Section 7: Independent Foreign Policy

Dutertes independent foreign policy: A move to diversify allies

MANILA - In his first year in office, President Rodrigo Duterte stunned the world with his push for a
truly independent foreign policy, steering the country closer towards China and Russia, and distancing
from Manilas traditional allythe United States.

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.

Section 8: Freedom from Nuclear Weapons

Palace wont allow nuclear weapons in PH amid US defense pact
MANILA, Philippines Talks on quite obvious. However, she did A CNN report on the worlds
the Enhanced Defense not say if the Philippine nuclear weapons said the US has
Cooperations Agreement government has the capability to 7,650 estimated nuclear
(EDCA) may be going smoothly detect nuclear weapons. Section warheads, 2,150 of which were
but that does not mean that the 8, Article II of the 1987 operational. Around 500 were
Philippines will accommodate Constitution states that, The assigned to land-based missiles,
just any ship or aircraft from the Philippines, consistent with the 1,150 to nuclear submarines and
United States, especially ones national interest, adopts and 300 ready to be deployed on
carrying nuclear weapons. pursues a policy of freedom from aircrafts. The EDCA, which
Malacaang has stated that any nuclear weapons in its territory. already underwent an eighth
agreement with the US will be round of negotiations, will give
guided by the 1987 Philippine We have been explicit and the the US military access to facilities
Constitution and other earlier panel is very cognizant of this, under the Armed Forces of the
treaties between the two that whatever negotiations take Philippines (AFP). Government
countries. place, any agreements reached officials claim it will not result in a
will have to be under the ambit of permanent US military presence
Asked if the Philippine the 1987 Constitution, as well as in the Philippines but will help the
government will ban US warships the existing framework of the AFP modernize its assets.
carrying nuclear weapons into MDT (Mutual Defense Treaty) as
the country, deputy well as the VFA (Visiting Forces
spokesperson Abigail Valte on Agreement), Valte said.
Monday said the answer was
Section 9: Social Justice
Militants hail Dutertes peace, soci
al justice programs
By Gerry Lee Gorit and Ghio Ong (The Philippine Star)
| Updated October 9, 2016 - 12:00am
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines Unlike his
predecessors, President Duterte amassed praises
yesterday from militant groups on his first 100 days in
office.In Cagayan de Oro, thousands of farmers and
tribal people held a march-rally yesterday, not to
lambast the administration, but to express support for
the President, particularly on his peace initiatives,
national sovereignty and social justice programs. The
Northern Mindanao chapter of militant group Bagong
Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), the Kilusang
Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and indigenous group
Kalumbay spearheaded the Cagayan de Oro mass
action.
In Manila, about as many rallyists thronged to the US
embassy also yesterday to laud the Duterte
governments pro-people programs in its first 100
days and at the same time call for American forces
complete pullout from the Philippines. At the same
time, migrant group Migrante International gave
Duterte a satisfactory grade of 84 percent for his
notable achievements on national and peoples
issues. It was the highest score the group has ever
given to a president in the first 100 days in office, said
Migrante acting secretary general Mic Catuira.
Leaders of the march-rally in Mindanao cited Dutertes
assertion of national sovereignty, independent foreign
policy countering American intervention and the
renewed peace talks with left-leaning National
Democratic Front of the Philippines as the Presidents
top achievements so far. They also lauded the
appointments of their progressive allies to Cabinet
posts, such as in the Departments of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD), Labor and Agrarian
Reform, National Anti-Poverty Commission and the
Presidential Commission on Urban Poor.
The militant groups also welcomed the distribution of
358 hectares of land at Hacienda Luisita and a
nationwide freeze in land conversion as ordered by the
Presidential Agrarian Reform Commission, as well as
the suspension of companies engaged in destructive
mining operations.They also praised DWSDs
memorandum circular that upheld the Supreme Courts
ruling against pork barrel funds for congressmen,
giving DSWD the final say in determining the kind of
assistance to be given to requests endorsed by
lawmakers.
The south-based militant groups added they would join
in the celebration of National Peasants Month and the
send-off of 300 tribal and Moro leaders from Northern
Mindanao, who will embark on a one-month trek to
Malacaang in Manila to call attention to their plight as
marginalized and oppressed sectors. Dubbing the
trek as Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya para sa
Sariling Pagpapasya at Makatarungang Kapayapaan,
they said the trekkers would travel to Manila from Oct.
13 to 28.
Kalumbay regional chairman Datu Jomorito Goaynon
called on the Duterte government to put an end to the
militarization and plunder of (their) lands and
territories. In a statement, Goaynon expressed
support for the governments positive actions toward
upholding the rights of national minorities, calling for
the ouster of US troops and installations in the country
and the pursuit of talks with the NDF and the Moro
revolutionary groups.
End EDCA
In Manila, leftist groups Bayan and Kilusang Mayo Uno
also called for US forces pullout from the Philippines
in a rally in front of the US embassy. Carrying placards
that said US troops out now! and Fight for national
sovereignty, the demonstrators were mostly farmers
and contractual workers. In a statement, KMU called
on President Duterte to issue an executive order to
terminate the Enhanced Defense Cooperation
Agreement (EDCA), which has allowed the US to
reoccupy the Philippines by increasing troop
development and establishment of their permanent
bases in the country. With Sheila Crisostomo and
Rhodina Villanueva
Section 10: Promotion of Social Justice
Farmers see better CARP implementation under Duterte

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.

Mariano: DAR decisions will favor farmers

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
water to drink, the women who fear
for their safety, the young people
who have no chance to receive a
decent education have a right to
better, and we have a responsibility
to do better. All people have the
right to safe drinking water,
sanitation, shelter and basic
services. Ban Ki moon,
Secretary-General of the United
Nations *
For the first time, the Philippines
national development plan for 2011-
2016 has been elaborated using a
human rights-based approach to
development. In 2010 guided by
this national development plan and
with strong support from the United
Nations system the government
created a tool box that can help
improve the capacity of
communities and water supply
service providers to apply a human
rights-based approach to the
provision of water and sanitation
services at the local level. By
applying a human rights-based
approach to water and sanitation,
the government aims to improve
access to water and sanitation
services for those communities in
which access to water and
sanitation are poorest.
The human right to water provides
the overarching framework for the
toolbox. The framework outlines the
responsibilities of water service
providers and the standards that
need to be met for ensuring that the
right to water and sanitation are
realized. A human rights framework
emphasizes the importance of
participation and non-discrimination
in the planning and management of
these services. Initial results from
the piloting of the toolbox found that
the communities are now involved
in the planning and budgeting of
facilities, with a notable increase in
the participation of indigenous
groups and women. This has
helped draw a more accurate
picture of the priorities and specific
needs of these groups in regard to
water and sanitation services. By
establishing a social contract
between the providers and users of
services, formal accountability
measurements are created that
ensure that local service providers
abide by their duties and that
human rights standards for water
and sanitation are met.
The Philippines is a multi-party,
democratic republic with a homeless and agricultural workers.
population of close to 95 million. In
2009, the Philippines gained the
status of a middle-income country. It
has since shown resilience to recent
external shocks, such as food and
fuel price hikes, the global financial
crisis and recession and the impact
of natural disasters. While the
Philippines has experienced
unprecedented economic growth
over the past ten years, achieving
inclusive growth that benefits the
poor has been a continuing
challenge. Poverty has remained at
about the same level during the last
decade, with a little over a quarter of
the population below the poverty
line. Ensuring that social services
reach the poor remains a major
challenge. Corruption and political
patronage have contributed to a
worsening gap between the rich and
the poor. Moreover, the Philippines
rapid population growth, which is
one of the highest in Asia, has
exacerbated poverty and fueled
rapid urban population growth,
overseas labour migration and
unprecedented environmental
degradation. To respond to these
challenges, the Government of the
Philippines has made inclusive
growth the primary objective of its
national development plan the
Medium Term Philippine Develop-
ment Plan for the next six years
(2011-2016).
Through the national development
plan, the government has made a
significant effort to strengthen the
nexus between human rights and
development. For the first time, a
human rights-based approach was
applied in elaborating the national
development plan, which resulted in
specific attention to those groups
most marginalized and excluded in
the Philippines, such as women,
indigenous peoples, children,
persons living with HIV/AIDS, the
Emphasis has also been placed on
participatory approaches, with the
plan strongly promoting community-
driven social development. In
addition, the accountability of the
government for ensuring that
services are provided features
prominently in the plan.
Lastly, human rights standards,
such as the quality/safety,
acceptability, accessibility and
affordability3 of public services has
guided the planning of development
strategies and goals.
For example, in regard to health, the
plan aims to ensure equitable
access to essential medicines,
health services and technologies of
good quality, availability and
safety. In terms of population
strategies, the plan aims to work for
universal access (accessibility,
availability and affordability) of all
medically, ethically and legally
approved family planning methods
and services. In education, the plan
reaffirms the highest priority for
basic education as a right that
should be enjoyed by all Filipino.