By: Allyn VillahermosaPhoto Courtesy: Mary Ruth Macaraeg With the theme “Truth, Honesty and Integrity: Media Ethics and Social Responsibility”, COMGUILD Center for Journalism conducted its 11th Annual Conference of Journalism and Mass Communication Students of the Philippines held at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater, Ateneo de Manila University on September 4.
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by: Marve SangalangChair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Sen. Loren Legarda proposed a higher food budget allowance for food in jails.
Inmates of Iloilo Rehabilitation Center on Pototan, Iloilo province once complained about rice that is not properly cooked back in 2008. This issue caused Senator Legarda to propose a raise in the budget proposal for food in jails from P50 to P75, August 25, 2016 in a budget briefing with Department of Justice (DOJ) officials. Senator Legarda also said that “How does a person eat three meals a day with P50? That’s too small. Let’s have a more human rate”. The budget proposal was also agreed to by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, and he added that the food supplied to prisoners were no better than animal feed. He is also hoping that there would be sufficient funds to raise the meal allowance to P75, or P25 a meal. 44,790 prisoners were administered by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) from seven different prisons across the country. By: Luzmharie Solis
Supt. Johnson Calub, the warden of Cebu City jail, was relieved of his job because of the Greyhound Opearation that was conducted last Saturday, August 13. They believe that over P4.6 million worth of drug-money, drug paraphernalia, gadgets, internet devices, TV sets, and tools were confiscated from over 3,000 inmates. PRO-7 Noli Talino was the one who invoked the authorities to have an inspection at the said city jail. While all the inmates were asleep, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine Coastguard K9 unit, and the Philippine National Police (PNP) did their part to inspect the jail. According to the informant, the jail was becoming a drug lodge and some visitors also have pot sessions with the inmates. The informant also added that some jail guards are connected to drug lords and drug pushers outside the said city jail and these guards are receiving P3,000 per week from each brigade. Calub and all the jail guards are under investigation by the Bureau of Jail Management Penology (BJMP). While this investigation is on going, Calub will be replaced by Supt. Jessie Calumpang on Tuesday, August 16. By: Luzmharie Solis Danilo Suarez, the house minority leader, says that the previous administration is the one responsible for the traffic affliction which the new administration is now facing. He even promoted a policy containing ''No income tax return, No car." In a press conference, Suarez said that the new administration would start at tabula rasa, which means that it should start from the beginning, because the former administration didn't formulate and implemented a reasonable traffic plan. Suarez suggested that people who cannot prove that they have a garage, a capability for income tax return and cannot avail car plates will be grounds for prevention of owning a car for a limited time. He also mentioned that the public buses are one of the causes of traffic, especially big buses, because they are the ones who usually violates traffic rules. He also added, that there are many alternative routes that is provided to avoid the traffic, but it cannot be used because of the cars that is parked on the designated way. Suarez said that we cannot punish the public when the government is not doing their best, there's a lot of thing to fix in the government. By: Luzmharie Solis Vhong Navarro is hoping for his upcoming movie titled "Mang Kepweng Returns" to be a part of this year's Metro Manila Film Fest (MMFF). After his last movie titled "Buy Now, Die Later", which was a part of last year's MMFF, Vhong is now thrilled to have the chance to introduce the classic komiks character to new generation of filmgoers. In an interview, Navarro said that it took a long time before they decided to have a remake of the movie of Papang Chiquito. He also added that he is overwhelmed because the producer handpicked him to be a part of this remake and so he felt nervous, but at the same time excited, for remaking this movie. Navarro also gave an idea about the movie. He said that it is all about the old and new version Mang Kepweng. The movie will be directed by GB Sampedro, starring Jaclyn Jose, Valeen Montenegro and Kim Domingo. By: Luzmharie Solis On August 15, a police officer reported that three family members are found dead due to electrocution during the monsoon rains in Barangay Reparo, Nasugbu town. PO3 Primo Mendoza, Jr. of the Nasugbu Police said the victims were Leonida Andrin Catapang, 46; Felix Catapang, 57; and Jamaica Dalaney Catapang, 13. Around 5 PM of that day, Leonida got electrocuted after she picked up an electric wire that accidentally dropped to the ground because of strong winds and heavy rains. When Felix and Jamaica got home, they saw Leonida on the floor and rushed to help her but instead got electrocuted as well. Relatives of the victims found out what happened to the victims and hurried to bring them to the Apacible Memorial District Hospital, but then, they were declared dead on arrival (DOA). By: Joy Apostol Senator Cynthia Villar filed a bill aiming to penalize implementation of “no permit, no exam” policy in post secondary and higher education institutions, wherein students are not allowed to take midterm or final examination due to unpaid fees and other school fees, is now in the senate.
Proposed Senate Bill “Anti-No Permit, No Exam Act of 2016” requiring students to provide their permit on taking midterm or final examination will be against the law. On the other hand, Villar praises the Commission on Higher Education in their Memorandum Order 9 Series 2013 prohibiting the 1,800 Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the country on implementing “No permit, no exam” policy. However, Villar affirmed that a law is needed to punish whoever violated the policy. Under the proposed bill, it is unlawful to require students to pay a down payment or the first installment during enrollment at above 30% of the full tuition fee and other school fees in a semester or duration of course. Whoever technical-vocational institute or HEI employee or official, including the dean, coordinators, advisers, instructors, professors that will violate the proposal, if it becomes a law will pay a fine not less than P100,000 and not more than P200,000. By: Mhon Navarro President Rodrigo Duterte assures to take full responsibility on the killings linked to his relentless war against drugs with more than 1,500 people have died since his administration begun. On Thursday, PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa says 665 drug suspects were killed in police operations and another 889 killed by vigilantes. The administration then received a lot of criticisms. Capturing global attention, the President then ordered a public “conference” upon receiving warning from the United Nation, inviting them to come and investigate the situation in the Philippines. United Nation considers the Duterte’s actions as a crime under the international law. Agnes Callamard, United Nation special rapporteur, accepted the President’s invitation and says that she is willing to come to the Philippines to investigate the killings. In a statement, President's Spokesman Ernesto Abella said that the misinterpretation of local and international observers is more alarming that the outbreak of illegal drugs in the Philippines. The government’s principal concern is to ensure the safety and security of the citizens. By: Nicole Arzadon Budget Sec. Benjamin Diokno assured that there’s no hidden disbursement allocation program (DAP) within the national budget for next year. Diokno react when the Youth Rep. Sarah Elago question the provision of the budget related to the realignment of finding. Diokno stressed that its provisions are consistent with the Supreme Court decision that declared the DAP unconstitutional. “The position I’m realignment is not in the language of the Constitution. We have to generate savings to augment an item in the budget… You are allowed modification only with respect to the personal services (PS). That’s it. But you will not be allowed to transfer it from PS to another expense class," said Diokno. Secretary explains that it may have the realignment only when the government agencies may have enough savings. He said that he used other meaning as the basis for a definition of savings compared to the interpretation of the past administration matters that funds allegedly use in the DAP. He said that the past citing administration immediately declared savings agencies even if not yet finished the year. Allegedly Compiled to provide funds with the DAP that will provide to the strengthening of the economy. Meanwhile, the secretary would not be allowed to exist again the mechanism of DAP. He asserted that he himself was the petitioner in the Supreme Court to make the DAP as unconstitutional. By: Patricia Baguio Senator Sonny Angara stated on August 24, that there is a big possibility to cancel the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to give way for President Duterte’s battle on illegal drugs.
Senate committees had a hearing on the same day regarding the postponement of the incoming elections along with the resource persons heading the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Local government units (LGUs) agreed and supported the provision. Under the proposed provision, it is said that the Barangay and SK election will be cancelled from its original schedule on October 31 to October 2018. On the side of COMELEC, the Senate gave the department to release their final decision until the last day of August. |
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