DOLE combats unemployment, strengthens program for college students

AMANDA LAGO, GMA News

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is setting aside P340, 282,000 for disadvantaged college students to have short-term jobs this year under the Special Program for the Education of Students (SPES).

Strengthening the SPES is one of DOLE’s priorities for 2012, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in press conference. Last year, the program proved effective in supporting the poverty reduction effort and preparing underprivileged youth for productive employment, she added.

“Forty percent of the students’ salaries comes from the SPES budget, while 60 percent comes from the private sector companies na naghire sa kanila,” Jose de Leon, DOLE’s Media and External Relations division, told GMA News Online over the phone.

“Binibigyan din sila ng konting background training para i-prepare sila sa magiging trabaho nila,” he added.

De Leon noted that most of the SPES beneficiaries were hired by information technology companies and other private sector establishments.

Some of them also end up working in government offices, according to the DOLE media expert.

He described SPES qualified students as college students, 18 or older, and “mostly sons and daughters of poor parents.”

Baldoz said the department has earmarked a bigger budget for the program this year. “The amount is higher by P39,034,000, or 13 percent more than the P301,248,000 SPES budget in 2011.”

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s Kasanayan sa Hanapbuhay or KaSH program, another youth employment assistance program under the DOLE will also benefit from the DOLE budget, the Labor chief noted.

KaSH will get P1.344 billion or 47.1 percent of DOLE’s P2.854 billion budget this year, she said.

SPES was established in 1992 under Republic Act No. 7323, later
amended by RA 9547. The program accounts for part of the students’ salaries to encourage employers to hire them during the summer or Christmas vacations.

Baldoz said that last year, there were 119,045 SPES beneficiaries, the highest number so far and a significant increase from the 77,727 beneficiaries in 2010. — VS, GMA News

Major General Lauro Catalino Dela Cruz takes over as Air Force chief

Major General Lauro Catalino Dela Cruz took over the helm of the Philippine Air Force Tuesday morning, replacing outgoing Air Force chief Lieutenant General Oscar Rabena in a turnover ceremony at Villamor Airbase.

Before his designation as Air Force chief, Dela Cruz was Chief of Air staff. The 32nd Commanding General of the Air Force, he belongs to the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1980.

In his speech, dela Cruz said the Air Force will be the country’s “wings for peace.”

He said they will be ready at all times to defend the Philippines’ territorial integrity and to serve people during calamities.

President Benigno Aquino III presided over the turnover ceremony Tuesday morning.

In his speech, the President thanked the Air Force for helping the victims of tropical storm Sendong and for securing the devotees during the Black Nazarene feast. ABS-CBN News, with a report from Edwin Sevidal, radio dzMM

Associate Justice Antonio Carpio mum on condominium unit issue

By Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News

Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has no comment on his reported ownership of an 800-square-meter condominium unit in Avignon Tower in Salcedo Village, Makati City.

Speaking to ABS-CBN News, Atty. Maria Teresa Sibulo, who heads Carpio’s staff at the Supreme Court, said Carpio does not comment on issues and has not given any reaction on the report.

News reports bare Carpio, the reported top contender for Chief Justice should Renato Corona vacate the post, owns the said condominium unit, prompting calls for Malacañang to also dig deeper into his wealth and assets.

Corona, who is facing impeachment charges before the Senate, is under fire for allegedly owning a 303.5-square meter unit in The Bellagio worth P14.5 million. A report by Raissa Robles said brokers estimated the actual cost of the luxury penthouse unit at P26.68 million.

Chief Justice Renato Corona boosts defense team

By Ryan Chua, ABS-CBN News

The defense team of Chief Justice Renato Corona for his impeachment trial has two new members.

In the defense panel’s entry of appearance filed on January 9 and released to the media the day after, lawyers Ramon S. Esguerra and Tranquil G.S. Salvador III were named as co-counsels.

Esguerra is listed as the general counsel of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. He is a former undersecretary in charge of the National Prosecution Service in February 1992-March 1995 and a former acting chairman of the Board of Pardons and Parole.

Salvador is the former dean of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay.

Lawmaker questions mishandling of IRA funds

By Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News
Batangas 2nd District Rep. Hermilando Mandanas filed with the Supreme Court (SC) this morning a petition for certiorari, mandamus and prohibition against government’s alleged misappropriation of Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) funds for local governments.

In his 23-page petition, Mandanas asked the high court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) and/or writ of preliminary injunction on the Aquino Government’s General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2012, specifically on some P60.75 billion appropriations for capital outlays which he said, is taken off the IRA.

“The National Government, in the persons of the Respondents, should automatically release the Internal Revenue Allotments (IRA) or the just shares of the Local Government Units (LGUs) in the national taxes as determined by law. The unreleased amount due to the Provinces, Cities, Municipalities and Barangays from 1992 to 2012 has already reached P500 billion. Compliance by the National Government with the Constitution and existing laws will enable the LGUs to efficiently and expediently serve the Filipino people, and hasten the delivery of much needed and long delayed basic services,” Mandanas said.

“Hiling natin ay kilalanin at i-automatic release ang IRA… labag sa batas na ginagamit yung [IRA] dahil ang pondong yun ay dapat sa local governments,” he added.

His petition stated that the automatic release of the IRA to the LGUs is “clearly provided for in Sec. 6 of Art. X of the Constitution” which states:

“Local government units shall have a just share, as determined by law, in the national taxes which shall be automatically released to them.”

He further claimed that Sec. 284 on Allotment of Internal Revenue Taxes of Republic Act(RA) No. 7160 (Local Government Code), clearly defines “just share” regarding the IRA.

The said section states:

“Sec. 284. Allotment of Internal Revenue Taxes. Local government units shall have a share in the national internal revenue taxes based on the collection of the third fiscal year preceding the current fiscal year, as follows:

a) On the first year of the effectivity of this Code, thirty percent (30%);

b) On the second year, thirty five percent (35%);

c) On the third year and thereafter, forty percent (40%).”

“It is clear that the legally mandated revenue base to compute the IRA should include the entire national internal revenue taxes collected annually,” Mandanas said.

The national internal revenue taxes, according to Mandanas, are specifically enumerated in Sec. 21 of RA 8424 (National Internal Revenue Code):

“Sec. 21. Sources of Revenue. – The following taxes, fees and charges are deemed to be national internal revenue taxes:

a) Income taxes;

b) Estate and donor’s taxes;

c) Value-added tax;

d) Other percentage taxes;

e) Excise taxes;

f) Documentary stamp taxes; and

g) Such other taxes as are hereafter may be imposed and collected by the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue).”

The petition also stated that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) collects national internal revenue taxes such as value-added tax(VAT), excise taxes, and documentary stamp taxes on imported goods as an agent of the BIR, as provided for in Sec. 12 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC).

“However, the BIR has not been including the collections of the BOC of the national internal revenue taxes in the legally mandated revenue base to compute the IRA for the LGUs since 1992 up to 2012. And when included in accordance with the Philippine Constitution and other applicable laws, then the LGUs should receive P498.85 billion or very close to P500 billion,” Mandanas said.

In seeking immediate temporary relief from the high tribunal on the P60.75 billion capital outlay appropriation, Mandanas said: “This amount is equivalent to the IRA for the LGUs in accordance with law that has been misappropriated by the National Government in the 2012 GAA. And if the unconstitutional release of the P60.75 billion is not restrained by the Supreme Court, then again the misuse of Local Funds for National Projects will go unabated.”

Mandanas, meantime, denied his petition against Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, BIR Commissioner Kim Henares and National Treasurer Roberto Tan was in retaliation for his ouster as House Ways and Means Committee Chairman for his refusal to sign the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona.

“Nag-file din naman ako ng kaso dati against the administration of Pres. Gloria Arroyo, nanalo ako noon and some P60 billion in IRA was released to the local governments. Nagfile ako uli ngayon sa Aquino administration dahil patuloy ang paggamit sa IRA ng national government,” he said.

Mandanas filed the petition along with 8 local officials. His lead counsel is former Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., author of the Local Government Code.