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Preparations under way for Bangsamoro plebiscite

By Gillian M. Cortez
THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) is looking to strengthen voter registration in areas expected to take part in a plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
“We’re holding registrations now but instead of holding a separate special registration, ang gagawin namin (what we’ll do) is we’re going to intensify the registration that’s currently ongoing in the area,” Comelec Spokesperson James B. Jimenez said in a press briefing on Wednesday.
“We will be making satellite registration mandatory for the field offices and to help this happen, magpapadala ang Comelec ng (the Comelec will send) special registration teams,” he added.
The plebiscite is planned for late December this year or early January next year.
“We can’t pin it in a specific date because we don’t know when the effectivity actually is,” Mr. Jimenez said.
The Comelec also said it is in the process of identifying “Unknown Yet Areas” or UYAs in the Bangsamoro region.
“These are areas that are adjacent to the identified areas na kasama sa (BOL). Those are a lot and we’re still in the process of identifying every last one of them kasi hindi malalaki ang mga lugar na ‘to eh (These areas are not very big). It’s just marami sila (they’re many). It’s a bit difficult to finish that,” Mr. Jimenez said.
He stressed it’s crucial for the Comelec to identify these areas so the Comelec will know how to prepare for the plebiscite.
“It’s important we identify the plebscite area because we won’t know how many ballots we’re going to prepare or how many polling places we need to set up or how many people we need,” Mr. Jimenez said.

Palace stands by efforts to recover ill-gotten wealth

MALACAÑANG on Wednesday said the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) will continue to “recover any ill-gotten wealth.”
Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. made this statement in response to Ilocos Norte Governor Maria Imelda Josefa Imee R. Marcos’s call last Tuesday, Ninoy Aquino Day, for critics of her family to “move on” because the “millennials have already moved on.”
“We understand that Governor Imee Marcos is addressing the critics of her family. As far as we are concerned, the Duterte administration is willing to work with all groups for the benefit of the people. The President has opened the doors of his government to everyone, regardless of affiliation and ideology, in order to unite the country and bring us greater progress,” Mr. Roque said.
He added: “Meanwhile, efforts to recover any ill-gotten wealth continue through the Philippine Commission on Good Government (PCGG). Likewise, human rights (abuse) victims were given compensation through the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board (HRVCB). The government will continue to find ways and means to effect closure for all victims of abuses that occurred during that period of martial law.”
For his part, Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV said in a statement: “Sinaktan ka na’t ninakawan, sasabihan ka pang mag-move on.” (They hurt and stole from you, and they tell you to move on).
He added: “Hindi ba sa mga nawasak na relasyon, ang kadalasang nagsasabing mag-move on ay ang nanakit?” (Is it not that in every broken relationship, most of the time the person who tells you to move on is the one who actually hurt you?).
“Klaro naman sa kasaysayan kung sino ang nagnakaw, nag-torture at pumatay. Napakadaling sabihing mag move on na lang, pero sa mga nasawi, napakahirap nito.” (It is clear in our history who stole, tortured, and killed. It is easy for one to say move on, but for the victims, it’s very difficult). — Arjay L. Balinbin

Fish check

A fish attendant checks round scad, locally known as galunggong and considered as a staple of the poor Filipino, at the Navotas Fishport on Aug. 22. The Department of Health on Wednesday advised the public to report formalin use in fish and other seafood products in the markets after the fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas) claimed that some imported seafood products, including galunggong, have been injected with formalin.

Legislators to probe arrest of 3 lawyers

LAWMAKERS ON Wednesday filed a resolution for the investigation of what it called “highly irregular” Makati bar drug raid that led to the arrest of three lawyers. Representative Doy C. Leachon, House justice committee chair, and Rep. Salvador B. Belaro, Jr. introduced House Resolution 2086 directing their panel, as well as the committee on good government and public accountabilty, to probe the Time Bar incident. “(The) incident is highly irregular considering that the ones arrested are lawyers who are officers of the court,” the solons stated in the resolution. The incident “has serious implication on the observance of basic constitutional rights especially the right to counsel, rights under custodial investigation and right to due process,” they added. Members of the Philippine National Police arrested on Aug. 16 lawyers Jan Vincent S. Soliven, Lenie Rocel E. Rocha, and Romulo Bernard B. Alarkon for alleged “obstruction of justice” during the search. The lawyers were not released until the evening of Aug. 17. The police also filed charges of resistance and disobedience upon agents of authority, violation of a city ordinance against civilians, crossing a police line, and “constructive possession of illegal drugs.” — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Tacloban City opens new sanitary landfill; tools for MRF operations distributed

AT LEAST 52 pedicabs and as many plastic drums were distributed to the barangays in Tacloban City last week as complementary tools for the operation and maintenance of their Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), which were set up with a P15,000 financial assistance from the city government. During the turn-over ceremony, Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez encouraged barangay officials to strengthen the waste segregation initiatives as this will significantly reduce the trash generated in the city. “If all barangays in Tacloban will do waste segregation, waste generated will be reduced to 50 tons a day,” she said as a new sanitary landfill was opened on Aug. 16. The City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) noted a 25% reduction in waste generated in the city after the intensified solid waste management campaign to 105 tons daily since January from a previous average of 174 tons a day. — The Freeman

PTAA frowns on ‘30%’ Boracay opening

THE PHILIPPINE Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) is not too thrilled about the reopening of Boracay Island on Oct. 26 with only 30% of establishments allowed to resume operations.
PTAA President Jose C. Clemente III said the new rules and requirements imposed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Tourism (DoT) makes it practically impossible for many businesses to comply in time for the target date for allowing tourists in again.
When we mean open, we are pushing for 100% opening but apparently, the DoT and the [Boracay] Interagency [Task Force] is looking for 30% of the establishments based on the compliance of the establishments to the rules,» Mr. Clemente told BusinessWorld
Mr. Clemente said they will be sending letters to the DENR and the interagency task force to act on the issues that hinder businesses from opening by Oct. 26.
One of these is the requirement for establishments to set up their own sewage treatment plants for wastewater, which he said is costly.
“For the smaller properties, it might be burdensome for them to do so. For the bigger ones, it’s fine. There’s a law anyway that you can connect to a service company if you can’t afford to build one yourself,” he said.
Business owners have also noted that there have been delays in the issuance of documents by the DENR, particularly certifications on whether certain lands are alienable and disposable.
Mr. Clemente also said that DENR even ran out of official receipts to issue to business owners who were ready to pay the fees. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

Socialized housing developers push for retention of incentives as it holds national convention

housing project
THE ORGANIZATION of Socialized and Economic Housing Developers of the Philippines (OSHDP) called on lawmakers and government policy makers to maintain the existing “compensatory incentives” for socialized housing to keep private sector developers interested in low-cost projects. In a statement, OSHDP said “socialized housing, which is just a component of and is merely subsidized by its main housing project, cannot be viable on its own.” “Hence, the incentives currently enacted under Sec. 20 (d) (1) to (5) of R.A.10884 (Balanced Housing Program) Amendments Act, which amended R.A.7279, are mere ‘compensatory incentives’ for doing a ‘missionary’ activity, and should not be misconstrued as ‘investment incentives’ to be lumped under the proposed Strategic Investments Priorities Plan (SIPP) envisioned under the proposed TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law) 2 bills,” OSHDP said. This issue on incentives and other housing industry concerns will be tackled during the two-day OSHDP National Convention starting Thursday, Aug. 23, in Cebu City.

Barangay in Davao Oriental takes charge of major road maintenance

THE MAINTENANCE of a P52.2-million concrete farm-to-market road with a 45-meter concrete bridge will now be the responsibility of Barangay Mikit in Baganga town under a pioneering community-based road maintenance (CBRM) program. The road was built under the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP), implemented by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and funded by the World Bank. Davao Oriental Governor Nelson L. Dayanghirang, at the CBRM program launch and turn-over ceremony last week, said giving the maintenance responsibility to the barangay “will ensure the sustainability of the completed project as it allows community involvement in taking care of it.” “For the first time, the responsibility of taking care of an infrastructure project is given to the beneficiaries. This will provide them an opportunity to participate in maintaining the projects given to them,” Dayanghirang said in a statement yesterday. The program is based on the inter-management agreement of the provincial government with the DA and World Bank. Engr. John Christopher Algallar of the Provincial Engineering Office said the program saves the provincial government the need to mobilize resources as “it will pay the barangay for the maintenance, which in turn enables the barangay to generate additional income.”

TESDA-Davao eyes partnership with Monark for heavy equipment operators training

THE TECHNICAL Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Davao Region office will ink an agreement with Monark Equipment Corp. for the training of heavy equipment operators. TESDA Regional Director Lorenzo G. Macapili said at the Kapihan sa Davao forum that Monark will bring their mobile training van and simulators to the communities. Mr. Macapili said they are preparing the partnership proposal for submission to the TESDA central office for funding assistance. The collaboration with Monark is a result of TESDA’s multi-agency partnership program launched two weeks ago with five barangays in Davao City, the city government, Sacred Heart Parish Church, Department of Education, University of SouthEastern Philippines, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of Labor and Employment. Mr. Macapili said based on their surveys of out-of-school youth and unemployed adults, majority of respondents wanted to take up construction-related training. “We know that a lot of Filipinos have the capability to work as laborers but are not highly skilled construction workers. There is still a need to train them,” he said. — Maya M. Padillo

Nation at a Glance — (08/23/18)

News stories from across the nation. Visit www.bworldonline.com (section: The Nation) to read more national and regional news from the Philippines.

Roque: Alleged involvement of Robredo’s brother-in-law in illegal drugs should be investigated

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. on Wednesday said the alleged involvement of Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo’s brother-in-law in illegal drug activities in Naga City should be investigated.
“Well, ang sa atin po ay ito po ay isang development na dapat talagang imbestigahan pa ano (Well, in my opinion, this development really needs to be investigated),” Mr. Roque said in a radio interview on Wednesday morning, Aug. 22, a day after Naga City’s former councilor Luis Ortega publicly announced that Ms. Robredo’s brother-in-law is involved in illegal drug activities in his hometown.
Mr. Ortega came out to support Mr. Duterte’s claim that Naga City was once a “hotbed of shabu.”
“Unang-una, kasi nga po pinukol nila ang Presidente na wala raw katuturan iyong sinasabi nya… At siyempre po ang sinasabi pa niya eh kamag-anak din ni VP diumano ang involved dito,” he added.
(First and foremost, they criticized the President for his claim. And, of course, he said a relative of the Vice President is actually involved in this.)
Mr. Roque said an investigation is necessary because the Vice President herself is a public servant. He added, “Dapat malaman natin anong mga hakbang na ginawa ni Bise Presidente, para mapatupad ang batas sa sarili niyang siyudad at sa sarili niyang mga kapamilya (We should know what measures the Vice President takes regarding this in order to implement the law within her own city and family).”
The Office of the Vice-President (OVP) confirmed in a Viber message to reporters on Thursday, Aug. 23, that the person being referred to is “Butch Robredo,” the Vice President’s brother-in-law. “Yes, yung bulag si (the blind) Butch Robredo,” her staff said.
The city council of Naga issued a resolution on Aug. 17 declaring “indignation” over Mr. Duterte’s statement.
“The City Government of Naga, on behalf of all who love this “Maogmang Lugar” (happy place) cannot remain silent over this deep insult hurled against the dignity of all Nagueños,” the resolution read in part.
“In the last four years, Naga City has consistently garnered a distinction of being one of the most competitive component cities in the country, earning the trust and confidence of the business community in the city, due to its sound public safety and peace and order policies and activities,” it added.
The city council also extended an invitation to the President to visit and “walk our safe, peaceful, and drug-free streets.”

Cryptocurrencies climb as market watchers cite short sovering

Bitcoin jumped more than 5 percent in the span of a few minutes on Wednesday, pacing a rally in cryptocurrencies as market watchers cited potential short covering for the move.
The surge from around $6,465 to $6,840 began at 9 a.m. Hong Kong time and took about seven minutes, according to composite pricing on Bloomberg. The cryptocurrency was trading around $6,710 at 11:03 a.m., near a two-week high. It’s still down 53 percent this year.
The number of short positions in Bitcoin on Bitfinex, one of the world’s largest virtual currency exchanges, has climbed near an all-time high, said Timothy Tam, chief executive officer of CoinFi, a cryptocurrency data analysis company.
“When there’s a record number of shorts, if there’s a large explosive price movement up like this, it means people will need to cover their shorts quite quickly,” Tam said in a phone interview. “It’s almost like a domino effect.” — Bloomberg

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