Happy World Teacher's Day

Coming from a family of educators—my mom as a former elementary teacher and I as a university instructor—I know by heart both the struggles and aspirations that come along with the teaching profession. In this time of pandemic when the health, safety and future of everyone is put at risk, a teacher's role is to be the pillar that secures the foundation of tomorrow's leaders. 

Happy World Teacher's Day!

Rep. Rowena Niña O. Taduran

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Solons seek support for media practitioners

 

 Ryan Ponce Pacpaco 

TWO bills filed in the House of Representatives are set to provide much-needed support to the country’s creative industry and media practitioners.

House Bill (HB) No. 8101, or the proposed Philippine Creative Industries Act, primarily authored by Creative Industry and Performing Arts Chair Christopher “Toff” De Venecia (Pangasinan, 4th District), seeks to provide financial and institutional support to targeted creative industries.

For her part, ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Rowena “Niña” Taduran authored HB 8140, which seeks security of tenure and better benefits for all workers in the media industry.

“Magkapatid itong bills na ito,” De Venecia said of the measures during the virtual Ugnayan sa Batasan media forum. He added that hearings for both measures were conducted almost simultaneously.

The proposed Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, which has been approved by the House on second reading, provides for the creation of the Philippine Creative Industry Development Council and formulation of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Plan.

“Ito ay isang panukalang kumikilala sa creative industries bilang lehitimong sector, na naglalayong magbigay ng proteksyon at suporta na galing sa estado para talagang matulungan at ma-accelerate ang kanilang development,” De Venecia said.

Creative industries identified in the measure include traditional cultural expressions, music and the performing arts, architecture and interior services, animation and digitized creative content, audio-visual, broadcast and interactive media, cultural sites, and visual arts. When enacted, the measure will help freelancers formalize themselves into the economy.

De Venecia said he believes that with the appropriate government support, the country’s creative industry can propel the Philippines towards becoming a creative powerhouse in the ASEAN region.

“Even without the bill, we are already number one in terms of creative services, and number five in the export of creative goods within the ASEAN region. Now you will have a strategic planning and roadmapping for the growth and development and acceleration of these creative industries para ma-hit ‘yong targets,” De Venecia said.

Meanwhile, Taduran’s HB 8140 seeks to professionalize the private mainstream media sector by providing workers just compensation and job security.

Taduran said that most private media firms are still implementing the “talent system” and are only giving “allowances” as remuneration for their workers. She added that media workers form part of the country’s frontliners, and are therefore entitled to receive hazard pay and other health and social benefits.

“We want to professionalize ‘yong ating mga kasamahan sa industry, na mabigyan ng minimum wage,” Taduran said, adding that now is an opportune time to consider the welfare of the mainstream media workers.

‘Pinas mahilig magpapila – Taduran

 

By Billy Begas

Nagsisimula nang mainis ang isang lady solon dahil nagpapatuloy ang pagkukumpulan ng mga tao sa mga vaccination at voter registration site.

Ayon kay Assistant House Majority Leader at ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Rowena Niña Taduran, sa panahon ng digital age ay dapat nakagawa na ng sistema ang gobyerno para nabibigyan ng schedule ang publiko at naiiwasan ang pagpila nang matagal.

“Kulang tayo sa organisasyon, sa panahon na puwedeng i-schedule ang lahat digitally o online para ‘di nagtutumpok-tumpok. Ang hilig nating magpapila,” sabi ni Taduran.

Andami umanong indibiduwal ang napipilitang gumising ng maaga para pumila at nag-uubos doon ng oras kahit na hindi sigurado na sila ay mababakunahan o makakapagrehistro.

“Kung may kanya-kanyang schedule ang magpaparehistrong botante at ang magpapabakuna, hindi na kailangang maghintay ng napakatagal sa pila at makakagawa pa ng ibang gawain ang mga mamamayan,” punto pa ni Taduran.

Nanawagan si Taduran sa mga barangay na tumulong sa pagbibigay ng schedule sa kanilang nasasakupan.

“Barangays should coordinate with the authorities concerned with the vaccination and registration of voters for the proper scheduling and to avoid crowding. This is the best that they can do to avoid the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 and to spare our fellowmen from wasting their time lining up,” dagdag pa ng lady solon.

Need to address in vax, voters reg areas cited

 A HOUSE leader on Friday underscored the need to address with dispatch the crowded and disorganized voters’ registration and  vaccination sites to avert more coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) infections.

House Assistant Majority Leader and ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Niña Taduran is getting exasperated with the way organizers have been managing the crowding problem in vaccination and voter’s registration areas.

With the age of digitalization, Taduran said the government should have already formulated an efficient way of dealing with crowding amidst the pandemic.

“Kulang tayo sa organisasyon, sa panahon na puwedeng i-schedule ang lahat digitally o online para di nagtutumpok-tumpok. Ang hilig nating magpapila,” Taduran said.

“Kung may kanya-kanyang schedule ang magpapa-rehistrong botante at ang magpapabakuna, hindi na kailangang maghintay ng napakatagal sa pila at makakagawa pa ng ibang gawain ang mga mamamayan. Sa panahong ito na napakahirap gumalaw at pumunta sa lugar na maraming tao, kailangang may proper scheduling,” Taduran stressed.

“Pagdating sa voters’ registration, parang sadyang pinahihirapan ang mga mamayan na gustong makaboto dahil kailangan nilang pumila ng, napakaaga para lang makapagparehistro. At ngayon, ayaw pa ng Comelec (Commission on Elections) na i-extend ang registration sa October?” Taduran asked.

Taduran called on all barangay officials to help out in scheduling the people for their vaccination and registration as voters to avoid crowding.

“Barangays should coordinate with the authorities concerned with the vaccination and registration of voters for the proper scheduling and, to avoid crowding. This is the best that they can do to avoid the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 and to spare our fellowmen from wasting their time lining up,” Taduran ended.

 Ryan Ponce Pacpaco

Para ‘di maabala! Gov’t urged: Rush issuance of yellow vax passports to OFWs

By Billy Begas

Assistant Majority Leader and ACT-CIS Rep. Niña Taduran on Thursday urged the government to speed up the issuance of yellow vaccination passport for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

At the same time, Taduran also appealed to the national government to help OFWs from the provinces who are currently stranded in Metro Manila after the Hong Kong authorities refused to honor the vaccination cards issued by local government units.

“The Philippine government, through our Consulate in Hong Kong, should discuss thoroughly with the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region the issue concerning the vaccination card of our OFWs,” Taduran said.

Taduran said it should also be clarified if the Hong Kong authorities will accept the international certificate of vaccination issued by the Bureau of Quarantine as proof of vaccination.

“It is very unfortunate that the OFWs are having difficulty in returning to their jobs and spending too much money while waiting for their chance to fly and be admitted in Hong Kong,” Taduran added. “While they are waiting, the government should offer help in sustaining the daily needs of the OFWs especially those who came from the provinces.”

The Hong Kong authorities have lifted the travel ban on the Philippines allowing more than 3,000 stranded Filipino workers to fly back to their employers.

Gov’t asked to help promote vax awareness

 Ryan Ponce Pacpaco 

 HOUSE Assistant Majority Leader and ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Niña Taduran on Sunday called on all concerned government officials to help out in vastly promoting awareness and a more organized vaccination procedure.

Taduran said remarks about alleged vaccine hesitancy will not do us any good.

“I don’t believe there’s a massive vaccine hesitancy in Filipinos. The problem lies in the lack of supply and vaccinators and the vaccination process is mostly disorganized,” Taduran said.

Taduran said the low turnout of senior citizens lining up for their vaccination could be because of disorganization and the lack of proper facilities to administer the vaccines.

“Papipilahin mo sina lolo at lola sa isang mainit na lugar para mabakunahan. Bukod sa init, hirap na yan sa matagal na pagtayo o pag-upo. Bakit hindi ang gawin ng LGU (local government unit) ay magbahay-bahay na sa pagsasaksak ng bakuna sa kanila para hindi na kailangang lumabas? O kaya ay ipatupad ang drive thru vaccination katulad sa Maynila, gamit ang sasakyan ng barangay na susundo sa kanila sa bahay?” Taduran suggested.

She also proposed to LGUs to coordinate with local pharmacies to facilitate the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) vaccination.

“We need all the help that we can get to fast track the vaccination as the Delta variant spreads in the country. Hindi kasalanan ng mga senior citizens at iba pang priority groups kung bakit hindi pa rin sila nababakunahan hanggang ngayon. Maraming nakapila para sa schedule, wala namang tumatawag sa kanila,” Taduran said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Philippines’ data provided that only 25% (2.1 million) of senior citizens have been fully vaccinated in the Philippines, leaving 6.4 million elderly still at risk of the disease.

Senior Citizens mahihirapan kaya ayaw pagbakuna

By Billy Begas

Naniniwala ang isang lady lawmaker na maraming senior citizen ang ayaw magpabakuna dahil sa takot na mahirapan sila pagdating sa mga vaccination center.

Ayon kay House Assistant Majority Leader at ACT-CIS Rep. Rowena Niña Taduran, maraming senior citizen ang hindi na kayang tumagal na nakabilad sa araw o mabasa sa ulan bukod pa sa hirap na ang mga ito na tumayo nang matagal.

Para makumbinsi umano ang mga ito, iminungkahi ni Taduran na magbahay-bahay na lamang ang mga lokal na pamahalaan para bakunahan ang mga senior citizen.

Pwede rin umanong gayahin ang ginagawa ng Maynila na drive thru vaccination. Maaari umanong sunduin ang mga senior citizen ng sasakyan ng LGU o barangay para idaan sa drive thru vaccination site.

Gamit ang datos mula sa World Health Organization, sinabi ni Taduran na 25% o 2.1 milyon lamang sa 8.4 milyong senior citizens sa bansa ang fully vaccinated na laban sa COVID-19.

Naniniwala si Taduran na maraming Pilipino ang gustong magpabakuna pero hindi pa rin nababakunahan dahil sa kakulangan ng vaccine.

“Hindi kasalanan ng mga senior citizens at iba pang priority groups kung bakit hindi pa rin sila nababakunahan hanggang ngayon. Maraming nakapila para sa schedule, wala namang tumatawag sa kanila,” dagdag pa ni Taduran.