Swiss grants await Filipino grads, doctors

 News
Oct 122013
 
Swiss grants await Filipino grads, doctors

By Dona Z. PazzibuganPhilippine Daily Inquirer 2:53 am | Sunday, October 13th, 2013 Education Secretary Armin Luistro. FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Swiss government is offering scholarships to those currently taking up doctorate studies in the Philippines and to medical doctors wishing to undertake specializations in select universities in Switzerland, according to Education Secretary Armin Luistro. Luistro said the research scholarships were open to those studying for a doctorate degree who wish to conduct a 12-month research with a professor in a Swiss university. The scholarship is also open to medical doctors undertaking specializations. Scholarships are also available to those wishing to go through a Ph.D. program in a Swiss university for a maximum of three years. The Swiss government is also offering a grant for researchers with a doctorate degree wishing to conduct post-doctoral research at a Swiss university for 12 months. The deadline for applications for academic year 2014-15 is Nov. 15. “We welcome this offer which is part of the continuing promotion of understanding and cooperation between our country and the Swiss Confederation,” Luistro said. The scholarship and research grants offered by the Swiss government are almost similar to those offered by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) through the Philippine-California Advanced Research Institutes (PCARI) that was organized only last year. 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 Read More …

Filipino Muslims fly to Mecca for Hajj on Saudi tab

 News
Oct 122013
 
Filipino Muslims fly to Mecca for Hajj on Saudi tab

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 2:19 am | Sunday, October 13th, 2013 The sun sets behind the minarets of Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University mosque in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Everybody flies for the Hajj, with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Going on a pilgrimage to Mecca has been a lifelong dream for lawyer Samina Macabando but the hefty price of the journey—up to P200,000—was always a barrier. This year, the Marawi City native is finally making the sojourn that Muslims around the world make their life’s mission. The 31-year-old lawyer is among 47 Filipinos the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is flying to and billeting for free in Mecca this month for the Hajj, in Islam a defining expression of devotion to the faith. “I’ve been dreaming of this ever since I was young,” said Macabando. “It’s very important. It’s one of the five pillars of Islam. If you go on the pilgrimage, your faith is complete,” she told the Inquirer. Officials of the Saudi Embassy in Manila and the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) feted the pilgrims at the embassy in Makati City on Saturday where they were handed their plane tickets, the Ihraam (the sacred white clothing that Muslims wear for the Hajj) and other gifts. The group, selected from around the Philippines through a stringent process, will be provided “luxurious accommodations and other services that befit them as guests” during their 10-day trip, said the embassy’s chargé d’affaires, Abdullelah Aljebreen, in remarks Read More …

DFA protests call to bar Filipino workers from Hong Kong

 News
Oct 122013
 
DFA protests call to bar Filipino workers from Hong Kong

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 2:07 am | Sunday, October 13th, 2013 DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez.  INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reacted sharply on Saturday to a proposal by a political party in Hong Kong to ban Filipino domestic workers from the Chinese territory until the Philippines issues an apology for the death of eight HK tourists during a bus hijack in Manila more than three years ago. The status of thousands of innocent Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong should not be leveraged with the city’s appeal for a categorical apology from the Philippines for the tragic result of the bus hijack incident at Rizal Park on Aug. 23, 2010, the DFA said in a statement. “Let us de-link the issue from the Filipino workers in Hong Kong whose dedication to their work and high skill set have contributed to the society and economy of Hong Kong,” said Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesperson. Hernandez cited the longstanding presence of Filipinos in the former British colony, adding that most Hong Kong residents shared a different view from lawmaker Albert Chan Wai-yip, who led the ban call. Eman Villanueva, spokesperson for the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body, was quoted in the South China Morning Post as saying that Chan was “barking up the wrong tree.” “Chan is just exploiting the political situation to gain popularity. What does the visa issue have to do with the Manila hostage incident? This is racist and he Read More …

Going global by helping the poor

 News
Oct 122013
 
Going global by helping the poor

YOUNG PHILANTHROPISTAlex Eduque, shown here with TV celeb and Habitat youth ambassador Matteo Guidicelli, is off to Amsterdam as a finalist—the first Filipina ever—in this year’s Global Awards for Fundraising. Inset: Her pet project, Habitat for Humanity, helps build homes and cleans the environment for marginalized Filipinos. Alexandra Madrigal Eduque, 23, is now on her way to Amsterdam as a finalist—the first Filipino woman ever—in this year’s Global Awards for Fundraising.  An international awards program endorsed by national associations of fundraisers worldwide and organized by the Resource Alliance based in London, the ceremonies will be held on October 16 at the International Fundraising Congress in the Netherlands. Alexandra, or Alex, as friends call her, is up against two other finalists from Italy and Australia for the Outstanding Volunteer Award category.  This award gives value to individual volunteers whose work creates significant impact on the fundraising success of an organization.  For Alex, it is her exceptional work in the past eight years as a youth volunteer for Habitat for Humanity  (HH) Philippines that drew international attention. Fresh-faced Alex just graduated from Columbia University’s Barnard College in New York, majoring in political science and urban studies. But for one so young, Alex is already an “old pro,” a seasoned hand in the art of fundraising.  She describes herself as a social advocate and remembers submitting online, aside from her Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores and school transcripts from the International School Manila, upon application for Barnard, an essay about how her grandmother, Read More …

‘Coming out’ for immigration reform

 News
Oct 112013
 
‘Coming out’ for immigration reform

The author at immigration rally. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO SAN FRANCISCO—October has always been a special month in my household, since it’s when my twin brother and I celebrate our birthday surrounded by family. But October is also Filipino-American History Month and LGBT History Month, both of which I’m uniquely situated to appreciate: As a Filipino American, I am part of a legacy that includes generations of Fil-Am activists like Larry Itliong, who started the farm worker movement that was joined by Latino and labor pioneer Cesar Chavez. And as an openly gay man, in the spirit of the Stonewall activism that stood strong against homophobia and transphobia, I cheer the latest victory for the LGBT rights movement—the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down part of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and grant benefits to legally married same-sex couples. The times we are in now, however, call for all the strength these legacies can muster. With our government mired in partisan disagreement, the movement for comprehensive immigration reform stands at a crossroads. Given the distractions, it would be easy to let the momentum wane. But far from choosing the path of least resistance, we’ve chosen to push on and continue the fight. On Oct. 5, the board of the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) gathered in New York and stood in solidarity with the more than 100 protests and marches taking place around the country as part of the National Day of Dignity and Respect. On Oct. 8, I Read More …

US Senator Hill to honor man who inspired ‘Vote-By-Mail’ ballot confirm law

 News
Oct 112013
 
US Senator Hill to honor man who inspired ‘Vote-By-Mail’ ballot confirm law

6:40 am | Saturday, October 12th, 2013 MENLO PARK, California—State Senator Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo County/Santa Clara County), will honor a longtime Menlo Park resident as the winner of Hill’s annual “Oughta Be a Law…Or Not” contest and the inspiration behind Hill’s legislation, Senate Bill 589, which enables voters who cast their ballots by mail to confirm that their votes were counted. Until now, the contest winner has chosen to be anonymous, but has agreed to be recognized publicly by Hill on Friday, 8 to 9 a.m., Friday, October 11, 2013 at Where: Café Zoë, 1929 Menalto Avenue, Menlo Park,during the senator’s “Java with Jerry” community coffee meeting in Menlo Park. Governor Jerry Brown signed the legislation on September 9. It takes effect January 1, 2014. Hill will present a copy of the legislation and a certificate of recognition to the winner of the “Oughta Be a Law…Or Not” contest. The public is invited to “Java with Jerry” on Friday to celebrate the “Oughta Be a Law…Or Not” contest winner. Hill also will provide a legislative update. The event is free. No RSVPs necessary. Senate Bill 589 requires county election officials to establish a system allowing individuals who vote by mail to learn if their ballot was counted and, if it was not, why it wasn’t. It also provides county registrars with flexibility to determine how they want to comply with the legislation by notifying voters on a walk-in basis, over the phone, or online. The legislation—co-sponsored by Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, D-South Read More …

Napoles paid BIR staff to escape audit – whistleblower

 News
Oct 102013
 
Napoles paid BIR staff to escape audit – whistleblower

Pork barrel scam whistleblower Marina Sula said her former employer and alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles had connections in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). It went to the point that, Sula claimed in her affidavit, Napoles paid BIR employees to sweep under the rug the audit on the questionable assets of one of Napoles’ dubious corporations, according to a report that aired on “24 Oras” on Thursday. “I was present when our lawyer, Atty. Rocky Delson, negotiated with BIR officials and paid them to cease auditing JCLN Global Properties Development Corp.’s properties because the corporation had many assets but no sales,” Sula said in her August 2013 affidavit. Asked to name these BIR officials, Sula said in a separate affidavit that they are three male revenue officers in the BIR’s main office in Quezon City. “Hindi ko na po matandaan ang mga pangalan nung tatlong lalaking BIR Revenue Officers… Ang natatandaan ko lang ay taga-Investigation Department sila ng BIR National Office [Head Office] sa BIR Road sa Quezon City,” Sula said in her September 2013 affidavit. BIR chief Kim Henares said they would check on the officers who audited Napoles’ corporations. “We would check whether there was an audit conducted between those periods and who were the people auditing. And we will question them,” Henares said in the report. Sula said the JCLN Global Corp. was questioned by the BIR in 2009 and 2010 due to the number of its properties and assets despite having a low paid-up Read More …

NDRRMC on blue alert for Santi; death toll from ITCZ rain rises to 13

 News
Oct 102013
 
NDRRMC on blue alert for Santi; death toll from ITCZ rain rises to 13

Tropical Storm Santi satellite image as of 6:00 p.m., October 10. At 4:00 PM today, the center of Tropical Storm Santi was estimated at 490 km east of Baler, Aurora (15.6ºN, 126.6ºE) with maximum winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 120 kph. It is forecast to move west at 15 kph. PAGASA The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council went on blue alert Thursday evening for the possible effects of Tropical Storm Santi (Nari). In its 6 p.m. update, the NDRRMC said blue alert went into effect at noon, meaning at least half its personnel should be ready to respond to contingencies at any time. Also, it said it will continuously monitor and disseminate weather bulletins and weather forecasts to disaster management councils at the local level. For its part, the Coast Guard advised watercraft plying Catanduanes routes to suspend their operations, even as its units in Catanduanes and Albay are on heightened alert. The Department of Social Welfare and Development prepositioned P104.59 million in emergency relief resources. Death toll from ITCZ rises to 13 Meanwhile, the NDRRMC said the death toll from the heavy rain from the inter-tropical convergence zone rose to 13 Thursday. In its Thursday update, the NDRRMC said the latest fatalities included Ruel Patrociño, 17, of Tumaga in Zamboanga City; and Rose Flores, 38, of Mangusu Vitali in Zamboanga. Patrociño died from drowning while Flores was electrocuted, it said. The NDRRMC also said the ITCZ rain had affected 31,223 Read More …

Aquino arrives home after 1-hour delay

 News
Oct 102013
 
Aquino arrives home after 1-hour delay

President Benigno Aquino III arrived home Thursday night following his trip to Indonesia and Brunei, but not after his flight home was delayed by about an hour. Aquino was scheduled to arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 at 7:30 p.m. but arrived past 8:30 p.m., radio dzBB’s Sam Nielsen reported. The report said the delay was due to bad weather conditions in Metro Manila earlier in the evening. Earlier this week, Aquino attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bali, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. During his arrival statement, Aquino outlined the gains the Philippines got from the two trips. With Aquino upon his arrival were Secretaries Albert del Rosario (Foreign Affairs), Gregory Domingo (Trade), Cesar Purisima (Finance), Arsenio Balisacan (Socio-economic Planning), Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Presidential Management Staff head Julia Abad, and Presidential Communications Secretary Ramon Carandang. Government officials who welcomed Aquino at the NAIA included Secretaries Rosalinda Baldoz (Labor), Leila de Lima (Justice), Emilio Abaya (Transportation), and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles and Commission on Higher Education head Patricia Licuanan. — BM, GMA News

PNoy can't abolish pork barrel – Justice Carpio

 News
Oct 102013
 
PNoy can't abolish pork barrel – Justice Carpio

On his own, the President cannot abolish the pork barrel. This was the statement of Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Thursday during the second oral arguments on the constitutionality of the lawmakers’ discretionary fund. The most senior justice of the Supreme Court explained that the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), as the pork barrel is formally called, can only be abolished if the Congress passes a law to repeal it, or the High Court declares it unconstitutional. “At most, the President has the power to suspend further expenditure if there are anomalies. The president has the power to stop and investigate,” he said. “He has no legal power to abolish PDAF.” Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza concurred, noting that the President “has a general power to stop releases.” Earlier at the oral arguments, the Solicitor General asked the Supreme Court to lift the temporary restraining order on PDAF and to let the political branch of government to solve the issue on its own. However, Carpio replied that it was the High Court’s duty to resolve the case at hand. “A judicial review is a duty of the Judiciary to strike down any branch of government [that has performed] abuse of discretion… We have taken an oath… You are asking too much from this Court, counsel.” By November, the High Court will decide on PDAF’s constitutionality. Last August, Aquino suspended releases of lawmakers’ pork barrel amid public outrage on the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam. In a later press briefing, he said Read More …

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