Witness identifies suspect in broad daylight killing of Ecija town accountant

CABIAO, Nueva Ecija – Police have claimed a breakthrough in the investigation of the cold-blooded killing of this town’s municipal accountant after a witness has come out in the open and described one of the gunmen behind the December 18 gun attack.

          Senior Superintendent Crizaldo Nieves, provincial police director, said the witness has already given his testimony regarding the killing of late municipal accountant Noel Gamboa, a nephew of Mayor Gloria Crespo-Congco.

          Nieves said the witness also gave a detailed facial description of one of the suspects to Chief Inspector Eric Garcia of the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory based in Camp Olivas, Pampanga.

          Gamboa, 53, of Barangay San Roque here, was gunned down the morning of December 18 in the town proper by the suspect who was riding in tandem with another companion aboard a motorcycle.

          Crespo-Congco, who appointed Gamboa to his post some seven years ago, said there have been reports the killing was work-related. “But even if there is conflict, it would not be enough reason to justify his killing,” she said.

          Chief Inspector Joseph Sta. Cruz, town police chief, said that while the witness also gave a detailed description of the assailant, they are not at liberty to disclose it because that was the witness’ request.

          “The witness fears for his life and so we have to protect him,” he said.

          Sta. Cruz said he was convinced the attack was work-related considering the sensitivity of Gamboa’s post. He added that three mobile phones of Gamboa and a CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) footage in the murder scene could be the key to the final solution of the case.

         He said the victim’s family agreed to turn over the gadgets which will be subjected to digital forensic investigation by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Crame to detect possible threats.

         “The good thing about Gamboa’s mobile phones were that they were sophisticated enough that we could track down text messages from the date of purchase of his gadgets up to the time he was killed,” he said.

         He said that the CCTV blurred images, it will be brought to a digital expert for further examination. – Manny Galvez 

YEAR-ENDER ‘Purisima-geddon,’ Mercado exposes, HUC snafu, booming Palayan mark Nueva Ecija in 2014

CABANATUAN CITY – Suspended Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Alan Purisima’s several allegedly unexplained properties, former Makati vice mayor Ernesto Mercado’s Senate exposes on Vice President Jejomar Binay’s alleged ill-gotten wealth, the repeated scheduling and eventual cancellation of the plebiscite on the conversion of this city into a Highly Urbanized City (HUC), the gradual emergence of Palayan City as a growth center, political posturings among others were among the issues that hogged the limelight in Nueva Ecija in 2014.

          For at least two months, Purisima’s supposed mansion in San Leonardo town, a poultry farm in this city and another property in Atate, Palayan became hot topic after he was tagged for a lifestyle check.

          Finally appearing in the Senate sometime in September, Purisima got an intense grilling by suspicious senators who questioned the construction of a P11-million “White House” in Camp Crame, the huge discount he got in buying a luxury vehicle among others.

          He tried to fight his critics and adverse public opinion in a typical Purisima-geddon and even questioned an Ombudsman order preventing suspending him and several officials in connection with a shady firearms deal to no avail.  

          Later, he invited media to visit his supposed mansion in Barangay Magpapalayok, San Leonardo to show it was not a mansion and just an ordinary house but some of the mediamen were not exactly convinced. It was just an ordinary house, but only by his standard since he was believed to be flaunting a lavish lifestyle.

          Mercado, who lives and owns a resort in Barangay Cabu this city, appeared in the Senate and exposed Binay’s supposed properties and the overpriced annex building in Makati City Hall. The star witness was later charged with plunder himself for his own alleged involvement in the Makati scam and for himself owning several properties such as cockfighting arena and choiced land in Palawan, this city and other areas.

          The HUC issue, which has polarized the alliance between Gov. Aurelio Umali and Cabanatuan Mayor Jay Vergara, appeared to take off when the Comelec set the plebiscite to January 25 which the Supreme Court stopped. It was reset to September then to November 8 but Comelec cancelled it due to funding problems. The city government will have to raise P100 million for the plebiscite to be held which will involve all registered voters of Nueva Ecija not just Cabanatuan based on the ruling of the Supreme Court.         

While Cabanatuan is considered the province’s trade mecca, its neighboring Palayan City – the province’s provincial capital – made a lot of noise in 2014, the loudest of which was the “Lingap sa Mamamayan” event of the Iglesia Ni Cristo sect.

On February 20, four million INC devotees trooped to Barangay Maligaya in this provincial capital for the launch of its two-day event involving dental health check,  blood pressure (BP) readings, and blood glucose level (BGL) tests.

The Maligaya event came on the heels of the INC’s Worldwide Walk which set a new record for the largest charity walk in 24 hours (multiple venue), drawing 519,521 participants in 13 time zones, 54 countries in 24 hours. This broke the previous record set by Canada involving 231,635 participants who walked for a minimum of one kilometer at 1,011 different locations around Canada on October 2, 2007.

Saturday's event also surpassed the record for the largest charity walk in a single venue with 175,000 participants beating the record set in Singapore in May 2000 with more than 77,000 individuals.The walk for a cause of INC was staged in 135 sites across the globe in the USA, in Europe, in Australia/New Zealand and in Asia including the Philippines.

In December, Umali led the ground-breaking for the construction of an estimated P1.5-billion government center cum trade hub in Barangay Atate which could generate up to 13,000 jobs.

          For sheer magnitude, it was the biggest, single project of the Umali administration which was pursued with some help from the city government which donated the lot for the mega-project.

          The provincial government also spearheaded a public hearing on the P50.3-billion new Bilibid prisons project in Genh. Tinio, Nueva ecija, projected to be  finished in 2018.

          The city government, with neophyte Mayor Adrianne Mae Cuevas as its helm, has been driving on the fast lane to development, with City Hall getting a much-needed face-lift, outpacing even Makati, with its employees now drawing ther salaries through ATM.

For the first time in so many years, barangay roads which were found wanting in infrastructure development were paved while a trade depot was also launched.

In April, Alfredo Olivares Jr. of Barangay Malate became the toast of the baseball world, qualifying in a try-out to play in a semi-professional league in Japan.  

In the political front, the governor’s lawmaker-wife Czarina has jumped the gun on her prospective rival for the Capitol, going on a charm offensive throughout the province, ahead of former congressman Rodolfo Antonino who was also slapped with a case before the Ombudsman.

Nine of the Josons’ mayors have voiced support to Congresswoman Umali, boosting her stock.

Talks swirled that Vergara’s wife Rosanna is eyeing the governorship or Congress to challenge the Umalis.

The oldest local chief executive of the province, Nampicuan Mayor Ubaldino Lacurom resigned in June for health reasons, paving the way for the succession of his daughter Lourdes.

In Aliaga, site of the famous Taong Putik which drew 7,000 mud people in April, Reynaldo Ordanes was briefly installed mayor after winning an election protest against incumbent Mayor Elizabeth Vargas but the latter managed to win a TRO.

Vargas has filed a disbarment suit against a judge in Cabanatuan for allegedly invoking an old law in proclaiming Ordanes the winner while the latter has filed a similar case against Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes for allegedly issuing a favorable ruling to Vargasd, his former client.

As early as September, the Comelec has been sending alarm signals on the possible massive disenfranchisement of voters, with artound 200,000 in peril of being not able to vote due to lack of biometrics registration even as 5,000 dead voters still in the voters’ list in Cabanatuan.    

Crimes – as well as loose firearms (about 5,000 according to the provincial director) were aplenty in the province, with San Jose city emerging as crime capital based on crime stats up to early September.

In February, a councilor survived a grenade attack, touching off a long trail that also saw the killing in August of jail warden Enrico Campos by his assailant Renato Galang who himself killed by lawmen a month later.  A week before Christmas, the municipal accountant of Cabiao was gunned down by a motorcycle-riding gun man.

This even amid frantic efforts of Umali to stem the tide, as he was named by President Aquino in May as chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council. In March, he and Purisima led the ground-breaking of an elegant P20-million hostel for the provincial police force. 

In April, two UP students were arrested by the Army and police for being suspected as NPA rebels and detained in San Jose amid denials by their families. – Manny Galvez

TSU College of Computer Studies, PIA hold Christmas outreach, people’s forum

TARLAC CITY-Around 300 residents of barangay Bora in the capital city benefitted from the Christmas outreach cum people’s forum activity of the College of Computer Studies (CCS) of Tarlac State University (TSU) and Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

 

In the outreach, parents received Noche Buena items while their children got school supplies, which were courtesy of the provincial government.

 

Families likewise competed for prizes in the parlor games.

 

“Christmas is not just about receiving gifts. Beyond that, this season is about giving what we can and sharing what we have,” TSU-CCS Associate Dean Edjie Delos Reyes said.

 

“During the people’s forum, we had informed the parents who are mostly beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the various programs of the national government on health, education, agriculture, and livelihood. We shall relay some of the issues they had raised to concerned government agencies,” PIA Tarlac Provincial Manager Lorie Gene Cruz said. 

San Fernando, Victoria town top DILG Environmental Compliance Audit in Central Luzon

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga-The City of San Fernando in Pampanga and Victoria town in Tarlac topped this year’s Environmental Compliance Audit (ECA) of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Central Luzon.

 

Mayor Edwin Santiago and Mayor Candido Guiam III personally received the accolade for their city and town, respectively from DILG Regional Director Florida Dijan during the awarding ceremony Thursday held in line with the celebration of Manila Bay Day 2014.

 

The recognition goes with a P200,000 cash prize each for both first placers.

 

“ECA aims to assess the compliance of local government units within the Manila Bay area to basic environmental laws particularly Republic Act 9003 otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, ensure that environmental issues and concerns are brought to the attention of local and national leaders, and see to it that public officers that are tasked to implement environmental laws actually do their duties and sustain its implementation,” Dijan explained.

 

San Fernando was cited for its distribution of 150 pedal-powered garbage collection carts in all 35 barangays; for having more than 50 functional materials recovery facilities (MRFs) in villages, subdivisions, schools, and private establishments; and passage of an ordinance that bans the use of plastics every Friday among others.

 

Moreover, Victoria was likewise commended for having functional MRFs and its regular multi-sectoral cleanup drives in its creeks and other waterways.

 

“Both San Fernando and Victoria shall be Central Luzon’s bets to the tri-regional Manila Bay area contest were they compete with winners from National Capital Region and CALABARZON,” Dijan added.

 

Balanga in Bataan placed second and Muñoz in Nueva Ecija ended third in the city category while Plaridel in Bulacan landed second and La Paz in Tarlac ranked third in the municipal category. (Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu)

PIA joins TCA’s 69th founding anniversary celeb via ‘Eco-Power Up’

CAMILING, Tarlac-Philippine Information Agency (PIA) joined Tarlac College of Agriculture (TCA) in celebrating its 69^th founding anniversary through the conduct of the first “Eco-Power Up: Tarlac Youth Leaders’ Day.”

 

“Eco-Power Up seeks to provide a platform for the display of artistry of students of TCA and at the same time tap them as partners to the green crusade by informing them of the ill-effects of the changing climate in the hope of inspiring them to do their share to mitigate and find ways to adapt to it,” PIA Regional Director William Beltran said.

 

It consisted of a street dancing competition dubbed as “Indakan sa Kalye” which featured the various festivals of the province’s Ilokano-speaking towns, Search for Festival Queen, lantern parade, and climate change adaptation and mitigation and nation building youth forum.

 

The Institute of Engineering placed first in the street dancing competition with a tribute to the Buyboy Festival of San Clemente while the Institute of Education ended second with an entry inspired by the Ylang Ylang Festival of Anao and Institute of Veterinary Medicine landed third with its Paniqui Singkamas Festival entry.

 

Moreover, Institute of Engineering’s muse was crowned Festival Queen while the Men’s Dormitory topped the lantern parade.

 

Other partners in the activity include SM City Tarlac, Globe Telecom, and Pilipinas Natin. (Lorie Gene C. Cruz)

Legarda to LGUs: Create More Jobs Thru Solid Waste Law

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda said that local government units (LGUs) could create more jobs through the implementation of Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law.

Legarda, principal author and sponsor of the law, made the statement during the recent hearing of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act which looked into the performance of relevant national agencies and LGUs with respect to RA 9003.

“By implementing the solid waste management law, San Fernando City in Pampanga was able to generate 200 green jobs, including those employed to manage the materials recovery facilities (MRFs),” she stressed.

According to Mother Earth Foundation, all of San Fernando City’s 35 barangays have their own MRFs, where waste materials are sorted for composting and recycling and the residual waste will be brought to sanitary landfills.

Aside from generating jobs, the city was able to save millions. The LGU used to spend 70 million pesos for solid waste dumped in a sanitary landfill in Tarlac, but now they only spend P7 million for bringing their mostly residual waste to the same landfill.

Moreover, waste diversion rate is at 55%, which means that instead of being brought to landfills, this much of waste is now either recycled or composted.

“Imagine if all LGUs implemented the law, it would be a cleaner and greener Philippines, more green jobs would be generated, and there would be decrease in incidence of environmental diseases. I hope our leaders will have the political will to implement the law at full speed,” said Legarda.

NIA: Damage to irrigation facilities costs Php473.7M

NIA Central Office, Quezon City – As of the latest consolidated reports[1] on the damages to irrigation facilities caused by Typhoon Ruby, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) reported a total of Php473,726,693.30 cost for the repair of damaged National Irrigation Systems (NIS) and Communal Irrigation Systems (CIS) in four regions including Regions 4A, 4B, 5, and 8. The agency also reported crop damages amounting to Php139,198,237.00[2] covering an area of 9,378[3] hectares.

Eastern Visayas, the region also devastated last year by Super Typhoon Yolanda, reported the highest damage cost in its irrigation facilities. The region, in which Ruby first made landfall, reported a cost of Php162,048,500.00 for damaged CIS facilities and Php61,030,000.00 for NIS for a total of Php223,078,500.00 for the repair of both NIS and CIS facilities. Region 8 also reported that 1,700 hectares of area was affected by the typhoon.

Bicol Region, on the other hand, reported the second highest damage cost amounting to  Php183,902,198.00 for the repair of damaged NIS (Php29,421,198.00) and CIS (Php154,481,000.00) structures.  The regional office also noted that affected area reached 6,178 hectares with crop damages amounting to Php107,357,237.00.

For CALABARZON, the total cost for repair of damaged irrigation facilities amounted to Php54,496,000.27 broken down to: Php22,306,000.27 for CIS and Php32,190,000.00 for NIS. The region also reported that crop damages amounted to Php31,841,000.00.

MIMAROPA, or Region 4B, reported the least cost for typhoon damages amounting to Php12,250,000.00 solely for damaged NIS facilities in Occidental Mindoro covering an area of 1,500 hectares affecting 950 farmers.

Typhoon Ruby is one of the strongest storm systems that entered the country this year. It intensified into a Category 5 typhoon on December 4 with a maximum sustained winds of 285 kph. It made its first landfall on Dolores, Eastern Samar on December 6 weakening as a Category 3 typhoon and continued to wane as it slowly traversed Visayas and Southern Luzon making landfalls on Cataingan, Masbate;  Torrijos, Marinduque; and finally on Laiya, Batangas on December 8 before it eventually exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Legarda on Heritage Mapping: It’s Food for the Soul Feeding the Stomach

MANILA-In a bid to further promote Philippine heritage preservation, Senator Loren Legarda has organized a lecture on heritage mapping and a tour of the Hibla, Baybayin andBiodiversity exhibitions at the National Museum.

“My gift for you this Christmas is a gift for the soul. We can have Christmas parties here and there every year, but this year I wanted it special through this heritage lecture because it is important that we understand who we are and where we came from,” said Legarda in opening the lecture of Associate Professor Eric Babar Zerrudo titled,“Heritage, Makakain Ba ‘Yan?”

Legarda said that the lecture, which she organized for members of the Senate media, her staff and friends, highlights the importance of heritage and how it can actually lead to meaningful progress. Leading the attendees were National Artist F. Sionil Jose, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Chairperson Felipe De Leon Jr., Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) Director Mundita Lim, and Habi: The Philippine Textile Council members led by its Chairperson Maribel Ongpin.

“It operationalizes, simplifies and communicates in simple, clear terms our advocacy on promoting the sustainable use of our finite resources, and the preservation and promotion of our indigenous arts and culture, and our culture as a whole,” she stressed.

During the lecture, Prof. Zerrudo emphasized the need for heritage mapping, stressing that heritage should be at the core of development. It starts with awareness, then appreciation, protection and finally, utilization.

“You cannot utilize something you do not protect; you cannot protect what you do not appreciate; you cannot appreciate what you are not aware of,” Zerrudo stressed.

He presented the case study of Vigan, a well-known heritage city, which is now one of the New7Wonders Cities aside from being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Heritage is at the core of development in Vigan and is in fact mainstreamed in its education curriculum.

Legarda, for her part, said that she has filed Senate Bill No. 2501 to mandate all local government units (LGUs) to conduct cultural mapping in coordination with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and Department of Tourism (DOT).

The bill also requires the country’s key educational agencies—DepEd, CHED and TESDA—to collaborate and work with NCCA in implementing plans and programs that integrate and mainstream Philippine arts and culture, including Schools of Living Traditions (SLTs), in the basic, tertiary and technical-vocational education system.

Moreover, Legarda said that her Committee on Environment and Natural Resources is fast tracking the approval of the proposed Protected Areas Declaration Act.

There are 113 areas in the country declared through Presidential proclamations as protected areas under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act. However, only 13 have proceeded to be legislated as such. Legislation for the remaining 100 protected areas must be approved to ensure improved conservation programs and appropriate funding

“Our natural resources are very important part of our heritage and should be included in heritage mapping as well,” she stressed.

“The fundamental goal of heritage mapping is to inform, educate and help the nation realize its rich heritage, allowing for reflection of what it stands to lose as a result of its collective apathy and what it could gain if it strives to protect and promote it,” Legarda concluded.

Drilon: Students biggest winners as education measures top Senate approved bills

MANILA-Senate President Franklin M. Drilon today said that Filipino students will benefit the most from a wave of social service measures passed by Congress over the past year.

Since the 16th Congress convened in July 2013, the Senate has passed 44 proposed measures of national importance -  of which 17 became laws in 2014 and four in 2013.

“These laws we passed reflect the government's commitment to address the most basic and pressing concerns of our countrymen which include education, health, social reform package, consumer protection, and our ability to prepare for the dangers of upcoming emergencies,” said Drilon.

Out of the 21 laws, three were aimed at widening access to education, by eliminating major deterrents, according to Drilon. These include Republic Act (RA) No. 10648, known as the"Iskolar ng Bayan Act," which gives automatic admission and provision of scholarship grants by all state colleges and universities to public high school students who belong to the top ten places of their graduating classes; RA 10650 which widens access to tertiary education by institutionalizing open distance learning; and RA 10647 which strengthens ladderized interface between technical-vocational education and training and higher education in the country.

“The education sector and the students are the biggest winners in the laws that we have passed, considering their immense benefits to countless out-of-school Filipino youth." Drilon said.

“Through the enactment of these laws, we are confident that we will finally remove the traditional barriers to the effective delivery of education throughout the country, namely poverty, distance and age,” he then stressed.

Drilon added that there are two more pro-students laws awaiting congressional approval. These include Senate Bill (SB) No. 2277 that seeks to establish the Open High School System in the country and SB 2226 that aims to prevent the commercialization of student-athletes.

On social services, Drilon pointed to RA 10645 or the Mandatory Philhealth Coverage for All Senior Citizens, which entitles all senior citizens to avail of Philhealth benefits for their medical expenses; and RA 10649, which doubles the the burial assistance for military veterans from P10,000 to P20,000.

"We have passed these laws to advance the state of social services in the country, particularly to those who need our care the most, like the  elderly and the sick,” said Drilon.

He also said that the upper chamber also passed on third reading Senate Joint Resolution No. 2 which increases the subsistence allowance of all personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippine and the Philippines National Police from P90 to P150 per day; as well as Senate Joint Resolution No. 10 which extends the period for filing of claims for repatriation of Martial Law victims.

In addition to the host of laws and bills passed by Congress, the Senate chief said the chambers also passed the bill increasing the tax exemption limit of 13th month pay and other bonuses from P30,000 to P82,000 in order to reflect the current consumer price index, and SB 2414 strengthening the country’s campaign against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and ensure our compliance with our obligations under international conventions and standards.

On economic development, the Congress passed RA 10641 which liberalizes the entry of foreign banks in the country, by allowing foreign banks to acquire and invest up to 100% of the voting stock of a domestic bank, or to establish  branches with full banking authority, and by lifting the limitation on the number of foreign banks that can operate in the country.

The Congress likewise enacted RA 10644 or the Go Negosyo Act to improve the ease of doing business, especially for small and medium businesses.

Early this year, the Congress passed a law establishing the Maritime Industry Authority as the country’s single maritime administration to comply with the international standards. The Congress’ swift approval of the law helped protect the employment of 80,000 Filipino seafarers based in Europe from losing their job, noted Drilon.

It also passed RA 10643  which requires graphic health warning on cigarette packages, RA 10639 that mandates telecommunications services to send free mobile alerts in the event of a disaster, RA 10642 which protects consumers against sale of defective vehicles, and RA 1063 that extends the corporate life of the Philippine National Railways for another 50 years.

"As I have told our countrymen in the beginning of the 2nd session of the 16th Congress, we needed to prove that the Senate is still deserving of the respect of the people as a democratic institution. Thus, we have passed laws that will help the poor,  widen the delivery of education and other social services and improve the economy," Drilon said.

According to the Senate leader, the public is "steadily being made aware of the Senate's efforts to reform itself and introduce positive changes to the country," as evident in the latest survey by the Pulse Asia, which pegged the performance approval rating of the Senate at 42 percent, a far cry from the 33 percent approval rate it garnered last June. 

NOLCOM Plants Bamboo for AFP’s 79th Founding Anniversary Celebration

CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac City -- The Northern Luzon Command, conducted a Bamboo Tree Planting activity at the creek line of the Military Police Area in Camp General Servillano Aquino, San Miguel, Tarlac City on December 17, 2014, which is the first among the command’s series of activities in commemoration of the AFP’s 79^th Founding Anniversary with the theme: “Sandatahang Lakas: Pitumpu’t- Siyam Taong Naglilingkod ng Tapat Tungo sa Kapayapaan, Kaunlaran at Kasaganahan”. The celebration is from December 17-22, 2014.

The Assistant Chief of Unified Command Staff for Civil-Military Operation, U7 headed by LTC JULIUS MIRANDA spearheaded the said activity and participated in by the officers and men of NOLCOM. Bamboo was planted due to its efficient absorption of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and its ability to prevent soil erosion. This effort will contribute to the country’s effort for climate change mitigation.

NOLCOM Commander, LTGEN FELICITO VIRGILIO M TRINIDAD JR said, “We started the AFP’s 79^th Founding Anniversary Celebration with a tree planting activity to symbolize our role as ecological care takers and the first responder role in times of disasters and calamities. We are always in the forefront when these events occur and we have to take actions to mitigate its effects to the people and environment. Our DRRO mission compels us to take actions in preparedness and mitigation.

Legarda Supports AU Gov’t Efforts to Protect Great Barrier Reef

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda today expressed her support to the Australian Government’s efforts to protect and manage the Great Barrier Reef to maintain its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, made the statement following a meeting with Australian Environment Minister Greg Hunt and Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell on 17 December 2014.

“I welcome and support the Australian Government’s efforts to protect the Great Barrier Reef and make sure it is not inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger. The Great Barrier Reef is a very important natural resource and the Australian Government needs the support of the international community to effectively carry out measures to further protect the outstanding universal value of the site,” she stressed.

The World Heritage Committee (WHC) has raised concerns over the health and inadequate management of the Great Barrier Reef. In response, the Australian Government developed the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan, an overarching framework for protecting and managing the Great Barrier Reef from 2015 to 2050.

Legarda also said that the Philippines and Australia have many opportunities for cooperation especially in terms of coral reef conservation research based on management practices in the Great Barrier Reef and Philippine marine protected areas.

“Like Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, our Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our countries can work together and share experiences in managing our respective marine resources to come up with a strengthened cooperative effort on reef restoration and protection and marine biodiversity conservation. Even if we are different nations, we live in one planet and we should all do our part in saving the world’s natural treasures,” said Legarda.***

Photo Caption:

Senator Loren Legarda meets with Australian Environment Minister Greg Hunt (right) and Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell (left) to discuss areas of cooperation between the Philippines and Australia, especially in terms of coral reef conservation research based on management practices in the Great Barrier Reef and Philippine marine protected areas. Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, expressed her support to the Australian Government’s efforts to protect and manage the Great Barrier Reef to maintain its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Legarda Bats for Strengthened Info and Education Campaign to Combat Trafficking

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda today said that a strengthened information and education campaign on human trafficking would help combat the illegal human trade.

Legarda, principal sponsor of Republic Act No. 10364, the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, said that there should be a massive information and education campaign against all forms of human trafficking, including cyber pornography.

“Technological advancements, such as the Internet, are supposed to make life easier and get things done faster. But unscrupulous individuals have been taking advantage of these innovations. The Internet has become a new avenue for human trafficking,” she explained.

“With the Internet allowing communication to cross national borders in a matter of seconds, everything is now within reach, and even human trafficking can now be done online through cyber sex trafficking,” she added.

The Senator said that the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act aims to address the new challenges brought by human trafficking, such as cybersex.

Under the amended law, harboring a child for purposes of prostitution or production of pornographic materials is considered trafficking under the law.

Moreover, even acts that constitute attempted trafficking in persons are punishable. Accomplices and accessories to the crime will also be meted their due penalties.

“We have shown significant improvements in combatting human trafficking. In the 2014 Global Slavery Index, the Philippines is no. 1 in Asia and no. 29 worldwide out of 166 countries in terms of government response against human trafficking,” said Legarda.

“These numbers should not, however, give us a sense of complacency. While this is laudable, we cannot celebrate just yet because we know that there are still many Filipino women, children and men here in the country and in other parts of the world who are hoping and praying that soon they will be rescued from slavery and be able to tread on a new path for a much brighter future,” she stressed.

Legarda also called for continuous support to the agencies of government forming the Inter-Agency Council Against (IACAT) for the full and effective implementation of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

“The illegal human trade is a complex web. Battling it requires a concerted effort from all sectors of society. But preventing the crime and protecting our children from trafficking can actually start at home by educating our children on how they can protect themselves, including on the responsible use of the Internet,” Legarda concluded.

Senate passes fair competition act

MANILA-The Senate today passed on third and final reading a measure which aims to shield small business owners and consumers from companies engaged in unfair business practices which lead to increase in prices of basic goods and services.

Senate Bill No. 2282, otherwise known as the Fair Competition Act of 2014, was introduced by Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, chair of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

“A fair competition policy will level the playing field for Filipino businesses and allow more Filipinos to exercise their entrepreneurial spirit,” Aquino said.

Aquino said the measure works hand-in-hand with the recently enacted Go Negosyo Act (Republic Act 10644) which he also authored. He said SBN 2282 will allow more Filipinos to make a living “out of their own businesses,” which, in turn, will generate more employment and strengthen the purchasing power of more Filipinos.

“The bill puts in place measures that will protect the welfare of businesses and protect honest, hard-working entrepreneurs against abuse of dominance and position, and other unfair practices that put both Filipino businesses and their consumers at risk,” Aquino said.

Senate President Franklin M. Drilon concurred, saying that “having a competition law will lead to lower prices, higher quality of products and services, and more choices for consumers, as fostering a competitive economic environment spurs market efficiency and innovation.”

Drilon also said that the Fair Competition Act contributes to Congress’ goal of passing a package of priority economic measures to improve the Philippine business climate, boost investment and ensure macroeconomic and fiscal sustainability to prepare the country for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015.

He noted that “the Philippines remains the only member of the ASEAN-5 countries (which also includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand) where a competition law is not already in place.”

Acts considered as unfair competition include, among others, any competitive agreement between competitors; setting, limiting, or controlling the production of goods and services to the detriment of consumers; the application of contradictory conditions to equivalent transactions with other parties, and price fixing.

To accomplish its goals, the bill mandates the establishment of a Fair Competition Commission which will ensure that industrial concentration would not limit economic power to a few.

Tasked to promote competition, ensure consumer welfare, and penalize abuses of market power, the Commission is also mandated to prohibit anti-competitive agreements and abuses of dominant position that distort, manipulate, or constrict the operation of markets in the Philippines through constant monitoring of business practices being implemented by market leaders.

The proposed measure states that those found to be engaged in unfair competition will face a fine ranging from P50 million to P200 million.

The measure also states that any competitive agreement between competitors shall be penalized by imprisonment from two to five years, or fined an amount not less than P100 million but not more than P200 million or both, with “the  penalty of imprisonment being imposed upon the officers and directors of the entity.”  

 “We believe that the Fair Competition Act is all at once pro-poor, pro-people, and pro-business. It safeguards the welfare of businesses, large and small, and protects honest, hardworking entrepreneurs,” Aquino said.

The measure was approved on third reading after the inclusion of an amendment by Acting Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto, which further empowers the proposed Commission to consider whether market entities selling their products below cost “are doing so in good faith to meet or compete with the lower price of a competitor.”

SBN 2282 is co-authored by Senators Serge Osmeña III, Teofisto “TG” Guingona III, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada and Antonio Trillanes IV.  (Yvonne Almiranez)