Legarda bats for national census of indigenous ethnic origin groups

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, June 7, 2011-To better address the needs of indigenous peoples (IP) groups, Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities has proposed the inclusion of information on ethnic origin in the conduct of national census under Senate Bill 2858 that would allow the inclusion of ethnic origin in the national survey conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO).

Legarda believed that this measure would be useful in determining the specific concerns of IPs in various areas and finding suitable solutions to address the exact data on them, explaining that the successful implementation of laws will be meaningful if it is anchored on the possession of relevant and accurate data which is the basis of sound policies that in turn are translated into effective and targeted action.

“Until now the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) relies on estimates based on outdated figures and more than a decade has passed since the recognition of the rights of IPs through the passage of the landmark legislation Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997 (IPRA), but there is still a dearth of information and disaggregated data on the exact population of our indigenous brothers and sisters,” Legarda said.

The NSO shall include ethnic origin in its national survey and national census starting the year 2011 under the proposed measure. To serve as guides of NSO enumerators are NCIP employees, who must be knowledgeable of the different ethno-linguistic groups of the Philippines, and must know the dialect and appropriate manner of talking/asking culturally-sensitive questions to members of indigenous cultural communities (ICCs).

Legarda said that the proposed bill seeks to remedy the absence of information on members of IP groups by formally including the ethnicity and ethno-linguistic variable in the country’s national census in order to make effective policies that will promote and address them. (Jason de Asis)

2011 Miss Earth Philippines from Casiguran Aurora deserves as queen

BALER, Aurora, June 6, 2011-Once again Aurorans proved in the province history that eventhough Aurora is one of the smallest provinces in the country the brain and beauty still prevailed no matter what and deserved to be the queen.

It’s really wonderful to see that our provincemate Athena Mae Imperial who hails from Casiguran town won in the recent coronation of 2011 Miss Earth Philippines which was held in Puerto Princesa, Palawan yesterday night.

Among the 48 candidates, Imperial was proclaimed as big winner although she was the shortest among the top 10 finalists, adding that she did not get any special awards even the minor ones. She was also not so tall in the contest but still proved that there’s a chance to be a beauty queen.

Imperial became a semi-finalist in the Mutya ng Pilipinas 2009 and kept going in joining the pageant. Now, it’s her victory. She is not tall enough for international competition    but she really is the Goddess of the Earth and deserves to be Miss Philippines Earth 2011.

As an Auroran, we congratulate Imperial for winning in the contest the title Miss Earth and must be proud of her now that she is representing the country in the coming Miss Earth 2011 beauty pageant in Pattaya, Thailand.

Imperial’s accomplishment will surely win the country’s television networks and other big companies which have seen her potentials to be their partner in the industry. It’s amazing and I mean it! (Jason de Asis)

Ms. Athena Mae Imperial crowned as Miss Earth Philippines 2011. Another pride of Aurorans. (Jason de Asis)

Phl to host GOPAC 2013 conference against corruption

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, June 5, 2011-After the Senate steering committee hearing, Senator Edgardo J. Angara said that the country will be hosting the 2013 Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) conference here in Manila  where Malacañang manifests full support with the same mission  on strong anti-corruption policy.

“GOPAC is an international network where its mission is perfectly fit with the Aquino administration’s anti-corruption policy. The global community also recognizes us that we are serious about stamping out corruption,” Angara said, adding that there are more than 900 parliamentarians from over 90 different countries dedicated to good governance and combating corruption under GOPAC.

Angara reported that about 300 to 500 international parliamentarians are expected to attend. About a quarter of the participants will be from the Philippines but the bulk of the guests will fly in from abroad where the three-day conference has been scheduled tentatively for January 31 to February 1 and 2 to include workshops, forums and plenary meetings.

GOPAC's Philippine Steering Committee involves stakeholders from government agencies, private sector, nongovernmental organizations and academe where the participants are Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara; Sen. Franklin M. Drilon, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance; former Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban; Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, also the SEAPAC secretary; Tourism Assistant Secretary Domingo Ramon Enerio; and Atty. Tess Herbosa, chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other members of the steering committee are Dean Marivic Leonen, UP College of Law; Dean Cesar L. Villanueva, Ateneo Law School; Dean Antonio A. Agustin, MLQU College of Law; Dean Amado D. Valdez, University of the East College of Law and president of the Philippine Association of Law Schools; Atty. Avelino V. Cruz, founding partner of ACCRA Law; Atty. Raoul R. Angangco, senior parter at CVC Law; Atty. Roan Libarios, president-elect of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines; and Dr. Georgina R. Encanto, president of Transparency International-Philippines.

Aside from SEAPAC, GOPAC's other active regional chapters are in Latin America (LAPAC), Arab Region (ARPAC) and Africa (APNAC), and they are all expected to join the Manila conference in 2013. 

Angara is the Asian representative in the GOPAC executive board as well as the founding president of the Southeast Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC), one of the active regional chapters and was elected as GOPAC's vice-chairman during the conference held in Mexico City Last March 11 to 13. (Jason de Asis)

Senate approved bill for state workers retirement benefits immediate release

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, June 4, 2011-Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes senate bill 2748 that seeks the expeditious and timely release of benefits, pension and gratuities of government workers retiring from the service has unanimously approved on third and final reading here in the Senate by the 18 senators who voted for its approval.

No one cast a negative vote on the proposed measure which was principally authored by Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV wherein the bill calls for the release of retirement benefits within a 30-day period, except for benefits from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) that would be released on the last working day of the retiring government employee.

“As of second quarter of 2010, our Government is still the largest employer nationwide with some 1,312,508 employees. Sadly, it is sometimes referred to as the employer of last resort due to uncompetitive pay schedule and minimal promotion opportunities compared to the private sector,” Trillanes lamented, saying that our colleagues in the government service soldier on, toiling and laboring with salaries and benefits barely enough to meet their personal and family needs.  

“This is unacceptable, they spend the best and most productive years of their lives serving the public and the country despite the Spartan pay and measly benefits they receive, often foregoing more lucrative opportunities in the private sector,” Trillanes said, citing the case of public school teachers, who are underpaid and overworked.

“They are the molder of our youth whose hands lay the future of the country, we rely on them serving elections often with great risks to their lives and well-being and yet, we pay them a salary barely enough to meet the basic needs of their families,” he added, saying that often times, when these public servants retire, they are made to wait for unreasonable periods, sometimes years, before they are paid their modest retirement pay, pensions, gratuities and other benefits which are really offensive.

 
“In recognition of their many years, if not decades of faithful, loyal and dedicated service to the government, we have to ensure retiring government employees to receive their retirement pay, pensions, gratuities and other retirement benefits immediately or at least within a fixed and reasonable time after their retirement, adding that they should not be made to wait, much less grovel and beg, for what is actually due them under the law,” Trillanes said.

The Senator added that there is a need to penalize officials who would cause undue delay on the release of these benefits, saying that these erring officials after hearings and due proceedings shall be subjected to administrative disciplinary action and to be penalized with suspension from service without pay from six months to one year at the discretion of the disciplining authority, except in cases of force majeure and other insuperable cases.

“Some agencies violated the law due to lack of penal provision punishing the agency for its non-compliance that’s why we should put teeth into our existing law for better enforcement of its provisions,” Trillanes ended. (Jason de Asis)

Angara bats for the creation of elite enforcers to protect Phl aquatic territory

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, June 3, 2011-In the recent hearing of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, Senator Edgardo J. Angara, who is a former Secretary of Agriculture  urged the government for the creation of elite enforcers who will be tasked to protect the country’s aquatic territory. 

Angara explained that the country’s archipelago is one of the richest, most bio-diverse and extensive coastal areas in the world but we don’t possess enough resources to protect it where poaching exotic corals and wildlife has become a very lucrative business around the world, saying that the destruction of rare flora and fauna has already caused un-repairable damage to the country’s marine ecosystems.

He said that the country has very good laws against poaching and other destructive activities but insufficient in manpower and technical resources to police our huge territory, adding that the national coast guard cannot provide all the manpower needed; thus, Angara suggested that there is a need to tap the local government units or LGUs to train their own bantay-dagat teams to serve as the guardians of the sea.

“They already established bantay-dagat and maybe we can establish an elite force among these ranks who will be dedicated in enforcing our marine laws,” Angara said.

“I urged the government to act fast and be more proactive on this matter, adding that the destruction of our country’s rich natural heritage is a race against time, which we may have already lost,” he said, calling on concerned government agencies to work together to solve and to mitigate a national problem.

Angara said that to channel their efforts into action-oriented plans and measures, there is a need for a comprehensive framework to unite all government agencies with jurisdiction over the country’s marine and aquatic resources. (Jason de Asis)

Senators repeal two articles of labor code under Senate bill 2701

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, May 31, 2011-To provide equal employment opportunities for men and women in night work, the Senate yesterday has approved on Third and Final Reading Senate Bill 2701 repealing Articles 130 and 131 of the Labor Code of the Philippines which was sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development.

Estrada said that his committee has decided to repeal the two articles which limit the job spectrum for female workers where they initially wanted to expand the exceptions prescribed by the Labor Code on women worker on night work since it aims to level the employment field for men and women while maintaining protection for women workers; but after hearing the invaluable inputs of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, they decided to go all out in dismantling the discriminatory provisions in the Labor Code against  women workers.

Under Article 130, it prohibits nighttime work (generally between 12:00 midnight and 6:00 AM) for women in industrial, commercial and non-industrial undertakings (other than agricultural) while in Article 131 provides exceptions on cases of emergencies, urgent work on machineries, managerial posts, cases permitted by the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment, among others.

Estrada said that these stipulations prove oppressive when we look at the boom of call center industry which operates on a 24-hour system, adding that before women workers can actually work, they have to suffer a burdensome process of securing paper work and permits.

“It introduced a new chapter in the Labor Code on the employment of night workers and provided measures on health assessment, installation of mandatory facilities for workplaces, compensation and benefits for night workers under the Senate Bill 2701,” Estrada said, noting that the provisions include those which provide that workers shall have the right to undergo a health assessment without charge and to receive advice on how to reduce or avoid health problems associated with their work and one that requires the employers to provide first-aid facilities, sleeping and resting quarters and means of transportation (subject to exceptions and guidelines by the DOLE).

“The measure is in compliance with our obligation to the CEDAW or the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women and consistent with the objectives of Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta for Women,” Estrada ended. (Jason de Asis)

Senate passed bill that will enhance early education on children below 6 years old

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, May 30, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara said that it is expected to benefit 17 million Filipino children after the senate passed today on Third and Final Reading the Senate bill 2802 otherwise known as early years act that would enhance early education among children below six years old.

  

Angara, who authored the bill along with Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said that the proposed law aims to shift the concept of the day care center from a playroom to a learning center by rationalizing and restructuring the day care into an early childhood education center.

“The bill aims to improve the educational system in the country with the crafting of a formal curriculum for pre-school pupils that will enable them to cope with elementary lessons,” Angara said, saying that forty percent of the children entering Grade I are not ready for school. As such, four out of 10 children drop out of the elementary level and never return to complete their education.

“The National Achievement Test conducted earlier among 1.6 million Grade Six students revealed that a mean percentage score (MPS) of 59.9 percent which means that for every ten items, a Grade Six student can correctly answer five items,” the Senator said.

Angara said that the measure aim to address the lack of facilities and limited teaching staff besetting pre-school education where he estimate that only 46% or about 2.5 million children below six years old are being accommodated by the available 49,000 day care centers nationwide.

“For the implementation of the Act, P500 million per year for the first five years will be appropriated for the National ECCD Program, which will be sourced from PAGCOR,” Angara said, adding that an initial annual appropriation of P1 billion from the GAA shall be provided to the ECCD Council.

Angara explained that they were able to minimize the initial funding requirement because the basic infrastructures for the child development centers are already there. “We will be using the existing daycare centers nationwide and turning them into more education-oriented institutions,” Angara said.

“The bill also seeks for the training of additional childhood development teachers so they could detect and identify gifted and development disorders and disabilities among children below six years old and make the corresponding recommendations where it entails more than just child-minding and childcare to includes the provision of health, nutrition, early education and social development services for the children. (Jason de Asis)

Air pollution in metro will be resolved thru electric vehicle says Angara

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, May 29, 2011-In the recent study of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) that Metro Manila ranks high among the megacities in Asia with air quality problems,  Senator Edgardo J. Angara, chair of the Congressional Commission on Science and Technology and Engineering (COMSTE) said that 70% of air pollution in Metro Manila areas will be resolved through the use of electric vehicles where he urged the government for the development of a national electric vehicle industry by providing incentives for electric and hybrid car manufacturers and importers as well as adopting an e-vehicle standards.

“The government needs to support the nascent industry which encourages local innovation and promotes eco-friendly transportation where the COMSTE has been working closely with the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) to draw up policy framework that will guide the development of the industry,” Angara said, adding that the COMSTE has identified the development of electric vehicles and green transport as one of its priority projects this year.

The EVAP has asked the government to adopt e-vehicles for use in public transport and to create strict industry standards where they completely built unit (hybrid and e-vehicles) and imported parts and components that cannot be manufactured locally should be Duty-Free, Excise and VAT exempt upon importation.

Angara said that these electric vehicles will be powered by electricity generated from biomass as the green transport model where the system has the potential to be one of the most eco-friendly in the world.

He added that thru e-vehicles, it will lessen the pollution and wean the country away from fossil-fuel dependency with this innovative Green transport system like electric tricycles, hybrid jeepneys, buses and electric bicycles.

“We import roughly 96% of our petroleum, the majority of which is consumed by the growing transport sector. The same sector accounts for the biggest share of the energy use, nearly 40%,” Angara said, noting that to become energy independent is one of the goals of the government.

The veteran Senator believed that it can be achieved by promoting innovative projects where it can reduced foreign dependence on fuel and it can create less-polluted and environmentally friendly cities.

ADB study showed that the level of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in Metro Manila is more than double the standard of the World Health Organization where the department of environment and natural resources (DENR) revealed that 70% of air pollution in Metro Manila came from motor vehicles. 

Angara said that the country needed cleaner modes of transport for the welfare of the citizenry. (Jason de Asis)

Villar eyes teachers’ 6-hour workday

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, May 28, 2011-Senator Manny Villar has filed Senate bill No. 2454 to reduce the working hours condition of all public school teachers to a six-hour workday or a total of a 30-hour workweek and exempting them from compliance with 8 hour workday.

Villar said that to have more time to innovate and enhance classroom teaching and result to a more productive workforce, reducing their number of working hours and they should be given full attention where the teachers clamor for higher pay but shorter working hours, adding that their work schedule leaves them stressed out and exhausted.

The bill repeals Sections 13 and 14 of Republic Act No. 4670 or the Magna Carta of Public School Teachers where the Department of Education issued Memorandum 291 s. 2008 allowing teachers to allot six hours for actual classroom teaching a day, with the remaining two hours to be spent in teaching-related activities like lesson planning, preparation of teaching aids, checking of papers, recording among others; thus, teachers are required to render a total of eight hours a day.

Villar said that a shorter work day would be a great relief for the teachers where he also proposed that any work performed in excess of six hours a day shall be paid an additional compensation of at least 25 percent of their regular remuneration.

He said that the measure seeks to exempt teachers from the generally established rule on 8-hour workday under the Civil Service Rules. Book V of the Administrative Code of 1987 which stated that officers and employees of all departments and agencies except those covered by special laws shall render not less than eight hours of work a day for five days a week or a total of 40 hours a week, exclusive of time for lunch.

Related school activities which are conducted outside the school shall be paid an additional compensation of at least 25 percent of his/her regular remuneration after the teacher has completed at least six hours of work. (Jason de Asis)

Umali eyes for 3 more congressional districts in Nueva Ecija, seeks dialogue with solons

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, May 27, 2011-Governor Aurelio Umali expressed desire to have at least three more congressional districts in the province, saying that he is eyeing a dialogue with all the four congressmen to discuss re-districting to pave the way for additional representation in Congress.

“The creation of additional congressional districts is long overdue and there is a need to sit down with the incumbent congressmen on how each existing congressional district will be reconfigured for the envisioned new congressional districts,” Umali said, adding that we have to rationalize redistricting and that’s why we have to sit down with our congressmen to arrive at a consensus.

“We initially discussed it with fourth district Rep. Rodolfo Antonino who said his district alone may be divided into two separate congressional districts,” Umali furthered.

Records showed that Cong. Antonino’s district covers Gapan City and the municipalities of Cabiao, Gen. Tinio, Jaen, Penaranda, San Antonio, San Isidro and San Leonardo.

“Under Antonino’s proposal, Gapan City and the municipalities of Gen. Tinio, Penaranda and San Isidro alone may comprise a district while another district may be carved out from the rest of the towns,” Umali said.

He said that if Cabanatuan City – the province’s trade and educational center – is to become a lone congressional district, the make-up of the entire province will also have to be considered.

Cabanatuan City is lumped together with Palayan City and the municipalities of  Bongabon, Laur, Gabaldon, Gen. Natividad and Sta. Rosa comprising the third congressional district.

The district, which is home to Umali, is the province’s largest congressional district and whose sitting representative is the governor’s wife, Congresswoman Czarina Umali. The governor’s younger brother Emmanuel Antonio is also the incumbent board member in the district after emerging as the top vote-getter in the elections for members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

The law stated that a congressional district may be created over an area with a population of 250,000. Nueva Ecija has an estimated population of 1.6 million, making it eligible to have at least two additional congressional districts.

The addition of more congressional districts is considered a boon to the province because each congressman receives P70 million in annual priority development assistance fund otherwise known as pork barrel allocations. 

The other incumbent lawmakers here are Representatives Josie Manuel-Joson and Joseph Gilbert Violago of the first and second districts.  (Jason de Asis)

Umali and Padiernos bat Comelec to delist new Nueva Ecija from list of poll hot spots

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, May 27, 2011-Since Governor Aurelio Umali assumed the governorship in 2007, Umali called on the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to remove Nueva Ecija from the list of election hot spots in the coming 2013 elections manifesting to the relative peace and order situation now obtaining in the whole province.

“Nueva Ecija now enjoys a stable peace and order climate and Novo Ecijanos can now speak freely and openly irrespective of their party affiliations and loyalty,” Umali said, calling the COMELEC to finally consider removing Nueva Ecija from the list of traditional hot spots to change its image into a progressive and advancing province where the place is categorized as a hot spot where there is intense political rivalry, presence of armed goons and violence. 

Umali recalled that last year, the COMELEC recognized the peaceful conduct of the local polls in the province, in the absence of the usual pre and post-election violence which characterized previous political exercises.

He furthered that for so long the province was tagged as an election hot spot. “We were number one in Central Luzon until Abra came along. But in the last elections, we were able to show that there was no untoward incident and hopefully, the COMELEC will take the cue and remove us from the list,” he said.

Umali explained that when he first ran for governor in 2007, he asked the COMELEC to place the province under Comelec control. When he won, he as the sitting governor asked the Comelec again to place the province under its control.

“Many were surprised when I did that considering I was the sitting governor. Some were saying that was an admission that I had no control of the situation. But I just want to deliver the message that we need to have peaceful and orderly elections in 2010 so we can change Nueva Ecija and that’s what exactly happened,” he said.

Umali recalled that during the campaign period, he instructed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to provide area security to his political rivals to avert any occurrence of violence, adding that he was fully aware that if something untoward happened to them, people might pin the blame on me so it’s better to take precautions.

Umali said without taking offense on other politicians, everybody in Nueva Ecija can now speak freely and openly on any issue under the sun without fear of recrimination or reprisals. “The local media can vouch for that. They are now very open. In fact, some of them have been slapped with libel cases for exercising their freedom of the press,” he said.

Vice Gov. Jose Gay Padiernos welcomed Umali’s call for the Comelec to remove Nueva Ecija from the hot spot’s list, saying the political landscape in the province has changed considerably.

He said that before, there was a time when none of the local politicians would want to be a leader for Umali but they have since maintained an open mind and they now gravitate towards to the new leadership in the Capitol.

“Of course, there are still incidents of killings but these are no longer politically motivated,” he said, saying that this is the new Nueva Ecija and political violence is now a thing of the past.” (Jason de Asis)

Cabanatuan is not yet ready for highly urbanized city status says Umali

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, May 26, 2011-In the recent press briefing, Governor Aurelio Umali insisted that this city is still raw and not yet ready to undergo the transition into a highly urbanized city (HUC). 

“Speaking of Cabanatuan development-wise, it will be “crippled” if it becomes a separate political subdivision because many development projects that were undertaken here in the past by the Umali administration would be stopped once the HUC bid is realized,” Umali said, saying that in assessing the plan, Cabanatuan is not only raw and unripe for HUC. “It is also ill-prepared and not ready,” he said.

“The city government cannot even fix basic problems in governance like garbage disposal, how much more the gargantuan task of being politically independent,” Umali said.

Umali reacted to the controversial plan which resulted to a falling-out with his erstwhile political ally, Cabanatuan Mayor Julius Cesar Vergara wherein Vergara has said that the HUC bid is still under study even when he launched the plan last November.

Umali denied that the HUC plan of Vergara is still being studied, saying that as early as 2004, during the latter’s third and last term, he was already pushing for it.

“In fact, sometime in 2004, I got a call from (then-presidential adviser on political affairs) Gabby Claudio informing me of a request from Mayor Vergara for Malacanang to approve the conversion,” he said. “So as early as 2004, Vergara was already pushing for it.”

“It is my moral obligation for the provincial government to continue helping the people of Cabanatuan in their various needs and concerns, particularly when the city government is incapable of doing so, Umali said, saying that said Cabanatuenos benefited immensely from the Umali administration’s assistance in infrastructure, education, health and even during calamities.

He said that in past typhoons, he took it upon himself to have a social contract to help Cabanatuenos more than the political leadership of the city. The people of Cabanatuan recognize that. And they have been telling me, “Governor it’s you who was with us. I owe it to the people of Cabanatuan. It’s my obligation to serve them,” he said.

He cited that many infrastructure projects in Cabanatuan’s barangays were bankrolled by the provincial government, a fact not lost in the city government and its populace.

Umali pointed out that the provincial government maintains considerable presence in Cabanatuan, consisting of a 16-hectare old Capitol compound which caters to the needs of many Cabanatuenos.

At the same time, Umali said P125 million worth of Internal Revenue Allotment of the provincial government will go down the drain if Cabanatuan fully becomes HUC. He said the IRA of the province, instead of going to Cabanatuan, will revert back to the national treasury and will be divided equally among the provinces.

Umali also said the IRA of Cabanatuan won’t increase in case it becomes a HUC, saying it’s a gross misconception. (Jason de Asis)

Legarda calls for disaster preparedness as typhoon chedeng is to hit the country

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, May 25, 2011- Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change calls for disaster preparedness as typhoon Chedeng entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility where she reminded local government units (LGUs) and communities who are expected to be hit by the storm as the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration forecasted the possibility of it to become a super typhoon as it will land fall.

Legarda reiterated her call that by now, LGUs and barangays should already be prepared for Typhoon Chedeng as it is expected to become a super typhoon which will bring strong winds and rains, saying that there is a need for them to be ready to implement disaster management and early warning systems in their respective areas.

“LGUs should now have their respective climate action plans, which include improvement of disaster risk information through risk identification or assessment, and making people more responsive to government-issued disaster warnings,” Legarda said, adding that the local governments must reduce sources of risk and exposure of the vulnerable sector by providing house upgrading and relocation options for settlers located in hazardous areas, and ensure effective disaster preparedness and recovery mechanisms by encouraging active participation of the vulnerable communities.

“Nakahanda na dapat ang mga pito, batingaw pati na mga maliliit na watawat na maaring ipagaspas sa pag-aalerto,”   she said.

“The LGUs must activate all forms of early warning systems, ensure that canals and drainage systems had been cleaned up to avoid flooding, and evacuate families living in landslide-prone, flood-prone and other vulnerable areas,” Legarda explained, adding that heavy rainfall on clogged esteros will cause flooding because the water passageway is being blocked.

“Disaster preparedness is essential to minimize, if not totally prevent, loss of lives and property damages when natural hazards like typhoons strike,” Legarda explained.

Legarda concluded that on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation agenda, a better preparation is needed especially the LGUs who are closer to the people in a strategic position to deliver effective and lasting results on effective mitigation. (Jason de Asis)

Senate committee to review treaties on international conflicts

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, May 24, 2011-Senator Loren Legarda, who chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations will lead in the Senate a hearing on the Optional Protocol on the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) and the Protocol I tomorrow on Wednesday, May 25, 2011, 10:00 in the morning at the Pecson room here to review treaties on international conflicts.

“The Protocol I is a supplement to the four Geneva Conventions. It primarily provides civilian population protection from the direct effects of hostilities during international armed conflicts only,” Legarda said.

Last February 16, Legarda said that the committee has already reviewed the OPCAT but it has to be presented again after the Executive Department changed the transmittal from an Instrument of Ratification to an Instrument of Accession, saying that OPCAT requires State Parties to establish an independent national preventive mechanism that would regularly monitor all places of detention, inspect its facilities, and recommend solutions to prevent torture and other ill-treatment.

“I want to ensure that the Committee has taken into full consideration the views of all stakeholders concerned in these agreements before it submits the treaties to the plenary for the concurrence of the Senate,” she said.

The OPCAT is an international agreement aimed at preventing torture and cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment which was adopted in 2002 and entered into force in 2006. It also aimed to prevent the mistreatment of people in detention. OPCAT builds on the convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CAT) and helps states meet their obligation under CAT.

State parties agree to international inspections of places of detention by the United Nations subcommittee on the prevention of torture (SPT) under the OPCAT. State parties are required to establish an independent National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) to conduct inspections of all places of detention to include prisons, juvenile detention, local and offshore immigration detention facilities and other places where people are deprived of their liberty.

There are 50 state parties to the OPCAT and an additional 24 states are signatories. Of the 50 state parties, 29 states have designated their NPM last February 19, 2010. (Jason de Asis)

Phl Disaster management center to use US technology in assessing quakes

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, May 23, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara, chairman of the Congressional Commission on Science Technology and Engineering (COMSTE) revealed that the government’s disaster management center (DSMC) is adopting US technology which will help to mitigate and to cushion the impact of a powerful earthquake by monitoring ground motions.

Angara said that in the event of a powerful earthquake, the new technology will be useful in Metro Manila where 17% of buildings will be heavily damaged and 32.5% partially damaged according to the report.

“To better prepare the country for earthquakes and similar disasters, Angara said that with that kind of game changing technology the DSMC will be useful to utilize disaster mitigation where the COMSTE is now partnered with the Manila Observatory in developing the capabilities of the DSMC.

The commission has a Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study (MMEIRS), a joint study that was undertaken by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to create an earthquake scenario damage map of Metro Manila.

A study revealed that when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake scenario hitting the city, around 8,918 or 17% of all the buildings will be heavily damaged while around 16,374 (32.5%) will be partly damaged. Expected casualties can rise to 12,000 individuals while 4,000 will be injured. The fire damage in this scenario can cover 116 hectares with 49,000 buildings projected to be burnt down affecting 1,600 people.

Angara said the center will evolve into a training center that will focus on scenario-type learning utilizing technology for disaster mitigation and management where Taiwan and Japan are already actively cooperating with training of local experts for situations like floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis.

Angara said that the USGS uses this new technology, called NetQuakes, to better measure seismographic data where the units are installed in homes, public buildings, offices or schools and use wifi or local networks to transmit data via the internet to USGS stations, explaining that the data is measured and used to calculate post-earthquake damage estimates and to develop better engineering standards.

He furthered that the COMSTE is partnered with the Manila Observatory in developing the capabilities of the DSMC. The DSMC is also in possession of the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study (MMEIRS). The MMEIRS is a joint study that was undertaken by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to create an earthquake scenario damage map of Metro Manila.

Angara noted that the DSMC is needed to help us prepare for the earthquakes and similar disasters that will continue to threaten the country. The government needs to be able to understand how to develop an advanced and real-time information dissemination strategy so people can better prepare to handle such events. (Jason de Asis)

More individual tax payers pay-home sought by Recto

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, May 22, 2011-Senator Ralph G. Recto, chair of the Senate ways and means said that tax Code revision lifts cap on qualified dependents like parents and special children as additional tax exemptions, saying that aside from a looming increase in wages, ordinary taxpayers could also look forward to additional savings or increased take-home pay resulting from their tax payments by allowing them to declare as tax deductible more than the four qualified dependents currently allowed by law.

“A consolidated bill awaiting plenary presentation will amend the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) or Tax Code and scrap the maximum limit of four qualified tax dependents,” he said.

Recto said that the NIRC sets a cap of up to a maximum of four qualified dependents that a taxpayer could claim as additional allowable tax exemptions, explaining that once the measure is approved, any individual taxpayer could declare more than four qualified dependent children as long as they’re below 21 years old and, in exchange, obtain a tax deduction of P25,000 for every dependent.

“An individual taxpayer who filed for five qualified dependents would be entitled to a P125,000 deduction in his income tax payment,” Recto said, adding that an individual taxpayer living with or looking after his biological parents could declare them as additional qualified dependents as long as the parents are not gainfully employed or are incapable of self support because of mental or physical defect.

“You don’t want them thrown in foster care, which is very un-Filipino. We should take care of our parents during their twilight years,” he said.

The consolidated bill authored by Recto, his co-authors Senators Manuel Villar and Antonino Trillanes IV grant an additional tax deduction of P25,000 to a taxpayer acting as legal guardian to a physically or mentally-challenged person regardless of age.

“This would ensure that the disabled and special children would be taken cared of during their difficult years,” Recto said, lamenting that capping the number of qualified tax dependents to only four persons is effectively a family planning method in disguise.

“You don’t implement your family planning program through a tax fiat,” Recto added.

“To continue taking care of their parents and people with physical and mental defect, this proposed measure makes easier for taxpaying individuals who are already burdened by tough economic times,” he said, stressing that even with or without the promise of additional tax deductions, children should always take care of their parents and should have a caring heart for the disabled and special children. (Jason de Asis)

Aurora four logging firms permitted to haul old cut logs

Photo Courtesy: Arnel Turzar, DZJO FM-CMN Baler, Aurora

BALER, Aurora May 21, 2011-The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional executive director for Central Luzon Ricardo Calderon has given four logging companies operating in this province only until today to dispose inventoried logs and lumber which were cut prior to the issuance of President Aquino executive order number 23 directing a moratorium on tree-cutting in natural and residual forests nationwide.

Calderon identified the four firms permitted as the Industries Development Corporation (IDC) and sister firm RCC Timber Company Inc., CKY World Trading and Pacific Timber Co. (Pateco) only until May 21 to haul, process, transport and dispose the inventoried logs that were cut prior to the issuance  E.O. 23 as mandated in Resolution 2011-001 of the Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force.

Photo Courtesy: Arnel Turzar, DZJO FM, CMN Baler, Aurora

The IDC is considered the largest logging concessionaire in the province has an Integrated Forest Management Agreement covering 48,877 hectares in the northern towns of Dilasag and Casiguran which is to expire on December 5, 2026 and has log and lumber dealer permit which is set to expire on October 31, 2012 whose President is Mr. Michael Ong.

Prior to the issuance of EO 23, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Benjamin Mina said that the clearances were issued to the four following the conduct of an inventory and validation by field personnel, saying that the issuance of permits were granted by the DENR through a memorandum issued by Undersecretary for field operations Ernesto Adobo Jr. to give time to the logging firms to dispose of the cut logs and manufactured lumber inasmuch as these were left in their cutting area, log pond and sawmill yards.

The operations of the logging firms, along with the San Roque Sawmill and Benzon Realty Corp. were suspended last February due to EO 23. They have sealed all sawmills and ordered pulled out all heavy equipment deployed in concession areas to ensure that the companies comply with the directive.

Alfredo Collado, DENR community environment and natural resources officer for northern Aurora said that the IDC’s wood processing plant permits for sawmill and veneer, including log and lumber dealer permits are suspended pending review and evaluation of its area and operation.

DENR inventory stated that the IDC has 26,500 board feet of lumber, some 2,041.76 cubic meters of logs and 15 cubic meters of veneer in cutting areas in Sitio Dipayak, Barangay Tinib, in barangays Abuleg and Ditawini and at its log pond in Barangay Dibacong, Casiguran. Its sister firm RCC Timber Company has 82 pieces of remaining logs with a volume of 329.17 cubic meters.

CKY World Trading of Johnny Chua has 2,000 pieces of logs measured at 3,877.20 cubic meters at its sawmill compound and cutting area in barangays Dinadiawan, Dianed and Calaocan in Dipaculao town while Pateco has 12,542 pieces of lumber with a total volume of 371,047 board feet and 2,200 pieces of logs measuring 3,370.42 cubic meters while there was no report on the stockpiles of Benzon and San Roque owned by Filipino-Chinese businessman Ben Ching.

It could be remembered that five major logging concessionaires in the province have been ordered stopped in pursuant to E.O. 23 issued by President Aquino III directing a moratorium on tree-cutting in natural and residual forests nationwide. Affected were the IDC and sister company RCC Timber Company Inc., CKY Trading, San Roque Sawmill, Benzon Realty Corp., and Pacific Timber Co. (Jason de Asis)