Pangilinan meets NDFP jalandoni and JOMA Sison

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, June 12, 2011-Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan meets the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negotiating Panel Chairperson Luis Jalandoni and NDFP Chief Political Consultant Professor Jose Maria Sison at their headquarters in Utrecht, the Netherlands last July 7, 2011 in the hope that the kinks that have led to the postponement of the talks could be ironed out and that the peace talks could proceed after hitting a snag on the JASIG issue.

“Nagkaroon ng aberya. We took the initiative to go there after conferring with our government representatives,” said Pangilinan.

Pangilinan presented his proposals for solving socio-economic and political problems to Luis Jalandoni and to Jose Maria Sison where the former said in a statement that they will seriously study Pangilinan’s proposal.

“Jalandoni agreed that there is an urgent need for peace negotiations to move forward as the Philippines faces mounting problems and the Filipino people are crying out louder now for genuine reforms to be instituted under the leadership of PNoy,” Pangilinan said, explaining that no progressive nation became prosperous while facing armed conflict.

“The peace initiatives during the Ramos presidency created a window of opportunity for development in Mindanao. We would not have developed cities such as General Santos, Cagayan De Oro, and Davao City if it weren’t for this ceasefire agreement,” Pangilinan said, manifesting that his relationship with the NDF has been decades long.

“I was a student activist during the Marcos dictatorship and thus I fully understand the causes they are fighting for,” Pangilinan said.

The Communist Party of the Philippines-NDF-NPA insurgency is considered as one of the longest running insurgencies in existence started in 1969.

“Personally I want my children to see peace in our country happen in our lifetime. It took the Irish Republican Army (IRA) 90 years from the time of its creation to agree to peaceful means of resolving the armed conflict in Northern Ireland. We should be able to follow their lead and forge our own historic date of peace and unity sometime in the near future,” Pangilinan said in his statement.

  

“Since the restoration of democracy in 1986, the government has been talking peace with the NDF. That’s 25 years of on and off peace negotiations. Surely we can do better than this? If this is all we can offer, then it’s a shame. Our efforts thus and the results we have achieved are unacceptable. We deserve more. We deserve better, and the Aquino government has the unique and golden opportunity to finally make things right and forge a comprehensive peace settlement with the CPP-NPA-NDF.” (Jason de Asis)

P-Noy requested to declare Cabanatuan a highly urbanized city

The Cabanatuan City hall

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, July 12, 2010-The Sangguniang Panlunsod (SP) has passed a resolution requesting President Aquino III to issue a proclamation declaring this city as a highly urbanized city (HUC), opening up a head-on collision with the camp of Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali who is strongly opposing the move.

During its regular Monday session, the SP chaired by Vice Mayor Jolly Garcia, passed the resolution stating that the city has met all the necessary requirements for conversion, including income, to be forwarded to the Chief Executive.

Eleven of the city councilors are mostly allies of Cabanatuan City Mayor Julius Cesar Vergara who signed the resolution except Councilor Jess Diaz who was absent.

Councilor Ariel Severino said that the copies of the resolution will formally come out today (Tuesday). After the issuance of a presidential proclamation, a plebiscite will be held among Cabanatuenos to ratify the proclamation.  

The council also passed a resolution requesting Umali’s wife, third district Rep. Czarina Umali to sponsor a bill in the House of Representatives declaring Cabanatuan as a lone congressional district.

The passage of the twin resolutions came nine months after Umali and Vergara parted ways over the HUC issue which the former vehemently opposed. Umali said Cabanatuan is not yet ready and ill-prepared to become HUC, adding its conversion would cripple the delivery of basic services to Cabanatuenos.

Vergara has argued that the HUC conversion of Cabanatuan is long overdue, saying its full development could not take off while under the provincial government.

It is the second attempt to convert the city into HUC. In 1995, Vergara’s predecessor, then-mayor Manolette Liwag pushed for HUC conversion which was subsequently proclaimed by then-President Fidel Ramos.

However, the move lost badly during the plebiscite, largely due to the opposition made by the Josons. 

If it becomes HUC, Cabanatuan would be politically independent from the provincial government and voters from Cabanatuan will no longer vote for governor, a move seen as detrimental to Umali who counts on this city as one of his bailiwicks.

Also, all taxes collected in the city would no longer be remitted to the province and all resolutions and ordinances passed by the city council would no longer be reviewed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.          

Umali said a HUC status would remove the powers of the provincial government and the SP to check possible abuses of city officials. He said city officials may abuse their powers and this could trigger corruption in “high places.”

“If you are a HUC and you are the mayor who also happens to own a utility, then that's a frightening scenario,” Umali said, apparently referring to Vergara whose family owns the Cabanatuan Electric Corp. (Celcor).

He said since the provincial government and SP no longer wield control over the city government and city officials, there will no longer be a higher authority to check on possible abuses and legislate ordinances that would bear down on these abuses.

“If, for example, there is an increase in the power rates of Celcor, who is there to check on the  abuse if there is any of the Celcor?,” he said.

Umali said it would be erroneous on the part of the Vergara camp to say that those objecting to HUC are playing politics, which, the mayor, said, has been dominating the province over the past 60 years.

“My I ask the mayor's camp, who was engaged in petty politics for the past 60 years? I was the one who stood up against such kind of politics. And when I rose up against that kind of politics, it was only then when he took the cue and followed my lead,” he said, adding that ever since he fought partisan politics, he pushed hard for political reforms which are now clearly seen and felt in the province.

“Converting Cabanatuan into a HUC and making it a separate political subdivision from Nueva Ecija is delivering the wrong message to the people, tantamount to saying Cabanatuenos are no longer Novo Ecijanos which is exactly not the case in point,” the governor said.

He said that when Cabanatuan becomes HUC, we are creating the wrong impression that the city is an independent republic. “Are we now saying the people of Cabanatuan are no longer the people of Nueva Ecija? What happens to me who is from Cabanatuan? Will I be deprived of my identity?” he asked. (Jason de Asis)

A time of pain, a time of grace

A Pastoral Statement of  Bishop  Odchimar,  D.D.

Our Dear People of God,

Our Mother Church has been deeply wounded by the controversies in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office that have erupted in the past two weeks. Some members of the Church believe in the innocence of the bishops involved in the issue, while others do not. There is no doubt that everywhere in the Church there is great sorrow. We your pastors are one with you. As shepherds struggling to love you like Jesus the Good Shepherd, we are sorry for the pain and sadness that these events have brought upon you.

We are saddened that many of you, especially the youth, the poor, our Basic Ecclesial Communities, have been confused because of the apparent inconsistency of our actions with our pastoral preaching.

As we express our sadness, we also ask you to be slow in judgment and to conscientiously seek the whole truth behind the controversy. Let us seek the truth always in charity.

We assure you that the bishops concerned are ready to accept responsibility for their action and to face the consequences if it would be proven unlawful, anomalous, and unconstitutional. We assure you that their action was done without malice. Out of their sincere desire to help their people, they failed to consider the pitfalls to which these grants could possibly lead them. They have also expressed their readiness to do everything that is necessary to heal this wound so that we can all move forward in hope.

We also assure you, our beloved people, that we shall re-examine the manner of our collaboration with government agencies for purposes of helping the poor, making sure that pastoral sensibilities are respected and the highest ethical standards are observed. We shall examine our values in the light of our vocation to be disciples of Jesus Christ. We commit ourselves to the long journey of personal and social transformation required of all disciples of the Lord. We plead with you to walk with us in this path of constant renewal.

We express again our deep sorrow for the pain that the recent events have brought to you our beloved people. The good Lord knows our love for you. The words of the psalmist come to our mind: “My sacrifice, a contrite spirit. A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn” (Ps.51). As the same Psalmist addresses the Lord, we take his words as our own to encourage and challenge us: “Indeed you love truth in the heart; then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.”

For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines,

+NEREO P. ODCHIMAR, D.D.
Bishop of Tandag
President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
July 11, 2011

CBCP apologizes over PCSO fund mess

MANILA, July 11, 2011—The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) apologized Monday as the Church is stung over allegations that some prelates received vehicles from a state-run lottery agency.

In a pastoral statement, the CBCP said the bishops involved in the controversy are willing to be investigated and accept responsibility for their action.

“… We are sorry for the pain and sadness that these events have brought upon you,” read part of the statement read by outgoing CBCP President Nereo Odchimar in a press conference.

“We assure you that the bishops concerned are ready to accept responsibility for their action and to face the consequences if it would be proven unlawful, anomalous, and unconstitutional,” it said.

The Catholic hierarchy has been reeling under heat after the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) accused at least seven prelates of accepting vehicles from the agency.

The PCSO alleged that the vehicles were used by the past administration for political patronage at the time when calls for resignation had been hounding former President Gloria Arroyo.

The CBCP, however, maintained that the seven bishops’ request for vehicles from the PCSO “was done without malice.”

“Out of their sincere desire to help their people, they failed to consider the pitfalls to which these grants could possibly lead them,” Odchimar said.

The bishops also asked the public “to be slow in judgment” and to “conscientiously” seek the truth behind the scandal. “Let us seek the truth always in charity,” said Odchimar.

The pastoral statement titled “A Time of Pain, A Time of Grace,” was made after the CBCP’s three-day 103rd plenary assembly which ended Monday noon.

Among those present in the meeting were Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales of Manila, retired Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, and former CBCP head Archbishop Angel Lagdameo of Jaro.

Five of the seven bishops involved in the controversy were also present. They were: Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, Abra Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian, Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad, Bontoc-Lagawe Bishop Rodolfo Beltran and Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos.

The other accused, Archbishops Romulo Valles of Zamboanga and Ernesto Salgado of Nueva Segovia, did not attend the meeting. Salgado is reportedly in the US for an appointment.

The bishops admitted the issue “deeply wounded” the Church causing confusion among the Catholics “because of the apparent inconsistency of our actions with our pastoral preaching.”

“Some members of the Church believe in the innocence of the bishops involved in the issue, while others do not. There is no doubt that everywhere in the Church there is great sorrow,” they said.

The bishops then vowed it would “re-examine” the manner of their collaboration with government agencies for purposes of helping the poor “making sure that pastoral sensibilities are respected and the highest ethical standards are observed.”

“We express again our deep sorrow for the pain that the recent events have brought to you our beloved people. The good Lord knows our love for you,” they said. (CBCPNews)

Angara supports K+12 as the 1st step in education reform

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, July 11, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Education, Culture and Arts manifested full support in the recent call of Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Armin Luistro for increased legislative and budgetary support for the education sector, explaining that he is in favour of K+12 of the government as the 1^st step in educational reform.

Angara agreed in the statement of Luistro that resource gaps have been the major obstacle in pursuing reforms, particularly in implementing the K+12 Basic Education Plan by 2013.

“I agree in the forms of textbooks, classrooms and school buildings have resulted in for instance, larger class sizes that make learning more challenging for both teachers and students,” Angara said, saying that the officially approved class size in the Philippines is 60 students compared with Malaysia’s 31.7, Thailand’s 22.9, and South Korea’s 34.7.

The Senator said that investing in roads and bridges is vital to our overall development – but so are investments in our human capital, adding that the country has the lowest per head investment in education among our economic peers in Southeast Asia.

He noted that the first major step we could take towards reform is the K+12 plan, but that is not enough; thus, to equip young Filipino pupils with the skills and overall readiness that will help them get into and stay in school, Angara sponsored the Early Years Act and Kindergarten Education Act.

Angara also supports adding to more years to basic education to decongest a curriculum which tries to cram 12-years worth of learning into 10, as well as bring the country's standards on par with international norms, such as the Washington Accord for engineering professionals and Bologna Accord for European industries.

“Simultaneously, it is imperative that we come up with a better financing system and unburden families from huge education costs especially in higher learning. Compared to our Asian neighbors, almost 85 percent of education costs in the Philippines is shouldered by the parents. In Japan and Korea, families cover less than 20 percent,” Angara said where he is also pushing for the passage of the Congressional Oversight Committee for Education or EDCOM.

“I challenge my colleagues in Congress to be united in working for a comprehensive review of our education system and started to move on towards its genuine reform so that our Filipino graduates will be internationally competitive,” Angara said. (Jason de Asis) 

‘We won’t swim in loans,’ Umali allies say of P1-B loan facility

PALAYAN CITY July 11, 2011-Allies of Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali yesterday defended him from criticisms over the provincial government’s application for a P1-billion credit facility with a local bank, with one of them saying the province won’t be “swimming in loans.”

Vice Gov. Jose Gay Padiernos told newsmen that the P1-billion Omnibus Credit Facility (OCF) granted the provincial government by the Development Bank of the Philippines will be used to bankroll flagship and big-ticket projects of the provincial government, including a P100-million world-class water sports complex and theme park, sub-station, mango processing plant,  and cold storage facility among others.

He said the loan is “no big deal” as there are many other provincial governments which incur even bigger, gargantuan loans, citing Bulacan which applied for a staggering P2.1 billion loan.

Padiernos was reacting to concerns raised regarding the loan package which, some local observers pointed out, could plunge the province into financial problems, on top of a P280-million loan it secured for construction of 325 additional classrooms.

Earlier, the SP passed a resolution granting Umali authority to negotiate and secure a OCF worth P1 billion to finance “various infrastructure and development projects” in the province. The Board of the Directors of the DBP subsequently approved the loan facility which has a maximum 9 percent interest per annum payable for 15 years.

Padiernos said the loan package had undergone thorough scrutiny by the 14-man Sangguniang Panlalawigan. “We don’t just borrow loans. We study it very carefully before we approve it,” he said.

Padiernos said with regards to the P280-million loan, the resolution granted to Umali only ratified the loan agreement the provincial government entered into with the DBP which was not approved during his first term due to differences with the previous SP.

He said the Umali administration is acquiring loans because it has shown its solid credit rating, having even paid P1.1 billion in loans during the previous administration. “To me personally, being a businessman by profession, the mere fact that you are granted loans only means you are bankable,” he said.

Senior Board Member Estrellita Suansing also defended the loan facility, saying with the SP providing the necessary checks and balances, the loans would be judiciously spent. “I can assure you we won’t be swimming in loans. When there are loans, for sure there will be projects,” she said.

Suansing cited as an example the proposed Aulo water sports complex and theme park which, she said, would even be an improved version of the world-famous CamSur water sports complex and a similar tourist facility in Clark. She added that the project will trigger a tourism boom in the province and boost the local economy.

Padiernos added that the provincial government is not solely relying on loans to bankroll its projects. He said the Umali administration was able to secure P200 million worth of grant from the Agencia Espanola de Cooperacion International of the Spanish government for disaster risk reduction projects. (Jason de Asis)

MAKABAYAN welcomes CBCP probe on PCSO mess; urges P-Noy to act swiftly over the issue

MANILA, July 10, 2011—The Makabayang Koalisyon ng mga Mamamayan (MAKABAYAN) welcomes the parallel investigation that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is doing, in connection with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) ‘intelligence’ fund mess.

In a statement, Dr. Ed Clemente of the MAKABAYAN-Quezon City said that they are expecting transparency and consistency over the probes being conducted by the Philippine senate, the Office of the Ombudsman and by the CBCP, and that the investigations would yield a positive result in terms of resolving the issue of using the PCSO money as payola, in guise of intelligence fund.

“Poor Filipinos who need most of the supposedly charity money [from the PCSO] were the main to suffer because [these] public funds were being corrupted by some government officials,” says Clemente.

Clemente also said that President Benigno C. Aquino III should act swiftly, in prosecuting and incarcerating government officials involved in the money laundering in the PCSO, particularly former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who, according to former PCSO General Manager Rosario “Rose” Uriarte, is the one who signed the papers to immediately disburse the P325 million to be used as ‘intelligence funds.’

“We don't want to hear broken promises again. PNoy must be decisive enough to act and start breaking his silence over issues of corruption by the past administration,” Clemente stressed.

Clemente also said that he wonders why the Palace keeps on “doing nothing” in prosecuting the former chief executive and her cohorts, as the PCSO mess is just an “addendum to the corruption issues being attributed to the past administration.”

During the Senate investigation, it was revealed that the intelligence funds were released in tranche, with P75 million, P90 million, and P160 million in the years 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively.

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Teofisto “TG” Guingona III was ‘amazed’ with the big increase in the intelligence fund released in 2010, the year when the former president vied for a congressional seat.

“Bakit napakalaki [ng itinaas ng intelligence fund] at bakit ginawa noong panahon ng eleksiyon [ang paglalabas ng pondo]?” the senator said in a statement.

The senator also said that Mrs. Arroyo should explain her involvement with the mess.

Meanwhile, MAKABAYAN said that they will be watching over the developments of the ongoing parallel investigations on this issue and other cases of corruption and human rights violations allegedly committed by the past regime. (Noel Sales Barcelona)

Why did Odchimar refuse a second term as president?

MANILA, July 10, 2011—After two years, Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar has decided to vacate the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) highest post in December.

Filling his shoes is 61-year old Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, the current vice president of the bishops’ collegial body.

In electing Palma as the CBCP president, the bishops broke a long-time practice in the Catholic hierarchy.

By tradition, Odchimar is supposed to assume the presidency for two terms or a cumulative of four years.

Before the CBCP election on Monday, however, Odchimar expressed to the body his desire not to be nominated anymore.

The reason? Poor health.

More than being an administrative position, the post has required Odchimar to make travels to represent the CBCP in both local and international meetings.

From Tandag in Surigao del Sur, Odchimar had to take a ‘difficult travel’ to Davao City for four hours to take an airplane to Manila where the physical office of the CBCP President is.

“Bishop Odchimar asked not to be nominated anymore for health reasons and (because of) the difficulty of travelling from Tandag to Manila for necessary trips,” said Msgr. Juanito Figura, outgoing CBCP secretary general.

During the election at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila on Saturday, the CBCP also named Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop SocratesVillegas as its vice president.

Dumaguete Bishop John Du was named treasurer; while Msgr. Joselito Asis, who is currently the CBCP assistant secretary general, will take Figura’s post.

Like Odchimar, Figura also decided to step down from the post. He is leaving the CBCP after completing eight years of service.

On Sunday, the prelates also elected the regional representatives for the CBCP Permanent Council.

Elected were Archbishop Sergio Utleg, Bishops Virgilio David, Arturo Bastes, Francisco de Leon, Reynaldo Evangelista for Luzon; Bishops Leonardo Medroso and Patricio Buzon for Visayas; and Bishops Antonieto Cabajog and Guillermo Afable for Mindanao. (CBCPNews)

Forum to tackle repercussions of divorce

MANILA, July 10, 2011—A seminar on the issue of divorce will be held this month to educate the public on the repercussions of creating a culture of divorce in the country.

Organized by Pro-life Philippines Foundation, Inc. the half-day forum is titled “Let No Man Put Asunder: Uncovering the Culture of Divorce.”

Resource speaker is Atty. Aurea “Jo” Imbong, a pro-life lawyer and legal counsel of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.

Imbong will speak on the history of divorce, its conflict with human and divine laws, and its possible consequences to the status of the Filipino family.

After divorce has become legal in Malta, a Catholic nation in the Mediterranean, women advocates renewed the call to pass a law on divorce in the Philippines. The Committee on Revision of Laws in the House of Representatives has revived the discussion on the issue aimed on making divorce become legal in the country.

The seminar is scheduled on July 16, from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon at the St. Joseph Retreat House Conference Room in Sampaloc, Manila.

The forum has a registration fee of P300.00 that covers one snack, one seminar kit, and a certificate of participation signed by the organizers.

Interested participants may call in for reservations or more information at 733-7027; at telefax 734-9425; or text 0919-2337783; or email at life@prolife.org.ph. (CBCPNews)

NIA UPRIIS’ division chief awarded best irrigation manager for 2010

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, July 10, 2011-A multi-titled division manager of the National Irrigation Administration’s Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems, the operator of the giant Pantabangan Dam, has been adjudged as the most outstanding frontline irrigation manager for 2010 by an evaluation committee of the agency.

Josephine Salazar, UPRIIS division 3 manager, was conferred the prestigious award by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala and NIA Administrator Antonio Nangel during awarding ceremonies at the agency’s central office in Quezon City during its 48^th anniversary recently.

The Personnel Reward And Incentives System Evaluation committee chaired by senior deputy administrator Antonio Galvez cited Salazar for her “exemplary leadership” by taking the lead in achieving the highest record in physical and financial performance in the management and operation of UPRIIS Division 3 among the 49 irrigation management offices and national systems.

It added that her stewardship of the division resulted in water delivery, increased productivity and sustained corporate viability, contributing to the government’s food sufficiency program.

Division 3, which Salazar started managing in 2008, posted a net income of P40.42 million in 2010, from P32.8 million in 2009 and P14 million in 2008. For the first semester of 2011, it has posted a net income of P50 million.

Division 3 also posted a viability index of 2.24 percent, from 1.33 percent in 2008.

It was the second consecutive yearly award received by Salazar who, in 2009, also emerged as most outstanding irrigation management officer, best irrigation service fee (ISF) provider also in 2009, ISF top grosser for 2010 of P73.19 million, highest ISF back account collection for 2010 (P14.39 mllion).    

Salazar’s division was also given the best managed frontline irrigation service award. It was also recognized as most viable IMO for 2010 and best maintained division.

Also given citations as outstanding frontline irrigation managers of the year for 2010 were UPRIIS operations manager Reynaldo Puno, District 2 manager Joselito Mangunay and Division 5 manager Eugenio Conde Jr. (Jason de Asis)

Cebu prelate named CBCP president

MANILA, July 9, 2011- The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines elected Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma as its President during the 103rd Plenary Assembly held at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center this city.

According to the CBCP Statutes, Palma will take position as the new CBCP President on December 1, 2011. 

He will succeed Tandag Bishop Nereo P. Odchimar, who did not seek reelection.

Coming from the Archdiocese of Jaro in Iloilo, Palma was ordained to the priesthood on August 21, 1976 and named Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu on November 28, 1997. At age 47, he was ordained to the episcopacy and named bishop of the Diocese of Calbayog on January 13, 1999.

He became Archbishop of Palo on March 18, 2006 and later appointed Archbishop of Cebu on October 15, 2010.

Elected new CBCP Vice President is Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas.

Dumaguete Bishop John Du was elected Treasurer succeeding Cubao Bishop Honesto F. Ongtioco.

The assembly also elected Msgr. Joselito Asis, then assistant secretary general and assistant treasurer, as Secretary General succeeding Msgr. Juanito Figura who will now return to the Archdiocese of Jaro. (CBCPNews)

53 to 100 million Pinoy Domestic workers to give protection by ILO-Trillanes

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, July 9, 2011-Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV said that there are about 53 to 100 million Pinoy workers abroad who will be given protection as agreed in the recent ILO Convention 189 where he has filed resolution commending the ILO Convention 189, or the Decent Work for Domestic Workers Convention.

“It was a major victory for the millions of Filipino and foreign domestic workers who take on this job abroad,” Trillanes said.

Trillanes  lauded the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for spearheading an initiative that led to the adoption by the International Labor Organization (ILO) of the landmark treaty giving protection to millions of domestic workers across the world and also congratulated DOLE Secretary Rosalinda D. Baldoz and DOLE Undersecretary Hans Leo G. Cacdac, the First Chairman of the Committee on Domestic Workers of ILO, for leading the effort that has resulted to the landmark convention.

He said that the landmark treaty recognizes domestic work as work and not a form of slavery and requires member-countries of the ILO to take steps to protect domestic workers and end their abuses, explaining that the new Convention will provide protection and labor standards to Filipino domestic workers worldwide as well as the world’s domestic workers.

“The convention 189 ensures that our domestic workers will surely enjoy freedom of association and can exercise their right to collective bargaining where this mandates governments to identify and to eliminate any legislative or administrative restrictions or other obstacles to the rights of domestic workers,” Trillanes said.

Last June 16 2011, the Convention was approved during the 100th International Labor Conference of the Geneva-based organization. (Jason de Asis) 

NIA eyes rehab of .52-M hectares Phl irrigation systems

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, July 9, 2011-National Irrigation Administrator Antonio Nangel revealed that the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has bared its own six-year irrigation roadmap to support the government’s Rice Self Sufficiency Roadmap (RSSR) program, anchored principally on the restoration and rehabilitation of 525,017 hectares of non-functional irrigation systems all over the country.

Nangel said that the prioritization of non-functional irrigation systems, classified as national irrigation systems (NIS) and communal irrigation systems (CIS) is in line with the RSSR formulated by the Department of Agriculture under the leadership of Secretary Proceso Alcala which has been supported by President Aquino.

“An initial P30 billion to be sourced from allocations under the General Appropriations Act and loans will be used to finance up to 2013 the rehab and restoration of NIS and CIS nationwide,” Nangel said.

NIS involves systems with serviceable areas of 1,000 hectares and above, among which are the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System which operates the Pantabangan Dam, the Magat River Integrated Irrigation System which supervises the Magat Dam and the Angat-Maasim Irrigation System which manages the Angat Dam.

CIS refers to smaller systems that irrigate less than 1,000 hectares.

Nangel said of the NIA’s total budget of P92.7 billion up to 2016, 68 percent will be allocated for the first three years in which the agency is targeting 2.8 million metric tons of the total incremental palay production from new and restored serviceable areas. This represents 36 percent of the 4.88 million metric tons of the total targeted incremental production.

“For the first three years, NIA expects to generate 166,671 hectares of new serviceable areas, restore 102,612 hectares of inactive serviceable areas and rehabilitate 181,787 hectares of active serviceable areas,” Nangel said, adding that the NIA will be spending an average of P250,000 per  hectare for area generation, some P120,000 per hectare for area restoration and P90,000 per hectare for area rehab.

Aside from focusing on increasing the serviceable area, irrigated area and cropping intensity, the NIA will also embark on promotion of rice-intensifying cropping pattern to increase palay output.

Nangel said NIA will prioritize short-gestation projects fast-track irrigated area roll-out and promote crop yield-enhancing farming system to expand the serviceable area. “This will adopt water saving irrigation methods, including controlled irrigation practices,” Nangel added.

Regarding NIA priority projects up to 2016 in support of the DA’s RSSR, Nangel said that the agency is spending P12.7 billion for agency projects in 2011, P30 billion in 2012, P20 billion in 2013, P15 billion in 2014, P10 billion in 2015 and P5 billion by 2016.

This will be utilized to generate 286,262 hectares, restore 166,130 hectares and rehabilitate 358,887 hectares by 2016. Of the targeted generated areas, some 27,130 hectares are expected to be realized this year;  74,140 has. in 2012; 65,401 has. in 2013; 56,575 has. in 2014; 41,428 has. in 2015 and 14,221 has. in 2016.

Nangel said that for the five-year period, the targeted harvested areas will be 16,917,211 hectares broken down into 8,058,210 for the wet season; 7,687,630 has. for the dry season and 1,171,371 has. for the third crop.  

“Our country has 30 million hectares of agricultural lands of which 3,126,340 hectares are potential irrigable area based on the 3 percent slope criteria. Of the 3,126,340 hectares, NIA has developed 49 percent or 1,542,668 hectares involving 767,006 hectares for NIS, some 558,333 hectares for CIS and 217,329 hectares for private irrigation systems,” Nangel said.

He explained that the government also has identified 1,584,232 hectares in remaining potential areas to be developed. (Jason de Asis)

Bishop warns of unrest over Hacienda Luisita row

MANILA, July 8, 2011-The Aquino government could face a turbulent time of domestic unrest and challenges if it will remain silent on the disputed Hacienda Luisita, a Catholic bishop said. 

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo gave the toughly worded warning Friday and called on President Benigno Aquino III to act on the issue based on what is just and lawful.

“Rural unrest could break out in the absence of genuine implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with extension and reform (CARPer) Law,” Pabillo said in a press conference.

“He, and his advisers, should also bear in mind that the issue of land lies at the heart of the current peace process,” he said.

Pabillo said there is no room for neutrality when agrarian reform is concerned and when what is at stake is the plight of the farmers.

He challenged Aquino to prove his sincerity for the poor by siding with the farmers of Hacienda Luisita, a 6,453-hectare sugar plantation in Tarlac owned by the family the president’s family.

“We call on President Aquino’s leadership to seize the chance presented by the tragic SC ruling. As Chief Executive, he cannot continue washing his hands on this issue,” Pabillo said.

Pabillo, head of the National Secretariat for Social Action of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, stressed that land distribution is “the only path” towards justice and economic sustainability.

Pabillo said that as chief executive, Aquino cannot continue “washing his hands” on the issue.

“What kind of presidency does he hope to offer this country if he cannot even make his own family relinquish its stranglehold on properties that in the first place were acquired through government resources?” he said.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court (SC) revoked the stock distribution option (SDO) first offered by the Hacienda Luisita, Inc. (HLI) management.

Under the SDO, farm workers were given the option to acquire shares of stocks instead of gaining land ownerships.

The high court, however, ordered the Department of Agrarian Reform to hold another referendum among farm-workers to determine their choice between stocks or parcels of land.

The issue now lies in Aquino’s hands, according to Pabillo.

He said it is well within Aquino’s power to order DAR to distribute the land according to the spirit and conditions of the agrarian reform law.

“The integrity of his social contract is clouded in doubts and mistrust until he finally learns to give precedence to the poor through social justice,” he said. (CBCPNews)