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GMA News' SONA 2013 coverage most viewed nationwide — Nielsen

News

Jul 232013

GMA News and Public Affairs’ comprehensive live coverage of President Benigno Aquino III’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) topped overall television household ratings on July 22 based on overnight data, according to the industry’s leading ratings service provider, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement. Anchored by GMA News pillars Mel Tiangco and Mike Enriquez, GMA-7’s live coverage bested rival network ABS-CBN in National Urban TV Audience Measurement (NUTAM), Urban Luzon, and Mega Manila ratings. GMA-7’s “SONA 2013” scored an average household rating of 12.8 percent in NUTAM compared to ABS-CBN’s “Sa Gitna Ng Daang Matuwid” with only 12.1 percent. In Urban Luzon, GMA-7’s coverage emerged as the preferred choice with 15.0 percent, ahead of ABS-CBN’s, which only managed 10.3 percent. The Network also triumphed in its bailiwick Mega Manila with 16.1 percent, 5.8 points ahead of ABS-CBN’s 10.3 percent. Leading news channel GMA News TV (News TV)’s “SONA Ni PNoy” bannered by Peabody awardee and three-time Reader’s Digest Most Trusted News Presenter Jessica Soho likewise ruled over TV5’s “Pagbabago” in NUTAM, Urban Luzon, and Mega Manila. News TV recorded an average household rating of 3.2 percent in NUTAM, higher than TV5’s 3.1 percent. News TV’s “SONA Ni PNoy” also led TV5’s “Pagbabago 2013” in Urban Luzon, with 3.7 and 2.6 percent respectively. In Mega Manila, News TV delivered 4.1 percent, ahead of TV5’s 2.6 percent. GMA Network’s SONA coverage used new media platforms like YouScoop, Twitter, and Facebook to measure the public pulse, encouraging Filipinos from all walks of life Read More …

Miriam wants end to SONA fashion parade

News

Jul 232013

To end what she described as the “obsession to bling” of some politicians, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Tuesday said she will propose uniform attires during the annual State of the Nation Address (SONA) of the President. In a statement, Santiago said she will file a resolution prescribing an official uniform for members of Congress attending the SONA. “I watched TV and could not stand it. The SONA event should be a serious time for the Congress to pick up policy directions indicated by the President. It should not be treated as Oscar night in Hollywood, with a red carpet, where peacocks spread their tails and turn around and around, as coached by media in a feeding frenzy,” the senator said. Santiago said a simple pencil skirt and a short-sleeved barong blouse will be enough for this occasion. Santiago failed to attend the SONA for the past two years due to health reasons. In 2011, she wore a gold terno made by Filipino designer Inno Sotto to the event. The senator admitted that she “was once a clueless participant in those mindless events.” “The highlight of the SONA is the President. It is not the flashy women. Now the flaky men are even getting into the act. They also parade, sometimes with photogenic arm candy, into the session hall and preen like their female counterparts. Enough!” Santiago said. Santiago also reminded her fellow politicians that under the Civil Code, “thoughtless extravagance” may be stopped by courts “during a period of acute Read More …

Fresh syndicated estafa charges filed vs. Amalilio, 11 others

News

Jul 232013

Fresh syndicated estafa charges filed vs. Amalilio, 11 others

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has recommended fresh syndicated estafa charges against Aman Futures owner Manuel Amalilio and former Pagadian City mayor Samuel Co in connection with a large-scale investment scam that duped 15,000 investors last year. In a resolution, the DOJ special panel said the three elements of syndicated estafa according to Presidential Decree No. 1689 were all “present” in the case — a) estafa or other forms of swindling under Articles 315 and 316 of the Revised Penal Code is committed; b) estafa or swindling is committed by a syndicate; and c) defraudation results in the misappropriation of moneys contributed by stockholders, members of rural banks, etc. “Evidence shows that there is sufficient ground to engender a well founded belief that the crime of syndicated estafa has been committed and that respondents… are probably guilty thereof and should be held for trial,” the panel said in a 66-page resolution. Amalilio is currently serving a two-year jail sentence in Malaysia for possession of fake passports and IDs. Syndicated estafa is a non-bailable offense in the Philippines. Aside from Amalilio and Co, also ordered charged were Fernando Luna, Lelian Lim Gan, Eduard Lim, Wilanie Fuentes, Naezelle Rodriguez, Lurix Lopez, Mohammad Hassan Mackno, Dimasara Jova, Ian Madarang, and Priscilla Ann Fernandez Co. The latest DOJ resolution stemmed from two complaints—one filed by Co and another by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)—and three private complainants, including a certain Fabian Tapayan. Co’s complaint was dismissed after the panel found him an “active-participant Read More …

Imelda Marcos 'just fine' after slip

News

Jul 232013

Former first lady and Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos assured the public Tuesday that she was just fine, thank you. “Former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos would like to assure the public that she is in stable condition now after she met a small accident at the House of Representatives,” her chief-of-staff Filadelfo Diaz III said in a statement. The accident happened as the 84-year-old lawmaker was making her way out of the session hall Monday after the elections for the Speaker of the House, which Fourth District Quezon City Rep. Sonny Belmonte eventually won. According to Diaz, Marcos’ right foot slipped, causing her to lose her balance and hit her left knee on the floor. Despite Marcos being rushed to the hospital, Diaz said there was nothing to worry about. “Based on initial check-up conducted by the House of Representatives medical team, it is only a minor injury and there is no reason to worry. For her complete safety, she was advised to immediately undergo an X-ray scan and have her foot fully checked in the hospital,” he added. —KG, GMA News

Palace on 'missing' SONA items: PNoy can't include everything

News

Jul 232013

Palace on 'missing' SONA items: PNoy can't include everything

PNoy: Napakasarap maging Pilipino sa panahong ito. President Benigno Aquino III delivers his State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives on Monday, July 22. Joe Galvez Several issues were obviously left out of President Benigno Aquino III’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), but a Palace spokesperson on Tuesday said this was only natural. “Given the limited amount of time… Meron nga pong suggestion na baka daw po dapat mag-checklist na lang si Pangulo, tapos banggitin lahat ng sektor. Pero kung gagawin po natin ‘yon ay baka dalawang araw din po tayong nagso-SONA,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told reporters during a press briefing on Tuesday. She likewise said it was the “judgment” of the President which items can and can be mentioned. But she quickly noted that non-inclusion in the SONA does not mean that the issue is being ignored by the administration. “Hindi naman po ibig sabihin na hindi nabanggit ay wala po tayong ginagawa o kaya’y hindi po ‘yan importante din sa atin. Binanggit po ‘yon ng Pangulo, in reference to the supposed MRT scam and ‘yung PDAF scam. Malinaw naman po ‘yung sinabi ng Pangulo na iniisip ‘nung iba na wala tayong ginagawa kasi hindi natin nababanggit, pero hindi naman po totoo ‘yon,” she said. Among the issues which were not mentioned by Aquino in his speech is the country’s row with China, which Foreign Affairs Sec. Albert del Rosario said was a good call. —KG, GMA News

Palace defends decision to keep Biazon as Customs chief

News

Jul 232013

Palace defends decision to keep Biazon as Customs chief

(Updated 3:17 p.m.) Malacañang on Tuesday defended President Benigno Aquino III’s decision not to accept Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon’s resignation despite the President’s negative comments about the bureau on his State of the Nation Address (SONA). “As Commissioner Biazon had already shared on his Twitter account yesterday, the President’s response that the confidence remains, as both gentlemen know the challenges and as well as the limitations that are being faced by… Biazon in the Bureau of Customs, and that the confidence in the commissioner remains,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said at a press briefing. The Bureau of Customs (BOC) was one of the three government agencies scolded by Aquino during his fourth SONA for supposed mediocre work. The others were the Bureau of Immigration and the National Irrigation Administration. Right after the SONA, Biazon, on his Twitter account, said he offered his resignation to Aquino but that the President said his confidence in him “remains the same.” The heads of the other agencies that were publicly berated by the President had either resigned or had not been reappointed. Biazon, for his part, said he will stay with the BOC as long as Aquino’s confidence in his remains. “Kung nandiyan pa ang kumpyansa ng pangulo, mananatili tayo,” he said in an interview on GMA News TV’s “News To Go” on Tuesday. Sacrificial lamb But he also expressed ambivalence, noting that he is thinking if keeping the post “is all worth it.” “Pinag-iisipan ko rin if this is all worth it Read More …

VP Binay: HUDCC to lead study on new settlements

News

Jul 222013

The Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) will lead a study on establishing new settlements that would encourage economic opportunities outside Metro Manila, Vice President Jejomar Binay said. Binay, who chairs the HUDCC, said creating investor-friendly and safe settlements nationwide will help realize the administration’s goal of inclusive growth. “We shall identify future settlements using new technologies on climate change, such as geohazard maps and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), to protect our people and ensure that our communities would be out of danger from the effects of climate change,” Binay said on his Facebook page. “This study will entail a long and very comprehensive urban planning but I believe that it is doable,” he added. LiDar is the country’s first three-dimensional mapping technology that gives accurate topographical information. Binay also said the study aims to correct a misconception that the best economic opportunities are in Metro Manila. The misconception may have made Metro Manila reach its carrying capacity in a short time, he said. “We need to reverse this trend. Instead of people going to one location to seek for greener pastures, we should bring the opportunities to them through these new settlements,” he said. Binay noted the Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change chaired by Environment Secretary Ramon Paje had approved the study on the establishment of new and safer settlements. He said Paje asked the HUDCC to lead the proposed study group. Meanwhile, Binay said the proposed study will support the initiative of government officials to find Read More …

PAGASA: Cloudy, rainy Tuesday throughout the country

News

Jul 222013

PAGASA: Cloudy, rainy Tuesday throughout the country

The early morning rain that fell on parts of Metro Manila on Tuesday was due to the inter-tropical convergence zone and not to any weather disturbance near the Philippine area of responsibility, state weather forecasters said “Ang ITCZ ang umiiral. Ang habagat, sa ngayon, hindi siya nakakaapekto sa Pilipinas. Nasa West Philippine Sea ang habagat,” PAGASA forecaster Samuel Duran said in an interview on dzBB radio. PAGASA’s 5 a.m. bulletin said the ITCZ was presently across southern Luzon and Visayas. Metro Manila, Ilocos, Cordillera, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas and Caraga will experience “cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms.” The rest of the country will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms,” it added. Meanwhile, moderate to occasionally strong winds from the southwest will prevail over Palawan and its coastal waters will be moderate to occasionally rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the southwest to southeast with slight to moderate seas. — DVM, GMA News

7 CDO flights canceled due to bad weather – DOTC

News

Jul 222013

7 CDO flights canceled due to bad weather - DOTC

At least seven flights to and from Cagayan de Oro City were canceled late Monday due to bad weather, the Department of Transportation and Communications said. In posts on its Twitter account, the DOTC said the affected flights included those of Philippine Airlines Express, Cebu Pacific, and Zest Air. The canceled flights were: PAL Express:– 2P-525 (Manila to Cagayan de Oro)– 2P-526 (Cagayan de Oro to Manila) Cebu Pacific:– 5J-389, 5J-391 (Manila to Cagayan de Oro)– 5J-390, 5J-392 (Cagayan de Oro to Manila). Earlier, the DOTC said a Zest Air flight was also canceled. It identified the flight as Z2-349 from Cagayan de Oro to Manila. PAGASA had said rain would fall over Luzon, Visayas and parts of Mindanao in the next 24 hours due to the inter-tropical convergence zone. “Luzon, Visayas and the regions of Caraga and Northern Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms,” said the PAGASA forecast. The rest of Mindanao would be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.” — DVM, GMA News

Lack of mention of China during SONA ‘good judgment’ – DFA

News

Jul 222013

Lack of mention of China during SONA ‘good judgment’ - DFA

Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario on Monday said he was glad President Benigno Aquino III made no mention of the territorial disputes with China in his fourth State of the Nation Address. “I think it was good judgment on the President’s part not to mention it,” Del Rosario said on the sidelines of the SONA at the Batasan Complex. “It’s like when you’re in dispute and you’re already in court, you really don’t discuss the issue.” “I think the plans are clear, because the train has left the station. We filed for arbitration and we’re waiting for the process to continue,” he added. The Philippines sought arbitration under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) last January to have China’s nine-dash claim declared “illegal.” China’s territorial claims cover almost all the South China Sea, including sections that have been declared as the West Philippine Sea. Del Rosario also said he saw no need for the president to mention the issue of disputed territories, as the decision of the UN Arbitral Tribunal would be final. Also, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda echoed Del Rosario’s sentiments. “Ngayon gumagalaw sa UNCLOS na ngayon, so there’s really nothing to discuss na, nasabi na rin ng Pangulo at ng Department of Foreign Affairs [lahat ng dapat sabihin,]” he said. The International Tribunal convened last week in the Netherlands to look at the complaint lodged by the Philippines. The Philippines and China have been locked in a territorial dispute over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal Read More …

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