by magnolia_eic | Dec 30, 2010 | Headlines, National News
MANILA, Philippines – President Aquino is hesitant to free convicted rapists and drug dealers for good behavior in the spirit of Christmas and the New Year.
He told reporters that he found it “difficult to sign” the first batch of pardon applications presented to him.
Aquino wants the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP) to be more strict in granting commutation, pardon and parole applications.
The penal system must be patterned after the one in the US, where felons sentenced to life are made to suffer the full penalty.
Aquino said he would be releasing or commuting the sentence of convicts who truly deserve executive clemency.
“We want a more thorough system for vetting and granting of pardons and parole, and (maybe) more participation of the offended family,” he said.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima is amenable to the idea, especially since the justice secretary no longer sits as chair of the BPP, which processes the applications.
“The President just wanted to make sure that the ones being recommended for commutations, pardon, parole etc are truly deserving and (go through the process).”
De Lima said around 100 convicts are eligible for commutation of sentence and about 12 inmates are due for conditional pardon.
“We have to be very restrictive and stringent when it comes to high crimes and he (Aquino) wants that put into the guidelines so we are studying it,” she told reporters.
Click here for full article from The Philippine Star
by magnolia_eic | Dec 29, 2010 | Headlines, National News, Weather Coverage
MANILA, Philippines – Scattered rain showers may dampen the New Year celebration in some parts of the country, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said today.
Pagasa weather branch chief Robert Sawi said the northeasterly wind would continue to bring mostly cloudy skies with scattered rains over the eastern sections of Luzon and Visayas starting Wednesday until Saturday, New Year’s Day.
Sawi said the rest of the country, including Metro Manila, would experience cloudy skies with light rains because of the northeast monsoon.
Meanwhile, for the next 24 hours, Pagasa said Luzon would experience mostly cloudy skies with light rains Visayas, on the other hand, would be mostly cloudy with scattered rainshowers and isolated thunderstorms, becoming cloudy with widespread rains over eastern Visayas which may trigger flasfloods and landslides.
Mindanao would have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms. Pagasa also said moderate to rough seas would prevail over Luzon and the Visayas.
Click here for full article from The Philippine Star
by magnolia_eic | Dec 28, 2010 | Headlines, National News
MANILA, Philippines – Three days before New Year’s Eve, the Department of Health (DOH) recorded 145 new fireworks-related injuries, mostly caused by the banned firecracker piccolo.
The firecracker, caused 70 of the injuries. Fifteen were injured by kwitis, and 13 by “Five Star.”
The ages of the victims ranged from one to 55. Thirteen suffered amputations, while 24 sustained eye injuries. Ninety-six consciously handled firecrackers, while 23 were intoxicated.
DOH also monitored one case of poisoning from “pop-out,” a firecracker that goes off when it hits a hard surface.
Most of the 155 incidents recorded from Dec. 21 to 27 happened in Metro Manila.
As the New Year revelry nears with more injuries and emergencies to come, the Philippine National Police (PNP) confiscated 168,745 illegal pyrotechnic products nationwide in police operations that started Dec. 16.
The public is encouraged to report through PNP Text 2920 individuals in possession of illegal firecrackers.
Private citizens may also text the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) at 0917-847-5757 for information on traders selling firecrackers without license from DTI and PNP.
The customary use of firecrackers to celebrate the coming of the new year was borrowed from the Chinese who believe the noise drives away evil spirits.
Ironically, the Chinese government is considering a ban on the use of firecrackers to reduce air pollution, especially in the city of Beijing.
The Philippine government has a law regulating the manufacture, sale and use of fireworks, one provision of which is the designation of pyrotechnics zones.
Under the law, common types of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices, which may be manufactured, sold, and used, include baby rocket, bawang, small triangulo, pulling of strings, paper caps, el diablo, watusi,?Judas’ belt, sky rocket or kwitis, luces, special roman candle, and trompillo, fountain, whistle, and butterfly.
The law bans the manufacture, sale, and use of big triangle, super lolo, mother rocket, five-star, pla pla, and bin laden.
Click here for full article from The Philippine Star
by magnolia_eic | Dec 25, 2010 | Headlines
President Benigno S. Aquino III played Santa Claus to three lucky overseas Filipino workers
by awarding each of them P450,000 worth of cash and gift certificates upon their arrival at the
Ninoy Aquino International Airport last Monday afternoon.
Forty-one year old Gilbert Acebedo, Evangeline Escano, 33 and Myrna Pagkaliwagan, 39
were picked over other passengers onboard Qatar Airways flight QR-646 to win top prizes
under the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s program “Pamaskong Handog para sa
OFWs.”
The annual program, which honors the country’s new heroes has as its highlight
the “Presidential Pasalubong 2010” which allows the President to welcome groups of OFWs
arriving from Asia, Middle East, Europe or America to spend time with their respective
families this Christmas season.
This year’s theme, “Pamilyang OFW, Masayang Sama-Sama Ngayong Pasko,” hopes
to inculcate in the OFW communities the positive values of family orientation and social
consciousness in recognizing the contributions of OFWs to national development and
extending a helping hand to those who have less in life.
Acebedo, who hails from Tatalon in Quezon City has been working as a salesman for three
years while Escano, a native of Tayug, Pangasinan has been employed as a nurse for six
years. Pagkalinawan, who lives in Bucal, Batangas City has been working as a teacher for six
years. The three winners all work in Doha, Qatar. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Dec 24, 2010 | Headlines
GIDUSO niadtong Martes ni Bise Presidente ug Presidential Adviser of Overseas Filipino
Wor-kers (OFWs) Concerns Jejomar Binay ang pagtukod og OFW Bank alang sa mas ubos
nga remi-ttance rate.
Sa iyang sulat alang kang Presidente Benigno Aquino III, niingon si Binay nga ang maong
OFW Bank maghatag og alternatibong pinansyal nga ekonomiya ug remittance institution
alang sa mga katawhan sa lokal ug apil na usab sa ubang nasud.
Matud pa ni Binay, ang maong lakang maoy ilang tubag sa pa-nawagan sa mga OFW
nga magtukod sila og kaugalingon nilang financial institution tungod kay kadaghanan
kanila giingong biktima sa mas taas nga remittance rates nga gipangayo sa mga financial
intermediaries ug money brokers.
Ang OFW Bank pagapondohan usab sa mga financial nga institution nga mahimong ibaligya
ug kontrolahon sa mga OFW investors ug stockhol-ders. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)
