Labor leader seeks farm import cuts
A听LABOR听leader who is running for president next year said the government should cut imports and focus on supporting local farmers.听
鈥淲hy should we import things that we can grow?鈥 Leodegario “Ka Leody” Q. de Guzman told an online agricultural forum in Filipino on Thursday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a shame that we are an agricultural nation but we import onion, garlic, ginger and just recently, round scad.鈥听
The labor leader said the government should resolve farm problems because agriculture is the foundation of the Philippine economy.听
The country鈥檚 agricultural trade was in a deficit of $2.4 billion (P120 billion) in the third quarter, 18.3% wider than a year earlier. Farm imports grew 15.8% to $4.16 billion, while exports expanded by 12.5% to $1.76 billion.听
The top import commodities were cereals and grain products worth more than $900 million.听
Mr.听De Guzman said the government should help farmers听produce more so the country could export to other countries and create more jobs. Farmers should diversify crop production, he added.听
He also cited the untapped potential in the mining industry, noting that minerals are exported immediately and are not used for the country鈥檚 industrialization.听
鈥淥ur policy is geared toward being import-dependent and export-oriented.鈥听
In October, Mr.听De Guzman vowed to repeal the Rice Tariffication law, reorient the economy to meet domestic needs and prioritize the welfare of farmers if he gets elected. 鈥斕Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson听
House bill to require autopsies听
A听BILL听that seeks to require an autopsy on bodies of听crime victims and听people who died under suspicious circumstances听has been filed at the House of Representatives.听
Samar Rep. Edgar Mary S. Sarmiento filed House Bill 10620 or the Mandatory Autopsy Law to 鈥渢ake advantage of medical procedures to push for the overall improvement of the criminal justice system in the听country.鈥听
Under the bill, the autopsy will be done by government health officers, medical officers of law enforcement agencies and doctors from accredited hospitals. It also prohibits the cremation of human remains under investigation without clearance from police.听
The autopsy may be done without a court order as required by the Code of Sanitation of the Philippines.听The law allows听autopsies when required by special laws,听when requested by police or a victim鈥檚 next of kin. 鈥斕Russell Louis C. Ku听
DoH听urged to lift drug limits
A听CONGRESSMAN听has urged the听Health听department to听suspend the limits听on prescription and over-the-counter听drugs听for senior citizens to minimize their risk of getting infected with the coronavirus.听
Party-list Rep. Rodolfo M.听Ordanes听who heads the committee on听senior听citizens听of the House of Representatives,听issued the call in听House Resolution 2420.听
Under the law,听any single听sale听of prescriptive drugs听to senior citizens听should not exceed more than听a month鈥檚听supply, while over-the-counter drugs听are听limited to a听seven-day听supply.听
Mr.听Ordanes听said听seniors have had to visit their doctors or the local government health center more often than necessary to get the drugs they need.听
鈥淭he limitation also forces听senior citizens to go out every week just to purchase their needed听over-the-counter听and prescription drugs,鈥 according to a copy of the resolution.听
The congressman earlier said听vaccination sites should accept walk-ins for senior citizens, seriously听ill and听persons with disabilities.听鈥斕Russell Louis C. Ku听
Filipina wins human rights award听
A听FILIPINO听human rights advocate won a French-German award this year for her work in helping human rights victims including political prisoners, according to Karapatan group.听
In a statement, the group said Secretary General Cristina听Palabay听had won the 2021 French-German Ministerial Prize. The award was presented to her in Taguig City on Wednesday.听
鈥淭his award proves that the allegations being thrown against Cristina听Palabay听are not only baseless but a rebuke of the very government that has made a state policy out of red-tagging and criminalization of activism,鈥澨齂apatid听Spokesperson Fides Lim, wife of a political prisoner and a National Democratic Front peace consultant, said in the statement.听
Ms.听Palabay听has led Karapatan, which brings together human rights defenders and organizations, since 2010. She also co-founded the Gabriela Women鈥檚 Party, a political party that advocates women鈥檚 rights. 鈥斕Alyssa Nicole O. Tan听
