FOREIGN governments, embassies, diplomatic missions and international organizations located in the Philippines are granted immunity from taxes on their employees’ salaries, regardless of the workers’ nationality. In other words, such organizations are not treated as withholding agents of the Philippine government.
A member of the Presidential Security Group who was caught using cloned automated teller machine (ATM) cards last week is now out on bail. Lt. J.G. Raphael Marcial gained his temporary liberty after he posted P20,000 bail, radio dzBB reported early Thursday. Makati City police had arrested Marcial, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 2008, during a surveillance operation. Last Sunday, Malacañang said there will be no special treatment for Marcial, with Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. saying Marcial will have to face the consequences of his actions. “They must face the consequences of their actions in accordance with the law,” he said on government-run dzRB radio last Sunday. — ELR, GMA News
SCE Reminds Customers to Stay Away From Downed Power Lines ROSEMEAD, Calif., Feb. 25, 2014 — With heavy rains forecast through the weekend in most of the Southland, Southern California Edison (SCE) reminds its customers that outages may occur and to never approach or touch downed power lines. SCE will take steps to position additional personnel, which includes restoration and repair crews. Additional call center representatives will handle customer inquiries through the weekend during the predicted rainstorm conditions. The National Weather Service predicts two separate storm fronts moving through Southern California in the next few days. The first storm is expected to remain north of Southern California, but scattered showers are still expected to reach the Los Angeles basin as soon as late Wednesday night. The second storm system is anticipated to be much stronger and is expected to move directly over Southern California late Friday afternoon, with showers lasting through Saturday and possibly Sunday. If you see a downed power line or dangling wire — even if it appears not to be live — don’t touch or approach it or anything that is in contact with it and call 911 immediately. Customers may report outages at 1-800- 611-1911, online or through the SCE Outages app. SCE will provide the latest information about outages at its website and on Facebook and Twitter. Customer safety is a top priority for SCE. Here are important tips to keep in mind: · Watch for traffic signals that may be out. Approach those intersections Read More …
MANILA, Philippines – The national government recently released its Open Data Philippines (ODP) Action Plan 2014-2016 as part of the Aquino administration’s commitment “to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance.” The action plan was released more than a month after the government launched the ODP website (www.data.gov.ph), which seeks to provide the public with up-to-date government data ranging from enrollment in schools to budget information. “None of us should make the mistake of thinking that Open Data Philippines stops at being a repository of data. Its very name says otherwise. Opening data is about making statistics understandable, through the use of reader-friendly visualizations,” President Aquino said during the launch. The action plan defines the task of the ODP Task Force, which is composed of the office of the presidential spokesperson, the Department of Budget and Management, and the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office. It also has an introduction to the open government data portal and will serve as a blueprint for the open data program until 2016. “As the Philippines is one of the eight founding member-governments of the Open Government Partnership, the country finds itself in a perfect position to further concretize its commitments to the OGP through this program,” read the 25-page action plan. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The action plan “presents and documents how the Task Force intends to carry out the country’s open government data program as the government’s podium to deliver Read More …
(photo courtesy of Manny Pacquiao Movie Facebook page) Manny Pacquiao Movie – Official Trailer – “Manny” narrated by Academy Award Nominee Liam Neeson and directed by Ryan Moore and Academy Award Winner Leon Gast. Coming 2014. *Official World Premiere at 2014 SXSW Film Festival. Synopsis: From abject poverty to becoming an eight time boxing world champion, congressman, and international icon, Manny Pacquiao is the true definition of a Cinderella-man story. In the Philippines, he first entered the ring as a sixteen year old weighing ninety-eight pounds with the goal of earning money to feed his family. Now, almost twenty-years later, when he fights, the country of 100 million people comes to a complete standstill to watch. The army and the rebels cease-fire. There are no cars in the street. There is zero crime. An entire country becomes united. Regarded for his ability to bring people together, Pacquiao entered the political arena in 2010. As history’s first boxing congressman, Pacquiao now fights for his people both inside and outside of the ring. Now at the height of his career, he is faced with maneuvering an unscrupulous sport and maintaining his political duties, while still supporting his family and sustaining a personal life. The question now is, what bridge is too far for Manny Pacquiao to cross? Courtesy of Youtube Manny Pacquiao Movie : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqi_DVcSMPY&src_vid=oXmM0KzM1VI&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_361211075#t=1m5s See : http://mannypacquiaomovie.com/about-the-film/ https://www.facebook.com/MannyPacquiaoMovie
President Benigno S. Aquino III presides over the meeting on the update on effects of Typhoon Pablo at the President’s Hall of the Malacañan Palace on Wednesday (December 12). In photo are Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya, Health Secretary Enrique Ona, Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr., Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman, Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras, Presidential Management Staff (PMS) head Julia Andrea Abad, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) Secretary Ramon Carandang and Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. (MNS photo) CATEEL, Davao Oriental (Mabuhay) – For mobilizing the entire national government machinery to address their urgent concerns following the onslaught of super typhoon “Pablo” (Bopha), the people of Davao Oriental thanked President Benigno S. Aquino III during the “Pulong Bayan sa Cateel” program held Monday morning in this town’s municipal plaza. Speaking on behalf of her constituents, Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon said they consider it as a ‘great honor and privilege’ to have Cateel chosen as one of the venues for this year’s commemorative celebration of EDSA, graced by President Aquino and some members of his Cabinet. “The historical incident of EDSA was triggered by political upheavals, yet it has a striking similarity to the climate-related ‘Pablo’ incident our province had just experienced. EDSA Revolution was a story of resiliency, of faith and hope, of rising Read More …
The newly-formed Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board (HRVCB) has shrugged off criticisms and vowed to finish its job of processing, evaluating and approving application for claims from human rights victims under the Martial Law in two years. In a statement Tuesday, the HRVCB said it will deputize various government agencies to help fulfill its mandates. It also plans to take records and statements from both victims and alleged perpetrators of human rights violations to give proper reparations to those who need them. “There will be no historical amnesia. The documentation gathered will also be used to inform present and future generations for them to remain vigilant to defend the freedoms and rights we have gained towards the enjoyment of all human rights by all,” HRVCB said. Records that will be collected from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the now-defunct Philippine Constabulary will be used to document the “massive and systematic violations of human rights” during Martial Law. Though it admitted the enormity of its task, the group remains confident that all human rights violations victims (HRVVs) will be given due reparations. It also vowed to involve them and other stakeholders in drafting the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 10368. “We need to join hands for truth and justice towards the healing of our nation and move forward and say, “Never again to martial law!” it declared. Approved in February 2013, RA 10368 or the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013 aims to Read More …
Coast Guard personnel should be deployed to the disputed Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal if the government wants to assert Philippine presence in the area being claimed by China as its own, a lawmaker said Wednesday. ACT-Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said the Coast Guard’s presence at the shoal might deter Chinese authorities from harassing Filipino fishermen in the disputed waters. “The mere presence of government forces, even civilian forces there, will change the [situation] and can make the Chinese forces think twice before doing what they did,” Tinio said in a press briefing. “Siyempre dahil mag-isa lang, yung mga mangingisda natin doon, mas madaling nagawa yung pag-bomba sa kanila ng water cannon. Pero kung may puwersa ng gobyerno natin doon, baka maiba yung situwasyon,” he added. Armed Forces chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista revealed on Monday that a Chinese coast guard vessel drove away two Filipino fishing vessels from the area last January 27 by firing water cannons at them. President Benigno Aquino III has demanded an explanation from China regarding the incident and directed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to file a “diplomatic message.” The Chinese Embassy in Manila, however, rejected the Philippine protest and declared it has “indisputable sovereignty” over the waters where the incident occurred. The Philippine government has declared that the shoal, which is facing the South China Sea, is within the country’s exclusive economic zone as mandated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea – an agreement signed by 163 nations, including Read More …
After skipping a Senate inquiry on rice smuggling last Monday, businessman Davidson Bangayan on Wednesday dropped by the Department of Justice to answer charges of perjury that the Senate had filed against him. “Nag-submit lang siya ng counter-affidavit and he subscribed it before the investigating prosecutors,” said Prosecutor General Claro Arellano, head of the DOJ’s National Prosecution Service. Bangayan, who is said to be big-time rice smuggler David Tan, swore to the truthfulness of his counter-affidavit in front of prosecuting attorney Loverhette Villordon. Arellano also said Bangayan is not expected to show up on Thursday’s preliminary investigation on the perjury complaint at 10 a.m. Villordon refused to provide media copies of the counter-affidavit yet, but said copies could be given right after Thursday’s preliminary probe. Bangayan was accompanied at the DOJ by his legal counsel Alejandro Ovenas. Bangayan skipped last Monday’s Senate inquiry on rice smuggling after being hospitalized due to back pain. According to his lawyer, Bangayan’s blood pressure shot up and he had difficulty walking over the weekend, causing the controversial trader to be brought to the Laoag General Hospital. On Feb. 7, the Senate filed its 11-page complaint against Bangayan for supposedly lying about his identity during a congressional probe on rice smuggling. Bangayan was accused of violating of Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code, which refers to “False testimony in other cases and perjury in solemn affirmation.” Senate agriculture committee chairwoman Cynthia Villar said her panel decided to cite Bangayan for contempt after he repeatedly Read More …
MANILA, Philippines – The peso weakened further against the dollar midday Wednesday, settling at 44.659 after the morning session from the previous day’s 44.63. Total volume transacted at the Philippine Dealing System amounted to $540.1 million as of Wednesday afternoon, higher than the $513.7 million posted in the same period on Tuesday. The peso opened on Wednesday at 44.665.