Cotabato city officials say they received death threats prior to bomb attack

 News
Aug 062013
 
Cotabato city officials say they received death threats prior to bomb attack

8 dead, 30 hurt in Cotabato blast. Houses and a pick-up truck burn after a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated along Sinsuat Avenue in Cotabato City on Monday afternoon, August 5, killing eight people and wounding at least 30 others. At left is the charred wreckage of the suspected vehicle where the bomb was planted. Omar Mangorsi Cotabato City administrator Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, believed to be the target of Monday’s car bomb attack that killed eight people and injured over 30 others, affirmed on Tuesday that she and her family have been receiving death threats because of their campaign against crime syndicates. “Bobombahin daw kami, papatayin kami, including my son,” she said in an interview on dzBB radio. However, she did not identify the person or group behind the threats. The blast, which occurred on Sinsuat Street, happened while she was passing through the area in a bulletproof car that is used by both Sayadi and her brother, Cotabato City Mayor Japal Guiani Jr. Interviewed on GMA’s “24 Oras” newscast, her brother said they were targeted for their campaign against kidnapping and illegal drugs. “Tingin ko marami kaming naapakan, because we are able to unmask some groups, and continuous ang aming drive,” he said. The explosive device was placed on a vehicle— believed to be a multi-cab — parked on a busy road near a hospital during the afternoon rush hour. Sayadi was unhurt in the attack, but two of her bodyguards were among the fatalities. Bomb-for-hire group Cotabato Read More …

DOTC: Bad weather forces 2 flight cancellations

 News
Aug 032013
 
DOTC: Bad weather forces 2 flight cancellations

Bad weather in Bohol prompted the cancellation of at least two domestic flights Sunday, the Department of Transportation and Communications said. In a post on its Twitter account, the DOTC said the affected flights, between Manila and Bohol, belonged to air carrier Cebu Pacific. The canceled flights included: – 5J-617: Manila to Tagbilaran– 5J-618: Tagbilaran to Manila Earlier, state weather forecasters warned of rain over Visayas and parts of Mindanao as a low-pressure area neared Surigao City. PAGASA said Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga and Davao “will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rain showers and thunderstorms which may trigger flash floods and landslides.” — LBG, GMA news

GMA News' SONA 2013 coverage most viewed nationwide — Nielsen

 News
Jul 232013
 
GMA News' SONA 2013 coverage most viewed nationwide — Nielsen

GMA News and Public Affairs’ comprehensive live coverage of President Benigno Aquino III’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) topped overall television household ratings on July 22 based on overnight data, according to the industry’s leading ratings service provider, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement. Anchored by GMA News pillars Mel Tiangco and Mike Enriquez, GMA-7’s live coverage bested rival network ABS-CBN in National Urban TV Audience Measurement (NUTAM), Urban Luzon, and Mega Manila ratings. GMA-7’s “SONA 2013” scored an average household rating of 12.8 percent in NUTAM compared to ABS-CBN’s “Sa Gitna Ng Daang Matuwid” with only 12.1 percent. In Urban Luzon, GMA-7’s coverage emerged as the preferred choice with 15.0 percent, ahead of ABS-CBN’s, which only managed 10.3 percent. The Network also triumphed in its bailiwick Mega Manila with 16.1 percent, 5.8 points ahead of ABS-CBN’s 10.3 percent. Leading news channel GMA News TV (News TV)’s “SONA Ni PNoy” bannered by Peabody awardee and three-time Reader’s Digest Most Trusted News Presenter Jessica Soho likewise ruled over TV5’s “Pagbabago” in NUTAM, Urban Luzon, and Mega Manila. News TV recorded an average household rating of 3.2 percent in NUTAM, higher than TV5’s 3.1 percent. News TV’s “SONA Ni PNoy” also led TV5’s “Pagbabago 2013” in Urban Luzon, with 3.7 and 2.6 percent respectively. In Mega Manila, News TV delivered 4.1 percent, ahead of TV5’s 2.6 percent. GMA Network’s SONA coverage used new media platforms like YouScoop, Twitter, and Facebook to measure the public pulse, encouraging Filipinos from all walks of life Read More …

Lahbati slaps P10M libel case vs writer, GMA exec

 Entertainment
Jul 182013
 

Actress Sarah Lahbati is demanding P10 million from an executive of GMA and a writer from the Philippine Daily Inquirer for the “tremendous damage” an article published on the newspaper has allegedly caused her. The 19-year-old actress filed the P10-million libel case against GMA Network Inc. executive Anna Teresa Gozon-Abrogar and entertainment writer Marinel Cruz […]

ABS-CBN, GMA both claim ratings leadership in May

 Economy
Jun 052013
 
ABS-CBN, GMA both claim ratings leadership in May

MANILA, Philippines – Rivals ABS-CBN Corp. and GMA Network Inc. claimed ratings leadership last month based on separate surveys commissioned by both companies. ABS-CBN said in a statement that data from Kantar Media showed that the company’s total day share increased to 41 percent compared to GMA’s 31 percent as more Filipinos across urban and rural homes all over the country tuned in to its programs last May. The company continued to dominate the noontime to early afternoon block from 12 noon to 3 p.m. with an average audience share of 43 percent versus GMA’s 33 percent in May due to the ratings improvement of “It’s Showtime” against perennial leader “Eat Bulaga.” In the primetime block, ABS-CBN gained an audience share of 46 percent compared to the 30 percent of GMA. In areas in Luzon outside Mega Manila, ABS-CBN enjoyed a total day audience share of 44 percent compared to GMA’s 33 percent. It also prevailed in the Visayas with 50 percent share versus GMA’s 27 percent as well as in Mindanao with 54 percent against GMA’s 22 percent. Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,609 urban and rural homes that represent 100 percent of the total Philippine TV viewing population. It is a leading television (TV) audience measurement provider with capabilities in gathering TV viewing data in both digital and analog platforms. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 In a separate statement, GMA said it dominated the ratings in the key areas of Urban Read More …

GMA Life TV celebrates five years of being the first international Filipino lifestyle channel

 Entertainment
May 092013
 

GMA Life TV, the first international Filipino lifestyle channel by GMA International, is commemorating five years of celebrating the best in Pinoy lifestyle this May through a colorful and vibrant television campaign representing all the wonderful things that the channel is known for. For five years already, GMA Life TV – one of GMA’s overseas […]

ABS-CBN, GMA both claim ratings leadership

 Economy
Apr 032013
 
ABS-CBN, GMA both claim ratings leadership

MANILA, Philippines – Rivals ABS-CBN Corp. and GMA Network Inc. claimed anew ratings leadership for the month of March based on surveys commissioned separately by both broadcasting companies. ABS-CBN said in a statement that it topped all TV stations in March, excluding Holy Week, with an average audience share of 41 percent or 10 points ahead of GMA’s 31 percent based on data from Kantar Media. ABS-CBN said it continued to rule in the hotly contested primetime from 6 pm to 12 midnight with an average audience share of 47 percent, a staggering 17-point lead over GMA’s 30 percent. Aside from leading in primetime, the Lopez-controlled TV network also continued to beat other networks across all programming blocks. In the morning from 6 am to 12 noon, it recorded an average audience share of 36 percent compared to GMA’s 32 percent and was also five points ahead in the early afternoon from 12 noon to 3 pm with 38 percent versus GMA’s 33 percent and late afternoon from 3 pm to 6 pm with 35 percent compared to GMA’s 30 percent. ABS-CBN sustained its leadership in key territories such as Balance Luzon or areas in Luzon outside of Mega Manila where it surged ahead of GMA with an average audience share of 43 percent vs GMA’s 34 percent. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 ABS-CBN registered an audience share of 49 percent versus the 26 percent of GMA in the Visayas and 54 percent compared to GMA’s Read More …

DOLE: After 2877 hired in January job fairs, more job fairs coming in March

 News
Mar 072013
 
DOLE: After 2877 hired in January job fairs, more job fairs coming in March

At least 2,877 jobseekers found work on the spot in 40 job fairs conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment last January, with more job fairs coming this month, DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said. Baldoz said the job fairs are the DOLE’s response to requests for employment assistance. “The Department has still many job fairs to come. We expect more job applicants will be hired on the spot in the next job fairs which we will conduct year round,” said Baldoz. Breakdown In the 40 job fairs held last January, a total of 21,385 jobseekers registered for 70,651 job vacancies offered by 621 prospective employers. Of these, 9,461 of these vacancies were from Metro Manila. More than half (51 percent or 11,938) of the applicants were women. “During the job fairs, applicants select vacancies suited to their qualifications and employers could interview and hire on the spot qualified workers,” Baldoz said. Schedule for March In March, the DOLE regional offices will hold 81 job fairs, as follows: Metro Manila March 11: Quezon City Hall Covered Walk and SM San Lazaro, Manila March 18: SM Tunasan, Muntinlupa City March 20: Star J Malabon March 21: Pasay City Sports Complex March 22: Quezon city and Pasay City Region 1 March 8: Urdaneta City University, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan March 26: CB Mall, Urdaneta City, Pangasinan March 30: Asingan Gym, Asingan, Pangasinan Job fairs are also tentatively scheduled at the University of Pangasinan, Dagupan City; Colegio De Dagupan; and Bayambang, Pangasinan this March. Read More …

EU envoy: Journalist killings a concern

 News
Feb 262013
 
EU envoy: Journalist killings a concern

By Maricar Cinco Inquirer Southern Luzon 4:26 am | Wednesday, February 27th, 2013 EU Ambassador Guy Ledoux: Journalist killings still do happen. FILE PHOTO LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—European Union (EU) Ambassador Guy Ledoux called journalists “true defenders of human rights,” but he said the continuing attacks on media workers in the Philippines and the government’s failure to pass the freedom of information bill remained a concern even after the country had transitioned from authoritarian rule to democracy. Journalists perform alongside lawyers, activists, politicians and other groups in defending human rights but they continue to fall victim to extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, Ledoux said in a speech at the 8th National Congress of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) last weekend. The NUJP elected a new set of officers at the congress, six of whom were reporters and provincial correspondents of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Ledoux, who was appointed head of the EU’s delegation to the Philippines two years ago to look into media killings, said 11 to 14 Filipino journalists had been killed since June 2010 but the cases remained unsolved and the masterminds allowed to walk free. Maguindanao massacre “The EU recognizes the current administration’s efforts to eliminate extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, and to prosecute those responsible. But, at the same time, we observe that journalist killings do still happen, with the latest killing taking place on Nov. 8, 2012,” he said. Ledoux cited the massacre in November 2009 of 58 people in Maguindanao, among Read More …

GMA-7 spending P75 M in Mindanao

 Economy
Feb 212013
 
GMA-7 spending P75 M in Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines – Broadcast giant GMA Network Inc. is spending P75 million to further expand its presence in Northern Mindanao with the establishment of an originating station in Cagayan de Oro. GMA chairman and chief executive officer Felipe L. Gozon said in a statement that the company has so far established three originating stations in just eight months as part of efforts to beef up its presence in the provinces particularly in Mindanao. “We are also exploring the possibility of constructing another TV relay facility to further expand the reach of GMA Northern Mindanao,” Gozon said. He said the company is spending at least P75 million for its GMA Northern Mindanao expansion efforts that covers Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental and Occidental, Camiguin, parts of Southern Bohol, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Compostella Valley, North and South Catabato, Sultan Kudarat, Agusan del Norte and Sur, Surigao del Norte and Sur, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte The amount covers the investment for GMA Northern Mindanao’s state of the art studio, technical operation center, satellite multi-link microwave system and electronic news gathering equipment. Just last month, GMA completed the conglomeration of three TV relay facilities of its local channels namely: TV-5 Ozamiz, TV-4 Dipolog and TV-3 Pagadian with its Cagayan De Oro originating station enabling the rebroadcast of the Northern Mindanao programs to the areas that are presently reached by the relay stations. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 This brought the coverage of GMA Read More …

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