Late night of June 30, the meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) with President Rodrigo Duterte was aired. In general, the meeting is just a repetition of the Duterte’s concerns in previous meetings. He allowed two cabinet members to report but in the middle of their reports, he intervened to […]
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On this day, June 30, 2016 Rodrigo Roa Duterte swore to serve the Filipino people at all costs. But four years into his presidency, the Filipino people have not seen a more bloody administration than his.
The Legend of Duterte
Chapter 1: State-Fascism
With over 30,000 killings under the War on Drugs; the Philippines being the second most dangerous country in the world to be environmental activists over 300 extrajudicial killings and 3,531 illegal arrests, the latest being the arrest of the Pride 20 on the day of the Pride Celebration itself.
From 2018-2020, Pantaron Mountain Range alone has seen 84 bombings and 395 cannon shellings. About 57 Lumad schools have been closed and around 16,000 Lumad have been displaced.
The Filipino people have not seen a more adrenaline junkie, trigger-happy Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police. In fact, the armed forces are leading the fight against the COVID-19— mass arrests, sexual assaults and cold bloody killings are the unsurprising but alarming results.
In the thick of the pandemic, he railroaded the Anti-Terror Bill but aims to further gag the critics and dissent!
Duterte’s legacy is die-hard fascism!
Chapter 2: Neoliberal Subversion
Under his regime, the international debt of the Philippines ballooned up to $7-8 Trillion. He used the COVID-19 pandemic to continuously borrow money from the World Bank and other international loan sharks to further sustain his war play against his own people—whom he fondly calls terrorists. With all the listed foreign debt, many of the poor and the marginalized have yet to receive their one-time financial support.
Duterte is anti-poor. He attacks the livelihood of the Filipino people by prohibiting them from making a living then shamelessly pronounces that Filipinos are lazy. He berates the poor by saying they should endure poverty as if the long years of living under semi-feudalism and semi-colonialism are not enduring poverty and hunger.
He is keen to modernize the public transportation system in the country through the (traditional) jeepney phaseout and allowing the use of hand-me-down modernized vehicles from capitalist countries. Each jeepney will cost at least PHP2.2M. A regular jeepney driver earns at least 500 pesos a day! Now that Duterte prohibits them from making a living, the kings of the street are now paupers begging for alms.
Duterte is a Marcos copy-cat who is implementing his own Build, Build, Build projects sponsored by the Chinese government. Often he announces that the Philippines needs China—for what? Lest we forget that he openly asked China to make us their province!
On April 30, 2020, while the world was in chaos and sheer confusion brought about by COVID-19, the US provided a one-time $2 billion arms deal. He acquired 12 attack helicopters, over 200 hellfire missiles, 200+ Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems, machine guns, and rocket launchers. In May, he bought an aircraft launcher from Korea and another one will be delivered this December.
On either side of the Islands, warships from the US and China are taunting each other into engaging in a very dangerous war that could severely damage the entire region. We have no one to blame but the lapdog that is Duterte.
Duterte’s legacy is warmongering.
The Filipino People Do Not Need Another Marcos
The fear has subsided and anger has taken over the country. It is only a matter of time before the Filipino people will oust a dictator in the form of Duterte. He idolizes Marcos so much that it is not a surprise that he will suffer the same fate as his sham-icon—flushed down the drain of history as a dictator that has been overthrown by the Filipino people, a dictator whose attacks recruited many in the ranks of activists and revolutionaries.
Duterte may have killed more than Marcos but Duterte is weaker and dumber than Marcos. He has not learned from the long history of the Filipino people who fought against the Spanish colonizers, Japanese and US imperialists, and who fought against a dictator. Revolution runs in the very veins of every Filipino. No pandemic or war machines will ever stop the fury that he himself has built.
It is time that we take back the streets and drag this dictator out of Malacañang. Bye! Bye! Digong! This will be your last year!
Tama na! Sobra na! Patalsikin na!
Kabataan at migrante, paglingkuran ang sambayanan! Itayo ang lipunang malaya sa anumang uri ng pangaalipin!
#OustDuterte #DuterteYear4 #IPBKIbagsak
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By AARON MACARAEG
Bulatlat.com
MANILA– The 20 LGBTQI+ protesters were released today June 30 from police custody, upon the recommendation of the city prosecutor’s office.
In the release order, Assistant City Prosecutor Laudamer Daza recommended the charges against arrested LGBTQI+ protesters, dubbed as the Pride20, to undergo preliminary investigation and consequently ordered for their release.
At around 8:00 pm, the Pride20 have been released from Manila Police District (MPD) after being detained for four days.
However, while the 20 were released, the charges against them – resistance and disobedience to authority, illegal assembly and violation of Republic Act No. 11332 or the Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases – remain until dismissed at the preliminary investigation by the fiscal, according to the group’s lawyer Minerva Lopez.
Under the Philippine criminal system, preliminary investigation is held to determine probable cause to determine whether a crime is committed and if respondents are probably guilty thereof.
Dubbed as #Pride20, they were earlier violently dispersed when they held a protest action in Mendiola on June 26, despite adhering to COVID-19 health standards, particularly on physical distancing and wearing of face masks. Three of the minors who were arrested with them were released later that afternoon.
The 17 released from Pride20 tonight are Andy Lamac-Lamac, Nicky Lamac-Lamac, Kim Vinzar Samiana, Nehemiah Hidos, Joan Salvador, Marya Liwliwa Estavillo, Regelio Feguro, Ronel Artisuela, Joan Bernadette Paz-Bonganay, Ma. Chriztina Madlangbayan, John Marc Cho Santos, Aljohn Estrella, Andrew Zarate, Rey Salinas, Gwyneth Pacyaya, Carla Remedios, and Mark Bolima.
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“It is clear that the goal of this administration is not only to shut down ABS-CBN but to send a message throughout the media industry.”
By ALYSSA MAE CLARIN
Bulatlat.com
MANILA– Approximately 55 million subscribers will be affected with the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) decision to shut down broadcasting giant ABS-CBN’s TV Plus operation as well as SKY Cable’s satellite broadcast.
NTC issued two orders today, June 30, ordering ABS-CBN’s digital broadcast TV Plus, and their cable company SKY Cable Corp. to ‘immediately cease and desist’ its transmission and broadcast.
The CDO against SKY Cable said that although it has given the corporation provisional authority to maintain their service from 2015 to 2021, SKY Cable’s legal franchise had already expired last May 4.
ABS-CBN President and CEO Carlo Katigbak worries about the repercussions the shutdown would incite. “If we shut it down (TV Plus), that’s about 55 million people that will lose access to news and information,” said Katigbak.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines called the cease and desist orders as another ‘determined effort’ of the administration to silence the network to appease the whims of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“It is clear that the goal of this administration is not only to shut down ABS-CBN but to send a message throughout the media industry,” said the group in their statement.
“This must not go unchallenged,” NUJP said.
The group led a candle lighting ceremony in front of ABS-CBN’s Esguerra gate earlier this evening as a show of support, and to ‘keep the light burning’ for press freedom.
No violation
During yesterday’s joint committee hearing Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor questioned the continued airing of ABS-CBN shows on Channel 43, the company’s digital channel, despite its expired franchise.
According to Defensor, the fact that the broadcast company’s shows continue to air using the digital box is ‘not only a violation of the franchise, but a usurpation and infringement of the powers of the Congress.’
Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta also questioned how SKY Cable is still able to broadcast several of ABS-CBN’s TV shows and channels despite the expiration of its 25-year franchise.
Katigbak told the committee that in the past, the NTC has permitted other companies whose franchises have expired, but whose franchise is currently being deliberated by the Congress, to continue with their operations until such time that the franchise is approved or denied.”
Katigbak asked the House committee and NTC to extend the same fairness and due process they have given to other companies.
“We would like the permission to have the same privilege extended to ABS-CBN, in the spirit of fairness,” said Katigbak.
Katigbak added that their digital broadcasting was done under the government’s digital migration plan, which aims to completely remove television broadcasting from analog signal to digital television by 2023.
He also said that NTC’s cease and desist order (CDO) did not cover Channel 43, and was the reason why it can still air shows despite the CDO.
NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said it should have been clear that the CDO should also include Channel 43, but he also admitted to Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate that the order did not specify the channel in particular.
Federation of International Cable TV and Telecommunication Association (FICTAP) had been insisting that ABS-CBN’s had violated franchise regulations with their multiple channels, ever since the company’s shut down last May 5.
But during today’s hearing, NTC admitted that ABS-CBN Corporation, in fact, did not violate the terms of their franchise with their multiple TV plus programs.
Cordoba explained that digital television technology allows ABS-CBN to provide six channels using a single 6 MHz frequency. “If 6 programs are using 1 frequency, then it is okay,” said Cordoba.
ABS-CBN’s lawyer Ceasar Poblador also stated that the company’s multiple channels follow NTC’s digital migration plan since, ‘no policy dictates one franchise, one channel.’
Philippine Cable Television Association also disputed FICTAP’s statement and said TV Plus has allowed household viewers to get clearer signals through their digital technology using digital compression.
“This allows broadcasters to introduce multi channels using the same radio frequency it was originally granted under their existing franchise or franchises,” said PCTA President Ralph Casiño, adding that digital compression has always been a key feature in migrating from analog to digital.
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The Duterte administration’s foreign borrowing has continued to rise during the pandemic. How much is really to respond to COVID-19, and how much for debt-driven growth and the illusion of development?
“Si Duterte ang pinakamasahol, pinakanakamamatay at pinakapahirap na virus na nanalasa sa mamamayan.” (Duterte is the worst, most lethal, most burdensome virus to afflict the Filipino people.)
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Progressive groups labeled President Rodrigo Duterte as ‘worse than the COVID-19 virus’ on his fourth year in office.
Wearing masks and observing physical distancing, thousands of protesters gathered at the Liwasang Diokno inside the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) compound, June 30.
In a fiery speech, Kara Taggaoa, spokesperson of the League of Filipino Students (LFS) said, “Si Duterte ang pinakamasahol, pinakanakamamatay at pinakapahirap na virus na nanalasa sa mamamayan.” (Duterte is the worst, most lethal, most burdensome virus to afflict the Filipino people.)
Taggaoa underscored the incompetent and inefficient COVID-19 response of the Duterte administration. She said that while government claims that the country is winning the fight against COVID-19, the Philippines has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the region.
As of June 29, the Philippines, with 1,225 number of COVID-19 deaths, is the highest in Southeast Asia, based on data from Johns Hopkins University and Southeast Asian Health Ministries. The Philippines also has the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, with 983 new cases as of June 29.
Health workers, too, have lamented the Department of Health’s poor response to the crisis, with the public health care system being overwhelmed.
Jocelyn Andamo, secretary general of Filipino Nurses United, said there are now 3,360 health workers infected by the virus. Of this number, 1,226 are nurses.
Andamo revealed that until now, many public hospitals rely on donations for supply of personal protective equipment (PPE). Testing for health workers should be every 14 days but Andamo said that asymptomatic health workers are not being tested.
“Where did they spend the money? It should have been allotted for mass testing,” Andamo said in Filipino.
With the rising cases of COVID-19, Andamo fears that more cases will be recorded among health workers. She said that quarantine days of doctors and nurses have been shortened due to lack of human resources. At the Philippine General Hospital, for example, nurses take seven quarantine days, instead of 14. At Philippine Heart Center, it’s been reduced to five days while nurses at Tondo Medical Center are no longer allowed to have a break.
Epidemic of rights abuses
Besides the poor response to the health crisis, progressive groups also pointed out that the Duterte administration has been busy terrorizing the Filipino people.
Cristina Palabay, secretary general of human rights alliance Karapatan, said that four years under Duterte also means an “epidemic of fascist attacks, state terrorism, and injustice.”
Palabay said Duterte’s sham “war on drugs” and counterinsurgency program have claims thousands of lives. Official figures showed at least 8,663 have been killed in “anti-drug operations.” Meanwhile, Karapatan documented 293 cases of extrajudicial killings in line with the counterinsurgency program as of November 2019.
“If the terror bill is enacted into law, we will experience an intensified epidemic of human rights violations,” Palabay said in Filipino.
Criminal neglect
Various groups and sectors also highlighted their worsening economic conditions brought about by Duterte’s policies.
Raymond Palatino of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-National Capital Region lambasted Duterte for getting loans but not providing enough aid for the poor. The Duterte administration clinched US$5.6 billion from the Asian Development Bank and World Bank purportedly for the COVID-19 response.
According to independent think-tank Ibon Foundation, about 9 million out of the target 18 million poor households received only one tranche of emergency aid. Considering that P98.3 billion has been distributed to 17.5 million households as of June 27, Ibon computes that the first tranche averages out to P5,617 per family, or just P53 per day over 106 days of COVID-19 lockdown.
Anakpawis, meanwhile, pointed out that Duterte’s “militarist approach totally disregarded its impact on the economy, that resulted in the record-high 17.7 unemployment rate in the country last April.”
The group summed up Duterte’s four years as anti-poor. “Peasants remain landless, workers with low wages and without job security, urban poor families are being evicted from their communities, and worse, the poor are being killed by this regime,” Ariel Casilao of Anakpawis said.
Traitor
Progressive groups are also enraged over Duterte’s treachery in the last four years.
“Duterte is a traitor to the Filipino people,” Taggaoa said, citing how Chinese vessels are encroaching in Philippine waters and how American troops are allowed to join military operations in the country via the Visiting Forces Agreement.
Taggaoa called on the Filipino people to continue fighting for their democratic rights.
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Research group IBON said that the Duterte
government should correct the huge shortfall of the Social Amelioration Program
(SAP) especially amid a continuously increasing number of COVID-19 cases. About
9 million out of the target 18 million poor households received only one
tranche of emergency aid, or just Php53 per day over 106 days of COVID-19
lockdown. These 9 million families will no longer get the second tranche as the
government limits distribution to residents in enhanced community quarantine
(ECQ) and modified ECQ (MECQ) areas. Yet, the country reaches a record of
36,438 cases as of June 29.
According to the recently expired Bayanihan law, the Philippine government was supposed to provide
emergency subsidies to low-income families and vulnerable sectors whose jobs
and incomes were disrupted by the lockdown. Support amounting to
Php5,000-8,000, depending on regional minimum wage rates, was to be given to
some 18 million poor households for two months.
The first month-tranche came in the duration of three months,
making the already stingy aid even much delayed. The second month-tranche, on
the other hand, according to an inter-agency joint memorandum, will be
distributed now only to beneficiaries in the ECQ and MECQ areas. This reduces
the original 17.7 million target beneficiaries to just 8.6 million households
in the following areas: Central Luzon except Aurora, the National Capital
Region (NCR), Calabarzon, Benguet, Pangasinan, Iloilo, Cebu province, Bacolod
City, Davao City, Albay province, and Zamboanga City.
This leaves 9.1 million of the original target SAP beneficiaries
affected by the three-month lockdown to make do with the meager first tranche,
said IBON. This is even if economic activity cannot fully resume in now general
community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ areas.
Considering that Php98.3 billion has been distributed to 17.5
million households as of June 27, IBON computes that the first tranche averages
out to Php5,617 per family. Without the second tranche supposedly for the second
month of lockdown, the subsidy amounts to just Php53 per family or Php12 per
person per day for the past 106 days since the COVID-19 lockdown started.
Even those who will receive the second tranche will still end up
stretching a small amount over three months of lockdown, IBON said. Some
Php6.79 billion in second tranche aid has already been distributed to 1.3
million recipients, or an average of Php5,047 per family. Combining both
tranches, these 1.3 million families each got only a total of Php10,664. This
amounts to Php101 per family or Php23 per family member for each of the 106
lockdown days.
IBON also noted that 5.28 million low-income households even continue to wait for the first tranche of SAP. This figure includes the remaining 278,206 beneficiaries out of the target 17.7 million according to Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) data as of June 27. The rest are the families declared by the DSWD in mid-May as also eligible to receive aid but have not received any. While some 500 wait-listed families in the Cordillera Administrative Region have received their first tranche, those in now GCQ and MGCQ areas may also no longer get the second tranche.
The country does not seem to be winning the war against COVID-19, but the government has remained indifferent to the impact of the pandemic on the millions of poor families, said IBON. The Duterte administration has continued penny-pinching even as people’s livelihoods and incomes are already irrecoverable and public health is at risk. People’s socioeconomic welfare along with an efficient health response are the urgent matters that the Duterte government should be focusing on instead of staying apathetic to the mounting health and economic crisis, IBON said.