by magnolia_eic | Feb 16, 2010 | Headlines, National News, World
Manila, Philippines — Today, Feb 16, 2010 is the deadline for filing of Filipino World War II Veterans of their application for a one-time lump-sum payment under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
In a video message posted by the director of the US Department of Veteran Affairs, Jon Skelly, he encouraged relatives of ailing veterans to help them meet the deadline for the filing of claims.
He said that there have been many questions lately about having to attach documentations in the application letter. “This is not necessary.” Skelly said. “Simply fill out the one-page application and my office will take care of the rest and will contact you if we need more information.” Skelly added in the video.
He also stressed that the law did not provide benefits for widows and children or any other heirs of veterans. However, certain widows of veterans who filed their applications but died while the papers were being processed were qualified to receive payments.
The law, signed by US President Barack Obama on February 17, 2009, authorized the release of a one-time payment to eligible Filipino veterans to be made through the US Department of Veterans Affairs from a $198-million appropriation established for this purpose.
Click here for full article from Inquirer.net
by magnolia_eic | Feb 16, 2010 | Election 2010, Headlines, National News
Manila, Philippines –The topic on free condoms emerged in a presidential forum held last Monday after the Department of Health distributed free condoms at the Dangwa market to people buying flowers for their valentine.
The seven presidential candidates during the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (Focap) presidential forum, were all not in favor of such campaign by the DoH.
Sen. Richard Gordon of the Bagumbayan Party said giving away condoms was useless unless its purpose was properly expalined. “Because of poor education, Filipinos cannot even discern whether they need a condom or not,” Gordon said.
Sen. Madrigal added in agreement to Sen. Gordon, that it should have been an information-driven campaign.
Sen. Benigno Aquino III of the Liberal Party pointed out that Congress, not Malacanang, had the power over the government purse, meaning, the President had no authority over funds for the DoH, or for the condoms.
Nicanor Perlas said he was not against the use of condoms per se, but was rather concerned of why DoH was distributing them.
Meanwhile, administration bet Gilbert Teodoro said use of family planning methods, whether natural or artificial, remained the moral choice of the person concerned.
Bro. Eddie Villanueva of the Bangon Pilipinas Movement said his group maintained its opposition to the use of “all forms of abortion because it is murder per se.”
Click here for full article from Inquirer.net
by magnolia_eic | Feb 13, 2010 | Headlines, National News
Despite the Supreme Court’s issue of a writ of habeas corpus, the military and the police failed to present before the Court of Appeals Friday the 43 health workers arrested on February 6 on suspicion of being members of the communist group, New People’s Army (NPA).
Col. Aurelio Balalad, representative of the military during the habeas corpus hearing told the CA that there was no time to coordinate security measures for the health worker’s transfer from Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, to Manila.
Associate Justice Normandie Pizarro said the “essence” of the writ was “immediacy,” and that the failure of the respondent military and police officers to comply with the Supreme Court’s order might set a dangerous precedent on how habeas corpus orders would be dealt with in the future.
“You are the biggest armed group in the country. That is your job. That is your problem. You have to produce the living bodies,” Pizarro told Baladad.
The First Division chaired by acting Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Portia Alino-Hormachuelos is hearing the habeas corpus case. The other member aside from Pizarro is Associate Justice Francisco Acosta.
Balalad explained that the directive issued on wednesday was received only on thursday, and that because the detainees were “high risk” setting security measures for their transport would have to take time.
The “Morong 43”—including 62-year-old Dr. Alex Montes and Dr. Merry Mia-Clamor—were taking part in a health training seminar at a rest house in Morong, Rizal, on Feb. 6 when a military and police team raided the premises and arrested them.
Click here for full article from Inquirer.net
by magnolia_eic | Feb 13, 2010 | Headlines, World
New York — Former US president Bill Clinton left the hospital Friday saying his surgery to open a blocked artery had been “miraculous”. He further said that he would return to his fundraising work for Haiti.
“Its miraculous with the stents,” Clinton said, referring to the devices used to clear a clogged artery during his operation on Thursday. Clinton, now 63, spoke publicly for the first time since entering the New York Presbyterian Hospital.
Clinton, who underwent a quadruple bypass surgery to free four blocked arteries in 2004, had been complaining of chest discomfort, which lead doctors to decide on the operation.
He has issued a written statement saying he would resume his work as UN envoy to Haiti and his role, together with former US President George W. Bush, in coordinating relief for Haitian earthquake victims.
Clinton was spending the weekend at home in Chappaqua, New York state. He was expected to be back at work Monday and could “resume his very active lifestyle,” his cardiologist Allan Schwartz said, underlining that Clinton had not suffered a heart attack. “His prognosis is excellent.”
Clinton’s wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and their daughter Chelsea rushed to his bedside Thursday and Hillary Clinton delayed by one day a trip to the Gulf.
Wishes for a speedy recovery poured in from President Barack Obama and others in the political world.
Click here for full article from Inquirer.net
by magnolia_eic | Feb 12, 2010 | Business, Features, Tech Talk
Google Apps (http://www.google.com/apps) is a free email and collaboration service provided by Google for small organizations. The email system is based on Gmail, a lightweight and dynamic web application. The collaboration platform includes shared documents, chat, calendar and other useful software. Google Apps has been around for a few years and was a free service for all domains until early 2009. Now, it is free only for domains with 50 or less accounts. If the domain owner needs more users, he has to subscribe to the Premium service. Educational institutions, however, can still get Google Apps for free for an unlimited number of students.
Google is able to give this service for free because it is able to earn revenues from the ads that it displays along with the email application. The good thing is that the ads shown are not obtrusive and will not distract the user. Also, the free edition is subsidized by the premium edition which includes more power features as well as a 25GB storage space for emails.
SMEs in Bohol should take advantage of Google Apps because it allows them to have their very own email name on their own domain name. For marketing and communicating with vendors and customers, an email address like info@mycompany.com looks more prestigious and professional than info_mycompany@yahoo.com or info_mycompany@msn.com. And why not? It is free and configuration is included in Auza.Net’s website development and hosting service.
Email Auza.Net at info@auza.net or call our sales office at 038-501-8459.
