Maniolas

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV will run for a higher position in the 2016 elections but did not disclose which position he is eyeing. “Kung anong posisyon yun specifically, we will abide by the Nacionalista Party,” he said in a “24 Oras” report aired on Saturday. He said that former senator Manuel Villar Jr., party president, has said the NP will make that decision in December. Trillanes is serving his second term at the Senate. A former Navy officer, Trillanes ran for the Senate in 2007 while detained over his participation in mutinies against the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. In 2010, President Benigno Aquino III signed a proclamation granting him and other members of the Magdalo amnesty for joining the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny, February 2006 Marine standoff and the 2007 Manila Peninsula incident. He joined the Nacionalista Party in 2012 and ran under the Liberal Party-led Team Pnoy coalition in the 2013 elections. — JDS, GMA News

The Philippines on Saturday reaffirmed its solidarity with the World Health Organization in observing “World No Tobacco Day” to promote health and wellness. Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said the occasion should bolster public awareness of the health risks associated with tobacco use. “The Philippines joins the World Health Organization (WHO) today, 31 May, in observing ‘World No Tobacco Day’ that seeks to promote the reduction of tobacco consumption as a vital health and wellness measure.  This observance heightens public awareness on the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocates the adoption of effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption,” he said in a statement. On the other hand, he noted the WHO commended the Philippines as one of the countries in the world that pushed for reforms in the government’s health agenda by enacting the Sin Tax Law. The law, Republic Act No. 10351, restructured taxes on alcohol and tobacco products, with the proceeds going to the government’s health program. Also, Coloma said the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), the tobacco control coalition in the ASEAN region, recognized President Benigno Aquino III and the Departments of Health and Finance for passing and implementing the law. Quoting a statement by SEATCA, he said the coalition recognized Aquino’s efforts in “inspiring leadership and unwavering political will to push forward a revolutionary sin tax reform law thereby putting public health before profits and ensuring tobacco control measures.” — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

Drivers of public utility jeeps were reminded Saturday to give students a 20-percent fare discount, when school starts this coming Monday. Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chairman Winston Ginez issued the reminder in an interview on dzBB radio. But Ginez also said the fare discount applies only from Mondays to Fridays when there are classes. Ginez also warned drivers against immediately charging the new fares that the agency approved on Friday for Metro Manila and Central and Southern Luzon. The LTFRB had approved a 50-centavo minimum fare hike for jeeps effective June 14. On the other hand, Ginez said drivers cannot charge the new rates without getting the new fare matrix. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

Members of the Cabinet on Friday signed a P105-billion rehabilitation and recovery master plan for areas hit by Typhoon Yolanda last year. The master plan was the result of consolidated proposals from the provincial governments of Cebu, Samar, Eastern Samar and Leyte, GMA News TV’s “State of the Nation with Jessica Soho (SONA)” reported Friday evening. Proposals from other provinces in Eastern Visayas struck by Yolanda such as Aklan and Iloilo will also be included in the masterplan soon, the report added. The master plan was signed in Cebu City by Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (PARR) Panfilo Lacson, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman, Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson, Socio-economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas and representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry. Among the subjects covered by the masterplan are the rebuilding of destroyed infrastructure, livelihood programs and relocation of the displaced residents. According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) there about 3,000 families still living in a tent city in Tacloban. Soliman said they will begin constructing nipa huts next week to transfer at least 700 families from the tent city. National Housing Authority general manager Chito Cruz pointed out that though there are funds, they are finding it hard to find lots for the construction of temporary houses. “Talagang lupa ang problema namin. Even with the transition shelter, talagang importante makapili tayo ng safe na lupa,” Cruz said Read More …

Undelivered books, under-equipped canteens, and emotional trauma plague public schools around the Philippines even as a new school year nears. Grade 9 students may face the first few weeks of the school year without books, Mark Salazar reported on “24 Oras” Friday. Teachers fear the situation may turn out as it had when the K-12 system was first implemented, when they had to photocopy books for their students. “Late. Kung hindi man, natapos ang Grade 7 ng walang module. Nung inimplement ito nung Grade 8, ay natapos ang second quarter, saka lang dumating ang modules intended for first and second quarter. Samantala, yung third and fourth quarter, walang nagamit na module ang mga bata,” said Louie Zabala, president of the Manila Public School Teachers Association. Antonia Lim, who leads the Alliance of Concerned Teachers in the Central Visayas, said, “Yung Grade 7, talagang walang aklat sila sa lahat ng subjects. Yung Grade 8 naman, parang tatlong subjects lang siguro ang may aklat, pero late nang dumating.” ACT-Bicol’s Nic Sambitan related the same scenario, and said Grade 8 students didn’t get access to books. If the same scenario presents itself, Zabala said teachers would have to shell out their own money to photocopy their modules. Department of Education (DepEd) Executive Director of Instructional Materials Council Secretariat Socorro Pilor admitted delivery of the books has been delayed due to “development delays”. She said books that were delivered to teachers, some of which were rushed, are meant for temporary use while final copies Read More …