Centrist Democracy Political Institute - Items filtered by date: June 2025
Thursday, 23 November 2017 12:20
House committees approve creation of national nuclear regulatory body
The House committee on government reorganization chaired by Rep. Xavier Jesus Romualdo (Lone District, Camiguin) and the committee on science and technology chaired by Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (2nd District, Bohol) jointly approved an amended substitute bill seeking to provide a comprehensive nuclear regulatory framework to protect public health and safety
The approval of the unnumbered substitute bill to House Bill Nos. 25, 1691, 2732, 2977, 3651, 4369, 4785 and 4878 authored by Reps. Francis Gerald Abaya (1st District, Cavite), Maximo Rodriguez Jr. (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City), Gary Alejano (Party-list, MAGDALO), Divina Grace Yu (1st District, Zamboanga del Sur), Aumentado and Seth Frederick Jalosjos (1st District, Zamboanga del Norte), Joey Sarte Salceda (2nd District, Albay), Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2nd District, Pampanga) and Ron Salo (Party-list, KABAYAN), respectively, came days after the Philippines and Russia signed an agreement to develop nuclear energy.
During the joint hearing, Romualdo said the initiative to pass a law creating an independent and effective nuclear regulatory body on the peaceful uses and application of nuclear energy started in the 15th Congress.
“This is a clear indication of the necessity to create a regulatory government entity for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy,” he said.
Romualdo said the Philippines is a signatory to many applicable international conventions and treaties and it is imperative for it to establish an independent and effective regulatory body to comply with its obligations under these treaties and conventions.
“In the 2004 Radiation Safety Infrastructure Appraisal mission report, one of the recommendations was the creation of a single and independent nuclear regulatory body for the control of ionizing radiation from radioactive sources and electrical devices for the Philippines to comply with international standards and best practices,” he said.
Rep. Jesse Allen Mangaoang (Lone District, Kalinga), acting chairman of the science and technology committee, said the proposal is a vital piece of legislation as the country embarks on a renewed effort to strengthen science and technology and boost industrial growth.
“The time has come for us to provide a comprehensive nuclear regulatory framework. It aims to harness the peaceful uses of nuclear energy that will benefit various fields such as health and medicine, energy production, science, research, agriculture industry and education,” Mangaoang said.
The bill calls for the creation of the the Philippine Nuclear Regulatory Commission (PNRC) which shall exercise authority over all aspects of safety, security and safeguards involving nuclear, materials and other radioactive materials, facilities and radiation generating equipment.
In issuing authorizations and other regulations under the Act, the PNRC shall impose the minimum requirements to protect the health and safety of the public and the environment and ensure the security of ionizing radiation sources.
It shall prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and prevent nuclear or radiological terrorism consistent with the obligations of the Philippines under relevant international standards and best practices.
The PNRC shall ensure that operators are technically and financially qualified to engage in the proposed activities in accordance with the requirements of the Act and the PNRC’s regulations and has financial protection to fulfill obligations on liability for nuclear and radiation damage.
Among the functions of the PNRC are: 1) Define, formulate, develop and issue policies, regulations, standards, and other issuances necessary for the implementation of this Act and its implementing rules and regulations consistent with international agreements, standards and best practices; 2) Issue, amend, and revoke rules, regulations and orders pertaining to the financial capability of operators to cover liability for nuclear damage; 3) Establish and implement a system of authorization in the form of notification, registration, and licensing, including modifications, amendments, suspension, and revocation of such authorizations; and 4) Review and assess submissions on safety assessment and security plans form the facility operators prior to authorization and periodically thereafter, as required.
It shall also: Inspect, monitor, and assess activities and practices to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and the terms and conditions for authorizations; Define exemptions and exclusions from regulatory control; Establish and maintain a national register of radiation sources; and Ensure the application of safety, safeguard and security requirements consistent with national and international commitments.
According to Dr. Carlo Arcilla of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, one of the problems of the Philippines is that it is running out of natural gas in five years and the country is importing a lot of fuel.
“One can understand why the imperative for nuclear power is being considered,” he said. (CONGRESS-PR)
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Thursday, 23 November 2017 09:23
Cha-cha is running out of time
LOOKING back these past 16 months, the euphoria of the 16 million or so voters that catapulted DU30 to power shows some signs of fading. Those who are in social media will see the deepening divide between the exuberant “DDS and the Yellows,” and the Duterte fist pumpers vs the PNoy loyalists.
Normally, after every national election there is a healing process that allows tempers to subside, the licking of wounds and the grudging acceptance of the ascendant winning brand, thereby letting the rest of the populace go on with their ordinary lives.
Sixteen months into his presidency, DU30’s projection of his alpha-male personality, his earthy language and the variation of the same cantata—“I will kill you if you destroy my people”—has morphed into a tedious broken-record of a sonata. These are reinforced by the heightened anxiety of the citizenry: over the daily killings brought about by “tokhang”; the worsening traffic in the capital; the disruptions of the MRT that of late have turned bizarre with the loss of a passenger’s limb; televised exchange of insults by the “august members of the Senate”; endless congressional hearings on corruption. The list goes on.
President Duterte’s actuations and exceptional performance in the Asean and APEC summits are mitigating factors, if indeed sustainable. But judging by his past attempts at being presidential, I have my doubts. So, I arrive at some conclusions which are personal assessments based on decades of experience in several levels of governance with four administrations.
My first hypothesis is, the ways things are going now—there will be no political reforms.
From the time the Deegong assumed power, he has been glued to his first election promise of eliminating illegal drugs that for him comprises the end-all of his peace and order agenda – on which he made himself an expert as mayor of Davao City. But early on, he had to confess that the problem was actually much bigger than he thought.
The economy admirably showed robust growth and the stock market has seen new heights, but these don’t matter with the greater masses of our poor. The trickle-down effect will have to be given time to reach the masses.
Commendably, the Deegong has reoriented our foreign relations and exacted rewards from China, Japan and our other rich neighbors with loans hopefully to be used for infrastructure – critical basic ingredients for the country’s industrialization.
But the economic growth and foreign sorties putting the Deegong in the international limelight are at best fickle as shown by the siege in Marawi.
The Marawi siege is but one of the many symptoms of the systemic problems hounding the country for centuries that needs attention; social justice, good governance, political reforms and the longing of a people for autonomy and self-governance. But some of our policymakers have been deluded enough to declare its immediate cause as “illegal drugs driven”.
The resolution to the multi-faceted problems of the country is very much contingent on the solution to the Moro problem in Mindanao, with the passing of the BBL being merely the first step to a sustainable peace. Muslim autonomy and the revision of the Constitution are the sine qua non for genuine systemic and systematic political reforms. But we are no longer sure what is happening to these initiatives.
My second hypothesis is—the lingering perception that DU30 has “dropped the ball on federalism.”
A major part of the exuberance of the 30 percent that propelled Duterte to power was his vaunted agenda for federalism, the system change that will emancipate the periphery from the center and allow their development as they see fit. Many of the federalists gathered round his banner and with only their enthusiasm propelling them, went to the provinces spreading the gospel of federalism—but in many tongues and sometimes contradictory nuances. Fortunately, a few groups like the president’s political party, the PDP Laban, the Centrist Democratic Party (CDP) and some adherents codified the important concepts and are now being debated in a more disciplined manner in and outside of Congress.
Therein lies the complexity. While the House has slowly started public hearings and has come up with its own proposals, some of which are self-serving (making all provinces federal states; protecting political dynasties), the Senate, with their constant bickering and TV-driven public inquiries, has not taken the first step on Charter revisions. Without the Senate’s concurrence, Charter change will not happen!
The President, whose political party nominally controls both houses, has not been able to move the debate. Last December, an executive order was issued establishing a 25-man commission to study and propose political changes in the constitution. A year has passed. It has not been constituted.
The President has declared that passing the BBL should come first before the creation of the commission, and he wants the two major Muslim insurgencies, the MILF and MNLF, to agree on the final structure of their desired autonomous state or territory. On the other hand, the Senate leadership has intimated that the commission must first be constituted so they can assess the thrust of the President’s agenda on the shift to a parliamentary-federal system. This chicken and egg scenario is what stymies the revision of the Constitution. And this is further complicated by the alliances and substructure within Senate itself. The committee on constitutional revisions is headed by Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, the Liberal Party leader who has shown disdain for amending the Constitution.
The President’s party is dominant in both houses of Congress, and he wields enormous power. Yet the administration agenda is not moving at a desired pace. There is definitely something wrong here. And the growing frustration of the President’s allies may entice them to inject their own dangerous agenda into these dynamics to break the impasse – either legitimately or otherwise.
Next week: A final solution?
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Wednesday, 22 November 2017 09:37
DOTr files plunder raps vs erring officials over MRT mess; Palace assures better train services
Malacañang on Tuesday, November 21, reiterated the Duterte administration’s strong commitment to go after erring government officials who failed in their duty of delivering government services to the Filipino people.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. announced in a Malacanang press briefing that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) filed plunder complaints at the Office of the Ombudsman against former officials involved in the alleged anomalous Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) maintenance service contract.
“We must stress that the great suffering of the riding public as a result of the failure to deliver on the responsibilities of public office, such as the case of the current state of the MRT-3 system, carries consequences and that those accountable will be held liable,” Roque said.
Complaints were filed against former Cabinet members in the Aquino administration, including former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and former Transportation Secretary Jun Abaya, for allegedly rigging the bidding for MRT-3 contracts in favor of maintenance contractor Busan Universal Railways Inc. (BURI).
Roque said the move to award the contracts to an inexperienced and unworthy contractor led to systemic problems in the train system.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) filed before the Office of the Ombudsman a Plunder complaint, and violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Government Procurement Reform Act, against former Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya and former Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas for the alleged anomalous multi-billion peso MRT-3 maintenance service contract. (Photo Courtesy: DOTr)
“‘Yang mga breakdown pong ‘yan hindi nangyayari kung tinutupad nung BURI ‘yung kanyang contractual undertakings… [B]akit tinanggal doon sa isang service provider na malaki, may reputasyon at napakatagal naman ng track record sa DOTC dati at pinalitan ng hindi kakilalang kumpanya na nag-resulta ngayon sa napakasamang serbisyo ng MRT,” Roque noted.
Nevertheless, the Palace Spokesperson assured the public that under the Duterte administration, Filipinos can expect better solutions to their long-standing MRT woes.
Roque said he had discussed the matter with DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, who gave his assurance that there would be positive steps taken to revamp the MRT-3.
“He assured me number one, that they are going to procure a reliable maintenance contractor; number two, they’re building new rails. They’re buying new train cars and new signaling system,” Roque reported.
A safety audit is also currently being conducted to ensure the security of the riding public, Roque added.
Roque for his part expressed hope in the DOTr’s ability to address the problem. He even offered to take the MRT once a week so he could personally inspect its services.
“I think Secretary Tugade knows that we’re looking up to him for a solution. [W]e’re crying for a quick solution and I’m sure that Secretary Tugade and Usec. [Cesar] Chavez are really taking all the necessary steps,” he said.
Palace to work with DOJ in filing cases vs Maute group
During the same press briefing, Spokesperson Roque announced that the Palace would be working with the Department of Justice (DOJ) in building cases against members of the Maute Group for violations of the international humanitarian law.
“Someone has to take up the cudgels for the victims of war crimes in domestic armed conflicts,” Roque said.
“We will do this knowing that the CHR (Commission on Human Rights) will not be [of] any help in according victims of the Maute terrorist group justice,” he added.
Roque decried the Commission’s failure to conduct a probe on the atrocities committed by the terror group in Mindanao. He said the CHR had been too preoccupied with its investigations on the alleged human rights violations of the government.
“It is always atrocities allegedly committed by state agents. And their position has been consistent, the role is to document abuses of human rights committed by state agents which is wrong, because international humanitarian law punishes everyone even non-state actors,” Roque cited. (PCO-Content)
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Tuesday, 21 November 2017 14:41
Duterte to end telecoms duopoly
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. announced on Monday, November 20, that the dominance of two major players in the local telecommunications industry is about to end during a Malacanang press briefing.
“During the bilateral talks between President Duterte and the Chinese Premier, President Duterte offered to the People’s Republic of China the privilege to operate the third telecom’s carrier in the country,” the Spokesperson said.
Roque added that PRRD is serious about the entry of the third telecommunications carrier as he gave instructions that all applications be filed and acted upon directly by the Office of the Executive Secretary.
This came after the Philippine government officially sealed a deal with a Facebook affiliate to build the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure project.
“Consumers can look forward now to better telecommunications, not just in terms of cellular technology, but also in terms of internet speed as well as access,” the Presidential Spokesperson underscored.
Bohol’s new airport conducts first test flight; CDO coastal road launched
In the same press briefing, Spokesperson Roque reported that the government successfully conducted the first test flight of the New Bohol Airport last November 6.
“It’s on track to be finished by June 2018. The P7.8-billion airport can accommodate seven aircrafts, both domestic and international,” Roque said.
The airport project is designed to be the Philippines’ first eco-airport and “Green Gateway to the World.”
Meanwhile, Roque also announced that the Cagayan de Oro Coastal Road is now open after 20 years.
“The Cagayan de Oro Coastal Road is expected to lessen the travel time by 20 minutes from Laguindingan [Airport] to Cagayan de Oro City,” he said.
PH ASEAN hosting produces results
Spokesperson Roque likewise mentioned the country had garnered multi-million dollar assistance and entered into important agreements with various countries as a result of its hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.
The United States gave US$14.3 million for the rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi City and US$2 million to support the country’s ongoing war on illegal drugs.
“We were likewise able to push mutual interests such as Generalized System of Preferences with the United States and to start exploring talks on a Philippines-US Free Trade Agreement,” Roque disclosed.
The Philippines signed 14 cooperation agreements with China, inked eight (8) bilateral agreements with Russia and committed three (3) agreements with New Zealand.
The Japanese government, on the other hand, will provide P46 billion for the construction of the first phase of the Metro Manila Subway and P4 billion for a bypass road along the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway in Plaridel, Bulacan.
Japan further committed an additional billion pesos for the procurement of equipment for counterterrorism and reconstruction of Marawi.
Canada provided $17.8-million for the sexual health and empowerment projects for women in the Philippines.
Australia pushed for cooperation against sea piracy threat in Sulu. Also, the country was able to improve market access for Philippine bananas in Australia, Japan, and Korea.
As for India, “We had talks on producing cheaper medicines with India and talks with pharmaceutical companies to set-up in the Philippines,” the Spokesperson said. (PCO-Content)
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Monday, 20 November 2017 16:20
Santiago fired over junkets abroad, favors from drug lords – Palace
President Rodrigo Duterte dismissed former Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) chief Dionisio Santiago not just for contradicting his statements but due to complaints of alleged junkets abroad and acceptance of favors from drug lords, Malacañang said on Monday.
“Santiago was let go not only because of his statements on the mega rehab center, he was let go because of complaints,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing.
Citing the complaint, Roque said Santiago allegedly went on a trip to Vienna in Austria, and the United States together with his “mistress,” friends and favorite DDB employees.
“He was also being let go because of complaints that General Santiago was using taxpayers’ money for junkets abroad. In addition to bringing family members, Santiago brought six of his closest personnel, including a ‘girl Friday’,” Roque noted.
The Palace official said Santiago was also accused of receiving a house from suspected and slain drug lord Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog.
INQUIRER.net has sought Santiago’s comment but has yet to respond as of posting time. /kga
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Monday, 20 November 2017 16:09
Alvarez responds to Sereno: Just show up in impeachment hearings
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno should just show up and refute the impeachment complaint against her before the House committee on justice on its hearing on Wednesday.
“Please tell her to just argue on the merits and appear before the committee on justice,” Alvarez said in a text message on Monday.
Alvarez was reacting to Sereno’s earlier interview, where she said that the former may have a hand in the ouster move against the chief magistrate.
Sereno, in a television interview on Monday morning, addressed speculations that Alvarez was behind the impeachment complaint as a way of getting back at her over the case of the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (PIATCO), builder of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Terminal 3 (NAIA 3).
“I testified against the onerous terms of the contract that was signed between the government and PairCargo (later named Piatco), and Speaker Alvarez at the time was part of the committee that approved the terms of reference for the contract,” Sereno said.
Alvarez, she said, was implicated for awarding the Naia 3 build-operate-transfer contract to Piatco when he was senior assistant general manager of Manila International Airport Administration (Miaa).
Sereno then said she hoped that the move was not fueled by “vengeance or personal agenda.”
Lawyer Larry Gadon, the complainant in Sereno’s impeachment, also challenged her to personally attend the hearing on Wednesday and “refute point by point each of the 27 articles of impeachment which (Gadon) will prove with official documents released by the Supreme Court no less.”
“As Chief Justice, she should be brave enough to face my complaints. She should not hide behind her lawyers. I also urge her to refrain from threatening me with perjury because it is she who has been dishonest all these time, not me,” Gadon said. /je
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Friday, 17 November 2017 10:43
Palace thanks Filipinos for “tremendous success” of ASEAN Summit
Malacañang on Thursday, November 16, extended its gratitude to all Filipinos for their contribution to the “tremendous success” of the Philippines’ hosting of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in a press briefing, said the country’s Chairmanship of ASEAN 2017 was generally peaceful, orderly, and fruitful, owing to the Filipino people’s support and cooperation.
“We’d like to thank everyone, most especially the Filipino people, for the support and cooperation [in] making this event peaceful, orderly, fruitful, and very much a success,” Roque said.
He stressed that the success of the momentous event is indicative of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s ability to lead the country towards global recognition.
“The world community now recognizes not only the fact that the Philippine President is not just the President of the Philippines, a leader of Southeast Asia, but a recognized leader in the international community,” the Spokesperson said.
“And they have also given notice that the Philippines is able to competently host a bidding, a meeting of this scale and scope. And the fact that there was no untoward incident proves that the Philippines is safe to visit,” he added.
This year’s ASEAN Summit also set in motion a number of constructive negotiations among ASEAN member states and their dialogue partners, the Cabinet official noted.
For one, Roque cited discussions during the Summit, which led to an agreement between ASEAN and China to start formal talks on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the West Philippine Sea. The talks are set to commence early next year, he announced.
Roque described this as a “milestone agreement,” stressing that this was the first time claimant countries have agreed to start formal discussions on a CoC that is expected to be legally binding.
“I think all the parties want it to be somehow legally binding. Otherwise, if it’s merely aspirational,” Roque said. “I think that was a priority of the President because unless it becomes legally binding, we would not achieve the kind of predictability that all the countries want in order to achieve peace and stability in the region,” he added.
Roque further said that there is now easing of tensions in the disputed territories due to the countries’ willingness to adopt a more peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The Philippines for its part remains open to conducting bilateral talks with other claimant states, including China, the Spokesperson noted.
“President Duterte has been consistent that he is open to bilateral talks as far as resolving the conflict is concerned. He has said it time and again that he does not see any utility in talking to third parties who are not parties to the conflict,” Roque said. ( PCO-Content)
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Thursday, 16 November 2017 07:09
IS in the Philippines
Part 2 – Marawi aftermath
THE Islamic extremist leaders in the battle of Marawi—Isnilon Hapilon of IS and the Maute brothers Omarkhayam Romato and Abdullah of Dawlah Islamiya—were sent posthaste by the police Special Forces to Jannah with its 72 virgins (for each). But like the multi-headed Hydra of Greek mythology, once chopped off, more heads will regrow; and the current “Caliph” of IS in the Middle East, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has many candidates to choose from.
It is estimated that from 2013, 40,000 jihadists from 120 countries joined IS in Iraq and the civil war in Syria. What is disturbing is the approximately 1,000 Southeast Asian, including some from the Philippines, who trained and fought in these arenas. We don’t know how many were killed, but as IS is crushed in these wars and continues to lose territories, especially after the liberation of Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria, these highly trained and motivated jihadists with their deadly skills are returning to their countries.
The ascendancy of IS and the decline in influence of al-Qaida saw the transfer of allegiance by countless terrorist groups to the former. Among them was the Abu Sayyaf (ASG), founded by Abdurajak Janjalani. After his death in 1998 and a series of assassinated successors, the ASG pledged allegiance to IS in 2014. Fighting for an independent Islamic State in Mindanao, it struck an alliance with the Dawlah Islamiyah of the Maute brothers to establish a foothold in Marawi.
In the Marawi siege, Philippine intelligence reports said that approximately 500 jihadists joined the battle, of which 80 were thought to be foreign fighters. About a dozen of the dead were identified as coming from Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Chechnya, Yemen, Indonesia, Malaysia. These survivors from Marawi could apply their murderous skills in other parts of the country. They could regroup and may not be able to do an encore in Marawi, but they could wreak havoc on communities all over the country like Cotabato, Zamboanga, Basilan and the Sulu provinces. What could be replicated are bomb-making skills and placement of improvised explosive devices (IED) and suicide bombers; both were applied with devastating effect against the US led-coalition armies in Iraq. God help us if the same is employed in our cities and populated areas like Metro Manila.
But how did our country decline to this condition where the Islamic radicals are threatening to dictate their lethal agenda?
Our relations with our Muslim brothers go back centuries. The Crescent Moon and the Star came to the Philippines long before the Cross and the Sword of the Catholic faith were planted in our shores. Predominant in the south, the Moros resisted the Spanish conquistador for centuries, along with the subsequent American and Japanese intrusions. In effect, the Muslims were never a “conquered people.” But the enduring unresolved disputes involved the encroachments of the dominant “Christians” and the other “lowlanders” into their domain, constricting the Moros and their faith into pockets of territories, confined mostly within Mindanao.
Redress of these grievances centered on the economic, political, and cultural marginalization of the Moro,s were never seriously addressed by the Christian-dominated central government until the advent of the separatists Moros elevated the political and economic discourse through the articulate language of violence. From the Kamlon Rebellion in Sulu to the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), wars were intermittently fought. But over the decades, the shortsightedness of a highly centralized government exacerbated these conflicts, culminating in President Erap’s “all-out war” that resulted in an ever-escalating mindless quid pro quo of blood for blood.
These conflicts are no longer just confined to the Philippines although the solutions should have been characteristically Filipino. These centuries-old injustices were cloaked and turned deadly with the passionate divergences in faith and culture. Samuel Huntington succinctly describe this in his book The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of the World Order. He wrote: “The most important distinctions among peoples are no longer ideological, political or economic. They are cultural. New patterns of conflict will occur along the boundaries of different cultures and patterns of cohesion (and) will be found within cultural boundaries”.
What at first was a countrywide Philippine problem could not simply be bottled up within national boundaries. It has broken out and taken on regional dimensions permeating Southeast Asia and beyond. Like that of the Middle East and the Levant, violence is a cancer that has metastasized.
Tomas Sanford reports: “Many conditions and features in Southeast Asia enable terrorism and insurgency: socioeconomic strain, sectarian friction, small groups of influential religious conservatives, radical ideologies, large archipelagoes and porous borders, preexisting insurgencies, jihadi veterans, permissive immigration rules, and flexible and informal funding networks. And unlike the 1990s and the early 2000s, social media is now everywhere, allowing for easy communications, recruitment, and financial transactions.”
But there are also mitigating factors that the DU30 government has in its favor. The two major separatist groups, the MILF and MNLF, with their weapons on stand-down. are assuming a “wait and see” posture and divining the body language of the Deegong government on the moves towards the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that will provide the Muslims a modicum of autonomy in a federal set-up. On the international stage, the Muslim community rejected and condemned terrorist attacks all over the world: the Bali, Indonesian bombing perpetrated by the Jemaah Islamiyah was one example.
But patience of even the majority moderate Muslims is running short. What we saw in Marawi are “the consequences of a failure of the Philippine government negotiations with Moro insurgents and the growing IS presence across the region—and ones that may be repeated across this large and restive region. ISIS could come to see this as its primary, extra-regional destination as its fortunes continue to tumble in the Middle East and North Africa.” (Anderson)
Before his report to the House committee of foreign affairs’ subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of the US Congress, Thomas Anderson came up with his conclusion, and I agree with him.
“The violence in Marawi is a stark warning of a convergence of several troublesome factors, including an expanding, insurgent-minded IS, radical ideologies, poor (and violent) governance, highly stressed communities, returning and regional foreign fighters, accessible funding, criminal activity, and adept use of social media.”
And I might add, we can’t allow the Islamic radicals to arrogate unto itself the initiative to settle the Philippine agenda. Marawi’s rehabilitation will be the country’s focus in the coming months. If it goes the way of the “Yolanda-Haiyan” template, Deegong may as well forget about the BBL, his federalism legacy, and kiss his hold on power goodbye.
This article borrows from the testimony of Thomas Anderson, Director and Senior Fellow of the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS); and the book ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror, by Michael Weiss and Hassan Hassan; and Samuel Huntington’s “The Clash of Civilizations”.
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Tuesday, 14 November 2017 08:28
President Duterte affirms ties with US in bilateral talks with President Trump
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte affirmed the strong relationship of the Philippines with the United States during his bilateral meeting with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Meetings on Monday, November 13.
This is the first formal meeting between the two leaders since they assumed office last year.
In their 40-minute discussion, the two leaders touched on matters of mutual interest between the two countries such as trade and economy.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who was present during the meeting, the Philippines expressed view of being appreciative of the Generalized System of Preferences and suggested that free trade agreement also be concluded between the US and the Philippines.
Roque said the US observed that the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry has become very important in the Philippines promising to find ways to reduce the trade surplus between the two nations.
He added that the US will try to work out something to reduce the deficit of trade between the Philippines and China.
On improving trade relations, Roque said President Trump singled out the issue on tariffs being imposed on US automobiles while such tariffs are not being imposed on Japanese cars.
The Palace official described the meeting between the two leaders as “frank.”
“They affirm the very close ties between the Philippines and the United States,” he said.
“President Trump specifically said that he has always been a friend of the Duterte administration unlike the previous administrations of the United States. But he stressed that he can be counted upon as a friend of the Duterte administration,” he added.
Roque, meanwhile, said the issue on human rights was not discussed during the meeting.
“It was not brought up. It was President Duterte who discussed with US President Trump the drug menace in the Philippines. And the US President appeared sympathetic and did not have any official position on the matter but was merely nodding his head indicating that he understood the domestic problem that we face on drugs,” he said.
Duterte also thanked Trump for extending assistance during the Marawi conflict.
On a lighter note, Roque said Trump revealed that he made Duterte sing after hearing him humming during the gala dinner hosted by the President for the world leaders on Sunday night.
In a short message made by President Trump before the bilateral meeting, he underscored the “great relationship” of the Philippines and US.
He lauded President Duterte for the successful hosting of the ASEAN Summit.
“The ASEAN conference has been handled beautifully by the President and the Philippines and your representatives,” he said.
“And I really enjoyed being here. The weather is always good. Today it’s pretty good. But one thing about the Philippines eventually it gets good no matter what,” he added.
He likewise thanked the Philippines for the hospitality and warm treatment afforded to him and his delegation.
“We very much appreciate the great treatment you have given us. I thought last night’s event was fantastic, tremendous talent. Most of them I guess from the Philippines. But tremendous talent. Musical talent, dance talent and we really had a tremendous time, all of the leaders,” Trump said of Sunday’s gala dinner.
“I think on behalf of everybody, I want to thank you and I want to thank the Philippines. Thank you very much,” he said. (PND)
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Monday, 13 November 2017 10:38
Mayor Sara, 9 others to study waste-to-energy tech in Japan
DAVAO CITY — Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, seven city officials and two representatives from an environment watchdog will travel to Japan next week to study the USD 70-million Waste-to-Energy(WTE) project which is eyed to improve the city’s waste management.
This was announced by the mayor saying that they will be going to Japan upon the invitation of the Japanese firm in the City of Kitakyushu to observe its own WTE operation. It will be an all-expenses paid by the city government of Kitakyushu.
The Japanese firm, Nippon Steel, has offered to do the WTE facility which can accommodate about 600 metric tons daily.
The project is eyed for a joint venture initiative between Nippon Steel, the city government, and the Kitakyusho City. Duterte-Carpio said the city will be a recipient of a grant from Japan for the implementation of the WTE project.
Duterte-Carpio wants to replicate the WTE project considering that the city’s landfill site at New Carmen is already in a critical stage. She said she invited two representatives of the Ecowaste Coalition, which has expressed its opposition to the WTE because it’s reportedly a form of incineration.
Incineration is not allowed under the Clean Air Act law. EcoWaste Coalition is a network of community, church, school, environmental and health groups pursuing sustainable solutions to waste, climate change and chemical issues facing the Philippines and the world has called for the city government of Davao to junk the waste to energy incineration proposal.
Earlier, City Planning chief Ivan Cortez said the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) is looking new areas in the north and southern part of the city that would measure about 15 hectares each. The site will be allotted for the landfill with 10 hectares and WTE with five hectares.
Councilor Marissa Abella backs the WTE as the other answer to the city’s garbage problem since the city is disposing of all garbage in the landfill. Abella said CENRO is collecting 400 to 500 tons of garbage daily.
She said the waste-to-energy will collect all residual waste and convert into energy that can be utilized by the households. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
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