China Steals Fish and Island from Philippines

The Dept. of Foreign Affairs Tuesday protested China's routine fishery patrols in the disputed South China Sea as part of it would include areas within the Philippines' territorial waters.

China's Fishery Bureau last week announced that patrols in the resource-rich waters where Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims will be a "top priority" in 2013 and 2014.

The patrols, according to state-run Xinhua News Agency, aim to safeguard the "legitimate interests of Chinese fishermen."

China's announcement came a week after it rejected Manila's initiative to let a United Nations arbitration body hear the Philippines' complaint over what it calls Beijing's "excessive" claim to waters where undersea gas deposits have been discovered in several areas.

China said Manila's case was legally infirm and carried unacceptable allegations.

"The Philippines strongly objects to the Chinese patrol of Philippine maritime domain in the West Philippine Sea. Such activities would not validate the nine-dash line and are contrary to China's obligation under international law including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea," Hernandez told a press briefing.

China's nine-dash line is a U-shaped map that covers nearly 90 percent of the South China Sea.

"We again call in China to respect our territorial sovereignty and exclusive economic zone," he said.

The Philippines, he asserted, "exercises sovereignty and sovereign rights over the waters and features in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the West Philippine Sea."

Scandal of Pagadian City Mayor Samuel Co

Pagadian City Mayor Samuel Co and his wife Priscilla Tuesday appeared at the Dept. of Justice to attend the hearing of the Aman Futures pyramiding scam.

The Co couple were being linked in the P12-billion pyramiding scam allegedly committed by the Aman Futures Group Philippines, Inc. that allegedly duped 15,000 victims in Visayas and Mindanao.

The couple personally submitted and executed their respective counter-affidavit in the syndicated estafa charges filed against them by the alleged victims of Aman Futures namely, Samsodin Ala, Fabian Tapayan Jr. and Norolhaya Taha.

In their separate counter-affidavit, the Co couple asked the DOJ to dismiss the syndicated estafa charges filed against them.

In his 22-page counter-affidavit, Mayor Co argued the complaint filed against him and his wife has no legal basis.

He maintained they are also victims of Aman Futures and they did not receive money from any of the investor for Aman Futures.

He was also convinced the complaint filed against him was "politically motivated."

In her 14-page counter-affidavit, Priscilla Co argued she and her husband were never involved in Aman Futures.

She also argued they did not personally know one of the complainants, Tapayan and they did not also transact with anyone in the complainants in behalf of Aman Futures.

Republic Act 10366 Approved

President Benigno S. Aquino III signed last week Republic Act 10366, "An Act Authorizing the Commission on Elections to Establish Precincts Assigned to Accessible Polling Places Exclusively for Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens," the Palace announced Saturday.

The law, that addresses the concerns of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizen advocates, was signed by the President February 15, deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday.

"Ang batas na ito will now require the registration, a record of Persons with Disabilities and senior citizens sa Comelec para malaman kung ano ang mga disability, kung may kailangang assistance para sa kanilang pagboto dahil kahit naman PWD at senior citizen sila, kailangang matulungan natin sila especially when it comes to voting," Valte said.

The new law also mandates the establishment of separate polling precints intended only for PWDs and senior citizens, she said. These voting centers must have assistive devices and personnel that will assist PWDs and senior citizens.

"Dapat ang ating balota merong reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and senior citizens," she said. "Siyempre kasama din dito 'yung assistance in the accomplishment of the ballots."

The PWDs and senior citizens will be assisted in filling the ballot by their relatives, either relative by consanguinity or affinity, within the fourth civil degree, or by the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI).

The law also requires a sensitivity training program by the Comelec for those who will perform electoral duties including field officers, members of the BEI and accredited citizens' arms to familiarize themselves with the needs of PWDs and senior citizens.

Peace process with the communist

President Benigno S. Aquino III expressed his strong resolve to move the peace process with the communist rebels following a meeting with Norwegian facilitators in Malacanang Friday.

The President received the members of the Royal Norwegian government as well as the team of facilitators in a courtesy call at the Palace, Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Saturday in a radio interview over government-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

"The President spoke about his resolve to move the peace process forward. Alam naman natin na medyo naaantala ng kaunti ang peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front)," Valte said.

"Maganda naman ang pagtanggap ng mga facilitators at positive ang kanilang response. The facilitators expressed that they felt that now is a good time to move the peace process forward," she added.

Government peace panel chair Alexander Padilla said in a forum this week that the public must "guard and support" the peace negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF.

Despite the challenges in the peace talks with the communists, Padilla said the government remains optimistic that a final negotiated political settlement will be completed and implemented during the term of President Aquino.

One of the contentious issues is the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) as the insurgents insist for the release of political prisoners who they claim work as "consultants."

JASIG allows negotiators or consultants to freely discuss and move without the threat of being arrested.

It remains the biggest challenge in the talks, Padilla said.

The NDF claims that these political prisoners arrested by government security forces are covered by the JASIG.

27th anniversary celebration of the EDSA People Power

Malacanang is inviting the Filipino public to join the 27th anniversary celebration of the EDSA People Power Revolution on Monday in EDSA in Quezon City considering its significance to the nation's history.

"Nananawagan tayo at iniimbitahan natin ang ating mga mamamayan na dumalo, lumahok at makiisa sa pagdiriwang natin ng ika-dalawampu't-pitong anibersaryo ng EDSA People Power Revolution na may temang, "Pilipinas Natin, Abot Tanaw Na," Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Hermino Coloma Jr. said in an interview Saturday over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

Monday's event is important because it will raise awareness on the historic event that happened several decades ago when the Filipino people fought and ousted a tyrannical regime, Coloma said.

The celebration will have greater significance especially to young Filipinos who didn't see and experience the people's bloodless fight against the Marcos dictatorship.

Filipinos launched a civil disobedience movement to boycott institutions connected to the Marcoses following a failed snap election in February 1986, Coloma explained. The move culminated to the EDSA People Power revolt in that year.

President Benigno S. Aquino III will lead the anniversary celebration at the People Power Monument in EDSA. The President will join the flag-raising ceremony and after that he will sign the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013.

The landmark legislation is the state's official recognition of the atrocities committed by the Marcos administration against its own people.

Part of Monday's event is opening the Malacanang grounds to young people for story-telling and sports events to impart Filipino values to the country's youth.

"Bubuksan ang pintuan ng Malacanang Palace doon sa area ng Kalayaan Hall, para maranasan naman ng ating mga mamamayan, lalung-lalo na ng mga kabataan kung paano 'yung nasa loob mismo ng Malacanang Palace," Coloma said.

"Ito ay lalahukan ng mga youth leaders at ang karamihan sa mga dadalo doon at pupunta sa open house ay mga kabataan. Kaya rin naman idineklarang walang pasok para himukin natin ang marami sa mga kabataang nag-aaral pa na kunin din 'yung pagkakataon na magpunta sa Malacanang at sa Kalayaan grounds."

Join the World Summit on Information

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said he is leaving for Paris, France to join the World Summit on Information this Sunday.

"Actually, magkatono itong tema ng EDSA at 'yung dadaluhan natin sapagkat 'yung United Nations sa pamamagitan ng UNESCO o United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, ten years ago, naglunsad ng tinatawag na Knowledge Society," Coloma said in a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan Saturday.

"Kaya ang idaraos sa Paris sa darating na Linggo, kasabay nung ating EDSA celebration ay 'yung World Summit on the Information Society Plus Ten. Ibig sabihin, ten years after," he added.

The concept of UNESCO's Knowledge Society is anchored on a free society having free-flowing knowledge and information, freedom of the press and freedom of expression in addition to other freedoms to raise people's awareness.

The event in Paris is related to the 27th anniversary celebration of the EDSA People Power Revolution because it deals with rights and freedom that Filipinos fought for a few decades ago, Coloma said.

"Ganoon din naman 'yung pinagdiriwang natin sa EDSA, kung maaalala natin, noong panahon ng Martial Law, ay nabalam ang paggamit ng kalayaan sa pamamahayag, 'yung kalayaan ng pagtitipon-tipon, 'yung freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression ay hindi naramdaman at hindi naganap sapagkat tinitigil ito ng batas-militar," Coloma explained.

"At noon namang nagtagumpay ang EDSA People Power Revolution, muling naging laganap ang paggamit ng mga kalayaang ito, kaya nga't sa buong rehiyon ng Asya, masasabi natin at maipagmamalaki natin na sa Pilipinas, pinakamasigla, pinakamalusog, pinakalaganap ang kalayaan sa pamamahayag," he added.

Coloma said he will highlight the country's EDSA revolt anniversary when he joins the World Summit on the Information Society in France this weekend.

He said he will report to the members of the United Nations the progress of the Philippine's push for media and information literacy, which is the country's task in UNESCO.

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in Crising

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Saturday that P11.24 million in agriculture was destroyed in the wake of Tropical Depression Crising.

NDRRM said the damage to agriculture was estimated at P11,241,800 including P10,087,300 in rice; P444,500 in corn; and P710,000 in vegetables in Asuncion town in Davao del Norte province.

The death toll remained at four, with two still missing, the NDRRMC added.

The disaster agency said Crising has affected 51,458 families or 261,570 people in 189 villages in Region 4-B (Mimaropa) Region 8 (Eastern Visayas, Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), Region 10 (Northern Mindanao), Region 11 (Davao Region), Region 12 (SOCCSKARGEN), Caraga region and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Northeast monsoon continues to affect Luzon

Aside from passing light rains, many parts of the country can expect good weather conditions as the northeast monsoon continues to affect Luzon, the state weather bureua said on Saturday.

In its advisory, the Philippine Armosphetic Geophysical and Astronomical Sevices Administration (PAGASA) said thatthe regions of Caraga, Davao and SOCCSKSARGEN will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms.

The regions of Cordillera, Bicol, Cagayan Valley and the provinces of Aurora and Quezon will have cloudy skies with light rains while Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail throughout the archipelago and the coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

PAGASA also issued a strong to gale force wind associated with the northeast monsoon is expected to affect the seaboards of Luzon.

Deputized by the municipal government

A multi-sectoral team of enforcers deputized by the municipal government here is now guarding all strategic points in this biodiversity-rich far-flung town to ensure that its forests and other ecological properties are sealed from illegal activities.

Town Mayor Alejandro Gamos over the week said here that he tapped the cooperation of various agencies--among them the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and Philippine Coconut Authority--in manning the multi-sectoral checkpoints set for the purpose. The Philippine National Police, Philippine Army and Philippine Coast Guard are the law enforcing agencies involved in the measure while all barangay authorities, the local media and volunteers from non-government organizations are also embedded into the undertaking, Gamos said.

All entry and exit points of illegal loggers, timber poachers, wood charcoal makers, coco lumber smugglers and wild animal hunters are now sealed with these checkpoints, making it impossible for them to further destroy the town's upland ecological resources, he added.

Coastal areas have also been placed under tight guarding against illegal fishers, mangrove cutters and any other persons involved in activities that are destructive to the local marine resources, the mayor said.

"We are doing this to protect and preserve the richness of our natural environment for the benefit of the generations next to us. Ours is a locality gifted with ecological beauty and resources that we need to take good care of. The checkpoints and coast watch function 24/7," Gamos stressed.

"Barangay residents have also been made to understand what we are doing and they, too, are staying alert against any form of illegal activities that may transpire under their noses," he added.

All members of the multi-sectoral checkpoints have specific roles in the measure and practically, every citizen of each community is supporting it that is why, Gamos said, "tiyak, wala nang lulusutan itong mga gumagawa ng labag sa batas para sa kapakanan ng kalikasan dito sa amin (surely, those lawbreakers will no longer be able to do their operations, thus, nature's interest will be protected here)."

Gilbert Gonzales, DENR regional executive director, lauded the move of the Sta. Magdalena LGU and asked his men to cooperate closely and assist the town's local officials.

Sta. Magdalena, a fourth class municipality located about 72 kilometers southeast of Sorsogon City--the provincial capital, or roughly 120 kilometers from Legazpi City, Bicol's regional government center, is generally rugged and mountainous with a peak reaching as high as 1,100 feet above sea level.

A big river coming from the hinterlands in the western boundary of the municipality flows out to the Pacific Ocean.

Its wilderness that plays home to exciting flora and fauna also boasts of beautiful waterfalls, the Ubo and Paloktok Falls.

The territorial jurisdiction of the municipality is composed of some 4,706.4 hectares of land mass.

The local government unit is politically subdivided into 14 barangays, dispersed geographically in the lowlands of poblacion composed of four barangays, and upland, with 10 barangays.

It has 13 coastal barangays lined along clean and fine white sand beaches that are considered undiscovered by the tourism world, according to Gamos.

Eastern Metropolitan Bus Corporation Labor Dispute

The union and management of the Eastern Metropolitan Bus Corporation was lauded by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for settling their labor dispute under preventive mediation case following two conciliation conferences.

Labor and Employment secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis- Baldoz said the settlement was to the best interest of the workers and the company that now continue operation in peace and harmony.

"I commend the Samahang Manggagawa ng EMBC and the management of the bus company for their mutual effort to resolve their dispute," Baldoz said.

The bus company, represented by Ernesto De Jesus and Francisco De Jesus, Jr., provides tourist and shuttle services to companies and schools in Metro Manila. Located at 182 P. Oliveros St., Antipolo City, EMBC currently employs 50 employees.

On the other hand, Samahang Manggagawa ng EMBC is an affiliate of the Metro East Labor Federation and the Buklurang Manggagawa Pilipino (BMP). It represents 24 union members covering almost half of the 50 worker-employees of the Eastern Metropolitan Bus Corporation.

It can be recalled that the union filed a preventive mediation case for alleged bargaining in bad faith, discrimination, harassment, CBA benefits, uniform, medical check-up, union leave, union dues, and summary of deduction.

Recognizing the dispute, the NCMB immediately scheduled two mediation-conciliation conferences before the parties reached a settlement last Feb. 3.