Congress must review NGCP franchise for failure to secure electricity supply

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Kuryente.Org, an electricity consumer rights and welfare organization considers the recent announcement of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ (NGCP) of a possible power outages this summer is a clear cover-up for its long time negligence to fulfill its obligation to timely secure a reliable ancillary power service agreement. The consumer organization is calling on the Congress to review NGCP’s franchise.

Roland Vibal, National Coordinator of Kuryente.org, said:

“We call on the House of Representatives to review NGCP’s franchise if the corporation can’t live-up to its obligations to secure a reliable electricity supply to the consuming public. The Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) must consider NGCP’s poor performance as they deliberate NGCP’s call for transmission rate increase in the on-going 4th regulatory review.

“NGCP is playing the blame game to cover its continued negligence to secure a reliable ancillary services agreement as per DOE Circular No. 2019-12-0018. Yet, despite the order, the NGCP continuously failed to comply and continued with its month-on-month ancillary services which the DOE considers as a non-firm agreement that cannot be relied on.

“They claim that they are now in the process of finalizing the Ancillary Service Procurement Agreement (ASPA) based on Competitive Selection. This is a belated move. Their failure to act timely to its obligation is why the public will suffer from the project power outages.

“NGCP must fulfill its responsibility and be accountable for its failure and negligence.”

Ayala Land's Vermosa Estate grows rapidly, exciting investors, businesses and communities

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Vermosa, Ayala Land’s fourth largest estate said to be the new business and lifestyle district of the South, is in intense growth mode in 2023.

The next financial and commercial center down South is expanding retail outlets and services, also adding features and amenities like parks, a government center, a church and malls that support community and commercial needs.

Residents, investors and businesses are excited about the rapid rise of commerce and a thriving community inside the 725-hectare central business and residential district that straddles the cities of Imus and Dasmarinas in Cavite. Boasting a complete package of residences, malls, offices, institutions, schools, entertainment venues, government centers, BPOs and a world-class training and lifestyle destination for athletes and fitness enthusiasts, Vermosa continues to spur growth in the Daang Hari corridor.

Meralco is putting up a dedicated substation within Vermosa to ensure continuous power to homes, commercial establishments, institutional facilities and the growing features and amenities of the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub (AVSH). A Landers Superstore, the Ayala Malls Vermosa, Army Navy and Panda Express drive-thru stores will soon rise in the area, joining brands like Petron, Starbucks, McDonalds, Jollibee, Burger King, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and Peri- Peri Chicken in servicing the area that has become a busy east-west connector. A government center will soon provide vital services with the Philippine Red Cross also putting up a headquarters in place.

Capital values for commercial lot investments have thus almost doubled at 82% since the Estate was launched in 2014. Home investors have expressed satisfaction with the high turnover rates of the different residential areas.

Now, the different residential communities composed of the 125-hectare private enclave called The Courtyards by Ayala Land Premier, the stand-alone 36-hectare upscale modern community of Alveo’s Ardia, and the 10-hectare Avida Verra Settings located in the residential district, are preparing to welcome their projected initial 2,000 residents.

Meanwhile, Vermosa Campus Town, the estate’s commercial business district -- a modern, contemporary urban center with ultra-wide landscaped pedestrian walkways, bicycle lanes, jogging paths, an active street life and pocket parks -- will complement the varied lifestyles of residents and outside guests.

More key developments are in the works ensuring that Vermosa lives up to its promise of being the leading growth center in the South, attracting investors and businesses wanting to expand in this part of the metro.

Vermosa is strategically located near key urban centers and made accessible by a network of roads like Daang Hari, SLEX, MCX and CALAX. Greater accessibility to the estate’s residents, visitors and enterprises is provided by access points in Daang Hari and Molino Highway.

SSS-BI agreement ensures social security coverage to job order and contract of service worker

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The Social Security System (SSS) and Bureau of Immigration (BI) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on March 9, 2023 at the BI main office in Intramuros, Manila that will provide social security coverage to job order and contract of service workers in the government.

Photo shows SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Rolando Ledesma Macasaet (right) and BI Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco (left) during the ceremonial signing that will benefit at least 800 job order and contract of service workers serving in the immigration regulatory body.

Under the MOA, BI’s job order and contract of service workers will get SSS coverage under the KaSSSama sa Coverage Program. Under the program, these BI workers will be classified as self-employed members of SSS.

The agreement also states that BI will act as a Coverage and Collection Partner of SSS. As such, SSS authorized BI to collect and remit the monthly contributions of these workers through a salary-deduction scheme.

“The SSS aims to secure the future of all job order and contract of service workers in government agencies nationwide. Although these employees work in government offices, they are considered private self-employed members and are not covered by the Government Service Insurance System,” Macasaet said.

He explained that as self-employed SSS members, they will be entitled to receive social security benefits such as sickness, maternity, disability, retirement, funeral and death benefits. They will also get additional coverage from the Employees' Compensation Program (ECP) for work-related contingencies. Moreover, they may apply for various member loans offered by SSS such as salary and calamity loans.

Commissioner Tansingco thanked SSS for bringing social security benefits to their job order and contract of service workers which they can rely on during times of contingencies.

Meanwhile, Macasaet visited the KaSSSama sa Coverage Program servicing counter set up for the occasion in the BI head office in Intramuros, Manila. SSS personnel from SSS Manila Branch manned the online and onsite servicing counter to assist BI workers in creating online account with SSS through the My.SSS facility, registration with SSS as self-employed members, generating Payment Reference Number for contribution payment, verification of member's records, and answering inquiries on various SSS benefits and loan programs.

As of December 2022, SSS has partnered with 1,531 local government units (LGUs), 499 national government agencies, 111 state universities and colleges (SUCs), and 68 local water districts covering job order and contract of service workers through the KaSSSama sa Coverage Program with a total collection exceeding P5.5 billion.