STEALING FREE NEWSPAPER IS STILL A CRIME ! AB 2612, PLESCIA CRIME PH credit rating up WEEKLY ISSUE 70 CITIES IN 11 STATES ONLINE Vol. IX Issue 453 1028 Mission Street, 2/F, San Francisco, CA 94103 Tel. (415) 593-5955 or (650) 278-0692 December 14 - 20, 2017 Body cams, ‘not God,’ to hold dirty Duterte seeks martial law extension cops accountable By Macon Araneta FilAm Star Correspondent PH NEWS | A3 to fight communist rebels Sen. Win Gatchalian said it is Full SSS benefits for By Daniel Llanto | FilAm Star Correspondent “absolutely absurd” to suggest that the fear of divine retribution in the after- Pinoys in Germany, Sweden An extension of martial law in life would be more effective than body Mindanao for one more year no longer cameras in holding dirty cops account- stands to reason since the military has able for their crimes here on Earth. long demolished the Islamic State- Gatchalian, an ally of President linked Maute terrorists. But President Rodrigo Duterte, was reacting strongly Duterte cited communist rebels as to the statement of Philippine National justification for another year-long Police (PNP) Drug Enforcement Group extension. (DEG) Director Chief Superintendent The threat posed by the New Joseph Adnol, who was quoted by re- People’s Army (NPA) was the chief rea- porters as saying: “For me, there really PH NEWS | A3 son cited by Duterte in his request for is no need for a body cam, our camera Congress to extend martial law in Min- as policemen is God, ‘yun ang pinaka- Why PH has slowest, danao by one more year. In a letter to camera natin na tinitingnan tayo.” expensive internet the House of Representatives and the “God cam over bod cam? “Ab- Senate, Duterte said the NPA intensi- solutely absurd, quipped Gatchalian, fied its rebellion and “terrorist attacks” who renewed last December 8 his call against civilians while the government to equip policemen with body cameras was busy addressing the problems to ensure the bloodless but effective caused by the Muslim jihadists. implementation of the government’s This does not sit well with consti (L-R) President Rodrigo Duterte and former Solicitor Gen. Florin Hilbay all-out campaign against illegal drugs. TO PAGE A7 (Photos: www.wikipedia.com / www.twitter.com) TO PAGE A7 De Lima decries killings of 3 human rights Visiting top cop overseeing Duterte’s PH NEWS | A4 drug war cancels Bay Area talk after Basketball Alert: defenders by unidentified assailants FIBA 2023 in PH By William Casis | FilAm Star Correspondent learning about protest Opposition Sen. Leila de Lima expressed deep concern over the recent killings of human rights workers in the country, saying that they have become the latest targets of extra-judicial and summary killings under the vengeful Duterte regime. De Lima, former chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights SPORTS NEWS | A5 (CHR), said it is very disturbing that the latest attacks on human rights SF Mayor Ed Lee dies defenders were intended to silence dissent. Recently, there were three promi- nent human rights defenders, namely: Protestors along Hesperian Blvd. in Hayward awaiting the arrival of PNP Chief Dela Rosa Fr. Marcelito “Tito” Paez Fr. Marcelito “Tito” Paez, Pastor (Photo: www.bulatlat.com) TO PAGE A7 STORY ON PAGE A7 Anti-dengue vaccine mess: a ‘mix of politics Miriam Defensor Santiago posthumously and health,’ causing ‘disaster’ awarded Quezon Service Cross COMMUNITY AWARENESS | B3 By Lara Climaco | FilAm Star Correspondent By Macon Araneta | FilAm Star Correspondent Aiai, Gerald tie the knot “If you mix politics and health, it’s The late Sen. Miriam Defensor really a disaster,” former Health Sec. Santiago is set to be the latest recipi- Paulyn Ubial testified at the Senate ent of the prestigious Quezon Service blue ribbon committee’s hearing on the Cross, the highest award the Philip- Dengvaxia fiasco last December 11. De- pines can bestow on a person for scribing red flags, she noted about the outstanding civilian service, Sen. Grace dengue immunization program, Ubial Poe confirmed last December 11. observed it was “unusual” for a Poe, who earlier brought to the TO PAGE A7 TO PAGE A7 ENTERTAINMENT | B7 Former Health Sec. Paulyn Ubial Former Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago (Photo: www.usphsociety.org) (Photo: www.wikipedia.com) A2 FilAm Star December 14 - 20, 2017 December 14 - 20, 2017 FilAm Star A3 ph news Fitch upgrades PH’s credit rating for strong macro-economics Agreements ensure full social security By Corina Oliquino | FilAm Star Correspondent Global credit rating agency Fitch Ratings mated that a full set of tax reform packages would benefits for Pinoys in Germany, Sweden upgraded the Philippines’ Long-Term Foreign- boost revenue by two percent of GDP by 2019, By Macon Araneta | FilAm Star Correspondent Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to BBB from with administrative measures to add another one BBB- with the outlook looking stable. percent of GDP over this period. Sen. Loren andsubject According to Fitch Ratings, the upgrade is “Low government revenues have been a long- Legarda on De- matter ex- due to the country’s strong and consistent macro- standing weakness in the Philippines’ fiscal profile. cember 7 said she perts; informa- economic performance – underpinned by sound Fitch estimates that general government revenues is ready to spon- tion and com- policies that are supporting high and sustainable were around 18.5 percent of GDP at end-2017, sor treaties with munications growth rates. compared with 28.8 percent for the ‘BBB’ median,” the European technology; “Investor sentiment has also remained strong, Fitch noted. Union, Germany audio-visual, which is evident from solid domestic demand and “We assume that passage of the first part of the and Sweden be- media and inflows of foreign direct investment,” the credit rat- tax package would add between 0.5 percent -0.8 fore the Senate multimedia; ing agency noted. percent of GDP to central government revenues in goes on break science and “As such, there is no evidence so far that inci- 2018. The tax reforms would support the govern- next week. technol- dents of violence associated with the administra- ment’s ambitious public investment program, and Legarda, ogy; transport; tion’s campaign against the illegal drug trade have keep the central government deficit within the Chair of the tourism; edu- undermined investor confidence,” Fitch Ratings ceiling of three percent of GDP in 2018 and 2019,” Senate Commit- cation, culture, added. Fitch added. tee on Foreign intercultural Moreover, Fitch also noted the current admin- Key drivers for the BBB upgrade Relations, held a Sen. Loren Legarda and interfaith istration’s public investment program and how it According to Fitch, the following are the hearing to discuss (Photos: www.lorenlegarda.com.ph) dialogue; will increase the country’s infrastructure spending, key drivers that propel the country’s BBB rating concurrence in energy; resulting in continued robust growth. upgrade: the Philippines’ environment In the next two years, Fitch Ratings forecasts • Strong imports of capital goods in line with ratification to three treaties. and natural resources including climate change; real GDP growth of 6.8 percent, which would the government’s public infrastructure program She said these are the Framework Agreement agriculture, fisheries and rural development; re- on Partnership and Cooperation Between the Philip- gional development; health; statistics; disaster risk maintain the Philippines’ place among the “fastest- are likely to remain a key driver of the country’s pines and the European Union (PH-EU PCA): the management; and public administration. growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region.” account deficit. Agreement between the Republic of the Philippines Meanwhile, the social security agreements with “The Philippines has also maintained fiscal • Higher investment spending, supported by and the Federal Republic of Germany on Social Se- Germany and Sweden aim to ensure social security policies geared towards a sustained decline in the domestic demand and strong growth momentum. curity (PH-Germany SSA) and the Agreement on So- benefits of Filipinos working or residing in these gross general government debt (GGGD) ratio,” • Despite its limited foreign investor partici- cial Security between the Republic of the Philippines countries. Fitch Ratings noted. pation in the local securities market and narrow and the Kingdom of Sweden (PH-Sweden SSA). “Many of the countries where Filipinos live The decline in the gross general government current account deficit, the Philippines’ capital She said the PH-EU PCA will serve as a general and work do not have social safety nets for foreign debt has been attributed to the recent appointment markets are less vulnerable to external shocks than framework of relations between the Philippines and nationals,” said Legarda. of a new central bank governor from within the that of some of its neighboring economies in the the EU and will allow better cooperation between He said this leaves our workers in a precarious Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which has provided region. the two parties on political, economic and develop- situation should the need for such safety nets arise. continuity and supports monetary policy credibility. • Despite its consistently strong growth and ment issues. On the other hand, she said Filipinos who mi- “We expect inflation to remain within the gradual decline in unemployment rates, some of the “We are currently negotiating a Free Trade grate to countries that have coverage for foreign na- BSP’s target range of 2 – 4 percent. A continuation Philippines’ structural indicators continue to lag Agreement (FTA) with the EU which will be linked tionals are unable to accumulate enough insurance of exchange rate flexibility should help preserve the peers as well as its per capita income levels remain- to the PCA. Through the FTA, we will be able to periods to qualify for full social security pensions recent build-up of foreign exchange reserves,” Fitch ing below the BBB threshold.