The REAL Problem With the 1987 Philippine Constitution Nobody Wants to Discuss

Once again talk of Cha-cha, or Charter Change, is in the air. Why is this a perennial topic amongst Philippine politicians? Surely the 1987 Constitution is wonderful and any change would be a betrayal of EDSA People Power, right? Wrong. Senate President Zubiri gives us some hints as to the problem plaguing the 1987 Constitution. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1889682/senate-launches-own-bid-to-amend-constitution

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday led the filing of a resolution rewriting specific economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, amid the controversy over the decades-old charter change agenda being revived once again under President Marcos’ administration.

“This is to avert a constitutional crisis between the House of Representatives and the Senate,” Zubiri told reporters after filing Resolution of Both Houses No. 6.

Speaker Martin Romualdez expressed his “unwavering support” for the Senate’s initiative. (See related story on this page.)According to Zubiri, the resolution resulted from his consultations with the House leader and a separate meeting with Mr. Marcos himself.

The Senate resolution is limited to “three topics on economic provisions. We are doing this to preserve the bicameralism of [Congress],” he said.

“[This is] to make it clear that there are no other planned provisions or amendments,” emphasized the Senate leader.

Under the resolution, the proposed constitutional changes should only cover Section 11 of Article XII (National Economy and Patrimony), which requires 60-percent Filipino ownership of public utilities; Section 4 (2) of Article XIV (Education), which requires 60-percent Filipino ownership of educational institutions; and Section 11 (2) of Article XVI (General Provisions), which requires 70-percent Filipino ownership of any enterprise in the advertising industry.

“The nation’s economic policy must be reframed under the demands of this increasingly globalized age while still protecting the general policy of Filipino-first that guides the economic provisions of the Constitution,” read a portion of the resolution.

Can you see what is wrong here? The problem is that there are economic provisions in the Constitution. There should not be ANY economic provisions in the Constitution. Zubiri's statement illustrates why this is the case.

"The nation’s economic policy must be reframed under the demands of this increasingly globalized age"

Economic policy can be and at times must be changed. But a constituion is not about economic policy. It is about how an organization, in this case the government, is to function. 

A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution

The functions of the government should NOT change except under extreme necessity. The Constitution should only delineate the powers and functions of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. This is exactly what the 1987 Philippine Constitution DOES NOT DO. Only the Supreme Court, Commission on Elections, Ombudsman, and Commission on Human Rights have specific powers and functions listed. 

Article 6 describes the Legislative Department in minute detail over 32 sections.

Section 1 says the legislative power shall be vested in a Congress composed of a Senate and a House of Representatives. 

Sections 2-15 describes the qualifications of  members of the Congress, tells the time of their election, and grants limited immunity from prosecution during their terms

Sections 16-22 tells how the Senate and House are to govern themselves and describes the manner in which cabinet heads are to appear before the Congress.

Section 23 says the Congress has the sole power to declare a state of war and authorize the President to enact needed restrictions during war time. 

Sections 24-27 describes how bills are to be written and voted upon. 

Section 28 says the Congress must "evolve a progressive system of taxation."

Section 29 says describes how money from the public treasury is to be employed.

Section 30 says the Congress cannot pass a law increasing the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. 

 Section 31 forbids the granting to titles of nobility. 

Section 32 says the Congress must develop a system "whereby the people can directly propose and enact laws or approve or reject any act or law or part thereof passed by the Congress or local legislative body."

At NO POINT are the powers of the Legislature described. Compare the 1987 Philippine Constitution to  Article 1 Section 8 of the United States Constitution.

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;—And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript

See the difference? Take these two provisions for instance:

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

While the 1987 Philippine Constitution mentions the military nothing whatever is said about the Congress' power to maintain them. In fact their maintenance is not mentioned at all but is apparently assumed with the Armed Forces, in Article 2, being called the protecter of the people.

Section 3. Civilian authority is, at all times, supreme over the military. The Armed Forces of the Philippines is the protector of the people and the State. Its goal is to secure the sovereignty of the State and the integrity of the national territory. 

As far as economic policy goes the United States Constitution only says the Congress shall have the power:

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

Yet in the 1987 Philippine Constitution we are met with Article 12 which spells out in great detail the nation's economic policy. While the U.S. Constitution tasks the Legislature with the power

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

The Philippine Constitution devolves that power to an independent Central bank. From Article 12:

Section 20. The Congress shall establish an independent central monetary authority, the members of whose governing board must be natural-born Filipino citizens, of known probity, integrity, and patriotism, the majority of whom shall come from the private sector. They shall also be subject to such other qualifications and disabilities as may be prescribed by law. The authority shall provide policy direction in the areas of money, banking, and credit. It shall have supervision over the operations of banks and exercise such regulatory powers as may be provided by law over the operations of finance companies and other institutions performing similar functions. 

Until the Congress otherwise provides, the Central Bank of the Philippines operating under existing laws, shall function as the central monetary authority. 

Section 21. Foreign loans may only be incurred in accordance with law and the regulation of the monetary authority. Information on foreign loans obtained or guaranteed by the Government shall be made available to the public.

What a vast difference between the teacher and the student, that is the USA and the Philippines. The Founding Fathers of the USA generally abhorred the idea of a central bank and would be appalled at not only the 1987 Philippine Constitution but also the Federal Reserve of the USA.

There are also many nebulous and undefined phrases and words in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. This includes: patriotism, progressive system of taxation, sovereignty resides in the people, and prescribed by law. 

The phrase "prescribed by law" appears eleven times in the 1987 Philippine Constitution which is rather odd because this document is setting out detailed policy which itself should be "prescribed by law." That is exactly how the Philippines has wound up in this predicament of having an unchangeable economic policy that is at odds with the current global situation.

The Legislature should only be given the broad power to regulate commerce and then it is up to the Congress to fine tune those regulations. 

To sum up here the REAL problem with the 1987 Philippine Constitution which nobody wants to discuss is that it is not specific enough in detailing the powers of Congress and it has policies both economic and social which simply do not belong. Take this policy from Article 13 on Social Justice and Human Rights:

Section 9. The State shall, by law, and for the common good, undertake, in cooperation with the private sector, a continuing program of urban land reform and housing which will make available at affordable cost, decent housing and basic services to under-privileged and homeless citizens in urban centers and resettlement areas. It shall also promote adequate employment opportunities to such citizens. In the implementation of such program the State shall respect the rights of small property owners.

According to the 1987 Philippine Constitution the State is required by law to make sure everyone can afford a house. But what law? The Constitution is not that law. The law to fulfill this mandate is something that must be passed by Congress and approved by the President. The Constitution is assuming a law that does not even exist. 

The 1987 Philippine Constitution is flawed because it says too much one way and not enough the other way. I compared the Philippine Constitution with the U.S. Constitution because it is the U.S. that taught the Philippines the basics of how to operate a Constitutional Republic. In the USA less government with greater freedoms for the people is the operating philosophy while the opposite is true for the Philippines which has more government with lip service to the rights of the people. Amending the Constitution, flawed though it is, should not be done lightly. But, once again, the Philippine people, at least the short-sighted men who wrote this document, have only themselves to blame for this mess.  

The God Culture: 100 Lies About the Philippines: Lie 15: Magellan Thought the Philippines Was Ophir and the Lequios Islands

Welcome back to 100 lies The God Culture teaches about the Philippines. Today's lie once again concerns the identification of the Lequios Islands. Timothy Jay Schwab claims that Ferdinand Magellan thought the Philippines were both the Lequios Islands and Ophir. But as with all of his other claims we shall see this is a lie. 

This lie is based on a single sentence in Charles Nowell's introduction to his book Magellan's Voyage Around the World: Three Contemporary Accounts.

The Lequios of Luzon: Key to Finding Ophir and Chryse. Clue #52 

12:44 Now continues. This is the key. Magellan's version substitutes for Barbosa's Lequios, Lucoes, the words Tarsis and Ofir. The biblical Tarshish and Ophir associated with Solomon. This is from Barbosa's journal while in Malaysia. While there Magellin found out where Ophir was and it was not Malaysia. There is no overcoming this for any land and there is no debate, period. Magellan found Ophir. Done

The conclusion here, that Magellan found Ophir and Tarshish because he subsititued those names for Lequios, and it is Lequios not Lucoes, absolutely does not follow. Let us not forget that Columbus thought he found Japan. It should also not be forgotten from the previous articles that the Lequios Islands are not the Philippines. Tome Pires differentiates between the Lucoes and Lequios islands.  Ferdinand Pinto was shipwrecked in the Lequios Islands and located them at 29 North Latitude. Magellan died in the Philippines and his ships never made it north to the Lequios Islands. So, everything Tim has just said is proven by those few facts to be a complete and total fabrication.

Nevertheless it will be necessary to dig a little deeper on this matter which is why this subject of the Lequios Islands has covered several articles. Tim writes the following in his book The Search for King Solomon's Treasure:

The Search for King Solomon's Treasure, pg. 37

Magellan, who also explored under Portugal in Malaysia before embarking on his voyage to return to Southeast Asia for the Spanish crown, is recorded by author Charles E. Nowell as rewriting a portion of his copy of Barbosa’s journal. In regards to the inhabitants of the Philippines, the Lequios, he substitutes “Tarsis” and “Ofir” or Tarshish and Ophir. He knew where he was headed and he knew Malaysia did not meet the criteria for Ophir or Chryse though close in proximity, it was East of the Malay Peninsula which he found in the Philippines.

“Magellan’s version substitutes for Barbosa’s “Lequios” the words “Tarsis” and “Ofir” “...the Biblical Tarshish and Ophir associated with Solomon...” – Charles E. Nowell [148]

Nowell's source for this information is an article in the Bulletin de la Societé Belge de Geographie from 1907. Let's take a look at exactly what this article says. I have translated it from the French. 

https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=gS4yAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA435&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false

Barbosa's report, written before 1516, summarizes the knowledge acquired at this time in Portugal, about India and Oceania; the author is led there to speak of the Lequios, at the end of his description of the South Asian kingdoms and islands, a description all the more precious as it comes from an intelligent traveler, who has actually visited most of the places he cited; wanting to end this general overview with some information on the countries not yet discovered, he could not help reproducing certain half-fantastic, half-authentic notions which circulated at that time about the countries and archipelagos of the Ptolemaic Magnus Sinus.

Barbosa's book summarizes all the knowledge the Portuguese had about the East and ends with a description of the Lequios Islands. It should be noted this book was written before the Lequios Islands were discovered by the Portuguese in 1517 so the knowledge Barbosa had of them was based on hearsay. I will discuss this book in a future article. 

In the General Archive of the Indies in Seville, we found in a bundle of the Patronato which contains one of the rare documents from the hand of Magellan, from the year 1519, a document which has the title "List of places, islands and main ports from the Cape of Good Hope to the Lequios, which are not yet discovered, besides other information that we have in Portugal."

We did not find the author's name; on the back of the parchment we find with difficulty deciphering a few words (et no hic unum homum aassim in quo?) which vaguely recall Magellan's firm declaration at the end of the other piece "no one knows these geographical situations (of South America South and East Asia) as well as me!." The address is better read "Muy magn' Senior, por mandao suo— A suy Senora"; it seems to indicate that the piece was presented to the young king Charles, the future Charles 5th, through the intermediary of the president of the consul of the Indies, the bishop of Burgos, Juan de Fonseca, whose characteristic title was: "Su Senior.”

The author of the archive inventory assigns the document the date of 1520-1530, without examining whether there could be any direct relationship between the different pieces contained in the bundle, among others with the Magellan manuscript. Now, the anonymous memoir is nothing more than a fragment of the book of Oduarte Barbosa, relating to the Far East. The arrangement that the author has adopted in his description differs slightly from that which we have given above according to the edition of the "Book published by the Academy of Sciences of Lisbon:

Sumatra, Cumda. Java major, Java minor, Timor, Vandam, Meluq, China, Tarsis, Ofir.

The author of this article says they found an ANONYMOUS document amongst a bundle of other documents attributed to Magellan. The author of this article does not know for sure if the documents belonged to Magellan and he himself actually substituted Tarsis and Ofir for Lequios. However he believes that is a logical assumption.

From the fact that the manuscript is joined to the remarkable document of Magellan, it seems to us that we can draw the conclusion that the navigator presented to the king the rectified report of his friend Barbosa, the day before his departure for the Moluccas, accompanying it with the formal declaration relative to the astronomical determination of several points of the globe, of which the right of taking possession by Portugal had been disputed by Spain.

But take a look at the progression of lands. We start in Sumatra, pass Java, reach China, and then arrive at the Lequios islands. There is no possible way that is the Philippines when the whole progression goes north. This will be made abundantly clear when I discuss Barbosa's book.

Further on the author of this article writes:

It took more than half a century to see a non-Portuguese geographer, our Mercator, mark on a printed work the discovery of the Lequios in the year 1517. Barbosa and Magellan may very well have been informed of the results of the Perestrello's trip, but they probably ignored the details of Mascarenhas' expedition.

Mercator's 1569 map shows both the Lequios Islands and the Philippines.

https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b7200344k/f9.item.zoom

 

See how the Lequios Islands are located near Japan? That's because, as the author of this article writes:

The greater number of geographers, following Pigafetta, ignored the islands of the Lequios, and only understood under this name the inhabitants of a part of the coast of China

The Lequios Islands were not unknown to the Portuguese who first encountered them in 1517 with the help of the Chinese. 

It was not until the second half of the sixteenth century that the configuration of these islands began to be defined, thanks to a better knowledge of the Lusitanian cartography of eastern Asia; Portugal had therefore succeeded in keeping secret the results of its discoveries, accomplished since 1517, the year in which the Lequios had been recognized by Jorge de Mascarenhas with the help of Chinese pilots;

Given all that information there is absolutely no way Magellan could have thought that the Philippines was the Lequios Islands. From Barbosa's account he would have known beyond doubt that the Lequios Islands lay to the north between China and Japan. 

As for Barbosa and Magellan identifying the Lequios Islands with Ophir and Tarshish the author of this article discusses at length the search for Ophir and concludes:

The confusion of Ophir with the Lequios islands, by Barbosa and Magellan, constitutes only one more episode in the long series of hypotheses, concerning the existence of the country of gold of the Bible, hypotheses based on rumors more or less waves of unknown lands. 

It was just another hypothesis based on rumor. It's unsurprising that Timothy Jay Schwab did not seek out this article and quote from it to make his case because, as we have seen, he is a very poor researcher. The fact is no one in the 1500's or today knows the location of Ophir. India and the Malaysian Peninsula are the likely candidates as ancient Greek and Roman knowledge of the world went no further than the Malaysian Peninsula. As for Magellan's substituting Tarsis and Ofir for Lequios, we have seen that is based not on fact but a logical guess rather than hard and definitive documentation. Based on all available information Magellan also would have known that the Lequios Islands were much further to the north than the Philippines. So all in all it's simply a lie that Magellan thought the Philippines were the Lequios Islands as well as Ophir. 

Retards in the Government 347

It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1216829

Four police officers in Metro Manila have tested positive for illegal drugs in a series of drug tests after the holiday season, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said Friday.

NCRPO spokesperson Lt. Col. Eunice Salas, in a message to the Philippine News Agency, said one out of 175 police officers from the NCRPO regional headquarters yielded a positive result during a random test on Jan. 4.

Meanwhile, three out of 405 personnel from the Eastern Police District (EPD) also tested positive after a random test on Jan. 2.

All four police officers yielded positive results in confirmatory tests.

Salas said the three EPD cops were reassigned to the District Administrative Holding and Accounting Section while the other police officer was reassigned to the NCRPO's Administrative and Resource Management Division - Personnel Holding and Accounting Section (PHAS) in NCRPO.

"(They have) 15 days to challenge it. Pa drug test ulit nila yung same specimen sa (Their same specimen can be tested at DOH Accredited Drug Testing Centers. Then they will be subjected to pre-charge investigation and the summary hearing proceedings penalty is dismissal from the police service,” Salas added.

Meanwhile, NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez said random drug tests would continue as part of internal cleansing efforts of the police force.

Four Metro Manila cops have tested positive for drug use. 

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2024/01/13/2325525/ombudsman-suspends-northern-samar-town-mayor

Mayor Jose Arturo Suan of Allen, Northern Samar has been suspended for six months in connection with a road project of the municipal government in a private property.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government served the suspension order yesterday.

Vice Mayor Christian Lao was named acting mayor while Sangguniang Bayan member Ronnel Cajandab will assume as vice mayor.

In a decision dated Aug. 30, 2023, but released only yesterday, the ombudsman said Suan was found guilty of grave abuse of authority and oppression.

The suspension order stemmed from a complaint filed by a certain Maricon Ablig, whose private property was used for the road project.

The ombudsman said Suan abused his authority when he pushed through with the project without expropriation proceedings with Ablig. It said Suan also ordered the demolition of a concrete fence that Ablig built, without providing just compensation.

“His deliberate failure to investigate on the propriety of the road construction despite several expressions of disapproval by complainant... manifests bad faith on his part,” the decision signed by Deputy Ombudsman Jose Balmeo Jr. read.

Suan’s office said the mayor filed a motion for reconsideration of the ombudsman’s ruling.

A mayor has been suspended after being found guilty of grave abuse of authority and oppression.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/13/cop-held-for-robbing-toledo-city-cooperative

A policeman was arrested for allegedly robbing a multi-purpose cooperative in Toledo City, Cebu on Friday afternoon, January 13.

Police identified the suspect as Police Patrolman Jaymar Briones Exequiel, an operative of the Toledo City Police Station.

Exequiel tried to commit suicide inside the detention cell of the Toledo City Police Station after he was nabbed. He used a lace that he took from his short pants to try and kill himself.

The police station’s chief custodial and desk officers were able to foil the suicide attempt.

Police said on-duty police officers rushed inside the detention cell after seeing the suspect with a lace looped around his neck and the other end tied to a faucet.

They said a last will and testament was recovered in the boarding house of Exequiel.

Lawmen arrested Exequiel after he was identified as the person who robbed the Lamac Multipurpose Cooperative of P200,000.

Police were able to track down Exequiel through a closed-circuit television camera footage that captured the incident.

Police Chief Master Sgt. Dante Hilongos of the Toledo City Police Station Community Relations Office said they were surprised to learn that Exequiel was behind the robbery as he was a silent person.

Initial investigation said that Exequiel was hooked on online gambling.

Exequiel was deployed as a member of the augmentation force tasked to secure the Sinulog activities here.

Police Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO-7) chief Police Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin, said appropriate actions will be taken against Exequiel.

Pelare said the PRO-7 was saddened that one of its men was involved in the robbery.

The PRO-7 assured the public that Exequiel’s actions will not be tolerated.

“He will face the consequence of his action and this should serve as a warning to everyone that the PRO-7 will enforce the law especially that the erring individual is a member of the police force,” said Pelare.

The PRO-7 commended the Toledo City police for quickly solving the crime, Pelare said.

A cop has been arrested for robbery. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1888958/brgy-exec-found-dead-with-stab-wounds-inside-his-dental-clinic-in-calapan-2

A barangay councilor, who was also a local dentist, was found dead with multiple stab wounds in his body in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, on Sunday, according to police.

Police Captain Ann Michelle Selda, of the Oriental Mindoro Police Provincial Office, identified the 63-year-old victim as Dr. Augustine Bolor Jr., whose body was discovered by his sister Cristeta Magundayao around 8:30 a.m. inside his dental clinic in Barangay San Vicente Central, Calapan City.

(There is an indication of a commotion, which led investigators to investigate the suspect’s possible motive, which could be robbery.)

Police said they have yet to determine the number of stabs on Bolor’s body, adding that they are still investigating the case and the assailant’s motive.

Aside from serving as barangay councilor, previous reports also showed that Bolor tried to run in the 2010 elections but was later disqualified and was declared a “nuisance candidate” by the Commission on Elections.

A barangay councilor has been found stabbed to death. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/16/lgu-job-order-employee-shot-dead-in-buy-bust

A job-order or contractual employee was killed in a buy-bust operation on Monday, January 15, in Barangay 3, Poblacion, Calbiga, Samar.

The suspect was identified as Jovito Hernandez Sr., alias “Oming,” a high-value target and a job-order employee of the municipal government of Calbiga.

The suspect sensed that he was transacting with a police officer and drew his firearm and fired at the operatives. Lawmen returned fire and hit the suspect, killing him on the spot.

Recovered from the suspect were seven big sachets of suspected shabu, P3,000 marked money, and a caliber .45 pistol with ammunition.

The operation was caught on surveillance footage. The suspect will undergo autopsy and paraffin test.

A government contract employee who was also a high value drug target has been killed in a buy-bust.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1216794

A total of 985 police officers have been dismissed from the service due to administrative cases since the start of the Marcos administration, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday. 

Speaking to reporters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said the number is out of a total of 3,932 erring police officers who were meted out disciplinary sanctions for administrative offenses and involvement in irregularities as a result of an intensified internal cleansing program from July 1, 2022 to Jan. 3 this year. 

Of the 985 who were dismissed, 65 were positive for using illegal drugs while 43 were involved in illegal drugs. 

“With regards to the percentage, it’s 0.25 percent of the overall police force. Cops dismissed from the service are not entitled to benefits,” Acorda added. 

The penalties range from withholding of privileges to dismissal from the service. 

The figure includes 230 who were demoted in rank (10 involved in illegal drugs); 1,701 suspended (60 involved in illegal drugs); 694 who were reprimanded (3 were involved in illegal drugs); 134 who were meted out salary forfeiture; 79 restricted to quarters; and 109 who were denied privileges. 

985 cops have been dismissed from the service for various offenses since Marcos became president.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1889292/fwd-pnp-on-dismissing-abong

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has already dismissed from service Lt. Col. Mark Julio Abong — a police officer who was arrested for firing his gun outside a Quezon City bar in November last year.

PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. on Monday said he already signed Abong’s dismissal order last December 18 in relation to a hit-and-run case in August 2022 that killed tricycle driver Joel Larosa and injured a passenger.

(As of this date, we already served the dismissal order against Abong. I already signed the dismissal order.)

He added that Abong was found guilty of “grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer,” which led to the issuance and signing of his dismissal order.

A cop who fired his gun outside a bar last year has been dismissed from the service. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/metro/894532/cop-in-hot-water-after-pointing-gun-at-woman-in-tondo-dispute/story/

A woman in Manila is seeking help after a policeman allegedly pointed a gun at her last January 2, according to a 24 Oras report by Emil Sumangil on Wednesday.

CCTV footage of the incident in Perla Street, Tondo, Manila showed Police Corporal Mark Anthony Mel allegedly cocking a gun and pointing it at victim “Stella”. 

(There were some people gambling at the corner of our place. The cop stopped there and told them to stop. He didn’t say he was police. My cousin and his friends asked if he was a policeman and asked him for ID. He refused to show identification.) 

(When he felt I was taking out my cellphone to take his video, he took out his gun and cocked it… he pointed the gun at me. I can’t sleep anymore, I have trouble eating because of what happened. He asked me if I wanted him to kill me.) 

Accompanied by her mother, Stella filed a complaint with the Manila Police District, who coordinated with the Southern Police District where the said suspect was assigned.

(The policeman in question is facing a grave threat complaint. Aside from that he has an administrative case for grave misconduct. A cop does not just pull out his firearm and aim it at people if they see or sense any threat on his life.)

According to the SPD, the suspect’s issued service firearm has been confiscated while the case against him is ongoing.

The suspect has since been reassigned to district headquarters while the investigation is being conducted on the incident.

A cop is facing a grave threat complaint for pulling his gun on a woman. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1890245/doj-bi-gave-work-visas-to-aliens-in-500-fake-firms

Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has ordered an investigation into the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) alleged issuance of thousands of prearranged employment visas, also known as 9G visas, to foreigners supposedly working for over 500 local companies that turned out to be fake.

“We found that many corporations petitioning for 9G visas are fake corporations, nonentities which the legal department of the BI allowed,” Remulla told reporters on Tuesday.

A 9G visa is issued by the immigration bureau to foreigners working for local companies that must be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Remulla said that during a meeting with BI officials on Monday, he asked them “not to grant any more visas to sole proprietorships but only to corporations that have the stamp approval of the SEC.”

The fake corporations, according to the justice secretary, had claimed to be local companies applying for visas for foreign nationals who would supposedly be working for them in the Philippines.

Remulla, who described the latest immigration scam as an “affront to our sovereignty” said that the supposed companies’ applications for 9G visas were approved by the BI “hook, line and sinker” without any verification being made first with the SEC.

He added that more than 500 fake corporations could be involved, “many of these Pogo (Philippine offshore gaming operator) companies, along with “thousands and thousands of visas issued with the petition of these corporations.”

The visas were “presumed to have been validated by the [immigration bureau’s] legal department and visa issuing authority,” Remulla said, adding that the BI’s legal officers could end up being implicated in the investigation he had ordered to determine, among others, when the fraudulent practice started.

Asked about what would happen to the foreigners who were issued 9G visas through fake companies, Remulla replied: “Then [they] don’t have a reason to be in this country.”

He pointed out, however, that they still had to dig deeper “because it’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

“I will be asking for a fuller investigation and that’s what we discussed yesterday. I am challenging the immigration commissioner to [make] this matter as a priority so that we stop making [fools] of Filipinos,” Remulla said.

In particular, he called on the bureau to release all of its documents and to also relieve or change the personnel in its records section because “they could burn the files.”

Remulla said they were also reconsidering availing of a third-party validation system for the issuance of Philippine visas, citing how European countries were tapping a visa outsourcing and technology services specialist to manage the issuance of visas and passports to clients.

In October 2023, he disclosed that the DOJ was monitoring the possible resurgence of an “escort service” like the so-called “pastillas” bribery scheme through which immigration personnel were allegedly allowing the entry or exit of passengers with questionable documents.

The BI issued visas to workers in 500 fake firms. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/18/24/ombudsman-orders-dismissal-of-ched-commissioner-for-nepotism

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of Commission on Higher Education Commissioner Jo Mark Libre for nepotism and grave misconduct.

The dismissal stemmed from complaints of alleged recommendation of nepotic appointment of his relatives under his immediate supervision.

The Ombudsman meted out the penalty of dismissal from service which will carry with it cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits except for accrued leave credits, and perpetual disqualification for reemployment in government service.

Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte appointed Libre as CHED Commissioner on February 9, 2022.

Before his appointment as CHED Commissioner, Libre in 2019 was found by the Civil Service Commission Davao Region (CSC 11), guilty of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, fabrication of official documents, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service.

CSC said Libre has been subjected to penalties, which include dismissal from service, cancellation of eligibility, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, and prohibition from taking any Civil Service Examinations.

The CHED Commissioner has been dismissed for nepotism and grave misconduct. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1890853/pnp-fires-cop-linked-to-beauty-queens-disappearance

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has dismissed from service an officer linked to the disappearance of beauty queen Catherine Camilon.

According to Police Regional Office 4A Director Brig Gen. Kenneth Lucas, the discharge of Maj. Allan De Castro from the police service took effect on January 16.

Authorities said de Castro is one of the suspects in the case of Camilon, who remains missing to this day.

“I would like to announce the dismissal of Police Major Allan Abeña De Castro effective January 16, 2024, signed by me, following an extensive investigation conducted by our Regional Internal Affairs Service 4A (RIAS4A),” Lucas said in a press conference.

“The case against Police Major De Castro stemmed from allegations of conduct unbecoming of a police officer after a series of thorough investigation by the RIAS4A uncovering evidence of an illicit and extramarital affair between the respondent and the missing Catherine Camilon,” he likewise explained.

On November 15, 2023, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Director Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat disclosed that de Castro admitted to having a relationship with Camilon.

But despite the officer’s revelation, Caramat said de Castro remained silent when it came to matters related to the beauty queen’s disappearance.

Region 4-A’s CIDG deputy Maj. Nilo Morallos revealed in the same forum on Thursday that Camilon may already be dead, citing accounts of witnesses.

A cop linked to the disappearance of a beauty queen has been dismissed from service. 

Coronavirus Lockdown: Philippines Back on Feet, Concerts in Australia, and More!

More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.

The Philippines population is aging quickly because growth is slow. This is due to the pandemic. 

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/01/09/2324420/philippines-may-have-aging-population-2030-cpd

By the year 2030, the country’s demographic can already be considered an aging population, according to the Commission on Population on Development (CPD).

“Our population continues to grow, but in a slow manner. There is growth, but in a small number only,” CPD executive director Lisa Bersales said on the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon program yesterday. “The UN (United Nations) then can already classify the Philippine population as an aging one. This means those 60 years old and above (are increasing),” she added.

The CPD chief also said that they already provided authorities information concerning this particular population issue.

“We at the CPD already alerted concerned government agencies on this since there is a need to make better the living conditions of our senior citizens,” said Bersales.

An aging population refers to the increase in the percentage of older people, or those aged 60 years and above, in a given country. This also means the number of the young population, or those aged 15 years old and below, is decreasing. The CPD has attributed this projection to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID-19 was really a big factor. Only a few (couples) got married. There were also a small number of women who gave birth,” Bersales said.

At the same time, the CPD said there was an increase in mortality. “There were many deaths that is why the projection is slow in terms of increase in population,” Bersales added.

The commission also pointed out that a study made by the United Nations Population Fund and National Economic and Development Authority showed that the implementation of the K-12 program in the country has resulted to less pregnancies.

“Since there were additional years added to the basic education of the youth, this meant the focus of young members of the population now are on their studies, thus delaying activities causing teenage pregnancy,” Bersales said.

Less, marriages, less births, and increased mortality all due to the pandemic.

Marcos has assured foreign diplomats that the Philippines is back on its feet after the pandemic. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/893876/marcos-in-vin-d-honneur-philippines-back-on-feet-after-covid-19-pandemic/story/

The Philippines has gotten back on its feet from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the shocks from the Russia-Ukraine war and conflict in the Middle East, President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. said during the annual Vin D’ Honneur in Malacañang on Thursday.

“These, we hope to address in support of various partners and stakeholders. I continue to enjoin the diplomatic corps to work closely with us in identifying areas where we can pursue joint and collective endeavors and initiatives,” President Marcos as he called on the members of the diplomatic corps to work with his administration in addressing concerns on poverty, food security, peace and order, health, jobs, and livelihood.

“It is with confidence that I announce that the Philippines has... I could say [has] gotten back [on] its feet from the reeling effect of the pandemic and the subsequent shocks that we have suffered from the Ukraine war and now from the conflict in the Middle East,” Marcos said.

The Philippines going back in business is evidenced by the improving economic condition, and with the government’s catch-up spending, a growth target of 6 to 7 percent for 2023 could be seen, according to the chief executive.

The administration has also continued to manage overall inflation at 3.9 percent in December, which could bring the year’s overall inflation to 6 percent, which, while still a little high, it hopefully moves in the correct direction, Marcos noted.

Also, the unemployment rate in November last year declined to 3.6 percent, lower than the unemployment rate of 4.3 percent in October 2023 and November of 2022, he pointed out, that adding underemployment likewise dropped to 11.7 percent in November from 14.4 in the same period a year prior.

“The Philippines is touted to become one of the fastest-growing economies among major Asian countries in 2023 as forecasted by multilateral organizations such as the ADB (Asian Development Bank), the ASEAN + 3 Macroeconomic Research Office, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF),” Marcos said.

We all know the pandemic shutdowns made the wealthy more wealthy and the poor even poorer. Unemployment may be down but inflation is still up making everything more expensive and this is not limited to the Philippines. 

During the pandmeis food delivery companies experienced a boom. These companies are here to stay. 

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/01/14/2325661/burgers-most-ordered-grab-food-2023

Filipinos lessened their orders for sweet delicacies in favor of savory items as fast food staples dominated the list of most purchased products on GrabFood in the Philippines last year.

According to Grab’s Philippine Food and Grocery Trends, burger was the most ordered food in 2023, followed by chicken sandwich and fried chicken.

The index was rounded up by the following: pasta, fries, hotdog, ice cream, dimsum, nuggets and caramel macchiato.

Likewise, Grab reported that Filipinos place an order for food mostly to satisfy sudden cravings in the afternoon and at night. GrabFood also delivered for everyday meals, family meals, special occasions and date nights.

In general, Grab noted that food deliveries remain a popular option for Filipinos in the pandemic aftermath. However, Filipinos are starting to recover their confidence in going out as well, proof of which is the rise in the volume of self pick-up in 2023.

“Deliveries have continued to grow since the pandemic began and now consumers are expanding their repertoire with delivery apps,” Grab said.

“Self pick-up and dine-in’s contribution to total order volume increased by 3.6 times from 2021 to 2023,” the superapp added.

Pandemic or not Grab is very practical.

The BI is aiming for more arrivals this year as travel resurges post-pandemic. 

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/ph-eyes-15m-intl-arrivals-after-travel-resurgence

INTERNATIONAL travel has made a huge comeback after the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic pummeled travel numbers in the Philippines in the last few years, giving the Bureau of Immigration (BI) the confidence to target pre-pandemic levels of arrivals this year as it also rolls out more e-services to boost travel.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the agency recorded 12.6 million arrivals in 2023, more than double the 6.1 million arrivals that the bureau recorded in 2022.

Thus, Tansingco said, they now project much higher numbers for this year of around 15 million arrivals.

“The figures we are seeing are a good sign,” Tansingco said. “It shows that revenge travel is real, and that international travel and tourism has regained its momentum after the worldwide lockdowns.”

The target of around 15 million international arrivals for 2024 approximates the 15.1 million arrivals recorded by the Bureau of Immigration in 2018.

This number shot up to 16.9 million arrivals in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic beginning 2020 destroyed international travel with the imposition of mobility restrictions done in a bid to arrest the spread of the Sars-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19.

International arrivals to the Philippines plunged to 3.6 million in 2020, but this performance was helped by the first quarter tourism numbers as the World Health Organization did not declare Covid-19 a global pandemic until mid-March of that year.

The year 2021 saw the BI record only a dismal 1.4 million arrivals after the full effect of the pandemic on international travel began to be felt.

The Philippines has to set 2018 goals for 2024. 

Filipino musicians are now traveling to perform in Australia. 

https://www.sbs.com.au/language/filipino/en/article/who-are-the-filipino-artists-that-will-hold-concerts-in-australia-this-2024/ite5y50yf

Original Pilipino Music (OPM) acts as a cultural bridge for Filipinos abroad, 

including over 400,000 residing in Australia,

 invoking a sense of nostalgia and connecting them to their roots.

However, the pandemic imposed restrictions, leading to the absence of Philippine artists holding concerts and leaving a void in the hearts of the Filipino community Down Under.

As

 Australia reopened its international borders in 2022

, the concert scene revived, rekindling hopes for a resurgence of live OPM performances.

Now OFWs and local will be bale to once again experience live Filipino music.