PHL suspends importation of live shrimps from Asian neighbors April 30, 2013 1:09pm

The Philippines has stopped the importation of live shrimps to prevent the spread of Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS)—now prevalent in neighboring countries—among local species, the the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said Tuesday.

BFAR Director Asis Perez said EMS is prevalent Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, China and Indonesia. “We are dealing with a disease unknown to us, all the more that measures must be undertaken,” he said.

An EMS infected shrimp usually dies within the first 30 days of its life, according to the bureau.

It also banned the entry of crabs and lobsters which can carry and transmit the disease. The bureau said it is also monitoring the spread of EMS in Singapore, Myanmar, Brunei and Cambodia.

“The Philippines remains EMS-free as of the moment and BFAR is exhausting all efforts to remain so,” Perez noted. While the the cause of EMS is still unknown, BFAR said infected samples exhibit slow growth, corkscrew swimming and pale coloration. 

With the suspension, BFAR has ordered Fish Health Officers, Quarantine Officers and the Law Enforcement Quick Response Team to monitor, control and implement surveillance protocols at airports and seaports in the country.

Perez noted the situation opens up opportunities for the Philippines to revive its shrimp export industry, saying the bureau is now consulting growers to establish long-term solutions to the problems now facing the industry.

Last month, Agriculture Secretary Processo Alcala said his department is preparing the shrimp industry to again eye the export market. Diseases caused by overcrowding spelled the near-demise of the industry several years ago.

Unsanitary practices in tiger shrimp farms forced many hatcheries to close down starting 1996.

Now the Agriculture Department is studying the potential of mangrove areas in Panay, Leyte, Negros, and Mindoro as strategic production sites, said Alcala.

Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) data showed tiger prawn output reached 48,196 metric tons (MT) in 2012 from 47,494 MT in 2011 and from 48,161 MT in 2010.

Production was valued at P1.89 billion in 2012 from P1.85 billion in 2011 and from P1.82 billion in 2010. — VS, GMA News

Heart Evangelista goes sexy for men's magazine ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – It’s confirmed: actress Heart Evangelista is on the cover of the “election issue” of the men’s magazine Esquire Philippines.

The former Kapamilya actress, who is currently in a relationship with re-electionist senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, is seen wearing a white, low-neck tank top bearing the word “vote” and a pair of black panties on the cover of Esquire Philippines’ May 2013 issue.

Heart Evangelista appears on the "election issue" of Esquire Philippines. Photo from the magazine's Facebook page

“Heart Evangelista wants you to vote wisely,” the magazine said on its Facebook page when it uploaded a photo of the cover on Tuesday afternoon.

Evangelista, 28, has often made the news for her controversial relationship with 43-year-old Escudero, whose marriage was annulled just last year.

The actress’ parents, Cecille and Rey Ongpauco, called for a press conference last month to express their disapproval of Evangelista’s relationship with the senator. The Ongpauco couple called Escudero a “braggart” and an “alcoholic” who is just “manipulating” their 28-year-old daughter to achieve his political goals.

Evangelista has consistently defended her boyfriend from her parents, and even said in one interview that she has considered marrying without their permission.

Car repair shop helper killed in brawl at woman’s house in QC By Jeannette I. Andrade Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — A neighborly visit to a woman’s house at an ungodly hour proved fatal on Sunday to a 27-year-old automobile repair shop helper who was stabbed dead in a brawl with three other male guests in Quezon City.

Howard Oliver Abina III, a resident of Salanap Compound, Sitio Mendez in Barangay (village) Baesa, was killed instantly while his 37-year-old companion and neighbor Danilo Corpuz was wounded in the melee but survived by bringing himself to the East Avenue Medical Center for treatment.

Corpuz, Quezon City police investigators said, had triggered the brawl with the three men who fled after the knife attack and have become subjects of a hunt.

Senior Police Officer 1 Cristituto Zaldarriaga, of the Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU), said that brawl happened at around 1:30 a.m., inside the house of a Shirley Oliveria at Salanap Compound, Sitio Mendez in Barangay Baesa.

Zaldarriaga said that when Abina and Corpuz arrived at Oliveria’s house, they found three other male guests already seated in the living room.

The case investigator said that Corpuz suddenly asked one of the men, “Why? Is there a problem?” which sparked an argument and subsequently a fist-fight between them. Abina tried to help his companion during the brawl but was stabbed in the right side of the chest by one of the men.

Abina died instantly while Corpuz, who was likewise stabbed, managed to bring himself to the nearest hospital and seek treatment.

Biazon father and son security aides mar caucus with brawl

 By Jaymee T. Gamil
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—A local Liberal Party campaign caucus in Muntinlupa City was marred on Friday night by a shooting incident triggered by an altercation among supposedly allied security aides.

Muntinlupa chief of police Senior Superintendent Roque de la Vega told the Inquirer that the shooting was triggered by a brawl between a group from the “advance security party” of reelectionist congressman Rodolfo Biazon, and one bodyguard of Biazon’s son, Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon.

The brawl broke out at the late-night gathering at the Soldiers Hills subdivision covered court in Barangay Putatan, even as the older Biazon was speaking onstage at around 10:10 p.m., De la Vega said.

The police chief said it was the younger Biazon’s close-in security detail, Cpl.  Nelson Lubrin of the Philippine Marines, who fired the shots.

Sustaining gunshot wounds were Nilo Marollano, his son Victor Marollano, and their friend Oscar Parahili, all residents of the barangay.

De la Vega, quoting Lubrin, said the fight began with the Marollanos picking on him, calling him “suplado” and jostling him. Fisticuffs broke out when Lubrin decided to hit back, but ended up being ganged up on by the three.

The marine claimed he saw that one of the three was about to hit him with a rock and it was at this point he drew his firearm and shot his antagonists.

The elder Marollano was wounded on the left arm and left side of the torso, his son was shot on the right upper arm, while Parahili was shot in  the belly.

The wounded were rushed to the Medical Center Muntinlupa, while Lubrin was turned over by his superiors to the city police.

The wounded were transferred to the Asian Hospital and Medical Center on Saturday for surgery. All were declared in stable condition as of noon Saturday, with Parahili already discharged but the Marollanos remaining confined, De la Vega said.

Though the incident was detailed on the city police blotter, no formal police complaint had been filed against Lubrin as of Saturday, De la Vega said.

Nancy Binay still won’t do debates

By Christian V. Esguerra 

Philippine Daily Inquirer  

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines—Those eager to see Nancy Binay in a public debate would have to wait until after the May 13 senatorial elections.

If she wins, the daugher of Vice President Jejomar Binay said, she would be willing to go head-to-head with Team PNoy counterpart Risa Hontiveros on the Senate floor, assuming, of course, that the former Akbayan representative gets into the “Magic 12″ as well.

“I told her it’s okay. If both of us get elected to the Senate, the two of us would be able to debate every day in the Senate,” she told reporters during a campaign sortie here.

But in the meantime, Binay insisted that she would rather focus on the campaign trail with less than three weeks to go before elections.

“It seems there’s no more time for debates because there are still many provinces that I need to visit,” she said in Filipino.

More ground to cover

Binay said she still had more ground to cover because she joined the the senatorial race relatively late. She joined the United Nationalist Alliance ticket after businessman Joey De Venecia backed out.

“Most of [the candidates] had already prepared a year ago because they already had intentions of running,” she said.

Despite her purported reluctance to seek public office, Binay has performed well in surveys of voter preferences in the senatorial elections. She ranked third and fourth in the latest Social Weather Stations survey.

In contrast, Hontiveros, who has been challenging her to a debate, has consistently failed to get into the top 12 of all major surveys so far.

Still, Binay said she would not go easy on her campaign. She noted that in the 2010 vice presidential election, her father, then Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, had been trailing frontrunner Mar Roxas. The elder Binay eventually won.

“What happened to my father’s opponent, I don’t want that to happen to me,” she said. “To me, surveys are not the true test of who would win or lose in the election.”

Binay added: “My mind-set is I’m not winning."

PDEA launches anti-drug text center

 Written by Ronald Reyes  
 April 28, 2013 

MANILA, Philippines- The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has launched a Short Message Service (SMS)/text center that will receive drug-related information and activities from the general public.

PDEA Director General Undersecretary Arturo G. Cacdac, Jr. said that the message center, which was donated by Go Live Pacific, a leading global provider of technology-enabled solutions and services, will be merged to the already existing PDEA SMART Infoboard System.  The center will have Globe and Sun Cellular, in addition to SMART as telecommunication networks that will receive information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from concerned citizens nationwide.

The official launching and turn-over of the PDEA SMS/Text Center highlighted the regular PDEA Monday Flag-Raising ceremony on April 22, 2013, at the PDEA National Headquarters, Quezon City. Formally turning over the system to PDEA was Mila G. Rivera, Managing Director of Go Live Pacific.

“The PDEA SMS/Text Center is the fastest, secure and affordable means to receive, process and reply to anti-drug queries and information from concerned individuals.  At the same time, the system also provides a venue for the public to report to PDEA any suspected illegal drug activities in their community,” Cacdac said.

 The text center has advanced features such as Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Solution System, automatic forwarding of SMS to concerned anti-drug units, automatic answering of queries falling under the FAQ, automatic sorting of SMS and automatic follow-up on forwarded messages.  The system can also be used for SMS blasting like mass and selective announcements and other similar services.

“I would like to thank Go Live Pacific for their generosity.  Through the adopted system, the citizenry will be encouraged to work hand in hand with PDEA in enforcing the anti-drug law by passing timely and reliable information through the use of the PDEA SMS/Text Center.”

The PDEA SMS/Text Center maintains special numbers to facilitate relayed information. SMART and Talk and Text (TNT) subscribers may send their comments, suggestions, queries and reports concerning suspected illegal drug activities in their community by texting:

PDEA<space>FEEDBACK<space>NAME<space>ADDRESS<space>AGE<space>MESSAGE to 09998887332.

On the other hand, Globe and Sun Cellular subscribers may use the number 09279150616 and 09255737332, respectively. (PR)

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.

Muslim extremists kill two soldiers in southern Philippines

Muslim extremists linked to Al Qaeda killed at least two soldiers in an ambush Sunday in the restive southern Philippine province of Basilan.

Regional military spokesman Col. Rodrigo Gregorio said Monday members of Abu Sayyaf militants killed Sgt. Richard Hamin and Private First Class Julieto Tanses in an attacked around 1:00 p.m. in the village of Ubit in Lamitan City.

Gregorio said the two soldiers, both under 32nd Infantry Battalion died of multiple wounds.

"They were heading back to their camp when they were ambushed," he said.

The Abu Sayyaf, active in southern Philippines, was founded in the 1990s and has perpetrated a number of high-profile attacks, including kidnapping, bombing and beheading.

 Xinhua | 2013-4-29 10:54:58  By Agencies

Team PNoy bets bares Labor Day wishes for working class

By Ellson Quismorio
Published: April 29, 2013

LUCBAN, Quezon—More non-wage benefits, diminished cost of living, additional jobs.

These were among the wishes of a handful of Team PNoy senatorial candidates for the labor sector this coming Labor Day even as they individually tackled the rationality of an across the board wage hike for workers. 

Former Akbayan party-list representative Risa Hontiveros told manila-based reporters here that pushing Congress or the executive branch for a legislated wage increase is “worth a try” but offered other measures that could alleviate the burden on Filipino workers. 

“For the next three years, it’s worth a try (wage hike). If it could be worked out within the next three years, at least (give the workers) security of tenure and other non-wage benefits that will basic goods and services accessible to the working people,” said the Senate hopeful. 

Hontiveros stressed that providing workers with security of tenure should be treated as not just a mere benefit but as their right. 

“I know President Noy (Benigno S. Aquino III) isn’t too hot on it (security of tenure) right now but I still want to pursue it if only to protect our workers in this climate of contractualization, which is happening not only in the Philippines but in the whole world.” 

Hontiveros reckoned that workers should also have more bang for their buck as far as basic goods and services are concerned. 

“Let’s raise their non-wage benefits. Their buying power should be enhanced by giving them better access to prices of basic goods and services.” 

Fellow Team PNoy bet, former senator Jamby Madrigal echoed Hontiveros’ sentiments, lamenting that the cost of living in the Philippines is too high compared to other Asian countries. 

“For me, the Philippines has three problems, these are the high costs of electricity, food and water. If you go to Thailand, India or Indonesia, you’ll see that food prices are low, as well as power and at water. All of these drive up our cost of living,” she said. 

While she noted that a wage hike is necessary to improve the people’s quality of living, Madrigal stressed that it is more important to lower the cost of living here to make sure that workers are actually able to save a chunk from their salaries. 

Another former senator on the administration ticket, Ramon Magsaysay Jr., had a simpler wish for Filipinos this Labor Day—more jobs. 

“I wish there’d be more jobs. Of course we need to increase wages, but it would be better to generate more jobs because of sheer number of jobless people,” said Magsaysay, who estimated that around four million out of the country’s labor force are unemployed. 

“So number one, more jobs, more businesses. That’s what the President is doing. Without business, there is no employment. Capital needs to keep pouring in. And that’s exactly what he is doing.” 

When asked about his stand on legislated wage hike, Magsaysay, son of former president Ramon Magsasay, preferred to let the wage boards handle the matter although he said he was in favour of increasing salaries “based on workers’ merits”. He also wanted additional non-wage benefits as well as strengthened social safety nets like Philhealth coverage. 

Re-electionist Senator Koko Pimentel III for his part vowed to work together with the labor sector to come up with what he called a “decent wage”. 

“My commitment to the labor sector is I will continue for decent wages for all workers. Now the question is what is that decent? I’m willing to go through number-crunching to determine what is a decent wage on a per region or city basis if necessary,” he said. 

“I can’t tell what a decent wage is but we will continue to pursue that concept. We’ll meet with a representative from the labor sector and let us compute, let’s do some number-crunching so that we will have a basis once we reach a figure.”

Pimentel said that his fellow Team PNoy candidate Magsaysay’s suggestion of a merit-based wage hike could work hand-in-hand with a legislated wage increase, which he said he was open to.

“It can be both things. There should be a minimum increase plus (another) based on merit on the point of view of the employer—a merit-system of the employers. It’s like a scholarship program. There’s a scholarship for the general population and there’s a scholarship program for the best and the brightest. That’s where the merit comes in, it’s the same thing.”

Scholarships and ‘Marcial Bonifacio’

by DUCKY PAREDES

Published on Monday, 29 April 2013 00:00

‘Ninoy believed that, as a citizen, he could not be barred from coming home. Apparently, Joes Ampeso agreed with Ninoy. You know the rest of the story.’

ONE heartily agrees with House Deputy Majority Leader Roman Romulo that others should follow the lead of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). The DBP has set aside a P2-billion special loan program for high school graduates who wish to obtain a college education.

“We laud the DBP’s ground-breaking program, which will surely enable a greater number of high school graduates to acquire a bachelor’s degree. Other banks should replicate the lending facility,” says Romulo.

Our country, more than others, needs this program. Do you know that three out of every 10 high school graduates do not proceed to college, largely owing to lack of funds? This is also the reason why a lot of them do not complete the regular four-year course. 

Adds Romulo: “Besides DBP, we have 35 licensed universal and commercial banks. If each of them just set aside P1 billion, or one-half of what DBP has allotted, then we can easily have some P35 billion available for lending to students.”

Even if for now, we may have enough college graduates in the population, the rising cost of education could mean that the nation will have a diminishing number of college graduates in the years ahead.

Roman points out: “The cost of a college education has become increasingly prohibitive. It has been doubling every five years, with tuition soaring by roughly 15 percent annually.” 

The P2-billion DBP Higher Education Loan Program for Students, or DBP HELPS, is a wholesale credit facility using qualified colleges as conduits for student loans.

Qualified schools that have tie-ups with companies or employers are eligible to borrow under DBP HELPS.

The schools and their partner-employers pre-qualify and select the students eligible to borrow money for tuition, board and lodging, books, uniforms, transportation and other expenses.

The employers shall also be contracted to provide on-the-job training, subsequent employment, and automatic payroll deductions for borrowers to repay their loans.

Romulo is author of the proposed Act Establishing a Student Assistance Program by Banks and Government Financial Institutions, which the House has already approved on third and final reading.

Under the program, an eligible student may obtain a low-cost bank loan to pay for the tuition of the college where the borrower has been accepted. The student may also use the money to finance all other schooling as well as living expenses.

The loan would have an effective interest rate pegged to the 91-day Treasury bill rate, which stood at 0.040 percent per annum as of Apr. 24.

The bank may apply an add-on 3.0 to 5.0 percent annual interest rate. But instead of the student paying for the extra interest charges, the lender may claim the corresponding amount as tax credits. The bank may then use the credits to pay or offset its tax obligations.

The borrower would pay off the loan periodically, starting two years after graduation, but not later than eight years after leaving college.

***

As the PE (President-Elect ) of my Rotary Club (RC Pasig) with a term to begin on July 7, 2013, may I suggest that participant banks tap Rotary Clubs (or other similar organizations) to find the scholars and the employers who will take them in after graduation. The clubs could even, perhaps, partially match the funds that the banks are willing to lend to poor students with donations to these bank scholars for books or other expenses.

***

Jose Ampeso, the Philippine consul general to Vancouver, apologizes for any offense his videotaped rant may have caused but explains that he was provoked by a Filipino-Canadian offering “to give a measly dollar” to his mission’s fund drive for typhoon victims in the Philippines. 

“The video alone is not sufficient to draw any reasonable conclusions, one way or the other. Hence, it is unfair and unjust to use it to malign my character,” says Ampeso, a 30-year career diplomat. 

Ampeso says that the 28-second video “does not tell the whole story” about his run-in with a Filipino who was applying to renew his passport during the Vancouver mission’s passport renewal outreach program in Alberta, Canada.

Apparently, the passport applicant “insulted me and poked fun at being requested to make a donation to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).” 

“That’s why I became so agitated while explaining to him that if he had to give anything at all, it has to come from the heart for the typhoon victims. It was purely voluntary.

“And definitely, it was not a requirement for a passport application or rendition of any other consular services, contrary to what some allege. Thus, any allegation or insinuation that we were forcing people to give is entirely untrue.” 

The passport applicant, Proceso Flordeliz Jr. of Edmonton, wrote an account of his encounter with Ampeso in a Filipino online forum. He said Ampeso became angry when he offered to donate only a dollar to the fund-raiser, and threatened to disregard his passport renewal application. 

Flordeliz began recording Ampeso right after that encounter. 

The 28-second video clip, captioned “Rude, arrogant, drunk consul. More fun in the Philippines!,” was posted on YouTube. This brought on widespread comment resulting in the recall of Ampeso by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). 

Ampeso denies being rude or arrogant at the event. 

“Please take note that this incident took place at about 4 p.m. I was visibly tired after continuously assisting hundreds of passport applicants in the front of the line that afternoon, ending in fact until 10:30 p.m. on that day,” he says. 

He also says he instructed a volunteer to help Flordeliz despite their earlier confrontation. 

“Be that as it may, I apologize to anyone whom I may have offended. I assure you that I had only the best intentions in reacting in that manner,” Ampeso says. 

The DFA, which seems (to me) to have it in for Joey, has recalled Ampeso to the home office to explain his behavior. 

The Alberta incident is not the first Ampeso controversy. Luli Arroyo, the daughter of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, once accused Ampeso of sexual harassment when the Philippines hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ summit in 1996. 

Ampeso also denied those allegations and the administrative charges were dropped after he apologized to Luli in writing and in person. 

You may wonder why I seem to be taking Joey Ampeso’s side. I really am not. Rudeness by any public servant is never forgivable. 

What I know about Joey, however, is this: He was the consular officer who issued a passport to a senator who was then banned from ever returning to his country during the Martial Law years. Ampeso issued Ninoy Aquino a passport in his name as requested. The fake passport in the name of “Marcial Bonifacio,” however, was the one that the government claimed Ninoy used. It was not. In travelling home, Ninoy used the legitimate passport issued by Ampeso. 

Ninoy believed that, as a citizen, he could not be barred from coming home. Apparently, Joes Ampeso agreed with Ninoy.

You know the rest of the story.

Google-based trading strategy would have made big returns

LONDON - A trading strategy based on changes in the number of times financial phrases are searched on Google could have generated returns in excess of 300 percent over the last decade on the Dow Jones, a study has found.

The findings could prove particularly useful for computer-driven trading firms that use the Internet and Twitter to help gauge investor sentiment.

The study by academics from Warwick Business School, University College London and Boston University, analysed changes in the frequency with which 98 terms such as "revenue" and "unemployment" were used in searches from 2004 to 2011.

Using the data to trade the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index would have returned a "substantial profit", they said.

The study examined volumes of searches for a list of keywords - which Google makes publicly available - and sold the Dow Jones short at the beginning of the week if search volumes on the word were higher than the previous week, and bought the index if volumes were lower.

"The initial hypothesis was that an increase in search volume was a sign of investor concern," said co-author of the report Dr Tobias Preis of Warwick Business School.

By employing the strategy on the keyword "debt", for instance, an investor would have seen a return of 326 percent since 2004.

Reuters Posted at 04/26/2013 10:40 AM | Updated as of 04/26/2013 10:40 AM

Phoenix to appeal DOJ ruling on P5-B smuggling case

by Kathleen A. Martin,

 ABS-CBNnews.com 

MANILA -- Phoenix Petroleum Philippines will appeal a Department of Justice decision recommending the indictment of the firm's chief for allegedly smuggling P5-billion worth of oil and petroleum products in 2010 and 2011.

"Either we will file for our part a Motion for Reconsideration or we will try to go to the court as long as rules of court allow it," Raymond Zorilla, vice president for external affairs at Phoenix Petroleum, told DZMM's Kabayan on Friday.

"Ang purpose naman po ng Motion for Reconsideration namin e baka may error sa paglabas ng reversal," Zorilla noted.

The DOJ resolution, dated April 24, reversed the dismissal of smuggling charges against Phoenix Petroleum's President and Chief Executive Dennis Ang Uy handed down by the same government agency in November 2011.

The most recent DOJ decision stemmed from the Bureau of Customs' Motion for Reconsideration filed earlier this year.

Zorilla said the resolution came as a surprise to the firm as it is currently preparing a rejoinder to file before the Justice department.

"Nagsampa sila (BOC) ng Motion for Reconsideration... tapos nag-file po kami ng comment, nag-file sila ng reply... Kami po ay magsasampa o magsusumite dapat ng rejoinder para pabulaanan lahat ng nakalagay sa reply [nila] pero habang nag-pe-prepare kami ng rejoinder e eto bumalaga na po at may reversal na," Zorilla recounted.

"Bureau of Customs filed their motion sometime in March and we are preparing our rejoinder according to the rules tapos ngayong April nga po lumabas [ang reversal]," he added.

Zorilla noted Phoenix Petroleum's Uy has not yet received his copy of the DOJ resolution as of this morning.

The firm, after news broke on Thursday afternoon, said in a disclosure it is confident Uy will be cleared of the smuggling charges.

"We are confident that Mr. Uy will again be cleared of all these baseless charges as all the company's importations are legitimate and legal," Phoenix Petroleum said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Finance on Friday said the recent DOJ ruling shows the government's commitment in going against smuggling.

"This resolution affirms the Aquino administration's commitment to fighting smuggling and upholding good governance," Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima said in a statement.

"This is a major breakthrough in curbing oil smuggling in the Philippines," he continued.

Koko to discuss PDP-Laban's future with Binay

By Marvin Sy

The Philippine Star 

Posted at 04/26/2013

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY , Philippines – Soon after the smoke clears in these midterm elections, Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said he would discuss the future of the PDP-Laban party with Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Pimentel, who serves as president of PDP-Laban, and Binay, the party’s chairman, parted ways a few months before the start of the campaign for this year’s elections.

This was over the decision of Binay to forge an alliance with the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) of former President Joseph Estrada.

Despite the protests of Pimentel, Binay supported the entry of former senator Juan Miguel Zubiri as a candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), in the coalition between the PDP-Laban and PMP.

Pimentel vehemently opposed the entry of Zubiri, who was the subject of his electoral protest after the 2007 elections.

After four years of fighting the case, Pimentel was declared the rightful winner of the 12th seat by the Senate Electoral Tribunal, unseating Zubiri.

Pimentel accused Zubiri of being a cheat even after the former senator claimed he had no knowledge or participation in the alleged manipulation of votes that took place in some areas of the country.

With Binay and Estrada’s negative response to the protestations of Pimentel about the entry of Zubiri in UNA, he decided to distance himself from the coalition and then joined the Liberal Party-led Team PNoy of the administration.

According to Pimentel, he left without saying anything to Binay even though the ties between them date back to when his father and namesake, former Senate president Aquilino Pimentel Jr. was still head of PDP-Laban.

Pimentel, however, said he had to sit down with Binay to discuss the future of the party in spite of their differences.

“It is important that VP Binay and I meet after the election. Whether he likes it or not, we have to talk about the future of PDP-Laban. Are we together or shall we now part ways?” Pimentel said.

Pimentel said he has plans to convert the party into a new generation political party for younger people, particularly the aspiring leaders of Mindanao so all these things have to be discussed with Binay.

Pimentel attended the rally here as part of the campaign sorties of Team PNoy in Mindanao last Monday.

He was not able to go to Marawi City but sent his brother as his representative for the rally.

Pimentel was also feted with a show of support by local officials in a meeting held at a hotel here last Monday night.

On Wednesday, Pimentel showed up for a discussion with The STAR in which he revealed his final strategy at the homestretch of the campaign.

“I want the voters to recall my initial KP as Kontra Pandaraya, pag walang madaya, buhay kay saya,” he said.

Pimentel also said he wanted to push his proposal for the local government units to have a bigger share of the taxes collected by the national government.

“Currently the LGUs’ IRA (internal revenue allocation) is based on the national internal revenue taxes collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue,” Pimentel said.

“But the Constitution states that LGUs shall have a just share, as determined by law, in the national taxes which shall be automatically released to them,” he said.

Pimentel has attributed his renewed political stamina to the support of the Catholic Church, the Mindanao region, among other groups that pledged full support to his candidacy.

He clarified however that his opposition to the Reproductive Health bill was not a consensus for the support of the Catholic Church but because of his strong religious belief as a devout Catholic.

Pimentel also shared his “improving relationship” with his estranged wife, former beauty queen Jewel Lobaton, who is now actively campaigning for him.

“Despite physical separation our friendship has improved, in fact I will be taking care of our two children so that she can campaign in Negros,” he said.

Pimentel said his marital woes strengthened his opposition to the legalization of divorce in the country.

Instead of breaking up the family, he said the state should provide venues to help troubled families.

He said the family as a basic unit of society must be given full attention by the government.

And after election, Pimentel said his first priority would be to begin the healing process to rebuild a shattered family.

– With Perseus Echeminada

100 houses razed in Bacolod

At least 4,000 people lost their homes after a fire razed some 100 houses in a residential area in Bacolod City Wednesday noon.

The fire hit six sub-villages in Barangay Banago in Bacolod even as arson investigators verify information that a mentally challenged person started the fire.

The displaced residents were relocated to the Domingo Lacson National High School, according to a report on Visayas-based news site The Daily Guardian.

It took firefighters some two hours to place the fire under control.

The fire spread quickly since many of the houses were made of light materials

Fire Officer 3 Cornelio Silva said many residents claimed a mentally challenged resident of Purok Katilingban Zone 1 may have started the fire.

He said the residents saw the resident setting fire to a curtain in her house, after dancing and shouting that she would burn her house. —KG, GMA News

By: www.gmanetwork.com

Foul play suspected in shoplifter's death

MANILA – The National Bureau of Investigation-7 (NBI-7) suspects foul play in the death of an alleged shoplifter arrested in a Cebu City mall.

NBI-7 conducted a second autopsy on Mario Alfie Dacayag, who died while in police custody.

Dr. Rene Cam, NBI-7 medico legal officer, said Dacayag’s body had several bruises and injuries on the neck that caused his death.

Dacayag was arrested on April 12 after he was allegedly caught stealing a pair of slippers from the mall.

The NBI-7 will investigate 7 mall personnel involved in Dacayag’s arrest.

The agency has requested from the mall a copy of the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the alleged shoplifting. -- Report from Junrey Nadela, ABS-CBN News Central Visayas

Aquino taps local leaders to help 3 Team PNoy bets

By Willard Cheng

ABS-CBN News 

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, BRUNEI—President Aquino is enlisting the help of his allies in the local level to help boost the winning chances of three administration senatorial candidates lagging behind in surveys.

“Well, there’s extra help. Parang ‘pag nakikiusap tayo sa ating mga leaders, baka pwedeng diinan ‘yung tatlo na mas maalala; dagdagan ‘yung awareness at ‘yung recall at sana naman may conversion. So ‘yung where we have… the organizational structure, where we have allies… We are trying to make extra efforts on all of them. But, at the same time, parang heartening na rin: nine out of 12,” he told reporters at the sidelines of the ASEAN summit.

Aquino believes that even candidates from the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) that look secure in their rankings may still be vulnerable.

"Naka-una pero may habulan din," he added.

Nine Team PNoy members have landed in the Top 12 senatorial candidates in the May polls, according to the latest Social Weather Stations survey conducted April 13-15. [http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/04/22/13/nancy-cynthia-tied-3rd-4th-senate-race-sws]

Three more candidates - Ramon "Jun" Magsaysay Jr. (14-15), Jamby Madrigal (16) and Risa Hontiveros (17) - have failed to make it to the Top 12.

Earlier, Team PNoy campaign manager Sen. Franklin Drilon said the coalition has plans to boost the candidacy of the three candidates.

"We will keep on working hard. Of the three, Sen. Magsaysay is nearing the top 12," he told reporters.

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