Crisis alert level 4 up for OFWs in Egypt

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Aug 192013
 
Crisis alert level 4 up for OFWs in Egypt

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 11:04 am | Tuesday, August 20th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines – Crisis Alert Level 4 has been raised over Egypt which means mandatory repatriation of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) there, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Tuesday. “DFA Secretary Albert F. del Rosario who is visiting Cairo for the second time in two weeks for the purpose of assessing the security situation of Filipino nationals, raised Crisis Alert Level 4 over Egypt on August 19,” DFA said in a statement. “The marked deterioration of peace and order in Egypt, exacerbated by the ongoing political instability and grave security challenges in that country, make working and living there increasingly difficult and dangerous,” it said. Del Rosario further called on all Filipinos in Cairo to immediately contact the Philippine Embassy there through the following: -Trunk Lines: (+202) 25213062/64/65/51-Direct Lines: (+202) 2516 6217 / 25213045-Mobile Hotlines: (+2) 012 2743 6472 / 012 8247 6554-Fax No.: (+202) 2521-3048-Facebook: Cairo Philippine Embassy-e-mail: cairope@tedata.net.eg, cairo.pe@dfa.gov.ph The mandatory repatriation will be at the expense of the Philippine Government, the DFA said. A rapid response team was already in Cairo since August 17 to assist in the conduct of the repatriation efforts. The civil strife in Egypt intensified after supporters of ousted president Mohhamed Morsi, who were holding a sit-in protest, were violently dispersed by government security forces. The pro-Morsi protesters demanded the reinstatement of Morsi, who was ousted in a military coup last July. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks Read More …

Long Beach language policy aids limited-English speakers, including Filipinos

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Aug 192013
 
Long Beach language policy aids limited-English speakers, including Filipinos

By Hiyasmin QuijanoINQUIRER.net US Bureau 10:30 am | Tuesday, August 20th, 2013 Various groups gather in front of the City Hall of Long Beach to press for a “language access” policy. PHOTO BY JOY PRIM LONG BEACH, California–After two years of campaigning by various organizations for “language access,” the Long Beach city council adopted a language policy to improve immigrants’ access to the city’s services. Long Beach has an estimated 20,000 Filipinos who are among the city’s nearly 250,000 Latino and Asian residents. Long Beach has a population of roughly 500,000. Some 5,000 Filipinos have limited English proficiency (or speak English less than well). The coalition began a phone campaign to push Long Beach officials to release the language access policy draft, knowing that the most common languages spoken in the city are other than English, namely Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog. Long Beach’s adopted language access policy allows room for refinement through quarterly compliance reporting to the city council at public hearings. The broad coalition is made up of Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles; Building Healthy Communities Long Beach; East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice; Housing Long Beach; Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition; Educated Men with Meaningful Messages; Aikona; Filipino Migrant Center; Californians for Justice; United Cambodian Community; and Khmer Girls in Action. “We realized that there was no real promise for language access for Khmer and Tagalog, and we reacted quickly to what these people need,” stated Alex Montances, Filipino Migrant Center staff representative who attended coalition meetings. During citywide budget cuts, Read More …

Suspect in US diver’s killing urged to yield

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Aug 192013
 
Suspect in US diver’s killing urged to yield

By Niña P. CallejaPhilippine Daily Inquirer 9:55 am | Tuesday, August 20th, 2013 Suspect Ericson Mendoza Blacquio MANILA, Philippines—A group of homeowners at the exclusive Hamilton Heights subdivision in Las Piñas City, where an American diver and businessman was killed on Thursday night, has appealed to the suspect, security guard Ericson Mendoza Blacquio, to give himself up to authorities. “We texted him and promised to help him as long as he would face the charges in court. We don’t want to be misunderstood. We condemn what he did but we are convincing him to turn himself in,” Arlene Marie Rodriquez-San Juan, the group’s representative, told the Inquirer Sunday. The killing of Matthew Caldwell, 59, a technical diver who helped search for Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo when his plane fell into the sea off Masbate province last year, shocked residents of Hamilton Heights, an upper middle class subdivision at Barangay (village) Talon V in Las Piñas City. “We know the suspect as a quiet, kind and patient man. But what he did to an unarmed man was completely wrong,” San Juan said. An argument between Blacquio and Caldwell over a subdivision policy turned sour when Blacquio lost his temper and shot dead the American national, police probers said. The disagreement stemmed from an order given by officers of the homeowners’ association that residents who had not paid their monthly contributions would have to lift the boom at the gate of the subdivision themselves, instead of the security guard on duty. The Read More …

PAL, Sea Air cancels morning flights—NAIA exec

 News
Aug 192013
 
PAL, Sea Air cancels morning flights—NAIA exec

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 9:41 am | Tuesday, August 20th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines — Flights of Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Sea Air were cancelled Tuesday morning due to the continuous rains and floods brought by tropical storm “Maring.” Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) General Manager Angel Honrado said in a radio interview that Sea Air flights going to the provinces of Iloilo, Bacolod, and Cebu throughout the day have been cancelled. All PAL flights up to 12 noon were also cancelled, Honrado said. “They are still assessing the weather situation up to 12 noon” before they will issue another advisory, he said. Honrado said that the roads around the airport were currently flooded and impassable. He said that it would cause further delays of the flights because some pilots and crew members would have difficulty coming to the airport. Incoming flights, including international flights, however, continued to arrive at the NAIA but the planes may be grounded at the terminal because of the bad weather, Honrado said. The list of cancelled flights have been announced by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) in its twitter account @DOTCPhilippines: 5J-907 MNL-Caticlan 5J-563 MNL-Cebu 5J-564 Cebu-MNL 5J-907 MNL-Caticlan 5J-563 MNL-Cebu 5J-564 Cebu-MNL DG-7002 MNL-Cebu DG-7003 Cebu-MNL DG-7082 MNL-Bacolod DG-7083 Bacolod-MNL DG-7072 MNL-Iloilo DG-7073 Iloilo-MNL ‘Maring’ further intensifies, remains almost stationary—Pagasa 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 Read More …

Marooned in Malta, 21 Filipino seamen seek help

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Aug 132013
 
Marooned in Malta, 21 Filipino seamen seek help

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 9:35 pm | Tuesday, August 13th, 2013 DFA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez said Maltese authorities just recently granted the ship entry into its waters, providing it fuel to enter its territory. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-one Filipino seafarers aboard a cargo ship have been adrift off the port of Malta for months and are seeking compensation from Taiwanese employers alleged to have virtually abandoned them at sea with no fuel and limited food and water. The Department of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday two members of the Philippine embassy in Rome, which also services Malta, checked on the seafarers aboard the stranded MV A Lady Bug, a Taiwanese-owned carrier of cars and trucks, and brought them some supplies. The seafarers told the embassy representatives they would appreciate repatriation assistance but only after they receive pending wages from their employer. “The Embassy team boarded on August 11, Sunday, A Lady Bug, personally checked on the condition of the seafarers and brought them supplies such as noodles, drinking water and specific medicines,” said DFA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez Tuesday. During the meeting of the Embassy team with the seafarers, the seafarers said they wished to be repatriated as soon as possible, but only after their pending claim for back salaries and other benefits from the management of the ship are fully settled,” Hernandez said in a press briefing. MV A Lady Bug, a Panamanian-registered vehicle carrier had been adrift “for months” some 15 nautical Read More …

Seoul mayor suggests subways as traffic fix for Metro Manila

 News
Aug 132013
 
Seoul mayor suggests subways as traffic fix for Metro Manila

By Niña P. CallejaPhilippine Daily Inquirer 9:27 pm | Tuesday, August 13th, 2013 EDSA. File photo MANILA, Philippines — The mayor of Seoul — a human rights activist and lawyer who earned the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2006 — met with Metro Manila officials on Tuesday to foster long-term partnerships in addressing urban development issues. Mayor Park Won Soon received a warm welcome from several Metro Manila mayors and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino at the MMDA headquarters in Makati City, in arrival rites complete with a brass band and MMDA employees waving the South Korean flag. In a two-hour meeting with the mayors, Park offered his government’s help to Metro Manila, inviting Philippine officials to come to Seoul for them to learn in detail how the Philippine capital could handle common problems facing megacities, such as traffic jams and flooding. Among the best practices and projects he cited were Seoul’s modern transport solutions, including a 115-kilometer bus transit system, a 327-kilometer urban railway system, and government efforts to make mass transport not only efficient but also environment friendly. Asked what he could recommend for Metro Manila’s perennial traffic mess, Park proposed an interconnected metro system and the construction of a subway. “The subway is the most efficient (mode of) transportation from the outskirts of Seoul to downtown. I recommend that you have consultations with international traffic experts for the establishment of a metro system,” Park said. “The cost may be very high but it will be Read More …

Recruiters eye to fill 3,000 jobs as Taiwan lifts hiring freeze

 News
Aug 132013
 
Recruiters eye to fill 3,000 jobs as Taiwan lifts hiring freeze

By Tina G. SantosPhilippine Daily Inquirer 8:12 pm | Tuesday, August 13th, 2013 FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines–Local recruitment agencies are looking to deploy some 3,000 workers for electronic factories to Taiwan, nearly a week after the Taiwanese government lifted its hiring freeze on Filipino workers. Angelo Tong, president of Pilipino Manpower Agencies Accredited to Taiwan, said Taiwan is in need of some 3,000 workers for electronic factories that did not hire workers from other countries and instead patiently waited for Filipinos, their preferred choice of workers, for the highly-skilled positions in their companies. In a statement, Tong admitted that a few companies had to get Vietnamese workers for those positions that needed to be filled since OFWs, whose work contracts were up for extension or renewal, had to return home to wait for developments following tensions the past three months over the death of a Taiwanese fisherman. “With the issue now behind, we are very optimistic that these workers will be recalled by their companies to their previous positions,” he said. Last week, Taiwan lifted a freeze on the hiring of Filipino workers, after the Philippines relayed its apology to the family of the fisherman killed in an encounter with Philippine Coast Guard personnel in disputed waters last May 9. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s office in Manila on Tuesday posted online the guidelines for prospective Filipino job seekers. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office said this applies to work permit applications of blue-collar workers, including first-time applications, substitutes and re-hiring. TECO said 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 …

9 places on DFA’s shortlist of possible Apec venue

 News
Aug 132013
 
9 places on DFA’s shortlist of possible Apec venue

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 5:31 pm | Tuesday, August 13th, 2013 DFA Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Laura Q. Del Rosario. Photo from http://www.philippineembassy-usa.org MANILA, Philippines – With at least two years before the country hosts the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit in November 2015, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has already shortlisted nine places throughout the Philippines where the meetings of delegates from 21 countries in the Pacific rim will be held. The places are Clark, Metro Manila, Tagaytay, Legazpi City, Iloilo City, Boracay, Bacolod City, Davao City, and Cebu City, DFA Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Laura Q. Del Rosario told reporters in an interview. “These are the locations that are under serious consideration. [They] were reviewed as having passed the initial requirements [and will be subject to] further evaluation,” she said. Among the initial requirements for the cities to be able to host the many meetings of delegates are access and accommodations. “The locations must have airports and should be within one hour commute from the hotel and convention center,” Del Rosario said. Some of the meetings would be attended by hundreds of participants and this will require that the convention center must have enough space to sit them all together and the hotels there must also have sufficient rooms. There are around eight ministerial meetings, four senior officials meetings, and then the highlight APEC summit. Del Rosario said that instead of just assigning which Local Government Units (LGUs) will host the meetings, they asked them 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 …

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