5 Filipino sailors rescued as storms resurge off Spain

 News
Feb 042014
 
5 Filipino sailors rescued as storms resurge off Spain

Agence France-Presse 5:42 am | Wednesday, February 5th, 2014 A fishing boat is hit by a wave near the coastal city of Burela, northwestern Spain, on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014. Spanish coastguards rescued five Filipino sailors by helicopter after the seamen’s boat got caught in a storm on Tuesday off northwestern Spain, where fresh sea gales were growing, authorities said. AFP PHOTO/MIGUEL RIOPA MADRID—Spanish coastguards rescued five Filipino sailors by helicopter after the seamen’s boat got caught in a storm on Tuesday off northwestern Spain, where fresh sea gales were growing, authorities said. The five were lifted from the Esnaad 715, an Emirates-flagged supply ship, which was “in danger of sinking” 50 nautical miles from the Spanish port of La Coruna, the national coastguard said in a statement. “The rescue operation was complicated by the adverse weather conditions in the area, with southeasterly winds of 45 knots,” equivalent to more than 80 kilometers, or 50 miles, an hour, it added. It said the coastguard had brought the sailors to land in the nearby Spanish port of Viveiro and sent a tugboat to assess the situation of the Esnaad, which had been on the way from the Netherlands to Abu Dhabi. Fierce waves were pounding seafronts and fishing boats off northern Spain, where authorities issued alerts for storm tides and strong winds for Wednesday, with snow forecast in some places. On Sunday, authorities said a boy was swept out to sea as storm surges hit Galicia and other northwestern regions. He Read More …

Albay lawmaker warns gov’t of worse sanctions from HK

 News
Feb 042014
 
Albay lawmaker warns gov’t of worse sanctions from HK

INQUIRER.net 6:05 pm | Tuesday, February 4th, 2014 Albay Representative Al Francis Bichara. Facebook photo MANILA, Philippines – A lawmaker believes the government should have apologized earlier to Hong Kong over the botched hostage-taking crisis three years ago. Albay Representative Al Francis Bichara said at a press briefing Tuesday that it would be more shameful if the government waits for worse sanctions from Hong Kong before it apologizes. “We could have done that earlier because apparently we cannot always say that is the fault of the police captain. We’re part of the operations and we are partly to blame, also,” Bichara said when asked if the government should give in to Hong Kong’s demands. “Kung hihintayin pa natin na maipit tayo, mas lalong nakakahiya (It would be more embarrassing if we wait for things to get worse before we apologize),” he added. Bichara made the statement after Hong Kong suspended the current visa-free arrangement for visiting Philippine diplomats and officials. The sanction will start on February 5. Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said the government may take more action if it thought it could be “effective” in securing an apology over the hostage-taking. Hong Kong is infuriated as the Philippines refused to apologize for the act of a disgruntled police officer who hijacked a tourist bus boarded by its nationals in 2010.  Eight Hong Kong tourists were killed because of a botched police operation. Since the crisis, relations have soured between the Philippines and Hong Kong, home to some Read More …

Filipinos 3rd among world’s heaviest drinkers—study

 News
Feb 042014
 
Filipinos 3rd among world’s heaviest drinkers—study

By Bong LozadaINQUIRER.net 4:55 pm | Tuesday, February 4th, 2014 FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — Bottoms up! After ranking 15th in the world’s top porn-watchers according to an adult website, Filipinos are now involved in another kind of bottom, shot glass bottoms. Known for being one of the best partiers in the planet, Filipinos lived up to their reputation after a recent study of Euromonitor, a research company on market strategies, showed that the fun-loving race was third on the world’s heaviest drinkers. According to the study, Filipinos drink an average of 5.4 shots of any spirit—vodka, gin, tequila, rum, whiskey, brandy, lambanog, per week, behind South Korea, 13.7 shots, and Russia, 6.3 shots. The country’s liquor guzzlers, who drink in times of celebration and grief, outdrank fellow alcohol-lovers from Thailand, Japan, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Slovakia, Brazil and the United States of America in the top ten. RELATED STORY Filipinos rank 15th in global porn watching Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines. Tags: Filipinos , Global Nation , heaviest drinkers , liquor consumption Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer’s Reader’s Advocate. Or write The Readers’ Advocate:

Nancy Binay hits back at criticism about sister’s condo win

 News
Feb 042014
 
Nancy Binay hits back at criticism about sister’s condo win

People will turn anything into an issue against the Binay family. This was Senator Nancy Binay’s response to criticism about her sister’s winning a posh condominium unit in a raffle draw at the Power Plant Mall. “Ang kinakagulat ko kasi pati ba naman yung pagkapanalo sa raffle ginagawan ng issue?…  Siguro lesson ito sa family namin na kahit ano talaga magagawan ng issue kung gusto nila gawing issue,” the senator told reporters Tuesday. Rep. Mar-Len Abigail Binay has been drawing flak online for winning a multimillion-peso unit at The Grove condominium in Pasig City. It was raffled off by Power Plant Mall, which announced that Binay was the winner last Sunday. “Sinuwerte lang talaga na siya ‘yung nanalo… Wala namang restriction dun na kapag government official ka or anak ka ng Vice President, bawal ka na sumali sa raffle,” Sen. Binay said. Rep. Binay also attributed her win to “sheer luck,” saying it was “not based on [her] financial status or stature as a politician.” Sen. Binay further said that the raffle was “legitimate,” “above board” and was supervised by a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) representative. Another Binay sibling, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, also recently came under fire after the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported last month that he ordered the arrest of three security guards last November 30 after they supposedly prevented his convoy from passing through a restricted gate in Dasmariñas Village. — BM, GMA News

Palace to Duterte: Uphold rule of law

 News
Feb 042014
 
Palace to Duterte: Uphold rule of law

Duterte: Davidson Bangayan is David Tan. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte shows a photo of alleged rice smuggler David Tan during a Senate inquiry on rice smuggling on Monday, February 3, where he told senators that Tan and businessman Davidson Bangayan are one. Bangayan has repeatedly denied that he is David Tan. Benjie Castro Malacañang on Tuesday reminded government officials that it is their duty to uphold the law after a mayor’s statement suggested he would take the law into his own hands to stop rice smuggling in his city. “All government officials whether local or national have the basic responsibility to uphold the rule of law,” Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said during a press conference. Coloma made the statement after Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte said he would “gladly kill” alleged rice smuggler Davidson Bangayan if the trader is caught smuggling in his city. “Sabi, may bumaba ditong smuggled goods. Sabi ko pagbababarilin ko kayo. If this guy goes, I will gladly kill him. I will not hesitate. I will do it for my country,” Duterte told the Senate agriculture committee during a hearing on rice smuggling. Aside from this, the mayor had also lamented the slow pace of justice in going after rice smugglers. Systemic reforms On Tuesday, Coloma said the government has already instituted several revamps within the Bureau of Customs but that this is not enough to solve the problem of smuggling. “Pero hindi pa sapat yan, kinakailangan yung mga systemic reforms,” Read More …

Palace: No reason to impeach PNoy over smoking

 News
Feb 042014
 
Palace: No reason to impeach PNoy over smoking

President Benigno Aquino III has never violated any rules on smoking which may be grounds for impeachment, a Palace spokesman said Tuesday. “The President is following all of the laws of the land regarding this matter. Batid naman natin na kailanman hindi siya lumalabag sa mga batas hinggil diyan,” Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. told reporters during an ambush interview. He issued the statement after Civil Service Commission Assistant Commissioner Ariel Ronquillo was quoted as saying that the President is violating the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which disallows smoking in government premises. He added that the only way to discipline Aquino was to file an impeachment case against him. Coloma, however, said Aquino has never violated this. “Sa lahat ng pagkakataon na nakasama ko siya sa pagpupulong o anumang function ay hindi ko siya nakitang nagsigarilyo,” he said. The Palace official added that the President has always been supportive of measures seeking to reduce the hazards of smoking, like the Sin Tax Reform Law. —KG, GMA News

Palace probe vs ERC chief ongoing, says spokesman

 News
Feb 042014
 
Palace probe vs ERC chief ongoing, says spokesman

Malacañang announced Tuesday that the investigation against Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chairperson Zenaida Ducut is now ongoing. During a press conference, Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Investigative and Adjudicatory Division of the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs under the Office of the President is handling the administrative complaint filed against Ducut for her supposed dereliction of duty on the power rate hike. “Ayon sa kanila, natanggap na nila ang complaint mula sa Akbayan at sinimulan na nila ang kanilang pagsisiyasat [sa kaso] na inihain sa kanila. So ‘yun ang status ng iyong tinatanong kahapon,” he said. The Palace official made the announcement after Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello said the Palace seems hesitant to process the complaint and penalize Ducut, which Coloma denied.  But asked when the probe will probably be completed, he said it will depend on the turnout of events. “Pinag-aaralan pa nila then siguro may processes ‘yun na pasasagutin si Chairman Ducut kung ano din ‘yung side niya para macomplete ‘yung inquiry,” he said. —KG, GMA News

American 6th graders raise funds for Typhoon Yolanda victims

 News
Feb 022014
 
American 6th graders raise funds for Typhoon Yolanda victims

Kirsten Solloway, left, and Ryleigh Justice, sixth-graders at Elkridge Landing Middle School, pose with money they raised to help typhoon and tornado victims. [via Elkridge Landing Middle School] When Kirsten Solloway learned how Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines in November, she knew she had to do something. After all, her stepfather is Filipino, and with members of his family living in the Philippines, she felt a personal connection to the tragedy. Kirsten, 12, started discussing ideas to help with her friend and sixth grade classmate at Elkridge Landing Middle School, Ryleigh Justice, 11. At the same time, she learned about tornadoes wreaking havoc in Illinois in November, and she said the two of them felt compelled to help victims of both weather events. “We decided we didn’t want to help just one group when the damage was going on in both places,” Ryleigh said. Their idea was a change-collection drive they held from Dec. 3 to 20. They decorated 30 Ball Mason jars, one for the front office and the others for each classroom and asked classmates and teachers to donate their spare change. The amount raised – $1,017 – surprised even the girls. They donated the money to the American Red Cross. “We didn’t think we were going to raise that much. We thought, $600 at the most. We never thought we’d hit a thousand,” Ryleigh said. “It was crazy,” Kirsten said. And, it got crazier. Classrooms started competing against each other, although it wasn’t part of the girls’ Read More …

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