Category: National

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Former anti-graft chief seeks audit of P245 billion flood control projects amid Metro’s massive flooding

The former chief of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) has called for a comprehensive audit of the country’s P245-billion budget for flood control projects for 2024 amid the massive flooding in the capital region following the onslaught of Super Typhoon Carina (international name Gaemi). Atty, Nicasio Conti, former commissioner of PAGC, now the chief executive officer of research firm Capstone-Intel Corp. said the current budget for flood control under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has been raised from P185 billion in 2023, reflecting commitment to address the flooding issues. “The Filipino taxpayers are hit three times for paying for ineffective flood control projects, incurring personal losses during calamities, and funding the calamity response and rehabilitation efforts,” said Conti in a statement over the weekend. He stressed that public’s trust is undermined when these services fail to deliver, especially given the significant funds allocated for flood control. “The Filipino taxpayers deserve better public infrastructure services including effective flood control projects.” Conti said people pay taxes diligently in exchange for government programs and services, including safety and security during calamities such as typhoons and widespread flooding. However, the massive flooding in Metro Manila, Rizal and Bulacan highlights the mismanagement and possible corruption within these projects. “Due to the improper use and allocation of funds for flood control caused by corruption and substandard projects, taxpayers are short-changed,” he said. The misuse of funds leads to inadequate infrastructure that fails to protect the public effectively. Conti added that families affected by the massive flooding are faced with double whammy for additional costs of rehabilitating flooded homes, damaged properties, appliances, and vehicle. “The public not only suffers from the initial flood damage but also incurs additional expenses for rehabilitation and repairs,” he said. “What is worse is that despite the allocated funds to prevent flooding, these funds are not used properly,” said Conti. The taxpayers’ money is again used for the calamity fund and rehabilitation, thus, resulting to the three-fold burden of taxpayers. the burden thrice: paying for ineffective flood control projects, incurring personal losses, and funding the calamity response and rehabilitation efforts. Atty. Conti stressed that the flood control budget for the DPWH 2024 at ₱245 billion surpassed the overall budget allocation of key executive branches, highlighting the government’s prioritization of infrastructure resilience and disaster preparedness. To illustrate: Department of Labor and Employment Php 44. 8 billion Department of Environment and Natural Resources Php 25.4 billion Department of Justice Php 26.7 billion Department of Tourism Php 2.5 billion Department of Trade and Industry Php 24.4 billion Department of Energy Php 2.2 billion Department of Science and Technology Php 24.1 billion Department of Information and Communications Technology Php 10.8 billion Department of Foreign Affairs Php 24.2 billion Department of Finance Php 32.9 billion Department of Budget and Management Php 2.5 billion Department of Agrarian Reform Php 9.3 billion     ****   For more information and interview opportunities regarding surveys, you may contact Capstone-Intel’s Research and Publications Director, Ella Kristina Domingo-Coronel at 09565711298. Capstone-Intel is a high-impact research company that uses innovative research technologies, tools, and methods to convert data and information into breakthrough insights and actionable intelligence outputs. It is committed to helping its clients solve problems, find solutions, grow markets and constituencies, build reputations, navigate risks, manage crises, and be the country’s leading private research and intelligence agency.

Former Anti-graft chief seeks regulated gaming BPOs to offset POGO revenues

The former chief of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) said the government can offset the potential revenue losses from the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) by allowing gaming Business Process Outsourcing in export processing zones to enpolsure strict regulations. Atty. Nicasio Conti, former head of PAGC, now chief executive officer of Capstone-Intel Corp. lauded the decision of President Bongbong Marcos’ decision to ban POGO operations as it has led to serious crimes of trafficking, kidnapping, tax evasion and other national security concerns. “The ban on POGOs is a commendable step towards safeguarding our national interests and ensuring a more secure and regulated gaming industry,” said Conti. He added that, “the negative implications of POGOs on our economy and society have been evident, and this decisive action will help mitigate these risks.” Conti was reacting to the concerns raised by Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda on the potential revenue losses from POGO operations. He proposed a strategic shift towards allowing gaming BPO operations in Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) and the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport (APECO). These government-attached agencies have separate mandates from PAGCOR. The former cabinet official explained that gaming BPO in export processing zones can be regulated since these areas are considered as “controlled environments.” “The transition to gaming BPOs within designated Economic Zones can offset the revenue loss from POGOs. These zones are equipped to handle such operations efficiently and with greater regulatory oversight,” Conti explained in a press release on Wednesday. Conti said PAGCOR must step up monitoring and regulations, should it decide to issue licenses and allow  Philippine Inland Gaming Operators (PIGOs). Earlier, Conti calls for the strict prohibition of gambling advertisements across all platforms to mitigate the social impact of gambling within the country. “If PAGCOR continues to oversee PIGOs, there must be rigorous monitoring and enforcement of regulations to ensure compliance. Additionally, gambling advertisements should be strictly banned in all media to protect our citizens from the potential harms of gambling,” he said.

P-pop sensation must drive growth of creatives industry – Capstone-Intel research

Research firm Capstone-Intel Corporation said government and private sector support to P-pop groups such as BINI and SB-19 can create jobs and harness the potential of the country’s creative industry. “The growing number of followers of P-pop groups such as BINI and SB-19 unlocks the potential of the creative sector, which is now a source of multi-million dollar revenues in countries such as South Korea, Japan and other countries,” said Ella Kristina Coronel, research director of Capstone-Intel Corporation. The firm conducted a year-on-year sentiment analysis of the top five P-pop groups, with BINI ranking the highest with more than six million engagement score based on the year-on-year sentiment analysis along with BGYO, SB19, VXON, and G22. The scan of available 15,691 Facebook posts about BINI gained a total of 35.2 million reactions, of which 80 percent were “love.” These posts generated 754,634 comments, 2,578,833 shares, resulting in an engagement score of 6,182,904.0. Coronel said the strong social media presence and positive sentiment on P-pop groups from Filipinos online is promising not only for the entertainment but the entire creative industry. These include graphic design, film and video, crafts, fashion, TV and radio, advertising, literature, as well as music and performing arts. She said  the academe, fashion and talent schools can also benefit from the P-pop wave similar to those in Korea and Thailand. Coronel said most members of these P-pop groups went through long-term rigorous training and undergo constant engagement  with fans and the public. The post with the highest number of “love” reactions was about the graduation of BINI Colet and BINI Maloi Senior High School, garnering 323,424 “love” reactions and 42,347 “like” reactions. Also, a student from Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) Visayas created a short clip of BINI Maloi dancing was shared heavily by students to inspire them to pass while taking the final exam. From July 2, 2023, to July 2, 2024, Capstone-Intel Corporation analyzed social media data to understand how Filipino Facebook users perceive five popular P-Pop groups: BINI, BGYO, SB19, VXON, and G22, based on posts, reactions, comments, shares, and overall engagement. “Overall, Filipino Facebook users showed significant interest and positive sentiment towards these P-Pop groups, with BINI and SB19 receiving the most engagement,” said Coronel. “Love” reactions were the most common across all groups, indicating a strong fan base and favorable receptions, she said. Meanwhile, SB19 had 15,118 posts for the same period, which gathered 24.3 million reactions and a high engagement score of 3.9million, while VXON had 855 posts which generated 79,543 reactions and an engagement score of 18,713. Also, there were about 3,924 posts about BGYO which generated 1.2 reactions, and an engagement score of 257,208.  Lastly, there were 1,811 posts about G22, which generated 177,199 reactions and a total of 34,316 engagement score. Coronel cited a study by Deloitte, a global auditing firm which indicated that around 20 million jobs were generated by the sector in 2020 in six European economies-UK, France, Italy, Spain and Turkey; and three large economies in Asia Pacific- Japan- South Korea and Australia “The P-pop wave highly speaks of Filipino culture, thus, should be nurtured by the government and private sector through investments.” She added that the P-pop songs draw closer to the hearts of millions of Filipinos at home and those living and working abroad.”   ****   For more information and interview opportunities regarding surveys, you may contact Capstone-Intel’s Research and Publications Director, Ella Kristina Domingo-Coronel at 09565711298. Capstone-Intel is a high-impact research company that uses innovative research technologies, tools, and methods to convert data and information into breakthrough insights and actionable intelligence outputs. It is committed to helping its clients solve problems, find solutions, grow markets and constituencies, build reputations, navigate risks, manage crises, and be the country’s leading private research and intelligence agency.

Former anti-graft official urges strict rules on gambling Ads

The former Commissioner of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) is seeking legislative measures to regulate advertisements on gambling, similar to the stringent controls on tobacco and smoking citing damaging impact of addiction to families and individuals. Atty. Nicasio Conti, former commissioner of PAGC, now the CEO of Capstone-Intel Corp. said there is a need to acknowledge the pervasive harm brought by gambling, thus, the need to prevent all its advertisements. “Just as we recognize the devastating health impacts of smoking and imposed strict advertising bans, we must do the same for gambling to protect our society, especially the most vulnerable,” said Atty. Conti in a press statement. He said gambling is parallel to smoking which is widely known for causing severe health problems such as cancer, heart disease, and respiratory issues. The addictive nature of nicotine leads to a high prevalence of smoking-related diseases, placing a significant burden on healthcare systems. Similarly, gambling leads to addiction that can devastate individuals and families. Gambling, he said is also linked to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies. He stressed that the economic losses on the two vices are similar. Smoking results in substantial healthcare costs on illnesses and loss of productivity, while gambling causes severe financial problems, including debt and bankruptcy. “The economic fallout extends to increased social services and law enforcement costs due to gambling-related crimes,” said Conti. The social consequences of smoking and gambling are severe. Second-hand smoke endangers non-smokers, while gambling erodes family stability, leading to breakdowns in relationships, neglect of responsibilities, and, in some cases, domestic violence. Atty. Conti emphasized the urgent need for comprehensive regulations on gambling advertisements to mitigate these harms. “Our society has rightly decided to limit the promotion of smoking to protect public health. We must now apply the same principles to gambling,” he stated. He said the government must call on the complete ban on all gambling advertisements and institute awareness campaigns on the risks of gambling. Furthermore, he emphasized the need for strict licensing requirements for gambling operators and rigorous monitoring and enforcement of advertising regulations. “The evidence is clear: gambling, like smoking, poses significant risks to our society,” Atty. Conti said. “By regulating gambling advertisements, we can take a critical step towards protecting our citizens, preserving family structures, and maintaining social order. It’s time for our lawmakers to act decisively and put the well-being of our people first.”     ****   For more information and interview opportunities regarding surveys, you may contact Capstone-Intel’s Research and Publications Director, Ella Kristina Domingo-Coronel at 09565711298. Capstone-Intel is a high-impact research company that uses innovative research technologies, tools, and methods to convert data and information into breakthrough insights and actionable intelligence outputs. It is committed to helping its clients solve problems, find solutions, grow markets and constituencies, build reputations, navigate risks, manage crises, and be the country’s leading private research and intelligence agency.

Pinoys online resort to prayers amid tensions in West Philippine Sea

As tensions rise in the West Philippine Sea, more Filipinos on social media resort to prayers for the peaceful resolution of the territorial disputes, according to the latest sentiment analysis conducted by Capstone-Intel Corporation. The territorial disputes issue was widely discussed online with up to 360 daily posts or a total of 2,323 posts within the period June 18-25, with reactions reaching 595,159 based on the social media scan of publicly available Facebook data. The Facebook post on ‘Oratio Imperata Grave Tension in the West Philippine Sea’ of the Philippine Catholic Churches gained the highest positive reactions with 3,700 love and 3,100 likes. At the same time, Palawan News’ Facebook post about the “Monster” ship of the China Coast Guard (CCG) triggered the highest angry reactions at 9,800 as well as 21,000 sad reactions. Of the 2,323 posts on Facebook about the West Philippine Sea, 40 percent likes, 13 percent love, 16 percent haha, 1 percent wow, 20 percent sad and the remaining 10 percent are angry. The engagement score is computed as (comments+reactions)0.1+shares. The most engaging post is Oratio Imperata in Time of Grave Tension in the West Philippine Sea from the Facebook page of the Philippine Catholic Churches obtained with highest engagement score of 33,952, followed by Palawan News at 19,037. At the same time, the news on the Chinese largest vessel near El Nido triggered more sadness than anger based on the emoticon data. In fact, the post with the highest angry has 21,000 sad and 9,800 angry reactions respectively. “The very high engagement score of 33,000 on ‘Oratio Imperata’ compared with the Palawan News’ post on China’s Monster vessel is very telling that Filipinos would resort to prayers than being enraged on the issue,” said Atty. Nicasio Conti, chief executive officer of Capstone-Intel Corp. in a press release. Also, the sentiment analysis report on the West Philippine Sea reveals that Filipinos are highly concerned about the country’s welfare on territorial disputes with China and show their love for the Philippines. The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country, with more than 80 percent of its population as Catholics. Last May, Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) called for a ‘stubborn’ civilian presence as a peaceful resolution to the territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea “instead of a joint military show-of-force.”   **** For more information and interview opportunities regarding surveys, you may contact Capstone-Intel’s Research and Publications Director, Ella Kristina Domingo-Coronel at 09565711298. Capstone-Intel is a high-impact research company that uses innovative research technologies, tools, and methods to convert data and information into breakthrough insights and actionable intelligence outputs. It is committed to helping its clients solve problems, find solutions, grow markets and constituencies, build reputations, navigate risks, manage crises, and be the country’s leading private research and intelligence agency.