News Roundup 05 August 2023
Aug 05, 2023 • 4 min Read
US Embassy urged to take stand vs Manila Bay reclamation | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) challenged the United States Embassy in Manila to take a stronger stance against all reclamation activities in Manila Bay.
This comes after the US has expressed concerns over major land reclamation projects in Manila Bay near its heavily secured embassy.
The projects involved China Communications Construction Co. (CCCC), a Chinese firm blacklisted by Washington for helping Beijing construct and militarize artificial islands in the South China Sea.
The embassy also expressed concern over the environmental impact of reclamation projects in Manila Bay, raising fears that they could exacerbate flooding in Metro Manila and nearby provinces such as Bulacan, Cavite and Pampanga.
“The US Embassy is just one of the many threatened structures by the reclamation in Manila Bay,” PAMALAKAYA said in a statement released on Saturday.
“A significant number of fishing structures such as mussel farms (tahungan) and stationary fish traps (baklad) were already wiped out in Cavite and Navotas to pave the way for reclamation projects,” it added.
The progressive group said the US should completely oppose every single reclamation project not only in Manila Bay but also the entire country.
Full Story at: US Embassy urged to take stand vs Manila Bay reclamation | Philstar.com
Philippines, US expected to start joint patrols in West Philippine Sea by year-end — NSC | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is set to conduct joint patrol operations with the United States before the end of 2023, according to an official from the National Security Council (NSC).
In a report by GMA news program “24 Oras”, NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said that some logistical issues are still being addressed but he is optimistic that they can overcome the challenges.
“May mga logistical issues pa na nireresolve. May mga ina-iron out pang mga issues but I don’t think these are insurmountable,” Malaya said on Friday at a national summit.
When asked about the commencement date of joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea, Malaya replied, “I would think before the end of the year.”
During the summit, an official from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) mentioned the possibility of discovering “a new Malampaya” in the West Philippine Sea.
Full Story at: Philippines, US expected to start joint patrols in West Philippine Sea by year-end — NSC | Philstar.com
Red-tagging toned down after pushback in Baguio | INQUIRER.NET – A police-military group that had been going around schools and lecturing students about the so-called communist threat has changed tack and removed all materials that outrightly identified Baguio activist organizations as recruiters for the New People’s Army (NPA).
Army Col. Christopher Sab-it, who heads Task Group Baguio, also said lectures meant to alert high school students to “subversive” recruitment tactics were age-appropriate. These would require the presence of a representative of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the consent of civic and religious leaders in the community, he said.
“We respect activism. We don’t see it as a crime,” Sab-it told a July 31 city council meeting.
Sab-it added that the task group “does not resort to harassment and does not Red-tag,” and insisted that “we do not put our children under surveillance.”
The change in the group’s approach was in response to the sentiments expressed during the April 19 public consultation on the city’s proposed “human rights defenders ordinance (Proposed Ordinance No. 0026-23),” which was sponsored by lawyers Peter Fianza, Jose Molinas and Fred Bagbagen, and by former journalist Arthur Allad-iw.
Full Story at: Red-tagging toned down after pushback in Baguio | Inquirer News
‘A huge mistake’: Pimentel hits confidential and intelligence funds in 2024 budget | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel said it is “a huge mistake” that the executive department is seeking a considerable amount of confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) in its proposed 2024 national budget while many Filipinos are suffering from calamities.
According to the senator, this “budgetary decision” of the Marcos administration only proves that it does not have a genuine understanding of the “real needs” of and challenges being faced by the country.
“The allocation of P9.2 billion to confidential and intelligence funds, while our fellow Filipinos in calamity-stricken areas suffer, raises serious questions about the government’s understanding of the real needs and challenges faced by our country,” Pimentel said in a statement Saturday.
Full Story at: ‘A huge mistake’: Pimentel hits confidential and intelligence funds in 2024 budget | Inquirer News
