Bangsamoro bill to be signed in 48 hours

DESPITE the failure of the House of Representatives to ratify the proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law, President Rodrigo Duterte vowed Monday, July 23, to sign the measure within "48 hours."

In his third State of the Nation Address (Sona), the President guaranteed that he would sign into law the landmark measure that will establish a new Bangsamoro region with greater autonomy.

"Despite all that has been said [for] or against the Bangsamoro Organic Law by sectoral groups, I make this solemn commitment that this administration will never deny our Muslim brothers and sisters the basic legal tools to chart their own destiny within the Constitutional framework of our country," Duterte said.

"Give me 48 hours to sign it and ratify the law," he added.

Duterte was expected to sign the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, which was renamed Bangsamoro Organic Law, on the day of his third State of the Nation Address (Sona).

Duterte prepared to sign proposed BOL in next 48 hours

President Duterte is prepared to sign the proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in the next 48 hours when the ratified measure reaches his desk

In his State of the Nation Address (SONA) before a joint session of Congress, the President said he wants to review the measure creating the new Bangsamoro autonomous region before signing it into law.

“When the approved version is transmitted and received by my office… The law has been passed actually and I intend to… Give me 48 hours to sign it and ratify the law,” Duterte said in his remarks following a delay in the House ratification of the measure in time for his SONA.

“Babasahin ko pa bago ko pipirmahan. Baka may isiningit kayo diyan na hindi maganda para sa — para sa ibang tao,” he added.

The President also renewed his resolve to ensure the Bangsamoro bill would pass constitutional scrutiny. He noted that the Mindanao was at at the crossroads of history — “one road leads to harmony and peace; the other, to war and human suffering.”

“Despite all that has been said [for] or against the Bangsamoro Organic Law by all sectoral groups, I make this solemn commitment that this administration will never deny our Muslim brothers and sisters the basic legal tools to chart their own destiny within the Constitutional framework of our country,” he said.

He acknowledged that “loads of understanding and patience” will be needed “to overcome the brith pains of the new beginning.”

“To me, war is not an option. We have been through the catastrophe in Marawi. We have seen the horror, the devastation, and the human toll and the displacement of both Christians and Muslims alike,” he said.

Duterte said he also plans to increase the budget for Mindanao, which has been dubbed as the “Land of Promise.”

“At the end of my term, I hope to see the promise of Mindanao fulfilled, or at the very least, approaching fulfilment,” he said.

The President issue the remarks after the signing of the proposed Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was delayed due a leadership squabble in the House of Representatives.

The Lower House adjourned its session without ratifying the priority measure amid reports of change of leadership. The Senate earlier ratified the measure during the opening fo the third regular session.

The new region seeks to replaces the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with a new political entity with a larger territory and fiscal autonomy.

The new law covers the existing ARMM areas (Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao), six towns in Lanao del Norte and 39 barangays in North Cotabato later this year. The affected places must still vote in a plebiscite later this year if they are in favor of joining the Bangsamoro region.

Duterte to sign Bangsamoro law in 48 hours

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he will sign the Bangsamoro Organic Law in 48 hours.

Duterte made the promise during his third State of the Nation Address, stressing he “made a solemn commitment” to the country’s Muslims and “will never deny our Muslim brothers the basic legal tools to chart their own destiny within the constitutional framework of our country.”

"Babasahin ko muna bago ko pipirmahan baka may isiningit kayo diyan," he said.

Duterte was supposed to sign the proposed measure today but this did not happen as the House adjourned session before it could be ratified.

The Senate ratified the reconciled version of the bill.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier described the House’s failure to ratify the bill in time for Duterte’s third SONA as a “temporary setback in the administration’s goal of laying the foundation for a more genuine and lasting peace in Mindanao.”

“We find it unfortunate that the Bangsamoro Organic Law was not ratified before the adjournment of today's session of the House of Representatives,” Roque said in a statement.

“We, however, remain confident that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte will sign the Bangsamoro Organic Law as soon as both houses of Congress finally ratify the bill.”

Speaking to reporters, Roque said the Palace remains confident that there are enough numbers in the House to pass the proposed law.

He said the signing of the BOL was supposed to be the “surprise” of the President during his SONA.

SONA 2018: Duterte to sign Bangsamoro law 48 hours after he gets ratified bill

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday promised to sign into law the proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law within 48 hours from the time he received it .

In his third State of the Nation Address, Duterte said he would read the proposed measure to ensure that it would be beneficial to stakeholders.

“When the approved version is transmitted and received by my office, I intend to… give me 48 hours to sign it. Babasahin ko pa bago ko pipirmahan, baka may isiningit kayo diyan na hindi maganda para sa ibang tao,” Duterte said.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, head of the Senate contingent, stood up to applaud the President's announcement.

The Senate ratified the report of the bicameral conference committee but the House of Representatives failed to approve it amid a power struggle between Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“I make this solemn commitment, that this administration will never deny our Muslim brothers and sisters the basic legal tools to chart their own destiny in the constitutional framework of our country,” Duterte added.

He admitted that loads of understanding and patience are needed to endure the birth pangs or pains of renewed beginning.

“To me, war is not an option. We have been through the catastrophe in Marawi, we have seen the horror, the devastation, and the human toll and  displacement of both Christians and Muslims alike,” he said.

Duterte said recalled that he made pledge that ISIS terrorists or its allies will never again foothold in the country.

“Yet when what remain of the decimated Maute ISIS in Marawi finally saw the error of their ways and express their desire to be integrated to our society and correct their errors,  we welcome them with open arms to embrace a peaceful, productive life,” he said.

He said the people owe it to the fallen soldiers and police officers in Marawi to put an end to blood shed and seek true peace that will last beyond the lifetime and that the next generation will reap. —NB, GMA News

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/661497/duterte-to-sign-bangsamoro-law-48-hours-after-he-gets-ratified-bill/story/

Poe warns of Arroyo’s return to ‘presidency’ if…

Senator Grace Poe on Monday warned of Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s return as president of the country if the proposed shift to a parliamentary form of government succeeds.

Arroyo has replaced Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez in a surprise move on Monday.

Asked in an earlier interview over ABS-CBN News Channel about Arroyo’s possible election as the next Speaker, Poe said: “I don’t think I have to repeat myself and remind people about the corruption and all of the other anomalies that happened during her term in office.”

“This is something that the people should be able to imagine: If we turn parliamentary and I believe they will really push for that especially with her leadership, she would be either next in line to be the president of the country or at par with the president,” she added.

“Is this the change that we wanted? Somebody led by the former president, her style of governance during her time?” the senator asked.

Asked if she would prefer to have more of the same (leadership style), the senator quickly answered no.

“I’d rather have somebody totally different— not from the choices that they are presenting right now,” Poe explained.

Arroyo first became president when she was swept to power in January 2001 to replace then former President Joseph Estrada.

In 2004, Arroyo ran for president and won in the fraud-tainted 2004 elections, beating Poe’s father, the late actor Fernando Poe Jr.

Poe also ran but lost to President Duterte in the 2016 presidential race. /ee

No Bangsamoro law on SONA day dismays Palace

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House delays Bangsamoro law ratification over Alvarez-Arroyo showdown

The House of Representatives adjourned session on Monday, July 23, without ratifying the the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law.

This comes after lawmakers are reported to oust Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and replace him with former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, now Pampanga 2nd District representative.

At 10 am, Alvarez went through the regular motions of reopening the session of the 17th Congress, sticking to his prepared speech lobbying for the federal shift and remaining mum on the plans to unseat him.

At around 11 am, the House suspended session after adopting a resolution calling for a joint session in preparation for President Rodrigo Duterte’s 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) later in the afternoon.

At 12:28 pm, Deputy Speaker Gwen Garcia and Assistant Majority Leader Juan Pablo Bondoc entered the near-empty plenary hall. Garcia resumed the session, but Bondoc immediately called for the adjournment of session until 4 pm. Garcia accepted.

With this motion, the House closed its session on Monday without ratifying the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, the bill that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with the more powerful Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

The bicam had originally planned for both houses to ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Law during their morning sessions so Duterte can sign it into law before his delivering his SONA. The Senate already ratified the measure during its morning session.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Malacañang considers the developments in the House as a “temporary setback” for the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

“We find it unfortunate that the Bangsamoro Organic Law was not ratified before the adjournment of today’s session of the House of Representatives. We consider this as a temporary setback in the administration’s goal of laying the foundation for a more genuine and lasting peace in Mindanao,” said Roque.

He remains confident Duterte will still be able to sign the law later in the afternoon.

Chief Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza expressed the same sentiment, saying, "The BOL suffered this temporary setback, as a 'collateral damage' to an internal leadership issue in the House but I trust and expect that in due time, the ratification which it deserves, will take place as a matter of course."

Manifesto vs Alvarez

Just before 1 pm, lawmakers were called back to gather at the plenary hall. Deputy Speaker Miro Quimbo says the House leadership may once again call for resume session.

But is this allowed by the House rules?

“Well ang rules ng House is always dictated by the majority. So kung ito man ay may pagbabago, it requires a 2/3 or 3/4 vote to suspend the rules. So tulad ng sabi ko, kapag ang majority ay maipakita na dapat mag-resume, magre-resume ‘yan,” he said.

(The House rules are always dictated upon by the majority. So if they will make changes, it would need the vote of 2/3 or 3/4 of the members to suspend the rules. Like what I’ve always said, if the majority would be able to show there is a need to resume, the session would resume.)

As of posting, a manifesto expressing support for Alvarez’s removal as Speaker is being passed around lawmakers for signing. The document is likely to be used by Alvarez’s coup plotters against him should session resume on Monday.

Sources said legislators plotting Alvarez’s ouster were planning to declare the speakership vacant – thereby allowing the nomination of Arroyo in his place – during the opening of the 17th Congress’ 3rd session at 10 am.

But there were last ditch efforts to deter the change in the House leadership. Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, who is party mates with Alvarez at the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, called for an all-members caucus at 8:30 am. Only 76 out of 291 lawmakers attended.

Minority Leader Danilo Suarez and AKO Bicol Representative Rodel Batocabe, president of the party-list coalition, also called for meetings with their respective blocs before the 10 am session. – With a report from Pia Ranada

Senate ratifies Bangsamoro Organic Law

THE Senate on Monday ratified the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) abolishing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and creating instead a Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BAR) with more powers.

The 22 senators present at the opening of the third regular session of the 17th Congress did not object to the motion of Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri to ratify the bicameral conference committee report on the disagreeing provisions of (BOL).

The BAR’s territorial jurisdiction includes the ARMM area (Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao).

The BAR will receive a “block grant,” which is equivalent “to five percent of the net national internal revenue tax collection of the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) and the BoC (Bureau of Customs) from the third fiscal year immediately preceding the current fiscal year.”

“The block grant shall be appropriated and released immediately. The block grant formula shall be reviewed five years after the effectivity of the BOL and every five years thereafter,” Zubiri said.

The Bangsamoro Parliament, to be headed by a Chief Minister, will govern BAR. The Chief Minister must be elected by 80 members or representatives, of which at least 40 are party representatives.

The other half must be divided into district representatives and sectoral representatives. Seats are also reserved for members of the Non-Muslim indigenous peoples as Teduray, Lambangian, Dulangan Manobo, B’Laan and Higaonon.

The BOL provides that a plebiscite must be held not earlier than 90 days and no later than 150 days after the effectivity of the BOL.

The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) should be composed of 80 members appointed by the President.

“Personnel in the education, health and social welfare offices shall be retained during the period of transition,” Zubiri said.

SM readies mall expansion in north and south Luzon

By Arra B. Francia, Reporter

SM INVESTMENTS Corp. is looking at areas in northern and southern Luzon for the next stage of expansion of its shopping mall business, a top official of the Sy-led holding firm said.

“Wala pa kaming northern Luzon, wala pa kaming southern Luzon. Wala pa kaming pababa doon,” SM Chairman Jose T. Sio told reporters after the Sharephil Summit 2018 at Dusit Thani Manila last Friday.

He added that the holding firm of the country’s richest man Henry Sy, Sr. is also planning to further its presence in Mindanao “at the right time.”

Even with a target to have 75 malls in the country by the end of 2018, Mr. Sio said the Philippines is not yet saturated with shopping malls.

The company is opening malls mostly in the provinces in the next three years, with SM City Urdaneta Central, SM City Telabastagan, SM City Legaspi, SM City Ormoc and SM City Dagupan set for opening this year.

In 2019, SM’s property unit SM Prime Holdings, Inc. expects to open SM Daet, SM Butuan, SM Olongapo Central, SM Balanga Bataan, SM Sorsogon, SM Tagum, SM City Tuguegarao, SM Mindoro and SM Grand Central in Caloocan.

SM Prime will also be opening SM City Roxas, SM Calamba Turbina, SM Tanza, SM San Fernando, La Union, SM Laoag, SM Zamboanga and SM Malolos in 2020.

This year alone, the listed conglomerate is spending P75-90 billion to finance its expansion.

Mr. Sio said SM is also interested in buying more retailing brands, as long as they are in a “good location, right time, at the right price.”

The company currently operates more than 2,000 retail brands, after folding over a thousand specialty retail store brands into SM Retail, Inc. such as Ace Hardware, Watsons, Toy Kingdom, and Pet Express in 2016.

Meanwhile, the SM chairman noted the current impacts of technology on the general business environment, citing that disruptions like artificial intelligence could hamper sectors like the business process outsourcing industry in the near future.

“Call centers are not sustainable, they are stagnating. Now they are no longer signing long-term contracts… they only want to sign (for building leases) every year,” Mr. Sio said.

Should BPOs weaken in the coming years, Mr. Sio said office buildings can be converted to other uses.

The company has a combined gross floor area of 464,000 square meters (sq.m.) for its commercial properties group, which it looks to expand by 130,000 sq.m. with the launch of a third office building in the Mall of Asia complex this year.

SM’s core businesses include property, retail, and banking, with its portfolio now expanding to Belle Corp., Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp., CityMall Commercial Centers, Inc., Philippine Urban Living Solutions, Inc., the Net buildings, and 2Go Group, Inc.

SM’s consolidated net income grew 10% to P8.5 billion in the first quarter of 2018, boosted by an 11% increase in consolidated revenues to P95 billion during the period.

You alone — against the world

As far as Speaker Bebot Alvarez’s plans for No Elections in 2019 is concerned, it won’t be “You and Me Against the World” as in the song. It will probably be “You Alone Against the World” or at least most of the Filipino voters who have always opposed any and all attempts at pushing for “NO-EL” especially when those pushing for it have an ulterior motive, which is to extend their term in an Unconstitutional manner.

As far as his public statements go, Speaker Alvarez would want us to believe that the reason he is pushing for NO-EL is because it places the members of Congress “Between a rock and a hard place”; either they concentrate on getting re-elected in 2019 or we postpone the 2019 elections so that members of Congress can concentrate on doing their work when they form themselves into a Constituent Assembly or CON-ASS. Seems fair and simple enough, EXCEPT, they are being shamelessly presumptuous by thinking that they and they alone should study or write a constitution for the proposed Federal system that President Duterte has been pushing for years before. The option and probably the more democratic and consultative option remains to be a Constitutional Convention where we vote a separate set of delegates who hopefully have no political agenda or ulterior motives.

To be blunt, the first mistake of Speaker Alvarez is to think that he has enough muscle or hubris to get his way. He would have been better off orchestrating the whole thing and letting a bunch of other Congressmen with more credibility to do the talking and proposition. By leading the charge, Alvarez simply woke up the natives and now they are making a call to arms or to oppose NO-EL and say NO WAY!

*   *   *

If what I’ve been hearing is 50% actual fact more than analysis, then I can understand why Speaker Alvarez wants and will benefit from Oplan NO-EL.

First of all with NO-EL he gets to stay on in Congress without the expensive cost of re-election. Assuming all things being equal he might even get to stay on as Speaker of the House unless efforts to replace him with Congresswoman Gloria Arroyo who is a true economist, actually prospers. Its been said that someone in Malacañang is unhappy about how Alvarez has consistently been the disruptor of harmony among members of the Davao block. Instead of simply letting things take their natural course, Alvarez kept poking and stoking his feud with Tonyboy Floirendo. His push for a law that would lead to annulment or a lesser form of Divorce triggered public anger as well as a public rebuke by his wife Emelita Apostol Alvarez who said that they were never separated and that she was dumped right after Duterte’s first SONA.

Then there was the unexpected backfire of events where a comment from Alvarez earned a pubic tongue lashing from Sara Duterte. More recently I’ve been told that another reason why someone in Malacañang is unhappy with the current Speaker of the House is because Congress has come up with very little laws designed to boost the economy and the President’s “Build Build Build” agenda. Alvarez has reportedly gotten some form of assurance that PGMA won’t be replacing Alvarez as Speaker any time soon because that could open up a whole new can of worms politically. But after the 2019 elections, a young woman from Davao is reportedly being groomed for the top spot in Congress.

If the 2019 elections pushes on, rumors have it that the Speaker’s “Ex-wife” is being encouraged to run against Alvarez in his district. Whoever runs against Alvarez in 2019 can almost assuredly count on the whole hearted and wallet full support of Tonyboy Floirendo who has no love lost for his ex-buddy. As Speaker, Alvarez might be able to pull enough strings to put up a war chest against Tonyboy Floirendo but Alvarez has no one equal to Sara Duterte who will surely do more damage to his re-election bid than all the millions of Floirendo. If that is not bad enough, Alvarez has not been a consistent winner as a candidate. He has lost more times than he has won and given the number of powerful and influential enemies he has made within the Davao block, running for re-election in 2019 would be like Russian roulette with a very deadly long term outcome.

Apparently, Speaker Alvarez is not done with stepping on Land Mines. Now he brazenly wants to postpone the 2019 elections and form a Constituent Assembly (CON-ASS). That would be the equivalent of letting Alvarez have his cake and eat it too. As someone put it: “we can’t allow this because this outright conflict of interest. We will let “Trapos” / Congressmen/politicians decide on whether or not the provisions on Anti political Dynasties and Political Turncoatism will be allowed in the proposed constitution.

Objectively speaking, what Alvarez should be doing is to focus on their work, which is legislation, particularly on laws that would help the Duterte Administration achieve its many goals. Keep Congress out of the debate and let the people have their way. One serious proposal is for a year-long public information campaign and debate on the merits of the proposed Constitution. Alvarez should back that because it buys him all the time in the world to concentrate on getting re-elected while keeping public criticism off his back. After one year, we will all have a better understanding of the proposals, surely get a ton more of even better ideas and a clear idea if the Constitution has public acceptance or not. Once the people know what they want, their elected representatives would know exactly what to do. At this juncture it may serve Bebot Alvarez to start being the “Listener of the House” instead of being the Speaker in the house.

Senators’ caucus to tackle House proposal to scrap 2019 elections

SENATE President Vicente C. Sotto III is calling an all-senators caucus a day after President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address in order to tackle a House proposal scrapping the 2019 elections to give way to Charter changes, effectively extending terms of incumbent officials with fixed terms set to expire next year.

This developed as a ranking Senate source, speaking on condition of anonymity, thumbed down a scenario where the majority of senators would back the House proposal to cancel the upcoming elections.

“No way. I am certain of the vote of 21 out of 23 senators,” the Senate insider told the BusinessMirror, admitting he was just “not sure” of the stand of ex-Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III and Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao.

The poll postponement plan was suggested to frontload a move to tinker with the 1987 Charter, including the proposed shift to a federal system of government favored by the Duterte administration.

“We will talk about it [no 2019 election] on Tuesday before I make any announcements,” Sotto told the BusinessMirror over the weekend. Sotto added: “I would rather speak [about the Charter-change-no-election scheme] when I already have the  pulse of my colleagues.”

Sotto confirmed his preference to first convene an all-senators caucus when asked on Sunday if he sees the Senate supporting the House proposal to cancel next year’s scheduled elections for national and local offficials, including 12 senators and over 200 congressmen whose terms are set to expire next year.

Alvarez: Decide before October

Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez, who is strongly pushing for the postponement of 2019 elections, said members of Congress should decide on the no-election issue before the filing of certificate of candidacy in October.

The speaker said the 2019 polls may be scrapped through a law passed by Congress.

But if the Senate would not agree, Alvarez said another option is for supporters of federalism to launch a people’s initiative (PI).

Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu of Batangas has already filed House Bill 5724 so the people could use the PI and referendum mode for Charter change and legislation.

Abu’s measure seeks to adopt Republic Act 6735, or the Initiative and Referendum Act through PI in amending the Constitution.

Butch Fernandez and  Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz