February 2014 – Page 5

Top Asian News at 2:30 a.m. GMT

General

Feb 242014

BANGKOK (AP) — The father grimaced and wept as he struggled to contain his grief at the death of his two children in a grenade attack during a weekend trip to a mall in downtown Bangkok — the latest casualties in Thailand’s months of political crisis. “I’m asking and pleading to every side to let my children be the last case (of violence) on Thai soil,” Tayakorn Yos-ubon, 33, said, his voice shaking, before retrieving their bodies from the morgue Monday. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Gaping holes in Afghanistan’s health care system are being obscured by misleading narratives of success ahead of the international troop withdrawal in 2014, aid organization Medecins Sans Frontieres warns in a new report published Tuesday. MSF — or Doctors Without Borders — said that while some progress has been made from the last decade of international investment, access to medical care in Afghanistan remains severely limited and poorly adapted to meet the needs of an ongoing conflict — partly because decisions about humanitarian aid have been influenced by political and military objectives instead of Afghans’ pressing needs. RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — Mohammed Aqeel spent weeks at home in Pakistan waiting for death after suffering a debilitating spinal cord injury in a car crash before friends suggested he come to St. Joseph’s Hospice on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad. Now 13 years later, his life and those of some 40 others who live on its grounds might be changed forever as this hospital of last Read More …

BATANES, THE EVERGREEN

News

Feb 242014

I’d always thought Batanes to be a typhoon-prone province with medieval stone houses, lots of rolling hills, expansive coastlines and grazing goats. Would it pale in comparison to the other picturesque and fascinating places I’ve visited outside the Philippines? READ FULL STORY

Court allows Napoles to undergo medical checkup

News

Feb 242014

Court allows Napoles to undergo medical checkup

Detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind in the P10-billion pork barrel scam, will undergo transvaginal ultrasound and other medical tests on Wednesday, February 26, a Makati court said Monday. Judge Elmo Alameda of Makati Regional Trial Court branch 150 allowed Napoles’ request for a comprehensive medical examination to check a cyst on her ovary. The judge ordered the Philippine National Police regional office 4-A, which has custody over Napoles, to transfer her from her detention cell in Fort Sto. Domingo in Laguna to Camp Crame General Hospital Quezon City. Napoles earlier requested the court that she undergo a comprehensive gynecological test, a transvaginal ultrasound examination, a comprehensive medical checkup, as well as to be admitted to a reputable hospital. She initially wanted to have the checkup at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City, but her lawyer and the government prosecutors agreed during the hearing on Monday to have it at Camp Crame hospital. Napoles has been in detention since August last year over a serious illegal detention case filed by her former employee Benhur Luy, a whistleblower in the pork barrel scam case. She is also facing plunder complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the scam and the alleged misuse of Malampaya funds. In their motion filed last week, Napoles’ counsel Fay Isaguirre Singson said her client has ovarian tumor. She said Napoles has been experiencing profuse bleeding since October, hypoglycemia, weight loss, chest pain and abdominal pain. “Accused humbly begs the kindness and Read More …

House bill seeks to name Clark airport after Cory Aquino

News

Feb 242014

House bill seeks to name Clark airport after Cory Aquino

A proposal to rename Clark International Airport after former President Corazon Aquino, the late mother of President Benigno Aquino III, is currently being studied at the House of Representatives. House Bill No. 321, filed in July 2013 by Pampanga Rep. Joseller “Yeng” Guiao, seeks to rename Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) into the Corazon C. Aquino International Authority (CCAIA). A technical working group (TWG) has been created to study the bill following preliminary deliberations on Feb. 19 by the joint committee on government enterprises and privatization, and transportation. In the bill’s explanatory note, Guiao stressed the need to develop a more stable and streamlined authority to manage Clark International Airport since plans to develop it into a world-class international airport has been hampered by the “inadequate powers and functions” exercised by CIAC. The lawmaker said the creation of CCAIA will “ensure the development of [Clark International Airport] as the Philippines’ next premier international airport.” No statement has been provided in the bill, however, to explain why the airport should be named after the President’s late mother. Guiao has not yet issued a comment on his bill as of posting time. Clark International Airport was previously renamed into the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport during the time of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The airport was reverted back to its old name in 2012. Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the country’s premier international airport, was named after Pres. Aquino’s late father, Benigno Aquino Jr., who was assassinated at the tarmac of what used Read More …

Senate leaders: Funds for oversight panels not ending up in senators’ pockets

News

Feb 242014

Senate leaders: Funds for oversight panels not ending up in senators’ pockets

Millions of pesos being allocated to Senate oversight committees are not ending up in senators’ pockets, Senate leaders said Monday. In a radio interview, Senate President Franklin Drilon said the annual budget for each of the chamber’s 24 oversight committees are all accounted for. “I can tell you, nagko-comply ang lahat ng mga senador. In fact, hirap na hirap mag-liquidate ng mga budget ng bawat komite,” Drilon said told radio dzRH. He added that oversight committees are required to present receipts and certifications for all their fund releases. A Philippine Star report published earlier in the day said the Commission on Audit (COA) recently sent a memorandum reminding senators on the proper use of funds for oversight committees. Oversight committees are created to check the implementation of specific laws. Some existing oversight panels include those tasked to monitor the Clean Air Act, the Overseas Voting Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Law. Audited, liquidated The reported COA memorandum came out amid accusations that Senators Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada pocketed millions in their pork barrel funds. The three lawmakers have repeatedly denied these allegations. In a separate statement, Senate secretary Oscar Yabes said that although he has not yet seen the COA memorandum, the issues being raised on the budget of oversight panels “have been addressed already.” Yabes added that funds for these committees go to salaries of staff members and consultans, and not to the pockets of senators who chair the panels. “The Senate is Read More …

De Lima: No need for TESDA chief to leave post yet

News

Feb 242014

De Lima: No need for TESDA chief to leave post yet

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Monday said former Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) party-list Rep. Joel Villanueva, does not necessarily have to leave his government post just yet after being dragged into the P10-billion pork barrel fund mess. Villanueva is currently the director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. De Lima had said last week that Villanueva’s name appeared on the list prepared by former Technology Resource Center director general Dennis Cunanan, the government’s newest witness in the pork barrel scam case. The list supposedly contained the names of those who gave their pork barrel funds to bogus non-government organizations linked to alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles. “No case has been filed vs Joel Villanueva, hence, no legal compulsion for him to go on leave,” De Lima told reporters on Monday. The Justice chief added that the National Bureau of Investigation, which is under the Department of Justice, was still “evaluating” the former lawmaker on his supposed role in the fund mess. Villanueva had already denied the accusation. “Sana tigilan na po ang pagdawit sa akin sa kontrobersiyang ito,” Villanueva said in a text message to GMA News. “Wala po akong kinalaman dito kaya wala akong kaso hanggang ngayon.” Villanueva also denied personally knowing Cunanan. —KG, GMA News

Emperador nets P5.8B in 2013

General

Feb 232014

By Doris C. DumlaoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 12:03 pm | Monday, February 24th, 2014 MANILA, Philippines – Tycoon Andrew Tan’s beverage company Emperador Distillers Inc. grew its net profit last year by 17.4 percent to P5.8 billion as revenues increased at a double-digit pace despite higher excise taxes on liquor. In a statement on Monday, EDI said its 2013 revenue grew by 25.6 percent to P29.6 billion, supported by a 7-percent growth in volume. “With a sales volume of 33 million cases, Emperador maintains its position as the world’s largest selling brandy brand in 2013, aside from being the largest liquor company in the Philippines,” the company said. Emperador is expanding both its production facilities in Spain and in the Philippines with an investment of P5.8 billion in state-of-the-art vineyards, distilleries and bodegas in Spain. This year, Emperador will spend P4 billion in the Philippines for additional production capacity. With zero debt on its balance sheet, the company ended 2013 with a cash balance of P24 billion, including P12.5 billion from share sales in the third quarter of last year. “Emperador is a global company with strong balance sheet. We are very committed to give the best quality and best value to our customers. We will continue to invest in technology and facilities of the highest quality for world-class brandy production,” EDI chief financial officer Dina Inting said. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step Read More …

Tough situation PR

Economy

Feb 232014

MANILA, Philippines – A forum on “How To Carry Out A PR & Communications Program In A Challenging Year” will be held on Feb. 27 & 28, 2014 (Thursday & Friday) at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Ortigas Center, Quezon City. For more information you may call tel. nos. 475-9996, 631-9801 & 746-1468. E-mail: commbiz88@yahoo.com. Ber Pacheco, president of CommBiz, Inc. said crisis may come in many forms and the manner in which it is handled is critical to the situation, as well as to the organization. Top corporate & government executives today realize the imperatives of an efficient and prompt PR/communication function if the company interest will be successfully implemented. The forum will show participants how to undertake a PR function that measures up to the highest professional standard; how to deal with media professionally, and how to cope and manage crises situations efficiently. Invited speakers to are: Janette Toral, president, Digital Filipino, Inc. Owen Cammayo, external relations head, IBM Philippines, Inc.; Butch Raquel, president, BSR Public Relations Co., Inc., Amylyn de Quiros, president, Full Circle Communications, Inc & Jake Maderazo, broadcast journalist, Radyo Inquirer, Ritzi Ronquillo, president, International Association of Business Communicators — Philippines.

RLC expects profit recovery

Economy

Feb 232014

MANILA, Philippines – Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC), the property firm of tycoon John Gokongwei, expects its profits to recover in the second half of its fiscal year that will end in September. The listed property firm is looking to tap the debt markets in the next few months to fund the continuous expansion of its shopping malls and office space, its top executive said. “I’m very optimistic and positive about the second half of the fiscal year for RLC,” said RLC president and CEO Frederick Go. “Obviously, we had some challenges in the first half of the year but those are one-off like Typhoon Haiyan and the fire at the department store,” Go said. The Gokongwei family’s property development arm recorded a 13-percent decline in earnings to P1.03 billion in the fourth quarter of 2013 from P1.18 billion a year ago. RLC incurred losses from Typhoon Yolanda and a mall fire that negatively affected the operations of Robinsons Place Tacloban and Robinsons Galleria, respectively. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Non-recurring losses in the first quarter will likely be offset by the property boom. “The market looks good. Demand is strong across-the-board: for retail, office, condominium units and hotel rooms,” Go said. New office buildings and the opening of new shopping malls will also boost the company’s rental revenues, he said. With the opening of Robinsons Place Antipolo and Robinsons Place Las Piñas late this year, RLC will end 2014 with 39 shopping centers. RLC is jacking Read More …

Gov’t to fasttrack measure on mining revenues sharing

Economy

Feb 232014

Gov’t to fasttrack measure on mining revenues sharing

MANILA, Philippines – The government is looking to fasttrack the draft bill for the revenue sharing scheme of the mining industry, a cabinet official said. “As soon as possible, we’d like to come up (with the draft bill) so we can lessen the anxiety of the industry. We don’t want the industry to be anxious about it,” Trade secretary Gregory Domingo told reporters. He said the draft bill being crafted by the Environment, Finance andTrade departments, is close to completion with just one administrative matter left to be decided by the Mining Industry Coordinating Council(MICC). The MICC, a joint committee of the Economic Development Cluster and the Climate Change Cluster created by Executive Order 79 or the miningpolicy released in 2012, has approved in principle the revenue-sharing scheme which will provide the government a higher tax take from mining activities. Domingo said under the approved scheme, mining firms will have to pay taxes based on a certain percentage of gross or net revenues, whichever is higher. He said the government will also get a share when a mining firm gets extraordinary profit from its operations, like in times of high metal prices.“It starts when their profit exceeds a certain level,” he said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 At present, mining firms pay taxes depending on their contract with the government. A Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement for mining requires 50-50 sharing of revenues between the firm and the government.A Mineral Production Sharing Agreement meanwhile, specifies a Read More …

Older Entries Newer Entries