KIKO CALLS ON NEW CJ TO CONVENE JELACC “TO ADDRESS DECADES-OLD PROBLEMS”

MANILA, August 25, 2012-With Justice Lourdes Sereno now appointed as the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan believes that the time has come to reconvene the Judicial Executive Legislative Advisory and Consultative Council (JELACC) "to lay down budgetary support for the modernization of our justice system," among other pressing issues.

"We need to work towards increasing the judiciary budget to address decades-old problems plaguing it, such as the 25% vacancy rate, the lack of facilities and justice halls, the low conviction rates, and the delay in resolving cases that last an average of six years, among others," Pangilinan says.

The lawmaker and former JBC ex-oficio, who has long been advocating judicial reforms, explains, "There is something terribly wrong with the system when a party litigant has to suffer six years of litigation in the first level, and suffer more years of waiting for the resolution of the appeal. It is also totally unacceptable to have a conviction rate of less than 20 percent in criminal cases. This means that eight out of ten cases end up in acquittals."

"This system is anti-poor and anti-progress," Pangilinan asserts. "We should not be allowed to suffer from this rotten and bankrupt system. It is a justice system that is totally unjust and totally unacceptable."

"No wonder respect for the rule of law is more the exception rather than the rule. The powerful and the mighty scoff at it while the poor and the weak having no access to it are oblivious to it. How can anyone respect a system that doesn't work?"

ANGARA PUSHES FOR MANDATORY ARBITRATION TO DECLOG COURTS

MANILA, August 25, 2012-Following the historic appointment of the new Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, Senator Edgardo J. Angara urged the judiciary to implement mandatory arbitration to resolve disputes quickly and unclog the courts.

Under Republic Act 9285 enacted in 2004, it is the country's policy to encourage the use of alternative dispute resolution to achieve speedy and impartial justice, and declog court dockets.

However, Angara, a veteran lawmaker and lawyer, suggested that instead of just promoting and giving the parties the option to resort to alternative dispute resolution, the judiciary should make it compulsory.

“Maybe we can require parties to put a mandatory arbitration provision in their contracts. If you go to court directly, the court can dismiss the case and ask you to go to arbitration,” said Angara, who made the same recommendation during the recent hearing on the budget of the judiciary.

Under RA 9285, alternative dispute resolution system includes arbitration, mediation, conciliation, early neutral evaluation, or mini-trial involving a neutral third party to help resolve the dispute out of court.

“Arbitration is more advantageous than court litigation, especially in our case where it usually takes several years for the trial courts to hear and resolve the cases filed with them,” said Angara, co-founder of ACCRALaw, one of the biggest law firms in the Philippines.

The senator explained that in the United States, mandatory arbitration is not required by law. But a Supreme Court decision in the 1960s made arbitration of labor disputes mandatory. He explained that the judiciary adopted a system of labor arbitrators that took over labor relations disputes from the courts.

“I think we ought to do here in the Philippines too. It requires a decision of the Supreme Court. Then it would have taken away so many contractual disputes out of the jurisdiction of the judiciary. It will take away so many of these small cases which waste the time of our justices,” he said. (Rikka Sotto w/ Shielo Mendoza)

Legarda Joins in Initiating Massive Manila Bay Clean-up

MANILA, August 25, 2012-Through the Luntiang Pilipinas Foundation, Senator Loren Legarda joined in initiating a massive Manila Bay Clean-up, along the coastline from Navotas to Bacoor, Cavite in order to rehabilitate the bay and contribute to the country’s solid waste management efforts.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change and founder of Luntiang Pilipinas explained that, “the Manila Bay is an effective gauge of the level of water pollution in Metro Manila. The amount of solid wastes present in these waters, which becomes more evident during the rainy season, should be a cause for alarm among all of us. And this clean-up involving a host of stakeholders should only be one among many.”

The Manila Broadcasting Company, represented by radio station DZRH, took the lead in the project, with Luntiang Pilipinas Foundation Inc. as a partner and co-implementor.

“The Manila Bay is one of Metro Manila’s crowning glories, boasting the best view of the sunset as it features prominently in both local and international tourism campaigns. And yet it continues to be neglected: the view of the otherwise beautiful sunset is marred by styrofoam containers, plastic bags, discarded appliances, and many other solid wastes. It is time that we take a stand against this pollution and degradation,” said Legarda, author of the Solid Waste Management Act.

The clean-up's operating partners include the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, PNP Maritime Command, MMDA, DOT, and the Offices of the Mayors of Manila, Malabon, Navotas, Pasay, Paranaque, Las Pinas, and Bacoor.

“Let us take Manila Bay back. Let us reclaim its stunning beauty and proclaim its significance. And let us, above all, work towards a healthy, sustainable, and disaster resilient future through initiating and supporting concerted clean-up efforts,” Legarda concluded.

Drilon to speak at international forum

MANILA, August 25, 2012-Senator Franklin M. Drilon will be among the international speakers who will deliver lectures at the 2012 Asia Conference on August 24 to 28, 2012 in National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan.

The international conference was organized by the Harvard Program on Asia and International Relations (HPAIR). Around 500 delegates from different countries in Asia are expected to attend the forum.

                                                               

Drilon is set to speak on topic “Reappraising the Asian Values Debate in the 21^st Century World”, where he will discuss the universality of human rights and democracy in the Philippines.

“I am honored to have been invited by this Harvard-based group to update the other countries about our Philippine democratic system,” said Drilon.

“We have a very colorful story to tell about our being a democratic country which other countries can draw insights and lessons from,” he added.

According to the HPAIR, this year’s forum will be the first time to feature and discuss critical issues based on the Filipino perspective.

HPAIR has held 26 conferences in both Asia and the United States in a bid to bring together students from the world’s foremost universities and leaders in the fields of government, business, culture, and academia, to engage in thoughtful conversations regarding critical issues affecting Asia and the world.

Past speakers included Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, Singapore President S.R. Nathan, and Cambodia Prime Minister Prince Narodom Ranariddh.

500 Aurora runners Join Takbo para sa Inang Kalikasan Fun Run

MARIA AURORA, Aurora, August 24, 2012-The two (2) campuses of Lyceum of the East in Aurora, in cooperation with the 48^th Infantry “Guardians” Battalion, Philippine Army, successfully held the “Takbo para sa Inang Kalikasan, One Spirit, One Advocay, One Goal…A sustainable National Greening Program (NGP) through Gender and Development (GAD) Principles and Initiatives” at the Lyceum of the East-Aurora Campus in Brgy. Florida, Maria Aurora last August 20, 2012.

The recent run-for-a-cause event was participated by the army, National Statistics Office, PNP Maria Aurora, private sectors and other participants registered for the fun run, which also opened the 1^st “SAYAWIT” competition for the National Service Training Program (NSTP) student of both colleges.

“This afternoon’s affair is three folds: first, republic act 9729 otherwise known as the Philippine climate change, second, republic act 9512, otherwise known as the National Greening Program, third, Republic Act no. 9710, otherwise known as the Magna Carta of Women,” said Mr. Jason Francisco V. de Asis, Program Director of the event, saying that the Significance of these republic acts are greatly affect our ways of life.

He said that it would be observed that climate change has brought us in quandary, when there should be rain, there is no rain, when there should be sunshine, it rains, comparing the temperament of women which is changeable.

“The Magna Carta for women’s rights which was authored by Senator Loren Legarda provides the necessary mechanisms to enforce and guarantee the realization of women’s rights as public servant; public offices are no longer dominated by men. We have women engineers, architects, mechanics, electricians, soldiers. I just fear that someday we might have women loggers or miners,” de Asis said while smiling.

He added that the Lyceum of the East is aware of the program and very receptive to this call of the government; hence, the management assigned the task to the National Service Training Program (NSTP) Department to implement the program.

“It is also the college desire to give fullest effort to support environmental awareness under Republic Act 9512, an act to promote environmental awareness through environmental education under the program wherein the Lyceum of the East, Inc. formulated a program and activity for the National Greening Program to foster patriotism and nationalism,” he furthered.

The runners converged at the Lyceum of the East Aurora Campus Saturday afternoon and took off for their respective three kilometer (3K), five-kilometer (5K) and 7K routes at the signal of the 48^th IB CMO Chief Captain Rozzel Ticar and Mr. de Asis, the NSTP Program head of the two (2) campuses and concurrent Dean of BS Entrepreneurship.

Among the groups who participated in the event were soldiers from the 48^th (Guardians) Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army, officers from the Maria Aurora Police Office, government employees, officials and staff from the National Statistics Office, Department of Health, volunteer health workers and students from the towns of Baler, San Luis, Dipaculao and Maria Aurora, as well as the barangay and provincial officials. (Ronald Madrid Leander-GMA7)

ANGARA: FAST-TRACK CREATION OF HOUSING PROGRAM FOR PHL TEACHERS

Proper housing for public school teachers in the Philippines should be prioritized, said Senator Edgardo J. Angara during a joint hearing by the Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Retirement and related committees yesterday.

Angara, chair of the Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, explained that educators  make up one of the  four sectors of the government which make the biggest impact on the public. The first two, the Judiciary and the police force, look after the safety and provide justice, while health and education professionals deal with the overall well-being of the public.

"We should prioritize the housing for our teachers as they are among the most important public servants in any country. They teach and mold our children, and are on the frontline in times of crisis and emergency, such as disaster relief operations. Teachers are also a vanguard of our democracy especially during elections," he said.

However, teachers in the Philippines still earn much less compared to their counterparts in the ASEAN region.

"We can solve this problem by establishing a housing program--through a comprehensive piece of legislation--especially for our educators," said Angara.

"Everyone is entitled to a home. Housing should be considered a universal human right, in the same way health and education are," he added.

Angara then proposed to include housing provision for teachers in a Magna Carta for Public Servants. "This way, we are assured that these initiatives will get adequate funding from government."

ANGARA: FAST-TRACK CREATION OF HOUSING PROGRAM FOR PHL TEACHERS

Proper housing for public school teachers in the Philippines should be prioritized, said Senator Edgardo J. Angara during a joint hearing by the Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Retirement and related committees yesterday.

Angara, chair of the Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, explained that educators  make up one of the  four sectors of the government which make the biggest impact on the public. The first two, the Judiciary and the police force, look after the safety and provide justice, while health and education professionals deal with the overall well-being of the public.

"We should prioritize the housing for our teachers as they are among the most important public servants in any country. They teach and mold our children, and are on the frontline in times of crisis and emergency, such as disaster relief operations. Teachers are also a vanguard of our democracy especially during elections," he said.

However, teachers in the Philippines still earn much less compared to their counterparts in the ASEAN region.

"We can solve this problem by establishing a housing program--through a comprehensive piece of legislation--especially for our educators," said Angara.

"Everyone is entitled to a home. Housing should be considered a universal human right, in the same way health and education are," he added.

Angara then proposed to include housing provision for teachers in a Magna Carta for Public Servants. "This way, we are assured that these initiatives will get adequate funding from government."