Viral Issues

Philippine Ambassador to China Jose “Chito” Sta. Romana on Wednesday did not confirm whether the Philippines will raise the country's arbitral win in upcoming bilateral talks with China about the maritime dispute.

Sta. Romana told reporters in Beijing that the issue would be raised "at a proper time," echoing President Rodrigo Duterte.

“This is the mechanism that could provide a setting for it. The question is at what point will you bring it up and the president’s instruction is quite clear: at the proper time. We don’t start with the issue that will divide you. We start with the issues that what…if there is a mechanism for discussing it, this is it. At the proper time as the President has said,” he said.

Sta. Romana, the leader of the Philippine delegation, refused to reveal the talking points of the inaugural bilateral dialogue on Friday that would center on finding areas of cooperation.

"As I’ve said, whatever we’re going to present on Friday will be in line with the President’s directive and the President’s directive is very clear: Find a peaceful and diplomatic approach to resolve the issue so as to preserve peace and stability and to further improve bilateral relations and to avoid confrontation, avoid violence that will lead to nobody’s benefit," he said.

"Sometimes you have to give diplomacy a chance and I think the President's friendly position towards China and his independent foreign policy," he added.

The first China-Philippines bilateral consultation mechanism on the South China Sea issue will be held in Guiyang in China's Guizhou province. The Chinese delegation will be led by Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying echoed Sta. Romana's statement that the bilateral consultative mechanism will establish an institutional platform for dialogues on the South China Sea-related issues

"China hopes and believes that the two countries will build up consensus, enhance mutual trust, disperse suspicion, properly manage disputes, and move forward maritime practical cooperation through bilateral dialogues so as to make the conditions more favorable towards the final settlement of the relevant dispute and create a good atmosphere for the sound and steady development of bilateral ties and the smooth progress of practical cooperation in various fields," she said in a briefing on Tuesday.

Senior officials of the ASEAN and China will also hold a meeting before the bilateral talks in the same city for the framework of the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea. —JST, GMA News

A bill seeking to “compress” the required work hours into a four-day work week has passed the committee level at the House of Representatives.

House Bill 5068 got the unanimous approval of the House labor panel earlier this week.

Under the said measure, laborers may only have to work for four or five days a week, instead of the current maximum of six days a week under Presidential Decree 442, or the Labor Code.

The number of normal work hours shall remain at 48 hours, or eight hours a day, which will be “compressed” in these days.

The bill’s author, Baguio Rep. Mark Go, said such arrangements “give employers and employees flexibility in fixing hours of work compatible with business requirements and the employees’ need for balanced work-life.”

“This proposed measure seeks to institutionalize the compressed work week scheme as it proves to promote competitiveness, efficiency and productivity in business and industries,” he added.

Go, however, clarified that adopting the scheme will only be on voluntary basis if the measure is passed into law. — MDM, GMA News

Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday said it is important for institutions in the Philippines to show that they are working to address complaints against the government.

Robredo reiterated that it is better if such matters are handled locally, instead of having to seek intervention from an international body.

“Isa naman tayong sovereign na bansa, kaya mahalaga din na ipakita ng ating institusyon na hindi niya isinasantabi ‘yung mga reklamo ng sambayanan, para hindi kinakailangan na maghahanap ng recourse sa iba,” she said at the sidelines of the launch of Brigada Eskwela 2017 in Balara Elementary School, Quezon City.

The Vice President made the comment after Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said he may elevate his complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC), after the House committee on justice junked his impeachment plea on Monday.

Alejano opened up about the possibility as he vowed to pursue other ways to secure justice over Duterte's alleged misdoings, notably the spate of extrajudicial killings since the latter became president.

If Alejano's plan pushes through, this will be the second information sent to the ICC against Duterte, the first one from lawyer coming from Jude Sabio, lawyer of self-confessed hitman and Davao Death Squad member Edgar Matobato, who had testified against the President before a Senate inquiry.

Herself vocal over the spate of killings in the country, Robredo said anyone is free to avail of such remedy, though she is unsure if the "complaint" will prosper.

Still, she maintained that it would be “ideal” for matters like this to be resolved under the country’s own institutions, noting that the ICC is a court of last resort.

“Tingin ko hindi natin mahihinto kahit sino na gusto mag-avail ng mga prosesong available,” she said. “Pero siyempre, sa atin, bilang bansa, mas gusto natin na nire-resolve natin ‘yung mga problema on our own.”

“Ito sa atin, ‘yun nga, sinasabi ko na ‘yung ideal nag-wo-work ‘yung institutions natin, at umaasa tayo at nagtitiwala na ‘yung mga reklamo ng bawat isa [ay] natutugunan ng institusyon,” she added.

During the interview, the Vice President was also asked about the impeachment complaints drafted against her. The complainants are seeking endorsement from lawmakers, notably House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

Robredo said she has not seen the complaints, rooted on several grounds, notably her controversial video message for the side session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs annual meeting in which she raised concerns on Duterte’s drug war.

“‘Yung sa atin kasi, hindi nabigyan ng pagkakataon na maipahayag ‘yung… hindi nabigyan ng pagkakataon na marinig namin kung merong basehan ‘yung reklamo,” she said, then reiterated anew that courts and other judicial bodies should deal with complaints properly, so that the people will not need to seek help from “others.” — BAP, GMA News

The Liberal Party (LP) on Tuesday decried the supposed “barrage of fake news” against its president, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.

In a statement, the former ruling political party said social media trolls have been spreading the fake story of Pangilinan and Senator Risa Hontiveros supposedly holding hands after they visited Senator Leila de Lima in detention.

A “second wave of deception,” the party said, involves old news stories on Pangilinan’s use of his Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF), commonly known as pork barrel.

“The barrage of fake news came after Senator Pangilinan questioned the government’s proposal to get as state witness alleged pork-barrel scam mastermind Janet Napoles,” said the LP.

“This is meant to discredit those who oppose this plan,” the party added.

The LP advised the public to be “smart consumers of information.”

“News is new, not old. News is complete, not piecemeal. News is what you witness, not just what you quote,” it said.

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said the Senate will study the propagation of fake news and trolls in social media.

Pimentel advised the party, however, to use technology as well to fight fake news.

“Currently, there are no rules regarding trolls so if trolls [are] now the new political strategy, then being a political party, they develop their own strategy,” Pimentel said.

“A word of caution, hindi lahat ng problema sa mundo ay kaya i-solve ng batas…But tignan natin if a law can address this. Whatever law we enact, who are going to be liable? Where are they?” the Senate leader said, adding that he himself has become a victim of such kind of news. —Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/KBK, GMA News

The Department of Education (DepEd) will focus on the rehabilitation of quake-hit schools in Batangas and Surigao del Norte provinces, and the training of students and teachers for disaster response as part of "Brigada Eskwela 2017," a report on Balitanghali said Friday.

"Maraming natural disasters ngayon, nangyayari during the day when the children are in school. Ayun ang mga teachers, kina-capacitate, ang mga bata tine-train, kasi these are very traumatic experiences for the children," DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said.

The DepEd said it is currently assessing the damage sustained by schools recently hit by calamities, noting that temporary classrooms would be built while damaged schools are being rehabilitated.

"Ito yung temporary classroom muna na magamit nila habang tinatayo o kinukumpuni yung mga nasirang silid aralan," Undersecretary Jesus Mateo said.

Surigao City was hit by a magnitude 6.7 quake in February, while Batangas was rocked by a magnitude 5.5 tremor last month.

Meanwhile, the DepEd will also push for a mandatory drug testing for both students and teachers.

The DepEd is also eyeing to convince about four million out-of-school youth to join the Alternative Learning System (ALS).

About 53,831 teaching positions are open for vacancy as part of the program, in which 20,000 teachers will be assigned to kinder and junior high school and 30,000 to senior high school.

The DepEd earlier released its implementing guidelines for the 2017 Brigada Eskwela with the theme, "Isang DepEd, Isang Pamayanan, Isang Bayanihan Para sa Handa at Ligtas na Paaralan."

This will be conducted on May 15 to 20, 2017.

"Brigada Eskwela" is the national schools' maintenance week, DepEd aims that this would bring all education stakeholders together to participate and contribute their time, effort and resources.

DepEd said that its regional and school division offices will hold a caravan on May 15 to launch the first day of Brigada Eskwela.

The national kick-off ceremony will be in Cebu City on May 15. — Marlly Rome Bondoc/MDM, GMA News