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Vol. 3. No. 27

LOS ANGELES

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Wednesday - Tuesday, March 19-25, 2014

PHL to allow US forces back amid China row

U.S. and Philippine Marines load M107 high explosive rounds into an M777A2 howitzer during an artillery shoot as part of PHIBLEX at Fort Magsaysay, Philippines, Oct. 25. PHIBLEX is a bilateral training exercise designed to improve the interoperability, readiness and professional relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps and partner nations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Vernon T. Meekins/Released)

PHL to install child porn filtersMANILA, March 17, 2014 (AFP) – The Philippines said Monday it would require Internet service providers to install filters to block access to child pornography. The move comes as the Philippines cracks down on online child pornography, arresting at least 13 suspects earlier this year for allegedly offering online images of children being sexually abused. To block access to child pornography Manila will finally implement a law passed in 2009 but which required years of public consultations on how to imple-

ment it, said Edgardo Cabarrios, regulation director of the National Telecommunications Commission. “There were experts (at the consultations) who were one in saying this will help. It may not eradicate (Internet child pornography) completely but this will help,” he told AFP. Police say the Philippines is a key centre of the fast-growing global industry that streams live images of children forced to commit sex acts for pedophiles abroad. The law requires service providers to install filters blocking

child pornography or risk heavy fines. They will have till June to install the filters, said Cabarrios. He acknowledged that it was almost impossible to block all child pornography but said the filters could keep out the majority. “We all know that websites are easily created so (filtering them) is a moving target,” he added. Child pornographers have taken advantage of the widespread poverty in the Philippines to recruit children to create pornography for pedophiles around the world, advocates and the police said.

MANILA, March 14, 2014 (AFP) – The Philippines said Friday a deal to allow a greater US military presence on its territory could be signed next month, in a timely defence boost amid a worsening territorial row with China. There was optimism the pact could be secured ahead of US President Barack Obama’s April visit to Manila after the two sides agreed on a contentious issue that would see US forces build “structures” on their hosts military bases, Filipino officials said. “Discussions in the sixth round were substantive and productive, and significant progress was made,” Philippine Defence Undersecretary Pio Batino told reporters in Manila following the latest round of talks in Washington last week. Fellow negotiators said: “If the negotiations are successfully concluded and that happens before the arrival of President Obama, then we will be happy of course”.

However, the officials declined to set an April deadline, citing the need to ensure the language was in line with Philippine laws and yielded the maximum benefits for the hosts. Washington has said Obama will visit the Philippines in April as part of a four-nation tour of East Asia. The Philippine government sees hosting more US forces as an important part of its strategy to counter an increasingly assertive China in an escalating dispute over rival claims to the South China Sea. With its military capabilities dwarfed by China’s the Philippines has been looking for more diplomatic and military support from the United States, its former colonial ruler and longtime ally. A decades-long dispute over rival claims to parts of the South China Sea has sharply worsened over the past two years, with the See US FORCES, page 6

DND allocates P5.4B for 2 anti-submarine choppers MANILA, Mar 17 (Mabuhay) – The Department of National Defense (DND) on Monday announced that it has allocated P5.4 billion to fund the acquisition of two brand-new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters for the Philippine Navy. This was confirmed by DND undersecretary for finance, modernization, installations, and munitions Fernando Manalo in a message to the PNA. “The ASW helicopters is one of the projects included in the list of the AFP Modernization Program.

The project is for implementation,” he added. Manalo said the budget for acquiring the two ASW helicopters is placed at P5.4 billion and the acquisition process for the aircraft is expected to be completed by this year. The PN earlier announced that it is looking at the possibility of acquiring the AW-159 “Wildcat” as its ASW helicopters. The Navy is in the market for two ASW helicopters. This is part of the country’s See DND ALLOCATES, page 6

Malaysia under scrutiny as plane mystery drags on By Bhavan Jaipragas

INDIAN OCEAN (March 16, 2014): Sailors inspect the flight deck of the Arleigh Burkeclass destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100). Kidd is conducting search and rescue operations in the Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. U.S. Navy photo (Released) 140316-N-ZZ999-002

KUALA LUMPUR, March 18, 2014 (AFP) – Malaysia vehemently denies mishandling crucial information on the fate of missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370, but questions persist as to whether early missteps and secrecy contributed to the disappearance of a huge passenger plane on a clear night. Foreign media reports, especially those in China’s state media, have accused the Malaysian authorities of incompetence, misSee PLANE MYSTERY, page 6

PHL officials discuss security PHL, MILF rebels preps with Pinoys in Ukraine to sign peace MANILA, Mar 17 (Mabuhay) – Philippine officials met with several Filipinos in Ukraine over the weekend to discuss security preparations in case the political situation there worsens. A news release from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday said the officials, led by Philippine Ambassador to Russia Alejandro B. Mosquera, met with more than 40 Ukraine-based Filipinos at Hotel Rus in downtown Kiev on March 16. “The team discussed with the Filipino community the need for preparedness and the importance of communication with the Embassy in view of the recent developments in the country,” the DFA said. Violence in Ukraine escalated late last month with government

claiming at least 77 had been killed. The crisis began in November 2013 with protests over President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to scuttle a European Union-oriented trade deal and turn toward Russia. The DFA has already raised crisis alert level 2 (restriction phase) for Ukraine in view of ongoing tensions there. Under Alert Level 2, Filipinos are advised to “restrict non-essential movements, avoid public places, closely monitor developments, and prepare for possible evacuation.” Joining Mosquera in the meeting were DFA Special Assistant Belinda M. Ante and Labor Attaché David Des Dicang, as well as Third Secretary Jeffrey AnSee PHL OFFICIALS, page 6

treaty on March 27 MANILA, March 14, 2014 (AFP) – The Philippines and Muslim rebels are to sign a treaty on March 27 to end one of Asia’s longest and deadliest rebellions, a senior aide to President Benigno Aquino said Friday. The terms of the deal, completed in January after drawn-out talks, would see the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) disband its 12,000-member guerrilla force and share power with Manila in the Muslim south of the mainly Catholic nation. “After 17 long years of arduous negotiations, we are finally arriving at a political settlement that will seal enduring peace and progress in Mindanao,” Teresita Deles, Aquino’s chief adviser on the peace process, said in a statement. The decades-old rebellion has See PEACE TREATY, page 6

Aboard Marine One, President Barack Obama looks out over the central valley of California with Rep. Jim Costa and Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer as they fly to an event in Firebaugh, Calif., Feb. 14, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Obama wants ‘more humane’ US deportations WASHINGTON, March 14, 2014 (AFP) - President Barack Obama on Thursday ordered a review to see whether US deportation policies could be conducted more “humanely” following complaints by Latino advocates over mass expulsions of illegal immigrants. Obama last week blamed Congress for high levels of deportations, saying he had no choice but to enforce existing laws because an attempt to pass immigration reform had been jammed in Congress. Obama told a group of Hispanic lawmakers that he had asked Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to probe “the department’s current practices to see how it can conduct enforcement more humanely within the confines of the law,” the White House said. It was not immediately clear if actions following such a review would halt any deportations. Obama was this month branded “de-

porter in chief” by one Latino advocacy group over mass expulsions. But he said that Congress was forcing his hand. “I cannot ignore those laws any more than I can ignore any of the other laws that are on the books,” he said. Obama said he had ordered government agents to give priority to deportations of those involved in illegal activity and gangs -- and had used executive power to shield undocumented young people with illegal status who have known no home other than the United States. “What I have done is to use my prosecutorial discretion,” Obama said. The National Council of La Raza, America’s largest Latino advocacy organization, says the administration is close to reaching the two million mark for deportations. The Senate immigration bill, passed last year, offers a path to eventual See DEPORTATIONS, page 6

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A batch of 37 female overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) repatriated from Syria, arrive at 4 p.m. Friday (March 7) via EK 332. OWWA personnel and from Office of the Vice President (center photo) assist the returning OFWs upon their arrival at the Gate 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1. (MNS photo)

Immigration clarifies policy on return tickets MANILA, Mar 17 (Mabuhay) -- The Bureau of Immigration clarified Monday that there are no new guidelines for Filipinos traveling overseas. Immigration chief Siegfred Mison said the rule of asking for return tickets from passengers before they leave the country was set as early as January 2012 by an inter-agency council to prevent human trafficking. He said immigration officials will usually ask Filipino travelers for their passport, a visa (if necessary) and a return ticket. “If you are going out as a tourist, then you have to show that you are coming back. You are not going anywhere else to prob-

ably reside or work. You are going there as a tourist, might as well get a return ticket...Most likely, the country of destination will also require a presentation of that ticket,” he said in an interview. Mison said that any person who intends to work in another country must secure an overseas employment certificate issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). He also addressed the situation of a Filipino household helper who was sent by her employers to Singapore to help another Filipino family who was having a new baby. The helper was asked to produce an OEC although she

would only be staying in Singapore for three weeks. “There is a fine line because it could be constituted as a simple help or simple activity that can constitute work or it can be considered as work. What if Singaporean immigration will now say: ‘That constitutes work.’ Then you will need a work visa or work permit. The fact that that person left the country as a tourist already violates our labor laws,” he said. The immigration chief said that since ASEAN countries do not require visas, the Philippines must be stricter in checking the travel papers of tourists since these countries are known tran-

Boy refused by CebuPac over ‘damaged’ passport leaves for Vietnam surgery after DFA helps out MANILA, Mar 17 (Mabuhay) -- The mother of a 12-year-old boy scheduled for surgery in Vietnam for a congenital deformity has filed a complaint before the Manila International Airport Authority-Customer Relations Center after he was prevented from boarding his Saturday flight due to an allegedly damaged passport. The boy did fly out late Sunday night after the Department of Foreign Affairs, which ruled that

the supposedly damaged passport had no defect and was, therefore, valid nevertheless issued him temporary passport even if the agency was supposed to be closed for the weekend. The boy’s mother, Regin de Guzman Palileo, also asked Cebu Pacific to impose sanctions against Cebu Pacific ground staff Mark Rotanel, who refused to allow her son to board the Saturday flight, for the humiliation and in-

convenience they suffered. The plight of the boy went viral on social media after Facebook user JR Pajaro wrote about the incident and posted photos on his wall. Palileo said she, her son, who has pectus excavatum (a Latin term meaning “hollowed chest”), and her mother Luisa Punzalan, were scheduled to board Cebu Pacific Air flight 5J-751 around 10 p.m. Saturday when Rotanel refused to let the boy board because of his passport. The boy’s mother said that as far as she was concerned, there was nothing wrong with her son’s travel document since it was the same passport he had used on a recent trip to the US. Although Palileo explained the urgency of their trip, Rotanel reportedly insisted that the airline has the right to offload a passenger with a damaged passport. Airport authorities referred the matter to the Department of Foreign Affairs, which said the passport was valid. On Sunday, the DFA opened its consular office and issued the boy a temporary passport. The three were allowed to leave for Vietnam Sunday night with Cebu Pacific waiving rebooking charges.

sit points for human trafficking victims. He pointed out that the Philippines used to be the number one source country of trafficking victims. In general, he said younger and female travelers are more prone to trafficking. He said the guideline has led to a decline in incidents of trafficking. Further proof Mison said a traveler will only be asked to present further proof if there is a reason to suspect the purpose for travel is different from what is declared. He said the bureau is also considering electronic screening to

avoid inconvenience to passengers. “If you claim I have no job no source of income but my travel will be financed by someone who is in Dubai, then you have to show us an affidavit of support. (How do you know it’s not fabricated?) It will be authenticated by our consulate,” he said. Mison also said there are safeguards in place to prevent bribery of immigration officials. “We have so many people looking at these interviews and after you pass these interviews, we have agents in waiting areas who can spot if you didn’t pass our secondary inspection,” he said. (MNS)

No need to prove financial capacity when traveling abroad, BI says MANILA, Mar 15 (Mabuhay) -- Filipinos who wish to travel abroad either as tourists or overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are not required to show proof of financial capacity before they are allowed to leave, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) clarified on Saturday. In a statement, BI chief Siegfred Mison said financial capacity is not a requisite before a citizen is allowed to enter or leave the country. The right to travel is enshrined in the Constitution and enjoyed by every Filipino, he said. Those who wish to travel abroad only need to present their complete travel documents, particularly their passport and other documents issued by a foreign country such as a tourist or working visa, before they are allowed to leave. Mison noted that travelers are categorized according to purpose – whether tourists, OFWs, or immigrants, among others. Requirements to be asked from them are based on their respective purposes. He said a Filipino citizen who will travel abroad as a tourist must present complete documents such as his airplane ticket, which is usually a two-way or round trip ticket, an authentic passport, and a proof that he has a place to stay in the country where he intends to go.

According to Mison, a person may only be asked to present further proof as to the reason for his travel abroad if he appears to have a different reason other than what he has declared before an immigration official. He said some Filipinos are asked to stay put because their intended purpose of travel is not the real reason for leaving the country or that the person is incapacitated by law. One example is when a minor intends to leave without the proper authorization given by his guardian or parent. When a person presents incomplete documents, immigration officials allow him to rectify these first before he is allowed to leave, the BI chief said. Mison said the BI, in coordination with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), has only created the necessary measures to protect Filipinos from becoming victims of human trafficking. He said these measures include a clear set of rules under the “Guidelines on Departure Formalities for Internationally Bound Passengers,” which was formulated by a technical working group in accordance with Republic Act 9208 or the AntiTrafficking in Persons Act of 2003, and approved by the Department of Justice (DOJ). This took effect last January 2012. Immigration officials refer to these guidelines in determining whether a person should be allowed to leave or not. He said offloading “is not a policy but a consequence of the implementation of the Guidelines.” Mison said they only want prevent the common practice of some Filipinos to leave the country posing as tourists but with the intention of looking for work in the country where they intend to go. He noted that many Filipinos are victimized by human traffickers or worse, abused by their employers aware of their illegal status. He said the implementation of the said guidelines contributed to a decline in the incidents of human trafficking and illegal recruitment. The Philippines has even been elevated to Tier 2 status in the US Department Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, he added. Mison appealed for understanding from Filipino travelers who may be inconvenienced by the guidelines, saying these are for the protection of citizens against human trafficking. “We don’t offload people just because we want to. It’s a bitter pill that we have to swallow because we want to protect our fellow Filipinos.”

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US, PHL sending message to China with framework deal – Palace MANILA, Mar 17 (Mabuhay) – Malacañang on Monday said that the United States and the Philippines are sending a message to China with the impending signing of the framework agreement on the increased rotational presence of American troops in the country. During a press conference, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said there is no need for the country to send a message to China, but that in this case “the medium is the message.” “Let China interpret that,” he said, referring to the framework agreement that the US and the Philippines are set to sign. The Philippines is locked in a long-running dispute with China over the South China Sea, where Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims over the waters where undersea gas deposits have been discovered in several areas. Manila took a bold step last year when it initiated an arbitration process under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to try to declare as “illegal” China’s nine-dash claim, which covers nearly the entire resource-rich waters, where some parts are called by the Philippines as West Philippine Sea. China has resisted the Philippines’ move to let a U.N. body intervene in the disputes, saying the Philippines’ case was legally infirm and carried unacceptable allegations. (MNS)

Pilots focus of Malaysia missing plane: lawmaker WASHINGTON, March 16, 2014 (AFP) – US intelligence is focusing on the pilot and co-pilot’s role in the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines jet that vanished March 8 with 239 people on board, a key US lawmaker said Sunday. “One thing we do know, this was not an accident. It was an intentional, deliberate act, to bring down this airplane. And the question is who is behind that,” said Michael McCaul, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. McCaul, speaking on Fox News Sunday, said that while there was no evidence at this point the disappearance was terrorism related, US authorities were concerned about a scenario in which the Boeing 777 may have landed somewhere to be used later as a weapon. He said there were two routes it could have taken: one north toward Kazakhstan, which likely would have been picked up by radar. “The other one is it landed in a country like Indonesia, where it could be used later on as a cruise missile, as the 9/11 hijackers did,” he said. McCaul ticked off warning signs that the plane was deliberately taken off course. Among them: the plane’s transponder was turned off before it made an abrupt change of course, two Iranians aboard had stolen passports, one-way tickets were bought with cash. Malaysian authorities have launched a full scale criminal probe, expanded the search area, and searched the homes of both pilots, examining the captain’s home flight simulator. “I think from all the information I’ve been briefed on from, you know, high levels within homeland security, national counterterrorism center, intelligence community, that something was going on with the pilot,” he said. “I think this all leads towards the cockpit, with the pilot himself, and co-pilot,” he said.

No allies to be spared in pork scam issue, Palace maintains MANILA, Mar 17 (Mabuhay) – Malacañang on Monday assured the public again that no one, not even administration allies, will be spared from the government’s investigation into the alleged misuse of pork barrel funds. “What we have always maintained is that where the evidence leads, the DOJ [Department of Justice] will investigate. So we will leave it with the DOJ to assess and evaluate the – those cases that you referred to,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a press conference. He made the statement after several lawmakers, among them administration allies, were tagged in an alleged scam which allowed public funds to be funneled to questionable nongovernment organizations through the National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR). Lacierda, however, said they have already proven that there are no sacred cows by filing cases against administration allies. “We already have an ally who was already – who have cases that [have] been filed against him, so that should douse any suspicion or fear that this government is set to protect its allies,” he said. (MNS)

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OPINION Is Meralco liable to SC for charging P4.15/kWh in Feb. billing? Bayan Muna thinks so MANILA, Mar 17 (Mabuhay) – The Supreme Court on Monday was asked to cite the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) in contempt of court for violating an order not to collect an additional P4.15 per kilowatt-hour from any of its more than 5.1 million customers. In an omnibus motion, the Bayan Muna partylist led by House senior deputy minority leader Rep. Neri Colmenares cited a statement by former party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño last month that his February 13, 2014 Meralco bill included in its “total amount due” the P4.15 rate hike earlier stopped by the high court. The Meralco bill contained both the “current amount due” and “total amount due,” with the P4.15/kWh adjustment already reflected in the billing statement. “This ‘total amount due’ item in the billing state-

ments has of course a reasonable tendency to beguile Meralco’s customers into paying the embargoed generation charges,” the petitioner said. Bayan Muna asked the high court to “require respondent Meralco to show cause why it should not be cited in contempt for charging and collecting from consumers the P4.15 restrained by this Honorable Court in violation of the TRO.” The group also wants the high court to compel power utility to filing a compliance report which include: Total number of consumers who paid before the TRO was issued How many customers paid as a result of the confusing billing format? How much the interest earnings from the payments made by consumers before the TRO? How has Meralco complied with the TRO issued by the court? (MNS)

Japan PM Abe says ‘no change’ to wartime sex slave apology BY PETER BRIEGER

TOKYO, March 14, 2014 (AFP) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Friday that his government would not revise a landmark 1993 “comfort women” apology, and said he was “deeply pained” by the suffering of women drawn into a system of wartime brothels. Abe, who has made similar remarks in the past, has faced criticism for his government’s plan to review what is known as the Kono statement, which acknowledged official complicity in the coercion of military sex slaves, a historical legacy that draws raw resentment in neighboring South Korea. Respected historians say up to 200,000 women, mostly from Korea but also from China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan, were forced to serve Japanese soldiers. They are sometimes called “comfort women”. On Friday, Abe said that his cabinet “upholds the position on the recognition of history outlined by the previous administrations in its entirety” including the Kono statement. “With regard to the comfort women issue, I am deeply pained to think of the comfort women who experienced immeasurable pain and suffering, a feeling I share equally with my predecessors,” he told a parliamentary committee, according to a statement issued by the ministry of foreign affairs. “The Kono Statement addresses this issue... As my Chief Cabinet Secretary (Yoshihide) Suga stated in press conferences, the Abe cabinet has no intention to review it.” Suga, the government’s top spokesman, said Monday that there was no plan to revise the statement, adding that Tokyo’s review was aimed at verifying historical facts, and to determine if South Korea was involved in drafting its text. Neither Suga’s comments, nor the latest remarks from Abe, clarified what would happen if Tokyo’s review was at odds with the official apology. ‘History should not be politicized’In 1993, after hearing testimony from 16 Korean women, Japan offered “sincere apologies and remorse” to the women and vowed to face the historical facts squarely. But repeated wavering on the issue among senior right-

wing politicians has contributed to a feeling in South Korea that Japan is in denial and is not sufficiently remorseful. Some Japanese conservatives have responded that Tokyo has repeatedly apologised and that the issue was being used for political gain. “As I have stated earlier, we must be humble in front of history,” Abe also said Friday. But he added that: “history should not be politicised or be turned into a diplomatic issue. Research on history should be entrusted to experts and historians”. On Thursday, South Korea signalled that it would not go ahead with a mooted leaders’ summit with Japan, after talks between top diplomats failed to produce a breakthrough on their badly strained ties. The countries’ vice foreign ministers met Wednesday in a bid to thaw relations, which remain frosty over emotive issues linked to Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule, including the wartime sex slaves and a territorial dispute. Abe, who came to power December 2012, is an unpopular figure in South Korea and has not held summit talks with President Park Geun-Hye, who has warned Japan that it would face “isolation” if it revisited the apology. The move has raised eyebrows not only in South Korea, but also in the United States and among Japanese historians. A senior official at the US embassy in Tokyo has expressed “strong concern” over Tokyo’s plans, the Tokyo Broadcasting System reported Monday. An embassy press officer declined to comment on the report at the time. Also Monday, in an editorial in the English-language Japan Times, Hugh Cortazzi, Britain’s ambassador to Japan from 1980 to 1984, warned that Abe “has endorsed comments that seem aimed at undermining...the 1993 Kono apology”. “Sadly, sensitivity is not a quality that comes easily to Japanese politicians,” he added. Last week, a group of Japanese historians stood behind the apology, and slammed any move to change it as “unforgivable”.

Last words from missing Malaysian jet spoken by co-pilot BY GILES HEWITT

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17, 2014 (AFP) – The last words from a Malaysian passenger jet missing for 10 days were apparently spoken by the co-pilot, the airline said Monday, providing a glimpse into the crucial period when the plane was deliberately diverted. Clarification that the voice was most likely that of First Officer Fariq Abdul Hamid came during a press conference at which Malaysian officials hit back at “irresponsible” suggestions that they had misled the public – and passengers’ relatives – over what happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah and Fariq, his copilot, have become a primary focus of the investigation, with one of the key questions being who was in control of the aircraft when it veered off course about an hour into its flight to Beijing. The nonchalant-sounding last message from the cockpit – “All right, good night” – came around the time that two of the plane’s crucial signalling systems were manually disabled. “Initial investigations indicate it was the co-pilot who basically spoke,” said Malaysia Airlines CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya. The last signal from the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) was received 12 minutes before the co-pilot’s final words. The transponder – which relays a plane’s location – was switched off just two minutes after he spoke, and a few minutes later the aircraft turned back on its flight path. Yahya said it was not clear precisely when the ACARS system, which sends a signal every 30 minutes, was disabled. Officials had previously maintained it was manually turned off before the final cockpit message. The Malaysian authorities have stressed that the backgrounds of all the passengers and crew were being checked, as well as engineers who may have worked on the plane before takeoff. But Michael McCaul, chair of the US House Homeland Security Committee, said US intelligence briefings had seemed to lead “towards the cockpit, with the pilot himself, and co-pilot”. The plane went missing early on March 8 with 239 passengers and crew aboard, spawning a massive international search across Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean that has turned up no trace of wreckage. ‘Contradictory information’ China’s damning assessments of Malaysia’s crisis management continued Monday. Premier Li Keqiang, in a phone conversation, asked his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak to provide more detailed information about the missing flight “in a timely, accurate and comprehensive manner”, state news agency Xinhua reported. The state-controlled China Daily said the “contradictory and piecemeal information Malaysia Airlines and its government have provided has made

search efforts difficult and the entire incident even more mysterious”. Relatives of the Chinese passengers also voiced anger and frustration after a meeting with airline officials in Beijing. “Only the Malaysia government knows the truth. They’ve been talking nonsense since the beginning,” said Wen Wancheng, whose son was on Flight 370. At Monday’s press briefing, Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein reacted angrily when a foreign journalist suggested Malaysia should apologise for its handling of the crisis. “I think it is very irresponsible of you to say that,” he shot back. Twenty-six countries are now involved in searching for the jet after satellite and military radar data projected two dauntingly large corridors the plane might have flown through. The northern corridor stretches in an arc over south and central Asia, while the other swoops deep into the southern Indian Ocean towards Australia. Satellite and radar data from countries in the northern corridor should allow investigators to confirm within “two or three days” whether it crashed in that area, a foreign member of the investigative team told AFP. On Monday, the central Asian states of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan said there had been no sightings in their airspace. Malaysia announced that it was deploying its navy and air force to the southern corridor, where Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said his country would take the lead in searching a vast area off its west coast. The United Arab Emirates said it was joining the search, providing two planes, according to WAM state news agency. Three officials from France’s civil aviation accident investigation agency arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Monday to share their experiences of the search for Air France Flight 447, which crashed in the Atlantic Ocean in 2009. The “black boxes” from that crash were eventually recovered nearly two years later from a depth of more than 3,800 meters (12,500 feet). Political dimension? Malaysian police have searched both pilots’ homes and are examining a flight simulator that Captain Zaharie, 53, had assembled at his home. Associates say Zaharie was an active supporter of Malaysia’s political opposition headed by veteran politician Anwar Ibrahim. In a highly controversial case, Anwar was convicted of sodomy – illegal in Muslim Malaysia – just hours before MH370 took off. But friends said Zaharie exhibited no extreme views. Fariq, meanwhile, was accused in an Australian television report of allowing two young South African women into the cockpit of a plane he piloted in 2011, breaching security rules imposed after the 9/11 attacks in the United States.

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UTREACH Pre-dawn quake jolts jittery Los Angeles LOS ANGELES, March 17, 2014 (AFP) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Los Angeles was jolted awake Monday by a shallow earthquake with a magnitude of 4.4 that jangled nerves in the West Coast but caused no major damage or casualties. Car and burglar alarms went off and a few objects fell off shelves after the tremor, which struck just before dawn with its epicenter some 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles, at a depth of only five miles. It was the most significant shaking caused by an earthquake in southern California since one with a magnitude of 5.5 in 2008. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I woke up to feel the building swaying from side to side,â&#x20AC;? Wes Lashley told KCAL 9 news, while local resident Mary Lyon added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It felt like a 5.9 or 6 to me.â&#x20AC;? The quake was initially estimated as a magnitude 4.7 by the US Geological Survey (USGS), but later downgraded it to 4.4. But it felt stronger to many Angelenos. One AFP reporter in the Hollywood neighborhood said several objects fell off shelves. Morning news anchors on the local KTLA television station dove under their desk as the quake visibly shook the studio around them. No disruption was reported at the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LAX airport, although Metro trains were delayed as engineers checked tracks for damage, officials said. USGS seismologist Robert Graves said small aftershocks would likely continue for a few days, while there was a five percent chance that the quake was a forerunner to a larger earthquake. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a reminder that we live in

earthquake country here in southern California,â&#x20AC;? he told reporters. Los Angeles resident Yvonne Villanueva told KTLA: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was getting ready in the bathroom and all of a sudden I felt it jolt... You always have the big one in the back of your head.â&#x20AC;? The quake was centered six miles northwest of Beverly Hills and struck at 6:25 am (1325 GMT). â&#x20AC;&#x153;I woke up to feel the building swaying from side to side,â&#x20AC;? Wes Lashley told KTLA. The quake came a week after a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of northern California, the biggest in years. California has long braced for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big One.â&#x20AC;? The western state is on the so-called Ring of Fire, which circles the Pacific and has produced a number of devastating quakes including Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s March 2011 quake-tsunami, which killed thousands of people. Geologists say a quake capable of causing widespread destruction is 99 percent certain of hitting California in the next 30 years. A magnitude 7.8 quake could kill 1,800 people, injure 50,000 more and damage 300,000 buildings. A 6.7-magnitude earthquake in Los Angeles left at least 60 people dead and did an estimated $10 billion damage in 1994, while a 6.9 quake in San Francisco in 1989 claimed the lives of 67 people. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earthquake is a reminder that every LA family must be prepared with food, water and other essentials, as well as a plan,â&#x20AC;? said Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Mexico uncovers tunnel for smuggling migrants into US MEXICO CITY, March 14, 2014 (AFP) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mexican authorities in the border city of Tijuana found a tunnel designed to smuggle people without documentation into the United States, the government said Thursday. Three suspected people-traffickers were arrested, a statement from the National Migration Institute said. It gave no details on the size of the secret underground passage. Police acted on an anonymous tip about a pos-

sible kidnapping of migrants held in a residential area of Tijuana, which borders California. Tunnels of varying degrees of size and sophistication have been found in Tijuana. Authorities say some were used to smuggle both people and illegal drugs into the United States. In one of the most elaborate ones, found in October of last year, police came across eight tons of marijuana and 148 kilos of cocaine. It was 200 meters long and was equipped with electricity and ventilation, officials have said.

Hardline Arizona governor wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t run for re-election LOS ANGELES, March 12, 2014 (AFP) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Arizona governor Jan Brewer, known for her hardline stance on illegal immigration and a stand-up row with President Barack Obama, said Wednesday she will not seek re-election later this year. The 69-year-old Republican, governor of the southwestern US state bordering Mexico, said she will remain politically active after standing down in the upcoming November poll. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a time to be, and a time to go,â&#x20AC;? Brewer told Capitol Media Services, after announcing her decision. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the right time for me to move on.â&#x20AC;? Brewer, who became governor after her predecessor Janet Napolitano was tapped as US Secretary of Homeland Security in January 2009, was elected for a full term the following year. She had said Arizonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two-term poll limit would not stop her standing again as her first two years were not formally her term. But others contested that view, which would likely have been decided in court, had Brewer run again. Brewer is well-known for her fierce antipathy to

Obama over a controversial Arizona law passed in 2010 which was opposed by the president. The legislation, signed by Brewer, created some of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s toughest measures on illegal immigration, but the US Supreme Court declared most of them unconstitutional. In January 2012 she surprised onlookers when, at an airport ceremony to welcome Obama to Phoenix, she pointed her finger at the US president in what appeared to be a toe-to-toe row on the tarmac. Afterwards White House officials explained that Obama had taken exception to Brewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s description of an Oval Office meeting the pair had, in a book she wrote. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was a little disturbed about my book,â&#x20AC;? Brewer said. In August that year Brewer mistakenly endorsed Obama in a live television interview. She also infamously became lost for words during a televised debate in the run-up to 2010 mid-term elections, remaining silent for an embarrassing 10 seconds before getting back on track. Afterwards she admitted she had had a â&#x20AC;&#x153;brain freeze.â&#x20AC;?

Student jailed for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sextortionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; involving Miss Teen USA

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LOS ANGELES, March 17, 2014 (AFP) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A US student was jailed for 18 months Monday for hacking online accounts of Miss Teen USA and over 100 other women in several countries and threatening to publish nude photos of them, prosecutors said. Jared James Abrahams surrendered in September to FBI agents probing so-called â&#x20AC;&#x153;sextortionâ&#x20AC;? cases, in which he made demands in return for agreeing not to release the pictures. The investigation involved multiple victims in California, as well as in Canada, Moldova and Russia. The 20-year-old Abrahams, who hacked into as many as 150 online accounts and forced victims to engage in Skype sessions in which he convinced two teenagers to undress, made a plea deal with prosecutors in November. He pleaded guilty to four counts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; three of extortion and one of computer hacking â&#x20AC;&#x201C; according to the US Attorneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office in Los Angeles. The most high-profile victim was Cassidy Wolf, who won the Miss Teen USA pageant in August. She and Abrahams attended the same school in Temecula, about 90 miles (15o kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles. They left the school in 2012. The plea agreement de-

tailed how, starting last year and continuing until June, the computer science student hacked into computers, email and social media accounts. The pictures, sometimes nude in nature, were taken from webcams, said the plea deal, adding that Abrahams â&#x20AC;&#x153;extorted at least 12 young women in their late teens or early 20s in this manner.â&#x20AC;? Wolf called investigators in March after receiving threatening emails containing nude photos of herself. The sender said he would distribute the pictures â&#x20AC;&#x153;all over the Internetâ&#x20AC;? unless she either sent him a personal video of herself, joined him on Skype for a five-minute video chat during which she would have to do whatever he said, or sent him â&#x20AC;&#x153;good-quality picsâ&#x20AC;? of herself. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As digital devices, email accounts and social media accounts now contain the most intimate details of the publicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daily lives, the impact of this type of hacking and extortion becomes more pronounced,â&#x20AC;? prosecutors wrote. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In some cases, this type of criminal behavior can be life-changing for the victimsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;especially for vulnerable victims who may feel it is impossible to rebuild their tarnished reputations.â&#x20AC;?

FACLA launches search for Ms. FACLA/Miss teen FACLA

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Los Angeles â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Filipino American Community of Los Angeles(FACLA) proudly announced that it launched the Search for Ms. FACLA /Ms. Teen FACLA Contest for its 69th Year Anniversary, April 26, 2014 The Search Committee for Ms. FACLA/Miss Teen FACLA, Chair Bernie Targa-Ganon also announced that her Committee is still accepting applications for candidates until the 1st canvassing on or before Thursday, March 27, 2014 The Candidates for Ms and Miss Teen FACLA, 2014 The Search Committee has laid out the following criteria for candidates: 1. Must be 25 years old or above ( for Ms. FACLA) and 13 years old or above for (Miss teen FACLA); 2. Must be of Filipino descent or at least 50% of Filipino blood; 3. Must possess good moral character and a member of FACLA; 4. Must be willing to represent as Ambassador of Goodwill to Community events like SantaCruzan, Philippine Independence Day and other occasions upon the request of FACLA and 5. Must be willing to support ongoing projects of FACLA especially in enhancing solidarity among

Filipinos in California. The candidates for MS. FACLA at present are Monet Marual, Precy Montero, Donna Canarez, Emitte Underwood and Cora Miller. Meanwhile candidates for Miss. Teen FACLa are Caroline Jimenez, Jazmine Morada and Mary Banawa. They were presented in a press conference to the media and the the public last Saturday, March 01, 2014 at FACLA. Canvassing Date There will three canvassing dates for the candidates votes on March 29, 2014 from 2 to 5;00 PM; April 20, 2014 from 2 to 5;00 PM and the final canvassing on April 26 at the FACLAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 69th Anniversary on the night of April 26, 2014. There will a dance party at the coronation and final canvassing. Buddy Reyes and his Band will play the music for the 69th FACLA Anniversary. They will be crowned by the outgoing Ms.FACLA and Ms. Teen FACLA 2013. Applications are still available at the FACLA office or please contact Bernie Targa-Ganon or Clarita Julian. For more information, contact or call us at (213)484-1527 or email us at newfacla@yahoo. com or visit our website atwww.newfacla.org

THE US ASIAN POST Wednesday - Tuesday, March 19-25, 2014

Visit www.usasianpost.com

China finds no terror link to nationals on Malaysia plane before or after Fariq spoke, KUALA LUMPUR, correcting an earlier chroMarch 18, 2014 (AFP) – In- nology in the investigation’s telligence checks on the 153 latest stumble. Chinese passengers aboard Police have searched both a missing Malaysian airliner pilots’ homes and are examproduced no red flags, China ining a flight simulator that said Tuesday, as investi- Captain Zaharie, 53, had asgators struggled to clarify sembled at his home. events that led to the plane’s Malaysian media reported dramatic disappearance. that the captain is distantly Lending fresh weight to related to the daughterthe belief that the plane was in-law of opposition leader deliberately diverted, the Anwar Ibrahim, adding to New York Times reported speculation after it emerged Edelman executive Gail Becker chairs event to be held at Beverly Wilshire Hotel May 9 that the first turn it made he was also a member of his LOS ANGELES, March 17, 2014 – ‘who do you Go Red for?’ we are giv- ability. off its flight path was pro- political party. The annual luncheon, which runs grammed into the aircraft’s Anwar said Tuesday he Gail Becker, president of strategic ing women a reason to take their own computer navigation sys- was “disgusted” by the sug- partnerships and global integration heart health seriously. I am Going from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., features tem, probably by someone in gestion the plane may have for Edelman, the world’s largest pub- Red for my two sons and because I am motivational speakers, heart disease and the cockpit. been sabotaged as an act of lic relations firm, will chair the Amer- so thankful to have a healthy heart. stroke education and a heart-healthy lunch. Rather than manually op- revenge after he was con- ican Heart Association’s Los Angeles I want other women to make their Tickets and sponsorships are available erating the plane’s controls, victed on a sodomy charge 10th annual Go Red For Women Luncheon health a priority if not for themselves, at www.lagoredluncheon.org or (213) whoever altered Flight 370’s widely seen as politically on May 9, 2014 at the Beverly Wilshire then at least for the people who want 291-7050. Go Red For Women has been working Hotel in Los Angeles. The annual fund- and need them in their lives for a long path typed seven or eight motivated. to improve the heart health of women for raiser will take place on the Friday before time.” keystrokes into a computer No idea of the location Becker brings a wealth of experience 10 years. Since 2004 more than 627,000 situated between the capTwenty-six countries are Mother’s Day with the theme, “Who do in consumer marketing, public affairs, women have been saved from cardiovascutain and the co-pilot, the now involved in searching you Go Red for?” For Becker, her involvement with Go technology and entertainment, and is rec- lar disease and 330 fewer women are dying report said, quoting US of- for the jet in a northern corficials. ridor over south and central Red For Women is personal, and a tribute ognized as a driving force in meeting chal- per day. Funds raised at the Go Red For Women Eleven days after contact Asia, and a southern corri- to her sister who is a stroke and heart dis- lenges associated with today’s marketplace. was lost with the aircraft dor stretching deep into the ease survivor. Having witnessed her sis- In her role with Edelman, she identifies and Luncheon help the American Heart Assoand its 239 passengers and southern Indian Ocean to- ter’s battle first hand, Gail is keenly aware advances strategic alliances and partner- ciation continue its support of lifesaving that this silent killer can strike anyone at ships globally and oversees the execution heart disease and stroke research. Since crew, there has been mini- wards Australia. mal progress in determining A French expert who took any time. As the mother of two boys, and and integration of those business relation- 1949, the American Heart Association has precisely what happened or part in the search for Air an executive in a demanding profession, ships. Becker also oversees MATTER, the invested more than $3.3 billion in research. where the plane ended up. France Flight 447, which Gail is committed to helping other wom- sports and entertainment marketing arm of That investment has yielded or contributed to many important discoveries, including Two thirds of those on crashed in the Atlantic en understand the risk factors and to give DJE Holdings. Heart disease causes one in three deaths CPR, life-extending drugs, like clot-bustboard were Chinese, and Ocean in 2009, said finding themselves permission to make their own among women and it is more deadly than ers; pacemakers, bypass surgery, the heart Malaysia had asked the au- the Malaysian plane was a health a priority despite their busy lives. “As women, we are often so busy all forms of cancer combined, yet only one and lung machine and surgical techniques thorities in Beijing to run much tougher proposition. an exhaustive background “Here we simply have no taking care of everyone else that we in five American women believes that heart to repair heart defects. These and other adcheck on all their nationals idea of the location of the neglect to take care of ourselves,” disease is her greatest health threat. Stroke vances make it possible for many to call as part of a probe into every- aircraft, because there were said Becker. “By asking the question, is the No. 4 killer and leading cause of dis- themselves “survivors.” one aboard. no ACARS signals,” said Particular attention was Jean-Paul Troadec, a special paid to a passenger from adviser with France’s civil China’s Muslim ethnic Ui- aviation accident investigaghur minority, separatist tion agency. elements of which have beAlthough automated syscome increasingly militant tems transmissions from 100% Customer Service Top Quality Work Affordable Prices in their struggle against AF447 helped identify the Chinese rule. crash site, it still took two On Tuesday, China’s am- years to locate and recover bassador to Malaysia Huang the “black boxes” from the Huikang said no evidence ocean floor. had been found that would Troadec is one of three link anyone to a possible hi- French investigators in Up to ount on jacking or terrorist attack on Kuala Lumpur advising the disc the jet, the official Xinhua Malaysian authorities. news agency reported. Malaysia has deployed is ad with th Huang also said China its navy and air force to the had begun searching for the southern corridor, where aircraft in its own territory. Australia is taking the lead China criticism in scouring a huge section of The potential search ocean off its west coast. area, which was only prop“It will take at least a few erly identified after a week weeks to search the whole of of fruitlessly scouring the the ocean thoroughly,” said South China Sea, is enor- John Young of the Austramous – stretching from the lian Maritime Safety Audepths of the Indian Ocean, thority. up and over the Himalaya The US Pacific Fleet said OUR SERVICES: Exterior & Interior Painting Stucco Patio Cover and into central Asia. it was withdrawing a guided Electrical Work Plumbing & Re-piping Windows Doors Tile Work Driveways China’s state media has missile destroyer because been vocally critical of Ma- the area was simply too big Cement Work Air Conditioning & Heating AND SO MUCH MORE... laysia’s handling of the for such a vessel to make an missing plane investigation, effective contribution, and saying valuable time and re- that two long-range patrol sources were wasted in the aircraft would now take the License #955584 hours and days immediately lead. after the aircraft disappeared on March 8. 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Wednesday - Tuesday, March 19-25, 2014

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US FORCES

THE US ASIAN POST

US dismantles huge international child porn website

From page 1

Philippines accusing China of bullying and violating international laws. Among the recent flare-ups, Manila accused the Chinese coastguard of firing a water cannon on January 27 at two Filipino fishing boats near a shoal that is within the Philippine exclusive economic zone. The Philippines then said Chinese ships blocked Filipino vessels from bringing food to Filipino marines on another shoal within its territory. Both outcrops lie many hundreds of kilometres away from the near-

est Chinese landmass, but China claims most of the sea, even waters approaching the coasts of its neighbours. American forces were forced to pull out of major military bases in the Philippines in 1992, ending nearly a century of military presence, amid a rental dispute and rising anti-American sentiment. However since 2002 several hundred Special Forces troops on short term deployments have training Filipino counterparts who are fighting Islamic militants in the south.

DND ALLOCATES From page 1

Medium Term Defense Acquisition List for the next four years. The ASW choppers will be assigned to the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16). The AW-159 (previously called the Future Lynx and Lynx Wildcat) is an improved version of the Westland Super Lynx military helicopter. The AW-159 will serve in the battlefield utility, search and rescue and anti-surface warfare roles. The helicopter has been ordered for the Royal Navy and British Army. It is to enter service with the British Army in 2014 and with the

Royal Navy in 2015. It has a crew of two, has a maximum speed of 291 km/h (181 mph), range of 777 km (483 miles), ferry range of 963 km (598 miles) and an endurance of one and a-half hours (fours hours and 30 minutes if fitted with auxiliary fuel) The AW-159 is fitted with forward firing CRV7 rockets and machine guns, pintle mounted machine gun, Sea Skua missiles and Sting-Ray torpedoes and depth charges. The acquisition process for these ASW helicopters is expected to go on full gear once the PN completes its five AW-109 order deal from AgustaWestland by the third quarter of 2014. (MNS)

PEACE TREATY From page 1

claimed 150,000 lives according to official estimates, and condemned large swathes of the south to poverty and violence. The insurgency also gave rise to smaller groups of Islamist militants, some allied to Al-Qaeda. “The signing... is expected to benefit not only the Bangsamoro (Filipino Muslims) but the entire country, and will radiate beyond our borders to the regional community, and perhaps the whole world,” Deles said.

The Philippines’ Muslim population of around five million people regard the south as their ancestral homeland, and the MILF has led the armed quest for independence or autonomy since the early 1970s. After the peace deal signing, Aquino is to ask parliament to pass a “basic law” creating a Muslim self-rule area covering 10 percent of the country’s land, with its own police force, parliament and power to levy taxes.

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2014 (AFP) – The United States announced Tuesday it has dismantled a massive international online child pornography ring, one of the largest such operations ever uncovered. Authorities said they arrested and charged 14 suspects in the secret, members-only online network, which had more than 27,000 subscribers. The website’s juvenile victims, who numbered more than 250, reside in five foreign countries and 39 US states, officials said. Authorities said the victims, were, for the most part, boys between the ages of 10 and 17. Among the countries where victims were found are Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Belgium. The organization is “one of the largest known online child

exploitation operations in history,” Department of Homeland Security chief Jeh Johnson told reporters. Among the suspects taken into custody was Jonathan Johnson, 27, the administrator of the website, which operated out the southern US state of Louisiana. If convicted, Johnson faces 20 years to life in prison, said Kenneth Allen Polite, US Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “These indictments represent a strong coordinated strike... against child pornography and those who allegedly seek to harm our most vulnerable citizens, our young children,” Polite said. The illicit website operated on a hidden service board on the Tor network from about June 2012 until June 2013, when Johnson was arrested.

The Tor network is set up to conceal user’s location, making it possible to maintain online anonymity. Authorities said at the time it was dismantled, the illegal website contained more than 2,000 shared webcam-captured videos of mostly juvenile boys enticed by the website’s operators to produce sexually explicit material. The investigation, which officials said is continuing, was carried out by DHS and the cybercrime unit of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the US Postal Inspection Services. Meanwhile, the Philippines said Monday it would require Internet service providers to install filters to block access to child pornography. The move comes as the Philippines cracks down on online child pornography.

PLANE MYSTERY From page 1

leading the public and exacerbating the suffering of the relatives of those missing. Two-thirds of the passengers on the Boeing-777 that effectively vanished 11 days ago were Chinese nationals. The Malaysian government has pleaded for patience and understanding, arguing it has no choice but to hold back information that has not been painstakingly verified. Critics say the lack of progress in the search for the plane is symptomatic of an inefficient ruling elite unused to tough questioning. “The Malaysian leadership is not used to being held to account on anything,” Michael Barr, an Asian politics expert at Flinders University in Australia, told AFP. “They are more used to controlling the press and silencing critics,” he said. The authoritarian Barisan Nasional government has been in power since independence from colonial rulers Britain in 1957. It has overseen decades of growth that have seen Malaysia emerge as Southeast Asia’s third largest economy, posting a healthy GDP expansion of 4.7 percent last year. But analysts say unchallenged power has also bred apathy and inefficiency.

The stumbles over the missing plane search show that the government “lacks the ability to handle many technical matters with assurance and to communicate its purposes globally with clarity and agility,” said Clive Kessler, emeritus professor of sociology and anthropology at the University of New South Wales. Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim who, along with right groups, has routinely accused the government of civil liberties abuses and corruption, was even more scathing. “The mysterious disappearance of MH370 reflects not only an incompetent regime ruling the country but an irresponsible government,” Anwar told AFP. He was speaking in response to speculation that the captain of this airliner – a member of Anwar’s party- may have been driven by political motives to sabotage the plane. Anwar said he was “disgusted” by what he saw as an attempt to smear the pilot, Zaharie Ahmad Shah, and somehow implicate the opposition leadership in the March 8 disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Military gaffe? Among the most glaring questions being asked is why the Malaysian military failed to react to the aircraft re-routing across the Malay peninsula shortly after

it dropped out of civilian radar contact. Malaysian officials said military radars had picked up the plane – travelling unidentified on an unscheduled route – but no action was taken as it did not appear “hostile”. They also said it had taken time to verify that the radar blip being tracked was indeed MH370 because its main automated signalling systems had been disabled. The military “clearly knew more about what happened to MH370 than any other Malaysian agency,” said David Learmount, safety and operations editor of aviation industry magazine Flightglobal. “But the authorities do not seem to have tapped into this expertise, and the military may have been slow to volunteer it.” Daily press briefings by government, aviation and security officials have been tainted by contradictory statements that have created confusion and frustration. In the latest example on Monday, Malaysia Airlines CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya revealed information on the crucial sequence of events in the plane’s cockpit before it veered off course that totally contradicted the version provided the previous day by Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

expressed their appreciation for the team’s visit, and assured the Ambassador of their full cooper-

ation in mobilizing the community. There are an estimated 198 Filipinos in Ukraine. (MNS)

program and other key reforms. But many observers believe it is such a tough vote for many Republi-

cans that it has no chance of passing the House before mid-term elections in November.

PHL OFFICIALS From page 1

gelo Valdez of the Philippine Embassy in Moscow. The DFA said the Filipinos in attendance

DEPORTATION From page 1

citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants. It includes tighter border monitoring, an overhauled work visa

Notice of registration and election to all Filipino citizens

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Los Angeles, March 4, 2014 – Notice is hereby given that under Republic Act No. 9189, otherwise known as “The Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003”, as amended by Republic Act No. 10590, all citizens of the Philippines abroad, who are not otherwise disqualified by law, at least eighteen (18) years of age on the day of the elections, and who are registered overseas voters, may vote for President, Vice-President, Senators and Party-List Representatives. All qualified Filipino citizens not registered as voters under Republic Act No. 8189, otherwise known as “The Voters Registration Act of 1996”, (the system of continuing registration) shall file an application for registration while those who are already registered under the said Act (registered elsewhere and not in L.A.) shall file an application for certification. For purposes of the May 9, 2016 elections, the filing of applications for registration/certification shall be from May 6, 2014 (Philippine time) to October 31, 2015 (Philippine time). Requests for transfer of registration records may be filed at the concerned Posts or before the Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) of the COMELEC during the registration period.

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Manager defends Revillame amid gambling rumors MANILA, Mar 17 (Mabuhay) – The manager and friend of Willie Revillame came to the defense of his friend amid allegations that the television host has been losing millions from gambling. Jay Montelibano admitted that Revillame sometimes goes to the casino but belied reports that the TV host is addicted to gambling. “I’d like to say na ‘yung nalulong is not true. Yes, he may have gone and played out of fun. He may already have his share of wins and losses pero ‘yung malulong is not really true and it’s not accurate,” he said. Montelibano also denied a tabloid report that Revillame was held for two days because his

loss allegedly amounted to P300 million. “It isn’t true. Like I said, hindi siya madalas (pumunta sa casino) tulad ng napapabalita,” he said. Meanwhile, Montelibano confirmed reports that the Revillame has already sold some of his properties, but not because he lost millions. “Actually, katulad nung sa Tagaytay, meron siyang dalawang properties doon… Upon the advice of his lawyers, we have been telling him, ‘Will, kapag hindi mo na ginagamit property mo, might as well sell it and use perhaps the money,’” he said. “Even ‘yung chopper, he’s not using it. To have it maintained on a monthly ba-

sis, ‘yun lang hangar, may corresponding fees ‘yun. That’s the reason kaya ‘yung share niya sa chopper ibinenta na rin niya,” he added. Last month, Revillame’s daughter, actress Meryll Soriano, said people should not judge her father on how he wants to spend his money because he earned them the hard way. “Kasi ‘di ba, whatever he does with his life, it’s his prerogative. He has worked hard for everything, for his wealth. So whatever he wants to do with that, we don’t have any right to judge or to say something bad about it because it’s his money,” she said. (MNS)

Yeng’s movie ‘Shift’ wins in Osaka film festival The first big-screen project of Yeng Constantino bagged the top prize in the Osaka Asian Film Festival 2014. Directed by Siege Ledesma, Constantino’s film “Shift” was named best picture, beating 10 other entries from six other participating countries. A Cinema One Originals 2013 entry, “Shift” tells the story of an “unconventional relationship” between call center agent Estela (Constantino) and her gay mentor, Trevor (played by Felix Roco). As the winner, the people behind the film will be receiving 500,000 yen. Meanwhile, another Filipino movie, “Anita’s Last Cha-Cha” was given a special mention. The film tells the story of 12-year-old Anita (played by Teri Malvar), who falls in love with a grown woman, Pilar (played by Angel Aquino). The other winners in competi-

Yeng Constantino

tion were Ha Jung-woo for Most Promising Talent, Carina Lau for Best Actress, “Forever Love”

for the ABC Award and “Kano” for the Audience Award. In a statement posted in its official website, Eugene Domingo, who is part of the jury of the 2014 festival, thanked all the participants who poured in all their hard work in all the film entries. “While all of us on the jury agree that this year the Korean films and the films from The Philippines are the ones that impressed us the most, the hard work all of you filmmakers did made our jobs watching so many movies in such short amount of time a whole lot easier,” Domingo said. “This year, we merit a film for it’s simplicity, honestly and it’s integrity for pushing boundaries,” she added. Aside from Domingo, the other members of the jury were Taiwan’s Tom Shu-yu Lin, and China’s Yang Lina. The 8th Osaka Film Festival ran from March 7 to 16. (MNS)

Willie Revillame

Romance brewing between Enrique, Julia Barretto?

“Anything is possible.” This was the answer of both Julia Barretto and Enrique Gil, who will co-star in ABS-CBN’s “Mirabella,” when asked on the possibility of a romantic relationship between them. “Para sa akin, oo naman. I never say never. Maganda naman si Julia, mabait. Masaya kasama,” the 21-year-old actor said during a press conference for the upcoming primetime series held Tuesday. For her part, Barretto, who is five years younger than Gil, quipped, “Look at that face... Why not? He’s a really nice guy. And I’m a nice girl, so solid ‘to!” Both agreed to wait and see, noting that they continue to enjoy each other’s company. “Hindi ko pa alam. Kasi parang parehas kami. Hindi pa namin iniisip. Enjoy muna,” Gil said. Since the announcement of the new team-up, fans of Gil’s pre-

vious tandem with actress and “Ikaw Lamang” star Julia Montes were quick to voice out their disappointment. Asked how she responded to the criticisms she received for being Gil’s newest leading lady, Barretto said, “I just don’t [mind them]. With everything that’s going on right now, I’d rather not put my time and effort sa mga something negative. I’d rather stay positive. There’s really no time for wasted attention.” She did, however, ask critics and fans to reserve judgment on her acting, considering that this is her first TV series in a lead role. “Sana bigyan ako ng oras to learn, and experience and improve. Kasi hindi naman ‘yun namamadali.” While carrying the Barretto name admittedly adds pressure for her, the showbiz newcomer said it is also reassuring that fans of her celebrity family have expressed their support for her.

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MOTORING BMW X4 Sports Activity Coupé to make New York debut (Relaxnews) – The latest in the German carmaker’s growing range of all-wheel-drive crossover vehicles will be making its first public appearance at the New York International Auto Show in April. Conceived as a car that offers the looks and elegance of a coupé with the presence and performance of a ‘soft-roader’ – i.e. a vehicle that isn’t really built to climb every mountain or ford every stream – the X4 promises to be quite potent all the same. It will be offered in the US with a choice of two TwinPower turbo engines, the biggest of which offers 300hp on tap and a 0-100kph

time of just 5.2 seconds. Badged as the X4 xDrive35i, it will also offer BMW’s rather excellent, progressive all-wheel-drive system that’s just as good for aiding in cornering as it is for keeping wheels spinning when the terrain gets a bit muddy. The car will also come with an 8-speed Steptronic sport automatic transmission with shift paddles as standard when it goes on sale in the US later this year. The New York International Auto Show gets underway on April 16 with the first of two press days before opening to the public on April 18.

BMW X4 Sports Activity Coupé. ©BMW Group

Rolls-Royce to go hybrid

backing up a petrol engine with an (Relaxnews) – The head electric motor doesn’t just have to of the luxury car maker be about saving fuel or cutting CO2 has confirmed that using emissions. batteries will soon be the Hybrid technology can also be only way to keep offering used to make a car even faster and clients 12-cylinder enmore powerful vehicle, essentially gines as environmental bringing new levels of performance regulations continue to in the Roll-Royce line. increase. In a separate interview with MoSpeaking to Auto ExtorTrend also conducted at Gepress during the Geneva neva, Tobias Moers, head of AMG, Motor Show, Rolls-Royce’s the performance arm of MercedesCEO, Torsten Müller-Otvos, Benz, confirmed that retaining the described hybrid technology V12 engine was about not offering as “essential in two years, maybe not from customer Rolls-Royce boss says that hybrid technology will be essential in customers a compromized product demand but through legal order to continue using V12 engines. ©AFP PHOTO / Sam PAN- and that the company will continue THAKY to build them: “As long as there are regulation on emissions,” if customers. Some people like the exthe car company wants to charging times and the range were not actra sophistication. Maybe the nextcontinue using V12 powerceptable for our buyers – but with hybrid generation V-12 needs a plug-in hybrid? plants. Rolls-Royce has already toyed with an technology that is no longer a problem,” Who knows?” Moers also let it slip during the interall-electric version of its Phantom flag- Müller-Otvos is quoted as saying. Indeed to see how far hybrids have view that as well as maintaining V12s, ship, the 100EX, but it failed to excite any of the brand’s existing clients and so come since the original Honda Insight the company has a new V8 engine comnever went any further than the prototype and mark I Toyota Prius, simply stop by ing and a new sportscar designed to chalthe Ferrari, Porsche or McLaren stands at lenge the Porsche 911, both of which will stage. be making their debuts at the New York “A Rolls-Royce cannot come with this year’s event. Each car company is showcasing how International Auto Show in April. any kind of compromise, and both the re-

Nelson Sioson

Filipino Fleet Manager

Volvo says magnets could be a potentially simple and very cost effective solution to an often complex problem: communicating to self-driving vehicles where the road is and where it is going.

Can magnets help autonomous vehicles stick to the road?

(Relaxnews) – Volvo seems to think so and has just completed a research project in its native Sweden that integrated them into the road surface to help cars identify where markings are and to stay in lane. As such, magnets could be a potentially simple and very cost effective solution to an often complex problem: communicating to self-driving vehicles where the road is and where it is going. Existing solutions, be they GPS positioning, cameras, batteries of radar or laser sensors, are all effective, but they are also more expensive and each has limitations. Poor weather or poor light can impinge on a camera’s performance, whereas a GPS system can lose the signal. Volvo’s project, carried out in collaboration with the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket), took small magnets, measuring just 40x15mm, and embedded them in a pattern 200mm below the road surface on a 100-meter stretch of road. It also fitted a car with magnetic field sensors. “The magnets create an invisible ‘railway’ that literally paves the way for a positioning inaccuracy of less than one decimeter. We have tested the technology at a variety of speeds and the results so far are promising,” says Jonas Ekmark, preventive safety leader at Volvo Car Group. But as well as guiding selfdriving cars, the magnets could be used for other safety purposes. For example, during severe snowfall, they would help to indicate where road lane markings are to any type of car fitted with sensors. They could also be used as an automatic switch for activating a car’s safety systems – for example, if it were to leave the road altogether in

the course of an accident. And by using magnets as a guide, it is conceivable that road lanes could be made narrower. “Our experience so far is that ferrite magnets are an efficient, reliable and relatively cheap solution, both when it comes to the infrastructure and on-board sensor technology. The next step is to conduct tests in real-life traffic,” explains Ekmark. Claes Tingvall, traffic safety director at the Swedish Transport Administration, agrees: “The test results are very interesting, especially when adding the potential for improved safety as well the advantages for the development of self-driving vehicles. A large-scale implementation of road magnets could very well be part of Sweden’s aim to pioneer technology that contributes to sustainable mobility,” says Tingvall. The tests form part of Volvo’s large-scale autonomous driving pilot scheme, which is currently underway in Gothenburg and will eventually see 100 self-driving cars taking to the city’s roads for comprehensive testing in all typical driving conditions. “Our aim is for the car to be able to handle the driving all by itself. Accurate, reliable positioning is a necessary prerequisite for a self-driving car,” explains Ekmark. He adds: “It is fully possible to implement autonomous vehicles without changes to the present infrastructure. However, this technology adds interesting possibilities, such as complementing road markings with magnets.” As well as Volvo, Nissan is currently undertaking similar large-scale testing of its autonomous driving technology and both companies are dedicated to rolling out self-driving features to production cars by 2020.

GM recalls 1.8-M vehicles amid safety probe CHICAGO, March 17, 2014 (AFP) – General Motors announced its second massive recall in two months on Monday as it works to contain a growing scandal over the safety of its vehicles. The latest recall of nearly 1.8 million vehicles linked to three new problems comes as a result of an internal probe into why it took the largest US automaker so long to acknowledge a deadly ignition defect. GM is facing multiple investigations by US authorities over its slowness to react to evidence linking a defective ignition switch to 31 accidents and 12 deaths in its 2005-7 Chevrolet Cobalt and 2003-7 Saturn Ion models.

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BMW’s super green supercar coming in June (Relaxnews) – BMW has confirmed that thanks to ongoing testing and development, its i8 hybrid will be even faster and even more fuel efficient when it goes into production in April. And when the first European deliveries commence, two months later, owners who have specified the car as a plug-in hybrid will be getting a two-door carbon fiber and aluminum coupé capable of going from 0-100kph (62mph) in just 4.4 seconds yet offers a combined cycle fuel consumption of just 2.1 liters/100kph (that’s 134.5 mpg), meaning CO2 emissions of 49g/km. However, as well as using the EU-approved standards for testing fuel consumption and pollution, BMW has also been putting the car through a host of real life performance tests – i.e. its economy when stuck in traffic jams, when crawling along congested city streets and, because this is a German car, when pushed hard on the speed-limitless Autobahn. Using these situations as a benchmark, the car returns between 5-8 liters/100km (5635mpg), making it 50% more efficient than a petrol engine sportscar capable of the same acceleration and 155mph (250kph) electronically limited top speed.

So in other words, its own M4 high-performance executive coupé. But unlike a conventional supercar, that would have a highpowered V8 or V10 under the hood, the i8 has a three-cylinder, 231hp, twin turbo engine that works in synch with and independently of a 131hp electric motor. It means that the car can be powered solely by either engine or that both can work together to boost acceleration and horsepower. It also means that around town the car can be powered uniquely by the zero-emission electric engine for a distance of 37km (23 miles) and can still offer a top speed of 120kph (75mph). Other performance car makers, most notably McLaren, Porsche and Ferrari, are all using a similar approach to bring speed and environmental credentials to their latest flagship cars, but what sets the BMW apart is that rather than using a big engine supported by an electric motor, the company has chosen to up performance by shedding as much weight as possible (it weighs just 1,485kg) and by creating a car with the best drag coefficient possible – 0.26 – while ensuring it’s still big and long enough to seat four, rather than two, the supercar norm.

The BMW i8. ©BMW Group

And although initial deliveries will be arriving in June, from this autumn the car will also be available with optional laser light headlights. More energy efficient yet more powerful and highly concentrated than standard LED

All systems Go for Datsun return (Relaxnews) – The launch of the Datsun Go in India represents the first new car from the brand in 18 years and a new direction for its founding company which celebrates its centenary in 2014. And on March 19, a number of special events have been organized in Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata to celebrate the first 21st century Datsun customers collecting the keys to their new cars. A brand associated with quality and affordability, Datsun set the template for the Japanese car makers that followed in its wake that hoped to break into the European and American automotive markets. And between 1958 and 1986,

when parent company Nissan decided to mothball the badge, Datsun was responsible for one or two truly iconic cars, not least the 240Z – a fantastic, now highly collectible, two-seater sports coupé that was so good when it launched in 1969 that it gave European and US car makers a huge wake-up call. Nearly 20 years on, Nissan has decided to revive Datsun and position it as a company focused on sustainable motoring and one that targets emerging automate markets. As such, as well as India, the first new Datsun, the Go, plus others like it, will also be launching later this year in Indonesia, Russia and South Africa.

The Datsun Go is a five-door supermini and will be powered by a 1.2-liter engine. And although a very basic automotive proposition, it does boast a smartphone/ mp3 player docking station as standard. Although the company is yet to confirm exact retail pricing, it has promised that the car will cost less than 400,000 Indian rupees and will offer extremely competitive ownership costs once on the road. Datsun is also prepping a Go+ model which will offer two additional occasional seats in the back and more luggage space but that will also be powered by the same 1.2-liter engine.

lights, they have an effective range of 600 meters and their illuminating effect is similar to natural daylight. Audi is also planning to bring the same type of headlights to its new TT sports coupé at the

end of the year, but the i8 looks set to get there first, which will make it the world’s first production car to boast the technology. The BMW i8 is expected to cost around €120,000 before optional extras.

Audi wants to make stopping at red lights a thing of the past (Relaxnews) – The company just needs a green light from regulators to start rolling out a time-saving feature to its future cars. Imagine the scene. Your car pulls on to a road and in the distance is a set of traffic lights. But that’s okay because the car already knows and is showing on its display the optimum speed to adopt in order to cruise right through them before they change from green to red. However, it’s not always possible to beat the lights – without breaking the speed limits and other rules of the road – so the system can also count down the time until the lights will change and use that time to automatically shut down the engine and then fire it up again five seconds before it’s time to pull off again. Audi calls it the Audi Online Traffic Light Information System and it is yet another example of all the positive benefits the internet of things and machine-to-machine communication could bring to our lives. The company calculates that if the system went live only in Germany, it has the potential to cut CO2 emissions by up to 15% and could save as many as 900 million gallons of fuel. The system works by using a car’s onboard internet connection to communicate with the traffic light network via the central traffic computer in a town or city.

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Water may not aid weight loss after all

Cardio and resistance training: Does order matter? (Relaxnews) – Combining cardio with resistance training is believed to offer numerous health and fitness benefits, but does how you go about your training play a role? Maybe not in the long run, according to a new study by researchers at the Department of Biology of Physical Activity at the University of Jyväskylä. Led by Professor Keijo Häkkinen and coordinated by PhD student Moritz Schumann, the research team studied some 200 healthy men and women as well as endurance athletes from 2011 to 2013, with initial findings regarding physically active men published in journals Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise and

the European Journal of Applied Physiology. Participants were between 18 and 40 years old and performed either supervised cardio immediately followed by strength training, or vice versa, 2-3 times per week for 24 weeks. Researchers wanted to determine if immediate anabolic effects of one single exercise session would differ between training orders and if such differences would be reflected after six months of training. Since prolonged aerobic performance can potentially “weaken” exercise muscles, thereby impairing ability to lift weights in a following resistance session, researchers theorized put-

ting cardio before weight lifting would result in less favorable anabolic effects. While the study did prove this correct after a single training session, recovery time differences weren’t observed after the 24-week period. Rather, both groups increased physical prowess and muscle size at about the same rate. However, researchers advise caution “when performing high amounts and/or a high frequency of training,” noting that their findings relate to two to three 90120 minute sessions per week. Whether this concept applies to athletes who engage in frequent, intense training sessions and others who regularly work out remains unknown at this time.

(Relaxnews) – Drinking water is often advised as a way to quicken the weight loss process. However, a nutrition expert from the University of Alabama in Birmingham says water isn’t the “magic bullet” for losing weight. “There is very little evidence that drinking water promotes weight loss; it is one of those self-perpetuating myths,” said Beth Kitchin, Ph.D., R.D., assistant professor of nutrition sciences. “I’m not saying drinking water isn’t good; but only one study showed people who drank more water burned a few extra calories, and it was only a couple of extra calories a day.” Kitchin says another “water myth” is the old advice to drink eight 8oz glasses per day. “Yes, people do need to get fluids; but it does not have to be water,” Kitchin said. “There’s no evidence that it melts away fat or makes you feel fuller, so if you don’t like water it’s OK.” She notes that water is the best hydrator, but in terms of fluid replacement other options will work, including green tea or mineral water/juice combinations.

Caffeinated beverages such as coffee also provide hydration. “People think coffee doesn’t count, but actually it does,” Kitchin said. “When you drink coffee, your body is retaining much of that fluid – especially for people who are habituated to drinking caffeine, as the body adapts, resulting in a reduced loss of fluids.” The idea that cold water burns more calories, as the body has to work to raise the temperature, is also a myth, according to Kitchin. “You will hear that ice-cold water helps burn extra calories,” Kitchin said. “While there may be a few extra calories lost, it won’t be nearly enough to make a dent in your weight-loss endeavors.” The professor recommends following a long-running, researchbased weight management program such as EatRight by UAB or Volumetrics. “These plans were built on the premise that if you eat lower-calorie, ‘heavier’ foods, you’re not going to magically lose 25 more pounds than somebody on a different diet, but it might help you feel fuller and not hungry,” Kitchin said.

Heart attacks misdiagnosed as anxiety in women: study OTTAWA, March 17, 2014 (AFP) – Women are more likely to die of heart attacks because their symptoms are often misdiagnosed as anxiety so they do not get vital swift treatment, said a study Monday. Researchers at McGill University in Montreal set out to understand sex differences in mortality rates for men and women with acute coronary syndrome. They asked 1,123 patients aged 18 to 55 to fill out a survey after being admitted to one of 24 hospitals in Canada, one in the United States and one in Switzerland. The women in the study, the researchers found, generally came from lower income brack-

ets, were more likely to have diabetes, high blood pressure and a family history of heart disease. They also had substantially higher levels of anxiety and depression than the men. The researchers noted that the men received faster access to electrocardiograms (ECGs) to check heart rhythms and fibrinolysis to prevent blood clots than the women. Early treatment for a heart attack can prevent or limit damage to the heart muscle, while saving the person’s life. On average it took 15 minutes and 28 minutes, respectively, for men to be given ECGs or fibrinolysis from the time they arrived at an emergency room.

In contrast, it took 21 minutes and 36 minutes for women. The researchers pointed to the women’s higher levels of anxiety as the primary reason for the discrepancy. “Patients with anxiety who present to the emergency department with non-cardiac chest pain tend to be women, and the prevalence of acute coronary syndrome is lower among young women than among young men,” said lead researcher Louise Pilote. “These findings suggest that triage personnel might initially dismiss a cardiac event among young women with anxiety, which would result in a longer door-to-ECG interval.”

Husbands’ health, attitude essential to happy, long-term unions, says study (Relaxnews) – A new study by the University of Chicago found that good health and agreeability on the part of husbands are keys to preventing relationship issues in older couples. The study focused on couples who had been together for decades. Researchers found these characteristics in women are less important in preventing marital strife, possibly due to what men and women believe make up solid relationships. The study was published in the Journal of Marriage and Family. “Wives report more conflict if their husband is in poor health,” said the study’s lead author, James Iveniuk, PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology. “If the wife is in poor health, there doesn’t seem to be any difference in terms of the quality of the marriage for the husband.” The study, entitled “Marital Conflict in Older Couples: Positivity, Personality, and Health,” analyzed results from a national survey of 953 married or cohabiting heterosexual couples. Participants were between 63 and 90 years old with average relationship length 39 years.

Researchers compared characteristics of husbands following interviews with participant, who were asked to describe themselves during the interviews. The researchers found gender differences when examining personality traits including openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and anxiety. They also added a measure called “positivity,” a person’s need to be viewed in a positive way. “Wives whose husbands show higher levels of positivity reported less conflict. However, the wives’ positivity had no association with their husbands’ reports of conflict,” Iveniuk said. Co-author Linda J. Waite, Lucy Flower Professor of Urban Sociology and director of the Center on Aging at NORC, summarized the study’s research of marital conflict as, “How much does your spouse bother you?” Problems included which spouse criticizes the other, is too demanding, or otherwise irritates the other person. The study also found men who described themselves as neurot-

ic or extraverts often had wives who complained about their marriages. In comparison, men with “neurotic” wives appeared to deem worrying as “genderappropriate” for women. Husbands reported “more criticism and demands from their wives overall, but also higher levels of emotional support.” “Several previous studies have been about the implications of marital status on health,” Waite says. “This research allows us to examine individual marriages and not ‘married people.’ We have the reports on the quality of the marriage from each person, about their own personality and their own health.” Researchers believe future studies could examine whether low-conflict marriages involve a balance of emotional responsibilities between spouses in addition to an “absence of frustration factors” such as negative attitudes and dismal health. Iveniuk and his team also note such differences between husbands and wives may change as they analyze younger couples headed towards middle age, who might stick to less conventional gender roles.

Wednesday - Tuesday, March 19-25, 2014

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Yolanda, other destructive typhoon names replaced MANILA, Mar 15 (Mabuhay) -- Due to the severe damage they caused, Yolanda, Labuyo, Santi and Pablo have been banished from state weather forecasters’ list of cyclones in the Philippine area of responsibility. PAGASA has posted on its website the updated list of cyclone names where the four names had been replaced. Yolanda, Labuyo and Santi - three of the most destructive cyclones in 2013 - have been replaced respectively by Yasmin, Lannie, and Salome. Pablo (international name Bopha), which also caused severe damage in 2012, has been replaced by Pepito. However, Yasmin, Lannie, and Salome will be used for the first time in 2017, while Pepito will be used for the first time in 2016. Yolanda (Haiyan) devastated Visayas and parts of Southern Luzon last November while Santi (Nari) struck in October and Labuyo (Utor) hit the country ni August. Earlier, PAGASA deputy administrator Flaviana Hilario said the agency decommissions a cyclone’s name if it causes more than P1 billion in damage. PAGASA uses rotating lists of cyclone names, each list being reused every four years. For 2014, the updated list of names includes: AGATON BASYANG CALOY

DOMENG ESTER FLORITA GLENDA HENRY INDAY JOSE KANOR LUIS MARIO NENENG OMPONG PAENG QUEENIE RUBY SENIANG TOMAS USMAN VENUS WALDO YAYANG ZENY Meanwhile, a separate report on state-run Philippines News Agency said the latest typhoon names retired by PAGASA also included: Sendong (2011), replaced by Sarah Pedring (2011), replaced by Perla Mina (2011), replaced by Marilyn Juaning (2011), replaced by Jenny Bebeng (2011), replaced by Betty Juan (2010), replaced by Jose Pepeng (2009), replaced by Paolo Ondoy (2009), replaced by Odette Cosme (2008), replaced by Carina. (MNS)

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President Benigno S. Aquino III graces the 109th Commencement Exercises of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Siklab Diwa Class of 2014 at the Fajardo Grandstand, Borromeo Field, Fort General Gregorio del Pilar in Baguio City on Sunday(March 16). The PMA boast of a long and illustrious history of preparing only the best Filipino men and women for military service. (MNS photo)

Bohol still looking for resettlement sites for quake victims MANILA, Mar 15 (Mabuhay) – Five months after a magnitude-7.2 quake devastated Bohol, officials in the province are still looking for sites where they can relocate residents affected by the calamity. In Clarin town, state-run Philippine Information Agency

reported Mayor Allen Piezas is still arranging for sites for relocation. Piezas was quoted in the report as saying he is arranging for Buacao and another site for relocation of quake victims. But the mayor also said towns have no funds for resettlement

lots, the PIA said. It added the mayor is now arranging a term with the Bohol provincial local government to have National Housing Authority funds to buy lots. The October quake was one of the major disasters that hit the Visayas in late 2013. (MNS)

Top mechanical engineering schools cited by House panel MANILA, Mar 15 (Mabuhay) – The House Committee on Higher and Technical Education has recognized the nation’s top performing mechanical engineering schools, based on the strong showing of their graduates in the last two eligibility examinations run by the Professional Regulation Commission. Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, committee chairman, identified the eight leading mechanical engineering schools as follows [with the percentage of their examinees passing the licensure tests in brackets]: Batangas State University Batangas City (96.37%); University of the Philippines - Diliman (95.00%); St. Louis University Baguio City (89.58%); De La Salle

University - Manila (86.21%); Bicol University - Legazpi City (84.29%); Technological University of the Philippines - Visayas (82.29%); Bataan Peninsula State University - Balanga City (81.67%); and University of the Philippines - Manila (80.48%). Citing PRC statistics, Romulo said the eight schools were the only institutions “with 50 or more examinees and with at least 80 percent of their examinees passing” the last two Mechanical Engineer Licensure Examinations. “As in the past, we are reporting this out to help consumers – prospective mechanical engineering students and their parents – ascertain for themselves as to where they will most likely get the best

value for their hard-earned tuition money,” Romulo said. Romulo also clarified that there may be smaller schools with at least 80 percent of their examinees passing the last two eligibility tests for mechanical engineers, but these institutions were excluded because they had fewer than 50 examinees. PRC and Commission on Higher Education records show that the country has a total of 135 tertiary schools accredited to produce would-be mechanical engineers. According to the PRC, some 64.77 percent, or 2,918 out of 4,505 examinees, passed the last two mechanical engineer qualifying tests in March and September 2013.

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