No MRT, LRT fare hike welcomed

 Entertainment
Aug 142016
 
No MRT, LRT fare hike welcomed

No MRT, LRT fare hike welcomed By Jelly F. Musico View of Carriedo St. in Manila: Photo shows how Carriedo St. in Manila looks like as viewed from the Carriedo station of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 on Thursday (Aug. 11, 2016). The street, which teems with vendors, leads to the revered Quiapo Church. (PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.) MANILA  (PNA) – Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto on Wednesday welcomed the assurance of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade that no fare increase will be imposed both in the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) without “enhanced quality service.” Tugade made the assurance in the first Senate public hearing on the bills and resolutions granting President Rodrigo Duterte emergency powers to solve the traffic problems in Metro Manila and other highly-urbanized cities for the period of two years. Asked by Recto if his department is inclined to approve the reported petition by LRT 1’s private operators if they could raise fares by 10 percent, Tugade said “any increases must be predicated on enhanced quality service.” “Sinabihan ko na ho ang aking management that any increases on the rates sa LRT is totally not acceptable to me. Magmumukha tayong katawa-tawa sa matinding problema tapos magtataas tayo ng pamasahe,” he added. Pressed by Recto if there are also plans to adjust fares in the MRT, Tugade replied, “Wala ho kaming planong ganyan.” “Lalabas ho kaming katawa-tawa na magre-rate increase at yung serbisyo mo ay Read More …

VP Robredo: Not enough outrage on extrajudicial killings

 Entertainment
Aug 142016
 
VP Robredo: Not enough outrage on extrajudicial killings

President Rodrigo R. Duterte welcomes Vice President Maria Leonor V. Robredo who was appointed secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) prior to the Cabinet meeting in Malacañan Palace on July 11, Monday.(MNS photo) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – Vice President Leni Robredo called on Filipinos to join in the “few voices” against extrajudicial killings and the prevailing culture of violence and hatred. Robredo, who earlier called for a serious investigation on extrajudicial killings, said there is not enough outrage on the matter yet. “I’ve been very vocal about it… But you know, I’m just one voice. Even if I’m vice president, I’m just one voice,” she said during a press conference in Pennsylvania, USA, where she was guest of honor of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA). She added: “There have been a few voices already out there against extrajudicial killings, but I think the public outcry is just not there yet. I think all of us should do our share in making sure… this has to stop.” ‘Scary’ She acknowledged that the situation is “scary in the sense na maraming nangyayari pero kaunti ‘yung [outrage].” Robredo revealed that she had just lost two of her friends – a barangay captain in Camarines Sur and a sheriff – in these killings. Further, she noted the hatred that seems to prevail on social media since the campaign period for the May polls. She pointed out, though, that this attitude is also present in other parts of the Read More …

Poe: Hero’s burial for Marcos ‘in conflict with law’

 Entertainment
Aug 142016
 
Poe: Hero’s burial for Marcos ‘in conflict with law’

Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe visited the tomb of his late father Fernando Poe Jr. at the North Cemetery before going to her precinct in San Juan City on Monday (May 9, 2016) to cast her vote. (PNA photo courtesy of Poe-Chiz media bureau) MANILA  (Mabuhay) – Senator Grace Poe said allowing former President Ferdinand Marcos to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani would be in “conflict” with the law, given the human rights violations committed during his regime. Aside from the law, Republic Act 10368 which recognizes the human rights victims during Marcos’ declaration of martial law, Poe said there is also another law which clearly specifies those who should be buried at the heroes’ cemetery, like soldiers and former presidents. “I really believe that if we are to take this law seriously, having that burial will be in conflict with that law,” she said. “Even (Jose) Rizal had a quote something that says that anybody (who) contributed to the ruin of a nation, no matter what they did can never really be considered as a liberator or as a hero,” she added. Asked then if Marcos could not be considered a hero, Poe said: “I believe that there were a lot of violations…” “You know a hero can be very subjective. I mean he can be a hero to you because he provided you with the infrastructure the country needed at that time but again sticking to the law 10368, I think that it’s clearly in Read More …

PERA Law: The challenge continues

 Economy
Aug 142016
 

(Second of two parts) In last week’s article, we opened a discussion on Republic Act (RA) No. 9505, also known as the “Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA) Act of 2008,” which aims to encourage the general public to save for their retirement. While the law was approved on Aug. 22, 2008, it was only in 2011 that Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 17-2011 was released. It articulated the guidelines in the administration of tax privileges and incentives of the PERA Law.

PH nanny helped raise Olympic champ

 News
Aug 142016
 
PH nanny helped raise Olympic champ

‘SECOND MOM’ Singapore’s Olympic gold medalist, swimmer Joseph Schooling, shows his appreciation for the support of Filipino Yolanda Pascual, his family’s domestic helper for 19 years. SINGTEL YOUTUBE VIDEO GRAB COACHES, teammates and rivals may have seen the evolution of Joseph Schooling, the swimmer. But very few would have witnessed the boy-to-man story of Singapore’s Olympic champion from diapers to Mizuno trunks who went prospecting in Rio de Janeiro and struck gold. Filipino Yolanda Pascual, or “Auntie Yolly,” is Schooling’s loyal domestic helper, who has seen him through his formative years to adulthood, although in her loving eyes he is always her “water boy.” In a Sunday Times phone interview on Sunday, Pascual said: “I’ve always believed in him. I was watching and shouting for him. I cannot express how happy I am … I was jumping and crying after he won.” Still with family Still working for the Schooling household after 19 years, Pascual has always been close to the swimming champ. The 21-year-old Olympic gold medalist has even called her a “second mom” in a YouTube video made by Singtel, where he showed his appreciation for her support. She said: “When I miss him, I read our messages (on the phone). He’s like my own son.” The Filipino domestic helper started working for Schooling’s family in 1997. She recalled: “He was playful like all boys, but [has] always been loving and caring and a very good boy. He never shouts at me or anybody.” To be No. 1 Read More …

Dole hastens aid to OFWs

 News
Aug 142016
 
Dole hastens aid to OFWs

FILE PHOTO THE DEPARTMENT of Labor and Employment (Dole) will deploy more labor attachés to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “I think we need more labor attachés and welfare officers there considering the number of overseas Filipino workers. In fact I am placing two for Riyadh and two for Jeddah,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in an interview. He said a labor attaché could also be assigned to Al Khobar once a consulate is established there. “With the number of migrant workers with problems, I think we need more labor attachés,” he said. Bello earlier recalled Riyadh-based Labor Attaché Rustico dela Fuente and Jeddah-based Labor Attaché Jainal Rasul Jr. for failing to provide assistance to the 11,000 stranded OFWs. Bello is set to fly to Saudi Arabia today to bring home the thousands of OFWs still stranded at nine Saudi jobsites. “The immediate purpose of our visit is to bring home all of them,” Bello said. Tina G. Santos Latest De Lima: Duterte may be charged with crimes against humanity Filipino OFWs affected by new labor order Korean R&B artist DEAN serenades, amazes PH ‘Rebels’ NASA mistakenly sold Apollo 11 moon landing bag in gov’t auction Recommended Disclaimer: Comments do not represent the views of INQUIRER.net. We reserve the right to exclude comments which are inconsistent with our editorial standards. FULL DISCLAIMER View Comments For feedback, complaints, or inquiries, contact us.

Pinoys abroad who didn’t vote face Comelec axe

 News
Aug 142016
 
Pinoys abroad who didn’t vote face Comelec axe

FILIPINO citizens living abroad who registered but failed to vote in the last two national elections—in 2013 and this year—will be delisted from the overseas voter rolls. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has formed a resident election registration board under its office for overseas voting (OFOV) to oversee the deactivation of the voters’ registration. “The OFOV, after verifying the voting history of each registered overseas voter, noted that there were voters who failed to vote in two consecutive elections, the 2013 and 2016 national elections,” the Comelec said. The formation of a resident election registration board (RERB) was provided for in a Comelec resolution promulgated on Aug. 11. Under the law, Filipino voters who fail to vote in two consecutive national elections shall have their registration records deactivated by the Comelec. The turnout for the 30-day overseas voting in last May’s elections was 406,780, much higher than the 112,310 turnout for the 2013 national elections. The RERB will be composed of a senior Comelec official as chair, with officials of the Department of Labor and Employment and of Foreign Affairs as members. The OFOV was granted authority to constitute additional RERBs to ensure that all registration records for deactivation are acted upon. The RERB will begin processing the deactivation with five summary hearings from Aug. 30 to Oct. 31. Julie M. Aurelio Latest Aquino admin last net satisfaction rating ‘very good’ 1 dead, 5 missing as flood hits MWSS tunnel in Quezon De Lima urges Duterte: Monitor hearings on extrajudicial Read More …

Japan may ease hiring rules for PH caregivers

 News
Aug 132016
 
Japan may ease hiring rules for PH caregivers

THE JAPANESE government is looking into the possibility of relaxing its restrictive hiring rules for Filipino health care workers who would attend to its greying population. Masato Ohtaka, deputy press secretary of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, confirmed that since his government opened the hiring of Filipino nurses and caregivers, the required number of health care workers had not been achieved. The hiring of Filipino workers, mainly nurses and caregivers is provided for under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) signed by both countries in 2006 in Finland. The agreement, a first for the Philippines, was ratified by the Senate years after.“They are looking into that (relaxing hiring rules) … it depends on how much interest there is from the Filipino people and it depends on how successful our scheme is,” Ohtaka said in a recent briefing with reporters in a Manila hotel. 6-month training Japan requires Filipino applicants to undergo a six-month Preparatory Japanese Language Training (PJLT) and pass a Nihongo test to qualify for jobs. “Our current scheme is not easy, but we really do need some care workers from the Philippines and other countries,” Ohtaka said, adding: “ I will not be surprised if there will be tweaks here and there to allow [foreign] workers [to qualify].” Japan allows the entry of 500-600 Filipino nurses and caregivers every year but less than 10 percent of that number pass the requirements. The Department of Labor and Employment said there were 1,265 health workers hired since the accord was signed. Read More …

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