A non-issue? FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 10/05/2010

A non-issue?

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

10/05/2010
Malacañang mouthpieces yesterday reportedly said that it is a non-issue, as far as Noynoy Aquino is concerned, whether he gets a passing or failing mark for his 100 days in office performance.

That’s by far the most arrogant statement made by Aquino, through his mouthpieces.
Fail or pass does not matter to Noynoy, when a failing mark given by his constituents means that he is being seen as a most incompetent president who does not deserve to lead the nation? And he doesn’t care?

But then again, Noynoy and his Palace team already know by now that they haven’t done anything and wasted their 100 days, as his mouthpieces have also earlier stated that which is important is that they are on the right track. Right track to where? More non-performance?.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101005com2.html

Mexican drug war crimes go live on the Internet focus 10/05/2010

Mexican drug war crimes go live on the Internet

focus

10/05/2010
MEXICO CITY — In the midst of the brutal drug trafficking war encroaching on their lives, thousands of Mexicans every morning check social network Web sites to see if they will encounter any unpleasant surprises on the way to work or school.

But they are not the only ones.

While average citizens go online to let others know where in their neighborhood a body has been uncovered or if they can expect disruptions from cartels or the Mexican military, the drug gangs themselves also use the tools to manipulate public opinion by making threats and warnings.

The spread of vital information ahead of the daily commute, via social networking technology and sites like Facebook and Twitter, is especially useful in the country’s north, near the US border, which has become ground zero for the country’s drug war.

More than 28,000 persons are believed to have been killed in drug cartel-related violence in Mexico in the last four years, when President Felipe Calderon launched a military crackdown, making residents increasingly desperate for ways to avoid the bloodshed..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101005com3.html

Bald men or battleships? AN OUTSIDERS VIEW Ken Fuller 10/05/2010

Bald men or battleships?

AN OUTSIDERS VIEW

Ken Fuller

10/05/2010
An interesting – and, despite its serious content, amusing — duel has developed between Rigoberto Tiglao and Dr. Bernardo Villegas in the pages of the Inquirer. Initially, rather than either mentioning the other’s name, they were like two battleships exchanging salvos from either side of the horizon.

Tiglao opened the exchange on Aug. 12 with a column entitled “There are 100 million of us now” in which he complained: “It is amazing how a few top-notch economists, particularly those belonging to the Vatican’s vanguard, Opus Dei, can still argue in this day and age that there is no connection between population growth rates and economic well-being.”

Economist? Opus Dei? Who fits that description?

On Sept. 25, Villegas, (economist and Opus Dei member) fired off “The Philippine population is not exploding.” This contained a reference to “ignorant journalists or commentators who talk about an exploding population.” Now who could that possibly be?.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101005com4.html

Ladysmith Black Mambazo still strong, 50 years on FEATURE 10/05/2010

Ladysmith Black Mambazo still strong, 50 years on

FEATURE

10/05/2010
PRETORIA — As a young black man in apartheid South Africa, Joseph Shabalala dreamed of forming a Zulu capella choir whose music could change the world.

Fifty years later, Ladysmith Black Mambazo have won three Grammys, recorded with giants like Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder, and performed at the closing of the World Cup in July.

But as the group turns 50, they are celebrating with a “Back to eKasi” tour, translated roughly as “Back to the ‘Hood,’” performing through the townships whose support launched them to international fame.

Shabalala first brought the choir together on a farm near the town of Ladysmith. They started out singing at weddings, then took to the airwaves in radio singing contests, where they were eventually banned — because they won every time.

“It is a good way to go back with people. They show up, that means they love you,” Shabalala said before a concert in Atteridgeville, a township outside Pretoria..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101005com5.html

Saudi women fight for control of their marital fate FEATURE 10/05/2010

Saudi women fight for control of their marital fate

FEATURE

10/05/2010
RIYADH — Women in Saudi Arabia are fighting back against tribal traditions that make them hostage to the whims of their fathers and male guardians who alone can decide who their future husbands will be.

Faced with a lifetime of being forced to remain single, an increasing number of Saudi women, many of them university graduates with good jobs, are going to court to dispute their fathers’ refusal to sign off on their marriages.

In July, a Medina court rejected a 42-year-old doctor’s petition to override her father and brothers’ refusal to allow her marriage to a surgeon she works with, because he did not belong to their tribe.

The court ruled that the father was justified, and that she was not being obedient by trying to marry someone outside the clan.

“Unfortunately we have a strange paradox in society, where young girls only 10 years old can be married, but an adult woman can be prevented from marrying for illogical reasons,” Suhaila Zainal Abidin of the National Society for Human Rights told AFP..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101005com6.html

Dinosaur trove spills more secrets focus 10/05/2010

Dinosaur trove spills more secrets

focus

10/05/2010
CUENCA — Decades after a mechanical pine-tree digger first unearthed it, an extraordinary trove of dinosaur fossils in central Spain is revealing its secrets.
When the digging machine cut a furrow to plant pines in the arid soil near the medieval town of Cuenca in the 1980s, it sliced through more than 100 million years to one of Europe’s richest seams of fossils.

It was a fluke that opened the way to a series of discoveries about the creatures that walked our planet in the Cretaceous period, between 65 and 145 million years ago.

The latest secret: A strange hump-backed dinosaur, fossilized after it had devored its prey about 125 million years ago.

Six meters (20 feet) long from snout to tail tip, the dinosaur had jaws and small, clawed forelimbs, a curved spine and small hump.

Pepito, as the creature has been nicknamed by the team from Autonomous University of Madrid who dug it out, was a fast and powerful hunter.

And it had apparently eaten recently. The unique, nearly complete fossil contained the remnants of its prey in the abdominal cavity..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101005com7.html

Low marks for 100 days a non-issue—Noy By Aytch S. dela Cruz and Angie M. Rosales 10/05/2010

Low marks for 100 days a non-issue—Noy

By Aytch S. dela Cruz and Angie M. Rosales 10/05/2010


President Aquino barely made it in getting a passing grade, in his first 100 days as the country’s 15th president, senators said yesterday when asked for an assessment on his performance.

His critics, however, gave Aquino a failing mark, while Aquino himself shrugged all these off, saying that giving him a failing or passing mark is a non-issue to him.

In giving Aquino a rating for his 100 day performance, with 10 being the highest grade, most senators gave this answer: Between six to seven.

His allies in the Senate, however, were quick to defend Aquino, citing the difficulties he had inherited from the previous administration.

“You know he has done well but the cards were stacked against his administration. Talk about midnight appointees, the bureaucracy....MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101005hed1.html

Collusion cited in DND-BAC’s P4-billion PAF-Navy choppers deal deferment By Mario J. Mallari 10/05/2010

P4-billion PAF-Navy choppers deal deferment

By Mario J. Mallari 10/05/2010

The Department of National Defense-Bids and Awards Committee (DND-BAC) yesterday announced the deferment of the acquisition of P4 billion worth of Air Force and Navy helicopters, citing reports of collusion between the suppliers and members of the technical working group.

DND-BAC chairman Assistant Secretary Ernesto Boac made the announcement during the committee’s meeting in the presence of members of the Defense Press Corps (DPC), taking note of previous statements made by Representatives Teddy Casiño and Tomas Osmeña and media reports.

“Here is now a memorandum of the secretary of national defense to defer the bidding of the multi-role helicopters of the Philippine Navy. Another decision is that we will further defer action on the post qualification of the multi-attack helicopters of the Philippine Air Force,” announced Boac.

The contracts in question were the seven units of attack helicopters worth P3.2 billion intended for the Air Force and P860 million worth of two multi-role helicopters for the Navy..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101005hed2.html

No timetable for US troops’ presence in RP — envoy By Michaela P. del Callar 10/05/2010

No timetable for US troops’ presence in RP — envoy

By Michaela P. del Callar 10/05/2010

The United States will agree to any Philippine government plan to review a defense treaty allowing American military presence in the country, Ambassador Harry Thomas yesterday said, but added US troops would remain as long as the government wants them to help fight continuing terror threats.

Thomas also stressed that Ame-rican troops have not engaged in local combat and that Washington has no plans to reopen US military bases in the country — both are banned by the Philippine Constitution.

Some Filipino senators have sought a review of the Visiting Forces Agreement, which the Philippine Senate ratified in 1999, eight years after the closure of US military bases in the Philippines.

The VFA came under fire when the American Embassy won custody of a US Marine accused of raping a Filipina in 2006. Left-wing groups demanded the abrogation of the VFA, prompting senators to take a second look at the treaty, particularly a provision which specifies which of the two allied countries should take custody of any soldier who would face local prosecution for any crime..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101005hed3.html

Palace folds, seeks truce with Church By Aytch S. de la Cruz 10/05/2010

Palace folds, seeks truce with Church

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 10/05/2010

A Church official yesterday said the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is accepting a ceasefire that he said Malacañang had sought on the exchange of threatening statements over the Reproductive Health bill issue but added that silence will not mean that the Church is “foregoing a strong position” on the controversial legislative proposal seeking active government promotion of artificial contraceptives.

Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the CBCP’s Commission on Family and Life, said the CBCP is withdrawing from giving “unnecessary statements” until a formal dialog is finally held.

“We respect the request of Malacañang for a ceasefire to calm everybody… and as we wait for a face-to-face dialog with the bishops and the president,” Castro said.

The Palace, however, was in a state of flux over the supposed dialog on whether or not one was already held or if it is planning to hold one with Church leaders..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101005hed4.html

Ilocos Sur judge shot to death, SC seeks gun ban exemption 10/05/2010

Ilocos Sur judge shot to death, SC seeks gun ban exemption

10/05/2010
Unidentified gunmen shot dead another judge in Ilocos Sur yesterday in an attack that could be related to his job, police said.

Vigan Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 20 Judge Reynaldo Lacasandile was killed at dawn in the northern town of Tagudin by two men on a motorcycle who shot him twice and sped off, Ilocos Sur police director Senior Supt. Dopale said.

Lacasandili was waiting for a ride bound for Vigan when shot at around 4:45 a.m. Monday, he added.
“This was possibly work-related. We are verifying what cases he was handling,” Dopale told reporters..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101005hed5.html

House asks SC to lift status quo ante By Charlie V. Manalo 10/05/2010

House asks SC to lift status quo ante

By Charlie V. Manalo 10/05/2010

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. yesterday asked the Supreme Court (SC) to lift its status quo ante order and to respect the “exclusive power” of the House of Representatives in initiating the impeachment case against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

In his Motion for Leave to Intervene and Comment in Intervention Ex Abundanti Cautela, the Speaker said the status quo ante order issued by the Court “emasculates the power of the House of Representatives to exact any form of accountability” from the Ombudsman, and endows Gutierrez with “the status of an untouchable.”

The Speaker also defended the House committee on justice against allegations that it violated the constitutional provision which bars the initiation of impeachment proceedings against the same official more than once within a period of one year.

Two impeachment complaints against the Ombudsman were filed separately but they were referred to the committee on justice simultaneously..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101005hed6.html

US diplomat says South China Sea within ‘America’s interest’ By Michaela P. del Callar 10/05/2010

US diplomat says South China Sea within ‘America’s interest’

By Michaela P. del Callar 10/05/2010

The United States’ top diplomat to the Philippines yesterday said stability and unfettered access to the disputed South China Sea waters is within America’s “national interest,” saying this will ensure a freer flow of trade in the region.

Ambassador Harry Thomas called for the adoption of a strong and legally binding code of conduct, which is aimed at preventing South China Sea territorial disputes from erupting into armed conflict.

“We think that it is important for the United States to remain engaged in Asia. Asia is a huge trading partner for us and contributes so much to exports and imports to our economy. In order to have that we need freedom of navigation, we need freedom of seas and we need stability,” Thomas told foreign correspondents in a briefing.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for unimpeded access to the area that China claims wholly as its own, and accused Beijing of adopting an increasingly aggressive stance off the South China Sea..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20101005nat1.html

Shedding light on issues LETTER 10/04/2010 Dear Editor:

Shedding light on issues

LETTER

10/04/2010
Dear Editor:
This is to shed light on the issues raised by your opinion columnist Jonathan de la Cruz in his column Crossroads, published in your respected newspaper on Sept. 27.

Secretary Robredo has said nothing against Undersecretary Rico E. Puno especially in public. Much more, he never has encouraged his supporters “to muddle” the situation, he has good working relationship with his undersecretary.

Secretary Robredo is not absolving himself from any responsibility. President Aquino himself clarified that Secretary Robredo did not have direct role in the crisis management committee tasked to handle the Quirino Hostage Crisis..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101004com8.html

Noy not fit to prevail EDITORIAL 10/04/2010

Noy not fit to prevail

EDITORIAL

Click to enlarge

10/04/2010
Without the Church and the Palace accepting it, Noynoy and the bishops appear definitely headed for a collision course over the Reproductive Health (RH) bill issue.

Noynoy and the leaders of the Church are both saying that it was media that were blowing the issue out of proportion while both sides at the same time are insisting on being firm on their respective stands.

Noynoy appears to have raised its level of commitment to the use of contraceptives to control the runaway population growth after his working visit to the United States where he received a $434-million grant from the Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC). The grant, however, requires the meeting of criteria for his administration to draw down the huge amount and the government’s commitment to limit population growth should be one of these.

The Church, on the other hand, has been consistent in its antiquated view on birth control..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101004com4.html

Who will blink first? FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 10/04/2010

Who will blink first?

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

10/04/2010
With two opposing positions, the planned dialog between Noynoy Aquino and the Catholic bishops are hardly expected to get anywhere — unless compromises are made.

But it is certain that no compromise on their position will come from the bishops, who hew the Vatican line.

It stands to reason therefore, that if a compromise is reached, it will have to be Noynoy who will be giving in.

And the way for him to give in, and not lose face with the public, is to ensure that the Reproductive Health (RH) bill that is supported by both senators and congressmen, as well as the majority of Filipinos, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, will never be enacted into law — at least during his term as president.

What the bishops are against really is the RH bill, since they do not make such noise and raise the specter of hellfire when local executives announce that they are giving their constituents contraceptives for their use — and for free..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101004com5.html

Entrepreneurship vs mendicancy DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 10/04/2010

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DR Congo children turn to acrobatics to survive FEATURE 10/04/2010

DR Congo children turn to acrobatics to survive

FEATURE

10/04/2010
KINSHASA — Jonas, 12, finishes his performance balancing on a tall tower of large jam tins, his arms stretched out and his feet wrapped over his head.

“This pose is called ‘the end of the evening,’” announces his assistant, 11-year-old Richard, moving into the crowd of amazed onlookers on a shabby Kinshasa street to collect a few Congolese francs.

In the hustle of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, these boys are among about 10 groups of child contortionists who support themselves and their families through a startling routine of twists and tricks.

“They are athletes of a top level,” said Guy Nkita, technical director of the Congolese Federation of Athletics.
Several days a week, Jonas and Richard set out after school with their tin cans under their arms and trawl the bustling city of 10 million people looking for a willing audience at open-air restaurants and other relaxed places..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101004com9.html

Common sense HE SAYS Aldrin Cardon 10/04/2010

Common sense

HE SAYS

Aldrin Cardon

10/04/2010
When a policy becomes a suggestion, it becomes a laughing matter.

That’s what became of the DepEd’s (Department of Education) Memorandum 392 when Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro and Undersecretary for Programs and Projects Yolanda Quijano clarified it was merely a suggestion — not an order — when they sought to ease the workload off our students on weekends to give them quality time with their families.

I expressed kudos to it when I first heard the announcement. Being a father myself, whose job limits his quality times with his kids, I must admit the clarification came like a jolt, making the memorandum just another of those useless papers flying around various government offices as they serve no purpose.

Yet, if there is a like button in what seems to be a renewed attention to education in general and our students in particular, I would gladly press it a hundred times for an approval.

Government, at least, is looking at our students’ welfare. And it’s a good start..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101004com10.html

An eye on the youth and family life SHE SAYS Dinah S. Ventura 10/04/2010

An eye on the youth and family life

SHE SAYS

Dinah S. Ventura

10/04/2010
The latest “homework ban” memorandum by the Department of Education (DepEd), which prohibits public elementary school teachers from giving their pupils homework to do over the weekend caused a minor furor among parent and teachers not too long ago.

As DepEd Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro and Undersecretary for Programs and Projects Yolanda Quijano explained in the media soon after the announcement, the “Memorandum No. 392 was issued due to various complaints to the department that school children have been receiving too many assignments,” to quote a GMA 7 online report.

There are two schools of thought arising from this issue. There are those who believe that having homework to do on weekends is beneficial not only to the pupils, but also their parents. In fact, some such parents were quoted in TV reports complaining that they would lose the only bonding opportunity they have with their kids if they do not have weekend homework to do together.

What’s interesting about this argument is the reason behind the memorandum to give the students more quality time to spend with their family..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101004com11.html