‘Remarkable’ growth for PHL economy despite disasters

 Entertainment
Jan 312014
 
‘Remarkable’ growth for PHL economy despite disasters

By Mynardo Macaraig President Benigno S. Aquino III leads the ceremonial laying of the San Gabriel Power Plant Project time capsule in Brgy. Sta Rita, Batangas City January 14 that include Batangas Governor-turned actress Vilma Santos, among the many manifestations of continued economic growth in the Philippines. (MNS Photo) MANILA  (AFP) – The Philippine economy was one of the fastest-growing in Asia last year after shrugging off devastating natural disasters and expanding at a “remarkable” pace in the final quarter, the government said Thursday. The economy grew by 6.5 percent in the last three months of the year even as a super typhoon claimed thousands of lives and an earthquake struck popular tourist islands, Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan told reporters. “This is a remarkable turnout,” Balisacan said, as he emphasised the final quarter expansion was expected to be the fastest in the Asia-Pacific after China, which recorded annual GDP growth of 7.7 percent last year. Growth for all of 2013 was 7.2 percent, the fastest since President Benigno Aquino came to power in 2010 and exceeding the government target of 6.0-7.0 percent. The government said the main drivers of growth were in the manufacturing, trade, real estate and finance sectors, while hailing the performance as further proof of Aquino’s economic stewardship. The Philippines endures relentless natural disasters because it is located along a typhoon belt and the so-called Ring of Fire, a vast Pacific Ocean region where many of Earth’s quakes and volcanic eruptions occur. However the final quarter Read More …

Gloria Arroyo eats tikoy, prays with nuns on Chinese New Year

 News
Jan 312014
 
Gloria Arroyo eats tikoy, prays with nuns on Chinese New Year

Even while in hospital detention, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo got to celebrate Chinese New Year with an afternoon of tikoy (glutinous rice cake) and pancit shared with several Roman Catholic nuns. In a phone interview, Arroyo’s legal spokesman, lawyer Raul Lambino, said 12 nuns from Bulacan visited the detained former President at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) on Friday afternoon. Arroyo and the nuns talked about her “faith” and “pro-life stance” while eating Chinese delicacies, Lambino said. “Alam niyo namang Assumptionista rin si former President. Laking kumbento kaya maraming napag-usapan. Napagkwentuhan ang kanyang student life,” Lambino, who was present during the nuns’ visit, said over the phone. The nuns prayed for Arroyo’s well-being and immediate recovery before leaving the hospital, he added. The nuns were not the first religious workers to visit Arroyo this week. Last Sunday, five Catholic bishops also paid visit to the former President. Last week, former First Lady and incumbent Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos also spent time with Arroyo at the VMMC. Earlier this month, Arroyo was also visited by former Presidents Joseph Estrada and Fidel V. Ramos, fuelling talks that they are forming an alliance in preparation for the 2016 national polls. Asked if Arroyo will host more high-profile personalities from her hospital suite in the coming weeks, Lambino said, “Medyo ganoon,” but refused to elaborate. Arroyo, incumbent congresswoman of Pampanga’s second district, is currently detaine while facing the plunder case. She also has a pending poll sabotage case before a Pasay court, Read More …

Claims board for Marcos-era human rights victims to get to work in next 2 months

 News
Jan 312014
 
Claims board for Marcos-era human rights victims to get to work in next 2 months

Almost a year after the law offering reparation to victims of human rights violations under Martial Law was enacted, the board tasked to process claims for compensation will finally get to work, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairperson Etta Rosales said Friday. At a press briefing, Rosales said President Benigno Aquino III has already chosen nine appointees to the board, but refused to identify them pending official announcement from Malacañang. “Meron na siyang listahan. Nakita ko na iyon. Basta ang listahan na iyan, ilalabas na. Malapit na,” she told reporters. Rosales, however, admitted that she had to repeatedly remind the President to already form the compensation board for human rights victims during the dictatorship of former President Ferdinand Marcos. “Siguro very busy naman siya, pero alam mo when I actually texted him, he responded right away. Ibig sabihin, nawawala sa isip niya dahil ang dami-dami niyang problema. You really have to remind him,” she said. In February last year, Aquino signed Republic Act 10368, which seeks to distribute P10 billion in funds from the alleged ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses to Martial Law human rights victims. The law requires the President to form a panel to process claims of the human rights victims, but Aquino has not done so until now. The compensation board, which will be attached to the CHR, is tasked to receive, evaluate, processe and investigate applications for claims. Draft, database Rosales further said that she expects the claims board to come up with the implementing rules and Read More …

UK foreign secretary sees PH as Asia Pacific success story

 General
Jan 312014
 
UK foreign secretary sees PH as Asia Pacific success story

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 3:37 pm | Friday, January 31st, 2014 United Kingdom’s Secretary of State William Hague. Photo from gov.uk MANILA, Philippines—United Kingdom’s foreign secretary thinks the Philippines can be “one of Asia Pacific’s great success stories” citing the strong economy and the hard work of Filipinos both in the country and all over the world. “Your high rates of economic growth are a testament to strong economic policy and the hard work of Filipinos at home and abroad, including thousands in my own country,” William Hague, UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, said in his speech Thursday. “The Philippines clearly has the potential to be one of Asia Pacific’s great success stories and we want to support you in that, to the benefit of both our peoples,” he said. Hague highlighted the newly established direct flights between London and Manila that will boost tourism for both UK and the Philippines and the increase of scholars from the Philippines that will be able to study in universities in the UK. Before his speech, Hague met with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosaro to discuss the two countries’ economic and diplomatic ties. “Secretary Hague and I reviewed our countries’ economic relations. British investments in the country increased by an impressive 293 percent from P1.72 billion in 2011 to P6.76 billion in 2012, making UK a major source of foreign direct investments,” del Rosario said in a joint press conference after their bilateral talks. “Similarly, our bilateral trade performed Read More …

CHR chief wants to inspect military facilities for possible torture chambers

 News
Jan 302014
 
CHR chief wants to inspect military facilities for possible torture chambers

Following the discovery of a “torture cell” allegedly ran by local police in Laguna, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Etta Rosales said Friday that military facilities should also be inspected for possible torture chambers. At a press conference, Rosales said she has already directed government officials who are part of the national monitoring mechanism against human rights violations to also check on camps and other facilities ran by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) all over the country.  “Hindi ba karumal-dumal iyon? Hindi ba kahayupan iyon? Kung nakita natin as late as ngayon, mayroon din siguro sa mga militar,” the CHR chairperson told reporters. Rosales added that her commission will also be inspecting provincial intelligence branches and regional offices of the Philippine National Police (PNP) across the country. “Gusto talaga natin na no stones left unturned. Puntahan lahat ito… We will go all over the Philippines and do intensive work in trying to monitor, expose, oppose, and dismantle these facilities of torture,” she said. The CHR chief also warned military and police officials against dismantling torture chambers ahead of the inspection, saying they may be charged for tampering with evidence. “Chances are they might dismantle, pero malalaman din natin iyan. Ang hahanapin natin kung may torture victims,” she said. She added that she is coordinating with the AFP’s and the PNP’s leadership to be able to put in place “systemic solutions” to stop incidents of torture by security officers. Earlier this week, the CHR exposed a secret prison in Read More …

PHL envoy to lead new hunger strike over climate change

 General
Jan 302014
 
PHL envoy to lead new hunger strike over climate change

A Philippine diplomat who went without food for 14 days last year will lead another fast on Saturday in a bid to pressure world leaders over climate change. Naderev “Yeb” Saño, the Philippines’ lead negotiator at United Nations climate talks, drank only tea and water throughout the last meeting in Poland in November, garnering world headlines and praise from developing nations. Saño’s latest symbolic one-day hunger strike is an attempt to maintain pressure ahead of the next UN talks in Peru, with his tactics beginning to attract followers around the world via social media. “The objective is to keep connecting with the people who believe in climate justice … I’ve always believed in fasting as an important instrument in provoking change,” Saño told AFP. Saño will carry out his February fast while visiting Tacloban City, which was devastated when super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) tore across central Philippines in November. Yolanda, the strongest typhoon ever to make landfall and left 8,000 people dead or missing, triggered Saño’s original decision to fast at the UN climate talks in Warsaw. Saño said he expected other people around the world connected via social media to follow his example, in what he believes will be a growing movement ahead of the Peru round of talks in December. The Peru gathering is vital in trying to secure a global pact by 2015 that would limit global warming to 2.0 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-Industrial Revolution levels. Saño’s fasts have been promoted by Nobel laureate Read More …

Republicans endorse path to legalize immigrants

 General
Jan 302014
 
Republicans endorse path to legalize immigrants

“This problem has been around for at least the last 15 years. It’s been turned into a political football. “I think it’s unfair, so I think it’s time to deal with it,” House Speaker John Boehner has said before partymates agreed on a new principle regarding undocumented immigrants. By Michael Mathes CAMBRIDGE, January 31, 2014 (AFP) – Republican lawmakers endorsed in principle the legalization of millions of undocumented immigrants on Thursday, but stopped short of backing a pathway to citizenship. The majority party in the House of Representatives did, however, specify that it backs opportunities for young immigrants brought to the country illegally by their parents to become US citizens. Most experts agree the Republicans’ low level of support among voters of recent immigrant stock cost their candidates badly in recent elections, and the party is under pressure to reach out. But many within the party ranks fear that passing legislation to help regularize the situation of millions of undocumented migrants could hurt them with voters from their white conservative base. At a retreat for Republican representatives under the leadership of House Speaker John Boehner to set priorities ahead of November’s mid-term elections, members drew up an outline approach. “There will be no special path to citizenship for individuals who broke our nation’s immigration laws – that would be unfair to those immigrants who have played by the rules and harmful to promoting the rule of law,” said the draft, obtained by reporters. The draft said such immigrants “could live Read More …

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