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 …

AFP among PHL armed groups that recruited minors in 2012, UN says

 News
Jun 162013
 
AFP among PHL armed groups that recruited minors in 2012, UN says

(Updated 3:30 p.m.) The Philippine military was among the armed groups in the country that recruited minors for their operations in 2012, according to a report by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The report, released June 12, said there was a “verified case” in July last year where two young boys were “forced” by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to serve as guides to locate a communist rebel camp in North Cotabato province in Mindanao. “[We] remained concerned over the use of children by the national armed forces as guides and informants during military operations,” the report, titled “Grave Violations Committed Against Children in 22 Situations of Concern,” said. “In a verified case in July 2012, the Fifty-Seventh Infantry Battalion forced two boys aged 12 and 13 years to serve as guides to locate an NPA camp in North Cotabato Province,” it added. Against AFP policy Reached for comment, AFP spokesperson Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said the military leadership will have the reported use of children as guides in operatioins verified as such is against their policy. “As a matter of policy, the AFP does not use children as guides during military operations so as not to endanger them,” he said Monday. “We will verify this information if there is any truth to it.” Moon, in the report, noted that the AFP has “issued directives prohibiting such use of children, assigning responsibility to commanders, institutionalizing investigations and putting in place corrective measures.” The two guides were among the Read More …

UN: 26 child 'soldiers' recruited by PHL armed groups, including military, in 2012

 News
Jun 162013
 
UN: 26 child 'soldiers' recruited by PHL armed groups, including military, in 2012

A total of 26 child “soldiers” were recruited by various armed groups in the Philippines, including the military, in 2012, a report by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. The 26 children—23 boys and three girls between 12 and 17 years—were recruited in 11 separate incidents, according to the report released on June 12 titled “Grave Violations Committed Against Children in 22 Situations of Concern.” Of the number, two were reportedly recruited and used by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), 11 by the New People’s Army (NPA), 11 by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and two who were used as “guides” by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in locating an enemy camp. While the number remains considerably high, child soldier recruitment has seen a decrease from the previous year, Moon noted in the report. “That figure represents a decrease in 2012, given that there were 54 incidents affecting 33 boys and 21 girls in 2011,” he said. But Moon said the actual number of children soldiers in the country may in fact be higher, owing to the reality that the UN has no access to other armed groups, including the MILF splinter group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). “Although the United Nations has no access to the areas under the control of the BIFF, a breakaway faction of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front led by Commander ‘Kato’, the country task force continued to receive credible reports that the armed group was actively training and providing weapons to Read More …

Make home the perfect fit with Ilustrada residences

 Economy
Jun 162013
 
Make home the perfect fit with Ilustrada residences

Own a prestigious address amidst New Manila and Greenhills; starting at PhP7,500/month. MANILA, Philippines – Amidst all the new residential condominiums that are fast on the rise in Metro Manila, how do you select the one that would suit you best? Whether you’re moving out of the family house, or keen on owning space after years of renting someone else’s, buying a home is a huge step forward. It’s more than just a monetary investment — it’s an investment on your life. That’s why you need to make sure the place you choose fits your lifestyle perfectly, including the significant moments that have yet to come. Studio Unit in Ilustrata Residences. Start your family life in a cozy home within the convenience of the city. Ilustrata Residences, rising in the cushy and cozy New Manila-Greenhills neighborhood, is set to offer you the best aspects of condo life while providing you with the comforts you’ve always associated with what a home should be. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 In fact, all steps were considered when the development was being planned out. First, its location. Ilustrata Residences is a mid-rise condominium with six buildings that occupy a total of 1.2 hectares along Boni Serrano Avenue. That positions it right in the residential area of the illustrious folk while being within reach of some of the country’s best schools, churches, commercial establishments like the Greenhills Shopping Center, and important business districts such as Ortigas Center. It also allows for Read More …

DENR to crush, not burn seized elephant tusks

 News
Jun 162013
 
DENR to crush, not burn seized elephant tusks

Following an outcry from environmental groups, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is scrapping its plan on June 21 to burn some five tons of seized elephant tusks. Instead, DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said they will merely crush the tusks at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City, radio dzBB’s Allan Gatus reported. The report said the DENR initially planned to douse kerosene on the tusks then burn them, to deter people from engaging in tradingtusks. Last week, environmental groups opposed the DENR’s plan to burn some five tons of seized elephant tusks on June 21, saying it may violate the law and send a wrong message to the public. “(B)urning the confiscated tusks goes against the prohibition against the open burning of municipal solid waste enshrined in two of our major environmental laws: R.A. 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and R.A. 8749, the Clean Air Act,” the groups said in a letter to Paje and Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau director Theresa Lim. Citing a DENR news release, the groups said authorities are to burn the confiscated elephant tusks at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center (NAPWC) in Quezon City. The DENR, in a news release last June 9, had quoted Paje as saying the tusks “will be crushed by a road roller and burned in the presence of foreign experts and anti-ivory trade advocates on June 21 at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City.”  A government official Read More …

Marina eyes stricter policy on passenger manifests after RORO sinking

 News
Jun 162013
 
Marina eyes stricter policy on passenger manifests after RORO sinking

In the wake of Friday’s sinking of a roll-on roll-off vessel off Masbate, the Maritime Industry Authority is considering stricter policies on passenger manifests, even if the vessel involved is not overloaded. Marina head Maximo Mejia Jr. said Monday the failure of Medallion Transport to properly list passengers on its manifest has caused problems for the Coast Guard and other agencies searching for survivors. “Kailangan tingnan ng Marina ng masusi ang policy na ‘yan. Paano natin mapupuwersa ang shipping companies na dapat magbigay ng complete manifest?,” Mejia said in an interview on dzBB radio. Last Friday, the MV Lady of Carmel sank off Masbate amid good weather. As of Monday morning, the death toll remained at two, while at least seven remained missing. Citing reports reaching him, Mejia said many of the people who were rescued were not on the ship’s manifest. Also, he said that of the seven missing, some are not on the manifest but whose relatives insisted were aboard the vessel. “Hindi ito lumalabas na overloading, pero ang malaking problema diyan, ngayon naghuhula tayo. Sino ang hinahanap natin?” he said. Mejia reiterated Medallion Transport, the owner of the ill-fated vessel, may face cancellation of its franchise should an investigation warrant it. But he said the company’s record had so far been okay. For his part, Medallion Transport spokesman Ricardo Labial Jr. maintained the vessel’s crew was not remiss in its duties. “Kinausap namin. Wala talagang pabaya na nangyari,” he said in a separate interview on dzBB. —KG, Read More …

PAGASA: TD Emong to affect PHL till Friday; LPA may form off Ilocos

 News
Jun 162013
 
PAGASA: TD Emong to affect PHL till Friday; LPA may form off Ilocos

PAGASA: ‘Habagat’, LPA, ITCZ bring rain to various parts of PHL. PAGASA said in its weather bulletin early Sunday morning that the Bicol region, Central and Eastern Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rainshowers and thunderstorms which may trigger flash floods and landslides.” PAGASA Tropical Depression Emong will affect parts of the Philippines until at least Friday, state weather forecasters said. PAGASA forecaster Jun Galang also said they are monitoring a cloud formation that could become a low-pressure area off Ilocos later this week. “[Ang epekto nito] itong buong week hanggang Friday. Kung walang pagbabago by Thursday makakalabas ng Philippine area of responsibility,” Galang said in a Monday interview on dzBB radio. While Tropical Depression Emong was too far to directly affect any part of the country, it would enhance the southwest monsoon, which will bring rain mainly to Luzon and Visayas. He also said that as Emong moved northward, the weather in Mindanao would gradually improve while Luzon and Visayas can expect more rain. Meanwhile, Galang said there was a chance a low-pressure area would form off Laoag in Ilocos Norte province later this week. “Papalabas siya may chance mabuo na LPA west ng Laoag, makakadagdag sa epekto ng habagat,” he said. Emong PAGASA’s 5 a.m. bulletin said that as of 4 a.m. Monday, Emong was estimated to be 300 km east of Virac, Catanduanes. It had maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and was forecast to move north-northwest at Read More …

HSW recruiters warned on fees

 News
Jun 162013
 
HSW recruiters warned on fees

Philippine Daily Inquirer 3:48 am | Monday, June 17th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—Recruitment agencies collecting placement fees from household service worker (HSW) applicants are at risk of losing their licenses to operate, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has warned. Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 6 prohibits the charging of placement fees from Filipino HSWs prior to their departure or on site through salary deductions. Violation of the prohibition on placement fee collection is a grave offense that carries a penalty of cancellation of license. Cacdac said consistent with most host country regulations, employers pay the service fee and shoulder all the costs of hiring and deploying HSWs. “Very clearly, licensed agencies can still collect placement fees or service fees, provided they are not shouldered by the worker but by the foreign principal,” he said. Recently, 52 members of the Society of Hong Kong Accredited Recruiters of the Philippines, a group of licensed recruitment agencies deploying HSWs to Hong Kong, decided to scrap the collection of placement fees from applicants.—Tina G. Santos 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 on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines. Tags: household service workers , Overseas Filipino workers , recruiters , replacement fees Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact Read More …

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