News Roundup 08 April 2022
Apr 08, 2022 • 4 min Read
DepEd chided over learning module’s ‘Robredo’ questions | INQUIRER.NET – Is it a philosophy lesson or “character assassination”? Netizens are calling out the Department of Education (DepEd) on a learning module that puts Vice President and presidential candidate Leni Robredo in a negative light. An activity in a Grade 11 module titled “Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person” instructs students to identify which among the given headlines has no errors in spelling, grammar and content. The choices are: a. Robredo Chides Government for Unclear Communication on New Quarantine Rules; b. Robredo Blames the Government as They Don’t Have Clear Rules in Quarantine; c. Robredo Charge the Government as Culprit for Confusion in Quarantine; and d. Robredo blames those in Executive Branch for Communication’s Unclear. A succeeding item instructs students to determine which among the statements are substantiated generalizations: a. “Drug war a massive failure”–Robredo; b. Robredo lies to the world, shames the nation and herself in UN message; c. The real albatross on Leni Robredo’s neck; and d. Let Leni plan on her own drug war. The module is supposedly focused on methods of philosophizing. Its first edition was published in 2020. Assistant Education Secretary Malcolm Garma, who was listed as the regional director of the module’s management team, told the Inquirer in a Viber message that DepEd would release a statement on the matter. No such statement has been issued at press time. The most essential learning competencies that students are expected to gain from the learning module are distinguishing opinion from truth and realizing that the methods of philosophy lead to wisdom and truth, according to DepEd. But netizens were quick to see the irony in the “character assassination” of the Vice President amid an election campaign in which DepEd officials constantly remind teachers and staff not to take part in partisan political activities.
Largest-ever Balikatan generated ‘favorable outcome,’ exercise director says | PHILSTAR.COM – The largest ever military exercises between the Philippines and the United States came out with a “favorable outcome” despite COVID-19 limitations, an Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) official said. The AFP and the US military concluded the annual Balikatan exercises on Friday. Approximately 40 personnel from the Australian Defense Force also participated in the exercises this year. “The experience gained from exercise Balikatan complemented our security cooperation endeavors and helped enhance existing mutual security efforts,” AFP exercise director Maj. Gen. Charlton Sean Gaerlan said. “This year’s Balikatan is a testament to the resiliency of the Philippines-United States alliance as we remain strong partners even after the various challenges we have encountered in the past two years,” AFP chief Gen. Andres Centino said. Nearly 9,000 Filipino and American soldiers participated in the military drills across Luzon for the past two weeks. The exercises focused on maritime security, amphibious operations, live-fire training, urban operations, aviation operations, counterterrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. US Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Heather Variava. said the recently concluded military drills was a testament to the strength of the longtime allies.
Human rights group calls on Meta to take down NTF-ELCAC Facebook pages | Manila Bulletin – Karapatan, a human rights group in the Philippines, called on the suspension of the Facebook pages and accounts of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and its spokesperson Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy-Partosa for being “instruments of disinformation.” “Badoy’s account has been repeatedly restricted, albeit temporarily, by Facebook, and the wide network operated by the NTF-ELCAC continues to spread disinformation on a massive scale, inciting grave harm against anyone they tag as communists or terrorists,” said Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay in a press statement on Friday, April 8. The statement came after Facebook’s parent firm, Meta, took down hundreds of accounts in the country for “participating in malicious” activities ahead of the 2020 national and local elections. Meanwhile, the human rights group reiterated that taking down malicious accounts of “dangerous organizations” will ensure that the platform is not utilized to disrupt the upcoming May 2022 elections. This, according to Karapatan, will also protect the safety of individuals such as journalists and human rights defenders. “Facebook must act now, before it is already too late,” Palabay added.
