DepEd chief: Formation of God-loving learners still part of vision

 News
Aug 292014
 
DepEd chief: Formation of God-loving learners still part of vision

The Department of Education over the weekend reassured the public it has not abandoned its vision of forming God-loving learners. DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro also stressed the agency does not have any fundamental disagreement with groups that want to promote love of God among learners. “We maintain that the formation of God-loving learners is a vision that we have not surrendered. We do not have any fundamental disagreement therefore with the position of various groups who wish to promote the love of God among our learners,” he said in a statement. He also affirmed the constitutional principle of “benevolent neutrality” towards religion and spirituality. Luistro maintained as well that the DepEd will continue to promote the spirit of inclusivity and remain open to dialogue, saying this is “a part of learning to live together.” Earlier Friday, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas chided the DepEd for removing the formation of “functionally literate and God-fearing Filipinos” from its vision. “A vision statement is not an empty platitude. It guides the articulation of policy. It orientates plans of action. While maka-Diyos remains one of the Department’s core-values, we maintain that the formation of God-fearing pupils and students is a vision that cannot be surrendered,” he said. He found it unfortunate that the 2013 version of the DepEd’s vision, “there is no more mention of God, nor of the salutary fear of Him that, Scripture tells us, is the beginning of all wisdom.” While the DepEd does Read More …

Big prizes at stake in 2014 MMFF New Wave tilt

 Entertainment
Aug 292014
 
Big prizes at stake in 2014 MMFF New Wave tilt

MANILA, Philippines – Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino announced that the cash prizes for the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) — New Wave (Indie) section are bigger and more exciting for this year. “This year, as we celebrate our 40th year, MMFF will continue the tradition of supporting independent films through a bigger, better and bolder New Wave Section,” said Tolentino. A brainchild of Tolentino, the MMFF’s New Wave competition was introduced in 2010 due to the continued popularity of indie films that serve as a platform for aspiring students and indie film enthusiasts to showcase their talents.                                      The festival has four categories: Full Length, Animation, Student Shorts and Cinephone. Entries for all categories are now being accepted in the MMDA office in Makati City. A cash prize of P300,000 will be awarded to the winner of the Best Picture of the Full Feature category and a Special Jury prize will also be given with P200,000 in cash. In celebration of the Ruby Year of the festival, all feature film entry finalists will be given the rare opportunity to show their films in commercial run in at least 20 cinemas in early quarter of next year, 2015.            Entertainment ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The Best Picture in the Animation section will get a P100,000 cash prize. For Student Shorts, the Best Picture will receive P50,000 and P25,000 each for special awards.             Six winners in the Cinephone competition will each receive P25,000, plus paid Read More …

Better to just watch out for pork funds still in nat’l budget—Monsod

 News
Aug 292014
 
Better to just watch out for pork funds still in nat’l budget—Monsod

Anti-pork barrel advocates will have difficulty gathering enough signatures for the people’s initiative they’ve started to enact a law against lump sum appropriations in the budget, former Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Christian Monsod said on Friday. In an interview with News To Go, Monsod—a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission—said anti-pork barrel groups should instead focus on keeping a close eye on the government to make sure it wouldn’t circumvent the Supreme Court’s decision finding the Priority Development Assistance Fund unconstitutional. “I don’t know if they can do it. Mahirap ‘yan,” Monsod said. “Pero nandiyan na ang desisyon ng SC, bantayan na lang kung sumusunod diyan ang executive at legislative. Bantayan lang nila ‘yung circumvention—’yung [sasabihin na] wala nang PDAF, pero meron na namang ibang paraan,” he added. The anti-pork barrel initiative seeks enact a law abolishing the presidential and congressional lump sum funds and mandate line item budgeting. It also seeks to prohibit and to criminalize the appropriation and use of lump sum discretionary funds, and penalize violators with six to 10 years’ imprisonment and disqualification from public office. Organizers are hoping to gather six million signatures until December.  The campaign was launched this month in a series of public activities, including the rally in Luneta on August 25, National Heroes’ Day. The 1987 Constitution allows Filipinos to directly propose laws through a petition signed by at least 10 percent of the total number of registered voters, of which three percent of every legislative district must be represented. —Rose-An Read More …

Pacquiao to train future China world champions

 Entertainment
Aug 292014
 
Pacquiao to train future China world champions

Philippines sports legend Manny Pacquiao MANILA (AFP) – Philippines sports legend Manny Pacquiao said Wednesday he is to open a Chinese government-backed chain of boxing academies across China to train potential future world champions. The Chinese government will embark on the first “Manny Pacquiao Boxing Education Institute” in Beijing, with others to be built elsewhere in China later, Pacquiao announced on Manila’s ABS-CBN television in a telephone call from Shanghai. “The plan is to share with them my boxing knowledge,” said the 35-year-old World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion, who has held world titles in eight weight divisions. “With a population of 1.4 billion, they have so many boxers. So I think they would be able to produce good fighters, like world champions,” he added. “The important thing is to teach them the basics.” Pacquiao was in China this week as part of a global promotional tour ahead of his November 23 WBO welterweight title defence in Macau against unbeaten American challenger Chris Algieri. He said he had held talks with the Chinese authorities in the past two days for the “inauguration” of a company to undertake the project. “They (Chinese government) will put up the facilities, and if I have the time, I will visit them like once a month or once in three months to supervise them,” Pacquiao said. Pacquiao did not reveal the project’s timetable or costs but added he believed the partnership could help thaw frosty ties between the Philippines and China, who are engaged in a Read More …

Military prelate asks for prayers for Pinoy peacekeepers in Golan Heights

 News
Aug 292014
 
Military prelate asks for prayers for Pinoy peacekeepers in Golan Heights

Philippine military Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak on Friday sought prayers for some 75 Filipino United Nations peacekeepers locked in a standoff with armed Syrian rebels in Golan Heights. Tumulak said a Filipino military chaplain is with the Philippine contingent that has rejected rebels’ demand to give up their arms. An article posted late Friday on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines news site said Tumulak called on Filipinos to pray for the troopers’ safety.  In the meantime, Tumulak said the Filipino chaplain, whose identity he did not reveal, was part of the country’s contingent under the UN Disengagement Observer Force. He said chaplains “take care of the spiritual needs” of Filipino peacekeepers. Tumulak added chaplains preside over Masses inside military installations, hear confessions, provide spiritual counseling and spiritual direction. —Joel Locsin/NB, GMA News

Vice President Jojo Binay. Sinner or saint?

 Entertainment
Aug 292014
 
Vice President Jojo Binay. Sinner or saint?

The ongoing Senate investigation on Vice President Jejomar Binay and his mayor son, “JunJun,” for allegedly “benefitting” from the  supposedly overpriced P2.3 billion car-park building in Makati is “worth keeping an eye on.” It would also be interesting to find out if the current senate probe would dig deeper into how the Binays, particularly the vice president, acquired so much wealth during his stint as mayor of Makati for 19 years with a gross salary of only P36,000 a month. Binay’s eldest daughter, Senator Nancy Binay, was also was implicated in another controversy for allegedly selling overpriced birthday cakes given by Makati city hall to its senior citizens before she was elected senator. The current Senate probe conducted by the Blue Ribbon subcommittee headed by Senator Aquilino Pimentel is being carried out to determine the culpabilities of the Binays. The alleged overpriced car park building was brought into light following the filing of a plunder case against the Vice President and his Mayor son by the Binay’s political opponents in Makati. So far, VP Binay has not gone to the Senate to shed light on the controversy despite being assured by Senator Pimentel of a fair treatment should he appear. Pimentel even gave assurances to the elder Binay that he would stop the inquiry  should the hearing turns out to be baseless. Despite these assurances, Binay seemed hesitant to subject himself to an inquiry. Maybe for fear of being embarrassed by questions to be raised by senators in the course Read More …

Ex-Comelec chief Monsod warns vs. clipping SC’s power

 General
Aug 292014
 
Ex-Comelec chief Monsod warns vs. clipping SC’s power

Limiting the judiciary’s reach on the executive and the legislative branches will only upset the government’s system of accountability, former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair Christian Monsod said Friday. “‘Pag binawasan mo ‘yon, mag-iiba ‘yung checks and balances system natin,” he said in an interview with GMA News TV’s “News To Go.” “It’s a very delicate balance and once you upset one part of it, mag-iiba ‘yung accountability system.” Monsod—a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission—said the judicial overreach that President Benigno Aquino III is referring to is only based on the Supreme Court decision declaring parts of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) as unconstitutional. He added that out of the four acts pointed out by the SC, only one—cross-border use of savings—is considered a constitutional issue, while the other three are “all in the Appropriations Act” and “can be solved by ordinary legislation.” Acts deemed unconstitutional by the SC inlude: – the withdrawal of unobligated allotments from the implementing agencies;– the declaration of the withdrawn unobligated allotments and unreleased appropriations as savings prior to the end of the fiscal year and without complying with the statutory definition of savings contained in the General Appropriations Act; and– the funding of projects, activities and programs that were not covered by any appropriation in the GAA. Monsod said Aquino’s remarks against the high court came at an “unfortunate” time, when his allies are lobbying to amend the Constitution to allow him to seek for a second term. “Isinabay niya ‘yon sa opening Read More …

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