Philippines and the EU sign the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA)

Catherine Ashton, EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario signed this framework agreement on partnership and cooperation between the EU and the Philippines at the sidelines of the ASEAN ministerial meeting in Phnom Penh on July 11. The PCA is another step forward to negotiate a broader free-trade agreement (FTA) between the EU and the Philippines.

Tax Credit Certificates (TCCs)

The Department of Finance has finally issued Joint Circulars 2-2012 and 3-2012, dated May 31, 2012, governing the monetization program for long outstanding TCCs, issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenues, Bureau of Customs and the One-Stop-Shop under the DOF. Members who are holding TCCs are encouraged to look at the two circulars implementing E.O. 68 – the Joint Circulars can be downloaded by members from www.eccp.com/TCCs

The monetization schedule of old TCCs is as follows:

1st Manila Football Cup 2012

Calling all COMPANIES, BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS and NGOs
Team registration is now open for the
1st Manila Football Cup 2012 - Corporate Category
15 September | Saturday | Alabang Country Club

The 1st Manila Football Cup is the first event organized jointly by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines & Kaya Futbol Academy - owned by Kaya Futbol Club and one of the most popular as well as  leading Football clubs in the Philippines

Here's how to join:

• Form a mixed soccer team with a minimum of 10 and maximum of 15 players
• Each team must have at least 3 female players
• Each company can send a maximum of 2 teams to participate.
• Advance registration and payment is required, but the Names of Players can be submitted until 31 August 2012, Friday.
• The tournament is played 7 aside including the goal keeper, and with no off-side rule. Each football Field will be 60 x 30 meters in measurement.

To register & to obtain a copy of the participation rules, please email footballcup@eccp.com or call 845-1324 & look for Cay Castaños

For interested sponsors, please contact Dawn Cabigon - dawnc@eccp.com

The 1st Manila Football Cup is a 2 day tournament that is designed to be the biggest & most diverse football event this year , with over 1,000 athletes to participate from about 170 teams from different schools, football clubs, companies & organizations across the country. The first tournament day (Sept. 15) will feature players from 18 yrs old up and the 2nd day (Sept 16) is for kids ages 4 and up.

Integrity Initiative Forum with Maria Ressa - July 4

At the 8th Integrity Forum co-organized by ECCP, MBC, MAP, and AMCHAM last July 4, guest speaker Maria Ressa, renowned journalist and now CEO and Executive Editor of Rappler, urged the more than 200 audience to "shine a light on bad business practices in the Philippines."  She offered Rappler to do the stories because if people speak up, they can create a snowball effect.

To communicate integrity, Ressa believes that people should draw a line between good and bad and make a decision to stay on the good side and "never to cross the line."  Signing the Integrity Pledge is a good start but she further advises for people to have constant reminders about practicing integrity.  The Integrity Initiative distributed posters of its Unified Code of Conduct for Business after the forum -- constant reminders that can be posted in strategic places in offices and places of work.

During the forum, the Advertising Board of the Philippines (AdBoard) signed the Integrity Pledge. The initiative likewise launched the Integrity Self-Assessment tool that will help signatories gauge the strength/weaknesses of existing integrity practices in their organizations.

Market Access Team (MAT) Meeting - July 5

The MAT discussed the following issues:

• Excise Tax Reform – Abaya Bill as amended – Senate action
• Competition Policy / Anti-trust legislation – progress in Congress
• Customs – Immigration – Quarantine (CIQ) / still issues with Immigration
• EU Ban on Phil. registered aircraft – next steps
• Common Carriers Tax – Gross Philippine Billings – Senate approval expected

NCC - Working Group on Infrastructure - July 6

The WG tackled the following issues:

• Maximizing Batangas and Subic Ports – "decongest Manila ports by transferring container shipments to the said ports' – ECCP members are encouraged to make use of Batangas (please check the Stakeholders' Consultative Meeting with the JICA Study Team on 22 June 2012 which includes comparative rates) – this can be downloaded from www.eccp.com
• CIQ – ECCP updated the WG on remaining issues with Immigration / DOJ
• Common Carriers Tax / Gross Philippine Billings – Senate action to be observed
• Air Safety – ECCP provided the WG with the letter on Air Safety that we sent to Secretaries Jimenez and Roxas. The NCC will write to Sec. Roxas to reorganize CAAP and address ICAO’s Severe Safety Concerns; EU Ban on Phil. registered aircraft; and FAA’s downgrade – in that sequence
• Aviation issues - DOTC to be reminded on moving general aviation to Sangley and constructing Rapid Exit Taxiways.

3rd Philippine Energy Efficiency Forum - July 10

ECCP organized a very successful 3rd Philippine Energy Efficiency Forum in Manila with more than 350 attendees in the forum, in the exhibition area and in the seminar and the business matching section.

The Forum addressed energy efficiency across the Power Sector Value Chain from power generation through transmission / distribution to the energy consumer.

Highlights were

• The PEZA – ECCP/Energy SMART cooperation in PEZA zones, including vertical IT zones,
• The debate on Open Access – from sellers’ market to buyers’ market,
• DOE’s plans to privatize the delivery of electricity in SPUG areas,
• Legislation on Energy Conservation and city ordinances to ‘encourage’ investments in energy efficiency,
• Sustainable electricity supply at competitive prices,
• Natural gas – the efficient fuel for the future / LNG and the Batangas-Manila pipeline project,
• Reducing system losses.

On 17 July, we will offer the 2nd Philippine Energy Efficiency Forum - Cebu. Interested stakeholders in the energy sector should join us at the Radisson Blu Hotel. Please contact Cahea Ang at 032 2543767/65 or email cahea@eccp.com for more details.

Invitation to join the ECCP LGU Committee

As many members are facing challenges with Local Government Units (LGUs), ECCP is inviting members to join the new LGU Committee that will be co-chaired by an LGU expert, Atty. Dindo Garciano, a Public Administration and Local Governance expert, a lawyer, an MPA degree holder, a PhD candidate and a former Municipal Mayor with close links to the Leagues of Municipalities, Cities, and Provinces.  A closer constructive cooperation with LGUs is necessary to achieve inclusive growth, widen investment location options and create a more secure regulatory environment for doing business at the local level. We invite members who would like to discuss their LGU concerns (collectively or individually) or to share their best practices in dealing with LGUs to join the committee. Please contact Gerry Constantino at constantino@eccp.com to be included in the list of committee members.

Legislative Tracker

Cyber Crime Bill

• Pending President’s approval

Creative Industries Development Council Bill

• House: no bill filed
• Senate: Approved Committee level

Creation of the Department of Information & Communications Technology Bill

• House: Approved Third Reading
• Senate: Approved Third Reading
• Pending Bicameral

Data Privacy Bill

• Pending President’s approval

WIPO Copyright Treaty

• House: Passed Third Reading
• Senate: Pending Second Reading

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act

• House: Pending Committee level
• Senate: Pending Committee level

Anti-Trust Bill (Competition Policy)

• House: Reconsidered for Second Reading
• Senate: Approved Committee level

Common Carriers Tax Bill

• House: Approved Third Reading
• Senate: Pending Committee level

Excise Tax on alcohol, Cigarette & Tobacco bill

• House: Passed Third Reading– unfortunately with amendments that are not acceptable to us
• Senate: Pending the Committee level

Congress is on recess and will resume for the Third Regular session on July 23, 2012.
For other inquiries on legislation you may email Ms. Krystle Bagay at krystle@eccp.com