FROM THE FRONT PAGE
New fissures near Taal Volcano... sible within days or hours. Agri Dept: Affected farmers, fishermen can get gov’t loan The Department of Agriculture on Wednesday said farmers and fishermen who lost crops and livestock to Taal Volcano’s eruption could soon get zero-interest loans from the government. Farmers and fishermen can take out a P25,000 loan payable
in 3 years with zero interest under the government’s Survival and Recovery (SURE) program, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said. Based on DA’s estimates, Taal volcano’s unrest left P577.4 million in initial damage to agriculture, including some 2,700 hectares of farmland and almost 2,000 animals. Calls for donations started on
Monday, January 13 to help victims and evacuees in the wake of the eruption of Taal Volcano in Batangas. The Philippine Red Cross is currently accepting relief goods in the form of face masks, towels, bottled water, easy-open canned goods, cup noodles, biscuits, 3in-1 coffee sachets, cleaning materials, blankets and mattresses and hygiene kits. n
Following criticism, Robredo defends... the government in the past three years. Malacañang, in response, said the vice president was “just trying to be relevant” with her report. Meanwhile, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Aaron Aquino and Sen. Ronald dela Rosa said her report was a “mere political move.” President Rodrigo Duterte earlier called Robredo a “colossal blunder” after her report said the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign was a “massive failure.” Robredo stressed that the opening parts of her report outlined that the creation of ICAD was a correct measure but suggested that the Dangerous Drugs Board be made the lead in the ICAD instead of the PDEA to maximize it. “Ano yung political doon? Nagsusuggest ako ng mga paraan
kung papaano yung ICAD gawing mas responsive. Sinasabi ko nga, tama yung ICAD, maayos yung pagka-form nito (What was political about that? I suggested ways to make ICAD more responsive. I’m reiterating, the ICAD is right, its creation was good),” she said. Robredo also urged the different ICAD agencies to agree on the numbers that they present to the public after the Philippine National Police claimed that the data she cited in her report were unofficial estimates. This despite the information coming from the national police agency in the first place. “Iba iba yung datos ng mga ahensiya. Mga ahensya kayo ng gobyerno, puwede magkasundo muna kayo (The data from the agencies are conflicting. You’re all agencies of the government, can you please agree among yourselves first)?” she said. She added, “Yung mga pag-
aaral na ginawa ko, galing din naman sa mga ahensya. Sapat na para makapag-ambag ako tungkol sa mga rekomendasyon (The probe I did, [the information] were from the agencies. They were enough for me to share my recommendations).” Robredo also lamented being fired from her position as ICAD co-chair. “I didn’t waste my 18 days. I wish I was given more chances and time so I could’ve done more,” she said. On October 31, 2019, Robredo was appointed as ICAD co-chair to help PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino in curbing the drug menace. She was fired two weeks later due to alleged “missteps,” such as meeting with foreign personalities and groups that have prejudged the drug war and failing to present new measures to stop the drug proliferation in the country. n
Gov. Newsom unveils $222-B state... with access to health care and higher education than any other state. California is showing the nation and the world what bighearted, effective governance looks like.” And that’s what Newsom wanted to highlight in a presentation of the budget at the state capitol on Friday. Despite all the issues plaguing Californians, unemployment is at a record low (3.9%), job growth has remained consistent for 117 months, 3.8% economic growth over the last half-decade and $19 billion in rainy day savings. Referencing President Donald Trump’s goading of California’s issues, Newsom rejected what he calls the “California derangement syndrome.” “If I’m not willing to stand up to a bully, if I’m not willing to stand up to someone who is attacking immigrant communities and refugees and attacking people working very hard every single day to feed their families, then I don’t belong here,” Newsom said. The new state budget calls for closing a state-operated prison within the next five years, improving the technology used in wildfire responses, increased funding for climate change initiatives and establishing a state consumer financial protection bureau, but social reform in three areas — education, health care and homelessness — were key in the governor’s presentation on Friday. Public schools K-12 education, another cornerstone of the Newsom administration, comprises most of the 2020-2021 budget (28%, or $84 billion) following outrage among public school educators on low wages, mounting class sizes and staff retention. Through Proposition 98 — an initiative from 1988 that secures minimum level funding from state and local property taxes for K12 schools and community colleges — the state should see an increase of $3.8 billion for these schools. One of the proposals included a $100 million grant program
that will offer $20,000 to teachers who commit four years to teach in low-income schools as a way to improve the quality of teaching in poorer neighborhoods. The K-12 budget also allocates $900 million toward teacher recruitment and retention in these lower-income areas. Calling the state of special education in California “a crisis,” Newsom also proposed that $895 million should be directed toward providing more sophisticated resources and services for students with disabilities. A special focus will be placed on early intervention and screening for preschoolers. The nutritional value of school lunches has been an issue propagated by parents across the state who worry about the effect of frozen cafeteria food on their children. To address this, the state budget is directing $70 million toward improving the quality of food in public K-12 schools. The initiative, first lobbied by California First Partner Jen Siebel Newsom, was inspired by the Obama administration’s efforts to improve school nutrition across the country — initiatives that have been rolled back by the Trump administration. Health care Amid the continuing national debate on health care, California could be the first state to implement its own generic drug label. One of the most ambitious proposals laid out in the state budget, the proposal could drastically lower the cost of pharmaceuticals for patients for whom the only options are the name brand drugs. Generic drug manufacturers said that drug prices skyrocket because of name-brand companies, some of whom are the only manufacturers of certain medicines. The budget also said that the state would continue to move towards a single market for drug pricing and would establish a new Office of Health Care Affordability to maintain transparency within the pharmaceutical industry. Overall, the budget will allocate $167.9 billion towards all health
and human services programs, a majority of which will be towards the funding of Medi-Cal; as previously reported in the Asian Journal, Medi-Cal is now available for all young adults between the ages of 19 to 25 regardless of immigration status. Notably, the way the state treats mentally ill people could be changing drastically, as well. At Friday’s presentation, the governor did not provide any specific plans, but he promised to revisit the 1967 Lanterman-Petris-Short Act which limited the authority of officials to detail those with mental disorders. Additionally, the budget secures $45.1 million for the implementation of a Behavioral Health Quality Improvement Program which will bulk up county-operated mental health and substance abuse facilities because Newsom noted that mental health treatment should be “community-based.” Homelessness One area that California continues to struggle in is the state’s mounting homelessness, a stain left behind from the Jerry Brown administration which Newsom has been promising to correct since he was elected governor in 2018. Calling it “the issue that defines our times,” Newsom proposed $1.4 billion for homeless services that zero in on immediate funding for emergency rental assistance and lodging and health care facilities for those suffering from mental illnesses. According to a 2018 count from the United States Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, California has nearly 130,000 homeless residents. Newsom previously confirmed $4.5 billion in loans and land from tech giants Apple, Facebook and Google to support affordable housing, but this budget offers little policy changes that would make it easier for developers to build. However, Newsom said that his administration is looking to create a new government agency dedicated to housing the homeless. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n
Philippines shows highest global support... t Participants were also asked about a variety of policy decisions under the Trump administration, such as his U.S.-Mexico border wall proposal and increasing tariffs. “A median of 68% across the nations polled say they disapprove of the U.S. increasing tariffs on imported goods; a median of 66% oppose the Trump administration’s withdrawal from international climate agreements; and 60% disapprove of Trump’s proposal to build a wall on the border with Mexico,” the survey said. In terms of immigration, 55% of respondents said they disapproved of the administration’s plans to reduce the number of immigrants coming into the U.S. Other countries that showed high confidence in the U.S. president were Israel (71%), Kenya (65%), Nigeria (58%) and India (56%). Though the ratings for Trump are low in most nations, the view of the U.S. remains largely favorable at 54% compared to 38% unfavorable, the survey found.
Ratings were positive in the Philippines, Poland, South Korea and Israel where “in each about eightin-ten say they view the U.S. favorably,” Pew found. The countries that had the most negative views of the U.S. were Germany, Russia, Turkey and Mexico. “In some countries, views of the U.S. have become more positive since 2018. This increase in favorable views of the U.S. is especially prevalent among those who favor right-wing populist parties or place themselves on the right end of the ideological spectrum,” Pew said. A similar survey was last conducted in 2017 — the year Trump was inaugurated — which found that 22% had confidence the president would do the right thing in international affairs. Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has previously said that the Philippines and U.S. continue to share amicable ties, even with certain American lawmakers criticizing PH President Rodrigo Duterte’s human rights record and the latest U.S. Senate resolution to put
sanctions on local government officials involved in the arrest and detention of opposition Senator Leila De Lima. The Philippines also continues to view the U.S. as its most dependable, according to a Pew survey from December 2019. “Trump is generally more popular among people on the political right. In 18 nations, those who place themselves on the right side of the ideological spectrum express more confidence in the U.S. president,” the think tank noted. Trump and President Rodrigo Duterte have shown support for one another, with the former congratulating the latter for an “unbelievable job on the drug problem” in the country. Philippine respondents also rated Russian President Vladimir Putin positively with 61% confidence and Chinese President Xi Jinping with 58%. The Pew survey released this week was conducted across 33 countries from May 18 to October 2, 2019 using face-to-face interviews among 36,923 respondents. (AJPress) n
against the government. “If you believe that the charges against you are not true then slug it out, fight it out, file a demurrer to evidence. If you want to file a petition for bail, so there are so many legal remedies available to her,” Guevarra told de Lima. “If that is her position, why has not she applied for bail Why is it that other people, even foreigners will be asking for her freedom now, temporary or permanently. But she herself has not applied for bail. So what could be the reason for that? We can only guess about the possible reasons. It’s up to you to think why she hasn’t filed a petition for bail,” he added. Guevarra said the US govern-
ment should exercise “some prudence and circumspection.” “I’m talking about the US State Department. They will realize that where is the wrongful imprison-
ment, wrongful detention here? Everything was followed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of the Philippines,” he added. n
‘Slug it out’ in court, DOJ dares...
Lawyer to withdraw ICC complaint... in representing Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed assassin whose deposition was part of the ICC case. Sabio said, “Madame Prosecutor, in light of all these and under the circumstances obtaining, I am left with no choice but to formally withdraw from your office the communication that I filed way back on 24 April 2017. I fervently request that it be expunged or erased from the record, and that it should not be used in any way in the ongoing preliminary examination.” “I also fervently request that the legal matter pending with
your office in relation to the war on drugs in the Philippines should be set aside and thrashed (sic) for being just a part of the political propaganda of Senator Trillanes, Senator De Lima and their LP-led opposition which I do not wish to be part,” he added. Sabio was accompanied by lawyer Larry Gadon when he had his affidavit notarized in Quezon City. Gadon said, “Attorney Jude Sabio who filed a complaint and information before the International Criminal Court against President Duterte has executed, signed and sworn an affidavit and
statement withdrawing the ICC case, saying that he did not approve of what Trillanes and other LP personalities have resorted to aimed at besmirching the honor of the President.” Trillanes was not bothered by Sabio’s move and said the “withdrawal” would not have any effect in the ongoing ICC probe against Duterte because the court has its own processes. He said what matters is the testimonies given by Matobato and retired policeman and self-confessed Davao death squad member Arturo Lascañas, that Sabio simply “facilitated” in writing for submission to the ICC. n