Andaya undergoes drug test, submits result to Comelec
25 October 2018 06:53:07 AM
House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya, Jr. has voluntarily submitted himself to a drug test in response to a challenge from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for candidates in May 2018 elections to undergo such examination.
Andaya provided the Commission on Elections a copy of the drug test result, which turned out negative, when he filed his certificate of candidacy for governor of Camarines Sur last October 16.
The drug test was conducted by personnel of the Department of Health (DOH) at the Bicol Sanitarium in Camarines Sur last September 29.
“As a leader of the House of Representatives, I deem it my responsibility to be among the first to show support to PDEA. Submitting myself to a drug test is the least I can do,” Andaya said.
The director-general of PDEA, Aaron Aquino, had been quoted as supporting mandatory drug tests for candidates to aid the administration's crackdown on narcopoliticians.
The Supreme Court (SC), however, previously ruled that imposing a mandatory drug testing to candidates running for an office is "unconstitutional" as this imposes additional requirement not found in the Constitution.
“While there is no law requiring candidates to undergo drug test, it is best that we, candidates voluntarily submit ourselves to such examination as a gesture of support to the government’s anti-drug campaign,” he added.
“May batas man o wala, obligasyon naming mga kandidato na patunayang hindi kami gumagamit ng droga. This is our way of maintaining integrity in governance. Kung yung mga kabataan, gusto nating ipa-drug test, bakit hindi puwede kaming mga kandidato na nagsisilbi sa bayan?” the House leader pointed out.
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Statement of Hon. Ruffy Biazon on the Joint Hearing Conducted by the Committee on Dangerous Drugs and
Committee on Good Government on the Matter of the P6.8 Billion Worth of Shabu
Allegedly Smuggled Through the Bureau of Customs
The revelations in the joint hearing conducted by the
Committee on Dangerous Drugs and Committee on Good Government should now compel
the Bureau of Customs to embark on a program to upgrade its capabilities on
non-intrusive inspection of cargo using x-ray machines.
During my interpellation of the resource persons from the
Bureau of Customs, three weak points in the system provided loopholes that
appear to be exploited or are being exploited by those involved in smuggling contraband
into the Philippines.
First is the stand alone system of the x-ray units where
only one to two persons are able to view the scanned images, perform image
analysis and produce findings of either clear or not clear to release a
shipment. Although findings are submitted to a supervisor, the analysts are
unsupervised during the actual image processing and analysis, opening an
opportunity for exercise of indiscretion. This was confirmed by BOC x-ray
operator/analyst Manuel Martinez who was invited to the hearing.
Second is the apparent vulnerability of the data collected
by the scanning equipment to unauthorized access, copying, download or
tampering. The testimony of Atty. Lourdes Mangaoang regarding the source of the
images she used in presenting the findings of her unofficial and personal
inquiry into the alleged shabu smuggling disclosed that the images were given
to her by personnel of the maintenance contractor of the x-ray machines instead
of through official channels.
Third is the difficulty in auditing the image processing
done by the x-ray operator/analyst which could help determine if the analysis
was competently performed or if there was deliberate manipulation of the
processing to conceal a derogatory finding. The difficulty was admitted by BOC
X-ray Inspection Project officer John Mar Morales who said that while it is
possible to audit, it is currently difficult for them to do it because of lack
of knowledge.
These weaknesses have been existent since the time the
X-Ray machines were purchased by the Bureau of Customs. It was precisely these
reasons that during my time as Commissioner of Customs, I had proposed the
upgrade of the Customs automated cargo clearing which included the installation
of a more modern X-Ray which would have been electronically linked to a central
database and monitoring system.
In such a system, operators of the machine which would
scan the container vans are separate from those who will conduct image analysis
who are in a different location with supervisors directly overseeing the
analysts. The images should not be identifiable with its consignee or broker.
The upgraded system should have a high level of data
protection, security and audit capability not just in the hardware and software
but also in policies and procedures governing its operation and use.
In order to put a stop to the importation of contraband, government
should plug these loopholes by embarking on an intensive modernization of our
Customs cargo clearance system which, over the years, have been used, abused
and exploited by the very people that this system is supposed to stop and
apprehend. While the current system was state of the art at the time they were
acquired, they are as of now obsolete and rendered inutile because of the
advancement of technology and the creativity of smugglers.
It is also with this consideration that I filed House Bill
No. 1253 which seeks to amend R.A. 10863 by inserting a provision which would
authorize the Bureau of Customs to retain at least 1% of its collection of
customs duties and taxes to pursue modernization through the acquisition of
equipment, information technology systems and construction, repair or
rehabilitation of facilities.
This would enable Customs to program its modernization
without the limitation imposed by the current budgeting process of the
government where agencies are required to plan on an annual basis and depend on
allocation by the DBM to be included in the President’s budget submitted to
Congress. As a side benefit, it would insulate the Bureau from political
influence brought about by the need to go to Congress for budget approval.
Being a revenue collection agency, government must enable
and empower the BOC to collect with efficiency, reliability and most of all,
with integrity. Allowing the BOC to have the flexibility to modernize will
support the agency to perform its mandate to its full potential.
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PH to go full blast vs. HIV/AIDS - Andaya
24 October 2018 02:28:52 PM
The Philippine government is set to implement a flurry of measures to
prevent a full-blown epidemic of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), a disease
which has already affected more than 50,000 Filipinos.
According to House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya, the President is set
into signing a law which aims to strengthen the country's comprehensive
campaign against HIV and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
The legislative measure, known as the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy
Act, was ratified by both the Senate and the House of Representatives before
Congress went into recess last October 10.
Andaya said the legislative measure, once signed into law, will amend
Republic Act 8504 (the Philippine National AIDS and Control Act of 1998) --- a
20 year old statute.
"RA 8504 serves as the national legal framework in the country’s
fight against AIDS and we need to make it more responsive considering the
advances in HIV research and policy," the House leader said.
"This is an urgent task and we need to act fast. Time is not on our
side," he added.
Citing reports from the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC), Andaya
noted that the number of Filipinos living with (HIV/AIDS) will exceed a quarter
of a million by 2030 unless the government take drastic actions to address the
growing epidemic.
The Department of Health (DOH) earlier said the Philippines had one of
the ‘fastest growing’ HIV epidemics in the world with 57,134 cases recorded
from January 1984 to July 2018.
Dr. Joselito Feliciano, director of PNAC, estimates about 265,900 cases
of Filipinos HIV/AIDS in the next decade. Majority of new infections were
likely to be teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 24 years old.
Feliciano also noted that an average of 31 Filipinos are now diagnosed
with HIV-AIDS every day, compared to the two new cases reported daily in 2008,
13 in 2013, and 22 in 2015.
Andaya said the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act aims to strengthen
and reconstitute the PNAC with a separate budget under the General
Appropriations Act. It shall have its own secretariat and staffing pattern.
Salient features of the measure include:
* improvement of the
HIV-related programs within the DOH;
* clarification of roles
and mandates of various government agencies and institutionalizes the country’s
national strategic plan to fight HIV, which lays down multiyear strategies and
interventions to reverse the epidemic;
* comprehensive provision
on primary prevention, and gives the country the latitude to pursue
evidence-based interventions to prevent the spread of HIV;
* Guarantees access to
HIV treatment and ensures free HIV medicines, including medicines to treat
HIV-related infections. It provides for care and support programs for living
with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIVs);
* Integration of HIV
services into the country’s universal health coverage framework, including
PhilHealth.
* Removal of barriers to
HIV services, such as age-related restriction to HIV testing and discrimination
in healthcare settings; and
* Establishment of
redress mechanisms and similar programs for PLHIV and communities that are at
greater risk of getting infected with HIV.
Andaya commended the sponsors and authors of the measure in the Senate
and the House of Representatives for expediting the approval of their separate
versions and for exhibiting teamwork in the bicameral conference committee.
The Senate version of the measure, Senate Bill 1390, was sponsored by
Sens. Joseph Victor Ejercito and Risa Hontiveros. It was authored by Sens.
Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, Antonio Trillanes, Juan Edgardo Angara, Grace Poe,
and Nancy Binay.
The House version, House Bill 6617, was sponsored by Rep. Kaka Bag-ao
with 83 other congressmen as principal authors.
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House approves bill granting OFWs equal protection on their money claims
22 October 2018 12:34:58 PM
22 October 2018 12:34:58 PM
The House
of Representatives approved on second reading House Bill 1700 which seeks to
grant Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) the right to equal protection on money
claims in case their employment abroad has been terminated.
House Bill 1700, authored by Reps. Tomasito Villarin (Party-list, Akbayan) and Jesulito Manalo (Party-list, Angkla), seeks to amend the fifth paragraph of Section 10 of Republic Act 8042, as amended by RA 10022, otherwise known as "Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995", as amended.
The bill seeks to repeal the clause “or for three months for every year of the unexpired term whichever is less” under Paragraph 5 of Section 10 of RA 8042, as amended.
The bill intends to give OFWs "full reimbursement of their placement fee and deduction made with interest at 12 percent per annum, plus his salaries for the unexpired portion of his employment contract."
The Supreme Court in 2009 already declared as unconstitutional the clause "or for three months for every year of the unexpired term whichever is less" as it violates equal protection afforded by the Constitution.
An OFW who has been laid off from work for unreasonable causes shall also be entitled to receive his compensation for the unexpired portion of his employment contract.
Citing the case of Antonio M. Serrano vs. Gallant Maritime Services, Inc. G.R. No. 167614 dated March 24, 2009, the Supreme Court found the phrase unconstitutional because “in the computation of the monetary benefits of fixed-term employees who are legally discharged, it imposes a three-month cap on the claim of OFWs with an unexpired portion of one year or more in their contracts, but none on the claims of other OFWs or local workers with fixed term employment".
The aforementioned provision in the law singles out one classification of OFWs and burdens it with a peculiar disadvantage, the Supreme Court stated.
Thus, the subject clause in the fifth paragraph of Section 10 of RA 8042 is violative of the right of the petitioner and other OFWs to equal protection.
During the 16th Congress, Akbayan party-list lawmakers filed the proposal as House Bill 3871. The current version adopted the text based on House Bill 5988 which was passed on third and final reading during the 16th Congress.
House Bill 1700, authored by Reps. Tomasito Villarin (Party-list, Akbayan) and Jesulito Manalo (Party-list, Angkla), seeks to amend the fifth paragraph of Section 10 of Republic Act 8042, as amended by RA 10022, otherwise known as "Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995", as amended.
The bill seeks to repeal the clause “or for three months for every year of the unexpired term whichever is less” under Paragraph 5 of Section 10 of RA 8042, as amended.
The bill intends to give OFWs "full reimbursement of their placement fee and deduction made with interest at 12 percent per annum, plus his salaries for the unexpired portion of his employment contract."
The Supreme Court in 2009 already declared as unconstitutional the clause "or for three months for every year of the unexpired term whichever is less" as it violates equal protection afforded by the Constitution.
An OFW who has been laid off from work for unreasonable causes shall also be entitled to receive his compensation for the unexpired portion of his employment contract.
Citing the case of Antonio M. Serrano vs. Gallant Maritime Services, Inc. G.R. No. 167614 dated March 24, 2009, the Supreme Court found the phrase unconstitutional because “in the computation of the monetary benefits of fixed-term employees who are legally discharged, it imposes a three-month cap on the claim of OFWs with an unexpired portion of one year or more in their contracts, but none on the claims of other OFWs or local workers with fixed term employment".
The aforementioned provision in the law singles out one classification of OFWs and burdens it with a peculiar disadvantage, the Supreme Court stated.
Thus, the subject clause in the fifth paragraph of Section 10 of RA 8042 is violative of the right of the petitioner and other OFWs to equal protection.
During the 16th Congress, Akbayan party-list lawmakers filed the proposal as House Bill 3871. The current version adopted the text based on House Bill 5988 which was passed on third and final reading during the 16th Congress.
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House approves bill
granting survivorship benefits to children of deceased retired heads of COA,
CSC, Comelec, Ombudsman
21 October 2018 03:40:14 PM
21 October 2018 03:40:14 PM
The House
of Representatives approved on second reading House Bill 7820 fwhich seeks to
grant survivorship benefits to the dependent children of a deceased retired
member of the Commission on Audit (COA), Civil Service Commission (CSC),
Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Ombudsman, who is a solo parent, or
the surviving parents or nominated persons of such deceased retiree.
The bill, principally authored by Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas (1st District, Ilocos Norte), aims to advance the policy of the State to strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution, taking into account the variety of family composition that has been undergoing fundamental changes in the society.
To fulfill this objective, the bill proposes to amend Republic Act 10084 entitled “An Act Granting Survivorship Benefits to the Surviving Legitimate Spouse Of A Deceased Retired Member of the Commission On Audit, Civil Service Commission On Elections and The Ombudsman, and For Other Purposes.”
The bill seeks to include a new Section 1-A to RA 10084 which shall read as follows : “In case the deceased retired chairman of the Commission on Audit, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Elections) and the Ombudsman was unmarried, the survivorship benefits shall be paid as follows:
a) When the deceased retiree was a solo parent, as defined under RA 8924, otherwise known as the “Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2002”, and survived by dependent children or other children under the care of the deceased retiree as stipulated under RA 9262, otherwise known as the “Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004”, including children who have reached the age of majority but are unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition as defined under RA 7610, otherwise known as the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act”, the dependent children shall be entitled to receive on a monthly basis all the retirement benefits that the deceased retiree was receiving at the time of death under the provisions of applicable retirement laws then in force.
The minor dependent children shall be disqualified from receiving the benefits upon reaching the age of majority. Any subsequent death or disqualification of any of the dependent children shall not result in the accrual of the forfeited benefits to the other beneficiaries.
b. When the retiree dies without issue, the surviving parents, if any, or unless disqualified by law, any person or persons nominated by the Chairman, Commission or the Ombudsman, shall prior to or on the date of retirement receive on a monthly basis all the retirement benefits that the deceased retiree was receiving at the time of death under the provisions of applicable retirement laws then in force, provided that the nominees shall be limited to two persons only. It is provided, further, that beneficiaries who are receiving benefits under existing retirement laws shall only be entitled to the difference between the amount to be received pursuant to this Act and the retirement benefits being received.
Any subsequent death or disqualification of any of the foregoing beneficiaries shall not result in the accrual of the forfeited benefits to the other beneficiaries.”
The bill also seeks to add a new Section 1-B to RA 10084 to read as follows: “The benefits under this Act shall be granted to a Chairman or Commissioner of the Commission on Audit, Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Elections, and the Ombudsman who have retired prior to the effectivity of this Act, provided that the benefits to be granted shall be prospective.”
Lastly, the bill provides that the fund for the initial implementation of the Act shall be taken out of the current appropriations for the retirement benefits of the Chairman and Commissioners of the constitutional commissions as well as the Ombudsman, or savings of said constitutional commissions and the Office of the Ombudsman. Thereafter the amounts needed for the continued implementation hereof shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
The bill, principally authored by Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas (1st District, Ilocos Norte), aims to advance the policy of the State to strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution, taking into account the variety of family composition that has been undergoing fundamental changes in the society.
To fulfill this objective, the bill proposes to amend Republic Act 10084 entitled “An Act Granting Survivorship Benefits to the Surviving Legitimate Spouse Of A Deceased Retired Member of the Commission On Audit, Civil Service Commission On Elections and The Ombudsman, and For Other Purposes.”
The bill seeks to include a new Section 1-A to RA 10084 which shall read as follows : “In case the deceased retired chairman of the Commission on Audit, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Elections) and the Ombudsman was unmarried, the survivorship benefits shall be paid as follows:
a) When the deceased retiree was a solo parent, as defined under RA 8924, otherwise known as the “Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2002”, and survived by dependent children or other children under the care of the deceased retiree as stipulated under RA 9262, otherwise known as the “Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004”, including children who have reached the age of majority but are unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition as defined under RA 7610, otherwise known as the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act”, the dependent children shall be entitled to receive on a monthly basis all the retirement benefits that the deceased retiree was receiving at the time of death under the provisions of applicable retirement laws then in force.
The minor dependent children shall be disqualified from receiving the benefits upon reaching the age of majority. Any subsequent death or disqualification of any of the dependent children shall not result in the accrual of the forfeited benefits to the other beneficiaries.
b. When the retiree dies without issue, the surviving parents, if any, or unless disqualified by law, any person or persons nominated by the Chairman, Commission or the Ombudsman, shall prior to or on the date of retirement receive on a monthly basis all the retirement benefits that the deceased retiree was receiving at the time of death under the provisions of applicable retirement laws then in force, provided that the nominees shall be limited to two persons only. It is provided, further, that beneficiaries who are receiving benefits under existing retirement laws shall only be entitled to the difference between the amount to be received pursuant to this Act and the retirement benefits being received.
Any subsequent death or disqualification of any of the foregoing beneficiaries shall not result in the accrual of the forfeited benefits to the other beneficiaries.”
The bill also seeks to add a new Section 1-B to RA 10084 to read as follows: “The benefits under this Act shall be granted to a Chairman or Commissioner of the Commission on Audit, Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Elections, and the Ombudsman who have retired prior to the effectivity of this Act, provided that the benefits to be granted shall be prospective.”
Lastly, the bill provides that the fund for the initial implementation of the Act shall be taken out of the current appropriations for the retirement benefits of the Chairman and Commissioners of the constitutional commissions as well as the Ombudsman, or savings of said constitutional commissions and the Office of the Ombudsman. Thereafter the amounts needed for the continued implementation hereof shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
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House passes bill
educating youth on the rights and welfare of workers
19 October 2018 03:02:48 PM
19 October 2018 03:02:48 PM
The House of Representatives approved on second reading a measure which shall educate students about labor education.
Principally authored by Rep. Enrico Pineda (Party-list, 1-PACMAN), House Bill 7927, also known as the "Labor Education Act," aims to integrate labor education into the social science subjects in the higher education curriculum.
The measure provides that labor education shall be integrated into the mandatory social science subjects being offered under the general education curriculum in the higher education courses.
It defines labor education as the "teaching of labor rights, workers’ welfare and benefits, core labor standards, labor laws and regulations, the national and global labor situation, labor market concerns, labor issues, overseas work and related problems, the nature of human labor, the role of labor in the self-realization of the human being, the foundations of the dignity of labor and other topics related to labor and employment."
The bill tasks the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), pursuant to its mandate under Republic Act No. 7722, otherwise known as the “Higher Education Act of 1994,” to develop the program to execute and implement the Act.
Pineda said it is fitting that individuals undergoing tertiary education be educated of the labor laws through a compulsory subject offered in college before they are immersed into work and be part of the labor force.
He explained that one of the more critical resources of the country that has been contributing much to the improvement of its economy is its labor force.
“It accounts for over half of the national population placing the Philippines 13th in the world among countries with the most available pool of workers,” Pineda said.
Pineda likewise pointed out that the abundance of labor in the country plus the fact of having one of the more educated and highly skilled people in this side of the world makes the Philippines one of the more attractive havens for investments.
Rep. Michael Odylon Romero (Party-list, 1-PACMAN), another author, emphasized that protection of the labor force has been an imperative for the government and no less than the Philippine Constitution provides that the state shall protect the rights of the workers and promote their welfare.
Rep. Gus Tambunting (2nd District, Parañaque City), also an author, said that not all the over 37 million Filipinos in the labor force are aware of their rights.
“To respond to this situation and mitigate the growing number of labor unrests, it is timely to include basic labor education in the college curriculum,” Tambunting stressed.
Rep. Ann Hofer (2nd District, Zamboanga Sibugay), former Chairperson of the Committee on Higher and Technical Education and one of the bill authors, sponsored and defended the bill on the floor. | Ma. Victoria Palomar
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Statement of
Deputy Speaker Prospero Pichay on recommendation of Speaker GMA on IPU
withdrawal:
Sovereignty of a country should be beyond the reach of any international
body or organization. If the Speaker of the House of Representatives feels that
our sovereignty has been violated and has moved to defend it, that should be
respected. The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is quick to defend Senators
Leila de Lima and Antonio Trillanes but when the rights of the former President
and now Speaker of the House were violated as ruled by no less than the United
Nations, the IPU was quiet. How come?
Where was the IPU when Speaker Arroyo was unjustly jailed for five years
without any valid charges? Are they playing political partisanship?
Why is the IPU interfering in the cases involving Senators De Lima and
Trillanes when the same judicial processes as what used had been used against
Speaker Arroyo are the ones being applied in their cases. Unlike the IPU, our
laws and judicial processes do not discriminate. I fully support the Speaker’s call to
withdraw from the IPU because it serves no serious purpose but to interfere in
the legal and judicial processes of member-parliaments while doing nothing on
the real injustices committed on many of its members.
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House Members push for flagship infra projects
24 October 2018 10:34:54 PM
The House Committee on Metro Manila Development chaired by Rep.
Winston Castelo (2nd District, Quezon City) on Wednesday continued its
discussion on House Resolution 2185, which calls for the Department of Public
Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to notify
and regularly apprise Metro Manila district representatives on any proposed and
ongoing flagship government infrastructure projects in their respective
districts.
During the discussion on flagship programs, it was bared that several House Members were not informed [about] the flagship programs.
"This is why we experienced backlog, we experienced several problems that caused delay dun po sa completion ng projects na yan. This would not have happened had the agencies coordinated [with the concerned individuals],” said Castelo.
He explained that to avoid further unnecessary delays and the district Representatives being bypassed by the involved agencies, the Congress, as a whole, approved HR 2185.
Meanwhile, Rep. Bayani Fernando (1st District, Marikina City) noted that it is imperative for the congressmen to be involved in these flagship projects from the start.
“Kaming mga congressmen, tingin ko nalalaman lang namin yung mga projects sa dyaryo. And I think the congressmen should be the first to know from the start, so that somehow you can be guided accordingly and actually consider the congressmen as one of your allies because the congressmen are here for progress,” he said.
Fernando, a former Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman, also stressed that the district Representatives must be aware of these projects to be able to inform their respective constituents and attend to their concerns. With this, the legislators, together with the concerned agencies, will know the various local issues that may arise.
The resolution provides that being elected Representatives of the people, the Metro Manila congressmen have the duty to inform, explain, and monitor the progress and impact of these infrastructure projects to the residents of their districts, and to be their voices when need be as they carry out checks and balances in the government.
The panel then discussed issues being encountered on the flagship infrastructure projects by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), particularly on the unhurried approval of these projects.
“I’m looking at time. Time is so important for us here in Metro Manila. The problem of traffic needs to be solved as soon [as possible]. It needs action on our part. Wala pang lumalabas na solusyon na nararamdaman ng tao until now. Lahat ng projects na yan will have to pass through NEDA. Ilang taon inaabot sa NEDA?,” stated Fernando.
Public-Private Partnership Center Executive Secretary Ferdinand Pecson explained that timelines vary per project. He said that NEDA face difficulties in determining which the priority projects are.
However, Fernando underscored that all proposals should be prioritized and said, “Any change can be an improvement. Kahit anong gawin mo justified dahil sa traffic.”
“Entertain niyo yung kanilang ideas. They spent so much money, meron silang taya. It’s their money anyway…Yung mga gustong mag-invest, ibigay niyo na sa kanila yung benefit of the doubt,” he added.
Meanwhile, DOTr Undersecretary Mark de Leon noted that the assessment of unsolicited proposals does take time, but this is because there has not yet been a definite master plan that shall guide the NEDA during the approval of projects.
“Dapat defined kung ano yung vision ng government. Dapat defined kung ano yung hierarchy ng projects na iaappropriate ng government,” he said.
De Leon bared that the DOTr is currently coordinating with the NEDA to finalize the national transport policy framework implementing rules and regulations (IRR) or guidelines. “The IRR shall prepare the policy direction of the government for the buildup of infrastructure systems and services,” he added.
Fernando appealed to the committee to ensure that the government is doing its job to help the Filipinos. He reiterated that the concerned agencies should work on what they can provide right now, saying that political leaders do not need to be perfectionists.
“Kung anuman yun, ‘wag niyo na i-perfect. Sa Metro Manila, walang perfect dito. It will adjust in time. Technology will change things,” he said.
Other House Members present in the hearing were Reps. Carlo Lopez (2nd District, Manila), Teodoro Montoro (Party-list, AASENSO) and Rozzano Rufino Biazon (Lone District, Muntinlupa City).
During the discussion on flagship programs, it was bared that several House Members were not informed [about] the flagship programs.
"This is why we experienced backlog, we experienced several problems that caused delay dun po sa completion ng projects na yan. This would not have happened had the agencies coordinated [with the concerned individuals],” said Castelo.
He explained that to avoid further unnecessary delays and the district Representatives being bypassed by the involved agencies, the Congress, as a whole, approved HR 2185.
Meanwhile, Rep. Bayani Fernando (1st District, Marikina City) noted that it is imperative for the congressmen to be involved in these flagship projects from the start.
“Kaming mga congressmen, tingin ko nalalaman lang namin yung mga projects sa dyaryo. And I think the congressmen should be the first to know from the start, so that somehow you can be guided accordingly and actually consider the congressmen as one of your allies because the congressmen are here for progress,” he said.
Fernando, a former Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman, also stressed that the district Representatives must be aware of these projects to be able to inform their respective constituents and attend to their concerns. With this, the legislators, together with the concerned agencies, will know the various local issues that may arise.
The resolution provides that being elected Representatives of the people, the Metro Manila congressmen have the duty to inform, explain, and monitor the progress and impact of these infrastructure projects to the residents of their districts, and to be their voices when need be as they carry out checks and balances in the government.
The panel then discussed issues being encountered on the flagship infrastructure projects by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), particularly on the unhurried approval of these projects.
“I’m looking at time. Time is so important for us here in Metro Manila. The problem of traffic needs to be solved as soon [as possible]. It needs action on our part. Wala pang lumalabas na solusyon na nararamdaman ng tao until now. Lahat ng projects na yan will have to pass through NEDA. Ilang taon inaabot sa NEDA?,” stated Fernando.
Public-Private Partnership Center Executive Secretary Ferdinand Pecson explained that timelines vary per project. He said that NEDA face difficulties in determining which the priority projects are.
However, Fernando underscored that all proposals should be prioritized and said, “Any change can be an improvement. Kahit anong gawin mo justified dahil sa traffic.”
“Entertain niyo yung kanilang ideas. They spent so much money, meron silang taya. It’s their money anyway…Yung mga gustong mag-invest, ibigay niyo na sa kanila yung benefit of the doubt,” he added.
Meanwhile, DOTr Undersecretary Mark de Leon noted that the assessment of unsolicited proposals does take time, but this is because there has not yet been a definite master plan that shall guide the NEDA during the approval of projects.
“Dapat defined kung ano yung vision ng government. Dapat defined kung ano yung hierarchy ng projects na iaappropriate ng government,” he said.
De Leon bared that the DOTr is currently coordinating with the NEDA to finalize the national transport policy framework implementing rules and regulations (IRR) or guidelines. “The IRR shall prepare the policy direction of the government for the buildup of infrastructure systems and services,” he added.
Fernando appealed to the committee to ensure that the government is doing its job to help the Filipinos. He reiterated that the concerned agencies should work on what they can provide right now, saying that political leaders do not need to be perfectionists.
“Kung anuman yun, ‘wag niyo na i-perfect. Sa Metro Manila, walang perfect dito. It will adjust in time. Technology will change things,” he said.
Other House Members present in the hearing were Reps. Carlo Lopez (2nd District, Manila), Teodoro Montoro (Party-list, AASENSO) and Rozzano Rufino Biazon (Lone District, Muntinlupa City).
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House resumes probe of P4.3B seized shabu
24 October 2018 06:36:58 PM
The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs and Committee on Good
Government and Public Accountability on Wednesday resumed their joint inquiry
into the seizure last August 18 by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
(PDEA) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) of 500 kilograms of methamphetamine
hydrochloride or “shabu” worth P4.3 billion, which were concealed in magnetic
scrap lifters in an unclaimed container at the Manila International Container
Terminal (MICT).
In his opening statement during the hearing, Committee on Dangerous Drugs Chairman Robert Ace Barbers (2nd District, Surigao del Norte) said during the hearing last September 27, the committee heard the testimony of Jimmy Guban who proudly bared his 19-year service in the BOC as Intelligence Officer 1.
Barbers said Guban, who had 56 foreign trips since 2006 despite his meager earnings as Intel Officer 1, admitted his close ties with his classmate and former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Deputy Director Ismael Fajardo and association with dismissed Police Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto.
Barbers said Guban also admitted that instead of reporting his intelligence works and findings to the BOC, he reported these directly to Fajardo and Acierto, who are both not connected with the BOC.
“Mr. Guban’s testimony raised more doubts and questions on the particular shipment of the four magnetic lifters found in GMA, Cavite. We know now that Mr. Guban was responsible for hiring SMYD Trading as consignee for the shipment. We also know that Mr. Guban met several times with Supt. Acierto and PDEA Dep. Dir. Fajardo to discuss the shipment,” Barbers said.
“From this information, we can surmise that this shipment was special. However, despite our hunches, we are confronted with the BOC’s report that the four magnetic lifters contained no contraband, be it drugs or another illegal item,” Barbers further said.
On the other hand, he said the PDEA claims that the four magnetic lifters contained drugs since the drug-sniffing dog responded positively to the presence of shabu inside the lifters.
Barbers said the committee is hoping that the BOC and the PDEA can provide closure to the issue.
Meanwhile, Barbers said that more than the different interpretations being peddled by so-called experts in X-ray images, NUCTECH should provide the final authoritative reading to settle the issue once and for all.
“We need answers. Do not take us for a ride. We are serious,” said Barbers.
Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability Vice Chairman Rep. Henry Oaminal (2ndDistrict, Misamis Occidental), said the hearing is in aid of legislation and inquires into the continued inability of the BOC to prevent the large-scale smuggling of illegal drugs into the country.
Oaminal said the resolution of Rep. Romero Quimbo (2nd District, Marikina City), House Resolution 2068, states that the recent case of large-scale smuggling of illegal drugs points to the persistent corruption and incompetence in the BOC.
Oaminal also said that the latest incident of large-scale smuggling of illegal drugs occurred despite reforms supposedly undertaken by the BOC in response to the smuggling incident in May 2017 involving 604 kilograms of shabu worth P6.4 billion.
Also during the hearing, former BOC X-ray Division Chief Atty. Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang maintained her position that the magnetic scrap lifters seized by the BOC and PDEA contained illegal drugs based on what was detected in the x-ray machine.
In her slide show presentation, Mangaoang elaborated her findings on the differences in colors shown in the x-ray machine as against the claim of the BOC that there were no items concealed in the magnetic lifters.
"Dogs don't lie, x-ray machines do not lie, only people can lie. I am very sure it was deliberate, dahil iyan ang modus operandi, para hindi makita ng examiner na may laman yung container na hindi naka-deklara, pinapadilim nila, sinasadya nila idilim yung image," Mangaoang told the lawmakers.
Mangaoang, who is now assigned as Customs Collector for Passengers Services at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), explained that a difference in colors means something else is inside the magnetic lifters.
In his opening statement during the hearing, Committee on Dangerous Drugs Chairman Robert Ace Barbers (2nd District, Surigao del Norte) said during the hearing last September 27, the committee heard the testimony of Jimmy Guban who proudly bared his 19-year service in the BOC as Intelligence Officer 1.
Barbers said Guban, who had 56 foreign trips since 2006 despite his meager earnings as Intel Officer 1, admitted his close ties with his classmate and former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Deputy Director Ismael Fajardo and association with dismissed Police Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto.
Barbers said Guban also admitted that instead of reporting his intelligence works and findings to the BOC, he reported these directly to Fajardo and Acierto, who are both not connected with the BOC.
“Mr. Guban’s testimony raised more doubts and questions on the particular shipment of the four magnetic lifters found in GMA, Cavite. We know now that Mr. Guban was responsible for hiring SMYD Trading as consignee for the shipment. We also know that Mr. Guban met several times with Supt. Acierto and PDEA Dep. Dir. Fajardo to discuss the shipment,” Barbers said.
“From this information, we can surmise that this shipment was special. However, despite our hunches, we are confronted with the BOC’s report that the four magnetic lifters contained no contraband, be it drugs or another illegal item,” Barbers further said.
On the other hand, he said the PDEA claims that the four magnetic lifters contained drugs since the drug-sniffing dog responded positively to the presence of shabu inside the lifters.
Barbers said the committee is hoping that the BOC and the PDEA can provide closure to the issue.
Meanwhile, Barbers said that more than the different interpretations being peddled by so-called experts in X-ray images, NUCTECH should provide the final authoritative reading to settle the issue once and for all.
“We need answers. Do not take us for a ride. We are serious,” said Barbers.
Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability Vice Chairman Rep. Henry Oaminal (2ndDistrict, Misamis Occidental), said the hearing is in aid of legislation and inquires into the continued inability of the BOC to prevent the large-scale smuggling of illegal drugs into the country.
Oaminal said the resolution of Rep. Romero Quimbo (2nd District, Marikina City), House Resolution 2068, states that the recent case of large-scale smuggling of illegal drugs points to the persistent corruption and incompetence in the BOC.
Oaminal also said that the latest incident of large-scale smuggling of illegal drugs occurred despite reforms supposedly undertaken by the BOC in response to the smuggling incident in May 2017 involving 604 kilograms of shabu worth P6.4 billion.
Also during the hearing, former BOC X-ray Division Chief Atty. Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang maintained her position that the magnetic scrap lifters seized by the BOC and PDEA contained illegal drugs based on what was detected in the x-ray machine.
In her slide show presentation, Mangaoang elaborated her findings on the differences in colors shown in the x-ray machine as against the claim of the BOC that there were no items concealed in the magnetic lifters.
"Dogs don't lie, x-ray machines do not lie, only people can lie. I am very sure it was deliberate, dahil iyan ang modus operandi, para hindi makita ng examiner na may laman yung container na hindi naka-deklara, pinapadilim nila, sinasadya nila idilim yung image," Mangaoang told the lawmakers.
Mangaoang, who is now assigned as Customs Collector for Passengers Services at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), explained that a difference in colors means something else is inside the magnetic lifters.
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posted by brodkaster43 at
10/25/2018 02:39:00 PM
