Assignment 5

SS15-A1

OMANA, PATRICIA MAE Q.

June 4, 2016

Dra. Terisita Buenvinida

Score:

A. I.
Title: Husband of wolf whistle reporter cries foul
Category: Social
Reference: Philippine Star
Date: June 3, 2016
Author: Camille Diola
II.Summary: President-elect Rodrigo Duterte was accused yesterday of sexual harassment and
disrespecting women after giving a female journalist a wolf whistle during a nationally televised press
conference.
Duterte, 71, interrupted a question from GMA-7 reporter Mariz Umali on Tuesday night about his Cabinet
appointees with a light-hearted comment about her trying to get his attention. He then gave a wolf whistle
and broke into a short serenade.
Umali continued trying to ask her question as Duterte smiled and some other reporters laughed.
In an interview with her GMA network on Thursday, Umali described his remarks as improper.
While Umali said she would not ask for an apology and sought not to inflame the controversy, her
journalist husband took to Facebook to criticize Duterte.
Catcalling my wife is wrong in so many levels, husband Raffy Tima wrote.
Some jokes are funny and should be laughed at, but disrespecting women is definitely not one of them.
However, incoming presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told ABS-CBN News that Umali should
instead take Dutertes whistling as a compliment.
Mayor Duterte is a very kind, playful individual, the spokesman said. When he whistles, that means
hes fond of you On the contrary, the receiver of that should be complimented.
At the same press conference, Duterte created another controversy by saying there was justification for
killing corrupt journalists, and that one rotten son of a bitch reporter deserved to have been murdered.
Duterte, an incendiary politician who won last months elections by a landslide on a pledge to end crime
by killing tens of thousands of criminals, has previously been criticized for comments about women.
On the campaign trail he made a joke about wanting to rape a beautiful Australian missionary who had
been sexually assaulted and murdered in a 1989 prison riot in his hometown of Davao.
When his daughter reacted to those comments by revealing she had been raped, Duterte described her in
jest as a drama queen.
Duterte, whose first marriage was annulled and is in a long-term relationship with another woman, has
also openly boasted about having mistresses and using Viagra to have sex with them.

Aida Santos, president of local womens rights groups WeDpro, said Dutertes wolf whistling was a form
of sexual harassment.
Catcalling treats women as sex objects... some say its a way of being cute but its wrong, Santos told
AFP.
Duterte and his aides have repeatedly said such controversial comments and actions should not be taken
too seriously: that he is a straight-talker and an authentic character who likes to joke and speak the
language of the streets.
They also point to his pro-women policies in Davao, which he has ruled as mayor for most of the past two
decades.
However, Dutertes jokes sent messages to society, according to Elizabeth Angsioco, national chair of the
Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines.
His words and actions reinforce looking at women as second-class citizens, she said.
III. Analysis: Why are we maligning the incoming President? How is this helping us? Why do we need to
be negative about every little thing he says? Crab mentality. How is he helping the country grow if he
himself cat-called a woman in a press with all the cameras pointing at him? It's as if cat-calling is okay.
He is setting a bad example, that it is just fine to degrade women. He is not acting like a president. He is
acting like a skwater which is very disappointing. Every woman deserves to be respcted, Mariz Umali is
not an exemption. Don't make freedom of expression an excuse. Raffy Tima is on point defending his
wife Mariz Umali bcos catcalling is such a disrespectful act to be done in a lady worthy of respect
IV.Recommendation: As a Computer Engineer, I can say that we Filipinos are famous for being onionskinned or easily slighted at perceived insults. While its perfectly normal for us to taunt and criticize
others, we cant handle the same when its being hurled back at us. Incidents showcasing our extrasensitivity to insults usually involve a foreigner making either a bonafide racist remark or a humorous jab
at us Filipinos. True to form, our reactions would range from righteous indignation to excessive
grandstanding. While it is alright to feel incensed, throwing a fit in front of the world would inevitably do
us no good at all. But we have to stop degrading women by catcalling them.

B. I.
Title: Rody to declare traffic crisis in Metro Manila
Category: Social
Reference: Philippine Star
Date: June 3, 2016
Author: Jess Diaz
II.Summary: President-elect Rodrigo Duterte will declare a traffic crisis in Metro Manila so he can
take extraordinary measures to ease vehicular congestion, his choice of economic planning secretary
Ernesto Pernia said yesterday.
He discussed the traffic problem in the metropolis during his first meeting with his Cabinet appointees
on Tuesday. This is one of the concerns he wants to immediately address, Pernia told ABS-CBN News
Channel.

He wants to implement emergency measures without going through Congress. He wants relief from
traffic congestion for commuters within three to six months, he added, without specifying what those
measures would be.
Pernia said the incoming administration feels that the traffic congestion in Metro Manila impedes
progress and leads to a situation where billions are lost daily in fuel cost, man hours and opportunities.
He reiterated that the Duterte government would try to top the 6.9-percent economic growth achieved by
the Aquino administration in the first quarter by aiming for an annual rate of 7-8 percent.
We really need to do 12 percent for six consecutive years to make a significant dent on poverty, Pernia
revealed.
One of the ways to speed up growth, he added, is to get the public-private partnership (PPP) projects
moving, promising to remove bottlenecks in the PPP project implementation.
The PPP Center is attached to the National Economic and Development Authority, which he will head.
We will respect PPP contracts entered into by the Aquino administration, but contractors would have to
accelerate their implementation and completion, Pernia said.
He said economic development would be rebalanced, with growth being dispersed to the regions and
felt by the poor and rural folk.
We will push for projects in the regions to attain rural development, he said.
He lamented that growth under the Aquino administration has benefitted the rich and not the poor.
The incoming leadership would also review all coal-fired power plant projects, he added.
We have to move away from coal and toward renewable energy, which is expensive in the short run but
should be cheaper in the long run, he said.
III. Analysis: raffic has become a nightmare in the Philippines, specifically in Metro Manila. No one of
any age, race, nationality, social status, and religion can escape the wrath of congested roads due to the
overpopulation of cars. It has been recognized as one of the primary problems of the country; and a very
hard problem to solve at that. With about sixteen million people living in Metro Manila, traffic is
undoubtedly inevitable. However traffic can be reduced by promoting mass transportation, carpooling to
work, and construction of better and wider roads to encourage the citizens to walk or bike.

As citizens who are affected by this, it is a right to pose the question as to what causes this to happen. One
of the causes as to why Metro manila is jam packed on a daily basis is overpopulation in the country.
Metro Manila is the central place where most people, especially those from the province, go to in hopes
of finding a living to support their family in achieving a comfortable life. Because everyone is going to
Metro Manila to find jobs, this causes the increase of population in the already crowded city.
Overpopulation leads to traffic since most of these people use vehicles to get to their destination every
day. Furthermore, the mainstream use of narrow roads also contributes to the problem. Skinny roads can
be very hard to fit hundreds of vehicles that pass it on a daily basis. It can tighten the traffic since it can
only accommodate a certain amount of cars. Lastly, the disobedience of drivers is also a cause of traffic.
Most drivers would only think about themselves and what would benefit them instead of thinking about
the others. Cutting, taking over cars and disobeying the road signs are only a few of the many things that
drivers do on the road which brings inconvenience to the other drivers that are affected by these actions
which can then lead to traffic.

IV.Recommendation: As a Computer Engineer, I can say that there are three solutions which should be
practiced in Metro Manila as it is feasible and accessible for every one of all ages. The use of Mass
Transportation should be encouraged by the government. This includes the use of trains, buses, and FX
taxis. This proposal will be very effective in the reduction of traffic as these mass vehicles can
accommodate a lot of people in just one sitting. Unlike using cars individually in going to desired
destinations, the use of mass transportation can carry a lot more people. For example, a bus can
approximately carry at least 50 people. Imagine if this is not practiced, then those 50 people will be
equivalent to 50 different cars on the road which will definitely add to the traffic. However, mass
transportation effectively does the opposite of that. Another solution is the use of carpools going to
school/work. In Metro Manila, it is common for all Universities to not offer school buses to pick students
up and drop them off from school and at home which forces them to use their personal/family cars to get
to and from school hence the reason why the roads surrounding these Universities are always tight on a
weekday. This unfortunate situation is also being done by professionals in their career although many of
them practice the use of mass transportation to get to their destination for work. This should not be the
case all the time because Mass Transportation are filled with passengers frequently so it is going to be
harder to commute that is why this solution of using carpools should be implemented in the country to
also help alleviate the loaded mass transportation. Lastly, construction of better and wider roads to
encourage the citizens to walk or bike should be done. One example of this would be Bonifacio Global
City Taguig, or commonly known as The Fort. When one goes there, he will observe that everyone is just
walking because the roads are so beautifully done that the people do not feel like using their vehicles in
order to get the full experience of the scenery. Also, the area in general promotes walking because
greenery like tress, bushes, and grass are abundant. Fresh air is evident and the place is stunning hence the
reason why people would like to walk instead. Furthermore, the government should focus their spending
on widening roads to accommodate more cars and lessen traffic. Bigger roads can carry more vehicles
and has more space efficiency for the vehicles to freely drive around as compared to narrow ones thus
lessening the congestion that everyone complains about.

C. I.
Title: Climate change affects 31 World Heritage Sites
Category: Environmental
Reference: Philippine Star
Date: June 3, 2016
Author: Pai Lee-Brago
II.Summary: Thirty-one natural and cultural World Heritage Sites in 29 countries, including the Banaue
Rice Terraces in the Philippines, are being impacted by climate change, a new report released by the
United Nations said.
The World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate (2016) report said climate change is fast
becoming one of the most significant risks for World Heritage Sites across the globe.
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Designated for their global significance and universal value to humankind, many World Heritage Sites are
major tourist destinations. Some are among the most iconic places on Earth.

The impacts of global warming are likely to rapidly and permanently change some of the most important
places in the world.
The Banaue Rice Terraces are 2,000-year-old rice fields that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao by
ancestors of the indigenous people.
The Rice Terraces were inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) World Heritage List in 1995, the first-ever property to be included in the cultural landscape
category of the World Heritage List.
The rice terraces were declared national treasures under Presidential Decrees 260 in 1973 and 1505 in
1978. The terraces are also protected by Republic Act No. 10066 of 2010, providing for the protection and
conservation of the National Cultural Heritage.
The UN report documents climate impacts including increasing temperatures, melting glaciers, rising
seas, intensifying weather events, worsening droughts and longer wildfire seasons, at iconic tourism sites
such as Venice, Stonehenge and the Galapagos Islands.
The UN Environment Program (UNEP) said the report also covers other World Heritage Sites such as
South Africas Cape Floral Kingdom; the port city of Cartagena, Colombia; and Shiretoko National Park
in Japan that are also becoming increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Rising seas, higher temperatures, intensifying weather events and other climate impacts threaten many of
these locations and the local economies that depend on them.
World governments, the private sector and tourists all need to coordinate their efforts to reduce carbon
emissions and to protect the worlds most treasured cultural and natural resources from the impact of
tourism activities, said Elisa Tonda, head of UNEPs Responsible Industry and Value Chains Unit.
Policies to decouple tourism from natural resource impacts, carbon emissions and environmental harm
will engage a responsible private sector and promote change in tourists behavior to realize the sectors
potential in some of the worlds most visited places, she added.
Authored by UNESCO, the UNEP and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), the report highlights the
urgent need to identify the World Heritage Sites that are most vulnerable to climate change and
implement policies and provide resources to increase resilience at those sites.
There is also a need to ensure that the threat of climate impacts is taken into account in the nomination
and listing process for new World Heritage Sites.
The tourism sector must engage in efforts to manage and protect vulnerable sites in the face of climate
change and educate visitors about climate threats and global efforts increase to meet the Paris Agreement
climate change pledges in order to preserve World Heritage Sites for future generations.
Because World Heritage Sites must have outstanding universal value, the report recommends that the
World Heritage Committee consider the risk of prospective sites becoming degraded by climate change
before they add them to the list.
III. Analysis: Nowadays climate change is the biggest problem of the human being. It is already
happening and represents one of the greatest environmental, social and economic threats facing the
planet.
The climate can affect every person and our health directly through increases in temperature. Such
increases may lead to more extreme heat waves during the summer while producing less extreme cold
spells during the winter. Particular segments of the population such as those with heart problems, asthma,

the elderly, and the very young can be especially vulnerable to extreme heat. There can be extreme floods
and droughts, hurricanes.
Nowadays there are so many factories that exhale really destructive substances and pollute the air. We all
know very well that air is something we cant live without. When we breathe the polluted air, we can get
seriously ill. Ground-level ozone can damage lung tissue, and is especially harmful for those with asthma
and other chronic lung diseases. Sunlight and high temperatures, combined with other pollutants such as
nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, can cause the ground-level ozone to increase.We cannot
escape from the polluted air-its everywhere, even in our homes and we are breathing it non-stop. This can
cause cancer and other serious diseases.
Another huge problem is that the sea levels are rising worldwide. Also the expansion of ocean water is
caused by warmer ocean temperatures.. Mountain glaciers and small ice caps are melting as well as
Greenlands Ice Sheet and the Antarctic Ice Sheet. The temperature is rising which means that ice is
melting faster and faster.
However, these are not the only problems. Another issue are the greenhouse gasses. They are gasses
which trap heat in the atmosphere. Some greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide occur naturally by
natural processes and other are created and emitted solely through human activities. For example carbon
dioxide is entering the atmosphere because of human activities like burning of fossil fuels (oil, natural
gas, and coal). All vehicles exhale too much damaging substances. People have been trying to reduce
them but the problem is still topical and I think we have to do something like ride a bike not a car to work
or school, we should take the shortest route possible, and plan our drive so that we will not backtrack or
travel out of our way.We also may choose a clean-burning fuel, which reduces ozone-forming pollutants
and buy a car that produces fewer emissions or runs using an alternative fuel.The taxes of cars should be
higher and most of the people will prefer to use the public transport and we will no longer have traffic
jams and we will reduce the damaging emissions.
IV.Recommendation: As a Computer Engineer, I can say that the climate is a very important thing and if
we dont stop the changes soon, more and more plants and trees are going to die, we wont have enough
food and then not only will the third world countries suffer from hunger but so will the whole world. I
think it is better to first stop the changes in climate and then gradually reduce the hunger in the poor
countries. Because if we stop the changes, we are going to be healthier and everything around us will be
cleaner and it will be how it actually should be. I believe harmony between nature and human beings will
return.

D. I.
Title: Lower gas prices to temper power rates this month
Category: Economic
Reference: Philippine Star
Date: June 3, 2016
Author: Danessa Rivera
II.Summary: Lower spot market and natural gas prices will temper the overall electricity rates for the
month of June, the Manila Electric Co. said yesterday.
In a text message to reporters, Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga said the June generation charge, a
pass-through component of electricity bills indicating the cost of generating power, is expected to be flat.

Factors likely to drive the final figure are the lower average WESM (Wholesale Electricity Spot Market)
price and indications of lower natural gas price for the May supply month, he said.
Zaldarriaga said the steady generation charge is also attributed to the higher dispatch of capacity
registered by a number of large power plants, but that there is no final rate yet since it still has to receive
billings from generation companies.
We will need to, however, wait for the actual bills from our suppliers, he said.
The flat generation charge could temper the impending rate hike on transmission charges.
The Energy Regulatory Commission said the ancillary service charges, which will reflect a 6.5 centavo
per kilowatt-hour increase in bills, will be implemented in the June bills.
Ancillary services are necessary to support the transmission of capacity and energy from resources to
loads while maintaining reliable operation of the transmission system in accordance with good utility
practice and the grid code.
III. Analysis: When the price of gasoline decreases, the cost of producing goods and services that use
gasoline as a component decreases as well. Any good which is transported to market via truck or car also
decreases in price. Thus, low gas prices effectively reduce the price of almost everything. If gas prices
remain this low, it will be a pretty big boost to consumers who ultimately benefit from these huge
decreases in the price of everything.
IV.Recommendation: As a Computer Engineer, I can say that lower gas price has good and bad effects to
weight.

E. I.
Title: Sick OFWs to get financial aid from OWWA
Category: Social
Reference: Philippine Star
Date: June 3, 2016
Author: Mayen Jaymalin
II.Summary: Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) afflicted with the Zika virus and other diseases are
getting financial assistance from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
OWWA Administrator Rebecca Calzado said they are set to implement the Supplemental Medical
Assistance Program for OFWs for a maximum of P50,000 financial aid to OWWA members undergoing
treatment for dreaded illnesses.
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Diseases covered under the SMAP include cancer, kidney ailments, emerging infection like Zika, Ebola
and other illness requiring medical procedure and longtime care, she added.
Calzado said the program, implemented in coordination with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.,
would benefit 2.4 million OFWs who are active OWWA and PhilHealth members.

The OWWA governing board previously approved a resolution for the allocation of P150 million for the
implementation of MEDplus starting August, she added.
Based on the OWWA resolution, the frequency of availment will have no limit as long as it does not
exceed the amount of P50,000 and it covers the same medical conditions aligned with the PhilHealth
system.
OFWs hospitalized abroad due to dreaded disease may avail of the financial aid, provided the
confinement occurred when they were active OWWA members.
The OWWA medical assistance will be on top of the benefits they would get from PhilHealth.
Yesterday, OWWA and PhilHealth signed the memorandum of agreement for the implementation of the
program.
Calzado said the program would be implemented after the completion of the implementing rules and
regulations within 60 days.
We have initiated the MEDplus program because we know OFWs who are suffering from dreaded
disease would need additional financial help because in most instances they could no longer work or they
would require longtime treatment, she said.
PhilHealth president Alex Padilla said they are encouraging all Filipinos working abroad to register with
OWWA and PhilHealth so they could avail themselves of the financial assistance from OWWA.
They also expect the new administration of president-elect Rodrigo Duterte to continue and even expand
the implementation of the MEDplus program for the benefit of more OFWs, he added.
III. Analysis: These OFWs deserve this financial aid for they are the new unsung heroes of our country.
The OFWs are called the new heroes and rightly so because with their toil and sacrifice in strange
cultures and climes, they lift up their families from penury and provide the government with badly needed
resources to keep the economy afloat and preclude dysfunction in governance. Needless to say, the OFWs
deserve all the accolades heaped on them by the government. This public recognition, however, has not
been accompanied with sincere and meaningful efforts to improve their plight, thus amounts to nothing
and serves no purpose at all.
Being called new or living heroes smacks of irony and pathos. The dead heroes in public parks are given
more respect, attention and treatment than the living ones. The former are cleansed of smudge,
surrounding made green and beautiful, and are offered flowers every now and then; the living are left
stuck in the mire of inefficiency, indifference and neglect in government service.
IV.Recommendation: As a Computer Engineer, I can say that it is really hard and terrifying to work
abroad based on all the OFW stories. Even though they sacrifice almost everything in order to give their
child what they want like taking their kids to excellent schools or giving every needs and unnecessary
things to them, there are some difficult problems that they cannot avoid. There are some situations
wherein their kids think that their parents left them for nonsense reasons. They will start to rebel by not
going to school, drinking, smoking not only cigarettes but also weeds, and many more.

F. I.
Title: Piol prepares plans to address La Nia's effects on agriculture
Category: Environmental
Reference: Philippine Star

Date: June 3, 2016

Author: Camille Diola
II.Summary: Incoming Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piol is planning measures to address the
effects of the coming La Nia phenomenon across the country. Piol said Thursday the incoming Duterte
administration does not want to be caught flatfooted like the Aquino administration did with the dry spell
brought by the El Nio weather phenomenon in recent months. He claimed that the Aquino administration
failed to plan for the dry spell despite early warnings from PAGASA. Kaya nagutom yong mga tao
natin, he said. Government officials on both the national and local levels have said in past media
statements that efforts to address the dry spell like cloud seeding had been conducted. Piol said state
weather bureau PAGASA has already briefed him about its assessment on La Nia, which is expected to
to affect the eastern seaboard. He said he is already drafting plans to focus food production along the
western seaboard to mitigate the risk posed by flooding and storms. Thats how planning should be, he
said. Piol said that the Agriculture department will be in close coordination with the Department of
Social Welfare and Development to provide food and cash assistance to affected farmers. Meanwhile, the
incoming chief said that part of his visit here is to look at interventions for fishing communities, which
are also considered among the poorest in the country. He said he has drafted a program to initially provide
food assistance to fisherfolk based on data gathered by the DSWD. He said they will also implement cash
assistance schemes launching the Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan campaign. Para kumita kaagad ang
fisherfolks we are planning to involve them in the cleaning of the coastal areas fronting their communities
and we will come up with a way of compensating them, Piol said. He also said fisherfolk in coastal
communities affected by La Nia will be paid to plant mangroves.
III. Analysis: La Nina events can trigger floods, heat waves, blizzards and hurricanes worldwide,
researchers said. The new findings also suggest that some areas could get whiplashed with weather of
opposite extremes from year to year for example, droughts one year and floods the next, the scientists
added.
La Nia, which is Spanish for "little girl," involves unusually cool waters in a belt 5,000 miles (8,000
kilometers) long across the equatorial Pacific Ocean. It is the counterpart of El Nio, which is Spanish for
"little boy" and involves unusually warm waters in the same area. South American fisherman named El
Nino for the baby Jesus, after noticing that the ocean would heat up around Christmastime.
Both El Nio and La Nia can alter wind and water currents across the globe, causing extreme weather
that can kill thousands of people and result in billions of dollars in damage.
IV.Recommendation: As a Computer Engineer, I can say that we need to take more extra care with our
environment or else sudden effects like La Nina will occur and we wont have any place to live in that
will provide our sufficient needs.

G. I.
Title: Report: South China Sea tensions to drive defense spending
Category: Territorial
Reference: Philippine Star
Date: June 3, 2016
Author: Camille Diola

II.Summary: Growing tensions in the disputed South China Sea will drive up defense spending in the
Asia-Pacific region by almost 23 percent by the end of the decade, consultancy IHS Jane's said in a report
Thursday.
Combined regional defense budgets will grow from $435 billion last year to $533 billion in 2020,
furthering a shift in global military spending away from Western Europe and North America toward
emerging markets, especially in Asia, the report said.
"A number of the South China Sea's littoral states appear to be responding to China's more assertive
stance in the region and there is no sign of this trend coming to an end," Janes' principal analyst, Craig
Caffrey, said in the report.
Tensions have been rising steadily over the South China Sea, driven largely by China's military buildup
and more robust assertions of its claim to virtually the entire crucial water body, along with its islands and
reefs. Following years of double-digit annual percentage increases, China has far-and-away the region's
biggest defense budget at $146 billion last year, according to the government.
That growth is now slowing and Jane's said it expects China's budget to rise by about 5 percent to $233
billion by 2020.
Over recent years, Beijing has created new islands and built airfields and other military infrastructure on
them, although Beijing says they are intended largely for civilian use.
Beijing in turn accuses the U.S. of increasing tensions with frequent naval operations in the area, activity
that goes back decades. While China says it has no objections to freedom of navigation in the area, it has
frequently interfered with or issued warnings to fishing vessels and military planes and vessels.
III. Analysis: Asias had been experiencing a rapid economic boom with giants such as China emerging
as the next economic superpower. However, its economic advancement requires a large amount of energy
and to claim the Spratly Islands would be useful for the countries future economic advancement. Each of
these countries requires the oil and natural resources within the sea bed of the Spratly islands to serve for
these economic needs. Many of the emerging Asian countries require oil from the Middle East and Africa,
these resources would have to pass through the Strait of Malacca into the South China Sea.
The Spratly Islands lies on the strategic lines of the South China Sea therefore it means that all 6 countries
hope to have their hands on the Spratly islands to set up a sea port along the South China Seas. Over half
of the worlds merchant fleet sails through the South China Sea every year. Therefore setting up a sea port
at the Spratly Islands would therefore create one of the busiest ports in the world.
This port will create numerous job opportunities and revenues for emerging countries. This had therefore
sparked a part of the conflict as due to countries desire for the strategic location to belong to them, they
would quarrel and fight over the claims of these islands to support their economic needs. Now, the real
question is Who is the RIGHTFUL owner of the Spratly Islands? Well, as a Filipino, I believe that the
Philippines rightfully owns the Spratlys and today, I would prove our countrys ownership over the
islands.
IV.Recommendation: As a Computer Engineer, I can say that as much as I admire the Philippine
governments efforts to leverage prevailing international law to expose the paucity of Chinas
questionable claims, it is high time for the Philippines to focus on fortifying its position on the ground,
enhancing its own defensive capabilities, and re-orienting its national security strategy towards more
concrete and tangible ways of defending its territorial integrity. This is not a battle of lawyers, but astute
strategists.

H. I.
Title: Carter: US-Philippines ties stable
Category: Social
Reference: Philippine Star
Date: June 3, 2016
Author: Camille Diola
II.Summary: US Defense Secretary Ash Carter says the American alliance with the Philippines remains
iron clad, following the election of a new Philippine president who has said his country needs to chart a
course more independent of the United States.
Carter spoke in an in-flight interview with reporters traveling with him yesterday to Singapore for an
annual international security conference known as the Shangri-la Dialogue.
In April, during a visit to Manila, Carter announced new measures to strengthen US-Philippines defense
relations.
Since then, president-elect Rodrigo Dutere has said he will pursue policies making his country more
independent of the United States.
Carter said the US has no plans to change course.
III. Analysis: The Philippines has every reason to expect more out of the United States. The island nation
was a U.S. colony from 1898 to 1946, and the two countries signed a mutual defense treaty way back in
1951. Even after gaining independence, the Philippines continued to host a pair of U.S. military bases,
both of which closed in the early 1990s. But with tensions in the South China Sea continuing to rise,
Filipino government and business leaders in places like Olongapo City, the site of one of the former
bases, are now talking openly about bringing the Americans back.
While the mutual defense accord says that the United States or the Philippines would support the other if
one came under attack, it doesnt necessarily apply to the Philippines ongoing troubles with the Chinese
in the South China Sea. As a result, government officials in Manila have been patiently waiting for the
United States to ratchet up the diplomatic and military pressure on Beijing to end the hostilities. But time
may be running out.
IV.Recommendation: As a Computer Engineer, I can say that the United States and other allies of the
Philippines have also helped facilitate the acquisition of weapons, surveillance technology, and vehicles.
These include helicopter sales, navy patrol craft from Japan, and two C-130 transport planes to aid in
humanitarian aid missions. The Philippine Coast Guard also recently dedicated a national coastal watch
center built by the Raytheon Corporation.

I. I.
Title: Philippines may have only one cyclone this month
Category: Environmental
Reference: Philippine Star
Date: June 3, 2016

Author: Helen Flores

II.Summary: No more than one tropical cyclone is expected to enter the Philippines this month, state
weather forecasters said yesterday.
They said the country has not yet been visited by a cyclone this year due to the lingering effects of El
Nio.
The start of the rainy season, however, was declared by the weather bureau last May 24.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) records
the highest number of tropical cyclones during the months of August and September.
PAGASA assistant weather services chief Anthony Lucero said up to 17 cyclones may enter the
Philippines until October this year.
Last week, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology reported that the strongest El Nio in nearly 20 years
has ended.
El Nio, which emerged in 2015, has now returned to neutral levels, it said.
Australias weather bureau is the first major meteorology agency to declare the end of El Nio. PAGASA
has yet to release its latest report.
Lucero said some parts of the country might still experience dry conditions until August.
PAGASA and other foreign meteorological agencies, however, are expecting the development of a La
Nia event later this year.
La Nia typically brings wetter weather across Asia.
PAGASA placed the chance of La Nia this year at 50 percent.
Measures vs La Nia up
Meanwhile, Malacaang yesterday assured the public that the government is carrying out several
measures to address the possible effects of La Nia weather phenomenon, which is expected to hit the
country this year and cause intensive rains and flooding.
III. Analysis: The main effects of tropical cyclones include heavy rain, strong wind, large storm
surges at landfall, and tornadoes. The destruction from a tropical cyclone depends mainly on its intensity,
its size, and its location. Tropical cyclones act to remove forest canopy as well as change the landscape
near coastal areas, by moving and reshaping sand dunes and causing extensive erosion along the coast.
Even well inland, heavy rainfall can lead to mudslides and landslides in mountainous areas. Their effects
can be sensed over time by studying the concentration of the Oxygen-18 isotope within caves within the
vicinity of cyclones' paths.
After the cyclone has passed, devastation often continues. Standing water can cause the spread of disease,
and transportation or communications infrastructure may have been destroyed, hampering clean-up and
rescue efforts. Nearly two million people have died globally due to tropical cyclones. Despite their
devastating effects, tropical cyclones are also beneficial, by potentially bringing rain to dry areas and
moving heat from the tropics poleward. Out at sea, ships take advantage of their known characteristics by
navigating through their weaker, western half.
IV.Recommendation: As a Computer Engineer, I can say that though cyclones have bad effects, we still
need these to balance the nature like the rains that we benefit from it are needed for our agriculture.

J. I.
Title: Balikbayan boxes get P150,000 tax-free ceiling
Category: Social
Reference: Philippine Star
Date: June 1, 2016
Author: Dolen Pocolla
II.Summary: President Aquino has signed into law the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, provisions
of which include raising the tax exemption ceiling for balikbayan boxes sent home by overseas Filipino
workers (OFWs). Aside from promoting transparency in the graft-ridden Bureau of Customs (BOC) and
making collection of taxes more efficient, the law raises the tax exemption on consumer goods sent home
by overseas Filipinos to their families, from the present P10,000 to P150,000. Secretary Herminio
Coloma Jr. of the Presidential Communications Operations Office informed Palace reporters that the
measure signed by Aquino last Monday is now Republic Act 10863. The author of the bill, re-elected
Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo, said the new law would be a major step toward trade facilitation. He said
earlier he had no doubt the President would sign the measure. The CMTA is actually an enabling law
that makes us comply with our treaty obligation under the revised Kyoto Convention which the Senate
ratified in 2010. Effectively, the CMTA makes the BOC shift its emphasis into a border control agency
instead of a revenue center, Quimbo said. The CMTA approval is a major step towards making trade
facilitation a reality in our country and will go far in terms of preventing another port congestion, he
said. For every day of delay of a commodity results in an increase of five percent on the price. Its a
major step that shows how Congress has really stood tall, I mean amidst all this economic development
and trying to find a way to even harness and make it easier for investors to come in, he pointed out. The
law declares it is the state that should institute fair and transparent customs and tariff management and
facilitate international trade, prevent and curtail any form of customs fraud and illegal acts, and
modernize customs and tariff administration. The CMTA will also address smuggling, which causes huge
revenue losses to the government because of the illegal entry of imported goods and services in the local
market, Quimbo reiterated. The CMTA was among the priority measures of the House in the 16th
Congress as identified earlier by outgoing Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.
III. Analysis: It defines smuggling as the fraudulent act of importing any goods into the country, or the
act of assisting in receiving, conceiving, buying, selling, disposing or transporting such goods, with full
knowledge that the same has been fraudulently imported, or the fraudulent exportation of goods. Goods
referred to under this definition shall be known as smuggled goods. The measure aligns the Customs and
Tariff Code of the Philippines with the standards and recommended practices of 140 countries, thus
making it easier for traders, importers and exporters to comply with border requirements. It introduces
trade facilitation programs for highly compliant and low risk importers who may enjoy the benefit of
deferred payment of duty and taxes, among others.
IV.Recommendation: As a Computer Engineer, I can say that it is good to hear that balikbayan boxes
have no more taxes after all the issues that our OFWs have experienced with their balikbayan box.

K. I.
Title: Over 400,000 Pinoys living in modern slavery
Category: Social

Reference: Philippine Star

Date: June 1, 2016
Author: Helen Flores
II.Summary: The number of Filipinos trapped in modern slavery significantly increased in the last two
years, a majority of them in forced labor, according to the 2016 Global Slavery Index released yesterday
by the Australian-based Walk Free Foundation. The Philippines ranked 33rd among 167 countries covered
in the survey, with an estimated 401,000 Filipinos living in modern slavery. It ranked 103rd among 167
countries in the 2014 Global Slavery Index, with 261,200 individuals. The 2016 report showed that many
overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are suffering from exploitation in various parts of the world, especially
those in domestic service. Modern slavery exists in the Philippines. The issue of forced labor for
Filipinos working abroad is a significant concern, the report said. In terms of vulnerability, the
Philippines obtained a score of 47.67 percent. The country continues to receive a rating of BB, which
means that it has taken steps to address the issue including short term victim support services, a criminal
justice framework that criminalizes some forms of modern slavery, a body to coordinate the responses
and protection for those who are vulnerable. In 2015, the Philippines partnered with the Netherlands to
combat human trafficking, indicating strong political will in fighting transnational modern slavery, the
report said. The group has urged the Philippine government to intensify law enforcement efforts and
prosecute all forms of modern slavery, especially those involving the youth. An estimated 45.8 million
men, women and children around the world are trapped in modern slavery. The figure is 28 percent more
than previous estimates. The report said India has the highest number of people trapped in slavery with
18.35 million, while North Korea had the highest incidence and the weakest government response. The
group explained that while the prevalence and absolute numbers of modern slavery have increased, this
was due to enhanced data collection and research methods.
III. Analysis: Modern slavery exists in the Philippines in all its forms. However, the issue of forced labor
for Filipinos working abroad is a significant concern.
The most recent survey on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) by the Philippine Statistics Authority
suggests that one in every two Filipino women working abroad are unskilled and employed as domestic
workers, cleaners, or in the service sector.
These sectors represent some of the highest industry risks for modern slavery. As such, Filipino women
are often subject to forced labor, have no access to their passport, limitedif anyrights, and experience
sexual and physical abuse by employer.
IV.Recommendation: As a Computer Engineer, I can say that despite the increase in the number of
people in slavery, the Philippines was cited together with Brazil and Croatia for a positive response to the
problem. The Philippine government has partnered with non-government organizations and tapped
outside help in the campaign against human trafficking. Still, with a tenth of the Philippine population
working overseas, most of them for lack of opportunities in their own land, the country is seen as one of
the most vulnerable to modern slavery. With the economy heavily dependent on the billions of dollars
remitted annually by Filipino migrant workers, the government has given no indication that it intends to
stop the trend any time soon.

L. I.
Title: PNP: Anti-drug operations not meant to impress Duterte
Category: Social

Reference: Philippine Star

Date: June 1, 2016
Author: Cecille Felipe
II.Summary: The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the series of aggressive anti-drug operations
conducted recently is not meant to impress president-elect Rodrigo Duterte since the intensified campaign
against criminals has been ongoing since 2014. PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor said the PNP
has been implementing Oplan Lambat-Sibat, a set of police operation plans that seeks to address rampant
criminality in the National Capital Region (NCR) and eventually in the whole country through datadriven strategies, for the past two years. Let us always give chance to people who perform and let us not
judge our organization on things that havent started yet. Let us give everybody a chance, Mayor said.
More than 12 suspected drug dealers were killed in a series of police operations in various parts of the
country recently and some groups interpreted the crackdown as part of the efforts of officials to impress
Duterte. Mayor said the series of police operations was a result of intelligence gathering operations. The
PNP spokesman also cited the clear direction of Duterte in the anti-crime campaign, which is one of the
priorities of his administration. Mayor said one of the factors is that when policemen conduct operations,
they are prone to harassment, especially counter-charges, but when they know they have the support of
their superiors the morale of law enforcers is boosted. When we enforce the law there is nothing wrong
with it. When we invigorate our operation there is nothing wrong with it. Sometimes when we pursue
operations there is a question, Mayor lamented. Intensive intelligence operations of police units are part
and parcel of the PNP drive. A spate of recent criminal killings by police has spiked fears of an
extrajudicial crackdown after Duterte vowed to stamp out crime by all means necessary. Police have
killed at least 12 drug suspects across the country in the past week, while vigilantes gunned down two
other men linked by police to illegal drugs. Most of the suspects fell in what police described as gun
battles. Records showed that policemen gunned down four alleged drug dealers in Bulacan, four in
General Santos City and two each in Manila, Nueva Ecija and Zamboanga City. Two other drug suspects
were killed by unidentified gunmen in Davao City. An official of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB)
warned people involved in illegal drug operations to reform now that Duterte has been proclaimed
president. DDB assistant secretary Benjamin Reyes said the agency continues to strengthen its campaign
against illegal drugs and their advocacy of encouraging drug addicts to enter rehabilitation centers.
III. Analysis: Drug addiction is a problem that has been increasing immensely among our society today.
Drug addictions can only hinder or restrain us from accomplishing goals or dreams in life. People
sometimes feel they are too bright, too powerful, too much in control to become addictive. Addiction can
trap anyone. It can lead to harming ones body, causing problems in family structure, and contribute to the
delinquency in society. The sooner people seek help for drug addiction problems, the more chances they
have of gaining control of their life once again. However, abstinence is the safest way to live a longer and
healthier life.
IV.Recommendation: As a Computer Engineer, I can say that we are greatly influenced by the people
around us. Today one of the number one reasons of teenage drug usage is peer pressure. Peer pressure
represents social influences that affect us. It can have a positive or a negative effect, depending on what
path one follows. There is direct and indirect pressure that might influence a persons decision in using
drugs. Direct pressure might be when a person is offered to try drugs. Indirect pressure might be when a
person is around people using drugs and sees that there is nothing wrong with using drugs.