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SC to release results of 2023 Bar exams before Christmas
The Supreme Court disclosed that the results of the 2023 online Bar examinations will be released before Christmas while the oath-taking of new lawyers will be held before New Year. Yesterday, the three-day Bar exams started in 14 local testing centers (LTCs) nationwide. The SC said the last two days of the exams are on 20 and 24 of September. Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, chairperson of the 2023 Bar exams committee, said: “For the longest time, Bar examinees have had to endure several months of perceived agony of waiting before the results of the professional licensure exams for future lawyers are released. “This year, however, following the examples of my recent predecessors as Bar Chair, the time spent by the examinees waiting in agony for the results of the exams will be cut short: my team and I are eyeing the release of the results of the 2023 Bar Examinations in early December before Christmas day. “Moreover, there will be simultaneous oath-taking and signing of the Roll of Attorneys in December also before Christmas day so that we will have our new batch of full-fledged lawyers before the year ends. “It will be an additional reason for those who will hurdle the Bar Exams to celebrate the Holiday Season.” Hernando added that as of 17 September, a total of 10,791, instead of 10,816 as earlier announced, will take the six-subject examinations spread over three days. The change in the number was a result of the withdrawal of 25 examinees who had earlier registered. As in previous examinations, they may still withdraw from the exams after the first day. Hernando said the conduct of the examinations by the SC will be assisted by 2,571 Bar personnel deployed in the 14 LTCs. The SC headquarters for the exams is at the San Beda College Alabang in Muntinlupa City is the appointed SC headquarters for the exams. “The 2,571-strong 2023 Bar workforce—which includes court officials; judges; numerous personnel from the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Sandiganbayan, the Court of Tax Appeals, and First-and Second-Level Courts; and volunteer lawyers in the government and private practice—are fully committed to ensuring the integrity and orderly process of this year’s Examinations,” Hernando said. Six core subjects are covered in the examinations—Political and Public International Law, 15 percent; Commercial and Taxation Laws, 20 percent; Labor Law and Social Legislation, 10 percent; Criminal Law, 10 percent; and Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises, 25 percent. The subjects yesterday were Political and Public International Law in the morning, and Commercial and Taxation Laws in the afternoon, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. On 20 September 2023, the subjects covered are Civil Law in the morning and Labor Law and Social Legislation in the afternoon. On 24 September 2023, Criminal Law and Remedial Law will be in the morning, and Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises in the afternoon. In the National Capital Region, the LTCs are at the San Beda University, Manila; University of Santo Tomas, Manila; SBCA; University of the Philippines, Quezon City; Manila Adventist College, Pasay City; and University of the Philippines, Bonifacio Global City. In Luzon, the LTCs are at Saint Louis University in Baguio City; Cagayan State University, Tuguegarao City; and University of Nueva Caceres, Naga City. In the Visayas, the LTCs are at the University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu City, University of San Carlos also in Cebu City, and Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation in Tacloban City. There are two LTCs in Mindanao—one at the Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City and the other at the Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City. Courts within the areas of the 14 LTCs will be closed on 20 September. Several local governments in the 14 LTCs have announced traffic rerouting in areas where the examinations will be held. During the three-day examinations, most of them have also banned the sale of liquor at certain times of the day. The post SC to release results of 2023 Bar exams before Christmas appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
15 perish in QC fire
Fifteen people including a family of three and their 3-year old daughter perished in an early dawn fire that hit their garment shop at Pleasant View Subdivision in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, Thursday. Police identified the fatalities as Michael Cavilte, 44, the shop owner, his wife Maria Micaela Barbin, 23, and their daughter Erica Scarlet. The other victims who employed by Cavilte were stay-in workers, Wilmar Ritual, 25, Raffy Barrientos, 25, Julius Abarca, 20, Alfred Manuel, 23, Jayson Dominguez, 45, (driver), Carmina Abalos, 22, (quality checker), Teresa Cruz, 25, (printing staff), a certain Miya, 20 and Irene, 25, Clarise Encado, 25, Dianne Lopinal, 24, (quality checker) and a certain Daisy, 30, (stay-in helper). It is believed the victimes died of suffocation when the over one hour blaze ate up the entire garment shop as the fire started around 5:30 a.m. according to one of the two survivors, Eric John Cavilte, 25, the younger brother of the shop owner. The other survivor was identified only as Francisco, 20, who was also a shop helper. According to sources at the local Fire Department, the establishment owned by Cavilte, was issued with a Fire Safety Inspection Certificate last year on a 15-square meter that served as an 'office area.' The garment shop was located at the back of the office. "If it was inspected yearly, they would've discovered the space behind that office was used as garment shop," said one of the barangay officials who rushed to the scene, but did not want to be named. An inspection of the garment shop was never carried out by the local fire department because the office was the only declared commercial space. Records indicate that the area was considered properly inspected. Quezon City Fire Marshal Aristotle Bañaga refused to answer questions from the media. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte sent her sympathies and condolences to the families of the victims as she ordered a thorough investigation of whether the establishment adhered to the requirements of the Department of Building Official (DBO), Business Permit and Licensing Department (BPLD) or violated the National Building Code, Fire Code of the Philippines, zoning ordinance, business permit, occupancy and permit. "Taus-pusong nakikiramay ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Lungsod Quezon sa pamilya at kaanak ng mga biktima ng sunog sa isang gusali sa Barangay Tandang Sora ngayong umaga," Belmonte said in her statement. "Nais naming tiyakin sa publiko, lalo na sa pamilya ng mga biktima, na bibigyang-prayoridad namin ang malalimang imbestigasyon upang mapanagot ang mga ahensya o indibidwal na nagkaroon ng pagkukulang na nagdulot ng insidenteng ito, kasabay ng pagpapatupad ng mga dagdag na hakbang at polisiya para maiwasang maulit ito sa hinaharap," she added. The post 15 perish in QC fire appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Void ownership, void contract
Rebecca Fullido and Gino Grilli, an Italian, were sweethearts. Eventually, they maintained a common-law relationship. In time, Gino bought a lot for them and had a house built on it. Gino, being a foreigner prohibited from purchasing real estate, and the title to the land was put in the name of Rebecca. But to ensure his right over it, they entered into an agreement whereby Gino leased the property from Rebecca for fifty years, subject to an automatic renewal for a like period. In addition, they entered into an agreement where Gino, among others, denied Rebecca the right to dispose of the property and that her hold on to it would be a co-terminus with their relationship. The time came when their relationship went sour. Parties traded accusations of unfaithfulness against each other. Court actions ensued. Rebecca filed for a protection order against Gino under the Violence Against Women and Children Law or VAWC. Gino filed for the ejectment of Rebecca from their land. In the ejectment case, the court sided with Rebecca. It said that she could not be ousted because she was a co-owner. The court also considered the protection order issued by another court against Gino. On appeal, the Regional Trial Court opined that the action filed by Rebecca against Gino had no bearing on the ejectment case. And since the only issue in the ejectment case is who has a better right to possession, the court sided with Gino citing the presence of a valid and existing lease in his favor. On appeal, the Court of Appeals affirmed the finding of the appealed court. Rebecca, undaunted, went to the Supreme Court. She posited that Gino had no right over the property. For one, he is a foreigner prohibited by the Constitution from owning land. And another, the contract the parties entered into had no effect whatsoever as Gino had no right to own land in the first place. To this issue, the Supreme Court ruled, “Under Section 1 of Article XIII of the 1935 Constitution, natural resources shall not be alienated, except with respect to public agricultural lands, and in such cases, the alienation is limited to Filipino citizens. xxx xxx The prohibition on the transfer of lands to aliens was adopted in the present 1987 Constitution, under Sections 2, 3, and 7 of Article XII thereof. Agricultural lands, whether public or private, include residential, commercial, and industrial lands. The purpose of prohibiting the transfer of lands to foreigners is to uphold the conservation of our national patrimony and ensure that agricultural resources remain in the hands of Filipino citizens. “The prohibition, however, is not limited to the sale of lands to foreigners. It also covers leases of lands amounting to the transfer of all or substantially all the rights of dominion. In the landmark case of Philippine Banking Corporation v. Lui She, the Court struck down a lease contract of a parcel of land in favor of a foreigner for a period of 99 years with an option to buy the land for 50 years. “Where a scheme to circumvent the Constitutional prohibition against the transfer of lands to aliens is readily revealed as the purpose for the contracts, then the illicit purpose becomes the illegal cause rendering the contracts void. Thus, if an alien is given not only a lease of, but also an option to buy, a piece of land by virtue of which the Filipino owner cannot sell or otherwise dispose of his property, this to last for 50 years, then it becomes clear that the arrangement is a virtual transfer of ownership whereby the owner divests himself in stages not only of the right to enjoy the land but also of the right to dispose of it — rights which constitute ownership. “If this can be done, then the Constitutional ban against alien landholding in the Philippines is indeed in grave peril. Based on the above-cited constitutional, legal, and jurisprudential limitations, the Court finds that the lease contract and the MoA in the present case are null and void for virtually transferring the reigns of the land to a foreigner. xxx xxx “Evidently, the lease contract and the MoA operated hand-in-hand to strip Fullido of any dignified right over her own property. The term of lease for 100 years was obviously in excess of the allowable periods under PD No. 471. xxx xxx The title of Fullido over the land became an empty and useless vessel, visible only on paper, and was only meant as a dummy to fulfill a foreigner’s desire to own land within our soils. It is disturbing how these documents were methodically formulated to circumvent the constitutional prohibition against land ownership by foreigners. “The said contracts attempted to guise themselves as a lease, but a closer scrutiny of the same revealed that they were intended to transfer the dominion of a land to a foreigner in violation of Section 7, Article XII of the 1987 Constitution. Even if Fullido voluntarily executed the same, no amount of consent from the parties could legalize an unconstitutional agreement. The lease contract and the MoA do not deserve an iota of validity and must be rightfully struck down as null and void for being repugnant to the fundamental law. These void documents cannot be the source of rights and must be treated as mere scraps of paper.” The facts and the quoted salient portion of the decision are from Rebecca Fullido vs Gino Grilli (G.R. 215014, 29 February 2016) The post Void ownership, void contract appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sana (kub)ol
So the Bureau of Corrections is dismantling kubols in the New Bilibid Prison compound AGAIN. A kubol, for the uninitiated, is that peculiarly Filipino invention of a customized personal space in a prison that is supposed to have standardized living quarters for all prisoners. This is strange because then Justice Secretary Leila de Lima (2010-2016) made a big to-do about demolishing kubols in her time — which was also the Golden Age of Kubols. It was in 2014 when I, as a lawyer for one NBP inmate (who eventually became part of the so-called “Bilibid 19,” but more on that later) went to the prison for an initial conference with my client, who obviously couldn’t come to my office. I was shocked — shocked! — when I arrived at the compound, and not only because I was ushered in through a side door by a warden who put me in a fancy golf cart to take me to my client. En route, I saw that there were buildings(!) inside the prison premises housing — okay, be ready for this — mini-groceries, beauty salons and barber shops, spas, restaurants and, I was to learn later, a high-tech recording studio and radio-television broadcast facility. My client was waiting for me in a three-story(!) building. The first floor housed a fully-equipped office(!) and staff; the second floor was my client’s office with phones and a computer connected to the Internet, and a separate conference room for 12 people; the third floor housed his quarters (a bedroom with toilet, shower and bathtub). Responding to my quizzical look, he answered my unasked question: “Attorney, dito lahat puede basta ‘magpaangat’ ka kay secretary (Anything goes here, just ‘take it up’ with the secretary).” Anyways (to use the favorite expression of my friend Arni Teves), back to my client. Later that year, he and 18 other prisoners had a falling out with Secretary De Lima over what he claimed to be drug dealing inside Bilibid, and they were transferred incommunicado to the National Bureau of Investigation compound. To the frantic cries of their families who feared that they would be liquidated, I filed for a writ of amparo before the Court of Appeals. Their detention was ruled unconstitutional, and their families and I were allowed see them, albeit with very strict restrictions. The story that they told me of drug trafficking inside the NBP compound would later form the backbone of the indictments against De Lima once Aquino was out of power. I had cautioned them to keep things under wraps, as such disclosures then would definitely put them in grave danger. Back to the kubols. De Lima invited the press to witness their destruction, and the mediamen’s jaws dropped — as mine did years before — at the sight of luxury houses complete with airconditioning, king-size beds and Jacuzzis; a state-of-the-art recording studio; a radio and television station with equipment to rival many commercial stations; among other things. As De Lima smiled smugly for the cameras, claiming credit for “cleaning up Bilibid,” friends in media asked her the question, obliquely and sometimes directly, “How could such a thing happen under your watch and your very nose all these years?” The answer was somehow provided in the probe by the House of Representatives in 2017, when an inmate testified that in a meeting with the late J.B. Sebastian (one of the privileged inmates who was said to have done De Lima’s bidding in the Bilibid drug trade) inside his , De Lima held on to a pole (one provided for pole dancing) and, after preening, looked at Sebastian and said, “Okay ba, J.B.?” She knew, and tolerated — nay, encouraged — it. The authorities can knock down the kubols every year, and they will keep springing back up again, unless drastic reforms in the correctional system are made. In this, we sincerely wish Secretary Boying all the luck and success in the world. So when these kubols are removed, we can plausibly wish, SANA (KUB) ALL… The post Sana (kub)ol appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Reviews: Cinemalaya Shorts B
‘GOLDEN BELLS’ Kurt Soberano’s Golden Bells is the only entry with superior technical craft. However, it severely alienates the audience by picking a subject matter that not everyone can relate to. Sure, it carries universal themes of familial relationships, hopes, desires and sacrifice, but Golden Bells fails to connect emotionally. It’s a monotonous story about a Filipino-Chinese family running a garments business, with one of the sons as its central character. It is through the son’s lens that we learn his perspective of the family patriarch. Too bottled up in its own world on a very surface level, it is largely unrelatable and feels more like a commercial ad for a business rather than a piece of cinema. (1 out of 5 stars). ‘TONG ADLAW NGA NAG-SNOW SA PINAS’ Joshua Caesar Medroso’s monochromatic Tong Adlaw nga Nag-snow sa Pinas starts off quite well. Set in a remote and impoverished coastal town, two young boys, Makong and Renren, are playing, pretending that it’s snowing by making fake snowflakes out of styrofoam boxes. The styro-snow looks great in black-and -white and Medroso manages to evoke nostalgic imagery of a pre-Internet childhood. But underneath the innocent play lies a violent subtext: child abuse cushioned by a melodramatic portrait of compassion and friendship. The short abruptly ends, and it feels as if Medroso’s other video clips got mistakenly deleted and he has no choice but to finally put the end credits and submit his film. (1 out of 5 stars) [caption id="attachment_170059" align="aligncenter" width="656"] Ang Kining Binalaybay Kag Ambahanon ko para sa Imo[/caption] ‘ANG KINING BINALAYBAY KAG AMBAHANON KO PARA SA IMO’ Kent John Desamparado’s family drama is heartbreaking and appeals to the special bond between a grandfather and a granddaughter. It follows a poor, ailing fisherman, who, no longer able to take care of his young granddaughter, painfully decides to give her away to other relatives. The filmmaker takes the viewer along on their journey to inevitable doom. Desamparado manages to capture the nuances of a very loving relationship between the grandpa and the little girl. It breaks the heart, and also becomes a light commentary on the realities of poverty. However, it’s still rough around the edges and the finale is too weak. (2.5 out of 5 stars). ‘MAKOKO SA BAYBAY’ This is so forgettable I honestly could not recall the details of the short. I could vaguely recall a very strong sunset color palette, sea monsters and mothers and little kids longing for their mothers. If something like this vanishes from your mind soon after you’ve left the cinema, then you get my point. (0 out of 5 stars). [caption id="attachment_170060" align="aligncenter" width="600"] ‘Maudi Nga Arapaap’[/caption] ‘MAUDI NGA ARAPAAP’ Daniel Magayon’s psychological horror short is funnier than scary, amusing rather than disturbing. It follows a graveyard-shift female nurse with experiences of traumatic child abuse by her mother, who has recently died. The scenes of a child being abused by the very person that should nurture her is heartbreaking. But the occasional appearance of a demon-like creature related to a plant is funny and fails to evoke sinister vibes. Magayon, however, still manages to send a clear message about the fragile relationship between a mother and daughter, as well as the long-term effects of child abuse. The literal monster element is wholly unessential, offering nothing sinister or metaphorical, ultimately causing the short’s downfall. (2 out of 5 stars) The post Reviews: Cinemalaya Shorts B appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cinemalaya Shorts B
‘GOLDEN BELLS’ Kurt Soberano’s Golden Bells is the only entry with superior technical craft. However, it severely alienates the audience by picking a subject matter that not everyone can relate to. Sure, it carries universal themes of familial relationships, hopes, desires and sacrifice, but Golden Bells fails to connect emotionally. It’s a monotonous story about a Filipino-Chinese family running a garments business, with one of the sons as its central character. It is through the son’s lens that we learn his perspective of the family patriarch. Too bottled up in its own world on a very surface level, it is largely unrelatable and feels more like a commercial ad for a business rather than a piece of cinema. (1 out of 5 stars). ‘TONG ADLAW NGA NAG-SNOW SA PINAS’ Joshua Caesar Medroso’s monochromatic Tong Adlaw nga Nag-snow sa Pinas starts off quite well. Set in a remote and impoverished coastal town, two young boys, Makong and Renren, are playing, pretending that it’s snowing by making fake snowflakes out of styrofoam boxes. The styro-snow looks great in black-and -white and Medroso manages to evoke nostalgic imagery of a post-Internet childhood. But underneath the innocent play lies a violent subtext: child abuse cushioned by a melodramatic portrait of compassion and friendship. The short abruptly ends, and it feels as if Medroso’s other video clips got mistakenly deleted and he has no choice but to finally put the end credits and submit his film. (1 out of 5 stars) [caption id="attachment_170059" align="aligncenter" width="656"] Ang Kining Binalaybay Kag Ambahanon ko para sa Imo[/caption] ‘ANG KINING BINALAYBAY KAG AMBAHANON KO PARA SA IMO’ Kent John Desamparado’s family drama is heartbreaking and appeals to the special bond between a grandfather and a granddaughter. It follows a poor, ailing fisherman, who, no longer able to take care of his young granddaughter, painfully decides to give her away to other relatives. The filmmaker takes the viewer along on their journey to inevitable doom. Desamparado manages to capture the nuances of a very loving relationship between the grandpa and the little girl. It breaks the heart, and also becomes a light commentary on the realities of poverty. However, it’s still rough around the edges and the finale is too weak. (2.5 out of 5 stars). ‘MAKOKO SA BAYBAY’ This is so forgettable I honestly could not recall the details of the short. I could vaguely recall a very strong sunset color palette, sea monsters and mothers and little kids longing for their mothers. If something like this vanishes from your mind soon after you’ve left the cinema, then you get my point. (0 out of 5 stars). [caption id="attachment_170060" align="aligncenter" width="600"] ‘Maudi Nga Arapaap’[/caption] ‘MAUDI NGA ARAPAAP’ Daniel Magayon’s psychological horror short is funnier than scary, amusing rather than disturbing. It follows a graveyard-shift female nurse with experiences of traumatic child abuse by her mother, who has recently died. The scenes of a child being abused by the very person that should nurture her is heartbreaking. But the occasional appearance of a demon-like creature related to a plant is funny and fails to evoke sinister vibes. Magayon, however, still manages to send a clear message about the fragile relationship between a mother and daughter, as well as the long-term effects of child abuse. The literal monster element is wholly unessential, offering nothing sinister or metaphorical, ultimately causing the short’s downfall. (2 out of 5 stars) The post Cinemalaya Shorts B appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CA orders release of 4 Chinese nabbed in POGO Las Piñas raid
The Court of Appeals ordered the release of four Chinese nationals arrested in a police raid on a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO) in Las Piñas City on 27 June. The raid was conducted by the Philippine National Police Anti-Cyber Crime Group (PNP-ACG). Covered by the CA’s 10th Division order dated 28 July 2023 were Ang Chin Keong, Choo Jun Cheng, Choo Wei Jazz, and a certain "Edy". Lawyer Jocel Isidro Dilag filed the petition for the issuance of the writ of habeas corpus on behalf of the four foreign nationals. A writ of habeas corpus “is a writ directed to a person detaining another, commanding the former to produce the body of the latter at a designated time and place.” It extends “to all cases of illegal and arbitrary detention by which any person is deprived of his liberty.” “We have examined into the cause of caption and restraint of Keong, et al., and we are satisfied that they are unlawfully restrained. The totality of the circumstances show that Keong, et al, were unlawfully restrained,” the CA said in an 18-page decision penned by Associate Justice Rex Bernard Pascual. “The PNP, through P/BGen Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr., P/BGen Sidney S. Hernia, PCol. Atty. Arvie A. Paraon-Bueno, PCol. Atty. Nova De Castro, and all those acting under their instructions and command, including those who may have taken actual, legal, and/or constructive custody of Keong, et al., are ordered to immediately discharge and/or release from any custody, detention, confinement, or other restraint which is currently undertaken at Hong Tai Compound, 501 Alabang Zapote Road, Almanza Uno, Las Piñas City,” the CA added. Named respondents in the petition for the writ of habeas corpus are Nartatez, regional director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), and Hernia, director of the PNP-ACG. The four petitioners were among the more than 2,700 individuals, including 600 Chinese, 180 Vietnamese, 140 Indonesian, 130 Malaysian nationals, and Filipinos, who were detained at the premises of the Hong Tai Compound, a mixed-use facility for residential and commercial purposes, situated along Alabang Zapote Road, Almanza Uno, Las Piñas City. They claimed that a large part of the Filipino group had already been released by the respondents, while foreigners, including Keong’s group, are still detained in their respective rooms “against their will, without any running water and food rations”. Also, the petitioners claimed they were even required to get the respondents’ permission just to gain access to a working toilet or buy potable water from the compound’s convenience store. The PNP-ACG on the other hand defended the raid and told the CA that the foreign nationals were not allowed to leave the premises being potential victims of human trafficking. The respondents noted that most of them are with expired passports, no working visas, or minors, whose passports are captured by the employer POGO facility. The PNP-ACG said they had already referred the foreign nationals to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for assessment as potential trafficking victims. But in siding with the petitioners, the Court took into consideration the failure of the PNP to present a copy of the search warrants used as the basis for conducting the raid. The CA noted, “The fact that no search warrants were presented by the PNP would show that the warrants are adverse to it. Section 3 (e), Rule 131 of the Revised Rules on Evidence provides that evidence willfully suppressed would be adverse if produced, unless contradicted and overcome by other evidence.” It further held that "no judicial process was presented to the Court by the PNP to allow for the continued detention of Keong et al." Also, it said even the purported protective custody of Keong, et. al., does not justify their continued restraint. While the PNP cited the Expanded Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 as the process to secure and restrict the movement of the said foreign nationals who are possible victims of human trafficking, the appellate court held that the absence of the latter's consent is "fatal to their continued detention." The post CA orders release of 4 Chinese nabbed in POGO Las Piñas raid appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
QCitizen eco-warrior featured by BBC
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Monday said that a constituent’s simple way to mitigate the effects of global climate change in her community got featured in the “Transforming Cities Series” presented by C40 Cities and produced for them by BBC Story Works Commercial Productions. The series, which was launched in October 2022, highlights community action and innovation in various cities of the world to address the climate crisis. It also showcases cities that lead the way toward a safe, green, and healthier future for all. The story revolves around Naly Ramos Albino, a 60-year-old small business owner from Barangay Culiat, who became an “ecowarrior” and actively took part in the city’s “Trash to Cashback” initiative. Albino’s involvement in the program started during the pandemic when she observed the significant amount of waste accumulating in the bins near her store and the outdoor basketball court. Driven by her determination to contribute to a more environmentally responsible community, she took the initiative to reduce the amount of waste in their area. When she heard about the Trash to Cashback scheme, she began collecting and segregating recyclable materials and single-use plastic. And despite facing skepticism from her neighbors, she diligently took the waste to a nearby recycling point and earned valuable “Environmental Points.” Albino used the environmental points to buy basic necessities, restock her store, and pay her utility bills. She was also able to persuade their community to do the same; with her customers segregating their trash in different bins found in front of her store. Belmonte also expressed her appreciation to Albino, who became an inspiration to her fellow residents. “Aling Naly’s simple way of saving the environment will truly inspire more people and even influence more organizations and policymakers to do their part. Our collective action is essential as we gear towards an ambitious, evidence-based, transformative, and inclusive climate solution for all,” Belmonte said. Albino’s story can be streamed at www.transformingcitiesseries.com. It will also be shared through the official pages of C40 Cities and the Quezon City Government. Since 2015, Quezon City has been one of the active member cities of the C40 Cities Network that is committed to confronting climate change and promoting climate justice. The post QCitizen eco-warrior featured by BBC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Quezon City urges establishments to have gender-inclusive CRs
A recent advisory from the Quezon City Business Permits and Licensing Department (QC-BPLD) encouraged all business establishments to designate all-gender toilet rooms and lavatories. The notice cited a provision of City Ordinance No. SP-2357, S-2014, otherwise known as the Quezon City Gender-Fair Ordinance, which states, “All government agencies, private offices, and commercial/ industrial establishments shall designate toilet rooms and lavatories for the equal and shared use of individuals of all genders.” Ma. Margarita T. Santos, Ph. D., head of the QC-BPLD, reiterated the city’s stance on equal rights, and its firm commitment to ensure the protection of those rights, regardless of gender identity. “As a city, we are always actively working towards true gender equality – protecting the rights of the LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, etc) community and abolishing all forms of discrimination," she expounded. “Mandating gender-inclusive comfort rooms in government offices, and encouraging business establishments to do the same, is a small but significant step towards that goal.” With this, QC is looking to build or designate a third all-gender CR in all government and public spaces. The gender-inclusive comfort rooms can be used by individuals who do not strictly identify as cisgender males or females, and thus create a safer and more comfortable environment for them. Santos also reiterated the support of other QC departments for this gender-inclusive policy of QC Mayor Joy Belmonte, who is considered by many in the LGBTQIA+ community to be a champion and a staunch ally. “I think I speak on behalf of the other local government departments and Mayor Joy when I say that the City’s support for the queer community will never waver. We will take steps big and small to ensure that everyone, regardless of gender, will have equal rights and accessibility,” she concluded. The post Quezon City urges establishments to have gender-inclusive CRs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gods in robes
When President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. warned that the Court of Appeals’ ruling restraining the Energy Regulatory Commission from compelling units of conglomerate San Miguel Corp. to comply with their contracts will hurt consumers through higher prices, he was correct. The CA stopping the power supply agreements or PSAs through a temporary restraining order which was recently upgraded to a permanent injunction, is expected to trigger a chain reaction in the power industry. “(The court action) will cause further dislocations and possible price increases for power,” the President had said. Marcos added his hope that the “CA reconsider and include in their deliberations the extremely deleterious effect this will have on power prices for ordinary Filipinos.” With the CA injunction as a precedent, other power producers are expected to seek the same court accommodation on adverse decisions on price increases handed down by the ERC. When the SMC energy units participated in the bid for Meralco contracts, the terms and conditions presented to them were very clear. As part of a huge business concern, they knew the commercial risks that came with the contracts, and their bids were supposed to reflect such risks. The strange thing is that other power companies that had the good sense either dropped out of the competitive selection process or submitted prices that were more grounded on reality and made do with a straight pricing scheme. SMC gamed the system by submitting a very low bid to win the PSAs and later arm-twisted the ERC to allow an adjustment in the terms of its contracts. After the ERC refused to go along and rejected the petitions, SMC went straight to the CA which promptly issued a TRO that stopped ERC from implementing its ruling. The ERC decision compelled SMC to fulfill the terms of its contract which still had seven years to run. Consumers thus will have to pay for the cost of the relief the CA granted to SMC through higher monthly electricity bills since the recovery of its claimed losses will be through increased prices. The CA’s decision last week overturned the pro-consumer ruling of the ERC, which was the aspiration of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act or EPIRA. SMC, in effect, was able to pass on the financial penalties of bad business decisions to innocent Filipino consumers—especially when they are struggling because of rising inflation. Worse, the CA decision said the permanent injunction applied without prejudice to future rate adjustments of SMC units South Premiere Power Corp. and San Miguel Energy Corp., making the restraint on ERC indefinite when it came to the two SMC affiliates. The global outlook is that fuel prices will remain elevated for quite some time. In this case, SMC and other independent power producers can keep running to the ERC for tariff relief every time they incur significant losses. The court is then the next step, as a result of their injunction power, to stop ERC from disallowing their petitions. Instead of relying on their business acumen to head off losses because of unfavorable global turns, the generating companies place their bets on a court injunction. It did not matter that the injunction undermined the sanctity of contracts, the integrity of the bidding process, and the credibility of SMC’s other supply contracts, the status of which significantly impact consumer welfare. The issue goes far beyond the profit and loss statement of SMC since it has ethical, legal, and consumer welfare concerns tied to it and which the CA should have considered. The court injunction sent the message that power producers can unilaterally end a supply agreement when it no longer suits their business interests. The post Gods in robes appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
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