MANILA—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to ensure the safety and respect for the rights of the members of the press covering the elections.

Signing the MOA on behalf of the commission was Chairman George Erwin Garcia while PTFoMS executive director, Usec. Paul M. Gutierrez, signed on behalf of the task force.

“This MOA is part of the continuing effort by the Marcos government to create a safe media environment for members of the press all over the country, especially during elections,” said Gutierrez, recalling Pres. Marcos Jr.’s instruction for the PTFoMS to work for a safer media environment for everyone.

The MOA is the first of its kind between the Comelec, an independent constitutional body, and the PTFoMS, the government’s mechanism to address all violations on the right to life, liberty, and security of all members of the press, since the latter’s creation under Administrative Order No. 1 (AO1) in 2016.

It recognizes the important role of the press in scrupulously reporting and interpreting the news, taking care not to suppress essential facts nor distort the truth by omission or improper emphasis.

The agreement also seeks to provide media practitioners with a safe and protected space, free from any unnecessary interference in order to perform their duty to report truthful election related news.

Among others, the MOA seeks to consider any act of threat, harassment, illegal detention, torture, or physical violence to any member of the press a violation of the media’s role under the Fair Election Act or RA 9006, the Omnibus Election Code, or the Revised Penal Code, as the case may be.

Chairman Garcia, for his part, said, he agreed to the MOA considering that poll workers also suffer from the same level of threats, harassments and loss of life being experienced by journalists during elections.

“Ang dinaranas ninyo (journalists) tuwing eleksyon ay dinaranas din ng aming mga tauhan, partikular yung mga nasa field,” Garcia said.

He also repeatedly stressed the important role played by the media in achieving the poll body’s mandate of conducting a clean, credible, free, honest, and orderly elections.

Both officials said the provisions of the MOA would take effect this October, the start of the filing of certificate of candidacy (COCs) and would last until the end of the election period, or until June 11, 2025.

“While violent incidents cannot be prevented especially during elections, we hope this MOA would serve to deter those contemplating to do harm against the media from doing so, especially among the candidates and their supporters,” they added.

Any media practitioner whose rights are violated during the covered period must report the incident immediately to the PTFoMS, which would then immediately coordinate with the COMELEC on the appropriate measure to be taken to address the incident.The PTFoMS shall also be responsible in attesting that the victim is a legitimate member of the press and assist the victim in the filing of a formal complaint before the poll body. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – A family of five in this city requires at least P13,665 in monthly gross income to live decently, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
This amount remains unattainable for many families in the city, including that of Gladys Leporada, 43, who depends on the incomes of her husband and eldest son.

Leporada’s husband, Neil, 45, works as a carpenter, while her son, Ryan, 19, is employed at a fast-food chain in the city.

Their combined monthly income is just over P11,000, but this is only when Neil has work, as there are times he is unemployed.

“Our income barely meets our daily needs. Sometimes I have to take extra jobs to help my husband and son bring food to our table,” Leporada said.

As a mother of seven, Leporada offers ‘hilot’ (massage) services in their neighborhood, earning P200 per person. Most of their expenses go towards food and daily necessities. Fortunately, her family owns their home.

According to the PSA, a family of five in Tacloban needs at least P13,665 in monthly gross income to avoid being classified as ‘poor.’

Wilma Perante, PSA regional director, stated in a media conference on Tuesday, July 23, that falling below this amount places a family within the poverty threshold in Tacloban, the regional center of Eastern Visayas.

“So, if in a family, there are two who are working with a combined monthly gross income of P13,665 and above, they are considered to be outside the poverty threshold,” she said during the ‘Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas’ of the Philippine Information Agency.

An ordinary wage earner in the city has a daily income of P405, based on the current minimum wage.

Perante also reported that the cost of living in the city remains quite affordable, with the current inflation rate for the first semester of the year.

“As of June this year, the inflation rate of the region is at 4.0 percent, while that of Tacloban is only 3.6 percent. So, we cannot really say that our cost of living is expensive,” she said.
Meanwhile, the poverty incidence in the region as of the first quarter of the year is at 26.19 percent, meaning 26 out of 100 families are classified as poor.

This is an improvement from last year’s 28.9 percent. The decline in poverty incidence can be attributed to the region’s good economic performance.

The PSA reported that the region’s economy grew by 6.8 percent last year, with a total value of P492.9 billion, sourced from agriculture (P60 billion), industry (P199.8 billion), and services (P232.4 billion). (JOEY A. GABIETA)

ORMOC CITY-A combined police force operation arrested a wanted individual at approximately 7:30 am on Thursday, July 25, in Barangay San Lorenzo, Kawayan, Biliran.
The accused, identified as “Fiel,” 60, married, and a farmer, resides in Brgy. Villa Cornejo of the said town.

The arrest was made by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Luz Petilla-Navarrete, executive judge of the 8th Judicial Region, Branch 16, Naval, Biliran, for the crime of frustrated homicide.

The court has recommended a bail of P24,000 for his temporary liberty.

Following the arrest, the accused was taken to the Kawayan municipal police station for proper disposition before being presented to the court that issued the warrant.
(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY – An alleged top leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in a clash with government forces in the hinterlands of Barangay Osmeña, General MacArthur, Eastern Samar, on Thursday, July 25.

The 78th Infantry Battalion (IB), under the operational control of the 802nd Infantry Brigade (802IBd), identified the slain rebel as Joel Guarino, alias Duran, the squad leader of Squad 2 of the recently dismantled Apoy Platoon.

Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Bugaoan, the commander of the 78IB, said that around seven NPA members were involved in the firefight that occurred at about 9:45 am Thursday.
His troops were conducting development and security operations in the upland village of Osmena, General MacArthur when the clash occurred, lasting about 20 minutes.
No military personnel were reported injured.

Bugaoan said that soldiers recovered several war paraphernalia from the enemy, including one caliber .45 pistol, one homemade grenade, various war materials, and other subversive documents with high intelligence value.

Bugaoan attributed the successful operation to the collective effort of the community and the government to end the local communist armed conflict.

“The people tipped off the presence of these NPAs, allowing our soldiers to track their movements. However, the rebels fired upon the troops when they saw them approaching,” he said.

Brigadier General Noel Vestuir, the brigade commander of 802IBde, commended the troops for tracking the remnants of the recently dismantled Apoy Platoon, highlighting the significance of this successful operation.

“The neutralization of Guarino has left the remnants of the Apoy Platoon leaderless and directionless. Now, they are just a roving band of bandits, hiding in the mountains to survive,” Vestuir said in a statement.

Vestuir added that this operation is a breakthrough in the Brigade’s campaign to win peace in Eastern Samar.

He called on the remaining NPA members to abandon the armed struggle now that their leader is gone.

“I reiterate my call to the remaining NPAs in the islands of Samar and Leyte to peacefully abandon the armed struggle. The communities no longer support or welcome you. Do not wait to experience the same fate as your comrade today. The path of peace is ready to embrace you,” Vestuir said.(JOEY A. GABIETA)