PNoy: 'Luis Abalos' in COA report a mistake

 News
Aug 212013
 
PNoy: 'Luis Abalos' in COA report a mistake

Did the Commission on Audit (COA) err in reporting that P20 million in “pork barrel” funds went to a non-lawmaker between 2007 and 2009? President Benigno Aquino III thinks so. In a recent exclusive interview with GMA News, Aquino said the Luis Abalos referred to in the COA special audit report that bared the alleged misuse of pork barrel funds was incumbent Mandaluyong mayor Benhur Abalos, who was a member of the House of Representatives in 2007. “Yung pangalan nung isang tao na hindi miyembro nung Kongreso, ngayon sabi nila sa ‘tin miyembro ng Kongreso. Mali lang ‘yung binigay na first name,” Aquino said in a report aired on “24 Oras” on Wednesday. Abalos, son of former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos, served as Mandaluyong representative from 2004 to 2007. The report said Budget Secretary Butch Abad had himself confirmed that it was Benhur Abalos who was named “Luis Abalos” in the COA report. — Rie TakumI/KBK, GMA News

Ninoy Aquino as a freedom fighter in exile

 News
Aug 212013
 
Ninoy Aquino as a freedom fighter in exile

On August 21, 1983, then-Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., upon his arrival at the Manila International Airport, was shot dead by a lone assailant. He was then coming home from a three-year exile in the United States. One could only imagine what would’ve happened if Aquino — or Ninoy as Filipinos fondly call him — had decided to just stay in the US and fight the Marcos dictatorship from afar. But that was not his style. Dubbed by former Senate President Jovito Salonga as “the greatest president we never had,” Aquino did not let his exile stop him from empowering the country, and, as it turned out, also from becoming the family man his long absence prevented him to become. It all started with his health condition. In March 1980, Aquino, who was incarcerated and on hunger strike to protest his military trial under the martial law, developed chest pain that, upon a brief test at the Philippine Heart Center, turned out to be caused by blocked heart arteries. He had to undergo an emergency triple bypass, otherwise, his attending physician warned, he “may die in six days to six months.” Wary of his situation, Aquino refused offers to have his surgery in local hospitals or to have his doctors see him, as he feared what he might say under anesthesia. Through an offer made by the Deputy Minister of Defense, he wrote a letter to Marcos requesting a flight to America, though bound with two constraints: one, that he Read More …

Severe Tropical Storm Trami hits Taiwan

 News
Aug 212013
 
Severe Tropical Storm Trami hits Taiwan

Associated Press 8:42 pm | Wednesday, August 21st, 2013 With their boat safely docked in harbor, fishermen take the time to repair nets as they ride out approaching Tropical Storm Trami near Toucheng, north eastern Taiwan, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2013.Severe Tropical Storm Trami bore down Wednesday on heavily populated northern Taiwan, prompting schools and offices to close down as heavy rains threatened to trigger landslides and other disruptions throughout the island. (AP Photo/Wally Santana) TAIPEI — Severe Tropical Storm Trami struck Wednesday in heavily populated northern Taiwan, prompting schools and offices to close down as heavy rains triggered landslides and other disruptions throughout the island. At 5:30 p.m.(0330 GMT), the Central Weather Bureau said the center of the storm was located offshore, 100 kilometers (63 miles) northeast of the capital of Taipei, packing sustained winds of 108 kmh (68 mph) with gusts of up to 137 kmh. It was expected to complete its passage of the island’s northern coast by midnight, heading westward on a direct course toward the Chinese province of Fujian. An increase of 10 kph in sustained wind speed would cause the storm to be upgraded to typhoon status, though forecasters were unsure if that would happen. Earlier this week, Trami wreaked havoc in the Philippine capital of Manila and in outlying regions, leaving 15 dead, 41 injured and affecting more than 1 million people as floodwaters swamped wide swathes of the densely-populated region. President Benigno Aquino III visited emergency shelters to distribute food packs and cheer Read More …

OWWA vows more flexible loan programs for OFWS

 News
Aug 212013
 
OWWA vows more flexible loan programs for OFWS

By Tina G. SantosPhilippine Daily Inquirer 8:40 pm | Wednesday, August 21st, 2013 FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has vowed to make the government’s loan assistance program for overseas Filipino workers more flexible by easing requirements and application procedures. “We’re [finding ways to make it] more flexible and accessible to OFWs. We are making adjustments in procedures and requirements in response to reports that some are finding it hard to avail of the loan assistance,” OWWA Administrator Carmelita Dimzon said. Dimzon clarified reports that the OWWA was asking for too many requirements that make it difficult for OFWs to avail of the program. “It’s not true, we have to clear that. The OWWA actually almost [does] not ask for any requirement. We just check with our database if they are members, active or non-active. Then we will provide them with certification, saying they are OFW or former OFW, which they have to show to Land Bank,” she said. “If they will avail of the loan on behalf of the member, they just need authorization. And then, of course, they have to undergo training on financial literacy, which only takes a day,” she added. Under the P2-billion reintegration program, the OWWA offering loans for OFWs, especially displaced or distressed workers, who decide to come home for good and put up or expand an existing business in the country. OFWs may apply for business capital loans ranging from P300,000 to P2 million from the P2-billion Reintegration Loan Fund offered Read More …

OFW found dead in suitcase in Egypt

 News
Aug 212013
 
OFW found dead in suitcase in Egypt

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 8:13 pm | Wednesday, August 21st, 2013 In this Sunday, Aug. 18, 2013 photo a convoy of Egyptian police vehicles patrols the southern city of Assiut, Egypt. (AP Photo/Roger Anis, El Shorouk Newspaper) EGYPT OUT MANILA, Philippines – An Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) was found dead in a suitcase in Cairo, Egypt, a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday. “A female OFW was reported on Aug 17 to have been killed in Cairo. Her body was found concealed in a large suitcase which was left around the dump site in Nasr City,” Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez said in a text message Wednesday. The identity of the body could not be immediately determined due to its advanced stage of decomposition. It was also not yet clear whether the OFW was collateral damage in the ongoing civil unrest in the country. “In cooperation with the [Philippine] embassy [in Egypt], the police authorities are ascertaining the positive identity, cause, and circumstances of her death prior to notifying the victim’s next of kin,” Hernandez said. Previously, the DFA has raised crisis alert level 4 in Egypt due to the civil unrest between supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi and government security forces. Violent clashes ensued when authorities dispersed a sit-in protest of Morsi’s supporters who were demanding his reinstatement. Hundreds were reported killed with thousands more injured from the clashes. A month-long state of emergency has been declared by the government. Related Stories: First batch of OFWs repatriated from Read More …

May Pasok: Areas where classes will resume on Thursday

 News
Aug 212013
 
May Pasok: Areas where classes will resume on Thursday

Following the exit of Tropical Storm Maring from the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday and the expected improvement in weather conditions, some local governments have announced that classes would resume on Thursday, August 22. Since the weekend, at least a million people were affected by the heavy monsoon rain and floods enhanced by Maring. Here is a list of local governments which have opted to resume classes on Thursday. This list will be updated as more announcements are made. In NCR San Juan CityLas Piñas City 2nd district and all private schools in the cityQuezon City — KBK, GMA News

Some areas flood-free despite monsoon rains

 News
Aug 212013
 
Some areas flood-free despite monsoon rains

The town of Sta. Ana in Pampanga can be called a flood veteran. But this year, residents were not gearing up to evacuate their homes even after their province was placed under the state of calamity due to monsoon rains enhanced by Tropical Storm Maring. The secret? A newly build retaining wall along Matubig creek in the town. “Dati ang baha rito hanggang dibdib pero dahil napaayos na ang creek at hindi nag-overflow ito, kaya hindi binaha ang mga taga-Sta. Ana,” Pampanga provincial information officer Joel Mapiles told GMA News Online in a phone interview on Wednesday. The creek’s retaining wall is approximately 200 meters in length and about 1.2 m above the road. Apart from building concrete walls, Mapiles said that the creek has been dredged. “Silted na ‘yung mga water channels sa Pampanga kaya kailangang magkaroon ng dredging and slope protection ang mga water embankment,” he added. On Wednesday afternoon, Pampanga was placed under the state of calamity after a dike in Minalin town was breached on Tuesday, which caused flooding in low-lying areas. Metro Manila experience In Metro Manila there is another example of a once-flooded and now flood-free area due to engineering. In a text message, Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino told GMA News Online that the P. Tuazon and Aurora tunnels in Cubao have been flood-free during the last few days. This is due to an additional submersible pump provided by the agency and installed in P. Tuazon tunnel, according to MMDA general Read More …

Alan Peter, Bong Revilla deny anomalies in 'pork' releases

 News
Aug 212013
 
Alan Peter, Bong Revilla deny anomalies in 'pork' releases

Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. on Wednesday denied alleged irregularities in the release of millions of pesos from their pork barrel funds. At a press briefing, Cayetano countered the Commission on Audit (COA)’s findings that he gave P2.6 million to local government units (LGUs) for projects that were not in the “menu” specified by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). “During that time, you can give financial assistance to local government units that lack financial capability and it is up to them what to do. I did not specify what to do,” Cayetano said Wednesday. In a special audit report released Friday, the COA said Cayetano released P2.6 million to three barangays in Taguig for projects without formal proposals and beyond the list of programs allowed by the DBM. The COA said these barangays used Cayetano’s pork barrel, formally known as the priority development assistance fund (PDAF), to buy uniforms for the barangay council, house numbering plates and fire busters. Cayetano however said he is certain that the money was used for their intended purposes. He added that it is up to LGUs to submit documents required by the COA. “If the COA report said I stole the money, I’d question it. But if they’re just saying na kulang ng papel, it is up to the barangay or LGU to answer it because I did my part of making sure that the money was not stolen,” he said. The senator added that he is willing Read More …

First batch of OFWs repatriated from Egypt to arrive in PH

 News
Aug 212013
 
First batch of OFWs repatriated from Egypt to arrive in PH

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 4:44 pm | Wednesday, August 21st, 2013 Egyptian soldiers stand guard at a checkpoint during a dawn-to-dusk curfew in the Zamalek district of Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013. The Philippines has ordered the mandatory evacuation of some 6,000 Filipinos from Egypt following a visit to the Arab country by Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario to investigate the security situation after days of violent clashes. AP PHOTO/MAYA ALLERUZZO MANILA, Philippines – Five Filipinos will comprise the first batch of overseas Filipino workers to be repatriated from Egypt in light of the crisis alert level 4 raised due to the escalating civil strife in that country. “Five Filipinos are to be repatriated to the Philippines in view of the crisis alert level 4 imposed [due to] the current political situation in Egypt,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman assistant secretary Raul Hernandez said Wednesday in a text message. “Three of them came from Cairo, and two from Alexandria. Their flight is scheduled to arrive Aug 21, 4:20 p.m. via [flight] QR646,” Hernandez said. Violence erupted in Cairo after government security forces dispersed a sit-in protest of ousted president Mohammed Morsi’s supporters who have been demanding his reinstatement after being deposed in a military coup last July. Hundreds have been reported killed in the violent dispersal, the latest of a series of clashes between pro-Morsi protesters and government authorities. The DFA issued crisis alert level 4 last Aug 19 after a month-long state of emergency was declared in the Read More …

LIVE UPDATES: Floods persist as enhanced habagat dumps more rains

 News
Aug 202013
 
LIVE UPDATES: Floods persist as enhanced habagat dumps more rains

Many parts of Metro Manila and nearby areas remained flooded Tuesday amid southwest monsoon rains enhanced by tropical storm “Maring.” Classes were still suspended in most of the areas affected by floods, while Malacanang has also ordered the suspension of work in government offices. Yahoo! Philippines brings you live updates on the floods and the weather situation. Please refresh the page for the latest news. 11:30 p.m. Tropical storm “Maring” gains strength and continues to enhance the southwest monsoon that is dumping rains over Luzon. “Maring” had maximum winds of 105 kilometers per hour (kph) when it was last seen at 520 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, Pagasa said. It is forecast to move northwest at 19 kph and is expected to move out of the Philippine area of responsibility by Wednesday evening. 10:55 p.m.: The weather bureau has lowered the rainfall warning over Metro Manila and surrounding provinces to “yellow” from “orange,” even as it warned of flooding in low-lying areas. “Moderate to heavy rains is expected over Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro for the next three hours,” Pagasa said. 8:07 p.m.: The La Mesa Dam continues to overflow, while water is being released from the Ipo, Ambuklao, Binga and Magat dams, Pagasa said. 7:59 p.m.: Flooding is threatening, Pagasa said, as it kept an orange rainfall warning over Metro Manila and surrounding provinces. Heavy to intense rains are affecting Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales and Bataan, it Read More …

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