From bad to worse EDITORIAL 05/22/2011

From bad to worse

EDITORIAL

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05/22/2011
The Palace line on damaging survey results seems to have not changed since the days of Gloria.

Confronted with a poll outcome showing a slide in the rating would then be met by “the data used were outdated” in Gloria’s watch now it is “expect an improvement next year.”

The style was slightly different but the gist stays which was that the figures in the survey were not reflective of the true worth of the current administration.

Also the focus would be on some obscure figures that show something positive or a limited portion of the survey that provides a positive data..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110522com1.html

Fishy is, as fishy does FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 05/22/2011

Fishy is, as fishy does

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

05/22/2011
It was suspicious enough that Dinky Soliman’s budget for the conditional cash transfer (CCT) was increased to an exorbitant P21 billion for the year, amid claims that the number of beneficiaries from the poorest of the poor would be increased to 2.3 million. Now however, Dinky, aided by Budget Secretary Butch Abad, says that P2 billion more is needed for the program, despite admission that the number of beneficiaries remained the same, plus the fact that only 1.9 million families have been identified as beneficiaries, along with the report that some 1,500 families have been delisted, as they were claimed to be well-off.

Two things are crystal clear: One is that the CCT program is not being implemented well and there is a highly questionable and non-transparent way in the disbursement of the cash grants.

As things stand, only about 1.7 million families reportedly have received the CCT funds, which raises the question of where the rest of the money went, since more billions are needed, apart from which, not all the 2.3 million family-beneficiaries have been identified..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110522com2.html

Spain’s ‘youth without a future’ take to the streets focus 05/22/2011

Spain’s ‘youth without a future’ take to the streets

focus

05/22/2011
MADRID — They call themselves “youth without a future” — young Spaniards frustrated by their inability to start a career, earn a steady wage and move out of their parents’ homes.

And for the past week they have fuelled nightly demonstrations in Madrid and dozens of other towns and cities as part of a grass-roots protest movement organized on the Internet that has tapped into long-simmering grievances which have worsened with Spain’s economic crisis.

The demonstrations ahead of local elections on Sunday have drawn tens of thousands, including unemployed of all ages and pensioners angry over the government’s economic policies. But young people make up the vast majority.

Paula Mendez Sena, a 24-year-old architect by training, said she was taking part because she has been unemployed since graduating. Her 25-year-old partner who has an engineering degree is also out of work..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110522com3.html

Mediocrity, incompetence, disability VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 05/22/2011

Mediocrity, incompetence, disability

VIEWPOINTS

Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz

05/22/2011
In all human ventures — especially those affecting the good and welfare of others — there are basically three qualifying degrees pointing out the performance rating of one behind the said human agenda. In their descending order, they are thus customarily known: Mediocrity.
Incompetence. Disability. They are readily relevant and applicable to anybody heading a family, to somebody managing a business, and especially so to someone having a leadership position in a community and other human endeavors — with bigger or lesser social impact on others. It can be thus also said that as a matter of course, the respective opposites of the said negative traits are excellence, proficiency, adeptness.

Mediocrity is what characterizes leadership with but barely a passing mark. It is leadership that is neither here nor there, that is neither all good nor all bad. It barely delivers what is desired in the same way that it barely stops what is unwanted. Following are some of the words commonly used to describe the reality: Passable. Pedestrian. Inconsequential..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110522com5.html

Man returns to desolate Argentina town after flood FEATURE 05/22/2011

Man returns to desolate Argentina town after flood

FEATURE

05/22/2011
VILLA EPECUEN — In a town all but destroyed when its salt lake overflowed over three decades ago, the desolation is surreal: From silvery-white empty houses and hotels to trees, stark and dead; and one lonely man who calls this home.

Once a lake country spa town south of Buenos Aires, Epecuen is a lagoon with a salinity level only topped by the Dead Sea. For decades, tourists visited to take its waters believing they were good for one’s health.

Everything came crashing down in 1985 when a long period of heavy rains sent the lagoon bursting over its banks, and it swept over a busy small town.

“I had a bunch of cats and dogs, and they ran away a couple days before the flood and I never saw them again,” Norma Berg, 48, told AFP, recalling her childhood spent here, until the flood..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110522com6.html

La Vista cat killer BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 05/22/2011

La Vista cat killer

BLURBAL THRUSTS

Louie Logarta

05/22/2011
The last “summer extravaganza” for Senate press corps members (there are supposed to be around 100 of them coming from the various print, radio and television outlets) that was held in the Liquid Pool and Lounge at the Manila Ocean Park, Luneta is said to have been one great, big flop.

Despite the great amount of time and effort expended by the media relations officers of some senators to ensure its success, the so-called press outing — which was originally designed to promote camaraderie and bonding among the numerous newsmen assigned to cover the Senate beat and thank them for their work during the previous session and also entice them to write more compassionate stories about the senators in the future — fizzled out because there were only about 15 reporters and photographers who turned up for the affair last May 6, a Friday. The said outing was scheduled only at the Luneta Ocean Park due to the assumption that the Merci Gutierrez impeachment trial would be pushing through, thus an out-of-town gimmick was ill-advised.

As told to us by some insiders, the latest bash, which lasted all of six interminable hours, totally paled in comparison to past summer outings that were usually overnight affairs organized by the staff of individual senators, where the Senate reporters could eat, drink and carouse to their hearts content, as if it were the last day of the world..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110522com4.html

Roxas has Chief of Staff post in bag, says Palace By Aytch S. de la Cruz 05/22/2011

Roxas has Chief of Staff post in bag, says Palace

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 05/22/2011

Former Sen. Manuel Roxas II has the Chief of Staff post in the bag and he is expected to assume his position holding an office inside Malacañang by the first week of June, deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte told reporters yesterday.

Valte said President Aquino will sign and release the Administrative Order (AO) restoring the defunct Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff to accommodate his losing running mate within two weeks.

The posting of Roxas as Chief of Staff has come under intense attack from both critics and allies of Aquino, saying the position is clearly a political accommodation since the current political setup makes the position redundant and that it is expected to heighten the friction among the different factions within the Palace.

Aquino met with Roxas last Friday but neither Valte nor presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda was able to provide reporters substantial details on what transpired during the meeting since it was private..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110522hed1.html

Palace remains evasive on calls to oust Diokno 05/22/2011

Palace remains evasive on calls to oust Diokno

05/22/2011
Malacañang remained ambiguous on the sanctions that may be imposed on Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Ernesto Diokno despite mounting calls for his resignation over the reported special treatment extended by jail authorities to homicide convict and former Batangas Gov. Jose Antonio Leviste.

Deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said Justice Secretary Leila de Lima is expected to submit her recommendations to President Aquino in the coming days and she advised the public and other government officials concerned to just wait until that document reaches Malacañang.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada called on BuCor director, retired Chief Supt. Ernesto Diokno, to immediately resign from his post amid the Leviste incident. He also sought a full investigation of the so-called “VIP (very important person) treatment” at the National Bilibid Prisons..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110522hed3.html

Migrant group pushes probe of Labor execs in Mideast 05/22/2011

Migrant group pushes probe of Labor execs in Mideast

05/22/2011
An alliance of overseas Filipino migrants group yesterday asked Congress to conduct an investigation into the alleged involvement of some members of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in the Middle East in human smuggling.

“These reports must be investigated, after gathering (pieces of) evidence, we hope it will lead to filing of appropriate charges against these erring overseas Labor officials,” John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator, in a statement, said.

The group urged Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to file an administrative and appropriate criminal case against erring officials in Kuwait who are accused of accepting bribe from recruitment agents..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110522hed4.html

Bill seeks retraining, fixed salaries for bus drivers By Charlie V. Manalo 05/22/2011

Bill seeks retraining, fixed salaries for bus drivers

By Charlie V. Manalo 05/22/2011
In the wake of the spate of vehicular accidents in some of the country’s main thoroughfares involving buses, more lawmakers are proposing that bus drivers undergo retraining programs and be given a fixed monthly salary.

Yesterday, PBA Rep. Mark Aeron Sambar joined the list of lawmakers clamoring for the twin proposals as he filed House Bill 4459, saying the government should adopt urgent measures to prevent the unabated road accidents involving buses.

Under the bill to be known as the Competence Accreditation Program and Minimum Wage for Bus Drivers Act of 2011, drivers will get proper training and will be subjected to an accreditation program before being allowed to ply the streets.

“Bus drivers are notorious for reckless driving habits of swerving their way through busy traffic or careening through open highways,” Sambar said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110522nat1.html

Binay: Businesses should take care of workers 05/22/2011

Binay: Businesses should take care of workers

05/22/2011
Vice President Jejomar Binay last Friday urged businessmen to take care of their workers by ensuring compliance with accepted wage and other labor standards.

“You must take care of your labor force. Labor is the creator of capital. Without labor, there will be no capital,” Binay said in a speech during the induction of officers and trustees of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Marco Polo Hotel in Cebu City.

“Within President Aquino’s Labor Agenda, the issues of minimum wage, social protection, workplace safety, compliance of labor standards and security of tenure stand as concrete considerations. It is here where I ask that you consider devoting your efforts,” he said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110522nat8.html

Lawmakers buck move banning tricycles, pedicabs from highways, major thoroughfares By Charlie V. Manalo 05/22/2011

Lawmakers buck move banning tricycles, pedicabs from highways, major thoroughfares

By Charlie V. Manalo 05/22/2011

Lawmakers yesterday called on the government to conduct studies and public consultation with the people, stakeholders and the local government units (LGUs) before initiating a ban on tricycles and pedicabs on highways and major thoroughfares to prevent road accidents.

ACT Rep. Dante Antonio Tinio said the move will dislocate thousands of tricycle and pedicab drivers who rely solely on plying the street as their source of income.

Tinio was reacting to the statement of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo calling on local chief executives and members of the local legislative councils to ban tricycles and pedicabs from national roads..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110522met2.html

BI set to deport American wanted in Brazil for investment scam 05/22/2011

BI set to deport American wanted in Brazil for investment scam

05/22/2011
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to deport next week an American wanted by Brazilian authorities for defrauding investors of millions of dollars in stock investment scam.

Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. instructed the bureau’s legal and investigation division to expedite the summary deportation proceedings against the suspect identified as William Preston Strong, 54.

Strong was arrested by operatives of BI Interpol Unit headed by Bernard Cruzata in a Boracay resort in Malay, Aklan last May 6. He is presently detained at the bureau’s detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig City pending issuance of a deportation order by the BI Board of Commissioners..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110522met4.html