News – Page 431

California Senate honors June 12 and Filipino contributions

News

Jun 172013

California Senate honors June 12 and Filipino contributions

INQUIRER.net U.S. Bureau 5:13 am | Tuesday, June 18th, 2013 Philippine Consul General Marciano Paynor with California Senate Majority Leader Ellen M. Corbett. The Senate officially declared June 12 as Philippine Independence Day. SACRAMENTO– California’s State Senate unanimously approved a resolution sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Ellen M. Corbett (D-East Bay) Senator Corbett honoring June 12 as Philippine Independence Day. The state Senate also made a “special recognition of California’s Filipino American citizens” and thanked them for their “countless contributions to our nation’s cultural, economic and political heritage.” “I thank my Senate colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans, for supporting SCR 47 today to honor Philippine independence, as well as the thriving Filipino-American community in California,” Senator Corbett said. “The 10th State Senate District is home to tens of thousands of Filipino-Americans that contribute to the diversity of our state, in fields such as government, medicine, business and education. Visiting Naga City in the Philippines as Mayor of San Leandro during a Sister City trip helped me appreciate even more the strong connection between our East Bay communities and the beautiful island nation of the Philippines. I greatly appreciate their rich history and traditions that live on in California today.” Many Filipino-Americans continue to make an indelible mark on life in California, including several individuals that live and work in the 10th State Senate District. Some of those community leaders include: · Assemblymember Rob Bonta (First Filipino-American elected to the California Legislature) · Chief Justice of California Tani Cantil-Sakauye · Philippine Read More …

44 aliens in credit card scam ordered arrested

News

Jun 172013

44 aliens in credit card scam ordered arrested

By Jeannette I. AndradePhilippine Daily Inquirer 4:47 am | Tuesday, June 18th, 2013 AFP PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—A judge has issued warrants for the arrest of 44 Chinese and Taiwanese nationals accused of involvement in credit card fraud. Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 216 Judge Alfonso Cruz III ordered the arrest of the foreigners, who are charged with violating the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998 for hacking into the records of credit cardholders and using the information obtained to manufacture fake credit cards. Bail for each of the accused was set at P24,000. The 44 foreigners were previously rounded up by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) Technical Intelligence Division in simultaneous raids conducted in November 27 last year at Don Antonio Heights and White Plains Subdivisions. Although the NBI agents were able to confiscate a skimming device, several bogus credit cards and other electronic devices from the group, the inquest prosecutor recommended that the case be subjected to further investigation, resulting in the release of those arrested. Last month, Assistant State Prosecutor Arnold Magpantay resolved that there was probable cause to indict the foreigners for credit card fraud. In his resolution, Magpantay said that while the electronic devices appeared to be ordinary items (routers, laptop computers and phones), these could be used as tools in committing a crime. He also noted that none of the 44 Chinese and Taiwanese nationals were able to sufficiently explain their possession of skimming devices which were used in the manufacture Read More …

10 REASONS WHY IT FLOODS IN MANILA

News

Jun 172013

It’s raining season once again and we face the yearly problem of flooding in Metro Manila. I keep getting calls from broadcast media asking for interviews about the problem, its historical origins and urban redevelopment solutions. READ FULL STORY

Global warming threatens coastal cities

News

Jun 172013

Associated Press 3:18 am | Tuesday, June 18th, 2013 In this March 26, 2012, file photo, residences on stilts sit along the Chao Phraya River with a construction site in the background in Bangkok, Thailand. Sea level rise projections show Bangkok could be at risk of inundation in 100 years unless preventive measures are taken. AP PHOTO/SAKCHAI LALIT BONN, Germany—From Bangkok to Miami, cities and coastal areas across the globe are already building or planning defenses to protect millions of people and key infrastructure from more powerful storm surges and other effects of global warming. Some are planning cities that will simply adapt to more water. But climate-proofing a city or coastline is expensive, as shown by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s $20-billion plan to build floodwalls, levees and other defenses against rising seas. The most vulnerable places are those with the fewest resources to build such defenses, secure their water supplies or move people to higher ground. How to pay for such measures is a burning issue in UN climate talks, which just wrapped up a session in the German city of Bonn. The following is a sampling of cities and countries around the world and what they are doing to prepare for the climatic forces that scientists say are being unleashed by global warming. Bangkok Even before the consequences of climate change became evident, scientists were well aware that Bangkok—whose southern suburbs border the Gulf of Thailand—was under serious threat from land subsidence. Sea level rise projections show Read More …

‘Fishing talks between PH, Taiwan may violate ‘one-China’ policy’

News

Jun 172013

‘Fishing talks between PH, Taiwan may violate ‘one-China’ policy’

SAYS LAW EXPERT: By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 6:44 pm | Monday, June 17th, 2013 Harry Roque, chairman of the Center for International Law MANILA, Philippines — The start of fisheries talks between the Philippines and Taiwan might violate the country’s one-China policy and Manila should instead craft any future pact with Taipei as a local government of China, an international law expert said. Harry Roque, chairman of the Center for International Law, however, welcomed the decision of the two sides to avoid the use of force in fishing disputes — a positive step in what has been rough relations between the Philippines and what it considers a province of China. “Talks may violate the one-China policy. All talks with Taiwan should be because it is part of China. The alternative is to craft as an agreement with a local government of China,” Roque said on Monday. As part of the government’s one-China policy, the Philippines handles its ties with Taiwan not through the Department of Foreign Affairs but through the Manila Economic and Cultural Office under the Office of the President, with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office as its counterpart. Roque, however, has a positive view of the agreement against the use of force in fishing issues, saying the right to life is above the right to use natural resources. “But I welcome the agreement not to resort to use of force against illegal poachers. The right to life is preeminent and superior specially to mere ecological rights Read More …

UN voices concern over child warriors in PH

News

Jun 172013

UN voices concern over child warriors in PH

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 6:28 pm | Monday, June 17th, 2013 UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — Some 26 children were recruited as soldiers, messengers and informants in conflict zones while dozens of other minors were slain and maimed in militant attacks and gunfights in the Philippines last year, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said in a report. In the report “Grave violations committed against children in 22 situations of concern” released on June 12, Ban expressed concern over the use of children as operatives, informants and messengers in conflict areas, recruited by terror groups, militant organizations and even state agents. The report specified the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the Philippine military as those involved in using children in their operations. “During the reporting period, the country task force recorded 11 incidents of recruitment and use of children, involving 23 boys and 3 girls between 12 and 17 years of age,” read Ban’s report, which the UN publicly released last week but was first reported to the UN Security Council on May 15. Culled by a UN country task force, the confirmed cases represent a decrease in child involvement in conflict but the world body remained concerned that minors are at all involved. “That figure represents a decrease in 2012, given that there were 26 incidents affecting 33 Read More …

SC Associate Justice Leonen denies walking out of The Hague event

News

Jun 172013

SC Associate Justice Leonen denies walking out of The Hague event

By Tetch Torres-TupasINQUIRER.net 3:40 pm | Monday, June 17th, 2013 Marvic Leonen file photo MANILA, Philippines—Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen denied reports that he made an “outburst” during the 10th International Judicial Colloquium on Insolvency in The Hague, Netherlands last month. High Court’s Information Chief Theodore Te, who was authorized by Justice Leonen to speak on the matter, said Monday the report was “totally wrong and there were gross factual inaccuracies in the report.” Based on the report, Leonen allegedly had an outburst after he was erroneously referred to as an Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals in the application and registration of documents at the event. The report said Leonen walked out of the event and boycotted all succeeding conferences. There was really an error, Te said over the phone, but there was no outburst. “There was a clerical error in the position attributed to him. It was pointed out by his staff. By the time the conference started, the error has been corrected and that was that. He attended the conference, there was no further issue,” Te said. “His staff sent an email to the American Bar Association (ABA) and informed them of the error,” Te said adding that it was later on corrected. He said Justice Leonen attended all sessions except for one because he has a migraine. 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 Read More …

Enrile, Villar fail to sign expense reports; filing may be invalid, Brillantes says

News

Jun 172013

Enrile, Villar fail to sign expense reports; filing may be invalid, Brillantes says

Senators-elect Bam Aquino and Cynthia Villar of the Liberal Party coalition, and defeated bet Jack Enrile of the United Nationalist Alliance, may be the early birds in filing their expenditure reports, but their submission may be considered invalid for failing to personally sign their reports. According to their statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCEs) available at the Commission on Elections Law Department, Enrile’s SOCE was signed by a certain Juan Ramon Garcia, while Villar’s SOCE was signed by her attorney-in-fact Jane C. Ynte. Coincidentally, Enrile and Villar are also the top two spenders based on available expenditure reports. Enrile spent P150,401,072.09 for the recently concluded elections, followed by Villar with P133,979,127.25. Aquino’s treasurer also signed his SOCE, according to the poll body’s law department. However, Aquino just submitted a supplemental expenditure report on Monday, this time with his own signature. Aquino spent P124,327,987.81 for his campaign kitty. Defeated senatorial bet and Jesus is Lord founder Eddie Villanueva of Bangon Pilipinas also failed to affix his signature in his expense report. It was signed by his attorney Jacky Silva. Villanueva filed his SOCE beyond the 5 p.m. deadline on Thursday, June 13. Signature required Poll chief Sixto Brillantes Jr. said he had received reports that some senatorial candidates did not affix their signatures on their SOCEs as required by a Comelec resolution. “Mayroon mga nag-file raw na hindi nakapirma ang mga candidates. It is a requirement that it should be signed by the candidate,” Brillantes said. He added that failure to Read More …

Nancy Binay takes crash course on lawmaking at UP

News

Jun 172013

Nancy Binay takes crash course on lawmaking at UP

It’s back to school for Senator-elect Nancy Binay on Monday as she began a five-day course on lawmaking at the University of the Philippines (UP). Binay, a neophyte politician who placed fifth in the recent Senate polls, went along with members of her staff at the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance on Monday morning for a legislative training course. “Today, I am here and I am ready to learn kung ano yun mga ins and outs diyan sa Senado,” the senator-elect said in an interview aired over GMA News TV’s “Balitanghali.” Before her Senate stint, Binay served as personal assistant to her parents, Vice President Jejomar Binay and former Makati Mayor Elenita Binay. The senator-elect finished a tourism degree from UP. GMA News’ Sherrie Ann Torres reported that the legislative training course was “customized” for Binay’s needs as a senator. Aside from Binay, other first-time politicians also started taking crash courses to prepare them for their duties. Musician Lito Camo, elected a board member for the second district of Oriental Mindoro, joined some 4,000 other neophyte local government officials at the UP NCPAG on Monday in an introductory course on local lawmaking. Cavite vice governor-elect Jolo Revilla was also seen attending the UP NCPAG course. “Yung tungkol sa mga batas, gusto ko rin malaman. Alam niyo naman, musikero ako. Baka mamaya sabihin ng mga tao, hindi naman pagko-compose ang gagawin sa sangguniang panlalawigan. At least, para wala silang masabi,” Camo said in a television interview. — Andreo Read More …

TD Emong nears Catanduanes but not likely to make landfall

News

Jun 172013

TD Emong nears Catanduanes but not likely to make landfall

Tropical Depression Emong moved closer to Catanduanes province in Bicol before noon Monday but state weather forecasters said it is not likely to make landfall over any part of the country. PAGASA forecaster Alvin Pura said their models show that while Emong may intensify in the next 24 hours, it is also likely to veer north and head for Taiwan. “Hindi inaasahan natin itong mag-landfall. Inaasahan natin itong tumaas at papunta ng Taiwan,” Pura said in an interview on dzBB radio. But he also said Emong is likely to intensify in the next 24 hours as it moves closer toward land. Pura also said there is a possibility Emong may interact with a forming low-pressure area west of Ilocos region later this week. “Talagang lalakas ang habagat natin,” he said. Emong moving west-northwest PAGASA, in its 11 a.m. bulletin, said Emong maintained its strength as it remained over the East Philippine Sea. It said that as of 10 a.m., Emong was estimated at 280 km east of Virac, Catanduanes, with maximum winds of 55 kph near the center. Emong was moving west-northwest at 11 kph and is expected to be 230 km northeast of Virac, Catanduanes Tuesday morning. By Wednesday morning, it is expected to be 330 km east of Aparri, Cagayan. Emong is forecast to be 400 km northeast of Basco, Batanes by Thursday morning. While no storm warning signals have been raised, PAGASA said Emong may bring rainfall of 5 to 15 mm per hour (moderate to heavy) Read More …

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