GMA News Online / News / Nation

Apr 162014
 
FDA warns vs. expired sunscreen
 

Even sunscreen products can lose their effectivity when stored for a long time, and vacationers would do well to keep an eye on the expiry date. This was the advice of the Food and Drug Administration, which also urged the public to report products that cause an adverse reaction. “Remember that not all sunscreens have the same ingredients. Choose a product that suits your skin. Be aware of the expiration date because some sunscreen ingredients might degrade over time,” it said. It also advised consumers to “read the label and follow the instructions on the amount that can be applied on the body.” The products may also contain when to apply sunscreens before actual exposure and the frequency of re-application, it said. On the other hand, the FDA said consumers can report adverse reactions via email to report@fda.gov.ph. It advised health professionals to log in at the FDA Website and click the ADR Report platform and accomplish the form on line. Creams or gels? The FDA also suggested sunscreen creams are best for the face and dry skin while gels are good for hairy areas of the skin. Water-resistant sunscreen products are best when going swimming or when sweating profusely, it added. “Regardless of which sunscreen preparation you choose, be sure to apply it generously to achieve full UV ray protection,” it said. Also, the FDA said babies can be protected from sun by being kept in the shade or with appropriate clothes or cover. “Allow them to drink plenty Read More …

Apr 162014
 
SSS website unavailable from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday

Citing a scheduled maintenance of its facilities, the Social Security System on Tuesday said it may be inaccessible to netizens from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday. Visitors to the SSS website were greeted with a popup notice indicating the site will not be available from 4 a.m. Thursday to 10 p.m. Sunday. “This is due to the shutdown of our Main Data Center for the scheduled maintenance of the electrical power subsystem of the SSS Main Office,” it said. Presently, the SSS site allows members to log in and check the status of their memberships. Several government agencies, including the Light and Metro Rail Transit systems, are expected to use the Holy Week to conduct maintenance of their facilities. — Joel Locsin/VC, GMA News

Apr 162014
 
PNoy to spend Holy Week in ‘resorts’

President Benigno Aquino III will spend the Holy Week holidays in “resorts.” “Iyong dating gawi, either sa Times Mountain Resort sa Quezon City o kaya naman sa Pangarap River Resort, doon tayo maglalagi,” Aquino told reporters Wednesday when asked on where he would spend the Holy Week. The “resorts,” however, are only references to his family’s home on Times Street in Quezon City and his official residence Bahay Pangarap. On a serious note, Aquino, a bachelor, said he will be with his sisters for Visita Iglesia on Maundy Thursday and for Mass on Easter Sunday. Aquino, meanwhile, reminded Filipinos to do good even after the Holy Week is over. “Huwag po sana nating kalimutan: ang pagpapakumbaba, pagmamalakasakit, at paggawa ng matuwid ay hindi lamang para sa mahal na araw. Ang ginagawa nating pagninilay at panalangin ay paghahanda lamang para sa isang buong buhay ng pagsunod sa halimbawa ni Kristo,” he said in his Lenten message. He also reiterated the Palace’s earlier call for Filipinos to make sacrifices just as Jesus Christ did. “Tiyak naman pong lahat ng ating pinaghirapan ay may positibong ambag para sa ikabubuti  ng mas nakakarami. At di po ba, napakaliit lamang ng hinihingi sa atin kumpara sa ibinigay ni Hesukristo?” The President said. “Magsilbi po sanang inspirasyon sa atin ang ipinamalas na pagmamahal ni Hesukristo. Ito ang gabay natin ngayon bilang mga Kristiyano sa pagharap sa sarili nating mga sangandaan at sa pagsisilbing tanglaw sa mga Kristiyano ng kinabukasan,” he added. — KBK, GMA News

Apr 162014
 
SC junks Syjuco plea vs. President authority over Deputy Ombudsman

The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by former Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco Jr. seeking to strip off the President with authority to discipline the Deputy Ombudsman and the Special Prosecutor. In a five-page notice of resolution, the SC said Syjuco failed to prove that he would suffer great injustice and injury with the supposed “interference” of the executive department with the Office of the Ombudsman. “His allegation… is unsubstantiated and is without any leg to stand on,” the high court said. “We rule that petitioner failed to demonstrate adequate interest in the outcome of the controversy as to vest him with the requisite locus standi.” In his petition, Syjuco argued that he has “locus standi” or legal standing on the matter because he stands to be affected by the “continued interference” of the Office of the President with the Office of the Ombudsman, before which he has pending cases. The SC had already struck down as unconstitutional Section 8 (2) of Republic Act 6770 or the Ombudsman Act of  1989, which gave the President the authority to discipline both the Deputy Ombudsman and the Special Prosecutor. The high court ultimately ruled that the President can only discipline only the special prosecutor, and not the deputy ombudsman. According to the court, locus standi has been defined as a personal and substantial interest in a case such that the party has sustained or will sustain direct injury as a result of the governmental act that is being challenged. The high Read More …

Apr 162014
 
CPA board exams postponed indefinitely, says PRC

The licensure exams for certified public accountants (CPA) scheduled next month have been postponed indefinitely, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced Wednesday. In a resolution, PRC officials led by chairperson Teresita Manzala ordered the deferral and rescheduling of the CPA board exams due to vacancies in the Board of Accountancy, which administers the tests. The board only currently has two sitting members out of the six mandated by law. President Benigno Aquino III appoints members of the board. “The board is short of the requirement for a quorum to validly transact official business, including the formulation and extraction of test items or questions, administration of the examination proper and releasing of results,” the PRC said in its resolution. The PRC did not set a new date for the CPA board exams, which were supposed to take place on May 11, 12, 18 and 19. — Andreo Calonzo/BM, GMA News

Apr 162014
 
PNoy apologizes for NAIA air conditioning problem, blames govt procurement system

The heat is on at the NAIA. Sweltering heat and a non-functioning air-conditioning system plague departing passengers at the NAIA Terminal 1 on Tuesday, April 15, causing at least one case of fainting. Ariel Fernandez President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday apologized for the air conditioning problem at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, blaming the matter on the government’s procurement system. “Humihingi tayo ng paumanhin at pasensiya pero talagang sa higpit ng mga patakaran sa gobyerno… hindi ka naman puwedeng umorder ngayon at deliver within 30 days,” Aquino said during an interview with reporters at the North Port Passenger Terminal Complex in Manila. He explained that the contract to supply new air conditioners for the 30-year-old Terminal 1 was awarded in November last year but the air conditioners will only be delivered in August this year. “Ngayon pinapatanong ko bakit ganoon katagal? Alam ninyo sa gobyerno, pag meron kang gustong bilin, normally apat na buwan mula sa inorder mo hanggang mai-deliver pero inaabot ng siyam na buwan,” he said. “Custom-made ba itong mga aircon na ito, hindi off-the-shelf? Hinihintay ko iyong feedback noong umabot nga sa atin iyong problema doon sa T1,” he added. — RSJ, GMA News

Apr 142014
 
PNR to limit trips Thursday, suspend ops Friday-Saturday

The Philippine National Railways will have limited trips for its commuter trains on Maundy Thursday, and will suspend operations on Good Friday and Black Saturday. In an advisory, the PNR said this will allow its personnel to conduct much-needed maintenance on its trains and other facilities. “We will likewise take this opportunity, while our operations are suspended, to do some additional maintenance work for our trains and tracks,” said PNR general manager Engr. Joseph Allan Dilay. During the Holy Week, the PNR said it will have limited operations for its Metro Manila commuter service running the route between Tutuban and Sta. Rosa, Laguna. On Maundy Thursday, the PNR will have shorter operating hours and end operations at 7:30 p.m. It will suspend operations from Good Friday until Black Saturday, but will be back Easter Sunday but without the 5 a.m. first trip. Normal operations will resume on Monday. Dilay also said the PNR will provide additional manpower and facilities during the Lenten season to ensure security in its terminals and stations and inside the trains. —Joel Locsin/KBK, GMA News

Apr 142014
 
SC: Half day for court employees on Wednesday

Court employees will be sent home early on Wednesday in observance of the Holy Week. This was according to a work schedule advisory for the judiciary issued by the Supreme Court on Tuesday. “Work in all courts will only be up to 12 noon,” SC spokesman and Public Information Office chief Theodore Te told reporters. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are both regular holidays, while Black Saturday is a special non-working day. — Mark Merueñas/RSJ, GMA News

Apr 142014
 
Bangsamoro Basic Law draft submitted to Palace

Malacañang has received the draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), a measure which will formalize the creation of the Bangsamoro political entity that will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. “In behalf of the OP [Office of the President], Usec Michael Frederick Musngi received from MILF panel chair Mohaqber Iqbal relevant documents pertaining to a draft bill on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law,” Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said in a text message sent to reporters on Monday night. He did not, however, provide anymore details. But on Monday, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte expressed confidence that the bill will stand legal scrutiny. The draft BBL, which was crafted by the 15-member Bangsamoro Transition Commission, was based on the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed late March. The Palace had said the Office of Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs will review the draft then submit it to Congress. It added it aims to have the BBL ratified by the end of the year or the first quarter of 2015.  Once approved by Congress, the BBL will be put through a plebiscite involving Mindanao provinces that want to be part of the Bangsamoro political entity. The Palace hopes to conduct the plebiscite by June 2016. —Kimberly Jane Tan/KG, GMA News

Apr 142014
 
Work in courts up to noon on Holy Wednesday —Supreme Court

Work in all courts on Holy Wednesday will be up to noon only, the Supreme Court said Tuesday. In an advisory on its Twitter account, the high court said this was on orders of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. “Work in all courts (for Wednesday) will be only up to 12NN, as per instructions of the (Chief Justice),” the SC Public Information Office said. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are already considered regular holidays. —Joel Locsin/KG, GMA News