Us asian post july 30, 2014

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Vol. 3. No. 45 LOS ANGELES

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Wednesday - Tuesday, July 30 - Aug. 5, 2014

Aquino: Job enormous, but I’m determined to serve

President Benigno Aquino III clears his throat as he delivers his fifth State of the Nation Address at the start of the second regular session of the 16th Congress on Monday, July 28. (MNS photo)

MANILA, July 28 (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Aquino managed to weave in justification for the discredited Disbursement Acceleration Program early into his fifth and penultimate State of the Nation Address on Monday.

He also began his report to the nation with yet another swipe at the past administration, citing the corruption, dismal economy, low investor confidence, poor job generation and a country mired in too much politics that greeted his ascension to his post, when he embarked on his “tuwid na daan” or straight path.

Aquino credited his administration’s accomplishments to the “good governance” be brought to what he described as a “house in shambles.”

Before he began his speech,

Aquino was met with applause and loud cheers from the floor and gallery of the House of Representatives, although lawmakers of the Makabayan bloc walked out of the session hall just before he started.

Aquino admitted that the enormity of the job left him doubting “pero buo ang aking loob na paglingkuran ang taumbayan sa lahat ng panahon (but I was determined to serve the people at all times).”

His first mention of DAP came right after, when he said P1.6 billion from the program enabled the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to train 223,615 graduates, 66 percent, or 146,731, of whom are now employed with TESDA helping the rest find work.

Counting the gains from what he said was the P7,155 investment in each scholar, Aquino said one of them working in the BPO sector, where the average monthly wage is P18,000, would pay an income tax of P7,900, giving back the original investment with a slight profit in only a year This, he said, “is good governance.”

Aquino credited the P12.8-billion used for constitutional cash transfer for reducing poverty, adding that, “now we try hard to ensure none of them goes below the poverty line again.”

He said that, over the past year, “with the support of all Filipinos,” “we’ve been able to repair” the country, which he likened to a decrepit house, and allow ecoSee ENORMOUS, page 12

PHL embassy in Libya evacuates non-core staff MANILA, July 28 (Mabuhay) – The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday said all non-core staff of the Philippine embassy in Tripoli are being relocated to Tunisia, amid growing violence in Libya.

The DFA said the embassy stafff’s family members and dependents were repatriated last week.

Only male officers and staff augmented by the Rapid Response Teams remained in Tripoli to oversee OFW repatriation. The DFA placed Libya under Crisis Alert Level 4 which calls for mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos.

The Philippine Embassy in See EVACUATES, page 12

PHL, other countries with MH17 victims agree prosecution team

Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona lovingly touches the forehead of the country’s 100 millionth citizen – baby girl Chonalyn C. Sentino – who was born at 12:35 a.m. Sunday (July 27, 2014) at Dr. Jose Fabella Hospital in Manila. Holding the baby is her mother, Dailin C. Sentino. (MNS photo)

PHL welcomes 100 millionth baby MANILA, July 27, 2014 (AFP) – A baby girl born early Sunday has officially pushed the population of the Philippines to 100 million, highlighting the challenge of providing for more people in the already-impoverished nation.

The child, Jennalyn Sentino, was one of 100 babies born in state hospitals all over the archipelago who received the symbolic designation of “100,000,000th baby”.

“This is both an opportunity and a challenge... an opportunity we should take advantage of and a challenge we recognise,” Juan

Antonio Perez, executive director of the official Commission on Population, told AFP. While a growing population means a larger workforce, it also means more dependents in a country where about 25 percent of people are living in poverty, he said.

He said the Philippines had to find a way to bring services to the poorest families while also lowering the average number of children that fertile women will bear in their lifetimes.

See 100 MILLIONTH, page 12

Senate yet to implement suspension orders vs. Enrile, Jinggoy MANILA, July 28 (Mabuhay) – The Senate has yet to implement the suspension orders of the Sandiganbayan against Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who are both facing plunder and graft charges in connection with the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam.

During the opening of the 2nd regular session of the 16th Congress Monday, Senator Tito Sotto asked how the absence of Enrile, Estrada and another detained colleague, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., will be recorded.

Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said the three are recorded as “under detention.”

Senate President Franklin Drilon said it was the same treatment given to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV when he was still detained.

Estrada and Revilla are detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center while Enrile is at the PNP General Hospital.

See SUSPENSION, page 12

THE HAGUE, July 28, 2014 (AFP) – Ukraine and 11 countries that lost citizens in downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 agreed Monday to set up a joint team of prosecutors to examine possible criminal charges, a statement said.

This will add to several other probes under way to determine what caused the crash, who is liable, and to identify the victims’ remains.

The nations met in The Hague under the umbrella of Europe’s judicial cooperation agency Eurojust, to discuss a joint strategy.

The Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia, Britain, Belgium, Germany, the Philippines, Canada, New Zealand, Indonesia, the See PROSECUTION, page 12

Two million strong on July 27 during the 100th anniversary of Iglesia ni Cristo at the world’s largest indoor Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan. Some of the faithful waited overnight in the pouring Manila rain to attend the centennial celebration of the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ), in an event designed to show off the religion’s stunning success at home and abroad. Photo: Jojo Margen/Manila

INC’s 100th anniversary draws 2 million faithfuls BOCAUE, July 27, 2014 (AFP) – As many as two million people gathered in the Philippine capital on Sunday to mark the 100th anniversary of a powerful homegrown church, showcasing the conservative group’s discipline and influence.

Some of the faithful waited overnight in the pouring Manila rain to attend the centennial celebration of the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ), in an event designed to show off the religion’s stunning success at home and abroad.

Government officials monitoring the gathering estimated that 1.6 to two million people gathered for the INC centennial, packing out a massive new arena built to mark the occasion and the nearby 20,000-seat Philippine Stadium,

as well as huge tents erected on the grounds for the event.

Eduardo Manalo, leader of the Iglesia, known as the INC, said in a special sermon broadcast live to the faithful that the swift completion of the new Philippine Arena was proof of the group’s divine support.

“The Philippine Arena was finished in two years and nine months when it should have taken five years. This is the work of God,” he said at the sprawling compound being developed by the church.

The occasion was also used as an attempt to set world records, with the 55,000-seat arena certified as the world’s biggest mixed-use theatre and the INC’s 4,745-member choir declared the See INC FAITHFULS, page 12

Belmonte calls for creation of public accounts committee to review alleged funds misuse

MANILA, July 28 (Mabuhay) – House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Monday urged the House of Representatives committee on rules to study the creation of a public accounts and audit committee amid scandals involving Congress over the alleged pillaging of public funds.

During his speech at the opening of the 16th Congress’ second regular session, Belmonte said such a committee would have jurisdiction on the “accounts of local government agencies, local government units, governmentowned and -controlled corporations, and other government instrumentalities for the use of public funds.”

This committee would also See BELMONTE, page 12

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. delivers his speech at the opening of the Second Regular Session of the House of Representatives at the Batasang Pambansa Bldg. in Quezon City on Monday morning (July 28, 2014). (MNS photo)

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Drilon to senators: Set aside 2016 and work together to renew Senate MANILA, July 28 (Mabuhay) – Senate President Franklin Drilon on Monday asked his colleagues to set aside politics and work together to renew the Senate amid the controversies it is facing.

“My dear colleagues, let us set aside 2016 and work hand in hand for the rebirth of the Senate,” Drilon said in his speech during the opening of the 2nd Regular Session of the 16th Congress.

“I view this day – and the days, weeks and months ahead – as our opportunity to recover the people’s faith in their Senate, regain their trust and revive their confidence.

Though not within easy reach, I believe that with hard work and per-

severance we would in time walk past the difficult path ahead,” he added.

Three of its members – Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. – are currently detained in connection with the pork barrel scam while the chamber is also under scrutiny over the use of the Disbursement Acceleration Program fund.

Drilon said he is saddened about the year’s events. “It pains and saddens me to witness and bear that the events in the past 12 months, the intense public beatings, the avalanche of intrigues and the arrows of insults shot into our gates,

may have succeeded in reducing the worth and the weight of the Senate in the minds and lives of our people,” he said.

He encouraged the senators, as public servants, to remain receptive and tolerant of criticisms. However, Drilon said they should not allow Senate to be casually scorned as it remains a constitutional body entitled to respect, even if some of its members may have been found to have erred through their individual acts.

“I believe that it is the incumbent duty of each one of us to defend this institution from groundless and reckless assaults against its very dignity and integrity. We owe it to this chamber to combat falsehoods concocted by cowardly minds who spread their lies through proxy voices and pens; to speak up for the Senate even when it may seem to be more politically convenient and safer for us to be silent, to just wait for the tempest to pass,” he said.

Drilon said the recent developments should be an opportunity for the Senate to deconstruct

its system, identify the flaws in its approach and remedy it with new practices that will inculcate a culture of public accountability.

He said the senators should work to make the Senate “a model of good governance and public accountability. A Senate that will listen and respond to the clamor of the people. A Senate that would guard and perform its constitutional mandate and powers with renewed zeal.”

He noted that although the Senate declared the controversial Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF or pork barrel fund) unconstitutional even before it was declared so by the SC, the act was not recognized.

“Nonetheless, what matters is that we took serious account of what the people said and clamored for. And we will continue to do so,” he said.

Moving forward, Drilon said the Senate will prioritize legislation that would stimulate the economy and generate more jobs, promote fair competition in business, increase the take home pay of workers, strengthen the

campaign against graft and corruption and criminality, expand access to health and education, and protect the country’s territorial sovereignty.

“As we begin the process of enacting the 2015 national budget, let me emphasize that we will not shirk from our constitutional mandate. We shall wield our power of the purse. We shall craft a budget focused on spending on the right priorities and with measurable results, keeping in mind our goal for inclusive growth,” he said.

He added that the Senate will work on the Bangsamoro Basic Law which is seen to put an end to the decades-old conflict in Mindanao.

“It is our hope that Malacañang can transmit to us the proposed basic law as soon as possible,” he said.

Drilon assured the public that Senate will stand in solidarity with the Filipino people.

“Admittedly, instituting reforms to create a better society is an enormous task. We need your help and cooperation. We need your trust,” he said. (MNS)

No opposition from Makati RTC over Napoles’ jail transfer order MANILA, July 28 (Mabuhay) -— The Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) does not object to the Sandiganbayan’s move to transfer alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles to the female dormitory of Camp Bagong Diwa.

Sandiganbayan third division Associate Justice Samuel Martires on Monday said the antigraft court received a comment from the Makati RTC Branch 150 interposing no objection to the transer of Napoles to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) female ward in the Bicutan jail.

“Makati RTC issued comments interposing no objection to transfer of Napoles to BJMP,” Martires said in a text message.

Napoles was ordered detained by the Makati RTC hearing her case for serious illegal detention involving her former employer and principal whistleblower Benhur Luy. But the anti-graft court’s third division issued a resolution ordering Napoles’ immediate transfer to Camp Bagong Diwa as she faces separate charges of plunder and graft over the pork barrel scam.

Zamora skips signing impeach rap vs Aquino over failing kidneys MANILA, July 26 (Mabuhay) – House Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora has opted not to back the impeachment of President Benigno Aquino III, citing among other reasons, his scheduled kidney transplant because of his failing kidneys.

Zamora will go under the knife on August 19, 2014. He told reporters that his kidneys are failing so he looked for donors early on.

“I’m going through surgery. It will take me out for a month. I have a date. With my surgeons, it will be next month.

That’s when everything come out for impeachment, budget, Bangsamoro.

These are things I don’t want to miss,” he said.

But before this, Zamora intends to deliver a Kontra-SONA or a rebuttal speech to the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Zamora’s kidney transplant is partly why he won’t be supporting the impeachment complaints against Aquino that were filed by his colleagues in the minority bloc.

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Solon wants additional privileges for students MANILA, July 26 (Mabuhay) – Las Piñas City Rep. Mark Villar has moved to grant additional privileges to public and private students at all levels to ease the pressure of high cost of education in the country.

Villar filed House Bill 4313, which entitles students to a 20 percent discount on land, air and sea transport fares during the school year and 10 percent discount on basic school supplies to be availed of during enrollment period. MThe students shall also be granted a 10 percent discount on medical services in both government and private clinics and another 10 percent discount on admission fees in museums, art galleries, libraries and stage theaters.

The proposed Student Privilege Act of 2014 mandates schools,

colleges, universities and other educational institutions to use to their students duly-signed, validated and non-transferable identification cards, which shall contain the list of privileges granted by the act.

According to Villar, the bill seeks to alleviate the difficulty of parents and students in coping with the rising cost of education in the country.

“The cost of education has considerably increased over the years in the country,” Villar said. “Apart from the tuition fee, our students and their parents are beset with other expenses such as transportation, school supplies, books, medical and dental fees and also admission fees to galleries, museums and stage theaters.”

“Such scenario has been detrimental to our national develop-

ment as many of our young people drop out of school,” Villar said.

Under the bill, the penalty for first and second violations shall be imprisonment of not exceeding one month or a fine of not more than P1,000 or both at the discretion of the court.

The third violation shall be punishable by the same penalty and in addition, revocation of license or permit to operate the business or establishment.

In case of partnership, corporation, association or group, the penalty shall be imposed on the President, Treasurer, Secretary or any other person responsible for the violation.

If the offender is an alien, he shall, after serving the sentence, be deported immediately without further proceedings by the Bureau of Immigration.(MNS)

Gov’t spending surges in June MANILA, July 28 (Mabuhay) – The Department of Finance says the government has boosted spending in June, despite slower growth in revenue collections, resulting to a six-fold increase in budget deficit. Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said government spending surged 44 percent to P201.1 billion in June. This brought year-to-date expenditures to P987.71 billion.

“The government’s efforts to

boost revenue collections has allowed us to ramp up spending by 10.9% in the first half of 2014 and yet stay within our deficit target.

As a result of prudent liability management more of these disbursements have been allocated to productive investments instead of our debt obligations,” Purisima said.

However, the end-June government spending is still 16 percent lower than the P1.18 trillion tar-

get for the period.

The government has been increasing expenditures for rebuilding of typhoon Yolanda-hit areas and for the construction of big infrastructure projects.

The DOF said revenue collection only went up 6 percent to P138.6-billion in June. This brought total revenue collections in the first half to P933.73 billion, 11 percent up from year-ago figures.

Opposition praises Aquino’s State address

MANILA, July 29 (Mabuhay) – Even the opposition had good words to say about President Aquino’s State of the Nation Address.

Toby Tiangco, spokesperson of the United Nationalist Alliance, lauded the President for sticking to relevant issues instead of lambasting his critics.

“I’ve heard all his SONAs from 2010. For me, this is the best SONA I’ve heard of the president.

Talagang most of the time, he just stuck to the issues eh. Tsaka medyo ngayon, kiniliti lang naman yung mga kritiko,” he said. “Tapos yung pasaring niya, natural

lang yun eh. I mean he’s a human being. Siguro minsan nasasaktan dun sa mga sinasabi sa kanya.”

Detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada said Aquino’s enumeration of accomplishments was truly an Ulat ng Bayan.

The senator added he should give credit to the Aquino administration for steering the economy into becoming one of the region’s most resilient.

“Though the past year of the administration has been rocked by numerous controversies, calamities and early politicking, we must give credit to the Aquino government for steering the Phil-

ippine economy into becoming one of the region’s most resilient and robust.”

Estrada also said Aquino should have recognized the contributions of overseas Filipino workers and included the Freedom of Information bill in his speech.

“I just hope that he had given recognition to our overseas Filipino workers and their potent contribution to the economy.

Also it was quite glaring that the Freedom of Information bill was left out amidst the clamor of the general of the general public for greater accountability and transparency in the government.”

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DepEd remains committed to deliver quality basic educ MANILA, July 26 (Mabuhay) -- The Department of Education (DepEd) continues to make substantial investments in basic education through various programs for all Filipino learners.

DepEd Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC underscored the department’s commitment to ensure that no learner shall be left behind.

“Our mandate is to provide every Filipino child with access to quality education,” Luistro said. He added that DepEd’s programs have always been directed to promoting inclusive and learner-centered education for Filipinos.

In its mission to expand access to quality education, the Philippine government has enacted the Kinder Basic Education Act and the Enhanced Basic Education Act in February 2012 and May 2013, respectively. Since the institutionalization of the K to 12 program, DepEd has made strides in its implementation.

The introduction of Universal Kindergarten in 2011 led to the increase of Kindergarten enrollees – from 1.64M in SY 2010-2011 to 2.29M in SY 2013-2014.

Following the implementation of Kindergarten was the roll-out of enhanced curriculum for Grades 1 & 7 in SY 2012-2013, Grades 2 & 8 in SY 2013-2014, and Grades 3 & 9 in SY 2014-2015. The entire K to 12 curriculum has been completed in February 2014.

In 2012, DepEd rolled out the SHS modeling program in 54 schools in different parts of the country to prepare for its full implementation in 2016. The selected schools offer four main tracks— Academic, Technical-Vocational, Sports, and Arts and Design. The pioneer batch of the SHS modeling program has graduated in May 2014. At present, over 10,000 students are enrolled in DepEd’s SHS modeling program for SY 2013-2014.

In SY 2013-2014, DepEd also assisted more than 809,000 students in private schools under the Government Assistance for Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE), a program wherein the government enables eligible students to pursue secondary schooling in private schools through the provision of a fixed annual subsidy to cover tuition and other school fees.

The Department increased the subsidy for students in private schools outside Metro Manila – from P6,500 to P7,500. DepEd is targeting to increase its coverage this year with a total projected grantees of 995,000 representing 50% of students enrolled in private high schools.

DepEd also gives prime importance to Indigenous Peoples (IP) and Muslim learners. Through the Philippines’ Response to Indigenous Peoples and Muslim Education (PRIME) program, DepEd expanded access to education to more than 100,000 IP and Muslim learners in the last three years.

To further advance services for all Filipino learners, DepEd boosted its Information and Communications Technology (ICT) initiatives which include mapping of schools and library hubs nationwide. Of the 46,603 public schools nationwide, 84% have already been mapped. Integrated in this ongoing geolocation project is the mapping of libraries and library hubs. Of the 9,855 registered public schools with libraries, around 9,000 have already been mapped while 153 of the 188 library hubs in the country have also been geolocated. Together with local and international education partners and public school teachers, DepEd developed the Learning Resources Management and Development System (LRMDS), an online library containing downloadable and free teaching and learning materials. These learning materials are tied in to the curriculum to ensure relevance and appropriateness.

Luistro stressed that these ICT initiatives will help the Filipino learners have more access to relevant, up-to-date and quality education materials. “It also provides a database to our educators where they can derive their lesson from. These materials will assist them in their lesson plans, and may also give an array of contextualized classroom discussion,” he said.

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Aquino: Start thinking about 2016 MANILA, July 28 (Mabuhay) – President Aquino, in an emotional State of the Nation Address on Monday, challenged Filipinos to begin looking beyond his administration and decide who will continue - or stop - his reform and “transformation” agenda in 2016.

Choking up towards the end of a 1.5-hour speech, the President said those currently criticizing the government and programs - particularly the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) - are anti-reform and anti-people.

He then invoked the spirit and legacies of his father and mother - the martyred oppositionist Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., and former president Cory Aquino - in urging Filipinos to choose a successor with “not even an iota of doubt” (walang katiting na duda) in terms of commitment to his “Daang Matuwid” reform mantra.

After listing achievements made possible by continuing reforms of his administration in the past four years, Mr. Aquino capped his speech with a challenge to the people to make sure they continue to reap the fruits of these by picking the right leader to succeed him.

He began this drift with an emotional reminder of the legacy of his parents, the martyred senator Ninoy whose 1983 assassination hurtled the anti-dictatorship protests into the 1986 people power revolt; and Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino, who became the first president of that restored democracy.

“Pag tinalikuran ko ang ating sinimulan, parang tinalikuran ko na rin ang aking ama’t ina [If I turn my back on what we’ve begun, it’s as if I’ve turned my back on my father and mother],” he said, his voice cracking.

He said he would only suggest one yardstick for choosing the next leader of the land in 2016: “Sino ang wala ni katiting na dudang magpapatuloy sa repormang ating nasimulan [Who’s the one who without an iota doubt will pursue the reforms we’ve begun]?”

Transformation, he added, can be made permanent, by God’s grace, if people are united.

When that happens, he said, reminding people again of his parents, he paraphrased Ninoy: “we can prove again the Filipino is worth is dying for,” which was greeted by applause.

He added, “the Filipino is worth living for. And I must add, the Filipino is definitely worth fighting for.” (MNS)

US weapons for Afghans may end up with Taliban: audit WASHINGTON, July 28, 2014 (AFP) – Washington and Kabul have failed to keep track of hundreds of thousands of weapons provided to Afghanistan, raising the risk that some could end up in the hands of insurgents, a US audit said Monday.

The United States also had delivered more weapons than Afghan forces now needed, partly because Kabul officials had revised their requests over time, the report said.

Since 2004, the American military has delivered more than 747,000 AK-47 rifles, machine guns, grenade launchers and other weapons to Afghan forces worth about $626 million.

But the US and Afghan governments have botched record-keeping for the weapons, with potentially tens of thousands of assault rifles and other arms unaccounted for, according to the findings of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

“Given the Afghan government’s limited ability to account for or properly dispose of weapons, there is a real potential for these weapons to fall into the hands of insurgents,” the report said.

The US military had problems tracking the weapons before delivery and Kabul authorities had “severe problems” with accounting for the massive flow of arms, it said.

Record-keeping and inventory efforts by Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) were “poor” and the inspector general’s inspections at supply depots revealed missing weapons and other discrepancies, the report said.

In addition, the Afghan army and police had about 112,000 weapons over and above the stated requirements of Afghan commanders, it said.

The excess weapons were partly due to changing requests over time from Kabul but there were no plans to recapture or remove the surplus guns and other arms, the report said.

“Another reason that some weapon types exceed current requirements is the ANSF’s desire to obtain new weapons, rather than repairing old ones,” it said.

The inspector general warned that the danger of excess weapons likely would be aggravated as Afghan security forces are scaled back in coming years. A tentative plan agreed by NATO allies would reduce the force from 352,000 to roughly 228,500 by 2017.

The audit called for a reconciliation of disparate US records, which currently rely on two separate data bases that are not linked.

The inspector general urged the Pentagon to help the Afghan government carry out a 100 percent inventory check of all small arms supplied to Kabul, and recommended Washington and Kabul draw up a plan to recover excess weapons and curtail deliveries as Afghan troop levels decrease.

The blunt-speaking inspector general, John Sopko, has accused US agencies of dumping billions of dollars on ill-conceived aid projects in Afghanistan.

“We spent too much money, too fast, in too small a country with little oversight,” Sopko told AFP in an interview last week. ddl/jm

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OPINION

Gaza doctors save baby from her dead mother’s womb

By Mai Yaghi

KHAN YUNIS, July 28, 2014 (AFP) – When the doctors gently pulled the tiny newborn from her mother’s womb in an emergency Caesarian section, the woman had already been dead for an hour.

Twenty-three-year-old Shayma al-Sheikh Qanan was eight months pregnant when an Israeli tank shell hit her home in the central Gaza Strip town of Deir al-Balah, reducing it to rubble.

She was left in critical condition and her husband, a local radio journalist, was also badly wounded.

“Her body was brought in after an Israeli shelling at 3:00 am on Friday,” said Doctor Fadi al-Kharti, who was at Deir al-Balah hospital when she was rushed in.

“We tried to revive her but she had died on the way to hospital.”

Before paramedics managed to dig her out, she had been stuck under the rubble of her home for an hour.

“Then we noticed movement in her stomach, and estimated she was about 36 weeks pregnant,” he says.

Doctors performed an immediate Caesarian section and saved the baby, who was named after her late mother.

For 43-year-old Mirfat Qanan, it was a tragedy to lose her daughter, but she was delighted at becoming a grandmother for the first time.

“God has protected this child for me. My daughter Shayma is dead, but I now have a new daughter,” she said.

“She’ll call me ‘mummy’ just like her mother did.”

For the time being, the tiny baby was being looked after in the intensive care unit in another hospital in Khan Yunis to ensure her survival.

Just four days old, she was breathing through at an oxygen mask in the hospital’s maternity ward.

Joy pierced with grief Abdel Karim al-Bawab, head doctor at the maternity ward, said staff were keeping a close eye on the baby to monitor her condition.

“The child is in serious condition, and needs to be constantly hooked up to a breathing machine since she was oxygen-deprived between her mother’s death and her birth,” he told AFP. “Her vital signs are stable, but she must stay here in this state for at least three more weeks,” he said.

Qanan’s eyes filled with tears.

“She had really been looking forward to being a mother,” she said, her voice cracking.

“What did Shayma do to deserve to die and lie under rubble for an hour without being recovered?

“What did she do to Israel to make it destroy her house on top of her without any warning?” she asked.

“She was just a young wife who had only been married a year.”

Relatives said F-16 warplanes had fired two missiles at the house which was located in a denselypopulated neighbourhood.

Israel began a crushing military operation to stamp out rocket fire and destroy tunnels used by militants to infiltrate southern Israel on July 8.

In the ensuring three weeks, more than 1,050 Palestinians have been killed and over 6,200 wounded.

UN figures show more than three quarters of the victims were civilians, among them more than 230 children and around 120 women.

In Israel, at least 50 people have been killed, most of them Israeli soldiers killed in the fighting in Gaza.

Millions fled homes in 2013 due to religious conflict: US

By Jo Biddle

WASHINGTON, July 28, 2014 (AFP) – Conflicts and repression around the world last year triggered the largest displacement of religious communities in recent memory, the United States said Monday, revealing millions had fled their homes.

“In almost every corner of the globe, millions of Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and others representing a range of faiths were forced from their homes on account of their religious beliefs,” Washington said in its annual International Religious Freedom Report.

“Out of fear or by force, entire neighborhoods are emptying of residents.”

From the Middle East to Asia and stretching into parts of Africa and Europe, “communities are disappearing from their traditional and historic homes,” it said, adding that in “conflict zones” displacements were becoming “a pernicious norm.”

The 2013 report, prepared by the State Department, singled out Syria where it warned that, after three years of civil war, “the Christian presence is becoming a shadow of its former self.”

In Homs, the Christian population had fallen to 1,000 from 160,0000.

“It seems to us that in recent memory, we’ve not seen the numbers of people pushed from their homes in conflicts that have a religious or sectarian dimension,” Assistant Secretary Tom Malinowski said as he unveiled the report, highlighting the situation in Syria and Iraq.

Amid Egypt’s political upheavals as the military ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi and moved against his Muslim Brotherhood, Christian churches, homes and businesses were looted and torched.

“When 75 percent of the world’s population still lives in countries that don’t respect religious freedoms, let me tell you, we have a long journey ahead of us,” US Secretary of State John Kerry said as he unveiled the document.

A million people fled the fighting in the Central African Republic last year, where at least 700 people were killed in sectarian violence, and in Myanmar, mob-violence in Meikhtila province caused 100 deaths and over 140,000 people were displaced.

“North Korea again stood out for its absolute prohibition of religious organizations and harsh punishments for any unauthorized religious activities,” it said, while countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Sudan put severe restrictions on people following religious groups “that did not conform to the state-

approved religion.”

Governments must fight intolerance The report deals with events in 2013 and was written before thousands of Christians and other minorities had fled the northern Iraqi city of Mosul amid last month’s jihadist onslaught led by Islamic State insurgents.

But the State Department still found that there were “reports of societal abuses and discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice” in Iraq last year.

“When governments choose not to combat discrimination on the basis of religion and intolerance, it breeds an environment in which intolerant and violent groups are emboldened,” it warned.

In China, “the government’s respect for and protection of the right to religious freedom fell well short of its international human rights commitments.”

Beijing “prosecuted family members of self-immolators, imprisoned and tortured Falun Gong practitioners, continued its harassment of members of house churches and unregistered Catholic bishops and priests, and sought the forcible return of ethnic Uighurs who were seeking asylum overseas.”

Chinese officials also detained students, monks and laypeople in Tibetan areas and there were reports of the torture of Muslim Uighurs.

Militants in Pakistan killed more than 400 Shiite Muslims in sectarian attacks in 2013, some in violent fashions, and more than 80 Christians died in a church bombing, while the authorities continued to enforce blasphemy laws.

Restrictive laws against “extremism” were also used in Russia to target the activities of minority religious groups, and continued “to grant the Russian Orthodox Church a privileged position.”

“Rising anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim sentiment in parts of Europe demonstrated that intolerance is not limited to countries in active conflict,” the report stressed, adding that many Jewish communities in some European countries were considering emigrating.

“We are not arrogantly telling people what to believe,” Kerry insisted.

“We’re not telling people how they have to live every day. We’re asking for the universal value of tolerance, of the ability of people to have a respect for their own individuality and their own choices.

“The Abrahamic faiths – Christianity, Judaism, and Islam – have to find new meaning in the old notion of our shared descent.”

Gov’t to continue investing in people, says Palace official MANILA, July 26 (Mabuhay) – Malacañang said the government will continue to prioritize uplifting the lives of the people following the release of UN Development Report that assesses income, education and life expectancy of the nation.

“When it comes to that, it’s really in continuing to invest in human capital,” Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in an interview on Saturday over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

Valte said that the general perception is that investment only means money going to infrastructure to attract businesses.

But she said there is also investments on human capital, which means strengthening the capabilities of the country’s citizens, she said.

This includes investment in education, health care, social services and others, she added.

According to the recently released UN report, the Philippines improved slightly in its assessment. The UN Development Report measures income, education and life expectancy.

The report was released in Tokyo by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) covering 187 countries, with the Philippines ranking No. 117, up one notch from 118 in the previous edition.

The Top 10 countries in UNDP’s ranking from

No. 1 to 10, are Norway, Australia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United States, Germany, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, and Denmark.

The UN Development Report pushed for wider access to basic social services like education, health care, water supply and sanitation, and public safety, full employment, disaster risk reduction and management, and responsive institutions. (MNS)

Pope begs forgiveness for fascist persecution of Protestants CASERTA, July 28, 2014 (AFP) - Pope Francis has asked forgiveness from Protestant Pentecostalists persecuted by Catholics under Italian fascism in the 1930s, religious news agency i.media said Monday. “Among those who persecuted and denounced the Pentecostalists – almost as if they were crazy people who tarnished the race – there were also Catholics,” Francis said during a meeting with 350 Protestant evangelicals in Caserta in southern Italy.

“I am the shepherd of Catholics, and I ask forgiveness for those Catholic brothers and sisters who did not understand and were tempted by the devil,” he said.

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UTREACH Fil-Am teen karateka continues quest for glory VALLEJO, California – Fourteen-year-old Filipino-American karateka Khyll G. Jorge, who has won five world championships in the last three years, continues his quest for dominance in his age bracket when he competes in two more National Blackbelt League (NBL) tournaments, two international tournaments, two nationals, and the state and world championships the rest of the year.

Khyll, who started training in karate when he was seven years old, also holds the rare distinction of winning state, national and world championships in a single year for the last three years.

Jorge has also been the reigning California state champion in the 12-14 year category in the last three years.

“I hope to keep winning titles,” Khyll said. Khyll practices four days a week, and when he is scheduled to compete in a major tournament, he practices six days a week.

“I make sure to fight smart because karate is mostly mental, not a lot of physical,” he said.

Khyll says he has to be mentally prepared when he goes to a tournament, and sometimes this becomes a problem when the games are to be played in a distant venue, especially in the East Coast.

But thanks to NutriAsia, the Philippines’ biggest manufacturer of sauces and condiments, Khyll won’t have to worry about his participation in the 2014 Su-

perGrands World Games scheduled from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 in Buffalo, New York where he won his fourth and fifth world titles.

NutriAsia produces and distributes Jufran, Mafran, UFC and Papa banana catsup, Mang Thomas all-around sauce, and Datu Puti Vinegar and Soy Sauce.

“We are proud to sponsor Khyll Jorge in his future competitions.

Khyll has been a source of pride for Filipino youths in America and is a role model for FilipinoAmerican youths who dream of becoming successful in their own fields of endeavor,” said Robert Reyes of NutriAsia (USA).

NutriAsia has adopted as its corporate social responsibility the mission of assisting in the delivery of better quality education and to improve health and nutritional conditions of undernourished students in the public elementary schools in the Philippines.

“Sponsoring a young and healthy athlete such as Khyll Jorge is an extension of that responsibility to the Filipino youth here in America,” Reyes said.

Khyll won 11 first place finishes and three grand championships in six tournaments he has competed so far this year, with only a fourth-place finish in the Bay Nationals in February tranishing his otherwise perfect record in 2014. He had three first place finishes and the grand championship in the Proper Challenge-South San Francisco

in March and three more first places and the grand title in the Golden Gate Internationals in Santa Clara in April. Last June 14, he won first place in point and continuous sparring, and led his team to the junior boys sparring title in the Best of the Best Tournament in Tracy, California, an NBL tourney.

On May 9-10, Khyll won two first places in the Pacific Jewels Nationals in Vancouver, Washington. He won first place and the grand championship in the Ultimate Slam-South San Francisco on May 31.

“On my second year at the World Games, I won two world titles. It was special. I can’t describe how special it was for me,” said Khyll. “I’d like to thank my parents, my whole family, my teammates, my coach and my sponsors. Without them, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Talking about his success, he advised his fellow youngsters, “If you want to do something, do it because when you put your mind into it, you can do it. Believe in yourself. You have to surround yourself with great people, like your parents.”

His family, especially his father Ahlen, has been very supportive of Khyll. “The whole family tries to be present in every tournament he competes in. We are willing to lose our voice to cheer for him,” Ahlen said.

“The only times that we were not able to be with him were at

the 2012 SuperGrands in Buffalo, NY, 2013 New England Open in New Hampshire and 2013 SuperGrands in Charleston, South Carolina for financial reasons,” he said.

Khyll said despite his hectic training and tournament schedule, Khyll is able to balance training and school work. During school days, he does his homework after school for a couple of hours or does it in school. Then he goes to karate practice for two hours at the Seronio Islandbred Martial Arts in Vallejo.

Khyll, who will be on 10th Grade at the Jesse Bethel High School in Vallejo, took interest in karate in 2006 when he noticed that his friends stopped whatever they were doing at 5 p.m. almost every day. When he asked why, his friends said they had to go to their karate lessons. He eventually joined them at a martial arts school in Vallejo.

Training very hard to attain his goals, Khyll won his first two world titles in the 2011 SuperGrands in Sacramento, California. He won numerous tournaments in the Bay Area starting in 2009 and finally won his first national title in April 2011 when he placed first in continuous sparring (88 lbs) in the Golden Gate Internationals in Santa Clara, California.

In a tournament in Vancouver, Washington the next month, Jorge won two first places in both events at the Pacific Jewel 2011.

He continued his domination in

TFC launches Speaker Salon project for ‘next gen’ Fil-Ams to help build a better PHL Pistahan 2014 Hermana Mayor Olivia De Jesus unveils TFC idea incubation project platform with partners NextDayBetter, ABS-CBN Foundation International and FAAE SAN FRANCISCO, CA, July 25, 2014 – It was a reality check statement that caused a respectful hush to fall over the crowd of public officials, media, community leaders and volunteers that gathered at the Community Kick-Off for Pistahan Parade & Festival of the Filipino American Arts Exposition (FAAE), held recently at the Mayor’s Conference Room of San Francisco City Hall: “A key current population fact that impacts us today is out of the estimated 3.5 million Filipinos in the U.S., 49 percent or nearly half is comprised of second generation Filipinos.”

ABS-CBN North America Managing Director Olivia De Jesus, after citing figures from the 2010 U.S. Census and pertinent research surveys on this growing segment of Filipinos who are born or raised in the U.S., posed these questions for reflection: “How do we reach out to the next generation of Filipinos in a way that is meaningful and impactful to them?

“Who do we partner with that share common objectives of serving the Filipinos, have the credibility and expertise to engage with this generation and represent its interests?

“Where can we launch an outreach initiative that captures the vision and mission of TFC and honors the legacy of Pistahan in San Francisco?”

Applause greeted these questions from De Jesus, recently chosen by FAAE as the Hermana Mayor, an equivalent of Grand Marshal, of the 2014 Pistahan Parade & Festival at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco, scheduled for August 9-10, 2014. She was presenting the case for her Pistahan Legacy Project, a requirement by FAAE from those who have held the position of Pistahan’s Hermano and Hermana Mayor.

For years, ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel (TFC), the world’s largest 24-hour Filipino multiplatform news and entertainment network, has been a solid partner of Pistahan, billed as the largest annual two-day celebration of Filipino culture and pride in the U.S. As De Jesus mentioned in her presentation, TFC has observed the growing presence and influence of the younger Filipino American leadership and volunteer network of the event, even if mostly first generation Filipinos still attend it.

“This ‘next gen’ has been driving a major Filipino cultural event in a big city like San Francisco year in and year out,” said De Jesus. “We need to contribute a platform to con-

tinue encouraging and expanding such involvement, allowing them to nurture their talent and express their ideas in serving the Filipino.”

Assembling the Legacy Team: Finding the Perfect Partners Perhaps it’s the universe creating synchronistic meets among the likeminded that TFC has found a fitting partner for its outreach to the ‘next gen’ in a youthful team of social innovation junkies calledNextDayBetter.

Its New York-based Filipino American CEO and Chief Builder and Fulbright Scholar Ryan Letada, whose life goal is “to squeeze social good out of awesome ideas”, explained in a nutshell: “NextDayBetter is a culture platform that builds and activates diaspora communities literally to make the ‘next day better’.”

NextDayBetter’s Head of Partnerships John Paul “JP” Capulong, a Filipino American and Bay Area native, represented his team at the Pistahan Community Kick-Off and shared: “Our team has been travelling to key cities in the world to create hubs for innovation, bring thinkers and change makers together to share their stories, ignite meaningful conversations and purposeful actions to create a better future.”

A better future is made up of better lives for people.

This is the vision of ABSCBN Foundation International (AFI), the U.S.-based non-profit, non-governmental philanthropy arm of ABS-CBN dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged Filipino families in the Philippines and around the world.

Managing Director Jo Ann Kyle emphasized its mission: “While the Foundation has almost become synonymous to its popular programs, Bantay Bata (Child Watch) and Sagip Kapamilya (literally Family Rescue) which has raised millions of dollars to assist calamity victims in the Philippines, we commit to improve the quality of life of every Filipino generation and make a significant impact in the strategic areas of child care, environment, education, disaster management and community development. We do this by leveraging the power of media and partnering with concerned sectors of society.”

No less than FAAE President and San Francisco Entertainment Commissioner Al Perez, who is a self-described 1.5 generation Filipino, personally relayed his gratitude to the Foundation for the Pasig River rehabilitation work it did in his hometown, Sampaloc, Manila.

The 2014 Pistahan Legacy Project: TFC Speaker Salon Powered

by NextDayBetter

With AFI and NextDayBetter, De Jesus knew that the proverbial stars have aligned for her Pistahan Legacy Project.

“Through AFI and its many advocacy programs, we give the Filipino youth in the U.S. the opportunity to build ideas and to work on concrete solutions for causes closest to their hearts,” she said.

“Through the expertise of NextDayBetter, we create a credible platform for ‘next gen’ thinkers and change makers to connect, engage and exchange ideas and inspire action. For the venue, we will get inspiration from the imaginative San Francisco landmark, Children’s Creativity Museum, at the Pistahan grounds in Yerba Buena Gardens.”

De Jesus announced: “So, come August 9, the first day of Pistahan Parade & Festival, at the Children’s Creativity Museum, TFC will present its Pistahan Legacy project - the first ever TFC Speaker Salon powered by NextDayBetter. It will have expert speakers and resource persons with a program designed to provide the ‘next gen’ Filipinos with inspiration and insights on innovations, breakthroughs and challenges in areas such as the advocacy programs of AFI, with a focus on building better lives and future for Filipinos.”

De Jesus, Capulong and Kyle promised a unique experience for attendees of this historic TFC Speaker Salon. “It won’t be just talk,” said De Jesus. “NextDayBetterpowered speaker salons are a learning space, a discovery theater and a Filipino cultural showcase for the senses. We invite the ‘next gen’ to speak out! Get in-

volved, let your passion and creativity ignite impactful action, and be the change that the global Filipino community needs.”

Mag

Tayo!

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Khyll, who started training in karate when he was seven years old, holds the rare distinction of winning state, national and world championships in a single year for the last three years. Jorge has also been the reigning California state champion in the 12-14 year category in the last three years.

continuous sparring for the 88 lbs category in succeeding months – at the Long Beach Internationals in Long Beach, California in July; at the Sin City Rumbles in Las Vegas, Nevada in August; at the Rising Sun in Daly City in August; and at the Avalanche 2011 in Layton, Utah also in August.

In December that year, Jorge won his first internationals at the Super Grands XXI in Charleston, South Carolina, winning both the continuous sparring (88lbs, 11 years and the point sparring (88 lbs, 11 years) titles.

The year 2011 proved a great one for Jorge as he won regional, national, state and world championships in 88 lbs category that year. In 2012 and 2013, Jorge won again in regional, national, state and world championships in the 99 lbs division.

In December 2013, Jorge was again declared world champion in point sparring (12-14 years old) and continuous sparring (1214 years old, 99 lbs) at the Super Grands 2013 in Charleston, South Carolina.

Jorge is now competing in the 121 lbs, 12-14 years old category.

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Journey at Pechanga at state’s largest resort/casino offers guests green-saving stay & play package

Mga Bokalista ng mga Banda ng Dekadang Nubenta (clockwise from top left): Gary Ignacio, Cooky Chua, Wency Cornejo, Introvoys and Jett Pangan.

‘Mga Bokalista ng mga Banda ng Dekada Nubenta’ Aug. 1

The all-star concert ‘Mga Bokalista ng mga Banda ng Dekada Nubenta’ that will gather the lead vocalists of the most influential bands of the 1990s Philippine rock scene – Cooky Chua, Jet Pangan, Wency Cornejo and Gary Ignacio – backed by Introvoys, another popular group of that fabled decade, will be held Aug. 1 at Beyond The Stars Palace located at 417 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91203.

Not only will the artists perform live, drinks are allowed! There’s a bar in the venue and dancing is encouraged. Tickets are priced at $60 and $100 (VIP).

With the enthusiastic early response to news of this concert, fans are advised to reserve tickets early. Contact V Entertainment at (818) 458-9258, (818) 638-3212 or email vicperez@ventertainment.biz Featured Performers: Jett Pangan sang lead vocals for The Dawn, which had several hits in the late 1980s to early 1990s and, and whose popularity helped fuel the rock band revival of the 1990s. The group released 15 albums and 20 hits including “Enveloped Ideas,” “I Stand With You,” “Love Will Set Us Free,” “Salamat,” and “IIsang Bangka Tayo.” After The Dawn disbanded in 1995, he formed the Jett Pangan Group that is still active and has released two albums.

He also hosts the TV show “Myx Live” and acts in the musical theater.

Cooky Chua is the lead vocalist and cofounder of Color It Red, which went from underground favorite to platinum-selling act in just five years. They released three albums including Hand Painted Sky – considered a classic – and hits like “Paglisan,” “Sumigaw Ka,” and “Una’t Huli.”

Chua won the Golden Voice of Asia award in Hanoi in 1998, and found acclaim as a blues and jazz singer, as well as an actress

on the stage and in indie films. Her credits include Lean, A Filipino Musical (1997), Melancholia (2008), Muli (2010) and Bituin (2002).

Wency Cornejo was the lead vocalist and chief songwriter of After Image, which was active in the 1990s and released four albums (including a reunion album in 2008). The group was behind the hits “Habang May Buhay,” “Next in Line” and “Mangarap Ka.” After Image disbanded in 2001 and Cornejo pursued a solo career and released a number of hits, including “Hanggang” and “Magpakailanman.”

Gary Ignacio was the lead vocalist of Alamid, which released five albums, four for the Warner music label. Their biggest hit, “Your Love,” won Song of the Year in the 1995 NU 107 Rock Awards. Formed in 1987, they are one of the few bands from their generation that is actively performing. But their greatest tribute perhaps came from Jon Bon Jovi, who reportedly cancelled an engagement when he was in Manila to watch Alamid perform in Mayric’s, a dive in the working class district of Sampaloc.

Introvoys is also known for its longevity, having been formed in 1986 and continuing to perform to the present, with two original members (drummer Paco Arespacochaga and vocalist Jonathan Buencamino). From the underground scene, Introvoys broke into the mainstream with their first album Back to the Roots, which produced their first hit, “However Which Way” and paved the way for a national tour. More hits followed, including “Calling All Nations,” “Will I Survive,” “Di Na Ako Aasa Pa,” and “Line to Heaven”—cementing the band’s popularity in the airwaves and concert scene. Introvoys has released eight albums.

Journey at Pechanga championship golf course, one of the many high end amenities for guests on site at Pechanga Resort & Casino, is consistently rated among the top public courses in the country. A challenging and rewarding course for golfers of every level, it presents a range of topography – canyons, ravines, open fairways and even a tee shot with a 300-foot drop.

Nestled in the foothills of the scenic Southern California wine country in Temecula Valley on the Pechanga Indian Reservation, adjacent to Pechanga Resort & Casino, Journey at Pechanga winds along a boulderstrewn mountain. Journey at Pechanga’s par-72, 18-hole golf course winds over 7,219 yards. Golf course architect, Arthur Hills, calls it “the perfect union of nature, form and function.” He refers to the unique stretch of land with sacred entities and cultural sensitivities to the Pechanga tribe.

Journey focuses on highlighting the drama and natural beauty of the rare and distinctive site while preserving sensitive areas and creating a golf layout exhibiting the highest standards and traditions.

Just across the street sits the state’s largest resort/casino with all the luxuries a traveler would expect from a high-end Las Vegas property. Rated a AAA Four Diamond property for 13 years running, the resort recently underwent a major makeover of its hotel lobby, four restaurants, Jacuzzi suites and VIP lounge.

Travelers who enjoy golf can save some green by partnering their hotel stay with golf rounds in the “Journey To Golf” stay and play package. Starting at $219 per person or $299 for two, the package offers luxury accommodations, express cart pick up,

concierge service and 24-hour room service.

Guest can also purchase the 2014 Annual Golf Pass at $899 for 12 rounds of golf. The pass is good for any day of the week, limited to four rounds per day. For more information, please call 866-991-PARR (7277) and mention “Annual Golf Pass.”

The resort offers 517 hotel rooms and suites, a full-service spa and salon, pool and cabanas, A-list entertainment, more than 100,000-square feet of flexible event and meeting space, 11 restaurants, plus extras like free WiFi, no resort fees, complimentary concierge and valet parking and 24hour room service. The resort also offers a dedicated group sales, catering and banquet team to handle any room blocks or events.

Extracurricular activities can always be planned for meeting and function attendees at Pechanga. One of the most popular is providing golf outings or even company golf tournaments at Journey at Pechanga.

All details are handled by the on-site tournament coordinator. Other activities that can be planned for attendees at Pechanga include private dinners, poker tournaments, wine and beer tasting tours at the nearby wineries and breweries, spa t and salon treatments, and Native American history tours to select locations on the Pechanga reservation.

For more information or to make reservations at Pechanga Resort & Casino, please visit www.Pechanga.com or call (877) 7112946. Pechanga Resort & Casino is located in Temecula, Calif. just two minutes off Interstate 15, less than one hour from San Diego and Ontario International airports, and less than one and one-half hours from Los Angeles and Orange County.

One killed, several hurt as lightning strikes Venice Beach

LOS ANGELES, July 28, 2014 (AFP) – At least one person was killed and up to eight others injured Sunday when freak lightning struck the bustling Venice Beach of southern California, officials said.

The fatal victim, an unidentified man in his 20s, died as he was being rushed from the beach to the hospital after the lightning struck, Larry Dietz at the Los Angeles Coroner’s Department told AFP. Dietz however cautioned that examiners from his office had not yet seen the body, so the exact cause of his death was unknown.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Katherine Main earlier told AFP that seven adults and a 15 year-old were rushed to area hospitals after the lightning stuck, but would not confirm any fatality.

A second adult was listed in critical condition, Main said.

Five other people were treated on site at the beach but did not need hospital care, Main added.

According to the National Weather Service, thunderstorms struck the busy area around 2115 GMT Sunday.

Witnesses on the beach described scenes of panic as the sky darkened and lightning erupted seemingly out of nowhere, accompanied by thunder and rain.

“You could hear everybody screaming,” Angelica Roquemore told The Los Angeles Times.

Roger Davis told the newspaper that his home shook and that he heard explosions.

When he ran outside, his neighbor – a doctor – was administering CPR to a victim.

In a separate incident on Catalina Island, off the coast of Los Angeles, lightning struck a man and set off brush fires.

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Fist bumps more hygienic than handshakes, say scientists (LONDON-AFP) – Fist bumps are more hygienic than handshakes and drastically reduce the risk of spreading infectious diseases, researchers in Britain have found.

The study discovered that a handshake transfers 10 times as much bacteria as a fist bump, following a series of tests at Aberystwyth University on the west coast of Wales.

Doctor Dave Whitworth, who led the research, said the study could have a serious impact on public health.

“People rarely think about the health implications of shaking hands. But if the general public could be encouraged to fist bump, there is a genuine potential to reduce the spread of infectious diseases.”

Researchers were able to measure the movement of germs using sterile rubber gloves, one of which was dipped into a coating of the potentially deadly E. coli bacteria, before

exchanging a range of greeting gestures.

The results of the research, published in the American Journal of Infection Control, showed that handshakes passed on far more of the dangerous bacteria than fist bumps or high fives.

The number of germs moving between people was reduced by more than half during a high five and 90 percent in a fist bump.

Experiments also found that a firmer handshake increased the level of bacteria shared between palms.

Fist bumps, famously employed by US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, are thought to be more hygienic due to their shorter duration and smaller contact area.

The study was inspired by the increasing promotion of cleanliness in the workplace, including the growing use of hand-sanitizers and keyboard disinfectants.

US President Barack Obama fist-bumps with a woman during a lunch visit to the West Tampa Sandwich Shop and Restaurant on September 8, 2012.

Experts call for stepped-up hepatitis battle GENEVA, July 24, 2014 (AFP) – The world can beat the cancer-causing disease hepatitis if it raises its game, but treatment programmes need to go hand in hand with those tackling the likes of HIV, experts said Thursday.

Viral hepatitis is a group of infectious diseases known by the letters A, B, C, D or E, which attack the liver.

Despite killing close to 1.4 million people every year – with Asia the hardest-hit region – hepatitis has long failed to grab the spotlight.

Ninety percent of deaths are from hepatitis B and C, responsible for two-thirds of the global liver cancer toll.

“It’s a no-brainer. The best way to prevent liver cancer or people dying from liver cirrhosis is to prevent and treat viral hepatitis,” said Samuel So, a liver surgeon and professor at Stanford University in California. “If you do that, you’ll save a lot of lives and a lot of healthcare costs,” he told reporters in Geneva.

Hepatitis B and C are transmitted from infected mothers to newborn babies, by unsafe injections during medical procedures and drug use, or unsafe sex.

“Finally we’re seeing some real momentum building,” said Stefan Wiktor, leader of the hepatitis program at the World Health Organization.

Testing is crucial, given that of the estimated 500 million people with viral hepatitis, many are unaware of their infection.

“We also need to make sure there is prevention in place, that healthcare-associated transmission is reduced, that injecting drug users to the equipment they need to prevent from getting infected,” Wiktor told reporters.

Hepatitis C, notably, is undergoing a “therapeutic revolution”, Wiktor said, with new medicines offering a cure rate of 95 percent.

“That totally changes the dynamic about how we should approach this,” he added.

Hepatitis kills almost as many people

a year as HIV/AIDS, and therefore needs a similar degree of international traction, said So. People affected by HIV are also particularly vulnerable to hepatitis, with up to 10 million worldwide estimated to be infected with both.

Advances in HIV treatment have prolonged the lives of people with that virus, meaning they have more time to develop hepatitis-related liver cancer, but hepatitis treatment still lags behind.

“The structure we created for HIV treatment is ideal for hepatitis treatment. It’s time that we didn’t put these diseases into silos,” So said.

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KITCHENOMICS Regional dishes featuring delicious peanut butter

FAMILY FEATURES

I

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.

“Affordable, nutritious and of course delicious, peanut butter is a staple found in most American homes,” said Leslie Wagner, executive director of Southern Peanut Growers. “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.”

To celebrate the unique flavors from coast to coast, and to find the best hometown PB recipes, Southern Peanut Growers conducted its first “PB My Way” 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 “United States of Peanut Butter.”

For more recipes, visit www.peanutbutterlovers.com.

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 425°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 5–8 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

Easy PB & J Breakfast Tarts Recipe contributed by winner Susan M., West region Servings: 8 tarts 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour 6 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon sea salt 2/3 cup shortening 6 tablespoons peanut butter plus 4 heaping teaspoons for filling (1/2 teaspoon per tart) 1/2 cup cold water 5 tablespoons jam (strawberry works well) Drizzle option 1: 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon jam 1 tablespoon milk Drizzle option 2: 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/4 teaspoon strawberry extract, optional 1 tablespoon milk Preheat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl mix together flours, sugar and sea salt.

Using pastry cutter, cut-in shortening and peanut butter, until mixture resembles

small peas. Drizzle mixture with cold water until mixture is moist and holds together. Roll out on floured surface to at least 1/16th of an inch thickness.

Using 3-by-5-inch index (recipe) card for template, cut into sixteen 3-by-5-inch shapes. Re-rolling works fine.

In middle of eight shapes, smear 1/2 heaping teaspoon peanut butter and heaping teaspoon of jam on top. Be careful not to go to edges. Using fingers, wet edges with water and place another piece of pastry on top. Press all sides well, and using fork press all edges to secure.

Using fork, gently poke tops in four places so steam can escape.

Place inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 13–14 minutes until starting to brown around edges.

Cool on rack.

Whisk together drizzle of choice in small bowl. Drizzle over cooled tarts.

Note: This pastry is very user-friendly and delicate. Freeze tarts up to one month and defrost at room temperature before serving.

After School Peanut Butter Apple Pie

Recipe contributed by winner Alisa L., Midwest region Recipe contributed by winner Lori M., Place crust in 9-inch pie pan and crimp Servings: 8 pieces Southwest region edges. Use dried beans to weigh down Prepared pie crust Servings: 12 peppers bottom. Bake crust for 10–15 minutes, Chopped peanuts (optional) 12 large jalapeno peppers, split or until crust is lightly browned.

Filling: open Mix all filling ingredients together and 7 apples, peeled cored and sliced (not all the way through) put in crust. Using hands, mix crumble 2/3 cup sugar and seeded ingredients until in pea-sized pieces. Top 3 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup peanut butter apples with crumble. Don’t worry if sky 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup shredded cooked chicken Crumble: high, apples will cook down and pie will 1 3-ounce package cooked be perfectly proportioned.

3/4 cup rolled oats bacon pieces Bake at 350°F for 40–50 minutes.

1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese Keep edges covered with foil until 1/4 cup peanut butter 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup brown sugar last 15 minutes. Garnish with chopped 1 cup crushed cornflakes 1/2 cup flour peanuts.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place peppers in medium bowl and cover with boiling Pennsylvania PB & C Bars water 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Recipe contributed by winner In medium bowl, mix together Victoria Z., Northeast region peanut butter, chicken, bacon and Servings: 12 bars cheese. Fill each jalapeno with mixture.

Smear each pepper with a little Crust: mayonnaise and roll in cornflakes in 1 cup melted butter shallow dish to cover.

2 cups peanut butter Place jalapeno on non-stick baking 3/4 cup brown sugar sheet. Bake in preheated oven until 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar golden, about 15–20 minutes.

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 350°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 12–15 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.

Nutty Jalapeno-Chicken Stuffed Peppers

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MOTORING BMW to mark centenary in 2016 with i9 hybrid coupe (Relaxnews) – To celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2016, BMW could launch a new and improved edition of its i8 hybrid coupe, according to the German website Auto Motor und Sport. Dubbed the BMW i9, the new supercar will reportedly have a new hybrid plug-in powertrain and will be capable of outperforming the i8.

According to the website’s insider source, the manufacturer has greenlighted the development of the i9, a coupe equipped with a combustion engine and an electric motor with combined power of more than the current BMW i8’s 362hp (231hp from the fuel engine and 131hp from the electric side). The website indicates that the future vehicle is expected to acceler-

ate from 0 to 100km/h in less than 4 seconds.

The vehicle in question will be made with lightweight materials (aluminum, carbon fiber) for optimized power-to-weight ratio and performance. While the development of a BMW i9 is indeed possible, there can never be a BMW i10, as the name is already used by Hyundai.

One-off BMWi8 to go under the hammer at Pebble Beach (Relaxnews) – The unique Concours d’Elegance Edition of the hightech hybrid supercar will boast a number of special features and the proceeds of the sale will go to charity.

Considered by many as the premium sportscar of the future, the BMWi8 is extremely lightweight and uses a plug-in hybrid powertrain consisting of a 128bph electric motor powering the front wheels and a three-cylinder turbocharged 1.5-liter, 228bhp petrol engine spinning the rear wheels.

The result is a car that can go from a standstill to 100km/h in 4.2 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h (155mph) yet delivers a fuel economy of 2.1l/100km (134.5mpg) and carbon dioxide emissions of just 49g/km.

That makes the car faster off the line, lighter and more efficient than a current Porsche 911 Carrera S despite being bigger and only having half as many cylinders under the hood.

Unsurprisingly, demand for the standard edition is already very high ahead of the car’s official launch in the US this autumn, therefore the Concours d’Elegance Edition could be a great way of jumping the queue and taking delivery of an i8 while the sun is still shinning, the days are long and the roads are clearer thanks to everyone else being on vacation.

And to make sure that everyone knows that the i78 you’re driving is a bit special, it will come with a unique Frozen Grey metallic exterior paint fin-

According to a report, BMW is already looking to improve upon the i8 with a new hybrid sportscar. ©BMW

Smart seatbelts keep drivers alert in increasingly automated cars

One-of-a-kind BMW i8 Concours d’Elegance Edition. ©BMW AG

ish and an interior trimmed in Dalbergia Brown leather upholstery that has been tanned using dye derived from plant extracts.

It will also be the first BMWi8 to land on US shores with laser headlights as standard (pending regulatory approval) and its own professional charging station. It even gets a special ‘display’ key that has an integrated touchscreen and that can show information such as remaining battery power, range and the closest charging station, at a glance.

The auction will be conducted

by Gooding & Company on Saturday, August 16 with all proceeds going to the Pebble Beach Company Foundation and the Pebble Beach Concours

d’Elegance. The i8 is expected to fetch between $150,000 and $200,000 and the auction will be broadcast as a live stream via Gooding’swebsite.

One of the highlights of the classic and supercar calendar, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is held every August at the Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey, California and attracts some of the most rare and exotic cars ever built and is a veritable who’s who of the automotive aristocracy.

As well as BMW, McLaren is also hoping to cause a stir at this year’s event, choosing Pebble Beach over the upcoming Paris Motor Show as the venue for unveiling its track-focused £1.9 million (US$3.3 million) hypercar, the P1 GTR.

(Relaxnews) – Researchers from the Biomechanics Institute (IBV) in Valencia, Spain, have developed a seatbelt that constantly monitors drivers’ cardiac and respiratory rates. It’s not just another health tracker: the idea is to make sure the driver is alert, and to signal him if his vitals dip into the drowsy zone.

Increasingly automated cars require less concentration on the part of drivers who are more at risk than ever of falling asleep at the wheel due to their reduced role.

The system developed in Spain, called theHarken device, incorporates sensors that are capable of compensating for the vibrations of the car and

movements of the driver while taking vital signs.

Sensors are embedded in the seat cover in addition to the seat belt and they also have the ability to filter noise in order to get the best possible readings for accurate somnolence detection.

Because the sensors are embedded, they are invisible to the driver, according to the product description on the company’s website.

The idea is similar to the Ford Biometric Seat, introduced as a prototype last year, which takes vitals and monitors ambient temperature in the interest of keeping the driver comfortable and alert.

Consumers disappointed by the latest in-car technologies (Relaxnews) – The 19th annual JD Power Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, which each year attempts to assess how gratifying a new car is to own and drive, finds that when it comes to design, look and feel, consumers are more than happy with their new cars.

Especially if the car in question is a completely new or redesigned model, rather than a model that is being carried over, more or less unchanged from the previous year.

These ‘carryover’ cars averaged an APEAL score of 791 out of a possible 1000 points while new models scored an average 805, being marked higher by their owners in terms of fuel economy, styling and interior refinement.

However, when it comes to things like navigation or voice recognition systems, the new technologies added to cars in the hopes of making them even more desirable and appealing, the same consumers are struggling to see the benefit.

10

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INMENT

LJ OK with Paulo-KC romance LJ Reyes has addressed the possibility of her former flame Paulo Avelino eventually winning KC Concepcion’s heart.

Without the slightest hint of bitterness, the Kapuso actress said, “Kahit sino naman pong lalaki ang mapasagot si KC parang talagang swerteng swerte.”

Months back, Paulo and KC seemed destined for a romance but it fizzled away just as quickly.

Recently, however, it had been reported that the two had started seeing each other again.

LJ is not bothered about it at all. If anything she said, “Happy

ako na happy sila.”

She explained, “Maganda kasi ’pag ’yung isang tao (Paulo) masaya ’yung outlook niya sa buhay (kasi) maganda din ’yung nabibigay (niyang) pagmamahal sa anak namin at sa ibang tao.”

LJ has a three-year-old son with Paulo. The actress added that any conversation she has with Paulo these days “concerns the kid lang,” adding, “Civil kami.

We talk about Aki,” That said, she pointed out, “Mahal na mahal niya ’yung bata. ’Yun naman, undeniable ’yun.” When prodded, LJ said she is clueless if her son has

already met KC. “Kapag hinihingi ni Paulo si Aki, hindi ko naman po tinatanong kung ano ’yung ginagawa nila,” she insisted.

Formerly reticent in discussing her relationship with the father of her child, the Kapuso star has become more open about it.

“There is nothing to hide now,” she declared. “Madami pa kasi kaming dapat ayusin dati so since lahat okay na, masasagot ko na ang mga tanong tungkol samin.”

That said, LJ is nevertheless putting her focus on her career and her son rather than on matters of the heart.

TV5 behind Paolo Bediones amid alleged sex scandal TV5 news anchorman Paolo Bediones has been linked to the latest sex video scandal doing the rounds on social media.

On Sunday, Bediones’ name trended on microblogging site Twitter after it was alleged that he and an unidentified woman were doing intimate acts.

The broadcaster has “no personal statement” on the matter, his manager Noel Ferrer said.

TV5, meanwhile, defended Bediones from the “attempt to smear his reputation.”

“The recent issue involving our news anchor, Paolo Bediones, on social media is a purely personal and private matter in which TV5 has no involvement or desire to intrude,” the company said. “We accord our employees and talents all respect that are due them for their privacy and personal action or decision. We disapprove strongly the malicious and wanton publication of the video, an act that clearly violates pertinent cybercrime laws.”

Bediones is seen regularly in “Aksyon Tonight” on the Kapatid network. (MNS)

LJ Reyes

Paolo Bediones

Julia Barretto hopes to work with John Lloyd

John Lloyd Cruz

Julia Barretto said John Lloyd Cruz is one of the actors she wishes to work with in the future.

Barretto said she does not mind being part of a love team but she would rather work with various actors.

“If there’s a love team, I’d rather be able to work

with a lot of actors because I want grow as an actor also. That’s how you’re going to learn more, mag-eexpand ang knowledge mo,” she said.

This is the reason why she immediately had in mind Cruz, who she described as a “very good actor.”

“He’s a good actor. I feel that when you work with someone as good as him, marami kang matututunan. Actually, that’s what you look forward to when working with veterans, madami kang matututunan bilang isang baguhan ka lang,” she said.

Since she was re-launched as part of the Star Magic family last year, Barretto said she is now more serious about her career compared to when she was still a child star.

“Siyempre, when you’re nine, you’re not aware masyado. You just do what they’re telling you to do, you’re just acting, you’re just throwing your lines. When you’re much older, you see the importance of giving a good performance for your audience,” she said.

Barretto is hoping the ABS-CBN management would also give her mature roles in the future following the successful run of her first fantasy series, “Mirabella.”

“Siyempre ang ‘Mirabella’ mga teeny-teeny pa ‘yan. But you want to grow, you want to learn, you want to tackle roles na nag-e-evolve din,” she said.

When asked if she’s trying to follow in the footsteps of her aunts Claudine and Gretchen, the teen actress said: “We have different roles naman in the business. We’re all Barrettos but there’s something about us that will differentiate us from each other.” (MNS)

Enchong Dee keeps GF’s identity secret He may open up a bit about his love life but Enchong Dee prefers not reveal the name of his new sweetheart.

“Ever since naman ay hindi ako nagsisinungaling. I give details as much as possible,” the young actor said during the media huddle for his movie “Once A Princess.”

“Hanggang doon lang ang masasabi ko kasi my girlfriend is not from showbiz… I want to protect her from all this.”

He pleaded, “Ibalato n’yo na lang sa akin. This is by far my happiest relationship and my most private relationship.” As such, he said he intends to keep it “low key.”

Enchong’s protectiveness seems justified when he shared, “Kasi simula noong umamin ako na may GF ako ay may mga nagtu-tweet sa kanya, may mga gumagawa ng account (just) to bash her.”

Needless to say, he felt “bad” that it happened, relating that people would even go as far as research her. However, he reiterated that his insistence on privacy is not the same as “not being proud” of her. “Hindi siya sanay sa ganito, eh,” he explained.

Enchong nevertheless relented to sharing details of how they met.

“Nasa shooting ako ng ‘Once A Princess.’ Napack-up ako nang maaga and I have to attend an event. Ayun nakita ko siya tapos nagpakilala ako.

Nagkausap kami tapos hiningi ko ang number niya. That’s it,” he said of the young lady he calls “sweetie ko.”

It did not take long for him to win her heart. “I treated her like a princess. Siguro nakita rin ni-

Enchong Dee

yang good boy ako,” he shared.

Enchong revealed that he is in a relationship a few weeks ago. “I would like to think (that she felt good about it). Ang pangit naman na ide-deny siya,” he related. (MNS)

Melissa Ricks is pregnant Actress Melissa Ricks is pregnant with her non-showbiz boyfriend’s child.

“Yes , it’s true. Hindi naman tinatago, wala lang nagtatanong,” Tess Gubi of Star Magic said.

The 24-year-old is currently enjoying a break from showbiz in Cebu with some of her friends.

Ricks, who started her career with “Star Circle Quest,” previously dated actors Paul Jake Castillo and Jake Cuenca.

In a previous interview in May, Ricks had said she wants her personal life to be less public this time around.

“Basta ang masasabi ko lang happy ako, nage-enjoy ako. I want to keep things private na lang this time. I learned from the past. Basta dapat masaya lang,” she told ABS-CBN News at the time.

She also said at the time that she doesn’t see herself getting

Melissa Ricks

married soon. “I’m just enjoying being young, enjoying life,” she said. (MNS)

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100 MILLIONTH

ENORMOUS

From page 1

From page 1

nomic recovery to begin.

Over the past four years, the national budget has always been passed on time, he said, and there has been better management of funds, resulting in more services to people. He also said his administration paid for the remaining P30-billion obligation left to re-capitalize the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Aquino said whoever succeeds him in 2016 would benefit from his administration’s accomplishments.

“Malalampasan pa ng susunod sa atin ang ating mga nagawa (dahil) mas matayog na ang kanilang pagmumulan (Whoever succeeds us will accomplish even more because they will be starting off from a high level),” he said.

He also declared the country’s economy “poised for takeoff,” citing the investment

grade ratings from Moodys and Fitch S&P that he predicted would lure in more investors and deliver “faster benefits to people.”

Aquino lauded the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines led by William Hotchkiss for successfully working to have the European Union, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the US Federal Aviation Administration lift restrictions that had limited the destinations available to the country’s flag carriers.

He said with more flights available, “our local carriers can bring in more tourists in next few years.”

Aquino said the country’s hosting of the World Economic Forum on East Asia in May and its hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum next year signaled that, “no doubt, the Philippines is now open for business.”

“We’d like to push the fertility rate down to two children per (woman’s) lifetime,” from the current level of an average of three per woman, he said.

While celebrating the birth of the babies with cake and gifts of clothing and blankets, the government will also monitor each of the designated 100 children over the coming years to see if they are receiving the required health services, Perez added.

Jennalyn’s father, 45-year-old van driv-

Since the clashes erupted a fortnight ago, 94 people have died in the capital, and more than 400 have been injured as militias exchanged rocket and artillery fire across southern Tripoli, the health ministry said.

“Most of the victims we have noticed are civilians as the fighters have their own hospitals on the battlefield,” a Benghazi medical source told Reuters.

Fuel storage tanks that supply Tripoli were hit on Sunday by rockets igniting a huge fire near the international airport, the National oil corporation (NOC) said.

“It is a tank of 6 million liters of gasoline and it is close to others containing gas and diesel,” NOC spokesman Mohamed alAlharari said. “The firefighters are trying to counter the fire but if they cannot, a big disaster will happen” he added.

BELMONTE

EVACUATES From page 1

Tripoli once again urged Filipinos to sign up for evacuation before all routes and options become extremely difficult.

Reuters reported that at least 36 people were killed in Libya’s eastern city of Benghazi where Libyan Special Forces and Islamist militants clashed on Saturday night and Sunday morning, citing medical and security sources. The Libyan government said more than 150 people have died, many of them civilian, in the capital Tripoli and Benghazi in two weeks of fighting as clashes forced U.S. and foreign diplomats to pull out of the country.

In Tripoli, 23 people, all Egyptian workers, were killed when a rocket hit their home on Saturday during fighting between rival militias battling over the city’s main airport, the Egyptian state news agency reported.

er Clemente Sentino, said he was grateful for the government aid, but expressed confidence he could support his child and his partner.

He and the child’s mother, Dailin Cabigayan, 27, are not yet married. “She just happened to get pregnant. But we do have plans to get married,” he told AFP. “I make just enough to get by but at least my job pays regularly. We will find a way to make it fit,” he said.

SUSPENSION From page 1

Drilon added that since the court states that a motion for reconsideration for the suspension from office for 90 days can still be filed, the order is not yet final.

On Friday, the anti-graft court’s Third Division ordered the suspension of Enrile while Estrada’s suspension was ordered by the Fifth Division on July 18.

The camps of Enrile and Revilla have

earlier signified intentions of appealing the suspension orders against the two senators.

The anti-graft court, meanwhile, has yet to issue any suspension order against Revilla.

Meanwhile, also absent from the session was Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago who is suffering from lung cancer. (MNS)

From page 1

“undertake legislative actions to improve transparency of government operations,” Belmonte said.

“Resting on the power of the legislative oversight, I am directing the committee on rules to study the creation of a public accounts and audit committee,” Belmonte said as he opened the second regular session.

The Speaker made the statement amid public outcry over the pork barrel scam which has tainted the integrity of both the lower and upper chambers of Congress.

Some 16 incumbent members of the chamber were tagged in Janet Lim-Na-

poles’ list of lawmakers who allegedly benefited from the scam, while three senators have been detained as they face graft and plunder charges over their alleged involvement in the scam.

Belmonte said he had reviewed Commission on Audit reports and found out that most of audit recommendations were not implemented or only partially implemented. “These are the possible misuse of public funds and inefficient public spending,” Belmonte said.

Belmonte made the speech on the day of President Aquino’s fifth State of the Nation Address. (MNS)

INC FAITHFULS From page 1

PROSECUTION From page 1

United States and Ukraine agreed to a joint investigation team, said a Eurojust statement.

An official agreement has yet to be signed.

Also present at the meeting were international and regional police agencies Interpol and Europol.

“The task is considerable,” Dutch Eurojust member Han Moraal said after the meeting.

“But with such a broad approach and willingness to work together, I hope we can cooperate in an efficient and effective way to uncover the cause of the crash and seek

justice for the 298 innocent victims and their grieving families.”

Eurojust spokeswoman Jacalyn Birk said the venue of a prosecution, if there is one, as well as the applicable law, will be determined by what the investigation finds.

The Netherlands already has a prosecutor in Ukraine, and has requested Eurojust’s assistance in arranging Monday’s coordination meeting.

The plane was shot down over conflicttorn eastern Ukraine on July 17.

The UN said Monday the act may constitute a war crime.

world’s largest by an adjudicator from Guinness World Records.

Although the INC is a minority in the Philippines, where 80 percent of the 100 million people are Catholics, the Iglesia has considerable clout.

Media reports have estimated membership at around two to three million, with a rapid spread in scores of countries beyond the Philippines.

Outsize influence The Roman Catholic Church has for centuries been the dominant religious force in the former Spanish colony.

The INC is at odds with the Church on many fundamental issues of doctrine, and numerous outsiders perceive it as a much

more conservative brand of Christianity.

INC’s teachings are based on a rigid following of the Bible, and it insists only its members qualify for salvation.

Members are required to marry within the church and must give it a portion of their salaries as well.

More significantly, they are required to vote as a bloc for political candidates given the blessing of INC leaders. As a result, many politicians are quick to pay it their respects.

Ramon Casiple, head of the Manilabased Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, said Sunday’s massive gathering also served to project the INC’s influence on society at large.

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