OFW found dead in suitcase in Egypt

 News
Aug 212013
 
OFW found dead in suitcase in Egypt

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 8:13 pm | Wednesday, August 21st, 2013 In this Sunday, Aug. 18, 2013 photo a convoy of Egyptian police vehicles patrols the southern city of Assiut, Egypt. (AP Photo/Roger Anis, El Shorouk Newspaper) EGYPT OUT MANILA, Philippines – An Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) was found dead in a suitcase in Cairo, Egypt, a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday. “A female OFW was reported on Aug 17 to have been killed in Cairo. Her body was found concealed in a large suitcase which was left around the dump site in Nasr City,” Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez said in a text message Wednesday. The identity of the body could not be immediately determined due to its advanced stage of decomposition. It was also not yet clear whether the OFW was collateral damage in the ongoing civil unrest in the country. “In cooperation with the [Philippine] embassy [in Egypt], the police authorities are ascertaining the positive identity, cause, and circumstances of her death prior to notifying the victim’s next of kin,” Hernandez said. Previously, the DFA has raised crisis alert level 4 in Egypt due to the civil unrest between supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi and government security forces. Violent clashes ensued when authorities dispersed a sit-in protest of Morsi’s supporters who were demanding his reinstatement. Hundreds were reported killed with thousands more injured from the clashes. A month-long state of emergency has been declared by the government. Related Stories: First batch of OFWs repatriated from Read More …

First batch of OFWs repatriated from Egypt to arrive in PH

 News
Aug 212013
 
First batch of OFWs repatriated from Egypt to arrive in PH

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 4:44 pm | Wednesday, August 21st, 2013 Egyptian soldiers stand guard at a checkpoint during a dawn-to-dusk curfew in the Zamalek district of Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013. The Philippines has ordered the mandatory evacuation of some 6,000 Filipinos from Egypt following a visit to the Arab country by Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario to investigate the security situation after days of violent clashes. AP PHOTO/MAYA ALLERUZZO MANILA, Philippines – Five Filipinos will comprise the first batch of overseas Filipino workers to be repatriated from Egypt in light of the crisis alert level 4 raised due to the escalating civil strife in that country. “Five Filipinos are to be repatriated to the Philippines in view of the crisis alert level 4 imposed [due to] the current political situation in Egypt,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman assistant secretary Raul Hernandez said Wednesday in a text message. “Three of them came from Cairo, and two from Alexandria. Their flight is scheduled to arrive Aug 21, 4:20 p.m. via [flight] QR646,” Hernandez said. Violence erupted in Cairo after government security forces dispersed a sit-in protest of ousted president Mohammed Morsi’s supporters who have been demanding his reinstatement after being deposed in a military coup last July. Hundreds have been reported killed in the violent dispersal, the latest of a series of clashes between pro-Morsi protesters and government authorities. The DFA issued crisis alert level 4 last Aug 19 after a month-long state of emergency was declared in the Read More …

PH entry makes it to Project Inspire finals

 Economy
Aug 182013
 
PH entry makes it to Project Inspire finals

MANILA, Philippines – Ilaw ng Tahanan, a project designed to train women inmates to produce low-cost solar lamps, brings young Filipino lawyers Margarita N. Gutierrez and Doranne Lim to Singapore for the finals of Project Inspire: 5 Minutes to Change the World, hopefully to win the US$25,000 Women’s Empowerment Grant. Gutierrez and Lim will compete with nine other Project Inspire finalists from Canada, India, Netherlands, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Uganda and United States, whose projects will benefit communities in Asia/Pacific, the Middle East or Africa (APMEA). The 10 finalists were selected based on their sustainability, impact and economic or social benefit, out of this year’s 577 submissions from 62 countries around the world. Jointly organized by the Singapore Committee of UN Women and MasterCard and supported by INSEAD, Project Inspire is a digital and social media driven initiative that encourages young people across the world to empower disadvantaged women and girls. It was launched in 2011, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day and the 25th anniversary of MasterCard in APMEA. Open to 18-35 year olds all over the world, Project Inspire provides a five-minute platform for pitching transformative, sustainable ideas and a grant for the winner to implement the initiatives, which can range from education and skills training, to financial inclusion or social entrepreneurship. It’s the third time Filipinos made a mark on the competition. For Project Inspire 2011, a micro-entrepreneurship program, Hapinoy, won the Grand Prize. Hapinoy equipped underprivileged women with the skills, tools, Read More …

Estrada lauds Taiwan move to lift sanctions vs PH

 News
Aug 132013
 
Estrada lauds Taiwan move to lift sanctions vs PH

By Maila AgerINQUIRER.net 5:35 pm | Tuesday, August 13th, 2013 Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada. FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada on Tuesday lauded Taiwan’s decision to lift sanctions it earlier imposed against the Philippines, saying this would pave the way for the resumption of bilateral ties on trade, investments, and hiring of overseas Filipino workers. “This resumption of productive relations between the two governments definitely results to mutual benefits. It is especially a very positive development for our OFWs,” Estrada, chairman of the Senate committee on labor, said in a statement. The reported lifting of sanctions came after the National Bureau of Investigation recommended the  filing of charges against  Coast Guard personnel  involved in the  fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman in an encounter last May 9. The Philippines through Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) chairman Amadeo Perez Jr. also issued an apology to the family of 65-year old fisherman Hung Shih Cheng who was killed during the encounter. Estrada pointed out information showing that Taiwan is among the top destinations of OFWs and is host to some 80,000 to 100,000 Filipino workers. Statistics also showed that the deployment of workers in Taiwan is estimated at 40,000 every year. He then urged Philippine officials, particularly the MECO, to beef up steps aimed at further strengthening and normalizing the two governments’ relations. Tension rose, he noted, during the three months that the issue was being addressed and investigated, and actual incidents of harassment against Filipinos in Taiwan Read More …

DFA disputes Trillanes over PH plan for larger US presence

 News
Aug 132013
 
DFA disputes Trillanes over PH plan for larger US presence

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 5:09 pm | Tuesday, August 13th, 2013 Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez and Senator Antonio Trillanes INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) disputed the allegations of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV that the negotiations between the United States and the Philippines for increased rotational presence of their troops was being unjustly hyped. “Defending what is ours, securing our nation, and keeping our people safe is a combined effort of diplomacy and defense, the partnership of the DFA and Department of National Defense (DND) is of paramount importance,” DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez told reporters Tuesday. “We need to be transparent to the public; we need to let our people know how we intend to protect and safeguard their interest and welfare at all times,” he said. Trillanes said Monday that the negotiations between US and the Philippines should be a national security matter only and the DFA should not have a role. “I believe that is an operational matter that does not need the consent of the Senate so they should have studied it first before they give it hype,” Trillanes said. “That should be a defense matter, it’s not a foreign relations matter. It is a national security concern, only [DND] secretary Voltaire Gazmin should be speaking about that matter,” he said. The ongoing territorial dispute over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) between the Philippines and China should not be connected to the policy of the US to Read More …

Warship ‘Monching’ is here; PH to intensify sea patrols

 News
Aug 062013
 
Warship ‘Monching’ is here; PH to intensify sea patrols

By TJ Burgonio, Nikko DizonPhilippine Daily Inquirer 2:13 am | Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 SECOND MAJOR WARSHIP President Aquino, accompanied by AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, troops the line for the arrival ceremony of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, a high-endurance Hamilton-class cutter, at the Subic Freeport on Tuesday. The Philippines vowed intensified sea patrols as it welcomed the arrival of its latest warship from the United States amid a maritime row with China. MALACAÑANG PHOTO SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Philippines—President Aquino on Tuesday called the second Hamilton class-cutter from the United States a big boost to the Navy in patrolling the seas amid a territorial row with China. In the drizzly morning but with a fiesta-like atmosphere, the President, Cabinet members and the military top brass watched from the BRP Ang Pangulo as the 3,250-ton decommissioned warship from the US Coast Guard docked at the port here, after a voyage of two months from the United States. The President said the arrival of the Navy frigate, renamed BRP Ramon Alcaraz, and nicknamed by the Navy “Monching” was proof of the government’s desire to have an Armed Forces capable of defending its people. The first Hamilton class-cutter, BRP Gregorio del Pilar, has made patrolling the seas more extensive and faster, and the arrival of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz will further enhance this, Aquino said. Overcome bad elements “Now that the BRP Ramon Alcaraz is here, we’re certain that this would intensify the patrol of the Philippine Economic Zone as well Read More …

Aquino: New Navy ship boosts PH defense in sea row

 News
Aug 062013
 
Aquino: New Navy ship boosts PH defense in sea row

By Frances Mangosing, Kristine Angeli SabilloINQUIRER.net 2:57 pm | Tuesday, August 6th, 2013 The BRP Ramon Alcaraz is the second Hamilton-class cutter that was acquired by the Philippine Navy under the Foreign Military Sales Program of the United States. US EMBASSY PHOTO RELEASE SUBIC BAY, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday said the acquisition of a second warship by the Philippines will boost the Navy’s ability to patrol and defend the country’s waters. Aquino expressed confidence that the BRP Alcaraz, the “newest and modern ship” the country has acquired, will fulfill the government’s aim to have an Armed Forces capable of defending the country and the Filipino people. “Now that the BRP Alcaraz is here, it will definitely boost our patrols around the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone and our ability to quell threats and dangerous elements, respond to search and rescue operations, and needs of our marine resources,” Aquino said in Filipino as he welcomed the arrival of the 45-year-old former US Coast Guard Hamilton-class cutter at the Alava Wharf here. Aquino recounted the ship’s “historic and symbolic” journey from the United States, passing through Pearl Harbor and Guam, and the heroes behind this journey. It is in this light that the President challenged the troops of the Philippine Navy to live up to the courage exemplified by those who lived before them. “So this is my challenge to the Philippine Navy and to the troops that will be on this ship: Live up to the courage and Read More …

DFA monitors no ‘specific threats’ to PH diplomatic posts abroad

 News
Aug 052013
 
DFA monitors no ‘specific threats’ to PH diplomatic posts abroad

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 3:32 pm | Monday, August 5th, 2013 DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has not monitored any specific threats to its posts abroad after the United States (US) has closed at least 20 of its embassies in the Middle East and Africa due to threats. “We recognize the prerogative and the need for any country to take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of their personnel and their people,” DFA spokesman, Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, told reporters Monday. “So far they have not monitored any specific threats but they continue to monitor the security situation in their areas,” he said. The diplomatic posts of the US would be closed until August 10 Saturday. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines. Tags: al-Qaeda , DFA , Features , Global Nation , global warning , Philippine Embassies , Terrorism Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer’s Reader’s Advocate. Or write The Readers’ Advocate:

Newly acquired warship arrives in PH amid sea row

 News
Aug 022013
 
Newly acquired warship arrives in PH amid sea row

1:14 pm | Friday, August 2nd, 2013 The BRP Ramon Alcaraz is the second Hamilton-class cutter that was acquired by the Philippine Navy under the Foreign Military Sales Program of the United States. The ship was named after Philippine Navy Commodore Ramon Alcaraz, a World War II hero who commanded the Philippine Offshore Patrol’s Q-Boat Q-112 Abra which shot down three Japanese aircraft. US EMBASSY PHOTO RELEASE MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines’ second warship acquired from the US, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, was welcomed by local fishing vessels off Aurora as it entered the Philippine waters early Friday. “After almost two months of long journey from South Carolina, we can now confidently say that she BRP Alcaraz is finally home,” the Philippine Navy in its official blog announced. The arrival of the second Hamilton-class came amid a tense territorial dispute between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). The warship, which sailed in the Pacific Ocean from South Carolina for almost two months, was welcomed through a “sail past.” It was carrying 88 officers and crew. The BRP Ramon Alcaraz left the US last June 10. The Philippines acquired from the US Coast Guard its first Hamilton cutter in  May 2011 and named it BRP Gregorio del Pilar. The BRP Alcaraz is expected to anchor in Subic Bay on Sunday. A formal welcome ceremony  will be held at Alava Wharf at Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales on Tuesday. “Tomorrow is a special day for them. They Read More …

New US envoy acceptable to PH, says Del Rosario

 News
Aug 012013
 
New US envoy acceptable to PH, says Del Rosario

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 6:55 am | Friday, August 2nd, 2013 Foreign Affairs secretary Alberto del Rosario. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines has accepted US President Barack Obama’s nomination of the next ambassador to Manila pending the latter’s confirmation in the US Congress, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said on Thursday. This developed as the nomination of Assistant Secretary Philip Goldberg, current head of the US Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR), has raised concerns among militant groups given his expulsion from Bolivia, his last overseas assignment. “We’ve already issued the agreement and I think he will be going through the US Senate. So we’re hopeful … we think that he will be a very good ambassador,” Del Rosario said, referencing to the document that incoming chiefs of mission present to their host countries as a diplomatic courtesy. He said he had not met Goldberg, a career diplomat, not even during his stint as Philippine ambassador to the United States. Asked about concerns about the envoy’s record in Bolivia, Del Rosario replied: “I don’t want to comment on that because I don’t know the circumstances.” Militant umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) is wary of Goldberg’s nomination, saying it “may signal intensified US intervention in PH affairs as the US moves more troops and ships toward Asia under its strategic pivot.” Goldberg was booted out of La Paz in 2008, two years into his term as US ambassador, after Bolivian President Evo Morales, a known Read More …

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