by magnolia_eic | Jan 16, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
Tagbilaran City (15 January) — A Boholano bishop and Vatican’s apostolic nuncio to Haiti survived Haiti’s devastating earthquake and is now in safe ground.
Archbishop Bernardito Cleopas Auza, 50 wrote on the Paring Bol-anon yahoo group saying he is safe but is still camping outside due to sustaining tremors.
A native of Talibon, Bohol, Auza was born in 1959 and attended his early seminary training at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Tagbilaran City. He was ordained priest in 1985.
Auza finished his theological studies at the Pontifical University of Sto. Tomas Central Seminary, and entered the diplomatic service a year after his ordination.
He was assigned First Counsellor of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York, and was later appointed apostolic nuncio to Haiti by Pope Benedict VXI, elevating him to the dignity of archbishop.
Archbishop Auza also worked with Filipino peacekeepers manning the peace efforts in Haiti.
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by magnolia_eic | Jan 16, 2010 | National News
FROM: PIA Bohol —
Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Cristina G. Ortega reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs the signing of an Agreement that authorizes household members of diplomatic and consular personnel of both countries to work in their respective host countries.
She signed the agreement last 23 December 2009 on behalf of the Philippine Government while Secretary General of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dirk Achten signed for Belgium.
The agreement would allow the spouses, unmarried dependent children up to eighteen years old, and other household members of the diplomatic and consular personnel posted in the Philippines and Belgium, to be employed in these countries on a reciprocal basis.
They can also work in an international organization with a seat in the receiving State. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Jan 16, 2010 | Headlines, National News
FROM PIA Bohol —
One of three Filipinas trapped inside a collapsed supermarket in Port-au-Prince, Haiti has been rescued and is now in safe condition.
In a report to the Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, 10th Philippine Contingent Commander Lieutenant Colonel Lope C. Dagoy said Aurora Aguinado is “safe and sound” after she was rescued inside the Caribbean Supermarket.
Rescuers continue efforts to extract another Filipina, Geraldine Calican, from the rubble in the supermarket area. Another Filipina, Grace Fabian, is also believed to be trapped in the collapsed structure. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Jan 16, 2010 | Headlines, National News
FROM: PIA Bohol —
A Filipino peacekeeper trapped in a hotel in Haiti after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean nation last January 12 has been rescued, the Philippine Contingent Commander reported to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Peacekeeping Operations Center before noon Thursday.
10th Philippine Contingent Commander Lieutenant Colonel Lope C. Dagoy said Corporal David F. Catacutan, a member of the Security Element Defense Platoon of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), was rescued at the basement gym of Montana Hotel in Port-au-Prince.
Corporal Catacutan had slight body contusion but is in stable condition. He is now in his detachment at the vicinity of the Montana Hotel. His spouse has been informed of the rescue.
The status of the three other trapped Filipino peacekeepers, however, remains the same. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Jan 15, 2010 | Features, National News
FAT wallets may get slimmer this year and the economic crunch may not be exactly the reason.
Wallets fattened by an assortment of identifications cards may be in for a major trim when the Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), and Home Development Mutual Fund (PagIbig) signs a memorandum of agreement salted in March to come up with an all-access card.
The unified identification system, which at least four government agencies are implementing would constitute the national identification (ID) system, revealed SSS administrator Romulo Neri.
Neri, who is spearheading the national ID system, made the announcement during the signing of Republic Act 9903, condoning penalties on un-remitted SSS premium contributions by employers, in reports carried by national papers.
“By March, we will be printing two million IDs,” said Neri. “We expect to print 12 million IDs in five years,” said Neri, as quoted by national media.
Initially, the unified ID system was also proposed for the poll automation of the Commission on Election (Comelec).
“Since Comelec has not completely finished its registration and other concerns, then we strongly doubt we can push through with it. Besides, we do not want to make it appear that we are doing this for the election,” Neri accordingly said.
The national ID system was revived by the Armed Forces of the Philippines in January 2007 during a command conference with President Arroyo at Camp Aguinaldo.
In September 2008, the SSS spearheaded the project with a common reference number to be issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO) based on its database. (PIA)
PRESS RELEASE
REY ANTHONY CHIU
Philippine Information Agency
Tagbilaran City Information Center
411 2292 / 0920 954 5482 / 501 8554 email: piabohol171@yahoo.com
