China sends large fleet to disputed islands

China has sent one of its largest recorded fishing fleets to disputed islands in the South China Sea, state-run media said on Tuesday, amid tensions over Beijing's assertion of its claims in the region.

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Kalayaan island in the Spratlys, a chain of islets in the South China Sea. (AFP/Kayalaan Municipal office/File - Kayalaan Municipal Office)

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BEIJING: China has sent one of its largest recorded fishing fleets to disputed islands in the South China Sea, state-run media said on Tuesday, amid tensions over Beijing's assertion of its claims in the region.

A flotilla including 30 fishing vessels set sail on Monday for the Spratly Islands, an archipelago disputed between China and other countries including Vietnam and the Philippines, the China Daily reported.

The fleet left China's southern province of Hainan for a 40-day trip to the region, the report said, and includes two large transport and supply ships.

Chinese fishing boats regularly travel to the Spratlys, parts of which are also claimed by Taiwan and Brunei, but the fleet dispatched Monday was as large as one described as the biggest ever launched from the province when it set off last year.

China will make "every effort to guarantee the fleet's safety," the report quoted an official from the department of ocean and fisheries as saying.

China and neighbouring countries have long used fishing fleets and maritime patrols to assert their territorial claims, and have upgraded their naval forces in recent years as tensions over claims in the South China Sea have risen.

The Philippines and Vietnam have complained that China is becoming increasingly aggressive in its actions in the area -- such as harassing fishermen -- and also through bullying diplomatic tactics.

The waters around the Spratlys are rich in fishing resources and it is believed they could hold large oil and gas reserves.

Mom’s Saliva Can Strengthen Babies’ Immune Systems By Bonnie Rochman Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2013/05/06/moms-saliva-can-strengthen-babies-immune-systems/#ixzz2SeMtZVro

Picking up a dropped pacifier and sucking it clean may help infants to be better germ fighters.

The practice not only protects babies from the nasty microbes on the floor, but passes on good bugs that can lower the risk of allergies, according to a new study from Swedish researchers published in Pediatrics. “Parental sucking of their infant’s pacifier is associated with a reduced risk of allergy development and an altered oral flora in their child,” they write.

Infants whose parents use their tongues to burnish binkies were more likely to have different strains of bacteria in their gut, and with more helpful bacteria populating the intestines, the less likely the babies were to develop allergies and eczema.

When the 184 infants in the study were four months old, the scientists collected saliva samples to determine which types of bacteria resided in their guts. At six months old, parents reported whether their infants used pacifiers and how moms and dads cleaned them. The researchers checked back in with the parents when their babies were 18 and 36 months old to see if the infants had developed allergies and when the first symptoms appeared.

(MORE: Bacteria on Binkies: A Recipe for Crankiness)

By 18 months, 25% of the babies had eczema, 15% had developed some type of food allergy and 5% had been diagnosed with asthma.

But the children whose parents sucked on their pacifiers to sanitize them were one-third less likely to have eczema, which is considered the earliest sign of allergies, at 18 months than kids whose parents relied on other techniques — such as rinsing the binkies in tap water or boiling the pacifier. By the time the kids were 3 years old, those who had their pacifiers sucked clean were still considerably less likely to develop eczema than kids whose parents employed other cleaning strategies.

And it didn’t seem that parents were passing on more germs or infections to their little ones with the practice; regardless of how a parent cleaned a pacifier, all of the babies in the study developed an average of one and a half colds in their first six months of life.

To delve even deeper into the power of parents’ saliva, the researchers also looked for correlations between how a mother delivered her child and her tendency to suck the pacifiers clean. Moms who delivered vaginally tend to favor the cleaning practice more than C-section moms. (Those with a college degree, meanwhile, were less likely.) Indeed, vaginally-delivered babies are already exposed to more maternal bacteria thanks to their transit through the birth canal; tack on the oral bacteria from a parent’s mouth and babies in this group had the lowest incidence of eczema: 20%. C-section babies whose parents didn’t lick their pacifiers had the highest rate — 54% — of eczema.

So while it might seem unsanitary, sucking on that pacifier may end up giving babies just the right kind of good germs to better equip them to battle the more dangerous ones.

(MORE: Bring Back the Binky? Study Finds Pacifiers Actually Boost Breast-Feeding)

New sex 'superbug' may be more infectious than AIDS

WASHINGTON: Doctors are warning of a new sexually-transmitted superbug which they fear could ultimately prove to be even more deadly than AIDS.

The antibiotic-resistant strain of gonorrhoea - now considered a superbug - was discovered in Japan two years ago.

Experts have warned that the bacteria's effects could match those of AIDS.

"This might be a lot worse than AIDS in the short run because the bacteria is more aggressive and will affect more people quickly," said Alan Christianson, a doctor ofnaturopathic medicine.

Even though nearly 30 million people have died from AIDS related causes worldwide, Christianson believes the effect of the gonorrhoea bacteria is more direct, 'CNBC News' reported.

"Getting gonorrhoea from this strain might put someone into septic shock and death in a matter of days. This is very dangerous," Christianson said.

"It's an emergency situation. As time moves on, it's getting more hazardous," said William Smith, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors.

This gonorrhoea strain, HO41, was discovered in Japan two years ago in a 31-year-old female sex worker who had been screened in 2009.

Since it resists current antibiotic treatment, the strain has been placed in the superbug category with other resistant bacteria, such as MRSA and CRE.

These superbugs kill about half the people they attack, and nearly one in 20 hospital patients become infected with one, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Though no deaths from HO41 have been reported, efforts to combat it must continue, Smith said.

"We have to keep beating the drum on this. The potential for disaster is great," he said.

Volcano eruption in Philippines kills 5 climbers, injures 7

One of the Philippines’ most active volcanoes rumbled to life Tuesday, spewing room-sized rocks toward nearly 30 surprised climbers, killing five and injuring others that had to be fetched with rescue helicopters and rope.

The climbers and their Filipino guides had spent the night camping in two groups before setting out at daybreak for the crater of Mayon volcano when the sudden explosion of rocks, ash and plumes of smokes jolted the picturesque mountain, guide Kenneth Jesalva told ABS-CBN TV network by cellphone.

He said rocks “as big as a living room” came raining down, killing and injuring members of his group, some of whom were in critical condition. Jesalva said he rushed back to the base camp at 914 meters (3,000 feet) to call for help.

AP

Among the dead were three Germans and their Filipino guide, said Albay provincial Gov. Joey Salceda. He said everyone on the mountain had been accounted for at midday, except for a foreigner who was presumed dead.

Eight people were injured, and Salceda said the others were in the process of being brought down the mountain. Ash clouds have cleared over the volcano, which was quiet later in the morning.

“The injured are all foreigners … They cannot walk. If you can imagine, the boulders there are as big as cars. Some of them slid and rolled down. We will rappel the rescue team, and we will rappel them up again,” he said from Legazpi, the provincial capital at the foothill of the mountain.

An Austrian mountaineer and two Spaniards were rescued with small bruises, he said.

Tuesday’s eruption was normal for the restive Mayon, said Renato Solidum, the head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

The 2,460-meter (8,070-foot) mountain about 340 kilometers (212 miles) southeast of Manila has erupted about 40 times during the last 400 years.

In 2010, thousands of residents moved to temporary shelters when the volcano ejected ash up to 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the crater.

Solidum said no alert was raised after the latest eruption and no evacuation was being planned.

Climbers are not allowed when an alert is up, and the recent calm may have encouraged this week’s trek. However, Solidum said that even with no alert raised, the immediate zone around the volcano is supposed to be a no-go area because of the risk of a sudden eruption.

Salceda said he would enforce a ban on climbers.

Despite the risks, Mayon and its near-perfect cone is a favorite spot for volcano watchers. Most enjoy the occasional nighttime spectacle of the rim lit by flowing lava, viewing from the safety of hotels in Legazpi.

The volcano has a trail to the crater that is walkable though it’s steep and strewn with rocks and debris from past eruptions.

Embassy warns Filipinos against camping out RIYADH: ABDUL HANNAN TAGO

 The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh has delivered a stern warning to Filipinos residing in the Kingdom to refrain from public rallies and protests, as they are a violation of Saudi laws and an impediment to the embassy’s ability to deliver services to community members.
In a text message, Ambassador Ezzedin Tago said: “We did not authorize anyone to call on our behalf,” in reference to advice given from unofficial sources encouraging OFWs to rally near embassy premises.
The embassy had earlier received inquiries from Filipinos regarding whether they could camp on embassy premises and in areas adjacent to the Philippines Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and the Filipino Workers Resource Center (FWRC) in order to seek repatriation.
In a statement issued yesterday, the embassy made it clear that it had not authorized any person or group regarding such action, nor had it received consent from the Saudi government for camp arrangements.
Filipinos with irregular status who are affected by the recent developments regarding labor and immigration law violations need only visit the embassy or POLO to have their respective cases documented and enable them to be given appropriate advice or assistance, the ambassador explained.
At present, the embassy is recording information on the status of overstaying Filipinos for documentation purposes and these cases are forwarded to Saudi authorities for consideration and resolution in accordance with existing regulations.
In a related development, families of stranded OFWs in Jeddah were unhappy with the outcome of the dialogue with Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario recently.
According to Garry Martinez, chairperson of the group advocacy group Migrante International, the dialogue was just a repeat of the Department of Foreign Affairs' promises since the Jeddah tent city was set up.
“Insofar as demand for free, immediate and mass repatriation is concerned, no commitment was made by the DFA,” he said.
Martinez, along with Migrante Middle East Coordinator John Leonard Monterona and some of the OFWs’ relatives, held talks with DFA officials recently. The talks were a result of negotiations with the DFA following the OFW families’ decision to camp out in solidarity with workers outside DFA gates yesterday.
Martinez said that all the DFA offered were piecemeal solutions and token actions with the hope of appeasing families who are already into day two of the solidarity camp-out.
“They promised to prioritize the cases of OFWs whose families joined in the dialogue. But the families were not appeased. Like their relatives at the tent city, they are united in the demand for free, immediate and mass repatriation of their loved ones,” he said.
After the dialogue, Migrante and the families decided to pack up camp at the DFA and proceed to set up camp at Mendiola. “We’ve been to the DFA but received no commitment from them. It’s time to bring our demands to President Aquino.”
“We want to hear what the president has to say. It’s been 24 days since the Jeddah tent city was established and we haven’t had any statement from him. If he’s still too busy campaigning for his candidates, then we hope that this could finally get his attention,” Martinez said.

Cops seize firearms, ammunition from Negros mayor's house

Police seized a cache of high-powered firearms and ammunition from the residential compound of a Negros Occidental town mayor during a predawn search Thursday.

The Philippine National Police used a search warrant to inspect the compound of Pulupandan Mayor Magdaleno Peña, radio dzBB reported.

Peña was not at home at the time the raid was conducted, but may face charges of illegal possession of firearms, Western Visayas police head Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. was quoted in the dzBB report as saying.

Among the high-powered firearms seized from the house were an AK-47 assault rifle, an M-16 rifle and a shotgun, along with a cal-.45 pistol.

The PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group was still conducting an inventory of the firearms and ammunition found in the raid as of Thursday afternoon, the dzBB report said.

Police have been intensifying their efforts against illegal firearms as the campaign period for the May 13 elections is in the homestretch. — BM, GMA News

Philippine Campaign Violations you Need to be Aware Of

Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote (and who do not give a damn!). 

As the May 2013 election draws near, more and more campaign violations can be observed along the streetwalk and other campaign venues. 

Here are the set violations by our Commission on Elections: 

Unlawful Campaigning

Campaigning on Maundy Thursday, March 28

Campaigning on Good Friday, March 29

Campaigning on the eve of Election Day, May 12

Campaigning on Election Day, May 13

Foreign Intervention

A foreigner, or foreign entity, aiding a candidate directly or indirectly, or spending for a candidate’s campaign

Prohibited Campaign Propaganda

- Printed materials such as leaflets, exceeding eight and one-half inches (8 ½”) in width and fourteen inches (14”) in length

- Posters made of cloth, paper, cardboard or any other material, whether framed or posted, with an area exceeding two feet (2’) by three feet (3’)

- Streamers exceeding three feet (3’) by eight feet (8’) in size displayed at the site and on the occasion of a public meeting or rally.

- Said streamers displayed more than five (5) days before the date of the meeting or rally or NOT removed within twenty-four (24) hours after said meeting or rally

- Use of hazardous materials in campaign materials; use of plastics in jurisdictions where plastics are banned

-Absence of this information on printed propaganda material: “political advertisement paid for,” followed by the true and correct name and address of the candidate or party for whose benefit the election propaganda was printed or aired; and “political advertisements paid by,” followed by the true and correct name and address of the payor

Source: www.philstar.com

- To print, publish, broadcast or exhibit any such election propaganda donated or given free of charge by any person or publishing firm or broadcast entity to a candidate or party without the written acceptance by the said candidate or party and unless they bear and be identified by the words “printed free of charge,” or “airtime for this broadcast was provided free of charge by”, respectively, followed by the true and correct name and address of the said publishing firm or broadcast entity

-To show, display or exhibit publicly in a theater, television station, or any public forum any movie, cinematography or documentary portraying the life or biography of a candidate, or in which a character is portrayed by an actor or media personality who is himself a candidate

-To post, display or exhibit any election campaign or propaganda material outside of authorized common poster areas, in public places, or in private properties without the consent of the owner thereof.

NB: “Public places” include any of the following:

-Electronic announcement boards, such as LED display boards located along highways and streets, LCD TV displays posted on walls of public buildings, and other similar devices which are owned by local government units, government-owned and controlled corporations, or any agency or instrumentality of the Government;

-Motor vehicles used as patrol cars, ambulances, and other similar purposes that are owned by local government units, government-owned and controlled corporations, and other agencies and instrumentalities of the Government, particularly those bearing red license plates;

-Waiting sheds, sidewalks, street and lamp posts, electric posts and wires, traffic signages and other signboards erected on public property, pedestrian overpasses and underpasses, flyovers and underpasses, bridges, main thoroughfares, center islands of roads and highways;

-Schools, shrines, barangay halls, health centers, public structures and buildings or any edifice thereof;

Public utility vehicles such as buses, jeepneys, trains, taxi cabs, ferries, pedicabs and tricycles, whether motorized or not;

Within the premises of public transport terminals, such as bus terminals, airports, seaports, docks, piers, train stations, and the like.

So what will you do if you see these violations? Report it. COMELEC has a program called ISUMBONG MO which is open to valid reported violations. All submitted reports to COMELEC are treated as CONFIDENTIAL unless the one reporting requests otherwise.

You can call in your valid and detailed report through the COMELEC Cebu hotline: 4169773. Manila hotline numbers are 5275574; 5259345; 5259302

For those more "techie", the COMELEC earlier called on the public to report violations on campaign rules by tweeting the poll body @comelec and using the hashtag #sumbongko. Don't forget to give out your email address and just wait for COMELEC's Direct Message (DM) where they will reply to your report or they can ask further queries regarding your report. 

You can also leave a comment or PCOSdemo fanpage. The same thing, you need to give out your email address and other contact information. 

Visit www.mycomelec.tv for more information.

Or-- you can also leave a valid comment below so we at iSTORYA.NET can also help out in reporting such violations. 

So, what are you waiting for? Be vigilant and let us help each other in having a smooth-flowing campaign period and a successful election day this May! 

And to all registered voters, do not forget to vote!

“Have you ever stopped to ponder the amount of blood spilt, the volume of tears shed, the degree of pain and anguish endured, the number of noble men and women lost in battle so that we as individuals might have a say in governing our country? Honor the lives sacrificed for your freedoms. Vote.” - Richelle Goodrich

Source: www.comelec.gov.ph

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.

Lawmakers receive P10.6-B 'pork'

by Jess Diaz
The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) appears to be speeding up the release of pork barrel funds to senators and congressmen, many of whom are seeking reelection or other posts in next month’s polls.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has exempted pork barrel funds from the ban on the release of money from the national treasury provided these are not used for election purposes.

As of last Friday, the DBM website showed that a total of P10.6 billion of the P25-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) had already been released. PDAF is the official name of the congressional pork barrel.

The P10.6 billion is almost double the P5.8 billion that was out as of March 8, or less than a month ago.

Of the P10.6 billion, P9.4 billion has been made available to members of the House of Representatives and P1.2 billion to senators.

Of the amount released to House members, P7.6 billion was for those elected from legislative districts and P1.8 billion for party-list groups.

Among the recipient-lawmakers are senatorial candidates of the administration Team PNoy coalition and the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

The biggest recipient is reelectionist Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III of Team PNoy, who has received P167.3 million.

Senate colleagues Loren Legarda, Francis Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, and Antonio Trillanes IV, who are also seeking reelection under the administration coalition, have received P90.5 million, P88.8 million, P7.3 million, and P30 million, respectively.

Some P50 million has been released to another Team PNoy senatorial candidate, Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara.

UNA candidates are also getting their share of the pork barrel. Sen. Gregorio Honasan has received P54 million, while Reps. Joseph Victor Ejercito of San Juan and Jack Enrile of Cagayan have received P32 million and P15 million, respectively.

The campaign managers of the administration and the opposition are also getting their share. Some P41 million has been made available to Sen. Franklin Drilon of Team PNoy and P16 million to his UNA counterpart, Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco.

Other senators who have received their allocations are Edgardo Angara, P80.2 million; Pia Cayetano, P12.1 million; Jinggoy Estrada, P95.5 million; Juan Ponce Enrile, P5 million; Teofisto Guingona III, P31.2 million; Ferdinand Marcos Jr., P51 million; Sergio Osmeña III, P82.5 million; Francis Pangilinan, P98 million; Ralph Recto, P23 million; and Manuel Villar Jr., P49.5 million.

Vicente Sotto III and Lito Lapid have availed themselves of their full half-year allocation of P100 million each.

There are no entries in the DBM website for Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Ramon Revilla Jr., while Joker Arroyo and Panfilo Lacson have not been using their annual P200-million fund since their election to the Senate more than 11 years ago.

Party-list groups that have been disqualified by the Comelec are among the recipients of pork barrel funds.

These groups have questioned the Comelec decision before the Supreme Court, which has decided to return their cases to the poll body with a new set of parameters for qualifying or disqualifying them.

They have received their share of pork barrel funds even if the Comelec insists on their disqualification.

They include Ako Bicol, which has received P90 million; Alliance for Democracy and Nationalism, P35 million; Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives, P35 million; and 1st Consumers’ Alliance for Rural Energy, P69.8 million.

Meanwhile, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said the Aquino administration should tap pork barrel funds to finance programs under the Magna Carta for the Poor.

“If they are going to utilize (pork barrel) properly, it will really help the poor and not coursed it through the hands of legislators because that is not their job,” said Pabillo, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace.

Last month, President Aquino vetoed the proposed Magna Carta for the Poor, explaining that it would be a “mission impossible” for the government to allocate around P3.3 trillion from the P2-trillion annual national budget to fund the programs outlined in the bill.  – With Evelyn Macairan, The Philippine Star

Senators deplore poverty situation in Phl

By Christina Mendez

MANILA, Philippines - Administration allies in the Senate on Wednesday deplored the latest report of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) which revealed that the percentage of Filipinos living below the poverty line has remained unchanged since 2006.

Senators Ralph Recto, chairman of the Senate committee on ways and means, said that with the latest NSCB report the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program is "not enough” to address the country's problem on poverty.

Recto there is a need to provide “more investments to educate the poor families so they can help themselves.” He also cited the need for the government to invest more in infrastructure and factories to create more jobs.

He said health care must be accessible and affordable to the poor as well.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has listed the government’s poverty reduction and empowerment of the poor and vulnerable program as among the highlights of the Aquino administration for 2013.

The CCT is also known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

In the summary report of the DBM about the 2013 budget, the agency recognized poverty “which brings about a sense of powerlessness”, causing frustration and despair among the poor.

“This vicious cycle has to end; thus, the government seeks to rescue the poor who are drowning in the morass of poverty through social protection packages, such as the CCT,” the DBM said in its briefer.

When the CCT program was first implemented under the Arroyo administration in 2007, there were 6,000 initial beneficiaries with P50-million budget. In 2008, there was P 1.27-billion budget for 337,416 beneficiaries; P6.61-billion for 777,505 beneficiaries in 2009; P10.93-billion for 999,432 beneficiaries in 2010; P21.19-billion for 2.3-million beneficiaries in 2011; and P39.45-billion for 3.1-million beneficiaries in 2012.

For 2013, the DBM said P44.26-billion budget has been allocated for 3.8-million beneficiaries of the program.

What’s new?

Sen.Sergio Osmeña III, meanwhile, said that poverty has been a phenomenon not only this year but for over a decade. “Not only in our country but in many countries, even first world nation.”

Osmeña described the phenomenon as “jobless growth,” which he explained as when highly-skilled workers become more productive and earn raises in pay.

“The question is what to do to create more jobs? But that’s a long discussion, ask the trained economists,” Osmeña said in a text message to reporters.

For his part, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the poverty survey is validated during his visits to various neighborhoods in the National Capital Region.

“I can actually validate that survey result on poverty situation when I go around and see for myself poverty at its worst,” Lacson said.

He said he had seen a number of communities “very close to NCR, if not within NCR itself where one cannot imagine how the residents can last a day under the conditions they are in.”

Mrs. Binay urges Sandigan to discard contempt charge

FORMER MAKATI City Mayor Elenita S. Binay has asked the Sandiganbayan on Thursday to junk the request of state prosecutors to cite her for contempt of court for traveling abroad without permission from the court.

"The prayer to cite the accused in contempt should accordingly be denied," said the wife of incumbent Vice President Jejomar C. Binay.

This, as Mrs. Binay left the country on Mar. 18 to attend the inaugural mass of Pope Francis in Vatican City, despite the lack of permission from the court’s fifth division where she faces a graft case, said state prosecutors in a "Motion" filed last Apr. 2.

They added that the third division, whose justices are in-charge of signing resolutions of the fifth division justices as they were in Cagayan de Oro City for hearings, granted her travel authority issued only on Mar. 19, making it insignificant as Mrs. Binay was already abroad.

In the said motion, state lawyers also asked the court to hold accountable "officials of the executive branch" who let her fly out of the country amid the court’s hold departure order. The prosecution did not specify any name.

On the other hand, Mrs. Binay told the anti-graft court’s fifth division that the mere request of state lawyers cannot start contempt proceedings against her as court rules require a petition with original supporting documents and paid docket fees.

"...[I]n all cases other than those initiated by the Honorable Court ... contempt proceedings may not be initiated by a mere motion, but through a verified petition with supporting particulars and certified true copies of pertinent documents or papers and full compliance with requirements for filing initiatory pleadings for civil actions," she stated.

"Instead, the motion is anchored on an unverified and unconfirmed news report from an online edition of a national daily," she added.

She also opposed the state lawyers’ request to null her P30,000-travel bond which she has not yet withdrawn.

"With respect to the prosecution’s prayer for the forfeiture of her travel bond, herein accused opposes the same for utter lack of basis."

Mrs. Binay faces a graft case in the fifth division for giving undue advantage to Office Gallery International, Inc. via a rigged bidding, wherein a padded contract worth P72.06 million was awarded to the said firm for the purchase of office furnitures and fixtures for the new Makati City Hall in 1999.

By: http://www.bworldonline.com

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

Female Catholic priests ‘not likely’

By: Christine McConville

Local Catholic observers aren’t expecting the church to loosen its ban on women priests any time soon, even though a former Kentucky nun has just become the newest member of this controversial but growing group.

“The church in many ways has declared that priesthood is reserved exclusively for men,” said Boston College theology and religious education professor Thomas Groome. “The church has said this is the design of Jesus Christ. Many theologians have challenged this, but nonetheless, that’s the church’s official position, and it’s not likely to change soon.”

This weekend, the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, a dissident group that operates outside official Roman Catholic Church authority, ordained Rosemarie Smead, 70. Smead told The Associated Press that church law against women priests is “a medieval bullying stick the bishops used to keep control over people and to keep the voices of women silent.”

“I am way beyond letting octogenarian men tell us how to live our lives,” she told reporters.

Massachusetts advocates for ordaining women as Catholic priests could not be reached for comment yesterday. The modern woman priest movement began in Austria in 2002. About 150 women have been ordained since then.

Catholic Action League of Massachusetts Executive Director C.J. Doyle called Smead’s move “a sacrilegious parody of holy orders, conducted by a group of non-Catholics.” Doyle said there’s no way Smead can be a Catholic priest, or her supporters Catholic, because her ordination violated church law.

Velarde endorses 3 more candidates

By Jocelyn R. Uy

The White Vote Movement led by the Catholic charismatic group El Shaddai endorsed three more senatorial candidates on top of the six it earlier named for the May 13 elections.

In an event held at the Velarde-owned Amvel City in Parañaque City on Saturday, El Shaddai leader and the movement’s spokesman Mike Velarde announced that they were also supporting United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) candidates Nancy Binay, Richard Gordon and Miguel Zubiri.

The three were in addition to the earlier endorsed candidates: UNA’s JV Ejercito, Gringo Honasan, Mitos Magsaysay and Team PNoy’s Koko Pimentel, Antonio Trillanes IV and Cynthia Villar.

In exchange for El Shaddai’s support, Velarde said that the candidates were made to sign a “pledge of commitment” to always fight for the Catholic Church’s stand once they get elected.

“They made a commitment that if they win, they will fight any proposed law that is against the family and anything that will lead to the annihilation of the Filipino race and things that are against the Word of God, against the commandments of God,” said Velarde.

He said the White Vote Movement will also monitor the candidates they endorsed “so we can also guide them.”

Earlier, Velarde explained that the movement was supporting these candidates because they stood with the Church in opposing the reproductive health (RH) law.

Other groups involved in the White Vote Movement include Couples for Christ-Foundation for Family and Life, Catholic Women’s League, Focolare Movement and Bukas Loob sa Diyos.

Velarde said previous experience showed that some candidates the El Shaddai had supported in last elections voted for the RH law.

“I pleaded with them to defer the bill for further deliberations so the people may know the truth and yet when the voting came, they were there. Anyway, there is always a day of reckoning. We won’t get back at them but we will act towards the right direction,” said Velarde in his speech.

The candidates the movement endorsed have also been dubbed “Team Buhay” by the Diocese of Bacolod because they voted against the family planning measure, except for Villar.

But Velarde noted that since Villar’s husband, Sen. Manuel Villar, voted against the RH bill, “his vote can be considered as the vote of the wife.”