1st-APLUMA NEWS SUMMARY FOR NOV. 7, 2010
Posted by unang apluma on Saturday, November 6, 2010
Under: news
BROADSHEETS
PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Bishops fight RH bill harder
PHILIPPINE STAR -- 'US advisory nothing to do with VFA review'
MANILA BULLETIN -- Forced evacuation
DAILY TRIBUNE -- Noynoy gov’t ill-prepared for disasters, says report
TABLOIDS
PEOPLE'S JOURNAL -- Bulusan wakes
PEOPLE'S TONIGHT -- Landslides, floods kill 11
PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Terror threat totoo - AFP
ABANTE -- Twin disasters sa Bicol
ISSUES MONITORING
On Congress
The Senate aims to pass the P1.645-trillion national budget for 2011 without abandoning other equally important measures that are part of its agenda before Congress goes on a Christmas break, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said on Saturday. Enrile said the passage of the budget would still be the Senate’s priority in order to ensure that the Aquino government would not be working on a re-enacted budget. The Senate is set to resume sessions starting tomorrow, Monday, Nov. 8, after going on a three-week recess and will go on another three-week furlough starting Dec. 18. (Manila Bulletin)
On VFA
Malacañang said it sees no connection between the terror alerts in the Philippines issued by the United States and its Western allies and President Aquino’s announcement of a review of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). “We’d like to believe that there is no connection between the travel advisories and the review of the VFA,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said yesterday over radio station dzRB. The Senate ratified the VFA in 1999 during the Estrada administration amid concerns in some quarters that it might infringe on the country’s sovereignty. (Philstar)
On hostage drama
The Hong Kong police has completed its investigation on the Aug. 23 Manila hostage tragedy that killed eight Hong Kong tourists and injured seven others. The police submitted its investigation report to the coroner the other night. After studying the police report, the coroner will decide whether or not to conduct a death inquest which will be open to the public. Three days after the hostage tragedy, the coroner directed the police to investigate the deaths in the Manila hostage-taking incident.(Philstar)
On Lacson
Malacañang said yesterday it would be up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to evaluate the Dacer-Corbito double murder case against Sen. Panfilo Lacson. This came as DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima said the agency could still clear Lacson of involvement in the November 2000 murders of publicist Salvador Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito since it had the option of reviewing the case even if it was already being tried. De Lima said she had “plenary power as secretary of justice” to reinvestigate the case. “But this option (of using plenary power) is only resorted to if there is clear basis,” she said.(Philstar)
On Dolphy
President Aquino will confer the Grand Collar (Maringal na Kuwintas) of the Order of the Golden Heart on comedian Rodolfo Quizon, popularly known as Dolphy, in recognition of his achievements in show business and philanthropy. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that while Quizon would not be given the National Artist Award as some sectors were suggesting, he would be accorded the highest rank for private citizens. (Philstar)
On Mt. Bulusan
Mt. Bulusan in Sorsogon yesterday spewed ash columns up to 600 meters above its crater rim, but scientists assured the public an explosive eruption is not expected. This came as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded earthquakes
in several areas in the country early yesterday. Phivolcs stressed the earthquakes were tectonic in origin. (Philstar)
On pork barrel
Malacañang is impounding about P49 billion in additional pork barrel funds that senators and congressmen had inserted in the 2010 national budget. “We are not releasing that amount so as not to further bloat the budget deficit this year,” Budget Secretary Florencio Abad told The STAR. “Billions that should not be released have already been released, so we don’t want to exacerbate the situation,” he said. (Philstar)
On new appointments
President Aquino has appointed lawyer Antonio Bernardo as commissioner and chief executive officer of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board while another member of the “Hyatt 10” group, Imelda Nicolas, was named chair of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. Nicolas was lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission from 2004 to 2005 and was part of the Hyatt 10, a group of Cabinet officials who resigned simultaneously in 2005 and asked then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to also step down due to cheating and corruption allegations. Lawyer Lito Mondragon was named president and CEO of Philippine Mining Development Corp. while Virgilio Yuzon was appointed chairman of the government television station NBN-4 for the private sector.
On labor attache
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has ordered an investigation into the reported verbal abuse committed by a labor attaché on a Filipino worker in Hong Kong. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said she has formed a fact-finding committee to look into the complaint against labor attaché Romulo Salud. Salud supposedly displayed rudeness to Agnes Tenorio when she sought assistance from him about her problem with her employer.
On rainfall
The state weather bureau said yesterday the volume of rainfall during the first five days of November far exceeded the precipitation for an entire month in Tuguegarao City in Cagayan, Isabela and Casiguran in Quezon. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that from Nov. 1 to 5, the volume of rainfall in Tuguegarao was 459.8 millimeters, compared to the 233.20 millimeters monthly average, an increase of 197 percent. In Isabela, there was 293.5 millimeters of rainfall for five days compared to 200.9 millimeters, an increase of 146 percent. As for Casiguran, there was 778.2 millimeters compared to the monthly average of 565.1 millimeters, or a 138-percent increase. (Philstar)
PHIL. DAILY INQUIRER -- Bishops fight RH bill harder
PHILIPPINE STAR -- 'US advisory nothing to do with VFA review'
MANILA BULLETIN -- Forced evacuation
DAILY TRIBUNE -- Noynoy gov’t ill-prepared for disasters, says report
TABLOIDS
PEOPLE'S JOURNAL -- Bulusan wakes
PEOPLE'S TONIGHT -- Landslides, floods kill 11
PILIPINO STAR NGAYON -- Terror threat totoo - AFP
ABANTE -- Twin disasters sa Bicol
ISSUES MONITORING
On Congress
The Senate aims to pass the P1.645-trillion national budget for 2011 without abandoning other equally important measures that are part of its agenda before Congress goes on a Christmas break, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said on Saturday. Enrile said the passage of the budget would still be the Senate’s priority in order to ensure that the Aquino government would not be working on a re-enacted budget. The Senate is set to resume sessions starting tomorrow, Monday, Nov. 8, after going on a three-week recess and will go on another three-week furlough starting Dec. 18. (Manila Bulletin)
On VFA
Malacañang said it sees no connection between the terror alerts in the Philippines issued by the United States and its Western allies and President Aquino’s announcement of a review of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). “We’d like to believe that there is no connection between the travel advisories and the review of the VFA,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said yesterday over radio station dzRB. The Senate ratified the VFA in 1999 during the Estrada administration amid concerns in some quarters that it might infringe on the country’s sovereignty. (Philstar)
On hostage drama
The Hong Kong police has completed its investigation on the Aug. 23 Manila hostage tragedy that killed eight Hong Kong tourists and injured seven others. The police submitted its investigation report to the coroner the other night. After studying the police report, the coroner will decide whether or not to conduct a death inquest which will be open to the public. Three days after the hostage tragedy, the coroner directed the police to investigate the deaths in the Manila hostage-taking incident.(Philstar)
On Lacson
Malacañang said yesterday it would be up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to evaluate the Dacer-Corbito double murder case against Sen. Panfilo Lacson. This came as DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima said the agency could still clear Lacson of involvement in the November 2000 murders of publicist Salvador Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito since it had the option of reviewing the case even if it was already being tried. De Lima said she had “plenary power as secretary of justice” to reinvestigate the case. “But this option (of using plenary power) is only resorted to if there is clear basis,” she said.(Philstar)
On Dolphy
President Aquino will confer the Grand Collar (Maringal na Kuwintas) of the Order of the Golden Heart on comedian Rodolfo Quizon, popularly known as Dolphy, in recognition of his achievements in show business and philanthropy. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that while Quizon would not be given the National Artist Award as some sectors were suggesting, he would be accorded the highest rank for private citizens. (Philstar)
On Mt. Bulusan
Mt. Bulusan in Sorsogon yesterday spewed ash columns up to 600 meters above its crater rim, but scientists assured the public an explosive eruption is not expected. This came as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded earthquakes
in several areas in the country early yesterday. Phivolcs stressed the earthquakes were tectonic in origin. (Philstar)
On pork barrel
Malacañang is impounding about P49 billion in additional pork barrel funds that senators and congressmen had inserted in the 2010 national budget. “We are not releasing that amount so as not to further bloat the budget deficit this year,” Budget Secretary Florencio Abad told The STAR. “Billions that should not be released have already been released, so we don’t want to exacerbate the situation,” he said. (Philstar)
On new appointments
President Aquino has appointed lawyer Antonio Bernardo as commissioner and chief executive officer of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board while another member of the “Hyatt 10” group, Imelda Nicolas, was named chair of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. Nicolas was lead convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission from 2004 to 2005 and was part of the Hyatt 10, a group of Cabinet officials who resigned simultaneously in 2005 and asked then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to also step down due to cheating and corruption allegations. Lawyer Lito Mondragon was named president and CEO of Philippine Mining Development Corp. while Virgilio Yuzon was appointed chairman of the government television station NBN-4 for the private sector.
On labor attache
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has ordered an investigation into the reported verbal abuse committed by a labor attaché on a Filipino worker in Hong Kong. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said she has formed a fact-finding committee to look into the complaint against labor attaché Romulo Salud. Salud supposedly displayed rudeness to Agnes Tenorio when she sought assistance from him about her problem with her employer.
On rainfall
The state weather bureau said yesterday the volume of rainfall during the first five days of November far exceeded the precipitation for an entire month in Tuguegarao City in Cagayan, Isabela and Casiguran in Quezon. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that from Nov. 1 to 5, the volume of rainfall in Tuguegarao was 459.8 millimeters, compared to the 233.20 millimeters monthly average, an increase of 197 percent. In Isabela, there was 293.5 millimeters of rainfall for five days compared to 200.9 millimeters, an increase of 146 percent. As for Casiguran, there was 778.2 millimeters compared to the monthly average of 565.1 millimeters, or a 138-percent increase. (Philstar)
In : news