Usap may 29, 2013 by Balita Media Inc

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Vol. 2. No. 37

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Wednesday - Tuesday, May 29 - June 4, 2013

Taiwan protests PHL ships in disputed waters TAIPEI, May 25, 2013 (AFP) – Taiwan on Saturday protested to the Philippines for sending naval ships to disputed South China Sea islands in the latest diplomatic spat between the two governments. “The foreign ministry expresses its serious concern and firm opposition over the Philippines’ dispatch of naval vessels to Renai (Second Thomas) Shoal in the Spratly Islands,” it said in a statement. Taiwan’s government “denies all unlawful claims to sovereignty over, or occupation of, these areas by other countries” it said. The statement did not say when and how many Philippine ships were allegedly sent to the area or for how long. A foreign

ministry spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment when reached by AFP. The Spratlys, a sprawling group of islands, are claimed in whole or part by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei. The potentially resource-rich sea, home to important trade routes, is an increasingly dangerous flashpoint and there have been a string of recent diplomatic rows between countries with overlapping territorial claims. The Philippine government and military spokespeople declined to comment. Taipei and Manila have already been embroiled in a diplomatic row over the fatal shooting See TAIWAN PROTEST, page 6

Marines carry a coffin containing the remains of one of the seven marines slain during an encounter with Abu Sayyaf bandits during the funeral honours at the Philippine Marine Corps’ headquarters in Taguig city, south of Manila May 27, 2013. Seven Marines and seven Islamist militant members of the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf were killed at an encounter on May 25 at Patikul town in Sulu, southern Philippines, local media reported. (MNS photo)

AFP pursues militants as death toll hits 14

Now that the election season is over, the Department of Public Works and Highways is rushing road repairs and beautification projects here and there in time for the opening of classes on Monday (June 3). Shown in photo are DPWH personnel doing some painting job on the perimeter wall of Quezon Blvd. underpass (inset photo) and center island in front of Quiapo Church Sunday (May 26). (MNS photo)

Solons want fitness center in every barangay MANILA, May 25 (Mabuhay) – Lawmakers who won in the recent political exercise vowed to push for enactment of a measure establishing fitness centers in every barangay in the country. According to representatives Emmanuel Pacquiao (Lone District, Saranggani) and Raymond Palatino (Party List, Kabataan), who authored the bill in the 15th Congress, the measure seeks to promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league competitions and amateur sports to develop a healthy and alert citizenry. “The state of health and mental fitness of every person are controlling factors in the ability to take

fighting, he told AFP. “After the firefight, a scouring operation was conducted and a pursuit operation was launched,” he said, adding that was how they found the new fatalities. The marines were hunting down Abu Sayyaf members believed responsible for a spate of abductions of local residents including a marine’s wife when the clash broke out, Tutaan said. Although there were no new clashes on Sunday, Tutaan said helicopter gunships were now on standby, ready to reinforce the troops if they should encounter

Palace: Any party-list group has right to seek repeal of RH law

US court rules against Arizona sheriff over Latinos

advantage of education, technical capabilities and business entrepreneurship,” Pacquiao said. Palatino said establishing a community fitness center in every barangay would serve as venue for physical fitness, wellness programs and sports activities of residents there. “Our Constitution mandates the State to promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league competitions and amateur sports including training for international competitions to foster self-discipline, teamwork and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry,” Palatino said.

MANILA, May 25 (Mabuhay) – Any member of the House of Representatives has rights to make moves to repeal the controversial Reproductive Health law, Malacañang said Saturday. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte also said it’s up to members of Congress to decide, referring to possible moves to repeal the law by Buhay Hayaang Yumabong (Buhay), which topped this year’s party list race. “(C)ertainly that is their right. Member sila ng House of Representatives, isa ‘yan sa bagay na malaya silang gawin, mag-file ng repeal o amendment [sa isang batas],” Valte said on government-

See FITNESS CENTER, page 6

See RH LAW, page 6

Japan mayor mounts lengthy sex slave comment defense BY SHINGO ITO

A model showcases designs by Albert Andrada on the runway at the finale show during the last day of the 2013 Philippine Fashion Week Holiday at the SMX convention center May 26, 2013. (MNS photo)

the Abu Sayyaf again. The Abu Sayyaf, funded using seed money from Al-Qaeda in the 1990s, is blamed for the country’s worst terror attacks, including the firebombing of a ferry in Manila Bay and kidnappings of foreign tourists. The group is on the US government’s list of foreign terrorist organisations. About 600 US troops have been rotating through the southern Philippines for a decade to help train local troops in hunting the Abu Sayyaf, who enjoy local support at their bases in some of the poorest areas of the Philippines.

MANILA, May 26, 2013 (AFP) – The confirmed death toll from fighting between Philippine troops and al-Qaeda linked extremists rose to 14 on Sunday as troops pursued the militants, a military spokesman said. Soldiers were pressing on with their hunt for the Abu Sayyaf group a day after a bloody clash on the remote southern island of Jolo, said Brigadier General Domingo Tutaan. Two more Abu Sayyaf fighters were found dead, adding to the five militants and seven marines reported killed in the first day of

TOKYO, May 27, 2013 (AFP) – The combative mayor of Osaka took on Japan’s foreign press corps Monday in a nearly threehour defence of his comments on wartime sex slaves. Toru Hashimoto again insisted Japan’s soldiers were not uniquely guilty in their widely-condemned “comfort women” system, claiming systemic trafficking for sexual purposes by armies around the world. Hashimoto drew ire earlier this month after suggesting the See JAPAN MAYOR, page 6

LOS ANGELES, May 24, 2013 (AFP – ights activists welcomed a US court’s ruling Friday against an Arizona’s sheriff who calls himself America’s toughest lawmen, which said he improperly targeted Hispanics for routine traffic stops. A federal judge said the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) must stop “using race or Latino ancestry as a factor in determining to stop any vehicle in Maricopa County with a Latino occupant,” among other orders. A group of Hispanic drivers sued Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in a case that went to trial last year, accusing his officers of using race to determine which motorists to stop.

In his ruling, Judge Murray Snow said “the evidence demonstrates that the MCSO specifically equated being a Hispanic or Mexican (as opposed to Caucasian or African-American) day laborer with being an unauthorized alien.” The judge ordered the MCSO to stop activities, including “using race or Latino ancestry as a factor in making law enforcement decisions” and “detaining Latino occupants of vehicles... for a period longer than reasonably necessary.” The American Civil Liberties Union hailed the ruling. “This is a victory for everyone,” said Cecillia Wang of the ACLU See ARIZONA SHERIFF, page 6

DepEd assures locals of first crack at teacher hiring MANILA, May 25 (Mabuhay) – Local residents have received an assurance from the Department of Education (DepEd) they will have first crack at being hired for teaching jobs in their local schools. The DepEd cited its Order No. 12 issued last year, where it prioritizes the hiring of applicants “who hail from the community where the school is located.” “In filling up vacant positions, priority shall be given to bona fide residents of the barangay, municipality, city, or province where the school is located, in no particular order,” the DepEd said in a news release. It also said the ruling applies to the “appointment or assignment of teachers in all public elementary and secondary schools and other learning centers under DepEd.” The DepEd said Bona fide residents include “a qualified applicant who is, prior to appointment, a resident for a period of at least six months of a particular baranSee DEPED ASSURES, page 6 gay, municipality, city or prov-

Wednesday - Tuesday, May 29 - June 4, 2013

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Solons propose creation of freedom parks for right to public assembly MANILA, May 27 (Mabuhay) – Two lawmakers are urging Congress to fortify the constitutional provision on the right to public assembly, one of the liberties vital to the nation’s democratic survival. Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City) said through House Bill 1065 or the Public Assembly Act, the creation of freedom parks all over the country will be institutionalized. Under the bill, a freedom park is defined as any place or location such as parks, roads, public buildings and premises where public assemblies are usually held in which no permit is required for the holding of the same. The Mindanao solon said it has been 18 years since the restoration of the long and hard fought democratic form of government has been installed in the bureaucracy. “And yet, the nation seems to be manifesting palpable and ostentatious symptoms of deterioration in our freedom of speech, press and assembly, which are the harbingers and hallmarks of our democratic rights and privileges,” Rodriguez said. He said that compared to the lifespan of every democratic system, this is the period when all paramount values of democratic existence are at its formative years. He added, “We are in the period when the government should be cultivating the very foundation beneficial to its development and stability.” “But frustratingly, the opposite is shown in recent events like the disturbing documented reports of harassment and violence committed against protesters exercising free speech,” Rodriguez said. The measure provides that the procession, rallies, parades, demonstrations, public meetings and assemblages for religious purposes shall be governed by local ordinances. “But such ordinances shall only regulate the time, place and location of the proposed mass action and shall not in any way deny the lawful exercise of such right,” Rodriguez said. As for when a permit is required, the bill states that a written permit shall be required for any person or persons to organize and hold a public assembly in a public place. However, no permit shall be required if the public assembly shall be done or made in a freedom park duly established by law, ordinance, implementing rules and regulation or in a private property in which case only the consent of the owner is required. The bill prohibits the holding of any assembly by any leader organizer without having first secured that written permit in areas where a permit is required from the appropriate office concerned. Another prohibition is the arbitrary and unjustifiable denial or modification of a permit in violation of this Act by the local chief executive of his official representative. The unjustified discharge of firearms by a member of any law enforcement agency or any person in an attempt to disperse the public assembly as well as the carrying of a deadly or offensive weapon or device such as firearm, bladed weapon, pillbox, bomb and the like, among others, are also prohibited under the bill. The bill penalizes any person found guilty and convicted of violating any provisions of this Act shall be punished with imprisonment of not more than 12 years and a fine of not more P100,000. Rep. Maximo B. Rodriguez Jr. (Party-list, Abante Mindanao), another author of the bill said the curtailment of the freedom of assembly has an impact that transcends far beyond those whose rights were restricted, but it goes and strikes at the very heart and core of the country’s democratic system. “Let us learn from our history, let us learn from our obstinacy,” the party-list solon said. (MNS)

Gov’t addressing classroom shortage – Malacañang says MANILA, May 28 (Mabuhay) – In order to meet President Benigno S. Aquino III’s directive to address the 66,800 classroom shortage by this year, the Departments of Education (DepEd) and Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are on top of and are addressing the situation, a Malacanang official said on Tuesday. In a press briefing, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government is cognizant of the need to close the classroom gap in order to advance the learning of Filipino students by providing a conducive study atmosphere for all. “Of course, tinutugunan natin (ang classroom shortage). We are very well aware of the classroom shortage that we have apart from the year-on-year requirements that need to be met. That’s why meron na nga pong ongoing project ang DepEd at ang DPWH to address the classroom shortage,” Valte said. She pointed out that the DepEd and DPWH are acting towards constructing more two-storey classrooms in the province and in Metro Manila. “So, yes, that is being addressed and we’re looking to cut that backlog (of classrooms) significantly,” Valte said. She noted of the headway gained by the government under the President’s instructions to address the textbook and school furniture shortage. “As you have seen, nabanggit po ng Pangulo ‘yung shortage doon sa mga textbooks, that has already been addressed. ‘Yung shortage doon sa mga upuan at sa mga furniture, that has already also been addressed,” Valte said. “And even in typhoon-hit areas, if I may mention,’yung doon sa… Davao at sa Compostela Valley, ina-address na rin po natin ang kanilang mga pangangailangan, kasi meron po yatang mga structures that cannot be used because of the damage caused by the typhoon,” she added. (MNS)

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Palace: PHL deliberately keeping fishermen away from Panatag Shoal MANILA, May 27 (Mabuhay) – The government is deliberately keeping its fishermen away from the disputed Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in northern Philippines to avoid sparking tension with China over the area, a Palace spokesperson said Monday. At a press briefing, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Philippines is not giving up its rights over the shoal, but has deliberately chosen “not to respond to any provocative actions.” “It is a deliberate choice not to respond or not to make any actions that will tend to escalate the situation,” Valte said at a press briefing. She added that the Philippine government believes that the “best” way to deal with the territorial dispute is to pursue international arbitration. “If you notice our response to maritime disputes, we have always taken it to the proper forum. From where we stand, we cannot take any action that wil tend to exacerbate the situation apart from the approach that we have already taken,” she said. Standoff aftermath Last year, Philippine and Chinese vessels en-

gaged in a standoff at the shoal, which is located 124 nautical miles off the coast of Masinloc town in Zambales. The Philippines claims that the shoal is part of its territory under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while China asserts its historical claim over the area. Last January, the Philippines brought its territorial dispute with China before a United Nations tribunal, asking Beijing “to desist from unlawful activities that violate the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of the Philippines under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.” Despite this, however, Filipino fishermen said they can no longer catch fish near the Panatag Shoal because they are being chased by Chinese forces. Valte, for her part, said that the Philippines’ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) are providing assitance to the fishermen who are being affected by the territorial dispute. She said the bureau is helping local fishermen “find alternative fishing grounds.” (MNS)

PHL surprised by France foreign aid blacklist PHL surprised by France foreign aid blacklist MANILA, May 28 (Mabuhay) – Malacañang is surprised over reports that France has blacklisted the Philippines as one of the “non-cooperative states” in investigating foreign aid fraud. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that the Finance department is getting more information on it, adding that the matter was not mentioned in instances when the Philippines was working with the French government on “several initiatives” in the finance sector. “We’d like to get the scope of the factors that they considered when it came to that particular conclusion because some donations particularly for foreign

aid, hindi naman po ‘yan din lahat sa government binibigay. There are NGOs that also are the recipients of grants… So we’d like to get muna the universe of what was considered before we respond to it,” Valte said. An Agence France-Presse report said France has drawn up a blacklist of 17 countries including Switzerland that do not help investigate foreign aid fraud, banning the use of their banks to help distribute development funds. Aides to development minister Pascal Canfin were unable to say how much French foreign aid currently transits via banks in the countries featured on the new blacklist.

Govt shifts to rehabilitation, rebuilding communities for typhoon ‘Pablo’ victims MANILA, May 25 (Mabuhay) – Nearly six months after Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) devastated parts of Mindanao, the government is shifting into rebuilding and rehabilitation for victims of the calamity. President Benigno Aquino III met Friday with Task Force Pablo and instructed government agencies concerned to make sure their efforts will be sustainable. “Mahigpit na bilin ng pangulo, kailangan masigurado ang rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts natin ay sustainable. Apart from lending assistance when it comes to housing and shelters that are needed, pinapatiyak ng pangulo kailangan sustainable,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in an interview on government-run dzRB radio. She said the immediate challenges involve housing, food and livelihood. “Kaagapay ang livelihood training at pagtulong sa paghanap sa kabuhayan sa lugar na yan,” she

added. Typhoon Pablo devastated parts of Mindanao when it hit last December. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said as of Dec. 25 last year, Pablo left at least 1,067 dead, 2,666 injured and 834 missing. It affected 711,682 families or 6,243,998 people in 3,064 villages in 318 towns and 40 cities in 34 provinces. Damage to property was estimated at P36.949 billion, including P7.565 billion in infrastructure and P26.526 billion in agriculture. Valte said that to date, the national government continues to extend help to the local government units of the affected areas. “Ang challenges natin ngayon nag-shift na tayo sa relief, and ngayon sa rebuilding and rehabilitation,” she said. (MNS)

Aquino vetoes law giving more benefits to centenarians MANILA, May 28 (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Aquino III has vetoed a proposed law that seeks to give more benefits to Filipino centenarians. At a press briefing Tuesday, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the measure was vetoed because the 75-percent discount on goods and services being proposed by the bill for centenarians was “too heavy” for businesses. “The intent of the law is certainly very laudable. Ang sinentruhan lang po nung veto, the proposal na 75 percent po ang magiging discount doon sa sales of goods and services in favor of the centenarians... Lampas na po ‘yan din doon sa magiging profit margins ng mga retail providers po natin at business establishments,” Valte said. She added the proposed legislation was also vetoed because it “did not provide for a tax credit or a tax deduction for establishments to recover the setback” from the suggested discounts for centenarians. “Ang mangyayari po, kung naipasa ito, ang mag-

be-bare po ng burden noong 75 percent ay ‘yung negosyo. Hindi po nila make-claim as a tax deduction,” she said. In a statement, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, the bill’s author at the House of Representatives, blamed Sen. Francis Pangilinan for the measure’s fate, saying it was the senator who raised the proposed discount rate to 75 percent from the original 50 percent. Albay went as far as accusing Pangilinan of copying his version of the bill. “Bill grabbers are sometimes the bane of legislation because instead of assuring the enactment of a measure into law, they prejudice the final approval of a bill by the President,” he said. Lagman said the House was only “constrained to concur” with the Senate version of the bill due to lack of time. Valte, for her part, encouraged legislators to “assess” the bill and re-file it next Congress. (MNS)

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MANILA, May 28 (Mabuhay) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is converging with other government agencies in pushing for the establishment of a Social Protection Floor (SPF) which will provide minimum protection for informal sector workers, Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz announced Tuesday. In a statement, Baldoz said the SPF is necessary since it will provide safeguard to those who are underemployed, self-employed, and unpaid family workers in five identified priority occupational groups who are more vulnerable than others when it comes to employment. Labor chief said the five occupational groups include: (1) farmers, forestry workers, and fishermen constituting 4.786 million workers; (2) laborers and unskilled workers totaling some 4.388 million workers; (3) service workers and shop market sales workers constituting 1.071 million workers; (4) trade and related workers which has 608,000 workers; and (5) drivers which has 396,000 work-

ers. “Social protection is integral to achieving a better and improved quality of life for the workers in the informal sectors by equalizing access to development opportunities and by reducing vulnerabilities of these workers and their families against risks, particularly in times of crisis, that can push them down to poverty,” Baldoz said. DOLE chief said the SPF system will be composed of guarantees of access to essential health services; income support for children for education, health, and nutrition; income assistance for economically active groups who do not have sufficient earnings in case of contingencies; and financial support for elderly population. “It is part of the objectives of the Enhanced Social Protection Operational Framework and Strategy of the Philippines which identified four core programs where interventions are categorized into social insurance, labor market interventions, social safety nets, and social welfare,” she said. (MNS)

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Philippines’ April budget surplus at fresh record MANILA, May 27 (Mabuhay) – The Philippines’ budget surplus hit P36.8 billion in April, the highest level recorded for the month. Data from the Department of Finance showed the April surplus exceeded the P32.8 billion program and is 19% higher than the year-ago surplus of P31.02 billion. Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima attributed the increase in government’s budget surplus in April to the intensified tax collection efforts, particularly by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). “This most recent fiscal performance report is heartening to us, as it vindicates our belief that a drive for good governance and has tangible effects on our ability to raise revenues, resulting in more fiscal space towards our priority programs,” Purisima said. For the January to April period, the deficit stood at P29.7 billion versus P2.9 billion a year ago. The government adjusted this year’s budget deficit goal to P238 billion from P241 billion to reflect changes in the revenue targets of the Bureau of Internal Reveue, Bureau of Customs and programmed

expenditures. Manila spent P153.2 billion in April, up 25% from a year earlier, bringing total spending in the first four months of the year to P584 billion. The government has a spending program of P1.98 trillion in 2013. Fitch Ratings delivered the Philippines’ first investment grade rating in March, citing a persistent current account surplus and an improved debt-toGDP ratio, a move followed five weeks later by Standard & Poor’s. The government wants to limit the budget deficit to 2.0 percent of GDP in 2013 through 2016, when President Benigno Aquino’s term ends. The Philippines is planning to raise at least $500 million from the sale of 10-year U.S. dollar denominated bonds to local investors in the fourth quarter to meet its funding needs and create more demand for dollars. The government has said it will source all of its borrowing requirements this year from the local debt market to help temper the peso’s appreciation against the U.S. dollar. (MNS)

Comelec recomputes ‘close’ votes for party-list groups MANILA, May 27 (Mabuhay) – The Comelec is recomputing the votes for the remaining winning party-list groups which Elections chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. described as “so close” even as certificates of canvass (COCs) continue to come in. In an interview, Brillantes said the Comelec en banc will be meeting around 3 p.m. Monday to discuss the issues on party-lists and decide whether they will proclaim the remaining winning groups. “Pag uusapan namin lahat yun, magmi-meeting kami ng alas-3. Critical lahat. Magdedesisyon kami by 3 or 4 o’clock, after that magre-recomputation, yun ang ilalabas namin, otherwise kung hindi kami magkasundo, bukas ng umaga,” he told reporters. “Marami kasing issue... hindi lang yung 12 (na nadisqualify) ang issue dyan, marami pa kaming pinag-uusapan na ibang connected sa party-list such as yung hindi dumarating na dumating na (COCs), meron pang dumarating,” he added. Asked how many COCs are involved, Brillantes said the Comelec statistics department is still computing to determine the exact number. And even though he believes the numbers involved are negligible, Brillantes noted that since the votes are close, they still need to recompute it. “Very negligible na yun pero dikit na dikit lahat e, kaya kailangan naming recomputin lahat yun,” he said. “Wala nga bitin nga lahat 58 (seats), 57, 56, 55.

depende kung ano ang mapag uusapan ngayong alas tres kasi marami pa kaming hindi nareresolve. Kaya nga namin kinocompute para malaman kung nakakaapekto yun kasi baka makaapekto, para sigurado,” he added. Asked if they will be able to proclaim the winners Monday, Brillantes said they will but if the en banc fails to have a decision, the proclamation will most likely be held Tuesday. “Magpo-proclaim kami ngayong araw. Alas singko, alas sais, alas syete (ng gabi ang proclamation) hindi ko alam. Mag-aaway pa kami kung meron kaming pag-aawayan. Kung hindi kami magkasundo, magdedebate pa kami,” he said. On Friday, the Comelec proclaimed the top 14 winning party-list groups. On party-list groups with two sets of nominees, Brillantes said they will resolve it before June 30, when the term of the incumbent elected officials end. He said what is important now is the proclamation of the party-list groups. “Saka na yun, hindi naman importante. We will resolve that before June 30. Ang pinoproclaim mo yung party hindi yung tao,” he said. The poll chairman refused to comment if they will wait for the Supreme Court to issue a decision on the case of disqualified Senior Citizens Party who has sought a deferment on the proclamation of the remaining winning party-list groups.

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Grace overcame ‘stumbles’ during campaign - Drilon MANILA, May 27 (Mabuhay) – Sen. Frank Drilon on Monday said Team PNoy candidate Grace Poe’s feat of topping the senatorial election is a “pleasant surprise” especially after she made some blunders during the campaign. Drilon said Poe was able to overcome a controversy wherein she told the audience in Cebu that her father, the late Action King Fernando Poe Jr., was cheated in Cebu during the 2004 presidential election. Grace later clarified it was the political leadership in Cebu during the elections that was responsible for the cheating. “In the first rally in Cebu, she phrased this statement: ‘Dinaya niyo ang tatay ko dito sa Cebu.’ I really fell off my chair. I had to grab her. Hindi lang yun. She didn’t mean that the people watching her ang nandaya. It was the political leadership at that time. But the way it was phrased as if kayo ang nandaya. And a few others. It was not that serious missteps that caused damage but we did not want it repeated,” Drilon recounted. The senator said he did not expect Poe to top the polls but noted that their own surveys indicated that she was on the upswing. “In the case of Grace, we saw her surveys consistently moving up while the others were either on a plateau while some candidates lost, some started very high but the trajectory in the next or four surveys indicated they were going down so we knew they were goners,” he said. “Initially she was known as FPJ’s daughter but as the campaign went on and she was exposed to the public and to the voters, it was quite obvious that she could stand on her own and she was a very pleasant new face in politics. So her trajectory kept on moving up and therefore while it was a surprise, it was a pleasant surprise,” he added. (MNS)

Mindanao is important to mining industry, says MGB chief MANILA, May 27 (Mabuhay) – Out of the 397 mining contracts and permits issued by the government as of April 2013, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau said Monday that 31 percent or 123 are in Mindanao, including 106 out of 339 mineral production sharing agreements. Also, 16 exploration permits out of 52 and 1 financial or technical assistance agreements were all based in Mindanao. “The figures on operating metallic mines are more interesting for Mindanao,” Mines Bureau executive director Leo Jasareno told the Chamber of Mines during a mining forum in Quezon City Out of the 38 operating metallic mines of the country, as of May 2013, 20 or 53 percent are in Mindanao. “When the MGB started accepting mining applications on March 18, 2013, after a moratorium of

about 2 years, 16 exploration permit applications or 29 percent of the 56 accepted so far are situated in Mindanao,” noted Jasareno. “The numbers clearly demonstrate the very important role of Mindanao in the Philippines minerals industry today,” Jasareno told reporters on the sidelines of the first “Mining Forum: The Mindanao mining agenda: Socioeconomic Transformation.” At the forum, Mai Dalena Samling, a female tribal chieftain of the B’laan in Tampakan, South Cotabato said tribe members were already benefiting from the presence of the Sagittarius Mines Inc. the proponent of the $5.9 billion Tampakan copper-gold project in South Cotabato. “Without it, may be our children would not be able to go to school until now. There will still be no roads, no water, or health centers,” Samling noted.

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Palace condemns NPA rebelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attack on policemen MANILA, May 27 (Mabuhay) - Malacanang on Monday condemned the latest attack launched by the communist Nw Peoples Army (NPAs) in Cagayan Province that killed seven members of the Philippine National Police. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We condemn the attack on our people and what I can tell you right now from the PNP is that their pursuit operations against the perpetrators are ongoing,â&#x20AC;? said Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte in a press briefing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Muli pinapaabot natin iyong ating taos-pusong pakikiramay doon sa kanilang mga pamilya,â&#x20AC;? she said. At least seven members of the Special Action Force of the PNP have died and seven others were injured when they were ambushed around 8:30 Monday morning by unidentified number of fully-armed NPA rebels along the road near the boundary of barangays Cataratan and Centro West, Allacapan, Cagayan. Reports said the policemen were on board in vehicle from their detachment at Barangay Cataratan, Allacapan town enroute to the headquarters of the Cagayan police provincial office to undergo the routine physical fitness check-up when they were ambushed. Authorities said the ambush site was allegedly two kilometers away from the police station of Allacapan town. The Cagayan ambush occurred a few days after seven soldiers were killed and nine others were wounded in Sulu firefight with the extremist group Abu Sayyaf. Without divulging the operational details of what the actions are, Valte said government forces have heightened their pursuit operations against the perpetrators. When asked if thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a need to convene the National Security Council at this time, the Palace official said President Benigno Aquino III had told her that â&#x20AC;&#x153;given the capabilities that we have and the limitations, we are dealing with it in the way that at this particular level.â&#x20AC;? She also assured that the families of the slain men in uniform will receive the full assistance from the government. Aside from the pension that the families of the victims will receive, Valte said the children of the slain soldiers and policemen will also receive educational assistance and burial assistance from the government. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Meron (din) pong cash assistance in varying amounts. Kasama na po doon iyong mga nagiging contributions nila doon sa ibaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ibang financial institutions within the military,â&#x20AC;? she said. (MNS)

Palace: No need to convene Security Council yet on Ayungin Shoal row MANILA, May 25 (Mabuhay) -- MalacaĂąang sees no need yet to convene the National Security Council (NSC) over the sighting of Chinese ships and fishing boats near Ayungin Shoal in the disputed Spratly Islands. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said President Benigno Aquino III wants to continue pursuing a diplomatic solution and follow a rules-based approach, adding that Manila will deliberately not respond to â&#x20AC;&#x153;provocativeâ&#x20AC;? statements or actions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sabi ng pangulo, we will continue to deal with the problem in the way we have dealt with the others. Ano ang resources available to us. So far weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re dealing with it on the level that is effective for us, so kung calling the NSC, parang hindi pa kailangan at this point,â&#x20AC;? she said on government-run dzRB radio. Earlier this week, at least three Chinese ships and 10 fishing boats were seen near Ayungin Shoal, despite a diplomatic protest the Philippines lodged against Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intrusion. The latest sighting was reported on Wednesday, after the Philippines had filed a protest May 10 against the â&#x20AC;&#x153;provocativeâ&#x20AC;? presence of Chinese vessels around Ayungin Shoal. Valte said while the Philippines views the alleged intrusion â&#x20AC;&#x153;with grave concern,â&#x20AC;? it had chosen not to respond to â&#x20AC;&#x153;provocative statements and actions.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have not changed our stand in the maritime disputes we had in past years. We have chosen not to respond to provocative statements and actions that may not be productive to the path we have chosen,â&#x20AC;? she said. When asked if the Philippines will increase patrols in the area, she said the non-response is â&#x20AC;&#x153;deliberate.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;(As far as Ayungin), we have chosen not to respond, it is deliberate on the part of the Philippine government not to respond,â&#x20AC;? she said. (MNS)

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Despite losses, soldiers morale still high - AFP chief MANILA, May 27 (Mabuhay) - Despite suffering loss of lives in an encounter with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) Saturday morning, the morale of the Filipino soldier is still high, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The morale of our people continues to be high. This is an incident which will not deter our people from performing their mandate of protecting the people and the state, the security and sovereignty of the state, and the national territory,â&#x20AC;? Bautista said at the sidelines of the ceremony honoring the seven fallen Marines at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City Monday. Seven Marines, including an officer, were killed in an encounter with the bandits. Bautista added he has also talked with Western Mindanao ground commanders, including the Marine brigade in Sulu, and directed them to continue the hot pursuit operations against the ASG. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The directive for them is to continue to pursue the perpetrators of this incident,â&#x20AC;? he said. Bautista said the Philippine Navy (PN) investigation on the ambush is a standard operating procedure.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;After any encounter whether the outcome is positive or negative, we conduct inquiries for the lessons we learned, out of this incidents. In fact we document these,â&#x20AC;? he said. Earlier, PN Spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said the bodies of the seven soldiers were flown out of Edwin Andrews Airbase, Zamboanga City via a C-130 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Herculesâ&#x20AC;? cargo aircraft Sunday afternoon. The military plane arrived at Villamor Air Base around 4:35 p.m., he said. Fabic identified the slain troopers as 2nd Lt. Alfredo Lorin, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class of 2011, Cpl. Jay Alasain, Pfc. Andres Bogwana, Pfc. Rene Gare, Pfc. Jayson Durante, Pfc. Dominador Sabejon and Pfc. Roxas Pizarro. The troopers are members of the Force Recon Class-18 who encountered on Saturday undetermined numbers of bandits while tracking down the group involved in kidnapping incidents in Sulu. The families of the fallen heroes will receive financial assistance from the PN and will likewise be entitled with scholarship grants. Full military honors were accorded to the victims. (MNS)

Resolve issue with Taiwan government for the sake of OFWs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; solons QUEZON CITY, May 25 (Mabuhay) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lawmakers on Saturday called on the Aquino administration to resolve diplomatically its conflict with the government of Taiwan in connection with the May 9 shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by members of the Philippine Coast Guard to protect the bilateral relations of both countries and ensure the safety of Filipinos working there. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We should participate in an unbiased investigation of the incident for it to be resolved at the soonest possible time because our fellowmen in Taiwan are suffering the adverse effects of the shooting incident,â&#x20AC;? Rep. Marcelino Teodoro (1st District, Marikina City) said. Teodoro also urged the government to refrain from issuing statements that will exacerbate the situation. Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan (Party-list, Gabriela) said the Philippines should be more upfront and

stop denying its culpability. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If the Taiwanese government is already extending a conciliatory move by proposing a joint investigation, what do we lose if we agree? Unless we are hiding something,â&#x20AC;? Ilagan said. Ilagan said the Philippines has to display some amount of cooperation without looking subservient because a lot is at stake especially the work and safety of OFWs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;PNoy should desist from issuing statements that only incense the Taiwanese. Why not wait for the results of the inquiry so that he would not be forced to take back his words should an honest to goodness, unbiased investigation prove him wrong,â&#x20AC;? Ilagan stressed. Meanwhile, Taiwan termed the death of fisherman Hung Shi-cheng from the hands of members of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) as an â&#x20AC;&#x153;extrajudicial and inhumaneâ&#x20AC;? killing.(MNS)

Protect seafarers from pirates - solon MANILA, May 27 (Mabuhay) - Alarmed by the increasing number of attacks and hijacking by Somali pirates, re-elected Congressman Rufus Rodriguez Monday said it is high time for the government to come up with measures or guidelines to ensure the safety and protection of Filipino seafarers in the open seas. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The International Maritime Bureau-Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB-PRC) reported last July 16, 2012 that there were a total of 180 attacks and 20 hijackings by Somali pirates where 212 hostages and 11 vessels were held captive,â&#x20AC;? Rodriguez said. Rodriguez, who just won his last term as representative of the second legislative district of Cagayan de Oro City, also urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to make representations with the IMB-PRC, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only manned center receiving and disseminating reports of piracy and armed robbery 24 hours a day across the globe, to come up with guidelines that could help protect and provide assistance to Filipino seafarers in cases of attacks by pirates in the seas. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Filipino seafarers are always in danger of being victims of Somali pirates,â&#x20AC;? Rodriguez said. DFA records show that about 45 Filipino seafarers on board five ships were held captive by Somali

pirates on July 3, 2012 with some reportedly in detention since March 29, 2012. Last March 26, 2012, eight Filipino seafarers on board the Iranian-owned Eglantine ship were held hostage when the ship was hijacked by pirates off the south-western coast of India. This remains a significant threat resulting in estimated worldwide losses of US billion to US$ 16 billion per year and loss of lives due to piracy in the seas, according to Rodriguez. Rodriguez said the country is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main supplier of seamen since 1987. Filipino seamen comprise more than 25 percent of 1.5 million mariners worldwide, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;single biggest nationality blocâ&#x20AC;? in the shipping industry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Filipino seamen are often recruited to man tankers and sea vessels from countries, including those from North America, South America, Europe and Asia, such as Japan, the United States, Panama, Liberia, Cyprus, Bahamas, Jamaica, Greece, Malta, Singapore, Norway and the Republic of Germany,â&#x20AC;? Rodriguez said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is imperative for the government to act and urge IMO, the United Nations and other agencies responsible to ensure the safety and security of the shipping industry and the prevention of maritime pollution by ships,â&#x20AC;? Rodriguez added. (MNS)

Sick workers pay price for Chinese growth BY CAROL HUANG

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SHUANGXI, China, May 28, 2013 (AFP) - As China boomed around 200 men set out from Shuangxiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rural idyll to build its infrastructure and skyscrapers. Now lung disease from dust has killed a quarter of them and 100 more are waiting to die. Back home amid rice paddies and forested hills, Xu Zuoqing walks outside and his face contorts in pain from the effort. As he struggles to breathe, his wife rushes over a stool so he can recuperate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like my lungs are being choked. My chest feels so tight,â&#x20AC;? says the 44-year-old who worked on construction sites for about 15 years, his voice strained at times. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just wish I could die comfortably... Well, I wish I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to die.â&#x20AC;? Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more than three decades of roaring growth, which propelled it to become the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second-largest economy, have been built on a huge supply of cheap migrant labour from the countryside - currently 230 million of them. But safety standards are poorly enforced and according to experts, millions of those workers are now ill with pneumoconiosis, the incurable lung disease that has crippled Xu. It comes in various forms, from the asbestosis suffered by builders to black lung disease, which affects miners. Official statistics say China has had 676,541 cases of pneumoconiosis, or 90 percent of all work-related illnesses, but campaigners say the actual total could be as high as six million. A fifth of the recorded victims have already died. Pneumoconiosis often lies undetected for years, so that workers at mines, quarries, factories and construction sites prolong their exposure to dust building up in their lungs, until they find it agonising to work, walk or even breathe.

Poor rural families lose their breadwinner and are left instead with hefty bills for medical care that can only dull the pain at best -- the government only covers basic healthcare and companies rarely pay compensation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can delay the progress of the disease through certain drugs and treatments, but... it is basically a death sentence,â&#x20AC;? said Geoff Crothall, spokesman for the Hong Kong-based advocacy group China Labour Bulletin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re talking about three to four generations affected by the loss of the major breadwinner of the family. And often itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just one member of a family. We have many cases of fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins all being affected.â&#x20AC;? In Shuangxi, a village of several hundred people in the central province of Hunan, cases of illness are steadily becoming fatalities. There is the mother who lost four of her five sons. The two brothers who died. The one so wracked by pain that he killed himself with an overdose of medicine last month. Xuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother passed away in February, leaving his five- and 12-year-old children to be raised by their grandmother. Xu worries about his own little ones, currently 10 and 12. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hope they finish school,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hope they grow up fast.â&#x20AC;? The preferred destination for the men of Shuangxi was the boom town of Shenzhen bordering Hong Kong, where they found work drilling and blasting holes on construction sites, enveloping themselves in swirls of dust with only flimsy face masks for protection. It was not until the late 2000s that the hazards began to emerge -- as one by one they grew too weak to work, and the first of the sick died. But they are among the better-off victims.

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UTREACH Cuisia leads economic Diplomacy blitzin North Carolina, Virginia WASHINGTON, D.C.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;The Philippines continues to take advantage of its new status as an emerging tiger with by intensifying its economic diplomacy blitz in the United States to promote greater trade and investment. The focus of the latest economic diplomacy efforts were the states of North Carolina and Virginia, which were visited by Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia only a few weeks after the successful holding of the 2nd Philippine Investment Roadshow in California, Illinois and Massachusetts. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a good time to enhance our trade relations, given the renewed optimism and confidence in the Philippines under President Benigno S. Aquino IIIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s administration,â&#x20AC;? Ambassador Cuisia said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whether in terms of our macroeconomic indicators or competitiveness rankings, the Philippine economy is at an all-time high in many respects. The reason is simple: we believe that good governance is good economics.â&#x20AC;? The Ambassador visited North Carolina from 20 to 22 May and Virginia on 16 to 17 May. He was accompanied in both trips by Commercial Counsellor Maria Roseni Alvero and Second Secretary and Consul Lilibeth Almonte-Arbez who along with Second Secretary and Consul Angelito Nayan comprise the Embassyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic team. In his meetings with officials and business leaders in North Carolina and Virginia, Ambassador Cuisia made sure he was able to put the Philippines on their radar screen, in terms of its strategic location in Southeast Asia, its proven competitive advantage, the significant talent and skills of the Filipino workforce, as well as priority being given by the government in various sectors such as information technology and business process outsourcing, agribusiness, mining, tourism, housing, shipbuilding and

energy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I see tremendous market opportunities for Philippine exports particularly of food, garments and furniture and interest in investments in electronics manufacturing and biotechnology, and clinical research outsourcing ,â&#x20AC;? the Ambassador said, as he also flagged the potentials for publicprivate partnership in infrastructure development specifically in energy and transport sectors. In North Carolina, Ambassador Cuisia called on Governor Pat McCrory and Mayor Nancy McFarlane in the state capital, Raleigh. He also visited the North Carolina Biotechnology Center as well as companies in Raleigh and High Point such as Phillips Collection, RF Micro Devices Inc., and Arbovax to encourage them to expand their operations in the Philippines. Ambassador Cuisia also met with Councilman David Howard of Charlotte, home to energy and power companies like Duke Energy, which ranks No. 2 in banking and financial services in the United States. In Virginia, the Ambassador met with State Delegate Ron Villanueva and officials of Virginia Beach Economic Development Department and Port of Virginia Authority; Virginia Beach Councilman Glenn Davis, Chief Executive Officer of On Call Holdings International; and the Navy Exchange Service Command. He also visited the newly opened branch of Jollibee in Virginia Beach, the Filipino fastfood chainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 28th store in the US. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hope that as a result of our visits, we can work on a platform to bring North Carolina and Virginia and Philippine businesses closer,â&#x20AC;? Ambassador Cuisia said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We should explore complementarities and seize mutual opportunities in our economies.â&#x20AC;? Statistics show the Philippines enjoying a favourable

balance of trade with both North Carolina and Virginia. In 2011, the Philippines exported $192 million worth of furniture, apparel and other goods to North Carolina and imported $88 million of electric machinery and sound equipment, among others. In the same year, the Philippines also exported $72 million worth of electric machinery, apparel and other goods to Virginia and imported $59 million worth of paper, meat and other items. The economic missions to the two states followed the visits to Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston of a top-notch business delegation from Manila led by prominent economist Bernardo Villegas that participated in the 2nd Philippines Investment Roadshow. As a result of the strong interest expressed on the Philippines by American government and corporate executives, Ambassador Cuisia, said plans are underway for the 3rd Philippine Investment Roadshow in Houston, Atlanta and Philadelphia sometime between April and May next year.

Obama travels to tornadoravaged Oklahoma BY JEWEL SAMAD

Moore, Oklahoma, May 26, 2013 (AFP) - US President Barack Obama on Sunday offered solace and support to residents of Oklahoma as they rebuild their shattered lives after last weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monster tornado, which killed 24 people. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we say that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got your back, I promise you that we keep our word,â&#x20AC;? Obama declared, as he stood in front of the wreckage of the Plaza Towers Elementary school. In the shadow of the now unrecognizable mountain of twisted metal and wood, where many of the 10 child victims of the storm lost their lives, he praised the local response â&#x20AC;&#x153;from the forecasters who issued the warnings to the first responders who digged through the rubble to the teachers who shielded with their own bodies their students.â&#x20AC;? He also praised those who have offered shelter for those whose homes were destroyed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a strong community. With strong character. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no doubt theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to bounce back, but they need help,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just like any of us would need help if we saw the kind of devastation that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeing here.â&#x20AC;? Obama was in Oklahoma to view the devastation firsthand and meet with survivors and first responders. He was accompanied through the scene by Governor Mary Fallin, FEMA administrator Craig Fugate, and other local officials. The tornado was one of the most powerful in years, damaging or destroying 1,200 homes and affecting an estimated 33,000 people, according to a recent update from officials. Initial damages have been estimated at around $2 billion. Speaking to CNN earlier in the day, Governor Fallin said she is seeking help streamlining assistance to her battered state from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following the powerful twister, which ripped through this Oklahoma suburb almost one week ago, injuring 377 people.

SoCal Edison advises Californians to conserve this summer season The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, which is jointly owned by Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and the city of Riverside, has been one of Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier energy provision stations since 1968. The station itself generates 2,200 megawatts of power â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which in turn is capable of powering over 1.4 million homes. The amount of power output coming solely from this station has exceeded and surpassed the individual power output of all other sources in the region. More importantly, due to the nature of nuclear energy production and its emission free dynamics, this facility has spared California residents from over 100,000 metric tons of smog pollutants and roughly 180 million metric tons of carbon emission. In January of 2012, the two sections or units of the San Onofre nuclear plant were taken offline due to a leak detected in a steam generator tube. Southern California Edison and its constituents are working hard to restore functionality to the facility, but with the summer season coming in full force, SCE has predicted that without the San Onofre nuclear facility being operational, residents of nearby regions, more specifically Orange County, may experience power issues. Southern California Edison believes there is sufficient contingency power sources to compensate for San Onofre, regardless, should one of these alternative transmission lines experience in issue, there is a small potential for voltage dips and power outages.

Until the San Onofre facility retains its functionality, Southern California Edison advises its customers to conserve energy the best they can in the coming summer season. The following is a list of helpful tips from Southern California Edison to make it through the Summer season: â&#x20AC;˘ Set thermostats no lower than 78 degrees â&#x20AC;˘ Use electric fans instead of air conditioning when practical â&#x20AC;˘ Turn off unused appliances and equipment â&#x20AC;˘ Shut off lights when leaving a room â&#x20AC;˘ Avoid using evaporative coolers or humidifiers when air conditioning is running, operate swimming pool equipment and energy-intensive appliances, such as dishwashers, washing machines and dryers, during early morning or evening hours; and â&#x20AC;˘ Limit the opening and reopening of refrigerators, which are major users of electricity in most homes. Southern California Edison would like to work with the community to make sure everyone receives uninterrupted power this summer season. For more information on the status of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station or Southern California Edisonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s summer energy conservation effort please visit www. SCE.com or visit www.SONGScommunity.com. Regular updates can also be found on twitter at www.twitter.com/ SCE_SONGS.

Coca-Cola plant tour highlights beverage industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic role Beverage companies in California source thousands of jobs, millions of dollars in charitable giving and billions in wages and tax revenue to support public services DOWNEY, Calif., May 21, 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Downey on Tuesday opened one of its state-of-the-art bottling plants to Asian-Pacific Islander business leaders and news media to highlight the beverage industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic role and strong ties to API-owned businesses throughout the state. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consolidated manufacturing and distribution facility in Downey, Calif., employs more than 800 residents from surrounding communities. They service more than 610 retailers and thousands of consumers across Southern California. The plant is one of dozens owned and operated around the state by the U.S nonalcoholic beverage industry. Throughout California, the industry directly employs more than 26,000 Californians in production, bottling, distribution and other roles. It supports employment of an additional 86,000 Californians in related industries â&#x20AC;&#x201C; food and beverage, entertainment and others â&#x20AC;&#x201C; many of them owned and operated by Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s API community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;California is home to more than 600,000 Asian-owned and operated businesses,â&#x20AC;? said Dennis J. Huang, executive director of the Asian Business Association of Los Angeles. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many are mom-and-pop operations, restaurants, diners, cafes, small grocery stores, convenience stores and markets, that value their relationship with U.S. beverage companies.â&#x20AC;? In California, the industry provides $2.27 billion in wages annually, and $2.35 billion in taxes to the state and $3.52 billion at the federal level. It also was the source of nearly $42 million in charitable giving in California during 2012. CocaCola and its Foundation gave more than $13 million to support active, healthy communities in 2012. They are continuing this support in 2013. All told, the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall direct economic impact in the state was estimated at $16.7 billion in 2012, according to Chuck Finnie, a spokesman for the American Beverage Association in California. Participating in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tour, in addition to the Asian Business Association, were the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, the Korean-American Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles and other organizations and associations representing and serving API businesses. In addition to being major contributors to the California economy, member companies of the American Beverage Association have been environmental leaders in the areas of recycling, fuel-efficient fleets, energy-efficient facilities and sustainable packaging. Coca-Cola Downey closed out 2012 with a 98.6% facility recycling rate and Coca-Cola has the largest hybrid truck fleet in North America, the second largest in the world. Much of the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth in state has been fueled by its

responsiveness to the needs of Californians through development of more low- and no-calorie beverages, smaller portion sizes, clear calorie labeling and shipping fewer calories to schools. CalBev is the California arm of the American Beverage Association (ABA), the Washington, D.C., industry association representing leading

nonalcoholic beverage producers, large and small, nonalcoholic beverage distributors, franchise companies and support businesses. ABA member companies bring to market hundreds of brands and beverage types, including regular and diet soft drinks, bottled water and water beverages, 100-percent juices and juice drinks, sports and energy

drinks, and ready-to-drink teas. The companies are also stepping up to lead efforts to combat obesity. Earlier this month Coca-Cola announced that it was building on its efforts to help address obesity by making four global business commitments. These include offering low- or no-calorie beverage options in every market; providing transparent, etc.

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Jessica Sanchez and Apl.de.ap performed at the Time for Hope Gala The Apl.De.Ap Foundation International and the This Time Foundation International hosted the Time for Hope Gala at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on May 18, 2013. The event was sponsored by the Honolulu Cookie Company, One Hope Wine, Red Ribbon, Sony and Tikkun Holistic Spa. Balita Media, Inc. was the official media sponsor and peakPRgroup was the public relations sponsor. The event honorees included: Allan Pineda, a.k.a. Apl.de.ap, Black Eyed Peas recording star, and Fran Flanagan of Fran Flanagan Properties and Coldwell

Banker Previews International, who both received the Spirit of Inspiration Award. Fritz Freidman, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Publicity/Sony Pictures and Regina Manzana-Sawhney, Senior Program Manager, Corporate Engineering/Google, both received the Spirit of Humanitarianism Award. The emcees were Mark Dacascos, television personality from “Dancing with the Stars” and chairman of the hit show, “The Next Iron Chef,” and Tamlyn Tomita, a television and movie actress, from shows like “Glee”, “Law and Order: Los Angeles”, “24”, and “Days of Our Lives”,

RH LAW From page 1

run dzRB radio. “As new members of the House of Representatives, they (partylist representatives) are entitled to file resolutions or bills that they think will further the interests of their constituents,” she added. One of Buhay’s representative, former Manila Mayor Jose Atienza Jr., vowed to take steps to repeal Republic Act 10354, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said. “We will work for the repeal or amendment of RH law to remove totally the condemnable provisions. If we see we have the numbers to repeal we will push for it,” the CBCP quoted Atienza as saying, in an article posted on its news site. Buhay was among the groups that had opposed the RH law, which Congress passed last December and President Benigno Aquino III signed into law. However, the Supreme Court on March 19 stopped its implementation for 120 days. Buhay topped the list of party list winners, gaining three seats in the House of Representatives. Other two Buhay nominees include Mariano Michael Velarde Jr., and William Irwin Tieng. Constitutionality challenged Buhay was among the groups that challenged the Constitutionality of RH law, as it claimed the

law might violate the right to life, which the Charter guarantees. Under the RH law, artificial family planning methods are allowed, but Buhay and the Catholic insisted only natural ones. Voting 10-5, the SC issued a status quo ante (Latin for “the way things were before”) order against Republic Act 10354. The magistrates sitting en banc also set the oral arguments on the consolidated cases against the law on June 18. On the other hand, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, principal author of the Reproductive Health law, downplayed the high court’s decision and expressed confidence that it will still uphold the constitutionality of the legislation after the oral arguments. “The status quo ante order issued by the Supreme Court is only a temporary delay in the implementation of the Reproductive Health law to enable the High Court to fully assess the merits and demerits of the pending petitions challenging the constitutionality of the RH law. I firmly believe that eventually the constitutionality of the RH law will be sustained,” Lagman said in a statement. The lawmaker maintained that the RH law did not “defile” the right to life enshrined in the Constitution. (MNS)

Jessica Sanchez and Apl.de.ap perform together at the gala.

and movies like “The Karate Kid II”, “The Joy Luck Club” and “The Day After Tomorrow”. Hollywood celebrities with Filipino roots, Tia Carrere and Lou Diamond Phillips attended the event as presenters and Black Eyed Peas singer, Fergie and her husband, Hollywood actor Josh Duhamel, showed their support by giving a video tribute to Apl.

de.ap. The event concluded with performances by Apl.de.ap, American Idol finalist Jessica Sanchez, the Lilas and ukulele virtuoso and composer, Jake Shimabukuro of Hawaii. Established in 2011, the Apl. de.ap Foundation International (ADAFI), together with its sister organization, the Apl.de.ap

Foundation – Philippines (ADAFPH), is a non-profit that enables children in the Philippines and United States to improve their lives through education, and has built fifteen schools, a computer library, and established a music program in the Philippines. For more information on Apl. de.ap’s charitable programs, visit www.wecanbeanything.com.

FITNESS CENTER From page 1

Under the bill, upon recommendation of the local health board of the municipality or city where the center is located, a fulltime fitness instructor shall be appointed to manage the center.

The fitness instructor shall receive a monthly compensation of not less than PhP10,000 charged to annual appropriations of the municipal or city health office where the center is located. The

fitness instructor shall also conduct consultation with the residents of the barangay to identify any physical fitness activity and sports program that shall be implemented by the center.(MNS)

ARIZONA SHERIFF From page 1

Immigrants’ Rights Project. “Singling people out for traffic stops and detentions because they are Latino is unconstitutional and just plain un-American. “Let this be a warning to any agency trying to enforce the ‘show me your papers’ provision of

SB 1070 and similar laws – there is no exception in the Constitution for immigration enforcement.” Arizona’s controversial SB 1070 law was passed in 2010. In June, the US Supreme Court struck most of it down, but let stand a key provision requiring police spot-checks that critics say

amount to racial profiling. There was no immediate reaction from Arpaio’s office to the ruling. About a third of Arizona’s 6.6 million residents were not born in the United States. There are an estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants in the southwestern state, which borders Mexico.

DEPED ASSURES From page 1

It said this must be backed up by legal documents to be identified by DepEd. However, the DepEd also stressed “that among the bona fide residents, the most qualified shall be prioritized in hiring.” The DepEd said interested teaching applicants may send their applications along with the necessary documents to the school head concerned.

In turn, the school head shall verify the authenticity of the documents including the proof of residency. “The school head, in turn, shall forward the application to the division superintendent who shall maintain a registry of qualified applicants. The registry has a validity of one year,” the DepEd said. (MNS)

JAPAN MAYOR From page 1

approximately 200,000 women from Korea, China, the Philippines and elsewhere who were forcibly drafted into brothels during World War II played a “necessary” role in maintaining discipline. Under questioning from journalists at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Tokyo, he stepped back from that assertion, but pressed his point that Japan was not alone. “(Sexual violation) existed in the armed forces of the United States, Britain, France, Germany and the former Soviet Union among others during World War II,” Hashimoto said. The abrasive mayor said many militaries worldwide relied on businessmen to operate wartime brothels where trafficked women were often forced to provide sex for their solBdiers. “I believe there were some forms of human trafficking at such local facilities operated by the private sector and used by the US and British militaries during World War II,” Hashimoto said. Hashimoto offered no proof of his assertions and there is no mainstream evidence that other modern militaries have employed a formal sex slavery system. Like many on the right of Japanese politics, Hashimoto has questioned whether there was direct state or military involvement in the running of “comfort stations”. “From a historical viewpoint, it is unclear if Japan, as a national policy, carried out

abduction or human trafficking,” he said. But, he added, it was immaterial and did not lessen the wrong. “In terms of human traffic, there is no difference between facilities operated with the military involvement of Japan and similar facilities run by the private sector,” he added. “Both were bad.” Newspaper polls have shown an overwhelming majority of the Japanese public thought Hashimoto’s earlier comments on “comfort women” were “inappropriate”. The press conference was well-attended by foreign media, and also attracted a goodly share of Japanese journalists wanting to write stories on how news outlets abroad had covered Hashimoto’s colourful sideshow of recent weeks. The lawyer-turned-politician, who coleads the national Japan Restoration Party, used the occasion to retract advice he gave to US military commanders in Japan urging them to allow their charges to use the country’s licensed sex businesses. He said his comments, which provoked scorn from the Pentagon, had been intended to help reduce crimes committed by service personnel in Okinawa, which has a large US military presence. But, he accepted, they had been misjudged. “I retract my inappropriate remarks to the US Army and the American people and sincerely apologise to them,” he said.

TAIWAN PROTEST From page 1

of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine coastguards who claimed his vessel had intruded into their territorial waters earlier this month. Taiwan has rejected claims that the shooting took place in Philippine waters and that the killing was “unintended”. President Ma Ying-jeou has described the incident as “cold-blooded murder”.

Amid widespread public outrage on the island, Taiwan’s government has rejected repeated apologies from the Philippines and announced a series of economic sanctions against the country, including banning the entry of any more workers. Taiwan has also recalled its de facto envoy and held a military exercise in waters near the northern Philippines last week.

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MOTORING Your hands-free device can still lead to reckless driving: study (Relaxnews) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Talking on a hands-free interested in the topic in 2009 shortly that avoided emotionally charged topics. flow to the brain is significantly increased The research team found there was during hands-free telecommunication device while behind the wheel can lead after Alberta introduced legislation that to reckless driving, according to new re- banned the use of handheld cellphones a significant increase in brain activ- in order to meet the oxygen demands of search from the University of Alberta. while driving but not hands-free devices. ity while talking on a hands-free device the neurons under the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;distractedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; condiAnnounced Friday, a pilot study lead In this study, they used a noninva- compared with the control condition.Â tion,â&#x20AC;? said Bhambhani. by Dr. Yagesh Bhambhani showed that sive optical technique called near in- â&#x20AC;?The findings also indicated that blood drivers who talk using a hands-free cel- frared spectroscopy to study the brain lular device made significantly more driv- activity of 26 participants who coming errorsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;such as crossing the center pleted a driving course using the Viline, speeding and changing lanes with- rage VS500M driving simulator at the out signalingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;compared with just driv- Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. Near ing alone. The jump in errors also cor- infrared spectroscopy allowed the reresponded with a spike in heart rate and searchers to examine real-time changes in brain activity. brain activity in the left prefrontal lobe.Â â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is commonplace knowledge, but Participants were first tested in a control

for some reason it is not getting into the condition, using the simulator to drive in public conscience that the safest thing city street conditions using no telecomto do while driving is to focus on the munications device. They were tested road,â&#x20AC;? said researcher Mayank Rehani. again while talking on a hands-free de- A new study Âżnds that talking on your hands-free device while driving leads to signiÂżcantly more driving The researchers said that they became vice during two-minute conversations errors. Photo: PĂŠter Gudella/shutterstock.com

Mercedes recalls 6,000 cars over airbag problem

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BERLIN, May 28, 2013 (AFP) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mercedes-Benz is recalling about 6,000 cars of its new A-class because of a possible flaw in the cover of the passengerside airbag unit, the German luxury auto maker said Tuesday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The airbag expands, but not the way we want it to,â&#x20AC;? said the spokesman. The affected models were produced between June and December 2012. The spokesman was not immediately able to give a figure for affected cars sold outside Germany, but said it would be low since the affected models only hit the market last September. The car owners had already been contacted, said the spokesman, adding that the inspection would take 15 minutes and a possible free repair about three and a half hours. The online version of â&#x20AC;&#x153;auto motor und sportâ&#x20AC;? magazine, which first reported the recall, said the affected models were the A180 CDI, A200 CDI, A220 CDI, A180, A200 and A250.

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Road-tripping sites help users build their itinerary

Road tripping sites help travelers build and preview their voyages. Photo: Andy Z./shutterstock.com

Ford to halt car production in Australia in 2016 By Mal Fairclough MELBOURNE, May 23, 2013 (AFP) – Ford announced Thursday it would stop making vehicles at its unprofitable Australian plants in 2016 and axe 1,200 jobs, ending an era that began in 1925 with the legendary Model T. Ford Australia chief executive Bob Graziano made the announcement as he revealed losses of Aus$141 million (US$136 million) after tax in the last financial year and Aus$600 million over the last five years. Graziano said the decision was the result of local manufacturing being “driven by increasingly challenging market conditions—including market fragmentation and the high cost of manufacturing”. Australia has annual sales of about 1.1 million new vehicles, and customers have access to some 65 brands and 365 models, with Holden, a General Motors subsidiary, and Toyota the other key manufacturers.

Graziano said this made Australia one of the most competitive and crowded automotive markets in the world, and a strong currency was making it harder for domestic carmakers to compete with cheap imports. “Given the fragmented marketplace and the low model volumes that result, we decided that manufacturing locally is no longer viable,” he said, adding that all alternatives had been considered. “Our costs are double that of Europe and nearly four times Ford in Asia. “The business case simply did not stack up, leading us to the conclusion manufacturing is not viable for Ford in Australia in the long-term.” The jobs will go at Ford’s Broadmeadows and Geelong factories in Victoria state, which will close. While manufacturing will stop, Ford will remain in Australia as an importer and dealer, employing some 1,500 people.

(Relaxnews) – A website that provides road-tripping ideas through the US has launched a new feature that allows travelers to get a virtual multi-dimensional preview of the road that lies ahead. In advance of the summer travel season when families hit the roads for the holidays, myscenicdrives.com has launched a RoadPreview feature that shows satellite images of users’ pending road trip, unfolding on their desktop “like a magic carpet ride.” The site provides roadtrip ideas with pre-planned scenic routes across the US. In addition to allowing users to anticipate the voyage ahead, the feature is also being pitched for armchair travel, says the company.

Meanwhile, road tripping sites like myscenicdrives.com, Voyajo and TripIt, which also help users build their road trip itineraries by offering driving directions, local weather, best rest stops and accommodation suggestions en route, are feeling the heat, however, from search engine giant Google which recently unveiled the latest enhancements to its Maps service. Bundling services offered by sites like Yelp, Foursquare and Zagat into one, the new Google Maps gives users everything from basic directions to restaurant recommendations, reviews, and points of interest along the way. The site also makes personalized recommendations based on the user’s activity history.

The government said it had spoken with the chief executives of Holden and Toyota and been assured that both were committed to manufacturing in Australia, but concerns remain. Last month Ford’s former global president Jac Nasser, now chairman at BHP Billiton, said the demise of Australian car manufacturing was inevitable if one or more producers closed down. “Let’s assume one of the three decide to exit Australia in terms of manufacturing, then you end up potentially with a sub-scale supplier infrastructure and, once that happens, I think it’s a domino effect,” he said. “It would be a very sad day for Australia, but unfortunately it looks like it could be inevitable.” The automaking sector employs more than 50,000 people in Australia with another 250,000 jobs in associated industries. Australian Manufacturing Workers Union national president Paul Bastian said the Ford news was a “disaster” and voiced concern at the effect in the wider

auto parts industry. “We want to take the positives out of this. We want bipartisan support to see what we can do to ensure that we have an auto industry, that we have an industry that is sustainable,” he said. Prime Minister Julia Gillard pledged Aus$39 million to help the Geelong and Broadmeadows communities deal with the job losses, and demanded Ford make its own contribution. “For those working people as they absorb this news I want to say to them we will make sure you are not left behind,” she said. Australia’s auto industry is struggling with the effects of the high local dollar, which has traded near or above parity with the greenback for almost two years, squeezing exports and compounding rising production costs. Canberra extended a Aus$3.2 billion bailout to the ailing sector at the height of the global downturn and provided additional lifelines to Ford and Holden last year.

Nissan says to recall 841,000 cars over steering glitch TOKYO, May 23, 2013 (AFP) – Japan’s number two carmaker Nissan said Thursday it would recall some 841,000 compact cars worldwide due to a steering wheel problem. The recall will cover the Micra, known as the March in some markets, and Cube models produced in Japan and Britain between 2002 and 2006, a company spokeswoman said. Nissan sold the cars – 763,000 units of Micra and 78,000 of Cube—in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, but has not received any accident reports related to the glitch, the

spokeswoman said. “A bolt in the steering wheel system may not be fastened appropriately, and in the worst-case scenario, the cars can’t be driven properly,” she said. “We will ¿x the problem free of charge in accordance with regulations in each country.” The latest recall is another blow to the rock-steady reputation for safety and reliability that Japan’s huge automakers once had. Last month four auto giants including Nissan said they were recalling nearly 3.4 million vehicles worldwide, in a blow for the country’s carmakers which once

traded on a reputation for quality and reliability. Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mazda, all cited the same malfunction of the Japanese-made passenger-side airbags. In January Toyota said it would recall nearly 1.3 million vehicles globally over airbag and windscreen wiper problems. At the end of last year Toyota said it had agreed to pay about $1.1 billion to settle a class action lawsuit launched by US vehicle owners affected by a series of mass recalls. Despite its travails, Toyota recaptured the title of world’s biggest automaker from General Motors in 2012, selling

9.75 million vehicles around the planet. Nissan’s recall report came after the Tokyo stock market closed Thursday with the benchmark Nikkei index down 7.32 percent. Nissan shares fell 3.86 percent to 1,168 yen.

Mercedes-Benz using QR codes for safety (Relaxnews) – Mercedes-Benz is adding barcode stickers to its cars so that fire, police and ambulance crews can access critical information in the event of an accident. When scanned, the QR code will direct a smartphone or tablet to a webpage identifying the make and model of the car, where airbags and batteries are located and the optimum points for cutting the vehicle open if its occupants are trapped inside. A QR code will be attached to the inside of the fuel filler flap and another to the exterior of the car on the ‘B’ pillar between the driver and passenger door on the opposite side. Mercedes hopes to roll out the feature before 2015.

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S. Korea’s plastic surgery fad goes extreme

A South Korean woman walking past a street billboard advertising double-jaw surgery at a subway station in Seoul. This picture taken on May 22, 2013 shows a South Korean woman walking past a street billboard advertising double-jaw surgery at a subway station in Seoul. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE

(SEOUL-AFP) – South Korea’s obsession with plastic surgery is moving on from standard eye and nose jobs to embrace a radical surgical procedure that requires months of often painful recovery. A stream of celebrities boast on TV shows how it gave them a “new life,” while advertisements extolling its cosmetic benefits are everywhere from street billboards to subway stations, magazines and popular Internet sites. But there’s nothing really “cosmetic” about double-jaw surgery. A radical solution to congenital facial deformities or for people unable to chew properly due to excessive over or underbite, the operation involves realigning the upper and lower jaws. One result of the bone-cutting procedure is often a slimmer jawline – and that’s what caught the attention of South Korea’s booming beauty industry. A small face with a “V-shaped” chin and jawline is considered a mark of feminine beauty in much of East Asia, along with a

high-bridged nose and big eyes. “This surgery alters your look far more dramatically than, say, Botox or a nose job because it changes your entire facial bone structure,” said Choi Jin-Young, a professor in dentistry at Seoul National University. “But it’s a very complex, potentially dangerous surgery ... it’s disturbing to see people with no real dental flaws daring to go through it just to have a small, pretty face,” Choi told AFP. The procedure, which involves general anesthesia and takes months to recover from, carries the risk of various complications including permanent facial numbness or even paralysis. Data from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons suggests South Korea has one of the highest percapita rates of plastic surgery procedures in the world. Cut throat competition among the growing number of plastic surgeons has driven some to promote more radical pro-

cedures that others might not offer. A number of celebrities, some reportedly paid by doctors, underwent doublejaw surgery and later appeared on TV talk shows saying it had provided a “turning point” in their career and personal lives. There is no official data on how many double jaw surgeries are performed. One recent study estimated the annual figure at 5,000, but it did not differentiate between cosmetic and medically prescribed procedures. Some 52 percent of those who had taken the surgery suffered sensory problems such as facial numbness, the study said. Seoul’s consumer protection agency saw the number of registered complaints surge from 29 in 2010 to 89 last year, though many more cases of post-operative problems are believed to go unreported. “My mouth keeps moving leftward and the jaw area has gone numb,” wrote one user of a medical consumer online forum, showing photos of her skewed mouth. “I can’t even feel when saliva keeps dripping out of my mouth,” she said. Last August, a 23-year-old college who underwent double-jaw surgery killed herself. She left a suicide note explaining her desperation after the surgery left her unable to chew food or stop crying due to nerve damage in a tear duct. Shin Hyon-Ho, a medical malpractice lawyer in Seoul, said he had seen cases where the surgery had resulted in chronic jaw pain, a skewed mouth, misaligned teeth and an inability to chew or smile. “The number of plastic surgery-related cases is growing ... with complications becoming more serious,” Shin said. A doctor with the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons said the procedure took off around four years ago when a Seoul dental clinic ran a major ad campaign promoting the cosmetic benefits.

As it became popular, plastic surgeons began offering the surgery, causing the price to fall and making it more affordable to more people. “If we are seeing more complications, that’s largely because the sheer number of people getting the surgery has increased rapidly in such a short period of time,” said the doctor, who declined to be identified. “Yes, it was originally invented to correct a dental deformity, but you can’t blame someone for getting the surgery to look good, especially in a place like the South where beauty, especially for women, pretty much trumps it all,” the doctor said. Advertising for the procedure is prevalent and unambiguous. “The double jaw surgery clinic chosen by the pickiest ladies,” reads one typical poster on a Seoul subway station wall, with large before and after photos. “Everyone but you has done it,” admonishes another on a metro bus. A Seoul lawmaker in January proposed setting a minimum age limit for plastic surgery, noting the danger of “bone-related surgeries” in particular. But Lim In-Sook, professor of sociology at Korea University, said legislation couldn’t tackle the root causes that push some women to risk their health for a prettier face. “This is a highly male-dominated nation where women need both brains and beauty, or often beauty more than brains, to get a job, get married and to survive in all aspects of life,” she said. Plastic surgery, according to Lim, has become just another accepted way of giving yourself an edge in what is a supercompetitive society. “So every single part of our bodies becomes an object for nip and tuck,” Lim said. “Today it’s your jaw, but who knows what we’ll have to fix tomorrow?”

‘Female Viagra’ may arrive by 2016 (Relaxnews) – A new pill, called Lybridos, may ramp up a woman’s sexual desire while also improving sexual satisfaction. Dutch and US ¿rm Emotional Brain says the pill could be on sale within three years. While P¿zer’s Viagra has been a global sensation, scientists have struggled to create a female version of the drug, because while Viagra has a physiological effect on men, increasing female desire requires both psychological and physical factors, reports say. Lybridos contains testosterone to “in-

crease sexual motivation and physiological sexual response, such as blood Àow to the genitals and lubrication,” the company says on its website. But unike Viagra, which focuses solely on achieving an erection, Lybridos targets areas of the brain related to sexual desire. Of course, libido is a complex issue, and a lack of desire could be linked to anything from boredom to a drop in hormones, such as related to menopause, experts say, and a pill to ¿x the problem (for women at least) has sparked a host of gender politicking in the media in the past week.

College women are outboozing the men: study that, the researchers said. In comparison, 60 percent of men exceeded their recommended limit of 14 drinks weekly. Plus the average woman drank more than the recommended amount in 15 percent of the weeks during the academic year. Men surpassed their limit 12 percent of the weeks in the school year. Women also reported no signs of slowing down over the course of the school year, whereas the men became less and less likely to exceed those limits as the year wore on. To reach their ¿ndings, the researchers recruited 992 (575 females, 417 males) incoming freshman at three universities in the US, with students ¿lling out When it comes to safe alcohol limits, college women are outdrinking the men, according to a new US study. Photo: Yuri Arcurs/shutterstock.com biweekly email sur(Relaxnews) – When it comes to what’s deemed safe alcohol limits, college women are outdrinking the men, according to a US study. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports that women should adhere to a seven-drink weekly limit, but more than 65 percent of freshman women in the US surpassed

Writer Daniel Bergner, who ¿rst reported on the story in the New York Times magazine last week, writes that one of the biggest sources for Àagging sexual desire could be monogamy. A clinical disorder known as hypoactive sexual-desire disorder, or a “lack of lust, when it creates emotional distress,” affects anywhere from 10-30 percent of women between the ages of 20 and 60, according to the Women with Àagging libidos may soon get their own little blue pill. AFP/HO article. The Telegraph in the UK writes that the published, and a larger trial is planned. results of a trial with Lybridos involving So far, the company says the results have more than 200 women has not yet been been “very, very promising.” veys about their recent drinking habits throughout the school year. “”Recommended drinking limits are lower for women than for men because research to date has found that women experience alcohol-related problems at lower levels of alcohol consumption than men,” said corresponding author Bettina B. Hoeppner of the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Addiction Medicine, an assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School. “It is always important to take gender into account when studying health or risk behaviors,” added Melissa A. Lewis, associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington. “Even if you hold weight constant, there are differences in terms of how alcohol affects men and women,” she said. “For example, men have more of an enzyme in the stomach – a gastric alcohol dehydrogenase – that lowers the amount of alcohol that makes it into the bloodstream.

Women more at risk than men of smoking, drinking: study (PARIS-AFP) – Women who smoke and drink heavily are at a higher risk of early death than men who do the same, a study said Tuesday. Data taken from a Europe-wide survey of some 380,000 people aged 40 and older, revealed that women faced a disproportional risk from the already wellknown ill effects of heavy alcohol and tobacco use. On a risk scale that places never-smokers on level “1”, the death risk rose to 1.38 for men who smoked one to 15 cigarettes per day, 1.86 for those who smoked 16 to 26, and 2.44 for those who smoked more. But the picture changed drastically when alcohol was thrown into the mix. For men who smoked more than 26 cigarettes and drank the equivalent of more than 30 grams of alcohol per day, the death risk on a separate scale was 2.38 compared to men who never smoked and drank up to a maximum of five grams of alcohol. For women the risk rose to a massive 3.88.

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INMENT

Why Gerald admitted relationship with Maja everybody’s peace of mind.” “I decided on my own. I decided para sa akin na rin and para sa mga nadadamay para matapos na. Ayaw ko na rin masyado pag-usapan kasi hahaba lang. Kung ano ang nabasa nila, iyon na iyon. Kung may mga tanong pa, basahin na lang,” he said. Anderson said he felt it’s about time to finally speak up about their romance, which started late last year. “It’s the right time. Hindi na dapat tinatago iyon. Wala naman dapat itago,” he said. After his StarStudio interview, Anderson said he doesn’t want to further discuss his relationship with Salvador. “Pagdating sa detalye, sa amin na iyon. Sinabi ko na [na kami na], pero pagdating sa mas malalim na detalye, sa amin na iyon,” he said. Kim and Maja’s ‘wasted friendship’ Meanwhile, Anderson broke his silence

on the “wasted” friendship of Salvador and his former girlfriend Kim Chiu. “The person that’s hurting because of our relationship is someone I cared for also. Hindi po maiiwasan na rin po ako masasaktan. All I can say about the situation is, napakahirap and the only way to get through this is being mature enough about it and just keep moving forward and being happy. Being happy for the person you love and being happy for the other person,” he said. The actor said he is aware that he and Salvador have plenty of online bashers. “Nararamdaman ko na ‘yung feelings na parang gusto ko siya. Bakit ko pipigilan? Bakit ko hahayaang mawala pa siya

Last Sunday, an emotional delas Alas admitted in a taped interview on “The Buzz” that she and Salang, her husband of one month, broke up after he allegedly Amid her controversial separation from physically abused her. (MNS) her husband, actress-comedienne Ai Ai delas Alas is seeking police protection, according to an official of the Philippine National Police (PNP). The 48-year-old actress has applied with authorities to be given security detail, PNP-Police Security and Protection Group Director Wilhelm Barlis said. According to Barlis, delas Alas’ application is still under evaluation, and will be approved once a credible threat against the actress is proven. If approved, Barlis said delas Alas may be given one to two police escorts. Ai Ai delas Alas

Piolo Pascual is happy to graduate from “pa-pogi” roles, with no less than a crime-thriller participating in the prestigious Cannes International Film Festival marking his latest portrayal. “Masaya ako, kasi it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, something out of the box, something na hindi mo ini-expect, parang hindi pa-pogi, para maiba naman,” Pascual said. Pascual is attending Cannes this year as the lead star of a the Erik Matti-directed action flick “On The Job.” The Star Cinema production will hold its world premiere at the film festival, as one of the selections of the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, or the Directors’ Fortnight, a section at Cannes held independently by the French Directors Guild. “On The Job” shows Pascual as a National Bureau of Investigation agent hunting down a hitman on the run portrayed by actor Gerald Anderson. The Kapamilya actors are joined in the film by Shaina Magdayao, Joel Torre, Joey Marquez and Angel Aquino. “We’re so excited because it’s bringing honor to the country. It’s not just about making a film, but also representing your country to a big festival,” Pascual said on Tuesday. Pascual is thrilled to headline the project, which he sees as a departure from his usual heartthrob roles on the small screen. “Lahat naman ng ginagawa natin we try to be different, para sa lahat ng role natin may ibang nakikita ang mga tao,” he said. He added: “Itong pelikula, sobrang offbeat, the audience will be surprised, es-

Gerald Anderson and Maja Salvador

Gerald Anderson revealed he admitted his relationship with Maja Salvador to the public so he could finally put an end to all the rumors that are continuously surrounding them. Anderson said it was his decision to speak about their relationship in the June 2013 issue of StarStudio magazine “for

Ai Ai seeks police protection

sa akin because of the backlash of the people? They can say what they want, but who are they to judge?” he said. In early January, Chiu expressed regret over her “wasted” friendship with Salvador, following reports of a blooming “relationship” between the “Thelma” actress and Anderson. Chiu and Anderson broke up in 2010 amid controversies surrounding their relationship. Chiu, however, had said she has already forgiven Salvador and Anderson. “Madaling magpatawad pero mahirap kalimutan yung ginawa nila sa iyo. Napatawad ko naman na sila,” Chiu said. (MNS)

No more heartthrob roles for Piolo

Piolo Pascual

pecially the Filipino audience, kasi hindi siya love story, e.” Expressing confidence in the quality of “On The Job,” Pascual urged Filipinos to pray for the success of the film in representing the country to Cannes. “Talagang maganda ‘yung pelikula. When I saw it, sabi ko, ‘Wow, anglaking pribelehiyo para sa akin to be part of this ¿lm.’ Talagang trinabaho ko ‘to for so many years, para magawa ko rin, para makasama,” he said. “Kaya gusto natin humingi ng dasal, kasi lalahok tayo sa kumpetisyon, na may mauwing award, para karangalan sa bansa natin. Even walang mauwi, it’s a blessing already to represent the country, to be part of a big festival,” he said.

Marian Rivera, Karylle meet

Marian Rivera

Karylle

Marian Rivera and Karylle, girlfriends of actor Dingdong Dantes at different times, had a recent encounter. Rivera denied that she and Karylle are not in good terms, citing their chance meeting.

“Actually, ang lagi ko ngang sinasabi, wala namang naging problema sa amin ni Karylle. Nagkataon lang na ex niya si Dong (Dantes) at naging boyfriend ko si Dong,” Rivera said. After three years of See MARIAN, page 5

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Emotional Charlene lauds Aga for election fight

Charlene Gonzales and Aga Muhlach

Television host Charlene Gonzales fought back tears as she talked about the experience that she and her husband Aga Muhlach went through during the recently concluded mid-term elections. Gonzales said Muhlach’s perseverance to seek a congressional seat so he could

MARIAN From page 4

serve the people only made her love him “a hundred million more times.” “During this whole process, I say I’m proud of Aga because he showed so much strength. I admire him even more today because ‘yung laban ni Aga, there was a point in time na it wasn’t about Aga anymore but about the ¿ght for the people,” she said. Amid the accusations of cheating during the elections, Gonzales said she is proud because her husband fought for what he believed in. Felix William “Wimpy” Fuentebella was declared winner in the tight congressional race for Camarines Sur’s 4th district. Fuentebella got 82,834 votes against Muhlach’s 80,629 votes. (MNS)

The “It’s Showtime” host is now reported to be in a relationship with singer Yael Yuzon, while Dantes and Rivera have being a couple, Dantes and Karylle broke been officially a couple for years now. up in September 2008, amid rumors linkKarylle reportedly referred to her reing the actor to Rivera, his new leading cent pleasant encounter with Rivera as a lady at the time. “blessing,” pointing to the latter’s warmth.

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Anne Anne Curtis Curtis‘No ‘NoOther OthConcert’ is adding 2nd er Concert’ is adding show at Pechanga 2nd show at Pechanga Anne Curtis ‘No Other Concert’ is adding second show at Pechanga Pechanga Resorts & Casino celebrates the Filipino Independence Day by hosting Anne Curtis’ “Annebisyosa” No Other Concert. The first stop of the concert series was held on January 28, 2012 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, followed by the second concert on March 23, 2012 in Cebu, at the Waterfront Hotel and the third concert on May 5, 2012 in Atrium, at the Limketkai Center. Her next stop will be at the Pechanga Theatre stage on Saturday, June 15 at 8:00pm and will be joined by special guests Nina and Derek Ramsay. Due to popular demand of the concert tickets, Pechanga will be hosting a second concert on Sunday, June 16 at 7:00pm. Anne Curtis began her career in the Philippines at an early age, having been discovered at the age of 12. She begins her career as she played a princess role in the movie “Magic Kingdom”. In 2008, she won the Best Actress Award from the 34th Metro Manila Film Festival. Her second movie “In Your Eyes” in 2010 also earned her a Best Support Actress Award from the 29th Luna Awards. As amazing as she is, within a month of release of her debut album in 2011, the album reached the gold status. Beside acting and singing, she was also know for fashion and television hosting as well, particularly for the popular morning variety show Showtime on ABS-CBN. Derek Ramsay was the leading man for Curtis in the 2011 Filipino romantic drama, No Other Woman, which was notable for breaking Philippine box office records. He started his show business career as one of the hosts of the Saturday entertainment magazine talk show “Entertainment Konek”. After playing a few

Anne Curtis

supporting characters in series and got his lead role in “Ysaella”, he signed a four-picture exclusive contract with Star Cinema. Like Curtis, he has had a successful career as a model, actor and has also developed himself as a proficient musician. Ramsay is now a certified “kapatid” of TV 5. Marifil Nina Girado, aka “Nina,” the Filipino pop/R&B single, songwriter & record producer, made her debut on the Filipino music scene in 2002 after signing with Warner Music Philippines. Following the release of her debut album, she received numerous awards from different organizations and multiple album certifications. She established her position in the Philippine Music Industry in 2005, after releasing her third album “Nina Live!”. She has assembled an impressive resume through both her own original songs and her renditions of popular OPM and international classics. Recently, she staged her comeback concert at the Music Museum entitled Nina Reborn. Purchase your tickets today to enjoy this marvelous concert. Tickets are available at the Pechanga Box office at $90 (Orchestra), $80 (Golden) and $70 (Silver) or at Pechanga.com/tickets. The Pechanga Box Office opens at 12:00 PM. For more information, call the Pechanga Box Office at (877) 711-2946.

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PRAYERS PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT Holy Spirit Thou who make me see everything and show me the way to reach my ideal, You who give me the divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me and who are in all instances of my life with me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank You for everything and con¿rm once more that I never want to be separated from You no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with You and my loved ones in Your perpetual glory. Amen. A person must pray this for three consecutive days without stating his wish. After the 3rd day the wish will be granted, no matter how dif¿cult it may be. Promise to publish this as soon as your favor has been granted. Grateful Thanks - H.M.T

PRAYERS

POWERFUL TRIDUUM TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT Holy Spirit Thou who make me see everything and show me the way to reach my ideal, You who give me the divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me and who are in all instances of my life with me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank You for everything and con¿rm once more that I never want to be separated from You no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with You and my loved ones in Your perpetual glory. Amen. A person must pray this for three consecutive days without stating his wish. After the 3rd day the wish will be granted, no matter how dif¿cult it may be. Promise to publish this as soon as your favor has been granted. Grateful Thanks - TOM

O most beautiful Àower of Mt. Carmel. Faithful vine and Splendor of heaven. Blessed Mother of the son of God. Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me. Show me here you are my Mother. O Holy Nary, Mother of God. Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly bessech you, from the bottom of my heart to secure me in my necessity (YOUR REQUEST) There are none that can withstand your power. O Mary conceived without sin Pray for us who have recourse to thee Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands PROMISE TO PUBLISH THIS PRAYER AND YOUR PRAYER WILL BE ANSWERED (SAY 9 HAIL MARY’S AFTER EACH PRAYER) - NICHOLAS A.

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KITCHENOMICS

Bean & Vegetable Salad and Beef & Horseradish Wraps FAMILY FEATURES

Beef & Horseradish Wraps

Baby Beets & Olives

arm weather is welcome for a variety of reasons, but for many of us it signals the season for dining al fresco. Whether stepping out back onto a porch or patio, or planning a picnic at the beach or park, the food is the star. These recipes showcase exciting flavors and easy preparation. One way to liven up outdoor menus is with unexpected ingredients, such as pickled beets. They add flavor, color and nutrition to a variety of dishes. Aunt Nellie’s line of pickled beets tastes homemade — only the peeling and pickling are done for you. Just open the jar and you’re on your way to fabulous appetizers, main dish wraps and, even, dessert. For a colorful vegetable side, a can of READ 3 or 4 Bean Salad is the perfect base. Just add fresh vegetables cut into thin strips and toss with a quick dressing. Dine al fresco — cheers to fresh air and fabulous food. For more delicious recipes made with Aunt Nellie’s products, visit www.AuntNellies.com. Additional ideas for READ salads can be found at www.ReadSalads.com.

Makes 4 servings Preparation Time: 30 minutes 1 jar (16 ounces) Aunt Nellie’s Sliced Pickled Beets 1/2 cup shredded carrots 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish 1/2 cup spreadable cheese (such as goat cheese or herb/garlic soft cheese) 2 large soft flour tortillas (about 10to 12-inch diameter) 10 green onions (green part only) 10 thin slices deli roast beef Drain beets; chop. Discard beet liquid. In medium bowl, combine beets, carrots and horseradish. Spread 1/4 cup cheese evenly over each tortilla, leaving 1-inch border. Arrange 5 green onions (do not chop) on each; press lightly into cheese. Place 5 slices beef on each tortilla covering green onions, then sprinkle beet mixture evenly over beef. Roll up in parallel direction of the green onions. Wrap each roll tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate up to 4 hours. To serve, remove plastic wrap; cut each tortilla into 2 pieces.

Makes 6 servings Preparation Time: 15 minutes 1 16-ounce jar Aunt Nellie’s Whole Baby Pickled Beets, drained 3/4 cup assorted pitted olives 1 to 2 tablespoons orange zest 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Serve at room temperature or chilled

Baby Beets & Olives

Herbed Eggplant & Beet Dip Makes 8 servings (approx. 1/4 cup each) Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes 1 jar (16 ounces) Aunt Nellie’s Sliced Pickled Beets, drained 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil 1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1-inch pieces 1 cup chopped onion 3 cloves garlic, sliced Salt Coarse ground black pepper 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt (Greek or traditional), optional 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves Pita chips, fresh vegetables Coarsely chop beets. In large nonstick skillet heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add eggplant, onion and garlic; cook 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if mixture seems too dry or begins to stick. Salt and pepper, as desired. Place eggplant mixture in bowl of food processor; process until mixture is chopped and combined. Measure out 1/2 cup chopped beets; set aside. Add remaining chopped beets to eggplant mixture. Process until dip is desired consistency. Transfer dip to serving bowl. Stir in yogurt, if desired. Stir in herbs and reserved 1/2 cup chopped beets just before serving. Serve with pita chips and vegetables for dipping. If not served immediately, cover and refrigerate up to 6 hours. Allow to stand about 15 minutes before serving if chilled.

Herbed Eggplant & Beet Dip

Bean & Vegetable Salad Makes 4 servings Preparation Time: 30 minutes 1 can (15 ounces) READ 3 or 4 Bean Salad 2 cups vegetables, cut into thin strips* 1/4 cup very thinly sliced red onion, optional Cracked black pepper Chopped parsley, optional Dressing: 2 tablespoons reserved bean salad liquid 1 tablespoon apple cider or wine vinegar 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large clove garlic, minced Drain bean salad; reserve 2 tablespoons liquid. For dressing, combine reserved bean salad liquid, vinegar, oil and garlic. Whisk until combined. In large bowl, toss together drained bean salad, vegetables and onion, if desired. Toss with dressing. Season with black pepper and stir in chopped parsley, if desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled. *Cut vegetables into thin strips about 2 x 1/4 inch. Vegetables can be one or a combination of: carrot, celery, bell pepper, cucumber, zucchini, yellow squash, or other favorite vegetable.

Smoked Salmon & Beet Wraps Makes 4 servings Preparation Time: 30 minutes 1 jar (16 ounces) Aunt Nellie’s Sliced Pickled Beets 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion 1 to 2 tablespoons capers 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon zest 1/2 cup spreadable chive cream cheese 2 large soft flour tortillas (10- to 12-inch diameter) 8 slices smoked salmon 1/2 cup baby spinach leaves Drain beets; chop. Discard beet liquid. In medium bowl, combine beets, onion, capers and lemon zest. Spread 1/4 cup cream cheese evenly over each tortilla, leaving 1-inch border. Place 4 salmon slices over cream cheese; press lightly. Top each with spinach. Sprinkle beet mixture evenly over spinach. Roll up. Wrap each roll tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate up to 4 hours. To serve, remove plastic wrap; cut each tortilla into 2 pieces.

Spicy Beet, Fruit & Nut Bars Makes 28 bars Preparation Time: 25 minutes Bake Time: 20 minutes 1 jar (15.5 ounces) Aunt Nellie’s Harvard Beets 1 package (15.25 ounces) spice cake mix 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil 1 large egg 1 cup dried mixed fruits, chopped if necessary 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds (or a combination), toasted Confectioners’ sugar Preheat oven to 350°F. Drain beets. Puree beets in food processor or blender until smooth; set aside. Line 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Place cake mix in large bowl. Add pureed beets, brown sugar, oil and egg. Beat on low speed of electric mixer 2 minutes or until completely combined, scraping bowl as necessary. Stir in fruits and nuts. Spread dough evenly in prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Cut into bars. Spicy Beet, Fruit & Nut Bars

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