Filipinos 3rd among world’s heaviest drinkers—study

 News
Feb 042014
 
Filipinos 3rd among world’s heaviest drinkers—study

By Bong LozadaINQUIRER.net 4:55 pm | Tuesday, February 4th, 2014 FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — Bottoms up! After ranking 15th in the world’s top porn-watchers according to an adult website, Filipinos are now involved in another kind of bottom, shot glass bottoms. Known for being one of the best partiers in the planet, Filipinos lived up to their reputation after a recent study of Euromonitor, a research company on market strategies, showed that the fun-loving race was third on the world’s heaviest drinkers. According to the study, Filipinos drink an average of 5.4 shots of any spirit—vodka, gin, tequila, rum, whiskey, brandy, lambanog, per week, behind South Korea, 13.7 shots, and Russia, 6.3 shots. The country’s liquor guzzlers, who drink in times of celebration and grief, outdrank fellow alcohol-lovers from Thailand, Japan, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Slovakia, Brazil and the United States of America in the top ten. RELATED STORY Filipinos rank 15th in global porn watching 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: Filipinos , Global Nation , heaviest drinkers , liquor consumption 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:

Aliens reminded to register for ‘14

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Jan 272014
 
Aliens reminded to register for ‘14

Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:07 am | Tuesday, January 28th, 2014 Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison: A reminder. facebook photo MANILA, Philippines—Foreigners living in the country who are over 14 but under 65 years old are required to make a personal appearance and fill out new forms for their annual report before the March 1 deadline or face administrative fines, Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison said on Monday. Mison said it would only take 10 minutes to register provided the annual report form is completely filled out and all requirements are complete. Mison said the annual report form may be downloaded from the website immigration.gov.ph. but an application fee of P310 must be paid directly to the immigration bureau’s cashier. The new procedure strictly enforces immigration rules prescribed by the Alien Registration Act, Mison said, adding that at least 209,000 registered foreigners must report in person to Bureau of Immigration (BI) offices in the country. He also advised foreigners who register and pay their application fee to ask for an official receipt from the BI cashier to avoid being victimized by fixers and extortionists preying on them.—Niña P. Calleja 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: aliens , annual report , Bureau of Immigration , Immigration , Philippines Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Read More …

Aliens must apply for 2 work permits

 News
Jan 262014
 
Aliens must apply for 2 work permits

Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:03 am | Monday, January 27th, 2014 Bureau of Immigration building. Photo from Bureau of Immmigration website MANILA, Philippines—Foreigners with pending employment visa applications are still required to secure a provisional working permit (PWP) from the Bureau of Immigration. This was announced by Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz who instructed all Department of Labor and Employment regional offices to remind foreign nationals in their areas who had started working for local entities to secure PWPs even while their applications for an Alien Employment Permit or employment visa were still being processed. Earlier, Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison issued Operation Order 2013-019, the Rules on Provisional Working Permit, emphasizing the need for foreign workers to secure PWPs. The PWP shall be valid for three months or until a working (commercial) visa has been issued in favor of the applicant, whichever comes first.—Tina G. Santos 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: aliens , Bureau of Immigration , employment visa , Immigration , Philippines , provisional permits , work permits 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: c/o Philippine Daily Inquirer Chino Roces Avenue corner Yague and Mascardo Streets, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Read More …

PH to make representations for arrested OFWs in Malaysia, says diplomat

 News
Jan 252014
 
PH to make representations for arrested OFWs in Malaysia, says diplomat

By Nikko DizonINQUIRER.net 4:18 pm | Saturday, January 25th, 2014 FILE PHOTO KUALA LUMPUR – A ranking Filipino diplomat in Malaysia on Saturday said the Philippine Embassy would make representations with relevant Malaysian authorities for Filipinos who have been arrested and reportedly maltreated in the crackdown against undocumented workers here. “We will make representations with the relevant Malaysian authorities for everyone,” Consul General Medardo Macaraig told reporters. Macaraig said that the Malaysian government has yet to send the embassy a report on the crackdown that began on Jan. 21. “By report I mean official notification from the Malaysian government,” Macaraig said. He said that the embassy has dispatched another diplomat to Sabah to check on reports that Filipinos have been arrested in the crackdown. So far, the only report received by the embassy was the one involving Resty Rosales, an architect who complained of maltreatment following his arrest in a raid on Tuesday when he failed to show proof of his regular status. Macaraig said Rosales has the proper working documents in Malaysia. Macaraig said that the Filipino community in Sabah remained calm. “We have spoken to the other Filipinos there and the report to me is they are not tense there. They are calm. But this does not mean there is no crackdown,” Macaraig said, adding: “If there is something happening, they would inform us (embassy) and from there we will start our work.” Macaraig said that news reports in Malaysia claimed that there were already some 1,000 illegal immigrants arrested since Tuesday, among Read More …

Chinese ships leave Paracel Islands after landing drills

 News
Jan 232014
 
Chinese ships leave Paracel Islands after landing drills

By Matikas SantosINQUIRER.net 6:26 pm | Thursday, January 23rd, 2014 MANILA, Philippines – A fleet of three Chinese ships, one of which has an “advanced weapons system,” has completed patrols and landing exercises in the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea Wednesday, Chinese state media reported. “The three-ship flotilla, consisting of amphibious landing craft Changbaishan and destroyers Wuhan and Haikou, left from a military port in south China’s Hainan Province on Monday,” Xinhua news agency reported Wednesday. “The flotilla undertook a ‘three-dimensional’ patrol of several islets, using surface vessels, hovercraft and shipboard helicopters. Marines with the flotilla conducted a 20-minute landing training on Wednesday,” it said. The ship Changbaishan was described as China’s largest landing ship and has an “advanced weapon system.” The fleet also has three helicopters and one company of Marines onboard, the report said. Disputed islands Paracel Islands is a group of island in the South China Sea that is the subject of a dispute between China and Vietnam. China calls it Xisha Islands while Vietnam calls it Hoang Sa Islands. In 1974, a military engagement between Chinese and Vietnamese troops left at least 50 from the Vietnamese side and 18 from the Chinese side dead. One Vietnamese ship was sunk while a total of seven ships were damaged. China won the battle and have controlled and occupied Paracel Islands ever since. Sansha city was established July 2012 to administer over the The islands are covered under the recently implemented fisheries regulations of Hainan province that Read More …

Palace assures assistance to OFWs allegedly abused in Malaysia

 News
Jan 232014
 
Palace assures assistance to OFWs allegedly abused in Malaysia

By Nestor CorralesINQUIRER.net 5:01 pm | Thursday, January 23rd, 2014 Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang on Thursday assured the public it will call the attention of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to check the alleged abuses committed against Filipinos in Malaysia. This was after a Palace reporter recounted the experience of his brother being maltreated by Malaysian authorities in line with the nationwide crackdown on illegal migrants. “We will call the priority attention of the DFA on this. We need to get the particulars because if we will just present about the general situation, we would not be able to trace this,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said Thursday in a press briefing. Coloma said the government could not tolerate violation of basic human rights committed against Filipino citizens. He, however, pointed out the Department of Foreign Affairs has yet to receive reports from the Philippine embassy in Malaysia on the said incident reports. He cited they need details of the incident reports of maltreatment before filing any case against Malaysian authorities. “These allegations are serious that is why we need to have enough evidence of the maltreatment and violence to our citizens,” he said. He assured the public especially our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) in Malaysia the government is doing the necessary steps to give justice to the maltreated OFWs. He said our government is respecting the rights of foreigners in our country so he expects that other countries should do the same. A nationwide Read More …

PH says China’s territory subject to Unclos

 News
Jan 222014
 
PH says China’s territory subject to Unclos

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 10:02 pm | Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014 DFA spokesman Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez. FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines insisted on Wednesday that under international law, China could not project its power beyond its boundaries, following Beijing’s announcement of fresh sea patrols in disputed parts of the South China Sea. In a statement, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Raul Hernandez invoked the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) to remind China of the limits of its territory. “Under international law, including Unclos, China’s [exclusive economic zone] cannot extend beyond [370 kilometers] measured from the Chinese mainland and Hainan island. Coastal states have sovereign rights over their EEZ,” Hernandez said. Hernandez insisted that China might not project its sovereign rights in the high seas, as provided under international law. “Also under international law there is a high seas area in the South China Sea over which no state can exercise sovereignty,” he said. China announced earlier this week that a 5,000-ton civilian vessel will begin regular patrols in the South China sea to “safeguard national sovereign rights and benefits, develop at-sea assistance, ensure navigational safety.” The announcement followed China’s implementation of a fisheries law requiring foreign vessels to seek approval of Chinese authorities to fish and explore in the South China Sea. The Philippines, which calls the waters within its EEZ West Philippine Sea, is protesting the regulation. Vietnam, which has territorial claims in part of the South China Sea that it Read More …

Saudi deports quarter million migrants in 3 months

 News
Jan 222014
 
Saudi deports quarter million migrants in 3 months

Associated Press 8:56 pm | Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014 The sun sets behind the minarets of Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University mosque in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. AP FILE PHOTO RIYADH — Saudi Arabia says it has deported “more than a quarter million” foreign migrant workers from the kingdom over the past three months. The Interior Ministry said late Tuesday the foreigners had been residing in the country illegally and were in violation of labor laws. It didn’t elaborate. The deportations began after November 4 with a nationwide campaign targeting many of the kingdom’s 9 million migrant laborers after years of lax law enforcement. Many of those deported were Ethiopians accused of crossing into Saudi Arabia illegally through its southern border with Yemen. Most foreign workers in the kingdom are from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines, as well as Egypt and Yemen. Saudi authorities say booting out illegal foreign migrants will open more jobs for its own citizens. RELATED STORIES OFWs allege abuse in Saudi immigration crackdown Saudi begins clampdown on illegal foreigners 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: Global Nation , Immigration , Labor , migrant workers , ofws , Overseas employment , Saudi Arabia , Saudization Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe Read More …

Aquino urged: Show teeth in implementing child porn law

 News
Jan 182014
 
Aquino urged: Show teeth in implementing child porn law

By Nestor CorralesINQUIRER.net 3:31 pm | Saturday, January 18th, 2014 MANILA, Philippines—A child welfare party-list group on Saturday urged President Benigno Aquino III to “show teeth” in implementing the Anti-Child Pornography Law in the country. “If President Aquino really wants to end this worst form of abuse against our children and in order to stop the growing cottage industry of child pornography in the country, his administration must show some teeth in strongly implementing the existing child porn law and set an example by convicting culprits and masterminds,” Arlene Brosas, national secretary-general of Akap Bata Sectoral Organization. Akap Bata said the Aquino administration is doing nothing against criminal syndicates behind child pornography operations in the Philippines. The party-list group said that even before the recent report of international task force and agencies has been exposed, online and recorded pornography involving children has been one of the major local concerns that resulted to the passage of the Anti-Child Pornography Law in 2009. Brosas said that compared to other countries, child porn cases in the Philippines will get worse if the government will do nothing significant about the poor justice system and the system of impunity in the country. “Our lacking of an effective system that will protect our own children serves as an open invitation to criminal syndicates and child sex offenders to continue their operations in the country,” Brosas said. Akap Bata also egged on Aquino to resolve poverty as the root cause why children were being dragged to the Read More …

PH to proceed with UN arbitration even without China

 News
Jan 182014
 
PH to proceed with UN arbitration even without China

OVER SEA ROW By Kristine Angeli SabilloINQUIRER.net 2:27 pm | Saturday, January 18th, 2014 DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday reiterated that it would proceed with arbitration procedures on the disputed areas of the South China Sea with or without China. However, DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez said it wants China, as much as possible, to join the arbitration. “To this end, we reiterate our invitation to China to join us in arbitration as we intend to proceed with or without China for a final disposition,” Hernandez said in a text message to media. It followed the Chinese foreign ministry’s statement that it wants to meet the Philippines “halfway.” Hernandez also pointed out that the Hainan provincial government’s new fishing policy is only one of the several measures imposed by China on other countries. “Hainan fisheries law is only one of the unilateral measures by China to force a change in the regional status quo in order to advance its 9-dash line position of undisputed  sovereignty over nearly the entire [South China Sea],” Hernandez said in a text message. He said the 9-dash line claim is a “gross violation of international law” that should be “fully addressed.” “In 2011, we had proposed to China that we should proceed with moving forward with our major bilateral agenda while abstracting the contentious issues and dealing with them separately. This became the content of a signed declaration between the Philippines and China’s presidents then. Read More …

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