Cemeteries showcase close PHL-US ties – Kerry

 News
Dec 172013
 
Cemeteries showcase close PHL-US ties – Kerry

US committed to helping PHL in security – Kerry. US Secretary of State John Kerry answers questions during a joint press conference with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario after their bilateral meeting in Pasay City on Tuesday, December 17. Kerry, in the country for a two-day visit, said the US is committed to helping the Philippines address its most pressing security challenges. Danny Pata US Secretary of State John Kerry laid a wreath Tuesday at a cemetery for US and Filipino war dead, and said it symbolized the countries’ close ties.  Kerry, a Vietnam war veteran, said he was “honored” to lay the wreath at the American Cemetery in a Manila suburb, which contains the remains of over 16,600 Americans and 570 Filipinos who died fighting the Japanese during World War II. “That is the largest cemetery in which Americans are buried from World War II. It is a remarkable place and it is a humbling tribute to the links between us in our struggle for freedom,” he said during a two-day visit to the Philippines. Kerry also cited a newly signed agreement under which the two countries will cooperate to upgrade and maintain a run-down veterans’ cemetery at the former US Clark airbase north of the capital. Under the agreement, the United States will provide five million dollars to rehabilitate the Clark Veterans’ Cemetery, which holds the remains of about 8,600 Filipinos and Americans who died fighting under the US flag from the turn of the century to Read More …

PHL's communist insurgents to declare own Christmas truce

 General
Dec 172013
 
PHL's communist insurgents to declare own Christmas truce

Communist rebels will declare a ceasefire during the holidays to allow their comrades to mark the 45th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines on Dec. 26. In a statement posted on its website late Tuesday, the CPP said: “The leadership… is set to declare a ceasefire in order to pave the way for the national celebrations of the [Party’s] 45th anniversary as well as to give way to the Filipino people’s traditional observance of the Christmas and New Year holidays.”  But the CPP did not immediately specify the dates of the ceasefire. It also called on the government to order the Armed Forces of the Philippines to stand down on December 26 and the days leading to it, “in order to allow… thousands of people to peacefully travel to and join the celebrations.” For this year’s celebration, the CPP said it expects “several hundred” people’s assemblies inside the guerrilla zones across the country. It said most participants are likely to travel by foot to the people’s assemblies. “Travel arrangements are also being made for the revolutionary forces and guests coming in from the cities or other towns,” it added. Also, the CPP said the celebrations will be modest. On the other hand, the CPP said the mass activities will also collect funds and materials that will be contributed to the rehabilitation efforts in areas devastated by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). “The assemblies shall, however, be appropriately joyous to celebrate the great victories of the people’s war and the people’s Read More …

Aquino airs concern over China’s air defense zone

 Entertainment
Dec 172013
 
Aquino airs concern over China’s air defense zone

TOKYO, Japan – President Benigno S. Aquino III along with fellow regional leaders attends the luncheon meeting hosted by Keidanren and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Golden Room of the Keidanren Kaikan on Saturday (December) at the sidelines of the ASEAN – Japan Commemorative Summit, the culminating event to a full year of activities commemorating 40 years of ASEAN-Japan relations. (MNS photo) TOKYO, Japan  (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Aquino III on Saturday aired concern over China’s recent establishment of an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), along with recent claims by Chinese officials that such zones may be replicated. In his statement at the session of the ASEAN Japan Commemorative Summit here, the President also made a new call for a peaceful and rules-based approach to resolving territorial disputes, including those with China. “The Philippines’ call for peace and stability in our region is amplified by recent developments in the East China Sea, on the establishment of an Air Defense Identification Zone, which raises concerns over international civil aviation, safety and security,” he said. “We all should view with greater concern the recent pronouncements of Chinese officials that China will establish other ADIZs in due course,” he added. In the Philippines’ case, President Aquino said the country is pursuing a two-track approach to disputes in the sea “known-by-many-names.” Such an approach is both peaceful and rules-based, and the Philippines is advocating the conclusion of the legally binding code of conduct as soon as possible, he added. “To Read More …

22 dead as bus plunges off highway

 Entertainment
Dec 172013
 
22 dead as bus plunges off highway

Pedestrians walk beside an overturned bus lying along a busy street at Bicutan after the bus fell off an elevated expressway and crashed into a van below in Taguig city, south of Manila December 16, 2013. At least 21 people were killed during the incident, according to the police. (MNS photo) MANILA, December 16, 2013 (AFP) – Twenty-two people were killed when a commuter bus plunged from an elevated highway onto a van in Philippine capital Manila on Monday, police said, warning the death toll could rise. Twenty of those who died in the accident in the sprawling city were on board the bus, with the other two fatalities from the van, traffic investigator Jose Abuyog said. “It (the death toll) could go even higher,” as some of the injured are in serious condition, he told AFP, adding that the cause of the accident was still being determined. A further 20 people were injured when the bus fell six meters (20 feet) from the highway onto the road below. The bus driver, who survived, will undergo tests and questioning, said land transportation regulatory board chairman Winston Ginez. Don Mariano Transit, the bus company involved in the accident, has been suspended for 30 days as its other vehicles are examined, Ginez told ABS-CBN television. In 2011, three people were killed and four injured when a bus fell from the same elevated highway.

Thinking about Christmas or taxes?

 Economy
Dec 162013
 

WE ARE NOW in the last month of the year. At this time, companies will be closing their books, managing reconciliations of their accounting records against their tax returns, conducting year-end adjustments, preparing for the year-end withholding tax obligations, completing compliance requirements for renewal with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and local government unit (LGU) registrations and planning for the 2014 income tax filing season.

UN leader Ban coming to get firsthand view of Tacloban

 News
Dec 162013
 
UN leader Ban coming to get firsthand view of Tacloban

Agence France-Presse 3:47 am | Tuesday, December 17th, 2013 UN leader Ban Ki-moon will go to the typhoon-stricken Philippines city of Tacloban this week to highlight the growing number of weather disasters. AP PHOTO/THE UNITED NATIONS, MARK GARTEN UNITED NATIONS—UN leader Ban Ki-moon will go to the typhoon-stricken Philippines city of Tacloban this week to highlight the growing number of weather disasters. “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 firsthand assessment of the aftermath,” Ban said Monday as he announced the visit. The UN secretary general is to arrive in Manila on Friday for talks with government leaders and will go to Tacloban on Saturday, UN spokeswoman Eri Kaneko said. “He will visit affected communities in Tacloban,” Kaneko said. The UN leader will leave the Philippines on Sunday. The Philippines government says that more than 6,000 people died in the Nov. 8 typhoon—one of the strongest storms ever recorded—which badly hit Tacloban and surrounding regions. Almost 1,800 people are still missing. Ban said that he is organizing a major summit on climate change for Sept. 23 next year, just ahead of the UN General Assembly. RELATED STORIES: Citing Philippines, UN chief urges action at climate talks Philippine typhoon warning to man, says UN chief UN to launch major aid appeal for battered Philippines Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free Read More …

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to visit Tacloban City

 News
Dec 162013
 
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to visit Tacloban City

UNITED NATIONS – UN leader Ban Ki-moon will go to the typhoon-stricken Philippines city of Tacloban this week to highlight the growing number of weather disasters. “2013 was another year of extreme weather — as we saw most recently with Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). On Thursday, I will depart for Manila and Tacloban for a firsthand assessment of the aftermath,” Ban said Monday as he announced the visit. The UN secretary general is to arrive in Manila on Friday for talks with government leaders and will go to Tacloban on Saturday, UN spokeswoman Eri Kaneko said. “He will visit affected communities in Tacloban,” Kaneko said. The UN leader will leave the Philippines on Sunday. The Philippines 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. Ban said that he is organizing a major summit on climate change for September 23 next year, just ahead of the UN General Assembly. — Agence France-Presse

DTI to penalize sellers who overprice ‘Noche Buena’ products

 General
Dec 162013
 
DTI to penalize sellers who overprice ‘Noche Buena’ products

STORES that are caught overpricing “Noche Buena” products will be penalized in accordance with the Fair Trade law, an official of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Monday. Almer Massilones, chief of consumer welfare of the DTI in Misamis Oriental (DTI-MisOr), said the penalties will be based on the revised schedule of penalty under the Fair Trade law. As to the exact amount of the penalties of overpricing Noche Buena products, Massillones said it will be based on Department Administrative Order No. 06, series of 2007 (DAO 06-2007). DAO 06-2007 is also known as the “Revised Schedule of Administrative Fines for Violations of the Consumer Act of the Philippines and some Trade and Industry Laws.” The said order also covers Republic Act (R.A.) No. 7581 or the Price Act, R.A. No. 71 or the Price Tag Law, among others. Based on DAO 06-2007, the fines imposed for violating the Consumer Act of the Philippines depends on the capitalization. Fines If the capitalization is below P20,000 the corresponding fines range from P500 to P1,500. But if it is above P200,000 the range would be from P30,000 to P50,000. Eliza Pabillore, DTI-Misamis Oriental provincial director, said that based on their monitoring there are stores which are not following the standard retail price, thus, a “show cost” order will be issued to them. Show cost orders are given to retailers to give them a chance to explain the price increase. “If there is no sufficient cause for the increase on the Read More …

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