A year ago, Ruby Magalit-Pineda, one of our former high school classmates from St. Joseph’s College, Quezon City, conceptualized a “mini reunion” hosted by her in Las Vegas. Ruby’s great concept was put together by our other “super” coordinator, Lorna Juice who lives in Fontana in spite of bereavement despite her bereavement on the sudden passing […]
The alleged abduction of activist Jonas Burgos was among the 101 “priorities” for investigation identified by an interagency committee tasked by President Benigno Aquino III to monitor cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in the country. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who chairs the committee, said Burgos’ case will be among those to be first investigated and monitored by the panel. “Pinresent na rin sa amin sa interagency ‘yung listahan from the technical working group noong priority cases na dapat tutukan o unahin ang pagtutok sa pag-iimbestiga. Meron na po kaming initial list of priority cases for both extralegal killings and enforced disappearance,” De Lima said at a press briefing Thursday at the military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. The justice secretary, however, refused to identify other priority cases, saying the list still has yet to be finalized. Armed Forces chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, both members of the interagency panel created through Administrative Order 35, were also among those who approved the initial list of priority cases during the committee’s meeting on Thursday morning. The Court of Appeals recently implicated a Philippine Army officer, Maj. Harry Baliaga, as responsible for the kidnapping of Burgos. Last Friday, the Supreme Court ordered the military leadership to disclose the whereabouts of the military personnel linked to the case. Burgos, a political activist and son of the late press freedom advocate Jose Burgos, was abducted in a restaurant at the Ever Gotesco Mall along Commonwealth Avenue in Read More …
MANILA, Philippines – Lawmakers are backing a proposal to replace the Bureau of Customs (BoC) with a “professional” institution run by private officials and employees in a bid to stamp out smuggling and cleanse the bureau. Rep. Winston Castelo (2nd District, Quezon City) said he always believes in the privatization of certain government functions for reasons of efficiency and transparency. “This is a proposal that requires thorough studies and careful evaluation. It can turn custom functions upside down but is worth exploring. We have to keep an open mind,” Castelo said. On the other hand, Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan (Party-list, Gabriela) said that by just abolishing the BoC and replacing it with another agency may not solve the real problem. “The corruption in the customs is already an urban legend. It is systemic,” Ilagan said. Ilagan said the best solution to curb corruption in the bureau is to uproot the oldies, cleanse the agency and get committed workers. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Ilagan also underscored that President Benigno S. Aquino III should get down to work if he really wants to see the fulfillment of his tuwid na daan theme. “If he continues to see no evil, hear no evil or speak no evil about this agency, he should stop mouthing his tuwid na daan and get down to work,” Ilagan said. The Bureau of Customs has been under fire in recent days, with reports on rampant smuggling of oil through special economic zones and agricultural Read More …
MANILA, Philippines – Property firm SM Development Corp. (SMDC), which is studying a merger with mall operator SM Prime Holdings Inc., said its income hit nearly P5 billion last year on strong residential sales. In a disclosure, the firm said its consolidated net income jumped 17.5 percent to P4.9 billion, backed by a 16.4-percent uptick in income from real estate sales to P4.7 billion. SMDC’s profit growth topped the 12-15 percent target within the SM Group, which includes shopping malls, retailing, banking and hotels. Operations of SMDC became more profitable last year as return on equity improved to 13 percent from 12 percent a year ago. “The number of units sold during the year increased 7.6 percent to 12,614 units from 11,726 units in 2011,” SMDC said. Reservation sales surged a fifth to P31.7 billion from P26.3 billion a year earlier. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 SMDC said most of the units sold were from Shell Residences in the Mall of Asia complex, Green Residences along Taft Ave., Jazz Residences in Makati, Light Residences along EDSA, Sun Residences in Quezon City, Grass Residences, also in Quezon City, and Wind Residences in Tagaytay City. Total revenues from real estate sales picked up by one-third to P21.6 billion from P16.2 billion. SMDC expects to continue its robust sales this year given the property boom and its ongoing residential projects. As of end-2012, SMDC had 15 ongoing residential condominium projects all over Metro Manila, with the exception of Wind Read More …
President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his message during the 38th Anniversary of the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) and Blessing and Inauguration ceremony of the expanded PHC Operating Room Complex at East Avenue, Quezon City on Friday (February 15). With the theme: “Hawak Kamay para sa Kalusugan”. PHC is a leader in upholding the highest standards of cardiovascular care, a self-reliant institution responsive to the health needs of the Filipino people. It ranks as one of the leading medical institutions in Asia for the medical and surgical treatment of heart diseases. Since its establishment, over two million indigent patients have been served by PHC. In photo are House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr., Health Secretary Enrique Ona, PHC executive director Dr. Manuel Chua Chiaco, Jr. and Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista. (MNS photo) President Benigno S. Aquino III undrapes the marker of the expanded Philippine Heart Center (PHC) Operating Room Complex during its 38th Anniversary at East Avenue, Quezon City on Friday (February 15). With the theme: “Hawak Kamay para sa Kalusugan”. PHC is the leader in upholding the highest standards of cardiovascular care, a self-reliant institution responsive to the health needs of the Filipino people. It ranks as one of the leading medical institutions in Asia for the medical and surgical treatment of heart diseases. Since its establishment, over two million indigent patients have been served by PHC. In photo are House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. and Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista. (MNS photo) MANILA, Feb 16 (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Read More …
MANILA, Philippines – Philex Mining Corp. is prodding the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to immediately allow it to temporarily resume operations to enable it to fill the void in the compromised tailings pond no 3 of its copper-gold mine in Padcal, Benguet before the onset of the rainy season. Philex earlier petitioned the MGB to be allowed to temporarily resume operations to produce fresh tailings to fill the void and increase the stability of the tailings pond. The process called beaching was recommended by the foreign consultants hired by Philex for the rehabilitation of the tailings pond. Because the tailings pond was designed to hold solids, 3.5 million tons of fresh tailings should be dumped into the ponds to push away the water from the dam. This will create what is called a beach. It will take about three to four months to produce the volume of silt needed for beaching. “We are requesting the MGB to lift the suspension to enable Philex to undergo rehabilitation before the rains come,” Philex president and chief operating officer Eulalio Austin Jr. said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Another option to fill the void in the tailings pond is to gather the spilled tailings from the contaminated waterways. However, this would be expensive and time consuming because the company would still have to install additional infrastructure such as roads and pumps in the mine site. Libby Ricafort, Philex vice president for operations and Padcal resident manager, said the Read More …