日: 2020年2月4日

Abrogate VFA to honor and give justice to fallen Filipinos in the Philippine-American War!

/ Manila Shimbun

As the Philippines commemorates the 121st year since the first and largest battle of the Philippine-American War which started in February 4, 1899, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines honors all the fallen Filipino heroes and demands justice for victims of US wars of aggression.

Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos died during the historic Filipino-American war in pursuit of our national sovereignty, more died thereafter as the US maintained its stronghold on our territories and its domination over our politics and economy. Since Spain slyly sold the Philippines to the US in the 1898 Treaty of Paris, US has terrorized our peoples and seized our lands and resources. Meanwhile, Filipinos who have struggled for genuine liberation of our nation were branded as insurgents by the imperialist US. To this day, the Philippine government’s counter insurgency programs and policies puppet that of the US government.

US domination over the Philippines remains through various lopsided agreements, such as the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and other military treaties that granted the former free and unlimited access to our territories to serve as their military bases. Human rights violations (HRVs) run rampant where American soldiers are, aggravated by the impunity that is guaranteed by said agreements. More known cases include the subic rape case committed by US Marine Daniel Smith and the rape and murder of Jennifer Laude by US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton. Lesser known but equally grave cases of abuses and HRVs include those committed under the Philippines’ counterinsurgency programs which follow the dictates of and are supplemented by the US government. Toiling masses suffered terribly through massive displacement, harassment, and murder in the hands of these soldiers and our own whom they have trained.

For true justice to come to the brave heroes of the Philippine-American war of 1899, the Philippines must hold the US government accountable for its crimes against all Filipinos through the years. The denial of justice for some is the denial of justice for all. All unequal relations of the Philippine government with the US must finally be severed. The VFA and other lopsided treaties and agreements with the US must immediately be abrogated. Justice for all the victims of US wars of aggression! Justice for all the victims of the terrorist government of the USA!

To truly honor the fallen, we must continue the fight for genuine liberation and for social justice. We will persist in the struggle for national sovereignty and for just peace.

Down with US imperialism! (Alliance of Concerned Teachers)

PCC Investigation: Insurance pool charged for anti-competitive agreements

/ Manila Shimbun

The Enforcement Office of the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) is charging a pool of insurance companies and the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC) with entering into anti-competitive agreements for the exclusive provision of mortgage redemption insurance (MRI) to its account holders for almost four decades.

In a Statement of Objections filed on December 27, 2019, the PCC’s Enforcement Office charged the NHMFC, and the following insurance companies and their responsible officers for violating Section 14(c) of the Philippine Competition Act (PCA):

Beneficial Life Insurance Company, Inc.
Country Bankers Life Insurance Corporation
First Life Financial Co., Inc.
Fortune Life Insurance Company, Inc.
Manila Bankers Life Insurance Corporation
Philippines International Life Insurance Co., Inc.
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (Phils), Inc.
United Life Assurance Corporation

Also charged are members of the Executive Committee who administered the agreements of the insurance pool:

Ignacio A. Macrohon, Jr. (President)
Daniel M. Mercado, Jr. (Vice-President)
Jaime M. Santiago (Chairman of the Technical Committee)
Evelyn T. Carada (Secretary and Treasurer)

The Statement of Objections serves as the Enforcement Office’s complaint against the respondents and will be heard and decided by the Commission.

As the PCC’s investigative and prosecutorial arm, the Enforcement Office found the respondents to have entered into agreements that allowed the pool to exclusively and indefinitely provide mortgage redemption insurance (MRI) to borrowers whose loans have been assumed by NHMFC as secondary mortgagor. One of the anti-competitive agreements has been in force since 1980.

The investigation was initiated when NHMFC approached the PCC during the two-year transitory period of the PCA, seeking a review of its agreements with the pool. Prior to the PCA’s enactment, the NHFMC already attempted to terminate the said agreements, but faced legal obstacles brought about by the insurance pool.

NHMFC, as secondary mortgagor, manages different mortgage loan portfolios that are originated by banks, housing developers, and other primary lending institutions that offer loans for socialized and low-cost housing. Mortgagor-borrowers of these primary lending institutions, whose housing loans have been assumed by NHMFC, must obtain an MRI as a form of security.

The MRI ensures outstanding loans will be settled in the event of the borrower’s premature death.

This exclusive arrangement effectively deprived NHMFC and the housing loan borrowers of choosing MRI coverage from other providers which may offer better terms and conditions at lower premium rates. Any insurance company wishing to offer MRI to NHMFC is effectively required to go through the pool, thereby foreclosing competition in the relevant market. Additionally, the agreements cannot be terminated by mere notice, aggravating their foreclosure effect.

With such agreements in place, facilitated by the pool’s Executive Committee, the insurance pool has enjoyed the lack of any competitive constraints for almost 40 years. This has resulted in poor service, unfavorable premium rates, and lack of options to the detriment of thousands of account-holders, including low-cost and socialized housing borrowers.

Under the PCA, entities found to have entered into anti-competitive agreements could face an administrative fine of up to PHP 100 million.