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DepEd sending 590 math teachers for enhancement training

 News
Jun 202013
 
DepEd sending 590 math teachers for enhancement training

Some 590 mathematics teachers will be going back to school to improve their ability to teach “interactive mathematics” to Grade I pupils, the Department of Education said Thursday. The DepEd said the three-day training seminar, under the Improving Technology-Enhanced Activities for Creative Honing of Mathematical Skills (iTEACH) program, will be conducted by experts from the University of the Philippines-National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development (UP-NISMED). “Our goal here is to strengthen the capacity of teachers in learning and applying the contents of the interactive Grade 1 Mathematics courseware,” said DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro. The four trainers from UP-NISMED will facilitate the sessions on teaching 10 lessons with 16 activities using the Grade 1 Mathematics courseware. Luistro said this “enhancement or enrichment” in teaching Grade 1 Math is part of the DepEd’s “continuing thrust to upgrade Math instruction in public schools.” The latest training seminar is an expansion of the DepEd’s earlier pilot run of iTEACH. The pilot run, which the DepEd characterized as successful, was conducted in 10  selected public elementary schools. iTEACH is a joint project of DepEd, the Department of Science and Technology’s Science Education Institute, Advanced Science and Technology Institute, Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and emerging Technology Research and Development and the UP-NISMED. — DVM, GMA News

Buhay party-list gets 3rd seat, Magdalo its 2nd

 News
Jun 202013
 
Buhay party-list gets 3rd seat, Magdalo its 2nd

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has given back to Buhay and Magdalo party-list groups the seats that were initially taken from them as a result of a Supreme Court order regarding the cases of two disqualified party-list groups.   Buhay was initially guaranteed three seats at the House of Representatives after garnering more than two percent of total votes in the May 13 elections. Magdalo, on the other hand, has two seats. The Comelec, however, took one seat each from the two groups after the Supreme Court ordered the poll body to reserve two seats for Senior Citizens and one seat for Abang Lingkod party-lists, which have pending appeals before the high court. For its third nominee, Buhay will have William Irwin Tieng, whose family owns Solar Entertainment Group, while for Magdalo it would be Francisco Ashley Acedillo, a former Cebu City representative who was involved in the November 2007 Manila Peninsula siege. The other nominees who were not in danger of losing their seats are Mariano Michael Velarde, son of El Shaddai founder Mike Velarde, and former Environment secretary Lito Atienza for Buhay; and Gary Alejano, who was also involved in the Manila Pen siege, for Magdalo. The party-list system is a proportional mode of representation in Congress, which means the number of seats is based on the number of votes per party-list. Party-lists that got two percent of total votes cast are guaranteed a seat. Those that got more than two percent may get additional seats, based on Read More …

Comelec to fine 11 senators-elect who erred in filing expense reports

 News
Jun 202013
 
Comelec to fine 11 senators-elect who erred in filing expense reports

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will slap fines on 11 of the 12 senators-elect who failed to comply with the requirements regarding the filing of their statements of contributions and expenditures (SOCE). In Minute Resolution No. 13-0775, the poll body en banc approved the memorandum of commissioner Christian Robert Lim that specified the violations of each senatorial bet in the 2013 elections, and the subsequent penalties. Lim is the poll body’s campaign finance unit head. Strict implementation, steep fines  Among the 12 senators-elect, only Alan Peter Cayetano has no deficiency in his expenditure report. Poll chief Sixto Brillantes Jr. urged the candidates to submit their deficiencies before June 30, the start of the term for the new senators. “We will be very strict in its implementation. Kailangang i-comply nila on or before June 29,” he said. According to Lim’s memorandum, the penalties shall amount to “P1,000 per day (not exceeding June 29, 2013) until they have corrected the deficiency in their submissions.” Brillantes said they would implement their memorandum of agreement with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), which prohibits local officials from assuming office without submitting their expense reports.  Up to Senate or House to bar non-compliants  Meanwhile, Comelec will submit a list of complying and non-complying candidates to the Offices of the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and DILG Secretary.  But Brillantes admitted they have no power to compel the Senate or the House to bar non-compliant officials from taking their posts. “Hindi Read More …

Comelec revises protest rules, allows ballot images as evidence

 News
Jun 202013
 
Comelec revises protest rules, allows ballot images as evidence

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has revised its rules on protest cases to allow the using of ballot images as primary evidence. Poll chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said Thursday this would be cheaper than using the paper ballots—which will have to be shipped from the protested precincts and stored at the Comelec warehouse in Cabuyao, Laguna—for manual recount. “Ang matagal noon ‘yung retrieval of ballot boxes and then ang storage,” Brillantes said. “Ngayon you can dispense from all these by simply choosing decryption. You now waive the physical examination of the ballot.” The Comelec so far has received 69 poll cases in connection with the May 13 midterm elections. Every ballot-reading Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine has a removable storage device that stores an image of every ballot inserted by the voters. According to Resolution No. 9720, which amends Resolution No. 8804, “the protestant may… waive the recount of the paper ballots and instead resort to either the decryption and recount of the ballot images.” The protested and counter-protested precincts should be at most 20 percent of total number of precincts “to best illustrate the merits of the protest,” the amended resolution states. Meanwhile, another option for protestants is to “read the rejected ballots only of the entire protested or counter-protested precincts,” the Comelec’s new rules said. The rejected ballots, stored in envelopes after being spoiled, do not have PCOS images. “It’s very possible that these rejected ballots can determine the intent of the voter,” Brillantes said.    For Read More …

A year later, Congress still undecided on who should be sent to JBC

 News
Jun 202013
 
A year later, Congress still undecided on who should be sent to JBC

Congress has yet to decide on who between Sen. Francis Escudero and Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. would represent the legislative branch in the Judicial and Bar Council. The impasse remains almost one year after the Supreme Court has ruled with finality that only one representative, and not two as traditionally observed, should represent Congress in the JBC. Neither Tupaz nor Escudero showed up during Thursday’s JBC interviews of candidates for the vacant presiding justice post at the Sandiganbayan. “They have not resolved with definitiveness as to who will represent. Kasi in accordance with the SC decision which has become final and executory, there will only be one who should represent Congress,” said lawyer Jose Mejia, JBC regular member for the academe. Mejia, however, added that he received information that Tupas and Escudero are already “working it out… to resolve the matter sooner or later.” Asked if the JBC could intervene in deciding who should represent Congress, Mejia said: “It would have to be between them. They should decide themselves.” Mejia said that as a result of the SC ruling, the required majority votes for a candidate to qualify on a JBC shortlist went down from five to four. Mejia said even without a Congress representative, the JBC can still proceed with voting, so long as there is a quorum and the members can muster a majority of four votes. The Supreme Court in July 17 last year sided with a petition by former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez, who questioned Read More …

SC grants SALN request of GMA News, Solar

 News
Jun 182013
 
SC grants SALN request of GMA News, Solar

The Supreme Court has approved the request of GMA News and Solar News to obtain copies of the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of the high court’s justices. At a press briefing in Manila, Public Information Office chief Theodore Te said the request of GMA News reporter Lia Manalac and Solar News reporter Anjo Alimario were granted by the high court sitting in full court. “After having complied… the clerk of court recommended the approval of the request subject to condition [payment of fees],” Te said. Meanwhile, TV5 reporter Marlene Alcaide’s request was “deferred” pending the submission of additional requirements. Alcaide was requested to “state as clearly as possible the purpose of her request, the interest ought to be served.” Te said “if public concern is cited, she need to justify how the request can serve public interest.” — Mark Merueñas/KBK, GMA News

BRP Ramon Alcaraz en route to Balboa for refueling

 News
Jun 182013
 
BRP Ramon Alcaraz en route to Balboa for refueling

BRP Ramon Alcaraz, the Philippine Navy’s newly acquired warship, is crossing the Panama Canal and is en route to Balboa in Panama for refueling, the Philippine Embassy to Washington said Tuesday. The embassy tweeted that the BRP Ramon Alcaraz is to dock in Balboa, and will then leave for San Diego the next day. “[The] BRP Alcaraz [is] expected to dock at Rodman Pier in Balboa on 18 June and depart for San Diego on 19 June,” it said. As of Tuesday noon Philippine time, the embassy tweeted that the vessel was crossing Miraflores Locks of Panama Canal en route to Balboa. Only last week, the crew of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz held a successful test-firing of the ship’s main weapons system. The BRP Ramon Alcaraz is expected to take nearly two months to reach the Philippines. According to the embassy, the vessel’s other stops include San Diego, Honolulu, and Guam. Last week, Capt. Ernesto Baldovino, the vessel’s commanding officer, described the weapons system as “very reliable,” and in possession of a “high degree of accuracy.” Baldovino said the BRP Ramon Alcaraz’s Italian-made Oto Melara rapid-fire cannon fired 15 rounds, including three for calibration and 12 at floating targets two to three miles away. — VC, GMA News

Amid threat of heavy rain, PNoy, Cabinet tackle flood control projects in NCR

 News
Jun 182013
 
Amid threat of heavy rain, PNoy, Cabinet tackle flood control projects in NCR

As more heavy rains threaten Metro Manila, President Benigno Aquino III met with Cabinet officials on Tuesday afternoon to tackle the status of flood control projects in the country’s capital region. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President called for the meeting last week to “be apprised of all the flood control projects that is going on” in Metro Manila. The meeting was ongoing as of posting time. “The master flood control plan is in various stages. Those that are doable are already being done,” Valte said at a press briefing. She added that Aquino will also tackle contingency measures during floods and the relocation of informal settlers in waterways during his meeting with the Cabinet officials. PAGASA earlier warned of more heavy rains over Metro Manila until the weekend due to cyclone

After ending formal peace talks, govt chief negotiator with NDF nominated as PhilHealth head

 News
Jun 182013
 
After ending formal peace talks, govt chief negotiator with NDF nominated as PhilHealth head

President Benigno Aquino III has nominated the government’s chief negotiator with the National Democratic Front (NDF) as head of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), two months after talks with the communist-led group were formally ended. Aquino approved the nomination of Alexander Padilla, who serves both as government chief negotiator and PhilHealth chief operating officer, as the corporation’s president and chief executive officer last week, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte announced at a press briefing Tuesday. Padilla has also been appointed to the Philhealth’s board of directors, she added. But Valte said that Padilla’s nomination to the PhilHealth does not mean that the government is no longer interested in talks with communist rebels. “We have always been open to talks with the NDF. Matagal na pong may mga ginagawang magkasabay si Usec. Padilla. The idea to divide out his work is not novel,” Valte told reporters. “There should be no problem with this appointment. His [Padilla’s] records show that he could do different tasks,” she added. Only last April, Padilla announced that the Philippine government will no longer return to the negotiating table with the NDF, saying that the talks were “going nowhere.” NDF chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni, for his part, said that it was the Aquino administration, not the communist-led group, which “dimmed” the prospects of peace due to the government’s supposed refusal to hold its end up on agreements signed by both parties decades ago. The armed struggle being pursued by the NDF in the Philippines, through its Read More …

130 inmates so far freed on 'Judgment Day'

 News
Jun 182013
 
130 inmates so far freed on 'Judgment Day'

(Updated 3:06 p.m.) At least 130 inmates were freed on Tuesday after trial courts simultaneously heard and decided on cases in five cities with the most inmate population, including Manila and Quezon City. Court Administrator Midas Marquez, who led the event dubbed as “Judgment Day” at the Manila City Jail, said the event aimed to decongest court dockets and prison cells by acting on pending cases, especially minor ones. “It’s not really about iyong nature ng kaso but more on ano na ang nangyari sa kaso. Gaano katagal na ‘yung kaso. Iyon ang tinitignan natin,” he told reporters. “Halimbawa minor offense siya. Limang beses nang nai-set pero ‘di sumisipot mga private complainants. Baka puwedeng provisional dismissal ng case muna iyon,” he added. Apart from Manila, simultaneous hearings were also conducted in four other highly prisoner-populated cities like Quezon City, Cebu City, Davao City, and Angeles City in Pampanga. The hearings were ongoing as of posting time Marquez. As of 2 p.m., Marquez said a total of 115 cases were heard in Manila, with 75 detainees ending up being ordered released. In Angeles City, 68 cases were heard, 55 of which arrived at a decision, resulting in the release of 43 inmates. In Cebu City, 12 inmates were freed. “Some hearings still on going, particularly in Quezon City and Davao City,” Marquez said. At the Manila City Jail, home to more than 3,000 inmates, some 30 Manila judges conducted simultaneous hearings inside the facility’s basketball court. The hearings also aimed to Read More …

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