03 MARCH 2019

6 NEWS
Sunday, 3 March 2019
Daily Tribune
Goal is lives
made easier
The POEA was also tasked
to implement an intensified
program against illegal
recruitment
From page 1
and update periodically a handbook on
the rights and responsibilities of migrant
workers as provided by Philippine laws
and the existing labor and social laws of
the receiving country that will protect
and guarantee the rights of migrant
workers.”
Idiotic act Dumped colorum tricycles make for an ugly sight at the Manila seedling bank on lawns and spaces which should have been
used for growing trees.
ANALY LABOR
From page 1
one entitled The Grass is Always
Greener Over the Septic Tank.
But John Barquilla and Carl Jhaziril
have proven her wrong. The two were
arrested Friday night with suspected
drug pusher Marlon Rebucan following a
Justice via full effort
Effective rule of law is the
foundation for communities of
justice, opportunity and peace
From page 1
administration of justice as he said the
Executive cannot do it alone.
“The four universal principles
of the World Justice Project rule
of law framework, which include
accountability, just laws, open
government and accessible and impartial
dispute resolution, require the support
of all branches of the government,”
Panelo said.
“We need the support of Congress
for the enactment of laws under just
laws and open government as well
as the cooperation of the Judicial
Branch for the timely delivery of justice
under accessible and impartial dispute
resolution,” he added.
All Rody advocacies
“The Duterte administration has
been tirelessly working on these since
Day One and we are pleased of the
Philippines’ improved global rank in
2019 as a result of our initiatives. We
will not rest and continue exerting
efforts on this aspect,” Panelo said.
The country remains among the
bottom three countries, along with
Myanmar and Cambodia, in the East
Asia and Pacific region when it comes
to adherence to the rule of law.
The report noted the rankings were
made based on eight factors — constraints
on government powers; absence of
corruption; open government;
fundamental rights; order and security;
regulatory enforcement; civil justice, and
criminal justice.
Green grass of throne
sting operation. Pictures from Barquilla
and Jhaziril’s cellphones indicated
the two are cultivating marijuana at a
certain location.
In a follow-up operation at a residence
in Barangay Sta. Lucia, Quezon City
authorities found pots in the rooftop of
a house but whatever was planted in
Panelo stressed that the WJP’s
definition of the effective rule of law
is already embodied in the Duterte
administration’s Philippine Development
Plan.
“The World Justice Project defines
effective rule of law as reducing corruption,
combating poverty and disease and
protecting people from injustice large
and small — which are all embodied in
the Duterte administration’s Philippine
Development Plan 2017-2022 with the
following strategic outcomes: enhancing
the social fabric, inequality-reducing
transformation and increasing growth
potential,” Panelo said.
Lags in Asia
The WJP report revealed the
Philippines also placed at the bottom
of the roster for East Asia and the
Pacific region, ranking 13th out of 15,
ahead only of Myanmar and Cambodia.
It ranked 14th out of 30 among lower
middle income countries.
Overall, ranked at the top of the WJP
Rule of Law Index 2019 were Denmark
(1), Norway (2) and Finland (3). The
bottom three were the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (124), Cambodia
(125) and Venezuela (126).
We need the support of Congress
for the enactment of laws under
just laws and open government.
Meanwhile, East Asia and Pacific’s
top performer was New Zealand (8th
out of 126 countries globally), followed
by Australia and Singapore.
“Effective rule of law is the foundation
for communities of justice, opportunity
and peace,” William Neukom, WJP
founder and CEO, said in the report.
“No country has achieved a perfect
realization of the rule of law. The WJP
them were hurriedly taken out.
Further search in an adjacent vacant
lot led to the discovery of marijuana
grown in six old water dippers used as
pots. The raiding team was surprised to
find another marijuana plant, a bigger
one, growing in a toilet bowl filled with
soil.
The suspects are facing charges for
violation of the Comprehensive Drugs
Act. But Barquilla and Jhaziril have at
least proven one thing: the grass grows
greener at the toilet bowl.
There were several laws signed
last week, the rice tariffication, then
the expanded maternity leave and the
improvement of Social Security Service
(SSS) benefits, Andanar said in a radio
interview.
“If you’re an SSS member and
become involuntarily unemployed, you
will receive an allowance of a minimum
10,000 to tide you over while looking for
a new occupation,” Andanar added.
There was also the Universal Health
Care Law which grants all Filipinos
access to medication, he said.
“That takes care of the eventuality of
suffering a disease,” he added.
Migrants plight eased
Mr. Duterte also signed into law a
measure that mandated the publication
of a handbook that contains the rights
and responsibilities of overseas Filipino
workers (OFW).
Signed by the President on 22
February 2019 and made public by
Malacañang yesterday, Republic Act
11227, also known as the Handbook for
OFW Act of 2018, directs the Philippine
Overseas Employment Administration
(POEA) “to develop, publish, disseminate
Proudly local Footwear sells like hot cakes in Lucban, Quezon, a destination at this period of the year.
Rule of Law Index is intended to be
a first step in setting benchmarks,
informing reforms, stimulating programs
and deepening appreciation and
understanding for the foundational
importance of the rule of law.”
Adherence to law
The index measures rule of law
adherence in 126 countries and
jurisdictions worldwide was based on
more than 120,000 household and 3,800
expert surveys.
Washington-based WJP said the
index “measures countries’ rule
of law performance across eight
factors: Constraints on Government
Powers, Absence of Corruption, Open
Government, Fundamental Rights, Order
and Security, Regulatory Enforcement,
Civil Justice and Criminal Justice.”
The administration
of President
Rodrigo Duterte
Illegal recruiters targeted
The POEA was also tasked to
implement an intensified program against
illegal recruitment, in cooperation with
other law enforcement agencies.
It also taps the POEA, Departments
of Labor and Employment and Foreign
Affairs (DFA) to promote the welfare of
OFW and ensure that their rights are
recognized and protected.
The Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration, DFA, Inter-Agency
Council Against Trafficking, Commission
on Filipinos Overseas and Maritime
Industry Authority are also part of the
undertaking.
There were several laws signed
last week, the rice tariffication,
then the expanded maternity
leave and the improvement of
Social Security Service benefits.
The handbook, to be written in
English and then translated to different
local dialects, will be given for free to
land-based and sea-based OFW.
It aims to empower Filipinos working
overseas by making them fully aware of
their benefits and drawbacks by being
employed in a foreign land.
ROMAN PROSPERO
earlier had drawn criticisms for alleged
violations of the rule of law in pursuit of
its bloody war on drugs and the arrest
of critics. Administration officials have
many times defended the campaign,
saying drug suspects slain in police
operations had resisted arrest.
Upon his inauguration in 2016,
Duterte vowed to follow the rule
of law.
Real people power Restoring Manila Bay to its old glory needed peripheral rehabilitation work in other waterways such as in Navotas West where trash removal was led by barangay officials.
ROMAN PROSPERO