Tofarm Film Festival 2017: Planting the Seeds of Change

Wazzup Pilipinas!
 

Universal Harvester, Inc. (UHI) lights up the silver screen with six new and original films to mark the second edition of the TOFARM Film Festival.

“We are very pleased to announce that the TOFARM Film Festival 2017 bears new fruits that affirm Filipino film making genius,” says award-winner Maryo J. De Los Reyes, TOFARM Film Festival director.

“These exciting new films aim to capture a greater audience with their commercial and mass appeal, not to mention the inclusion of young and veteran actors among the cast members,” he adds.

The six official entries were chosen from more than a hundred scripts submitted to the screening committee. Shortlisting the entries alone was no easy task as the numbers of entrants rose to 113 from 76 submitted last year.

“The figures alone are a sure sign that we achieved one of our goals during the previous TOFARM Film Festival, and that is to elicit awareness and excitement among filmmakers to craft films that reflect the life of Filipino farmers,” De Los Reyes observes.

3 Transpo GOCCs Transmit P6-B Dividends to Government

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Three state-owned agencies under the Department of Transportation were among the top corporations to transmit the highest dividends to government coffers in May.

The Manila International Airport Authority remitted PHP2.26 billion, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines remitted PHP1.98 billion, and the Philippine Ports Authority remitted PHP1.95 billion worth of dividends.

The three Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) are among the top 5 state-owned companies to remit the highest dividends to the National Treasury, making up the bulk of the total PHP14.02-billion turned over to the government for 2016. The figure is around seven times higher than 2015 remitted dividends.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade instructed CAAP to remit under his term, after not turning over PHP6.31 billion worth of dividends to the National Treasury from 2011 - 2015.

Other transportation agencies among the top GOCCs to remit dividends are the Cebu Port Authority (PHP295-million) and the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (PHP170-million).

In a bid to enhance transparency and increase revenue, the Department of Finance earlier revised the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 7656 or the Dividend Law. Under the new IRR, corporate income tax returns filed with the Bureau of Internal Revenue will be used for the dividend computation.

The transparency measure is consistent with Secretary Tugade's anti-corruption efforts. He also directed revenue-generating agencies under the DOTr to improve collection in order to contribute to government funds.

“We are not just a policy-making agency. We are also generating revenue contributing to the National Treasury in order to help fund projects and programs of the administration. Kaya ang bilin ko sa GOCCs, sundin niyo ang batas at ibigay ang tama at nararapat sa gobyerno,” Tugade said.

Transportation Heads of Philippines and Germany Sign Accord on Cooperation in Maritime Transport

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade and the German Federal Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (BMVI) State Secretary Michael Odenwald signed today the Letter of Intent (LOI) on Cooperation in Maritime Transport between the Philippines and Germany.

The LOI aims to further strengthen the existing friendly ties between the Philippines and Germany in the field of maritime transport, through the expansion of activities to promote cooperation such as: conducting regular talks to discuss proposals; the development and implementation of certain projects of mutual interest; the organization of training courses in the field of business and maritime transport; exchange of information concerning the investigation of marine accidents; cooperation in marine pollution prevention; cooperation in the field of ports and maritime equipment, research, training, and staff development in the field of maritime transport.

“[This Letter of Intent] will firm the maritime relationship between the Republic of Germany and the Philippines. This document has been pending for a number of years and after that, lo and behold after barely three months we will sign the letter of intent,” DOTr Secretary Tugade said.

Earlier this year, the two leaders met in Germany where they had initial discussions on prospects and possibilities “to develop and implement projects of mutual interests, specifically in the fields of maritime, aviation, road transport, among others”.