marcos instructed the Department of National Defense and the military to deploy all available air assets to help the Department of Social Welfare and Development's field offices in Region 1 in distributing food and relief packs to residents in mountainous areas.

He also directed local agencies to provide tarpaulins and other construction materials to build temporary shelters for people who cannot yet return to their quake-damaged homes.

"We've covered as much as we can. We will continue to monitor, especially in the areas na wala pa tayong balita (where we haven't received news yet)," Marcos said.

13 national roads in quake-hit areas reopened to motorists –DPWH

Faustino said close to 5,000 families in Abra, Ilocos and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) were affected by the earthquake.

He said 2,312 families in Ilocos and CAR alone are staying in 31 evacuation centers.

Office of Civil Defense Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro 4th who was also at the briefing in Bangued, said the death toll remained at five while the number of injured had risen to 131.

Alejandro said the damage to infrastructure in Ilocos alone has reached P33.8 million.

Landslides close roads

The figure will rise once reports of damage to agriculture and other assets come in, he said.

At least 13 national road sections in the CAR blocked by rocks and debris loosened during the earthquake have been cleared and reopened, Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan said on Thursday.

Eight other roads were still being cleared.

More aftershocks recorded as Magnitude 5.1 quake rattles Isabela.

He put the initial damage to national roads at P59.23 million.

Already passable to vehicles are the Abra-Kalinga Road, the Abra-Ilocos Norte Road and Abra-Cervantes Road, all in Abra.

In Benguet, reopened were the Asin Road, Marcos Highway, Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya Road, Baguio-Bauang Road and Congressman Andres Acop Cosalan Road.

In Kalinga, reopened were the Mountain Province-Calanan-Pinukpuk-Abbut Road and the Kalinga-Abra Road.

In Mountain Province, already cleared were the Mountain Province-Cagayan via Tabuk-Enrile Road and the Mountain Province-Ilocos Sur Road, and the Santa Rancho Road (Calungbuyan Bridge) in Ilocos Sur.

Also on Thursday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) logged more than 800 aftershocks from the earthquake.

More aftershocks are expected in the coming two to three days, with magnitudes ranging from 1.5 to 5.0, Phivolcs said.

A 5.0-magnitude tremor was recorded at 4:02 a.m., Thursday, about 12 kilometers southwest of the town of Tayum, Abra, near where the earthquake struck.

Intensity 4 was felt in Bangued, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur; Intensity 3 in Sinait, Ilocos Sur and Tabuk, Kalinga; Intensity 2 in Gonzaga, Penablanca, Cagayan, and Laoag City, Ilocos Norte; and Intensity 1 in Baguio City and Claveria, Cagayan.

Marcos vetoes bill expanding Davao Light franchise area

By Catherine S. Valente

(UPDATES) PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has vetoed a measure seeking to expand the franchise area of the Davao Light and Power Company Inc., Malacañang said on Thursday.

Press Secretary Rose Beatrix "Trixie" Cruz-Angeles said the President vetoed the bill "due to, among others, its susceptibility to infringe on the franchise coverage area of the North Davao Electric Cooperative."

"While I recognize the prerogative of the Honorable Members of Congress and the laudable intent of the bill to further improve and develop access to electricity within the captive market of the expanded franchise area, I am constrained to veto the bill due to the susceptibility of the proposed expansion of the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Company Inc. to legal and/or constitutional challenge due to the apparent overlap and possible infringement into the subsisting franchise, permits and contracts previously granted to North Davao Electric Cooperative Inc.," Marcos said in his letter to Congress.

The President explained that North Davao Electric Cooperative Inc. has existing franchises in the expanded franchise area that will subsist until 2028 and until 2033.

"The bill runs counter to the provisions of Section 27 of Republic Act 9136, or the Epira (Electric Power Industry Reform Act) mandating that 'all existing franchises shall be allowed to their full term,'" he said.

Marcos also said "the bill, while on its face amends the franchise of another entity over the expanded area, is a prohibited collateral attack on North Davao Electric Cooperative Inc. franchise."

"This is contrary to a jurisprudentially settled doctrine that a franchise cannot be subjected to a 'collateral attack.' In view of these considerations, I am constrained to veto the above-mentioned enrolled bill," he added.

Still, Marcos said he remains committed to the total electrification of the Philippines "with utmost respect for the concomitant rights of the public service entities engaged in supplying electric service, as well as the consumers thereof."

House Bill 10554 sought to amend Republic Act 11515, extending for another 25 years the franchise granted to Davao Light and Power Company Inc.

It would have placed Tagum City, Island Garden City of Samal and the municipalities of Asuncion, Kapalong, New Corella, San Isidro and Talaingod under the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Company Inc.

These areas are currently serviced by the North Davao Electric Cooperative Inc.

Daao Light and Power Company Inc. currently services Davao City, Panabo City and the municipalities of Carmen, Dujali and Sto. Tomas in Davao del Norte.