MANILA, July 23, 2013 (AFP) – Fans of LeBron James in the basketball-crazy Philippines were in raptures Tuesday after queuing in sun and rain for up to three days to see their hoop god in the flesh. The Miami Heat star was greeted with indoor fireworks and chants of “MVP” (most valuable player) as he […]
Agence France-Presse 6:58 pm | Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 Risa Hontiveros. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Hundreds of Philippine activists on Wednesday accused China of “gunboat diplomacy”, demonstrating at a noisy Manila protest against the Asian giant’s moves to stake its claims in the South China Sea. Riot police cordoned off the entrance to an office building housing the Chinese consulate as an estimated one thousand demonstrators took Beijing to task for “bullying” the Philippines. The protest, which ended peacefully two hours later, came amid festering tensions between the two neighbours over Scarborough Shoal, a Philippine-claimed outcrop seized by China after a two-month naval stand-off last year. “Our simple message for China today is to stop your intrusions, and stop your bullying of other claimant countries,” Risa Hontiveros, a former member of parliament and one of the protest leaders, told AFP. The demonstrators, who included politicians, former military officers and church officials, accused China in a statement handed out at the protest of implementing “gunboat diplomacy in the region”. They put up a portable stage on the street, snarling traffic as they sang patriotic songs, blew horns, danced and hoisted anti-Chinese slogans. China claims nearly all of the strategically vital South China Sea, even waters close to the shores of its smaller neighbours. Apart from Scarborough, the Philippines has also protested the presence of Chinese navy vessels near Philippine-held Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands. The islands have been a source of regional tension for decades, with China and Vietnam Read More …
By Leila B. SalaverriaPhilippine Daily Inquirer 6:55 pm | Wednesday, July 24th, 2013 Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—After President Benigno Aquino III pushed for the amendment of the cabotage law in his State of the Nation Address, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez filed a measure to liberalize the entry of foreign vessels in the country and to allow them to engage in coastwise trade. Rodriguez, in his bill, said the country’s current cabotage principle reserving coastwise trade for national flag carriers has given rise to inefficiency because local operators have cornered the market. “The cabotage policy limits competition and encourages inefficiency among local vessel operators since foreign vessels are not allowed to pick-up local cargo for delivery to another port within the Philippines. Local vessel operators are not forced to compete in terms of freight coast and service quality with international vessel operators,” he said in his explanatory note to the bill. This foreign trade barrier must be lifted, he added. Foreign-owned vessels should be allowed to ship export and import cargoes under the same rules and regulations covering domestic shipping companies, and they should be allowed to dock at any port in the country, he said. This would bring about a host of benefits for the country, he said. Domestic tourism would receive a boost, and port revenues would increase. Shipping companies would also offer more competitive fees. Foreign vessels would also be able to provide the transshipment services needed by local Read More …
SOUTH KOREAN businessmen are interested in putting up manufacturing facilities in the country after a delegation recently visited the country, the Trade department said in a statement yesterday.
By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 11:40 pm | Tuesday, July 23rd, 2013 MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has a new message for China amid its continued maritime dispute with the country: “FU”. This message however does not mean any profanity, but instead is a call for “peace, love, unity and respect.” An independent group of artists from the United States and the Philippines have banded together and called themselves “The Filipinos Unite” (FU) movement with the aim of using music to call for Filipinos all over the world to unite against China’s bullying of the Philippines. Vonz Santos, chairman of FU, said Tuesday that their movement has several goals, among them are “to inspire the Filipinos around the world to wake up and come together, to show the world that there is another way to deal with conflict so peace can be attained, and to remind the Filipinos around the world about the strength and dignity that belongs to every Filipino.” “We have to do something as responsible citizens and Filipinos. I’ve marched and held rallies, I’ve been in front of the UN [and yet] the situation continues to get worse,” he said in a press conference. Santos was referring to the recent incursions of Chinese ships into Philippine territorial waters. China claims the entire West Philippines Sea (South China Sea) as its own including Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag Shoal or Scarborough Shoal) and Ayungin Shoal. Recently, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) started the arbitration process between the Philippines and China despite Beijing’s pronouncements that it Read More …
By Michelle V. RemoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 6:51 pm | Tuesday, July 23rd, 2013 MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal. FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Japanese government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, has agreed to take on a major role in helping form the Bangsamoro government that is hoped to bring sustainable peace and development in Mindanao and is targeted to be operational by 2016. In a press conference Tuesday, JICA officials said the Japanese government-funded institution shall extend technical assistance to concerned people in Mindanao to help prepare them for 2016. Cristina Santiago, senior program officer at JICA, said the technical assistance shall run for three years. Signing of the technical assistance agreement will be held on Thursday. JICA shall be represented by Takahiro Sasaki, chief representative to the Philippines. The Bangsamoro people shall be represented by Mohagher Iqbal, chair of the Transition Commission for the establishment of the Bangsamoro government. The technical assistance, valued at $7 million (about P300 million), covers the formulation of medium- and long-term development plans for Mindanao. The assistance shall come in the form of a grant. The assistance likewise includes training of concerned people in Mindanao on areas of public administration, public budgeting and finance, management, and details of a parliamentary form of government. Chikaraishi Juro, senior advisor at JICA, said in the press conference that people in charge of forming the Bangsamoro government prefer having a parliamentary system in the belief such will be effective in instituting needed security, social, and economic programs in Read More …
By Frances MangosingINQUIRER.net 6:01 pm | Tuesday, July 23rd, 2013 MANILA, Philippines – Ranking United States military officers are in the country for a series of Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) talks. The contingent from the US is led by Major General Gregg Sturdevant, chief of Strategic Planning Policy (J5) of US Pacific Command. “Dumating sila dito para makipag-meeting execom [executive committee] para planuhin yung mga activities na gagawin next year,” Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo, when asked to confirm about the visit of the US officials. (“They arrived here for execom meeting to plan out next year’s activities,” Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo, when asked to confirm about the visit of the US officials.) Gazmin said the talks will tackle humanitarian activities and military drills between US and Philippines including Balikatan, which is usually planned one year ahead. Both the delegates of the PH-US will participate in the talks at Camp Aguinaldo from Wednesday until Friday. RELATED STORIES: US Secretary of the Navy meets with PH defense, military officials ‘Rebalancing’ of US forces in PH tackled by Gazmin, US defense official Bigger US military role in Philippines sought 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: Defense Read More …
By Frances MangosingINQUIRER.net 5:58 pm | Tuesday, July 23rd, 2013 Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Tuesday said he didn’t see the need for President Benigno Aquino III to mention the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) dispute with China during his fourth State of the Nation Address the day before. He said the arbitration proceedings by the United Nations has started. “Well because the process is moving, it’s been organized, the members have been organized, so the process has begun,” Gazmin told reporters in Filipino in an interview at Camp Aguinaldo. “Our legal proceedings might be affected,” he added. A five-member tribunal has been formed for the arbitration process, and the proceedings began in the Netherlands last week despite China’s refusal to cooperate. Gazmin said that China has maintained its presence in Ayungin (Second Thomas Shoal) off Palawan and Panatag (Scarborough Shoal) off Zambales, which are both well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. He said there were at least two Chinese ships monitored in the periphery of Ayungin and two Chinese Maritime Surveillance ships in Panatag. The West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) had been a longtime source of conflict in the region, with China claiming ownership of the entire area. 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 Read More …
MANILA, Philippines – Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc. has tied up with French-owned Transatel to provide mobile telephony services to Filipinos based or visiting the United Kingdom. Globe corporate information officer Marisalve Ciocson-Co informed the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) that the partnership agreement between Globe’s UK Globetel Limited and Transatel of France last July 20. Ciocson-Co said both companies agreed to provide mobile telephony services such as voice calls, short messaging system (SMS), multimedia messaging system (MMS), load top-up, and mobile data. She said the services would be offered by UK Globetel to Filipinos based or visiting the UK through the French firm’s platform. “This new offering is consistent with Globe’s thrust to continue providing Filipinos overseas with innovative and value for money services that allows constant communication ties with family and friends,” she stressed. Earlier, Globe partnered with UK-based iVitta to strengthen its foothold in the seafarer market. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The company will offer an exclusive SIM card that will provide Filipino seafarers the lowest call and text rates when communicating with their families and loved ones in the Philippines. The Globe Seafarer SIM allows Filipino mariners from anywhere in the world to regularly keep in touch with their loved ones back home at affordable call and text rates without the need for expensive satellite equipment connections using two numbers in one SIM – an international mobile number and a local Globe mobile number. Using their international mobile number, seafarers can call the Read More …
Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario on Monday said he was glad President Benigno Aquino III made no mention of the territorial disputes with China in his fourth State of the Nation Address. “I think it was good judgment on the President’s part not to mention it,” Del Rosario said on the sidelines of the SONA at the Batasan Complex. “It’s like when you’re in dispute and you’re already in court, you really don’t discuss the issue.” “I think the plans are clear, because the train has left the station. We filed for arbitration and we’re waiting for the process to continue,” he added. The Philippines sought arbitration under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) last January to have China’s nine-dash claim declared “illegal.” China’s territorial claims cover almost all the South China Sea, including sections that have been declared as the West Philippine Sea. Del Rosario also said he saw no need for the president to mention the issue of disputed territories, as the decision of the UN Arbitral Tribunal would be final. Also, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda echoed Del Rosario’s sentiments. “Ngayon gumagalaw sa UNCLOS na ngayon, so there’s really nothing to discuss na, nasabi na rin ng Pangulo at ng Department of Foreign Affairs [lahat ng dapat sabihin,]” he said. The International Tribunal convened last week in the Netherlands to look at the complaint lodged by the Philippines. The Philippines and China have been locked in a territorial dispute over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal Read More …