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PECO gets provisional authority to continue power distribution in Iloilo

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By Emme Rose S. Santiagudo, Correspondent

PANAY ELECTRIC Co., Inc. (PECO) has been granted provisional authority by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to continue operating in Iloilo City as the company’s certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) expires Saturday (May 25).

The provisional CPCN is contained in a May 21 order issued following an ERC en banc deliberation.

“Under the law, we (the ERC) are authorized to grant PECO the necessary provisional CPCN during the interim period or until MORE (Electric and Power Co.), the legislative franchisee, has established and can fully operate its own distribution system,” ERC Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Agnes VST Devanadera said in a statement on Friday.

The franchise of PECO, which has been operating in Iloilo City for 95 years, expired last January.

Congress granted MORE Power a new franchise for the city through Republic Act (RA) 11212, but the new company has yet to secure a CPCN.

The two firms are currently locked in court battles.

In issuing the provisional CPCN, ERC cited Section 17 of RA 11212, which grants a provisional authority to PECO to operate the distribution system until MORE Power establishes its own system and completes its transition period not exceeding two years.

Ms. Devanadera clarified that the provisional CPCN granted to PECO during the transition period “shall not be construed as extending the franchise of PECO which already expired on January 18.”

MORE Power Chief Executive Officer and President Roel Z. Castro, sought for comment, said, “That’s proper… The beneficiaries are customers. At the end of the day we’re always looking at the welfare of the consumers.”

EXPROPRIATION CASE
Meanwhile, the Iloilo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 37 has postponed the proceedings for MORE Power’s petition to acquire PECO’s assets, which was scheduled last Thursday (May 23).

Iloilo RTC Judge Marie Yvette D. Go deferred the hearing on the writ of possession filed by MORE Power while she decides on PECO’s motion to suspend the entire proceedings.

MORE Power filed the case to take over PECO’s distribution system and other physical assets after securing its congressional franchise.

PECO, on the other hand, filed a petition before the Mandaluyong RTC Branch 209 questioning the authority granted to MORE Power as contained in RA 11212.

PECO argued that allowing MORE Power to take over its assets is “arbitrary and confiscatory and that the law authorizing such is not for public purpose.”

In an interview on Wednesday, PECO Administrative Manager Marcelo U. Cacho pointed out that before any expropriation could take place, all court cases must first be resolved.

“The Constitutional question (before the Mandaluyong RTC) is a grave and a serious matter, that will be a precedent to future actions and decisions, so that should be answered before expropriation can happen,” Mr. Cacho said.

PECO officials have previously said that they intend to again file for an extension of their franchise under the incoming 18th Congress.

Duterte, Abe expected to discuss peace in South China Sea

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PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO/KARL NORMAN ALONZO

THE bilateral meeting between President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on May 31 will include a discussion on “peace and stability” in the disputed South China Sea, according to Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Meynardo LB. Montealegre.

In a press briefing at the Palace on Friday, Mr. Montealegre said the seventh meeting between Messrs. Duterte and Abe, at the sidelines of the Nikkei Conference on the Future of Asia, is an “opportunity for both leaders to take stock of the progress of the strengthened strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan.”

He said the two leaders are expected to discuss both countries’ partnership in the areas of “defense and security, economic cooperation, infrastructure development, the entry of Filipino skilled workers to Japan, and Japanese assistance for the development of the Bangsamoro region in Mindanao.”

There will also be “exchange of views on regional issues of mutual concern, including the Korean Peninsula and the South China Sea.”

Asked what issues will be raised by the President regarding the South China Sea, he said: “Well, the peace and stability in the region is a mutual concern to both the Philippines and Japan. And the South China Sea is central in this regard.”

“The Philippines, for its part, has always affirmed its commitment to uphold the principles of freedom of navigation and overflight, freedom of commerce and other lawful activities, exercise of self-restraint and the peaceful resolution of disputes,” he added.

NIKKEI CONFERENCE
Mr. Duterte’s address at the Nikkei Conference on the Future of Asia on May 31 will likely highlight his assertion on Asia’s independence in directing its own future, said Mr. Montealegre.

“The President will likely assert Asia’s role in charting its own future even as we affirmed the larger international frameworks and mechanisms that have given birth through the Asian century we now enjoy,” Mr. Montealegre said.

He added: “He will likely also highlight how addressing… domestic imperatives provides the conditions by which we will collectively shape Asia’s future.”

Mr. Montealegre said Mr. Duterte’s participation in this year’s conference is upon the invitation of the newspaper and media group Nikkei, Inc.

This will be Mr. Duterte’s third visit to Japan since he assumed office in 2016.

“The Nikkei Conference on the Future of Asia is an annual meeting held in Tokyo. This conference gathers government and business leaders to share their respective assessment of Asia’s prospects and their ideas as to the direction Asia should chart for itself. With its solid track record of featuring Asian leaders and speakers, the conference has earned a reputation of being one of Asia’s top foreign policy in economic fora,” Mr. Montealegre said.

The theme of this year’s two-day conference is “Seeking a New Global Order — Overcoming the Chaos.” Mr. Duterte is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech on May 31.

Mr. Montealegre said other Asian leaders who are expected to address the conference are Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad of Malaysia, Prime Minister Sheik Hasina of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia, and Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith of the Laos.

He added that the deputy prime ministers of Vietnam and Singapore will also be attending the conference, along with ministers from Japan, Brunei, Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia.

Whether the President will meet the Filipino community in Japan,Mr. Montealegre said: “There are preparations for the possible meeting with the Filipino community. Details of which are being finalized…. It’s being arranged.”

He said that no government-to-government deals are expected to be signed aside from the business-to-business agreements that are being arranged by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). — Arjay L. Balinbin

DILG to go after ‘narco-politicians’ who won elections

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DESPITE winning in the recent midterm elections, politicians on the so-called ‘narcolist’ are not off the hook as the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said it will still pursue administrative charges filed against them.

Last March, the DILG filed administrative charges of grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, conduct unbecoming of a public officer, and gross neglect of duty before the Office of the Ombudsman against 46 politicians whom President Rodrigo R. Duterte said were involved in the narcotics trade.

“The purpose of President Duterte in releasing the names was to inform the public of the local officials who are linked to the drug trade. The fact that some of them lost is already a substantial victory for us because if we didn’t release the names, more, if not all, could have won the election,” said DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año.

Of the 46 politicians on the president’s list, 37 ran for public office during the last elections, and 26 won.

The winning politicians on Mr. Duterte’s list include two congressmen, one vice-governor, 18 mayors, three vice-mayors, one councilor, and one board member. The politicians are said to come from Calabarzon, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, Ilocos Region, Northern Mindanao, Western Visayas, Central Luzon, Zamboanga Peninsula, SOCCKSARGEN, and Caraga.

“Kahit na pinalad silang manalo, tuloy pa rin ang administrative cases laban sa kanila (Even though they won the elections, the administrative cases filed against them will still continue). Hindi pa rin sila makakalusot kung sila ay mapapatunayang sangkot talaga sa iligal na droga (They will still not get out of this if it is proven that they are involved in the illegal drugs business),” said Mr. Año.

Mr. Año also said that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will pursue the criminal cases as they have the evidence necessary for case build up.

Further, the DILG chief said that there is a possibility that drug money was used during the election campaign.

“It’s not impossible that drug money was used in the campaign so that could have been a factor in their victory considering the prevalence of vote buying in the last election,” he said. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

Election winners must submit campaign expense reports or they can’t assume office — Comelec

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AFTER the proclamation of all the winners in the 2019 National and Local Elections (NLE), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is calling on all winning candidates and parties to submit their campaign expenses otherwise they will not be able to assume office.

In a press briefing on Friday, Comelec Spokesperson James B. Jimenez said all candidates must submit their statement of contributions and expenses (SOCE) before the deadline.

“Under the law, all candidates and electoral parties are required to submit their SOCE within 30 days after the elections,” he said. This applies even to the losers.

Since the last day of filing for the SOCE is June 12 which is Independence Day, Mr. Jimenez said that filing has been extended to the next day, June 13.

Filing is crucial for the winning candidates and partylist groups — “Until the submission of SOCE, the winning candidate shall not assume office,” Mr. Jimenez stressed.

The Comelec noted that the submission of SOCE is required even if a campaign was self-funded or there were no expenditures incurred. The poll body also said candidates who cut short their campaign or withdrew their candidacy after the official start of campaign period are still required to submit their SOCE.

Administrative sanctions will be ordered against candidates and parties that do not file their SOCE.

SOCE requirements include three hard copies and one soft copy (in PDF file) of their SOCE. Mr. Jimenez noted that “Submission of SOCE via registered mail, courier, or messenger services shall not be accepted.” — Gillian M. Cortez

Election violence to trigger clan violence says NGO

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FRAUD and violence in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) during the recently concluded national elections will lead to a multitude of conflicts, a UK-based non-government organization reported.

International Alert’s post election bulletin said that the violence that attended the recent elections is expected to create new conflicts as political differences mutate into identity-based conflict.

“Indeed, fights between politicians are re-erupting as fights between clans,” said the report.

This, it said, is expected to be seen in critical areas such as Lanao del Sur, especially in Marawi, and in Maguindanao, especially in Cotabato City.

The group’s critical events monitoring system recorded 144 reports of election-related incidents from May 11 to 13 — 108 of these on May 13, election day itself — in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao including Cotabato City, parts of North Cotabato, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

Most of these election-related incidents involved rivalry between clans that could led to revenge killing in the future.

“The practice of exacting revenge makes grudges and feuds between individuals and families linger and fester, and disagreement over the election results by rivals or promises not kept between allies of convenience will beget new tensions and violence,” the group reported.

International Alert noted that “local demand for more effective means to monitor and respond to conflict will rise in response to the flash points that occurred before, during, and after the elections in these places.”

The group noted that while there were fewer shooting incidents between rival candidates and supporters this year compared to previous elections, grenades and improvised explosive devices were used to scare the public this time around.

“Instead, grenades and improvised explosive devices went off to scare voters and to preoccupy the police and military deputized by the Commission on Elections to ensure order during the polls,” said International Alert.

Another problem cited by the group was the alleged disenfranchisement and fraud committed by poll watchers and barangay officials in BARMM.

“There were more blatant instances of vote-rigging… according to reports. Barangay officials partial for certain candidates reportedly stopped voters perceived to support the other candidates from entering the polling precincts and undertook the shading of ballots themselves,” said the report.

It added, “poll watchers also reportedly checked the entry of voters to the precincts by letting in only those who would vote for their candidates. In other instances, they allegedly checked how the ballots were shaded.”

The group also said that in the worst cases, poll watchers used intimidation to force voters to vote for their candidates. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

Duterte replaces MWSS chief

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PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte announced on Thursday that he has chosen a new chairman of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), saying retired Army General Ricardo Morales will take over.

Mr. Duterte made the announcement at a thanksgiving party given for Senator-elect Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go in Davao City on Thursday night.

The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) e-mailed a transcript of the President’s speech making the announcement on Friday evening to reporters.

“Hindi ako pumapayag ng corruption…. Ang kinuha kong chairman sa MWSS, si Dick Morales, Dick…. ’Yon ’yung sundalo na RAM na nahuli sa Malacañan. Rebelde pala,” he said. (I do not allow corruption…. I got Dick Morales to be chairman of the MWSS…. He is the RAM soldier who was caught in Malacañan. He is a rebel)

This announcement comes after the water supply crisis hit Metro Manila in March.

On March 20, Mr. Duterte told MWSS officials and water concessionaires to “shape up or ship out” and even threatened to terminate the concession agreements.

He said he would appoint Filipino engineers working abroad to replace current MWSS officials. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Garbage to be returned to Hong Kong

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THE garbage that was illegally imported into Misamis Oriental from Hong Kong will be sent back, Malacañang said on Friday.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said in a statement on Friday afternoon that the Bureau of Customs (BoC) discovered the entry of “mixed plastic wastes” from Hong Kong into Misamis Oriental. The shipment was declared as “assorted electronic accessories,” he said.

“We understand that the BOC would export this illegal shipment back to its port of origin,” he added.

Mr. Panelo called on concerned agencies of the government “to continue exercising vigilance and hinder the entry of such shipments of garbage into our territorial jurisdiction at the first instance.

“The Palace reiterates the firm position of the Republic of the Philippines that it will not allow its territory to be treated as a dumping ground for trash by any foreign country or entity,” he said.

In a news conference on Thursday, Mr. Panelo expressed disappointment over a reported shipment of garbage from Australia to Misamis Oriental.

“It will be offensive to this government to be a recipient of trash or ‘basura.’ We are offended by that. We will not allow it. We’ll send them back,” he said.

He said the government will ask the importer to ship the trash back to Australia.

“Ipapabalik natin sa kanila (We have them ship [the garbage] back).” — Arjay L. Balinbin

50% of Filipinos see life improving over next 12 months — SWS

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FIFTY percent of Filipinos foresee a good year ahead while only 4% expect it to to get worse, according to the First Quarter 2019 Social Weather Survey conducted by the Social Weathers Stations (SWS).

The non-commissioned survey said that 50% of the 1,440 Filipino adult respondents nationwide are “Expecting their personal quality of live to improve in the next 12 months (‘optimists’)” Only 4% of respondents said they expect their lives to get worse (“pessimists”), for a Net Optimists score of +47 (percentage of optimists minus percentage of pessimists, correctly rounded). The SWS classifies this score as “excellent.”

The survey, conducted on March 28 to 31, also found that 38% of adult Filipinos said their lives improved (termed by SWS as “gainers”) and 21% said their lives worsened (“losers”) in the last 12 months. This is a Net Gainers score of +17 (percentage of gainers minus the percentage of losers), which SWS classifies as “very high.”

The classifications for Net Gainers, Net Personal Optimists, and Net Economic Optimists is as follows — Net Gainers: +20 and up is “excellent,” +10 to +19 is “very high,” +1 to +9 is “high,” -9 to 0 is “fair,” -19 to -10 is “mediocre,” -29 to -20 is “low,” and -30 and below is “very low”; Net Personal Optimists: +40 and up is “excellent,” +30 to +39 is “very high,” +20 to +29 is “high,” +10 to +19 is “fair,” +1 to +9 is “mediocre,” -9 to 0 is “low,” and -10 and below is “very low”; Net Economic Optimists: +20 and up is “excellent,” +10 to +19 is “very high,” +1 to +9 is “high,” -9 to 0 is “fair,” -19 to -10 is “mediocre,” -29 to -20 is “low,” and -30 and below is “very low”

For the second consecutive quarter, the Net Personal Optimists score remained “excellent” at +47. This is higher than the Net Optimist Score of +40 reported in December 2018. This is the fist time it has remained “excellent” for two consecutive quarters since in the period between June 2017 and June 2018, said SWS.

The Net Personal Optimists score rose in all areas except Metro Manila (+42 in March 2019 from +44 in December 2018) but this was still in the “excellent” range. In Balance Luzon, it rose from +40 in December 2018 to a record +52 in March 2019. The previous record was +47 in June 1997.

Mindanao and the Visayas also saw their Net Personal Optimists Score rise. Mindanao’s score went from +44 to +47 (both “excellent”) while the Visayas went from +34 to +37 (both “very high”).

Among the classes, SWS said “Net Personal Optimists was highest among class D with an increase of 7 points, from +41 (excellent) in December 2018 to +48 (excellent) in March 2019.”

Class ABC went from +51 in December 2018 to +46 in March 2019. Class E also saw a rise in their Net Personal Optimists score, from +35 to +39 in the same periods.

Filipinos outlook on the Philippine economy also remained rosy, with 45% saying they are optimistic that it will improve in the next 12 months while 10% were pessimistic that any improvement will be seen in the local economy.

This translates to an Net Economic Optimists Score of +35 (excellent), rising three points from the +32 in December 2018. Mindanao had the highest Net Economic Optimists Score of all the regions in March, with +44 but this is lower than its December 2018 score of +50. The Visayas also saw a decrease and is the lowest of all regions in March, with a Net Economic Optimists score of +25 from +30 in December 2018.

Balance Luzon’s score was +36 in March from +26 in December 2018 while Metro Manila was +30 from +27.

Among classes, Class E saw a decline in its Net Economic Optimists score from +30 to +28. For the other classes, the Net Economic Optimists score rose in Class ABC (from +21 to +27) and Class D (+34 to +37).

For his part, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said that the results of the SWS survey just prove that there was an improvement in quality and outlook of life for Filipinos.

“These results once again emphasize that our people see and appreciate the President’s tireless efforts to improve and bring about genuine and positive change to the nation. This is yet another loud repudiation against — and yet another wake-up call to — the critics and detractors of the Duterte administration… who continuously and deliberately ignore our achievements which redound to the benefit of the Filipino masses,” he said in a statement to reporters on Friday. — Gillian M. Cortez with a report from Arjay L. Balinbin

CSO’s with anti-extremism projects to receive $3-M grant

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CIVIL society organizations (CSOs) with community-level projects addressing violent extremism will be the recipients of a grant of around $3 million said the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said that the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), a non-profit Swiss foundation, recently partnered with the Philippine government for its campaign on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism.

“One of the priorities of DILG is the protection of peace and safety of Filipino communities through the prevention of violent extremism. Now having GCERF as a partner towards the achievement of this goal further empowers our locales in addressing this issue,” he was quoted as saying in a press statement.

Mr. Año said that the funding from GCERF will focus on areas in the whole country that are vulnerable to violent extremism.

The DILG said that the CSOs’ projects should target in-school and out-of-school youth; youth support networks; and social media users vulnerable to radicalization.

In the same press statement, DILG Assistant Secretary Alexander L. Macario noted that the CSOS should propose projects “that will build tolerance, where violent extremists recruit the marginalized; community agency, where violent extremists exploit governance challenges; positive social and economic alternatives to what violent extremist groups claim to offer; and critical thinking and life skills as protection against violent extremism recruitment.”

“We are very excited about the prospects of this partnership with GCERF as this will also complement the efforts of the Philippine government to end the 50-year local communist armed conflict in the country,” said Mr. Macario.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte has earlier created the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, comprised of different government agencies, which adopts a whole-of-nation approach in ending the communist insurgency in the country. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras

SC reverses conviction of man accused of selling marijuana

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THE Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the release of a man imprisoned for allegedly selling a small packet of marijuana to police, reversing his conviction for drug charges.

In the High Court decision signed by SC Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin, the SC said that Rogelio Yagao has been acquitted “for failure to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt for the violation of Section 5, Article II, of Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).” The SC also “reverses and sets aside” the ruling of the Court of Appeals (CA) from 2014 which upheld a 2011 conviction of Mr. Yagao by the Cagayan De Oro Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 25.

The SC has ordered the Davao Prison and Penal Farm to immediately release Mr. Yagao.

The decision reasoned that the police “did not establish the guilt of the accused-appellant for the crime with which he was charged.”

In 2006, Mr. Yagao was arrested during a buy-bust operation in Cagayan De Oro.

The High Court stated that police “failed to establish the essential element of delivery of the dangerous drug by the accused-appellant to the poseur buyer.” This was because the police who acted as the undercover buyer arrested Mr. Yagao before he could hand over the packet of 7.4 grams of dried marijuana. This meant that no sale of the marijuana transpired.

“This is precisely why the operation is aptly denominated as a ‘buy-bust.’ In this case, however, the operation was merely a ‘bust’ in view of the absence of a sale,” the SC added

The High Court also noted that the police did not follow procedure in the initial custody of the drugs seized. They said that “serious unjustifiable gaps broke the chain of custody of the confiscated marijuana.”

The police failed to mark the packet of marijuana following Mr. Yagao’s arrest even after they brought the accused to the police station. Inconsistencies in the police’s testimonies also played a part in failing to establish credibility in their chain of custody.

“Hence, their incrimination of the accused-appellant was fully discredited and should not be allowed to stand. As a result, we should doubt the stated reason for the arrest,” the SC decision said. — Gillian M. Cortez

CTRP’s passage to boost PHL credit rating

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S&P GLOBAL Ratings’ recent sovereign rating upgrade of the Philippines should convince lawmakers to pass the whole of Comprehensive Tax Reform Package (CTRP) so the country can get an “A”-level grade “in two years,” Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said on Friday.

“I’m sure that the Senate and the House, the Senate in particular, can see the benefits of what they did (with TRAIN). They are the ones who enabled this credit upgrading by passing the bill,” Mr. Dominguez was quoted as saying in a statement.

The first CTRP package — the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law — was cited by S&P as among the key strengths that led it to raise the Philippines’ long-term sovereign credit rating from BBB to BBB+ with a “stable” outlook — just a step away from an “A”-level rating.

S&P also said in its assessment report that the passage of the rest of the CTRP packages could lead to another credit rating upgrade. Mr. Dominguez said the administration’s economic team will work on getting an “A” rating “in two years.”

A higher credit rating lets the government and private companies here borrow funds abroad at a cheaper cost.

Mr. Dominguez said a debt rating upgrade will save the government roughly P3 billion in interest payments on its debt securities issued earlier this year.

“That goes to the benefit of the Filipino people. We have another P3 billion that we can spend for education, for healthcare. So there are positive benefits from this, and I hope that with this credit rating upgrade recently, the Senate will really consider passing these bills that will redound to the benefit of the Filipino people,” Mr. Dominguez said.

“What S&P really is saying (in its report) is this is the roadmap to a second upgrade. It’s right there, all you have to do is follow it: Complete the tax reform program; sustain the deficit at 3%, don’t increase it in other words; lower your debt-to-GDP ratio, it’s all there,” Mr. Dominguez added.

S&P said in its report on the country’s sovereign credit rating upgrade last month that i may raise ratings over the next two years “if the government makes significant further achievements it its fiscal program, or if the country’s external position improves such that its status as a net external creditor becomes more secure over the long term. We may also raise the ratings if we find that the institutional settings in the Philippines have improved markedly.”

The Department of Finance is also urging Congress to pass the bills further raising excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol; increasing the government’s share from mining operations; lifting bank secrecy laws and ensuring the automatic exchange of tax information; reforming the property valuation system of local government units; and rationalizing capital income taxation.

“I want a big push on this,” Mr. Dominguez said, referring to the rest of the CTRP bills pending before Congress. — R.J.N. Ignacio

DAR working to complete CARP land acquisition, distribution by 2022

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THE DEPARTMENT of Agrarian Reform (DAR is positive it can achieve the complete acquisition and distribution of land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) by 2022.

“There are three things that the administration of President Duterte wants us to accomplish. First is the distribution of government-owned lands as mandated under Executive Order No. 75, second, the parcellation of collective CLOAs (certificate of land ownership awards), and most of all, ensuring that the country is LAD (land acquisition and distribution) Free by 2022,” DAR Secretary John R. Castriciones was quoted as saying in a statement on Friday.

Mr. Castriciones said he has instructed all regional and local officials to come up with a plan for the LAD. He added that over 600,000 hectares of land are still to be covered under the CARP and distribution of these within three years may be impossible without a concrete plan.

The official said this during a three-day national conference for the proper accounting of the remaining land for distribution to agrarian reform beneficiaries. The conference also included the formulation of strategies and recommendations to speed up the acquisition and distribution of land, which will be presented to President Rodrigo R. Duterte at a June 6 Cabinet meeting.

“At present, we have already done initial steps in streamlining the land conversion process. The Inter-Agency Task Force on land use conversion has already drafted its implementing rules and regulations. If approved by the Cabinet and President Duterte, then it will be implemented immediately,” Mr. Castriciones said in the statement.

The said task force was formed to speed up processing of requests for land conversion to residential, commercial, and industrial use, as well as submit a report on inconsistencies in the conversion processes.

The DAR has been working to acquire all government-owned land suitable for agricultural use but are no longer used for this purpose as stated in Executive Order 75. It also aims achieve zero backlog in resolution cases related to agrarian justice delivery.

“We have set our targets starting this year until 2022 to achieve a zero backlog for both the Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board and Agrarian Legal Implementation cases,” Mr. Catriciones said.

“We are incorporating all of this into a cohesive and strategic program. We hope a favorable response from the President and the Cabinet. If all goes well, immediate implementation will follow,” he said. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

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