News Roundup 26 August 2022
Aug 26, 2022 • 5 min Read
Law expert says protectionist provisions needed in Constitution | INQUIRERNET – The country needs the protectionist provisions of the 1987 constitution because Filipinos are “very friendly to foreigners,” and that “we treat them a little better than ourselves,” a law expert said on Friday. During the Senate committee hearing on constitutional amendments, law professor Katrina Monsod said that there are other ways to attract foreign direct investments without amending the constitution. Monsod cited the Filipinos’ trait of being more hospitable and friendly to foreigners which had often been to their own detriment. “For example, we are not protectionist, yung takot sa dayuhan. Kasi ‘yung mga Pinoy may tendency na, we are very friendly to foreigners and minsan we let them get away with more — we treat them a little better than ourselves,” said Monsod, whose parents are Atty. Christian Monsod, one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, and economist Solita “Winnie” Monsod. (For example, we are not protectionists, like we are afraid of foreigners. Filipinos have a tendency to be very friendly to foreigners, and we let them get away with more — we treat them a little better than ourselves.) “So we do have a little protectionist [provisions] kasi may history naman eh, may basis naman, na matakot na we [would be] overran [if] we give them too much,” she added. (So we do have a few protectionist provisions because there is a history and basis to be afraid that we might get overran if we give them too much.) The 1987 Constitution provides for limitations to foreign ownership of public utilities and businesses to only 40 percent, while Filipino citizens setting aside the other 60 percent exclusively for Filipino citizens or corporations. Monsod, however, said there are ways to allow foreign direct investments in the country without amending the constitution. “If you look at other World Bank reports, you just don’t read one; you read many, right? They talk about, when they say about foreign direct investments, they don’t talk about limits and shares; they talk about why they’re not coming in: labor, contracts, interconnection of the internet. “It’s all of those other things. It’s not shares, it’s not shares of stocks. There are ways that legislatures itself can change it,” she continued.
Ex-VP Robredo, Angat Buhay execs meet with Tulfo to discuss programs | INQUIRER.NET – Officials of the Angat Buhay non-government organization (NGO), including former vice president Leni Robredo herself, met with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Erwin Tulfo to discuss how their group can help the government. In a post on her official Facebook page, Robredo shared pictures uploaded by Tulfo, which showed the former vice president and then the current DSWD secretary discussing several things. Tulfo’s post said that Robredo’s organization vowed to help the government through the speedy transmission of information on areas hit by calamities. “We met with DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo today to present the programs of Angat Buhay and to explore possible areas of collaboration. We look forward to working with the Department of Social Welfare and Development in uplifting the lives of our fellow Filipinos,” Robredo said. “Nagprisinta si Mrs. Robredo na tutulong ang kanilang volunteers sa mga probinsya sa pagbigay ng agarang impormasyon sa DSWD hinggil sa mga lugar na tinamaan ng kalamidad para mahatiran agad ng ayuda,” Tulfo said in his post shared by Robredo. (Mrs. Robredo presented that their volunteers would continue helping in the provinces by providing quick information to the DSWD about areas hit by calamities so that the appropriate aid would be delivered immediately.) The DSWD released another statement and a set of photos about the meeting. “Iprinisinta ni Atty. Robredo at Angat Buhay Executive Director Raffy Magno kay Kalihim Tulfo ang mga programa at mga posibleng tulong na maaaring ibigay ng Angat Buhay,” DSWD said. (Atty. Robredo and Angat Buhay Executive Director Raffy Magno presented to Secretary Tulfo the programs and assistance that they can possibly provide through Angat Buhay.) “Pinasalamatan naman ni Kalihim Tulfo ang alok ng Angat Buhay lalo na ang tulong sa paghahatid ng impormasyon sa DSWD sa mga probinsya at lugar na tatamaan ng kalamidad para agarang mahatiran ng tulong ng Ahensya,” they added. (Secretary Tulfo thanked Angat Buhay for its offer, especially their promise to give quick information to DSWD about provinces and areas where calamities would hit so the agency would make that provision of assistance.) After stepping down as vice president at the end of her term last June 30, Robredo vowed to focus on fighting disinformation while transforming the support base she got in the previous presidential elections into a non-government organization. During the 2022 national elections, Robredo ran against eventual winner President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Although she lost, Robredo developed a huge support base which became the grounds for establishing the Angat Buhay NGO.
‘Win for press freedom’: Bulatlat says website now accessible | PHILSTAR.COM – The website of Bulatlat is now accessible, the alternative news organization said Friday a day after it asked a court to cite the National Telecommunications Commission in contempt. Bulatlat said it welcomes the “apparent unblocking” of its website following the filing of a petition for indirect contempt against the NTC after the regulatory body allegedly continued to implement its memorandum to block access to the website of the independent news outlet. This is despite the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction in favor of Bulatlat. “The unblocking is an affirmation that in fighting back, we can regain our hard won rights,” it added. Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 306 issued on August 11 a writ of preliminary injunction. The court ordered the NTC to refrain from implementing its June 8 memorandum blocking access to Bulatlat’s website. On August 15, Bulatlat posted the cash bond of P100,000, and the organization secured the Writ of Preliminary Injunction on August 16, which was served to the NTC on August 18. However, Bulatlat said Thursday its website continued to be inaccessible to its subscribers using Globe, Converge, PLDT and Smart internet providers.
