Liberal Party leads House seats in 16th Congress

 News
Jun 052013
 
Liberal Party leads House seats in 16th Congress

The administration-led Liberal Party will retain its hold on the House of Representatives in the coming 16th Congress after its candidates won the most number of seats in the lower chamber in the May 13 mid-term polls, according to data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec). The party, which is chaired by President Benigno Aquino III, counted 108 winning candidates in various districts across the country. Among them are House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr., who led the party’s sweep in all six congressional seats for Quezon City, including those at the newly created fifth and sixth districts. The opposition has said it intends to put forward their own bet, LAKAS president and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez – who is also the nephew of former first lady and Ilocos Rep. Imelda Marcos – against Belmonte in the next Congress. “We’re officially declaring that we’re going to challenge the leadership of the House,” Minority Floor Leader Danilo Suarez told the media last May 23. But Belmonte is confident that he will retain his post on the strength of the LP’s alliance with other parties. “We expect that we’ll form the same coalition that we did last time—principally with the NPC, NUP, and the NP (Nacionalista),” he said. Comelec results show that the remaining 126 congressional districts went to candidates from the following groups: * Nationalist Peoples’ Coalition (NPC), 43 seats* National Unity Party (NUP), 24 seats* Nacionalista Party (NP), 20 seats* Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (LAKAS-CMD), 14 seats* United Nationalist Alliance Read More …

Palace downplays US travel alert notice

 News
Jun 052013
 
Palace downplays US travel alert notice

The United States was just being “prudent” when it issued an alert notice to its citizens in the Philippines, Malacañang said Wednesday as it downplayed the advisory. “That’s part of their alert notice to their citizens. Very recently, they made a travel alert also. Again, this part of their being prudent as someone who would like to protect their citizens here,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a press briefing. In an advisory, the US State Department cited the growing terrorist groups particularly in Mindanao that are targeting foreigners. The report also classified the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed branch, the New People’s Army (NPA), as terrorist groups. Lacierda said although the notorious Abu Sayyaf bandit group still exists, its numbers have been “effectively decimated” by the military. “We are aware of the presence of Abu Sayyaf. It is not a secret but the Abu Sayyaf is more or less a bandit group already. Our Armed Forces have effectively decimated their numbers,” he said. “They have been reduced to a kidnap-for-ransom group and that’s the status right now, and we continue to pursue lawless elements in the country,” Lacierda added. Lacierda, however, refused to comment on the US State Department’s classification of the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group. “Well, it’s not for us to say ‘do we agree or not’. That’s how they would like to classify the CPP-NPA,” he said. — Patricia Denise Chiu/KBK, GMA News

Loren declines Drilon's offer to become next majority floor leader

 News
Jun 052013
 
Loren declines Drilon's offer to become next majority floor leader

Senator Loren Legarda said Wednesday that she has declined an offer from Senator Franklin Drilon, who is being eyed as Senate president in the 16th Congress, to be the next majority floor leader. “Napag-usapan namin at sinabi ko na hindi ako interesado. Hindi dahil sa ayaw ko na magtrabaho, pero dahil nanggaling na ako riyan,” Legarda told reporters. However, she added, she might consider the offer to become the Senate president pro tempore next Congress. “Kung andiyan na at wala namang ibang interesado at kung ako ay pipilitin, baka pag-isipan,” she said. Legarda was majority floor leader from 2002 to 2004, when Drilon was Senate president. She won a fresh Senate term during the 2013 midterm polls under the administration slate, which was managed by Drilon. The senator likewise said she would rather “focus on committee work” rather that handle a top Senate post during her third term. “Nanggaling na ako riyan. Give others a chance. Sabi ko nga, ipaubaya na sa iba,” she said. — BM, GMA News

Flash flood warning up in Bicol, Eastern Visayas

 News
Jun 052013
 
Flash flood warning up in Bicol, Eastern Visayas

Flash floods and landslides may be expected in parts of Bicol and Eastern Visayas in the next 24 hours from the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), state weather forecasters said Wednesday afternoon. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the ITCZ is affecting the Bicol region, Visayas and Mindanao, and may bring moderate to heavy rain. “Bicol region and Eastern Visayas will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rain and thunderstorms which may trigger flash floods and landslides,” it said. Calabarzon, Mimaropa, the rest of Visayas and Mindanao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms, it added. Also, PAGASA said Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be “partly cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.” On Thursday, Metro Manila may expect temperatures of 25 to 34 degrees Celsius while Tuguegarao City may expect temperatures of 25 to 37 degrees Celsius. Angeles and Olongapo Cities may expect temperatures of 25 to 33 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, PAGASA said light to moderate winds from the east to southeast will prevail over Northern and Central Luzon and coming from the east to northeast over the rest of the country. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate, it added. — TJD, GMA News

USPACOM's Locklear to visit PHL again

 News
Jun 052013
 
USPACOM's Locklear to visit PHL again

A ranking United States military officer is set to visit the Philippines this week to consult with defense authorities “on a range of common security challenges,” but no media event was scheduled. According to a statement from the US Embassy in Manila on Wednesday, Admiral Samuel Locklear III, commander of the US Pacific Command (USPACOM), will be in Manila on Thursday and Friday. Prior to his scheduled arrival, Locklear attended the annual Shangri-la Dialogue security conference in Singapore where he met with Asia-Pacific defense officials. In June last year, Locklear accompanied General Martin Dempsey, the highest-ranking general in the US military, to meet President Benigno Aquino III, also after attending the Shangri-la Dialogue. The following month, Locklear paid a courtesy call on Aquino to talk about maritime and regional security, as well as the US-Philippine bilateral defense alliance. Locklear’s personal decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal with one gold star, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with four gold stars, Bronze Star Medal, and numerous individual, Campaign and Unit awards. The US and Philippines are allied by a 1951 mutual defense treaty. In the early 1990s US forces vacated Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base, two large facilities used during the Vietnam War, after a disagreement over rents. In recent years the Philippines has been seeking to improve its defense ties with the US amid a festering territorial dispute with China over parts of the South China Sea. Some of its facilities are being used in Read More …

PHL Navy to honor 'Capt. Bok,' the 'guiding voice' in Cebu Pacific mishap

 News
Jun 052013
 
PHL Navy to honor 'Capt. Bok,' the 'guiding voice' in Cebu Pacific mishap

The Philippine Navy plans to give honors to ‘Captain Bok,’ described by a fellow passenger as the one who “calmed and led passengers to their safety” after a Cebu Pacific plane skidded off its runway Sunday night at the Davao International Airport.  On Wednesday, the Navy’s Civil Military Operations Group commander, Col. Edgard Arevalo, identified ‘Captain Bok’ as Lt. Marlon Bo, who is a Navy reservist and a graduate of Philippine Merchant Marine Academy in 2003.  “We have plans of bestowing him an award,” said Col. Arevalo in a phone interview. As of posting time, GMA News Online has yet to reach Bo for his side on the matter. Incidentally, Bo was mentioned in a personal account of one of the passengers, describing him as a “guiding voice” at the time of the incident.  “It took the courage of one person, whom we only know as Captain Bok from the Philippine Navy, to stand up and calm everyone down. He knew what he was doing and he was in control even when the cabin crew looked like they were really at a loss about what to do,” Nino Ruel Alinsub said on his Facebook status Monday. Arevalo said Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alan, the flag officer in command, has agreed to honor Bo.  “To Lt. Marlon Bo, Uwah! Hooyah! Mabuhay Ka! Ipinagmamalaki Ka namin!,” Arevalo said. The airplane has been towed from the runway Tuesday evening.  Disappointed passengers of Flight 5J-971 aims to file a class suit against Cebu Pacific. Read More …

DFA cautions Filipinos in Saudi Arabia on coronavirus threat

 News
Jun 042013
 
DFA cautions Filipinos in Saudi Arabia on coronavirus threat

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 11:37 pm | Tuesday, June 4th, 2013 DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday advised Filipinos in Saudi Arabia, particularly those camped out at tent shelters outside the Philippine embassy in Riyadh, to take precautionary health measures amid the spread of the coronavirus, a disease that has most affected the Arab country with 39 known cases of contraction and 25 reported deaths. No Filipino has so far been reported to have been stricken with the disease, but the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh issued an advisory for Philippine nationals to take preventive measures and protect themselves from the disease. “There are no reports of any Filipino in Saudi Arabia being infected with the new virus which, according to news reports, caused the death of several Saudis,” said DFA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez. “Our citizens in Saudi Arabia should follow the advice of the Saudi Health Ministry and other relevant authorities. The embassy has also issued an advisory detailing the symptoms of the disease and the preventive measures that our kababayans in Saudi Arabia can take,” he said in a press conference on Tuesday. Experts have said the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) stemmed from the same viral family as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, an outbreak which spread around the world in 2003, killing some 775 people, according to a Reuters report. The new virus is known to have spread to France, Read More …

Priests do not need to tote guns – Catholic bishops

 News
Jun 042013
 
Priests do not need to tote guns – Catholic bishops

Despite the privilege given priests to carry firearms in a new gun ownership law, some bishops have come forward to say that men of the cloth do not need to be armed. “Priests are supposed to be men of peace, not of war,” said Malolos Bulacan Bishop Jose Oliveros in an article on the Union of Catholic Asian News. The bishops were reluctant to take advantage of a law President Benigno Aquino III signed allowing individuals in professions of imminent danger to own firearms. Aside from priests, other professions listed under the new law include media workers, members of the integrated bar council, certified public accountants and physicians. “Our Lord said, he who lives by the sword will die by the sword. We should not counter violence with violence,” Oliveros added. Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of Lipa also noted that contrary to what the new law may state, priests are not and should not be afraid of danger. “If the general public, especially the poor, are exposed to dangers, we cannot be less,” he said. Instead Arguelles said priests carry “non-destructive” weapons such as the “weapon of forgiveness, mercy, goodness and love.” “These weapons never hurt. All other weapons destroy,” he added. The UCAN report noted that in Mindanao alone, at least 13 priests had been killed since 1970. Only one case has been resolved so far. The report added that priests working in Mindanao areas considered flashpoints – such as Sulu and Basilan – are usually escorted by at least Read More …

Lotto bettor wins P90.996M Superlotto jackpot

 News
Jun 042013
 
Lotto bettor wins P90.996M Superlotto jackpot

A lone lotto bettor became P90.996 million richer Tuesday night after hitting the jackpot in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s Superlotto 6/49 draw. The PCSO said the bettor got the winning combination of 20-05-45-35-26-21 to win the night’s jackpot worth P90,996,106.40. The PCSO is not likely to publicly name the winner for security reasons as it has in the past. Last May 20, two bettors became P23.2 million richer after winning the jackpot of the PCSO Megalotto 6/45 draw. At the time, the two bettors got the winning combination of 10-19-07-21-28-22 to share the jackpot worth P46,457,326.60. Last April 30, two lucky bettors shared P95,932,278 after getting the combination to the Superlotto 6/49 draw jackpot. The biggest lotto prize in the country’s history was still in November 2010, when a lone bettor won some P741.176 million for getting the winning combination 11-16-42-47-31-37.  — ELR, GMA News

‘Kabang’ set for hero’s return after surgery in US

 News
Jun 042013
 
‘Kabang’ set for hero’s return after surgery in US

Agence France-Presse 9:02 pm | Tuesday, June 4th, 2013 Kabang, a two-year-old injured mixed breed, chews on a toy after being released from the from the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California, Davis, in Davis, Calif., Monday, June 3, 2013. Kabang lost her snout and upper jaw saving two girls’ lives and is heading back to the Philippines after treatment at a California hospital. AP MANILA, Philippines — A mongrel dog is set for a hero’s welcome when she returns to the Philippines following surgery in the United States to reconstruct her face after apparently saving two girls from being hit by a motorcycle. Kabang was released from the University of California’s Davis Veterinary Hospital on Monday after eight months of treatment in which her face was partially rebuilt and she was cured of cancer and heartworm. In 2011 Kabang, then aged two and pregnant, became a hero in the Philippines after running in front of a motorcycle in what her owner said was a deliberate act to save her daughter and niece who were crossing a busy road. Thousands of dollars were raised for her treatment through an online campaign. “I think I will cry when I see her. She’s like a member of our family,” said owner Rudy Bunggal, a laborer who lives in a shanty in a poor southern Philippine town, told AFP by phone on Tuesday. In the accident Kabang’s snout and part of her jaw were torn off when Read More …

 Older Entries  Newer Entries