Gordon banks on experience in Senate bid

By Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star) 
Updated April 16, 2013 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Former senator Richard Gordon is making a political comeback by seeking a seat in the Senate under the United Nationalist Alliance.

Gordon’s history on executive, legislative and humanitarian works spans more than three decades.

A lawyer by profession, Gordon started early in public service. He was in his mid-20s when he became the youngest delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention (ConCon).

As mayor of Olongapo City from 1980 to 1986, he made waves by turning Olongapo into a highly urbanized city. He introduced volunteerism, color-coding of vehicles, and proper waste disposal long before they were adopted by other localities.

In 1987, Gordon became governor of the Philippine Red Cross and he is now serving his fourth term as chairman of the humanitarian agency.

He rose to national prominence even more when he got Olongapo City back to its feet after the Mt. Pinatubo eruption and the pullout of American bases in early ‘90s.

Gordon also became secretary of the Department of Tourism from 2001-2004, during which he launched the world-renowned “WOW Philippines” campaign to attract foreign tourists into the country.

This year, Gordon is gunning for a Senate seat on May 13. And he is banking on his accomplishments as a senator from 2004 to 2010 and his long experience in public service.

“I have experienced the Senate... I’ve passed important laws - the automated (election) law, tourism law, international humanitarian law, and the economics,” Gordon said.

“I have the wisdom that comes from being a lawyer; being a ConCon delegate, the youngest at that in 1971; being a mayor, a local government official for 13 years; handling business conglomerates at the SBMA (Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority); being a secretary of tourism and chairman of Red Cross. That experience you cannot get anywhere,” he added.

Gordon promised that if again elected as senator, he would initiate laws that would improve the country’s education system and uplift the lives of teachers who are earning much lower salary compared to their counterparts in Asia.

He also expressed concern over the country’s “weak” defense and its lack of functional air force and navy amid the territorial disputes with other nations.

Gordon admitted that he sometimes longs for the “intelligent discourse” that he had at the Senate.

“It’s not only making laws... You have to make sure, why tourism law is not being enforced. Why is there so little employment despite the high income, despite the Gross Domestic Product going up, why power (program) is not implemented in Mindanao,” he said.

“It’s not talking for the sake of talking. It’s talking for your country. Senators are after all elected to discuss policies... That’s why there are senators who cannot do anything.  They cannot communicate, they don’t attend meetings,” he added.

Gordon lamented that even though Filipinos have elected leaders since 1946, “it seems that every time we elect, we have not really grown like the other countries in Asia.”

“We’ve gone down and everybody has overtaken us. Every time there is an election, we are supposed to improve. There’s been no improvement. It seems we are not voting for the right people,” he observed.

Maribago Bluewater's My BlueARTh: Keeping the World Blue

Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort successfully celebrated its second year of creating awareness of the annual Earth Day event last April 21, 2013, the “My BlueARTh” – a festival of arts, food and music. A day of environmental service and awareness.

Families and friends celebrated and witnessed everything eco-fabulous, easy-going and eco-savvy with Bluewater Resorts’ activities such as the Inter-departmental Chime Making Competition, Recycled-To-Wear Fashion Show and Competition.

Many of us also learned new things especially kids and we were all encouraged to be bold and creative to make our lives a little greener and more artistic such as doing craft out of recycled items, Outdoor Art and other Earth day treats. There was also the fabulous ‘Bamboo House of Chimes dubbed Huni sa Hangin’, Humanitree wherein you can write your pledge for the environment, Tibetan Stretch, A Talk on Natural Farming and the ever fantastic cooking demonstration and the food was really delicious!

They also featured the electrifying and relaxing live performances of Cebu local band Bethany , Martina San Diego, Percussion Duo and Pohaku. The ‘My BlueARTh’ festival continues through the day with University of San Carlos-Talamban Campus Fashion Design students who showed off their creative and artistic flair of designing clothes made of recycled materials. Sky lanterns were perfectly released into the night.

Project BLUE (Bluewater Loves the Underwater Environment) Divers also conducted simultaneous SCUBASURERO dives earlier in the morning in the waters of Maribago for a coastal clean-up activity which was in line with the ‘My BlueARTh’ festival joined by Maritime Police 7, BFP divers and by yours truly and my fellow iSTORYAn. As I was following the other divers holding a full bag of garbage from the sea, a thought came to my mind, that it is really important to keep this kind of idea alive and that Bluewater Resorts has it. We can take care of our planet by keeping it clean and by following the rule of ‘REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE’ - doing these things every day, not just every April 22.

My Sunday was filled with fun activities--an experience I'd always be so proud to be a part of. I hope you celebrated Earth Day in your own way as long as your art reflects what really means to you and if you have yet to decide how you are going to celebrate this particular day, get involved, come and join the ‘My BlueARTh’ festival next year because it’s more fun in BLUEWATER RESORTS!

Maan B. Cajipe iSTORYAn League of Writers Lifestyle- Fashion and Events

Bet for municipal council in NCotabato town shot dead

By John Unson (philstar.com) 

 Updated April 29, 2013 - 1:59pm

COTABATO CITY, Philippines  --- A still unidentified gunman shot dead Sunday night a candidate for the municipal council in troubled  Banisilan town in North Cotabato.

Senior Supt. Danny Peralta, director of the North Cotabato police, said the victim, Gafur Omar, was on his way home from a late campaign engagement at the town proper of Banisilan when a gunman approached from behind and repeatedly shot the victim with a pistol.

Peralta said Omar, who was a candidate for municipal councilor, died on the spot.

Peralta said investigators are still trying to determine if the shooting incident was politically-motivated.

Two security escorts of a re-electionist councilor in the same town were wounded in an ambush about a month ago. The councilor survived the ambush unscathed and was quick to blame Moro guerillas identified with a rival clan as behind the attempt on his life.

Peralta said he has deployed a company of  policemen to Banisilan as part of the security measurest to stave off any escalation of election-related hostilities in the area.

Banisilan accounts for most number of still unresolved “rido,” or clan wars involving armed Moro clans in North Cotabato.

Namfrel raises 'red flag' over PCOS

MANILA – The National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) on Thursday expressed concern over the reliability of precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines, citing reports from its volunteers.

In a letter to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes dated April 23, Namfrel’s chair Corazon de la Paz-Bernardo brought to Comelec’s attention their concern on PCOS machines’ capability to “initialize, operate and transmit the results on election day.”

“We are receiving reports from our provincial chapters about the preparations for the coming elections and this is one of the areas that we feel we have to raise a red flag on,” said Bernardo.

Bernardo enumerated several instances wherein PCOS machines rejected ballots or failed to transmit.

Most of the incidents were observed by Namfrel volunteers during the mock elections held on February 2, she said.

Bernardo also said there were problems in the Comelec "demo centers" in Cubao and Davao, as well as in the absentee overseas voting in Hong Kong.

She requested the Comelec to share with Namfrel and other citizens' arms the poll body’s contingency plan if problems arise on election day.

“We know that the Comelec is trying its best to ensure that the preparations for the May 13 elections include the operation-worthiness of the PCOS machines. We enjoin you to have your technical staff double check the capability of the PCOS so that the elections will run smoothly from voting to transmission,” she said.

The Comelec, meanwhile, is scheduled to do a final transmission test on May 2, while the final testing and sealing of the PCOS machines at the precincts will be on May 6.

Brillantes earlier said the poll body has laid out contingency measures to address problems that may come up on May 13.

reliability ABS-CBNnews.com

13 injured, 1 dead in Iloilo accident

MANILA, Philippines – Thirteen people were wounded while one person died in a vehicular accident in Jaro, Iloilo City.

A jeep, driven by Armand Villanueva, slammed into a parked truck in Iloilo City, wounding 13, including children, and killing Moreli Gregorios, 36. The victims were returning home to Jaro, Iloilo City after a beach outing in the nearby municipality of Dumangas.

Eyewitnesses said the jeep was speeding as it approached a curve in the road, an area which authorities have tagged an accident-prone area.

Investigators said Villanueva may have been drunk while driving, as there were bottles of alcoholic beverages found in the jeep.

The victims are continually being monitored at hospital.

ABS-CBNnews.com Posted at 04/25/2013 10:31 AM | Updated as of 04/25/2013 10:31 AM

UNA hits new Comelec commissioner, cites alleged ties with LP

The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) on Saturday hit the appointment of lawyer Al Parreño as Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner because of his alleged ties with the ruling Liberal Party (LP).

In a statement, UNA secretary general and campaign manager, Navotas Representative Tobias Tiangco said the appointment of Parreño "is another attempt by the administration party to ensure its influence in the Comelec as part of its obsession with the presidency in 2016."

Tiangco said Parreño's appointment "is another glaring move by LP to place its associates in key positions within the Comelec, exposing the poll body to charges that it is losing its independence and is becoming a "Liberal-ized" institution."

The opposition coalition also questioned the Parreño's ties with LP President, Interior Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II.

"We can clearly see the Liberal-ization of Comelec. Everyone knows that Parreño is another Mar Roxas-guy. They got busted with the backdoor appointment of Macabangkit Lanto, and now have another guy to fulfill LP's agenda for 2016," Tiangco said.

Lanto, a former representative of Lanao del Norte in Congress earlier declined his appointment as Comelec commissioner after it was discovered that he was involved in poll fraud in 2007.

Tiangco said Parreño was appointed by Roxas in July 2012 at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, when he was still secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communication.

"The Palace is saying Parreno was not appointed because of his legal background, but mainly because of his experience in information technology (IT). So we have a Roxas loyalist as the Comelec's IT expert. With Grace Padaca around, LP has a strong leverage in the Comelec. This is LP's plan-B after Lanto," Tiangco said. JC Bello

Over 10,500 jobs available in Labor Day fairs -- DOLE 12

By Danilo E. Doguiles

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato, April 22 (PIA) -- At least 10,596 jobs will be available to job seekers in Soccksargen Region in fairs in line with the celebration of the Labor celebration Day on May 1, according the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 12. 

DOLE 12 regional director Ofelia B. Domingo said the number of vacancies was based on the report of jobs available submitted by employers who have signified participation in the fairs being organized by the agency. 

These job opportunities will be available to applicants in five job fairs, which will start late this week, she said. 

Individuals seeking employment could start the search at the fair on Friday , April 26, inside Gaisano Grand Mall in Koronadal City; they may also prefer to go to four job fairs scheduled on May 1. 

Applicants in Cotabato City and neighboring areas may proceed to the South Seas Mall in Cotabato City. Another job fair will be held at the Kidapawan City Gym for applicants in North Cotabato area while those in Sultan Kudarat area and nearby places may go Tacurong City Gym. 

Expecting bulk of job seekers in SocSargen (South Cotabato – Sarangani – General Santos City) area, DOLE decide to hold the jobs fair in two locations, namely: KCC Mall and SM. 

Over 200 companies offering jobs for local and overseas employment will participate in Labor Day events, she added. 

Domingo advised applicants to bring multiple copies of résumé, certificates of trainings, and certifications of employment. She explained applicants who would bring more copies of these documents could apply for jobs in several companies. 

She also advised fresh graduates to seek for positions that would fit their qualifications. 

Besides vacant jobs, job fairs across the region will also feature skills demonstration and free certification assessment by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority 12 for those who have undergone National Certification (NC) 2 trainings. 

Domingo also announced that the Labor Day celebration on May 1 will kick off with an opening ceremony at the South Cotabato Gymnasium and Cultural Center along Alunan Avenue, this city where employee groups and labor unions are invited. 

The ceremony will be highlighted by the awarding of livelihood to beneficiaries as well as the launching of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) Advocacy Center 

Meanwhile, beneficiaries of the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) in Sultan Kudarat province will also participate in the Labor Day celebration with a cleanup drive called “Operation Tinlo.” 

This year, the country celebrates the 111th Labor Day as a tribute to the nation’s workers and to their significant contribution to the country’s development and to highlight their achievement as a major socio-economic pillar of the Philippine society. (DEDoguiles-PIA 12 with CDMLadot-DOLE 12) 

Teachers in autonomous region demand P5,000 in poll duty pay

By Charlie C. Señase

COTABATO CITY—Teachers, particularly those assigned to volatile and fraud-prone areas in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) are demanding higher pay for election duty.

Speaking for the 800-strong Teachers Alliance for Change (TEACH), Abunawas Solaiman said the government must “look into the plight of our teachers by not only ensuring their security but by giving them just compensation for a delicate job.”

“The P3,000 election pay for each public school teacher is not enough to compensate for the threats and trauma” of teachers performing election tasks, said Solaiman, who heads TEACH. The teachers are demanding at least P5,000 in election duty pay.

Noor Saada, education assistant secretary in the ARMM, said she supports the teachers’ demand for higher election duty pay and insurance coverage.

Samira Gutoc-Tomawis, Regional Legislative Assembly member, said many teachers are exposed to intimidation and harassment by politicians with private armies.

Reports of election violence in the past showed that teachers assigned to conflict areas are “exposed to danger in their attempt to expose election anomalies,” said Tomawis.

Considered the backbone of the nation’s electoral process, “the teachers run and supervise voting centers and often form part of the board of election inspectors, only to bear the brunt of election violence and intimidation before, during and after the political exercise,” Tomawis added.

Solaiman said that if some teachers are not performing well in their election duties, it is because they are under threat and lacked ample government protection—economic and security-wise.

New population of Irrawaddy dolphins discovered in Quezon, Palawan

By:Jonathan L. Mayuga

A NEW Philippine population of the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins has been discovered near the coastal town of Quezon, Palawan, the World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF-Philippines) announced on Monday.

The discovery was reported by Mavic Matillano of WWF-Philippines’s Palawan Team, aptly as the country joins the world in celebrating Earth Day on April 22.

The Quezon, Palawan, pod represents the fourth known group of Irrawaddy dolphins reported in the Philippines.

Along with the sea cow, locally called dugong, the Irrawaddy dolphin has been identified as “critically endangered” in an assessment report on the conservation status of marine-mammal species in the Philippines.

Scientifically known as Dugong dugon and Irrawaddy dolphin, scientifically called Orcaella brevirostris, both face an extremely high risk of extinction, according to the Red List Status of Marine Mammals in the Philippines report, a comprehensive and up-to-date list of the country’s threatened dolphins, whales and dugongs that was published early this year.

Dugongs and Irrawaddy dolphins continue to face threats such as destruction of habitat, entanglement in fishing nets, solid waste, coastal development, boat traffic and sedimentation all made more severe with climate-change impacts.

WWF-Philippines described the Irrawaddy dolphins as unique because they are able to literally smile; they are able to adapt to a wide range of salinities, too.  Irrawaddy dolphins are lightly colored all over.  They have a blunt, rounded head and an indistinct beak.  Their dorsal fin is short, blunt and triangular.  In the wild, they have been seen spitting out steams of water,  another unique and peculiar behavior.

According to WWF-Philippines, Irrawaddy dolphins are not river dolphins.  They are oceanic and live in brackish water near coasts, river mouths and estuaries.

“The discovery confirms the fact that the Philippines is a hotbed for cetacean diversity.  Irrawaddy dolphin habitats must be properly managed to ensure that their widely distributed but largely fragmented populations are able to reproduce indefinitely,” said Gregg Yan, the WWF-Philippines communication and media manager in an interview.

Yan said the best way to conserve Irrawaddy dolphins would be through a species conservation plan.  A good first step, he said, would be to minimize the threat of catching them.

“Eurohaline and river dolphins sometimes get snagged in passive fishing gear and drown.  To augment fishing incomes, ecotourism is a viable alternative livelihood,” he said.

Director Theresa Mundita Lim of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the latest discovery is yet another reason to strengthen integrated coastal management in the area where they have been found.

“These dolphins live near the coasts so it is important that coastal communities in the area are aware of their importance and that they should avoid unsustainable land-use activities that could impact on the shores,” Lim told the BusinessMirror in an interview.

This means that the local government should also work to prevent land-based pollution and unsustainable land development that could cause siltation and adversely affect the river system.

“Partnership and awareness raising would be good activities to start with to protect this population,” Lim said.

The group of at least 20 Irrawaddy dolphins, locally known in Palawan as lampasut, was spotted by chance in Quezon, Palawan, along the coastline of the West Philippine Sea.

The pod of rare marine mammalswas displaying typical behavior, foraging for prey around lift net fish traps sitting approximately 1 kilometer offshore, WWF-Philippines said in a press statement.

According to WWF-Philippines, previous populations of these dolphins have been documented in Malampaya Sound, as well as off the island of Panay by another WWF-Philippines team led by Dr. Louella Dolar. 

US to pay Tubbataha damage in cash

MANILA -- The United States government has promised to pay in cash the compensation for the damage caused by its stalled Navy ship on the Tubbataha reef, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.

"The US government will pay [the] appropriate compensation to the Philippines for the damage caused by [the grounding of the] USS Guardian [on the Tubbataha Reef]," Raul Hernandez, Foreign Affairs spokesman, said in a press briefing.

In addition to the payment of compensation, which is about P58 million for the 2,300-square meter damage on Tubbataha, the US government will also be providing "service program" for the protection of the reef and the marine environment, Hernandez said.

"The US government will cooperate with the Philippine government to ensure navigational safety is enhanced in the area," he said.

"The Philippine government officials, the US Embassy and officials from the US government agreed to pay the compensation," Hernandez said, downplaying reports that the US has offered to compensate the damages by providing a "second hand" aircraft that it used during the war in Afghanistan.

"The commitment is they will pay [to] compensate the Philippines because of the damage caused by USS Guardian," he added.

Although the US Navy has already spent more than P1 billion on salvage operations, the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Act of 2009 requires them to pay about P12,000 per square meter of damaged reef and another P12,000 per square meter for the rehabilitation.

Hernandez, however, refused to comment if the same payment will be required from the Chinese vessel that also recently ran aground in the Tubbataha Reef.

"That is being undertaken by the port in Puerto Princesa," the official said.

Meantime, the Philippine Maritime Casualty Investigation Team (MCIT) will finalize and soon release the findings of its separate inquiry into the grounding of the USS Guardian on the Tubbataha Reef in January.

The DFA said the team will finish the investigation after the second and last meeting with the US Navy investigators last April 18 at the Operations Center of the US 7th Fleet Coordination Group at its naval base in Yokosuka, Japan.

During the meeting, the six-member MCIT received additional documents from the US Navy investigators.

The MCIT is formed under the auspices of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to determine the cause of the grounding of the USS Guardian on the north side of the reef's south shoal on January 17.

It took almost three months before the salvage operations team was able to remove the ship from the Unesco World Heritage Site. But by then, the damage has already spread to about 2,300 square meters.

"The inquiry also aims to identify new measures that may be undertaken by the Philippines and the US to prevent such grounding from happening again on the Tubbataha Reefs," the Foreign Affairs department said.

The US Navy officials also informed the MCIT that the final report on their investigation of the grounding of the USS Guardian will be released soon. (CVB/Sunnex)

 By:www.sunstar.com.ph

Cyclists declare 'War against Human Trafficking' at Iloilo Freedom Ride; next stop, Zamboanga By: www.gmanetwork.com

All roads led to the Iloilo Provincial Capitol last April 20, 2013 as around 500 cyclists gathered at the Freedom Ride for a Human Trafficking Free Philippines. Dubbed as one of the biggest and broadest bike tour ever held in Panay, the campaign mobilized cyclists, students, NGOs, artists, sports and lifestyle enthusiasts, government officials and even participants coming from Manila and nearby provinces like Aklan.

According to musician, advocate, and cycling enthusiast Nityalila who heads the Freedom Ride Project of Dakila, “As cyclists, it is important for us to be aware of road signs to help us get to our destinations safely. Using this metaphor for the Stop, Look, and Listen campaign of Dakila gets the important message across to the public that in order to stop human trafficking, we must always be aware of the signs to avoid being trafficked and listen to the stories of those who were trafficked and most vulnerable to trafficking so that we may learn from it and contribute on ways to help prevent it. “

The Freedom Ride is organized by the artist collective, Dakila, a group creatively inspiring involvement in social transformation, in partnership with the Manila Fixed Gear, the Freedom from Debt Coalition Iloilo, Partido ng Manggagawa, and the Iloilo Folding Bike Riders (I-Fold) with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Department of Justice Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (DOJ-IACAT) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).

“A lot of people in the provinces fall prey to human trafficking because of the lack of information given to them. Iloilo is one of the more vulnerable provinces for labor trafficking especially with the number of Overseas Filipino Workers and seafarers coming from the province. Its proximity to Boracay and other tourist spots also makes Iloilo a transit area for sex trafficking. We are glad that the local government, NGOs, the cycling groups, artists and advocates here in Iloilo have embraced the call to be Freedom Warriors. We hope that through the Freedom Ride more people here in Iloilo will learn more about human trafficking and contribute in the movement to stop modern day slavery”, said Karen Bermejo, co-organizer and head of the Dakila Iloilo Collective.

Every year around 300,000 to 400,000 Filipinos fall prey to human trafficking in our own country and abroad. The Philippines remains a source, transport and destination area for human trafficking. In 2010, the Philippines was in danger of being downgraded to a Tier 3 status in the US Department of State human trafficking index for a poor performance in the fight against human trafficking and for being in the Tier 2-watchlist (a list that included countries having the most number of human trafficking victims and with less government efforts to stop forms of human trafficking) for two consecutive years. This could have caused the withdrawal of some $700 million in non-humanitarian, non-trade related aid including grants from the millennium challenge program. As a result of intensified efforts, the country’s status was upgraded a notch higher to Tier 2 in 2011 and maintained the status in 2012. Tier 2 countries are those, which have shown significant efforts to fight human trafficking but have yet to fully comply with standards set by the United States' Global Trafficking in Persons (GTIP) Report. 

According to Dakila President, multi-awarded writer, journalist, musician and pop-culture icon, Lourd de Veyra, “Not only are we a country with 10 million of our countrymen working abroad and where disasters, armed conflict and poverty force most of us to find better opportunities and safer living space elsewhere, but also a society where the luster of city life and promise of fast cash continue to attract people from the rural communities. As a result, more people are becoming vulnerable to human trafficking. The involvement and support of the country’s fast growing cycling community in the Freedom Rides galvanizes the use of road signs to help simplify the concept of the campaign and make it easier for the public to understand.”

The ASEAN member states including the Philippines have committed themselves to the fight against human trafficking. However, in reality, there is still prevalence of cross-border human trafficking across ASEAN countries and there is still an absence of a more cohesive resolution in approaching the issue. The ASEAN Experts Working Group on Trafficking in Persons of the Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crimes (SOMTC) is due to happen in Manila this April to May 2013. Asia’s growing concern lies in the region’s booming sex tourism industry, child brides, labor exportation, and widespread poverty that fosters black market. Governments have little incentive to combat internal and cross border sale of people, and profit from revenues generated by sex tourism and cheap unregulated shadow labor market.

“Global estimates are that 27 million people are enslaved, half of them children. The numbers today are more than the entire 200-year long Atlantic slave trade. We hope by creating much public support, the government intensifies its efforts in addressing human trafficking especially in working with other countries to stop modern day slavery. By using popular culture like bike rides, social media, music and film, Dakila’s campaign aims to contribute in making the public aware of human trafficking and empower them to take action. Through this Freedom Ride, we want to show that our country is one with the world and that we can achieve a human trafficking free Philippines,” ended de Veyra.

The Freedom Ride served as the launch of the Stop, Look, and Listen campaign of Dakila in Iloilo to intensify efforts to stop human trafficking in the Philippines. The campaign kicked off last March 9 through the first Freedom Ride in Manila led by His Excellency Ambassador Ton Boon von Ochssee and Mrs. Martine Boon von Ochssee of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, H.E. Josef Rychtar of the Czech Embassy, and H.E. Guy Ledoux of the European Union, Department of Justice Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (DOJ-IACAT) Chief Senior State Prosecutor Jonathan Lledo and participated by members of the diplomatic community; top officials of Dutch Corporations, officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Bureau of Immigrations, Office of the Executive Secretary of the Office of the President, Miss Earth winners, and celebrities like Reema Chanco and Albert Martinez.

The next Freedom Ride will happen on April 27, 2013 (Saturday) in Zamboanga City. Assembly will be at Plaza del Pilar at 3:30 p.m.

8 more voting centres for Filipinos

The Philippine Consulate General has urged all expatriate registered persons for Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) in Dubai and the Northern Emirates to vote in the nearest field voting areas from today to April 26.

The consulate has now set up eight more field voting centres.

Vice-Consul Gerry Suliguin has advised all voters to bring along with them any proof of identification when they go either to the consulate or to the field voting centres.

The following is the list of the new field voting venues and timings for voting:

From April 23 to 25: Tipanan Restaurant in Al Diyaffah Dubai near Satwa Roundabout, from 10am to 6pm; and Philippine Supermarket in Muraqqabat Deira branch, Shop 1 and 2 Sultan Lootah Building, Opposite Coral Deira Hotel, 10am to 6pm; and on April 26: Digirati Group 402 Crystal Plaza Hotel in Qasimia District in Sharjah near Megamall, from 8am to 11am; Pentecostal Missionary Church, Al Reef Tower Roof Deck in Sharjah near Ansar Mall, from 11am to 4pm; Digirati Group on 2^nd floor of Business Village B near Clock Tower, from 8am to 4pm; Filipino Club, Ras Al Khaimah, from 1pm to 8pm; Tipanan Restaurant, Al Diyaffah in Dubai, from 10am to 6pm; and Max’s Restaurant in Karama near Spinney’s, from 10am to 6pm.

The field voting started on April 19 after the Philippine diplomatic missions in the UAE received a Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Resolution allowing them to conduct field voting in far-flung areas in Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, and in companies and organisations with hundreds of workers/members from the Filipino community.

Suliguin said that the field voting has been very encouraging so far and he is hopeful that through this, the consulate will be able to reach out to at least 60 percent of the registered voters during the month-long OAV.


Lily B. Libo-on / 23 April 2013

Guess what? HTC One to be unveiled in PH April 22 By Alora Uy Guerrero

• View Gallery
  HTC One

The Sony Xperia Z is already here, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is coming soon, and the Lenovo K900 is arriving sometime in June or July. When will HTC Philippines launch the HTC One, the handset that has received praises left and right since it was unveiled on February 19?

>>READ: Samsung Galaxy S4 PH launch slated for April 26

The answer? At 6 p.m. today, April 22.

HTC One Philippine launch invite (Alora Uy Guerrero)

You'd know that the HTC One's official announcement is imminent if you had seen HTC Philippines' social-media account updates last week.

• 

HTC Philippines' April 16 Facebook status

1 / 3

| Photo By Alora Uy Guerrero via HTC

Share to FacebookShare to PinterestShare to Twitter

Close

Previous image

Next image

Will the HTC One be carried by Smart Communications and Globe Telecom? How much is it going to cost you? Is the pricing strategy going to be as aggressive as the Samsung Galaxy S4's? Take note that it's now on sale in other countries for around P28,000.

>>SEE: Globe's Samsung Galaxy S4 prepaid, postpaid pricing

HTC just recorded its lowest net profit since it started making its own brand of smartphones in 2006. Analysts blamed it on delays in rolling out the HTC One.

>>RELATED ARTICLE: Taiwan's HTC reports record-low net profit

Now that the handset is finally available in key markets, we hope that HTC can finally turn things around. The HTC One seems to be one of the best Android devices to date. The full-metal-body design is stellar, and international reviewers have heaved praise on its speakers, UltraPixel camera (even though it's just 4 megapixels, it has been called "the best low-light camera you can buy"), and software features such as BlinkFeed live home screen and HTC Zoe three-second video snippet.

If you're keen on getting the smartphone, we urge you to come back here for more updates.

HTC One specs:

• LTE (market-dependent)
• Qualcomm APQ8064T Snapdragon 600 chipset
• Quad-core 1.7 GHz Krait 300 CPU
• Adreno 320 GPU
• 2GB RAM
• 32/64GB internal storage
• No memory-card slot
• 4.7-inch Super LCD3 capacitive touchscreen with 1080 x 1920 pixels, 469ppi pixel density, and Corning Gorilla Glass 2
• 4-megapixel main camera with auto-focus and LED flash
• 2.1-megapixel secondary camera that can shoot HD videos at 30fps, has HDR
• Beats Audio sound enhancement
• Infrared port
• Non-removable Li-Po 2300mAh battery
• 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3mm
• 143g
• Android Jelly Bean with HTC Sense UI version 5

Pacman return fight set Oct 13 in Macau By Abac Cordero (The Philippine Star) | Updated April 23, 2013 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao will face separate opponents one month apart instead of going for a fifth fight most people are dying to see.

Marquez has reportedly sealed a deal with Timothy Bradley for a WBO welterweight title fight that will most likely take place on Sept. 14 or the eve of the Mexican Independence Day.

And based on previous reports, the fight is being set at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, has moved his plans for a ring return from September to October, and the latest word is that it would take place on Oct. 13 in Macau.

Against whom nobody knows yet.

But Pacquiao, who absorbed a horrifying loss to Marquez last December in Las Vegas, is looking at a very short list that includes Bradley, Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado.

Sportshub ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

Pacquiao wanted Marquez, but the Mexican counterpuncher who will turn 40 on Aug. 23 is taking his time before he faces his fierce rival from the Philippines one more time.

Marquez is reportedly asking $20 million for a fifth fight with Pacquiao, a figure that put a hold on the negotiations for a rematch.

It’s hard to guess how much Marquez would get fighting Bradley but certainly it won’t be even close to half of what he can earn if he chose Pacquiao.

Marquez was guaranteed $6 million against Pacquiao last December, and he should be happy if he gets the same amount against Bradley.

It was reported a couple of days ago that Pacquiao has offered Bradley $6 million for a rematch with the undefeated American who pulled off a questionable win over the Pinoy boxing icon last June.

“I think Marquez wants Bradley,” said Pacquiao’s business manager, Eric Pineda, adding that Pacquiao, seeking a second term as Sarangani congressman in the May 13 elections, has not mentioned any exact date for his next fight.

“Let Marquez fight Bradley. Then if Bradley beats him, we take on Bradley next,” said Pineda.

Since no formal announcement has been made regarding Marquez and Pacquiao, anything is possible. If Bradley opts to face Marquez, then Pacquiao moves on.

“Then we choose between Rios and Alvarado. I think we will go for Alvarado,” said Pineda.

Canada thwarts train terror plot

International Canada thwarts train terror plot April 23, 2013 01:47 AM A Via Rail Canada passenger train pulls into Dorval Station in Montreal, in this July 22, 2009 file photo. Canadian police authorities said on Monday they had arrested and charged two men with an "al Qaeda-supported" plot to derail a passenger train. (REUTERS/Shaun Best/Files) OTTAWA: Two foreign nationals have been arrested in Canada in connection with an Al-Qaeda-supported plot to derail a passenger train in the Toronto area, authorities said Monday. Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, and Raed Jaser, 35, were allegedly planning to carry out an attack on a Via Rail passenger train with help from Al-Qaedain Iran, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. The suspects “were receiving support from Al-Qaeda elements located in Iran” and “there’s no indication that these attacks were state-sponsored,” a spokesman said. The plot “involved a domestic attack [with] planning being supported by Al-Qaeda. And when I speak about support, of course, I mean direction and guidance,” he added. Authorities said the pair were “not Canadian citizens” but declined to reveal their respective nationalities. The main suspect lived in Montreal for several years, another official added. The suspects’ plans were “not based on their ethnic origins but on an ideology,” police said. They are expected to appear in Tuesday for a bail hearing. Charges include conspiring to carry out an attack and conspiring with a terrorist group. Police said the duo planned “to derail a passenger train,” though they wouldn’t specify on which route. “We are alleging these individuals took steps and conducted activities to initiate a terrorist attack. They watched trains and railways in the Greater Toronto area.” However, authorities said an attack was not imminent.