Magandang balita para sa ating kabataan!
Naratipika na ng Kamara ang ating panukalang batas na Special Protection for Children in Situations of Armed Conflict (CSAC).
Pirma na lang ng Pangulo upang ito’y maging ganap na batas.
Month: October 2018
Back-to-back na batas ang naratipika natin, mga ka-distrito!
Kasama ang CSAC, naratipika rin ng Kamara ang ating panukalang batas na Establishing the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
Pirma na lang ng Pangulo ang kailangan upang mas mapadali, mapabilis, at mapalawak ang programa ng ating pamahalaan ang pabahay para sa mahihirap.
Demolitions: Protecting the Rights of the Underpriviledged
On November 28, 2016, Quezon City 6th District Representative Kit Belmonte defended before the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development House Bill 157 which sought to prescribe a Code of Conduct for eviction of underprivileged and homeless citizens.
This measure aims to institutionalize the conduct of a pre-demolition conference (PDC) or a consultation among all stakeholders before any execution of demolition. This also aims to strengthen the safeguards already provided for under Section 28 of the RA 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA).
Despite the provisions in the Constitution and the UDHA, violence still erupts during the conduct of evictions and demolitions of informal settler families, leading to instances of severe injuries, and sometimes, loss of lives, especially among the poor and vulnerable dwellers. Moreover, these instances of violence get publicized, not only in the local and national mass and social media, but also in the international press, putting the country’s reputation as signatory to various human rights covenants and agreements in a negative light.
“Sa tuwing magkakaroon ng demolisyon sa aming distrito, naranasan kong humarang at maki-isa sa mga barikada. Kinakailangan kong mamagitan sa mga galit na taumbayan at mga kawani ng DPWH o MMDA. Kadalasan, sa umpisa pa lamang, ‘di organisado ang taumbayan, kulang sa pagbababa ng impormasyon ang magdedemolish kung kaya’t nagkakaroon ng matinding alitan na nauuwi sa karahasan.”
A PDC must be called upon to coordinate the various stakeholders, including government agencies tasked to provide the basic needs of the informal setter families (ISFs), to ensure that all forms of aggressions related to demolition and eviction are eliminated or reduced.
“Naniniwala ako na ang matinding ugnayan ng mga otoridad at taumbayan ang sagot sa problemang ito. Dapat isabatas natin ang karapatan ng taumbayan ukol sa demolisyon. Marapat lang din na alamin ng mga otoridad at pamahalaan ang hinaing ng mga maralitang ito upang masagot ang totoong suliranin sa pabahay.”
No to Torture!
On November 10, 2009, RA 9745 was signed into law as the Anti-Torture Act of 2009. It ensures that the “human rights of all persons, including suspects, detainees and prisoners are resepected at all times.” It defines all acts of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, and penalizes those who engage in such acts.
However, many describe the enactment and implementation of RA 9745 as the reactive, confrontational and litigation-driven side of addressing torure. There is another method that many see as the more effective and forward-looking way since it addresses violations before they occur. This method is called preventive monitoring. It establishes a system of regular visits undertaken by independednt experts in fields relevant to the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty to places of detention in order to identify policy, procedural and practice risks that give rise to torture and ill-treatment. Preventive monitoring visits will become more effective if lodged on principles of mutual trust building, confidentiality, collaboration and dialogue between detention authorities, persons deprived of their liberty, the expert visiting body and other relevant authorities.
Preventive monitoring visit is a non-adversarial approach which effectively opens up to public scrutiny the otherwise obscure places of deprivation of liberty, where persons’ well-being depend solely on their jailers. The regular unannounced visit, by itself, establishes a preventive effect, conditioning custodial authorities to work within the bounds of legal procedures. Moreover, the torture risk identification visits and subsequent observations and recommendations of the expert visiting body will result in implementation of measures that bring about policy, procedural and practice reforms in the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty, institutionalizing safeguards for their humane treatment, detention, monitoring work that will not only benefit persons deprived of their liberty, but also improve the working environment. The realization of better and humane places of deprivation of liberty will also benefit social order and government spending in general.
“Ang pagsasabatas at pagbubuo ng National Committee for the Prevention of Torture ang sisiguro na magkakaroon ng patas at makataong pagtrato sa ating mga kababayan na nasaloob ng mga piitan.”
Empowering the People through the Freedom of Information Act
There are provisions in the Philippine 1987 Constitution that are self-executory and that no longer require statutory enactments for its enjoyment; it, however, requires the setting up of reasonable standards and limitations to prevent abuse in its exercise. In spite of its self-executory nature however, government officials in custody of official records and information upon which these constitutional guarantees are asserted, invoke discretion and absence of an enabling law for its implementation. Thus, what could have been a ministerial duty became a discretionary function, thereby defeating the purpose for which the constitutional mandate was enshrined.
It is in this light that Representative Kit Belmonte filed the Freedom of Information Act to advance the long and persistent struggle of the people for genuine reforms, transparency and accountability in governance, and an indispensable element of the right to free speech, expression and people’s initiative.
House Bill 161 is an expression of genuine empowerment for the people to not only hold accountable our government officials in service, but also to meaningfully participate in each and every step in governance. It is through the freedom of information that people from every sector can be equipped with the means to bring their issues to the table for inclusive development programs and policies.
Socialized Housing: Kasiguraduhan sa Kabahayan
Nakatala sa Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 and wastong paggamit at pagpapaunlad sa mga kalupaan sa lungsod. Saklaw nito ang pamamahagi ng mga lupa para sa residential use. Ngunit sa kabila ng pagtatakda ng ganitong batas matapos ang higit dalawang dekada, marami pa ring mga informal settler families ang hindi pa nadarama ang ginhawang ipinapangako ng batas, at higit na nakapangangamba sa mga mamamayan ay ang mismong batas ang nagsisilbing hadlang dahil sa mahigpit na mga requirements na itinatakda nito.
tugunan ang hamon na kinakaharap ng mga informal settler families, pinangunahan ni Representative Kit Belmonte ang pagsulong ng HB 159 upang masusugan ang mas maluwag na prosesong pagdadaanan ng mga benepisyaryo ng gobyerno sa socialized housing. Ang panukalang batas na ito ay naaprubahan na sa House of Representatives at naipasa na sa Senado.
HB 160: In city/near city resettlement
Ang mga maralita sa lungsod ay isa sa mga pinaka-bulnerableng sektor ng ating lipunan. Tulak ng kahirapan sa kanayunan at hila na rin ng mga pagkakataon na makapaghanap-buhay, patuloy nilang hinaharap ang mga mga mabigat na hamon ng siyudad. Inilalaan ng Urban Development Housing Act of 1992 ang pagbibigay ng pabahay para sa mga PIlipinong walang tahanan sa pamamagitan ng pagsasanib ng pwersa ng gobyerno at ng pribadong sektor. Inihain ang House Bill 160 o ang In city – near city resettlement upang mabigyan ng marangal, hindi magastos, at epektibong programa ang ating pamahalaan sa relokasyon ng ating mga kababayang informal settlers. Sa kasalukuyan, ang HB 160, na siyang isa sa iilang mga panukalang batas na bumuo sa HB 5347, ay naaprubahan na sa House of Representatives at hinihintay na lamang ang bersyon ng Senado.
A Message from Representative Kit Belmonte to the Sixth District of Quezon City
On the occasion of the sixth founding anniversary of the Sixth District of Quezon City, your representative to Congress stands in solidarity with each and every one of you in these times of social unrest and of uncertainty with our everyday provisions, with our jobs, with our homes, and even with our own selves. Nakikita ko na dapat tayo ay magsasama-sama para iparamdam na nandito pa rin tayo para sa isa’t isa. Now is the time to assure each other that we are here, that I am here. Hindi po tayo napagod at patuloy po tayo sa paglingkod para sa bayan. SAMA-SAMA, SUSULONG TAYO DITO SA SAIS.
Dahil sa privilege na ibinigay ninyo sa akin na makapag-lingkod bilang inyong representative ng Distrito Sais ng Quezon City ay binigyan ninyo ng paraan patungo sa katuparan ang mga nagkakaisang pangarap natin para sa ating district. The additional responsibility of working in Congress gave me a chance to fight for the institutionalization of social infrastructure for Distrito Sais.
As the Historical Banlat Area, we started by coming up with our own district development plan kasama ang mga barangay, at mga people’s organization. Dito po natin unang iginuhit ang ating pangarap para sa ating distrito. Kasunod nito ang pagbuo ng ating district shelter plan.
Mula noong ika-Labing-Anim na Kongreso ay pinanindigan natin na maging taga-sulong ng right to housing, right to education, right to healthcare, right to food, right to sustainable environment. We championed participatory governance and tax justice. And we did this without missing a single session day in Congress. Opo, perfect attendance po tayo sa Congress.
Kaya naman tayo ay ginawang miyembro ng labing-anim na mahahalaganang komite sa House of Representatives, kasama ang pagiging Assistant Majority Leader, at Vice Chairperson ng Committee on Justice.
We have authored and co-authored over 176 bills, of which 13 passed into law during the 16th Congress. For the 17th Congress, we have so far passed 10 laws, which include the Emergency Health Care Law, the law establishing the Emilio Jacinto National High School, Free Tertiary Education Law, and recently, the Mental Health Law.
In the national level, we have House Bill 160, which provides on-site, in-city, and near city resettlement for informal settler families. We also have House Bill 159, which aims to strengthen the government’s power to expropriate lands for purposes of socialized housing. At bilang Chairperson ng Special Committee on Land Use, naipasa natin on 3rd reading ang House Bill No. 5240, o ang National Land Use Plan – isang bill na nakabinbin sa Kongreso nang ilang dekada – sa loob ng unang anim na buwan ng 17th Congress. These bills have passed on third reading in Congress, and have been transmitted to the Senate.
Our commitment to upholding our people’s right to life, liberty, and property is also manifested through initiatives like House Bill 158, which aims to establish the National Committee for the Prevention of Torture, along with House Bill 157, which prescribes a code of conduct for the eviction of the underprivileged. Further, we continue to uphold our people’s right to information, and we have done so by filing House Bill 161, our version of the Freedom of Information Bill.
In addition to safeguarding the fundamental rights of our countrymen, we have also been responsive to the immediate needs of our constituents. In the 16th Congress, we authored House Bill No. 3899 which later became Republic Act No. 10646, which created the Quezon City Development Authority, a local government owned and controlled corporation, the first of its kind, which aims to be the development arm of our beloved city.
In our effort to make justice accessible, we likewise created 19 additional Regional Trial Courts for Quezon City.
We have also worked tirelessly in ensuring that more classrooms are built in the district to address the growing number of residents. And to establish more high schools to supplement the five existing ones, to make education more accessible, and to respond to the needs of the K-12 Program. With your support, Barangay Pasong Tamo will now have Emilio Jacinto National High School, while Tandang Sora and Talipapa should soon follow.
We also continue to provide support for programs that have proven to be effective, as we filed House Bill 7773 to institutionalize the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps.
Ang mga gawain natin sa loob ng Congress ay nakabatay sa pulso ng pangangailangan ng ating constituents sa Distrito Sais. Opo, hindi lamang sa Congress ang ating perfect attendance; perfect attendance din po tayo sa pagkausap sa mga ating mga ka-Distrito.
We continue to be open and dynamic in uplifting the lives of our constituents. We welcome partnerships with the private sector in providing opportunities for the people in our district. Right now, we are working with The Coca Cola Company on their 5 by 20 program. The program promotes the economic empowerment of women not just in the Philippines, but in other countries like Brazil, India, and South Africa.
Aside from economic opportunities, we also work to improve the health of the people in our district. Through our partnership with Unilab, the residents of District 6 will now have access to their SafeBirth lying-in clinic, which brings maternal and childcare to those who need it the most. First-rate medical attention will also now be more accessible as a Philippine General Hospital is expected to rise along Central Avenue.
Our collaborative efforts are not exercised with the private sector alone. Our barangay staff has received training from the MMDA for disaster response. We also have Sapa Ko, Mahal Ko, in our efforts to clean and declog the District’s waterways.
We also continue to provide for infrastructure projects within the district. Our multipurpose buildings, barangay halls, basketball courts, school buildings, day care centers, have been enjoyed by our constituents. We also work year-round for road rehabilitation and drainage improvement. The missing link, a highway in Segment 8.2 bridging the eastern and the western part of Metro Manila, as well as NLEX and SLEX, will also soon become a reality because of our tireless efforts towards better mobility in our growing metro. As we continue to safeguard the communities in District Six, more resilient housing is expected to rise for the families in Kaingin Bukid in Barangay Apolonio Samson.
All this we have done in just six years.
But it does not stop there.
This representation has had the privilege of working with some of the most zealous community builders and the most responsive stakeholders. Together, we have seen our objectives accomplished one by one. This only makes us want to do more.
We will continue to push for health initiatives and bring the most necessary and basic services to the people. As much as we can, we will try to eliminate our constituent’s need to seek services that we could give outright. Aside from regular medical missions, we will also continue to collaborate with the DSWD and DepEd for our school feeding programs.
We are also aggressively pushing for the revival of industries in the district, a project which we are working on with the Department of Trade and Industry. We will continue to draw on our strengths and build opportunities where we see them. We are home to some of the most hardworking people, not just in the city, but in the country, and our people will receive the necessary training and education so they may continue to apply themselves.
Nais ko pong pasalamatan ang mga bumubuo ng ating Distrito. Sa mga kapitan at kagawad na tumulong maipatupad ang ating mga adhikain, sa mga residente na walang-sawang nakilahok sa ating mga programa. Nais din po nating pasalamatan ang ating butihing alkalde, Mayor Herbert Bautista at si Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, sa kanilang walang-patid na suporta.
In six years, we have come to be the District that we have envisioned from the very start: tough, resilient, hard-working, and responsive. We work tirelessly and honestly. We strive to live with dignity and respect for the community.
We ask you not to marvel at our achievements. We ask you to join us in building a better district. Ang tagumpay ng Distrito Sais ay tagumpay ng buong lungsod ng Quezon.
Marami pa po tayong nais ibihagi. Marami na po tayo nagawa. Ngunit, marami pa tayong gagawin. Muli, ang mensahe na ito ay upang ipaalam sa inyo na nandito lamang ang inyong congressman. Sabay-sabay, sama-sama: SULONG-SAIS!
CHED TDP CHECK DISTRIBUTION
Isang maulan at masayang araw para sa ating mga CHED Tulong Dunong Program KITSKOLARS ang pagbisita ng CHED-NCR Cashier Team na nagbigay ng grasya (scholarship grant worth P6,000) para sa 1st Semester ng SY 2018-2019. Maraming salamat Vice MAYOR JOY Belmonte sa makabuluhang mensahe para sa ating mga kabataan.
#MulasaBayan #ParasaBayan
#parasaKabataanngBayan
#KITSKOLAR
#ChooseJOY
BISTEKVILLE 15 HOUSING PROJECT
Congratulations sa 775 family beneficiaries ng Bistekville 15 Housing Project ng Quezon City Government, sa pamumuno ni Mayor Herbert Bautista, at sa mga mamamayan ng Sauyo na nagsulong ng nasabing pabahay, ang ALMANOVA. Congratulations din sa bagong tatag na Bistekville 15 – Almanova Homeowners Association. Maraming salamat sa Quezon City Council, sa pamumuno ni Vice MAYOR JOY Belmonte, at sa District 6 councilors. Maraming salamat, Kap Noel Vitug and council.
Hindi natin sinayang na walang pasok ang mga estudyante na aplikante ng CHED Tulong Dunong Program. Kasalukuyan nilang tinatanggap ang Notice of Award at ID sa ating district office.
#parasaKabataanngBayan
#MulasaBayan #ParasaBayan
#Magaral #Magsikap #Mangarap
D6 SPTA INDUCTION CEREMONY
The School Parent-Teacher Association (SPTA) officers from the 18 public schools in District 6 Quezon City have taken their oaths this morning at the SB Park covered court in Barangay Tandang Sora with Congressman Kit Belmonte as the inducting officer. The event concluded with a festive boodle fight lunch. Also present during the event were Councilors Marivic Co-Pilar, Bobby Castelo, Roger Juan, Eric Medina, and Donny Matias.
Congratulations to all the elected SPTA officers!
IKA-101 TAON NG PAGKAKATATAG NG MAKASAYSAYANG PANANDA NG KANGKONG, 1917
Ipinagdiwang ng Barangay Apolonio Samson ng Lungsod ng Quezon ang ika-101 taon ng pagkakatatag ng Makasaysayang Pananda ng Kangkong noong 1917. Sa panandang ito, nakasaad na “Sa pook na ito ipinasiya ng KKK ang paghihimagsik noong ika-23 ng Agosto 1986.” Ilang araw matapos ang pagpapasiya, naganap ang makasaysayang pagpunit ng sedula ng mga Katipunero.
Ngayong Araw ng mga Pambansang Bayani, muli nating gunitain ang alaala ng mga Pilipino na nag-alay ng kanilang buhay laban sa mga mananakop na dayuhan. Atin din ipagmalaki si Apolonio Samson na sinalubong ang mga Katipunero sa kaniyang bahay sa Barrio Kangkong, at bukas-palad na pinaghandaan ng pagkain bago sila nakibaka para sa kalayaan ng Pilipinas.
Bawas Presyo Bill
Bilang sagot sa patuloy na pagtaas ng bilihin at lumalalang inflation rate, ANG ILANG KONGRESISTA MULA SA LIBERAL PARTY (Miro Quimbo, Bolet Banal, Gabriel H. Bordado Jr., Raul Daza, Jocelyn Sy Limkaichong , Cong. Josephine “Nene” Y. Ramirez-Sato), KASAMA SI CONG. KIT BELMONTE, ay naghain ng panukalang batas na naglalayong isuspinde ang excise tax ng Diesel, Kerosene at iba pang produktong petrolyo na mahalaga sa produksyon ng mga pangunahing bilihin.