Maniolas

A party-list lawmaker has urged President Benigno Aquino III to convene the National Security Council immediately amid China’s creeping aggression in reclaiming areas in the West Philippine Sea. In a privilege speech Monday night, Magdalo party-list Rep. Ashley Acedillo sounded the alarm on China’s swift and silent reclamation activities in the disputed swath of waters, which he said present an “existential threat” to the country’s territory, sovereignty and economic well-being. Photos Acedillo obtained showed China’s reclamation and construction activities in territories within the West Philippine Sea have been continuous, with various reefs and islets being expanded humongous structures built on them. Most alarming of China’s reclamation activities he said, are occurring on Mischief Reef.  “Walang sinabi ang Philippine reclamation efforts sa Roxas Boulevard at ang pagtatayo ng SM Mall of Asia kumpara sa ginagawa ng Tsina sa West Philippine Sea,” Acedillo said, while showing photos of Chinese Navy ships guarding the structure.  Blockade of Ayungin shoal He warned that Chinese forces might stay in the structures being built in the West Philippine Sea and block the ships that supply the Philippine Marines guarding the nearby Ayungin Shoal, which is only 50 kilometers away from Mischief Reef.  The lawmaker, a former military officer, warned that China might be able to successfully enforce a blockade on Ayungin Shoal if its efforts are not thwarted. Such a move, he said, will result in the Philippines losing control of the shoal since the Philippine Marine troops guarding it will be forced to withdraw. “Let Read More …

popular The Mamasapano Report’s most difficult truth Rebel leader in killing of SAF men falls to gov’t troops BOI pours blame on Napeñas SC upholds Uniwide ejection from Ng property Actress Liezl Martinez dies of cancer; 47 ‘Aquino left nothing to chance’ Australian boxer fighting for his life after losing to Filipino bet–report US firms urged to bid for major PH infra projects videos PBA: Ginebra’s LA Tenorio comfortable on the floor with Emman Monfort PBA: Agustin credits good defense, big men performance for win over Purefoods PBA: Warner’s maturity big thing for Globalport, says coach Gonzales Crime watchdog wants advisory body composed of bishops, inter-religious leaders Former Tarlac Governor calls Aquino to resign Mohagher Iqbal and Murad Ebrahim. FILE PHOTOS LANGKAWI, Malaysia–The government has lashed out at a statement by a Davao member of parliament claiming that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) president Murad Ibrahim and his chief consultant, Mohagher Iqbal, are Malaysians. Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government had confirmed that both leaders of the MILF were not Malaysians as claimed. “I have checked with the Director-General of the Registration Department, including checking the personal information, date of birth and other details, and found that Haji Murad Ibrahim and (Mohagher) Iqbal are not Malaysians. “I hope the member of parliament understands and this is the official stand of the Government of Malaysia on this issue,” he told reporters after officiating the Multi-nations Counter-Terrorism Exercise at the Langkawi International Shooting Range, here. He Read More …

In this Jan. 19, 2013, file photo, Algerian special police unit officers guard the entrance of a hospital located near the gas plant where hostages have been kidnapped by Islamic militants, in Ain Amenas. Militants from the Islamic State affiliate in Libya kidnapped four nurses from the Philippines in broad daylight from a hospital in the city of Sirte, while several others were evacuated on Monday, March 16, 2015, a militia official said. AP FILE PHOTO TRIPOLI, Libya—Militants from the Islamic State affiliate in Libya kidnapped four nurses from the Philippines in broad daylight from a hospital in the city of Sirte, while several others were evacuated on Monday, a militia official said. The official who belongs to the 166 Battalion, a militia which is battling the Islamic State affiliate, told The Associated Press that the kidnapping took place in the afternoon from Sirte’s main hospital, called Ibn Sina. He added that his battalion helped evacuate the remaining foreign medical crew in the hospital to the city of Misrata, where the battalion is based. The incident adds to growing a list of foreign nationals including Filipinos who were seized during the same group’s raids on oil fields south of Sirte in recent weeks. The battalion had also come under attack by a car bomber a day earlier, according to witnesses who said that the bomber struck the militia’s base Misrata, killing one person and injuring a second. The official and the witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity because he was Read More …

‘YOLANDA’ SURVIVOR Melvin Castro sits in the rubble of his home in Tacloban City where 18 of his family members were killed. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO SENDAI, Japan—United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has vowed to “continue mobilizing the necessary resources” to make disaster risk reduction (DRR) everybody’s business in the Philippines and other disaster-prone countries. Responding to a question by the Inquirer in a press briefing at the 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) at the Sendai International Center in this northeastern Japanese city, Ban, however, admitted that “it would require some time” to make DRR a household word. Ban said raising public and institutional awareness on DRR was doable. “That is why I established the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. We have been meeting regularly and launching many initiatives.” The agency, he noted, had initiated a “global campaign” which aims to enhance people’s awareness of DRR and its importance. “But frankly speaking, [some] government leaders have not given much attention [to the issue] as they have been doing so much on economic policies. But once it happens, then we will have to mobilize all the resources to DRR issues,” Ban said. Ban expressed “hope that with this conference and the [UN agency’s] continuing efforts, [both the public and private sectors] will be able to pay more attention and invest more wisely in DRR areas.” Earlier, during the launch of the 2015 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction in New York, Ban reported that “as the Read More …

In light of recent disasters, especially Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, a non-governmental organization urged the Philippine government to pass a law to protect children during calamities and other emergency situations. Save the Children country director Ned Olney said in a statement this week that Senate Bill 2446 or the proposed Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act will “mitigate the impact of disasters on education” through proper planning and investments. “The [proposed act] is asking for investments to make school facilities safer, setting limits on the use of classrooms as displacement centers and in preparing children and teachers for disasters,” Olney said. If passed into law, the bill will: 1) Enhance and institutionalize protection of children affected by natural disasters and calamities; 2) Provide Congress a strengthened oversight mandate to ensure child protection in disasters; and 3) Address policy gaps in current laws of importance to child welfare. “Disasters have a huge impact on education. However, it does not have to be that way. Proper planning can help us to mitigate the impact of disasters on education,” Olney added. The psychological distress that children suffer after disasters, which affects their ability to learm,  will also be addressed. The House of Representatives approved its version of the bill on third reading in January. House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said in a press statement in February that it would pass through the Senate soon and will be signed into law by President Benigno Aquino III “in due time”. Save the Children will call Read More …