Us asian post august 6, 2014 by Balita Media Inc

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Vol. 3. No. 46 LOS ANGELES

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OFWs defy order to leave Libya Thousands ‘would rather take their chances’ MANILA, August 4, 2014 (AFP) – More than 11,000 Filipinos in Libya have ignored appeals to evacuate, with many apparently choosing to take their chances in the war-torn country rather than risk unemployment at home, a foreign department spokesman said Monday. As this developed, Manila said Tuesday it would send a ship to pick up at least 700 of its nationals trapped in strife-torn Libya as it presses on with efforts to rescue thousands of workers. Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said it would pick up Filipinos from Misrata and Benghazi and hopefully Sirte, adding that others could still flee across the land border to Tunisia. “We have 400 from Misrata, we have 300 from Benghazi and we have something like a couple of hundred from Sirte but the boat cannot go into Sirte because it’s a shallow harbour so we need a

small vessel to bring the people back out to the boat,” he said. He said the ship, chartered for about $1.8 million which can carry 1,500 passengers, would reach Libya at the end of the week “We are counting on getting as many people as possible,” so they can be brought to safety in Malta, he said. Only 200 were at the Philippine embassy in Tripoli even as the government prepares to send a chartered ship to ferry them out, spokesman Charles Jose said. Originally there were 13,000 Filipinos working in Libya but after the government called on them to return, due to the worsening security situation, only “a little more than 1,000” had fled or were waiting to leave, he said. “So we have 11,000-plus OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) who have not arranged to leave,” Jose said. See OFWS DEFY, page 12

The Department of Health said it will continue to monitor the Ebola virus situation every day, and is keeping watch over seven migrant workers recently repatriated from Sierra Leone, one of the Ebola-affected areas. As of August 8, more than 800 Ebola-related deaths have been reported.

PHL govt tightens watch on entry of exotic animals to prevent Ebola MANILA, Aug 2 (Mabuhay) -The Philippine government has tightened its watch of the entry of exotic animals from abroad, especially from some areas in Africa, to prevent the entry of the Ebola virus into the country, Malacañang said Saturday. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on government radio the Department of Health has sent advisories to the concerned agencies on the matter. “I think nagpadala na rin ng warning ang DOH, ng advisory,

sa ibang ahensya concerned sa importation of these animals,” she said on government-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan. She noted the DOH also sent an advisory to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to advise Filipino peacekeepers in Liberia to take preventive measures against the deadly virus. On Friday, the DOH issued an advisory on Ebola, which it described as a “severe, infectious, often fatal disease” in humans and primates caused by infection from

the Ebola virus. The DOH said Ebola can be transmitted through close contact with: • blood secretions • organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals • body fluids and stools of an infected person • contaminated needles and soiled linen used by infected patients • direct contact with the body a deceased person See EBOLA, page 12

Ebola death toll rises to 887: WHO

Senator Bong Revilla, shown in photo on his way to be detained on plunder and graft charges, said his lawyer, Sal Panelo, only talked about the rats and roaches in his cell in jest. Revilla’s lawyer has said the senator’s family saw rats “as big as cats” inside the senator’s cell. (MNS photo)

GENEVA, August 4, 2014 (AFP) – The World Health Organization said Monday the death toll from the Ebola epidemic in west Africa has now reached 887 after 61 more fatalities recorded at the end of last week. Giving an update on the deadly virus – the worst Ebola outbreak ever – the UN health agency said the 61 deaths were reported between last Thursday and Friday in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. It said there had also been 163 new cases of people infected with the virus in that time, bringing the total number of confirmed and likely cases from the outbreak so See DEATH TOLL, page 12

President Benigno S. Aquino III receives a copy of the masterplan for the rehabilitation of areas hit by the world’s strongest typhoon to make landfall. Rehabilitation czar Panfilo Lacson gave President Aquino a copy of the 8,000-page master plan during the commemoration of the fifth death anniversary of Aquino’s mother, former president Corazon Aquino. (MNS photo)

AFP douses coup rumors, loyalty check

MANILA, Aug 4 (Mabuhay) – The Philippine military is confident that its active members remain professional and free from partisanship, dousing rumors that a destabilization plot is in the works. Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, Armed Forces public affairs office chief, gave this assurance amid persistent rumors of a possible destabilization plot against the Aquino administration. Zagala said the Armed Forces has not monitored any developments indicating that retired members of the AFP are involved in such a plot as Senator Antonio Trillanes and Magdalo party-list Rep. Ashley Acedillo warned. “We remain professional and partisan-free and in no way will we do any acts that will compromise our democratic institutions

and our democratic freedom. We are resilient to such moves so we are insulated [from] partisan politics,” he told Headstart host Karen Davila. “Among the ranks of the retired or those who have left the service, if Senator Trillanes or Congressman Acedillo will coordinate with us, we are more than happy to help in finding out or investigating but definitely without warrant we will not investigate primarily because they have already regained their freedom of expression so it is hard to curtail their freedom of expression. If they are just saying something against the government, I think that is not against the law.” Zagala said there are ways and means inside the military to determine compliance and efficiency of troops. There is also a grievSee LOYALTY CHECK, page 12

1 in 10 Filipino Sandiganbayan orders suspension of Revilla, Cambe students has an MANILA,Aug 4 (Mabuhay) – ate Justice Efren dela Cruz, Asso- eye ailment, but The Sandiganbayan First Divi- ciate Justice Rodolfo Ponferrada, many go untreated sion on Monday ordered the sus- and Associate Justice Rafeal Lapension of Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. and his senior staff, Atty. Richard Cambe, for 90 days in connection with the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam. “Accused Revilla and Cambe are hereby suspended from their respective positions as Senator and Director III of Senator Revilla’s office, and from any other public office which he may now or hereafter be holding for a period of ninety (90) days from notice,” the three-page minute resolution read. The resolution was signed by Fifth Division chairperson Associ-

gos. Detained at the PNP Custodial Center since his surrender on June 20, Revilla is accused of allegedly receiving P224.5 million in kickbacks from 2006 to 2010 from alleged pork barrel scam brains, Janet Lim-Napoles. Both Revilla and Cambe are facing plunder and graft charges over the alleged pork barrel scam. Cambe is also detained at the PNP Custodial Center. Government prosecutors earlier asked the anti-graft court to suspend Revilla and Cambe as

MANILA, Aug 4 (Mabuhay) – Ten percent of Filipino pupils have eye problems, but few of these are detected early, the Department of Health said Monday. Thus, as part of this month’s celebration of Sight Saving Month, the DOH is championing a program for school children to undergo vision screening to detect potential problems in their vision. Of the pupils with eye problems, one fourth which have amblyopia or “lazy eye,” and the rest have main error of refraction (EOR), said DOH Assistant Secre-

See SANDIGANBAYAN, page 12

See EYE AILMENT, page 12

The Department of Health in collaboration with the Department of Education spearheaded a vision screening and distribution of eye glasses to young students of Cecilio Apostol Elementary School with vision impairment problems on Monday (August 4, 2014) in F. Yuseco Street, Sta Cruz, Manila. (MNS photo)

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to PHL to spend $4-B rebuilding after Haiyan Colmenares Petilla: Justify MANILA, August 1, 2014 (AFP) – The Philippine government plans to spend nearly $4 billion to rehabilitate areas devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan last year, a senior adviser to President Benigno Aquino said Friday. Haiyan struck the central islands on November 8, leaving nearly 8,000 people dead or missing from its monster winds of up to 275 kilometres an hour (171 mph) that generated giant waves which obliterated coastal communities. The storm tore across an area the size of Portugal, destroying or damaging 1.14 million homes and about 20 billion pesos’ worth of agricultural crops, according to government data. “There will be a massive infusion of resources.... We will have accomplished a lot between now and January,” Aquino special adviser on Haiyan rehabilitation Panfilo Lacson said as he unveiled the 170.9 billion-peso ($3.9 billion) master plan. Congress has already alloted 137 billion pesos to be spent on resettling displaced communities,

rebuilding infrastructure, providing social services and creating job opportunities for the disaster zones, he told reporters. The balance is to be funded by the 2015 and 2016 national budgets, and about 80 percent of the projects should be completed by the time the Philippines elects a new leader in mid-2016, Lacson said. He said part of the amount would be spent resettling about 200,000 families displaced by storm surges or living in areas deemed vulnerable to future disasters. The Philippines is hit by about 20 storms or typhoons each year. Typhoon Rammasun killed 98 people and left five others missing in provinces around Manila last month. Haiyan even forced the Philippines to ask the U.S. to grant Temporary Protected Status for the country so undocumented Filipino citizens from the area now living in the U.S. can work and even come home. However, the U.S. government has yet to act on the request in spite of lobbies being made by several Filipino

extrad powers

An aerial view shows the coast affected by Typhoon Haiyan taken on Nov. 14, 2013 in Hernani, eastern Samar, central Philippines. Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms on record, slammed into 6 central Philippine islands last year leaving a wide swath of destruction and thousands of people displaced.(MNS photo)

organizations all across America. Temporary Protected Status have been granted to countries devastated by calamities, including Haiti, which suffered massive damage and casualties during an earthquake in 2010, and also to countries wracked by wars, like El Salvador.

Lacson defended the long time it took the government to come up with its rehabilitation plan. “It’s not that easy to come up with a plan,” he said, adding the government could not just release funds without a solid plan. “We’ll build back better... compared to pre-(Haiyan) condition.”

MANILA, Aug 4 (Mabuhay) – Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares wants the Palace to justify the pitch for emergency powers for President Aquino purportedly to deal with the looming 2015 energy crisis. Colmenares doubts Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla’s claims that there will be a shortage in electricity supply by next year. “Is there are a dearth of supply? Bakit sinabi ng DOE kulang ng supply based sa report nila dati may enough supply to meet demands? Dependable supply, 15,000 megawatts all over country di umabot ng 11,000-12,000 MW demand.Saan nanggaling idea ni Petilla? Unless DOE can justify dearth of supply, all talk of emergency powers is useless. No congress in his right mind will approve kung walang emergency,” he said. Colmenares added any emergency power granted will be unconstitutional and illegal. “DOE has to convince people there’s a lack of supply,” he said. He pointed out that there was no shortage even after the scheduled maintenance shutdown of the Malampaya gas facility. Colmenares expressed fears that the emergency powers may lead to an increase in electricity rates with the possible return of “take or pay” provisions in supply contracts. The Ramos administration in the 1990s agreed to the controversial provision which guaranteed independent power producers payment for electricity they produce, even if unused. This lead to high power rates in the country – one of the highest in Asia.

Court of Appeals denies petition to order LTRFB to lift suspension of DMTC buses MANILA, Aug 4 (Mabuhay) – The Court of Appeals (CA) has dismissed Don Mariano Transit Corporation’s Petition for Certiorari in relation to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s decision to revoke and cancel DMTC’s Certificates of Public Convenience (CPCs) made on Jan. 4, 2014, including the Motion for Reconsideration filed by the company in February. A Petition for Certiorari is filed with the CA by a company or individual not satisfied with the legal decision of the trial court on a pending case. DMTC filed an appeal before the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the mother agency of LTFRB, 30 days after receiving the Board’s decision to revoke and cancel its CPCs. The DOTC, as mandated by law, can deny or grant the appeal. As stated in the CA resolution, the present appeal of DMTC is clearly premature given the pendency of its appeal before the DOTC secretary. If the DOTC decision is adverse to the petitioner, the bus company cannot appeal directly to the CA, as the decision can only be appealed to the Office of the President. The Board revoked and reverted back to the State all the CPCs granted to DMTC’s 78 units, together with all the attached rights and privileges, due to the company’s failure to comply with the terms and condition of its permit and negligence in providing safe and proper transport services to the riding public. It can be recalled that one DMTC unit figured in a road accident on Dec. 13, 2013 along the Alabang Skyway in Paranaque City that killed 21 passengers and injured 24 others.

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Gov’t has P500-B in savings, says lawmaker MANILA, Aug 4 (Mabuhay) – Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares believes the Aquino administration has as much as P500 billion in savings to date. Colmenares said the government had P223 billion in savings in 2013. He said the National Expenditure Program (NEP) also listed some P257 billion in funds for 2014. The lawmaker said the savings could easily have gone to the disbursement acceleration program

of Malacanang if it had not been struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. “Malaki pala pwede na DAP based sa sinubmit na NEP ng Malacanang. Bakit kailangan mangutang? Napakalaki savings, P500 billion na savings 2013 at 2014,” he said. Aside from government’s savings, Colmenares also intends to ask the government about its proposed redefinition of savings and the lump sum items in the

12 Chinese jailed for illegal fishing in Tubbataha Reef MANILA, August 5, 2014 (AFP) – Twelve Chinese fishermen were handed long prison terms on Tuesday for illegal fishing in the Philippines after their ship ran aground on a World Heritage-listed coral reef, a court official said. The 12 were arrested at the Tubbataha Reef, a marine sanctuary in the western Philippines famed as a pristine dive spot, in April last year after their 48-metre (157-foot) boat hit and badly damaged it. Boat captain Liu Chiangjie and his crew had pleaded not guilty, telling the court in the western city of Puerto Princesa that they had merely got lost but regional trial court judge Ambrosio de Luna rejected the explanation as “highly incredible and unbelievable”. The court imposed the maximum punishment of 12 years for the boat captain and prison terms of between six and 10 years for the rest of the crew, clerk of court Hazel Alaska told AFP. The 12 told the court they would appeal against the ruling. All were found guilty of violating the anti-poaching provisions of a 2009 law that gave the Tubbataha Reef protected status, according to Alaska. The fishermen were also fined $100,000 each, while their boat was forfeited, Alaska added. They were the first foreigners to be found guilty of violating the law, according to Herminia

Caabay, legal officer for a council that helps the western province of Palawan protect its natural resources. Dead pangolins in boat The fishermen were still on trial for possession of protected species within the park, Alaska said, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The Philippine coast guard had said hundreds of dead and frozen pangolins were seized from the Chinese fishing boat. Pangolins are widely hunted in parts of Asia, including Palawan, for their meat, skin and scales. In China they are considered a delicacy and to have medicinal qualities. The boat captain had earlier testified during the trial that the boat’s global positioning system navigational equipment had broken down on their way home from Indonesia, and as a result they did not know where they were. The 12 are among dozens of Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen who are detained in Palawan for illegal fishing. Among the others are nine Chinese fishermen who were arrested on May 6 off Half Moon Shoal, a South China Sea outcrop claimed by both China and the Philippines. However the 97,000-hectare (230,000-acre) Tubbataha Reef, which was listed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1993, is in a part of the Sulu Sea claimed only by the Philippines.

proposed 2015 national budget. As much as P500 billion in lump sum special purpose funds are present in the proposed budget. Colmenares explained that the Palace’s proposal to allow government to declare savings midyear to realign it to other projects, a mechanism similar to the now unconstitutional disbursement acceleration program, allows the government to have two budgets. The first budget is from January

to June and is approved by Congress while the second is from July to December based on the realignments of the executive. The party-list representative said that based on the Palace’s proposal, the executive will be empowered to discontinue projects anytime so these can be realigned as savings. He said this would facilitate the bloating of the budgets of agencies with a bad record of project implementation.

The Makabayan bloc is preparing for the start of budget deliberations at the House of representative Wednesday. The deliberations will begin with the Development Budget Coordinating Committee presentation on the macroeconomic fundamentals and the use of savings. Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon has said the Makabayan bloc will actively scrutinize the budget.(MNS)

DOTC okays IRR for Republic Act 10635 MANILA, Aug 2 (Mabuhay) – The implementing rules and regulation (IRR) for Republic Act 10635 was approved by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC). The legislation empowers the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) as the sole administrator in the enforcement of Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) for Seafarers. The agency is set to create a technical working group with the concerned government agencies and other stakeholders. Under Republic Act 10635,

MARINA assumes “all powers and functions of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Health (DOH), and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), relative to the issuance, validation, verification, correction, revocation or cancellation of certificates of competency, endorsement or cancellation of certificates of competency, endorsement, proficiency and documentary evidence required of all seafarers and all such other mat-

ters pertaining to the implementation of…the STCW Convention 1978.” “This development in the Philippine maritime industry is a step towards a stronger maritime nation that moves the world,” said MARINA administrator Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr. “MARINA is empowered to ensure that the certificates issued to Filipino seafarers are accepted by the maritime administrations and industry stakeholders around the world at its face value, a certificate backed by a credible, responsible, and high quality monitoring system,” he concluded. (MNS)

20 measures await final passage at Lower House during early days of 2nd regular session MANILA, Aug 2 (Mabuhay) – Even as lawmakers will have their hands full by next week following receipt of the proposed P 2.606-trillion 2015 national budget, the House of Representatives is expected to soon pass on third and final reading five national bills, one House Joint Resolution and some 14 local bills which were approved on second reading during the later days of the first regular session. Notwithstanding the crucial and long committee deliberations on the proposed 2015 General Appropriations Act (GAA) submitted on July 30 by the Office of the President, through Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. assured that, like the previous years, there will be no re-enacted budget by January 2015.

The five measures of national scope which were approved on second reading, beating the close of the first regular session last June 13, include the following: HB 3675 or “An Act removing the conditions for the condonation of all unpaid taxes due from local water districts, amending for the purpose section 289-A of the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended,” which was passed on June 10, 2014; HB 4629 or “An Act providing for a Magna Carta of the Poor,” which was approved on June 11, 2015; HB 4630 or “An Act establishing a Philippine High School for Sports and appropriating funds therefore,” approved on June 11; HB 4633 or “An Act Strengthening the policy framework for the development of the sugarcane

industry, establishing the Sugarcane Industry Development Fund, and reconstituting the Board of Directors of the Philippine Sugar Corporation,” also approved on June 11; and HB 4571 or “An Act naming the new building owned by the DILG located at Quezon Avenue corner EDSA, Quezon City as The Secretary Jesse Robredo building in honor of the late DILG Secretary.” One resolution which also awaits final passage in the Lower Chamber is House Joint Resolution No. 13 entitled “Joint Resolution deferring the implementation of the mandatory fortification of refined sugar with Vitamin A as required by Republic Act No. 8976, otherwise known as the ‘Philippine Food Fortification Act of 2000’ until the National Nutrition Council has determined whether it is still necessary or not.”

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Action vs China ‘gaining support’: PHL MANILA, August 4, 2014 (AFP) – The Philippines said Monday it has won support from Vietnam, Indonesia and Brunei for a plan to ease tensions in the South China Sea which it intends to present at a regional meeting this week. China and several of its Southeast Asian neighbors are embroiled in increasingly bitter territorial disputes over the strategic sea which Beijing claims almost in its entirety. Manila’s plan calls for an immediate moratorium on activities which escalate tensions and implementation of a code of conduct in the sea, which is home to vital shipping routes and is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas deposits. The plan, to be presented to an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Myanmar this week, was raised during Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario’s recent visits to Brunei, Vietnam and Indonesia, department spokesman Charles Jose said. “He has taken trips (to these countries) precisely to raise the triple action plan and so far, all of these countries have expressed support for the initiative,” Jose told reporters. He said del Rosario and other Filipino delegates would try to raise the initiative at the various ASEAN discussions. ASEAN includes the Philippines as well as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam along with non-members China and Taiwan, have conflicting claims to parts or all of the South China Sea. Tensions have risen in recent years as China has become more aggressive in enforcing its claims. Beijing’s deployment of an oil rig in contested waters in May triggered anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam and sent relations plummeting. Manila’s plan includes a call for implementation of a 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration of Conduct in the South China Sea and will also seek a settlement mechanism anchored on international law to resolve the disputes. The Myanmar meetings will also involve talks between the ASEAN foreign ministers and counterparts from the bloc’s main regional trading partners – China, Japan and South Korea. There will also be a regional security dialogue involving 27 countries, including the ASEAN members, China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, Russia, and Australia.

Pulse Asia: Senate, House trust ratings drop further after DAP ruling, senators’ arrests MANILA, Aug 4 (Mabuhay) -- Congress’ trust ratings continue to plunge after the striking down of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and the arrest of two senators on plunder and graft cases, pollster Pulse Asia reported Monday. Following the detention of Senators Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada for their alleged involvement the in pork barrel scam, the Senate’s trust ratings slid further to 31 percent last June from 42 percent last December. The House of Representatives also suffered a decline in trust ratings, which went to 29 percent in June from 39 percent last December. Similarly, both chambers’ approval ratings also fell after controversies involving its members. The Senate, whose members endorsed DAP-funded projects, got a lower 33-percent approval rating from 41 percent last March. The House, meanwhile, received a 34-percent approval rating, lower than the 38 percent five months ago. The Pulse Asia survey was conducted on 1,200 Filipino adults from June 24 to July 2 this year, covering the period the SC declared the DAP as partially unconstitutional. Also covered by the survey period were Revilla and Estrada’s arrests and detention on allegations that they pocketed their discretionary funds through a scam supposedly orchestrated by businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles. Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile had also been arrested and detained on the same accusations. The pollster also earlier reported notable drops in the approval and trust ratings of top government officials, including President Benigno Aquino III, Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., after these controversies. (MNS)

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OPINION

US-Mexico border crime takes center stage in ‘The Bridge’ By Sara Puig

LOS ANGELES, August 3, 2014 (AFP) – Murder, corruption and all sorts of sleazy behavior are found on both sides of the US-Mexico border in the US TV drama “The Bridge,” which focuses on an American and a Mexican detective trying to solve binational crimes. The series, which just began its second season in the United States, Latin America and Spain, opened in July 2013 with the gruesome discovery of a woman’s mutilated body placed in the middle of one of the busy bridges over the Rio Grande that links El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The teeming urban sprawl of about 2 million people – some 1.4 million in Ciudad Juarez and about 600,000 in El Paso – is one city with deep historical, cultural and family ties divided by an international border. In the show, Ciudad Juarez police detective Marco Ruiz, played by leading Mexican actor Demian Bichir and his Texas counterpart Sonya Cross, played by German actress Diane Kruger, work together to attempt to solve baffling serial killings that have suspects and leads on both sides of the border. As the investigation unfolds, issues of drug trafficking, human smuggling, bribery and abuse of power in the United States and Mexico, inspired by real-life cases ripped from the headlines, are dealt with in the show. “Here we talk of all the problems that two countries so different as the United States and Mexico share, but in a fictional setting,” Bichir told AFP in an interview. The series “does not treat one country as good and the other as bad. That’s one of the things that keeps the viewer’s attention,” said Bichir, nominated for an Oscar for his lead role in the 2011 Chris Weitz movie “A Better Life.” Drug wars, illegal immigration “The Bridge” is a remake of the 2011 SwedishDanish TV series “Bron/Broen” adapted to the busy 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) US-Mexico border, legally crossed by one million people a day. The show includes episodes that touch on the turf wars between Mexican drug cartels to control lucrative smuggling routes into the United States – the world’s largest illicit drug market – and the influence of the cartels on the northern side of the border. It also addresses the illegal immigration of Mexi-

cans and Central Americans, many of whom are robbed, abused, raped and sometimes murdered by criminal gangs before they even attempt to sneak into the United States. In this context of rampant, out-of-control violence, Detective Ruiz faces endless obstacles, not only having to deal with the shocking cruelty of some of the crimes, but also the corruption of his own police colleagues. In El Paso Detective Cross, who has Asperger syndrome and can be brusque and tactless, struggles to enforce US law even while she has a jaded, often uninterested supervisor. The series “puts the finger on the sore” of the most controversial issues affecting both countries thanks to the honesty of the two lead characters, Bichir said. US-Mexican ‘marriage’ “The Bridge” has found the right formula to bring Americans closer to what is happening in its southern border, “touching fundamental issues to open eyes and allowing viewers to reflect through emotions,” said Demian’s brother Bruno Bichir, who in the series portrays a dark character named Sebastian Cerisola. “The most important thing is to realize, through this fiction, that Mexico and the United States are in a marriage and that we have a border that we must care for together,” he said. Americans appear to be increasingly concerned about the southern border, especially with violence linked to the drug trade and the flood of illegal migration. The show’s first season had some 3.3 million viewers in the United States, and some 14,000 followers on Twitter. The series airs on the FX network, part of the Fox Entertainment Group, and there has been no confirmation yet of a third season. Demian Bichir hopes that “The Bridge” will take a closer look at the issue of migration to the United States. “We have to talk about the origin of this massive exodus of children that has arrived at the border,” he said, in reference to the more than 57,000 minors, mostly from Central America, who have illegally crossed into the United States since October. “It would be worthwhile if ‘The Bridge’ has the time to tell the history of this humanitarian crisis, and that it takes the time to put a face on the 12 million undocumented people living their daily lives in the United States,” he opined.

Panic grows as Nigeria doctor is infected with Ebola virus By Ben Simon, with Zoom Dosso in Monrovia

LAGOS, August 4, 2014 (AFP) – Nigerian authorities said Monday that a doctor in Lagos has contracted Ebola, the second case in the sprawling megacity as the deadliest ever outbreak of the disease continues to spread fear and panic across west Africa. The confirmation that a fourth doctor had been infected comes as fear and anger about the dead being left unburied in Liberia’s capital Monrovia brought protestors into the streets, while Sierra Leone’s president said Monday that the epidemic threatened the “very essence” of the nation. “This new case is one of the doctors who attended to the Liberian Ebola patient who died,” Nigeria’s Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu told journalists. He said that 70 other people believed to have come into contact with the Liberian government official were being monitored. Of the eight now in quarantine, three show “symptomatic” signs of the disease, he said. More worrying still are reports from Liberia that victims’ corpses were being dumped or abandoned. Protesters, who blocked major roads in the capital on Monday, claim that the government is not collecting bodies of victims left to rot in the streets or in their homes. According to an update Monday by the UN World Health Organization, at least 887 people have died from Ebola since the beginning of the year as the virus has spread across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra

Leone. The Liberian government had warned against touching the dead or anyone ill with Ebola-like symptoms, which include fever, vomiting, severe headaches and muscular pain and, in the final stages, profuse bleeding. “Four people died in this community. Because the government says that we should not touch bodies, no one has gone to bury them,” Kamara Fofana, 56, a protestor in the Monrovia suburb of Douala, told AFP. “We have been calling the ministry of health hotline to no avail.” Miatta Myers said her mother was one of the suspected victims. “Our mother was vomiting. We tried to call the ministry of health but we did not see anyone. For five days now her body has been in the house. The only way we can get the attention of the government is to block the road.” Roadblocks first sprang up across major routes at the weekend and have appeared in several Monrovia neighbourhoods since. Deputy health minister Tolbert Nyensuah said the government was doing its best to collect bodies as quickly as possible. “We buried 30 people during the weekend in a mass grave outside the city. The government has purchased land from a private citizen and that land will be used to bury bodies,” he said. In neighbouring Sierra Leone, President Ernest Bai Koroma called for the nation to unite to counter the threat posed by the outbreak. “This is a collective fight. The very essence of our nation is at stake,” he said in a televised address.

Google says ‘forgetting’ isn’t easy, as requests mount SAN FRANCISCO, August 1, 2014 (AFP) – Google on Thursday told European officials that forgetting isn’t easy, especially when details are few and guidelines are murky regarding when personal privacy trumps public interest. The world’s leading Internet search engine said that as of July 18 it had received more than 91,000 requests to delete a combined total of 328,000 links under Europe’s “right to be forgotten” ruling. The most requests came from France and Germany, with approximately 17,500 and 16,500 respectively, according to a copy of a letter Google global privacy counsel Peter Fleischer sent to an EU data protection committee. Another 12,000 removal requests came from Britain, 8,000 from Spain, and 7,500 from Italy. Google said that 53 percent of the links targeted were removed. But the California-based Internet titan said it is challenged by having to rely on those making removal requests for information needed to put them in perspective. “Some requests turn out to be made with false and inaccurate information,” Fleischer said in the letter. “Even if requesters provide us with accurate information, they understandably may avoid presenting facts that are not in their favor.” For example, a person requesting the removal of links to information about a crime committed as a

teenager may omit that he or she was convicted of similar crimes as an adult, or that he or she is a politician running for office. Other requests might target a link to information about another person who happens to have the same name. The 13-page letter contained replies to a questions from a meeting last week between several Internet search services and the group of EU data protection regulators. Google took the opportunity to ask for input on how it should differentiate what is in the public interest and what isn’t, and whether information posted online by governments can be “forgotten” at someone’s request. Google has been working to balance freedom of information with privacy rights in the wake of the May ruling by the European Court of Justice. The court said individuals have the right to have links to information about them deleted from searches in certain circumstances, such as if the data is outdated or inaccurate. European news organizations have opened fire on Google for removing links to stories from search results in the name of adhering to the court order. The links remain visible on Google.com, the US version of the site, and the restrictions only appear to relate to certain search terms, typically people’s names.

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UTREACH 108 solo child migrants given asylum in 2014: USÂ WASHINGTON, July 29, 2014 (AFP) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Just 108 of the thousands of unaccompanied minors illegally crossing the US border have been granted asylum in 2014, in a process that often takes more than a year, Congress heard Tuesday. Many more children who entered the country are likely to be provided asylum status later this year, and experts say there are several other avenues through which minors can seek to stay in the country. But the process, especially for asylum-seekers, is cumbersome and slow, contributing to what President Barack Obama labelled a humanitarian crisis on the southwest border. Since October more than 57,000 unaccompanied minors have been apprehended crossing the border, and about three-quarters of them are from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, Central American countries where youths are fleeing poverty and gang violence. More than 1,500 child migrants who arrived in the United States without papers or parents applied for asylum in

fiscal year 2014, according to US Customs and Immigration Services director Leon Rodriguez. But with immigrants usually making their formal asylum requests more than 10 months after first being apprehended, most of those applicants arrived the previous year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Of the 167 unaccompanied children asylum cases adjudicated on the merits in FY14 through the third quarter, 108 have been granted asylum status,â&#x20AC;? Rodriguez told a House panel. But in a sign of how the process is mired in legal hurdles and delays, only two of those minors granted asylum were apprehended this year, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For those who do apply, the delays in the process are very significant,â&#x20AC;? Anwen Hughes, a senior counsel at Human Rights First told AFP. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is taking over a year for asylum applicants to get an initial hearing before the immigration court in some jurisdictions.â&#x20AC;? Hughes also said that nearly half the child migrants are not represented by a lawyer when they appear in immigra-

tion court for the first time. Obama is seeking $3.7 billion in emergency funding aimed at boosting the number of immigration judges, improving care for detained minors and deterring illegal immigration. Congress is likely to trim his request dramatically. Senate Democrats have introduced a $2.7 billion package, but House Republicans on Tuesday unveiled funding pared down to just $659 million. The House plan would tweak a 2008 law targeting child trafficking that expanded legal rights for Central American child migrants, essentially revoking some of those rights to allow for speedier deportations. The Senate bill would not change the 2008 law, which many Republicans blame for fueling the immigration wave. House Speaker John Boehner said he hopes to pass legislation this week, before lawmakers leave town on a fiveweek recess, but that would require significant compromise between the two chambers before Friday.

Hope-filled, heart-filled singing launches Nicole and Carlo Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Simulaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; By Lorenzo Paran III

There was something refreshing about Nicole and Carlo Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concert at Art Share in Los Angeles on Friday, July 25, 2014. No doubt the occasion itself had something to do with it. The two â&#x20AC;&#x201C; children of illustrious L.A.-based singer Mon David and a singing duo since 2008 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; were launching their debut CD, aptly called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Simula.â&#x20AC;? There was also the crowd of about 80, consisting of family, friends, Mon Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music colleagues, and other supporters who had gathered to watch the two. And then there was the hip and handsome performance space that was Art Shareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concert hall: a deep and cavernous auditorium that was a perfect complement to the pairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voices and the sound of Carloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acoustic guitar. Refreshing too were the songs that Nicole and Carlo chose to sing that evening. Whether it was a cover of a Jason Mraz number or one of their own compositions, there was always a positive note in the lyrics, a sense of optimism. Maroon 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Daylight,â&#x20AC;? their opening number, speaks of a decision to cling on to a treasured moment, while Mrazâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Give Upâ&#x20AC;? and John Legendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;All of Meâ&#x20AC;? speak not only of love but also of total devotion. As for their own musical creations, Nicole and Carlo, who are based in Manila but are seen on L.A. area stages when they are in town, often sing of a choice to be optimistic in the face of emotion and confusion.

In â&#x20AC;&#x153;You Make Me Feel,â&#x20AC;? they sing â&#x20AC;&#x153;I choose to live in positivity / And believe in the goodness of humanity / I choose to be free, free to be me.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sanaâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tinakda,â&#x20AC;? with music by Carlo and words by Nicole, are similarly hopeful. 28, and Carlo, 26, share a light moment with their Most of their Nicole, father, illustrious singer Mon David, who joined them on songs on Friday stage for a number during their CD launching concert at connected with Art Share. Photo: Rick Gavino the audience, but these were the fine tune in itself), but rather tunes that really struck a chord, the beloved ditty from the helped by the pairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s endearing Great American Songbook, rapport on stage and by their can- composed by Billy Hill and dor about their own â&#x20AC;&#x153;strugglesâ&#x20AC;? popularized by such iconic as they pursue a musical career. singers as Jimmy Durante, Their resolve to move forward de- Peggy Lee, Dean Martin and spite those struggles is often the Bette Midler. Its refrain goes: inspiration behind their songs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to give a little, There were many highlights in take a little / And let your poor the show. heart break a little / Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Classical guitarist Ric Ickard the story of, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the glory of joined the two for a couple of num- love.â&#x20AC;? bers. Ner de Leon, who produced The three reworked some the album, also joined Nicole and of the lines to say: â&#x20AC;&#x153;As long Carlo for â&#x20AC;&#x153;You Make Me Feel,â&#x20AC;? a as thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the three of us / track in the album. The saxophon- Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the world and all its ist never takes more than one charms / And when the world tune to impress an audience, and is through with us / Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got this evening was no exception. each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arms.â&#x20AC;? Finally, a poignant moment And as they sang, one came when proud father Mon Da- couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but feel they were vid joined the two on stage for a singing about themselves, the number. The choice of song was evening, and the musical adsublime: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Glory of Love,â&#x20AC;? not venture that Nicole and Carlo the Peter Cetera song (which is a have embarked upon.

TFC Europe launches â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Juan EU Konekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: Inspiring Stories of Pinoys in Europe LONDON, United Kingdom (August 1, 2014) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ABS-CBNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Filipino Channel (TFC) explores the rich and varied stories of Pinoy expatriates in Europe in a new, monthly magazine program, Juan EU Konek. Airing every first Sunday of the month on TFC in Europe and Middle East and on TFC.tv worldwide,Juan EU Konek brings to life the passions, adventures and success stories of the Filipinos in Europe, in a 45-minute program hosted by ABS-CBN Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s news team of seasoned journalists â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Danny Buenafe, Rose Eclarinal and Gene Alcantara. TFC Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first foray into long-form, magazine reporting, Juan EU Konek delves deeper into the lives of Europe-based Filipinos, tackling both their political and social concerns, including immigration matters, as well as their lighter moments. ABS-CBN Europe and Middle East News Bureau Chief Danny Buenafe investigates the big issues that affect the Filipinos in Europe or the European Pinoy, such as the plight of migrant domestic workers in the UK and the impact of Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

economic crisis on Filipino families there. Senior Correspondent Rose Eclarinal, who also produces the show, shines a light on the lifestyles and success stories of the Filipinos in Europe, animating their triumphs and struggles to make it on the continent. Whether following the new Filipino leads of the West End revival of the hit musical â&#x20AC;&#x153;Miss Saigonâ&#x20AC;?, or probing the psyche of Pinoy transsexuals in the UK, Eclarinal offers revealing portraits of Filipino life in Europe. Legal consultant and long-time community leader Gene Alcantara, meanwhile, hosts â&#x20AC;&#x153;Immigration 101â&#x20AC;?, a segment dedicated to immigration concerns for Europe-based Filipinos. The first of its kind for TFC Europe, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Immigration 101â&#x20AC;? keeps viewers abreast of the latest developments in immigration law in Europe, covering the range of issues from travel restrictions and work permits to changes in European laws. Says Alcantara of Immigration 101: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is important for Filipinos to know their immigration rights,

what is possible and what is not, especially for those who are already citizens of Europe. Particularly with the growing popularity of right-wing views and anti-immigrant sentiments in the UK, France, Greece and elsewhere, it is vital that Filipinos in Europe stand firm especially when we know we are in the right. And I think showing case studies on TFC will allow them to see and understand how it all works. Hopefully we will see a more knowledgeable and empowered community able to exercise their lives in Europe to its fullest.â&#x20AC;? Juan EU Konek was first conceptualized by Rose Eclarinal as one-off specials for the 20th anniversary of TFC. Having cut her teeth with news and current affairs at ABS CBN in Manila, Eclarinal wanted to showcase in detail the lives of Filipinos in Europe, in a longer format that would bring out to the fullest their stories, their aspirations and concerns. Now as Juan EU Konekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s executive producer, Eclarinal is excited about the prospects of the show. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am so grateful for this opportunity,â&#x20AC;? she said.

RNs to strike August 14 at three Bay Area hospitals

RNs to strike August 14 at three Bay Area hospitals Safe Staffing, patient care key concerns at Napaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Queen of the Valley, Sutter Tracy, and Watsonville Community Registered nurses at three Bay Area hospitals, Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, Sutter Tracy Community Hospital, and Watsonville Community Hospital will strike on Thursday, August 14 citing common concerns about safe staffing and other patient care needs. Watsonville RNs will strike for three days; Queen of the Valley and Sutter Tracy RNs will strike for one day. The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United represents the RNs at all three hospitals. Queen of the Valley, Napa At Queen of the Valley, the RNs have proposed language to improve staffing to meet state minimum staffing requirements and patient need, rather than to base staffing on budget goals. The RNs are also proposing the hospital provide sufficient staffing so that RNs are able to take meal and rest breaks without leaving patients without adequate staffing care; many RNs now are unable to take their breaks due to poor staffing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nurses at Queen deserve a contract that guarantees our patients get the best care possible. Nurses have been negotiating in good faith for a contract that will help us fight for safe staffing, but now hospital management is demanding language that could gut our contract the day after we agree to it. Nurses are prepared to fight for our future and our hospital,â&#x20AC;? said MaryLou Bahn, RN, and OB-GYN RN and nurse negotiator at Queen of the Valley. The hospital is also demanding major takeaways in language that would allow management to make wholesale cuts in health benefits, pensions, and

other time off with just 30 days notice. CNA also represents St. Joseph RNs at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, Petaluma Valley Hospital in Petaluma, and St. Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley in Southern California as well as Queen of the Valley. Sutter Tracy Nursing standards with strong patient safety and staffing language is a particularly important goal for the Sutter Tracy RNs noting a high turnover of the nursing workforce at Sutter Tracy and the continued use of out-of-town traveler nurses. The RNs cite the refusal of hospital negotiators to address their concerns about safe staffing language to protect patients and to support provisions to protect RNs from on the job injuries due to unsafe patient lifting policies. The RNs are also at odds with the hospital over agreement on an RN-elected professional practice committee to meet with management on patient care issues. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want safe staffing, adequate resources and, above all, a voice in the care we deliver,â&#x20AC;? said nurse negotiator and RN activist Dotty Nygard. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need standards that lead to recruitment and retention of nurses, so that this community doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to rely on temporary contracted nurse staffing which is a revolving door, a practice thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existed for years in some units. The community deserves better, with safe, competent and committed staff. We are sending a clear message that we are standing together and we are serious,â&#x20AC;? said Nygard. The RNs and Sutter Tracy officials have been bargaining for more than two years now, without a resolution, during which time hospital officials unilaterally implemented changes to the health plan.

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Dining in L.A. for DineLA

By Pia Cabanela

I’ve been an avid fan of the Los Angeles Tourism and American Express’s DineLA event to highlight Los Angeles as a dining destination in the Golden State. For seven years, bi-annually, hundreds of restaurants participate and prepare a prix fixe meal for a fraction of their usual price. With that said, out comes my hunger, and fortunately,

in comes my budget. From 14-27 July, I was on the hunt for the great food experience of my Summer ‘14. I am writing more about the experience because I’m not a food critic. For me, a luscious meal can be forgotten due to a ghastly house presentation. I have decided to explore four places out of dozens in the list in downtown LA. Straddling my boyfriend Yuriy along, he

becomes the perfect guinea pig for the project since bad service makes him grouchy. First stop, Artisan House on Main Street. Our server, Alexis, was an angel sent from Hostess Heaven, if there ever is one. He discussed the menu and was prompt with his answers, just what servers should be. His momma must be proud and so should Artisan! The menu was like

a clean cut from a barber shop. Straightforward, tasty and satisfied when you exit. I was off to a good start. That night, I switched to an LBD (Little Black Dress) while Yuriy splatters fresh cologne on the same shirt. We headed to M Grill on Wilshire Blvd. Although it was a very busy night, the hostess and server took time to inform us of their DineLA menu. The meat was still scrumptiously overflowing much to our delight. They serve the meat to you from a grill stick and all the meat men, as I love to call them, are very knowledgeable on what they’re slicing off onto your plate. I’ve always had a lovely dinner here with live music and jolly people everywhere. The weather the next day was stifling and my mind was dead on set for a refreshing Mojito as we reached the Restaurant at the Standard Hotel Downtown. The hostess was cordial, however, I had to ask if they were participating. I was expecting a run through of the menu which normally follows that question. “Enjoy!” is what I got. We heavily hinted that we were parched and would love to have it quenched immediately so we ordered our drinks first. Only 6 tables were occupied, but we wondered if they were fetching our drinks from some mountains away? Sad to say, this prompted us to leave, buck eyed from thirst. Luckily, round the block, a non-DineLA participant saved the day,

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Pia Cabanela

Bottega Louie’s quick wit server Amelie is worth mentioning. On the last day of the event, I visited LA Market situated inside the JW Marriot on Olympic Blvd. The lady of the house, Bebe, welcomed us with a huge grin clutching a regular and a DineLA menu, a first. Their 3 course meals were mouth-watering. Their portions were surprisingly ample and I did not feel deprived. My burger was juicy and huge next to my flimsy hands! Our servers were Michael and John, both exceptional, courteous and amusing. Out of the 4, they win hands down. From the enormous serving, delectable course which ended with a picture perfect crème brûlée to their array of pleasant servers. Dining out should be an opportunity to spend time with family and friends. It is one of those life’s perks to enjoy a moment whether from a stressful day or week or just an excuse not to pig out alone. I just have to run tens of miles out of these moments I had to get ready for next year’s food voyage. The summer is far from over and now in, comes more of the heat, and out, comes by belly. Ura! (Ura is cheers in Ukrainian.)

Mag

Tayo!

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Study suggests diet-less weight loss possible through neuronal ‘sweet spot’ (Relaxnews) – Researchers at Yale University School of Medicine say that preventing weight gain could be as simple as calming the activity of a nuclear receptor in a tiny area of the brain. Blocking the effects of the nuclear receptor PPARGamma in a small amount of brain cells in mice not only reduced the animals’ appetites, it increased their metabolism to a point where they could be described as “resistant to a high fat diet.” PPARGamma receptors reside in the POMS neurons in the brain’s hypothalamus lobe. The receptors control the POMS neurons, telling them when to switch on and off, thereby regulating the appetite. “These animals ate fat and

sugar, and did not gain weight, while their control littermates did,” says lead author Sabrina Diano, professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at Yale School of Medicine. “We showed that the PPARGamma receptor in neurons that produce POMC could control responses to a highfat diet without resulting in obesity.” In the study, Diano and her team genetically engineered their mice to lack PPARGamma receptors. “When we blocked PPARgamma in these hypothalamic cells, we found an increased level of free radical formation in POMC neurons, and they were more active,” said Diano, also a professor

of comparative medicine and neurobiology at Yale and director of the Reproductive Neurosciences Group. The findings indicate more than another step towards dietless weight management and a potential cure for obesity. They are also important concerning diabetes. PPARGamma is a component of thiazolidinedione (TZD), a class of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes, and until now it remained a mystery as to why patients gained weight using the medication. Diano says this problem could be circumvented by altering TZD to prevent weight gain and that more research is imminent. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Science is getting closer to diet-less weight loss. A new study from the Yale School of Medicine brings the latest findings. ©Gts /shutterstock.com

A little gaming can be good for kids: study

Gaming, in moderation, can have a positive effect on children’s development, say researchers. ©AFP PHOTO/JOEL SAGET

Violent videogames linked to risk of crime, alcohol abuse WASHINGTON, August 4, 2014 (AFP) – Violent videogames glorifying antisocial characters could increase teenage gamers’ risk of criminal and other risky behavior like smoking and alcohol use, a US study said Monday. These adult-rated games also affect teenage users’ self-image, according to the study by Dartmouth College researchers published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. A previous Dartmouth study published in 2012 had already found that such videogames could incite teens to drive carelessly. Other studies have linked violent videogames to adolescent aggressiveness and violence. But this latest study “is important because it is the first to suggest that possible effects of vio-

lent videogames go well beyond violence to apply to substance use, risky driving and risk-taking sexual behavior,” Dartmouth professor of pediatrics and coauthor James Sargent said in a statement. In fact, youths who play these types of videogames may identify themselves to the antisocial protagonists they feature. “With respect to playing deviant videogame characters, we feel it best to follow the admonition of Kurt Vonnegut in ‘Mother Night:’ ‘We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be,’” said lead author Jay Hull, who chairs Dartmouth’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. For the study, researchers questioned 5,000 randomly cho-

sen US teenagers over a fouryear period by telephone. Among the factors they examined were playing three violent videogames glorifying violence— “Grand Theft Auto,” “Manhunt” and “Spiderman”—and other mature-rated games. The study then found links between games of this nature and changes in a broad range of highrisk behaviors. “This is due, in part, to changes in the users’ personality, attitudes and values, specifically making them more rebellious and thrill-seeking,” the study said. Researchers found the effects to be similar for both men and women, and strongest among those who played the most or played games with antisocial protagonists.

Tough on the tongue, easy on the gut: Chili peppers are great (Relaxnews) – The active ingredient in chili peppers is called dietary capsaicin and researchers at the University of California in San Diego say it could provoke chronic activation of the intestinal lining, reducing the risk for colorectal tumors. Sensory neurons on the tongue contain a molecular pain receptor known as TRPV1 that distinguishes heat, acidity and spice. “These are all potentially harmful stimuli to cells,” says Eyal Raz, MD, professor of medicine and senior author of the study. “Thus, TRPV1 was quickly described as a molecular ‘pain receptor.’ This can be considered to be its conventional function, which all takes place in the nervous system.” In their study, which was conducted on mice, Raz and his team found that TRPV1 appears in the intestinal lining. Here, according to Raz, it gets acti-

vated by an element that encourages skin cell reproduction called EGFR. This is important because the epithelial lining of the intestine gets replaced every four to six days, even faster than the skin on the outside of the body, which replaces itself approximately once per month. In the study, which was conducted on mice, researchers found that intestinal tumors can appear when the balance of the two is offset. “A basic level of EGFR activity is required to maintain the normal cell turnover in the gut,” says Petrus de Jong, MD, first author of the study. “However, if EGFR signaling is left unrestrained, the risk of sporadic tumor development increases.” Researchers genetically modified mice so that they lacked TRPV1, and as a result, scientists found they were more likely to develop tumors.

(Relaxnews) – A new study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics finds that playing video games for up to an hour a day can be beneficial for 10-to15-year-olds. “Electronic gaming and psychosocial adjustment,” believed to be the largest study of its kind, was carried out by Oxford University and examined the positive and negative effects of video gaming on a representative sample of 5,000 UK children and teenagers. It found that a little gaming goes a long way to helping children feel well adjusted, even when compared to 10-to-15-year-olds when compared to kids who don’t partake of console games at all. Children who play console or computer games for up to an hour a day were the most likely to express satisfaction with their lives; had the highest levels of sociability, and appeared to have fewer friendship, emotional or hyperactivity issues than other subjects in the study. However, there appears to be a tipping point. When children play for three hours or more a day, they are less well adjusted. The study’s author, Dr. Andrew Przybylski, speculates that this could be related to

how much of a child’s free time is taken up by video gaming. If a child has three-to-four hours’ free time a day and the majority of it is taken up by gaming, then he or she is missing out on other valuable, enriching activities. However, whether good or bad, the research suggests that the impact of video games on children is very small when compared with what it describes as the more “enduring factors” of family life and material deprivation. “‘These results support recent laboratory-based experiments that have identified the downsides to playing electronic games. However, high levels of video game-playing appear to be only weakly linked to children’s behavioural problems in the real world. Likewise, the small, positive effects we observed for low levels of play on electronic games do not support the idea that video games on their own can help children develop in an increasingly digital world.,” said Dr. Przybylski, who believes that more research will now need to be done into understanding what types of games have the biggest positive benefit on children and how other external factors impact on childhood and adolescent development.

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KITCHENOMICS Servings: 8 pieces Prepared pie crust Chopped peanuts (optional) Filling: 7 apples, peeled cored and sliced 2/3 cup sugar 3 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon lemon juice Crumble: 3/4 cup rolled oats 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup peanut butter 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup flour

Place crust in 9-inch pie pan and crimp edges. Use dried beans to weigh down bottom. Bake crust for 10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;15 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned. Mix all filling ingredients together and put in crust. Using hands, mix crumble ingredients until in pea-sized pieces. Top apples with crumble. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry if sky high, apples will cook down and pie will be perfectly proportioned. Bake at 350Â°F for 40â&#x20AC;&#x201C;50 minutes. Keep edges covered with foil until last 15 minutes. Garnish with chopped peanuts.

Easy PB & J Breakfast Tarts

FAMILY FEATURES

n kitchens, cafeterias and restaurants nationwide, our local food preferences may be unique, and our culinary traditions may be diverse, but we all share a common bond: a love for peanut butter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Affordable, nutritious and of course delicious, peanut butter is a staple found in most American homes,â&#x20AC;? said Leslie Wagner, executive director of Southern Peanut Growers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While some parts of the country prefer their foods hot and spicy, others prefer savory or sweet. But no matter where you go, families love making peanuts or peanut butter a key ingredient in their favorite recipes.â&#x20AC;? To celebrate the unique flavors from coast to coast, and to find the best hometown PB recipes, Southern Peanut Growers conducted its first â&#x20AC;&#x153;PB My Wayâ&#x20AC;? regional recipe contest. Peanut butter lovers nationwide submitted their recipes, from spicy stuffed peppers inspired by the Southwest to decadent chocolate bars in the Northeast. These are the top regional PB-powered recipes in our â&#x20AC;&#x153;United States of Peanut Butter.â&#x20AC;? For more recipes, visit www.peanutbutterlovers.com.

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Recipe contributed by winner Susan M., West region Servings: 8 tarts small peas. Drizzle mixture with cold water until mixture is moist and holds 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus together. Roll out on floured surface to more for rolling at least 1/16th of an inch thickness. 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour Using 3-by-5-inch index (recipe) 6 tablespoons sugar card for template, cut into sixteen 1 teaspoon sea salt 3-by-5-inch shapes. Re-rolling works fine. 2/3 cup shortening In middle of eight shapes, smear 6 tablespoons peanut butter plus 4 heaping teaspoons for 1/2 heaping teaspoon peanut butter filling (1/2 teaspoon per tart) and heaping teaspoon of jam on top. Be 1/2 cup cold water careful not to go to edges. Using fingers, 5 tablespoons jam (strawberry wet edges with water and place another works well) piece of pastry on top. Press all sides well, and using fork press all edges to secure. Drizzle option 1: Using fork, gently poke tops in four 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon jam places so steam can escape. 1 tablespoon milk Place inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 13â&#x20AC;&#x201C;14 minutes Drizzle option 2: until starting to brown around edges. 1/2 cup powdered sugar Cool on rack. 1/4 teaspoon strawberry extract, Whisk together drizzle of choice in optional small bowl. Drizzle over cooled tarts. 1 tablespoon milk Note: This pastry is very user-friendly Preheat oven to 350Â°F. In medium bowl and delicate. Freeze tarts up to one month mix together flours, sugar and sea salt. and defrost at room temperature before Using pastry cutter, cut-in shortening and peanut butter, until mixture resembles serving.

Carolina Dreaming Appetizer Meatballs Recipe contributed by winner Janice E., Southeast region Servings: 24 meatballs 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/4 cup fig preserves 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey 4 green onions, finely chopped (including green tops) 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 large egg 1 teaspoon salt Diced green onion tops or chopped parsley (optional) Preheat oven to 425Â°F. Whisk together peanut butter, preserves, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice until well blended. Add ginger, black and red pepper, mixing well. Reserve. Place approximately half peanut butter mixture into mixing bowl (reserve remainder for later). Add turkey, green onions, parsley, egg and salt to mixing bowl and mix lightly but thoroughly. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on lightly greased, rimmed baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven and brush tops of meatballs with remaining peanut butter mixture. Return pan to oven and bake for about 5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;8 minutes more, or until nicely browned. Remove from oven. Arrange on serving plate and sprinkle with diced green onion tops or parsley, if desired. Note: Use with decorative toothpicks placed in each meatball for easy consumption.

Nutty Jalapeno-Chicken Stuffed Peppers Recipe contributed by winner Lori M., Southwest region Servings: 12 peppers 12 large jalapeno peppers, split open (not all the way through) and seeded 1/2 cup peanut butter 1 cup shredded cooked chicken 1 3-ounce package cooked bacon pieces 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 cup crushed cornflakes Preheat oven to 350Â°F. Place peppers in medium bowl and cover with boiling water 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry. In medium bowl, mix together peanut butter, chicken, bacon and cheese. Fill each jalapeno with mixture. Smear each pepper with a little mayonnaise and roll in cornflakes in shallow dish to cover. Place jalapeno on non-stick baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 15â&#x20AC;&#x201C;20 minutes.

Pennsylvania PB & C Bars Recipe contributed by winner Victoria Z., Northeast region Servings: 12 bars Crust: 1 cup melted butter 2 cups peanut butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 5 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup chopped peanuts Topping: 1 1/2 tubs chocolate frosting 1 cup peanut butter, melted 1 cup salted peanuts, chopped Preheat oven to 350Â°F. In large bowl, mix butter, peanut butter, sugars, salt, eggs and vanilla until well mixed. Add flour and baking powder and mix thoroughly. Spread on a 10-by-15-by2-inch ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool. Spread frosting over crust. Drizzle melted peanut butter over chocolate. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top of peanut butter and chocolate. Let set until topping is firm. You can refrigerate cookie sheet to speed firming process, if desired. Cut into desired size bars.

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MOTORING Nissan offers free charging for new leaf buyers in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES (July 23, 2014) – There are many attractive reasons for Angelenos to own the all-electric Nissan LEAF: single-occupant access to highoccupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes; an available California state tax rebate of $2,500; much lower operating costs than a gas-powered car and now, free public charging. Nissan announced today that it is adding Los Angeles to its “No Charge to Charge” promotion, a program that will offer two years of no-cost public charging at hundreds of stations with the purchase or lease of a new Nissan LEAF in the Los Angeles area. This includes no-cost access to fast chargers that can charge a LEAF battery pack from zero to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes. “Los Angeles has long been one of the world’s top markets for electric car sales,” said Brendan Jones, director, Nissan Electric Vehicle Sales and Infrastructure. “Adding free access to public fast charging in the LA market gives us a competitive edge over other vehicles, regardless of their fuel source.” “No Charge to Charge” takes advantage of the new EZ-ChargeSM card, a first-of-its-kind card that offers Nissan LEAF owners access to five leading EV charging networks with a single card. New owners will receive an EZ-Charge card that will provide access to chargers with ChargePoint, Blink, CarCharging, AeroVironment and NRG eVgo. (Note: not all chargers available with the EZ-Charge card are part of “No Charge to Charge.”) Nissan now offers “No Charge to Charge” in 11 of the top markets for Nissan LEAF sales, including San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Nashville, Phoenix, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston and Washington, D.C. In the next year, Nissan plans to offer the “No Charge to Charge” program and EZ-Charge card at LEAF dealers in at least 14 additional U.S. markets. “No Charge to Charge” will launch at Nissan LEAF dealers in the Los Angeles market on August 15, 2014. LEAF owners who purchased or leased their vehicle on or after July 1, 2014, in the Los Angeles market will receive entry into the “No Charge to Charge” program retroactively. For more information on the “No Charge to Charge” promotion and EZ-Charge, visit www.EZ-

Hyundai New Generation i20. The car will make its firs official appearance at the Paris Motor Show in October. ©Hyundai

New Hyundai i20 teased ahead of Paris debut “No Charge to Charge” will launch at Nissan LEAF dealers in the Los Angeles market on August 15, 2014. LEAF owners who purchased or leased their vehicle on or after July 1, 2014, in the Los Angeles market will receive entry into the “No Charge to Charge” program retroactively. For more information on the “No Charge to Charge” promotion and EZ-Charge, visit www. EZ-Charge.com/FAQ.

Charge.com/FAQ. About Nissan LEAF With about 125,000 global sales since launch, Nissan LEAF is the world’s top-selling electric vehicle. LEAF seats up to five passengers and boasts an estimated driving range on a fully-charged battery of 84 miles and MPGe ratings of 126 city, 101 highway and 114 combined. The effective price of a Nissan LEAF starts at about $20,000 after the available $7,500 federal tax credit and $2,500 California state rebate, which is competitive with similar gas-powered cars while providing the benefits of lower running costs and less scheduled maintenance. LEAF is powered by an advanced lithium-ion battery and an 80kW motor that provides a highly responsive, fun-to-drive experience. The all-electric Nissan LEAF is offered in three trim levels, and shoppers can choose from a variety of available premium features such as leather seats, 17-inch alloy wheels, 7-speaker BOSE® energy efficient audio system and a 6.6 kW onboard charger that significantly reduces 220V charging times.

(Relaxnews) – The first official design renderings of the car, which hopes to go toe to toe with the latest Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo, have been released. And in terms of styling, the new car has a very European feel with a wider stance, longer nose and smoother lines. The overall effect will be enough to help it stand out – for the right reasons – against its traditionally more refined ‘B’ segment competitors. Like fellow Korean car maker KIA, Hyundai has been focusing heavily on injecting more individuality and character into the look and feel of its cars in recent years – KIA hired Audi’s head of design to take its cars to the next visual level and Hyundai has set up its design studio in Germany, the heart of the European car industry. And in both cases, the investment is paying off. Both brands are managing to make the transition from being perceived as producing value-for-money – i.e.,

cheap – vehicles to being companies that offer compelling alternatives to the likes of Ford, Renault, Peugeot, Citroen and VW. Although there is currently no official word as to what will be sitting under the i20’s hood or the cabin’s trim and feature levels, Hyundai is expected to release further information about the car before it heads to the Paris motor show on October 2 for its official unveiling.

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Richard Gomez expresses support for jailed friends ACTOR Richard Gomez is saddened by the detention of his two friends Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. who are facing non-bailable plunder charges in connection with the pork barrel scam. “They are my friends and I feel sad that they’re in jail now. I think it’s an opportunity for them to prove themselves that they are not guilty of what’s being accused (of them). We’ll be in the sidelines (observing) of what’s going to happen,” he said in a recent interview. Revilla and Estrada are now detained in the custodial center at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City after the Sandiganbayan ordered for their separate arrest. Aside from plunder, the two actor-politicians and Senate Minority Floor Leader Juan Ponce

Enrile are also facing graft charges related to the alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). “Mahaba kasi yung judiciary process na iyan. Right now, they are being accused but they are not yet guilty until matapos ang kaso. So we really have to wait. It might take long, years, bago malaman ang verdict,” said the actor, whose wife, Lucy, is also a politician. Meanwhile, Gomez is part of the Star Cinema movie “She’s Dating The Gangster” starring Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla. “It’s a short role but it’s a good one, it’s nice. Parang everything happened in two days and it’s nice working with Daniel and Kathryn,” he said. “It’s actually a very good love team. Masang-masa yung dating ni Daniel and Kathryn and that’s

what we all want to, the masses to watch and support you. From my end, I get the energy from them that’s why the work was very light and easy,” he added. Aside from working with the two young actors, Gomez was also reunited with perennial leading lady and former girlfriend, Dawn Zulueta. When asked if this is a start of something big, Richard replied, “Siguro it’s a prelude to something big. I was told that Star Cinema is preparing a movie for me and Dawn. I hope it happens this year.” Gomez is filming the movie “The Trial” under director Chito Roño. The film, which is set for release in the last quarter of 2014, is co-starred by John Lloyd Cruz, Gretchen Barretto, and Benjamin Alves. (MNS)

Sunshine Cruz no longer keen on sexy roles While Sunshine Cruz can still give the younger sexy stars a run for their money, the actress, who scorched the big screen in movies such as “Ekis” and “Ang Kabit ni Mrs. Montero” is no longer interested in doing sexy roles. “Hindi na uso ngayon ‘yon,” Cruz said. “Sinasabi ko naman palagi na kung maganda ‘yung project ay wala namang problema sa pagpapa-sexy. Pero sa totoo lang ang dami ko na pong kino-consider kasi I have three daughters.” Moreover, Cruz pointed out that she has been getting meaty roles lately. “Natutuwa na nga ako na napapansin kahit paano na may talent tayo sa acting. Nung nag-‘MMK’ ako ay maganda naman ‘yung review,” she said, referring to her appearance on the long-running drama anthology “Maalaala Mo Kaya” last May, where she played the mother of a boy who is battling leukemia. She also pointed out her recent TV shows like “Dugong Buhay” and “Galema.” She is currently part of the hit series “Pure Love.” “’Yung nabibigay ng mga roles sa akin sa teleserye ay puro talaga challenging and parang ang pakiramdam ko ay nagagampanan ko kasi sa isang taon nakakatatlong teleserye na ako sa awa ng Diyos dire-diretso naman ang project,” Cruz added. Cruz, who made headlines after she broke up with her husband of 13 years Cesar Montano, stressed that her priority right now is her career and her three children. “Ang focus ko ngayon ay trabaho, makaipon at makapag-provide ng magandang buhay para sa kanila,” she said. Asked if she’s entertaining suitors, the actress said: “Naku hindi ko naman pinagiintindi ‘yang mga ‘yan.” Cruz also explained her marriage to Montano is not yet annulled. “Hindi pa annulled so I don’t consider na mag-

Why Erich won’t introduce nonshowbiz boyfriend While Erich Gonzales prefers to keep her boyfriend away from showbiz, she stressed that she is proud of him and is at her happiest when they are together. The 23-year-old actress was asked about her relationship Wednesday on the sidelines of a press conference for “Once A Princess,” her reunion movie with Enchong Dee which will hit cinemas on August 6. The relationship, which Gonzales has managed to keep private for the past four years, has only become more serious, as the actress revealed that she and her boyfriend have started talking about getting married. She stressed, however, that she is not tying the knot anytime soon. “Hindi pa nga po siya nag-po-propose! Matagal pa! Napag-uusapan po namin at lagi kong sinasabi, ‘Mga 10 years pa.’ Kasi marami pa po akong gustong gawin,” she said. Re-thinking her answer, Gonzales clarified that her ideal age to walk down the aisle is 30. “O, sige na nga. Thirty ‘yung gusto ko po sana. Mga seven years pa!” she said.

Richard Gomez

JM de Guzman admits taking drugs

Sunshine Cruz

paligaw or ‘yung mga love life na ‘yan. Sakit sa ulo lang yan,” the actress added. (MNS)

MANILA, Aug 4 (Mabuhay) -– “Gumamit po ako ng droga.” This was the direct admission of JM De Guzman when asked about the real reason for his almost one-year absence from the limelight. De Guzman said he personally asked his late grandfather to send him to rehab. “Pinasok po ako sa rehab dahil unmanageable na ako. Gumamit po ako ng droga. Sinubukan ko ‘yung hindi dapat subukan… Naging iresponsable po ako. Nawala po ‘yung disiplina ko. Lumaki po yung ulo ko. I lost control,” he said. Asked what triggered him to plead that he be sent to a rehabilitation facility, the actor said: “Mentally, hindi na ako makapagisip ng diretso. Hindi ko na mapagkatiwalaan ‘yung mga sarili kong desisyon, responsibilidad at disiplina nawawala na rin sa akin. Wala na, emotionally hindi ko na kaya i-control.” The “Angelito” actor said his drug use was also one of the reasons he and actress Jessy Mendiola broke up. “Sa bisyo ko, sa mga ginawa ko sa sarili ko, wala pong kinalaman si Jessy doon. Decision ko ‘yun, choices ko ‘yun, and naging rason ‘yun kung bakit kami naghiwalay. Isa po ‘yun sa maraming rason,” he said. Still under a 15-month rehabilitation program, De Guzman said his experience inside the rehab facility gave him a new-found perspective on life. “Na-appreciate ko ‘yung mga simpleng bagay na nabibigay sa akin, simpleng bagay na nilalatag sa akin ng Diyos. Kasi noon, wala akong kinikilalang kahinaan ko. Akala ko kaya ko lahat,” he said. Now ready for his showbiz comeback, De Guzman said he will forever be thankful to those who welcomed him back with open arms, especially the Kapamilya network who gave him a project right away. “Nagpapasalamat ako ng sobra kasi hindi lahat ng tao nabibigyan ng ganitong pagkakataon at hindi lahat ng tao binibigyan pa ng pangalawang pagkakataon,” he said. According to De Guzman, he is hoping to do another television series if given the opportunity. (MNS)

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LOS ANGELES

OFWS DEFY

EBOLA

SANDIGANBAYAN

Symptoms of infection with Ebola virus include: • fever, headache, intense weakness, joint and muscle pains, and sore throat • vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding • sometimes, rash, red eyes, hiccups, and bleeding from body openings Also, Valte said the DOH continues to monitor the situation every day, and is keeping watch over seven migrant workers recently repatriated from Sierra Leone, one of the Ebola-affected areas.

they have already been arraigned, making the criminal information filed by the state prosecutors valid. “In view of the arraignment of the accused and that validity of the Information in the instant case is no longer in question, and invoking the clear mandate of the law, suspension of both accused pending litigation is now mandatory,” the motion stated. According to the resolution, however, the suspension will only be implemented once the order is deemed final. “The President of the Sentate shall implement the order once he has been notified of the finality hereof,” it said. Revilla and Cambe have two weeks to file a motion for reconsideration of the suspension. The anti-graft court had earlier ordered the suspension of Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who are also detained on plunder and graft charges over the alleged pork barrel scam. But the Senate has yet to implement the two orders, saying the earlier rulings were not yet final. In seeking the suspension of Revilla and Cambe, government prosecutors cited Section 5 of Republic Act 7080 states that public officers charged with plunder “shall be suspended from office. Should he be convicted by final judgment, he shall lose all retirement or gratuity benefits under any law.” They said Revilla’s continued stay in office “may frustrate the prosecution of the crime, if not prejudice the case filed against him.

From page 1

“We are hearing that a lot of them would rather take the chance of surviving the war rather than (risking) the uncertainty of not having work here,” he told reporters. He added that while some might be willing to risk the danger, others, especially those working in the medical field, might be under pressure to stay. Jose also said Libyan authorities were asking medical workers to remain because their departure would paralyze the health service which is heavily reliant on Filipino personnel. “It is still their decision whether they would like to come back or stay behind,” he said. A ferry capable of carrying about 1,500 people would arrive in Libya by Friday to evacuate Filipinos and would return to Malta by Sunday from where they would be flown out, Jose said. The Philippines has been calling for its nationals to return from Libya, warning that the situation there could deteriorate to the point where they cannot be repatriated. These calls have grown louder after a Filipino construction worker was abducted and then beheaded by unknown suspects last month and a Filipina nurse was gangraped in Tripoli on Wednesday. The Philippines previously launched a mass evacuation of its workers in Libya in 2011, when most of the 30,000 Filipinos there left during the violent chaos leading to the toppling of late dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

DEATH TOLL From page 1

far to 1,603. According to the latest WHO tally, which includes both laboratory-confirmed and suspect cases, Guinea saw 13 new cases and 12 deaths last Thursday and Friday, Liberia, 77 new cases and 28 deaths, while Sierra Leone saw 72 new cases and 21 fatalities. One suspect case was also reported in that time in Nigeria. WHO Director General Margaret Chan has warned that the response of some of the affected countries to the epidemic had been “woefully inadequate”, and that the outbreak has been “moving faster than our efforts to control it”. Ebola, a form of haemorrhagic fever for which there is no vaccine, causes severe muscular pain, fever, headaches and, in the worst cases, unstoppable bleeding.

LOYALTY CHECK From page 1

ance system that allow soldiers to air their grievances so that the AFP leadership can respond. Speculation was rife over the weekend that the AFP was conducting loyalty checks among its personnel especially after new AFP Chief of Staff Gregorio Catapang Junior visited the Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City on Saturday. Zagala said there was nothing extraordinary about the visit, noting that Catapang also made a visit to the Northern Luzon Command and other major services. “We have a new chief of staff. It is but natural for a new AFP chief to go around and visit various units of the AFP...This is but natural for him to visit. He wants his men to see him. One of the major activities is to really go to the grassroots, talk to the men and get their pulse. It shows that he is a soldier’s soldier. He wants to connect to the common soldier so they can see he is approachable,” he said. (MNS)

EYE AILMENT From page 1

tary Eric Tayag. The National Survey of Blindness 2004 and PERI-DOH Vision Screening Preliminary Data 2014 showed the prevalence of amblyopia is from 1-3 percent; and EOR, from 3-15 percent. Amplyopia, Tayag said, is a condition of abnormal visual development in infancy and in early childhood. The affected eye will not develop normally if not treated before the child reaches age 7, and may even go blind. Underscoring the importance of the campaign for early and thorough visual screening for all children, Tayag said: “Vision is one of the, if not the most important of our senses. Most of the information from the outside world is integrated through the visual pathways. Vision problems can limit the ability of a child to learn as well as interact with other students.” Besides the health aspects, the resulting impairment, Tayag stressed, can have “negative impacts on the child’s intellectual and social growth and development.”

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