The Senate on Monday adopted a resolution expressing its concurrence to the ratification of a treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons (TPNW).

Introduced and sponsored by Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel 3rd, proposed Senate Resolution 620 was unanimously adopted with 23 votes. The resolution was co-sponsored by Senator Risa Hontiveros and all other senators.

“The Treaty further reinforces commitments against the use, threat of use, development, production, manufacture, acquisition, possession, stockpiling, transfer, stationing, or installation of nuclear weapons,” said Pimentel, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations.

He said highlights of the treaty include the prohibition to:
-Develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices;
-Transfer to any recipient whatsoever nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices or control over such weapons or explosive devices directly or indirectly;
-Receive the transfer of or control over nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices directly or indirectly;
-Use or threaten to use nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices;
-Assist, encourage or induce, in any way, anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Treaty;
-Seek or receive any assistance, in any way, from anyone to engage in any activity prohibited under this Treaty; and
-Allow any stationing, installation or deployment of any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory or at any place under its jurisdiction or control.

Pimentel said the treaty is the “first globally applicable multilateral agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons on the basis of international humanitarian law.”

He said the Philippines is among the first states to sign the treaty, along with other 52 countries.

As a signatory to the treaty, he said the Philippines has much to gain, including the TPNW’s provisions on victim assistance and environmental remediation.

He cited an environmental research that warned of a global climate cooling capable of adversely affecting food production for years even with a “limited regional nuclear war.”

The same research warned that a large-scale nuclear war could “create ice-age like conditions that might eliminate most of the human race.” SOVEREIGNPH

Meanwhile, payout for the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) cash aid will return to manual distribution for remaining families who were registered under the agency’s list but did not receive it last year.

Secretary Baustista said that they are eyeing to roll out the overdue distribution by this week, as he addressed the concern of Alitagtag, Batangas Mayor Edilberto Ponggos on indigent families in his locality who have not received the assistance.

“Nais naming humingi ng paumanhin kung nagkaroon po tayo ng delay [We apologize for the delay],” he said.

“Nanghingi tayo ng assistance sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas para ang pagmimigay ng ayuda ay through the financial service providers. Hindi po naging perpekto ang pagbibigay ng ayuda [We asked assistance from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas so we can provide assistance through financial service providers. But the roll out was not as perfect],” he added.

Financial service providers such as GCash, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), Robinson’s Bank, PayMaya, Starpay, and Unionbank were previously tapped to facilitate the payouts of the emergency cash aid. Due to lack of necessary contact details from the beneficiaries, some of the funds were not disbursed.

More than 1,200 eligible families in the town of Alitagtag are still waiting for their emergency assistance. Secretary Bautista said he will order representatives from its Calabarzon field office to visit the LGU and reconcile the list of recipients.

“Actually ngayon yung mga hindi nahanap na pangalan o tao ng financial service provider ay minamano-mano na ng aming mga personnel [Actually, right now, the missing names or people in the list of beneficiaries are being handled by our personnel,” Secretary Bautista said.