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An empty horizon EDITORIAL 04/17/2011

Sunday, April 17, 2011

An empty horizon

EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
04/17/2011
Where’s the economic blueprint?
This has been the question raised by many since the start of Noynoy’s administration and the cry is getting stronger since nothing is materializing in the policy horizon.

The National Economic Development Authority (Neda) recently came out with an abstract of Noynoy’s economic program called the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2011-2016 with the primary goals of a seven to eight percent growth rates per year and meeting the millennium development goals (MDGs). But what is being sought from Noynoy are cohesive and tangible initiatives that should have started now and to which the whole nation can latch on as proof that the current administration knows where it is taking the country. But there is none..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110417com1.html

Why too little and too late? FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 04/17/2011

Why too little and too late?

FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
04/17/2011
Plunder charges have been filed against Joc-joc Bolante and Cito Lorenzo, former undersecretary and secretary of Agriculture respectively, along with others by the Ombudsman, and the reaction from Malacañang and its allies, all anti-Merci Gutierrez, is that this comes “too little and too late,” along with the charge that this is yet another ploy of Merci to get off the impeachment hook.

This reaction is very strange indeed. Late or not, shouldn’t Malacañang, that keeps on talking about Noynoy’s fight against corruption, at least be relieved, if it cannot be glad, that finally, even if it comes this late, those who have been implicated in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam have now been charged in court?.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110417com2.html

Finland’s populist leader faces controversy FEATURE 04/17/2011

Finland’s populist leader faces controversy

FEATURE

04/17/2011
HELSINKI — The drizzle makes for a miserable, icy morning in the western Finnish industrial town of Pori, and yet at least 50 people — a crowd by local standards — are riveted by Timo Soini, the colourful and controversial head of the populist True Finns party.

The rotund party chairman tells a joke from his modest stage and the onlookers laugh despite the chill.

“He draws a crowd like flypaper catches flies,” says 54-year-old nurse Tarja Silfferi, who has come to watch the commotion even though she plans to support the leftwing Social Democrats in the Nordic country’s April 17 elections..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110417com3.html

SC settles 20-year-old pollution case BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 04/17/2011

SC settles 20-year-old pollution case

BLURBAL THRUSTS
Louie Logarta
04/17/2011
Several residents of upscale Barangay Mariana, New Manila in Quezon City are ecstatic that the Supreme Court has finally put to rest a two-decade-old environment pollution case brought against a jewelry manufacturer.

According to their recent ruling, the high court found in favor of the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) which had closed down the factory set-up of Sterling Selections Corp. for operating without a clearance from the agency. The QC local government had also issued an order shuttering the thriving jewelry enterprise after they were found to have been violating existing environmental ordinances as well as zoning regulations..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110417com4.html

Aristocracy and democracy VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 04/17/2011

Aristocracy and democracy

VIEWPOINTS
Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz
04/17/2011
This is simply meant to reflect on the incongruous paring of aristocracy and democracy—without necessarily thinking of some families vis-à-vis people in general, without automatically making reference to certain highly favored and distinct individuals holding high and sensitive offices in government in relation to the populace in general.

This is intended to point out that there is definitely something queer, strange and/or suspicious when aristocrats assume governance over commoners, i.e., when wealthy and influential dynasties rule over the poor and miserable. And the reservation with the pairing rests on the empirical fact that aristocracy does not or cannot understand — much less realistically accept — the fundamental equality of human persons which is the anchorage of real and living democracy..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110417com5.html

Clarification LETTER 04/17/2011

Clarification

LETTER

04/17/2011
Dear Editor:
Please allow us to comment on the points raised in the column of Jonathan de la Cruz entitled “Child labor, mules atb.”

In that columnm, he mentioned that “of course, the tragic circumstances under which these children (child laborers) are subjected to has failed to excite any positive response from the likes of DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman who has only eyes for the likes of child “macho dancer” Jan-Jan but not the streetchildren who have to brave the hazards of our streets. Or, the child drug couriers roaming our crowded neighborhoods and even far-flung barangays.”

We would like to share that the Department of Social Welfare and Development provides rehabilitative services to rescued child laborers..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110417com7.html

Betrayal, denial and abandonment TABLETS OF STONE Larry Faraon, OP 04/17/2011

Betrayal, denial and abandonment

TABLETS OF STONE
Larry Faraon, OP
04/17/2011
Betrayal, denial and abandonment — seem to be sound bites of crass politics, so characteristic of our own. We are referring, however, to the circling events of the Holy Week that commences today with the Palm Sunday celebrations. Jesus Christ enters triumphantly into the walled city of Jerusalem, where he was met with cheers from the palm waving crowd of “Hosannahs,” the same crowd who would later betray, deny and abandon him by crying in jeers, “Crucify him!” in front of Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.

But never mind that, the Messiah must have ignored such ignominy and perhaps even expected such, since the crowd was never his own. Neither did he really belong entirely to them. Except for some instances of mutuality that led him to a few popular miracles, such as healings, and exorcisms coupled with evangelistic attempts to bring these “antiquated” religious buffs into the threshold of a new spiritual dispensation, he never considered himself an intimate. Hence, the pain of betrayal, denial and abandonment from these vacillating hordes didn’t hurt much, not that much..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110417com6.html

Palace takes up cudgels for MBC, cries harassment By Aytch S. de la Cruz 04/17/2011

BRANDS SUAREZ CHALLENGE OF BIR AUDIT AS ‘OBFUSCATION’

Palace takes up cudgels for MBC, cries harassment

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 04/17/2011

The Palace cried harassment and branded as “political obfuscation” the suggestion of oppositionist Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez for President Aquino and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to check the financial books of companies of big businessmen who are members of Aquino-backer Makati Business Club (MBC).

Suarez issued such remark in connection with the minority camp’s protest over the P73.85-million tax evasion raps filed by the BIR against Ang Galing Pinoy party-list Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo while the country’s biggest tax evaders who are allegedly part of the MBC are being kept off the hook by the administration..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110417hed1.html

Student council brand used as alibi for Noy’s sealed lips By Aytch S. de la Cruz 04/17/2011

Student council brand used as alibi for Noy’s sealed lips

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 04/17/2011

Sen. Joker Arroyo’s previous label on President Aquino’s administration as a “student council government” was given among the reasons by Malacañang yesterday when asked to explain its utter silence over businessman Eduardo Cojuangco’s recent triumph at the Supreme Court (SC) on a 20-year-old dispute with the government on his shares in giant food conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC).

Deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte was quoted as saying over state-run radio that Aquino and his spokesmen were merely exercising prudence before speaking about the issue on Cojuangco and the coco levy funds so as not to be branded as members of student council once again.

“We need to study it carefully because I remember we’re previously being criticized and branded as student council because of our opinion on particular matters and because we were studying some issues. I guess…it shouldn’t be taken against us. We want to be prudent before addressing a particular issue,” Valte said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110417hed2.html

Taal activity intensifies, 20 volcanic quakes recorded 04/17/2011

Taal activity intensifies, 20 volcanic quakes recorded

04/17/2011
More quakes and gas emissions have been detected from Taal Volcano, possibly indicating an eruption is looming, the government yesterday said.

Twenty volcanic quakes were detected at Taal Volcano in the 24 hours to Saturday 8 a.m., compared to 15 quakes in the same period last Friday, indicating that magma is still rising to the surface, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110417hed6.html

House leader renews call to terminate VFA 04/17/2011

House leader renews call to terminate VFA

04/17/2011
A leader of the House of Representatives has filed a proposed joint congressional resolution seeking the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) entered into by the Philippines with the United States.

“This will send a stronger message that we have had enough of this downright unconstitutional treaty,” said House Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III in filing Joint Resolution 17 which calls for the termination of the VFA and directing the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to give notice of termination to the US government.

“Recalling all the various incidents of human rights violations and criminal acts allegedly or proven to be committed by US troops in Philippine soil, I strongly believe that it is an imperative that we reclaim the sovereignty we are slowly losing to foreign forces,” he noted..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/

Fertilizer scam raps may backfire on Merci impeach case — Palace By Aytch S. de la Cruz 04/17/2011

Fertilizer scam raps may backfire on Merci impeach case — Palace

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 04/17/2011
Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez’s recent order to file plunder charges against former Agriculture Secretary Luis “Cito” Lorenzo and former Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-joc” Bolante along with other erring government officials does not diminish the first impeachment article on her alleged gross inaction on the P728-million fertilizer fund scam, Malacañang yesterday said.

Deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte told a radio interview that such move by Gutierrez further highlights the inattentiveness on her part, given the number of years she allowed to lapse before taking extreme actions against the persons involved in the fertilizer fund controversy..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110417hed3.html

PAL slashes fare to help Pinoys repatriated from Japan 04/17/2011

PAL slashes fare to help Pinoys repatriated from Japan

04/17/2011
The country’s flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) slashed its fares by 30 percent on inbound flights from Narita, Japan to help Filipino evacuees from Fukushima Prefecture who are facing involuntary repatriation.

PAL chairman and CEO Lucio Tan ordered the issuance of discounted tickets for Filipinos facing mandatory evacuation by the Japanese government due to high radiation levels near Fukushima..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110417nat2.html

QC gov’t vows to go after traders who continue to sell unfortified salt products By Arlie O. Calalo 04/17/2011

QC gov’t vows to go after traders who continue to sell unfortified salt products

By Arlie O. Calalo 04/17/2011

Unfortified salt products will no longer be allowed to be sold in markets and stores in Quezon City and defiant traders could face penalty or closure of their establishments after repeated violations, a city official said over the weekend.

That is if the proposed ordinance filed by 4th District Councilor Jessica Castelo-Daza will get the nod of her colleagues at the Sangguniang Panlunsod led by Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte.

For its part, the administration of Mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista promised to work hand in hand with the city council to ensure the full implementation of every measure it passes, especially those that directly affect the interest of the local residents..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110417met2.html

Solon calls for return to specific tax system By Charlie V. Manalo 04/17/2011

Solon calls for return to specific tax system

By Charlie V. Manalo 04/17/2011

Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing is calling for the return to the specific tax system rather than the current ad valorem tax system to cushion the impact of rising world oil prices and protect consumers from almost weekly hikes in oil pump prices.

An ad valorem tax is a tax whose rate is based on the value of a product while a specific tax is a tax whose rate is based on a particular quantity of a product rather than on its value.

The value-added tax (VAT) is based on the ad valorem tax system and applies to oil and other products as well as services..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110417met1.html

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