House approves bill on rural employment assistance

News Release

10 March 2018

House approves bill on rural employment assistance

The House of Representatives this week approved on second reading House Bill 7266, or the proposed “Rural Employment Assistance Program Act”, which seeks to provide temporary employment to every qualified head of family or single adult member of poor families in rural areas identified by the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Under the bill, the DSWD shall implement the Rural Employment Assistance Program in coordination with local government units (LGUs). The participants in the program can volunteer to do unskilled manual work for a minimum of 45 days but not more than 90 days in every calendar year.

 The bill defines rural areas as those barangays which have a population size of less than 2,500. Barangays which do not have an establishment with 25 or more employees, or five or more establishments with a minimum of 10 employees, or five or more facilities within the two kilometer radius from the barangay hall, are also classified as rural areas.

The bill refers to the poor as individuals and families whose income fall below the poverty threshold as defined by the government and/ or cannot afford in a sustained manner to provide their minimum basic needs of food, health, education, housing and other essential amenities of life or those who have been identified as poor by the NHTS-PR.

The DWSD, in close coordination with the LGUs and other concerned agencies, shall conduct an assessment of all poor individuals and families in rural areas who signified interest to do unskilled labor to determine eligibility in availing of the Program.

The works and activities for this purpose are classified as activities that will mobilize eligible poor individuals and families to finish a project in a given period.

These projects may include the following: 1) development, re-building of agri-based livelihood assets, destroyed or lost due to natural disasters such as desilting of irrigation canals, development of paddy dikes, and rehabilitation of water impounding; 2) rehabilitation and or development of common service facilities which are being shared and used by poor families as production or consolidation centers/units such as post-harvest facilities and public markets; 3) development or rehabilitation of physical assets to open up access to natural assets where the former is necessary to bring out the products of poor families to the market such as farm-to-market road, slope protection and bridges; and 4) protection of productive assets through mitigation measures such as mangrove planting/rehabilitation, tree planting and the like.

Every head of family or single adult member of a poor family in the rural areas who are qualified under the program shall be entitled to receive for each day of work an employment assistance equal to the applicable minimum wage set by the Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in the region.  

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NEWS Release

11 March 2018

BBL hearings focus on its coverage and constitutionality

The House committees on local government and Muslim Affairs as well as the special committee on peace, reconciliation and unity last week tackled several issues pertaining to the possible areas of coverage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law such as energy, natural resources, and land titling provisions of the bill and the BBL’s constitutionality.

Officials of the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Supreme Court (SC), and the Land Management Bureau (LMB) gave their insights and suggestions on the proposed BBL.

Energy Assistant Secretary Atty. Gerald Erguiza, Jr. said after a thorough review of the BBL, the DOE is not yet ready to integrate the energy matters into the BBL bill because there are so many complex things that still need to be studied.

He said that after such time, the DOE may eventually integrate into the BBL certain responsibilities that would be devolved to the Bangsamoro Region.

Erquiza said all energy matters should be largely regulated by the national and central government. “(Power) transmission lines are matters of national security and therefore should be regulated by the national or central government. National security is a primordial state concern, he said.

Land Management Bureau Director Atty. Emelyne Talabis, said the LMB supports the passage of the BBL, particularly the decentralization of the cadastral survey to the Bangsamoro government, including the land disposition of public lands, land management, land declassification, and all other aspects of land administration and management.

Office of the Court Administrator of the Supreme Court representative Atty. Leah Enriquez, said the Office of the Court Administrator was instructed by Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio to attend the hearing to be updated on the issue of court administration under the BBL.

Rep. Wilter Palma requested all the resource persons to submit their position papers as well as geographical maps and cadastral surveys of the proposed Bangsamoro region.

In another hearing also last week, the committees listened to the views of resource persons on the constitutionality of the BBL.

Retired Justice and Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) Chairman Manuel Lazaro said while the objectives of the creation of the BBL are noble and aimed at the attainment peace, progress and prosperity in Muslim Mindanao, it is the Philconsa’s position that any bill, law, or  measure that would be established to achieve these goals must be in consonance within the framework of the Constitution as well as the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines, as articulated in Section 15, Article 10 of the Constitution.

Lazaro said the BBL being deliberated was extracted and copied from House Bill No. 6475, the original bill filed in Congress. He said this was a by-product of various agreements  entered into during the past 15 years, beginning during the administration of former President of Fidel Ramos, then continued during former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s time, and passed on to the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III.

He said this culminated in a Memorandum of Agreement on the Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) which was questioned in the Supreme Court by five petitions, which were filed by different parties, and seven interventions by several Senators and various associations.

 Unfortunately, he said in the case of the North Cotabato decision, the Supreme Court declared the MOA-AD as unconstitutional. However, even as it was declared unconstitutional, some leaders of the country and Muslim Mindanao were able to execute and craft the framework of the BBL, he said.   

During the deliberation of the ConCom, Lazaro said Commissioner Jose Nolledo replied that another creation of an autonomous region would require an amendment of the whole Constitution. Under the 1986 Constitution, there are only two autonomous regions being recognized namely, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Hence, these autonomous regions are constitutional creations and cannot be abolished by law. They can only be abolished by an amendment to the constitution, he said.

The committee on local government is chaired by Rep. Pedro Acharon, Jr., while the committee on Muslim Affairs is chaired by Rep. Mauyag Papandayan, Jr. and the special committee on peace, reconciliation and unity is chaired by Rep. Ruby Sahali. Other resource persons invited were representatives of the Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), different academic and banking institutions. (EA Galvez and JA Menorca)

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NEWS Release

11 March 2018

House Com oks PUP-Cal North campus

The House committee on higher and technical education has approved House Bill 6931 seeking to establish a campus of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Caloocan City to service poor but deserving students in the northern part of Metro Manila where there is no existing state university.

The northern part of Metro Manila, collectively known as Camanava, is composed of Caloocan City, Malabon City, Navotas City and Valenzuela City.

Under the bill, the PUP Caloocan City-North Branch shall offer graduate, undergraduate and short-term technical-vocational courses within its area of specialization and capabilities.

 It shall undertake research and extension services, and provide progressive leadership in these areas, including the offering of graduate degrees under the PUP Open University System.

 The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of the Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of the PUP. Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for the continued operation and maintenance of the PUP-Caloocan City North branch shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Per the 2016 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS) conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the country has 3.8 million out-of-school children and youth or about 10 percent of the 39 million Filipino with age ranging from six to 24 years old.

The bill’s author Rep. Dale Malapitan said the absence of a state university in Camanava “puts the poor families to incur an extra expense, rob students their productive time and/or promote disenchantment or disinterest among the youth to pursue and complete their college or technical education.”

State universities and colleges (SUCs) in the National Capital Region (NCR) are only found in the cities of Manila, Quezon, Marikina, Pasay, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Taguig and Pasig, with campuses in various parts of the country, but not in Metro Manila North, said Malapitan.

The committee is chaired by Rep. Ann Hofer. EA Galvez

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REP. MICHAEL “MIKEE” L. ROMERO, Ph. D.

1-PACMAN Party-list

Assistant Majority Leader Twitter: @MikeeRomeroPhD

ECONOMIST-SOLON CHALLENGES EMPLOYERS, BUSINESSES TO GIVE SENIOR HIGH GRADS FAIR CHANCE AT ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS

Credentials inflation is a different kind of jobs mismatch. It is the practice or belief system that makes an employer—whether an individual, company, institution, or group—require academic credentials that are more than what is really needed for a particular job or range of jobs.

For example, why would a college degree be needed to qualify as sales personnel at a convenience store or sales outlet? Is a college degree really necessary to be a technician at an auto detailing shop? To work as a nursing assistant, caregiver, or a teacher’s assistant is the bachelor’s degree truly necessary?

For the job of cooking hamburgers and French fries, must the applicant be a college graduate? To become a customer service representative in a business process outsourcing company, what are the competencies needed and are those competences represented fairly by a college degree?

Are the so-called 21st Century skills like innovation and critical thinking necessary for entry-level sales, clerical, and technician jobs? To that question, my response is no.  Those are for the highly-specialized, the supervisory, and the middle-level managerial positions.

Credentials inflation, I dare to say, is one of the reasons thousands of Filipinos are unemployed in this country and some are even forced to work overseas because credentials inflation is pervasive in the Philippine economy.

Truth is, employers in this country did not trust the high school diploma of before and many still have said they would not trust the senior high school graduation diploma.

They say this now when the senior high school students have not even graduated and gone through their employment screening processes.

The employers and business sector have already prejudged our senior high school students even before they have graduated. That is BLATANT DISCRIMINATION. They have not even given them the chance to prove themselves, to show what they can do.

True, some of the senior high school graduates will be accepted in the colleges and universities they will apply to, but some will not pass the entrance examinations or do not have money to pay for tuition in the private colleges and universities, and therefore have to find work or be young entrepreneurs.

I, therefore, ask the Small Business Corporation to be ready with their P3 loans for this year’s and future years’ batches of senior high school graduates. Some of the future tycoons of business will rise from among the senior high graduates whom many in the business sector have already prejudged.

I urge the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) to re-examine the situation and rethink their value systems.

I dare the PCCI and ECOP to stamp out discrimination from their hearts and minds and from among their ranks to give the graduates of senior high school a fair chance to prove the worth.

Senior high graduates do not deserve to be the objects of prejudice and discrimination when they try to enter the world of work. (END)

REP. HENRY C. ONG

2nd District of Leyte

Vice Chair, Committee on Banks & Financial Intermediaries

Member, Economic Affairs, Trade & Industry, and 9 other committees

REP. HENRY ONG ASKS DepEd TO LENGTHEN SENIOR HIGH OJT TO 320 HOURS, MERGE SPES INTO SHS CURRICULUM

As a businessman and congressman, I see some validity in the concerns of employers and the business sector on the possible quality of competencies of senior high school students upon graduation, but I also agree with the old adage that the “proof of the pudding is in the eating.” I suggest to employers, the ECOP, the PCCI to be more flexible in their hiring requirements and procedures while still maintaining quality.

The core bases for hiring new employees for entry-levels ought to be: (1) demonstrated competence relevant to the position applied for as shown and assessed during the screening process; (2) high potential for learning on the job, adaptation, and flexibility; (3) basic good manners and right conduct.

Paper credentials of academic and equivalency qualifications are difficult to trust, but employers must not prejudge an applicant.

There are valid tests and procedures employers and personnel departments can use to check whether those paper credentials are actually worth much more than the paper they are printed on and the ink used to print on the paper.

Businesses are concerned that the minimum 80 hours of practicum or immersion training would not be enough for a senior high student to learn what needs to be learned because 80 hours is really just two weeks of time on the job. Two weeks really is not enough. It is plain and simple inadequate. The kids might just end up doing errands or menial tasks.

I urge the DepEd to REVISE the senior high school curriculum by lengthening the practicum or immersion component to AT LEAST 320 HOURS OF ACTUAL TIME OF OJT WORK. That would be at least two months of OJT and can be implemented during a summer term or some other time during the school year.

The details of the OJT should be at least similar to the SPES or Special Program for the Employment of Students. Perhaps the more expedient way is to merge the SPES into the senior high curriculum. If more funding is needed, then all the DepEd has to do is include that in their GAA request. (END)

News Release

12 March 2018

Alvarez on divorce bill: 'Not all marriages are made in heaven'  

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez today batted for the passage of his bill providing for annulment and dissolution of marriage. 

The House leader explained that both the court and the Catholic Church have annulment processes.

"But grounds must exist, prior to or during the marriage. In the petition for annulment, the marriage is void, with the presumption that it is as if there was no marriage at all.”

As for legal separation, Alvarez said, "couples are allowed to separate, but not to remarry. The marriage still exists."

Alvarez pointed out that in the case of dissolution of marriage, or divorce as it is called in other countries, there should be grounds after marriage.

"Let’s face it, not all marriages are made in heaven, there are marriages beset by problems that have an adverse effect on their children," he said.

"We must recognize the reality that not everyone is happy with their marriage. We should give them a break.  We want to see the smiles of our people rather than their tears," he added.

Alvarez said that during committee hearings where OFWs were invited, "they were really crying, they say they work really hard to be able to send money to their families but the money ends up being spent elsewhere, for girlfriends or boyfriends."

Annulment, Alvarez said, presumes that the couple already had problems before the marriage, such as psychological incapacity or an attempt on the life of the other spouse.

"The Constitution recognizes the sanctity of marriage. I was even inclined to use the argument that dissolution of marriage will even preserve the sanctity of marriage. Why? Because if you marry, you would do everything to make your partner happy. Otherwise, the option is always there to dissolve the marriage. Not every marriage is founded on love, there could be other considerations," Alvarez explained.

The House leader acknowledged that the Philippines is the only country, aside from the Vatican, that does not recognize divorce and dissolution of marriage.

"The Church should respect our stand. The government has an obligation to all the people. The obligation of the Church is to look after their members. If the Church doesn't want divorce, then they should preach that to their flock. They should not impose their stand on people who belong to other churches and who support divorce," Alvarez said.

In a recent survey, it was found that five in ten Filipinos are in favor of divorce.

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Photo Release

12 March 2018

PROTECTION OF WOMEN, CHILDREN & CONSUMERS: The bimonthly press briefing held on Monday centered on measures aimed at protecting women, children and consumers. Committee on Women and Gender Equality chairperson Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy said women legislators are grateful that the House, under the leadership of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, has adopted a progressive mindset on the role of women, as shown by the fact that seven of the 14 Deputy Speakers are women. The House is expected to pass the Expanded Maternity Bill on third reading before recess, she said. Other important bills pending in her committee are the:  Fundamental Equality of Men and Women in Family Decisions or Matters ; Strengthening the Family Code in the joint administration and enjoyment of the community property and conjugal partnership of spouses; and  Civil Partnership Bill. Committee on Welfare of Children chairperson Rep. Divina Grace Yu said the House approved and transmitted last year to the Senate the Magna Carta for Day Care Workers Bill and the Safe and Non-Hazardous Children’s Products Bill. Committee on Trade and Industry chairman Rep. Ferjenel Biron said pending in his committee are the bills: requiring fire safety inspection certificate from companies; mandating the Department of Communication and Technology (DICT) to create the “central business portal” and the Philippine Business Data Bank; strengthening the Civil Service Commission by institutionalization of anti-red tape units in its central and regional offices; and creating the Ease of Doing Business and Anti-Red Tape Advisory Council in place of the National Competitiveness Council. Meanwhile, Association of Women Legislators Foundation, Inc. spokesperson Rep. Chiqui Roa-Puno said women are very much empowered in the 17th Congress, with 86 members, compared to only one when women started in legislation in 1946. WBUndang/G Engay

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News Release

12 March 2018

President Duterte would have no other Speaker apart from Alvarez--Roque

Presidential Spokesperson, Secretary Harry Roque today said President Rodrigo Duterte would have no other Speaker of the House of Representatives than incumbent Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

Roque issued the statement in his message before an estimated 28,000 new members of the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino who were about to take their oath at t the Malolos Sports and Convention Center in Bulacang province today.

The mass oath-taking in Bulacan was graced by three of the pillars of the ruling party: party president, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III; secretary general, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez; and vice chairman, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

In acknowledging Alvarez, Roque descibed him as: “Ang kaisa-isang Speaker ng Bayan;  ang kaisa-isang Speaker na mahal ng ating Presidente, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.”

(“The only Speaker of the nation, the only Speaker dear to our President, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez”.)

Roque said any plot to unseat Alvarez would not succeed because Speaker Alvarez has the full trust and support of Pres. Duterte.

“Kung may naririnig kayong mga gahaman na naglalaway sa posisyon ni Speaker, sabihin ninyo maglaway pa sila dahil wala na pong ibang Speaker si Presidente Digong Duterte kundi si Speaker Alvarez,” Roque said.

(If you hear somebody salivating for the position of the Speaker, tell them to keep salivating because Pres. Digong would not support any other Speaker aside from Speaker Alvarez).

For his part, Alvarez urged the new members of the ruling party to support federalism.

He noted that it is the only one in the four major campaign promises of Pres. Duterte that has yet to be fulfilled. The three others, namely the fight against illegal drugs, fight against criminality, and fight against corruption, have all been accomplished.

“Federalism is all about power, money, and opportunity,” said Alvarez.

He explained that federalism will empower local government units to chart their own destiny, would allow LGUs to keep the larger share of the taxes collected, and open up development opportunities in the provinces.

For his part, Pimentel lauded the organizers of the event led by San Jose Del Monte Rep. Rida Robles and Malolos Mayor Christian Natividad for the massive turnout of applicants that attended the required PDP Basic Membership Seminar (BMS).

It was reported that as of 8:30 a.m. registered participants numbered over 28, 000, with more participants arriving as the program started.

In his message to the new PDP members, Pimentel acknowledged that Pres. Duterte has fulfilled practically all of his campaign promises except federalism.

He said though that this is understandable because to accomplish this would require not just enactment of a regular law but a revision of the constitution.

Pimentel said that if the push for federalism is not completed by 2019, he would need additional support in the Senate to effectively support the move.

Aside from Roque, other PDP stalwarts present in the event who are being groomed for possible inclusion in the administration’s senatorial slate in 2019 were Reps. Reynaldo Umali, Karlo Nograles, Sajid Mangudadatu, Geraldine Roman, Alfredo “Albee” Benitez, and Monsour Del Rosario.

Also present in the event were presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino, former Manila councilor Greco Belgica, CEZA (Cagayan Economic Zone Authority) administrator Raul Lambino, and DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) Undersecretary Martin Diño.

Meanwhile, Pimentel bared that he and Alvarez had agreed to scrap the position of Prime Minister in the model of a federal form of government that PDP is espousing.

“Pero sabi namin ni Speaker, kasi baka maakusahan tayo na inihahanda natin si Speaker Alvarez bilang maging Prime Minister, so sabi namin huwag na muna,” Pimentel said.

(The Speaker and I agreed that we might be accused of grooming Speaker Alvarez to be the Prime Minister, so we said let’s not do that).

Instead, Pimentel said the PDP now proposes a federal-presidential form of government similar to that in the United States. ####

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NEWS Release

12 March 2018

House committee votes to postpone Barangay, SK polls to October 2018

The House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms, voting 14-2, on Monday ruled to postpone the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to the second Monday of October 2018 from the scheduled May 14, 2018.

This moves the polls to October 8, marking the third postponement of Barangay and SK polls.

The 14 who voted in favor of the postponement were Deputy Speakers Gwendolyn Garcia, Fredenil Castro, and Raneo Abu, Reps. Robert Ace Barbers, Xavier Jesus Romualdo, Luisa Lloren Cuaresma, Vini Nola Ortega, Rodante Marcoleta, Benhur Lopez, Jr., Jose Panganiban, Jr., Deogracias Victor Savellano, Magnolia Antonino, Winston Castelo, and Joseph Paduano.

Those who voted against were Reps. Antonio Tinio and Edgar Erice.

The committee chaired by Rep. Sherwin Tugna shall consolidate House bills 7072, 7128, 7167 and 7128, all seeking to postpone the polls, and then submit the draft to the plenary for approval.

House members who have wished to push back further the Barangay and SK elections argued that the postponement is necessary as the country gears up for federalism.

“The government has been pushing for a shift to a federal form of government as a means to address issues particularly in the strife-torn Mindanao. Postponing anew the upcoming Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan (SK) elections this May 2018 will give Congress more time to determine the proper structure of the government when it transitions into a federal system,” said Rep. Reynaldo Umali in his explanatory note for HB 7167.

Meanwhile, HB author 7217 Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento  cited issues raised against the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) for exercising its Option to Purchase vote counting machines used in 2016 for the 2019 National Elections.

“Thus, moving the Barangay elections to 2020 will give the COMELEC the opportunity to concentrate its attention and resources to ensuring that the conduct of the 2019 Elections will be orderly and beyond reproach,” Sarmiento said.

Atty. Teopisto Elnas, Jr. of the COMELEC said the commission is on track in terms of preparations for the scheduled May polls, and postponement may present complications as this would overlap with preparations for the 2019 midterm polls.

“I cannot think actually of any reason, if you’re talking operations or costing for that matter, to postpone it again,” said Consortium on Electoral Reform Executive Director Ramon Casiple.

Resource speakers present during the deliberations presented differing positions, with the Liga ng mga Barangay in support for the postponement and the National Youth Commission against it. / (CMB Engracia)

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NEWS Release

12 March 2018

House to pass more bills on protection of women, children & consumers

The House of Representatives is expected to pass more vital bills for the protection of women, children and consumers before it goes on recess next week.

This was emphasized by Committee on Women and Gender Equality chairperson Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, Committee on Welfare of Children chairperson Rep. Divina Grace Yu, Committee on Trade and Industry chairman Rep. Ferjenel Biron, MD, and Association of Women Legislators Foundation, Inc. (AWLFI) spokesperson Rep. Chiqui Roa-Puno during the bimonthly press briefing on Monday.

Herrera-Dy said the House is expected to pass before it goes on recess next week the Expanded Maternity Bill that has been pending on second reading.

“With the pronouncement of the Speaker that we will pass this before recess, I hope that it would progress into that and we will pass the Expanded Maternity Leave Bill,” said Herrera-Dy. The bill extends to 100 days of paid leave, with optional 30 days without pay, the maternity leave from 60 days for normal delivery and 78 days for caesarean section.

Other bills being put forward by her committee are the bills strengthening the provisions of the Family Code in the joint administration and enjoyment of the community property and conjugal partnership of spouses; amendment of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 to uphold the rights of women and their well-being, especially in the workplace; and the Electronic Violence against Women (E-VAW) Bill to protect women and children from all forms of electronic violence and obviate any creative legal defense that may be used by violators of the law who manipulate technology to inflict violence against women.

As to the proposed Civil Partnership Act, Herrera-Dy said the committee is currently discussing it since it is a priority measure of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, the principal author of the bill.

The committee discussed the bill last January 31, February 12 and 26, and is scheduled to deliberate on it again on March 19. “We’ll see if we can already pass it out of the committee,” she said.

The proposed Civil Partnership Act seeks to grant couples, whether they are of the opposite or the same sex, adequate legal instrument to recognize their partnership, respecting their dignity and recognizing their equality before the law. “So, the main contention is to ensure that it would not be considered as same sex marriage. We are granting and recognizing legal rights of couples who want to enter into a civil partnership,” said Herrera-Dy. 

Roa-Puno expressed elation at how the Filipino women have been empowered and gained global recognition for their accomplishments over the years.  “I am very proud to know that this year, our standing in the Top 10 countries which have closed the gender gap, is back. We are back in the 10th place. These countries are those whose women and men have slight difference in their health, education, and economic standing and political presence,” said Roa-Puno.

In Congress, Roa-Puno said there are now 86 female legislators compared to only one in 1946 when women started in legislation. 

Meanwhile, in terms of child protection, Yu said the House passed and transmitted two important measures to the Senate last year: Magna Carta For Day Care Workers Bill, which provides for the creation of two plantilla positions, the Day Care Worker I and Day Care Worker II,  whose occupants will  be protected by civil service rules and regulations; and Safe and Non-Hazardous Children’s Products Bill which seeks to regulate the importation, manufacturing, distribution and sale of children’s products which contain hazardous chemicals.

Both bills have their counterpart measures in the Senate, said Yu. “We hope the Senate will already act on them,” said Yu.

Yu said the committee had already passed the proposed Special Protection or Granting Special Protection to Children in Situations of Armed Conflict which aims to prevent children from becoming collateral damage in situations of armed conflict.

The committee is currently deliberating on the following measures: granting benefits to the Junior Citizens similar as those enjoyed by Senior Citizens; codification of alternative care laws to make to make the processes for adoption, fostering, guardianship, and institutional and residential care more efficient; and establishment of Centers for Rehabilitation of Children with Special Needs in the Local Government Units.

Lastly on consumer protection, Biron said among the priority bills of the committee on trade and industry are those requiring fire safety inspection certificate from companies; mandating the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to create the “central business portal” and the Philippine Business Data Bank which shall contain all data and information of registered business entities; and strengthening the Civil Service Commission by the institutionalization of anti-red tape units in its central and regional offices.

The committee is also prioritizing the proposed creation of the Anti-Red Tape Advisory Council in place of the National Competitiveness Council; and using the report card survey as basis for the grant of awards, recognition and incentives for excellent delivery of service in all government offices.

Biron said the Senate ratified last Feb. 21 and the House on Feb. 27 the proposed Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018. It is now awaiting President Duterte’s signature.

The bill aims to simplify the permit and licensing system, and most importantly, provide transparency in the government. It aims to finally put an end to red tape and corruption that is hampering the development of both local and foreign businesses in the country. WBundang/MIP

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NEWS Release

12 March 2018

House starts deliberation on bill banning entry of child-sex offenders to the country

The House Committee on Welfare of Children chaired by Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Divina Grace Yu on Monday began its initial deliberation on House Bill 6257, seeking to protect children by banning the entry of child sex offenders into the country.

The proposed Ingress Prohibition of Alien Sex Offenders of Children Act (IPASOCA) aims to better serve and safeguard public interest, more particularly the interest of children, by prohibiting the issuance of passport and visa documents and/or the ingress of child sex offenders, whether undergoing law enforcement or prosecutorial investigation or judicial trial.

As defined by Oxford Dictionary, ingress is the action or fact of going in or entering.

The bill intends to engage the consulates, embassies or foreign affairs divisions of other states in inter-state and inter-agency cooperation and coordination in using their respective national databases and providing relevant information and data therein towards the prohibition of such child sex offenders from ingress into the Philippines and vice versa.

The bill also aims to establish new operational rules and guidelines for the Consular Offices of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in the interest of public safety, public health, and/or national interest.

Likewise, it seeks to encourage the protection of children and society by instituting gatekeeping mechanisms at the DFA and the BI in checking the background and derogatory criminal records through shared relevant information and data on child sex offenders and preventing their ingress.

Rep. Eric Olivarez (1st District, Paranaque City), author of the bill, said the measure is precisely intended for the protection of children from all other conditions prejudicial to their development, among which is the potential danger posed by foreign sex predators in conflict with child-oriented laws, and by indicted or convicted sex offenders who enter Philippine territorial jurisdiction and reside within local communities.

“Our present system does not treat prohibition of ingress of, and travel by, foreign citizens within our country as a priority concern over the protection of our own citizens and children,” he explained.

Olivarez said there is a moral and legal necessity to prevent further humiliation to the foreign national who has derogatory criminal, civil and administrative records on any sexual misconduct involving minors, as well as the equally moral and legal necessity to protect minors under the jurisdiction of the Philippines. MVI Palomar

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Photo Release

12 March 2018

BARANGAY, SK POLLS POSTPONED--The House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms chaired by Rep. Sherwin Tugna on Monday ruled to postpone the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to the second Monday of October 2018 with a vote of 14-2. This would move the polls to October 8, marking the third postponement of the Barangay and SK polls slated for May 14, 2018. House members who voted in favor of the postponement include Deputy Speakers Gwendolyn Garcia and Raneo Abu, Reps. Robert Ace Barbers, Vincent Crisologo, and Joseph Paduano.  Those against were Reps. Antonio Tinio and Edgar Erice. Resource speakers present during the deliberations presented differing positions, with the Liga ng mga Barangay in support of the poll resetting and the National Youth Commission against. For its part, the Commission on Elections stated it was on track in its preparations for the scheduled May elections, and postponement may present complications as this would overlap with preparations for the 2019 midterm elections. /CMB Engracia/G Manalo)

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NO ENTRY FOR CHILD-SEX OFFENDERS: The House Committee on Welfare of Children chaired by Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Divina Grace Yu started its initial deliberation on House Bill 6257, seeking to prohibit the entry of foreign sex offenders and aliens in conflict with child protection laws. One of the resource persons, lawyer Eric Mallonga of the Meritxell Children's World Foundation, told the panel that they are pushing for the exclusion of aliens who either have convictions or sentences in their own countries and prevent them from entering the Philippines. He said there are about 200 pedophiles and child pornographers in the country. The bill is authored by Paranaque City Rep. Eric Olivarez.  Those present during the meeting were Reps. Ma. Lourdes Aggabao, Bernadette Herrera-Dy, Anna Marie Villaraza-Suarez, Glona Labadlabad and John Marvin Nieto. Other resource persons were Undersecretary Cariza Seguerra of the National Youth Commission and representatives from the Bureau of immigration, Council of the Welfare of Children, Department of Justice, Department of Social Welfare and Development, United Nations Children's Fund, Cameleon Association, Child Rights Network, Plan International and Child Protection Unit. / MVI Palomar/G Engay

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NEWS RELEASE

13 March 2018

Rep. Alfred Vargas asks DOH to form Task Force Tigdas

FOLLOWING the declaration of measles outbreak in some parts of the country, Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas is urging concerned government agencies to immediately form Task Force Tigdas.

Vargas called on the Department of Health (DOH) to get the cooperation of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Local Government Units (LGUs) and even Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) in forming a task force.

The main purpose of the special task force is to strengthen and intensify the campaign for measles prevention.

“Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It remains a cause of death among young children globally, therefore we are urging the DOH, DSWD, LGUs and BHWs to get ahead of the situation before it aggravates and form a ‘Task Force Tigdas’ to immediately address the possible outbreak,” Vargas said, as he is set to file a resolution for this matter.

Last week, the DOH confirmed an outbreak of measles in one barangay in Taguig City. Just recently the DOH reported outbreak in Negros Oriental affecting at least six barangays and even in Davao and Zamboanga cities with 222 cases.

According to the DOH, there is a three-fold increase in the number of suspected measles cases nationwide wherein a total of 887 cases reported from January 1 to February 3 this year. This is almost triple the number of cases reported last year of the same period with 293 cases.

Once the Task Force Tigdas is formed, Vargas said, it should focus on convincing the parents to let their children be given vaccination.

Citing World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation, Vargas appealed to the DOH to intensify the immunization program especially to all susceptible children and adults for whom measles vaccination is not contraindicated.

The measles vaccine has been in use since 1960 and is safe, effective and inexpensive, according to the WHO.

“I fully understand the trauma caused by the Dengvaxia issue, but I am likewise appealing to the parents to trust the government in managing this measles problem.  I am urging them to bring their children for vaccination against measles so that an outbreak of the disease could be prevented,” Vargas said.

Based on the initial assessment of the DOH officials, one of the factors for the outbreak was the low immunization coverage, following public health scare triggered by the controversial dengue vaccine immunization program.

The WHO said that routine measles vaccination for children, combined with mass immunization campaigns in countries with low routine coverage, are key public health strategies to reduce global measles deaths.

“The best prevention to this outbreak is by providing MMR vaccine and by cleaning our communities. Let us encourage our neighbors and friends to have their children vaccinated and use our bayanihan culture to help address this problem to bring the public trust back in the delivery of health services. Every Filipino deserves to be healthy and free from worry,” Vargas added.

Measles is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons. Initial symptoms, which usually appear 10–12 days after infection, include high fever, a runny nose, bloodshot eyes, and tiny white spots on the inside of the mouth. Several days later, a rash develops, starting on the face and upper neck and gradually spreading downwards.

Severe measles is more likely among poorly nourished young children, especially those with insufficient vitamin A. The most serious complications include blindness, encephalitis (an infection that causes brain swelling), severe diarrhea and related dehydration, and severe respiratory infections such as pneumonia. (END)

News Release

13 March 2018

House OKs bill on composition of advisory body for children's TV

The House of Representatives has approved on second reading House Bill 7290, seeking to change the composition of the Advisory Committee of the National Council for Children’s Television to ensure the NCCT is advised properly and prudently by the appropriate agencies in the formulation of national policies pertaining to children’s television programs and broadcasts.

The bill seeks to amend Section 6 of Republic Act No. 8370, otherwise known as the “Children’s Television Act of 1997”, so that there shall be created an Advisory Committee which shall assist the NCCT in the formulation of national policies pertaining to children’s broadcast programs and in monitoring their implementation.

Members of the Advisory Committee per the bill shall be the following: Executive Director of the Council for the Welfare of Children; Head of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Committee on Cultural Education and Information; President of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas; President or Executive Director of the Philippine Association of National Advertisers; Director-General of the Philippine Information Agency; Chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board; a representative from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Regulation Branch; and a representative from the National Youth Commission.

The present members of the Advisory Committee as provided by RA 8370 are the following: Executive Director of the Council for the Welfare of Children; Chairman or Executive Director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts; President of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas; President or Executive Director of the Philippine Association of National Advertisers; Press Undersecretary/Officer-In-Charge of the Philippine Information Agency; Chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board; and a representative from the National Telecommunications Commission.

Rep. Christopher de Venecia, principal author of the bill, said the Advisory Committee should assist the NCCT in ensuring that quality television programs are offered to Filipino children for their empowerment and holistic development.

De Venecia said various studies and researches have shown the following negative effects because children cannot discriminate between what they see and what is real: violence and aggressive behaviour; sexuality; academic performance; body, concept and self-image; nutrition, dieting and obesity; and substance use and abuse patterns. (WBundang)

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Photo Release

13 March 2018

PUBLIC DISTURBANCE--The House committee on public order and safety chaired by Rep. Romeo Acop on Tuesday started discussing House Bill 1035, seeking to prohibit the use of videoke/karaoke systems and other sound amplification equipment that cause unnecessary disturbance to the public within residential areas and imposing penalties for the offense. The bill's author, Rep. Angelina Tan, said loud videoke noise impacts on people's health and had been the cause of not only quarrels and divisions among neighborhoods but also the death of some individuals. Among those present during the hearing were Reps. Amado Espino and Joseph Stephen Paduano, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño, and Philippine National Police (PNP) officials. WBundang/G Engay

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NEWS Release

14 March 2018

House to subpoena Nueva Ecija and Negros Oriental governors

Members of the House committee on good government and public accountability on Tuesday unanimously voted for the issuance of subpoena duces tecum and ad testificandum to Nueva Ecija Governor Cherry Umali, her husband former Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali, and Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo for their continued failure to heed the invitation of the committee.

Panel chairman Rep. Johnny Pimentel said the committee deemed it necessary for the governors of Nueva Ecija and Negros Oriental to be present and give them the opportunity to address the issues raised pertaining to the quarry operations in their provinces.

The committee’s inquiry is based on House Resolution 1505, seeking an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the apparent corruption and irregularities in the imposition, collection, and distribution of taxes and fees from the quarrying operations in the province of Nueva Ecija and other provinces in the Philippines.

The resolution is authored by Reps. Sofia Vergara, Micaela Violago, and Magnolia Antonino, and Arnolfo Teves, Jr.

During the hearing, Vergara presented a short video showing the extent of unabated quarrying and illegal logging that have affected Region 3. Vergara branded Hermoso as an alleged illegal quarrier.

Pimentel asked Nueva Ecija officials present during the hearing if there is indeed a certain Hermoso and if he has been paying sand and gravel fee to their provincial treasurer’s office. 

Nueva Ecija Provincial Treasurer Rosario Rivera and Provincial Environment Office Head Engr. Wilfredo Pangilinan denied knowing the person mentioned in the video.

Vergara inquired why the quarry revenues were understated and going down when Cabanatuan City has been booming since 2009 and was even tagged by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) as the Best Mid-Size City to live.

Rivera said whatever the provincial government received and issued as receipts were the declared collections at the treasurer’s office.

Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Regional Director Lormelyn Claudio said that as of today, the EMB issued 42 notices of violation to six cities and municipalities in Nueva Ecija.

Claudio said the EMB also issued 56 notices of violations, which means the concerned operators have not secured the required Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs).

Pimentel requested all the resource persons to submit to the committee pertinent documents, including the list of permittees in the quarry operations in the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Negros Oriental, Catanduanes and Cebu.  (E Galvez)

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Photo Release

14 March 2018

TO PROTECT THE PHILIPPINE RISE--The House committee on natural resources chaired by Rep. Arnel Ty on Tuesday created a technical working group to further deliberate on House Bill 6036 which seeks to declare the Philippine Rise as a protected area by establishing the Philippine Rise Natural Park. Rep. Rozzano Rufino Biazon, author of the bill, said there is a very urgent need to enact a law that would protect the Philippine Rise. He said that while the ancient reefs from Australia to Hawaii are succumbing to pollution, destructive fishing, and the effects of climate change, the Philippine Rise is a rare exception. “Its reefs have dodged fishing pressure and pollution because these are so far offshore. It is virtually untouched and undisturbed by human presence”, he said. Biazon added that without legal protection, the Philippine Rise is vulnerable to exploitation and eventually will be destroyed and be lost forever. Ty, Reps. Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Cesar Sarmiento and Joseph Stephen Paduano were among those present during the hearing. (MVI Palomar/ G Engay)

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PRESS RELEASE

14 March 2018

Rep. Robert Ace S. Barbers

2nd District, Surigao del Norte

Chairman, Committee on Dangerous Drugs

BARBERS HITS DOJ DISMISSAL OF CHARGES VS KERWIN, PETER LIM

Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Dangerous Drugs, today condemned the “premature” exoneration by the DOJ Panel of Prosecutors of confessed drug personality Kerwin Espinosa and alleged druglords Peter Go Lim, Peter Co, and other personalities accused of violating the Dangerous Drugs Act.

Barbers pointed out that Kerwin Espinosa has openly and voluntarily admitted under oath before the Senate investigation in August 2017 that he is indeed involved in illegal drug trafficking in Regions 7 and 8.

 Espinosa further admitted that Peter Go Lim is one of his suppliers of illegal drugs.

"How can the DOJ panel say that the testimony of the driver bodyguard of Espinosa is uncorroborated when Espinosa himself validated such testimony in his own admission before the Senate investigation," Barbers asked.

The PNP earlier filed the case against the accused using the affidavit of Marcelo Adorco, Espinosa’s driver bodyguard as the basis for filing the case.

 The DOJ panel however dismissed the cases stating that Adorco’s testimony alone was insufficient, being uncorroborated by another witness.

 "Is the DOJ panel blind, deaf or dumb?  Did they not see nor hear the testimony and admission that Kerwin Espinosa made before the Senate investigation?  They could have taken notice of that admission and considered it part of the evidence before deciding the case against Espinosa and Lim”, Barbers said.

 "The dismissal is totally unfortunate, deplorable and suspect to many possibilities”, Barbers added.

 "I hope that Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre will reverse the findings of the DOJ panel”, Barbers said.   #

NEWS Release

14 March 2018

House approves on final reading proposed

“Rural Employment Assistance Program Act”

The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on third and final reading House Bill 7266, or the proposed “Rural Employment Assistance Program Act”, which aims to give temporary employment to every qualified head of family or single adult member of poor families in rural areas identified by the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

All 228 House members present during the voting thumbed up the bill.

The bill mandates the DSWD to implement the Rural Employment Assistance Program in coordination with local government units (LGUs). Participants in the program can volunteer to do unskilled manual work for 45 to 90 days in every calendar year.

Rural areas, as defined in the bill, are those barangays which have a population size of less than 2,500. Barangays without an establishment with 25 or more employees, or five or more establishments with a minimum of 10 employees, or five or more facilities within the two kilometer radius from the barangay hall, are also classified as rural areas.

Meanwhile, the bill refers to the poor as individuals and families whose income fall below the poverty threshold as defined by the government and/ or cannot afford in a sustained manner to provide their minimum basic needs of food, health, education, housing, and other essential amenities of life or those who have been identified as poor by the NHTS-PR.

To determine who are eligible for the employment program, the DWSD, in close coordination with the LGUs and other concerned agencies, shall assess all poor individuals and families in rural areas who signified interest to do unskilled labor.

The works and activities for this purpose are classified as activities that will mobilize eligible poor individuals and families to finish a project within a given period.

These projects may include the following: 1) development and re-building of agri-based livelihood assets, destroyed or lost due to natural disasters such as desilting of irrigation canals, development of paddy dikes, and rehabilitation of water impounding; 2) rehabilitation and/or development of common service facilities which are being shared and used by poor families as production or consolidation centers/units such as post-harvest facilities and public markets; 3) development or rehabilitation of physical assets to open up access to natural assets where the former is necessary to bring out the products of poor families to the market such as farm-to-market road, slope protection, and bridges; and 4) protection of productive assets through mitigation measures such as mangrove planting/rehabilitation, tree planting, and the like.

Every head of family or single adult member of a poor family in the rural areas who are qualified under the program shall be entitled to receive for each day of work an employment assistance equal to the applicable minimum wage set by the Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in the region.

Among the authors of the bill are Reps. Rodel Batocabe, Alfredo Garbin, Jr., Christopher Co, Gary Alejano, Deogracias Ramos, Wilter Wee Palma II, Ma. Lourdes Aggabao, Allen Jesse Mangaoang, Ma. Lourdes Acosta-Alba, Elisa Kho, Fernando Gonzales and Orestes Salon. / WBundang

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Photo Release

14 March 2018

SUBPOENAS VS. GOVERNORS--The House committee on good government and public accountability chaired by Rep. Johnny Pimentel continued its hearing on the apparent corruption and irregularities in the imposition, collection, and distribution of taxes and fees from the quarrying operations in the province of Nueva Ecija and other provinces in the Philippines. The committee’s inquiry is based on House Resolution 1505 filed by Reps. Sofia Vergara, Micaela Violago, Magnolia Antonino, and Arnolfo Teves, Jr. The committee unanimously voted for the issuance of subpoena duces tecum and ad testificandum to Nueva Ecija Governor Cherry Umali, her husband former Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali, and Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo for their continued failure to heed the invitation of the committee. (G.Engay/E. Galvez)

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