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Komedya   o Komida

Ni Derek Jorge

Komedya Eskwela

MAHIGIT 1,700 bata ang naabuso sa paaralan at tahanan nang mga ito batay sa “student safety hotline” ng Department of Education. Kung hindi maganda ang nararanasan ng mga bata sa bahay at eskuwela, saan pa tutungo ang mga ito, sa kalye? Batang kalye ang labas nang mga ito. Akala ko Kiwal, bulati kong kikiwal-kiwal higit saan mang lugar, sa eskwela dapat ligtas at payapang lugar. Batay sa DepEd’s Learner Rights and Protection Office, 1,709 sumbong ang naitala sa Learners’ Telesafe Contact Center Hotline. Ano ang ginagawa ng administrador kasambahay. Baka pati apo, pamangkin, anak n’yo biktima? Karamihan daw ng kaso ay “verbal abuse”, bully, namumura, naiinsulto, tinutukso. May mekanismio naman daw ang paaralan laban dito pero paano kung mismong guro na ang suspek, paano irereklamo ng estudyante? Ipinarerepaso ng Commission on Human Rights ang kaso ng mga preso kasunod ng paglayang pansamantala ni dating Sen. Leila De Lima. Lalo na kasambahay yung mga may problema sa isip na nakulong dahil hindi nakapagtanggol sa sarili sanhi ng kakapusan. Yung nakapagsilbi nan g kalahati ng minimum at kwalipikado nang “commutation” nguni’t ni dalaw ay wala. Yung nasa 70 anyos na’t may sakit pa. idamay nyo na ang detenido sa provincial jail, city jail. Shout out din muna kay Bea Caalim. Maligayang bati Ginoo at Gng. Aristides Valdez, mabuhay ang bagong kasal.  Pastor Saturnino Abraham, agarin mo naman ang dokumento ng lupa para sa pabahay ng mga Badjao sa Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat.  Jonathan Fernandez, muzta na, nagkakalimutan na tayo a. Problema ba, pag-usapan natin, ndgodino@yahoo.com.

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Sara to DOJ: Don’t cooperate with ICC

By Nidz Godino

“But we will continue to reach out to DOJ regarding our position on this matter… and we will lay down  legal basis of our position,” Vice President Sara Duterte told reporters while maintaining  President Ferdinand  Marcos Jr’ s foreign policy decisions should be followed,  she would urge  Department of Justice (DOJ) not to cooperate in International Criminal Court (ICC)’s investigation of  bloody war on drugs during  administration of her father.

Asked about Marcos’ softened tone regarding  issue of cooperation with  ICC, Duterte  “ respect  position of the President, being  chief architect of foreign policy. His position should be the position of all.”

But she stressed her office would continue to assert its position against cooperating with  ICC’s investigation on her father’s drug war.

Last week, Marcos said proposals for  country to rejoin  ICC are “under study,” raising  possibility of ICC prosecutors being allowed to investigate and possibly prosecute Duterte and his officials for crimes against humanity committed in his war on drugs.

Marcos statement is after members of  House of Representatives, whose relations with  Vice President and her father appear to have soured, filed resolutions urging  administration “to extend their full cooperation to  ICC Prosecutor with respect to its investigation of any alleged crime within jurisdiction of ICC.”

After years of delay,  ICC decided earlier this year to resume its inquiry into  Philippines’ war on drugs.

Decision  drew pushback from several lawmakers allied with former president Duterte, as well as from Marcos and members of his Cabinet, including Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

Over 6,000 suspected drug offenders have been killed in Duterte’s drug war based on government data. However, human rights groups said  number of fatalities could be several times higher.

For lawyer and former presidential spokesman Harry Roque, ICC’s absence of judicial cognizance over  drug war case precludes it from investigating former president Duterte and his Vice President-daughter.

Roque, included in court’s list of counsels, also cautioned President Marcos that his political advisers were using  ICC issue to foment division between  Marcos administration and  Duterte family.

Former  presidential spokesman opined that  war on drugs case officially came under  ICC’s cognizance only after Pre-Trial Chamber authorized  preliminary investigation in 2022.

“Regardless of our membership status,  Court cannot invoke jurisdiction since it was only in 2022 that the former prosecutor was allowed to proceed with  preliminary investigation…two years after  Philippines officially left  ICC, what  former prosecutor conducted before 2022 was  preliminary examination, which differs from authorized preliminary investigation… she acted in her own capacity,” he said, apparently referring to Fatou Bensouda. “ ICC did not have direct participation in this informal process” Roque explained.

Roque added  jurisdiction of  ICC is applied prospectively and not retroactively.  ICC’s prospective jurisdiction over  Philippines, he said, took effect when country ratified  Rome Statute of  ICC in 2011.

It was rescinded in 2019, one year after  country deposited  notice of withdrawal to  United Nations Secretary-General as stipulated under Article 127.

“Without  retroactive effect,  court cannot open past cases involving our former presidents because it will violate their right to due process, Thus, the ICC cannot subject FPRRD to a probe because the Philippines withdrew from the Statute long before the Court authorized a preliminary investigation,” he said.

He expressed belief that given  court’s prospective jurisdiction, it can only investigate  sitting chief executive or current leaders suspected of committing grave crimes against  international community.

Roque  agreed with FMJ that Philippine government and  court must settle first  fundamental issue of Philippine sovereignty and judicial independence relative to court’s jurisdictional reach.

“I am worried that FMJ might be getting  wrong advice from people out to harass and muzzle FPRRD and VP Sara… I appeal to President to ignore those sowing discord in  UniTeam and dissension between  Marcos and Duterte families,” after  botched impeachment moves in Lower House on Vice President, some ambitious politicos might capitalize on ICC probe as  way to humiliate Inday Sara or worse, remove her from office he said.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, for his part, said rejoining  ICC would be unconstitutional if done without Senate concurrence.

Dela Rosa is one of 11 former officials being investigated by  ICC for possible crimes against humanity.

Despite Marcos’ hinting at allowing  country to rejoin  ICC, Dela Rosa is counting on  Chief Executive’s previous statement that he is “very firm not to allow  ICC to interfere in our justice system, that’s  very fundamental issue. No. 1 is sovereignty and no. 2 is jurisdiction.”

“If you want to rejoin, that will still have to go through  process before we enter into any agreement,” Dela Rosa said.

“After President’s ratification, it has to be concurred by  Senate by  two-thirds vote…that’s  process…back to zero, back to square one,” he added.

Senator  said failure to follow such process would be unconstitutional.

But for Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante, allowing  ICC to investigate on Philippine soil  drug war killings during  Duterte administration will send  clear message to the world that in  issue of human rights  government has no skeletons in closet.

“By allowing ICC to come, it’s telling the world that we have nothing to hide here,” Abante,  also chairs the House committee on human rights, said.

Abante has authored  resolution allowing  ICC to investigate former president Duterte and some of his officials for possible case of crime against humanity in  conduct of his war on drugs.

Gesture, he added, will show that current administration is “very transparent with its processes” and its justice system is functioning.

“We just want to show to the whole world and to  ICC that our justice system is running smoothly,” he pointed out.

But he stressed  ICC should not be allowed to indict or prosecute  former president and his officials in the country.

“They can come in and investigate and even ask questions to the family of the victims but they cannot prosecute here,” he said.

Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay,  human rights lawyer and  vocal critic of Duterte, maintained  letting  ICC in is not  surrender of sovereignty. “If we believe in the rule of law, then we must let ICC come in,” Lagman said.

Abante and Ramon Gutierrez (1-Rider party-list) filed House Resolution 1477 on ICC entry during plenary on Nov. 21, while Lagman filed his  HR 1482 on  same day.

Marcos said  ICC issue is “under study” with Speaker Martin Romualdez making it clear  lawmakers would be guided by whatever  Palace would decide on the matter.

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Pinoys safe US Navy foils tanker seizure

By Nidz Godino

“Subsequently, five armed individuals debarked  ship and attempted to flee via their small boat,” Central Command said. “ Mason pursued  attackers resulting in their eventual surrender.”

United States Navy, officials said armed assailants seized and later let go Liberian-flagged Central Park, managed by Zodiac Maritime, in  Gulf of Aden,  tanker linked to Israel off  coast of Yemen before being apprehended.

Two ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen then landed near US warship aiding  tanker in  Gulf of Aden, raising  stakes amid  series of ship attacks linked to  Israel-Hamas war.

Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) meanwhile confirmed two Filipino seafarers on board  tanker Central Park are safe and accounted for.

DMW officer-in-charge Hans Cacdac said they are closely coordinating with  vessel’s manning and shipping agencies in getting  full report on incident as well as reaching out to  family and relatives of  Central Park’s Filipino crew.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government blamed  Iranian-backed Houthi rebels for the attack, though  rebels in control of capital, Sanaa, did not acknowledge either  seizure or  missile attack.

US military’s Central Command said  its forces and allies, including  Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Mason, responded to  seizure and demanded  armed assailants release of tanker.

Central Command did not identify  attackers, but said  missile launch from Houthi-controlled Yemen followed after that.

“Missiles landed in  Gulf of Aden approximately 10 nautical miles ,8.5 kilometers from  ship,”  statement said. “ USS Mason… was concluding its response to  M/V Central Park distress call at the time of  missile launches. There was no damage or reported injuries from either vessel during this incident.”

Zodiac said  vessel carrying phosphoric acid and its crew of 22 sailors from Bulgaria, Georgia, India, the Philippines, Russia, Turkey and Vietnam were unharmed.

“We would like to thank coalition forces who responded quickly, protecting assets in  area and upholding international maritime law,”  company said.

Zodiac described  vessel as being owned by Clumvez Shipping, though other records directly linked Zodiac as  owner.

London-based Zodiac Maritime is part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group. British corporate records listed two men with last name Ofer as  current and former director of Clumvez Shipping, including Daniel Guy Ofer,  also  director at Zodiac Maritime.

Yemen’s government, based out of nearby Aden, blamed rebels for seizure in  statement carried by  state-run news agency.

“Yemeni government has renewed its denunciation of  acts of maritime piracy carried out by  terrorist Houthi militias with  support of  Iranian regime,  most recent of which was  hijacking of  Central Park,”  statement read.

Central Park seizure comes after  container ship, CMA CGM Symi, owned by another Israeli billionaire, came under attack by  suspected Iranian drone in  Indian Ocean.

Both  Symi and  Central Park had been behaving as if they faced threat in recent days.  Ships  had switched off their Automatic Identification System trackers, according to data from MarineTraffic.com. Ships are supposed to keep their AIS active for safety reasons, but crews will turn them off if it appears they might be targeted.

In  Central Park’s case,  vessel had last transmitted four days ago after it left Suez Canal heading south into Red Sea. Global shipping had increasingly been targeted as  Israel-Hamas war threatens to become  wider regional conflict  even as  truce has halted fighting and Hamas exchanges hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

DMW confirmed  two Filipino seafarers on board  Central Park are safe and accounted for.

Cacdac said  DMW is also looking into  possibility of declaring certain areas in  Red Sea as high-risk zones for Filipino seafarers.

Two hijacking incidents with Filipino seafarers in their crew have been recorded recently.

At  Senate, Sen. Imee Marcos said  Department of Foreign Affairs and DMW should work for  long-term strategy to negotiate release of 17 Filipino seafarers who were abducted earlier by Houthi rebels.

“Lives of Filipino seafarers now face higher risks as Israel’s attacks in Gaza could draw in more militant groups seeking to avenge  deaths of thousands of Palestinians…there’s no end in sight to this conflict and more Filipino seafarers could become collateral damage… ongoing truce to release hostages on both sides is temporary,” said Marcos,  chairs Senate committee on foreign relations.

Marcos noted that Filipino seafarers comprise 25 percent of those employed in the global maritime industry, with almost half a million serving on cargo and cruise ships.

She also warned  pro-Palestinian Houthi rebels have threatened to target more ships with links to Israel.

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Komedya   o Komida

Ni Derek Jorge

Komedya Taguig

KITANG KITANG panalo na si Makati City Mayor Abby Binay-Campos sa mga enlisted men borrios o  embo kung magkakatotoong kakandidato ito bilang alkalde ng Taguig City sa 2025 mid-term elections. Shout out muna kay Binang First Bocaue, Bulacan Barangay Chairman Alfredo Quiambao, asahan ninyo ang buong suporta ng Komedya sa inyong pangasiwaan. Kasambahay may 28 barangay ang Taguig at naparagdag pa ang sampung embo kaya 38 na kaya yung 28 na lang ang liligawan. Sa pangangasiwa ni Binay sa Makati, pagkakaloob ng mga pangunahing pangangailangan doong pinaniniwalaang gagawin din niya sa Taguig ay lyamado na ito. Ano Kiwal, bulati kong kikiwal-kiwal, kulang na lang filing ng kandidatura? Dalawang taong disimuladong panliligaw at kay Binay na ang Taguig. Mabuhay kayo 140 bagong opisyal na pinanumpa ni Binay. Abangan kasambahay ang motorcade laban sa gutom sa barangay 178 Caloocan City sa Disyembre 4, 2023 ng “isang bayan aasenso sa tiyaga at sipag o 1-BATAS”, 2228 Avocado St. Camarin. Dalawang kilong bigas sa bawat benepisyaryo lingo-linggo. Abangan ang dyaryo 1-batas, ngayong Disyembre.  Shout out din muna kay Bea Caalim. Maligayang bati Ginoo at Gng. Aristides Valdez, mabuhay ang bagong kasal.  Pastor Saturnino Abraham, agarin mo naman ang dokumento ng lupa para sa pabahay ng mga Badjao sa Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat.  Jonathan Fernandez, muzta na, nagkakalimutan na tayo a. Problema ba, pag-usapan natin, ndgodino@yahoo.com.

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Public schools to plant 236k trees

By J.Lo

“Project provides  unique educational opportunity for students to actively participate in tree planting activities, fostering  deeper understanding of environmental issues and promoting conservation efforts…through hands-on learning and practical application of environmental concepts, students will develop  strong sense of responsibility towards  environment,”  memorandum read public schools in the Philippines will plant 236,000 trees on Dec. 6 as part of  Department of Education (DepEd)’s Christmas project, according to Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio.

In  Nov. 17 memorandum, Duterte said  47,678 public schools would be in asynchronous mode for  tree-planting activity, would plant at least five trees. 

Duterte said  trees should be planted within school grounds but if space is scarce, schools may find alternatives in local parks, marine protected areas or any open space near schools. 

To implement  project, Duterte ordered all DepEd regional offices to coordinate with Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to acquire seedlings for each school in their region. 

She said  seedlings must be fruit-bearing, Philippine native trees or mangroves for schools within coastal areas. 

If  regional DENR office cannot provide seedlings, schools may use seedlings from their nurseries or request from  local government. 

Duterte noted  participants should be not more than 10 teachers and not more than 20 students. 

For post-care measures of planted trees, Duterte ordered principals to ensure proper care of trees. 

“Regular inspections by  school officials shall be done in order to assess  condition of  trees, identifying any potential risks or diseases, and promptly addressing them… growth of  seedlings should likewise be monitored to ensure  health, growth, and sustainability of  trees under  school’s care,”  memorandum added.

Duterte earlier vowed to help  Marcos administration reach its goals under  National Greening Program (NGP),  endeavor  seeks to rejuvenate  ecosystem of communities in the country. 

NGP aims to reforest one to two million hectares of land before Marcos’ term ends in 2028. 

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Meralco refutes overcharging

By J.Lo

“I would like to reiterate that as highly regulated entity, Meralco strictly adheres to  rules governing its operations and franchise, and rates we implement always have prior approval from  regulator… testament to  strict review, these rates are still subject to periodic confirmation process by  Energy Regulatory Commission,ERC,” Manila Electric Co. (Meralco)  has refuted allegations by  lawmaker that company overcharged its customers starting in 2012, calling such claims baseless and unfounded, while also defending its ongoing power supply procurement from malicious accusations.

In  statement, Meralco first vice president and regulatory management head Jose Ronald Valles said  distribution utility’s rates undergo  review and confirmation process to ensure  these are fair and reasonable.

Valles said  company has no power to unilaterally set its own rates, noting all rates reflected in  electricity bills of customers are approved by  regulator following  stringent and transparent process of public hearings.

Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez has claimed  since 2012, Meralco has overcharged its customers.

Meralco described as “unfortunate”  lawmaker’s focus on Meralco, noting  records would show  it is the only private distribution utility that has made  distribution refund in compliance with ERC directive.

“Proper venue for discussing  refund claims is  ERC,  has  rate-setting power, and  regulator has already decided on refund totaling P48 billion,  Meralco implemented in  timely manner,” Valles said.

On allegations  Meralco has  “extremely high weighted average cost of capital,” Meralco said  setting of  weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is  function of  regulator.

Meralco last approved WACC is  lowest allowed by  ERC under  performance-based regulation, whether for  National Grid Corp. of the Philippines or for  private distribution utility.

According to Meralco, WACC was determined based on  set of rules  underwent public consultation and thorough review by  ERC.

This is  industry WACC  applies to all private distribution utilities in  same category and is not company-specific, Meralco noted.

It explained it does not have  determined WACC since July 2015 because there has been no completed rate reset during  regulatory period up until now.

Meralco cited  recent study of  International Energy Consultants, concluded its rates are fair and reasonable since they reflect  true cost of electricity, as against other countries whose power costs are heavily subsidized by their governments.

Meanwhile, Fernandez has also urged ERC to act on alleged irregular terms set by Meralco for its ongoing competitive selection process (CSP) for 1,800-megawatt baseload capacity.

Fernandez, in  hearing, alleged  terms of reference for  CSP favor certain power firms since  power plants that can join  auction are those that should be in commercial operation not earlier than January 2020, but no later than May 2025.

Six potential bidders have submitted their expression of interest for  upcoming CSP. These are GNPower Dinginin, First NatGas Power, SP New Energy, Mariveles Power Generation, Excellent Energy Resources and Masinloc Power Partners.

ERC Chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta said Meralco was told to make sure it is not unduly limiting  number of potential bidders in its CSP.

She said  letter was also sent to Meralco stating ERC’s observations on published bid invite.

“We already raised with Meralco our concerns on limited number of potential participants that could participate in  CSP,” Dimalanta said.

Meralco said company also secures  approval from  Department of Energy (DOE) of its power supply procurement plan and terms of reference (TOR) before conducting  CSP to make sure  these are aligned with  requirements and standards set by  government.

“This is contrary to  baseless and malicious claims that Meralco’s TOR is tailor-fitted to favor select generation companies,” Valles said.

“Our past CSPs conducted are proof that no such tailor-fitting is happening, precisely because TOR and other bidding documents are required to comply with existing policies of DOE and regulations of ERC, and  resulting Power Supply Agreement needs to be approved by regulator,” he said.

Meralco stated its ongoing CSP is just  rebidding of  valid CSP held in 2020 given that  power supply agreements resulting from  original CSP were terminated by  two winning power suppliers due to lack of ERC approval for more than two years.

Meralco said  new CSP simply reiterated most of  provisions in previous TOR is approved by DOE.

It added  terms strictly followed  previous guidance of DOE, particularly with respect to requirement to limit  bidding to greenfield power plants to encourage new capacities, thereby ensuring security of supply and lowest cost to consumers.

Meralco said  six companies that have expressed interest to participate prove  there is competition and  company could get  least cost supply for its customers through  process.

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PhilHealth to pay P27 B by yearend

By J.Lo

“We are asking PhilHealth to make good on their promise to pay more thanP20-billion arrears to  hospitals before  end of the year,” Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) president Dr. Jose Rene de Grano  urged Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to settle its P27-billion debt to health facilities by December.

He added, “they are still in  process of fixing their system…if they are really paying, mostly these are current accounts.”

De Grano noted  PhilHealth gave its word  “this week they are releasing around P2.5 billion more or less…hopefully, that is true.”

He said  if by January hospitals haven’t received payment yet, they will be forced to make  announcement concerning this inaction of PhilHealth.

“We will give them time to do it but still if nothing happens, we have to tell everybody that we have not received anything, and that what they are saying is false,” he said.

PHAPI is firm in saying  it has not received any amount from PhilHealth even if state insurer earlier claimed that it already disbursed 76 percent of its outstanding debt to hospitals.    

PhilHealth says it has settled  total of P20.651 billion of its outstanding debt to hospitals amounting to P27 billion.  

Rey Baleña, acting vice president of PhilHealth Corporate Affairs Group, earlier said  records show  indeed, payments to PHAPI hospitals have already been made.

He said it is possible there could be  delay in  posting of payment in their individual accounts. Official  added  delay could be due to  hacking incident  affected PhilHealth files last September.