by magnolia_eic | Jul 14, 2010 | Headlines, National News, Weather Coverage
TYPHOON Basyang (international codename Conson) ripped through the main Philippine island, leaving a trail of wreckage in Manila and sweeping shanties into the sea, officials and witnesses said Wednesday.
The Office of Civil Defense said 19 fishermen from the eastern island of Catanduanes had failed to return home and were missing at sea after the typhoon hit the area late Tuesday.
There were no immediate reports of fatalities but communication systems were down amid the chaos of the typhoon’s aftermath, and disaster relief officials were still trying to determine the extent of the damage.
Electricity was knocked out throughout the main island of Luzon, including the country’s capital where fallen tree branches and other debris littered the streets.
Manila’s overhead railway system was also shut down due to the power outage. Knee-high floods and fallen trees were still blocking some roads in and around the capital, obstructing traffic.
The government called off classes at grade and high school levels in Manila.
Several flights in and out of Manila were cancelled as the typhoon was passing but airport officials said their operations had returned to normal after the storm passed.
Basyang, packing maximum gusts of 120 kilometers (74 miles) an hour, hit the eastern side of Luzon late Tuesday and crossed the island before exiting before dawn Wednesday, heading west into the South China Sea at 22 kilometers an hour. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 14, 2010 | Local News / Bohol Balita
Bohol leaders lobbied to Pres. Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III for the realization of the Panglao-Bohol International Airport Development Project (PBIADP).
The Provincial Development Council (PDC), Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC), Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), and League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Bohol have passed a joint resolution earnestly requesting President Aquino to carry on the project.
Governor Edgar Chatto had earlier moved for passage of said resolution.
Chatto, who serves concurrently as PDC Chair, will preside over the first PDC meeting later this week in his residence in Del Carmen Weste, Balilihan on Thursday in time for the town fiesta.
An update on the completion of the Panglao International Airport project is certain to be one of the “priority concerns” that Chatto intends to discuss with the new set of provincial officials, including the three congressmen.
Former Governor and now Rep. Erico Aumentado was in Manila last week to deliver a copy of the PDC resolution to the Office of the President in Malacañang.
He said he had also asked the most probable next Speaker of the House, Quezon City 4th District Rep. Feliciano Belmonte of the ruling Liberal Party, for his help in endorsing the project with President Aquino.
The Panglao Airport, has been in “extremely long gestation, having taken over 20 years to get into the verge of completion – from conceptualization to the expected implementation next year.
In the resolution, the PDC full council pointed out that the necessity for having the international airport in Panglao Island “has long been expressed across many sectors and stakeholders of the Boholano community, and its urgency is evidenced not just by the exponentially increasing tourist arrivals…, but also by the congestion of passengers and planes in the current Tagbilaran Airport, as well as its hazardous landing conditions, being located right in the midst of residential and commercial districts.”
The PDC also noted that the project was already about to be awarded to a winning bidder in the last days of the Arroyo administration and Chatto’s provincial administration intends to get the assurance of President Aquino’s support to have it continued. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 14, 2010 | Headlines, National News
IN his first command conference with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) held on Monday, President Benigno Aquino III ordered the military to crush enemies of the state while adhering to international human rights regulations.
The modernization of the AFP is also on President Aquino’s priority list.
But since there is lack of funds, the President is studying proposals to lease 130 hectares of land under by the AFP.
Aquino said the modernization should go along with the payment of benefits to families of soldiers killed in the line of duty and the recruitment of new soldiers.
The commander-in-chief also gave an advice to military officers who may have been demoralized by the major revamp at the AFP.
Aquino said any complaint should be brought to the AFP’s grievance system.
The past administration was hounded by allegations its security forces were involved in human rights abuses.
The new administration wants to change that image, believing the AFP can achieve victory over its enemies by upholding human rights. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 14, 2010 | Headlines, National News
THE economic team of President Aquino can help the country attract more investors because its
members have proven track records in their own areas of expertise, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said.
In a statement, the PCCI said President Aquino’s choices for the heads of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Department of Agriculture (DA) would boost business and investor confidence as they are noted to have vast experience in providing long-term policy solutions and sound advice on issues such as the budget deficit, revenue collection, infrastructure development, bureaucratic red tape and corruption.
“PCCI is indeed pleased with the roster of the President Aquino’s economic team. It is our great desire to work closely with them to ensure that the interest of the private sector, more so the small and medium entrepreneurs are reflected on the table,” PCCI president Francis Chua said.
PCCI said they approve of the appointments of NEDA Director General Cayetano Parenga, Jr., Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Chief Gregory Domingo, BOC Commissioner Lito Alvarez, BIR head Kim Henares, and DA secretary Proceso Alcala.
The largest business organization in the country has pledged its support for President Aquino’s economic team, citing the group’s track record in managing the country’s foremost economic and business concerns. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 12, 2010 | Headlines
Manila, Philippines – Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez promised to look into the country’s port operations and issued a stern warning against name-droppers and influence peddlers at the waterfront.
The commissioner said he will investigate operations at the Manila International Container Port to find out why it has failed to meet its collection target despite 12 out of the 17 ports under the agency’s supervision were able to post collection surpluses.
He said the MICP collected only P27.62 billion for the first half of the year as against target of P28.06 billion. Alvarez said the MICP was one of only five ports that failed to meet its quota.
Aside from the stern warnings that the Commissioner gave, he also lauded Customs officials at the ports of Manila, Batangas and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for helping the agency surpass its P111.07-billion target by P7.34 billion after collecting P118.41 billion from January 1 to June 16.
Click here for full article from the Philippine Star
