Philippines – Page 89

Ferdinand Marcos’ mortician offers to embalm Chavez

News

Mar 072013

Ferdinand Marcos’ mortician offers to embalm Chavez

Agence France-Presse 1:25 pm | Friday, March 8th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—The mortician famous for putting dead dictator Ferdinand Marcos into a glass display case offered his services Friday to the deceased Hugo Chavez, whom Venezuela wants embalmed “like Lenin”. Manila-based embalmer to the stars Frank Malabed stressed experts must act quickly if they wanted to successfully preserve the Venezuelan president, who died on Tuesday from cancer. “I have not been contacted for it but I am always expecting a call. I will process anyone, anywhere,” Malabed, 62, told AFP. He said the methods employed would depend on the condition of the corpse of Chavez, who his successor said on Thursday would be preserved “for eternity”. “What is important is they must not delay (choosing an embalmer). The longer they delay it, the more difficult it would be,” Malabed said. While Venezuelan authorities said they wanted Chavez embalmed “like Lenin”, Malabed said he would not use the same techniques as those employed for the Soviet revolutionary leader. “I was told they preserved Lenin using resin. It’s like making a block of ice. You have a box, you pour water on it and freeze it. If I were asked to do it (embalm Chavez), I would do it differently,” he said. Malabed detailed some chemicals that would need to be used. “You need to inject fluid into the arteries after draining blood from the veins. You use a hypodermic needle for that. Then you replenish it regularly. It has to be checked Read More …

Gov’t subsidies to GOCC down 21.5% to P42.15B

Economy

Mar 072013

Gov’t subsidies to GOCC down 21.5% to P42.15B

MANILA, Philippines – Subsidies given by the government to state-owned and controlled corporations went down by 21.5 percent to P 42.15 billion last year from P53.7 billion in 2011, data from the Bureau of Treasury showed. The amount, however, was 32.7 percent higher than the government’s 2012 target of only P31.76 billion. Cumulative subsidies declined even as the government increased its spending by 14 percent to P1.78 trillion last year. In December alone, subsidies for state institutions reached P15.96 billion, 87.76 percent higher than the previous year’s P8.5 billion. Among top five recipients of subsidies in 2012 were the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (P14.07 billion), National Food Authority (P7.66 billion), National Electrification Administration (P4.95 billion), National Irrigation Administration (P2.81 billion), and the National Housing Authority (P2.4 billion). PhilHealth was created on Feb. 17, 1995 to provide universal health coverage and ensure a sustainable national health insurance program for Filipinos. Local and national government allocate funds to subsidize the membership of indigents. Among PhilHealth’s members include workers employed by companies and institutions, indigents with no means of support; retirees (non-paying members) who are 60 or older, and individuals under the overseas workers and similar programs. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The NFA is an agency of the government under the Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring the food security of the Philippines and the stability of supply and price of rice. The government subsidizes rice imports through exemption from duties and taxes. The NEA, on the Read More …

Petron to issue $250-M hybrid notes

Economy

Mar 072013

MANILA, Philippines – Fresh from raising $500 million in new funding, oil giant Petron Corp. is set to generate another $250 million through the issuance of hybrid notes for its refinery expansion program. “This is to advise that the company has priced the offering Wednesday night with an issue size of $250 million and expected issue date of March 11, 2013,” Petron told the local bourse. The notes, which carry a yield of 6.551 percent, will be consolidated with and form a single series with the $500-million securities issued on Feb. 6. “The transaction was executed nimbly against a strong market, with positive sentiment buoyed on the back of the Dow Jones touching a record high the previous day in the US,” the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. (HSBC) said. HSBC, Deutsche Bank, Standard Chartered and UBS were tapped as joint bookrunners and lead managers for the largest offshore perpetual in the Philippines. HSBC said the order books were oversubscribed, with total demand reaching $2.5 billion from more than 150 accounts. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “A tap of the hybrids made sense for both investors who are looking for more Petron exposure, and for the issuer to raise cost effective funding to support its refinery master plan,” said HSBC Philippines president and CEO Wick Veloso. Early last month, the country’s largest oil refiner completed the sale of $500 million worth of dollar-denominated securities. Proceeds of the activity would be used to fund the company’s capital Read More …

PH asks Malaysia to exercise maximum tolerance on sultan’s followers

News

Mar 042013

PH asks Malaysia to exercise maximum tolerance on sultan’s followers

By Matikas Santos INQUIRER.net 3:02 pm | Monday, March 4th, 2013 DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines has asked the Malaysian government to exercise maximum tolerance in dealing with members of the Sultanate of Sulu’s “Royal Army” that figured in a weeks-long standoff in Sabah that turned violent last week. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Spokesman Raul Hernandez told reporters Monday that Secretary Albert Del Rosario had met anew with Malaysian Ambassador Mohammad Zamri bin Mohammad Kassim and had handed over a note verbale. “The note verbale states that the governments of the Philippines and Malaysia both value the lives of their citizens and share the same objective of preventing further loss of lives and further bloodshed,” Hernandez said “In this light the Philippine government has called on the forces of the royal sultanate of Sulu led by Rajah Muda Agbimuddin Kiram to surrender peacefully,” he added. Hernandez said Del Rosario was set to fly to Kuala Lumpur to personally hand over the requests of the Philippine government to his counterpart in Malaysia, Foreign Minister Anifah Aman. The Philippines was requesting clearance to allow a Philippine Navy ship to dock and bring humanitarian and consular aid to Filipinos. He also reiterated the Philippines’ request for a full briefing on the operations carried out by Malaysian authorities against Kiram’s group.

‘We can’t interfere’— defense chief

News

Mar 032013

By Frances MangosingINQUIRER.net 1:28 pm | Monday, March 4th, 2013 Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government remains in talks with Malaysia despite skirmishes in Sabah over the weekend, but claimed they are not allowed to interfere. “Right now nakikipag-ugnayan tayo but because of the operation, hindi tayo pwede makialam. Call ng Malaysian govenment yun,” Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said in a radio interview on Monday. Sultan Jamalul Kiram III’s followers and Malaysian security forces clashed in Sabah on Friday and Saturday, with fatalities on both sides. This prompted the Philippines to increase its security in Mindanao, with 10 Navy ships now deployed between Tawi-Tawi and Sabah, to prevent followers of Kiram to send reinforcements in Sabah. “Ang ginagawa natin ay pine-prevent natin ang movement noong galing dito papuntang Malaysia baka … may nagpapadala ng reinforcements para lalong palakihin ang gulo,” Gazmin said. Malaysia also reportedly heightened its security in Sabah. The defense chief though said they have not received reports that the sultan’s followers from Mindanao were able to go to Sabah by speedboat early Saturday. Gazmin also said that President Benigno Aquino III has ordered to assist evacuees, and at the same time identify those who were involved in the standoff. “Ang (order sa atin) ay tulungan ang evacuees at the same time i-identify ang mga na-involved sa standoff…kung ano ang participation nila tignan natin. But ang majority ng attention natin ay mga civilians na involved dito na pinaalis na sa area,” he Read More …

BI orders deportation of American pedophile

News

Mar 032013

By Tetch Torres-TupasINQUIRER.net 1:19 pm | Monday, March 4th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Immigration has ordered the deportation of a convicted American pedophile wanted in the US for failure to report his location and activities to federal authorities. Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David said Earl Lynn Bagley, 60 who was arrested last February 4 at the Robinson’s Mall in Ermita, Manila will be deported for being an undesirable alien. David said Bagley is the subject of an arrest warrant issued last November by a US district court in Washington due to his failure to update his registration as a sex offender. Bagley’s passport was revoked by the State Department after he failed to update his registration as a sex offender in the US. In the Philippines, Immigration records showed that he did not extend his tourist visa since he last arrived in the country on April 17 last year. Meanwhile, Atty. Ma. Antonette Mangrobang, BI acting intelligence chief, Bagley’s offense stemmed from his failure to update his registration as a sex offender Mangrobang explained that the registration is a system in the US designed to enable authorities to keep track of the residence and activities of sex offenders. All 50 US states have reportedly passed laws requiring sex offenders, especially child sex offenders, to periodically report their residence upon leaving prison or after being convicted of their crime. Various websites on sex offenders revealed that on Oct. 29, 2004 a Seattle court sentenced Bagley to 51 months custody, including Read More …

Coca-Cola closes Laguna plant but remains committed to Phl investments

Economy

Mar 032013

Coca-Cola closes Laguna plant but remains committed to Phl investments

MANILA, Philippines – Beverage giant The Coca-Cola Co. has decided to close its plant in Calamba, Laguna to streamline its regional operations. The company, however, said it remains committed to investing in the Philippines for the next 100 years. Bessie Arciga, corporate communications and brand public relations manager of The Coca-Cola Export Corp., said in an email that the decision to close the Canlubang concentrate plant will affect 57 direct employees. “In order to streamline operations, The Coca-Cola Co. continuously reviews its concentrate supply chain to drive greater efficiency and position itself to meet future growth in Asia. As a result of that review, the company has decided to produce all concentrate and beverage base for the Philippines in Singapore, and to close the Philippines concentrate plant,” she said. “This decision will allow us to be more efficient and to increase flexibility in the Asia supply chain,” she said further. The plant closure is expected to be completed within the year. To mitigate the effect of the plant closure, the firm is reassigning employees in Canlubang to its other plants or facilities in the country and in Singapore. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The company will likewise be giving a competitive severance package to its employees. But while the firm has decided to halt operations at its plant in Canlubang, it intends to pursue investments in the country. “Although we have closed our plant, the company remains committed to investing in the Philippine economy not only Read More …

Local smartphone app created for sari-sari store load sellers

Economy

Mar 012013

Local smartphone app created for sari-sari store load sellers

MANILA, Philippines — A new smartphone application was introduced for “sari-sari” stores or mini-stores in the country which sell prepaid cellphone load credits to their customers. Called the SariLoad, the app was developed by Sari Software Solutions, a local company in the Philippines. The company said SariLoad demonstrates a first-of-its-kind smartphone-based loading app for sari-sari stores. A public demo of the app was made recently at the 2013 Globe National Convention which was attended by Globe Telecom’s load distributors and resellers from all over the Philippines. SariLoad is designed to run on Android-based smartphones and comes packed with features that address the needs of sari-sari store owners. The app was first fielded to several sari-sari stores in a closed beta testing for a few months in order for Sari to gain real-world insights and learning. During the SariLoad demo led by Sari’s CEO and founder Ibba Bernardo, user interface designer Philip Cheang, and product research manager Cristina del Rosario, it only took seconds to perform the task compared to the traditional methods which take a few minutes to sell load, thereby saving sari-sari store owners valuable time and allowing them to serve more customers. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The app can also show how much the store is earning at any given time period. Del Rosario highlighted the creation process for the SariLoad app which took into account all the suggestions of the sari-sari store owners who tested the app. Del Rosario reiterated that such Read More …

PH to royal army: Leave Sabah, then we’ll talk

Entertainment

Mar 012013

PH to royal army: Leave Sabah, then we’ll talk

President Benigno S. Aquino III distributes baller bands to Liberal Party (LP) members and supporters from the Province of Misamis Oriental after attending the Meeting with Local Leaders and the Community at the Don Gregorio Pelaez Sports Complex in Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City on Tuesday (February 26). (MNS photo) MANILA, Feb 27 (Mabuhay) -– The Philippine government will not hold talks on the Sabah issue unless the Sultanate of Sulu recalls its followers who have been holed up in Sabah for two weeks already, Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Raul Hernandez said on Wednesday. Hernandez appealed anew to Sultan Jamalul Kiram III to order his followers to leave Sabah and go back to Mindanao. “We believe that the ball is now in Kiram’s court and they should be concerned for the well-being and safety of the followers in Lahad Datu. As a responsible leader, we expect Sultan Kiram to now order his men to leave the area,” Hernandez said. “The Kirams are inviting a harsh reaction from the Malaysian side. In order to settle this peacefully and expeditiously, the followers of the sultanate should leave the area as soon as possible.” The situation in Sabah remains deadlocked, with both the Philippine government and the Sultanate of Sulu insisting on their conditions. The sultanate, citing numerous historical accounts and rental receipts from the Malaysian government, said the Sultanate of Sulu is the rightful owner of the land. The followers in Sabah, led by crown prince Datu Raja Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, said Read More …

DND-OPA – MV – Bayanihan Para sa Kapayapaan

Entertainment

Feb 282013

DND-OPA – MV – Bayanihan Para sa Kapayapaan(screenshot courtesy of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y1qYSSb0tA) Music Video on the on-going peace and development in the countryside program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, produced and developed by the Philippine Army Public Affairs Office. Popular young singer-actress Sarah Geronimo lends her persona and services pro bono as part of her “bayanihan” in the nation’s aspiration for peace and stability. Music and lyrics by LtJg Lady Chatterly Alvaro Sumbeling PN. Launched and released on November 28, 2012 at the Headquarters Philippine Army.

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