National University campus at SM Fairview? will SM buy the nearby and almost forgotten lots of Sta. Lucia Business Park?
Monday, June 4, 2018
SM Mall of Asia updates - June 2018 #AweSM
They have started to renovate the Northern part of the Entertainment mall, it seems that the Entertainment mall will be fully air-conditioned part by part.
The new hallway that leads to Cinema 7, 8 and IMAX.
Also, the South Entertainment Mall's first tenant is Filbars which is now open.
The interior of the South Entertainment mall is very similar to Main Mall's renovated areas as well as the escalator going to the 3rd and Roofdeck levels are now also visible on that part of the mall.
The new hallway that leads to Cinema 7, 8 and IMAX.
Also, the South Entertainment Mall's first tenant is Filbars which is now open.
The interior of the South Entertainment mall is very similar to Main Mall's renovated areas as well as the escalator going to the 3rd and Roofdeck levels are now also visible on that part of the mall.
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Three Philippine Daily Inquirer front pages for February 18, April 30 and June 3
and "Hearts Never Lie" (duet with Chris Farren)
Both songs are from "Hold an Old Friend's Hand"
As well as "I Saw Him Standing There"
Saturday, June 2, 2018
Fabulous food festival
It was another success, the Villar SIPAG annual culinary showdown that had the best cooks in the 20 barangays of Las Piñas City showcasing their best dishes and desserts for the annual cooking competition that kicked off the festivities for the city’s 2018 Food Festival.
Sen. Cynthia A. Villar welcomed the participants as she lauded them for going the extra mile in using modern techniques to make original and sumptuous culinary creations that display the Filipinos’ imaginative minds and innovative skills.
“Filipinos are popular for their ingenuity. We are known for our ability to replicate foreign dishes and changing their tastes by introducing local ingredients to give them the unique flavors of the Philippine islands. Through this cooking competition, residents of Las Piñas City become gastronomic witnesses to the creativity of our local cooking experts,” said Villar, director of the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG).
The senator said the cooking competition is a friendly contest that seeks to display not only the culinary skills of Las Piñas’ top 20 cooks, but likewise showcase innovative uses of local food resources. “Families can learn new ways on how to transform their regular dishes to something special and unique,” she added.
The inter-barangay cooking showdown was held at the Villar SIPAG square in C5 Extension Road, Pulang Lupa Uno in Las Piñas City. The experts were asked to prepare a dish/viand cooked Pinoy-style using native ingredients, and a dessert that would delight the sweet tooth and of Filipinos. Barangay Talon 2 made the biggest impact and brought home P20,000 and a trophy for bagging the grand prize with their entry Inadobong Lapu-Lapu sa Mantikilya and Cala-Squash Soup.
Aside from the cooking competition, the 5th Las Piñas Food Festival also showcased a food exhibit with 40 exhibitors from Las Piñas City, other cities and municipalities.
For this year’s event festivities, the Villar SIPAG partnered with Silver Swan, Apicius, ELBA, Mushroomburger, Jollibee, and Golden Oats to ensure the success of the gathering.
• • •
Bonding with fans
“Kambal, Karibal” star Miguel Tanfelix spent time with his fans recently through a summer getaway. Photos on his Instagram account show Miguel happily swimming with them.
Miguel plays the lead role along with Bianca Umali on “Kambal, Karibal.” Some of their co-stars are Marvin Agustin, Carmina Villaroel and Kyline Alcantara.
• • •
Tidbits: Happy bday greetings today, June 2 go to Dr. Loi Ejercito, Lorna Quisumbing, Ching Utzurrum, Jenny Hernandez, Jeannie Parlan, Freddie Martinez, Wendy Valdez, Jennifer Soliman, Mar Tolentino, and Sylvia la Torre… June 3: Lorli Villanueva, Elmer Labella, Oliver Palma, and Tessie Capulong… June 4: Maribel Dario, Camille Teotico, Sonia Pajaro, Angie Liao, Vic Savellano, Darlene Bayota, Angelo Armas, Harmony Cabusao and Gretchen Fulido…
Sen. Cynthia A. Villar welcomed the participants as she lauded them for going the extra mile in using modern techniques to make original and sumptuous culinary creations that display the Filipinos’ imaginative minds and innovative skills.
“Filipinos are popular for their ingenuity. We are known for our ability to replicate foreign dishes and changing their tastes by introducing local ingredients to give them the unique flavors of the Philippine islands. Through this cooking competition, residents of Las Piñas City become gastronomic witnesses to the creativity of our local cooking experts,” said Villar, director of the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG).
 |
| SEN. CYNTHIA VILLAR (rightmost) hands over the trophy to the grand winner of the annual cooking competition |
The inter-barangay cooking showdown was held at the Villar SIPAG square in C5 Extension Road, Pulang Lupa Uno in Las Piñas City. The experts were asked to prepare a dish/viand cooked Pinoy-style using native ingredients, and a dessert that would delight the sweet tooth and of Filipinos. Barangay Talon 2 made the biggest impact and brought home P20,000 and a trophy for bagging the grand prize with their entry Inadobong Lapu-Lapu sa Mantikilya and Cala-Squash Soup.
Aside from the cooking competition, the 5th Las Piñas Food Festival also showcased a food exhibit with 40 exhibitors from Las Piñas City, other cities and municipalities.
For this year’s event festivities, the Villar SIPAG partnered with Silver Swan, Apicius, ELBA, Mushroomburger, Jollibee, and Golden Oats to ensure the success of the gathering.
• • •
Bonding with fans
 |
| Miguel Tanfelix |
“Kambal, Karibal” star Miguel Tanfelix spent time with his fans recently through a summer getaway. Photos on his Instagram account show Miguel happily swimming with them.
Miguel plays the lead role along with Bianca Umali on “Kambal, Karibal.” Some of their co-stars are Marvin Agustin, Carmina Villaroel and Kyline Alcantara.
• • •
Tidbits: Happy bday greetings today, June 2 go to Dr. Loi Ejercito, Lorna Quisumbing, Ching Utzurrum, Jenny Hernandez, Jeannie Parlan, Freddie Martinez, Wendy Valdez, Jennifer Soliman, Mar Tolentino, and Sylvia la Torre… June 3: Lorli Villanueva, Elmer Labella, Oliver Palma, and Tessie Capulong… June 4: Maribel Dario, Camille Teotico, Sonia Pajaro, Angie Liao, Vic Savellano, Darlene Bayota, Angelo Armas, Harmony Cabusao and Gretchen Fulido…
MOR stations nationwide unite for stronger MOR Philippines
MOR 101.9 remains to be the FM radio of choice for most listeners in Mega Manila, and together with 16 other MOR stations nationwide, is set to become a bigger and stronger FM radio station for kaMORkadas in different parts of the country with MOR Philippines.
According to a recent survey by Kantar Media in Q1 of 2018, MOR 101.9 Manila got the highest average audience share of 33% among all FM stations in Mega Manila. This is 12 percentage points higher than its closest competitor’s 21%.
Aside from MOR Manila, most MOR stations in the country have also conquered the radio airwaves in their respective regions. Thus, a stronger MOR network will soon go on air with MOR Philippines.
Under MOR Philippines, 17 MOR stations will unite to bring listeners from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao one vibe and one sound.
Aside from quality radio entertainment, MOR also champions original Pinoy music or OPM and honors the talents of Filipino artists and songwriters via its annual MOR Pinoy Music Awards.
Among the nominees for Song of the Year this year are “Titibo Tibo” by Moira Dela Torre, “Demonyo” by JK Labajo, “Sampu” by Jona, and “Shanawa” by Maymay Entrata.
Maymay, Moira, Alexa Ilacad, and Yeng Constantino compete in the Female Artist of the Year category, while JK, Inigo Pascual, Christian Bautista, and Noven Belleza battle it out in the Male Artist of the Year category.
For Album of the Year, the nominees are Rivermaya’s “Sa Kabila ng Lahat,” Gloc 9’s “Rotonda,” Jona’s self-titled album, and JK Labajo’s “JKL.”
Gracenote and Chito Miranda, Jona and Boyband PH, and Elisse Joson and Mccoy De Leon are all vying for the Best Collaboration of the Year award.
The popular McLisse loveteam is also nominated in the OPM Revival of the Year category for their song “Opposites Attract,” up against Moira Dela Torre’s “Sundo,” JK Labajo’s “Beautiful Girl,” and Kaye Cal’s “Why Can’t It Be.”
BoybandPH, meanwhile, makes their second appearance on the nominees list with their song “Boyfriend,” which is up for LSS Hit of the Year. The group is competing with TJ Monterde’s “Tulad Mo,” Noven Belleza’s “Tumahan Ka Na,” and Kim Chiu’s “Okay Na Ako.”
“Cebuana” by Karencitta, “Waray Love Bisaya” by Polzkee and Ai, “Yayay” by Piyaok Band, and “Davaoena” by Pao Lofranco are nominated for Regional Song of the Year, while Kisses Delavin, Maris Racal, Tony Labrusca, and Noven Belleza are competing for Best New Artist.
Last but not the least, MOR also honors digital artists with the Digital Artist of the Year Award. Among the nominees are Agsunta, Karencita, Ex Batallion, and Ben&Ben.
The MOR Pinoy Music Awards 2018 is set to happen on July 21 at the Araneta Coliseum. Watch out on MOR’s Facebook for more details on how to get tickets to the #MORPMA2018.
GMA Network maintains nationwide ratings lead in May
GMA Network’s ratings success continued well in May based on the latest data from the industry’s widely-trusted ratings service provider Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.
For the full month of May (with May 27 to 31 based on overnight data), GMA remained as the viewers’ preferred channel after posting a total day people audience share average of 39.8 percent in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM), beating ABS-CBN’s 38.3 percent.
The Network managed to top NUTAM’s morning block with 35.9 percent people audience share versus ABS-CBN’s 33.2 percent. GMA also led in the afternoon block with 42.1 percent—ahead of competition’s 38.8 percent.
GMA likewise ruled across all day parts in the viewer-rich areas of Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, which respectively account for 72 and 59 percent of all urban viewers in the country.
The Kapuso Network again tallied a higher share point lead in Urban Luzon with an average total day people audience share of 44.4 percent against ABS-CBN’s 33.0 percent.
Similarly in Mega Manila (with official data from May 1 to 26), GMA continued its dominance with an average total day people audience share of 45.8 percent versus rival network’s 30.4 percent.
GMA maintained its stronghold in NUTAM’s list of top-rating programs with Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho still reigning as the most watched Kapuso show for the month of May followed by Kambal, Karibal.
Newly-launched Kapuso primetime series Inday Will Always Love You immediately entered the list as the third top-rating program from GMA. It was followed by consistent ratings drivers Magpakailanman, Pepito Manaloto, The One That Got Away, The Cure, 24 Oras, Lip Sync Battle Philippines, Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko, and 24 Oras Weekend.
Completing the list were The Stepdaughters, Contessa, Eat Bulaga, Hindi Ko Kayang Iwan Ka, Bubble Gang, Saksi and Wowowin.
Kapuso programs also took the lion’s share in the Urban Luzon and Mega Manila lists, claiming 21 spots out of the top 30 shows in both areas.
Further, GMA’s flagship AM radio station Super Radyo DZBB was also hailed as the listeners’ number one choice in Mega Manila proving GMA’s dominance both in TV and radio.
Based on the most recent data from Nielsen Radio Audience Measurement. May ratings data show DZBB posting a total week average audience share of 38.9 percent, winning over DZMM’s 32 percent and DZRH’s 18 percent.
From Monday to Friday, DZBB’s ratings dominance was driven by its topnotch delivery of news and fearless commentaries through “Saksi sa Dobol B” anchored by Mike Enriquez; “Sino?” with Mike, Arnold Clavio, and Ali Sotto; “Super Balita sa Umaga Nationwide” with Mike and Joel Reyes Zobel; and “Dobol B Balitang-Balita” anchored by Melo del Prado.
Radio GMA’s flagship FM station Barangay LS 97.1 was hailed as the number one choice of listeners in Mega Manila according to the latest survey of Nielsen Radio Audience Measurement.
Barangay LS captivated the hearts of more listeners in Mega Manila for the month of April with an average audience share of 29.6 percent, which was driven by its variety of programs and wacky bunch of DJs.
Meanwhile, viewers can now enjoy a more colorful, more vibrant, and clearer viewing experience as GMA Network’s digital TV signal now covers all parts of Metro Manila as well as nearby provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga. GMA-7 and GMA News TV’s digital broadcast can be accessed by simply rescanning the channels through their digital TV boxes.
The sub-channels are available soon: Dobol B sa TV (News and Information), KiliTV (Airing reruns of GMA comedy shows or acquired (like John En Marsha, Iskol Bukol, etc.), airing originals and stand-ups), GMABest (reruns of GMA classics from 80s to 2010s), HOAtv (featuring asian drama shows, movies, reruns and acquired), GMAPlay (A dedicated channel for Kids and Teens; reruns of anime and cartoons), KMF (Kapuso Movie Festival) and QTV (All about lifestyle and women channel). QTV is also under CityNet Marketing and Productions, Inc.
Nielsen data is gathered through a greater number of sampled homes nationwide in comparison to Kantar Media. With approximately 900 more homes surveyed in Total Urban and Rural Philippines compared to Kantar, Nielsen data is statistically considered more representative of the total TV population.
In 2017, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement increased its client pool to a total of 41 clients/subscribers consisting of 12 local TV networks including TV5, Aksyon TV, CNN Philippines, Net 25, Solar Entertainment Corporation, and Viva Communications Inc., among others; 5 regional clients; 2 blocktimers; 21 agencies (18 media agencies, 2 consulting agencies, 1 digital agency); and 1 advertiser. —VDS, GMA News
For the full month of May (with May 27 to 31 based on overnight data), GMA remained as the viewers’ preferred channel after posting a total day people audience share average of 39.8 percent in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM), beating ABS-CBN’s 38.3 percent.
The Network managed to top NUTAM’s morning block with 35.9 percent people audience share versus ABS-CBN’s 33.2 percent. GMA also led in the afternoon block with 42.1 percent—ahead of competition’s 38.8 percent.
GMA likewise ruled across all day parts in the viewer-rich areas of Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, which respectively account for 72 and 59 percent of all urban viewers in the country.
The Kapuso Network again tallied a higher share point lead in Urban Luzon with an average total day people audience share of 44.4 percent against ABS-CBN’s 33.0 percent.
Similarly in Mega Manila (with official data from May 1 to 26), GMA continued its dominance with an average total day people audience share of 45.8 percent versus rival network’s 30.4 percent.
GMA maintained its stronghold in NUTAM’s list of top-rating programs with Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho still reigning as the most watched Kapuso show for the month of May followed by Kambal, Karibal.
Newly-launched Kapuso primetime series Inday Will Always Love You immediately entered the list as the third top-rating program from GMA. It was followed by consistent ratings drivers Magpakailanman, Pepito Manaloto, The One That Got Away, The Cure, 24 Oras, Lip Sync Battle Philippines, Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko, and 24 Oras Weekend.
Completing the list were The Stepdaughters, Contessa, Eat Bulaga, Hindi Ko Kayang Iwan Ka, Bubble Gang, Saksi and Wowowin.
Kapuso programs also took the lion’s share in the Urban Luzon and Mega Manila lists, claiming 21 spots out of the top 30 shows in both areas.
Further, GMA’s flagship AM radio station Super Radyo DZBB was also hailed as the listeners’ number one choice in Mega Manila proving GMA’s dominance both in TV and radio.
Based on the most recent data from Nielsen Radio Audience Measurement. May ratings data show DZBB posting a total week average audience share of 38.9 percent, winning over DZMM’s 32 percent and DZRH’s 18 percent.
From Monday to Friday, DZBB’s ratings dominance was driven by its topnotch delivery of news and fearless commentaries through “Saksi sa Dobol B” anchored by Mike Enriquez; “Sino?” with Mike, Arnold Clavio, and Ali Sotto; “Super Balita sa Umaga Nationwide” with Mike and Joel Reyes Zobel; and “Dobol B Balitang-Balita” anchored by Melo del Prado.
Radio GMA’s flagship FM station Barangay LS 97.1 was hailed as the number one choice of listeners in Mega Manila according to the latest survey of Nielsen Radio Audience Measurement.
Barangay LS captivated the hearts of more listeners in Mega Manila for the month of April with an average audience share of 29.6 percent, which was driven by its variety of programs and wacky bunch of DJs.
Meanwhile, viewers can now enjoy a more colorful, more vibrant, and clearer viewing experience as GMA Network’s digital TV signal now covers all parts of Metro Manila as well as nearby provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga. GMA-7 and GMA News TV’s digital broadcast can be accessed by simply rescanning the channels through their digital TV boxes.
The sub-channels are available soon: Dobol B sa TV (News and Information), KiliTV (Airing reruns of GMA comedy shows or acquired (like John En Marsha, Iskol Bukol, etc.), airing originals and stand-ups), GMABest (reruns of GMA classics from 80s to 2010s), HOAtv (featuring asian drama shows, movies, reruns and acquired), GMAPlay (A dedicated channel for Kids and Teens; reruns of anime and cartoons), KMF (Kapuso Movie Festival) and QTV (All about lifestyle and women channel). QTV is also under CityNet Marketing and Productions, Inc.
Nielsen data is gathered through a greater number of sampled homes nationwide in comparison to Kantar Media. With approximately 900 more homes surveyed in Total Urban and Rural Philippines compared to Kantar, Nielsen data is statistically considered more representative of the total TV population.
In 2017, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement increased its client pool to a total of 41 clients/subscribers consisting of 12 local TV networks including TV5, Aksyon TV, CNN Philippines, Net 25, Solar Entertainment Corporation, and Viva Communications Inc., among others; 5 regional clients; 2 blocktimers; 21 agencies (18 media agencies, 2 consulting agencies, 1 digital agency); and 1 advertiser. —VDS, GMA News
Friday, June 1, 2018
Alvarez confirms plot to unseat him
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez of Davao del Norte on Thursday confirmed that there are efforts to unseat him, but refused to name names.
The Speaker made the disclosure in a radio interview a day after the House of Representatives adjourned sine die after passing the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) which abolishes the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and replaces it with a Bangsamoro Region that will enjoy fiscal autonomy and be governed by the Bangsamoro Parliament elected by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region’s inhabitants.
“May mga nanggugulo ano, at alam ko naman kung sino ang mga nanggugulo [There are those who are trying to rock the boat, and I know who they are],” Alvarez said when asked if there were serious efforts to remove him as the Speaker of the House, the country’s fourth highest post.
There have been persistent talks that Alvarez could be replaced by Rep. Lord Allan Velasco of Marinduque, son of Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. of the Supreme Court.
Velasco is a known ally of President Duterte.
Last year, the congressman celebrated his birthday in Malacañang.
Alvarez made it known that he was not a fan of Velasco.
“I don’t want to talk to Congressman Velasco. Baka bolahin lang ako ‘ nun [He could just resort to making a fool of me],” he said.
Alvarez then warned that those who seek to unseat him should be ready for his job.
“I would say…. maybe they should look at the mirror, compare themselves to the one they seek to replace and ponder, ‘Can they do the job?’” he said.
“The government will be in a pitiful state if anybody can just swoop into the position without giving much thought to the responsibilities that come with it,” Alvarez added.
It has been reported that there are House members lobbying for former President-turned-Pampanga lawmaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to be the Speaker, but she has turned them down.
Arroyo is a member of the PDP-Laban, the political party headed by the President and where Alvarez serves as the secretary general.
She used to be one of the 12 deputy speakers of the House, but she was kicked out by Alvarez last year when she voted no on the bill imposing death penalty on drug-related offenses.
The Speaker made the disclosure in a radio interview a day after the House of Representatives adjourned sine die after passing the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) which abolishes the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and replaces it with a Bangsamoro Region that will enjoy fiscal autonomy and be governed by the Bangsamoro Parliament elected by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region’s inhabitants.
“May mga nanggugulo ano, at alam ko naman kung sino ang mga nanggugulo [There are those who are trying to rock the boat, and I know who they are],” Alvarez said when asked if there were serious efforts to remove him as the Speaker of the House, the country’s fourth highest post.
There have been persistent talks that Alvarez could be replaced by Rep. Lord Allan Velasco of Marinduque, son of Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. of the Supreme Court.
Velasco is a known ally of President Duterte.
Last year, the congressman celebrated his birthday in Malacañang.
Alvarez made it known that he was not a fan of Velasco.
“I don’t want to talk to Congressman Velasco. Baka bolahin lang ako ‘ nun [He could just resort to making a fool of me],” he said.
Alvarez then warned that those who seek to unseat him should be ready for his job.
“I would say…. maybe they should look at the mirror, compare themselves to the one they seek to replace and ponder, ‘Can they do the job?’” he said.
“The government will be in a pitiful state if anybody can just swoop into the position without giving much thought to the responsibilities that come with it,” Alvarez added.
It has been reported that there are House members lobbying for former President-turned-Pampanga lawmaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to be the Speaker, but she has turned them down.
Arroyo is a member of the PDP-Laban, the political party headed by the President and where Alvarez serves as the secretary general.
She used to be one of the 12 deputy speakers of the House, but she was kicked out by Alvarez last year when she voted no on the bill imposing death penalty on drug-related offenses.
Bangsamoro bill okayed before Congress adjourns
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Thursday the landmark Bangsamoro Basic Law had been passed by the body with major amendments and expressed hope the Senate version was compliant with the Constitution and withstand scrutiny by the Supreme Court.
Zubiri made the statement after the 2nd Regular Session of the 17th Congress closed early Thursday morning as the Senate went on sine die adjournment after passing its version of the BBL.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III formally announced the adjournment of the session around 2 am, due to the nearly 10-hour long deliberation on SBN 1717 or the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, which was approved on third and final reading with 21-0 votes.
“With 21 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, zero abstention, Senate bill is approved on third reading,” declared Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
Senators Emmanuel Pacquiao and Leila de Lima, the latter currently detained, were not present during the hearing.
In related developments:
• Bangsamoro Transition Commission chairman Mohagher Iqbal on Thursday expressed hope a better BBL would emerge after both Houses of Congress passed their versions of the measure.
Iqbal, also Moro Islamic Liberation Front implementing panel chairman, admitted the BBL version the Senate had approved was quite far from what the BTC had submitted.
“But we are hoping that [in the end] it will be basically faithful to the Comprehensive Agreement to the Bangsamoro deal signed by the government and MILF. There are areas that are somewhat quite far from [our version],” Iqbal said in an interview on Wednesday night.
• The Palace on Thursday thanked both houses of Congress for the passage of the BBL which was certified by President Rodrigo as urgent.
“We are pleased that both houses passed their respective versions of the BBL. The certification was a signal that the President considers the BBL as absolutely indispensable in the search for peace in Mindanao,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.
“We are pleased that both houses of Congress agreed to come up with a final version of the bill during the break,” Roque told a Palace briefing.
“We are also very pleased that they are aiming that for the President to sign the final BBL on the day of the Sona [State of the Nation Address] itself,” the Palace spokesperson said.
Zubiri, a sponsor of the bill, identified some of the amendments as the change from Bangsamoro territory to Bangsamoro territorial jurisdiction.
“I’m extremely honored and elated to have passed the BBL last night that would lead to a long and just peace between the government and the MILF,” said Zubiri.
After almost 30 hours of interpellations and marathon hearings in five ARMM provinces, Zubiri said he was confident the Senate version was compliant with the Constitution.
“We have weeded out provisions that earlier muddled our intentions to improve a lot of fellow Filipinos in Muslim Mindanao,” he said.
He added: “We survived walking on a tightrope, balancing the search for peace, right to self-determination, governance and democracy and. And, we did it crossing party lines. Even at this early stage, the BBL is a legacy for all the efforts to bring about peace and progress in lands which most experienced poverty, inequity, and the war in the Philippines.”
When they finally put ink to paper, he said: “erstwhile rebels would lay down arms; that is the biggest promise we are moving to achieve with the BBL.”
Under fiscal autonomy, he said the block grant was spelled out to be 5 percent of the net collections of the BIR and Bureau of Customs, down from 6 percent.
He said it was easily the most contentious provision because it appeared that the National Government was subsidizing the Bangsamoro government at the disadvantage of Filipino taxpayers outside of the Bangsamoro territorial jurisdiction.
He said Senator Ralph Recto’s proposed formula on block grants included provisions on the creation of internal auditing body to enhance transparency in governance and public accountability.
The fund, he said, shall be a “programmatic fund” – meaning the Bangsamoro Government Parliament should submit to the Budget and Management and Finance departments a program of expenditures according to a development plan.
“It was clarified that the Bangsamoro shall be treated on equal footing by the Department of Budget and Management and Bureau of Local Government Finance-DoF which reviews the expenditures plan of local governments.
It will not be automatically appropriated.
From P10 billion annually for 10 years, the SDF shall be at P5 billion a year for 10 years.
He said from the original BTC proposal of 75 percent-25 percent sharing in favor of the Bangsamoro government, the sharing was placed at 50 percent-50 percent.
This satisfied the call to treat the Bangsamoro at par with other local governments and the basic principle that a country’s natural resources belong to the State.
He also said the Senate voted to hold only one plebiscite and deleted the proposed periodic plebiscites to be held repeatedly every five years for 15 years.
Discussions in the plenary stressed the proposed BBL contained only opt-in provisions and none on opting-out.
If the BBL is defeated, the current law on the establishment of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao shall remain over the existing ARMM territorial jurisdiction.
Regarding peace efforts, he said provisions on the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and the Bangsamoro Parliament were refined to make sure extensive representation of Muslim Filipinos, Indigenous peoples and Christians, and peoples of other faiths are implemented truthfully.
A ban on political dynasties retained the original language of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission; this could stem the tide of ride that had shed so much blood in Mindanao.
He said all provisions referencing to a sub-state status has been disposed of to clarify that the BBL was about an autonomous region like any other.
He added the Republic’s flag and national anthem, Lupang Hinirang, shall always be flown and played along with the Bangsamoro heraldic symbols.
Zubiri made the statement after the 2nd Regular Session of the 17th Congress closed early Thursday morning as the Senate went on sine die adjournment after passing its version of the BBL.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III formally announced the adjournment of the session around 2 am, due to the nearly 10-hour long deliberation on SBN 1717 or the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, which was approved on third and final reading with 21-0 votes.
“With 21 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, zero abstention, Senate bill is approved on third reading,” declared Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
Senators Emmanuel Pacquiao and Leila de Lima, the latter currently detained, were not present during the hearing.
In related developments:
• Bangsamoro Transition Commission chairman Mohagher Iqbal on Thursday expressed hope a better BBL would emerge after both Houses of Congress passed their versions of the measure.
Iqbal, also Moro Islamic Liberation Front implementing panel chairman, admitted the BBL version the Senate had approved was quite far from what the BTC had submitted.
“But we are hoping that [in the end] it will be basically faithful to the Comprehensive Agreement to the Bangsamoro deal signed by the government and MILF. There are areas that are somewhat quite far from [our version],” Iqbal said in an interview on Wednesday night.
• The Palace on Thursday thanked both houses of Congress for the passage of the BBL which was certified by President Rodrigo as urgent.
“We are pleased that both houses passed their respective versions of the BBL. The certification was a signal that the President considers the BBL as absolutely indispensable in the search for peace in Mindanao,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.
“We are pleased that both houses of Congress agreed to come up with a final version of the bill during the break,” Roque told a Palace briefing.
“We are also very pleased that they are aiming that for the President to sign the final BBL on the day of the Sona [State of the Nation Address] itself,” the Palace spokesperson said.
Zubiri, a sponsor of the bill, identified some of the amendments as the change from Bangsamoro territory to Bangsamoro territorial jurisdiction.
“I’m extremely honored and elated to have passed the BBL last night that would lead to a long and just peace between the government and the MILF,” said Zubiri.
After almost 30 hours of interpellations and marathon hearings in five ARMM provinces, Zubiri said he was confident the Senate version was compliant with the Constitution.
“We have weeded out provisions that earlier muddled our intentions to improve a lot of fellow Filipinos in Muslim Mindanao,” he said.
He added: “We survived walking on a tightrope, balancing the search for peace, right to self-determination, governance and democracy and. And, we did it crossing party lines. Even at this early stage, the BBL is a legacy for all the efforts to bring about peace and progress in lands which most experienced poverty, inequity, and the war in the Philippines.”
When they finally put ink to paper, he said: “erstwhile rebels would lay down arms; that is the biggest promise we are moving to achieve with the BBL.”
Under fiscal autonomy, he said the block grant was spelled out to be 5 percent of the net collections of the BIR and Bureau of Customs, down from 6 percent.
He said it was easily the most contentious provision because it appeared that the National Government was subsidizing the Bangsamoro government at the disadvantage of Filipino taxpayers outside of the Bangsamoro territorial jurisdiction.
He said Senator Ralph Recto’s proposed formula on block grants included provisions on the creation of internal auditing body to enhance transparency in governance and public accountability.
The fund, he said, shall be a “programmatic fund” – meaning the Bangsamoro Government Parliament should submit to the Budget and Management and Finance departments a program of expenditures according to a development plan.
“It was clarified that the Bangsamoro shall be treated on equal footing by the Department of Budget and Management and Bureau of Local Government Finance-DoF which reviews the expenditures plan of local governments.
It will not be automatically appropriated.
From P10 billion annually for 10 years, the SDF shall be at P5 billion a year for 10 years.
He said from the original BTC proposal of 75 percent-25 percent sharing in favor of the Bangsamoro government, the sharing was placed at 50 percent-50 percent.
This satisfied the call to treat the Bangsamoro at par with other local governments and the basic principle that a country’s natural resources belong to the State.
He also said the Senate voted to hold only one plebiscite and deleted the proposed periodic plebiscites to be held repeatedly every five years for 15 years.
Discussions in the plenary stressed the proposed BBL contained only opt-in provisions and none on opting-out.
If the BBL is defeated, the current law on the establishment of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao shall remain over the existing ARMM territorial jurisdiction.
Regarding peace efforts, he said provisions on the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and the Bangsamoro Parliament were refined to make sure extensive representation of Muslim Filipinos, Indigenous peoples and Christians, and peoples of other faiths are implemented truthfully.
A ban on political dynasties retained the original language of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission; this could stem the tide of ride that had shed so much blood in Mindanao.
He said all provisions referencing to a sub-state status has been disposed of to clarify that the BBL was about an autonomous region like any other.
He added the Republic’s flag and national anthem, Lupang Hinirang, shall always be flown and played along with the Bangsamoro heraldic symbols.
National I.D. bicam report omits political, religious ties
(CNN Philippines, May 31) — Political, religious and “philosophical” affiliations have been removed from the bicameral conference report on the national identification system, said the measure’s co-author Rep. Sol Aragones.
“Nag-decide na kami during the bicameral na tanggalin na lahat ng iyan. Gusto namin na simplehan na lang kaya nag-arrive kami doon sa basic information na lang hinihingi namin para din hindi isipin ng mga tao na talagang ma-i-invade 'yung privacy nila," she told CNN Philippines’ On the Record on Thursday.
[Translation: We decided to omit those from the bicameral committee report. We wanted it to be simple so we ended with only requiring basic information so people will not think their privacy will be invaded.]
Aragones also clarified that providing mobile numbers and email addresses is not mandatory under the measure.
"This is one step closer to the Philippines becoming a police state. Policemen stopping you in the streets, asking for your identification," ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday ratified the bicameral conference report on the bill, a day after the Senate did the same. The bill will be sent to President Rodrigo Duterte for his signature.
PSA as PhilSys custodian
Aragones said the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) will be the custodian of the cardholders’ data such us a lifetime randomly generated Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) number, full name, gender, blood type, date of birth, place of birth, marital status, and photo of the ID owner.
Tinio, however, asserted that the registry will be likely contracted to a foreign firm, much like PSA’s contract with U.S.-based firm Unisys.
“It is a much more expanded registry that they will have to maintain and in the end, it will be contracted to a foreign private entity,” he said.
Privacy Commissioner Raymund Liboro said another concern is that the existing Data Privacy Act already penalizes breach of data, which is also mentioned as a violation in the proposed national I.D. system.
"We are (happy) because we see the benefits. There are risks. What we want to happen is to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits," Liboro said.
He added that the National Privacy Commission is part of the technical working group of the measure and is doing its part to ensure privacy features are in place.
“Nag-decide na kami during the bicameral na tanggalin na lahat ng iyan. Gusto namin na simplehan na lang kaya nag-arrive kami doon sa basic information na lang hinihingi namin para din hindi isipin ng mga tao na talagang ma-i-invade 'yung privacy nila," she told CNN Philippines’ On the Record on Thursday.
[Translation: We decided to omit those from the bicameral committee report. We wanted it to be simple so we ended with only requiring basic information so people will not think their privacy will be invaded.]
Aragones also clarified that providing mobile numbers and email addresses is not mandatory under the measure.
"This is one step closer to the Philippines becoming a police state. Policemen stopping you in the streets, asking for your identification," ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday ratified the bicameral conference report on the bill, a day after the Senate did the same. The bill will be sent to President Rodrigo Duterte for his signature.
PSA as PhilSys custodian
Aragones said the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) will be the custodian of the cardholders’ data such us a lifetime randomly generated Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) number, full name, gender, blood type, date of birth, place of birth, marital status, and photo of the ID owner.
Tinio, however, asserted that the registry will be likely contracted to a foreign firm, much like PSA’s contract with U.S.-based firm Unisys.
“It is a much more expanded registry that they will have to maintain and in the end, it will be contracted to a foreign private entity,” he said.
Privacy Commissioner Raymund Liboro said another concern is that the existing Data Privacy Act already penalizes breach of data, which is also mentioned as a violation in the proposed national I.D. system.
"We are (happy) because we see the benefits. There are risks. What we want to happen is to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits," Liboro said.
He added that the National Privacy Commission is part of the technical working group of the measure and is doing its part to ensure privacy features are in place.
Thursday, May 31, 2018
More Celeb-Owned Items Released In “Signed Sold Delivered” Online Charity Sale
Get your hands on the most stylish pieces from your favorite celebrity’s closet as Metro.Style restocks with more items in online charity sale “Signed Sold Delivered” starting May 30 at 6pm.
The new collection features more precious pieces from stars such as Maja Salvador, Boy Abunda, Jodi Sta. Maria, Sam Milby, Liza Soberano, Inigo Pascual, Piolo Pascual, Enchong Dee, and Matteo Guidicelli.
Options of colorful dresses, intricate gowns, cool jackets, trendy accessories, and sleek shoes from these A-list celebs are up for grabs at Metro.Style’s online charity sale, continuing to raise P1 million fund for ABS-CBN’s Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc. (ALFKI).
Other elite personalities donating their memorabilia starting June 6 (Wednesday) are lifestyle personality Tootsy Angara, model mentor and “Women of Style” host Joey Mead King, internationally recognized fashion blogger Ingrid Chua-Go, and interior ace Steph Kienle Gonzalez.
Take a look on the new collection in www.signedsolddelivered.com. To purchase an item, click on the photo and complete the details for your transaction on CheckMeOut. Once order is confirmed, wait for your item to be delivered to your doorstep.
The month-long charity sale began last May 15 featuring coveted items from Angel Locsin, Maggie Wilson, Tim Yap, Ces Drilon, Korina Sanchez, Charo Santos, and more.
Metro.Style’s first-ever online celebrity charity sale is held in cooperation with digital logistics company QuadX and ALKFI. Visit www.signedsolddelivered.com for the full mechanics of #SignedSoldDelivered.
Supported by Backroom, Inc., KP&PR&EMS, Star Magic, Sun Life Financial, Timex, Yamaha, Century Tuna Superbods, Bench, Folded & Hung, Penshoppe, arena, speedo, Nike, DC Shoes, Titan 22
Philippine Congress ratifies national ID law
Philippine lawmakers on Wednesday (May 30) ratified a proposed law creating a "national identification system", amid criticism it will set up a mechanism prone to data breach and abuse.
The Bill, approved by Congress, creates a single proof of identity Filipinos can use for all transactions, similar to Singapore's National Registry Identity Card. It harmonises at least 33 government-issued IDs.
President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to sign the Bill into law and the system could be rolled out as early as June. It would take five years to complete, and will cost at least 30 billion pesos (S$760 million).
The Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) will include 13 sets of information, including a person's biometrics, taxpayer's number, passport number, health insurance number, driver's licence number, as well as personal details such as address, blood type and marital status.
The PhilSys card will be required for all government transactions. It will also be the main "proof of identity" for transactions with banks, job applications and verification for criminal records.
Representative Sol Aragones, who co-authored the Bill, said she expects a million cards to be issued this year, mostly to those who still lack "proof of identity", those with disabilities and the elderly.
"Each of us now has to carry a thick wad of IDs when transacting with the government and private companies. This reduces everything into a single card," said Ms Aragones.
But critics warned that the system could be used for state surveillance and is also vulnerable to third-party data leaks.
"A national ID system gives the government unprecedented access to a huge cache of its citizens' personal data," said Mr Jamael Jacob, director of the University Data Protection Office at the Ateneo de Manila University.
"Any government with the ability to keep tabs on its population via an ID system also has the ability to resort to oppressive activities."
Representative Carlos Zarate, of the Bayan Muna (Nation First) sectoral party, said information keyed into the PhilSys card would be part of a centralised database that law enforcement agencies could tap into to harass government critics.
"Especially during these troubling times, we, as a people, must always be mindful of any effort that gives more power to an administration that is not shy when testing the limits of its authority," said Mr Jacob.
Mr Zarate said the national ID database would also present a target for hackers, as there has been no guarantee of a "100 per cent safeguard" to the integrity of the information to be harvested.
He cited an incident in 2016 where hackers managed to steal from the election commission's website data on some 55 million voters.
But Senator Panfilo Lacson, principal author of the Bill, said concerns over privacy and data leaks were overblown.
"I don't understand the criticism and opposition (to the national ID). Don't they have driver's licences? Don't they have passports? Don't they have voter's IDs? The information needed for the national ID is the same, so why should they complain when they have already gone through the same process before?" he said.
The Bill, approved by Congress, creates a single proof of identity Filipinos can use for all transactions, similar to Singapore's National Registry Identity Card. It harmonises at least 33 government-issued IDs.
President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to sign the Bill into law and the system could be rolled out as early as June. It would take five years to complete, and will cost at least 30 billion pesos (S$760 million).
The Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) will include 13 sets of information, including a person's biometrics, taxpayer's number, passport number, health insurance number, driver's licence number, as well as personal details such as address, blood type and marital status.
The PhilSys card will be required for all government transactions. It will also be the main "proof of identity" for transactions with banks, job applications and verification for criminal records.
Representative Sol Aragones, who co-authored the Bill, said she expects a million cards to be issued this year, mostly to those who still lack "proof of identity", those with disabilities and the elderly.
"Each of us now has to carry a thick wad of IDs when transacting with the government and private companies. This reduces everything into a single card," said Ms Aragones.
But critics warned that the system could be used for state surveillance and is also vulnerable to third-party data leaks.
"A national ID system gives the government unprecedented access to a huge cache of its citizens' personal data," said Mr Jamael Jacob, director of the University Data Protection Office at the Ateneo de Manila University.
"Any government with the ability to keep tabs on its population via an ID system also has the ability to resort to oppressive activities."
Representative Carlos Zarate, of the Bayan Muna (Nation First) sectoral party, said information keyed into the PhilSys card would be part of a centralised database that law enforcement agencies could tap into to harass government critics.
"Especially during these troubling times, we, as a people, must always be mindful of any effort that gives more power to an administration that is not shy when testing the limits of its authority," said Mr Jacob.
Mr Zarate said the national ID database would also present a target for hackers, as there has been no guarantee of a "100 per cent safeguard" to the integrity of the information to be harvested.
He cited an incident in 2016 where hackers managed to steal from the election commission's website data on some 55 million voters.
But Senator Panfilo Lacson, principal author of the Bill, said concerns over privacy and data leaks were overblown.
"I don't understand the criticism and opposition (to the national ID). Don't they have driver's licences? Don't they have passports? Don't they have voter's IDs? The information needed for the national ID is the same, so why should they complain when they have already gone through the same process before?" he said.
House ratifies bicam report on nat’l ID system
The House of Representatives on Wednesday night ratified the bicameral conference committee report on a bill seeking to create a national identification (ID) system.
The move came a day after the Senate ratified its own version. The bill will be transmitted to the Palace for President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s signature.
The proposed bill seeks to integrate and interconnect some 30 redundant government IDs by coming out with one national ID system, or PhilSys.
The PhilSys will have three key components: the PhilSys Number or PSN, the PhilID and PhilSys Registry.
The PhilID will be a non-transferable card containing on its face the PSN, full name, facial image, date of birth, address and fingerprints of the individual.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is mandated to act as the PhilSys Registry, a repository and custodian of all data including the PSN, registered records, and information of all persons registered in the PhilSys.
The move came a day after the Senate ratified its own version. The bill will be transmitted to the Palace for President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s signature.
The proposed bill seeks to integrate and interconnect some 30 redundant government IDs by coming out with one national ID system, or PhilSys.
The PhilSys will have three key components: the PhilSys Number or PSN, the PhilID and PhilSys Registry.
The PhilID will be a non-transferable card containing on its face the PSN, full name, facial image, date of birth, address and fingerprints of the individual.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is mandated to act as the PhilSys Registry, a repository and custodian of all data including the PSN, registered records, and information of all persons registered in the PhilSys.
Nat’l ID, rice tariffs to complement TRAIN mitigation measures
The government is accelerating the rollout of social mitigation measures such as unconditional transfers (UCTs) and fuel vouchers, which need to be complemented by the enactment into laws of a national ID system and the lifting of restrictions on rice imports, to further ease the impact of inflation on the country’s vulnerable sectors, the Department of Finance (DOF) said.
In a news release issued Wednesday, Finance Assistant Secretary Ma. Teresa Habitan said changing the way rice is imported – by shifting from setting import quotas to just imposing tariffs on cheaper imports of the grain – would help stabilize the supply of rice and lower its prices in the retail market, which will help the poor the most as rice accounts for 20 percent of their consumption.
A national ID system, meanwhile, will minimize leakages in implementing the UCT program and other social welfare programs; and will help ensure that the cash aid reaches the legitimate beneficiaries, Habitan said.
These twin measures, she said, will help cancel out the minimal impact of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law on inflation and speed up the rollout of the social mitigation measures provided under this law.
Based on estimates by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), rice tariffication alone will immediately lower the inflation rate by 0.4 percentage points, “which already offsets TRAIN’s impact on prices,” Habitan said.
Up to 30 percent of the incremental revenues collected under TRAIN, which is the first package of the Duterte administration’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), has been earmarked for social protection programs to help vulnerable sectors cope with the minimal inflationary impact of this tax reform law.
“The impending passage of the national ID system law will complement these programs given the ambitious target of delivering social welfare benefits to 10 million poorest family beneficiaries,” Habitan said ahead of the resumption of the House of Representatives’ ways and means committee hearing on the second tax reform package of the CTRP, which covers corporate taxation and the modernization of investment incentives.
Habitan and Director Juvy Danofrata represented the DOF at the hearing.
According to Habitan, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has so far released some PHP4.3 billion to the Land Bank of the Philippines for some 1.8 million Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries with existing LandBank cash cards. Another 2.6 million household beneficiaries are in the process of getting their cash subsidies in May and June. For 2018, some PHP24 billion will be released to cover the poorest 10 million households.
Moreover, the Department of Energy (DOE) and major petroleum companies, such as Pilipinas Shell, Phoenix Petroleum and Petron agreed last March to provide fuel discounts for public utility vehicles (PUV) drivers, while the Department of Transportation (DOTR) is preparing the fuel vouchers for duly-franchised PUVs, Habitan said.
On the part of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), it has put in place the e-Presyo, an Online Price Monitoring System, where people can check the prevailing prices of basic necessities and prime commodities that are being monitored by the department. “It serves as a price guide for consumers in doing their grocery shopping, which in turn ensures ‘value for money’,” Habitan said.
She reiterated that TRAIN had a minimal upward effect on April’s 4.5 percent inflation rate, which rose mainly due to rising crude oil prices in the world market and adjustments in the peso-dollar exchange rate. TRAIN’s contribution to the April inflation rate was confirmed by the BSP, DTI and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to be only 0.4 percentage points, Habitan said.
She said that 3 percent of April’s inflation rate can easily be attributed to higher economic growth and stronger domestic demand, given that people now have more money to spend as a result of the reduced personal income tax rates under TRAIN.
Of the balance of 1.5 percent, Habitan said 0.2 percentage points was the result of the increase in the excise tax collections on cigarettes.
In a news release issued Wednesday, Finance Assistant Secretary Ma. Teresa Habitan said changing the way rice is imported – by shifting from setting import quotas to just imposing tariffs on cheaper imports of the grain – would help stabilize the supply of rice and lower its prices in the retail market, which will help the poor the most as rice accounts for 20 percent of their consumption.
A national ID system, meanwhile, will minimize leakages in implementing the UCT program and other social welfare programs; and will help ensure that the cash aid reaches the legitimate beneficiaries, Habitan said.
These twin measures, she said, will help cancel out the minimal impact of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law on inflation and speed up the rollout of the social mitigation measures provided under this law.
Based on estimates by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), rice tariffication alone will immediately lower the inflation rate by 0.4 percentage points, “which already offsets TRAIN’s impact on prices,” Habitan said.
Up to 30 percent of the incremental revenues collected under TRAIN, which is the first package of the Duterte administration’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), has been earmarked for social protection programs to help vulnerable sectors cope with the minimal inflationary impact of this tax reform law.
“The impending passage of the national ID system law will complement these programs given the ambitious target of delivering social welfare benefits to 10 million poorest family beneficiaries,” Habitan said ahead of the resumption of the House of Representatives’ ways and means committee hearing on the second tax reform package of the CTRP, which covers corporate taxation and the modernization of investment incentives.
Habitan and Director Juvy Danofrata represented the DOF at the hearing.
According to Habitan, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has so far released some PHP4.3 billion to the Land Bank of the Philippines for some 1.8 million Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries with existing LandBank cash cards. Another 2.6 million household beneficiaries are in the process of getting their cash subsidies in May and June. For 2018, some PHP24 billion will be released to cover the poorest 10 million households.
Moreover, the Department of Energy (DOE) and major petroleum companies, such as Pilipinas Shell, Phoenix Petroleum and Petron agreed last March to provide fuel discounts for public utility vehicles (PUV) drivers, while the Department of Transportation (DOTR) is preparing the fuel vouchers for duly-franchised PUVs, Habitan said.
On the part of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), it has put in place the e-Presyo, an Online Price Monitoring System, where people can check the prevailing prices of basic necessities and prime commodities that are being monitored by the department. “It serves as a price guide for consumers in doing their grocery shopping, which in turn ensures ‘value for money’,” Habitan said.
She reiterated that TRAIN had a minimal upward effect on April’s 4.5 percent inflation rate, which rose mainly due to rising crude oil prices in the world market and adjustments in the peso-dollar exchange rate. TRAIN’s contribution to the April inflation rate was confirmed by the BSP, DTI and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to be only 0.4 percentage points, Habitan said.
She said that 3 percent of April’s inflation rate can easily be attributed to higher economic growth and stronger domestic demand, given that people now have more money to spend as a result of the reduced personal income tax rates under TRAIN.
Of the balance of 1.5 percent, Habitan said 0.2 percentage points was the result of the increase in the excise tax collections on cigarettes.
Multiply Comeback
Multiply, which the site closure and cessation of business operations for May 6 and May 31, 2013 due to long-term closure until June 30, 2021 after it announcing to shut down its social networking services on August 9, 2012.
Closing the blog service and sharing files are protesting from Multiply users. Users feel betrayed, especially since the previous Multiply management ensures that the service will not be eliminated even with the changing focus to e-commerce.
In March 2013, the Multiply International site has been completely closed and inaccessible, after previously Multiply only blocked access to Multiply.com from the IP address of Indonesia. The promise of Multiply to make a repayment of Premium account holders was never kept.
Launched in March 2004 in Boca Raton, Florida, Multiply had around 11 million registered users. It transferred to Jakarta, Indonesia in 2012 when it switched from a social networking site into an e-commerce site.
On April 26, 2013, Multiply announced it will close Multiply Indonesia and Multiply International website as of May 6, 2013. All business activities of Multiply will be terminated on May 31, 2013.
The cause of the closing of the Multiply site is because Multiply is expected to fail to reach the leading position in the e-commerce industry with a sustainable business model. Multiply CEO Stefan Magdalinski acknowledged that the total change of the Multiply business model from social networking to e-commerce sites was unsuccessful.
The full closure of the website, for 102 months effective March 16, 2013 to rehabilitate and resolve the issues surrounding Multiply, including hosted blogs, videos, photos and messaging.
On November 30, 2014— less than a year and six months after the closure of the site and their operations—Multiply announced it was permanently halting operations and filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
This time, however, it will no longer be a social networking service but an internet-based media platform.
If the website is making a comeback, first if signing of an agreement between the Philippines and Indonesia was supposed to take, securing the SEC Articles of Incorporation, By-laws and Treasurer's Affidavit, and having a legislative franchise .
1. Approval of company registration with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
2. Drafting of the Franchise Bill. Company may seek assistance from the Committee on Legislative Franchises (House of Representatives) in drafting aFranchise Bill or secure a copy of sample bills.
3. It is preferred that the company securing a franchise shall select the sponsor of the bill who has jurisdiction of the district where the proposed public utility operation shall be located.
4. Filing of the bill at the Bills and Index Division (House of Representatives).
5. Franchise Bills originate at the House of Representatives and shall undergo the process on how a bill becomes a law.
Currently owned by Naspers, Multiply, which had operated in Indonesia before it closed shop.
The firm plans to recover deleted or lost photos, images and pictures from the old Multiply from 2005 to 2012.
Anticipating the liberalization of the social networking service in the Philippines, led by former Multiply CEO Stefan Magdalinski to reopen Multiply.com on July 1, 2021.
The company obtained its congressional franchise and was granted a provisional authority to operate social networking services.
The signing of an agreement between the Philippines and Indonesia was supposed to take place before the end of 2017.
The New Year holidays got in the way, considering that government offices in Indonesia closed on Dec. 29, 2017 and resumed normal operation on Jan. 4, 2018.
Plus, the brand style guide is a document that codifies how an organization presents itself to the world
Calls for its return
Many of former users who called for the website to return.
In January 2018, MediaQuest Holdings President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa stated in an interview that he would be willing to buy the old Multiply from Naspers and turned to became a independent, separate entity.
"Hi! Everyone we will announce soon the launching of the new Multiply! 😊😊😊" it said earlier, that the Multiply website will revert to it's original form as a social networking service and start to recover all hosted blogs, videos, photos and messaging.
"Sana nga maibalik sa orihinal na estado ang Multiply. Marami kaming naghihintay na bumalik ulit ang dating ganda ng Multiply."
Closing the blog service and sharing files are protesting from Multiply users. Users feel betrayed, especially since the previous Multiply management ensures that the service will not be eliminated even with the changing focus to e-commerce.
In March 2013, the Multiply International site has been completely closed and inaccessible, after previously Multiply only blocked access to Multiply.com from the IP address of Indonesia. The promise of Multiply to make a repayment of Premium account holders was never kept.
Launched in March 2004 in Boca Raton, Florida, Multiply had around 11 million registered users. It transferred to Jakarta, Indonesia in 2012 when it switched from a social networking site into an e-commerce site.
On April 26, 2013, Multiply announced it will close Multiply Indonesia and Multiply International website as of May 6, 2013. All business activities of Multiply will be terminated on May 31, 2013.
The cause of the closing of the Multiply site is because Multiply is expected to fail to reach the leading position in the e-commerce industry with a sustainable business model. Multiply CEO Stefan Magdalinski acknowledged that the total change of the Multiply business model from social networking to e-commerce sites was unsuccessful.
The full closure of the website, for 102 months effective March 16, 2013 to rehabilitate and resolve the issues surrounding Multiply, including hosted blogs, videos, photos and messaging.
On November 30, 2014— less than a year and six months after the closure of the site and their operations—Multiply announced it was permanently halting operations and filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
This time, however, it will no longer be a social networking service but an internet-based media platform.
If the website is making a comeback, first if signing of an agreement between the Philippines and Indonesia was supposed to take, securing the SEC Articles of Incorporation, By-laws and Treasurer's Affidavit, and having a legislative franchise .
1. Approval of company registration with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
2. Drafting of the Franchise Bill. Company may seek assistance from the Committee on Legislative Franchises (House of Representatives) in drafting aFranchise Bill or secure a copy of sample bills.
3. It is preferred that the company securing a franchise shall select the sponsor of the bill who has jurisdiction of the district where the proposed public utility operation shall be located.
4. Filing of the bill at the Bills and Index Division (House of Representatives).
5. Franchise Bills originate at the House of Representatives and shall undergo the process on how a bill becomes a law.
Currently owned by Naspers, Multiply, which had operated in Indonesia before it closed shop.
The firm plans to recover deleted or lost photos, images and pictures from the old Multiply from 2005 to 2012.
Anticipating the liberalization of the social networking service in the Philippines, led by former Multiply CEO Stefan Magdalinski to reopen Multiply.com on July 1, 2021.
The company obtained its congressional franchise and was granted a provisional authority to operate social networking services.
The signing of an agreement between the Philippines and Indonesia was supposed to take place before the end of 2017.
The New Year holidays got in the way, considering that government offices in Indonesia closed on Dec. 29, 2017 and resumed normal operation on Jan. 4, 2018.
Plus, the brand style guide is a document that codifies how an organization presents itself to the world
Calls for its return
Many of former users who called for the website to return.
In January 2018, MediaQuest Holdings President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa stated in an interview that he would be willing to buy the old Multiply from Naspers and turned to became a independent, separate entity.
"Hi! Everyone we will announce soon the launching of the new Multiply! 😊😊😊" it said earlier, that the Multiply website will revert to it's original form as a social networking service and start to recover all hosted blogs, videos, photos and messaging.
"Sana nga maibalik sa orihinal na estado ang Multiply. Marami kaming naghihintay na bumalik ulit ang dating ganda ng Multiply."
Kapuso stars honored at 49th Box-Office Awards
 |
| Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera |
Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera were two of the night’s biggest winners. He brought home the coveted Film Actor of the Year award while she received the Female TV Host of the Year award.
Regine Velasquez-Alcasid bagged the Female Concert Performer of the Year award while Alden Richards went home with the Male Recording Artist of the Year award.
Seasoned actor Gabby Concepcion won the TV Actor of the Year award for his performance on the hit Afternoon Prime drama series “Ika-6 Na Utos.”
“Eat Bulaga!” host Vic Sotto took home the Comedy Actor of the Year award while child star Baste Granfon received the Most Popular Male Child Performer award.
Ruru Madrid brought home the Most Promising Actor of the Year Award.
In the News & Public Affairs category, GMA Network’s Sunday program “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” received the Most Popular TV Program award.
In addition, receiving special awards were Janno Gibbs (Bert Marcelo Lifetime Achievement award); drama anthology “Maynila” (Longest Running Daytime Drama/Drama Anthology & Highest Rating Morning Primetime Drama of All Time); and Maynila’s host Cong. Lito Atienza (Outstanding Public Service award).
• • •
TFC shows nominated at annual NorCal Emmys
ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel (TFC) received four nominations in both program and individual categories in the 47th Annual Northern California Emmy Awards set on June 2 at the San Francisco Jazz Center.
ABS-CBN TFC’s daily news show “BA,” the magazine talk show “Adobo Nation,” ABS-CBN North & Latin America News Desk Editor Henni Espinosa and Director of Photography Jeremiah Ysip were all recognized by the 2018 NorCal Emmys.
The EMMY award is presented for outstanding achievement in television by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS). San Francisco/Northern California.
• • •
Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, May 31, go to William Martinez, Alex Ricketts, Benhur Villanueva, Adel Almontero, Perlita Magno, Ruby Velasco Rennie, Jojo Gaela, Desiree Silan, and Wheyee Lozada… June 1: Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Alicia Alonzo, Eva Abesamis, Max Ricketts, Froilan Antonio, Angela Andal, Ma. Clarissa Estefa, Nita Magat, Janelle Amanda Avanzado, Josie Tan, Gina Pajo, and Rhea Santos… Happy wedding anniversary to Eric Cruz and Shirley Halili-Cruz…
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
House ratifies bicam report on nat'l ID system
The House of Representatives on Wednesday night ratified the bicameral conference committee report on a bill seeking to create a national identification (ID) system.
The move came a day after the Senate ratified its own version. The bill will be transmitted to the Palace for President Rodrigo R. Duterte's signature.
The proposed bill seeks to integrate and interconnect some 30 redundant government IDs by coming out with one national ID system, or PhilSys.
The PhilSys will have three key components: the PhilSys Number or PSN, the PhilID and PhilSys Registry.
The PhilID will be a non-transferable card containing on its face the PSN, full name, facial image, date of birth, address and fingerprints of the individual.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is mandated to act as the PhilSys Registry, a repository and custodian of all data including the PSN, registered records, and information of all persons registered in the PhilSys. (PNA)
The move came a day after the Senate ratified its own version. The bill will be transmitted to the Palace for President Rodrigo R. Duterte's signature.
The proposed bill seeks to integrate and interconnect some 30 redundant government IDs by coming out with one national ID system, or PhilSys.
The PhilSys will have three key components: the PhilSys Number or PSN, the PhilID and PhilSys Registry.
The PhilID will be a non-transferable card containing on its face the PSN, full name, facial image, date of birth, address and fingerprints of the individual.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is mandated to act as the PhilSys Registry, a repository and custodian of all data including the PSN, registered records, and information of all persons registered in the PhilSys. (PNA)
House ratifies national ID system bill
The House of Representatives ratified on Wednesday night the National Identification System bill which seeks to integrate multiple government IDs in the country.
The lower chamber ratified the version adopted by the bicameral conference committee without objection.
Following its ratification by both chambers of Congress, the measure would then be up for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature. If the President would not neither sign nor veto it, it would lapse into law after 30 days.
The proposed measure seeks to integrate multiple government IDs by establishing a single national identification system to be known as the Philippine Identification System or PhilSys.
The ID includes the individual’s full name, sex, birthdate, birthplace, address and nationality, as well as biometric information, said Sen. Panfilo Lacson, chair of the Senate public order committee.
Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, chair of the House appropriations committee, earlier ensured a P2-billion funding for the program in 2018.
Some critics have expressed fears that the national ID system would pose threats to the country’s security and infringe on people’s right to privacy. /atm
Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/995968/house-ratifies-national-id-system-bill#ixzz5GzZRJmlV
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The lower chamber ratified the version adopted by the bicameral conference committee without objection.
Following its ratification by both chambers of Congress, the measure would then be up for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature. If the President would not neither sign nor veto it, it would lapse into law after 30 days.
The proposed measure seeks to integrate multiple government IDs by establishing a single national identification system to be known as the Philippine Identification System or PhilSys.
The ID includes the individual’s full name, sex, birthdate, birthplace, address and nationality, as well as biometric information, said Sen. Panfilo Lacson, chair of the Senate public order committee.
Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, chair of the House appropriations committee, earlier ensured a P2-billion funding for the program in 2018.
Some critics have expressed fears that the national ID system would pose threats to the country’s security and infringe on people’s right to privacy. /atm
Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/995968/house-ratifies-national-id-system-bill#ixzz5GzZRJmlV
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National ID system bill up for Duterte's signature
Once the bill is signed into law, the national ID system will be managed by the Philippine Statistics Authority
Both houses of Congress ratified the bill seeking the creation of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) or the national ID system.
The House of Representatives ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the bill on Wednesday, May 30. Only ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio opposed the measure.
The Senate already ratified the bill the day before.
With both chambers ratifying PhilSys, the bill will now be brought to Malacañang so President Rodrigo Duterte can sign it into law.
Once Duterte signs it, the national ID system will be managed by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The system will collect a person's common reference number and basic information. It will also collect and store a person's biometrics, voter's ID, Philippine passport number, taxpayer's identification number (TIN), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) number, Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) number, and driver's license number, among others.
A resident's personal data, however, may only be released under the following conditions:
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno supports the measure, saying the national ID system will help improve the delivery of government services and reduce fraudulent transactions.
National Privacy Commission chief Raymund Liboro promised to ensure that other government agencies will adhere to the Data Privacy Act when handling or processing personal data to be made available through the national ID system.
Both houses of Congress ratified the bill seeking the creation of the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) or the national ID system.
The House of Representatives ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the bill on Wednesday, May 30. Only ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio opposed the measure.
The Senate already ratified the bill the day before.
With both chambers ratifying PhilSys, the bill will now be brought to Malacañang so President Rodrigo Duterte can sign it into law.
Once Duterte signs it, the national ID system will be managed by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The system will collect a person's common reference number and basic information. It will also collect and store a person's biometrics, voter's ID, Philippine passport number, taxpayer's identification number (TIN), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) number, Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) number, and driver's license number, among others.
A resident's personal data, however, may only be released under the following conditions:
- upon the consent of the registered person, specific to the purpose prior to the processing
- upon risk of public health and safety when relevant information may be disclosed, provided the risk of significant harm to the public is established and the owner of the information is notified within 72 hours of the fact of such disclosure
- upon order of the court
- when a registered person requests access to his or her registered information and record history, subject to the guidelines and regulations to be issued by the PSA
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno supports the measure, saying the national ID system will help improve the delivery of government services and reduce fraudulent transactions.
National Privacy Commission chief Raymund Liboro promised to ensure that other government agencies will adhere to the Data Privacy Act when handling or processing personal data to be made available through the national ID system.
Nat'l ID, rice tariffs to complement TRAIN mitigation measures
The government is accelerating the rollout of social mitigation measures such as unconditional transfers (UCTs) and fuel vouchers, which need to be complemented by the enactment into laws of a national ID system and the lifting of restrictions on rice imports, to further ease the impact of inflation on the country’s vulnerable sectors, the Department of Finance (DOF) said.
In a news release issued Wednesday, Finance Assistant Secretary Ma. Teresa Habitan said changing the way rice is imported - by shifting from setting import quotas to just imposing tariffs on cheaper imports of the grain - would help stabilize the supply of rice and lower its prices in the retail market, which will help the poor the most as rice accounts for 20 percent of their consumption.
A national ID system, meanwhile, will minimize leakages in implementing the UCT program and other social welfare programs; and will help ensure that the cash aid reaches the legitimate beneficiaries, Habitan said.
These twin measures, she said, will help cancel out the minimal impact of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law on inflation and speed up the rollout of the social mitigation measures provided under this law.
Based on estimates by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), rice tariffication alone will immediately lower the inflation rate by 0.4 percentage points, “which already offsets TRAIN’s impact on prices,” Habitan said.
Up to 30 percent of the incremental revenues collected under TRAIN, which is the first package of the Duterte administration’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), has been earmarked for social protection programs to help vulnerable sectors cope with the minimal inflationary impact of this tax reform law.
“The impending passage of the national ID system law will complement these programs given the ambitious target of delivering social welfare benefits to 10 million poorest family beneficiaries,” Habitan said ahead of the resumption of the House of Representatives’ ways and means committee hearing on the second tax reform package of the CTRP, which covers corporate taxation and the modernization of investment incentives.
Habitan and Director Juvy Danofrata represented the DOF at the hearing.
According to Habitan, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has so far released some PHP4.3 billion to the Land Bank of the Philippines for some 1.8 million Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries with existing LandBank cash cards. Another 2.6 million household beneficiaries are in the process of getting their cash subsidies in May and June. For 2018, some PHP24 billion will be released to cover the poorest 10 million households.
Moreover, the Department of Energy (DOE) and major petroleum companies, such as Pilipinas Shell, Phoenix Petroleum and Petron agreed last March to provide fuel discounts for public utility vehicles (PUV) drivers, while the Department of Transportation (DOTR) is preparing the fuel vouchers for duly-franchised PUVs, Habitan said.
On the part of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), it has put in place the e-Presyo, an Online Price Monitoring System, where people can check the prevailing prices of basic necessities and prime commodities that are being monitored by the department. “It serves as a price guide for consumers in doing their grocery shopping, which in turn ensures ‘value for money’,” Habitan said.
She reiterated that TRAIN had a minimal upward effect on April’s 4.5 percent inflation rate, which rose mainly due to rising crude oil prices in the world market and adjustments in the peso-dollar exchange rate. TRAIN’s contribution to the April inflation rate was confirmed by the BSP, DTI and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to be only 0.4 percentage points, Habitan said.
She said that 3 percent of April’s inflation rate can easily be attributed to higher economic growth and stronger domestic demand, given that people now have more money to spend as a result of the reduced personal income tax rates under TRAIN.
Of the balance of 1.5 percent, Habitan said 0.2 percentage points was the result of the increase in the excise tax collections on cigarettes.
In a news release issued Wednesday, Finance Assistant Secretary Ma. Teresa Habitan said changing the way rice is imported - by shifting from setting import quotas to just imposing tariffs on cheaper imports of the grain - would help stabilize the supply of rice and lower its prices in the retail market, which will help the poor the most as rice accounts for 20 percent of their consumption.
A national ID system, meanwhile, will minimize leakages in implementing the UCT program and other social welfare programs; and will help ensure that the cash aid reaches the legitimate beneficiaries, Habitan said.
These twin measures, she said, will help cancel out the minimal impact of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law on inflation and speed up the rollout of the social mitigation measures provided under this law.
Based on estimates by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), rice tariffication alone will immediately lower the inflation rate by 0.4 percentage points, “which already offsets TRAIN’s impact on prices,” Habitan said.
Up to 30 percent of the incremental revenues collected under TRAIN, which is the first package of the Duterte administration’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), has been earmarked for social protection programs to help vulnerable sectors cope with the minimal inflationary impact of this tax reform law.
“The impending passage of the national ID system law will complement these programs given the ambitious target of delivering social welfare benefits to 10 million poorest family beneficiaries,” Habitan said ahead of the resumption of the House of Representatives’ ways and means committee hearing on the second tax reform package of the CTRP, which covers corporate taxation and the modernization of investment incentives.
Habitan and Director Juvy Danofrata represented the DOF at the hearing.
According to Habitan, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has so far released some PHP4.3 billion to the Land Bank of the Philippines for some 1.8 million Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries with existing LandBank cash cards. Another 2.6 million household beneficiaries are in the process of getting their cash subsidies in May and June. For 2018, some PHP24 billion will be released to cover the poorest 10 million households.
Moreover, the Department of Energy (DOE) and major petroleum companies, such as Pilipinas Shell, Phoenix Petroleum and Petron agreed last March to provide fuel discounts for public utility vehicles (PUV) drivers, while the Department of Transportation (DOTR) is preparing the fuel vouchers for duly-franchised PUVs, Habitan said.
On the part of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), it has put in place the e-Presyo, an Online Price Monitoring System, where people can check the prevailing prices of basic necessities and prime commodities that are being monitored by the department. “It serves as a price guide for consumers in doing their grocery shopping, which in turn ensures ‘value for money’,” Habitan said.
She reiterated that TRAIN had a minimal upward effect on April’s 4.5 percent inflation rate, which rose mainly due to rising crude oil prices in the world market and adjustments in the peso-dollar exchange rate. TRAIN’s contribution to the April inflation rate was confirmed by the BSP, DTI and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to be only 0.4 percentage points, Habitan said.
She said that 3 percent of April’s inflation rate can easily be attributed to higher economic growth and stronger domestic demand, given that people now have more money to spend as a result of the reduced personal income tax rates under TRAIN.
Of the balance of 1.5 percent, Habitan said 0.2 percentage points was the result of the increase in the excise tax collections on cigarettes.
House approves national ID bill
The House of Representatives on Wednesday ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the bill seeking to establish a national identification (ID) system.
The ratification came a day after the Senate also ratified the bicameral report.
The reconciled bill will now be transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.
Lawmakers agreed to include these sets of information on the ID card:
- the bearer's unique Philippine Identification System or PhilSys number;
- full name;
- sex;
- blood type;
- date of birth;
- place of birth;
- marital status;
- address;
- a front-facing photo.
The bicameral conference committee report was approved by both houses on May 22.
This is the farthest that the national ID system has come along in the legislative mill in its history.
More details to follow.
The ratification came a day after the Senate also ratified the bicameral report.
The reconciled bill will now be transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.
Lawmakers agreed to include these sets of information on the ID card:
- the bearer's unique Philippine Identification System or PhilSys number;
- full name;
- sex;
- blood type;
- date of birth;
- place of birth;
- marital status;
- address;
- a front-facing photo.
The bicameral conference committee report was approved by both houses on May 22.
This is the farthest that the national ID system has come along in the legislative mill in its history.
More details to follow.
House approves proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law
The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, a measure which seeks to help end decades of fighting in the south and certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte.
A bicameral conference will need to reconcile the House and Senate's versions of the bill before it can be signed into law by the President.
The BBL will install a Bangsamoro political entity in place of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. It is envisioned to grant wider self-rule to predominantly Muslim provinces and cities.
A total of 226 lawmakers at the House of Representatives voted for the bill while 11 voted against it. Two lawmakers meanwhile abstained.
The law is one of the requirements under a peace agreement that Manila signed with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 2014 under then-president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.
Duterte had banked on the bill's passage to heal the "historical injustices" suffered by the Moros.
It failed to pass under Aquino after 44 police commandos died in a botched anti-terrorism raid in the remote town of Mamasapano in January 2015. Troops engaged rebels forces, including the MILF, in the hunt for Malaysian bomb-maker Marwan, who was killed in the operation.
A bicameral conference will need to reconcile the House and Senate's versions of the bill before it can be signed into law by the President.
The BBL will install a Bangsamoro political entity in place of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. It is envisioned to grant wider self-rule to predominantly Muslim provinces and cities.
A total of 226 lawmakers at the House of Representatives voted for the bill while 11 voted against it. Two lawmakers meanwhile abstained.
The law is one of the requirements under a peace agreement that Manila signed with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 2014 under then-president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.
Duterte had banked on the bill's passage to heal the "historical injustices" suffered by the Moros.
It failed to pass under Aquino after 44 police commandos died in a botched anti-terrorism raid in the remote town of Mamasapano in January 2015. Troops engaged rebels forces, including the MILF, in the hunt for Malaysian bomb-maker Marwan, who was killed in the operation.
House OKs Bangsamoro Basic Law
The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a measure creating a new autonomous region for the Moro peoples, a historic achievement meant to bring decades-long conflict in the southern Philippines to a close.
The House approval of the law, which will create a replacement for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with more powers while remaining part of the Philippines, followed President Rodrigo Duterte’s move Tuesday to certify the bills at the House and the Senate urgent.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim rebel group in the country, signed a peace deal with the administration of President Benigno Aquino III in 2014 to end decades of rebellion in the country’s restive south which has killed more than a hundred thousand people and displaced millions.
The House, voting 226-11-2, approved the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law on third and final reading.
The passage of the measure, officially known as the Bangsamoro Basic Law, was derailed after a raid on a remote town in Maguindanao by police special forces led to the death of more than 60 Filipinos, including 44 police commandos.
The death of the policemen plunged the Aquino administration into its worst political crisis and put to question the sincerity of the MILF rebels, some of whom participated in the fighting that led to the commandos' deaths. Panels that investigated the clash found that the operation had been hampered by poor planning and a failure to coordinate with the military and with the MILF, with which the government has a ceasefire agreement.
The House’s version still needs to be reconciled with the draft of the bill coming from the Senate.
Once the two chambers agree on the final version, it will be sent to Duterte, who has strongly supported its measure, for his signature.
On different occasions, Duterte stressed the importance of the bill in attaining peace on the resource-rich island of 22 million.
He warned lawmakers that failure to pass the measure into law would fan extremism in Mindanao, which is already reeling from a five-month siege of Marawi City in Lanao del Sur by Islamic State-linked terrorists.
The measure will give Moros more political and economic power, but it still faces stiff challenges and questions over its constitutionality.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/05/30/1819776/house-oks-bangsamoro-basic-law
The House approval of the law, which will create a replacement for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with more powers while remaining part of the Philippines, followed President Rodrigo Duterte’s move Tuesday to certify the bills at the House and the Senate urgent.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim rebel group in the country, signed a peace deal with the administration of President Benigno Aquino III in 2014 to end decades of rebellion in the country’s restive south which has killed more than a hundred thousand people and displaced millions.
The House, voting 226-11-2, approved the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law on third and final reading.
The passage of the measure, officially known as the Bangsamoro Basic Law, was derailed after a raid on a remote town in Maguindanao by police special forces led to the death of more than 60 Filipinos, including 44 police commandos.
The death of the policemen plunged the Aquino administration into its worst political crisis and put to question the sincerity of the MILF rebels, some of whom participated in the fighting that led to the commandos' deaths. Panels that investigated the clash found that the operation had been hampered by poor planning and a failure to coordinate with the military and with the MILF, with which the government has a ceasefire agreement.
The House’s version still needs to be reconciled with the draft of the bill coming from the Senate.
Once the two chambers agree on the final version, it will be sent to Duterte, who has strongly supported its measure, for his signature.
On different occasions, Duterte stressed the importance of the bill in attaining peace on the resource-rich island of 22 million.
He warned lawmakers that failure to pass the measure into law would fan extremism in Mindanao, which is already reeling from a five-month siege of Marawi City in Lanao del Sur by Islamic State-linked terrorists.
The measure will give Moros more political and economic power, but it still faces stiff challenges and questions over its constitutionality.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/05/30/1819776/house-oks-bangsamoro-basic-law
After much hesitation, Duterte certifies BBL as urgent
After contradicting statements, President Rodrigo finally certified the landmark Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) as urgent on Tuesday afternoon.
Before this, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said that the President may no longer certify House Bill 6475 and Senate Bill 1717 as urgent due to the stark differences between the versions of the Senate and House of Representatives.
But hours after, Roque said: “After much deliberation, the President has decided to make the House and Senate versions of the BBL as urgent and the copy of which is on its way to both houses of Congress.”
The certification means Congress does not need to wait three days before voting on the measure for final reading.
The Palace official said Duterte would sign the legislation into law once both chambers of Congress have reconciled and finalized the version at the bicameral conference committee during the break.
House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said the signing would happen on July 23 in time for Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Fariñas said the lower house would consider BBL on second and third readings on Wednesday, May 30, the last session day before Congress adjourns sine die on June 2.
The Senate is expected to do the same.
Earlier, Duterte urged Congress to pass BBL by May 30 this year, saying the government is “racing against time” to enact the measure that could help keep peace in Mindanao amid threats of the spread of radical Islamic movement.
Amendments
In an interview after an all-member caucus on Monday, Fariñas refused to discuss the specific amendments on House Bill (HB) 6475, the Chamber’s version of BBL, but he said the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) “agreed to several of the amendments proposed.”
“We agreed that—in fairness to the BTC, they agreed naman to several of the amendments proposed. I’m working kasi on the draft presented by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission. May mga amendments, karamihan naman na-accept,” he said.
But he mentioned that the BTC agreed that the Autonomous Region of Bangsamoro (ARB) would remain concurrent with the national government, and the Bangsamoro police would still be under the Philippine National Police.
Fariñas said both camps have yet to agree on the opt-in and fiscal autonomy provisions of the BBL.
In another interview on Tuesday, a day after Congress leaders met with Duterte to discuss BBL, Fariñas said Duterte was apprehensive of many provisions under the BBL.
The House leader only mentioned in passing the provisions on the Bangsamoro police and the establishment of independent constitutional commissions.
“He (Duterte) was not willing na oh may sariling pulis and everything so we told them na payag naman yung BTC na yung kanilang police regional office sa kanilang Bangsamoro will still be like a regional office,” he said.
Fariñas also dismissed concerns that the BBL would be unconstituional because it seeks to abolish the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which is stated in the 1987 Constitution.
“Iaabolish na ng BBL yung ARMM. Another option would be to wait for the con-ass (constituent assembly) (to revise the Constitution) but dito na kami sa BBL,” he said.
Before this, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said that the President may no longer certify House Bill 6475 and Senate Bill 1717 as urgent due to the stark differences between the versions of the Senate and House of Representatives.
But hours after, Roque said: “After much deliberation, the President has decided to make the House and Senate versions of the BBL as urgent and the copy of which is on its way to both houses of Congress.”
The certification means Congress does not need to wait three days before voting on the measure for final reading.
The Palace official said Duterte would sign the legislation into law once both chambers of Congress have reconciled and finalized the version at the bicameral conference committee during the break.
House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said the signing would happen on July 23 in time for Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Fariñas said the lower house would consider BBL on second and third readings on Wednesday, May 30, the last session day before Congress adjourns sine die on June 2.
The Senate is expected to do the same.
Earlier, Duterte urged Congress to pass BBL by May 30 this year, saying the government is “racing against time” to enact the measure that could help keep peace in Mindanao amid threats of the spread of radical Islamic movement.
Amendments
In an interview after an all-member caucus on Monday, Fariñas refused to discuss the specific amendments on House Bill (HB) 6475, the Chamber’s version of BBL, but he said the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) “agreed to several of the amendments proposed.”
“We agreed that—in fairness to the BTC, they agreed naman to several of the amendments proposed. I’m working kasi on the draft presented by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission. May mga amendments, karamihan naman na-accept,” he said.
But he mentioned that the BTC agreed that the Autonomous Region of Bangsamoro (ARB) would remain concurrent with the national government, and the Bangsamoro police would still be under the Philippine National Police.
Fariñas said both camps have yet to agree on the opt-in and fiscal autonomy provisions of the BBL.
In another interview on Tuesday, a day after Congress leaders met with Duterte to discuss BBL, Fariñas said Duterte was apprehensive of many provisions under the BBL.
The House leader only mentioned in passing the provisions on the Bangsamoro police and the establishment of independent constitutional commissions.
“He (Duterte) was not willing na oh may sariling pulis and everything so we told them na payag naman yung BTC na yung kanilang police regional office sa kanilang Bangsamoro will still be like a regional office,” he said.
Fariñas also dismissed concerns that the BBL would be unconstituional because it seeks to abolish the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which is stated in the 1987 Constitution.
“Iaabolish na ng BBL yung ARMM. Another option would be to wait for the con-ass (constituent assembly) (to revise the Constitution) but dito na kami sa BBL,” he said.
Zubiri: Senate is on track with BBL passage
The Senate is on track with the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Wednesday, vowing to approve the long-overdue measure within the day.
Zubiri, chair of the Senate subcommittee on the BBL, said senators are racing against time to pass the BBL, which was certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday.
“We are on track with the BBL. These past two days and nights disproved the disbelievers that the Senate can hack it. At this time, the landmark measure is being forged by Senators across party lines,” Zubiri said in a statement.
“The Committee Report which was drawn mainly from the work of the BTC (Bangsamoro Transition Commission) is being rewritten by Senators who hold their legal torches aloft on their own,” he added.
Zubiri said senators would tackle fiscal autonomy and find out ways to pump up the future Bangsamoro government’s ability to “rebuild communities ravaged by war and neglect.”
“We expect proposals to increase provisions that will ensure transparency and public accountability. Sen. Recto promised questions and proposals in all of the 18 chapters,” he said.
Zubiri said during the deliberations on Tuesday night, senators tackled the Bangsamoro police, which would remain part of the Philippine National Police with recruitment and promotions following what is nationally implemented.
“Military, national and Bangsamoro defense were also made more explicit,” Zubiri said.
Bangsamoro territory was also amended to a territorial jurisdiction, the senator said, adding all provisions referencing Bangsamoro to a sub-state status “has been disposed of to clarify that the BBL is about an autonomous region like any other.”
“If last night is indicative of how things will be today, then I think the BBL will be a better document coming out of the Plenary than when it first landed in the Senate,” Zubiri said. /muf
Zubiri, chair of the Senate subcommittee on the BBL, said senators are racing against time to pass the BBL, which was certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday.
“We are on track with the BBL. These past two days and nights disproved the disbelievers that the Senate can hack it. At this time, the landmark measure is being forged by Senators across party lines,” Zubiri said in a statement.
“The Committee Report which was drawn mainly from the work of the BTC (Bangsamoro Transition Commission) is being rewritten by Senators who hold their legal torches aloft on their own,” he added.
Zubiri said senators would tackle fiscal autonomy and find out ways to pump up the future Bangsamoro government’s ability to “rebuild communities ravaged by war and neglect.”
“We expect proposals to increase provisions that will ensure transparency and public accountability. Sen. Recto promised questions and proposals in all of the 18 chapters,” he said.
Zubiri said during the deliberations on Tuesday night, senators tackled the Bangsamoro police, which would remain part of the Philippine National Police with recruitment and promotions following what is nationally implemented.
“Military, national and Bangsamoro defense were also made more explicit,” Zubiri said.
Bangsamoro territory was also amended to a territorial jurisdiction, the senator said, adding all provisions referencing Bangsamoro to a sub-state status “has been disposed of to clarify that the BBL is about an autonomous region like any other.”
“If last night is indicative of how things will be today, then I think the BBL will be a better document coming out of the Plenary than when it first landed in the Senate,” Zubiri said. /muf
Zubiri: Senate on track with BBL, will pass it Wednesday
Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Wednesday the Senate is on track with the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, assuring the public that the measure will be approved within the day.
The Senate suspended its session past midnight Wednesday as it tackled the amendments to the proposed measure.
“These past two days and nights disproved the disbelievers that the Senate can hack it. At this time, the landmark measure is being forged by senators across party lines,” Zubiri said in a message to reporters.
“The committee report which was drawn mainly from the work of the BTC (Bangsamoro Transition Commission) is being rewritten by senators who hold their legal torches aloft on their own,” he added.
He said Minority Leader Franklin Drilon ,who propounded difficult questions during the period of interpellation and the ongoing period of amendments, headed the Justice Department for many years.
“While it may appear that he was unfeeling in peeling away provisions that the BTC laboriously put together, Senator Frank Drilon was in fact cutting through the verbiage to craft not just better language, but even enhanced it,” said Zubiri.
The majority leader said they will tackle later fiscal autonomy, which is not just about the pesos-and-cents issue, but about pumping up the future Bangsamoro government's ability to rebuild communities ravaged by war and neglect.
“We expect proposals to increase provisions that will ensure transparency and public accountability. Senator (Ralph) Recto promised questions and proposals in all of the 18 chapters. If last night is indicative of how things will be today, then I think the BBL will be a better document coming out of the plenary than when it first landed in the Senate,” he said.
Zubiri said among the amendments they have tackled were that Bangsamoro territory was changed to Bangsamoro territorial jurisdiction. He said there will be further discussion.
He said all provisions referencing to a sub-state status has been disposed of to clarify that the BBL is about an autonomous region like any other. He added the Republic's flag and Lupang Hinirang shall always be flown and played along with the Bangsamoro heraldic symbols.
He said Senators Panfilo Lacson and Gregorio Honasan polished the chapters on the Bangsamoro police to state that it is part of the Philippine National Police with recruitment and promotions following what is nationally implemented.
He said military, national, and Bangsamoro defense were also made more explicit.
Zubiri said the provisions on the Judiciary and system of courts took cognizance and clarified the extent of applicability of the Shariah justice system on Muslim and non-Muslims.
He said land titling, management of protected areas, and ancestral domains issues were also enriched and made more accurate with correlation to existing land, environment, and fisheries resources laws.
Zubiri said the anti-political dynasty provisions were also discussed and even got support for the BTC language.
“We expect another long day. It's all for the better version. Coming from all failed attempts of past administrations to build lasting peace in Mindanao, I am very hopeful we can have a BBL that satisfies the concerns of Muslim Mindanao and most of all our Constitution,” said Zubiri.
President Rodrigo Duterte certified as urgent Tuesday the proposed BBL. The certification will allow Congress to do away with the three-day rule and immediately pass the bill on third and final reading after its approval on second reading.
The 2nd regular session of Congress will adjourn its session Wednesday and will return on July 23 when the 3rd regular session starts. — RSJ, GMA News
Bangsamoro can't replace ARMM without charter change: Lagman
A new Bangsamoro entity cannot replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao unless the 1987 Constitution is revised, an opposition lawmaker said Wednesday.
The proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, which is pending in Congress, is an "affront to the Constitution" that specifically provided for the creation of the ARMM, making it a "constitutional entity," said Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman.
"There is nothing more to do except to implement constitutional provisions effectively," he told ANC's Headstart.
The BBL will not merely rename the ARMM and will instead create a "more ascendant and powerful" body, he said.
Under a BBL draft in Congress, the Bangsamoro region will have its own Commission on Elections, which should not happen because a poll body is supposed to be "constitutional," he said.
Anak Mindanao Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan previously pleaded to her colleagues at the House of Representatives to pass the measure and then let the Supreme Court to decide on its constitutionality.
President Rodrigo Duterte has certified the proposed BBL as urgent, allowing lawmakers to bypass the 3-day period between the second and third readings before the measure is passed.
The proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, which is pending in Congress, is an "affront to the Constitution" that specifically provided for the creation of the ARMM, making it a "constitutional entity," said Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman.
"There is nothing more to do except to implement constitutional provisions effectively," he told ANC's Headstart.
The BBL will not merely rename the ARMM and will instead create a "more ascendant and powerful" body, he said.
Under a BBL draft in Congress, the Bangsamoro region will have its own Commission on Elections, which should not happen because a poll body is supposed to be "constitutional," he said.
Anak Mindanao Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan previously pleaded to her colleagues at the House of Representatives to pass the measure and then let the Supreme Court to decide on its constitutionality.
President Rodrigo Duterte has certified the proposed BBL as urgent, allowing lawmakers to bypass the 3-day period between the second and third readings before the measure is passed.
Duterte to sign BBL on 3rd SONA
President Rodrigo R. Duterte is expected to sign the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) on July 23 in time for his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said.
Fariñas told House reporters Monday night about the Chief Executive’s plan, following a meeting between congressional leaders and the President to discuss the contentious provisions of the proposed BBL.
“The bicam (bicameral) conference committee report shall be submitted for ratification by the HOR (House of Representatives) and the Senate in their plenary sessions in the morning of Monday, July 23, 2018, with the President signing it into law in time for his State of the Nation Address at 4 p.m. of that same day,” Fariñas said.
Fariñas also revealed that President Duterte has already granted their request to certify the BBL as urgent to expedite its passage before Congress adjourns sine die (with no appointed date of resumption).
“The President did not impose anything on Congress, but granted our request to certify the BBL bill as urgent in order for the HOR and the Senate to pass their respective bills on 2nd and 3rd readings before we adjourn on Wednesday,” he said.
The House leader said Congress would be holding the bicam meetings, together with the Bangsamoro Transition Commission and the executive department, during the congressional break to resolve conflicting provisions in both versions.
Fariñas told House reporters Monday night about the Chief Executive’s plan, following a meeting between congressional leaders and the President to discuss the contentious provisions of the proposed BBL.
“The bicam (bicameral) conference committee report shall be submitted for ratification by the HOR (House of Representatives) and the Senate in their plenary sessions in the morning of Monday, July 23, 2018, with the President signing it into law in time for his State of the Nation Address at 4 p.m. of that same day,” Fariñas said.
Fariñas also revealed that President Duterte has already granted their request to certify the BBL as urgent to expedite its passage before Congress adjourns sine die (with no appointed date of resumption).
“The President did not impose anything on Congress, but granted our request to certify the BBL bill as urgent in order for the HOR and the Senate to pass their respective bills on 2nd and 3rd readings before we adjourn on Wednesday,” he said.
The House leader said Congress would be holding the bicam meetings, together with the Bangsamoro Transition Commission and the executive department, during the congressional break to resolve conflicting provisions in both versions.
Crunch time for the BBL
The passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law may be the single most consequential legislative objective of the Duterte administration, but it has unfortunately been overtaken by other priorities or overshadowed by other sideshows: impeachment threats and actual impeachment complaints, the ill-advised attempt to postpone the barangay elections yet again, the continuing campaign to change the system of government from unitary to federal.
Now the 17th Congress, controlled in both chambers by supermajorities allied (and aligned) with the Duterte administration, is staring at the bottom of the legislative barrel. It has less than a week left before it adjourns until the State of the Nation Address in July.
How important is the proposed BBL?
Enough for President Duterte to say, wearily, last April: “Nangangako ako na before May, lulusot ’yan … before the end of May, lulusot na ’yan. ’Pag hindi, baka mag-resign ako pagka-presidente. Inyo na lang ’yan, hindi ko talaga kaya.” (I promise that before May, that will pass … before the end of May, that will pass. If not, I might resign as President. You can have it, I really can’t do it).
The President has been known to wax emotional in public before, and indeed to claim that he was too old or too tired to continue in the presidency.
Passage of the BBL ranks among the few issues that have caused him to confess just giving everything up: “It’s useless. If you give me this kind of administration until the end of my term, frankly, I would rather resign. Napapagod na ako (I’m getting tired) to solve the problem.”
Going into the last three days of the second session of the 17th Congress, “this kind of administration” faces serious obstacles in passing the BBL.
As presidential spokesperson Harry Roque admitted on Tuesday morning: “There are kinks that are being ironed out but their promise is to pass the BBL. We would like the BBL enacted before Congress goes on recess on June 2 … The promise is they would do everything humanly possible to pass the BBL. Certifying it as urgent may not happen because of the conflicting versions of the Senate and House.”
This was an unusual position to take, because one of the uses of a presidential certification of urgency is precisely to force the Senate and the House to reconcile conflicting versions of a legislative measure.
And one of its effects is that the mandatory three-day waiting period between second and third readings is considered waived.
Perhaps Roque did not understand what the true situation was?
The Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Secretary Jesus Dureza, insisted that the President had committed to a speedy passage in a late-Monday meeting with congressional leaders.
“The meeting adjourned with a general consensus that the two chambers conclude their work at the earliest possible time and if there are varying versions, that the mandated bicameral committees of both chambers meet to come up with a joint reconciled and accepted version,” Dureza said.
“The President said he would certify the bill as urgent,” he added.
Finally, at around mid-afternoon on Tuesday, the head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, Secretary Adelino Sitoy, told reporters that the BBL certification had been transmitted to Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
The lack of clarity that persisted until mid-afternoon is frustrating, but at least the President has again put the full force of his office behind the BBL.
The certification of urgency is needed to push the passage of the law. Necessary, but not sufficient.
As important as the substance of the proposed law is, and even though the passage of the law has serious consequences for the peace process in Mindanao, the chambers of Congress have run into the hard wall that is the legislative calendar.
Can they pass the law before the President delivers his third Sona?
House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas has a clever plan. He thinks that the bicameral conference committee can work on the reconciled version of the bill between now and the fourth Monday of July, when the Constitution requires Congress to begin a new session.
The conference version can then be ratified by the two chambers, meeting separately in the morning, and then passed and signed into law before the President addresses the nation in the afternoon.
It’s a long shot, but it’s crunch time, and Congress needs to take it.
Read more: http://opinion.inquirer.net/113558/crunch-time-bbl#ixzz5GxuEhOsu
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook
Now the 17th Congress, controlled in both chambers by supermajorities allied (and aligned) with the Duterte administration, is staring at the bottom of the legislative barrel. It has less than a week left before it adjourns until the State of the Nation Address in July.
How important is the proposed BBL?
Enough for President Duterte to say, wearily, last April: “Nangangako ako na before May, lulusot ’yan … before the end of May, lulusot na ’yan. ’Pag hindi, baka mag-resign ako pagka-presidente. Inyo na lang ’yan, hindi ko talaga kaya.” (I promise that before May, that will pass … before the end of May, that will pass. If not, I might resign as President. You can have it, I really can’t do it).
The President has been known to wax emotional in public before, and indeed to claim that he was too old or too tired to continue in the presidency.
Passage of the BBL ranks among the few issues that have caused him to confess just giving everything up: “It’s useless. If you give me this kind of administration until the end of my term, frankly, I would rather resign. Napapagod na ako (I’m getting tired) to solve the problem.”
Going into the last three days of the second session of the 17th Congress, “this kind of administration” faces serious obstacles in passing the BBL.
As presidential spokesperson Harry Roque admitted on Tuesday morning: “There are kinks that are being ironed out but their promise is to pass the BBL. We would like the BBL enacted before Congress goes on recess on June 2 … The promise is they would do everything humanly possible to pass the BBL. Certifying it as urgent may not happen because of the conflicting versions of the Senate and House.”
This was an unusual position to take, because one of the uses of a presidential certification of urgency is precisely to force the Senate and the House to reconcile conflicting versions of a legislative measure.
And one of its effects is that the mandatory three-day waiting period between second and third readings is considered waived.
Perhaps Roque did not understand what the true situation was?
The Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Secretary Jesus Dureza, insisted that the President had committed to a speedy passage in a late-Monday meeting with congressional leaders.
“The meeting adjourned with a general consensus that the two chambers conclude their work at the earliest possible time and if there are varying versions, that the mandated bicameral committees of both chambers meet to come up with a joint reconciled and accepted version,” Dureza said.
“The President said he would certify the bill as urgent,” he added.
Finally, at around mid-afternoon on Tuesday, the head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, Secretary Adelino Sitoy, told reporters that the BBL certification had been transmitted to Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
The lack of clarity that persisted until mid-afternoon is frustrating, but at least the President has again put the full force of his office behind the BBL.
The certification of urgency is needed to push the passage of the law. Necessary, but not sufficient.
As important as the substance of the proposed law is, and even though the passage of the law has serious consequences for the peace process in Mindanao, the chambers of Congress have run into the hard wall that is the legislative calendar.
Can they pass the law before the President delivers his third Sona?
House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas has a clever plan. He thinks that the bicameral conference committee can work on the reconciled version of the bill between now and the fourth Monday of July, when the Constitution requires Congress to begin a new session.
The conference version can then be ratified by the two chambers, meeting separately in the morning, and then passed and signed into law before the President addresses the nation in the afternoon.
It’s a long shot, but it’s crunch time, and Congress needs to take it.
Read more: http://opinion.inquirer.net/113558/crunch-time-bbl#ixzz5GxuEhOsu
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook
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