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Sen. Angara elected as first Asian head of int'l anti-corruption group

 News
Jan 312013
 
Sen. Angara elected as first Asian head of int'l anti-corruption group

Senator Edgardo Angara on Thursday said that he has been elected as the first Asian chairman of the Global Conference of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC). “I was elected last night as the chairman and chief executive of the GOPAC,” Angara told reporters in an interview on Thursday. According to its website, GOPAC is an “an international network dedicated to good governance and combating corruption throughout the world.” “GOPAC has provided information and analysis, established international benchmarks, and improved public awareness through a combination of global pressure and national action,” it said. GOPAC, which claims to have over 700 members from over 45 countries worldwide, is holding its conference in Manila this year. Angara said that he will be the first Asian chairman of GOPAC.  He will serve a term of two years. “Hindi na ninyo ako makikita sa Maynila dahil I will be traveling to Brazil, I’ll be traveling to Brussels,” he said. Angara had earlier withdrawn his gubernatorial bid in Aurora. He said this is due to his international commitments, including to GOPAC. — BM, GMA News

Aquino cautions vs. corrupt future leaders

 News
Jan 312013
 
Aquino cautions vs. corrupt future leaders

With the midterm elections just months away and with political groups already gearing for the presidential election in 2016, President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday cautioned that reforms must be maintained to avoid a return to patronage politics and corruption. “Without structural reform, another corrupt president might one day take the reins of power; another chief justice might one day again betray the public trust,” Aquino told attendees in the 5th Global Conference of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption, where he was keynote speaker. The conference was a gathering of foreign heads of state to discuss best practices. In his speech, Aquino called on world leaders to be vigilant against corruption, adding that the key to ridding the ranks of government of unscrupulous officials is to make a habit out of transparency by way of creating laws. “The problem of corruption must thus be approached strategically, always with the long-term in mind. Reforms cannot be mere blips in the radar—they must usher in an enduring mainstream of good, honest governance,” he said. “As people in government, we know that corruption cannot be eliminated by sending a few erring officials to jail, or by exposing a single faulty contract, or by removing from office a single oppressive tyrant,” he added. “Only through legislation can the bedrock of inclusiveness and positive, meaningful change be set,” Aquino further said. Aquino, who won on the popular platform of “tuwid na daan (straight path)” also took pride in the gains of his administration, Read More …

CBCP will support initiatives to determine, choose 'worthy candidates'

 News
Jan 292013
 
CBCP will support initiatives to determine, choose 'worthy candidates'

After listing the Philippines’ “problems as a nation,” the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said it will support lay initiatives to form “circles of discernment to choose worthy candidates” in the midterm elections in May. “We will help the people to know the stance of those who run for office on important issues of the country,” it said. The quotes are part of a pastoral statement it issued after a three-day plenary session in which the CBCP enumerated—and blasted—the country’s “long litany of storms,” including the government’s inability to stop a “culture of impunity” that allows extrajudicial killings; its failure to ease the suffering of the poor despite good economic news; and “the promotion of a culture of death and promiscuity” through school sex education, the use of contraceptives and discussions about divorce. “We note the above social and political storms that buffet our Filipino life because they deeply touch the experiences of our people. We speak for those who suffer. We bring these concerns to those who have responsibility and hence accountability. These stormy situations need not be so!” the CBCP said in the statement signed by council president and Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma. RH law denounced anew The CBCP denounced anew the passage of the Reproductive Health Law, and what it claimed were the “political and financial pressures imposed on lawmakers” as well as the “imperialism exercised by secularistic international organizations in the legislative process.” It commended the efforts of lay people and lawgivers who Read More …

PNoy hopes Church will forgive Celdran

 News
Jan 292013
 
PNoy hopes Church will forgive Celdran

While President Benigno Aquino may not agree with how activist Carlos Celdran expressed his stance on the Church’s interference in political matters, he hopes that the country’s religious leaders will forgive Celdran’s actions. “I may sympathize with Mr. Celdran’s position. Perhaps ‘yung methodology—during a Mass—baka we don’t agree with it,” Aquino said on the sidelines of the 40th anniversary celebration of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). “At the same time, siguro kung tutularan ‘nung ating kaparian, ating mga religious, ‘yung ehemplo mismo ng [Santo] Papa at maraming [Santo] Papa, palagay ko lalabas naman ‘yung Christian generosity and charity at baka naman mapatawad naman nila si Ginoong Celdran para naman, ‘di ba, pwede na tayong umusad mula doon sa panahon na ‘yon,” he said. On January 28, Celdran was found guilty of “offending religious feelings” by the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court. The decision was in reference to a one-man protest Celdran held in September 2010, when he called for an end to the Church’s opposition to the now-passed Reproductive Health bill. Dressed as Jose Rizal, Celdran disrupted an ecumenical service—not a Mass—in the Manila Cathedral attended by ranking bishops and city officials by holding up a placard bearing the name “Damaso,” in reference to the notorious priest in Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere. Celdran has since apologized, but maintained that his protest was within his constitutional right to free speech. For his part, Aquino appealed to reason, saying there is a time and place for everything. “Syempre, may constitutional provision Read More …

Bill giving P100,000 to Pinoy centenarians nears Congress approval

 News
Jan 292013
 
Bill giving P100,000 to Pinoy centenarians nears Congress approval

A bill giving P100,000 each to Filipinos who reach the age of 100 is just a few steps away from becoming a law after the Senate adopted the House version of the measure. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, author of House Bill 834 or the “Centenerians Bill,” said the Senate adopted his version of the proposed legislation on Monday afternoon with minor amendments. The bill entitles Filipino citizens who reached and will reach the age of 100 to a P100,000 cash gift, as well as a letter of felicitation from the President congratulating the centenarian for his or her longevity. Lagman said his measure seeks to laud centenarians for their “achievement and distinction” of living to be 100, especially at a time when the average life expectancy in the Philippines is pegged at 71 years. The census conducted by the National Statistics Office in 2010 showed there are around 8,000 centenarians living in the Philippines. Aside from the cash gift, the bill also grants a 75-percent discount on goods and services to centenarians. Lagman initially suggested a 50-percent discount, but the Senate raised the entitlement to the current rate. The measure also proposes the creation of a national committee, headed by the executive secretary, which will validate the true birth year of a centenarian applicant and which will ensure the release of the cash gift within 30 days of the validation. The bill will now have to be ratified by both chambers of Congress before it is forwarded to Malacañang for Read More …

Senate to turn over financial documents to COA

 News
Jan 292013
 
Senate to turn over financial documents to COA

The Senate will be turning over its financial documents to the Commission on Audit (COA) on Wednesday, Senate accounts committee chair Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Tuesday. “Ready na, nasa sa akin yung mga dokumento. Tamang-tama bukas mayroon kaming meeting with COA chair [Grace Pulido-Tan] so dadalin ko na tuloy,” Lacson told reporters. He issued the statement after Tan in a letter asked that the Senate “make available” to them papers, documents and information connected to the augmentation and realignment of Senate funds. Tan said the documents shall be used to “carry out a no-holds barred audit of the Senate finances.” Lacson said that as of Tuesday 1 p.m., the available documents from the Senate accounting department are submissions from the offices of individual senators. He said this will cover the years 2009 to 2012. “Lahat lahat [ng financial documents]. Basta yung pondo ng mga individual senators nandoon, yun ang ituturn over ko bukas. Hindi ko pa rin nakikita kasi nandun nakakahon siya, naka-envelope siya pero as required, magco-comply kami,” he said. “[Pero] wala pa yung sa Senate proper. Sabi ko madaliin nila, kailangan madala ko lahat,” he added. Lacson said he will also meet with Tan to clarify some things in her letter. “[Una] ano yung sakop nung hinihingi niyang mga dokumento? Pangalawa yung liquidation by certification or by submission of documents, receipts etc kung kailan dapat magsimula?” he said.  “Of course alam namin effective immediately effective 2013 pero icocover ba nila yung past years na magrerequire ba ng magsubmit Read More …

Loren, Chiz, Grace Poe won’t appear in UNA ads

 News
Jan 292013
 
Loren, Chiz, Grace Poe won’t appear in UNA ads

Although they are considered as common candidates of the two major coalitions in the 2013 polls, former Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chief Grace Poe-Llamazares and re-electionist Senators Francis Escudero and Loren Legarda will not appear in political advertisements of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA). At a press conference Tuesday, Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III, one of the administration’s campaign spokesmen, said the three common candidates already had an agreement with the ruling Liberal Party (LP)’s leadership not to join UNA’s campaign. “I think that has already been answered. We will not allow the three common candidates in UNA’s political ads. This has been clear. Kung lalabas kayo dito sa ad namin, dapat dito lang,” Tañada said. Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo, another administration campaign spokesman, meanwhile said that Poe, Escudero and Legarda were not barred to appear in UNA’s ads, but the three consented in campaigning only with the administration slate. “All the candidates are mature enough to make decisions. It’s not a matter na may pinagbawalan o hindi, but there was a specific agreement among mature political leaders na we need to be consistent on the message,” Quimbo said at the same press briefing. All three common candidates appeared in the administration’s first political advertisement for the 2013 polls, which was launched on Monday. They, however, were not included in the UNA ad, which aired earlier this month. Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, LP secretary-general, earlier said that President Benigno Aquino III himself asked Legarda not to Read More …

Ballot printing to start Feb 4 — NPO

 News
Jan 272013
 
Ballot printing to start Feb 4 — NPO

More than 52 million ballots for the May 2013 midterm elections are set for printing next week, February 4, an official of the National Printing Office (NPO) said Monday. Assistant Director Raul Nagrampa told GMA News Online that the NPO can have a minimum of 670,000 to a maximum of one million ballots to be printed per day, for them to meet their last delivery date of printed ballots on April 25. The printing will run for 54 to a maximum of 81 days, Nagrampa said. “As far as NPO is concerned, ready to go na kami… The papers are already here,” Nagrampa said in a phone interview. The state-run NPO was tasked by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to head the procurement process of the printing and supply of ballot papers. Nagrampa said they are expecting a shorter ballot after the Comelec purged the number of qualified party-list groups to 123, including the slew of party-lists axed by the poll body but granted a reprieve by the Supreme Court. This is a decrease from the 187 party-lists which participated in the 2010 elections. “We’re anticipating a shorter (ballot) kasi una, na-purge ‘yung party-list. Walang president or vice president. ‘Yun lang naman nakakapagpahaba,” Nagrampa said. The maximum length of the ballot paper may range from 25 to 26 inches, Nagrampa said. Meanwhile, the ballots for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) may be longer at 29 inches since it includes an Arabic translation. He added that the three printers Read More …

FOI bill faces ‘crucial’ week at the House

 News
Jan 272013
 
FOI bill faces ‘crucial’ week at the House

The Freedom of Information (FOI) bill is facing a “crucial” week at the House of Representatives, with only six session days left to sponsor, discuss, amend and ultimately pass the measure which seeks to promote transparency in government transactions. Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat, who supports the proposed legislation, said the FOI bill is already “dead” if the House fails to pass it on second reading by Wednesday. “We need nothing short of a miracle. Kailangan ma-sponsor siya mamaya, and then it has to breeze through the period of debates and amendments. By Wednesday, we have to pass it on second reading. Sobrang makipot na ang schedule,” Baguilat said in a phone interview. He added that the House leadership has already sent text messages to lawmakers asking them to attend sessions this week to be able to muster a quorum. “Ang sinabi lang doon sa text is that we have to attend to be able to pass important legislations. Walang nakalagay na FOI, pero siyempre, iyon na lang naman ang natitirang mahalagang batas na dapat ipasa,” he said. Baguilat added that FOI advocates are still hoping that President Benigno Aquino III will certify the bill as urgent to be able to fast track its passage at the lower chamber. “Kapag na-certify ito, siguradong papasa ito… I still believe that the President supports the FOI bill and wants transparency in government,” the congressman said. But Aquino, who won the presidency in 2010 with his anti-corruption platform, said over the weekend that he Read More …

Mostly fair but cold weather expected after warm weekend

 News
Jan 272013
 
Mostly fair but cold weather expected after warm weekend

Despite relatively warm weather last weekend, Filipinos should still keep those sweaters handy, state weather forecasters said Monday. PAGASA forecaster Buddy Javier said the cold weather is still likely to last until February and even possibly to early March. “Asahan natin susunod na araw makaranas tayo lamig siguro till March,” Javier said in an interview on dzBB radio. “There’s no low pressure area inside nor immediately outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at the moment. The northeast monsoon affecting Luzon is the only significant weather system in the archipelago,” explained resident GMA meteorologist Nathaniel “Mang Tani” Cruz. Satellite image as of 8 a.m. Javier said Metro Manila’s lowest temperature on Sunday was 21 degrees Celsius, nearly three degrees higher than the 18.1 degrees Celsius last Jan. 24. Even temperatures in Baguio City Sunday were lowest at 12.4 degrees, nearly three degrees higher than the record-low 9.5 degrees earlier this month. On the other hand, Javier said Mount Pulag in Extreme Northern Luzon has experienced zero-degree weather, with vegetables there in danger of frost damage. “Ang vegetables nila doon nagfe-freeze na rin … May mga gulay na nag-freeze at nasisira na,” he said. Javier also said the water there is freezing. Meanwhile, Mang Tani said that the country can expect generally fair weather, with only light rains over some areas.  “Light rains will continue to be felt over eastern section of the Philippines, from Cagayan Valley southward to the Bicol Region. Meanwhile, eastern Visayas and the whole of Mindanao, particularly Read More …

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