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Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
SEP 13, 2002
FILENAME: cbSep13
***Three (3) stories***
1. Support the UN decision re: Iraq
2. NO TO INCREASE IN SSS MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS -- KABAYAN
3. MORE VIOLATIONS IN PIATCO CONTRACT WILL SOON BE BARED - BARBERS
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Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
September 13, 2002
Support the UN decision re: Iraq
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Senate Majority Leader Loren Legarda yesterday expressed support for the call of United Nations Secretary-General Koffi Annan that any resort to force against Iraq should have the authority of the United Nation.
Legarda also renewed her warning that the Filipinos are bound to suffer should war break out in the Middle East. " Not only will millions of Filipinos lose their jobs, and become a responsibility later to our government, but the price of gasoline might soar beyond the capability of ordinary Filipinos to afford,"
She recalled that in 1973 Arab-Israeli war oil prices spiraled, never to return to their previous level, wreaking havoc on the Philippine economy. 'We had a hard time adjusting to the new price of gasoline after that," she observed.
On the war threat against Iraq, Legarda pointed out that under Sec. 2 of the Philippine Constitution, the Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national policy, adopts the generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land and adhered to the policy, equality and justice, freedom, cooperation and amity with all nations."
On the basis of the Constitution, Legarda affirmed that the Philippines has no other option but to support the primary role of the United Nations in settling international dispute.
"In accordance with our constitution, and as a member of the United Nations, our government is duty bound to honor its charter and to seek peace and amity among all nations." Legarda explained.
Legarda asserted that international law does not recognize "preemptive war" as a just war. She cited Sec. 3 of the UN charter which affirms that "states shall refrain in the international relations from the threat of use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state." She said.
Further, Legarda said, the Philippine must avoid being perceived as participating in a clash of civilization pitting Christians against Muslims, especially since a substantial number of Filipino citizens are musliims.
"Our failure to move for a peaceful solution to the Iraqi problem could exacerbate our own local Muslim insurgency. We must avoid at all costs adding fuel to the fires of rebellion in our country," Legarda declared.
Senator Manuel Villar meanwhile asked the Department of Foreign Affairs to look into the claims of former Overseas Filipino Workers in Iraq who have yet to receive their so called war compensation released by the UN.
Villar, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations explained that during the Gulf War in 1991, Filipinos who were evacuated from the area were to receive war compensation from the UN representing their unpaid wages.
The sum was said to have been released by the U.N. compensation commission to the DFA but several claimants have yet to receive what is due them.
"This problem must be immediately addressed by the DFA," said Villar pointing out that these payments are the product of the hard work of OFWs who worked hard for whatever is due them.
Villar laments that more than 10 years after the Gulf war, they have yet to receive their compensation. and with another round of impending conflict in Iraq, Villar said that government should see to it that the wages of the OFWs in the middle East who will be evacuated will be accorded them.///camille p. balagtas--NEXT STORY
STORY NO. 2
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Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
September 13, 2002
NO TO INCREASE IN SSS MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS -- KABAYAN
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"You cannot increase the regular worker's SSS contributions without sufficient and convincing justification."
This is the stand of Sen. Noli "Kabayan" de Castro, chairman of Senate committee on Social Justice, with regard to the Social Security System's plan to hike member contributions.
It was reported that SSS shall start dipping into its reserves six years from now, in 2008, and funds will be drained by 2015, as claimed by SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Corazon De La Paz.
Senator de Castro said that since SSS has two sources of revenues, that of contributions and investments, the solution to its current financial difficulties must come from the latter and not from the contributions, considering the present situation of the workforce.
He questioned the motive of the government financial institution in demanding an increase in our lowly workers' monthly contributions in view of the reported losses which were said to be a result of blatant mismanagement and alleged anomalies.
"Before resorting to the workers to save SSS from its financial crisis, why not make those who are behind the bad investments be held liable for the incurred losses? Try to deal with this problem with the right managerial decisions. At ang pagtaas ng kontribusyon ng mga kaawa-awang manggagawa ay hindi nararapat na hakbang sa paglutas ng problemang ito," said de Castro.
Senator de Castro further noted that the problem of poor compliance by SSS members on preminum payment should also be addressed, as this could be a viable solution to its financial trouble. From the 24 million members, only 8 million are actually contributing to the fund.
"If SSS will only be able to collect from the other two-thirds of the SSS members, probably they would not need to call for an increase. Exhaust first all the available remedies before passing the burden to the workers," de Castro said.
With reports of anomalies and bad investments by SSS officials, Senator de Castro thinks that a Senate investigation is proper, not only to get to the bottom of these allegations but moreso to come up with a more efficient policy for the administration and management of the pension fund.
Senator de Castro noted that SSS should be mindful of the fact that workers' salaries have not been increased and therefore the SSS charges should remain proportional to their salary.
"It is a reality that an ordinary Filipino laborer, whenever payday comes, is burdened with the problem of how to survive with his meager income. Bawat piso ay may paggamitan. Paano ito magkakasya sa kanyang pamilya at mga personal na gastusin kung muli pang babawasan ng SSS," de Castro said.
As long as this reality remains unresolved by the government, De Castro pointed out that one way we could alleviate the poor worker's plight is not to strain them with unnecessary fees but to grant them additional incentives and concessions.
"Huwag natin patayin ang sector ng manggagawa bagkus ay tulungan natin sila," de Castro concluded.///camille p. balagtas NEXT STORY
STORY NO. 3
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Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
September 13, 2002
MORE VIOLATIONS IN PIATCO CONTRACT WILL SOON BE BARED - BARBERS
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Senator Robert Z. Barbers today said the declaration of a Japanese firm that Philippine International Air Terminal Co., failed to conform to the "approved tender design" when it proceeded to build a cargo terminal in an unapproved site may prove that PIATCO has violated several more provisions of its contract just to pursue the construction of the controversial $523 million of NAIA-Terminal 3.
Barbers said that if PIATCO was not able to conform with international safety and efficiency standards by constructing a cargo terminal at a particular site allegedly even without the approval of the government, it is highly possible that other violations may have been committed by it which may be exposed as soon as other personalities become subjects of the ongoing Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigations.
The Mindanao solon was reacting to reports that the Japanese firm Hideaki Iida declared that PIATCO had gone on to build a cargo terminal in the areas designated for a wastewater treatment plant and a parking lot. The Japanese firms said it was not aware of any written approval by the government to construct a cargo terminal in the said locations.
"PIATCO officials themselves are putting their own company in hot water because of the allegedly numerous anomalous contract violation now being unveiled. As we continue to thoroughly probe the PIATCO-NAIA 3 Airport Terminal contract, I know that more unexpected and irregular dealings will be bared," the Mindanao solon said.
Meanwhile, Barbers expressed doubts that renegotiation of contract between PIATCO and the seven-man Presidential Committee is the appropriate move to rectify what has been earlier discovered to be disadvantageous for the government.
Barbers stressed that Malacanang should bear in mind that Sec. Gloria Tan Climaco, Presidential Adviser for Strategic Projects and a member of the said committee raised not just a few but 26 major issues against the PIATCO agreement. "Before any renegotiation is made, what should be thoroughly scrutinized first are not just the provisions believed to be unacceptable but more importantly the concerns raised by Sec. Climaco," he added.///camille p. balagtas
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