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Vol. 3. No. 50 LOS ANGELES
A Balita Media Publication
Wednesday - Tuesday, September 3 - 9, 2014
NAIA on full alert after suspected car bomb intercepted, 4 held MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – At least four people were taken into custody after authorities intercepted a suspected car bomb at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 before dawn Monday. The incident also prompted NAIA authorities to place the NAIA complex under full alert. The suspected improvised explosive was found inside a white Revo-type Asian utility vehicle with plate number WMK-129. Initial information showed the suspected car bomb was intercepted at NAIA-3’s Parking B area at 1:45 a.m. The National Bureau of Investigation is investigating the four people taken into custody, and follow-up operations are ongoing, the report said. NAIA security personnel intensified inspections of vehicles entering the airport area
following the interception, an updated report by Fernandez said. However, airport operations were normal and there were no reports of flight delays due to the incident, he added. Terminal 3 is the hub for Cebu Pacific and several Philippine Airlines flights. Recently, some international carriers transferred their operations to the more modern terminal from the aging NAIA1 terminal. Plainclothes and uniformed airport security personnel guarded the entrance, while K-9 units were deployed at the entrance to detect explosives. As this developed, a supposed bomb threat was reported at a school in southern Metro Manila before noon Monday, but no immediate connection to the situation at NAIA has so far been established. (MNS) A contingent of Philippine soldiers – more than 70 strong – manned this UN post in Golan Heights before engaging Syrian rebels for seven hours on Saturday. Though surrounded and attacked with heavy artillery, the Filipino UN peacekeepers held their ground and were able to escape through the cover of darkness. Photos of Filipino UN peacekeepers in Golan Heighs by First Consul Elmer G. Cato/DFA.
PHL peacekeepers passed land mines in ‘greatest escape’ DRILON TAKES ON ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE: Senate President Franklin M. Drilon gets splashed with iced water by his staff as part of the popular ice bucket challenge, which aims to raise funds and promote awareness for the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, at his office on Monday morning, September 1, 2014. Story on page 3. (MNS photo)
Drilon denies receiving P1-B from DAP MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – Did Senate President Franklin Drilon get a P1 billion allocation from the disbursement acceleration program (DAP)? According to Drilon, reports that he received such an amount are lies. “This is a blatant lie, and I will not dignify these characters with a response. If you look at it, these are pure speculations and I would like to caution that we should not give credence to these speculations as it does not help our
already toxic political environment,” he told reporters. “Hindi po naman nakakatulong itong mga spekulasyon na ito, eh wala naman pong sinabi kung hindi spekulasyon lamang. Let us go on and work so that we can continue on with good governance.” The United Nationalist Alliance first talked about the alleged P1 billion disbursement amid calls for the Department of Budget and Management to disclose See DRILON DENIES, page 12
Senate suspends Minority Leader Enrile MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – Senator Franklin Drilon implemented on Monday the 90-day suspension of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile as ordered by the Sandiganbayan Third Division. Drilon said he has just received the anti-graft court’s order on Enrile. “Today I will implement the order of the Sandiganbayan on the suspension of Senator Enrile. I have no recourse but to implement this, as we received the order of the Sandiganbayan deny-
ing the motion for reconsideration of Senator Enrile,” Drilon told reporters. He said the suspension will be automatically lifted after 90 days. Drilon, however, has yet to implement the suspension of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada because he has yet to receive the order from the court. The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division ordered Estrada’s suspension on August 28. “I read in the papers that the See ENRILE SUSPENDED, page 12
Aquino leads launch of measles-polio mass immunization MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – In a bid to stem measles outbreak in various parts of the country, President Benigno Aquino III on Monday led the launch of the Department of Health’s mass immunization campaign. Assisted by Health Secretary Enrique Ona, Aquino led the ceremonial distribution of oral polio vaccines to two children at the DOH’s compound in Manila. The measles-rubella oral polio mass vaccination campaign, which will last for a month, aims to cover at least 95 percent of the country and around 11 million to 13 million children at risk of polio and German measles. In what he calls his shortest speech since becoming a politician, Aquino said he has long been reminding the DOH to prioritize preventive programs, which are cheaper than curative measures. “Tayo’y nagagalak na talagang tinupad nila itong ating mungSee IMMUNIZATION, page 12
MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said not one soldier was hurt when they pulled off “the greatest escape” in Golan Heights to flee the Syrian rebels. Catapang revealed the soldiers, who were surrounded in position 69, fled around Sunday midnight (Syrian time) towards a safe camp, but not without passing through land mines.
The daring feat started on Wednesday when the Syrian rebels, which has links to the al Qaeda network, captured peacekeepers from Fiji. The rebels used two of the captured soldiers to demand the surrender of the Filipinos’ firearms. “One of the soldiers called me up to ask for guidance. I told them not to surrender their firearms because they might be forced to go under court martial since there
was no threat [initially]. Those are ours,” he said. When the soldier told him that the rebels brought with them the abducted Fijians, Catapang stood his ground and said “it’s not our fault that they were captured. We will help them in some other way. We would look like a laughingstock to the entire world if we surrender our firearms.” He said even the commander See PEACEKEEPERS, page 12
Trillanes wants ex-Makati vice mayor under WPP
MANILA, Aug 30 (Mabuhay) – Senator Antonio Trillanes IV wants former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado to be placed under the Witness Protection Program (WPP) of the Department of Justice (DOJ) because of his knowledge on the construction of the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall Building 2. Trillanes said Mercado needs to be protected following his claim that his former ally, former Makati Mayor and now Vice President Jejomar Binay, received kickbacks in the building project. “Importante yung magiging See WITNESS PROTECTION, page 12
VP Binay can seek SC help vs Senate summons MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – Makati 2nd District Rep. Abigail Binay advised her father, Vice-President Jejomar Binay, to go to the Supreme Court in case the Senate subpoenas him to the probe on the Makati City Hall building 2. The congresswoman said her father should not attend the hearing because it was set up to malign him. “Para siyang ginagawa na siyang impeachment proceeding because you have to remember the position of the Vice-President is an impeachable position. In fact, kahit sa Ombudsman di siya pinapasagot kasi nga dapat muna impeach mo muna bago ka makasuhan,” she said. “My advice is not to show up and go to the Supreme Court.” The younger Binay said the See VP BINAY, page 12
Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Koko Pimentel III conduct an ocular inspection of the alleged overpriced Makati City Hall Building II on Monday, September 1. (MNS photo)
Congress prioritizes comprehensive tax reform measure that will primarily simplify the country’s tax system MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) -Congress will prioritize a comprehensive tax reform bill that will primarily simplify the country’s tax system, lower income tax, and at the same time increase the number of taxpayers. The Senate and the House of Representatives agreed on Monday to urgently tackle the adjustment of taxes that will give economic relief to Filipinos who, according to studies, continue to pay one of the highest taxes in Asia. Marikina City Rep. Romero “Miro” Quimbo, Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, has been spearheading the TRIGR (Tax Reform for Inclusive Growth) campaign, which aims to overhaul the income tax system to adapt to present realities. His bill, HB No. 4829, seeks to correct the current income tax situation wherein: (1) minority of
Filipino workers pay the majority of tax payments; (2) the middle class shoulders the bulk; and (3) that households headed by selfemployed have the lowest tax participation rates. Quimbo said he is elated that leaders of both Houses recognize the urgency and significance of legislating tax reforms in accordance with the government’s goal of inclusive growth. “A fair and equitable tax system is a cornerstone of inclusive growth. If we really want to achieve inclusive growth, we cannot disregard the plight of our taxpayers and continue bleeding them dry through our flawed tax system,” he said. “The current tax system puts too much burden on the lowly taxpayer but little on the well-to-do. We have to empower them. Reforms must take place now,” he added. See TAX REFORM, page 12
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Customs misses revenue target in July MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) again missed its revenue target for July 2014 despite a 9 percent increase compared to revenues generated in the same month last year. BOC said its total revenues for July this year increased to P30.46 billion from P27.95 billion in the same month of last year. However, BOC still missed its collection target of P35 billion for the month. The agency also missed its revenue collection goal in June. BOC said that its average daily collection improved to P1.44 billion from P1.2 billion in July last year. “Despite operational disrup-
tions brought by Typhoon Glenda and congestion at the Port of Manila and the Manila International Container Port – the country’s largest ports in import volume and revenues, average daily collection improved to P1.44 billion, versus P1.2 billion in July 2013. Both months had 21 working days,” the agency said. BOC saw a surge in revenues from Luzon ports, which include Batangas, Subic and Limay, of an average of 26 percent, while ports in the Visayas and Mindanao posted average revenue collection growth of 18 percent and 11 percent, respectively, driven by the economic expansion in Cebu and Davao. Revenues in Metro Manila,
the Port of Manila, Manila International Container Port and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which account for a bulk of BOC’s total revenues, were flat year-on-year despite the continuing congestion at the ports. From January to July, revenue collections by the BOC surged 18 percent year-on-year to P203.86 billion on the back of continued improvements in valuation as well as a marginal increase in the volume of imported goods. However, the 7-month collection fell short of the target of P234 billion. The agency is tasked to collect P408 billion for the year. For August 2014, the BOC is programmed to collect P33.5 billion.(MNS)
Drilon rejects proposal to amend Blue Ribbon rules MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – Senate President Franklin M. Drilon today said he was not inclined to amend the rules of the Blue Ribbon Committee as suggested by former Senator Joker Arroyo who claimed that the Senate’s investigation into the alleged overpriced Makati Parking Building as “one-sided.” “First of all, the rules are proven to work. We must remember that the Blue Ribbon Committee is not a judicial proceeding, nor is it a criminal investigation. It is primarily in aid of legislation and in seeking the truth. The rules
have been there, and they work well, and they continue to work well,” Drilon emphasized. “The present rules being applied by the current Blue Ribbon committee are the same rules that our former colleague, Joker, used when he was the chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee,” said Drilon. He said that the present setup served well in uncovering a wide range of anomalies which the Blue Ribbon committee had investigated in the past. “These are the rules that enabled the Blue Ribbon Committee
to find out the truth with thePhilippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco) deal, to discover the anomalies in the North Rail Project, and the ones used in the Fertilizer Scam,” pointed out Drilon. With this, the Senate chief said he was not in favor of amending the present rules as they are proven to be effective in uncovering the truth and exposing government frailties. “Those rules have been there for a long time, and I am not in favor of amending the rules,” he stressed. (MNS)
Entrance fee proposed to deter local patrons from entering gambling casinos
MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) -- To serve as deterrent for local patrons from entering gambling casinos, a lawmaker has proposed the imposition of a Php 3,500 entrance fee for all Filipino residents who patronize casinos. Rep. Peter Unabia (1st District, Misamis Oriental) said his proposal as embodied in House Bill No. 4859 will prevent financially inadequate persons from entering gambling casinos. The bill amends Presidential Decree No. 1869, as amended, otherwise known as “Consolidating and Amending Presidential Decree Nos. 1067-A, 1067-B, 1067C, 1399 and 1632, Relative to the Franchise and Powers of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).” Unabia said the charter of PAGCOR yields no requirement of an entry fee for anyone who wants to play in the casino. However, Section 14 (3) (b) of PD 1869 states that a resident must have a gross income of at
least Php 50,000 for the previous year, as certified by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), in order to be allowed to play, Unabia noted. “In reality, however, this requirement is neither observed nor imposed,” he stressed. Unabia said PAGCOR has been implementing their built-in controls such as the issuance of player tracking system (PTS) cards or loyalty cards for casino patrons; betting at minimum bets of Php 500 in a single play for baccarat tables and establishment of casinos in locations where financially inadequate individuals cannot enter, including luxury resorts and 3-star hotels at the minimum. Unabia said addressing poverty has always been a challenge to the government. What is more worrisome is that many Filipinos want to gamble instead of doing something more concrete to improve their lives other than waging hard-earned money in gambling, particularly, in casinos, he added.
“The imposition of an entrance fee will discourage the locals from gambling in casinos,” Unabia said. Unabia said the amount realized in requiring entrance fees will serve as additional revenues for the socio-civic programs of the government as mandated by PD 1869. Unabia said some countries have already adopted policies as deterrents to their locals from patronizing casinos. He said in Singapore, the government decided to prohibit the entry in casinos by the unemployed, people on welfare and people who have filed for bankruptcy protection. Its government obliges all permanent residents to pay $ 100 (Singapore dollars) as entrance levy. Unabia also cited Monaco wherein local residents are not allowed entry at all while foreigners who enter casinos are charged entrance fees. In India, local patrons are charged with 200 rupees as an entrance fee.
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Ex-General Palparan wants to be detained in Army jail MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – Retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. wants to be detained in a facility secured by his former comrades-in-arms. Palparan, who’s detained at the Bulacan Provincial Jail on serious illegal detention raps, on Monday sought a transfer to the Philippine Army Custodial Center in Fort Bonifacio. His lawyer made the manifestation during a pre-trial hearing at the Malolos Regional Trial Court Monday morning. Palparan is charged with serious illegal detention in connection with the disappearance in 2006 of University of the Philippines students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan. The former military official’s camp initially sought a transfer from the Bulacan Provincial Jail to the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame. But on Monday, Palparan sought a transfer to the Army’s detention facility in Fort Bonifacio. During the pre-trial that lasted about 30 minutes, Judge Teodora Gonzales gave all parties concerned until next Monday to give their comments. These include the Bulacan Provincial Jail, Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the prosecution and defense panels. On Monday, separate groups went to the Bulacan regional trial court to either cheer for or jeer Palparan. Security forces had to use a decoy for Palparan so he would not be hit by protesters throwing bags with rotten tomatoes. Supporters of Palparan also showed up at the trial court. Last Aug. 18, Palparan was arraigned before the Malolos, Bulacan regional trial court on charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention. The court entered a “not guilty” plea for him after he did not enter one. Following his arraignment, he was escorted to the Bulacan Provincial Jail. The charges against Palparan stemmed from the disappearance of University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño in Bulacan in 2006. Palparan had denied the allegations Palparan was commander of the Army 7th Infantry Division based in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija when the abduction of the two students took place. He retired from the military in 2006. He later won a seat in House of Representatives as the nominee of the anti-communist party-list group Bantay. Palparan ran for the Senate in 2010 but did not win. (MNS)
Remittances from Fil-Ams a big boost to PHL economy WASHINGTON, D.C. – Remittances from Filipinos in the United States and other parts of the world helped the Philippines regain its position as Southeast Asia’s best performing economy during the first semester of the year. “The Philippine economy grew by 6.4 percent during the second quarter of 2014 also because of the millions of dollars that our kababayans, especially those in the US, have been sending home,” Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said after the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) announced the good news. “Our diaspora plays a very important role in the economic transformation now taking place in the Philippines,” Ambassador Cuisia said as he paid tribute to the 3.5 million members of the Filipino-American Community who consistently account for more than half of the total remittances the Philippines receive annually from abroad. Citing NEDA figures, Ambassador Cuisia said remittances by overseas-based Filipinos reached a new high for the year in June
when inflows went up by 5.9 percent to $2.050 billion that month, raising the total for the first half by 5.8 percent to $11.422 billion. “Our economy is performing well as result of a stronger industry and services sector and robust remittances from overseas Filipinos,” Ambassador Cuisia said. “This should make the Philippines more competitive and more attractive to investors, particularly those in the US.” Ambassador Cuisia cited the improved performance of the Philippine economy in urging a group of businessmen in New York to consider doing business in the Philippines. “It is important to point out that the emergence of the Philippines as “Asia’s New Emerging Tiger” is a strong demonstration of a tipping point phenomenon – the results of transformational leadership changes and policy reforms introduced in almost 30 years,” Ambassador Cuisia told businessmen at the Harvard Club during a luncheon co-hosted by Samish Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of Transfast, a leading international money transfer company and Peter Tichansky, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council for International Understanding. “With all this dynamism and optimism, I hope your interest in the Philippines will continue,” Ambassador Cuisia told the group that included senior-level executives involved in financial services; consumer goods; pharmaceuticals; equipment manufacturing; communications; and law and government. In response, Kumar said his company, which operates a proprietary network of over 200,000 payment points across more than 100 countries in the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Africa, will continue to be a major player in the remittance sector in the Philippines. “The 3.5 million Filipinos in the US and the 850,000 in Canada send nearly $13 billion – or more than half of the approximately $25 billion – of global, cross-border remittances sent annually to the Philippines,” Kumar said. “Transfast delivers a large percentage of these remittances making the company a significant player in the Philippines economy,” he added. “Transfast has a 25-year commitment to the wellbeing of Filipinos.We are proud to be a contributor to the health and growth of the Filipino economy.”
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New coaches seen to curb MRT’s long lines, waiting time MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – Will commuters ever experience shorter lines and waiting time for Metro Rail Transit (MRT 3) trains? This is possible, but not without some more training. One of MRT’s engineers told a Senate hearing on Monday that the arrival of 48 new light rail vehicles (LRV), may be able to solve these problems. During the hearing of the Senate committee on public services, MRT Engineer Misael Narca said that the three-minute waiting time of passengers would be reduced to two and half minutes when the new LRVs start arriving. “Sa ngayon po, tatlong minuto po ang ating headway. Ito ‘yung operational headway na kung saan maghihintay po ‘yung mga pasahero, magiging two and half minutes na lang po…” Narca said. (Right now, passengers wait for trains for three minutes. But it can be reduced to just two and half minutes.) “So ibig sabihin ‘yung pila ngayon ay matutugunan ‘pag dumating na itong mga bagon na ito,” he said. (This means that the problem on long queues can be addressed when the new coaches arrive.) Narca said that with the new LRVs, the capacity of passengers that can be accommodated by the trains would also increase by 66 percent from the current 500,000 a day. “Sa ngayon po, ang capacity natin ay 23,000 passengers per hour per direction. ‘Pag dumating ‘yung mga bagon na hinihintay natin, tataas po ito ng 37,824 passengers per hour per direction,” he pointed out.
(Right now, the capacity of trains is at 23,000 passengers per hour per direction. When the new coaches arrive, we can raise it to 37,824 passengers per hour per direction.) Narca said that aside from buying new coaches, the MRT management also plans to purchase security fence which would cost P75 million. “Sa ngayon po may mga tao pong tumatawid po sa ating riles at ito po ay nagdudulot din ng aksidente. So para po ito maiwasan, ito po ang ating proposal lagyan ng security fence,” he said. (There also people who close the railways, and this leads to accidents. To prevent this, we propose the placement of security fences.) Among the proposed projects to improve the situation of the MRT passengers are the upgrading of escalators and elevators, construction of North Avenue footbridge for the long line of passengers, setting up of public WiFi and the passenger information system. Narca said that through the passenger information system, the people could see in a platform the estimated arrivals of the coaches and other announcements. He said the total cost of the proposed rehabilitation projects was P6.8 billion. (MNS)
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Sen. Drilon takes ice bucket challenge MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – Senate President Franklin Drilon on Monday took the ice bucket challenge seeking to raise awareness for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Drilon was challenged on Thursday by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas to do the activity. Drilon indicated he will make a donation to the Philippine General Hospital’s neurosciences de-
partment, where some ALS patients are reportedly confined. The ice bucket challenge aims to raise awareness about ALS and raise funds for research to stop the disease. ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a disease that affects the body’s nervous system often leading to paralysis. As of Aug. 26, the ALS Association said the ice bucket donations had reached $88.5 million. (MNS)
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More MRT defects recorded this year – official MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) -- From busted elevators to nonfunctioning ticket vending machines, more defects on its trains, stations and equipment have been recorded by the MRT-3 management this year compared to last. In his report submitted to the Senate committee on public services during a hearing on Monday, MRT-3 operations director Renato San Jose said that as of July 2014, the average loops of trains decreased to 6,338 per month from 6,488 per month in 2013. The decrease was recorded as
the average number of passengers continues to increase, with more than half a million people boarding it every day. Meanwhile, an average of four service interruptions per month was recorded as of July 2014, an increase from 2.83 per month in 2013. As of August 29, 60 of 73 coaches were operational, all of them required to operate during peak hours, San Jose said. Regarding other equipment, San Jose said that none of the ticket vending machines are functioning.
As of the end of July, 204 instances of elevator defects have been recorded, with 23 of 34 elevators operational, he said. For escalators, 36 of 46 units are functioning. The condition of the MRT is currenly under scrutiny particularly after August 13, when a defective coach went out of control and crashed into the Taft station barrier, leaving some 38 people— both passengers and pedestrians—injured. MRT officials have blamed aging equipment for the problem. (MNS)
3-day leave sought for parents to attend school events MANILA, Aug 30 (Mabuhay) – A lawmaker is pushing for the grant of leave to employed parents to allow them to attend their children’s activities at school. Bacolod Representative Evelio Leonardia filed House Bill 4691, which seeks to provide parents and guardians employed with the government or private sector a non-cumulative leave with pay for a total of three days a year. “The grant of leave with pay will give them the opportunity to attend to the school programs, meetings and for their children or ward where their presence is indispensable and necessary for the educational and moral development of their children,”
Leonardia said in a statement. He said parents who are often “no-shows” during their children’s school activities because of the “no-work-no-pay” policy present an obstacle to their duty to provide support and guidance for their kids. He noted that as provided under the Child and Youth Welfare Code, every effort should be exerted to promote the child’s welfare and enhance his opportunities for a useful and happy life. “As one of the most important assets of the nation, the promotion and enhancement of the child’s life and welfare is also anchored on the moral supervision and support given by his parents or guardians,”
Leonardia said. For the parents and guardians to avail of the non-cumulative three-day leave with pay, the bill requires them to have rendered at least one year continuous service with their employer. The measure requires the employees availing of the parental leave to give due notice to their employer at least one day before the intended date of leave. They must also attach thereto the notice of the school meeting, program or activity. A fine not exceeding P25,000 shall be imposed to any person, corporation, trust, firm, partnership, association or entity found violating this Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. (MNS)
Aquino emphasizes gov’t role in preventive medicine MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Aquino III on Monday led the launching of a mass immunization program against measles and polio by the Department of Health (DOH), highlighting the importance of preventive medicine. In a short message during the launch, Aquino stressed the importance of government intervention in preventing the spread of diseases in the Philippines. “Imbes gamutin ang pasyente,
mas maganda po yata na huwag magkasakit at hindi maging pasyente,” Aquino said. He added that his administration poured sufficient funds to the DOH to ensure that up to 13 million Filipino children will benefit from the nationwide immunization program. “Pakiusap po sa lahat, itong ligtas sa tigdas na programa po natin ay suportahan,” he said. The President supervised the administration of oral polio vaccines to two children from Sta.
Cruz, Manila. The mass immunization program is being implemented in health centers nationwide during the whole month of September, and targets children below 5 years old. The program aims to cover 95 percent of all local government units and supports the goal of keeping Philippines polio-free. Late last year to early this year, measles outbreaks were declared in Olongapo City and some parts of Metro Manila. (MNS)
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DepEd chief: Formation of God-loving learners still part of vision MANILA, Aug 30 (Mabuhay) – The Department of Education over the weekend reassured the public it has not abandoned its vision of forming God-loving learners. DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro also stressed the agency does not have any fundamental disagreement with groups that want to promote love of God among learners. “We maintain that the formation of God-loving learners is a vision that we have not surrendered. We do not have any fundamental disagreement therefore with the position of various groups who wish to promote the love of God among our learners,” he said in a statement. He also affirmed the constitutional principle of “benevolent neutrality” towards religion and spirituality. Luistro maintained as well that the DepEd will continue to promote the spirit of inclusivity and remain open to dialogue, saying this is “a part of learning to live together.” Earlier Friday, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas chided the DepEd for removing the formation of “functionally literate and Godfearing Filipinos” from its vision. “A vision statement is not an empty platitude. It guides the articulation of policy. It orientates plans of action. While maka-Diyos remains one of the Department’s core-values, we maintain that the formation of God-fearing pupils and students is a vision that cannot be surrendered,” he said. He found it unfortunate that the 2013 version of the DepEd’s vision, “there is no more mention of God, nor of the salutary fear of Him that, Scripture tells us, is the beginning of all wisdom.” While the DepEd does not mention God in its vision, its core values still include “Maka-Diyos.” “The Department’s VMV (vision-mission-values) is one document and should be read in its entirety to grasp the full meaning. It is a living document that is meant to reinvigorate our Agency and society as a whole. It is meant to permeate and to affect the way we behave and how we find solutions to complex issues. It is meant to be part of public discourse and personal transformation. It is not static and not intended for mere posting on walls and tables,” the DepEd said in a statement. In the meantime, Villegas exhorted the Catholic laity in public elementary and high schools to be zealous in forming pupils and students. On the other hand, Luistro said discussions on the revision of the DepEd’s values and vision were initiated within the department as early as 2010. He said consultations were conducted with key persons in various levels of the organization, including the regions and school divisions. “It is important that the DepEd’s new VMV be regarded as one document to be appreciated in its entirety. The term ‘God-loving’ is synonymous with MakaDiyos. The term Maka-Diyos is essentially connected with Maka-tao, Makakalikasan and Makabansa and allows our Values Education teachers to develop modules that will hopefully form persons of integrity,” he said. “It warns against pietism or ritualism and encourages persons of faith to live those convictions every day, everywhere,” he added. (MNS)
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Palace exec takes ‘MRT challenge’ during rush hour, rides LRT too MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Aquino III’s deputy spokesperson, Undersecretary Abigail Valte, took the challenge for public officials to ride the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) during rush hour on Monday morning. Valte, who wore casual clothes and sunglasses, took the challenge one step further by also riding the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1. According to her Twitter posts, Valte rode the entire MRT line
from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City. She said she lined up at the North Avene station at 8:24 on Monday morning, and was able to ride the train more than 40 minutes later. She also shared that she was able to get a seat at the Ayala station in Makati, and then got off at Taft Avenue station by 9:41 a.m. – more than an hour after she lined up. Valte also transferred to the LRT Line 1, whose EDSA station
connects to the MRT Taft Avenue station. The Palace official disembarked at the Central Station in Manila. “[I] appreciate all the commuters who bear with the service on a daily basis. We continue to ask for your understanding as we continue to push for improvements,” Valte said in a Twitter post. Last Friday, Senator Grace Poe also rode the MRT in preparation for the ongoing Senate probe on the mass transport system. (MNS)
VP Binay calls for intensified efforts to combat human trafficking in ‘Yolanda’-hit areas MANILA, Sept 1 (Mabuhay) – Vice President Jejomar C. Binay said on Monday rescuing human trafficking victims from areas hit by super typhoon “Yolanda” should be prioritized as he called for intensified efforts to combat human trafficking. “We have to be more vigilant. We will probably discuss this in our next meeting,” said the Vice President, who is also the Chairman Emeritus of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT).
The Vice President visited Saturday rescued human trafficking victims at the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Center in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. “The main reason actually why I went there is to validate what I’ve heard. Many people from disasters areas ended getting not decent jobs,” Binay said. He previously received anecdotal reports that women and children from areas severely hit by typhoon Yolanda were being
trafficked in various nightclubs in Metro Manila. The nine victims were rescued Thursday in Caloocan City. The rescue operation was conducted by the joint effort of the National Bureau of Investigation-AntiHuman Trafficking Division (NBI-AHTRAD), DSWD, and IACAT. The victims were all female, including three minors. Majority of them were from the province of Samar and were victims of the typhoon. (MNS)
All eyes – hopeful and accusatory – on Obama over immigration By Jérôme Cartillier
WASHINGTON, August 25, 2014 (AFP) – US President Barack Obama has vowed to take action on immigration before summer’s end. Now millions of hopeful undocumented immigrants are eagerly awaiting his move – as are Republican leaders who accuse him of abusing his power. Back in Washington after two weeks of a golffilled family vacation on a small island in Massachusetts, the US president is readying to take on a issue which is especially sensitive in the run-up to November’s midterm elections. “The American people don’t want me standing around twiddling my thumbs waiting for Congress to do something,” said Obama, frustrated by the lack of action by lawmakers on Capitol Hill, before he left. Details of any executive orders to be signed by the president are not yet known – the White House says a range of options is being considered – but Obama’s political opponents are already angry, threatening a major political crisis. Some hope for, while others fear, that a presidential decision could offer a reprieve to nearly half of the around 11 million undocumented immigrants, many of whom have lived for years in the United States, but who live in constant fear of deportation. One of Obama’s options would be to expand the “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival” or “DACA” program, launched in 2012, which offers temporary visas to minors who arrived in the United States before age 16, perhaps to also include their parents or even grandparents. But Lynn Tramonte, deputy director of America’s Voice, a group that advocates for immigrant rights, expects something more. “I foresee a major policy change,” she told AFP. After six years of deportations and minor reforms, “we are ready for a major change, we are ready for the Obama administration that we expected to come into office after the 2008 election,” she said, denouncing a “fundamentally broken” system that is “working against families. But in acting alone on the issue, the president has sparked criticism he is encroaching on the role of Congress, with some lawmakers accusing him of defying the spirit of the Constitution. He would also risk harming the chances of vulnerable Democrats fighting to retain their seats in conservative states – where reform is unpopular –
and who are crucial to their party’s hopes of hanging on to the Senate. ‘Poison the well’ Obama’s predecessors, from Republican Ronald Reagan to Democrat Bill Clinton to Republican George W. Bush, each signed orders specific to certain categories of immigrants coming from China, Kuwait or El Salvador, for example. But Mark Krikorian, director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that argues for reinforcing the borders, insists an executive order from Obama offering temporary legal status to a large number of undocumented immigrants would be in a different category – and, in the long term, counter-productive. “Those small actions were all radically different from what the president is proposing,” Krikorian said, emphasizing that each was linked to a very specific crisis. For example, amnesty was given to some Czechoslovakian citizens in 1968, when the Soviet Union invaded. According to Krikorian, Obama’s proposal “would poison the well, it would make it impossible for Congress to pass any kind of legalization for anybody else.” If, during the midterm Congressional elections on November 4, Republicans retain control of the House of Representatives and take control of the Senate, Obama risks finding himself even more politically isolated during his final two years in the White House. Pre-election executive orders could therefore be his last chance to leave a mark on the immigration system—though far short of what he promised during his two presidential campaigns. In early 2013, after a bipartisan bill written by senior senators, Obama predicted a reform that would permit millions of illegal immigrants to come out of the shadows was close at hand. But the prospect of a consensus in Congress rapidly fell apart. The Republican party was torn between the fierce opposition of Tea Party lawmakers and the desire to appeal to Hispanic voters – more than 70 percent of whom cast ballots for Obama and without whom it will be increasingly difficult for Republicans to regain the White House. Since a massive amnesty program in 1986, all efforts at reform have failed, including, notably, under the presidency of George W. Bush in 2007.
LAPD treatment of blacks in spotlight after high-profile cases
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LOS ANGELES, September 1, 2014 (AFP) – Treatment of blacks by the Los Angeles Police is back in the spotlight after several high-profile cases sparked allegations of abuse: a young, unarmed man killed, a woman beaten, and a producer arrested with no cause. The incidents come as the shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old, in Ferguson, Missouri, sparked rioting and protests and renewed the debate on relations between African American and law enforcement in the United States. “If you had asked me a year ago, I would have answered that there has been considerable progress given the LAPD’s history of racism and excessive violence,” said Earl Hutchinson, a rights activist. “These recent beatings and shootings ... have raised many questions on whether the LAPD have made the improvements we hoped and thought,” he said. In mid-August, a 25-year-old black man, Ezell Ford, who apparently suffered mental illness, was killed by two patrol officers in southern Los Angeles. He was alone, unarmed, and walking on the sidewalk. The LAPD, which has not said why he was stopped, said Ford fought with the police officers and was trying to grab one of their guns. Witnesses cited in local media, however, say Ford was not in any way attacking the officers. Peaceful marches were held after the incident.
Thursday, the LAPD finally released the name of the two officers: Sharlton Wampler and Antonio Villegas. Hutchinson said the move was a “a good step towards an impartial and transparent investigation,” but he lamented that it took so much pressure for the names to be made public. Racial profiling According to Steven Lerman, lawyer for the Ford family, the police “legally had to release their names, unless they had proofs of credible threats against these officers.” He called the two officers “vicious thugs,” noting that Wampler was already sued in 2011 for having beaten several members of a family, dragging one to an inflatable pool where he held his head underwater. Lerman—who represented Rodney King, whose beating by LAPD officers, and their eventual acquittal, sparked violent riots in 1992 -- plans to file a lawsuit in the Ford case. Meanwhile, a video posted online last month showed a traffic cop pummelling a woman who was lying on the ground. Her lawyers have filed a suit. According to police, the officer was trying to stop her as she was walking along the highway and she refused to comply. According to witnesses cited in the lawsuit, the homeless woman, Marlene Finnock, “did nothing aggressive.”
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UTREACH State Legislature approves ban on plastic bags SANTA MONICA, CA (Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014) – Sending a powerful message nationally that the plastic pollution plague can be abated, California state legislators late last night approved landmark legislation that bans the distribution of singleuse plastic shopping bags at grocery stores, convenience stores and pharmacies statewide. On a 44-29 vote, the State Assembly on Thursday approved SB 270, a bill authored by Sens. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) and Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) that seeks to end the environmental and fiscal waste created by Californians’ use of 13 billion singleuse plastic shopping bags each year. The State Senate then provided concurrence tonight on a 22-15 vote. The bill now goes to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown, who historically has supported progressive environmental policies statewide. He has until the end of September to act on the bill. The measure would take effect in July 2015. Environmental group Heal the Bay led the legislative fight to enact a bag ban for more than seven years as part of its ongoing efforts to tackle plastic pollution in California waterways and neighborhoods. Heal the Bay played a central role in the drafting and enacting of similar bans in the city and county of Los Angeles, which created momentum for today’s statewide action. “After years of pushing hard on this issue, it’s extremely gratifying to see the state of California act forcefully and progressively
to protect our environment,” said Kirsten James, Heal the Bay’s science and policy director for water quality and a key architect of the ban campaign. “For the small price of giving up a little convenience, we get the benefits of protected aquatic life, cleaner neighborhoods, and healthier rivers and coastal waters,” added James, who has made numerous lobbying trips to Sacramento on behalf of a statewide ban. California municipalities spend nearly $25 million each year just to collect and dispose of plastic bag waste. Less than 5% of plastic grocery bags are recycled each year statewide, so the remainder clogs precious landfill, litters public spaces and harms animal life when the bags infiltrate waterways. Shoppers who forget their reusable bags have the option of purchasing a recycled paper bag or reusable grocery bag at checkout. Heavy-duty reusable bags are convenient, environmentally friendly alternatives that have been embraced by hundreds of millions of consumers around the world. SB 270 also had the crucial backing of the California Grocers Assn., the United Food and Commercial Workers union and the California Retailers Assn., whose members have sought a uniform and environmentally sound single-use bag policy statewide. California now is poised to join a long list of governments that have enacted progressive curbs on single-use plastic bags, including China, Ireland and Mexico
City. Single-use bag policies can act as a gateway to get people thinking more sustainably in other areas of their lives, whether it’s skipping plastic water bottles or refusing drinking straws at restaurants. Heal the Bay will continue to work with its partners to pursue solutions to prevent plastic pollution and single-use products from clogging our waste-stream and oceans. The policy now turns its attention to a strong statewide trash policy that would compel cities and counties statewide to adhere to strict numeric limits on the amount of trash they send to rivers and coastal waterways. CALIF. LEGISLATURE APPROVES BAN ON PLASTIC BAGS Governor expected to sign Heal the Bay-backed bill to curb fiscal, enviro waste SANTA MONICA, CA (Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014) – Sending a powerful message nationally that the plastic pollution plague can be abated, California state legislators late last night approved landmark legislation that bans the distribution of singleuse plastic shopping bags at grocery stores, convenience stores and pharmacies statewide. On a 44-29 vote, the State Assembly on Thursday approved SB 270, a bill authored by Sens. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) and Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) that seeks to end the environmental and fiscal waste created by Californians’ use of 13 billion single-
Water police on patrol in drought-scarred Los Angeles By Guillaume Meyer
LOS ANGELES, August 31, 2014 (AFP) – Los Angeles isn’t the world’s wettest city at the best of times. But a record drought has triggered extra measures – now including “water police” checking on over-zealous sprinkler users and the like. The Water Conservation Response Unit is a five-strong team from LA’s Department of Water and Power utility, who aim to “educate customers about the importance of practicing water conservation.” The unit’s director Enrique Silva patrols the sprawling metropolis’s neighborhoods in an ocean-blue car, looking for people wasting water. “We will look for people irrigating on the wrong day, especially the one thing we’re looking for is water running in the street, run-off,” he told AFP. “It can be for any different reason, usually from irrigation being on too long.” California is in the grip of its third year of severe drought, the worst in decades, threatening to drain underground aquifers and leaving the taps of some 40 mil-
lion people to run dry. Los Angeles has introduced measures to incite people to save water, including giving money to those who replace their lawns by plants more adapted to desert climes and less water-hungry, such as cacti. But given the urgency, the DWP has also slapped restrictions on users including banning householders from watering their gardens every day or from doing so on the same spot for more than eight minutes, among others. Sprinklers can’t be used in sunlight hours, when evaporation wastes a lot of the water before it can moisten plants or grass. On patrol, when he finds a lawn which is still wet or puddles on the sidewalk or road, Silva takes photos as evidence of a violation. Back in his office, he writes an official warning letter to the homeowner. Whistle-blowing neighbors “We’re more in an educational phase. We feel that people understand that we are in a drought and we feel that if people know the rules, they’ll comply with them,” said Silva.
“Many people who are watering on the wrong days might not realize that they’re only allowed to water three times a week. So by sending them a letter, we let them know what the rules are and what the potential fines (of up to $100) are if they don’t comply.” But in a country where people are proud of their green lawns, other measures are also being considered, including increasing the price of water in line with its scarcity, from year to year. “Maybe in years where there is a lot water, the water can be less expensive,” said Stephanie Pincetl, director of the California Center for Sustainable Communities at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). “But in years that are becoming more normal where there is less water, that water is very expensive. Because watering a lawn is not a necessity for human wellbeing,” she added. She said that each householder should have two water meters: one for inside the house, on a cheaper rate, for necessary things like food and hygiene, and another more expensive one for gardens and pools.
Speaker Emeritus Perez, Cong. Takano each to receive Public Servant Advocate Award at AAPI Awards Banquet Sep. 26 Los Angeles, Calif. –Asian Enterprise celebrates its 21st year of hosting the annual Asian Entrepreneur of the Year Awards with Wells Fargo Foundation and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage as Title Sponsors. This much-awaited awards banquet is supported by a number of Fortune 500 Companies and gives recognition to outstanding Asian American and Pacific Islander Entrepreneurs who rise above economic challenges, as well as to outstanding community Advocates and Fortune 500’s Best Companies for AAPI. Asian Enterprise, together with friends from Fortune 500 Companies, will host the banquet at the Beverly Hilton in the city of Beverly Hills in the heart of Los Angeles, California. AE is proud to honor Public Servant Advocates Speaker Emeritus John Perez and Congressman Mark Takano, who will also be giving the keynote speech. Awardees this year represent different sectors of the Asian
American business community. Asian Entrepreneur of the Year award goes to Carrie Mizera of Renascence School International for Education category and Ms. Sheila Lirio Marcelo, founder and CEO of Care.com for service category. 2014 boasts of Corporate Advocate of the Year, AVIS’ Vice President of Strategic Business and Diversity Relations, Lynne Boccio. Fortune 500’s Best Companies for Asian Pacific Americans award will be given to Wells Fargo and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Caesar’s Entertainment, Northrop Grumman, NBC Comcast and PepsiCo. These companies are given recognition for their support for diversity and outreach programs to the AAPI small business community. Additional winners will be announced at the end of August. Other distinguished guests include CAPAC Chair Congresswoman Judy Chu, State Senator Ted Lieu, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Congresswoman Maxine Waters. Participating
sponsors include Sempra Energy, SC Edison, IBM, Southwest Gas, Cisco and Southern California Gas Company, Northrop Grumman, Caesar’s Entertainment, NBC Comcast and PepsiCo. This momentous occasion, a back-to-back networking opportunity, will kick-off with a Panel Discussion on “Leadership and Professional Development” at 4 p.m., with Marissa Pei as moderator. Cocktails will be served at 5:30 p.m. at the Wilshire Ballroom, and the awards dinner will commence at7pm. Media Sponsors from different major ethnic publications both local and national will cover the event. For tickets, advertising and sponsorship opportunities, or any additional information, please contact Willy Borromeo or Alma Guiuan of Asian Enterprise Magazine at 909.896.2865, 909.319.2306 or emailaey. awards@asianenterprise. com. Asian Enterprise Magazine is the largest small business focus magazine in the nation.
use plastic shopping bags each year. The State Senate then provided concurrence tonight on a 22-15 vote. The bill now goes to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown, who historically has supported progressive environmental policies statewide. He has until the end of September to act on the bill. The measure would take effect in July 2015. Environmental group Heal the Bay led the legislative fight to enact a bag ban for more than seven years as part of its ongoing efforts to tackle plastic pollution in California waterways and neighborhoods. Heal the Bay played a central role in the drafting and enacting of similar bans in the city and county of Los Angeles, which created momentum for today’s statewide action. “After years of pushing hard on this issue, it’s extremely gratifying to see the state of California act forcefully and progressively to protect our environment,” said Kirsten James, Heal the Bay’s science and policy director for water quality and a key architect of the ban campaign. “For the small price of giving up a little convenience, we get the benefits of protected aquatic life, cleaner neighborhoods, and healthier rivers and coastal waters,” added James, who has made numerous lobbying trips to Sacramento on behalf of a statewide ban. California municipalities spend nearly $25 million each year just to collect and dispose of plastic bag waste. Less than 5% of plastic grocery bags are recycled each year statewide, so the
remainder clogs precious landfill, litters public spaces and harms animal life when the bags infiltrate waterways. Shoppers who forget their reusable bags have the option of purchasing a recycled paper bag or reusable grocery bag at checkout. Heavy-duty reusable bags are convenient, environmentally friendly alternatives that have been embraced by hundreds of millions of consumers around the world. SB 270 also had the crucial backing of the California Grocers Assn., the United Food and Commercial Workers union and the California Retailers Assn., whose members have sought a uniform and environmentally sound single-use bag policy statewide. California now is poised to join a long list of governments that have enacted progressive curbs on single-use plastic bags, including China, Ireland and Mexico City. Single-use bag policies can act as a gateway to get people thinking more sustainably in other areas of their lives, whether it’s skipping plastic water bottles or refusing drinking straws at restaurants. Heal the Bay will continue to work with its partners to pursue solutions to prevent plastic pollution and single-use products from clogging our wastestream and oceans. The policy now turns its attention to a strong statewide trash policy that would compel cities and counties statewide to adhere to strict numeric limits on the amount of trash they send to rivers and coastal waterways.
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Celebrate Harvest Moon Festival at Pechanga Resort & Casino with share of $100,000 in cash giveaway In celebration of the Pechanga Resort & Casino’s inHarvest Moon Festival, volvement in areas that matter Pechanga promotes the to customers even more. thrilling September TaChau Ly is originally from ble Games Promotions Vietnam and moved to the Unitthat will light up your ed States in 1975 after the fall of smiles like the Autumn’s Saigon. His father, Ly Tong Ba, full moon. Join us from was a well-known army general September 1 through in Vietnam. During his days off, 26, when getting a Ly coaches pop warner football “Straight” hand at Ultiand enjoy watching and playing mate Texas Hold’em, “A sports, as well as shopping. Qualifying Pair” at Let It About Pechanga Ride, a “Straight” hand Resort & Casino at 3-Card Poker, “DragPechanga Resort & Casino Chau Ly, new Pechanga Manager on Bet” or any “Natural for Asian Marketing offers one of the largest and Tie” hand at Baccarat, a most expansive resort/casino “Flush” hand in Pai Gow, or any “Blackjack” experience anywhere in the country. Rated hand, will earn you a drawing ticket entry. a Four Diamond property by AAA since The more you play, the more you win. The 2002, Pechanga Resort & Casino provides grand finale drawings will be held Septem- an unparalleled getaway, whether for the ber 12 and September 26. Twenty-five raf- day or for an extended luxury stay. Offering fle winners will be chosen to win $1,000 in more than 3,000 of the hottest slots, table cash and one lucky winner will walk away games, world-class entertainment, 517 howith $25,000 cash each drawing day; Win- tel rooms, dining, spa and championship golf ners must be present to redeem the prizes. at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity & Casino features a destination that meets in becoming the next big winner – it’s time and exceeds the needs of its guests and the to Harvest!! community. Pechanga Resort & Casino is Pechanga wishes everyone a Happy Har- owned and operated by the Pechanga Band vest Moon Festival! of Luiseño Indians. For more information, Pechanga Casino/ Resort Welcomes call toll free 1-877-711-2946 or visit www. New Manager of Asian Marketing Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort Pechanga Resort & Casino, a AAA Four & Casino on Facebook.com/Pechanga and Diamond resort/casino and California’s on Twitter @PechangaCasino. Pechanga largest, is pleased to welcome Chau Ly as Resort & Casino is open 24-hours. Guests its new Manager of Asian Marketing. In his must be 21 and older to enter the casino. new role, he will act as an ambassador to the Asian Southern California community and work closely with the resort’s Asian marketing agency. With nearly 10 years of experience working with outreach teams to the Asian community in Southern California and in Las Vegas, he says he looks forward to growing
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Families bring their bacteria with them wherever they go, study finds (Relaxnews) - Millions of bacteria populate the home and in light of mounting evidence that some may actually play an important role in keeping us healthy, researchers are aiming to learn more about them. A collaboration of the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago, The Home Microbiome Project provides a detailed analysis of what squats in houses and apartments unbeknownst to the residing humans. It is well known that many strains of “friendly” bacteria reside in the digestive tract and are essential for warding off sickness, and the research team’s objective was to identify the species of microbes in our environment and eventually distinguish between the friends and the foes. “They are essential for us to understand our health in the 21st century,” says lead study author Jack Gilbert, an Argonne microbiologist. In the study, seven households were examined for a total of 18 people, three dogs and one cat. Researchers swabbed their participants’ hands, feet and noses everyday over the course of six weeks. They also swabbed heavily touched areas in the house like doorknobs, light switches, floors and countertops. Argonne researchers then performed DNA analysis for species identification. “We wanted to know how much people affected the microbial community on a house’s surfaces and on each other,” says Gilbert. As results show, people populate their homes with their own microbes, and when three of the participating families moved, it took just one day for the new
house to resemble the old, bacterially speaking. If the residents left on vacation, the microbe communities changed just as quickly. Couples share significantly more microbes and they share them with any young children they may have. Researchers found that members of the same household had more or less the same microbial communities on their hands whereas noses were more varied. The presence of pets meant additional bacteria from soil and plants, brought in after time spent outdoors. If all this sounds perfectly filthy, even the pathogenic strains don’t actually cause harm unless there’s a problem with immune response, likely caused by an imbalance in the microbiota in the digestive tract. “It’s also quite possible that we are routinely exposed to harmful bacteria—living on us and in our environment—but it only causes disease when our immune systems are otherwise disrupted,” says Gilbert. Gilbert pointed out that in addition to the obvious knowledge about health that could be obtained from further research on home bacterial communities, the study could lead to advances in forensic science, saying his team could easily identify the homes based on their bacteria. The study was published in the journal Science.
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For a healthy, sun-kissed glow, you might want to choose the broccoli. ©Okssi /shutterstock.com
Fruits and vegetables could make you more attractive to others: study (Relaxnews) – The vernacular of today’s beauty buzz is riddled with words and phrases about staying young, but the idea of “carotenoid coloration” means little to most people, although it’s exactly what you’re probably looking for. It’s that sexy, healthy glow that comes from eating five servings of fruits and vegetables per day and an innovative study says it has a more powerful effect on attractiveness than a sun tan, also called “melanin coloration.” “Skin coloration can arise as a result of two distinct processes: Through tanning (melanisation)
or the assimilation of fruit and vegetables (carotenoid ingestion),” say the researchers, who conducted three separate internet studies comparing people’s responses to the aforementioned. In the first two studies, researchers worked with a group of 60 participants who were shown 27 composite faces whose skin tones spanned the axis of carotenoid or melanin-associated derma colors. Participants were shown highand low-pigment versions of each face and asked to say which one they found more attractive, and results indicated an overwhelm-
ing preference for strong color values. In the first study, 86 percent of participants preferred the look of the high-carotenoid face and 78.5 percent preferred the high melanin version in the second study. The third study pitted carotenoid against melanin and resulted in a 75.9 percent preference for high carotenoid coloration. The study, which was published in the journal Taylor & Francis, expands on findings about carotenoid coloration that came to light in a 2011 study by the University of Nottingham.
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KITCHENOMICS Potato Salad with Peppers and Onions Servings: 6 Mustard Vinaigrette: 2 tablespoons mustard 1 tablespoon water 1/2 cup vinegar Juice of one lemon Fresh ground black pepper 2 cups olive oil Salt, to taste Salad: 4 medium Idaho potatoes, peeled 1 medium yellow or orange pepper 1 medium onion 3/4 cup Mustard Vinaigrette Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper For vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in bowl except oil and whisk until frothy. Whip mixture continuously as steady stream of oil is added. Whisk until all oil is incorporated. Season to taste. For salad, boil potatoes in lightly salted water. Cut pepper into thin, 2-inch strips. Cut onion into thin slices. Slice warm boiled potatoes into salad bowl, scatter sliced peppers and onions over them and pour on about 1/2 cup vinaigrette. Using hands, gently mix salad until each potato slice is coated with vinaigrette and onions and peppers are well distributed. Taste salad and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Let salad stand at least an hour. Before serving, taste salad again and add vinaigrette to taste. Nutritional information per serving: 280 calories; 18 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat); 2 g protein; 26 g carbohydrate; 3 g dietary fiber; 0 mg cholesterol; 10 mg sodium; 2 g sugar.
Potato Salad with Peppers and Onions Fix ahead dishes These decadent dishes are best eaten the day after they’re made. This gives the flavors a chance to intensify and come together. When you’re ready to serve, keep your cold salad the perfect temperature by placing your serving dish in a larger bowl filled with ice. Treat your family to potato salads they’ve never tasted before. For more recipes for salads and other potato dishes, visit www.IdahoPotato.com.
Potato, Cucumber and Dill Salad FAMILY FEATURES
W
henever friends and family gather to celebrate warm weather days, potato salad is probably the most popular side dish served. However, the traditional salad made with mayonnaise and eggs that we all know and love is being passed by for lighter versions that include more vegetables, different protein sources and healthier dressings.
Simple sides The best part is — these salads are easy to make. Cut your Idaho potatoes into 1-inch cubes with the skins still on. Boil in water for about 8–15 minutes, then check for doneness by piercing a cube with a fork or skewer. If it goes through with little resistance, drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add your favorite dressing and ingredients while the potatoes are still warm. Warm potatoes more easily absorb all the delicious dressing.
Servings: 4 3 large Idaho potatoes, unpeeled and thinly sliced 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill, or 1 tablespoon dried whole dill weed 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 large cucumber, unpeeled and thinly sliced Place potato slices in 9-inch square
microwave-safe baking dish; cover with microwaveable plastic wrap and microwave at HIGH 9–11 minutes or until tender, stirring gently every three minutes. Combine vinegar, mustard, oil, dill and salt in small jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously. Pour vinegar mixture over potatoes. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Gently mix in sliced cucumber before serving. Nutritional information per serving: 350 calories; 14 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat); 6 g protein; 51 g carbohydrate; 5 g dietary fiber; 0 mg cholesterol; 450 mg sodium; 4 g sugar.
Greek Potato Salad Servings: 8 4 medium Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks 8 ounces stem ends trimmed green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths 3/4 cup buttermilk 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 1 1/2 1
teaspoon grated lemon zest tablespoon fresh lemon juice teaspoon salt large cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced 1/4 cup snipped fresh dill 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled In large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes about 12 minutes, until crisptender. Add green beans and cook 2 minutes longer. Drain well. Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Add potatoes and green beans and toss gently to coat. Add cucumber, tomatoes, red onion and dill; tossing gently. Cool to room temperature. Sprinkle feta at serving time. Nutritional information per serving: 170 calories; 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat); 5 g protein; 24 g carbohydrate; 3 g dietary fiber; 15 mg cholesterol; 330 mg sodium; 4 g sugar. Servings: 14 servings 8 large Idaho potatoes (about 4 pounds), well-scrubbed, cut into 3/4-inch chunks 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 cups chopped broccoli (about 1 bunch) 2 cups (16 ounces) favorite ranch salad dressing 3 cups chopped fennel (about one large bulb), with core and tops removed 1 large red onion, quartered and very thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups) 1/2 cup diced green olives with pimento (optional) Salt and pepper to taste Leaf lettuce, for garnish Cherry tomatoes or sliced omatoes, for garnish Fill large stockpot half full of water, add salt and bring to boiling over high heat. Add potatoes and bring back to boiling over high heat; reduce heat to medium and boil for three minutes. Add broccoli to potatoes and bring back to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium again, and cook until desired doneness (1–3 minutes). Potatoes and broccoli should both be firm. Drain well in colander. Transfer potatoes and broccoli to large mixing bowl, add ranch dressing and let cool. Stir in fennel, onions and olives, if using. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve on bed of leaf lettuce with ripe tomatoes as garnish. Nutritional information per serving: 280 calories; 18 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat); 4 g protein; 28 g carbohydrate; 4 g dietary fiber; 10 mg cholesterol; 480 mg sodium; 3 g sugar.
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Mark Gil passes away Actor Mark Gil passed away at 8 a.m. on Monday, his manager, June Rufino, confirmed. Gil died of liver cirrhosis. Raphael Joseph De Mesa Eigenmann in real life, the late actor would have been 53 years old this September 25. Early this year, it was rumored that Gil had cancer but this was refuted by his children. Rufino said the Eigenmann family
is asking for privacy but will be issuing a statement regarding the actor’s death within the day. “As of now, the family is in deep grieving and they want private time with him,” Rufino said in a statement. Rufino added that Gil’s loved ones are asking for prayers for the repose of the actor’s soul. They are also asking for prayers so that they may overcome this ordeal. Gil rose to fame for his role in the
movie “Batch ‘81.” His other movies include “Underage,” “Indio,” “Miss X” and “Palabra de Honor,” among others. His TV shows, meanwhile, include “Guns and Roses,” “100 Days to Heaven,” “Walang Hanggan,” “Imortal,” and “Magkaribal,” among others. Gil’s last project with the Kapamilya network was the top-rating show “The Legal Wife,” where he played the role of Dante Ramos. (MNS)
Sharon Cuneta leaves TV5 Mark Gil
Singer Lilet seals showbiz comeback with teleserye After joining the ABS-CBN game show “The Singing Bee” early this month, ‘80s singer Lilet is ready for a grand showbiz comeback, as she joins the cast of her first TV soap. Lilet, who shot to fame via a soft drinks commercial and is best known for her hit song “Tulak Ng Bibig, Kabig Ng Dibdib,” is set to appear in the upcoming TV series “Forevermore,” which will be topbilled by young stars Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano. “Excited ako kasi first teleserye. Kung manood man ako ng teleserye it has always been an ABSCBN show. So, excited ako nung in-offer sa akin ang role na ito. Although it’s very different from how I really am. Sobrang kailangan ng acting skills para talagang
mapi-play ko ‘yung role,” Lilet told reporters. Lilet, who is now a married and has a daughter, said she wasn’t really planning on returning to showbiz. “Nagulat na lang din ako kasi nag-open ‘yung doors. Nag-guest lang ako sa ‘Singing Bee,’ then biglang tinatawagan nila ako. ‘Would you like to try it out.’ Tapos sabi ko, sige try natin para something new,” she added. In “Forevermore,” Lilet will play the “workaholic” mother of Gil. “She’s constantly trying to prove herself to the mother-inlaw. Ako ‘yung magpapahirap sa kanila,” she said. The singer admitted that as part of her preparation, she is now trying to lose weight.
Megastar Sharon Cuneta is no longer with TV5. The veteran actress, without going into details, broke the news on her Facebook and Twitter accounts on Friday. An accompanying caption wrote: “I am going to drop clues every now and then as to the things I will be working on which will start sooner than you think!” “So keep watching out for those clues. Goodnight, everyone! Sweet dreams and May God bless you always!” she added. Cuneta recently admitted in an open letter to her fans that she is “going through one of the lowest times of my life and career.” She also revealed other frustrations, including problems with her weight. “I just do not like being big and fat because of the demands of this industry I move around in. And also, I have always enjoyed wearing my kind of clothes,” she said. Many celebrities have expressed support for the megastar. They include her husband and Food Security chief Francis Pangilinan, ex-husband Gabby Concepcion, and actress-host
Judy Ann Santos. In 2012, Sharon signed a record breaking P1 billioncontract with the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned network. She hosted her own talk show entitled “Kasama Mo, Kapatid,” and became a co-host of a musical variety show “The Mega and the Songwriter” alongside Ogie Alcasid. She also starred in the comedy series “Madam Chairman,” which premiered on 2013. It was her first TV series in 35 years. The show was cancelled by the network. TV5 has yet to issue an official statement regarding Sharon’s announcement. (MNS)
Sharon Cuneta
What’s the latest on Zoren’s tax evasion raps Actor Zoren Legaspi, who is facing tax evasion charges filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, expressed his disappointment with the tax agency. “Actually masama ang loob ko,” Legaspi told reporters as he joined the cast of the upcoming series “Forevermore.” “Ayaw ko lang magelaborate kung bakit dahil wala din namang mangyayari pero inaayos namin ‘yun ngayon. Pero unfair talaga,” the actor said. Legaspi, who is married to actress-host Carmina Villaroel, stressed that he didn’t ask any help from their godmothers Kris Zoren Legaspi Aquino and Senator Grace Poe because he believes that he didn’t do anything wrong. “Wala naman akong hiningan ng tulong because I feel that I’m not guilty. Kahit ninang namin si Kris Aquino, si ninang Grace Poe, hindi ako humingi ng mga tulong sa kanila because I feel that I have enough evidence to prove na hindi ako ‘yung sinasabihan ng kung ano man ang ipinangalan niyo sa akin. I am on my own. Ginagawa ko siya kasi documents ko naman ay intact,” Legaspi said. Last May, the BIR alleged that Legaspi underdeclared his income for taxable years 2010 and 2012 by declaring only P6.79 million in 2010, and P1.82 million in 2012. This was compared to the alpha lists of withholding agents, which showed Legaspi received total income of P9.64 million in 2010 (underdeclaration of 42%), and P6.49 million in 2012 (underdeclaration of 256%). Legaspi earlier expressed his willingness to cooperate in the investigation. In June, Legaspi asked the Department of Justice to junk the P4.50million tax evasion complaint filed against him by the BIR, claiming that the BIR failed to credit his withholding tax for the years 2010 and 2012 in computing his alleged tax deficiencies. He also added that the other tax identification numbers which his accountant had allegedly used were not his but only namesakes. Legaspi reiterated he did not intend to evade the payment of correct taxes and that he is willing to pay any deficiencies.
Erik on dating Angeline: Sure ako sa ginagawa namin It seems that Erik Santos is serious about dating fellow singer Angeline Quinto. Santos said he is “sure” about his “journey” with Quinto. “Sure ako sa ginagawa naming dalawa, ‘yung journey namin,” he said. As they take things slowly,
Santos said he hopes that he and Quinto will eventually have a committed relationship. “Siyempre dapat doon [papunta]... Alangan namang nagaaksaya lang kami ng oras,” he said. Last week, Santos confirmed that he and Quinto are “exclusively dating.” (MNS)
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MOTORING Booming electric car sales under fire in Norway Ministers in Norway – a major and rich oil-producing country – are under increasing public pressure to reduce perks and tax breaks for booming electric car sales. “It’s become a problem,� said Erik Haugstad, a bus driver in the Oslo region who complains about the numerous electric cars clogging bus lanes, which they have the right to use in Norway. The cars are also exempt from urban toll payments or fees at public parking spaces, where they can recharge batteries without cost. But above all, they are exempt from Norway’s sky high sales taxes and VAT. Norway brought in the generous incentives to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions from traffic, which accounts for 10 percent of total emissions in the Nordic nation. The policy has been so successful that 32,000 electric cars are now on the road – by far the highest rate per capita in the world, in a country with a 5.1 million population. “I’m a bus driver and I want to transport my passengers as quickly as possible. So, I’d like electric cars to leave the bus lanes, where they’re getting in my way,� Haugstad said. “These delays have a cost for society. Time lost by thousands of our passengers in traffic is far greater than that gained by a few dozen electric car drivers.� He said the cars can create a vicious circle – tired of being stuck in traffic, bus users could be tempted to buy an electric car themselves, worsening the congestion problem. 13 percent of sales Electric cars already represent
85 percent of traffic in bus lanes during rush hour, according to a study by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration on a busy stretch of road outside Oslo. “It’s a subject we discuss very often with colleagues during lunch break. Many of them are far more aggressive and don’t measure their words as much as me,� Haugstad said. No decision has been made so far, but it looks increasingly likely that authorities will take action to unclog congested areas – especially during rush hour. In the meantime, electric car sales keep growing. From the popular Leaf by Japan’s Nissan to high-end US-made Tesla S, they have accounted for 13 percent of new car sales since the beginNorway brought in the generous incentives to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions from traffic, which accounts for 10 percent of total emisning of 2014, far ahead sions in the Nordic nation. The policy has been so successful that 32,000 electric cars are now on the road – by far the highest rate per capita of the rest of the world. in the world, in a country with a 5.1 million population. ŠAFP PHOTO / PIERRE-HENRY DESHAYES In March, the Tesla or until they number 50,000. told Norwegian newspaper VG. their rides. became the highest At the current pace, that fi gure “But I can promise drivers that “It’s too early to remove the fisselling car in a single month in Norway’s history, despite its rel- could be reached in the beginning there will still be fiscal advantag- cal incentives. The market isn’t of 2015, forcing the government es to driving an electric car.� competitive enough yet� comatively high price. The commitment is important, pared to that of fossil-fuel-driven Although a basic model costs to rethink its costly policy. The tax exemptions alone ac- because 48 percent of electric car cars, said Christina Bu, general about 60,000 euros ($79,000), it still sounds like a bargain consid- count for up to 4 billion kroner owners say their main reason for secretary of the association. “If the tax and VAT exemption ering that a price including taxes (500 million euros, $650 million), buying them was to save money. according to the state’s own estiAccording to a survey by the ends, the market could collapse would be roughly double. Norwegian Electric Vehicle As- and it would be hard for NorThe popularity of electric cars mates. “We might make lowering ad- sociation, only 27 percent said it way to reach its climate goals. has caught the authorities off guard, as they expected to keep justments in the future,� Prime was for environmental reasons We must increase the number of the incentives in place until 2017, Minister Erna Solberg recently and 12 percent to gain time in electric cars, not reduce it.�
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IMMUNIZATION
PEACEKEEPERS From page 1
of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which employs the Filipino troops, ordered that they surrender their firearms once the rebels attack. “I countermanded the order of the UNDOF commander who said that if we are attacked, we should surrender and raise the white flag,” he said. He dismissed the commander’s order saying, “We will not do that. We won’t be put to shame.” He said he knew the rules of engagement there since he was the one who was directed to set-up the Filipino delegation back in 2009. Despite the incident, Catapang said the soldiers will continue their tour of duty until their planned pullout in October. He defended the pullout even if some quarters are claiming that it was still a cowardly act. “Our work there was for peacekeeping. Like in boxing, we were called as referees between Israel and Syria. Both understood
that they can’t fight in the areas of separation. But another boxer went inside the ring,” he said. He said President Aquino made the right decision to pull out the soldiers. “When the rebels came into the picture, the equation changed.” He said the Philippines will continue sending troops to other areas, just not in Golan Heights. Several Filipinos in the strife-torn Golan Heights have been abducted in the past, forcing Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario to recommend to President Benigno Aquino III the withdrawal of the troops. Del Rosario later dropped his recommendation when the United Nations, where the peacekeepers are employed, promised that they will be given ample security. A month ago, however, Aquino decided to recall back the troops. The country will also be pulling out troops in Liberia, due to the threat of the Ebola virus. (MNS)
DRILON DENIES From page 1
all documents pertaining to the DAP. “We want to verify the information we received that one senator reportedly got over P1 billion from DAP. That’s why it is important that the list Sec. Abad will be presenting anytime this month before the finance committee should reflect every peso requested by lawmakers,” UNA secretary general Toby Tiangco said in a statement released to the media. While Tiangco declined to identify the lawmaker who received the P1 billion DAP, a Manila Standard Today report quoted Abakada party-list Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz as saying that it was Drilon who got the funds. He said the P1 billion allocation included P450 million allocation for Jalaur Dam project, P150 million for the Iloilo River Development Program and P100 million
for Iloilo Convention Center. Drilon earlier confirmed that he received a P100 million from the DAP. He said the bulk of the funds went to construction of the Iloilo Convention Center. Other senators got P100 million or P50 million DAP allocations each. The DAP, an economic stimulus fund discontinued by the Aquino administration, has been linked to an alleged attempt to influence senators to vote to convict Chief Justice Renato Corona during his impeachment trial. Three senators who voted to acquit Corona - Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Miriam Defensor Santiago and Joker Arroyo - did not receive DAP funds. In the interview, Drilon urged the media not to believe reports that he received huge amounts from DAP.
ENRILE SUSPENDED From page 1
Sandiganbayan has also denied the motion for reconsideration of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada,” Drilon said. “Again, I have no recourse, but the moment I receive this order, we will also implement it and we will report to the Sandiganbayan because we are required to report within five days from receipt of the order,” he added. Drilon said suspended senators may neither file bills nor sign committee reports. “Hindi sila pwedeng mag-file ng bill, hindi sila pwedeng pumirma ng mga Com-
mittee Report. Sa committee chairmanship, there will be acting chairmen,” he said The Senate President said that while a suspended senator wouldn’t receive his or her salary and other benefits, his or her staff would continue to receive theirs. “Yung staff are employees of the Senate, hindi po apektado yan. In fact these are employees of the Senate na sa kanila nakadetail. Yung co-terminus, empleyado ng Senado yan. Hindi empleyadong personal ng mga senador,” he clarified. (MNS)
VP BINAY
From page 1
From page 1
kahi na imbis gamutin ang pasyente, baka naman dapat ang tukuyin natin ay huwag magkasakit at hindi maging pasyente,” he said during his brief speech. (We are happy that they are now implementing our proposal – that instead of curing patients, we should first determine how they won’t get sick in the first place.) Aquino said the government recognizes that there are really areas where immunization is low. “Gagawin ng DOH lahat ng makakaya niya pero siyempre kailangan tayong makipagtulungan sa lahat ng local government units,” he said. “At ang pinakaimportante po, ‘yung mga magulang na siyang nag-aaruga at gumagabay sa kanilang mga anak, ang siyang talagang manguna para maniguradong mabakunahan ang lahat ng ating kabataan.”
investigation is “in aid of election” and not “in aid of legislation” since there is no clear legislation that senators wish to pass after the inquiry. She also scored senators allied with the administration for being too lenient on former Makati Vice-Mayor Ernesto Mercado despite his admission that he pocketed kickbacks from the construction of the building. “After his admission that nakinabang siya, parang ‘Ah ok. Nakinabang ka.’ Di man lang sinabi na how much,” she said. “You can even check their questions, very leading. Yung mga ‘Ok ka ba? May death threat ba?’” “Kulang na lang sila na magtestify sila para dun sa in-invite nila dun sa Senate hearing.” She also denied Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s allegation that she is behind the plunder and graft charges against the senator and his wife, Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano. The complainant, Attorney Rod Vera, was Binay’s batchmate in Ateneo Law School. “You give me too much credit. Wala akong kinalaman dun sa kaso na yun. I myself was surprised by the case,” she said.
WITNESS PROTECTION From page 1
testimonya niya para makita yung mas malaking picture na nangyayari diyan sa Makati. So ni-recommend ko siya na state witness, parang yung kay Benhur Luy na nag-admit din siya na kumita...pero mas interesado tayo sa mas malaking isda,” Trillanes said. Luy is the key whistleblower in the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam case. Alleged mastermind Janet Lim Napoles and three senators – Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada – have been detained for plunder and graft charges in connection with the anomaly. According to Trillanes, Mercado, who admitted on Tuesday’s Senate hearing that he himself also got kickbacks from the project, revealed that other projects in Makati City were also overpriced. The senator said almost 90 percent of the city’s funds go only to the government officials. “Nung kinwento niya ang iba’t-ibang kalokohan diyan na ginagawa sa Makati, nako, talagang kikilabutan ho kayo. Tapos yung mga taga-Makati ang ibinibigay lang pala sa kanila barya,” he said. He said Mercado is still thinking if he would like to be placed under the DOJ’s WPP. He, however, warned that if the former vice mayor does not agree to become state witness, “maiipit ho siya diyan.” Binay’s spokesperson for political affairs Cavite Govenor Jonvic Remulla criticized Trillanes for acting as if he is with the justice department. “Si Senator Trillanes, hindi naman siya DOJ. Ang DOJ lang pwedeng magsabi nun,” Remulla said.
TAX REFORM From page 1
The senior House official expressed confidence that the reforms will be legislated since most priority measures agreed by both Houses have been enacted into law. “Support for the TRIGR movement does not only emanate from the citizenry. My colleagues in the legislature have likewise expressed their support, even clamor, for tax reforms,” Quimbo pointed out. The passage of the measure will result in a reduction in Direct Income Tax Revenues from the salary of wage earners but most importantly it will be mitigated by an increase in Indirect Tax Revenues. The Marikina lawmaker noted that the proposed tax system will make compliance by the self-employed and businessmen easier. “They refuse to pay taxes today because of the overly complex system,” he stressed. The committee chair will formally present the bill on Wednesday during the hearing of the Ways and Means Committee to be attended by representatives of the Department of Finance, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, among others. Quimbo has been working hand-in-hand with his Senate counterpart, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, in their shared goal of lowering income taxes. (MNS)
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