Month: February 2019

Sagot ni Duterte sa Kahirapan sa Niyugan: Pagbasura sa panukalang batas sa coco levy?

Kaming mga maliliit na magniniyog na paloob sa siyam (9) na pambansang pederasyon ng mga magsasaka at dalawang (2) non-government organizations sa ilalim ng koalisyon ng Kilusan para sa Ugnayan ng mga Samahang Magniniyog (KILUS Magniniyog) ay lubhang nababahala sa lumalalang kahirapan sa niyugan, at ngayon sa pagbasura ni Duterte sa panukalang PCA Reconstitution.

KAHIRAPAN SA NIYUGAN, LUMALALA

Ilang buwan nang bagsak ang presyo ng kopra ngayon na binibili ng mga kumpanya ng langis at siyang batayan ng presyuhan ng mga nagkokopra at nagbebenta ng whole nut.

Tinatayang kasing-baba ng Php 12 ang farmgate price ng kada kilo ng kopra ngayon sa Samar at Php 15.18 naman sa Quezon. Kung ipagbebenta ang whole nut, lalagapak ang presyo sa 3 pesos kada whole nut sa Samar at 4.50 pesos sa Quezon.

Malinaw na kumikitil sa buhay naming mga magniniyog ang ganitong kababang presyo ng aming produkto. Ang sanhi: ang pagkatali ng lokal na pamilihan ng kopra sa presyo ng langis sa pandaigdigang merkado.

Sa panukalang batas na Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act, nakapaloob ang isang pagtingin na ang magniniyog ay maaaring kumalas sa pagkakadena sa pagkokopra at traders. Sa aming pag-aaral, kung magkakaroon ng sapat na suporta mula sa gobyerno, marami pang ibang produkto ang maaaring pakinabangan sa niyog: langis, tubig, harina, asukal, mga coco fiber-based products at iba pa.

Kung kailan higit na kailangan ang ganitong pagbabago sa industriya ng niyog ay ito namang lantarang pagsagka ni Duterte sa pagsasabatas ng mga mahahalagang panukala kagaya ng Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act.

Ang panukala naming magtatag ng isang Trust Fund na mayroong ganitong pagtingin sa industriya ang aming inaasahang magbibigay ng pangkabuhayan at negosyo sa mga magniniyog at magbibigay kapangyarihan sa sektor sa pamamagitan ng representasyon nito sa paggamit, pangangasiwa at administrasyon ng naibalik na coco levy funds.

Malinaw sa amin na sa kadahilanang binasura ni Duterte ang panukalang batas na kapatid ng Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act ay numinipis ang pagkakataong umahon pa sa hirap sa ilalim ng administrasyong ito ang milyun-milyong magninyog.

KANINONG INTERES BA TALAGA ANG PAG-VETO?

Sinasabi ng Pangulo na ginawa niya ang pag-veto upang protektahan ang interes ng mga magniniyog. Aniya, kinakailangan ng mga safeguards upang maprotektahan ang pondo.

Mula pa kampanya, maraming pagkakataon si Duterte na ihain ang anumang mungkahi sa Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund:

• 2016 pumirma si noo’y kandidatong Duterte sa isang ‘social pact’ kasama ang mga magniniyog na mapapakinabangan ng mga magniniyog ang coco levy sa loob ng 100 araw • 2017 listed as priority legislation sa Legislative – Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC)

• 2018 Nabanggit ni Duterte ang coco levy bill sa kanyang State of the Nation Address (SONA)

• 2018 Ipinasa ng bicameral conference committee ang kanilang bersyon ng Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act kung saan minandato ang PCA bilang tagapangasiwa ng pondo

• Dec 2018 ibinalik ng Malacanang ang nasabing batas, inamyenda muli ng bicam at saka isinumite sa opisina ng pangulo

• Feb 2019 vineto ni Duterte ang PCA Reconstitution bill

Kung talagang nasa interes niya ang interes ng magniniyog, bakit hindi niya binanggit ang mga katanggap-tanggap na pag-“safeguard” sa pondong ito habang umuusad ang proseso sa Kongreso? Wala siyang tukoy na sinabi tungkol dito.

Hanggang hindi nagsasalita ang Pangulo sa kung ano ang mga safeguards na ito, katulad ng PAGTATATAG NG ISANG TRUST FUND COMMITTEE na siya namang matagal nang mungkahi ng sektor at siya ring bitbit ng mga magniniyog nang mag-martsa mula Davao hanggang Maynila noong 2014—titingnan namin ang anumang labas dito bilang pambobola lamang sapagkat kung mayroon mang nakikinabang sa kanyang pag-veto, ito ANG MGA ELITISTA NA NANGUNA SA COCO LEVY SCAM na silang naghahangad na huwag mapakinabangan ng mga maliliit at mahihirap na magniniyog ang coco levy.

February 8, 2019

Greenresearch joins the urgent calls about the Manila Bay:

NO  to the reclamation of the Manila Bay!
YES  to the rehabilitation of the Manila Bay!

Greenresearch Executive Director, Patria Gwen M.L. Borcena,  an environmental sociologist  who was one of the civil society representatives-members of the Planning Committee (PC) for the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) for both the Aquino and Duterte administrations, reminds the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Manila Local Government officials and other concerned policy makers:

Given our country’s vulnerability to  climate change, economic development blueprint for Manila should place a high premium on the conservation, protection, and rehabilitation (CPR) of the environment and natural resources (ENR) towards sustainable development,   so that the city will be  more climate-resilient and very equipped to lessen the occurrence of major disasters and handle these effectively and efficiently if these occur.

The development, utilization and management of  the  natural capital in Manila and other parts of the country should be guided by the precautionary principle, environmental impact assessment (EIA), cost-benefit analysis/economic valuation studies,  as well as a national industrialization plan which will rationalize the  extraction and use of  natural resources  towards nationalist industrialization.

Thus, the ecology of the Manila Bay should not be sacrificed for the pursuit of short-term gains or profits.

As stated in Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’: On the Care for Our Common Home:

 “The protection of the environment is in fact  “an integral part of the development process and cannot be considered in isolation from it.” (Laudato Si, No. 141)

Sustainable development does not necessarily mean  balancing economic agenda and environmental protection.   As stressed by this green encyclical:

 “It is not enough to balance, in the medium term, the protection of nature with financial gain, or the preservation of the environment with progress. Halfway measures simply delay the inevitable disaster. Put simply,  it is a matter of redefining our notion of progress.  A technological and economic development which does not leave in its wake a better world and an integrally higher quality of life cannot be considered progress.  Frequently, in fact, people’s quality of life actually diminishes – by the deterioration of the environment, the low quality of food or the depletion of resources – in the midst of economic growth. ((Laudato Si, No. 194)   

Thus, instead of pushing for  the establishment of a “Manila Solar City” catering to the interests of foreign tourists, transnational corporations, and a few local elite in the business sector,   Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and the rest of his local government unit should improve their efforts in rehabilitating Manila Bay, implementing  ecological solid waste management, creating more “green spaces,” and preserving cultural heritage.

Greenresearch  urges  a stronger synergy among non-government organizations (NGOs), people’s organizations (POs), religious groups, youth, academe, green champions in the industrial sector  and legislative branches in order to block proposed reclamation projects in Manila Bay.   We also hope that the  present emerging discourse  about the Manila Bay will eventually lead to  participatory ecological governance in Metro Manila.  

Attached are two published articles which critically discuss the dangers of  the proposed Manila Bay Reclamation:

“Why Reclamation of Nearshore Manila Bay is A Very Bad Idea”

By Kelvin Rodolfo, Ph.D.

Kelvin S. Rodolfo, Ph.D., is a professor emeritus at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago. He is a corresponding member of the Philippine National Academy of Science and Technology. He lives in Viroqua, Wisconsin and comes to the Philippines regularly.

 “7 Reasons Why We Should Oppose Manila Bay Reclamation Projects”

by Mark Anthony Abenir

Mark Anthony Abenir is an associate professor and director of the Simbahayan Community Development Office of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. He is also a development worker and serves as chairman of the Community Development Society of the Philippines.

Christiana Figueres who is a key person in the climate justice movement is visiting the Philippines on February 14 -15, 2019. She would like to have a focused group discussion around the climate change issue with key persons from the civil society organizations, academe and religious sector. 

As executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) from 2010 to 2016, Christiana was responsible for rescuing the process after the disaster at COP 15 in Copenhagen and steering the talks that led to the Paris Agreement in COP21. Currently, she is the convener of Mission 2020. “Mission 2020 is a global initiative that seeks to ensure the world bends the curve on greenhouse gas emission by 2020 in order to protect the most vulnerable from the worst impacts of climate change and usher in an era of stability and prosperity.”

On behalf of Mission 2020, the Global Catholic Climate Movement – Pilipinas (GCCM-Pilipinas) and the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) would like to invite you to this focus group discussion which will be held on February 15, 9:00 – 11:00am at Dolcelatte, 1616 Quezon Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City. We can only accommodate one (1) participant from each organization/institution. Kindly submit the name of your group’s representative, together with their position/role, email address and contact number to Sr. Elizabeth (Bing) Carranza at gccmpilipinas@gmail.com on or before February 11.

Council of Laity Walk for Life (Feb 16 @Quezon Memorial Circle) and Catholic Church Network Against Human Trafficking (CCNAHT) united call for action and celebration of the Eucharist on Feast Day of St Josephine Bakhita (8 Feb)

8 February 2019    |    Friday    |    11:00 AM
Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas
LAIKO Building, 372 Cabildo St., Intramuros, Manila Philippines
Tel: (02) 5275388/ 09771794938
e-mail: laiko_phils@yahoo.com.ph

The Council of Laity of the Philippines/ Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas announces its call for respect of human dignity and human life by action – Walk for Life – and invites all who are concerned with different current issues and debates related to Life, to join by walking on February 16 at Quezon Memorial Circle, QC from 4:00-9:00am;  this announcement is joined by the call of Catholic Church Network Against Human Trafficking (CCNAHT) composed of CBCP Cluster Against Human Trafficking and the Association of Major Religious Superior of the Philippines, for awareness and action to combat human trafficking especially recent trends on vulnerable children, on this day of International Day of Prayer Against Human Trafficking and Feast Day of St. Josephine Bakhita, Patron saint of victims of slavery and human trafficking (February 8).  The Joint Press Conference culminates in a mass at the Manila Cathedral at 12:10pm concelebrated by Manila Auxillary Bishop Most Rev. Broderick S. Pabillo and Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos, Chairperson of Episcopal Commission on Migrant and Itinerant People.

Contacts:

Joseph Jesalva
Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (LAIKO)
09771794938
laiko_phils@yahoo.com.ph

Pass SB 1826 Now!

Nagkaisa Labor Coalition believes that the reported signing of a MOA between DOLE and ECOP is nothing but a ploy to thwart the passage of the End ENDO Bill in the Senate.  The timing is suspect. It is being executed and advertised widely while the Senate is on the verge of passing the End ENDO bill. 
The MOA cannot change the miserable situation of our contractual workers. Only a new law can do that.

And what is more shameful of this turn is that the signatories to this pact represent the party of pathological liars and hypocrites as they have ever since been, together with DTI, the first line of defense against the workers’ struggle for the abolition of contractualization.

DOLE deserted from this anti-ENDO battle since day one when it issued department orders that would legitimize ENDO further. ECOP and DTI on the other hand have resorted to blackmail and the consequence of their actions was executive paralysis which contaminated even the Office of the President.

Now they are making a pact for voluntary compliance on ENDO?  Were they not the same party who were making a fool of the workers by mocking their own decisions? Was it not DOLE which issues compliance orders on regularization but only to be defied by ECOP members?  And now they are making a new pact?

Besides, what kind of pact on regularizing workers can DOLE and ECOP agree on, if it is done without workers, who are the supposed beneficiaries of this agreement? Clearly, in this case, workers are yet again the victims of their evil design. The mere act of signing with employers, behind the back of workers—an equal partner under the principle of tripartism and social dialogue—exposes DOLE’s betrayal of the workers.
Our senators must be getting bad signals from this insidious operation.  DOLE’s action can be interpreted as the official position of the executive absent the OP’s strong push for the passage of the End ENDO bill. ECOP on the other hand may have succeeded in convincing DOLE and the Executive to abandon the End ENDO bill and opt for this MOA template instead. Or they might have been working on it together since day one to block any effort at changing the rules of the game in favor of workers.

We call on our senators not to be swayed by DOLE-ECOP’s fake advertisement. The End ENDO Bill is about social justice. It’s about decent work and decent life. The DOLE-ECOP MOA is just a PR stunt, perhaps fake news personified, meant to mislead the policymakers.

Participants condemn deadly bombings of Catholic church and mosque in the southern Philippines last week

Jigger Jerusalem, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines
February 4, 2019

Christians and Muslims in the Philippines held “unity walks” to call for peace following deadly blasts that rocked the south of the country last week.

In Manila, hundreds of people gathered for a prayer rally on Feb. 3 to show “the world that Filipino Muslims and Christians are one.”

They condemned the bombing of a Catholic cathedral in Jolo province that killed at least 22 people on Jan. 27 and a grenade explosion in a mosque in Zamboanga City that killed two on Jan. 30.

In Mindanao, an interfaith prayer rally was also held in Cagayan de Oro City on Feb. 2 to mark the start of the observance of “World Interfaith Harmony Week.”

Monsignor Rey Monsanto admitted that there was “a sense of fear” among Catholic clergy in Mindanao and that the bomb explosions in Jolo and Zamboanga could spark further violence.

“We are worried that Christians and Muslims will begin blaming each other,” said the priest, adding that they might use religion as an excuse to wage war.

Abdulnasser Masorong, director of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, said the violence “has caused harm to the entire nation in a divisive effort to further widen the gap between Muslims and Christians.”

Alec Mohammad, a Muslim religious leader in Cagayan de Oro, however, said the violence “will not break the spirit of the long-standing relationship” among Mindanao’s peoples.

A long-lasting peace will allow children to live a life free from fear and threats

Mark Saludes, Manila, Philippines
February 5, 2019

The Philippines has a new law that aims to protect children caught in armed conflict, but a 17-year old tribal girl from Mindanao doubts it will keep her from harm.

Those who are supposed to uphold the laws are among the worst offenders when it comes to breaking them, she said, citing her own experiences.

Last year, Jenny (not her real name) and several other children from the southern province of Davao del Norte sought refuge in Manila after they were labeled “rebel sympathizers.”

Jenny’s home in the town of Talaingod has become a battleground between communist guerrillas and government troops in recent years.

Local villagers have sought shelter in churches in nearby provinces and even in Manila because of the presence of soldiers in their communities.

“The only law that exists in remote places like ours in Mindanao is martial law,” Jenny told ucanews.com.

President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law across the southern Philippines following the terrorist attack on Marawi City in 2017. It has since been extended on several occasions.

However, since its declaration, tribal people have reported a sharp increase in incidents of harassment, intimidation and displacement of people, including children.

On Jan. 21, about 500 tribal people, including 96 schoolchildren fled to safety due to military operations against communist rebels.

“Who is going to protect tribal people, especially our children, if the reason for our suffering is the government?” said Imelda Belandres, chairwoman of the tribal group Mapasu.

It was not the first time that tribal people have fled their homes in recent years.

In July 2017, at least 1,600 people from different communities in Surigao province fled due to conflict.

They stayed away for more than a month and affected at least 400 children.

“We understand that the military has a job to do, but civilians must be left unharmed,” said Father Raymond Montero-Ambray of Tandag Diocese.

The priest said shows of “military might” within civilian communities “endangers the lives of residents and traumatizes children.”

He cited a 2015 incident when members of a government-backed militia killed two tribal leaders and a school director in front of residents, including children.

The killings resulted in an exodus of about 3,500 tribal people who sought shelter in an evacuation center for a year.

“Some of the consequences on the children who witnessed the killings were extreme,” said the priest, adding that some of them now suffer anxiety attacks and depression.

Frances Bondoc of the Children’s Rehabilitation Center said some children still need to undergo psychosocial treatment even though the incident happened several years ago.

“The effect on the children is lingering,” she said.

“What they witnessed could cause irreparable damage, especially if they continue to be victims of armed conflict.”

February 1, 2019 ·

Fr. Shay Cullen
1 February 2019

On Monday, 4 February the Philippine Senate may decide whether to change the law and lower the age of criminal liability from 15 years of age to 12 years of age. If they do, that will make 12-year old children liable as criminals if they steal a banana in the market and they may have to stand trial. Then they may be sent to a children’s detention center. These places are no better than prisons where it is life behind bars.

They will be bullied, beaten and made slaves by the older, 17-year olds inmates and made to do sexual acts with the older boys. There is nothing else to do inside most of these places. We are appealing to the senators not to lower the age of criminal liability for these children. The swing votes are with the senators whose email addresses are below. We appeal to you to act and help save the children: send a short message to the senators not to change the existing law, not to lower the age that would make children criminals at 12 years of age.

Sen. Sonny Angara    sensonnyangara@yahoo.com
Sen. Gregorio Honasan II      piu0720@yahoo.com, gringobhonasan@gmail.com
Sen. Loren Legarda   loren@lorenlegarda.com.ph, appointments@osl.ph
Sen. Ralph Recto        ralphgrecto@257dcggmail-com
Sen. Cynthia Villar     sencynthiavillar@gmail.com

Dear Senators:
The Philippines is facing a historical decision regarding its millions of young children under the age of fifteen. Their future is in your rational decision that will save thousands of young innocent children twelve to fifteen years of age from jail.
They will be put on trial charged with criminal acts if you vote to lower the age of criminal liability. Please do not vote to lower the age. Instead, protect the children and uphold the present law.
The nation, child rights advocates and the parents of hundreds of millions of young children will remember you and your vote as the ones who turned the Senate in favor of children and did not act against their best interest. History will remember your vote as the vote that saved these children from jails. More than 300 civil society organizations have signed and published an open letter appealing to you not to lower the age. Majority of Filipinos said they are against lowering the age. The international community is against it.
They are just children and have no knowledge or culpability of what they will do. This is due to their lack of education and being exposed to the bad example of adults and influence by a corrupt society. You as honorable senators are called to protect children from harm and not to expose them to harm. Please do not vote to lower the age. Do not condemn the children to jails.
There are almost no decent government homes or Bahay Pag-asa for children in conflict with the law. The children are placed behind bars in cages without help or hope or education or proper food. This incarceration is illegal under all Philippine child protection laws and international law. But it happens now and everyday hundreds of children as young as ten years of age are jailed.
They languish in subhuman conditions, become sick and are abandoned behind bars for no crime. They are sexually abused by older youth in small, overcrowded cells. This is happening now, today. This is a serious violation of the human rights and dignity of children. We rescue as many as we can and they tell us of the abuse they suffer. Please allow them to testify, view the photos attached.
The vast majority of children are jailed for simple misdemeanors like breaking curfew, taking fruit in the market, sniffing glue to ease pain and because they are hungry. They are on the streets because their parents are beating them at home or sexually abusing them and they have to run away.
On behalf of hundreds of civil society organizations and the majority of the Filipino people who said in a survey they do not approve the lowering of the age whereby their children can be put on trial and jailed, please vote No.
Sincerely,
FR. SHAY CULLEN FRANCIS B. BERMIDO JR.
Founder and President Executive Director

He was fast asleep inside the bus, too tired perhaps to get out and stretch his legs during the stopover in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya, at about 2:00 am Wednesday. So when a gunman boarded the bus to kill him in cold blood, the murder went very fast.  The assassin then quickly left the scene on a waiting motorcycle driven by another man.

Randy Felix Malayao, 49, a peace consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, was the first NDFP consultant slain in such a manner since late 2017. But his assassination followed a pattern.

In recent months, four other NDFP peace consultants – Rafael Baylosis, Adelberto Silva, Vicente Ladlad, and Rey Claro Casambre — had been individually arrested by state security forces. All were similarly implicated in murder cases, filed in far-flung areas. To ensure their prolonged detention, they were slapped with non-bailable charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.  (Two weeks ago, however, a Quezon City trial court dismissed the charges against Baylosis, ruled his arrest as illegal, and ordered him freed.) 

Randy Malayao may have been considering himself lucky because, unlike these others, no criminal charge had been filed or arrest warrant issued against him. True, he had been falsely arrested in 2008, heavily tortured, detained and prosecuted for four years on trumped-up charges.  But the trial court cleared him of all charges and ordered him freed in 2012.  He then joined the peace talks as consultant and one of the NDFP peace panel spokespersons in negotiations with the Duterte government.

Apparently not too worried about his physical safety, Randy had been travelling by public transport from his hometown in San Pablo, Isabela to wherever he needed to go and returning home the same way. He went about his business as a human-rights activist, unarmed and alone, like anyone who felt secure in his clean conscience.

That he was killed, rather than framed up and arrested on illegal possession of firearms and explosives, has raised alarm in the human-rights community.  Their legalist moves now being exposed  as shamefully contrived, are the state security forces now taking deadlier, offensive action against NDFP peace consultants?

Did President Duterte’s latest flip-flopping on peace talks with the NDFP induce Randy’s killer to hunt him down and pull the trigger?

Consider this shift in Duterte’s mood and outbursts.  On January 4, 2019, speaking in Camarines Sur, he indicated he was again open to talking peace with the Left revolutionary movement.  He said:

 “At this time, [Jose Ma.] Sison [NDFP chief political consultant] and I do not understand each other.  But I’d like you to know that we are keeping the fire burning, and you cannot really close [the door on the peace talks]. You cannot afford to lose all channels of communication. You would have to leave even a small opening.”

On January 29 that sober tone again changed. Condoling with the families of the victims of the twin bombings in Jolo, Duterte declared he would never negotiate with terrorist groups (referring to the Abu Sayyaf). But he added: “Same with the NPA [New People’s Army]. I will never talk to you. I can’t do anything about it.”

That sharp shift in stance harked back to his Christmas gift-giving talk to Philippine Army soldiers in Compostela Valley on December 22. Speaking of “law and order,” he pointed to the Communist Party of the Philippines “including its legal fronts and infrastructure,” and barked out this order:

 “Do not fight them. Destroy them. Kill them. Just destroy. Who ordered you to do so? I did.” After lambasting Joma Sison, he repeated: “We have to destroy them. Destroy them. Do not believe in human rights. I assume full responsibility.”                    

In consonance with that presidential stance, the Department of Justice has amended its petition for proscription, filed in a regional trial court seeking the declaration of the CPP and the NPA as “terrorist organizations,” to skirt the legal hurdles to the court’s early action on the petition.  Meantime, former military and police officers sitting as congressmen have been pushing hard to amend the Human Security Act of 2007, the basis for filing the proscription petition. Their objectives:  to delete the safeguard provisions and make it easy for the court to declare the CPP and NPA as terrorist organizations, broaden the law’s coverage, and impose a harsher penalty (life imprisonment) on anyone deemed as a terrorist or member of a terrorist organization.