Through Executive Order (E.O.) 77, President Aquino greenlighted amendments to key provisions in E.O. 637, which provides the basis for determining the incentives for personnel affected by the government’s rationalization plan.

Under E.O. 77, rationalization incentives will now be computed using the latest monthly salary of affected employees, instead of their pay as of June 30, 2007.

“The President’s directive is (a) welcome news for all public servants who will be affected by the administration’s rationalization program. Even as we aim to reorganize our agencies to improve employee efficiency and the effectiveness of our services, we also want to be fair in compensating government workers who have long served the public,” said Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad.

Under the rationalization program, agency employees who perform redundant, duplicating, or obsolete functions will be given the option to retire or separate from their mother departments. However, employees may also remain in their departments or transfer to another agency where their skills are deemed relevant, on the condition that their positions will not be permanent and will instead be co-terminus to the incumbent.

A DBM study revealed that employees subject to rationalization are more likely to choose retirement or separation if their incentives will be computed based on their updated monthly salary.

“Because the monthly pay for government workers has increased since 2007, the incentives due them should likewise reflect these changes. Commodity prices and the cost of living have also jumped considerably in the last five years. These should be accounted for when we implement the rationalization program for all affected employees,” said Abad.

According to DBM, funding for employee incentives based on June 30, 2007 salaries will require only P4.10 billion, while incentives computed using current salaries will amount to P6.23 billion. Funding for the rationalization program in all regular government agencies will be provided by the National Government and will be charged against appropriate funds.

Meanwhile, incentives for affected personnel in government-owned or -controlled agencies (GOCCs) and government financial institutions (GFIs) will be sourced from their respective corporate funds.

In case of funding deficiencies in GOCCs and GFIs included in the Salary Standardization Law, however, the government can provide funding assistance to support the updated incentive package.

“Initially, the government will have to spend more just to ensure that affected personnel will receive benefits that match their current pay. However, the cost-efficiencies in the long run are remarkable. For one, the incentive package will be more attractive to personnel due for rationalization, and we won’t have to retain employees whose functions are no longer relevant to their respective agencies,” said Abad.

On the other hand, the incentives of affected personnel who retired/separated from their agencies beginning July 1, 2007 and before the issuance of E.O. 77 will be recomputed by their agencies to correspond with their salaries as of retirement. The difference therein will be paid to them, subject to DBM’s validation.

The DBM chief also clarified that government institutions with approved rationalization plans will not be allowed additional regular positions for at least five years to recoup the payment of rationalization incentives.

Exempted from this rule are positions created with no additional cost to government, as well as population-related positions, including policemen, teachers, and medical and allied medical personnel, among others.

Additionally, mandated new functions which cannot be absorbed by existing units will also be permitted, as determined by DBM. (PNA) RMA/lgi/PR/rsm

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MANILA, May 16 — Lawyer Emmanuel "Noli" Santos, a delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention, told the Senate Impeachment Court that newspaper clippings can be attached in a complaint that can trigger the Office of the Ombudsman (Ombudsman) to conduct an investigation and build a case against an erring government official.

Defense counsel Jose "Judd" Roy III presented Santos before the Senate Impeachment Court as the Defense's third and last witness for Wednesday's trial on the impeachment case filed against Chief Justice Renato C. Corona.

The defense qualified Santos as a "hostile witness".

Senate President and Senate Impeachment Court Presiding Judge Juan Ponce Enrile considered Santos as a "hostile witness" for the defense.

Under direct-examination by Roy, Santos said that he was in the education business since 1980 as chairman of the International Academy of Management and has been a lawyer since 1961.

Santos said that newspaper clippings could be attached in a complaint that could trigger the Office of the Ombudsman (Ombudsman) to conduct a probe and build a case against an erring government official.

In the practice of Ombudsman Law in other countries, Santos said, mere newspaper clippings were enough for the Ombudsman to build a case.

Santos said that he felt that intellectual integrity compelled him to file the unexplained wealth case against Chief Justice Corona before the Ombudsman.

However, Santos said, he did not bother to gather evidence for the complaint they filed before the Ombudsman against the Chief Justice, because he was very busy.

Santos said that he wanted to highlight that the salary of Chief Justice Corona was grossly disproportionate to the bank accounts reported in the newspapers.

He said that it was apparent that there was no allegation about the dollar accounts of the Chief Justice.

Santos confirmed that he did not verify the newspaper reports on Corona, adding that, he did not personally investigate the newspaper reports on Corona's alleged accounts.

He said that he bothered to get information from other newspapers aside from the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Inquirer), adding that, they used the Inquirer because they (Inquirer) supported them when they fought against the authoritarian regime.

The prosecution did not conduct a cross-examination on Santos.

The defense, which is headed by retired SC Associate Justice Serafin Cuevas, asked for the continuance of the impeachment trial on Tuesday, May 21, 2012 at 2 p.m. in order to prepare for the testimony of Chief Justice Corona, for which, House lead prosecutor Iloilo City Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. posed no objection.

Enrile granted the request of the defense.

Trial adjourned at 5:36 p.m. and will resume on Tuesday, May 21, 2012 at 2 p.m. (PNA) dct/RMA/PTR

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MANILA, May 16 – A witness, who admitted he is a critic of Chief Justice Renato Corona, has been ordered to show cause why he should not be cited in contempt for trying to influence the impeachment court by delivering a sealed ‘envelope’ to the office of Senate President and presiding officer Juan Ponce Enrile.

During Wednesday’s 39th day of the impeachment trial of Corona, Enrile asked Harvey Keh, a convenor of civil society group ‘Kaya Natin’, why he delivered the documents allegedly pertaining to Corona’s bank peso and dollar deposits to his office instead of the Office of the Ombudsman where Keh along with others filed a complaint against Corona.

”Why to my office instead of the Office of the Ombudsman where you filed your complaint or the prosecution team and you even bring TV media group?” Enrile asked Keh, who took the witness stand as ‘hostile’ witness of the defense.

”I don’t know your honor. I just felt the Senate would be in the best position to evaluate the documents or it can be used or not,” Keh said.

Unsatisfied with Keh’s response, Enrile ordered the witness to explain why he should not be cited for contempt, saying “I felt insulted and offended.”

”Because of this I’m ordering you to show cause why you should not be cited for contempt by this impeachment court. You tried to influence this court by bringing this document. I did not read. I did not open it,” Enrile told Keh.

Keh, who admitted that he is supporting the impeachment complaint against Corona, expressed his “sincerest apology” but Enrile interrupted and reiterated his order to the witness.

Senator-judge Miriam Defensor-Santiago scolded Keh for giving documents from “anonymous” source to the impeachment court.

”What kind of governance are you trying to promote? There’s another use of anonymous source. Every time there’s something that requires identification of the source, the prosecution says there is no source, it came anonymously,” Santiago said.

“Who is Mr. Anonymous? I want to ask the PNP [Philippine National Police] and the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] to issue an arrest order against him. Why is there a proliferation of Mr. Anonymous in this archipelago. And you’re head of something that promotes good governance? That’s your idea of good governance..?” the lady senator-judge asked Keh.

Santiago was referring to prosecution team member Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, who claimed he has documents on Corona’s dollar accounts provided by a ‘small lady’ and Quezon City Rep. Jorge ‘Bolet’ Banal whose own documents came also from anonymous person who delivered it to his house.

Keh said the documents were also delivered to his apartment inside a brown envelope addressed to him on May 3 while the impeachment trial was on recess.

”You’re now in danger of being charged criminally,” Santiago told Keh.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada also castigated Keh for lying that he did not give to the media his documents.

Keh tried to evade the question of Estrada if the witness called up any member of the media to bring to the public attention the documents that Keh got from ‘anonymous’ source.

However, the witness admitted later that he sent text messages to some members of the media.

”Are you up for publicity, Mr. Keh?,” Estrada asked Keh.

Keh answered: “Your honor, in fact, if I wanted publicity, I should have called up a presscon instead.”

”You brought media to the office of Senate President and you don’t want publicity? and then you admitted that you are trying to call reporters. And you are trying to offer these documents that you presented the Senate President, those unauthenticated, unverified documents. You’re a liar,” Estrada said.

”I’m very sorry, your honor,” Keh said. (PNA) RMA/jfm

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BFAR Director Atty. Asis G. Perez cited the precautionary approach for the protection and conservation of the marine resources as well as protection of Filipino fishermen from the harsh elements of the upcoming “habagat” (southwest monsoon) as reason for the fishing ban.

As such, Perez directed its personnel, members of the Quick Response Team (QRT), and elements of the Philippine Coast Guard on board BFAR-MCS vessels, to inform all fishermen of the directive and cause the full compliance of the Order.

Likewise, Perez directed its people to enlist the assistance of the PCG, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and local government units (LGUs) for the implementation of the Order.

He noted a scientific study will be initiated by the bureau and the scientific community to come up with a complete assessment of the fisheries and marine resources in the said shoal. The results of these studies would allow government to determine additional measures to be undertaken to ensure the conservation and protection of the resources in the area.

Te ensure that the livelihoods of the local marginal fisherfolk will not be adversely affected by the fishing ban, Perez said, adding that since last week, a total of nine units of “payao” have already been deployed in the municipal waters of Sta. Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig and Iba in Zambales province as well as in La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte.

The livelihood initiative is attuned to President Benigno Aquino III’s directive to all Cabinet members to ensure that government assistance reach the lowly farmers and fishermen.

The “payao” is a fish aggregating device that would provide marginal fishermen a specific area to catch fish and only hand-line fishing is allowed. That way, fishermen would spare smaller fishes near the water surface that serve as food for the bigger fishes occupying the bottom areas and thus make the “payao” more sustainable.

Perez said BFAR is also set to deploy a total of 200 “payao” in appropriate municipal waters to help ensure the safety of the fishermen now that the “habagat” is fast approaching as well as to lessen the cost of fuel as this would provide them a specific location where to fish. (PNA) DCT/lgi/MAGI

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MANILA, May 16 -– The historic impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona approached the final homestretch as the defense panel prepares for the much-awaited appearance of the chief magistrate in his own trial next week.

The Senate, sitting as impeachment court, decided on Wednesday to grant the request of the defense panel to suspend the impeachment proceedings until May 22 to give Corona enough time to prepare and study the testimonies given by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

”To allow the Chief Justice enough time to examine the accuracy and veracity of the documents submitted by the Ombudsman, please allow us to present the Chief Justice on Tuesday,” defense lead counsel former Justice Serafin Cuevas appealed to the court.

Senate President and president officer Juan Ponce Enrile was at first hesitant to grant the request of the defense but defense lawyer Jose Roy III explained the documents submitted by Morales as well as three other witnesses who testified on Wednesday “are quite voluminous.”

”So that we will not be accused of bias, request granted,” Enrile ruled, but warned the defense panel: “But after this, there will be no more request for postponement. Is that clear?”

”Very clear, your honor. We are very grateful to the impeachment court for this,” Cuevas said.

Cuevas said the defense has foregone to utilize other witnesses and “the only sole and remaining witness is the Chief Justice himself.”

The House prosecution welcomed the announcement of the defense about the appearance of the Chief Justice on Tuesday.

”If they will present the Chief Justice, we have no objection (on suspension of trial),” chief prosecutor Rep. Niel Tupas of Iloilo said.

With the help of powerpoint presentation, Morales testified on the mind-boggling US$ 10 million transactional balances in 82 dollar accounts of Corona in five banks.

Morales said the powerpoint presentation was her own analysis with the help of the Commission on Audit (CoA) based on the report given to her by Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) executive director Vicente Aquino.

The Ombudsman said she used the constitutional powers of the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate all government officials and employees and a waiver attached to Corona’s statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) to get access of Corona’s dollar accounts through the AMLC.

Aside from Morales, the three others who testified as ‘hostile’ witnesses of the defense are former Akbayan representative Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, Harvey Keh and Emmanuel Santos who are all among the complainants in the complaints filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against Corona.

Baraquel admitted that the documents they attached to their complaints were sourced from the documents submitted to the impeachment court.

Corona was impeached at the House of Representatives on December 12 last year for failure to honestly disclose his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

Tupas said the testimonies of the Ombudsman has “strengthened further their case” against Corona, expressing optimism that the chief magistrate will be convicted for betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution.

Senate Majority Leader-judge Vicente Sotto expressed optimism that the impeachment court will be able to give its verdict before May 31.

”We are in the final homestretch. We can finish it before May 31,” Sotto said. (PNA) DCT/jfm

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Chief Insp. Pedro Macaraig, San Jose police chief, identified the fatalities as Rita Mapacpac, 27, and her son Elijah Manuel, both residents of Bonifacio St., Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro.

Sixteen of the injured passengers of Batangas-bound Roro bus (PWT-990) from Manila were brought to the Mediatrix Medical Center while 10 were taken to San Jose District Hospital in Lipa City for medical treatment.

The bus had just came from Mindoro and was heading for Manila when its wheels slipped, skidded along the highway in Barangay Aya and finally landed into a huge canal around 8 a.m.

Police were still tracking down the bus driver who fled the scene. (PNA) dct/RMA/PFN

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"It is just a regular port call of foreign warship. In fact, their request to dock at Subic Bay, was made last April 3, more than a month in advance," he said.

The USS North Carolina (SSN-777), a Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine, arrived in the country last May 13 for restocking and is expected to leave by May 19.

As a matter of course, warships of friendly countries with ties to the Philippines, can make a port call anytime as long as it is approved by the responsible government agencies.

Galvez said the visit of the USS North Carolina is in no way connected to the ongoing maritime stand-off between the Philippines and China regarding ownership of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

USS North Carolina is the fifth ship of the United States Navy named for the 12th state. This class of submarine is unique as it features a photonics mast program (PMP) that freed ship designers to place the boat's control room in a lower, less geometrically-constrained space than would be required by a standard, optical tube periscope.

It is additionally unique in the U.S. Navy for featuring all-digital ship and ballast control systems that are manned by relatively senior watch standers and a pressure chamber to deploy SEAL divers while being submerged.

It is also fitted with 12 vertical launch system for firing BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles and four 533mm torpedo tubes. (PNA) DCT/lgi/PFN

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"That is a welcome move on our part as it will allow our countrymen, lacking height, to enlist at the PNP," Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz., Jr. one of the alternate spokesperson of the PNP, said.

He also said that zeal, patriotism, and willingness to serve others were more important than physical attributes like height.

The PNP official made this statement after noting that Aetas, despite their small size, joined the guerilla ranks in World War II and succeeded in winning many battles against the Japanese invader.

"It will also demonstrate that the PNP does not discriminate in selecting its members," Cruz said.

On May 14, Honasan introduced a bill which seeks to repeal the height requirement for applicants for the PNP.

“Heightism or discrimination based on height is a reality today that has been widely practiced among law enforcement agencies and armed forces worldwide,” Honasan pointed out as he explained Senate bill 3184, known as the Police Height Equality Act of 2012.

The lawmaker also added that the proposed bill seeks to repeal the height requirement imposed on the Section 30 (h) of Republic Act (RA) 6975 or the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Act of 1990, as amended by RA 1998.

As provided in Republic Act 1998, known as the Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998, the height must be at least 1.62 meters and 1.57 meters for male and female, respectively.

The proposed act explains that the height discrimination unnecessarily limits quality choice while promoting social prejudice. (PNA)

RMA/PFN

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Some 250 family advocates, representing the different member-sectors of the NCFF, will participate in the forum to be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the Cultural Hall of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Provident Village, Marikina City.

The International Day of Families is observed annually on the 15th of May as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in a 1993 resolution. This year’s theme emphasizes that “work-family balance lies at the core of the ability of the family to provide economically and emotionally for its members.” The UN calls on States to “share knowledge about good practices in work-family balance being implemented and advocated for by Governments, private sector, civil society and academic institutions.”

The topics to be discussed are: strategies to help families cope with work and family responsibilities, the impact of work pressures on family life, and trends impacting work-family balance from the viewpoint of family advocates. Regional activities such as consultation dialogues, forums, family development sessions, orientations, and the like are also being conducted in partnership with stakeholders.

The Philippine Constitution recognizes the family as the foundation of the nation. And as a nation known for giving importance to strong family ties, the National Committee on the Filipino Family is enjoining all sectors nationwide to conduct activities to commemorate this international event aimed at strengthening families worldwide.

NCFF is composed of representatives from government agencies such as the DILG, DepEd, DOH, NEDA, NYC, CWC, CHED and PIA; faith-based organizations like the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints; and non-government organizations such as the Kaisahang Buhay Foundation, NorFil, and Pro-Life Philippines, among others. United in advocating the Filipino value of strong family ties, the NCFF supports measures promoting, protecting and enhancing the quality of family life. (PNA) RMA/PR/rsm

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The defense manifested that Keh is a hostile witness for his alleged "active involvement in a well-planned and orchestrated efforts to destroy the reputation of Corona."

Senate President and Senate Impeachment Court Presiding Judge Juan Ponce Enrile declared Keh as a "hostile witness".

Under direct-examination by defense counsel Dennis Manalo, Keh said that he did not regularly follow the impeachment trial because he could not watch the whole afternoon as he has several jobs.

Keh said that he was not in a position to authenticate the Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) documents they submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman (Ombudsman), adding that, the complaint was for "ill-gotten wealth" and not covered by Article 2.

Keh told the Impeachment Court that he was not the "small lady" who gave documents to Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali.

He also said that he was not the "mysterious messenger" who left bank documents in the house of Quezon City Rep. Jorge "Bolet" Banal.

Keh said that he did not indicate in his complaint before the Ombudsman that the alleged Corona dollar accounts were the subject of a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the SC.

He said that not all the members of Kaya Natin have been critical of Corona such that they have no statement asking for the conviction of Corona.

The defense presented to the impeachment Court a copy of Keh's blog of a statement of Kaya Natin on Corona's impeachment.

Keh said that Kaya Natin supported the impeachment of Corona but they have asked the Senate to investigate the said impeachment complaint.

He admitted that he is a critic of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

When asked by Enrile why he brought the documents to his office instead of the Ombudsman where he filed the complaint, Keh said that he felt that the Senate was in the best position to evaluate the documents.

Keh said that he was asked by ABS-CBN on his reaction to the Ombudsman's Corona dollar accounts revelation, adding that, he wanted to dispose of the documents immediately.

Prosecution private counsel Marlon Manuel did not conduct a cross-examination on Keh. (PNA) RMA/PTR

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The defense, headed by lead counsel retired SC Associate Justice Serafin Cuevas, presented Baraquel as a "hostile witness".

Under direct-examination by defense counsel Eduardo delos Angeles, Baraquel told the Senate Impeachment Court that the attachments in her complaint against the Chief Justice were evidence presented in the impeachment trial, saying that, they downloaded the annexes in the complaint.

Baraquel said that the evidence consisted of the transfer certificate of titles (TCTs) and certificate authorizing registration (CAR) testified into by Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares before the Impeachment Court against the Chief Justice.

Baraquel said that she did not mention in her complaint that Corona had US$ 10 million.

She also stated in her letter-complaint to the Ombudsman, "various peso and dollar accounts", saying that, they did not mention about the figure of US$ 10 million.

Baraquel said that they only asked the Ombudsman to conduct an investigation into the issue of the dollar accounts, adding that, whatever the Ombudsman would do after the investigation, it is not anymore in their hands.

She said that they were just citizens who wrote the Ombudsman about their complaint against the Chief Justice.

Baraquel said that the Chief Justice has committed violation of the "Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act", or Republic Act 3019.

The former Akbayan party-list representative said that she did not know that the Ombudsman had acted on their complaint until such time that it came out in the media.

The defense presented to the Impeachment Court the letter of Baraquel to the Ombudsman, saying that, her complaint did not allege that Corona had US$ 10 million.

The prosecution did not conduct a cross-examination on Baraquel.

When asked by Senator-Judge Panfilo Lacson if anyone convinced her to send the letter of complaint to the Ombudsman, Baraquel answered in the negative. (PNA)

RMA/PTR

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Juhaili was released for humanitarian reason following negotiations between the New People's Army (NPA) rebels and Ustadz Abdul Juhaili, the victim’s uncle, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) director Chief Supt. Napoleon Estilles said.

NPA rebels abducted Juhaili shortly after raiding Tigbao police station in Zamboanga del Sur lon April 9.

Estilles said the policeman was released around 4 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Kanipaan in Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur.

Juhaili is one of the four policemen on duty when some 40 NPAs raided the police station of Tigbao.

Tigbao, a fifth class municipality, has only 23 policemen and is the second smallest police station, in terms of strength, in the province of Zamboanga del Sur.

After the attack, the rebels also carted away seven M-16 Armalite rifles, an M-14 rifle and a 9-mm pistol.

The abductors handed over Juhaili to his relatives at the barangay hall of Kanipaan in Bayog, Estilles said..

He said Juhaili, who proceeded to Zamboanga City together with his uncle after his release, would be subjected to debriefing.

National Democratic Front (NDF)- Mindanao spokesman Jorge Madlos, alias 'Ka Oris' said in a statement that they released Juhaili since he had no pending cases with the revolutionary movement.

Madlos also said that they freed Juhaili since the latter had no derogatory records in the police service and in the community he was serving. (PNA) RMA/LAM/TPG/mec

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The military tagged New Peole’s Army rebels as the ones behind the roadside bombing.

Army’s 69th Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Inocencio Pasaporte disclosed the incident took place around 9 a.m. Wednesday at Sitio Maripon, Barangay Paradise Embac in Paquibato District, Davao City.

The injured soldiers were only identified as Sgt. Danga, and Cpl. Aquino while the wounded civilian was not immediately identified.

Pasaporte said the two wounded soldiers were among a squad of troops aboard a passenger vehicle on their way to their detachment in Barangay Paradise Embac when the vehicle tripped on an improvised bomb fashioned out as a landmine.

The explosion was followed by gunfire, according to Pasaporte.

He said the NPAs fled when the troops returned fire.

The troops have recovered another improvised bomb e in a clearing operation, he said.

He lambasted the NPAs who continuously use landmine citing it is a violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and the International Humanitarian Law.

“These criminals impede peace and development programs in their bid to remain relevant by sowing fear to innocent civilians,” he added. (PNA) hbc/LAM/TPG/rsm

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Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board 7 Director Ahmed Cuizon said the reduction of the minimum jeepney fare of P7.50 for the first five kilometers was “smoothly implemented” in Cebu and the entire region on Tuesday, just as oil companies also rolled back the price of diesel.

Last March 20, LTFRB en banc ordered a temporary increase of the minimum jeepney fare from P7.50 to P8, with the condition to roll it back to P7.50 once diesel prices go down to P45 per liter.

When the LTFRB lifted the temporary increase and denied the fare increase petitions nationwide last Monday, diesel cost P44 per liter in Metro Manila Tuesday.

Diesel was at P42.45 per liter from small fuel players, and P43.69 per liter from multinational oil companies.

Cuizon said he will coordinate with Director Raul Aguilos and Assistant Director Arnel Tancinco of the Land Transportation Office (LTO-7) in continuously monitoring violations against the official jeepney fares, especially on giving discounts to students and senior citizens.

”The official minimum fare for students and senior citizens is only P6”, Cuizon said.

He said he had talked with Benjamin Ryan Yu, the chairman of the Cebu Integrated Transport Service Cooperative, who expressed disappointment over the dismissal of their petition for fare increase.

Cuizon said he told Yu that while the drivers failed to get their demanded fare increase, members of their families and the commuting public benefited from it. (PNA)

dct/hbc/LAM/EB/re

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Ramon Santillan, FOFADCI secretary-general, said the summit will be attended not only by their members but other stakeholders to clearly identify common problems and find solutions with help from government agencies.

Invited among others as resource speakers during the summit are Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Director Nestor Domenden and Dr. Westly Rosario, chief of the National Integrated Fisheries and Technology Development Center based in this city.

Invited to keynote the summit is Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, a new member of FOFADCI being a fishpond owner herself.

Fernandez said she welcomes the holding of the summit in view of the need to bind all the fishpond owners of Dagupan in the light of various threats facing the fishpond industry.

There is a need for the fishpond owners and fishermen to put up a common solid front to ensure their survival in view of the various external threats posed by many factors, including continued influx into Dagupan and Pangasinan of 'alien' bangus masquerading as Bonuan bangus.

It is the fishponds of Dagupan that produce the Bonuan bangus which is dubbed as the tastiest of its kind all over the world. (PNA) DCT/LAM/LVM/rma

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Ramos said everybody has a responsibility in mitigating disasters, especially when even the most prepared countries in the world like Japan were not able to contain disasters.

The NDRRMC executive director graced Tuesday’s launching of the "Pagpakigbuylog sa Pagangaman’ (Partnership in Disaster Risk Reduction) in Guimaras where an agreement was signed between the recipient local government units, the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines – (PHAP) Cares Foundation Inc and the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) in Western Visayas.

The launching for partnership on disaster program in the province of Guimaras is already the second in Western Visayas, the first of which was launched last February 6 in this city.

Ramos said a disaster program is necessary to reduce the number of casualties during disasters.

Guimaras Governor Felipe H. Nava said that disaster risk reduction program is a concern of the province being one of the tourist destinations in the country.

Four government agencies have key roles during disasters, according to Ramos, to include the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for prevention and mitigation; the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for preparedness; the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) for rehabilitation and recovery; and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)for response. (PNA)

DCT/LAM/LEE/vlo

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Sr. Supt. Domingo S. Cabillan, Capiz Provincial Police Office chief, asked DOJ Secretary Leila De Lima to conduct the preliminary investigation on the case for purposes of determining the probable cause and, if evidence warrants, the filing of criminal information in proper court.

Martinez, 79, a doctor by profession and on his second term as Vice Mayor, was shot dead by one of the suspects in front of his house at about 6 a.m. on May 4.

He was perceived to be the frontrunner in the mayoralty race in Mambusao, Capiz come 2013 local elections.

In Cabillan's criminal complaint, he identified the two suspects and named six other John Does and a Peter Doe, the alleged mastermind of the crime.

These are Geger Francisco, the gunman and Sunday Danid, the driver of the get-away motorcycle.

They are reportedly rebel returnees and remain at-large. However, police operatives believe they are still in Western Visayas.

The suspects were identified by a certain Jun-Jun, who was near the crime scene and a certain Rodel, who saw the suspects in Barangay Tumalalod, Mambusao, Capiz and other several witnesses.

Hours after the killing, policemen invited Renato Lago and Jerson Magallanes, workers of Kriskat Venture, which is owned by Engr. Leodegario Labao. Labao is known in the locality as eyeing also the mayoralty post in 2013.

Lago and Magallanes revealed in their statements that it was a certain Nene Army who contacted Cornelio Bautista to look for house in Mambusao where four persons could stay.

That was about three weeks before the killing. Bautista who works as a foreman of the Kriskat Venture in turn contacted Lago and asked him if he could make available the house of Lago's mother in Barangay Tumalalod, Mambusao. (PNA)

RMA/PFN

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Joeven Tansi, executive director for Iloilo Federation for Information Technology, said the additional units have long been proposed by the Department of Trade and Industry and they are happy it was approved.

The additional 21 units are composed of five subjects to focus on business communication.

These include the principles of systems thinking, fundamentals of business process outsourcing 101 and 102, business communication II, and service culture.

All are three-unit subjects.

Tansi explained the added 21 units are important especially for front line employment.

The subject on business communication will enhance the capability of students to deal with clients in a businesslike manner and not just through simple communication.

The integration of a subject in service culture could help students understand the culture of other races.

He added that students will be exposed to the BPO industry during their internship program.

He said the students must understand that BPOs are not just about communication but a matter of business communication.

The internship — a six-unit course — will expose the students to the real BPO setting thus, making them aware of the processes involved therein.

The integration of BPO subjects on the new curriculum is the initiative of CHED in helping the industry.

It will be an entry level to enhance the voice support which includes those who are in customer service, the front liner, and those individuals whose jobs are to receive telephone calls. (PNA) hbc/LAM/LEEand HSM/ vlo

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The 15.3-km provincial road section, which traverses the municipalities of Buluan, Pandag, Paglat, and SK Pendatun, connects with the national highway in Buluan Poblacion.

These communities, which have lagged in economic development, lie along the fringes of the Liguasan Marsh, according to the Information Office of the Embassy of the United States.

The completed infrastructure project was turned over Wednesday to the Maguindanao provincial government by the U.S. government (USG), represented by U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Leslie Bassett and Acting Mission Director Reed Aeschliman of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

During the formal turnover ceremony, Ms. Bassett praised the government leaders for their commitment to the project, and for helping to foster peace and development in this conflict-affected area of Mindanao.

Other government officials present included Secretary Luwalhati Antonino, Chair of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA); Regional Governor Mujib Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; Representative Simeon Datumanong (Maguindanao 2nd District) and Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu.

The USG-funded project was implemented by USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program, in partnership with the provincial government, which provided a counterpart contribution of about 26 percent of the total project cost, with support from the Maguindanao 2nd Congressional District Office.

The upgraded road, consisting of all-weather gravel sections and concrete sections, is expected to significantly improve residents’ access to markets, business centers, schools, hospitals and government services.

Travel time from SK Pendatun, the most remote of the four municipalities, has been reduced from one hour to approximately 20 minutes.

The ceremonial turnover took place alongside the Maguindanao Infrastructure Development Forum being held in Buluan, which focused on intensive efforts by the provincial government to implement vital infrastructure projects in the province.

The visiting officials later traveled to Tumbao, in the municipality of Mangudadatu, where the U.S. government turned over a boat landing on Lake Buluan completed in partnership with the municipality. The landing facility will help ensure regular water transport services for residents. To date, the USG, in partnership with the local governments, built more than 1,450 infrastructure projects in Mindanao’s conflict-affected areas through USAID’s GEM Program, which is implemented under the oversight of MinDA. These include larger-scale Regional Impact Projects, like the Buluan provincial road, designed to benefit people in multiple barangays or municipalities.

Ms. Bassett also met with a select group of young leaders who are alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs. Participants included those who studied abroad in the United States under State Department scholarships, and alumni of USAID’s Congressional Internship Program for Young Mindanao Leaders, which gave youth from Mindanao the opportunity to intern in the National Congress of the Philippines.

The group had a lively discussion about youth issues and youth programs in Maguindanao and the ARMM, and the alumni participants shared with Ms. Bassett their suggestions on how the U.S. can better support programs for young Mindanaoans.(PNA) RMA/FMS/utb

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Worst, the region's in-charge for building monitoring and inspection for public structures, admitted they have not conducted inspections for government-owned structures on whether they are still safe or not.

DPWH regional chiefs for planning Engineers Samson Hebra and Danilo Pepito, DPWH regional head admitted for two years now they have not conducted a region-wide inspection and assessment on earthquake vulnerability and safety

“After the March 16, 2012 5.9 intensity quake that hit Surigao City and Dinagat Islands that hurt 20 people, we inspected some buildings there but not all because of so many works in our office and our time can’t cope with our busy schedules” Engr. Pepito admitted in an interview by this writer with Engr. Hebra at the DPWH Caraga regional office here in Butuan City Tuesday.

Pepito also admitted the DPWH lack gadgets or instruments to test building vulnerability on quakes.

“In the Surigao City March 16 quake we noticed small cracks of some commercial buildings there but since they do not fall under our jurisdictions because it is privately owned, I think the Surigao City building and licensing permits division or the LGU as a whole has jurisdiction over it, I do not know if they inspected thoroughly buildings there after that earthquake” Pepito added.

“While laws especially Batas Pambansa 344 and the revised National Building and Fire Safety Codes stated the government’s role in assuring public safety, DPWH can’t do it alone because we have to coordinate with local government units who has regulatory and vast powers including police powers since they are the ones who issued building and occupancy permits for both private and government owned structures” says Engr. Samson Hebra, regional chief for design and planning development division of the DPWH13 regional office.

Hebra admitted there really is a dire need to inspect old government buildings particularly crowded public school buildings like Agusan National High School and Butuan City Central Elementary School were it is always overcrowded due over population of occupancy in school days.

They said school children must be taught where to go, where to hide for safety and what things must be and must not be done during emergency situations.

The Butuan City Fire Marshall and the Bureau of Fire Protection claimed they have not issued Fire Safey Inspection Certificate to Novo because it failed to conduct fire safety drills. (PNA) hbc/BS/utb

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