Sen. Miriam Santiago asks Senate to include gadget etiquette in Senate Rules

 News
Sep 072013
 
Sen. Miriam Santiago asks Senate to include gadget etiquette in Senate Rules

Feisty Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago filed a resolution seeking to include gadget etiquette in the Senate Rules. “These gadgets can cause disruption and distraction during sessions and committee hearings. Impairing decorum due to their abuse and misuse can be considered unparliamentary acts,” Santiago said in a statement released Saturday. On Sept. 3, Defensor-Santiago filed Senate Resolution No. 228, recommending the Senate revise and update its Rules on the decorum of its members and guests on the use of electronic devices during Senate sessions and committee hearings. Santiago’s recommendation comes at the heels of media reports showing legislators caught playing mobile games during committee hearings. Early last month, Senator Juan Ponce-Enrile was caught playing ‘Bejeweled’ on his iPad during a lull in a Senate inquiry. The 89-year-old explained that the game helped to exercise his mind. Enrile’s action irked Defensor-Santiago enough for the latter to take a swipe at the former for playing the popular tile-matching game during Senate proceedings. “The Senate Rules should accommodate for the technologically determined changes in society, in this case the prevalent use of gadgets in everyday life. Despite troubling times for the Senate as an institution, the Senate should always maintain and observe a level of decorum this high office deserves,” Defensor-Santiago said. The resolution reads: “The move toward a ‘paperless’ Senate means an increasingly prevalent use of electronic and mobile devices by members of the Senate during sessions and committee hearings, making it necessary to draw up new Senate rules on the proper decorum of Read More …

PHL churches join forces vs human trafficking

 General
Sep 072013
 
PHL churches join forces vs human trafficking

Leaders from various Philippine churches are joining forces to fight human trafficking, which they said victimize up to 300,000 Filipinos. Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, and other Christian churches offered an “integrated response” to help government address the causes of trafficking. The Philippine Interfaith Movement Against Human Trafficking seeks to coordinate programs and share resources at the grassroots level to fight trafficking. “The religious leaders can really help a lot in educating our people and raising their awareness about this problem. Our country now is being burned by this issue which is not that common to the public. It will bring down our morality if we will still remain uneducated on the issue and will not find a solution to it,” Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said. He noted trafficking victimizes some 300,000 Filipinos, mostly women and children, and even aboriginal girls and women. Pabillo chairs the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ National Secretariat for Social Action. For his part, Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches Bishop Efraim Tendero said this team-up seeks to boost the existing fight against such “crime.” Tendero lamented many of the victims are often from the marginalized sectors that even include tribal children and women. “We can be a strong force that can help the government and other organizations to finally put an end to this problem,” Tendero said. Rehabilitation Pabillo said the interfaith group also seeks to strengthen human trafficking rehabilitation programs, and bring hope to victims. “There are many groups who are doing this already Read More …

China's yuan joins world's most traded currencies

 Economy
Sep 062013
 
China's yuan joins world's most traded currencies

Visitors look at the art work by American artist Tony Oursler entitled “100 Yuan (People’s Republic of China)” which features a projection of a Chinese renminbi note with a talking Mao Zedong at a gallery in Beijing, China. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) HONG KONG  — China’s yuan has joined the ranks of the most traded currencies for the first time, underlining the growing might of the country’s economy, the world’s second-largest. The yuan became one of the top 10 traded currencies in 2013, rising to No. 9 on the list due to a “significant expansion” in offshore trading, the Bank for International Settlements said in a report Thursday. It’s a sharp jump from the bank’s last survey in 2010, when the yuan, also known as the renminbi, was No. 17 on the list. Turnover in trades involving yuan surged to $120 billion a day on average in April 2013, three and half times more than the $34 billion in 2010. Still, that figure is dwarfed by the dollar, which accounted for about $4.7 trillion daily. The Bank for International Settlements, which is an international organization of central banks, said the yuan along with the Mexican peso, which rose to No. 8, “saw the most significant rise in market share among major emerging market currencies.” China’s leaders want the yuan to become an international currency and have been promoting its use as an alternative to the dollar. The yuan is not yet fully convertible but Beijing has been gradually loosening controls. Read More …

Commitment and feelings

 Economy
Sep 062013
 
Commitment and feelings

There are bad-hair days, and there are days when you feel like you’re on top of the world. Truth be told, most of the days are neither bad nor on top. Most days are usually ordinary and cyclical. You attend my seminars. You get fired up, and you realize that there’s great benefit in being committed 100 percent to excellence. But then you start losing the feeling. Guess what? I have those days too. The temptation to just lie down and do nothing is strong, and there were times that I’ve succumbed to it. I remember a time in my life when I was just winging it. Because the place where I lived was near my factory, I’d go home, have lunch and then give in to the lure of my favorite piece of furniture – my lazy chair. An afternoon nap was just so enticing. I got to a point where I’d go to work in anticipation for my siesta. Much time was wasted simply because I wasn’t committed to my work and my personal growth. Now that I’m a little older and wiser, I’ve realized one crucial life-changing fact: commitment isn’t a feeling – it’s a decision. Commitment is an act of the will. It doesn’t deal with fleeting emotions. A commitment is a promise or a pledge. Every legal contract is a commitment. Every promise you make to the loan shark and the Mafiosi is a commitment. I can make a commitment to others and even to Read More …

Soomin: The K-Pop star is a black-belter

 Entertainment
Sep 062013
 
Soomin: The K-Pop star is a black-belter

Just call her Soomin. “It means ‘extraordinary beauty’ in English,” smiled Soomin, her eyes sparkling like the cold drink in front of her, speaking through her interpreter, fellow Korean Brian Lee who is marketing and international director of Starbliss Entertainment with which Soomin is under contract. We’re having late dinner at Mario’s restaurant on Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City, Thursday night, approximately one hour ride away from Crowne Plaza where Soomin and the other K-Pop artists (including SHInee, EXO-K and Dal*Shabet) were billeted. They flew in from Seoul Thursday morning for the K-Pop Republic mounted by All Access Production tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum (for tickets, call Ticketnet at 911-5555). Also with us was Vic de Vera, Brian’s friend who arranged the interview. Vic is the managing director of Widescope Advertising Agency. I became a bit apprehensive when Brian told me that he and Soomin took a cab to Mario’s (their service car was bringing the other artists to a money-exchange outlet and then to a spa) and I was relieved to know that Soomin, so fragile-looking like a Dresden Doll (you could mistake her for Carmina Villarroel), is a Taekwondo black-belter. Well, you know… The name is perfect for the K-Pop singer who has the drop-dead looks and the figure to justify it, after all she’s also a supermodel and, soon, an actress ready for her movie debut, a true-life thriller called Target which will be partly shot in Cebu. She stands 5’9”, weighs 107 lbs. and measures Read More …

Cigarette industry remains strong despite taxes

 Economy
Sep 062013
 
Cigarette industry remains strong despite taxes

MANILA, Philippines – Despite the imposition of higher taxes on tobacco manufactures, the cigarette manufacturing industry in the country remains strong, said the National Tobacco Authority (NTA). NTA administrator Edgardo Zaragoza said yesterday that during consultations with stakeholders in the tobacco industry, it was resolved that there is no significant change in consumer demand  tobacco products. “There were concerns that a slight rise in taxes will be detrimental to the industry because of lower demand,” said Zaragoza. “But the industry continues to be stronger than it is. Stakeholders in the tobacco industry believe demand would remain high if higher taxes on tobacco products is countered by increased export and substitution of imported tobacco. To do this, the quality standards of local tobacco production should be raised.    The NTA concluded yesterday its biennial Tobacco Tripartite Consultative Conference during which minimum buying prices for tobacco were set for the next two trading years. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 During the consultation meeting, tobacco manufacturers stressed the need for farmers to produce high quality leaf to be used by local cigarette manufacturers so that importation would be lessened. “Tobacco is still a crop to believe in and will be around for a long time. As quality is improved, we are trying to keep more Philippines tobacco,” said Jorge Struecker, leaf buying manager of Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp.. “To sustain production, we need to increase production efficiency,” he added. Tobacco growing and trading firms also said Philippine tobacco needs Read More …

DTI puts up 6 shares service facilities in Zambales

 Economy
Sep 062013
 
DTI puts up 6 shares service facilities in Zambales

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched six shared service facilities (SSFs) worth P2.9 million in Zambales to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) there become more competitive. In a statement, the DTI said it has provided the following SSFs: vegetable noodles processing facility in the municipality of Castillejos; sweet potato processing facility in the municipalities of San Felipe and Cabangan; pastillas processing facility in the municipality of Palauig, as well as Tetrapak bags production facilities in Olongapo City and Candelaria Town. Depending on the line of business, the DTI said the SSFs may be equipped with packaging machines, mechanical driers, industrial weighing scales, noodle making machineries, vegetable and meat slicers, metal craft machineries, milk extraction equipment, deep fat friers, stainless industrial tables, chillers, and freezers. DTI Central Luzon director Judith Angeles said the department has identified nine cooperatives in the province that would benefit from the six SSFs. She said that while initially, the DTI intends to just lend the equipment, after five years, the plan is to give the SSFs to the cooperatives. “This project is similar to the conditional cash transfer of the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development); ours is conditional equipment transfer,” she said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 She said SSFs would be donated to a cooperative based on the number of beneficiaries, jobs generated, amount of products sold and equipment generated. The SSF program being implemented by the DTI seeks to provide Read More …

Phl, Italy agree to hike flights

 Economy
Sep 062013
 
Phl, Italy agree to hike flights

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and Italy have agreed to increase weekly flights between the two countries, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said. “We got 14 flights per week between the Philippines and Italy,” CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla said in a text message to reporters. The agreement was reached during the air talks held in Italy on Wednesday and Thursday. Under the previous agreement entered into in 1969, only one flight is allowed per week between the two countries. Arcilla noted that there are 170,000 Filipinos in Italy. “Rome and Milan can also be a jump off point for traffic between Southern Europe and the Philippines,” he added. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The development comes as the European Union (EU) lifted in July a ban it imposed three years ago which prevented airlines from the Philippines, led by flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL), from operating in Europe. EU Ambassador Guy Ledoux said the ban was lifted as the European Commission and the Air Safety Committee were encouraged by the actions being undertaken by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and PAL to address outstanding aviation safety issues. PAL president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang announced after the lifting of the EU ban that the airline intends to fly to Rome as well as other popular European destinations such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Madrid. The air talks are being held in line with the open skies policy. Executive Order 29 which Read More …

Ex-Usec approved release of P900-M Malampaya fund to Napoles-linked NGOs — DAR chief

 News
Sep 062013
 
Ex-Usec approved release of P900-M Malampaya fund to Napoles-linked NGOs — DAR chief

Former undersecretary Narciso Nieto authorized the release of P900 million sourced from the Malampaya Fund to nine non-government organizations linked to alleged pork barrel scam operator Janet Lim-Napoles, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said on Friday. Nieto was undersecretary of then DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman when the funds were released. “The request was made by Undersecretary Nieto as the officer-in-charge. In the normal course of operation pwede siyang mag-request,” current DAR Secretary Virgilio delos Reyes was quoted as saying in a television report aired on GMA’s “24 Oras” newscast on Friday.  “Kasi ginagawa naman palagi ‘yun ‘pag kinukulang ng pondo ang isang departamento, ginagawa ‘yun. But normally, an amount this big is normally cleared with the secretary,” the DAR chief also said. GMA News tried to contact Nieto for comment, but he was not immediately available. The DAR said the P900 million was supposed to have been distributed among areas affected by Typhoon Pepeng and Ondoy in 2009. DAR was the implementing agency.  Its investigation also revealed that the Malampaya fund went to 12 non-government organizations including the nine of Napoles. The DAR has provided copies of checks to the National Bureau of Investigation. The checks were distributed to 97 towns that supposedly benefited from the fund. “Hindi nadatnan ng internal audit kung nasaan na ‘yung mga NGO na ‘yun. Malalaman sa tseke saan naka-deposit ‘yung tseke, at ‘yung ang binigay natin sa NBI,” Delos Reyes noted. Earlier, whistleblower Merlina Suñas, a former employee of Napoles, detailed how the Read More …

Batuhan: Shady ways

 General
Sep 062013
 
Batuhan: Shady ways

JANET Napoles, the alleged mastermind behind the P10-billion pork barrel scam, had a good night’s sleep on her fifth day of detention at a police camp in Laguna, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Friday. PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac said Napoles “verbalized that she had a good sleep” inside her spruced up detention room inside Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Napoles also had a good serving of scrambled egg, meat loaf and rice for breakfast around 6:30 a.m., Sindac added.” (From Philstar, 6 Sept. 2013) I was out of the country for the last couple of weeks, and had missed the Janet Napoles saga for that duration. Coming back into the country, these were the stuff of headlines that greeted me. The only thing I could think about was – how lucky for the rich! Lucky indeed. Spruced up detention room all to herself? Most common criminals have to content themselves with a cramped and dirty detention cell, often shared with forty other inmates. A jail in Sta. Rosa? She is neighbours with the rich and famous of the posh subdivisions there. And a breakfast of scrambled egg, meat loaf and rice? Lucky for her, because in most jails, the only thing they get is a scoop of rice and some salt to eat. But this is how the cookie crumbles for the rich. Remember Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo, who had to be transported to her cell in a helicopter? Remember Mayor Joseph Estrada, when he himself was incarcerated? Read More …

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