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Senator Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa is pushing for stronger enforcement of traffic laws and close coordination as well as data sharing between agencies involved in implementing traffic rules.

During a public hearing of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs on Tuesday to look into vehicular accidents involving drivers who tested positive for drug use, Dela Rosa said that there are sufficient traffic laws in the country, noting that the concerned agencies of the government only lack in coordination and enforcement.

"Aminado naman sila na may kulang tayo sa enforcement, hindi tayo nagkukulang sa batas. Kung mayroon mang pagkukulang, masyadong maliit kumpara sa enforcement ng batas. So dapat doon tayo tututok sa enforcement para mabawasan itong mga aksidenteng ganito," Dela Rosa explained.

"Ang nakita natin doon sa hearing kanina, there is a disconnect between agencies involved. They are not sharing their data. Kaya nga ito for example, isang driver na lumalabas has been violating traffic laws sa records ng MMDA for 500 times already, and yet patuloy pa rin siyang nagmamaneho at di na cancel ang kanyang lisensya dahil hindi na furnish ang LTO ng records nila (MMDA)."

The neophyte senator also stressed the need for a more stringent penalty for traffic rules violators especially those who will be proven to be using illegal drugs.

"Sabi ng LTO kanina 3 times, 3 violations... [for me] to give teeth sa ating batas, dapat once lang kapag nahuli ka na positive ka sa [illegal] drug use tapos nagda-drive ka, dapat once lang yan at hindi na maulit," Dela Rosa said.

He even revealed his advice to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to be more aggressive and pro-active in their campaign against illegal drugs especially among drivers, both in public utility and private vehicles.

"Na-advisan nga natin ang PDEA na yun kanilang 'Oplan Harabas' walang pili yun, terminal, work place, kung saan-saan haharabasin nila para mahuli yung mga gumagamit ng iligal na droga," Dela Rosa said.

When asked if he thinks that the requirement to have mandatory drug test upon license application should be enforced once again, Dela Rosa said, "Kasi naman naiiwasan nila yan...mag rerenew ka ng license, mag abstain ka muna from using drugs for 1 to 2 weeks cleared ka na pagka drug test mo...dapat gawin yun

na on the spot inspection kagaya ng ginagawa ng PDEA na 'Oplan Harabas'. Dapat LTO should take the lead sa mga ganitong efforts, yung pro-active efforts. Pumunta sa terminal randomly, mag drug test ng mga driver nationwide," he added.

Dela Rosa also reiterated the need to amend the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 requiring court order before drug rehabilitation.

"May problema tayo jan dahil hindi tinatanggap sa rehabilitation center whether DOH or private ang isang nag boluntaryong gusto magpa rehab without court order dahil liable sila for arbitrary detention...yung bill natin ngayon na tumatakbo is that tanggalin yung court order, dahil sabi nga ng isang adik, ano ba itong gobyerno na ito, nag volunteer na nga ako na mag parehab pero ayaw pa ako tanggapin."

Dela Rosa filed last year SB 513 entitled Strengthening the drug abuse treatment, prevention and rehabilitation which includes a provision to remove to mandatory court order for drug rehabilitation to simplify the process and not to discourage drug dependents who voluntarily want to be rehabilitated.

During the hearing, Dela Rosa also pushed to include road safety awareness in the curriculum of primary and secondary education in the country in efforts to instill among motorists the value of following traffic rules that could save precious lives.

"So balik tayo sa school. Elementary, high school, dapat yun mga road signs na yan ay [maging] part ng education ng ating mga kabataan," Dela Rosa said.

The public hearing was conducted to discuss the issues which resulted to the spate of vehicular accidents in the recent months that claimed precious lives. The most recent victims include 7 injured students and the death of 14 yr old Jules Villapando on February 12 in Poblacion, Makati.



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P50 billion in unpaid taxes for 2019. P22.6 billion in cold cash allowed to slip through our borders. 6,678 illegal foreign workers working in licensed POGO outfits. 733 fugitives entered the country in 2019 before being deported.

Dozens of women trafficked into prostitution. A real estate bubble is waiting to burst. Government agencies are corrupted by individuals to legitimize the entry of illegal foreign workers .

These are some of the negative effects that have been brought to light by the different Senate committees investigating into the proliferation of Philippine offshore gaming operations.

It is clear as daylight how this sector is circumventing our laws and shredding our country's moral fiber. What's worse is that this sector is detrimental to our workforce because it does not create jobs for Filipinos. The problems are staring us right before our eyes.

Contrary to popular notion, this sector merely generates 0.04 percent of our country's gross domestic products. It's marginal contribution will not be felt if its operations are stopped.

Thus, we reiterate our call to put an end to POGOs immediately. The negative effects clearly outweigh the supposed benefits.



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Senator Joel Villanueva has called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to verify the labor practices of security agencies, particularly its compliance to general labor and occupational safety and health standards.

While castigating the actions of the suspect, Villanueva said the claims of a former security guard of a mall in San Juan City who took hostages on Monday morning should not be shrugged off outright in the wake of the 10-hour standoff.

"The actions of the suspect are abhorrent. The way he used to call attention to the problem will never be right any way you look at it," said Villanueva, chair of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development, in a statement. "The victims will carry the trauma for the rest of their lives, not to mention imparting fear among our people who go to malls for leisure."

"While we lament that the suspect had to resort to taking hostages to call attention against his former employer, it seems his grievance went unaddressed which led to the incident. Grievances of workers especially pertaining to labor practices is within the purview of DOLE's jurisdiction," the lawmaker continued. "We ask the department to look into the matter because we cannot afford another similar incident that will affect innocent people."

Given their military and police training, including skills to handle firearms and explosives, granting licenses to practice as a security personnel should only be given to individuals with tough mental disposition, the lawmaker pointed out.

Among the general labor standards that labor inspectors check include: payment of correct wages, including overtime pay, night shift differential, holiday pay, and other wage-related benefits; weekly rest day; provision of welfare facilities; assurance of safe working conditions, and rights to self-organization and collective bargaining.



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The poor showing of employers' compliance to labor standards in four regions in the country, which produce about half of college students in higher education institutions (HEI), could be traced to the lack of effort to educate them about their rights as they transition to the workforce, according to Senator Joel Villanueva.

Villanueva seeks to address this gap through Senate Bill No. 1218 which seeks to include labor education in higher education curriculum to equip students with essential knowledge on their rights as workers.

SBN 1218 is among the bills on labor education that will be heard today by the Committee on Higher, and Technical and Vocational Education, chaired by Villanueva.

"On social media alone, workers complain about alleged labor infractions of their employers. The growing docket of our National Labor Relations Commission is also a proof of the need to educate our workforce about labor standards, especially workers' rights," said Villanueva in a statement.

"By integrating labor education in the curriculum of higher education institutions, our government can further empower our workers in terms of exercising their rights, learning about the labor market, and having appropriate career guidance that will help them navigate the workplace," continued the senator, who also chairs the Senate labor committee.

Workers' rights include the following: assurance of security of tenure; payment of correct wages; weekly rest day; payment of wage and wage-related benefits; provision of welfare facilities; assurance of safe working conditions, and rights to self-organization and collective bargaining.

Data from the Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC) show that about seven in every 10 employers inspected last year (71.3 percent) in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Central Visayas are compliant with general labor standards.

The figure may not be necessarily considered high because the headcount of employers varies from one company to another, according to Villanueva.

"For example, if one noncompliant employer has 1,000 workers, that itself already presents a serious problem because the infractions against general labor standards may affect most, if not all their workers," Villanueva explained. "Naturally, employers should follow general labor standards."

Compliance of employers to the occupational safety and health (OSH) standards in the four regions are also concerning, according to BWC data. Compliance to OSH standards of inspected employers in Metro Manila was registered at 36 percent, while Calabarzon (35.2 percent) and Central Luzon (37.2 percent) likewise recorded poor scores.

Some 3.2 million students at HEIs, which include state universities and colleges, local universities and colleges, other government schools, and private HEIs, were enrolled during Academic Year 2018-2019, according to data from the Commission on Higher Education.

The higher education committee will also hear proposed measures on providing scholarships to medical students and the commemoration of the national higher education day every May 18 of each year.



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On Senate Resolution 337

SP Sotto: (Unclear) the draft, I am sending copies to Sen. Drilon, Sen. Lacson, Sen. Gordon, and in fact I am also giving a copy to (unclear) for their comments and together with the resolution that the Senate passed yesterday, we are hoping that by Thursday, we are ready to file it.

Q: Ang petitioners, Senate as a body or individual?

SP Sotto: Yes. With that resolution, (unclear) Senate as a body.

Q: How do you feel about the division yesterday, medyo close ang boto tapos (unclear)?

SP Sotto: Hindi naman. I don't think it was close because there were twelve senators who voted and there was no negative vote. There's no negative votes. As a matter of fact, if everyone was present we could have had sixteen votes I think.

Q: (We were able to interview Sen. Bato kanina, he was saying he admits na medyo nandoon yung ill feelings (unclear) what happened last night and he said that they are the "new minority" because their voices cannot be heard.

SP Sotto: That is his perspective, pero hindi pwedeng maging totoo yun. Paano magiging minority or feeling minority, kung lahat ng mga major committees hawak (unclear)? There is no such thing. Siguro, baka ano lang, baka hindi pa niya nafefeel yung mga tamang kabihasnan, o kagawian sa Senado. Hindi pwedeng all the time, porke majority ka, pag member ka ng majority, hindi pwedeng all the time ay lahat ng gusto mo, pagbobotohan mo, mananalo, hindi ganoon. This is the Senate, the Philippine Senate. It's a different story. It's not like any other institution in the Philippines. May ganoon talaga. That is why we are open to free debate. You debate on your position, kumbinsihin mo yung mga kasama mo doon sa position mo. Ganoon siguro, hindi pwedeng bulong-pulungan lang tayo, pagkatapos, boboto tayo at pag hindi nagwagi ang boto natin ay sumasama ang loob natin. Hindi ganoon. Even in the old congresses, tatlo ang pinanggalingan ko, nagsisigawan pa kami sa debate, nagkakabulyawan sa debate, pero pagkatapos noon, tapos na yun. Kasama sa trabaho yun.

Q: You were supposed to represent the majority, so you were supposed to represent the sentiment of the administration, yun ang sinasabi niya.

SP Sotto: Then the thinking perhaps is that it is not an independent Senate, and that is the reason we are in the Senate, because we are supposed to have an independent Senate. When I was first elected, that was initially what I already said, this will be an independent Senate. It cannot be a Senate of the administration.

Q: Hindi ibig sabihin na porke majority, kailangan palagi mag side sa administration?

SP Sotto: Hindi. You should always side on what is good for the people. You should always side in what is the good for the Senate.

Q: (Unclear) sabi niya kung si Sen. Drilon masaya, parang nasunod yung gusto ng minority? Parang why are you siding with the minority?

SP Sotto: Pagka ganoon ang thinking, lahat ng bills na hindi member ng majority ay dapat hindi ma-ano. Lahat ng resolutions ng hindi member ng majority, hindi dapat manalo? Hindi naman tamang thinking yun. Perhaps, later on he will realize that being a Senator is different than being just a follower of the administration.

Q: Is this a normal thinking process of a neophyte?

SP Sotto: Medyo. Minsan kasi, pagka you are a fledgling senator, you will probably have, you will need more time to get the ins and outs (unclear).

Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: Hindi pa.

Q: Hindi ba sila na-orient? Wala ba kayong orientation na nabigay with respect to how a senator should really act?

SP Sotto: Hindi naiseseminar yun, natututunan lang yun. Mas madali nga lang kung ikaw ay nanggaling sa let's say sa isang local government legislative body, or nanggaling ka sa House of Representatives, pagdating sa Senate, alam mo na lahat yan. Pero siyempre, pag galing ka sa Executive department, medyo iba ang dating sa iyo.

Q: (Unclear) na dati silang Cabinet members, (unclear) the president kaya they think that way?

SP Sotto: That's possible. That is aways a possibility. Kaya nga, if we would follow that line of thinking, mawawala yung independence ng Senado. We are all senators, whether we are in the majority or in the minority, we are an officer or not, pare-pareho kaming mga senators. Tigi-tig-isang boto kami, ganun yun.

Q: (Unclear) yung pito na minority.

SP Sotto: I don't see the need.

Q: Pero hindi naman ito yung...

SP Sotto: (Unclear). Siguro hindi lang din niya nakita pa o napag-aralan yung mga nakaraan. Tingnan nila muna ng mabuti yung nakaraan mula nung 9th Congress. Makikita nila na ang Senado ay hindi lagi sunod ng sunod sa Presidente. Nung 9th Congress, ang majority sa Senate, LDP. Ang presidente, si Ramos, Lakas. Pag dating nung 10th Congress, ganoon pa rin. Pag dating nung 11th Congress, o hindi ba natanggal si Erap?

Q: But that is not going against the President?

SP Sotto: No. You are protecting the institution. It must be an independent Senate, that is the reason that the Constitution made the Senate that way, ganoon yun, otherwise, mag unicameral na lang tayo. Alisin na natin yung Senado kung gusto mo lahat ng sasabihin ng Presidente, pwede. So, again, there must be check and balance. There is the reason why there is a (unclear) branches of the government.

Q: Sabi niya over-reaching daw yung kapag may Senate concurrence sa abrogation kasi trabaho lang daw yun ng Presidente?

SP Sotto: Walang nakalagay na ganoon, silent yun. If the Senate does not act on a treaty or an agreement, does it work? Hindi pwede. That power does not lie in the President, di ba? Kailangan yan, kailangan ang Senate. Ngayon, pagka mag-aabrogate, walang nakalagay sa Constitution na ang Presidente lang, wala ring nakalagay na dapat dumaan sa Senado. But the DOJ Secretary himself said when there is silence, equity fills the gap, di ba? Pero, pinakamaganda, dalhin na sa Supreme Court ang usapan. Tanungin na sa Supreme Court. If you will notice, hindi naman sila bumoto against, di ba? Sapagkat alam nilang tama na (unclear) tanungin sa Supreme Court once and for all kung tama ba yun?

Q: Nag-abstain sila because of their loyalty?

SP Sotto: Siguro, I don't know.

Q: Ano yung reading ninyo, bakit sila nag-abstain in the first place?

SP Sotto: Probably they did not want to offend the President. They thought they might offend the President by saying yes, no. I don't think so. That means they are not privy to some talks that they are having in the Executive department.

Q: Sabi nila most of the time nale-left out sila sa discussion ng majority?

SP Sotto: Paano nangyayari yun?

Q: Hindi sila natatanong, hindi sila pinapakinggan...

SP Sotto: (Unclear) plenary. Then you stand up, you debate, and you tell us what you think. Tell us what you want, di ba? And then you start convincing your colleagues. That is how it is.

Q: You think he was referring to the caucuses?

SP Sotto: Kahit sino nakakapagsalita sa caucus. I am surprised at that kind of statement.

Q: Yung pattern ng pagvote nung pito, may pattern sila sa mga important bills, hindi ba siya cause for concern considering na may solid group sila na possible eventual threat sa leadership ninyo?

SP Sotto: Why will I be concerned?

Q: Kasi kaunti na lang yun.

SP Sotto: So what?

Q: Kung may discontentment, dissatisfied sa the way you...

SP Sotto: Sa leadership? So what.

Q: So okay lang yun?

SP Sotto: I am fine with that, I serve at the pleasure of my colleagues. You can replace me anytime. I have no problem with that, the important thing is I will still do my job as a Senator and if I think it is right, I will vote for it. If I think it is not right, I will not. Ganoon lang kadali yun, di ba?

Q: May instance ba na parang may threat din na kakalas ang majority or...?

SP Sotto: Wala naman akong nararamdaman na ganoon pero I don't think they would like to be in the minority. Because (unclear) pag nasa minority ka, mapupunta sa iyo yung mga committee na ayaw naman ng majority.

Q: Aside from Sen. Bato na vocal kagabi, may iba pa ba kayo narinig na same sentiments from the seven?

SP Sotto: Wala. Wala naman, as a matter of fact, one or two of them came to me, and I will not name them anymore, sinasabi na nakikisama lang daw sila.

Q: After last night?

SP Sotto: Huwag ninyo ng alamin.

Q: Bakit kailangan niya mag-explain sa iyo?

SP Sotto: Siguro they know that the resolution is correct. I feel that about some of them know the resolution is correct. That is the reason why they abstained and did not vote against, because if you think the resolution is wrong, then vote against, di ba?

Q: May talks kayo with the Executive?

SP Sotto: I had a talk with members of the Executive department and they are amenable to the resolution.

Q: Malacañang galing?

SP Sotto: Oo.

Q: Kaya naging generic, walang VFA mentioned?

SP Sotto: Precisely.

Q: Alam yan ni Presidente?

SP Sotto: I don't know. Most probably.

Q: Supportive of the resolution?

SP Sotto: Yes, they also want to know. They also want to be clarified.

Q: Any idea why (unclear) doon sa dilemma na ganoon?

SP Sotto: I don't know, you better ask them.

Q: Pero na-appreciate ninyo si Sen. Pacquiao?

SP Sotto: Yes, sabi naman niya. Alam niyang tama, matagal ng senador yun, di ba? 2016 pa Senator.

Q: (Unclear) yung kay Sen. Drilon (unclear)?

SP Sotto: At saka nagtataka ako bakit sasabihin na minority, eh hindi ba yung Senate President, yung Majority Leader, yung Senate President Pro-Tempore, at yung Minority Leader, mga officials ng Senado, ang tingin nila, tama yung resolution? If you are a member of the majority of the Senate, you should follow the rules, di ba? It does not matter if (unclear) a member of the minority is involved or voting in favor, hindi porke ganoon, kailangan ang minority bumoto ng against or hindi sumunod. That's the intricacies. Probably this would be a learning curve for some of our colleagues in the Senate on how the Senate works.

Q: Hindi pa naaappreciate yung Senate as an institution?

SP Sotto: Hindi pa. Siguro ang ibig sabihin noon ay ano pa lang, 24 minus 7, 17. There are 17 republics pa lang, di ba? Kasi ganoon ang mga mentality ng mga antigong senador nung araw, there are 24 republics in the Senate, kanya-kanya yan. Ang (unclear) sa bawat isa, sarili niya, di ba?

Q: Ano ang tawag sa kanila?

SP Sotto: Hindi pa sila republic. (Unclear) sariling republic.

Q: Hindi pa sila (unclear)

SP Sotto: Hindi naman.

Q: Tingin ninyo walang kailangang idiscuss or linawin dito sa mga (unclear) and explain to them na ito talaga yung obligation ninyo?

SP Sotto: Hindi. No, when you are a Senator, you should know what your job is and what your work is. You don't need to vote in favor of everything. You don't need to vote against everything. You (unclear) the minority leader, he votes in favor of the majority oftentimes, di ba? Yung mga kasama niya sa minority, no na nga ang boto, pero yung minority leader votes in favor. Antigong senador yun. He knows how it is, he knows how it works.

Q: Sinabi mo na may 17 republics, ano yung natitira?

SP Sotto: Ang ibig ko lang sabihin noon, huwag mamasamain ng iba yun, ang ibig sabihin noon, yung 17, independent thinking, yun lang, kaya independent republic.

Q: Ano ang masasabi ninyo tungkol sa net satisfaction rating ninyo this quarter na very good?

SP Sotto: Hindi ko nakita. Ano ba? Saan?

Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: SWS? Ilang percent?

Q: That was before the voting last night...

SP Sotto: Baka tumaas.

On Senate Resolution 337

SP Sotto: (Unclear) the draft, I am sending copies to Sen. Drilon, Sen. Lacson, Sen. Gordon, and in fact I am also giving a copy to (unclear) for their comments and together with the resolution that the Senate passed yesterday, we are hoping that by Thursday, we are ready to file it.

Q: Ang petitioners, Senate as a body or individual?

SP Sotto: Yes. With that resolution, (unclear) Senate as a body.

Q: How do you feel about the division yesterday, medyo close ang boto tapos (unclear)?

SP Sotto: Hindi naman. I don't think it was close because there were twelve senators who voted and there was no negative vote. There's no negative votes. As a matter of fact, if everyone was present we could have had sixteen votes I think.

Q: (We were able to interview Sen. Bato kanina, he was saying he admits na medyo nandoon yung ill feelings (unclear) what happened last night and he said that they are the "new minority" because their voices cannot be heard.

SP Sotto: That is his perspective, pero hindi pwedeng maging totoo yun. Paano magiging minority or feeling minority, kung lahat ng mga major committees hawak (unclear)? There is no such thing. Siguro, baka ano lang, baka hindi pa niya nafefeel yung mga tamang kabihasnan, o kagawian sa Senado. Hindi pwedeng all the time, porke majority ka, pag member ka ng majority, hindi pwedeng all the time ay lahat ng gusto mo, pagbobotohan mo, mananalo, hindi ganoon. This is the Senate, the Philippine Senate. It's a different story. It's not like any other institution in the Philippines. May ganoon talaga. That is why we are open to free debate. You debate on your position, kumbinsihin mo yung mga kasama mo doon sa position mo. Ganoon siguro, hindi pwedeng bulong-pulungan lang tayo, pagkatapos, boboto tayo at pag hindi nagwagi ang boto natin ay sumasama ang loob natin. Hindi ganoon. Even in the old congresses, tatlo ang pinanggalingan ko, nagsisigawan pa kami sa debate, nagkakabulyawan sa debate, pero pagkatapos noon, tapos na yun. Kasama sa trabaho yun.

Q: You were supposed to represent the majority, so you were supposed to represent the sentiment of the administration, yun ang sinasabi niya.

SP Sotto: Then the thinking perhaps is that it is not an independent Senate, and that is the reason we are in the Senate, because we are supposed to have an independent Senate. When I was first elected, that was initially what I already said, this will be an independent Senate. It cannot be a Senate of the administration.

Q: Hindi ibig sabihin na porke majority, kailangan palagi mag side sa administration?

SP Sotto: Hindi. You should always side on what is good for the people. You should always side in what is the good for the Senate.

Q: (Unclear) sabi niya kung si Sen. Drilon masaya, parang nasunod yung gusto ng minority? Parang why are you siding with the minority?

SP Sotto: Pagka ganoon ang thinking, lahat ng bills na hindi member ng majority ay dapat hindi ma-ano. Lahat ng resolutions ng hindi member ng majority, hindi dapat manalo? Hindi naman tamang thinking yun. Perhaps, later on he will realize that being a Senator is different than being just a follower of the administration.

Q: Is this a normal thinking process of a neophyte?

SP Sotto: Medyo. Minsan kasi, pagka you are a fledgling senator, you will probably have, you will need more time to get the ins and outs (unclear).

Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: Hindi pa.

Q: Hindi ba sila na-orient? Wala ba kayong orientation na nabigay with respect to how a senator should really act?

SP Sotto: Hindi naiseseminar yun, natututunan lang yun. Mas madali nga lang kung ikaw ay nanggaling sa let's say sa isang local government legislative body, or nanggaling ka sa House of Representatives, pagdating sa Senate, alam mo na lahat yan. Pero siyempre, pag galing ka sa Executive department, medyo iba ang dating sa iyo.

Q: (Unclear) na dati silang Cabinet members, (unclear) the president kaya they think that way?

SP Sotto: That's possible. That is aways a possibility. Kaya nga, if we would follow that line of thinking, mawawala yung independence ng Senado. We are all senators, whether we are in the majority or in the minority, we are an officer or not, pare-pareho kaming mga senators. Tigi-tig-isang boto kami, ganun yun.

Q: (Unclear) yung pito na minority.

SP Sotto: I don't see the need.

Q: Pero hindi naman ito yung...

SP Sotto: (Unclear). Siguro hindi lang din niya nakita pa o napag-aralan yung mga nakaraan. Tingnan nila muna ng mabuti yung nakaraan mula nung 9th Congress. Makikita nila na ang Senado ay hindi lagi sunod ng sunod sa Presidente. Nung 9th Congress, ang majority sa Senate, LDP. Ang presidente, si Ramos, Lakas. Pag dating nung 10th Congress, ganoon pa rin. Pag dating nung 11th Congress, o hindi ba natanggal si Erap?

Q: But that is not going against the President?

SP Sotto: No. You are protecting the institution. It must be an independent Senate, that is the reason that the Constitution made the Senate that way, ganoon yun, otherwise, mag unicameral na lang tayo. Alisin na natin yung Senado kung gusto mo lahat ng sasabihin ng Presidente, pwede. So, again, there must be check and balance. There is the reason why there is a (unclear) branches of the government.

Q: Sabi niya over-reaching daw yung kapag may Senate concurrence sa abrogation kasi trabaho lang daw yun ng Presidente?

SP Sotto: Walang nakalagay na ganoon, silent yun. If the Senate does not act on a treaty or an agreement, does it work? Hindi pwede. That power does not lie in the President, di ba? Kailangan yan, kailangan ang Senate. Ngayon, pagka mag-aabrogate, walang nakalagay sa Constitution na ang Presidente lang, wala ring nakalagay na dapat dumaan sa Senado. But the DOJ Secretary himself said when there is silence, equity fills the gap, di ba? Pero, pinakamaganda, dalhin na sa Supreme Court ang usapan. Tanungin na sa Supreme Court. If you will notice, hindi naman sila bumoto against, di ba? Sapagkat alam nilang tama na (unclear) tanungin sa Supreme Court once and for all kung tama ba yun?

Q: Nag-abstain sila because of their loyalty?

SP Sotto: Siguro, I don't know.

Q: Ano yung reading ninyo, bakit sila nag-abstain in the first place?

SP Sotto: Probably they did not want to offend the President. They thought they might offend the President by saying yes, no. I don't think so. That means they are not privy to some talks that they are having in the Executive department.

Q: Sabi nila most of the time nale-left out sila sa discussion ng majority?

SP Sotto: Paano nangyayari yun?

Q: Hindi sila natatanong, hindi sila pinapakinggan...

SP Sotto: (Unclear) plenary. Then you stand up, you debate, and you tell us what you think. Tell us what you want, di ba? And then you start convincing your colleagues. That is how it is.

Q: You think he was referring to the caucuses?

SP Sotto: Kahit sino nakakapagsalita sa caucus. I am surprised at that kind of statement.

Q: Yung pattern ng pagvote nung pito, may pattern sila sa mga important bills, hindi ba siya cause for concern considering na may solid group sila na possible eventual threat sa leadership ninyo?

SP Sotto: Why will I be concerned?

Q: Kasi kaunti na lang yun.

SP Sotto: So what?

Q: Kung may discontentment, dissatisfied sa the way you...

SP Sotto: Sa leadership? So what.

Q: So okay lang yun?

SP Sotto: I am fine with that, I serve at the pleasure of my colleagues. You can replace me anytime. I have no problem with that, the important thing is I will still do my job as a Senator and if I think it is right, I will vote for it. If I think it is not right, I will not. Ganoon lang kadali yun, di ba?

Q: May instance ba na parang may threat din na kakalas ang majority or...?

SP Sotto: Wala naman akong nararamdaman na ganoon pero I don't think they would like to be in the minority. Because (unclear) pag nasa minority ka, mapupunta sa iyo yung mga committee na ayaw naman ng majority.

Q: Aside from Sen. Bato na vocal kagabi, may iba pa ba kayo narinig na same sentiments from the seven?

SP Sotto: Wala. Wala naman, as a matter of fact, one or two of them came to me, and I will not name them anymore, sinasabi na nakikisama lang daw sila.

Q: After last night?

SP Sotto: Huwag ninyo ng alamin.

Q: Bakit kailangan niya mag-explain sa iyo?

SP Sotto: Siguro they know that the resolution is correct. I feel that about some of them know the resolution is correct. That is the reason why they abstained and did not vote against, because if you think the resolution is wrong, then vote against, di ba?

Q: May talks kayo with the Executive?

SP Sotto: I had a talk with members of the Executive department and they are amenable to the resolution.

Q: Malacañang galing?

SP Sotto: Oo.

Q: Kaya naging generic, walang VFA mentioned?

SP Sotto: Precisely.

Q: Alam yan ni Presidente?

SP Sotto: I don't know. Most probably.

Q: Supportive of the resolution?

SP Sotto: Yes, they also want to know. They also want to be clarified.

Q: Any idea why (unclear) doon sa dilemma na ganoon?

SP Sotto: I don't know, you better ask them.

Q: Pero na-appreciate ninyo si Sen. Pacquiao?

SP Sotto: Yes, sabi naman niya. Alam niyang tama, matagal ng senador yun, di ba? 2016 pa Senator.

Q: (Unclear) yung kay Sen. Drilon (unclear)?

SP Sotto: At saka nagtataka ako bakit sasabihin na minority, eh hindi ba yung Senate President, yung Majority Leader, yung Senate President Pro-Tempore, at yung Minority Leader, mga officials ng Senado, ang tingin nila, tama yung resolution? If you are a member of the majority of the Senate, you should follow the rules, di ba? It does not matter if (unclear) a member of the minority is involved or voting in favor, hindi porke ganoon, kailangan ang minority bumoto ng against or hindi sumunod. That's the intricacies. Probably this would be a learning curve for some of our colleagues in the Senate on how the Senate works.

Q: Hindi pa naaappreciate yung Senate as an institution?

SP Sotto: Hindi pa. Siguro ang ibig sabihin noon ay ano pa lang, 24 minus 7, 17. There are 17 republics pa lang, di ba? Kasi ganoon ang mga mentality ng mga antigong senador nung araw, there are 24 republics in the Senate, kanya-kanya yan. Ang (unclear) sa bawat isa, sarili niya, di ba?

Q: Ano ang tawag sa kanila?

SP Sotto: Hindi pa sila republic. (Unclear) sariling republic.

Q: Hindi pa sila (unclear)

SP Sotto: Hindi naman.

Q: Tingin ninyo walang kailangang idiscuss or linawin dito sa mga (unclear) and explain to them na ito talaga yung obligation ninyo?

SP Sotto: Hindi. No, when you are a Senator, you should know what your job is and what your work is. You don't need to vote in favor of everything. You don't need to vote against everything. You (unclear) the minority leader, he votes in favor of the majority oftentimes, di ba? Yung mga kasama niya sa minority, no na nga ang boto, pero yung minority leader votes in favor. Antigong senador yun. He knows how it is, he knows how it works.

Q: Sinabi mo na may 17 republics, ano yung natitira?

SP Sotto: Ang ibig ko lang sabihin noon, huwag mamasamain ng iba yun, ang ibig sabihin noon, yung 17, independent thinking, yun lang, kaya independent republic.

Q: Ano ang masasabi ninyo tungkol sa net satisfaction rating ninyo this quarter na very good?

SP Sotto: Hindi ko nakita. Ano ba? Saan?

Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: SWS? Ilang percent?

Q: That was before the voting last night...

SP Sotto: Baka tumaas.



*WORK from HOME and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.hostwinds.com

Good afternoon.

"Worse than the Japanese occupation". This was how a 92-year-old farmer described the effects of the Rice Tariffication Law. She knows whereof she speaks because she was a Huk warrior at the bloody retaking of the old Pampanga Sugar Mill garrison from the Japanese.

Aside from quoting his mother in his August 7, 2019 column at the Manila Times, Marlen Ronquillo said the small rice farmer in Central Luzon and much of the country is "dead man walking".

In December, at the height of all the merry-making and the flood of imported rice, a 57-year-old rice farmer from the country's Rice Granary is believed to have committed suicide out of the desperation that Ronquillo described.

Mahirap ang buhay, pero higit na mahirap para sa magsasakang Pilipino.

It has been over a year since the Rice Tariffication Act was signed into law last February 14, 2019.

From the government's assessment of its implementation of the law, matters more or less are on track:

The law has put in place the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to cushion its dire impact to farmers.

The DA has assured that four RCEF major components are being implemented -- providing farm machinery, quality seeds, credit, package of technology and training -- backed up by assured funding of 10 billion yearly for the next six years.

According to the department, as of this January, the Philippine Rice Research Institute has obligated a total of 2.56 billion for seeds, and distributed 552.6 million worth to thousands of farmers in 557 out of 798 municipalities nationwide.

The grant of 3 billion pesos worth of various farm machineries starting the first semester of 2020 was also pledged.

For the training and extension component, a total of 878 million pesos has been allocated, of which, 284.4 million pesos have been disbursed for training, communication materials, accreditation programs, and scholarships.

For credit, the Land Bank has disbursed a total of 358.2 million pesos, and the DBP has released 283.5 million pesos to hundreds of accredited farmers and farmers' cooperatives nationwide.

In short, over the next six years, government support for rice farmers, if implemented effectively, would be about 60 billion pesos.

Subalit ayon sa isang pag-aaral ng Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), 68.18 billion pesos ang nawala sa mga magpapalay nitong nakaraang taon.

So ang nakalaan para sa magpapalay natin na 60 billion pesos sa loob ng anim na taon, na-wipe out na sa kita ng ating mga magsasaka sa isang taon. May kulang pang eight billion pesos.

At hindi match ang dapat na pakinabang sa mga consumer ng nasabing batas.

According to the FFF study, 34.16 billion pesos lang ang natipid o naging ganansya ng mga consumers o bumibili ng bigas sa mas murang halaga.

Yan po ang big picture.

Pero mas mahalaga, ano ang sinasabi ng ating mga magpapalay? Kumusta na po sila?

Marami ang sumusulat sa amin: Di na raw sila magtatanim. O mag-ca-cash crop na lang daw sila. Merong nag-construction worker na. Ang asawang babae nung isang magpapalay, namasukan nang kasambahay dito sa Maynila.

Sabi ng mga sumulat sa aming tanggapan mula pa noong isang taon:

Iyong tatay ko nagmumukha ng putik kakasaka, tas pag bentahan lugi lang nararanasan. Renta sa lupa, inutang para makatanim. Hirap, gastos, at pagod niya walang napala. Dahil sa batas, mababa na lang nila naiibenta ang tanim nila.

Mahirap na magsasaka lalo pang pinahihirapan. Binhi, mahal. Krudo, mahal. Abono, mahal. Insecticide, mahal. Upa sa tanim, mahal. Tapos bibilhin nila palay na napakamura. Paano makakabayad sa inutang na puhunan? Patay ang magsasaka.

Anihan na pero tila wala pa ring aksyong ginagawa ang gobyerno. Wala pa ring pagbabago sa presyo ng palay. Dito sa Pampanga, nine pesos per kilo. Maawa po kayo sa mga magsasaka. Pinapatay po ninyo kami.

Ito po ay isinulat sa atin.

Sa ibang bansa nga, kapag magsasaka, mayaman. Baligtad sa Pinas...14-18 presyo ng palay natin maayos na e, pero ngayon 7 ang presyo ng palay. Masyado naman kinakawawa ang magsasaka.

This farmers' crisis may soon become a food crisis, lalung-lalo na at anihan na ng dry season crop at wala pang plano paano lagyang preno ang pagbagsak ng kita ng mga magsasaka ngayong Marso at Abril.

We support the resolution filed by Sen. Cynthia Villar, Senate Resolution 332, pushing for an inquiry on the implementation of the RCEF.

Beyond that, this representation would also like to know:

Number 1. Ano ang report sa 5,000-peso cash compensation na pinaglaban natin dito sa senado bago matapos ang 2019 para sa mga naapektuhang magpapalay? Ilan ang nakatanggap? Ano ang feedback? Sapat ba raw ito? Kasi nga, ang mga magsasakang nakausap natin sa Nueva Ecija, hindi nakatanggap nito. Marami raw requirements. Paano sinosolusyunan ang ganitong problema?

For the Departments of Agriculture and Finance, and other relevant agencies, how many farmers have benefitted from the RCEF? How many have they gained from this fund? What have they received in assistance from RCEF, and what is the impact on them?

Gusto rin nating malaman: How much has the government gained from the import tariffs? How are these being spent? What are the projected earnings in the coming years and how will these benefit the farmers and the sector as a whole? We need to see if the figures on paper match harsh realities being experienced by our farmers on the ground.

Sapat nga ba ang 10 bilyon kada isang taon?

Number 2. Speaking of farmers on the ground, ilan ang nag-shift na ng crops? Ilan ang hindi na nagtanim? The numbers might magnify our sufficiency level. Speaking of sufficiency, ano ang rice sufficiency level natin ngayon? Noong panahon ko as Presidential Assistant on Food Security and Agricultural Modernization, rice sufficiency was at 91.95 percent, fluctuating until, according to government data, 86.17 percent in 2018. Ano na ang sufficiency rate ngayon?

Number 3. Sa NFA, na inutusang mamili ng local rice, gaano karami ang nabili? Ilan ang nabilhang magpapalay? Magkano? Taga saan ang mga ito? NFA should be proactive in procuring from local rice farmers, at pumunta sa sulok-sulok ng bansa. Hanapin ang mga palay ng mga farmers natin na karamihan ay nalalayuan at walang transport, o kaya ay di sigurado na may aabutang NFA personnel na bibili ng kanilang produkto.

Number 4. For the Bureau of Customs, ano ang rice smuggling situation? Ilan ang nahuli sa undervaluation? Meron ba? Remember, we asked that the government look into reports of undervaluation? Kasi lalung apektado presyo ng palay with the influx of smuggled rice. May mga nahuli ba?

Number 5. Naniniwala tayong nais ding malaman ni Senator Villar: Ano ang kalagayan ng RCEF ngayon? According to a recent news article citing the DoF, BoC collections from duties on rice imports have dropped to 1.71 billion pesos from January 1 to February 14 this year from 2.22 billion in the same period last year. A 23.1-percent dive.

If this continues, this will imperil the RCEF. Are imports being undervalued or amounts underreported? Is technical smuggling the culprit?

Non-government organization Integrated Rural Development Foundation (IRDF) earlier rang the alarm bells that RCEF was not enough to cater to the local farmers. IRDF executive director Arze Glipo said that if the fund were divided equally among farmers, they will only receive financial assistance of 4,000 pesos each, far from their losses reaching as high as 30,000 pesos.

Mahalagang malaman lahat nang ito dahil ang sunod-sunod na lugi ng ating mga magsasaka ay nakakaapekto na sa kapasidad nila na magsaka pang muli.

Kapag bumaba ang kapasidad ng kanilang pagsasaka, malalagay rin sa alanganin ang kapasidad nating pakainin ang ating bansa, o ang ating food security, lalo na't nagsasabi na rin ang Vietnam at Thailand na bababa ang kanilang rice production dahil sa tagtuyot. Isang NASA technology ang nagpakita na may tagtuyot sa dalawang bansang pinag-aangkatan natin ng bigas. Based on the article, Thailand is facing the worst drought in the last 40 years.

Of the 3 million metric tons of rice imported by the Philippines last year, more than 2.1 million metric tons came from Vietnam.

As the world's biggest importer of rice in 2019, where will this leave the Philippines? Paano kung wala na tayong ma-import na bigas? Paano kung hindi na magbebenta ang Thailand at Vietnam dahil bagsak ang kanilang supply?

Pag nangyari yan, tataas ang presyo ng inaangkat na bigas. Gutom ang kapalit ng mataas na presyo ng bigas.

Kung matatandaan, noong 2008 world financial crisis, nagkaroon din ng global rice crisis. Between January and May 2008, the international trading price of rice jumped dramatically, quadrupling, from 300 US dollars per metric ton to 1,200 US dollars per metric ton, in just four months. And the spike in rice prices was not due to crop failure or a particularly tight global rice supply situation. That time, the immediate causes of the rise in rice prices: trade restrictions by major suppliers, panic buying by several large importers, a weak dollar, and record spike in oil prices.

This time, a triple whammy may cause another rice crisis: the Rice Tariffication Law's lacklustre implementation; terrible drought now being felt by our rice exporters in Thailand and Vietnam; and the still undetermined and uncalculated effects of the coronavirus outbreak, particularly on China, also a rice-producing and rice-consuming country. As well as the impact on prices of goods.

This means that the dire impact of the lackluster implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law has not only cast its gloom on the country's farmers, but is threatening consumers as well.

The scenario is a portent that the government should be prepared.

Ano ang plano ng gobyerno? Alam naman natin na may lead time, both in ordering for more imports and more importantly in planting of rice.

Ang ating mungkahi:

1. Create an inter-agency task force on rice security composed of the DA, DBM, DoF and the DTI to oversee the swift implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law. Get this task force to review the implementation of the law and its effects on the rice industry, on the farmers and farm workers, and even the NFA employees, and submit its findings immediately to the Senate.

2. Have DoF, PNP, and NBI deputize to go after technical smugglers in the same way they have done after tax evaders. Monitor possible collusion between the BoC and some rice traders in the technical smuggling and undervaluation of rice imports. File non-bailable charges of economic sabotage and jail the smugglers. Get the Philippine Competition Commission to go after profiteers and rice-price manipulators.

3. Ipatupad nang tama ang Rice Tariffication Law: Bigyan ng compensation ang mga natamaang magpapalay para makapagtanim silang muli. Speed up the NFA procurement of local rice. We reiterate our call for direct cash assistance for the farmers to be sourced from the RCEF or from a supplemental budget. The assistance should also benefit all affected by the brunt of the Rice Tariffication Law, lalong-lalo na dun sa mga nakikisaka lang, yung walang lupa, walang pera, yung walang-wala.

Sa dulo, ang layunin natin dapat ay food security at self-sufficiency. Sapat at tamang pagkain para sa lahat.

We have become more import-dependent and moved away from attaining self-sufficiency and self-reliance.

We are on our way to become rice beggars when we should have been reaping the fruits of a bountiful agriculture landscape.

This is an extremely serious concern that should be addressed urgently not just by the administration, but everyone who eats, as it will throw vulnerable sectors into a worse state of poverty and hunger.

Nasa isang emergency situation tayo at kailangan ng ating mga magsasaka ang maagap na tulong. Ang liit ng hinihingi ng mga magsasaka sa atin para mabuhay at huwag umalis sa kanilang mga bukid at magpapatuloy ng pagbubungkal ng lupa para tayong lahat ay makakain.

Moreover, feeling the pinch of the low rice prices, sabi pa sa isang news item, huminto na sa pag-aaral ang ilang mga anak ng magsasaka.

The havoc wreaked by the lackluster implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law is another factor that seems to be forcing people out of the agriculture sector or discouraging the young ones, the next generation, from staying in farming.

If the next generation no longer wishes to farm, then our future is in terrible straights. Our food security is undermined and compromised.

Babalik ako sa sinabi ni anak kong si Frankie noong nine years old po siya: "We must treat our farmers like our parents because they're the ones who feed us."

"Dapat nating ituring ang mga magsasaka na parang ating mga magulang natin dahil sila ang nagpapakain sa atin."

Maraming salamat po.

Good afternoon.

"Worse than the Japanese occupation". This was how a 92-year-old farmer described the effects of the Rice Tariffication Law. She knows whereof she speaks because she was a Huk warrior at the bloody retaking of the old Pampanga Sugar Mill garrison from the Japanese.

Aside from quoting his mother in his August 7, 2019 column at the Manila Times, Marlen Ronquillo said the small rice farmer in Central Luzon and much of the country is "dead man walking".

In December, at the height of all the merry-making and the flood of imported rice, a 57-year-old rice farmer from the country's Rice Granary is believed to have committed suicide out of the desperation that Ronquillo described.

Mahirap ang buhay, pero higit na mahirap para sa magsasakang Pilipino.

It has been over a year since the Rice Tariffication Act was signed into law last February 14, 2019.

From the government's assessment of its implementation of the law, matters more or less are on track:

The law has put in place the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to cushion its dire impact to farmers.

The DA has assured that four RCEF major components are being implemented -- providing farm machinery, quality seeds, credit, package of technology and training -- backed up by assured funding of 10 billion yearly for the next six years.

According to the department, as of this January, the Philippine Rice Research Institute has obligated a total of 2.56 billion for seeds, and distributed 552.6 million worth to thousands of farmers in 557 out of 798 municipalities nationwide.

The grant of 3 billion pesos worth of various farm machineries starting the first semester of 2020 was also pledged.

For the training and extension component, a total of 878 million pesos has been allocated, of which, 284.4 million pesos have been disbursed for training, communication materials, accreditation programs, and scholarships.

For credit, the Land Bank has disbursed a total of 358.2 million pesos, and the DBP has released 283.5 million pesos to hundreds of accredited farmers and farmers' cooperatives nationwide.

In short, over the next six years, government support for rice farmers, if implemented effectively, would be about 60 billion pesos.

Subalit ayon sa isang pag-aaral ng Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), 68.18 billion pesos ang nawala sa mga magpapalay nitong nakaraang taon.

So ang nakalaan para sa magpapalay natin na 60 billion pesos sa loob ng anim na taon, na-wipe out na sa kita ng ating mga magsasaka sa isang taon. May kulang pang eight billion pesos.

At hindi match ang dapat na pakinabang sa mga consumer ng nasabing batas.

According to the FFF study, 34.16 billion pesos lang ang natipid o naging ganansya ng mga consumers o bumibili ng bigas sa mas murang halaga.

Yan po ang big picture.

Pero mas mahalaga, ano ang sinasabi ng ating mga magpapalay? Kumusta na po sila?

Marami ang sumusulat sa amin: Di na raw sila magtatanim. O mag-ca-cash crop na lang daw sila. Merong nag-construction worker na. Ang asawang babae nung isang magpapalay, namasukan nang kasambahay dito sa Maynila.

Sabi ng mga sumulat sa aming tanggapan mula pa noong isang taon:

Iyong tatay ko nagmumukha ng putik kakasaka, tas pag bentahan lugi lang nararanasan. Renta sa lupa, inutang para makatanim. Hirap, gastos, at pagod niya walang napala. Dahil sa batas, mababa na lang nila naiibenta ang tanim nila.

Mahirap na magsasaka lalo pang pinahihirapan. Binhi, mahal. Krudo, mahal. Abono, mahal. Insecticide, mahal. Upa sa tanim, mahal. Tapos bibilhin nila palay na napakamura. Paano makakabayad sa inutang na puhunan? Patay ang magsasaka.

Anihan na pero tila wala pa ring aksyong ginagawa ang gobyerno. Wala pa ring pagbabago sa presyo ng palay. Dito sa Pampanga, nine pesos per kilo. Maawa po kayo sa mga magsasaka. Pinapatay po ninyo kami.

Ito po ay isinulat sa atin.

Sa ibang bansa nga, kapag magsasaka, mayaman. Baligtad sa Pinas...14-18 presyo ng palay natin maayos na e, pero ngayon 7 ang presyo ng palay. Masyado naman kinakawawa ang magsasaka.

This farmers' crisis may soon become a food crisis, lalung-lalo na at anihan na ng dry season crop at wala pang plano paano lagyang preno ang pagbagsak ng kita ng mga magsasaka ngayong Marso at Abril.

We support the resolution filed by Sen. Cynthia Villar, Senate Resolution 332, pushing for an inquiry on the implementation of the RCEF.

Beyond that, this representation would also like to know:

Number 1. Ano ang report sa 5,000-peso cash compensation na pinaglaban natin dito sa senado bago matapos ang 2019 para sa mga naapektuhang magpapalay? Ilan ang nakatanggap? Ano ang feedback? Sapat ba raw ito? Kasi nga, ang mga magsasakang nakausap natin sa Nueva Ecija, hindi nakatanggap nito. Marami raw requirements. Paano sinosolusyunan ang ganitong problema?

For the Departments of Agriculture and Finance, and other relevant agencies, how many farmers have benefitted from the RCEF? How many have they gained from this fund? What have they received in assistance from RCEF, and what is the impact on them?

Gusto rin nating malaman: How much has the government gained from the import tariffs? How are these being spent? What are the projected earnings in the coming years and how will these benefit the farmers and the sector as a whole? We need to see if the figures on paper match harsh realities being experienced by our farmers on the ground.

Sapat nga ba ang 10 bilyon kada isang taon?

Number 2. Speaking of farmers on the ground, ilan ang nag-shift na ng crops? Ilan ang hindi na nagtanim? The numbers might magnify our sufficiency level. Speaking of sufficiency, ano ang rice sufficiency level natin ngayon? Noong panahon ko as Presidential Assistant on Food Security and Agricultural Modernization, rice sufficiency was at 91.95 percent, fluctuating until, according to government data, 86.17 percent in 2018. Ano na ang sufficiency rate ngayon?

Number 3. Sa NFA, na inutusang mamili ng local rice, gaano karami ang nabili? Ilan ang nabilhang magpapalay? Magkano? Taga saan ang mga ito? NFA should be proactive in procuring from local rice farmers, at pumunta sa sulok-sulok ng bansa. Hanapin ang mga palay ng mga farmers natin na karamihan ay nalalayuan at walang transport, o kaya ay di sigurado na may aabutang NFA personnel na bibili ng kanilang produkto.

Number 4. For the Bureau of Customs, ano ang rice smuggling situation? Ilan ang nahuli sa undervaluation? Meron ba? Remember, we asked that the government look into reports of undervaluation? Kasi lalung apektado presyo ng palay with the influx of smuggled rice. May mga nahuli ba?

Number 5. Naniniwala tayong nais ding malaman ni Senator Villar: Ano ang kalagayan ng RCEF ngayon? According to a recent news article citing the DoF, BoC collections from duties on rice imports have dropped to 1.71 billion pesos from January 1 to February 14 this year from 2.22 billion in the same period last year. A 23.1-percent dive.

If this continues, this will imperil the RCEF. Are imports being undervalued or amounts underreported? Is technical smuggling the culprit?

Non-government organization Integrated Rural Development Foundation (IRDF) earlier rang the alarm bells that RCEF was not enough to cater to the local farmers. IRDF executive director Arze Glipo said that if the fund were divided equally among farmers, they will only receive financial assistance of 4,000 pesos each, far from their losses reaching as high as 30,000 pesos.

Mahalagang malaman lahat nang ito dahil ang sunod-sunod na lugi ng ating mga magsasaka ay nakakaapekto na sa kapasidad nila na magsaka pang muli.

Kapag bumaba ang kapasidad ng kanilang pagsasaka, malalagay rin sa alanganin ang kapasidad nating pakainin ang ating bansa, o ang ating food security, lalo na't nagsasabi na rin ang Vietnam at Thailand na bababa ang kanilang rice production dahil sa tagtuyot. Isang NASA technology ang nagpakita na may tagtuyot sa dalawang bansang pinag-aangkatan natin ng bigas. Based on the article, Thailand is facing the worst drought in the last 40 years.

Of the 3 million metric tons of rice imported by the Philippines last year, more than 2.1 million metric tons came from Vietnam.

As the world's biggest importer of rice in 2019, where will this leave the Philippines? Paano kung wala na tayong ma-import na bigas? Paano kung hindi na magbebenta ang Thailand at Vietnam dahil bagsak ang kanilang supply?

Pag nangyari yan, tataas ang presyo ng inaangkat na bigas. Gutom ang kapalit ng mataas na presyo ng bigas.

Kung matatandaan, noong 2008 world financial crisis, nagkaroon din ng global rice crisis. Between January and May 2008, the international trading price of rice jumped dramatically, quadrupling, from 300 US dollars per metric ton to 1,200 US dollars per metric ton, in just four months. And the spike in rice prices was not due to crop failure or a particularly tight global rice supply situation. That time, the immediate causes of the rise in rice prices: trade restrictions by major suppliers, panic buying by several large importers, a weak dollar, and record spike in oil prices.

This time, a triple whammy may cause another rice crisis: the Rice Tariffication Law's lacklustre implementation; terrible drought now being felt by our rice exporters in Thailand and Vietnam; and the still undetermined and uncalculated effects of the coronavirus outbreak, particularly on China, also a rice-producing and rice-consuming country. As well as the impact on prices of goods.

This means that the dire impact of the lackluster implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law has not only cast its gloom on the country's farmers, but is threatening consumers as well.

The scenario is a portent that the government should be prepared.

Ano ang plano ng gobyerno? Alam naman natin na may lead time, both in ordering for more imports and more importantly in planting of rice.

Ang ating mungkahi:

1. Create an inter-agency task force on rice security composed of the DA, DBM, DoF and the DTI to oversee the swift implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law. Get this task force to review the implementation of the law and its effects on the rice industry, on the farmers and farm workers, and even the NFA employees, and submit its findings immediately to the Senate.

2. Have DoF, PNP, and NBI deputize to go after technical smugglers in the same way they have done after tax evaders. Monitor possible collusion between the BoC and some rice traders in the technical smuggling and undervaluation of rice imports. File non-bailable charges of economic sabotage and jail the smugglers. Get the Philippine Competition Commission to go after profiteers and rice-price manipulators.

3. Ipatupad nang tama ang Rice Tariffication Law: Bigyan ng compensation ang mga natamaang magpapalay para makapagtanim silang muli. Speed up the NFA procurement of local rice. We reiterate our call for direct cash assistance for the farmers to be sourced from the RCEF or from a supplemental budget. The assistance should also benefit all affected by the brunt of the Rice Tariffication Law, lalong-lalo na dun sa mga nakikisaka lang, yung walang lupa, walang pera, yung walang-wala.

Sa dulo, ang layunin natin dapat ay food security at self-sufficiency. Sapat at tamang pagkain para sa lahat.

We have become more import-dependent and moved away from attaining self-sufficiency and self-reliance.

We are on our way to become rice beggars when we should have been reaping the fruits of a bountiful agriculture landscape.

This is an extremely serious concern that should be addressed urgently not just by the administration, but everyone who eats, as it will throw vulnerable sectors into a worse state of poverty and hunger.

Nasa isang emergency situation tayo at kailangan ng ating mga magsasaka ang maagap na tulong. Ang liit ng hinihingi ng mga magsasaka sa atin para mabuhay at huwag umalis sa kanilang mga bukid at magpapatuloy ng pagbubungkal ng lupa para tayong lahat ay makakain.

Moreover, feeling the pinch of the low rice prices, sabi pa sa isang news item, huminto na sa pag-aaral ang ilang mga anak ng magsasaka.

The havoc wreaked by the lackluster implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law is another factor that seems to be forcing people out of the agriculture sector or discouraging the young ones, the next generation, from staying in farming.

If the next generation no longer wishes to farm, then our future is in terrible straights. Our food security is undermined and compromised.

Babalik ako sa sinabi ni anak kong si Frankie noong nine years old po siya: "We must treat our farmers like our parents because they're the ones who feed us."

"Dapat nating ituring ang mga magsasaka na parang ating mga magulang natin dahil sila ang nagpapakain sa atin."

Maraming salamat po.



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More at: https://pinglacson.net/2020/03/03/on-a-true-senate-of-the-people/

When we cast our vote on any matter under deliberation, we should be dictated only by our own conscience and what we honestly think is good for our country, and the institution where we belong - and not because of blind loyalty to any person or party. While loyalty is a virtue, blind loyalty is simply just that - blind.

Otherwise, we can no longer be the Senate of the people that we are supposed to be, but an expensive "rubber stamp" that our taxpayers have to sustain out of their hard-earned tax money.

Having said that, there is no reason to be saddened either way by the voting on Senate Resolution 337. That is democracy at work in the Senate.



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Travel agencies offer manufactured passports, birth certificates, drivers' licenses, as well as provide 'pastillas' services to Chinese nationals entering the Philippines, according to Senator Risa Hontiveros.

She also said that the services are being advertised in Mandarin through the messaging app WeChat, primarily to cater to workers in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGO industry.

"These are criminal acts. These are violations of our laws, and tour agencies are advertising them freely," the senator remarked as she revealed screenshots of said WeChat messages during Monday's Senate hearing on the link of the boom of POGO to prostitution dens in the country.

Tour operators allegedly receive a portion of the P8,000 from the P10,000 'service fee' under the pastillas scam, wherein P2,000 goes to the Bureau of Immigration's Immigration Officers, the Travel Control and Enforcement Unit, the Border Control and Intelligence Unit, the Terminal Heads, the Immigration Supervisors, and other airport personnel.

"Masyado naman atang useful ang Philippine passport sa mga Chinese nationals na mga tourist kuno. Pati nga ang term na 'pastillas' alam na rin nila, at ang kakapal ng mukha, inaadvertise pa," she said.

"This information corroborates with reports that Chinese nationals are using the identities of dead Filipinos," she said. "These Chinese nationals are even assisted by our own corrupt local registry officials", she added.

Security threat

Hontiveros said that travel agencies also offer to de-list from a blacklist and to release Chinese nationals from the airport should they be barred entry.

During the previous hearing, Hontiveros' Senate Committee found that there were VVIPs (Very, Very Important Persons) who seamlessly enter the country for a heftier "service fee."

"'Yung mga VVIP daw na ito ay mga may criminal record sa China pero 'pag nagbayad ng mas mahigit pa sa P10,000 na fee, nakakapasok pa rin sila. So no wonder na talamak ang sindikato dito sa bansa ngayon," Hontiveros revealed.

"This is a clear threat to our national security and it puts the safety of our women, children, and the entire Filipino people in jeopardy," she concluded.



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Senator and Senate Committee on Health chair Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go sponsored the passage of several local hospital bills before the Senate floor on Monday, March 2, as his push to improve the access of Filipinos to quality health care services in the country continues.

In his speech, Go cited the World Health Organization's (WHO) previous statements regarding the important role of hospitals in the implementation of a universal health care measure.

"According to the World Health Organization, hospitals are an essential element of Universal Health Coverage. They must be able to respond efficiently to population health needs," Go said.

"They must also have the capacity and capability to cater the influx of patients who have entrusted their well-being to our health care system," he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed last year Republic Act (RA) No. 11223 or the "Universal Health Care (UHC) Act" which presses for the continuous improvement in the government's health services.

Under the law, Filipinos will be automatically enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP). As a result, Filipinos can avail of primary health care services even without PhilHealth identification cards.

Go also mentioned in his speech the threat posed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as a crucial factor for the need to improve the country's hospitals.

"As the world faces a global threat with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the readiness of our government hospitals to provide quality, available and efficient health services is of paramount importance," said Go.

"We have always reminded the Department of Health (DOH) to ensure the preparedness of our government hospitals, especially during public health emergencies like this. They have promised to do their part but they continue to appeal for Congress to help them, especially in terms of the lack of facilities and hospital beds in our hospitals," he added.

Go was referring to the data reported by the DOH in 2018 which states that "almost 65% of our public hospitals were overcrowded."

Presently, the Philippines has a one-to-1,083 bed-to-population ratio, which is beyond the recommended ideal target ratio of one-to-1,000.

To reach the country's target, Go said that it needs "a total of 131,250 beds but presently, we only have 88,394 beds or 67 percent out of the total target."

"To sum it up, we are short of more than 40,000 hospital beds all over the country and this figure is only expected to increase even more as the health care requirements of our people expand and as the population of our country grows," Go explained, detailing his personal anecdotes of visiting several hospitals all over the country and witnessing the need to improve their facilities.

"I have personally seen the need to improve our health facilities and to increase the number of hospital beds during my visits to our government hospitals all over the country. And I can confirm the truth in these figures," Go said, emphasizing the unfortunate situation many of the country's hospitals continue to face.

Go said, "Sa aking pagbisita sa mga ospital sa iba't ibang sulok ng ating bansa, nakita ko po ang nakakaawang sitwasyon ng ating mga kababayan na may sakit. Kahit puno na nga ang ospital, at wala nang kwarto o kamang mahigaan, wala ho silang ibang magawa kundi ang sumiksik."

"Minsan pinagsasama-sama pa ang ilang mga pasyente sa isang kwarto o kaya naman minsan pati sa corridor ng ospital may nakaratay na pasyente," he added.

Go lamented this less than ideal situation in public hospitals, saying, "Having patients in close proximity to each other and having them lie on halls or corridors is not only unhygienic and unhealthy, it is also very cruel and inhumane to our patients and their families."

"They do not deserve this. Pumunta sila sa ospital para magpa-galing, hindi para maperwisyo at lalong magkasakit," he said.

Go, then, urged his fellow senators to support the measures which press for the improvement and provision of better facilities to government hospitals.

"It is our duty as legislators to enact measures that would help address the lack of appropriate facilities, hospital beds and equipment in our government hospitals," Go said.

"The improvement of our health facilities is necessary for us to effectively combat the diseases and successfully achieve our goal of Universal Health Care in our country," he added.

Enumerating the list of the hospitals the measures aim to upgrade, Go said, "As the Chairperson of the Committee on Health and Demography, I am sponsoring today measures that have the intention to increase the bed capacity and upgrade the capabilities of our hospitals."

The list includes:

- the Talisay District Hospital in Talisay City, Province of Cebu;
- the Caraga Regional Hospital in Surigao City;
- the Bicol Medical Center in Naga City; and
- the Maria L. Eleazar District Hospital in the Municipality of Tagkawayan, Province of Quezon.

Ending his speech, Go expressed the urgent need for the passage of the hospital bills.

"Let us not wait for our country to be in a health crisis before we act to improve the facilities and enhance the capabilities of our hospitals," he said.

"Our people and our communities need them now and they need them immediately," he ended.

Go has been steadfast in pushing for better health care services in the country. In his previous statements, the Senator said, "Ibigay natin sa Pilipino ang mabilis, maayos at maaasahang serbisyo, lalo na pagdating sa pangangailang pangkalusugan."

"As I have said many times, pera nila ito, ibalik sa kanila sa pamamagitan ng mabilis, maayos, at maaasahang serbisyo mula sa gobyernong may malasakit," he added.



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Delivered by Hon. Win Gatchalian, Senator of the Republic:

Mr. President, peers in the Senate, good EVENING. On March 14, 2017, the Senate voted to ratify the Paris Agreement, an ambitious multilateral convention which seeks to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide by 2030. The Philippines made one of the most determined declarations among all countries under the Paris Agreement when we undertook to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030. During remarks delivered on the floor in favor of ratification, this representation noted that our ability to make good on this lofty promise would be contingent upon the accessibility of new technologies to reduce emissions in an economically responsible manner.

Mr. President, the bill we are sponsoring today will increase accessibility and economic viability of a key emerging technology which will help the Philippines meet its emissions reduction goals: the electric vehicle, or EV for short. Before I discuss the salient features of Senate Bill No. 1382, otherwise known as the Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations Act, LET me to provide some data on the great potential of EVs in reducing Philippine greenhouse gas emissions, fostering greater energy independence for our country, and providing economic savings for industry and households.

According to the Department of Energy, the Philippines imported an estimated 97 percent of the total crude supply in 2019, with the first half of the year showing 74 percent being imported from the Middle East alone. This means we are almost completely dependent on foreign powers to fuel the day-to-day workings of our economy, including even the act of getting to and from the office daily. The transport sector in fact accounts for the largest share in the total final energy consumption at 35 percent, 88 percent of which is for road transport. This share is expected to increase given the increasing number of motor vehicles in the country. In 2014, the Land Transportation Office estimates that there were 8 million registered motor vehicles including motorcycles in the country. Assuming a ten percent increase every year, the Department of Energy estimates that the number will go up to over 90 million by 2040.

The dominance of fossil fuel-powered vehicles in the Philippine market has had severe repercussions for the environment. The transport sector is the second highest contributor to the Philippines' greenhouse gas emissions in 2016 at 31.6 percent. Overall, motor vehicles in the country released 34.7 million tons of CO2 equivalent into the environment in the year 2016 alone. Based on the current trajectory of Philippine greenhouse gas emissions, we will not be able to reduce emissions by 70 percent, let alone by 0.1 percent, from now until 2030. Instead, we are looking at an approximate 150 percent increase in emissions, to around 250 million tons of CO2 equivalent per annum by 2030, with the transport sector having an annual average growth rate of 5.3%. Despite all of this, however, EVs represent a miniscule share of the Philippine market. Only 0.3% of the country's transport energy demand is serviced by electricity. Then again, this is not surprising considering that according to the 2014 data of the Philippine Statistics Authority, there are only 145 light electric vehicles in the country compared to 1.9 million diesel and 6.1 million gasoline vehicles.

The tiny market share of EVs in the Philippines can be attributed to two main reasons. The first is that electric vehicles - whether battery electric vehicles, hybrid-electric vehicles, or plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles - are significantly more expensive than internal combustion engine or ICE vehicles running on gasoline or diesel. A comparative cost analysis of ICE vehicles and their EV equivalents in the Philippine Electric Vehicle Policy Analysis Report shows that battery EV small car models cost between 1.08 to more than 2 times that of their ICE vehicle counterparts. Meanwhile, the PHP 1.6 million cost of an electric jeepney is roughly twice the cost of the standard diesel jeepneys which currently service the majority of PUV routes. The second reason is the lack of a national infrastructure of charging stations for electric vehicles. This makes it impractical for individuals to invest in EVs, and impossible for businesses to transition to heavy EVs for industrial long-haul purposes.

Mr. President, the Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations Act seeks to address these barriers head-on by establishing a national policy framework to mainstream the use of EVs in the private and public sectors. This legislation outlines policies to spur demand generation for and industry development of EVs.

To facilitate practical and convenient use of EVs, gasoline stations nationwide will be required to provide space for the installation of charging stations. These charging stations will be run by the owners of the gasoline stations themselves or by third party service providers. Additionally, all public and private buildings constructed after the effective of this Act shall be required to designate dedicated parking slots for the exclusive use of EVs. These parking slots will double as charging stations to further widen the nationwide network of charging stations. Furthermore, the bill mandates large industrial and commercial companies, public transport operators, and government agencies and instrumentalities to adopt a minimum 5 percent share of EVs within their respective fleets. Local government units are also tasked to create green routes for electrified public utility vehicle fleets.

To parry the high cost of EVs until its eventual parity with ICE vehicles, fiscal and non-fiscal incentives are provided for the importation, utilization, and manufacture of EVs. This includes a 9-year exemption from value-added tax, customs duties, and discounts on the Motor Vehicle User's Charge as well as expedited registration procedures for EV users. Moreover, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Board of Investments are mandated to establish a time-bound, targeted, performance-based, and transparent EV incentive strategy to attract EV and EV parts manufacturing.

This bill also provides a whole-of-government approach to the development of the EV sector through first, the creation of a Comprehensive EV Roadmap to be undertaken primarily by the DOE together with the DOTR, DTI, BOI, and DOST, and second, the assignment of specific duties and responsibilities for these agencies including ERC, DENR, DPWH, and the LGUs to guarantee the law's effective implementation. This synergistic government policy framework will ensure that all aspects of the EV policy will be formulated and implemented by the most capable agency for that purpose.

If implemented correctly, Mr. President, we estimate that the electrification of the Philippine fleet of vehicles could end up reducing oil consumption in the country by as much as 146.56 million barrels per year. This would create savings of 9.8 billion dollars of 490 billion pesos per year. Essentially, this bill is good for the environment and good for our wallets too.

Considering the seismic environmental and economic implications of this bill, Mr. President, I join the honorable co-authors of this legislation, namely Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Senator Kiko Pangilinan, Senator Migz Zubiri, Senator Manny Pacquiao, Senator Grace Poe, and Senator Koko Pimentel in sponsoring this measure and urging the chamber to approve the same. Thank you, Mr. President.



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Senator Win Gatchalian expressed optimism that the Electric Vehicles and Charging Station Act may help reduce oil consumption in the country by as much as 146.56 million barrels per year and create a US$9.8 billion savings or ₱490 billion per year, if implemented correctly.

The measure seeks to require private and public buildings and establishments to have dedicated parking slots with charging stations, installed by charging station service providers, and for gasoline stations to have a dedicated space for charging stations as well. It also mandates large industrial and commercial companies, public transport operators, and government agencies and instrumentalities to adopt a minimum 5% share electric vehicles (EVs) within their respective fleets.

Gatchalian is sponsoring the measure to further promote and adopt electric vehicles (EV) in the country, which he says will help reduce Philippine greenhouse gas emissions and foster greater energy independence.

Currently, the transport sector is the biggest contributor to the country's total energy consumption at 35 percent, 88 percent of which is for road transport.

Data provided by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) showed that 8,039,233 out of 8,081,224 motor vehicles in the country or 99.48 percent were run by diesel and gasoline in 2014. In contrast, there were only 145 units of electric vehicles in the country in the same period.

The senator attributed the low market share of EVs in the Philippines to its expensive price compared with vehicles running on gasoline or diesel and the lack of a national infrastructure of charging stations for EV.

The dominance of fossil fuel-powered vehicles made the country's transport sector the second highest contributor to the country's greenhouse emissions at 31.6%, according to Gatchalian. It is estimated that the overall Philippine motor vehicles released 34.7 million tons of CO2 equivalent into the environment in the year 2016 alone.

"The bill we are sponsoring today will increase accessibility and economic viability of a key emerging technology which will help the Philippines meet its emissions reduction goals: the electric vehicle, or EV. Essentially, this bill is good for the environment and good for our wallets too", said Gatchalian who chairs the Senate Energy Committee.

Gatchalian's bill number 1382 seeks to address the challenges in the development of the electric vehicle industry by mandating the creation of a comprehensive roadmap for Electric Vehicles to be undertaken primarily by the DOE together with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Bureau of Investments (BOI), and Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

To parry the high cost of EVs until its eventual parity with internal combustion engine vehicles, the bill provides fiscal and non-fiscal incentives are provided for the importation, utilization, and manufacture of EVs. This includes a 9-year exemption from value-added tax, customs duties, and discounts on the Motor Vehicle User's Charge as well as expedited registration procedures for EV users.



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Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has warned that the continued presence of Chinese gambling firms will do more harm than good not only to the economy of the country but also to the moral, social and cultural norms that Filipinos have kept sacred.

De Lima said the country's opening to these Chinese gambling firms, also known as Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), signifies not only the Duterte administration's pivot to China but also its transformation into a Chinese satellite

"The opening of the Philippines to Chinese POGOs signifies an aspect of this Duterte-sponsored Chinese invasion that erodes our moral, social, and cultural fabric'' she said in her handwritten Dispatch from Crame No. 725. . "The POGOs of China's triads are fast transforming our society into a cesspool of vice and criminality for Chinese citizens," she added, mindful of the increase of crimes involving Chinese nationals in the country, especially among POGO workers.

In its recent inquiry, the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, exposed a new money-making scheme that allows the entry of Chinese nationals in the country in exchange of PhP 10,000 each.

It also unearthed the proliferation of sex dens involving local and foreign women who are being forced into prostitution dens to cater to Chinese nationals working in POGO companies.

"As in the case of the Chinese COVID-19 virus, if not more so, we must, in all seriousness and determination, deal with the Chinese POGOs. The POGOs are the virus which will gradually, but definitely kill our communities," De Lima said.

"It is about time we face this Chinese threat head-on. Before it is too late," she added

According to the lady Senator from Bicol, these POGOs now represent a national threat both to the country's national security and stability as a society.

"In so many ways, the Chinese triad POGOs represent a danger more alarming than marauding divisions of the People's Liberation Army because rather than invade us from the outside," she said,

"POGOs are corroding our social fabric from the inside, much like how the Chinese COVID-19 virus destroys its host from the inside," she added.

De Lima, who chairs the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, had earlier warned that the establishment of what she called as "Pogo Island" in Kawit, Cavite and in other parts of the country could be the beginning of a creeping Chinese invasion.

During the 17th Congress, De Lima filed Senate Resolution 751 to investigate the surge of Chinese workers in the Philippines, notably in the POGO industry, which steals the jobs from Filipinos and rakes up the prices of real estate properties in the country.

She also asked her Senate colleagues through Senate Resolution 1030 to look into the reported failure of POGO firms to comply with government regulations on foreign workers, notably in paying appropriate personal income taxes.

Under SR 1030, De Lima had maintained that the government's failure to register and regulate POGO firms and their workers in the country could lead to serious issues, including those of criminality, national security, and possible abuse of Filipinos by undocumented foreign nationals.



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"I've been In the senate for over six years, and Congress since 1998. There are certain bills, actions, issues that need a conscience vote. On these issues You want to be a statesman, you want to protect the institution you represent. And, particularly I'm proud to be a Senator. I was also proud to be a member of the House of Representatives. And, there are issues that we need to protect these institutions; to assert our right as a co-equal branch of government.

And, where we could stand above the fray, ika nga. This is what separates us from local politics. We are voted by 20 million Filipinos. And those who voted for us are from both sides of the camp, opposition or administration, they vote for us

So, this here is an issue. This is one of them. When the Senate rejected the US bases in 1991, I was in college. I remember clearly the 12 Senators who voted not to renew the stay of the US bases here. As a UP student, I was very proud of that. I was very proud that we asserted our power over our sovereignty, So these are the times, that we want to protect the institution. I saw them (12 Senators), nainggit ako sa kanila.

When you enter the Senate, it is altogether a different story. I've been in the House, my priority were my constituents. When I got to the Senate, your priority, for me, Mr. President, is the Republic, and, all those who had voted for us.

I hope walang samaan ng loob pagkaganito. This is a conscience vote. Party lines may be different when we discuss the budget. Obviously, when the President is asking for the budget, we as members of the alliance will support the President on his budget 100 percent. When it comes to tax measures that he is asking, we have delivered on TRAIN. We are now discussing CITIRA after this, so that we can support the President's agenda when it comes to revenue generation measures, tax measures and the budget. So, yun lang po. Sana huwag tayo magka samaan ng loob, dahil ito po, para sa amin, ay para sa institusyon.

My vote is not against the President but to protect our institution on future questions that may arise on futu



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Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri urged Malacañang to call on Balik-Scientists, vets to face off African Swine Fever in the Philippines.

"We have to save the livelihood of our hog raisers, both large-scale and backyard; especially the backyard hograisers. For many years, we have had the lowest hoof and mouth disease. We controlled Avian Flu and it failed to decimate our poultry industry. We are one of the preferred sources of pork and poultry by countries who had high standards like Japan.

That's why I'm aghast at how ASF is destroying our hograisers. Together with the Agriculture Committee chaired by Sen. Villar, I have warned that the importation of pork meat, offals and processed products should stop. Evidently, the concerned agencies were powerless against importers added to smugglers who cared for nothing else but their profits.

I understand that our porous borders opened our hograisers to attack with imports driving down farmgate prices. Now we witness how they're succumbing to mandatory culling meaning they lose present stock and need a lot of capital to restart.

Since the disease is already here decimating the industry, I urge Malacañang to call as many Filipino scientists and veterinarians back to the country. Many of them occupy high positions in the World Organization for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Office of the United Nations.

I also recognize the various task forces organized by Agricuture Sec. William Dar who is assisted by the private sector. Still, we have to more than double our manpower, equipment and financial resources to address ASF until the whole of the Philippines is declared ASF- free.

Pork-eating Filipinos should feel safe eating pork without the lingering fear that they're eating diseased meat. Our hograisers should regain their lost livelihoods from Benguet to Davao as all our islands register ASF infection. I urge government to invite all Balik-Scientists who hold the key in beefing up efforts to combat ASF," stressed Sen. Migz Zubiri , who studied Agri-business and holds a Master's Degree on Environment & Natural Resources at the University of the Philippines.



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Majority of senators on Monday voted in favour of adopting a resolution asking the Supreme Court to rule whether or not the Senate must concur in the abrogation of a treaty that was previously concurred in by the upper chamber.

Twelve senators voted to adopt Resolution No. 337 sponsored by Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III while seven abstained.

No negative vote was cast.

Those who abstained were Senators Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, Imee Marcos, Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, Bong Revilla, Francis "Tol" Tolentino and Cynthia Villar.

The resolution co-sponsored by Senators Panfilo Lacson, Richard Gordon, Majority Leader Migz Zubiri and Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon was supported by Senators Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, Risa Hontiveros, Manuel "Lito" Lapid, Francis Pangilinan, Joel Villanueva and Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto.

In presenting the resolution on the floor, Sotto emphasized the need to clarify the question of law citing the grey area in the 1987 Constitution on matters concerning the termination of a treaty.

"We want clarity and I hope that once and for all the honourable SC could shed light on this purely question of law," Sotto said in his speech.

Section 21, Article 7 of the 1987 Constitution provides, "no treaty or international agreement shall be valid and effective unless concurred in by at least two-thirds of all the members of the Senate."

On the other hand, Section 25, Article 18 of the 1987 Constitution states, "after the expiration in 1991 of the agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America concerning military bases, foreign military bases, troops or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty, duly concurred in by the Senate and when the Congress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referendum held for that purpose and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State."

"Although it is clear from the provisions of the 1987 Constitution that the concurrence of at least two-thirds of all the members is necessary for a validity of a treaty or international agreement, there is obviously a lacuna legis or an absence of an explicit provision in the 1987 Constitution as to whether or not the concurrence of the Senate is necessary for the termination of any treaty earlier concurred in by the Body," Sotto said.

The Senate President further emphasized that the resolution does not seek to question the decision of the Executive to withdraw from the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States government or from being a signatory to the Rome Statute creating the International Criminal Court (ICC).

"The resolution simply seeks to find out if the power to ratify carries with it the power to concur in abrogation," Sotto said underscoring the Executive's and the Legislative's shared competency on treaty-making.

The question being raised, Sotto said, involves an issue of transcendental importance that impacts on the country's constitutional checks and balances.

"It presents a constitutional issue that seriously affects the country's legal system as well as the country's relations with the international community," he said.

"I respectfully adhere to the rule that the President of the Philippines is the sole representative of our country in foreign affairs and I do not intend to go against the tide. I just want clarity," said Sotto



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My esteemed colleagues thank you very much. Thank you to the chairman of the Committee on Rules and the Majority Floor Leader for calling this very important sense of the Senate.

Mr President, Section 21, Article 7 of the 1987 Constitution provides, "no treaty or international agreement shall be valid and effective unless concurred in by at least two-thirds of all the members of the Senate. On the other hand, Section 25, Article 18 of the 1987 Constitution states and I quote, "after the expiration in 1991 of the agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America concerning military bases, foreign military bases, troops, or facilities, shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and when the Congress so requires when ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referendum held for that purpose and recognized as a treaty, by the other contracting state."

Mr. President, although it is clear in the provisions of the 1987 Constitution that the concurrence of at least two-thirds of all the members of the Senate is necessary for the validity of a treaty or international agreement, there is obviously a lacuna legis, or an absence of an explicit provision in the 1987 Constitution as to whether or not the concurrence of the Senate is necessary for the termination of any treaty earlier concurred in by the body.

Now, it involves important constitutional questions brought about by the Executive's withdrawal from an agreement or a treaty like the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) as well as the earlier Rome Statute creating the International Criminal Court (ICC) which affect the core of the Constitutional mechanism of checks and balances.

The resolution before us now, Mr. Senate President, does not question any of the two issues of the issue on the ICC or the VFA. The resolution simple seeks to find out if the power to ratify carries with it the power to concur in abrogation. Remember, there is no treaty if we do not ratify.

Mr. President, the Executive and the Legislative branches of government have a shared competency on treaty-making, so it is the submission of this representation and many other members of the Senate, that the concurrence of the Senate is necessary not only to accede to a treaty, but also to its abrogation, a theory which is in adherence to the mirror principle.

This question being raised by this representation involves an issue of transcendental importance that impacts on the country's constitutional checks and balances. It presents a constitutional issue that seriously affects the country's legal system as well as the country's relations in the international community.

The honourable Supreme Court ruled in Tañada versus Saguisag, the power to concur in a treaty or an international agreement is an institutional prerogative granted by the Constitution to the Senate. Thus, any member of the Senate has standing to question before his honourable court the impairment of this institutional prerogative.

Now, Mr. President, as earlier manifested by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on the ABS CBN franchise that "when there is a gap in the law, equity comes in to fill in the gap." Now, since there is a gap in the law in this case, maybe the same principle can be adopted.

There is also the emerging view which has been known as the "act de contraire" theory. Simply stated, it posits that when a Constitution requires parliamentary or legislative approval for treaties subject to ratification, it likewise, by implication, requires the consent the parliament or the legislature to withdraw from such treaties.

Mr. President, I respectfully adhere to the rule that yes, the President of the Philippines is the sole representative of our country in foreign affairs and I do not intend to go against the tide. I just want clarity. We want clarity, and I hope that once and for all, the honourable Supreme Court shed light on this purely question of law.

So, Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to adopt a resolution, this resolution respectfully asking the Supreme Court to rule on whether or not the concurrence of the Senate is necessary in the abrogation of a treaty previously concurred in by the Senate.

We ask that our colleagues be part of the Senate as it is, a Senate of the people.

Thank you, Mr. President.



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On the abrogation of the VFA

SP Sotto: ...Constitution on the issue of abrogation.

Q: Ano ito, joint or concurrent resolution?

SP Sotto: It's a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate. If it is approved tonight, and hopefully it will, we will incorporate it in the petition that we will be filing, most probably tomorrow, if we (unclear) to file the petition tonight.

Q: Why is there a need to file a new resolution? Bakit hindi na lang yung kay Senator Drilon?

SP Sotto: Medyo merong mga issues kasi yung committee on foreign relations about the contents of the (unclear). Very specific kasi yung issues kasi doon concerning the ICC (unclear) statute so medyo the chairman of the foreign relations committee was still trying to get the pulse of his members. Therefore, I talked to him today, this morning actually, together with Senator Lacson, sinabi ko sa kanya, kung ganoon, medyo matatagalan kayo, magfifile na ako ng resolution today to finally ask the Supreme Court to vote. Sabi niya pagusapan daw namin ngayon. Hindi kailangan ng committee report because my resolution will be referred to the committee on rules and the committee on rules is empowered to call into plenary right away any resolution, bill or whatever is filed in its jurisdiction.

Q: May commitment na to adopt yung chamber?

SP Sotto: We will find out later, I cannot predict. I will sponsor it personally.

Q: Yung resolution ninyo, generic siya?

SP Sotto: Yes, generic.

Q: Walang laman na ICC...?

SP Sotto: Wala, generic lang.

Q: For future policy?

SP Sotto: Yes, it simply wants to ask the Supreme Court to agree or disagree with the assertion of the Senate that any abrogation, when we are empowered to ratify, there is no treaty without the ratification of the Senate. Therefore, an abrogation, we believe, majority of us, most of us believe, that it should be also concurred in by the Senate.

Q: If the resolution is passed, it will be given more weight by the Supreme Court?

SP Sotto: I hope so. I think so.

Q: (Unclear)

SP Sotto: Yes, it will be attached.

Q: Hindi po ba it's questioning the decision of the President?

SP Sotto: No, not at all.

Q: Pero may ganoong naging concern ba, baka mahurt si Presidente that you had to file a new resolution?

SP Sotto: You better ask the others, I have no idea concerning...

Q: Yung petition, sino ang magiging petitioner? Buong Senate or select people lang?

SP Sotto: If it is approved by the body, then we can use the resolution as part of the petition, then it will be the Senate.

Q: Target pa rin to file this week?

SP Sotto: Hopefully tomorrow, if we can finish it tonight. At the latest, perhaps Wednesday.

Q: Kayo personally ang magfifile?

SP Sotto: Most probably kami personally. I will ask Senator Lacson, Senator Drilon, and whoever would like to join us.

Q: There is this allegation or pronouncement by Senator Gordon about the so-called Chinese workers, na parang may information siya na papunta na siya sa national security issue aside from the usual POGO trafficking?

SP Sotto: I think it is but proper for the committee to look into it, or probably the committee on justice to look into the matter because this might also involve the issue on money laundering.

Q: Do you share the concern (unclear)?

SP Sotto: Of course.

Q: (Unclear) pinababayaan?

SP Sotto: Yes, hindi lang pinababayaan, ano ba ito, nagviviolate ng anti-money laundering laws natin, di ba? Are these funds registered? Are they declared? I don't know.

Q: There is this espionage theory pa...ginagamit daw yung POGO using the law of China?

SP Sotto: Teka muna, masyadong maraming issues pa na hindi natin masiguro kung totoo (unclear).

Q: But it is worth looking into?

SP Sotto: It is all worth looking into. Always. Mabuti na yung tinitingnan natin. So kung balewala naman yun, then we will brush it aside, but if it is true then we must act accordingly.

Q: (Unclear) another group of senators are filing a concurrent resolution for ABS CBN, this time up to June 30, 2022 ang gusto nilang provisional authority, the end of the 18th Congress.

SP Sotto: We can talk about it, I am sure.

Q: Pero kayo, pabor ka ba sa provisional authority?

SP Sotto: I'd rather discuss it with the rest muna before I come up with my (unclear). Delicadeza dictates that I do not react muna.

Q: But there is no discouragement to refer it to the appropriate committee?

SP Sotto: It is going to be referred. It will be referred to the proper committee. Baka sa public services (unclear).



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Mr. President, if we pass this resolution, Senate Resolution 337, it will therefore authorize the Senate President to bring the case before the Supreme Court.

Just to clarify, Mr. President, for the record, it is incorrect to say that this is the first time that such a case or the Senate would have brought a case before the Supreme Court involving the Executive Department.

Mr. President, I was chairman of the Committee on Rules when the EO 464 petition, Mr. President, was brought before the Supreme Court. I was Majority Leader then and I remember -- I recall we even designated Sen. Joker Arroyo as one who would represent and argue before the Supreme Court.

Mr. President, EO 464 was the Executive Order of President Gloria Arroyo prohibiting or banning or preventing cabinet officials, military personnel from appearing before the Senate in its exercise of legislative functions without the President's approval. And we felt this is an encroachment on the Senate as a legislative body in terms of being able to do its work. So that's not the first time, Mr. President. We've done this before.

And I share the view of the Senate President, Mr. President, that the comparison with the Commission on Appointments would be, I believe, comparing apples and oranges. The CA is a separate body. It does not exercise legislative functions. It is a check on the Executive Department's power of appointment. So, this is not the power to ratify treaties. This is not about -- I mean the CA function is not about legislation but in this case, Mr. President, it is the exercise of our power to ratify treaties and our exercise of legislative powers, Mr. President, that are an issue in terms of Senate Resolution 337.

For the record, Mr. President.



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"Bistong-bisto na, pero deny pa!" This was the remark of Senator Risa Hontiveros as officials of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) linked to the 'pastillas' scam denied their involvement and knowledge.

Former BI Deputy Commissioner Marc Red Mariñas, whose name was mentioned by whistleblower Alex Chiong, denied he knew of the easy entry of Chinese nationals arriving in the country to work for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGO, in exchange for grease money.

"Tama na ang palusot niyo. Stop the excuses", Hontiveros said in exasperation during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Women and Children on Monday.

Nepotism

Hontiveros was also alarmed that Marc Red and his father, Maynardo Mariñas were appointed to key positions within the Bureau.

"Hindi ba nakakabahala na mag-ama ang nangangasiwa ng review, assessment and preparation ng VUA?" Hontiveros asked. Marc Red was appointed head of the Port Operations Division (POD) on July 2016 by then Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre.

His father, Maynard, was appointed as head of the Special Operations Communications Unit (SOCU).

The senator pointed out that easy entry of Chinese nationals were facilitated by the Department Circular 041 issued by the former Justice Secretary granting the POD and SOCU the power to review, assess and prepare orders on all requests for issuance of Visa Upon Arrival (VUA) in 2017. "Our border control was bought off by Chinese money, and no less than our government officials had a hand in them. Mga mag-ama, magkakaibigan, magkakatropa," Hontiveros further remarked.

"There was, from the outset, conflict of interest," the Senator said of the strategic appointment of the father-son duo.

Discrepancies in the SALN

Hontiveros was also skeptical about Marc Red's ability to finance a political campaign in 2018-19 when he ran as Mayor of Muntinlupa. "Salary grade 13 pero tumatakbong Mayor?," Hontiveros expressed in disbelief.

The Senator also took exception of the younger Mariñas' failure to file his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth [SALN] from 2014-16 and in 2018. "Twenty-four thousand pesos monthly ang sahod pero may mahigit limang milyong pisong net worth?" she also asked, referring to his 2017 SALN. On a similar note, Marc Red's assistant and security guard Fidel Mendoza registered a 7.8 million-peso net worth in his 2018 SALN, despite a salary of 11,000 pesos monthly (salary grade 5).

"Nawawalang SALN, mga net worth na hindi katumbas ng Salary Grade. Hindi na ito bago. Classic korap moves ito", Hontiveros said.

Threat to national security

Apart from bringing reforms to the BI, Hontiveros stood on her earlier call for a crackdown on all illegal POGO operations in the country. The Senator also said that an immediate suspension of all POGO operations must be done. "POGO is already a threat to our national security. It is a threat to our women. It is a threat to our children," Hontiveros remarked.

"Natatakot na ang mga kababayan natin kasi nakikita nila sa sa paligid na parang nasa peligro sila dahil dito sa POGO. Nararapat lang na i-suspend na ito kasi national security threat ito," she concluded.



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'Yung mga kababayan natin natatakot. Ako rin natatakot. Kasi nakikita natin sa paligid natin na parang nasa peligro na ang seguridad natin dala nitong POGO.

Our border control was bought off by Chinese money, and no less than our government officials had a hand in that. Mga mag-ama, magkakaibigan, magkakatropa.

Napalakas ito sa isang DOJ circular noong panahon ni dating Sec. Aguirre na nagpabilis ng pagpasok ng mga Chinese nationals sa bansa at sa pagpapalakas ng posisyon ng kanyang mga tauhan sa loob ng Bureau of Immigration.

Salary Grade 13, around P24,000 monthly, pero nakakatakbong mayor at may net worth na 5 milyong piso? Staff assistant o security guard, may net worth na 7 milyong piso?

Nawawalang SALN, mga net worth na hindi katumbas ng Salary Grade. Hindi na ito bago. Classic korap moves ito. Bistong-bisto na pero deny pa, nag-mamaang-maangan pa.

I know you are covering for each other right now. Nakakagalit na may excuses pa kayo na hiding behind technicalities pero tama na ang mga palusot niyo. Wala kayong niloloko. Video na 'yan, may viber screenshots pa, hindi ang mga 'yan nagsisinungaling -- ang mga video at mga shots. May "he said, he said" pero mas paniniwalaan ko ang may ebidensiya at 'yung tumetestigo na naglalagay ng sarili niya sa panganib.

Nakailang banggit din ang pangalan ni Sec. Aguirre ngayong araw. Ano ang kanyang pananagutan, kung mayroon, at ano ang extent ng nalalaman tungkol dito sa 'pastillas' scam? I, and I'm not alone, want to know his involvement in all these. Ipatatawag natin si Sec. Aguirre sa susunod na hearing para magpaliwanag.

Pero ang mas nakadidismaya dito ay alam na nila ang modus na ito last year pa, pero ang mga sangkot ay nilipat-lipat lang at hindi naman talaga tinanggal sa puwesto. Ongoing theme ang pag-recycle ng mga opisyal at hindi napapanagot sa batas. Talagang may kapit itong mga opisyal ng BI na ito, kumita ng milyun-milyon.

At ano ang epekto? Paglago ng mga prostitution rings sa bansa catering to Chinese nationals, kaliwa't kanang human trafficking at labor violations, pagkakaroon ng real estate bubble, kidnapping, money laundering, at kamakailan lang, assassination sa ating pampublikong lugar.

Like many, if not most of you, I want to reform the BI. Like what the Bureau of Immigration is sworn to do, I want to secure our borders. I want the Filipinos to feel secure na hindi nakakapasok ang mga criminal elements na nambibiktima ng mga kababaihan at nambibiktima ng mga bata.

Dahil sa mga reports na ginagamit ang POGO bilang channel ng mga Chinese spies at sa iba't-iba pang krimen na dala nito, hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit di pa sinususpend ang operation nito sa bansa.

POGO is threat to our national security.

POGO is a threat to our women.

POGO is a threat to our children.



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At the onset, the Committee on Women had a simple objective: get to the bottom of the rising cases of POGO-related prostitution and human trafficking. Ngunit, habang lumalalim ang imbestigasyon, madami ang nauungkat. Nagtiwala sa atin ang mga witness at whistleblower na ibahagi ang kanilang mga nalalaman. Lumalabas ang iba't ibang pangalan at ang pagkasangkot ng iba't ibang mga opisyal ng pamahalaan.

This committee will let the axe fall where it may. And amidst it all, it will be guided by its mandate to protect women and children, particularly those in vulnerable circumstances. If you profit from the abuse of women and children, if you allow our borders to be penetrated by those who hurt women and children, no matter who you are and how powerful you are, that axe will fall on you. Hindi ko kayo aatrasan.

Hindi ko na po patatagalin because we have a lot to cover. I call the committee secretary to enumerate the names of our resource persons, including those the committee has subpoenaed, and to administer the oath to those who are here for the first time.



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Malayo na ang narating ng Pilipina: naging CEO ng kumpanya, pangulo, weightlifting champion, doktor, ina, Miss Universe, at iba pa.

Ngunit sa bawat tagumpay natin, marami pa rin ang hindi makapag-aral, hindi makapagtrabaho, binabastos, sinasaktan, pinatatahimik -- dahil mismo babae sila. Hindi kaila sa atin na sa bawat tagumpay ng Pilipina, sa kabuuan ay may sistemang pilit pa rin tayong ikinukulong at pinagkakaitan.

Ngayong Buwan ng Kababaihan, tuloy ang ating laban para sa karapatan, kaunlaran, at pangarap ng mga Pilipina.

Ang bawat Pilipinang namumulat ay may responsibilidad na magmulat din ng iba.

Ang bawat Pilipinang nagtatagumpay ay may obligasyong isulong ang tagumpay ng iba.

Sa mga kapwa ko Pilipina, tinatahak natin ang daang pinangahasan ng mga nauna satin, upang tayo rin ay mangahas para sa mga susunod sa atin.

Sa panahong pilit tayong hinahati at pinaghihiwalay, walang makakapagbuklod sa atin kundi tayo-tayo rin.

Sa simula't sa huli, Pilipina ang bubuhat sa kapwa Pilipina.



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Thank you, Mr. President.

I abstain from voting on proposed Resolution No. 337.

First, let me reiterate my position that as Chief Executive and Chief Architect of our foreign policy, it is within the President's power and prerogative to cause the review and termination of treaties taking into consideration the welfare of our nation.

Second, there are pending cases before the Supreme Court tackling the issue of whether or not Senate concurrence is necessary in terminating or withdrawing from a treaty. I believe that as a co-equal branch of the government, the Senate must not dictate upon the Supreme Court as to how and when to do its job.



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Senator Win Gatchalian expresses opposition to the proposed repeal of the 2% special tax rate for microfinance non-government organizations under the Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act (PIFITA), the fourth tranche of the Department of Finance's (DoF) comprehensive tax reform program.

Gatchalian says microfinance NGOs have been instrumental in providing low-interest, no collateral loans to poor vendors and other micro businesses and warns that to ensure their sustainability, any additional tax burden might be passed on to poor families and they may resort back to the "five-six" lending of loan sharks.

Currently, the savings from the 2% preferential tax rate allow microfinance NGOs to continue to provide financial and community services to their clients or program members.

"My fear is that if we impose a higher tax on this group, this is in effect a pass on cost and this will affect 6.5 million micro entrepreneurs across the country," the senator said in the previous Senate committee hearings.

"I can see a disenfranchisement of these micro-entrepreneurs. More so, they will be pushed to the informal sector, which is the "five-six" lending methodology. Some of them will just go to loan sharks. We don't want this to happen. What we want is to promote entrepreneurship all the way down to the grassroots level, provide legitimate financing for them and help these micro-entrepreneurs to somehow grow into medium size," he explained.

Sharing the Valenzuela experience, Gatchalian explains that the city provides funds to microfinance organizations which, in turn, lend money to small entrepreneurs. He said the payment rate is around 95 to 98 percent if borrowers take loans from microfinance operators instead of the borrowers getting it directly from the government.

Data from the Department of Trade and Industry show that there are a total of 1,003,111 business enterprises operating in the country as of 2018. Of these, 998,342 (99.52%) are MSMEs and 4,769 (0.48%) are large enterprises. Micro enterprises constitute 88.45% (887,272) of total MSME establishments, followed by small enterprises at 10.58% (106,175) and medium enterprises at 0.49% (4,895).

With barely two weeks before Congress goes on a break, the said tax measure is still being deliberated at the Senate committee level. The 18th Congress is working to pass all the remaining tax reform packages to meet the year-end target of the DOF.



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Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has called on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to make a strong stance against Mr. Duterte's treasonous foreign policy of subservience and the surrender of the country's sovereign rights to China.

De Lima said she is astounded at how the AFP has not minced a word at Duterte's recent "most treasonous statements" that if the Philippines cannot be self-reliant, it should choose between a United States territory or a Chinese province.

"It is astounding how the most treasonous of statements coming from the President himself can be made on national media without the Malacanang-payrolled AFP brass batting an eyelash," she said in her recent Dispatch from Crame 726.

"But Duterte's policy of subservience and surrender to China, without China having to fire a single shot, is high treason, plain and simple. We do not need our AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) generals to tell us that,"

Last Feb. 26, Duterte declared that the Philippines should opt either to be a United States territory or a Chinese province if it cannot defend its territory as he defended anew his decision to end the US-RP Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

His spokesman, Salvador Panelo, hinted that the Duterte administration might also dissolve the existing 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the US.

De Lima, however, put to task the AFP to defend the territorial integrity of the country under the 1987 Constitution and stop tolerating Duterte's kowtowing to Beijing and remaining tight-lipped when he goes on-air with treasonous vitriol.

"The generals not telling us that Duterte's actions smack of treason does not make said actions any less treasonous, it only makes the generals accomplices to his treason," she said.

"The AFP is the protector of the people and the defender of our country's territorial integrity.That it has all but become an accomplice in Duterte's treason by silence, acquiescence, or even affirmation by continuing to receive wads of cash in monthly payola in exchange for shutting their mouths is already a testament to their own role in this administration's capitulation to China," she added.

According to the lady Senator from Bicol, the Filipino people should also step up in ending what she referred to as "treasonous buffet" by exercising their right to self-determination, especially in the next presidential elections in 2022, by voting for leaders who will "uphold the Constitution and defend the nation". "But more than all these, it is public opinion that is crucial in ending this treasonous buffet in our highest executive and defense offices. As long as Duterte remains popular, we are all party to this treason," she pointed out.

"Today's Filipino race cannot even be bothered to protest the treason of its officials and reject their surrender to a foreign power. Napakatanga na lang ng sambayanan na sa yugto na ito ng ating kasaysayan, ay Tsina pa ang pipiliin na bagong among pagsisilbihan," she added.



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3/2/20

Last week, my colleagues voted to approve on third reading the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. Had I been there, I would have voted against it.

Here's why.

We have a government that is more intent in suppressing dissent than protecting our people.

I am against terrorism. It is an evil that all of us should oppose with all our might. But vile as it is, there is simply a line that we should not cross. The fight against terrorism should not lead us to grant the government the power to abuse our human rights and civil liberties. Our weapon against terrorists cannot be a weapon against our citizens.

We are now serving under an administration where extrajudicial killings has become the norm, when the only effort against corrupt public officials and law enforcers are limited to transferring them from one office to another, or having them avail of early retirement. We live in a time when prosecuting erring public officials are exceptions, rather than the rule; where policemen and senior prosecutors spend more time pursuing and prosecuting libel and imaginary sedition cases against the political opposition rather than address the injustice committed by corrupt soldiers and policemen.

The word of the day is "lawfare". It is defined as the misuse of legal systems and principles against a perceived enemy, such as by damaging or delegitimizing them, tying up their time, or winning a public relations victory. The term is a portmanteau of the words "law" and "warfare".

I, myself, am a victim of lawfare. Our tyrant-in-chief used the full weight of his office to force the prosecution of a case regardless of a clear absence of any credible proof of any crime involving me. And I am not the only victim of this injustice by lawfare.

If this administration can use our present laws to focus our resources on persecuting dissent, what incentive is there to give our government stronger legal weapons to surveil, attack, and detain people for prolonged periods of time based on barely anything more than mere suspicion?

If plain words from someone like 'Bikoy', who made a career out of lying, and from the heinous crime convicts turned witnesses against me, are enough for this government to sustain criminal cases, imagine the injustice they can cause under the pretense of the war against terrorism.

The failure of our country's war against terrorism will not be due to the laws that we have in place. It will be due to the lack of true leadership from our commander-in-chief. It will be because the administration would rather send a battalion of policemen to arrest opposition leaders charged with libel rather than gather good and solid intelligence against terrorists. It will be caused by corrupt immigration and customs officials who are kept in the service in spite of clear evidence of their malfeasance.

The war against terrorism requires unrelenting efforts not only to locate and neutralize terrorist elements but also to improve the lives of our countrymen who are living in poverty and as such are vulnerable to the influence of these malevolent forces.

If this government is indeed sincere in the fight against terrorism, it must show that it is beyond petty politics and that it is capable of transcending party lines and redirect its attention to good governance. Then it will have earned the privilege of using a stronger and ultimately harsher law against terrorism.

But at a time when the House of Representatives (HoR) can simply sit on the renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise, inspite of clear public support behind it and of the absence of any wrongdoings, we might not have the government worthy of our people's trust. If ABS-CBN, powerful as it is, is in the receiving end of government injustice, how much more will our people suffer with a law like the proposed anti-terrorism measure?

Sa halos apat na taon ng administrasyong ito, nakita natin kung paano baluktutin ang batas para lamang maniil ng mga Filipino. Bakit natin sila bibigyan ng sandata na gagamitin lamang nila laban sa oposisyon at hindi laban sa terorismo?

An assurance from the Senate leadership that the Anti-Terrorism Bill won't be used to suppress dissent and disable or destroy critics and political or ideological enemies is not enough. So-called safeguards in a law won't matter to draconian implementors thereof.



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Mr. President, esteemed colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat:

As Chairman of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, it is my honor to report back to this august chamber the Committee Report on Senate Resolution No. 65 filed by Sen. De Lima and Senate Resolution No. 47" filed by Sen. Hontiveros, both directing the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs to conduct an inquiry on the spate of killings in Negros Island.

When we were but children, Mr. President, we were probably taught this simple rhyme: 'roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you.' Years after, we now find ourselves in this chamber as adults, Mr. President, and we have long learned the lesson taught by life; the sweetness of sugar is, more often than not, bought with the salty sweat of hard labor, of landless farmers, and the bitterness of the heartless elite, of the landed few.

Here in the Philippines, in the Negros Islands in particular, Mr. President, the situation is even worse. Sugar, in its sweetness, seems to have been paid for by the blood of those who are powerless to fight back. But perhaps, we are getting ahead of our story.

Ginoong Pangulo, nabalot ng takot ang isla ng Negros dahil sa sunod-sunod na patayan sa probinsya. Magsasaka, pulis, opisyal ng lokal na pamahalaan, abogado, at masunuring mga mamamayan ang naging biktima ng madugong krimen sa probinsya ng Negros Occidental at Negros Oriental.

Mr. President, I can still remember when I was still the Chief Philippine National Police (PNP), I, together with President Duterte, visited the wake of six police officers and a civilian in Guihulngan City who were killed in an ambush staged by lawless groups. Several police officers were also injured on the same incident - tila wala talagang pinipiling biktima at hindi kumikilala sa batas ang mga nagpapalaganap ng karahasan sa islang ito.

This string of killings struck fear and horror among our kababayans in Negros Island, two provinces known for its vast sugar plantations, unspoiled pristine beaches and historical tourist destinations.

To suppress the lawless violence and acts of terror that taints the precious island, the President, through Memorandum No. 32 issued on November 22, 2018, ordered the deployment of additional forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the PNP in the provinces of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental. In implementing the directives of the President, the Police Regional Office 7 launched the Simultaneous Enhanced Managing of Police's Operations (SEMPO). This was done in collaboration with 302nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army; Philippine Coast Guard - District Central Visayas (PCG-DCV), NAVFORCEN, PN; U3 CENTCOM and MIG43, ISAFP. OPLAN SAURON is a special part of the 13th PRO7 SEMPO and 2nd PRO-wide level dubbed as "Post-Christmas SEMPO." The operations were intended in select areas of Negros Oriental focused in the simultaneous implementation of search warrants against AFP-identified Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) personalities and bearer of loose firearms.

OPLAN Sauron resulted to 27 arrested individuals, 32 targets were neutralized while 6 died in police operation. Also, there were 514 ammunitions, 99 firearms and 12 explosives seized. The OPLAN had a massive effect on the residents of Negros Oriental who were possessing loose firearms. A total of 31 firearms were voluntarily surrendered.

With the continued episodes of killings, OPLAN Sauron 2.0 was implemented. It ran against personalities linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines, New Peoples' Army, and the National Democratic Front, particularly in the towns of Ayungon, Canlaon City, Guihulngan City, Mabinay, Manjuyod, Siaton, Santa Catalina, Tanjay City, and Vallehermoso in the first congressional district of Negros Oriental. There were 16 individuals arrested while 14 died in the police operation during OPLAN Sauron 2.0. Several firearms, explosives and ammunitions were also seized.

Mr. President, despite these government interventions, violence continued in the island. In the month of July 2019 alone, sixteen were murdered including four (4) policemen, a lawyer, a school principal, a barangay captain, a former mayor and a 1year old baby.

Ginoong Pangulo, lumabas sa naging pagdinig ng komite ang isang vigilanteng grupong tinawag na KAGUBAK o Kawsa Guihulnganon Batok Komunista (in tagalog Kilusan ng TagaGuihulngan Laban sa Komunista). This alleged anti-communist group has a "hit list" that targets "suspected NPA sympathizers". The hit list contains 15 names. Unfortunately, 5 of those names have been victims of the recent lawless killing - sunud-sunod na pagkapatay ng mga taong kasama ang pangalan sa naturang listahan.

During the Committee hearing, the Commission on Human Rights in Region 7 also submitted a second 'hit list' containing a different set of names. On the list were eleven (11) barangays in Guihulngan, and thirty-seven (37) names of persons, identified by the list as alleged supporters and symphatizers of the CPP/NPA/NDF. Although most of the names of the list are hardly readable, Mr. President, the Committee was able to identify Romeo Alipan, Barangay Captain of Buenavista, Guihulngan City, as among those named in the list, and is already dead.

Mr. President, we have the responsibility to probe these series of killings and spread of violence for us to craft a policy to ensure peace and order in Negros and to prevent this from happening to other parts of the country. We cannot let this continue, Mr. President. We owe it to the Negrenses to restore the law and order situation in their provinces.

Your Committee has directed its attention to the factors that led to the increase of insurgency related killings, the effectiveness of the counter-insurgency measures of the national and local governments, as well as the possible administrative and legislative measures in order to stop the string of violence and hostilities in the area.

This prolonged unrest could be drawn from the appalling poverty situation and the escalating insurgency problem in the provinces. However, this is old news, Mr. President.

Official data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show taht will show that in 2018, national poverty incidence was at 16.6%, while it was 26.1% in Negros Oriental. Over the past years, Negros Oriental has been consistently one of the top 10 poorest provinces in the country. Adding to this, Negros Oriental has the second highest hunger incidence of 19.5% of families, next to Northern Samar. Negros Occidental and Oriental also registered to have the highest magnitude of poor population or a high number of families whose annual per capita income falls below the poverty threshold. Sa madaling salita, Mr. President, karamihan sa nakatira sa isla ng Negros ang salat sa buhay.

It is alarming, Mr. President, that the areas affected by the mass killings on March 30, 2019 namely, Manjuyod, Santa Catalina and Canlaon City, registered high poverty incidence rates of 33.6%, 43.1% and 42.3% respectively.

But, Mr. President, let me state for the record that Negros Island is not poor in natural resources. It's still renowned as the "sugarbowl" of the Philippines - producing majority of the total raw sugar in the country. Despite this, ownership of land is concentrated to a few elites in the island.

The landless sugar plantation workers continued to till the soil with their sweat and blood, while the sugar plantation owners continued to reap boundless economic gains, at the expense of the rights and interests of their workers. And in the face of this widening social gap, Mr. President, do we still have the gall to wonder why it is that there are those who have resorted to violence? Must we still look for the cause of the unrest? Is it not true that the root cause is staring at us right in the face, no matter how hard we try to sugar-coat it?

Mr. President, evident social inequality in Negros Island between the hacienderos and the sugar farmers raises aggression and resistance among the working class, thereby igniting their rebellious mindset and principles, and cultivating a fertile breeding ground for insurrection.

Luckily, Mr. President, the Duterte Administration wants to cut the roots of insurrection to prevent it from growing. Executive Order No. 70 creating the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, was issued to formulate the National Peace Framework and to address the "root causes of insurgencies, internal disturbances and tensions" for Filipinos to enjoy a safer and secure communities. Social welfare and development programs have been, and are being implemented to alleviate the lives of the Negrenses, thereby, removing poverty as the key element to which the instigator of armed conflict clings.

Notwithstanding these efforts, Mr. President, we still need to ensure that our current laws and regulations are enough to deliver and serve justice to all the victims of this series of killings. We want to guarantee that justice will be served, and that the perpetrators of the barbaric murders will be punished. But we only seem to be running in circles, Mr. President, because ensuring that the perpetrators will be punished presupposes that we have a definitive idea of who these perpetrators are. However, this is precisely what remains lost to us. Among the findings of the Committee, Mr. President, is the seeming endless blame game between the military and the police on one end, and the Communist groups on the other. A Human Rights Watch dispatch in Negros has noted that both sides have been implicated in human rights abuses. What is sad, Mr. President, is that in the process, real farmers, with real families, are made to suffer.

With this Mr. President, as part of the Report, some of the recommendations of the Committee are as follows:

Give administrative and budgetary support to the full implementation of Executive Order 70 providing for a wholeof-Nation approach in defeating the Local Communist Terrorist Groups. Towards this end, support must likewise be extended to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC);

Provide adequate socio-economic and psycho-social assistance to the families of individuals who were killed;

Intensify anti-insurgency operations in identified rebel infested areas in Negros Islands, but with due regard to the protection of human rights, and observance of the established principles of due process of law;

Identify the perpetrators of the killings of individuals named in the alleged KAGUBAK List and the alleged list of names in Vigilante Negros / Anti-Com, and file appropriate criminal charges against them;

Sustain and bolster on-going investigations in order to identify the people behind KAGUBAK, and Vigilante Negros/AntiCom, and file the appropriate criminal charges against them;

Deployment of additional forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Philippine National Police in order to secure the Provinces of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, and if possible, the neighboring provinces; and to augment local police in the said provinces, to better address the security needs of the people;

Deploy more Commission on Human Rights Investigating Officers in Negros Islands for the continuing investigation of complaints or allegations of violations of human rights and abuses committed against the local residents, the police or military; and if the facts and evidence warrant, file the appropriate cases against those liable, and be held accountable for human rights abuses;

For the PNP and AFP to review, evaluate and report to the President the effectiveness of Oplan Sauron in the objective to suppress and end lawless violence in the Negros Island;

Pursue amendments to Republic Act 9372, otherwise known as The Human Security Act, by considering the series of killings or violence as acts of terrorism, with the end goal of creating public emergency, and/or that which undermines public safety.

Mr. President, I submit this Committee report for the consideration of this august chamber.

Maraming salamat po.



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"Let us make sustainability an integral part of our national development goals."

Thus said Senator Pia S. Cayetano, as she called for government's renewed commitment to fulfill the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Chairperson of the Senate Committee on SDGs, Innovation, and Futures Thinking, Cayetano on Monday (March 2) will lead the opening of the Senate exhibit on the SDGs at the Senate legacy hallway.

The exhibit which runs until March 5 aims to promote public awareness on the importance of achieving the 17 SDGs to benefit all Filipinos.

Invited to grace the exhibit opening are: Senate President Vicente Sotto III; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative Titon Mitra; National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Assistant Secretary Carlos Bernardo Abad Santos; and Senate Deputy Secretary for Administration and Finance Services Atty. Arnel Bañas.

Cayetano stressed that while the country has committed to adopt the global goals, much remains to be done to achieve the various targets by 2030.

"We continue to face issues arising in health, education, agriculture, environment, equality, peace and justice, among others. We need to initiate more reforms to renew our commitment to the SDGs," stressed the senator, who has filed measures in the Senate towards this cause.

Cayetano filed Senate Resolution No. 308, declaring the 2020s as the "SDGs Decade of Action." It seeks to mobilize government, private sector, stakeholders, and citizens to work together towards sustainability in the next 10 years leading to 2030.

The senator also filed Senate Bill No. 1362 or the Sustainable Development Framework Act, which mandates NEDA to incorporate the SDGs and their associated targets in its sustainable development policy and programs.

Cayetano's committee recently conducted a public hearing to discuss these measures with stakeholders from both the government and the private sector. The senator said she hopes to sponsor her proposals in plenary soon.



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Sen. Kiko: Good morning Milky at sa mga nakikinig sa atin sa DZRH, mga kababayan natin, magandang umaga.

Q: Magandang umaga. Maaga ka namin ginising ngayon Sen. Kiko. Alam ko pag ganitong Sunday ikaw ba ay nasa farm mo diyan sa Tagaytay?

Sen. Kiko: Ngayon oo dahil ito lang ang panahon na maaaring puntahan ang ating farm operations at tinitiyak na iyong ating mga tanim ay naaalagaan.

Q: Sa Senado, ang mga ganap natin last week doon, ay itong Senate Bill 1083 o Anti-Terror Act of 2020. Nagkabotohan sa plenaryo, 19 ang bumoto in favor. Bakit isa ka sa dalawa na bumoto ng no dito sa panukala?

Sen. Kiko: Siguro dapat iliwanag natin. Lahat tayo dapat labanan ang terorismo. Iyong extremism ika nga, malaking problema na ito at nakita natin ang problema sa Marawi at sa ibang parte ng mundo, talagang matindi ang terorismo.

Pero kami po ay naniniwala na kapag may malaking problemang ganito, hindi naman dapat maging extreme din iyong solusyon, ika nga. At nakikita natin na malaki ang tsansa na magkaroon ng pang-aabuso dito sa mga ilang mga probisyon ng ating terrorism law.

Nais din nating idiin at ito naman ay sinabi natin, nakita natin ang maayos, masinop na pagdepensa ni Sen. Lacson dito sa batas na ito, o bill na ito, at marami rin naman sa ating mga amendments ay tinanggap niya pero may mga very critical na items na hindi kami nagkasundo, at sa akin ay napakahalaga dahil ang nakasalalay dito ay iyong ating bill of rights, iyong karapatang pantao na maaaring maabuso.

Lalo na ngayon, maraming naniniwala halimbawa na hindi totoo na itong mga napatay sa war on drugs e nanlaban. Ibig sabihin non nagkaroon ng, ang paniwala natin, nagkaroon ng pang-aabuso ang law enforcers na walang awang pinapatay, kahit na hindi totoong nanlaban, iyan ang sinasabi, iyan ang dahilan. Buhay na ang kapalit at kaya tayo ay nangangamba na iyong pang-aabuso dito sa war on drugs ay baka malipat sa pang-aabuso sa war on terrorism.

Q: Mayroon kang sinasabi Sen. Kiko na may mga pinapangambahan kang probisyon nung bill. Ano ba itong mga ito? Kasi sabi mo nga, tinanggap naman ni Sen. Ping ang mga amendments mo and yet, sana iyong mga probisyon na pinangangambahan mo, natutulan din pero napasok pa rin sa naturang bill. Ano ba iyong mga iyon?

Sen. Kiko: On record, sinabi natin na nagkaroon na ng pag-uusap tungkol doon sa proposed amendments ko na alam kong hindi na tatanggapin kaya sinabi ko on record na this may affect my vote. Ayaw ko na rin kasing pahabain pa dahil ilang linggo na, tatlong na niyang dinidepensahan, and ultimately, pagka-nagkabotohan naman, hindi rin namin makukuha ang boto, so sabi ko, this may affect my vote.

Hindi ko na nga minungkahi ang amendment dahil napaabot na sa amin na pagbotohan na lang. Hindi naman makukuha ang boto, so I placed on record that these two amendments that we wanted na hindi tatanggapin may affect my vote. Iyong mga amendments na iyon specifically doon sa 14-day detention na without warrant...

Q: 14-day detention nung suspect pa lang, di ba Sen. Kiko?

Sen. Kiko: Yes, yes at walang court order iyon. Pag ikaw ay suspected pa lamang at may written authority ng anti-terrorism council, you can be detained for 14 days and you can extend the detention for another 10 days. So iyon all in all 24 days, walang warrant of arrest, puwede kang i-detain. Medyo malaking talon ito sa ating existing jurisprudence and existing procedures sa criminal procedure and investigation.

Q: Maging sa bill of rights na nasa ating Saligang Batas, Sen. Pangilinan...

Sen. Kiko: That's right. Kasi ang sinasabi ng ating bill of rights, kailangan ang warrant of arrest ay ma-determine ng huwes mismo personally. Ibig sabihin, kailangan may judicial intervention. Ngayon ito ay wala nang judicial intervention for a period of 24 days. Of course, the law says they have to notify the judge immediately after the detention, but again malaking talon. And for 24 days of detention...

Q: Maraming puwedeng mangyari doon...

Sen. Kiko: Oo, nag-umpisa tayo sa three days. Iyong existing law three days for terrorist acts or suspected terrorist activities, three days lang. Pero ang all other crimes, murder, etc, actually 36 hours lang ang detention without the filing of charges e. Ngayon from 36 hours naurong sa three days, ngayon 24 days na.

Q: Dito papasok ang pinangangambahan mong puwedeng abusuhin ng law enforcers...

Sen. Kiko: Yes, that is right. Biro mo walang charges, walang judicial intervention...

Q: Pinaghihinalaan ka lang naman pero made-detain ka ng 14 to 24 days...

Sen. Kiko: Yes. Alam mo itong naging karanasan natin nitong nakaraang tatlong taon, ilang beses kaming pinaghinalaan na destabilizer daw ang Liberal Party, sinampahan pa ng kaso ang bise presidente ng sedition na walang basehan naman, hindi puwedeng ipagkaila na maraming, sabi nga di ba, naalala mo, ang LP daw ay involved sa ouster plot ng Red October...

Q: Maraming mga alegasyon din...

Sen. Kiko: And all proven to be false. At nangyari na ito noong nakaraang panahon ng diktadura ang mga opposition leaders inaresto walang warrant, kinulong tapos tsaka na lang sampahan ng kaso. Hindi ito galing sa haka-haka lang.

Q: You voted no kasama si Sen. Risa Hontiveros. Ini-expect mo ba na dapat bumoto rin ng no si Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon?

Sen. Kiko: Well nagkausap kami and in fairness naman, I also realized na mayroong ilang kahinaan kasi iyong dating batas na dapat talagang palakasin pero sabi ko nga on these two provisions.

Actually iyong second provision was iyong proscription of terrorist organizations. Ang ibig sabihin ng proscription o designation ay puwedeng ideklara ang isang organization na terrorist at pagkatapos noon, iyon na, puwede nang pumasok ang 14-day detention dahil nadeklara na bilang terrorist organization. So may pangamba rin tayo riyan.

Q: Sen. Pangilinan, ang sinasabi nga ho, mas magiging epektibo ang bill na ito kung epektibo pa rin ang Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Makokonek ba natin ito kasi kawalan daw ang intelligence sharing sa Amerika nang ibabasura itong Visiting Forces Agreement?

Sen. Kiko: Sa naging consultation at pag-uusap natin sa ilang nasa Armed Forces of the Philippines, pati na rin sa embassy officials sa US. Malaking... at base na rin sa report sa diyaryo, inamin mismo ni Secretary Lorenzana ng DND na iyong impormasyon na nakukuha nila galing sa incursion ng Chinese vessels, dahil sa drone iyan, dahil sa satellite iyan e na wala tayong kakayahan at binibigay ng Amerika.

Ngayong wala na tayong mga mata, ika nga mawawalan tayo ng mga mata, e di labas-pasok na ang Chinese vessels, ang mga warship sa ating karagatan. Malungkot na hindi na natin mababantayan nang maayos dahil wala na ang sharing ng information.

Q: Definitely makakaapekto. Kayo po ba Sen. Pangilinan ay sasama rin sa grupo rin nina Senate President Tito Sotto na maghahain ng petisyon sa Supreme Court para linawin lang ang posisyon ng Senado na dapat mayroon concurrence sa pagbabasura ng mga treaty?

Sen. Kiko: Pinag-aaralan pa namin. Pupuwede namang separate position din kami instead of joint dahil iba rin iyong mga argumento namin in the sense na ihahambing namin sa aming petisyon halimbawa na pending ngayon sa Supreme Court, iyong sa International Criminal Court.

Ang ating posisyon diyan ay hindi basta-basta puwedeng mag-withdraw ang bansa sa isang tratado na walang aksyon o concurrence ng Senado. Mayroon na kaming kaso na nakahain asserting the authority of the Senate na dapat mag-concur dito sa ating withdrawal sa ICC. So we are exploring all possible legal stretch also.

Q: Nabanggit mo ang mga Chinese, ang problema ho natin ngayon ay ang Philippine Offshore Gambling Operations o POGO. Ang sabi nga ho, ang daming sakit ng ulo ng gobyerno, bakit hindi pa tuluyang suspindihin iyong kanilang operasyon sa bansa, Sen. Kiko?

Sen. Kiko: Political will iyan pero nakikita naman natin na nakapalamya, unfortunately, ang ating gobyerno, ang executive department, pag China ang usapan. Dito na nga lang sa coronavirus, unfair daw sa China kung magkakaroon ng total travel ban, iyon ang unang bitiw. Tapos inatras nung nagalit na ang ating mga kababayan. Dahil dapat naman unahin, hindi ang unfairness to China, kundi ang kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan.

Pero dito sa POGO ganun din malamya. Unang-una, sino ba ang nagpapasok ng mga iyan, di ba iyong mga nasa Bureau of Immigration din. Pero hindi naman nagkakaroon ng pananagutan ang Bureau of Immigration, nakaupo pa rin. Mayroon mga tinanggal pero reassigned lang pala, hindi naman talaga tinanggal as in sinibak. Sinibak, ibig sabihin ni-reassign. So iyon, nakakalungkot din na pangyayari iyon. So sabi ko nga, ang haba ng listahan ng mga batas natin na isinasantabi at hindi kinikilala nitong mga POGO operation. Nauna na 'yung tax laws, hindi ba?

Q: Hindi naman sila nagbabayad ng buwis...

Sen. Kiko: Yes. Immigration laws... Hindi ba? Labor laws... Local government ordinance sa mga permit. Hindi ba? Anti-trafficking of women. Anti-money laundering. Hindi pa may nabanggit pa si Senator Gordon na bilyong dolyares o daang milyong dolyares ang pumapasok. Kumbaga walanghiyaan na sa ating batas, wala ng pagkilala. 'Yung bang ang trato nila sa atin dito ay bansa nila ito at batas nila ang mangingibabaw kung ano man 'yun at hindi 'yung mga batas natin. Kaya nga ang panawagan natin, alam mo, you don't need a criminal case to deport these people. All that you need to do is have the immigration process of declaring them as undesirable aliens and have them deported immediately.

Q: Pero Senator Kiko ang sinasabi mo nga hindi natin kailangan ng criminal case... kailangan lang dito 'yung mga violations sa immigration. And yet ang problema natin ay nasa immigration hindi ba? Ang issue ng command responsibility para mabilis na tinanggal ng Malacanan dahil kinampihan ng pangulo itong si Morente. At mukhang nasa lebel lang mga empleyado o immigration officers itong pananagutan.

Sen. Kiko: Alam mo ang magiging resulta niyan ay tulad ng dati. 'Di ba tinanggal si Faeldon doon sa BOC? Nilipat na BuCor. Eh 'di 'yung incompetence at 'yung korapsyon nalipat naman sa BuCor dahil nga hindi pinaparusahan. 'Yung mga ninja cop ni-reaasign lang. Wala pang maliwanag na aksyon ika nga. Walang bitiw na salita na dapat ikulong itong mga ito. 'Yung pagpapalusot ng tone-toneladang shabu sa BOC, eh hindi naman naparusan 'yung BOC. Eh talagang ganito ang mangyayari diyan. Hangga't hindi mo pinaparusan ang mga nagkakasala ay paulit-ulit lang ang gagawing kalokohan. Hindi seryoso, 'yun pala drawing lang. 'Yun ang nakakalungkot. Dapat sana naging senyales na ito. Biruin mo "pastillas" bilyon, may ebidensya na. Hindi nga sinibak, hindi nga tinerminate, nare-assign. 'Yan ang malungkot. Eh talagang sa atin, hindi tama ito. Pero kapag kakampi kasi�di ba? Kumabaga ang batas para doon lang sa mga kalaban. Pero kapag kakampi hindi na kinakailangan itupad ang batas. Hindi tama ito.

Q: 'Yun nga ang nakalulungkot. Pero ang isa pang issue, ay concern ng iyong komite, Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments. Ano ba ang pag-asa ng cha-cha? Sa Kamara pinag-uusapan ito, kumusta sa iyong komite?

Sen. Kiko: Well, you know last Congress, hindi natin pinabayaan 'yan, umikot tayo sa buong Pilipinas at nagkonsulta tayo. Dangan nga lang, ang nakita nating resulta doon sa mga hearing ay hindi nga natin alam kung ano ang gustong baguhin sa Saligang Batas. Iba-iba ang panukala, iba-iba yung proposal for Charter Change, iba-ibang klaseng pederalismo, at nakita rin natin na ang Economic Team mismo ay hindi sumasang-ayon sa pederalismo. Sabi nila a 130 billion ang magiging gastos ng pederalismo. Eh saan kukunin 'yon? Sabi nila more taxes para lang mapondohan itong Charter Change experiment na ito. May nagbago ba mula noon hanggang ngayon? Eh palagay ko ganun pa rin eh. So sa atin, if they act on it and refer it to us then we will hear it. But hindi naman masasabing hindi tayo naging, hindi natin inaksyunan ang issue ng charter change.

Q: Sa bagay, 'nung nakaraang Kongreso at ngayon, may mga pagdinig din ang inyong komite, may mga pag-ikot din sa bansa, eh talagang ayaw tanggapin ng tao eh. At masasabing hindi rin nila naiintindihan 'yung issue ng pederalismo.

Sen. Kiko: At lalo na kung hinalo mo na 'yung extensiyon ng termino...

Q: Oo, 'yung personal na interes, di ba?

Sen. Kiko: 'Yun din ang nangingibabaw sa usapang ito. Alam ko ang taumbayan ayaw ng walang eleksyon. At ayaw ng term extensions. So tingnan natin. Hintayin natin ang aksyon ng Lower House at we will see how we will move forward. Pero ang sa akin we are in constant communication and consultations with the Senators at syempre ako ay nasa Minority pero we continue to consult with and ang kilos natin ay kung hindi naman suportado ng mas marami sa mga Senador ay dapat hindi na ako chairman sa ngayon, 'di ba? So we're not doing this on our own. Hindi natin ito ginagawa na solo-solo. This is in communication and consultation with the majority sa Senate.

Q: On that note, Senator Kiko, salamat sa inyong oras at happy Sunday!

Sen. Kiko: Maraming Salamat din at ang sa akin, we should all speak up. Kung ayaw natin ng POGO, eh dapat sulatan natin ang ating mga congressman, sulatan natin ang ating mga Senador, kung tutol tayo sa Charter Change, ganun din. Ipaabot natin sa ating mga kinauukulan ang ating posisyon. Pati rito sa Anti-Terrorism Bill, kung mayroon tayong agam-agam, sulatan natin, i-email natin, magpost tayo sa kanila mga official accounts. Sa huling banda, sabi nga nila, ang demokrasya tayo rin, bilang taumbayan, ang interes natin bilang mamamayan ay dapat itinutulak natin at hindi lang tayo dapat nanonood at nagwawalang-kibo.

Q: Magandang umaga at salamat po sa panayam!

Sen. Kiko: Good morning at maraming-maraming Salamat! Magandang umaga.



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As the celebration of the National Women's Month kicks off, Senator Win Gatchalian underscores the need to curb teenage pregnancy for the Philippines to sustain and accelerate gender equality on its milestones.

Gatchalian zeroes in on teenage pregnancy as it is considered a leading factor on why girls drop out of school. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority's (PSA) Annual Poverty Indicators Survey 2017, "marriage or family matters" is the top reason why female out-of-school children and youth aged 6 to 24 are not attending school.

While teenage pregnancies among women aged 15 to 19 decreased from 182,906 in 2017 to 181,717 in 2018, the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) sounded the alarm on the spike of pregnancies in the 10 to 14 age group. Between 2011 and 2018, live births delivered by girls in this age group increased from 1,381 to 2,250, a spike of 63 percent. In 2017 alone, the number of pregnancies in the 10 to 14 age group reached almost two thousand (1,985).

"Kung hindi titigil ang mga batang kababaihan sa pag-aaral sa kabila ng maagang pagbubuntis, matutupad nila ang kanilang potensyal na magkaroon ng mahalagang kontribusyon sa ating lipunan. Mahalaga ang papel dito ng comprehensive sexuality education upang mabigyan ng sapat na kaalaman at proteksyon ang ating mga kabataan mula sa maagang pagbubuntis na maaaring epekto rin ng pang-aabuso at karahasan," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

Gatchalian cited different studies on gender equality in the Philippines, noting that a significant drop in the number of teenage pregnancies could close more gender gaps. The World Economic Forum's 2020 Global Gender Gap Report reveals that the Philippines has closed 80 percent of its Economic Participation and Opportunity gender gap, with women outnumbering men in senior and leadership roles, as well as in professional and technical professions.

The same study shows that In secondary education, 71 percent of women compared to 60 percent of men are enrolled. In tertiary education, 57 percent of women are enrolled compared to 43 percent of men who are enrolled.

Gatchalian also cited Thornton International's recently released 'Women in Business' report which showed that among 32 countries, the Philippines has the most number of executives, with 43 percent of Filipino women executives holding senior management positions.



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Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon is convinced that the huge amounts of cash brought into the country by Chinese nationals is part of a money laundering scheme of organized syndicates, fearing that "the Philippines is becoming a haven for money launderers."

Drilon was Senate President when Congress passed Republic Act 9160 or the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001.

"Sa akin, maliwanag na ginagamit ang ating bansa para sa money laundering. Talagang lumalaganap at lumalakas ang loob nitong mga Chinese syndicates at nagiging haven tuloy ang ating bansa for money launderers," Drilon said in an interview with radio station DZBB on Sunday.

"We have never seen this kind of behavior. They seem very confident that they will not be caught," he added.

Drilon said that while it is not illegal for any foreign national to bring huge sums of money into the country, the amount must be reported to the Bureau of Customs.

Drilon said the country becoming a haven for money launderers may have something to do with the proliferation of casinos and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGOs in the country.

The minority leader said that casinos are among the industries that anti-money laundering coalitions worldwide consider to be prone to money-laundering schemes.

Drilon said that he suspects that the millions of dollars brought into the country between December 2019 to February 2020 would be laundered through casinos and POGOs.

Drilon said any casino transaction of over P5 million should have gone scrutiny by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).

Republic Act No 10927 puts casinos under the coverage of Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), he noted.

"Any cash transaction of P5 million or its equivalent in other currencies are covered by the law and must be reported to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC)," Drilon explained.

He said he supports the investigation to be conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon.

Drilon said the investigation must see how the executive branch is implementing the law, particularly on the compliance of casinos, PAGCOR, banks, among other covered institutions in reporting suspicious transactions.

Drilon also reiterated his support for a total ban on POGOs, saying that the industry has no contribution on the economy.

"The POGOs do not contribute to our gross domestic product. If any, it is very minimal. They only created an artificial bubble on the real estate industry. What is their contribution? We are not even sure if they even pay taxes," Drilon said.

"They are not manufacturing which generates employment. They are not agrictural which provides us food security. They are not tourists who provide us income," he said.



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SFMD: Noong 2001, ako ang Pangulo ng senado at nagtulak ng AMLC law. Maraming mga subsequent amendments kasama na yung RA 10927 na nagsama ng casino sa AMCL law.

Q: Sinabi ni Sen. Gordon na based sa report ng BOC, may mga Chinese nationals na nagpapasok ng million of dollars. Papasok ba ito sa anti-money laundering?

SFMD: Alam mo, hindi naman bawal basta i-report mo. Ngunit hindi mo naman maitago iyan na gagamitin mo iyan dito sa Pilipinas, casino man or other activities. Kapag dumaan ka sa ating sistema, may kailangang reporting requirement lalo na yung ganitong halaga. Sa ating AMLC law, kung aabot sa $100,000 dapat i-report lalo na yung suspicious transactions.

Ang basic ang prinsipyo sa anti-money laundering act, kailangan yung KYC (know your customer). Kailangan kilala mo yung customers at may identification na kailangan bago ipasok yung pera sa casino; bago bumili ng chips sa sa casino, kailangan itong KYC kaya hindi dapat makalusot ito.

Kung ating maalala itong sa Bangladesh heist, ginamit ang casinos natin ng mga Chinese nationals kung saan nawalan ng $81 million ang Bangladesh Central Bank. Isa ito sa mga dahilan kaya inamyendahan natin ang AMLC para isama yung mga casinos.

Q: Yung pagdadala ng pera, suspicious na kaagad iyon?

SFMD: Hindi naman. Kailangang i-declare sa BOC. Ano ang gagawin mo sa cash?

Sa akin, ang maliwanag, ginamit ang ating bansa para sa money laundering at talagang lumalaganap at lumalakas ang loob nitong mga Chinese syndicate at nagiging haven tuloy ang ating bansa for money launderers.

Lumalakas ang loob. Sigurado akong sindikato ito na magpapasok ng pera dito. We have never seen this kind of behavior. Talagang confident sila na hindi sila mahuhuli kaya kailangan natin na gawan ng paraan.

Q: Kapag ito ay pumasok na sa casinos, yung mga casinos dapat nagre-repot sa AMLC?

SFMD: Opo, may obligasyon sila na mag-report sa AMLC. Ann PAGCOR, ang dapat mag-supervise at monitor sa mga casinos for compliance dito sa transaction reporting.

Q: Dahil sa malaking halaga ito, magpapatawag daw ng investigation. Kailangan bang ipatawag at tanungin yung AMLC.

SFMD: In general, tanungin sila kung paano yung compliance nila dito sa reporting tungkol dito sa money laundering. Yung PAGCOR pa, nagsu-supervise at yung AMLC ginagawa ba nila yung tungkulin nila.

Q: Kung hindi sila nagrereport. Kasi alam daw nila ang sabi ni Sec. Dominguez, ano ang gagawin doon sa knowledge na iyon?

SFMD: Liwanagin natin, yung pagpasok ng pera, wala akong alam na labag sa batas basta deklarado.

Q: Halimbawa po pumasok na sa mga casino...

SFMD: Iyan po, may obligasyon ang mga bank, casino, na i-report ang mga transaction kapag lagpas sa $100,000.

Q: Kung hindi, may krimen?

SFMD: May criminal penalty iyan.

Q: Kung iimbestigahan, dapat itanong yung records sa AMCLS kung mag-jibe yung amount.

SFMD: Pwede rin na hindi dumaan sa casino. Pwedeng dumaan sa bank o sa money changer. Pero lahat sila ay covered ng batas at may obligation sila to report these transactions.

Q: Ang sabi n'yo nga po, hindi natin alam kung saan pupunta ang pera, ang possibility ay sa POGOs ang bagsak nito. Pwede kayang sabihin na nagagamit ang POGOs sa money laundering at maging dahilan na isuspinde ito?

SFMD: Tama po iyan. Ang presumption ng anti-money laundering act lalo na pagdating sa casinos, ay gagamitin ang casino sa mga money laundering scheme. Kaya sakop ang casinos at may obligation silang i-report kung saan nanggaling yung pera. Kaya KYC, know your customer, dapat naman mayroon silang kakayahan.

Q: Hindi ba magiging mainit tayo sa mata ng mga nagbabantay sa money laundering tulad ng Financial Action Task Force kapag na-picture tayo na may mga nag-money laundering?

SFMD: Tama po iyan. Kawawa diyan yung mga OFWs dahil sa tinatawag nating enhanced examination, kung saan maraming dokumento ang kakailanganin para lamang makapagpadala ng pera ang mga OFWs sa Pilipinas.

Q: Yung situation natin ngayon na ang daming issues sa POGOs ngayon, krimen, national security issues, tapos madadamay pa itong OFWs.

SFMD: At this stage, ang kailangang tingnan yung compliance. Nandiyan yung batas. Pwedeng tawagin yung AMLC, yung BSP, yung PAGCOR. Ano ba ang kanilang ginagawa para magampanan ang kanilang tungkuling para imonitor lalo na yung POGO.

Q: Paano dapat timbangin sa patuloy na operation ng POGOs?

SFMD: Yung POGO, sa aking tingin, walang malaking contribution sa ating ekonomiya; hindi nakakadagdag ng trabaho dahil puro naman Chinese nationals; yung real estate, tinatawag nating bubble o artificial ang pagtaas ng real estate. Maraming exposure ang real estate companies dito sa mga office spaces na nili-lease ng POGOs sinasabing aabot sa 1 million square meter. Kaya sa akin walang direct benefit sa ating ekononmiya.

Ayaw ng Chinese government ng ayaw nila ang POGO. Illegal ito sa China kaya hindi dapat ipagpatuloy itong POGO, iyan ang sabi ng bansang China. Nag-object sila sa Cambodia kaya naipasara ang POGOs doon

SFMD: Siguro hindi na malayo ang panahon baka ipilit nila na ipasara yung mga POGOs by cancelling the passports of POGO workers.

SFMD: Sa akin, dapat isara itong POGO na ito.

Q: Masama pa yung nagyayari sa atin kaysa sa napapakinabangan natin sa POGOs.

SFMD: Tama po iyan. Wala tayong masyadong pakinabang diyan.



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Sa harap ng patuloy na pagtaas ng bilang ng mga nagpopositibo sa COVID-19, nanawagan si Sen. Leila M. de Lima para sa karagdagang mga testing facilities upang epektibong matugunan ang krisis na dulot ng nakahahawang sakit.

Ipinahayag ito ni De Lima kasabay ng muling pagbibigay-diin sa kahalagahan ng mass testing sa bansa. Hindi rin naitago ng Senadora ang kanyang pagkabahala at pagkadismaya sa hindi pag-apruba ng Kagawaran ng Kalusugan sa nakahanda na sanang dalawang testing facilities sa Lungsod ng Marikina nitong nakaraang linggo.

"Malaki bang kabawasan sa gobyerno kung payagan nito ang mga LGUs tulad ng Marikina na tumulong sa pag-test para sa COVID-19? Imbes na pigilan ay dapat suportahan ng gobyerno ang mga LGUs sa pagtataguyod ng malikhaing mga paraan lalo na ukol sa mass testing sa kani-kanilang lugar," wika ni De Lima.

"Gaya ng nasabi ko na: napakahalagang maipatupad ng mass testing sa lalong madaling panahon. Maiiwasan ang pagkahawa pa ng iba at maililigtas ang maraming buhay kung agarang matutukoy kung sino ang may COVID-19," dagdag niya.

Ayon sa mga ulat, umaabot ng isang linggo bago mailabas ng Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) ang resulta ng mga nagpapatest sa COVID-19, mas mabagal na ito kumpara sa normal na tagal ng kanilang proseso na 24 hanggang 48 oras lamang.

Kaya naman kahit nagdagdag umano ng limang subnational laboratories ang DOH sa Davao, Cebu, Baguio, Manila at Quezon City para magsagawa ng testing, kahaharapin pa rin nila ang parehong problemang nararanasan ngayon ng RITM-ang kakulangan sa manpower, pagkaantala sa mga test, pagtaas ng posibilidad sa pagkakamali, pagdami ng backlog, at kakulangan ng kapasidad para magproseso ng mass testing.

"Dapat pag-aralan at sundan ng Pilipinas ang ginawang hakbang ng South Korea sa paglaban sa COVID-19, kung saan sa 9,332 na nag-positibo, mababa ang naitala nitong pagkamatay na nasa 139 katao," saad ni De Lima.

"Sa estratehiyang 'trace, test, and treat' ng South Korea, naging agresibo sila sa pagsasagawa ng testing sa pamamagitan ng 118 na pasilidad, pati ang ipinatupad din nilang 'drive-thru COVID 19-testing facilities,'" pahayag pa ng mambabatas mula Bicol.

Sa kasalukuyan, ang Pilipinas ay nagtala na ng 78 na pagkamatay dahil sa COVID-19, at 1,546 positibong kaso ng sakit na ito na laganap sa buong mundo.



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Do we have enough funds to fight COVID-19?

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon raised this question Tuesday as he urged the government to speed up the implementation of the P200 billion aid to low-income households and the immediate release of funding for programs identified in the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

On Monday night, President Duterte announced that his administration has allotted a total of P200 billion in assistance to poor Filipino families, including farmers, and fisherfolk, to help them fight the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Marami po sa ating mga kababayan ang nagugutom na. We need to feed the poor and make them healthy," Drilon said.

"We need to augment funding for our healthcare system, buy more test kits, personal protective equiipment (PPEs), mechanical ventilators, among others," Drilon added as he pointed out the number of affected COVID-19 patients continue to rise.

Drilon, however, raised concerns that the lack of sufficient funds will undermine government interventions to fight COVID-19.

Due to the pandemic and the lockdown, Drilon said revenue collections are greatly affected and government disbursements, which account for roughly 20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, are expected to slow down.

"Our tight fiscal space seriously affects the government's capabilty to address COVID-19," Drilon said.

Drilon said that this would make the government dependent on loan and aid to address the pandemic, hence the slow responses.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has earlier committed to provide P300 billion loan to the Duterte adminitration to address the pandemic on top of the P20 billion it has remitted as advance dividend to the government.

The Department of Finance also said that GOCCS or government-owned and -controlled coporations have committed P100 billion for COVID-19 response.

For their part part, the Philippine Port Authority, the Manila International Aiport Authority, and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, GOCCs under the Department of Transportation, have already remitted in advance P10 billion in dividends to fortify the government spending measures against the pandemic.

During the hearing on the supplemental budget to address COVID-19, Drilon noted that the Bureau of Treasury that only P1.65 billion in excess funds are available to be realigned to the DOH.

"It appears that even before COVID-19 hit the country, our fiscal position is already worsening," he added.

For 2019, the Bureau of Internal Revenue has collected P2.176 trillion, which is lower than the agency's revenue target of P2.271 trillion. Similarly, the Bureau of Customs also fell short by P30.7 bllion of the P661 billion target for the year.

"The government must brace for the worst: our depleting resources and the economic effects of COVID-19," said Drilon, lamenting that the Duterte administration's response to COVID-19 is lacking in many aspects, lacking in coherence.

"We regret to see from that the government has not crafted any new interventions or programs that could help the poor and keep the economy afloat while we are on a lockdown," Drion said.

Worse, he added, some of the much-needed allotments and programs for the poor may even be realigned and tapped to fund COVID-19 response activities.

"There is no additional funding because they did not request for a supplemental budget. That is very clear. The Bayanihan to Heal as One Act utilizes the 2020 General Appropriations Act," Drilon noted.

Drilon emphasized that RA 11469 already authorized the President to reprogram, reallocate and realign funds for the immediate roll-out of measures that will respond to the COVID-19 emergency.

He, however, pointed out that the President's first report stated that as of 27 March 2020, no special purpose funds (SPFs) have been utilized for COVID-19 measures except for the P500 million replenishment of the DOH's quick response Fund.

"We have to see a comprehensive COVID financial package that will cover both the health and economic aspects . The Report does not show us what this looks like," he said.

"For one, has the governent augmented our health workforce? The 2020 budget has funds for the hiring of nurses and doctors under the Miscellaneous and Personell Benefit Fund," he said.

Drilon thus called for the immediate release of funds for programs identified in the law, including the hiring of doctors, nurses, and other health workers; purchase of medical supplies and equipment like testing kits, mechanical ventilators; and establishment of isolation units; the operational budget of the Philippine General Hospital; among others.

Drilon also said that the national government should enhance its collaboration with the local government units.

"This is the best time to harness the local governments as partners of the national government. We must capacitate them to address the issues, as the frontline government institutions," he stressed.

"We have to enhance the participation of LGUs. The Report shows very limited assistance, if at all," he said.



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The President's late-night talk show last night was the prelude to a night of bad sleep, to the detriment of the Filipino people's regular sleeping hours and overall health. After almost 8 hours of delay, the public was presented with neither a sound assessment nor a concrete plan to address the novel coronavirus disease or COVID-19 crisis.

The President failed to assess how the Enhanced Community Quarantine has addressed our nation's fight to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19. The public has the right to know of the government's progress since the start of the Quarantine, a virtual lockdown.

The Quarantine is essential at this time to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. But it cannot stand alone. For the lockdown to be effective, it should be backed up by intensified actions to increase the capacity of our health system, conduct mass testing, and protect our health workers at the frontlines. But the President's address last night was lacking in all those terms. The usual threats and incoherence do not a report make.

With all the funds and special powers at his disposal since last week's signing of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, the President should act with a sense of urgency. What are the steps being taken by the government to enhance our capacity for mass testing? How do we ensure that there are enough personal protective equipment [PPE] in every hospital? How do we get the cash assistance to the most vulnerable as soon as possible? So far, the President provided no clear answers to these questions. It is alarming.

Kailangan na ng taumbayan ang tulong na dapat sa kanila. Time is of the essence. For us to effectively defeat COVID-19, the



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The President's late-night talk show last night was the prelude to a night of bad sleep, to the detriment of the Filipino people's regular sleeping hours and overall health. After almost 8 hours of delay, the public was presented with neither a sound assessment nor a concrete plan to address the novel coronavirus disease or COVID-19 crisis.

The President failed to assess how the Enhanced Community Quarantine has addressed our nation's fight to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19. The public has the right to know of the government's progress since the start of the Quarantine, a virtual lockdown.

The Quarantine is essential at this time to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. But it cannot stand alone. For the lockdown to be effective, it should be backed up by intensified actions to increase the capacity of our health system, conduct mass testing, and protect our health workers at the frontlines. But the President's address last night was lacking in all those terms. The usual threats and incoherence do not a report make.

With all the funds and special powers at his disposal since last week's signing of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, the President should act with a sense of urgency. What are the steps being taken by the government to enhance our capacity for mass testing? How do we ensure that there are enough personal protective equipment [PPE] in every hospital? How do we get the cash assistance to the most vulnerable as soon as possible? So far, the President provided no clear answers to these questions. It is alarming.

Kailangan na ng taumbayan ang tulong na dapat sa kanila. Time is of the essence. For us to effectively defeat COVID-19, the



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Senator Imee Marcos scored water concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water for continued water service interruptions that reduced the effectiveness of a Luzon-wide lockdown in stopping the spread of COVID-19.

"Water interruptions have compromised health and safety standards in Metro Manila, from personal hygiene to the proper sanitation of communities," Marcos said.

Observing the most basic anti-contamination measures like frequent hand washing, bathing upon returning home, and the thorough cleaning of utensils, laundry and surfaces on which the virus may cling, has become a challenge due to water interruptions.

"Nasanay na lang tayo sa kapabayaan ng Maynilad at Manila Water. Ngayon na tag-init at bumubuwelo pa lamang ang COVID-19, parang nilalaro ng dalawang kumpanya ang kalusugan at mismong buhay natin," Marcos said.

Marcos added that it took a viral pandemic like COVID-19 to underscore the dire consequences of more than 20 years of neglect by Maynilad and Manila Water to ensure a 24-hour supply of water in Metro Manila and nearby areas, according to their contract with the government.

"Marami nang problema ang taongbayan, at sana naman maging bahagi ng solusyon ang Maynilad at Manila Water laban sa COVID-19. Pero sa nangyayari, mukhang tubo lang ang inaatupag nila," Marcos said.

Marcos added that the water concessionaires should not brag about suspending meter readings and onsite billing due to the the lockdown, since customers will eventually pay them anyway.

"Josko, parang may utang na loob pa ang mga customers sa Maynilad at Manila Water, e babayaran din naman nila ang kanilang nakunsumong tubig. Kung tutulong din lang sila, sana lubos-lubusin na nila at wag nang pagbayarin ang mga customers," Marcos also said.



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Sen. Grace Poe on Tuesday questioned why the Department of Health (DOH) purchased personal protective equipment (PPE) sets at P1,800 each when market value was between P400 and P1,000. Opting for a cheaper price but of the same quality would have only cost the DOH about P400 million to 1 billion, generating P800 million in savings at the minimum.

"Confronting an extraordinary public health crisis requires prompt response but in doing so, let us not forget the need for the judicious use of fund releases," said the senator, who strongly advocated for the protection and just compensation of health frontliners in the newly signed Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

On Monday, the DOH disclosed that it was awaiting the delivery of 1 million sets of PPE, which will be distributed to both public and private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients and people under investigation and under monitoring. It has P225 million left from the budget allocated for PPEs.

"Ang bawat piso na matitipid natin sa ganitong panahon ay maaari pa nating magamit sa iba pang mga programa ng gobyerno para makapagbigay ayuda sa ating mga kababayan na higit ring nangangailangan ng tulong tulad ng financial aid at pagkain pang araw-araw," said Poe.

She also appealed to the DOH to ease the bureaucratic bottleneck and red tape in the distribution of personal protective equipment donations and other critical medical devices to hospitals designated to treat COVID-19 patients.

"More than two weeks into the enhanced quarantine, swift action and massive testing will help accelerate collaborative efforts to contain the pandemic, a valuable lesson we could learn from our Asian counterparts who have become successful in slowing down the spread of the disease," said Poe.

Appealing for sense of urgency, she hoped that the DOH could further streamline its processes in making donated PPEs readily available to hospitals and frontliners in light of the increasing number of infections every day.

"Nagpapasalamat tayo at nagdadatingan na ang mga kagamitang mahalaga sa pagsugpo ng epidemiyang ito kaya sana ay maipamahagi ito sa mga ospital at ating mga health frontliners sa lalong madaling panahon," said Poe.

"Subalit tulad ng pahayag ng Pangulo, hindi ito panahon ng pagsasamantala, kaya't nananawagan tayo sa DOH na kung maaari ay iprayoridad ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga local manufacturers upang mas makakuha ng murang PPE," she added.



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We appreciate the efforts of our government in utilizing the resources it has been given to address the effects of COVID-19. Our legislature responded to the call of the times through the Bayanihan law.

One of the pressing concerns we have is the distribution of the emergency subsidy worth P5,000 to P8,000 which will help our workers in the no work, no pay sector, and workers in the informal economy, and their respective families, among other sectors. While our executive has assured us that the list of beneficiaries will be streamlined, we suggest that our government place the final list of beneficiaries, including names and their barangays, in a website which will serve as a transparency mechanism and a convenient form of accounting for the public.

We're glad to hear that the purchase of PPEs are already underway. But let us not also forget that our hospitals in NCR and in the provinces need ventilators for them to help patients. Our government should expedite the procurement of ventilators as well.

We urge our Department of Agriculture to be more aggressive in engaging small farmers and fisherfolk by purchasing their produce directly from them. Not only will the direct purchase provide them the means to sustain their families, it will also allow them to continue their ways of life and providing sustenance to all of us.

The Report to Congress outlines the various guidelines issued by different agencies covering their respective sectors, and a snapshot of actual figures of the government response. In the succeeding weeks, we hope to see a clearer picture on how the response is actually operationalized.



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There should be no obstacle to the release of funds to the country's most vulnerable sectors now that the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act has been enacted and President Duterte himself has issued the order to provide emergency assistance for those hardest hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, Senator Sonny Angara said today.

Angara said the distribution of cash assistance to the low-income households, the indigent senior citizens and all the other individuals who are not able earn a living due to the implementation of enhanced community quarantines in the entire Luzon and various parts of the Visayas and Mindanao should be carried out without delay.

Based on the report of the President to Congress on the implementation of Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, Angara noted that there is P141.7 billion that has already been released to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under the 2020 General Appropriations Act that can be used for COVID-19 response activities.

"We need to utilize these funds immediately. Paulit-ulit natin sinasabi na may pera para sa mga kababayan natin na naapektuhan ng COVID-19 pero base sa naririnig natin, hanggang ngayon ay marami pa din sa kanila ang wala pang natatanggap," Angara said.

"Sa panahon na ito, tanging ang tulong ng gobyerno ang inaasahan ng mahihirap na pamilya para pambili ng essential goods tulad ng pagkain at gamot. Wala silang pagkukuhan ng kita ngayon kaya ibigay na agad ang tulong para sa kanila," Angara added.

From the P141.7 billion total released to the DSWD, P108.7 billion is allotted to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

Another P23.1 billion is for the social pension for indigent seniors; P8.7 billion for Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS); and P1.2 billion in quick response funds.

"Wala ako nakikita na dahilan para ma-delay pa ang pagbigay ng ayuda sa mahihirap. Matagal na ito pinapatupad kaya alam na ng DSWD kung ano ang dapat gawin. Ang kinaibahan lang sa sitwasyon ngayon ay may national emergency tayo kaya mas mabilis pa dapat ang pagkilos natin," Angara said.

For the social pension, the DSWD has released a memorandum circular on the provision of social amelioration measures, including the continued implementation of the social pension for indigent seniors.

"We thank the DSWD for heeding our call to continue the provision of the monthly social pension for our indigent seniors and to deliver the P500 stipend to them door-to-door. Seniors are the most vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus and in the case of the indigent seniors, they have literally nothing, which is why the government's support to them should be uninterrupted," Angara said.

The DSWD is currently working on the implementation of the AICS in the various areas of Luzon. Among the target beneficiaries of this are the drivers of public utility vehicles and TNVS, who were forced to stop operating when the enhanced community quarantine was enforced.

It has also procured and distributed food and non-food items with the help of the local government units.

"Time is of the essence here so we must provide assistance to the poor ASAP. We are fighting against hunger and unrest. We must act now," Angara said.



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Senator Win Gatchalian said the government needs to ensure that there will be enough rice supply in the market, not only within the enhanced community quarantine period but for the rest of the year, to ensure price stability of the commodity.

The lawmaker warned that our current rice inventory might stoke inflation because it is below the ideal stock inventory of three months. Based on Gatchalian's internal calculation, the three-month inventory should have a volume of 2,968,875 MT. But based on the Philippine Statistics Authority's (PSA) data, the country's current rice inventory is around 2,375,500 MT which is 18 days or 593,875 MT short of the ideal stock inventory.

While he took note of the government's intent to import 300,000 MT he, however, allayed fears that more problems might arise at the start of the lean season from July to September if Vietnam would continue to cut down on its exports. Vietnam has recently announced that it will stop accepting new rice export contracts to prioritize its own consumption. Thailand and Myanmar are another top suppliers of rice, but Thailand too will lower its rice exports due to production decline and stiffer global competition.

"Ang tanong dito kalian dadating ang karagdagang supply ng bigas dahil ngayon pa lang nagkakaubusan na ng stock sa mga pamilihan," said Gatchalian.

He cited their own experience in Valenzuela where there has been no supply coming from the National Food Authority (NFA) leaving them with nothing to provide for their constituents. Since the lockdown has been implemented, shipping and port operations have also been affected.

Gatchalian called on the DA to carry out a robust contingency plan for the rest of the year to prevent a possible rice shortage.

"Ngayong nasa gitna tayo ng isang krisis, ang isa sa pinaka importanteng magagawa ng ating gobyerno ay siguruhin na may sapat sa hapag kainan ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino. Pero sa nakikita natin ay mayroon nang nangyayaring rice shortage," he pointed out. At the same time, the senator said the government should provide subsidies to local rice farmers to reduce production cost and boost local rice production.



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Senator Win Gatchalian said the government needs to ensure that there will be enough rice supply in the market, not only within the enhanced community quarantine period but for the rest of the year, to ensure price stability of the commodity.

The lawmaker warned that our current rice inventory might stoke inflation because it is below the ideal stock inventory of three months. Based on Gatchalian's internal calculation, the three-month inventory should have a volume of 2,968,875 MT. But based on the Philippine Statistics Authority's (PSA) data, the country's current rice inventory is around 2,375,500 MT which is 18 days or 593,875 MT short of the ideal stock inventory.

While he took note of the government's intent to import 300,000 MT he, however, allayed fears that more problems might arise at the start of the lean season from July to September if Vietnam would continue to cut down on its exports. Vietnam has recently announced that it will stop accepting new rice export contracts to prioritize its own consumption. Thailand and Myanmar are another top suppliers of rice, but Thailand too will lower its rice exports due to production decline and stiffer global competition.

"Ang tanong dito kalian dadating ang karagdagang supply ng bigas dahil ngayon pa lang nagkakaubusan na ng stock sa mga pamilihan," said Gatchalian.

He cited their own experience in Valenzuela where there has been no supply coming from the National Food Authority (NFA) leaving them with nothing to provide for their constituents. Since the lockdown has been implemented, shipping and port operations have also been affected.

Gatchalian called on the DA to carry out a robust contingency plan for the rest of the year to prevent a possible rice shortage.

"Ngayong nasa gitna tayo ng isang krisis, ang isa sa pinaka importanteng magagawa ng ating gobyerno ay siguruhin na may sapat sa hapag kainan ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino. Pero sa nakikita natin ay mayroon nang nangyayaring rice shortage," he pointed out. At the same time, the senator said the government should provide subsidies to local rice farmers to reduce production cost and boost local rice production.



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Under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights - of which the Philippines is a signatory - in times of a public emergency threatening the life of a nation, the need to protect public health is a permissible ground for limiting certain rights including liberty of movement, freedom of expression, and the right to freedom of association. It has been said that "the people's well-being is the supreme law" and to further facilitate contact tracing, the same can be invoked. We will need a Presidential Proclamation relative to this, not a mere Interagency Resolution, considering its constitutional significance vis-a-vis policy tradeoffs between data privacy protection and the need to enforce more robust health measures. Perhaps technology could be of great help too. I support the proposal subject to certain time bound limitations while respecting the Constitution."

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Sen. Cynthia Villar has included in her relief efforts to help communities under the enhanced community quarantine the distribution of vegetable seeds to encourage home gardening and growing of own food.

Villar, chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, started the distribution of packed seeds of tomato, eggplant, pumpkin, ampalaya, sweet pepper, hot pepper, corn, sitaw, and mungbean to 61 different barangays in Las Pinas, Cavite and Bulacan.

"I've always advocated for home gardening as a strategy for food security and for the alleviation of nutrient deficiency. It will be a big help for families to have direct access to nutritious foods that they don't have to buy," Villar said.

The lady senator also said home gardening can be practiced by anybody in small patches of land, vacant lots or in containers, making it appealing to families living in urban areas.

She added that the importance of home gardens are also stressed in times of emergencies like typhoon, volcanic eruption, occurrence of frost and now the COVID-19 pandemic, where there are disruptions in the supply of fruits and vegetables.

The packets of seeds distributed by Villar also come with instructions on how to plant and care for the plants.

"We should take advantage of the quarantine, when we are all mandated to stay home and take care of ourselves, to stay productive by starting to plant seeds, grow food and harvest later on," Villar said.

Earlier, Villar encouraged the use of e-learning sites and online tutorials to learn how to plant easy to grow crops. She also said planting is an activity that the family can do together while on quarantine.



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"Pasko ng Pagkabuhay ngayon pagkatapos ng anim na linggo ng Kwaresma, ng pagninilay, ng sakripisyo.

Sa panahon ng COVID-19, mas tumitingkad ang mensahe ng Easter -- pag-asa na makakaalpas din tayo sa kumakalat na sakit at sa pagtigil ng nakagawian. Hope that we will overcome the pandemic and the halt to the customary.

Sa pagsugpo ng pandemya at sa kaligtasan ng ating mga komunidad, nakaasa tayo sa mga tamang datos at makataong pagpapatupad ng mga patnubay ukol sa enhanced community quarantine.

Ilan ang may sakit? Ilan ang malamang may sakit? Ilan ang nabawian ng buhay kaugnay ng COVID? Ilan ang mga gamit-medikal (masks, gloves, PPEs, testing kits, testing labs, ventilators)? Ilan ang mga medical staff?

Nabibigay ba ang kailangang pagkain at tamang protocol para mapanatiling malusog sila at lahat ng ating mga mamamayan? Nakakatulong ba sa pagsugpo ng pagkalat ng COVID ang pagkulong sa mga lumabag ng curfew o ang patuloy na mga panloloko sa social media?

Easter and resurrection spring from truth and solidarity."



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Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go reiterated his appeal to provide additional support for the middle class, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and their employees affected by the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Go said that most MSMEs were forced to temporarily, totally or partially close down due to the global health crisis and the extended enhanced community quarantine measures.

"Malaking parte ng bumubuhay sa ating ekonomiya ay ang mga MSMEs. Tulungan natin silang buhayin ang kanilang negosyo at maiahon ang kanilang mga empleyado habang nasa panahon ng krisis ang buong bansa," Go said.

He further explained that he has seen MSMEs struggle in keeping their businesses operational considering the adverse socio-economic impact of COVID-19. "Mahirap kumita ngayon. Maraming napilitang magsara kaya hindi nila matustusan ang mga sweldo ng kanilang mga empleyado."

The Senator, who also sits as a member of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee overseeing the implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, lauded the efforts of some MSMEs who have adopted online business transactions in order to ensure availability of basic necessities, such as food in the market and, at the same time, keep their businesses afloat to take care of their employees.

"Marami pong negosyo na nag-adopt ng skeletal workforce at nag-implement ng tamang social distancing measures para patuloy na makapagserbisyo. Bagamat nananatiling bukas ang iba, hindi pa rin ito sapat para maalagaan lahat ng empleyado. Lugi na ang negosyo, kawawa pa ang empleyadong walang sweldo," he explained.

Based on Go's discussions with Department of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, the latter said that the government is now preparing a subsidy program to provide assistance to MSMEs and their employees which is set to be rolled out in the coming weeks. This program will provide subsidies for about four million MSME employees.

This is after President Rodrigo Duterte recently said that the DOF must do what it can to ensure that there will be available funds for other affected Filipino families, as most of the already allocated budget are for programs prioritizing the most vulnerable sectors or the "poorest of the poor."

"Ang prayoridad natin ngayon ay mabigyan ng ayuda ang pinaka-mahihirap. Kung mayroon mang hindi maisama sa 18M families para sa emergency cash subsidy, mayroon ring ibang mga programa ang gobyerno na makakatulong sa iba pang mga apektadong mamamayan," Go said.

"Huwag natin pabayaan ang iba pang mga apektadong Pilipino na nangangailangan rin ng tulong," Go added as he urged the DOF and other concerned agencies to immediately implement measures that would also help them overcome this predicament.

To avoid duplication and to ensure that more Filipinos benefit from various government programs, Go said that the beneficiaries of the subsidy program for MSME employees must be different from the eighteen million families being assisted by programs under the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

DOF also clarified that they will only implement such assistance once the DOLE, through its COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP), has finished its assistance programs to avoid duplication. For affected workers in the formal sector, the DOLE's CAMP provides qualified beneficiaries a one-time financial assistance of P5,000 and employment facilitation services.

The DOF will get the list of qualified beneficiaries for the subsidy program from the Bureau of Internal Revenue. They will be paid directly through the Social Security System and the amount of assistance may range from P5,000 to P8,000 depending on the region.

The DOF has already exerted efforts to help the middle class by imposing a moratorium on payments of loan amortization, disallowance of compounded interest and penalties, as well as exemption from Documentary Stamp Tax.

Moreover, Republic Act No. 11469 or the "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act" directs all public and private banks and other financial institutions, including the Government Service Insurance System, Social Security System and Pag-ibig Fund, to implement a minimum 30-day grace period for the payment of all loans including salary, personal housing, motor vehicle loans, and credit card payments, which fall due within the period of the ECQ, now extended until April 30 in Luzon.

"Importante ang 'palugit' na ito para mapagaan ang pinapasan ng taumbayan. Kung gusto nating mas mabilis manumbalik ang sigla ng ating ekonomiya, mas mainam na ngayon pa lang ay tulungan na natin ang maliliit na negosyante na makabangon," Go said.

"Sisiguraduhin natin na walang maiiwan na Pilipino. Lahat ng apektado ay matutulungan natin lalo na sa health crisis na nangyayari sa bansa ngayon," the Senator added.

According to data collected in 2018 by the Department of Trade and Industry, over 



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Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go echoed the sentiments of several provincial governors over the need to provide a one-time 'Bayanihan' financial assistance to provincial local government units (PLGUs).

Go has recommended to the Executive Branch that a one-time grant equivalent to half of the province's one-month Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) can help further capacitate PLGUs to respond effectively to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation in the country.

Go emphasized that PLGUs can ensure the readiness of provincial hospitals to handle the COVID-19 health emergency since they are in charge of funding, sustaining and enhancing the operations of these local health facilities.

"Marami sa mga patients natin ay sa provincial hospitals po unang dinadala. It is the PLGUs that pay for the operations of these hospitals."

But aside from ensuring that provincial hospitals are well-equipped to treat COVID-19 related cases, Go noted that PLGUs have additional roles to play in the fight against the pandemic which warrant additional government support.

"PLGUs play a crucial role in implementing the measures imposed by the national government to control the spread of the virus. It would be beneficial to the people if PLGUs are also given additional funding to better respond to the needs of their constituents," Go said.

Go, together with various PLGUs, noted that provinces also ensure the successful implementation of the government's enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) measure. Among those who have expressed their sentiments in letters and messages addressed to the Senator were Camarines Sur Governor Miguel Luis Villafuerte, Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito Dolor, and Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba, among others.

In a letter from Villafuerte, the Camarines Sur governor mentioned that PLGUs provide food assistance covering all municipalities and component cities within their jurisdiction and on top of that, they also provide financial support, shelter or quarantine quarters for stranded non-residents as well.

Likewise, Dolor stated that provincial governments also take care of border protection to control the spread of the virus, provide food and maintenance for people in quarantine sites, and provide transportation and temporary dormitories for medical frontliners.

Due to the prolonged health emergency, various governors noted that financial resources of PLGUs, such as calamity fund disbursements and real estate tax collections, have either exceeded their limit or have been drained, warranting assistance from the national government. They also cited the need for funds to create a surge in economic development which has been slowed down by the COVID-19 health crisis.

In a letter sent by the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, the umbrella organization of all leagues of local government units, through their National President and Quirino Governor Dakila Carlo Cua, the group appeals for a similar grant for PLGUs as to what was recently approved for cities and municipalities.

The letter further explained that provincial governments, as the highest form of government in the sub-national level, play a vital role in the COVID-19 situation as managers of the health care provider networks, according to the Universal Health Care Law.

In earlier statements, Go reiterated his appeal for the provision of the assistance to PLGUs following the approval of his request to grant a one-time 'Bayanihan' financial assistance to cities and municipalities.

"Huwag na nating hayaan na kumalat pa ang virus. Ihanda na natin ang mga probinsya kahit sa pinaka-malalayong mga lugar. I-equip na natin ang kanilang mga ospital. Dagdagan na rin natin ang mga testing centers and quarantine facilities," he added.

As a member of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee overseeing the implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, Go also reminded PLGUs to use the additional funding prudently if their request is approved.

"Gamitin lang ng mabuti ang pondo pangtulong sa mga tao. Importante na malampasan natin ito ng sama-sama, walang pulitika, at walang pinipili ang tinutulungan," he said.

Go stressed that the additional funding, if granted, should be used exclusively for its intended purpose in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and as determined by the national government.

"Dapat magtulungan ang LGUs at national government agencies, pati na rin ang private sector, para matapalan kung ano man ang magiging kulang sa mga kailangan ng taumbayan," Go emphasized.



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As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic fuels fears of a cybersex trafficking surge among children in Southeast Asia, Senator Win Gatchalian called on the Department of Education (DepEd), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) for increased vigilance and protective measures.

Gatchalian warned that since the community quarantine in the country gave children more time to spend online, traffickers would take advantage to target more victims. He emphasized that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) already identified the Philippines as the global epicenter of the livestream sexual abuse trade, with eight out of ten children and youth at risk of online sexual abuse.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) Cybercrime Office reported that in 2018, it received 600,000 tips of images and videos of naked, sexualized, and abused Filipino children, an increase of more than 1,000 percent from 45,645 cases in 2017. The United States (US) Department of Labor's "2018 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor" also reported that at the direction of paying customers, victims in the Philippines were induced to perform sex acts for live internet broadcasts in small internet cafes, private homes, and "cybersex dens."

"Bago pa dumating ang banta ng COVID-19, isang hamon na sa atin kung paano natin lalabanan ang online sexual abuse sa mga kabataan. Ngayong mas nakatutok sa internet ang mga bata, kailangan nating palakasin ang mga hakbang upang mabigyan sila ng proteksyon at mapanagot ang gumagawa ng krimeng ito," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

Gatchalian urged DepEd to leverage its online learning platform 'DepEd Commons' to increase awareness on the dangers, prevention, and reporting of Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC). Aside from teaching children about these, the senator also said parents should monitor their children's online activities and ensure the strictest possible level of their privacy settings.

He also urged the DOJ and the PNP to use their communication platforms to likewise raise awareness while mobilizing their cybercrime units to track down predators. These efforts should also involve women and children protection units such as the PNP-Women and Children Protection Center and the NBI-Violence Against Women and Children Desk, the lawmaker said.

Gatchalian last year filed Senate Bill 735 or the Human Trafficking Preventive Education Program Act to orient Filipino children and youth about their rights, government protection measures, and the dangers posed by different forms of trafficking, including online sexual exploitation.

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www.hostwinds.com/7983.html]www.hostwinds.com[/url]

As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic fuels fears of a cybersex trafficking surge among children in Southeast Asia, Senator Win Gatchalian called on the Department of Education (DepEd), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) for increased vigilance and protective measures.

Gatchalian warned that since the community quarantine in the country gave children more time to spend online, traffickers would take advantage to target more victims. He emphasized that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) already identified the Philippines as the global epicenter of the livestream sexual abuse trade, with eight out of ten children and youth at risk of online sexual abuse.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) Cybercrime Office reported that in 2018, it received 600,000 tips of images and videos of naked, sexualized, and abused Filipino children, an increase of more than 1,000 percent from 45,645 cases in 2017. The United States (US) Department of Labor's "2018 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor" also reported that at the direction of paying customers, victims in the Philippines were induced to perform sex acts for live internet broadcasts in small internet cafes, private homes, and "cybersex dens."

"Bago pa dumating ang banta ng COVID-19, isang hamon na sa atin kung paano natin lalabanan ang online sexual abuse sa mga kabataan. Ngayong mas nakatutok sa internet ang mga bata, kailangan nating palakasin ang mga hakbang upang mabigyan sila ng proteksyon at mapanagot ang gumagawa ng krimeng ito," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

Gatchalian urged DepEd to leverage its online learning platform 'DepEd Commons' to increase awareness on the dangers, prevention, and reporting of Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC). Aside from teaching children about these, the senator also said parents should monitor their children's online activities and ensure the strictest possible level of their privacy settings.

He also urged the DOJ and the PNP to use their communication platforms to likewise raise awareness while mobilizing their cybercrime units to track down predators. These efforts should also involve women and children protection units such as the PNP-Women and Children Protection Center and the NBI-Violence Against Women and Children Desk, the lawmaker said.

Gatchalian last year filed Senate Bill 735 or the Human Trafficking Preventive Education Program Act to orient Filipino children and youth about their rights, government protection measures, and the dangers posed by different forms of trafficking, including online sexual exploitation.

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Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon called on the government's economic managers to conduct a speedy review of state assets that could be sold off immediately in order to generate funds for COVID-19 crisis and to counter the growing budget deficit due to the pandemic.

The President last week said he is ready to sell government properties as a last resort to get more funding for the people affected by the pandemic.

"Let us turn this COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity to better utilize government assets. Better utilization of these state assets is long overdue as a national policy," Drilon stressed.

"As I said before,the government does not have to look far to raise additional revenues. There are 'low-hanging fruits' the government can immediately tap to provide the much-needed resources for our country to survive this pandemic," he said.

Drilon noted, for instance, that the privatization of the gaming industry will generate funding for the government to provide more relief to affected Filipinos and, at the same time, manage the country's growing budget deficit.

In the Senate Committee on Finance's hearing on the budget of the Department of Finance (DOF) last year, Drilon recalled that Sec. Carlos Dominguez III admitted that privatizing the gaming industry will yield around P300 billion in additional revenues yearly.

"We have an untapped 'goldmine' that can generate up to P300 billion in fresh revenues yearly. I hope our economic managers will move faster on this this time, because the effects of COVID-19 pandemic will go beyond 2020," Drilon said.

Drilon said a widening budget deficit is expected as an aftermath of the pandemic.

The minority leader said that if budget deficit is not arrested early on, programs, including much-needed social and health packages, will suffer in the long run.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III earlier said that the budget deficit is expected to increase anwyhere between 3.2 percent to 5.3 percent. The government's original target is 3 percent.

Drilon said that the law that he authored, the GOCC Governance Act, allows the President to amend the charter of state-owned corporations, including PAGCOR and PCSO, without going to Congress.

"If the government really wants to generate more funds to help the COVID-19 affected families, let's privatize PAGCOR and PCSO," he added.

Aside from privatizing the gaming industry, Drilon said disposing of Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame can also help finance the budget deificit and generate funding for COVID-19 response.

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Ngayong panahon ng matinding pagsubok, muling hinahamon ang lalim ng ating pananampalataya. Isinusuko natin ang sarili sa Diyos at nagsusumamo para sa ating proteksyon at kaligtasan.

And in these trying times, Christ has answered our prayers through our doctors, nurses, health workers, volunteers and other frontliners who are instrumental in the fight against COVID-19. We feel His presence amidst those who recover from the illness and through our leaders who truly discern and act based on what is right and just for the people. We witness God's loving grace in our compassion to one another.

Ipinaaalala po sa atin ng Muling Pagkabuhay ng Panginoon: Sa kamatayan, naroon ang di-nawawalang presensya ng Diyos, at ang di-matatawarang pag-ibig Niya para sa mga pumanaw at mga iniwan-sa pagpawi sa ating kasalanan at paggabay sa mga nagluluksa upang magpakatatag at manalig sa kalooban ng Maykapal.

Ang atin pong panawagan: Buhayin natin sa ating alaala ang mga pumanaw, hindi sa dinanas na hirap at lungkot, kundi sa ipinakita nilang tapang, katatagan at pagmamahal sa atin. Habambuhay din po nating pasalamatan at bigyang-pugay ang kabayanihan ng mga nagbuwis ng buhay at patuloy na iniaalay ang sarili para sa kapwa.

Nawa'y maging bukal po tayo ng lakas at inspirasyon sa isa't isa. Patuloy nating ipagdasal ang agarang lunas sa COVID-19, ang paggaling ng mga may sakit, ang proteksyon ng mga bayani nating walang pasubali kung tumulong, at ang pagtugon sa pangangailangan ng mga kapuspalad na pinalubha ang sitwasyon dahil sa kakulangan ng serbisyo mula sa gobyerno.

Malalampasan din po natin ito at muling makababangon nang may higit na pananampalataya sa Panginoon.

Isang makahulugang pagdiriwang po ng Linggo ng Pagkabuhay sa ating lahat.

(Sgd.) LEILA M. DE LIMA

PNP Custodial Center, Camp Crame

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Taking care of the elderly must be the top priority of every local government unit as we face the COVID-19 pandemic.

Restrained at home due to the enhanced community quarantine, senior citizens, especially those living on their own, should regularly receive food packs, potable water and essential supplies to sustain them for the quarantine period.

If they need medicines, like their maintenance drugs, someone from the barangay should buy these for them. Those who need check-ups or treatment should be given transportation by the local government unit to the hospital or clinic.

Cash assistance should also reach them, especially these days when they cannot go out to withdraw from banks or ATMs, or receive remittance from their children.

As frontliners in their respective communities, we trust that barangays will reach out and help the elderly.

We should spare the senior citizens from going out of their homes, dealing with the long lines in drug stores or groceries, and exposing themselves to possible infection as they are most vulnerable.

In this time of crisis, we need to look out for them more than ever and make them feel cared for.

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Saying that aid should travel faster than the virus, Sen. Grace Poe urged concerned government agencies to go on round-the-clock operations so that the first installment of the P200 billion financial aid to poor families will reach them in hours or the latest before weekend.

Poe said that this is the only way to prevent "mass hunger from turning into mass anger."

"I understand the logistics in organizing this cash transfer to 18 milllion families but time is of the essence so we must step on the gas," Poe said.

She said the Department of Social Welfare and Development must start distribution as soon as possible to the poorest households while the masterlist for the rest of the beneficiaries is being generated, and provide a clear timeline when the remainder of the subsidy will be distributed.

"The profiling and validation of the list of beneficiaries for 18 million families will understandably take time. But we cannot be waiting for lists while the people go hungry."

Poe said "millions of cooking pots are now empty and they need to be replenished. The grumbling that is hard to ignore is the one coming from the stomachs of our people."

"The best way to defuse the tension is for people to see that cash is being handed out. There is no great pacifier than having the means to buy food and other essentials," Poe stressed.

Under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, 18 million families are targeted to receive an emergency subsidy ranging between P5,000 to P8,000.


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Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Senator Francis Pangilinan and Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros lambasted Thursday politicians who are exploiting the situation to advance their political agenda, saying that the 2022 presidential campaign is obviously getting in the way, leaving millions of vulnerable and low-income Filipino families unassisted.

"It is not red tape. It is the 2022 political campaign that is hampering the immediate distribution of relief to millions of poor families," the group said amid complaints regarding the sluggish release of assistance by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other agencies.

"It saddens us that there are people who could be so heartless and power hungry as to take advantage of this crisis to advance their political ambition," they said.

"To presidential wannabees, hands off, please. Go away," they added.

"We all know what happens when political campaign gets in the way: the distribution of disaster aid is politicized and the bureaucracy is politicized," the senators said.

"Worse, national and local officials who have shown initiative and innovation in responding to COVID-19 crisis are politicized, criticized and crucified, which would only add to the suffering of our countrymen and women," the stressed.

The minority bloc also said that private organizations, corporations and institutions should not let themselves be used for obvious political propaganda.

"When charity is politicized, it stinks. In times like this, it kills," they said.

They also questioned the need for the DSWD to distribute social amelioration cards (SAC) and gather personal information again when it has in its possession a complete database of poor and low-income families needing more assistance from the government.

The SAC is a form being distributed at the barangay level to capture the family profile, which will be used as the basis in providing aid to the affected families.

"Why are they collecting information again? We have a functional National Household Targeting System that is used by the DSWD in implementing the 4Ps program?" they asked.

"Does it mean that their database is not reliable? If they cannot explain it, well, we cannot help but think that it is part of an effort to create a database for the 2022 campaign," they said.

The senators said DSWD and other agencies should just use their existing database in implementing the social amelioration package during the COVID-19 crisis.

"Let us spare our fellow Filipinos this unnecessary procedure. Our kababayansare getting hungry and desperate for help. They lost jobs. Give the aid ASAP," they said.

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ALVIN: walang darating na Meralco bill para sa konsumo sa Marso dahil sa enhance community quarantine. Average ng tatlong buwan lang muna ang babayaran na may palugit pang 30 days. Pero pagkatapos ng quarantine, dalawang buwang konsumo kaagad ang tatambad sa mga konsyumers. Kaya umapela si Senate Energy Committee Chair, Sherwin Gatchalian sa Energy Regulatory Commission na gawan ng paraan, para hindi maputulan ng kuryente ang mga konsyumers.

SEN WIN: Gumawa ng hakbang para hindi ipasa sa konsyumers yung mga nakontrata nila na hindi magagamit. At pangalawa, dahil nga marami sa ating mga kababayan hindi nakakapagtrabaho ngayon, especially yun mga 'no work, no pay', ang panawagan natin as ERC ay gumawa ng hakbang para hindi maputulan yung ating mga kababayan.

ALVIN: Paliwanag ng ERC, tinanggal na ang feed-in tariff allowance na four centavos kada kilowatt hour at ibang pang paraan para mapababa yung singgil. Pero hindi uubra ang panukalang wag nang bayaran ang konsumo ng Marso.

DEVANADERA: Kunyari ang Meralco hindi nangolekta, hindi rin sila magbabayad doon sa mga nag-supply ng kuryente. Yun naman mga nag-supply ng kuryente, meron din silang gastos, yung fuel na kanilang ginagamit sa mga planta nila. So may chain reaction yan kaya yan ay masusi nating sinusuri.

ALVIN: Para malaman ang bill, pwedeng tumawag sa 16211 ng Merlaco. Pwede rin mag bayad gamit ang Meralco app, pero may dagdag na convenience charge.

ZALDARRIAGA: Yung iba kasi are willing to pay the convenience fee para hindi na rin sila maabala pumila o magbayd ng over-the-counter. May option rin naman magbayad over-the-counter. We have payment partners

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Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go appealed to the Executive Department on Thursday, April 2, to grant a one-time 'Bayanihan' financial assistance to cities and municipalities to help them respond to the needs of their constituents while the country is addressing the COVID-19 health emergency and the socioeconomic impact that comes with it.

"Tulungan dapat ang mga local government units na maalagaan ang mga komunidad nila sa panahong ito. Malaking tulong kung mabigyan sila ng dagdag na pondo para mapunan ang lumalaking pangangailangan ng mga tao ngayon," Go explained.

Go also explained that while the national government is taking charge in this time of crisis, LGUs must take responsibility as well in addressing the needs of their constituents. He commended LGUs for their efforts in maintaining order in their areas and in responding to the immediate needs of the people.

"Salamat sa mga LGUs, governors, vice governors, mayors, vice mayors, barangay officials na nag-aasikaso sa kanilang mga constituents... Now, more than ever, we, as elected officials, must do everything we can to be of service to the people," he said.

Go recommended that a one-time grant from the national government, equivalent to one month of their respective internal revenue allotments (IRA), will go a long way in enhancing the capabilities of LGUs in responding to the crisis.

"Sa laki ng problemang kinakaharap natin, baka kukulangin ang kasalukuyang pondo ng ating mga LGU. Hindi naman po lahat ng LGUs ay pantay-pantay pagdating sa pondo. Kailangan rin nila ng tulong mula sa national government," Go explained.

The Senator cited salient provisions of Republic Act No. 11469 or the "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act" as bases for his proposal.

"Isinulong natin ang batas na ito upang maging madali sa gobyerno na i-reprogram, i-reallocate, at i-realign ang mga pondo basta ba gagamitin ito para maprotektahan ang mga Pilipino laban sa banta ng COVID-19," he said.

The Senator emphasized that the law has already given the necessary authority and flexibility to the government to utilize the funds as deemed necessary to respond and address the growing threats of COVID-19.

Go added that as a member of the Joint Oversight Committee of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, he will make sure that available funds are used properly and are maximized to provide immediate help to Filipinos who need government attention the most.

"Sisiguraduhin ko na nagagamit ng tama ang pondo at pupukpukin ko ang mga ahensya na aksyunan agad ang pangangailangan ng mga Pilipinong apektado ngayon," Go said.

He explained that the one-time 'Bayanihan' financial assistance for cities and municipalities can be taken from available funds or savings of the national government.

"Bawat city o municipality, bigyan natin ng pondo na katumbas ng kanilang IRA sa isang buwan. Cities at municipalities lang din ang bibigyan natin to avoid duplication. Provinces and barangays have the same constituencies anyway. They are already covered. The grant may be released through the Bureau of the Treasury using the same bank accounts for the IRA shares of the LGUs," Go proposed.

Go added that the grant should be used exclusively for projects, programs and activities concerning the COVID-19 situation, such as procurement of personal protective equipment for frontline service providers; medicines and vitamins; hospital equipment and supplies; disinfectants and related equipment; relief goods for low-income and vulnerable households; and tents for temporary shelter of the homeless.

He further proposed that the grant may also be used for food, transportation and accommodation expenses of medical personnel and other LGU personnel involved in activities related to the COVID-19 situation; lease or rental of quarantine centers; and other necessary expenses.

"Siyempre, siguraduhin natin na gagamitin lang ang pondo sa layunin nito at hindi ito mapunta sa katiwalian. Ipagbawal nating gamitin ito sa suweldo ng mga personnel, pambili ng motor vehicles, at mga administrative at traveling expenses na wala namang kinalaman sa COVID-19 situation," Go emphasized.

He also clarified that the grant should be on top of other assistance that national government agencies are already providing to LGUs.

However, Go reminded LGUs to make sure that the assistance reaches those who need government help the most, particularly the poorest of the poor, vulnerable sectors and displaced workers. He added that politics should not be a factor in providing such assistance.

"Pakiusap ko lang, huwag na pong haluan ng pulitika ang pagtulong. Hindi po iyan nakakatulong sa sitwasyon natin ngayon. Huwag na natin pahirapan pa ang mga tao, tumulong nalang tayo na pabilisin ang pagbigay ng tulong sa kanila," Go said.

"Wala naman po kasing dapat pinipiling oras o kulay ang pagtulong sa kapwa kaya siguraduhin nalang po natin na makarating ito sa pinaka-mahihirap at pinaka-nangangailangan," he added.

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Kami ni Pangulong Duterte at ang kanyang administrasyon ay patuloy na nananawagan sa lahat ng mga Pilipino na magtulungan at magbayanihan para malampasan natin ang krisis na ito.

Welcome dapat lahat ng mga gustong tumulong. Welcome rin ang mga bumabatikos na magbigay ng kanilang rekomendasyon.

Maging parte sana tayong lahat ng solusyon at hindi dumagdag sa problema. Kaya sa mga opisyal diyan na hindi naman nakakatulong, just quarantine your mouth o umalis ka nalang.

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Kami ni Pangulong Duterte at ang kanyang administrasyon ay patuloy na nananawagan sa lahat ng mga Pilipino na magtulungan at magbayanihan para malampasan natin ang krisis na ito.

Welcome dapat lahat ng mga gustong tumulong. Welcome rin ang mga bumabatikos na magbigay ng kanilang rekomendasyon.

Maging parte sana tayong lahat ng solusyon at hindi dumagdag sa problema. Kaya sa mga opisyal diyan na hindi naman nakakatulong, just quarantine your mouth o umalis ka nalang.

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Definitely, the President's warning to have "troublemakers" during the enhanced community quarantine shot was exaggerated and harsh. But coming from this President, what else is new?

However, having been immersed in intelligence and law-enforcement work for more than two decades in my previous life, I couldn't help but suggest to authorities to thoroughly investigate if the "riot" in Quezon City involving protesters demanding aid - but in violation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine - was indeed a valid "hunger-driven" spontaneous act of people who simply lost their patience out of exasperation, or a politically instigated act of violence by sinister groups out to take advantage and destabilize the administration and duly constituted authority.

As such, concerned authorities may opt to look into the possibility that Wednesday's incident could be a "dry run" to test public sentiment as well as the ability of law enforcers to respond. At least one group, Kadamay, has posted on its Facebook page an "invitation" to an event scheduled for April 1.

There is no saying however, that all protests during the ECQ should be presumed as politically instigated. Yet, it cannot be denied that there may be groups with motive to exploit the volatility of the situation to advance their own political agenda.

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Unang-una, bawal yan sa batas mismo. Section 7 of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act states that "Nothing herein shall be construed as an impairment, restriction, or modification of the provisions of the Constitution."

Sa Saligang Batas, sinisiguro ang kalayaang maghayag ng saloobin. Article 3, Section 4 states that "No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances."

Mali ang pigilan ang mga taong hanapin ang serbisyong ipinangako ng gobyerno. Mali ang parusahan ang mga taong naniningil ng pondong galing sa buwis nila at inalaan para sa kanila. Mali na dahas o banta ng kaso ang isusukli sa kanilang karapatan at tungkuling papanagutin ang gobyerno.

Yang expose ni Dean Diokno ay itatanong natin sa Joint Oversight Committee na bubuuhin ayon din sa batas na nasabi.

When millions of poor and low-income Filipinos have been struggling to survive in the past two weeks under quarantine, what they expect from the government are actions with sense of urgency and precision.

The DSWD has been tasked to roll out the Emergency Subsidy Program that will distribute monthly emergency subsidies of P5,000 to P8,000 for at least two months to 18 million households.

Nasaan na ito? Dapat, ngayon, sa ikatlong linggo ng quarantine, meron nang credible master-list of beneficiaries na na-vet na ng local government units. Napakahalaga ng hakbang na ito. Hindi pwedeng gutumin ang mga tao.

From reports we have gathered, the DSWD will also issue social amelioration cards which will be barcoded for security. Just how long will it take the department to finish this? In yesterday's news, thousands of residents in Parañaque were reportedly duped into buying the fake cards.

Habang tumatagal ang proseso, lalong maaaring mahawa sa virus ang mas maraming tao, na siya namang gusto ng mga mapagsamantala.

We also want to know how the cash distribution will be carried out. Gathering the people in a hall may not be a good idea since physical distancing will be hard to observe. A house-to-house distribution is an option, but the department and LGUs should have the ready manpower equipped with PPEs and knowledge of protocols to do this.

Kalusugan, kabuhayan, at mismong buhay na ng mga tao ang nakataya. Sagutin ang tanong at hinaing ng taong-bayan.

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"We are outraged by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission's plan to investigate Vice President Leni Robredo just because her efforts to extend assistance to Filipino families struggling to make both ends meet during this national crisis may embarrass the government.

When has helping people become a crime? Is it a crime to look for resources so that our health care workers are protected when they attend to the sick? Is it a crime to offer free shuttle vehicles so that our essential service providers in this unprecedented shutdown of business operations can get to work?

No one has the monopoly of helping alleviate the sufferings of our people. In this time of national crisis, we expect everyone to support all public and private initiatives in responding quickly and in staying to help until the curse of the coronavirus disease pandemic is finally defeated.

Saving lives is not a contest but everyone's business. We cannot allow ourselves to sit by and watch our people risking their own safety, getting sick, and worse, dying without adequate medical attention. We cannot afford partisan politics and bureaucratic juggernauts to lead us into national paralysis.

We have to be at the forefront in responding to the needs and demands of our people during this most trying time of our nation's history. We need to ensure that help is on the way even under extraordinary circumstances. We hope the PACC and everyone in government see it that way too".

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Saying that aid should travel faster than the virus, Sen. Grace Poe urged concerned government agencies to go on round-the-clock operations so that the first installment of the P200 billion financial aid to poor families will reach them in hours or the latest before weekend.

Poe said that this is the only way to prevent "mass hunger from turning into mass anger."

"I understand the logistics in organizing this cash transfer to 18 milllion families but time is of the essence so we must step on the gas," Poe said.

She said the Department of Social Welfare and Development must start distribution as soon as possible to the poorest households while the masterlist for the rest of the beneficiaries is being generated, and provide a clear timeline when the remainder of the subsidy will be distributed.

"The profiling and validation of the list of beneficiaries for 18 million families will understandably take time. But we cannot be waiting for lists while the people go hungry."

Poe said "millions of cooking pots are now empty and they need to be replenished. The grumbling that is hard to ignore is the one coming from the stomachs of our people."

"The best way to defuse the tension is for people to see that cash is being handed out. There is no great pacifier than having the means to buy food and other essentials," Poe stressed.

Under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, 18 million families are targeted to receive an emergency subsidy ranging between P5,000 to P8,000.

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Labis ang pagtataka, galit at pagkadismaya ni Sen. Leila M. de Lima sa ginagawang pananakot at panggigipit ng mga ahensya ng gobyerno sa mga aktibong tumutulong para tugunan ang krisis na dulot ng COVID-19.

Una nang pinuna ni De Lima ang pag-subpoena ng National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) kay Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto ukol sa paglabag nito umano sa Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

"Pilit na pilit. Ano ba yan, NBI? Sa ngalan ng dangal at integridad ng inyong institusyon, huwag na ninyong ituloy ang kaso," pahayag ni De Lima.

"Mantakin ninyo: Pagpaliwanagin ba naman si Mayor Vico sa paglabag sa batas na hindi pa naman noon ipinatutupad?," dagdag ng Senadora.

Matatandaan na iminungkahi ng Mayor ng Lungsod ng Pasig na hayaan munang bumiyahe ang mga tricycle sa kanyang nasasakupan bago pa man ang Marso 18, habang Marso 24 naman naisabatas ang Bayanihan Law.

Lalo namang nagpanting ang tenga ng mambabatas nang mabalitaan ang pag-udyok ng Commissioner ng Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) na si Manuelito Luna na imbestigahan din ng NBI si VP Leni Robredo dahil sa diumano'y pakikipagkumpitensya sa gobyerno sa panahon ng krisis.

"Tahimik na tumutulong si VP Leni, pero imbes na suportahan, gumagawa pa ng walang saysay na ingay ang ilang opisyal para siraan sya. Ginawa na ba talaga nilang bisyo ang pagbabanta sa mga nagtatrabaho nang matino?" tanong ng Senadora.

"Kung may dapat silang tutukan at imbestigahan, yun ay kung nasaan na ang bilyon-bilyong pondong inilaan para magbigay-ayuda sa ating mamamayan," giit pa niya.

Ayon pa kay De Lima, nakarating din sa kanya ang mga ulat na sinasamantala umano ng ilang oportunista ang pagkakataong ito para mangampanya, matapos kumalat sa social media ang mga larawan ng mga ipinapadalang donasyon na tinadtad ng pangalan ng politiko.

"Ganyan na ba talaga sila ka-suwapang, na mas pipiliin pa nilang maantala ang dating ng mga ayuda, masiguro lang na maikampanya ang sarili?" wika ni De Lima. Hindi na rin ipinagtaka ng mambabatas mula sa Bicol ang naging reaksyon ng napakaraming netizens, kasama na ang mga kilalang artista, na nagalit sa panggigipit kay Sotto at Robredo, pati na sa maagang pangangampanya ng ilang politiko.

"Kung ego at kapritso lang ang paiiralin ng gobyernong ito, lalong mapapahamak ang mga Pilipino-mula sa mga frontliners nating di-agarang nabibigyan ng tulong at proteksyon, mga kababayan nating wala nang kinikita at kumakalam ang sikmura sa gutom, hanggang sa mga di-makatarungang inaaresto at ikinukulong," pahayag pa ni De Lima.

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Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to issue clear guidelines for the distribution of the government assistance package set aside for more than 18 million families that are financially hit by the lockdown.

De Lima made the statement after Mr. Duterte's announcement that he gave orders to the Welfare Department to lead the disbursement of both cash and food aid through their Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

"Yes, DSWD has the distribution network, but is it an efficient one? And, given now that the clientele of DSWD has more than tripled under the Bayanihan Law, can that distribution network and system adapt?" she asked.

"Do we even have the database already for those 18 million families? Do we have clear guidelines for the Social Amelioration Program?" she added.

Last April 1, Mr. Duterte said that the reason why he tasked the distribution of the relief package of food and cash worth PhP275 billion to the DSWD, is because there are complaints about politicians handling the money.

This was confirmed by Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, that PhP100 billion - intended solely as cash aid - was advanced to DSWD, to jumpstart the Social Amelioration Program of the Bayanihan Law.

In a press conference the next day, by the government's Anti-COVID-19 task force, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said that the oversight and distribution directive was given to DSWD "to ensure only that the targeted beneficiaries will receive the government subsidies".

However, De Lima worries if the DSWD is up to the task given that the 4Ps database it has was originally created for only 4.4 million families and that it already has an existing two-month backlog of cash distributions for its intended beneficiaries.

"The report, as of (March 24-27), pointed to the slow disbursement of pay-outs to 4Ps beneficiaries, where the DSWD was only able to release the cash assistance for the period of Dec. 2019 to Jan. 2020. Hinihintay pa po ng ating 4Ps beneficiaries ang ayuda nila para sa Pebrero at Marso. Abril na po ngayon," she said.

"Ang backlog na ito ay sa 4Ps program pa lang para sa 4.4 milyong pamilya. How will the DSWD fulfill the requirement of distributing cash assistance and food to 18 million households, under the Bayanihan Law?" she added.

As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, De Lima urged the DSWD to display the needed leadership and decisive action to ensure that the most affected of Filipinos will be able to receive aid at the soonest possible time.

She noted that people are already starting to express their anger at the delays in aid distribution of the government, such as the demonstration and blockade organized by urban poor residents of Sitio San Roque of Quezon City.

"DSWD plays a very critical role in the government's response to the ongoing crisis. I hope and pray that it is up to the challenge. Tapusin nyo na po ang backlog sa 4Ps pay-outs. Ayusin nyo na po ang database, mapping, and distribution system para sa 18 milyong pamilyang umaasa na sa ayuda at pagkain," De Lima said.

"Ilabas nyo na po ang mga klaro at detalyadong patakaran sa pamimigay para sa kaayusan ng lahat, lalo na ng mga kawani ng DSWD, mga tauhan ng LGUs, at ang napakaraming Pilipinong lubos na umaasa po sa inyo," she added.

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Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima calls out the seemingly lack of urgency of the government in arming healthcare workers as they risk their lives daily in taking care of patients infected by the novel coronavirus.

Reports as of March 31 have indicated that at least 17 physicians, most of whom are specialists, have succumbed to various complications caused by the COVID-19 disease.

"17 doktor na ang nasasawi, at karamihan espesyalista, sa hanay ng mga frontliners. At ang isa sa lumalabas na sanhi ay kakulangan ng PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment), at patuloy tayong nalalagasan dahil dito," De Lima said.

"Bakit napakabagal ng distributions ng mga PPEs? Wala na dapat mamatay pang mga doktor at iba pang health workers dahil sa kawalan o kakulangan ng PPEs. What [they] need now is a clear plan and a coordinated yet swift deployment of needed resources," she added.

Healthcare workers and other frontliners have also expressed their frustration for the lack of PPEs to deal with the increasing number of COVID-19 patients that are requiring vital medical assistance.

Some air their grievances online, indicating that they are using plastic garbage bags and other alternatives to enable themselves to continue serving COVID-19 positive and suspected patients.

However, in a televised appearance last March 30, Mr. Duterte said that the fallen doctors should consider themselves "very lucky", for supposedly, offering their lives for the country.

"Sinuong sila sa isang giyera na kulang-kulang sa armas. Buong puso silang sumabak hindi lang sa udyok ng tungkulin, maging sa tawag ng bayan. At ano ang kapalit ng kanilang sakrispisyo? Empty words, lip service, mula sa presidenteng puro ngawa, walang gawa," De Lima seethed.

"As we grieve for our fallen heroes, we rage at the incompetence and neglect that led to their deaths. They were already heroes; they need not lay down their lives," she added.

In April 1, the Department of Health announced that about 15,000 sets out of a million ordered PPEs have already reached the warehouse of the Office of Civil Defense. However, they claim that the equipment has to go through an inspection before they can be distributed to six prioritized government hospitals.

As of this writing, at least one million people have been infected of the novel coronavirus worldwide, with a death toll of at least 51,400 persons.

In the Philippines, latest numbers show a total of 2,633 positive cases of infections, with 107 deaths and 51 confirmed recoveries.

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The government needs to fast track the implementation of the national ID system for a quicker health and calamity response in the future to prevent a repeat of the mistakes committed in tracing persons suspected with COVID-19 infections, according to Senator Win Gatchalian.

The law, which was signed by President Duterte in August 2018, is aimed at creating a single official identification card for all citizens that would interconnect government-issued IDs.

The government has started pilot testing the national ID system last year which originally was set to run up to June this year before formally rolling out the project in July next year.

Gatchalian recalled during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Health assessing the Philippine government's preparedness on the outbreak of COVID-19 last February that Health Secretary Francisco Duque admitted that they encountered difficulties tracing people who came in contact with COVID-19 patients because some have incomplete or erroneous contact details listed with airline companies.

Gatchalian said some countries with lower COVID-19 cases like Taiwan used their respective national data to trace their citizens' travel history. Since January when the world started taking notice of a new coronavirus disease that was rapidly spreading from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the neighboring Taiwan integrated travel records from its National Immigration Agency with the National Health Insurance Administration's (NHIA) existing database to alert doctors of their patients' travel history. By scanning the patient's NHI card, an alert will pop up if the patient has traveled to or transited through countries with high cases of COVID-19.

Singapore also made use of its National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) for collecting information for the purpose of contact tracing and other measures in its fight against COVID-19.

Taiwan and Singapore have each recorded 2 deaths as of March 26 while the rest of other nations grapple to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The Philippines may learn from the experiences of Singapore and Taiwan on how these countries harnessed their national IDs in containing the outbreak that is sweeping across the globe. That's why the government needs to implement the national ID system as soon as possible to ensure that we will be more ready in case of future pandemics," Gatchalian said.

"Matagal nang naipasa ang Philippine Identification System Act sa bansa. Napapanahon na upang ito'y gamitin bilang tugon sa mga emergency situations tulad ng krisis na nararanasan natin ngayon," he added.

The National ID System will have basic information to be sourced from data collected by the Philippine Statistics Authority. The cards will be given for free.

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As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and as a member of the Joint Oversight Committee that oversees the implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go welcomed government's plan to initiate mass testing for Persons Under Investigation and Persons Under Monitoring in its bid to combat the further spread of the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) in the country.

"Buong suporta ako sa gagawin ng gobyerno na mass testing sa mga PUIs at PUMs para mas mapabilis natin ang pagsugpo ng COVID-19 sa ating bansa," Go said on Friday, April 3.

In a press conference on Thursday, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and chief implementer of the government's action plan against the coronavirus pandemic Carlito Galvez, Jr. told members of the press that the government is planning to start massive testing of PUIs and PUMs by April 14. This is on top of the other efforts of the government to control the COVID-19 outbreak in the country, such as ongoing capacity building of public and private health facilities to conduct such tests.

"Maganda itong balita dahil sunud-sunod na ang hakbang natin laban sa COVID-19. Ito ang patunay na hindi natutulog ang gobyerno. Patuloy na nagtatrabaho ang gobyerno para malampasan ang krisis na ito at maprotektahan ang kapakanan ng mga Pilipino," Go said.

The government has already initiated massive procurement of test kits and complete sets of personal protective equipment, among other needed medical supplies. The recently enacted Bayanihan to Heal as One Act gives the President needed authority and flexibility to come up with various measures to contain the growing threats of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Among these measures include faster procurement process as an exemption to the usual public bidding procedure and more funds being realigned to fund purchases of medical supplies and equipment.

Go also earlier called for the inclusion of public health workers (PHWs), such as doctors and nurses, in the present COVID-19 testing protocols being implemented by the Department of Health. DOH will now be including PHWs in order to secure the frontliners and ensure ample health human resources in hospitals in the country.

Go also reiterated the need for more testing centers in the country and analysis laboratories. At present, according to Galvez, the country already has nine accredited hospitals and has already asked DOH to expedite other hospitals' requests for accreditation for testing.

"Kailangan na natin ng agarang aksyon para hindi na lumala ang sitwasyon dito sa Pilipinas para mas mapabilis na nating mawala ang COVID-19 sa bansa at bumalik na sa normal na takbo ang pamumuhay ng mga Pilipino," Go said.

Mass testing has already been done worldwide as a step towards containing COVID-19 and is recommended by the World Health Organization. Aside from social distancing, washing of hands and other precautionary steps, WHO emphasizes the crucial role of COVID-19 mass testing in flattening the curve and early detection of those who have contracted the disease, especially those with no symptoms.

Earlier, Go also urged the government to begin converting some facilities as possible temporary quarantine areas for PUIs and PUMs. Some hospitals, particularly in Metro Manila, are already experiencing surge capacity. Securing PUIs and PUMs in temporary quarantine facilities managed by health professionals, instead of merely being allowed to stay in their individual homes for self-quarantine, will drastically reduce the likelihood of contamination.

Recently, the government announced that the Ninoy Aquino Stadium at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, the Philippine International Convention Center and the World Trade Center in Metro Manila are being converted into instant hospitals to accommodate more COVID-19 positive patients and reduce community spread. The 112-bed Ninoy Aquino Stadium-to be manned by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Corps-will be operational next week, while PICC and WTC will be finished by April 11.

The government is also eyeing the conversion of the Philippine Arena in Bulacan into a "mega-quarantine facility" after the Iglesia ni Cristo offered it, as announced by Bases Conversion and Development Authority President and CEO Vince Dizon on Friday.

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As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and as a member of the Joint Oversight Committee that oversees the implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go commended concerned agencies for their initiatives to augment the availability of quarantine facilities in the country.

Go also lauded the immediate action of concerned agencies in heeding his early call to prepare the New Clark City to serve as a "safe haven" for returning overseas Filipinos who are stranded or have to undergo self-quarantine measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

"Lahat tayo naghihirap at lahat naman tayo gustong malampasan ang krisis na ito. Magtulungan at magbayanihan po tayo para mabilis na maresolba ang mga problemang hinaharap natin. Gawin po natin ang lahat ng ating makakaya para matigil ang pagkalat ng virus," Go reiterated.

The Senator acknowledged the efforts of the Department of Public Works and Highways and Bases Conversion and Development Authority to convert several public facilities into isolation sites and tent cities to cater to Persons Under Investigation (PUI) and Persons Under Monitoring (PUM).

"Welcome po sa atin ang ginagawa ng DPWH at BCDA na pag-convert sa mga public facilities into tent cities at isolation sites para magsilbi ring quarantine facilities. Napakalaking tulong po nito upang hindi na lalong kumalat pa ang COVID-19," he added.

Several facilities have been proposed to serve as isolation sites including the Philippine International Convention Center, World Trade Center, Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, and Philippine Institute of Sports Multi-Purpose (PhilSports) Arena. These will be converted into isolation facilities for almost 3,000 patients.

Meanwhile, the open grounds of these facilities, and that of the Quezon Memorial Circle, University of the Philippines-Diliman Campus, Veterans Memorial Medical Center, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) will also be utilized for prototype tents where a total of 747 tents may be deployed to accommodate up to 7,470 patients.

Tents will have proper ventilation and appurtenances, and toilets and bathrooms, according to the DPWH.

The DPWH is also eyeing the old Casino Filipino building near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 as an isolation facility. Four open spaces at the Philippine General Hospital were also identified by the DPWH which could accommodate COVID-19 patients.

The department is also in cooperation with real estate developer DMCI for the conversion of the Quezon Institute, FTI in Taguig City, Filinvest Tent and Duty Free Philippines in Parañaque, and the Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City as either tent cities or isolation facilities.

In an interview, BCDA President and CEO Vince Dizon also said that extensive sanitation measures of the New Clark City Athletes' Village have already been undertaken to ensure that the facilities remain suitable for quarantine use. Dizon added that the New Clark City is being prepared so it can be used by PUIs in Central Luzon.

"Nakahanda na ang pasilidad sa NCC bilang isang 'safe haven' sa mga stranded at sa mga kailangan i-quarantine sa Central Luzon. May libreng pagkain, at lahat po ng pangangailangan nila ay naibibigay po natin. Pati ang mga doctor, tsine-check sila para siguraduhin na wala po sa kanila ang magkakasakit," he added.

The BCDA official also mentioned that the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan has been offered by religious group Iglesia Ni Cristo to serve as an isolation site or a tent city. Several facilities in Central Luzon are also being converted into such temporary facilities, including the Tarlac Convention Center.

Meanwhile, Go has also discussed with ferry companies, such as 2GO Travel, in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard and the Department of Transportation, regarding the use of available ships and vessels to be converted into floating quarantine areas.

These identified ships with a combined capacity of 1,800 can be initially used as floating quarantine hospitals. A terminal is also estimated to have an additional capacity of roughly 1,000. The initiative to utilize these facilities will start implementation and mobilization very soon.

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After recommending earlier to the Executive Department the grant of one-time 'Bayanihan' financial assistance to cities and municipalities, Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go reiterated its importance to help them respond to the needs of their constituents while the country is addressing the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) health emergency and the socioeconomic impact that comes with it.

"Ang gobyernong lokal ang humaharap mismo sa araw-araw na problema ng kanilang mga nasasakupan. Sila ang unang nilalapitan ng mga tao. Tulungan natin silang mabigyan ng dagdag na kapasidad para rumesponde sa pangangailangan ng kanilang komunidad lalo na po sa malalayong lugar na kailangan ng tulong at hindi agad nabibigyan ng pansin ng national government," Go explained.

Citing his experience working in Davao City as President Rodrigo Duterte's aide when the latter was still the city mayor, Go stressed the important role of local government units to protect the welfare of their communities.

"Dati po akong nagtrabaho sa city hall ng Davao City kaya alam ko kung gaano po kahirap ang kanilang trabaho lalo na sa panahon ng krisis. Mahalaga ang ginagampanan nilang trabaho para masiguro ang kooperasyon ng mga Pilipino sa panahong ito," Go said.

"Kaya naman dapat lamang nating tulungan ang mga local government units na maalagaan ang mga komunidad nila. Malaking tulong kung mabigyan sila ng dagdag na pondo para mapunan ang lumalaking pangangailangan ng mga tao ngayon," he explained.

Go recommended that a one-time grant from the national government, equivalent to one month of their respective internal revenue allotments (IRA), will go a long way in enhancing the capabilities of LGUs in responding to the crisis.

"Sa laki ng problemang kinakaharap natin, baka kukulangin ang kasalukuyang pondo ng ating mga LGU. Hindi naman po lahat ng LGUs ay pantay-pantay pagdating sa pondo," Go explained.

He explained that the one-time Bayanihan financial assistance for cities and municipalities can be taken from available funds or savings of the national government.

Go added that if this proposal is granted, the funds should be used exclusively for projects, programs and activities concerning the COVID-19 situation, such as procurement of personal protective equipment for frontline service providers; medicines and vitamins; hospital equipment and supplies; disinfectants and related equipment; relief goods for low-income and vulnerable households; and tents for temporary shelter of the homeless, among others.

He also clarified that the grant should be on top of other assistance that national government agencies are already providing to LGUs. Go explained that having forced their constituents to stay at home, LGUs are compelled to distribute relief goods and maintain peace and order while waiting for additional government interventions from the national government agencies.

"Magagamit ito para hindi magutom at magkagulo ang mga tao. Kung walang nagugutom, mas magiging cooperative ang mga Pilipino sa gobyerno. Malaking tulong po ito upang masiguro ang kapayapaan at kaaayusan," he said.

Go also explained that while the national government is taking charge in this time of crisis, LGUs must take responsibility as well in addressing the immediate needs of their constituents.

"Now, more than ever, we, as elected officials, must do everything we can to be of service to the people," he said.

Go also reminded LGUs to make sure that the assistance reaches those who need aid the most, particularly the poorest of the poor, vulnerable sectors and displaced workers. He added that politics should not be a factor in providing such assistance.

"Pakiusap ko lang, huwag na pong haluan ng pulitika ang pagtulong. Hindi po iyan nakakatulong sa sitwasyon natin ngayon. Huwag na natin pahirapan pa ang mga tao, tumulong nalang tayo na pabilisin ang pagbigay ng tulong sa kanila," Go said.

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and as a member of the Joint Oversight Committee that oversees the implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, Go has emphasized that the law has already given the government the necessary authority and flexibility to act immediately to address the present crisis.

He reminded government officials to make sure that available funds are used properly and are maximized to provide immediate help to Filipinos who need government attention the most.

"Mahirap maging mahirap lalo na sa panahon ngayon na walang trabaho dahil sa enhanced community quarantine, kaya dapat nating bilisan ang ating aksyon para maibigay na sa taumbayan, lalo na sa mahihirap, ang kaukulang tulong para sa kanila," Go said

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"Mass testing will save lives. By moving towards mass testing for COVID-19, we now have a better chance of defeating COVID-19 and of protecting the lives of countless Filipinos."

This was how Senator Risa Hontiveros today welcomed government's announcement that it will soon commence mass testing for the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), as part of efforts to stop the spread of the disease in the country.

"I am glad that the government has listened to the demands of the public and finally acted on this much-needed initiative. Matagal nang kailangan ito, at sana ay agad itong maipatupad para masiguro natin ang kalusugan ng lahat" she said.

Hontiveros made her statement after Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the national task force on the COVID-19 pandemic, disclosed that government will begin mass testing starting April 14, 2020, and that nine hospitals have already been accredited to conduct the tests, with more on the way. This is following previous announcements by the Department of Health that they have received 108,000 testing kits from South Korea, China and Singapore.

"We need to urgently expand the number of Filipinos tested for COVID-19 every day, with priority testing provided for frontliners such as health workers, those considered at-risk such as the elderly and the immunocompromised, and those exhibiting symptoms. This is the only way we will be able to track and isolate cases, and respond in timely fashion to the treatment and care of patients," she said.

The senator then urged government to speed up the acquisition and distribution of testing kits, and invest in increasing the country's capacity to locally produce testing kits, citing the kits developed by scientists from the University of the Philippines as "promising examples."

Hontiveros said that the government should improve the capacity of testing centers by coordinating a network of hospital-based and stand-alone laboratories to help speed up and increase the number of tests conducted daily. The Senator likewise emphasized that testing should be free or fully covered by PhilHealth.

"We have to do everything we can to make mass testing of Filipinos a reality at the earliest time possible. Early detection of COVID-19 cases allows us not only to stop the spread of the virus, but also bring lifesaving treatment to those who need it. Tandaan natin, buhay ng mga kababayan natin ang nakataya dito," she said

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It is a most difficult decision to strike a balance between flattening the curve of COVID-19 and the looming economic recession due to a wide swath of business inactivity.

Thus, it is better left to those who have almost unlimited access to all the relevant data to decide which is the best course of action to take moving forward.

Having said that, I am sure that if Congress is provided with all those data, we can help in the policy direction.

On the other hand, there is no perfect system of distribution of aid considering the number of families involved in the cash dole-out, further complicated by a less efficient database due to the late implementation of the National ID system.

Just as intelligence information can spell the difference between success and failure in my previous life in intelligence and law enforcement work, data is the key for our policy makers to make the right decisions at this critical time.

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Metro Manila's health and food security could be put at risk if an ongoing dispute at the Port of Manila remains unresolved while the government tries to cope with the spread of COVID-19, Senator Imee Marcos said.

Imported medicine, food, and other items remain stranded in more than 800 20-foot refrigerated container vans called reefers at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT).

The reefers are among some 40,000 unreleased container vans that have congested the MICT to almost full capacity, escalating a dispute between government agencies, port operators, and shipping lines on one side, and importers, brokers, forwarders, and truckers on the other.

Importers and their agents have been accused of parking their cargo at the MICT for extended periods while waiting for greater public demand to push up the prices of their imported goods, Marcos said.

However, brokers said they have been losing P20,000 per day for each container van that remains at port because the ongoing lockdown in Luzon has slowed down the processing of import documents and payments.

A glitch in the computer system of the Bureau of Customs has also delayed the processing of import duties and taxes already paid by brokers through their banks.

To calm the dispute, Marcos urged the Philippine Ports Authority to desist from issuing a joint memorandum circular that will impose storage restrictions and additional fines for overstaying cargo.

"Bayanihan muna tayo, pwede ba? Dahil taumbayan ang napaparusahan sa ganyang bangayan," Marcos said.

Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on economic affairs, said that a temporary suspension of import-related fees during the lockdown can keep the prices of imported medicine and food from going up, since it would remove costs passed on to buyers and sellers.

Waiving the payment of fees for storage and demurrage - a penalty for cargo not unloaded within the time agreed - would also allow brokers to move out cargo from the MICT more quickly, Marcos added.

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Finally, our locally-developed COVID-19 test kits have the green light for public use by the Food and Drug Administration today. We commend our scientists from the University of the Philippines for coming up with this critical diagnostic tool that will help our government save lives from COVID-19. With this development, we can expand our testing capability, identify and treat patients with dispatch.

This breakthrough in our country's fight against COVID-19 underscores the value we put into research initiatives of our state universities and colleges (SUC). Research outputs in the form of laboratory-made face shields, disinfectants, proceessed food, and these test kits made by our SUCs are the tangible fruit of the investments we made in creating and developing knowledge in our higher education institutions. We hope our SUCs continue to intensify its research and development efforts, which can be applied to our day-to-day needs.

Congratulations to our Iskolar ng Bayan scientists! God bless you more!

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Senator Cynthia Villar is hitting two birds with one stone in her latest effort to help Filipinos amidst the coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) crisis in the country. She is distributing face masks to all barangays in her home city of Las Piñas, which are sewn by a group of women in Cavite.

"We are helping prevent the spread of Covid-19 in our barangays, at the same time, we are able to provide a source of income for some women in Cavite, which as the rest of the country, is in enhanced community quarantine or lockdown", said Senator Villar.

Prior to this, Senator Villar has distributed bottled drinking water, rice and other relief goods to the city's barangays. Her family also provides the daily meals and temporary housing of frontliners of the Las Pinas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center.

A total of 4,400 cloth face masks will be done and distributed to 22 barangays in Las Piñas. The women who will sew them will be paid for the face masks. They will also be sewing PPE (personal protective equipment) Hazmat that will be donated to medical frontliners, out of the cloth materials donated by Barangay Treasurer Bridget Chiongbian of Forbes Park. Senator Villar will pay for the labor.

The same group of women from Dasmariñas, Cavite were tapped by Senator Villar to make bags out of the tarpaulins used for her campaign during the last elections. They are led by Christine Joy Ferrer of MXD Tailoring, who was just starting out her tailoring shop in the garage of the apartment she is renting when she was tapped by Villar.

Ferrer's sewers are mothers who live in nearby communities. Ferrer earlier said she appreciates Villar for providing a source of additional income for mothers and small entrepreneurs like her.

According to Villar, sewing face masks is a perfect source of livelihood for the women since they can do it without leaving their homes or during the quarantine/lockdown period. "As you know, I have always been providing women livelihood projects to sustain them and augment their family's income. During this health emergency, they really need sources of income, so that they will not be entirely dependent on relief goods," said Sen. Villar.

News [http://senate]

Saturday, April 11

Presscon with the Valenzuela City Government together with Senator Win Gatchalian on the start of the localized targeted mass testing for COVID-19

Senator Nancy Binay's Easter Message

Thursday, April 9

Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Comments on the Briefing of President Duterte with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) dated 8 April 2020

Lacson: On the Possible Sale of Government Assets for COVID-19 Response

Mensahe ni Sen. Leila M. de Lima sa Araw ng Kagitingan

Message of Sen. Francis Pangilinan on Good Friday

Bong Go appeals for grant of one-time 'Bayanihan' financial assistance for provinces too

Wednesday, April 8

Sotto presses for improve distribution of govt aids

Bong Go reiterates appeal for support to middle class amid extension of ECQ: 'Help all affected Filipinos overcome this crisis'

Zubiri and Friends Donate COVID-19 Kits for Massive Testing

news archives...

Senate of the Philippines. All rights reserved

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Stop the discrimination against our frontliners, COVID-19 positive, persons under monitoring (PUM) and persons under investigation (PUI) and their families.

Senator Sonny Angara issued the call after receiving reports that the acts of discrimination and even cruelty against the frontliners in the fight against COVID-19 continue in spite of repeated appeals for understanding and compassion for them.

"We must protect our health workers, all of our frontliners during this period of COVID-19. Every day they are risking their lives to care for all of those who are in need of medical attention. The challenges that they face today are overwhelming. For the sacrifices they are making to keep us safe and protected, I have nothing but respect for them," Angara said.

"On our part as policymakers, we should do our part by coming up with measures to protect them especially during this critical period. Acts of discrimination have no place in our society," Angara added.

Angara urged all local councils to pass their respective ordinances prohibiting acts of discrimination against frontliners, PUIs, PUMs, and their families.

A number of cities have already passed such ordinances in response to reports of discrimination against the health workers in particular.

The local councils of Cebu City and Manila City have come out with their respective ordinances to protect frontliners from acts of discrimination. The ordinances carry fines and penalties against individuals and establishments who harass or deny service to frontliners.

Over the past weeks, numerous reports have come out about health workers being harassed, denied access to establishments such as supermarkets, and evicted from their rented homes due to the nature of their work.

In one case, a health worker in Sultan Kudarat was doused with bleach by assailants who believed he was a COVID-19 carrier.

"The Philippine National Police is already on the lookout for these acts of cruelty against our frontliners. Our local government units should also do its part by coming out with ordinances to protect them," Angara said.

At the start of the current Congress, Angara filed Senate Bill 137 or the Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Act of 2019, which seeks to eliminate all forms of discrimination in the country.

Under the bill, as a general rule, discrimination based on these protected attributes: age, racial or ethnic origin, religious belief, political inclination or conviction, social class, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions, marital or relationship status, disability, HIV status, health status or medical history, language, physical features or other status, is prohibited

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Senator Win Gatchalian raised the alarm as the COVID-19 crisis has not only affected the people but the country's food security as well, given the real situation on the ground.

Gatchalian cited that some wet markets in the metropolis have now resorted to selling carabao meat due to beef shortage. He added that traders and farmers have had difficulty transporting and delivering goods from Benguet and other provinces to Metro Manila who had to stop at several checkpoints before queuing at several trading posts to wait for buyers. Eighty percent of the country's highland vegetable requirements, such as carrot, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, and lettuce, come from Benguet.

The Philippine Association of Meat Processors, Inc. (PAMPI) has earlier warned of possible shortage in meat products by mid-April because quarantine restrictions impeded the delivery of raw materials to manufacturing plants.

Poultry farmers have also been finding it difficult to supply chicken to Metro Manila and some parts of Luzon due to roadblocks and personnel restrictions that have affected their deliveries and supply chains, which could trigger supply shortage in a months' time. This, despite orders from the national government to allow food deliveries through checkpoints.

The lawmaker said the national government should have guidelines for members of the Philippine National Police stationed at the checkpoints to follow. These guidelines should be in coordination with the local government units (LGUs) so they can synchronize their acts together to ensure the unimpeded transport of food supply and other food raw materials. He said authorities have to keep the country's food supply chain alive while making sure that all of the pandemic's impacts across the food system are being addressed.

Gatchalian expressed fears the delay in the movement of goods would force unscrupulous traders to hoard commodities and manipulate the price in the market, adding that there has already been an increase in the prices of some agricultural products in the past days.

"We should get our acts together. This is a classic example of lack of coordination between the national and local governments even with the local PNP. Iba sinasabi sa taas pero iba ginagawa sa baba", said Gatchalian in disbelief.

The lawmaker said we have yet to see the impact on the ground of the newly-launched food resiliency protocol of the Department of Agriculture (DA), which aims to speed up the transport of major agri-fishery commodities from the provinces to Metro Manila and other urban areas in Luzon. This includes the free movement of farmers, fishermen, workers in food processing and manufacturing firms, and food supply chain logistics providers.

"It is high time for the national government to check for themselves the situation on the ground on why there are delays in the delivery of food supplies. We must act at once or see the country plunge into a food crisis. Hihintayin pa ba nating mangyari ito? We can't afford to have another kind of crisis," the senator concluded.

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Ipinagtanggol ni Sen. Leila M. de Lima si Atty. Chel Diokno matapos itong alipustahin ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa huli niyang press briefing ukol sa COVID-19 nitong Biyernes, Abril 3.

Sa inilabas na pahayag ng Senadora, inilarawan niya si Duterte bilang isang bangag na walang saysay at puro kabalbalan na naman ang pinagsasabi sa harap ng taumbayang nangangamba sa pagkagutom at pagkakasakit.

"Imbes na trabahuhin ang pagtugon sa COVID-19, ang inaatupag ng bangag sa Malacañang ay yung ngipin ng ibang tao. Nakabuti ba sa sitwasyon ng mga Pilipino ang pag-alipusta nya kay Chel Diokno?" giit ni De Lima.

"Kaysa atupagin ang nagugutom at nangangambang sambayanan, at tulungan ang mga doktor at frontliners, nagsasayang ng panahon ang gobyernong ito sa walang kabuluhang presscon," dagdag niya.

Sabi pa ng mambabatas, ang hinihintay ng lahat ay ang malinaw na direksyon at agarang aksyon mula sa administrasyon, hindi ang pagsikil sa malayang pamamahayag at pananakot sa mga nagtatanggol sa mga karapatang pantao.

Si Diokno ay isang beteranong human rights lawyer at kasalukuyang chairman ng Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), isang organisasyon ng mga batikang abogado at tagapagtanggol ng karapatang pantao na layuning protektahan ang mga maralita mula sa pag-abuso at paglapastangan sa kanilang dignidad at kalayaan.

Kamakailan, isiniwalat ni Diokno na bukod kay Mayor Vico Sotto, ipinatatawag din ng National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) ang mga ordinaryong mamamayan na nagpo-post online ng kanilang hinaing at kritisismo sa gobyerno sa paglaban sa COVID-19.

Ayon kay De Lima, ang impormasyong ito mula kay Diokno ang siya na ngang ikinababahala niya ukol sa probisyong nakasaad sa Sec. 6 (f) ng Republic Act No. 11469 o Bayanihan to Heal as One Act na naisabatas noong Marso 24.

"Isang problematikong probisyon ito sa Bayanihan Law na puwedeng abusuhin para supilin ang malayang pamamahayag at gipitin ang mga kritiko," ani De Lima.

Nitong mga nakalipas na araw, dahil na rin sa bagal ng pagdating ng ayuda at tila kawalan ng malinaw na plano ng gobyerno sa pagtugon sa krisis, makailang ulit at naging top trending pa sa social media ang hashtag na #OustDuterteNow.

"Kaysa manlait ng hitsura ng iba, tingnan nga ni Duterte ang sarili sa salamin. Sa harap ng krisis na ito, puwede ba, tigilan na nya ang kabalbalan!" saad ni De Lima.

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4/5/20

Worse time having the worse President. Rich in hubris and bravado. Bankrupt in empathy and good governance skills. Unhinged, as manifested once again in his April 3 "Talk to the Nation on COVID-19", so-called. (Sumakit ang ulo ko after reading the transcript.)

There's proper time for reckoning and accountability. It's right now! No more excuses and distractions via sickening rants.

And right now, we need to muster all sense of benevolence and patriotism that we have, and are capable of, to be part of the solution. This President is hopelessly deranged. We have to help ourselves and save our country.

But while we ceaselessly put up with Duterte's infantile and putrid ways, and call out his government for its shortcomings and ineptness, we must also do our own share to keep our country afloat amid this grave crisis. Let's fight this contagion together, with or without Duterte. For survival.

To paraphrase Pope Francis' recent exhortation to all the faithful: Be not afraid! For our anchor, our rudder and our hope, the Lord, "will not leave us at the mercy of the storm."

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With mass testing for COVID-19 set to be conducted two days after the scheduled end of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on April 12, Senator Win Gatchalian favors extending the quarantine period by at least two weeks. He said mass testing will happen on April 14 and lifting the ECQ before that date will undermine the reliability of mass testing results and would only accelerate the spread of the virus. The two-week period, he said, will also need to analyze test results.

Gatchalian said mass testing will paint a clearer picture of COVID-19 spread in the country and help track down those who are infected so they can at once be isolated or ordered quarantined. The senator emphasized that mass testing should have a targeted approach and prioritize those who have been exposed to COVID-19-positive patients such as those Persons under Monitoring (PUM), Persons under Investigation (PUI) and the frontliners. Gatchalian said mass testing will also cover asymptomatic carriers who may be unknowingly spreading the disease. He cited the case of Iceland, where laboratory mass testing revealed that around 50 percent of cases have no symptoms.

He said this is a better approach to flatten the curve and at the same time it would lead to a more efficient use of resources and avoid further strain to the country's already overwhelmed health care system.

"Without mass testing, we are totally blind. And when we are blind, the risk is higher of spreading the virus again, thereby wasting the 30-day Enhanced Community Quarantine", Gatchalian explained.

"Bagama't may ilang araw na lamang ang natitira bago magwakas ang enhanced community quarantine, nakikita nating patuloy pa rin ang pag-akyat ng bilang ng mga pasyenteng may COVID-19 sa bansa. Kaya dapat ipatupad pa rin ang social distancing habang mayroong mass testing", Gatchalian pointed out.

The senator added that it is important for the country to have a sustainable capacity for mass testing and urged the Department of Health (DOH) to fast-track capacity-building and accreditation of testing laboratories.

The senator said that mass production for locally-produced testing kits developed by the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) will boost the country's testing capacity. Between April 4 to 25, a certain number of testing kits that can do up to 26,000 tests will be rolled out. There is also an-going production of testing kits that can perform up to 120,000 tests.

Manufacturer Manila HealthTek Inc. is making these kits commercially available at P1,300, significantly cheaper than the ones currently used in hospitals, which can cost by up to P8,000. According to Gatchalian, this would give LGUs a more cost-efficient option in procuring their own test kits.

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Q: Magandang umaga. Kahit na Sunday naistorbo ka namin. Alam ko busy ka din sa pagiikot din sa Valenzuela din Senator Win?

SEN WIN: Parang araw-araw Sunday eh kasi nga tayo ay nasa ECQ, enhanced community quarantine at ang importante ngayon sa ating kababayan na manatili sa kanilang mga tahanan. Huwag maghalubilo sa iba't-ibang lugar dahil ang importante ay maputol natin itong pagkalat ng virus na ito.

Q: Ngayon Senator Win, mahigit dalawang linggo na ang pagpapatupad ng gobyerno itong napagtibay na Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. Ano ang assessment mo? Actually, ang Senado ang nagmungkahi ng ganitong batas para sa COVID-19. Ano ang assessment mo Senator Win?

SEN WIN: Sa akin sisimplehan ko lang no, dahil yung preliminary report ng ating pangulo ay mahaba at marami ding bagay ang nakalagay sa Bayanihan Act at gusto ko lang po simplehan para maintidihan ng ating mga kababayan yung pinakamahalagang punto nitong Bayanihan Act. Unang-una, nakasulat sa batas ang pagbili ng testing kit at mabilis na paglunsad ng testing kit. Ito ay napakahalaga Mikly dahil dito natin malalaman kung sino ang may sakit, sino ang walang may sakit at kung magkakaroon din tayo ng mass testing. Dito rin natin malalaman kung nasaan na tayo dito sa paglaban sa COVID-19. Sa ngayon kasi kung makikita natin mahigit tatlong libo lang ang nate-testing natin at alam natin na lumalaki ang bilang ng mga may sakit ng COVID at kung makikita din natin yung mga paglabas ng datos, halos isang linggo na-delay yung resulta na lumalabas kaya hindi natin alam kung talagang nanalo tayo sa paglaban sa COVID o hindi. Pangalawa, dahil hindi pa natin nagagawa yung mass testing, yung mga lokal na pamahalaan hindi rin alam kung sino may sakit sa hindi. Kagaya kahapon Milky, nadagdagan kami ng pitong may COVID sa Valenzuela at nagulat kami dahil itong may mga may sakit na ito eh halos isang linggo na nagpa-testing pero lumabas lang yung resulta kahapon. So ang kinakatakutan yung kanilang nakahalubilo dito sa aming lungsod dahil isang linggo sila pwedeng lumabas, isang linggo na pwedeng bumili ng gamit at hindi natin kaagad naabisuhan yung kanilang kamag-anak ay may sakit na pala. Kaya ang itong testing ay napakahalaga Milky at ito ay nakasaad to sa Bayanihan Act. Pangatlong pinakamahalga din sa Bayanihan Act ay yung pagbibigay ng ayuda at alam ko marami sa ating kababayan inaabangan ito. Pero hindi ganun kadali dahil ang pinaguusapan natin dito ay 18 million families at para ibigay yung cash sa 18 million families ay hindi madali. Isa pang problem diyan ay kung sino yung 18 million families dahil dapat masuri mabuti para mabigyan ng tamang ayuda yung mga nangangailangan. Pero last week, nirerepaso na lang yung proseso. At ang aking apela naman sa DSWD, dahil nakita ko, for example, again dito sa Valenzuela, 60% lang ng aming mga kababayan ang mabibigyan. Pero lumalabas ho sa Census na halos nasa mga 90% yung tinatawag natin nasa near poor, ito yung mga 'no work, no pay', yung daily wage yung kanilang kita at umaabot sa almost 90% yung tinatawag nating nasa informal sector, ito yung mga nagbebenta sa palengke may mga nagbebenta ng fishball o gulaman. Kaya kung 60% lang bibigyan at 90% yung aming pangangailangan, may 30% na kulang at dito tayo magkakaroon ng problema.

Q: So ano gusto mo sabihin Senator Win ay bago isipin yung... enhanced community quarantine dapat ipatupad na mass testing? Meron ba tayong sapat na rapid COVID testing. Number two, dapat din yung protocol ng DOH... kung kelan malala na yung pasyente tsaka lang ite-test kung meron siyang COVID-19 kaya tumataas din yung bilang ng mga namamatay?

SEN WIN: Alam mo iba't-ibang bansa, ibat't-ibang protocol pero mas gusto ko pa sundan yung mga successful na bansa. Ito yung mga tinatawag na best practices ng ibang bansa tulad ng Korea. Sa Korea hindi na nila inaantay kung ikaw ay malala na yung sakit o hindi, kung meron ka palang nakahalubilo o meron kang suspetsa na nakahalubilo na may sakit, pwedeng na kaagad mag testing. Kaya lang ang nangyayari, kadalasan kala mo wala kang sakit pero meron ka na palang virus at dahil akala mo wala kang virus malaya kang nakakalabas at nakakahalubilo sa mga tao at dahil nga sa ganun kumakalat na ang virus.

Kaya kung ang tanong ay kung meron na tayong kakayahan? Meron, dahil kung matatandaan natin ang China nagbigay ng isang daang libong testing kits. Nakita ko sa report ng DOH, hindi pa nagagamit to. Dapat gamitin na ng gamitin, huwag na tayong mag-antay pa dahil ang kalaban natin dito ay oras. Wala ho tayong oras maghintay o mabagal-bagalan. Importante na mabilis yung pagsasagawa natin nito. Marami nang namatay na hindi na testing. In fact, marami akong nakausap na government units, kasama na rito sa amin na may namatay na hindi na testing o namatay na hindi pa nila alam yung resulta. At nakakabahala ito dahil hindi natin alam kung positive o hindi. At dahil hindi mo alam kung positive o hindi, yung mga kamag-anak niya at yung mga kasama sa bahay hindi naka-quarantine.

Q: So ang magiging sistema dito Senator Win, dapat ipatupad na ang mass testing kung saan mataas ang insidente ng COVID-19 doon lang tayo magpapatupad ng community quarantine para hindi na natin saklawin yung buong Metro Manila o yung whole Luzon naka ECQ?

SEN WIN: Galing sa chief implementer, kay General Galvez na ilang araw na ang nakakaraan na ang mass testing ay sa April 14. So kung yun po ang target gate ng testing, doon lang natin malalaman yung totoong sitwasyon ng ating bansa. Mahirap kasi i-lift yung ECQ nang hindi natin nalalaman yung sitwasyon. Kung hindi natin alam yung sitwasyon, like for example marami pa sakanila ang may virus sa atin at kung papasukin natin ang ating mga kababayan sa trabaho, kakalat at kakalat yung virus at magiging walang saysay yung nakaraang na 30 day ECQ. Kaya napakahalaga ho talaga noong testing para malaman natin yung sitwasyon. Ako naman naniniwala na yung ECQ ay epektibo. Wala lang akong datos sa totoo lang Milky pero nakita ko dahil limitado ang galaw ng tao so marami sa ating kababayan ay hindi na lumalabas ng bahay nila. Kung lalabas man bibili lang sa palengke pero pagdating mo sa palengke merong social distancing. Ako naniniwala na epektibo itong ginagawa nating ECQ sa pagpababa ng pagkalat ng virus pero hindi natin matitiyak yan kung hindi tayo mag-mass testing.

Q: Mass testing ay sabi nga ay gagawin, target date nga ay April 14, ito yung pagtatapos ng isang buwan na enhanced community quarantine ba Senator Win? O ibig-sabihin, tinitignan nila yung possibility na ma-extend ulit itong community quarantine natin?

SEN WIN: Correct, nasabi nga ni General Galvez na malaki ang possiblidad na mae-extend to. Ako, sumasang-ayon sa kanya pero para sa akin hindi na dapat tumagal pa ito ng isa pang buwan kung mage-extend tayo. Para sakin dapat maximum ho of two weeks dahil binabalanse natin yung kabuhayan ng tao at yung paglaban natin sa virus na ito. Marami tayong mga kababayan, majority ng nagtratrabaho sa atin Milky ay tinatawag natin na 'no work, no pay' o informal. So marami sa ating kababayan ay talagang naghihirap. Kahapon lang sa pag-ikot ko sa isang construction site dito, Milky, meron ho kaming mga stranded na mga construction workers, naghatid kami ng tulong sa kanila at kinamusta ko sila. Isang beses sa isang araw na lang sila kumakain dahil nga po wala silang sweldo at tinitipd lang ang kanilang kinakain. So maraming ganitong sitwasyon at ganitong kaso sa buong bansa at mahirap talaga patagalin ito dahil ang kalaban naman ho natin ang kabuhayan at sikmura ng ating mga kababayan.

Q: So ang tingin niyo dito Senator Win kung magkakaroon man ng extension, maximum two weeks ang sabi mo para maipatupad yung mass testing?

SEN WIN: Kaya na ng two weeks basta ang strategy dito pagdating ng mass testing, totoong mass testing, talagang sabay-sabay. Bigyan natin ng kapasidad ang lokal ng pamahalaan na mag mass testing. Bigyan nating ng kapasidad ang mga ospital at laboratoryo maka-process. At talagang dapat gawin ng DOH ay malawakan na testing. Hindi ho tayo pwede magtagal dito, hindi ho tayo pwedeng pabanjing-banjing dahil ang kalaban natin dito hindi lang yung pagkain kung hindi yung kabuhayan ng tao. Kung hindi natin mahihinto to at patuloy ang pagkalat, mapipilitan ang ating pamahalaan na ma-extend pa yung ECQ pero sa pag-extend ng ECQ, marami talagang mawawalan ng kabuhayan at mahihirapan. Kaya importante ho sa DOH na talagang paspasan yung aksyon. Dapat makipag-partner din sila sa lokal na pamahalaan dahil yung local government natin nasa ground ito, nasa frontline ito, kaya mas mabilis nila magagawa itong mass testing.

Q: Ano ang nakikita mong senaryo if ever mapalawig pa ito for more than two weeks? Sabi mo nga eh maximum two weeks pwede na. Pero kung iko-consider pa ng gobyerno ang mas higit pa sa two weeks, ano ang nakikita mong senaryo sa ekonomiya natin Senator Win?

SEN WIN: Malaking pinsala ito dahil ang Metro Manila ay almost 40% ng ating ekonomiya. Halos kalahati ng ekonomiya natin nanggagaling dito sa Metro Manila at almost 70% galing sa Luzon kaya marami talagang negosyo ang tingin ko maba-bankrupt. Maraming mga empleyado ay mawawalan ng trabaho dahil kung na-bankrupt ang negosyo sigurado ako tatanggalin nila sa trabaho ang kanilang mga empleyado at madami hong magugutom. Kaya itong ginagawa ng DSWD, yung pagibibgay ng tulong, yung Social Amelioration, malaking bagay ho yan. Yung walong libong ibibigay ay talagang makakatulong pero pangtawid lang yan Milky, hindi ho yan panghabang-buhay. Gusto man talagang makatulong ng ating pamahalaan pero ang paghahanap sa 18 million families hindi ganun ka-simple. Ang Importante sakin, ang ultimate solution ay i-lift na itong ECQ, tapusin na natin ang ECQ at para mangyari yan dapat magkaroon na po tayo ng mass testing. Alam mo Milky dito sa Valenzuela, dahil by next week magkakaroon na kami ng sariling mass testing, ang plano namin kung sino lang ang may sakit, yun lang ang iqua-quarantine kaysa yung buong syudad pa. Yung may sakit na lang ang iqua-quarantine natin para hindi maputol yung trabaho ng ibang kasamahan natin dito at iba pang mga kababayan natin dahil dapat kung sino lang ang may sakit sila lang dapat ang i-quarantine natin, hindi yung buong syudad.

Q: Updated ka rin sa mga wars ngayon? Sunod-sunod yung mga bangayan ng ating mga opisyal ano. Ano ang masasabi mo dito? At may mga rekomendasyon na i-donate ang kanilang mga sweldo, ang mga mangbabatas para makatulong daw?

SEN WIN: Ako sang-ayon din po ako diyan at isa sa mga mungkahi natin ng mga Senador natin ay i-donate na natin ang ating mga sweldo sa pagtulong. Ang pagdo-donate namin ay para makatulong po sa ating mga kababayan at marami rin ho kami sa Senado na 'no work, no pay'. Yung mga janitor natin, yung mga waiter ho natin at yung pagdo-donate ho ng ating sweldo ay malaking tulong ho yan para sa kanila. Ito ay isang simbolo na nakikiisa, naikibahagi tayo at nagsa-sacrifice din tayo alang-alang sa ating mga kababayan. Nagpapasalamat ko ako sa ating mga kapwa lingkod bayan na nag-donate ng kanilang mga sweldo. Ito ay pagpapakita ng pakikiisa at pakikibahagi sa sitwasyon natin ngayon.

Q: Meron ka pa po bang mensahe sa ating mga kababayan ngayon na nahihirapan dito sa pinapatupad na enhanced community quarantine at pagpatuloy na laban natin sa COVID-19?

SEN WIN: Yung panawagan natin sa ating kababayan ay manatili sa kanilang mga bahay. Huwag silang lalabas, lalabas lang kung bibili sila ng pagkain at gamot dahil itong quarantine na ito ay para mapigilan ang pagkalat ng virus sa ating bansa. Pangalawa, kung meron silang naririnig o meron silang alam na may sakit kaagad na tawagin yung kanilang lokal na pamahalaan dahil napansin namin marami saming mga kababayan may simpleng ubo lang pero meron na pala silang virus. Importante din malaman ng kanilang lokal na pamahalaan ang sitwasyon o kung sino ang may sakit sa kanilang lugar para mabilis ma-aksyunan. So itong dalawang bagay ay malaking tulong na ho para malabanan natin itong virus at mabilis tayong makabalik sa normal.

Q: At matutulungan din ang gobyerno. Senator Win maraming salamat.

SEN WIN: Maraming salamat Milky, thank you.

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I am in favor of extending the Enhanced Community Quarantine for a few more weeks until the number of COVID-19 cases starts to substantially drop. The government's capacity to conduct testing has increased and it would be best to extend the ECQ so we can effectively isolate the positive cases from the rest of the community and eventually get rid of the disease.

Let me remind everyone that we are up against an invisible deadly enemy. Going out of your house remains dangerous at this time. Habang patuloy na lumalabas ka ng bahay na hindi naman kinakailangan, patuloy mo namang inilalapit ang pamilya at kapwa mo tao sa peligro.

Kaya nakikiusap ako sa lahat ng mga Pilipino---stay at home and follow the protocols. Ang kooperasyon ninyo at ang pagkakaisa ng bansa ang tanging panlaban natin sa COVID-19.

I am also appealing to the Executive branch once again to act swiftly in providing the necessary assistance to all Filipino families affected by this crisis. As a member of the Joint Oversight Committee overseeing the implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, I urge all concerned agencies to perfect the distribution system on this first month of ECQ since we still do not know how long this crisis will last.

Pinilit natin silang manatili sa bahay kaya siguraduhin natin na makarating sa kanila sa lalong madaling panahon ang food and cash assistance mula sa gobyerno. Umaksyon na tayo agad at bilisan ang tulong para sa mga kababayan nating pinaka-mahihirap at pinaka-nangangailangan.

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Garbage collectors, street sweepers, janitors and other workers involved in sanitizing our communities should be considered frontliners just as crucial as medical staff in the fight against COVID-19, Senator Imee Marcos said.

Marcos called on the government to ensure financial aid like stipends, if not steady employment, for sanitation workers who have a clear role in reducing the spread of disease and are employed in hospitals, government offices, condominiums, super market and other business establishments.

"Huwag nating kalimutan ang mga basurero, street sweepers at mga janitor na tumutulong para labanan ang COVID-19. Buwis-buhay din ang kanilang ginagawang trabaho," Marcos said.

Anticipating that an ongoing lockdown in Luzon would be extended, Marcos filed Senate Bill 1414 to sustain frontliners as well as ordinary workers who may lose their jobs during the COVID-19 crisis.

The bill proposes to augment the government's P200-billion emergency budget with additional government funds and loans totalling P750 billion, specified in a program Marcos called Pag-ASA: Alaga, Sustento, Angat.

Marcos added that soldiers, policemen, immigration personnel, couriers and cargo handlers of crucial goods, and drivers of shuttle services for hospital staff should also be recognized as frontliners in the fight against COVID-19.

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"Sinusuportahan natin ang mga rekomendasyon ng epidemiological at disaster experts na i-extend pa ang enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) nang dalawang linggo sa NCR.

Pero kailangang malinaw na pinalawak (expanded) din ang testing at masinsinan (intensive) ang pagtatalaga o pagtatayo ng mga mass isolation centers para maiwasan ang paglaganap ng COVID-19. Importante ang testing para alam natin ang tunay na kalagayan ng pagsugpo sa sa sakit. Sa simula pa lang, ito na ang ating panawagan: contact tracing.

Dapat din pabilisin ang pagpapalabas ng cash assistance at delivery ng relief goods sa daily wage earners na walang kinikita sa ngayon.

Kaugnay sa lingguhang report tungkol sa pagpapatupad ng Bayanihan Law, nais din natin ng malinaw na sagot sa mga sumusunod:

1. Ilan na ang testing kits? PPEs? Hospital beds? Isolation centers? Additional medical staff/volunteers meron tayo ngayon? At ilan ang kakailanganin sa tinatayang paglaki ng bilang ng may sakit?

2. Magkano na ang naipamigay na sa mga health workers at sa mga LGU (na siyang mamamahagi sa mga natamaan)? Sa sinasabing Social Amelioration Program, maraming LGU na ang nagtatanong kung ano ang batayan ng mga target dahil taliwas sa pahayag, hindi lahat ng pamilya ay makakatanggap.

Humihingi rin tayo ng update tungkol sa (a) pagsalo ng PhilHealth sa mga medical expense ng public and private health workers kung sakaling ma-expose sa COVID at iba pang work-related injuries; (b) sinasabing compensation na P100,000 at P1,000,000 para sa mga health workers na nagkaroon ng COVID o namatay dahil dito; at (c) sa mga sinasabing partnership kasama ang Philippine Red Cross at pagkakaroon ng temporary Human Resources for Health.

3. Magkano ang tinatayang gastos para sa lahat ng gawain para lipulin ang sakit? Sa testing, magkano? Sa dagdag na ventilators, hospital beds, testing facilities, magkano? Ilan dito ang sasagutin ng private sector?

4. Aling mga proyekto, programa, at mga gawain ang ihihinto para ma-realign ang pera sa COVID response?"

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For the upcoming Report to Congress on the Bayanihan law, Senator Joel Villanueva is hoping to see the implementation of the economic assistance the government committed to provide micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), one of the badly-suffering sectors facing the brunt of the crisis brought about by COVID-19.

In a statement, Villanueva expressed concern on the ability of the sector to maintain jobs during this pandemic.

"Just as we immediately implemented emergency employment programs for our affected workers both in the formal and informal economy, we should likewise act with dispatch to provide relief to MSMEs. We must throw them a lifeline immediately, so they in turn can sustain their workers too. The assistance that we will provide to them should be conditional on them keeping their workers now and until the economy recovers,"explained Villanueva, chair of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resource Development.

"Matinding hamon ang hinaharap ng ating mga MSME. Kabuhayan ng milyung-milyong manggagawa ang nakataya kung hindi agad makakarating ang tulong ng pamahalaan sa mga MSME," he added.

MSMEs employed some 5.7 million workers in 2018, according to data from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), representing about 13 percent of the total number of employed workers.

Industries severely affected by the community quarantine enforced in Luzon and other local governments are in the wholesale and retail trade, and food and accommodation sectors which comprise at least 50 percent of the employment generated by MSMEs, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.

The Bayanihan Law of 2020, which Congress passed two weeks ago, mandated the DTI to provide relief for "productive sectors of the economy." The agency is preparing for the implementation of its Pondo Sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) Enterprise Rehabilitation Financing worth P1 billion, which is expected to roll out once the quarantine restrictions are lifted.

The trade department has issued a moratorium on payment of loans of about 127,000 micro enterprises under the P3 program, as well as 15,000 MSME who have existing loans under the government-owned Small Business Corp.

Other government lending institutions have existing loan programs such as the Development Bank of the Philippines' Small Business Puhunan Loan Program and Rehabilitation Support Program. Land Bank of the Philippines offers loans under its Calamity Rehabilitation Support Program.

MSMEs can also seek assistance from the Department of Science and Technology through its Small and Medium Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program.

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As countries under COVID-19 lockdowns see a surge in domestic violence, Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and Their Children (IACVAWC) to ensure that the implementation of Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 remains in full force.

Prior to the spike in the cases of COVID-19 in the country, the Center for Women's Resources in early March already reported that violence against women continues to be among the issues that haunt women and children. The training institution for women raised the alarm as recent data on violence against women and children (VAWC) showed that at least one woman or child is abused every 10 minutes in the country.

Data on nationwide violence against women and children from the Philippine National Police-Women and Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC) showed there were 9,935 reported cases from April to June 2019.

Gatchalian said quarantine measures may lead to a surge in domestic violence and make it harder for victims to go out of their homes to seek help.

Reports of domestic abuses in Paris had jumped 36% and 32% elsewhere in France since the country began a nationwide lockdown on March 17. The cases included two murders. In Malaysia, the Women and Family Development Ministry's helpline for women and children received 1,893 calls in nine days or a spike of 57% since the partial lockdown in the country started.

"Kahit na nasa ilalim tayo ng isang enhanced community quarantine, patuloy dapat ang pagkilos ng mga ahensya ng ating gobyerno na nagbibigay proteksyon sa mga inaabusong kababaihan at kabataan. Hindi natin dapat hayaang maging talamak ang karahasan lalo na't nasa gitna tayo ng isang krisis" said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

Gatchalian emphasized the key role of barangays since they are often nearest to victims and witnesses of abuse. Under the Protocol for Case Management of Child Victims of Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation drafted by the Committee for the Special Protection of Children, barangays must have help desks that will monitor cases of child abuse and violence against women. Barangays are also mandated to coordinate with social workers, health officials, and women and children protection units to give intervention and assistance to the victims.

Gatchalian also called on the National Bureau of Investigation's Violence Against Women and Children Desk (NBI-VACWD) and the Philippine National Police's Women and Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC) to be more vigilant and accessible.

According to the National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children in the Philippines published in 2016, about three in five children aged 13-24 experienced any form of physical violence during childhood, with 60 percent of these cases happening at home.

The study also revealed that almost three out of five children have been verbally abused, threatened, or abandoned by parents or guardians. Among children aged 13-18, 13.7 percent experienced sexual abuse at home.

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Under the present setup of the P200-billion cash aid program for poor families, local government units should be made to submit their data, subject to vetting by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and other concerned national agencies. This is a recurring mistake. What we are implementing now is a top-down mode of listing and distribution of funds to recipient families instead of a bottom-up approach, hence there is an obvious disconnect between the national government and the needs and priorities of the rightful recipients.

More than the central government, the LGUs have a better grasp of their constituents' needs through their community-based surveys being undertaken periodically.

As I post this, we have been receiving numerous complaints of incorrect data that do not tally with the actual number and identities of persons in need on the ground. Mayors are complaining that they bear the brunt of the blame and protests from their constituents because of too much centralization, further compounded by the President's recent pronouncements that there are enough funds to cover all the 18 million families in compliance with the Bayanihan Act.

Unless immediate adjustments are made by the DSWD and other support agencies, I'm afraid the very purpose of the Social Amelioration Program and the disbursement of the P200 billion will not be accomplished. Worse, and I sincerely hope not, a potential social problem might occur due to the loss of income brought about by a prolonged business inactivity and work stoppage affecting a large segment of our labor force particularly the daily wage earners.

We should all learn from Albert Einstein when he defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.

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"It may sound morbid, pero kailangan din i-address ng IATF yung mga hinaharap na problema ng mga pamilyang namatayan dahil sa COVID-19."

Senator Nancy Binay today said that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) should immediately address the lack of clear protocol in handling COVID-related fatalities, including cadaver management, storage, cremation and assistance to families.

She added that families of those who died from COVID-19 are having a hard time securing death certificates because some LGUs and barangay officials do not know what the protocols are if a patient dies inside his or her home, and how to properly handle the bodies which can no longer be accommodated in mortuary freezers and crematoriums.

"Sa ngayon pa lang, sana iresolba na natin ito. Ano ang pwede nating magawang ayuda sa mga pamilya? Paano kung walang-wala? Paano ang pambayad sa punerarya para sa cremation? Sino ang mag-aasikaso ng mga requirement? Paano na kung wala na gustong tumanggap na crematorium?" asked Binay.

The senator said because of the lack of clear guidelines from IATF, she has received reports that some private crematoriums are asking for P100,000 for the cremation of COVID-positive remains.

"Sa nangyayari sa buong mundo ngayon, it's never a good time to die. Malungkot at wala kang karamay. Di ka makapagpaalam man lang sa iyong mga mahal sa buhay. Wala kang last rites, or proper burial. Kaya nakakagalit yung meron kang mababalitaang mga nananamantala para pagkakitaan ang pamilyang namatayan," Binay said.

Under the DSWD Revised Guidelines on AICS for burial assistance, the department will shoulder part of the funeral cost and the family can receive up to P10,000 assistance even if they do not submit a case study report.

"Tugunan naman sana ng IATF ang pagbigay ng tuon sa isang worst case scenario para di tayo matulad sa Italy o US. Nakakalungkot kasi wala na ngang pagdadalamhati sa patay, wala pa rin bang kahit konting simpatya't malasakit doon sa mga nabubuhay?"

As of 2020, there are only 60 crematoriums operating nationwide, 90% of which are privately-owned, and 25 out of 60 are in Metro Manila. Only six are publicly-owned (Manila, Pasay, Mandaluyong, QC, Dasmarinas City and Antipolo City) and are mostly operated by the local government--but of the six, only five are operational which can only accommodate 3-5 cadavers a day.

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Ngayong Semana Santa, lubusin po sana natin ang panahong ito upang gunitain ang dakilang sakripisyo ni Hesukristo para sa ating kaligtasan, at upang magnilay at magdasal sa hinaharap nating krisis.

Let us pray for the safety of our doctors, nurses, other health workers, soldiers, police officers, other government employees, volunteers and other frontliners who are courageously fighting the pandemic and risking their lives for us.

Let us pray for the recovery and strength of the sick and their families during these trying times.

Let us pray for the protection of the elderly, the PWDs, the poor and homeless, and other vulnerable segments of our population. Sila pong bago pa man dumating ang COVID-19 ay matagal nang iniinda ang gutom, kawalan ng tiyak na pagkakakitaan, at kakulangan sa serbisyong medikal.

Let us pray for the wisdom of our leaders to discern, and for their courage to act swiftly and concertedly based on what is best for the safety and welfare of the people.

Sa harap po ng krisis na ito, ipinaaalala sa atin ang halaga ng buhay--buhay na kaloob ng Dakilang Lumikha na inialay ang Kanyang Bugtong na Anak para sa sanlibutan. Humugot tayo ng lakas at tatag kay Hesukristong tiniis at di-inalintana ang matinding pasakit at kalbaryo mailigtas lamang tayo sa ating mga kasalanan.

Manalig po tayong nariyan lagi ang Panginoon na Siyang ating gabay at tanglaw. Gaano man kadilim ang landas na ating tinatahak, gaano man kabagsik ang delubyo, gaano man kalakas ang hagupit ng unos, lilipas din ito. Mananaig tayo.

Gaya po ng nagdaang mga pagsubok, malalampasan natin ito kung mangingibabaw ang ating pagmamalasakit, pagkakaisa at pananampalataya.

(Sgd.) LEILA M. DE LIMA

PNP Custodial Center, Camp Crame

6 Abril 2020

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4/7/20

Mr. Duterte is late to the game. We are now dealing with a few months' worth of administration-imposed handicap.

The address last night was made by someone who is just recently finding out what COVID-19 is, how it spreads, and how it affects our economy. Pagkatapos ng ilang buwang pananalasa ng COVID-19, mukhang ngayon pa lang nahihimasmasan si G. Duterte.

Our campaign against COVID-19 has been largely driven by efforts outside the traditional government structure. The private sector, as well as government officials performing beyond their statutory roles, have been working round-the-clock to tide our country over until our administration finally gets its act together. But it appears that that time may not come.

What we saw or heard last night appeared to be a hint that the administration will fall way short of what our country will need as we continue to wait for the so-called "flattening of the curve." Mr. Duterte tried to sell the COVID-19 pandemic as something that caught the world scrambling for solutions. Granted, countries like US, UK, Italy, Iran and Spain suffer catastrophic losses. But what he failed to highlight was how intelligent and decisive leadership in countries like Germany, Singapore, South Korea and Vietnam made all the difference.

Like the World Health Organization (WHO) leadership, Mr. Duterte bet our lives on Chinese geopolitics. Pinabayaan nilang malubog tayo sa delubyong ito dahil lamang ayaw nilang magalit sa kanila ang China. Dahil laging naghihintay sa direksyon ng China, late na ang Pilipinas na nag travel ban, huling-huli na ang ating mga programang pang responde, at pinalampas natin ang pagkakataon na matuto sa best practices ng Taiwan.

Mr. Duterte would do well to stay out of the way and to stop waiting on China. Both of them are obstacles to our ongoing campaign. We are pushing through in spite of them, not because of them.

Malalampasan natin ito. At magtatagumpay tayo. May the Good Lord bless us all.

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Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima reiterates her recommendation to decisively release qualified PDLs (Persons Deprived of Liberty), after reports that a detainee in the overcrowded Quezon City jail, who was suspected of contracting the novel coronavirus, has recently passed away.

De Lima again asked the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-IED) to consider her previous proposal after reports came that 15 detainees sharing the same cell with the deceased PDL were supposedly traced and isolated.

"I again call upon the IATF-IED to consider the immediate release of qualified PDLs. Hindi na po totoo na '100 percent safe' ang ating mga kulungan mula sa COVID-19," she said.

"The silence of our leaders regarding the dire situation of our PDLs is almost deafening. Ano pa ba ang hinihintay natin? Na dumami pa ang magpositibo sa COVID-19 sa mga bilangguan?", she added.

Last April 1, De Lima addressed an open letter to the IATF-IED, recommending for arrangements to decongest jails and prisons through a systematic release of qualified PDLs based on humanitarian grounds, with permission and approval from the Supreme Court.

The detainees or inmates to be released, she said, must fall under certain criteria, such as those 70 years old or older; with serious sickness or disability; detained pre-conviction of minor, non-violent cases; and convicted for non-violent crimes.

De Lima also emphasized though that those who have been detained or convicted of heinous crimes, should not be included for consideration for early release.

The former justice secretary's earlier recommendation was in accordance to preventive measures made by many governments around the world who made similar arrangements to release detainees, adhering to calls of human rights organizations, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

She advised that a staggered release of detainees and inmates, from the most overcrowded detention facilities can be implemented in areas most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the National Capital Region (NCR).

"Kung hindi pa kaya ang pagpapakawala sa mga kwalipikadong mga preso sa lahat ng mga detention facilities sa buong bansa, maaari natin simulan sa mga city jails sa NCR," De Lima said.

"Marami sa kanila, tulad ng mga preso sa Quezon City Jail, ay mahihirap. Many of them are supposed to be out already, but they aren't because they cannot afford bail," she added.

The health and economic crisis brought by COVID-19 pandemic has halted the normalcy of life of millions of people around the world. As of this writing, over 1.1 million people globally has contracted the novel coronavirus, with more than 62,700 deaths or a mortality rate of 5.54%.

As of April 6, the Philippines have recorded 3,660 confirmed cases of infections, leaving 163 dead with 73 recoveries.

De Lima also reminded the IATF-IED that the whole-of-nation approach in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic should not set aside or ignore the situation of hundreds of thousands of PDLs, considered to be wards of the State.

"Malinaw ang hangad natin: Maiwasan o maagapan ang pagkalat ng sakit sa mga bilangguan kung saan matagal nang problema ang labis na pagsisiksikan at napakataas ng posibilidad ng pagkahawa-hawa," she said.

De Lima, a human rights and social justice champion, has continually sought for comprehensive reforms in the country's prison and correctional systems, including upgrading its current facilities and improving the reformatory programs for the inmates.

It can be recalled that in July 2019, she filed Senate Bill Nos. 180 and 181, known as "Prison Reform Act," and the "Unified Corrections and Jail Management System Act," respectively, in order to legislate the standards of human treatment of the inmates.

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4/7/2020

Mas marami ang plano kaysa aksyong konkreto. Ito ang mapapansin sa 2nd weekly report ni G. Duterte.

Wala ring accounting ng pera at resources - kung saan kinuha, gaano, at paano nagamit. Kaya bulag pa tayo kung sapat, tama, at angkop ang paggugol ng kabang-bayan. This is the main point of Section 5 of RA 11469 that the President has to report "the amount and corresponding utilization of funds."

Gayunman, magandang balita na naumpisahan nang maipamigay ang emergency subsidies for 4Ps beneficiaries. 3.7 milyong pamilya pa lang ang nabibigyan, as of 3 April 2020, kaya ang natitirang mahigit 14 milyong pamilya (sa tantyang 18 milyon) ay naghihintay pa rin ng kanilang ayuda.

I have been reading about the problems brewing in the communities in the social amelioration program. It appears that DSWD went ahead and implemented the cash assistance program from its old census and without waiting for the LGUs inputs on the total number of beneficiaries. They also distributed very limited number of forms - which could not be reproduced by LGUs - which further limited the opportunity for many to claim their financial assistance.

Napilitan tuloy ang marami na paghatian ang kakaunting ayuda na naipamahagi. We are not dealing with mere statistical estimates here. Bawat sambahayan na hindi nabibilang ay karagdagang sambahayan na magugutom sa panahon ng ECQ. If the government could not remedy this situation, our country could end up dealing with greater social unrest.

Sa mga gamit naman ng mga doktor at ibang healthworkers, hindi naiulat ang aktwal na bilang ng PPEs and medical supplies na meron tayo. Meron lamang sinabing guidelines for enterprises in the production and/or packing of medicines, supplies and equipment, pero iyon na lang muna yon: guidelines at plano. I hope there will be a timeline for acquiring much needed equipment and supplies, coupled with existing inventory of what we have, and the projected requirements to guide all stakeholders.

We also need a clearer picture on how we plan to conduct mass testing. I understand from the reports that it will be limited only to the PUMs and PUIs for the meantime. But beyond that, the report bears nothing substantial on the matter. Sa mga susunod na weekly report, inaasahan ko na mas magiging malinaw ang gagawing rollout sa mass testing. Lubos na makatutulong ito para mas maayos na ma-isolate at maagapan ang mga posibleng COVID-19 cases.

Overall, based on the 2nd weekly report: things are moving, but not as fast and as efficient as we want. #

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Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Tuesday said that the government should be prepared to sacrifice some projects, even flagship infrastructure projects, in order to generate funds for COVID-19 response activities, as he urged for greater government intervention to ease the impact of the pandemic among Filipinos.

"Tough times call for tough decisions. We are now seeing the far-reaching effects of the COVID-19. It is not only the poorest that are affected but also the middle class, as well as small business owners. Sadly, the government's wallet is depleting as the rest of the Filipino people," Drilon said.

"Kung ang gobyerno hirap maghanap ng pera sa panahon ngayon, paano pa kaya ang ordinaryong Pilipino, ang mga nawalan ng trabaho, ang maliliit na mamumuhunan na nawalan ng negosyo," Drilonstressed.

Drilon said that the lack of sufficient funds hinder the government from responding to the crisis, as he noted that there are items in the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act that remain unfunded.

"It is a question of government fiscal position. Does the government have enough money to combat COVID-19?" he reiterated.

"Perhaps our financial managers would be able to free up some funds that would not be utilized for the intended purpose and realign it to the amelioration programs," he said.

Drilon noted that under the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highway, there are about P30.17 billion for bridge construction, P52.8 billion for asset preservation program (road construction), P113.39 billion for network development program (road widening, diversion), and P90.12 billion for flood management program.

Saying that these projects will be impossible to be fully implemented within the year, Drilon said the government should realign some fundings to aid the affected sectors, pointing out that with the passage the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, the government can free up more resources, realign and reprogram the same to appropriate responses against the crisis.

"The government should reach out to all affected sectors. If we do not roll out a parallel assistance, our economy will surely collapse," said Drilon.

"Families classified as middle class today are not earning any income. Likewise, small business owners risk losing their jobs and livelihood due to the lockdown. Their needs may be different but all of them need help," he stressed.

The minority leader said he supports a two-week extension of the Luzon-wide lockdown, but stressed "that the government should be prepared to assist all Filipinos in distress during this crisis and ensure food supply and movement of essential goods and services during the lockdown."

Earlier, the minority chief raised concerns that the lack of sufficient funds will undermine government interventions to fight COVID-19.

Due to the pandemic and the lockdown, Drilon said revenue collections are greatly affected and government disbursements, which account for roughly 20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, are expected to slow down.

"Our tight fiscal space seriously affects the government's capabilty to address COVID-19," he said, adding that the situation makes the government dependent on loan and aid to address the pandemic, hence the slow responses..

Drilon said that the country's present fiscal space is further crippled by the COVID-19, making things more difficult for the government to respond to the crisis.

Drilon noted that the lack of cash is evident, "according to the President's second report, out of the Php200 Billion Emergency Subsidy Program, only PhP100 Billion has been released. The balance shall be released 'as soon as the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) releases the certification of availability of cash'. This is indeed very worrisome."

In a televised speech Monday night, the President expressed concerns that the government may not have enough money to combat COVID-19.

"I'm calling on the secretary of finance to generate (funds). Magnakaw ka, manghiram ka, wala akong pakialam. Produce mo 'yung pera. Hindi ko alam kung kailan ako makahatid ng pagkain sa lahat. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako magkuha ng ng pera. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang ipagbili ko kung may magbibili," the President said.

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Leave no learner behind. This is Senator Win Gatchalian's call to the Department of Education (DepEd) as it mulls online-based education for the next school year in the event of a prolonged crisis due to COVID-19.

DepEd has recently launched the online platform "DepEd Commons," which allows public school teachers to support distant learning, give access to online review materials, and use Open Educational Resources (OERs). The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines OERs as digital and non-digital teaching, learning and research materials in the public domain, which have been released under an open license. This allows no-cost access, use, adaptation, and non-restricted redistribution.

Since the DepEd Commons was launched in March 17, it now has more than 3.1 million users. There are 27.2 million learners and 840,000 public school teachers nationwide.

DepEd, however, acknowledged that not all learners can access these platforms and materials.

Gatchalian said that DepEd should ensure the continued education of learners without internet access and learning tablets, especially those in more than 7,000 'Last Mile Schools' in geographically isolated, disadvantaged, and conflict-affected areas. These schools tend to have less than five teachers and 100 learners, 75 percent of whom are indigenous peoples.

The lawmaker also emphasized the need to cover more than 600,000 learners enrolled in the Alternative Learning System (ALS), a parallel learning system for those who do not have access to formal education. This is an area which the DepEd must not neglect especially that the most vulnerable to this pandemic belong to the same socioeconomic group as our ALS learners.

"Bagama't mahalaga ang papel ng online o distant learning sa pagpapatuloy ng edukasyon, kailangan nating siguruhin na patuloy din ang pag-aaral para sa mga hindi nakakagamit ng internet. Walang mag-aaral ang dapat maiwan," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

Gatchalian then urged DepEd to increase and maximize the use and distribution of non-digital OERs. He cited the practice of some schools in the United States, where learning materials are printed in packets and distributed for home use. For learners with available devices but limited internet connection, UNESCO also identified learning platforms that can work offline.

The lawmaker added that in the months leading to the opening of classes, DepEd should ensure the preparedness of students, teachers, and parents in using their distant learning materials.

He concluded that once the enhanced community quarantine is lifted in Luzon, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) should accelerate the provision of internet in more public spaces under Republic Act 10929 or the Free Internet Access in Public Spaces Act. The law calls for the provision of free internet in public spaces such as basic education institutions, state universities and colleges, technical and vocational institutions, and public health facilities, among others.

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Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go lauded the move to provide a one-time "Bayanihan" financial assistance to local government units to help them respond to the increasing needs of their respective constituents.

As recommended by Go based on the appeal of various LGUs, the Department of Budget and Management is now set to release P30.824 billion in cash to help LGUs cope with the growing needs of their constituents and the economic blow brought about by the COVID-19 health emergency to the local communities.

"Ang gobyernong lokal ang humaharap mismo sa araw-araw na problema ng kanilang mga nasasakupan. Tama lang na bigyan ng karagdagang pondo ang ating mga LGUs lalo na sa panahon ngayon na maraming walang trabaho at maraming umaasa sa ayuda mula sa gobyerno," Go said.

"Ang pondong ito ay magbibigay ng dagdag na kapasidad sa LGUs na tumugon sa pangangailangan ng kanilang komunidad. Siguraduhin natin na walang magugutom para hindi magkagulo at maging cooperative ang mga tao. Malaking tulong ito para masiguro ang kapayapaan at kaayusan sa panahon ng krisis," he added.

As a member of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee overseeing the implementation of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, Go reminded LGUs to utilize the funds properly to provide immediate aid to affected Filipino families. He also emphasized that it must be done in a transparent manner with an assurance that the assistance reaches those who need help the most.

"Sa panahong ito, konsensya niyo na lamang ang tututok sa inyo. Siguraduhin natin na magamit ang pondo ng tama, walang masayang, at maramdaman ng mga tao kahit sa malalayong lugar ang tulong mula sa gobyerno," Go said.

Go added that the grant should be used exclusively for projects, programs and activities concerning the COVID-19 situation on top of what the national government is providing. LGUs can use the fund for procurement of personal protective equipment for frontline service providers; medicines and vitamins; hospital equipment and supplies; disinfectants and related equipment; relief goods for low-income and vulnerable households; and tents for temporary shelter of the homeless.

"Dapat magtulungan ang LGUs at national government agencies, pati na rin ang private sector, para matapalan kung ano man ang magiging kulang sa mga kailangan ng taumbayan," Go emphasized.

Earlier, the Senator recommended that the one-time "Bayanihan" financial assistance could be equivalent to LGUs' one-month Internal Revenue Allotments. The said assistance will be limited to cities and municipalities, since provinces and barangays have similar constituencies.

The Senator stressed that not all LGUs are created equal. Smaller, poorer and far-flung LGUs with fewer tax collections may already be financially constrained.

"Lalo na ngayon, maraming mga tao sa malalayong lugar ang hindi pa tuluyang naabutan ng tulong mula sa national government. Nahihirapan na rin ang LGUs nila na rumesponde sa mga pangangailangan ng kanilang mga nasasakupan," Go added.

Several representatives of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines have previously expressed their support for Go's proposal as a number of LGUs were already running low on funds needed to combat COVID-19.

A manifesto by LMP National President, Mayor Luis "Chavit" Singson, states that in these times of crises, "such initiatives are necessary to alleviate the burden of answering to the needs of our people."

"This financial grant would be of valuable assistance to the continuous and unhampered delivery of services to our constituents, medical personnel and other LGU personnel and activities designated to address the ongoing crisis," the manifesto further mentions.

Other regional LMP presidents have also shared the same manifesto, encouraging the national government to help them cope with the current health emergency that has affected Filipinos nationwide.

"Palagi kong pinapaalala na mahirap maging mahirap kaya dapat lamang na gawin natin ang lahat para matulungan, lalo na ang mga nangangailangan, ang mga mahihirap, mga nasa vulnerable sector, at mga kababayan nating 'isang kahig, isang tuka' na walang pinagkakakitaan ngayon," Go said

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In commemoration of World Health Day, Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday urged local government officials to pass and implement measures to better protect health workers and other frontliners from discrimination.

"There is no health without health workers. They and other frontliners are heroes and should be treated with respect and compassion, not hate and suspicion," the Senator said during the third week of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus disease or COVID-19.

"Hindi katanggap-tanggap na ang ating mga frontliners na lubos na nagsasakripisyo para iligtas ang buhay ng ating mga kababayan ay nagiging biktima pa ng diskriminasyon mula mismo sa kanilang mga komunidad," Hontiveros said as she recommended that local government units (LGUs) pass ordinances against the incidence of health workers being denied entry into their communities or places of residence by neighbors, dormitory or apartment owners, and even barangay officials.

"An anti-discrimination ordinance for the protection of health workers and other frontliners in the time of COVID-19 should establish clear mechanisms for the reporting and redress of grievances," the Senator urged. "This measure should also penalize acts of discrimination in order to fully support our health workers and other frontliners in the conduct of their duty," she remarked.

Anti-discrimination ordinances for health workers are already being implemented in Manila, Parañaque, and Iloilo City, while similar ordinances are being deliberated by other LGUs. The Senator maintained that ordinances will be one of the most effective and expedient ways to address the problem. "Mabilis na tugon at may pangil ang ordinansa para matigil ang problemang ito," Hontiveros said.

But the Senator committed that she will file a bill penalizing acts of violence and discrimination against health workers and frontliners, once the Senate session resumes in May. She will file the measure as an amendment to the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Concern Act or Republic Act. No. 11332.

Hontiveros also expressed concern about the recent spate of violent acts against health workers due to COVID-related fears, including that of an ambulance driver who was shot in Quezon province, and a health worker who was attacked in Sultan Kudarat.

"It's alarming and unacceptable. We should work towards eliminating future violent incidents against health workers," Hontiveros said. "All levels of government should work together to ensure that our frontliners can perform their noble duties, free from violence or discrimination by misinformed or hysterical individuals," she added.

Hontiveros also urged the Department of Health to invest in information campaigns that will dispel rumors and fake news regarding COVID-19, especially those that put the safety of health workers at risk. She likewise encouraged LGUs to follow recommendations set by the Department of Interior and Local Government to better protect frontliners, such as deploying more law enforcement agents in the vicinity of hospitals, providing free transport to health workers, and keeping streets leading to medical facilities well-lit.

"Hindi sapat ang ating pasasalamat sa ating mga frontliners kung hahayaan lang natin silang masaktan o maabuso. Let us repay the hard work and selflessness of Filipinos fighting the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring that they are safe and welcome in our communities," she concluded



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"Sa second President's report, mas nagkakaroon na ng linaw ang ginagawa ng ating mga magigiting na public servants para ipatupad ang Bayanihan Act. Meron ng mga figures ang nai-download na pera para sa social amelioration package; ang bilang ng mga sundalo nating health workers na pwedeng tumugon sa pandemyang ito; ang mga PPEs at testing kits na naipamahagi; at mga isolation centers na kino-convert mula sa sporting at events venues.

Nagpapasalamat ulit tayo sa libo-libo nating mga lingkod-bayan na lumalabas ng bahay para ipatupad nang maayos ang lockdown: ang mga nars, doktor, med tech, at iba pang medical staff; ang mga sekyu at janitor sa lahat ng tanggapan; mga nasa LGU na nagpapatupad ng maraming serbisyo sa ating mga komunidad tulad ng mga garbage collectors; at maging ang mga pulis na nasa ilalim ng init ng araw. Salamat sa inyong serbisyo and keep healthy.

Ngayong umaga, katulad na rin ng ating panukalang suportado ng mga epidemiological at disaster management experts, inextend na rin ang lockdown sa Luzon, hindi lang sa Metro Manila, hanggang April 30.

Dapat huling linggo na ng lockdown ngayong Holy Week. Matagal-tagal na rin ang tinitiis ng ating mga kababayan sa kanilang hindi paglabas ng bahay, lalong-lalo na ang mahinto sa paghahanap-buhay. Ito ang ilang masasabi natin sa report:

1. Katulad ng ating paulit-ulit na sinasabi, kailangang may kasabay na mass testing and food supply at cash assistance ang lockdown. Mass testing dahil hindi natin malalaman kung may epekto ang ating mga sakripisyo kung walang mass testing, kung na-flatten na natin ang curve. Food supply at cash assistance dahil ang panlaban lang natin sa COVID-19 ay ating kalusugan; kung gutom at nag-aalala tayo, mas mahina tayo at mas kakapitan ng sakit.

May mga tanong lang tungkol sa special amelioration program at ang pamamahagi nito sa 18 milyong pamilya. Bagamat nasa DSWD na ang malaking bahagi ng pera, mukhang may bara pa sa database. Nasa ikaapat na linggo na lockdown, dapat na-identify na man lang ang mga munisipyo, kung hindi man ang mga barangay, na kailangang unahin dahil hindi na kaya ng kanilang di-hamak na mas maliit na pondo ang food at cash assistance na kailangan ng kanilang sinasakupan.

Naitalaga na sa mga LGU ang mga gagawin, pero parang mabagal ang pag-responde ng buong burukrasya rito, bagamat meron nang mga database ng mga pinakamahihirap (4Ps) at mga basic sectors (RSBS, Registry System for Basic Sectors) na binuno ng nakaraang administrasyon.

Reports have said that the lists submitted by some LGUs are too different from what the DSWD has in its database. We urge the LGUs and the DSWD to reconcile their lists for the purpose of including more beneficiaries ASAP.

2. Maganda ang punto ni Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla na isama ang middle class sa makakatanggap ng cash assistance. Malaking bahagi ng tinatawag na middle class ay konti lang ang iniangat sa mahihirap.

The President is empowered by the Bayanihan Act to cancel projects that are not too urgent and to use the fund for the more pressing need to give sustenance to the people locked down in their homes and without means to earn. Baka pwedeng tingnan ito.

3. Nandoon din sa report ang babala tungkol sa pagpapakalat ng fake news. Sino ang pangunahing mga pagpapakalat ng mga di-totoong balita? At legally, sa mungkahi ng media, baka pwede namang patulungin ang NBI sa verification ng social amelioration program beneficiaries.

4. Bagama't hindi kasama sa official at written report to Congress, medyo nakakabahala ang late night na pahayag ng Pangulo na wala na tayong pera. Four trillion pesos mahigit ang budget natin sa 2020. Wala pang 10 percent ng four trillion ang 270 billion pesos na na-identify para lockdown.

5. Bukod sa mass testing at PPEs para sa lahat ng front-liners (kasama na ang mga magsasaka at lahat ng manggagawang nasa food supply chain), hiningi at hinihingi pa rin natin ang isang comprehensive na plano o strategy para malagpasan nating lahat itong pandemya.

Sa ikalawang report, may nasisilip na tayong mga simula ng isang malawakan, matagalan, at mapagkaisang plano tulad ng mga pautang o palugit sa mga pautang sa mga maliliit na negosyante na siyang 90+ percent ng kabuuan ng ating mga negosyo. Buhay at dugo sila ng ating ekonomiya, marami sa kanila ay employers din.

Maiibsan nang malaki ang mga pag-aalala ng marami sa atin kung malinaw sa lahat, lalong-lalo na sa mga may kapangyarihan, na malalagpasan natin itong pandemyang ito kung sama-sama tayong magtutulungan."

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Setting aside and providing immediate relief assistance for our public utility drivers and operators is a step in the right direction for this sector equally hit hard by the enhanced community quarantine.

With the halt in the operation of mass transportation, the drivers expect no other means to earn to provide for the needs of their families.

An amount of P2.66 billion has been allocated for 333,000 public utility drivers and operators as part of the social amelioration package.

The initial list of beneficiaries has been identified by the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board, and we hope that in the soonest time possible, this cash aid will reach the homes of the drivers and operators.

Alam naman natin na kung walang pasada, walang kita. Isang araw na hindi makabiyahe, gutom na ang kanilang pamilya.

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Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. today called on the Executive to consider expanding the beneficiaries of the government's COVID-19 Social Amelioration program. "Mukhang kailangan mas lawakan pa sa unang projection na 18 million families lang," he said.

This came after the President's instructions yesterday to the Secretary of Finance to find additional sources of funds to ensure that help reaches all affected.

"Matindi na ang epekto ng ECQ. Hindi na lang poorest of the poor ang kumakalam ang sikmura. Dapat lahat ng wala nang makain maabutan ng tulong," the lawmaker opined.

Instead of planning for two waves of releases for choice families, Revilla suggested looking into the possibility of initially releasing a single wave that would reach all affected. "After this initial release, then we work on the next wave," he suggested. "If we do this, mas marami ang maaabot ng tulong. Roughly, doble ng bilang. Then, tsaka i-operationalize yung second wave."

Revilla also expressed his optimism that the Finance Department would be able to fund this scheme, saying the Bayanihan Act has given the Executive powers to find means to do so. He also added that the Legislature will be always be available to contribute to finding solutions.

"And if they say we need to hold another special session to amend the Bayanihan Act to make this happen, I am sure the Lower House and the Senate will be ready," Revilla ended.

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Now more than ever, the development of telemedicine as a viable alternative to physical visits to the doctors should actively be pursued, Senator Sonny Angara said today.

In this time of COVID-19 when the transmission of the coronavirus is fast and potentially dangerous for certain individuals, Angara said technology and innovation is key to bridging the gap between patients and health care professionals.

"We have seen in the past weeks that consults with medical professionals have become very, very difficult. Clinics and hospitals are struggling to cope with the surge in patients seeking medical attention. With COVID-19 being highly contagious, physical visits to physicians is discouraged, which makes the situation even more difficult for the public," Angara said.

"Patients with COVID-19 could easily spread the virus to the health professionals and the latter could then infect other patients. It's a vicious cycle which could prove to be fatal not only for the patients, but the health professionals as well. During these times, the use of telemedicine could help bring the necessary health care to our people and more importantly, save lives," Angara added.

Apart from putting up the infrastructure required for remote consultations, Angara said artificial intelligence could also play a significant role in facilitating the delivery of health services to the people.

Telemedicine is not a new concept. Back in 2010, the Congressional Commission on Science Technology and Engineering (COMSTE), of which Angara was a member, already identified "telehealth" as a national priority.

At the time, Angara's father, the late former Senate President Edgardo Angara, as chairman of the COMSTE noted how telehealth could be "a game changer in the country."

Apart from giving people who reside in remote areas access to basic health care services, the elder Angara said that telemedicine will also create the foundation for digital medical records.

At present, the University of the Philippines, Manila-National Telehealth Center has been equipping doctors and health workers with eHealth and telemedicine tools for the delivery of quality health care to patients.

It has also been assisting the Department of Health (DOH) in its Doctors to the Barrios program to manage patients in need of specialty care.

The DOH has also announced that free telemedicine consultations to patients who need COVID-19 medical advice, as well as other primary care concerns will be available starting Tuesday, April 7, 2020.

Angara is set to file the DOH-endorsed bill establishing a Philippine eHealth system and services that covers telehealth and telemedicine.

The proposed bill recognizes eHealth as "equal with other healthcare delivery methods" and seeks to provide the necessary services to all Filipinos, especially in "medically unserved and underserved geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas."

It will provide the policy, regulatory and legal framework for a national eHealth system.

Under the bill, a Health Sector Enterprise Architecture, which shall focus on automation and interoperability of various eHealth services and applications, would be developed and implemented.

The use of Electronic prescriptions (e-prescriptions) would be covered under this provision so that during periods when there is a disease outbreak or enhanced community quarantines (ECQ), when securing physical prescriptions would be difficult, individuals would still be able to purchase vital drugs.

Last March 17, the Food and Drugs Administration issued guidelines on the use of e-prescriptions during the ECQ period.

"Telemedicine should be an option for our countrymen especially in the age of deadly viruses when people should avoid hospitals but would still be diagnosed by doctors remotely," Angara said.

Angara urged the Department of Information and Communications Technology to work on providing all areas of the country with internet connectivity so that even residents of remote areas will be provided with quality health care through telemedicine.

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Senator Win Gatchalian commended the government for extending the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) until April 30 to utilize the time to test and treat COVID-19 patients and slow the rate of infection.

He reiterated that the April 14 mass testing will provide a clearer picture of the COVID-19 spread in the country by tracking down those who are infected with the disease so they can immediately be isolated or ordered quarantined.

He urged all Local Government Units (LGUs) to coordinate with the national government in the goal to increase testing capacity by up to 7,000 tests a day by April 13, increase of up to 9,800 tests per day by April 20 and finally an increase of up to 20,000 tests a day by April 27. The senator emphasized that mass testing should have a targeted approach and prioritize those who have been exposed to COVID-19-positive patients such as those Persons under Monitoring (PUM), Persons under Investigation (PUI), the frontliners, and include those asymptomatic residents who may unknowingly be spreading the disease.

"Sa Valenzuela, ang una naming ite-test ay ang mga may sakit at ang mga kasama nila sa bahay, mga kamag-anak nila, at iba pang nakapaligid sa kanila, pati na mga kapitahay. Sa bahay pa lang pwede na silang magkahawaan. Kapag maaga silang mabibigyan ng babala, maiiwasan ang pagkalat ng virus sa kani-kanilang komunidad", explained Gatchalian.

With the two-week quarantine extension, Gatchalian urged the health department and its attached agencies to extend their resources as well. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) for instance, should extend covering the cost of treatment for COVID-19 patients for the whole duration of the expanded quarantine period from the supposed April 14 completion. The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is ready to transfer the amount of Php 420.585 million to Philhealth for COVID-19 related packages.

While acknowledging that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a dent in the country's economy, the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs also urged the country's economic managers to speed up a massive stimulus package to avert a possible recession.

Gatchalian said the government can realign the 2020 budget and reallocate budgets of some big projects, for instance the "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure program, to critical health concerns.

Gatchalian said the government should ensure that the food supply chain should not be disrupted especially with the newly launched 'Rapid Pass', a system which food farmers and traders can use so they can easily pass through checkpoints. This will provide supplies in the market and accelerate consumer spending.

The senator likewise urged all banks, financial and lending institutions to also extend the grace period for loan and credit card payments and residential rentals while the community quarantine is still in effect.

The country's economic managers are now in the process of collating all information from the ground so they can plan ahead and get the economy going.

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