The improvement and establishment of 15 airports in Central Philippines would incur for the government some P86.235 billion (US$1.8 billion) in expenses. On the other hand, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has been spending its corporate funds in the development and rehabilitation of existing ports and construction of new ones to the tune of P977.98 million. ...full story here
News stories from the Philippines and all other important information about the Philippine islands.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
15 Airports To Be Developed (hopefully)
The improvement and establishment of 15 airports in Central Philippines would incur for the government some P86.235 billion (US$1.8 billion) in expenses. On the other hand, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has been spending its corporate funds in the development and rehabilitation of existing ports and construction of new ones to the tune of P977.98 million. ...full story here
Ship Explosion In Australia Injures 4 Filipinos
A 51-year-old was flown to Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital Burn Unit, while the others are being treated in Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital. The Port of Newcastle's Harbour Master says the cause of the incident is being investigated.
Note: Names of the injured Filipinos have not been identified. I don't know why.
...But Filipino Veterans Remain Unrecognized
(Salt Lake City, Daily Herald) - Dee Hatch is finally getting the recognition he deserved as a young corporal in the U.S. Army. Hatch received a Bronze Star for meritorious service Saturday -- an award he should have received 62 years ago.
A lifetime has passed since Hatch, 87, lay in the embattled Philippines mountains hunting for artillery targets as the Japanese bombarded his position with machine gun and mortar fire.
Hatch was finally recognized for his actions during the February 1945 battle, thanks in part to the work of his grandson. The World War II veteran was given the papers for a Bronze Star as a young soldier, but had never received the medal.
His grandson took it upon himself to get the medal to Hatch and U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett helped arrange for Hatch's recognition through the National Personnel Records Center.
Family members gathered in Hatch's hometown, Loa, Utah, Saturday to see the star pinned to his jacket. ...full story here
Behind The Scene: Filipinos In Nigeria
"Most Victims Are Filipinos"
Labor Secretary Gil M. San Nicolas disclosed to Saipan Tribune yesterday that of these 28 companies, four to five are currently being investigated for allegedly conducting sponsorships.
San Nicolas said based on the information they gathered so far, the companies that are into this scheme have been collecting $400 to $1,000 each from alien workers.
Sponsorship scheme refers to an application for employment for the purpose of maintaining immigration status and not for the purpose of employment.
He said most of the victims are Filipinos. ...full story here
$2 Million For AIDS
The program, which will be led by the Filipino Department of Health and Department of Labor and Employment, aims to provide overseas workers and the general community with access to HIV prevention and treatment services through national and local interventions in selected Filipino provinces. The program's two components are to increase access to community-based HIV/AIDS interventions among overseas workers and bolster capacities and partnerships on HIV/AIDS and migration, according to Balita.org... full story here
PBA Hall of Fame
Two-time Most Valuable Player Abet Guidaben and league pioneers Manny Paner and Danny Florencio are the three local players to be honored, while Norman Black will be the first import to be inducted into the league’s elite list.
They will be joined in the honor roll by champion coaches Dante Silverio and Ron Jacobs as well as former Philippine Basketball Association president Domingo Itchon, San Miguel Beer team owner Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, sportswriter Tony Siddayao and television sportscaster Pinggoy Pengson... full story here
P5 Billion For Mindanao
Dairy Partnership With The U.S.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap together with US Ambassador Kristie Kenney and representatives from the Land O Lakes (LOL) Foundation Inc. had visited dairy projects in Pili, Camarines Sur implemented thru the Food for Progress Program sponsored by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Former AFPSLAI Teller Convicted
TC Branch 17 Judge Renato Fuentes declared Josie Cipriano guilty of qualified theft through falsification of commercial documents.
In his 19-page decision, Fuentes ruled that the prosecution panel was able to convince the court with its pieces of evidence that showed the guilt of Cipriano. The case was filed by Milpito Damayo, the AFPSLAI branch manager in Zamboanga City.
Tourism Arrivals Up
The growth, however, is slower than the expected 10 per cent growth for the year, its monthly report indicated.
In 2006, the volume of foreign visitor arrivals grew 8 per cent to 2.84 million.
The occupancy rate in hotels in Metro Manila rose by 75.74 per cent in January this year from 75.41 per cent during the same period last year.
Philippines: High-yield Market
The prospects for 50 basis points (bps) of rate cuts in the United States later this year mean bond investors should be willing to take on credit risk at the expense of lower-yielding sovereign issues, said Adeline Ng, head of Singapore fixed income at ABN AMRO Asset Management.
First Oil Project
Pacquiao-Solis Showdown
But don’t tell that to Freddie Roach.
The well-liked American trainer, credited for transforming Pacquiao to what he is right now, has been steadfast in his caveat that there is no such thing as easy fight.
And why not? ...full commentary here
World Champion
The 43-year-old Bustamante, known in international pool circle for his explosive breaks, trailed 3-6 before winning the last four racks to pocket the top prize of $10,000 (about P490,000).
Archer, who also lost to Bustamante in their first meeting in the winner’s bracket, 11-4, settled for the $5,000 runner-up prize. Bustamante emerged as the only unbeaten player in the tough field.
China Welcomes Philippines
Abused And Harassed In New York
The Philippine Consulate in New York identified the Filipina as Felisa Sales-Garcia, a native of Calaca, Batangas.
Garcia was found dead on the floor on her room by her landlord last March 14. The victim reportedly hung herself and her body had fallen to the floor before the discovery.
Housemate Tessie Ibangan said she and Garcia were watching ABS-CBN gameshow "Wowowee" on The Filipino Channel before the night of the alleged suicide.
"Until almost 11 o'clock when she went to her room, we went to our room, I even heard her talking to her daughter from the Philippines," Ibangan told ABS-CBN News.
The report said Garcia left four suicide notes. In one of the notes, Ibangan said Garcia revealed that she was abused and harassed by her employer.
AirAsia Eyes Philippine Operations
Stampede In POEA (Just To Get Jobs)
"There was a commotion because some of the applicants tried to break the long line of job applicants, fortunately no one was injured in the incident," POEA chief Rosalinda Baldoz said.
Baldoz said she is wondering why some of the applicants wanted to break the line, since the POEA will still entertain applicants until Wednesday and from April 10 to 20.
Note: This is how desperate we are today. Shame to the Philippine Government.
Thailand Bans Filipino Boxers
But when he was told that a Thai fighter, Deeden Kengkaroon, had been to the Philippines for a fight recently and had died on Saturday after suffering convulsions, he was surprised.
Panya who promotes most fights between Thai and Filipino fighters said yesterday: "Filipino fighters come to Thailand to earn money and help their poor relatives.
''It is very unfortunate that Lito Sisnorio met with this tragic and untimely death but we took all precautions that were possible." ...full story here
Filipino Sentenced To Jail For Avoiding Tax In California
Haydee Parungao was also was sentenced for the structuring of cash transactions, conducted to avoid IRS reporting requirements, totaling $613,710, according to a statement released by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-Criminal Investigation.
In the sentencing decision, US District Judge Dale S. Fischer ordered Parungao to pay restitution to Medicare in the amount of $3,099,835.89 and directed to spend three years on supervised release after completing her prison sentence.
Parungao becomes the second Filipino to fall in an inter-agency investigation—by the IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), through its Health Care Fraud Unit in Los Angeles —probing widespread fraud in the booming home health industry.
On Oct. 16, Lourdes Perez was sentenced to 46 months in prison for her role in defrauding Medicare out of $40 million and for filing false tax returns that concealed her ill-gotten gains.
$2.6 Million From Japan
The aid comes in the form of farm inputs which would be distributed to farmers growing palay on 2-hectare farms and smaller.
Yap said, "The loan grant will benefit small farmers in 11 provinces." The grant was intended for small palay farmers to buy some 20,000 metric tons of ammonium sulphate fertilizer.
Last week, Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo and Japanese Ambassador Ryuichiro Yamazaki signed the Exchange of Notes on the 300-million yen grant, roughly equivalent to $2.59 million.
Yap said the beneficiaries would be marginalized farmers in the provinces of Isabela, Cagayan, Nueva Ecija, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Albay, Camarines Sur, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.
Imitating U.S. Strategy
The shift in battle strategy, which would start in about a week, would not mean a let up in military action against Abu Sayyaf Muslim extremists and Indonesian terror suspects in Jolo, or a reduction in the more than 7,000 troops pursuing them, military chief of staff Hermogenes Esperon said.
"We are about to shift to another kind of operations which will feature a lot of engineering, civic action and medical action programs," Esperon told ABS-CBN News Channel... full story here
Bus Tragedy In Agusan
The victims were on their way to Butuan City in Agusan del Norte province, 825 kilometres south of Manila, when the accident occurred fore dawn on Monday.
Police said the driver lost control of the vehicle when the brakes malfunctioned as it climbed a hill near a bridge in Maguinda village on the outskirts of Butuan City.
The mini-bus, locally called jeepney, then fell into a 12-metre deep ravine, according to Chief Superintendent Antonio Nanas, a regional police director.
Nanas said the fatalities included a four-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy. A five-year-old boy was also among the wounded, some of whom were in critical condition.
Most of the passengers of the mini-bus were supporters of a local politician in Butuan City, where they were supposed to attend a political gathering on Monday.
Oil Exploration in Palawan
In Iran: Ready For Evacuation
Department of Foreign Affairs undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos said there were an estimated 20 Filipinos in Iran, mostly married to Iranians, but the crisis could spiral into a Middle East crisis.
Conejos said the Iran contingency plan involve the possible evacuation of the over 1.8 million overseas Filipino working in the Middle East.
He said the crisis in Iran "had repercussions in the entire region."
"My task is to make sure that these [individual country] plans are updated to withstand a new crisis that may arise. [The new plan] has to be coordinated because when we're talking of a regional threat, the contingency plans have to be regionally coordinated with each other," Conejos said... full story here