DepEd reminds schools of no collection policy for Christmas party

 News
Dec 142014
 
DepEd reminds schools of no collection policy for Christmas party

No collections for Christmas parties. This was the stern reminder to public schools from the Department of Education, which also exhorted them to keep such parties simple. “The payment of such contributions shall not be made a requirement. Non-payment of voluntary school contributions shall not be made as a basis for non-admission, non-promotion, or non-issuance of clearance to a student—including the withholding of school cards,” DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro said. He stressed any contribution in public schools should be voluntary. Luistro also pointed out that while Parents-Teachers Associations may collect financial contributions for the benefit of the students, the fees should be voluntary and agreed upon in a general assembly. Still, he urged PTAs to minimize the amount of contributions for ceremonies and extra-curricular activities. More importantly, he urged all schools to keep celebrations such as Christmas parties simple yet meaningful. —Joel Locsin/KG, GMA News

Pulse Asia: 88% of Pinoys facing 2015 with hope

 News
Dec 142014
 
Pulse Asia: 88% of Pinoys facing 2015 with hope

Despite the problems they faced this year, nearly nine out of 10 Filipinos or 88 percent will face the coming New Year with hope, according to a new survey by pollster Pulse Asia. In its survey conducted Nov. 14 to 20, Pulse Asia said this was the “predominant sentiment in every geographic area and socio-economic class.” Only one percent will face the coming year “without hope” while 11 percent are ambivalent, it added. A breakdown of the 88 percent of those facing 2015 with hope includes 86 percent in Metro Manila, 91 percent in Luzon, 89 percent in Visayas and 84 percent in Mindanao. Such a sentiment is prevalent among 90 percent of Class ABC, 89 percent of Class D and 84 percent of Class E. Those facing 2015 “without hope” include one percent in all geographical areas and almost all socio-economic classes—with zero percent of Class ABC having such a sentiment. Christmas 2014 On the other hand, the survey also showed more than half or 52 percent of Filipinos expect their Christmas celebration to be “no different” from 2013. However, it said more Filipinos see a more prosperous Christmas celebration for their families this year than last year. It said this is the majority sentiment in Metro Manila (51 percent), Mindanao (51 percent), and the rest of Luzon (55 percent) and in Classes D and E (53 and 51 percent respectively). Visayans (46 percent) and those in Class ABC (44 percent) share this view or even expect a more Read More …

De Lima holds surprise inspection at Bilibid, finds Jacuzzi, aircon, suspected drugs

 News
Dec 142014
 
De Lima holds surprise inspection at Bilibid, finds Jacuzzi, aircon, suspected drugs

Drugs, cash, appliances found in drug lords’ den inside NBP. Members of the PNP Special Action Force haul away three safes seized from inside a kubol of a drug lord inside the New Bilibid Prison maximum compound in Muntinlupa City on Monday, December 15. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, along with a company of fully-armed SAF, made a surprise inspection of the jail facility. John Consulta (Updated 10:43 a.m.) A Jacuzzi, a sound system, an air-conditioner system and suspected drugs—these were among the amenities discovered inside the New Bilibid Prison during a surprise inspection Monday morning. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima led the surprise inspection of facilities at the New Bilibid Prison, radio dzBB’s Mao dela Cruz reported. The inspection came amid reports that drug lords incarcerated in the penitentiary still managed to conduct transactions. A total lockdown of the prison was implemented during the visit, radio dzBB’s Mao dela Cruz reported. Following the inspection, de Lima ordered the temporary relocation of 20 drug lords from the penitentiary to an undisclosed holding facility in Metro Manila, GMA News’ John Consulta reported. Meanwhile, photos tweeted by dzBB’s dela Cruz showed LCD TV sets, and band equipment including keyboards and a drum set in one of the inspected cells.   It was not immediately clear if the lockdown included jamming mobile phone signals as dzBB’s dela Cruz noted having problems using mobile phones when inside the facility. It had been suggested earlier that jammers be used at the penitentiary to thwart drug Read More …

CBCP head pushes state, society to move vs. trafficking

 News
Dec 142014
 
CBCP head pushes state, society to move vs. trafficking

The head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines over the weekend pushed for efforts by the state and society to thwart human trafficking, even as he echoed Pope Francis’ concern on the scourge. CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said it is a Christian duty to do everything to prevent anyone from being trafficked, and to make sure those who fell into the trap are set free. “As serious a duty this is of individual Christians, even more serious it is the duty of the State and society,” he said in a pastoral letter dated Dec. 14. But he also called on Christians as well to make all efforts to “free human traffickers from the motives and attractions of their illicit trade and to draw them back to genuinely good and beneficial pursuits.” “To drown evil in an abundance of good and convert the wrongdoer into a source of good is the ultimate triumph we should aim for in this fight,” he added. Villegas lamented there could be about 150,000 Filipinos among some 30 million presently enslaved. He added about 800,000 children, women and men are trafficked across international borders around the world every year. He said trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery, “not less dehumanizing and cruel than any old form of slavery.” With trafficking, he said men and women are exploited physically, sexually, psychologically, morally, and spiritually for the traffickers’ material gain. Echoing Pope Francis’ thoughts on the issue, Villegas said it is a Read More …

Some inflight education

 Entertainment
Dec 142014
 
Some inflight education

One of the things I like about flying is the onboard fun that I can look forward to —the movies and the music, to be more specific. At my age, and with all the mucking about that I’ve done, I should be sick of these things and ply myself insensible with the free beer or wine somewhere between Anchorage and Nagoya, but the honest truth is, I’m not. I’m eager for entertainment, which is the only way I can forget the fact that I’m going to be up in the air for the better part of a 24-hour day. I don’t have a fear of flying; it’s boredom I can’t abide. Being up there means that I can catch up on all the movies I never saw and didn’t even know existed. Beng and I almost always take in a movie after our weekly foot massage (such is life in the 60s), but we’re slaves to what’s out there, and not being too much of a cinephile I’m positive I’m missing out on the good stuff by sticking to the mall fare. That changed last week when I flew home from Dulles airport outside of Washington, DC to Terminal 3 on the fringes of Pasay — a distance of 8,548 miles, according to Google. That meant 11:30 hours of self-amusement to contemplate, but I think I hit the jackpot — a trifecta in sporting terms — by watching three great movies on one long trip (I actually saw four, but Read More …

Andrew Tan on his UK distillery mega-deal, need for decentralized development and PAL

 Economy
Dec 142014
 
Andrew Tan on his UK distillery mega-deal, need for decentralized development and PAL

Andrew Tan: “I prefer the word ‘luck’ to ‘destiny,’ because it might not sound humble. I thank God for blessings. It’s really luck; I just happen to be there at the right place at the right time.” As the ASEAN economic integration begins with its daunting challenges and the world economic center of gravity shifts to Asia, how can we in the Philippines take advantage of opportunities and adapt to irreversible changes? One inspiring role model is a self-made business taipan and the country’s most audacious dealmaker for 2014, Megaworld and Alliance Global Group founder Andrew Tan, who in May this year made history for the Philippines by leading his publicly-listed Emperador Distillers to buy the United Kingdom’s  iconic Scottish Scotch whisky-maker Whyte & Mackay for US$720 million in May. Sources said there were originally 16 groups interested in Whyte & Mackay, but these were shortlisted. Tan personally oversaw Emperador’s win in London over Western conglomerates such as the French luxury giant LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, American liquor group Brown-Forman (producers of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey), Italian beverage group Gruppo Campari and Russian billionaire Roustam Tariko (producer of Russian Standard vodka), after two rounds of bidding.  Among Tan’s other diversified businesses include the McDonald’s fast-food restaurant chain, township developments nationwide like Eastwood City, the Philippines’ pioneer BPO/call center enclaves and the 24-hour Resorts World Manila. Despite being ranked this year as the country’s third wealthiest billionaire, Tan remains unassuming and self-effacing when asked about his “rags-to-riches” saga. Here are Read More …

Gallery News: ‘Carrier of Tradition: An Exhibition of Northern Philippine Backpacks’ at BenCab Museum

 General
Dec 142014
 
Gallery News: ‘Carrier of Tradition: An Exhibition of Northern Philippine Backpacks’ at BenCab Museum

One of the backpacks featured in “Carrier of Tradition,” from the collection of ARMAND CATING MANILA, Philippines – BenCab Museum presents ancient, vintage and contemporary backpacks in “Carrier of Tradition: Backpacks of the Northern Philippines,” which is on view until Feb. 6 at BenCab Museum, Km. 6 Asin Rd., Tuba, Metro Baguio. “Carrier of Tradition” features more than three dozens rare and atypical specimens from the collection of Armand Voltaire B. Cating. In the show, the Cordillera hand-woven backpack or pasiking is highlighted and deconstructed, unveiling weave and nuance, baring the life of the weaver and the wearer. For inquiries, call (074) 442-7165, email bencabartfoundation@gmail.com. or visit www.bencabmuseum.org. * * * An artwork by Ricarte Puruganan Ricarte Puruganan at the Paseo de Paoay Lifestyle Feature ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: The Ilocos Norte government through Gov. Imee Marcos, in cooperation with Dr. Joven Cuanang of Pinto Art Museum, present “Ricarte Puruganan: The Filipino as Modernist,” which opens on Dec. 27 at Paseo de Paoay in Paoay, Ilocos Norte. The show features seminal pieces of the artist’s unique style that combines indigenous and folk art elements, and modernist flatness and painting methods. The show runs until Feb. 27, 2015. Ricarte Puruganan is one of the Thirteen Moderns, a group of trailblazing Filipino artists who broke away from academic and conservative styles of painting in the 1930s. For details, call Ian at SMS 0947-9926218 or Pinto Art Museum at 697-1015.   * * * Oscar Villamiel at Light and Space Read More …

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