Agrarian Reform in the Philippines

Has there really been an agrarian reform in the Philippines? Or it's just in black in white and has really never been realized? Yes we have Republic Act 9700 or the CARPER Law which provided for the extension of land acquisition and distribution for five years. And that five years will soon end come June 30, 2014!

So what will happen now? What happens to the public and private agricultural lands which have yet to be distributed under the CARPER Law? According to the Department of Agrarian Reform,  a total of 790,671 hectares of public agricultural lands still remain to be covered under the CARPER Law. So what does this mean? Time was not enough to distribute all the lands covered by the law? Or there was something more than meets the eye?

No wonder Rep. Teddy Baguilat filed a bill (House Bill No. 4296) seeking to continue and complete the land distribution and acquisition process for all public and private agricultural lands covered under the CARPER Law. The bill is seeking to extend the distribution even beyond June 30, 2014. While this is a good measure to ensure that lands are distributed, there is no assurance that this will be accomplished in due time. There will always be excuses and, worse, the way out can always be through extension of the agrarian reform program.        

  

      

Getting to NAIA Terminal the Cheapest Way

In my recent official trip to Cebu, I decided to deviate from my usual mode of transport going to NAIA Terminal 3. No service vehicle, no taxi ride. I was so curious I tried the alternative way to the airport and found out how cheap and easy it was. Goes to show that travelling is possible on a shoestring budget.

Where and how? 

1. Go to EDSA Taft. If you're riding the LRT, stop at EDSA Station and proceed to the bridge connecting the MRT Taft Station.  

2. Under the MRT Taft Station you can see Mc Donalds. It's across the MetroPoint Mall along EDSA. You can also see the Sogo Hotel building. In between McDo and Sogo Hotel building, there's a way leading to the terminal where shuttle buses servicing NAIA Terminals 1,2,3 are picking up passengers. Enter that narrow way and proceed to the shuttle bus (White bus).

3. Believe it or not, fare is only P20.00.

4. After a few minutes, you'll be in NAIA Terminal 3...for only P20.00. The bus stops at Bay 1.    

Note:
Some shuttle buses don't go directly to Terminal 1 and 2, so you have to transfer to another shuttle bus. Just ask the driver.  

               

Getting to Harbor Square in CCP Complex, Pasay City

Looking for a place to dine out on a Friday night? Come to Harbor Square within the CCP Complex in Pasay City. It's a nice and convenient place to hang out with your family or friends. It was my first time to be there on a Friday night and I enjoyed the ambiance.

It's a place just beside the Manila Bay. So if you want to scape from the crowded streets in the metropolis, then this is the place to be. Here you can enjoy the view of the Manila Bay by night with all the colorful lights on the background.  

The Manila Yacht Club is just near the place so you'll see different sizes of yacht floating in the bay like paper boats. At the end of the square is the terminal for ferries going to Bataan and for Manila cruises.   

It's a compound of fast food chains, restaurants, bars, cafes, etc. Live bands and music coming from different sides of the square make the night alive and happy. Worry not as there are budget-friendly restos and fast food chains. Yes, Jollibee is here! There are also choices of restos and bars for the well-scrubbed.         

There are also mini bazaars. So if you want to buy gift items, then you can find some here --  from clothes to toys to gadgets and other Divisoria items. Just watch out for the prices! Naturally, prices are a little bit high, but of course you can always haggle. 

So how to get to the Harbor Square? It's actually accessible. It's just along the famous Roxas Boulevard. It's within the CCP Complex just beside the Cultural Center of the Philippines. It's easy to get here on a private vehicle or taxi ride via Roxas Blvd. Just tell the taxi driver to drop you off Harbor Square just beside CCP. 

Commuting via LRT-1 or Taft Avenue? Just a walk away from the Vito Cruz LRT Station, you can find the terminal of jeepneys (small and orange in color) going to CCP (Just ask where the terminal is). Ride a jeep and tell the driver to drop you off right in front of the Harbor Square. Fare is only P8.00.

Or you can ride an FX/Van that passes through Roxas Blvd e.g. Lawton-Sucat route or Lawton-Cavite, route. Tell the driver to drop you off the CCP. From the corner, walk towards the CCP and to the right is the Harbor Square.     

  

RH and Sin Tax Laws: Legacy of the 15th Congress?

The doctrine of separation of powers divides the role of government into three: legislative, executive and judicial. It simply means that the making of laws belongs to the legislative branch, the enforcement of laws to the executive branch, and the interpretation of laws to the judicial branch of government.

It is called separation of powers in the sense that each department is not permitted to encroach upon the powers of the other. Each branch has its own role to play and power to exercise. In this aspect, it can be said that the legislative department, through the 15th Congress, was able to perform its duty and exercise its power as expected by the Filipino people.

Laws that change or may change the people’s lives and the country’s socio-economic directions were enacted. Reforms agenda were fulfilled. Laws were passed to enable various sectors of society to benefit from economic growth. As reported by NEDA, the Philippines registered rapid economic growth of 6.6% last year. While we recognize that more needs to be done, it cannot be denied that both policy and legislative reforms contributed to this growth.

During the last three (3) years, despite the squabbles and controversies, legislators were able to accomplish their tasks and justify the taxpayers’ money through the laws passed by both Houses of Congress. For example, controversial bills have been passed into law by the 15th Congress – the RH and the Sin Tax Law. For quite a long period of time, these bills had been held in abeyance but were finally enacted.

More than an amendment to the National Internal Revenue Code to raise excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco, the sin tax measure was enacted as a health measure. The new law is expected to generate additional revenue of 34 billion pesos, and the bulk is earmarked to fund the government’s Universal Healthcare Program; thus, boosting economic activity in the healthcare industry, which may result in the generation of more employment and economic opportunities.
 

Likewise, the whole nation was witness to the highly charged deliberations in both Houses of Congress for the passage of the RH Bill. Although the implementation of the RH law was suspended by the Supreme Court for 120 days pending petitions challenging the constitutionality of the law, the passage of the law by Congress exemplified diligence and determination on the part of the lawmakers. It was a long and rough road for the RH bill before it finally became a law. Hopefully, once implemented, this law will contribute towards having a progressive and more developed economy through population control.

Powerful forces attempted to block the measures but the attempts were unsuccessful. So it’s good that the bills have been closed so that everyone can move on, and come up with other laws that will significantly impact on the country’s growth and development.

     

Classifications of Employment in the Philippine Government Service

The 1987 Philippine Constitution recognizes the right to security of tenure not only of workers in the private sector but also those who are in government service. It provides that: "No officer or employee of the civil service shall be removed or suspended except for cause provided by law" (Section 2, Article IX-B). The same law guarantees that State workers shall also be entitled of their right ". . . to security of tenure . . ." (Section 3, Article XIII).

Thus, the right to security of tenure applies to government employees as Section 2(1), Article IX-B of the 1987 Constitution provides that the “Civil Service embraces all branches, subdivisions, instrumentalities and agencies of the Government, including government-owned or controlled corporations with original charters.”

Further, Section 12(3), Chapter 3, Title I (A), Book V of the Administrative Code of 1987 provides that the Commission shall “promulgate policies, standards and guidelines for the Civil Service and adopt plans and programs to promote economical, efficient and effective personnel administration in the government.”

Employment in the Civil Service is classified as follows:

Permanent Status. A permanent appointment shall be issued to a person who meets all the requirements for the position to which he is being appointed/promoted, including the appropriate eligibility prescribed, in accordance with the provisions of law, rules, and standards promulgated in pursuant thereof (CSC Rule I, Section 13), provided that a plantilla position is available.

Temporary Status. A temporary status shall be issued to a person who meets all the requirements for the position except for eligibility and that there is no other qualified candidates for the position. Temporary appointment can be issued for one year, renewable for another year.

Co-terminous. The co-terminous status may be further classified into the following:

• Co-terminous with the project 
• Co-terminous with the appointing authority  
• Co-terminous with the incumbent  
• Co-terminous with a specific period

Individual Contract of Service/Job Contract/Order. This refers to employment described as follows:

• The contract covers lump sum work or services; 
• The job order covers piece of work or intermittent job of short duration not exceeding six months, and pay is on a daily basis;  
• No employer-employee relationship exists between the individual and the government;  
• The contract of service and job order are not covered by Civil Service laws, rules, and regulations but are under Commission on Audit (COA) rules; Services rendered thereunder are not considered as government service (CSC Resolution no. 020790, Section 1 a).