Why let con-ass decide , when Charter Change enshrines pork – Bayan Muna
Own up , man up ... p . 4
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VOLUME XXXIV No . 31 Pebrero 12-18 , 2018 P6.00
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New Zealand Scholarships open ; Visayans encouraged to apply
CEBU CITY -- New Zealand Ambassador David Strachan announced that the ASEAN New Zealand Scholarships open for applications this week .
During his visit to Cebu , Ambassador Strachan met with students from different universities and encouraged them to take advantage of New Zealand education through these scholarships .
“ New Zealand is unique in having all of its eight universities ranked in the world ’ s top 3 percent . It is a great opportunity for personal and academic growth and a way to make a difference to the Philippines upon return ,” Strachan said .
This scholarship is funded by the New Zealand Government through the New Zealand Aid Programme .
Yearly , 24 qualified individuals are awarded scholarships to pursue postgraduate degrees in New Zealand .
New Zealand Scholarships foster and build future leaders as well as equipping scholars with skills and knowledge to benefit their country .
For the coming intake , there will be a preference for applicants from the Visayas and Mindanao . These scholars will be selected
through a competitive process to Continue on page 8
Why let con-ass decide , when Charter Change enshrines pork – Bayan Muna
Aside from the usual extension of the terms of incumbents , allowing 100 percent foreign ownership of Philippine resources and businesses , and removing provisions that guarantee human rights and civil liberties , the latest proposed amendments include enshrining the pork barrel system into the basic law of the land .
By MARYA SALAMAT
MANILA – The Duterte administration ’ s drive to amend the 1987 Constitution outdoes the previous failed attempts in one more thing . Aside from the usual extension of the terms of incumbents , allowing 100 percent foreign ownership of Philippine resources and businesses , and removal of provisions that guarantee human rights and civil liberties , it is seeking to add the pork barrel system into the basic law of the land . According to Bayan Muna Chairman Neri Colmenares , page 1 of the Draft Constitution of Sub Committee No . 1 of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Amendment , provides that :
“ Each district shall be entitled to an annual share in the state and federal budgets for its infrastructure , as well as for the medical , educational and social services of its inhabitants . Each member of the Senate and of the party list shall likewise be entitled to an amount not less than the allocation for a district from the state and federal budgets for their constituents within the region or nationwide .”
The said “ amount ” of money for each Senator , party list Congressman , or district Congressman is , in reality , pork barrel funds , the same allotment that public outcries before had prompted the Supreme Court to declare pork as unconstitutional . At that time , it went under the name of Priority Development Assistance Fund ( PDAF ). After the Supreme Court ban of PDAF , but not of the pork-greased workings of the patronage system , Colmenares said Malacañang and Congress have had to hide pork in the budgets of executive departments .
The current charter change proposal will reverse this Supreme Court decision . And , if this Cha-cha succeeds , Colmenares warned , “ there will be no more need for politicians to hide pork barrel in the departments .” When he was Bayan Muna Congressman , Colmenares principally authored
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2018 Scholars before departing for New Zealand this January ( with Ambassador David Strachan , centre , and Aid Manager Rune Ylade , far right ). ( New Zealand Embassy Manila Photo )
Caravan to assert right to housing , resist eviction in Pandi held
The group also calls for the scrapping of the Senate Bill 1578 , an Act Creating the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development ( DHSUD ).
By ANNE MARXZE D . UMIL
MANILA — Urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap ( Kadamay ) led thousands of homeless as they protest the recent moves of the government to evict those who occupy idle housing units in Pandi , Bulacan . Dubbed as “ Homeless Protest Caravan ,” on Thursday , Feb . 9 , the group trooped to the National Housing Authority ( NHA ), to the Senate and at the foot of Chino Roces bridge ( former Mediola bridge ) to call for an end to the eviction of urban poor communities .
Kadamay chairperson Gloria “ Ka Bea ” Arellano lambasted the NHA for its attempts to evict Kadamay members who are presently occupying idle housing units in Pandi , Bulacan . They vowed to stand firm and will not leave the houses that they fought for .
The NHA alleged that Kadamay members occupying housing units in Pandi have been renting out or selling their units , which , according to the agency , is against the law . The agency
reported that Jerry Lovado , a percent are occupied . |
member of Kadamay was caught |
The |
NHA ’ s |
In-City |
|
on camera selling the house he is occupying . But the group maintained that the reported incident was a set-up .
Arellano said instead of evicting the poor , the NHA
|
Resettlement Housing Program ( ICRHP ) implemented in 2011 also has low occupancy rates . According to COA ’ s Performance Audit Report of the program released in 2017 , NHA has |
should resolve the housing crisis |
allocated |
P9.8 |
billion |
($ 191 |
in the country . |
million ) |
to |
construct |
16,748 |
She |
said |
the |
NHA |
permanent housing units which |
|
should not evict the poor from their community , put them in far flung relocation sites and burden them with housing amortization .
“ These problems should be acted upon and not make the urban poor suffer even more ,” she said .
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is targeted to completed by the end of 2016 . But only 8,644 or 52 percent were completed . Only 3,656 out of the identified 16,748 informal settler families were resettled and relocated to the said housing units .
The ICRHP was part of
|
The |
Philippines ’ |
the P50 billion ($ 976 million ) |
|
capital , Manila , was reportedly the city with the highest rate of homelessness in the world .
The group also slammed the NHA for its failure to provide housing to the poor and yet thousands of housing units are not being utilized .
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allocated by the government to fund its 5-year housing program . It aims to relocate and resettle informal settler families living in what the government described as danger zones in Metro Manila .
Kadamay decried that the NHA wanted to evict their
|
Based |
on |
the |
members so that the agency |
Commission on Audit ( COA ) annual audit report for circular |
would profit from the housing units that they have occupied . |
|
year 2016 , the NHA Housing
This is contrary to the NHA ’ s
|
Program has targeted to build statements that they needed to |
382,082 housing units within the period of three years . However , |
relocate the informal settlers to the said housing units . |
only |
190,413 |
housing |
units |
“ When |
these |
idle |
were completed or 49 percent . |
housing |
units |
have |
been |
Of the completed housing units , only 76,004 housing units or 49 |
occupied , suddenly there is a need
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