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Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono: Diplomacy AP PHOTO Buoyed by the new maritime boundary agreement with the Philippines, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has proposed that the two countries conduct joint naval patrols to combat poaching in the seas. The landmark agreement demarcating both countries’ overlapping exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in the Mindanao, Celebes and Philippine seas offers new opportunities in fishing, maritime and security engagements for both countries, Malacañang said. In his meeting with Mr. Aquino on Friday morning, Yudhoyono said he was instructing his minister for economic coordination “to prepare an outline for enhancing maritime cooperation,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said. One major area of cooperation between the two archipelagic countries would be joint naval patrols to deter crimes such as poaching of protected wildlife—a constant concern in the West Philippine Sea. Coloma said they could now move forward with maritime cooperation on fisheries and aquatic resource development, and prevention of maritime crimes like poaching since there were no “more pending issues” between the two countries. At the state dinner later Friday, Yudhoyono said both countries should “seize the momentum from the historic achievement” to also boost cooperation in the maritime and ecotourism sectors. “I am glad that our bilateral relations are indeed on the right track with plenty of room for further expansion,” he said in a toast to Mr. Aquino. Coloma, who was present at the bilateral meeting, said the two leaders talked of possible joint patrols in the resource-rich seas between them. “The good Read More …

A THAI soldier (left) receives roses from activists to show support for the Thai military at the Army Club in Bangkok on May 23. Thailand’s Army said 155 prominent figures, including ousted government leaders, were banned from leaving the country without permission following a military coup. AFP The Department of Foreign Affairs raised the alert level in Thailand from level 1 (precautionary phase) to level 2 (restriction phase) after martial law was declared in the kingdom on May 20.  A military takeover was announced two days later, after months of clashes between the so-called “Yellow Shirts” or the Democrats and the “Red Shirts” or the supporters of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister, former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Alert Level 2 is issued when there are real threats to the life, security and property of Filipinos arising from an internal disturbance or external threat to the host country. Under  this level, Filipinos in the host country are instructed to restrict nonessential movements, avoid public places and prepare for evacuation if necessary. Also restricted is the deployment of newly hired workers, although those who have existing contracts are allowed to return. A curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. has been imposed but private employees or government officials working night shifts in various sectors such as factories, hospitals, airlines and perishable food logistics are exempted. Foreign workers in Thailand, including many Filipinos hope the situation will soon stabilize and there will be no need for evacuation. Many of the Read More …

The government-owned and controlled Veterans Federation of the Philippines is opposing a supposed attempt to by the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office to take it over. “PVAO has no authority to do that,” retired brigadier general Rodrigo Gutang, who called the move alarming, told GMA News Online in a phone interview. The VFP is the umbrella organization of all veterans’ groups in the country and Gutang is the secretary of the Cavalier Association of Veterans, one of the VFP’s member organizations. Gutang likewise questioned the creation of the Veterans Affairs Management Division that is tasked with directly monitoring the activities and assets of the VFP. “The government does not spend any money for VFP. We receive no appropriation from Congress. Hindi kailangan i-take over,” Gutang noted. He added that Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin is using the new VFP constitution approved last year to confuse their members. No takeover Meanwhile, retired lieutenant general Ernesto Carolina, PVAO administrator, denied the reported takeover. “[The takeover] is not true,” Carolina said in a phone interview. He explained that the Defense secretary is merely doing his job. “By law, VFP is under the supervision and control of the secretary of National Defense,” he explained. He noted that the PVAO, specifically the Veterans Affairs Management Division, is an instrument that the DND uses to monitor the transactions of the VFP and check for abuse. “Many, many years napabayaan. For more than 20 years, the same group of people manages the affairs,” Carolina said. Retired colonel Emmanuel De Read More …

The head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines on Saturday urged Filipino faithful to pray an extra rosary from May 31 to August 15 for the “conversion” of personalities involved in the P10-billion pork barrel scam. CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas also encouraged youths to receive communion frequently during these days to “offer prayers for the culprits.” “I request all our Catholic faithful to pray an extra rosary from May 31, Feast of the Visitation until August 15, Solemnity of the Assumption, and offer it for the conversion of the culprits in the pork barrel scam, for the courage of the witnesses and the healing of our country,” Villegas said on his Facebook page Saturday morning. He also said the youth and children should receive Holy Communion frequently during these days of prayer. They should likewise “offer prayers for the culprits, the witnesses and our government,” he added. “Let us overcome evil by the power of good,” Villegas said. A rosary, which recalls events in the lives of Jesus Christ and his mother Mary, involves meditating on five Mysteries. Praying the rosary usually includes sets of one Lord’s Prayer, 10 Hail Marys, and a Glory Be. The multibillion-peso pork barrel scam involved channeling some lawmakers Priority Development Assistance Fund allocations to fake nongovernment organizations allegedly created by trader Janet Napoles. Lawmakers in the scam would reportedly get kickbacks. So far, at least three senators face plunder charges for the scam – minority leader Juan Ponce Enrile, Read More …

The Food and Drug Administration over the weekend cautioned the public against buying certain batches of Bortezomib, a medicine for a type of cancer,  that it said may have health implications due to cracked vials. In a public health warning, the FDA warned against Velcade 3.5 mg Lyophilized Powder for Injection IV/SC Batches 102424, 102430, 102501, 102502 and 102648 FDA head Kenneth Hartigan-Go said these batches had been reported from US and German markets to have cracked vials. “Consumers and health practitioners are advised to inspect all vials of the subject product for any crack or damage before use,” he said. Those who happened to buy batches of the product that present such defects may report to FDA via report@fda.gov.ph or to Janssen Pharmaceutica via +632 824 8968 or Janssendrugsafety_Phil@its.jnj.com. Suspected adverse reactions experienced from the product should be reported immediately to FDA by visiting www.fda.gov.ph. Velcade’s website said the product is used “for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma (a cancer that starts in the plasma cells in bone marrow).” It is also for relapsed mantle cell lymphoma. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News