News Roundup 31 January 2023
Jan 31, 2023 • 4 min Read
Teachers’ group scores lack of ‘tangible’ goals in DepEd Basic Education Report | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Teachers are trained to list objectives and standards in lesson plans but the Department of Education’s Basic Education Report failed to include “specific and time-bound” plans to address issues in the school system, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers said Tuesday.
The group said the department should have set targets on how it plans fix problems with the K to 12 curriculums as well as a shortage of personnel.
The BER was a mere “summary of the promises already articulated by (Vice President Sara Duterte)’s leadership in the past months (…) which remain general promises that lack specific action plans and definite targets,” ACT Chairperson Vladimir Quetua said.
Quetua said that Vice President Sara Duterte’s assessment of the current state of education “is nothing new” as findings on students’ poor academic competencies and other deficiencies in the delivery of education were already reported by international agencies. Duterte is concurrently education secretary.
“The lack of an evidence-based learning assessment conducted after the pandemic-induced school lockdowns … should have been one of DepEd’s priority when face-to-face classes were resumed last August as it would have provided a more accurate approximation and appreciation of our current predicament,” Quetua said.
Full Story at: Teachers’ group scores lack of ‘tangible’ goals in DepEd Basic Education Report | Philstar.com
Community doctor designated as terrorist | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) has officially designated community doctor Natividad Castro as a terrorist and allegedly an active member of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
Arrested on kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges in February last year, the 53-year old medical worker was known for initiating health programs for an indigenous tribe in Mindanao, bringing members of the Lumad community before the United Nations in Geneva to seek help against harassment in the areas where they live, and serving as secretary general of the group Karapatan.
The ATC announced yesterday that Castro has been officially designated as a terrorist through Resolution No. 35 issued last month.
ATC Resolution No. 36 meanwhile declared the Al Khobar-Salahuddin Hassan Group, which allegedly has links to the Daulah Islamiyah, as a terrorist group.
The ATC said the terrorist designations are in accordance with Paragraph 3, Section 25 of Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (ATA) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.
“Verified information, sworn statements, and other evidence gathered by Philippine law enforcement and security agencies affirmed that Maria Natividad Marian Silva Castro, aka Doc Naty or Ka Naty, among her CPP aliases, violated Sections 6, 10, and 12 of the ATA for her active role and involvement in support of the goal of the CPP-NPA-NDF of seizing political power through violent means through planning, training, preparing and facilitating the commission of terrorism, and for recruitment to and membership in, and providing material support to terrorist organizations or groups organized for the purpose of engaging in terrorism,” the ATC said.
As for the Al Khobar group, the ATC said it belongs to the local violent extremist groups with links to Daesh that were also designated by the ATC as a terrorist organization in 2020.
Full Story at: Community doctor designated as terrorist | Philstar.com
9 NBI agents face raps over abuse of 2 suspects in cockfight case | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Nine agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are facing complaints of sexual assault, torture, grave coercion, and planting evidence.
Joyce Manio, the mother of two suspects in the disappearance of online cockfighting operators, filed the complaints on Monday at the Office of the Ombudsman.
Her sons — Nicasio Manio and Nicholes Manio — were arrested on June 8, 2021, in their house in Pallocan, Batangas, as suspects in the cockfighting operators’ case.
The respondents are all members of the NBI Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (TFAID), namely: Ross Jonathan Galicia, Levi Omare Orille, Aubren Cosidon, Eigelbert Pulan, Abner Dotimas, Nestor Gutierrez, Allan Ernesto Elefante, and Gary Menez.
In her complaint, the mother said her sons were arrested without warrants of arrest.
She also accused the agents of beating up her sons and presenting them with illegal drugs and paraphernalia that were supposedly confiscated from their house, before forcing them to sign documents without explaining their details.
She also accused Galacia, the TFAID chief, of sexually abusing both her sons after getting them drunk.
Full Story at: 9 NBI agents face raps over abuse of 2 suspects in cockfight case | Inquirer News
Senators weigh in on VAT refund for foreign tourists | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Senators Nancy Binay and Sonny Angara welcomed on Monday the approval of the Value-Added Tax Refund Program for foreign tourists. But Sen. JV Ejercito advised weighing its benefits.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has just approved the program, which would be implemented in 2024, to revitalize the country’s tourism industry.
The program would allow foreign tourists to get a VAT refund on their purchases here, which they could bring back home. The Bureau of Internal Revenue collects a 12-percent VAT on goods sold in the country.Full Story at: Senators weigh in on VAT refund for foreign tourists | Inquirer News
