PTV4 to the fore

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) secretary Martin Andanar with President Rodrigo duterte (Photo from Andanar’s Instagram)

People’s Television Network (PTV-4) has undergone rebranding and it does not begin and end with the spanking new logo it sports, no sir.

According to Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) secretary Martin Andanar, PTV, currently broadcasting at 55,000 watts, shall increase to 120,000 watts by first quarter of 2019.

“The more power (watts), the more people can watch you. That way, we can keep pace with other TV networks in the Philippines,” he said in Filipino.

And get this: PTV’s social media engagements have grown from 20,000-30,000 followers to 1.4 million.

News programs will be airing from dawn till past dusk.

“We’ll have morning shows, newscast from morning, noontime, prime time (6 o’clock) till late night. We also have the newscast from Philippine News Agency (PNA) and programs that our President Rodrigo Duterte promised,” Andanar reiterated. These are “Salaam Television” for the Muslims and “Lumad TV” for the Lumads.

PTV-4 President and General Manager Dino Antonio Apolonio noted that “most of the news and public affair and public service shows are in-house production of PTV. It is our strong suit, although we’ll still be conceptualizing more in the future.”

Aside from those programs, the secretary said there will be block timers to enhance the variety of content.

Viewers will also be able to watch foreign shows from Japan, China and the re-airing of certain Koreanovelas from South Korea.

“We work with the entire Southeast Asian nations, also with other bigger countries,” Andanar said. PCOO’s Memorandum of Understanding includes Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, and Cambodia, then Thailand and Myanmar soon.

“These programs (from other countries) are free. The Philippines will not spend a single penny for it.”

He said these programs will help Filipinos learn about the culture of those countries, and get a glimpse of how they produce shows.
What programs from PTV-4 will be sent to foreign countries, we asked.

Apolonio said, “News. But mainly those locally produced documentaries here in the Philippines because it’s part of the cultural exchange. We are aiming for our neighbouring countries to know more about our culture.”

Since the network is taking a step forward, will they get prominent personalities to attract more audience?

“People always prefer the content (of a program). And I also believe in the current personalities that we have like Jojo (Alejar), Dianne (Medina) and Aljo Bendijo,” Andanar added

“President Duterte is always here to support PTV. He’s the biggest star,” Andanar explained.

PTV is partly subsidized by the government.

Bicam approves final version of Bangsamoro law

The Congress bicameral committee approved Wednesday the final version of the proposed Bangsamoro law.

Representative Rodolfo Fariñas (left) and Senator Miguel Zubiri (right), Chairs of Bicameral with Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) Chairman Ghazali Jaafar after the ceremonial signing of the Bangsamoro Organic Law at Senate, July 18, 2018 (Rio Leonelle Deluvio/MANILA BULLETIN)

After almost two weeks of debates — which even involved the President — and two missed self-imposed deadlines, the bicameral panel approved the reconciled version of the bill that is seen to address conflicts and violent extremism in the Mindanao.

From the original Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) the bill was amended to be the proposed “Bangsamoro Organic Law” to adhere to the 1987 Constitution.

A ceremonial signing of the bicameral committee report took place as a clean copy of the bill is yet to be produced.

Following the approval, the two chambers of Congress are set to ratify the reconciled bill in their respective chambers when sessions resume Monday, in time for President Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Peace

The approval of the final version marks the first year anniversary of the submission of the draft BBL to President Duterte.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, chair of the Senate bicam panel, expressed hope that the approval of the proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law will “address the aspirations of our brothers and sisters in the Bangsamoro” and “convince the population not to join extremist groups.”

Bangsamoro Transition Commission chair and Moro Islamic Liberation Front chair Ghazali Jaafar said they are satisfied with how the Bangsamoro measure came about.

“It may not be a perfect law, but it is good to start with,” Jaafar said as he thanked the bicameral committee.

Zubiri said that the enactment of the Bangsamoro Organic Law will lead to the economic development of the Mindanao and the country.

“When guns go silent in the island of Mindanao, that would lead to the advantage of every Filipino,” he said.

Delays

Contentious provisions slowed down the deliberations of the bicameral committee. Lawmakers earlier hoped to finish last Thursday, and then Tuesday, but to no avail.

Following the grueling bicam meeting Wednesday, House Majority Leader Roldolfo Fariñas said he is confident that the final version of the Bangsamoro law will “definitely” stand the test of constitutionality.

“Because we were very careful. Precisely, we had several problems along the way because we could not grant evrything they want. An in [all] fairness to them they accepted everything,” he said.

Zubiri and Fariñas agreed that the bicam was most challenged on the provisions of the Bangsamoro territory which triggered a brief deadlock.

President Duterte then settled the deadlock over the Bangsamoro territory. The Bicam adopted the House version which excludes the 39 villages of North Cotabato and six municipalities of Lanao del Norte from the Bangsamoro autonomous region without the approval of their mother provinces despite their 2001 vote to be included in the ARMM.

Legislators have to make revisions Tuesday over provisions subjecting the Bangsamoro parliament under “national laws” as opposed by the BTC, which crafted the BBL.

The bicam, following an executive session of more than an hour, decided to delete the words of contention.

There were also debates on the Bangsamoro preamble, territorial waters, and the plebiscite.

Zubiri said their deliberation of the BBL, which started July 9, had been one of the longest bicameral conferences aside from that of the national budget. It was even longer than the Duterte administration’s priority Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion which took only four days, he said.

New Bangsamoro region

The proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law, once enacted, will create the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to replace the current Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The proposed Bangsamoro region shall have a parliamentary system of government, which parliament shall have 80 members. A Chief Minister shall be voted to lead the Bangsamoro region, and two Deputy Chief Ministers from the mainland and island provinces, respectively.

Block grant

The proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law would also provide the Bangsamoro autonomous region its fiscal autonomy to ensure long-term development.

The region shall have an automatic allocation of the annual block grant, which would be five percent of the internal revenue and customs taxes collected by the national government, or about P60 billion.

Aside from the block grant, further assistance would also be provided to the Bangsamoro region, such as the P** special development fund; and taxes collected by the Bangsamoro, such as capital gains tax, donor’s tax, estate tax, and documentary stamp tax.

A 75-25 percent wealth-sharing term in favor of the Bangsamoro was adopted and taxing powers already granted to the ARMM were retained.

Lawmakers earlier assured that transparency and accountability measures are in place to ensure that the grant, which amounts to about P60 billion, will be used properly.

For instance, Commission of Audit (COA) in the Bangsamoro region would still be under the COA National. Aside from COA, an internal auditing body shall also be created to review how the grant is spent.

Transition

A plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law shall take place at least 90 to 150 days after President Duterte had sign it into law.

Zubiri said they look into having a plebiscite by November to allow the Commision on Elections to prepare.

A Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) shall lead the transition from the current ARMM government to Bangsamoro parliament.

The President shall appoint lead members fo the BTA, which shall be composed of 80 members. The elected officials of the current ARMM government shall automatically become members of the BTA and shall serve June 30, 2019, unless otherwise subsequently appointed by the President.

Non-moro indigenous communities, youth, women, settler communities, traditional leaders, and other sectors shall have representatives in the BTA.

The BTA shall lead the parliament for three years until the national elections on 2022.

Congress crams to pass BBL in time for signing by Duterte before Sona

THE Senate-House conference committee, after a marathon meeting that lasted till late Wednesday night, approved a reconciled version of Senate Bill 1717 and House Bill 6475 embodying the awaited BangsaMoro Basic Law covering all provinces in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), to be called the BangsaMoro Autonomous Region or BAR.

Jointly presided by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, the ‘bicam’ concluded its debates on the contentious provisions of House Bill 6475 and Senate Bill 1717 after six days of debates and deliberations.

The final version provides the organic law for the BangsaMoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, repealing for the purpose Republic Act 6734, which provided the original law creating the ARMM.

As approved, the purpose of the organic law is to “establish a political entity, provide for its basic structure of government in recognition of the justness and legitimacy of the cause of the Bangsamoro people and the aspiration of Muslim Filipinos and all indigenous cultural communities in the autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao to secure their identity and posterity, allowing for the meaningful self-governance within the framework of the Constitution and the national sovereignty as well the territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines.”

Allaying fears they won’t meet their self-imposed timeline, the bicameral committee worked overtime to wrap up a reconciled version of the BangsaMoro Basic Law for final ratification when Congress reconvenes on Monday, after which the BBL will be submitted to Malacanang for signing into law by President Duterte.

BBL ‘exhibit’ vs federal shift

Citing the soon-to-be-enacted Basic Law adopting a parliamentary system in the envisioned BangsaMoro region for Muslim Mindanao, Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon asserted this is proof other major government reforms can be carried out without shifting to a federal system of governance.

Interviewed at the sidelines of Wednesday’s bicameral talks to hammer out a reconciled Senate-House version of the BangsaMoro Basic Law, Sen. Drilon, a former Justice Secretary, vouched the BBL can “withstand the test of constitutionality” even as he did not rule out the possibility that the BBL’s parliamentary setup could be questioned in the Supreme Court.

He said early enactment of the BBL will prove “we do not need federalism or amending the Constitution in order to achieve the self-governance or the benefits of the federalism that are being presented to the people.”

“Why? The BBL grants self-governance. The law provides ample powers to the Bangsomoro government,” said Drilon, pointing out there are “55 enumerations of the powers of the Bangsamoro” that he caused to be adopted in the proposed law.

Moreover, the Minority Leader cited adoption of other key provisions on “fiscal autonomy and generation of resources” in the law.

“At least P60 to P70 billion in block grants (will be) automatically released,” he added, noting that only the Bangsamoro government is empowered to decide “where to put the money.”

Drilon noted the envisioned Bangsamoro government was likewise granted taxation powers, such as excise taxes and other tax impositions previously reserved to the national government.

“Clearly, we do not need federalism to achieve what we want to do,” Drilon declared, asserting that the Constitution “allows the alleged benefits of federalism to be done by legislation.”

This could be done, he said, through proposed legislation that will be submitted to a national plebiscite. Once ratified in a plebiscite, Congress can no longer impose changes in its provision “unless the amendment is submitted to a plebiscite.”

Drilon said the issue stirred public perception that Charter changes are being pushed to allow incumbent elected officials to stay in power, including those whose terms are set to expire by June 30, 2019, after which the President will be “empowered to appoint officers-in-charge.”

Zubiri hails bicam approval of Bangsamoro Organic Law

A “new dawn” has come for the Bangsamoro people, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri exclaimed shortly after the congressional bicameral conference committee approved Wednesday night the proposed Bangsamo Basic Law, which is now called the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

The reconciled version of the measure will be sent back to the Senate and the House of Representatives on Monday for ratification.

Once ratified, it will be transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.

Zubiri, head of the Senate contingent, said the law would not only address the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people but it is also expected to pave the way for peace in the region.

“They can now also convince the extremists, may mga nag iisip na mangugulo doon, sila na mismo – ang MILF and MINL – ngayon ay partners ng gobyerno in convincing their populations not to join extremism, not to join extremist groups, because there’s a new dawn in the Bangsamoro region,” he said in an interview after the approval of the measure

MILF stands for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, while MNLF stands for Moro National Liberation Front.

Zubiri’s counterpart, House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, said he was confident the approved measure would stand the test of constitutionality.

“We had several problems along the way because we could not grant everything they want,” he said. “In fairness to them, they accepted everything.”

Ghadzali Jaafar, chairman of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), said they were satisfied with the version approved by the panel.

“We’re satisfied, and as I say, it maybe not a perfect law, but it is good to start with,” Jaafar said in a separate interview.

Jaafar and other BTC members were present when the bicam panel approved the measure in the Senate.

Bicam approves final version of Bangsamoro Basic Law

The congressional bicameral conference committee on Wednesday night approved the final version of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which was renamed as the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The bicameral panel, under the leadership of House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, was able to reconcile conflicting provisions of the landmark measure after six days of marathon hearings.

The BBL is expected to be ratified by both chambers on Monday, July 23, during the opening of the third regular session at 10 a.m., and be signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on or before his third State of the Nation Address at 4 p.m.

Zubiri noted that the approval of the reconciled version is one year after the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) submitted to the President the draft BBL.

Fariñas said while it was noteworthy that previous administrations tried to attain peace in Mindanao through peace agreements, those never came into fruition.

Fariñas, however, said the Duterte administration was able to reach this achievement in one year.

Anak Mindanao Partylist Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan said the final form of the BBL will provide Moros "something better than the status quo that is the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao."

"We do not say that the BBL is the solution, but we had hopes that this will be one of the most important instruments to begin pursuing our long aspirations of just and lasting peace," Sangcopan said.

The measure seeks to create a new Bangsamoro political entity that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

A copy of the reconciled version has not been released to the media. 

Bicam OKs final Bangsamoro bill for Duterte signature

APPROVED. The bicameral conference committee on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law approves the final version of the bill, which will now be up for President Rodrigo Duterte's signature. Photo by Mara Cepeda/Rappler

The bicameral conference committee for the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) finalized on Wednesday, July 18, the measure that would grant greater autonomy to the region.

It took the bicam more than a week to reconcile the differing provisions of the House and Senate versions, with heated exchanges between members.

The House and the Senate would now have to ratify the bicameral conference committee report. They are set to do it on Monday, July 23, during the opening of the 3rd session of the 17th Congress and ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte's 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Duterte is expected to sign the proposed BBL into law just hours before his SONA.

The final version seeks to abolish the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), replacing it with the Bangsamoro region which would have greater fiscal autonomy, a regional government, parliament, and justice system.

The proposed region would be composed of the current ARMM – Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, Maguindanao, and Lanao del Sur – pending a regional plebiscite.

The bill also seeks to include 6 municipalities of Lanao del Norte and 39 barangays of North Cotabato in the Bangsamoro, provided that the province and their municipalities, respectively, vote for it. These areas previously voted to be included in the ARMM but failed when their mother units voted otherwise.

This was the most contentious provision in the bill, leading to an initial deadlock. The panel eventually sought the advice of the President, who in the end sided with the House on the issue and not with the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC).

The chartered cities of Cotabato and Isabela would also be excluded in the proposed region, subject to the approval of their respective registered voters in the plebiscite.

The bill also has an opt-in provision, allowing adjacent areas to join the Bangsamoro, with a petition of at least 10% of their voters.

Parliament, justice, wealth

Once the proposed BBL is signed into law, a Bangsamoro government would be established, headed by a chief minister and a ceremonial leader called a Wali.

There would also be a parliament composed of 80 members – 50% party representatives, 40% district representatives, and 10% sectoral representatives, including two reserved seats for "non-Moro indigenous peoples and settler communities."

Despite having its own government, the Bangsamoro would not have its own military and police force, as these would still be under the national government. (READ: Bicam adopts Senate provision vs Bangsamoro firearms purchase)

As for justice, the region will have its own system based on the unique cultural and historical heritage of the Bangsamoro. (READ: Bicam approves creation of Shari'ah High Court in Bangsamoro)

The justice system of the region would be aligned with the 1987 Constitution, Shari'ah or Islamic law, traditional or tribal laws, and other relevant laws.

Shari'ah law would apply exclusively to cases involving Muslims. If a case involves a non-Muslim, Shari'ah law may apply only if the non-Muslim voluntarily submits to the jurisdiction of the Shari'ah court.

The traditional or tribal laws, meanwhile, would be applicable to disputes of indigenous peoples within the Bangsamoro.

The bill also seeks 75-25 wealth sharing between the national and Bangsamoro government. This means 75% of the national internal revenue collection would go to the Bangsamoro, and 25% to the central government.

An annual block grant, pegged at a 5% share of the national internal revenue or some P59 billion, would also be automatically appropriated to the region without any conditions.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/207524-bangsamoro-bill-final-version-approved-for-duterte-signature

Time travel mission to retrieve love

Vhong Navarro returns to the big screen with his brand of comedy in Regal Entertainment Inc.’s “Unli Life,” an official entry to the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino film festival.

In the movie, Vhong’s character is given a chance to mend the breakup with his girlfriend, played by Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez, by going back in time through the help of a magic “wishkey.” He is transported in different time periods, such as the Dinosaur Era, Magellan, and the ’70s Era, in an effort to correct his mistakes and prevent her girlfriend from breaking up with him in the current time.

After making the country proud by being the first-ever Filipina contestant and eventually crowned Reina Hispanoamericana 2017, “Unli Life” marks Teresita’s comeback to acting in her first major role.

“Unli Life” also stars Joey Marquez, Ejay Falcon, Donna Cariaga, Jon Lucas, Isabelle de Leon, Alex Calleja, Kamille Filoteo, Red Ollero with James Caraan, Anthony Andres, and Jun Urbano.

Special participation includes Dimples Romana, Joem Bascon, Jun Sabayton, Epy Quizon, and Jhong Hilario.
Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino opens Aug. 15 to 21.

Joyce Bernal will direct SONA for free

Film and television director Joyce Bernal said she would be directing the third State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte free of charge.

“Tinawag po ako e bilang mamamayan so, ok po. At saka presidente natin siya and para din po sa mga tao ‘to, sa mga kababayan natin, para sa kapwa ko Pinoy (I was called as a citizen, so okay. And besides he’s our president. This is for the people, for our fellow Filipinos.),” Bernal said in Filipino in a recorded interview.

“Kailangan ba magpabayad doon? Hindi ako magpapabayad doon (Do I need to be paid for it? I won’t ask for payment.),” she added.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar earlier confirmed that Bernal was tapped to direct the third SONA of Duterte.

Bernal would replace Brillante Mendoza as the SONA's director. Mendoza also previously directed the SONA for free.

Bernal is known for directing comedy, romance and drama films and it would be her first time to direct a SONA.

Bernal's box office-hit films include “Gandarrapiddo! The Revenger Squad,” “Last Night,” “The Super Parental Guardians,” “Everything About Her,” and “Kimmy Dora: Kambal sa Kiyeme,” among others.

The director earlier visited the House of Representatives where the third SONA would be staged.

Duterte is set to address the Congress as it convenes its regular session on Monday, July 23.

Aquino to snub Duterte’s SONA while FVR, Erap, Robredo confirm attendance

By JOHN CARLO M. CAHINHINAN

Former President Benigno Aquino III will once again skip the upcoming State of Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte.

According to the House of Representatives’ Inter-Parliamentary Relations Service (IPRS), Aquino already sent his regrets as early as May 18 and will not be able to attend Duterte’s upcoming third SONA on July 23 (Monday).

The former president hasn’t yet to attend any of Duterte’s SONA since the latter assume office in 2016.

Those VIPs who were already confirmed attending the said event include former President Fidel Ramos, former President and current Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada; Vice President Leni Robredo; former Senate Presidents Juan Ponce Enrile, Aquilino Pimentel Jr., and Manuel Villar, Jr.; and former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.

Meanwhile, though there is no official confirmation yet from the IPRS, former House Speaker Prospero Nograles will also attend the event as per his son, Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Partylist Rep. Jericho Nograles.

Bicam meet: Question stalls BBL approval

Should the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) repeatedly mention that laws enacted by the autonomous region’s parliament must be “subject to national law?”

This question came up at the last minute, just as when the Senate-House conference committee was aiming to finalize the draft of the measure on Tuesday afternoon.

The conferees failed to clear the bill because of the objection raised by stakeholders led by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC).

Work on the measure will continue on Wednesday.

Asked why the conference committee could not finish its task within the targeted time, House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, the group’s cochair, said the deliberations got extended because of “due diligence out of our desire to come up with a better output.”

The wording was so important that BTC Chair Ghadzali Jaafar, earlier in the day, told reporters: “If that will happen, we will also change our opinion regarding the Bangsamoro Basic Law.”

Later, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri explained that the BTC members were “ticklish to the issue that continuously mention the word ‘national laws’ in each and every paragraph, in each and every article.”

Although Zubiri played down the significance of such a wording, he said the lawmakers agreed to just mention this qualification under the “general principles and policies” of the measure.

Even with the reduced mention in the draft BBL, Zubiri noted that Section 20, Article X of the 1987 Constitution mandates that the regional laws should be “subject to the provisions of this Constitution and national laws.”

“It’s not very important, but it is a cause of concern to some members of the BTC. We’ve resolved it now,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the closed-door deliberations in Mandaluyong City.

After this resolution came about, Jaafar told reporters: “I’m satisfied, 100 percent.”

He said the BTC was initially worried that “we would have problems with the parliament in the Bangsamoro” had the measure been peppered with the phrase, although he did not specify these concerns.

Inland waters

The final deliberations on the measure was also aimed at dealing with another contentious provision: the administration of the region’s inland waters such as Lake Lanao.

The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro — the final peace deal signed in March 2014 by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) — as well as the version passed by the House granted the Bangsamoro region “exclusive powers” over the inland waters.

But Zubiri on Tuesday told reporters that inland waters would likely be placed under “comanagement” with the national government, especially as Lake Lanao’s hydropower supplies 30 percent of the energy needs of the entire Mindanao.

Instead, a 50-50 revenue-sharing scheme would be implemented when in the use of inland waters, similar to the proposals for the use of fossil fuels.

‘Good’ quality

Asked if the BTC was satisfied with the compromise, Jaafar replied in the affirmative.

Mohager Iqbal, chair of the MILF peace panel, said the Moro rebel group expected alterations “for the betterment of the bill” and saw the quality of the proposed BBL as good.

“We are looking forward to an enhanced bill,” Iqbal told the Inquirer by phone.

“The totality of the bill as expected is not 100 percent but I would rate it as 85 percent,” he said.

But the Bangsamoro Insider Mediators, a group of civil society organizations awaiting the final text of the measure, called on Congress to be faithful to the concessions made under the 2014 peace agreement.

Power plants

“This is about self-determination and should never be the determination of those who have committed injustices against us, much less by those who have nothing but ill will and prejudice against us,” Shallom Allian said in a press briefing.

Allian said the inland waters should be exclusively governed by the regional government “without distinction whether it be a source of energy or not.”

Drieza Lininding noted that historically, the governments of Lanao del Norte and Iligan City have gotten much of the hydropower revenue despite lying outside the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao — instead of the Moro province of Lanao del Sur where the lake is located.

This was because the power-generating plants were located in Lanao del Norte and Iligan City.

“Radical groups and extremism occur because of the unequal policies,” Lininding said.

Other provisions that the groups wanted to be restored include the holding of periodic plebiscites to determine if other areas wanted to join the Bangsamoro, and the delimitation of the Bangsamoro waters to 22.224 kilometers from the coastline. —With reports from Julie Alipala, Kristela Danielle Boo and Anna Patricia Campos

BBL reaches the finish line

A NEW era is set to dawn on Muslim Mindanao with the impending approval of the basic law creating the Bangsamoro autonomous region, after years of false starts and legal setbacks.

There is ample reason to be confident that the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) will hurdle challenges, legal or otherwise, and not go the way of its predecessor, the Arroyo-era Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain or MoA-AD.

The MoA-AD, which sought to establish a “Bangsamoro Juridical Entity” without going through Congress, was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2008.

This time, the BBL is shaping up to be the product of legislative-executive consensus, with the concurrence of the Bangsamoro Transition Council led by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which signed a peace deal with the Aquino administration in 2014.

By going through the legislative mill, the BBL promises to be more effective in addressing the roots of the Moro conflict and achieving peace in Mindanao through greater self-rule, compared with the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The national government will yield 60 specific powers to the Bangsamoro region, including the setting up of shariah circuit, district, and high courts that will have jurisdiction on personal, family and property cases as well as minor criminal offenses.

This will make the Bangsamoro region more potent than the existing ARMM, a failed exercise in autonomy because its umbilical cord remained attached to the national government.

The Bangsamoro region will also have enough means to develop its economy, with its powers of taxation and block grants of P60 billion to P70 billion from the national government.

This will be on top of the internal revenue allotment, or the share of national tax collections, received annually by provinces, cities, municipalities and villages.

The BBL is already in the final stages of bicameral deliberations, after Malacañang intervened to break a deadlock over the measure’s territorial provisions last week.

The MILF is to be commended for agreeing to the provision in which six Lanao del Norte municipalities and 39 villages in North Cotabato will be incorporated into the Bangsamoro region if voters in their “mother units” or provinces approve it in a referendum.

This is a significant concession as it could reduce the Bangsamoro territory. There are questions on the legality of the inclusion of the six towns and 39 villages in the ARMM, which, following legal precedent, would be settled by province-wide plebiscites.

Another significant concession is the provision prohibiting the Bangsamoro government from procuring firearms, ammunition and explosives under its annual appropriations law.

The MILF’s patience throughout the entire process is admirable. It could have bailed at any point given the tediousness of the legislative process, but instead made it an opportunity to affirm its commitment to peace and willingness to abandon violent struggle.

President Rodrigo Duterte is also to be commended for sticking to his promise to “shepherd” the BBL to passage, as shown by last week’s Palace intervention.

The formal signing of the BBL into law will be historic as it begins the process of correcting centuries of injustice to the Moro people. Filipinos will look back to this period in the nation’s history in which democratic processes and institutions prevailed over decades of fighting.

House vows more quality bills

The House of Representatives is keen on passing “more quality legislation” aimed at uplifting the socioeconomic condition of the people as Congress’ Third Regular Session opens on July 23, in time for President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address.

House Deputy Speaker and Cebu City Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia said the 17th Congress under Speaker Pataleon Alvarez had productive first and second regular sessions where 120 measures were passed.

“We expect that number to increase further as we have already ratified a few bicameral conference committee reports and there are several measures that remain unacted on by bicameral conference committees,” Garcia said.
Garcia added several of the priority measures had been identified by the administration in the common legislative agenda as agreed on by the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Committee.

“There are a few more measures in this list that are still pending before the respective House committees and we are optimistic we could fulfill our commitment to approve these during the Third Regular Session. There could be some additional items in our legislative agenda that may be identified after the President’s Sona,” Garcia said.

One of the last measures the House approved before adjourning sine die last May 30 was the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.

“The approval of BBL is an affirmation of our support to the President who believes the legislation is crucial to securing lasting peace in Mindanao which is now facing threats from Islamist extremists. The BBL bill is currently under deliberation by the bicameral conference committee and we expect to ratify it by July 23 to be presented to President Duterte on the same day for his signature,” Garcia added.

The House also expects to receive the administration’s proposal for the 2019 General Appropriations Act shortly after the Monday’s Sona so that the House could start deliberations on the proposed budget for next year.

“With the budget deliberations expected to take up the bulk of our time for the remaining months of 2018, the House faces a huge challenge in approving the pending priority legislations,” she said.

“But as the House had shown in the past two regular sessions, we possess the determination and the will to fulfill our responsibility to pass meaningful laws to bring about meaningful change in the lives of our people,” Garcia said.
Aside from passing the priority administration measures pending at the House of Representatives, Garcia said one of the biggest challenges they face was the amendment of the 1987 Constitution for a shift to a federal system of government.

The consultative committee tasked to prepare a draft Federal Constitution has completed its job and submitted the draft to Duterte.

Last week, the Speaker formally received a copy of the draft Federal Constitution from the members of the Con-Com led by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

“But let me note the position of Speaker Alvarez and the House leadership that the work of the Con-Com is merely recommendatory. Such position is in accordance with the 1987 Constitution which prescribes only three modes of amending the Charter, namely, through a constitutional convention, through Congress acting as a constituent assembly, or through the so-called people’s initiative,” Garcia said.

The House had passed a joint resolution to convene Congress into a constituent assembly. It is Congress acting as such that would determine the final draft of the federal charter to be presented to the Filipino people for ratification, she stressed.

Alvarez said the House leadership would have to revisit its present timetable to find out how to attend to he lawmakers’ legislative duties, particularly the consideration of the 2019 budget, and the task of amending the Constitution given the additional complication posed by the mid-term elections in 2019.

“But even before the Con-Com was created, the House committee on Constitutional amendments has been working continuously to prepare our own draft of a federal system based on numerous public consultations as well as the draft submitted by the PDP Federalism Institute,” Garcia said.

Among the ratified bicameral conference committee reports awaiting Mr. Duterte’s signature are the law on Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS); Filipino Identification System; Retirement Benefits System in the Office of Ombudsman; and Strengthening Legal Framework for Creation, Perfection, Determination of Priority Rights and Enforcement of Security Interests in Personal Property.

From 25 July 2016 up to 11 July 2018 the House of Representatives processed 2,929 measures in 183 session days, for an average of 16 measures processed per session a day.

Out of these measures, 133 were enacted into law within the period, 38 of which were bills of national importance, 93 local bills, and two joint resolutions of Congress.

Among the most significant measures that have been enacted into law during the period were the Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act; Free Irrigation Services Act; An Act Strengthening the “Anti-Hospital Deposit Law”; Ease of Doing Business Act; An Act Extending the Validity of Philippine Passports; An Act Extending the Validity Period of Drivers’ Licenses; and Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN).

After Congress adjourned sine die on May 30, Duterte signed into law various measures ratified by the bicameral conference committee.

These include the Philippine Mental Health Act; Strengthening the Balik-Scientist Program; National School Feeding Law ; Expanding the National Integrated Protected Areas System; 5) Electric Cooperatives Resiliency Fund; and Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.

Garcia said the House also ratified a total of five bicameral conference reports on four national bills and one local bill. Still pending consideration by the bicameral conference committee are eight national bills and eight local bills.

What to expect from Duterte's third SONA

President Rodrigo Duterte is set to deliver his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 23.

With the red carpet already laid out and security measures being finalized, all eyes are on the firebrand President anew.

Here's what to expect from the President's upcoming speech:

SPEECH DURATION

Malacañang earlier said that President Duterte's speech this year will only last for 35 minutes since he promised to read from prepared remarks.

Presidential Communications Secretary Ana Marie Banaag, however, hinted on Tuesday that the President's speech may last longer, given that Congress is expected to ratify the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law in the morning of July 23.

"In as much as the President wanted to shorten his speech, we don't know what would come up because that's up to Congress of course," she told ANC's "Beyond Politics."

Banaag added that Palace officials are not worried that Duterte, who usually deviates from his prepared remarks, would deliver a speech longer than 35 minutes "because people would want to listen to him."

"Even if the President talks for two hours, people are so fixated on what he wants to say so it's not really something we are worried about," she said.

MESSAGE

The President will not tout his administration's accomplishments in his upcoming SONA as well but would instead speak as the nation's father, Banaag said.

"It's not more of what he claims he has accomplished, [what] this administration claims to have accomplished but it's more of the father who cares about the Filipino people," she said.

Banaag revealed that Duterte also removes parts of the draft speech which he feels "is not him" and "includes whatever he feels he wants to say."

"He practically is the writer of the speech already," she said.

Duterte also practices the delivery of his speech "over and over" whenever he has free time.

NEW DIRECTOR

For this year, Malacañang decided to tap romantic-comedy film director Joyce Bernal to direct the President's SONA, replacing acclaimed director Brillante Mendoza.

Bernal earlier said she intends to use "sequencing shots" and "warm lighting" to capture Duterte's patriotism on camera.

According to Banaag, the female director is "clear of what she wants" in terms of directing the President's upcoming speech.

"She (Bernal) wanted to show how the President loves so much this country," Banaag said.

Unlike Mendoza, who drew both cheers and jeers for his unconventional use of shots and camera angles in the President’s speeches, Bernal "has not so deviated with the usual protocols and procedures," according to Banaag.

"Director Joyce Bernal is so hands on. She practically stays at the Malacañang and House of Representatives," Banaag said.

Banaag also said that Bernal is directing the President's SONA pro bono.

BBL SIGNING DURING SONA?

Malacañang earlier said Duterte will sign the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) before he delivers his third SONA.

But Banaag clarified that it still depends on whether Congress can finalize the bill in time for the President's speech.

"The aim is to have it signed during the SONA," she said.

Banaag also noted that during pre-SONA meetings, it has not been clarified whether the President will sign the proposed BBL before he delivers his speech, during, or after.

"We don't know yet," she said.

Banaag also floated that possibility that the President will defer from signing the proposed measure into law if he disagrees with the final version of the bill.

"The President has been so sensitive with the BBL, that's why it has dragged on for years," she said.

Bicam completes review of 6 of 18 articles on BBL

By Vanne Elaine Terrazola

The Congress bicameral committee has finished polishing six of the 18 articles of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), missing anew its target for the approval of the priority measure.

House Majority Leader Roldolfo Fariñas confirmed Tuesday night that it is “impossible’ to finish deliberating on the measure, contrary to earlier pronouncements that the bicam will sign Tuesday afternoon its final committee report on the BBL.

Fariñas said they had so far completed six articles of the bill, which includes provisions on the identity, territory, powers and security measure of the Bangsamoro region.

As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, Fariñas said they will take up provisions on the fiscal autonomy of the proposed Bangsamoro region.

Fariñas said they will continue their meeting tomorrow noon at the Senate.

The House leader admitted there were still debates on some of the provisions of the bill, particularly on the proposed preamble in the proposed BBL.

The Bicam, he said, did not approve of the preamble proposed by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission. The Bangsamoro preamble should also adhere to the Constitution, he added.

Despite delays, Fariñas said they still aim to approve the final version of the bill this week so president Duterte can review it before they ratify it and later be signed it into law on Monday, July 23.

The bicam had had five meetings on the BBL, three in a hotel in Pasig, once in the House of Representatives, and the latest in a hotel in Mandaluyong City.