OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT 2014 YEAR END REPORT SOCIAL - TopicsExpress

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT 2014 YEAR END REPORT SOCIAL SERVICES The removal of the social services fund lessened the budget of the Office of the Vice President. In spite of this, the office continued to deliver basic services the Filipino people need. From January to November, 6,044 indigent clients received medical assistance from the OVP. The patients or their families requested help to pay for dialysis, hospital bills, chemotherapy sessions, medicines, surgery and other procedures, implants, and hearing aids. The OVP released P43,931,861.87 or an average of 7,269 per client. These clients came mostly from Metro Manila but the OVP also assisted clients from other regions. The OVP also conducted medical missions in different provinces to reach out to those who could not afford to go to hospitals for their check-up or to buy medicines. This year, the OVP served 66,951 indigents from 21 provinces. On September 27, the OVP arranged simultaneous free medical and dental checkups for families displaced by last year’s siege of Zamboanga. The OVP was able to serve 594 beneficiaries in Alicia, 596 in Buug, 664 in Diplahan, 900 in Imelda, 715 in Kabasalan, 447 in Mabuhay, 716 in Malangas, 417 in Naga, 661 in Olutanga, 267 in Payao, and 379 in Talusan. The OVP also provided educational support to 9,700 elementary school pupils, most of whom were Indigenous people. The office gave them bags, notebooks, pencils and other school supplies. The Vice President’s office also distributed medals and certificates of recognition to 8,000 students, acknowledging their hard work and giving value to their academic achievements. Relief Operations From January to October 2014, the OVP distributed 133,346 packages of relief goods to families affected by fires, flashfloods, and alert status caused by Mayon Volcano. 10,025 bags were given to families in Albay who were evacuated after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised the alert level of Mayon to level 3 last September. 54,030 bags were also distributed to victims of typhoon Glenda in Region 4A and Region 5 while 35,000 bags were distributed to victims of typhoon Mario in the Cordillera Autonomous Region, Region 1, and Region II. Just recently, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay went to his home province of Batangas to help those who were affected by typhoon Ruby. The Office of the Vice President distributed 915 relief packs to San Juan, 160 in Rosario, 600 in Lobo, 200 in San Pascual, and 200 in Lipa City. Caring for the Global Filipino Since his designation as the Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers’ (OFW) Concerns in 2010, the Vice President—through his office’s coordination with concerned agencies of the government, including the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and Philippine embassies and consulates—has been actively assisting OFWs all over the world. From January 1 to December 9, 2014, theOffice of the Vice President has provided assistance on 1,588 OFW-related concerns. These include requests for repatriation; assistance on salary and benefits claims; legal and monetary assistance for detained OFWs; and grievances against employers, recruiters, and agents. In one specific case, the OVP was instrumental in the repatriation of Raquel Escudero, a household worker in Kuwait who suffered from a brain aneurysm. Jose Escudero, the OFW’s father, sought the intervention of the Vice President, saying that he had already approached different government agencies but had failed to get any feedback on the condition of his daughter. The OVP called the Philippine embassy in Kuwait to relay the concern of Mr. Escudero and verify the status and condition of Raquel. The Philippine embassy, through the Philippine Overseas Labor Office/OWWA, responded through email and provided information, including medical reports and photos, on Raquel’s medical condition. On January 21, Raquel was repatriated and returned to the Philippines. The OVP accompanied Raquel’s father, sister, and daughter to the airport to welcome and assist Raquel. She and her family were transported to their home in General Trias, Cavite, through an ambulance provided by the Makati Rescue. The Office of the Vice President was also actively involved in the repatriation of Imelda Austria, an OFW who was killed when as she was crossing a street in Macau, where she worked. Imelda had just attended a walkathon organized by the Iglesia Ni Cristo to raise funds for victims of super typhoon Yolanda. The Vice President learned about Austrias case after it was referred to his office by the Central Luzon TV36 news agency. Austrias family resides in Porac, Pampanga. After I learned about Mrs. Austrias case, I instructed my staff to contact her husband and assist him in coordinating with the proper agencies so that her remains could be sent home, Vice-President Binay said. The OVP coordinated with the Philippine Consulate in Macau, the DFA-OUMWA, OWWA, and the recruitment agency to ensure the immediate repatriation of the remains of Imelda. Her remains were repatriated on March 8. Staff from the OVP stayed with the Austria family until Imelda’s remains were cleared and released from the airport. Meanwhile, in his lecture on migration and development at the International Institute of Social Studies (IISS) at The Hague, the Vice President stressed that OFW remittances should contribute to mitigating the social costs of migration as well as to the countrys development and help build a higher quality of life for the workers. The Vice-President noted that instead of using the remittances to patronize shopping malls and import luxury consumer items, these should be invested to upgrade the quality of education, technologyand health care. “This will ensure that the next generation or the next wave of migrant workers will be better schooled than the last one, he said. True human development should be the objective of every migrant worker. What they earn should enable them to live truly human lives and to help their fellowmen and their respective communities live the same lives as well, he added. In June, the Vice President called on the Philippine embassy in Singapore to investigate a report about domestic workers, including Filipinos, being put on display in malls in the city-state. A report by news outlet Al Jazeera depicted the plight of the domestic workers in maid agencies in Singapore, where the workers are allegedly made to sit beneath signs and posters that testify to their qualities, or advertise promo rates and discounts. The Vice-President said if the report was true, the act of “displaying” domestic workers in malls to be scrutinized by prospective employers violated human rights and international laws upholding the rights of migrant workers. “I am deeply concerned by these reports. If this is true, then the domestic workers are being subjected to an indignity that should not be allowed and is in fact, a violation of an international convention protecting the rights of migrant workers,” he said. In the wake of Hong Kong’s plans to impose sanctions on the Philippines for failing to apologize for the August 2010 hostage-taking incident, the Vice President asked Hong Kong authorities to spare OFWs. The Vice-President made the appeal upon receiving news of the declaration that starting February 5, 2014, Filipino officials and diplomats would no longer be able to enter Hong Kong without a visa. Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying had announced the first phase of sanctions against the Philippines, saying that the government would consider more sanctions in efforts to secure an apology from the Philippine government. “It will definitely hurt our OFWs financially because they will need to pay for the visa. The payment will be deducted from the money they should be sending their families,” Vice-President Binay said then. The Vice President also appealed to Malaysian authorities to ensure humane treatment of OFWs amid Malaysias crackdown on illegal migrant workers. “Sana po naman ay hindi manakit. Kung may kasalanan man ay parusahan pero wag saktan,” Binay said. Anti-Human Trafficking and Anti-Illegal Recruitment Czar This 2014, the government, through the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking(IACAT) headed by the Vice President as Chairman Emeritus, has secured convictions in 49 human trafficking-related cases, with 52 persons convicted. This is a significant increase compared to last year’s 27 cases won with 37 persons convicted. Moreover, for the fourth consecutive year, the Philippines was given Tier 2 status in the Global Trafficking in Persons (GTIP) Report in 2014. While he was pleased with the country’s consistent performance in GTIP Report, the Vice-President said the Philippines could still improve on its efforts to curb human trafficking to attain Tier 1 status. Countries in Tier 2 status are those that do not meet the minimum requirements of the United States Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) but are making significant efforts to do so, while those in Tier 1 status are fully compliant with the TVPA. The Philippine government was also recognized as the top country in Asia in terms of government response in the 2014 GlobalSlavery Index (GSI). The GSI is an annual report released by the Walkfree Foundation, an Australian-based human rights organization dedicated to ending modern day slavery. It has been dubbed as the most accurate and comprehensive measure of modern slavery, which includes trafficking in persons and forced labor. “On behalf of the member-agencies of the IACAT and our partner non-government organizations, I wish to thank the Walkfree Foundation for acknowledging our efforts to stamp out human trafficking and modern day slavery in the country,” he said. Countries are given rankings from a highest possible, AAA, to the lowest, D. The Philippines was given a BB rating, which means that “(t)he government has introduced a response to modern slavery, which includes short term victim support services, a criminal justice framework that criminalizes some forms of modern slavery, a body to coordinate the response, and protections for those vulnerable to modern slavery.” Aside from being ranked first in Asia, the Philippines also ranked third in the Asia-Pacific region, after Australia and New Zealand, and is ranked 29th globally among the 167 countries covered by the GSI. The report noted that the Philippine Government addressed some recommendations made in the 2013 GSI, and “as a result continued to be regional leader in victim support and protection, particularly for OFWs (overseas Filipino workers).” “We have noted the recommendations made in the 2014 GSI, including the need to increase our efforts to ensure monitoring and streamlining of employment conditions of OFWs and protection of their rights. We will also look into establishing a central database to track cases of OFW exploitation,” the Vice President said. “As the report has recommended, we will also increase our efforts to effectively implement the expanded anti-trafficking law at the local level, and develop better cooperation of key government agencies to provide education, raise awareness and support prosecutions,” he added. Housing Czar As head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, the government’s housing sector, the Vice President has directed all key shelter agencies to continue their efforts to address the housing backlog. As of October 2014, the housing sector has already provided homes to 222,789 low-income families. This is 63% higher than its target of 136,859 families for the year 2014. Rehabilitation Efforts in Areas Hit by Calamity The spate of calamities that hit various parts of the country over the last four years has resulted in massive damage to homes, with 1,593,896 houses ther totally or partially damaged. Among the most vulnerable sectors during times of calamity are the informal settler families, particularly those living along coastlines and major water tributaries. The National Housing Authority provided permanent housing and housing materials assistance to 40,052 and 143,076 families, respectively, under its Emergency Housing Assistance Program for Calamity Victims. Typhoon Yolanda, dubbed as the strongest typhoon to hit land, affected 205, 128 families. The housing sector, as mandated by the Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan consolidated by the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Rehabilitation and Recovery (OPARR) and approved by the President, is tasked with providing these affected families with permanent housing by 2016. The NHA has so far identified land for 160,000 (as of November 2014) to meet the housing requirement of Yolanda victims. The remaining 45,128 housing needs are in areas where there are no land titles, since almost entire municipalities are classified as forest lands. HUDCC and NHA are coordinating with the DENR in segregating the areas identified for resettlement, for issuance of any appropriate tenurial instrument. The HUDCC also facilitated the drafting of a Joint Memorandum Circular entitled, “Adoption of Hazard Zone Classification in Areas Affected By Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) and Providing theGuidelines for Activity Therein”, which was signed by concerned member agencies of the Resettlement Cluster, namely, DENR, DOST, DPWH, DILG and DND (OCD). The joint circular aims to guide LGUs in regulating activities in hazard-prone areas based on the multi-hazard maps, which include implementation of early warning systems and mitigating measures and relocation of families from identified high hazard zones. In addition to the permanent housing projects of NHA for Yolanda victims, the Home Development Mutual Fund also undertook projects for its members in Yolanda-affected areas. As of October 2014, five ongoing projects are set to benefit more than 1,600 Pag-IBIG members and their families. Pag-IBIG Fund also extended calamity loans to 95,359 members who were affected by Typhoon Yolanda, amounting to about P1.16 billion. The Socialized Housing Finance Corporation has also undertaken four projects under the Community Mortgage Program (CMP) in Ormoc City which will benefit around 472 families affected by Typhoon Yolanda. A one-year moratorium on amortizations was also provided for all Yolanda-affected existing CMP communities. SHFC has also partnered with UN Habitat in the implementation of pilot community-driven projects in 25 existing CMP project sites in Roxas City, Pan-ay, Capiz and Estancia, Iloilo which will benefit 610 families. To date, 72 houses have been completed and turned over to beneficiaries, and the balance shall be completed by March 2015. Housing for Other Sectors The AFP/PNP Housing Program, started in 2011 and intended for personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Bureau of Fire Protection pursuant to Administrative Order No. 9 (S. 2011), is also well on its way. From 2011 to October 2014, NHA completed the construction of 55,612 housing units nationwide with a corresponding investment of P11.809 billion. Under Phase 1 of the program for soldiers and policemen in Metro Manila, a total of 24,298 units were constructed in the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna. Phases 2 and 2-A completed 30,567 units in other parts of the country, while Phase 3, with a target 20,000 units by end of 2014, just completed the construction of 747 units. A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between Pag-IBIG Fund and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), aimed at providing broadcasters their own homes through the Home Matching Program. Under the MOU, Pag-IBIG will provide KBP with available corporate-wide housing inventories on a regular basis, which will serve as ready inventories for KBP Member Network-employees. Pag-IBIG will also provide housing loan counseling to prospective KBP Member Network-employee borrowers and assist in the initial housing loan documentation. Likewise, it will approve housing loan applications of KBP Member Network-employees qualified under existing Pag-IBIG Fund policies and guidelines and enter into a Collection Servicing Agreement between Pag-IBIG Fund and KBP Member Networks for the collection of the monthly amortization and payment of loans of the beneficiaries. It will also provide the KBP with other home financing schemes subject to the existing guidelines of Pag-IBIG Fund. Pag-IBIG has also entered into similar agreements with other sectors such as transport groups, teachers, employers, and local government units. The government is now also in the process of amending the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) on housing cooperatives to strengthen the implementation of cooperative housing programs in the country. “We are now in the process of amending the IRR on housing cooperatives, wherein the key shelter agencies and government financial institutions are enjoined to craft common guidelines for the implementation of cooperative housing programs and to create special loan windows that will cater exclusively to housing cooperatives,” the Vice President said during the First Cooperative Housing Summit in Quezon City. “This IRR will also mandate government agencies to provide technical assistance and capacity building to housing cooperatives, and will also provide for conflict resolution mechanisms,” he added. Aside from amending the IRR, Binay said the housing sector is also taking “several compelling directions” to ensure the viability and sustainability of housing cooperatives. “First, we have to ensure that the concept of cooperative housing is harmonized with our existing housing programs in the sector. It is important to have agreements to adapt the housing cooperatives as a viable method of producing shelter, especially since they are already organized and could be made more capable through the key shelter agencies’ projects and programs,” he said. The Vice-President said that the housing agencies should also continue to make financing available to cooperatives through regular programs or through a special loan window. “In addition, we shall find a way to make the processing of requirements less stringent and more efficient and make it easier for housing cooperatives to engage in housing programs especially for socialized housing,” the housing czar said. Resettlement of ISFs Living Along Danger Zones in Metro Manila In 2011, a P50 Billion Five-year Housing Program for the ISFs in Danger Areas in Metro Manila was approved by President Aquino to relocate the 104,000 ISFs living along major waterways and other danger areas in the metropolis. The main implementers of the program are the NHA and SHFC. As of October 2014, the NHA has already completed the construction of 52,391 housing units. Meanwhile, land acquired by community associations or by SHFC through its High Density Housing Program will benefit a total of 12,914 ISFs. Housing construction is ongoing for some of these projects while documentary requirements are being completed for the others. Regional Resettlement Program for Local Governments The Vice President, as a long-time local government official, believes that local governments are the nation’s engine of growth. During his trips to the provinces, he always urges local leaders to complete their housing requirements which spur exponential growth. Under the Regional Resettlement Program for LGUs, NHA extends assistance to LGUs in the development of resettlement sites in their respective localities. The LGUs primary contribution is land while the NHA provides funds amounting from P12 million to P24 million per project to cover the cost of land development and/or housing. LGUs recover project cost from beneficiaries and utilize proceeds either for project maintenance or for development of new resettlement sites. From January to October 2014, NHA has assisted 164 LGUs in the development of resettlement sites consisting of 8,564 units. Community Mortgage Program (CMP) for Organized ISF Communities Meanwhile, in line with the thrust to expand the coverage of CMP to other urban and urbanizable areas in the country, a total of 122 projects benefitting 11,508 ISFs were implemented in 2014 - 3,832 in Metro Manila and 7,676 ISF-beneficiaries in other provinces/cities. This accomplishment is 82.20% of SHFC’s target of 14,000 ISFs in 2014. Furthermore, recognizing the need to ensure that CMP projects are located in sites that are suitable and safe for housing, the SHFC Board has directed the Management to: Utilize geo-hazard maps in determining whether the proposed housing site is prone to flooding, liquefaction, earthquake and storm surge, and come up with a possible Checklist of Minimum Tolerance Limits on critical areas, based on the geo-hazard maps of DENR, PHIVOLCs and DOST; and § Secure a certification from the LGUs to the effect that the site is suitable for housing. Comprehensive Land Use Plan As a direct response to the policies spelled out under the Climate Change Act of 2009, the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) entered into an agreement with German experts to systematically integrate the concept of climate change in various phases of policy and strategy formulation, as well as development planning. The agreement involves the integration of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction planning instruments into the Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs) of local governments. This partnership has resulted in the approval of the following guidelines: · Enhanced CLUP Guidelines Volume I: Process (Integration of Forest Land Use, Coastal/Marine, Spatial Planning, Heritage Planning and Conservation, Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation/Disaster Risk Reduction-CCA/DRR · Volume II (Sector Studies) Volume III (Integrated Zoning Ordinance) HLURB also entered into another partnership agreement with the United Nations Development Project (UNDP)-Climate Change Commission for the development of the Supplemental Guidelines on Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk reduction (CCA/DRR) in the CLUPs. These guidelines together with Volumes 1-3 provide a more detailed analysis for risk assessment and vulnerability and capacity assessment. These guidelines are integrated in the CLUP Zero Backlog Program, in which HLURB provides technical assistance to LGUs in the formulation or updating of their CLUPs and Zoning Ordinances, through a cluster approach. As of October 2014, out of the 1,635 LGUs all over the country, 1,456 LGUs have approved the CLUPs/Zoning Ordinance, of which 609 have updated CLUPs/Zoning Ordinance as compared to 503 LGUs when the CLUP Zero Backlog Program started in 2011. The number of LGUs which have no CLUP has also decreased from 203 in 2011 to 179 in 2014. Local Shelter Plan Given the challenges faced by local governments to achieve risk resilience and manage rapid urbanization particularly in the area of shelter delivery, HUDCC, in partnership with UN-Habitat, pursued the development of the revised Local Shelter Planning Manual through the Achieving Sustainable Urban Development (ASUD) project. The revised manual would enable LGUs to keep up with new and emerging methodologies in housing. This manual aims to: · Provide a step by step process to formulate a shelter plan that will address housing problems in the locality ensuring that housing supply is responsive to the demand; · Enable the LGUs to plan and implement their specific mandates based on the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 (UDHA); Facilitate the linkage and coherence between the LGU’s shelter plan and its Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) and Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP); and Ensure that the LGUs’ shelter strategies and implementation plan would integrate and promote actions that address disaster risk and climate change resilience. The HUDCC approved a resolution to extend technical assistance to LGUs along the 18 major river basins to enable them to pursue and formulate their respective local shelter plans, with a better understanding of disaster risk mitigation and climate change proofing. With updated land use and shelter plans, local governments are in a better position to determine and offer to developers the areas where housing projects should be established. Out of the 1,634 cities and municipalities in the Philippines, HUDCC prioritized the following LGUs for assistance in LSP formulation: (1) LGUs within the 18 Major River Basins, (2) urban and urbanizing LGUs (or cities and 1st and 2nd class municipalities), and (3) LGUs within the 30 provinces exposed to multi-hazards, totaling 1,224 LGUs. As of November 2014, out of the 547 LGUs within the 18 Major River Basins, 225 LGUs (41%) have draft LSPs. In total, out of the 1,634 LGUs in the Philippines, 552 (34%) LGUs now have draft LSPs, of which 27 LGUs have approved LSPs. Informal Settlements Upgrading The National Informal Settlements Upgrading Strategy (NISUS), a project collaboration with the World Bank to guide the national government and local governments in effectively addressing the issue of informal settlers, was completed in July this year. The NISUS was prepared with the funding and technical support of the Cities Alliance and the WorldBank The shelter plan aims at ensuring that ISFs will have access to basic social services such as schools, public markets, health care centers, and livelihood opportunities at the resettlement areas. It also guarantees that resettled families will have decent homes that will nurture their hopes and affirm their dignity. The NISUS is expected to help the national government, local governments, people’s organizations, civil society groups, and private sector groups stop the proliferation of informal settlements and the further deepening of urban poverty in our cities. The NISUS will be implemented through a ten-year program consisting of the following components: (a) investment component to prepare and implement informal settlements upgrading and new towns through LGU stand alone or public-private-people-partnership projects; (b) urban renewal and housing finance and microfinance/community finance component; (c) policy and institutional reform component; and (d) capacity development component. Improving Governance in the Housing Sector The key shelter agencies, under the direction of the Vice President, have also adopted risk management programs to ensure their continued viability, such as Capital Adequacy Framework, Credit Scoring, other risk reports and the KSAs’ respective Code of Good Governance and Code of Ethics. The government housing corporations namely, Home Development Mutual Fund, National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation, Home Guaranty Corporation, National Housing Authority, and Socialized Housing Finance Corporation, have also formulated their respective Manuals of Corporate Governance and No Gift Policy which have been approved by their respective Governing Boards. Pag-IBIG Fund, NHMFC, HGC and HLURB have also achieved ISO Certification. The certification is a recognition that the said agencies’ processes comply with international standards of quality and excellence. Vice President Binay also directed the HUDCC to push for the redefinition of socialized housing under Republic Act 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) to ensure the inclusion of vertical socialized housing. HUDCC also supported the creation of Local Housing Boards to provide the LGUs with more power, authority and responsibilities with regard to the provision of housing in their respective localities and provide the administrative machinery that can complement the efforts of shelter agencies to effect the full implementation of UDHA. Globe Asiatique owner Delfin Lee, who was charged with syndicated estafa. This happened after an investigation, ordered by the Vice President, revealed that Lee had used fake documents and ghost borrowers to secure about P7 billion in loans from Pag-IBIG. Lee was apprehended by Task Force Tugis in March. Vice-President Binay gave his assurance that such housing scams will no longer happen with the reforms Pag-IBIG has put in place. The reforms that Pag-IBIG has instituted include the centralization of the approval of housing loan applications. The Fund will now have the final nod on all applications, taking the task from the developers. Pag-IBIG is also piloting the use of fixed loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, the amount of the loan divided by the appraised value of the property. This allows borrowers to avail of a bigger loanable amount compared to what they could get using the old system. The Fund is also seeking to improve the documentation of loan applications. To be implemented next year, the process will enable developers to do away with Contracts-to-Sell and Deeds of Assignment, and issue only the Deed of Absolute Sale. The enhanced method will expedite the processing of housing loan applications, eliminate foreclosure proceedings, and save time and effort usually spent on such proceedings. Under the Pag-IBIG reforms, new members may now apply for loans provided they were able to pay 24 months of lump-sum contribution. Co-borrowers need not also be blood-related to the principal borrowers. Borrowers may also avail of “tacked loans,” which means that at most three borrowers may combine their gross monthly incomes to qualify for a bigger loanable amount. The Vice President also mentioned that should a member die, his/her family will get a P20,000 death benefit from insurance aside from the P6,000 death benefit from Pag-IBIG and the insurance equivalent to the value of his/her housing loan.