In defiance of the Supreme Court MMDA Ruling (https://lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2008/dec2008/gr_171947_2008.html) and even Administrative Order No. 16, (2019) ‘Expediting The Rehabilitation And Restoration Of The Coastal And Marine Ecosystem Of The Manila Bay And Creating The Manila Bay Task Force’, this ill-conceived project violates at least five laws that impact heavily on our fisheries, biodiversity, and marine habitats,: 1. Environmental Impact System Laws and regulations No person may undertake environmentally critical projects or any project in environmentally critical areas without an environmental compliance certificate. Major reclamation projects and resource extractive industries such as major mining and quarrying projects are environmentally critical projects. Presidential Proclamation No. 2146 includes the following as environmentally critical areas: *All areas declared by law as national parks, watershed reserves, wildlife preserves and sanctuaries *Areas which constitute the habitat for any endangered or threatened species of indigenous Philippine Wildlife (flora and fauna); *Areas of unique historic, archaeological, or scientific interests; and *Areas frequently visited and/or hard-hit by natural calamities geologic hazards, floods, typhoons, volcanic activity, etc. 2. The Fisheries Code (RA 8550) as amended by RA 10654 The Fisheries Code requires a detailed Environmental Impact Statement prior to undertaking projects which “will affect the quality of the environment.” (section 12) It also prohibits aquatic pollution defined as anything introduced to water bodies that can harm living and non-living marine resources or humans. 3. The Clean Water Act, RA 9275 The Clean Water Act prohibits depositing of any material into bodies of water or their margins that cause water pollution 4. The National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, RA 10066 The National Historical Commission declared Manila Bay, from Del Pan Bridge to the Cultural Center of the Philippines, as a national historical landmark in 2012. The law prohibits alteration of its original features: Prohibited Acts. - To the extent that the offense is not punishable by a higher punishment under another provision of law, violations of this Act may be made by whoever intentionally: Xxx (b)Modifies, alters, or destroys the original features of or undertakes construction or real estate development in any national shrine, monument, landmark and other historic edifices and structures, declared, classified, and marked by the National Historical Institute as such, without the prior written permission from the Commission. This includes the designated security or buffer zone, extending five (5) meters from the visible perimeter of the monument or site. At the local level, the project proponent is also required to consult the local government unit. 5. The Local Government Code of 1991, RA 7160 National agencies planning or implementing projects, such as the Department of Environment, must consult the stakeholders of the local government unit, in this case, the City of Manila. The project cannot proceed without consultation with and prior approval of the Sangguniang Panglungsod of Manila. Likewise, New Civil Code of the Philippines, RA 386, declares that: *Article 5. Acts executed against the provisions of mandatory or prohibitory laws shall be void, except when the law itself authorizes their validity. (4a) *Article 7. Laws are repealed only by subsequent ones, and their violation or non-observance shall not be excused by disuse, or custom or practice to the contrary. When the courts declared a law to be inconsistent with the Constitution, the former shall be void and the latter shall govern. Administrative or executive acts, orders and regulations shall be valid only when they are not contrary to the laws or the Constitution. (5a) *Article 25. Thoughtless extravagance in expenses for pleasure or display during a period of acute public want or emergency may be stopped by order of the courts at the instance of any government or private charitable institution. Jurisprudence Aside from the laws, the MMDA, et al. v. Concerned Residents of Manila Bay Ruling directly applies in this case. Here, the Supreme Court noted that “the cleanup and/or restoration of the Manila Bay is only an aspect and the initial stage of the long-term solution. The preservation of the water quality of the bay after the rehabilitation process is as important as the cleaning phase.“ Because of this, the Court has put the heads of all concerned departments-agencies, bureaus and offices under them on continuing notice about, and to enjoin them to perform, their mandates and duties towards cleaning up the Manila Bay and preserving the quality of its water to the ideal level. Hence, the acts of DENR and DPWH as well as its bureaus in dumping dolomite rocks as ‘white sands’ which are in fact pollutants, are in direct contravention of their continuing and mandated duties in the said case. In addition, relying on Section 65 of RA 8550, as amended, the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) was ordered by the Supreme Court to improve and restore the marine life of the Manila Bay in the said case.

In our continued tracking of any GMO-permeation in Bohol, we are deeply alarmed and concerned by recent pronouncements from the top leadership of the provincial government of Bohol and the regional office of the Department of Agriculture in openly supporting and promoting GM crops, and laying out plans of establishing plantations, specifically of BT corn and golden rice, in Bohol – which, if deemed constituent to prohibited acts in Bohol’s GMO-Free Ordinance that include the rather unfortunately broad-phrased “any activity whatsoever for the propagation of or experimentation related to GMOs” in the province – if not directly violative of said ordinance, at the very least, desecrates the very intent of Bohol’s GMO-Free ordinance, that is, to protect and ensure the health of both our people and the environment from the negative threats and impacts of GMO cultivation. The Province of Bohol has clear policies in safeguarding the health of its people and ensuring the conservation and sustainable management of its environment. And with lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the urgent need to intensify Bohol’s agenda for food self-sufficiency, food security and nutrition must veer from grandiose industrialist agriculture solutions and should be oriented towards the development of resilient, sustainable and equitable food systems that are attuned to the local context, culture, and natural biodiversity. Bohol’s food revolution will be ultimately Bol-anon, and it will be GMO-free. ABOUT BOHOL's GMO-FREE POLICY In 2003, through the combined efforts of grassroots stakeholders, civil society, non-government organizations, and the provincial government of Bohol, the province of Bohol, with the passage of Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP) Resolution No. 2003-235, declared itself GMO-Free or free from genetically-engineered or modified organisms (GMO), or products of genetic engineering or genetic manipulation of an organism’s genome using modern biotechnology to produce transgenic plants, animals and micro-organisms with novel traits. To further safeguard the health of Boholanos and protect the ecological integrity of Bohol from the possible disastrous ill-effects of genetically modified organisms, the SP resolution was cemented with the enforcement, shortly thereafter, of Provincial Ordinance No. 2003-010 or “The Safeguard Against GMOs”, which decrees that “no person shall conduct any laboratory or field-testing or any activity whatsoever for the propagation of or experimentation related to GMOs of any plant, animal, or microorganism in any area within the territorial jurisdiction within the Province of Bohol”. This legal instrument, along with our sustained monitoring and proactive thwarting of attempts at introducing and allowing the growing of genetically modified (GM) crops in our province, remains a landmark achievement for Bohol, oft- cited and benchmarked by other local government units (LGUs) in their bid to prevent the introduction of GMO production in their towns and provinces.

Young people defy the normal because normal was the problem. We are going to inherit the present; we are the future. The youth agenda is centered primarily on the young Filipino People, and none of the youth wanted the world to return to pre-coronavirus normal where we see how broken our society is. We see COVID-19 as an opportunity to address the current socio-economic, political and environmental issues revealed to us by the pandemic, we are now finding ways to reimagine and ratify a new world where leaders are ideal servants in words and actions. The Filipino youth wants a better normal and we will break the status quo. #BetterNormalYouthAgenda #AmbagNgKabataan

The implementation of this project is a clear violation of R.A 11038 otherwise known as Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018"  and Proclamation No. 746 Series of 1996 which declares Mt. Guiting Guiting as a protected area. Since there is no feasibility study, known environmental impact assessment/study nor cost-benefit analysis, the potential implementation of the project is violative of the General Provisions of the 2020 GAA, specifically Section 26 (c) which says: “The planning and construction of all infrastructure projects to be implemented within the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) are done in a way that eliminates and minimizes the risk of biodiversity loss while the specifications thereon are in accordance with those determined by DPWH, in coordination with DENR. Major infrastructure projects may only be taken in said areas if intended to enhance biodiversity.” This is a patent violation of our constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. We were able to stop this project in 2018, we will do this again this year, and beyond.

We, the concerned citizens of our historic City of Caloocan, call on our District 1 Representative Cong. Dale “Along” R. Malapitan, to withdraw his support and vote NO to the Anti-Terrorism Bill of 2020. Last June 3, 2020, the House of Representatives approved House Bill No. 6875 or the “Anti-Terrorism Bill” in its third and final reading with a vote of 168 in favor, 36 not in favor, and 29 abstentions. The bill was passed despite receiving wide opposition from various groups due to provisions that threaten civil and political liberties. Among the 168 representatives who voted in favor of the said bill is Caloocan City 1st District Representative Cong. Dale “Along” R. Malapitan. As citizens of Caloocan, we strongly express our dismay and disappointment in his decision. We believe that his vote does not truly represent the interest of his constituents, which clearly disregards his sworn duty to do so. Thus, we demand for the immediate withdrawal of the congressman’s support to the bill for the following reasons: 1. The current definition of terrorism in the bill remains broad and vulnerable to misinterpretation and abuse. 2. The Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) is given the power to designate persons or organizations as terrorists for purposes of surveillance. 3. No form of proper compensation is given to persons or organizations in case of wrongful accusation. 4. The bill allows monitoring, wiretapping, and surveillance of suspects which is an unwarranted intrusion of privacy. 5. The periods of surveillance and detention have been increased without clear justification of necessity. 6. The bill minimizes the role of the Congress for legislative oversight and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to prosecute persons who may have violated civil and political rights. 7. Matched with the power to arrest and detain those designated as “terrorists” without a warrant, the implementation of this law may be used to silence critics, undermine our democratic institutions, and pave the way for human rights violations. The aforementioned provisions of this bill clearly violate the rights of the people provided by the Constitution. Rep. Dale “Along” R. Malapitan voting YES to the passing of this bill enables a law that threatens the freedom of not only the citizens of Caloocan but of the whole nation. We are calling on our First District Representative to provide an explanation for his vote on the bill. As your constituents, we deserve to know the processes and consultations, if there are any, that you have done to come up with such a decision. More importantly, we ask you to consider these concerns raised by your constituents and withdraw your support to the said bill. While we condemn all acts of terrorism and violence, we believe that a law that endangers the citizenry’s human rights and liberty is never the solution to the problem. We, the citizens of Caloocan, will continue to exercise our democratic right. We will not be silenced. We will remain watchful and vigilant in maintaining the freedom and rights that the late sons and daughters of this City have fought for during the Katipunan. We appeal to you, Congressman Malapitan, listen to the voices of your constituents. We demand a vote of "NO".

By signing this petition, we recognize the value of our democracy. The Anti-Terrorism Bill is an attack on our civil rights and it impedes our freedom of speech. It is important to oppose the bill because it makes voicing out a crime. We urge our local representatives to genuinely represent us, their constituents, and uphold our democratic rights by voting NO to the bill. #JunkTerrorBill

Bilang mga kinatawan ng Taguig at ng mahigit 800,000 na Taguigeño, karapat-dapat lamang na sumalamin ang boto nina Cong. Alan Cayetano at Congw. Lani Cayetano sa sigaw ng mga Taguigeño dahil responsibilidad nilang isatinig ang ating mga hinaing – labanan ang paniniil sa kaparatang pantao, tutulan ang Anti-Terrorism Bill! #JunkTerrorBill #CayetanoVoteNo #BawiinAngBoto

Sa hindi malinaw na konteksto ng bill, nabibigyan ng labis na kapangyarihan ang kapulisan, at nanganganib na maisantabi ang prosesong pangkatarubgan. Makakapanghatol ang mga nasa otoridad batay sa hinala sa halip na sa masusing imbestigasyon at proseso. Isang malaking sampal ito sa karapatan natin ng malayang pananalita, samakatwid ay sa ating kalayaan pati na rin sa ating pundamental na karapatang pantao. Ang pagpapasa ng nasabing bill ay isang malaking kapabayaan ng mga kinauukulan sa kapangyarihang hiram lamang nila sa mga mamamayan.

Bilang malaya at kritikal na mga mamamayan ng lungsod ng San Jose del Monte, mariin naming tinututulan ang pag-pabor ng aming kinatawang si Congresswoman Florida "Rida" Robes sa Anti-Terrorism Bill. Naniniwala kami na ang pag-suporta niya sa panukalang batas na ito ay hindi sumasalamin sa tunay at kabuuang boses ng kanyang mga nasasakupan. Dahil dito, hinihiling naming bawiin niya ang kanyang suporta sa naturang batas. Kaya't para sa aming kinatawan na si Cong. Florida Robes, kami ay nananawagan ng iyong agarang pagbawi sa iyong pagsuporta sa Anti-Terrorism Bill. Bilang aming representante sa mababang Kongreso, ang iyong pangunahing tungkulin ay ang iangat ang boses ng iyong nasasakupan. Nararapat lamang na sumalamin ang iyong magiging boto sa sigaw ng bawat San Joseño. Sa pagkakataong ito, hinihiling namin ang iyong suporta sa aming paglaban sa karapatan ng bawat mamamayang Pilipino. Nawa ay iyong pakinggan ang boses naming mga San Joseño.

With limited mass public transportation options during Metro Manila's shift to General Community Quarantine, many Filipino workers opted to use bicycles and scooters to reach their workplace. According to our bike traffic monitoring, the southbound lane of Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City was traveled on by 20 bikers per minute on June 1st, the first day of GCQ equivalent to 2,400 bikers in 2 hours. On June 2, the southbound lane served 16 bikers per minute or 1,920 bikers in 2 hours. During MECQ, the southbound lane served 14 bikers per minute on the average during the morning rush hour. These numbers cannot be ignored, and urgent solutions should be implemented with considerations on the following: 1. Safety of all road users: by having a dedicated, protected, and properly marked bike lanes, road accidents involving bikers can be mitigated. Bikers will have their own lane and would not have to pass in between cars, buses, and truck, and would prevent them from harming pedestrians on the side walks. It will be convenient, too, for other road users as it would initiate a mind shift of sharing the road with our bikers and respecting their rights to safely utilize public spaces. 2. Feasibility and sustainability of implementation: these needs are not temporary. Hence, solutions should also be permanent. Biking is now an integral part of our #BetterNormal lives, esp our workers. It should be taken as a good opportunity to promote alternatives to our inefficient mass public transportation by showing support and care to the bikers. Moving forward, bikers or biking lane should always be a part of city road planning and developments. These are needed most now more than ever. Thousand of bikers are vulnerable everyday, as long as no action is taken... The first two days of marshaling along Commonwealth Avenue showed that if you really want something to be done, you will make it happen, even if it means improvising equipment and dedicating your own time. What more with enough resources and manpower? So first things first, #ProtectedBikeLanes noooooooooow!!

Because our present and future is at stake and the time for action is now, especially after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In these trying times, recovery on a national scale should be our top priority. This includes everyones mental and physical capacity. We call on the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and the PUP Administration to invoke an alternative education system that does not compromise quality and does not further create wider gap in achieving education for all.