Senate approves People’s Survival Fund on 3rd reading

MANILA, September 13, 2011-Senators’ passed the People’s Survival Fund (PSF) Bill on Third Reading that would allow local governments and communities to put in place climate mitigation practices to lessen the destructive impact of natural disasters.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile lauded the PSF measure saying that the lack of funding seems to be the main deterrent to solving the country’s problems in dealing with the effects of climate change yearly.

“The PSF is a fund that intends to provide incentives for early adaptation measures by allocating finances for local resilience-building needs,” Enrile said, believing that the sooner the People’s Survival Fund is approved by the House and the sooner it is enacted into law, the earlier the government will be able to implement policies and reforms geared towards building a country that is not only climate-resilient but economically sound as well.

The PSF bill is principally sponsored by Enrile and co-sponsored by Senators Loren Lagarda, Ralph G. Recto, Franklin M. Drilon and Manuel “Lito” M. Lapid.

To reflect prevailing conditions in the country, Enrile pointed out that government intervention on climate change and disaster risk reduction should be given more importance.

Enrile said that the recent rains that inundated major parts of Visayas and Mindanao not only caused loss of lives and destruction to property, but also destroyed sources of livelihood, adding that adaptation finance should always be seen as an investment, and not a cost.

The bill was unanimously approved after consideration of Drilon’s amendment to appropriate the amount of P1 billion annually to be used for the fund under the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

The PSF aimed to strengthen the Climate Change Act of 2009. PSF is a special trust fund for the financing of adaptation programs and projects based on climate change action plans of local government units and communities. Private donations, if any, shall be exempted from donor’s tax.

Among the uses of the fund stated in Section 20 of the proposed measure are adaptation activities in the areas of water resources management, land management, agriculture and fisheries, health, infrastructure development, fragile ecosystems including mountainous ecosystems, and integrated coastal zone management.

Authors of the bill also said that the PSF aims to improve the monitoring of diseases triggered by climate change and in the same vein, improving the country’s disease control and prevention measures and at the same time improve the country’s forecasting and early warning systems as part of disaster-preparedness measures for climate related hazards, among others.

The Fund will be managed by a PSF Board composed by one commissioner coming from the Climate Change Commission, the Department of Finance, Department of Budget and Management, the National Economic and Development Authority and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, together with representatives from government financial institutions, the business sector and non-government organizations under the bill. (Jason de Asis)

The untold story of Bacalzo’s possible early retirement

MANILA, September 13, 2011-Unknown to many retired Philippine National  Police Chief Director General Raul M. Bacalzo tendered his retirement from the service three years ago.

Bacalzo’s wife Levy said that call it destiny or just plain luck, retired PNP Chief Director General Bacalzo would not have been the 16^th chief of the 140,000-strong police organization if his retirement papers were approved way back in 2008 where she confirmed the retirement plan.

Mrs. Bacalzo said that her husband was forced to retire to devote more time for his family. Back then, she recalled that her husband was abroad when a call from Camp Crame came telling him he was needed there.

“At that time, Bacalzo was head of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management,” Mrs. Bacalzo said.

There were reports that Mrs. Bacalzo was “pressuring” him to decide to retire early because she wanted him to spend quality time with her and their kids.

She said that they were really having indifference on him because when there were occasions in the family, he almost always failed to come and join them because of his work at the PNP.

But somehow, Camp Crame officers were able to dissuade Bacalzo from proceeding with his retirement.

“He asked me what he should do and I asked him what was his desire. When he said he was staying put, I said, okay go ahead,” she said.

The wife said they have no inkling that two years later, he would be named PNP Chief by President Aquino, replacing Jesus Versoza.

“We had not talked about that possibility. In fact, we were so surprised when he got appointed,” she recalled.

During his speech relinquishing the post, Bacalzo mentioned that his relatives went home from abroad to make sure he was retiring.

He then turned to his wife, assuring her he was indeed retiring. “This is not a promise but a statement,” he said. 

Bacalzo admitted that it must have been destiny that propelled him to the highest police post of the land. “Pasensiya sila hindi natuloy ang retirement ko (They should bear with the fact that my retirement then did not push through),” he said of other police officers in line who would have taken his post last year.

Bacalzo is reportedly mulling over several options on his retirement, among which is to teach in his high school alma mater in Batangas for free. (Jason de Asis)

Bacalzo says no demoralization over choice of Bartolome as top cop

MANILA, September 12, 2011-Retired Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Director General Raul Bacalzo yesterday said that no demoralization swept the ranks of the police organization despite the choice of Deputy Director General Nicanor Bartolome, explaining that police officers are professionals and they know that choosing the PNP Chief is the prerogative of the President.

“Besides, there was already a precedent, as in the case of Ping,” he said, referring to Senator Panfilo Lacson who was appointed PNP chief in 1998 by then-President Joseph Estrada ahead of other more senior officers. Lacson was a member of the PMA’s Batch ’71.

Bacalzo made the observation after turning over the reins of the PNP to Bartolome, a member of the Philippine Military Academy’s Class 1980, at the PNP multi-purpose center in Camp Crame which was witnessed by no less than President Aquino, former President Fidel Ramos and Lacson himself. When Lacson was appointed PNP chief, he bypassed other senior officers like general Jewel Canson.

In the case of Bartolome, his appointment as the 17^th PNP Chief also breached the seniority tradition as he went ahead of Deputy Director General Benjamin Delarmino of Batch ’77 and Deputy Director General Raul Castaneda, the Deputy Chief for Operations.

Director Alfredo Caballes, chief of the PNP Directorate for Plans, also downplayed the appointment of Bartolome. “Even if there were controversies, there were not much,” he said.

One general who requested anonymity, said that the designation of Bartolome over more senior police officers, is no longer an issue considering that police officers know it’s the President’s call.

He said that there is no demoralization within those who were bypassed. They look at it with a degree of realism because let’s face it, it’s the President who decides who will be the next PNP Chief.

The police officer said Bartolome, though not the most senior, is already ripe for the post, having served as one-star general for a long time already. (Jason de Asis)

Church assesses growth of BECs

MANILA, Sept. 12, 2011—Fifty years after the Second Vatican Council, Church leaders are looking back on how the growth of basic ecclesial communities in Asia have been faithful to the vision that brought them to their very existence.

BEC practitioners from India, Sri Lanka, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and the Philippines gathered at the One World Community Service Center in Taipei from September 2 to 5 for the Asian Continental BEC Meeting to report on the state and development of BECs in their
respective countries.

Fr. Amado Picardal of the Episcopal Commission on Basic Ecclesial Communities of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines reported on the state of the BECs in the Philippines.

“Each (of us) gave a report on the state of the BECs in (our) country and how the BECs have realized the vision of a renewed Church of Vatican II and the challenges that (we) face at present,” Picardal said.

“I am just amazed about the growth of BECs not just in the Philippines but also other countries in Asia. This is a sign of hope of the vitality of the Church in this region,” the priest added.

According to Picardal, the conference, themed "BECs in Asia 50 years after Vatican II," was held in preparation for the anniversary of the Second Vatican Council next year, when a separate conference for BEC practitioners all over the world will be held in Germany.

“This meeting was [a] preparation the intercontinental gathering on BECs which will be held in Tubingen, Germany next year. The Latin American BEC continental conference has already been held. The other continental conferences in Africa and North America will also be held
soon,” he said.

The continental conferences and that which is slated in Germany next year are meant to identify the challenges to the BECs in Asia and throughout the world “in the light of the recent social, economic, and cultural developments, especially globalization and post or late modernity.” (CBCPNews)

Abortion stats based on inflated hospital records

MANILA, September 11, 2011—One of the Senate sponsors of the controversial “reproductive health” (RH) bill admitted Tuesday that statistics being used by pro-RH advocates are merely “extrapolations” and are therefore not exact.

Tuesday’s floor debates brought into the open how pro-RH lobbyists have been calculating the supposed number of abortions in the country, which Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago claims is at 570,000 annually.

Under interpellation by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Santiago—a sponsor of the RH bill—revealed that the figure came from 2008 extrapolations by the Guttmacher Institute and the UP Population Institute.

The New York-based Guttmacher Institute is the former research arm of the pro-abortion group Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of abortion services in the US.

Loopholes in computing abortion statistics

To arrive at the total number of abortions in a year, Santiago said the Guttmacher methodology simply multiplies the number of women hospitalized for complications due to abortion “by a factor of 6 or 7.” She did not explain how the so-called multiplier was derived.

“In other words this may or may not be true,” Enrile said, to which Santiago replied in the affirmative.

“But to imply that they were pulled out of thin air is unfair,” Santiago said.

The Guttmacher paper in question, available publicly on the Internet, estimated 3.371 million pregnancies in 2008—out of which 17% (573,000) supposedly led to “induced abortions.”

Guttmacher claimed that based on hospital records, there were 90,000 admissions in 2008, which means the multiplier used by Guttmacher was between 6 and 7 to produce an inflated figure of 573,000 induced abortions—easily half of abortions in the United States, where abortion is legal.

During the debates, Enrile pointed out that Guttmacher made the extrapolation based on data from way back in 2000, or more than a decade ago.

A check on the methodology of the 2008 extrapolation showed that hospital records were not really examined that year. The methodology states: “Numbers of induced abortions by region, 2008: We applied the regional number of induced abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–49 in 2000 (the most recent data available) to the numbers of women aged 15–49 in 2008.”

The 2000 data is contained in the older study “The Incidence of Induced Abortion in the Philippines: Current Level and Recent Trends,” also by Guttmacher and UP.

That study, published in 2005, claimed 78,901 women were hospitalized due to abortion complications across all regions in the country. Multiplying it by a factor of 6 inflates the figure to 473,408 – the supposed level of induced abortions in 2000.

Relied on anecdotal evidence, indirect estimates

The older study, however, admits having “limited information” on the prevalence of abortion, as it relied on “anecdotal evidence” and a 2006 survey of health workers which merely “suggested” that about one in four women with abortion complications needed to be hospitalized, or a multiplier of 5.

To account for improvements in the “safety of abortion” over the years, Guttmacher and UP simply adjusted the inflation factor to between 5 and 7.

Even the figure attributed to hospital records is extrapolated or merely based on “indirect estimates,” it turns out. A total of 2,039 hospitals were identified, but usable reports were obtained for only 1,658.

For 1,180 hospitals, the study merely assumed that “the number of women admitted for abortion complications was half the number of patients admitted for the 10th leading cause of admission.” Nearly 400 hospitals did not even have data at all, but were nevertheless assigned 6,000 supposed hospitalizations.

Guttmacher’s 2008 methodology, meanwhile did not consider factors known to reduce maternal mortality or even attempt to get more reliable counts.

Santiago defended Guttmacher on Tuesday, saying: “Apparently they have a track record of reasonable accuracy.”

Tuesday’s debates saw a calmer Santiago, who even used the word “opo” to answer Enrile’s questions.

‘11 mothers die everyday’ a PR phrase

In contrast, the other RH sponsor, Sen. Pia Cayetano, was visibly irritated by the Senate President’s queries, which she dismissed as “repetitive.”

“Don’t teach me how to interpellate,” Enrile said. “Don’t teach me how to answer,” Cayetano replied.

Cayetano and Enrile clashed over the oft-repeated statistic of 11 maternal deaths a day, which had been found to be based on old data but is now being attributed by the pro-RH lobby to the maximum estimate by government statisticians.

The World Health Organization (WHO) placed maternal deaths in 2008 at just 5.75 a day.

In an apparent admission that “11 a day” is only for public relations purposes, Cayetano said: “‘11 mothers die everyday’ is a phrase used by NGOs to drive home the point.”

Enrile appealed to the pro-RH lobby not to take him to task for questioning the data used to push for the RH bill, saying he was doing so only to place the entire issue in the records of the Senate.

To recall, pro-RH lobbyists last month waged a social-networking demolition job on Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, who questioned the basis of the “11 a day” statistic.

“I want to make sure that statistical numbers used for the possible passage of this bill are beyond doubt,” Enrile said. (CBCP for Life)

Malacañang urged to clarify policy on blood money

ANTIPOLO City, Sept. 10, 2011—Migrante-Middle East urged Malacañang to disclose its policy on blood money (diyya) as part of the efforts of saving the lives of Filipino workers in death row.

Migrante-ME regional coordinator John Monterona said, it has been two months since the Palace had created a technical working group to study the policy about giving out diyya but until now, there are no reports being publicized.

Monterona recalls that it was on July 20th when the President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III had had a meeting with the officials of the departments of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Budget and Management, and the Office of Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs to discuss the matter of giving diyya in order for the family of the offended person to withdraw the case against the offending OFW.

“It was Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, on July 21st, who had announced the formation of the said technical working group. We believe it is time to hear from the Malacañang-formed TWG about the policy proposals in regards to finding sources for the blood money of OFWs on death row,” Monterona said.

It was Dondon Lanuza who had been consistently appealing to raise blood money for his release. Lanuza, who accidentally killed a Saudi national out of self-defense, was in Dammam Central Jail since year 2000.

The family of the offended party, based on reports gathered by Migrante, is willing to issue an affidavit of desistance if Lanuza can give a diyya worth some thousands of US dollars.

“Mrs. Rowena Lanuza, Dondon’s mother, sought our assistance to help her arrange a meeting with Vice President Jejomar Binay, also presidential adviser on OFWs concerns,” Monterona said.

“She is to arrive mid-September from the United States to personally appeal to Vice President Binay and to the officials of agencies concerned about the diyya,” the migrant leader added. (Noel Sales Barcelona/CBCPNews)

Legarda outrages the abduction of Agta-Dumagat in Quezon province

MANILA, September 9, 2011-In the recent abduction of a member of Agta-Dumagat community in Burdeos, Quezon, Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities said that there is a pressing need to strengthen the protection of indigenous cultural communities in the country, outraging the incident that should not happen.

Last August 23, Rogemer Morada was reported abducted from his house by armed men and his relatives sought the help of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

“As shown in this incident, protection and security are among the concerns of our indigenous brothers and sisters. The government must address this concern along with the other needs of our indigenous people such as access to basic services and the preservation of their culture and tradition,” she said.

The Senator said that these issues will be discussed at the Luzon Indigenous Peoples’ Assembly that will be held today until tomorrow, September 10, 2011, in Baguio City.

Legarda stressed that there is a pressing need to strengthen the voices of our IP leaders so that they may raise the concerns of their communities. This regional assembly and the first National Indigenous Cultural Summit will serve as venues for dialogue between our ICCs and the country’s policy-makers.

Legarda said that their unique situation and needs should be important parts of public discourse and through this regional assembly, there is a need to ensure that our IPs will be given appropriate attention by the government through policies and programs responsive to their needs.

Luzon IP groups to participate in the assembly today are the Isneg, Bago, Tingguian, Kankanaey, Iwak, Ibatan, Agta, Itawes, Tuwali, Gaddang, Bugkalot, Ayangan, Tiblac, Ivatan and the Dumagat. (Jason de Asis)

P15-M for Nueva Ecija disaster mitigation release by Spanish government

Nueva Ecija DILG provincial director Abraham Pascua.

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, September 9, 2011-Dr. Abraham Pascua, provincial director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and co-chairman of the Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) said that the Spanish government has released P15 million for disaster mitigation programs in a city and four (4) other municipalities in this province which has been hailed as a model of effective disaster risk reduction and management.

Pascua said that the amount was extended to the local government units (LGU) of San Jose City and the towns of Carranglan, Llanera, Rizal and Pantabangan.

Carranglan is a known landslide-prone area while nine of Pantabangan’s barangays have been identified as flood-prone. Roughly one-third of the barangays in San Jose are also identified as high-risk areas for floods.

Pascua said that the assistance forms part of the 3.4 million euros (P203.2 million) worth of grant pledged by the Spanish Cooperation Agency for Development (AECID) to the provincial government to further strengthen its capability to respond to disaster and calamity situations and implement rehabilitation programs. 

The grant, the first of its kind involving disaster risk reduction, was negotiated by Governor Aurelio Umali from the AECID to help rehabilitate and rebuild communities affected by supertyphoon “Pepeng” in 2009.

AECID has entered into a project partnership agreement with the Local Government Academy an attached agency of the DILG to strengthen local governments' disaster preparedness and response. The grant will be used to fund the training component, infrastructure and livelihood components of the program in the five (5) LGUs to make them responsive to disasters.

“The grant aid is a fitting recognition of the emergence of the province as a role model in disaster management and risk reduction with its participatory approach and systematic handling of irrigation systems,” Pascua said.

Umali, who also sits as PDRRMC chairman, cited that during typhoon “Ondoy,” the province suffered zero casualty because the National Irrigation Administration’s Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (NIA-UPRIIS) released water from Pantabangan Dam several days before the typhoon came.

The PDRRMC also formulated a comprehensive disaster risk reduction contingency plan involving the pre-positioning of evacuation centers and relief goods in disaster-hit areas.

PDRRMC has five (5) strategically located command posts and four (4) advanced command posts where personnel, heavy equipment, medicines and goods are deployed and stockpiled in advance in anticipation of a forthcoming typhoon. (Jason de Asis)

NIA execs welcome house probe on alleged P6.2B ghost irrigation projects

MANILA, September 8, 2011-National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Antonio Nangel yesterday categorically denied accusations of alleged “ghost” irrigation projects in the country and said they are open to a congressional inquiry to shed light on the said issues.

“Critics’ accusations of alleged non-existent irrigation projects are at best unfounded as I welcomed an investigation into the supposed anomalous projects, particularly those in Mindanao,” Nangel said.

“With all due respect to our critics, we in NIA are transparent and we are open to any investigation. Our projects are aboveboard and can be considered as tuwid na proyektong patubig (straight irrigation projects) in line with the tuwid na daan (straight path) development agenda of President Aquino,” Nangel added.

Nangel was reacting to earlier published reports that irregularities were committed in certain irrigation projects, more specifically the Malitubog-Maridagao (Mal-Mar) Irrigation Project in Northern Cotabato and Maguindanao.

The whole project which started in 1989 after several delays is designed to irrigate 19,601 hectares of agricultural lands in the five (5) towns in Central Mindanao covering the provinces of North Cotabato, Region 12, Maguindanao and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. It is also intended to increase rice production and household income and the living conditions in strife-torn areas in the island and benefit 6,312 farmers in 56 barangays.

Phase 2, which will be completed in five years, will be funded at a cost of P6.148 billion of which P4.656 billion will be sourced from loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the rest through government counterpart funding.

NIA has been asking for state funding for Phase 2 when it allegedly could not adequately explain how it spent the P405 million for Phase 1 according to news report.

The alleged anomalies prompted Party-list Representative Raymund Mendoza of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), Angelo Palmones of Agham and North Cotabato Reps. Jesus Sacdalan and Nancy Catamco to file House Resolution 1641 calling the House committee in agriculture to conduct an investigation into the project.

Palmones said that with the P6.2 billion for Phase 2 covering 6,117 hectares, this would cost taxpayers a whopping P1 million per hectare to irrigate.

Nangel said allegations of corruption in the project have no factual or legal basis, saying an advisory group which serves as oversight committee has been strictly monitoring it. The group is chaired by North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Talino-Mendoza and Maguindanao Governor Ismael Mangudadatu.

Nangel said claims of “ghost projects” for Phase 2 in the lower Malitubog area have no leg to stand on since several small projects covering this particular phase are now on-going among them construction of the intake, canal lining and road at the Nalapaan main canal, rehabilitation and construction of intake structure at the Chrislan Dam and construction of main diversion canal.

“There are no ghost projects to speak of because in the first place, we have on-going projects which are also being strictly monitored by our advisory group, project manager and fieldmen,” Nangel said.

Nangel said he himself could vouch for the project’s integrity because he has been conducting ocular inspections, the latest of which was only late last month. “For this reason, I would like to invite congressmen to the project site for an ocular inspection,” he said.

He said while waiting for the release of the foreign loans, NIA utilized the initial P200 million in available government funding to jump-start Phase 2 which has already been approved by the Board of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).   

Nangel said that even sans foreign funding, they were already able to generate new areas, including 7,173 for Phase 1 while for Phase 2, they expect to irrigate 1,060 hectares within the year.

“We in NIA are pro-active. We don’t wait for foreign funding to arrive before we act. While waiting for the foreign funds to come in, we do our end of the bargain,” he said.     

Engineer Noldin Oyod, Mal-Mar project manager said that with regards to the P100 million earmarked for Phase 1 of the project, this is now being utilized for civil works such as construction of canal lining and drainage facilities and access road to the project site. This particular portion, located in the Upper Malitubog area covers 1,611 hectares.   

He said the remaining P305 million - which will be spent for improvement and rehabilitation of existing structures - has just been released to the NIA regional irrigation office in the Maridagao area under irrigation manager Cesar Solaic.

Noyod said the cost of irrigation for Phase 2 would not reach P1 million per hectare contrary to the claims of Palmones since the P6.2 billion has a social component and will also cover institutional development, farmers’ training, land acquisition among others.

“The allegations of corruption regarding the project are nothing new and were actually a rehash of old charges. I recalled that back in 2003, the House of Representatives conducted an investigation into “certain anomalies” in the project but nothing has been established,” Noyod said. 

He said that these corruption allegations even reached the Office of the Ombudsman but they were subsequently dismissed. (Jason de Asis)

CMN News Online Erratum

September 8, 2011

ERRATUM

Relative to the blog posted by the Catholic Media Network News Online Administration dated August 29, 2011 regarding http://jasondeasis.blogspot.com/2011/08/anti-crime-watchdog-in-aurora-founded.html in connection to the existence of the BANTAHAYAN, corrections are hereby rectified as follows:

1. The BANTAHAYAN is not organized to address criminal rampage nor the front runner in combating criminality in Aurora; but rather a mere organization whose main interest of every member is to safeguard and provide security to their own families;

2. The posting of the picture of Attorney Sharon Teh Yllanan and her son is irrelevant to the organization’s purpose; hence, the said picture and all other accompanying pictures were deleted.

In view thereof, apology is due to all the personnel concern who were unwillingly maligned by the article. (Jason de Asis)

Incinerators needed to address garbage problem-Trillanes

MANILA, September 7, 2011-In order to address the worsening problem of waste disposal in the country, Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV pushes for the amendment of the Clean Air Act to allow the use of incinerators.

In light of the “trashslide” set off by heavy rains in Baguio City that killed six (6) people and buried homes below the mountain of garbage in Irisan dumpsite last month, Trillanes filed Senate Bill No. 225 to revise the law signed in 1999 where he said that waste management has become an issue and has posed serious problems in the country.

“This means that waste must be properly disposed in manner that it will not become a significant environmental burden,” Trillanes said, saying that one way of dealing with the perennial trash woes is to allow the operation of incinerators in the country as he noted that existing technology has made it safer while at the same time produce the much needed electric power.

Trillanes admitted that although there are serious environmental concerns about incineration, advances in emission control designs, along with strict standards and monitoring system have caused large reduction of pollution in the atmosphere.

The young legislator cited Japan where experts have made headway in emission control designs, and coupled with very stringent governmental regulations have substantially cut down the amount of dioxins and furans emissions using the technology.

“This is suitable for use in the country since it is difficult to secure final disposal sites due to our becoming limited land space. It is estimated that when incinerated, waste shall be reduced to approximately one-tenth of its weight and one-twentieth of its volume,” he pointed out.

He said that this is an opportune time to repeal Section 20 of the Clean Air Act (Republic Act 8749) and tap incinerators as a viable waste disposal method and promote it to generate power under the waste-to-energy (WTE) technology, adding that the technology provides for the safe disposal of waste without harmful emissions to the atmosphere, and at the same time, offers maximum benefits from the recovery of the valuable contents of the wastes from the cities. (Jason de Asis)

Aurora uphold as Central Luzon’s most peaceful province

BALER, Aurora, September 7, 2011-This province has retained its status as the most peaceful province with the lowest crime incidence in Central Luzon in 2011 despite the crime waves in thefts and robberies in the provincial capital town.

Aurora province registered 991 crimes from January to July based in the crime statistics from the Philippine National Police Regional Office 3 based in Camp Olivas, Pampanga.

Over the period, crime volume represents only four percent of the 24,401 crime incidents recorded in the entire region.

Stats showed that the province of Bulacan has the highest crime incidence with 9,647 followed by Pampanga with 3,305, Nueva Ecija (2,498), Bataan (2,185), Zambales (1,566) and Tarlac (1,131).

Senior Superintendent Oscar Albayalde, regional intelligence chief said that the 24,401 crimes are lower by 25.77 percent compared to the 32,870 crimes listed over the same period last year.

Albayalde said of these crimes, 13,674 or 56.04 percent index crimes such as theft, physical injuries, robbery, carnapping, rape, murder and homicide while the remaining 10,727 (43.96 percent) are non-index crimes.

He said that 3,395 or 13.91 percent of these crimes are considered “solved” where the suspects have been arrested and charged in court while 5,207 or 21.37 percent are considered “cleared” where cases have been filed but the suspects are at large. 

Albayade attributed the dip in regional crime incidence to intensified police visibility in the streets and the conduct of massive simultaneous checkpoint operations targeting motorcycle-riding criminals.

Albayade said that the regional PNP, led by Chief Superintendent Edgardo Ladao also launched “I-Text Mo, Aksyonan Ko (Text and I will Act)” giving citizens a chance to report crime incidents in their locality through text messaging and the “Wanted Ka, Huli Ka! (You’re Wanted, You’re Caught)” website providing information on most wanted criminals in the region.

Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo lauded the PNP crime report. She said that we should be proud of the report, adding that the province was adjudged as the best performing local government unit (LGU) in the region and the 48^th Infantry “Guardians” Battalion was adjudged best battalion by the 7^th Infantry “Kaugnay” Division recently. (Jason de Asis)

Senators pass foster care act of 2010

MANILA, September 6, 2011-The Senators’ unanimously approved on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 2486 otherwise known as the “Foster Care Act of 2010,” which aims to establish a system that will promote foster care for homeless children by giving foster parents and donor agencies tax incentives.

The authors of the bill were Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and Senator Pia Cayetano. The bill that seeks to institutionalizes foster care as a primary child care program for abused, abandoned and neglected children in the country.

            

Senators Manuel Villar, Fancis Pangilinan, Ralph Recto,Franklin Drilon, Chiz Escudero, Manuel Lapid, Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III were the co-authors of the bill.

The bill defines “foster care” as the provision of planned temporary substitute parental care to a child. A person must be of legal age and must meet a set of qualifications to prove that he/she is of good moral character and capable of providing for the needs of the foster child to qualify as a foster parent.

Cayetano advised that the government should give attention and consideration to foster care as a preferred way of caring for homeless children as opposed to the current practice of placing them in institutions, such as orphanages and youth centers. 

She said that there are not enough institutions to attend to the needs of abandoned and neglected Filipino children, not to mention the fact that these institutions cannot give the warmth and affection that a family could provide.

“Studies show that foster care creates a better living environment and develops better individuals as opposed to institutional care. Through foster care, children are given more attention and care in a home setting, thus providing them with more opportunities for normal, mental, spiritual, emotional and physical growth,” Cayetano said.

Estrada said that once the bill is enacted into law the government will provide assistance and tax incentives to foster parents, child caring agencies and donor institutions. Under the bill, foster parents will be provided with medical insurance through the Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth) if they are non-members at the time of foster care. They will also be provided with counseling, training on child care and development, skills training and livelihood assistance.

Estrada said that the bill provides that foster parents will be entitled to personal tax exemption and additional exemptions for dependents. The Department of Welfare and Development (DWSD) will also provide the foster child with a monthly support subsidy.

Under the provision of Section 30 of the Tax Code of the Philippines, article VI, Section 19 of the bill exempts non-government organizations accredited by the DWSD from paying income tax on the income derived by it as an organization

Likewise, donors will be exempted from donor’s tax under Article VI, Section 20 of the bill, provided that not more than 30 % of the amount of donations will be spent for administrative expenses.

The bill provides that while the local government units will primarily be responsible for foster care programs under the Local Government Code, the national government will provide financial support for the foster care programs. It will allocate P25 million for the first year of its operation, giving priority to third, fourth and fifth class municipalities.

To protect children from being exploited from their foster parent or parents, the measure also seeks to impose stiff penalties to violators. Article VII of Section 21 of the bill provides that any foster parent found to have committed any act of neglect, abuse, cruelty or exploitation and other similar acts shall be penalized in accordance with Republic Act No. 7610, otherwise known as “An Act Providing for Stronger Deterrence and Special Protection Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination.”  The violator can also be charged under the other laws applicable to child abuse.

The same provision penalizes violating agencies with a P25,000 fine but not exceeding P50,000 for the first offense;  a not less than P50,000 fine but not exceeding P100,000 and cancellation of their license to operate for subsequent violations and/or imprisonment of one to six months.

The DSWD said that about 10,815 children were placed in institutional care in 42 of its facilities last 2009 annual report. The number represents children who were abandoned, neglected, abused or survivors of conflicts. The DSWD reported helping 42,672 cases of children who are in need of special protection in the same year. (Jason de Asis)