Filipinos slaves have a chance for freedom

 News
Sep 042013
 
Filipinos slaves have a chance for freedom

No Limitation By Ted Laguatan 12:22 am | Thursday, September 5th, 2013 All Filipinos are slaves including the well to do. We are slaves to the all-pervading institutionalized corruption in the Philippine government that permeates all facets of our lives. Even Filipinos working and living abroad are slaves. They bear the burden and shame of coming from a country with a reputation of being poor, weak and corrupt. And like the hard earned money of their fellow  Filipinos in the homeland, a significant amount of the billions of dollars they send to their relatives back home – will find their way to  the pockets of corrupt dishonest officials and other personnel in all branches and all levels of the Philippine government: bureaucracy clerks; traffic policemen; palengke kubradors; tax collectors; customs people; restaurant inspectors; immigration officials:  court personnel; authorities involved in the licensing or registration of vehicles, businesses, land titles, etc ; and super greedy Senators, Congressmen and judges. Filipinos have continually been slaves to government corruption for so long now.  The terrible resultant effects of this slavery are seen everywhere in the Philippines: Children digging into smelly garbage cans for scraps of pagpag food; One third of our people going to bed hungry at night; Sick people dying because of not having medicines; Children with educations stopping at grade six because of limited funds; Millions living in subhuman squalid slums;  Substandard eroding roads, dangerous bridges and other infrastructures;  Inferior government services… Thousands of our people are separated from their children Read More …

Filipinos in Malaysia warned of new crackdown on illegals

 News
Sep 032013
 
Filipinos in Malaysia warned of new crackdown on illegals

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 5:24 pm | Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013 Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Eduardo Malaya. Photo from J Eduardo Malaya Facebook account MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has called on Filipinos to complete their immigrant documentation and carry their papers at all times after the Malaysian government initiated a new crackdown on illegals this month. In a statement, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Eduardo Malaya reminded Filipinos to always bring their passports with valid visas and work permits with them as Malaysian authorities conduct immigration checks on foreign nationals. “We wish to remind our Filipino nationals to have proper documents, notably work permit or passport with valid visa, and carry it with them in case of immigration checks, in order to avoid inconvenience.  Also, Filipinos who wish to enter Malaysia for work should have approved work permits or similar papers as they start their jobs here,” Malaya said. On Sunday, Malaysian authorities started an operation to apprehend undocumented foreigners across Malaysia. The crackdown has so far led to the arrest of some 2,433 foreign nationals, but no Filipinos is known to be among them, the embassy said. Among those arrested were illegals from Indonesia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Nepal. “We checked with the immigration detention facility in Putrajaya, and we were informed that Filipinos are not among those arrested and currently held in said facility,” Consul General Medardo Macaraig said in the statement. Philippine Embassy officials made the rounds of areas where Filipinos are known to hang Read More …

OFWs in Jeddah warned on repatriation scheme by fake passport office staff

 News
Sep 032013
 
OFWs in Jeddah warned on repatriation scheme by fake passport office staff

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 4:25 pm | Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013 MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) warned undocumented Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Jeddah against an extortion scheme promising a faster way back to the Philippines for a fee. FILE PHOTO The Consul General in Jeddah had received reports that people posing as personnel of the district passport office or “Jawazat” were approaching undocumented OFWs and asking for 100 Riyals payment in exchange for being repatriated, the DFA said in a statement Tuesday. “The OFWs are really brought to the airport but they will not be able to leave,” it said. The Jawazat personnel had claimed they were helping the OFWs go back home upon orders of the King of Saudi Arabia, the DFA said. “This information has been confirmed by the Consulate with the Jawazat. The Jawazat said that there was no such order from the King and that no one can be sent home without going through the process under the repatriation and regularization program,” DFA said. “We reiterate that the repatriation is free of charge and anyone who gets an exit visa but is unable to buy airplane tickets may ask for help from the Consulate,” it added. The DFA reminded that there are no such charges or fees to get a “reference number” on their travel document, to have their fingerprints recorded, or to get exit visas. Those who have fallen victim to such schemes, or have information to share, they may call Read More …

China set impossible conditions for Aquino visit—DFA

 News
Sep 022013
 
China set impossible conditions for Aquino visit—DFA

Associated Press 7:37 pm | Monday, September 2nd, 2013 DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III canceled a trip to a Chinese trade fair after Beijing demanded that he first withdraw a legal complaint over disputed territories in the South China Sea, Filipino officials said Monday. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and two other diplomats relayed conditions for Aquino to attend the annual China-Asean Expo, which opens Tuesday in the southern city of Nanning, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez told a news conference. Hernandez declined to detail the conditions, but said these were “absolutely inimical to our national interest.” The Chinese side asked that the conditions not be publicly disclosed, he said. They were discussed by Wang and Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario in Beijing on Wednesday. Because of the conditions, Aquino decided to call off his publicly announced trip to the trade fair, Hernandez said, adding the Philippines will instead send a delegation headed by its trade secretary. “The president stood firm in the defense of the country’s national interest,” Hernandez said. Two Philippine officials told The Associated Press that China wanted Manila to withdraw a U.N. arbitration case over disputed islands in the South China Sea. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters. Chinese officials have also cited a new standoff between China and the Philippines over the Second Thomas Shoal, which is called Ayungin Shoal by Filipinos Read More …

DFA reveals story behind Aquino’s cancellation of China trip

 News
Sep 022013
 
DFA reveals story behind Aquino’s cancellation of China trip

By Matikas SantosINQURER.net 4:21 pm | Monday, September 2nd, 2013 DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – No deal. President Benigno Aquino III refused several conditions set by China for him to attend the annual China-Asean Exposition, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) assistance secretary Raul Hernandez told reporters Monday. “There were subsequent concerns and conditions to the President’s attendance and such conditions were absolutely inimical to our national interest,” Hernandez said. “The President stood firm in the defense of the country’s national interest,” he said. Hernandez refused to divulge the conditions, which were conveyed by at least three Chinese Foreign Ministry sources and confirmed by two Philippine Foreign Ministers during a meeting in Beijing last August 28, 2013. “To avoid embarrassment on the Chinese side, we will not state these conditions but you may wish to address this specific question to Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing,” Hernandez said. “We were advised that these conditions should not be made public and should not be discussed at Ministerial level,” he said. The DFA maintained that Aquino was invited to the event. 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: China , Features , Global Nation Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Read More …

Military drills set amid talks on more US troops in PH

 News
Sep 022013
 
Military drills set amid talks on more US troops in PH

By Frances MangosingINQUIRER.net 3:18 pm | Monday, September 2nd, 2013 AFP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – About 2,300 members of the Philippine and US military will hold joint military drills later this month amid talks of increased rotational presence of US forces here and continuing tensions between Manila and Beijing over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Part of the bilateral exercises include staff planning exercise to increase the capability to conduct bilateral maritime security and territorial defense operations, field training exercises and humanitarian and civic assistance projects. The three-week joint exercises hosted by the Philippine Marine Corps will start September 18 in several Philippine military camps including the Naval Education and Training Command in San Antonio, Zambales; Crow Valley in Capas, Tarlac; Marine Base Gregorio Lim in Ternate, Cavite; Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown in Metro Manila; and at the Basa Airbase and Clark Field in Pampanga. The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit and 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade from the United States Marine Corps will be paired with Philippine Navy, Air Force and Army units in the annual Amphibious Landing Exercises 2014 dubbed as Phiblex 2014. “Phiblex 14 is designed to improve interoperability, increase readiness and enhance the ability to respond to natural disasters or other regional contingencies,” said First Lieutenant Vince Edward Salmingo, Public Affairs Officer of Phiblex 2014 in a statement. At the same time, Phiblex will also enhance local infrastructure and quality of life and build upon vibrant professional and personal relationships between Philippine and US Marines, Read More …

RM awardees shine

 News
Sep 012013
 
RM awardees shine

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 3:27 am | Monday, September 2nd, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—At a time problems and challenges leave many disheartened, they are shining examples that give the world hope. The Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s premier prize named after a Philippine president known for his tranformative leadership, on Sunday handed out this year’s citations to five awardees for selfless and inspirational service in their home countries. “Your lives are now shining far brightly even more than the stars of Hollywood. Greatness lies really not in one’s official position, but in how you lead, how you lay down your lives for others,” the Philippines’ Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said in congratulating this year’s winners. The awardees were three individuals and two organizations cited for sparking change in pursuit of their advocacies, from universal health and combating violence to fighting corruption and human trafficking. The individual awardees were Filipino doctor Ernesto Domingo, who was cited for his “health for all” advocacy, Myanmar’s Lahpai Seng Raw for her grassroots-based leadership against conflict, and Afghan Habiba Sarabi, Afghanistan’s only female governor who built up her local government despite challenging circumstances. Conviction rate Indonesia’s Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK or the Corruption Eradication Commission) won the award for its decisive action against deeply entrenched corruption in the Indonesian government. Its staggering 100-percent conviction rate of corrupt government officials garnered loud applause from the Philippine audience, who clearly could only wish this could happen in their country. “I was afraid of saying something about your Read More …

Habiba Sarabi: Rebuilding lives in a once fabled land

 News
Aug 312013
 
Habiba Sarabi: Rebuilding lives in a once fabled land

MAGSAYSAY AWARDS By Ma. Ceres P. DoyoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 3:21 am | Sunday, September 1st, 2013 GOV. HABIBA SARABI of Bamyan province, Afghanistan. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO After the land of turquoise blue lakes, awesome cliffs and sweet pomegranates had been turned into a place of terror, violence and death, after the once fabled land of misty valleys, craggy hills and historic monuments had become a battlefield, what is there to do? “Rebuilding lives and the land in a socially divided nation” is the daunting task and challenge for Habiba Sarabi, governor of Bamyan province in Afghanistan. This was also the running theme of her sharing sessions with those eager to learn from her experience. The first and only woman governor in a “fiercely patriarchal” nation that has gone through years of strife brought about by foreign domination, warring tribes, warlordism and terrorist attacks, Sarabi has shown what an educated woman, wife, mother and leader can do for her suffering people. Hopeful persistence Sarabi, 57, is one of this year’s Ramon Magsaysay awardees. In choosing her, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) recognized “her bold exercise of leadership to build up a functioning local government against daunting odds, serving her people with a hopeful persistence grounded in her abiding commitment to peace and development in Afghanistan.” Coming from a family of relative means, Sarabi studied pharmacy in a Kabul university and later specialized in hematology in India. She was teaching at Kabul Medical Science College when the fearsome and extremist Taliban seized Read More …

No sign yet of Napoles' brother trying to leave PHL — Immigration official

 News
Aug 312013
 
No sign yet of Napoles' brother trying to leave PHL — Immigration official

The brother of suspected pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles may still be in the country as there is no sign he tried to flee via the country’s international airports, immigration official said. Bureau of Immigration Ninoy Aquino International Airport intelligence division chief Wilson Soluren said they had not monitored any attempt by Reynald Lim to leave via the airports, state-run Philippines News Agency reported. “So far wala pa kaming monitored attempt niya to exit the country ever since na nag-issue ng warrant of arrest laban sa kanila (So far we have not monitored any attempt by him to exit the country since a warrant was issued for his arrest),” Soluren said. “We believe Mr. Lim is still in the country and hopefully sumuko na rin siya (he will surrender) just like what her sister did,” he added. He said that if Lim is seen at the airports, the BI will arrest him and turn him over to the police or the National Bureau of Investigation. Earlier this month, the Makati City regional trial court issued an arrest warrant against Napoles and Lim for serious illegal detention. Napoles surrendered to President Benigno Aquino III in Malacañang last Wednesday and was initially brought to Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame. She was then brought to the Makati City Jail, even as the Makati court approved her transfer to Fort Sto. Domingo in Laguna province. Napoles allegedly set up ghost non-government organizations that received funds from lawmakers’ Priority Development Assistance Fund. Read More …

Australia reiterates terror warning in parts of Mindanao

 News
Aug 312013
 
Australia reiterates terror warning in parts of Mindanao

Australia has renewed its advice to its nationals against traveling to parts of Mindanao due to what it said a possible terrorism threat. In an Aug. 29 update to its travel advice, Australia noted the United Kingdom recently cited a “credible and imminent” kidnap threat against foreigners in Zamboanga del Norte. “We continue to strongly advise you not to travel to central and western Mindanao, including the Zamboanga Peninsula and Sulu Archipelago, due to the very high threat of terrorist attack, kidnapping, violent crime and violent clashes between armed groups,” it said. Also, it reiterated its advice to its nationals to “reconsider your need to travel to eastern Mindanao.” On the other hand, Australia advised its nationals to “exercise a high degree of caution in the Philippines because of the high threat of terrorist attack and high level of serious crime.” “Pay close attention to your personal security at all times and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks,” it said. It reiterated terrorist attacks, including bombings, are “possible anytime, anywhere in the Philippines, including in Manila.” “We continue to receive credible reports indicating terrorists are planning attacks against a range of targets, including places frequented by foreigners,” it added. Australia earlier “strongly” advised its nationals not to travel to central and western Mindanao, including Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Cotabato City, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Saranggani, Misamis Occidental, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao and the Sulu Archipelago Read More …

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