Asia faces tougher battle in new world slowdown focus 08/11/2011

Asia faces tougher battle in new world slowdown

focus

08/11/2011
SINGAPORE — Asian economies still scarred by the 2008 world recession are likely to have a harder time grappling with a new round of turmoil than they did three years ago, regional analysts said.

Fears of a new global meltdown are growing after the United States received a credit downgrade for the first time and markets tumbled on expectations that Italy and Spain could join other European countries in seeking a bailout.

“Back in 2008, rotten debt in the banks was the problem,” Singapore’s DBS Bank said in reference to global financial rescue measures that helped bring economic growth back on track.

“Governments took the debt off the banks — and spent a lot of money propping up economies — and now they themselves are in trouble. That’s why the situation may be worse than before: there’s no one left to turn to.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110811com6.html

Sick and sickening VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 08/11/2011

Sick and sickening

VIEWPOINTS

Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz

08/11/2011
An image of Jesus Christ with an attached wooden replica of a male genital protruding directly over His face. The genital is draped with a Holy Rosary, hanging by the base and the tip of the replica. Is this art?

A Crucifix and Cross draped with a pink stretched condom. Is this art?

To a Crucifix is attached a red male organ. Is this art?

“Yes, oh yes!” So says in substance a group of so-called “artists” exhibiting the above consummate sacrilege! So essentially implies nothing less than the “Pontifical” and “Royal” University of “Santo Tomas” indulging the group whose products they are and who engage in the big blasphemy! So basically claims the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is displaying the radical vulgarity instead at nurturing and promoting Filipino positive cultural values as defined by its Mission Statement..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110811com7.html

Noy-MILF secret deal: Reframing MoA-AD By Mario J. Mallari 08/11/2011

UMBRA KATO, MURAD’S REBELS CLASH, LEAVE 8 DEAD

Noy-MILF secret deal: Reframing MoA-AD

By Mario J. Mallari 08/11/2011

There was a secret deal forged between President Aquino and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chieftain Al Haj Murad during the secret meeting held in Tokyo last Thursday, after all.

MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal made a freudian slip yesterday when he let out that the agreement reached between the two parties was for the MILF to “reframe” the discredited Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MoA-AD) which was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2008.

Part of the deal involving the “reframed MoA-AD,” which Iqbal hinted to which Aquino during the secret meeting did not object, is that provinces under the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and adjacent

areas of North Cotabato, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Sultan Kudarat and the municipalities of Balabac and Batarasa in Palawan province, will be placed under the control of the Bangsamoro state which will be sharing powers with the national government..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110811hed1.html

FM is a hero fit for burial in Libingan ng mga Bayani—Imelda By Gerry Baldo and Mario J. Mallari 08/11/2011

FM is a hero fit for burial in Libingan ng mga Bayani—Imelda

By Gerry Baldo and Mario J. Mallari 08/11/2011

Former First Lady and incumbent Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos yesterday said former President Ferdinand Marcos is a hero who deserves to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Mrs. Marcos, reacting to news reports that her family had agreed to bury the former President in Ilocos Norte, said she and Vice President Jejomar Binay have not agreed on the burial site of the former President.

She said she and Binay, who went to Ilocos Norte a few days back, had talked about housing programs and not about the burial of the former President.

Vice President Binay yesterday maintained there is nothing definite about the controversial burial of the late President, stressing that his job on the issue is purely recommendatory and that Malacañang has the final say on the matter..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110811hed4.html

2 missing in sea crash; oil slick unleashed 08/11/2011

2 missing in sea crash; oil slick unleashed

08/11/2011
Two cargo vessels have collided off the coast of the southern Philippines, leaving two persons missing and unleashing a small oil slick, the Coast Guard said yesterday.

Two crew members of a locally-registered bulk carrier are missing after it was in collision late Tuesday with the Monrovia-registered container vessel HS Puccini off the southernmost tip of the southern island of Mindanao, it said.

The much-larger Puccini rescued 16 crew from the smaller vessel while the another five swam to shore and safety, a coastguard statement said.

The Puccini is sailing to the nearby port of General Santos as scheduled with the rescued crew members, it said, while the exact status of the other vessel was not specified..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110811hed6.html

Gov’t has no moral ground to question NDF’s sincerity on peace talks — CPP By Mario J. Mallari 08/11/2011

Gov’t has no moral ground to question NDF’s sincerity on peace talks — CPP

By Mario J. Mallari 08/11/2011

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) scored President Aquino for questioning the sincerity of its political arm, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), in the ongoing peace negotiations.
“The Philippine government does not have the moral high ground to question the sincerity of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in the peace talks,” the CPP said.

“How can Aquino question the sincerity of the NDFP when it has been his government that has failed to show good faith in peace talks after carrying out the arrest earlier this year of at least two key NDFP peace consultants and failing to fulfill its obligations to effect the release of at least 17 peace talks consultants of the NDFP,” CPP pointed out.

The CPP-NDFP is clamoring for the release of the consultants, including New People’s Army (NPA) leader Tirso “Ka Bart” Alcantara and CPP Central Committee member Alan Jazmines..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110811nat4.html

Noy won’t sack CCP board over ‘Kulo’ row By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 08/11/2011

Noy won’t sack CCP board over ‘Kulo’ row

By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 08/11/2011
Despite their bad artistic taste, President Aquino is not firing the members of the board of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

At a press briefing yesterday, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that President Aquino is not inclined to heed growing clamor for the purging of the CCP board which allowed the “Kulo” exhibit and even publicly defending it, without due regard to religious sensitivities.

“There is no action on our part, in the Palace, to do that,” Lacierda said when asked if the President would sack the CCP board, or ask for their resignation, for their oversight in allowing the exhibit of so-called art pieces which practically desecrated the image of Jesus Christ.

Lacierda said that it is already enough that the CCP management has decided to finally close down the exhibit although the reason for doing so is about safety issues and not about impropriety of the “Kulo” exhibit. The CCP board even appeared remorseless and maintained that these so-called artworks were part of an artist’s freedom of expression..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110811nat1.html

DoE chief warns oil firms: Roll back prices or face raps By Gerry Baldo 08/11/2011

DoE chief warns oil firms: Roll back prices or face raps

By Gerry Baldo 08/11/2011

The Department of Energy (DoE) yesterday warned oil companies they could be sued if they do not roll back their prices by at least P2 per liter.

Secretary Jose Almendras, who was at the House of Representatives to defend the DoE’s P8.8-billion budget, said the roll back should be implemented between now and Monday next week.

“We are expecting a P2 rollback on their oil products until Monday. If not, we will ask them to explain and the Department of Justice will take over for investigation for possible action,” Almendras said yesterday in answer to Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño’s query on whether the people could expect a price rollback given the huge drop in the world market price.

Oil prices dropped from $120 last month to only $77 this month..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110811met1.html

DoH hit for allowing hospital to engage in ‘pawnshop operations’ 08/11/2011

DoH hit for allowing hospital to engage in ‘pawnshop operations’

08/11/2011
Lawmakers yesterday lambasted the Department of Health (DoH) for allowing the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) to collect personal items from their patients in exchange for discharge slips.
According to Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño, the practice at the PCMC has been going on since 2009 as shown by a memorandum number 45 issued by PCMC Director Dr. Julius Lecciones.

Casino said he will file a resolution to investigate the hospital and the DoH for allowing such practice even as he showed Health Secretary Enrique Ona copies of the memorandum circulars issued by Lecciones during yesterday budget hearing on the DoH. Lecciones is an appointee of former President Arroyo.

“This practice of public hospitals engaging in pawnshop operations is very deplorable and we expect Secretary Ona to immediately stop this. He should know what is happening in government hospitals and the desperate practices they engage in just to shore up their budgets. One way to stop this is to restore the budgets of our public hospitals as contained in their original proposals. This means raising the DoH budget by at least P20 billion,” Casiño said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110811met4.html

Treason EDITORIAL 08/10/2011

Treason

EDITORIAL

Click to enlarge

08/10/2011
No wonder the country’s foreign policy is shot and why Noynoy Aquino continues to go about state things very undiplomatically and unprofessionaly.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) high officials apparently do not, or fear to, advise Noynoy on diplomacy and protocols. Instead, they cover up for his many undiplomatic moves, denying that he broke protocol and that he did a good thing, as well as praise him and his undiplomatic deeds to high heavens.

What is even more laughable is the sight of DFA high officials stating that there will be an investigation to flush out the unnamed diplomat in a newspaper report who called the secret meeting between Noynoy and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief Al-HaJ Murad treason, while pointing out what a president of the country, both the head of state and government, should not have done.

It is laughable because there is only one way for the DFA to know just who the unnamed diplomatic source is: Getting the newspaper reporter to disclose the diplomat’s identity..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110810com1.html

The crooked, crooked path FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 08/10/2011

The crooked, crooked path

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

08/10/2011
Who says there has been a change in the Aquino government officials’ mindset, such as their having done away with the anti-wang-wang culture?

Just Noynoy and his rah-rah boys who claim to be treading the straight path, a line which is already much too sickening, being so hypocritical.

To cite an example: Four members of a Singaporean syndicate said to be involved in a P150-million scam in government casinos have been allowed to leave the country, despite a Department of Justice (DoJ) hold departure order (HDO), it was admitted by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) during a House hearing two days ago.

It might as well be asked: Why isn’t Justice Chief Leila de Lima screaming at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and subjecting the four scammers to the usual trial by publicity, as she always does in the case of the Arroyos and those identified with them?.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110810com2.html

Sudan regime survives partition, troubles loom focus 08/10/2011

Sudan regime survives partition, troubles loom

focus

08/10/2011
KHARTOUM — One month after allowing the south to secede, Sudan’s government has not reaped the hoped-for rewards but it has so far resisted strong international pressures and mounting domestic challenges.

Khartoum was expecting to be swiftly removed from the US terror blacklist, as Washington promised, in return for its cooperation over January’s referendum and the resulting independence of South Sudan on July 9.

An easing of sanctions and help with its crippling debts were also hoped for.

But none of this has happened yet, while the ongoing conflict in the ethnically-divided border state of South Kordofan has focused unwanted foreign attention on Sudan’s internal problems..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110810com3.html

Lessons from Kosovo crisis C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S Jonathan De la Cruz 08/10/2011

Lessons from Kosovo crisis

C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S

Jonathan De la Cruz

08/10/2011
Before Marvic Leonen gets to open his mouth one more time to sing paeans to his so-called “out of the box” solution to the decades old secessionist problem in Mindanao and let P-Noy be lulled by that MILF siren song enjoining us to turn from “adversaries into problem solvers” he and his associates, including the GRP’s financiers, i.e., Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and Butch Abad and their friends in the private sector, better listen to the voices of past “talks” and read up on the lessons of conflicts in other parts of the world.

The latest MILF brainstorm issued by Leonen and confirmed somehow by the MILF Vice-Chairman for Political Affairs Ghadzali Jaafar that henceforth the secessionist group is no longer interested in independence but a broader autonomy, that is, having a substate with broader powers within the Republic is a giveaway. This is what Kosovo, the Albanian dominated province within the old Serb dominated Yugoslav Federation, got in 1945 yet and look what has happened since..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110810com4.html

Hide the biggest Pagcor scam; enjoy the fruits and perks N.O . N.O.N.S.E.N.S.E Jacinto 08/10/2011

Hide the biggest Pagcor scam; enjoy the fruits and perks

N.O . N.O.N.S.E.N.S.E

Jacinto

08/10/2011
Recently we were gratified that the new Pagcor officials were doing their job of running after the shenanigans of the past Pagcor administration by exposing and filing cases on the anomalies such as the BIDA project, the personal use by a Pagcor official of the rice donation, the excessive coffee purchases and the Baler movie investment, but all these exposés and cases were mere decoys of a bigger scam that the new Pagcor officials were trying to hide from the public. The grand scam which is the illegal grant or award of a license to operate and manage casino to Resorts World, Thunderbird and the others is outrageous and unconscionable because it deprives the government of billions of pesos of foregone income.

The Pagcor official under Gloria should have properly and legally negotiated a better terms for the government but they did not and the new officials under P-Noy are consenting and perpetuating this irregularity instead of exposing and filing cases against those involved in this scam. It seems the deal must have provided fruits and perks to these new officials..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110810com5.html

Gov’t, MILF to have joint powers under substate By Mario J. Mallari and Gerry Baldo 08/10/2011

NOY ALLY SAYS SUBSTATE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, CHA-CHA NEEDED FOR BANGSAMORO STATE

Gov’t, MILF to have joint powers under substate

By Mario J. Mallari and Gerry Baldo 08/10/2011

President Aquino and his Malacañang aides refuse to divulge what was discussed during the Tokyo “secret meeting” between the President and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front chietain, Al Haj Murad, but his vice chairman and his chief negotiator appear to be free to spill the beans on the secret meeting, including telling reporters of the joint power sharing between the Bangsamoro government and Malacañang, as well as the MILF having “residual” powers even, apparently, in the matter of those departments that were said to have been “excluded.”

The two-hour secret meeting between Aquino and Murad in Japan last Thursday centered on the proposed Bangsamoro substate by the MILF and the need to fast-track the peace negotiations.

MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal, who was brought along by Murad during a one-plus-one meeting with Aquino who was with government negotiator Marvic Leonen, said Murad personally explained the MILF’s proposed Bangsamoro substate to the President.

“That (Bangsamoro substate) was the center (of discussion) and the need to fast-track
the negotiation,” said Iqbal..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110810hed1.html

Noy tight-lipped on China meet, Chinese premier’s letter By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 08/10/2011

Noy tight-lipped on China meet, Chinese premier’s letter

By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 08/10/2011
Keeping everything secret appears to be the fad under the claimed transparent Aquino presidency as neither President Aquino nor his Malacañang officials divulged details of Aquino’s meeting with Chinese officials Tuesday afternoon, triggering speculations that the letter personally hand-carried by the assistant Chinese foreign minister is related to the worsening diplomatic rift between the two countries over the disputed Spratlys Islands.

Strangely, the meeting which took place inside Malacañang, was even supposed to be open for “photo ops” but was scrapped for some unknown reason. A briefing by presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda in relation to the meeting was also canceled, with claims that it was being done on the request of the Chinese Embassy.

The Chinese officials, Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao and Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin, went to the Palace to deliver a message from Chinese Premier Hu Jintao.

This was earlier disclosed to reporters by Aquino himself, who said he does not know what the letter contained..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110810hed2.html

Binay unveils first housing project for Aetas 08/10/2011

Binay unveils first housing project for Aetas

08/10/2011
LAOAG — The Board of the National Housing Authority (NHA) has approved the first housing project for members of the Aeta community, Vice President and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Chairman Jejomar Binay said yesterday.

Other indigenous communities will also be beneficiaries of the housing program for Indigenous People (IP), a new program approved by the NHA Board chaired by Binay.

Binay said the housing project will benefit the Tribung Ayta ng Nabuklod (TAN) association, whose members are residents of the municipality of Floridablanca, Pampanga. The provincial government of Pampanga earlier expressed its intention to resettle around 3,000 homeless Aetas.

“Initially, we have allocated P14 million for this project for the construction of 350 housing units for members of Aeta community,” Binay said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110810nat4.html

CCP execs, personnel losing jobs over ‘blasphemous’ exhibit By Angie M. Rosales 08/10/2011

CCP execs, personnel losing jobs over ‘blasphemous’ exhibit

By Angie M. Rosales 08/10/2011

The management of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is now in hot water and is in peril of losing jobs as they stand to earn a “zero” budget for their office next year in the light of the controversy stirred by what most critics described as blasphemous art exhibit.

Senate leaders are now out to get the head of CCP executives as they are in unison in dipping their fingers into the art exhibit “Kulo.”

Although CCP closed down the main gallery where the said exhibit has been on display, this did not stop Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada from bringing up the matter anew on the floor during their afternoon plenary session.

Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III was first to condemn the said exhibit, calling it a sacrilegious and an affront to the sensibilities of Filipinos as some groups are claiming these form of art as part of freedom of expression..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110810nat1.html

Art exhibit at Cultural Center showing poster of Jesus with penis glued to His face closed By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 08/10/2011

Art exhibit at Cultural Center showing poster of Jesus with penis glued to His face closed

By Virgilio J. Bugaoisan 08/10/2011

In another demonstration of his belated decision-making skills, President Aquino finally stepped into the raging ruckus at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) over its controversial art exhibit.

He said he had scolded the members of the CCP board for allowing the display of pieces that trample on the rights and beliefs of other people.

In an interview shortly after his visit to the Malampaya deep water gas-to-power project onshore gas plant in Tabangao, Batangas, Aquino said he called on some members of the CCP board to be more circumspect and to exercise utmost diligence before allowing the use of the government’s cultural center for certain activities.

“I was in contact with several board members yesterday and I told them that I’m a Christian, and the country is 85% Christian as well. The CCP is bounded by public value, also it should be in service of the people, so when you insult most of the people, I don’t think that is of service (of the people),” Aquino said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110810met2.html

Stop sale of sequestered television station — solon 08/10/2011

Stop sale of sequestered television station — solon

08/10/2011
An administration lawmaker yesterday asked the government to take immediate legal steps to stop the sale of the sequestered television station built on a 4.1-hectare property in Quezon City which was opposed by the Commission on Audit (CoA),saying she will call for a congressional probe into the matter.

Ang Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy bared she will file this week a resolution calling for the immediate investigation in aid of legislation into the circumstances surrounding the joint venture agreement (JVA) entered into by the government-run broadcast network Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC-13) and RII Builders Inc./Primestate Ventures Inc. that was finalized on March 10, 2010.

Citing the 2010 audit report on the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), Herrera-Dy said state auditors asked the agency to seek the legal assistance of the Office of the Solicitor General to stop the implementation of the JVA by filing a temporary restraining order before civil courts.

“The CoA recommendation was submitted to the PCGG last March. We hope legal steps have already been taken to address the audit agency’s concern,” Herrera Dy said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110810met4.html