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CA freezes AQ, KOJC assets, accts

By J.Lo

“In order to avoid  possibility of funds in  subject bank accounts and, or properties from being withdrawn, removed, transferred, concealed or placed beyond  reach of law enforcers, this Court finds it appropriate and judicious to issue  20-day FREEZE ORDER as prayed for by petitioner AMLC over said bank accounts, including all other related or materially linked accounts, and  real and personal properties enumerated in  Ex-Parte Petition,” Court of Appeals (CA) has issued  20-day freeze order against  bank accounts, properties and other assets of accused child abuser and fugitive preacher Apollo Quiboloy, his church and media group.

In  48-page resolution dated Aug. 7, appellate court granted  petition of Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC),  found 330 substantial financial transactions of Quiboloy from 2006 to 2022  “appear to be directly sourced from unlawful activities” of Quiboloy, his cohorts and ministry.

Freeze  order resolution was written by Associate Justice Gabriel Robeniol with concurrence of Associate Justices Ramon Bato Jr. and Charlene Hernandez-Azura.

Covered by  freeze order are at least 10 personal bank accounts under Quiboloy’s name, seven real properties and five motor vehicles.

Freeze  order also included Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ and Swara Sug Media Corp.,  owns Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI)’s franchise.

KOJC has 47 bank accounts, 16 real properties and 16 motor vehicles while Swara Sug has 17 bank accounts, five real properties and 26 motor vehicles.

Total  of 99 bank accounts under  names of individuals and entities associated with Quiboloy were also ordered frozen, namely Children’s Joy Foundation Inc., Maria Teresita Dandan, Helen Panilag, Paulene Canada, Cresente Canada, Ingrid Canada, Sylvia Cemañes, Jackielyn Roy, Alona Santander and Marlon Acobo.

CA gave  banks and concerned government agencies 24 hours from  receipt of  freeze order to submit  return on their compliance,  include relevant information on frozen bank accounts and assets.

They are likewise tasked to annotate  freeze order on titles and certificates of registration of foregoing real properties, motor vehicles and aircraft, and to manifest their compliance within three working days from notice.

Appellate  court also set  post-issuance summary hearing on Aug. 12 to determine  need to modify, lift or extend  freeze order.

Appellate  court has also pointed out monthly income of KOJC’s top administrators does not match their financial profiles.

KOJC officials’ accounts also showed unusual deposits, withdrawals and remittance transactions inconsistent with their profiles.

AMLC began investigating Quiboloy’s financial activities following  request of  Department of Justice in December last year.

In US, Quiboloy and his cohorts were indicted on multiple charges, including sex trafficking, conspiracy, fraud and money laundering.

They also face charges of rape, human trafficking and child abuse before Philippine courts, which have so far issued two arrest orders against  preacher and his co-accused.

They all remain at large. A P10-million reward is being offered for information that will lead to Quiboloy’s arrest.

Quiboloy deserved  CA freeze order against his 10 bank accounts, seven real properties, five motor vehicles and one aircraft, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said, adding this is “first step to achieving justice.”

“Deserve…it is just for people like Quiboloy who are greedy to  extreme,” Hontiveros said. This is  second freezing of his bank accounts after  ones in  US.

“Hopefully, this freezes Quiboloy’s ability to escape…hopefully, also, our local entities can work with their foreign counterparts to stanch  flow of money to offshore accounts,”  senator stressed.

Quiboloy should think twice if he is planning to leave 30-hectare KOJC compound in Davao City using his aircraft as  Philippine National Police (PNP) will not hesitate to use its air assets against him.

“Our helicopters are armed. ..worse comes to worst, they can try the might of  government if they want to do that,” Davao police director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III warned.

Torre said that according to their informants, Quiboloy’s followers have been securing  compound’s premises, preventing policemen from entering and serving  arrest warrants against  evangelist.

Quiboloy’s four other co-accused –Cresente Canada, Ingrid Canada, Jackielyn Roy and Sylvia Cemanes – are also inside the compound, he added. Another respondent, Paulene Canada, was arrested in Davao last month.

Quiboloy has four helicopters and two airplanes under his name. His compound has  hangar and  private taxiway toward Davao International Airport.

About two weeks ago, police noticed  helicopter flew out of  compound,  prompted them to alert airport authorities.

“They immediately brought it down and said they were just warming up helicopter but it flew,” Torre said.

Torre has already requested for additional policemen from  PNP to secure  compound.

Instead of hiding, Torre urged Quiboloy to surrender and face  cases filed against him in court and end  suffering of his supporters who have been guarding his property for several months.

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14 yrs to fill present shortage of guidance counselors

By Creselda Canda-Lopez

“To fill all of  vacancies, it will take us 14 years with  current setup,” Karol Mark Yee, executive director of  Second Congressional Commission on Education said in press conference with DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara ,it will take  Department of Education  estimated 14 years to fill all vacant guidance counselor positions in schools due to  limited number of graduates from master’s degree programs in guidance and counseling every year.

Second Congressional Commission on Education,  congressional body tasked with finding solutions to  current learning crisis, said that just about 300 graduates are produced annually by schools with  required master’s degree program. 

Meanwhile, there are 4,460 vacancies for guidance counselor positions  DepEd has yet to fill as of March 2024.

“Almost 5,000 ,DepEd plantilla positions are vacant, but if you look, almost no school offers MA in guidance and counseling,” Yee stressed.

Edcom 2 executive director shared  data during  press conference to illustrate how  country’s shortage of guidance counselors should be addressed not just by DepEd, but also by other education agencies like  Commission on Higher Education, in  newly created cabinet cluster for education.

Yee said  government needs to address  hiring problem as guidance counselors are professionals tasked with providing students with mental health support under Republic Act 10627 or Anti-Bullying Act of 2013.

“We are the bullying capital of the world, based on Programme for International Student Assessment,” Yee said.

According to PISA 2022 results,  Philippines has one of the highest percentages of students who self-reported having been bullied during their school years.

International  assessment published in 2023 found that at least one out of three Filipino students were bullied in schools, specifically 43% of girls and 53% of boys. 

This was much higher than  OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) average of 20% of girls, and 21% of boys. 

Yee said  international assessments like PISA and  Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics have found  correlation between  country’s bullying problem and its academic performance.

Bullying has  “large impact” on mathematics, science and reading scores, Yee noted.

For instance, PISA has found students in schools where bullying is prevalent score at least 47 points lower in science than students in schools where bullying occurs less frequently, according to an explainer on its website.

“Students who reported being frequently exposed to bullying also reported  weaker sense of belonging at school and less satisfaction with life…students who are frequently bullied are also more likely to be truant,”  international assessment body said.

Yee added that during his and Angara’s meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the president mentioned being concerned with  report that found  Philippines had  loneliest students in the world.

“The president mentioned having read article where there’s  Singapore study that says Filipino students are  loneliest in the world,” Yee said, adding that  findings are similar to what  PISA data shows. 

“He asked to find that study because he read it and it made an imprint on him,” Edcom 2 executive director added.

Angara said  president has instructed him to find enough people to provide guidance and counseling services even if they do not have  MA degree,  required by law.

“Even if we have several vacant positions for guidance counselors, these should still be taken on by other members of the faculty,”  DepEd chief said. 

The DepEd secretary said department plans to propose amendments to  Republic Act 9258 or Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004 to remove  master’s degree requirement for guidance counselors.

DepEd is also working to provide students with adequate mental health support in the form of mentors or assigned teachers, Angara said.

“That’s what we will focus on: making sure students have  lifeline,” Angara added.

Dexter Galban, DepEd assistant secretary for operations, said in  meeting with EDCOM 2 in July that  guidance and counseling profession’s high standards in comparison to its pay have made it an “unappealing” career track.

Entry-level guidance counselors are assigned salary grade 11 (P27,000 per month) despite being required to complete  Master’s degree and pass licensure exam before they can provide guidance and counseling services.

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Suspend 6-hr work, teachers ask Angara

By Creselda Canda-Lopez

“These two policies must be stopped immediately, especially DepEd Order No. 5,” Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) chairman Benjo Basas said TDC is calling on Education Secretary Sonny Angara to suspend  implementation of  guidelines for teachers’ workload and overload pay, saying these have caused more burdens instead of easing them for public school teachers.

In  statement, TDC said Department Orders 5 and 10, series of 2024, should be suspended as they have become  “legal basis to scourge” teachers under  MATATAG curriculum.

DO 5 contains guidelines for  teaching overload pay and six-hour teaching policy,  TDC earlier said needs to be shortened as it overworks teachers.

DO 5 also serves as  working hour policy under MATATAG curriculum.

While  TDC noted DO 5 promised teaching overload pay for teachers who exceed six hours of classroom instruction, it also requires teachers to teach six hours daily,  violation of “spirit and letter of Republic Act 4670, or  Magna Carta for Public School Teachers.”

“Law says  teacher can teach for no more than six hours, but it doesn’t say that six hours should be missed; that’s different…even in  previous DepEd policies, there was no such requirement, that’s why we only teach for four to five hours and get home after six hours at school,” Basas said.

“We are concerned that since  six hours of teaching are required every day, our teachers can be forced to teach seven to eight classes with almost no breaks… hard for our teachers, especially when there are so many children in one class,” he stressed.

For TDC, policy could lead to multiple lesson preparations or  assignment of subjects and grade levels that do not align with teachers’ training just to comply with  six-hour policy.

TDC argued  integration has led to  more congested curriculum and has forced some teachers to teach subjects like mathematics and reading, even if they are not familiar with them  situation that further burdens both teachers and students.

TDC also raised possibility of schools declaring excessive number of teachers and transferring them to other stations.

Additionally, DO 10 mandates shortened class hours of 40 to 45 minutes per subject across all grade levels, even those not included in  first phase of  MATATAG curriculum implementation.

“Because of that, teachers are now required to teach up to eight classes, and if  teaching does not reach six hours, other teaching loads in other subjects or year levels will be sought…it wasn’t like this before because we only had four to five sections,” Basas said.

TDC also lamented how  new curriculum does not provide learning materials.

TDC has raised these concerns in several congressional hearings before  House of Representatives and Senate education committees, discussing them with their respective chairpersons.

TDC said has submitted  position paper to Angara’s office and held initial meetings with concerned undersecretaries, who have committed to addressing the issue.

“Secretary Angara is new to  DepEd, that’s why we want to explain these complications to him in  dialogue,” Basas said.

TDC  anticipates  meeting with DepEd officials will follow soon.

Meanwhile, perennial and lingering issues surrounding  DepEd should not be  subject of finger-pointing, especially  frustratingly low performance of  Philippines when it comes to students’ aptitude test in  global community.

“Finger-pointing and blaming others will bring us nowhere…leadership is all about being captain of the ship… very clear  DepEd has always received  largest budget every fiscal year,” House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin pointed out.

If there were problems, they likely came from  lack of direction and  poor system of implementation, according to Garin, refuting Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s claims that  government’s budget, particularly during her time as education secretary, was mishandled.

“If there were issues during her tenure in  DepEd, why didn’t she raise them when she had  power to make changes,  easy to claim  lack of support after the fact, but real leadership is about taking action and making  difference when it matters, not after you resigned,” Garin said.

Most  notable problem  agency had during Duterte’s reign was Manila’s low standing in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA),  assesses  knowledge and skills of 15-year-old students in mathematics, reading and science.

Others include perennial teacher welfare problems,  should have been also addressed during Duterte’s time, including long working hours for educators, high teacher-student ratio,  burden of administrative tasks, promotion opportunities and commensurate compensation.

“DepEd had  resources, yet we saw little improvement in key areas like education quality and infrastructure…if there was mismanagement, it’s time to own up to it and work on real solutions, not just criticize from  sidelines,” Garin stressed. 

Oversight meetings on DepEd budget revealed  textbooks, school furniture, learning materials and information technology hardware amounting to billions had languished for two to three years in various warehouses, according to Garin.

Another administration lawmaker, Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon made similar comments.

“If there were indeed budget issues, why raise them only now…easy to blame others, but real leadership is about finding solutions and taking responsibility,” Bongalon said.

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Ban swimming in floods

By J.Lo

“I will recommend to local chief executives, to mayors, to issue  ordinance… to ban swimming in floodwaters,” Department of Health (DOH)  Secretary Ted Herbosa said as cases of leptospirosis continue to rise, DOH plans to ask local government units, especially in flood-prone areas, to ban swimming in floodwaters.

Speaking to reporters at Malacañang, Herbosa lamented  public’s lack of information about leptospirosis.

DOH chief  would also talk with Education Secretary Sonny Angara to help in educating children about acquiring disease by swimming in water contaminated with animal urine.

“It’s not communication problem, it’s  behavior problem…we need  change in behavior,” Herbosa said.

He also called for proper solid waste management as accumulation of garbage attracts rats,  common cause of leptospirosis, adding that most of  cases were in areas affected by  recent flooding due to Typhoon Carina and  southwest monsoon.

Herbosa gave assurance that there is no shortage of doxycycline,  used to treat  disease. Symptoms of leptospirosis include fever, vomiting, nausea, muscle pain and headaches.

Reports said  total of 1,444 leptospirosis cases were recorded from Jan. 1 to July 27 this year , figure 42 percent lower compared to  2,505 cases in the same period last year.

Dr. Alberto Domingo, DOH spokesman and assistant secretary, said  cases are expected to rise further.

“Not yet included in our latest data are  new cases we have now those lined up in hospitals…thus, we are seeing rise in  number,” Domingo said.

He assured  public that even with rise, there are still enough beds in hospitals for leptospirosis patients.

“We do not lack hospital beds…there are times, we observe there are hospitals about to get filled with patients but we are still able to manage,” Domingo said.

He reminded  public to seek immediate consultation after wading in floodwaters.

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Baste’s tirades vs Torre anger PNPA alumni

By J.Lo

“Together, we condemn all forms of bullying, harassment and abuse, and we are committed to creating  safe and inclusive environment where everyone can feel respected and supported,” Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA)graduates said Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte’s threat to slap Police Regional Office 11 director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III has angered  graduates of PNPA.

Graduates , collectively called  Lakan Community, are rallying behind Torre,  member of  PNPA Tagapaglunsad Class of 1993, against Duterte’s tirades.

In  statement,  Lakan Community  lambasted  “powerful politician” in Davao City for his verbal attacks against Torre.

While they did not identify  politician, Duterte earlier threatened to slap Torre, whom he also called  professional liar after  police general reshuffled PNP personnel in Davao City allegedly without  mayor’s knowledge.

Mimicking his father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, known for tirades against his opponents, the mayor denied Torre’s statement that  crime statistics of  Davao police on their blotters had been manipulated to show that  crime rate in the city is low.

In response, Torre ordered  administrative relief of 100 police officers assigned in Davao City.

He is also leading  manhunt against Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy,  ally of  Duterte family, wanted for child abuse and qualified human trafficking cases.

For  Lakan Community, Duterte’s mistreatment of  ranking police official, who is just doing his job to reform  police force in Davao City, is troubling.

PNPA graduates vowed that they are solidly behind Torre, whom they said is  valued member of their community.

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Separate autopsies of 2 OFWs urged

By Nidz Godino

“We do not accept this so  next course of action is  autopsy here in the Philippines,” Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) died under unknown circumstances in Saudi Arabia, prompt DMW to request for autopsies.

During public hearing of  Senate committee on migrant workers, chairman and presiding officer Sen. Raffy Tulfo  received complaints from  families of OFWs Jelyn Arguzon and Riolyn Sayson.

In his opening statement, Tulfo said Arguzon’s husband sought help to uncover  true cause of his wife’s death as he was only vaguely told by agency that  cause of death was unknown.

Tulfo said Arguzon was deployed to Jeddah as  household worker on June 16.  Last  time she spoke to her husband was on June 27, and she was found dead at her employer’s house on July 19.

When Tulfo asked about  result of  autopsy on Arguzon’s body, Cacdac said  report showed  she died of natural causes.

He pointed out that “when foul play appears, their lawyer on the ground is activated and will immediately file  case regarding   foul play report if there is any.”

Meanwhile, Sayson’s husband also asked for help to clarify  sudden death of his wife on July 16.

He said their last conversation was on July 15 when she complained of chest pains.

He stressed his wife always worked overtime, lacked food and sleep and experienced cruelty from her employer.

According to  medical report, Sayson died of cardiac arrest but her husband said  she had long sought help from  foreign recruitment agency for her chest pains and difficulty breathing.

However,  agency said  she was just acting and was probably just homesick, he said.

Committee  tackled Senate Resolution No. 1086, or  enforcement of stricter monitoring measures on OFWs in relation to  deaths of Arguzon and Sayson.

Tulfo urged  DMW and  Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to enforce stricter measures to ensure  protection, safety and well-being of OFWs through constant monitoring.

“Licensed recruitment agencies should equally share  burden of strictly monitoring their deployed workers, and their capacity to do so must be closely watched by our agencies,” Tulfo stressed.

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Headlines

SIM ownership per person eyed

By Nidz Godino

“It is incumbent upon government to safeguard unwary or unsuspecting Filipinos from any harm caused by fraudulent activities facilitated by cybercriminals, including POGOs that serve as scam hubs to commit crimes,”  Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, noting  Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) may still operate clandestinely despite total ban with  widespread use of SIM cards for fraud and scamming purposes, is considering introducing amendments to  SIM registration law.

Gatchalian said  despite measure’s enactment, law enforcers continue to find registered SIMs, cell phones, computers and pocket WiFi devices, especially in POGOs, used in various forms of online fraud, such as love and cryptocurrency scams.

These scams have caused massive financial losses to victims, Gatchalian said.

He  underscored  need to identify persons or organizations that enable  unlawful use of registered SIMs in POGOs, to help legislators evaluate and strengthen relevant laws and policies, including possible introduction of amendments to  SIM registration law.

Among  amendments are limiting  number of allowed SIMs that can be registered per user; regulating short message service (SMS) marketing and promotional, political or fundraising sent through SIMs.

Even with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’ directive to ban all POGOs in the country, Gatchalian said there is still  need to address concerns about  use of registered SIMs in illegal POGOs, facilitate money laundering, cybercrime and other scamming activities.

Gatchalian,  chairs  Senate ways and means committee, said Republic Act 11934, or  SIM Registration Act signed into law in October 2022, aims to deter use of SIM-related technology in various illegal or scamming activities.

He  earlier filed Senate Resolution 1054,  seeks to investigate  use of SIMs in illegal POGOs.

He noted that in raids conducted in POGO hubs in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga, law enforcers recovered numerous SIMs, along with hundreds of cellular phones and digital devices,  used to execute fraudulent transactions.

TODAY’S GOD’S MESSAGE

Ephesians 2:10

¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

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Regulate  AI use in 2025 polls

By J.Lo

“Warning by DICT ,Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy on threats that deepfakes and generative AI tools pose to  electoral process should prompt us legislators to write new legislation regulating  use of AI technology,”  Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte,  bill’s author said measure  regulating  use of artificial intelligence before  May 2025 midterm elections amid cybersecurity threats and deepfakes has been filed before  House of Representatives.

House Bill 10567 aims to regulate AI amid  threat posed by  proliferation of deepfakes or digitally altered images and audio or video recordings  misrepresent victims.

Measure  will penalize producers or distributors of deepfake materials who fail to make public disclosures altered images, audio or video recordings are deepfakes.

Violators will face fines of up to P5 million.

Deepfakes are meant to misrepresent real people as doing or saying something that was not done or said.

Uy earlier tackled rise of  “scamdemic” using deepfake and generative AI tools.

“Deepfakes and generative AI tools are also threatening  electoral process when unscrupulous individuals use them for political gain…especially during elections, where they use them whether to malign or to discredit certain people by attributing quotations or phrases that are extremely unpopular and then making it appear that that person uttered those statements, and that becomes even more destructive if they’re released  few days before people cast their ballot, so that there is no more time anymore for  real person to say, ‘I never said that,” he warned.

DICT has raised  red flag amid hackers’ use of deepfakes and AI,  could alter  results of  2025 polls. 

DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy called on House lawmakers to draft legislation regulating AI, especially  creation of “misleading videos.”

Broadcasters and news reporters have been featured in altered videos on social media,  they supposedly endorsed products or reported fake news, Dy told joint House committees of information and communication technology and public information, respectively headed by Reps. Toby Tiangco and Jose Aquino III.

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Only 1 graduate out of 5 students fr maritime programs on time — CHED data 

By J.Lo

“I’m asking because we know this is  relevant issue, especially for private maritime institutions…even if we lump them together with SUCs, just 14% sic graduate from them,” Rep. Ron Salo (Kabayan Partylist) only around one out of five students enrolled in  Philippines’ maritime education programs have graduated on time, according to  Commission on Higher Education’s latest data, with lack of training opportunities on ships cited as  main factor for  low completion rate.

Only around 19% of all those who enrolled in  country’s two main maritime education programs in  school year 2018-2019 have graduated from course as of 2022-2023, Jorel Ramirez, CHED’s officer-in-charge for division that handles maritime education, said during  House appropriations committee’s deliberation of proposed 2025 budget last week.

Ramirez said  out of estimated 27,000 who enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation program in 2018, just 3,301 graduated four years later. 

Meanwhile, Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering program only produced 2,948 graduates despite having 11,000 enrollees four years ago in 2018.

Both programs prepare students for careers as marine deck officers and marine engineers, respectively. Programs  span four years, including three years of academics and  one-year shipboard training. Salo expressed concern over  “low success rate” in maritime programs as this is already down from  low 33% reported last year. 

Asked to provide  success rate of eight state universities and colleges (SUC) providing maritime education programs, Ramirez said  commission had no data specific to public universities, saying: “but because we just have 8 SUCs with maritime programs, it does not matter that much.”

Salo pressed CHED further, saying: “I really doubt that.” 

“Why is percentage this low?” the lawmaker asked.

Ramirez explained  one of the reasons behind  low graduation rate is that the  Philippines does not have enough ships to provide maritime students with onboard training, and their numbers are still growing.

“We produce many students but we only have  limited number of ships in the country… same case even internationally,” Ramirez stressed.

The CHED official said commission cannot ascertain  exact number of maritime students whose studies were delayed due to  lack of slots for shipboard training.

“One of the reasons why we can’t get  exact data for this, because some of those who take their shipboard training come back after a year, while others come back after three years,” he added.

Salo hopes  low graduation rate can be addressed through  proposed Magna Carta for Seafarers law,  requires maritime education institutions to guarantee it has enough facilities “and mechanisms” to ensure all students can complete their shipboard training.

Philippines is biggest supplier of seafarers globally, with estimated 600,000 Filipinos working in the maritime industry.