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Since President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address on July last year, he swore to many Filipinos in resolving social and political issues. A year after, where are we? Here are some of the highlights of his term.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Anti-drug War Campaign
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According to ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group, as of July 11, 2017, a total number of 3,796 drug-related fatalities has been reported under the Duterte Administration.
Since his post on July 2016, 57,892 anti-drug operations were conducted and 73,125 drug personalities werearrested.
In addition, eight clandestine shabu laboratories and139 drug dens weredismantled, 43 marijuana eradication operations were conducted, and 112 marijuana plantation sites were destroyed.
With that, an amount of P14.52 billion worth of dangerous drugs was seized and the destruction of P4.96 billion worth of illegal hempresulted to the filling of the 35,274 airtight drug cases.
Meanwhile, Mega Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija was inaugurated and is being run by the Department of Health.
During on his previous speeches, the President stated that the targeted span of the government on the suppression of crimes and illegal drugs is within three to six months. But after his assessment, the administration will be needing six months extension on the said campaign.
Moreover, he added that he doesn’t have any idea and
First
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RPRH Law Implementation
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Amidst the Supreme Court's temporary restraining order (TRO) on some provisions under the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (RPRH Law), President Rodrigo Duterte issued an executive order to intensify the access to modern family planning.
The Executive Order No. 12, Attaining and Sustaining Zero Unmet Need for Modern Family Planning Services through the Strict Implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act, Providing Funds Therefore and for Other Purposes, is part of the Duterte Administration's 10-point socio-economic agenda in strengthening and intensifying the implementation of "critical actions necessary and sustain ‘zero unmet need for modern family planning’ for all poor households by 2018."
“This Order aims to intensify and accelerate the implementation of critical actions necessary and sustain ‘zero unmet need for modern family planning’ for all poor households by 2018, and all of Filipinos thereafter, within the context of the [RH] Law and its implementing rules,” the executive order read.
In December 2012, the RPRH Law was signed and approved by former President Benigno Aquino III and the Congress, respectively.
In 2014, the Supreme Court later ruled out it constitutional but later issued a restraining order due to some provisions of the law on the government's procurement, selling, promoting, and distributing of contraceptive implants.
CCP-NPA UnilateralCeasefire
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During the 2016 Presidential elections, Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison said he sees the possibility of a ceasefire between communist rebels and the governmentif Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte wins the presidency.With that, a series of talks between the government and the CPP were establish.
After the proclamation of Duterte's presidency, the government was willing to release political prisoners even if no peace agreement has yet been reached with communist rebels. In addition, CPP leaders Wilma and Benito Tiamzon will be given an amnesty for as long as they deal in good faith with his administration.
Following his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), Duterte declared a unilateral ceasefire with leftist rebels as part of his bid to end Asia's longest running Maoist insurgency.With that, the conflict started when the NPA accused the government of not complying with its obligation to declare an amnesty for the rebels and the release of about
200 political prisoners under an earlier agreement. This was due to Duterte's statement thatthe communists made “unreasonable demands” regarding the release of more political detainees that apparently caused the breakdown in peace talks.
In February 2017, the New People’s Army (NPA) withdraws its unilateral ceasefire but continues its engagement in peace with the Duterte administration and later claimed tAhat the military has been encroaching into rebel-held areas.
After the NPA's withdrawal and series of armed clashes, Duterte terminated the government’s ceasefire with the communist rebels.
was even surprised that the administration will be dealing with hundreds of thousands of people, including some elected officials in the government.
Climate Change being a 'Top Priority'
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President Duterte has signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent by 2030.
The senate unanimously voted to ratify the enforcement of the agreement which aims to "transform the world's fossil-fuel-driven economy within decades and slow the pace of a global temperature increase to 'well below' 2 degrees Celsius."
“Addressing climate change shall be a top priority but upon a fair and equitable equation. It should not stymie our industrialization,” thePresident said on his first State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Despite on his objections that he will not honor the historic Paris Agreement on his previous speeches, the President said in a letter to the Senate that “After examining the text thereof, I find it advisable to accede to the Paris Agreement and seek the Senate’s concurrence thereto.”
The passage of the agreement was first signed under former President Benigno Aquino III's administration in April 2016.
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The Department of Finance, a year later, issued a certification of urgency for its first tax reform package to live up to Duterte’s promise of lowering personal income tax rates, which was expected to pass House Bill No. 5636. It aims to broaden the vat base by cutting down on exemptions and reduce the estate’s tax rates.
Pass Federalism
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Duterte aims for a federal form of government with a prime minister and president, which was patterned after France.
He believes that the system shall be parliamentary but with a president at power. He claimed that he’d be willing to give up his position if the Congress chooses to elect a new president, if Federalism passed.
“My advice to you is mainly a federal system parliamentary but be sure to have a president. Hindi na ako niyan (Not me). I’m disqualified. And by that time, I would no longer be here,” he said.
Pass Bangsamoro Basic Law
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Duterte urged Congress to pass BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) because he believes that it’s the only concrete solution to diminish historical injustice in Mindanao.
He added that certain provisions along with the law can be removed. "Pass BBL minus the constitutional issues you do not want, that are contentious," he told legislators.
A year after, The Bangsamoro Transition Commission turned over the draft of the law to Duterte and the president promised to commit to it and support the law all the way through the legislative process and shall “husband the instrument”.
Protecting ‘bona fide’ media
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Despite his love-hate relationship with the media, Duterte said his administration would not tolerate violation against and repression of media, saying “bona fide” media is his partner for change.
The President said he was not condoning the killing of “bona fide” journalists.
“This government does not condone violation and repression of media,” Duterte said in his Sona.
“The bona fide media has always been our partners for change,” he added.
The President appeared to be extending a hand of reconciliation to media when he announced that he had formed a superbody to investigate the extrajudicial killings of journalists.
IN NUMBERS
10
Philippines' rank as the fastest growing economy in the world in 2017 according to the World Bank's latest edition of Global Economic Prospects.
3.86
Philippines' rank as the fastest growing economy in the world in 2017 according to the World Bank's latest edition of Global Economic Prospects.
$4.81 B
Increase of exports from the Philippines from last year to April 2017.
7,000+
75
Percentage of Filipino adults who are satisfied with Duterte's performance as of March, this year.
Number of people Philippine National Police officers and unidentified vigilantes have killed under the war on drug campaign since President Rodrigo Duterte's inauguration on June 30, 2016.
45
399
Members of the Maute group-led militants killed
Total number of recovered firearms by the military from the militant group, Maute.
Troops killed in Marawi as of 7pm of July 14.
93
502
Number of civilians killed by the terrorists according to AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla
Philippines Stock Exchange Index as of 3:20am of July 17, 2017
793.50
P50.40
Current dollar exchange rate
BY MONTHS
ENTERTAINMENT
WRITERS:
CARLO SALUYA AND VIANCA GAMBOA (ACCOMPLISHMENTS)
BEA PATRICE VILLA (IN NUMBERS)
GIA CATIMBANG (BY MONTHS)
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CONTENTS:
ARJANE MAE SAYSON (SITE EDITOR, ILLUSTRATOR AND VIDEO EDITOR​
FOR THIS PROJECT:
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a
DUTERTE
PH
in
year
of
(c) reuters.com
(c) officialgazette.gov.ph
(c) redspark.nu
(c) philstar.com | Joven Cagande
(c) stockphoto.com/macky
(c) thecontournews.org
Income Tax
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“We will lower personal and corporate income tax”
Duterte vowed to lower personal income tax as well as to “relax” bank secrecy law. The Department of Finance was really keen to this issue and even promised to immediately review the tax system and eventually update tax brackets for lower individual tax rates.
