Tuesday, 13 December 2011
In his rare TV appearance away from the Supreme Court podium, Marquez opens up his professional and personal life to TV5′s senior correspondents Jove Francisco, Maricel Halili, and Ina Zara for tonight's Anggulo.
Full press release after the jump...
PRESS RELEASE FROM TV5:
With him being constantly seen in front of the cameras at a time when the High Tribunal is faced with a string of controversial issues, Associate Justice Jose Midas P. Marquez becomes the face and voice of the nation’s last bastion of democracy—the Supreme Court (SC).
But he has more to face than the issues besieging the institution. Since his appointment as spokesperson and acting chief of the SC Public Information Office during Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s term, Marquez has also been the subject of criticism. He is sometimes criticized for his explanation and interpretation of the High Court’s final interpretation of the law.
And just recently, a video showing Marquez reacting comically and effeminately when a microphone fell off from the SC podium has become viral over the Internet and other social media sites.
In his rare TV appearance away from the Supreme Court podium, Marquez opens up his professional and personal life to TV5′s senior correspondents Jove Francisco, Maricel Halili, and Ina Zara.
How does he react to the attention and misconception being accorded to him by the media and the general public? TV5′s Anggulo creates a platform for the SC spokesperson to be known beyond work. He is a basketball addict and still finds time to play when not at work. Since his law school days in Ateneo, he got hooked on the art of bonsai. A current member of the Philippine Bonsai Society, Marquez has also joined exhibits and maintains a collection of about 500bonsai plants.
Anggulo airs this tonight (December 14), 10pm before Aksyon Journalismo on TV5. It also airs earlier at 7:30 pm over Aksyon TV (Channel 41 in Mega Manila, Channel 29 in Metro Cebu and Davao, Channel 1 on Cignal Digital TV and Channel 59 on Sky Cable).
Medianewserphil
Tuesday, 13 December 2011 0
Sunday, 11 December 2011
TV5 debuted its Christmas Station ID last week with a star-studded appearances of Kapatids from News and Entertainment divisions.
Dubbed as 'Krismas Mas Mas Masaya,' it features News Head Luchi Cruz Valdez, anchors Cheryl Cosim, Jove Francisco, Amelyn Veloso, Tulfo brothers, Paolo Bediones, Public Atorni moderator Persida Acosta, Mike Templo, Shawn Yao, Amy Perez etc., and talents from the entertainment division.
New Kapatid Mega Star Sharon Cuneta led the Christmas SID.
See video below:
Related Story: GMA NEWS TV LAUNCHES CHRISTMAS STATION ID
Medianewserphil
Sunday, 11 December 2011 0
Thursday, 8 December 2011
The Department of Education (DepEd) on Friday announced the suspension of December 9, 2011 afternoon classes in all levels in the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila due to heavy rains.
DepEd NCR Director Elena Ruiz said that classes in all pre-school, elementary and high school (private and public) have been suspended due to predicted heavy rains this afternoon.
The DepEd suspension of classes , however, does not cover colleges and universities, which are under the care of Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
Previous reports said college-level classes are only automatically suspended if an area is under storm signal number 3 or 4 hence leaving the pronouncement of suspension of classes in college level to university officials.
In its weather advisory of PAGASA issued at 5:00 a.m., 09 December 2011, at 2:00 AM today, the Low Pressure Area (LPA) was estimated based on satellite and surface data 330 km West of Puerto Princesa City (10.0°N,115.5°E).
PAGASA said, Northern Luzon and eastern section of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over Palawan and eastern Visayas which may trigger flashfloods and landslides. The rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.
Thursday, 8 December 2011 0
RJ Rosales, Filipino-Australian singer, actor, musical theatre performer, TV presenter and recording artist as an ABS-CBN talent has passed away in Sydney, Australia on Sunday, December 4 following unconfirmed cause of death. He was 37.
RJ made his debut as a theatrical actor in 1996 by joining the cast of the original Australian production of Miss Saigon as part of the ensemble.
Versatile Rosales, who was a banker with BS Mathematics degree, has given several acting hits both on television and stage such as 'Style Doctors,' 'ASAP,' 'Into the Woods,' 'Miss Saigon,' 'All About Men 2,' and 'Attagirl.'
Aside from acting performances, RJ is remembered for his duet with Carol Banawa, "Together Forever," the theme song of the 2002 Star Cinema film "Forevermore." He has held live concerts in the USA, Australia, Singapore, Japan and Thailand.
He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in the MMFF Best Movie for 2005 for his acting in the movie "Blue Moon," a Philippine romantic drama film released by Regal Films and directed by Joel Lamangan.
Saksi anchor Arnold Clavio snagged the first network interview with former President now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. This is Arroyo's first interview since she was hospitalized and failed to seek medical treatment abroad. The exchange between Clavio and Arroyo was the top story on 24 Oras.
When asked about her condition, she said: “Eto gumagaling na itong operasyon ko bagama't hindi natin alam kung tuluyang hindi na babalik dahil wala pa tayong official diagnosis doon sa sinusupetsahang metabolic bone disease.”
The interview will air in its entirety tonight (December 9) on Tonight with Arnold Clavio at 10 pm on GMA News TV.
Update: A network insider told us that Clavio courted the Arroyo camp for weeks just to get this interview.
See video below:
Medianewserphil
Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz has cited the private sector for its effort to create better access to job opportunities and to contribute actively to employment generation through the conduct of job fairs. Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony opening the 1st Career Fair at the Eastwood City complex, the labor and employment chief said that the private sector has been the real engine of the economy in creating jobs. In her message, Baldoz encouraged jobseekers, companies and organizers of the job fair to lin up with the DOLE’s nationwide network of Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) found in local governments and schools to facilitate better job and skills matching processes and results. To facilitate hiring during job fairs, Baldoz advised jobseekers to have the self-confidence and all pertinent documents and requirements ready, adding that they should not be discouraged if found unqualified, but should instead pursue appropriate skills retooling and upgrading. Baldoz also encouraged the participating companies to hire on-the-spot (HOTS) more qualified jobseekers. At the same time, she urged jobseekers and companies to link up with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, the DOLE’s agency in charge of HRD, to avail of appropriate training to ensure that they are qualified for jobs available in the growing call center and other industries of the country. Baldoz was joined in the job fair by two executive officials of the organizers, Megaworld first vice president for business development Jericho Go, and commercial division head Mr. Kevin Tan. According to the organizers, while the career fair did not target a definite quantity of opportunities, they were pleased that more than 20 top-line companies decided to join. On top of call center jobs, opportunities from a diverse array of industries abound, including customer care, banking, digital services, information and communications technology, food service, real estate and resorts, and tourism. With JobsDB.com and The Philippine Star as co-sponsors, the more than 20 companies that participated in the fair were Acquire Asia Pacific, Concentrix-Synnex Corporation, Hinduja Global Solutions, Banco de Oro, Chinabank Corporation, Citibank, VCustomer, Canon, Dell Inc., HP, IBM, Siemens, Stream Global, Thakral One it, Yell Adworks, Coca-Cola Bottlers Phil. Inc., Emperador Distillers Inc., McDonald’s, Resorts World Manila, and also Megaworld Corporation. Following Baldoz’s message, Megaworld FVP Go thanked the Labor Secretary for her presence during the occasion signifying government’s unwavering support for jobs growth in the country’s industries. Go said that the 1st Career Fair is a hallmark event for the thriving Eastwood City, as he recalled that the booming area was built by jobs. “Eastwood City began with only some 1,000 workers,” Go said, adding that, “now it is approaching 35,000 to 40,000 workers and we are looking at the range of 50,000 productive people soon as the complex expands alongside other investments in the metropolis and the Philippines.”
A total lunar eclipse will be observed in Asia, Australia, eastern Europe, and northwest North America on December 10, 2011. It will be visible in the Philippines and Malaysia just after sunset.
According to PAGASA, the entire event is visible from North America except the eastern part, the Hawaiian Island, Oceania, Australasia, Asia, eastern Africa, and eastern Europe. The eclipse will begin at 7:33 PM Philippine Standard Time (PST) and will end at 1:30 AM (PST) on December 11, 2011.
In Manila, the moon will rise at 5:13 P.M. on 10 December and will set at 5:38 A.M. on 11 December. The major phases of the eclipse are as follows:
PHASE | TIME (PST)
- Penumbral eclipse begins: 7:33 PM (PST)
- Partial eclipse begins: 8:45 PM (PST)
- Greatest eclipse: 10:31 PM (PST)
- Partial eclipse ends: 12:17 AM (PST) Dec. 11
- Penumbral eclipse ends: 1:30 AM (PST)Dec. 11
This will be the second total lunar eclipse this year. The first was on June 15. Lunar eclipse is a regular phenomenon and occurs at least once every year and may go up to four times a year. A total of seven eclipses can be seen in a year.
Photo Credit: dailybhaslar.com
Saturday, 1 October 2011
MANILA, Philippines – “Quiel” (international name: Nalgae) has weakened as it moves west over the West Philippine Sea, according to the latest weather bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
As of 4 a.m. Sunday, Quiel was spotted 200 kilometers west of Baguio city with weaker maximum winds of 130 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kilometers per hour, Pagasa said.
Quiel has slowed down to 20 kilometers per hour moving westward and is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR ) Sunday
afternoon.
The diameter of Quiel stayed at 500 kilometers and was estimated to bring 15-25 millimeters of rainfall.
Public Storm Warning Signal no. 1 remained over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos
Sur, La Union, Benguet, Zambales, Pangasinan.
Meanwhile, all signals in other regions have been lowered.
The southwest monsoon was expected to cause scattered to widespread rains over the western section of Southern Luzon.
Pagasa was monitoring another low pressure area over the Pacific
ocean, 700 kilometers east of Visayas.
Only four dams remained open as of 6 a.m.: Ambuklao, Binga, San Roque and Magat.
San Roque dam, in Pangasinan, was 4.63 meters above its spilling level of 280 meters and has two gates open at half a meter each.
Ambuklao dam was 2.51 meters below its spilling level of 752 meters and has six gates opening a total of five meters.
Binga dam was 2.22 meters below its spilling level of 575 meters and has five gates opening a total of seven meters.
Full Story: Inquirer News
Saturday, 1 October 2011 0
Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - Philippine fastfood giant Jollibee Foods Corp. has cemented its leading position in the highly competitive quick-service restaurant industry by taking over the Philippine operations of American chain Burger King.
The deal allows JFC to gain a foothold into the premium segment of the hamburger category in the fast-food business as the group was expecting the premium price segment of the market "to grow appreciably in the years ahead as the Filipino consumers' standard of living rises from the growing economy."
In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange Friday, Jollibee announced that it has signed an agreement acquiring a 54-percent stake in BK Titans Inc., owner of PERF Restaurants that, in turn, is the sole franchisee of the Burger King brand in the Philippines. The deal was priced at 65.5 million pesos (US$1.49 million).
Burger King has 23 restaurants in the country, mostly located in Metro Manila. It generates annual revenues of P800 million and has recently turned profitable despite its much smaller store network compared to Jollibee's.
The American fastfood chain, which is based in Miami, Florida, has similar products to Jollibee such as hamburger, fried chicken and fries in its core menu. However, Burger King's products are priced about 30 percent higher than comparable Jollibee products in the Philippines.
The entry into higher-end fast food products will allow Jollibee to harness the growing mass affluence of Filipino consumers and capture a niche market that is less sensitive to economic cycles. At the same time, its entry is seen allowing Burger King to scale up operations in the country.
With the entry of Jollibee into BK Titans, the fast-food giant will still have as minority partners the groups of businessmen Manuel V. Pangilinan (13 percent) and Alberto Lina (33 per cent).
Full Story: Yahoo! News
Getting driving directions just got a bit more fun after search giant Google added a "helicopter view" feature to its Google Maps.
Paul Yang, Google Maps engineer, said this 3-D view will give motorists a preview of the terrain and sights along the route they plan to take.
"To preview your own route, it is as simple as clicking on a button. Start by entering your starting point, destination, and mode of transport like any directions... Then, click on the '3D' play button. The map will switch to Earth view and automatically start flying you along your recommended route," Yang said in a blog post.
He said using the 3D preview gives one an aerial view of the route, "as if you were in a helicopter flying above the road."
A user can pause the flight at any time by clicking anywhere in the 3D view or on the pause button in the lower left.
"While the flight is paused, you can explore the surrounding area in 3D by clicking and dragging the map. When you are ready to resume the flight, simply click on the play button in the lower left of the 3D view," he said.
The current leg of the trip is highlighted in the left panel, to help one keep track of which step he or she is on.
Full Story: GMA News Online
MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) – The state weather bureau lowered public storm signals across Luzon Saturday evening, as Typhoon “Quiel” continues to move farther away from the country.
The provinces of Benguet, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan and Zambales are still under signal number 2.
Under signal number 1 are Ilocos Norte, Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bataan, Calayan and Babuyan Group of Islands.
The storm signal warning in Metro Manila has been lifted.
Although Quiel is already over the West Philippine Sea, it would still bring rains from the southwest monsoon, said PAGASA.
PAGASA also warned residents in northern and central Luzon of the possibility of storm surges.
“Although nasa West Philippine Sea na ang bagyo, nandoon pa din ang panganib ng storm surge kasi umiikot pa din ang bagyo. Kaya sa Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales at Bataan ay dapat mag-monitor pa din ng possible storm surges,” said PAGASA officer-in-chief and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary Graciano Yumul.
Quiel made landfall on Dinapigue, Isabela at 9 a.m. Saturday. It is expected to be out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Sunday morning.
“By Sunday, it will be over for northern Luzon but it will just start for central Luzon and the National Capital Region because the southwest monsoon will be sucked in by the typhoon,” said Yumul.
Full Story: ABS-CBN News
Friday, 30 September 2011
HONG KONG—A Filipino maid won the opening legal battle in her fight for permanent residency after a court ruled on Friday that an immigration provision excluding hundreds of thousands of foreign maids was unconstitutional.
The decision to grant Evangeline Banao Vallejos the right to apply for residency under the Basic Law—Hong Kong’s constitution—was a major legal victory in a case that has divided the city with accusations of ethnic discrimination against the foreign maids.
Vallejos, who was not in court because she was busy working, “said thank God” after learning the outcome, said one of the lawyers handling her case.
Residents say the verdict would open the floodgate to about 292,000 foreign maids, most of whom are from the Philippines or Indonesia, to also claim the right of abode.
The decision could also draw in Beijing, which might seek to reinterpret the laws under which the territory is governed, analysts said.
Justice Johnson Lam, ruling in the Court of First Instance, said the immigration provision denying the maids the right to gain permanent residency after seven years—as other foreign residents can—was inconsistent with the Basic Law.
Full Story: Inquirer Global Nation
Friday, 30 September 2011 0
Thursday, 29 September 2011
They may still be reeling from the effects of Typhoon “Pedring,” but residents of extreme northern Luzon are in for a potentially stormy weekend.
Tropical Storm “Quiel” (international name: Nalgae) is forecast to hit land between Batanes and Cagayan provinces on Sunday night at its current speed and direction, and can intensify into a typhoon over the sea before landfall, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.
Now classified as a severe storm, Quiel is packing maximum winds of 110 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 140 kph, forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said Thursday in an interview.
But Quiel’s impact on extreme northern Luzon will not be felt until it swirls close to Cagayan on Sunday morning, he said.
 |
| MTSAT-EIR Satellite Image for 1 a.m., 30 September 2011 |
He said Quiel was “destructive” and packed “a stronger punch” because its 300-km diameter was more compact than Pedring’s 650-km diameter.
This early, Pagasa said, residents of the cited areas should pack provisions in a bag. It also said that those living close to areas prone to landslides and floods should move to safer ground, and that local government units should implement contingency measures.
Full Story: Inquirer News
Thursday, 29 September 2011 0
The Professional Regulation Commission will soon release the results of Mechanical Engineer and Certified Plant Mechanic (CPM) licensure examinations held in the cities of Manila, Cebu, Davao and Iloilo on September 28 and 29, 2011.
Once the September 2011 Mechanical Engineering Board Exam results are officially announced by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), this page will show the complete list passers, top 10 successful examinees, top schools, and performance of schools.
Full Story: Bazics News Feeds
The situation turned dire overnight in coastal Bulacan as floods swamped the province as dams in Central Luzon released water in preparation for Tropical Cyclones Quiel and Ramon.
Residents in several towns climbed rooftops and called for help as hospital patients were evacuated first. Pampanga coastal towns Apalit and Lubao were also flooded.
"Lumakas ang pagdating ng tubig, biglang bigla mula kagabi. Umaabot na dalawang metro, halos lahat nasa bubong na (at) tumataas pa lalo," Heracleo Pangan, a resident of Frances village in Calumpit town in Bulacan.
He said they had seen no sign of assistance from authorities since Tuesday, when typhoon Pedring (Nesat) lashed Luzon.
Pangan also voiced fears some residents in the area may have drowned.
"Walang makarating dito kahit anong uri ng sasakyan. [Kahit] sasakyang pantubig hindi uubra (It appears no vehicle can reach our area. Even watercraft will have a hard time getting here)," he said.
In Hagonoy town, a dzBB report said people could not sleep for fear floodwaters would enter their homes.
At least 170 families had been evacuated to the San Pedro High School in Hagonoy.
Full Story: GMA News Online
The joint panel of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commission and Elections (Comelec) will begin presenting witnesses who will substantiate allegations of the supposed massive cheating during the 2007 polls next week, Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said Thursday.
"Kami naman ang (mag)lalabas... with our own set of witnesses. High-profile or not, we don't know yet as we are still on the validation process. But, I'm sure somebody will come out next week," he told reporters at the Comelec headquarters in Manila on Thursday.
Last Wednesday, Justice Sec. Leila de Lima said the DOJ is in touch with a "high-profile witness" who will testify about supposed election cheating.
"For the last several days, we have been interviewing witnesses. Hindi ko alam kung high profile or not. Definitely, the long and short of it is, by next week we have something," said the poll body chief.
The DOJ-Comelec joint fact-finding team is expected to fly to Maguindanao soon to interview at least 12 election supervisors who may have participated in the alleged election fraud in 2004 and 2007.
"They are available. They are still incumbents. Some are retired... we are going to bring them in for the formal investigation," Brillantes said.
Full Story: Yahoo! News
MANILA, Philippines – Three areas in northern Luzon have been placed under storm signal number 1 as “Quiel” intensified from a tropical storm into a typhoon, weather bureau PAGASA said on Friday.
In its latest weather bulletin, PAGASA said the areas of Cagayan, Isabela and Babuyan Group of Islands are now under storm signal number 1 as Quiel moves closer to northern Luzon.
Quiel was packing maximum sustained winds of of 130 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center with gustiness of up to 160 kph. It was last spotted 770 kilometers (kms) east of Aparri, Cagayan.
The typhoon is forecast to move west at 22 kph.
Full Story: ABS-CBN News
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) – The death toll from Typhoon “Pedring” (international name: Nesat) climbed to 35, while 45 were reported missing on Thursday as floods submerged thousands of homes in the country.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said 3 more residents reportedly drowned in Dampalit, Malabon City and 1 was hit by a fallen tree in Bauan, Batangas.
The most number of reported deaths occurred in Region 3, with 12 fatalities.
Forty-five others remained missing while 34 were injured.
Total damage in agriculture and infrastructure caused by the typhoon reached more than P1.1 billion.
In Region 3 alone, the damage was estimated to cost nearly P950 million.
A state of calamity has been declared in Malabon; Navotas; Obando, Bulacan; Isabela and Quirino in the wake of the disaster.
Some 103,852 families or 489,849 individuals in the country were affected by the typhoon, according to the NDRRMC. Of these individuals, 168,065 are staying in 386 evacuation centers.
Some 456 passengers, meanwhile, remain stranded in Camarines Sur, Batangas, Mamburao in Occidental Mindoro and Aparri in Cagayan.
Full Story: ABS-CBN News
Wednesday, 28 September 2011 0
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Anti-narcotics agents arrested six drug suspects and seized nearly P1 million worth of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) in separate raids in the cities of Valencia and Iligan, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Northern Mindanao said.
Roberto Opena, PDEA-10 director, said the first raid in Valencia City on September 26 yielded the biggest haul at 60 grams, which was valued at about P600,000.
Monaraga Madali, her live-in partner Naeim Yusop and her brother Kairama Yusop, were arrested in the raid, he said.
Opena said on September 27, PDEA agents also conducted a buy-bust operation in Iligan City and arrested mother and daughter tandem Lucita and Jennifer Alperito.
Full Story: Inquirer News
The Department of Education is implementing various intervention programs to provide support to Filipino children falling behind in reading and writing.
The Every Child A Reader Program (ECARP) will first measure the reading proficiency level in both English and Filipino of public elementary students.
The results of the assessment tool will serve as a basis for designing appropriate interventions at the school, division, regional and national levels to enable every child to read and write at his grade level.
According to DepEd, ECARP aims to equip elementary pupils in public schools with strategic reading and writing skills to make them independent young readers and writers.
The intervention program includes Reading Recovery (RR) which will give students who are lagging behind in reading and writing a chance to catch up through specialized one-to-one reading assistance from a teacher trained in RR procedures, DepEd said in a statement.
Full Story: Yahoo! News
Amid a labor row with its ground crew union, flag carrier Philippine Airlines on Thursday canceled "until further notice" at least 12 flights in the Asian region.
In an announcement on its Twitter account, PAL said the affected flights include:
* Manila to/from Busan
* Manila to/from Guam
* Manila to/from Ho Chi Minh
* Manila to/from Jakarta
* Manila to/from Macau
* Manila to/from Singapore
Since Tuesday, PAL had to scale down its operations following a sit-down strike by members of its ground crew union, the PAL Employees' Association.
PAL also accused some of the strikers of damaging its ground handling equipment.
The strike started days before PAL was to outsource three of its non-core businesses effective October 1.
Full Story: GMA News Online
Thursday, 22 September 2011
SpeechofHis Excellency Benigno S. Aquino IIIPresident of the PhilippinesDuring the IBM Centennial Forum[Delivered at the Lincoln Center, New York City on September 21, 2011]It is an honor to be here at the IBM on its centennial, and to speak before such distinguished people about what I view as the future of leadership in the 21st century.On a more personal note—not too many people know this—my elder sister Pinky was a former employee of IBM. She in fact met her husband Manolo while part of the IBM family.This goes to show that I am here this morning not only as President of a country that is grateful for your investments, I am here as a friend of the company—a friend to innovation, and a friend to harnessing the positive energies borne of risk-taking and the recognition of opportunities.Who would have imagined that a business that initially made scales, clocks, and tabulating machines would one day be at the head of the pack in information technology, with a globally integrated enterprise employing more than 400,000 people? As the world evolved, so did IBM; when the world sought new answers to new concerns, IBM responded.In the same way that IBM had to evolve successfully to thrive in a changing environment, political leadership that fails to evolve in response to the changing times produces a disconnect between the leaders and their publics. It is this type of leadership that finds itself under siege today.In North Africa and the Middle East, people are rising up and replacing their leaders. In parts of Europe, people are flocking to the streets to protest against cuts in social spending, and even here in America, grass root movements have sprouted, clamoring to be heard.History, as we know, is replete with similar cautionary tales. But while in the past, it took years for a people’s dissatisfaction to achieve a critical mass; today, in the span of months, days, hours, and even minutes, a people can liberate themselves from fear and trepidation to find common cause. In my country, it took fourteen years since Martial Law was declared for individual resistance to coalesce and culminate in the People Power EDSA Revolution of 1986. The public space had to be reclaimed inch by inch: first by word of mouth, then by shoddily mimeographed pamphlets, and finally through the airwaves. Today, the internet is in itself a gigantic public space; technology has allowed for so much instantaneous communication, and creating a consensus and forging a commitment to concerted action for change can take place at broadband speed.Technology has also genuinely globalized empathy and solidarity. However much anyone tries to withhold the truth, and no matter how anyone fails to alleviate the plight of a fellow man suffering, no barricade, no border, no propaganda can resist the assembly and mobilization of peoples. We have seen this unfold in the Arab Spring, when the people of Tunisia standing up for their freedoms informed and inspired neighboring countries in the region.The many voices that can now speak, the speed by which they can make themselves heard, and the wide reach of new media has only put the complexities of human society at the forefront. In the face of such complexity, and with the demand for diversity, the rigid confines of ideology can no longer suffice. Grand narratives such as communism and capitalism have been eroded by the demands for a government that is both inclusive and accountable.Deng Xiaoping saw the first glimmers of this, and expressed it in his famous maxim, “It does not matter whether the cat is black or white; what matters is that it catches mice.”He meant, I believe, that the ideological paradigms of political leadership common in the last century cannot account for the complexities in today’s societies, and governments need to be nimble and adaptable enough in order to respond to challenges as they arise. The challenge is to approach different situations with a certain pragmatic idealism.In my country, for example, government does not allow itself to be hampered by ideological labels. We are borrowing best practices from what we’ve seen. Some of my policies have been referred to as socialist, while others may be called neo-conservative. This is not to say that my policies have no strategic purpose in mind; it means, in fact, the opposite. It means the only compass that I refer to is my people.Labels are not important to me; what is important are practical solutions that will address the needs of my people. For example, we are trying to create an environment where businesses can thrive at a leveled playing field, with clear and consistent rules so that they will not be afraid to come in and invest. My government considers free market principles as a solid basis for economic growth. At the same time, however, we recognize that this growth is not always even; the danger of untrammeled capitalism is that it can condemn the poor to being permanently poor. Growth must be inclusive; progress must be equitable.This is why my administration has put in place strategic interventions to ensure that any gains reaped from a growing economy are channeled directly to the people. Nearly a third of our national budget for the following year has been allotted to social services. Entirely through savings acquired by more prudently spending public funds, we have deployed 10,000 nurses to rural areas that historically have not had access to medical professionals. We are for the second consecutive year significantly increasing the budget of our conditional cash transfer program, which invests in our people by providing cash incentives for keeping children in school, immunizing infants from diseases, and undergoing check-ups for pregnant women.What has given us the momentum to pursue these policies and reforms? It was nothing less than the forging of a national consensus by means of a credible election. And this consensus is maintained by a commitment to transparency—an openness that informs our people of the workings of their government, and breeds an informed citizenry that vigorously participates in and elevates public discourse.This is what my mother meant when she said we must institutionalize People Power: to make it not a last resort to topple tyranny and oppression, but instead embed it within our institutions so that the people may freely and constantly make their voices heard. To make the policies of government reflect the people’s collective will.In this era of knowledge and information, it has become more and more evident that a people will always find a way to be heard. When they feel that their government has become unresponsive, when it no longer mirrors their dreams and aspirations, when it has failed to treat them with the dignity they deserve, a people will find ways to reach out to one another and unite under a singular purpose. As they have found a way to stop tanks, so will they find a way to elude firewalls.The path of leadership today and the foreseeable future, then, is not in stifling voices; it is in allowing them to flourish, and concentrating our energies toward the forging of a consensus from a diverse orchestra of opinion. From electoral reform to pouring funds into social services, from liberalizing aviation to supporting legislation meant to inform my people as regards responsible parenthood, I feel that I have had, in little more than a year as President, more than my share of battles in the court of public opinion.But I believe that dissent rests in the marrow of every democracy; my people know all too much the value of being able to say “no” and “enough” in the face of dictatorship. Dissent, after all, is what speaks truth to power.But an even greater truth is this: A society that respects all voices avoids having any individual voice try to drown out the others. And where all can speak and be heard with dignity and good will, there you can find a conversation that leads to a consensus.What, then, is the future of leadership? What makes a leader? The leader is one who exercises self-control; one who promotes discourse, discourages demagoguery, and seeks consensus. One who holds fast to essential truths without forcing the world to conform to his preconceived notions; one who, in other words, recognizes that legitimacy is built on accountability, and accountability is built not on promises but through results. Ultimately, a leader is one who trusts his people to decide for themselves, and allows them to shape their own future.Thank you.
Thursday, 22 September 2011 0
The Philippine Embassy in Tripoli reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that it has managed to take into its custody two of the Filipino household service workers (HSWs) employed by the family of a nephew of the deposed Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi on September 19.The two Filipinas, Diana Jill Rivera and Mary Ann Ducos, met up with an Embassy team who waited in two cars near the residence where they worked. They left the residence without bringing with them any of their belongings.The Embassy team brought them to Tunisia where they are now staying while awaiting their bookings for their trip to Manila. With them is a member of the Embassy’s Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) staff.Their families, concerned over their safety particularly at the height of the political crisis in Libya, had asked the Philippine Government’s assistance in their rescue and repatriation.Ambassador Alejandrino A. Vicente said the breakthrough came only recently after the Embassy team had made several visits around the residence. He credits the successful operation to the Embassy team led by Labor Attache Nasser S. Mustafa.Ambassador Vicente said Ms. Rivera and Ms. Ducos should be able to return to Manila and to their families within the week.On the other hand, two others–Zenaida Labugen and Racquel Dadang –who are now working in the household of another Gadhafi relative, have not expressed a desire to be repatriated or to go home. They are also in contact with the Embassy.The case of the four HSWs figured in the talks between the highest officials of the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario and DFA Undersecretary Rafael Seguis, in their recent trips to Libya.The Philippine officials had asked for the workers’ release from their employers on compassionate grounds as their respective families were worried for their safety.
House Bill 5230 will upgrade the minimum salary grade level of nurses in public hospitals and other health institutions from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15.
The authors of the bill are Reps. Teddy Casiño and Neri Javier Colmenares (Party-list Bayan Muna), Rafael Mariano (Party-list, Anakpawis), Emmi de Jesus and Luzviminda Ilagan (Party-list, Gabriela), Raymond Palatino (Party-list, Kabataan) and Antonio Tinio (Party-list, ACT Teachers).
"The bill will rectify the gross neglect of these public servants and encourage them to work in the country instead of going abroad," Casiño said.
Casiño said when Congress passed Republic Act 9173 or the Philippine Nursing Act in 2002, public nurses all over the country thought it was to be a reprieve from their long sentence of inhumanely low wages.
"It was proven to be an empty promise, with the government failing to allocate funds for the law’s implementation," Casiño said.
Casiño said there is a shortage of working nurses in the country despite the mushrooming of nursing schools and the large number of nursing graduates.
Citing a report of the Alliance of Health Workers, Casiño said nurses who are supposed to receive at least P24,887, which is equivalent to Salary Grade 15 based on the Nursing Act of 2002, receive only P15,649, equivalent to the amount being received by those in Salary Grade 11.
Casiño said while the Department of Health and Department of Budget and Management assured what nurses get would be as good as what is in the Philippine Nursing Act, the salary grade of public hospital nurses, however, will rise only up to Salary Grade 11 although the Nursing Act provided it should be Salary Grade 15.
The bill to be known as "Government Nurses' Salary Upgrading Act of 2011" will provide adequate remuneration for health workers to enhance general welfare and attract and retain its rightful share of talents with the end in view of fulfilling the state policy of providing essential health services to all Filipinos.
The bill provides that the present minimum salary grade of government nurses (Nurse 1) shall be upgraded from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15. Likewise, salary grade levels of those occupying higher positions shall be adjusted accordingly.
House Bill 5230 will upgrade the minimum salary grade level of nurses in public hospitals and other health institutions from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15.
The authors of the bill are Reps. Teddy Casiño and Neri Javier Colmenares (Party-list Bayan Muna), Rafael Mariano (Party-list, Anakpawis), Emmi de Jesus and Luzviminda Ilagan (Party-list, Gabriela), Raymond Palatino (Party-list, Kabataan) and Antonio Tinio (Party-list, ACT Teachers).
"The bill will rectify the gross neglect of these public servants and encourage them to work in the country instead of going abroad," Casiño said.
Casiño said when Congress passed Republic Act 9173 or the Philippine Nursing Act in 2002, public nurses all over the country thought it was to be a reprieve from their long sentence of inhumanely low wages.
"It was proven to be an empty promise, with the government failing to allocate funds for the law’s implementation," Casiño said.
Casiño said there is a shortage of working nurses in the country despite the mushrooming of nursing schools and the large number of nursing graduates.
Citing a report of the Alliance of Health Workers, Casiño said nurses who are supposed to receive at least P24,887, which is equivalent to Salary Grade 15 based on the Nursing Act of 2002, receive only P15,649, equivalent to the amount being received by those in Salary Grade 11.
Casiño said while the Department of Health and Department of Budget and Management assured what nurses get would be as good as what is in the Philippine Nursing Act, the salary grade of public hospital nurses, however, will rise only up to Salary Grade 11 although the Nursing Act provided it should be Salary Grade 15.
The bill to be known as "Government Nurses' Salary Upgrading Act of 2011" will provide adequate remuneration for health workers to enhance general welfare and attract and retain its rightful share of talents with the end in view of fulfilling the state policy of providing essential health services to all Filipinos.
The bill provides that the present minimum salary grade of government nurses (Nurse 1) shall be upgraded from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15. Likewise, salary grade levels of those occupying higher positions shall be adjusted accordingly.
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
New "Kapatid" Christine Bersola-Babao was featured in BusinessWorld's Art & Leisure section.
Ms. Bersola-Babao joins the Kumare Klub’s original hosts, Amy Perez and Chiqui Roa-Puno, both of whom also used to be affiliated with ABS-CBN.
“It’s like a reunion of sorts,” Ms. Bersola-Babao told reporters in jest. “We just used to see each other at the makeup room at ABS-CBN. Who would have thought that we would all be working together in one TV show?”
Ms. Bersola-Babao welcomes her stint in TV5, saying she’s glad to be back on the morning time slot.
(Read the entire story here)
Kumare Klub debuted strongly during its premiere broadcast last week, finishing third with 1.4%, behind Unang Hirit's 1.9% and Umagang Kay Ganda's 1.8%. Sapul Sa Singko which is the lead-in for KK, finished in a distant 4th with 0.6%.
Medianewserphil
Wednesday, 21 September 2011 0
House Bill 5230 will upgrade the minimum salary grade level of nurses in public hospitals and other health institutions from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15.
The authors of the bill are Reps. Teddy Casiño and Neri Javier Colmenares (Party-list Bayan Muna), Rafael Mariano (Party-list, Anakpawis), Emmi de Jesus and Luzviminda Ilagan (Party-list, Gabriela), Raymond Palatino (Party-list, Kabataan) and Antonio Tinio (Party-list, ACT Teachers).
"The bill will rectify the gross neglect of these public servants and encourage them to work in the country instead of going abroad," Casiño said.
Casiño said when Congress passed Republic Act 9173 or the Philippine Nursing Act in 2002, public nurses all over the country thought it was to be a reprieve from their long sentence of inhumanely low wages.
"It was proven to be an empty promise, with the government failing to allocate funds for the law’s implementation," Casiño said.
Casiño said there is a shortage of working nurses in the country despite the mushrooming of nursing schools and the large number of nursing graduates.
Citing a report of the Alliance of Health Workers, Casiño said nurses who are supposed to receive at least P24,887, which is equivalent to Salary Grade 15 based on the Nursing Act of 2002, receive only P15,649, equivalent to the amount being received by those in Salary Grade 11.
Casiño said while the Department of Health and Department of Budget and Management assured what nurses get would be as good as what is in the Philippine Nursing Act, the salary grade of public hospital nurses, however, will rise only up to Salary Grade 11 although the Nursing Act provided it should be Salary Grade 15.
The bill to be known as "Government Nurses' Salary Upgrading Act of 2011" will provide adequate remuneration for health workers to enhance general welfare and attract and retain its rightful share of talents with the end in view of fulfilling the state policy of providing essential health services to all Filipinos.
The bill provides that the present minimum salary grade of government nurses (Nurse 1) shall be upgraded from Salary Grade 11 to Salary Grade 15. Likewise, salary grade levels of those occupying higher positions shall be adjusted accordingly.
Facebook has revealed update on launching a series of changes to the News Feed, including the addition of a real-time “ticker.” The Facebook changes began rolling out Tuesday night, September 21, 2011.
"News Feed will act more like your own personal newspaper," Facebook Mark Tonkelowitz reiterated in Facebook Blog. "You won't have to worry about missing important stuff. All your news will be in a single stream with the most interesting stories featured at the top."
"Ticker shows you the same stuff you were already seeing on Facebook, but it brings your conversations to life by displaying updates instantaneously," Mark added. "Now when a friend comments, asks a question or shares something like a check in, you'll be able to join the conversation right away. Click on anything in ticker to see the full story and chime in – without losing your place."
Now, if these Facebook changes doing your head in, then you can go back to Old Facebook by following the simple steps:
1. Go to "Account Settings" by clicking the arrow located in the right side of "Home" button.
2. Change the language from English US to English UK.
That's it and it restores back to Old Facebook.
Planking is blowing up the news these days. As a matter of fact, it's first and only in the Philippines that a certain Quezon City Representative Winston Castelo has filed the so-called "Anti-Planking Act of 2011."
In his bill, planking or the lying down game will only apply to a student or group of students during street rallies or similar protest actions as a form of redress of grievance.
According to Castelo, the act of planking during street protests and demonstrations is a cause of concern pointing to the events last Monday when young protesters planked along España Boulevard during a transport strike. He explains that "unbelieving bus drivers or law enforcement authorities might just ram through these warm and living bodies rolled out on highways.” And, to further justify his bill, he added that the plankers in the transport strike could set a precedent which could catch fire.
Here is the full text of the Anti-Planking Act of 2011 filed by Quezon City representative Winston “Winnie” Castelo.
September 20th, 2011
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Planking Act of 2011”.
SEC. 2. A universal Code of Student Conduct is hereby prescribed where planking as a form of redress of grievance be strictly prohibited and appropriate sanctions be applied for violations thereof.
SEC. 3. Under this Act, planking is when a student or group of students lies face down in unusual locations especially in streets or other public places, keeping the hands along the body and the feet outstretched and especially where such act is meant as a form of redress of grievance against government.
SEC. 4 Every bonafide student from any school, college or university shall conduct himself with high degree of discipline and propriety.
SEC. 5. The Department of Education in the case of elementary and high school students and the Commission on Higher Education in the case of college students shall draft a universal Code of Student Conduct to carry out the provisions of this Act.
Further, DepEd and CHED, respectively shall issue appropriate rules and regulations to effectively carry out intent and purpose of this Act.
SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect ninety (90) days after its publication in the Official Gazette and in at least three (3) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,
Black Swan star Mila Kunis is the latest celebrity to fall victim to having nude cell phone pictures leaked on the internet after Scarlett Johansson. Reports said cellphone leaked photos contain photographs of Justin Timberlake laying in a bed shirtless wearing panties on his head and and with pink panties on his head in another one.
TMZ has learned that there's another photo of Mila in a bathtub, but all you see is her head. And then there's another photo of a male which is explicit in nature, although his identity is a mystery.
"There are also some texts and the hacker claims they reveal exchanges between Justin and Mila," TMZ added.
The senator explained that despite being in the Comelec for seven months Chairman Brilllantes still has very little to show for his touted commitment to clean up the agency by getting rid of the corrupt officials within its walls.
Cayetano said he finds the continued delay in the investigation unacceptable after Brillantes himself had already admitted in public that he knew of the 'notorious operators" inside the Comelec.
The minority leader urged Chairman Brillantes to use the week-long postponement of his Commission on Appointments (CA) confirmation hearing as a period to show his capability to institute reform.
"If he is saying that he is a reformist, he has to walk the talk and show us the reforms," he said.
Cayetano noted that if Brillantes continues to fail to meet the challenge of the President, then it should serve as a sign that the latter is not the best person suited for the position.
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
"We crafted this budget aware of both the potential and limits of our present national economy. This is a collective fulfillment of our commitment to the Filipino people," Speaker Feliciano Belmonte declared minutes before adjournment.
The 2012 budget, Belmonte said was done "by legislators with eyes wide open to both the potential and threats that our economy might face in the coming year."
"It is a budget assembled with great pragmatism, and with as much foresight as is humanly possible," Belmonte pointed out, citing government's focus on instituting reforms to promote accountability and transparency in governance and a sustained war against poverty.
Belmonte cited the fiscal consolidation initiatives embedded in the spending bill designed to narrow the fiscal deficit, reduce debt burden and increase revenues through collection efficiency.
"To fortify the fight against corruption, we have taken pains to ensure that public funds will no longer be diverted for unauthorized uses. As a first step, we approved the break-down of lump-sum funds totaling more than P150 billion and their allocation to regional and sub-regional offices. This will ensure accountability in their use," Belmonte stressed.
Never deviating from the constitutional mandate on resource appropriation, the Department of Education gets the biggest slice of P238.8 billion or 15.2% higher than the current budget of P207.3 billion, at second is the DPWH at P125.5-billion, followed by the Dept. of National Defense with P107.9 billion, then the DILG with P101.4 billion and the Department of Agriculture with P54.1 billion, among other agencies.
By sector, Social Services will get the bulk of the spending pie with P575.8 billion or 31.7% of the entire GAA. Economic Services is at second with P438.9 billion (24.2% of GAA) which shows the largest growth of 21.3%. Debt service comes at third with P356.1 billion (the debt burden is three (3) percentage points lower than 2011); General Public Service P332,1 billion and Defense at P113.1 billion.
Of the proposed new general appropriations of P1.254 trillion, P1.092 trillion is the so-called programmed appropriations and P162 billion is unprogrammed or standby appropriations should additional or new revenues and project loans come in, while the total automatic appropriations amounts to P723.6 billion.
The House Speaker lauded the entire membership, citing Chairman Joseph Emilio Abaya and members of the sponsoring House Committee on Appropriations for their dedication and hard work, the six deputy Speakers (Reps. Raul Daza; Lorenzo Tañada III; Pablo Garcia; Arnulfo Fuentebella; Jesus Crispin Remulla; and Ma. Isabelle Climaco) who took turns in presiding over the plenary debates, and the Majority Leader, Rep. Neptali Gonzales, and his deputies who steered the back-breaking sessions judiciously.
Even as he expressed gratitude to the full support and cooperation of the majority coalition, Belmonte, likewise, cited the critical cooperation and the meaty discussions sparked by members of the opposition led by Minority Leader Edcel Lagman.
Tuesday, 20 September 2011 0
Lists of room assignment of examinees in the coming Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) to be held on Sunday, September 25, 2011, in Manila, all Regional Offices, and Zamboanga are available here.
AVAILABLE AREAS: Tuguegarao, Davao City, Zamboanga City, Iloilo City, Jolo (Sulu), Pagadian City
September 2011 Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) - DAVAO CITY
ELEMENTARY
Russian billionaire Alexandre Lebedev punched a man in the face on Russian TV during a debate on the economic climate. Property developer Sergei Polonsky fell onto the floor of the studio's elevated platform.
Lebedev, the puncher, is a former KGB operative who owns UK newspapers the Independent and the Evening Standard as well as a stake in Russian airline Aeroflot. He also co-owns liberal Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta with ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
According to TNT Magazine, Lebedev vented his frustration after the show on his blog, saying: “Unfortunately, NTV viewers cannot see how Polonsky behaved during the one-and-a-half hour recording. Everybody could see that he was absolutely off his head.”
He then mocked Polonsky for complaining of an injured hand and damaged clothing after the fight.
“Now, he's showing his ripped pants, and it is hard to say anything about that. He was hit in the face and he's showing off a hole in the backside of his trousers. Strange,” wrote Lebedev.
Read more at TNT Magazine.
Are you looking for the September 2011 Chemists Board Exam results? For now, just bookmark this page by pressing Ctrl+D in your keyboard or enter your e-mail address below and get updated once the official results are published by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
The Chemists Licensure Examination takes place in Manila on September 20 and 21, 2011. Its complete lists of board passers, successful examinees who garnered the top 10 highest places (topnotchers), top performing schools, and performance of schools will also be available here.
You can also like, tweet, or share this post to disseminate the info to others.
Roll of Successful Examinees in the
CHEMIST LICENSURE EXAMINATION
Held on SEPTEMBER 20 & 21, 2011
Released on SEPTEMBER 22, 2011
Monday, 19 September 2011
The Department of Health (DOH) reported 70,204 dengue cases for the week ending September 10, 2011—over 24,000 cases less or 25.87 percent lower than for the same period last year. In addition, the number of cases in July and August (the peak months for dengue) was 52 percent lower than last year. Fatalities also went down this year: 396 deaths were reported, which is lower than last year’s 620.Most of the dengue cases came from the National Capital Region (15,427), Central Luzon (13,347), and CALABARZON (10,215). At the National Capital Region, most cases were from Quezon City (4,611), Manila City (1,944), Kalookan City (1,941), Valenzuela (1,090), and Pasig (838).Ages of cases ranged from less than a month to 92 years old. Fifty-three percent of reported cases were men. Forty-one percent belonged to the 1-10 years age group.“The marked reduction in cases can be attributed to the concerted efforts of all stakeholders, especially local governments, who disseminated timely information to residents and spearheaded cleanup drives in their communities,” Assistant Health Secretary Enrique Tayag explained.However, Tayag warned the public not to be complacent, as dengue is an all-year round public health threat.The health official noted that dengue is a preventable disease. He urged the public to continue maintaining clean surroundings by ensuring that all possible mosquito (Aedes Aegypti) breeding sites are destroyed or discarded. Some common breeding sites are empty softdrink bottles, bamboo husks, old tires, and flower vases.To prevent complications and deaths, Tayag advised all suspect dengue cases to seek immediate medical consultation for proper case management. Some of the disease’s signs and symptoms are high continuous fever lasting for two to seven days, nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain, body weakness, bleeding from the nose and gums, and persistent red spots on the face, extremities, and trunks.
Monday, 19 September 2011 0
