Expand DAP probe; Include other lawmakers and officials

 Entertainment
Sep 202014
 
Expand DAP probe; Include other lawmakers and officials

The current probe being conducted by the Senate on alleged corruption among elected public officials should be expanded to dispel public perception that the Aquino government is only after its perceived political enemies. So far only Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jingoy Estrada and Bong Revilla have been charged with plunder for allegedly receiving “kickbacks” from their controversial DAP and PDAF allocations. Estrada and Revilla are under detention while Enrile is still at the Philippine National Police hospital in Camp Crame due to his medical condition. Also being investigated in the Senate is Vice President Jojo Binay and some members of his family, including his wife and former Makati mayor Elenita Binay, son and current Makati Mayor Junjun and eldest daughter Senator Nancy Binay. A plunder case filed against the Binay family by their political opponents in Makati prompted senators to call for a hearing. The elder Binay and his son are being investigated for allegedly receiving “kickback” from the construction of the P2.3 billion Makati carpark building. Ernesto Mercado, former vice mayor of Makati, pointed to Binay and his son as having received “commission” from the construction of the parking building. He also claimed to have delivered part of the “kickbacks” to Mrs Binay through her daughter Nancy. He also accused senator Binay of selling her overpriced birthday cakes given by Makati City Hall to its senior citizens. He claimed the lady senator used to bake these cakes before she became a senator. The Philippines is still perceived as one Read More …

DOTC: At least 2 flights canceled due to bad weather in Laoag

 News
Sep 192014
 
DOTC: At least 2 flights canceled due to bad weather in Laoag

At least two flights were canceled Saturday due to the weather condition in Laoag in Ilocos Norte, the Department of Transportation and Communications said. In a post on its Twitter account, the DOTC said the two affected flights belonged to Philippine Airlines Express. These included: – 2P-2196: Manila to Laoag– 2P-2197: Laoag to MNL State weather agency PAGASA said Tropical Storm Mario may bring rain to the northern parts of Luzon, and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Sunday. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

18 Chinese nationals die in 2014 while in PHL, sudden spike alarms China

 News
Sep 192014
 
18 Chinese nationals die in 2014 while in PHL, sudden spike alarms China

CHENGDU CITY, China – Eighteen Chinese citizens have died so far this year in separate incidents in the Philippines. A Chinese official said the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Manila is alarmed by the development. The embassy has stepped up coordination with the Philippine National Police and local anti-crime advocates. In an interview with reporters in Chengdu, the Chinse foreign ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said at least four of the Chinese citizens died in accidents while the 14 others were killed in separate kidnapping and murder incidents. “The Philippine government declared that it is safer in the Philippines, but we cannot feel it…In the past years, only 6 to 7 deaths average per year was recorded, but this year, it’s not even the end yet, it’s already 18,” he said. He added that they have also received reports of an alleged plan to attack the Chinese Embassy in Manila by a self-proclaimed anti-China group. “There was even someone who wanted to attack the embassy. They wanted to bomb the embassy,” he said. “So, it is our obligation to remind the Chinese to keep safe.” The official said the Chinese government has coordinated with local police and the Philippine National Police, and anti-crime advocate Teresita Ang-See, adding that no suspect has been arrested in connection to recent crimes against Chinese nationals. Chinese tourists going to popular locations in the Philippines has also been a growing coordination concern with Philippine authorities. “For tourism, Boracay, Cebu, Bohol, Read More …

NDRRMC lowers Storm Mario death toll to 5; 1 missing, 530k affected

 News
Sep 192014
 
NDRRMC lowers Storm Mario death toll to 5; 1 missing, 530k affected

Standstill in Metro Manila as flood affects millions. A woman on an improvised cart reacts as a passenger bus passes along a flooded street in Manila at the height of Storm Mario on Friday, September 19. Thousands of residents in low-lying areas were moved to higher ground, officials said, as flood waters rose quickly after the equivalent of half a month’s usual rain fell in six hours. Reuters/Erik De Castro (Updated 12:13 p.m.) The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council before noon Saturday clarified the official death toll from Tropical Storm Mario was five and not seven. NDRRMC executive director Alexander Pama apologized for what he said was a lapse on the agency’s part, radio dzBB’s Rowena Salvacion reported. But it was not immediately clear who among the fatalities identified in NDRRMC’s 8 a.m. update did not belong on the official list, which also indicated one is still missing. Also, dzBB said NDRRMC’s corrected report indicated seven (not six) were injured in Mario’s wake. Among those reported killed earlier were Althea Gaviola, 2; Erlinda Centeno, 69; Tomas Barol, 31; and Javier Jevania Mateo, 1. Still missing is Ernesto Guevarra, 55. In its 8 a.m. update, the NDRRMC said 118,839 families or 530,438 people were affected in Ilocos, Central and Southern Luzon, Central Visayas, Cordillera and Metro Manila. Of these, 23,581 families or 93,062 people are in 181 evacuation centers. As of 5 a.m. Saturday, some 300 areas in Ilocos, Central and Southern Luzon, Metro Manila and Bicol remained flooded. Read More …

Batuhan: The good, the bad and the ugly

 Economy
Sep 192014
 
Batuhan: The good, the bad and the ugly

WE KNOW this by now, and we acknowledge this fact: overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are indeed the new heroes of the country. Despite unrest in the overseas markets where they work, their contributions to the economy continue to increase unabated. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) estimates that for the first half of this year alone, their contribution to the national coffers by way of inward remittances has reached $12.7 billion, some 12 percent better than in the same period last year. This despite the fact that many of their traditional work places in the Middle East have been in intense conflict situations, and notwithstanding the forced repatriation of thousands of their colleagues from these strife-torn locations. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration estimates that today, there are about 2.3 million Filipinos working abroad at any one time. This is equivalent to a fairly large city in the Philippines, something just under the size of present-day Quezon City. However, the demographic impact is more telling than just the mere numbers suggest. Most OFWs are the sole breadwinners in the families; the father, mother or eldest sibling, working abroad to support family in the Philippines. This means that about 2.3 million families are directly affected by the OFW phenomenon, assuming that one OFW worker belongs to one household back home. At least 10 percent of all Filipino households know what it means to have one member of the family abroad, a staggering amount by any measure. The sad tales are familiar. Money Read More …

PNoy given warm welcome by (ex-)UP student… in France

 News
Sep 192014
 
PNoy given warm welcome by (ex-)UP student... in France

PNoy meets with Pinoys in Paris. President Benigno Aquino III addresses members of the Filipino Community during a meeting with the Pinoy expatriates at the Chapelle Sainte Bernadette in Paris on Wednesday, September 17. Aquino is in France as part of his four-nation European tour. Before this, Aquino went to Spain and Belgium. He is expected to visit Germany next before proceeding to the US. Ryan Lim After his budget secretary was nearly mobbed by students at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, President Benigno Aquino III received a warm welcome from a UP alumnus in France. Following a speech and a forum at the French Institute for International Relations, or Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI), Aquino got a pleasant surprise after a tall Frenchman greeted him in Filipino. “Maligayang pagdating po sa inyo dito sa France,” Wesley Romain told Aquino. Romain learned to speak Filipino when he was an exchange student at the University of the Philipines from 2012 to 2014.  Because of his height og 6’5″, Aquino even joked if he could recruit Romain to play basketball for the Philippine national team.  But Romain said he did not have the hardcourt skills.  Aquino’s close friend and political ally, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, was nearly mobbed by student-activists after attending a forum at the UP Diliman on Wednesday night.   Aquino himself was at the receiving end of heckling by student-protesters a few times before. Before flying to Germany to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel, Aquino went to Read More …

Two dead, one missing due to TS Mario

 News
Sep 192014
 
Two dead, one missing due to TS Mario

Standstill in Metro Manila as flood affects millions. A woman on an improvised cart reacts as a passenger bus passes along a flooded street in Manila at the height of Storm Mario on Friday, September 19. Thousands of residents in low-lying areas were moved to higher ground, officials said, as flood waters rose quickly after the equivalent of half a month’s usual rain fell in six hours. Reuters/Erik De Castro At least two people were killed while one is still missing in the wake of Tropical Storm Mario (Fung-Wong), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. The NDRRMC also said at least three people were injured while one person remained missing, according to a report on “24 Oras” Friday evening. One of the fatalities was a young girl who died in Quezon City. Mario brought heavy rain and floods to Metro Manila and nearby provinces on Friday. Meanwhile, the “24 Oras” report said President Benigno Aquino III is keeping tabs on the effects of Mario and the Southwest Monsoon. —Joel Locsin/NB, GMA News

Ai Ai has 20-year-old La Salle boyfriend

 Entertainment
Sep 192014
 
Ai Ai has 20-year-old La Salle boyfriend

Ai Ai delas Alas (MNS photo) After her short-lived marriage last year, veteran comedienne Ai Ai delas Alas is in love again with another young man. In a report published by entertainment site PEP, 20-year-old Gerald Sibayan, a former badminton player from De La Salle University confirmed his relationship with delas Alas, who is turning 50 on November 11. Without confirming anything, delas Alas has been dropping hints about a new love on her official Instagram account. Just last Sunday, delas Alas posted a photo showing her and her son Sancho with Sibayan. Last week, the actress also posted a photo of her with Sibayan’s family. Last month, the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the charges of violation of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act filed by delas Alas against former husband Jed Salang. The dismissal came months after delas Alas said she’s no longer interested in pursuing the case. Last year, delas Alas revealed she was physically abused by Salang, which led to her decision to leave him last May 2, 2013. Delas Alas and Salang were married in Las Vegas on April 3, 2013. (MNS)

PHL, France ink bilateral agreements to strengthen ties

 Entertainment
Sep 192014
 
PHL, France ink bilateral agreements to strengthen ties

PARIS, France) President Benigno S. Aquino III shares a light moment with French President Francois Hollande during the Joint Press Statement at the ground floor of the Palais de l’Elysee on Wednesday (September 17). (MNS photo) PARIS, France, Sept 18 (Mabuhay) – The Philippines and France further strengthened its bilateral relations with the signing of several agreements on transportation and communications, culture and education. In a statement delivered after his meeting with French President François Hollande, President Benigno S. Aquino III said these agreements “will facilitate meaningful dialogue and fruitful exchanges between our two countries.” One of these is the agreement on air services, which was signed by Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Laurent Fabius. President Aquino and President Hollande witnessed the signing during a simple ceremony held at the Elyseé Palace. According to President Aquino, the air services agreement would “open more doors of opportunity for both our peoples, as we strengthen tourism, trade, business activity and our people-to-people ties.” The two leaders also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the École Nationale d’Administration and the Development Academy of the Philippines, and the 2014-2017 Administrative Agreement on Cultural Cooperation. “The agreement between the École Nationale d’Administration and the Development Academy of the Philippines looks into the establishment of training and exchanges that will benefit our many civil servants in the Philippines, as they work to provide improved services,” Pre

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