DT_20190724

A4 NEWS
Wednesday, 24 July 2019
Daily Tribune
Experts
decide on ML
Both houses of Congress
approved the third extension
which took effect last 1
January and will last until 31
December
From page 1
CONSTRUCTION workers spruce up a building in preparation for the rainy season.
‘Cinderella curfew’ needs more study
From page 1
for a nationwide closure of entertainment
and food establishments and bars at
midnight needs a thorough study.
Sotto stressed that Duterte’s call
— delivered during his fourth State of
the Nation Address (SoNA) on Monday
— could be considered in certain areas
of the country, but implementation on
a national scale is not feasible.
“We have to study the proposal
thoroughly, it would be better to start at
the local level through ordinances,” Sotto
said. “We have to consider the advantages
and disadvantages.”
“Bar owners might deceive us
like what happened before, when
they claimed the establishment
(was) closed but (was) packed
with clients inside,” he added.
The Senate President noted
that they will also study its effects
on the local level, noting that
Duterte had already done it in
Davao City.
In his SoNA, the President said
he wants Congress to pass a law that
would require establishments across
the country to close by midnight.
But during a post-SoNA interview,
Duterte clarified that what he said
was just a suggestion.
“No, no. I was just suggesting. I’d like
to — Congress to ponder on it and maybe
sleep on it and if they want. But it can
improve tremendously the quality of life.
Stop drinking at almost 11 (p.m.) then you
go home,” Duterte said.
Too commercial
In another development related to
the President’s SoNA, Land Bank of the
Philippines on Tuesday said it will be
working closely with the Department
of Agrarian Reform to fast-track the
distribution of individual land titles to
agrarian reform beneficiaries as a means
to improve the bankability of small farmers,
the Department of
Finance
(DoF) said in
a statement.
This was
a reaction
to President
Duterte
calling out
the financial
institution
for being
too “commercialized” on Monday.
The Chief Executive lamented how
LandBank seems more focused on
commercial endeavors rather than projects
in the agricultural sector to help the
farmers.
The Finance department said
LandBank would heed Mr. Duterte’s
directive and assured that “the institution
has sufficient funds to accomplish this
mission.”
It also bared that it is “pushing through
with its acquisition of shares in the
Philippine Dealing System Holdings Corp.”
for more capital.
“Moreover, LandBank also performs
other critical functions such as
distributing cash grants to the Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program households
and the Pantawid Pasada fuel subsidy
beneficiaries,” according to the DoF.
The President in his SoNA served
notice to LandBank “to revert” to its
original mandate of serving people “who
can barely negotiate with a bank” by
month’s end.
Otherwise, he warned, he would
be forced to ask Congress to
“reconfigure” it.
“There’s no need
ANALY LABOR
to bring the money. They can have
loans then they can get the fertilizers,
the seedlings, the… whatever. But they
have to serve primarily the people,”
Mr. Duterte said in his post-SoNA press
conference.
“That’s why they’re called LandBank.
I suppose that was what really was
intended by the lawmakers at that time,”
he added.
Founded in 1963 and categorized as
a “specialized government bank” with a
universal banking license, LandBank’s
primary task then was to help farmers
with the purchase of agricultural estates
for division and resale to small landholders
and the purchase of land by the agricultural
lessee.
Directly under the DoF,
it is currently being headed
by Cecilia Borromeo who
was appointed as its
president and CEO in
March this year.
Esperon said he will do so “due to
the sustained rebellion in the region” as
shown by recent bombing attacks there.
“He will listen to those who are
knowledgeable on the facts existing
on the ground,” Panelo said in a press
conference.
“If that is the recommendation of the
President’s men on the ground, he will
listen,” he reiterated.
Mr. Duterte first placed Mindanao
under martial law on 23 May 2017 after
the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group
attacked and occupied Marawi City.
The Senate and House of
Representaives have twice extended
military rule in the region after the
initial proclamation — first on 23 July
to 31 December 2017 and 13 December
2017 to 31 December 2018.
Both houses of Congress approved the
third extension which took effect last 1
January and will last until 31 December.
The Palace previously said the
President could exercise “special
powers” if it would mean protecting the
security and welfare of the nation and
the people, especially amid concerns of
terrorism spilling over to Metro Manila
from Mindanao.
The President himself, several weeks
back, said he sees “dangerous times ahead”
and that he can feel his hands “sweating”
at the mere thought of terrorism spreading
in other parts of the country.
“I see very dangerous times ahead.
And I hope that we will be able to
contain whatever there is really to…
My hands sweat just thinking about
[what would happen] if it would go awry
outside of Sulu and Basilan Islands,” he
expressed.
ZIPPER lane is implemented along Commonwealth Avenue in Tandang Sora in Quezon City.
From page 1
new investors coming in. Our lands are
our problem,” he said.
“A science-based national land use plan
would serve as basis for the LGU (local
government units) in crafting respective
development plans and help disperse economic
activities to the countryside,” he added.
This was not the first time the
President called on both houses to pass
the proposed measure.
He asked Congress to pass the NLUA
in two previous SoNA -— in 2017 and 2018.
The NLUA has been sitting in
Duterte pleads Land Use Act
The NLUA, once enacted, would greatly help the country manage
its resources and provide further safeguards to biodiversity and
clearer guidelines for infrastructure development
Congress for over two decades, even
after it was already certified as urgent
by former President Benigno Aqunio III
in 2013 and then by Mr. Duterte.
Passage of the measure is deemed
critical by the Chief Executive as it
will establish a national land use plan
that will classify property according
to use: protection (for conservation),
production (for agriculture and
fisheries), settlements development (for
residential purposes) and infrastructure
development (for transportation,
communication, water resources and
social infrastructure).
According to the President, the
NLUA, once enacted, would greatly
help the country manage its resources
and provide further safeguards to
biodiversity and clearer guidelines for
infrastructure development.
The NLUA would also help the
national government map agricultural
lands which can be cultivated for the
country’s food security, determine
highly hazardous areas as the
Philippines is susceptible to natural
disasters and provide better safeguards
for communities, especially in the
countryside where land use regulation
is required the most.
The lower house approved its version
of the NLUA back in May 2017. The upper
chamber, meanwhile, has five filed
counterpart versions in the environment
and natural resources committee.
ANALY LABOR
THEODORE Te (left), former Philippine Supreme Court spokesman and lawyer for
journalist Maria Ressa who leads online outlet Rappler, shakes hands with prosecution
attorneys Ryan Cruz (right) and Joseph Banguis (center) after the start of Ressa’s trial
in Manila.
AFP