Rainy Wednesday over eastern Visayas, Mindanao

 News
Jun 042013
 
Rainy Wednesday over eastern Visayas, Mindanao

Satellite Image as of 7 a.m., June 3, 2013. | Weather Central Rain from the inter-tropical convergence zone may affect parts of Eastern Visayas and Mindanao in the next 24 hours, state weather forecasters said Tuesday afternoon. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the ITCZ is mainly affecting Mindanao, even as it said Metro Manila and other parts of the country may expect isolated rain. “Eastern Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening,” it said. For Wednesday, PAGASA said 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 24 to 34 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, PAGASA said light to moderate winds from the east to southeast will prevail over Luzon and coming from the east to northeast over Visayas and Mindanao. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate, it added. — TJD, GMA News

PNoy signed gun law because of his affinity for firearms, says anti-gun group

 News
Jun 042013
 
PNoy signed gun law because of his affinity for firearms, says anti-gun group

Did President Benigno Aquino III sign the comprehensive gun law because of his love for shooting? An anti-gun group thinks so. “Malaking factor yun. Eh mahilig din siya sa baril eh,” Randy Pacheco, founder of the Gunless Society, said in an interview that aired Monday on GMA News’ Saksi. Despite calls for a total gun ban early this year following the death of seven-year-old Stephanie Nicole Ella due to a stray bullet on New Year’s Eve, Aquino on Wednesday signed Republic Act 10591, or “An Act Providing for Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition and Providing Penalties for Violations Thereof,” which allows casual gun enthusiasts to own up to 15 guns, and “serious collectors” to possess 15 or more firearms. “Serious collector” undefined Under the constitution, gun ownership is a privilege and not a right. The new law supersedes Executive Order 194, signed by President Joseph Estrada in 2000, which allowed unlimited gun ownership and which itself had removed a previous 10-gun ownership limit. Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office (PNP FEO) spokesperson Chief Inspector Nelson Bautista told GMA News Online in a phone interview Tuesday that even when gun ownership was unlimited, their office has done checks before issuing gun licenses, “lalo pag marami na [ang baril niya]. We check capability, kung bakit itong taong ‘to, marami nang baril, and is still securing a license.” But Bautista was not able to define what exactly a “collector” or “serious collector” is, based only on the published law. “Itong batas Read More …

Balance press freedom, responsibility amid ‘exciting times’—Shinawatra

 News
Jun 042013
 
Balance press freedom, responsibility amid ‘exciting times’—Shinawatra

By Lynette Ordonez-LunaINQUIRER.net 1:01 pm | Tuesday, June 4th, 2013 Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. AP FILE PHOTO BANGKOK, Thailand—Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said here Tuesday that media lived in “exciting times” but underscored a need to balance its freedom and responsibility of providing knowledge and information in its various forms. “The news and publishing industries stand at an exciting time . . . recognizing its wider role in understanding people of our nations with the use of technology to reach a wider audience,” said Shinawatra here, the third day of the World Association of Newspapers and Publishers (WAN-IFRA) attended by over 1,000 participants worldwide. Shinawatra said that freedom without responsibility “may lead to confusion.” “Freedom of the press isn’t unlimited even in the most advanced countries,” said the prime minister. She said that it was “important to have high standards and responsibilities.” “Press and [the] media could find for themselves where this middleground is. And none is more evident than in cyberspace, which has been used for good and misuse,” she said. Bangkok is hosting from June 2-5 the WAN-IFRA conference which, for the first time, is staging simultaneously the 65th World Newspaper Congress, the 20th World Editors Forum and the 23rd World Advertisers Forum. 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 Read More …

Implementing regulations for common carriers

 Economy
Jun 032013
 

ON MARCH 29, 2013, Republic Act (RA) 10378, “An Act Recognizing the Principle of Reciprocity as Basis for the Grant of Income Tax Exemptions to International Carriers,” took effect. The law touches on the tax treatment of international air carriers having landing rights in the Philippines. Many sectors have lobbied for this reform claiming the legislation has long been overdue. The business community is optimistic that the new law will aid in the movement of passenger, goods and commodities and encourage investments in the Philippines in line with the government’s thrust of improving the economy.

AARP hosts first Asian media luncheon

 Entertainment
Jun 032013
 

AARP hosted their first Asian Media Luncheon at the Hilton in San Gabriel, California on May 14, 2013.  The event invited representatives from a wide variety of media constituencies to attend, specifically targeting the Filipino-American, Chinese-American and general Asian-American media outlets.  On the national scale, AARP also introduced their Asian advertising campaign created by DAE […]

Phl to stop issuing permits to foreign airlines

 Economy
Jun 032013
 
Phl to stop issuing permits to foreign airlines

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is temporarily imposing a moratorium on the issuance of permits to foreign airlines planning to mount flights to Manila due to the limited capacity of the  Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). Sources said the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has denied the application of Oman Air and Jet Airways of India to fly to Manila due to constricted infrastructure at the 30-year-old international gateway. “We are denying foreign airlines such as Oman and Jet Airways. It’s not that the market is becoming less vibrant. It is due to the infrastructure,” one of the sources said. The sources pointed out that aside from the congested NAIA, other airports in different parts of the country could not accommodate night flights. “Most airports in the country are not night rated and are limited to day time operations in many airports. Most of the domestic flights are connecting to Manila,” the source added. Both Oman Air and Jet Airways have filed separate applications with the CAB for the issuance of Foreign Air Carrier’s permit (FACP) to operate international scheduled air transportation services. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The CAB issued FACP to foreign airlines allowing them to operate in the country and also issues Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to local airlines allowing them to mount flights in the country. As of end of last year, the CAB has granted FACP to 39 foreign airlines allowing them to operate in the Philippine. Oman Air – Read More …

Moody’s hints of upgrade for Phl

 Economy
Jun 032013
 
Moody’s hints of upgrade for Phl

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s third investment grade rating may be forthcoming as Moody’s Investors Service has lauded the Philippine economy’s robust expansion, the Aquino government’s record budget surplus, and the conduct of generally peaceful elections. Moody’s is the only global credit rating agency that still rates the Philippines one notch below investment grade or BA1.  The country obtained its first, investment grade upgrade from Fitch Ratings Services in March.  Standard & Poors’ followed suit in May. In a statement issued yesterday, Moody’s said the Philippines’ first quarter GDP (gross domestic product) and record budget surplus are “credit positive,” a sign that that an upgrade may be in the offing. National Treasurer Rosalia De Leon said officials from Moody’s are expected to arrive in the Philippines next month.  Last week, the government announced that it posted a P36.8-billion budget surplus in April, the highest monthly surplus it achieved, largely due to a 28.9- percent year-on-year increase in income tax receipts. “The improvement in tax receipts demonstrates that the government’s efforts to bolster tax compliance are gaining traction and helping to boost revenue generation, one of the key weaknesses of the Philippines’ credit profile. The relatively moderate year-to-date fiscal deficit also suggests that a degree of spending restraint in the run-up to the midterm elections held last month and that the government’s spending decisions are increasingly driven by long-term economic objectives rather than short-term political ones,” said Moody’s senior analyst Christian de Guzman. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: Read More …

DOE awards coal exploration contracts to Semirara

 Economy
Jun 032013
 
DOE awards coal exploration contracts to Semirara

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded coal exploration contracts to Semirara Mining Corp. of the Consunji Group covering two parcels of coal-bearing land in Mindoro Oriental. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) yesterday, Semirara Mining said the contract for coal-bearing land in the municipality of Bulalacao covers two phases – the exploration phase and the development and production phase. Under the exploration phase, Semirara Mining has two years to commence and may extend this for a maximum of two years. The exploration phase will terminate automatically unless coal reserves in commercial quantity are delineated. The DOE said Semirara Mining may proceed with the development and production phase for up to 10 years if coal reserves exist in commercial quantity. “Thereafter a term for a series of three-year periods, the total of which shall not exceed 12 years,” Semirara Mining said in its disclosure. The company has committed to spend no less than P148 million for its work program for the first two years in the conduct of geological investigation, geodetic survey and sub-surface exploration for the coal contract area. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Semirara Mining, owned by DMCI Holdings Inc., is a publicly listed company that has significant coal resources and reserves to supply a growing demand for clients in various areas including Cebu and Panay.

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