PNP orders dismissal of Marantan, 12 others in Atimonan massacre

 Entertainment
Apr 232014
 
PNP orders dismissal of Marantan, 12 others in Atimonan massacre

member of the Philippine National Police (PNP) shows the new Glock 17 Generation 4 pistols after a distribution ceremony of the pistols at the police headquarters in Manila July 2, 2013. Philippine President Benigno Aquino attended the ceremony in which 22,603 pistols were distributed to PNP officers as part of the government’s effort to arm each police officer in the country with a handgun in order to strengthen the police force, local media reported. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Thirteen policemen, including Superintendent Hansel Marantan, have been ordered dismissed from service in connection with the alleged Atimonan rubout in January last year. All the respondents were found guilty of serious irregularity in the performance of duty, according to a March 5 decision signed by Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima. Twelve people, including environmentalist Jun Lontok, were killed in what the respondents claimed was a legitimate operation against criminal elements but was later ruled by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as a rubout. Aside from Marantan, who was deputy chief of the Quezon Province regional intelligence division at the time of the incident, the others who were ordered dismissed were: Supt. Ramon Balauag, chief of the provincial intelligence branch, Chief Insp. Grant Gollod, chief of police, Atimonan municipal station Senior Insp. John Paulo Carracedo, Senior Insp. Timoteo Orig SPO3 Joselito De Guzman SPO1 Claro Cataquiz, Jr. SPO1 Arturo Sarmiento PO3 Eduardo Oronan PO2 Nelson Indal PO2 Al Bhazar Jailani PO1 Wryan Sardea PO1 Rodel Talento The 13 manned Read More …

China, rivals sign pact to ease maritime tensions

 General
Apr 232014
 
China, rivals sign pact to ease maritime tensions

U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, left, is welcomed by Rear Admiral Guan Youfei, Director of Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Defense Ministry and U.S. Ambassador to China, Max Baucus, upon his arrival at Qingdao International Airport in Qingdao, China, Monday, April 7, 2014. Hagel is currently on his fourth trip to Asian nations since taking office. AP/Alex Wong BEIJING — China, the United States, Japan and more than a dozen other Asia-Pacific countries have signed a naval agreement aimed at ensuring miscommunication between ships at sea does not escalate into conflict. The Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, which was agreed Tuesday in the eastern port city of Qingdao, would reduce the potential for “situations to arise that could lead to conflict in busy sea lanes”, the state-run China Daily said. China is embroiled in a series of territorial disputes with neighbors in the South and East China Seas which have frequently led to military jets being scrambled but not open conflict. Beijing also feels threatened by an increase in US naval power in the region. In December, a US-guided missile warship, the Cowpens, had to make a sharp turn to avoid colliding with a Chinese naval ship that cut in front of it, according to the Pentagon. Gary Li, an analyst with the consultancy IHS, described the agreement as “the ideal thing for China to grab hold of — the rules of the road.” “It is not some kind of comprehensive ‘covers all’ code of conduct. It Read More …

PCCI urges Congress to fast-track Competition Law

 Entertainment
Apr 232014
 
PCCI urges Congress to fast-track Competition Law

http://www.philippinechamber.com/ MANILA (Mabuhay) — The country’s largest business organization, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), has urged Congress to fast-track Competition Law in order to prevent unethical business and trade practices, anti-competitive mergers, and abuse of market power. PCCI President Alfredo Yao said the Competition Law will have a significant role for the country upon entering the ASEAN integration in 2015, hence the group hopes that both Senate and House of Representatives will soon approve the pending bill. “We hope that when it goes back to work for its May 5 to June 13 session, the 16th Congress would give top priority to approving competition bills now pending before it” Yao said. “The economy needs a competition law to upgrade the country’s competitiveness and maximize the benefits of integrating the economy with those of other ASEAN economies by 2015. If we give our neighbors a difficult time to do business here, they will also give us a hard time accessing the ASEAN market of 600 million consumers,” the PCCI chief stressed. He noted that the said law will further improve the local business environment here as the law will allow a more open playing field for investment, innovation, and pricing. This will also attract new investors to enter the Philippine market and current market players to expand here. “A competition law would be a landmark legislation whose significance to the economy would be underscored once the AEC and other economic partnership agreements come into play,” he mentioned. Meanwhile, Read More …

IFC, Phl to ramp up green buildings project

 Economy
Apr 232014
 
IFC, Phl to ramp up green buildings project

MANILA, Philippines  — International Finance Corp.,  a member of the World Bank Group, is stepping up its work with the Philippine government to expand the development of green buildings. IFC is also conducting technical studies that will be used in drafting laws requiring new buildings to reduce electricity use. These measures will help the country cut the greenhouse-gas emissions of new buildings by 20 percent annually.  A forum titled “Green Building Imperative,” hosted today by IFC, the Climate Change Commission – which is chaired by Philippine President Benigno Aquino III – and the Philippine Green Building Initiative,  was attended by nearly 100 local government officials. Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Loren Legarda, and Climate Change Commissioner Heherson Alvarez were among those who spoke at the forum. The participants shared green building best practices and began discussing preliminary plans to adopt such practices among local governments across the country.   “The unabated use of carbon-based fuels has drastically altered our global climate—weather patterns are changing and natural disasters have become stronger, more frequent, and less predictable,”  said President Benigno Aquino III  in a statement released by Malacañang , adding that green building is one of the most important steps that the country must undertake in adapting to climate change and mitigating climate risk. “It is my hope that this will gain widespread acceptance among developers and major players.” IFC also is helping the Department of Public Works and Highways update the National Building Code that will set minimum green feature requirements for Read More …

Earth Day in the Garden April 26

 Entertainment
Apr 222014
 

Carson, CA – The Environmental Justice Network of Southern California announced that the Earth Day in Carson will be held at the Stephen White community garden on 220th and Moneta in Carson. Mayor Jim Dear of Carson will be the main speaker. Dr. Clarence Monteclaro of the Monteclaro Cultural and Community Medicine Foundation (MCCMF) who coordinates activities in the garden stressed that the event will have information tables for Carson residents and those who want to be involved in environment issues. “We plant in the garden because good nutrition comes with growing your own food. Environmental health is important for all of us. We are proud to hold the event in the community garden because it focuses on good land use as well as planting trees and vegetables which helps the environment. There will be information on water and drought issues, climate change, energy, recycling, air pollution and pesticide issues, “ Monteclaro said. Mayor Protempore Elito Santarina and Councilmembers Lula Davis Holmes and Mike Gipson will also attend the Earth Day event. There will be face painting, tree planting, potluck lunch and raffle prizes. For more information on the Earth Day call 310.987.8886 or email fekoons@aol.com. The Earth Day at the Garden is organized by the MCCMF, Philippine Action Group for the Environment, PTSA of Harbor Gateway, Del Amo Action Committee and the EJ Network of Southern California. Donors of the event are Home Depot, Tommy’s Burger and West Basin Municipal District.

Manila Mayor Estrada, city councilors to present apology resolution, sign pact with HK

 News
Apr 222014
 
Manila Mayor Estrada, city councilors to present apology resolution, sign pact with HK

Former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and six of the Philippine capital’s councilors are to present on Wednesday a city council resolution apologizing for the death of eight Hong Kong tourists in the August 2010 Manila hostage crisis, The Standard said in a report. Quoting two Manila councilors, The Standard said the Hong Kong government and Manila are also expected to sign a joint agreement during the visit of the delegation of Filipino officials. Estrada and six Manila councilors arrived in Hong Kong Friday. “We only represent the Manila City Council. Our part is to submit the resolution,” Councilor Edward Maceda said. Councilor Marlon Lacson added that Estrada was in Hong Kong in his capacity as Manila mayor and does not represent President Benigno Aquino III. The Manila delegation is scheduled to leave Hong Kong and return to Manila on Friday this week.  The Philippines and Hong Kong are working on a “mutually satisfactory” solution to the 2010 Manila bus hostage crisis , Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said last November. Three months later in February, Hong Kong chief executive CY Leung said hostage crisis’ victims and their families are fully justified in asking for “an apology from the Philippine government for its officials’ failure and lapses in the rescue operation…” Leung also said the request is “consistent with the findings of its (HK government) official investigation.” The Hong Kong chief executive added that the “door to further discussion is open” as he urged the Philippine government to Read More …

Religious leaders meet in Long Beach, vow to work for peace

 News
Apr 222014
 
Religious leaders meet in Long Beach, vow to work for peace

US religious leaders pledge to work for peace during Long Beach conference hosted by Heavenly Culture, World Peace and Restoration of Light (HWPL) and its chairman Man H. Lee. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS LONG BEACH, California – More than 100 religious leaders across North America and hundreds of university students gathered Monday, April 14 at the Grand Event Center in Long Beach, pledging to work for peace. The 2014 Religious Leaders Peace Conference was hosted by international non-profit organization Heavenly Culture, World Peace and Restoration of Light (HWPL). Guest panelists included Dr. Uma Mysorekar, president of the Hindu Temple Society of North America and  Matthew Ball, director of northwest public affairs for the Church of Latter-Day Saints. The gathering is a part of HWPL’s Chairman Man H. Lee’s 9th World Tour to meet with religious and political leaders, according to the organization’s press release. Lee, 84, has traveled to 58 countries to promote his message of peace, and has met with presidents, religious leaders and youth organizations around the world. Last January, Lee organized the signing of the HWPL Peace Treaty with top representatives of Catholicism and Islam in Mindanao, Philippines, a region stricken by a long 40-year history of religious conflict between Catholics and Muslims. Attendees at HWPL conference The treaty is a pledge to cease conflict among religious groups and establish a relationship to work together for peace. Fernando Capalla, Roman Catholic archbishop-emeritus of the Archdiocese of Davao, and Esmael Mangudadatu, governor of Maguindanao (an Islamic autonomous district in Mindanao), signed the Read More …

NAIA 1 decongestion expected by August as Terminal 3 becomes fully operational – DOTC

 General
Apr 222014
 
NAIA 1 decongestion expected by August as Terminal 3 becomes fully operational – DOTC

Significant easing of the extreme congestion at Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport could come by August, when five airlines transfer their operations to NAIA Terminal 3, the Department of Transportation and Communication said Tuesday. Relief from the stifling heat at Terminal 1 is expected also by August. Last April 16, the DOTC said the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has ordered delivery in August of four new units of air chillers to augment the current three units, which is programmed for replacement with new units by yearend. DOTC spokesperson Atty. Michael Arthur Sagcal said the agency estimates Terminal 1 will be decongested by 3.5 million passengers per year. The facility now handles up to eight million passengers but what designed for only 4.5 million. President Aquino and other government officials have apologized for the lack of airconditioning and other inconveniences at NAIA 1 where rehabilitation works have been underway since last January. “We sincerely apologize to the public for the warm temperature at NAIA T1. We understand how inconvenient it is to endure these conditions inside the airport’s facilities, especially during this peak season.  While the airconditioning system is functioning, temperature is affected by rehabilitation works.  We appeal to you to kindly bear with us, as this is all part of the ongoing project which will ensure T1’s structural integrity for the continued safety of its users,” DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya has said. The rehabilitation works are the first at the airport terminal in its over Read More …

Wide array of models for test drive starting tomorrow!

 Economy
Apr 222014
 
Wide array of models for test drive starting tomorrow!

Tomorrow, April 24 is the start of a four-day dream world for car enthusiasts, those contemplating on buying a new automobile or those just plain curious to find out and experience the latest automobile models currently available in the market. For all these people all roads lead to the SM Mall of Asia concert grounds for the initial staging of the Caltex Auto Focus Summer Test Drive Festival. Organized by Sunshine Television (STV) primarily to help further perk up the local auto industry, the event earns the distinction of managing to get together in one venue keenly competing automobile importers and manufacturers for the common goal of helping the market know more intimately the present line up models by having them available for public test drive based on the common belief that there’s no better way to sell cars than having buyers test drive the vehicles and fairly give them the opportunity to compare these vehicles before finally deciding on which one to chose.  A unique concept of the event is the option given to participating car companies to have their vehicles test driven inside the event venue where a test drive course has been designed and laid out to bring out a vehicle’s attributes pertaining to maneuverability, safety, riding comfort and parking ease. To test a vehicle’s maneuverability, a slalom run is included in the exercise followed by a stretch of simulated humps to bring out the vehicle’s capability to provide riding comfort despite running through an uneven road Read More …

Added business cost

 Economy
Apr 222014
 
Added business cost

As if doing business in the Philippines wasn’t difficult enough. In the 2014 Doing Business survey by the International Finance Corp. (IFC), the Philippines ranked 108th out of 189 economies covered. While this meant that the Philippines improved 30 notches from its rank of 138th in the 2013 edition, the sad fact is that we are still 6th highest in the ASEAN and that there are 107 economies that are better than us in terms of business-friendly regulations. In the top 10 of the list of most business-friendly are Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, the United States, Denmark, Malaysia, South Korea, Georgia, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The survey, of course, does not measure all factors affecting business. It instead simply measures how much red tape private businesses encounter when dealing with government and ranks economies in terms of how easy it is to set up a business. The Philippine mining industry probably does not see how our government can rejoice with the “improved” ranking when all indications point to the fact that the country is becoming a very difficult place to do business in. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Not only is our mining industry faced with government mining policies that do not promote the growth of the sector, but instead stifle it. It also has to deal with environmental activists and host LGUs which impose oftentimes unreasonable conditions that make it difficult, if not impossible, for mining companies to operate. But there is another Read More …

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