Puregold Store Branch in Mindanao and Luzon

Listed grocery chain operator Puregold Price Club Inc. will spend P3.6 billion to put up 26 more stores this year.

"This year, we are targeting for Puregold organic expansion 25 (stores) and one S&R (Warehouse Membership Shopping Club)," said Jimmy Perez, Puregold investor relations officer, in an interview.

Perez said the company is branching out in Mindanao with the opening of the S&R Membership Shopping Club in Davao and Puregold Hypermarket in Cagayan de Oro City.

He bared that the Davao store is set to open sometime April or May, while the Cagayan de Oro store, by the third quarter of 2013.

Perez said the firm is still finalizing the list of the 25 stores it plans to open this year, noting that "our signed lease contracts are more than 25".

"We are really going to expand geographically, meaning to the Mindanao area particularly… We are really moving towards rural underserved areas in Mindanao and likewise in the Luzon," he said.

Perez said there are no modern retail outlets operating in these underserved areas, and these are basically dependent on the public markets and sari-sari stores.

"But the sari-sari stores are not in a way a competitor for us. Puregold is really targeting the mass market. The mass market cannot go shopping weekly. In that shopping pattern, they have to really go to the sari-sari stores. So basically, we are targeting wherever we go the sari-sari stores," he said.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Operation

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on Wednesday announced that its anti-illegal firearms campaign has resulted in the confiscation of a Israeli-made Uzi machine pistol and two other weapons plus assorted ammunition during operations in Apalit, Pampanga on Tuesday.

Region 3 CIDG chief, Senior Supt. Elmo Francis Sarona said joint operatives of Pampanga CIDG led by Chief Insp. Leoncio L. Senense and local police raided the house of Ricardo Bonifacio of Barangay Sampaloc, Apalit, Pampanga for violation of Illegal possession of firearms (Republic Act 8294).

He added that his men implemented the search warrant issued by Executive Judge Angelo Perez of Cabanatuan City.

This resulted in the confiscation of a cal. 30 rifle carbine; a cal. 38 rifle; a Uzi machine pistol; six 9mm magazines ; five magazine for cal. 30 rifle; and hundreds of rounds of ammunition for cal. 9mm and .45 caliber, all without license.

Corruption in Philippine Defense Bidding

Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin Wednesday denied claims by Transparency International United Kingdom, which claimed the Philippines is one of the countries whose defense sectors have very high risk of corruption.

"We have been very transparent since the time of President (Benigno) S. Aquino III (which started in 2010). We made a lot of reforms in the bidding process to make it more transparent," he added.

Gazmin said they even invited members of the media, civil society groups and even the Makati Business Club when bidding proceedings are ongoing.

The DND chief added they even provided interested civilians with Defense System Management seminars to give the latter more understanding on how the bidding process in the military goes on.

He also stressed that accountability is emphasized in the DND bidding process as timelines are strictly followed.

Gazmin also added he was unsure on what time frame TI used in its surveys on the Philippines but emphasized that it could not be during 2010.

Earthquake jolted parts of Surigao del Norte

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake jolted parts of Surigao del Norte province before noon Wednesday, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs).

In its bulletin, the agency said the 10:32 a.m. quake had its epicenter at 104 kms northeast of Burgos in Surigao del Norte.

The tectonic quake had a depth of 33 kms -- meaning it was caused by the movement of the earth's crust.

The agency added no damages or casualties were reported, but aftershocks were expected.

Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1)

South Korea will launch its Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) at 4 p.m. Wednesday (3pm in Manila), a government official said, marking its third attempt to join the elite global space club.

The decision came after a final systems check that began earlier in the day.

The country's Launch Preparation Committee decided a final rehearsal that took place on Tuesday and the day's systems check offered no reason to delay what will be the country's third launch of the space rocket, also known as Naro.

"The Launch Preparation Committee, which was convened from 11 this morning, has decided, after reviewing the status of Naro, weather conditions and conditions in space to go ahead with the launch at 4 p.m.," Roh Kyeong-won, the head of the ministry's strategic technology development bureau, told a press conference.

Roh added the automatic 15-minute countdown will consequently start at 3:45 p.m.

Wednesday's launch will mark South Korea's third attempt to join the global space club after its two earlier launches in 2009 and 2010 ended in failures.

Naro's third launch itself was originally set to take place on Oct. 26 and again on Nov. 29, but was delayed both times due to defective parts.

Another factor besides technical problems that may lead to a delay is the condition of the weather, but KARI officials said the weather should not be a problem as there were only clear skies with mild winds at the Naro Space Center, 480 kilometers south of Seoul.

If the launch takes place as scheduled, it will mark the last launch under the Naro space program, regardless of its success or failure, as the joint development program with Russia ends later in the year.

The lower, or first-stage rocket, of Naro was built by Russia's Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center with its upper or second-stage rocket developed jointly by KARI and some 200 other South Korean companies and institutes.

The joint program began in 2002 as South Korea then lacked related technologies despite its growing need to develop its own means to deliver satellites into space.

Deportation of a South Korean national

The Bureau of Immigration has ordered the deportation of a South Korean national wanted in his country for murder and robbery.

Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David, Jr. said Immigration agents have picked up Kim Sung Kon alias "Jacky Kim" from the Cebu City jail last Jan. 28 after the Cebu court dismissed the kidnapping case filed against him.

David said Kim is the subject of an Interpol red notice for involvement in murder and robbery where he and another South Korean got US$ 100,000 before fleeing to the Philippines.

Kim and his accomplice were later charged before a district court in Suwon, South Korea which issued a warrant for the arrest of the suspects.

Atty. Jose Carlitos Licas, BI intelligence assistant chief, said Kim was detained in Cebu since June 2011 following his arrest by the PNP anti-kidnapping task force.

NPA Surrender

At least nine New People's Army (NPA) rebels operating in Catanduanes gave up their armed struggle and surrendered on Monday to a Philippine Army (PA) official, Army Maj. Angelo Guzman, PA Bicol spokesperson, said Thursday.

Guzman said the strength of the communist movement is slowly waning after government forces heightened its "Bayanihan" program, an internal peace and security initiative aimed to end the four decades-old insurgency problem in the country.

Quoting Army Lt. Col Rodolfo Batang, commanding officer of the Army's 83rd Infantry Battalion, he said the surrender of nine NPA rebels here is an indication that the command's Bayanihan program is going on in full throttle.

Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, the newly installed AFP chief of staff, in a command conference in Manila told various AFP commanders to make "insurgency insignificant" by 2016.

"They (rebels) have made the right decision to go down the mountains and abandoned the armed struggle and joined the main stream of society," Guzman said.

He identified those who surrendered as Victor Soriao alias Vicvic, Edna Tavera alias Rona, Dante Coranes alias "Nhads", father and son Domingo dela Cruz Sr. alias "Kikay-Kikay" and Domingo Dela Cruz Jr., Eddie Tesorero alias "Taptap", Quimpo Ralla alias "Lilo", Florida Francisco alias "Pida" and Francisco Mejares alias "Ikwi."

Guzman said the NPA rebels surrendered in separate occasions from Jan. 20 to Jan. 27.

Atimonan, Quezon shooting incident

Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima Wednesday said the National Bureau of Investigation is readying criminal charges against those involved in the Atimonan, Quezon shooting incident where 13 people were killed last Jan. 6.

The NBI is the Philippines' premier investigating body and is an attached agency of the Department of Justice.

President Benigno S. Aquino III has mandated the NBI to conduct the investigation into the Atimonan shooting incident and determine what really transpired during that fateful day and determine who, if any, is liable.

"Ready na rin ang NBI dyan sa pag-file ng kaso," De Lima said in an ambush interview.

She said the NBI draft report has reached 300 pages even while the ballistic report has yet to be completed.

De Lima said the NBI has no deadline to complete the report.

13th month pay for Filipino Workers

The Department of Labor and Employment on Tuesday commended two private companies for their immediate compliance to the 13th month pay law.

Commended for complying with Presidential Decree 851 requiring employers to pay their employees 13th month pay were DOCOMO InterTouch, an Internet Service Provider located at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig; and the Bank of Commerce.

In a letter to the labor secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, DOCOMO InterTouch reported that its 245 employees already received their 2012 13th month pay amounting to of P5,768,580.69.

The Bank of Commerce in Mandaluyong City allotted P61,816,270.67 for the 13th month pay of its 1,799 rank and file employees and junior and senior officers.

"The 13th month pay is a core labor standard which should be enjoyed by all workers," Baldoz said. "It is among the tasks of the DOLE to ensure that all employers abide by this law."

Baldoz expressed her high regard for employers who conform to labor laws and standards and those who put their workers' concern as one of their top priorities.

As early as November last year, Baldoz already reminded employers that the 13th month pay is a statutory benefit usually expected as part of the employees yearend benefits and is also a core labor standard.

Under Presidential Decree 851, all employers are required to pay all of their employees a 13th month pay not later than December 24 of every year. It defines 13th month pay as one twelfth (1/12) of the basic salary of an employee within a calendar year.

It also explains that the basic salary includes all remunerations or earnings paid by an employer to an employee for services rendered. The formula for computing the 13th month pay is total basic salary earned during the year divided by 12 months.

However, it does not include allowances and monetary benefits not considered as part of the basic salary, such as the cash equivalent of unused vacation and sick leave credits, overtime pay, night shift differential pay, holiday pay, and cost of living allowance (COLA).

Confirmation of Arsenio M. Balisacan

The Commission on Appointments committee on tourism and economic development recommended Wednesday the confirmation of Arsenio M. Balisacan as secretary of Socio-Economic Planning and director general of the National Economic and Development Authority.

Balisacan got the CA panel's nod without any opposition, hoping to deliver more to sustain the country's growing economy.

"I'm very thankful that they have trusted me. I hope I can deliver. It sharpens the focus," Balisacan said in a media interview after the CA deliberation on his ad interim appointment.

Balisacan expressed optimism the gross domestic product could hit 6 to 7 percent in the next 10 years and any country should be proud it.

"A 6 to 7 percent growth target is realistic and it should enough for any country to be proud of," Balisacan told Senate reporters.

For this year, Balisacan said election spending would propel the government's 5 to 6 percent economic growth.