Illegal recruiters next to druglords in Duterte’s ‘most hated list’

If druglords are scampering away at the sight of the shadow of Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, illegal recruiters also better hide.

Next to drug dealers, illegal recruiters are next on my list, said Duterte in the Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa television program on ABS/CBN on Sunday.

While still the city mayor, Duterte has been known for his iron-fist policy against ciriminals particularly drug dealers and pushers.

He has been probed by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) for his alleged link to the so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS) said to have been behind the killing of more than a thousand suspected criminals in the city. Human rights groups say the DDS is state-backed and blamed the local government and police for the extrajudicial killing by the motorcycle-riding gunmen.

My anger for illegal recruiters is as intense as my hatred for drug dealers, Duterte said in the program hosted by lawyer Geraldine Tiu.

But Duterte can only do as much as advise those wanting to go abroad to check their recruiters. He said the local govrnment can help them establish if the recruiters are  licensed.

He said the pain is as hard for families who lost members to drugs as to families who lost members after falling to illegal recruiters.

“There are many children who lost their mothers sent abroad by illegal reccruiters who are now missing, ” he said.

Duterte has urged residents in the city and nearby provinces to refrain from “gambling their future” with unlicensed recruiters.

Recently, 71 women were rescued by elements of the Regional Interagency Council Against Trafficking Integrated Action Network (RIACTION) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) from a house in Juna Subdivision.

The women, most of them Moro from Cotabato, were recruited by an unlicensed agency.

Duterte said the recruiters take their victims out of the country to foreign lands where they are vulnerable to the lack of support system and proper documentation. Women may end up in prostitution den or in an abusive environment. Many of them can no longer be located.

“I cannot imagine the horror brought about by losing someone, many of them women, due to the absence of documents,” he said.

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Happy Migrant Workers’ Day to all OFWs!

As part of the festivity, the POEA will hold a consultation-workshop on the revision of the POEA rules and regulations for land-based agencies in its main office, For OFWs visiting and transacting with the POEA, they will be given free medical services, free snacks, entertainment, and raffle prizes. Migrant Workers’ Day is celebrated every 7th of June to commemorate the signing into law of Republic Act 8042 or the Migrant Workers Act of 1995.

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VIDEO: Dr. Michio Kaku America Has A Secret Weapon

Dr. Michio Kaku speaks about how America's poor educational system has created a shortage of Americans who can perform high skilled technology jobs. As a result, America's H-1B Genius visa is used to attract immigrants who are skilled enough to perform these jobs.

Watch Full Video: 
Are We Ready For the Coming 'Age of Abundance?' - Dr. Michio Kaku (Full)
http://www.bisagunsa.com/2012/06/video-are-we-ready-for-coming-age-of.html

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Disneyland Philippines: in the making?

In alignment with Department of Tourism slogan ‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’, Pampanga’s 1st District Representative Carmela Lazatin requested Walt Disney Company via email to invest in our country by building another Disneyland Park in Clark, Pampanga.

The letter to Robert Iger, chairman and CEO of Walt Disney Company, from Lazatin includes the tax-free privileges given investors of Clark Freeport Zone within the 4,400 hectare main zone and 27,600 sub zone which is suitable to build a new Disneyland Park. The world-class Clark International Airport was also mentioned in the letter which serves as one of the main instrument in bringing tourist to the proposed Disneyland Park.

(Materials based on Attractionsmanagement.com)

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4-month maternity leave proposed in Congress

ANILA, Philippines - From 60 days of maternity leave, a bill filed by the mother-son tandem of Representatives Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2nd District, Pampanga) and Diosdado Macapagal-Arroyo (2nd District, Camarines Sur) would extend the period to 120 days.

House Bill 6128 seeks to give mothers more time to breastfeed their children. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO) say it would be ideal if mothers could breastfeed their babies for at least six months after birth.

"This will give mother and child quality time for bonding while at the same time ensuring the child's proper growth and development," the Arroyos said.

Longer breastfeeding time, along with more time for mothers to care for infants, is deemed crucial to increasing the chances for survival of infants and children under 5-years-old.

The UNICEF's data on under-five mortality rates around the world ranks the Philippines 88th among 190 countries. This can and should be improved, the Arroyos said. 

Source: With Aliana Gimena, Interaksyon.com

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Floyd Mayweather goes to jail

LAS VEGAS – Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. was booked into a Las Vegas jail on Friday to serve a 90-day sentence for domestic violence against an ex-girlfriend, a term that was previously postponed so the welterweight fighter could compete in a bout.

Mayweather, a flamboyant athlete regarded as the best defensive boxer of his generation, was issued standard dark blue prison garb and slippers and will be kept apart from the jail’s general population of more than 3,000 other inmates, Las Vegas police said.

The unbeaten Mayweather had the start of his jail term delayed in January so he could fight in a May 5 super welterweight bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, where he came through 12 bruising rounds to prevail over Puerto Rican boxer Miguel Cotto.

After that contest, improving his professional record to 43-0, Mayweather discussed a possible fight with Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines, his rival for the mythical title of the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter.

Fans have been clamoring for a Mayweather-Pacquiao matchup despite such stumbling blocks as Mayweather’s insistence that Pacquiao agree to blood testing and disagreement over how the revenue from the fight should be divided.

Mayweather’s jail sentence stems from a guilty plea in December to a charge of felony battery and pleas of no contest to two counts of harassment linked to a 2010 attack on his ex-girlfriend, Josie Harris, and verbal threats against two of his children with her.

Mayweather was sentenced to six months for that outburst, but half the jail term was suspended.

The decision to delay his serving of the sentence, which was opposed by prosecutors, had been expected to benefit hotels and other businesses in Las Vegas. A major prize fight can generate $10 million to $15 million in non-gambling revenue.

During his time in the Clark County Detention Center, Mayweather will be confined to a cell consisting of a bed, toilet, sink and small desk, with a window to allow direct sunlight into the room, police said in a statement.

He will be allowed two books or magazines in his cell, and up to five religious books, and will be fed three meals a day, starting with breakfast at 4 a.m.

As a protective custody inmate, Mayweather will be kept in his cell while other inmates are on free-time, and will come out for free time for an hour a day while other inmates are on lockdown. During that time, he will have access to a recreation room, police said.

Source: Interaksyon.com

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Centuries-old fourth Balanghai boat excavated in Butuan City

Source: Interaksyon.com

BUTUAN CITY—Two decades after the first three centuries-old Balanghai boats, or ancient wooden watercraft, were dug out, six archaeologists from the Philippine National Museum in Manila together with personnel from the Regional Museum here have excavated the fourth Balanghai boat where the previous three boats were dug back in the 1980′s at the Ambangan site in Barangay Libertad.

Wilfredo Ronquillo, Chief Archaeologist of Philippine National Museum expressed how impressed he and his team are of the rich historic cultural heritage of Butuan.

A museum technician of the National Museum cleans parts of the wooden plank of the boat to remove mud during the archeological excavation of the fourth Balanghai Boat in Barangay Libertad in Butuan City. Photo by Erwin Mascarinas, InterAksyon.com.

Ronquillo said, “The people who have been studying these kinds of technology saw that there are slight differences in how it was constructed compared to the previous boats dug here. They are not identical, although the general scheme is almost the same. The artistic ways of each boat maker, the skill of our early predecessors are what we see here. When they made this, there was no blue print, no plans. It’s amazing.”

The chief archaeologist added that they hope to open the site, expose the boat, study, measure, and extract all data that can be generated from it and in comparison with the other boats of South-East Asia.

Ligaya Lacsina, Museum Researcher 1 of the Archaeology Division of the National Museum explained, “It is interesting because compared to excavated Indonesian and Malaysian boats, they have points that show similar boat construction techniques. They use the same shell-first boat building, with the planks connected edge to edge using the wooden dowels. And they are lashed with the dugs to flexible rids. They just lashed it with fibers, nails are not used.”

Lacsima who is currently studying for her doctorate degree on archaeology in Australia is doing research studies on traditional boat-building especially on South East Asian boat-building traditions.

She pointed out that compared to those discovered on the oldest site found in Malaysia, which dates around third or fourth century AD, there is only a slight difference between the two regarding their construction because there are indications that the fourth Balanghai’s creators also used the sewing technology.  One major difference she observed is that they use edge-pegging of the planks together with sewing.

Alfredo Orogo, National Museum Researcher suggested that the work being done at the moment is just an initial digging and it might take two to three months, depending on the budget.

Orogo added, “Maybe this coming June, there will be another team of researcher who will come and continue the research and excavation. The plan for the Balangay 4 is to let it remain after exposing.  This will be made into a site museum and become one of Butuan City’s tourist destinations.”

The flotilla of the Balanghai Boats was accidentally discovered by treasure hunters back in 1976 after which archaeologists from the National Museum took over the site and recorded nine boats buried in the ground.

From the nine original boats discovered in Barangay Libertad, Balanghais 1, 2, and 5 were dug up. Balanghai 1 is dated back to 320 AD, Boat 2 to 1250 AD, and Boat 5 to around 900 AD. Balanghai Boats 1,2 and 5 were declared back in March 9, 1986 as National Cultural Treasures under Proclamation 86 by the late President Cory Aquino. Boat 2 is now on display at the Maritime Hall of the National Museum in Manila. While Boat 5, which has the most intact structure, is displayed at the National Museum site in Barangay Libertad in Butuan City.

The discovery of the boats sealed the claim that Butuan City was once a seafaring community trading with Srivijayan Empire in Southeast Asia and China as early as 10th century AD. So far, shards of pottery also found in the fourth Balanghai boat site further indicate the thriving civilization in Butuan, and the Philippines in general, long before the arrival of Spanish colonizers. The Balanghai Boats are also referred to as Butuan boats.

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Zombies in Miami?

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Miami police are still tight-lipped about the man they shot and killed on the MacArthur Causeway Saturday afternoon, but new details back claims they had no choice: the naked man they shot was trying to chew the face off another naked man, and refused to obey police orders to stop his grisly meal, which one source now claims included his victim’s nose and eyeballs.

Surveillance video taken from security cameras at the nearby Miami Herald building show a police officer arrive on the scene, appear to be startled by the spectacle of two naked men lying on the street, and draw his service weapon. It appears that the officer shot one of the men, but it was difficult to tell in the video.

The bizarre shooting happened shortly after 2 p.m., when police responded to a 911 call about two naked men fighting on a bike path along the Causeway, which was packed with traffic on a busy holiday weekend.

Miami police have not confirmed the details of what happened next, but sources close to the investigation told CBS4 News that officers found one man gnawing on the face of another, in what one police source called the most gruesome thing he’d ever seen.

The fight was taking place at the causeway exit near the Miami Herald building, and amazed officers tried to stop it, ordering the man making a meal out of the other man to stop.

SURVEILLANCE CAMERA VIDEO

The head of the Miami Fraternal Order of Police, Armando Aguilar, said drugs are at the root of the attack.

“We have seen, already, three or four cases that are exactly like this where some people have admitted taking LSD and it’s no different than cocaine psychosis,” Aguilar said.

In the cases Aguilar mentioned, he said the people have all taken their clothing off, been extremely violent with what seemed to be super-human strength, even using their jaws as weapons.

“Extremely strong, I took care of a 150 pound individual who you would have thought he was 250 pounds,” Aguilar said. “It took six security officers to restrain the individual.

Emergency room Doctor Paul Adams agreed with Aguilar saying similar cases have showed up in the ER.

“We noticed an increase, probably after Ultra Fest,” Dr. Adams said.

Adams said the new LSD is commonly called “bath salts.” The drug, Adams said, can raise a persons body temperature to such a high degree that logic and the ability to feel pain are lost; then delirium sets in and that often leads to disaster.

“We’ve had several deaths,” Dr. Adams said. “Earlier last year, we probably saw our first death from bath salts where people were running on the MacArthur Causeway, under the MacArthur Causeway being chased by the police and then all of the sudden just collapsing.”

Aguilar, who heads the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, said he has spoken with the officer who responded. Aguilar said the officer saw what the man was doing, and ordered him to stop. He said the man growled at the officer, and then returned to his meal.

Aguilar said the man ate his victim’s nose and eyeballs.

The officer then used his service weapon and shot the man, Aguilar said, but the gunshot had no effect. Other sources confirmed that the man refused to obey, and continued his attack. Aguilar said the officer had no choice but to keep shooting until the attacker was dead.

Investigators are sharing limited details about the confrontation, saying only that the two men were fighting and the officers felt they had no choice but to take deadly force.

“During this confrontation an officer did discharge his weapon striking one of the individuals, said Det. Willie Moreno, spokesperson for Miami Police.

But sources close to the investigation said that dry recitation of the facts apparently doesn’t go far enough. They said the man still would not give in to police commands, so officers fired again.

“That individual has lost his life right now,” Moreno said.

With the attacker dead, lying nude on the pavement, officers and paramedics were able to get to his victim and rush him to Jackson Memorial Hospital. Police sources say the man had virtually no face and was unrecognizable.

Police have shared no information about his identity or condition.

The surveillance video supplied to CBS4 by The Herald under a news sharing agreement is disturbing. At one point, whomever was controlling the cameras zoomed in to the two men lying nude and partially obscured by the MetroMover track. One man is motionless, but the other, presumably the man whose face was attacked, can be seen flailing his legs, possibly in pain.

The Herald used video editing tools to obscure portions of that man’s body as he moved.

The video covers a time frame of about 8 minutes, but despite the shooting of the attacker and the obvious distress shown by the victim, paramedics are not seen attempting to rescue him.

Dr. Adams said when people use the bath salts, they are a major danger to police, medics, and hospital workers.

“They come in and have to be restrained both chemically and physically, and you’re asking for someone to get hurt,” Adams said.

The victim was eventually taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Once the bizarre confrontation came to an end, police were left with the task of figuring out what had happened. The investigation forced the closure of the causeway from Miami Beach to Miami, and also closed an exit to the causeway from I-95.

The investigation snarled traffic for hours and delayed thousands of motorists until ways could be found to get them off the causeway.

Police have had little official to say about the details, and have not released the name of the cannibalistic attacker.

Aguilar said the case also serves as a warning to drug dealers.

“If you are selling this LSD to people, unsuspecting people, on the street and somebody ends up dying as a result, you will be charged.”

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Nanny Claims Actress Called Her Stupid Filipino

Sharon Stone's former nanny is suing the actress, claiming the actress repeatedly went on a tear against Filipinos, calling them stupid people.

Erlinda Elemen claims in her lawsuit ... Sharon would not cut her a break, berating her for her religion, even forbidding her from reading the Bible in her own room in Sharon's house.

Elemen, a Filipino woman, claims Sharon ordered her NOT to speak to the kids because she did not want them "to talk like you."

Elemen also claims Sharon bagged on Filipino food.

The former nanny claims Sharon tried to take back the overtime she was paid. Elemen says after she challenged Sharon on the OT, Stone repeatedly verbally attacked her for 3 weeks in front of guests, staff and others, and then fired her in February, 2011.

Sharon's attorney tells TMZ, "This is an absurd lawsuit that has been filed by a disgruntled ex-employee who is obviously looking to get money and way she can."

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Woman claims she was fired for being ‘too hot’

A curvy 29-year-old New Jersey native was fired from her data entry position at a lingerie company because she was apparently “too hot” for her Orthodox Jewish employers.

Lauren Odes found the job at Native Intimates, which sells sexy lingerie on Fifth Avenue, through a temp agency. She worked for one week in April, during which her supervisors allegedly told her, “You are just too hot for this office. Maybe you should wear your boyfriend’s T-shirt and sweatpants.”

Odes claims her supervisors suggested she tape down her breasts to make them appear smaller.

“It was very shocking, very humiliating,” Odes told the New York Post. “It was a crazy experience, unlike anything I’ve ever been through.”

Odes has filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

On her final day, Odes arrived to work wearing a form-fitting black dress. Her supervisors warned her that the Orthodox Jewish owners saw her appearance and disapproved, Odes’s lawyer Gloria Allred said.

Odes says her supervisors told her she should either wear a large bath robe over her outfit or buy a completely new, looser outfit. Odes says she recorded a female supervisor saying she would have to change Odes’s hair and lips because they’re “too fresh.”

Odes was fired over the phone when she was shopping to buy a new outfit.

“I felt completely humiliated,” Odes told CBS New York. “We should not be judged by the size of our breasts or the shape of our body.”

Allred is asking the EEOC to investigate the case.

“I do not feel any employer has the right to impose their religious belief on me when I’m working in a business that is not a synagogue,” Odes told CBS.

Source: CBS

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VIDEO: Epic Parenting Fail at a Laundromat

The kid was getting a little too annoying for the parents, so they decided to teach the kid a lesson by placing it into the washing machine. Little did they know that the machine had an automatic lock mechanism, so their plan went down the drain.

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Gwen Garcia asks support for senatorial bid

CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia asked support yesterday from residents of Tabogon for her Senate bid as well as her brother’s gubernatorial candidacy in 2013. 

Garcia attended the town fiesta of Tabogon yesterday and inaugurated the town’s heritage park.

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In her speech, she asked residents to help her become the first female senator from Cebu.

“Hinaut unta nga makighiusa ang mga Sugbuanon alang niining usa ka kawsa nga dili lamang alang nako. Kawsa sa mga Sugbuanon. (I hope Cebuanos will unite in helping me),” she said.

She said many have been asking what will happen to the projects she started once her term ends.

Garcia said she will continue the progress taking place in Tabogon. 

She said in a press conference that One Cebu’s candidate for governor is someone who can assure the continuity of the projects she has started. 

She also endorsed the candidacy of Provincial Board Member Joven Mondigo for another term in the board. 

Tabogon spent P350,000 for the heritage park. Garcia also gave P1.2 million for the town’s birthing centers. 

The town’s Liga Ng mga Barangay also received P150,000 from Capitol, while each barangay received P50,000 for socio-cultural projects.

The Provincial Planning Office is still waiting for the resolutions of other barangays so they can claim the amount. 

Another P300,000 was given for organizing the town’s Sanggi Festival.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 21, 2012.

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Pacquiao to invade Hollywood

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao has played superhero in a bright red costume and a stubborn rebel commander in movies he produced in the Philippines.

The next time he stands in front of movie camera he will play the role of a gangster, for a Hollywood film titled “Brass Knuckles.”

No, Pacquiao won’t come out shooting people and wrecking half the city in the coming movie which stars Fil-American Rob Schneider of Deuce Bigalow, The Hot Chick and Grown-Ups.

Schneider is a top-rate Hollywood comedian, and while the movie with Pacquiao will delve on the illegal drugs trade, it spells a lot of fun.

Pacquiao is in the hot seat for his stand on same-sex marriage. At the same time, he’s deep into training for his June 9 fight with Timothy Bradley.

ABS-CBN North America News Bureau breaking the news of Pacquiao’s coming movie, which starts filming after the Bradley fight, is like a whiff of fresh air.

“We’re going to start shooting next month right after Manny is done with his fight (with Timothy Bradley),” movie producer Damian Perkins told ABS-CBN.

“We’re going to work with him then wrap up post-production in August, September and the film should hopefully be out by the end of the year,” the producer added.

He assured everyone that Pacquiao will play a nice role, and with speaking lines.

Also in the film are Academy Awards winner Benecio del Toro and Jacob Vargas. With the presence of these stars, it certainly is no B-movie.

Pacquiao loves to act, even if the movies which he produced didn’t do well, in fact they did bad, at the box office.

“Manny is also an actor, he enjoys acting. I’ve had the fortune and opportunity to sit down with him one-on-one at his home and talk to him about his script and talk to him about his,” Perkins added.

The movie will be directed by Erick Geisler, a two-time Emmy Awards winner.

Pacquiao was recently in the news, not for his coming fight, but because of his stand in the touchy issue of same-sex marriage.

He found himself in the eye of a storm when a Filipino writer based in the United States made insertions in his story, in that gay people “must be put to death” and appeared like it was Pacquiao who said it.

Pacquiao denied saying it, and the writer has made the necessary clarification. - By Abac Cordero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

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2 Cebu rival leaders test village chiefs’ loyalty

source: SunStar.com.ph

CEBU -- Cebu City’s barangay chiefs were divided on Saturday when the two contenders for the mayoral elections in May 2013 summoned them for a meeting at the same time.

During the separate meetings, both Mayor Michael Rama and Representative Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district) made promises to the barangays should they win as mayor next year.

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Mayor Rama met with 40 of the 80 barangay captains over lunch at the Grand Convention Center, for the signing of a memorandum of agreement for the release this year of P400 million from City Hall to the barangays. (Six other barangays were represented at the meeting by other officials, not their chiefs.)

Meanwhile, Congressman Osmeña met with 30 barangay chiefs, also during lunch time, at the White Gold House for a short “pulong-pulong” with the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).

Osmeña, who heads the BOPK, vowed to the village chiefs that he will triple the City’s financial aid to the barangays if he wins as mayor.

“I will make a deal with you. When I make it back to City Hall, I will make it (financial assistance) times three so you will have something to look forward to,” he said.

The aid, Osmeña said, will be increased by 100 percent each year for the next three years -- but only for the barangays whose chiefs stay with the BOPK.

Rama, who is on his first term as mayor, left the BOPK last year after some public disagreements with Osmeña, who was his political ally for at least six straight terms.

Conditional

Under the P5.2-billion approved budget of the City for this year, the City’s financial aid to the barangays amounts to P400 million. Each barangay’s share depends on the size of their territory, but a minimum of P3 million was promised.

Osmeña alleged that Rama is threatening to hold the release of the barangays’ financial assistance this year if they will not swear to support Team Rama.

“Those nga dili makadawat (who do not receive anything), those of you who will stick it out with us, will be amply rewarded,” he said.

The law says barangay officials are supposed to be non-partisan, even during the barangay elections, but captains and other local officials also double as ward leaders during election campaigns.

The Rama camp denied ever saying the aid for the barangays who do not support them will not be released.

Promises

In an interview Saturday, Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) Chief Michael Ralota said the Office of the Mayor scheduled a meeting with the village chiefs after learning about the BOPK’s meeting.

Asked about the matter, the Rama camp said that Saturday’s meeting with the barangay officials had been scheduled several weeks before.

Rama told those at the meeting that he will increase the City’s financial aid to the villages to P800 million, with each barangay getting P10 million, starting next year.

Rama also said he will increase the City’s financial assistance to the senior citizens. This year, the plan is to increase the senior citizens’ cash aid by P2,000, for a total of P7,000 each.

By next year, Rama said, he will increase it by P3,000, and again by P2,000 the year after that for a total of P12,000 or P1,000 each month.

“And that’s the target of our mayor nga taga buwan na sila magdawat (that the seniors will get something each month),” said Rama’s chief of staff, Philip Zafra.

SRP sale

Rama’s challenge, however, will be to get his budget approved by the council, where Osmeña’s allies make up the majority.

Osmeña, in his meeting, also vowed to double the financial assistance that the City is giving to the scholars and senior citizens.

He said the seniors deserve to get P10,000 each from the City, while the P10,000 cash assistance to the public high school graduates will also be increased to P20,000.

Cash assistance to the high school graduates in the mountain barangays will go up from P20,000 to P40,000, he pledged.

The City, Osmeña said, will have enough funds to cover the increases as it can already start selling lots at the South Road Properties (SRP).

The selling of SRP lots has been stopped during the Rama administration, with the council saying the City should wait until the price per square meter doubles.

Osmeña’s meeting on Saturday was attended by 30 barangay captains. Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young was also there as well as Representative Rachel Del Mar (Cebu City, north district), her father Raul Del Mar, and the BOPK city councilors.

Split

The barangay captains who went there are from Bacayan, Banilad, Capitol Site, Carreta, Cogon Ramos, Hipodromo, Kalubihan, Kamagayan, Kamputhaw, Kasambagan, Luz, Mabolo, Pahina Central, Parian, San Roque, Sto. Niño, T. Padilla, and Tejero in the north district.

For the south district, the barangay captains who were there are from Bulacao, Calamba, Cogon Pardo, Guadalupe, Kinasang-an, Labangon, Pahina San Nicolas, Pardo, Pasil, Quiot, Sudlon II, and Toong.

On the other hand, Rama’s meeting was attended by 46 barangays, 40 of which were represented by the captains themselves.

Six barangays were represented by a barangay councilor.

Those who went to Rama’s meeting are Adlaon, Apas, Agsungot, Binaliw, Busay, Cambinocot, Carreta (represented), Day-as, Ermita, Lahug, Lorega, Lusaran, Mabini, Malubog, Paril (represented), Pit-os, Sambag I, Sambag II (represented), San Jose, San Antonio, Sta. Cruz, Taptap, Tinago and Zapatera for the north district.

For the south district, those who went are the barangay captains from Babag, Basak Pardo, Basak San Nicolas, Bonbon, Buhisan (represented), Buot-Taup, Duljo Fatima, Inayawan, Kalunasan, Mambaling (represented), Pamutan, Punta Princesa, Pung-ol Sibugay, San Nicolas, Sapangdaku, Sawang Calero, Sinsin, Suba, Sudlon I (represented), Tabunan, Tagba-o, and Tisa. (Sun.Star Cebu)

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 20, 2012.

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New iPad to make PH debut on May 29

Source: Interaksyon.com

MANILA, Philippines — It’s looking to be an interesting end-of-May as Apple’s new iPad joins the series of big-ticket releases in the Philippines, heralded by the launch of Samsung’s new Galaxy S III in the last week of May.

According to a page on Apple’s official website, the new iPad will be available through official retail channels on May 29.

These include official Apple resellers in the country, the Apple Online Store, and through partner telecom firms such as Globe Telecom.

No official pricing details were made available by the technology company.

There is also no word from Apple yet on the new iPad’s compatibility with the Philippines’ 4G-LTE network. To date, only Smart Communications has announced plans of rolling out commercial LTE in the near future.

Apple is now facing a court battle in Australia for reportedly misleading consumers with the “iPad with WiFi + 4G” promotion, despite the fact that the new iPad’s LTE connectivity doesn’t work with LTE networks in Australia.

It remains to be seen, though, if the case would be the same in the Philippines, since the only telecom firm with an immediate plan to roll out 4G-LTE in the country -– Smart Communications –- has yet to commercially launch its LTE service.

Earlier, though, Smart claimed that the new iPad would work on its network as its LTE spectrum is the same as that of telecom networks in the US (at 2100 MHz).

Still, the timetable for Smart’s commercial launch of its LTE service is in the latter half of the year, which could mean that those buying the new iPad with 4G-LTE connectivity would have to make do with HSPA+ data signals for the time being.

Launched in March, the new iPad tablet features a high-definition Retina Display, an A5X chip that provides quad-core graphics, and 4G-LTE wireless data connectivity, among other specifications.

It will retail for $499 for the base 16GB WiFi-only model, $599 for 32GB and $699 for 64GB, and will come in both white and black variants.

The ones fitted with the 4G-LTE capability will cost $629, $729 and $829 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models, respectively.

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Corona to Ombudsman: Resign after I prove your claims are a 'lantern of lies'

MANILA, Philippine - Impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona on Monday dismissed Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales' presentation before the Senate impeachment court as a "lantern of lies," saying he was ready to debunk all her claims.

Corona also urged the Ombudsman, his former colleague at the Supreme Court, to step down from her post after the chief justice proves that all her presentations are wrong.

“The number of accounts alone is at best ridiculous. Her PowerPoint diagram is a lantern of lies which only messed up her presentation, contrary to what some believe now as damning evidence,” Corona said in a statement.

“Either she does not know what she is talking about, or is purposely misleading the Impeachment Court and the public. Is she even privy to how the AMLC [Anti-Money Laundering Council] arrived at the bloated numbers?” he added.

He said that his camp would be ready to "debunk all" of the Ombudsman's "bloated numbers."

"And once she is proven wrong, I urge her to immediately resign from her post for allowing herself to be used by this Administration and making a laughingstock of ‘government auditing'."

During Monday's trial, the Ombudsman disclosed that as of 2012, Corona maintained 82 dollar accounts in five different banks with "transactional balances" of at least $10 million.

Carpio-Morales' information was based on data from the AMLC.  She said Commissioner Heidi Mendoza of the Commission on Audit had helped her analyze the transcations allegedly made by Corona in his accounts.

According to Mendoza, in a span of eight years, nearly $29 million or roughly P1.2 billion went into the four main alleged dollar accounts of Corona.

She said the four accounts had a total inflow of $28,740,497.93 that included deposits, credit memos, fund transfers, and internal remittances.

Meanwhile, the total outflow in the same accounts, which included withdrawals, debit memos, purchases, and outward remittances, amounted to $30,758,878.51 or about P1.3 billion, according to Mendoza.

The COA official said the withdrawal appeared bigger because it did not show the beginning balance of the accounts.

But Corona said the allegations were similar to the "LRA hoax." He was referring to the Land Registration Authority's computer-generated data that showed that the chief justice had 45 properties.

This was later debunked by Corona's defense team saying the chief justice only had five properties as stated in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.

Source: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/31899/corona-to-ombudsman-resign-after-i-prove-your-claims-are-a-lantern-of-lies

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Why Facebook is so Popular?

When you’re perusing your Facebook account, your brain might be fooling you into thinking you’re doing something incredibly creative and productive that will improve your life. If only that were true! Scientists in Milan and at M.I.T. examined the various physiological states of 30 people using Facebook compared to when they were relaxing looking at natural panoramas or taking a math test. 

They measured physical and psychological responses including breathing rate, brain activation, and pupil dilation, and found that only while looking at Facebook (not while looking at nature pics or doing math), the study subjects were transported into a “core flow state,” which is that thing that people often call, simply, flow. It’s what you might experience when you’re practicing an instrument, or if you’re writing and feeling like everything is just, well, flowing. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes it wonderfully in this TED talk. 

We already know Facebook is harder to resistthan cigarettes and alcohol. So it’s not all that surprising that Facebook is enjoyable. Cocaine is enjoyable! But like an addictive drug, the results suggest the social network might have a sinister effect: Facebook makes you think you’re being productive when really you’re probably just telling everyone how delicious your lunch was and discovering that your best friend’s cousin’s baby just ate squash. 

That’s why perhaps it’s important to keep in mind what Harvard’s Daniel Gulati said: over time, Facebook is making us miserable. Everyone is a shiny happy person on Facebook. Very few people share their insecurities, misgivings, evenings spent alone in the fetal position. And if you experience any of that you might feel very much alone if your visiting Facebook often. In which case maybe consider playing your favorite instrument, hanging out with your kids, working on that novel, or doing something else that leads to actual flow. [Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking]

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2,000 lost homes in Cebu flames

Video streaming by Ustream

Common cause

Initial theories included a plugged-in rice cooker that was left unattended, a charcoal fire, and electrical misuse.

Based on a report from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), 601 out of 7,324 fires were electricity-related.

Ronaldo Orbeta, officer-in-charge of the Regional Operations Division of the BFP, also advised the public to get rid of fire hazards like paint and stacks of old newspapers.

“We must practice good housekeeping. Let’s keep away materials that might easily catch flame,” he said.

Around 16 policemen were fielded in the fire site and temporary shelter to protect the survivors.

“Despite their grief and loss, the people remained orderly,” said Police Officer 1 Pacheco Lugo of the Mabolo Police Station.

Inside Barangay Luz Elementary School, several residents underwent medical examination on Saturday. Many of the elderly residents suffered from high blood pressure, while children were coughing as a result of the incident.

“They were immediately given medicines,” said health worker Clarisse Borces.

Source: SunStar.com.ph

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VIDEO: Taiwan tabloid cheers on PNoy, Pacman vs China's 'bully panda'

MANILA, Philippine – "Who is going to tell the Chinese how ridiculous their claims are?" asks the voiceover in an animated video commentary produced by Taiwan's tabloid sensation Next Media Animation (NMA.tv)

As NMA's video sees it, it takes nothing more than a hammer-wielding President Benigno Aquino III and an Uncle Sam-coached Manny Pacquiao to finally beat out China's bully panda over the disputed Scarborough Shoal.

In the video released on Thursday - a day before multi-country rallies staged by Filipinos to protest China's "encroachment" and "bullying" on Friday - Aquino is portrayed breaking a Chinese flag pole hoisted by a huge panda. 

Later on, Pacquiao dukes it out in the boxing ring with the panda. Pacquiao has in his corner America's icon of patriotism, Uncle Sam. -interaksyon.com

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Sex scenes 'normal' in Puerto Galera beaches?

PUERTO GALERA, Philippines - Photos of sexual acts conducted publicly on White Beach, Puerto Galera, have angered officials of the popular tourist spot. However, a Bayan Patroller who took the photos of a foreigner and his Filipino partner in the early hours of April 15 insists locals shrugged off the incident as “normal.”

A couple having sex in public on a Puerto Galera 

beach ignore people watching them. BMPM photo

"Imposible to kasi sa dami ng taong iyan may magsusumbong sa amin noon,” Ohrie said. (Impossible because with so many people there, someone would have complained.) Mayor said members of the tanod or local village safety volunteers do regular rounds and would have trained their flashlights on any one engaged in public sex.

“Wala silang violent reaction,”  “Normal lang sa kanila. Dumadaan, nakakitang ay may ginagawa sila: ‘okay, ay ganito lang pala dito’. Yung iba, nanonood lang sila, wala lang, nagtatawanan sila.”

(There was no violent reaction. It seemed normal for them. People would pass by, see it and remark, ‘okay, this happens here.’ Others just watched and laughed.)

A foreigner and his partner having sex in public in 

Puerto Galera. BMPM photo

“Ay, walang effect. Hindi umalis. Mas naging wild pa sila. Alam nilang kinukunan sila.” (It had no effect on them. They did not leave. They became wilder. They knew people were taking photographs.)









Source: BMPM

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