BROADSHEETS 

PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Blast rocks 2nd nuclear reactor

MANILA BULLETIN -- Japan in shambles

PHILIPPINE STAR -- Food from Japan being inspected 

DAILY TRIBUNE -- Guingona pre-judgment assailed by peers

TABLOIDS

PEOPLE’S JOURNAL -- No acid rain

ABANTE -- Rescuers nadale ng radiation sa Japan

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- 4,500 Pinoy sa Sendai ililikas 

PEOPLES TONIGHT -- Road narrows for 8 hijack suspects

 

ISSUES MONITORING

On Congress

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago branded as unconstitutional and discriminatory a bill seeking to ban women from working for at least 11 consecutive hours during the night. Senate Bill 2701aims to amend Articles 130 and 131 of the Labor Code. It is a substitution for similar bills filed by Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Francis Pangilinan. It also seeks to prohibit the employment of women in any industrial undertaking, other than one in which only members of the same family are employed. (Philstar)

On Japan quake

The Philippines will begin to inspect food imports from Japan to check their radiation levels but downplayed any direct and immediate threat to the country following explosions in nuclear plants in Fukushima. This developed as Singapore said yesterday that it was testing food products from Japan for radiation.  The government also appealed to “alarmists” to stop spreading through text messages that acid rain would fall because of radiation coming from a leak in a devastated Fukushima nuclear plant that might hit local winds.(Philstar)

The consular team from the Philippine embassy in Japan said yesterday that so far, there are no Filipinos among the recorded fatalities in Sendai. The team was dispatched on Sunday by the embassy to Sendai City, hardest hit by the earthquake and tsunami, and arrived there shortly before midnight (local time). The team touched base with 10 Filipino students from Tohoku University, all of who are safe. The Philippine embassy in Tokyo reported yesterday to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that the team was going around Sendai, visiting two evacuation centers —the Tachimachi Elementary School and the Kimachidori Elementary School —where Filipinos were in safe condition. (Philstar)

On maritime security

There is a pressing need for a binding regional code of conduct to ensure stability and maritime security in the Asia-Pacific Region. This was the consensus between the Philippines and the US as expressed in a telephone conversation between acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Del Rosario received a phone call last Sunday from Clinton who congratulated the new DFA secretary. They also discussed issues of mutual interest to the Philippines and the United States.(Philstar)

On UN peacekeepers

The military sent off yesterday fresh peacekeeping teams to Haiti and Liberia and gave assurance that the United Nations funds allotted for the contingents would be used properly. The 115-man team bound for Haiti and the 155-man contingent bound for Liberia are the first batches of peacekeepers to be deployed since the controversy involving the alleged misuse of UN funds surfaced. “We’ll just have to strengthen our systems and procedures in order to make use of the fund for their deployment,” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Oban said during the sendoff ceremonies in Camp Aguinaldo.  (Philstar)

On oil prices

Shell and Seaoil increased premium unleaded gasoline prices by 50 centavos per liter; kerosene and regular unleaded by 30 centavos per liter; and diesel 60 centavos per liter. The increase was brought about by the continuing rise in world crude prices. (Philstar)

On former President Arroyo

Former President Joseph Estrada believes former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should be the first to be tried on the alleged anomalies in her administration. Estrada said Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez could not be completely blamed if her office has been unable to fully process Arroyo’s cases of wrongdoing. “The first one who should be tried is the mastermind or the architect of the corruption,” he said. (Philstar)

On measles

The Department of Health (DOH) will conduct a month-long immunization campaign against measles to save 18 million children from infection. Dr. Ed Janairo, director of the DOH’s National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, said P600 million had been allocated for the “special immunization activity” (SIA) that would run from April 4 to May 4. “We hope that this will be the last SIA that we’ll conduct. We rather have a strong routine immunization to catch up (on) all children aged nine months to eight years,” he said in a press briefing.(Philstar)

On acid rain

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) yesterday dismissed reports circulating via text message that the Philippines will be affected by a radiation leak from earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. Science Secretary Mario Montejo said the level of radiation in the environment in the country has remained stable since the Fukushima incident. “No increase in radiation level means that, as of the moment, there are no immediate effects of the Fukushima nuclear power plant explosion to the Philippines,” Montejo said.(Philstar)

On impeachment 

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez is resigned to her fate in the House committee on justice, which, she claimed, has “railroaded” the impeachment complaints against her and is rushing their transmittal to the Senate. “As far as the committee on justice in House (is concerned), it’s railroaded already. I hope for the best,” Gutierrez told a news forum. “Sa lahat ng proseso nagmamadali sila. Meron pang plenary pero meron na silang mga prosecutors, hindi ba? How many steps ahead masyado nagmamadali sila sa pagdadala ng kaso sa Senado (They’re rushing all the procedures. They already even have prosecutors even ahead of a plenary, right? They are aching to transmit the complaints to the Senate),” she said. (Philstar)