ISSUE NO. 26 June 29, 2006

AdCom Chair denounces anti-cha cha claims of ‘One Voice’ movement
The chairman of the Charter Change Advocacy Commission (AdCom) strongly denounced the claims of an anti-charter change group known only as ‘One Voice Movement’ during the recent symposium on Charter Change held at the Negros Oriental State University (NORSU).

Dr. Jose Abueva, who chairs the AdCom, said the claims of the One Voice Movement are all lies. “It seems…that they look down on the people as lacking discernment and lacking judgment on the issue of Charter Change,” asserts Abueva.

Abueva was reacting to the challenge posed by the new citizen’s group One Voice Movement that was recently published in a major national newspaper in which the group condemned the move to shift the current form of government into parliamentary through the People’s Initiative.

Abueva noted that of the 80 signatories that supported One Voice’s campaign, 15 were from the religious sector.

The anti-charter change group asserted that the country doesn’t need to convert into a parliamentary form of government in order to solve the woes plaguing the nation.

“But what has this current form of government brought us? Until now we haven’t solved the country’s worst problems,” argues Abueva.

He said the country continues to suffer from poverty, unemployment, political instability, threats of coup de etat, to mention a few.

Abueva also described the country’s electoral process as “corrupting” and costly.

“But under our proposal, we’ll do away with the election…and have a unicameral parliament that will be more efficient in implementing and passing laws,” says Abueva.

The One Voice Movement also claimed that the move to implement charter change is being rushed through the People’s Initiative, a process that the group describes as a “deception.”

But Abueva said the group’s claim is false, as “never before in the history of the Philippines have we consulted the people [on Charter Change] as [much] we are consulting them now.”

He said that public fora and nationwide consultations have already been happening long before the Sigaw ng Bayan has launched the People’s Initiative.

The People’s Initiative has now gathered more than 10 million signatures nationwide, which Atty. Raul Lambino says is proof that the country needs charter change now.

Since launching the advocacy campaign on Cha-Cha, the combined forces of the Sigaw ng Bayan, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines and the Charter Change AdCom have barnstormed in the provinces to articulate the issue of constitutional reforms to a higher level of national consciousness.

Malacañang welcomed the challenge of One Voice, saying this will keep the issue alive and the public more informed about its pros and cons.

“We need to keep the debate burning on the pros and cons and we hope that in the end, all sides will accept the sovereign verdict and will of the people,” says Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye Jr.

Cha cha now, not later - Lambino
Change the charter now or else the country will continue to suffer, warned Atty. Raul Lambino, spokesperson of Sigaw ng Bayan and convenor of the People’s Initiative, who described the current form of government in the country as “degenerated” and have not supported the needs of the people.

Lambino, speaking before an audience of 5,000 which packed the Cultural and Sports Gymnasium of Negros Oriental State University in its 2nd Charter Anniversary celebration, said that things can only take a turn for the worse if the country will not institute reforms that will strengthen democratic institutions in the country.

“Ten years from now, if we don’t change this degenerated form of government, even East Timor would surpass us,” says Lambino.

Because of the dismal lack of opportunities available here, Filipinos are going out of the country “to beg for dollars.”

He stressed that the parliamentary form of government has been successful in most countries in Asia and Europe.

Philippines remains the only country in South East Asia that has a presidential form of government, says Negros Oriental 3rd District Congressman Herminio Teves in the same forum.

According to the congressman, the economy of the neighboring countries of the Philippines has improved under a parliamentary government.

Around 5,000 students, faculty and staff of NORSU and its satellite campuses turned up at the symposium during which Ambassador Jose Romero Jr., executive director of Asian Center for the Study of Democracy and Atty. Alex Andrew Icao of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Negros Oriental Chapter served as speakers.

While the Charter Change Advocacy Commission (AdCom) agrees with the convenors of One Voice that the country needs far-reaching reforms, the Commission maintained that the group has failed to see on a deeper level the realities why the people are urgently calling for wholesale changes.

“We are glad that they (One Voice) are aware that we are beset with recurring problems that have incredibly swelled over the years since our Independence. But we disagree with the kind of prescription they’re offering to remedy the worsening economic and political situation,” said AdCom chairman Lito Monico Lorenzana.

Lorenzana said the proposal of One Voice to “discontinue the people’s initiative” is a “snobbish and elitist remark to paralyze and kill the legitimate efforts of citizens to assert their right in amending the constitution via a people’s initiative.”

According to Lorenzana, an elitist group of prominent faces such as One Voice—which is composed of few members of the Catholic clergy, academe, business, former government officials, and newspaper columnists—“cannot dictate to the 10 million Filipinos to stop their initiative just because it does not fit into their description of their very limited consensus without the benefit of concrete alternatives.”

“On the contrary, there is a growing consensus for specific changes that have been widely articulated among the broad marginalized sector of society. The people’s initiative is in fact an expansive consensus of the masa from Aparri to Jolo who don’t have the luxury to ride in expensive cars,” Lorenzana noted.

He added that the poor have the biggest stake in a democracy and not those who have the means to advertise their names in the guise of a non-partisan movement of concerned citizens, noting that these people are actually serving largely as voices of those who have hidden presidential ambitions.

“You don’t diminish and snob the people’s initiative just because they don’t have the means to advertise their influence,” Lorenzana added.

Negrenses capture Muaythai gold on Olympic Day Festival for Asian
Three members of the Dumaguete-Oriental Negros Muaythai Team walked away with the gold during the three-day Olympic Day Festival – Philippine Muaythai League 2006 held June 23 to 25 at SM Manila.

The Philippine Muaythai League 2006 is part of a week-long Olympic Day Festival play-offs that will determine who are the national contenders for the Asian Games in 2006.

Walter “Wa-wa” Zaldarriaga, 17 from Dumaguete City, punched and kicked his way to the 54-57 kgs Championship title, defeating Narciso Arcibar from Makati. Referee Billy Alumno stepped in 45 seconds into the first round to stop the fight as it looked like Narciso was unable to defend himself from Wa-Wa’s torrent of punches and kicks.

In the 32 kgs Junior Championship Title, John Rey “Jon-jon” Bendijo, 13 from Bacong faced off against Efren Lopez from Caloocan and came out with the gold. At 30 seconds into the 2nd round, Lopez gave a verbal submission after being punched squarely in the face.

Romnick Pabalate, former Dumaguete Muaythai student from Mabinay and recently drafted to the Philippine Muaythai Team, scored a gold victory after facing off against Jayson Basa from Quezon City during the 45-48 kgs Championship Title fight.

The OrNeg Team is led by Coach Bernabe Bustillo with the support of Governor George P. Arnaiz.

The 27 bouts held at SM Manila saw an estimated attendance of over 1,000 spectators.

Meanwhile, the Dumaguete-OrNeg Muaythai Team is set for kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts Fights dubbed as “Ground and Pound” on July 8, 2006 at the New Cebu Coliseum Complex, according to MAP Visayas Region Commissioner Kru Ike Xavier Villaflores.

The OrNeg Muaythai Team under Villaflores trains at the Dumaguete Muaythai Association Headquarters along Dr. Meciano Road, this city at 5:30 p.m. every Monday to Saturday.

In observance of Environment Month
“Environmental protection, a shared responsibility”- DENR

SIQUIJOR-- Noting the series of natural calamities hitting the country, most of which are being linked to “man’s neglect to nature” the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (PENRO) here reiterates once more his call for environmental protection in the province.

PENRO Oscar Magallones during the forum with Philippine Information Agency (PIA) urged everyone to be “responsible stewards” of the resources that God entrusted to man.

Echoing Environment Secretary Angelo T. Reyes’s messages for the celebration of Environment Month in June, Magallanes said the protection of the environment is not only a DENR concern but a shared responsibility. “Matag usa kanato adunay katungdanan sa paprotehar sa atong kalikupan tungod kay kini hinulaman lamang natgo sa atong umaabot nga kaliwatan,” he said as he stressed the government’s strong campaign against illegal logging and wild animal hunting and poaching, among others.

He also urged everyone to clean the surroundings, plant trees and preserve the natural resources not only during environment month.

Magallones especially calls on the Siquijodnons to maintains the present state of the province as one of the eco-tourism sites in the country. He said Siquijor is lucky it is yet free from pollution compared to other big cities and therefore should be preserved and protected.

This, however does not exempt the local government units of the province from identifying/putting up a landfill site that the law requires, says Magallones.

The PENRO also pushed for proper segregation of waste in every household stressing that there is money in trash if we only know how to manage them. Along with this, the DENR, he said is undertaking an advocacy campaign of waste recycling, segregation and reduction through the launching of “Recyclables Collection Event” (RCE) on June 17 in Cebu.

The basic concept of RCE is to earn money out of garbage or waste materials, says Magallones.

PNP eyes TOPCOP center to protect tourists, investors
SIQUIJOR-- The Philippine National Police is eyeing for the establishment and operationalization of a TOPCOP or Tourist Oriented Police Community Oriented Police center in the province.

According to the PNP here, Siquijor province is one of the tourist destinations in Region 7 that proposed for the construction of TOPCOP centers totalins to some P6,370,400 based on the proposed financial and logistical requirements submitted by the Police Regional Office-7.

Areas proposed for the project are Panglao in Bohol, Mactan of Cebu, Siquijor and Dumaguete
with a proposed budget of P1,529,600 each for the construction alone.

The establishment of TOPCOP centers is one of the measures seen by the government not only to protect tourists and other foreign visitors in the country but to enhance the general peace and order situation of the country’s tourist destination, as well as improve its overall travel and investment climate.

The incidence of crimes committed against tourists, investors and foreign visitors is projecting a negative image for our country abroad, hence it is imperative that appropriate and stringent measures be taken,” the PNP said.

The government, in its effort to spur progress and development is stepping up a more vigorous war against insurgency, terrorism and other forms of criminality citing particularly the reported CPP-NPA’s extortion activities.

One of the objectives of its renewed and revitalized campaign against the CPP-NPA is for the armed forces to stand in the way of the insurgents’ extortion activities and to ensure that an environment of law and order prevails. In this way, free enterprise can provide income and jobs to the people, Malacañang said.

Noting that “people have long witnessed how the CPP-NPA has been extorting in gang-land fashion not only from the businessmen but also from the workers through their so-called revolutionary taxes,” the administration warns business firms not to be easily swayed to pay extortion for the NPA although it is understood that oftentimes they are put under threat to do so.

“Extortions by the NPA terrorists must be put to a stop by increasing the pressure on them and keeping them on the run. The operations against the insurgents need to be intensified to carry out the administration’s goal of spurring progress and development through law enforcement, social justice and economic improvement,” Malacañang said.

DOLE calls on entrepreneurs to register as BMBEs to ease the impact of wage hike
SIQUIJOR-- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) here called on the entrepreneurs in Siquijor province to register as Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBEs) to lessen the impact of wage increase on establishments.

DOLE made the call during its recent Technical Assistance Visit Orientation Seminar conducted among members of the Siquijor Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (SCCII) and some local entrepreneurs.

Engr. Vicente Abordo of DOLE-7’s Technical Assistance Visit (TAV) team said that while business employers have to comply with the labor standards, the government is offering them a way out to ease the burden of wage hike to establishments through the BMBE law.

Following the labor sector’s clamor for an increase in wages due to the change in economic conditions, another round of wage hike may be implemented on July 24.

Siquijor’s daily minimum wage is currently pegged at P190 for non-agriculture and P175 for agriculture workers.

Abordo said that the law provided benefits and incentives to BMBE-registered businesses among which are exemption from taxes and fees and exemption from the coverage of the minimum wage law.

He explained that the law clearly states that BMBEs shall be exempt from the coverage of the minimum wage law provided that all employees covered under the Act shall be entitled to the same benefits given to any regular employee such as social security and health care benefits.

As noted, the RTWPB in Central Visayas is deliberating on two worker’s petitions – a P75 daily wage increase from the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) and a P95 across-the-board hike from the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL).

Public consultations on the issue have been set on June 15 in Dumaguete City, June 22 in Tagbilaran City and on June 29 in Cebu City.

Following the consultations, the wage board will conduct a public hearing in Cebu City on July where all sectors are expected to air their piece and submit their final position papers on the issue.

The RTWPB will then start deliberating on the workers’ petition.

Elias Cayanong, chairman of the RTWPB-7 and DOLE7 regional director, however, said that workers from the different provinces in Central Visayas can expect different wage adjustments. “That is, if the seven-man RTWPB decides to give anything,” says Cayanong.

He adds that some areas may not get any increase at all. “Instead of wage hikes, some areas may only need to improve working conditions and other benefits for the workers,” he said.

It can be noted that the RTWPB-National Capital Region (NCR) already agreed on a P25 increase in basic pay for minimum wage earners in Metro Manila Monday (June 26).

The administration believes the P25 wage hike is fair and is bent on implementing the non-wage benefits for the workers.

The administration said it understands the concerns of the labor sector and the government will now stop in searching for ways to alleviate the economic difficulties faced by the worker in the context of overall economic stabilities, Malacañang said.

On the other hand, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce an Industry (PCCI) President Donald Dee said that the government is preparing non-wage benefits like tax exemption to the minimum wage earners.

Dee added that private companies should support the efforts of the Administration in easing the burdens of the minimum wage earners.

NegOr to create CPC-6 provincial communication task force
The provincial government of Negros Oriental is set to create a Provincial Communication Task Force for the Sixth Country Program for Children (CPC-6) to advance the goals of the program in the areas covered by CPC6 in the province.

Pursuant to Executive Order No. 08-06, Governor George Arnaiz has appointed the provincial government’s communication partners from government line agencies and CPC-6 focal areas to compose the 20-man task force.

Appointed chairperson is Provincial Public Information Officer 4 Josefina Columna with PIA-Negros Oriental Infocen Manager Jennifer Catan-Tilos as co-chair.

Members include Provincial Information Officer 1 Oliver Lemence; In-Charge of information, education and communication at the Integrated Provincial Health Office Juanita Gualiza; Joy Catacutan of Department of Education provincial division; Lilian Mondarte of the Department of Labor and Employement; Victor Camion, legal research assistant at the office of Board Member Melimore Saycon; Provincial Social Welfare Officer 3 Amalia Aum; Abot-Kamay Trainee and Valencia Information Officer Desiderio Tilos; Valencia Social Welfare Officer Rowena Giangan; and Sibulan Vice Mayor Antonio Paalan.

Also included as members are the municipal public information officer-designates of the following CPC-6 focal areas: Bacong, Dauin, Siaton, Bayawan City, Dumaguete City, Tanjay City, Bais City, Jimalalud and Guihulngan.

The task force is set to meet for an organizational meeting on July 4 at 9:00 a.m. at the Governor’s Office Conference Room.

The team is expected to spearhead communication activities particularly in the following areas under CPC-6: Child Rights Advocacy and Participation, Media Advocacy and Mobilization, Communication for Behavior Change and Goals Monitoring and Advocacy.

SOUNDBYTES:

On the Economy
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo commends the Regional Tripartite Wage Board of Metro Manila for expeditiously acting on the petition of our workers, saying that the board acted with fairness and sensitivity in balancing the interests of workers and employers.

The RTWB granted a P25 wage hike on Metro Manila workers recently. RTWB Director Ricardo Martinez said the amount was a compromise reached by the wage board after a series of public hearings and consultations with the concerned sectors.

The Government continues to move on with non-wage benefits to ease the burden on our workers. Congress is urged to immediately act on vital legislation such as the restructuring of the income tax system.

On Mt. Bulusan/Tropical Storm Domeng
The President is monitoring very closely the developments in the Mt. Bulusan area and other parts of the country affected by Tropical Storm Domeng.

Contingency measures have been put in place for a worst case scenario for a worst case scenario.

The President has also asked the DBM and the GSIS to prepare the release of calamity funds and emergency loans for those affected by the eruption of Mt. Bulusan.

Nevertheless, the government calls on the people from various sectors to come together in anticipation of any calamity situation and show solidarity, resiliency and altruism in times of need.

On Counter-Insurgency
MILITANT organizations led by party-list group Anakpawis launched a campaign to gather one million signatures to counter the administration’s all-out war against the New People’s Army.

However, the government is not deterred by signature drives to stop the war against proven terrorists.

The CPP-NPA has shown its true colors in its attacks against civilian and commercial installations, armed extortion activities and the purging and killing of their own kind.