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Priorities DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 09/26/2011

Monday, September 26, 2011

Priorities

DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
09/26/2011
Upon Aquino III’s return from his visit to the US of A, numerous local mainstream newspapers emblazoned the growing critical outspokenness of even the most conservative sectors in Philippine society. The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries (PCCI); the Philippine Steelmakers Association (PSA); the Philippine Exporters Confederation (PhilExport); UP National Engineering Center; the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), including the Associated Labor Union; and, ironically a group that advocated privatization of the power industry, the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF), spoke out on one major issue: The Philippines’ highest power cost in Asia. In a joint statement, they bewailed the fact that “there appears to be no specific and strong action program or roadmap coming from the executive department” to address the current power rate crisis.

TUCP Party-list Rep. Democrito Mendoza, not always the most assertive labor leader, worked up the courage to state: “We ask the Aquino administration to bring power rates down” — this, as the chief operating officer of PhilExport, citing figures from the Department of Energy (DoE) on RP’s power rates at 24 US cents per kilowatthour compared to Thailand and Malaysia’s eight and seven US cents per kwh, respectively, added that it is “the biggest disincentive to the entry of new foreign direct investors to our shores.”

More pointedly, the ALU’s Gerard Seno demanded that Aquino III “make the necessary bold policy interventions… including the suspension and review of all pending power rate increase petitions in the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC),” with Mendoza calling for the scrapping of the 15.8-percent “Performance-Based Rate” (PBR) formula and the restoration of the 12-percent Return on Rate Base (RoRB) price setting mechanism by the ERC, adding that high power rates eat up as much as 11 percent of workers’ income.

Power company director Jojo Borja of Iligan Light, who has been helping us in our fight against the ERC and Meralco (Manila Electric Co.) with documented evidence of the latter’s overpricing, called me to highlight these headlines with enthusiasm, while expressing frustration over the wishy-washy stance of many so-called business leaders. Raul Concepcion, for instance, whom he has sought out for help against the ERC and power companies’ abuses and provided with all the hard evidence, given the former’s leadership of the Oil Price Watch, a supposed consumer protection watchdog that often publishes comments on electricity rates, has sadly only given lip service. This is precisely why Borja stresses that consumers themselves must keep up the pressure.

Still, we should all be happy that the aforementioned groups are now speaking out more boldly, even as they are still short of taking legal and demonstrative actions such as pickets and rallies — maybe even “planking” at Meralco to force the issue further.

As vital as the power price crisis issue is, the other headline that came out of Aquino III’s US trip was his “buko” (coco water) discovery, as if it were a new and fantastic development from his tête-à-tête with Obama.

Readers of this column know that for the past two years, we have promoted the coconut industry as a definitive economic lifesaver for the country. From the development of coco water, to coconut milk as replacement for imported dairy that will save us $1 billion in imports regularly, to coconut fiber textiles against soil erosion, to soil conditioners for many desert regions such as those in China, to high tech coco-chemicals for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical purposes, as well as for fuels and explosives, our coconuts can work wonders.

We have long reported that after commercial beverage brands Gatorade and Powerade were exposed as frauds, their manufacturers PepsiCo and Coca-Cola Co. shifted to coconut water as the base for these sports drinks.

It is enough, however, for the Aquino III government to finally realize the importance and potential of the coconut industry as a game changer for the economy. It is, after all, a sector that it had nary a care for when it appointed a small-time Quezon province lawyer who is ignorant of the coconut industry to head the Philippine Coconut Authority.

Among the coconut’s many applications, which we have enumerated in previous columns, there is also a product from it that will not only help the economy but those infirmed in old age with dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s. Scientific tests reveal that “monolaurin” from virgin coconut oil (VCO) reverses this scourge of the world’s aging population.

But one does not need to be at risk for Alzheimer’s to understand that unless government wakes up to its perilous neglect of the coconut sector, the once 500-million strong coconut tree population that has been reduced to 300 million today may soon no longer provide the miracles it is touted for. From being the top coconut products producer, the Philippines has now been overtaken by Indonesia, with India fast catching up.

The government of Aquino III has been going around in circles with its Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects (that have been delayed for another year) and its expensive Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program, with all sorts of rationalizations from foreign case studies (such as from Mexico, now reeling in macro-economic decay and drug-induced anarchy) citing upticks in child nutrition based on doleouts that do not increase a country’s economic viability.

In the power and coconut industry sectors, Aquino III can resort to ready-made high impact projects that can turn around the economy in both the near and medium term. With drastic power rate cuts, the people’s economic hardship will be reduced in as short as a few months’ time. With a crash diversification program for the coconut industry, a bountiful harvest will be reaped in two to three years. Aquino III should therefore set these two as his government’s priorities over and above the prevailing programs that have been proven to be serious duds.

(Tune in to Sulo ng Pilipino/Radyo OpinYon, Monday to Friday, 5 to 6 p.m. on 1098AM; Talk News TV with HTL, Saturday, 8:15 to 9 p.m., with replay at 11 p.m., on GNN, Destiny Cable Channel 8 on “ERC-Meralco Conspiracies”; visit http://newkatipunero.blogspot.com for our articles plus TV and radio archives)


(Reprinted with permission from Mr. Herman Tiu-Laurel)

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110926com5.html

Red flag is up EDITORIAL 09/26/2011

Red flag is up

EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
09/26/2011
The business and labor sectors went out united and in full force last Friday to protest the astronomical cost of electricity which the Philippines has the unenviable distinction of having the highest in the world. Pro-market Noy through his Palace pawns merely shrugged off the pleas and directed the protestors to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), an agency which as far back as memory can recall has not made any lasting contribution to the lowering of power rates.

Instead, the supposed regulator is currently reviewing a string of applications for further increases in electricity bills from the power sector that appears emboldened by the stance made known by Noynoy to all and sundry that his administration will not stand in the way of price setting.

Appeals for the government to intervene in the rising costs of fuel and road tolls, for instance, failed to get the sympathy of Noynoy who merely said that government not intervening in the pricing of basic commodities and services will benefit the country in the long run.

The plain truth, however, is that price increases make living for Noynoy more convenient with the 12 percent value added tax (VAT) in place. Without much effort, the VAT assures his administration of extra revenues for every price increase..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110926com1.html

Not the boss at all FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 09/26/2011

Not the boss at all

FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
09/26/2011
Noynoy says the people are his boss, but from all indications, buttressed by his anti-people statements, never does he listen to the voice of the people or do anything for them, despite their being in miserable straits.

And it is not just the common tao that is seeking relief, but even business and labor, given the high cost of electricity, gasoline, food, rent and all the essential goods and services combined.

The Filipino people have been asking for lower prices, whether in transportation or in electricity and gasoline, and various suggestions have been put forth by the public, such as, but not limited to, suspending the 12 percent eVAT on these oil products as well as electricity. Subsidy for transportation instead has been announced by the Palace to be cut off, as Malacañang claims that the subsidy is costing the government too much, apart from that stupid justification from the Palace that it is unfair to the non-Metro Manila taxpayers to keep on subsidizing the Light Rail and Metro Rail transits’ riders.

Even business is groaning over the high cost of electricity which makes it more difficult for business to prosper, not to mention putting off other investors who may have thought of investing in the country..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110926com2.html

Population control, US and Aquino governments’ hidden agenda – Gabriela

Population control, US and Aquino governments’ hidden agenda – Gabriela


“Population control defeats the rights-based, health-based, pro-poor characteristics of the RH Bill. As we call for the removal of population control provisions in the RH bill, the retention of pro-poor provisions lifted from Gabriela’s Comprehensive RH bill is non-negotiable.” – GWP Rep. Luz Ilagan
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Maternal and child health care or population control?

In the escalating debate over the proposed reproductive health law, Gabriela Women’s Party Representatives Luz Ilagan and Emmi de Jesus said President Benigno Aquino III is engaging in double-talk. Aquino has previously declared his support for the RH bill, but, the Gabriela lawmakers said, instead of increasing allocations for public health services, the administration has in fact slashed it.

This has prompted some quarters to conclude that Aquino’s support for healthcare for women and mothers is fake, and his interest lies more on the RH bill as a population control measure.

“Aquino is saying one thing yet doing the opposite. How can he claim support for programs on reproductive health or even responsible parenthood when he has cut the budget for health?,” said Ilagan.

Ilagan was referring to statements made by Aquino, September 22, when he appeared at the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) in Washington DC in the United States. Aquino said he supports the RH bill because it will help educate parents about birth spacing and responsible parenthood. Aquino also said the proposal was never meant to be solely a means to promote contraceptives.

“For all of his supportive words, Aquino has done the opposite – he has immobilized the government agencies and institutions tasked to provide health services by implementing budget cuts. Responsible parents must first have access to services to raise a healthy family,” Ilagan said.

The Gabriela solon explained that in the 2012 budget, five of the 12 Metro Manila-based special hospitals, and 18 of the 54 local hospitals nationwide did not t receive an increase in their allotment for maintenance and operating expenses. The Department of Budget and Management cut the DOH’s proposed budget from P80,143,863,00 (US$ 186,381,076) to P42,771,536,000 (US$994,686.883)) The government hospitals’ presentations also showed the negligible help that patients get from PhilHealth. At the Philippine Children Medical Center, for instance, PhilHealth accounts only for 14 percent of the total bill of PCMC patients for the year 2010. Majority of the expenses were shouldered by the patients, with 27 percent of the rest of the expenses covered by promissory notes.

The budget for “Health Facilities Enhancement program” which, based on Aquino’s budget message, is geared toward the improvement of maternal health, and the well-being of infants was slashed from P7.1 billion (US$162,790,697) in 2011, to P5.1 billion (US$116,27,907) in 2012.

“President Aquino should put his money where his mouth is and demonstrate his sincerity in upholding women and children’s rights to healthcare.”

US population control scheme in the guise of health projects?
President Aquino’s alacrity in supporting the RH bill, even as he allotted a minuscule budget to health services, has already prompted questions. Some quarters have said that Aquino’s stance on the RH bill is heavily influenced by groups that promote population control because these agencies are already giving financial and logistical support for population control programs in the guise of health projects.
The allegations of several anti-RH bill senators such as Sen. Tito Sotto that the RH bill is the handiwork of political and economic forces that want to impose population control over the Philippines appears to have some truth to it.

According to reports, he US Agency for International Development (USAID) mission in the Philippines has, since 2007, been implementing the PRISM Project, or the Private Sector Mobilization for Family Health (PRISM) Project.

The USAID is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering foreign aid. It was established by former US president John F. Kennedy in 1961 via an executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas authorized by the Congress in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. As an independent federal agency, it receives overall foreign policy guidance from the United States Secretary of State. USAID’s stated goals include providing “economic, development and humanitarian assistance around the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States.” It operates in Sub-Saharan Africa; Asia and the Near East, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, and Eurasia.

In the Philippines, the Prism Project is already in its second phase and, according to the USAID, it “ expands private sector provision of health services on maternal and child health (MCH), and family planning (FP), through workplace initiatives, market development and private practice initiatives.” Specifically, Prism2 is also said to provide financial and logistical support to the Department of Health, Department of Labor and Employment, local government units (LGUs) and other national and local partners when it comes to the delivery of FP/MCH products and services. The project is being implemented in 78 provinces/independent cities nationwide from 2009 to 2014.

The USAID implements Prism2 also by coordinating with companies and cooperatives to increase employees or cooperative members’ access to family health information and services.

The USAID is also implementing a whole slew of projects that are aimed supposedly to improving the quality of health of Filipinos, specifically mothers and children. Through its Health Policy Development Program (HPDP), the USAID continues to involve itself in the development of what are supposed to be “appropriate policies and build a systematic policy change process” in the DOH. The focus of the USAID’s involvement is in developing contraceptive self-reliance/FP/MCH.

When it comes to health care financing, the USAID backs the DOH as it implements schemes to ensure “sustainability of essential health services, including expansion of the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP), multi-year financing of the costs of priority health programs, and ensuring equitable and efficient distribution of health resources across the country.”

In a word, the schemes comprise “privatization.”

According to the USAID website, its health policy development program runs an operations research project in Compostela Valley. There, the agency is testing “an integrated approach for preventing mother and child deaths through information and social mobilization.”

When it comes to its dealings with local government units, the USAID has its Strengthening Local Governance for Health (HealthGov) Project and the Sustainable Health Improvements through Empowerment and Local Development (SHIELD) Project. Here, the US agency involves itself in LGUs’ operations when it comes to establishing or maintaining health systems, on matters of financing, and in health service provision. The two projects are at the core of the the US agency’s health program areas — maternal and child health, family planning, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and emerging infectious diseases in areas in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) thru the Shield Project) and non-ARMM areas (through HealthGov).
HealthGov is said to focus on maternal and child health. Through the project, the USAID develops technical assistance products such as a tool to access the health department’s MCH grants by local governments. The project also supports advocacy for increased funding support and improved programs on MCH and other health issues.

As for the Shield Project, it is the means by which the USAID involves itself in local communities in coordination with local governments. The project sends Community Health Action Teams (CHATs), which supposedly assist health service providers in caring for mothers and newborns, including early detection and referral of mothers and newborns with complications.

In the meantime, it’s not just health programs that the USAID mission to the Philippines is involved in. It also works closely with the US Department of Defense through the Joint US Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) in pushing for peace and security programs.

“This well-established civilian-military cooperation has enhanced the effectiveness of US foreign assistance, spread the benefits of assistance more widely, and fostered goodwill towards America among the Philippine people,” the USAID described the JUSMAG in its website.

Wikileaks on RH bill

Former US ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney in a cable exposed by Wikileaks has also commented on the RH bill, saying that there were ““Landmark appropriations and draft legislation reflect increasing commitment within the Philippine Government to further expand and sustain programs started forty years ago with US. Government’s assistance through USAID.

Kenney said in a cable, sent from Manila to Washington, DC in July 2008 that the US”continues to be the largest donor in the Philippine population sector supporting efforts to improve local government service delivery and increase private sector contributions to family health outcomes.”.... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com


URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/09/26/population-control-us-and-aquino-governments%E2%80%99-hidden-agenda-%E2%80%93-gabriela/

Gabriela calls on CBCP to take action on rape of 17-year old girl by Agusan priest

Gabriela calls on CBCP to take action on rape of 17-year old girl by Agusan priest

 “We see very good signs that Leah will be able to recover from the horrors she went through; but we are certain that she can only be made truly whole again if justice is given her.” – Gabriela
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — Supporters of the 17-year old rape victim “Leah” from Agusan del Sur sought the help of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines against the parish priest who allegedly committed the crime. With the support of the Gabriela progressive women’s organization, Leah ‘s plight was made officially known to the CBCP leadership through a letter addressed to CBCP President Rev Bishop Jose Palma.

In the missive, the women’s group related Leah’s sufferings at the hands of former Tubay parish priest Fr. Raul Cabonce. Leah has since filed cases of child abuse, act of lasciviousness and rape against the priest last August 25 at the Butuan Regional Trial Court. Leah said Cabonce repeatedly molested and evetually raped her when she was under his supposed care in St. Anne Parish in Tubay.

The said letter, signed by Gabriela secretary-general Lana Linaban, and co-signed by Mo. Mary John Mananzan, Chairperson of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of Women in the Philippines, and Carmencita Karagdag of the Ecumenical Women’s Forum. The women leaders expressed hope that the CBCP will aid in alleviating Leah’s suffering by taking action on her case and ensuring that justice will be rendered against her tormentor.

“Knowing well that your pastoral action and intervention can make a lot of difference for Leah and other victims’ journey towards justice, we appeal for your immediate action. In the name of integrity of justice, we ask you to intercede,” it read..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/09/26/population-control-us-and-aquino-governments%E2%80%99-hidden-agenda-%E2%80%93-gabriela/

LRay ups the ante C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S Jonathan De la Cruz 09/26/2011

LRay ups the ante

C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S
Jonathan De la Cruz
09/26/2011
Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund (LRay) Villafuerte has been in the news lately battling it out with his father, Rep. Luis Sr., and three of the four other members of the province’s congressional delegation, including Deputy Speaker Noli Fuentebella, on the matter of creating a new province out of Bicol’s biggest province. The debate which CamSur folks had hoped would essentially be civil and above aboard has become so heated it has in fact deteriorated into a highly personal “war,” if we may call it such, between LRay and the other leaders. Lately, the youthful governor has upped the ante by filing a plunder case against the Fuentebella family, which is very, very sad and unfortunate indeed. Not only because LRay and the other leaders have been allies for years but because it detracts from a sober and proper discussion of the merits of the proposed measure creating the province of Nueva Camarines..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110926com4.html

Senate to Palace: Explain junking of resolution vs fare hikes By Angie M. Rosales 09/26/2011

Senate to Palace: Explain junking of resolution vs fare hikes

By Angie M. Rosales 09/26/2011

The Palace should explain President Aquino’s decision to ignore a resolution in the Senate urging him to exercise his prerogative to suspend the implementation of impending price increases in the transport sector, opposition Sen. Joker Arroyo said yesterday.

“You cannot (just) disregard (the position taken by) 13 senators. That is the majority of the Senate. They cannot just treat it like that, for Malacanang to dismiss outright our resolution,” Sen. Joker Arroyo said.

“What’s the merit of the resolution of the Senate? The resolution is a polite way of telling the Executive that they should reconsider this (plan). What’s wrong with that kind of resolution? Malacañang should explain where we erred,” the senator said.

Arroyo was referring to Senate resolution 602, initiated by him along with Senators Manuel Villar Jr. and a known strong Aquino ally, Sen. Ralph Recto, and ably supported by nine other colleagues that included the three key leaders of the upper chamber, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110926hed2.html

Judiciary protests, marks ‘Black Monday’ 09/26/2011

PALACE SCRAMBLES, VOWS DIALOG

Judiciary protests, marks ‘Black Monday’

09/26/2011
The hostile relationship between the Judiciary and the Executive is expected to come to a head today as court employees hold a “Black Monday” protest today against plans of the Palace to dip its hands into the budget of the judicial branch under the miscellaneous personnel benefit fund (MPBF) item in the national budget for next year that the Office of the President will have discretion on.

Malacañang tried to head off the nationwide protest, saying that a dialog between the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the judiciary has been scheduled to settle differences between the two branches of government over the budget.

In a statement, the Judiciary Employees Association of the Philippines (Judea) said court employees will wear black shirts and armbands today and on every Monday to show their opposition to the Palace move of impounding the judiciary’s budget.

The MPBF is a source of conflict in the budget since it reduced the judiciary’s budget for next year to P13.4 billion while juggling the budget for unfilled positions to the MPBF..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110926hed1.html

Malacañang in state of denial over sex tourism — Cayetano 09/26/2011

Malacañang in state of denial over sex tourism — Cayetano

09/26/2011
The Aquino administration had chosen to be in a state of denial in questioning the remarks made recently by United States Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. that up to “40 percent” of foreign male tourists go to the country primarily for sexual adventure, Sen. Pia Cayetano said yesterday as she took Malacañang and newly appointed Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez to task for not confronting the real issue on the existence of sex tourism in the country.

“The Palace and Jimenez appear to be in a state of denial regarding the existence and continued proliferation of sex tourism in our country. The remark made by Ambassador Thomas that up to 40 percent of male foreign tourists come here primarily for sex was met by an avalanche of denials from the government,” Cayetano, chairman of the Senate committee on youth, women and family relations, said.

“Instead of directly addressing the issue, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Abigail Valte and Jimenez dwelt on questioning the accuracy of the ambassador’s statistics. But really, may we ask, what has the government been doing to address these problems?” she asked..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20110926hed3.html

AFP to host intel confab to be attended by Asean military execs 09/26/2011

AFP to host intel confab to be attended by Asean military execs

09/26/2011
As part of its commitment to regional counter-terrorism efforts in Southeast Asia, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will host tomorrow a two-day intelligence exchange conference among member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

AFP deputy chief of staff for intelligence Maj. Gen. Francisco Cruz Jr., who conceived and organized the first ever Asean Militaries Analyst-to-Analyst Intelligence Exchange (AMAIE) Conference, said the meet is part of the efforts to strengthen military cooperation in the Asean region.

“It is designed not only to build ties and enhance networking between and among Asean military intelligence analysts but also to strengthen military cooperation within the Asean region through sharing of best practices and lessons learned, particularly in countering terrorism,” Cruz said.

AFP-Public Affairs Office chief Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. said that the inaugural AMAIE Conference on Terrorism will open on Tuesday at the Traders Royal Hotel along Roxas Boulevard..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110926nat7.html

Pirates release 14 abducted Pinoy sailors, announces DFA By Michaela P. del Callar 09/26/2011

Pirates release 14 abducted Pinoy sailors, announces DFA

By Michaela P. del Callar 09/26/2011

The 14 Filipino crew members of a Cyprus-flagged tanker seized by pirates in West Africa were released last Saturday after 10 days in captivity, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

Citing a report from Philippine Ambassador to Spain Carlos Salinas, the DFA said the sailors “are well and safe.” Salinas did not say if ransom was paid to secure the release of the ship and crew.

The MT Mattheos I, with a total of 23 seafarers of mixed nationalities on board, is already on its way to a neutral port, the DFA said. The vessel, which is managed by a Norwegian firm, was captured by Nigerian pirates on Sept. 14 in Lome, Togo.

The last incident of kidnapping in West Africa was in July 2011, involving 20 Filipino seafarers of MT Anema E Core who were eventually released after four days of captivity..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110926nat1.html

DoJ drops complaint vs local drug distributor M E T R O F I L E 09/26/2011

DoJ drops complaint vs local drug distributor

M E T R O F I L E

09/26/2011
In a move upholding the Cheaper Medicine Law, the Department of Justice (DoJ) has dismissed a counterfeiting charge filed against a local drug distributor by three multinational companies. In a six-page resolution, penned by Assistant State Prosecutor Cesar Calubag, the DoJ found insufficient evidence of drug counterfeiting to indict Renante Dumasig. The complaint was filed by Astra Zeneca, Pfizer Phils. and Novartis. The DoJ panel said “while the complainants’ evidence tends to prove that the medicines seized from Dumasig on Nov. 18, 2010 were not registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), their conclusion that the items were counterfeit lacks merit.” “A clearer scrutiny of the samples submitted by complainants would show the drugs were manufactured and registered in other country as appearing in their labels. This explains why the seized medicines were not registered with out FDA and the labels thereof were not in accordance with the Philippines Generic Labeling Requirements..... MORE
SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110926met7.html

Dam important to prevent another ‘Ondoy,’ says solon By Gerry Baldo 09/26/2011

Dam important to prevent another ‘Ondoy,’ says solon

By Gerry Baldo 09/26/2011

A lawmaker from Marikina City yesterday pushed the construction of a dam that would prevent another devastating floods that hit the city during typhoon “Ondoy” in 2009.

According to Rep. Miro Quimbo, the people of Marikina constantly live in fear of another Ondoy and that unless intermediate, comprehensive and effective strategies to address flooding in our city are adopted the possibility of another disaster is there.

“It has been two years since Marikina was brought to its knees by typhoon Ondoy and no major flood control project has yet been thought of or is in the drawing board to prevent a recurrence of the tragedy,” Quimbo said.

Quimbo maintained there is a need to come up with a comprehensive plan that will involve not just Marikina but the surrounding cities and municipalities of Antipolo, Pasig, San Mateo and Montalban as well..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110926met1.html

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