5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
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Rise vs modern-day oppressors-FMJ
By Nidz Godino
“Challenge now for all, especially youth, is to continue embracing Lapu-Lapu’s ideals and wealth of our heritage as we realize ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ built on foundations of liberty and freedom he and all our other heroes fought hard for,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. challenged Filipinos, especially youth, to uphold Lapu-Lapu’s patriotism and rise against modern-day oppressors.
Marcos led 503rd commemoration of “Kadaugan sa Mactan” or Victory at Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, where he offered wreath at Lapu-Lapu’s monument and witnessed re-enactment of Battle of Mactan.
In his message earlier, Marcos joined Filipinos in commemorating valor, bravery and boldness of Lapu-Lapu and his men in the Battle of Mactan, which has become epitome of “indomitable Filipino spirit” through the years.
“Despite being in world incomparable to that of Lapu-Lapu, we are called to rise against our modern-day oppressors greed, selfishness and divisiveness and uphold legacy of patriotism that has been passed on to us through the years,” he added.
During performances at Liberty Shrine, Marcos was seen clapping and giving thumbs up to young performers who braved scorching heat.
On April 27, 1521, Lapu-Lapu, then Mactan’s chieftain, and his men defeated Spanish forces led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Lapu-Lapu killed Magellan during the battle, according to history books.
For the Chief Executive, Battle of Mactan shows every generation how force that is rooted in community, courage and integrity can destroy even strongest of opponents.
“The same is what our nation needs today, image of Lapu-Lapu as living, breathing and real figure who risked his life to keep his family, comrades and community safe from hostile outsiders may seem strange to our modern responsibilities…yet, he remains symbol of bravery and honor each of us inherently possesses,” he added.
Marcos likewise emphasized Filipinos’ continuing love for the country by “defending what is ours.”
“This love for Philippines is seen in our bold assertion of our rights and in defense of what is ours according to the law, according to international order and in the eyes of God,” he said.
The President again made reference to line from Philippine national anthem, Lupang Hinirang “sa manlulupig, di ka pasisiil,” means Filipinos will not be oppressed by conquerors.
“Even before this line was written in Lupang Hinirang, this was already fulfilled by the people of Cebu,” he said.
Marcos said nation is still facing “modern battles,” such as hunger and poverty, whose solution is not violence or weapons, but courage, actions and unity.
Those who joined the President at the commemoration were Speaker Martin Romualdez, Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan and his wife Lapu-Lapu City Lone District Rep. Cindi Chan and National Historical Commission of the Philippines chair Lisa Guerrero Nakpil.
Before the event ended, local officials gave Marcos miniature statue of Lapu-Lapu.
The President also posed for photos with guests and greeted crowd as he left venue for another event in Lapu-Lapu City.
“Yes, there is presence of CN ,Chinese Navy vessel in the vicinity of our Balikatan ships conducting MME,” Western Command (WESCOM) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief and spokesman Capt. Ariel Coloma told reporters at least one Chinese naval vessel had been spotted in the vicinity of West Philippine Sea (WPS) where Philippines, United States and France were conducting Multilateral Maritime Exercises (MME) under Balikatan 2024.
Said grey ship of People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) was sighted,“we have reported one PLAN vessel with bow number 793 in the vicinity,” Coloma added, providing no further details.
MME, involving navies of the Philippines, US and France, is being held within exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines.
Balikatan 2024 Combined Joint Information Bureau chief Lt. Col. John Paul Salgado said AFP, United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) and French Navy successfully conducted Simulated Replenishment at Sea (RAS) exercise on Friday.
BRP Ramon Alcaraz led exercise with BRP Davao del Sur, French frigate FS Vendemiaire and landing ship dock USS Harpers Ferry as participants.
Salgado said RAS exercise is aimed at maintaining operational readiness and extending operational range of naval fleets to ensure vessels can be resupplied while at sea, allowing them to remain operational without need for frequent port visits.
Salgado said continuation of Cross Deck Landing exercise involving four vessels and Philippine Navy helicopter was also conducted.
“Exercise tested coordination and precision required for helicopter landings on different vessels, vital skill in complex naval operations,” he said.
On Friday, Filipino Marines engaged their counterparts in US Marine Corp in joint air assault drill in Balabac Island, Palawan as part of ongoing Balikatan exercises, Salgado also said.
Drill involved simulated scenario requiring Filipino and US soldiers to team up in operations utilizing air assets, he added.
Utilizing USMC’s CH53E Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopters, Salgado said air assault exercise involved insertion of troops into designated zone, simulating rapid deployment scenario.
“This exercise demonstrates combined capabilities of Philippine and US Marines in conducting complex military operations,” Salgado said.
Balikatan 2024 is biggest iteration of joint training exercises between Filipino and American troops, for this year also involves armed forces of France and Australia, with 14 other countries acting as observers.
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PISTON strike from Apr 29 to May 1
By J.Lo
“Ito ay kinakailangan nating gawin upang ipaglaban natin ang ating mga kabuhayan sa sektor ng transportasyon,” Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) deputy secretary general Ruben Baylon said media forum in Quezon City Jeepney drivers are preparing for three-day nationwide strike set for following week to protest against Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) and approaching April 30 deadline for consolidation of jeepney franchises.
PISTON will lead transport strike, scheduled to start on April 29 and end on May 1, Labor Day.
Baylon said drivers and operators will continue their routes even after April 30 consolidation deadline passes.
“Ang a-uno ng Mayo, sabi nila, huhulihin na raw ang mga jeep…karapatan ng mamamayang Pilipino na maglingkod sa sambayanan…kung kaya, kahit na matapos ang deadline, hindi titigil sa pamamasada ang mga drayber at operator,” Baylon added.
Metro Manila is slated to be focal point for protest, with key areas including Alabang, Baclaran, Sucat, Taft Avenue, Agoncillo, Monumento, Novaliches, Litex, Anonas, Katipunan, and Philcoa.
While preparations are underway, discussions between PISTON and transport group MANIBELA are ongoing to coordinate their efforts for strike.
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PISTON previously explained their stance, advocating for complete junking of franchise consolidation requirement and PUVMP. It has been battling controvercial policy since 2017.
Transport groups are also requesting to return five-year franchises of operators.
PUVMP, according to several progressive groups, is tantamount to government-led jeepney phaseout.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said there would no longer be any more extension in connection to franchise consolidation under PUVMP.
Units left unconsolidated into cooperatives and corporations starting May would be considered colorum and would be prohibited from plying their routes.
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Killing of teen studying at home hit
By J.Lo
“Deeply concerned and alarmed with recent incidents of brutal killings of minors, especially girls,” Department of Education (DepEd) denounced killing of 14-year-old girl while she was studying at her residence in Talisay City, Cebu.
DepEd highlighted fundamental right of every student to pursue their education without fear for their safety, whether they are learning at home or in school.
It also called for unity in face of such senseless acts of violence.
“We urge local authorities and community to come together in solidarity against violence and to ensure safety of all learners,” DepEd said.
Probe showed victim was answering her learning modules when unidentified assailant forcibly entered their home and shot her to death.
DepEd extended its condolences to grieving family, friends and classmates of the victim, urging swift and thorough investigation by authorities to ensure justice is served.
Meanwhile, authorities are exploring possible connections to illegal drug activities involving victim’s relatives.
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Online child sex abuse stopped
By J.Lo
“When we gave Marcos operational details of crime, he really said, ‘I will leave behind many legacies in the Philippines but if I have to choose just one legacy… after this administration, this would be it,’” Department of Justice (DOJ) Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano IV said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants elimination of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children to be his legacy as he regards crime, whose youngest victim in the country is three-month-old infant, as “unFilipino,” .
Clavano said Marcos was “visibly distressed, very bothered and clearly stressed” when presented with information about online sexual abuse and exploitation of children and materials used to commit them during meeting in Malacañang.
“Alarming” figures prompted Marcos to issue “very strong” directive to DOJ, Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies to further intensify efforts against unlawful activities.
“We hope by the end of his term, we will completely phase out this crime because, as he said, it is very unFilipino-like to do this…so let’s go back to our real culture, family…but when it comes to crime like this, you are using your child to rake in small sums… disturbing,” he added.
Clavano described online sexual abuse and exploitation of children as “family-based crime,” with biological parents facilitating abuse of 41 percent of victims and other relatives doing same for another 42 percent of children.
“His directive is to further intensify these efforts, to further look into how we can come up with holistic solution…because this cannot only be done by whole-of-government approach, but by whole-of-nation approach, includes private sector, social media platforms where these crimes usually occur,” he added.
Marcos, Clavano said, has also instructed DOJ to intensify talks with Facebook and to remind social media giant of its obligations under the law.
Study conducted in 2022 by United Nations Children’s Fund, ECPAT International and Interpol indicated 20 percent of internet-using Filipino children aged 12 to 17 or two million children were victimized by online sexual abuse and exploitation.
About 23 to 38 percent of children victims do not tell anyone about harm being done to them.
Crime has been tied to poverty, unsupervised access to internet and online payment channels, capability to speak English and beliefs children are not harmed if activities only involve use of web cameras.
Clavano admitted there are difficulties in quelling crime since it is done within homes of victims. He added 74 percent of cases were perpetrated by those that fall within victim’s circle of trust, including parents and close relatives.
Children from poor families are easy targets of online sexual abuse because crime is a financially lucrative activity, according to DOJ executive director Margarita Magsaysay.
She revealed some victims are ready to show their nude pictures for as low as P200 or P300 and that crime is rampant in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Taguig Cities.
According to Clavano, average age of online sexual abuse and exploitation at time of referral or rescue was 11 years old, with less than one year old being youngest.
Victims of crime were predominantly female at 86 percent. Countries with most number of patrons are US, Sweden and Germany.
“Well, usually patrons are older men, from English-speaking and more developed and Western countries…but customers, as noted here, are not necessarily even pedophiles…meaning to say, they don’t have any overt acts in their own countries where they display pedophile tendencies…so, they just enjoy watching them on internet, social media and other platforms,” Clavano said.
PNP Women and Children Protection Center chief BGen. Portia Manalad said local authorities are collaborating with foreign law enforcement agencies through Philippine Internet Crimes Against Children.
“Together, they refer cases when they find on devices, in other countries, when they arrest criminals who have on their devices child sexual abuse and exploitation materials, and then refer to us if there are Asian-looking or Filipino children and we do rescue and arrest of facilitators,” she said.
Manalad added law enforcers are training to use tool being developed overseas to identify child exploitation materials generated by artificial intelligence.
Despite efforts by government to assist and reintegrate children and families affected by crime, there have been instances where former victims become facilitators of illegal activity.
Clavano said there have been 523 convictions against perpetrators of crime since 2009. After anti-online sexual abuse or exploitation of children law was passed in 2022, almost 200 convictions were made.
“First, Bato was not approached because he was the main suspect in the case… evidence against him is clear,” former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said in Viber message to Senate reporters, referring to Dela Rosa by his nickname no law was violated when police officers communicated with representatives of International Criminal Court (ICC) investigating drug war launched by former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Trillanes said ICC investigators would not coordinate with Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, considered one of those involved in the case being architect of Oplan Tokhang and chief of Philippine National Police at initial implementation of war on drugs in 2016.
“Secondly, it is not crime for police to interact in their personal capacity because only they as individuals will be harmed if they do not answer for their involvement in ICC case, third, Bato will not give attention to my statement but he reacted lengthily,” he said.
Trillanes also advised Duterte’s lawyers: “According to Sec. 17 of RA 9851, An Act Defining Crimes Against Humanity, etc., ‘in interest of justice, relevant Philippine authorities may dispense with investigation or prosecution of crime punishable under this Act if another court or international tribunal is already conducting investigation…instead, authorities may surrender or extradite suspected or accused persons in the Philippines to appropriate international court…’”
Former Duterte spokesman Harry Roque merely laughed in reaction to Trillanes, saying, “that law is if prosecution is in the Phil and not in ICC…gross ignorance of the law!”
Dela Rosa is confident Department of Justice (DOJ) and Philippine National Police (PNP) would prosecute government officials or law enforcers who help ICC investigation on previous administration’s war on drugs.
Dela Rosa would not dignify Trillanes’ claim that 50 active and former police officers have already been informed by ICC about their possible involvement in drug war crime.
“I do not want to dignify his statements, not true…DOJ already said any government official who would cooperate with ICC can be charged with graft and corrupt practices,” he said in a phone interview with Senate reporters.
Dela Rosa was referring to statement of DOJ spokesperson Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano that government officials may be liable if they help the ICC, contrary to the current administration’s position that international tribunal’s investigation violates country’s sovereignty.
PNP chief information officer Col. Jean Fajardo also warned of sanctions against police officers if they communicate with ICC without their superiors’ clearance.
The former PNP chief faces crimes against humanity case before ICC along with his former boss Duterte.
Dela Rosa would not flee the case, although he does not recognize ICC’s jurisdiction over him, stressing he should only be tried in local courts.
FMJ extends svce of govt contractual/”pakyaw” workers
By Nidz Godino
“Help them find permanent posts”, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has extended employment of contract of service and job order workers in government whose contracts will expire in December.
Marcos decided to extend employment of non-regular government employees during sectoral meeting with budget, interior, civil service and audit officials at Malacañang.
Deadline for engagement of contract of service and job order workers in government was moved to Dec. 31, 2025 from Dec. 31, 2024.
Contract of service is defined as engagement of services of individual, private firm, another government agency, non-government agency or international organization as consultant, learning service provider or technical expert to undertake special project or job within specific period.
Job order, meanwhile, covers piece work, locally known as “pakyaw,” intermittent or emergency jobs to be undertaken for short duration and for specific piece of job.
According to budget department data, government has 832,812 contracts of service and job order workers as of June 30, 2023, Radio Television Malacañang said.
Number is higher by 22.90 percent from 642,077 workers in previous year.
Local governments have highest number of such workers, accounting for 69.68 percent or 580,323, up from 487,149 in 2022. Number of contract of service and job order workers in state universities and colleges also grew from 22,937 in 2022 to 44,168 last year.
National government, meanwhile, employs 173,227 casual workers.
Five national government agencies with highest number of contract of service and job order workers are Department of Public Works and Highways with 29,275; Department of Health with 18,264; Department of Education with 15,143; Department of Social Welfare and Development with 13,770; and Department of Environment and Natural Resources with 10,990.
Marcos ordered agencies to develop skills and capabilities of non-regular government workers and to reeducate and train them with help of higher learning institutions so they would be qualified for permanent positions.
He gave directive after learning that while there are thousands of vacant plantilla posts in government, they cannot be filled by contract of service and job order workers because they are not eligible.
Recognizing job experience of contract of service and job order workers, many of whom have been in government for many years, Marcos said non-regular workers should be assisted to obtain required qualifications so they could enjoy benefits of those in permanent positions.
Marcos also instructed agencies to conduct thorough study of current state of government workforce.
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Bantag illuded NBI dragnet
By J.Lo
“We will not stop here and continue looking for him,” vowed Assistant Regional Director Daniel Daganzo, NBI Special Investigator team leader of armed-to-the-teeth NBI-CAR contingent conducted raid to arrest former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag.
For the second time,Bantag slipped from authorities early Saturday morning when agents of National Bureau of Investigation- Cordillera Administrative Region (NBI-CAR) went to one of the alleged lair of former corrections official in Mines View barangay in Baguio City.
NBI agents led by Daganzo, converged at around 6 in the morning Saturday before heading incognito toward building serving as headquarters of the Igorot Warriors International (IWI). However, they failed to locate Bantag.
Bantag is the chairman of IWI which fielded former BuCor chief’s brother as its number one nominee during May 2022 party-list elections.
IWI had also been forefront of organizing solidarity street demonstrations and gatherings in Baguio City supporting Bantag.
NBI agents sought to issue warrant of arrest against Bantag for murder of broadcaster Percy Lapid and two more BuCor prisoners who accused former official of ordering their killing.
NBI agents earlier raided two houses in Laguna province and Marikina City allegedly being used by Bantag but failed to corner the fugitive.
Bantag had been sending surrender feelers to the government since last year, including his turning in to very influential official from the North very close to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., but had not fulfilled such promise apparently irritating the Department of Justice.
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