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PMPI Press Release | Assessment of President Duterte’s 5th SONA

Quezon City, Philippines — A day after President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address, July 28, Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc. (PMPI), a faith based social development and advocacy network with more than 200 members nationwide held an online assessment of President Duterte’s State of the Nation’s Address (SONA) to the people.

DUTERTE’S GOVERNMENT IS A FAILURE

The Post-SONA “Virtual Rally” overwhelmingly gave a failure grade to five areas the network deems important – Human rights, Environment, Climate Change, Covid-19 response, and Philippine Sovereignty and the West Philippine Sea.

Fr. Danny Pilario, a Vincentian missionary priest in Payatas and known human rights advocate lamented the dangers of the newly passed anti-terror law and its continuous violations of right to life with the continuous killings of supposedly drug users/pushers despite the covid-19 situation. Likewise, the priest said that the government does not anymore respect the sanctity of the church as a place for people’s refuge. He narrated that he was actually in the Quiapo church to attend mass when two police officers confiscated the belongings and placards of some churchgoers who were silently sitting and showing off the placards.

“Para sa’kin, ito ay labag sa karapatang pantao, the human right to worship and express your faith in the divine,” Fr. Pilario said.

“All throughout the history from the medieval times even the ancient times, the church has always been the place of sanctuary and no matter how powerful is political power, they will respect the sanctuary of the church. But today in the context of anti-terror law, police have powers to just enter the church premises, pick on someone even during a rite. This for me is very difficult context on which human rights today is lived in the Philippines,” Fr. Pilario added.

Meanwhile, for Melody Asia, PMPI Anti-Mining campaigner and Rodne Galicha, a climate change advocate and Executive Director of Living Laudato Si’ Philippines, both said that even if President Duterte have mentioned for the fourth time during a SONA his concern for the environment, they are all lip service. The passage of the National Land Use Act (NLUA) which he said is his priority bill is not moving in Congress. There was even no mention to address the issues of climate change and climate emergency.

“How can you not fail this government in terms of environment protection when days before the fifth SONA, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has recommended the reopening of mining sites that were shut down during the time of late Gina Lopez, as DENR secretary and proposed that mining be the driver for our economic recovery, Ms. Asia said.

“No mention of climate change issues clearly indicates that this government does not put importance and priority to address this issue,” Mr. Galicia reiterated.

As for the COVID-19 response of the government, Dr. Isidro Sia stated the need for DOH to improve its response to the pandemic. He emphasized the need for effective communication to facilitate better understanding of the issue, policies on managing it must be humane and compassionate, and governance must be systematic. He said government must learn from experiences of other countries and that whole-of-society approach should be truly adhered to.

“I vehemently disagree to the statement of the President that we can’t do anything on the issue of West Philippine Sea. Sabi niya wala daw siyang magagawa, inutil daw siya. “He should have said that he will defend what we have already won at the United Nation’s Tribunal,” Atty. Alex Lacson, who is also the co-founder of MALCOLM Law Firm, said.

Furthermore, Atty. Lacson said that there are many ways to protect our territories without going to war. He said that other countries have done so already to protect their stakes in contested territories involving China, like Vietnam, Indonesia, and even Australia. “We can’t just surrender without putting up a good fight,” Atty Lacson added.

WHERE TO IN THIS SITUATION?

Bishop Colin Bagaforo, the newly installed National Director of NASSA/Caritas Philippines and Bishop of the Diocese of Kidapawan in a video message said that President Duterte should heed the call of the nation since there is a growing dissent and different opinions with regards to his report.

He asked the faithful to push for nation building that draws out from the demands of faith as indicated in the PCP II (Plenary Council of the Philippines II). “A nation where human dignity is upheld, respected and promoted, where moral principles prevail in social-economic life and where justice, love, solidarity are the inner driving forces of development,” Bishop Bagaforo said.

“We need to push for a just and green recovery and development. It looks like that the hurdle towards this is huge. However we need not lose steam and hope. We have to be patient but persevering, in ensuring that the rights of people and nature are respected, protected and fulfilled by this government” Yoly Esguerra, National Coordinator of PMPI said.

Also admonishing the people to draw strength from the Christian faith and deriving from the story of the weed and wheat in the bible, she said,  that the bad weeds will always be around in our society. For now, it might be hard to pull these bad weeds immediately, but at the right time and moment, we will be able to weed out the bad from the good. “For these to happen we must go back to our community and prepare them so that they themselves can recognize the good and bad and claim what is rightfully theirs.” Ms Esguerra added.

The participants in the online assessment have rated President Duterte’s performance with a grade of pass, ambivalent and fail. A whopping 93.2% have rated that President Duterte’s performance on the key thematic issues were a failure and only 6.8% have rated that they feel ambivalent or unsure. No one gave the President a passing grade.

Pahayag ni VP Leni Robredo

July 29, 2020

Sa puntong ito, halos isang buwan na na mahigit isang libo bawat araw ang dagdag sa mga COVID positive cases ng bansa. Halos magdadalawang libo na rin ang pumanaw, bukod pa sa napakaraming naospital, naubusan ng ipon, nawalan ng trabaho, o nakakaranas ng paghihirap at pangamba sa mga panahong ito. Mahigit limang buwan na ang lumilipas mula nang naiulat ang unang kaso ng COVID-19 sa ating bansa.

Sa malaking bahagi ng panahong ito, minabuti ng Tanggapan ng Pangalawang Pangulo na gawin ang makakaya upang tumugon sa kahit anong paraan basta may maitulong, gaano man kalimitado ang aming budget o mandato.

Humaharap ako sa inyo ngayon upang iulat ang mga natutuhan namin sa panahong iyon: Ang feedback mula sa mga eksperto, mula sa mga doktor, at mula sa mga pinakaapektado—ang hinaing ng mga nasa komunidad, ng mga frontliners, ng mga napipilitang sumugod sa panganib dahil kailangang magtrabaho, ng mga drivers, ng mga locally-stranded individuals na napipilitang matulog sa hagdan o bangketa.

Sa harap ng ganitong kalaking krisis, lalo lang tayong malalagay sa panganib kung matitibag ang mga institusyon nating pampamahalaan. Ituring sanang karagdagang ambag ang pahayag na ito—mga rekomendasyon at aral mula sa halos limang buwan na naming pakikipag-ugnayan sa ating mga kababayan para labanan ang COVID.

Hindi mapipigil ang pandemya kung basta mag-aabang na lang tayo ng bakuna. Kailangang maampat ang pagkalat nito sa lalong madaling panahon. Nagsisimula ang lahat sa tamang datos, na pundasyon ng tamang desisyon. Mula dito, matutukoy ang kung sino at aling mga lugar ang dapat tutukan pagdating sa mass testing, contact tracing, at suporta sa mga komunidad at ospital. Kung magiging tama ang tugon sa aspekto ng healthcare, mako-control ang community transmission, magiging mas mabilis, ligtas, at strategic ang pagbubukas ng ekonomiya, maiiwasan ang pagkawala ng trabaho, at hindi na dadami pa ang dadanas ng kahirapan. Mababawasan ang pangamba ng pagsasara, at hindi na kakailanganing umabot sa punto ng pagle-layoff sa mga empleyado, o mas malala, sa pagtiklop ng mga negosyo.

Ito ang broad strokes ng plano. Wala akong duda na mulat ang pamahalaan dito. Pero malaki ang krisis, at maraming dapat gawin, kaya kailangan nating lahat maging mas maliksi sa pagtukoy sa mga puwang, at maging mabilis at malikhain sa pagpuno nito. Heto ang ilang mungkahi:

Una, linisin at pabilisin ang pagkalap ng datos ukol sa COVID-19. Kung magagawa ito, magiging mas matibay ang pinagmumulan ng mga desisyon, polisiya, at programa para mapigilan ang paglaganap ng virus.

Marami nang mga eksperto ang naglabas ng iba’t ibang platform para maging repository ng datos. Ang kailangang gawin, piliin ang pinakamainam dito, at gumawa ng isang ecosystem ng pagtugon kung saan standard ang pagka-sentralisado.

Isa pa: Kung mali at buhol-buhol ang pag-input ng data, babagal ang validation; babagal din ang proseso ng decision-making. Halimbawa: Sa data na nakakalap, may discrepancy sa mga nagpositive at confirmed cases. May mahigit 113,000 cases ang nagpositive sa testing, ngunit nasa 80,000 pa lang nito ang confirmed cases. Ibig sabihin, kailangan talagang humabol ang verification, dahil maraming positive ang hindi agad naisasama sa opisyal na data.

Dapat magkaroon ng communications campaign para ang mga nagpapagamot mismo ang tumiyak na wastong impormasyon ang naitatala tungkol sa kanila. Malawak ang kakayahan ng pamahalaang magpalaganap ng impormasyon, kaya umaasa tayong magagawa ito sa lalong madaling panahon.

Ikalawa, at karugtong nito: Isama ang mga pamantasan at academic institutions para tumulong sa validation process ng DOH. Maraming gustong tumulong, pero may mga pagkukulang sa volunteer management process. Ilista ang mga handang tumulong at ang kanilang kakayahan, at agad na silang iugnay sa mga unit na nangangailangan ng tulong upang ma-maximize ang kakayahang ito.

Maraming paraan para ma-maximize ang mga gustong tumulong. Halimbawa na lang, puwede nilang pag-aralan ang surveillance at pooled testing: Igugrupo ang mga tao at itetest nang minsanan ang grupong ito. Kung nag-negative na, hindi na sila kailangang isa-isahin pa. Sa ganitong paraan, mas marami ang matetest, pero mas makakatipid sa mga testing kit.

Ikatlo, siguruhing mabilis ang turnover time ng mga COVID-19 tests. Alamin kung bakit nagkakabacklog, kung saang mga laboratoryo ito nagaganap, at tulungan silang makahabol. Sa ganitong paraan, on-time ding mahahabol ng mga contact tracers ang mga dapat pang i-test. Sa contact tracing, alam nating may mga model at teknolohiya nang gumagana, tulad na lang ng sa Baguio. Para wala nang kanya-kanya, tumukoy na tayo agad ng iisang platform at technology, iisang standard na proseso, at imungkahi sa mga LGU na ito ang gamitin kaysa magkanya-kanyang diskarte.

Ikaapat, ukol naman sa mga locally-stranded individuals: Nagpadala na tayo ng rekomendasyon sa kinauukulan na bigyan sila ng libreng swab test bago bumiyahe. Hinahanap din ang mas organisadong pagpo-proseso ng mga LSI—at hindi ‘yong napipilitan silang matulog sa semento o sa ilalim ng tulay, o nagsisiksikan at nalalagay sa mas matinding peligro ng exposure sa COVID. Kailangang maglaan ng maayos na lugar kung saan puwede silang maghintay ng biyahe nang may sapat na espasyo at kung saan din ine-enforce na minimum health standards. Dagdag pa rito, kailangan ding tutukan at bigyang-lakas ang mga LGU para pag-uwi ng mga LSI, magkakaroon sila ng maayos na pagkakakitaan. Puwede itong gawin through cash-for-work programs na partikular para sa mga LSI.

Ikalima: Sang-ayon tayo sa pagkakaroon ng isang “whole of nation approach.” Maisagawa sana ito higit pa sa pagkakaroon ng mga bagong posisyon, bansag, o titulo ng mga tauhan. Ang totoong whole of nation approach, maayos ang pangangasiwa at kumukumpas sa iisang direksyon. Aling direksyon, at sino ang kukumpas? Dapat public health professional na tunay na nakakaintindi ng problema: Pandemya ang ugat ng lahat ng suliranin ngayon. Kapag napigil ang pandemya, isa-isa na ring malulutas ang iba pang hamon, kasama na ang sa ekonomiya.

Ikaanim: Siguruhin ding iisa ang kumpas ng pampubliko at pribadong sektor. Bukod pa sa usapin ng data, pagdating din sa ayuda at sa procurement ng mga kagamitan, marami ang pagkakanya-kanya na kung maiiwasan ay magdudulot ng mas maliksing overall response mula sa lahat. Dapat nang bumuo ng risonableng consensus ayon sa iisang stratehiya, at gumalaw ang lahat nang walang pag-aatubili, pangingimi, o hadlang.

Ikapito: Pangunahin sa isang matibay na healthcare system ang pagpapalakas sa mga ospital. Siguruhin na equitable at sistematiko ang pagbubuhos ng resources sa mga ospital para makasabay sila sa demands ng pandemya. Kung sisilipin ang national data, mukhang hindi pa overburdened ang healthcare system. Pero iba ang sinasabi ng mga ospital na nakakasalamuha namin. Marami na silang kinakailangang tanggihan dahil wala nang espasyo. Natural lang na dapat isaayos ang sistema para makarating ang suporta sa mga lugar na pinaka nangangailangan nito.

LiCAS News
Mark Saludes, Philippines
July 28, 2020

Philippine Catholic church leaders found President Rodrigo Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation address on July 27 wanting, sounding “like his usual rant.”

The president’s speech, which lasted one hour and 46 minutes, was delivered before a limited audience at the House of Representatives due to health restrictions amid the new coronavirus pandemic.

Bishop Broderick Pabillo, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, described the president’s speech as “full of motherhood statements.”

“In general, it has no track record to show that he is trustworthy. It is punctuated with bad language, too,” said the prelate.

In the first five minutes of his speech, Duterte slammed an opposition senator and the Lopez family, owners of ABS-CBN, the broadcast network that Congress recently denied a franchise.

“Media is a powerful tool in the hands of oligarchs like the Lopezes who use it in their battle with political figures,” he said.

The president also slammed Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon for supposedly defending the Lopezes.

Duterte was referring to Drilon’s statement that political dynasties must be banned to truly dismantle oligarchy in the country.

Nothing significant

Benedictine Sister Mary John Mananzan said she “did not hear anything significant” in the president’s speech, adding that it was just “a usual Duterte speech” that failed to address pressing issues.

The nun said the speech had “no real assessment” of how the government has performed in the past four years since Duterte became president.

“How can you be a president when you do not have an objective way of looking at reality? It is always in relation to himself … what he likes and does not like,” said Sister Mananzan.

The nun said Duterte “should’ve zeroed in on present issues,” especially the coronavirus pandemic and the looming economic meltdown brought about by the health crisis.

“What are we going to do with the pandemic? He did not say much about it,” said Sister Mananzan.

She denounced the president for pressing for the passage of a law that will allow the reimposition of the death penalty in the country.

In his speech, Duterte asked Congress to bring back the death penalty by lethal injection for drug-related crimes.

“I reiterate the swift passage of a law reviving the death penalty by lethal injection for crimes specified under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,” he said.

Sister Mananzan described the speech as “narcissistic” and centered on what the president “likes and does not like.”

Achievements negated by actions

Bishop Arturo Bastes, retired prelate of Sorsogon, said most of the achievements that the president mentioned in his speech were “negated by his many dire actions.”

The prelate said Duterte has an “endless list” of failures and bad decisions including his approval of the Anti-Terrorism Law and the attacks on press freedom.

Bishop Bastes lambasted Duterte’s “apparent treachery to our territorial integrity” for “his subservience and cowardly attitude toward China.”

In his speech, Duterte said he “cannot afford” to go to war to assert the country’s rights over parts of the South China Sea, which the Philippines calls the West Philippine Sea.

“We have to go to war. And I cannot afford it. Maybe some other president can but I cannot. I’m useless when it comes to that. Really, I’m useless to that. I can’t do anything,” said Duterte.

“China is claiming it, we are claiming it. China has the arms. We do not have it. So, it’s as simple as that. They are in possession of the property, so what can we do?” he added.

Failure to understand human rights

Father Edwin Gariguez, outgoing executive secretary of the National Secretariat for Social Action of the bishops’ conference, said the president “does not understand the very context of human rights.”

The priest slammed Duterte for “using and twisting the very words of human rights defenders to justify his war on drugs that killed thousands of innocent people.”

Father Gariguez told LiCAS.news that it is “ironic to vow to uphold human rights and then later threaten to kill drug users with the revival of the death penalty.”

In his speech, the president said his administration “believes that freedom from illegal drugs, terrorism, corruption, and criminality is itself a human right.”

“Rest assured that we will not dodge our obligation to fight human rights,” said Duterte.

Franciscan priest Angel Cortez, executive secretary of the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines, said the president’s speech “exposed the present government’s inefficiency in acting on the country’s real problems.”

The priest said Duterte did not even mention plans “on how to address the ills of society” that affect mainly the poor and the marginalized.

“Was the speech really reflect the true state of the country?” asked Bishop Dindo Ranojo of the Philippine Independent Church.

“The people are suffering … We are now living under debt and the people will still suffer on how to pay for the debt incurred during this pandemic,” the bishop noted.

Duterte Administration fails to protect the Filipino Workers amid the Covid 19 pandemic

Signed, Most Rev. Gerardo A. Alminaza D.D. Bishop of San Carlos Co-Chairperson, Church People-Workers Solidarity

On the occasion of the 5th SONA of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Church People-Workers Solidarity is in unity with different sectors in denouncing the current administration’s failure to address the miserable condition of the Filipino people amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With actions that are oppressive, irresponsible, and irrelevant to the country’s most pressing needs, it has, instead, worsened an already dire crisis.

Today we call attention to how the administration, in particular, failed to protect the Filipino workers amid the coronavirus crisis.

First, the administration implemented community quarantines of varying stringency nationally without proper implementation guidelines and adaptation frameworks. The suspension of mass transportation, in particular, was and still is a heavy burden especially for essential service and healthcare workers whose continued reporting to work is necessitated by the pandemic. Many of our frontliners were made to walk to or from the hospitals and establishments they work in for hours, even as they are already overworked and severely exposed to the disease due to the lack of manpower and provision of protective equipment.

Good day PMPI partners,

We would like to let you know that the Secretariat is planning to have An Assessment: Post-SONA Virtual Rally on July 28 at 3:00 PM. We highly encourage and welcome you to participate.

The activity is in response to the State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte on July 27 and his performance from last year.

We will be inviting speakers that would give their statements/opinions and evaluations on particular issues:

• Human Rights situation (ATL, Press Freedom)
• Environmental protection (extractives)
• Climate Change policies (energy use and community preparedness)
• Health and COVID-19 Pandemic Response
• Philippine sovereignty (On West Philippine Sea)

After the speakers give their statements/opinions and evaluations, we will try to rate President Rodrigo Duterte’s performance by: Thumbs Up (👍); Thumbs Down (👎) or Neutral (✋).

Message of Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo

Dear Friends and Compatriots,

     On Monday, July 27, President Rodrigo Duterte will face the joint session of Congress to deliver his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) at a time of great uncertainty and mounting protests against his administration’s huge failures and tyrannical abuse of power.

     Duterte’s late, bungling and militaristic response to the Covid-19 pandemic, his failure to use hundreds of billions at his disposal to help the millions of families who lost their jobs and livelihoods under the prolonged lockdowns, the misprioritization of the Anti Terrorism Law and closure of the ABS-CBN Network of his allies in Congress, and his submissiveness to China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea while leveraging US backing, have broadened and galvanized the resistance to his tyrannical rule.

     In this light, a broad array of individuals, sectoral organizations, and political and social movements have banded together to hold joint and coordinated protest actions on July 27 under the banner “SONAgKAISA”. In particular, we would like to invite you to participate in the following activities for that day:

1. SONAgKAISA rally – 10am-12nn along Commonwealth Avenue fronting the Commission on Human Rights Complex, Quezon City.
2. Mass for Justice and Peace – 12:15pm at the Manila Cathedral (limited seating) to be  broadcast live over TV Maria, Radyo Veritas, and various social media accounts.
3. Metro-Wide protest and noise barrage – starting at 6pm in various areas in and around Metro Manila (details to be announced)
4. Ribbons of Resistance – whole day tying of red and black ribbons on our gates, fences, vehicles and wrists as a symbol of resistance.

     For activities where people will gather, physical distancing, wearing of face masks, and other Covid-19 protocols will be observed.

     For more details as well as to coordinate your participation in the said activities, please contact Ms. Gel Marcelino at mobile no. 09475891578 or via email at stopryrannyph@gmail.com.

     Thank you and keep safe.

     Yours in solidarity,

“Sow for yourselves justice, reap in mercy. Break up for yourselves a new field, for it is time to seek the Lord, till he comes and rains justice upon you.” (Hosea 10:12)

Dear Fellow Filipinos,

A few days ago, we received a letter from His Eminence, Charles Cardinal Maung Bo,

 Archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar and President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences. It was an ardent request for prayers for Hongkong, on account of the signing into law of a new National Security Act. He explained in his letter how this new law poses a threat to the basic freedoms and human rights of the people of Hongkong, and how it potentially undermines especially their freedom of expression.

Apparently, the Chinese government assures the people of Hongkong that they have nothing to be afraid of, as long as “they don’t get involved in any activity that threatens national security.” Why does this sound eerily familiar to us Filipinos? Because we are in a similar situation. And so, while we responded with an assurance to His Eminence, Cardinal Bo, that we would join him in praying for the people of Hongkong, we also asked him to pray for the Philippines and explained why we are as seriously in need of prayers as the people of Hongkong. Like them, we are also alarmed about the recent signing into law of the Anti-Terror Act of 2020.

We are still in disbelief about the manner in which the contentious Anti-Terror Bill was fast-tracked and approved in both Houses of Congress while the whole country’s attention was focused on the Covid-19 pandemic. They did not even seem to care that many of the people they represent were against it—lawyers’ associations, the academe, the business sector, labor groups, youth organizations, NGO’s, political movements, faith-based communities, and even the Bangsamoro government.

The dissenting voices were strong but they remained unheeded. None of the serious concerns that they expressed about this legislative measure seemed to be of any consequence to them. Alas, the political pressure from above seemed to weigh more heavily on our legislators than the voices from below. It only made more evident the blurring of lines between legislative and the executive branches of our government.

In particular, the legal experts and constitutionalists in our country are seriously concerned that this newly signed law has many elements that are “oppressive and inconsistent with our Constitution.” They have pointed out convincingly how this new law poses a “serious threat to the fundamental freedoms of all peaceful Filipinos.”

And yet, the people in government and their allies have dismissed these fears as unfounded. The assurance that they give sounds strangely parallel to that which the Chinese government gave to the people of Hongkong: “Activism is not terrorism. You have no reason to be afraid if you are not terrorists.” We know full well that it is one thing to be actually involved in a crime and another thing to be merely suspected or accused of committing a crime.

Have we not heard of people active in social advocacies who are accused of being communists? Have we forgotten the bishops, priests and religious who were included among those falsely charged by the Philippine National Police with crimes of sedition and inciting to sedition? Are we not aware of the thousands of people who have been killed in police operations on the basis of mere suspicion of involvement in criminality and illegal drugs? Have we not followed the news about Senator Leila de Lima who continues to languish in jail, also on the basis of mere allegations? Have we not heard of media personalities being harassed by a multitude of criminal charges? Have we not felt the chilling effect of the closure of the country’s biggest broadcast network, the ABS- CBN, after being denied renewal of its franchise? Is it not evident to us how this pattern of intimidation creates an atmosphere detrimental to the freedom of expression in our country?

A Statement in Support of the Persecuted Members of the U.P. Visayas Academic Community

July 17, 2020

I pray for all people of goodwill to join me in the urgent call to stop the persecution of some members of the University of the Philippines-Visayas (UPV) faculty members.

For the past weeks of July, the integrity and lives of some members of the U.P. Visayas academic community were seriously endangered by on-line red tagging posts and abusive threats to their lives.

Through Facebook posts, UPV faculty members Professors Randy Madrid, Ruchiemar Pototanon, Early Sol Gadong, and Tomasito Talledo were accused as members of so-called “legal fronts” of the underground and as recruiters of the rebellious armed group. Prof. Tomasito Talledo was reported to have received a threat to his life few days ago.

Thus, their teaching voices have been forcibly muzzled. When life of the mind should have been nourished, the modes of learning by undergraduate, graduate students and alumni are being suffocated breathless. We believe that the conscience of individuals, their God endowed will to reason and faith in UPV should be affirmed and protected.