Kandahar OFWs' death a wake up call

 

Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday said the tragic death of 10 OFWs in a helicopter crash in Kandahar, Afghanistan should convince the government to ensure that Filipino citizens are not deployed to countries where the peace and order situation remains volatile.

"I was of the belief that there was a ban on deploying workers to Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and Nigeria. And yet, it seems many are able to land jobs in these countries, despite the risks involved in going and working there" he noted.

Escudero said the uncertain circumstances surrounding the hiring of the 10 bring up speculations of illegal deployment to facilitate their employment right under the noses of government officials.

"It is not enough to just clamp down on illegal recruiters or impose stricter controls at immigration counters. We must also ensure that laws concerning the entry of OFWs to a number of countries are observed," he said.

Since there are at least 12 million OFWs in 190 countries, Escudero called on  the government to provide more funding to all Philippine embassies and consulates so that they can attend to the needs of all Filipinos.

"We must ensure that our embassies and consulates have enough funds and personnel to react to all possible situations. More importantly, we must empower them to prevent the abuse of our workers," Escudero said.

He also said foreign offices should identify the comparative advantages of OFWs vis-a-vis the country to which they are assigned. 

"This is important so we can specifically target the skills required by the host nation in order to be able to send the best qualified OFW."

Remittances last year from OFWs, which make up around 11 percent of the Philippine population, totaled $15.9 billion, more than 50 percent higher than $10 billion in 2005.

 

Senate to closely monitor CHR probe on alleged abduction, torture of Fil-Am activist

 

Opposition Senator Chiz Escudero yesterday said the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights will closely monitor the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) probe on the alleged abduction and torture of a Filipino-American activist and two companions by soldiers in May.

“I offer whatever assistance my committee can offer to CHR chair Leila de Lima in their probe on the alleged abduction and torture of Melissa Roxas and her companions,� Escudero said.

 Escudero, chair of the panel, said he will give way to the CHR probe and will not conduct a separate or parallel investigation into the case at this time.

"I do not intend to initiate an investigation but no senator is prevented from filing a resolution into this matter. I urge all parties to cooperate with the CHR so we can know the truth at the soonest possible time,�he said.

Roxas, a US citizen and member of Bayan USA, had earlier claimed she and two others were abducted last May 19 while on a medical mission in La Paz, Tarlac and subsequently tortured by soldiers while in detention for six days. The military leadership has denied the charges.

The Fil-Am activist recently returned from the US to testify in the CHR investigation.

“International rights groups and foreign governments have already expressed serious concern over the country’s deplorable human rights situation. And if proven true, Melissa Roxas’s case can only validate these observations,� Escudero said.

At the same time, the senator said he will push for the approval of pending bills he authored on involuntary or enforced disappearance and torture when Congress resumes session next week.

Chiz laments escalation of labor woes under Arroyo; urges Senate action

 

"The way to fight poverty is to create jobs, not destroy them..."

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, SONA, 2001

CHIZ LAMENTS ESCALATION OF LABOR WOES UNDER ARROYO; URGES SENATE ACTION

 The Philippine labor sector continues to suffer from neglect and indifference because of the government's wrong sense of priorities in employment generation and job security, opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero said yesterday. 

At the same time, the 39-year old lawmaker reiterated his call for the Senate to convene as a committee on the whole to discuss a package of measures ranging from tax breaks and incentives for workers and employers to help them ride out the current economic crisis.

In his SANA (Sana Napatupad ni Arroyo) message, Escudero said the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has addressed the country's labor problems with lip service rather than long-term strategy and policy.

"Sana binigyan ni Pangulong Arroyo ng sapat na trabaho ang Pilipino, trabahong kayang magbigay ng sapat na kita para tugunan ang mga pinakamahalagang pangangailangan tulad ng pagkain," Escudero said.

He said a fourth of the country's labor force – 25 percent or 9.5 million Filipinos – is now either not earning enough or out of work. Last year, unemployment stood at 7.5 percent of the labor force or 2.83 million jobless Filipinos while underemployment was at 17.5 percent or 6.62 million. 

The Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics reported that the country's work force stood at 37.824 million as of April 2009.

 "The minimum wages of our workers fall far below the living wage prescribed by the National Wages and Productivity Commission. Government policy has obviously failed to address this tragic condition," Escudero said.

"Ang mga pinangako ng pangulo mula noong naupo siya ay napako na, at ang ating mga manggagawa ang naging kawawa sa patuloy n'yang pag dead-ma sa problema," he added.

The senator also accused the government of failing to prioritize labor legislation. President Arroyo has prioritized only four pro-labor legislative measures despite over 700 measures filed in the House of Representatives.  

Escudero aggressively pushed for the passage of Republic Act 9504, which exempts minimum wage earners from paying income tax.

He also filed Resolution 1029 last April urging the Senate  to take up a package of measures ranging from tax breaks and incentives for workers and employers to help them ride out the current economic crisis.

"The Senate must now do its part by initiating measures that will help the nation not only to ride out this crisis but to ensure a quick and steady recovery," he said.

           

Among the core measures in Escudero's eight-point proposal are a viable subsidy program for all displaced workers; a tax refund for all wage and salaried earners equivalent to two months of their salary; and the extension of Philhealth coverage for displaced domestic and overseas workers.

 

It also proposes condonation of penalties and interests for low-cost and socialized homeowners and tax deductions and other incentives for employers who increase salaries and benefits within a set period.

 

The plan also seeks the creation of programs to encourage entrepreneurship among workers and the grant of incentives to strengthen local industries such as BPOs and other knowledge-based industries, and expand the country's employment program by diversifying the areas where training programs may be implemented.

Department of Labor and Employment figures show that 40,000 workers have already lost their jobs since October last year while a total of 120,000 have been affected by layoffs, rotations, reduced working hours and reduced incomes.

"Hindi biro ang pang-daigdigang krisis na ito. The Philippine economy is now projected to contract. Ngunit patuloy na ginagawang biro ng pamahalaang Arroyo ang pagsasaayos ng mga suliranin ng mga manggagawa," Escudero lamented.

Meanwhile, the opposition senator said the Arroyo government's indifference to the labor sector had resulted in violations of trade union rights.

"According to the International Trade Union Confederation's 2007 Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights, the Philippines is now the second most dangerous place in the world for labor leaders," Escudero said.

The 2007 survey revealed that 33 labor leaders were slain, while 220 trade unionists were affected in 130 separate incidents.

 

 

SANA (Sana Naipatupad ni Arroyo) Totoo Series

(In time for the ninth SONA of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, opposition Sen. Francis Joseph "Chiz" G. Escudero presents his take on her performance in realizing her administration's avowed core agenda – food security, good governance, jobs, and education. In the SANA-TOTOO series of articles (video), Sen. Escudero contends that President Arroyo failed to deliver on her promise in all four key areas.)

 

Alleged corruption is Arroyo's darkest legacy -- Chiz

 

"We cannot afford to lose anything to waste or graft and corruption."

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, State of the Nation Address, 2001

ESTIMATES COULD BE AS HIGH AS P2.7-TRILLION

IN NINE YEARS

ALLEGED CORRUPTION IS ARROYO'S

DARKEST LEGACY – CHIZ

Opposition Senator Chiz Escudero yesterday said the allegations of corruption in high places may very well be the darkest legacy of the Arroyo administration's nine years in power.

"It is ironic that an administration brought to power by a rising against alleged corruption stands accused of robbing more from the country's treasury," he said.

Escudero said studies show that revenues lost annually to corruption in the Bureau of Internal Revenue is over P200 billion, while around P100 billion is diverted by grafters at the Bureau of Customs.

"Multiply it by nine years and we get P2.7 trillion in funds lost to corruption in these two bureaus alone, which is about twice our national budget for this year. All these diverted funds, even half of it, could have been used to create more jobs, build more classrooms, and turn around the impoverished lives of many of our people," he said. 

 Escudero said the Asian Development Bank cited a report by the Department of Finance showing that P242 billion had been lost to corruption in the Bureau of Internal Revenue in 2003 alone.  

In the same year,  a separate report by the UN Conference of Trade and Development reported a discrepancy of US$10 billion between recorded exports of US$44 billion to the Philippines and official government data on the country's imports  of US$34.5 billion 2003, said Escudero.

"Officials or employees of these agencies exercise discretion. In my book, discretion in government offices is equal to corruption," he said.

"The next administration must minimize discretion to minimize corruption. Eliminate discretion and you eliminate corruption. Sadly, this administration has strayed far away from the path of good governance."

Escudero said salaries of officials and employees in these bureaus should be raised to levels that will make them think twice about engaging in corrupt practices even as lifestyle checks are done periodically to further discourage thievery in the ranks.

The alleged widespread corruption in the country, he said, has not escaped the attention of the international community.

Escudero said Freedom House in its latest report said high-level corruption in the Philippines is widespread while cronyism and influence peddling remains unchecked in government and business.

He also noted the Philippines' ranking in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index has fallen sharply during Arroyo's presidency. In 2004, the country's rank was 102. It continued to plummet in 2005 when the Philippines was ranked 117th.

"In 2006, we were 121st. In 2007, our rank dived to131st. In 2008, we plunged down to 141. What can be clearer proof that this administration has failed to rid, or even minimize, corruption in government," the senator said.

 

SANA (Sana Naipatupad ni Arroyo) Totoo Series

(In time for the ninth SONA of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, opposition Sen. Francis Joseph "Chiz" G. Escudero presents his take on her performance in realizing her administration's avowed core agenda – food security, good governance, jobs, and education. In the SANA-TOTOO series of articles (video), Sen. Escudero contends that President Arroyo failed to deliver on her promise in all four key areas.)

NGOs DEMAND RELEASE OF IMPOUNDED HEALTH FUNDS

Two civil society organizations demand for  the release of P500 million funds "impounded" by President Gloria Arroyo.

 

Social Watch Philippines and the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) said in a joint statement yesterday that the funds were appropriated by Congress last year to arrest tuberculosis and other infectious diseases. The funds were impounded by the President and has yet to be released.

 

"This being her last SONA, she should commit to release the budget allocations for social development and poverty alleviation which she impounded. Like any accountable government official, she should clear her budget backlog and all other accountabilities," the joint statement said.

 

Social Watch and GCAP, prime movers of the monitoring of and campaign for the fulfillment of the millennium development goals, said that there is no way for the Arroyo government to meet its target to half poverty by 2015 as stipulated in the MDGs. The MDGs is a set of eight goals to halve poverty and hunger agreed upon by 191 countries in the year 2000.

 

"Not only is the Philippines not going to meet the MDGs, we are even in a poorer situation now," said Joel Saracho,  GCAP Philippine coordinator.

 

The statement also cited SWS survey in the first quarter of 2009 saying 47 percent or 8.7 million Filipino families consider themselves poor," and that "34.2 percent of the labor force is unemployed. The current financial crisis is expected to cause rise in joblessness and increase in food prices, thus driving more people to hunger and poverty."

 

GCAP and Social Watch said the only for SONA to be meaningful is if the President "will categorically state that there will be presidential elections in 2010 and that Congress will not convene as a Constituent Assembly."

 

"Otherwise," the two groups said, "it will just be another set of lies. And we have had enough!"

 

 

DPWH COMPLETES PUMP PRIMING PROJECTS IN MASBATE

In support with President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo's agenda of improving the country's rural infrastructure network and promoting livelihood in opportunities in the construction industries, the Department of Public Works and Highways in Masbate has completed a total of thirty four (34) Infra projects under President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo's Pump Priming Projects.

    DPWH Undersecretary Rafael C. Yabut, in-charge of Bicol operation said that in preparation for the rainy season, the Masbate 1st District Engineering Office (MFDEO) has completed a flood control project in Brgy. Tugbo-Bonbon,Milagros-Lagta,baleno and repaired a damaged bridge in Masbate City.

    Among completed during the first quarter of 2009 are the construction of potable water system at Dayao in the Municipality of Mandaon, rehabilitation of Masbate Provincial Hospital, concreting of  Malinta and Kalipay road section in Masbate City, road concreting in Pinamarbuhan, Municipality of Mobo and construction of Maingaran Approach in Masbate City.

Meanwhile, for the DepEd School Building Program, the DPWH Masbate Engineering Office has completed a total of 12 school building projects namely: 1 Classroom (CL) at Cawayan Exterior Elementary School (E/S), 1 CL in Cawayan Anas E/S, 2 CL at MNCHS and repair of PTCA at B. Titong E/S all in Masbate City; 1 CL at Pulanduta H/S, 1 CL at Jintotolo H/S and repair of 1 CL at Pulanduta H/S in Balud Masbate; 2 CL at Lahong Intr. E/S and 1 CL in Potoson E/S in Baleno Masbate; 1 CL at D. Trabado P/S, 2 CL at Matiporon E/S, 1 CL at Tawad E/S, 1 CL at San Jose E/S, 1 CL Punta Tigabo E/S, 1 CL at Tesa E/S all in Milagros Masbate; 1 CL at C. Bolon PS in Mobo Masbate; 1 CL at Lanang E/S in Aroroy Masbate.
   
Ongoing Pump Priming Projects are the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Masbate Cataingan-Placer National road - Cadre road with 35%, Masbate port national road with 32% and Circumferential road with 40% in Masbate City.

    In all of the DPWH MFDEO infrastructure program it has generated a total of 879 job opportunities, 688 of which were under the roadside maintenance program and 191 are employed in the Pump Priming Projects

NEDA NOT BLOCKING LAIBAN DAM PROJECT --- RECTO

NEDA not blocking Laiban Dam Project—Recto  

        Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ralph G. Recto said that the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is "not blocking the Laiban Dam project".

 "The NEDA, as part of its work, undertakes due diligence that would include a review of relevant documents," said Recto, who is also NEDA director-general. He added that "our concerns have been relayed to the Manila Waterworks Sewerage System as member of the Joint Venture-Selection Committee and it's up to them to consider these or not."  .

Recto also clarified that NEDA supports public-private partnerships in infrastructure development.

        The NEDA chief noted that the government has had "successful joint ventures with the private sector which have benefited our people".
         

 

Migrante dare Noli to go beyond posturing on OFW issues

 

Migrante dare Noli to go beyond posturing on OFW issues

 

Migrante International, a global alliance of Filipino migrants organizations, taunted Vice President Noli de Castro to take concrete actions on issues of OFWs instead of merely posturing as a concerned government official to grab media attention.

 

"Since Vice President Noli De Castro is the lead advocate in lifting deployment bans in war torn countries, we suggest that he investigate the existence of OFWs not only in Afghanistan but in other war torn countries as well", says Garry Martinez, chairperson of Migrante International. "Vice President Noli de Castro should start pushing blacklist companies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization base in Kabul," Matinez continues.

 

The Vice President previously suggested the lifting of the deployment ban in Lebanon claiming that it is already safe for Filipinos to work in the said country. Migrante however, questioned the proposal since the government has not yet addressed previous atrocities against domestic helpers in Lebanon.

 

Migrante claims that while helping the grieving families is important, the urgent action that should be done right now by Vice President De Castro as the Presidential Adviser for OFWs, is to also account for other Filipinos working in the said NATO base.

 

"Enough with the media posturing! VP de Castro must address immediately the plight of many OFWs in four other countries were the deployment ban was imposed". "Then a thorough investigation should be done to determine the culpability of the Flour Daniels Company in hiring the said OFWs and to determine how they were able to hire the said Filipinos", Martinez explained.

 

The four countries that have a deployment ban are Nigeria, Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan. Then DOLE Secretary Arturo Brion imposed the memorandum for the said policy on December 17, 2007.

 

"In the immediate, we suggest that government impose stringent retribution to anyone who jeopardizes the lives of OFWs abroad. In the long term however, it is imperative that jobs be generated here in our country to dissuade Filipinos from desperately seeking jobs abroad in war town countries," Martinez ended.

 

 

Cheaper consumer goods vs. trees

The controversy regarding the cutting of trees in MacArthur Highway, Pampanga appeared to have boiled down to cheaper
consumer goods versus environmental concerns as DPWH officials now say that the road expansion project will bring down price of vegetables
coming from Baguio and rice from Central Luzon.

"Much have been said about the trees, I hope people will also be mindful of the rights of the general public to faster travel
time and to be able to buy cheaper vegetables and other farm products from Central Luzon and Baguio,'' said Undersecretary Romeo Momo of the
Department of Public Works and Highways.

Momo ordered a halt in the implementation of the project Tuesday in order to hold further talks with artists and
environmentalists opposing the cutting of 5,446 trees.

According to the DPWH Regional Director Alfredo Tolentino, the widening of the of the 200-kilometer MacArthur Highway, which
stretches from Caloocan City to La Union, would speed up travel time from about four hours to about two hours in the whole stretch of the road.

"Trucks carrying vegetables, rice and meat products are the ones mostly using the MacArthur Highway to avoid paying the toll
fees at the North Luzon Expressway. Savings in fuel cost would redound to the lowering of the prices of vegetable coming from Baguio ,"
Tolentino said.

Central Luzon is known as the rice granary of the Philippines .

Tolentino describes MacArthur Highway as the ``busiest road in Central Luzon , other than the NLEX." And for such busy road,
he said traffic gridlock often hit areas that still have two lanes measuring three meters wide.

The road-widening project, he said, would increase the road lanes to four, with each measuring 3.5 meters wide. The road will
also have "shoulders" of 1.5 meters wide on the sides.

 If the project is implemented according to plans, it would cost about P6 billion and take about five years to finish.

Award-winning author launches third English-usage book

 

 

Give Your English the Winning Edge, the third book in Jose Carillo's English-usage trilogy, was formally launched last Monday (July 20) in ceremonies at the Centennial Hall A of The Manila Hotel in Manila.   Carillo and Manila Times Publishing executives led by its president and CEO Dante Francis Ang II were joined during the launching by Dr. Isagani R. Cruz, the multi-awarded writer, critic, and educator; Dr. Ma. Lourdes Bautista, professor emeritus of English and applied linguistics of the De La Salle University-Manila; John Nery, senior editor and columnist of the Philippine Daily Inquirer; Ed Maranan, writer and Hall of Famer of the Palanca Awards for Literature, and several other guests. A lively discussion about English usage in Philippine literature and journalism ensued during the program.   The 486-page volume by the National Book Award-winning author discusses the various mechanisms and tools of English for combining words and ideas into clear, logical, and engaging writing. It shows how the various connectives—the conjunctions, the conjunctive adverbs, and the prepositions—establish the six basic logical relationships in language, then demonstrates how to make them work with the various other grammar elements to form more effective, convincing, and readable expositions.               Carillo, a nationally awarded writer and editor and an internationally awarded corporate communicator, won the National Book Award for linguistics from the Manila Critics Circle in 2005 for his first English-usage book, English Plain and Simple: No-Nonsense Ways to Learn Today's Global Language. He came out in mid-2008 with his second English-usage book, The 10 Most Annoying English Grammar Errors.   A former newspaper journalist and corporate communications executive, Carillo ran a Metro Manila-based English-language services company as its general manager for nearly five years until mid-2005. He is now an independent editor and communication consultant based in Metro Manila, and writes a weekly English-usage column for both the print and online editions of The Manila Times.   Published by Manila Times Publishing, Give Your English the Winning Edge comes in regular softcover and, by order, in premium hardcover. Copies are now available in the major Metro Manila outlets of National Book Store, Powerbooks, Bestsellers, Goodwill Bookstore, Fully Booked, and Expressions. Distribution to their outlets in major cities outside Metro Manila will follow in the next few weeks.   Attachments: Advance Critiques of Give your English the Winning Edge About Jose A. Carillo   ADVANCED CRITIQUES OF JOSE CARILLO'S "GIVE YOUR ENGLISH THE WINNING EDGE":   Jose Dalisay, Jr., PhD, Director of the Institute of Creative Writing, University of the Philippines: "Jose A. Carillo's Give Your English the Winning Edge is the latest book in a series of what's become the definitive guide to the English language for Filipinos (and Americans, the English, and others). It builds on the foundations Carillo raised in English Plain and Simple and The 10 Most Annoying English Grammar Errors to present the reader with ways to gain mastery over the English language by showing how such seemingly simple but tricky concepts as ellipsis, paragraph transitions, modifiers, parallelism, and negation work. More than a grammar textbook, Give Your English the Winning Edge is an enjoyable, invigorating, and often challenging romp through the hills and valleys of language, profusely illustrated with both local and foreign examples. Fans of Carillo—count me among them—will not be disappointed. He makes perfect sense of what I and other professional writers have been trying to do intuitively over these past many years."   John Nery, Senior Editor and Columnist, Philippine Daily Inquirer: "'Our words define us,' writes the preternaturally positive Jose Carillo. Yes, and our sentences reveal us for who we are. In Give Your English the Winning Edge, Carillo offers 155 well-tempered essays on grammar, usage, and style that we can read—that we must read—to help us in our own acts of revelation. His loving mastery of the English language is a source of hope—and a happy standard we can all aspire to."   Ma. Lourdes S. Bautista, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Department of English and Applied Linguistics, De La Salle University-Manila: "Obviously, Jose Carillo loves the English language, knows his grammar, and has a style so engaging that he makes learning grammar almost painless. Indeed, the book can well be subtitled 'English Grammar Without Tears or Fears.' On top of everything, he is up-to-date on current thinking about grammar, ably highlighting the distinction between formal and informal style and deftly tackling the issue of sexist language."   Sonny Coloma, PhD in Organizational Development; Professor, Asian Institute of Management, and columnist, Business World: "This book provides a much-needed boost to the advocacy for correct and proper English speaking and writing. It is a timely resource book, especially for younger Filipinos and their parents, considering the way the current culture of text messaging has caused a massive depreciation of our ability to speak and write good English."   Maria Luz C. Vilches, PhD, Associate Professor and Dean of the School of Humanities, Loyola Schools, Ateneo de Manila University: "In an engaging way, this book offers a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of how the English language works for good, effective, and winning communication. It meticulously focuses on the grammatical makeup of English and its impact on making meaning, then considers problematic usage and how it can be avoided by paying attention to appropriate register and style in given communication contexts. Students, teachers, and professionals can trust this book to be their companion to success!"   Ed Maranan, Carlos Palanca Hall of Fame writer; winner, NCCA Writer's Prize for the English essay: "With his first two books, we thought that Jose Carillo had given us sufficient ammunition to overcome our inadequacies with English. Now he offers up yet another excellent guide to the grammatical rules and correct usage of the world's global language. The table of contents appears daunting, but one feels rewarded with a new-found confidence after going through the book. This is definitely essential reading for teachers, columnists and reporters, lawyers, public officials, job seekers, and all those who need to be competent and credible in their use of English. For the accomplished as well as for the aspiring writer, reading this book promises to be a delightful voyage of discovery."     ABOUT JOSE A. CARILLO   Jose Carillo is a nationally awarded writer and editor and an internationally awarded corporate communicator. He won a National Book Award for linguistics from the Manila Critics Circle in 2005 for his first English-usage book, English Plain and Simple: No-Nonsense Ways to Learn Today's Global Language. Previously, he had won a total of nine major industry awards in the Philippines for his work as company editor and public affairs executive. He later gained international recognition for his work as a corporate communicator, winning the Gold Quill Award of the U.S.-based International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) in 1989 and the Golden World Award of the U.K.-based International Public Relations Association (IPRA) in 1990.   A former college newspaper editor in chief, national newspaper reporter, company editor, and corporate communications executive, he ran a Metro Manila-based English-language services company as its general manager for nearly five years until mid-2005. He is now an independent editor and communication consultant based in Metro Manila, and writes a weekly English-usage column for both the print and online editions of The Manila Times..   After English Plain and Simple, Carillo came out with The 10 Most Annoying English Grammar Errors in mid-2008, followed by Give Your English the Winning Edge in July 2009. He has also maintains Jose Carillo's English Forum at http://josecarilloforum.com, a website that provides a venue for wide-ranging discussions on the use and misuse of the English language.   BOOKS BY JOSE A. CARILLO Give Your English the Winning Edge (2009) The 10 Most Annoying English Grammar Errors (2008) English Plain and Simple (2004)

DPWH Forms "Permanent" Disaster Preparedness Teams for Calamity-Prone RP

Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. has ordered the formation of permanent disaster preparedness teams in the DPWH's 174 district engineering offices to attend to emergency situations all over the country, which is known as one of the world's most calamity-prone areas.

 "We must all be prepared to attend to any calamity or disaster 24/7. Emergency situations can strike anytime and we must be ready to mobilize our men and equipment when they do," Ebdane said.

            Instead of having ad-hoc and temporary disaster preparedness teams, Ebdane said the Department of Public Works and Highways should have ``institutionalized teams and plans'' to respond to calamities and disasters.

The agency's disaster management reference book – the DPWH Road in the Philippines Handbook 2009 – says that being in the Pacific ring of fire and Pacific typhoon belt, the country experiences a variety of natural disasters due to its geographical location and physical environment.        

            "The Philippines is considered as one of the most disaster-prone countries because it is located not only along the fire ring but also along the Pacific typhoon belt," the DPWH handbook said.

According to the Philippine National Red Cross, 31,835 Filipinos were killed and 94,369,462 others were affected by natural disasters and calamities in a span of 20 years.

Furthermore, 5,809,986 Filipinos were killed or injured as a result of disasters or man-made calamities over a ten-year period (1992-2001). 

Every year, about 20 tropical cyclones enter the archipelago and leave damaging effects such as floods and landslides. On the other hand, of the 200 Philippine volcanoes located along the seismic belt, 22 are classified as active.

The DPWH disaster preparedness teams are composed of men with expertise in transportation and logistics; monitoring and evaluation; rescue and assistance; communication and public information; and repair and restoration of damaged roads and bridges.

 

The team is expected to deploy service vehicles and dump trucks and identify vehicular alternate routes in calamity areas.

"All sorts of equipment like bulldozer, grader, and loader are readily available in every district in case of any disaster operations. We also have a stock of gravel and sand for emergency patching of roads," DPWH-Region 8 Director Angelito Twaño said of the disaster teams that have been put in place on orders of Ebdane.

                                                         

DPWH OFFERS TECHNICAL SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS IN DAVAO

In line with the government massive job generations and skills development program, the Department of Public Works and Highways in Davao in cooperation with the Technology Education and Skills Development Authority opens a Training Center for Heavy Equipment Operation in Davao City.
DPWH Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr. said that the opening of the new DPWH Heavy Equipment Training Center is part of the department's Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program or CLEEP of the government.
" This is included in the Memorandum of Understanding between the DPWH, DOLE and TESDA which aims not only to provide employment opportunities among the unemployed but also provide free skills development to train them with the needed manpower requirements in the construction industry locally and abroad" Ebdane said.
Among the courses offered are Forklift Operator, wheel Loader Operator and Hydraulic Excavator. The training period will be 156 hours or 20 days mostly done in hands on training.
During its launching, the DPWH Heavy Equipment Training Center had accepted a total of 70 out-of-school youths among which are also given a scholarship grant of P15,000 pesos and allowance of P 60.00 per day under the Pangulong Gloria Scholarship Program of TESDA.
Among the resource persons and assessors of the training course are heavy equipment specialists of the DPWH 11th Regional Equipment and Area Service in Tagum City under regional Equipment Engineer Lorenzo Yumang.
The classes started last July 13, 2009 and will end on August 4, 2009. In coordination with the DOLE, TESDA had guaranteed fifty percent of the graduates will be hired within six months, Yumang said.

Chiz asks government to speed up rehab of rail links outside Metro

Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday welcomed the the new Philippine National Railway (PNR) commuter trains that ply the Tutuban, Manila to Sucat, Paranaque route, but urged government to speed up the rehabilitation of long-neglected rail links outside Metro Manila.

 

 "It's good that commuters now have a cheaper and faster way of traveling around Metro Manila. The government however should fast-track the rehabilitation of the Luzon line," he said.

 

"One knows the potential of a hi-speed railway system that runs from La Union to Legazpi City, the businesses it will spawn, the jobs it will create and, most importantly, the pride it will generate," the 39-year old lawmaker from Sorsogon said.

 

He also said a well maintained rail network would complement existing highways to the provinces as well as ports and airports, adding that many growth areas in the world feature an integrated multi-modal transport system to ensure the faster movement of goods and people at competitive costs.

 

Although the government said the Manila-Bicol route will restart by the end of the year and that it is currently rehabilitating the Caloocan to Bulacan portion of the tracks, Escudero said it should also be planning for the long-term by conducting feasibility studies for other routes.

 

He also said government should also re-evaluate plans for establishing the Mindanao Railway System (MRS) to spur development on the island through the establishment of commercial centers along rail networks and stations.

 

The proposed MRS network will have a total length of approximately 1,726 kilometers consisting of eight lines that will connect Davao City to Zamboanga City, with the route passing Cotabato City, General San City, Butuan City, Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City and Dipolog City.

 

War vs drug gangs, Abu Sayyaf won't be won by sound bites

 

Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday said the war against drug gangs and the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers won't be won by sound bites but by a consistent and unrelenting campaign against both menaces.  

""Declaring an all out war against drugs and setting a date for the elimination of the Abu Sayyaf are good sound bites. But I believe we have heard this all before," the 39-year old lawmaker said.  

"Why only declare a war against drugs now when any administration is supposed to be doing so from Day One? How many times have the Abu Sayyaf resurrected itself after being declared a nuisance?" asked Escudero.

Data from law enforcers reveal that the country has at least 3.4 million drug users while the 2009 World Report released by the United Nations recently said the Philippines was fifth after China, the US, Thailand and Taiwan in terms of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) seizures from 1998-2007. 

In the World Drug Report 2008 released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Philippines was listed as the country with the biggest number of illegal drug-users in Southeast Asia.

Escudero added the fact that the president herself continues to act as the anti-drug czar may indicate her lack of confidence in the military and police to resolve the drug problem.

"What is required is honest-to-goodness sleuthing that will ensure the operations of these enemies of the state are stopped and their leaders brought to the bar of justice," he said.

 

DPWH MAYON VOLCANO DISASTER PREPAREDNESS TEAM ACTIVATED

To minimize damage to life and property in the possible event of a full blown eruption of Mayon Volcano, Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane, Jr. ordered the reactivation of DPWH-Region V Disaster Preparedness Team in the province of Albay.

Ebdane said that he directed DPWH Undersecretary Rafael Yabut, in-charge of Bicol Region Operations to oversee the deployment of the disaster prepared team since the Philippine Institute of Vulcanology and Seismology has already raised the alert level 1 (abnormal) to alert level 2 (alarming) last July 10, 2009.

"The DPWH Mayon Disaster Preparedness Team is composed of maintenance crew, medical personnel, deployment of service vehicles and dump trucks for emergency evacuation" Yabut said. It should be working 24/7 without letup, said Yabut.

Meanwhile, DPWH Region V Director Orlando Roces said that in coordination with the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council and the Provincial Government of Albay they have also identified vehicular alternate routes and evacuation plan in case of volcanic eruption..

" To assure the continuous flow of traffic, we also have available bailey panel bridge components that can be immediately deployed and assembled in case a bridge will be damaged by flow of volcanic debris along river channels" Roces added.

Chiz asks Senate to probe infighting in sports groups

 

Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero yesterday asked the Senate to look into bitter rivalry among the country's top sports officials which could doom the chances of the country's athletes in the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos this December.

"Our athletes have become unwilling spectators to this sad spectacle. It is now time to act on the issues that have prejudiced the country's preparations for the Laos Games," the 39-year old lawmaker said.

Escudero filed Senate Resolution No. 1199, which asks the Committee on Games, Amusement and Sports to investigate the ongoing rift between the leaderships of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).

In his resolution, Escudero said the conflicting policies among leaders of the PSC, POC and various sports organizations has stalled the finalization of the actual composition of the Philippine team for the Laos Games. 

"The continuous tension among sports organizations and their leaders, especially between the PSC and the POC, practically puts all Filipino athletes in limbo, whether they will be officially competing or not, which negatively affects their practice and focus," he said.

Last week, Escudero called on POC President Jose "Peping" Cojuangco Jr. and PSC Chairman Harry Angping to patch up their difference and focus on the upcoming games. 

Cojuangco has reportedly been at odds with Angping since the latter assumed the top PSC post in February of this year. The former had earlier called on Escudero to seek a Senate probe on the ongoing dispute.

"I hope that the intervention of the Senate will lead to a resolution of the issues so our athletes and sport officials can work together to bring honor to our country in Laos," Escudero said.

 "The least that the Senate can do is to enact legislation that will prevent these disputes from happening again. There are no medals to be won in this type of competition," he said.

 

Delay in Issuing EO on Cheaper Meds Allows Firms to Rake in Profits - Chiz

Opposition Sen. Chiz Escudero said yesterday the delay in the implementation of the maximum ceiling on retail prices of essential medicines gives drug firms a window to rake in profits which they may have lost if it had earlier been imposed by government.

 

"The P500-million in discounts allegedly offered by a drug firm may be peanuts compared to the profits earned by the pharmaceutical companies because of the delay in the issuance of the executive order," he said.

 

Escudero suggested that this could be the reason why the administration flip-flopped on price control when the law clearly says a maximum ceiling must be imposed on 22 essential medicines.

 

He said that the government’s meeting with officials of drug firms was improper and uncalled for since the law will have to be implemented whether they like it or not.

 

"The issuance of this executive order could have given immediate relief to many of our  families who are burdened by health care costs especially the high cost of essential medicines," Escudero said.

"The meeting in the Palace was obviously a lobbying session and apparently succeeded for a palace functionary is now mouthing words expressed by a senior official of the country's biggest drug distribution firm," he said.

 

Escudero said it is lamentable that President Arroyo did not think it urgent enough to sign the executive order before leaving for Egypt.

 

"To speak about unity among the non-aligned is well and good. But when your country is wracked by three-front rebellion and a widening gap between rich and poor, it smacks of hypocrisy and delusion to the highest degree. This highlights the kind of priorities this administration has and explains the people's increasing dissatisfaction with her," he said.  

 

According to fact sheet of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), the prices of drugs in the country are among the highest in Asia. A survey of ASEAN countries shows that retail prices of medicines in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand are 40 to 70 percent lower than in the Philippines.

IPU taps Drilon to monitor trial of Cambodian opposition MP

Former Senate President Frank Drilon was designated by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), a worldwide organization of parliamentarians, as its representative and observer in next week's trial of Cambodian opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Mu Soncha who is facing a defamation suit filed by strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen.

 

Drilon was informed of his designation by Anders Johnson, IPU secretary general, and Ingeborg Schwarz, secretary of the IPU Committee on Human Rights of Parliamentarians, who said IPU was closely monitoring the celebrated trial of Mu Soncha, a member of the Cambodian National Assembly and a known advocate of women and children's rights.

 

Mu Soncha, a one-time Nobel Prize nominee and a former Minister of Women Affairs, was in the forefront of the campiagn against the sex and human trafficking trade in Cambodia and was vocal against the Hun Sen government's alleged failure to crackdown on offenders.

 

She will to undergo trial Friday in Phnom Penh on a defamation countersuit filed by Hun Sen in retaliation to an earlier suit she filed against the prime minister. The case against Hun Sen was earlier dismissed by the courts.

 

Mu Soncha claimed the courts were biased and that no lawyer in Cambodia was courageous enough to represent for fear of reprisal from government.  "I intend to put the (Cambodian) justice system on trial," she was quoted as saying recently.

Phay Siphan, a Cambodian government spokesman, dismissed Mu Soncha's claims that the courts were biased. But the accusations have gained traction among international human rights groups, as well as donor countries, which pledged almost US$1 billion in foreign aid to Cambodian last year.

Reports said the Cambodian government launched at least nine criminal lawsuits against politicians, journalists and activists recently. Critics such as Human Rights Watch accuse the ruling Cambodia People's Party of using the legal system to silence opposition voices.

Johnson and Ingeborg informed Drilon that he was chosen as IPU trial observer and representative in his capacity as former chairman of the IPU Human Rights for Parliementarians Committee and as a former justice secretary in the Philippines.

In July 2006, Drilon was elected chairman of the IPU committee, a prestigious international body that investigates violations of human rights of lawmakers. He is the first Filipino legislator to be elected to the position since the IPU was established in 1889.

The IPU, the oldest multilateral political organization, brings together 146 affiliated parliaments and seven associated regional assemblies. It is based in Geneva, Switzerland. It serves as a Permanent Observer at the United Nations. The IPU Committee of Human Rights of Parliamentarians was established in 1976 and was created to ensure that the human rights of the world's parliamentary community - composed of more than 40,000 members - are respected.

In 2005 Drilon was elected assembly president of the 112th General Assembly which was held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila and was attended by over 1,500 parliamentarians from over 45 countries. Prior to his election as president of the IPU assembly, Drilon was also a member of the IPU Executive Committee.\

NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT CONVENES SCIENTISTS IN A FORUM TO CRITICALLY LOOK AT GMOs

The Network Opposed to GMOs (NO to GMOs), a nationwide movement among peasants, scientists, consumers, academe, greens, NGOs, convened today a forum on the GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) technologies that are upon us and what this means to the Philippines.

The lead presentor is an international scientist and biochemist engineer, Camilo Rodriguez-Beltran who gave a presentation on "International Trends on GM Technologies and the Modern Applications of Biotechnologies."

Beltran gave the context of GMOs globally but also situated the role that the Philippines plays with this technology in the world. He gave an overview of the current developments in such areas as GM mosquitoes, GM animals, GM bacteria and GM plants for industrial and nutritional purposes

The Philippines was the first country in Asia to allow field testing and commercialization of GM crops. Today, many farmlands; particularly in Mindanao have been planted with GM crops; mostly used as feeds. Several GM crops are now being redied as food for direct human consumption. The government is positioning the country as a GM technology exporter in this
part of the world.

Local scientists Dr. Chito Medina of MASIPAG and Dr. Emer Borromeo emphasized on this as they gave a local situation on GM technologies. Dr. Medina focused on GM Rice while Dr. Borromeo focused on GM applications in Egglant, Papaya, Peanuts and others.

Dr. Maria Rowena R. Romana-Eguia of the South East Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDC) gave a presentation on GM application in Tilapia.

Beltran emphasized that "...specific risk appear with these organisms not only because of their nature but also because of their application." He specified on latest research that has given more knowledge about the safety of these products; particularly on new knowledge in health and environmental effects of the two traits currently release in the Philippines: Insect and
herbicide resistant crops.

He noted that "knowledge on latest research is important in order to provide awareness and a starting point for discussion on the appropiateness of this technology in the context of the Philippines."

The forum was capped with a presentation by Attorney Ping Peria of the Third World Network (TWN) on "Different Strategies in Pushing GM in the Philippines" that lead to the planning session of the network on how to pursue further their campaign against GMOs in the Philippines.

POLO assists distressed OFWs, victims of contract substitution in Libya

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said utmost efforts were set in place to address the complaints of distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Libya.

Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito D. Roque said the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Tripoli has promptly looked into the plight of 131 OFWs upon receiving their complaints against their employer in Benghazi, Libya.

Roque, citing a report from Tripoli-based Labor Attaché Nasser Mustafa, said the POLO found the complaints legitimate and subsequently started making representations with the OFWs' employer to address the complaints.

The OFWs complained of poor accommodation, substandard toilets, insufficient food and medical facilities, absence of safety gadgets, and downgraded and delayed salaries.

The DOLE Chief said the employer had acknowledged the shortcomings and assured the POLO that it would rectify the problem on accommodation, food, and sanitary and safety needs of the OFWs.

The employer, he added, was also told to comply with the OFWs' contract provision on salaries as it would be against the rules of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to downgrade the OFWs' salaries.

Roque said the POLO in Tripoli constantly made follow-ups with the employer to ensure its compliance with the demands of the OFWs, adding the POEA was prepared to investigate the former and the concerned recruitment agency in case the employer failed to address the OFWs' complaints.

Nonetheless, 11 of the OFWs found new employment with another company in Libya. The Tripoli-based POLO negotiated for the official release of the OFWs who had already started working for their new employer in Libya. The POLO will also negotiate for the release of the rest of the distressed OFWs who would soon be absorbed by a big construction Libyan firm.

Meanwhile, the POEA suspended two recruitment agencies, Aquagem Int'l and Sharikat Al Saedi, Int'l following investigation indicating that the OFWs they deployed to Libya suffered contract substitution. The OFWs' employer, Cifex World, was placed on the watchlist by the same agency.

Mustafa, thus emphasized that there is no truth to recent unfair reports that he had allegedly "defended the substituted contracts" in behalf of the erring agencies, while acting as a "spokesman" for the watchlist Libyan company, to the disadvantage of the victimized OFWs.

On the contrary, the Labor Attaché made it clear that when 13 of the OFWs ran away from the workplace last February, he immediately urged them to execute an affidavit against the blatant contract substitution forced them by the erring recruiters.

He added that 32 other OFWs, forced through the contract substitution to endure similar sub-standard conditions, were also duly assisted by the POLO in Tripoli after they were subsequently forced to run away last April.

It appeared, Mustafa said that the two recruiters had first asked the OFWs to sign the standard contract which had been verified. However, before the victims left for the airport on the way to Libya, they were forced to sign another contract with a lower salary and with different terms and conditions than those binding under the standard contract.

In the host country, Mustafa initiated continuous mediation and conciliation efforts in behalf of the runways, while ensuring their safe refuge and all-out assistance necessary to ease their plight.

As a result, he compelled the erring recruiters to shoulder responsibility in ensuring the repatriation expenses of OFWs back to the Philippines. Furthermore, through his mediation, the firm paid the workers' remaining salaries before their repatriation, and to issue them their final exit permit from the host country.