Bill to teach Filipinos’ role in labor movement advances in California

 News
Apr 022013
 
Bill to teach Filipinos’ role in labor movement advances in California

By Rene Ciria-Cruz INQUIRER.net US Bureau 12:18 pm | Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013 SACRAMENTO, California—A bill requiring California public schools to instruct students on the contributions of Filipino Americans to the farm labor movement unanimously passed the Assembly Education Committee on March 20. AB 123 will now move to the Assembly Appropriations Committee and, if successful, it will go to the floor for a full Assembly vote. Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Oakland), the bill’s sponsor, noted that Filipino Americans are the largest Asian population in California and continues to grow, yet the story of Filipinos’ “contributions to the farm labor movement is an untold part of California history.” The goal of AB 123 is to supplement California’s public school instruction on its “rich farm worker history,” explained Bonta, who is the first Filipino American to be elected to the State Legislature. Latino farm worker icon Dolores Huerta, who was inducted into the California Hall of Fame, stated that although she rarely had time to testify in support of legislation, she did not want to miss this historic opportunity to support AB 123. “The students of California need to learn that the sacrifices made by both the Filipino and Latino workers benefited all Californians,” she said. “AB 123 will ensure that the history is taught accurately.” Influential leaders such as Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, are synonymous with California’s farm labor movement. Not well known is the historical fact that the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee–composed of first-generation Filipinos—led the 1965 Delano Grape Read More …

SC lifts freeze order on ex-AFP comptroller Ligot's assets

 News
Apr 022013
 
SC lifts freeze order on ex-AFP comptroller Ligot's assets

The Supreme Court has ordered the lifting of the freeze order issued by the Court of Appeals on the assets of retired military comptroller Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot, saying the order already violates his right to due process. In a 24-page ruling penned by Associate Justice Arturo Brion, the SC’s Second Division agreed with Ligot’s petition contesting the six-month extension of the freeze order that the CA issued on July 5, 2005 and extended through an order issued on September 2005. The CA order stemmed from the June 27, 2005 request of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to freeze the assets of Ligot, who is accused of amassing millions of pesos in ill-gotten wealth while he was comptroller of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) from July 1999 to March 2001, and not declaring P54,001,217-worth of assets in his Statement of Assets Liabilities and Net Worth. In its decision issued on March 6, the high court acknowledged the CA findings that there is probable cause that the frozen assets could be related to or could be the product of unlawful activity. “It should be noted that the existence of an unlawful activity that would justify the issuance and the extension of the freeze order has likewise been established in this case,” the SC said. However, the high court faulted the CA for extending by six months the original freeze order, saying: “The effectivity of a freeze order may be extended by the CA for a period not exceeding six Read More …

PPCRV: Lipa archdiocese's 'exit' won't affect poll preparations

 News
Apr 022013
 
PPCRV: Lipa archdiocese's 'exit' won't affect poll preparations

The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting downplayed on Wednesday the Lipa (Batangas) archdiocese’s move to cut off ties with it, saying such development will not affect its preparations for the May 13 elections. In a radio interview, PPCRV chairperson Henrietta de Villa said it is “business as usual” as far as voter education and vote guarding are concerned. “Hindi ko tinatrataong balakid yan, kailangan magtrabaho mas masugid (I do not treat what happened as a stumbling block. We just need to work harder),” De Villa said in an interview on dzBB radio. “Business as usual,” she added. On Tuesday, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said the Lipa Archdiocese cut ties with the PPCRV, but said it will still work for clean polls. The CBCP noted this development came two weeks after the CBCP National Secretariat for Social Action (Nassa) cut ties with PPCRV and said it will work with Namfrel. De Villa said one of the supposed reasons for the Lipa archdiocese’s move was that the fourth copy of the election returns for the PPCRV will be sealed. She said she explained that volunteer poll watchers will be able to see the contents of the ER. “At sine-seal para ang courier pagdala sa amin baka ma-tamper… para makasiguradong hindi napalitan yan,” De Villa said. Business interests? But De Villa admitted she was hurt over reported innuendos linking some members of the PPCRV to alleged business interests in the counting machines to be used in the May 13 polls. Read More …

DOLE to new grads looking for jobs: Prepare docs, beware of scams

 News
Apr 022013
 
DOLE to new grads looking for jobs: Prepare docs, beware of scams

Keep updated on job fair schedules, have your job application documents ready, and be on guard against illegal recruiters. These in a nutshell were the tips the Department of Labor and Employment gave this year’s graduates, many of whom will be hunting for their first jobs. “Being prepared will give our jobseekers higher chances of finding a job suited to their qualifications as employers can already prescreen their documents and interview those qualified,” DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said. She advised jobseekers to know the schedule of DOLE job fairs, training, and career counseling. She said DOLE job fairs can help match skills with job opportunities. The DOLE’s year-round job fair schedules and venues are posted online at www.phil-job.net, she said. However, she also said they should have their application documents ready. The documents include: – resume or curriculum vitae – 2 x 2 ID pictures (bring extra copies for multiple job applications) – certificate of employment, for those who had previous jobs – diploma and/or transcript of records – NBI/police clearance – authenticated birth certificate – other pertinent documents such as TIN and SSS. “This will increase the chances of applicants to be hired on the spot (HOTS),” Baldoz said. Warning vs scammers But Baldoz also warned jobseekers against illegal recruiters and placement agencies that may offer bogus job offers even in job fair venues. “At this time of the year when recruitment scams proliferate, jobseekers, particularly new graduates, should be watchful and should guard themselves against too-good-to-be-true offers that Read More …

US backs PH bid for arbitration on West Philippine Sea row

 News
Apr 022013
 
US backs PH bid for arbitration on West Philippine Sea row

By Tarra QuismundoINQUIRER.net 10:03 am | Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013 Secretary of State John Kerry. AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — The United States has thrown its full support behind the Philippines’ bid to settle disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) through arbitration as the country’s long-time defense ally underscored its importance as a partner in the Asia-Pacific. In remarks before talks with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario in Washington D.C. Tuesday morning (US time), Secretary of State John Kerry also reiterated his government’s support for a code of conduct in the disputed waters, a critical international sea lane. “The Philippines is one of our five Asia-Pacific allies and a very, very important relationship at this point in time when there are tensions over the South China Sea, where we support a code of conduct, and we are deeply concerned [about] some of those tensions and would like to see it worked out through a process of arbitration,” said Kerry in remarks before media at the US State Department. Del Rosario said Kerry expounded on this during their meeting and “emphasized the importance the United States gives to maintaining peace and stability in the area.” “More importantly, Secretary Kerry assured me that the US is committed to supporting the efforts of the Philippines to settle the disputes peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law,” said Manila’s top diplomat. Del Rosario’s meeting with Kerry in Washington is the first for the two officials since Read More …

Filipinos in Saudi told: Have papers in order

 News
Apr 022013
 
Filipinos in Saudi told: Have papers in order

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 7:03 am | Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013 DFA Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez. INQUIRER.NET FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday reminded Filipino migrant workers in Saudi Arabia to make sure their work and residence documents were in order after the kingdom, one of the largest employers of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), launched a crackdown against illegal aliens. DFA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez likewise issued a general reminder to Filipinos seeking employment overseas to “go through the proper recruitment process and abide by the laws of the respective countries at all times.” He said the Philippine embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah were closely following the Saudi government’s drive against illegal workers and employers, a sweep that started on Monday under Saudi labor laws. “The Philippine embassy in Riyadh and the Philippine consulate general in Jeddah are closely monitoring the implementation by the Saudi government of its ongoing drive to go after erring employers and illegal workers, as mandated by Saudi labor laws,” said Hernandez in a statement. “The embassy has told Filipino workers to ensure that their residence and work status were in accordance with the regulations for work and residency permits of Saudi Arabia,” he said. The DFA said Philippine missions in Saudi Arabia were prepared to provide consular assistance to Filipinos who may be taken into custody. “The embassy and consulate are ready to extend the appropriate assistance to Filipinos who are arrested during this drive,” Read More …

30 suspected Taiwanese hackers nabbed in Subic

 News
Apr 022013
 
30 suspected Taiwanese hackers nabbed in Subic

Philippine Daily Inquirer 7:01 am | Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013 Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chair Roberto Garcia from SBMA website. SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—At least 30 undocumented Taiwanese allegedly involved in extortion activities using computers and the Internet were arrested on Tuesday in a joint operation of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) law enforcement department (LED). SBMA Chair Roberto Garcia confirmed that the NBI led an operation in Forest View, one of the residential areas in Binictican here. Garcia was awaiting the final report on the raid but said that the Taiwanese were involved in a “cybercrime.” He did not provide details. Orlando Maddela, SBMA LED chief, said the Taiwanese were in the custody of the NBI. An NBI source, who asked not to be identified for lack of authority to speak on the operation, said the Taiwanese were “involved in extortion, with targets in China and Taiwan.” Asked to describe the operation, the source said they were able to hack into databases in those countries and find out which companies had cases and were about to be investigated by authorities there. “Then they’ll call up these companies, inform the executives of the pending cases, and ask them to call the authorities to confirm this. But the number they give is, of course, one of their own. That’s how they were able to extort money from their victims,” the source said. The group moved around at the Subic and Clark free ports, the Read More …

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