THE COUNTRY’S balance of payments (BoP) remained in surplus in April, albeit narrowing from the surfeit seen the month and year prior, on the back of higher income from the central bank’s operations and inflows from the government.
May 192016
May 192016
LEGISLATING a fuel mix policy for the country will not work, a lawmaker said, pointing out that market demand should set the direction for the energy industry that might end up confined to inflexible regulation.
May 192016
Three cities in the Philippines have made it as finalists in the Earth Hour City Challenge (EHCC), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) announced yesterday. Earth Hour [by EPA via Summit Express] These are San Carlos City in Negros Occidental, Santa Rosa City in Laguna and Makati City. One of these cities can become national Earth Hour capital and will have a chance to be hailed as the global Earth Hour capital, according to WWF. Past global winners include Vancouver in Canada, Cape Town in South Africa and Seoul in South Korea. Launched by the WWF global network in 2011, EHCC is a year-long initiative to promote sustainable practices for cities to transition to a low-carbon future. Seven Philippine cities joined EHCC in 2015. These were Cagayan de Oro, Makati, Naga, Parañaque, San Carlos, Santa Rosa and Quezon City. A total of 124 cities from around the world joined this year’s challenge. “We commend the seven Philippine cities for promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy, recycling and green transportation,” Earth Hour Philippines director Gia Ibay said. Ibay said this year’s theme, “Bridging the Gap to 2020” aims to inspire participants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the way food, water and energy are produced and consumed. “We believe that properly developed cities can lead the way to a sustainable future,” she said. The WWF will announce the winner during the international EHCC awarding ceremony in Quito, Ecuador in October. Ibay said preparations for this year’s Earth Hour are now Read More …
May 182016
Reyna Elena Los Angeles – The officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles joined the 11th Archdiocesan Filipino Marian Celebration of “Santacruzan” held on 14 May 2016 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles. The Most Reverend Archbishop Bernardito C. Auza Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, led the Eucharistic celebration with the auxiliary bishops and clerics of Los Angeles. This year’s event was held under the auspices of the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the theme was “Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy”. Officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General led by Consul Mary Joy Ramirez. The Philippine Consulate General joined the different parish ministries, Catholic associations, civic and non-governmental organizations and Filipino-American children in the Procession that heralded the Eucharistic celebration.
May 182016
Presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte speaks at a press conference in Davao City, Monday. Duterte expressed openness on the return to the Philippines of Jose Maria Sison, founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front, to participate in peace talks.(MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – A top official of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) expressed confidence in the incoming administration of presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte after the latter vowed to address the problems of the Bangsamoro people. MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghazali Jaafar was scheduled to speak with Duterte at 6 p.m. Monday but their meeting was pushed back to 11 p.m. due to the large number of well-wishers waiting to meet the presumptive president. Although their chat was informal, Jaafar said he is confident that the incoming Duterte administration can solve the decades-old problems of Mindanao. “Malaki ang kumpyansa namin sa administrasyon ni Duterte,” he said. The MILF official also declined to comment on Duterte’s plan to appoint members of the Communist Party of the Philippines in his Cabinet. “Wala po kaming comment sa bagay na iyun. Maaaring iyun ay kanyang panukala, proposal at hindi pa naman umiiral ang panukalang iyan,” he said. The MILF and the Aquino administration earlier signed a peace deal aimed at creating a new autonomous political entity in Mindanao. However, the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), a key component of the peace talks, was derailed after 44 police commandos were killed in a clash with Read More …
May 182016
Senator Cynthia Villar (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Cynthia Villar got richer by more than a billion pesos last year while Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero became the poorest senator, based on their 2015 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN). Villar, wife of former Senator Manny Villar, remained the only billionaire member of the Senate. From P1.983 billion in 2014, Senator Villar’s net worth surged to P3.5 billion as of Dec. 31, 2015. She declared a zero liability. Escudero, meanwhile, got poorer by hundred thousands of pesos when his net worth dropped to P5.847 million in 2015 from P6.049 million in 2014. Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who was the poorest senator in 2014 with P5.549 million net worth, got richer by more than P400,000 when his net worth rose to P5.984 million last year. Senator Grace Poe, who ran in the last May election, was among the top 10 richest members of the Senate based on their SALNs last year. Poe declared a net worth of P89.118 million in 2015. (MNS)
May 182016
Members of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), inspect and validate ballot boxes filled with Certificates of Canvass from 82 Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) posts, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila, Monday. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Officials of technology provider Smartmatic have no plans to leave the Philippines, pending an investigation on the controversial tweak in the script of the transparency server on election day, a spokesperson said Tuesday. In an interview, Karen Jimeno, Smartmatic head of voter education, said the officials will cooperate with the probe being conducted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) . She made the comment in light of a formal request filed by Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, who wrote to her colleagues at the Comelec en banc on Monday asking them to direct the technology provider to bar its officials from leaving the country until the matter is resolved. “Smartmatic respects the memorandum of Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, but they also think it’s unnecessary kasi wala namang balak umalis ‘yung mga officials ng Smartmatic,” Jimeno told reporters. “They intend to fully cooperate with whatever investigation that Comelec calls for, or any political party calls for. They have no intention of leaving the country as well, so it’s really unnecessary to even have a hold departure order,” she added. Guanzon has openly criticized Smartmatic for changing the script to correct the server’s reading of ‘ñ’ in the names of some candidates, saying it was a “breach of Read More …
May 182016
Liberal Party (LP) vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo visits the tomb of her husband, the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, together with President Aquino and LP standard bearer Mar Roxas at Eternal Gardens in Naga City Friday. Aquino, Robredo and Roxas offered prayers and candles for the late secretary before attending a campaign kick-off event in Robredo’s hometown later in the day. MANILA (Mabuhay) – Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, who is leading the vice presidential race based on partial and unofficial count, took a bus ride to her hometown in Naga City Monday night despite security concerns. In an interview with reporters, Robredo said she would rather still ride a bus, but would agree to a “compromise” wherein she is accompanied by her staff. “Mayroon nga lang changes kagaya ngayon na mayroon ako kasama pauwi samantalang dati palagi akong mag-isa. Ngayon pinayagan lang ako mag-bus basta may kasama,” Robredo said. She left Manila Monday night to visit the wake of a local leader in Naga. “Alam ko na syempre ang security concerns ngayon ay iba na kumpara noon. Mayroon na ngayon na mas malaking responsibilidad at naiintindihan ko naman iyon, hindi lang mababago ang dati ko ginagawa,” she added. Robredo and her three daughters had been taking the provincial bus in shuttling between Manila and Naga since she was elected congresswoman of her province. Robredo admitted that many expressed concern of her going home via bus as the canvassing for the vice presidential race has yet to start. But Read More …
May 182016
President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the 119th Founding Anniversary of the Philippine Army at the Brigadier General Tirso Fajardo Building, Headquarters Philippine Army Grandstand, Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City on Tuesday (March 22), with the theme: “Serving the People. Securing the Land.” Also in photo are Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, AFP Chief of Staff General Hernando Iriberri and PA Commanding General Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to nullify the appointments of two Sandiganbayan justices who are among those selected by President Benigno Aquino III to fill in new posts in the anti-graft court. In its petition, the IBP, which is the national organization of lawyers in the Philippines and the mandatory bar association for Filipino lawyers, said Aquino committed culpable violation of the 1987 Constitution and grave abuse of discretion when he appointed Associate Justices Geraldine Faith Econg and Michael Frederick Musngi. Joining the IBP in the petition were five judges and candidates who were shortlisted for one of the six posts but were not selected. They are: Philip Aguinaldo, Muntinlupa RTC Branch 207; Reynaldo Alhambra, Manila RTC Branch 53; Danilo Cruz, presiding judge of Pasig RTC Branch 152; Benjamin Pozon, presiding judge of Makati RTC Branch 139; and Salvador Timbang, presiding judge of Las Piñas RTC Branch 253. The petitioners accused Aquino of violating Section 9, Article VII of the Constitution when he did not appoint anyone from Read More …
May 182016
Commission on Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon speaks before media on Friday calling for an investigation of a protocol breach by poll technology provider Smartmatic. The transparency server script was tweaked by Smartmatic to correct a character in the names of candidates with “ñ in them.(MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Commission on Elections chief Andres Bautista said it would have been better if technology provider Smartmatic did not touch the script of the transparency server, a move that has become controversial in light of a tight vice presidential race. Bautista maintained that the change, done to correct the server’s reading of ‘ñ’ in the names of some candidates, did not affect the results. However, he pointed out: “If they are prudent, they should have not.” “Basically what happened is they changed it for cosmetic purpose, they are our technology provider, but before they can do that change, they need the password from Comelec… There are two people who have the password—from Comelec and PPCRV (Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, at whose headquarters the server is housed),” Bautista said. He added: “There is no hiding. In fact, there [was] CCTV footage, but perhaps, if they are prudent, they (Smartmatic) should not have done it.” The poll chief said anew that their records are open for anyone who wishes to look into the incident, which happened around 7 p.m. on May 9. Last week, the camp of Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who is at a close second in the vice presidential Read More …