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May 2013

Volume 4 - Number 9

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MARK BAUTISTA GOES NUDE ONSTAGE IN ‘THE FULL MONTY’

MARK Bautista would probably not mind if you start calling him Mark Buttista.

But probably only until this coming weekend.

The 29-year old singeractor is currently starring in the musical play “The Full Monty,” which premiered last weekend. Mounted by Viva Atlantis Theatricals at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in RCBC Plaza in Makati, the production will end its threeweek run on Sunday, May 5.

Yes, Mark goes the full monty or, in more common parlance, gets butt naked in the show. And not just on the backside but, as the title suggests, frontal too.

Some members of the audience on opening night even swear that they saw more than Mark’s bare buttocks.

They say they also caught a glimpse, albeit just for a blinkand-you’ll-miss-it split-second, of his crown jewels.

Anyone who has seen the movie would know that it ends on a skin-baring, troudropping, hip-swaying note.

The adaptation transplants the story, about a group of down and out unemployed guys who decide to perform a dance act in a strip joint to make some money, from the original UK setting to the US but retains much of the film’s story. Yes, including its titillating, crowdpleasing climax.

The full frontal flash that exposed Mark’s and co-star Arnell Ignacio’s privates was unintended. They were supposed to cover that part of their bodies with their hands at the closing moments of the show. But a miniscule delay in the switching on-and-off of the stage lights caught the two performers a bit off-guard and showing off more than they were supposed to.

“Very crucial ang timing sa scene na ‘yun and not only for us actors but for the technical crew as well, especially the lighting,” he notes. “So kailangan talaga alert kami and prepared for anything that might happen.”

Mark admits that he was initially hesitant to accept

the role in “The Full Monty” because of the nudity it entailed. He changed his mind after reading the script and getting assurances from his manager, Viva’s Boss Vic, and the show’s award-winning director, Chari Arespacochaga.

“When I read the script, I realized it was such a nice story,” Mark says. “Hindi talaga tungkol sa male stripping. It’s about family.”

He also realized that this would help him achieve his goal at this point of his career to keep growing as an artist.

Going into the rehearsals, however, the second-time theater performer (he made his stage debut in 2011 in the musical adaptation of “Noli Me Tangere”), who is marking his 10th anniversary in show business this year, found other challenges that were completely new to him.

As the story is set in Boston, he had to speak with a thick Boston accent. There was also the script’s very

Continuation on page 2

Mark Bautista

‘Stay alive,’ wife tells Jonas six years since his abduction “SANDALI lang ako,” Jonas Burgos told his wife six years ago. Hours passed without word from him. His wife knew something was wrong, because Jonas always keeps his word.

“Kinakabahan na ako noon.

Kapag sinabi niya kasing sandali lang siya, sandali lang talaga siya. So ‘yun ang inaasahan ko, sandali lang talaga siya. Pero hindi siya naging sandali,” said Jonas’ wife, letting her voice

be heard for the first time in six years.

Jonas, a political activist, was abducted in a restaurant at the Ever Gotesco Mall along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on April 28, 2007.

With Jonas’ disappearance, she, too, had to become invisible.

“Hindi ako sanay na hindi actively gumagalaw para magresolve ng isang bagay. Ang

hirap nung hindi ka makakilos ng todo, na maging bahagi doon sa paghahanap. Kasi siyempre, husband ko ‘yun. Pero alam ko kasi nga ‘yung consequence kaya kailangan kong magpigil.

So ang tiningnan ko na lang, yung pag-secure ng anak namin,” she said in “The Unheard Voice.”

The video, directed and produced by Jonas’ brother JL, was released in time

Continuation on page 2

2

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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Bosses arrested over Bangladesh building disaster SAVAR, Bangladesh — Bangladesh made a string of arrests on Saturday over the collapse of a factory complex which killed at least 351 people as exhausted rescuers battled to find more survivors among the corpses.

Twenty-nine people were pulled alive on Saturday from the rubble of the eight-storey Rana Plaza compound which caved in Wednesday morning while thousands of garment workers were stitching clothes for Western brands.

Emergency workers, gulping breaths of air freshener to mask the stench of rotting bodies, warned their task was getting tougher as survivors were losing their strength to call for help.

“There are many dead bodies but our top priority is finding those who may still be alive,” said Mahbubur Rahman, the fire service’s director of operations.

“There are some survivors. We can hear their feeble cries or hear them talking to each other,” he told AFP. Police arrested three factory owners and two engineers after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina vowed those responsible for the country’s deadliest industrial disaster would be hunted down.

Proprietors Bazlus Samad and Mahmudur Rahman Tapash were detained soon after midnight while Aminul Islam, owner of two factories based in the doomed building, was arrested Saturday night Dhaka police spokesman Masudur Rahman told AFP. They faced preliminary charges of causing death by negligence, police said.

Five factories were based in the complex at Savar, just outside Dhaka.

The government has launched a massive search for owners of two other factories and the overall proprietor of the complex, reportedly a ruling party official, after a minister alleged he built the compound without permits.

The local government deputy minister, Jahangir Kabir, identified the compound owner as Sohel Rana as police reported the man had gone into hiding.

Another building near the disaster site Rana allegedly owns was sealed after cracks appeared in the structure,

Dhaka district administrator Yusuf Harun told AFP. Senior investigating officer Kaiser Matubbor said two municipal engineers who gave the building the all-clear after an inspection on Tuesday were also arrested and could face charges of death due to negligence.

Survivors said the complex developed cracks Tuesday, but bosses ordered staff to return to the production lines.

Thousands of relatives of missing workers massed at the site to watch as bodies were pulled from the debris and laid on a school ground for identification.

Dhaka police officer Badrul Alam told AFP the “death toll is now 351”, but was set to rise as more bodies could be seen.

There is no official figure of the number of people still missing.

Akram Hossain, a deputy director of the fire service, said there were still some survivors trapped between the pancaked floors but warned their chances were “diminishing by the minute” in the sweltering tropical heat.

Rahman, the fire service’s director of operations, said rescuers were trying to carve tunnels through the wreckage and bodies could be seen everywhere.

“Pillars and beams are the biggest problem. Sometimes, even if we can locate survivors, we can’t reach them because of these beams. They take a lot of time to cut through,” he said.

Rescuers were only using hand tools like cutters and drills, fearing heavier equipment could dislodge masonry.

Although the discovery of more

American humor which he confesses took him a while to fully understand and appreciate.

His co-stars of mostly seasoned theater performers and senior stars, which include Jamie Wilson and Marco Sison, likewise intimidated him. Fortunately for him, everyone has been “very nice and super helpful, especially our director.”

Mark plays the role of an unemployed mill worker and

divorced father who needs to make a financial killing to maintain custody of his son. He says the show is “very heartwarming and it gives hope.” His own hope is for the show to move the audience emotionally. “Aside from being entertained, sana paglabas nila from the show eh may natutunan silang mga lessons at ma-inspire sila in a positive way.”

In other words, that they get won over not only by the naked flesh

survivors gave fresh impetus to the rescue effort, there was mounting anger over its slow pace.

“I’ve been here since Wednesday.

We still don’t know what happened to my aunt and sister-in-law,” said Harunur Rashid, clutching photos of his relatives.

“There are so many people, yet too little work,” he said.

Merina Begum, among those rescued on Saturday, said she and seven fellow workers trapped in the same area had been without food or water for days.

“When the rescuers brought juice, ice cream and cold water, it was the tastiest food I’ve ever had,” she told AFP. With many of Bangladesh’s 4,500 factories shut due to protests, bosses declared Saturday and Sunday a holiday.

Several thousand garment workers protested on Saturday near the disaster site but they were dispersed by police firing rubber bullets and tear gas.

Bangladesh is the world’s numbertwo garment manufacturer and the industry is the mainstay of the economy. But it has a shocking safety record, with a factory fire killing 111 people in November.

Britain’s Primark and Spain’s Mango have acknowledged their products were made in the block, while other brands including Walmart are investigating.

The accident has prompted new accusations from activists that Western firms place profit before safety by sourcing their products from a country where textile workers often earn less than $40 a month. ■ AFP

Bangladeshi rescuers carry a survivor who was recovered, on April 27, 2013 in Savar (AFP, Mohammad Asad)

MARK BAUTISTA GOES NUDE ONSTAGE...

Continuation from page 1

on parade but also, perhaps more importantly, by the exposed heart in the story — the full experience of “The Full Monty.”

Remaining shows for “The Full Monty” are on Saturday, April 27 at 3PM and 8PM, Sunday, April 28 at 3PM and 8PM, Friday, May 3 at 8PM, Saturday, May 4 at 3PM and 8PM, and Sunday, May 5 at 3PM and 8PM. ■ Eric T. Cabahug / InterAksyon.com /

Friday, April 26, 2013 / 9:20 pm

‘Stay alive,’ wife tells Jonas six years...

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

for the sixth anniversary of Jonas’ abduction.

Where is Tati? She describes how their daughter, Yumi, would always look for her “Tati.” “Si Yumi kasi, nasanay siya na mas si Tati niya ang lagi niyang kalaro, lagi niyang kakampi. Makatatay siya sa makatuwid,” said Jonas’ wife, who had to find the simplest way to explain Jonas’ disappearance to the then two-year-old Yumi.

At first, they told Yumi that her father could not come home yet, because he was very far away.

After a few months, they explained that there was a problem. Bad men had taken her father. After a year, they told Yumi that bad soldiers had taken her father. Now, with Jonas missing for six years, the explanation is deeper.

“Kahit na na-explain mo nang ganun, dumaan pa din doon sa medyo nagtampo siya. Kasi every night sinasabi ko, ibulong mo kay Tati sa hangin. Ibulong mo sa hangin para kay Tati na mahal natin siya. Maging malakas lang siya,” Jonas’ wife said.

Growing up, Yumi would see her father’s face on television and in newspapers. But the recent picture of Jonas, allegedly taken days after he was abducted, was something they tried to keep Yumi from seeing.

Yumi only saw the photo a few days ago, and she did not stare at it for long. “Napansin ko rin sa kanya, alam niya na hindi niya dapat rin tingnan ng matagal. She usually stares, pero noong nakita niya yung ganung face ng Tati niya, hindi siya nagtagal. Alam ko na kung ano yung iniisip niya,” Jonas’ wife said.

“Mama, sana si Tati nakikita niya ako,” Yumi once said at school.

“Nanigas akong ganoon. Hindi ko malaman kung anong sasabihin ko. Siguro may ilang minutes akong natigilan nang ganoon. Sinabi ko na lang, ano.... ‘Anak kaya natin binivideo kako, kasi para kapag nakabalik na si Tati,’ kako, ‘mapapakita natin lahat. So wala siyang mami-miss,’ sabi kong ganun,” Jonas’ wife said.

Stay alive. Yumi and her mother continue to whisper “I love you,” hoping the wind will carry their words to Jonas. “’Di ba sabi ko nga sayo, hindi ako magsasawang sabihin ‘yun. Na mahal na mahal kita,” Jonas’ wife said.

She told him to stay alive, and stay strong. “Manatili kang malakas para magawa nating magkasamasama pa uli. Huwag kang mawawalan ng pagasa,” she said, adding that she believed they would still be reunited.

Continuation from page 1

Jonas Burgos

“One way or another, magkakasama pa tayo ulit. Malakas naman ‘yung pakiramdam ko doon.

‘Yung pakiramdam na ‘yun, that is what keeps me going. Ang hirap man paniwalaan ‘yung pakiramdam na ‘yun. Pero ako sa sarili ko sigurado ako doon. Keep the faith, Ga,” she said.

Desaparecidos. According to human rights group Karapatan, there were 206 enforced disappearances in the nine years of former President Gloria MacapagalArroyo’s administration, and over 1,000 victims of extrajudicial killings.

Meanwhile, Karapatan documented 137 victims of extrajudicial killing and 14 of enforced disappearance under President Benigno Aquino III. Burgos’ case is among the 101 priorities for investigation identified by an interagency committeetasked by Aquino to monitor extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.

The Court of Appeals on March 27 implicated Philippine Army officer Maj. Harry Baliaga, as responsible for the kidnapping of Burgos.

The Supreme Court on April 12 ordered Armed Forces chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista to submit a “confidential report” on the whereabouts of the soldiers identified in an “After Apprehension Report.”

The report was among the new pieces of evidence submitted to the SC by Jonas’ mother, Edita Burgos, last April 1.

Last week, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle joined calls to surface Jonas, leading a Mass to mark the sixth year of Jonas’ disappearance. ■ Carmela G. Lapeña / LBG, GMA News / April 28, 2013 12:24pm

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28/11/2012 10:48

Brazil IPO fever signals confidence in economy 4

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A plate reading Banco do Brasil (Bank of Brazil) is seen at the entrance of the institution in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on April 26, 2013. The market launch of a Brazilian insurer, an arm of Banco do Brasil, raised $5.7 billion, the world’s biggest initial public offering this year and a sign of rising confidence in Latin America’s biggest economy.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

A Brazilian insurer’s market launch Thursday raised $5.7 billion, the world’s biggest initial public offering this year and a sign of rising confidence in Latin America’s biggest economy.

The IPO of BB Seguridade, the insurance arm of state-owned Banco do Brasil, was also the biggest since September, when Japan Airlines raised $8.4 billion.

For Brazil, it was the biggest IPO in the country since October 2009 when Spanish bank Santander raised the equivalent of $7 billion.

That, coupled with an anticipated $5.4 billion IPO by Brazil’s cement maker Votorantim Cimentos later this year, signal renewed confidence in the country’s economic prospects, analysts said.

In the first four months of 2013, the IPOs of BB Seguridade and four other Brazilian companies have raised a total of $7 billion, the economic daily Valor said.

“It is a vote of confidence in the recovery of the Brazilian economy,” said Rodrigo Branco, chief economist at the private Center for the Study of Foreign Trade (FUNCEX).

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

“The expectation of an economic recovery in Brazil explains the proliferation of IPOs with a good share price, higher than the minimum price,” he added.

Brazil’s economy eked out 0.9 percent growth in 2012, the worst performance in three years. According to the latest International Monetary Fund projections, it will expand 3.0 percent this year and 4.0 percent in 2014.

Votorantim Cimentos, the country’s top cement producer, has set its sights on a $5.4 billion IPO in Sao Paulo and in the United States, according to company filings with US market regulators.

The company reportedly intends to use the proceeds to further expand internationally.

“Brazil is going through an interesting phase on capital markets,” said Felipe Queiroz, an economist with Austin Rating.

“It is a significant change. There was an increase and a better distribution of company capital, which, previously, was mainly limited to banks as well as energy and mining companies,” he added.

Since 2002, the economy has stabilized, the consumer market is stronger and foreign investments are pouring in, he said.

“It’s the reverse of what is happening in the developed world, in Europe where unemployment is up and consumption dropping.

This explains why Brazilian firms are increasingly seeking investments abroad and why many of them are opening their capital to grow,” Queiroz told AFP. “When you have a company and the markets are more reliable, this leads to an IPO,” he explained.

Queiroz sees good prospects for new IPOs by companies in the industrial or non-durable consumption goods sectors.

“The only disadvantage is to lose control” of the company, he said.

“Other than that, it’s all beneficial: You raise funds on the market without having to pay interest to the banks. You only have to pay dividends to the shareholders and this comes out cheaper,” he said. ■ AFP / RIO DE JANEIRO

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BUSINESS & FINANCE

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May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Iconic Rolls-Royce sets sights on PHL, ‘Asia’s rising star’ LUXURY car sales in the Philippines account for a mere 1 percent of the yearly industry turnover, a situation that, coupled with the country’s glowing economic prospects, translates into a huge potential for expansion.

Leading think tank Moody’s Analytics recently called the Philippines “Asia’s Rising Star” in a report that only added to the global excitement of brands eyeing new markets.

Rolls-Royce, an ultra upscale brand that sells for at least €245,000 or P13,155,054.50 per unit in Europe, is seriously looking at the Philippine market, particularly these days when sales are shrinking in major markets, like China.

“There is a potential to grow the luxury cars market in the Philippines despite a relatively small volume of luxury vehicles versus total auto industry sales,” said Rommel R. Gutierrez, Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) president.

“In other countries, luxury sales account for 20 percent of the total industry sales,” said Gutierrez, who is also a vice president of Toyota Motor Philippines Inc. “Here, luxury cars sales account for only a little over 1 percent of total vehicle sales.

“The potential is really big,” he added.

Scouting for PHL dealer. Intending to ride on the growing Philippine economy is Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The company is now scouting for a dealer-partner and targets a presence in the Philippines in the fourth quarter of 2013.

The people behind the iconic British brand is banking on the Philippine elite’s love for cars as well as on its expanding economy.

“We will announce our official dealership appointment in the next month or so... and we hope to have opened showroom facilities by Q4,” Paul Harris, Rolls-Royce regional director for the Asia-Pacific, told GMA News Online in an e-mail message.

“With this in mind looking at expansion within the market is an understandably natural progression for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in order to meet the needs of our client base within the country,” said Harris.

According to a South China Morning Post article earlier this month, RollsRoyce is looking at Japan and new markets Vietnam and the Philippines to sustain the growth momentum the company achieved in 2012.

Significant growth. Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID) president, said the automotive industry expects significant growth this year based on the country’s strong economic fundamentals.

“With that said, the luxury car segment will also ride on that growth,” she added.

Rolls-Royce recently launched its newest model, the Wraith, priced at €245,000 per unit.

Notable owners of Rolls-Royce automobiles include Britain’s Royal Family.

HRH Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, owns the largest collection of Rolls-Royce cars, according to the Guinness World Record. The late pop icon Michael Jackson owned a couple of vintage models, and so did the late King of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley. LA Galaxy football star David Beckham and Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone are also listed as proud owners of the British car.

Kate Middleton took a Rolls-Royce to Westminster Abbey when she wed Britain’s Prince William on April 29, 2011.

A question of quality. Last January, luxury car sales in the Philippines grew by 21 percent to 472 cars from 373 a year earlier. Mercedes Benz has long been a favorite of wealthy Filipinos, but BMW sedans and even sports cars have been trendy in recent years.

For the whole of 2012, Philippine dealers sold 4,652 luxury cars, up by 1.48 percent from 4,583 in 2011. The numbers exclude sales of Jaguar cars.

In its weekly report, Metrobank Research noted the industry targets to sell around 200,000 units this year.

“Expect automotive sales to grow modestly this year as the environment continues to be supportive of robust consumer spending. Interest rates are expected to remain low while inflation is still expected to be manageable, especially as global economic conditions continue to be weak,” it said.

“The Philippines... boasts of an upper echelon that could satisfy the demand for luxury vehicles where price is not the primary factor for purchase,” said AVID’s Agudo.

“Buyers in this segment tend to maintain more than one vehicle in their garage as the purchase of

vehicles in the luxury segment tends to favor wants over the basic need for transportation. As such, variety will always be welcomed by consumers in this category,” Agudo noted.

The luxury market is more of a question of quality and brand association rather than quantity, so different brands would not find their respective growths hindered, said Gutierrez.

“Luxury cars are more a personal choice for the customer and it is great to see a plethora of choices available for the discerning Filipino buyer,” he added.

Last year, Ferrari and Maserati opened showrooms in Metro Manila. ■ Danessa O. Rivera / VS/HS, GMA News / April 26, 2013 7:24pm

8

BUSINESS & FINANCE

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Analysts: 2% SDA rate may not yield desired effect, Bangko Sentral to go for more cuts

A 2 percent yield on special deposit accounts (SDA) may not be enough to unleash more money into the economy and stoke output growth, prompting analysts to go into fearless forecast mode and predict that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will likely bring the SDA rate down by another 50 basis points before the year is out.

The Bangko Sentral’s policy setting Monetary Board on Thursday lowered the SDA rate by 50 basis points to 2 percent, a move designed to push unused funds—estimated at P1.929 trillion as of April—out of the central bank vault and into more productive economic endeavors.

But another cut may still be needed as investors are expected to continue parking funds into the SDA window at 2 percent and riskier assets like equities at still higher returns.

Tracking the benchmark PSEi— now hovering above the 7,000 mark from 5,812.73 as of the last trading day of 2012—Philippine shares on average gained by over 20 percent.

The central bank uses the SDA facility as a tool to sop up excess liquidity and manage inflation.

Banks, however, see the tool as an opportunity to park money at a better yield than Treasury bill rates.

In a research note Friday, Hong Kong-based economist at HongKong Shanghai Banking Corporation

Ltd. Trinh Nguyen said the lack of investment opportunities would belie the central bank’s intent.

“Contrary to the BSP’s wishes, however, the additional liquidity appears to be flowing into the asset markets, as attested by the PSEi’s strong performance,” Nguyen said.

She noted the 27 all-time highs posted by the Philippine Stock Exchange so far this year.

On Friday, the PSEi bounced back to the 7,000 level during the morning session. Analysts pointed out the rebound was cued by the SDA rate cut.

But “... the underlying problem facing the Philippines is not a dearth of liquidity but limited investment opportunities,” Nguyen said, emphasizing the “need to improve the business environment and carry out necessary reforms to motivate Filipinos to channel funds away from the SDA facility.”

Despite the central bank’s continued assault on the SDA rates, the facility is holding nearly P2 trillion.

Joey Cuyegkeng, a Manila-based economist at ING Bank NV, said the effect of the SDA rate cut on the “real economy” depends on the need for funds.

“It all depends... if there is ample economic activity... with corporations borrowing for expansion... to get financing... From the rate cut, it’s not

sure that things would happen along those lines,” he said.

The real impact of the latest 50-basis point cut on money flows is not yet evident, but analysts say the prevailing investment and inflation environment seems to dictate a much lower SDA rate.

Cuyegkeng forecasts another 50 basis points cut as early as June to support the economy amid “two consecutive monthly declines in exports revenues in January and February.”

Citing benign inflation expectations, HSBC’s Nguyen said “the BSP might be tempted to reduce the SDA rate further if SDA balances do not decrease in response to the aggressive cuts implemented thus far.”

In a separate note also sent Friday, Singapored-based economist at Nomura Holdings Euben Paracuelles noted: “50 basis points cut in SDA rates to 1.50 percent at the next monetary board meeting, but there is a rising risk that BSP could do more from there,” he said.

Last January, the Monetary Board rationalized all SDA yields to 3 percent, which were all earlier priced at a premium over policy rates of 3.5 percent. The board also ordered a 50-basis point cut to 2.5 percent. ■

Siegfrid O. Alegado / VS, GMA News / April 26, 2013 2:41pm

PAL expands to 12 new international, domestic routes FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines to other key cities or countries launched on Friday a dozen new destinations as it continues to expand its route network.

In a kick-off ceremony, PAL President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang unveiled the 12 new destinations to Australia, China, Malaysia and the Middle East – including a new domestic service to Northern Luzon.

PAL’s route expansion in the Middle East will open strategic gateways and allow greater connectivity to more destinations in the region, Ang said.

“From UAE [United Arab emirates], for example, overseas Filipino workers can easily connect

through PAL’s airline partners in the Gulf,” Ang added.

Moreover, Ang said the Philippines’ robust economy, recent credit rating upgrade, exciting tourist destinations and the country’s geographical advantage as a jump-off point to many Asian cities are behind PAL’s aggressive expansion.

The 12 new destination points are: Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), on May 2; Darwin (Australia), June 1; Brisbane (Australia), June 1; Perth (Australia), June 1; Guangzhou (China), June 2; Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), October 1; Doha

(Qatar) November 1; Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), December 1; Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Dec. 1; Dammam (Saudi Arabia), Dec. 1; Dubai (United Arab Emirates), November 1; and Basco, Batanes in northerm Luzon, May 1.

PAL’s current network, operated with PAL Express, consists of 32 domestic and 28 international points. ■ EA /LBG, GMA News / April 26, 2013 1:41pm

PHL bans poultry imports from China

THE government has imposed a temporary ban on the importation of poultry and poultry products from China because of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Shanghai.

In a memorandum order dated April 17, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H7N9 Avaian influenza in poultry in Shanghai and neighboring regions on the Eastern seaboard.

“There is a need to prevent the entry of pathogenic virus causing Avian flu to protect the health of the local poultry population,” Alcala said in the memorandum order.

He said quarantine officials should also be cautious of travelers who may bring poultry and poultry products from China.

Covered by the ban are domestic and wild birds and their products, including day-old chicks, eggs, and semen.

The Bureau of Animal Industry is tasked to immediately suspend

the processing, evaluation, and issuance of veterinary quarantine clearance or international veterinary certificate import permit for the importation of these commodities from China.

All shipments of poultry and poultry products from China shall also be confiscated by Agriculture quarantine inspectors stationed in major sea and air ports.

Bird flu has reportedly killed around 23 people in China since the outbreak sometime in March. ■ KBK, GMA News / April 26, 2013 5:54pm

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Auto industry jacks up full-year sales goal

MANILA - The automotive industry has jacked its sales projection for this year to a record 210,000 units following strong demand in the first quarter, historically a slow period.

Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc (Campi) president Roque Rommel T. Gutierrez told reporters on Monday that sales of at least 210,000 can be attained by yearend. Campi earlier forecast sales hitting the 200,000unit level this year.

Car companies belonging to Campi and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) sold a combined 41,702 vehicles during the first three months, up 29.3 percent year-onyear and “representing the biggest first quarter sales in the industry’s history,” the two groups reported early this month.

The 210,000-unit target includes

sales of another group, the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc (AVID), whose members sold 7,955 units in the first three months, 4.1-percent lower than the 8,299 sold in the same period last year.

A number of distributors of luxury and Chinese car brands do not disclose sales figures, although their sales are negligible vis-a-vis the number of brand new vehicles sold in the country. ■ InterAksyon.com April 29,

2013 3:51 pm

PDIC to file for liquidation of ExportBank next month MANILA - The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp (PDIC) on Monday said it would begin liquidation of Export and Industry Bank (EIB) next month, warning that the proceeds of the asset sale may not be enough to pay for the uninsured depositors of the shuttered lender.

In a briefing, PDIC officials said they would file a petition for assistance in the liquidation of EIB before the Makati Regional Trial Court by next month.

The state deposit insurer also would sell the assets of the bank through an auction, or if no bidder comes forward, through negotiated sale.

Nancy L. Sevilla-Samson, PDIC vice president for receivership and bank management, said the big-ticket items up for sale are the vacated units in Export Bank Plaza along Buendia that once served as the lender’s headquarters. The units have an aggregate floor area of 12,000 square meters. All other units in the building are leased out or are already sold, therefore no longer owned by EIB at the time the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) shut down the lender.

PDIC estimates the Export Bank Plaza units would fetch P1.4 billion.

The state deposit insurer is already selling the small assets such as transport equipment.

The uninsured creditors are depositors who have exceeded the maximum PDIC insurance of P500,000 per account.

Under the law, the uninsured depositors are considered ordinary creditors of the bank, which means preferred creditors must be settled first. All of the 2,666 insured or preferred creditors can be serviced, PDIC said, adding that EIB would have only a “very small amount” available for the ordinary creditors.

This means the claims of the uninsured depositors or ordinary creditors would not be settled fully.

“It’s next to impossible to pay 100 percent [of their deposits],” SevillaSamson said.

“That’s the objective why we pursued the rehabilitation [of EIB]. The value of the branch licenses would have enhanced their recovery,” she said.

At end-2012, the realizable value of EIB’s assets stood at P13.65 billion, thus the bank has to raise P11.02 billion more to cover the estimated liabilities of P24.67 billion. All of the proceeds of the asset sale would be put under an account for EIB and distributed to creditors.

Many uninsured depositors have yet to file their claims, PDIC said, adding that it has no estimate of their share from the asset sale.

“Even our attempts to write them, they are not responding so now when we file the petition for assistance [for liquidation], that would be a trigger for those who have not yet filed claims to formalize the filing of their claims to keep tabs on who are the real creditors,” Sevilla-Samson.

Aside from the liquidation, the state deposit insurer said it is pursuing forensic audit of the bank’s books as well as the pursuit of cases filed for or against EIB. On April 4, the BSP’s policy-setting Monetary Board ordered PDIC to proceedwith the liquidation of EIB on the grounds that no investor was interested to buy the bank following two failed biddings.

PDIC also did not receive any letter of interest nor pre-bid document requirements by the March 18 deadline. In addition, the 100 percent creditors’ consent required by the third party investors and stockholders was not obtained.

The BSP ordered EIB closed on April 26, 2012 after the bank declared a holiday on account of its inability to service withdrawals. InterAksyon.com April

29, 2013 4:51 pm

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4 nabbed for selling A lawyer despite long odds signal jamme rs

FOUR people were arrested and accused of selling “signal jamming” devices that could be used in next month’s automated midterm elections.

On Friday, the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) presented the four to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for inquest proceedings, for alleged violation of Republic Act 1937 or the Tariff and Custom Code, and Republic Act 8792 or the E-Commerce Law. Among those arrested was Giovannie Dee-Tan, owner of Caloocan City-based Zollner International Merchandising, which was said to be selling assorted electronic gadgets without any permit from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

Nabbed along with Tan were store cashier Betsayada Buena, and warehousemen Matthew Mercado and Rommel Orgo.

In a letter to the National Prosecution Service, Chief Inspector Jay Danao Guillermo of the PNP-ACG’s Intelligence Section said they learned about the suspect’s illegal operation from a “confidential informant” that dropped by his office on Thursday.

Two hours later, operatives from the PNP-ACG and the NTC conducted an entrapment operation by posing as buyers of signal jammers.

“The arresting police officer were then entertained by the suspect who later identified himself as Giovanni Peñalosa Dee-Tan, owner/proprietor of the said establishment where they ordered four pieces of Signal Jamming Devices in the total amount of Php 34,000,” Guillermo said.

After paying the owner marked money, the police officers arrested

him and his three employees. Police also recovered 10 more signal jammers kept in the company’s stockroom.

The four will undergo inquest proceeding, which is conducted by a public prosecutor in a criminal case involving a person caught it the act and arrested without an arrest warrant.

An inquest is done to determine whether there is enough evidence to determine whether an arrested individual should remain under custody and be charged in court.

The arrest came a day after Interior Secretary Mar Roxas asked the public to keep a close watch on signal jammers that may interfere with the electronic transmission of poll results in the May 13 midterm elections.

A signal jammer is a device used to disrupt radio signals between cellular towers and mobile phones, preventing data transmission.

If placed near a handset, it can prevent the phone from getting a signal. If directed at a local cellular antenna tower, it can stop the tower from receiving transmissions from mobile phones covering a geographical region.

According to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), a person found guilty of using signal jammers could face between eight to 12 years in prison with no parole.

That person will also be punished with perpetual disqualification of holding public office and the forfeiture of right to suffrage.

Based on initial investigation by the PNP, the Comelec, and the NTC, the signal jamming devices are being sourced from China. ■ Mark Merueñas /

KBK, GMA News / April 26, 2013 8:49pm

Aquino: No Cabinet revamp any time soon

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has ruled out any plan to reshuffle his Cabinet now that he is approaching his third year as the country’s chief executive.

Aquino said he is satisfied with the performance of the executive departments, but encouraged his Cabinet members to continue working to make their respective agencies more efficient.

“You start with the premise that you are all imperfect beings and you can always improve,” the president told reporters at the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Brunei on Wednesday night.

Aquino made this statement despite his earlier pronouncements that he wants Senators Panfilo Lacson and Francis Pangilinan to be part of his Cabinet once the lawmakers end their terms in June.

Aquino said he is particularly satisfied with the way Public Works

and Highways chief Rogelio Singson and Agriculture chief Proceso Alcala are handling their respective departments.

“We’re really open to improving all of the processes that we need to have greater efficiency. Economist ako by training, so maximum utility of each input is the mantra,” he said.

The last shake-up in Aquino’s Cabinet happened in November last year, when former Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla replaced Jose Rene Almendras as Energy secretary.

Aquino appointed Almendras as Cabinet Secretary. ■ Andreo Calonzo /

KBK, GMA News / April 25, 2013 2:50pm

When he was still four months old, Zamboanga del Norte-native Genaro Sumorostro’s life almost ended before it barely started after a gasera, or lamp, accidentally fell on his then tiny body, leaving the left side of his body burnt, his arm amputated.

Growing up was a challenge, he admitted, but Sumorostro did not let his condition dampen his life-long dream of becoming a lawyer.

Though seemingly far-fetched for someone who grew up in a family of coconut farmers from Dipolog City, Sumorostro pursued his dream and entered law school at the Andres Bonifacio College of Law. He had to be a working student as the school finances were one more obstacle he had to overcome.

Never did it occur to Sumorostro, now 30 years old, that he would one day travel to Manila and stand before the 15 magistrates of the Supreme Court as a new lawyer.

“Despite all odds, puwede naman pala kahit taga-probinsya kami,” said Sumorostro, with a beaming

smile, right after he and 948 other Bar passers took their oath as the newest lawyers of the country in front of the high court en banc.

In her speech, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno urged the new lawyers to shun the lure of corruption, and participate in a “counter-cultural revolution” to change the public perception of lawyers as “selfish, untruthful, and arrogant” individuals.

Sumorostro said he was thankful to have passed the Bar exams, despite his limited resources.

“Naging resourceful kami in terms of books and assistance sa school,” he recalled.

When he came to Manila to review for the Bar exams, Sumorostro quickly noticed how law schools in Metro Manila as well as their law students had the upper hand when it came to material resources.

“Sa klase ng schools, facilities and kahit sa pagpunta namin sa review dito, makikita mo sa mga ibang reviewees, kumpletong kumpleto na sila,” he said.

Even a freak accident that burned half his body and amputated his arm was not going to keep Zamboanga del Norte-native Genaro Sumorostro from realizing his dream to be a lawyer. GMANews.TV

But the then aspiring lawyer, who would not let his disability prevent him from achieving his dream, would certainly not let his lack of resources affect his pursuit of a law career.

“Challenge talaga pero ang importante mangarap tayo at sa parents po kung gusto niyo may maabot ang anak niyo i-start nyo na bata pa lang magkaroon ng pangarap,” he said. ■ Photo and text by Mark Merueñas / DVM/HS, GMA News / April 24, 2013 10:55pm

PHL fresh mangoes debut in Austrian market, sold out in 48hrs

PHILIPPINE fresh mangoes can now add Austria to the growing number of markets they “conquered,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said late Thursday.

The DFA cited an “overwhelming” response from the Austrian market, saying the fresh mangoes were sold out within 48 hours.

“Orders were received from as far as the western Austrian states of Tirol and Vorarlberg, and half of the shipment was delivered to buyers outside Vienna. The mangoes were promoted to hotels and restaurants in Vienna and Bratislava in neighboring Slovak Republic and samples were also given to AGROKOR-KONZUM, the largest importer and distributor of food products in Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro and the greater Balkan region,” it said.

It added the direct entry of the fresh mangoes into the Austrian market is a landmark achievement

since Philippine food products normally enter through big distribution monopolies in other European countries.

“This marketing structure makes it extremely difficult to sell food products from the Philippines in a landlocked country like Austria at competitive prices,” it said.

Also promoting the mangoes were the Honorary Consuls in St. Pölten (Austria), Zagreb (Croatia) and Bratislava (Slovak Republic).

The DFA said the first order flown directly from the Philippines to Austria arrived on April 11, through the efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Vienna.

The Embassy worked with Austrian importer Maharlika Reisevermittlung GmbH, and the Department of Trade and Industry’s Bureau of Export Promotion.

Meanwhile, the DFA said Filipino communities in Vienna, Linz,

Innsbruck and Bratislava, as well as Filipinos working in the United Nations Office in Vienna helped the Embassy and the importer in promoting the fresh mangoes to the greater Austrian market.

The DFA said the Austrian Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (“Wirtschaftskammer Österreich”) congratulated the Embassy and Maharlika Reisenvermittlung GmbH on the success of the project.

Meanwhile, Maharlika Reisenvermittlung GmbH is studying bringing other fresh fruits from the Philippines into the Austrian market.

The Philippine Embassy in Vienna is further planning to actively market processed mango products and by-products such as mango puree, mango jam, and preserved mangoes and facilitate their sale in more mainstream supermarkets and outlets. ■ LBG, GMA News / April 26, 2013 7:57am

Palace: Water supply ‘manageable’ despite lower levels at Angat

MALACAÑANG on Sunday reassured the public the water supply in Metro Manila and nearby areas remains manageable even if the water level at Angat Dam has fallen below 200 meters.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said PAGASA had projected the hot weather is to last until at least the second week of May, after which there could be rain again.

“Hopefully at this point it seems it [water supply] is still manageable ... So far wala tayong nakitang indications the situation is anything to be worried about,” she said on government-run dzRB radio.

But she also reminded Metro

Manila residents to conserve water, saying conservation should be an “everyday habit” and should not kick in only when water supply is in danger of running short.

“Hindi lang dahil mababa ang tubig medyo mas kaunti ang tubig, but that should be an everyday habit we should all acquire,” she said.

Earlier Sunday, PAGASA said water levels at Angat Dam in Bulacan, which supplies more than 90 percent of Metro Manila’s water needs, went below the 200-meter level.

As of 6 a.m. Sunday, the water level at Angat was at 199.82 meters, down from the 200.13-meter level as of 6 a.m. Saturday. Angat’s normal

high water level is 210 meters.

This was despite the rain that fell on parts of Luzon, including Bulacan and Metro Manila, on Saturday.

PAGASA had been advising residents to conserve water during the summer months to make sure there is no waste of water.

Last April 6, PAGASA hydrologist Richard Orendain said the critical level of Angat is 180 meters.

He said their models indicate the water elevation at Angat Dam, which supplies over 90 percent of Metro Manila’s water needs, may go down to 195 meters by May 15.

By May 30, he said it may go down to 192 meters if it still does not rain. ■ BM, GMA News / April 28, 2013 2:01pm

Contingency plans in place vs jammers, Comelec chief assures public

ELECTIONS chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. on Friday assured the public that the poll body has contingency plans in place in case some individuals would try to use jammers on Election Day. Signal jammers are devices used to disrupt signals between cellular towers and mobile phones, preventing data transmission. These signals will be the main method of transmission in the upcoming May 13 automated polls.

But in an interview with reporters, Brillantes said jamming cannot stop transmission throughout.

“The only adverse effect of jamming is it will delay the transmission. It will not stop the transmission, it will only delay for a few hours at most.

Hindi naman pwedeng nakajamming yan all the time,” he said.

In the 2010 polls, the Comelec also used satellite transmission or Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) for areas which have no available cellular signal.

Brillantes also said board of election inspectors (BEI) have the authority to transmit election results as many times as needed.

“Walang limit yan... we leave it to the discretion of the BEIs na kung gusto nilang...5-10 times okay lang,” he said.

In case it still doesn’t work,

w w w. g i f t o t r a v e l s . c o m Atol Protected

Serving the Filipino community for more than 44 years

Mababang Presyo Sa Kaya Ng Bulsa Huluqan 0% DILG Sec. Mar Roxas II and Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. on Thursday warn the voting public on the possibilities that signal jamming devices might be utilized by some people to delay the transmittal of ballot results in the May 13 elections. GMA News

he said BEIs can pull out the compact flash (CF) cards and try sending the data using a PCOS machine in another precinct.

Another possible solution is to bring the CF card directly to the municipal board of canvassers along with the hard copies of election returns (ER).

“There are 30 copies of the ERs so one copy should be brought together with the CF cards,” he said.

Jammers. Aside from this, Brillantes said they are also trying to educate the public about the existence of jammers.

“Maganda nga yun dahil pinag-usapan namin, blinowup na para everybody can see anong klase ito [na mga device],” he said.

With this, he said those who initially wanted to use jammers will think twice before doing so.

“Hindi na maglalabas yan masyado at tsaka continuing ang surveillance ng military tsaka police ngayon,” he said.

Brillantes also said the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has not issued any permit to import jammers, and therefore, the possession alone of these devices will be considered illegal.

“In addition to that meron pa kayong election offense kapag ginamit ninyo yan which is mabigat under RA 9369 8 to 12 years ito hindi yung regular election offense,” he said.

“The use of special devices makes it aggravating,” he added. ■ Kimberly Jane Tan / RSJ, GMA News / / April 26, 2013 1:57pm

Ombudsman to file graft charges vs. Iloilo Rep. Syjuco and wife

THE Office of the Ombudsman will file graft charges against Iloilo Rep. Augusto “Boboy” Syjuco, Jr., his wife Judy Syjuco, formerly a congresswoman, and two others over an alleged illegal fund transfer worth P20 million.

In an email statement released on Friday, the Ombudsman alleged that in 2005 former Rep. Judy Syjuco’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) worth P20 million had been illegally transferred to the Tagipusuon Cooperative through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

At that time, Boboy Syjuco was the director general of TESDA and the founder of the cooperative.

Santiago Yabut Jr., deputy director general at TESDA, and Maria Nela Yniesta, president of the Tagipusuon Cooperative, will also be facing graft charges, according to the 35-page joint resolution of the Ombudsman signed in April 24.

“The Office concluded that the acts of respondents constitute giving unwarranted benefit to Tagipusuon causing damage to the government and public interest and show evident bad faith, manifest partiality, or gross inexcusable negligence,” the statement read.

In December 2005, TESDA entered into a memorandum order with the Tagipusuon Cooperative to implement an existing I-CARE Program, a TESDA scholarship-sharing scheme.

The non-government organization acted as the implementing agency funded by then Cong. Judy Syjuco’s P20 million PDAF. However, a Commission on Audit report in 2011, revealed that P5.297 million of the said joint project has been unaccounted for.

The report said that Tagipusuon Cooperative purchased only P15 million worth of school bags, notebooks and uniforms for elementary and high school students.

Also, the Ombudsman questioned TESDA’s participation in the project since the agency should benefit middle-level manpower and not elementary and high school students.

“The action of these public officers resulted in clear undue injury to the government considering that public funds were disbursed for purposes other than what it was appropriated for, including the injury to the supposed legitimate beneficiary of the skills training program of TESDA,” the Ombudsman said.

Last month, the Ombudsman filed a separate case against the Iloilo Representative over alleged 2007 agency irregularities in various projects while he was still TESDA’s director general.

GMA News Online was unable to contact niether Augusto nor Judy Syjuco, Santiago Yabut Jr., nor Maria Nela Yniesta as of posting time. ■ Rouchelle R. Dinglasan / DVM, GMA News / April 26, 2013 11:58pm

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DOJ: School should give 105-hectare Aurora land to farmers

THE 105-hectare land in Casiguran Aurora or portions of it should already be transferred from the Aurora State College of Technology (ASCOT) to farmer-beneficiaries under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

In a 14-page legal opinion dated April 18, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the property can already be turned over after the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) earlier determined that it was “not actually, directly and exclusively used for educational purposes.”

By virtue of Proclamation No. 723, dated 21 August 1934, 110 hectares of agricultural land in Barangay Esteves (then Tinib) in Casiguran was reserved for a school of fisheries.

However, only 5 hectares of it ended up being used for the Aurora National High School of Fisheries, which was renamed Casiguran

National High School (CNHS).

The farmers are now asking that the remaining 105 hectares be given to them, especially after the property was placed under the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) through Republic Act No. 9490.

A group of Casiguran residents have a petition pending before the Supreme Court to declare the APECO as unconstitutional.

According to the farmers, the plan to convert the land into an economic freezone violates the Agrarian Reform law.

Under Republic Act 9700 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) Extension with Reforms Law, prime agricultural lands, such as irrigated rice lands, cannot be converted to other uses.

Otherwise, the conversion is illegal and will be subject to penalties under the law.

In her opinion, De Lima said she saw “no legal impediment” for the transfer of the land if the DAR and ASCOT determine that the lands are no longer being used for their intended purpose.

“With such determination, it becomes imperative for DAR and ASCOT to implement the directive in E.O. No. 448 to segregate such portions from the reservation, and to transfer them to DAR for distribution to qualified beneficiaries under the CARP,” De Lima said.

The Justice chief also said ACSCOT cannot refuse to transfer the parcel of land to the government, so long as the conditions set in Section 1-A of Executive Order No. 407, as amended by EO No. 448, are satisfied.

Section 1-A states: “All lands or portions thereof reserved by virtue of Presidential proclamations for specific public uses by the

Mayor Guingona brought to NCR; physical condition stabilizes

ONE week after she was wounded in an encounter with New People’s Army rebels, Gingoog Mayor Ruth Guingona was brought to the National Capital Region for rehabilitation and recovery.

Mayor Guingona was brought out of a hospital in Cagayan de Oro City at 1 p.m. and brought to Metro Manila, according to a report on “24 Oras.”

She is to remain at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City for six weeks to three months, even

as doctors said her condition was stable.

Once she completes her rehabilitation and recovery, she is to return to Gingoog City, where she is serving her last term.

The mayor, wife of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. and mother of administration senator Teofisto Guingona III, survived an “encounter” with NPA rebels last Saturday. Two of her aides, however, did not.

While the NPA has apologized

for the incident, it is maintaining its policy of conducting checkpoints against armed groups, including armed escorts of politicians. ■ LBG, GMA News / April 27, 2013 8:09pm

DOH urges people to be cautious when buying street food this summer THE Department of Health (DOH) urged the public to be cautious when consuming street food especially during summer season when cases of diarrhea and other microberelated illnesses spike up.

In an interview with News to Go’s Cesar Apolinario, DOH representative Lyndon Lee Suy said diarrhea cases peak during the summer break when children have better access to street food.

“Prone kasi nga dahil nasa kalye, exposed sa lahat ng posibleng carrier ng organism tulad ng flies [at] insekto,” Lee Suy explained.

He also said the preparation and handling of streetfood might not be hygienic which results in diseases caused by microbes.

Apolinario also interviewed some street vendors to check how they prepare their products.

Nilo Casuala, a fruit vendor says he always make sure that his fruits are fresh and that they are separated from the peeled skin of the fruit to prevent flies from coming near.

Casuala also said that he keeps his fruits cold through placing ice adding that “pag mawalan siya ng lamig mapapanis yun.”

Meanwhile, ice scramble vendor Ariel Tolledo says he makes sure that the ice he buys is clean for the safety of his customers.

He also said they maintain clean ingredients and food preparation utensils.

“Sa amin kasi kailangan hugas hugasan mo yung gmait. Kailanagn pag kinaumagahan malinis yun. At yung yelo ayaw namin kumuha ng bloke. Marumi yun kasi yung bloke parang may latak,” Tolledo told Apolinario.

As a reminder, the DOH said that keeping food clean is ultimately a vendors responsibility to their customers.

“Ang responsibilidad din naguumpisa yan sa mga nagbebenta ng pagkain na siguraduhin nila o mapanatili nilang maayos at

nasa tamang condition yung mga binebenta nilang pagkain dahil obligasyon nila yun sa kanilang mga bumibili,” Lee Suy said.

Reminder from the DOH. The DOH also released a health advisory in November last year to remind the public to exercise food safety habits to avoid and prevent contracting illnesses due to food contaminated with microbes.

The advisory specifically stated to investigate first if the streetfood that you’d like to eat was “prepared, cooked and and handled in hygienic manner” before you indulge.

It also advised to regularly was your hands before eating and always check for the expiration date of the food before buying. ■ Andrei Medina / VVP, GMA News / April 27, 2013 11:20am

government, its agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned or controlled corporations suitable for agriculture and no longer actually, directly and exclusively used or necessary for the purposes for which they have been reserved... shall be segregated from the reservation and transferred to the Department of Agrarian Reform for distribution to qualified beneficiaries under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.”

De Lima also cited an October 1992 ruling of the Supreme Court on the land dispute between the Central Mindanao University (CMU) and the DAR Adjudication Board over a 400-hectare property in the university, which the DARAB insisted should be covered by the CARP. “Even though, in said case, the Supreme Court strongly questioned the authority of DARAB to make such a determination (E.O. No. 448 being nonexistent at the time),

it nonetheless conceded that there could be instances where it could be justified in substituting its own judgment for that of the concerned government agency or instrumentality, such as when the evidentiary facts are so manifest as to show that there is no real need for the land,” De Lima said.

The Justice chief however stressed she thinks the 1992 SC case nevertheless “does not squarely apply in the case at bar given the substantial differences in the prevailing factual and legal milieu.”

Saying there are “marked differences” between the issues raised in the CMU case and the ASCOT case, De Lima emphasized that the “pronouncements that continue to have some relevance to the [ASCOT case]... must be construed and applied keeping in mind such significant differences.”

■ Mark Merueñas / LBG, GMA News / April 26,

2013 3:42pm

Noy: OFWs coming home due to vibrant Philippine economy

CALBAYOG CITY, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III on Friday said more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are planning to come home due to a more vibrant Philippine economy.

In a meeting with local leaders and the community held at the Calbayog Sports Complex, the President cited the newly opened Solaire Hotel in Roxas Boulevard where one of the chefs is a Filipino who had come home from the US after 24 years.

“Alam po ninyo, merong nagbukas hong hotel sa Roxas Boulevard, ang pangalan Solaire. Iyong isang kusinero, iyong chef, galing sa America, 24 years na po doon, American citizen na. And for whatever reason, nagdesisyon siya, ayoko na doon sa America, balik na ako sa Pilipinas - hindi ho para mag-retire, nagtatrabaho na siya dito sa hotel na ito,” Aquino said.

(Just to let you know, a new hotel opened in Roxas Boulevard. Its name is Solaire. The cook in that hotel, the chef, stayed in the US for 24 years, and in fact was already an American citizen. And for whatever reason, he decided he no longer desire to live in America and returned to the Philippines - not to retire but to work in that hotel.)”

President Aquino said Solaire Hotel has so far employed around

500 returning OFWs. “If you are an OFW, your income is tax-free. Back in the Philippines, even if you receive the same salary as when you’re working abroad, you have to pay income tax,” he acknowledged in Filipino. “But if I were an OFW, if this means I can be with my family, I might as well go home.”

“Our OFWs are now realizing the fruits of our good governance. They were not forced to come home, but have decided that it working and living now in the Philippines is better than working abroad.”

There are more than 10 million Filipinos working abroad. OFWs and Filipino immigrants continue to be an important source of money remittances to the Philippines, providing a vital lifeline for their families.

Personal remittances from OFWs reached $1.9 billion in January this year, representing an increase of 8.4 percent compared to the year-ago figure of $1.7 billion, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

In 2012, cash remittances from OFWs coursed through banks represented about 6.5 percent of the country’s gross national income and 8.5 percent of the gross domestic product. ■ Interaksyon / April 27, 2013

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Banks eyed to provide P35B in college student loans At present, Romulo said three out of every 10 high school graduates are unable to proceed to college, largely owing to its rising cost.

For the same reason, many of those who do manage to enter college fail to complete the typical four-year course, according to Romulo, who is seeking re-election for the lone district of Pasig City in Congress.

“Besides DBP, we have 35 licensed universal and commercial banks. If each of them just set aside P1 billion, or one-half of what DBP has allotted, then we

can easily have some P35 billion available for lending to students,” Romulo said.

Otherwise, Romulo warned the nation will likely face a diminishing number of

File SALN before April 30, govt officials, employees reminded

MALACAÑANG on Sunday issued a last-minute reminder to public servants to file their Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) on or before Tuesday, April 30.

Filing the SALNs on time is the “personal responsibility” of each government employee,” she said on government-run dzRB radio.

Also, Valte said that in the case of the Office of the President, employees had been given a deadline of April 15, so a review committee

can check how they filed their SALNs. Review committees set up by individual government agencies and departments will check if the employees complied with the new guidelines of the Civil Service Commission in filing the SALNs. “Dapat naibigay na sa review committee bago dumating ang deadline para matingnan nila (The employees should submit their SALNs to the review committees before the April 30 deadline),” she said.

Earlier, the Office of the Ombudsman reminded public servants to file their SALNs by April 30.

Government officials and employees are to file SALNs within 30 days after assuming office, and on or before April 30, and within 30 days after their separation from government service.

Failure to do so may carry a suspension of up to six months for the first offense, and dismissal from the service for the second offense. ■ LBG,

up to 2025. I’m not saying it would be 2025. Depende sa adjustment (It depends on the adjustments)... it could be later than 2025, it could actually be shorter,” he said, according to a report on “State of the Nation.”

Abaya said it would not be wise to maintain an airport amid growth of the volume of passengers.

For now, he said there is a limitation in the number of landings and takeoffs the NAIA can accommodate.

“What we plan to do with new technology is to further extend the life of NAIA,” he said.

The “State of the Nation” report quoted Makati

tie-ups with companies or employers are eligible to borrow under DBP HELPS. The schools and their partner-employers shall prequalify and select the students eligible to borrow money for tuition, board and lodging, books, uniforms, transportation, and other expenses.

The employers shall also be contracted to provide onthe-job training, subsequent employment, and automatic payroll deductions for borrowers to repay their loans.

Romulo is author of the proposed Act Establishing a Student Assistance Program

by Banks and Government Financial Institutions, which the House has already approved on third and final reading.

Under the program, an eligible student may obtain a low-cost bank loan to pay for the tuition of the college where the borrower has been accepted. The student may also use the money to finance all other schooling as well as living expenses.

The loan would have an

effective interest rate pegged to the 91-day Treasury bill rate, which stood at 0.040 percent per annum as of April 24.

The bank may apply an add-on 3.0 to 5.0 percent annual interest rate. But instead of the student paying for the extra interest charges, the lender may claim the corresponding amount as tax credits. The bank may then use the credits to pay or offset its tax obligations.

The borrower would pay off the loan periodically, starting two years after graduation, but not later than eight years after leaving college.

Borrowers would be issued either Social Security System (SSS) or Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) numbers, depending on their preferred future employment.

The bank may then enlist the SSS or GSIS to collect repayments via salary deduction or withholding.

The lender may also ask the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to help collect from borrowers with job contracts abroad. ■ InterAksyon.

com / April 28, 2013 9:25 AM

GMA News / April 28, 2013 2:07pm

DOTC: Efforts to ‘extend life’ of aging NAIA may be good only until 2025

WHILE it plans to use technology to extend the life of the aging Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said such efforts may be good only until about 2025.

DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya gave this estimate as he said they continue to study their options regarding the NAIA, which has suffered from a bad reputation due to delayed flights and poor facilities.

“If new technology can come in and we can bring up (landing and takeoff) events up to 70 we can go

college graduates in the years ahead.

“The cost of a college education has become increasingly prohibitive. It has been doubling every five years, with tuition soaring by roughly 15 percent annually,” he said.

The P2-billion DBP Higher Education Loan Program for Students, or DBP HELPS, is a wholesale credit facility using qualified colleges as conduits for student loans.

DBP’s initiative came not long after freshman Kristel Tejada’s suicide jolted the University of the Philippines.

Tejada took her own life shortly after she went on a “forced leave of absence” for being unable to pay tuition.

Qualified schools that have

Business Club president Ramon del Rosario Jr. as saying flight delays “persist in our terminals, most especially in our main gateway.”

It also noted the latest Global Competitiveness Report had ranked NAIA as one of the 112th of 144 countries in terms of the quality of air transport infrastructure.

NAIA Terminal 1 had also been tagged as among the world’s “worst” airports.

The DOTC is now studying three options for NAIA, including closing it down and improving Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

A second option is to continue operating Clark International Airport and NAIA while upgrading their facilities, while a third is to build a new airport.

However, some passengers said they are not in favor of a new airport if it will be far from the NAIA in southern Metro Manila, whose location for them is relatively convenient.

“We could build another airport that is equally convenient,” Abaya said.

■

VVP, GMA News / April 27, 2013

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IMMIGRATION / OFNEWS

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Binay thanks Kuwaiti gov’t for lifting departure ban on OFWS

VICE President Jejomar Binay on Sunday thanked the Kuwaiti government for lifting the ban on the departure of overstaying overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Binay also cited the Philippine Embassy and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Kuwait for their efforts to repatriate the overstaying OFWs. “We are grateful to the government of Kuwait, especially to Gen. Abdullak Al-Ali, for allowing our kababayans to come home and be reunited with their families,” Binay said in a post on his Facebook page.

Al-Ali, Kuwait’s chief of the Office of Domestic Workers Affairs, eased the ban due to a mutual rights cooperation with the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait and the Kuwait government.

Some 159 OFWs are expected to

return to the Philippines in groups of 50 in the coming weeks, pending the completion of their repatriation papers.

“The strong representations of our embassy officials have made it possible for our OFWs to come home.

This is telling of their commitment to go the extra mile to uphold the welfare of our migrant workers,” said Binay, who is also presidential adviser on OFW concerns.

Last Wednesday, Binay welcomed 30 of the repatriated OFWs as they arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

He instructed the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to extend to them the assistance they need. ■ KDM, GMA News / April 28, 2013

5:54pm

DFA says some 2012 e-passports found to be defective THE Department of Foreign Affairs said some e-passports it issued in 2012 are defective and urged holders to inform the agency if the ones they have happen to be so.

In a report on Friday on “Balitanghali,” the DFA said some e-passports issued last year by the DFA Office of Consular Affairs were of poor quality and whose pages easily tear when pulled off from their jackets.

Affected e-passport holders should go to Philippine embassies or consulates for replacements, the DFA added.

Also, it said holders should not try to fix the defective passports themselves because the act could be considered as tampering. ■ Gian C. Geronimo / LBG, GMA News / April 27, 2013 7:01pm

Two Pinoy law students place fourth in Harvard competition TWO Filipino law students — Gian Miranda and Janeca Naboya — placed fourth in a case competition during the International Development Conference (IDC) at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government from April 12 to 13.

In the case competition entitled “The End of Development? Why International Development Must Adapt or Fail,” the duo tackled the developmental problems in Haiti, considered to be the poorest country in the Western hemisphere.

In an email to GMA News Online, Miranda and Naboya said a panel of judges weighed in their proposals to solve some of Haiti’s developmental problems such as extreme hunger, poverty and a low literacy rate of only 62 percent.

The duo said the conference allowed them to meet “rising professionals and world leaders such as Former President of Mexico Felipe Calderon and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and President of Liberia.”

The IDC is an annual conference run and organized by students which aims to create a productive network and channel of communicaiton to create a better world.

The participants include students, practicioners and experts including international groups such

as the United Nations, International Monetary Fund and The United States Agency for International Development.

Miranda and Naboya said they intend to apply what they learned from the conference to their “organizations and academic institutions and engage in pioneering works in the field of law and international development.”

Labor advocacy.

Miranda and Naboya were awarded in Switzerland by the International Labor Organization for their short film about labor advocacy in May last year.

Both are alumni from the Ateneo de Manila Univeristy with Miranda graduating from the Law School while Naboya is a graduate of Political Science.

Miranda is currently the founder and president of the Intellectual Property Society of Ateneo and was also a TOC-TOYM awardee and a recipient of President Gloria Macapagal Leadership and Gerry Roxas Leadership Award in 2005.

On the other hand, Naboya is an editor of the Lyceum Law Journal and a member of the Moot Court Society.

She was chosen to represent the Philippines in ASEAN Youth Summit 2012 held in Cambodia. ■

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Pinoys in US cautioned on balikbayan box shipping firms FILIPINOS in the United States were cautioned over the weekend against sending home their balikbayan boxes through 11 forwarding firms.

In a news release, the Philippine Embassy to Washington said the Philippine counterpart agents of the foreign cargo consolidators are being probed for cases of undelivered balikbayan boxes.

The embassy said the warning was based on “recent advisories from the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Philippine Shipper’s Bureau (PSB).”

The DTI-Philippine Shipper’s Bureau (PSB) is also conducting an investigation into the “undelivered balikbayan boxes and other violation under PSB Administrative Order No. 6 series of 2005,” the DFA said.

It also cited an advisory from the DTI on the matter .

Among the firms cited in the DTI advisory, last updated last March 15, were: • Philippine Cargo Forwarder • AAA Cargo Express Inc. • ABS-CBN Star Kargo • Aerosend • Associated Consolidations Express (ACE Cargo)

News / April 28, 2013 1:00am

Syria says chemical weapons claims ‘barefaced lie’ DAMASCUS - Syria dismissed as a “barefaced lie” on Saturday American and British claims it may have used chemical arms, as staunch ally Russia warned against using such fears to launch a military intervention in the strife-torn country.

“First of all, I want to confirm that statements by the US secretary of state and British government are inconsistent with reality and a barefaced lie,” Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi said in an interview published on the Kremlinfunded Russia Today’s website.

“I want to stress one more time that Syria would never use it -- not only because of its adherence to the international law and rules of leading war, but because of humanitarian and moral issues,” Zohbi said.

UN chief Ban Ki-Moon has called on Syria to approve a UN mission of inspectors to probe the alleged use of chemical weapons in the spiralling conflict that erupted in March 2011.

But Zohbi told RT Damascus could not trust UN inspectors from Britain and the United States.

“We also do not trust their qualifications. Their aim is to juggle with facts.”

But he said Syria would accept Russian inspectors.

“We won’t mind if Russians would be among the experts; quite the contrary, we only welcome this idea. We are quite sure in their high qualification and ability to clearly see into such matters,” he was quoted as saying.

Along with China, Russia has blocked several UN Security Council draft resolutions threatening sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

US President Barack Obama warned Syria on Friday that using

chemical weapons would be a “game changer,” after the US, Israel and Britain cited signs that Assad’s regime attacked with the deadly agent sarin.

But Obama said Washington must act prudently, and establish exactly if, how and when such arms may have been used, promising a “vigorous” US and international probe into the latest reports.

“We have to act prudently.

We have to make assessments deliberately,” he cautioned.

Russia warned against using these reports for a military intervention in Syria.

“We must check the information immediately and in conformity with international criteria, and not use it to achieve other objectives. It must not be a pretext for an intervention in Syria,” deputy foreign minister and Middle East envoy Mikhail Bogdanov said during a visit to Beirut on Saturday.

“We have the past experience of another violent intervention in Iraqi affairs under the pretext of the presence of nuclear weapons, and it turned out in the end that there was nothing,” he added.

The spectre of the invasion of Iraq and subsequent conflict, which killed tens of thousands of Iraqis, looms large.

The Syrian opposition has stepped up pressure by urging the UN Security Council to take immediate steps, possibly even by imposing a no-fly zone on Syria.

And British Prime Minister David Cameron said the growing evidence that Assad had turned chemical agents on his own people was “extremely serious”.

The fighting in Syria, which the UN says has killed more than 70,000

Andrei Medina, VVP, GMA News / April 26, 2013 4:00pm

• FRS Philippine Freight Services, Inc. • Pentagon Cargo, Inc. • REN International • Shipping Express • South Atlantic Cargo • Star Xpress Forwarders The DTI advised consumers and consignees with complaints on undelivered, pilfered, damaged or lost balikbayan boxes to report or submit a written complaint to DTIPSB through: Fax: (02)751-3305 Email: dti_psb@yahoo.com.ph Phone: (02) 751-3330 ■ VVP, GMA

Omran al-Zohbi gives a press conference in Damascus last month.

people so far, showed no signs of abating on Saturday.

At least 10 people were killed in shelling on the Syrian town of Douma, northeast of the capital Damascus, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Nearby, in Moadamiyet al-Sham, the group reported air raids and tank fire, as well as shelling of the Barzeh district of the capital, which has been under fire for three straight days.

Elsewhere, troops carried out air raids against parts of Damascus and Aleppo province and strikes were also reported in western Latakia and southern Daraa.

On Friday, at least 127 people were killed in violence throughout the country, according to a toll from the Observatory.

Analysts said Syria’s neighbours face a growing risk of the conflict spilling across their region as Assad turns to ever more desperate acts to halt rebels.

They said Lebanon and Jordan will be the most vulnerable if the conflict spreads, while Iraq will also be affected along with Israel and Turkey.

“It is a very vulnerable region and there is a risk of escalation,” said Anthony Skinner of British risk consultancy Maplecroft.

Indeed, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki alluded to Syria on Saturday, saying sectarian strife growing in his own country “came back to Iraq because it began in another place in this region.”

“Sectarianism is evil, and the wind of sectarianism does not need a licence to cross from a country to another, because if it begins in a place, it will move to another place,” he said. ■ AFP

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18

NEWS / EVENTS DIARY

www.hello-philippines.com

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

DATE / TIME

EVENT

VENUE

ORGANISER

CONTACT / REMARKS

12 May Sunday Procession 1.00pm Mass 2.00pm 12th May

Santacruzan de Mayo 2013 Flores de Mayo - The Flowers of May Festival For all Ages and Nations 3rd Anniversary of FGT Croydon (Full Gospel Tabernacle Croydon)

Share Hope Outreach

Ate Becky: 07949857699 Lina B: 07442930059 Olive: 07581045067 Lita: 07956488817 Donna: 07896226371 Marlon: 07510908669

18th May

Miss London NABA 2013

24-26th May

History in Cornwall Chaplain: Fr Ari Dy, SJ

English Martyrs Catholic Churh Chalkhill Road Wembley Park, HA9 9EW Praise House 145-151 London Croydon CR0 2RG Camden Centre, Euston Road, London WC1H 9JE Cornwall

FGT Croydon

London Filipino Basketball Community

Sabrina Maxim: 07850 880 635 Ryan Abeleda: 07515252235 Mario: 07818021874 / 07557348240

FREE LISTING of your events on the Hello Philippines newspaper and if you know of any Events please contact us and submit your event via email to the following at info@hello-philippines.com DISCLAIMER: The Events Diary Listing does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favouring by Hello Philippines newspaper. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of Hello Philippines newspaper. This is merely an Events Diary Listing of what is happening within the Filipino Communities in Europe. This is for general information only.

2013 Monthly Filipino Community Masses in Greater London 1st Sunday

2:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m.

2nd Saturday

4:00 p.m.

2nd Sunday

2:00 p.m.

2:00 p.m.

4:00 p.m.

3rd Sunday

3:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Last Saturday

6:00 p.m.

Last Sunday

2:00 p.m.

Every Sunday

5:00 p.m.

First Wednesdays

6:30 p.m.

Five Precious Wounds Parish, Brentfield Road, Stonebridge Park, NW10 8ER Ms. Mervic Monocillo 07894636140 Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, Friary Road, Peckham SE15 1RH Mr. Allen Abeleda 077 1362 5888 St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, 103 Woolwich New Road, SE18 6EF Mr. Moises Espanola 078 9464 8639 English Martyrs Church, Chalkhill Road, Wembley Park, HA9 9EW Ms. Becky Sarinas 079 4985 7699 or 074 2576 1519 St. Dominic Catholic Church, 243 Violet Lane, Waddon, CR0 4HN Ms. Merlie Mirto 077 2221 6462 St. Anselm and St. Cecilia, 70 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2A 3JA Mr. Feliciano Ramirez 07733680748 Sacred Heart of Jesus, New Priory, Quex Road, Kilburn, London, NW6 4PS Mr. Sheidrick de Leon: 07738210202 Blessed Sacrament Parish, 157 Copenhagen Street, Islington N1 0SR Ms. Christy Sangalang: 07709119969 Our Lady of Dolours, Servite Parish Church, 264 Fulham Road, London, SW10 4EL Fr. Allan Satur: 02073526965/ fulhamroad@rcdow.org.uk/ Mr. Roland Adap r_adap@hotmail.com St. Joseph’s Catholic Church/ 218 Roehampton Lane, London SW15 4LE Mr. Rafael Santiago 077 9525 4451 Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 20 Brixton Road (Oval), SW9 6BU Mr. Ben Ortiz 0772 331 8486 Filipino Mass and Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help Farm Street Church of the Immaculate Conception (Jesuit House Chapel) Access on 114 Mount Street , W1K 3AY / Josie Ramos 077 2302 4591

An Invitation to All Nine days novena in honour of the Virgin Mary

(Flores de Mayo- The Flowers of May festival) For all Ages and Nations If you have a gown, Come and join us.

Encourage also your non Filipino friends.

Let us introduce this tradition of ours.

A Mass follows the “ALAY”. And then we gather afterwards to share light refreshment and to enjoy the shared feelings of friendship, solidarity and thanksgiving to honour the Virgin Mary.

Sunday, 12th of May 2013 at 1PM @English Martyrs Catholic Church Chalkhill Road, Wembley Park, HA9 9EW Presider: Fr Norlan Julia,SJ Assembly time for the procession 12:30pm (CHURCH Car Park) PROGRAMME: I Procession at 1 pm, Mass at 2 pm II Offerings (Alay) • Flower offerings to the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception. (parents please provide the flowers) III Mass & Novena IV Blessing of Mama Mary Statue.

V Refreshments V1 Program & Surprise children‛s games

REGISTER NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

from May 4 to May 11 at 7pm @English Martyrs Catholic Church Offering of flowers & candles to Mama Mary are most welcome.

Last day of Novena and Procession in honour of the Virgin Mary on the 12th of May at 1pm.

Followed by Offering (alay),Holy Mass (in English) & Blessing of Mama Mary Statue (bring your Mama Mary statue) Gathering at the church hall after the mass.

Donation of food to share is much appreciated.

Everybody is welcome to join or sponsor.

Please contact Ate Becky - 07949857699 /Lina B-07442930059 Olive-07581045067/ Lita-07956488817 sharehopeoutreach@hotmail.co.uk Bus from Wembley Central: (across to Primark) / Wembley Park Station: (outside the station) 83 – toward Golders Green (next stop from Brent Town Hall) 182 – toward Brent Cross (stop at LIDL) 297 – toward Willesden Garage (stop at LIDL) Other buses: 245 and 302 (stop at LIDL) Landmark: LIDL & BP Petrol Station (opposite)

20

NEWS

www.hello-philippines.com

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

To combat film piracy, PHL resorting to night vision goggles and scholarships IF you think you know all the tricks of government in going after movie pirates, perish the thought.

This year, undercover agents have started using night vision goggles to spot hidden camcorders in cinemas.

“This is a warning kasi ‘yong alam nila ‘yong napapanood lang nila sa mga napalabas na,” said Director General Ricardo Blancaflor from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOP), referring to the cautionary ads shown in movie theaters.

“But now, because of night vision, passive ‘to so hindi nila makikita ‘to,” he said. “I just wanna warm them, hihigpit kami ngayon.”

At the World Intellectual Property Day press conference last April 23, Blancaflor and other government enforcers said that efforts to lessen counterfeiting in the Philippines have produced some results, but much remains to be done.

Last year, the country no longer topped the list of places where pirated optical media originate, with the dubious distinction now going to Russia and Indonesia, an official said.

“Right now, hindi na tayo ang major source,” said Atty. Joji Alonso of the Motion Pictures Anti-Film Piracy Council (MPAFPC). “Bumaba na tayo.”

However, the government is not about to get complacent, after the Philippines climbed up again as a source of pirated CDs in early April this year.

Alonso said the country is still exporting illegal optical media goods, with four foreign films sold in other countries caught this year coming from the Philippines.

Livelihood and scholarships.

To wean away vendors from the illegal trade, Optical Media Board (OMB) Chairman Ronnie Ricketts said the government has been offering livelihood programs and scholarships to them.

“I’m trying to bring it out and spread it out that we’re doing not just operation, information, but at the same time you feel them. You just don’t go force by force, sometimes you go behind them, sideways, and it’s what’s happening,” Ricketts asserted.

Financial assistance from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) for the livelihood program, and scholarships with assistance from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) started two years ago for the former vendors.

However, the campaign has yet to bear fruit because the traders

caught during the government’s antipiracy raids often do not qualify for the DBP and CHED programs.

“Slowly na kasi kahit papaano naaaddress,” Blancaflor said. “So it’s not a case of wala kang nagawa, it’s a case of so much has been done pero marami pa ring kulang.”

No longer in Notorious Market List. For the government’s anti-piracy teams, one of their major victories is the removal of the Philippines from the Notorious Markets List of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), which identifies places that are reportedly engaged in piracy and counterfeiting.

In the latest list dated December 13, 2012, among the 17 markets are trading hubs found in neighboring countries such as Luohu Commercial Center in Shenzhen in China, Harco Glodok in Jakarta in Indonesia, and Red Zones in Thailand.

The Quiapo market in the city of Manila was part of the 2011 list.

Ricketts said the government has also removed the stalls of pirated compact discs and DVDs at the Greenhills Shopping Mall in San Juan City, a well-known market for counterfeit goods, through the cooperation of the mall owners. ■ Mac Macapendeg / YA, GMA News / April 28, 2013 3:42pm

Palace appeals for calm after deadly Lanao ambush MALACAÑANG on Friday appealed to supporters of various candidates to keep calm and refrain from engaging in violent activities as campaign for next month’s midterm elections heats up.

“We appeal to the supporters of the different candidates to keep calm, to continue to just campaign for their respective candidates, and not to engage in any violent behavior that will tend to discredit their particular candidates,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said at a briefing.

Valte gave the statement a day after a deadly ambush in Lanao

del Norte resulted in the deaths of 12 people and the wounding of nine others, including the mayor of Nunungan town. The mayor’s 30-yearold daughter was among those killed in the violence perpetrated by a still unidentified group.

Malacañang condemned the incident.

“We strongly condemn this act of violence on the mayor and his supporters,” Valte said without confirming if the ambush was politically motivated.

“As to the identity and to the motivation, we will withhold any comment on those two aspects

because the PNP (Philippine National Police) is already investigating the case, and we don’t want to make any prejudgments,” she said.

Valte, however, consented to say that Lanao has since seen an increase in police visibility.

“What I can tell you at this point is that our security forces have deployed additional people in that particular area to prevent any possible escalation of violation. So we want to make sure that there will be no further attacks on any candidates, not just in this particular area,” she said. ■ Patricia Denise Chiu / KBK, GMA News

/ April 26, 2013 4:43pm

An ATM machine of BDO is seen in Nov.30, 2012. File photo, Bernard Testa

3 Malaysians, in act of skimming cash from ATM machine, nabbed

MANILA, Philippines - Three Malaysians were caught Saturday by security guards for a brazen, daytime break-in at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) booth of a Banco de Oro branch at SM City Mall in Manduriao district in Iloilo City.

The suspects were caught in the act of stealing money using a skimming device at around 3 p.m. and turned over to police, according to Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Suspects Ching Seng Jun, 25;

Chang Yong Siang, 32; and Tan Boon Fooi, 24, were all temporarily staying at the Hotel del Rio in the city before their broad-daylight operation.

They were charged for violation of Republic Act 8484, or counterfeit or unauthorized access device.

Police took the skimming device they had attached to the ATM machine, two double-sided tape, scissor, cutter, assorted ATM cards, and P10,000 in cash that they had just stolen. ■ Jaime Sinapit, InterAksyon.com / April 28, 2013 5:22 PM

Palace rejects fresh calls to scrap CCT program

MALACAÑANG on Saturday rejected fresh calls by groups to scrap the controversial Conditional Cash Transfer program so part of its P45-billion budget can be used to subsidize farm-gate prices of unmilled rice.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said millions of Filipino families will be affected if the government were to scrap the CCT funding.

“Kung tatanggalin mo yan paano ang mga milyun-milyong pamilyang umaasa sa tulong ng CCT at milyong pamilya na bumubuti ang buhay dahil natulungan ng CCT,” she said on government-run dzRB radio.

Earlier, groups called for the scrapping of the CCT, saying P10 billion from its P45-billion budget for 2013 can be used to subsidize farm-gate rice prices and benefit two

million farmers.

A report on Manila Standard Today quoted Abono chairman and Swine Development Council head Rosendo So as saying farmers are threatening to skip planting rice this season “as a result of the oversupply of imported and smuggled rice.”

Moreover, Mr. So said two million farmers also want to be recipients of the government dole out to the poor, and that each of them be given P5,000 subsidy per hectare or P10,000 for two hectares.

The report said the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas, the Anakpawis partylist group, the Save Laguna Lake Movement, and the Koalisyon Kontra Kumbersyon ng Manila Bay also called for a stop to the CCT because it was not working. ■ LBG, GMA News /

April 27, 2013 6:25pm

Palace rejects China call to withdraw from disputed area in West PHL Sea

MALACAÑANG on Saturday rejected a call by China to withdraw Philippine nationals and facilities from disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said while the Philippines awaits the ruling of an international tribunal on the matter, it will exercise its sovereignty over the area.

“Yan ay atin and we will continue to exercise sovereignty over our territory,” she said on governmentrun dzRB radio.

On Thursday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the International Tribunal for the Law

of the Sea (ITLOS) appointed three more members of the five-member United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Arbitral Tribunal on the claim filed by the Philippines against China on the West Philippine Sea. These include: • Rüdiger Wolfrum (Germany) • Stanislaw Pawlak (Poland) • Jean-Pierre Cot (France) • Chris Pinto (Sri Lanka) • Alfred Soons (The Netherlands).

China rejection.

However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China already rejected the arbitration proceedings, adding

that China’s position on the issue “will not change.”

Hua also accused the Philippines of violating the United Nations charter by “illegally” occupying some islands and reefs of Nansha (Spratly) Islands, including Mahuan Dao, Feixin Dao, Zhongye Dao, Nanyao Dao, Beizi Dao, Xiyue Dao, Shuanghuang Shazhou and Siling Jiao.

“Firmly and consistently opposed to the illegal occupation by the Philippines, China hereby solemnly reiterates its demand that the Philippines withdraw all its nationals and facilities from China’s islands and reefs,” Hao said.

Hao also claimed that the Philippines was trying to “deny China’s territorial sovereignty and clothes its illegal occupation of China’s islands and reefs with a cloak of ‘legality.’”

Hao also branded the Philippines’ bid to seek a so-called “durable solution” as “absolutely unacceptable to China.”

Hao also maintained China will pursue bilateral negotiations and consultations with the Philippines to resolve relevant disputes.

Frustrated with the slow pace of regional diplomacy, the Philippines in January angered China by asking a UN tribunal to order a

halt to Beijing’s activities that it said violated Philippine sovereignty over the islands, surrounded by potentially energy-rich waters, a Reuters report said on Friday.

The Philippines calls parts of South China Sea as West Philippine Sea. Claims by an increasingly powerful China over most of the South China Sea have set it directly against US allies Vietnam and the Philippines. Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also claim parts of the waters and China has a separate dispute with Japan in the East China Sea. ■ VVP, GMA News / April 27,

2013 12:20pm

22

HEALTH and Lifestyle

www.hello-philippines.com

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

10 health benefits of stopping smoking SMOKING’S bad for your health, but exactly how does quitting make life better? Here are 10 ways your health will improve when you stop smoking.

1. Better sex. Stopping smoking improves the body’s bloodflow, so improves sensitivity. Men who stop smoking may get better erections.

Women may find that their orgasms improve and they become aroused more easily. It’s also been found that non-smokers are three times more appealing to prospective partners than smokers (one of the advantages, perhaps, of smelling fresh).

2. Improved fertility. Nonsmokers find it easier to get pregnant.

Quitting smoking improves the lining of the womb and can make men’s sperm more potent. Becoming a nonsmoker increases the possibility of conceiving through IVF and reduces the likelihood of having a miscarriage. Most importantly, it improves the chances of giving birth to a healthy baby.

3. Younger looking skin.

Stopping smoking has been found to slow facial ageing and delay the appearance of wrinkles. The skin of a non-smoker gets more nutrients,

including oxygen, and can reverse the sallow, lined complexion that smokers often have.

4. Whiter teeth. Giving up tobacco stops teeth becoming stained, and you’ll have fresher breath. Ex-smokers are less likely than smokers to get gum disease and lose their teeth prematurely.

5. Better breathing. People breathe more easily and cough less when they give up smoking because their lung capacity improves by up to 10% within nine months.

In your 20s and 30s, the effect of smoking on your lung capacity may not be noticeable until you go for a run, but lung capacity naturally diminishes with age. In later years, having maximum lung capacity can mean the difference between having an active, healthy old age and wheezing when going for a walk or climbing the stairs.

6. Longer life. Half of all longterm smokers die early from smoking-related diseases, including heart disease, lung cancer and chronic bronchitis. Men who quit smoking by 30 add 10 years to their life. People who kick the habit at 60 add three years to their life. In other words, it’s never too late to benefit from stopping. Quitting not

10 tips to beat insomnia

SIMPLE lifestyle changes can make a world of difference to your quality of sleep.

Following these 10 tips from The Sleep Council will help you have a more restful night.

1. Keep regular hours. Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time every day will programme your body to sleep better. Choose a time when you’re most likely to feel sleepy.

2. Create a restful sleeping environment. Your bedroom should be kept for rest and sleep. Keep it as quiet and dark as possible. It should be neither too hot nor too cold. Temperature, lighting and noise should be controlled so that the bedroom environment helps you to fall (and stay) asleep.

3. Make sure that your bed is comfortable. It’s difficult to get restful sleep on a mattress that’s too soft or too hard, or a bed that’s too small or old. If you have a pet that sleeps in the room with you, consider moving it somewhere else if it often makes noise in the night.

4. Exercise regularly. Moderate exercise on a regular basis, such as swimming or walking, can help to relieve some of the tension built up over the day. But don’t do vigorous exercise too close to bedtime as it may keep you awake.

5. Less caffeine. Cut down on stimulants such as caffeine in tea or coffee, especially in the evening. They

interfere with the process of falling asleep, and they prevent deep sleep.

The effects of caffeine can last a long time (up to 24 hours) so the chances of it affecting sleep are significant.

Have a warm, milky drink or herbal tea instead.

6. Don’t over-indulge. Too much food or alcohol, especially late at night, can interrupt your sleep patterns.

Alcohol may help you to fall asleep initially, but it will disrupt your sleep later on in the night.

7. Don’t smoke. It’s bad for sleep.

Smokers take longer to fall asleep, they wake up more frequently, and they often have a more disrupted sleep.

8. Try to relax before going to bed. Have a warm bath, listen to quiet music or do some gentle yoga to relax the mind and body. Your doctor may be able to recommend a helpful relaxation CD. 9. Write away your worries. Deal with worries or a heavy workload by making lists of things to be tackled the next day. If you tend to lie in bed thinking about tomorrow’s tasks, set aside time before bedtime to review the day and make plans for the next day. The goal is to avoid doing these things when you’re in bed, trying to sleep.

10. Don’t worry in bed. If you can’t sleep, don’t lie there worrying about it. Get up and do something you find relaxing until you feel sleepy again, then return to bed. ■ NHS Choices

only adds years to your life, but it also greatly improves the chance of a disease-free, mobile, happier old age.

7. Less stress. Scientific studies show that people’s stress levels are lower after they stop smoking.

Nicotine addiction makes smokers stressed from the ‘withdrawal’ between cigarettes. The pleasant feeling of satisfying that craving is only temporary and is not a real cure for stress. Also, the improved levels of oxygen in the body means that ex-smokers can concentrate better and have increased mental wellbeing.

8. Improved smell and taste.

Kicking the smoking habit gives your senses of smell and taste a boost. The body is recovering from being dulled by the hundreds of toxic chemicals found in cigarettes.

9. More energy. Within 2 to 12 weeks of stopping smoking, your circulation improves. This makes all physical activity, including walking and running, much easier.

Quitting also boosts your immune system, making it easier to fight off colds and flu. The increase in oxygen in the body makes exsmokers less tired and less likely to have headaches.

10 .Healthier loved ones.

By stopping smoking you’ll be protecting the health of your nonsmoking friends and family.

Passive smoking increases a non-smoker’s risk of lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. Secondhand smoke makes children twice

at risk of chest illnesses, including pneumonia, croup (swollen airways in the lungs) and bronchitis, plus more ear infections, wheezing and asthma.

They also have three times the risk of getting lung cancer in later life compared with children who live with non-smokers. ■ NHS Choices

Self-help tips to fight fatigue MANY cases of unexplained tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors. Use these self-help tips to restore your energy levels.

Eat often to beat tiredness A good way to keep up your energy through the day is to eat regular meals and healthy snacks every three to four hours, rather than a large meal less often.

Perk up with exercise. You might feel too tired to exercise, but regular exercise will make you feel less tired in the long run and you’ll have more energy. Even a single 15-minute walk can give you an energy boost, and the benefits increase with more frequent physical activity.

Start with a small amount of exercise. Build up your physical activity gradually over weeks and months until you reach the recommended goal of two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as cycling or fast walking, every week.

Lose weight to gain energy. If your

body is carrying excess weight, it can be exhausting. It also puts extra strain on your heart, which can make you tired. Lose weight and you’ll feel much more energetic. Apart from eating healthily, the best way to lose weight is to be more active and do more exercise.

Sleep well. It sounds obvious, but two-thirds of us suffer from sleep problems, and many people don’t get the sleep they need to stay alert through the day. The Royal College of Psychiatrists’ advice on getting a good night’s sleep is to go to bed and get up in the morning at the same time everyday; avoid naps through the day, and have a hot bath before bed (as hot as you can bear without scalding you) for at least 20 minutes.

Reduce stress to boost energy.

Stress uses up a lot of energy. Try to introduce relaxing activities into your day. This could be working out at the gym, or a gentler option such as listening to music, reading or spending time with friends. Whatever relaxes you will improve your energy.

Talking therapy beats fatigue.

There’s some evidence that talking therapies such as counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) might help to fight fatigue.

See your GP for a referral for talking treatment on the NHS or for advice on seeing a private therapist.

Cut out caffeine.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists recommends that anyone feeling tired should cut out caffeine. It says the best way to do this is to gradually stop having all caffeine drinks (and that includes coffee and tea and cola drinks) over a three-week period. Try to stay off caffeine completely for a month to see if you feel less tired without it.

You may find that stopping caffeine gives you headaches.

If this happens, cut down more slowly on the amount of caffeine that you drink.

Drink less alcohol. Although a few glasses of wine in the evening helps you fall asleep, you sleep less deeply after drinking alcohol. The next day you’ll be tired even if you sleep a full eight hours.

Cut down on alcohol before bedtime. You’ll get a better night’s rest and have more energy. The NHS recommends that men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units a day. Women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day. ‘Regularly’ means drinking every day or most days of the week.

■ NHS Choice

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How to get to sleep IF you have difficulty falling asleep, a regular bedtime ritual will help you wind down and prepare for sleep.

This ritual depends on what works for you, but the main factor is working out a routine and sticking to it.

First of all, keep regular sleeping hours, says Jessica Alexander of The Sleep Council, a non-profit organisation that provides good sleep advice.

“A bedtime ritual teaches the brain to become familiar with sleep times and wake times,” she says. “It programmes the brain and internal body clock to get used to a set routine.”

Few people manage to stick to strict bedtime routines due to life’s competing demands, be it work or family duties.

This isn’t much of a problem for most people, but for insomniacs, irregular sleeping hours are disastrous.

Most adults need between six and nine hours of sleep every night. By working out what time you need to wake up, you can set a regular bedtime schedule.

Winding down is a critical stage in preparing for bed.

There are many ways of relaxing: • A warm bath (not hot) will help your body reach a temperature that’s ideal for rest.

• Writing ‘to do’ lists for the next day can organise your thoughts and clear your mind of any distractions.

• Relaxation exercises, such as light yoga stretches, help to relax the muscles.

Don’t exercise vigorously, as it will have the opposite effect.

• Relaxation CDs work by

using a carefully narrated script, gentle hypnotic music and sound effects to relax the listener.

• Reading a book or listening to the radio relaxes the mind by distracting it from the present.

“Everyone will have their own way of relaxing,” says Alexander. “If you don’t know how to relax, you can get help and advice from your GP.” No TVs. Your bedroom should be a relaxing environment. Experts say that there’s a strong association in people’s minds between sleep and the bedroom. However, certain things weaken that association, such as TVs and other electronic gadgets; light, noise, and a bad mattress or bed.

“It’s important to create an environment that helps you to sleep,” says Alexander. “Keep your bedroom just for sleep and possibly for sex.”

Unlike most vigorous physical activity, sex makes us sleepy. This has evolved in humans over thousands of years.

The bedroom needs to be dark, quiet, tidy, smell fresh and be kept at a temperature of between 18C and 24C. “Fit some thick curtains if you don’t have any,” says Alexander. “If there’s ambient noise, consider investing in double glazing or, for a cheaper option, use earplugs.”

A comfortable bed is essential for a good night’s kip. Research by The Sleep Council suggests that a goodquality mattress and bed frame will give you an extra hour’s sleep.

Dr Chris Izikowski of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, who

led the research, says that people benefit from changing their bed if it’s uncomfortable.

“It’s likely that long-term insomniacs and those with inadequate sleep habits would benefit the most,” he says.

Keeping a sleep diary. It may be a good idea to keep a sleep diary. It might uncover lifestyle habits or experiences in your daily activities that contribute to your insomnia.

A typical sleep diary should include the answers to the following questions: • What were your sleeping times?

• How long did it take you to get to sleep?

• How many times did you wake up during the night?

• How long did each awakening last?

• How long did you sleep in total?

• Did you take any sleeping tablets?

• How well do you feel today?

• How enjoyable was your sleep last night?

• How much caffeine did you have before and after 5pm?

• How much alcohol did you have before and after 5pm?

• Did you do any exercise shortly before going to bed?

• Did you take any naps during the day or evening?

• Has anything made you anxious or stressed?

Firstly, your GP or sleep expert will ask you to keep a sleep diary as part of diagnosing your sleeping problems.

“The sleep diary might reveal underlying conditions that explain your insomnia, such as stress or medication,” says Alexander. ■ NHS Choices

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Salt: the facts MANY of us in the UK eat too much salt. Too much salt can raise your blood pressure, which puts you at increased risk of health problems such as heart disease and stroke. But a few simple steps can help you to cut your salt intake.

You don’t have to add salt to food to be eating too much – 75% of the salt we eat is already in everyday foods such as bread, breakfast cereal and ready meals.

A diet that is high in salt can cause raised blood pressure, which currently affects around one third of adults in the UK. High blood pressure often has no symptoms. But if you have it, you are more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke.

Cutting down on salt lowers blood pressure, which means that your risk of having a stroke or developing heart disease is reduced.

Foods that contain salt. Some foods are almost always high in salt because of the way they are made.

Other foods, such as bread and breakfast cereals, can contribute a lot of salt to our diet. But that’s not because these foods are always high in salt – it’s because we eat a lot of them.

High salt foods. The following foods are almost always high in salt. To cut down on salt, eat them less often or have smaller amounts: • anchovies • bacon • cheese • gravy granules • ham • olives • pickles • prawns • salami

• salted and dry roasted nuts • salt fish • smoked meat and fish • soy sauce • stock cubes • yeast extract Foods that can be high in salt. In the following foods, the salt content can vary widely between different brands or varieties. That means you can cut down on salt by comparing brands and choosing the one that is lower in salt. Nutrition labels can help you do this.

These foods include: • bread products such as crumpets, bagels and ciabatta • pasta sauces • crisps • pizza • ready meals • soup • sandwiches • sausages • tomato ketchup, mayonnaise and other sauces • breakfast cereals How much salt for adults?

Adults should eat no more than 6g of salt a day – that’s around one full teaspoon. Children should eat less (see below for recommendations for babies and children).

Of course, one easy way to eat less salt is to stop adding salt to your food during cooking and at the dinner table. If you regularly add salt to food when cooking, try cutting it out or adding less. You’ll rediscover the real tastes of your favourite foods. And when you sit down to eat, taste your food first to see if it needs salt.

Use nutrition labels to check salt levels. Cutting back on added salt is only a small part of the solution. To really cut down, you

HEALTH and Lifestyle food

Use nutrition labels on food packaging to help you cut down on salt: • High is more than 1.5g salt per 100g (or 0.6g sodium) • Low is .3g salt or less per 100g (or 0.1g sodium) need to become aware of the salt that is already in the everyday foods you buy, and choose lower salt options.

Fortunately, nutrition labels on food packaging now make this a lot easier. Most pre-packed foods have a nutrition label on the back or side of the packaging.

Many foods also display information about the salt content on the front of the packaging.

This may show the salt content as a percentage of your guideline daily amount (GDA), or display a traffic light to show whether the food is low, medium or high in salt. Where traffic lights are used, red means high. Eat these foods as an occasional treat, and aim to eat mainly foods that are green or amber.

Look at the figure for salt per 100g: • High is more than 1.5g salt per 100g (or 0.6g sodium). These foods may display a red traffic light.

• Low is 0.3g salt or less per 100g (or 0.1g sodium). These foods may display a green traffic light.

If the amount of salt per 100g is between 0.3g and 1.5g, that is a medium level of salt, and the packaging may display an amber traffic light.

As a rule, aim for foods that have a low or medium salt content.

Leave high-salt foods for occasional use.

For more tips to help you choose foods that are lower in salt.

Salt and sodium in your food.

Salt is also called sodium chloride.

Sometimes, food labels only give the figure for sodium. But there is a simple way to work out how much salt you are eating from the sodium figure: • Salt = sodium x 2.5 Babies, children and salt.

Babies and children under 11 should have less salt than adults.

Babies under a year old need less than 1g of salt a day, as their

Tips for a lower salt diet YOU don’t have to add salt to your food to eat too much of it – around 75% of the salt we eat is already in everyday foods such as bread, breakfast cereal and ready meals.

Remember, whether you’re eating at home, cooking or eating out, don’t add salt to your food automatically – taste it first. Many people add salt out of habit, but it’s often unnecessary, and your food will taste good without it.

Shop for low salt foods. When shopping for food, you can take steps to cut your salt intake: • Compare nutrition labels on food packaging when buying everyday items. You can really cut your salt intake by checking the label and choosing the pizza, ketchup or breakfast cereal that’s lower in salt. Try choosing one food a week to check and swap when you’re food shopping.

• Go for reduced-salt, unsmoked back bacon. Cured meats and fish can be high in salt, so try to eat these less often.

• Buy tinned vegetables without added salt. Do the same with tinned pulses.

• Watch out for the salt content in ready-made pasta sauces. Tomatobased sauces are often lower in salt than cheesy sauces or those containing olives, bacon or ham.

• For healthier snacks, choose fruit or vegetables such as carrot or celery sticks. If you are going to have crisps or crackers, check the label and choose the ones lower in salt.

• Go easy on soy sauce, mustard, pickles, mayonnaise and other table sauces, as these can all be high in salt.

Cook with less salt. Many people add salt to food when cooking.

But there are lots of ways to add

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

flavour to your cooking without using any salt. Check out these salt alternatives: • Use black pepper as seasoning instead of salt. Try it on pasta, scrambled egg, pizzas, fish and soups.

• Add fresh herbs and spices to pasta dishes, vegetables and meat.

Try garlic, ginger, chilli and lime in stir fries.

• Make your own stock and gravy instead of using cubes or granules, or look out for reducedsalt products.

• Try baking or roasting

vegetables such as red peppers, tomatoes, courgettes, fennel, parsnips and squash to bring out their flavour.

• Make sauces using ripe flavourful tomatoes and garlic.

Eating out: salt tips. If you’re eating in a restaurant or café, or ordering a takeaway, you can still eat less salt by making smart choices of low salt foods.

Pizza: choose vegetable or chicken toppings instead of pepperoni, bacon or extra cheese.

Pasta dishes: choose one with a tomato sauce with vegetables or

kidneys can’t cope with more. If a baby is breastfed, he or she will get the right amount of salt from breast milk. Formula milk contains a similar amount.

Never add salt to your baby’s milk or food, and don’t give food that isn’t specifically for babies as it’s often too high in salt.

The daily recommended maximum amount of salt children should eat depends on age: • 1 to 3 years – 2g salt a day (0.8g sodium) • 4 to 6 years – 3g salt a day (1.2g sodium) • 7 to 10 years – 5g salt a day (2g sodium) • 11 years and over – 6g salt a day (2.4g sodium) Making sure your child doesn’t eat too much salt means you’re also helping to ensure that they don’t develop a taste for salty food, which makes them less likely to eat too much salt as an adult. ■ NHS Choices

chicken, rather than bacon, cheese or sausage.

Burgers: avoid toppings that can be high in salt, such as bacon, cheese and barbecue sauce, and opt for salad instead.

Chinese or Indian meal: go for plain rice. It’s lower in salt than egg-fried rice or pilau rice.

Sandwiches: instead of ham or cheddar cheese, go for fillings such as chicken, egg, mozzarella, or vegetables such as avocado or roasted peppers. And try having salad and reduced-fat mayonnaise instead of pickle or mustard, which are usually higher in salt.

Breakfasts: instead of a full English breakfast, go for a poached egg on toast with mushrooms and grilled tomatoes. If you do have meat, have either bacon or a sausage but not both.

Salads: ask for dressings or sauces on the side, so you only have as much as you need. Some dressings and sauces can be high in salt and fat. ■ NHS Choices

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TV producer who defrauded friends is now wanted by police SHE was a bubbly producer at GMA Network before she betrayed her closest friends. Now, Angel Directo is officially a fugitive from justice.

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 35 has issued a warrant of arrest against Directo, who used to be a former producer and program manager at GMA News TV, for violating the Anti-Bouncing Check Law. “You are hereby commanded to arrest without unnecessary delay at any time of the day/night the person/s of Angela Maureen E. Directo who is/are charged before this court with the same violation of Batas Pambansa Blg. 22,” read the court order issued on March 12.

The bail is set at P30,000.

According to earlier reports, Directo embezzled at least P80 million, including Apple computers and bouncing checks issued to close friends and colleagues. Her present

whereabouts are unknown, but she is believed to be abroad.

She is also implicated in fraud and estafa complaints from third parties as well as some of GMA Network’s officers, employees, and talents.

The victims said they are willing to reward the person who can provide information about Directo’s location, the television report said.

She stopped reporting for work on April 11, 2012 after her checks issued to friends began to bounce. ■ Rouchelle R. Dinglasan / VVP, GMA News / April 27, 2013 4:40pm

Palace assures public there are enough safeguards vs bird flu

MALACAÑANG on Sunday reassured the public there are sufficient safeguards in place to make sure the Philippines remains free of bird flu.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said a ban on avian products from China remains in effect, to make sure no infected livestock is sold in Philippine markets.

“Meron tayong ban sa avian products. Noong December may nahuling kargamento ang Bureau of Customs na puro Peking duck, nadispose na ito dahil din sa ban that was imposed by the Department of Agriculture on avian products from that particular source,” she said on government-run dzRB radio.

Earlier, precautionary measures were adopted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport against the H7N9 strain of avian flu.

The new strain has killed at least nine people since China announced its discovery in humans.

Also, the DA had imposed a temporary ban on poultry and related products from China because of bird flu concerns.

Under the ban, shipments of poultry products from China may be confiscated by quarantine inspectors at major seaports and airports. ■ LBG, GMA News / April 28, 2013 2:01pm

NEWS

Palace welcomes prospect of PHL exporting rice by May

MALACAÑANG on Sunday welcomed the prospect of the Philippines being able to finally export rice as early as May this year.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Palace may ask the Department of Agriculture to make public more details of the rice exports.

“Magandang balita ‘yan. Ayoko pangunahan ang DA (pero) tingnan natin at hopefully tuloy-tuloy na yan,” she said on government-run dzRB radio.

When asked what countries the Philippines may export rice to, she said the Palace may have the DA “come up with a release containing the details.”

“We understand this is something everyone is very interested in,” she added.

A report on the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Sunday quoted DA Assistant Secretary Dante de Lima as saying rice producers and traders are to export rice in May. De Lima was quoted in the report

31 that the virus had been found in humans. Most cases have been confined to eastern China. The island of Taiwan has also reported one case.

A Chinese expert earlier this week warned of the possibility of more cases in a wider geographical area.

“Until the source of H7N9 avian influenza is... brought under effective control, sporadic cases might continue to appear,” said Liang Wannian of China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission.

Poultry has been confirmed as the source of the H7N9 flu among humans, but experts fear the prospect of such a virus mutating into a form easily transmissible between humans, which could then have the potential to trigger a pandemic. ■ AFP

as saying Dubai and Indonesia will receive 15 metric tons of black rice from the Don Bosco Foundation for Sustainable Development Inc. in North Cotabato, 20 tons of japonica from the SL Agritech in Nueva Ecija and 30 tons of long grain aromatic white rice, also from a cooperative in Cotabato.

He also said shallots may be exported in May. De Lima noted government does not allow commercial rice exports until there are enough harvests to make the country self-sufficient in rice. ■ LBG, GMA News / April 28, 2013

2:04pm

PHL govt ends formal peace talks with Communist rebels SAYING peace talks are “going nowhere,” the government said they no longer want to return to formal negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines.

“We cannot wait forever for the other side if they continually refuse to go back to the negotiating table without preconditions. The government will be taking a new approach to pursue peace,” said Alexander Padilla, chair of the government panel negotiating with the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF).

The government said it was open to a renewal of talks but under a different framework. “We need to see sincerity and political will on their part... and an end to the senseless violence they are inflicting on our people especially on innocent civilians,” Padilla said.

In an article posted on the Office of

H7N9 bird flu spreads to central China’s Hunan SHANGHAI - China’s deadly outbreak of H7N9 bird flu has spread to the central province of Hunan, local health authorities said Saturday, the third announcement in three days of a case in a new location.

A 64-year-old woman in Shaoyang City, who developed a fever four days after coming into contact with poultry, was confirmed to have the virus, the Xinhua state news agency reported.

It follows the first confirmed cases in the eastern province of Jiangxi on Thursday and the southeastern province of Fujian on Friday.

More than 110 people in mainland China have been confirmed with H7N9, with 23 deaths, since the government announced on March

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process website, Padilla on Friday said the “new approach” comes amid a 22-month impasse in the negotiations.

He also cited the “mounting violence” by the NPA on civilian targets. He did not elaborate what this new approach would be.

Earlier this week, 78-year-old mayor Ruth Guingona was wounded when her convoy was attacked by the NPA. Two of her bodyguards were killed. The NPA later apologized for the tragedy.

In Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte insisted the government’s termination of the talks did not stem from the attack.

“Walang kinalaman ang approach sa naging ambush kay Mayor Guingona,” Valte said on government-run dzRB radio.

She added that the Palace will let presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles come up with the details of the “new approach” hinted at by Padilla.

“Tayo ay matagal na handang makipagusap sa CPP-NPA-NDF. Hindi natin alam kung sila handa o gusto makipagusap sa atin,” she added.

“Pre-conditions” to formal talks.

Padilla explained that while the government had always been open to resume formal negotiations with them, “they keep on insisting on preconditions, such as the release of their detained consultants.”

“The ball is now in their hands, They were the ones who initiated the Special Track and they were the ones who ended it. The government doesn’t want to return to the regular track (formal talks) because it has been going nowhere for the last 27 years,” Padilla said.

Even discussions under the Special

Track have been closed since they have come up with new demands, he added.

The OPAPP said CPP founder Jose Maria Sison proposed the special track to fast-track the negotiations, via a draft declaration on “national unity and just peace.”

With the special track, the government and NDF panels met last Dec. 17 and 18 in The Netherlands and agreed to further discuss a draft Declaration of National Unity and Just Peace.

However, when they met again on February 25 and 26, Padilla said the NDF proposed three new documents that he said “backtracked” from their original position and issued more preconditions.

He said the CPP also demanded that the government abolish its peace and development programs, including the controversial Conditional Cash Transfer, PAMANA and Oplan Bayanihan.

Padilla also reiterated the government’s call to the NPA to stop hostilities on the ground following attacks on civilian targets, including that on Mayor Guingona.

“If the NPA understands the true meaning of taking responsibility, it should stop inflicting violence on our society,” Padilla said.

Reacting to the NPA statement that it did not intend for the Guingona firefight to happen, Padilla asserted: “What did he expect to happen when 50 armed rebels accost a convoy of a politician in a deserted rural road in the middle of the night? If they did not mean to kill Mayor Guingona, why was her car so mercilessly peppered with bullets and decimated with grenades?”

■ VVP/HS, GMA News / April 27, 2013 5:40pm

“Wash down Pure Foods Corned Beef with Red Horse Beer.”

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CELEBRITY, SHOWBIZ &ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

GMA International lands two nominations in NAMIC Vision Awards

GMA International - the business unit that manages the operations and distribution of GMA Network’s international channels GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV and GMA News TV International - bagged two nominations in the 2013 NAMIC Vision Awards alongside some of the biggest names in the US television industry.

GMA Pinoy TV’s long-running immigration program Pusong Pinoy Sa Amerika (Into the Hearts of Filipinos in America) was nominated in the Foreign Language category while the 30-minute cooking show Kusina Master, which is seen worldwide via GMA Life TV, earned a nomination in the Lifestyle category.

Hosted by immigration lawyer Atty. Lou Tancinco, Pusong Pinoy Sa Amerika is now on its 8th season of informing the Filipino-American community on immigration law.

This time around, the show tackles immigrant issues and stories that

are affected by new immigration policies. To unravel the complexities of the immigration system, the show is bringing its audience back to the basics with its episodes exclusively focused on the most common questions and challenges that people face in the immigration system.

Meanwhile, Chef Boy Logro’s Kusina Master has become a popular source of entertainment and recipes among Filipinos abroad ever since it started airing on GMA Life TV, the first and only Filipino lifestyle channel abroad, in March 2012. With each episode, Filipino Americans are introduced to new and exciting dishes that remind them of the exceptional flavor and qualities of Pinoy cooking.

“We welcome these nominations from NAMIC and are grateful for their continuous appreciation for our programs,” said GMA Vice President and Head of International Operations Joseph T. Francia.

This is the second time that GMA International was nominated in the NAMIC Vision Awards. The first time was for multi-awarded broadcaster Mike Enriquez’s Review Philippines, which aired on GMA Pinoy TV in 2007.

The NAMIC Vision Awards is described in the NAMIC website as “one of the few national competitions that salutes original television or digital content that reflects the depth and breadth of experience, and contributions of people of color.” It is founded in 1994 by NAMIC Southern California and is presented this year by the NAMIC National office in partnership with NAMIC-Southern California.

The announcement of the NAMIC Vision Awards nominees was held during New Bay Media’s on April 17, 2013 at the Hilton New York, while the winners will be awarded in Los Angeles, California in May. ■

Chef Boy Logro KusinaMaster

Pusong Pinoy Sa Amerika host Atty Lou Tancinco and its director Eric Quizon

Selebrasyon ng 50th year anniversary sa showbiz ni Kuya Germs, star studded

NAGTIPON-TIPON ang mga beterano at baguhang artista sa selebrasyon ng Golden Anniversary sa showbiz ng nag-iisang “Master Showman” na si German “Kuya Germs” Moreno nitong Miyerkules ng gabi.

Sa ulat ni Aubrey Carampel sa “Chika Minute” ng GMA news 24 Oras, sinabi nito na nakalagay sa lobby ng Newport Performing Arts Theater sa Resorts World Manila ang mga memorabilia ni Kuya Germs.

Makikita dito ang mga larawan at parangal na natanggap ni Kuya Germs sa loob ng 50 taon niya sa showbiz.

Bago sumikat at nakilalang “Master Showman,” nagsimula si Kuya Germs

Trumpets to make big musical comeback with ‘The Bluebird of Happiness’

AS Asia’s first professional gospel theater group, the Triumphant People’s Evangelistic Theater Society or simply Trumpets has been providing distinguished theater productions geared for the whole family over the last 22 years.

Although a Christian theater group, the well-received productions of Trumpets are not always limited to their original adaptations of familiar Biblical stories in “First Name”, “N.O.A.H.” and “Joseph the Dreamer”.

Over the years, the company has also adapted what co-founder Audie Gemora describes as stories that are not necessarily “Christian per se but told and presented from a Christian point of view”.

These include their acclaimed productions of C.S. Lewis’ “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe”, Hans Christian Andersen’s “Little Mermaid” and, touted as their big musical comeback, the upcoming “The Bluebird of Happiness”.

Written by Jaime Del Mundo (book and lyrics) and Rony Fortich (music), “The Bluebird of Happiness”

is a brand-new musical adaptation based on the play “The Bluebird”

by Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlin and also the Shirley Temple film of the same title.

The story of two poor children named Mytyl and Tyltyl and their quest for the “Bluebird of Happiness”, it is “a magical musical filled with spectacle, song, dance, colorful sets, costumes and a solid moral message” which is very much in line with Trumpets’ mission of “moral regeneration through entertainment,” said Del Mundo, who recently directed “The Graduate” for Repertory Philippines.

“This is something that Audie wanted to do for the longest time,” Del Mundo told InterAksyon in a recent interview. “He actually owned a Betamax of the film so you can just imagine how long he wanted to do it. It didn’t attract me as much as it attracted him.”

Del Mundo added that Gemora actually approached Freddie Santos, another distinguished theater stalwart, to adapt it but “nothing came out of it since Freddie was

extremely busy at the time”. After several years, Del Mundo finally came across a DVD of “The Blue Bird” and after watching it decided he wanted to do it.

“I told Audie, ‘I’ve seen your ‘Blue Bird’ and I’d like to adapt it and he said, ‘Okay, have a go with it so I got a copy of the play, which was actually a symbolic drama that was 5 acts long, very different from the film.”

After writing a first draft in 2010 that he sent to constant musical collaborator Rony Fortich to work on, the project developed very slowly as Del Mundo worked on his treatment some more after getting feedback from the initial reading and singthrough.

According to him, “The Bluebird of Happiness” underwent at least six revisions before he and Audie agreed on a final draft.

“I remember what my colleague Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo said, the thing about theater productions in the Philippines is by the time we close, we’re ready to open,” Del Mundo mused.

Gemora added that most

Jaime del Mundo and Audie Gemora.

plays staged in the country are actually “works in progress”, at least compared to their US and UK counterparts. “We need more months, more money, more test audiences to develop our productions. Unfortunately, we don’t have that luxury in the Philippines,” he lamented. “Here, we only have two to three months to put something together.”

bilang janitor sa isang teatro sa Maynila na kailanman ay hindi niya itinanggi.

Kabilang sa mga celebrity na rumampa sa red carpet ay sina Glaiza de Castro, Chef Boy Logro, mga anakanakan niya sa dating teen show na That’s Entertainment na sina Sherly Cruz, Jojo Alejar, Monching Gutierrez, at Chuckie Dreyfus.

Nakita rin sina Susan Roces, Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes, Jean Garcia, Rochelle Pangilinan, Ryzza Mae Dizon, Jackie Lou Blanco, at marami pang iba.

Sa pagpapatuloy ng selebrasyon, maging ang ilang artista mula sa ibang network ay inaasahang darating para personal na batiin si Kuya Germs. ■ FR

Jimenez, GMA News / April 24, 2013 11:59pm

Still, after recently working with adult-oriented plays (“Boeing Boeing”, “No Way To Treat A Lady” and “The Graduate”, all for Rep), Del Mundo and Gemora are both excited and looking forward to working with kids again in “The Bluebird of Happiness”.

“It’s true that you can’t demand a lot from kids because they also have their school to attend to, once they commit or get into something, their wide-eyed enthusiasm is quite affecting. That is something you won’t get from adult actors,” noted Del Mundo who will also direct the new musical.

Given Trumpets’ track record of blockbuster musical productions, audiences can expect another stunning adaptation of a timeless tale presented in spectacular fashion and designed to tug at the heartstrings of young and old audiences alike.

“The Bluebird of Happiness” is scheduled to open on September 20 and will run until October 20 at the Meralco Theater. ■ Edwin P. Sallan, InterAksyon.com / Saturday, April 27, 2013 9:58 pm

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

CELEBRITY, SHOWBIZ &ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP

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With Alex Gonzaga gone, all eyes on Eula Caballero to deliver the goods for TV5

PRESSURE. Responsibility. These are the two most important words in Eula Caballero’s vocabulary these days.

With the recent departure of fellow TV5 primetime princess Alex Gonzaga and only days to go before the premiere of “Cassandra: Warrior Angel”, her much-awaited fantaserye on TV5, the young actress knows that a lot of things are riding on her shoulders.

“Sobrang pressure at napakalaking responsibility para sa kin itong ‘Cassandra’ para pero sobrang tuwa at pasasalamat ko to TV5 for giving me this project. Kaya naman po I’m doing everything I can to deliver my best para hindi naman nakakahiya sa management,” Eula said during her solo press conference and photo exhibit of her pictorial with photographer Ronnie Salvacion last Tuesday.

The 17-year-old “Star Factor” winner from Cebu said she personally considers it as a challenge that people now look at her as a successor of sorts to Alex, who prior to her recent move to ABS-CBN, had headlined “Babaeng Hampaslupa” and “Enchanted Garden”, two successive hit teleseryes for the Kapatid Network.

“Napakalaki ng na-i-contribute ni Ate Alex sa TV5 at napaka-generous at napaka-supportive niya sa akin nung nagkasama kami sa ‘Enchanted Garden’. So kahit po nadagdagan ang pressure sa akin to deliver pag-aalis

niya, isang malaking challenge ito para sa akin”, Eula declared.

Her confidence is no mere show of bravado. Eula said she is thankful to the way TV5 has patiently developed and continues to further hone her talents.

“Everything they have done for me—all the hard work, the shows they’ve given me, the training, and workshops—I feel all of that has prepared me for this moment,” Eula said.

“During my recent workshop with my acting coach, Beverly Vergel, pinag-usapan po naming ‘yung mga atake ko sa roles ko in the past series at kung ano pa ang puwedeng kong ma-improve para dito sa ‘Cassandra’.

Ang gusto kong makita ng tao, hindi si Eula na artista kung hindi si Cassandra na character nung series.”

Perci Intalan, TV5 first vice president for creative and entertainment production, said Eula is a “source of pride” for both himself and the network as she has come a long way from the precocious teenager who walked in to the “Star Factor” auditions in SM Cebu who was willing to do just about anything to get in.

“Huwag n’yo nang sabihin kung ano ang pinaggagawa ko dun,” Eula pleaded to the TV5 executive.

“Ang totoo po niyan, when I entered showbiz, siyempre talagang kinabahan ako. My parents warned me na hindi madali maging artista. We’re not from a showbiz family. We did not know

what to expect. Even so, my family still supported me. Gusto ko talaga ‘to. I really want to be an actress.”

With “Cassandra: Warrior Angel” Eula is aware that the pressure and responsibility is even bigger since she is not only surrounded by a very talented supporting cast that includes tried-and-tested veterans Gabby Concepcion, Eula Valdes, William Martinez, Pen Medina, Mercedes Cabral, Biboy Ramirez, Art Acuña and Vangie Labalan, but also because she has not one but three leading men in Victor Silayan, JC De Vera and Albie Casiño. (Albie was a surprise special guest in the press conference.)

Denying anything romantic is going on between them, both Eula and Albie were nonetheless complimentary towards each other.

“Wala namang kulang kay Eula.

She’s a very dedicated actress and really fun to work with,” Albie said of his new leading lady.

“Albie was very shy during our workshop pero mabilis naman siyang mag-warm up nung in-approach namin siya. Okey naman siyang katrabaho,” she said.

Eula may be feeling a lot of pressure these days as the May 6 premiere of “Cassandra: Warrior Angel” draws near. But if there is anyone that’s helping her ease that pressure, it’s not only her TV5 family but also supportive co-stars like Albie. ■ Edwin P. Sallan, InterAksyon.com /

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Eula poses between two portraits shot by Ronnie Salvacion.

(Photos by Jeman Villanueva/InterAksyon)

Albie Casiño and Eula Caballero

Thursday, April 25, 2013 11:43 am

Are they or aren’t they? Actress Liza Diño admits she’s ‘inspired’ by Aiza Seguerra

Britain’s Got Talent 2013: 11 year old Arisxandra Libantino wows panel with ‘One Night Only’ audition!

ARISXANDRA Libantino returned for her second shot at finding fame on Britain’s Got Talent this evening and we’d say the little girl is well on her way to musical success., she

chose to sing ‘One Night Only’ by Jennifer Hudson. The judges LOVED her tryout and Cowell started the praise, telling Arisxandra that she is truly ‘super human.’ ■

LOS Angeles-based actress, chef, and beauty queen Liza Diño is back in the country promoting her latest movie “In Nomine Matris”.

“I’ll be staying in Manila for an entire year. I decided to move here for a while kasama ko yung daughter ko so I’m looking forward to hopefully doing some projects here and working on mga shows.”

And it seems she got her wish as she is set to star in director Ron Bryant’s CineFilipino entry “Bingoleras” where she will act alongside Eula Valdez and Maxene Eigenmann.

“I’m playing a police na lesbian.

It’s very, very challenging, I’m very, very excited. It’s the first time I’ll be working with director Ron Bryant, and I think it’s a very, very good ensemble cast,” she gushes about her role, which may be something close to reality as she is currently being romantically linked to the country’s most prominent and beloved lesbian, singer Aiza Seguerra.

Apparently, Liza and Aiza have something of a history together.

“We’ve known each other for a

very long time. I think I was eighteen and she was sixteen, as in hindi pa siya kumakanta when we first met, and we haven’t talked for a long time.

Ever since I left for the US walang communication, ngayon lang ulit.

So, we’re pretty much just catching up, hanging out,” Liza admits in her interview with InterAksyon.

Rumors about the two started when Aiza disclosed in an interview that she recently got back with a chefbeauty queen. Although Liza did not deny that they are indeed a couple, she did not admit to the relationship either, only going so far as to say that she is good friends with the openly gay singer.

“She’s a very good friend, she’s an amazing person. I’m always inspired by the way she lives her life. She’s very passionate about what she does. I’m happy that we reconnected again,” she says.

She also has this to say about being Aiza’s current muse, “If she’s inspired right now it’s because maganda talaga ‘yung relationship na sinimulan namin. Even before, we’ve been friends talaga.”

The chef-beauty queen may

not be ready to go public with her relationship with the singer but her last statement may have more to it than she is prepared to admit.

“I’ve lived in the US for a long time, I have a lot of friends who are gay but for me, if ever you fall in love you fall in love with the soul, with the person. And sana soon enough we will live in a society na lahat equal.” ■

InterAksyon.com / Wednesday, May 1, 2013

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NEWS

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Pagadian mayor seeks CA help in syndicated estafa case

PAGADIAN Mayor Samuel Co has asked the Court of Appeals to stop the syndicated estafa case filed against him in connection with the multi-billion peso investment scam led by Manuel Amalilio, owner of the doomed Aman Futures Group Philippines Inc. In a petition for certiorari and prohibition filed last week, Co asked the CA-Mindanao in Cagayan de Oro City to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Iligan Regional Trial Court Branch 1, which is hearing the case and has earlier issued an arrest warrant against him.

“The grave abuse lies in the DOJ’s reliance on mere hearsay evidence to show probable cause [and] the lack of jurisdiction of the Iligan court because alleged criminal acts were not committed there,” Co’s legal counsel Trixie Cruz-Angeles told GMA News Online.

Angeles insisted the criminal charges against her client was “politically motivated,” even as she lambasted how the DOJ “rushed to file the case in Iligan.”

Jurisdiction. For her part, Co’s other lawyer, Angle Gatmaitan, said jurisdiction over the case should be transferred from the trial court to the Office of the Ombudsman because Co is a public official under Salary Grade 30.

Gatmaitan believes the case against their client was “railroaded” because he would be vying for a seat in Congress in the coming elections.

Last March, the DOJ recommended syndicated estafa charges against Co and 11 others for their alleged involvement in the scam traced to Aman Futures Group Philippine Inc. Based on its preliminary investigation, the DOJ special panel junked Co’s defense that he merely helped Aman Futures in distributing checks to investors and was not a member of the doomed investment firm, which duped a total of 15,000 victims in Visayas and Mindanao.

“His denial cannot overcome

the positive assertions of the complainants,” the DOJ panel had said, referring to a group of complainants led by Julius Labunog.

Aside from Co, also charged were Amalilio, who is serving a twoyear jail sentence in Malaysia for possession of fake passports and IDs, as well as other Aman Futures executives who were found liable for engaging in futures trading even without the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Syndicated estafa is a nonbailable offense.

The DOJ cited Co’s co-accused’s sworn statement in which Leila Gan claimed issuing a certification on August 25, 2012 that Co was an “authorized agent” of the investment firm.

In his defense, Co earlier said he and his wife were also victims of Aman Futures as they invested P3,266,700 in the firm under the account name Bo’s Coffee with an interest of 58-percent after 17 days.

He made another investment under the account name Max’s Chicken with an amount of P3,205,500 with a 60-percent interest after 17 days.

Co had said he tried stopping Aman Futures from operating but failed to get an authority from the Sangguniang Panglungsod of Pagadian City because its members “were themselves politicians... and no one complained against the operation of Aman.”

In June 2012, Co had ordered the cancellation of Aman Futures’ business permit after finding out that the firm was into futures trading but was registered as a general merchandise business. ■

Mark Merueñas / KBK, GMA News / April 26, 2013 5:06pm

Networking now a tool for vote-buying

FROM scamming money off people, networking is now being used even to get people elected into government posts.

This was revealed to GMA News reporter Sandra Aguinaldo by a source who was hired by a mayor in Metro Manila for the upcoming May 2013 polls.

Angel (not her real name) said that a politician usually uses networking to recruit as much people as they can who are willing to sell their votes.

She said that candidates usually hire district coordinators, who in turn hire zone coordinators. He said the zone coordinators would then hire barangay coordinators, who hire team leaders like her.

As a team leader, she said she recruits 25 other leaders, who would then hire six to ten other people.

She said the process would go on until they have a person in almost every home in the area.

“Sa tagal [na at] sa ilang election na na-observe ko, money works talaga,” she said in an exclusive interview with GMA News.

“Pag nagbagsak ng pera, siguradong nananalo ang pulitiko... lalo na kapag malaki ang amount... tsaka depende sa amount,” she added.

Angel said they would also scare the recruited voters a little so that they would not back out from the deal.

“Psychological warfare yung gagamitin na style. [Sinasabi namin] malalaman yan kasi mabibilang yan [vote] kahit hindi. Sabihin mo mabibilang kahit hindi,” she said.

Highest bidder. But for voters like Ana (also not her real name), who has been selling her vote for 18 years now, politicians don’t need to threaten her.

“[Ang] governor mga P1,500 hanggang P3,000 [ang bayad].

Hinahatid sa bahay mismo kakatukin ka ng hatinggabi o kaya nasa presinto ka na dun ka na sasalubingin,” she said.

She said politicians even pay for her fare from Manila to Samar, where she is a registered voter.

In the same television report, Josie (also not her real name) would give her vote to the highest bidder.

She said she first sold her vote for P700 and then for more than P2,000.

Earlier, Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur Mayor Edgar Florendo was caught on video counting money and giving them to residents along with sample ballots.

However, Florendo said that the residents approached him for monetary help and that his political rivals are just trying to ruin him.

“They can throw anything they want that is in the kitchem, including the kitchen sink and everything during election time,” he told GMA News.

Butuan City. It was also reported that a survey conducted by a university in Butuan City showed that 80 percent of respondents in their area were willing to sell their votes.

Some of the young voters even said they just need the money to buy alcohol or cellphone load.

Under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code, vote-buying and vote-selling are prohibited: “Any person who gives, offers or promises money or anything of value, gives or promises any office or employment, franchise or grant, public or private, or makes or offers to make an expenditure, directly or indirectly, or cause an expenditure to be made to any person, association,

corporation, entity, or community in order to induce anyone or the public in general to vote for or against any candidate or withhold his vote in the election, or to vote for or against any aspirant for the nomination or choice of a candidate in a convention or similar selection process of a political party” and “Any person, association, corporation, group or community who solicits or receives, directly or indirectly, any expenditure or promise of any office or employment, public or private, for any of the foregoing considerations.”

Violators of the Omnibus Election Code shall face imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years. He or she shall likewise be deprived of the right to vote and be disqualified from holding public office.

Still, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, however, said it’s hard to prove this type of election offense.

“Kailangan mo ipakita yung binigyan ay talagang tinaggap niya yung consideration para iboto niya yung nasabing kandidato. Kung hindi naman niya ibinoto nasan yung votebuying doon?” he said.

However, he said that voters should feel more secure now since Philippine elections are automated.

“Sa ngayon, hindi na makikilala ng mga kandidato sino ang binoto ninyo kasi ngayon ay electronic o automated [na ang eleksyon],” he said. ■ Kimberly Jane Tan / RSJ, GMA News / April 25, 2013 2:52pm

PhlPost releases UP alumni association centennial stamps

Hacienda Luisita farmers march near PNoy’s house in QC FARMERS from the Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac on Saturday marched near the house of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III in Quezon City, calling for the distribution of the plantation’s lands soonest.

Radio dzBB’s Manny Vargas reported that the farmers, who started their march on April 24, had come all the way from Tarlac and passed through Pampanga and Bulacan.

An earlier article on Bulatlat.com said the farmers’ march marks the first anniversary of a Supreme Court decision that mandated the distribution of some 6,000

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

hectares of Hacienda Luisita, a plantation controlled by President Aquino’s family.

The police allowed the marchers, who had camped out at Elliptical Road, to get near Times Street but had them maintain their distance from Aquino’s house, Quezon City Police District Station 2 commander Superintendent Pedro Sanchez said they are maintaining a maximum tolerance policy but will disperse them if they force their way to Aquino’s house.

He also deployed female police personnel to the area to help deal with the farmers. ■ VVP, GMA News / April 27, 2013 9:10am

THE Philippine Postal Corp. this week released commemorative stamps to mark the centennial of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association.

In an article posted on its website, PhlPost said it started issuing the UPAA centennial stamps, which have four designs, on April 2.

Throughout its history, the UPAA has been fired up by its mission of fostering Honor and Excellence, Service and Leadership, the very same ideals held sacrosanct by the Alma Mater. Projects of the association have sought to promote these ideals, as well as encourage unity, loyalty and institution building among the graduates, so that united, they can better serve their communities and the nation, thus doing their Alma Mater proud,” PhlPost said.

Also, it said the UPAA has “undertaken several projects to promote excellence in teaching,

research and extension services.”

Designed by the UPAA centennial anniversary committee, the four stamp variations show: • The Oblation with the UPAA Centennial Logo in a purple background • Façade of the Bahay ng Alumni building in a green background, likewise with the UPAA Centennial logo • Earthworm-view of the Carillon Tower, with the centennial logo on a blue background • The full view of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association Centennial logo.

UPAA traces its roots to March 1913, when then UP President Murray Bartlett urged College of Law Dean George Malcolm to call a meeting to form such an association.

PhlPost said the 140,000 commemorative stamps will be in denominations of P10, and will be

issued until April 1, 2014.

Pitcher plants.

Meanwhile, PhlPost also issued 120,000 P10denomination stamps on pitcher plants, more than 100 species of which can be found in the Philippines.

It said the special stamps feature “different varieties of pitcher plants that can be found and grown in the Philippines.”

The stamps will be issued from March 13 to March 12, 2014. ■ LBG, GMA News / April 28, 2013 11:13am

UP alumni association commemorative stamps. - PhlPost

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PHILIPPINE EMBASSY AROUND THE WORLD

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Celebrating DFA’s Talents – The Department of PHL Ambassador Explores Expansion Foreign Affairs Presents: “Hope Springs Eternal” of Philippines-Mongolia Economic Ties THE Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations (OUIER) launched on April 22 an art exhibit of Japanese paintings by Mr. Jeffrey Salik at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Main Building Lobby. The paintings also feature Japanese calligraphy work from Mr. Salik’s mother-in-law, Kiwako Suzuki.

The exhibit is being held in honor of the memory of his late wife Yoshino Suzuki Salik, coinciding with the first anniversary of Yoshino’s passing.

Honorable Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Madame Gretchen del Rosario, foreign dignitaries and DFA and government officials graced the opening of the exhibit.

The exhibit features 30 pieces of acryl gouache, or watercolor on paper paintings with Japanese calligraphy. Among the 30, three were painted by Kayou Suzuki,

Yoshino’s niece. The paintings were done in Australia, South Korea, Japan, Jordan, and the Philippines.

Mr. Salik had an exhibit with the same title in The Medical City in October last year. The present exhibit, however, features an entirely new collection of artwork.

Mr. Salik, a Filipino career diplomat presently assigned at the Office

of Middle East and African Affairs (OMEAA), started painting as a hobby back in the year 2000. He was previously assigned as Third Secretary and Vice Consul at the Philippine Embassy in Amman, Jordan. He had lived and worked at various times in Seoul, South Korea and Beirut, Lebanon. ■ Philippine Embassy Philippines / Friday, 26 April 2013 16:30

Suspect in killing of British, Pinay in 2011 arrested in New York

A former Marine wanted for the brutal murder of a former British constable and his Filipina girlfriend in Angeles City in Pampanga was arrested in New York earlier this week.

State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation agents arrested Timothy Kaufman, 35, in Clifton Park in New York, New York-based WNYT.com reported Saturday (Manila time).

The WNYT report said Kaufman was turned over to US Marshals and is being held in Rensselaer County Jail. An extradition hearing is scheduled for May 9.

Kaufman was linked to the brutal

murder of David Joseph Balmer and live-in partner Elma de Guia on September 1, 2011.

An initial report by the National Bureau of Investigation showed that the victims succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds.

Kaufman and Joseph Stephan Tramontano, both Americans, and driver Jesus Santos Jr. were charged with murder before the Angeles Prosecutor’s Office.

The Angeles City court issued warrants of arrest against the three on January 24, 2012.

WNYT said authorities found Kaufman hiding with his elderly grandfather in Clifton Park, ending

an international manhunt.

It said authorities “believe the double homicide was an assassination in which the contract killer murdered the wrong targets.”

The WNYT report said authorities believe the real target of Kaufman was Richard Agnew, with whom the victims shared the house. Agnew, a former UK policeman, was away at the time.

It quoted residents in Greenlea Drive as saying they believe Kaufman had been living in their neighborhood since shortly after the killings.

Many described him as polite and friendly. ■ VVP, GMA News / April 27, 2013

5:30pm

PHL Ambassador to the US Inducts Officers of Newly Formed Filipino-American Youth Group in L.A. PHILIPPINE Ambassador to the United States (US) Jose S. Cuisia, Jr. with the Philippine business delegation of the 2nd Investment Trade Roadshow attended the Pulong Bayan with Filipino community organizations, particularly the Filipino-American Chambers of Commerce, the emerging generation of Filipino-Americans in Los Angeles and the media on last April 22 at the Rizal Hall of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles.

During the town hall meeting the Ambassador inducted the first newly organized youth organization in Los Angeles called “We Are One Filipino” with its Chair, Ms. Mia McLeod; Vice Chair, Mr. John Mina; Secretary, Mr. Berwin Salazar; Treasurers, Ms. Pamela Irineo and Mr. Rey Puentenegra; Auditor, Mr. Lorenzo Moran; Marketing and Branding officers, Ms. Krizia Medenilla and Ms. Krystal Menez; Civil and Media Relations officers, Mr. Mico Letargo.

Mr. Steve Angeles and Ms. Elgin Zulueta; and Organization and Recruitment officer, Ms. Andrea Edoria, Mr. Kervin Tieu and Mr. Andrew Soriano.■Friday, 26 April 2013 16:29

AMBASSADOR Erlinda F. Basilio, non-resident Philippine Ambassador to Mongolia, met with Vice Minister O. Chuluunbat of the Ministry of Economic Development during her recent visit to Ulaanbaatar on the occasion of her presentation of credentials to Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj on April 09.

Also in attendance during the meeting were Deputy Chief of Mission Antonio A. Morales of the Philippine Embassy in Beijing and Mr. Bekhbat Sodnom, Director General of the Department of Innovation and Public-Private Partnership of the Ministry and former Honorary Consul of the Philippines in Mongolia.

Lauding the excellent state of the Mongolian economy, Ambassador Basilio informed Vice Minister Chuluunbat that the Philippines is keen to promote closer economic, political-security and socio-cultural relations with Mongolia, as well as to ensure continuous people-topeople and institutional exchanges.

Vice Minister Chuluunbat noted

there is much room for growth for trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. He said the Ministry of Economic Development would be glad to help boost ties between Philippine and Mongolian businessmen.

Aside from enhancing bilateral economic cooperation, the Ambassador and the Vice Minister also discussed possibilities to develop business-to-business relations, such as in the areas of agriculture, consumer goods, and manpower and education services.

■ Friday, 26 April 2013 15:40

Ambassador Basilio in earnest discussion with Vice Minister O. Chuluunbat of Mongolia’s Ministry of Economic Development (MED). Also in the meeting are Deputy Chief of Mission Antonio A. Morales and MED Director General Bekhbat Sodnom.

159 Filipino Household Service Workers to be Repatriated from Kuwait KUWAIT Chief of the Office of Domestic Workers Affairs (ODWA) Gen. Abdullak Al-Ali eased a ban on 159 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), allowing them to go home to the Philippines, in line with ongoing mutual cooperation with the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait and the Kuwait government on human rights.

The announcement was made on the occasion of the Human Rights Symposium in Kuwait on April 18, and was the result of joint efforts by the Philippine Embassy and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Kuwait.

The OFWs will be repatriated in groups of 50 within the next few weeks and are undergoing the last processing stages prior to going home. Recruitment agencies agreed to pay for their airfare after strong representations had been made by POLO. The OFWs had been subject to a bureaucratic ban on fingerprinting as part of the repatriation process. The Embassy made a series of diplomatic representations, culminating in the Human Rights Symposium, where embassy representatives met with and thanked Kuwaiti officials for their cooperation. ■ Friday, 26 April 2013 16:11

69 Filipinos to be Repatriated from Syria

(L-R) Ms. Krystal Menez; Ms. Medenilla; Mr. Rey Puentenegra; Ms. Elgin Zulueta; Mr. Berwin Salazar; Mr. John Mina; Ms. Mia McLeod and Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia.

Ambassador Jose L.Cuisia, Jr. inducting the officers of the youth group “We Are One Filipino”.

(L-R) Mr. Mico Letargo; Steve Angeles; Ms. Andrea Edoria; Ms. Krizia Medenilla; Ms. Krystal Menez; Chair, Ms. Mia McLeod; Ambassador Jose S. Cuisia, Jr.; Vice Chair, Mr. John Mina; Treasurer, Ms. Elgin Zulueta, Ms. Pamela Irineo; Consul General Maria Hellen M. Barber De La Vega; Secretary, Mr. Berwin Salazar; and Treasurer, Mr. Rey Puentenegra.

THE Philippine Embassy in Damascus reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that 69 Filipinos safely crossed the Syrian-Lebanese border yesterday, April 21.

The group, which is now under the care of the Philippine Embassy in Beirut, will take two separate flights for Manila today.

The first batch composed of 34 repatriates will arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal I today at 11:10 p.m. aboard Etihad Airways flight EY 0428 while the second batch of 35 repatriates will arrive tomorrow, April 23 at 3:20 p.m. via Etihad Airways flight EY 0424.

Upon the groups’ arrival, the total number of repatriates will reach 3,951.

The DFA continues to urge all Filipinos who are still in Syria to seek immediate repatriation as the violence in the country continue to worsen. For assistance they may call the Embassy at 96311-6132626, +963968955057, +963934957926, +963992264145, +9639668953340 or +963958903893.

The families of Filipinos in Syria may also provide the DFA with upto-date information regarding their next-of-kin’s present location and contact details in Syria. Those who wish to do so may call the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA) at (02) 834-3240 or 834-4583 or the DFA’s 24-hour Action Center at (02) 8343333. ■ Philippine Embassy Philippines / Monday, 22 April 2013 15:20

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PHL Consulate General Welcomes Public Safety Course Participants in Los Angeles

Special Agent Cesar Oligario (2nd from left), PC Superintendent Dominador E. Aquino, Jr. (5th from left), Consul General Maria Hellen Barber De La Vega (6th from left), FBI Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Voviette Morgan and Deputy Consul General Daniel Espiritu and Philippine Consulate Officers, with members of the PNP-PSOSEC Class 2012-82 and 83 and FBI officials.

THE Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles hosted a dinner reception on April 23 in honor of the participants of the Public Safety Officers Senior Executive Course (PSOSEC) Class 2012-82 and 83. The class members were headed by Police Chief Superintendent Dominador Aquino, Jr. of the Philippine Public Safety College, and were accompanied by their counterparts from the Los Angeles Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) led byAssistant Special Agent-In-Charge Voviette Morgan.

The PSOSEC participants are in Los Angeles to attend the FBI Seminar and Foreign Educational Tour at the FBI Field Office, marking another milestone in the security and law enforcement cooperation

between the Philippines and the United States (US).

This partnership between the PNP and the FBI partnership is on its eighth year.

With programs like the Public Safety Officers Security Executive Course, bilateral law enforcement cooperation has reached new levels: Philippine and US agencies have cooperated in their campaign against criminality and terrorism, drug and human trafficking, search and rescue and disaster response, implementation of their extradition treaty, and training of Filipino law enforcement officers.

The US has been helping the Philippine National Police with its Transformation Program. ■ Friday, 26 April 2013 16:10

in February and Republic Act No. 10398 declaring November 25 as “National Consciousness Day For The Elimination Of Violence against Women and Children” last month.

Ambassador Yparraguirre likewise highlighted the crucial role of civil society in engaging government on this issue.

She noted, “NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) should be recognized and given credit.

Many NGO-initiated programs have been replicated at the national and local levels. Other women NGOs implement research projects dealing with violence and maintain a network of services dedicated to helping VAWG survivors. They maintain records of their clients and services to help establish data on the extent and nature of violence committed against women and girls.”

MOVE or “Men Opposed to Violence against Women Everywhere” has organized 26 chapters nationwide with over 5,000 members. On Valentine’s Day this year, a group of men from government agencies, organizations, church and laity, called “We, Men” joined “One Billion Rising,” the largest global action in history to end violence against women and girls.

Other speakers in the side event were Ambassador Ana Teresa

PHL Consulate General in Jeddah Provides Temporary Shelters to Filipino Campers

THE Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah is providing temporary shelters in the city to undocumented Filipinos who are camping out on a vacant lot near the Consulate while waiting for their repatriation.

The Consulate is now setting up two large tents on the fourth floor of the Consulate to accommodate a total of 200 women and children.

A friend of the Consulate likewise offered to take in 80 women and children and 90 men in his housing compound.

The Consulate is also hoping to make a gymnasium of a Philippine School available to 500 more campers soon, subject to the approval of the Saudi Ministry of Education.

The Filipinos will be provided basic necessities during their stay in the said facilities.

Most of the campers are expected

to be in the shelters by this weekend.

Earlier, the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh sent a note verbale to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting the Saudi Government’s assistance on the following: 1. waiver of public rights including issuance and renewal fees of iqama (residence permit); 2. help in locating and negotiating with the original sponsor to obtain a “no objection certificate, and if possible a waiver of the requirement in the absence of any derogatory criminal record or complaint by the sponsor against the Filipinos; 3. providing emergency shelters for the women and children; and 4. providing a similar arrangement for illegal Filipinos based in Riyadh and Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region. ■

Philippine Embassy Philippines / Wednesday, 24 April 2013 17:29

(L-R) Consul General Maria Hellen Barber De La Vega addresses participants of PNPPSOCEC Class 2012-82 and 83.

(L-R) PC Superintendent Dominador E. Aquino, Jr. (2nd from right) present a souvenir statue of Lapu-Lapu, considered by the PNP as the first Police Warrior, to Consul General Maria Hellen Barber De La Vega.

PHL Highlights Government Efforts, Civil Society’s Role in Ending Violence Against Women and Girls at 22nd CCPCJ Side-Event on Femicide THE Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN) in Vienna participated in the side event on “Femicide—Stopping the Killing of Women and Girls” during the 22nd session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, being held in Vienna, Austria, from April 22 to 26.

The Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Its Causes and Consequences defines femicide or gender-related killing as the “killing of women and girls because of their gender.” These killings can be the result of domestic violence in the name of honor, or dowry-related killings, targeted killing of women and girls in the context of armed conflict, and female infanticide and gender-based sex selective foeticide, among others.

Ambassador Lourdes O. Yparraguirre, Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, spoke on the Philippines’ efforts in preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls (VAWG), highlighting the dramatic series of laws recently signed by the President, such as The 2008 Magna Carta on Women, Republic Act No. 10361 or the Kasambahay Law signed in January, Republic Act No. 10364 or the “Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act”

May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Dengco, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica; Ms Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on Violence against Children; Ms Marta Kran, Director of Research and Right to Development Division, Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights; Dr Janice Joseph, distinguished Professor on Criminal Justice, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey; and Mr Aldo Lale Demaz, Director, Division for Operations, United Natons Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The side event was organized by the Academic Council on United Nations System (ACUNS), the Vienna NGO Committee on the Status of Women and the World Society of Victimology and supported by the Permanent Missions of Austria, El Salvador, Italy, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Norway, the Philippines, Slovenia, Switzerland and Thailand. ■ Thursday, 25 April 2013 20:29

OPEN LETTER TO OUR FELLOW FILIPINOS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND, FILIPINO ASSOCIATIONS AND LEADERS OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY Dear Kababayan, Overseas Absentee Voting started last Saturday, 13 April 2013, and will end at 12 noon on Monday 13th of May 2013. The positions for 12 senators and one party list are being vied for COMELEC statistics show that there are 11,911 registered voters in the UK, and 1,109 registered voters in Ireland. As in the past, the Philippine Embassy in London follows the postal voting system whereby the ballots and instructions are sent directly to the voter who, in turn, should mail the completed ballot to the Embassy or deposit it in the Embassy drop box. The list of registered voters are posted in the COMELEC website, the Philippine Embassy, London, website, and at the Consular section of the Embassy.

As of this date, the Embassy has already received a few hundred “return to sender” envelopes containing the unclaimed electoral

mail of addressees who might have moved to another address since the last election. Thus, voters who have not yet received their electoral mail by this time are strongly urged to inform the Embassy or check the Embassy website to confirm if their names are on the list of registered voters. In this regard, those whose names are on the list may pick up their electoral mail at the Embassy or request the Embassy to re-post it to the correct address.

With three more weeks left in the Election period, all Filipino citizens in the UK or Ireland, registered to vote but have not yet done so, are urged to exercise their right to vote.

Thank you very much. April, 24 2013

ENRIQUE A. MANALO Ambassador

6-8 Suffolk STreet, London SW1Y 4HG Tel. 020-7451 1780 Fax. 020-7930 787 E-mal: embassy@philemb.co.uk website: www.philembassy-uk.org

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May 2013 – No. 9 • UK & Europe Edition

Floyd Mayweather on return ... Continuation from page 40 Amir Khan survives 4th round Mayweather hinted at retirement with 18 knockouts, on May 4 at Las knockdown to decision Julio Diaz Vegas, a year after beating Miguel after completing his latest fight deal, SHEFFIELD, United Kingdom – Former world light-welterweight champion Amir Khan had to climb off the canvas to keep on course for a shot at the division’s champions by out-pointing Julio Diaz on Saturday.

Khan, 26, was floored in the fourth round and looked on the brink of another knockdown in the 11th of a thrilling catchweight (143 pounds) 12-round non-title contest with Mexican Diaz at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield.

In Khan’s first performance back on British soil for two years, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist triumphed by scores of 114-113, 115-113 and 115-112 in a close fight.

Khan improved his record to 28 wins and three defeats, while Diaz suffered his eighth career defeat in a 49-fight career. It was another thrilling encounter the Briton was involved in but as exciting as he is, he also showed he is still vulnerable.

Khan, from Bolton in northern England, can now remain hopeful of a rematch with either Danny Garcia or Lamont Peterson, the Americans who have beaten him in the last two years.

Promoters Golden Boy had told Khan victory would propel him to a shot at the light-welterweight division’s undisputed world champion later this year.

Garcia was due to defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Association (WBA) titles against Zab Judah hours after Khan had finished with Diaz, while

Lamont Peterson is set to defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) belt against Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse on May 18. The winners of Garcia-Judah and PetersonMatthysse will then meet, and Khan hopes to now face the victor of that unification fight.

Khan made a measured start and former world lightweight king Diaz, 33, did not land a single meaningful blow in the opening round as the Briton fired out his jab before darting out of range.

It was a pattern that Khan repeated in the second, attacking with three punch clusters rather than jumping in with big punches that would leave him open.

But in the fourth round Khan did leave himself open and Diaz seized the chance, with two cuffing left hooks sending the home hero down.

Khan bounced up at the count of three and did not look seriously hurt

Ginebra guns for 2-0 semis lead ... game as the main culprit to their downfall aside from allowing Ginebra to play its game.

“Matching Ginebra’s energy and intensity on defense will be the key,” Black said.

“Three-point shooting has been our strength this conference so we have to find a way to get better looks

April 28, 2013

UFL kicks off Youth League ... from the National Capital Region Football Association, the governing football body for Metro Manila.

But the UFL eventually received

Continuation from page 40

for our shooters.”

Ginebra shot above 50 percent (42-of-80) in Game One while Talk ‘N Text hit just 35 percent (29-of-82), including an awful 1-of-18 from the three-point zone.

“Overall we just need to play better,” said Black. ■ InterAKTV / Sunday,

Continuation from page 40

go-signal to start the league on Saturday after getting the necessary votes from NCRFA. ■ InterAKTV / Friday, April 26, 2013

before sensibly getting on his bike to ride out the rest of the round.

Khan was better in the fifth and sixth rounds, landing some big blows that left Diaz cut by the corner of the right eye.

But Diaz was always dangerous and Khan looked vulnerable again as it turned into a brawl in the eighth.

The fight had swung Khan’s way but in the tenth it swung back to the Mexican who had the Briton rocking early on with a left hook to the side of the head.

Another left-right further dazed Khan who then backpedalled unsteadily to survive a nervous tenth round.

Worse was to come from Khan in the 11th and he looked there for the taking as his hands dropped and Diaz repeatedly nailed him.

Khan was hurt by a left and right hook before another combination caught him flush as his career hung in the balance.

But Khan’s head cleared between rounds and he finished the fight boxing off his back foot, flicking out the jab.

His younger brother Haroon, 21, made a successful professional debut at super-flyweight with a 4037 points win over fellow Englishman Brett Fidoe. Haroon, who won bronze at the 2010 Commonwealth Games boxing for Pakistan, afterwards said: “I could have boxed better and there was more pressure on me than in the amateurs. Now I’m looking to kick on in my next few fights.”

Also on the bill, American heavyweight Deontay Wilder took just 70 seconds to claim his 28th stoppage victim in his 28th fight after battering Briton Audley Harrison.

Wilder, 27, from Alabama, claimed his biggest scalp yet when he staggered Harrison with a huge right and the Briton never recovered as the American unloaded a series of clubbing hooks to the head.

Harrison, 41, slumped to the canvas in the corner and was on unsteady legs when the fight was waved off by referee Terry O’Connor.

It was Harrison’s seventh defeat since winning gold at the 2000 Olympics and the second time in six months he has been stopped inside a round. ■ AFP

Cotto by unanimous decision.

It will be Mayweather’s first fight since serving two months in jail for domestic battery, a fact that gives challenger Guerrero a confidence boost.

“Most definitely Floyd Mayweather is taking me seriously,” Guerrero said. “It has been his longest training camp in a long time. Being a whole year’s layoff, he’s going to feel the punches. We’re going after him the whole fight.

“It’s going to take a little time to shake that ring rust off.”

Mayweather, 36, says he is as fit as he has ever been and ready to face whatever challenge Guerrero brings.

“If that’s his way to psyche himself out and build confidence, more power to him,” Mayweather said.

“I’m in tip top condition. I’m in great shape. I have been working hard.”

As for jail time, Mayweather would not say his stay behind bars changed him.

“It was just an obstacle that was in my way,” he said. “I’m happy to be home. There’s nothing cool about losing your freedom. Freedom is extremely important.”

Mayweather, who will launch a sixfight deal over 30 months with the Guerrero matchup, has fought only four times since December of 2007 and says resting his body for peak performance is far from losing fight fitness.

“I took a long time off before. I just call it a vacation,” Mayweather said. “Sometimes the body needs time to heal. The body needs time to rejuvenate. The body needs time to rest.”

although an perfect run would leave him on the brink of a 50-fight win streak, and said he would wait and see how he fared in the ring over the span.

“I only have 30 months left,” Mayweather said. “After this fight I’ve got five more fights. That’s all I have got to do, finish putting those stamps on my legacy. I just want to stay active, go out there and keep the fans happy.

“I don’t know yet (if I will retire).

I don’t know. By 30 months, I’ll be pretty close to 40. It might be time to get out of the sport. We have to see how these next six fights play out.

“I want to stay active. The busier I am the better it is for me.”

Mayweather termed Guerrero “flatfooted” and called him “more like a grappler, a wrestler, than a boxer.”

“Everybody always says what they are going to do to me. He’s a solid opponent. He talks a good game.

Now we have to see if he can fight as well as he talks.”

Mayweather said he was ready for any punishment Guerrero might bring, but ready to adjust his style to cope, saying, “You can’t go to a gunfight and basically not think you’re going to get shot. We have to see how the fight goes.”

Mayweather will be trained by his father, Floyd Snr, rather than his uncle Roger because his uncle is ill. Mayweather has a strained relationship with his father.

“My thing is to try to leave all the negative things behind,” Floyd Jnr said. “As far as arguments we had in the past, that’s in the past. We leave it in the past and focus on the future.” ■ AFP

Tim Cone’s patience in rookie Alex Mallari finally paying off for San Mig Coffee “THIS is the Alex Mallari that we expected.”

That was how San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone characterized Alex Mallari’s emergence in the playoffs. The rookie guard has had his two best games of his career in the Mixers’ quarterfinals series against the Meralco Bolts.

“It’s not about confidence, but it’s about patience,” Cone told InterAKTV. “He’s now starting to figure out the things we have to do. It took some time because our team is running a more complex system in the triangle.”

Cone was criticized by some quarters for his faith in Mallari, who has been labelled a disappointment because of a slow start to his career.

But the rookie seems to have finally turned things around. In the Mixers’ 100-92 win on Sunday, Mallari finished with a career-high 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Mallari, who was traded by Petron to San Mig Coffee prior to the start of the conference, said he’s starting to finally get into the groove.

“It works that way now. By doing

repetitions in practice, I’m now getting more comfortable about the things we’ve been doing,” said Mallari, who was not surprised on the big responsibility given to him by Cone.

“I’m one of the top three picks, so I expect to be given more responsibility.”

The 6-foot-3 lefty said he’s fortunate to be given more pointers by San Mig Coffee assistants Johnny Abarrientos and Jeff Cariaso, two legendary players who know the secrets of the triangle offense.

“They see things I don’t see and I’m fortunate to be instructed by these coaches. I’m glad that I have great members of the coaching staff,” added Mallari. ■ InterAKTV / Sunday, April 21, 2013

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Floyd Mayweather on return: ‘I feel unbeatable’ LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Unbeaten American boxing star Floyd Mayweather says neither jail time nor ring rust from a oneyear layoff will diminish him next week when he returns against compatriot Robert Guerrero.

“Of course I feel unbeatable. I’m in the sport where I’m the best,” Mayweather said in a Wednesday teleconference call. “I’m not going into the fight thinking I’m beatable.”

Mayweather, 43-0 with 26 knockouts, will defend his World Boxing Council welterweight title against southpaw Guerrero, 31-1

Continuation on page 38

Donaire congratulates Rigondeaux, vows to bounce back FOLLOWING his defeat to Cuban boxer Guillermo Rigondeaux in New York, Filipino boxing icon Nonito Donaire Jr. vowed to “come back and do better.”

In a post on his Twitter account, Donaire also thanked God and his guardian angles for protecting him, as well as his fans for their support.

“I tried to give my all and push the fight but we’ll be back.

I’ll come back and do better. For now, I congratulate Rigondeaux,” he said.

In Malacañang, deputy

presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Palace is confident Donaire will bounce back from his setback.

“Hindi man niya nakamit ang kanyang pakay sa labang ito, naniniwala tayong muling makakabangon ang Boxing Writers Association of America’s 2012 Fighter of the Year upang ipagpatuloy magsilbing inspirasyon sa kanyang milyonmilyon niyang mga kababayan at tagasuporta,” Valte said on government-run dzRB radio. “’Di pa rin natitinag ang suporta

natin para sa ating Filipino Flash (Our support for the Filipino Flash has not waned),” she added.

Earlier Sunday, Donaire lost by unanimous decision to Rigondeaux during their bout at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Donaire had sought to unify the World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Association junior featherweight (or super bantamweight) titles.

All three judges scored the bout for Rigondeaux 114-113, 115-112 and 116-111 over Donaire. ■ LBG, GMA News / April 14, 2013 1:33pm

Ginebra guns for 2-0 semis lead over Talk ‘N Text

TALK ‘N Text coach Norman Black said Game Two of their best-offive Commissioner’s Cup semifinals series is like a win-or-go-home situation for them.

After absorbing a 23-point loss in the series opener of their best-of-five series versus Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, Black knows they need to play better than what they showed in Game One. Game Two tips off at 6:15 p.m. at

the SMART-Araneta Coliseum, with live broadcast over AKTV on IBC-13.

The game will also be broadcast on a delayed basis starting 7:30 p.m. over TV5.

“We must play with a sense of urgency now that we’re down 1-0,” said the Tropang Texters coach.

Talk ‘N Text was totally outplayed last Friday by the Gin Kings and Black pointed to their poor shooting

Continuation on page 38

UFL kicks off Youth League on Saturday

AROUND 1,500 children will participate in the United Football League’s youth tournament slated to start at 8 a.m. on Saturday at the Emperador Stadium in McKinkley Hill in Taguig.

A total of 52 teams will play in the UFL Youth League featuring the Under-9, Under-11, Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, and Under-19 squads of UFL clubs from the first and second divisions.

Two matches will highlight

opening day at the Emperador Stadium, while the rest of the day’s games will be played at the Evia Football Field in Las Piñas and the University of Makati football field in Makati.

The same venues will also host matches on Sunday, in addition to the Nuvali football field in Laguna.

The scheduled opening of the UFL Youth League was almost postponed after initially failing to receive sanction

Continuation on page 38