Too many danger signals FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 04/30/2012

Too many danger signals

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

04/30/2012
Noynoy is committing one major mistake after another and placing the country and the nation in very serious danger, both on the issue of the possible dismemberment of the Republic and the stand off with the Chinese government on Scarborough Shoal.

Word is out from the hawkish Chinese army major that a more “decisive” action against the Philippines in the matter of the standoff should be made, while saying that “war is not being precluded” in the decisive action.

In the case of the agreed “points of principles” with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, it is getting much too clear that Noynoy and his peace panel, no doubt pressured by the US government, are ready to give in to the MILF to the point of the dismemberment of the Republic, which is a treasonous act.

In both instances, Noy’s mistakes spell eventual war with China and the internal war with the armed Muslim group, both of which he will no doubt lose..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120430com2.html

On Labor Day, workers vow to rally vs Aquino’s failure to address pressing issues

On Labor Day, workers vow to rally vs Aquino’s failure to address pressing issues

This Labor Day, the workers and the poor will take President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to task for failing to respond to their calls, making the hunger and poverty situation in the country even worse, and exceeding even the previous government’s puppetry to the US.

By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Since President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III became president, he has engendered criticisms that boil down to “Anybody home?” and “Noynoying.” The first captures the impression that he is frequently out of the loop, and the latter, a play on his name, has come to connote ‘doing nothing.’

The latter has gone viral in the Philippines and abroad as various groups’ criticisms of Aquino’s inaction on peoples’ issues seemed to have hit a nerve.

As example, the labor center KMU (Kilusang Mayo Uno) cited the president’s refusal to hike wages by a significant amount, Aquino’s refusal also to save workers from contractual employment schemes as shown in the case of the Philippine Airlines, his government’s failure to stop the violent demolitions of urban poor communities, the persistent oil price hikes, and the continued mockery of land reform.

These, the labor center said, prod “the workers and the poor this Labor Day to take President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to task for failing to respond to their calls, making the hunger and poverty situation in the country even worse, and exceeding even the previous government’s puppetry to the US.”

Leaders of labor groups and other sectors criticize Aquino’s inaction on pressing national issues.(Photo courtesy of Kilusang Mayo Uno / bulatlat.com)

Leaders of progressive labor and transport groups, including the leaders of urban poor organizations and public sector employees, announced in a press conference Friday that they are aiming for a 30,000-strong mobilization in Metro Manila and more than a hundred thousand-strong mobilization across the country.

In another development, the.... MORE
Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/04/28/on-labor-day-workers-to-rally-vs-aquino%E2%80%99s-failure-to-address-pressing-issues/

Gaddafi put up 50M euro for Sarkozy’s presidential bid – report

Gaddafi put up 50M euro for Sarkozy’s presidential bid – report

Former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi had agreed to fund French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2007 election campaign – to the tune of 50 million euro, a new report says.

The Paris-based investigative website Mediapart published “documentary evidence” that Gaddafi was ready to stump up tens of millions of dollars to help Sarkozy win the French presidential race.

Mediapart claimed Saturday that the 2006 document was provided by "former senior [Libyan] officials, who are now in hiding."  They further claim the document came “from the archives of the secret service,” and was signed by Gaddafi’s former intelligence chief and later foreign minister, Moussa Koussa..... MORE

Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/sarkozy-gaddafi-campaign-contribution-238/

Streetviewed: Google cars snooping on WiFi users not an accident

Streetviewed: Google cars snooping on WiFi users not an accident

Google bosses were informed their Street View cars would collect e-mails, names, addresses and other personal data from Wi-Fi users around the world, a government report shows. But the company insists the message didn’t get through.

­Neither a mistake nor the work of an unauthorized engineer was behind Google's massive harvesting of Wi-Fi communications that included e-mails, passwords and other sensitive personal information across three continents in 2007-2010, indicates the recent report filed by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The supervisors of the Street View program were well aware Google cars would go beyond photographing streetscapes. Or at least they should have been..... MORE

Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/google-streetview-private-data-290/

Avatar-A: Russian scientists prepare for human brain transplant (w/ Video)

Avatar-A: Russian scientists prepare for human brain transplant

Following in the steps of director James Cameron, a young Russian media mogul has launched his own Avatar project. And Russian scientists in one of the Moscow’s suburbs are on the brink of creating one.

­Dmitry Itskov does not want to explore a new planet, though: he just plans to make a human brain immortal by transplanting it into a robot's body.

According to the company’s website, the project consists of four stages.

Stage One – called Avatar A – aimed at creating a robotic copy of the human body controlled though a brain-computer interface. The stage is to be completed by 2020..... MORE
Source:  RT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/prime-time/avatar-russian-scientists-brain-983/

Silverio martyr laid to rest, residents vow to fight for justice

Silverio martyr laid to rest, residents vow to fight for justice

By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Just as the remains of Arnel Leonor was laid down in his grave, the residents and supporters of the struggle in Silverio compound chanted, “Justice for Arnel.”

“As Leonor is laid to rest today, we call for justice for the victims of the brutality of this state. We promise no let up in this fight. The Filipino masses shall soon be able to end this oppressive government and its anti-poor and fascist policies,” Gloria Arellano, secretary general of Kadamay, said.

Leonor was killed during the violent demolition of homes in Silverio compound in Paranaque City. He was merely watching the barricade from afar, near the center island of Sucat road, when a bullet pierced his head. Television news reports show that the police were firing at the residents but official investigation now claims that the person who killed Leonor came from the ranks of the protesters. The Leonor family, however, are not convinced.

As the remains of Leonor was being carried outside Silverio compound, residents showered him with white confetti. They clapped their hands and raised clenched fists as Leonor passed by. Most of them were wearing white shirts printed with, “Justice for Arnel Leonor.”

(Photo by Janess Ann J. Ellao / bulatlat.com)

A man was carrying a big placard that read, “Salute to heroes of Silverio.”

Glenda Leonor, mother of the Arnel, clutched in her heart a photo of her son and plaque from youth group Anakbayan, who earlier paid him a tribute..... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/04/30/silverio-martyr-laid-to-rest-residents-vow-to-fight-for-justice/

RP to protest ‘bullying’ incident at Scarborough By Michaela P. del Callar 04/30/2012

NOY DISMISSES DEMAND FOR DECISIVE ACTION IN CHINA AS RHETORIC

RP to protest ‘bullying’ incident at Scarborough

By Michaela P. del Callar 04/30/2012

The government said it will protest an aggressive act by a Chinese government ship that it claimed to have endangered two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels involved in a nearly three-week tense standoff at a shoal in the South China Sea where Manila has territorial jurisdiction.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez yesterday said the Philippines “will bring this incident to the attention of Chinese authorities.”

President Aquino also dismissed as pure rhetoric recent warnings by Chinese officials of decisive action against the Philippines to reinforce Beijing’s claim over the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120430hea1.html

Ex-Urban Bank execs took P73M in ‘kickbacks’—whistle-blower By Benjamin B. Pulta 04/30/2012

Ex-Urban Bank execs took P73M in ‘kickbacks’—whistle-blower

By Benjamin B. Pulta 04/30/2012

A Cebu-based businessman said “kickbacks” amounting to some P73 million from a purchase of land 18 years ago were pocketed by former officials of the defunct Urban Bank, predecessor of the insolvent Export and Industry Bank that was recently placed under receivership by the government.

Urban Bank and Urbancorp Investments closed in 2001 and eventually merged with Export and Industry Bank (Exportbank) later that year.

Last Thursday, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) placed it under receivership following bank officials’ claims that they could no longer shoulder withdrawals and service maturing deposits.

Enrique Montilla, former president of Isabela Sugar Co. Inc. (ISCI), said he took part in an illegal scheme hatched by Urban Bank officials in the sale of a 8,628-square meter property in Pasay City that was owned by the sugar company..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120430hea6.html

Pinays celebrate 75th Woman’s Suffrage Day By Ted Boehnert 04/30/2012

Pinays celebrate 75th Woman’s Suffrage Day

By Ted Boehnert 04/30/2012

The Filipina woman has achieved great strides since winning the right to vote way back in 1937, lawyer Romulo Macalintal told the Tribune yesterday in line with today’s 75th anniversary of “that momentous day on April 30, 1937 when Filipino women voted for the first time in a plebiscite that paved the way for their eventual entry into the political arena.”

Macalintal said it was in commemoration of the plebiscite that April 30 of every year has been declared “Woman Suffrage Day” through Proclamation 2346 issued in March 29, 1984.

Macalintal narrated that the women had overwhelmingly voted in favor of getting the right to vote and “their formal entry into elective public office (was when) Elisa Ochoa (was) elected (the first) woman leader in Philippine Congress.”.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120430nat2.html

Agusan mining firm cleared of environment charges 04/30/2012

Agusan mining firm cleared of environment charges

04/30/2012
State mining experts and local officials have cleared the mining firm San Roque Metals Inc. (SRMI) of committing alleged serious environmental degradation as claimed by politicians led by a father-daughter tandem in Agusan del Norte.

“We found no major violations in our three-day monitoring of the mining firm,” Reynaldo Gonzales, head of the Multi-Partite Monitoring Team (MMT) under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau, told reporters after inspecting the SRMI mining site in Barangay La Fraternidad, Tubay, Agusan del Norte.

The MMT — which is also made up of local officials, the St. Anne Parish Church in Tubay, La Fraternidad Barangay Captain Aliore Paje and Indigenous People’s representative Datu Ebanta Morada Jr, among others — made the inspection amid claims by Tubay Mayor Sadeeka Garcia-Tomaneng and Vice Mayor Fidel Garcia (Tomaneng’s father) of serious environmental violations..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120430nat5.html

Italian gov’t rule omitting middle names of Filipinos in documents sparks protest 04/30/2012

Italian gov’t rule omitting middle names of Filipinos in documents sparks protest

04/30/2012
Filipinos in Italy are protesting a rule by the Italian government that restricts the use of middle names in documents for Philippine citizens.

The Filipino workers blamed the Philippine Embassy in Italy for the blunder, saying it was the one that requested the Italian government to omit the middle names of registered Filipinos in their records so as not to confuse them with their proper names.

Junn Felix Mendoza Landicho, president of Alliance of Filipinos in Italy, called the rule “oppressive,” saying it has brought them a lot of inconvenience as they had to go through the intricate process of amending their papers, documents, permits, employment contracts, as well as the expected benefits and other claims..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120430met4.html

More world-class teachers needed for K+12 – Angara 04/30/2012

More world-class teachers needed for K+12 – Angara

04/30/2012
Sen. Edgardo Angara yesterday underscored the need for more world-class educators to successfully implement the proposed K+12 reforms and enhance the country’s educational system, citing worrisome downtrends in the number of graduates of education-related courses.

Figures released by the National Statistical Coordinating Board show that the number of graduates of Education Science and Teacher Training has declined over the past decade — from 71,349 in AY 2000-2001 to 56,209 in AY 2009-2010.

“We cannot afford to forget our teachers, amid all the changes that are about to take place. T.... MORE
Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120430met1.html