PH to strengthen financial system’s legal framework
LUNGSOD NG BATANGAS--Naging positibo ang pagtanggap ng local at international business community sa Batangas City Investment Forum na itinaguyod ng United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at pamahalaang lungsod noong December 11 sa Intercontinental Manila, Makati City upang hikayatin ang mga ito na mag negosyo sa lungsod.
Ayon kay Dr Elton See Tan, Chairman, President & COO ng E-Hotels Group and E International Group, “very impressed” sila sa naturang business forum at sa investment efficiency ng lungsod kayat nilalayon nilang magtayo ng negosyo dito. Binigyan sya ng symbolic key bilang simbolo ng pasasalamat ng Batangas City sa tulong ng USAID sa pagpapaunlad ng pamumuhay ng mga Batangueno.
Lumagda din sa MOA ang Batangas City sa pamamagitan ni Mayor Eddie Dimacuha at ang Philippine Azkals owner na si Dan Palami kung saan mabibigyan ng pagkakataon na magamit ng koponan ang stadium at track oval ng lungsod sa kanilang mga training at practice kapalit ng pagsasagawa nila ng football clinic para sa mga Batangueno at ang pagdadaos dito ng mga local at international football competitions.
.... p.5
Ang Batangas City ang isa sa tatlong secondary cities na tinutulungan ng USAID upang maging investment destination sa ilalim ng programa nitong Cities Development Initiative (CDI) – Investment Enabling Environment (INVEST) Project. Ito ay dahilan sa malaking potensyal ng lungsod bilang growth center sa Region 1V.
Sa pamamagitan ng isang power point presentation, “Why Batangas City”, binanggit ng chief of staff ng Office of the Mayor na si Atty. Victor Reginald Dimacuha ang mga dahilan kung bakit dapat mamuhunan sa lungsod. Isa dito ang natural endowments kagaya ng proximity sa Manila, coastal assets at fertile land . Nariyan din ang well-connected road network, pagkakaroon ng Batangas International Port at human capital na bunga ng mahuhusay na learning institutions sa lungsod. Malaking factors din anya ang business-friendly environment, pagiging green city at ang pakiramdam na “it’s fun in Batangas City” kung saan isa sa nagpapasaya dito ang mga community cultural acitivities.
Tinalakay din niya ang mga improvements na ginagawa ng pamahalaang lungsod sa imprastraktura, pag-aangat ng edukasyon at konstruksyon ng mga karagdagang school buildings, industry-academe linkage upang masolusyunan ang job-skills mismatch at pakikipag-ugnayan sa bagong tatag na Batangas City Business Club upang tumugon sa pangangailangan ng negosyo. Patuloy din ang reporma sa business registration upang higit itong maging efficient at ang pagbabanghay ng mas angkop at epektibong development plans at policies. Ang mga investment areas naman na pwedeng pasukin ng mga negosyante ay ang industriya, agrikultura, imprastraktura, turismo at human resources.
Sinabi naman ni Dr Bernardo Villegas, direktor ng Research and Communication Center for Research and Communication, na ang Pilipinas ang “new tiger of Asia”. Dahilan sa bumubuting lagay ng ekonomiya ng bansa, sinabi ni Villegas na ayon sa Wider World in 2050 Report ng HSBC, ang Pilipinas ang ika-16 na bansa na maagkakaroon ng largest economy sa taong 2050 at isa ang Batangas City na makikinabang dito kung saan ito ay inihahanda bilang alternative Metropolitan area sa Luzon.
Nagbigay ng keynote address ang USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia Gregory Beck kung saan pinuri niya ang mahahalagang reporma na ipinatupad ng pamahalaang lungsod sa business registration sa pamamagitan ng enhanced Business One Stop Shop o BOSS na malaki ang maitutulong sa economic growth. Idinagdag pa niya na ang naturang forum ang syang magiging simula ng mas maraming investment at trade promotions sa Batangas City.
Isang open forum din ang isinagawa kung saan nagpaliwanag ang ilang industry leaders sa mga opurtunidad para sa kaunlaran at kabuhaya ng lungsod. Ang mga ito ay sina AGAP Partylist Representative Rico Geron na sya ring general manager ng Soro-soro Ibaba Development Cooperative( SIDC); Francis Giles Puno, president and chief operating officer ng First Gen Corporation; Ms Cecile Batalla, Vice President ng Human Resources ng Atlantic Gulf and Pacific Company Inc (AG&P); Mr Sean Perez, VP ng Commercial and Marketing ng Asian Terminals Inc; Ms Fely Ramos, Senior VP & COO ng Pontefino Hotel & Residences; Atty. Bernard Mayo, Regent ng University of Batangas at ng Executive Director ng American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines na si Mr David Hinchliffe.
Nagbigay din ng mensahe si Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Gregory Domingo na kinatawan ni Undersecretary Nora Terrado kung saan binati niya ang Batangas City sa layuin nitong maging world-class dahil sa natural na kasipagan ng mga Batangueno.
Tampok din sa forum ang paglagda sa Memorandum of Agreement sa pagitan ng Batangas State University (BSU) na kinatawan ni Dr Nora Magnaye at AG&P na kinatawan ni Cecile Batalla para sa isang industry-academe consortium na naglalayong matugunan ang problema sa job-skills mismatch upang mapalago ang employment capability ng mga taga lunsod.
Malaki naman ang magiging pakinabang ng paglagda sa MOA ng DTI at mga lungsod ng Batangas, Iloilo at Cagayan de Oro sa koneksyon sa Philippine Business Registry (PBR) sapagkat malaki ang maitutulong na mapatala dito lalo na yaong mga bagong bukas na negosyo. Ang Batangas City ang unang syudad sa Southern Luzon na napabilang sa PBR. (Ronna Contreras, PIO-Batangas City/PIA-Batangas)
Agri-tourism travel
guide in the works in
Calabarzon region...p.2
Stricter
management in
NAIA to maximize
flights
DOH strictly monitoring
Zika virus infections...
p.3
p.5
Kapirasong Kritika..p.4
VOLUME XXXIX
No. 22 Mayo 18-24, 2016
P6.00
Mga kabataan ng Tanauan binigyan ng
pagkilala sa larangan ng palakasan
TANAUAN CITY, Batangas Kasabay ng isinagawang Flag
Ceremony ng Pamahalaang
Lungsod ng Tanauan na kung
saan ay pinangunahan ni
City Administrator at ng mga
Department Heads ang Pag awit
ng Lupang Hinirang.
Sa
pangunguna
ni
Mayor Thony C Halili at Vice
Mayor Jhoanna Corona kasama
ang Sangguniang Panlungsod
at ng Liga ng Mga Barangay sa
pamumuno ni ABC President
Polmak L Fajardo ay sama
samang dumalo sa isinagawang
Flag Ceremony kasama ang mga
Empleyado ng Pamahalaang
Lungsod ng Tanauan.
Binigyan naman ng
Pagkilala ang mga Kabataang
sundan sa pahina 2
4Ps should be refined before
institutionalized – PIDS expert
Ang mga kabataan ng Tanauan na binigyan ng parangal
CONVERGENCE: Government and CSO Partnership
to Address the Needs of Batangueños thru BUB
NAG-ULAT ang Local Poverty
Reduction Action Team(LPRAT)
ng Batangas City ng mga
proyektong naipatupad nito
mula ng ilunsad sa lungsod ang
Bottom-Up-Budgeting(BUB) ng
pamahalaang nasyonal noong
2013 sa layuning matugunan ang
problema sa kahirapan.
Ito
ay
isinagawa
sa pamamagitan ng isang
programa na tinawag na “
CONVERGENCE: Government
and CSO Partnership to Address
the Needs of Batangueños thru
BUB” na ginanap noong March
2 sa Batangas City Convention
Center sa pangangasiwa ng
Dept. of Interior and Local
Government(DILG) sa lungsod.
Ang BUB ay isang
poverty alleviation program na
pamahalaang nasyonal kung saan
ang mga higit na nangangailangan
ang siya mismong nagpaplano
ng mga proyektong kailangan
nila. Ito ay naiibang stratehiya sa
dati kung saan ang pagpaplano
at pagpapatupad ng mga
poverty alleviation projects ay
nanggagaling sa pamahalaang
nasyonal pababa sa mga local
government units(LGUs).
Isa
ang
Batangas
City sa mga LGUs na naging
kwalipikado sa BUB na inilunsad
sa ilalim ng panunungkulan ni
dating Mayor Vilma Dimacuha.
Nagbuo siya ng LPRAT na ang
mga miyembro ay kinabibilangan
ng magkasing dami ng kinatawan
ng pamahalaan at ng civil society
organizations(CSOs) alinsunod
sa BUB. Sila ang tumutulong sa
mga mahihirap upang magkaroon
ng boses sa pagpaplano at
pagpapatupad ng mga kailangang
proyekto. Nakapagbalangkas ang
team ng Local Poverty Reduction
Action Plan(LPRAP).
Sa bawat proyektong
sundan sa pahina 3
President Aquino meets with Singaporean
hotelier in Malacañang
VETERAN
hotelier
Jennie Chua of Singapore,
accompanied by Jollibee Foods
Corp. founder and chairman
Tony Tan Caktiong, paid a
courtesy call on President
Benigno S. Aquino III at the
Palace on Friday.
Also present during
the courtesy call were Trade
Secretary Adrian Cristobal,
Jr., Communication Secretary
Herminio Coloma, Jr., and
Finance Undersecretary Ma.
Lourdes Recente.
Chua is a shareholder
of Beeworks, which in 2012
signed an agreement with
Jollibee Foods’ Golden Plate
subsidiary to bring the Philippine
fast-food giant to Singapore.
Beeworks, which Chua
cofounded in 2012 with two
other veterans of the lifestyle and
hospitality industries, controls 40
percent of the joint venture called
Golden Beeworks. Golden Plate
owns the remaining 60 percent
stake in the company.
Some 200,000 Filipinos
are working or living in
Singapore.
In March 2013, Jollibee
opened a branch in Lucky Plaza at
Orchard Road, which is a favorite
hang-out among Filipinos.
Founded
by
Tan
Caktiong and his family, Jollibee
is the largest fast-food chain
in the Philippines, operating
a network of more than 750
stores across the country. A
dominant market leader in
the Philippines, it enjoys the
lion’s share of the local market
that is more than all the other
multinational brands combined.
The company has also
embarked on an aggressive
international expansion plan
in the United States, Vietnam,
Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia,
Qatar, and Brunei, firmly
establishing itself as a growing
international quick service
restaurants player.
In response to calls to
institutionalize the government’s
conditional cash transfer program
or the Pantawid Pamilyang
Pilipino Program (4Ps), an expert
from state think tank Philippine
Institute for Development Studies
(PIDS) stressed that the targeting
of the 4Ps should first be refined
to
make it more effective in
reducing poverty.
In a briefing on the status of
poverty, inequality, employment,
and health in the context of
social protection programs held
at the House of Representatives,
PIDS Senior Research Fellow
Celia Reyes pointed out that
institutionalizing the 4Ps will
have massive implications on
the national budget. Thus, she
asserted that policymakers should
first refine the 4Ps by identifying
areas in the program that need to
be improved.
Reyes noted that programs
like the 4Ps have produced
encouraging results and was even
ranked by the World Bank as one
of the “best-targeted social safety
net programs in the world” in its
2015 report.
“The proportion of children
attending school has been
increasing over time. This
is something that is actually
consistent,”
acknowledged
Reyes. However, she noted that
the potential impact of such
programs can be stunted when
certain conditionalities are not
fully considered.
“Initially, while the 4Ps was
designed to assist children ages
6-14 years old, it has been noted
that the school participation rate
for that age group is already very
high. It is really in the older group
where you have the problem,”
explained Reyes.
She also noted a huge disparity
between the proportions of
children aged 16-18 years old
who are attending school in
the poorest decile compared to
children of the same age group in
the richest decile.
“As we would expect, the average
years of schooling would increase
with income. So, that’s eleven
years average schooling for those
belonging in the richest decile,
and only about five years for those
belonging in the poorest decile.
If you wanted to provide some
assistance, you would really need
to target the poorest,” suggested
Reyes.
Aside from targeting the poorest,
Reyes
suggested
shifting
resources.
“If you want to finetune the
program, we would need to shift
the assistance from elementary to
high school, and probably revisit
the amount of grants that we give
to high school,” recommended
Reyes.
In relation to the need to help
young and poor Filipinos attend
high school, Reyes presented
a comparison of average daily
wage rates based on the level of
education. It is no surprise that
high school graduates earn higher
income at about PHP 284 a day,
higher than those who are not high
school graduates at only about
PHP 171 per day. Meanwhile,
those who are college graduates
earn around PHP 623 pesos
per day while those who have
completed post-graduate studies
earn around PHP 1,216 per day.
Reyes clarified she is not
recommending to extend the 4Ps
to tertiary. However, she advised
policymakers to explore ways to
link up 4Ps recipients and broaden
their opportunity of reaching
tertiary level of education. She
iterated looking at the possibility
of shifting resources from
sundan sa pahina 2
BALITA
Mayor Eduardo Dimacuha at CONVERGENCE, Government and CSO Partnership
Duterte ...
mula sa pahina 8
He recalled that in one of his
Based
on
Duterte’s talks with Duterte during the
pronouncements and actions, so campaign, Sison had asked why
far, he said Duterte seems “in the candidates were not debating
large part progressive, and in part about the economic crisis.
(hopefully just minor and small) “It’s as if they have
compromising
with
classes no inkling of the current global
different from the masses.”
economic crisis,” said Sison.
“You can’t be president Sison
referred
to
without compromising,” said the “kabalbalan ni Aquino”
Sison, who also cited the (shenanigans of Aquino), citing
“political fact of life” observed PRESIDENT
Aquino wants
Aquino’s
stupendous
debtin Philippine politics that the the
Supreme
Court
to clarify the
bingeing, the repayment
of
of be
Senator
Juan
Ponce
president typically attracts the parameters
which would
exacted
from
the
issue worsening
because it has
majority, and that he or she has to Enrile’s
country, bail
thereby
the
been
granted
on
new
grounds, a
forge a coalition to push his or her crisis even more.
Palace official said on Saturday.
proposed reforms.
He warned that because
“I think for the President
The Manila government of that crisis,
some kung
hot money
it has to be clarified
paano
is facing a crisis, Sison noted. have been flowing out of the
ba ‘yung galaw ng bail na ‘yan,”
country since 2014.
As with past economic
crunch, that crisis is expected
to bite painfully especially the
masses of people who are always
forced to bear the brunt of every
crisis (from lower wages to high
prices).
“Duterte
can
get
excellent advice via the peace
negotiations”, Sison said. He
added that with the policies on
social and economic reforms the
National Democratic Front of the
Philippines had drafted, Duterte’
incoming administration would
benefit from the research-based
proposals on various ways the
country could weather the crisis
and still achieve development for
the people. (Bulatlat.com)
Agri-tourism travel guide
in the works in Calabarzon
spots, historical landmarks and
region
the learning sites established and
CALAMBA CITY – A travel
guide that features agri-tourism
sittes,
famous
agricultural
products, scenic spots and agri
festival will soon be available
courtesy of the Agricultural
Training Institute (ATI) and the
Department of Tourism in Region
IV-A.
The ATI and DOT,
through Director Marites Cosico
and DOT Regional Director
Rebecca Labit, recently signed a
memorandum of understanding
(MOU) for the production of a
Regional Farm Tourism Travel
Guide (RFTTG).
The RFTTG, set for
release on October 26, will also
feature information Farmers’
Information and Technology
Services
(FITS)
centers,
Magsasaka Siyentistas (MS),
agricultural related festivals,
famous agricultural products/
commodities, map, tourist/scenic
Mga...
Tanaueño na nagbigay ng mga
Karangal sa iba’t ibang Larangan
ng Palakasan.
Tinalo
ng
Sagwan
Tanauan sa isinagawang 4th
Leg ng Paddles Up Dragon
Boat Competition na isinagawa
sa Subic, ng Talunin nila ang
Pinakamalakas ng team ang
Philippine
Marines
kung
kaya sila ang tinanghal na
Kampeon,kasama ang nagtatagng
Sagwan Tanauan na si Mr
Tony Pelayo na syang palaging
gumagabay sa mga mananagwan
SSS outperforms investment benchmarks,
development loans (2.9 percent).
earns over P28-B in 2015
4Ps ...
“Real estate, while only about five
THE Social Security System
(SSS) attained a full-year
investment income of P28.65
billion last year while its return
on investments (ROI) reached
6.9 percent, outpacing key market
indicators such as the 10-year
Treasury bond and 364-day T-bill
rates which averaged 4.0 percent
and 2.1 percent, respectively.
SSS Executive Vice
President for Investments Sector
Rizaldy T. Capulong noted that
the agency’s ROI last year also
remained ahead of national
economic indicators, particularly
the 5.8 percent growth in gross
domestic product (GDP) and 1.4
percent inflation rate for 2015.
“Our
investment
activities are guided by SSS
charter and adhere to the
principles of safety, good yield
and liquidity. SSS performance
under present management has
consistently
outdone
major
investment benchmarks, and we
continue to do our best amid the
prevailing market conditions,”
Capulong said.
From 2011 to 2015,
the SSS annual ROI averaged
9.1 percent, outperforming the
five-year annual averages of 5.9
percent for the GDP growth, 4.8
percent for the 10-year T-bond,
3.3 percent for the inflation rate,
and 1.8 percent for the 364-day
T-bill.
Government securities,
the largest contributor to SSS
Deputy presidential spokesperson
Abigail Valte said in a radio
interview.
Valte told dzRB Radyo
ng Bayan that the President
wanted
to earnings
clarify everything
investment
at 38.6
about
the
SC’s
decision
to free
percent, registered
a 7.1 percent
Enrile
on
bail.
ROI and brought in P11.05 billion
“Marami
hong
last year, improving on the P10.98
kailangan
pang
klaruhin.
At
the
billion earned in 2014. Combined
very
least,
ang
utos
ng
Pangulo
income
from
government
diyan
ay aralin
ang desisyon
at
securities
and equities
make up
tingnan kung
ano ang
susunod
two-thirds
or P19.18
billion
of the
na hakbang,”
she told Radyo
ng
entire
SSS investment
earnings
Bayan.
for
2015.
Valte
said the
decision
“Equity
investments
have
been
generating
good
of
SC on
Enrile’s
case becomes
returns
the that
funds
of our
part
of itsfor
doctrine
all lawyers
members,
earningP8.13
can
use in their
pleadings billion
in the
last year
the ROI
reached
future
andwhile
this needs
clarification.
8.2 percent
despite theof3.9
“My
understanding
it percent
is that
PSEi doctrine
(Philippineshould
Stock Exchange
this
apply to
Index) decline
in 2015.
Equities
everyone
unless
the Supreme
accounted for 28.4 percent of our
total investment income last year,
sa pahina
1
and remain mula
a major
component
in our investment strategies,”
Capulong said.
Earnings from salary
loans amounted to P4.86 billion,
higher than P4.79 billion the
previous year, on the back of a 7.8
percent ROI. Meanwhile, income
from corporate notes and bonds
rose from P1.03 billion in 2014 to
P1.41 billion last year with nearly
a five percent ROI.
The P426.66-billion SSS
investment portfolio is currently
comprised
of
government
securities (39.9 percent), equities
(23.0 percent), salary loans
(15.6 percent), corporate notes
and bonds (8.0 percent), bank
deposits (5.9 percent), real estate
(4.7 percent), and housing and
percent of the SSS investment
portfolio, contributed P2.2 billion
or seven percent of the total SSS
investment income last year. Real
estate also recorded the highest
ROI among the different types
of SSS investments in 2015,”
Capulong observed.
The
SSS,
through
its
investments,
supports
the government’s economic
and social programs such as
education, infrastructure, water,
communications, power and
electrification.
The
pension
fund generated earnings of over
P11 billion last year from its
investments with the government,
which is SSS’ biggest borrower.
“Earnings of about P10
billion came from SSS placements
in the private sector, including
some P3 billion in stable cash
dividends from financial, power
and utility companies,” Capulong
said.
About 1.5 million SSS
members benefited from salary
loan releases in 2015 alone, while
over 70,000 student-beneficiaries
have availed themselves of SSS
Educational Assistance Loans as
of end-2015.
SSS
investment
decisions are supervised by the
Investment Oversight Committee
(IOC) and Risk Management
Committee (RMC) of the Social
Security Commission, which
serves as the SSS governing
board and highest policy-making
Mayo 18-24, 2016
assisted by ATI.
In a message, Labit said:
“A partnership is always welcome.
We saw success in convergent
efforts of agencies. We have to
strengthen the partnership.”
Dr. Rolando Maningas,
Information Officer and Jamila
Monette B. Balmeo, Information
Officer ATI IV-A along with
Marites Castro, chief of tourism
operations
office,
Basilisa
Mendoza, supervising tourism
operations officer (TOO), Mario
R. Daga, senior TOO and Joseph
Lazaro, TOO II witnessed the
MOU signing.
Meanwhile,
experts
from both agencies were also
identified namely Mr. Daga of
DOT IV-A and Ms. Mariel Celeste
C. Dayanghirang, project officer
and the Information Services
Section of ATI IV-A. (MCA/
Jamila Monette Balmeo, ATI-4A)
mula pahina 1
na Tanaueño.
Binigyan
din
ng
pagkilala
ang
dalawang
Tanaueña ng miyembro ng
Lady Spikers ng De La Salle na
nagkampeon sa katatapos UAAP
Season 78 Women’s Volleyball
Championship, na sina Dawn
NIcole Lirio Macandili at Maria
Mikaela S. Esperanza.
Sila ang mga Kabataan
na nagiging huwaran n kanilang
mga kapwa Kabataan upang
magpursige sa kani kanilang mga
Larangan upang magtagumpay.
mula pahina 1
elementary to high school and
strengthening support at the high
school level as a policy starting
point.
Moreover, Reyes also
emphasized that there should
be different interventions or
programs for chronic poor, or
those people living in poverty
over extended period of time, and
for transient poor, or those who
move in and out of poverty.
“Addressing the needs
of the chronic poor requires
structural and long term solutions
like investing in education and
human capital strategies. The
transient poor, on the other
hand, require a different and
more specific approach, not
to mention the policy input of
other government agencies and
sectors—like labor, finance,
and disaster resilience—which
are just as equally important to
combating poverty,” Reyes said.
“Studies show that
there has been a slight decline in
poverty incidence in recent years,
but the actual number of poor
people has increased due to rapid
population growth. Policymakers
must tailor solutions to minimize
the occurrence of poverty because
poor people are not uniform and
their needs are not uniform as
well,” Reyes concluded.
body.
“Functions of the IOC
include ensuring our compliance
with the SSS Charter’s provisions
on the investment of reserve
funds, and spearheading the
development and adoption of
guidelines to ensure transparency
in the investment performance of
SSS. The RMC, meanwhile, is
tasked to ensure SSS’ compliance
with risk management policies
and
practices,”
Capulong
explained.
Limitations on the SSS
reserve funds allotted per type
of investment are specified under
the SSS Charter, namely 40
percent for private securities, 35
percent for housing, 30 percent in
real estate, 10 percent in short and
medium term member loans, 30
percent in government financial
institutions and corporations, 30
percent in infrastructure projects,
15 percent in any particular
industry, and 7.5 percent in
foreign currency dominated
investments.
“While SSS investments
are performing well, even in spite
of a down market, these cannot
be expected to adequately fund
substantial benefit increases such
as the proposed P2,000 pension
hike, which would require an
extra payout of least P56 billion
annually, nearly double our entire
investment income for 2015,”
Capulong noted.
Mayo 18-24, 2016
DOH strictly monitoring Zika
bite. If the public
virus infections mosquito
observe cleanliness, there will be
THE Palace made an assurance
on Saturday that it is strictly
monitoring Zika virus in the
country following reports of
recent infections.
In a radio interview
Saturday,
Communications
Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr
said the Department of Health is
on top of the situation.
“Nakikita
naman
natin Lany na masigasig ang
ating Department of Health sa
pangunguna ni Secretary Janette
Garin sa pagsubaybay at pagtutok
sa lahat ng kaso. Kaya’t agad
na na-detect at nai-report, naquarantine, nagamot, na-identify
kahit na nangibang-bansa na
sila,” he told dzRB Radyo ng
Bayan.
The DOH is also
coordinating with other centers
for disease prevention in other
countries to fight the virus, he
said.
There is also a need to
understand the nature of Zika
virus. Like dengue fever, Zika
virus is transmitted through
CONVERGENCE
no transmission of Zika virus or
other diseases.
“Kaya lahat ng ‘yan
dapat ay pagtuunan natin ng
pansin at handang-handa naman
ang ating pamahalaan, maagap
at masipag ang ating Department
of Health at ang mga ahensya
nito sa pagharap sa mga virus at
sa iba pang mga banta sa ating
kalusugan,” he said.
Coloma also said the
public must also support DOH
especially after the launched
of AIDS hour aimed at raising
awareness about the disease.
Part of the government
initiative
is
disseminating
information about HIV and AIDS
to warn the public about the virus.
“Pagtulungan
po
natin ‘yan, nag-uumpisa po
sa awareness, nag-uumpisa sa
kamalayan na kung ano ang
dapat gawin, kung isasapuso
natin ito ay mas madali nating
mapagtutulungan ang pagtugon
sa banta ng HIV virus at ng
AIDS,” Coloma said.
...
popondohan ng pamahalaang
nasyonal ay may counterpart
funds ang pamahalaang lokal.
Sa
nasabing
CONVERGENCE
program,
dumalo ang mga opisyales
ng pamahalaang lungsod sa
pangunguna ni Mayor Eduardo
Dimacuha at may 56 na CSOs
na miyembro ng LPRAT kung
saan sila ay pinagkalooban ng
certificates of recognition ng
DILG. Dumalo rin ang mga
beneficiaries ng iba’t ibang
proyekto. Tinanggap ng mga
graduates ng skills training ang
kanilang mga certificates of
completion.
Sa pamamagitan ng
isang audio-visual presentation,
ipinakita rito ang iba’t ibang
proyektong ipinatupad mula
2014-2015. Kabilang dito ang
mga proyektong pinangasiwaan
ng City Social Welfare and
Development Office kagaya
ng supplemental feeding na
pinondohan ng P936,000 para
sa may 750 day care children
sa 81 barangay sa loob ng 120
araw upang maiwasan ang
malnutrisyon; pagkakaloob ng
dalawang sako ng bigas bawat
pamilya sa may 870 pamilya
sa loob ng isang taon sa budget
na P696,000; P6,000 one timesocial pension o P500 bawat
buwan sa mga katandaan na may
edad 77 taon pataas sa loob ng
isang taon; at physical devices
kagaya ng saklay at wheelchair sa
may 190 persons with disabilities.
May 25 out-of-school-youth
ang tinuruan ng mga livelihood
skills kagaya ng cosmetology,
hair-cutting,
flower-making,
candle-making, food preservation
at fabric conditioner and
dishwashing
liquid-making.
Binigyan din sila ng mga kit upang
may magamit sila sa pagsisimula
ng isang pagkakakitaan.
Sa
ilalim
ng
pangangasiwa ng Office of the
mula pahina 1
City Veterinary and Agricultural
Services, may 29 mangingisda
ang binigyan ng tig-isang bangka
na pinondohan ng P200,000.
Isang milyong piso naman ang
inilaan sa pagtuturo sa may
50 magsasaka sa paggawa ng
organic fertilizer sa pamamagitan
ng vermicomposting.
Naglaan naman ng P6
milyon para sa pagsasanay sa
Technical Education and Skills
Development Authhority ng
may 1,500 scholars sa welding,
pipefitting, electrical installation
at scaffolding.
Sa sektor ng edukasyon,
P1.4 milyon ang inilaan para sa
pag-aaral sa Alternative Learning
System ng may 1,200 na out-ofschool-youth at mga kababaihan.
Sa imprastraktura, naipagawa
ang P1.1 milyong farm-tomarket road sa Barangay De la
Paz Proper patungong De la Paz
Pulot Aplaya. Kasalukuyan ding
ginagawa ang E-Learning Center
na gagamitin ng mga estudyante
sa Julian Pastor Memorial
Elementary School.
Binati ng panauhing
si Asst. Secretary for Plans and
Programs at DILG Regional
Director
Josefina
CastillaGo ang LPRAT ng Batangas
City sa naging mahusay na
accomplishment nito at sa
matagumpay na pagsasagawa
ng CONVERGENCE Program
na pinag-isipan pa lang aniya na
gawin sa central office ay nauna
na ang lungsod. Sinabi rin niya na
gagawin itong modelo ng DILG
para sa ibang LGUs na may BUB.
Ayon sa kanya, nakapagbigay na
ang pamahalaang nasyonal ng
kabuuang P50 milyon para sa
BUB ng lungsod at sa taong ito
ay magkakaloob ng karagdagang
pondo para dito..
Nakatakdang ipatupad
ang Barangay BUB sa Batangas
City sa susunod na taon.(PIO,
Batangas City)
BALITA
3rd Timpalak Talumpatian ng CRO, Tagumpay
A year ...
mula sa pahina 8
To mark the first year of the
Kentex factory fire, workers led
by national labor center Kilusang
Mayo Uno, together with
survivors and family members of
victims in the Justice for Kentex
Workers Alliance, held a mass
and a protest program outside
the factory’s gates in Barangay
Ugong, Valenzuela City morning
of May 13. They said justice
remains elusive to the victims’
families and the survivors, and
government policies regarding
contractualization and workplace
safety remain in place.
The hearing for the
criminal cases the workers and
survivors filed started only nine
months after the fire, and nothing
has yet happened to the case.
“The country’s justice
system and the government make
it very clear that they consider
workers’ lives very cheap. Justice
for the victims and survivors is
being denied and lessons from the
tragedy remain unheeded,” said
Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog, KMU
chairperson.
Business owners, govt
officials scot-free Labog said
the Department of Justice has
been very slow in acting on the
criminal charges filed by the
families of the victims and the
survivors against capitalists Ong
King Guan and Beato Ang.
The
Ombudsman,
meanwhile, “is sitting on the
administrative complaints that
were filed by the families of the
victims and the survivors against
Labor
Secretary
Rosalinda
Baldoz, former Interior and
Local Government Secretary Mar
Roxas, and other top government
officials,” the KMU said in a
statement.
Most
labor
groups
blame the Aquino government
for having laid the conditions
that resulted in the Kentex fire
tragedy.
Majority
of
the
Kentex workers who died are
contractuals. Labog said that in
most unsafe workplaces there
are more contractuals. “They are
often the first ones hired, they
can easily be removed from work
when they demand for workplace
safety.”
In fact, last year as
Kentex factory was still a
smoking heap of rubble, longtime contractual workers of Lucio
Tan-owned Tanduay Distillers
Inc. in Laguna held a strike, and
one of their chief demands was
occupational safety gears.
They were fired from
their jobs.
No major change was
carried out in workplace safety
policies a year after the factory
fire, said a workplace safety
organization, the Institute for
Occupational Health and Safety
Development (IOHSAD), in
another statement. IOHSAD
and other Labor NGOs and
organizations such as EILER and
KMU conducted a fact-finding
mission on Kentex a day after the
fire.
“The Labor Department
continues
to
implement
Department Order 131-13 or
the Labor Laws Compliance
System (LLCS) which failed
to ensure workers’ safety and
overlooked the grave violations of
Occupational Health and Safety
(OHS) standards committed
by the Kentex management,”
said Nadia de Leon, IOHSAD
advocacy officer.
“The Kentex tragedy
is a grim indication of how
DOLE’s Labor Law Compliance
System (LLCS) has ridiculously
resulted
in
self-assessment
among companies,” said Anna
Lea Escresa, executive director
of labor NGO Ecumenical
Institute for Labor Education and
Research (EILER). She urged the
presumptive president Rodrigo
Duterte to replace this system
of voluntary compliance with
a strong pro-labor regulatory
mechanism that enforces labor
laws in all companies big or
small.
The KMU, meanwhile,
called on all workers, especially
the contractuals, to unite and
fight for their rights, including
workplace safety.
“We are calling on them
to defy the repressive measures
being taken against them.
Ultimately, they are fighting for
no less than their lives,” Labog
said. (Bulatlat)
FILIPINOS must maintain an
optimistic mindset as the country
transitions from one administration
to another after the conduct of
presidential election this month, a
Palace official said.
In a radio interview
Saturday, Communication Secretary
Herminio Coloma Jr was asked if
the Palace worries about loosing
economic
momentum
as
the
Aquino administration hands over
the leadership to the incoming
administration.
As a response, Coloma said
that in the last six years, the Aquino
government has strived hard to
maintain investors’ confidence for the
Philippines.
“Kaya nga sa nakaraang
anim na taon ay masigasig nating
itinatag ang matibay na pundasyon,
matibay na imprastraktura sa
pamamagitan ng good governance o
sa mabuting pamamahala,” Coloma
told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
“Paulit-ulit
ngang
pinupunto ni Pangulong Aquino:
Good governance translates to good
economics. At panatag naman tayo
na ang pundasyon na inilatag ay
matibay, hindi ito mabubuway dahil
lang sa hangin.”
Staying positive will be
good for the country, he said.
“Mahalaga dito ay ang
pagkakaroon ng positibong mindset.
Hindi na dapat tayo mag-inject pa ng
mga negatibong ideya sa ngayong
panahon,” according to Coloma.
“Mas importante ang
pagiging positibo, ang pagiging
sarili na tayo ay mabubuting tao at
kaya natin lumikha ng maaliwalas na
kinabukasan para sa ating bansa.”
With regards to the plan of
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte
to retain some Cabinet members from
the Aquino government, Coloma said
it is up to the newly elected president
to decide.
Duterte must be given a free
hand in choosing the composition of
his Cabinet for him to get the best and
the brightest, Coloma said.
“At sa aking personal na
opinyon, makakatulong din ‘yung
mayroong karanasan sa nakaraang
administrasyon
kumbaga
ay
mababawasan ang learning curve,
‘yung paghahanda, ‘yung pagiging
maalam dahil meron ng nakaraang
karanasan na pagbabatayan,” he said.
Filipinos must be positive as new administration
optimistiko, at ang pagkakaroon ng
assumes office, says Palace
matatag na paniniwala natin sa ating
OPINYON
Mayo 18-24, 2016
LingguhangPahayaganngLalawiganngBatangasna
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Editors / Shara Jane Falceso, Rachelle JoyAquino,
Jacquilou Lirio, Maria Carlyn Ureta, staff writers /
Ruel T. Landicho Lay-out Artist/ Ms. Corazon D.P.
MarcialLegalConsultant.emailadd:tambuli_press@
yahoo.com & [email protected]
At what price?
PART 1
By ARNOLD P. ALAMON
JUST when everyone is
heaving a much deserved
sigh of relief over what
is turning out to be a
relatively painless process
of succession of the
presidency in the coming
days after the convincing
victory of Mayor Duterte
over
administration
candidate Mar Roxas, here
is a brewing controversy
that is set to tear the nation
apart anew in the coming
days.
Elections and its
attendant drama is not over
yet apparently and for a
nation still smarting over a
divisive and acrimonious
campaign season, intense
passions and feelings are
sure to be ignited some
more.
All eyes are now
on the race for the vice
presidency where the last
hope of the Liberal Party,
vice presidential candidate
Leni Robredo, as of this
writing, is locked in a
hairline race to the position
with the son of the former
dictator, Bongbong Marcos,
Jr.
It is a battle royale that is
one for the books, on each
side the political survival
of two contending camps
that have been the bitterest
of rivals in our nation’s
recent political history. After
having their figurehead
unceremoniously rejected
by the electorate, the
yellows have now coalesced
around the widow from
Bicol on whose back they
now hitch their goals for
political continuity. There is
a hunger and desperation
among those in this camp
for the victory of Robredo
would mean a chance
to recover lost political
ground and influence for
the Aquinos and their allies
through the second highest
office of the land.
On the other side, is
of course, the only son and
namesake of the dictator
who once reigned over
this land during the darkest
periods of the nation’s
history. That two decade
rule was marked by the
plunder of public coffers
and the killing of thousands
of activists. The nation is
still reeling from the lasting
damage of the dictatorship
to our social, political,
and economic institutions
three decades later. And
yet, millions seem to have
been afflicted by an acute
social amnesia as they
catapult the son first to the
senate and now the vice
presidency, a step shy from
his father’s old nefarious
throne. It’s either that or
they prefer the dark days of
martial rule to more of the
same chaos and suffering
under the jaundiced yellow
sky.
It would be great to
just stand aside and watch
the two slug it out up until the
final vote is counted in a fair
electoral process. Although
it pains every thinking and
breathing Filipino who has
not forgotten the sacrifices
of the earlier generations
fighting and dying just
to bring the dictatorship
down to find his son at the
threshold of national power
once again. But if such
is the will of the Filipino
electorate, so be it.
It is also difficult
to accept that a pawn of
the Liberal Party, widow of
a well-loved local official
ostracized by the powersthat-be and was later killed
in a plane crash, is now
about to marginally redeem
the follies of the current
administration. But so be
it. Stranger things have
occurred in the land of sisig
and tanim-bala.
Ni Teo S. Marasigan
BOTONG PROTESTA SA ELEKSYONG 2016
Part 1
BOTONG
protesta
kontra
sa
kasalukuyang
rehimeng
Aquino ang nakaraang halalan.
Samantala, nakapagpalakas muli
ang progresibong mga puwersa,
habang lalong nailantad nila ang
kabulukan ng sistemang elektoral
ng bansa.
Botong
protesta
laban sa gobyerno ni Pang.
Noynoy Aquino. Ito ang isa sa
pinakamatibay na paliwanag
sa pagkapanalo ni Davao City
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte bilang
pangulo sa eleksyong 2016. Kung
paano, iyan ang magandang
bigyan ng masinsing paliwanag.
Ilang hinala: Una, sa lahat
ng tumakbong pangulo, si
Duterte ang pinakamatalas sa
paglalarawan sa kasalukuyan ng
bansa bilang negatibo, bilang
may kakulangan: malaganap
ang krimen at paglabag sa batas,
at iba pa. Ikalawa, sa lahat ng
tumakbong pangulo, at marahil
hindi lang sa eleksyong ito kundi
maging sa mga nauna, siya ang
nagbigay ng pinakamatapang na
mga pangako: paparusahan ang
mga kriminal at lumalabag sa
batas, at iba pa. Sa diagnosis at
prognosis na ito nakasuporta ang
track record niya bilang mayor ng
Davao City.
Ikatlo, sa lahat ng
tumakbong pangulo, siya ang
tuluy-tuloy na tumuligsa sa
inendorso ni Aquino na si dating
Interior and Local Government
Sec. Mar Roxas at kay Aquino
mismo. Ang tatlong nabanggit ang
ibinalot sa pakete ng “Tunay na
Pagbabago” na ipinangako niya.
Ikaapat, ginawa niya ang lahat
ng ito sa paraang mauunawaan
at matatandaan ng masa:
matapang laban sa masasama,
may malasakit sa mahihirap, may
kapasyahan sa pamumuno, at
pana-panahong kengkoy.
Hindi
nagsimulang
malakas ang kampanya ni
Duterte. Pero mayroon ito,
simula’t sapul, ng pursigidong
makinarya mula sa samu’t
saring pwersang pampulitika:
mga tagasuporta sa Davao at
Mindanao, loyalista ni dating
Pang. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
loyalista ni Sen. Bongbong
Marcos, seksyon ng militar at
pulisya, grupong kontra-krimen,
at iba pa.
Naging gasolina ng
makinaryang ito ang mga pinasok
na kontrobersya – positibo at
negatibo – ni Duterte sa panahon
ng kampanya. Minaksimisa nila
ang social media at ang masayang
tawaging “daldal media” – iyung
tinatawag na “word of mouth” na
sinasabing nananatiling pinakaepektibo sa pagbebenta ng kalakal
– para ikampanya si Duterte.
Sa
paglakas
ng
popularidad ni Duterte, at sa
mga pahayag niyang pabor sa
malalaking negosyo – kasabay ng
minsan ay direktang kakontrang
mga pahayag pabor sa maralita
– bumuhos ang suporta ng
malalaking kapitalista. Sa dulo,
nakikipagtagisan na siya sa mga
kalaban sa dami ng patalastas sa
midya ng mga burges-komprador.
Sa dulo, panay na ang pahayag
ng
malalaking
kapitalista
na kahit sino ang manalo sa
eleksyon ay tatanggapin nila
at patuloy na “uunlad” ang
bansa. Ang pagsuportang ito
ng mga burgesya-komprador
ang malinaw na repleksyon ng
pagsuporta, bagamat nahuli at
napilitan lang, ng imperyalismong
US sa kanyang kandidatura.
Malinaw na inihanda ng
rehimeng Aquino ang makinarya
at elektronikong pamamaraan
para ipandaya si Roxas. Nagsikap
itong gawing kapani-paniwala
ang pinaplano noong pandaraya
sa pamamagitan ng opensiba sa
propaganda. Pero masyadong huli
na ito sa tinakbo ng kampanyang
elektoral, abstrakto (diktadura
bersus demokrasya), at elitista
(disente bersus bastos). Hindi na
nito nagawang itaas si Roxas sa
mga sarbey para maging kapanipaniwala ang pandaraya pabor sa
kanya.
Sa ganitong kalagayan,
malakas ang naging dating ng mga
pagbabanta ng iba’t ibang grupo,
kasama ang Kaliwa, laban sa
pandaraya – na walang iba kundi
pandaraya laban kay Duterte.
Gayundin ang napakalaking
pagtitipon ng mga tagasuporta
niya sa Luneta noong Sabado
na bisperas ng eleksyon. Naging
malinaw sa lahat na mananalo
lang si Roxas sa pamamagitan
ng pandaraya, at si Duterte ang
pangunahing biktima. Sa dulo,
hindi na nagawang nakawin pa
kay Duterte ang pagkapanalo
bilang pangulo ng bansa.
Dito
mahalagang
ilugar
ang
pagpapalutang
ng Communist Party of the
Philippines ng posibilidad kay
Duterte na maging isang Hugo
Chavez – pangulo ng Venezuela
na noong una’y nagpatupad lang
ng mga makabuluhang reporma
para sa maralita at mamamayan
at paglao’y mulat nang lumaban
sa pinakamasasahol na diktang
neoliberal at militarista ng
imperyalismong US sa kanyang
bansa. Bilang pangulo, naging
kampeon
siya
ng
masa,
kakampi ng Kaliwa at kalaban
ng mga naghaharing uri at ng
imperyalismong US.
Nanalo
si
Duterte
dahil sa paglawak ng kanyang
popularidad sa hanay ng masa at
mamamayan, dahil sa pagbabantay
at pagbabanta nila laban sa
anumang pandaraya laban sa
kanya. Noong una’y tila direktang
tutol ang mga naghaharing uri
at ang imperyalismong US sa
kandidatura niya, pero nitong
huli’y napwersa na silang
sumuporta.
16 Mayo 2016
itutuloy
OPINYON
Mayo 18-24, 2016
Stricter management in NAIA to
maximize flights
AIRPORT
and
aviation
authorities are laying down
the foundation for the next
management
as
stricter
measures have been crafted to
make sure that slot allocations
for flights are maximized and
are actually flown.
Such measures are
detailed in a memorandum of
agreement signed today by the
Manila International Airport
Authority (MIAA), the Civil
Aeronautics Board (CAB), and
the Civil Aviation Authority of
the Philippines (CAAP).
The agreement states
that the misuse of slots will be
subject to sanctions, including
the termination of operations
or the forfeiture of acquired
slots, an imposition of lower
priority on the airline for
future slot requests, and the
imposition of fines by the
CAB or CAAP.
The misuse of slots
includes: the holding of slots
that an airline does not intend
to operate, the intentional
operation of a flight at a
significantly different time
from its approved schedule,
and the operation of flights
without a slot.
CAB
Executive
Director Carmelo Arcilla
explains that the agreement
basically requires airlines to
utilize their slot or face the risk
of losing it.
The demand for a slot
to fly from the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport has been
increasing. “We want to make
sure that slots are available for
any airline which intends to
use the airport,” Arcilla says.
In 2015, a daily
average
of
684
flight
movements was recorded at
the NAIA out of the available
880 allocations.
CAAP
Director
General William Hotchkiss
III says that the stricter and
more detailed guidelines on
slot usage will also guarantee
smoother airport operations.
“We are also able
to address the concern of
flight delay by means of this
agreement as we dedicate each
and every slot to registered
flights. Removing those not
cleared to fly allows us to
follow a day’s official schedule
to the second,” Hotchkiss says.
The agreement also covers the
procedure which airlines have
to observe in registering for a
slot at the NAIA.
In particular, after
gaining approval of a desired
schedule from the Airport
Coordination
Australia—
the NAIA’s third-party slot
coordinator—airlines
must
gain clearance from the MIAA
and the CAAP for terminal and
runway clearance respectively.
Authorizations from the three
agencies are required before
airlines file their application to
operate with the CAB.
MIAA
General
Manager Jose Angel Honrado
says that this agreement is the
legacy of the three agencies to
the next airport and aviation
authorities.
“The direction of
the
authorities
remains
clear despite any change in
management. This agreement
will provide the framework
for the next administration in
working towards passenger
convenience
and
global
standards in airport operations
– the same goals we held to
these past years,” Honrado
says.
To ensure compliance
from the airlines, the CAB
has put in place Monitoring
and Public Assistance Desks
at the terminals that will
respond to passenger concerns
and monitor the operations of
airlines.
PH to strengthen financial system’s legal
framework Republic Act No. 1405 or Meanwhile, Bureau
by Department of Finance
THE Department of Finance
submitted a proposal to
strengthen the country’s
Anti-Money
Laundering
Act to the congressional
leadership. The proposal
was prepared jointly with
Anti Money Laundering
Council, and the Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas. The
finance department also
sent a proposal to amend the
Bank Deposit Secrecy Law
for tax evasion purposes.
Amendments to the
Anti-Money
Laundering
Act (AMLA) have been
proposed in the last two
years and have been made
more urgent by recent
financial controversies that
have exploited the weakness
in the country’s tax and
financial system’s legal
framework: the Bangladeshi
Bank heist involving a
local bank and casinos; the
Panama Papers exposing
offshore bank transactions
from across the globe that
may have avoided or evaded
domestic taxation; the “derisking”
phenomenon,
where foreign banks are
closing the accounts of our
money transfer operators
abroad and may double the
cost of remitting money to
the Philippines from abroad.
Amendments to AMLA
sought
The DOF, AMLC,
and BSP proposed that
Congress amend Republic
Act No. 9160, known as the
Anti-Money
Laundering
Act of 2001, to include
casinos among others, as
mentioned in the Financial
Action Task Force (FATF)
recommendations,
as
covered persons under the
law; as well as the inclusion
of tax evasion, among other
crimes, as a predicate crime
to money laundering.
The proposal seeks
to improve the AMLC’s
ability to safeguard the
financial
system
from
money laundering activities:
•
by authorizing the
AMLC to issue subpoenas
• by allowing the
AMLC, instead of the Court
of Appeals, to issue ex parte
freeze orders with respect to
certain unlawful activities
•
by adding unlawful
activities that are exempted
from the requirement of a
court order before a bank
inquiry may be conducted
The proposal also increases
the monetary penalty for
administrative sanctions.
Among
the
amendments
is
the
designation of the BSP as
the supervising authority
over foreign exchange
dealers,
moneychangers,
and remittance and money
transfer businesses for
purposes of the AMLA.
Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas Governor Amando
M. Tetangco Jr. said, “The
banking
and
financial
system of the Philippines
remains stable and strong.
To respond to emergent
risks and challenges, we
are proposing a thorough
update of the Anti-Money
Laundering Act to further
strengthen our regulatory
institutions in safeguarding
a robust financial system.”
A
better
and
stronger
AMLA
will
address de-risking, where
a growing number of
foreign banks close bank
accounts of remittance
companies
or
money
transfer operators (MTOs)
to limit their exposure
to possible channels for
money laundering and
other financial crimes.
Given its adverse impact
on remittance costs and
flows, de-risking could
result in movement by
overseas Filipinos toward
informal
remittance
channels and subsequent
financial inclusion. Derisking therefore provides
another compelling reason
for the passage of necessary
amendments to AMLA
to align it with global
standards.
Amendments to the
Bank Secrecy Law proposed
In its transmittal
to congress, the DOF
also proposed to amend
the Bank Secrecy Law and
Republic Act No. 6426,
otherwise known as the
Foreign Currency Deposit
Act of the Philippines, to lift
restrictions on bank secrecy
of peso deposits and foreign
currency deposits for tax
purposes.
Finance Secretary
Cesar V. Purisima said,
“Developments in the past
few months have created
more impetus and pressure
for what we have been
advocating for the longest
time: updating the laws
governing our financial
system for a more secure
economy
to
flourish.
Weaknesses and loopholes
in our legal frameworks
breeds risk; we intend to
stamp these out as best we
can.”
“We are one of
only three countries in the
entire world where our
tax administration cannot
access bank transactions
for tax evasion purposes.
We are one of only two
countries in the entire
world where tax evasion
is not a predicate crime to
money laundering. While
the tax gap has narrowed
since 2009, we still have a
long way to go in plugging
the 4% of GDP lost to tax
evasion. It’s high time we
keep up with international
standards and pierce the
veil the unscrupulous few
have conveniently hidden
behind,” Purisima noted.
of
Internal
Revenue
(BIR) Commissioner Kim
Jacinto-Henares, long an
advocate of lifting the
Bank Secrecy Law for tax
purposes, said that bank
deposits are outpacing BIR
collections. Noting that tax
evaders have hidden behind
the shadow of our bank
secrecy law, she said, “Our
unduly restrictive bank
secrecy laws tie the hands
of our revenue generating
agencies. To illustrate, in
2013 bank deposits grew at
33% while BIR collections
grew by only 15%, while
in 2014 bank deposits
grew at 13% while BIR
collections lagged behind,
growing only at 10%.
When numbers don’t add
up, we know something’s
up. The proposed AMLA
amendments ought to right
this wrong.”
BSP
Governor
Tetangco
had
earlier
supported the easing of the
very strict bank deposit
secrecy laws of the country.
He had called for powers for
bank regulators to look into
bank deposits under certain
conditions.
“Every
challenge
and controversy presents
opportunities for reform.
To keep our place as Asia’s
emerging bright spot, we
need to shine the light of
transparency where it is
appropriate,”
Purisima
added.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hamon ...
from page 8
ng NDF, sa pamamagitan ng Skype, ipinangako ni Duterte
sa kanyang dating propesor sa Lyceum of the Philippines
University na si Sison na bibisitahin niya ang The
Netherlands kung nasaan si Sison para pag-usapan nila
ang usapang pangkapayapaan.
Nauna nang sinabi ni Sison na bukas siya
na tuluyang umuwi na sa Pilipinas para sa usapang
pangkapayapaan.
Ayon naman sa Communist Party of the
Philippines (CPP), masugid nitong sinusubaybayan ang
pangako ni Duterte na magdeklara ng tigil-putukan para
bigyan-daan ang usapang pangkapayapaan pagkatapos
magwagi sa halalan.
“May kirot sa puso ang pangakong ito ni
Duterte sa mga mamamayang Pilipino na matagal nang
nag-aasam ng makabuluhang pag-usad sa negosasyong
pangkapayapaan sa pagitan ng NDFP at GRP (gobyerno
ng Pilipinas) mahigit 15 taon matapos mabalam dahil sa
GRP at AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines),” pahayag
ng CPP, dalawang araw bago ang halalan.
Sinabi ng CPP na mahigit 20 konsultant ng
NDF ang kasalukuyang nakakulong ang 543 bilanggong
pulitikal sa mga kulungan ng gobyerno. Pinigilan ng
administrasyong Aquino ang pagpapalaya sa mga
konsultant at bilanggong pulitikal na ito, kabilang sina
Benito at Wilma Tiamzon, Alan Jazmines, Tirso Alcantara,
Adelberto Silva, at marami pang iba.
Pagpapanagot kay Aquino
Dahil sa pagtindi ng mga paglabag sa karapatang
pantao sa ilalim ng programa kontra-insurhensiyang Oplan
Bayanihan ni Pangulong Aquino, nanawagan naman ang
mga grupong pangkarapatang pantao na agad na usigin si
Aquino pagpasok ni Duterte sa Malakanyang.
“Natutuwa kami sa matatapang na pahayag (ni
Duterte) kontra sa korupsiyon at kriminalidad, at ang
pagtanggi niyang di-usigin si Aquino at ang pangunahing
mga opisyal ng gobyernong ito,” sabi ni Elmer “Bong”
Labog, tagpangulo ng Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU).
“Himahamon namin siya na agarang magsampa ng mga
kaso laban kay Aquino at matataas na opisyal na malapit
kay Aquino.”
Bukod sa mga paglabag sa karapatang pantao,
kinakailangan din daw pagbayaran ni Aquino ang
malawakang pandarambong sa kaban ng bayan (sa uri
ng bilyun-bilyong pisong Disbursement Acceleration
Program o DAP), at pagiging tuta ng gobyernong US,
dagdag pa ni Labog.
“Sabik na hinihintay ng malawak na masa ng mga
mamamayan ang pag-aresto at pagkulong kay Pangulong
Aquino at ang kanyang budget mastermind, si Florencio
Abad, na naging notoryus sa pandarambong at walangkapantay na korupsiyon sa pag-abuso sa sistema ng pork
barrel,” sabi naman ni Sison.
Hamon ng obrero
Noong kampanya, pinakauna si Duterte sa mga
nangakong wawakasan niya ang kontraktuwalisasyon sa
bansa.
“Hinahamon namin si Duterte na tuparin
ang kanyang pangako na wawakasan niya ang
kontraktuwalisasyon. Dapat niyang ibasura ang
Department Order No. 18-A Series of 2011 at ang mga
probisyon ng Herrera Law at Labor Code na naglelegalisa
ng kontraktuwalisasyon. Dapat niyang ipagbawal ang Job
Contracting kasama ang dati-nang-ilegal na Labor Only
Contracting,” sabi pa ni Labog.
Sinabi pa ng naturang lider-obrero na kailangang
patunayan ni Duterte sa pamamagitan ng kilos na di siya
seryoso sa banta niyang “papatayin ang mga KMU” kapag
nag-organisa ang mga ito ng mga unyon sa mga engklabo—
na sinabi ni Duterte noong panahon ng kampanya.
Nanawagan din ang KMU sa bagong-halal
na pangulo na suportahan ang panawagang National
Minimum Wage na P750 sa isang araw, gayundin ang
panawagan ng mga empleyado ng gobyerno na P16,000
minimum na suweldo kada buwan.
“Nananawagan kami sa kanya na irolbak ang
atake sa minimum na sahod na isinagawa ng nakaraang
mga rehimen at ibalik ang minimum wage na malapit
sa Family Minimum Wage (P32,000 kada buwan) na
kinumpiyut ng independiyenteng think-tankna Ibon
Foundation,” sabi pa ni Labog.
Magsasaka, kabataan
Matagal nang hinamon ng militanteng grupo ng
mga magsasaka si Duterte na tupdin ang pangako niyang
ipamahagi nang libre ang mga lupaing agrikultura sa mga
nagbubungkal nito na mga magsasaka.
Sinabi ng Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), na
susi ang tunay na reporma sa lupa para mabigyang-laya ang
produktibong potensiyal ng lupain sa bansa at makaambag
sa pag-angat ng kabuhayan ng milyun-milyong magsasaka
na mayorya ng populasyon sa bansa.
Noong panahon ng kampanya, pinuri ng KMP
si Duterte sa pahayag ng huli na magpapatupad siya ng
repormang agraryo kung maluluklok siya sa Malakanyang.
Ngunit binatikos din ng KMP ang noo’y alkalde ng Davao
City sa mga pahayag niyang kailangang baguhin ang
Saligang Batas para hayaan ang dayuhang pag-aari ng
mga lupain sa Pilipinas.
Matapos ang eleksiyon noong Mayo 9, sinabi rin
ng tagapagsalita ni Duterte na si Lavina na isa sa unang
magiging hakbang ni Duterte bilang pangulo ang pagtulak
ng pagrepaso sa Saligang Batas. Itinutulak umano niya
ang pederalistang sistema ng gobyerno, gayundin ang
dayuhang pag-aari sa lupain at negosyo sa bansa.
Nanawagan din ang iba’t ibang grupo ng mga
magsasaka ng hustisya sa nakaraang mga pandarahas sa
lumalabang mga magsasaka sa iba’t ibang panig ng bansa.
Ayon sa kanila, sana hindi na dahasin ang lumalabang mga
magsasaka sa ilalim ng administrasyong Duterte.
“Sa ilalim ng bagong administrasyon, ang
pagsasabi namin ng katotohanan at pagtuligsa sa
mga makapangyarihan ay patuloy bang susuklian ng
DTI releases list of products under mandatory
certification
certification:
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has
listed products that are required to undergo mandatory
certification to ensure their performance quality in
conformity with the Philippine National Standards (PNS)
before they become available in the market.
Products which affect life, safety and health
of people and the environment are listed for mandatory
certification.
The list included household appliances,
lamps and related products, wiring devices, wires and
cables, mechanical/building and construction materials,
chemicals, and other consumer products.
Under the Bureau of Product Standards’ (BPS)
Product Certification Scheme, the Philippine Standard
(PS) license and the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC)
certificate must be acquired by the manufacturers and
importers/distributors of such products, respectively,
before sale in the market.
DTI Department Administrative Order (DAO)
No. 04, Series of 2008, states that the PS Quality or Safety
Certification Mark must be affixed on the product covered
by the license. These marks are the assurance given to the
consumers that the products passed quality standards and
are safe to use.
Any retailer or wholesaler found selling
uncertified products will be seized of such products and
will pay a penalty that can range up to a maximum of
P300,000, without prejudice to the filing of criminal or
civil actions under applicable laws.
To ensure that only inspected and approved
products are found in the market, monitoring activities are
performed by the DTI Regional and Provincial Offices.
Below is the list of products under mandatory
Household appliances: Electric fans; flat irons;
kitchen machines (blenders, juicers, egg beaters, etc.)
microwave ovens, refrigerators, rice cookers, airpots
and coffeemaker; audio-video products; toasters, grills,
roasters and similar appliances; washing machines; air
conditioners; and refrigerators;
Lamps and related products: Ballasts (pre-heat/
magnetic; electronic); CFL/self ballasted lamps; Christmas
lights/ lighting chains; fluorescent lamps (doublecapped, single-capped); fuseholders; incandescent lamps;
incandescent lamps (bulbs); lamp holder (Edison screw);
Lamp starters;
Wiring devices, wires and cables: Circuit
breakers (molded case); fuses; plugs, socket-outlets and
extension cords; PVC Electrical tapes; switches (snap,
knife); flexible cords; and wires and cables;
Mechanical/building and construction materials:
BI/GI steel pipes; cement (Portland, Pozzolan); deformed
steel bars; and equal-leg steel angle bars; pipes for water
supply (PB, PE, uPVC); uPVC rigid electrical conduits;
PVC-U pipes for drain waste & vent; rerolled steel bars;
sanitary wares urinals, bidet, water closets, and lavatories;
steel wires; and wire finishing nails;
Chemicals and other consumer products: Brake
fluid; fire extinguishers; fireworks; helmets; inner tubes
for tires; lead-acid batteries; lighters; LPG cylinders for
household use; LPG cylinders for motor vehicles; LPG/
CNG retrofit systems; matches; medical grade oxygen;
monobloc chair/stools; safety belts; seat belts; safety glass
for automotive; and tires for automotive vehicles.
BPS had delisted ceramic tiles, plywood, flat glass,
common nails, and GI sheets from mandatory certification
under DAO No. 15-01, Series of 2015. (Charlie S. Dajao/
Taryn Antonella D. Gonzaga/DTI Calabarzon/PIA-Cavite)
Mayo 18-24, 2016
pangungutya, marahas na panunupil at masaker na gaya
ng aming naranasan mula Escalante, Mendiola, Hacienda
Luisita at Kidapawan? Kami na siya na ngang mga biktima
ng karahasan ay itinuturing pa na mga kaaway ng estado
at patuloy na tinutugis ng pulis at militar, sinasampahan
ng patung-patong na gawa-gawang kaso, at pinagdurusa
sa iligal na pagkakabilanggo,” sabi ni Danilo Ramos,
pangkalahatang kalihim ng Unyon ng mga Manggagawa
sa Agrikultura o UMA, sa bukas na liham ng grupo kay
Duterte.
Samantala, nanawagan naman ang Kabataan
Party-list kay Duterte na itigil ang taas-singil sa mga
matrikula sa bansa. Hiling din nila ang suportahan
ng bagong presidente ang panawagan para sa libreng
edukasyon sa lahat ng antas, at repasuhin at itigil ang
implementasyon ng programang K-12.
“Inisyal na mga hamon lang ito na ipinapadala
namin sa bagong pangulo. Sana’y pakinggan ng sunod
na presidente ang aming mga hiling, at agarang makipagugnayan sa sektor ng kabataan para makamit ang mga
hangaring ito,” sabi ni Sarah Elago, unang nominado ng
Kabataan Party-list, na nagwagi sa eleksiyong party-list.
Labanan ang presyur
Ngayon pa lang, hiling na ng mga organisasyong
masa kay Duterte na labanan ang presyur ng iba’t ibang
makapangyarihang puwersa na dikit sa kanyang kampanya.
Batay sa naunang mga pahayag ng kanyang mga
tagapagsalita, mistulang susundan pa rin umano ni Duterte
ang bigong mga pulisiya sa pulitika at ekonomiya na
nagsasadlak sa mga mamamayan sa kahirapan, ayon sa
Ibon Foundation.
Ayon kay Sonny Africa, executive director ng
Ibon, tila nakapokus ang plano ni Duterte sa law and
order para maglikha ng positibong mga kondisyon para sa
negosyo, habang nagbibigay ng kakarampot na serbisyong
sosyal sa uri ng Conditional Cash Transfer at suporta sa
mga magsasaka.
Nababahala rin umano ang Ibon sa nabibitawang
mga pangalan ng kampo ni Duterte na maaaring maging
miyembro ng kanyang gabinete. Kasama rito sina Albay
Gov. Joey Salceda (dating tagapayong pang-ekonomiya ni
Pangulong Arroyo), Prop. Ernesto Pernia na ekonomista
ng Asian Development Bank (ADB), at Carlos Dominguez
III, negosyante sa Davao at isa sa mga ehekutibo ng
Alcantara and Sons, isang kompanya nglogging na
nilabanan ng katutubong mga Talaingod Manobo noong
dekada ’80.
(Kahapon, inanunsiyo rin ni Duterte na nais
niyang ipaubaya sa CPP ang pagnomina sa mga kinatawan
ng Department of Labor and Employment, Department
of Agrarian Reform, Department of Environment and
Natural Resources at Department of Social Welfare and
Development. Malugod na tinanggap ito ni Sison, na
nagsabing magmumungkahi sila ng nominado, kahit
hindi komunista. Pero inanunsiyo rin ni Duterte ang balak
niyang italaga si Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya bilang chief-of
staff ng Armed Forces of the Philippines. Si Visaya ang
naging ground commander ng Army noong nangyari ang
masaker sa Hacienda Luisita noong 2004. Kilalang dating
tauhan din siya ng tinaguriang “berdugo” na si Hen. Jovito
Palparan. -Ed.)
Sinabi naman ng CPP na hindi pa nga
kumakawala si Duterte sa neoliberal na mga polisiya na
nagpahirap sa mga mamamayan noong nakaraang mga
rehimen. “Kailangan pa niyang patunayan ang sarili
niya sa praktika: Magiging katulad ba siya ni Hugo
Chavez ng Venezuela na tumindig laban sa pananakot ng
gobyernong US at nagtulak ng pagsasabansa, pagtatag ng
social welfare state at pag-armas sa mga mamamayan? O
magiging katulad siya ni (Alexis) Tsipras ng Greece na
dinepensahan ang welfare state sa mga debateng pulitikal
pero sumunod din sa mga dikta sa polisiya ng International
Monetary Fund at European Union?” ayon sa CPP.
Hinimok ng rebolusyonaryong kilusan si Duterte
na labanan ang impluwensiya ng US na ngayon pa lang ay
nagpaparamdam na at nagpapahayag na binabantayan nito
ang magiging gobyernong Duterte.
Para sa mga organisasyong masa, hamon sa
bagong pangulo na maging totoong “progresibong”
presidente—sa kilos at gawa, hindi lang sa salita.
EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE
Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late
BENILDA ALEJANDRO-CORDOVA, who died on September
30, 2009 at Sta. Rosa, Laguna with improvements erected thereon
covered with TAX DECLARATION NO. 10-0027-00855 located
at Liliw, Laguna has been extra-judicially settled by his heirs as
Per Doc. No. 26; Page No. 7; Book No. 144; Series of 2016;
Notary Public Atty. Caesar M. Angeles.
Tambuling Batangas
May 18, 25 & June 01, 2016
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A year after Kentex factory fire, risky
workplaces, contractualization persist
“The country’s justice system and
the government make it very clear
that they consider workers’ lives
very cheap. Justice for the victims
and survivors is being denied and
lessons from the tragedy remain
unheeded,”
By MARYA SALAMAT
MANILA – A week such as this
last year, Kentex Manufacturing
Corp., maker of rubber slippers
with factories in Valenzuela,
was cranking up production and
was on a yearly production peak.
It was not paying most of its
workers the mandated minimum
wages. It did not call most of its
workers regular workers. They
were instead a diverse mix of
“permanent temporary” workers,
not regular but continuously
working in the same factory
Kentex factory fire what happen after a year?
Duterte, progressives to benefit from
discussion, they agreed that the an intelligent move
dialogue
incoming Duterte administration The Communist Party
“Duterte
seems
in
large
part progressive, and in part
(hopefully just minor and small)
compromising
with
classes
different from the masses.” –
Prof. Jose Maria Sison
By MARYA SALAMAT
MANILA – In an hour-long
conversation with members of
progressive peoples’organizations
over Skype on May 17, Professor
Jose Maria Sison, chairman
of the International League of
People’s Struggle and founding
chair of CPP (Communist Party
of the Philippines), sometimes
referred to the president-elect
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as “Ka
Digong,” a reference commonly
used as sign of respect and love
to comrades in the progressive
and revolutionary movement, and
in Tagalog families, as sign of
respect to elders.
If
the
seemingly
developing alliance between
the revolutionary forces and the
incoming president is a source
of surprise (and uncertainty) to
some traditional politicians and
elite, it is also something new
and still a concept being tested to
some members of the progressive
movement. Based on their
is “a mixed bag” in terms of the
people composing it and its stand
on issues. But, they welcomed
every opening it promises and
actually gives for advancing the
peoples’ democratic aspirations.
They agreed with Sison that
among presidential candidates,
Duterte was the one who
succeeded in riding on the
people’s disgust at the outgoing
Aquino administration.
On campaign strategy,
“tumama si Duterte,” (Duterte hit
it right) with the masses, Sison
said.
He added that Duterte’s
opposition to what the Aquino
administration stands for owed
a lot to the consistent opposition
and protests by the national
democratic movement through
the years.
Despite
Duterte’s
“mixed bag” of supporters and
team, Sison highlighted Duterte’s
proud regard for his friendship
with the CPP-NPA and NDF, a
first for an incoming president.
President-elect Duterte
avoided identifying himself as
a communist. Still, “It’s already
a huge leap for an incoming
president to describe himself as a
socialist,” said Sison.
Engaging with the Left
of the Philippines (CPP) is a bloc
one cannot ignore nor belittle.
As Sison reminded the gathered
activists from progressive, legal
organizations based in Philippine
cities, the CPP is leading millions
of people with its army (the New
People’s Army) present in over
120-plus guerilla zones, in 71
provinces, to say the least.
“Even as the semicolonial, semi-feudal “bourgeois
power” is based in cities, the
democratic government of the
people is expanding and the
day will come when they would
surround and enter the cities to
seize power from the government
in Manila,” Sison said in Filipino
in his talk with legal activists.
He said also in Filipino
that president-elect Duterte is
being astute in engaging the Left,
and he urged the progressive
activists, “Let’s see if he’s being
sincere.”
Without letting go of
the revolutionary and democratic
principles, Sison urged all national
democratic forces to remember
the correct handling for a united
front – the forging of unity in
struggle, for example, and having
a firm hold on independence and
initiative.
sundan sa pahina 2
– there were the agency-hired
contractual workers, the opencontract contractual workers, the
piece-raters for the peak season,
the summer jobbers, etc.
Their plight became
known
nationally
and
internationally when at least 72 of
them were confirmed trapped and
killed in a factory fire last year.
Dubbed as the worst
factory fire in the Philippines
in recent years, Kentex fire is
now on its first year on May 13,
but to this day, the workers, the
survivors and their families, are
still trapped in non-regular jobs in
other factories, and they are still
demanding justice because no
one among the authorities or the
factory owners who could have
prevented the fire has been held
accountable.
sundan sa pahina 3
HAMON KAY DIGONG
by Priscilla Pamintuan
KINIKILALA
ng
mga
makabayan si Rodrigo Duterte
na kakampi sa maraming isyung
pambayan. Ilan sa mga hamon sa
kanyang pag-upo.
Sa Hunyo 30 ngayong
taon, susumpa si Rodrigo Roa
Duterte bilang ika-16 pangulo ng
Pilipinas. Sa unang pagkakataon,
nagmula sa Mindanao ang
magiging pinuno ng gobyerno. Sa
unang pagkakataon, isang pulitiko
na itinuturing ng mga progresibo
bilang kaibigan at tagasuporta
sa mga laban ng bayan ang
maluluklok sa pinakamataas na
puwesto ng Estado.
Pero tulad ng sinumang
naging presidente ng Pilipinas,
napapalibutan si Duterte ng iba’t
ibang puwersang pampulitika. Sa
kabila ng reputasyon niya bilang
makamasang pulitiko, suportado
siya ng malalaking negosyante,
pulitiko at pati mga dating heneral
ng militar at pulisya.
Dahil sa samu’t saring
impluwensiya na nakapalibot sa
kanya, hinihimok ngayon ng iba’t
ibang sektor at organisasyon ng
mga mamamayan si Duterte na
agad na tuparin ang pangakong
radikal na mga pagbabago sa
sambayanan. Hangad nila na
pag-upo niya, agad na tahakin
ni Duterte ang landas ng pagangat sa kabuhayan at kilalanin
ang kanilang mga karapatan—
bagay ni ipinagkait sa kanila ng
nakaraang mga rehimen.
Bilanggong
pulitikal,
palayain
Nang
maluklok
si
Pang. Corazon Aquino sa poder
matapos ang pag-aalsa sa EDSA
noong 1986, isa sa pinakaunang
mga hakbang niya bilang pangulo
ay magpalaya ng mga bilanggong
pulitikal. Sa kalagayang lumobo
ang bilang ng mga bilanggong
pulitikal sa bansa ngayon kasabay
ng tumitinding paglabag sa
mga karapatang pantao, ganito
rin ang hiling ng mga grupong
pangkarapatang pantao.
Isang araw matapos
ang halalan, nang malinaw
nang lumalamang si Duterte sa
bilangan, inanunsiyo ng kanyang
tagapagsalita na si Peter Lavina
na isa sa mga unang hakbang
ng nahalal na pangulo ang pagaralan ang pagpapalaya sa mga
bilanggong pulitikal.
Aniya, plano ni Duterte
na “repasuhin ang istatus ng mga
bilanggong pulitikal”. Bahagi
umano ito ng mga hakbang para
muling mapasimulan ang usapang
pangkapayapaan sa pagitan ng
gobyerno at National Democratic
Front (NDF) na kumakatawan sa
rebolusyonaryong kilusan.
“Mahalagang palayaan
ang mga bilanggong pulitikal na
nagdurusa ng iba’t ibang sakit,”
ani Lavina.
Samantala, bago pa man
ang halalan, sa isang pag-uusap ni
Duterte at Prop. Jose Maria Sison,
punong konsultant pampulitika
sundan sa pahina 6