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Explain flagging, removal of gov't posts, senator tells Facebook

(Screenshot) MANILA - Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. on Tuesday requested Facebook Philippines for an explanation regarding the series of flagging and removal of posts and shared stories by government officials, various government media agencies, and ordinary netizens. In his letter addressed to John Rubio, country director of Facebook Philippines, the chair of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media said his office recognizes mother company Meta's efforts against disinformation, cyberbullying, hate speech, terrorism, and other problems encountered in social media platforms but would welcome information and an explanation from the social media giant. "I join the concern of the government agencies and mass media organizations about the effects of the abovementioned incidents in the performance of official functions and their implications in national security, sovereignty, and fundamental freedoms," Revilla wrote. National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict spokesperson and Presidential Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy on Sunday described the incident as "pathetic, desperate, and lutang (floating)". The Philippine News Agency's (PNA) posts on Badoy's reaction, including a social media card, were taken down by Facebook but later restored. Netizens also reported not being able to share the Badoy post, among others. The National Press Clubcalled the incident not only acts of harassment and intimidation and a brazen curtailment of civil liberties, particularly the right to freedom of information and expression, but more importantly, an assault on the country's sovereignty. Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan president and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the Facebook incidents are part of efforts to discredit the accomplishments of the Duterte administration and maliciously influence voters' decisions ahead of the May 9 polls. Since Saturday night, Facebook posts of government institutions, including the PNA, were flagged and blocked by Facebook, saying they violate "community standards". Facebook has not offered an explanation, except that the flagging, removal and tagging of posts as spam were technical issues. A post of National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. urging Filipinos to unite against communist insurgency was similarly flagged, prompting Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya to denounce Facebook. "This move of FB is alarming, if not dangerous, as it has appointed itself as an omnipotent force that can censure at their discretion -- based on standards that they themselves created -- the legitimate posts of highly respected officials of the country," Malaya said in a statement. The Facebook account of lawyer Vic Rodriguez, the spokesperson of presidential bet Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is also suspended for 30 days beginning April 25 due to supposed violations of community standards. (PNA) }

Manila , Philippines , Philippine , Benguet , Filipinos , Vic-rodriguez , John-rubio , Ferdinand-marcos-jr , Ramon-bong-revilla-jr , Partido-demokratiko-pilipino-lakas , National-security-adviser-hermogenes-esperon-jr , Presidential-communications-undersecretary-lorraine-badoy-on

'Abusive fact-checkers' behind flagged Facebook posts: NTF-ELCAC

MANILA - The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Sunday condemned the multiple flagging of social media giant Facebook (Meta) of its official posts and shared stories of government media agencies. The NTF-ELCAC said even the government's good governance posts and articles highlighting economic recovery programs and delivery of basic social services as well as "infrastructure projects to our communities, IP (Indigenous Peoples) areas, and the hinterland barangays" were also flagged as violative of Facebook community standards. NTF-ELCAC spokesperson and Presidential Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy described Facebook's move as "pathetic, cowardly, desperate, and lutang (floating)". "These describe the entities composed of a bunch of self-anointed, presumptuous, tyrannical, and abusive fact-checkers that set faulty, erroneous, biased, oppressive, and repressive community standards for the social media platform Facebook. These so-called fact-checkers flagged posts and articles by the NTF-ELCAC and by government media entities, including official press releases of the Philippine government," she said. Earlier this week, National Security Adviser (NSA) Hermogenes Esperon Jr., also the NTF-ELCAC vice chairperson, called out the social media giant for flagging his posts due to alleged similar violations. In his post on April 14, Esperon called on Filipinos to unite against the communist insurgency and all groups that support the New People's Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, but the post was restricted by Facebook. Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya has likewise criticized the platform saying its move "is alarming, if not dangerous, as it has appointed itself as an omnipotent force that can censure at their discretion -- based on standards that they themselves created -- the legitimate posts of highly respected officials of the country." "The imprudence of FB to warn Secretary Esperon on a national security issue is unthinkable and downright offensive as the social media platform has taken on the role of Big Brother with the power to censure the social media posts of the NSA himself on matters of national security," Malaya added. Government officials raised alarm again as Facebook continuously flagged multiple posts of government media entities including the Philippine News Agency (PNA) and Radyo Pilipinas. Since Saturday night, Facebook has been notifying those who have shared the news articles and developmental stories from PNA, tagging the posts as violations of the platform's community standards on cybersecurity. Editors and reporters' accounts were not spared, that even vaccination updates are tagged as violators of community standards and shared stories are notified that "no one else" can see the post. Badoy said the platform's actions will not be tolerated. "This is the height of arrogance and stupidity on the part of those who are responsible for establishing the faulty community standards. Rest assured, your actions shall not be tolerated and shall not go unpunished," she said. "If it will be proven after the conduct of an investigation that your actions (under the guise of fact-checking based not on facts but on something else as dictated by your principals) have resulted in hampering, preventing, hindering, obstructing, demeaning, vilifying, and undermining legitimate government efforts, programs, projects, and fact-based accomplishments by government agencies, proper actions will be undertaken against you and possible sanctions may be meted out on you," she added. Attack on Filipinos Badoy also noted there's a clear intent to silence the anti-insurgency task force from "speaking the truth to the Filipino people". "This is not an attack on NTF-ELCAC alone. This is an attack against the Filipino people. This is an affront to the Philippine government. This is an attack against freedom of expression. This is an affront to all of us who work to end the local communist armed conflict. To those responsible for this cowardly act, your notion of the truth is out of touch with the realities on the ground," she further stated. Badoy said that because of Facebook's actions "we have proven one undeniable fact, the people and the groups behind your sinister acts are desperate to silence the NTF-ELCAC". She lamented that people behind such actions "must be hurting so badly that you, the lowly minions doing the dirty work of suppressing the truth, are forced to turn a blind eye to the truth and cancel the truth by putting up criteria for community standards that would fit your make-believe world". Badoy chided Facebook for not even going down to the communities "to validate the contents of the good governance posts". "If you happen to be Filipinos, mas dapat kayong mahiya sa mga pinag-gagagawa ninyo (all the more that you must be ashamed of your actions). Instead of helping your government bring the truth to our people, you suppress it. If you are doing it for the money, then shame on you all!" she said. Meanwhile, netizens expressed their support for the NTF-ELCAC and urged the government to do something against the incident noting that it "is clearly suppressing freedom of speech." "Despite your efforts to silence us, we remain steadfast in our commitment to bring the government closer to our people and to win the peace by ending the local communist armed conflict. In the end, truth will prevail," Badoy concluded. (PNA) }

Manila , Philippines , Philippine , Benguet , Filipinos , Filipino , Hermogenes-esperon-jr , Radyo-pilipinas , Facebook-meta , Presidential-communications-undersecretary-lorraine-badoy , People-army , Party-of-the-philippines

NTF-ELCAC, vital legacy of Duterte admin

BARANGAYNIHAN CARAVAN. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and other government agencies hold the 'Duterte Legacy: Bayanihan Caravan Towards National Recovery' in San Fernando City, Pampanga on Monday (April 18, 2022). The event aims to inform the public of the achievements of the Duterte administration as well as to deliver basic services to the public. (Photo courtesy of NCIP-Region 3) CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga - The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) which addresses the decades-long problem brought about by the communist terrorist groups is an important legacy of the Duterte administration that needs to be continued by the next administration. During the Duterte Legacy: Barangaynihan Caravan Towards National Recovery at Camp Olivas here on Monday, organizers and participants of the program expressed hope that the successor of President Rodrigo Duterte will sustain the gains of the NTF-ELCAC. Maria Luisa De Guzman, regional director of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), said the NTF-ELCAC, since its creation in 2018, has so far achieved in raising awareness and in providing the people with the truth about the communist terrorist groups and their front organizations. "The unprecedented gains made by the NTF-ELCAC, particularly in raising awareness on the problems against communist terrorist groups, through the intensified information campaign and to bring about development in areas that once been under the cudgels of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) is an important legacy of President Duterte. The effects of which will be felt by generations to come," de Guzman said. Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay, regional director of the Police Regional Office 3, said the fight against insurgency has gained a lot of ground. "Napakalayo na ng ating narating sa ating laban sa mga communist terrorist groups at ito ay nasa ilalim ng pangangasiwa ng NTF-ELCAC na nasimulan sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Duterte. Sa halos anim na taon ay nalansag na ng pwersa ng ating pamahalaan ang mga guerrilla fronts sa buong bansa. Kasabay na rin nito ang ating pagsisikap ang maputol ang kanilang suporta na nanggagaling sa white areas na kung saan ang whole of nation approach na nasaad sa directive ng NTF-ELCAC (Our fight against communist terrorist groups has gained ground and this is under the supervision of the NTF-ELCAC which was started under the administration of President Duterte. Within almost six years, guerrilla fronts have been dismantled by our government forces in the entire country. This is in consonance with our efforts to cut their support from the white areas through the whole of nation approach under the NTF-ELCAC directive)," Baccay said. Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, meanwhile, assured that the government services being offered by the Duterte administration will continue until June 30 this year. He expressed hope that those reforms and programs initiated by President Duterte will be continued by the next successor. "Sana, hindi ito mahinto sa June 30 at magtuloy-tuloy ito hanggang sa susunod na administration. Ang lahat ng mga magaganda proyekto at program ay tuloy-tuloy (Hopefully, this will not stop on June 30 and continue by the next administration. Hopefully, all the good projects and programs will continue)," Malaya said. The Duterte Legacy: Barangayanihan Caravan Towards National Recovery is a national event that aims to cascade to the people the project, programs, and accomplishments of the Duterte administration and how they directly benefited the Filipino people. The event likewise included a one-stop-shop of government services. (PNA) }

Philippines , Pampanga , Davao-city , The-philippines , Filipino , Pangulong-duterte , Matthew-baccay , Rodrigo-duterte , National-intelligence-coordinating-agency , People-army , Party-of-the-philippines , Barangayanihan-caravan-towards-national-recovery

LGUs back PhilSys-LandBank partnership for financial inclusion

(Image courtesy of PSA) MANILA - Local government units (LGUs) are all-out in their support for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) which allows marginalized registrants to open bank accounts even without an initial deposit. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) recently organized a webinar, participated in by about 300 LGU representatives and other PhilSys stakeholders, where financial inclusion was discussed. The PSA has partnered with the state-run Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) to allow unbanked PhilSys registrants to finally have accounts. So far, there are 1,443 PhilSys registration centers nationwide, with 181 in Luzon and 303 sites co-located with LandBank. "As a foundational ID system, PhilSys intends to contribute to increasing financial inclusion by being the intervention in the lack of valid proof of identity experienced by many Filipinos," PSA Undersecretary Dennis Mapa, also the National Statistician and Civil Registrar, said in a statement over the weekend. Under PhilSys' co-location strategy with Landbank, registrants can open bank accounts after completing the Step 2 biometrics registration process. Mapa added the effort makes Filipinos "less vulnerable to informal lending practices that charge onerous interest rates". During the virtual event on February 10, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Director for Financial Inclusion, Ellen Joyce Suficiencia, said financial inclusion does not end with a transaction account. Instead, members of the poor and the vulnerable sector will be entitled to a broad range of financial services. "It also means that account owners are able to achieve financial goals, increase productivity for businesses that lead to job creation and inclusive economic growth, and access financial resilience-building tools amid the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change," Suficiencia said Through a memorandum in October 2019, the BSP is responsible for the production of 116 million blank Philippine Identification (PhilID) cards with security features for three years. "We are one with the PSA in this activity. We have been there from the very beginning, and we will not leave this project until the very end, until 110 million Filipinos will have their own PhilID or national ID," Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said. Signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte in August 2018, Republic Act 11055, or the Philippine Identification System Act, aims to establish a single national ID for all Filipinos and resident aliens. The national ID shall be a valid proof of identity that shall be a means of simplifying public and private transactions, enrolment in schools, and the opening of bank accounts. It will also boost efficiency, especially in dealing with government services where people will only need to present the PhilID during transactions. (PNA) }

Manila , Philippines , Philippine , Benguet , Filipinos , Rodrigo-duterte , Bangko-sentral , Dennis-mapa , Ellen-joyce-suficiencia , Department-of-the , Philippine-statistics-authority , Land-bank

Sulu execs' alleged plan to invade Sabah 'fake news, baloney' —Philippine officials

Philippine officials on Thursday dismissed the reported "secret" plan of mayors in Sulu province to invade Sabah by sending armed militia forces.

Malaysia , Philippines , Filipino , Andrew-linao , Delfin-lorenzana , Jerrica-angela-manongdo , Task-force-sulu , South-china-morning-post , United-nations , Secretary-delfin-lorenzana , Local-government-secretary-eduardo , Local-government-undersecretary-jonathan-malaya

'Restore NTF-ELCAC budget for barangays', guvs to Senate

MANILA - As local leaders nationwide continue to express their outrage and dismay over the move by senators to cut the budget of the Barangay Development Program (BDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), three more governors and a mayor have voiced their concerns over the looming threat of the communist terrorist groups (CTGs) should these 2022 funds are denied. At the weekly virtual NTF-ELCAC press briefing Monday, Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone lashed out at senators pushing for the BDP budget cut, saying they are just making political posturing as the next election nears. "Para hindi sila magmukhang bad boy ililipat sa (To avoid being pictured as bad boys, they will transfer to) Covid-19 pandemic," Evardone said, referring to some senator's claims that it is better to transfer the BDP fund to fight the dreaded virus pandemic while the more than 50-year terrorism of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) continue to wreak havoc. "Itong pandemic ng insurgency ay mas matagal na (This pandemic of insurgency has been with us for a very long time already)," Evardone added. He said that during a consultative meeting, most of the residents of their 10 municipalities have become hopeful that progress will be theirs. However, when they learned of some senators' move, one of the mayors moved that a resolution be issued declaring the senators who are against the BDP receive "zero votes" in their province. "Sana nga sa bicam [Bicameral Conference Committee] maihabol ito at mairestore (We're hoping it will be restored during the bicam)," he said. Bohol Governor Arthur Yap, on the other hand, said they viewed the move to slash the budget of great concern, even if his province has yet to accept and receive the BDP fund next year. "Sayang lang ang big investment ng national government for Bohol in tourism (It's a pity if the national government's big investment for Bohol in tourism will come to naught)," Yap said, noting that BDP will help fix the road network of six critical barangays in his province. Frustration and anger Yap said while talking with various local leaders of Bohol, everyone expressed their frustrations and anger over the situation. "Sabi nila kung ganyan pala ang ginagawa nila, yung mga Senators (As they said, if the senators will do that). They have the power right now to help us but they choose not to do so, then I think the people should know the governors, the mayors and our leaders must troop to the Senate and make our sentiments be heard. So, I'm ready to go if the other governors are going to the Senate. Please count me in," he said. Sustainability should not be hampered For Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang, the 81 to 82 percent nearing completion of BDP projects in his province would go to naught if sustainability is hampered by the budget slash as this unique program was only implemented in this administration. "This is the first time in the history na nabigyan pansin ng national ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan na nasa laylayan, partikular sa mga nakatira sa malalayong lugar (that the national government gave attention to our countrymen in the far-flung areas)," Dayanghirang said. He said if the BDP would be stopped, then the biggest casualty is the national government itself. He described the BDP as the best long-term solution to the insurgency problem. "Ito nga ang tinitingnan namin na pangmatagalan na solusyon na mabigyan sana ang mga pangangailangan ng taumbayan partikular doon sa conflict affected barangays po (We look at this as long-term solution to hopefully address the needs our countrymen particularly those in the conflict affected barangays," he said. He added: "Ako po ay nakikiusap sa ating mga Senador na huwag naman ninyong ipagdamot ang kapayapaan para sa bansang Pilipinas, huwag naman nating ipagdamot ang mga pangangailangan na matagal ng minimithi ng ating mga kababayan na maangkin nila (I am appealing to our senators not to spoil peace for the Philippines, let's not spoil the needs that our countrymen have long wanted them to have." 'Hear cries of people' Meanwhile, Abra de Ilog Municipal Mayor Eric Constantino in Occidental Mindoro reported that his municipality is now facing the insurgency threat as the NPA headquarters, which was formerly based in Quezon and Laguna provinces, had been transferred in their area. Constantino called on the senators "to have a second look" and "consider how effective" the NTF-ELCAC's BDP is in providing far-flung communities of their basic needs. He added that the NPA rebels are making "recovery efforts" to take back their province, composed mostly of Indigenous People (IP) communities. "Hear the cries and clamor of the people (especially IPs). You will deny them the service which you have sworn into office," Constantino warned senators who wanted to slash the BDP budget, adding that IPs are "the bulk of CPP-NPA-NDF recruitment." He said IP communities in his municipality have already felt the presence of the national government through the BDP including five of his "isolated" barangays of streetlights with solar-powered stations, ongoing potable water projects, classrooms, and upgrading of roads. "Other barangays are hopeful that theirs will follow soon," Constantino said, insisting that the move of some senators of slashing BDP budget "will devastate the fate of progress," in his hometown. BDP game-changer Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, NTF-ELCAC spokesperson on Local Government Affairs and BDP, said while they are still hoping that majority of the senators will support the BDP, in the end the department is happy to see and hear that the local officials of the land are voicing their sentiment over the issue, as they too continue to appeal for the passage of BDP budget in its "entirety". "BDP serves as a game-changer in our fight against local terrorism and communism," he said. "There is a strong momentum on the part of the government in fighting against terrorism and if we slashed that PHP28.1 billion, it sends a wrong signal to our partner local government units under the National Task Force ELCAC who have now taken a strong stand together with the DILG and the rest of the NTF-ELCAC against Communist Terrorist Groups." He added that this is primarily the first time that the government is providing this large amount of funding from the government to disadvantaged and isolated areas across the country. On the issue of slow implementation, Malaya said many simple projects were already completed, such as the distribution of seed capital, rice harvesters and livelihood projects, while those infrastructures such as farm-to-market roads and electrification projects would take more time because of the government's compliance of Republic Act (RA) 9184 or the Procurement Act. "It's unfair to say na mababa ang accomplishment dahil sa mahaba-habang proseso (that accomplishment is slow because the process is a little big long) and timeline in accomplishing these projects. These are big ticket projects. At pangalawa po dumaan tayo sa pandemya. Hindi po nagpabaya ang NTF-ELCAC or ang mga (And secondly, we have gone through pandemic. The NTF-ELCAC or the local governments have not neglected) in implementing these projects the soonest possible time," Malaya said. (PR) }

Manila , Philippines , Barangay , Pangasinan , Davao-oriental , Occidental-mindoro , Mindoro-occidental , The-philippines , Eric-constantino , Ben-evardone , Nelson-dayanghirang , Arthur-yap

The shifting sands of public opinion: Dolomite beach attracts huge crowd

• For the past two weeks since the dolomite beach opened to the public on Oct. 16, a total of 322,718 people have already visited

• The highest single-day number was recorded on Oct. 24 at a whooping 121,744

• Visitors included children not properly wearing face masks, and adults violating social

Manila , Philippines , Manila-bay , Philippines-general- , Francisco-isko-moreno-domagoso , Benny-antiporda , Reuel-sorilla , Jacob-meimban , Harry-roque , Roy-cimatu , Manila-bay-task , International-affairs-jonas-leones

San Juan City COVID-19 cases down to less than 150

San Juan City once again saw a sharp decline in active COVID-19 cases, Mayor Francis Zamora said on Monday, Oct. 25.

Mayor Francis Zamora
In a Facebook post, Zamora said that the city has 140 active COVID-19 cases as of Oct. 24, a 88 percent decline from 1,123 cases last Sept. 16.
"Let us all c

San-juan-city , City-of-san-juan , Philippines , Francis-zamora , Ted-herbosa , National-task-force-consultant-dr , Department-of-health-undersecretary-dr , Agency-task-force , Cardinal-santos-medical-center , Mayor-francis-zamora , Inter-agency-task-force , Juan-city-mayor-francis-zamora

San Juan LGU starts COVID-19 vaccination of children aged 12-17

The San Juan City local government started on Friday, Oct. 22, the inoculation of children aged 12 to 17 after the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) approved the vaccination of minors against COVID-19.

(Screenshot from PTV-4 Facebook Live)
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, together with National

San-juan-city , City-of-san-juan , Philippines , Francis-zamora , Ted-herbosa , National-task-force-consultant-dr , Department-of-health-undersecretary-dr , Agency-task-force , Cardinal-santos-medical-center , Inter-agency-task-force , Juan-city-mayor-francis-zamora , National-task-force-consultant

Paranaque City government starts 'Bakunahan Para sa YO' – Manila Bulletin

The Paranaque City government has started “Bakunahan Para sa YO” (Young Ones) at the Ospital ng Paranaque I (OSPAR) on Friday, Oct. 22.

Mayor Edwin Olivarez (Photo courtesy of Paranaque PIO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Mar Jimenez, Public Information Office (PIO) chief, said around 80 minors with comorbid

Paranaque-city , City-of-paranaque , Philippines , Paranaque , Jefferson-pagsisihan , Edwin-olivarez , Mar-jimenez , Pfizer , Public-information-office , Young-ones , Local-government-undersecretary-jonathan-malaya ,