DPWH won’t stop flood projects over DAP row

 Entertainment
Jul 232014
 
DPWH won’t stop flood projects over DAP row

Residents wade through floodwaters to return to their submerged houses in Marikina City Metro Manila August 8, 2012. Emergency workers and troops rushed food, water and clothes to nearly 850,000 people displaced and marooned from deadly floods spawned by 11 straight days of southwest monsoon rains that soaked the Philippine capital and nearby provinces. About 60 percent of Manila, a sprawling metropolis of about 12 million people, remained inundated on Wednesday, Benito Ramos, head of the national disaster agency said. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson said the Supreme Court’s decision on the disbursement acceleration program (DAP) won’t stop the agency from implementing its flood control and other infrastructure projects. Singson said the Department of Public Works and Highways pooled its own savings and savings from other agencies to fund its flood control masterplan. That masterplan was finalized in late 2012. Singson said rather than wait for next year’s budget, he asked President Aquino and the National Economic and Development Authority board to use savings to cover the 5 billion pesos needed for high-priority projects. He said they might run into delays but they are determined to pursue the projects. “These are ongoing. I will not stop the flood control projects because I don’t think the unconstitutional aspect of the Supreme Court decision refers to projects like this. Hindi naman cross-border ito,” he said. Without the DAP, the DPWH will tap into its quick response fund for typhoon reconstruction. The fund is allocated in Read More …

Binay: Aquino should’ve accepted Abad resignation

 Entertainment
Jul 232014
 
Binay: Aquino should’ve accepted Abad resignation

President Benigno S. Aquino lll attends to the Good Governance Summit 2014 with the theme of ” Good Governance through Open Government and Sustainable Procurement ” at the Philippine International Convention Center, CCP Complex in Pasay City,Wednesday,July 15. Also in photo are from left, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda,Deped Secretary Armin Luistro, DILG Secretary Mar Roxas II, DOJ Secretary Leila De Lima, DBM Secretary Florencio Abad, Secretary to the Cabinet Rene Almendras, Central Bank Governor Amando Tetangco, Presidential Legislative Liason Officer Manuel Mamba.(Photo by Benhur Arcayan/Malacañang Photo Bureau) MANILA, July 23 (Mabuhay) – Vice President Jejomar Binay for the first time on Wednesday admitted that he disagreed with President Benigno Aquino III’s decision to reject Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad’s resignation over the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) controversy. When Aquino announced during a Cabinet meeting last July 11 that he received and decided to reject Abad’s resignation, media reports said Binay was the only one who did not applaud the announcement. “Kasi ho yung pagpapalakpak sa aking pananaw eh yung mga kasama ko sa Cabinet ay pumalakpak (dahil) sinusuportahan nila yung pahayag dun sa naging desisyon ng Pangulo na huwag tanggapin ang resignation ni Secretary Abad,” Binay said. (What I understood was that my fellow Cabinet members applauded the announcement because they supported the decision of the President rejecting the resignation of Secretary Abad.) “Ako naman sa aking palagay eh dapat tanggapin [nya] yung resignation (In my opinion the President should have accepted the resignation),” Binay explained. “Pero sabi ko nga Read More …

Exercise, physical relaxation can help with social anxiety, study finds

 Entertainment
Jul 232014
 
Exercise, physical relaxation can help with social anxiety, study finds

According to clinical psychology PhD candidate Adam Heenan, exercise activities are quite literally able to change people’s perception of the world, reducing threatening and negative feelings. (Relaxnews) – Researchers at Queens University in Canada challenged the common association of yoga and other exercise-based relaxation activities with relief from tension, stress and anxiety, concluding they can be beneficial to those with social anxiety. According to clinical psychology PhD candidate Adam Heenan, such activities are quite literally able to change people’s perception of the world, reducing threatening and negative feelings. “This is a big development because it helps to explain why exercising and relaxation techniques have been successful in treating mood and anxiety disorders in the past,” says Mr. Heenan. In the study, subjects were asked to either perform muscle relaxation exercises similar to yoga, jog on a treadmill or, in the case of the control group, just stand on the treadmill. A total of 66 male and female participants between the ages of 17 and 29 were assessed, although no information on their state of mental health at the time of the study is mentioned and their level of social anxiety was assessed solely by means of Heenan’s tests. To test subjects’ perception, Heenan asked participants to view a point-light display of a human walking and asked them to identify whether the figure was approaching them or not. More subjects said the figure was walking towards them, a sign of social anxiety and intimidation, before their relaxation exercises rather than after. “We found Read More …

Traffic delays on Victoria Street from South Central Avenue to South Broadway Street starting July 28

 Entertainment
Jul 232014
 
Traffic delays on Victoria Street from South Central Avenue to South Broadway Street starting July 28

Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) will be replacing a section of one of its natural gas pipelines along Victoria Street from South Central Avenue to South Broadway Stree.  Expect traffic delays on these streets starting July 28.  Construction is expected to take approximately 3-4 months to complete. The project, managed by SoCalGas, includes pipeline excavation and pipeline installation.  Work will be conducted in a series of short, approximately 200-foot sections, one-at-a-time. At least one lane will be closed for the length of the pipeline being installed on westbound Victoria Street. The lane closure will be in effect Monday thru Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. City of Carson is working with other agencies to keep residents and commuters informed.  Signs informing motorists of traffic restrictions will be installed on Broadway and Griffith and other intersections along the project route. For additional information or concerns, please call (800) 427-2200 or contact SoCalGas Public Affairs Manager, Marcella Low at MLow@semprautilities.com or visit socalgas.com (search “safety”).

US Dept. of Labor officials meet with ConGen Herrera-Lim

 Entertainment
Jul 222014
 
US Dept. of Labor officials meet with ConGen Herrera-Lim

Labor officials meeting with Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim Officials of the US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division paid a courtesy call on Philippine Consul General in Los Angeles Leo Herrera-Lim on July 14. The Labor officials came to welcome Consul General Herrera-Lim and discuss joint commitments between their office and the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles on ensuring workers’ rights of Philippine nationals.  The meeting also touched on proposed activities for the Labor Rights Week in August including joint outreach programs and exploration of collaboration in consonance with the alliance agreement signed on 28 October 2013 between the Consulate General and the US Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (US DOL WHD), Western and Southwest Regional Offices, to educate Filipino workers, both legal and illegal, on their rights to fair wages and working conditions. Deputy Consul General Imelda Panolong, Director of Public Relations Priscilla Garcia, Consul General Herrera-Lim, Community Outreach and Resource Planning Specialist Justin Emerick and Vice Consul Rainier Casis. The alliance agreement establishes a collaborative relationship to provide “low wage, at-risk” workers in Southern California, Southern Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas with information, guidance, and access to education and training resources to help workers understand the rights and responsibilities of both employers and employees under the US Fair Labor Standards Act.

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