LPA in Davao Oriental; floods, landslides threaten Bicol, Vis-Min

 News
Jul 272013
 
LPA in Davao Oriental; floods, landslides threaten Bicol, Vis-Min

A potential cyclone, a low-pressure area, moved to Davao Oriental in Mindanao Saturday afternoon, even as state weather forecasters warned of flash floods and landslides over Bicol in southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao in the next 24 hours. PAGASA said that as of 4 p.m., the LPA was estimated at the vicinity of Davao Oriental, embedded in the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone affecting Palawan, Visayas and Mindanao. “Bicol region, Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rain showers and thunderstorms, which may trigger flash floods and landslides,” PAGASA said in its 5 p.m. bulletin. Also, it said Metro Manila, Calabarzon and Mimaropa will have “cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms.” PAGASA’s extended weather forecast for Metro Manila indicated cloudy skies with rain showers or thunderstorms until July 31. The rest of Luzon will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms,” PAGASA added. Earlier, PAGASA said that if the LPA became a cyclone, it would be locally codenamed “Jolina.” Meanwhile, PAGASA said moderate to occasionally strong winds from the southwest will prevail over Palawan and Mindanao and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to occasionally rough. — LBG, GMA News

CDO bistro hit by deadly blast was filled with lung disease experts attending convention

 News
Jul 272013
 
CDO bistro hit by deadly blast was filled with lung disease experts attending convention

Cagayan de Oro blast kills six people. Bomb squad operatives inspect the area where the Friday night blast ripped through a crowded bistro in Cagayan de Oro City. Bobby Lagsa Six people were killed and more than 40 wounded in the Philippines when a bomb struck a restaurant filled with doctors after a national convention, police said Saturday. Police said the improvised explosive device went off around midnight (1600 GMT Friday) at a popular restaurant in the southern port city of Cagayan de Oro. Most of the victims were doctors and pharmaceutical salesmen who had just attended a national convention of lung-disease specialists at a nearby hotel, said the city police chief, Senior Superintendent Graciano Mijares. “This is one of the busiest areas of Cagayan de Oro…. somebody left a bomb on a chair at the bistro,” he told reporters. He declined to speculate on the motive for the bombing, saying an investigation was under way. Cagayan de Oro is located on the main southern island of Mindanao, which has been blighted by a decades-old rebellion by elements of the large Muslim minority in the mainly Catholic Asian nation. Local businessman Noel Arcenas, who owns an electronics shop at the shopping complex where the restaurant is located, said at least 100 people were inside the bistro when the explosion occurred. “I felt then heard the blast,” said Arcenas, who added he was standing about 15 metres (49 feet) away. “I looked around and saw this ball of white smoke. People Read More …

House bill seeks to criminalize hoarding PHL coins

 News
Jul 272013
 
House bill seeks to criminalize hoarding PHL coins

If a bill filed in the House of Representatives is passed into law, hoarding Philippine coins may become a crime with the offender facing up to eight years in jail. House Bill 1662, the proposed Anti-Hoarding of Philippine Legal Tender Coins Act of 2013, filed by Iloilo Rep. Jerry Treñas also provides for a fine of at least P300,000. “The unscrupulous practice of hoarding of coins is tantamount to economic sabotage and is creating an artificial shortage of coins,” Treñas said in a news release. In his bill, Treñas said hoarding coins of any denomination may cause an artificial shortage of small denominations of currency. He cited how many establishments have lacked small change. The proposed bill criminalizes the keeping or possession of coins of any denomination exceeding the allowable aggregate value, number of pieces and weight “to be determined by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) by any person, corporation, partnership, association or any other form of juridical personality.” The bill seeks to stop the alleged practice by syndicates of hoarding coins, which are smelted and converted into other materials for industrial uses. Treñas added the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will be the proper agency to enforce and implement the proposed act. Exempted from the bill’s coverage are charitable institutions, private banks, banking and financial institutions of the government, and government agencies and instrumentalities that “hold or keep such coins in connection with their official duties.” The bill lets the BSP “review and change, if needed, the aggregate amounts Read More …

PAGASA: Rain over Luzon and Eastern Visayas Thursday

 News
Jul 242013
 
PAGASA: Rain over Luzon and Eastern Visayas Thursday

Rain is expected over Metro Manila, Luzon and Eastern Visayas on Thursday due to the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), state weather forecasters said. PAGASA, in its 5 p.m. bulletin, said the ITCZ was across northern and Central Luzon. For Thursday, it said Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon and Eastern Visayas may expect “cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms.” The rest of the country will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.” Also, PAGASA said moderate to occasionally strong winds from the southeast to south will prevail over the Western section of Northern and Central Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to occasionally rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the east to southeast with slight to moderate seas. Thunderstorm advisories Earlier Wednesday, heavy rain was noted over parts of Metro Manila and Davao. Affected by thunderstorms were Davao City, parts of Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Bukidnon, Cotabato, and Maguindanao. PAGASA also issued thunderstorm advisories at 10 p.m. over: – Liloan, Consolation, Mandaue, LapuLapu in Cebu and nearby areas – Metro Manila — DVM, GMA News

New Chinese coast guard ship seen in PHL territory

 News
Jul 242013
 
New Chinese coast guard ship seen in PHL territory

A new Chinese coast guard vessel has been spotted in the Panganiban Reef—the same type of ship that a news report in China says is being used for the first time in disputed territorial waters. “An unidentified China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel was sighted in Panganiban Reef,” a government report seen Wednesday by GMA News Online said. The ship, according to the report, possesses “advance communication systems and armaments such as twin automatic cannons mounted on the ships’ deck.” “As such, it is deemed imperative for the Philippines to enhance its present intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities while seeking a minimum credible deterrent against potential external threats,” the report said. Panganiban Reef is a rich fishing ground within Philippine territory but came under Chinese control in 1995. Chinese media has reported in Beijing that China would now use armed Chinese coast guard vessels to complement its fleet of Chinese Maritime Surveillance (CMS) and Fisheries and Law Enforcement Command (FLEC) vessels that, for years, have been conducting sovereignty patrols in most of the Chinese-claimed areas in the South China Sea. The Philippines, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have competing claims over the resource-rich waters. China claims “indisputable sovereignty” over the entire South China Sea, where undersea gas deposits have been discovered in several areas, even as it overlaps with the territories of its Asian neighbors. Manila has sought international arbitration to try to declare as illegal China’s massive claim. News reports say Chinese coast guard vessels have been seen first Read More …

Generals' group wants mandatory ROTC revived

 News
Jul 242013
 
Generals' group wants mandatory ROTC revived

A group of active and retired military and police generals on Wednesday called for the revival of the mandatory Reserve Officers Training Course (ROTC) in college. In a resolution, the Association of Generals and Flag Officers (AGFO) said mandatory ROTC, which was abolished over a decade ago, will instill patriotism among male college students. It said the current setup under National Service Training Program Act of 2001 has been “insufficient” in instilling “the values of discipline and patriotism required of every citizen.” The group added that the present setup, where ROTC is only optional and voluntary, “do not address the military training ideally required of every citizen.” “(More than) 10 years after the abolition of the ROTC as mandatory program, there is now a growing sentiment that the national defense preparedness of our nation has not been served well since the alternative programs in the National Service Training Program are deemed insufficient to inculcate the values of discipline and patriotism required of every citizen and do not address the military training ideally required of every citizen,” AGFO said. The group also said that “geopolitical developments in the Asia Pacific Region have accentuated the weakness of the Philippine defense posture and exposed the very limited capabilities of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) to defend the national sovereignty.” AGFO is currently headed by retired Army Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan, the executive director of the Visiting Forces Agreement Commission. The mandatory ROTC program was scrapped in 2002 following the passage of Read More …

DepEd clarifies face veil removal order for Muslim teachers

 News
Jul 242013
 
DepEd clarifies face veil removal order for Muslim teachers

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday clarified that a recent order requesting Filipino Muslim teachers to remove their face veil inside the classroom applies only to Arabic language instructors. Although some reacted to the order vehemently, some Muslim teachers welcomed the order, saying that having the students see their face is particularly important in language class, and is especially effective when teaching younger students. “What the order actually states is that teachers handling Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) are requested to remove the veil covering the face (niqab) when teaching in the classroom,” Education Secretary Armin Luistro said in a statement on Wednesday. “This is to promote better teacher-pupil relationship and to support effective language teaching since seeing the teacher’s lips helps in the correct production of letter sounds,” he noted. Luistro is referring to DepEd Order no. 32 series of 2013, which reiterates DECS order No. 53, series of 2001 or Strengthening the Protection of Religious Rights of Students. An Agence France-Presse report on Tuesday said that Muslim teachers were told to remove their veil during lessons. However, the report failed to mention that the order was only referring to the full-face veil, and only applies to those teaching the Arabic language. The order states that wearing a veil covering the entire face is allowed outside the classroom, but that it is “strongly suggested” that the veil be removed or partially removed (the detachable mouth and nose cover) during classes so that students can see the Read More …

Bill filed to allow foreign vessels greater flexibility in Philippine waters

 News
Jul 242013
 
Bill filed to allow foreign vessels greater flexibility in Philippine waters

Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of the second district of Cagayan de Oro on Wednesday filed a bill that will remove restrictions on foreign vessels entering the country. “[Should it be passed,] this bill will bring goods here. It will remove all limitations, and will allow foreign vessels to travel port by port,” Rodriguez told GMA News Online. House Bill 1789, or “An Act Allowing Foreign Vessels to Engage in Coastwise Trade in the Country and for other purposes,” otherwise known as the “Coastwise Trade Act of 2013,” repeals the Cabotage law. In his State of the Nation Address, President Benigno Aquino III also mentioned that he wants to see Congress amend the law. The Cabotage Law prohibits foreign vessels from serving domestic shipment routes, but Aquino said amendments will increase competition and strengthen industries. “Mapapalakas po nito ang kompetisyon,” he said. Rodriguez explained that with the passage of the Coastwise Trade Act of 2013, foreign vessels will be allowed more flexibility in Philippine waters, thereby ending the practice of foreign ships of using other nearby ports with less restrictions. “The problem right now is that while [foreign vessels] can enter the country through one port, it’s very expensive to travel for example from Mindanao to Luzon. In contrast, it’s very cheap to move from Hong Kong to Luzon,” he said. Rodriguez also explained that a similar bill was filed in the 15th Congress, but that it failed to pass. “This bill was filed in the previous Congress, but we have refiled it, Read More …

Hundreds protest China’s ‘bullying’ of Philippines

 News
Jul 242013
 
Hundreds protest China’s ‘bullying’ of Philippines

Agence France-Presse 6:58 pm | Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 Risa Hontiveros. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Hundreds of Philippine activists on Wednesday accused China of “gunboat diplomacy”, demonstrating at a noisy Manila protest against the Asian giant’s moves to stake its claims in the South China Sea. Riot police cordoned off the entrance to an office building housing the Chinese consulate as an estimated one thousand demonstrators took Beijing to task for “bullying” the Philippines. The protest, which ended peacefully two hours later, came amid festering tensions between the two neighbours over Scarborough Shoal, a Philippine-claimed outcrop seized by China after a two-month naval stand-off last year. “Our simple message for China today is to stop your intrusions, and stop your bullying of other claimant countries,” Risa Hontiveros, a former member of parliament and one of the protest leaders, told AFP. The demonstrators, who included politicians, former military officers and church officials, accused China in a statement handed out at the protest of implementing “gunboat diplomacy in the region”. They put up a portable stage on the street, snarling traffic as they sang patriotic songs, blew horns, danced and hoisted anti-Chinese slogans. China claims nearly all of the strategically vital South China Sea, even waters close to the shores of its smaller neighbours. Apart from Scarborough, the Philippines has also protested the presence of Chinese navy vessels near Philippine-held Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands. The islands have been a source of regional tension for decades, with China and Vietnam Read More …

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