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Cayetano visits Dagupan bangus farmers, pushes for "people's bank" to provide capital to small entrepreneurs

Vice presidential aspirant and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano today went to Dagupan, Pangasinan and spoke with bangus farmers to push for a "people's bank" to facilitate capital lending.

This is part of the "Ronda-Serye” listening tour with his running mate, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, where the tandem personally listens to ordinary Filipinos and presents their solutions to the country's disorder.

The senator lamented the current situation of the bangus industry in the area.

According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Pangasinan remains the country’s largest producer of the fish, with yearly harvests averaging 150 million kilos. However, local hatcheries could only produce about a third of the fingerling requirements of fish ponds, pens and cages.

As a result, of the annual demand of 600 million, about 100 million is sourced from Cagayan, another 100 million from Ilocos region, 150 million from Sarangani, while the rest come from Indonesia.

“One of the fishermen’s main problems is the lack of capital to put up more facilities in order to respond to this demand," Cayetano noted. Cayetano said that he plans to make access to capital easier, and payment of loans more flexible. He plans to do this by establishing a public bank to provide loans specifically for small entrepreneurs.

"Sobra na ang hirap at gulo sa bansa. Ang kailangan ay tunay na pagbabago. Magagawa lang ito kung may tapang at tibay ng loob ang mga susunod na lider. Ito ang inaalok ko at ni Mayor Duterte,” Cayetano concluded.

Cayetano visits Davao fishing village, pushes for fixed wages for small fishermen

Sunday (Feb.21) - Vice presidential bet Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano spoke with fishermen in Davao City to explain his vision of restoring order in the country by granting better benefits to ordinary Filipino workers.

In his second “Ronda-Serye” listening tour in the city, Cayetano visited the fishing village of Dumalag and had a dialogue with the local fisherfolk, who voiced out their daily concerns.

“Isa sa problema nila ang 'di sapat na kita. Sa pangingisda lang kumukuha ng pang-araw-araw na gastusin ang maraming pamilya, ngunit maliit lang ang kita nila mula rito," Cayetano noted.

To address this, the senator said that under his and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte's term, handline fishermen will be granted fixed wages twice the daily minimum wage in the region and will receive hazard pay.

"This is on top of the commissions that they will get from their catch. It will ensure that our hardworking fishermen, who provide food on our tables, will also be able to provide for their families' needs," Cayetano said.

Cayetano had just been to Davao last week where he conducted a similar dialogue with residents of Barangay Bucana, some of whom are also in the fishing industry.

He assured them that if elected, he and Duterte will push for strategic reforms to crackdown illegal fishing and ensure safe working conditions for small fishermen.

“Ang hinahanap ng mga kababayan natin ay tunay na pagbabago. Through our bold solutions and swift action, we will make sure that each Filipino, rich or poor, will taste the benefits of economic growth,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano visits Cagayan de Oro, talks to victims of Typhoon Sendong

Vice presidential candidate and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano went to Cagayan De Oro today and met with victims of typhoon Sendong.

Cayetano pledged to provide additional livelihood and the creation of Emergency Response Department (ERD).

Typhoons and other disasters are forms of disorder themselves," said Cayetano. "We are pushing for a simplified, streamlined, and autonomous agency that will be solely responsible for responding effectively to these."

Cayetano also lamented the apparent lack of government support in helping typhoon victims cope with the severe damages brought about by disasters.

In response to yet another form of disorder, Cayetano intends to introduce a system that will make borrowing capital for small businesses, similar to his Presyo, Tranaho, Kita (PTK). He believes that alternative livelihood will not only help Filipinos get back on their feet, but also help alleviate the glaring problems they encounter on a daily basis.

“It all starts with political will, which the mayor and I have,” added Cayetano. “Through our bold solutions and swift action, we will put an end to this disorder and the daily struggles of the people.”

Typhoon Sendong killed 1,268 people when it tore through Northern Mindanao. Over half of the dead, 674 people according to the latest official count, were from Cagayan de Oro, and more than a third of the city’s population was affected, as the storm wiped out entire riverside villages.

Duterte wins first presidential debate

“Decisive and strong-willed.”

This was how presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte was described by several personalities who attended and witnessed the first presidential debate hosted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) at the Capital University in Cagayan De Oro on Sunday.

“Maliwanag na ang big winner sa debate ay si Mayor Duterte, at ang big loser naman ay si Vice President Jejomar Binay. Si Mayor Duterte lang ang may matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon para tapusin ang gulo at isulong ang tunay na pagbabago,” said Senate Majority leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte’s vice-presidential running mate.

“Hindi ito magagawa ng isang korap, ng isang baguhan, at lalong hindi ng isang mabagal, at hindi makapag-desisyon,” Cayetano added.

For his part, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said the debate showed the other important dimensions of Duterte. “The voting public witnessed Mayor Duterte's clear vision on how to end the country's disorder. He’s the only one who has a firm grasp of the people’s pressing problems, including crime, corruption, and lack of inclusive growth,” Pimentel said.

Meanwhile, PDPLaban Spokesperson Atty. Paola Alvarez said that it’s ironic that the first presidential debate was held in Mindanao, yet, it was only Mayor Duterte who pushed for Mindanaoans’ call for federalism. "Siya lang ang may tunay na malasakit para sa Mindanao,” Alvarez said.

Duterte said majority of funds for infrastructure are concentrated in Metro Manila, while only a small percent allocated to Mindanao. He said, if elected, he will push to allocate P1 billion per region for the next 10 years to promote regional development.

“If elected, I will offer federalism to end the country's discord. Nothing short of federalism will bring peace to Mindanao and the rest of the country. We have to right the historical wrong committed against the Moro people,” Duterte asserted.

Duterte outshines other with clear vision and bold platform

“Decisive and strong-willed.”

This was how presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte was described by several personalities who attended and witnessed the first presidential debate hosted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) at the Capital University in Cagayan De Oro on Sunday.

“Maliwanag na ang big winner sa debate ay si Mayor Duterte, at ang big loser naman ay si Vice President Jejomar Binay. Si Mayor Duterte lang ang may matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon para tapusin ang gulo at isulong ang tunay na pagbabago,” said Senate Majority leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte’s vice-presidential running mate.

“Hindi ito magagawa ng isang korap, ng isang baguhan, at lalong hindi ng isang mabagal, at hindi makapag-desisyon,” Cayetano added.

For his part, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said the debate showed the other important dimensions of Duterte. “The voting public witnessed Mayor Duterte's clear vision on how to end the country's disorder. He’s the only one who has a firm grasp of the people’s pressing problems, including crime, corruption, and lack of inclusive growth,” Pimentel said.

Meanwhile, PDPLaban Spokesperson Atty. Paola Alvarez said that it’s ironic that the first presidential debate was held in Mindanao, yet, it was only Mayor Duterte who pushed for Mindanaoans’ call for federalism. "Siya lang ang may tunay na malasakit para sa Mindanao,” Alvarez said.

Duterte said majority of funds for infrastructure are concentrated in Metro Manila, while only a small percent allocated to Mindanao. He said, if elected, he will push to allocate P1 billion per region for the next 10 years to promote regional development.

“If elected, I will offer federalism to end the country's discord. Nothing short of federalism will bring peace to Mindanao and the rest of the country. We have to right the historical wrong committed against the Moro people,” Duterte asserted.

Commentary: Of men, responsibility and cooperation
By Aurora J. Casimpan

Tacloban City (31 August 2005) -- When men cannot argue, they fight. When a call to a fight is not allowed or simply ignored, they walk out. And when they walk out, they leave scattered paper trail and invectives and worse threats.

Such was the picture of lawmakers seen throughout the Philippine archipelago and the world. What else will happen next - to be witnessed again? Can worse be any better?

The halls of Congress are hallowed and its members respectable. The men and women are there as representatives of people who elected them because of the belief they are models of decorum - of intellect of what is good and the best in man. But what are these men and women showing to the people and the world at large?

What has suddenly become of Congress? Has it become a venue for fight and tantrums? Discussion for the good of the country and subsequent legislations of laws has been relegated to the sides?
Time and again, the rule of law is invoked. Civilized men like our lawmakers are expected to follow the law. Ordinary men like the citizens of the country, when they go against the law are punished accordingly.

So what happens if it is the lawmakers who do not follow the rule of law?
So many questions and no forthcoming answers.

Meanwhile, the impeachment proceeding is on. Whatever is the outcome should be respected by all sectors. The case is in Congress - so let all stakeholders leave it there. Let it end there and not on the streets. There are other more important things to do than dwell on it. As of now, all hands should unite in looking at the alternative source of oil and on how the country can profit on its use. Nature has a way of getting back on those who neglects what is offered.

The Filipino is resilient and is forgiving. But for how long will he stay on the sideline and watch his country plunge downward. Enough of the differences - join hands in moving the country forward. A country's development can surely be done on the cooperative hands linked together to pull all men upwards.

The President is doing no less and other sectors as well. The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has just pledged to help advocate the 2004-2010 Medium Term Development Plan after it signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the National Economic Development Authority. The show of support from a private group is a response to the President's call for all sectors of society to ensure the realization of the MTPDP and the Medium Term Regional Development Plans.

Impeachment or none, the President continues to work for the people. (PIA-8) [top]

Crime prevention week celebration starts today
by Edson Bañares

Iloilo City (31 August 2005) -- Starting today, September 1 up to 7 the whole country will celebrate the 11th National Crime Prevention Week with the theme: “Barangay kag Pumuluyo Maghiliugyon: Kriminalidad Tapna-on!” and the Slogan: “Barangay Limpyuhon, Kriminalidad Dula-on!”.

Presidential Proclamation No. 461 dated August 31, 1994 declares the first week of September of every year as the National Crime Prevention Week. The National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) will spearhead the celebration in cooperation with the member agencies of the Criminal Justice System (CJS).

In this week-long nationwide celebration, the NAPOLCOM and the PNP including other government agencies, non-government organizations, local government units, civic groups, academe, business sector, the media and the Barangay Officials will join hands in an endeavor to fight crime, restore order and preserve peace in the Barangays. Likewise, they will educate the public on the importance of crime prevention and the role that the Criminal Justice System plays in the prevention and control of crime since peace and order is simply within our reach if only we put our act together.

Here in the city and province of Iloilo, a Thanksgiving Mass will open the celebration at 8:00 A.M. at the Mary Mart Mall, Iloilo City to be officiated by Rev. Fr. Nene Sinoy to be followed by an opening ceremony. Expected to attend the ceremony are Governor Niel Tupas, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas and Guimaras Governor Rahman A. Nava, Chairman of Regional Peace & Order Council as guest of honor and speaker. At the end of the opening ceremony, Barangay Officials from the city will pledge their support in fighting criminality by signing a Pledge of Commitment. In the afternoon, a symposium on Crime Prevention will be held at Port San Pedro National High School to be participated in by the Port San Pedro high-school students.

On September 2, the Regional Peace & Order Council will conduct a meeting at 9:00 a.m. and at 2 p.m., a symposium on the 5 Pillars of the Criminal Justice System, Illegal Drugs and Threats of Terrorism will be conducted at De Paul College, Jaro, Iloilo City to be participated in by the high-school and college students of the said school. And on September 3 a series of “Hinun-anon sa Barangay” will be held at Arevalo District Gym at 9:00 a.m., Molo covered gym at 10:00 a.m. and Jaro covered gym at 2:00 p.m. to be participated by the Barangay Officials of Arevalo, Molo and Jaro respectively.

While on September 4, another series of “Hinun-anon sa Barangay” will be conducted at La Paz covered gym at 9:00, Mandurriao covered gym at 10:00 and Brgy. Tanza-Esparanza covered gym at 2:00 in the afternoon to be participated by the Barangay Officials of La Paz, Mandurriao and Brgy. Tanza-Esperanza respectively.

A series of lectures on the Role of the 5 Pillars of the CJS, Illegal Drugs and Threats of Terrorism will be conducted at John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation in Arevalo and at the Western Institute Technology in La Paz, on September 5 and 6 respectively.

Capping the celebration will be the Bloodletting at 8:00 a.m. and a PNP Orchestra Concert and Recognition of the Outstanding Barangays in the city of Iloilo at 4:00 p.m. on September 7, 2005 at Camp Delgado Multi-Purpose Hall. (PIA)

Cayetano: 5 months after tanim bala, gov't failed to bring back order to victims' lives
                 
Five months after the uproar over the "tanim-bala" scam which plagued the country's airports, vice presidential contender and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said the government failed to bring back order to the lives of the victims.

Citing the example of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Gloria Ortinez, who was wrongly accused of carrying a live bullet to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Cayetano said the victim remains jobless.

"Nawalan ng trabaho dahil tinaniman ng bala. Pero imbes na itama ang pagkakamali at alisin ang gulo sa buhay ni Aling Gloria, walang ginawa ang gobyerno para bigyan siya ng alternatibong kabuhayan. Mas masahol, ang malalaking isda na nasa likod ng tanim bala ay hindi pa rin napaparusahan," Cayetano said.

It was reported that Ortinez was terminated by her foreign employer just days after her arrest in October 25, 2015.

Cayetano said that, if elected, he will eliminate the climate of fear at the country's airports. The senator also pledged to hold accountable all those behind the scam.

"Bibigyan natin ng matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon ang problemang ito," Cayetano said.

"First, we will dismantle all the syndicates operating inside our airports and jail all those behind these groups. Second, we will pursue the cases I filed against several public officials who are administratively liable for the scam," Cayetano explained.

"Third, we will abolish all unnecessary permits and procedures for OFWs, and establish a department solely dedicated to protect and promote the welfare of OFWs. Ang nangyari kay Aling Gloria ay hindi na dapat maulit. Tama na ang hirap at gulo. Panahon na para sa sumaya ang Pilipino," Cayetano ended

Duterte-Cayetano “Ronda-Serye” visits UP, talks to vendors & jeepney drivers, bats for alternative livelihood to end disorder

Presidential bet Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and his running mate, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, reiterated their shared vision of achieving inclusive growth by providing sustainable alternative livelihood programs for small entrepreneurs and ordinary workers in the country.

On Thursday, the duo extended the reach of their “Ronda-Serye” listening tour to the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City, where they personally listened to the concerns of street vendors and “UP Ikot” drivers and presented their bold solutions to address the country’s disorder.

A common problem raised by vendors and drivers is the lack of access to capital to help sustain their source of income. They explained that they often resort to borrowing money from 5-6 loan sharks that charge usurious interest rates.

"Kaya ako galit sa gobyerno. Sobra na ang gulo at hirap, ninanakawan pa ang tao. Kaya ang maliliit na negosyante gaya ng vendors at jeepney drivers ay napipilitang kumapit sa patalim at nabibiktima ng 5-6 lenders. Hindi tama ito. I’m telling them now, if elected in May, their days are numbered,” Duterte stressed.

To allow ordinary workers to feel the benefits of economic growth, Cayetano vowed to mobilize the national government budget so that small entrepreneurs and people’s cooperatives can have better opportunities to grow and provide assistance to their members.

He is also pushing for the establishment of a bank that will provide loans and other services to MSMEs, similar to Thailand’s SME Bank. “Kailangan magkaroon ng bangko para magpautang ng puhunan sa pinakamababang interes sa mga mahihirap at maliliit na negosyante. Ang pinapautang dapat ng gobyerno ay ang mahihirap, hindi puro mayayaman.”

Cayetano has been a firm advocate of MSME development since his reelection campaign in 2013, when he launched his Presyo, Trabaho, Kita (PTK) agenda that grants capital to small-scale workers.

“Sa ilalim ng plataporma namin, may matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon, at ang bawat Pilipinong kumakayod para sa kanyang pamilya ay magkakaroon ng pagkakataong lumago ang buhay. Panahon na para sa tunay na pagbabago. Panahon na para sumaya ang Pilipino,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano: Lauro Vizconde, a symbol of an ordinary citizen denied of justice
“A glaring symbol of injustice.”

This was how vice presidential candidate and Senate Majority leader Alan Peter Cayetano described the case of Lauro Vizconde, the patriarch of the family murdered in their own home in 1991.

Attending Vizconde’s interment at the Manila Memorial Park, Cayetano said the broken justice system is culprit to the continuing disorder and lack of security in the country.

“This is something personal to me. My dad, the late Sen. Rene Cayetano, helped Mr. Lauro Vizconde seek justice for his family. To see that Mr. Lauro died without getting justice 25 years after the heinous crime happened is not only heart-breaking, it also angers me,” Cayetano said.

“This is the reason why, 25 years after this happened, hardened criminals still murder Filipino families and rape women and children with impunity,” Cayetano added.

The senator said the Vizconde case highlights the double standards in the government’s concept of justice. “If you are poor, you’ll rot in jail. If you’re rich and influential, you’ll get away scot-free. This is wrong. This cannot continue any longer,” he stressed.

"Nakakalungkot na ililibing natin si Ka Lauro nang hindi pa natatapos ang kanyang laban para sa hustisya. Kaya para sa mga kagaya niyang napagkaitan nito, nais naming ituloy ang krusada na maging ligtas ang ating mga kababayan sa kalye at sa kanilang mga bahay," the senator assured.

If elected, Cayetano said he will address the disorder and rampant criminality in the country by strengthening the five pillars of the criminal justice system.

“I will not allow disorder and the lack of justice to continue. If elected, I will take bold and fast action to instill among criminals fear of the law and make our streets and communities safe for Filipino families,” Cayetano said.

“More than any other issue, this is what’s at stake at the present. We will confront and end this crisis,” Cayetano concluded.

sa kauwagan sa iro nga motakmag bisan ug daghang tawo nagtan-aw, wa pa igdungog nga dunay iro nga mibira ug laing laki nga iro.

Manny Pacquiao is right.

What you need to know about the Supreme Court vacancy:

With the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia, there is now a vacancy that must be filled on the Supreme Court -- and President Obama has a Constitutional responsibility to nominate someone to take his place.

The Supreme Court is a vital institution of American democracy and, since the founding of our country, the President of the United States has had the responsibility to appoint a Justice to the Supreme Court every time -- and any time -- there is a vacancy on the bench. It then falls to the United States Senate to confirm that nominee before he or she can take her seat on our nation's highest court.

As President Obama said, "The Constitution is pretty clear about what's supposed to happen now." Watch his remarks:

President Obama Speaks on the Supreme Court vacancy

The confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice is a solemn responsibility that the President and the Senate share under the U.S. Constitution. It is not a political opportunity that reflects "left" or "right," Democrat or Republican. It's a serious obligation to make sure that an indisputably qualified person of integrity is nominated and confirmed to sit on the highest court in the land.

The President plans to offer his nominee for the Supreme Court to the Senate -- and the Senate has more than enough time to confirm that nominee.

Here are the facts:

FACT: Six Justices have been confirmed in a presidential election year since 1900.

For more than two centuries, it has been standard practice for Congress to confirm a president’s Supreme Court nominee, whether in a presidential election year or not. Of the six justices confirmed since 1900, three have been Republicans. The most recent Justice to be confirmed in an election year was Justice Kennedy -- appointed by President Reagan -- who was confirmed by a Democratic-controlled Congress in February of 1988.

FACT: Every nominee has received a vote within 125 days of nomination.

Since 1975, the average time from nomination to confirmation is 67 days. In fact, since 1875, every nominee has received a hearing or a vote. The longest time before confirmation in the past three decades was 99 days, for Justice Thomas, and the last four Justices, spanning two Administrations, were confirmed in an average of 75 days.

The Senate has almost a full year -- more than 300 days -- to consider and confirm a nominee.

FACT: It will be harmful and create unsustainable uncertainty if Congress fails to act on the President's nominee.

The Supreme Court could go the better part of two Terms with a vacancy if the Senate rejects its Constitutional responsibility. It'd be unprecedented for the Court to go that long with an empty seat. Here's why it's harmful:

The Court’s 4-4 decisions have no value in establishing precedent on which future decisions can rely. They also cannot establish uniform nationwide rules. That means if multiple courts ruled differently on an issue before it arose at the Supreme Court, a 4-4 ruling would leave those different rules in place in different states. The result is an unsustainable uncertainty -- for the law, for individual liberties, and for our economy.

78 yrs old farmer ‘saved’ by coconut tree
By Ven rebo Arigo

He has lived by picking coconut fruits as one source of income, but only when tropical storm Seniang flooded his place to a record-breaking height that a 78 year old farmer did value coconut as a real ‘tree of life’.

Bonifacio Verano of Loreto, Cortes recounted to Gov. Edgar Chatto in one of the province’s disaster response HEAT caravans last week his “Houdini” escape from imminent death, clinging to a coconut tree, at the height of the December 30 howler Seniang.

In an emotion-filled gratitude to the life-saving tree, he vowed that if he finds money, he will buy the coconut tree, (not to sell as coco lumber) but to let it stand there “until I die, until nature decides the tree to die.”

It could not be confirmed, however, if Gov. Chatto gave the money needed by Verano to purchase his life saving coconut tree.

THE ORDEAL
Typhoon Seniang killed 7 people, left almost a billion-worth of damages in agriculture, properties and infrastructures, among others, across the province and the figure is still counting.

It was past midnight of December 29 or early dawn of the 30th and the storm made its landfall in Bohol and its peaked winds brought heavy rains resulting flashfloods, washing out Verano’s wooden house on the upper side of the hanging wooden bridge that connects Loreto, Cortes and Tupas, Antequera across the Abatan river.

The river overflowed to an unprecedented level which, according to Loreto captain Zosimo Jumamil, Jr., they had never witnessed and experienced before and during any strong typhoons in the past.

Verano and his 32-year-old unmarried daughter Rosa were flushed out by the raging floodwater that at the same time uprooted and washed out their house.

He could remember his daughter jumping out of the window into the rising, roaring floodwater and from then he no longer heard of her for hours.

As the storm’s wrath heightened amidst the blinding darkness of the disastrous pre-New Year’s night, Verano was fighting for his life floating until he got hold of a drifting banana trunk.

He was flushed farther while clinging to the banana trunk until he sensed himself surrounded by standing coconut trees.

Quickly with all his might, he grabbed the body of a coconut tree and would climb it for safety but, of all the trees there, including the one he was clinging on, had no hakhak (coconut tree steps).

But lucky for him, because tucked in his waist that time was his sharp farm bolo.

“Akong gitakin ang sundang adtong gabhiona,” Verano said, which he thus used to chop the opposite sides of the tree and make hakhak as fast as he could.

WIIL TO SURVIVE
“Puwerteng paeta, puwerteng intawong looya sa akong kahimtang,” the survivor old man continued narrating, this time tearfully. He wiped his tears with a soiled handkerchief as his listeners, including the governor, intently waited for him to continue narrating his story.

Verano recalled that while hacking the sides of the body of the tree to make hakhak with his right arm holding the bolo, his left arm was also tightly grappling around the trunk while pushed by rampaging flood waters. He was also biting a plastic pack that contained important land documents which were the only things he and his daughter could secure for safety in their frantic rush for life as flood waters hit their house.

Verano also lost his domesticated turtle. The old man, however, was sure that his pet had surely survived, swimming to delight elsewhere and may one day find his way back to him.

Continuing to cling for life, whenever the rising flood water reached his feet, he would create another hakhak, for him to climb upward, temporarily escaping from sure death as the heavy rains transformed the land into a virtual ocean.

The last notch, uppermost coconut tree step he had hacked, suggested that the water level from the ground reached as high as 20 feet.

Extremely exhausted, wet and trembling to the biting cold that frozen his flesh, Verano held himself tight up the tree for about 10 long hours from past midnight to 10 in the morning.

The tree was swaying as the storm wind blows and sometimes the old man felt he was reaching the limits of human endurance. The hunger further weakened him down but his will to survive simply did not surrender.

Governor Chatto quipped while listening to the 78 year old man survival story: “ang akong dughan murag pod ug lubi nga gihakhakan.”

DIVINE VOICES
Fate was indeed kind to the father and his daughter as both were destined to see each other again. They were brought to each other’s arms when they heard voices, shouting, calling each other.

“Ros! Ros! Ros! Buhi pa ba intawon ka Inday?” Verano recalled as his shouted from up the tree to his daughter somewhere.

The governor and others listening his tale where reminded of the scene in the film “Titanic” wherein dying Jack faintly calls his Rose in the middle of the freezing waters as the unsinkable ship slowly goes down to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

Rosa immediately sought help for a possible rescue of her father after hearing his loud call. She was on the other hilly side of the overflowing river and managed to save herself on higher grounds.

Barrio officials and neighbors on boats finally rescued Verano and his daughter.

Rosa, out of five children, is the only one living with his old father. Verano’s wife died last June. Two of his children have also been dead while the remaining two have long settled with their respective families in Loon and Antequera.

EARTHQUAKE SURVIVOR
The Veranos earlier resided in Tupas, Antequera but their house was damaged during the magnitude 7.2 October 15, 2013 earthquake. (Tupas was affected, too, by storm Seniang.)

According to Tupas barangay captain Edwin Pilongo Cuenca, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) had advised the family to permanently leave their dwelling and relocate to a safer place. Verano, his wife (who was alive then) and Rosa decided to transfer to Loreto, Cortes where they have a small land.

Apart from coconut picking and other farm works, Verano also used to gather sand along the Abatan River in addition to his meager income.

Verano rushed to Tupas where Chatto met him in a chance encounter as soon as the Seniang survivor learned of the province’s disaster extended response - mini-HEAT caravan there on Tuesday.

The governor also attended to the emergency needs of the storm victims in simultaneous caravans in Loreto, Cortes itself and Busao, Maribojoc, where storm flood likewise hit record level.

MARK OF ‘VERANO’
Nong Pasyo, as he is fondly called by his neighbors, told the governor that he carved on the lower trunk of the coconut tree, (after he regained strength) the letter “V” (initial of his family name)”. Like the legendary Mexican hero ‘Zorro”, he also wants to leave a mark that will let everyone remember that this coconut tree gave him a new lease in life.

He said, it will also serve as a marker that up on that tree, a 78-year-old man fought nature’s wrath and lived to tell his tale.

Ombudsman dismisses QC treasurer for oppression

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal from the service of OIC-Treasurer Edgar Villanueva after he was found guilty of Oppression.  His dismissal from the service was prompted by an investigation into the imposition and assessment of real property taxes against the Manila Seedling Bank Foundation, Inc. (MSBFI) in 2011.

Aside from the dismissal order, Villanueva was also perpetually disqualified from holding public office with cancellation of eligibility, and forfeiture of retirement benefits.  In case of separation from the service, the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to respondent’s salary for one year.

In May 2011, Villanueva issued a Statement of Delinquency against MSBFI for unpaid real property tax liabilities totaling P42.8million.  One month later in June 2011, the Final Notice of Delinquency and Warrant of Levy were issued.   In July 2012, MSBFI was directed to immediately vacate the premises. Its premises and gates were padlocked by Quezon City officials.

In its complaint, MSBFI narrated that the property is owned by the National Housing Authority (NHA) and that it received no Notice of Assessment for the tax liability.

In its Decision, the Office of the Ombudsman stated that “in enforcing collection of taxes against MSBFI without the required notice of assessment, Villanueva denied MSBFI its right to due process, which consists [of] the opportunity to avail of the remedy provided under the [Local Government Code].”

“Absent such prior notice of assessment, the Warrant of Levy issued to MSBFI and the succeeding auction sale conducted by the City Treasurer had no legal mooring,” explained the Decision.

According to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, “Villanueva gravely abused his authority in the discharge of his official duties when he enforced taxes without prior notice of assessment.”

She added that “any injury sustained by MSBFI as an offshoot of the flawed tax enforcement would be undue and unwarranted for lack of legal basis on the part of the City Treasurer to demand payment.”

Ombudsman Morales stated that “even assuming that MSBFI is liable for real property taxes, the [Office of the City Treasurer] may not validly levy and sell the property since it is owned by a government entity [NHA] exempt from taxes.”

Ombudsman investigates local officials for illegal dump sites

The Office of the Ombudsman is set to investigate close to 600 local government executives in the 13 administrative regions for violations of Republic Act No. 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000).

In 50 complaints filed by Romeo Hidalgo of the Ecowaste Coalition, it was reported that “field investigations reveal that the officials committed violations of RA 9003 and its implementing rules and regulations.”

According to the complainant, mayors, vice-mayors and Sanggunian members have “the mandate to establish policies and having control over the funds of the city” and that “they conspired in committing the violations of R.A. No. 9003 within their jurisdiction.”

Under R.A. No. 9003, “no open dump sites shall be established and operated, nor any practice or disposal of solid waste by any person, including LGUs, which constitutes the use of open dumps for solid wastes, be allowed after the effectivity of this Act, every LGU shall convert its open dumps to controlled dumps.”

It will be recalled that in 2013, the Environmental Ombudsman program, in collaboration with the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), launched a three-year nationwide campaign to increase awareness of,  and promote voluntary compliance with R.A. No. 9003.

Under this program, the local government units were directed to conduct their respective self-assessment as to their compliance status and to voluntarily implement corrective actions.  Two years after implementation, tracer results show that R.A. No. 9003 remains to be the least prioritized local government program.

The DENR-EMB has identified and submitted the list of 350 LGUs with recurring and blatant violations of open dump sites to the Ombudsman.

Phase two of the project aims to improve compliance through the submission by the LGUs of their respective Priority Corrective Action Plan (PCAP) to be implemented within a six-month period and/or the submission of a 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan.

Under its mandate, the Environmental Ombudsman Team headed by Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Gerard Mosquera, shall handle complaints filed against any public official, employee, office or agency mandated to protect the environment and conserve natural resources where the act complained of appears to be illegal, unjust, improper or inefficient.

The Team also acts on any malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance committed by any public officer or employee, including conspiring private individuals, if said act or omission involves any violation of environmental laws or concerns or relates to environmental protection or conservation.

Duterte: Dont be deceived by pres’l bet’s TV ad message 
 
As he returns to the campaign trail after a day’s rest, presidential candidate Rodrigo R. Duterte spilled the beans about the association of administration presidential candidate Mar Roxas with the owner of a controversial mining company. Duterte, in an interview upon his arrival at the Davao International Airport Friday night, warned the public not to be deceived by Roxas television ad.

The Davao City Mayor was referring to the running TV ad wherein Roxas said he will not steal from the Filipinos. “Hindi ko kayo nanakawan ...,” Roxas message said.   Duterte went on to say that the anointed successor of President Benigno Aquino III's 'Daang Matuwid' â€" a  slogan that stands on anti-corruption agenda â€" is in fact, questionable due to the special favors he gets from miner Eric Gutierrez â€" owner of SR Metals Inc. (SRMI).   

According to the PDP Laban standard bearer, Gutierrez is a friend and business partner of Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice and has been lending his private planes to the administration’s presidential bet. "You (Roxas) have been using his planes," Duterte added.

"I have personally seen him (Roxas) use that plane in Davao.”If that is not corruption, then what do you call that?" "Sabi ko nga akala ko mga bilyonaryo ito, hindi ito mga corrupt (So I thought that billionaires are not corrupt)," Duterte told reporters waiting for him at the airport. Previous reports showed that SRMI, a controversial mining firm in Tubay, Agusan del Norte province, is owned by politically connected businessmen. 

Its subsidiary firms, San R Mining and Galeo Equipment and Mining Corp., shipped some 1.8 million MT of nickel from August 2006 to September 2007 earning the company P28 billion, based on records obtained from the Philippine Ports Authority and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

"Hanggang ngayon hindi nahinto because of the protection of Roxas," Duterte said. Earlier newspaper reports said the SRMI and its sister companies, which listed themselves as small-scale mining companies, were ordered to pay P7 million in penalty for overextraction in 2007. Small-scale mining companies are only allowed to extract 50,000 MT annually or 150,000 MT combined annual output for the three firms.

Duterte-Cayetano "Ronda Serye" kicks off in Davao to listen to stories of disorder; vows real change

Three days following their official campaign launch in Tondo, the tandem of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano kicked off their "Ronda Serye" tour to present their electoral message at the grassroots level.

On Saturday (February 13), Cayetano went around Barangay 76 A, Bucana in Davao City with his running mate’s son, Sebastian "Baste" Duterte, to personally listen to the concerns of transport groups and fisher folk there. He also took the chance to present their tandem’s bold solutions to address the sectors’ daily woes.

"Sawa na ang tao sa araw-araw na pahirap at gulo. Ang kailangan ng mga kababayan nating Dabawenyo ay matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon mula sa isang gobyernong may tapang at malasakit," Cayetano said.

The senator further explained his and Duterte’s platform of government, which includes achieving inclusive economic growth through regional and local industry development.

For one, the tandem proposes to allot P1 billion per region for a capital-lending program for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), to help them start or sustain their own businesses.

For the fishing industry, Cayetano said they will push for strategic reforms to crackdown illegal fishing and ensure safe working conditions and fixed wages for hand-line fishermen.

"Under a Duterte-Cayetano government, our fishermen and tricycle drivers, who provide our daily basic needs, will be given the opportunities they deserve. We’ll make sure that in this period of growth, they will not be left behind," Cayetano assured.

The Duterte-Cayetano tandem plans to conduct similar street tours in other areas to explain their electoral message to create real changes and restore order in the country.

Duterte could not join the tour in Bucana as he was advised by his doctor to take a rest due to his migraine. However, the mayor resumed campaigning in Tagum City during the tandem’s grand rally on the same day.

Nine years ago today, I stood on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, to announce my candidacy for President of the United States.

I asked you to join me in taking up the unfinished business of perfecting our union -- to work together to build a better future.

Along the way, Americans like you have done that by playing the most important role in our democracy -- the role of citizen. You've taken on the painstaking work of progress. You've helped us find that middle ground where real change is won -- change like rescuing our economy from the brink of another Great Depression, protecting our planet, and helping millions of Americans gain health insurance.

I'll be the first to admit that this journey hasn't always been easy, especially when our politics can seem so small. But I'm still hopeful that our politics can reflect the basic decency of the American people.

That's why I'm going back to Springfield today -- because fixing our broken politics cannot wait. And I still believe we can do it together.

I hope you'll tune in today at 2:30 p.m. Eastern.

President Barack Obama

Duterte-Cayetano: we will implement a better, bolder CCT program

Inspired by the thriving livelihood measures of other countries, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said under their leadership, a “better and bolder” Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program will take effect.

“Sino dito ang nakakatanggap ng 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program)? Magandang programa, pero sapat na ba para sa inyo?” Cayetano asked a crowd of supporters in their campaign launch in Tondo.

“Iba po ang 4Ps ng Duterte-Cayetano. Katulad po ito ng sa Thailand. Magkakaroon ng bangko para sa mahihirap na negosyante,” he added.

The senator was referring to the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME Bank), which provides loans, counseling, and other services to SMEs, which help promote their growth.

The tandem also wants to expand the CCT program to include a livelihood component, where beneficiaries are given access to capital to start their own small businesses.

“Many people depend on this program. If you remove it, they won’t even have jobs. We have to expand it. Para may tunay na pagbabago,” Duterte said.

The duo said despite government’s massive allocation of funds for anti-poverty measures like 4Ps, about 50 percent of Filipinos still feel left behind. A 2015 SWS survey showed that around 11.2 million families consider themselves poor.

“If we want to end disorder brought by the lack of jobs and low income, we need to give people the chance to stand on their own feet,” Cayetano ended.

Duterte-Cayetano: Zero tax for doctors who'll go to provinces to provide health care services

"Zero tax plus subsidy."

The tandem of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano has these to offer to medical doctors who are willing to go to the country's provinces to provide health care services to Filipinos.

Cayetano made this assurance before medical practitioners at the 21st Joint Convention of the Philippine Society of Hypertension (PHS) and the Philippine Lipid and Atherosclerosis Society (PLAS) on Thursday.

"The country's disorder can be seen in the sorry state of our health care system. Halos lahat ng doktor nasa Maynila at malalaking siyudad. Dapat pumunta sila sa mga probinsiya kung saan sila mas kailangan," Cayetano said.

Citing government statistics, the senator said 7 out of 10 Filipinos die without seeing a doctor.

“We have to increase public doctors’ salaries so that more practitioners will go to the public hospitals,” he said, as he encouraged the country’s doctors to go to the provinces to provide services to the people.

"We will guarantee their safety, exempt them from paying income taxes, and even give them additional subsidy," Cayetano assured.

The tandem said the lack of public health workers and facilities in rural areas deprives patients of the proper treatment they need. Hence, if elected, they vowed to pave the way for more accessible health care services in the countryside, like specialty hospitals in Visayas and in Mindanao, as well as tertiary hospitals in the regions.

"In the ARMM alone, it takes a patient 60.9 minutes to reach the nearest hospital. This is criminal. This is totally unacceptable," Cayetano said.

"There should be no second-class citizens with regards to health care. Tama na ang gulo at hirap sa kawalan ng maayos na health care system. Panahon na para sumaya ang mga Pilipino," Cayetano concluded.

ipakaon nalang ni mingkay ang meat loaf...

P283-M funding offered at Bohol Poverty Fair 2006
By BRUCE EGT. ZABALA

THE Bohol Poverty Fair, a marketplace of poverty reduction initiatives, held from October 30-31, 2006 at the Bohol Cultural Center turned out a big success with P283 million offer coming from funding donor agencies.

Of the submitted 230 project proposals 154 were met with positive results or 66.95652 or 67% were considered by donor agencies and participating financing institutions. Talking in figures there was P283,304,800.00 considered for funding.

Topping the list of considered proposals with the highest value was LGU Lila, with a record 17 out of the 18 proposals considered of which 16 projects are for technical assistance and 1 project for funding valued at P34,500,000 and P123,500 (which was also the lowest priced among all proposed projects) respectively or a total of P34,623,500.

Also topping the list among the most number of proposals submitted was LGU Getafe with 21 proposals however only 8 were taken and valued at P11,932,897.00.

Other LGUs may have lesser number of proposals taken by donors but were equally just as happy since these had a 100% reception of their proposals. These are LGUs Anda (1 project for funding and technical assistance valued at P1.5M), Calape (9 projects for funding and technical assistance valued at P13.304 M), Candijay (3 projects for funding and technical assistance valued at P3.5M), Carmen (1 project for funding and technical assistance valued at P2.694361M), Cortes (2 project for funding and technical assistance valued at P0.45M), Dagohoy (1 project for funding and technical assistance valued at P7.629854M), Dauis (6 projects for funding and technical assistance valued at P8.2725M), Inabanga (6 valued at P18.890M), Jagna (8 projects for funding and technical assistance valued at P11.923015M), Loay (1 project for funding and technical assistance valued at P3.1M), Loboc (5 projects for funding and technical assistance valued at P10.1735M), Mabini (1 project for funding and technical assistance valued at P8.60626M), Panglao (2 projects, 1 for funding and 1 for technical assistance valued at P3.065M), Pilar (13 projects, 8 for funding and 5 for technical assistance valued at P13.39531M), Sierra Bullones (4 projects, 1 for funding and 3 for technical assistance valued at P7.1M), and the capital, Tagbilaran City (with surprisingly only 1 project for technical assistance valued at P4M).

Among the LGUs who failed to take in donors were LGUs Balilihan, Catigbian, Dimiao, President Garcia as well as the LGUs Alicia and Guindulman who were absent during the Poverty Fair.

The funding of these projects are grants as what had been in the past but have to be counter-parted by the LGUs as the viable system of financing promoted and patterned after the Kilos-Asenso Initiative or the unique counter-parting, a brainchild of Gov. Erico B. Aumentado. Bohol has proven its resiliency to combat poverty in the creation of the Poverty Reduction and Management Office (BPRMO) now ably headed by Antonieto “Boy” Pernia.

This initiative by the Provincial Government of Bohol through the PPDO under Atty. Juanito Cambangay, is aimed to sensitize the donor agencies to the poverty situation in the province and to gain commitment and support from the probable donors for poverty projects proposed by the LGUs.

Cayetano: Food security key to end disorder

“Kapag walang gutom na mamamayan, walang gulo sa bayan.”

This is what presidential bet Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte and his running mate Senate Majority leader Alan Peter Cayetano said as they highlighted the importance of food security to address the country's disorder in a town hall meeting on Monday in Concepcion, Tarlac.

Speaking to an audience of farmers, coop members, and irrigators' association memers, the tandem said that lack of support for the agricultural sector adds to the lack of peace and disorder in the country.

Cayetano told of the plight of Mang Max, a farm worker for 15 years in Tarlac who does not have his own land and barely makes ends meet. “Dalawang beses lang siya umani sa isang taon, usually March and August, at 15 kaban lang ang napupunta sa kanya mula sa 100 na average niya.”

“Under a Duterte-Cayetano leadership, Mang Max wouldn’t have to become a construction worker on top of being a farm worker,” said Cayetano, explaining that Mang Max earns a maximum of P30,000 a year, which could not meet the needs of his family of 10 children.

Cayetano said they are pushing for 100% free irrigation systems in all major rice-producing provinces. The senator also said they will relocate the Department of Agriculture (DA) to Mindanao to transform it as the country's food basket.

"Our aim is real inclusive growth through regional development and social justice. Through this we achieve the twin goals of achieving food security and ending the disorder in the people's daily lives," Cayetano ended.

Zamboanga City inks sisterhood pact with Zaragoza, Spain

Zamboanga City (July 2 2008)-- Hundreds of Filipinos from all parts of Spain and some from other parts of Europe led by Philippine Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, Joseph Bernardo joined Zamboanga City's District I Rep. Beng Climaco, Mayor Celso Lobregat and the Zamboanga Delegation in paying homage to Nuestra Senora La Virgen del Pilar at Our Lady's Basilica in Zaragoza, Sunday.

Fr. Gerardo Jasmin, Chaplain of the Filipino Community in Madrid officiated the celebration of the mass as he led the Filipino pilgrims from Madrid for the event.

The pilgrimage and mass kicked off the signing of the twinning agreement which took place on June 30, 2008 at the Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza with its officials led by Zaragoza Mayor Juan Alberto Belloch.
Rep. Climaco was cited for spearheading the initiative when she was a councilor and eventually Vice Mayor of the City.

Climaco together with the late Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat and now with Mayor Celso Lobregat worked so hard for almost ten (10) years in trying to realize sisterhood agreement.

The realization of the sisterhood pact recognizes the hundreds of years of devotion of Zamboangueños and the people of Spain to Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar de Zaragoza whose fort was built in Zamboanga City in 1635 by a Jesuit, Fr. Melchor De Vera.

The signing of the twinning agreement which was highly endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs led by Sec. Alberto Romulo and the Department of Tourism led by Sec. Joseph Ace Durano will surely open doors of opportunities for cooperation, especially in areas of education, culture and tourism between the two cities.

It can be recalled, Cong. Climaco during the State visit of President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo in 2007 strongly lobbied with the Spanish Government for this initiative. The sturdy support of the National Government led to the signing of the agreement which took place during the Philippine National Day Celebration in the World Expo 2008 in Zaragoza, Spain.

Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said the strengthening relations between the Philippines and the world, especially natural friends like Spain, is the central pillar of her administration's strategy to improve the country's economic growth and political stability.

President Arroyo underscores the importance of bilateral relations with other countries to further promote its values and cultural ties.

PGMA noted that the history and cultural relations between Philippines and Spain has lasted for almost five centuries where both countries give special importance to their bilateral ties. (RST / PIA ZC)

Officials on guard for gov't rice price
by Jemin B. Guillermo

Roxas City (2 July 2008) -- The National Food Authority (NFA) is stepping up its price and supply monitoring activities in the markets.

According to Edna Artates, NFA Information Officer of Capiz, they are closely monitoring the rice trading activities of their accredited retailers, amidst price increases on commercial rice in the markets here.

She said that double efforts are being done by the agency's Palengke Watch team, in close coordination with the local government units, to protect consumers against unscrupulous traders.

Artates said that they are guarding consumers here against irregularities of rice trading, especially on diversion of government rice, overpricing and non-display of price tags and signboards.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap earlier disclosed that the NFA and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are working in tandem in Panay in checking price movements and running after retailers and other food businessmen engaged in profiteering and other illicit trade practices.

Yap also ordered NFA officials to increase rice distribution efforts to stabilize the supply and prices of staple food in Western Visayas and assured consumers in Panay Island of adequate food supply.

Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called on the United Nations to help ensure the steady supply of rice especially to needy nations amid the global threat of rising oil and food prices.
The President issued the call during the reception for UN permanent representatives at the UN Headquarters during her 10-day official visit at the United States. (PIA)

Antique health office intensifies disease surveillance activities
by EA Abasquez

San Jose, Antique (2 July 2008) -- Disease surveillance activities have been intensified provincewide following onslaughts of typhoon Frank, especially in evacuation centers where source of potable water supply has been affected and the sanitary environmental conditions would likely occur due to over congestion in living quarters.

Provincial Health Officer In Charge Dante Debit said among barangays hardest hit by the recent calamity were San Pedro in San Jose, the capital town, barangays Bugo, Bagumbayan, San Rafael, Trinidad, Sitio Durog- Iguirindon and Cadolonan in San Remigio and Minoro-Tica in Bugasong, the source said.

A total of 343 barangays, 25,883 families and 35,652 persons were reportedly affected, DSWD/PDCC data showed.

Nebit has enjoined affected families to boil their drinking water if they are in doubt of water source/supply. Affected residents were likewise oriented on the chlorination process to treat their drinking water, the source pointed out.

Observance of personal/community hygiene, including the use of sanitary toilets to combat spread of diseases have been part of surveillance and health advocacy, Nebit explained.
PHO forewarned the affected sectors and individuals to refrain from consuming contaminated food especially coming from drowned animals to avoid food poisoning.

Likewise, school buildings used as evacuation centers are thoroughly sanitized to make classroom conducive to learning and to safeguard the health of pupils, students and teachers.

Nebit further pointed out that disease surveillance, vaccination/immunization for measles, oral polio vaccines (OPV), vitamin A for children 6 months to five years old and distribution of sodium hypochlorite for water treatment have been sustained to ward off disease outbreak.

The personnel fromDOH-Central Office - National Epidemiology Center came over last June 26 to assist the Provincial Health Office in disease surveillance activities. So far no disease outbreak has been monitored or reported in the province, Nebit concluded. (PIA)

DILG urges reactivation of barangay peace and order committees
by T. Villavert

Iloilo City (2 July 2008) -- Following the election of new set of barangay officials last year, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) felt necessary to reorganize the Barangay Peace and Order Committees (BPOC) nationwide.

Malacanang said that DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno issued memorandum circular to the local chief executives to reactivate the BPOC to help "maintain and enhance peace and order in, as well as guarantee the effective delivery of public safety services to all communities nationwide".

The DILG secretary stressed in the memo that the reorganization of BPOC should be constituted through resolutions passed by their respective Sangguniang Barangays.

As suggested by the DILG Secretary, the barangay safety plan should contain the following major areas of concern: crime prevention and control; counterinsurgency and terrorism; fire prevention and supervision; disaster management and control; and environmental enhancement.

The punong barangay sits as a chairperson of the BPOC. The members of every BPOC are: the Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson; a member of the Lupon Tagapamayapa designated by the punong barangay; a public school teacher designated by the school principal or school head teacher; an officer of the Philippine National Police appointed by the Chief of Police of the corresponding city or municipality. The other BPOC members include a representative from the Interfaith Group; a senior citizen; a barangay tanod; and three members endorsed neighborhood association from existing barangay-based anti-crime groups, watch groups or non-government organizations.

The BPOC is tasked to initiate, coordinate and monitor the implementation of peace and order programs at the barangay level; monitor and check the nefarious activities of criminal elements in the community; and supervise barangay tanods in identifying constituents with strong deviant behavior for referral to the appropriate authorities.

Secretary Puno said that the BPOC should closely and maintain dialogues with the city or municipal peace and order council, disaster coordinating committee and law enforcement units operating in their barangay; and formulate plans and recommend measures to improve peace and order in their area of responsibility.

A periodic assessments of the prevailing peace and order situation in the barangay is also required as well as the submission of reports with the appropriate recommendations to the higher-level peace and order councils in the area, the Malacanang press report disclosed. (PIA)

Gov't seeks urgent protection, management of peatlands
by Merlin G. Samonte

Butuan City (July 2 2008) - The national government has launched a massive and sustained use and Protection of Peatlands in the Philippines, through the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (PAWB-DENR).

Along this line, the PAWB-DENR has initiated the development of a National Action Plan (NAP), in collaboration with other concerned government agencies, local government units, the academe, non-government organizations, as well as the international groupings.

It has also directed the move within the framework of the ASEAN Peatland Management Initiative (APMI), which is intended to attain the following objectives, awareness raising and capacity building; protecting peatlands with high conservation values; setting-up of appropriate institutional structure; and developing sustainable peatland management strategies.

The National Action Plan lays out the operational objectives to serve as guide for implementing agencies to ensure the protection and sustainable use of peatlands in the Philippines.
Meantime, PAWB-DENR will assist the implementation of the action plan in the national level to make sure that the goals and objectives are met on time. It is also tasked to prepare and follow-up the issuance of an Executive Order by the Office of the President to ensure the integration of the NAP activities in the sectoral plans and programs of the various agencies and local government units involved in the implementation of the National Action Plan.

Peatlands are wetland ecosystems which are recognized by the pile of organic matter called "peat" coming from decaying leaves and branches of trees, and under very wet condition. Peats may sometimes accumulate to a heap of about 20 meters high. They are very important to ecology and the environment as a whole, as they serve as a sponge during the rainy season, absorbing as much water, and releasing it slowly during the dry period, thus, maintaining the base flows of rivers, as well as the ground water level. Peatlands are also believed to have significant role in preventing the penetration of sea water up river. Although comparatively little as compared with other countries, peatlands in the Philippines plays an important role in the storage of carbon from the atmosphere.

According to available information, the biodiversity values of Philippine Peatlands are very high considering the Philippine flora's high level of endemism, peatland areas may yet yield a number of undescribed species. It will be noted that of the ecosystem level biodiversity, there appears to be a unique collection of vegetation in the Caimpugan (Agusan Marsh) peat dome, which is different from the nearby northwest Borneo.

Peatlands also have socio-economic values. They are important to local communities as a source of timber and firewood for domestic needs. They are also important as a source of non-wood products like the Frimbistyles globulosa, locally known as "tikog" used for mat-making and other livelihood purposes.
It is very unfortunate that there is, at present, a very limited capacity for a wise management of peatlands, since there is also the absence of a national institutional framework for peatland management.

These conditions lead to the degradation of peatlands through activities that do not take into consideration the special properties of peats. Hence, large areas of the peatlands in the Agusan Marsh and the Leyte Sab-a Basin have been burned and cleared for agricultural purposes. However because of poor yield, due to lack or limited knowledge of the special properties of peatlands soil, these were abandoned after a few years.

Large scale development projects, including irrigation, also threaten peatlands in the Agusan Marsh and Leyte Sab-a Basin Areas. There are also the problems of substantial migration from other parts of the country, the occurrence of fire, the continuous clearing, and the continued issuance of Certificate of Land Ownership Agreement (CLOAs) over peatland areas by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
To arrest these developments, a National Goal of promoting the sustainable management and wise use of peatlands through awareness raising, capacity building, and enhanced inter-agency cooperation for the conservation of biodiversity, climate change mitigation and the benefit of the local community, had been set.

New policy measures, such as: declaration of peatlands with high biodiversity as protected areas; local level measure against reclassification of peatlands as alienable and disposable lands; and reversion of peatland areas covered by Certificate of Land Ownership Agreements (CLOAs) which are found to be unsuitable for agriculture back to forest land, have also been declared urgent.

The presence of peatlands has been confirmed in two sites in the Philippines. These are the Agusan Marsh and the Leyte Sab-a Basin. However, peats may also be present in the following areas: Ligwasan Marsh in Mindanao, the largest marsh land in the Philippines; Dolongan area in Basey, Western Samar (Bureau of Soils, 1975. Soil Survey of Samar Provinces, Philippines Reconnaissance Soil Survey and Soil Erosion Survey); Southern Leyte (Whitmore/1984) as cited in Draft Philippine Plant Conservation Strategy; Mt. Pulag in Northern Luzon (Leonard co, pers.comm.); Surigao del Norte, Northeastern Mindanao (areas overlying ultramatic rocks, Edwino Fernando, pers.comm.); Naujan Lake Marshland; and Pangasinan Floodplains. (The Peoples Guardian/PIA-Caraga)

PWDs train on cellphone repair
By Rose B. Palacio

Davao City (2 July 2008) -- A rigid training on Celfon repairs for persons with disabilities (PWDs) is scheduled during the weeklong celebration of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation week July 14-23, 2008. This year's theme is:"Kung May Access, May Success."

Ms. Malou Bermudo of the City Social Services and Development (CSSDO) said the training will start on the first day of the celebration (July 14) at the ADAP office, ground floor of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Davao City.

A foot parade will be held during the kick-off day activity on Monday (July 14), assembly time is 6:30am at the Freedom Park. The foot parade will culminate at City Hall for the Flag Raising ceremony.
At 10:00am (July 14), ADAP will have a press conference at the Kapihan sa SM with guests like Councilor Tomas Monteverde 1V; Welmo Capoy of DSB; Armand Amancio of NAPC; Felicisimo Lagno of ADAP; Malou Bermudo of CSSDO; and representatives from the DSWD XI.

The Kakayahan Fair will start on July 15 (Tuesday) including the launching of PWDs IDs. Another press conference is set this day at City Hall conference room during the I-Speak Forum at 10:00am.

Other activities lined-up include: a Theater workshop; Consultation and Dialogue of Regional Federation of PWDs; Health Day- Disability clinic, silip tainga, silip mata, diabetes screening, and common eye problem of children.

Basic computer networking; Thanksgiving Mass; Awarding of PAG-ASA game winners; and graduation of graphic arts design, basic computer networking and graduation of celfon repair. A variety show will be held Sunday (July 20).

Unless there will be changes, all ADAP members and PWDs are encouraged to get involve in the weeklong activity. For details, contact ADAP office c/o Felicisimo Lagno at Sangguniang Panlungsod, or see in person Ms. Malou Bermudo at CSSDO. (PIA)

West Visayas stockpiles ample rice supply

by Jemin B. Guillermo
Roxas City (1 July 2008) -- Western Visayas has about 2.748 million bags of rice equivalent to 46 days daily consumption in the region.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap disclosed that the industry inventories in Region VI total to 2.748 million bags, which is equivalent to a supply for 46 days at a daily consumption rate average of 60,179 bags or 3,009 metric tons (MT) in Western Visayas.

Yap said the National Food Authority (NFA) has a stockpile of 683,690 bags or 34,185 MT and is thus able to inject more stocks into the market to stabilize retail prices.

He added that more stocks are available, given the bumper summer harvests and incoming imports from Vietnam totaling 600,000 MT.

In Capiz, the rice inventory reached 248,517 bags of rice as of June 26, NFA Information Officer Edna Artates said.

She said that of the total rice inventory, some 165,981 bags are in the households, 43,536 bags at the wholesalers, some 32,151 bags in the millers and the remaining 6,849 bags are in the retailers.
In addition, the NFA here has 33,452 bags of government rice being stocked at the NFA warehouses in the province, she said.

Artates said that they are expecting this week the delivery of more imported rice as buffer stock for Capiz as part of the government's 180,000 imported rice allocation to the province.
During Yap's visit in Panay island, he ordered NFA officials to increase rice distribution efforts to stabilize the supply and prices of staple food in Western Visayas and assured consumers in Panay Island of adequate food supply.

He had also warned retailers in Panay Island, which was hit the hardest by the typhoon, that the government would file charges against, and seize the stocks, of traders engaged in profiteering and other illicit trade practices in the aftermath of the latest typhoon.

Yap said that the NFA and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are working in tandem in Panay in checking price movements and running after retailers and other food businessmen engaged in profiteering and other illicit trade practices. (PIA)

Davao chamber sees growth of ICT, SME sector

Davao City (1 July 2008) -- Chamber of Commerce and Industries Inc. (DCCCII) President Simeon Marfori II sees the expansion and growth of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between PLDT and the Chamber on the offering of a wide range of ICT services to Small and Medium Scale Enterprises members of DCCII.

The MOU was signed by Marfori and PLDT SME Group head Katrina C. Luna Abelarde last July 27 at the Apo View Hotel Davao. The MOU is the first in the country where PLDT hopes to help SMEs foster connectivity and access to the latest innovations on ICT.

DCCII will provide the venue, linkage and technical skills to SMEs while PLDT will provide affordable, practical, scalable and managed solutions to these SMEs.

Marfori said that these are the elements needed for the growth of a sector (ICT) which along with agriculture, tourism sectors is where the Chamber will be focusing on for this year.
"The more SME users of ICT the better it will be for the industry as it will be used to increase productivity and efficient allocation of resources.

Marfori said that he hopes to enter into another agreement with another company. He said the DCCCII is looking into IBM which could provide the server, which could be used by the SMEs.
Luna-Abelarde said that the PLDT SME Nation Group was formed in January this year to help provide SMEs and IT platform. She said that of the 300,000 SMEs only 10-20% are connected to the internet of which 2 to 5% have websites of their own.

She said that among the packages offered to SMEs include Voice solutions which include a full PABX solutions package comprising of the switch and line. Also offered are Broadband package and applications for business operations. (PIA/RG Alama)

UAE closes embassy in Yemen
DUBAI, Feb. 14 (PNA/Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said Saturday that it closed its embassy in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa and evacuated all diplomatic staff, the state-run WAM news agency reported.

The decision was made due to the increasing deterioration of the political and security situations in Yemen, the WAM quoted a statement of the UAE Foreign Ministry as saying.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia suspended the operations in its embassy in Yemen, and the embassy staff were asked to return to Saudi Arabia.

The security situation Yemen has deteriorated since January when the Shiite Houthi group seized the presidential palace in Sanaa after deadly clashes with presidential guards.

On Feb. 6, the Houthi group announced a unilateral move to dissolve the parliament and form a presidential council to take over power after Yemeni president and prime minister resigned, which was rejected by Yemen's political parties and denounced by the Gulf Arab states.

The political impasse in Yemen also promoted the United States, Britain, France, Italy and Germany to withdraw their diplomatic staff in Sanaa, citing the security situation. (PNA/Xinhua)
RMA/ssc

Shanghai GM recalls 22,508 Cruze cars
BEIJING, Feb. 14 (PNA/Xinhua) -- Shanghai General Motors has decided to recall 22,508 2015 Chevrolet Cruze cars due to defective vacuum boosters, according to China's top quality watchdog.

The recall involves vehicles manufactured from April 16, 2014 to Dec. 12, 2014, said the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

Long-time use of the boosters could result in cracks on the shell and pose potential safety hazards, the watchdog said.

Shanghai General Motors has offered to replace the defective parts free of charge. (PNA/Xinhua)
RMA/ssc

70 kg of drugs seized in C China
CHANGSHA, Feb. 14 (PNA/Xinhua) -- More than 70 kilograms of drugs were seized and 20 suspects arrested after an inter-provincial drug ring was busted, police in central China's Hunan Province said on Saturday.

A three-month investigation by police in Changsha, capital of Hunan Province, discovered a drug ring had been transporting drugs from south China's Guangdong Province and selling them in Changsha and Shaoyang, also in Hunan.

Police arrested 20 suspects and seized more than 50 kilograms of methamphetamine and 20 kilograms of processed drugs along with a gun and bullets in a joint operation in Changsha and Shaoyang on December 25. The operation was conducted based on tips obtained a week earlier that showed the drug ring's leader had planned to travel to Guangzhou, Guangdong provincial capital, for more drugs.

In a separate operation, police in east China's Shandong Province said on Thursday that they had closed in on a gang selling drugs online. They arrested seven suspects and seized 15 kilograms of methamphetamine as well as raw materials and equipment for drug production. (PNA/Xinhua)
RMA/ssc

Hotel fire in Iraq’s Kurdistan region kills 14 Filipinos

MANILA, Feb. 6 (PNA) -- A fire at a hotel in Iraq’s Kurdistan region on Friday has killed 17 people, including 14 Filipinos, a Philippine Embassy official said.

“We have just been informed that 14 Filipinos were among the 17 people who died in a fire that struck a hotel in Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, this evening,” said Elmer Cato, charge d’affaires of the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad.

“We will be taking the earliest flight tomorrow to allow us to coordinate closely with authorities of the Kurdistan Regional Government in identifying and repatriating the remains of our kababayans,” Cato added.

The incident, he said, is now under investigation.

“We would like to extend our deepest sympathy to the families of the victims and will do everything we can to bring them home as soon as possible,” Cato said.

In 2012, the Philippine government lifted the ban on Kurdistan region -- an autonomous region in Iraq -- amid growing foreign labor demand, but deployment ban is being enforced by Manila in other parts of the country.

Except for Kurdistan, Manila is imposing mandatory repatriation for Filipino workers living and working in other parts of Iraq, including capital Baghdad, due to the volatile security environment in the country.

Manila has also banned the deployment of new workers to Iraq because of the prevailing security situation.

The Philippine government has repeatedly cautioned Filipinos in Iraq to exercise extreme caution and to limit their movements due to bombings and other violent incidents in the past months.

They are also being urged to register with the embassy so that they could easily be contacted in case of emergency.(PNA)

THE BEST MARRIAGE ADVICE EVER!!

Choose to love each other even in those moments when you struggle to like each other. Love is a commitment, not a feeling.

Always answer the phone when your husband/wife is calling and when possible, try to keep your phone off when you’re together with your spouse.

Make time together a priority. Budget for a consistent date night. Time is the “currency of relationships” so consistently invest time into your marriage.

Surround yourself with friends who will strengthen your marriage and remove yourself from people who may tempt you to compromise your character.

Make laughter the soundtrack of your marriage. Share moments of joy, and even in the hard times, find reasons to laugh.

In every argument, remember that there won’t be a “winner” and a “loser.” You are partners in everything so you’ll either win together or lose together. Work together to find a solution.

Remember that a strong marriage rarely has two strong people at the same time. It’s usually a husband and wife taking turns being strong for each other in the moments when the other feels weak.Prioritize what happens in the bedroom. It takes more than sex to build a strong marriage, but it’s nearly impossible to build a strong marriage without it!

Remember that marriage isn’t 50-50, divorce is 50-50. Marriage has to be 100-100. It’s not splitting everything in half, but both partners giving everything they’ve got!

Give your best to each other, not your leftovers after you’ve given your best to everyone else.

Learn from other people, but don’t feel the need to compare your life or your marriage to anyone else’s. God’s plan for your life is masterfully unique!

Don’t put your marriage on hold while you’re raising your kids or else you’ll end up with an empty nest and an empty marriage.

Never keep secrets from each other. Secrecy is the enemy of intimacy.

Never lie to each other. Lies break trust and trust is the foundation of a strong marriage.

When you’ve made a mistake, admit it and humbly seek forgiveness. You should be quick to say, “I was wrong. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

When your husband/wife breaks your trust, give them your forgiveness instantly which will promote healing and create the opportunity for trust to be rebuilt. You should be quick to say, “I love you. I forgive you. Let’s move forward.”

Be patient with each other. Your spouse is always more important that your schedule.

Model the kind of marriage that will make your sons want to grow up to be good husbands and your daughters want to grow up to be good wives.

Learn from other people, but don’t feel the need to compare your life or your marriage to anyone Else. God’s plan for your life is masterfully unique!

Never talk badly about your spouse to other people or vent about them online. Protect your spouse at all times and in all places.

Always wear your wedding ring. It will remind you that you’re always connected to your spouse and it will remind the rest of the world that you’re off limits!

Connect into a community of faith. A good church can make a world of difference in your marriage and family.

Pray together. Every marriage is stronger with God in the middle of it.

When you have to choose between saying nothing or saying something mean to your spouse, say nothing every time!

Never consider divorce as an option. Remember that a “perfect marriage” is just two imperfect people who refuse to give up on each .

Writer : Unknown

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Quality education pushed for Ifugao kids
by Vency D. Bulayungan

LAGAWE, Ifugao - "Our objective is to improve the learning achievement completion rate and access to quality education of our children through community participation." So said OIC Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Estela Carino during the presentation of projects/program implementation in the Division School Based Management Congress held here on September 28-29.

According to Carino, the programs of Department of Education (DepEd) in Ifugao such as the Third Elementary Education Program (TEEP), the Secondary Education Development Improvement Program (SEDIP) and the School Based Management Program (SBM) involved the community and the local government units. For every project for instance, the local government units (LGU) gave 25% of the total amount as their counterpart.

The TEEP which exceeded the target of 163 buildings has actually constructed a total of 186 school buildings in the 11 municipalities in the province. Under this program, 514 school buildings were also repaired overshooting again the target of 368. The DedEd placed the percentage of overshot accomplishment at 39%. One of the most visible projects of the TEEP in the province was the construction of the new DepEd Division Office here. It had a total appropriation of P12M.

Carino said the success factors were focused on monitoring and supervision of multi grade-schools and schools with a Mean Percentage Score (MPS) which are below 50%; giving assistance to low performing schools; maintaining partnership with LGUs and other stakeholders and tapping community resources.
The TEEP was recently turned over to the provincial division for continuous local implementation after the program terminated after 6 years of implementation. It was headed by Ms. Rita Papey, the TEEP Technical Division Adviser (TDA) in the province. Ifugao was one of the 23 TEEP divisions all over the country.

The SEDIP which started in the province in 1997 will still stay until 2007. The program aims to improve equitable access to quality secondary education to poverty affected areas.

"The TEEP and SEDIP programs left us with so many good things, and it is up to us to continue the good that these programs have started," Carino said.

The SBM on the other hand is a component of the TEEP. Mr. Job Sevilleja, SBM Coordinator said it is a strategy that will help in improve the performance of the province's educators.

"Education is improving the lives of others and leaving your community better than when you found it," Carino said.

Mr. Robert Tayaban who represented Governor Benjamin Cappleman enjoined everybody to "join hands to give the young the best legacy they can offer and that is quality education." (PIA-Ifugao)

Maritime industry must be modernized - Sen. Biazon
By Rose Palacio

Davao City (1 October 2005) -- Maritime Industry needs modernization and there's a need to define or amend and improve existing laws, decrees. codes, executive orders and treaties governing the relations between and among the parties involved or engaged in maritime commerce.

Existing old laws needs amendments said Senator Rodolfo Biazon in an interview during the radio program "Kombate" over DXGO Aksyon Radyo anchored by Kagawad Mar Masanguid and Edgar Banzon.

Sen. Biazon said there will always be confusion if there's no delineation of function and responsibilities especially during a sea disaster.

Senator Biazon filed Senate Bill 1382, the Maritime Code which is a codification of admiralty and maritime laws to modernize the maritime industry.

It proposed a structure where the powers, functions, authority and responsibilities are clearly defined.

The current maritime administration functions of government are thinly spread among 14 bureaus and agencies and seven (7) departments.

The Maritime Code upgrades the laws dealing with the registration of ships, maritime lines and ship mortgages, maritime fraud, accidents at sea and shipowner's liability.

"Fragmentation or overlapping of functions of the different maritime-concerned bureaus and agencies is what perhaps causing the dismal and ineffective implementation of safety standards at sea," Biazon said. (PIA)

First Annual Popdev Media Awards search ends today

Tacloban City (30 October) -- The Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. announced that the deadline for submission of entries to the First Annual PopDev Awards is October 28, 2005.

The Search is open to all print journalists nationwide and the interested applicants may send entries in the categories of Best Investigative/Interpretative Report, Best Reportage (including body of work) and Best Opinion/Editorial Piece.

The Articles submitted must have been published within the period of October 1, 2004 to September 30, 2005. The articles must feature population and development issues like population and education, population and health services, population, economic growth and poverty, reproductive health and rights, family planning, population, reproductive health policy and governance, migration, population ageing, population, housing and urban development, sustainable development and population and food security.

Entries must be submitted to the PLCPD Secretariat by mail or through e-mail not later than October 28, 2005. The e-mail address is plcpd@skyinet.net. PLCPD shall have the right to use the winning entries in information dissemination or education campaigns with due credit given to the respective entries used.
Only one grand winner per category will be chosen to receive cash prize, trophy and study trip to UNFPA project areas in the Philippines.

The producers of exemplary TV and radio programs/coverage that will be chosen shall receive trophies and citations.

The Seach is sponsored by the Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. on collaboration with the Population and Development Strategies Cluster of the United Nations Population Fund 6th Country Programme. The PDS Cluster is composed of the Commission on Population, Employers' Confederation of the Philippines, Forum for Family Planning and Development, and Philippine NGO Council for Population, Health and Welfare. (PIA

Tacloban folk laud efficient delivery of gov't service
By Gigi P. Montejo

Tacloban City (30 October) -â€" More than 300 land claimants of the pilot town of Sta. Fe, Leyte lauded the efficient delivery of government service when they received their free-patent land titles distributed during the awarding ceremony held at the Sta. Fe Municipal Social Hall last October 26, 2005.

The free-patent titling of lands under the Land Administration and Management Project (LAMP) with the assistance of Australian AID and the World Bank, is jointly implemented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agrarian Reform and Land Registration Authority.
Beneficiaries of the land titles were impressed that it took only more than a year to process these documents and for their aspirations to get hold of the land titles to become a reality. The prompt distribution of the titles, some beneficiaries observed, negates the perceptions of the people that delivering government services is in a snail-paced manner.

These beneficiaries were happy, too, for availing this specific government service free of charge as what one of the beneficiaries hinted that land titling if done individually cost several thousands.
The distribution of the land titles were witnessed by members of the House of Representatives who were co-authors of the bill which caused the creation of the Land Administration and Management Project.
Present in the distribution of the titles were Cong. Eduardo Zialcita of the 1st District of Parañaque and Cong. Jose Solis of the 2nd District of Sorsogon. (PIA-8)

KALAHI CIDSS brings new hope to sick barangay folks

Tacloban City (30 October) -- The sick people of Barangay Kandalakit in the municipality of Sulat, Eastern Samar used to get medical attention only at the residence of the Barangay Chairman. Medical assistance and medicines are given right there because there was nowhere to keep the medical kits and other paraphernalia.

The worst was that there was no comfortable place for the patients. They cannot be brought immediately to the town proper because the barangay people had to traverse an hour walk through mountains and another long way through a risky winding creek for over another hour before they could reach the town proper.

This was emotionally narrated by barangay captain Estela Espesin. She said that Kandalakit is one of the most remote barangay in the Municipality of Sulat where development projects and government assistance rarely happen. Because of its isolation, material handling and transportation is so difficult.

A new ray of hope was felt by the barangay folks when the KALAHI CIDSS project was introduced in the barangay. The barangay was one of those whose community projects were prioritized during the Municipal Inter-Barangay Forum.

Barangay Kandalakit was able to obtain a financial grant in the amount of P228,943.00 from KALAHI CIDSS for a barangay health center and a river ambulance. The total project cost is P284,743.00.
The barangay residents all echo the sentiment of their barangay captain that not even in their wildest dreams did they expect the construction of a barangay health center and the acquisition of a river ambulance.

Now, they not only have a clean and concrete health center to give first aid to the sick residents, they also have a river ambulance, the only transportation they have to be able to bring their patients to town.

They are grateful to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the KALAHI CIDSS implementors for this is the first time the people have felt the care of the government . They also expressed hope that this will not be the end but just the beginning of the government's efforts in helping them uplift their lives. (PIA 8/DSWD

Abaca fiber eyed as fiberglass substitute
Tacloban City (30 October 2005) -- Intensive studies are now being focused on the utilization of abaca fiber as fiberglass substitute in the production of interior and exterior parts of Mercedes Benz cars.
This is the object of the new collaborative project on abaca of the Leyte State University and the Daimler-Chrysler, German Investment and Development Company (KfW Group), European Nature Heritage Fund, and the University of Hohenbein in Germany.

LSU President Paciencia Milan revealed that the new collaborative venture between the Philippine and German Institutions, dubbed as "Public-Private Partnership Abaca Project: Application of Abaca Fiber in Industry," is an offshoot of a mutual concern for the advancement of the industry, improvement of the abaca farmers' economic condition and environmental protection.

Funded by the Daimler-Chrysler and DEG (KfW Group), LSU is tasked among others to coordinate and oversee the continued production of the required quality of abaca fibers.

During the formal presentation of the project, about seventeen journalists from various media outfits in Germany, Singapore and Philippines trooped to LSU to gather first hand information about the new project.

Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla of the province of Leyte remarked that the project is an example of the kind of agricultural venture that the government has been advocating and is always committed to support.

After the formal program, the official opening of the Abaca Processing Center was held. This vital facility of the project consists of abaca fiber warehouse for fiber classification and storage, stripping machines for primary and secondary fiber, and a greenhouse type solar abaca dryer.
Daimler-Chrysler pledged to donate 10 more units of stripping machine worth P40,000.00 each to the villages involved in the project. (PIA 8/LSU)

co·nun·drum [kə núndrəm]
(plural co·nun·drums)
noun
1.  something confusing: something that is puzzling or confusing
2.  word puzzle: a riddle, especially one with an answer in the form of a play on words

Microsoft® Encarta® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Ug makaihi oroy. Unsaon nalang.

Wa pa gani maka-honeymoon nakasikpaw na ug lain. hehehe Or basin ag karaan na ni.

One day last year, two female executives in my company came to me and said we might be paying women less than men.

This was a complete surprise to me. It didn’t occur to me that inequality could creep into our company culture at Salesforce. We then looked at the salary of every employee in the company, and it turned out we did have a pay gap.

Now, we are spending $3 million on closing the gap so that women and men are paid equally at Salesforce, and we’ve instilled equality as one of the core values of our company.

The President has said that a world in which women are treated as equal to men is safer, more stable, and more prosperous -- and I wholeheartedly agree. I believe that businesses are more successful when equality is built into the fabric of the company.

But we will never solve the issue of pay inequality if CEOs and business leaders continue to turn a blind eye to what’s happening right in their own organizations.

Businesses are the greatest platforms for change in the world -- and business leaders, as well as government leaders, must set an example when it comes to equal pay for equal work.

Today, the government is taking a big step toward building a better world where every woman is paid the same as her male counterpart. Under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's proposal, many businesses would be required to report their pay data by gender and race so that we can know when and how wage discrimination is happening.

Watch live at the White House today at 12:10 p.m. ET to hear President Obama talk about new steps the administration is taking to promote equal pay.

It’s time for every leader to make equal pay for equal work a top priority. Going forward, we will be judged on whether we made the world a more equitable place for all.

I applaud the President and his team for continuing to look for ways to close the pay gap and bring more attention to this important issue.

Thanks,

Marc Benioff
Chairman and CEO, Salesforce

Roxas, Robredo vow to strengthen 4Ps program as Negros Occidental releases hit P1-B mark

BACOLOD CITY, Jan. 29 (PNA) -- Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II and his runningmate Camarines Sur Rep. Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo committed to strengthen the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) as it continues to benefit millions of marginal Filipinos, including 124,630 Negrense families and their dependents.

A group supporting their tandem here said Roxas and the entire administration slate are expected to arrive next month in Negros Occidental, where the national government, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), has already released a total of P1.088 billion in cash grants as of November 2015 to thousands of families in the province.

Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said the 4Ps has covered beneficiaries in 660 out of 661 barangays of the province since 2010.

A total of 51,667 cash cards had already been distributed to the grantees, whose children, numbering 1,348, were sent to college as scholars of the program. A total of 8,716 high school students in Negros Occidental also graduated through the 4Ps.

Former governor Rafael Coscolluela, chair of Friends of Mar-Leni (FOM) in Negros Occidental, said that additional grants totaling P11.671 million will soon be released by the DSWD Negros Occidental Provincial Operations Office to more beneficiaries.

Bacolod City topped the list of local government units in Negros Occidental with the most number of 4Ps beneficiaries with 11,158 families, who received about P88.2 million in cash grants since 2010 until November 2015.

It is followed by Kabankalan City, 8,73 family-recipients, with P69.1 million; Sagay City, 7,105, with P61.8 million; San Carlos City, 6,527, with P53.5 million, and Cadiz City, 6,366, with P55.7 million.

The rest in the top 10 are Cauayan with 6,157 families, having cash grants totaling P56.5 million; Calatrava, 5,276, with P45.3 million; Sipalay City, 4,809, with P43.1 million.

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EgyptAir mechanic, three others detained over A321 air crash in Sinai

MOSCOW, Jan. 29 (PNA/Sputnik) -- A mechanic, two airport policemen, and a baggage handler were reportedly detained on suspicion they collaborated in bringing a bomb on board the Russian A321 passenger jet.

An EgyptAir mechanic and three other individuals are suspected of their involvement in the fatal crash of the Russian A321 passenger jet crash over the Sinai Peninsula that killed all 224 on board, Reuters reported on Friday.

The news agency cited sources who wished to remain anonymous that the mechanic, two airport policemen, and a baggage handler had been detained on suspicion they collaborated in bringing a bomb on board the aircraft. (PNA/Sputnik)

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Capiz cops aim for police visibility in schools
by A. Lumaque
Roxas City (30 May 2007) -- Enhanced police visibility in various schools provincewide is being planned out by the Capiz Police Provincial Office (CPPO) in time with the opening of classes for school year 2007 to 2008 in June.

"Traffic assistance and stepped up drive against criminality will also be prioritized," said Capiz Police Director S/Supt. Roberto Villanueva.

The other key players helping the Department of Education (DepEd) in the provincial-based campaign to ensure a smooth opening of classes include the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Health (DOH), and local government units, among others.

The DepEd is set to launch on Monday its "Oplan Balik-Eswkela" program, the agency's vehicle to address public concerns on the opening of the new school year.

DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus and Undersecretary Ramon Bacani will also be making the rounds of various schools in the country. They will set up an action center in every DepEd district office where parents and students may lodge their complaints against public schools requiring payment of fees as a pre-requisite to enroll.

The DepEd said nearly 20 million elementary and high school students will be going to schools when classes open on June 4. (PIA)

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The President's full remarks on Iran:

This morning, speaking from the Cabinet Room, President announced that we've secured significant diplomatic achievements in Iran. Thanks to the Iran nuclear agreement, Iran can no longer develop a nuclear weapon. And this morning, four Americans were officially freed from wrongful imprisonment and are on their way home.

This is what strong, principled American diplomacy can do. As the President said today:

"Today's progress -- Americans coming home, an Iran that has rolled back its nuclear program and accepted unprecedented monitoring of that program -- these things are a reminder of what we can achieve when we lead with strength and with wisdom; with courage and resolve and patience. America can do, and has done, big things when we work together"
Watch the President's remarks.

“President

Here's the full text of his remarks -- they're worth a read.

THE PRESIDENT: This is a good day, because, once again, we're seeing what's possible with strong American diplomacy.

As I said in my State of the Union address, ensuring the security of the United States and the safety of our people demands a smart, patient and disciplined approach to the world. That includes our diplomacy with the Islamic Republic of Iran. For decades, our differences with Iran meant that our governments almost never spoke to each other. Ultimately, that did not advance America’s interests. Over the years, Iran moved closer and closer to having the ability to build a nuclear weapon. But from Presidents Franklin Roosevelt to John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan, the United States has never been afraid to pursue diplomacy with our adversaries. And as President, I decided that a strong, confident America could advance our national security by engaging directly with the Iranian government.

We've seen the results. Under the nuclear deal that we, our allies and partners reached with Iran last year, Iran will not get its hands on a nuclear bomb. The region, the United States, and the world will be more secure. As I've said many times, the nuclear deal was never intended to resolve all of our differences with Iran. But still, engaging directly with the Iranian government on a sustained basis, for the first time in decades, has created a unique opportunity -- a window -- to try to resolve important issues. And today, I can report progress on a number of fronts.

First, yesterday marked a milestone in preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Iran has now fulfilled key commitments under the nuclear deal. And I want to take a moment to explain why this is so important.

Over more than a decade, Iran had moved ahead with its nuclear program, and, before the deal, it had installed nearly 20,000 centrifuges that can enrich uranium for a nuclear bomb. Today, Iran has removed two-thirds of those machines. Before the deal, Iran was steadily increasing its stockpile of enriched uranium -- enough for up to 10 nuclear bombs. Today, more than 98 percent of that stockpile has been shipped out of Iran -- meaning Iran now doesn't have enough material for even one bomb. Before, Iran was nearing completion of a new reactor capable of producing plutonium for a bomb. Today, the core of that reactor has been pulled out and filled with concrete so it cannot be used again.

Before the deal, the world had relatively little visibility into Iran’s nuclear program. Today, international inspectors are on the ground, and Iran is being subjected to the most comprehensive, intrusive inspection regime ever negotiated to monitor a nuclear program. Inspectors will monitor Iran's key nuclear facilities 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For decades to come, inspectors will have access to Iran's entire nuclear supply chain. In other words, if Iran tries to cheat -- if they try to build a bomb covertly -- we will catch them.

So the bottom line is this. Whereas Iran was steadily expanding its nuclear program, we have now cut off every single path that Iran could have used to build a bomb. Whereas it would have taken Iran two to three months to break out with enough material to rush to a bomb, we've now extended that breakout time to a year -- and with the world's unprecedented inspections and access to Iran's program, we'll know if Iran ever tries to break out.

Now that Iran's actions have been verified, it can begin to receive relief from certain nuclear sanctions and gain access to its own money that had been frozen. And perhaps most important of all, we've achieved this historic progress through diplomacy, without resorting to another war in the Middle East.

I want to also point out that by working with Iran on this nuclear deal, we were better able to address other issues. When our sailors in the Persian Gulf accidentally strayed into Iranian waters that could have sparked a major international incident. Some folks here in Washington rushed to declare that it was the start of another hostage crisis. Instead, we worked directly with the Iranian government and secured the release of our sailors in less than 24 hours.

This brings me to a second major development -- several Americans unjustly detained by Iran are finally coming home. In some cases, these Americans faced years of continued detention. And I've met with some of their families. I've seen their anguish, how they ache for their sons and husbands. I gave these families my word -- I made a vow -- that we would do everything in our power to win the release of their loved ones. And we have been tireless. On the sidelines of the nuclear negotiations, our diplomats at the highest level, including Secretary Kerry, used every meeting to push Iran to release our Americans. I did so myself, in my conversation with President Rouhani. After the nuclear deal was completed, the discussions between our governments accelerated. Yesterday, these families finally got the news that they have been waiting for.

Jason Rezaian is coming home. A courageous journalist for The Washington Post, who wrote about the daily lives and hopes of the Iranian people, he's been held for a year and a half. He embodies the brave spirit that gives life to the freedom of the press. Jason has already been reunited with his wife and mom.

Pastor Saeed Abedini is coming home. Held for three and half years, his unyielding faith has inspired people around the world in the global fight to uphold freedom of religion. Now, Pastor Abedini will return to his church and community in Idaho.

Amir Hekmati is coming home. A former sergeant in the Marine Corps, he's been held for four and a half years. Today, his parents and sisters are giving thanks in Michigan.

Two other Americans unjustly detained by Iran have also been released -- Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari and Matthew Trevithick, an Iranian -- who was in Iran as a student. Their cases were largely unknown to the world. But when Americans are freed and reunited with their families, that’s something that we can all celebrate.

So I want to thank my national security team -- especially Secretary Kerry; Susan Rice, my National Security Advisor; Brett McGurk; Avril Haines; Ben Rhodes -- our whole team worked tirelessly to bring our Americans home, to get this work done. And I want to thank the Swiss government, which represents our interests in Iran, for their critical assistance.

And meanwhile, Iran has agreed to deepen our coordination as we work to locate Robert Levinson -- missing from Iran for more than eight years. Even as we rejoice in the safe return of others, we will never forget about Bob. Each and every day, but especially today, our hearts are with the Levinson family, and we will not rest until their family is whole again.

In a reciprocal humanitarian gesture, six Iranianâ€"Americans and one Iranian serving sentences or awaiting trial in the United States are being granted clemency. These individuals were not charged with terrorism or any violent offenses. They’re civilians, and their release is a one-time gesture to Iran given the unique opportunity offered by this moment and the larger circumstances at play. And it reflects our willingness to engage with Iran to advance our mutual interests, even as we ensure the national security of the United States.

So, nuclear deal implemented. American families reunited. The third piece of this work that we got done this weekend involved the United States and Iran resolving a financial dispute that dated back more than three decades. Since 1981, after our nations severed diplomatic relations, we've worked through a international tribunal to resolve various claims between our countries. The United States and Iran are now settling a longstanding Iranian government claim against the United States government. Iran will be returned its own funds, including appropriate interest, but much less than the amount Iran sought.

For the United States, this settlement could save us billions of dollars that could have been pursued by Iran. So there was no benefit to the United States in dragging this out. With the nuclear deal done, prisoners released, the time was right to resolve this dispute as well.

Of course, even as we implement the nuclear deal and welcome our Americans home, we recognize that there remain profound differences between the United States and Iran. We remain steadfast in opposing Iran’s destabilizing behavior elsewhere, including its threats against Israel and our Gulf partners, and its support for violent proxies in places like Syria and Yemen. We still have sanctions on Iran for its violations of human rights, for its support of terrorism, and for its ballistic missile program. And we will continue to enforce these sanctions, vigorously. Iran's recent missile test, for example, was a violation of its international obligations. And as a result, the United States is imposing sanctions on individuals and companies working to advance Iran’s ballistic missile program. And we are going to remain vigilant about it. We're not going to waver in the defense of our security or that of our allies and partners.

But I do want to once again speak directly to the Iranian people. Yours is a great civilization, with a vibrant culture that has so much to contribute to the world -- in commerce, and in science and the arts. For decades, your government's threats and actions to destabilize your region have isolated Iran from much of the world. And now our governments are talking with one another. Following the nuclear deal, you -- especially young Iranians -- have the opportunity to begin building new ties with the world. We have a rare chance to pursue a new path -- a different, better future that delivers progress for both our peoples and the wider world. That’s the opportunity before the Iranian people. We need to take advantage of that.

And to my fellow Americans, today, we're united in welcoming home sons and husbands and brothers who, in lonely prison cells, have endured an absolute nightmare. But they never gave in and they never gave up. At long last, they can stand tall and breathe deep the fresh air of freedom.

As a nation, we face real challenges, around the world and here at home. Many of them will not be resolved quickly or easily. But today's progress -- Americans coming home, an Iran that has rolled back its nuclear program and accepted unprecedented monitoring of that program -- these things are a reminder of what we can achieve when we lead with strength and with wisdom; with courage and resolve and patience. America can do -- and has done -- big things when we work together. We can leave this world and make it safer and more secure for our children and our grandchildren for generations to come.

I want to thank once again Secretary Kerry; our entire national security team, led by Susan Rice. I'm grateful for all the assistance that we received from our allies and partners. And I am hopeful that this signals the opportunity at least for Iran to work more cooperatively with nations around the world to advance their interests and the interests of people who are looking for peace and security for their families.

Thank you so much. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

-- President Barack Obama

Watch the President deliver his statement here.
Learn more about the Iran nuclear deal here.
Follow @TheIranDeal to get the latest on how the U.S. and international community is preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Visit ASEAN: Southeast Asia sparks regional tourism efforts with new strategic plan

MANILA - Southeast Asia has sparked its single-destination tourism efforts with the adoption of a new strategic plan to increase its tourism share to the regional economy from 12 to 15 percent in a 10-year timeframe.

The ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2016-2025 (ATSP 2016-2025) was formally launched by tourism ministers on Friday (Jan. 22) night at the closing of the 35th edition of ASEAN Tourism Forum 2016 (ATF 2016) held in Pasay City.

Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said the plan will consolidate regional tourism gains by enhancing competitiveness as one destination and ensuring that regional tourism is sustainable and inclusive.

ASEAN noted that intra-ASEAN visitor numbers account for half the total international tourist arrivals or 46 to 48 percent. This is the largest share of the total international visitor arrival in the region.

“Everyone (tourism ministers) believes from a business standpoint that selling ASEAN in a single destination will be good for us,” Jimenez told reporters on the sidelines of the ATF 2016.

“The more we compete, the more we grow, so we sell ourselves as individual destinations then collectively sell the region,” he added.

Jimenez also said that the creation of a single ASEAN visa is also expected to take shape into the first five years of the 10-year ATSP 2016-2025.

“We are well on our way to getting one, finally,” the DOT chief said, noting that although all ASEAN member states have expressed support for the measure, technical difficulties remained a challenge

“This is more a technical subject than political one. Having a single visa means you’re sharing data and we have to work our data systems,” he added.

Jimenez meanwhile pointed out that while the ATSP 2016-2025 was not a new concept, the resolve was to complete the remaining measures which may not have been accomplished in the ATSP 2011-2015.

He said that if the programs and projects under the plan are fully implemented, it is anticipated that the ASEAN tourism share of total employment will increase from 3.7 to 7 percent.

Aside from the ATSP 2016-2025, other initiatives to spur regional tourism was the unveiling of the “Visit ASEAN @ 50” campaign which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of ASEAN in 2017 and the Southeast Asia Cruise Brand 2016.

Jimenez said that the campaign will involve special programs to develop the ASEAN products, events and experiences. It will launched at the world's largest tourism trade fair, the Internationale Tourismus-Borse (ITB) in Berlin this March.

The cruise brand, shaped like waves of the sea with an array of colors, will meanwhile focus on enhancing Southeast Asia’s appeal as a cruising region of choice. (PNA)

Metro Cebu traffic execs urge Cebuanos to brace for heavy traffic on 51st IEC

CEBU CITY, Jan. 23 (PNA) -- Traffic managers in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu have urged Cebuanos to brace for heavy traffic during the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) set on Jan. 24 to 31.

Traffic officials in the three cities said heavy traffic was expected as they would implement road closures during the IEC, including the closure of one lane of the old Mandaue-Mactan bridge.

Lawyer Rey Gealon, Cebu City Traffic Office (CCTO) executive director, said roads around the Plaza Independencia near the Cebu port would be closed Sunday afternoon for the opening mass of the IEC.

On Jan. 28, Thursday, one lane of the old Mandaue-Mactan bridge from Lapu-Lapu City to Mandaue will be closed to vehicular traffic from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. to make way for some 5,000 delegates joining the Youth Pilgrim Walk.

Glenn Antigua, chief for operations of the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team), said all vehicles going to Lapu-Lapu should pass through Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge, the second bridge linking Cebu mainland and Mactan Island.

About 5,000 youth will join the pilgrim walk from the Hoopsdome in Lapu-Lapu city to Mandani Bay grounds in Mandaue City where they will have a vigil until 8 a.m. the following day.

Lapu-Lapu City Traffic Management Systems chief Frank Brazil said they agreed that Team will start clearing the roads at 2 p.m. The walk starts at 4 p.m.

Only the Lapu-Lapu-bound lane will be used by the youth delegates so that vehicles traveling from Lapu-Lapu to Mandaue can use the old Mactan bridge.

Gealon said roads around Osmena Blvd. In Cebu City would also be closed to vehicular traffic in the early afternoon on Friday, Jan. 29, during the procession from the Cebu Capitol to Plaza Independencia.

Gealon said the area near the IEC Pavillion on Pope John Paul II Ave. in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City would also be closed at certain times of the day during the IEC to give way to buses ferrying delegates to the main IEC venue.

Organizers have rented at least 100 Ceres buses from Vallacar Transit Corp. to ferry some 15,000 delegates from their hotels to the IEC Pavilion and vice versa.(PNA)
RMA/EB/PJN

Social media can help beat IS -- Facebook COO

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 23 (PNA/Xinhua) -- "Counter-speech" is the best answer to combating terrorist organizations like the Islamic State (IS or ISIS), Facebook's COO Sheryl Sandberg said here in a panel at the World Economic Forum (WEF).

"The best thing to speak against recruitment by ISIS are the voices of people who were recruited by ISIS, understand what the true experience is, have escaped, and have come back to tell the truth," she said.

"Counter-speech to the speech that is perpetuating hate we think by far is the best answer," she added.

Rather than only focusing on silencing the voices of hate and intolerance, Sandberg laid out her way to combat the terrorist organization on the Internet: drown them out with messages of hope, a phenomenon she called "like attacks."

Sandberg gave an example of how German Facebook users did this: they targeted a neo-Nazi Facebook page and flooded it with messages of love and tolerance.

"What was a page filled with hatred and intolerance was then tolerance and messages of hope," she added.

Sandberg's comments came amid an increasing pressure on Facebook and other social media sites to help fight extremist speech online.

Its open nature makes social media a powerful tool for terrorist organizations, ISIS in particular, to spread hateful rhetoric and find new recruits.(PNA/Xinhua)

Gadapan vs. Tinampay in WBF Asia Pac title-fight set Jan. 31 in Iligan City

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 18 (PNA) -- Hometown ring idol Jonel Gadapan will be fighting Nelson Tinampay of Bohol for the vacant World Boxing Federation (WBF) Asia Pacific lightweight title on January 31 in Iligan City.

Gadapan has record of 10 wins with 6 knockouts against 8 loses and 2 draws while Tinampay is toting 9 wins with 4 KOs and only one defeat.

Gadapan, however, is coming from a first round technical knockout victory against Roland Teofilo held last November 22 at the Iligan Central Market gym.

He bounced back after losing also by a first round TKO against Adones Cabalquinto in their Philippine super lightweight title-fight held May 30 last year at the Lagao gym in General Santos City.

Gadapan also scored a TKO win against Yuji Itani in the 2nd round held at the Bunka Center in Sanda, Hyogo, Japan on November 1, 2014.

Tinampay, on the other hand, started his career with 6W-1D before suffering his first loss against the experienced journeyman Rodel Wenceslao of Cebu in 2014.

Tinampay has since bounced back with victories against William George (unanimous decision) and Richard Betos (6th round technical decision) last year. (PNA)
lgi/LCM/Lolito T. delos Reyes/ldp

DOT chief: LGUs play vital role in ASEAN Tourism Forum 2016
By Azer N. Parrocha

MANILA, Jan. 20 (PNA) -- Local government units or LGUs play a vital role in serving as host communities to tourists staying in the country, especially during high-profile meetings such as the ongoing ASEAN Tourism Forum 2016 slated Jan 18 to 22.

Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. made this point citing the importance of post-tours for buyers which are part of the ATF 2016 itinerary. The tours around the Philippines run from Jan 23 to 26.

Aside from being host communities, Jimenez said that LGUs also helped validate and reinforce the brand experience of tourists.

He meanwhile cited the role of LGUs as “the face of the Philippines and ASEAN tourism.”

“The DOT is counting on them to enhance the distinctiveness of the Philippine tourism so as to make it retain its individuality while contributing perceptively to the diversity of ASEAN,” Jimenez said.

He further said that LGUs also make such diversity the commonality or the collective unique selling point (USP) of the region’s overall tourism brand.

ATF 2016 Philippine Host Committee Chairperson and DOT Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. for his part expressed confidence that the tours will successfully showcase LGU’s efforts in promoting their respective tourism assets.

Bengzon said that this was a good way to share the Philippines best tourism practices to the rest of the world.

The tours offer the ATF 2016 delegates any of the following choicesâ€"the UNESCO World Heritage Tour from Vigan, Ilocos Sur to Bangui, Ilocos Norte; the Southern Luzon’s Cultural, Wellness and Culinary Trail from Tagaytay to Tall Heritage Town in Batangas to Nasugbu, Batangas; the Cordillera Heritage Tour from Banaue to Sagada; the Bicol Express from Albay to Sorsogon;

The Northern Palawan’s Eco Adventure from Busuanga to Coron; the Last Frontier from Sabang and Honda Bay in Puerto Princesa to El Nido in Palawan; the Visayas Charms from Bohol to Cebu; the Negros y Cebu from Dumaguete to Siquijor to Cebu’ and the Island to Highlands from the cities of Davao in Davao del Sur to Tagum in Davao de Norte and all the way to Samal Island.

“The LGUs in the provinces of Albay, Bohol, Cebu and Ilocos Norte and Palawan, the cities of Davao, Lapu-Lapu and Puerto Princesa and the town of Banaue as tourism destinations are naturally and culturally diverse, providing a menu of widely different brand experiences that reflect ASEAN’s diversity and can only be aptly and deserving described as a complete package,” Bengzon said.

Bengzon also cited the role of national flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) as well as other local airlines to also put a human face to the country’s tourism brand.

PAL flew in the most number of delegates to the ATF 2016 being the official flag carrier and platinum sponsor for the ATF 2016.

The DOT official also hailed PAL’s determination to rise from a full-service, three-star international airline to a five-star and gain a slot in the Skytrax World’s Top Ten Airlines or win any of its prestigious World Airline Awards. (PNA)
FPV/ANP

Davao police officer sacked for falsification
22 January 2016

The Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to charge Deputy Regional Director Akmad Mamalinta of the Police Regional Office in Davao City for Falsification of public document in connection with untruthful entries in his Personal Data Sheet (PDS).

Aside from criminal indictment, Mamalinta was also found administratively liable for Serious Dishonesty and was ordered dismissed from the service.  He was meted the accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification from public office, cancellation of eligibility and forfeiture of retirement benefits.  The penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to respondent’s one year salary, in case of separation from the service.

Investigation found that in 2000, Mamalinta falsely declared in his PDS that he is a Career Executive Service Officer and that he completed his masteral degree at the Philippine Christian University (PCU).

The Fact-Finding Investigation Bureau, however, presented certificates from the Civil Service Commission and from PCU, proving that Mamalinta’s claims are absolutely false.

          According to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, “in accomplishing and filing a PDS for purposes of promotion, all applicants have the legal obligation to disclose the truth of the data required especially their qualifications.”

  “(Mamalinta’s) act of concealing the truth and deliberately asserting falsehoods in more than one entry in his PDS clearly exhibits his moral depravity, lack of integrity and predisposition to conceal the truth not only from his office but from the public, in general,” added Ombudsman Morales.

Surigao water exec indicted over P1.3M unliquidated cash advances
20 January 2016

For failure to liquidate his cash advances amounting to P1,323,556.27 accumulated over a period of eight years, Segundino Buniel, the former general manager of Cantilan Water District (CWD) of Surigao del Sur is facing criminal charges for violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and Malversation of Public Funds. 

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by the Commission on Audit (COA)-Surigao del Sur after Buniel failed to settle his cash advances despite demands in June 2011 and November 2012.   Buniel requested for an extension of 30 days to complete his liquidations, and that payment be made through salary deductions.  Despite his promises, the cash advance for his official travels remain unaccounted for.

             â€œ[R]espondent has the bounden duty to settle his cash advances. His failure to act in a situation where there is a duty to act demonstrates gross inexcusable negligence, hence, he should be made to answer for this charge,” Ombudsman Morales stated.

                   The Resolution underscored that being the general manager of CWD, Buniel is an accountable officer and it was incumbent upon him to liquidate every cash advance drawn as soon as the purpose for which it was given has been served. “Respondent’s act has caused undue injury to the government” equivalent to P1,323,556.27, the Resolution added.

   In May 2015, Ombudsman Morales imposed the penalty of dismissal from service against Buniel for being administratively liable over the same P1.3M unliquidated cash advances.

wala syay bana?

Only Duterte, Cayetano attend election forum; Other candidates got scared, a no-show

"Last men standing.”

This was how Davao City Mayor Rodrigo "Rody" Duterte and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano were described by the host of an election forum organized by Rappler held at the De La Salle University’s (DLSU) Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium on Wednesday.

It was reported that Duterte and Cayetano were the only candidates who attended the forum. Sources said that after confirming their attendance to the forum, all of the tandems vying for the May presidential polls backed out of the event.

“Maraming nadismaya at hindi dumalo ang iba pang tambalan sa forum na ito. Their absence to this first presidential and vice presidential forum is quite bothering," Cayetano said.

Nonetheless, the duo presented their platform, which they said is a comprehensive and bold response to the chaos in the country. They pointed to the worsening traffic problem, rising crime and illegal drug trafficking, lack of job opportunities and social injustice that need to be addressed. Duterte and Cayetano said the only way to effect real change is to end the country's chaos swiftly and decisively.

“There is so much disorder. People don't have security. Sobra na ang gulo at pahirap na dinadanas ng tao. Sino ba naman ang hindi mapapamura kung pag-gising mo pa lamang sa umaga hanggang sa pagtulog mo sa gabi, walang tigil ang pahirap at gulo sa ating bayan,” Duterte said.

“This is the reason why I am angry. This is the reason behind my constant cursing. Behind my curses is the tragedy and suffering of the Filipino people,” Duterte said.

Cayetano said he and Duterte have the experience and principles necessary to fight injustices committed by those benefiting from the country’s chaotic state of affairs.

The senator highlighted the need to fight crime and corruption in the police force through harsh penalties for the corrupt and increasing salaries for honest police officers, removing excuses for corruption and helping to attract the best and brightest to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Cayetano also underscored the need for the country to transition to federalism to democratically decentralize governance and resources, and attain lasting peace. He specifically mentioned the need to spread development by infusing the regions with the necessary funds for development.

"Hindi na pwede ang pwede na. Hindi na pwede ang konting pagbabago. At lalong hindi na pwede na magpatuloy ang ligaya ng mga nang-aabuso. Ang kailangan ay matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon para tapusin ang gulo. This is what Mayor Duterte and I will bring,” Cayetano stressed.

Case for Infant Baptism: The Historic Paedo-Baptist Position
by Ligonier Ministries

R.C. Sproul: Just last week, somebody was talking with me and they had a copy of the brochure for this conference and they said, “I see that you and John MacArthur are going to be talking about baptism when whether it is to be administered to infants.” And I said yes. They said, “Well, I hope you go out there and change John’s mind on this subject.” And I said, “Let me tell you something about the John MacArthur that I know, that if you can prove your position to John MacArthur from the pages of sacred Scripture, he will change it in a heartbeat cause I’ve never met a man in my life who is more sold out to building his theology on the basis of Scripture alone than my brother John.” So that really is my burden, is to try to persuade him on the basis of Scripture. He won’t let me appeal to history or tradition or church authority, so....

But this is something that I hope and trust is true of the overwhelming majority of Christians who struggle with this question. My working assumption when this debate arises among believers and of those who are committed to the doctrine of Sola Scriptura from the Reformation, my working assumption is that both sides want to do what is pleasing to God and to be faithful to the Word of God. And unfortunately, those of us who disagree on this point, though we both desire to be pleasing to God and faithful to the Word of God, obviously this is one of those places where we both simply cannot be right. And, in fact, it’s one of those also where we both cannot be wrong. Somebody’s right and somebody’s wrong and we all know who that is, so we can take a break. (Laughter)

One of the things that John has made absolutely clear in his excellent presentation today is that there’s nowhere in the New Testament that explicitly commands the baptism of infants, or explicitly mentions the baptism of infants. And so he concludes it’s simply not in the New Testament. And from an explicit perspective, I agree with him completely. We also have stipulated and agreed that there’s no explicit prohibition against infant baptism to be found anywhere in the New Testament either.

So in the absence of explicit teaching, both sides in this controversy are forced to rely upon inferences drawn from what is explicit in Scripture, and that should by the very virtue of that fact force us to go the second mile in patience with one another when we recognize, I cannot prove to John MacArthur that Scripture commands the baptism of infants, and by not baptizing infants he is being disobedient to his Lord and at the same time he can’t point to a text in the Bible that explicitly prohibits infant baptism and say to you, “R.C., you have to stop doing what Scripture prohibits.” I think we all understand the absence of the explicit directives in either case and since we are both relying upon inferences, we have to be exceedingly patient and charitable with each other.

Now one of the most important things that John has already gone over is the classic defense in Reformed Theology of infant baptism on the grounds of its relationship to the circumcision in the Old Testament, and obviously there are certain things about circumcision in the Old Testament that are not simply implicit but are clearly explicit.

Now what I want to do is take some time and look at the relationship between circumcision and New Testament baptism. And here’s where it does get a little bit complicated because I often hear people say emphatically, “R.C., New Testament baptism is not circumcision. There is no equation between the two or identity between the two.” And when I hear people say that, I’m impressed with their amazing grasp of the obvious. I don’t know anybody in the history of the church who has argued that there is an identity between circumcision and baptism. On the one hand, Jewish people who were circumcised in the Old Testament were not circumcised with water. That’s not the same thing, obviously.

Now, the issue, however, is not one of identity but one of relationship. And the question is...is there any continuity between circumcision in the Old Testament and baptism in the New Testament. If we’re going to be careful and look at this in technical terms, we have to see, and I think we would all agree, that there is some continuity at least between circumcision in the Old Testament and baptism in the New Testament and yet at the same time there are serious and significant points of discontinuity. So we have elements of continuity where they are similar to each other, elements of discontinuity. Obvious element of discontinuity is circumcision is in the Old Testament, baptism’s in the New Testament. That’s obviously a difference, isn’t it?

Now, in terms of the historical argument for infant baptism, here are the crucial points in terms of continuity that in the Old Testament it is almost universally agreed by scholars, I’m not sure I agree with John on this, or that he would agree with me, I sort of think he would, that circumcision, whatever else it was in the Old Testament, was the sign of the Old Covenant. Yes. A sign of the Old Covenant. And that baptism whatever else it is, is a sign of the New Covenant. That both sides tend to agree on. Now here we see they are different signs, one is circumcision, one is baptism. But both of them are signs of some kind of covenant that God makes with people. In the case of circumcision, we say it is a sign of the Covenant that God made with Abraham. Now in Reformed Theology we would argue that part of the terms of that Covenant that God makes with Abraham includes temporal, earthly blessings like descendants, like the possession of the land, real estate and so on. But that beyond those external matters of physical inheritance, ethnic and national, is communicated the Old Testament promise of redemption unless you want to argue that people were saved in the Old Testament in a manner radically different from how they are saved in the New Testament.

I’m going to say something I’ve never said before publicly, though I believe it, but basically out of response to John’s passion and his years of faithful defense of the purity of the gospel, where he has been the strongest of allies and comrades alongside of me in the trenches. And when the issue becomes the gospel of Jesus Christ, I don’t have to look very far to know who I want to call, stand next to me and be in my foxhole when there’s something about the gospel. Who am I kidding, John? No sir, huh? All right, it’s a tag team when that comes.

But here’s what I want to say in a very real sense, beloved, circumcision in the Old Testament was a sign of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why do I say that? Because whatever else circumcision was, circumcision was the sign of the covenant and the heart and soul of the covenant is the promise of God to provide redemption for His people. And that Abraham believed that promise and was counted just by God. Abraham rejoiced to see the fullest manifestation in history of the terms of that covenant in the appearance of the one who embodied Israel, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I think it would be a vast oversimplification to reduce the meaning of circumcision in the Old Testament simply to ethnic or national characteristics, a point which many Jews in fact did for which they received the scathing critique of the prophets and of the Apostle Paul himself in the book of Romans.

Now I don’t believe that circumcision was a sign of faith exclusively. That is, that the only thing that circumcision indicated or signified was faith. It signified a whole lot more than that but no less than that. Let me say it again. The circumcision signified a lot more than faith but by no means less because the doctrine of justification by faith alone was taught throughout the Abrahamic Covenant as Paul labors in Romans 3 and chapter 4 of the New Testament.

Now when does Abraham receive the sign? Before he has faith? Or after he has faith? Before he realizes the content of the promises of the covenant, or after he actually realizes the content of the promises. Manifestly he receives the sign of the promise after he’s received the substance of the promise, after he’s believed, after he’s repented, right? Then he is given the sign of circumcision. But not only is this sign of circumcision which indicates all that’s contained in the promise of redemption is given to Abraham after he has faith and has been repentant and all the rest, and is regenerate and so on, God not only permits but explicitly commands the infant son of Abraham receive the sign of this same covenant. And not only is it commanded to Abraham and to Isaac and to Jacob, but when Moses delays it, God threatens to kill him for withholding the sign of the covenant from his infant son.
That’s very important because here in the Old Testament the sign of God’s covenant of redemption is not only permitted to be given to the children of believers, it is commanded of God so to be done. And if faith has the remotest portion of the content, of the promise of Abraham, and if it does not, then we would have to say that Abraham is justified by some other means, or some other instrument than faith which I don’t know any Baptists who would want to argue that. The point is, that if he has even the smallest portion of the content of the meaning of that sign of the Old Covenant, then we have to say that we have explicit biblical teaching that God Almighty, at least in one time in history, has explicitly commanded that a sign of faith be administered to a person who does not yet possess that which the sign signifies.

So the first point we have to see here that’s emphatically taught in the Old Testament is that the sign of redemption is commanded of God to be given to infants, not to all infants indiscriminately, but only to those who are in the covenant community, to the visible household of faith which I’m going to take the liberty to call the Old Testament church.

Now there were people in the Old Testament who believed that the sign saved. Correct? And they lived on into the New Testament times when the Pharisees said, “We’re the children of Abraham, we’re circumcised.” And Paul talks about how circumcision doesn’t save anybody, only the person who is circumcised inwardly are saved. Only those who actually have faith are saved. You can have the sign without faith, but you can’t have what the sign signifies without faith. So again, we don’t want to ever get to the conclusion that a person is justified by circumcision in the Old Testament or by baptism in the New Testament.

There’s one thing that my buddy, John, said that I have to speak out on in terms of my emphatic disagreement with him. Cause on this one point I am absolutely one thousand percent sure he couldn’t possibly be more wrong. I know he’s wrong, I’m positive he’s wrong, and I’m going to prove to you right now beyond not a reasonable doubt, but a shout of a doubt that he’s wrong. My dear brother stood up here in front of all these people and said that we had lunch and it was really brunch just a couple of hours ago. And the speakers got together, sat around a table. Did you hear him say that he’s the only one there who believes in believer’s baptism? Did you say that? All right. A little cross examination. Was I there?

JOHN: You were there.

R.C.: Okay. This is how I can prove he is wrong because I believe in believer’s baptism. And I was there and I’m positive that Bob Godfrey believes in believer’s baptism and that Sinclair Ferguson believes in believer’s baptism cause all Reformed people believe in believer’s baptism. You want to get anecdotal, three weeks ago I had one of the most precious privileges a pastor, a minister of the gospel can ever have, baptized three adults at St. Andrew’s Church. We only have 43 members and it was such a thrill to baptize those adults into the fellowship of Jesus Christ. And let me tell you what, not only do we baptize adults, but we will not baptize adults until they are...unless they first make a profession of faith and give evidence of repentance and of clinging in faith to Jesus Christ.

Now there’s abundant evidence in both testaments for the adult reception of the sign of the Covenant in the Old Testament, as John has pointed out, we have the records of those who were strangers and foreigners of the Covenant from the Gentile world who come over and embrace Judaism and receive circumcision as adults. And before they can be circumcised as adults, they must make a profession of faith. And likewise we have abundant record in the New Testaments of adults being baptized which adults are called upon to profess faith and so on, of actual twelve references in the New Testament to actual baptisms, they’re all adults. Four of those baptism accounts include the oikos formula that John referred to which is translated house or household which, by the way, in passing Oscar Cullmann, the Swiss New Testament scholar, argues that in antiquity that not only possibly included infants, but he believes that that word was used with specific reference to infants, but that’s too much of a stretch for me. What it does indicate is some kind of continuity of the principle of corporate solidarity that we find clearly evident in the Old Testament. But I wouldn’t care if the term oikos or the term household occurs or not in the New Testament because I think every single reference to adult baptism in the book of Acts is 100 percent utterly, completely and totally irrelevant to the question we’re discussing here. As we’ve stipulated, we all believe in adult baptism. And we all believe in the case of adult baptism there is a prior requirement of a profession of faith. No argument about that whatsoever. There’s no sense taking any time arguing over what we agree on.

Only one thing, the only evidence that that adult baptism has for this controversy in the New Testament is one that’s somewhat secondary, not utterly insignificant but it has some significance, and that is that all of those who are baptized as adults are presumably first generation believers. If the opponent of infant baptism could point to one case of an adult baptism in the New Testament where the person who is being baptized as an adult was the child of Christian parents when that person was an infant, then they would have a relevant case to point to, in fact that would be all it would take to change me on that. But you don’t have any such evidence whatsoever and all of the pointing to the evidence of adult believers is only obfuscating the issue because there’s no debate about what are the requirements for believer’s baptism....we all agree with that.

The question is simply if a child of a believer receives the sign of the Covenant in the New Testament as it clearly incontestably did in the Old Testament. Now again, we recognize that there is a difference between the New Testament and the Old Testament. John pointed out one, in the Old Testament economy the only person who received the sign of the Covenant were males, boys, little boys. The women didn’t. And presumably in the New Testament the sign of the Covenant is administered not only to the males but to the females as well.

Now what does that tell you? One thing it tells you is that as the New Testament labors over and over and over again, the New Testament is a better Covenant than the Old Testament. And one of the ways in which it’s better, or at least different is that it is obviously more inclusive rather than less inclusive than the Old Covenant. Now in the Old Covenant you didn’t have to be a child of an Israelite parent to be saved. But one of the great mysteries in the history of redemption is the role that the Gentiles play and that there’s a radical expansion of outreach and evangelism to the Gentile world in the New Covenant that is absent in the Old Covenant. It’s a radical expansion. It’s not like there’s no outreach to the Gentiles in the Old Testament, there was some. But not nearly the degree to which you find it in the New Covenant.

Now it just seems strange to me that if in general terms, the New Covenant is more inclusive than the Old Covenant, why would a practice of including the children of believers in the reception of the sign of the Covenant of redemption that is in practice for two thousand years would suddenly be repealed and abrogated in the New Testament without a single word. I really think the burden of proof here is on those who say that at the point of including children of believers in the reception of the Covenant sign of the promise of God through redemption that the burden for that should be on those who want to argue that there is this radical change in the history of redemption. That a practice that is normal and normative for two thousand years suddenly stops without a word in the New Testament, not only without a word in the New Testament but as Yahoi Caramesis(?) pointed out, that we can’t find anything in the literature of the first century apart from the Bible weren’t too long into the second century and not much at all until the middle of the third century about the practice of infant baptism. And the first reference we have to it that has survived in antiquity in literature outside of the Bible, describes infant baptism as the universal practice of the church.

Now it’s possible in a hundred or two hundred years that the whole Christian church could have departed from the apostolic practice without one word surviving in written complaint against that, despite the mountain of information that has survived from the first three centuries about a host of other theological controversies about which the Patristics were divided. And isn’t it strange that this departure and deviation from the purity of the apostolic church took place to the extent that it captured the whole of Christendom and not one single word of protest survives from that period? Now that’s an argument from silence. But it’s a very screaming silence.

I’m saying the reason why there’s no explicit command to baptize in the New Testament is that it would be clearly assumed by any Jewish or early Christian believer that this same practice and principle of including the children of believers in the reception of the covenant sign would continue unless God said, “Stop it.”

Now, I’ll try and do this real quick because I don’t have much time, I want to, real quickly, point to a text that John pointed to that I thought was a very important text, I don’t need to read it, he did. All those appeals to suffer the little children, all that I agree with John on those, we can stipulate those and you’ll have to debate them. I don’t think they have the tiniest significance for this discussion. But I do think the passage from 1 Corinthians regarding marriage and the unbelieving husband, all that, I think this passage does have special relevance, for this reason. We understand, as John rightly pointed out, that when it says that the unbelieving wife or the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the unbelieving husband, the unbelieving wife, etc., that the word there that is used to sanctify could be a little bit misleading to us because we normally use the term sanctification, or to sanctify to refer to that growth in holiness and progress and conformity to the image of Christ that immediately follows after our justification and presupposes justification.

Now obviously what John is right in pointing out is that that can’t be the meaning of the text here unless we want to assume that the Bible teaches two different ways of justification, and, in fact, maybe even a third. On one hand, the New Testament teaches that we’re justified by faith, our faith, not somebody else’s faith, right? Paul says that the women are saved through the bearing of children and if we mean by saved in that context, be placed in a state of grace and in the case of justification then we could say the second way of salvation, the second way of justification is limited to women is by having babies, you can be justified. And if that doesn’t work and then you’re barren, or if you’re a man and can’t have babies and don’t have any faith, the third way of salvation is to marry somebody that does because the unbeliever is sanctified.

Now I’ve tried to reduce this to absurdity and show you that this text cannot mean that the sanctification that is in view refers to that sanctification that follows from and flows out of necessarily immediately and so on justification exactly. So it can’t be what John called the maximalist’s view, it has to have a minimal thing. I don’t think it’s nearly as minimal as my brother John does. He means far more than to be put in a favorable environment with respect to the secular influences of the world. Understand what it does mean.

I want to call attention to the language. Call attention to the language as it is found in Scripture. If you look and see what it means to sanctify biblically, its primary meaning is to set apart, or to consecrate, to be placed in another or different setting or environment. It goes back to God’s initial setting of Israel apart, saying, “Be ye holy even as I am holy and I will be your God and you will be My people.” And God sanctified to Himself a nation. Now not everybody in that nation was sanctified inwardly. The whole nation was sanctified outwardly. Israel was given a holy vocation. They became the holy people, the chosen of God. God set them apart.

And so, I’m saying to you that the primary way in which the Bible uses the term to sanctify is to set apart or to consecrate so that when Paul says the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband, or the unbelieving husband...and so forth...means that they are set apart, not that they are saved. But they are set apart; they are set apart from something. They’re placed in some kind of situation that differs from that which is ordinary or normal. And the reason for this that the Apostle gives is not with particular reference to the benefit of the unbelieving spouse but as John eloquently pointed out, the benefactor from this sanctifying or setting apart of the unbeliever is...whom? The children.

Now listen to this language. God says, “I’m going to set apart the unbelieving wife or the unbelieving husband for the benefit of the children who issue from this marriage.” Cause He says, “Else would their children be unclean, but now are they holy.”

Now here’s what the Apostle Paul does say explicitly in the New Testament, namely that the offspring of at least one believing partner in a marriage, that’s why for centuries churches that do practice infant baptism do not do it indiscriminately and will not baptize any infant but only if there is a profession of faith by at least one parent. But listen to the language. Doing this, Paul says, for the sake of the children, else would they be unclean.

Do you ever hear that word in the Bible...unclean? What is the primary reference of the concept of being unclean to a Jew? To be outside the covenant, to be numbered with the unbelievers, to be numbered with the Gentiles in Israel, to be a foreigner and a stranger to the covenant promises of God, that’s what it meant to be unclean. To be outside the camp, outside the community where the grace of God is focused and Paul said I would not have the children of unbelievers be unclean because now they are holy. 

Now what I am submitting to you is that that is manifestly covenant language. It is the language that is used consistently throughout the Bible to refer to those who are in a covenant relationship with God. And my time’s up, so I’m just going to say this in summary.

In the Old Testament, circumcision does not convey redemption, it’s the sign of redemption. In the New Testament, baptism doesn’t convey redemption and it’s a sign of many things. It is the sign of our cleansing. It is a sign of our regeneration. It is the sign of our sanctification. It is a sign of our being baptized with the Holy Spirit. And as John eloquently pointed out, it is a sign of our being buried with Christ and raised with Christ. It is a sign of all of those things that are part of the content of salvation which sign does not automatically communicate the reality by the outward sign. What it does communicate is the reality of the promise of God to all who put their trust in Him that they would receive the fullness of redemption that is promised in the gospel.

In a word, the sacrament of Baptism is a dramatic object lesson, a visible sign of the spoken promise. We proclaim the Word of God in the presence of infants. They maybe don’t understand the Word, and they don’t understand the sign either until it’s explained to them, that’s why the it’s the responsibility is for the parents and the church to say to this child, “You received a sign of the promise of God, you received the sign of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And let me tell you what that sign means.” And you tell them what the sign means and you tell them, “If you trust in this promise of Christ, you will be saved.” And as Calvin pointed out, that which a sign signifies in the Bible may be given before or after the sign is present, exhibit A, the sign that was given to Abraham after he had faith and Isaac before he has faith. And if you want to raise the principal objection about giving a sign that includes, among other thing, a sign of faith to people who are incapable of exercising faith at that time, if you want to raise that objection in principle, don’t hesitate to object against God Himself because that’s exactly what He did in the Old Testament.

I agree with Calvin that the preferred method of baptism is immersion. I disagree with Baptists who insist that the Greek word baptizo can only mean immersed because it is clearly used in the Septuagint, the translated text of Leviticus 14 where two birds are used in a sacrificial way and these two birds are killed, the one has its blood drained out of it and the other one has to be baptizo in the blood of the first one. There just ain’t enough blood in the first one to immerse the second one. You dip it in there. But anyway, that’s a secondary issue and not a primary issue. There’s many, many more things to be said about this.

What I hope our discussion has done today is to get you to understand, if nothing else, that this is important to God. And we ought to try to dig at it, get down to it and try to work it through. And where we have reasoned improperly or failed to understand a nuance of the Scripture, we need to be willing to change on that.

I used to do this when I taught the sacraments at seminary level, I would have the students that were both from Reformed tradition, from the Baptist tradition and I would do this, I would make the students from the Reformed tradition write a term paper on the case against infant baptism. And I would make the Baptist guys write a paper on the case for infant baptism. And I wouldn’t grade them on what they personally believe, I would grade them on how accurate they were in their articulation of the different positions because most of us, unfortunately, just follow our traditions, as John said, blindly accept the Christian subculturalist’s view in which we have grown up and just carry it on when this is something we should search the Scriptures and understand what God wants us to do and then do it. Let’s pray.

Father, we thank You for Your words. We thank You for the outward signs that You give that demonstrate the truthfulness of Your Word. We pray that we may be faithful both to Your Word and to those signs that You’ve given to Your church. We ask it in Jesus name.

2 DOT officers visit 2nd tourism jobs fair in Region 8

Tacloban City (February 28) -â€" Two Project Officers from the Central Office of the Department of Tourism are arriving in Tacloban City tomorrow, March 1, in order to promote the 2nd Tourism Jobs Fair, Ms. Trina Dacuycuy of the Department of Tourism Region 8 informed PIA in a telephone interview.

Miss Dacuycuy said that Ms. Julie Bolante and Ms. Wilma Panay will meet with the invited press people at 7:30 in the morning tomorrow, at the MacArthur Park Beach Resort in order to discuss the project.
The Department of Tourism, through the Philippine convention and visitors corporation will once again organize a tourism Jobs Fair to be held at the Cebu International Convention Center on March 28-29, 2007.

Director Karina Tiopes said that this project is a continuing pro-active response to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s 10-point agenda that includes the creation of at least six to ten million jobs as a government priority.
The event entitled “2nd Tourism Jobs Fair” which is designed to go beyond the usual concept of Jobs Fair, will exclusively be for the travel and tourism industry.

It will be a one-stop-shop for employer and shoppers of tourism jobs on one hand and the potential tourism and travel labor force on the other hand.

It will be a venue where the employer and the applicant can meet, assess each other’s needs, thereby creating an employment matching.

It will accommodate junior and senior students of tourism-related courses and the whole graduating population of March 2007 from any related field, including those who are presently unemployed or underemployed.
The Department of Tourism is therefore calling on all jobseekers and also prospective employers in Region 8 to participate in the forthcoming 2nd Tourism Jobs Fair in Cebu. (PIA

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Singapore court jails Indian-origin woman for hitting Filipina maid

SINGAPORE, Jan. 21 (PNA/PTI) -- A 20-year-old Indian-origin woman in Singapore was jailed Thursday for a week for torturing her Filipina maid by slapping, hitting and punching her.

Vidya Jayasankarr committed one count of voluntarily causing hurt to the family's domestic helper Miezel Cagas Limbaga and was ordered to pay 4,800 Singaporean dollars compensation.

Limbaga cooked, cared for her employers' children and had no days off.

The Indian-origin employer slapped 31-year-old Limbaga and grabbed her neck in late January last year, according to a report by The Straits Times.

The culprit and her husband, Janardana Jayasankarr, 52, had been charged with hurting the Filipina, who had been working for them since October 2014.

Both pleaded guilty earlier to have hit the maid when they were unhappy with her.

The husband, as employer, admitted to two counts of causing hurt to the maid while two other similar charges will be considered when he will be sentenced on February 19, 2016.

Court documents said that, on January 20 last year, the man grabbed Limbaga's T-shirt and dragged her to the master bedroom at night.

He was unhappy with her for opening the fridge and microwave earlier that day, and accused her of stealing food.

In the bedroom, the couple took turns to hit and scold the maid for all her previous wrongdoings.

The man slapped the maid on her face, punched her on her stomach and chest and his wife grabbed the helper's neck.

After scolding her for some time, the couple allowed her to return to her room. The man admitted to causing hurt to the maid on three other occasions in late November 2014 and in January 2015.

These beatings came to light when another Filipina saw bruises on Limbaga's face, chest area and arms and made a police report on January 22, 2015.

On further investigation, police officers went to the Jayasankarrs' home and Limbaga was sent to a hospital on the same day. She was found to have bruising on her scalp, cheeks, upper chest, back, sacral area and left hip.

The couple had since agreed to give the victim compensation of 1,000 Singaporean dollars, according to their lawyer Rajan Nair.

But the prosecution argued that this was insufficient and asked for compensation of 4,800 Singaporean dollars for loss of earnings, as Limbaga had stopped working in January 2015 and was residing in the Philippine Embassy in the city-state.

While working for the couple Limbaga was paid 400 Singaporean dollars a month. (PNA/PTI)

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CFO campaigns for awareness on int'l migration, intermarriages

Tagbilaran City (31 July) -- Boholanos who have emigrated legally get a lot of support system, but those who may have been "trafficked" may not have the same opportunity, say authorities from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) during the weekly Kapihan sa PIA.
Support system, CFO's Ivy Miravalles said could be pre-departure orientation seminar for emigrants and linking with Filipino organizations abroad.

To date there are about 7,612 Boholanos who have permanently emigrated to other countries since 1988, but admittedly several still have been unlisted and came out of the country through the backdoors.
CFO also estimates 8.72M overseas Filipinos. 3.89M of them are permanent residents of countries outside and about 10.32% of them are irregular dwellers, posing more work for the government to account and help them should any of them have problems.

"Technically, these people are either trafficked or have been arranged in marriage through mail-order brides, some may even have been pushed by parents to want to join the bandwagon of rags to riches tales," Miravalles clarified.
Some of the tales however do not end happily ever after.
Often cases documented by CFO are of Filipinas getting into whirlwind marriages but end up being enslaved, beaten and because they are illegally staying in a foreign country, they hesitate to report to authorities.

Over these, CFO embarks on community education programs (CEP) in Guimaras and Siquijor to campaign for more awareness especially when the recent global crisis has pushed people to the new job frontiers in Canada and the United Arab Emirates.

The CEP seeks to raise public awareness on various issues concerning migration, intermarriages and existing government policies and programs directed against illegal recruitment, fraud documentation and human trafficking, CFO press release stated.

This year, annual CEP billed as "Handa ka na bang mag-abroad? Ano ba ang dapat alamin?, puts CFO officials into conducting activities like pulong-pulongs with religious leaders, local government units, community members and school symposia to advance their advocacies. (PIA)

Region XII to conduct Regional Tourism Summit

Koronadal City (30 November) -- The Regional Development Council of Region XII (RDC XII) shall be spearheading a Regional Tourism Summit on December 6-7, 2005 at the East Asia Royal Hotel in General Santos City. To strengthen the tourism industry in the region, the Summit intends to gather representatives from various private and public institutions such as hotel/resort and transport operators, travel agencies, local government units, national government agencies and other entities engaged in tourism development-related industries.

The tourism industry is considered as an influencing factor in reducing poverty by providing employment opportunities through the promotion of local tourism. Developing the tourism will foster economic activities and economic growth in the region. RDC XII now pursues a more aggressive and focused marketing and promotion strategy on tourism development activities, through the local government tourism councils and the Department of Tourism XII. More competitive tour packages and services need to be offered to attract more visitors and increase income for the people and LGUs of Region XII.
The summit aims to assess the current situation of the region's tourism industry and to determine the range of business opportunities for tourism development in the region, discuss tourism industry tends and adopt an action agenda to take full advantage of opportunities for tourism in the region given the strides in global travel and tourism. (NEDA 12/PIA 12)

Tabango town allocates P1.3 million to develop tourism destinations
by Flor Jackson

Naval, Biliran (31 October) -- An amount of P1.3 million has been allocated by the local government unit (LGU) of Tabango in Leyte province to develop its eco-tourism destination to attract more local and foreign tourists to visit their place and experience the many natural attractions that are entirely unique from what they have seen in other places of the country.
This was revealed by Mayor Bernard Jonathan "Ben Jo" Remandaban recently in a telephone interview with PIA.
He said that part of the amount will be used to develop Mt. Kantur-aw, on of the tourist destinations in Tabango town visited most frequently by foreign tourists.
Mayor Remandaban further revealed that a stairway of some 600 steps is now undergoing construction that will lead to the topmost part of Mt. Kantur-aw which is about 200 meters from the ground level of the town which is now 90% nearing completion.
Likewise, part of the plan to develop this particular tourist spot is the construction of cottages atop where tourists may relax and savor the pleasure of getting a real touch with nature.
Since this natural scenic attraction is overlooking the town of Tabango, one can also view some tourist attractions in Cebu which are located just across.
Moreover, he said that telescopes will be put up to enable tourists to get a clear view of other tourist spots in nearby places.
Mt. Kantur-aw will then be named Tabango Observatory Point Summit.
Also, to get a good part of the budget allocation for tourism development in the Municipality of Tabango is the improvement and development of the "Dagkotanan", a place where people offer candles and prayers of thanksgiving and for their petitions of all sorts to be granted by God Almighty.
The good Mayor said, this particular tourist destination is one of the most sought places in their town.
In December this year, Mayor Remandaban bared that the Municipality of Tabango is part of the island hopping tour of the officials of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) in Manila.
Likewise, next month he said, some 50-70 tourists who will visit and pass by Ormoc City will proceed to Tabango also for island hopping.
For her part, Mary Doreen Caballero, Community Development Information Officer (CDIO) of Tabango said that Mayor Remandaban and each of the 13 barangays of Tabango have agreed to develop a place in their barangays that can attract visitors to their place. (PIA-Biliran)

Nueva Vizcaya politicians sign peace covenant for clean, peaceful polls

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Jan. 15 (PNA) -- Provincial and municipal candidates here on Thursday signed a peace covenant to ensure the peaceful and orderly conduct of the upcoming May 2016 national and local elections in the country.

The covenant signing was participated by political candidates from the provincial and municipal levels led by congressional candidates former governor Luisa Cuaresma, incumbent governor Ruth Padilla, gubernatorial candidates former vice governor Jose Gambito and incumbent Representative Carlos Padilla.

The activity which was also highlighted by a Walk for Peace from Solano to Bayombong was spearheaded by the Commission on Elections(COMELEC), Department of Interior and Local Government(DILG), Department of Education(DepEd) and the Philippine National Police(PNP), among others.

The covenant signing encourages candidates to support the conduct of a free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections in the province.

It also upholds the conduct of the candidates for clean electoral campaign, fairness, common decency, honesty and good faith. (PNA)

Php19.2-B budget may not be sufficient to mitigate El Niño impact, says: Romulo
By Sammy F. Martin

MANILA, Jan. 14 (PNA) -- Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo on Thursday expressed concern that the Php19.2-billion budget the government has allocated might not be sufficient to help farmers and consumers weather the negative impact of El Niño.

"Zamboanga has now declared a state of calamity because of the Godzilla El Niño has began to dry up its water sources," he said. "Until now, government has not informed us on how it plans to spend the funds."

"We expect the number of provinces and cities to do so up to May when the "meteorological drought" is forecast to peak by PAGASA. Government should be prepared to increase the El Niño funds when necessary," he added.

According to reports, nine out of the 25 irrigation dams in Zamboanga City have dried up, six are in critical state, while 10 have below normal water levels. Damage to crops and fisheries have reached Php 132.54 million.

PAGASA has warned that as much as 85 percent of the country, comprising of 68 provinces, will suffer by April, a "meteorological drought" caused by El Niño. Twelve other provinces in Luzon and Mindanao will experience a dry spell.

It is expected to peak between March and May this year, the state weather agency said. El Niño is a weather phenomenon that develops in the Pacific Ocean that is a result of the warming of sea temperatures.

"A consensus of climate models shows that it will likely strengthen further...and may last until the first half of 2016. This 2015-2016 El Niño event will potentially be four strongest events since 1950 (1972-1973, 1982-1983, 1997-1998)," PAGASA said.

Last year, at least 8 provinces, including Cebu and Pangasinan, declared a state of calamity because of the damage wrought by El Niño.

"We have learned our lessons from Yolanda and the Bohol quake. Let us act now to help the communities in the El Niño areas identified by PAGASA to combat the Godzilla-like threat this El Niño is forecast to bring," Romulo pointed out.

In Luzon, provinces likely to experience drought are: Abra, Kalinga, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Metro Manila, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon.

In Visayas, provinces identified by PAGASA are: Aklan, Antiques, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar (Western Samar), Southern Leyte.

In Mindanao, those likely to experience drought are: Zamboanga Del Norte, Zamboanga Del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Compostela Valley, Davao Del Sur, Davao Oriental, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Surigao Del Norte, Surigao Del Sur, Basilan, Maguindanao, Lanao Del Sur, Sulu, and Tawi-tawi. (PNA)

Cebu City’s budget row slashes Sinulog 2016 budget to PhP25-M

CEBU CITY, Jan. 10 (PNA) -- The Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) will receive a financial assistance of only PhP25 million this year, the same aid for last year, because the Cebu City government is operating on reenacted 2015 budget.

SFI Executive Director Ricky Ballesteros said the city government set aside PhP30 million for this year’s Sinulog, but Cebu City Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella rejected the 2016 PhP6.4-billion annual budget.

Ballesteros said they will have to work on the PhP25-million budget.

The executive and legislative departments have taken opposing stands on whether or not the 2016 annual budget has been validly passed.

Ballesteros said there will only be seven visiting contingents for this year’s grand parade on Jan. 17, from the 10 out-of-town contingents last year.

These are Catbalogan City in Samar, Panglao in Bohol, Abuyog in Leyte, Province of Lanao del Norte, Tangub City, Province of Masbate and Municipality of Placer in Masbate.

Ballesteros said they are expecting a total of 30 contingents this year, or 10 contingents less than last year’s 40 contingents.

Ballesteros said they will use the city’s financial assistance to pay for the prizes in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan, Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan and the grand parade.

But despite the limited budget, he said they have increased the top prize for the Sinulog sa Kabataan from PhP300,000 last year to PhP350,000 this year.

Ballesteros said they will also use the city’s cash aid to extend subsidies to the out-of-town contingents and pay the transportation cost of those from Cebu Province.

Ballesteros said the subsidy amounts to PhP200,000, which the foundation increased from PhP150,000 last year.

The transportation subsidy amounts to PhP120,000, round-trip. (PNA)
SCS/EB/ssc

Police files raps versus suspects in mauling to death of U.S. citizen

DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 15 (PNA) â€" Police have filed a criminal complaint for murder before the city prosecutor’s office against four persons believed to be responsible for the untimely death of an American national who was mauled outside the ZanZibar Restaurant and Lounge in Dumaguete City last Dec. 26.

Insp. Blas Alpeche of the Dumaguete City police, who is the assigned investigator of the case, filed murder raps last Jan. 8 against bouncer Michael Lim, also known as Christopher Remollo Lim and Boyet; cook Glyn Herungay Eltagunde; a 17-year old waiter Nano; and a suspect known only as “John Doe.”

Lim appears to be the same person caught on CCTV camera as the one who allegedly smashed an empty bottle of beer on the head of the victim, Phil Prins, a U.S. Army Scout veteran who taught journalism at the Foundation University in Dumaguete City.

Prins died of multiple blunt traumas to the head on his 35th birthday last Dec. 29, three days after he was beaten up outside the ZanZibar resto-bar.

Present during the filing of the criminal complaint was the victim’s private lawyer Alexander Acain who arrived from Manila to make sure they will have an airtight case.

Part of the evidence submitted included the extrajudicial confession of the Eltagunde, the Zanzibar cook, who was also caught on CCTV camera as one of those who mauled the victim, and affidavits executed by media personalities to whom he confessed the crime.

The minor, “Nano”, and who works as a waiter at ZanZibar, admitted in his affidavit that he was also among those who kicked the victim while he was lying helpless on the ground.

However, the fourth suspect remained unnamed and at large, believed to be one of the customers of the said establishment.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled on Jan. 27 before Assistant City Prosecutor Alvin Aseniero at the Hall of Justice wherein at least three witnesses were summoned to appear during the said hearing.

They are Amir Hossein Baghari Lankarani and Mary Grace dela Cruz Sacro, the manager and cashier, respectively, of ZanZibar.

ZanZibar was ordered closed on orders of Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria for an indefinite period effective Jan. 14 after the city government discovered it was allegedly operating without the necessary mayor’s and business permits since last year. (PNA)
RMA/JFP/JUANCHO GALLARDE

P-Noy saves SSS from bankruptcy, upholds pension fund sustainability

The Social Security System (SSS) has lauded Malacañang’s support for preserving the pension fund’s long-term sustainability, following President Benigno S. Aquino III’s decision to veto House Bill 5842 which seeks an across-the-board SSS pension increase of P2,000.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio S. de Quiros, Jr. said that the proposed increase would have consequences for both the 2.15 million current pensioners and 31 million members. At least P56 billion would be needed to fund the additional P2,000 benefit for the 2.15 million pensioners annually.

“The P2,000 pension increase would lead to a projected deficit of P26 billion for 2016 from an expected income of P41 billion. As the number of pensioners grows, the initial P56 billion in additional benefit outlay per year would increase, which in turn contributes to the rising annual deficit or net loss incurred by SSS,” de Quiros said.

SSS funds, projected to last until 2042 or 26 years from now, would be wiped out by 2029 or in 13 years, as presented to Congress in June 2015, due to recurring net losses caused by the P2,000 pension increase. However, given the low market sentiment and the need for SSS to divest P47 billion to P51 billion in financial assets to fund the increase in pension benefit, the fund life would be further reduced to 2027.

“The P2,000 increase and resulting shorter fund life will greatly affect our 33 million members and pensioners as well as their dependent spouses, minor children and other beneficiaries who are also mandated to receive their own share of SSS benefits,” de Quiros said.

In terms of absolute value, the state-run agency provides members a generous return of P6 to P15 in benefits for every peso they contribute to the SSS.

“SSS financial gains since 2010 to further improve the stability of the fund would be negated if the P2,000 pension increase was approved. It would be shortened to an alarming 11-year period from now,” de Quiros said.

SSS fund life has been strengthened by various financial achievements over the past few years. Annual net revenues, for example, averaged P33 billion from 2010 to 2014, much higher than the P8 billion average for 2000 to 2009; assets grew by 50 percent from P298 billion as of 2010 to P447 billion as of October 2015; and contributions collected by SSS per year were also more than enough to cover expenses for benefits and operations since 2012, with the annual investment income stored in the reserve fund. More than 100 offices were also established since 2010 to bring SSS closer to members.

Social Security Commission Representative for the General Public Michael Victor N. Alimurung noted that it is risky to compel SSS to implement a drastic pension increase as proposed by a bill silent on any source of funding, and just pin hopes on the next administration to avert the depletion of SSS funds.

“Unpopular as the veto decision may be, it was the right thing to do. It shows that the President is principled enough to withstand pressure, by refusing to support a bill that he knows will lead to the financial ruin of the SSS. With the Malacañang decision, we continue to further strengthen the SSS to become sustainable and viable,” he added.

To implement the P2,000 pension increase and still maintain the present fund life of 26 years, the contribution rate needed to be increased from the present 11 percent to 15.8 percent. In the absence of a contribution rate increase, the government would have to provide a minimum annual subsidy of P130 billion per year starting 2030, after the SSS investment reserve fund has been fully exhausted.

De Quiros, meanwhile, said that “the SSS will continue with its mission to implement measures that would truly redound to the financial stability of the institution, extend meaningful benefits, and maintain the trust and confidence of the present and future stakeholders.”

Full implementation of Electronic Commerce Act, to include LGUs, pushed

MANILA, Jan. 16 (PNA) -- A Davao del Norte lawmaker has underscored the need for the entire government bureaucracy, including local government units, to fully implement the use of electronic technology in its transactions.

“Aside from promoting transparency, transacting business in electronic form will improve and simplify public service and reduce the expense of government,” Rep. Anthony G. Del Rosario, author of HB No. 80, stressed.

Noting the time constraint faced by the 16th Congress, he is confident that the current or the incoming legislature would give due consideration to the measure that would certainly keep government and its people in-step with the fast developing modern electronic technologies.

HB 80, which is pending with the Committee on Revision of Laws, is entitled “An Act providing for the full implementation of the use of Electronic documents and signatures in Government transactions, amending for the purpose Republic Act No. 8792, otherwise known as the ‘Electronic Commerce Act of 2000’.”

Republic Act No. 8792. Del Rosario noted, recognizes the use of electronic technology in commercial and non-commercial transactions.

“In fact, Section 27 of said Act mandates all departments, bureaus, offices and agencies of the government, as well as all government-owned and â€"controlled corporations (GOCCs) to issue permits, licenses or certificates of registration, or approval or provide for the method and manner of payment or settlement of fees and other obligations to the government utilizing electronic technology,” the author noted.

However, the present Electronic Commerce Act does not cover local government units and has no provision imposing the corresponding administrative sanctions for non-compliance with the law.

The measure also seeks to require the government agencies to submit annual report status to the congressional oversight committee to ensure compliance with the mandate of the law.

Thus, under HB 80, Section 27 is proposed to be amended (note: amendments in big bold letters) to read as follows:

Section 27. Government Use of Electronic Data Messages, Electronic Documents and Electronic Signatures. â€" Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, within two (2) years from the date of the effectivity of this Act, all departments, bureaus, offices and agencies of the government, as well as all government-owned and â€"controlled corporations AND ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS, that pursuant to law require or accept the filing of documents, require that documents be created, or retained and/or submitted, issue permits, licenses or certificates of registration or approval, or provide for the method and manner of payment or settlement of fees and other obligations to the government, shall â€" (a) xxx xxxx (d) sub-paragraphs 1) to xxxx 6) xxx .

Likewise, insert the following paragraph into the abovementioned sub-paragraph 6): “THE HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS, BUREAUS, OFFICES AND AGENCIES OF THE GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT-OWNED AND â€"CONTROLLED CORPORATIONS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS SHALL SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE CREATED UNDER SECTION 35 THEREOF RELATIVE TO THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH THE MANDATE OF THIS ACT.”

Furthermore, SEC. 33 of said Act is also proposed to be amended to read as follows:

SEC. 33. Penalties. The following Acts shall be penalized by fine (and/or) OR imprisonment OR BOTH, as follows:

a) xxx; b) xxx; c) xxx; d) THE HEADS OF THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, BUREAUS, OFFICES AND AGENCIES OF THE GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT-OWNED AND â€"CONTROLLED CORPORATIONS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS WHO FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE MANDATE OF SECTION 27 OF THIS ACT SHALL BE ADMINISTRATIVELY LIABLE UNDER EXISTING CIVIL SERVICE LAWS AND REGULATION; AND e) Other violations of the provisions of this Act shall be penalized with a maximum penalty of One Million Pesos (Php 1,000,000.00) or six years imprisonment.(PNA)

Cayetano to lead veto override to give SSS pensioners 2000 peso pension hike

Vice Presidential bet and Senate Majority Floor Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said that he would initiate the call to legislators to end the executive branch's legacy of vetoing important laws and make history by overriding the veto President Benigno Simeon Aquino III made on a bill which seeks a P2,000 across-the-board increase in Social Security System (SSS) monthly pensions.

"It is time for Congress to stand up for our millions of pensioners and give them the pension that they need.  We must stand up against the executive's awesome powers and ensure the passage of important laws that will help alleviate the lives of our people and show that we are the people's voice and not just a rubber stamp of Malacanang," Cayetano said.

Cayetano said social security is meant to help pensioners after their retirement cope with the costs of living without their regular salaries. "But what good is social security if what they get is so low that it cannot even meet their barest needs?"

It was reported that Aquino has vetoed or blocked several social legislation such as the Magna Carta for the poor and the lowering of income tax rates for working Filipinos.

"Wala pong personal o pulitika dito. Pinaglalaban po namin ang milyong milyong pensioners na kailangang kailangan itong 2000 pesos na ito para sa pang araw araw nilang pamumuhay." Cayetano added.

The senator vowed to lead the charge in mobilizing the legislature to override Aquino's veto. He said the legislative will require two-thirds vote of the House and Senate, voting separately.

"For the sake of our struggling people, I will do everything in my power to counter this veto. It is an uphill battle but a fight that must be waged nonetheless. We owe it to the people especially the vulnerable such as the elderly, the sick and the unemployed who are at the bottom barrel. Sobra-sobra na ang hirap nila," Cayetano said.

In his veto message, Aquino explained that the stability of the entire benefit system will be 'seriously compromised' if the proposed pension hike is implemented.

Cayetano, however, said Aquino's fear was based on wrong assumptions. The senator explained that the SSS should institutionalize long overdue reforms like increasing its rate of contribution collections and expanding its investment reserves.

Cayetano said if elected in the 2016 polls, he and his running mate, presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo "Rody" Duterte will prioritize the pension hike of SSS members and look into the Government Service and Insurance System (GSIS) and Pagibig to upgrade and improve welfare of members and also exempt workers earning 20,000 pesos and below from income taxes.

"Ang kailangan ng mamamayan ay tunay na pagbabago na nakabatay sa matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon. As part of our platform to promote equality under the law and genuine inclusive growth, we will work to substantially increase the people's benefits to give them a better quality of life. We will provide the working people with a living wage and guarantee that the government promotes the welfare of the population through sustainable assistance measures," Cayetano concluded.

Cayetano calls on Congress to override Aquino's veto of SSS pension hike bill

Vice Presidential bet and Senate Majority Floor Leader Alan Peter Cayetano today called on his fellow legislators to override President Benigno Simeon Aquino's veto of a bill which seeks a P2,000 across-the-board increase in Social Security System (SSS) monthly pensions.

"It is incumbent upon the legislative branch, particularly to all those who supported and signed the bill, to override the president's veto. We must demonstrate our strong resolve in advancing the welfare of ordinary people and show that we are the people's voice and not just a rubber stamp of Malacanang," Cayetano said.

"Social security is meant to help our pensioners after their retirement cope with the costs of living without their regular salaries. But what good is social security if what they get is so low and cannot even meet their barest needs," Cayetano added.

Cayetano said that in order to override the veto, the legislature will require two-thirds vote of the House and Senate, voting separately.

On January 12, 2016, Aquino vetoed House Bill No. 5842, or the SSS pension  hike bill. In his veto message, Aquino explained that the stability of the entire benefit system will be 'seriously compromised' if the proposed pension hike is implemented.

Cayetano, however, said that they already made the necessary computations and concluded that the pension hike is possible.

"The SSS can absorb the pension hike. Based on its yearly reports, SSS is profitable. It has more funds that it is investing and disbursing, and it has investments in various large companies. Moreover, it is enjoying a continuing rise in membership, which also increases revenues generated from members’ contributions," Cayetano explained.

"That's why I don't understand the reason behind the veto. Instead of helping our people especially the vulnerable such as the elderly, the sick and the unemployed get out of the bottom barrel, they want to keep them there. Sobra-sobra na ang hirap nila," Cayetano said.

Cayetano said if elected, he and his running mate, presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo "Rody" Duterte will prioritize the pension hike of SSS members.

"Ang kailangan ng mamamayan ay tunay na pagbabago na nakabatay sa matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon. As part of our platform to promote equality under the law and genuine inclusive growth, we will work to ensure that ordinary people enjoy the full benefits from government. We will provide working people with a living wage, double their benefits and guarantee that the government promotes the welfare of the population through sustainable assistance measures," Cayetano concluded.

Duterte-Cayetano will not allow country to become "Asia's Mexico," to go after local “El Chapos"

Presidential contender and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte said the country has no place for "El Chapos" as he reiterated his commitment to fight the problem of illegal drugs, magnified by international drug cartels operating in the country.

"El Chapo" is the alias of the dreaded Mexican drug lord Joaquin Guzman, leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel, who was recaptured on January 8 of this year after six months on the run following his escape from a Mexican prison.

"I will wipe out illegal drugs in 3-6 months. I will not allow our country to become Asia's Mexico. We will not become a narco-state,” said Duterte who explained that the country's drug problem has become a national security issue.

Duterte's Vice President, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, added that he and Duterte have a comprehensive plan and stategy as well as the political will to win the war against illegal drugs. "With the help of the people, we will end the reign of drug lords and make our streets safe again for our people," he said.

On January 2015, Horacio Hernandez, a Mexican national suspected to be part of Guzman's drug cartel, was arrested by the PNP’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Force and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Makati City after selling P12 million worth of cocaine to undercover agents.

Last Tuesday, around P180 million worth of suspected “shabu” or methamphetamine hydrochloride were seized in Valenzuela City from two Chinese-Filipino men, both believed to be members of the "Asia Drug Network," an international drug network operating in China, Philippines and Hongkong.

Duterte said the country's crime situation, particularly drug trafficking, has become so dire that no less than bold solutions and swift actions are necessary to end this debacle.

"We will not allow our country to become a Narco State like some countries in Latin America. We will reclaim our streets from the drug lords and criminals who have made them unsafe. We will bring the war to their doorsteps. If they want to play rough, I will redefine to them the meaning of 'rough,'" Duterte said, referring to criminals and drug syndicates.

Cayetano said that 92 percent of barangays in the National Capital Region (NCR) are infiltrated with drugs. He also said that 50 percent of those in jail are because of drug-related cases.

Cayetano said if elected, he and Duterte will round up the big-time drug lords of the country, local and international alike, by combining the elements of the military and the police and modernizing their crime-fighting strategies such as creating a national anti-crime hotline number similar to Davao's 911 emergency hotline.

nahinanok man intawon ni sa kakapoy. hehehe

Ombudsman indicts former Tawi-Tawi governor over SALN error

The Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to indict former Tawi-Tawi provincial governor Sadikul Sahali for his failure to comply with Section 8 of Republic Act 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees).

The Ombudsman ordered the filing of six Informations against Sahali for violation of Section 8 of R.A. 6713. Investigation revealed that respondent’s SALNs from 2007 to 2011 Sahali were not subscribed before a notary public, with the 2012 SALN unsigned by Sahali. It was also found that the SALNs were submitted way beyond the April 30 deadline.

Under Section 8 of R.A. No. 6713, “public officials and employees have an obligation to accomplish and submit declarations under oath of, and the public has the right to know, their assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interests including those of their spouses and of unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of age living in their households.”

Some 80 tennisters from all over the country led by two of the country's top players, Johnny Arcilla and Francis Casey Alcantara, will be trying their luck in the Cebu leg of the Peugeot Philippines Tennis Open which comes off wraps today at the tennis courts of the Cebu Country Club in Banilad, Cebu City.

The Cebu leg is the 4th regional leg in this tournament which features a Men's and Women's Open in singles and doubles events with the winners of all legs to qualify for the national finals from February 15 to 21 in Metro Manila, wherein the six grand winners of the singles and doubles events will get an expense paid trip to Paris, France to watch Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams defend their French Open titles at the red clay courts of Roland Garros.

Already contested were regional legs in Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod and Nueva Ecija while the NCR leg, which will serve as the final regional leg, will be held from February 1 to 7 at the Celebrity Sports Club.

Arcilla and Hannah Grace Espinosa are named as the top seeds for the men's and women's divisions, respectively. Both have Cebuano roots with Arcilla having resided here during his youth while Espinosa used to lord it over in the age group here in Cebu. She is currently based in Manila as a varsity player of the National University.

Other seeded players in the men's open are Cagayan de Oro's Alcantara, Roel Capangpangan, Marcen Angelo Gonzalez, Calvin Canlas, Claudio Canlas and Luke Alquin Flores.

Leading the charge in defending the locals' home turf is Israel RJ Abarquez, who is seeded third.
Other seeded players in the women's open are Ma. Dominique Ong, Erika Manduriao and Macy Gonzales.
“As of now, the winners in the singles and doubles finals in February will get an all-expense paid trip to watch the French Open in May in France but our long term goal is to identify talent in this tournament, develop their skills and prepare them to compete in one of the four major world tournaments,” said tournament supervisor Mario Craiz.

The French Open is considered as one of the four major tournaments in the world at par with the Wimbeldon in England, US Open, and Australian Open.

Craiz said they want to produce more players like Alcantara, a native of Cagayan De Oro City and the only Filipino that has won in the Australian Open Boy’s Doubles event together with Hsieh Cheng-peng in 2009.

“We want to produce more of the likes of Alcantara with our tennis program. For now, we will focus on producing men’s and women’s tournaments to give our players in the regions a chance to play against country’s strong players,” said Craiz.

According to Craiz, Peugeot is committed to bring the sport of tennis in the Philippines to a higher level, of world class standards exclusive for Filipinos only.

The tournament will be officiated by event organizer Francisco “Pet” Santos, who is the brain behind this tournament. Also helping in organizing this event is Philippine Tennis Association Central Visayas vice president Ken Salimbangon.

Peugeot is the official transport in the ATP World Tour and has been one of the major sponsors in the Roland Garros for 32 years.

DepEd names national winners of ‘Barkada Kontra Droga’ program

MANILA, Jan. 8 (PNA) -- The Department of Education (DepEd) recognized five schools nationwide for their efforts in combatting drug abuse not just in schools but also in their own communities.

DepEd, in collaboration with the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), announced the national winners of the search for outstanding “Barkada Kontra Droga” (BKD) program implementers in secondary schools for School Year (SY) 2014-2015.

Kirayan National High School from Iloilo Province bagged the first prize, trailed by Agusan National High School in Butuan City for the second prize, and Salay National High School in Misamis Oriental claimed the third prize.

Runners-up were Oriental Mindoro National High School (Region IV-B) and Tabuk National High School (Cordillera Administrative Region), respectively.

The schools were recognized for being actively involved in promoting and maintaining a fully drug-free environment in the school, home, workplace, and community.

The “Barkadahan” concept involved a collective action among students, faculty, and school administrators in initiating active responses, increasing community awareness and participation in anti-drug abuse.

The Office of the President (OP) through the DDB institutionalized the “Barkada Kontra Droga” Program in compliance with the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

It started off as a series of launching seminars as a preventive education and information program which eventually evolved into a search for the best BKD chapter open to all secondary schools nationwide.

The monetary prizes for the winners will be shouldered by OP-DDB and will be in the form of checks to be deposited under the name of the schools.

Plaques of recognition will also be awarded to the winners.(PNA)

Dinagyang Festival’s “Tambor, Trumpa, Martsa, Musika” showcases healthy competition among public schools in Iloilo

ILOILO CITY, Jan. 8 (PNA) â€" Public schools serve as forerunners in this year’s “Tambor, Trumpa, Martsa, Musika” competition of the 2016 Iloilo Dinagyang Festival, according to acting city schools division superintendent Clarissa Zamora.

“We have no participation from private schools although our guidelines say that this competition is open to public and private schools in the city, she explained.

The competition will kick off the three-day highlights of the festival on January 22, Zamora said.

Twelve elementary schools from the city and province of Iloilo will vie for the championship crown for the drum and lyre competition while three secondary schools will compete in the drum and bugle category.

“This activity is held to develop the personality of our children by way of showcasing their skills on drum, lyre and bugle,” she added.

Moreover, the facilitator hoped that the competition will promote camaraderie and improve participants’ interpersonal relationship.

“This also promotes tourism because this showcases culture, way of life and even talented skills of our people in Iloilo,” she added.

Winning schools will bring home cash prizes from the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc (IDFI). (PNA)
FPV/PGLENA/CBF

Poe sees TV frequency to boost effort to provide internet to remote islands

MANILA, Jan. 7 (PNA) â€" Senator Grace Poe has urged the Department of Science Technology (DOST) to deploy its successful TV frequency-based technology to provide Internet access to more public schools and rural health facilities in far-flung islands, particularly in the Visayas.

The technology, called TV White Space (TVWS), taps unutilized television broadcast frequencies in the VHF and UHF bands to bring high-speed Internet to remote areas.

In the Philippines, it was piloted in Bohol, where it has connected 26 public schools and community centers in the municipalities of Tubigon, Talibon, Ubay, Bien Unido, Trinidad and Carlos P. Garcia.

TV White Space has benefited more than 250,000 people, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), one of the private partners of the DOST for the project. Other parties in the public-private partnership are Microsoft and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

“Those who live on our islands and coastal communities should have the same access to the Internet and other services as those in urban areas. This is what inclusive growth is about,” Poe said as she and running mate Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero visited Tagbilaran, Bohol on Thursday.

“We must use the TV White Space technology to bring basic social services to the farthest parts of the Philippines. Studies have shown that school-aged children who have access to the Net have a higher chance of making it in school,” she said.

Citing the ICT Manifesto for the Philippines for 2016 and Beyond, Poe said having a device and Internet access help kids by improving their engagement with society, and increasing their chances of finishing high school.

The manifesto, prepared by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Microsoft and released on Nov. 25, said an investment of 1,000 dollars in a device or Internet access would translate into an increase of 49,000 dollars in an individual’s earning potential.

“In this age, reliable and free access to technology is a basic right that everyone, especially those from the marginalized sectors and rural communities, should enjoy. We have to bridge the technology divide if we want to bridge the economic gaps in the country,” Poe said.

Poe and Escudero, who lead the presidential and vice-presidential surveys, respectively, have been championing faster and more affordable Internet service for all Filipinos.

The DOST describes TV White Space as “an ideal wireless data delivery medium for the Philippines, with its long distance propagation characteristics and the ability of its signals to travel over water and through thick foliage.”

Poe said TV White Space would benefit fishing communities like Carles, a second-class municipality in Iloilo famous for the Gigantes Islands, where people rely on the power generator that provides electricity only from 6 pm to 6 am.

Aside from connecting schools and hospitals, TV White Space also provides a means of communication during disaster response, the senator said.

This has been proven in the aftermath of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol and Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, the United Nations Broadband Commission said. (PNA)

Poe urges gov’t to improve airports to boost tourist arrival

MANILA, Jan. 5 (PNA) -- As the Philippines targets 10 million foreign visitor arrivals this year, Sen. Grace Poe on Wednesday urged the government to prioritize the improvement of the country's international and domestic airports in order to give a favorable first glimpse of the Philippines.

Better airports, according to the senator, will help drum up the Department of Tourism's (DOT) new promotional campaign called "Visit the Philippines Again," which seeks to entice returning visitors through privileges and discounts.

"The first impressions of a country are made in airports, and if we want to truly impress tourists, basic infrastructures such as airports need to be prioritized," Poe said.

Poe said tourists decide how progressive and efficient a country is judging from what they see and experience at airports, which serve as gateways to a country.

"Before tourists marvel at the gorgeous Philippine beaches, they experience our miserable airports, which could leave a bad taste, especially for first-time travellers," she said.

Out of 144 countries, the Philippines ranked 108th in terms of air transport infrastructures according to the 2014 Global Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum.

The country's main international airport in Manila is frequently criticized for its poor facilities and lately, has been plagued with allegations of harboring scammers that prey on passengers. The 23 domestic airports identified and evaluated by worldairportcodes.com were all classified as substandard.

"There is no doubt that the country has the most pristine beaches, friendliest locals and an incredibly fascinating history. The Philippines is a traveler's dream. However, we still fail to attract as many visitors as our ASEAN neighbors. Our airports, notorious for their substandard facilities, need a major lift," said Poe.

The Philippines is lagging behind its neighbors in total international tourism receipts, according to the 2014 Annual Report of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Despite a new high of 4.8 million international tourist arrivals, the country still trailed Malaysia (27.4 million tourist arrivals), Singapore (11.8 million), Indonesia (9.4 million) and Vietnam (7.9 million).

Poe, who is running for president in May, vowed to complete the construction and development of seven old and new international and domestic airport projects already identified for Public-Private Partnership within the first three years of her term. Among these are airports in Bohol, Iloilo and Bacolod in Negros Occidental.

From January to October 2015, some 4.4 million foreign tourists visited the Philippines, with Koreans accounting for the biggest group.

Four million Filipinos are directly or indirectly employed in the tourism industry, according to Poe. (PNA)

TESDA hails outstanding tech-voc trainers in Tagsanay Award 2015

MANILA, Jan. 7 (PNA) -- A Senior TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development) specialist based in Cagayan province who has devoted his talent in the service for the last 24 years was adjudged the overall winner in the revival of a prestigious award given to the country’s trainers who have displayed exemplary performance in educating through technical vocational education and training (TVET).

Rogelio Rambuyan of TESDA Regional Training Center â€" Tuguegarao topped the list of awardees in the Tagsanay Award 2015 spearheaded by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Junjon Santuyo, Senior TESD Specialist of TESDA Regional Training Center - Mariveles, Bataan was first runner-up; Michael Patan-ao, Administrator of the Bridges Multi Skills Training Center in Leyte was second runner-up; and Nestor Pascual, Associate Professor III of the Marcos Agro Industrial School in Ilocos Norte was third runner-up.

“We hail the vigor and hard work poured in by our trainers all over the country. We give special recognition and incentives to a number of them for exceeding the set requirements for TVET trainers and demonstrating competencies beyond expectations”, TESDA Director General Irene Isaac said.

The award was an offshoot of the commemoration of the World Teachers’ Day last October 2015. TESDA, as a UNEVOC (International Centre for Technical Vocational Education and Training) Center in the Philippines, joined UNESCO and the rest of the world in commemoration of the World Teachers’ Day and enjoined public and private technical vocational institutions to celebrate the event.

The Tagsanay Award has its beginnings in 2008, as TESDA envisioned to give recognition to the importance and contributions of the personnel of technical vocational institutions nationwide.

Secretary Isaac said that the criteria for this year’s Tagsanay Award were based on the Metrobank Foundation Inc.’s Best Teachers Award, in preparation for the possible revival of the TVET Trainers Category in the foundation’s annual recognition.

The awardees are the following:

Outstanding TVET Trainer -- Rogelio Rambuyan, Senior TESD Specialist, TESDA Regional Training Center, Tuguegarao

1st Runner-up -- Junjon Santuyo, Senior TESD Specialist, TESDA Regional Training Center, Mariveles, Bataan

2nd Runner-up -- Michael Patan-ao, Administrator, Bridges Multi Skills Training Center, Leyte

3rd Runner-up -- Nestor Pascual, Associate Professor III, Marcos Agro-Industrial School, Ilocos Norte.

Minor Awards

Best Portfolio Assessment -- Rogelio Rambuyan, Senior TESD Specialist, TESDA Regional Training Center, Cagayan

Best in Written Examinations -- Jovencio Panida, Senior TESD Specialist, TESDA Regional Training Center, La Union

Best in Team Activities -- Ma. Elma Gatiera, Instructor, New Lucena Polytechnic College, Iloilo City

Best in Interview -- Rogelio Rambuyan, Senior TESD Specialist, TESDA Regional Training Center, Cagayan

Finalists of Tagsanay Award 2015

1. Edwin Madarang, Associate Professor III, Isabela School of Arts and Trades, Isabela

2. Michael Manalo, Professor II, Simeon Suan Vocational Technical College, Oriental Mindoro

3. Jovencio Panida, Senior TESD Specialist, TESDA Regional Training Center, La Union

4. Nestor Pascual, Associate Professor III, Marcos Agro-Industrial School, Ilocos Norte

5. Michael Patan-ao, Administrator, Bridges Multi Skills Training Center, Leyte

6. Alma Piquero, Associate Professor, University of Bohol

7. Junjon Santuyo, Senior TESD Specialist, TESDA Regional Training Center, Mariveles, Bataan

8. Rogelio Rambuyan, Senior TESD Specialist, TESDA Regional Training Center, Tuguegarao, Cagayan (PNA)

Cayetano: Duterte presidency a ‘disaster’ for criminals, drug lords and corrupt officials
 
“Yes a Duterte presidency will be a disaster. It will be a disaster for drug lords, criminals and corrupt public officials."

This is what Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano had to say in response to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV who said that it will be a disaster for the country if Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte will be elected president in the upcoming polls.

“The only people who are afraid of a Duterte leadership are those who benefit from corruption and unabated criminality. Mayor Duterte already made it clear. If you don’t want a peaceful country and a corrupt-free government, then don’t vote for him. If you want crimes and illegal drugs to thrive in our communities, then don’t support him,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano belied Trillanes’ claims that Duterte does not have a comprehensive platform that he would implement if he wins the presidency.

"Maybe Sen. Trillanes is not paying enough attention. Of all the presidential candidates, only Mayor Duterte has bold solutions to address crime, corruption and illegal drugs. He also has a comprehensive framework on how to spread development to the regions and alleviate the plight of the working people. This is what the Filipino people find inspiring in Mayor Duterte," Cayetano said.

Today, Mayor Duterte and I will officially unveil our platform and start touring the country to present our platform to the broader public. Everyone is very much welcome to attend and listen," Cayetano added.

It was reported that part of the Duterte-Cayetano tandem's platform include, among others, reducing by half the country's crime rate and number of big-time drug lords operating in the country by mobilizing the military to help the police force. They also pushed for workers to have a living wage and the implementation of federalism to promote regional development.

Duterte-Cayetano launch platform and nationwide listening tour

Presidential contender Davao City Mayor Rodrigo "Rody" Duterte and his running mate Senate Majority leader Alan Peter Cayetano officially unveiled their platform of government to the public at the formal launch of their nationwide listening tour in Cebu City today.

Speaking in front of 5,000 attendees belonging to different sectors in the province, Duterte and Cayetano promised to wage a war against crime and corruption, especially on illegal drugs, realize an inclusive economy through regional development and equality under law.

24/7 war against crime, corruption and drugs

Duterte boldly declared that they will wage a 24/7 war against crime, corruption and illegal drugs and reduce the crime rate to half.

“Utilizing the military and the police, and exercising the extraordinary powers of the president, we will half the country’s national crime rate and the number of big-time drug lords operating in the country," Duterte said.

Duterte said they will also increase the salaries of police personnel to P75,000-P 100,000 and reimpose the death penalty for drug trafficking and other heinous crimes.

“I will not allow criminals and the corrupt to further abuse and oppress our people. The Filipino people deserve more than candidates who promise only continuity, and not swift solutions, who promise more of the same, when the same is clearly not enough,” the tough-talking mayor said.

Federalism and regional development

For his part, Cayetano said his partnership with Duterte will ensure that all regions in the country, not just the national capital region (NCR), will benefit from economic development.

"Through federalism, Mayor Duterte and I will allocate at least P800 billion worth of guaranteed funds for 10 years to harness the potentials of various sectors in the region, including education, health, agriculture, livelihood, housing, tourism, infrastructure, and transportation." Cayetano explained.

Department of Tourism in Cebu, more tourism estates

The duo said they want to transfer the Department of Tourism to Cebu and create more tourism estates such as Mactan. “We will create better opportunities by creating more tourism estates in the province. We want to have more Mactans in the province, which is known for its successful industrial ventures and high-class tourism industry,” Cayetano said.

Heart and lung centers in the Visayas

The tandem also want to construct specialty hospitals in Visayas and Mindanao, similar to the Heart Center, Lung Center, Kidney Center, Orthopedic Center, Children’s Hospital, and Cancer Research and Treatment Center, which are all based in Metro Manila.

"If Manila has a lung or heart center, I don't see why Cebu can't have the same specialty hospitals. There should be no second-class citizens with regard to health care," Cayetano said.

The duo's platform also pledged to phase out contractualization, double the salaries of public school teachers and provide a living wage to workers. It also proposed to expand scholarship grants to the youth through the Iskolar ng Bayan program.

“Haharapin natin ang hamon ng pagbabago, at sisiguruhin na ang bawat mamamayan ay makikinabang sa gobyernong may matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon,” Cayetano ended.

The nationwide tour dubbed as "Hamon ng Pagbabago" will cover major cities, provinces, and different sectors in the country. It will be in form of town hall meetings where Duterte and Cayetano can personally listen to the people’s concerns and present their solutions to their problems.

For three years, Congress has failed the families of Newtown and victims of gun violence across the country.

While Congress, bitterly divided over partisan politics, has been stalled on this issue, the rest of America has continued to grieve. Countless families have felt the pain and heartache of losing a loved one to gun violence -- the same horrifying sting felt by those 26 families in Newtown on December 14, 2012.

I represent those families in Congress. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't witness their pain, or share their utter bewilderment in our failure to do something about it.

But we also remember the strength and resiliency of the Newtown community. We remember the teachers who protected those kids, who died shielding them with their bodies. We remember the first responders who rushed in to help. And we remember the millions of acts of kindness and gifts and phone calls that came in from the rest of the world.

This is the spirit behind President Obama's executive actions to reduce gun violence. He is doing what he can to prevent future gun violence because he knows that, as Americans, we cannot just close our eyes and blindly accept this as the status quo -- especially when it threatens the safety of our children.

Learn more about President Obama's commonsense proposals to keep guns out of the wrong hands.

Some of my colleagues in Congress have already raised their objections over these steps. Here's my message to them: Stop listening to the gun lobby. If they listened to gun owners instead, the vast majority of whom support sensible steps to keep guns out of the wrong hands, this debate would be over already.

We would have already acted. We would have passed universal background check legislation. We would have made straw purchasing and gun trafficking federal crimes to give law enforcement the tools to combat the flood of illegal weapons across state lines. We would have passed a ban on high-capacity magazines. We would have made it impossible for those on the FBI's terror watch list to purchase a deadly firearm. Instead, we've done nothing.

We should be listening to victims and families across the country who have been calling on us to act and do what we can to make the world safer for their children.

I'm proud to stand with President Obama on the actions he's taking to prevent gun violence. If you want to learn more, make sure to tune in to CNN tonight at 8:00pm ET, where President Obama will discuss the issue and take questions at a live town hall event.

But the President can only do so much -- it's up to Congress to do more. We must stand up to the gun lobby and do we what we can to prevent what happened in Newtown from ever happening again.

What greater responsibility do we have?

Thank you,

Chris Murphy
U.S. Senator
Cheshire, Connecticut

Cayetano blasts Poe-Escudero for "Manila-first policy", rest of the country second priority
                                     
“Failure is guaranteed for those who do not even want to try.”

This is what Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said as he contradicted fellow vice presidential aspirant Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero's recent statement that a federalism approach to government would not work well in the Philippine setup.

Reacting to Escudero's criticism over Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte's call for a Federal form of government, Cayetano dubbed the latter's account as a "classic Manila-centric" attitude and remained firm that inclusive growth can only be achieved if power and resources are equally distributed among all the regions.

“It is clear that there are some people who just want to get votes and win but lack the passion and the vision to change the country. They offer the same solutions that have failed miserably in the past and will not go to great extents to create real changes that people want and need,” Cayetano lamented.

"This ‘Manila first, other regions later policy' of Senator Escudero and his running mate, Senator Grace Poe, is actually the main cause for underdevelopment and the lack of jobs for our people in other parts of the country. It's apparent that their tandem only wants to limit economic growth and improvement in the National Capital Region," he added.

Cayetano further said Escudero’s position on the matter is “understandable” because as the former chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Escudero would naturally defend the national budget, which allocates one-third of the country’s funds to Metro Manila while other regions only get two to four percent each.

The senator also took a jab at Escudero for questioning his motive in backing Duterte’s call, stressing that he has been supporting the same agenda even before his tandem with the Davao mayor was formalized.

“For the past two years, I have been pushing for the decongestion of Metro Manila by decentralizing government and promoting countryside development. This has been my call since the very beginning,” Cayetano pointed out.

“It happens to be very much aligned with Mayor Duterte’s Federalism approach. We share the same vision, that’s why I chose to support him. Dahil pareho kaming naniniwala na ang kailangan ng bansa ay isang gobyernong magbibigay ng matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon,” he added.

Cayetano has long been urging government to fund more programs that will promote development among other regions in the country. He earlier stressed that bolder solutions and swifter action are needed to attain inclusive growth, as many Filipinos living outside the metropolis still feel left behind.

"The very essence of Federalism is to ensure that growth and prosperity are spread to every part of the Philippines, not just in Manila. It's a pity that Senators Poe and Escudero are against this. Kawawa naman ang ibang parte ng bansa kung sila ang mamumuno," Cayetano concluded.

kumbate pa diay gihapon ka, boss Balong, sa imong stock market venture?

Love and Injury

unsa kahay ikaestorya si Hubag Bohol ani?

Global outlook: What to expect in 2016?

BEIJING -- Bidding farewell to an eventful 2015, the world is embracing a new year on Friday. The following is a list of major political and economic events that are expected to shape the global landscape in 2016.

CHINA'S ECONOMIC GROWTH

Though facing downward pressure, China's economy is expected to maintain a steady growth as the government has already made adjustments to promote sustainable development, mainly by implementing substantial social and economic reforms.

The eye-catching "13th Five-Year Plan" will be ratified and formally released by the annual sessions of China's top legislature and advisory body in March 2016 (the "lianghui" or "two sessions").

In order to promote sustainable growth in the "13th Five-Year Plan", Beijing has launched policy initiatives to deepen reform, propose innovations, enhance coordination, and go green along with opening and sharing its concepts.

The five development philosophy would alter the quality of China's economic development, which is of great significance especially at a time when the already fragile global economy is about to feel the impact of the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to raise interests rates.

US ELECTION

According to US Constitution, US President Barack Obama shall leave his post after his successor is elected in November 2016.

At the moment, things are heating up in the presidential race, with bombastic billionaire Donald Trump consolidating his status as the Republican front-runner and Hillary Clinton leading the way for the Democrats.

Even though it is too early to predict the winner of the presidential race, it is not too early to reflect on the impact that the election will have on Washington's relations with major countries, as the choice of the next US president could go a long way in determining the future of US-Russia as well as US-China relations.

RUSSIA WALKS A FINE LINE WITH WEST

Russia entered 2015 burdened by a confrontation with Ukraine, which seems to continue to plague Moscow's relations with the West.

The unprecedented Russian military operation in Syria launched in September has further complicated Moscow's relations with the United States and several regional players, especially Turkey.

But following Russia's air campaign against the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, which many believed has eclipsed the US-led one, the West has somewhat eased their pressure on the Kremlin over the Ukraine crisis.

In 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin will face a very serious problem of keeping the military confrontation in the region with the West from spiraling even further, while also preventing Russia from becoming deeply entangled in the Syrian conflict as a whole.

GLOBAL ANTI-TERRORISM EFFORTS TO BE STEPPED UP

Overshadowed by terrorist threats as never before, countries around the globe are expected to scale up cooperation to combat terrorism in 2016.

In 2015, various terror groups and their loyalists made headlines everywhere.

The number of victims in November's Paris attacks is the biggest of terror activity in the modern history of France, and the second-largest in Europe after the Madrid attacks. Its perpetrator, the IS, said in a statement that it was just the beginning.

Shortly after the Paris carnage took 130 lives, 14 people were killed in a shooting rampage in San Bernardino, California by a couple, who later proved to have long been radicalized by online propaganda of the IS.

The world's governments and parliaments scrambled to make decisions despite being overcome by shock and anger, and many feared further blood-shed of their people as experts pointed to "qualitative changes" in the terrorists' strategy.

ASIA-PACIFIC SITUATION

The general situation in the Asia-Pacific region has been stable through the year of 2015 as favorable economic and political factors keep emerging. The region in the year of 2016 is expected to brace for growing economic opportunities, China's bigger role and the uncertain security environment.

Despite many positive developments, factors destabilizing regional security still exist. The United States, which is continuing its strategic "pivot to Asia," is rebalancing toward the region through uniting its regional allies militarily and pushing the Trans-Pacific Partnership economically.

On the South China Sea issue, the United States, a non-claimant, is interfering in the region by sowing dissension and saber-rattling maneuvers. Individual claimant countries have refused a sincere proposal from China to resolve the disputes through bilateral talks.

SYRIAN CRISIS

The year 2016 is expected to be decisive in the Syrian crisis.

On Dec. 18, 2015, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to urge the launch of peace talks in early January, stressing that "the Syrian people will decide the future of Syria."

The latest UN document, which is legally binding, paves the way for maintaining the political momentum in the peace process, and it could be the first serious move that may end the nearly five-year-old crisis, which has claimed more than 250,000 lives.

EUROPEAN REFUGEE CRISIS

In 2016, Europe is expected to step up efforts to better tackle the refugee crisis, which has tested the continent throughout 2015.

Last year, Europe witnessed the worst refugee crisis since World War II, as floods of migrants have been risking their lives to reach the continent to flee their war-torn countries, mainly Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya.

The influx of refugees has posed challenges to their final destination and brought a heavy burden on transit countries such as Turkey and Lebanon. But more importantly, it has deepened old divergences and tensions among members of the European Union (EU), undermining support in Britain for Europe ahead of a referendum on its EU membership.

UKRAINE CRISIS

The deep political and economic crisis that has gripped Ukraine for two years is now easing, but the country still has a long way to go before an overall political stability is regained.

Although the year of 2015 has been hard for Ukraine, the international diplomatic efforts to settle the situation did yield some positive results.

In mid-February, leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France reached a landmark ceasefire deal, providing a roadmap for a solution to the conflict.

Though the deal has not been fully implemented and the road is neither quick nor easy, currently a much-anticipated peace is coming to the restive eastern region as guns fall almost silent along the entire frontline and the displaced people are returning.

LATAM TO SEE MORE ECONOMIC, POLITICAL VOLATILITY

Economic ups and downs and political struggles between the left and right are expected to take the center stage in Latin America this year.

In 2016, an economic recession will still hover over the region, with some countries sinking even deeper, given a weak recovery of the global economy, the micro-economic situation of falling commodity prices, and the impact of the US Federal Reserve's decision to raise interests rates.

Political restructuring in the region is expected to continue, but in an unstable way, with left-right confrontation getting even fiercer.

CHINA TO HOST 2016 G20 SUMMIT

On Dec. 1, 2015, China started preparations to host this year's G20 Summit, the theme of which will be "Building an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economy."

At a time when global economic growth rates have weakened and financial markets volatility has risen, the world economy is calling for new momentum and the 2016 G20 Summit will be highly-anticipated. (PNA/Xinhua)

Duterte-Cayetano to declare war on drugs: Dreams of a drug-free Philippines

Sharing the dreams of parents and Filipino families of a "drug-free Philippines", the tandem of presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Rodrigo "Rody" Duterte and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano is eyeing on taking down half of the 3-5 thousand drug lords in the country through an "all-out war against drugs."

Speaking in his Sunday television program, Gikan sa masa, para sa masa, Duterte said the drug problem in the country has worsened to such a degree that it has become a threat to national security.

"In some places in the country, the drug menace has become so bad that drug users have resorted to paying for drugs not with cash but with goats and livestock," Duterte said.

The tough-talking mayor said he will not hesitate to use the military and the police and exercise the extraordinary powers of the president to stop the country's drug problem. "In three to six months, everything has to stop. Corruption, drug, criminality. You are oppressing the Filipinos, and I hate it,” Duterte said, referring to criminals.

For his part, Cayetano said they have a comprehensive plan and stategy as well as the political will to win the war against drugs. Part of the strategy is the dual task of disciplining and improving the salaries and benefits of the police/Law enforcers.

"Under a Duterte-Cayetano government, minimum take home pay for law enforcers will be at P 50-60 thousand plus allowances. We will also impose harsh punishment for 'banta salakay' law enforcers. We will leave no excuses for corruption nor sleeping on the job," Cayetano said.

Cayetano said they received reports that big drug syndicates based in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao have linked up to put up a united front against their electoral campaign.

"We will not be cowed. We will hit them where it hurts the most. We will strike at the belly of the beast. We will bring the war to their doorsteps," Cayetano quoting Duterte.

"For the sake of our families' safety and the future of our children, Mayor Duterte and I will end this social menace. Hindi na pwede ang pateka teka. Sawa na tayo sa pamedya medya. Panahon na para sa matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon laban sa salot na droga sa ating bansa. To our growing supporters, stay calm. Change is coming," Cayetano ended.

Before Duterte entered the political picture, the issue of illegal drugs was not in the front and center of the electoral agenda. With Duterte running as President many look forward to him to end the country's growing drug problem.

No more sad Christmas for public school teachers under Duterte-Cayetano

"The country's public school teachers will have a merrier Christmas under a Duterte-Cayetano government."

This was the pledge made today by presidential contender Davao City Mayor Rodrigo "Rody" Duterte and his running mate Senate Majority leader Alan Peter Cayetano.

The tandem said if elected in 2016, they will grant an additional P 10,000 compensation for public school teachers over and above the Salary Standardization Law (SSL).

"Tatapusin natin ang malulungkot na pasko ng ating mga guro. Hindi dapat sila tinitipid at kinakaligtaan. Makakaasa ang ating mga guro ng matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon para itaas ang kanilang mga sahod at iba pang benepisyo," Cayetano said.

The senator lambasted the government's proposed salary increase for public school teachers calling it "inconsiderate" and "negligible."

Cayetano said the government's proposed entry-level position of teachers is to grant an additional amount of P2, 205.00 from the present P18, 549.00 or a meager increase of less than 12%, spread over a period of four years, making the annual increase of a little more than P500.00, the lowest in recent history.

"Instead of repairing the government's erroneous compensation scheme for teachers, which past and present salary laws classified teachers as among the lowest paid government professionals, its proposed salary increase only reinforced this flawed system," Cayetano said.

"This what Mayor Duterte and I want to end. We will restore the dignity of the teaching profession. No more cheapskate wage increases which do not address burdensome taxes, cost of living and living conditions in general," Cayetano added.
                                                                                                                       
Cayetano said their proposal is part of his Senate Bill 94, that grants public school teachers, locally-funded teachers, non-teaching personnel, and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd) additional compensation.

Palace hands-off on SC resolution on Comelec's "No Bio, No Boto" policy
By Joann Santiago

MANILA, Dec. 16 (PNA) -- Malacanang is leaving it up to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on what steps to make following the Supreme Court's (SC) issuance of a Resolution dismissing the petition against the "No Bio, No Boto" (No biometrics, No vote) policy.

"We leave it to the COMELEC's best judgment, as an independent constitutional body, on how to proceed in the light of the Supreme Court ruling, in terms of ensuring that preparations for the holding of the May 2016 elections are in place in accordance with its timetable," Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Wednesday.

The High Court, earlier in the day, issued a Resolution dismissing the petition filed by several individuals including Kabataan Partylist Representative Terry Ridon aimed to stop Comelec from implementing its program to require voters to have biometrics to be able to vote in the May 2016 national polls.

The petitioners claimed that the biometrics requirements disenfranchised some 2.4 million voters.

However, the Electoral body maintained that the biometrics requirements is in accordance to Republic Act 10367, otherwise known as "An Act Providing for Mandatory Biometrics Voter Registration", which President Benigno Aquino III signed in February 2013.

It said the law is aimed at cleansing voters' list.

It added that voters with incomplete or corrupted biometrics data may still vote in next year's national polls. (PNA)

NM Mejia tops Gov. Amado Espino Chess Cup

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Dec. 20 (PNA) -- Eighteen-year-old Giovanni Mejia, a student in B.S. Mathematics at De La Salle University (DLSU)-Manila halved a point in his last and final game with fellow National Master Jerad Docena of Bohol to win in the open chess tournament in the 7th Gov. Amado Espino Jr. Cup held from December 19 to 21 at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center here scoring 6.5 points.

Mejia, a native of Labrador, Pangasinan and a mainstay of the Gov. Amado Espino Jr. Cup since he was at age 11, used a Sicilian Defense variation against Docena's Rossollimo opening to win the tournament and the grand prize of P25,000.

"I'd been here as a kiddie chess player since the first Gov. Amado Espino Jr. Cup," reminisced Mejia who received the grand prize from Board Member Amado Espino III, representing his governor father, and Modesto Operania, sports consultant of the provincial government.

Espino, in his message, called on all chess players to study and restudy their moves in whatever pursuits they will later embark on to avoid being checkmated.

Mejia also received the category prize of P1,000 for being the top local player who saw action in the three-day tournament held as part of the yearly Pangasinan Chess Festival.

Gil Virgen Ruaya of Lyceum University of the Philippines-Manila is in second place with six points and pocketed the first runner-up prize of P20,000

Also with six points is FIDE Master Nelson Mariano III of Mandaluyong City, bagging P15,000 with International Master Roderick Nava of Carmona, Cavite in fourth place with P10,000.

After he drew with Mejia, Docena landed in fifth place with 5.5 point, the same score earned by sixth placer International Master Barlo Nadera of Malabon who went home with P8,000 and P5,000, respectively.

Jerome Junio of San Carlos City is seventh in the ladder and grabbed P5,000, the same cash prize earned by National Master Dennis Gutierrez of San Fabian, Bryle Gever Vinluan, also of San Fabian; and Jhoemar Mendiogarin of LPU.

Three thousand pesos was each received by National Master Michael Gotel of Manilaa, Dale Bernarso Pampanga, Paul Artino Fortin of LPU, National Master Emmanuel Emperado, and Romulo Curioso of LPU.

The kiddie division was won by Israelito Rilloraza of San Fabian who scored seven points and earned the top prize of P5,000, followed by Darryl Jan Batula of Baguio City who pocketted the runner up prize of P3,000 with Gal Brien Palasigue of Makati, P2,000 and Eric Labog of Nueva Vizcaya, P2,000.

Top scorer in the five-year-old and below and also the youngest player is Mer Archeon Bautista, five-year-old, who received P500 for each category while Winifred Boquirin of Malasiqui was the oldest player and received P1,000.

A total of 124 players from various parts of the country saw action in the three-day tournament. (PNA)

No more merry Christmas for criminals and the corrupt under Duterte - Cayetano

"Huling Christmas na ito ng mga kurakot at kriminal. Sa susunod na taon, magpapasko silang lahat sa bilangguan. Hindi namin hahayaan na maghari ang katiwalian at kriminalidad sa ating bansa."

This was the statement issued today by presidential aspirant and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo 'Rody' Duterte and his running mate Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.

Cayetano said that if they get elected in higher office come 2016, he and his presidential running mate, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, would immediately work towards stamping out criminality, illegal drug trafficking, and corruption during their first year in service.

In a 30-second video which is the mayor’s Christmas message, Duterte warned criminals, corrupt officials, and drug addicts to stop making the lives of Filipinos “miserable.”

"Kayong mga nagpapahirap sa mga Pilipino, kung ayaw ninyong huminto at patuloy pa rin ang karahasan, ito na ang huli ninyong Merry Christmas," the mayor said.

“Kaya ang payo ko sa mga kriminal, dorogista, at mga korap, isali niyo na sa New Year’s resolution niyo ang pagbabagong buhay. Dahil sa oras na magkaroon tayo ng isang Duterte na pangulo, ito na ang huling Paskong ipagdiriwang niyong masaya," as Cayetano echoed Duterte's latest message to criminals and corrupt officials.

First order of business: ubusin ang mga kriminal, gawing ligtas ang komunidad

As part of their platform for 2016, Cayetano said he and Duterte want to bring down the national crime rate by half within one year of assuming their posts. They plan to do this through the implementation of an intensified and aggressive national anti-crime campaign, starting with the country’s identified crime hot spots.

For one, Cayetano said they plan to create a national hotline number, which Filipinos could contact in cases of emergencies. This is similar to the 911 emergency hotline that is currently being implemented in Davao City.

Duterte and Cayetano also plan to conduct an all-out campaign against the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country.

Cayetano has attested that among the candidates for president, only Duterte has the ability to do for the entire country what he was able to do for Davaoeños in terms of protecting them against criminals and illegal drug syndicates, and weeding out graft and corruption in government.

“Sawa na ang mga Pilipino sa kabi-kabilang krimen at korapsyon sa gobyerno. Dapat pagdating sa mga problemang ito, walang forever. Real change is needed, and it is needed now. This is the foundation of the Duterte-Cayetano tandem,” Cayetano concluded.

Ombudsman: Top Cebu officials dismissed for CICC anomalies

       Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the perpetual disqualification and dismissal from the service of Cebu Provincial Administrator and Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Chairman Eduardo Habin, BAC members, namely: Bernard Calderon, Marino Martinquilla, Cristina Giango, Adolfo Quiroga, Necias Vicoy, Jr., Roy Salubre, Emme Gingoyon and Eulogio Pelayre for Grave Misconduct and Gross Neglect of Duty in connection with the anomalous procurement of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) project in 2006. 

            In case of separation from the service, the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to respondent’s one year salary.

            Ombudsman Morales directed Office of the Governor in Cebu City to immediately implement the decision.

        In a complaint filed by the Public Assistance and Corruption Prevention Office (PACPO) in Visayas, it was alleged that in 2005, then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo designated Cebu as the venue for the 12th ASEAN Summit scheduled in December 2006.   In February 2006, the local government decided to construct the CICC facility with WT Construction, Inc. (WTCI) as contractor.

         Based on the audit of the Commission on Audit (COA), it was established that respondents allowed WTCI to proceed with the site development, structural, architectural, plumbing and electrical work without the benefit of public bidding, no written contracts and without approved appropriations.  The procurement for phase II amounting to P59.6million, structural steel works of P307million and other works were awarded via negotiated procurement or limited source bidding (LSB).  Under the Government Procurement Reform Act (Republic Act No. 9184), LSB is used for the procurement of “highly specialized goods” such as “sophisticated defense equipment or complex air navigation systems.”

           The Office of the Ombudsman held that Habin, et.al. are liable for the procurement of items which are not of the type or use that would have justified the recourse to the alternative mode of procurement.  Investigators also found that the BAC recommendation of resorting to LSB for the supply of air conditioning units worth P26.5million was made two months after respondents issued a notice of award.   

      According to Ombudsman Morales, respondents “flagrantly transgressed and disregarded well-established rules on bidding and definite rules of action” under Republic Act No. 9184.

          Aside from perpetual disqualification from public service, Habin, et.al. were meted out the accessory penalties of forfeiture of retirement benefits, cancellation of eligibility and bar from taking the civil service examination.

braggadocio

brag·ga·do·ci·o [bràggÉ™ dá¹"ssee ï ', bràggÉ™ dá¹"shee ï ', bràggÉ™ dá¹"shō]
(plural brag·ga·do·ci·os)
noun
1.  overblown, empty boasting: empty boasting and swaggering self-aggrandizement
2.  braggart: somebody who boasts in a swaggering self-aggrandizing way

[Late 16th century. Alteration of Braggadocchio, personification of boastfulness in Spenser's Faerie Queene]

Microsoft® Encarta® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

2 PhilExim officials, 5 others sued for P4.2B loss on loan guarantees
29 December 2014

Two officials of the Philippine Export and Foreign Loan Guarantee Corporation (PhilExim, formerly known as Trade Investment Development Corporation or TIDCORP) and five officers/shareholders of the privately-owned World Grannary, Inc. (WGI) are facing criminal indictments for the loss suffered by the government amounting to P4,228,391,731.60  in connection with the issuance of a loan guarantee facility in 2003 and 2004.

In a 42-page Resolution, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the filing of a criminal information against former TIDCORP Executive Vice-President Rolando Alonzo, Account Officer Teresita Co, WGI representatives Alison Sy, Guillermo Sy, Derick Chester Sy, Renato Ang and Nena Ang for violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019).

Documents disclosed that in December 2003, TIDCORP approved the request of WGI for a guarantee facility amounting to P1.80 billion payable in ten years subject to several loan conditions.  In the implementation of the loan agreement, ABN-AMRO extended a bridge loan to WGI, with TIDCORP as guarantor.  Three years later, WGI failed to pay its first interest payment on the loan and as a result of its continued default, TIDCORP as guarantor, was constrained to pay the liabilities to the lender-banks.   As of 29 February 2012, TIDCORP paid the banks the total amount of P1.87 billion.  TIDCORP management then decided to conduct a transaction audit which resulted to the discovery of substantial irregularities in the transaction.

These audit findings were then referred to the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel which recommended the filing of criminal cases against Alonzo, Co and WGI representatives.

The Resolution found that Co and Alonzo were directly responsible for the implementation of credit policies, credit evaluation, credit approval, documentation, credit administration billing and collection process with respect to the WGI account. 

Ombudsman Morales stated that “it was the duty of Co and Alonzo to thoroughly evaluate and study the account of WGI” and “based on evidence, Co and Alonzo were the ones who supplied the [TIDCORP] Board with erroneous, fraudulent and incomplete information, which were used as the basis for the Board’s approval.”

Meanwhile, WGI representatives were included in the charge sheet since “a close scrutiny of the circumstances of this case clearly indicates that both the private and public respondents were involved in a scheme violative of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.”

According to the Resolution, the government suffered undue injury in the total amount of P4,228,391,731.60 for unrealized/forgone revenue, interest, advances, service and other charges, penalty, and gross tax receipts.

Meanwhile, the charges for violation of Section 4(a) and (b) of R.A. No. 3019 against respondents were dismissed due to lack of sufficient basis.

Ex-Romblon mayor indicted for anomalous irrigation project
11 December 2015

       Former Looc, Romblon municipal mayor Juliet Ngo-Fiel has been charged with graft before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the blatant irregularities in the bidding of a small scale irrigation project.

       Also facing graft charges for violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) are members of the Bids and Awards Committee, namely: Solomon Gregorio, Renato Saludaga, Jessie Jomadiao, Wilma Pastor and Rolando Gregorio.

       In affirming the charges, the Office of the Ombudsman held that “the circumstances readily show that respondents conspired and connived with one another in awarding the project.”

       In 2007, the municipality of Looc received a P9million grant from the Department of Agriculture for the rehabilitation of its Small Water Impounding Project. In November 2007, Fiel awarded the contract to the lone bidder R.G. Florentino Construction and Trading (RG Florentino) with a contract price of P8.99 million.  Upon audit, the Commission on Audit discovered several irregularities in the bidding such as lack of certificate of availability of funds; publication for the invitation to bid was paid for by the contractor; non-posting of the invitation to bid in the PhilGEPS; and no valid bid security submitted.

       Respondents claimed good faith and explained that “the municipality was cash-strapped” when it allowed RG Florentino to pay for the publication cost of the invitation to bid.

       According to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, “by committing manifest irregularities during the bidding process, respondent BAC members paved the way for the grant of unwarranted benefits, advantage and preference to R.G. Florentino Construction and Trading.”

       Meanwhile, Ngo-Fiel, et. al. had earlier been dismissed from the service in August 2015 in the related administrative case.