Under Dept. of Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular No. 2020-023 dated February 6, 2020, a 14-day quarantine of all persons arriving in the Philippines from countries affected with the 2019 Novel Corona Virus will be implemented by the local government units.
From the said memorandum circular, it would mean that those arriving from China, Japan, South Korea, Cambodia, Taiwan, Thailand Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, France, USA, UK and all the other countries with confirmed NCoV cases have also to undergo quarantine for two weeks upon arrival in the country.
However, DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya clarified in an announcement Friday, February 7, 2020, that strict implementation of the 14-day quarantine is only for travelers from China, Macau and Hong Kong. All other travelers from NCoV affected countries may just undergo voluntary quarantine.
The memorandum circular “enjoins all local government units to effectively intensify the information, education and communication campaign on the nCoV ARD, and implement programs, projects and services that will promote the general welfare, public health and well being of every Filipino”.
Among others, said circular directs the organization of Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) and the identification and designation of an appropriate place that will serve as the Barangay Isolation Unit.
A full copy of DILG MC 2020-023 is provided below:
The differences between the existing adoption laws and RA 11222 or the Simulated Birth Rectification Act were clarified by DSWD in a recent consultation dialogue.
Existing
adoption laws under the Domestic Adoption Act (RA 8552) and RA 9523 (An Act
Requiring Certification of the DSWD to Declare A Child Legally Available for
Adoption as Prerequisite for Adoption
Proceedings) involve a socio-legal process and the finalization of the adoption
is in court. RA 11222 on the other hand
is purely administrative in nature.
Under RA 8552 and RA 9523, the Department of Social Welfare and Development only cover abandoned, neglected, surrendered children through the issuance of a Certification Declaring a Child Legally Available for Adoption (CDCLAA). In RA 11222, the DSWD also caters to adult adoptees and relatives within the 4th degree of consanguinity or affinity provided that the birth certificate of the adoptee is simulated.
Main difference between existing adoption laws and RA 11222
If
the birth certificate is simulated under RA 8552 and RA 11222, it is required
that the said birth certificate should be cancelled first before the CDCLAA is
issued then proceed to Adoption.
In
RA 11222, the cancellation of the simulated birth certificate will happen after
the issuance of the Order of Adoption by the Secretary of DSWD.
In
existing adoption laws, there is a matching process between the child and
prospective adoptive parents while in RA 11222, there is no matching process
involved because the child has been living with the prospective adoptive
parents for at least three years.
In
RA 8552 and RA 9523, in cases of simulated birth certificate, the court decree
usually has two directives: to cancel the simulated birth certificate and issue
an amended birth certificate by virtue of the adoption. If the adoption is rescinded, the simulated birth
certificate will be revived.
Steps involved in RA 11222
In
RA 11222, the order of adoption will involve the following:
Cancellation of
the simulated birth certificate;
Issuance of
Rectified Birth, using the true facts of birth of the child;
Issuance of a
new/amended birth certificate if the adoption is rescinded, the rectified birth
certificate will be revived and not the simulated one.
The Order of Adoption is a registrable civil registry document.
Justice
Diosdado Peralta has been appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as the new
Chief Justice today, October 23, 2019.
This was reported in a press briefing conducted by the High Court. He was picked by the president over other
hopefuls Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Justice Andres Reyes Jr. Justice Diosdado Peralta is the most senior
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court who will serve until 2022.
As posted in the Supreme Court website, the new Chief Justice was “born in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, to former Digos City, Davao del Sur and Manila Court of First Instance Judge Elviro Lazo Peralta and public school teacher Catalina Madarang Peralta, Justice Diosdado M. Peralta started his career in government service in 1987 when he was appointed Third Assistant City Fiscal of Laoag City. In 1988, he was assigned to the Prosecutor’s Office in the City of Manila. He later became the Assistant Chief of the Investigation Division of the Office of the City Prosecutor in the early part of 1994.
In September 1994, Justice Peralta was appointed as Presiding Judge of
Branch 95 of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Quezon City, which was
designated as a Special Criminal Court on Heinous Crimes and, later, Drugs
Cases. He was promoted to the Sandiganbayan in 2002, and became its Presiding
Justice in 2008. In January 13, 2009, he was named as the 162nd Associate Justice
of the Supreme Court. He is the third Presiding Justice of the anti-graft court
to be appointed to the High Court.”
Chief
Justice Peralta “is an alumnus of the
University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law where he was as a working
student and graduated in 1979. He obtained his undergraduate degree in
Economics from the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in October 1974.
Before joining the Supreme Court as Associate Justice in 2009, “he was a professor, lecturer, resource person, and Bar reviewer in Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Remedial Law, and Trial Techniques at the UST Faculty of Civil Law, the Ateneo de Manila University, San Beda College of Law, the University of the East, and the University of the Philippines Law Center, among others. He has been a member of the Corps of Professors under the Department of Criminal Law of the PHILJA and remains to be an active lecturer thereof on its Orientation Program for Newly-appointed Judges, Pre-judicature Program and other training seminars.”
Who ate the rest of Lee Seung Gi’s Kimbap in Manila? So ask the Airens on Twitter.
In the recently
concluded Fan Meeting of Hallyu Star Lee
Seung Gi, entitled “Vagabond Voyage In Manila” last October 12, 2019, my
sister got lucky to win the Korean Rice Roll (Kimbap) that Lee Seung Gi made live in the course of the fan
meeting.
I have read the fan account of my sister and I belatedly realized that her post stopped at the fan meeting – it did not disclose whatever happened to the rest of the kimbap, specifically the five slices left after Lee Seung Gi fed one to her.
An Airen myself, I feel the need to make an accounting of who actually tasted Lee Seung Gi’s Kimbap for transparency, char.
Anyway, let me
take off where Hya stopped in her post – upon the conclusion of the highly
anticipated fan meeting.
I think it should be known that it passed through my sister’s mind to share the Kimbap with our longtime Airen friends such as the Admins of the fandom sitting in the front seats and those who were with us when we attended Lee Seung Gi’s fan meetings in Singapore and his military discharge in South Korea. However, she said, looking at the six slices, it was truly not enough, so she was constrained to be greedy and take it with her when we left the venue.
I guess it would
have turned out differently if upon exiting the venue, we could still linger in
the hall because that would have been an opportunity to share it with our Airen
friends. Unfortunately, when we were
ushered to the exit, it was a different one that leads out of the New Frontier
Theater and we could not linger there.
What is more, the Airens that we know were still inside the venue and
judging that we were still floating in Seventh Heaven, our minds were clouded
from thinking rationally that we could have waited…?
So we headed
back to our hotel which was about Two Hundred meters from the venue. Our other
sister’s family, which is based in Laguna, also stayed in the hotel to be with
us so that we can spend time together after the fan meeting.
Upon reaching the hotel, our companion, Mayora RR went to her room without any hints of wanting to eat the kimbap, maybe because she doesn’t consider herself a rabid fan of Lee Seung Gi compared to us who would fly abroad to see him (but she flew from Surigao to see him, lol) . In fairness to her, she has been a fan since 2 Days and 1 Night days.
Next stop is our other companion, my friend, Gay, (who flew in from Cebu to attend the FM) whom we dropped at our room after taking pictures of the precious lunch box, saying we still have to go to my sister’s room to share the good news. We had to call our sister to pick us up in the lobby because we couldn’t go to their floor. Our sister said they suspected something good happened since we were so excited during the call.
Inside their room,
Hya happily and proudly said she won the Kimbap and showed them the polaroid
pictures and the plastic box containing the rice roll. My 13 year old niece shared in our joy by
jumping up and down and screaming with us.
Even my 6 year old nephew was jubilantly joining us and was hopping up
and down the bed too, so happy with the rest of us. My brother-in-law was also delighted for Hya,
in his own silent way, haha.
Our other sister did some photo ops with the kimbap and after snapping more than enough photos to immortalize the kimbap, Hya said we have to eat it that night. I asked, why? She said because Lee Seung Gi was not wearing gloves while making it, so it would spoil quickly (Hya’s first course is Food Technology lol). Yes, sorry ladies, fangirl feelings aside, it’s a fact that the Seung Gi germs would ruin it sooner than later. Confronted with whether to eat the kimbap and experience how Seung Gi ssi made one and whether to preserve it and be left wondering forever how it tasted, the rational choice is obviously to enjoy the kimbap made by him.
So, who ate the
kimbap?
The
first slice Hya ate with Lee Seung Gi feeding her.
Hya indulged
herself with a second slice of the
kimbap while retelling the moment, amidst gleeful screams and disbelief.
The third slice was mine. Hya didn’t think Seung Gi ssi would give her
the entire roll and in her mind, she was thinking of asking him to let her take
some with her upon leaving the stage because she was thinking of me. She said she was so relieved when Lee Seung
Gi said it was hers to take.
The fourth slice went to my niece. Although she doesn’t consider herself a fan
of Lee Seung Gi, she watches and enjoys his shows from time to time, especially
the variety shows. When she was four
years old, she could sing “Losing My Mind” and dance to the tune thereof. She grew up knowing him and she calls him
Seung Gi ajussi now, hahaha… She almost
went with us to pick Seung Gi up in his military release but decided not to go
when she learned it was far plus it was the end of autumn and thus cold. I actually asked her if she wanted to go to
the fan meeting with us, but she said that she respects Seung Gi ajussi but the
diehard fans deserve to watch him more.
The fifth slice went to my 6 year old nephew who calls Lee Seung Gi “Tito Seung Gi”. When “Hwayugi/ A Korean Odyssey” was airing, he got a haircut and sported a Son Oh Gong haircut and calls himself the Monkey King. With what happened to Hya and all our swooning and screaming, he concluded Hya has got herself a boyfriend, Tito Seung Gi, lol.
We saved the last slice for my friend Gay, who was
already getting ready for bed when we went up.
She’s not really visible in social media and not also very vocal about
liking Lee Seung Gi but she has been his avid fan since 2 Days 1 Night which is
about ten years ago.
Thank you for the Kimbap, Seung Gi ssi
So there goes
the whereabouts of the famous kimbap all accounted for.
Thinking about
it now, I regretted eating my share in one mouthful, like how a kimbap is
ordinarily eaten. I was still afloat
with ecstasy from meeting Lee Seung Gi that I could not even remember how it
tasted. All that I could remember is the
cheese flavor because I am a cheese person and I love everything with
cheese. For a moment, I even forgot that
there were also quail egg and grapes in the roll because its taste did not
register properly in my brain. I had to
ask Hya if there were eggs there. Huh?
The thought that Seung Gi ssi was holding a fan meeting in Manila was already hard to digest in the first place, how much more the fact that I was eating kimbap prepared by him? Never in my wildest dream did I ever think of eating something prepared by Lee Seung Gi. So, sorry that I could not elaborate on its flavor.
What remains of the lunch box is now safely tucked in Hya’s room and she says it’s now a family heirloom 🙂
Jagiya, how could this be? It’s unbelievable. In the fan meeting, you said the first memory is the perfect memory, referring to your first memory with Filipino Airens. The first memory of me meeting you the first time in 2012 is still very clear in my mind. We were screaming ‘Philippines’ to catch your attention and let you know there were also Airens in the Philippines. During a hi-touch session with you in 2013, I remember telling you to please visit the Philippines, and you readily said ‘Of course!’. It took many years, but you came to make our Airen dream come true.
Like Hya said, dreams do come true. With Seung Gi, it does.
This first-hand account of the Luckiest Fan who tasted Lee Seung Gi’s Kimbap in Manila proves that dreams do come true. With Lee Seung Gi, it does!
By: Rose Hyacinth, AirenPh
October 15, 2019, 3 AM
Since 2009, I have been a fan of Lee Seung Gi from his 2 days 1 Night days. I couldn’t help but admire this person who has such great wit and charm. The way he performs the challenges and the games shows how diligent he is and how unafraid he is to make mistakes, but he does this in such a way that is just so cute that you couldn’t help but smile and laugh with him. Watching him in a variety show will make you see his true personality.
For almost 10 years now, me and my older sister, have been members of Lee Seung Gi Philippines (AirenPH). Although we couldn’t do more active roles due to logistics and time since we live an hour and half plane ride from Manila and very busy with our work, we are always willing and active to give our support in whatever way we can to help the fandom. Be it financial support for all the activities of LSG AirenPH like foodtrucks, giving gifts and flowers for LSG special days and stalking around social media and telling the entertainment industry to please bring our idol Lee Seung Gi to the Philippines.
All the hard work from the admins and fans of LSG AirenPH finally paid off when we heard that our Lee Seung Gi was coming to the Philippines for his Vagabond Fan Meeting on Oct 12, 2019. My sister and I immediately blocked off our schedule from Oct 11-14 and bought our MVP tickets, booked our flight and hotel.
D-Day After 10 Years of Waiting and Hoping for LSG
Oct. 12, 2019, Saturday – The big day finally arrived. I was putting on the last touches of my make up and my sister was urging me to hurry up because we are meeting another fan, Mayora RR at the New Frontier Theater at 3 PM and it was already 2:50 PM. Mind you the gates will not open until 4:30 PM and our hotel is just a minute walk from the theater! But we are fans, and being one and a half hour early is perfectly reasonable for us. We have time to take our photos and talk to other fans. But I told my anxious sister to be patient because I have to make sure that my make up was placed just right sinceI will have a date with Lee Seung Gi later today. Famous words, indeed!
So the gates were finally opened, and after waiting outside for 30 minutes on the sidewalk and being a little wet from the heavy downpour, we were allowed inside the theater. Going inside and seeing all the bouquets of congratulations from the different global Airen groups displayed on the lobby, made it all real. This is it. Lee Seung Gi was here and I will get to see him in a little while.
I was teary-eyed when I saw the stage. 10 years of wishing and hoping is finally here. Even though I already saw him in person since I attended his other fan meetings – twice in Singapore last 2012 and 2013 and when he got out of military service last 2017, him being in my country made it more special.
The Luckiest Seat in the Vagabond Voyage Manila Fan Meeting Hall – Row 10 Seat No. 28
At about 6:15 PM, the show started. Suddenly, Lee Seung Gi was there singing his famous debut hit song “Because You Are My Woman”. The audience went nuts. Fans screamed and shouted, basically letting him know that we were there and we loved him. I was just there, siting in my seat, watching him and soaking up his presence.
The program went on and I was just smiling the entire time. Then a segment called: Date with Lee Seung Gi came up in which one lucky fan will get to come up the stage and eat the lunchbox that LSG painstakingly, albeit happily, made before our eyes. LSG drew a number from a box.
“MVP Center, row 10. Where’s row 10? Row 10, twenty—–eight!”
Oh my God! That was me! I stood up and raised my hand.
Row 10 Seat No. 28
An organizer immediately checked my ticket to verify that I indeed have the correct ticket. I couldn’t remember how I was able to walk up in stage. I felt like I was floating. I saw the LSG AirenPH admins in front row going wild. Then Seung Gi ssi was there, shaking my hand then hugging me! He hugged me then he patted my shoulder—like they do in kdramas! Maybe he understood how I was feeling especially my tears that he felt the need to pat my shoulder and make me calm. I was in heaven. I can’t believe I was that lucky.
Up-close with Seung Gi ssi What is he like?
So how did his hands feel when I shook it?
He had
a firm handshake but his hands were definitely soft.
Did he have abs?
While
I was hugging him, I can feel the silkiness of his shirt and my arms (not my
hands!) can feel how firm his abdominal muscles are!
Perfume?
I think he did not wear perfume, but he smelled really fresh and clean. He smelled like he just took a shower instead of being halfway into his fan meeting. No hint of sweat whatsoever. I then took my glasses off because with Seung Gi ssi so near, I don’t need it anymore.
What about his skin?
I
saw how smooth his skin was. Although there was a little make up on because he
was performing, I can still see his flawless skin.
Lee Seung Gi’s face up close
He has such pretty eyes and perfect nose. His face was just so symmetrical and so perfect. He was very tall, that I had to back up a little bit so that I won’t have a hard time looking up at him. When he smiled, his cute dimples would pop out and the butterflies on my stomach went haywire.
Chitchat with Lee Seung Gi A Fangirl’s Wildest Dream Fulfilled
Then the host, Ms. Sam Oh was asking me my name and where I’m from. I said “I’m Hya” and “I’m from Butuan City”. The audience went “ooohhh”. I can see in my peripheral vision that Seung Gi ssi was asking his interpreter where Butuan City is due the reaction of the crowd. And he was nodding his head. I think he realized that I came a long way just to attend his FM.
Butuan City is in Mindanao and one and a half hour by plane from Manila. Then Sam Oh said “If you can manage to say something, why don’t you tell him why you like him so much?’. Then LSG apologetically interrupted. “First of all, I’m so sorry to give you this.” indicating to his kimbap. I told him “It’s ok, no problem, I’m ok with it”. But he was smiling at me. Assuring me “This is safe. You can eat. Yeah. You can eat it.”
Then the host again said “Do you wanna tell him, before tasting the lunchbox, why do you like him so much?”. This was easy. I always say this when people ask me why I like him. “I like him so much because he has a good personality”. The audience went ‘’yeah!”. LSG was nodding his head solemnly.
I couldn’t stop myself and continued on with my voice cracking up. “ Thank you so much for coming to the Philippines’. LSG said something in Korean(?) “ your welcome (?). Then I continued, “I saw you in Singapore twice”. LSG said “Twice?”. I said “Yeah, twice. When you umm came out of the army, I went there also”. The audience went “woah”. LSG just gave me a grateful look and hugged me again! Again, that hug and chest tapping thingy.
Feeding Time with Lee Seung Gi
I wanted to say more but I was just so overwhelmed and could not get words out of my mouth anymore that I just gave the mic back to the host. Then LSG said “ Well this would be a very meaningful present to you then”. I was nodding my head off and placing my hands over my heart. The host went “I am so impressed. I cannot think of a better person to be here with us on stage. We’ll have her taste it. Let’s have her taste one. Do you wanna try one? I nodded and then LSG said “There is only six…so…do you wanna try one?…”.
Then Sam Oh said the life changing sentence:
“Why don’t you feed one to her?”
The crowd went wild!
Then LSG said something about us taking a photo and pointing to the camera in front. So we had our picture taken with both our hands holding the precious kimbap. LSG then said “Ok, I’ll give you. Do you want…do you want original style or special item?” (pointing to his dip made of mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard sauce). Of course I said “Special item.” Then he went on and said “ Special item”.
Then he did a small gesture with his hand and gave me his embarrassed and cute smile saying… “I want to recommend you the original.”. What can I say. I’m a fangirl. I’ll always support him. So I picked the original. May I just say that during this time, his dimple was popping all over the place and I had a hard time focusing in the moment. He was just smiling a lot and laughing a little bit. My heart was beating so hard and fast. My fingers were ice cold.
THEN SEUNG GI SSI FED A SLICE OF KIMBAP TO ME!!! — While I Was Holding His Wrist…
Lee Seung Gi feeding me!!!
I was trying so hard not to open my mouth so much and to focus on just not dying. This is just so surreal. I saw in one of the fan pics later on that I was holding his wrist(the hand that was holding the kimbap container) while he was feeding me. Maybe I just need an anchor because I was in such a high place, to keep me on planet earth???
Then I chewed carefully and he was looking at me intently and genuinely curious how it tasted. I then had to look away. I can’t taste anything with him looking at me like that. No fan can. Then I gave him a double thumbs up sign. I said it’s masarap.
Then LSG gave me a thumbs up also then he ask me “What is masarap?”. The host said “It tasted good.”. LSG then said “Masarap? Masarap?”. I gave him another double thumbs up. Then he said “ You liar. Are you sure? You’re sure?”. He kept on giving me his cute smile. I just kept on nodding. Then he said “ah jinja? (really)’’. I said “You taste it.” The crowd laughed.
Then the host asked me how it tasted like. I said “It tastes sweet… with cheese. I like cheese.” As I fan, I know I would find it tasty regardless of the taste, just because of the fact that Seung Gi ssi made it by his own bare hands and sincerity. But honestly, it really tasted good.
I can taste the sweetness of the quail eggs and grapes offset by the saltiness of the kimbap wrapper and cheese. It has the salty-sweet taste that I like. The host then said. “I think the flavor combo can work. So, congratulations! I’m so happy for you”.
But there’s more for my lucky sister…
Seung Gi during this time was busily covering the container carefully and giving it to me. I said “Is this for me?” He said “ Yeah it’s yours”. Inside my mind, I was thinking thank God he gave the rest of the kimbap to me because I really have to have my sister taste it too.
Souvenir of a Lifetime A Signed Polaroid Photo with Lee Seung Gi
Me and Seung Gi ssi – together, forever!
Then LSG was given the polaroid photo of us together. The host said “We have a polaroid photo and he’s gonna sign the photo for you”. I was jumping up and down by this time. To have this all happen to me and to have a polaroid photo of us together signed? How lucky can I be? It was just too much. I was ecstatic.
He then signed his name and then asked me how do I spell my name. Lee Seung Gi was so tall that he had to bend down a bit and I tiptoed a bit and said it to his ear “H-Y-A”. He confirmed, H-y-a? I said yeah. He then wrote it on the polaroid and then gave me a cute smile and then added a heart sign after my name. OMG. My heart melted.
He then gave it to me and I said thank you so much. He said you’re welcome and shook hands with me. This was when I remembered all the Filipino Airens and know that they would want me to say, “Please come back to the Philippines” which I did. He said yeah. Then he hugged me again. I gave him a small bow and exited the stage.
The host then said “You are the only person in this room who get to taste this exclusive lunchbox of Lee Seung Gi. Let’s give her a round of applause everyone. And LSG clapped his hand also.
Back to the Luckiest Seat in the Vagabond Voyage Fan Meeting Hall
Meanwhile back in my seat, I gave the kimbap box to my sister and she said she’s going to taste it at the hotel later on and to guard it with my life! So I watched the rest of the FM with my left hand holding the priceless kimbap lunchbox while my right hand was waving a lightstick!
My heart was still beating very fast, the butterflies in my stomach were still going wild and my hands were still ice cold the entire time I watched the rest of the FM. Inside my head, I was still saying “Oh My God!” over and over again.
Just the fact that I was watching a FM of Lee Seung Gi in the Philippines was more than enough to gladden my fangirl heart. But having all that happen to me? Dreams do come true. With Lee Seung Gi, it does!
By: Rose Hyacinth, AirenPh
(thank you for this space, The Philippine Forum)
TPF Admin: No, fangirl Rose Hya, thank you for sharing your story with us and the rest of K-pop fans!
Photo credit: Thanks to Gigi Dacara for the featured photo
The Discriminatory Acts under the Proposed SOGIE Bill under Senate Bill 159 filed by Senator Riza Hontiveros last July 2, 2019, are laid down in Section 5 thereof.
Under Section 5 of Senate Bill
159, the following discriminatory acts shall be unlawful:
Promoting and encouraging stigma on the basis of SOGIE in the media, in educational textbooks, and other medium. Inciting violence and sexual abuse against any person or group on the basis of SOGIE is likewise prohibited;
Including SOGIE as well as the disclosure of sexual orientation, in the criteria for hiring, promotion, transfer, designation, work assignment, re-assignment, dismissal of workers, and other human resource movement and action, performance review and in the determination of employee compensation, career development opportunities, training, and other learning and development interventions, incentives, privileges, benefits or allowances, and other terms and conditions of employment: Provided That, this provision shall apply to employment in both the private sector and public service, including military, police and other similar services: Provided, Further That is prohibition shall likewise apply to the contracting and engaging of the services of organizations with lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders, intersex, or queers (LGBTIQs) members or of associations or organizations advocating LGBTIQ rights;
Refusing admission or expel a person from any educational or training institution on the basis of SOGIE: Provided, However that the right of educational and training institutions to determine the academic qualifications of their students or trainees shall be duly upheld;
Imposing disciplinary sanctions, penalties harsher than customary or similar punishments, requirements, restrictions, or prohibitions that infringe on the rights of the students on the basis of SOGIE, including discriminating against a student or trainee due to the SOGIE of the student’s parents or legal guardian;
Refusing or revoking the accreditation, formal recognition, registration or plan to organize of any organization, group, political party, institution or establishment, in educational institutions, workplaces, communities, and other settings, solely on the basis of the SOGIE of their members or of their target constituencies;
Denying a person access to public or private medical and other health services open to the general public, as well as access to public and private health insurance, including HMOs, on the basis of SOGIE;
Denying an application for or revoke, on the basis of SOGIE, any government license, authority, clearance, permit, certification, or other similar documents necessary to exercise a profession, business, or any other legitimate calling;
Denying a person access to or the use of establishments, facilities, utilities or services, including housing, open to the general public on the basis of SOGIE: Provided, That the act of giving inferior accommodations or services shall be considered a denial of access or use of such facility or service: Provided, That this prohibition covers acts of discrimination against juridical persons solely on the basis of SOGIE of their members or of their target constituencies;
Subjecting any person, natural or juridical, to profiling, detention, or verbal or physical harassment on the basis of SOGIE. Profiling, detention, or verbal or physical harassment on the basis of SOGIE by members of law enforcement agencies, including the military, police, immigration, is likewise prohibited. Physical or verbal harassment based on SOGIE of persons in custody or detention of the police, including subjecting them to extortion, is also prohibited; and
subjecting a person to any other analogous acts that shall have the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the enjoyment, recognition, and exercise of a person’s human rights and fundamental freedoms.
regardless of whether such arrest has legal or factual basis. Harassment of juridical persons on the basis of the sexual orientation or gender identity or expression of their members, stockholders, benefactors, clients, or patrons is likewise covered by this provision.
Senate Bill 159 was initially filed by Senator Hontiveros in December 2016 under the Seventeenth Congress but it was not passed.
Republic Act No. 11053 – The Anti-Hazing Act of 2018, is otherwise known as An Act Prohibiting Hazing and Regulating Other Forms of Initiation Rites of Fraternities, Sororities, and Other Organizations, and Providing Penalties for Violations Thereof, Amending for the Purpose Republic Act No. 8049, Entitled “An Act Regulating Hazing and Other Forms of Initiation Rites in Fraternities Sororities, and Organizations and Providing Penalties.
Hazing, as
defined in the law, “refers to
any act that results in physical or psychological suffering, harm, or injury
inflicted on a recruit, neophyte, applicant, or member as part of an initiation
rite or practice made as a prerequisite for admission or a requirement for
continuing membership in a fraternity, sorority, or organization.”
What constitutes hazing?
Hazing includes, but is not limited to the following:
paddling,
whipping,
beating,
branding,
forced calisthenics,
exposure to the weather,
forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug
or other substance,
or any other brutal treatment or forced physical
activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical and psychological
health of such recruit, neophyte, applicant, or member.
“Hazing also includes any activity, intentionally made or otherwise, by one person alone or acting with others, that tends to humiliate or embarrass, degrade, abuse, or endanger, by requiring a recruit, neophyte, applicant, or member to do menial, silly, or foolish tasks.”
Total Hazing Ban.
Section 3 of Republic Act No. 11058 states that –
“All
forms of hazing shall be prohibited in fraternities, sororities, and
organizations in schools, including citizens’ military training and citizens’
army training. This prohibition shall likewise apply to all other fraternities,
sororities, and organizations that are not school-based, such as
community-based and other similar fraternities, sororities and
organizations: Provide, That
the physical, mental, and practices to determine and enhance the physical,
mental, and psychological fitness of prospective regular members of the AFP and
the PNP as approved by the Secretary of National Defense and National Police
Commission, duly recommended by the Chief of Staff of the AFP and Director
General of the PNP, shall not be considered as hazing purposes of this
Act: Provided, further, That
the exemption provided herein shall likewise apply to similar procedures and
practices approved by the respective heads of other uniformed learning
institutions as to their prospective members, nor shall this provision apply to
any customary athletic events or other similar contests or competitions or any
activity or conduct that furthers a legal and legitimate objective, subject to
prior submission of a medical clearance or certificate.
In no case shall hazing be made a
requirement for employment in any business or corporation.”
Republic Act 11053 was signed into law by President Rodrigo R. Duterte about a year after the death of University of Sto. Tomas law student Horacio Castillo III in September 17, 2017. In September 18, 2019, Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio of the Philippine Military Academy died as a result of hazing.
The Grounds for Absolute Divorce under Senate Bill 356 as introduced by Senator Risa Hontiveros and filed last July 11, 2019 are the following, to wit:
The grounds for legal separation under Article 55 of the Family Code of the Philippines, provided that physical violence and grossly abusive conduct under Article 55(1) need not be repeated offenses to be considered as ground;
The grounds for annulment of marriage under Article 45 of the Family Code of the Philippines, provided that the grounds cited in numbers 2, 5, 6 of Article 45 may either have existed at the time of the marriage, or supervening after the marriage;
Psychological incapacity of either spouse as provided for in Article 36 of the Family Code of the Philippines, whether or not the incapacity at the time of the celebration of the marriage or later;
All acts mentioned under Section 5 of Republic Act No. 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004;
The commission of the crime of rape by the respondent-spouse against the petitioner-spouse before the celebration of marriage;
When one of the spouses has been sentenced by final judgment under Republic Act No. 9262, or a permanent protection order has been issued in favour of the petitioner spouse against the other spouse under the mentioned Acts is the petitioner –spouse or their common children;
When the spouses are legally separated by judicial decree under Article 55 of the Family Code of the Philippines for at least two (2) years;
When the spouses have been separated in fact for at least five (5) years at the time the petitioner for absolute divorce is filed, and reconciliation is highly improbable;
Irreconcilable marital difference or irreparable breakdown of the marriage, despite earnest efforts at reconciliation.
For reference, Article 55 of the Family Code of the
Philippines provides:
Art. 55. A petition for legal
separation may be filed on any of the following grounds:
(1) Repeated
physical violence or grossly abusive conduct directed against the petitioner, a
common child, or a child of the petitioner;
(2) Physical
violence or moral pressure to compel the petitioner to change religious or
political affiliation;
(3) Attempt
of respondent to corrupt or induce the petitioner, a common child, or a child
of the petitioner, to engage in prostitution, or connivance in such corruption
or inducement;
(4) Final
judgment sentencing the respondent to imprisonment of more than six years, even
if pardoned;
(5) Drug
addiction or habitual alcoholism of the respondent;
(6)
Lesbianism or homosexuality of the respondent;
(7)
Contracting by the respondent of a subsequent bigamous marriage, whether in the
Philippines or abroad;
(8) Sexual
infidelity or perversion;
(9) Attempt
by the respondent against the life of the petitioner; or
(10)
Abandonment of petitioner by respondent without justifiable cause for more than
one year.
For purposes of this Article, the term “child” shall
include a child by nature or by adoption. (9a)
On the other hand, Article 45 of the Family Code of the Philippines states:
Art. 45. A
marriage may be annulled for any of the following causes, existing at the time
of the marriage:
(1) That the
party in whose behalf it is sought to have the marriage annulled was eighteen
years of age or over but below twenty-one, and the marriage was solemnized
without the consent of the parents, guardian or person having substitute
parental authority over the party, in that order, unless after attaining the
age of twenty-one, such party freely cohabited with the other and both lived
together as husband and wife;
(2) That
either party was of unsound mind, unless such party after coming to reason,
freely cohabited with the other as husband and wife;
(3) That the
consent of either party was obtained by fraud, unless such party afterwards,
with full knowledge of the facts constituting the fraud, freely cohabited with
the other as husband and wife;
(4) That the
consent of either party was obtained by force, intimidation or undue influence,
unless the same having disappeared or ceased, such party thereafter freely
cohabited with the other as husband and wife;
(5) That
either party was physically incapable of consummating the marriage with the
other, and such incapacity continues and appears to be incurable; or
(6) That either
party was afflicted with a sexually-transmissible disease found to be serious
and appears to be incurable. (85a)
The Acts of Violence under Section 5 of Republic Act No. 9262 as a ground for absolute divorce
are the following:
SECTION 5. Acts of Violence Against Women and Their
Children.- The crime of violence against women and their children is
committed through any of the following acts:
(a) Causing physical harm to the woman
or her child;
(b) Threatening to cause the woman or
her child physical harm;
(c) Attempting to cause the woman or
her child physical harm;
(d) Placing the woman or her child in
fear of imminent physical harm;
(e) Attempting to compel or compelling
the woman or her child to engage in conduct which the woman or her child has
the right to desist from or desist from conduct which the woman or her child
has the right to engage in, or attempting to restrict or restricting the
woman’s or her child’s freedom of movement or conduct by force or threat of
force, physical or other harm or threat of physical or other harm, or
intimidation directed against the woman or child. This shall include, but not
limited to, the following acts committed with the purpose or effect of
controlling or restricting the woman’s or her child’s movement or conduct:
(1) Threatening to deprive or actually
depriving the woman or her child of custody to her/his family;
(2) Depriving or threatening to deprive
the woman or her children of financial support legally due her or her family,
or deliberately providing the woman’s children insufficient financial support;
(3) Depriving or threatening to deprive
the woman or her child of a legal right;
(4) Preventing the woman in engaging in
any legitimate profession, occupation, business or activity or controlling the
victim’s own mon4ey or properties, or solely controlling the conjugal or common
money, or properties;
(f) Inflicting or threatening to
inflict physical harm on oneself for the purpose of controlling her actions or
decisions;
(g) Causing or attempting to cause the
woman or her child to engage in any sexual activity which does not constitute
rape, by force or threat of force, physical harm, or through intimidation
directed against the woman or her child or her/his immediate family;
(h) Engaging in purposeful, knowing, or
reckless conduct, personally or through another, that alarms or causes
substantial emotional or psychological distress to the woman or her child. This
shall include, but not be limited to, the following acts:
(1) Stalking or following the woman or
her child in public or private places;
(2) Peering in the window or lingering
outside the residence of the woman or her child;
(3) Entering or remaining in the
dwelling or on the property of the woman or her child against her/his will;
(4) Destroying the property and
personal belongings or inflicting harm to animals or pets of the woman or her
child; and
(5) Engaging in any form of harassment
or violence;
(i) Causing mental or emotional
anguish, public ridicule or humiliation to the woman or her child, including,
but not limited to, repeated verbal and emotional abuse, and denial of
financial support or custody of minor children of access to the woman’s
child/children.
House Bill 3611, otherwise known as An Act Promoting the Holistic Development of Basic Education Students By Establishing a No-Homework Policy for Kinder to Grade 12 and Proscribing the Taking of Textbooks Out of the School for Kinder to Grade 6 Students in all Public and Private Schools, was finally filed before the House of Representatives Bills and Index Division last August 7, 2019. The short title of the bill is “Taking of Textbooks Out of School and No-Homework Policy of 2019” act. The said bill was introduced by House Deputy Speaker Evelina G. Escudero.
Under the
explanatory note of the bill, House Bill No. 3611 “seeks the elimination of homework assignments and prohibiting the
taking of textbooks outside of the school” to “lighten the physical burden of schoolchildren and promote quality
family interaction” and “to compel
schools and teachers to come up with a more holistic and effective pedagogy”.
House Bill No.
3611 was proposed pursuant to the aim of the State to safeguard the general welfare and interests of school children and
protect them from conditions that may adversely affect their health and their
right to a balanced life.
The pertinent
provisions of House Bill No. 3611 provide:
Sec. 4.
No-homework Assignment. – All basic
education schools shall make sure that their respective teachers shall not give
homework assignments to Kinder to Grade 12 students by conducting all lessons
and activities in school.
Sec. 5. No
Taking of Textbooks Home. – All basic
education schools shall ensure that all Kinder to grade 6 students shall
deposit and leave their textbooks in school and no textbooks shall be brought
home to prevent the adverse effects of carrying heavy bags to-and-from school.
Sec. 6. Lockers. – All basic education schools shall ensure that
each student shall have a locker or a dedicated space that will serve as safe
depository for students’ textbooks.
On the other hand, Representative Alfred Vargas has also introduced House Bill 3883 entitled An Act Establishing a No Homework Policy for all Elementary and High Schools in the Country.
The explanatory
notes of House Bill 3883 states that in 2018, a study in South Africa shows
that “homework is burdensome for students and parents” and it also “undermines
learning interest” and does impact family life in a negative way. Said studies show also that “homework is
associated with academic achievement”.
Section 2 of the said HB 3883 states that “All Elementary and High Schools in the country shall not allow teachers to give any homework or assignments to their students over the weekend”.
The public has
mixed opinions on the move to ban elementary and high school students from
doing homework. Around social media,
some welcome this policy, agreeing that homework is a stressor for children
that would deprive them of quality time with family at home. However, the other side of the coin
vehemently argues that doing homework teaches the children the value of hard
work and diligence and instills discipline in them, which values are helpful when
they become adults in the future.
Moreover, it is also contended that taking homework out of the equation
does not necessarily equate to more family time because it cannot be discounted
that with much free time at home after school, the children will have idle time
to hang out in the internet which would be counter- productive, not to mention
that their parents may also be busy as well.
