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In September 2016, Duterte announced that the Philippines would pursue an independent foreign
policy. His announcement would later be followed by a statement of "separation" from the United States,
and also rejection of aid from the European Union. Herman Kraft, associate professor at the University of
the Philippines Political Science Department, said the president has been diversifying Manilas options
the past year.
Geopolitically, he wanted to change the normal patterns of our strategic partnerships and
relations, Kraft told ANC Friday.[Its about] improving and diversifying our options. In his first year alone,
Duterte incurred travel expenses of over P300 million. Malacaang has defended these trips saying the
President's travels are worth it because of stronger diplomatic ties and the billions of dollars in trade and
aid pledges.Duterte has gone on 21 trips so far, more than double the 8 trips that his predecessor, Benigno
Aquino III, undertook in his maiden year in Malacaang.
Kraft, however, noted the importance of striking a balance in fostering ties with different states so
as to maintain the countrys national interest. Being good friends with all states, especially powerful states,
is always a good thing, he said.Though Dutertes strong criticism of the United States has been viewed as
creating a gap between the two countries, Kraft believes that Dutertes words are only part of his rhetoric
but have not affected relationships on the ground.I think whats interesting about what the President has
done is even as people seem to think that his rhetoric is moving us away from the United States, in terms
of institutional relationships, relations between the Philippines and the US are still quite good even as
relations between the Philippines and China, and the Philippines and Russia are actually improving, he
said.
European Chamber of Commerce (ECCP) President Guenter Taus echoed Krafts views. Just
because you have a new friend doesnt mean you have to part ways with your old friend, Taus said, noting
that there is nothing wrong with diversification. Theres nothing wrong...I think to diversify, it is actually the
best thing that can happen and you pick the best partner for whatever it is, he added. Taus emphasized
that regardless of Manilas partners, what remains to be asked of the government is how it plans to use
these alliances to generate growth. He said the administration should consider bringing in foreign
manufacturing companies to Manila instead of just enticing investors for Dutertes ambitious infrastructure
push. Infrastructure building is short term. Theres an end to it but if you entice investors to come in and
put their manufacturing here, thats long-term plan in order to secure jobs, he said.
MANILA, Philippines Farmers who gathered in Quezon City for the National Conference on Agrarian Reform
this week are hopeful for a better implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), which
they said has been lacking in past administrations.
"Naniniwala kami na sa ilalim ng administrasyong Duterte ay mabibigyan ng boses ang mga magsasaka," the
group, composed of more than a hundred farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries, said in a press statement.
The delegates, who came from 13 provinces across the country, said that there have been times when the
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) failed to give farmers and beneficiaries support in the distribution of land
covered by the land reform program.
"Napansin rin namin ang panghihina ng loob nila sa pagpapatupad ng programa sa tuwing mapagbabantaan
silang sampahan ng kaso ng dating may-ari ng lupa. Naisip namin na kailangan rin siguro bigyan ng gobyerno ng
kaukulang proteksyon at halaga ang seguridad ng mga tao na nagpapatupad ng CARP upang maging malakas
ang kanilang loob at ma-implementa maayos ang programa," they said.
The farmers said that even when the land has already been distributed, some beneficiaries cannot use their land
because the Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) have yet to be distributed. Even those beneficiaries
who have CLOAs sometimes have to wait for more than 10 years because of resistance from former landowners,
delaying tactics and "anti-farmer decisions by the DAR," they said.
"Napakarami nang naipamahagi na CLOA ngunit malaking porsyento ng mga magsasakang may titulo ang hindi
pa rin nakakaposisyon sa mga lupang matagal na dapat nilang sinasaka," they said, adding the government must
perform a nationwide inventory of agrarian reform beneficiaries so the implementation of the CARP can be better
monitored.
The farmers added that some beneficiaries face harassment and harm when they finally take control of the
awarded land.
Incoming DAR Secretary Rafael "Ka Paeng" Mariano, who spoke at the conference, has promised support to the
agrarian reform beneficiaries, saying all of the department's decisions under the Duterte administration will favor
farmers.
He also said that beneficiaries who have been installed on their own land should stand firm against attempts to
evict them or scare them away.
"Kailangan nating siguraduhin na mananatiling nakatapak ang mga paa ng mga magsasaka sa sarili nilang lupa,"
he told the farmer delegates on Tuesday.
According to DAR data, 4.718 million hectares of around 7.8 million hectares of agricultural land covered by CARP
have been distributed to farmer-beneficiaries since 1972. Mariano said that he will be visiting the Negros Island
Region, Leyte, Isabela, Masbate, Iloilo, Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato as well as other areas where land
rights have been a problem.
Mariano, who represented Anakpawis party-list at the House of Representatives, said the DAR will continue to
process agrarian reform cases under the extended CARP. He and other members of the Makabayan bloc had
pushed for passage of the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill to replace the current CARP.
The national conference was organized by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines - National
Secretariat for Social Action. Non-government organizations AR! Now, Asian NGO Coalition, Center for Agrarian
Reform and Rural Development, Focus on the Global South, KAISAHAN, Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang
Magsasaka, Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas, RIGHTS! Network
/ Katarungan, Task Force Mapalad and Sulong CARHRIHL were co-organizers. Jonathan de Santos
Section 11: Respect for Human Rights
PHILIPPINES: APPLYING A HUMAN RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH TO LOCAL WATER AND SANI
TATION DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
The children who have no clean the participation of indigenous ment Plan for the next six years
water to drink, the women who fear groups and women. This has (2011-2016).
for their safety, the young people helped draw a more accurate
who have no chance to receive a picture of the priorities and specific Through the national development
decent education have a right to needs of these groups in regard to plan, the government has made a
better, and we have a responsibility water and sanitation services. By significant effort to strengthen the
to do better. All people have the establishing a social contract nexus between human rights and
right to safe drinking water, between the providers and users of development. For the first time, a
sanitation, shelter and basic services, formal accountability human rights-based approach was
services. Ban Ki moon, measurements are created that applied in elaborating the national
Secretary-General of the United ensure that local service providers development plan, which resulted in
Nations * abide by their duties and that specific attention to those groups
human rights standards for water most marginalized and excluded in
For the first time, the Philippines and sanitation are met. the Philippines, such as women,
national development plan for 2011- indigenous peoples, children,
2016 has been elaborated using a The Philippines is a multi-party, persons living with HIV/AIDS, the
human rights-based approach to democratic republic with a homeless and agricultural workers.
development. In 2010 guided by population of close to 95 million. In Emphasis has also been placed on
this national development plan and 2009, the Philippines gained the participatory approaches, with the
with strong support from the United status of a middle-income country. It plan strongly promoting community-
Nations system the government has since shown resilience to recent driven social development. In
created a tool box that can help external shocks, such as food and addition, the accountability of the
improve the capacity of fuel price hikes, the global financial government for ensuring that
communities and water supply crisis and recession and the impact services are provided features
service providers to apply a human of natural disasters. While the prominently in the plan.
rights-based approach to the Philippines has experienced
provision of water and sanitation unprecedented economic growth Lastly, human rights standards,
services at the local level. By over the past ten years, achieving such as the quality/safety,
applying a human rights-based inclusive growth that benefits the acceptability, accessibility and
approach to water and sanitation, poor has been a continuing affordability3 of public services has
the government aims to improve challenge. Poverty has remained at guided the planning of development
access to water and sanitation about the same level during the last strategies and goals.
services for those communities in decade, with a little over a quarter of For example, in regard to health, the
which access to water and the population below the poverty plan aims to ensure equitable
sanitation are poorest. line. Ensuring that social services access to essential medicines,
reach the poor remains a major health services and technologies of
The human right to water provides challenge. Corruption and political good quality, availability and
the overarching framework for the patronage have contributed to a safety. In terms of population
toolbox. The framework outlines the worsening gap between the rich and strategies, the plan aims to work for
responsibilities of water service the poor. Moreover, the Philippines universal access (accessibility,
providers and the standards that rapid population growth, which is availability and affordability) of all
need to be met for ensuring that the one of the highest in Asia, has medically, ethically and legally
right to water and sanitation are exacerbated poverty and fueled approved family planning methods
realized. A human rights framework rapid urban population growth, and services. In education, the plan
emphasizes the importance of overseas labour migration and reaffirms the highest priority for
participation and non-discrimination unprecedented environmental basic education as a right that
in the planning and management of degradation. To respond to these should be enjoyed by all Filipino.
these services. Initial results from challenges, the Government of the
the piloting of the toolbox found that Philippines has made inclusive
the communities are now involved growth the primary objective of its
in the planning and budgeting of national development plan the
facilities, with a notable increase in Medium Term Philippine Develop-