Gov’t, NDFP agree on framework for socio-economic reform

The Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) have agreed on a framework for the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-economic Reforms (CASER).

In a tweet on Sunday, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate posted a photo of the "GRP and NDFP Reciprocal Working Committees-SER Common Draft CASER Framework and Outline."

"INITIALED. After 3 days of talks, the GRP -NDFP reciprocal working committees have agreed on the CASER framework.#PeaceTalks #OsloTalks," Zarate tweeted.

INITIALED. After 3 days of talks, the GRP -NDFP reciprocal working committees have agreed on the CASER framework.#PeaceTalks #OsloTalks pic.twitter.com/O1o5NAkaN6

— RepCarlos.I.T.Zarate (@kaloi_zarate) October 9, 2016

In the framework signed in Oslo, Norway, the parties agreed on the objective to "eradicate Philippine poverty and reduce inequality in all their aspects and dimensions to have a productive, decent, and dignified lives."

The following are the outcomes being targeted by the two panels:

• Rural equality and development to achieve food self-sufficiency and security;
• A sovereign, self-reliant and industrialized national economy;
• Protected and rehabilitated environment, just compensation for affected populations, and sustainable development.
• Social, economic, and cultural rights of the working people upheld and discrimination eliminated;
• Sustainable living incomes for all;
• Affordable, accessible and quality social services and utilities;
• Sovereign foreign economic policies and trade relations supporting rural development and national industrialization; and
• Monetary and fiscal policy regime for national development.

The framework bore three signatures, affixed at 7:39 p.m. of October 8, 2016 (Oslo time).

Earlier in the day, GMA News' Raffy Tima quoted government panel member Hernani Braganza as pointing out that the Philippine government seemed to have an intention of prolonging the negotiations for theh CASER.

While he doesn't think the government is trying to delay the negotiations, Braganza noted how the government wanted the talks on CASER to extend beyond the six-month period.

"Hindi rin totoo na dine-delay ng GRP iyong negosasyon. Sa katunayan, ang GRP ay committed doon sa six months na negosasyon para sa socio-economic reforms," Braganza said in a report on GMA News TV's Balitanghali.

"Nagtataka lang ako na sa dokumentong ibinigay sa amin, on a best effort basis, nine months [ang gusto nila]," added Braganza.

'Foul and erroneous'

In a statement, the NDFP also branded as "foul and erroneous" statements made earlier by the government panel that the peace talks had "hit a snag" after the NDFP "refused to include" nine major "outcomes" that the government panel wanted to include in the CASER.

The said “outcomes” proposed by the GRP’s side in the RWC-CASER include “poverty eradication”, “environment and climate change”, “globally competitive economy”, “adequate and quality social services”, “reduced inequalities”, “peaceful rural communities”, “food security”, “living incomes” and “gender equality and representation.”

RWC-CASER vice-chairperson Alan Jazmines said the NDF’s side on CASER had already submitted lengthy comprehensive drafts on the “bases, scope and applicability” and substantive discussions on various aspects of social and economic reforms, including on the subjects of agrarian reform; national industrialization; environmental protection; rights of the working people; foreign economic and trade relations; monetary and fiscal policies.

Meanwhile, the nine “outcomes” proposed by the GRP’s side on CASER were "mere enumerations, actually lifted from the NDF’s lengthy draft proposals. The GRP’s side on CASER still had no elaborations at all to explain the content and expectations of those nine 'outcomes.'"

“The NDF’s side in the RWC-CASER did not just throw away the nine (9) major 'outcomes' that the GRP panel proposed as 'solutions,' but instead made efforts to incorporate, in the NDF’s long well-prepared lengthy outline on CASER proposals, a series of edited versions of the nine 'outcomes' proposed by the GRP peace panel on CASER, and included such in a joint outline of a comprehensive CASER proposal as the working draft of the discussions on social and economic reforms,” said Jazmines.

“After a couple more of editing sessions, the two negotiating panels on CASER agreed to a final outline on a comprehensive CASER proposal. This, the NDF considers as an indication of initial success in the start of the CASER negotiations,” Jazmines said.

Based on such an outline, further and more substantive panel-to-panel talks between the NDF and GRP are scheduled to take place in the next several months.

Julie de Lima, chairperson of the NDFP-RWC-SER, earlier said the government panel requested the postponement of discussions on the CASER for it to elaborate on their nine-point outcomes-based proposal.

“The main purpose of the peace negotiations is to address the roots of the armed conflict which, among others, includes poverty, landlessness, joblessness, hunger, and inequality,” De Lima said in a press release from the NDFP website.

"Placing the outcome ahead in an outline of an agreement on social and economic reforms is like putting the cart before the horse," she added.

Political detainees

Meanwhile, NDFP chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison stressed the importance of not giving the NDFP a hard time working out the release of their members who have been politically detained.

"Magpapakipot sila. Pasisikipin nila iyong pag-release ng mga political detainees. Walang prompt compliance with CARHRIHL. Kasi you have to release those unjustly detained," Sison said in the Balitanghali report.

Sison was referring to the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, a deal struck by the Philippine government and the NDFP on March 16, 1998 to ensure the protection of human rights of Filipinos and to apply the principles of international humanitarian law.

"The most essential success that has been achieved is the agreement on common outlines of prospective comprehensive agreements on social and economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms, and the end of hostilities..." he said during the signing ceremony.

"There is mutual understanding on the rendering of justice to the unjustly imprisoned political prisoners accumulated during the Gloria Arroyo and [Benigno S.C.] Aquino regimes," he added.

NDFP panel spokesman Dan Borjal meanwhile admitted being "under presure sa aming constituency. Umaasa iyong mga kasama [namin] na matagal na [nakakulong], lalo na iyong sick and elderly."

For his part, government panel chair Silvestre Bello III admitted encountering "difficulties" during the peace talks, saying: "Iyon namang differences sa CASER, expected na iyan because this is actually the heart and soul of the peace process."

"But I am confident that the panel can deliver to the satisfaction of the NDFP," Bello added. —with a report by Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/ALG/BM, GMA News