MANILA, Philippines – The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Monday, July 9, issued one of its strongest statements against abuses under the Duterte administration.

Released at the end of the CBCP's 117th plenary assembly from July 7 to 9, the statement covered issues such as the crackdown on "tambays" (loiterers), drug war killings, and the sin of calling God stupid.

Below is the full text of the CBCP statement titled "Rejoice and Be Glad!" as signed by the CBCP president, Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles:

"Blessed are the peacemakers, they shall be called sons and daughters of God." (Mt 5:9)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, do we not all aspire for the grace to be called "sons and daughters of God"? If we do so, then we must constantly strive to be peacemakers in these troubled times in our country. And that means to always strive to bring love where there is hatred, pardon where there is injury, faith where there is doubt, hope where there's despair, light where there is darkness, and joy where there is sadness (from the prayer for peace attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi).

Peace: Our common vocation and mission

Our enemies in this world are not fellow human beings, not "flesh and blood" (Eph 6:12). We do not fight our battles with guns and bullets. We do not seek protection from those who might wish to harm us by wearing bulletproof vests, because the battles that we fight are spiritual. In these times of darkness, when there's so much hatred and violence, when murder has become an almost daily occurrence, when people have gotten so used to exchanging insults and hurting words in social media, we admonish the faithful to remain steadfast in our common vocation and mission to actively work for peace.

But make no mistake about it; even the Master said, "Not as the world gives peace do I give you peace." (Jn 14:27). His peace is never the peace of compromise or capitulation to evil; it is also not about the absence of conflict and turmoil. Was he not rejected by his own townsfolk in Nazareth? (Lk 4:16-30) Was he not called crazy by his own relatives? (Mk 3:20-22). Was he not called a "prince of demons"? (Mk 3:22-30). Was he not called a drunkard and a lover of tax collectors and sinners? (Mt 11:19)

Did he not show us how to deal with adversities when he slept in the boat, or walked on water even in the midst of a storm? (Mk 4:35-40; Mk 6:45-52) But like the apostles, we are often so easily overcome by fear and panic. Even when we're already making baby steps on troubled waters like Saint Peter, we find ourselves sinking because of our "little faith" (Mt 14: 31). There is nothing that can calm us down in these turbulent times except the quiet recognition of him who assured us of his abiding presence — "Be not afraid; it is I!" (Mt 14:27)

The cost of witnessing to Christ

What is new about priests being murdered for witnessing to Christ? What is new about modern prophets being silenced by the treacherous bullets of assassins? What is new about servant leaders who are maligned because they have carried out their duties as shepherds configured to the person of their Chief Shepherd? Have you forgotten that "the blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians"? (Tertullian) It is what has kept the Church alive after 2,000 years. Be not afraid! Did not our Master say, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul into Gehenna" (Mt 10:28)?

We are no strangers to ridicule and persecution. What we are going through is no different from what the Psalmist describes in Psalm 64: "They sharpen their tongues like swords; they aim bitter words like arrows to shoot at the innocent from ambush, shooting suddenly and recklessly." But what does the Lord tell his disciples when they are persecuted or humiliated for his sake? He tells them to "rejoice and be glad" (Mt 5:12). These are the very words with which Pope Francis opens his apostolic exhortation "Gaudete et Exsultate." They are the Lord's words to those persecuted and humiliated for his sake.

With the intention of calling us all to strive for a life of holiness, Pope Francis says the Lord does not want us "to settle for a bland and mediocre existence" (GE 1). How have we been taught to deal with persecution? Listen to what the apostle, Saint Paul, says, "When we are insulted, we respond with a blessing; when we are persecuted, we bear it patiently; when slandered, we respond gently. We have become the world’s refuse, the scum of all; that is the present state of affairs" (1 Cor 4:12-13).

And how are we to deal with divisions among ourselves? How are we to deal with fellow "Christians" who see nothing wrong about the killings, who just laugh when our God is blasphemed, and who take part in passing on fake news? Did not the Lord himself warn us that part of the exigencies of working for peace is having to go through the crucible of conflicts? (Lk 12:51-53)

There will always be those among us who profess the faith in Christ but are so easily seduced by the empty promises of Satan. Remember him who once sold the master for 30 pieces of silver because he had allowed himself to be mastered by Satan? Saint Paul is right in saying, "…there have to be divisions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may become known." (ESV 1 Cor 11:19)

The sufferings of the poor

Our sufferings as Church leaders are nothing compared to the sufferings of the poor in our country. Do we not hear the cry of poor slum-dwellers being jailed for "loitering"? Have they forgotten that for the homeless urban poor – the little alleys between their flimsy homes also serve as kitchens, bathrooms, recreation spaces, and playgrounds for their children? Have they forgotten that they live in tiny dwellings that are razed quickly to the ground when fire strikes, because they do not have proper roads?

Do we not feel the sufferings of drug addicts who are labeled as "non-humans," and are stigmatized as criminals when their names end up in the dreaded "drug watch lists"? Yes, we are aware of the sufferings of those who have been victimized by substance abusers, but can we not see them also as sick people who are struggling with a disease? Should we not rather look at them also as victims who are crying out for help?

Are we to remain as bystanders when we hear of people being killed in cold blood by ruthless murderers who dispose of human lives like trash? Do we not realize that for every drug suspect killed, there is a widowed wife and there are orphaned children left behind– who could hardly even afford a decent burial for their loved ones? Do we not care when poor people's homes are searched without warrants, or when drug suspects are arrested without warrants, or detained without charges?

Do we not care about the misery of people charged of drug-related offenses and packed like sardines in extremely congested jails? Can we even bear the thought of seeing most of them languishing in jail, knowing that rehabilitation is what many of them need?

Do we not hear of the sufferings of indigenous peoples who are displaced from their ancestral lands in order to give way to mining companies and dams? And how do we feel about communities that are forced to leave their homes for fear of being caught in the crossfire of conflicts between government troops and insurgents?

How are we affected when our own troops die because of unceasing hostilities that have not been adequately addressed through peaceful dialogue?

We have a saying in Tagalog, "Ang sakit ng kalingkingan ay ramdam ng buong katawan." (The pain of one part of the body is felt by the whole body.) Alas, this is not always true! There is no way we can feel each other's pains when some parts of the body are numbed by sheer indifference.

To those in this world who boast of their own wisdom, those who arrogantly regard themselves as wise in their own estimation and the Christian faith as nonsense, those who blaspheme our God as stupid, Saint Paul's words are to the point: "For the stupidity of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." (1 Cor 1: 25) And to those who ridicule our faith, we say with Saint Paul, "God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God." (1 Cor 1:27-29).

The way of Jesus

We wish to remind those who have been angered by the insulting statements of people in authority; remember what the Lord had taught his disciples. He said, "But to you who hear I say… bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well…" (Lk 6:27-29). Vengeance is never the way of Christ. It is not the way of Jesus to return evil for evil; no, we can conquer evil only with good (Rom 12:21). Up to the last moment of his breath, he had nothing but words of mercy towards his tormentors, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do" (Lk 23:34).

There are those who accuse us of getting involved in political moves to destabilize the government. Nothing can be farthest from the truth. Our concern is never the establishment of any earthly kingdoms. Worldly kingdoms come and go. We work only for God’s kingdom which is beyond this world — so that we can start learning to live life "on earth as it is in heaven" (Mt 6:10). For the times in our history when we fell into the temptation of working for political power, we can only bow in shame and say, never again! We do not proclaim a false image of God, such as one who is just watching from heaven like a ruthless deity who threatens us of damnation in hell all the time. Ours is the God revealed to us in Jesus Christ – the God who saves, a God "rich in mercy and compassion," a God involved in our history, a God who – for love of us – emptied himself totally, and "became poor, so that by his poverty we might become rich" (2 Cor 8:9).

Church and government

The Church respects the political authority, especially of democratically-elected government officials, as long as they do not contradict the basic spiritual and moral principles we hold dear, such as respect for the sacredness of life, the integrity of creation, and the inherent dignity of the human person.

We are not political leaders, and certainly not political opponents of government. The Church has, throughout history, coexisted with countless forms of government. The Church has always been and will always be a partner of government (especially in the LGUs and barangays) in countless endeavors for the common good, especially in addressing the needs of the most disadvantaged sectors of society. Sometimes we qualify the collaboration as "critical," mainly to distinguish our differences in terms of ultimate goals, even as we partner in some shared endeavours.

Needless to say, on some specific issues, collaboration might not be possible because of our spiritual and moral beliefs, which we persistently propose, but never impose on the unwilling. In such instances, we can only invoke our right to conscientious objection. We do recognize the constitutional provision of the separation of church and state, mainly in the sense of distinction of roles in society. When we speak out on certain issues, it is always from the perspective of faith and morals, especially the principles of social justice, never with any political or ideological agenda in mind.

Church of sinners, called to holiness

We admit humbly that we are a Church made of members who are "wretched but chosen" (Miserando atque Eligendo, Pope Francis' episcopal motto). We are a Church of sinners called to conversion and holiness at the same time. We bow in shame when we hear of abuses being committed by some of our fellow Church leaders – especially those ordained to "act in the person of Christ." We hold ourselves accountable for their actions, and accept our duty to correct them – as duly mandated by our own higher authorities in the universal Church.

We humbly admit that we have many weaknesses and shortcomings, human as we are. We have no reason to justify our weaknesses on the basis of our participation in the human condition, because we profess faith in the God who embraced the human condition, precisely to set a new template of humanity in his son Jesus Christ. We draw a lot of strength from Saint Paul, who desperately begged the Lord to remove his weakness but only got these words as assurance, "My grace is enough for you; for in weakness power reaches perfection. It is when I am weak that I am strong" (2 Cor 12:9).

Call to prayer and fasting

On July 16, 2018, on the feast of the Blessed Mother of Mount Carmel, the mountain associated with the bold challenge of the prophet Elijah in defense of God (2 Kings 18), let us spend a day of prayer and penance, invoking God's mercy and justice on those who have blasphemed God's Holy Name, those who slander and bear false witness, and those who commit murder or justify murder as a means for fighting criminality in our country. We invite you to join us, your bishops, in three days of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving from July 17 to 19, 2018.

We commend you, our dear people of God, to the maternal care of the woman to whom Jesus entrusted his "Beloved Disciple" and said, "Behold your son!" (Jn 19:26) We, for our part, behold her — our mother in faith — with filial love. Mary, mother of the Church, be near to us especially when we tend to despair and run out of the wine of faith, hope and charity (Jn 2:1-11). Teach us to do only what your Son asks of us. And when we lose heart in the face of persecution, may we stand by you at the foot of the cross and regain our strength from the blood and water that flowed from the wounded side of your Beloved Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

For the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines,

Most Reverend Romulo Valles, DD
Archbishop of Davao
President, CBCP
July 9, 2018

– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Scholarship funds amounting to P95.2 million intended for the families of slain and injured cops have not been used by the National Police Comission (Napolcom).

"There was a very low utilization of the scholarship funds which at year-end has an unutilized balance of ₱95,296,368.37," the Commission on Audit (COA) stated in its 2017 audit report on Napolcom accessed by Rappler on Monday, July 9.

The distribution of scholarship funds for the families of slain and incapacitated cops is mandated by Republic Act 6963 in recognition of police personnel's service. 

The funds are raised from the firearms license fees collected by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The unused P95.2 million is an accumulation of previous years of unused scholarsip funds, with COA records showing that unused funds in 2015 stood at P41.1 million, then rose to P63 million in 2016.

As of December 31, 2017, the Napolcom counted 480 cops either killed or incapacitated in action, with 620 eligible scholars in their families claiming the funds.

Why are millions unused? According to COA, the unused funds reached this high because of the following reasons:

• Lack of coordination with the PNP in keeping track of dependents who should receive the money
• Inadequate dissemination to beneficiaries
• Inability to implement direct payment of tuition fees
• Absence of a committee or board to monitor the spending of the funds

While the Napolcom keeps a record of beneficiaries using the scholarship fund, COA said the Napolcom does not keep track of those who are eligible but have not availed themselves of the funds.

COA also noted that the unused funds have been kept in a Land Bank of the Philippines account registered in the bank's West Avenue branch in Quezon City.

Citing Executive Order 338, COA said the Napolcom should have been depositing the unspent funds to the Bureau of Treasury.

Funds hard to avail: The scholarship funds may be availed by asking the local Napolcom office to either pay tuition fees directly, or by reimbursing the payment of the tuition if the beneficiary family decides to pay first.

According to COA, there are benificiaries unaware that they can ask Napolcom to pay schools and universities directly, just upon the presentation of a fees breakdown.

Interstingly, COA said, the Napolcom Central Office has never made a direct payment in the last 3 years that they made an audit on their spending. (READ: Scholarships for deserving students)

The auditing team said they spoke with one scholar who tried to avail of a direct payment method to pay for tuition fees, but the Napolcom office supposedly asked the benificiary for an official receipt, defeating the purpose of the direct payment option.

"Management continuously asserted that direct payment is allowed, however, it appears that the assertion made is inconsistent with the practice of requiring the submission of ORs (official receipts) prior to the processing of claim," COA stated. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Legislators in the bicameral conference committee are yet to decide the fate of 6 towns in Lanao del Norte and 39 barangays (villages) in North Cotabato under the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). 

These areas are currently part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Both the Senate and the House have opposing views on how these towns and villages would be included in the new region.

On Monday, July 9, Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri said the bicam members agreed to postpone threshing out these differences.

“We're off to a good start. We finished 3 articles of the Bangsamoro Basic Law although we got bogged down by territorial jurisdiction. We decided to table it and defer action on it ’til a later time and agree on all the acceptable provisions,” Zubiri told reporters. 

This is among the BBL’s provisions that may raise constitutionality issues, he said.

The following 6 towns in Lanao del Norte and 39 villages in North Cotabato had voted to be included in ARMM during the 2001 plebsicite held under Republic Act No. 9054:

In the Senate version of the BBL, the 39 villages and 6 municipalities will be automatically included in the Bangsamoro once their residents vote in favor of their inclusion in the plebiscite.

There would be no need to take into account the votes from other areas of Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato, a proposal that some House members consider unconstitutional.

The House version spelled out two levels of inclusion. First, the village and town residents must vote yes to the inclusion and second, the majority vote in the entire provinces of Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato, respectively, must be in favor of their inclusion as well.

“With us [in the Senate], we allowed the 6 municipalities of Lanao del Norte and 39 barangays of Cotabato to be part of the expanded area without the permission through plebiscite of the core territory. Some of our colleagues in the House are saying this is unconstitutional, but we believe under this law, we can justify its constitutionality,” said Zubiri.

Bangsamoro Transition Commission chairperson and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) vice chairperson Ghazali Jaafar said they prefer the Senate’s proposal.

Their primary reason for pushing for the easier inclusion route? 

Jaafar said Moros have long been living in the 6 towns and 39 villages, anyway, even before the greater Cotabato province was divided into smaller provinces in the 1960s. 

“Sapagkat sa 39 barangays na ‘yan, greater majority of the people residing there are Muslims. They are natives of the place… ’Yan ang traditional na lugar ng mga Moro, including the non-Muslim Moro in the region,” said Jaafar. 

(The greater majority of the people residing in the 39 barangays are Muslims. They are natives of the place... That's the traditional home of the Moro, including the non-Muslim Moro in the region.)

“Kaya ‘yong mga taong nandoon ngayon, kung mabigyan man ng gobyerno ang mga Moro, kasama sila (That's why the people there are hoping they will be included should the government decide to grant a separate region for the Moro),” he added.

Jaafar explained the Muslim communities in these areas later became part of the decades-long struggle for independence. Several MILF camps are found in the said 6 towns and 39 barangays. 

On Monday, bicam members decided to increase the share in government tax revenues of the Bangsamoro by 5% and strike out the anti-dynasty provision in the BBL.

They are expected to finalize the new version of the BBL by the end of the week. – Rappler.com

TOKYO, Japan – Japan is famously prone to natural disasters including earthquakes and tsunamis, and is generally considered well-prepared to cope. So why has record rainfall caused at least 100 deaths?

Here are some of the factors that have contributed to the worst rain-related disaster in Japan in over two decades.

Typhoon season, record rains

The heavy rains began with a typhoon front that hit as Japan entered its yearly typhoon season.

The archipelago is battered annually by an average of six typhoons, from around July to October or November.

The storm fronts bring torrential downpours and heavy winds, and are closely tracked by weather and government officials.

Despite various measures intended to prevent deaths, including dams to control flood waters, the country sees rain-related deaths most years.

But this rainfront has been unprecedented: record rainfall was recorded in the 72 hours to Sunday at 118 government observation points across the affected area, the weather agency told the Agence France-Presse.

A complicated geography

About 70% of Japan's land is made up of mountains and hills, so homes are often built on steep slopes, or flood-prone flat plains below them.

"In addition, Japan's earth is geologically diverse, with tectonic plates and volcanic geological layers, -- in a nutshell, it's weak," said Hiroyuki Ohno, head of the Sabo (sand erosion control) and Landslide Technical Centre.

That puts many people's homes in the path of potential landslides and flooding.

The government has a long-term project nudging people in disaster-prone areas to move, and has even banned new construction in the most vulnerable places.

But the project is ongoing, and many remain in harm's way.

Wooden houses

Many of Japan's homes are built of wood, particularly traditional or traditional-style houses that remain popular in the countryside.

Their foundations are also made of wood, which can be ideal for flexibility in the case of earthquakes, but stand little chance of withstanding the crushing pressure produced by a torrent of flood water or a massive landslide.

Agence France-Presse reporters saw homes where the top floor had been ripped away from the lower one, and carried away by landslides, and others that had been swept away wholesale from their plots.

Evacuation orders

Japanese authorities issued evacuation orders to around five million people during the worst of the rains, but the orders are not mandatory, and many ignored them.

"Human beings have a so-called normalcy bias, meaning people try not to evacuate, ignoring negative information," said Hirotada Hirose, a disaster management expert.

"This human nature means people can't react to disasters like landslides and flash floods, which occur suddenly," he told AFP.

But experts also say Japan's warning system is problematic, with the decision to issue evacuation orders often left to local officials who may have no disaster management experience.

"Reluctance to issue evacuation orders can result in delays... and if they are issued at odd hours, no one will hear about them," Hirose said.

Climate change?

Many residents may simply have been lulled into a false sense of security by years of experience with severe, but not deadly, weather systems.

Many people in regions affected by the disaster told AFP that the rains were unlike anything they had seen before.

"The frequency of heavy rain-linked disasters is on the rise, and we are facing the world where the rules learnt from your experiences no longer apply," Ohno said.

Scientists have warned that one consequence of global warming could be an increase in rain-related disasters, and experts now say people should leave well in advance of evacuation orders where forecasts show heavy rain is possible.  – Rappler.com

SEOUL, South Korea – The North Korean talks process with the US and the South is sidelining the human rights of Pyongyang's oppressed citizens, the UN's top official on the issue said Monday, July 9.

In a whirlwind of diplomacy, the leader of the isolated, nuclear-armed North, Kim Jong-un, held an unprecedented summit with US President Donald Trump in Singapore last month, after two earlier meetings with the South's Moon Jae-in.

It is a marked contrast to the mutual threats and mounting fears of last year, instead raising hopes of reaching a deal over North Korea's arsenal, which include nuclear bombs and missiles capable of reaching the US mainland.

But Pyongyang remains accused by many – including the UN – of a litany of rights abuses against its population. 

Neither the joint statement issued by Trump and Kim in Singapore, nor the earlier Panmunjom Declaration signed by Kim and Moon, mentioned the issue of human rights.

"It seems that those who are negotiating are losing sight of this important thing, which is would this process benefit at the end the people living in North Korea," said Tomas Ojea Quintana, the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on human rights in the North.

Instead Washington and Seoul were prioritising their own concerns, he said.

"In principle the interests that the president of the United States has shown is that they want to denuclearise North Korea so their territory is not in danger, and that of course is something that has to do with their own interests," Ojea Quintana told AFP in Seoul.

"I'm still trying to understand to what extent human rights was raised" by Trump in Singapore, the Argentinian lawyer added. 

"It seems that it was not comprehensively addressed."

In the Singapore statement, Kim signed up to a vague commitment to work towards "complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula", but Pyongyang has long seen that as a lengthy process of undefined multilateral disarmament, rather than a unilateral dismantling of its own weapons.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Pyongyang at the weekend to try to flesh out the process, only for the North to warn that it was being jeopardised by overbearing "gangster-like" US demands.

Pompeo shrugged off the accusations, insisting the talks were being conducted in "good faith" and making progress, and adding sanctions would only be lifted with "final" denuclearization. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte now wants someone else to serve as "transition president" right after a new federal constitution is ratified by the Filipino people, which could take place as early as 2019.

This is a change of heart since Malacañang's previous statement – that he would be willing to lead the proposed Federal Transition Commission until June 30, 2022, the day his term as president expires. (READ: Should we be worried about Con-Com's draft transitory provisions?)

"Earlier, he announced that he wants a provision for the election of a transition leader and he is ready to step down when the new Constitution is approved.... He wants the people to elect a new leader who will serve as transition president," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday, July 9, in Filipino.

Reynato Puno, chairman of the Consultative Committee (Con-Com) which just submitted its draft constitution to Duterte, had earlier recommended that a plebiscite on the new charter be held in May 2019.

According to the 1987 Constitution, any changes to it will only be valid after ratification by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite which shall be held not earlier than 60 days or later than 90 days after the approval of such amendment or revision by a Constituent Assembly or Constitutional Convention.

Roque quoted Duterte as saying during the start of the Monday Cabinet meeting: "It's to remove all suspicions, and I am tired. Ready to give it to somebody else."

Duterte also supposedly said that such a provision would allow a "younger leader" to take over.

The President has communicated his wish to Puno and the rest of the Con-Com. The committee agreed to make the revisions. Roque said Duterte would make the same request to Congress, the body mandated to propose amendments to the Constitution.

Marcos as transition leader?

The President did not elaborate on how he wants the "transition president" to be elected or chosen.

When asked if Duterte wants former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr to take on the role, Roque said, "Hindi po natin alam kung sino. Wala naman siyang sinabing napupusuan (We don't know who. He didn't mention anyone in particular)."

If Duterte steps down in 2019, his Cabinet members would also lose their posts, being his appointees.

"It means we all end our stint in the Cabinet with him, so if the Constitution is ratified, that's it for all of us in the Cabinet," said Roque.

In the current Con-Com draft constitution, a Federal Transition Commission would be created right after the charter is ratified through a plebiscite. Duterte is supposed to head this commission.

The commission's mandate is supposed to expire on June 30, 2022, the same day Duterte's presidential term ends. This is to give way to the May 2022 elections, the first under the new constitution.

With Duterte's latest pronouncements, however, he wants to step down as president even before June 30, 2022. He wants a new leader to take over soon after the plebiscite and until new elections are held. It could also be that new elections would be called right after the plebiscite – in other words, earlier than May 2022.

However, this will depend on the Con-Com's revisions and Congress' transitory provisions. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte said he will endorse to Congress the draft constitution of the Consultative Committee (Con-Com), save for the transitory provisions which he wants revised.

Con-Com spokesman Ding Generoso said this was the Chief Executive's decision during his meeting with the committee's members on Monday, July 9, at Malacañang. (READ: Highlights of Consultative Committee's draft federal constitution)

"At the meeting of the President with Con-Com members after receiving the draft Constitution, the President said he is approving and endorsing the draft Constitution en toto," said Generoso.

"He (President Duterte) meant the rest of the Constitution but with changes in the transitory provisions."

The changes requested by Duterte will be inputted in the draft in time for its submission to Congress.

Earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced that Duterte wants the transitory provisions to state that a new "transition president" will be elected right after the ratification of a new constitution.

The provisions, as submitted by the Con-Com, currently state that Duterte will lead the Federal Transition Commission which would serve until June 30, 2022. 

Duterte said he doesn't want to wait that long before stepping down. He would rather relinquish his post as soon as the constitution is ratified, which Con-Com chairman Reynato Puno recommends should take place in May 2019.

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– Rappler.com

BEIJING, China – An environmental pressure group claimed on Monday, July 9, that Chinese factories are illegally using ozone-depleting CFCs, which have recently seen a spike in emissions that has baffled scientists.

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) campaign group said 18 factories in 10 Chinese provinces they looked into admitted to using banned chlorofluorocarbons.

Producers and traders told EIA researchers posing as buyers that the majority of Chinese companies manufacturing foam – in high demand as an insulator in the booming construction sector – continue to use CFC-11 because of its better quality and lower price.

CFCs are chemicals that deplete the ozone layer, the thin gaseous shield that protects life on Earth from dangerous solar rays.

They were banned under the internationally binding 1987 Montreal Protocol and production of CFCs officially stopped in developing countries in 2010.

Chinese authorities previously said the country successfully ended the industrial practice of using CFCs in 2007. 

The foreign ministry told AFP on Monday that China had made "tremendous contributions" to achieving the aims of the Montreal Protocol. 

"The increase in CFC-11 emission concentration is a global issue that should be taken seriously by all parties," the ministry said in a faxed comment, without responding to the specific claims raised in the EIA report. 

"As a party to the Montreal Protocol, China, like the international community, is also highly concerned about this issue," the statement added. 

'Shady' operations

A representative from one company cited in the report said the firm sources CFCs from unlicensed factories with "shady" operations in Inner Mongolia and conceals the substance from customs agents.

Others cited in the report said their companies produce the substance themselves, with one source saying its factories can produce 40 tonnes of CFC agents per day.

Traders cited by EIA also said that Chinese companies export the banned CFC agents by mislabelling them as Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) compounds and other chemical blends.

Given the volume of exports of such compounds to other countries primarily in Asia and the Middle East, there is a good chance nations that have pledged to ban CFCs have inadvertently imported them, the report said.

"If China doesn't stop this illegal production, it will imperil our slowly healing ozone layer," said Alexander von Bismarck, EIA US Executive Director.

"CFC-11 is also a super global warmer, making this a serious threat for our climate as well," he added.

The report comes ahead of a working group of the Montreal Protocol in Vienna from July 11-14, where the issue of rogue CFC-11 emissions is likely to be on the agenda.

In May, an international team of scientists published research that showed the decline of CFC-11 in the atmosphere had slowed by half since 2012, suggesting it was being secretly produced despite the global ban.

Researchers said the data pointed to East Asia as the source of renewed production but they stopped short of naming a specific country.

At present, Earth is on course for several degrees of warming by 2100, scientists say. This would doom many parts of the planet to worsening floods, droughts, desertification, rising seas and storms. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte is off to Malaysia this month to mix work with play. 

If all goes smoothly, he'll be able to catch Senator Manny Pacquiao's fight with Argentine boxer Lucas Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur and meet with Malaysia's new Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Duterte himself spoke of these plans during the Cabinet meeting on Monday, July 9.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque quoted him as saying, "We will be there July 16. After boxing, will talk with Mahathir."

Before the meeting, Duterte had spoken on the phone with Mahathir, saying the Malaysian leader "wants to talk about insurgency and ISIS."

A Palace source told Rappler that plans are underway for Duterte to watch the Pacquiao fight on July 15 and then meet with Mahathir on the 16th. 

Pacquiao is one of Duterte's allies in the Senate and a longtime friend. Like the Philippine president, Mahathir, in his return to the post, is the oldest leader of his country upon swearing in. 

Like Duterte, the 92-year-old Mahathir is known for his authoritarian but pragmatic style of leadership. He too has been criticized for his flippant attitude to human rights.

Mahathir takes the place of Najib Razak, who was arrested early in July over alleged corruption.

Duterte appeared to get along well enough with Najib when he was prime minister, with the two memorably outsinging each other during a dinner in Malaysia. – Rappler.com

KABUL, Afghanistan – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made an unannounced visit to Kabul on Monday, July 9, for talks with Afghan leaders, an Afghan official said, amid renewed optimism for peace in the war-weary country.

The official confirmed Pompeo's arrival in the capital Kabul, his first trip to Afghanistan since he was sworn in as America's top diplomat in April, on the condition of anonymity. A joint press conference with President Ashraf Ghani is due to start shortly. 

The visit follows an unprecedented ceasefire during Eid last month, when the Islamic holiday was marked by spontaneous street celebrations involving Afghan security forces and Taliban militants.

Fighters on both sides have expressed a deep fatigue with the grinding conflict, raising hopes that an end to hostilities was possible after 17 years of war that began with the US-led invasion in 2001 that ousted the Taliban from power.

But the insurgents refused the government's request to extend their three-day ceasefire, launching attacks that have seen scores killed or injured. 

A security official told the Agence France-Presse that the number of Taliban attacks across the country had fallen since the ceasefire, but the claim could not be verified. 

US-backed Ghani, who is under international pressure to ensure credible parliamentary elections are held in October ahead of next year's presidential vote, has been leading the push for peace talks.

The Taliban have so far ignored Ghani's offer of negotiations. Instead, they have insisted on direct talks with the United States, which Washington has repeatedly refused. 

One of the Taliban's key demands for engaging in talks has been the complete withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, but observers say they now appear amenable to a timetable for their pullout.

Currently, there are about 14,000 US troops in Afghanistan, providing the main component of the NATO mission there to support and train local forces. 

Growing pressure

A Western official told reporters in Kabul recently that there was increasing debate within the Taliban leadership over how to respond to growing pressure to take part in negotiations. 

But the renewed violence and the Taliban's recent vow to continue their bloody fight against the government and their foreign backers, has dampened optimism that the truce would provide a clear path to peace talks. 

Pompeo's visit to Kabul comes almost a year since US President Donald Trump announced his much-vaunted South Asia strategy to tackle Afghanistan by including a broader regional approach.

The aim is to convince the Taliban through diplomatic, military and social pressure that it cannot win and must reconcile.

US envoy Alice Wells told reporters in Kabul on June 30 that the Taliban's inertia on negotiations was "unacceptable". 

Wells, the principal deputy assistant secretary for the State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, said that since the Afghan government and United States were willing to start talking without preconditions, the onus was now on the Taliban to respond.

International Islamic scholars meeting in Saudi Arabia this week are expected to add their weight to stopping the Afghan conflict.

That comes on the heels of a fatwa issued by Afghanistan's top clerics branding suicide attacks "haram", or forbidden.

Pompeo is on a round-the-world diplomatic mission that will take him to Brussels and a key NATO summit on July 11-12. – Rappler.com

LONDON, United Kingdom (UPDATED)  – British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson resigned on Monday, July 9, in a major blow for Prime Minister Theresa May, hours after her Brexit minister stepped down over her plans for leaving the EU.

"This afternoon, the Prime Minister accepted the resignation of Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary," May's Downing Street office said in a statement.

"His replacement will be announced shortly. The prime minister thanks Boris for his work," the statement said.

In private, Johnson had reportedly criticised May's plan for retaining strong economic ties to the EU even after Brexit, referring to the plan as "polishing a turd".

Since cabinet approval for the plan on Friday, however, he had refrained from public comment.

He was due to co-host a summit on the Western Balkans in London on Monday but did not show up.

Germany's junior foreign minister Michael Roth tweeted: "We're still waiting for our host." – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte, known for rarely keeping his speeches within an hour long, says his upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA) will not go over 35 minutes.

Duterte made this remark during the Cabinet meeting on Monday, July 9.

"I will read my SONA speech which should not be more than 35 minutes," said Duterte, as quoted by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.

Duterte is set to deliver his 3rd SONA on July 23.

Whether the President will stick to his word is another matter. The unpredictable Chief Executive is known to stop reading his written speech in order to speak extemporaneously about a topic that occurs to him in the moment.

Duterte's SONAs have never kept within the one-hour mark. His first SONA ran an hour and a half long while his second stretched to two hours.

The President's SONAs have also always been written by Malacañang speech writers but he – not one to stay on-script – always added long off-the-cuff remarks to them.

Previously, Malacañang already gave indications that the public can expect something different from Duterte's upcoming SONA.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque had announced a series of "pre-SONA briefings" where Cabinet members would present their departments' accomplishments so that Duterte would not have to read them during the SONA itself.

This would give Duterte more room to speak "straight from the heart," said Roque.– Rappler.com

MAE SAI, Thailand –  Elite divers hauled 4 more young footballers out of a flooded Thai cave on Monday, July 9, authorities said, bringing to 8 the number saved in a stunning rescue mission but still leaving 5 others trapped.

"Hooyah," the Thai Navy SEALs, who have played a crucial role in the against-the-odds operation, said in a Facebook post as they announced that a total of 8 members of the "Wild Boars" football team had been rescued on Sunday and Monday.

Thais have been fixated on the crisis, hoping desperately for the safe return of the 12 boys and their 25-year-old football coach, after they ventured into the Tham Luang cave complex after practice and became trapped by rising waters more than a fortnight ago.

The extraction of the 4 on Monday followed a similar pattern to the previous day, with the youngsters emerging in quick succession just before nightfall after navigating a treacherous escape route of more than 4 kilometers (2.5 miles).

The saga has dominated global headlines, with the team spending 9 days unaccounted for inside the cave, before British divers found the emaciated and dishevelled group huddling on a muddy bank above the flooding.

Authorities then struggled to determine the best way to save the "Wild Boars," with the group stuck on a shelf above the floodwaters in pitch darkness.

Among the ideas were drilling an escape route through the mountain, or leaving them for months until the monsoon season ended and the flooding subsided.

But with oxygen levels inside dropping to dangerous lows and the prospect of heavy rains flooding the area completely, authorities decided they had to move quickly, and take the group out through the water-filled tunnels.

Dozens of foreign divers and other experts from around the world were brought in to help the rescue effort, working alongside Thai Navy SEALs.

Deadly dangers

Rescue operations chief Narongsak Osottanakorn described Sunday's initial rescue bid as "D-Day" when it was launched, and there were fears that any one of many potential pitfalls could prove deadly.

Among these were that none of the boys had scuba diving experience, and that they could easily panic while swimming underwater in darkness.

The death of a former Thai Navy SEAL diver who ran out of oxygen in the cave on Friday underscored the danger of the journey even for professionals.

But after the first 4 emerged late on Sunday afternoon, hopes began to rise of a fairytale ending to the ordeal.

Narongsak on Sunday described their journey out, escorted by elite divers, as "smooth."

Crucially, round-the-clock pumping to ease some of the flooding had paid off.

"The water level is still at a satisfactory level and we have enough teams to complete the mission," Narongsak said on Monday.

But although the eight were rescued, there were concerns they may have contracted an illness while in the cave.

Narongsak said after the first four boys were rescued that they would be quarantined "for a while because we are concerned about infections".

And rain could still re-emerge as a threat for the remaining five, particularly if there are complications that could delay the extraction further.

Weather forecasters warned heavy rain could hit the area through the week.

Authorities have repeatedly said the rain could re-flood crucial parts of the cave complex that have been drained and make the escape route much harder or even impossible to navigate. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Two Filipinas in Iraq have been rescued from a criminal group that abducted them last week, said the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday, July 9.

"Their safe recovery would not have been possible without the swift response of our Iraqi friends, and for that we are very grateful," said Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano. 

Julius Torres, chargé d'affaires of the Philippine embassy in Baghdad, said authorities in Diyala province informed the embassy "that the two were rescued from members of a criminal group who forcibly took them on Friday," July 6. Iraqi authorities relayed this information on Sunday, July 8.

"Chargé d'Affaires Torres said authorities told the embassy several members of the group were arrested during the police rescue operation and that charges were being prepared against them," the DFA said. 

The DFA earlier said the two hostages were with two other Filipinas when the abduction happened along a highway in Uzem district, south of Kirkuk in Iraq. The two other Filipinas managed to escape.

In Libya, 3 Filipino technicians were abducted also on Friday. The DFA has not issued an update on their case as of posting time. – Rappler.com

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MANILA, Philippines – Here is a list of areas where classes have been suspended for Tuesday, July 10, as Typhoon Gardo (Maria) is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon.

Central Luzon

• Zambales - all levels (public and private), until Wednesday, July 11

Not on the list? Help us crowdsource class suspensions by posting in the comments section or tweeting @rapplerdotcom.

For more information: When are classes cancelled or suspended? – Rappler.com

LONDON, United Kingdom – British Prime Minister Theresa May's government imploded on Monday, July 9, as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson followed Brexit minister David Davis in resigning over her masterplan for Britain's future outside the EU.

Davis and his deputy dramatically quit overnight over May's plan to retain strong economic ties with the European Union even after Britain leaves in March next year.

Brexit cheerleader Johnson then delivered a stunning second blow when he also marched out, triggering speculation that May could face an imminent leadership contest.

May's Brexit plan – agreed by the cabinet on Friday in the hope of unblocking negotiations with Brussels due to resume on Monday – has now cost her two of her top four ministers, throwing her administration and authority into turmoil.

"This afternoon, the prime minister accepted the resignation of Boris Johnson as foreign secretary," her Downing Street office said in a three-sentence statement.

"His replacement will be announced shortly. The prime minister thanks Boris for his work."

Johnson criticised the Brexit blueprint in private but has so far refrained from public comment.

Downing Street swiftly appointed eurosceptic housing minister Dominic Raab to Davis's job, and said May was looking forward to working with him to deliver Britain's departure from the EU in March.

The resignation of Davis, with a stinging warning that Britain was "giving too much away too easily" in Brexit talks, was a blow to May just days after she declared a truce among her warring ministers.

Next move

All eyes are now on the next move by Brexit hardliners in her centre-right Conservative Party.

But the appointment of Raab, a leading Brexit supporter, suggests Tory Brexiteers are divided.

Davis himself said it would be "wrong" if his departure led to a full-fledged rebellion, insisting that "of course" May would survive.

May will address parliament later to explain her proposal for Britain to adopt EU rules on goods after Brexit, and is also expected to speak to Conservative MPs.

The plan was agreed by cabinet ministers during marathon talks on Friday, where even those wanting a clean break from the EU fell into line.

The deal meant that for the first time since the vote for Brexit in June 2016, Britain has a detailed proposal to take to Brussels, and still hopes to agree a deal by October.

May's spokesman told reporters: "There was an agreement reached on Friday and we look forward to taking that agreement forward in negotiations."

He added: "We believe it will deliver a positive Brexit, that's what we're focused on."

European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said the change of ministers was not a problem and that the EU was ready to negotiate "24/7".

The EU "will continue to negotiate in goodwill, bona fide, with Prime Minister May and the UK negotiators in order to reach a deal", he said.

May spoke to Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, EU president Donald Tusk and the leaders of Ireland, Sweden and Malta over the weekend to discuss her plans, and is meeting Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in London later Monday. 

'Reluctant conscript'

In his resignation letter to May late Sunday, Davis warned that on Brexit, "the general direction of policy will leave us in at best a weak negotiating position, and possibly an inescapable one."

Her plan would "make the supposed control by parliament illusory rather than real", and proposals for a "common rulebook" on goods "hands control of large swathes of our economy to the EU".

Davis said his job required "an enthusiastic believer in your approach, and not merely a reluctant conscript".

Speaking to BBC radio on Monday, he said he hoped Britain would "resist very strongly any attempt to get any further concessions".

May replied in a letter rejecting "your characterisation of the policy we agreed", which she said would see powers currently held by the EU returned to Britain.

Davis was appointed after the referendum to head up the newly created Department for Exiting the EU and became the public face of Brexit, leading the British delegation in talks with Brussels.

His role had been increasingly overshadowed in recent months as May and her aides took a bigger role, and had reportedly threatened to quit several times as they moved towards closer ties with the EU post-Brexit.

Brexit hardliners have welcomed Davis's move, with Conservative MP Peter Bone saying: "The PM's proposals for a Brexit in name only are not acceptable."

The main opposition Labour Party said the government was in "absolute chaos".

"It is now clearer than ever that Theresa May does not have the authority to negotiate for Britain or deliver a Brexit deal that protects jobs and the economy," spokesman Keir Starmer said. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon consistently pushed for an anti-dynasty provision in the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, yet when other lawmakers pushed for its deletion, he deliberately didn't defend it.

On Monday, July 9, during the first day of the closed-door deliberations, members of the bicameral conference committee strongly rejected the provision, which is present only in the Senate version or Senate Bill 1717.

Drilon said he did not argue anymore “as a form of protest.”

After all, the said line is “useless” and weaker than what is stated in Republic Act 10742, or the Sangguniang Kabataan reform law. For him, it would not reduce dynastic behaviors because it is “toothless.”

“The adoption of the supposed Anti-dynasty provision in the Senate version was strongly opposed by some members of the panel. As a form of protest, I did not argue and push for its adoption anymore because the provision, as crafted, is useless. It is a much weaker provision than that provided in the SK law. Such provision will not really curb dynastic behaviors,” Drilon said in a text message to reporters.

“In fact, it is a hypocritical provision, toothless to address the ill effects of dynasties. We might as well do away with it,” Drilon added.

RA 10742 prohibits relatives of elected or appointed officials up to the 2nd level of consanguinity from pursuing SK posts. Lawmakers noted that this is the first provision of its kind to be approved in the country.

Section 15 of SB 1717, meanwhile, covers party representatives only and not other members of parliament or other Bangsamoro officials: “No Party Representative should be related within the second (2nd) civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to a District Representative or another Party Representative in the same Parliament.”

The joint panel believed that such line is “selective, discriminatory and ineffective,” according to panel member Senator Francis Escudero.

Instead of a provision in the bill, Drilon said a strong regulation of political dynasties applicable to all public officials should be passed.

“What we need is a strong regulation of dynasties applicable to all public officers. I already signed a committee report regulating it,” Drilon said.

The Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), some members of which belong to political families, have strongly opposed the anti-dynasty provision.

In a previous Senate hearing, members of the BTC said it is another “experiment” in the region. They said it is a “clear violation of equal protection clause” or the right of every person to vote and be voted.

But Ateneo School of Government Dean Ronald Mendoza had said there is a need for an anti-dynasty provision in the draft BBL or else the Bangsamoro state would be another failure just like the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which it seeks to replace.

Once the bicam is done reconciling the differing provisions of the versions of the House of Representatives and the Senate, both chambers would have to separately ratify the measure. They plan to do it when the Third Regular Session opens on July 23, before President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his third State of the Nation Address. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Lawmakers in the bicameral conference committee agreed to make the budget release process less stringent under the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

After the lawmakers met for about 13 hours on Monday, July 9, Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri said the bicam removed provisions requiring the Bangsamoro to specify its plans and programs first before the national government releases the region's annual block grant or share of the national internal revenue.

Zubiri explained that removing the pre-budget release requirement would protect the Bangsamoro region from a scenario where it would have no funds for social welfare and development activities.

"Previously, there was a reportorial requirement. You have to report the plans and programs first to this intergovernmental body, financial, fiscal body before the release can actually be made. Eh what if hindi nila gusto 'yung report, 'di nila gusto 'yung submission? 'Di nila mare-release 'yung block grant? (But what if they wouldn't like the report or the submission? They wouldn't release the block grant?)" said Zubiri. 

"Eh walang suweldo 'yung mga tao do'n! Walang developmental funds, walang funds for social welfare, for health, for economic activity of the Bangsamoro development activities. So 'di kami pumayag do'n," added the bicam chairperson.  

(That would mean the people there would have no salaries! There would be no funds for development, social welfare, health, and economic activity in the Bangsamoro. So we didn't agree with that.)

The block grant, pegged at 5% or about P59 billion, will be automatically appropriated to the Bangsamoro government as reflected in the General Appropriations Act or national budget.

Zubiri, however, clarified that transparency and accountability measures are still in place to ensure the proper spending of the Bangsamoro budget. 

He said the Bangsamoro government would still be required to submit the necessary documents for proper scrutiny by the Department of Budget and Management, the Department of Finance, and the Commission on Audit, among others.

Earlier on Monday, bicam members removed the anti-dynasty provision in the proposed BBL and agreed to a 75-25 wealth-sharing term for the Bangsamoro and the central government. 

For Tuesday, July 10, Zubiri said the bicam will separate into several small working groups at 9 am to tackle specific contentious provisions of the bill.

At 11 am, the small groups will present their proposals to the main bicam body for approval.

The controversial BBL provisions to be tackled by the small groups include the sharing of powers by the Bangsamoro government and the central government, the territorial jurisdiction over in-land bodies of water and areas of joint cooperation in the Sulu Sea and the Moro Gulf, and the opt-in provisions for 6 towns in Lanao del Norte and 39 villages in North Cotabato. 

The bicam had postponed tackling the more contentious provisions of the draft BBL on Monday to make way for discussions on less controversial parts of the measure. 

Zubiri said they are hoping to come up with a new draft of the proposed BBL by Tuesday evening. – Rappler.com

WASHINGTON DC, USA (UPDATED) – President Donald Trump Monday, July 9, nominated conservative judge Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court, a decision set to tilt the top judicial body further to the right with momentous implications for American society.

A former advisor to George W. Bush who now sits on the US Court of Appeals in Washington, Kavanaugh began his career as a clerk to Justice Anthony Kennedy, and will succeed him on the 9-seat bench when he retires at the end of the month.

"Judge Kavanaugh has impeccable credentials, unsurpassed qualifications, and a proven commitment to equal justice under the law," Trump said as he announced his much-anticipated decision in a prime-time address from the White House. 

"There is no one in America more qualified for this position and no one more deserving," Trump said, urging the Senate to swiftly confirm his nominee.

Kennedy long served as the tie-breaking swing vote between the Supreme Court's conservatives and liberals, and his departure handed Trump an opportunity to place a decidedly conservative stamp on the bench.

The US leader kept the suspense running for days over his choice for the crucial vacancy, narrowing the selection down to a shortlist of 4 judges, all with solid right-wing credentials.

"Justice Kennedy devoted his career to securing liberty. I am deeply honored to be nominated to fill his seat on the Supreme Court," the 53-year-old Kavanaugh said as he received the nomination.

"My judicial philosophy is straightforward. A judge must be independent and must interpret the law, not make the law," he said.

"A judge must interpret statutes as written. And a judge must interpret the constitution as written, informed by history and tradition and precedent."

A Yale University graduate, Kavanaugh has demonstrated his conservative credentials on numerous occasions, including when he opposed Obamacare, the sweeping universal health insurance plan unveiled under Trump's Democratic predecessor Barack Obama.

In the 1990s, he led an investigation into the suicide of Bill Clinton aide Vince Foster, who was linked to the Whitewater controversy that began as a probe into the presidential couple's real estate investments.

Kavanaugh later contributed to prosecutor Kenneth Starr's report into Clinton's affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

After moving into the White House in 2001, Bush recruited Kavanaugh as legal counsel before later naming him to the appellate court.

In 2012, Kavanaugh was part of a panel that scrapped an Environmental Protection Agency measure aimed at reducing air pollution in the United States.

He recently voiced disagreement with a court decision allowing a teenage unauthorized immigrant to get an abortion.

A practicing Catholic active in various religious organizations, Kavanaugh is a married father of two girls. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte certified as urgent the bill seeking universal healthcare for Filipinos during the Cabinet meeting on Monday, July 9.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, sponsor of the House bill back when he was Kabayan representative, announced this through Twitter on Monday night.

"I am pleased to announce that our Universal Health Care Bill which we sponsored, defended, and passed in the House of Representatives was certified as urgent in tonight’s cabinet meeting!" he said.

The document showing Duterte's certification of the measure has not yet been shown to media as of posting.

The House passed House Bill No 5784 or the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) bill on third and final reading in September 2017. Its counterpart measure, Senate Bill1458, is still at the committee level.

With Duterte's certification, the Senate will be able to pass its version on second and third reading on the same day.

Back when Roque was congressman, he had said that through the UHC bill, if signed into law, “every Filipino is granted the right to health by virtue of citizenship.”

He said individuals and communities will get the “full spectrum” of health services they need, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care.

The bill will also reorganize the Philippine Health Insurance System (PhilHealth) into the Philippine Health Security Corporation (PHSC), which will then be the “national purchaser of health services.”

Membership in the UHC is either contributory, in terms of public and private workers; or non-contributory for people who do not give contributions, such as indigents.

However, some lawmakers rejected the bill, saying it leads to the privatization and commercialization of the healthcare system.

Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas warned that the proposed bill would reduce the funding of public hospitals, and allow private facilities to dominate the health care system.

Fellow Gabriela Representative Emmi de Jesus said the proposed measure would turn the government into a “collector of contributions” instead of a “primary funder” for public health care.– with a report from Bea Cupin/Rappler.com