List sex offenders and child abusers

(Salvador Belaro, Jr.)
We must have registries of sex offenders and watchlists of people who abuse children, but with appropriate and necessary safeguards against human rights and privacy rights abuses.

These registries and watchlists can be barangay-based and shared with local police and school authorities. Provincial, city and municipal officials can also develop their own registries and watchlists.

I propose the creation and maintenance of these watchlists and registries because of the incidents of rape committed against school-going children, teens, and young adults over these past months as reported in the news media.

The quickest way these registries and watchlists can be institutionalized is via local ordinances at the provincial, city, town, and barangay levels.

The long term solution would be a well-thought out law incorporating human rights, privacy, and cybersecurity safeguards and best practices from the local governments (END)


Statement of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez
04 June 2017

The ultimate consequence of the attack on Resorts World is an act of terrorism. Let us stick to the definition of terrorism. Anybody with premeditation harms and kills people indiscriminately is a terrorist. Whether or not the perpetrator is a member of a known terrorist organization or a lone wolf acting independently, he is a terrorist. This is happening all over the world. 

Our authorities should not lull our people into complacency by dismissing the incident as a common criminal act. Neither should they relax just because they refuse to label the incident as such.

The harrowing Resorts World incident has shown the unsettling inadequacy of our security measures in dealing with possible terrorist attacks.

This should serve as a wake-up call for our police and military authorities to cooperate closely to ensure the safety of the seat of government, business centers and areas of public convergence.

Likewise, our authorities should ensure that safety measures are in place and security personnel are equipped and adept to deal with emergencies in private establishments. 

Terrorism is global. Thus, we must respond with critical intensity in ensuring the security and safety of the public. ###


House panel OKs bill promoting safe and non-hazardous children’s products

The House Committee on Welfare of Children, chaired by Rep. Divina Grace Yu (1st District, Zamboanga del Sur), has approved the bill seeking to regulate the importation, manufacture, distribution and sale of children’s products containing hazardous chemicals, and providing penalties for violations thereof.

The bill entitled “Safe and Non-Hazardous Children’s Products Act” integrated various bills authored by Reps. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (6th District, Pangasinan), Anthony M. Bravo (Party-list, COOP NATCCO), Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2nd District, Pampanga), Harry L. Roque, Jr., (Party-list, Kabayan), and Orestes T. Salon (Party-list, AGRI).

Primicias-Agabas said the Department of Health (DOH) has continuously warned the public on the harmful effects of toys and colorful children stuff that are laden with toxic materials.

“The effect on children cannot be underrated. These chemicals have long-term effects on child development and are at times fatal. Thus, the proliferation of these items in the market should be regulated and penal sanctions should be imposed on the violators of the law,” said Primicias-Agabas, chairperson of the committee on revision of laws.

Bravo said some toys and childcare articles contain toxic and hazardous chemicals which are detrimental to the health of children, like phthalates or phthalate esters, which are mainly used as plasticizers or substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility.

“They are chiefly used to turn polyvinyl chloride from a hard plastic into a flexible plastic. Exposure to phthalates has been linked to malformed sex organs in male lab animals. Alarmingly enough, a recent study revealed that there is a link between mothers exposed to phthalates and genital birth defects in male infants,” said Bravo. 

The bill states it is the policy of the State to protect and promote children’s right to health, as enshrined in the Constitution, the Child Welfare Code, Convention on the Rights of the Child, and other conventions on hazardous substances to which the country is a signatory.

The bill aims to regulate the importation, manufacture, distribution, and sale in the country of children’s products containing hazardous chemicals. In line with this, importers, manufacturers, distributors and sellers of children’s products are required to comply with the relevant standards, rules and processes set by all the government agencies concerned.

The bill defines "children's products" as any product or material, whether or not likely to be put inside the mouth by children, which are used for and by children. These include children’s toys, school supplies, educational kits, and childcare articles defined under Republic Act No. 9711 or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Act of 2009; non-conventional toys such as electronic gadgets, mobile phones, tablets, and pocket game consoles; mechanized or electronic toys such as hover board; furnishings and fixtures such as cribs, chairs, shelves, walkers, strollers, and decorative items for children’s use; indoor and outdoor playground equipment; children’s books and reference materials and children’s accessories.”

The FDA, in coordination with the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR), shall prepare a list of hazardous chemicals which are to be banned or prohibited from being used in the manufacture, production, and preparation of children’s products. The list shall be subject to review at least every two years, or as soon as new chemicals or substances are discovered to be injurious, dangerous or unsafe to children’s health.
According to the bill, hazardous chemicals that are commonly used in the manufacture of children’s products and are considered harmful to children include the following: Antimony; Arsenic; Cadmium; Chromium; Cobalt; Lead; Mercury; Nickel; as well as Phthalates, which include Di (2-Ethlyhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP), Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Benzyl Butyl Phthalate (BBP), Diisononyl Phthalate (DINP), Diisodecyl Phthalate (DIDP), Di-N-Octyl Phthalate (DNOP) and Bisphenol-A (BPA).

The bill provides for the disposal of all recalled children’s products, in accordance with the submitted disposal plan of the manufacturer subject to FDA approval. 

The DOH shall formulate guidelines for the issuance of licenses to operate, certificates of conformity, quality control orders, and compliance orders, and shall conduct the necessary research, inspection, testing, accreditation, and investigation of related injuries or deaths in order to fully enforce the provisions of the law.

The bill also provides for the creation of the Children’s Product Safety Council (CPSC), a multi-sectoral body attached to the DOH and chaired by the Health Secretary, which shall serve as the primary link and coordinator for its member institutions, such as the Business Processing and Licensing Office (BPLO) of local government units, the private sector, and other stakeholders.

Administrative sanctions imposable upon violators include suspension and revocation of license, and seizure of unregistered, non-compliant or falsely represented products. Criminal offenders shall, upon conviction, suffer imprisonment ranging from one year to 10 years or a fine ranging from P50,000 to P500,000, or both, at the discretion of the court.

Upon approval by the Committee on Welfare of Children, the bill was referred to the Committee on Appropriations chaired by Rep. Karlo Alexei B. Nograles (1st District, Davao City) for approval of the measure’s funding provisions.

Other authors of the bill are Reps. Yu, Sabiniano S. Canama, Edgar Mary Sarmiento, Ma. Lourdes Aggabao and Alexandria P. Gonzales. (30) RBB


Coop officer in every LGU in the works

The House Committee on Cooperatives Development has approved a substitute bill which provides for the mandatory appointment of a cooperatives officer in every municipality, province and city to ensure the concerns of cooperatives in these local government units (LGUs) match the sustainable economic development plans of the government.

The committee chaired by Rep. Rico B. Geron (Party-list, AGAP) approved  House Bill 5682 or the proposed “An Act Making The Position of A Cooperatives Officer Mandatory in the Municipal, City And Provincial Levels, Amending For the Purpose Republic Act No.7160, otherwise Known As The Local Government Code of 1991.”

House Bill 5682 substituted HBs 188, 259, 2285 and 2824 authored, respectively, by Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Anthony M. Bravo (Party-list, COOP NATCCO), Reps. Roy M. Loyola (5th District, Cavite), Carlito S. Marquez (Lone District, Aklan), and Estrellita B. Suansing (1st District, Nueva Ecija).

Bravo said cooperatives promote the “fullest participation of all people” and facilitate a more equitable distribution of the benefits of globalization.

To answer the clamor, Bravo said RA 7160 allows for the appointment of cooperatives officers to take charge of the office for the development of cooperatives, among others.

“However, the words of the law were vague and the implementation became optional on the part of the LGUs, resulting in either LGUs with cooperatives officers who serve other functions or no cooperatives officers at all. In the long run, the cooperatives sector will be left to suffer by this inverse proportional line towards success," said Bravo.

Suansing said the Constitution provides for the promotion of growth and viability of cooperatives as instruments of equity, social justice and economic development under the principles of subsidiarity and self-help.

“Cooperatives play a significant role in our country’s local economic development, especially in rural areas where the absence of large spending power does not attract private investment. Given the importance of cooperatives, it is therefore imperative to amend RA 7160 to provide for the mandatory appointment of a cooperatives officer in every LGU in the country,” said Suansing.


Suansing said the proposal hurdled third and final reading during the 16th Congress.

Loyola said the bill confirms the importance of cooperatives in bringing sustainable economic development to the country. Loyola said in order to maximize its potential, LGUs should be at the forefront of fostering creation and growth of cooperatives by the provision of technical guidance, financial assistance, and other similar services to enable cooperatives to develop into viable and responsive economic enterprises.

The bill seeks to amend Article 443, Book III, Title Two Chapter 2 of RA 7160, so that “There shall be in each municipality a municipal mayor, a municipal vice-mayor, sangguniang bayan members, a secretary to the sangguniang bayan, a municipal treasurer, a municipal assessor, a municipal accountant, a municipal budget officer, a municipal planning and development coordinator, a municipal engineer/building official, a municipal health officer, a municipal civil registrar, and a municipal cooperatives officer."

Likewise, the bill seeks to amend Article 454, Book III, Title Three, Chapter 2 of RA 7160 so that “There shall be in each city a mayor, a vice-mayor, sangguniang panlungsod members, a secretary to the sangguniang panlungsod, a city treasurer, a city assessor, a city accountant, a city budget officer, a city planning and development coordinator, a city engineer, a city health officer, a city civil registrar, a city administrator, a city legal officer, a city veterinarian, a city social welfare and development officer, a city general services officer, and city cooperatives officer.”

The bill also seeks to amend Article 463, Book III, Title four, Chapter 2 of RA 7160, so that “ There shall be in each province a governor, a vice-governor, members of the sangguniang panlalawigan, a secretary to the sangguniang panlalawigan, a provincial treasurer, a provincial assessor, a provincial accountant, a provincial engineer, a provincial budget officer, a provincial planning and development coordinator, a provincial legal officer, a provincial administrator, a provincial health officer, a provincial social welfare and development officer, a provincial general services officer, a provincial agriculturist, a provincial veterinarian, and a provincial cooperatives officer."

Moreover, it seeks to amend Section 484, Book III, Title Five, Article 14 of RA 7160 so that “A) No person shall be appointed cooperatives officer unless one is a citizen of the Philippines, a resident of the LGU concerned, of good moral character, a holder of a college degree preferably in Business Administration with special training in cooperatives or any related course from a recognized college or university, and a First Grade Civil Service Eligible or its equivalent. One must have experience in cooperatives organizations and management of at least five years in the case of a provincial or city cooperatives officer and three years in the case of a municipal cooperatives officer; B ) The Cooperatives Officer shall take charge of the Office for the Development of Cooperatives; and C) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions as may be prescribed by law or ordinance."

Other authors of HB 5682 are Reps. Sabiniano S. Canama (Party-list, COOP NATCCO), Carlos Roman L. Uybarreta (Party-list,1-CARE), Wilter Wee Palma II (1st District, Zamboanga Sibugay), Ramon V.A. Rocamora (Lone District, Siquijor), Henry C. Ong (2nd District, Leyte), and Vicente S.E. Veloso (3rd District, Leyte), among others. (30) ICY JR./RBB

Photo Release

MINDANAO LAWMAKERS IN A HUDDLE. House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez attended the meeting of the Committee on Mindanao Affairs, chaired by Rep. Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr. (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City), which was held last May 24, 2017 to discuss President Rodrigo Duterte's declaration of martial law in Mindanao. The lawmakers expressed support for the President's action which they said was necessary to suppress and prevent the rebellious acts of the Abu Sayyaf and the Maute Group and to protect the safety of Mindanaoans. With the Speaker was Majority Leader Rodolfo C. Fariñas who also backed the President's action. (30)  PC/RBB