Saturday, January 2, 2021
Central Luzon population to reach 12.6M in 2021
THE population of Central Luzon will reach a total of 12,609,535, according to projections by the Commission on Population and Development (PopCom) in Central Luzon.
The increase, however, will be a slow pace, according to PopCom.
It added that the population will grow gradually by 1.63 percent by the start of 2021—an increase from 2020’s projection of 12,413,181 but a slower growth compared with a 2.13 percent population growth rate in 2016 and 1.81 percent between 2019 and 2020.
Among population groups, the most notable increase was observed within the working-age or Filipinos between 15 to 64 years old, which will reach 8,364,085 by next year, making up 66 percent of the entire Philippine population. The working population by 2021 will be composed of males at 4,250,284 and females at 4,113,761, with a difference of 136,523 between sexes.
This implies the need for additional job creation, particularly at the local level, which will be challenging given the current pandemic and its effects on the labor sector.
The increase in the working-age population also implies a demographic precondition for greater productivity, with additional members of the labor force compared to dependents, the region is slowly positioning itself to reap from the demographic dividend or the economic gains brought by shifts in a population’s age structure.
However, this demographic change must be reinforced by policies and programs that would ensure the needs of the labor force, as well as the dependents. Thus, the need for approaches not only on employment but also in healthcare, particularly in family planning and education.
Meanwhile, individuals belonging to the “dependent” population, consisting of those within 0 to 14 years old, as well as those 60 years of age and older (27 percent and 10 percent of the population, respectively), will increase by 59,765 in 2021 and have a total of 4,675,083. The constant increase of senior citizens in the region calls out for better interventions in terms of their needs for healthcare and well-being.
PopCom Undersecretary Juan Antonio Perez III stated the “need to focus on the needs of this vulnerable part of the population, as it is also an often-neglected sector.”
While projections show that the increase among younger dependents in the region aged 0 to 14 has slowed down from 8,888 additional members in 2020 to only 5,100 in 2021, there is a possibility that the increase of younger dependents may accelerate given the current pandemic, which brought community quarantine protocols, thereby affecting access to health centers and workers for family planning (FP) information and services. The constant increase of women of reproductive age who may reach 3,302,082 by 2021, which would be 26 percent of the total population, also amplified the need for intensified actions on family planning.
Before the pandemic, Central Luzon, based on the 2017 Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), has more than 9 out of 100 women who have an unmet need for modern FP, while 2 out of 10 women are using temporary FP methods. The constant increase of women who are capable of childbearing and the possibility that FP users may not be resupplied with their FP needs are some of the causal factors of the possible increase of childbirths and increase in younger dependents by 2021, as projected by PopCom.
In the national situation, the University of the Philippines Population Institute and the United Nations Population Fund provided estimates of 2,560,000 unintended pregnancies in the Philippines, of which 751,000 are due to community quarantine-induced family planning service reductions.
Adolescents aged 10 to 19 are seen to have a slower increase of 11,285 by 2021 at 2,324,927 from the previous population of 2,313,642 in 2020. However, the increasing trends in cases of adolescent pregnancies in the region as reflected by regional reports before the pandemic still present another concern that local policy and decision-makers need to address. This is validated by UPPI and UNFPA which stated that unintended pregnancies from this age group in the country will reflect a 21.04% rise and is expected to reach 102,000 due to community quarantine-induced service reductions on family planning.
PopCom-Central Luzon has called for support in the implementation of the population management program in the region.
PopCom's estimates for 2021 are based on geometric method projections, using the last population census in 2015 by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Bill creating lone district of Butuan cited
Residents of Agusan del Norte welcomed the recent passage by the House of Representatives of a bill that proposes to transform Butuan City into a single congressional district.
The House voted 220-0 last month against House Bill 7771 that will incorporate the municipality of Las Nieves to the second district which currently comprises of Cabadbaran City and the municipalities of Buenavista, Carmen, Jabonga, Kitcharao, Magallanes, Nasipit, Remedios Trinidad Romualdez, Santiago, and Tubay.
Currently, Butuan and Nieves comprise the first district represented in the chamber by Rep. Lawrence Fortun.
Rep. Ma. Angelica M. Amante-Matba represents the second district.
Fortun and Matba authored HB 4123 that underscored the need to create the lone district of Butuan.
“Such reapportionment is consistent with sound management and governance and in keeping with the purpose and thrust of the provisions of the Constitution,” they said.
HB 7771 provides that the reapportionment of Agusan del Norte must take effect in the 2022 national and local elections.
Fortun and Matba will continue to represent their respective legislative districts until the expiration of their term of office next year.
The House Committee on Local Government chaired by Tarlac Rep. Noel L. Villanueva strongly endorsed passage of the measure.
Authors recalled that Butuan used to be the capital of the province of Agusan which is now divided between Agusan del Sur and Agusan del Norte.
Agusan del Norte retained Butuan City as its capital until it was reclassified into a Highly Urbanized City in 1985 and became separate and independent of the province. However, Butuan then could not qualify into a single legislative district because it lacked the population requirement of 250,000.
Cabadbaran City serves as the current capital of Agusan del Norte.
Matba noted that as of August 2015, the Philippine Statistics Authority confirmed that Butuan had a population of 337,063, which is 34.8 percent over the minimum population for it to become a congressional district.
“Butuan City, as a lone legislative district, can better pursue its development goals and meet its needs peculiar to its status as a Highly Urbanized City and Regional Center of the Caraga region,” authors of the measure explained.
Further, they noted that Las Nieves will be “fully restored under the rightful jurisdiction” of Agusan del Norte under the bill.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/01/02/bill-creating-lone-district-of-butuan-cited/
House continues legislative churn amid pandemic
The House of Representatives has ensured that the legislative mill is always churning amid a whirlwind of events ranging from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the tug-of-war for the speakership, and multiple disasters that all occurred in one year.
The lower chamber was able to process an average of 35 measures per day.
From July 22, 2019 to Dec. 16, 2020, the House processed a total of 2,598 measures during 74 session days, 40 of which were enacted into law, 16 transmitted to the President, and 453 approved on third and final reading.
Bayanihan laws, other Covid-19 mitigation measures
President Rodrigo Duterte has asked Congress for special powers to deal with the Covid-19 crisis in March, ranging from faster procurement of essential goods, provision of financial assistance to low-income households and other vulnerable sectors, regulation of transportation operations, to the realignment of public funds, among many others.
Congress heeded the call of the executive branch to convene a special session for the enactment of a law that was crucial to speed up government action and provide the bureaucracy with the needed flexibility, particularly in public budgeting.
It was the first time in the chamber’s history to hold a “virtual” session on March 23 to strictly observe social distancing measures amid the imposition of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.
The measure was certified as urgent, thus allowing second and third reading approval within the same day.
The “Bayanihan to Heal As One Act” or Republic Act 11469 was inked by Duterte on March 24 but was only published in newspapers on March 25.
With Bayanihan 1 lapsing on June 25, the President called on Congress to pass the proposed “Bayanihan to Recover as One” law or the Bayanihan 2 to help speed up the country’s recovery from the pandemic.
The second installment of the Bayanihan Act will supplement funds amounting to PHP165.5 billion for recovery and response against the impact of the pandemic.
The largest chunk of the budget was allotted to loans for sectors hit by the pandemic, such as micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises, transport, tourism, and agriculture.
It also provided for the government's Covid-19 health-related response.
The House also passed other bills to boost the government’s response to the health crisis, including the Accelerated Recovery and Intervention Stimulus for the Economy (ARISE), Covid-19-related anti-discrimination bill, the Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer (FIST) bill, and the bill on a “better normal” for the workplace and public spaces.
ABS-CBN franchise renewal controversy
Aside from the pandemic, the House was also preoccupied with the controversial franchise renewal case of broadcast giant ABS-CBN.
Congress was unable to renew the network’s congressional franchise before its expiration date on May 4.
ABS-CBN, upon the directive of the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) shutdown order, ceased its broadcast operations on May 5.
The franchise bills have been set aside by the 18th Congress as the country faced the Taal volcano eruption and Covid-19.
ABS-CBN’s fate was sealed on July 10 when the House Committee on Legislative Franchises approved – by a 70-11 vote, with one abstention – the resolution denying the franchise application of the network to construct, install, establish, operate, and maintain radio and broadcasting stations in the Philippines. Two other lawmakers inhibited from voting.
The previous House hearings have exhaustively discussed the network’s franchise issues, including the citizenship of ABS-CBN chair emeritus Gabby Lopez; the possible violation of the constitutional limits on foreign ownership; reported labor and tax violations; and other violations of the terms of its legislative franchise.
The NTC on June 30 also issued two cease and desist orders, directing ABS-CBN to halt the operation of its digital television transmission using Amcara Broadcasting Network, Inc.’s Channel 43 and the direct-to-home satellite transmission of its cable firm, Sky Cable Corp.
Tug-of-war: Cayetano vs. Velasco
The tug-of-war for speakership between Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco hounded the legislative affairs of the chamber, particularly the passage of the proposed 2021 national budget.
Under the term-sharing deal brokered by Duterte, Cayetano would serve as House Speaker for the first 15 months, or until October 2020, while Velasco would take over and assume the highest position at the House of Representatives for the remaining 21 months or until the 18th Congress ends in 2022.
Cayetano, however, expressed his desire to stay on as the House’s top leader longer than expected, contrary to the gentleman’s agreement.
Duterte had to intercede and set up a meeting with the speakership rivals at Malacañang, wherein it was agreed upon that the turnover would be conducted on October 14.
Following the meeting, Cayetano offered to step down in a privilege speech before fellow lawmakers, but the plenary rejected his offer of resignation with a 184-1-9 vote.
Velasco continued to push Cayetano to honor the agreement and resign by October 14.
Just a few days before the agreed-upon speakership turnover, lawmakers from the lower chamber held an unprecedented remote plenary session to elect Velasco as the new Speaker.
A total of 186 lawmakers voted to install Velasco as the House's top leader in a remote plenary session at the Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City on October 12.
It was made official with the ratification of Velasco’s election a day after, with the same number of lawmakers who voted to elect him as Speaker.
As the 27th House Speaker, Velasco committed to exert all efforts toward attaining his goal of a “stronger, inclusive and united House.”
“We will work together in Congress to pass laws that are timely and responsive to the needs of our countrymen and to make the lower chamber truly the House representing the people,” he said.
Velasco said under his helm, the chamber was able to pass “timely and relevant laws to alleviate the plight of our people during these trying times.”
“Rest assured we will continue to do so in the coming new year,” he added.
According to House records, the chamber processed 688 measures or an average of 115 per session from October 2 to December 16 alone.
Velasco expressed hope that an affordable, safe, and effective vaccine against Covid-19 would arrive in the Philippines at the soonest time possible, especially with the passage of the 2021 national budget.
“Having a safe and effective vaccine available to Filipinos is currently the best way for us to beat the virus,” he said.
TIMOW’S TURF OPENING SALVO FOR 2021: THE YEAR OF RECLAMATION
THE HERALDING of the New Year yesterday was not the same as in the years before, meaning that this year starts off with a grayish gloom. It’s not surprising how Pantone chose Ultimate Gray as the color of the year but did they not realize that there is another color they assigned? (It is called Illuminating, a specific hue of yellow.)
Thus, the two-color combination fits with the zeitgeist of every people in the world. The former color can mean the clouds of doubt or fog of uncertainty hovering over us on a post-pandemic future or gray areas where it is difficult to determine right from wrong. The latter color can define as the light at the end of the tunnel (i.e. after the lingering pandemic comes the vaccine) or a shining moment for new players, platforms or methods.
Applying the Colors
So how our world, our country and our media see the two colors conspiring for the new year?
The World
The whole world in 2021 begins at the gloom with the new mutating variant of the virus (grey) while they try to build new normalcy in social lives (Illuminating). While planning to go forward, animosity and skepticism against the competing superpower brought us to its knees (grey).
In the United States, the illuminating hope to restore the prestige of public office will happen in 18 days with the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as President and Vice President, respectively but they must face the gray clouds of doubt in working with a solidly conservative Supreme Court and more importantly, a split Congress (pending the outcome of the run-off U.S. Senate election in the state of Georgia next week).
The United Kingdom had the bright spot as they were the first country to administer the COVID vaccine but now shadowed as they were labeled as the new mutation of the virus. Also, fogs of uncertainty arise for the implementation of the last-minute new deal with the European Union after leaving the bloc 11 months prior — which may signal the last straw for one of the constituent countries who voted to remain, Scotland.
In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel will step down after almost 16 years in power, casting the clouds of doubt over the most influential country of the EU. Her successor will be determined in the Bundestag election this September.
In Japan, the reset button was pressed so that their rescheduled Olympics could proceed as the vaccine is in their reach but the people felt doubtful, putting their spectacle to the world to waste (especially to our very own Carlos Yulo’s campaign for the first gold medal).
Our Country in 2021
This is the year that we will commemorate the 500th anniversary of two historical angles of our country — the embracement of Christian faith (whose jubilee celebration will start this April and end the following year, instead of culminating it) and Lapulapu’s heroism.
For the politically aware, it is the final full calendar year (and the last quarter) of the Duterte presidency — which give us some relief as we reach the end of the tunnel — but the fog of uncertainty reigns as many of us are speculating who will be running and filing their certificates of candidacy to succeed him.
The Philippine Media
This New Year is the first under the New Landscape.
The frequencies of VHF 2, UHF 23, 101.9 MHz and 630 kHz (for Metro Manila) are now on the search of new owners. The winning bidders will get the privilege to run those frequencies for the 25-year lease, net on their respective franchise dates (it’s an illuminating opportunity for those deficient in portfolio).
The surviving free-to-air media giants, GMA and TV5, have their own sparks this year but they have their clouds of doubt ahead of the year with all the individual deficiencies and issues they must address. (The latter network will go first this month, the former on next month.)
Digital television transition is now doubtful to prosper by the end-2023 as scheduled (gray). Some content producers and consumers — like you and me — are not patient anymore as they will skip the slow process and move on to streaming platforms like Netflix or Kumu (illuminating).
A New Year’s Theme
Inspired by CGP Grey’s initiative, instead of investing in New Year’s resolutions that will just fail within a fortnight (two weeks), we are going to invest this year in a theme. For the Turf, the year 2021 is the Year of Reclamation.
With the end of the pandemic lingering on the horizon, we are reclaiming our somewhat normal lives despite the significant damages they left behind.
For some countries, they are taking back control and they’re taking back their soul for their national character. For our country, we are planning to reclaim dignity and honor in choosing our next leader despite the lasting impact of what we are now.
In this blogging sphere, we are reclaiming things that are lost as we learned our lessons from the past year due to the inundation of the aftereffects of the fall of a major player. We’ll try our best though.