Arroyo backs more powers for Duterte

 Entertainment
Jun 222016
 
Arroyo backs more powers for Duterte

MANILA (Mabuhay) — Former President now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal A Former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo arrives with husband, Jose Miguel, at the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court in Quezon City, Metro Manila, April 11, 2012. Arroyo entered a plead of not guilty to allegations of graft and corruption in the tainted telecommunications deal with China in 2007. REUTERS/Cheryl Ravelo (PHILIPPINES – Tags: POLITICS CRIME LAW) rroyo is in favor of granting President-elect Rodrigo Duterte additional powers to deal with the deteriorating traffic situation in Metro Manila. Arroyo is set to file a bill seeking emergency powers for Duterte in the 17th Congress. The explanatory note of the bill said the current traffic congestion in Metro Manila “impedes progress and leads to a situation where billions are lost daily in fuel cost, man hours and opportunities.” With additional powers, the explanatory note said the Duterte government could speed up the completion of infrastructure projects and introduce drastic traffic reduction measures in order to achieve its annual growth rate target of at least 7 percent. If Congress approves the bill, Duterte would be allowed to: – negotiate contracts for the construction, repair, rehabilitation, improvement or maintenance of critical infrastructure, projects and facilities subject to certain conditions; – authorize, whenever it is necessary for the national welfare and in the public interest, to set a maximum internal rate of return of not more than twelve per centum (12%) of the house-estimated project cost. Provided, That any infrastructure project that has the capacity to Read More …

Many Eligible For Prop. 47 Relief Still Need to Apply

 Entertainment
Jun 222016
 
Many Eligible For Prop. 47 Relief Still Need to Apply

Viji Sundaram OAKLAND, Calif. – California’s Prop. 47 allows many individuals to change certain felonies into misdemeanors on their criminal records – but less than a quarter of those eligible have submitted their requests, and the window of opportunity could expire next year. Eighteen months into Prop. 47’s enactment, the state has received some 211,000 petitions seeking resentencing or a record change. The ballot measure, which passed in November 2014 despite heavy opposition from law enforcement associations, gives a three-year window for the estimated 1 million eligible individuals to file for relief. Prop. 47 converted certain nonviolent felonies into misdemeanors, which translates into little or no jail time for crimes like low-value theft and simple drug possession. The savings generated by the measure are meant to guide people into programs such as drug treatment. Advocates worry that because the “application process is so complex” – even though the application itself is only a page long – and counties don’t have enough attorneys who can spend adequate time dealing with petitions, the sun may set on the window before all those eligible can apply. However, in early June, California State Assembly approved AB 2765, a bill that would extend the deadline by five years, from November 2017 to November 2022. It is scheduled to go before the Senate Public Safety Committee on June 28. If it is signed into law, “it will give the courts and the judicial system more time to process the applications,” says Marisa Arrona, Prop. 47 implementation Read More …

Enchong talks about kissing scene with Kiray

 Entertainment
Jun 222016
 
Enchong talks about kissing scene with Kiray

Enchong Dee and Kiray Celis (MNS photo) Enchong Dee shared that he did a kissing scene with Kiray Celis for their upcoming romantic horror-comedy movie “I Love You To Death”. Dee observed that Celis is not yet used to doing kissing scenes. “Ano siya, hindi siya sanay. Sobrang hindi siya sanay. Naiintindihan ko naman. Sabi niya parang lumaki siya at saka tumanda siya sa business na hindi naman siya romantic, so hindi siya sanay sa ganoon,” he said. “Inaasar na siya ng mga staff kasi hindi niya magawa,” he added. “Pero ako, sabi ko, I will just stay there, hindi kita pagtatawanan. I will be your supporter, I will be your man to lean on. Kasi ‘yung ganoon, sensitive ‘yung ganoong eksena.” “I Love You To Death” tells the story of a woman (Celis) whose birthday wish is to find a man who is madly in love with her. Directed by Miko Livelo, the movie also stars Janice de Belen, Betong Sumaya, Michelle Vito, Devon Seron, Trina Legaspi, Shine Kuk, Paolo Gumabao, Jon Lucas Christian Bables, Nico Nicolas and Dino Pastrano. The movie opens in theaters nationwide on July 6. (MNS)

Palace extends condolences to Maceda’s family

 Entertainment
Jun 222016
 
Palace extends condolences to Maceda’s family

SENATE SHAKE DRILL: Senate officials and employees led by Sec. Oscar G. Yabes participate in the nationwide Metro Manila Development Authority Shake Drill in anticipation of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Personnel from the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Prevention also took part in the drill. Also in photo are Senate Sergeant-at-Arms M/Gen. Jose Balajadia and Security Enforcement Service Director Manny Parlade. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — Malacañang on Tuesday extended its condolences to the family of the late former Senate President Ernesto Maceda, who succumbed to multiple organ failure Monday night. In a statement, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said: “The late former Senate President Ernesto Maceda distinguished himself as a legislator, Cabinet member and ambassador through more than five decades of dedicated public service.” “We extend our condolences to his bereaved family and join his bereaved family in fervent prayers for his eternal repose,” Coloma added. The remains of Maceda, 81, will lie in state at the Mount Carmel Church in New Manila starting 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Maceda was in critical condition due to post-surgery complication, his son said Monday afternoon. Lawyer Ernesto Maceda Jr. said the former senator underwent surgery and was still conscious after the procedure but his condition went downhill since then.(MNS)

Duterte gov’t eyes truce with NPA rebels before SONA

 Entertainment
Jun 222016
 
Duterte gov’t eyes truce with NPA rebels before SONA

Women’s rights protesters temporarily block the flow of traffic at the corner of Timog Avenue and Scout Tobias in Quezon City on Thursday to deliver their message for the coming elections. The group scored what they perceive as presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncements against women. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) — The incoming administration is eyeing to declare ceasefire with communist rebels before President-elect Rodrigo Duterte delivers his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), incoming chief government negotiator Silvestre Bello III said Tuesday. At a press briefing in Davao City, Bello said the declaration of the ceasefire would follow the resumption of the peace talks between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF) that is expected to start on the third week of July. “Afer we resume talks formally, we declare ceasefire, then they (CPP-NDF) declare ceasefire then we form the committees for implementation,” he said. Bello said all this could happen before Duterte delivers his SONA on July 25. Earlier this month, Bello, along with incoming presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza and former Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza, met with the CPP-NDF leaders in Norway to open peace talks anew. “I’m very happy to tell you that results were very positive,” Bello said, referring to the exploratory talks. “The time we spent there was quality time dahil we achieved what we wanted to achieve when we went there which was to convince them to return to the peace table,” he added. During the talks, Read More …

Offsetting arrangements: A disallowed tax practice

 Economy
Jun 222016
 

Even with the upcoming change in leadership, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has not scaled back on efforts to meet its steep collection target of more than two trillion pesos. To this end, it is no coincidence that the BIR has come up with more detailed guidelines and strict control measures to plug possible loopholes in our tax system. In recent issuances, the BIR has provided guidelines covering the conduct of investigation on the capacity of parties to acquire properties and clarifying the tax treatment of gross receipts tax passed on to borrowers.

PHL’s ‘The Dreamweaver’ wows audience at the 2016 Euro Asia Shorts closing night

 Entertainment
Jun 212016
 
PHL’s ‘The Dreamweaver’ wows audience at the 2016 Euro Asia Shorts closing night

Ms. Susan Barocas (left) and Mr. John Hanshaw (right) are the two panelists during the Closing Night of the 2016 Euro Asia Shorts Film Festival at the Italian Embassy on 10 June 2016. Mr. Adam Wojciechowicz (center) moderated the panel discussion. WASHINGTON, D.C. – “The Dreamweaver,” the Philippines’ entry to the closing night of the 2016 Euro Asia Short Film Festival, garnered admiration and generated discussion from the panelists and audience on 10 June 2016. Film and movie enthusiasts gathered at the Embassy of Italy for the 5th and closing night of the film festival which featured nine short films from the participating countries – Germany, China, Spain, the Philippines, Japan, France, Italy, South Korea, and the United States —under one theme, “What is Home?”. “The Dreamweaver,” a film by Jedd Rommel, is about a young T’boliboy’s journey that started when he was visited in his dreams by Fudalu, the spirit of the abaca hemp, who appears only to the females of the tribe and bestowed upon him the exclusive talent and creativity in weaving the tribe’s sacred cloth. “He took his home with him through designing contemporary clothes. What a beautiful way to pay tribute to your home, to be able to take it and incorporate pieces of your tradition into the contemporary society,” writer and producer Ms. Susan Barocas said during the panel discussion. . 2016 Euro Asia Shorts Film Festival’s partners from participating Embassies and Cultural Centers after the closing night screening. “Clearly, he was bridging this ancient old tradition to the contemporary world Read More …

Duterte warns incoming Cabinet: ‘No corruption’

 Entertainment
Jun 212016
 
Duterte warns incoming Cabinet: ‘No corruption’

By Lilian C. Mellejor President-elect Rodrigo Duterte arrives via helicopter at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on Wednesday to preside over the first meeting of his incoming Cabinet outside Davao City.(MNS photo) DAVAO CITY  (PNA) – President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has given his marching order to the members of his incoming Cabinet secretaries during their meeting on Wednesday night at the PICC in Manila. “No corruption,” he told his would-be Cabinet. Duterte further assured them he will not interfere with their job, stressing that he will give them a free hand to select their people to work with. However, Duterte is holding the Cabinet secretaries answerable when things go wrong in their respective offices or if their chosen officials become involved in illegal activities. This was revealed by incoming Secretary of the Department of Agriculture Emmanuel Piñol, who said the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday was the second meeting with Duterte on a bigger scale in terms of number wherein many issues have been discussed. Piñol said no corruption was the general instruction of Duterte. “We are held accountable – he was clear that there should be no corruption. There is no indispensable,” he added. Stopping corruption, crimes and illegal drugs were the centerpiece of the Duterte campaign. Education Among all issues, Duterte took special concern on the implementation of the K-12 program of the Department of Education (DepEd). Piñol said Duterte was worried of the impact of K-12 program. Even in previous interviews, Duterte was concerned of Read More …

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