MILF chair to candidates: “you can come and talk to our people”

By Carolyn O. Arguillas on April 29 2013 11:39 pm

DARAPANAN, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao  (MindaNews/29 April) — The chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said candidates running for elective posts on May 13 “can come and talk to our people” but  the MILF stand has not changed: “we will not participate … but we will not prevent people to participate.”

“If they want to vote, they can vote,” MILF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim told a press conference at the launching Monday noon of the Facility for Advisory Support for Transition Capacities (FASTRAC), a three-year program in partnership with the United Nations and the World Bank.

Along the three-kilometer stretch from the highway  to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s main gate, posters of candidates lined the roadside, many of them posted on coconut trunks.

There were no posters of national candidates (for senators),  just regional  (for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or ARMM)  and local (for Maguindanao).

Most of the posters were from the team of Datu Tucao Mastura and Ali Midtimbang, candidates of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) for governor and vice governor of Maguindanao, and Mastura’s nephew, Vice Governor Ismael Mastura who is now running for ARMM Assemblyman.

The elder Mastura is mayor of Sultan Kudarat town where the MILF camp is based, Midtimbang is former Talayan mayor

Mayor Mastura is a brother of  MILF senior peace panel member Michael Mastura, father of Ismael.

Posters of  ARMM gubernatorial bet Pax Mangudadatu and his running mate Bashier Dimalaang  Manalao were also visible.

Mangudadatu, former governor of Sultan Kudarat province, is an uncle of incumbent Maguindanao governor Esmael Mangudadatu of the Liberal Party while Manalao is former governor of Lanao del Sur.

A few posters of  the first district congressional candidates – reelectionist Bai Sandra Sema (Liberal Party) and Baisendig Dilangalen (Ind), were also seen. Russman Sinsuat, Jr. who is

Mastura-Midtimbang posters dominate on the road to the
MILF's Camp Darapanan. MindaNews photo by Carolyn O. Arguillas

running for provincial board member under the Liberal Party also had some campaign materials.

There were no posters of reelectionist governor  Mangudadatu and the ruling party’s candidate for ARMM governor, Mujiv Hataman and his running mate, Al-rashid Lucman although Hataman has reportedly been endorsed by both Mastura and Esmael Mangudadatu.

Both candidates for Maguindanao governor have repeatedly committed their support to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro  which the government and MILF peace panels signed on October 15, 2012.

“The MILF has not changed its official policy of non-involvement in the ongoing electoral process,” Murad said, adding this has been “the policy of the MILF since the very beginning.”

“We will not participate in the electoral process but then we will not also prevent the people to participate.”

Murad clarified that ‘it is only the MILF officials who are prevented from participating (in the elections).

“Now at this point in time you’d notice that when you enter Camp Darapanan, you will notice there are so many posters of candidates (along) the route. This is not a violation of the policy. We do not see it as a violation of the policy. We do not see also as a violation of the policy for candidates to come and talk to our people because as I have said, we are not preventing them. If they want to vote, they can vote. Only some officers are prevented from voting,” Murad said.

He acknowledged that there are candidates “coming to Darapanan to talk to our people”  but did not name them. But he reiterated that the MILF’s policy on the elections has not changed. “The policy remains as is,” he said.

When a reporter asked if it is true that the MILF would hold a “proclamation rally” in Shariff Aguak town on May 5, allegedly to announce the candidates they would support, Murad replied there is no such rally.

“That is not true. There is no proclamation rally of the MILF because we are not participating in the elections. So there is no truth to the information that there will be a proclamation rally on May 5. We are not a party to that. The MILF is not a party to that,” he said .

Asked if there was an MILF activity in Shariff Aguak on May 5, Murad replied their provincial committee may have “but it is not related to the political exercise.” (Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews).

PH buying 2 brand-new warships

The Philippines is getting two brand-new frigates as part of the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said on Monday.

He told reporters that the Department of National Defense (DND) had earmarked P18 billion for the purchase of the two vessels through a public bidding. He said a number of countries, including South Korea, Spain and Singapore, would participate in the bidding.

Manalo also disclosed that the DND had been negotiating for a government-to-government acquisition of 12 jet fighters from South Korea.

He said the DND had decided to scrap previous plans to acquire refurbished frigates since secondhand vessels would be more costly to maintain. He said the DND had allocated P9 billion for each frigate, or fast warship.

“The purchase of the frigates has been in the pipeline,” Manalo said.  “We are just waiting for the Navy to submit their ‘decision package.’ After that, we will review it and issue an acquisition decision memorandum signed by (Defense) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin,” he said.

Manalo said the process could take a week. “After that, we’ll schedule one or two prebid conferences.”

“We originally wanted to buy secondhand frigates but then we realized that it would be expensive in the long run if we are going to buy secondhand,” he added.

He noted that older ships required more maintenance repairs compared to new vessels. He said the DND had previously approved P6 billion for each refurbished frigate.

The Philippine Navy has only one battleship, the 48-year-old Hamilton-class cutter BRP Gregorio del Pilar, which the Philippines acquired from the United States in 2011.

A second warship, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, would finally sail to the Philippines in June after undergoing repairs in Charleston, South Carolina.

The Navy earlier said the Alcaraz, a 45-year-old frigate, was expected to arrive this month.

The Hamilton-class cutter was acquired for P450 million by the AFP from the US Coast Guard on May 22, 2012, as part of the US government’s military assistance program for the Philippines.

In his State of the Nation Address last year, President Aquino announced that the Alcaraz would arrive from the United States in January 2013 as part of the much-needed AFP upgrade.

“We are not sending paper boats out to the sea. Now, our 36,000 kilometers of coastline will be patrolled by more modern ships,” the President then said, referring to the decades-old vessel, which the US Coast Guard decommissioned on March 30, 2012.

Formerly known as USCGC Dallas, the AFP’s second frigate was named after the late Commodore Ramon Alcaraz, a World War II hero who commanded the Q-boat Abra, which shot down three Japanese aircraft.

Like its sister ship, the Alcaraz was classified as a high-endurance cutter built in 1968.

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/399539/ph-buying-2-brand-new-warships#ixzz2RzHl63YP 

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Rating fall puzzles Binay Veep approval drops 8 points in new SWS poll

“Puzzling” was how the Office of the Vice President (OVP) described the results of the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey in which public satisfaction with Vice President Jejomar Binay slipped, spoiling his “excellent” rating streak that stretched for five quarters.

The net satisfaction ratings of other government officials and institutions also declined in March.

The survey, conducted from March 19 to 22, found Binay’s net satisfaction rating dropping eight points from an “excellent” 70 (79 percent satisfied, 9 percent dissatisfied) in December 2012 to a “very good” 62 (75 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied) in March.

Results of the survey, first published in BusinessWorld, used 1,200 face-to-face interviews nationwide and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

In an earlier report, President Aquino’s net satisfaction rating went up by four points from 55 in December to 59 in March, both within the “very good” category.

In a statement, the OVP on Monday observed that the SWS survey overlapped with that of Pulse Asia but produced divergent results.

“While SWS showed a decline [of eight points], the Pulse Asia survey showed an increase of six points in the Vice President’s performance and trust ratings,” it noted.

Binay’s spokesman, Joey Salgado, said despite that, the Vice President remained grateful for his high approval ratings. “Since 2012, the Vice President’s ratings ranged from very good to excellent,” Salgado said.

Since Binay assumed the vice presidency in June 2010, his net satisfaction ratings ranged from a low of 57 in November 2010 to a high of 76 in August 2012.

Political dynasty

Binay is campaigning for the senatorial slate of the “opposition” United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), which includes his daughter Nancy.

The Binays have been accused of building a political dynasty, as the Vice President’s son is a reelectionist mayor in Makati City while another daughter is running for reelection as representative of the city. The wife of the Vice President, like himself, is a former mayor of Makati.

The Catholic Church is among the groups campaigning against political dynasties in the country.

Backlash

A political analyst is not puzzled at all by the decline in Binay’s satisfaction rating.

Ramon Casiple said Monday night that backlash over the issue of political dynasty was the main reason for the drop in the net satisfaction rating of Binay.

“A turn-off is the charge of political dynasty. There’s no doubt in the minds of the people that he brought in his daughter as a senatorial candidate simply because she is his daughter,” Casiple said by phone.

The perception that Binay was “too eager” to become the country’s next leader also did him in, he said. “He has an image problem. He has come across as too eager for the position. He’s the only one who has announced his candidacy,” he said.

The net satisfaction rating of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, a stalwart of the UNA like Binay, suffered a 17-point decline from a “good” 47 (63 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied) in December 2012 to a still “good” 30 [rounded off] (53 percent satisfied, 24 percent dissatisfied) in the latest survey.

As Senate President, Enrile’s satisfaction ratings ranged from a low of 5 in December 2008 to a high of 65 in August 2012.

Slew of controversies

Enrile is campaigning for his son Jack, a senatorial candidate of UNA.

Casiple said a slew of controversies—the grant of bonuses to favored senators, smuggling in Port Irene, in his home province of Cagayan, and his son’s checkered past—pulled down the net satisfaction rating of Enrile.

“That was corruption; unlawful or illegitimate use of public money,” he said of Enrile’s grant of P1.6 million in additional maintenance and other operating expenses to 18 senators last Christmas. Four senators critical of Enrile each received only P250,000.

Belmonte, Sereno slide

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.’s net satisfaction rating slid by four points, from 15 in December 2012 to 11 in March. Both numbers are within the “moderate” rating.

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno registered a five-point decline from a “moderate” 14 in December 2012 to a “neutral” 9 in March.

The SWS classifies a net satisfaction rating of 70 and above as “excellent”; 50 to 69, “very good”; 30 to 49, “good”; 10 to 29, “moderate”; 9 to -9, “neutral”; -10 to -29, “poor”; -30 to -49, “bad”; -50 to -69, “very bad”; and -70 and below, “execrable.”

Institutions

The net satisfaction ratings of major institutions also declined, with the Senate slipping by six percentage points from December 2012’s “very good” 51 (65 percent satisfied, 14 percent dissatisfied) to a “good” 45 (63 percent satisfied, 18 percent dissatisfied) in the latest survey.

Net satisfaction with the Cabinet also fell by three percentage points from 26 (45 percent satisfied, 19 percent dissatisfied) in the previous quarter to 23 (44 percent satisfied, 21 percent dissatisfied).

On the other hand, the Supreme Court and the House of Representatives’ net satisfaction ratings slipped by two percentage points.

The high court’s rating fell from 36 (55 percent satisfied, 18 percent dissatisfied) to 34 (54 percent satisfied, 20 percent dissatisfied) in the latest survey.

The House’s net satisfaction rating declined from 31 (50 percentage satisfied, 20 percentage dissatisfied) in the previous quarter to 29 (49 percent satisfied, 20 percent dissatisfied) in March.—Lawrence de Guzman, Inquirer Research; Jerry E. Esplanada and TJ A. Burgonio

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/399533/rating-fall-puzzles-binay#ixzz2Rz0BQl8q

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PH buying 2 brand-new warships

By Marlon Ramos

The Philippines is getting two brand-new frigates as part of the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said on Monday.

He told reporters that the Department of National Defense (DND) had earmarked P18 billion for the purchase of the two vessels through a public bidding. He said a number of countries, including South Korea, Spain and Singapore, would participate in the bidding.

Manalo also disclosed that the DND had been negotiating for a government-to-government acquisition of 12 jet fighters from South Korea.

He said the DND had decided to scrap previous plans to acquire refurbished frigates since secondhand vessels would be more costly to maintain. He said the DND had allocated P9 billion for each frigate, or fast warship.

“The purchase of the frigates has been in the pipeline,” Manalo said.  “We are just waiting for the Navy to submit their ‘decision package.’ After that, we will review it and issue an acquisition decision memorandum signed by (Defense) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin,” he said.

Manalo said the process could take a week. “After that, we’ll schedule one or two prebid conferences.”

“We originally wanted to buy secondhand frigates but then we realized that it would be expensive in the long run if we are going to buy secondhand,” he added.

He noted that older ships required more maintenance repairs compared to new vessels. He said the DND had previously approved P6 billion for each refurbished frigate.

The Philippine Navy has only one battleship, the 48-year-old Hamilton-class cutter BRP Gregorio del Pilar, which the Philippines acquired from the United States in 2011.

A second warship, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, would finally sail to the Philippines in June after undergoing repairs in Charleston, South Carolina.

The Navy earlier said the Alcaraz, a 45-year-old frigate, was expected to arrive this month.

The Hamilton-class cutter was acquired for P450 million by the AFP from the US Coast Guard on May 22, 2012, as part of the US government’s military assistance program for the Philippines.

In his State of the Nation Address last year, President Aquino announced that the Alcaraz would arrive from the United States in January 2013 as part of the much-needed AFP upgrade.

“We are not sending paper boats out to the sea. Now, our 36,000 kilometers of coastline will be patrolled by more modern ships,” the President then said, referring to the decades-old vessel, which the US Coast Guard decommissioned on March 30, 2012.

Formerly known as USCGC Dallas, the AFP’s second frigate was named after the late Commodore Ramon Alcaraz, a World War II hero who commanded the Q-boat Abra, which shot down three Japanese aircraft.

Like its sister ship, the Alcaraz was classified as a high-endurance cutter built in 1968.

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/399539/ph-buying-2-brand-new-warships#ixzz2RyzG8uXO

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She danced while a nation burnt

By Luis H. Francia

2:17 pm | Monday, April 29th, 2013

NEW YORK - Was it Oscar Wilde who quipped that one thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about?

In this regard, Imelda Romualdez Marcos need not worry. The ex-czarina of the Philippines has never been out of the spotlight even after her less than glamorous exit from center stage. Still, the provincial lass-made-good lived very well in Honolulu, though perhaps not as luxuriously as when, with Ferdinand, bringing the country to ruin. When apparently unable to touch her bank accounts while being tried in a US federal court for alleged crimes committed while in office, she was bailed out, literally, by her glam friend Doris Duke—a trial in which she was acquitted, on her birthday no less, leading her to remark that it was Ferdie up in heaven who made it all possible. Of course, I doubt it was from heaven that the dead tyrant pulled strings. Besides, it has always struck me as odd, the implication of that statement, that only a miracle would save her from federal prison, suggesting that if there had been no divine intervention she would have been found guilty.

Former first lady Imelda R. Marcos

David Byrne’s musical Here Lies Love, labeled a “poperetta,” would surely not surprise Imelda, did she care to notice, that her life story has been reclaimed for the stage at the Public Theater, a theatrical mainstay of downtown Manhattan. Would the work please her? She probably would consider that question irrelevant, apropos of Wilde. Byrne has fashioned a piece of musical theater that attempts to depict a psychological portrait of La Imelda within the setting of a discotheque—his and Fatboy Slim’s music, lights, DJ, slide shows, the works—going by the much publicized fact of Imelda’s fancy for discoing.

He with some singers performed the music at a Carnegie Hall concert gig some years back, and was rightly criticized (by myself, among others) for overlooking the much darker side of the woman who would be queen. This time there is more of that side, while still hewing to the pop psychologizing of a poor girl’s need to satisfy her craving for acceptance and respectability by acquiring all the conventional tokens of a high-end lifestyle: jewels, artworks, real estate—not to mention shoes, of which there is blessedly no mention here.

Here Lies Love has catchy, danceable tunes, and, as staged by Alex Timbers, motion, sound, images and lights combine to not just evoke an era but also actually transform the theater into a disco. There are no seats, except for the upper boxes, so most of the audience becomes disco goers, standing and dancing beside moveable platforms where different parts of the poperetta unfold. Ruthie Ann Miles and Jose Llana bring verve and magnetism to their roles as Imelda and Ferdinand, embodying the real-life duo’s view of themselves as the mythical Malakas (Strength) and Maganda (Beauty).

It is a thoroughly enjoyable spectacle. And yet, pop psychology is in the end unsatisfying, simply because it adheres to a rather simplistic intellectual frame. Yes, Imelda was driven by an unflagging insecurity about her humble origins but one’s social genesis is not the only determinant of future behavior. Played with convincing grit by Melody Butiu, Estrella Cumpas—the loyal servant who took care of Imelda and her siblings when they were poor relations of the father’s first family—tells Imelda, in one of the sharper encounters, that there was nothing wrong with growing up poor.

Rather than point to that as a measure of her character, Imelda shied away from this inconvenient bit of reality and deliberately made moral and ethical decisions in her personal and political life (to her, they were inseparable) that stressed appearance above everything else. In Byrne’s telling, she causes the disappearance of Estrella and also warns Ninoy Aquino not to return once he leaves with his family for the United States.

The poperetta stresses Imelda’s penchant for culture and the arts. True enough, but nowhere is there a mention of the huge scandal due to the1981 tragedy that befell workers rushing to complete the Film Palace, as part of the Cultural Center complex, with strict orders from Imelda that they were to do so 24/7 to ready it for her ill-advised Manila International Film Festival. The haste led to a top floor collapsing and burying those underneath it, in quick-drying cement. Attempts were made to suppress the deaths—after all, these bodies belonged to nobodies—but the event was too much of a tragedy to be kept from the news.

Political and social events are sketched that point the way to the 1986 People Power movement that forced the Marcoses to flee. Towards the conclusion, a member of the terrific ensemble starts playing on acoustic guitar songs whose lyrics are based on the actual words of those who had taken part in the 1986 uprising. He is joined shortly by two other drum-playing ensemble members. It is a beautiful, reflective scene, and I initially thought, what a great way to end the night, hearing from the too-often anonymous. I was mistaken, however, for the last number is reserved for Imelda and the ensemble, singing the lead song, “Here Lies Love.”

Good music, wrong notes.

Copyright L.H. Francia 2013

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

Haemophilia patients demand better treatment, infrastructure

Sumitra Deb Roy, TNN | Apr 28, 2013, 06.28 PM IST

MUMBAI: This World Hemophilia Day, the city's Hemophilia Society, brought focus on how the government needs to do much more in terms of awareness, diagnosis and management of the disease. A programme to discuss these issues was organized at the Parel's KEM Hospital, where over 400 patients participated.

Out of 11,200 haemophiliacs in the state, only 2,500 feature in the registry of the State Blood Council. And even though, the Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayi Arogya Yojana that covers over 900 diseases, includes Hemophilia in the list, a clear demand for better infrastructure and day care centers for proper care and rehabilitation, was echoed by patients.

President of Mumbai's Hemophilia Society Indira Nair said, "Not only we want to raise the awareness about the Hemophilia disease among physicians and the public, but also to provide patients who suffer from Hemophilia a total care. We are thankful to the government for making the availability of factor VIII and IX concentrates as the safest treatment option for patients with hemophilia." She said that the government will continue to support with the availability of free treatment to patients with hemophilia at all the government hospitals.

"Improving Infrastructure and establishing hemophilia treatment centre's can be one step to ensure these patients get the best care. The next step would be a creating more awareness about the disease and providing comprehensive psycho-social care mechanism for the PWH in the state," said Nair.

However, one of the major challenges for these chapters is treating poor as most of the patients are from poorest of poor background and more than 80% of patients suffering from hemophilia are undiagnosed. A wellness centre for the hemophiliac patients, the first of its kind in the city, was started at the KEM Hospital.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jayashri Kale, professor and head Occupational Therapy, KEM Hospital said "Hemophilia is the oldest known uncommon genetic bleeding disorder that disrupts the blood clotting process. It is caused by the absence of a certain blood clotting factor in the blood. Prolonged bleeding may occur after sustaining injury or can happen spontaneously. A hemophilic has to be injected with the appropriate clotting factor on a prophylactic or demand basis to help control a bleeding episode, and each injection costs Rs 9,000. Replacement therapyof a deficient coagulation of factor VIII and IX are the safest available treatment options. We have been demanding free diagnosis and free treatment for patients with hemophilia at Government hospitals and today we have been successful in launching the first wellness centre for these patients. Thera-band exercises which are safe and effective, especially for home maintenance in the PWH are being incorporated in the rehabilitation regime.

PNoy vows arrest of NPAs in Guingona attack

MANILA (UPDATE) - President Benigno Aquino on Monday vowed that government troops will track down New People's Army (NPA) rebels who attacked a convoy carrying Gingoog Mayor Ruthie de Lara Guingona.

Guingona, wife of former Vice-President Teofisto Guingona Jr. and mother of Senator TG Guingona, suffered serious injuries but survived the attack.

"Nabalitaan naman po natin ang pag ambush kay Ruth Guingona," Aquino said in a speech in Misamis Oriental. "Nangangako po ako na sa abot ng ating kapangyarihan at kakayahan, at sa ngalan po ng batas, mananagot po ang dapat managot. Huhulihin at dadakipin po natin ang mga taong nasa likod ng karahasang ito."

Aquino also visited Guingona in a hospital where she is recuperating.

The 78-year-old Guingona went under the knife because of injuries sustained in a clash between members of the communist group and her police escorts.

Her son said she is still in pain after she suffered fractures in her arms and legs, as well as shrapnel wounds in different parts of the body.

Guingona was on her way home from a fiesta last night when they passed an NPA checkpoint.

Her 2 aides, brothers Nestor and Bartolome Velasco, were killed.

"They alleged that they fired upon my mother because my mother breached a policy of bringing arms in their checkpoint. The persons that were carrying the arms are members of Philippine National Police," Sen. Guingona said in a press statement.

"The New People’s Army has fired upon an elderly and innocent woman who is already bowing out of politics," he said.

"We would like to remind everyone in this country that there is only one government of the Republic of the Philippines. There is only one President who is in-charge in executing the laws of this land. That is President Noynoy Aquino. He is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. And most importantly, he is the leader of this nation. No one has the right to usurp the laws of this country," he added.

Casiño blasts NPA attack

The attack has drawn wide condemnation, including criticism from left-wing senatorial candidate and former party-list lawmaker Teddy Casiño.

"I strongly criticize the New People’s Army’s military action on Mayor Ruthie Guingona’s convoy that resulted in the death and injury of civilians. What happened is wrong and unacceptable," he said. "Civilians, especially women and the elderly, should be spared from such actions."

"Although the NPA has admitted its mistake, we expect them to make a thorough investigation, hold those responsible to account, take remedial actions and make amends to the victims’ families," he added.

"My prayers go out to Mayor Guingona and for her speedy recovery. Likewise, I condole and offer my prayers to the families of her two companions who were killed," he said.

Palace: Don't give in to NPA demands

Malacañang also condemned the NPA attack and said the Armed Forces of the Philippines is ready to protect candidates from NPA threats.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda asked local politicians not to give in to demands of the NPA for protection money.

"The AFP is fully aware and they have taken steps also to ensure that the politicians are spared from all these permit-to-campaign," Lacierda said.

"Those in the local [campaign] can inform us and we let our AFP units go and make sure that there are no NPA checkpoints. This is not tolerated under this system of government," he added.

Lacierda said that the government remains committed to continue peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF but said that the group should show its sincerity.

"It's obvious that the CPP-NPA-NDF is not interested in pursuing peace talks with us. Our position has been very, very clear. We are committed to resolving the internal armed conflicts peacefully. However, there seems to be disconnect between the Netherlands and the people on the ground," he said.

"So is it worth discussing peace with them? Certainly, we would like to pursue peace talks with them but the burden is on the CPP-NPA. If they want to do so, we will pursue peace with them. If they are not interested in pursuing peace then we will be prepared to defend our citizens." - with reports from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News; Primy Cane, ABS-CBN News Northern Mindanao

 ABS-CBNnews.com Posted at 04/22/2013 11:55 PM | Updated as of 04/23/2013 2:09 AM

Palace to NPA: Go ahead make our day

Wednesday, April 24, 2013
By:http://www.sunstar.com.ph/

MANILA -- "You wanna challenge us? Go ahead, make our day."

This was the challenge raised by Malacañang, through presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, to the communist New People's Army (NPA) who reportedly belittled the capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to enforce President Benigno Aquino III's order to crush the rebels' "checkpoints," which the government calls as roadblocks.

Lacierda said that the government forces have intensified their operations against the illegal activities of the NPA, including the setting up of roadblocks to extort money from local candidates.

Aquino has ordered the dismantling of NPA roadblocks after the rebels' ambush on the convoy of Gingoog Mayor Ruth de Lara Guingona who was hurt in the incident. The mayor's police escort was also injured while her two civilian supporters were killed when her convoy did not stop at the guerrillas’ roadblock in the city.

Lacierda said that the AFP has moved a Marine battalion to Misamis Oriental to pursue the perpetrators in the attack.

He said that the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA is now considered a bandit group.

"The CPP-NPA was borne out of legitimate grievances in the past. They have now been reduced to a bandit group," he said.

Since it is now election season, he also said that the rebels are now engaged on "attention grabbing," because "this is the time for them to earn money" through the permit to campaign.

Lacierda said that the Aquino administration is always committed to hold peace negotiation with the rebels. But it is the Maoist group which shut its door to pursue the peace process.

"There is no ongoing peace process. We have committed to talk to them, they have refused to talk to us," he said.

Those rebels who just went to the mountains because of the disillusionment on the past administrations could now return to the folds of law because the current government has changed, he said.

"This administration is committed to making --- ensuring that you will have a better life. And so come down from the mountains. Who doesn't want peace?" Lacierda said. (SDR/Sunnex)

Drilon on Comelec resolution on polls: Don’t shoot the messengers

 By Cathy Yamsuan Philippine Daily Inquirer
Wednesday, April 24th, 2013  |  12:17 pm

MANILA, Philippines — Team PNoy campaign manager Senator Franklin Drilon welcomes the resolution of the Commission on Elections requiring survey firms to reveal the political parties and other interested individuals who commission or subscribe to their reports.

“This is for the sake of transparency.  however, we should not be shooting the messengers, they are just carrying the message. We have to learn from the message,” Drilon said in a news conference at the Liberal Party headquarters in Makati City.

Drilon shot down speculations that results regularly released by the Social Weather Station, Pulse Asia and other surveyors could be manipulated.

“These firms have more to lose uf they do that. Remember that political (clients) are only a small portion of those who commission or subscribe. They just happen to be more prominent at this time,” he said.

Drilon added that survey firms rely more on private businesses seeking feedback on products.

This community, he said, was sensitive to consumer feedback and would not tolerate such manipulation.

Dynasty, RH stand crucial for Senate bets

By Amando Doronila
 Philippine Daily Inquirer 
12:29 am | Monday, April 29th, 2013  

CEBU CITY—Sharp exchanges punctuated the debate among the senatorial candidates on what to do to implement the constitutional ban on political dynasties, the topic of the third and final episode of the Inquirer Senate Forum here on Friday.

The exchanges crystallized the public’s strong sentiment against the domination of Philippine politics by a few but influential and powerful families. The question that surfaced is whether the next Senate will push legislation to give teeth to the constitutional ban.

The intensity of the debate showed that political dynasties are one of the most contentious issues in the May 13 midterm elections, along with the controversial reproductive health (RH) law that has put the Catholic Church in a collision course with the Aquino administration, which backed the measure in Congress.

Their stand on the two issues would either make or break the 33 senatorial candidates’ political fortunes, as indicated by the public’s reaction to them in the three episodes of the Inquirer Senate Forum (the first was held in the University of the Philippines in Diliman and the second in Baguio City).

The three forums tapped into the vein of the views of the senatorial candidates, as the winners will be the policymakers who will shape the national agenda, including political dynasties, the RH law, the economy, poverty, education and taxes.

Social cross-section

The eight candidates, who took part in the Cebu forum, represented a cross-section of society—incumbent office holders, those seeking reelection, and the NGO (nongovernment organizations) sector, with no financial base to fund a campaign, unlike the candidates from political families who had ample resources.

In a way, the candidates from the NGO sector who are seeking electoral support are pitting themselves against the resources of the embedded political families. What are their chances against the goliaths of the dynastic families?

Although they are fighting an uphill battle, the aspiring “outsiders,” the Inquirer forums have found, are rich in ideas and have much to offer to the voters. They can, if elected, democratize the social base of the Senate.

A sort of consensus emerged in the Cebu forum, i.e., there was a need to level the playing field by bringing down the prohibitive costs of electoral campaigning, especially of political advertising.

Independent senatorial candidate Teddy Casiño opened fire on the dynasty issue. After a stint in the House, representing the Left in Philippine politics, Casiño appeared to have already acquired the airs of a veteran senator when he pointed out that he had authored several antidynasty bills, but none of them went to the plenary “because of opposition from lawmakers belonging to big political families.”

Second-degree

Using his own definition of political dynasty, Casiño said the wife, children, parents and siblings—or second-degree relatives—should not be allowed to run for the post being vacated by an outgoing elected official. Singling out Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, Casiño said, “There are other families who have young and budding politicians.”

Angara is running for the Senate as a candidate of the administration’s Team PNoy, led by President Aquino himself, scion of the country’s most powerful dynasty, which has produced two presidents (the incumbent and his mother, former President Cory Aquino).

Casiño lamented the fate of the antidynasty bills being killed in Congress. How can the bills be reported out to the floor after the President has stubbornly refused to certify them as urgent legislation?

Angara replied that Casiño’s definition does not apply to him because his father, outgoing Sen. Edgardo Angara, is retiring in June after serving in the Senate for 24 years. “Everyone must be given equal opportunity to serve,” the younger Angara said. But voters, he said, should not elect him because of his family name but because of his track record.

The six other candidates in the forum were former Bukidnon Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance, Bro. Eddie Villanueva of Bangon Pilipinas, Rizalito David of Ang Kapatiran Party, Mary Grace Poe of Team PNoy, Samson Alcantara of the Social Justice Society, and independent Ricardo Penson.

Charter definition

According to Alcantara, there is no need to define what a political dynasty is because the Constitution is clear that “political dynasties are prohibited, whether they are good or bad.”

David and Penson agreed that the Constitution had already sufficiently defined what a political dynasty was. But they pointed out that the constitutional prohibition had not been implemented because the electorate had kept on voting the wrong officials into office.

Villanueva reiterated his earlier position that no one should be discriminated against in serving the country through the government because of his or her family name, so long as he or she is competent and of good moral standing.

A religious leader, Villanueva has a son, Joel, who is chief of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, a government agency.

Casiño, David, Penson and Alcantara, a lawyer, are against political dynasties.

Zubiri made a pitch for a broad public health care system subsidized by the state. He belongs to a political family in Bukidnon. He is the son of Bukidnon Gov. Juan Zubiri Jr. and the younger brother of Bukidnon Rep Jose Ma. Zubiri III. He contended that there are scions of political clans who have excelled and surpassed the performance of their parents and grandparents.

Underrepresented

Zubiri took pains to point out that his region, Mindanao, is grossly underrepresented on the two main contending tickets. It is represented only by him and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III of the dynasty founded by former Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr.

Dynastic lineage runs across interlocking party lines. None of the two alignments can claim superiority in being able to push antidynasty legislation in the next Congress. Both are blighted on this issue.

There is no more ironic setting for the third Inquirer Senate forum than Cebu. As the campaign heated up, I observed that the walls in the city were plastered with election posters that carried the pictures of candidates from Cebu’s political dynasties.

Among the cities or ethnic regions of the country, Cebu has the most political dynasties. The posters carry the names of families that have ruled the region since the turn of the 20th century—the Osmeñas, Duranos, Garcias, Sottos and Cuencos.

According to a study by Bobby Tuazon of the Center of People Empowerment in Governance, 94 percent of the provinces (73 out of a total of 80) have political dynasties. The average number of political families per province is 2.31. Cebu accounts for at least six. Whether the density of dynasties has made Cebu more democratic and more economically progressive is an issue that calls for further academic research.