tsa posted:

Not really, it's a problem of rich chinese using housing as a way to funnel money out of the country, blaming it on nebulous "capitalism" is and intellectually vacuous.

It's not a random coincidence that countries with extremely strong social programs have extremely restrictive immigration policies.

Xelkelvos posted:

Edit: Forgot that this is De Lima pushing this, so this is probably partially an attack on the Dutere administration and its political supporters and their gains from appealing to Chinese businesses

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/06/06/duterte-kissing-women-is-my-style/ posted:

Duterte, in his arrival speech in Pasay City, said that there was no malice about the kiss and that he is not sure why there would be outburst about an act which he called as “showbiz.”

“We enjoyed it. It was a showbiz and everybody enjoyed it. Asking for malice, I do not do it in public if there is malice. I would pull the woman’s — down somewhere along the empty hall there,” he said in his Wednesday predawn speech.

“Style ko ‘yan eh. Maghanap kayo ng ibang style ninyo (That’s my style. Find your own). There is nothing wrong in a simple kiss you cause an uproar. Inggit lang ‘yan sila (They are just jealous),” he added.

The President also said that he even used to lock lips with women in Davao City when he was campaigning for mayor. He said that some women just want romance.

“During the campaign in my mayorship days, I kiss every woman there, lips to lips… Hindi lang ‘yan smack, ‘yung ibang babae gusto talaga ng romance (Not just a smack. Some women really want romance),” he added.

However, Duterte refused to answer when asked about his common-law wife Honeylet Avanceña’s reaction about the controversial kiss.

“Tanong ‘yan ng mga pervert (That is the question of perverts). Why do you have to dwell on kissing? Next question,” he said.

quote:

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6) — "Radical changes" are coming in the following days, the President warned early Wednesday morning.

"Wina-warning ko lang kayong mga kriminal, lahat na. Nasa gobyerno, nasa labas. I will make radical changes in the days to come," President Rodrigo Duterte said just after his trip to South Korea.

[Translation: I am warning all you criminals, all of you. Those within government and the outside of it: I will make radical changes in the days to come.]

Duterte said the changes will cover "public order and security."

"There are too many crimes and too many claiming to be this and that, " Duterte said.

The warning came with a reference to martial law.

"Well, remember that there is — there's no difference actually between martial law and a declaration of national emergency. So I've been warning all. Lahat. I'm warning all including the Human Rights, it's either we behave or we will have a serious problem again," he said.

chird posted:

Urgh, electricity costs a fortune now.

THANKS OBAMA

quote:

Package 1B of the TRAIN law (House Bill 7105) was filed on Feb. 5, 2018 with the House of Representatives and referred to the committee on ways and means on Feb. 6, 2018. The Department of Finance (DOF) expects the bill to be passed this month.

Package 1B constitutes a general and estate tax amnesty, and relaxation of our Bank Secrecy Law.

I am personally looking forward to the passage of this bill. This will not only benefit the government and the Filipino taxpayers, but also enable us to promote honesty in paying taxes.

The estate tax amnesty will help our farmers maintain their lands, while the general tax amnesty can help our micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

In giving these small businesses a fresh start, we will be fostering economic growth from the ground up. However, we cannot simply stop there.

The root cause of the waived fines needs to be addressed as well, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Center for Strategic Reforms of the Philippines, has launched a certification program that aims to promote honesty and integrity in paying taxes to complement a general tax amnesty.

Revenue Memorandum Circular 60-2017 officially announced the launch of the Seal Of Honesty (SOH) Certification Program on July 2017.

Duly certified/awarded SOH taxpayers shall be entitled to benefits such as issuance of annual tax clearance without prejudice to information not available at the time of the issuance, last priority audit and other privileges which DTI and other government agencies may also extend to certified honest taxpayers.

You may visit https://www.sealofhonesty.ph or e-mail info@sealofhonesty.ph for more details about the certification.

To supplement the “economic growth from the ground up” of Package 1B, the government has also taken steps to foster economic growth from outside.

The long overdue corporate tax reform bill, filed on March 21, 2018 as House Bill 7458, was formally referred to the committee on ways and means on May 15, 2018. This bill constitutes Package 2 of the TRAIN law.

Already, we have one of the highest income tax rates in Asia Pacific, and this tax reform aims to address just that.

The proposed bill will provide a rate that is more competitive than that charged in our neighboring countries, complemented further by the lowered personal income taxes as implemented in Package 1 of the TRAIN lLaw.

We can expect this bill to result in more foreign direct investments and therefore spur economic development.

It is important to make sure that this reform will bring about equitable benefits to the currently promoted industries and economic zones.

Although there are dissenting opinions, I agree with the DOF on “the need to rationalize and modernize the tax incentive system to make incentives time-bound, performance-based and not excessively complex with far too many different, even overlapping laws, rules and regulations.”

While I fully support TRAIN 2 on lowering corporate income tax to 25 percent or even lower as our fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are planning to further lower their corporate income tax to remain competitive, it has to be immediate and not “contingent on the modernization of the fiscal incentives regime toward one that rewards those who truly deserve it.”

(The article reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the official stand of the Management Association of the Philippines or MAP. The author, popularly known as the Philippine Tax Whiz, is one of the 2017 Outstanding Young Persons of the World, one of the 2015 The Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM), an Asia CEO Young Leader of the Year, and founding president of the Asian Consulting Group (ACG) (formerly Abrea Consulting Group) and the Center for Strategic Reforms of the Philippines (CSR Philippines). Feedback at <consult@acg.ph> or <map@map.org.ph>. For previous articles, please visit )

quote:

Center for Strategic Reforms of the Philippines or CSR Philippines, is the official Think Tank of the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) and the Bureau of Internal Reveneue (BIR) on ease of doing business.

quote:

Throughout the years, NutriAsia workers endure a salary of P380 a day and work long hours for the overtime. All these while being a contractual employee.

BULACAN, Philippines – All they wanted was to be hired in regular positions.

Jornell Quiza, 28, was hired by contractor B-Mirk Enterprise sometime in 2010 to work for condiments company NutriAsia in Marilao, Bulacan. NutriAsia is the manufacturer of popular condiments such as Datu Puti vinegar, Mang Tomas sauce, and UFC ketchup.

Throughout the years, he had been assigned to different tasks. He started as a bottle feeder then came to be a machine operator for popular gravy sauce Mang Tomas. After figuring in an accident and getting ill, he was eventually moved to mixing Datu Puti soy sauce.

The work was hard but he had no other choice. For P380 a day, Quiza had to work overtime so he could make ends meet.

quote:

Note: 380 PHP is roughly 7 USD

"(Even uniforms or protective gear, we pay for it. They said they will reimburse, but not all receive reimbursement. Sometimes, we work more than 12 hours a day so that we have enough salary.)," he said.

He received no salary adjustments in his 7 years with NutriAsia. Worse, he was a contractual employee.

Quiza's experience was not an isolated case. It was the norm for more than a thousand employees of NutriAsia, mostly hired through contracting agencies.

When they created a union among workers in April, officers were laid off. Suspected members were threatened with suspension and were eventually removed as well.

In June, they decided they couldn't take it anymore. And so they went to the streets to hold a strike.

Violence

Jessie Gerola, president of Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng NutriAsia Inc [United Workers of NutriAsia Inc], led 200 people composed of workers and supporters, in holding a picket line across the factory in Marilao in June 4.

The act forced NutriAsia to suspend operations, as the picket barred entry to the plant. ([Related Article]: PH still among world's 'worst' countries to work in – report)

The NutriAsia management sought for a temporary restraining order (TRO) from a Regional Trial Court in Bulacan, and succeeded in getting not only one but two TROs.

Come Thursday, June 14, hundreds of policemen and security personnel guarded the gate of NutriAsia to enforce the said TROs. Those who joined the picket line were forced to leave.

But when a woman worker tried taking a video with her phone, a policeman shoved her arm to stop her from recording. Violence ensued.

"(They started to remove our makeshift camps. Because there were few of us in the picket line at that time, they dispersed us by forcing us out. They pushed us to the boundary.)," Gerola told Rappler.

'Like animals'

Quiza was also part of the picket line that Thursday afternoon. He and protesters laid to the ground, hoping that the police would not hit them.

"(We don't have arms for fighting, that's why we laid down to the ground.)," Quiza said.

But instead of exercising restraint, Quiza said that the police surrounded them and went on to beat them.

"(I wanted to escape, I wanted to leave so I won't be hit. But they came over me and continuously hit me.)," he said.

Junel Padaylap, Quiza's co-worker, received a heavy beating as well.

"(They didn't stop. As long as there was someone lying there, they will continue to hit them.)," Padaylap said.

The only way that made the police stop was when they acted as if they were dead. And then, they ran away.

"(We played dead. If we didn't leave, they will bring us to the precinct and file charges against us.)," he added.

Seventeen people, workers and supporters included, were detained at Meycauayan City and Marilao police stations after the dispersal. A minor, who was part of the leftist group supporters, was even among those detained.

But the police downplayed the incident, saying it was merely a "confrontation." They also blamed urban poor group Kadamay for allegedly instigating the violence.

Heavily guarded

A day after the violent dispersal, NutriAsia appeared to be heavily guarded still.

Several policemen and security personnel were at the gate of the condiments factory, refusing entry to anyone but authorized vehicles and people who live within the compound.

NutriAsia management, in a statement, denied that it was engaging in illegal labor practices. They said they "ensure that B-Mirk group provides all mandated benefits to its regular employees."

"For about two weeks, they (workers) managed to prohibit entry to and exit from the plant, which not only completely paralyzed operations but also disrupted the livelihood of fellow workers," the company added.

In an interview with Rappler, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) denounced the violence on Thursday, as well as the interference by the police and the RTC on the dispute.

Back in February, DOLE had ordered NutriAsia to place over 900 workers in permanent positions. It found that NutriAsia's contractors were engaging in labor-only contracting practices.

Moreover, DOLE said that NutriAsia was found violating labor laws and general labor standards.

"(What we want is for them to hear us. They disregard our sacrifices, and they don't acknowledge that it is us who make their products.)," Quiza said.

Grouchio posted:

So Duterte proclaimed that 'God is Stupid'.

quote:

Over 300 people are rounded up for violation of bans and ordinances on drinking, smoking, and loitering half naked in public

The QCPD said in a statement on Saturday, June 16, that the arrests were made following the pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte and directives from the Philippine National Police headquarters to rid off the streets of 'tambays' (loiterers) in a bid to lessen crime and maintain peace and order."

“(We intensified the implementation of our city ordinances in compliance with the President’s instructions to make our streets safer and more peaceful. I am reminding the public to follow the ordinances because this is for our welfare.),” said Chief Superintendent Joselito Esquivel Jr, QCPD chief.

In a speech before soldiers and cops, Duterte said if loiterers would not go home, he would deal with them himself. “(I’ll take care of it. Put them there. Tie their hands, I’ll throw them into ) –," he said, leaving the last word to the listeners' imagination.

quote:

Police arrested almost 3,000 people in Metro Manila the past five days in a renewed crackdown on “tambays” or nighttime idlers violating various ordinances.

PNP chief Dir. Gen. Oscar D. Albayalde said the National Capital Region Police Office arrested a total of 2,981 people from June 13 to 18.

Of these, 944 were arrested for violating curfew hours, 653 for drinking in public, 651 for going half-naked; 456 for smoking in public, 138 for traffic violation, and 139 for various offenses like littering, late-night videoke and urinating in public.

quote:

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday slammed the critics of his fresh order for police to round up “tambays” (loiterers), as human rights groups warn of abuse of authority by the police.

“(These human rights groups, don’t tell me what to do. I said round up the loiterers so the public may be able to walk safely at night.)," Duterte said in a speech during the 81st anniversary celebration of the Government Service Insurance System.

Critics have slammed Duterte’s order, saying it was reminiscent of the martial law era in the 1970s.

...

Loitering was a criminal offense under Article 202 of the Revised Penal Code, which defined vagrants as "any person found loitering about public places or wandering about the streets without visible means of support."

Former president Benigno Aquino III in 2012 signed a law decriminalizing vagrancy amid concerns that the Revised Penal Code has been used to justify arbitrary arrests against the poor.

The crackdown on tambays, however, may be violating citizens' right to freedom of movement and creating a culture of fear, said the Commission on Human Rights.

quote:

There is no stopping the Philippine National Police (PNP) in rounding up “tambays” or nighttime idlers as it arrested more than 7,000 people for allegedly violating ordinances in Metro Manila during the past week.

From 5:00 a.m. of June 13 to 5:00 a.m. of June 20, 2018, the five districts of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) arrested as much as 7,291 “tambays” in the past week, its regional director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said.

This gives an average of 1,042 arrests per day.

quote:

[P]olice say roughly 3,000 have been arrested for loitering while violating ordinances on curfews, public smoking, public nudity, and drinking in the streets

President Rodrigo Duterte sought to allay concerns about his order against "tambays" or loiterers, saying that anyway, people are not getting arrested after he issued his directive.

"(My order to police about loiterers, just follow my order. No one is getting arrested.)," he said on Wednesday, June 20.

Since Duterte repeated his order on "tambays" on June 13, police have arrested at least 2,981 people for supposedly loitering in the streets while allegedly violating city ordinances on curfews, public smoking, public nudity, and drinking in the streets.

A group of 6 was also detained by police in Makati City while they were waiting outside their friend's home, raising questions about how authorities would define "tambay" given Duterte's order.

...

In his Wednesday speech, Duterte repeated with gusto his warning against criminals he catches loitering.

"(The streets are not for criminals, you sons of bitches. Don't show yourself because you don't have the right to walk around, and if I see you, I'll seize you and that will be your last stroll.)" said the President.

quote:

Amid widespread criticism that police operations against loiterers or loafers were another antipoor campaign similar to the bloody war on drugs that had killed thousands, an angry President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said he never ordered the police to arrest “tambay.”

Speaking in Davao City on Friday night, the President, a longtime government prosecutor, said he was aware that loitering was not a criminal offense.

“Those sons of bitches were not listening,” he said, referring to his critics. “I never said, ‘arrested.’ But if you are drinking in the alley, in the squatters area and making a living room out of the road there, you’ll really get nabbed.”

“So that these deranged constitutionalists would know that loitering is not a crime – of course it is not,” the President said.

quote:

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the police to “arrest” teenagers loitering on the streets at night.

His latest directive came on Monday night, in the midst of a crackdown against “tambays” or loiterers.

“Below 18, you arrest the teenagers there around loitering because we have to protect our children. Drugs and other illegal stuff are everywhere,’ Duterte said in a speech before the oathtaking of newly-elected village chiefs of Northen Mindanao in Cagayan de Oro.

“You take them into custody not to arrest them, but for their own safety to protect them,” he added. “They are not being arrested for any crime. It’s for their own good that they are arrested.”

Mr. Duterte cited the principle of “parens patriae” in ordering for the arrest of minors, and putting them under government custody.

“We can take custody of the minors to protect them under the principle of parens patriae,” he pointed out.

He also said that his administration’s crackdown against loiterers would continue.

“We call them istambay. That’s the word. That is my order. And you continue to frisk people who are there on the street and that is legal,” he said.

“Until such time, that is my order,” he further told the police.

Duterte stressed that his order against loiterers is legal until the Supreme Court says otherwise.

“That to me is legal until the Supreme Court says it is illegal. Until the Supreme Court says or court says that I cannot do it,” he said.

He told the police not to mind critics and continue doing their jobs.

“Do not believe in the criticisms. Do not read it. It’s none of your business to be reading what they are talking about. It’s our business to follow what we are ordered to do,” he said.

gradenko_2000 posted:

gradenko_2000 posted:

chird posted:

Was forwarded this documentary, thought it was worth sharing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffPBYQEABQo

Give Up Tomorrow (2012) exposes shocking corruption within the judicial system of the Philippines in one of the most sensational trials in the country's history. (Chiong Murder Case)

Also looking for other Philippines documentary suggestions.

Argue posted:

Imelda had this amazing segment where they interviewed her and she started going into her life philosophy about humans, trees, how it all ties into binary code. It was incredible, and the best part was how after her long spiel, it cut immediately to a priest staring at the camera and saying "she talked about this for FOUR hours."

CronoGamer posted:

Also saw the headlines about Leni taking up the banner to be a uniting figure for the opposition. Kinda reminded me of Binay increasingly vilifying Aquino halfway through his term and getting stripped from his positions, except like, with a person who isn't wholly corrupt and laughably bad.

gradenko_2000 posted:

In this case, it's kind of the other way around - Robredo would probably have been willing to play ball with the administration the whole way through (because liberals are too decorous to call out Duterte's fascism), but Duterte fired her, and has been constantly escalating attacks on her as red meat for the base.

quote:

MANILA, Philippines (4th UPDATE) – President Rodrigo Duterte revoked the 2010 amnesty granted to opposition senator Antonio Trillanes IV, "effective immediately."

Duterte signed Proclamation No. 572, declaring Trillanes' amnesty "void ab initio."

Proclamation No. 572 was published in the Tuesday, September 4, issue of the Manila Times, under the advertisements section. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra confirmed the issuance of the proclamation to Rappler.

"The grant of amnesty to former LTSG Antonio Trillanes IV under Proclamation No. 75 is declared void ab initio because he did not comply with the minimum requirements to qualify under the Amnesty Program," the proclamation states.

Duterte ordered the Department of Justice and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) "to pursue all criminal and administrative cases" against Trillanes in relation to the Oakwood mutiny and the Manila Peninsula incident, which happened in 2003 and 2007, respectively.

He also ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the AFP "to employ all lawful means to apprehend" Trillanes so that he can be recommitted to his previous detention facility, the PNP Custodial Center.

Trillanes told reporters on Tuesday that he would not go into hiding and that he was ready to face what he called a "bogus" order.

In October 2010, former president Benigno Aquino III signed Proclamation No. 50 granting amnesty to Trillanes, who led the 2003 Oakwood mutiny and the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege against the administration of then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

He later issued Proclamation 75 in November 2010, superseding Proclamation 50. It was then concurred in by both chambers of Congress.

The legal effect of Duterte's proclamation, however, remains unclear, as Aquino's proclamation was concurred with by Congress.

Asked if Congress concurrence is needed for Proclamation No. 572, Guevarra told Rappler, "No need because it was void ab initio."

Duterte issued the proclamation nearly two months after Trillanes said the PNP removed his security detail. The PNP explained that it was part of a "comprehensive review" of police assignments.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III refrained from issuing the Senate position on Proclamation 572 pending a discussion among senators on the "serious and legal case." He said he had yet to receive an official copy of the document as of Tuesday noon.

In 2017, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo first floated the idea and said he would review it.

"There are some legal quarters expressing the same uncertainty or doubt on that. I'll go over the case. Anything that is not the law can be a precedent. It is always in the context of the law. So kung nagbigay siya ng amnesty na mali, hindi valid iyon (So if he granted an illegal amnesty, then it's not valid)," Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

In his ethics complaint against Trillanes in September 2017, Senator Richard Gordon had cited the senator's involvement in the 2003 and 2007 coup d'etat attempts during the Arroyo administration as among the grounds for his removal from the Senate.

In defense of Trillanes at the time, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon called for the removal of those grounds in the complaint since Trillanes was not yet a senator in 2003, while the other incident happened in 2007.

Trillanes is one of the most vocal critics of Duterte. He filed a plunder complaint against Duterte months ahead of the 2016 presidential elections for alleged undeclared wealth, but the Ombudsman ended the investigation in November 2017.

Trillanes has also repeatedly questioned Duterte's policies, especially his bloody anti-drug campaign.

In a speech in Cebu City in June, Duterte said that Trillanes would be "shot" someday because of his “arrogance.” The President said, “There will come a day that someone will shoot him because he's arrogant."

In response, Trillanes said, “Go ahead, Mr Duterte, order somebody to shoot me and, I assure you, it would lead to your end.”

Trillanes also drew the ire of other members of the presidential family, particularly resigned Davo City vice mayor Paolo Duterte and Manases Carpio, the husband of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio, whom he both accused of involvement in smuggling.

Sara had also slammed Trillanes for alleging that she and her father had secret bank accounts.

After the arrest of Senator Leila de Lima, another fierce critic of Duterte, Trillanes said he was ready to face the consequences of his resistance and to be detained again.

quote:

"I could not imagine of a country obey an insane leader. And I could not ever fathom the spectacle of a human being going into a killing spree, murdering old men, women, men, children, mother,"

anakha posted:

After that weird-as-hell session with Panelo earlier this week, I'm starting to think this whole Trillanes thing was masterminded by Calida and he persuaded Duterte to go along.

That, and Duterte looks more and more ill with every public appearance.

Argue posted:

I'm looking forward to his immediate successor, who will somehow be Bongbong Marcos. I don't know how they'll wrangle that outcome but I have faith in this shithole country.

quote:

A House committee draft federal charter authored by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other lawmakers skips over Vice President Leni Robredo as President Rodrigo Duterte's successor during the transition period to a federal form of government in the event he is unable to perform his duties.

Article XVII, Section 4 of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments' draft federal charter states that upon its ratification, the incumbent President and Vice President will continue to exercise their powers and functions until the election of their successors, which will be held on the second Monday of May 2022.

"In case a vacancy arises by reason of removal, resignation, permanent incapacity or death of the incumbent President, the incumbent Senate President shall as act as President until a President shall have been chosen and qualified," the section added.

Article XVII refers to "Transitory Provisions," which lay out the structure and status of the government during the transition period until the new federal government is fully operational.

Bongbong poll protest

In a phone interview with reporters, House panel chair Vicente Veloso said the decision to have the incumbent Senate President succeed Duterte is mainly due to the ongoing electoral protest of defeated vice presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos against Robredo.

He said that the Supreme Court, acting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal, may have differing decisions on the electoral protest, depending on the motion for reconsideration of the losing party.

"Because of this problem, since [sa] batas natin ang next sa line ng succession to the President ay Vice President at after the VP ang Senate President, may nag-propose na idiretso na lang sa Senate president para walang instability tayo in the occupancy sa napakaimportanteng position ng presidente," Veloso said.

["Because of this problem, since according to our laws, the next in the line of succession to the President is the Vice President and after the VP is the Senate President, someone proposed that we just go straight to the Senate president so that there's no instability in the occupancy of the very important position of President."]

"Tsaka it is not an only ongoing protest, the dispute involves a very slim margin. 'Yun lang naman ang punto ng proponent," he added.

["Also, it is not only an ongoing protest, the dispute involves a very slim margin. That's the only point the proponents are making."]

Duterte has openly declared his aversion to the idea of Robredo—who leads the opposition—taking over from him, even saying he would prefer Marcos, who holds no elected position, as his successor.

The draft federal charter's resolution has been endorsed to the chamber's plenary after it has been approved by the panel.

Aside from this provision, the panel's draft federal charter also states that the term of the incumbent President and Vice President, which will end on June 30, 2022, will not be extended.