PH's energy options after Japan nuke crisis

The nuclear crisis in Fukushima, Japan due to the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that hit the country prompts the Philippines' Department of Energy (DoE) to reconsider nuclear options as part of its long-term energy agenda.
Energy Secretary Rene D. Almendras said "we better do a really good study of the safety issues."
The DoE had earlier planned to conduct safety studies for nuclear power development. It has also started looking into other disaster-related dilemmas, such as possible oil refinery blaze and electricity shortages, for its planning. The Aquino government has already allotted P100 million for its feasibility study.
Staunch proponents of nuclear energy in the Philippines have backed down.

OFWs in Libya Demand Repatriation Amid Violent Clashes

In the recent report of the Department of Foreign Affairs to the House of Representatives, there are 25,737 Filipinos in Libya, where 2,738 are women and 22,999 are men, working as medical workers, professors or skilled workers. Most of them, Migrante International said, are caught between the riots and are clueless as to how they would be brought out safely from Libya.
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Even before the violent protest actions against the 41-year rule of Moammar Gadhafi erupted, 17 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were already asking the Philippine embassy in Libya to facilitate their immediate repatriation. But their request was not acted upon. Now, with the violence sweeping Libya, their loved ones back home worry if they could ever be repatriated......  OFWs in Libya Demand Repatriation Amid Violent Clashes

Usapang pangkapayapaan ng GPH-NDFP, matagumpay na nagtapos

By Pinoy Weekly Staff  February 22, 2011

Nagtapos ang unang round ng usapang pangkapayapaan sa pagitan ng Government of the Philippines at National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) sa Oslo, Norway nang nalampasan ng dalawang panig ang isa sa pangunahing balakid sa usapan.
“It has been a roller coaster ride all the way, so to speak, and until a few moments ago, no one could be quite sure whether the talks would end up on a high or a low point, or whether it might stall once more,” ayon kay Luis Jalandoni, tagapangulo ng NDFP peace panel sa kanyang panghuling pananalita.
Ani Jalandoni, maraming napagkasunduan ang dalawang panig. Pangunahin dito ang pagsang-ayon  ng GPH na hindi “terorista” ang Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), at chief political consultant ng NDFP na si Prop. Jose Maria Sison. Ginamit ng gobyernong Arroyo ang bansag na ito para puwersahin ang NDFP na pumirma sa isang dokumento ng capitulation o pagsuko.
“We welcome the declaration of the GPH that the CPP, NPA and NDFP are not terrorist organizations and therefore peace negotiations with us are possible and appropriate,” ayon kay Jalandoni. Ngunit inilinaw niya na marami ang kailangan gawin para siguruhing nirerespeto ito ng iba’t ibang departamento ng gobyerno, partikular ang mga puwersa ng pulisya at militar...

http://pinoyweekly.org/new/2011/02/usapang-pangkapayapaan-ng-gph-ndfp-matagumpay-na-nagtapos/

Korupsiyong namana, kapalpakang dumarami

Korupsiyong namana, kapalpakang dumarami
By Darius Galang ⋅ October 8, 2010

Sa korupsiyon iniuugat ng gobyernong Aquino ang kahirapan ng buong sambayanan. Malinaw na may hindi ito totoo, pero kahit ang isyung ito ng korupsiyon, mukhang di pa rin naaampat man lang ng bagong presidente.

Bagaman tuwid na daan ang pinupostura, hindi pa rin tiyak ang pagtutuwid sa dati nang problema na kinakaharap laluna ng mga opisyal ng pamahalaan at militar. Tulad ng kasalukuyang imbestigasyon sa isyu ng jueteng sa bansa. Maaaring black propaganda lamang diumano sa pagbibigay ng puwesto ng Pangulong Aquino kay Gen. Jesus Verzosa, hepe ng Philippine National Police, ngunit malalim ang mga ugat nito.

Mag-aaral na nagprotesta sa harap ni P-Noy, pinapurihan

Mag-aaral na nagprotesta sa harap ni P-Noy, pinapurihan

By Darius Galang ⋅ October 7, 2010

Hindi papaawat ang mga mag-aaral sa patuloy nitong paglaban para sa karapatan sa edukasyon.

Sa open forum ukol sa unang 100 araw ni Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III na inilunsad sa La Consolacion College, apat na estudyante ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas-Manila ang nagtaas ng mga plakard at humiyaw ng “Libro hindi bala, edukasyon hindi giyera! Budget sa mga SUCs dagdagan, ‘wag bawasan!,” habang nasa yugtong question-and-answer si Pangulong Aquino.

RP Team panglima sa FIBA U18 Basketball Championships

RP Team panglima sa FIBA U18 Basketball Championships

By Darius Galang ⋅ October 5, 2010

Bagaman natalo sa quarterfinals, maluwag pa rin sa kalooban ang pagwagi ng RP Under-18 team sa kakatapos na FIBA U18 Mens Basketball championships.

Ginapi nila ang Japan at ang host country Yemen sa relegation round upang makuha ang pinakamataas na posisyong nakuha ng bansa sa loob ng ilang taon.

Huling nakuha ng bansa ang kampeonato sa liga noong 1982 nang ginanap ang palaro sa Maynila. Ika-pito ang bansa noong 2008.

Hustisya panawagan para sa mga biktima ng pagsabog sa La Salle

Hustisya panawagan para sa mga biktima ng pagsabog sa La Salle
By Darius Galang ⋅ October 1, 201

Kinondena ng National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) ang pagsabog noong Setyembre 26 sa harapan ng De La Salle University Manila, sa pagtatapos ng Bar examinations, at nakisimpatiya sa mga kaanak, kapamilya at kasamahan ng mga nasaktan sa paghahanap ng hustisya para sa mga biktima.

Sa isinasagawang pagsisiyasat, naiulat na isang kaguluhan sa pagitan ng mga fraternities ang ugat ng pagsabog. May 44 katao ang nasaktan sa karahasan.

House OKs 2010 Reform Budget on 2nd Reading

After a record ten session days of grueling marathon plenary debates, the House of Representatives passed on second reading the President's proposed 2011 P1.645-trillion "reform" budget.

"We lost sleep, but kept our word," Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. proudly declared at 3:00 a.m. Saturday.

The top ten departments receiving the biggest allocation in the proposed budget are: Department of Education (including Educational Facilities Fund), P207.3B; Department of Public Works and Highways, P110.6B; Department of National Defense (including Pension and AFPMP), P104.7B; Department of the Interior and Local Government (including pension), P88.2B; Department of Agriculture, P37.7B; Department of Social Welfare and Development, P34.3B; Department of Health - P33.3B; Department of Transportation and Communications, P32.3B; Department of Agrarian Reform, P16.7B; and the Judiciary, P14.3B.

PNoy's love interest: Trisha, Barbie, Liz?

PNoy's love interest: Trisha, Barbie, Liz?
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 10/12/2010

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Try as he might, President Benigno Aquino III still fails to keep his personal life private.

The 50-year-old bachelor's lovelife has been in the public eye since last year after rumblings of his presidential run started in August last year.

This month, rumors were rife that the President is dating various women after allegedly breaking up with Valenzuela City councilor Shalani Soledad.

Former child star and now television news reporter Patricia Ann Roque  is said to have caught Aquino’s attention.

Groups Say Aquino’s First 100 Days a Failure

Groups Say Aquino’s First 100 Days a Failure


“It has been 100 days and we don’t see any major achievement or results as far as genuine change is concerned. There is plenty of rhetoric but too few accomplishments that could be felt by the poor.”– Bagong Alyansang Makabayan

By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – Contrary to the passing grade Aquino has received from a survey, farmers, workers, urban poor, students, migrants and other sectors gave Aquino a failing grade in his first 100 days of governance.

Members of progressive groups led by the umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) marched to Chino Roces (formerly Mendiola) bridge Oct. 8, to mark the 100 days of Aquino in office. The groups protested what they call as a continuing absence of any meaningful reform under Aquino, and his failure to address issues such as human rights, the prosecution of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, land reform and pro-people economic development.

Leaders carried a banner that read: “100 araw: Nasaan ang pagbabago? (100 days: Where is change?)

“It has been 100 days and we don’t see any major achievement or results as far as genuine change is concerned. There is plenty of rhetoric but too few accomplishments that could be felt by the poor,” Renato Reyes, Jr. secretary general of Bayan, said.

Read the Article Here

PNoy's Speech for World Teachers' Day

SPEECH OF HIS EXCELLENCY BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY 2010

PHILSPORTS ARENA, PASIG CITY

OCTOBER 5, 2010

Magandang umaga po.

Yung nakatatanda ko pong kapatid, nung kami ay bata pa, nagkaroon ng debate sa kanyang kaklase. Pinagtatalunan po nila kung paano ang pronunciation ng 'either'. Sabi nung isa, 'either', sabi nung pangalawa, 'aither'. So buong recess wala silang ginawa kundi 'either, aither, either, aither...' Napakahaba pong debate at bago natapos yung recess, pinuntahan yung kanilang guro. Nilapitan at sinabi, 'Ma'am, paano po ba talaga ito, is it either or aither?' Ang sagot po ng teacher nila ay 'Eder of the to well do."

Statement of President Aquino on the recommended actions after reviewing the IIRC report on the Quirino hostage taking

STATEMENT

of

His Excellency BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

President of the Philippines

On the recommended actions to be taken after reviewing the report of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee on the August 23^rd Quirino Grandstand hostage-taking incident

[October 11, 2010]

The Executive Secretary (ES) and the Chief Presidential Legal Council (CPLC) have completed their review of the recommendations of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC).

The review was undertaken within three basic parameters:

First, the facts enumerated in the IIRC report; second, the possible criminal, and administrative sanctions that could be imposed under the law; third, whether the cases to be filed will prosper.

The Review also defines concepts such as reckless imprudence, simple imprudence, criminal negligence, neglect of duty, simple neglect of duty, gross incompetence, mistake in judgment, that are offenses under the law and punishable, if proven. .....

Source:  Statement

The First 100 Days Message of President Benigno S. Aquino III

Message of
His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III
President of the Philippines
On The First Hundred Days of his Administration
[October 7, 2010, La Consolacion College, Manila]
Isandaang araw po ang nakalipas, nagpanata ako sa taumbayan: Hindi ko tatalikuran ang tiwalang kaloob ninyo sa akin. Ang nakalipas na isandaang araw ang magsisilbing tanda ng ating paninindigan.

Malalim at malawak po ang mga problemang minana natin. Nag-ugat ito sa isang gobyernong parang tatlong matsing na nagbingi-bingihan, nagbulag-bulagan, at gumawa ng sariling katotohanan.

Congressmen reject proposed cuts in education budget, expose CCT

Partylist and district representatives in the 15th Congress hold press conferences to denounce budget cuts in the education sector and to expose the weaknesses of the "conditional cash transfer" (CCT) program which the PNoy administration intends to implement.

Video credits:

Act Teachers Partylist in www.youtube.com.  Please view related videos uploaded at the said channel.

First Report of the IIRC on the Rizal Park Hostage-taking Incident

First Report of the IIRC on the Rizal Park Hostage-taking Incident

In the aftermath of the Rizal Park Hostage-Taking incident on August 23, 2010 which resulted in the murder of 8 foreign nationals and the injury of 7 others perpetrated by a lone hostage-taker, President Benigno C. Aquino III directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to conduct a joint thorough investigation of said incident. On August 30, 2010, both Departments, through the Secretaries, issued Joint Department Order No. 01-2010 creating an Incident Investigation and Review Committee (the “Committee” or “IIRC”) with the Secretary of Justice as Chairperson, the Secretary of Interior and Local Government as Vice-Chairperson, and with one representative each from the Filipino-Chinese Community, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), and a representative from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP). On August 31, 2010, the Secretaries issued Joint Department Order No. 02-2010 appointing Ms. TeresitaAng-See as the representative of the Filipino-Chinese community, Atty. Roan I. Libarios as the representative of the IBP, and Mr. Herman Basbaño of the KBP.

Kalayaan para sa mga bilanggong pulitikal, mailap pa rin ba?

Nakalulungkot ang balitang mayroon pa ring mahigit 300 bilanggong pulitikal sa bansa. Tinagurian pa namang may demokrasya sa Pilipinas at tumatahak umano sa tuwid na landas ang kasalukuyang administrasyon, subalit may higit 300 na nakakulong at nag-aasam ng kanilang kalayaan kahit ngayong pangulo na ang kaisa-isang lalaking anak ng martir at pambansang bayaning si Ninoy Aquino. Hangad nila, ng kanilang mga kapamilya at kaibigan na magkaroon ng hustisya at nang mapalaya na ang mga nasabing bilanggo sa ilalim ng administrasyon ni Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” S. Aquino III.

Halos 50% na pagkaltas sa badyet para sa OFW, binatikos

Halos 50% na pagkaltas sa badyet para sa OFW, binatikos
Angel L. Tesorero

Kinastigo ng mga migranteng Pinoy ang gobyernong Aquino III at DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) sa pagbawas nang halos kalahati sa pondong nakalaan para sa mga OFW (overseas Filipinos  workers) sa panukalang pambansang badyet para sa 2011.

Sinabi ni Kalihim Alberto Romulo ng DFA sa pagdinig sa pambansang badyet sa Kamara kamakailan na P27-milyon lamang ang inaprubahang badyet ni Pangulong Aquino para salegal assistance fund (LAF) sa susunod na taon. Para sa taong ito, P50-milyon naman ang inilaan ng nakaraang administrasyong Arroyo.

Pagdaong ng barkong nukleyar ng Kano pinaiimbestigahan ng Bayan Muna

Pagdaong ng barkong nukleyar ng Kano pinaiimbestigahan ng Bayan Muna

(Pinoy Weekly) Hiniling ng mga kinatawan ng Bayan Muna, sina Reps. Teddy Casiño at Neri Javier Colmenares, sa Kamara na imbestigahan ng Kamara ang pagdaong sa Manila Bay ng USS George Washington, isang barkong nukleyar, mula Setyembre 4 hanggang 7.

Isinumite nina Casiño at Colmenares ang House Resolution 382, na humihiling sa Committee on Foreign Affairs na imbestigahan ang pagdaong ng naturang barko dahil “lantarang nilalabag nito ang polisiyang nuclear-free ng bansa na nakasaad sa Article II, Section 8 ng Saligang Batas na nagsasabing ‘The Philippines, consistent with the national interest, adopts and pursues a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons in its territory.’”

6 Things You Should Never Reveal on Facebook

6 Things You Should Never Reveal on Facebook
by Kathy Kristof


The whole social networking phenomenon has millions of Americans sharing their photos, favorite songs and details about their class reunions on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and dozens of similar sites. But there are a handful of personal details that you should never say if you don't want criminals — cyber or otherwise — to rob you blind, according to Beth Givens, executive director of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.

The folks at Insure.com also say that ill-advised Facebook postings increasingly can get your insurance cancelled or cause you to pay dramatically more for everything from auto to life insurance coverage. By now almost everybody knows that those drunken party photos could cost you a job, too. 

Facebook Fraud: Massive Scam Targets Social Networks

Facebook Fraud: Massive Scam Targets Social Networks

Federal investment regulators issued a warning this week about a sophisticated and fast-growing fraud that trolls social networks for victims and has already cost investors hundreds of millions.

Using advertisements on Facebook to lure in initial victims, who are then convinced to inadvertently con their friends, so-called “high-yield investment program” scams have gone viral, spurring an entire online community, according to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.