AT a recent session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned that the world needs to change paths to avoid a future filled with military escalation, repression, disinformation, deepening inequality, and rampant climate change.

A dire warning made at a time when at least two major wars are being fought in Europe and the Middle East (Ukraine and Gaza-Lebanon and now, Iran), the UN official’s words should resonate with world leaders and citizens of most countries. As Turk stressed, “we are at a fork in the road,” and we may add that the correct path of peace is being hidden by some officials, mostly Americans, who believe that the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza should be scaled up in order to de-escalate it.

“We can either continue on our current path – a treacherous ‘new normal’ – and sleepwalk into a dystopian future, or we can wake up and turn things around for the better, for humanity and the planet,” High Commissioner Turk warned.

‘For Turk, the world appears comfortable with the “crossing of innumerable red lines, or readiness to toe right up to them.”’

In a world wracked by conflicts, Turk insisted that “states must not – cannot – accept blatant disregard for international law.”

While the United Nations also maintains that peace is the right path to progress for the human race, still this organization of nations which is controlled by its big and important members is unable to find a solution to the long-running Russian war on Ukraine, the civil war raging in Sudan, and the exponentially escalating war of Israel against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, that has now engulfed the participation of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and Iran itself.

With the United States deploying 10 aircraft carriers in the region and Russian President Vladimir Putin issuing an ultimatum to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “leave Lebanon or face the consequences,” this Gaza Strip conflict may well lead to a global conflict – the next big one, fought with the most modern technology of mass destruction.

For Turk, the world appears comfortable with the “crossing of innumerable red lines, or readiness to toe right up to them.” He expressed hope that since we are in a record year of elections globally, the votes of all the right-thinking citizens of the world could matter.

“With some elections already having taken place, and others still to come this year, I urge all voters to keep in mind the issues that matter most to them – be it a home, education for their children, their health or job, justice, their family and loved ones, the environment, to be free from violence, tackling corruption, being heard,” he said.

With US elections this November and the Philippine midterm elections next year still in the offing, Turk’s words about how this democratic political exercise could change the course of the world should appeal to many.

Turk spurned “heated rhetoric and simplistic fixes, erasing context, nuance and empathy. Paving the way for hate speech and the dire consequences that inevitably follow.”

He urged “all voters to be vigilant. Be wary of the shrill voices, the ‘strongman’ types that throw glitter in our eyes, offering illusory solutions that deny reality.” 

We agree with the UN official that the future of the world “cannot be endless, vicious military escalation and increasingly horrifying, technologically advanced methods of warfare, control and repression.”

In other words, a dystopian future is not the right road to take.

THE movie, television and broadcast media have made their names very familiar with the masses, and so movie actors and actresses and other denizens of show business have successfully wormed into the circles of power, especially in the executive and legislative departments of government.

The movie and TV screens have long been the entry points of many politicians to becoming town and city councilors, barangay officials, mayors, governors, representatives and senators — a President no less — so we have enough reason to suppose that the film industry should be well developed by now, in terms of artistic talents, distribution and marketing.

Sadly, it is not. The same problems dog the movie industry for the longest time: limited market, cartelization of the movie theaters, high cost of production, government regulation of content, etc.

‘With the formal organization of the Film Academy of the Philippines… perhaps the movie industry can make some progress in the area of marketing and international exposure.’

The problem is that leaders of the movie industry who have reached high offices at the House of Representatives and the Senate have almost nothing to show by way of accomplishments that directly redound to progress in the industry. With their accession to Congress, these showbiz leaders easily adapted to the ways of politicians such as hefty commissions in infrastructure and other projects, and conveniently forgot their showbiz roots.

The Eddie Garcia Law, which purportedly was made to uplift the rights and privileges of workers in the TV and film industries, was even criticized by some movie workers because of its pro-producer and TV networks bias.

Members of the industry are hopeful that a recent move by President Bongbong Marcos to transfer the administrative supervision of the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) from the Department of Education to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will make a dent.

Executive Order 70, signed by the President on October 2 through Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, said the initiative was meant to strengthen the FAP and further develop the local movie industry.

“To maximize the full potential of the Philippine film industry, it is imperative to ensure that world-class Filipino talents in the field of motion picture arts and sciences are given due recognition and assistance by the national government,” the executive order reads.

Marcos has recognized the need to strengthen the FAP and further define its duties and functions to complement the programs, activities, and projects of government bodies involved in the promotion and development of the Philippine film industry.

Created in 2006, the FAP, under DTI supervision, will be governed by a board of trustees to be chaired by the FAP director general and co-chaired by the trade secretary.

Members include a representative of the Office of the President, the labor secretary, the director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, the chairman of the Film Development Council of the Philippines, the chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and two private sector representatives of reputable guilds, organizations and associations in the film industry.

With the formal organization of the Film Academy of the Philippines and its supervision by the DTI, perhaps the movie industry can make some progress in the area of marketing and international exposure.

SEVEN years to resolve an ordinary criminal case may be considered as speedy under the Philippine justice system.  And so many were relieved that the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 11 came up with a decision convicting members of Aegis Juris fraternity, who were involved in the fatal hazing of University of Santo Tomas (UST) civil law freshman Horacio “Atio” Castillo III in 2017.

Sentenced to reclusion perpetua or 20-40 years of imprisonment were the following: Mhin Wei Chan, Jose Miguel Salamat, John Robin Ramos, Marcelino Bagtang Jr., Arvin Balag, Ralph Trangia, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver Onofre, Joshua Macabali and Hans Matthew Rodrigo.

The first conviction in the case occurred in 2019 when John Paul Solano, who transported Atio Castillo to the Chinese General Hospital, was found guilty by the Manila Metropolitan Court Branch 14 of obstructing justice. He received a prison sentence of two to four years.

‘As law students, the convicts knew the criminal nature of hazing and the punishment that goes with it … Yet, they pushed their luck, upheld the frat’s tradition of violence and false sense of loyalty and unbridled power, thus the prison term of life imprisonment.’

The court also ordered the 10 accused to pay penalties of P461,800 as actual expenses, P75,000 as civil indemnity, P75,000 as moral damages and P75,000 as exemplary damages.

Castillo would have been a lawyer but his young life was snuffed at the final initiation rites for admission into the fraternity on Sept. 16, 2017.  He sustained several paddle hits from his brothers as part of the group’s initiation rites and an autopsy report established the cause of death as “severe blunt traumatic injuries.”

Atio’s death, however pitiful and unfortunate, at least resulted in several investigations by law enforcement bodies and the Senate, which Aegis Juris members and UST Law Dean Nilo Divina participated in.

The case also became the reason for the passage of Republic Act 11053, also known as the Anti-Hazing Law of 2018, which revises RA 8049, the initial anti-hazing legislation enacted in 1995, in response to demands for stricter penalties for offenders.

The new law provides that mere involvement in hazing, even without directly participating in the physical harm, makes an individual liable for violating the law. Violators will face stricter penalties of 12 to 17 years imprisonment, and a fine of P1 million on participating officers and members of the fraternity, sorority or organization if proven guilty.

The 10 convicts had tried to seek dismissal of the case, claiming that Castillo died of heart enlargement, not hazing, but this was junked by the court.  Even the Court of Appeals denied a petition for review filed by one of the respondents.

As law students, the convicts knew the criminal nature of hazing and the punishment that goes with it, especially when a human life is lost.  Yet, they pushed their luck, upheld the frat’s tradition of violence and false sense of loyalty and unbridled power, thus the prison term of life imprisonment.

May this serve as a stern warning to all young men and women in our universities, colleges and communities.

ELECTION fever nationwide started last Tuesday when the Commission on Elections (Comelec) began accepting certificates of candidacy for various local and national positions.

Comelec chairman George Garcia said that among the early birds were 17 senatorial aspirants and 15 party-list organizations. On the local level, candidates for representatives, governor, mayor, vice mayor, and councilors have also started filing their certificates. Others are still waiting for the next few days, or on the deadline of filing which is October 8.

Among those who filed on the first day were re-electionist Senator Francis Tolentino of the Partido Federal ng Filipinas, along with AGRI party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee of Aksyon Demokratiko, Jose Montemayor of Partido Federal ng Maharlika, and Najar Salih of Partido Maharlika.  They joined 13 other senatorial bets, all aiming for the winning circle of 12 senators, while many more will join the fray today up to Tuesday next week.

‘Violence has always been an ugly characteristic of Philippine elections and the forthcoming political exercise in May is expected to be the same.’

Meanwhile, 15 party-list groups have filed their certificate of nomination – certificate of acceptance of nomination (CON-CAN).

Those who submitted their CON-CAN on the first day of the filing period were: Ang Bumbero ng Pilipinas, Kabayan, Manila Teachers, Ako OFW, Lingap, Akay ni Sol, Agao, Buhay, Bayan Muna, Coop Natcco, Kamanggagawa, Magsasaka, ACT-CIS, Senior Citizens, and Diwa.

Both the Comelec and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are happy that no untoward incident occurred on the first day of filing, and many people hope that the tight security measures they put in place will hold until the last day, and even up to election day in May next year.

“So far, our nationwide monitoring showed there were no disturbances during the filing of certificate of candidacy. Our first day was a success. Outside the venue, the filers have many companions but they were able to observe order during the filing,” the poll body chief said.

Violence has always been an ugly characteristic of Philippine elections and the forthcoming political exercise in May is expected to be the same. This is why the poll body usually declare a gun ban every election season.

Under Comelec Resolution No. 10999, the gun ban will be in effect during the election period from Jan. 12 to June 11, 2025.  However, the PNP expects heated and more violence-prone elections next year that they are looking into an early implementation of the election gun ban.

In the meantime that the Commission on Elections en banc is still studying the request, the PNP is ramping up its campaign against loose firearms as a precautionary measure.

There is also the need for the police to clamp down on all illegal activities, mostly gambling, online and cellphone scams, robbery and other crimes that could generate funds that might be used in the polls.  As the elections near, there is also merit in the usual recall of police escorts from relatives of policemen who are running, and a preventive reshuffle of personnel if warranted.

There is nothing like adequate preparation on the part of law enforcement and election watchdog operations in every election. 

The Philippine experience on peace and national development is a long and tortuous one, spanning the terms of several presidents from Ramon Magsaysay to Ferdinand Marcos Jr., but what has been achieved so far?

In summary, the republic has encountered two groups of troublesome citizens during the last 75 years–the Muslim rebel groups and the Communist Party-led New People’s Army (NPA) and before that, the Hukbong Mapagpalaya sa Bayan (HMB or Huks) of the old Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas. There were other small groups that threatened peace in the country for a limited period of time but by and large, these two sectors of firearms-wielding men and women are the most consistent.

The government relied on the classic, democratic steps to peace and reconciliation –an immediate ceasefire, build trust between the parties, address specific issues in dispute, and later present a framework for future political arrangements. Various administrations had tried one or two variations of the process, involving even negotiations hosted by friendly foreign governments (Malaysia in the case of the Muslims and The Netherlands and Norway in the case of the communists).

‘This question poses a huge challenge to our colleges and universities, especially because Filipino students… have been exploited by rebels of various molds who are always on the lookout for new recruits.’

So far, only the peace process with the Muslims delivered an advanced stage to peace: the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law or Republic Act 11054 that provided for the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) that will soon have its first parliament elections. Even this had its kinks, as the Supreme Court recently ruled that the province of Sulu which rejected the BARMM in the plebiscite should remain outside the regional grouping.

We just ended the National Peace Consciousness Month last September, and part of the activities was the Peace Education Summit with the theme: “Peace Month @ 20: Bagong Pilipinas: Transforming Minds, Transforming Lives.” The summit focused on harnessing education for societal harmony and featured discussions on institutionalizing peace education in curricula. The key initiatives included promoting peace studies, training for educators, and collaborations with NGOs.

According to Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Commissioner Ronald Adamat, who represented Secretary Prospero De Vera, one of the steps taken by their agency is the institutionalization of peace education in colleges and universities. These include CHED Memorandum Order No. 1, s. 2019, which calls for the integration of peace education/studies into relevant higher education curricula, and CMO No. 42, s. 2021, which recommended guiding principles and practices on peace education for higher education institutions.

“We have initiated comprehensive training programs for professors to equip and empower them with the right knowledge in teaching peace, emphasizing the significance and relevance of peace education,” Adamat said. Participants stressed the need for a united effort to advance peace education and addressed challenges such as materialism.

How the academic way is understanding the peace process, much less implementing it, escapes the inquisitive mind of any observer. The obvious question is this: Can the concept of peace be taught in schools?

This question poses a huge challenge to our colleges and universities, especially because Filipino students with their impetuosity, rashness and desire for adventure, coupled with the youthful propensity to adopt radical ideas, have been exploited by rebels of various molds who are always on the lookout for new recruits.