by magnolia_eic | Jun 28, 2011 | Headlines, National News
The United States government has removed the Philippines in its “Tier 2 Watchlist on Monday (Tuesday morning in Manila) for having several convictions of human traffickers in the past year. According to the 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report of the US State Department, although thePhilippines “still does not fully comply with minimum standards to eliminate trafficking, Manila is making significant efforts to do so.” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton released the 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report onMonday in the Benjamin Franklin Room of the Department of State.
In last year’s US trafficking report, the Philippines was one of the 58 countries under the “Tier 2 Watch List,” which included Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Mozambique, Algeria, Lebanon,Yemen, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Kazahkstan, Niger,Tunisia, Guatemala, Panama, Venezuela, China, and Russia, among others.
Those under the “Tier 2 Watch List” are countries whose governments do not fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s (TVPA) minimum standards but are making significant efforts to comply with those standards.
On the other hand, those under the Tier 2 category are “countries whose governments do not fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.”
Human trafficking is the illegal trade in human beings for forced labor or commercial sexualexploitation.
by magnolia_eic | Jun 28, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III announced that a proposal to construct a new nautical highway traversing the islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao is being studied to assess its viability and impact on the environment.
The Chief Executive made the announcement in his speech keynoting the inauguration of the 200-megawatt coal fired power plant of the Korean Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) on Monday in Naga, Cebu. “There are ongoing studies that will make the nautical highway even more efficient. They will practically cut by a third the travel time it would take to travel from Luzon to Mindanao once it is accomplished,” the President said.
He added that instead of traversing the “outer perimeter” of the country, the proposed nautical highway will pass through the country’s middle area or “spine” to cut travel time.
“And of course Cebu will be at the lynch pin of this nautical highway which will traverse the innerportion of the country as opposed to the current outside perimeter that has to be traveled,” the President stressed.
by magnolia_eic | Jun 24, 2011 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 23 (PIA) — Gikonsidera sa Malakanyang nga naa sa historical high ang performance ug trust rating ni Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III sa Pulse Asia survey diin natala ang 71 percent nga approval ratings.
Gipasabot ni Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda nga ang margin error nga plus o minus three percentage points nagpabiling wala nilihok sukad sa kanhi rating nga 74 percentage points.
Giingong bisan pa sa mga banat sa ubang grupo, merihistro sa pinakaulahing Pulse Asia survey ang suporta sa mga katawhan sa paningkamot sa administrasyon nga batokan ang anomaliya, isulong ang pagsaka sa ekonomiya ug paghatag og nag-unang serbisyo sa mga katawhan.
Matud pa ni Lacieda nga nalipay ang Presidente sa vote of confidence sa mga katawhan ug magpabilin siyang committed sa pagtahas sa tul-id nga dalan paingon sa pag-asenso.
Base sa Pulse Asia Survey nga gipahigayon gikan Mayo 21 hangtud Hunyo 4, migawas nga pito sa matag 10 ka Pilipino ang nagpabiling taas ang pagsalig kang Presidente Aquino o 71 porsyento sa respondents ang nisalig sa Presidente samtang wala pay usa sa kada 10 ang
misaway sa iyang performance. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 24, 2011 | Headlines, National News
THE Department of Health (DoH) on Wednesday sought to allay fears stemming from the declaration of an outbreak of scarlet fever in Hong Kong. “It is a childhood illness that is easily recognizable because of characteristic skin rash that easily leads to home or hospital confinement, thereby limiting its spread,” said Dr. Eric Tayag, head of the DOH-National Epidemiology Center.
But he said the disease remains to be a cause for concern because the scarlet fever was found to be a new one and appears to be resistant to antibiotics that were traditionally used to fight the illness.
As a precaution, Tayag advised “pediatricians to report any suspected cases so we can investigate if these are linked to the HK epidemic”.
Health officials in Hong Kong are now on the look out for scarlet fever, a bacterial infection that could spread through coughing and sneezing. It is characterized by a rash and sore throat. At least 459 cases were recorded this year in Hong Kong, with two fatalities. Hong Kong declared an outbreak Tuesday.
Tayag maintained that at present, there is no report of suspected cases of scarlet fever in the
country. (DOH/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 24, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III launches the Department of Public Works and Highways’ “call center hotline” that aims to promote transparency and improve the DPWH’s complaints and feedback mechanism, during the Chief Executive’s visit to the agency’s
headquarters in Manila Thursday.
The launching of the DPWH 24/7call center hotline 165-02, which is being undertaken in cooperation with Solutions People Innovation (SPi)-Global Inc., a subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), coincides with the commemoration of the
department’s 113th anniversary.
SPi-Global Inc.’s relationship with PLDT ensures that DPWH can provide clients with a highly reliable operating platform, 24/7 connectivity and best-of-breed technology. Aside from the launch, the President, who will be joined by DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, will also lead awarding ceremonies honoring 25 DPWH retirees and 20 loyalty awardees who have spent 40 years and above in public service with the Department. (PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Jun 23, 2011 | Headlines, National News
CHIEF Justice Renato Corona has allowed the live video webcast of the Maguindanao massacre trial, a spokesman for the Supreme Court said on Tuesday.
Public Information Chief and Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said they would restructure the Supreme Court website and acquire technical requirements to be able to follow the instructions of the Chief Justice.
“With this, the Maguindanao massacre trial will be accessible to viewers worldwide, continuously and without interruption. Once a scheduled trial is in progress, it can be immediately viewed by simply accessing the SC website (http://www.sc.judiciary.gov.ph) using computers or mobile internet devices,” Marquez said.
Last week, the high court allowed the petition of some media groups and families of the victims to have a live radio and television broadcast of the Maguindanao massacre trial subject to severalconditions. (PIA)
