• 6 AUGUST - *1907 - Gen. Macario Sakay, one of the Filipino military leaders who had continued fighting the imperialist United States invaders eight years into the Ph...
    11 years ago

......................................................................................

The Daily Tribune

(Without Fear or Favor)

Specials:

Bulatlat.com

World Wildlife Fund for Nature-Philippines

The Philippines Matrix Project

Failed presidency EDITORIAL 06/15/2011

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Failed presidency

EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
06/15/2011
If Noynoy’s Independence Day speech is a peek into his State of the Nation Address (Sona), his July 25 address, will surely be yet another big disappointment to many Filipinos, because all he states are promises that are certainly never going to be delivered — whether in two or even five years.

But it is also apparent, given his speech last Sunday, that he and his administration really have no achievement or reforms to speak of, considering what he says he has done is to have “planted the seeds of reforms” that however, cannot even be seen or felt, as there certainly are no palpable reforms that he claims to have introduced. The postponement of the ARMM polls is no reform, but a throwback to the Marcos dictatorship, where OICs were appointed.

A Sona is a yearly speech to the nation, through a congressional speech, outlining what a chief executive achieved in his first year in office, what his plans are for the next year or so, and how he will be implementing these plans — and from there, he is judged by the nation..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110615com2.html

A now controversial figure FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 06/15/2011

A now controversial figure

FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
06/15/2011
Outgoing Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales now seems to be the most controversial applicant for the position of Ombudsman, but perhaps that is also because almost everybody knows she is Noynoy’s choice as replacement of Merceditas Gutierrez.

It was Noynoy who personally asked Morales to apply for the Ombudsman’s job, which translated means that the job was hers — on a silver platter. And she quickly accepted that offer on condition that former SC chief justice Art Panganiban endorses her, which he prompted did, in the vernacular, that appointment would be termed as Lutong Macao.

If Noynoy was truly not interfering with the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), and would simply choose one from a list of three, he wouldn’t have talked Carpio into applying for the position. Besides, despite the presidential spokesman claim that the JBC is an independent body and that Noynoy is not interfering in its choices, the fact is that Noynoy has practically the majority members of the JBC vote, as they are his appointees, apart from three more political allies, such as Rep. Niel Tupas, Sen, Chiz Escudero and Justice Chief Leila de Lima. They will toe the Noynoy line as they can hardly be called independent..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110615com3.html

Bangladesh shipyards back in business FEATURE 06/15/2011

Bangladesh shipyards back in business

FEATURE

06/15/2011
DHAKA — Bangladesh’s vast ship-breaking yards are roaring back into business, after the easing of strict environmental regulations that brought the major industry to a halt for much of 2010.

A High Court ruling on March 7 reversed a series of 2010 court verdicts — fought for by environmental activists — that required vessels to be cleared of all hazardous material such as asbestos before being imported for scrap.

“Finally, we can see the end of our long legal problems,” Hefazatur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Ship Breakers’ Association, told AFP, calling the ruling a victory for the industry.

The court decision has allowed the industry to restart the import of scrap vessels and 50 ships are now waiting to be broken at Sitakundu, the country’s southeastern ship-breaking hub..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110615com4.html

Henares, apologize and pay up! C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S Jonathan De la Cruz 06/15/2011

Henares, apologize and pay up!

C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S
Jonathan De la Cruz
06/15/2011
PNoy’s speechwriters did him a great disservice. And, worse, at the expense of his dearly beloved mother, the first President Aquino. Imagine injecting such words as “...This is a new free Philippines, we are the free Filipinos, separated from the scourge of corruption and poverty... meeting the future with heads held high and with much excitement...” in his first Independence Day speech! And then, prefacing such with “On behalf of all Filipinos, I declare the start of a new chapter in our history where each Filipino will reap the fruits of his labor, where the law is fairly implemented, where everyone can be the master of his destiny and where freedom comes hand in hand with dignity.” So, what are P-Noy and his writers saying? That we have had nothing going in this country until they came along?... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110615com6.html

The flag NO HOLDS BARRED Armida Siguion-Reyna 06/15/2011

The flag

NO HOLDS BARRED
Armida Siguion-Reyna
06/15/2011
Last weekend the news centered on whether or not the United States was going to be with us against China over the issue of Spratly Islands. And when tri-media devoted almost as much space to Manny Pacquiao’s moving into Forbes Park, the purchase of a house that purportedly cost more than P300 million served to distract, methinks, from the commemoration of Independence Day.

Anyway. Where before the unspoken rule was to have the Vice-Presidents in the Emilio Aguinaldo house in Cavite while Presidents took in all the pomp and pageantry and pagandahan ng floats at the Quirino Grandstand, the most recent one had P-Noy himself laying the wreath at the tomb of the first President of the Republic, and after raising the flag up high on the same balcony where it was hurled 113 years ago, there delivered his “graft-free Philippines” speech.

Curiously, where is the original flag? Is it still around? Is it the one in Baguio, under the care of the Aguinaldo-Suntays, described as “custodians” of the much, much earlier version “discovered folded and tucked” in Aguinaldo’s deathbed in 1964?.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110615com5.html

Noy rushes to US side over China Sea dispute By Aytch S. de la Cruz 06/15/2011

US ENVOY AFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO BACK RP

Noy rushes to US side over China Sea dispute

By Aytch S. de la Cruz 06/15/2011

President Aquino ran to the side of the United States to seek succor amid an increasingly tense dispute with China over rival claims in the South China Sea.

“Perhaps the presence of our treaty partners, the United States of America, ensures that all of us will have freedom of navigation (and) will conform to international law,” Aquino said.

“Of course they (China) are a superpower, they have more than 10 times our population. We do not want any hostilities to break out,” Aquino told reporters when asked about recent Chinese actions in the disputed waters.

Aquino’s comments came after the US ambassador to the Philippines, Harry Thomas, said yesterday that the United States remained committed to helping its former colony in any dispute over the South China Sea..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110615hed1.html

SC allows live TV coverage of Ampatuan massacre trial By Benjamin B. Pulta 06/15/2011

SC allows live TV coverage of Ampatuan massacre trial

By Benjamin B. Pulta
06/15/2011

The Supreme Court (SC) decided yesterday to allow live media coverage of the Maguindanao massacre trial.

In a unanimous vote, the SC justices ruled to allow pooled television coverage of the trial presided over by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes. The court’s decision is not a precedent to other cases.

“The court took into consideration the impossibility of accommodating all the parties.” Court Administrator Midas Marquez explained to newsmen about the court’s decision.

The live coverage will tap the SC’s video camera mounted inside the court room which will then feed the footage to various media networks..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110615hed5.html

Court sentences ex-SBMA exec to 8 years By Arlie O. Calalo 06/15/2011

Court sentences ex-SBMA exec to 8 years

By Arlie O. Calalo 06/15/2011

A former Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) executive has been found criminally liable for certifying a non-existent memorandum of agreement (MoA) for a P40-million worth of hospital equipment and vehicles in 1998.

Lawyer Hedy Esmade-Diaz was ordered to serve six to eight years in prison by Olongapo City Regional Trial Court Judge Richard Paradeza who found her guilty beyond reasonable doubt for falsification of documents under Article 141 of the Revised Penal Code.

The former SBMA corporate secretary was specifically held liable for certifying that a MoA providing for the transfer of about P40-million of equipment and vehicles had been ratified and approved..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110615nat2.html

Repeal of Epira Law pushed By Gerry Baldo 06/15/2011

Repeal of Epira Law pushed

By Gerry Baldo 06/15/2011

Amid the unabated increase in electricity rates, a lawmaker yesterday pushed the repeal of the
Electricity Power Industry Reform Act (Epira).

According to Gabriela Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan, the consumers of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) have been billed more than doubled during the 10 years that the law has taken effect. It took effect in 2000.

Ilagan, citing data from a consumer group People Opposed to Warrantless Electricity Rates (Power), said that Meralco customers were only billed at the average rate of P4.87 per kilowatt hour (kwh) in 2001 until it reached an average rate of P10.35 per kwh in 2010.

“The Epira is a failure. The Filipino families now contend with having to pay the highest electricity rates in Asia is enough proof that Congress has done a great disservice by enacting this law,” Ilagan said. She said that Epira had failed to protect consumers from alleged abuses and greediness by electric companies nationwide..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110615nat3.html

Former Pagcor chairman charged for using P26.7M in filming ‘Baler’ By Benjamin B. Pulta 06/15/2011

Former Pagcor chairman charged for using P26.7M in filming ‘Baler’

By Benjamin B. Pulta 06/15/2011

Graft charges were filed yesterday by the state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) against its former chairman, Efraim Genuino, and other former officials of its funds for a movie three years ago.

In a 24-page complaint, Pagcor said P26.7 million, or two-thirds of cost of production of the film “Baler” by BIDA Productions Inc. and VIVA Communications Inc. came from its operations.

“Respondents, in conspiracy with each other, fraudulently appropriated, took, misappropriated or consented or, through abandonment or negligence, permitted another person to take public funds from the coffers of Pagcor,” the complaint said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110615met3.html

Pacquiao joins militant workers’ call for P125 across-the-board wage hike By Charlie V. Manalo 06/15/2011

Pacquiao joins militant workers’ call for P125 across-the-board wage hike

By Charlie V. Manalo 06/15/2011

Citing his experience as a lowly-wage earner, eight-time world boxing champion Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao yesterday joined militant workers in pressing a P125 across-the-board wage hike.

Paying a visit to the national headquarters of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), Pacquiao justified the workers’ call for a wage increase, saying it’s about time for workers to find a little relief from the rising cost of basic commodities.

“Ako rin ay naging ordinaryong manggagawa. Naging welder, service boy, nagbenta ng balot at sampaguita, nagtra-trabaho sa kakarampot na kita. Hindi naging madali ang buhay kaya naiintindihan ko ang inyong laban,” Pacquiao said.

KMU leaders, together with Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano, welcomed Pacquiao’s support as they expressed hope the Filipino champion’s voice could help enjoin their colleagues in the House to support the measure..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110615met2.html

Blog Archive