BTA introduces bill to create reg’l database for informal sector

 File photo

COTABATO CITY – To provide equal protection to the informal workers and ensure the delivery of assistance from the government, some members of the Bangsamoro Parliament are pushing for the institutionalization of the registration and database of all members of the informal economy.

The authors of Parliament Bill No. 109, or the “Informal Economy Registration and Bangsamoro Database Act”, noted that it is important to establish a database that will address informal workers’ employment quality and assist local government units (LGUs) in having a standardized identification of recipients for relief assistance.

Under the measure, the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE), in coordination with the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA), shall establish and maintain the said database.

It covers all workers and economic units in the informal economy, including enterprises, entrepreneurs, and households throughout the region.

Moreover, the database will secure information about self-employed workers, cooperative members, home-based workers, workers in domestic settings, workers in unrecognized and unregulated employment, farmers and fisherfolks, among others, which will be acquired from the local development councils on informal workers of each LGU.

It will also serve as the official registry and basis of the Bangsamoro Government during the distribution of assistance and intervention to the said beneficiaries.

If passed, the MOLE shall publish a report every three years on the informal economy’s status and growth of employment and economic activities. (PUBLICATION AND MEDIA RELATIONS DIVISION / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

BTA directs Darul-Ifta to issue Islamic ruling on Halal governance

COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) adopted a resolution directing Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta to issue “fatwa” or Islamic ruling on what constitutes Halal conduct of Bangsamoro officials and employees in governance and service.

Officials and staff of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are considered “khalifa” or stewards of Allah, according to the resolution, and must act with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency. 

Member of Parliament (MP) Abdullah Hashim, who introduced the resolution in the plenary, stated that moral governance holds politicians accountable not only to the public but also to the Creator.

“The concept of halal is generally considered in legislation as only regarding the permissible food, drinks, and goods, and the manner of ‘purity’ of such items. But halal also encompasses the permissible actions of an individual, which in the context of this resolution, the permissible actions of the public servant, and the purity of their actions,” explained MP Hashim during his speech.

Darul-Ifta, he added, is the best agency to define Halal acts which will guide the Bangsamoro officials toward serving the public with “integrity, loyalty and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.”

The Bangsamoro Parliament also encouraged all newly appointed employees to take their oath of moral governance before the Office of the Wali. (PUBLICATION AND MEDIA RELATIONS DIVISION / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

Bill up for establishing Bangsamoro Parliament Corporate Body

 BTA-BARMM Member of Parliament Khadafe Mangudadatu (File photo courtesy of Bangsamoro Information Office-BARMM) 

COTABATO CITY – Nine lawmakers in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have filed a bill Wednesday, June 23, seeking to upgrade the Buluan District Hospital (BDH) in Maguindanao province into a Level II facility with a 200-bed capacity to accommodate more patients.

Member of Parliament Khadafe Mangudadatu authored Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Bill No. 92 that seeks to upgrade the BDH in Buluan town that is currently operating at Level I with a 75-bed capacity. 

Other BTA MPs supporting the bill are lawyers Raissa Jajurie, Jose Lorena, Nabil Tan, Paisalin Tago, Omar Yasser Sema; and also Dr. Zul Qarneyn Abas, Abraham Burahan, Ziaur-Rahman Adiong, and BTA Speaker Ali Pangalian Balindong.

The BDH, one of the eight government hospitals in Maguindanao, was established as a 25-bed capacity emergency hospital in 1975 under Presidential Decree 503.

It was elevated to a district hospital in 1982 and approved as a 75-bed capacity hospital by the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao-Regional Legislative Assembly through the Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 308.

Mangudadatu said the hospital caters to the residents of the towns of Buluan, Datu Paglas, Pandag, Mangudadatu, and General Salipada K. Pendatun.

“It also serves indigent patients from nearby Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato provinces,” he said. 

Mangudadatu said although the hospital has been catering an equivalent of a 100-bed capacity through the years, it remains understaffed equivalent to a 25-bed capacity facility.

“We, as the parliament of the people, cannot turn a blind eye on the unconscionable sacrifice of our medical workers,” he added.

He said the BDH workers, in their desire to serve the needs of the people, would work longer hours to compensate for the deficiencies in manpower and other service facilities, especially amid the pandemic.

“In raising the bed capacity of the hospital, the number of medical personnel shall be correspondingly increased,” Mangudadatu said.

The bill also mandates the Ministry of Health-BARMM to perform direct supervision and control of the construction and upgrading of the hospital facilities and services. (EDWIN FERNANDEZ, PNA / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

BTA bill creating office for veteran Mujahideen now on 2nd reading

 (File photo)

COTABATO CITY – A measure creating the Bangsamoro Veteran Mujahideen Affairs Office, which will cater to the needs of the underprivileged “veteran mujahideen”, is now up on second reading. 

Engr. Aida Silongan, who is also a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, introduced Parliament Bill No. 25 or otherwise known as the “Bangsamoro Veteran Mujahideen Act”, before the plenary.

Both Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) combatants aged 70 and older are eligible for financial, medical, social, and other support under the proposed measure.

Veteran mujahideen, as defined by the bill, are MILF and MNLF who took part in the “protracted wars for self-determination between the Bangsamoro people and the national government.”

According to Section 12 of the proposed legislation, a veteran would be entitled to a monthly cash allowance of P6,000, exemption from Bangsamoro-imposed taxes, and discounts on basic utility bills such as electricity and water. They are also eligible to free medical services from health institutions and hospitals linked with the BARMM Ministry of Health.

Eligible beneficiaries include those who are unable to find work due to their age, and those who lacked required education or other requirements for employment.

“The enactment of this law is our humble legacy to the men and women who endured their hardships and put their lives in the forefront of the struggle for the cause of the Bangsamoro,” Silongan said.

According to her, the creation of the said office is in recognition of the veterans’ contribution to peace and development in the region.

The said office will operate under the Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS) supervision, which will also allot initial funding of P30-million upon the act’s adoption.

The proposed bill has been referred to the Committee on Social Services and Committee on Budget, Finance and Management. (PUBLICATION AND MEDIA RELATIONS DIVISION / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

Balabagan starts COVID-19 vaccine rollout, inoculation of priority groups

 Mayor Edna V. Ogka Benito of Balabagan, Lanao del Sur receives her first dose of Sinovac vaccine during the province-wide vaccination program of the Lanao del Sur Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) on Friday, June 18, 2021 at the Centrale vaccination hub, Balabagan Civic Square. Dr. Alinader Minalang (inset), IPHO head, gives the vaccine dose.

BALABAGAN, Lanao del Sur – Priority groups here received Friday, June 18, their first dose of Sinovac vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the Centrale vaccination hub, Balabagan Civic Square.

Under the leadership of Mayor Edna V. Ogka-Benito, a total of 592 eligible residents were inoculated. The activity was carried out by Lanao del Sur Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) headed by Dr. Alinader Minalang. 

The mayor extended her gratitude to all officials in 27 barangays for their prompt response to the vaccination program.

 “I am grateful for your quick response in informing your constituents about the vaccination program. Indeed, it is necessary to get inoculated to keep ourselves and others safe from the infectious COVID-19. This the only way to withstand the current health crisis. May we be able to continue this success in our communities,” she said.

Balabagan was listed third on the list of top performing municipalities with the most vaccinated individuals. Wao topped the list with 2,651 vaccinated individuals per day; Malabang followed with 1,337; Balabagan (592); Saguiaran (576); and Poona-Bayabao (529).

Column

Grieving nation

As Filipinos, it’s a part of our funeral traditions to venerate the dead by paying utmost respect and talking about the person’s left legacies, achievements, contributions, and impacts to the people whom he or she had meaningful relationships with. It is unlikely to hear criticisms and negative comments about the dead to give the grieving family time to mourn and recover (emotionally and psychologically) from losing a family member. But for the death of former President Benigno Aquino III, the 15th president of the country, critics and anti-liberals were never ashamed of throwing tirades and faultfinding about the previous administration. This may appear justifiable by asserting one’s right to freely express their opinions, but during the period of lamentation, people are expected to observe “basic courtesy.” 

Even President Duterte dignified former president PNoy by declaring June 24 to July 3 as national days of mourning through Proclamation No. 1169. This move was unexpected since President Duterte is a vocal critic of the previous Aquino administration. But it shows how Filipino leaders can empathize and unite during times when political differences are unnecessary – something that Filipinos forget. Unwittingly, we are so engrossed with creating borders and boundaries; gatekeeping those whose political stances are different; and “othering” those who cannot keep up with highly intellectual political discussions. Apart from losing a president, we are also slowly losing our chance to rebuild our country from structural and deep-rooted issues of graft and corruption, injustices and human rights violations, and deteriorating democratic institutions due to our growing individualistic tendencies.

Of course, showing courtesy and condolences to the bereaved Aquino family isn’t a departure from making PNoy accountable of his lapses. We can never forget the unresolved typhoon Yolanda controversies, the Mamasapano tragedy, the mishandled Luneta bus hostage incident, among others. But criticisms merely based on his political color and affiliations are misplaced, which certainly expose a greater problem: Filipinos no longer see political differences as opportunities for meaningful discourses and discussions.

To see the bigger picture and imagine what’s best for us, we need to re-evaluate our perspectives and political motives. Are our criticisms directed towards resolving the problem? Are our criticisms devoid of personal interests? Are our criticisms constructive enough to allow its recipients improve and resolve what is problematic? These questions have to be considered when we drop criticisms. Our goal, at the end of the day, is to resolve social problems and call on the leaders and lawmakers of our country to create and impose policies aimed at improving the lives of Filipinos. Beyond that, let us learn to restrain criticisms that usher hate, anger, or personal grudge. 

Right now, there is no time to play around ad hominem arguments and senseless rants. We need evidences. We need the opinions of experts. And we need to accentuate the importance of listening to each other

Editorial

Information consumption

Apart from vaccination and adherence to health protocols, information consumption is also vital to withstand the current health crisis. Due to the rise of misinformation in social media platforms, many Filipinos were victimized by false information about ways to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). From the “banana diet” to the intake of anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin, a significant portion of the population were forced to believe these false and debunked information (through science and research), just to become immunized from COVID-19. Given this dilemma, there is certainly a need for Filipinos to only consume appropriate information and trust news agencies to never be deceived again by unverified and erroneous information. 

Recently, key findings of the 10th edition of Digital News Report released Wednesday, June 23, by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, the most comprehensive global analysis of news consumption trends present that Filipinos has increased trust in news but has lessened interest in news products. The research polled 92,000 people in 46 media markets, where 2,209 Filipinos, ages 18 and above, participated in the survey conducted in late January to early February by UK-based market research agency YouGov. Aside from its positive implications of increased trust and credibility of news, the research findings encourage Filipinos to consume news products to increase their knowledge about social issues and enhance their capacity to fact check and validate existing information. But how?

Subscribe to local newspapers. The best way to acquire timely, valuable, relevant information about local and national events is by subscribing to local newspapers. Not only that these news products are receptive to the local context of the readers, but also creates a community of informed and equipped citizenry. Though it may seem more convenient to access information from social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and others, but these spaces are prone to misinformation and disinformation. This claim is supported by one of the key findings of the aforementioned research where 59 percent of the sample expressed their “concern about what is true and false on the internet.” In contrary, every information on print newspapers is fact-checked and verified carefully by editors and writers to ensure veracity and correctness of reporting.

Value community journalism. It is known that “reader trust” is important in journalism and reporting. This can flourish between the readers and news agencies by localizing media and amplifying the stories of people in the community. Given this, local stories and contexts, which may not be captured comprehensively by mainstream news agencies, are deeply investigated and explored. Also, by practicing community journalism, principles of trust such as completeness, accuracy, balance, transparency, and presentation are achieved since information is shared directly between journalists and members of the community.

In these turbulent times, information can truly save lives. But information consumption has to be consciously and prudently done. Apart from the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing infodemic has to be addressed. And the only way to do it is by treating information consumption as a social responsibility, which is equally important as following health protocols.

MP Esmael leads consultation on Bangsamoro Cooperative Code

 Members of Parliament Abduladzis M. Esmael, Al-Haj and Atty. Lanang T. Ali, Jr., principal authors of the Bangsamoro Cooperative Code, gather experts, Islamic scholars, and academicians for a three-day consultation meeting conducted from June 15 to 17, 2021 at the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Extension Office in Cotabato City. (Photo courtesy of Muarif Kedtong) 

COTABATO CITY – Member of Parliament (MP) Abduladzis M. Esmael, Al-Haj, one of the principal authors of the Bangsamoro Cooperative Code (BCC), convened stakeholders and concerned agencies to initially draft the Bangsamoro Cooperative Code in a three-day consultation meeting at the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Extension Office.

Representatives of various cooperatives, the Cooperative and Social Enterprise Authority, BARMM ministries, Islamic scholars, and some academicians attended the said activity from June 15 to 17

MP Esmael said it is important to gather experts in the field of legislation, fiscal policy, and Islamic teachings to help cooperatives and social enterprises become stable and sustainable in its operations. 

“Your participation and your most sought expertise are called for in helping to frame the fundamentals of the cooperative code of the Bangsamoro especially in attempting to integrate Shariah-compliant provisions that will pave the way to Riba-free cooperative and social enterprise systems,” he said. 

Majority Leader Atty. Lanang Ali Jr., also a member of the Parliament and co-author of the said bill, reiterated that the proposal for the creation of a Code directed towards helping cooperatives grow its scope and improve its systems, is one of the priority legislations of Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim. 

He also underscored the importance of consultations among experts and officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region to properly resolve issues and acquire support for the bill’s swift passage.

“I congratulate MP Esmael as he took off with a good start, particularly in leading in the crafting of the proposed Bangsamoro Cooperative Code” he said.

If passed, the Code will capacitate cooperatives and other social enterprises through relevant training and monitoring and evaluation procedures, which is guided by Islamic principles and moral governance. (MOHAMADAN ABDULKASAN, MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

STATEMENT ON BTA TERM EXTENSION

 Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament Speaker Atty. Pangalian M. Balindong

It is an incontrovertible fact that the ongoing pandemic has devastated much of the global economies as all available resources are utilized to fight and bring an end to this health scourge. The Philippines, an emerging economy, was not spared from this crisis as our economic gains for the past years have been almost wiped out, and our economy recovery, while gradually picking up, does not look promising at the moment.

The challenging economic and public health situations have prompted our government to change its priorities such that the implementation of its major plans and programs has either taken a back seat or remained in suspended animation. This is the situation prevailing in the Bangsamoro region, as the autonomous and transitional government itself is doing its best to prevent the escalation of the health crisis. Thus, the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) has suffered an inordinate delay, which now imperatively demands a longer period for completion.