Arroyo-formed body moves decisively vs. private armies
The Independent Commission Against Private Armies (ICAPA), the Presidential body created by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to look into the existence of partisan armed groups in the country, has directed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to step up efforts to dismantle these groups to ensure honest, orderly and peaceful elections in May.
The directives were contained in two resolutions the ICAPA forwarded to the AFP and PNP through their representatives in simple ceremonies held today at the Conference Room of the Mabini Hall in Malacañang.
ICAPA Chair Monina Zenarosa, retired associate justice of the Court of Appeals, presented ICAPA Resolutions No. 001-10 and 002-10 to Colonel Ricardo Nepomuceno of the Operations Division of the AFP and Chief Superintendent Cipriano Querol, Jr., Executive Officer of the Directorate for Police Community Relations of the PNP.
“Today I am pleased to announce that the Commission after thorough deliberations, interviews, consultative meetings with politicians and other stakeholders have come up with these two resolutions,” Zenarosa said.
Under Resolution No. 001-10, the ICAPA strongly urged the AFP to conduct an inventory of firearms and ammunition issued to Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and to monitor CAFGU and Special Civilian Active Auxiliaries personnel to detect the possibility of them getting involved in election-related violence.
The Commission asked the AFP to report on the matter to the Commission within 10 days.
The Commission also directed the AFP to beef up troop presence in identified security-risk areas, such as Lanao del Sur and Masbate, and to set up more checkpoints in the coastal areas of the two provinces, amid reports of unregulated firearm shipments.
The commission also requested the beefing up of military and police checkpoints in Abra, particularly in the far-flung towns of Tineg and Malibcong, to ensure strict compliance with the gun ban to deter not only political groups but armed insurgents from disrupting the election process.
In the other resolution (No. 002-10), the ICAPA also directed the PNP to conduct a physical inventory of firearms issued to Provincial Jail Guards, Provincial Security Forces, Civilian Volunteer Organizations, police auxiliary units and/or Barangay tanods and to submit a report to the Commission within 10 days.
Part of the directive was for the PNP to regulate the unauthorized use of police and military uniforms and vehicles and to cause the arrest of civilians and unauthorized personnel in violation of such.
The ICAPA was created by President Arroyo’s Administrative Order No. 275 issued by on December 8, 2009. The AO gave further directions to PNP and AFP with an additional impetus in dismantling partisan private armies in the country.
President Arroyo created the commission in the aftermath of the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao that has involved the Ampatuan clan and its private army.
Aside from Zenarosa, other ICAPA members are Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos, Mahmod Mala Adilao of the Bishops-Ulama Conference, retired Police Deputy Director General Virtus Gil, broadcaster Herman Basbaño, Dante Jimenez of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and former AFP Lieutenant General Edilberto Adan.
RP economic managers project higher growth for 2010
The Philippines’ economic managers have projected a higher growth rate for the country this year amid reports of an economic rebound already being felt by various industry sectors despite the prolonged dry spell being faced by the country.
Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran Monday told reporters that the country’s growth rate of 0.9 percent last year was not bad.
“It’s still positive,” Beltran said, citing the global economic crunch that has hit major industry sectors and the natural calamities that hit the agriculture sector.
Beltran was among the speakers at the Yearend Philippine Economic Briefing and Press Conference at Cebu City Marriott Hotel hosted by the Investor Relations Office.
Amid the global economic crisis said to be the worst since the Great Depression, Beltran said fiscal spending was still contained, and the country’s budget deficit was equivalent to just 3.9 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), the amount of goods and services produced by a country.
He said this ratio was not bad and is lower compared to that of neighboring countries, whose deficits are equivalent to an average 4.5 percent of their GDP.
But per capita income dropped because of the increase in the population growth rate to 2.1 percent.
Beltran said the country posted a good savings growth rate of almost 30 percent of the country’s GDP.
”This means our banks have a lot of money to invest and the government can spur spending without much problem because it can issue Treasury bonds to the market,” he said.
While major countries already feel the rebound in the economy, Beltran warned that one big countries with big populations like India and China start returning to their usual growth rats, these countries might push up oil prices, which can impact on the prices of basic commodities.
As the economy recovers, he said, the government aims to bring down the budget deficit to 3.6 percent of GDP this year.
The Finance Department will implement more effective tax administration measures, intensify collections of non-tax revenues, and tighten implementation of the ru7les and regulations of recently enacted revenue-eroding measures.
However, key challenges that may affect the growth of the financial sector this year include the El Nino dry spell, imminent power shortages and volatile commodity price movements.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Acting Director Zeno Ronald Abenoja said the inflation forecast for 2010 is within the target of 3.5 to 5.5 percent.
He said the country was able to survive the global crisis due to its “sound macroeconomic fundamentals—as evident in the favorable inflation environment and strong external payments dynamics –and a sound and healthy banking system.”
Abenoja said the country is positioned for self-sustaining growth with its strong gross international reserves, balance of payments and overseas Filipino remittances.
The average inflation rate of 3.2 percent last year, he said, was well within the target and lower than the 9.3 percent posted in 2008.
Key challenges identified by the BSPO include commodity price pressures and a surge in capital flows which could lead to problems in liquidity management and the timing of exit strategies.
Abenoja said exiting too soon could hurt recovery and exiting too late could lead to inflation and asset bubbles.
Although total government spending skyrocketed from P174.5 billion in 2001 to P1.4 trillion in 2009 and grew at an annual average rate of nine percent, Budget Undersecretary Laura Pascua said this was mainly due to finance infrastructure investments and social services.
This, she said, reflects the government’s thrust of placing infrastructure high in its development agenda.
She said a huge budget was set aside for infrastructure and rehabilitation rather than settling debt obligations.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Preceles Manzo said the department will continue investing in infrastructure and equipment to address the dry spell faced by the agriculture sector.
He said the department will also make more loans available to the farmers.
With the P48-billion budget last year, Manzo said the government constructed farm-to-market roads, marine culture parks, post-harvest and irrigation facilities: and provided organic fertilizers to farmers.
Manzo said the department will also take advantage of trade liberalization to boost the exposure of Philippine products to other markets.
Storm Agaton enters RP
The first storm this year, tropical depression "Agaton" has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), but will make no significant impact in parched farmlands facing the Pacific.
"This weather disturbance is still far to affect any part of the country," the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in its latest bulletin said.
As of 10 a.m., Agaton was seen some 1,000 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar with maximum sustained winds of 55 kms per hour (kph) and moving northwest at 26 kph.
Agaton was first spotted inching its way near eastern Visayas Tuesday night, and was named "Agaton." It had been trying to gather strength as a low pressure area (LPA) in the Pacific Ocean since Monday.
However, the ridge of the anticyclone weather system called High Pressure Area is extending over northern Luzon could hinder Agaton to move near the country, the weather bureau said.
The Pagasa has not raised storm warning signal anywhere in the country.
Farmers in Visayas and Mindanao had been raising their hopes that the approaching weather disturbance would at least sprinkle some rain water in their farmlands hit by the prevailing El Nino since late last year.
But the weather bureau said Agaton is not likely to bring rains, rather chances of isolated thunderstorms and rainshowers can be expected throughout the archipelago.
The Pagasa said impact of El Nino can extend until last weeks of June until early July.
Maguindanao massacre suspect arrested in Davao City
A retired police colonel linked to the November 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre that victimized 57 persons including 30 journalists, was arrested Wednesday morning in a rented house at Davao Gulf Subdivision, this city.
The suspect, retired Superintendent Piang Adam who is the former provincial director of Maguindanao PNP, escaped from jail in Sultan Kudarat last February 17.
Adam did not resist arrest from the members of Philippine National Police regional intelligence unit.
The suspect was also tagged as among the suppliers of firearms of the powerful Ampatuan clan in Maguindanao.
Palace sees fair justice in Maguindanao massacre case
Malacanang is optimistic the court will render at the earliest time possible a fair decision on the November 23, 2009 massacre case in Maguindanao province.
"We believe in the power and impartiality of the court," deputy presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar said.
He expressed such sentiment amid rising public concern over the pace of court proceedings against the massacre suspects who include members of Maguindanao's ruling Ampatuan political clan and several of the province's policemen who are allegedly under this family's control.
The Palace isn't surprised at the rate this case is progressing.
"This is a big case involving many victims and suspects," Olivar said.
So far, authorities recovered from the massacre site bullet-riddled corpses of 57 men and women who convoyed to Shariff Aguak municipality on the fateful day to file Buluan municipality Vice-Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu's certificate of candidacy (COC) for governor of the province.
Among these victims are local journalists who joined the convoy to cover the COC's filing.
Malacanang hasn't monitored yet any efforts to slow down judicial proceedings for the case.
"We've not seen any deliberate attempt to do this," Olivar said.
He noted Malacanang hopes justice can be served before the present administration's term ends on June 30 this year.
Malacanang can only appeal for speedy dispensation of justice as it has no control over the judicial process, however, he clarified.
"It's the court's call," he stressed.
Over 436,000 land jobs in gov’t Emergency Employment Programs
The Arroyo administration has so far provided gainful employment to 436,322 Filipino workers under three emergency programs created to cushion the impact of the global financial crisis on the people.
The figure represented 88.43 percent of the targeted 493,388 people to be given jobs under the government’s Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP) created under Memorandum Circular 168.
In its latest accomplishment report to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) said P10.32 billion, or 75.12 percent of the P13.74 billion allocation have been spent for the three CLEEP employment programs as of last March 12.
Contributory factors to CLEEP’s success are the issuance of Executive Order (EO) No. 782 by the President last year which enjoined government agencies to institute measures to assist workers affected by the global financial crisis and temporary filling up of vacant government positions, as well as EO No. 783 which provided for government interventions “to save and create jobs” as part of the Economic Resiliency Plan.
At least 32,410 workers landed jobs, courtesy of the two EOs, NAPC Secretary and lead convenor Domingo Panganiban reported to President Arroyo.
On the other hand, the Youth National Service program created by EO 788 has recruited a total of 16,546 persons, aged 18 to 24, to undertake a two-year national service commitment with modest stipends through the National Service Corps or the Youth Conservation Corps.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) turned out to be the biggest achiever in this department with 5,293 recruits, about 4,000 of them coming from Metro Manila; followed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with 4,495; the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DNR) with 4,390; and the Department of Social Welfare an Development (DSWD) with 850.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) accounted for 1,498, while the Department of Education (DepEd) reported only 20 recruits.
Icban said the three major job generation programs instituted by the President “were extremely relevant considering the fact that not a few multinationals in the country collapsed under the sheer pressure of the global economic meltdown.”
EL NIÑO DISPATCH
Improved import biosecurity, quarantine protocols to protect agri sector, says D.A.
President Arroyo’s directive on the strict implementation of an improved set of biosecurity and quarantine protocols on imported goods will help the government strengthen its efforts in shielding Philippine agriculture from pests and diseases as well as other environmental and human threats, according to officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
DA Secretary Bernie Fondevilla said President Arroyo issued the directive during a recent Cabinet meeting to help the agriculture sector meet the challenges of a new global trading order, which calls for, among others, drastic cuts in tariffs on farm goods traded between and among countries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) starting this year.
Besides the Philippines , the Asean groups Indonesia , Malaysia , Brunei Darussalam, Thailand , Singapore , Vietnam , Myanmar , Laos and Cambodia . They also comprise the economies under the Asean Free Trade Area (AFTA).
“In line with the efforts of the Department to strengthen our quarantine and inspection measures on agriculture and fishery products entering our borders, the effectivity of the President’s directive will efficiently protect the country from the entry of agricultural and fishery pests and diseases as well as other human and environmental threats,” Fondevilla said. “This is as well, more cost effective and brings about the immediate disposal of problematic goods supposed to enter the country.”
Fondevilla said closer coordination between the DA and the Bureau of Customs in implementing the government’s improved quarantine and biosecurity protocols will not only help safeguard the welfare of Filipino farmers but consumers as well.
Such an effort was initiated, he said, on the watch of his immediate predecessor, then-Secretary Arthur Yap.
Last year, the DA issued a “harmonized” administrative order—AO No. 8—to standardize the business processes of DA regulatory agencies in approving the entry of imported goods.
This harmonized AO orders all agencies and bureaus issuing Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) clearances, formerly known as import permits to use a single or uniform form for application, clearance, inspection, and confiscation; and ensures that all import-related business processes will follow a unified procedure.
The harmonized AO was crafted based on the following objectives:
- to formulate a consistent and adequate legal administrative policy framework for SPS regulations to be effective and supportive of business;
- to develop transparent, firm-neutral, and simplified processes for enforcing SPS measures effectively; and
- to institutionalize effective and sustainable organizational, technical, and funding arrangements for SPS enforcement.
Besides issuing this order, the DA has also worked to automate applications and issuances of SPS Import Clearances, through the Bureaus of Plant Industry (BPI), of Animal Industry (BAI), and of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
Under this automated procedure, the issuance of veterinary, plant and fisheries import permits will be faster through processing via an Internet-based program.
The new system will use the standardized forms prescribed in the harmonized AO and will reduce the clearance process cycle time by allowing importers to prepare and submit their applications 24/7 online and allowing as well their subsequent online validation and approval by the concerned agency.
Before leaving the DA early this month, Yap had said the Department’s regulatory agencies will play a critical role in safeguarding the farm sector from pests and diseases, and consumers from unsafe food items, once new tariff cuts take place starting this year under AFTA.
The full implementation of the Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) scheme in AFTA at the start of 2010, was agreed upon in a series of Asean meetings that started way back in 1992 as a prelude to the proposed creation in 2015 of a single market with a common production base and free flow of goods in the region.
The Asean Economic Ministers (AEM) signed the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), which consolidated and streamlined all CEPT agreements, in February last year. President Arroyo ratified ATIGA six months later and issued an executive order lifting by January 1, 2010 all customs duties on selected products coming in from, or being shipped to, other Asean member-countries. (DA Press Office)
