UN chief Ban Ki-moon to visit Tacloban for 'first-hand assessment'

 News
Dec 192013
 
UN chief Ban Ki-moon to visit Tacloban for 'first-hand assessment'

UNITED NATIONS – UN leader Ban Ki-moon arrives in Manila Friday for talks with top government leaders and will go to Tacloban on Saturday to assess super typhoon Yolanda damage and ascertain response needs. The United Nations this week launched a $791 million aid appeal to take care of the survivors’ needs over the next 12 months, an amount that UN said will complement the government’s rehabilitation plan. “2013 was another year of extreme weather — as we saw most recently with Typhoon Haiyan. On Thursday, I will depart for Manila and Tacloban for a first-hand assessment of the aftermath,” Ban said Monday as he announced the visit. Ban said he is organizing a major summit on climate change for September 23 next year, just ahead of the UN General Assembly. The UN leader will leave the Philippines on Sunday.  Last Wednesday, the Philippines launched an $8.17 billion plan to rebuild the lives of millions made homeless by Super Typhoon Haiyan and strengthen the disaster-prone nation’s defenses against future tempests. The government says that more than 6,000 people died in the November 8 typhoon — one of the strongest storms ever recorded — which badly hit Tacloban and surrounding regions. Almost 1,800 people are still missing.  President Benigno Aquino appealed for more foreign aid and private-sector pledges to revive hundreds of devastated communities. “The task immediately before us lies in ensuring that the communities that rise again do so stronger, better and more resilient than before,” he told foreign diplomats Read More …

Miss Philippines is Miss International 2013

 Entertainment
Dec 192013
 
Miss Philippines is Miss International 2013

Miss Philippines’ Bea Rose Santiago was crowned Miss International 2013 The Philippines’ Bea Rose Santiago was crowned Miss International 2013 on Tuesday, adding to the string of victories of fellow beauty queens in the country. The four-hour finals night of the 53rd Miss International pageant was held at Shinagawa Prince Hotel Hall in Tokyo, Japan, gathering over 60 candidates from around the world. Placing second to Santiago is Netherland’s Nathalie den Dekker, followed by New Zealand’s Casey Radley. Completing the Top 5 were Colombia’s Cindy Aguilar and Hungary’s Brigitta Otvos. For the final round, the remaining five contestants each gave a 30-second speech on the subject, “What I will do if I am crowned Miss International.” “The whole world saw how my country suffered,” Santiago said, referring to the devastation caused by super typhoon “Yolanda” in parts of central Philippines. “One by one, other countries helped. I would like to thank who helped my country in our darkest hours. You have opened my heart and eyes on what we can do to help each other.” “If I become Miss International, I would uphold international camaraderie. I will work to sustain the spirit of sympathy and spirit of hope. As long as we work together, there is hope.” One of the deadliest natural disasters to hit the Philippines, and said to be the most powerful typhoon to ever make landfall, “Yolanda” killed at least 6,000 and injured over 27,000 after it hit central Philippines on November 8. At least 3.4 million Read More …

PNoy mulls oversight body on PHL compliance with global anti-corruption treaty

 News
Dec 192013
 
PNoy mulls oversight body on PHL compliance with global anti-corruption treaty

In one of the biggest gatherings of government heads in the country, President Benigno Aquino III said he is considering setting up an oversight committee that will monitor the country’s compliance with international anti-corruption efforts. Aquino made the announcement during the first State Conference on the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) Implementation and Review on Thursday. UNCAC is an international anti-corruption treaty ratified, accepted, approved and acceded by 168 countries, including the Philippines. Since signing the convention in 2003, the Philippines has crafted a five-year 21-point Anti-Corruption Action Plan. “I was listening earlier to the [idea of] setting up of an oversight committee on our compliance, and if they [officials] are willing to again have additional duties, in addition to IAAGCC [Inter-Agency Anti-Graft Coordinating Council], I am more than willing to endorse that idea,” Aquino said.  “Hopefully you will never tire of accepting more assignments than what you originally thought you would receive,” he added.  Efforts against corruption During Thursday’s event, Aquino trumpeted the accomplishments of his administration in the fight against corruption. “Go anywhere in the country and you will have seen the changes of what we can do now versus what we couldn’t even imagine just a few years ago, and this is just the beginning. As the song by Michel Legrand said, ‘Watch what happens’,” he said. He specifically cited the filing of cases “against a former president who is now under hospital arrest;” the removal from office of “a Chief Justice who chose to lie Read More …

AFP chief: Reds should declare ceasefire ‘forever’  

 News
Dec 192013
 
AFP chief: Reds should declare ceasefire ‘forever’  

A six-day truce announced by the Communist Party of the Philippines is too short, the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said Thursday, adding the communist rebels should declare a ceasefire “forever.” “Napakaiksi naman ng dineclare nila, nag-declare pa sila. (Kung) gusto nila, forever wala nang putukan e, di ba yun ang gusto natin,” AFP Chief of Staff Lieutanant General Emmanuel Bautista told reporters Thursday. The CCP on Wednesday declared two three-day ceasefires to mark the holidays as well as its founding anniversary. The truce will be from 12:00 a.m. on December 24 to 11:59 p.m. on December 26, and another from 12:00 a.m. on December 31 to 11:59 p.m. on January 2, 2014. The CPP will celebrate its 45th founding anniversary on December 26. “Bakit hindi sila mag-declare ng mahaba, forever. Sana, kung magde-declare sila, pang-matagalan na, para yung ating mga kababayan hindi na magdusa sa armed struggle, masyadong matagal na tayong nagdurusa dyan,” Bautista said. The government has yet to announce a ceasefire of its own but Bautista said the AFP will comply with whatever truce the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process will set. “Depende sa OPAPP, wala kaming problema. Depende sa OPAPP kung gaano kahaba yung ide-declare na SOMO (suspension of military operations). Whatever is the order, we will follow,” he said. Peace talks between the government and the CPP-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front have been stalled since April this year. — Amita Legaspi/JDS, GMA News

Party-list solon still insists on Christmas furlough for Arroyo

 News
Dec 192013
 
Party-list solon still insists on Christmas furlough for Arroyo

The lawmaker who initially asked for a Christmas furlough for former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday said the concessions allowed to her family might not be enough for her to regain her health. “Although not keeping with the Christmas spirit and the Filipino tradition, matatanggap na namin yan. Sabi nga what you cannot equal, you approximate,” said 1-BAP party-list Rep. Silvestre Bello III in a chance interview. The Sandiganbayan, where Arroyo has a pending graft case, allowed her family to spend Christmas and New Year with her in her suite at the Veterans Medical Memorial Center (VMMC) where she is under hospital arrest. Arroyo’s relatives will be allowed to stay until midnight at the hospital on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. “Although it’s for a  very short period, I hope it will do wonders for her very very poor health,” said Bello, a Cabinet official under the Arroyo administration. Bello has asked the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court to Arroyo, currently a Pampanga lawmaker, a Christmas furlough “for humanitarian and compassionate considerations.” Arroyo is under hospital arrest for a plunder case in connection with the alleged misuse of P366-million Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) intelligence funds during her incumbency. Arroyo herself didn’t request for a furlough, but her husband, Mike Arroyo, appealed to President Benigno Aquino III to allow his wife to go home. Bello hypothesized that Aquino did not file for a furlough since she has been repeatedly denied in the past. “Siguro she didn’t ask anymore considering marami siyang motions na not Read More …

Canada promises long-term support as relief ops wind down

 News
Dec 192013
 
Canada promises long-term support as relief ops wind down

Canada  wrapped up its disaster-response mission to the typhoon-ravaged Visayas region this week, but vowed to provide the Philippines the long-term support it needs to help the country recover from the massive destruction wrought by the storm. Canada’s decision to pull out its humanitarian workers, mainly deployed on Panay Island, was made after the Philippine government confirmed that their requirements for the relief phase have been met, Canadian Ambassador Neil Reeder said Thursday. Remaining members of the 300-strong Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), made up of Canadian diplomats and army and navy personnel, will be returning to Canada soon, he said. But even after the Canadian team leaves, Reeder assured long-term help from the Canadian government will continue. “People are here for the long haul,” Reeder said in his first meeting with reporters since assuming as Canada’s top envoy to Manila last month. “Governments remain and Canada is here and we are committed to help you in the future.” “We live in a disaster-prone world. You’ve got a million-plus refugees from Syria with a huge appeal from the United Nations, but that doesn’t mean we are going to forget the Philippines either.” Nearly two months since the record-breaking storm smashed into the Central Philippines, local governments and civilian partners in affected areas are now ready to attend to the remaining needs of the population, he said. The next task ahead, he said, is to prepare for the reconstruction and rehabilitation phase, where Canada “will continue to play a role.” “People Read More …

Globe sees slower Q4 revenue hike due to Yolanda

 General
Dec 182013
 
Globe sees slower Q4 revenue hike due to Yolanda

MANILA, Philippines – Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc. said it expects lower revenues in the fourth quarter of the year due to the extensive devastation in the Visayas region brought about by Super Typhoon Yolanda. Globe president and chief executive officer Ernest Cu said in a statement that the damage caused by the typhoon that battered the Visayas last Nov. 8 likely dampened the company’s revenue growth in the last quarter of the year. Cu said Globe expects lower revenues amid the expected surge in voice calls and short messaging system (SMS) during the holiday season as the extensive damage caused by the typhoon likely affected domestic spending in the last quarter. “Notwithstanding the usual seasonal increase in both SMS and voice traffic during the holiday season, fourth quarter revenues may not be as strong as in prior years due to softer demand for telco services in the affected areas and possible cutbacks in telco-related spending on the part of subscribers as they donate these instead to the relief and rebuilding efforts of the government and private sector,” he stressed. Cu also emphasized that the typhoon damage on the network is not expected to have long-term negative impact on revenues. According to him, the company’s restoration effort in the Visayas region is almost complete. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “As a utility company, we have made it our priority to restore mobile services in typhoon-affected areas as soon as possible,” he added. The company’s net income plunged Read More …

Tan, SMC to finalize PAL stake sale next yr

 Economy
Dec 182013
 
Tan, SMC to finalize PAL stake sale next yr

MANILA, Philippines – Negotiations for the sale of the majority stake in flag carrier Philippine Airlines Inc. (PAL) with San Miguel Corp. (SMC) are expected to be finalized by next year. PAL chairman and chief executive officer Lucio Tan told reporters in a chance interview yesterday that his group is in talks with SMC for the sale of the 51-percent stake in the airline. He said he expects the negotiations for the sale to be completed “by early next year.” Should Tan’s group decide to sell its 51-percent stake to SMC, the carrier will become wholly-owned by SMC which currently holds a 49-percent share. In April last year, SMC infused $500 million for the purchase of a 49-percent equity interest in Trustmark Holdings Corp. Trustmark owns 97.71 percent of the airline’s parent firm PAL Holdings Inc., which owns 84.67 percent of PAL through PR Holdings Inc. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The carrier has embarked on a refleeting program since SMC’s entry. The refleeting program involves the acquisition of 100 new aircraft in preparation for its flights to Europe and additional flights to the US. PAL expects to save as much $400 million from fuel and maintenance costs each year as part of the refleeting program. It now operates a fleet of 48 aircraft composed of 10 Airbus 330-300, 12 A320-200, eight 340-300, five A321-231, four A319-100, five Boeing 777-300ER and four 747-400.

The Go Negosyo Bill

 Economy
Dec 182013
 
The Go Negosyo Bill

Sen. Bam Aquino with Go Negosyo’s Executive Director Mon Lopez at the Senate for the GO NEGOSYO BILL sponsorship. For the past eight years, Go Negosyo, thru the entrepreneurs who have become part of this journey of empowering the marginalized sector of negosyantes which is the micro-entrepreneurs, they, the entrepreneurs continue to remain passionate in sharing their resources. The movement of people empowerment is clearly what is needed to help those at the bottom of the pyramid to start to feel the economic benefits that our country over the past three years has started to enjoy. We talk about inclusive growth, well, this is it.  Last Tuesday, we had the privilege of attending the Senate session for the sponsorship of the GO NEGOSYO BILL by Sen. Bam Aquino who, himself, is also a leading social entrepreneur in the country today, with his empowering Hapinoy program for the nanays in the sarisari store retailing business. He understands the plight of the small and micro entrepreneurs. What was admirable in his talk was his continuous commitment to make a difference, by aiming to reduce poverty as the bill’s main goal, and this can be achieved by empowering the micro and small enterprises, to level-up and beat the odds in business. We are one with that objective ever since we started the Go Negosyo advocacy eight years ago, and Bam has been one of the strongest advocates, joining us in many parts of the country, inspiring and mentoring especially the young aspiring entrepreneurs Read More …

BSP sets release of new coins

 Economy
Dec 182013
 
BSP sets release of new coins

MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos may soon be using new coins as early as 2015 as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is finalizing the design and features of the currency. “We are now discussing the new generation coins…  A committee is now discussing the design for the new coins and by 2015, this is expected to be finalized,” BSP Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo said. “So probably by 2015 or 2016, we will be launching the NGC (new generation currency) coins,” he added. Guinigundo further said the design and make of the coins will have to be approved first by the BSP Governor and the President before they are launched to the public. The new coins will match the new generation bank notes launched in late 2010 and may have lesser metal content. At the same time, new technologies to prevent counterfeiting will be introduced, along with features that would help the blind distinguish between the denominations.

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