Juan (Megi) updates

Super typhoon Juan makes landfall in Sierra Madre—Pagasa 

By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 13:52:00 10/18/2010
Filed Under: Disasters (general), Weather

MANILA, Philippines—Super typhoon Juan made landfall in the Sierra Madre mountains at 11:25 a.m. on Monday, the country’s weather bureau said.
The storm has been carrying maximum winds of 225 kilometers per hour, with gusts of 260 kph, according to the latest bulletins of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration. It has been slowing down, and was earlier seen tracking west southwest at 17 kph.
The typhoon was expected to pass through Isabela, Mountain Province, and Ilocos Sur and exit at about 2 a.m. Tuesday.
In its 11 a.m. press conference, Pagasa weather specialist Vicente Manalo said the super typhoon appeared to be a "well-behaved tropical cyclone" as it seemed to follow the usual course of typhoons that entered the Philippines during the month of October.

Speech on World Teachers' Day

Ipagdiwang natin ang Pandaigdigang Araw ng mga Guro!

Dinggin ang mga panawagan ng mga titser ng bayan!

Rep. Antonio L. Tinio

ACT Teachers Party-List

Oktubre 5, 2010

Ngayong araw na ito, ipinagdiriwang ng sanlibutan ang takdang araw para sa mga guro na siyang mas kinikilala natin bilang pangalawang magulang ng kabataan. Ang araw na ito ay inilalaan at ipinagdiriwang nating mga Filipino upang bigyang pugay ang ating mga titser na siyang nagturo at gumabay sa atin kung paano malinang ang ating kakayanan sa pagbasa, pagbilang, hanggang sa maging dalubhasa, marunong, pati sa iba't-ibang aspeto ng buhay. Sila rin ang siyang gumagabay sa ating kabataan, ang susunod na henerasyon, upang sila ay maging matuwid, mapagkalinga, makatao, makabayan at produktibong mamamayan na magiging haligi at tagapagmana ng ating bansa.

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 ^[1]


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.

Two men who lived, fought for the 'masa'

Two men who lived, fought for the 'masa'
AT GROUND LEVEL By Satur C. Ocampo (The Philippine Star) Updated September 11, 2010

Two days apart last week, two hardy men, one young, one elderly, passed away quietly. The young man’s death on September 3 spurred a torrent of messages of sympathy and paeans mostly from young poets, writers and activists, through their blogs and Facebook pages. The elderly man’s passing on September 5, on the other hand, spawned the onrush of memories about the anti-martial law struggle among his surviving colleagues, including myself.

Solons call for probe of alleged P2M jueteng payola of two Aquino aides

House members today called for an investigation into the claim of retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz that two close and trusted officials of President Benigno Aquino are receiving a minimum of P2 million in monthly jueteng payola.

Rep. Teodoro Casino (Party-list, Bayan Muna) said Cruz's allegations are serious enough to merit an investigation by Congress. "If his claims are true, then the officials concerned should be sanctioned and charged appropriately."

ABS-CBN Sacks Veteran Reporter, 19 Others

By DATELINE PHILIPPINES
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — Broadcast giant ABS-CBN fired a 14-year veteran reporter and 19 other personnel in the latest round of dismissals at the so-called “Kapamilya” network.

The firing of reporter Wheng Hidalgo and other personnel, all from ABS-CBN’s Technical Operations Department, brought to 110 the number of workers from the network’s Internal Job Market (IJM) dismissed since June 16.

Bloated by patronage funds, proposed 2011 budget prone to corruption

Bloated by patronage funds, proposed 2011 budget prone to corruption

There is a marked increase in the 2011 national government (NG) budget submitted to Congress, making the proposed budget alarmingly patronage-rich, says research group IBON.

The Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in the proposed 2011 budget has increased by Php13.9 billion or 128.5% from Php10.9 billion in 2010 to Php24.8 billion.

UMID eCard enrollment hits 1 million

Enrollment for the UMID eCard has reached its one million mark; four months after the Government Service Insurance System announced its compliance with the Unified Multi-purpose ID System or UMID.

The GSIS has around 1.5 million members and pensioners, all of whom are eCard holders. All cardholders are enjoined to enroll for the UMID eCard in order to enjoy the full benefits of the card.

Itigil ang Pagnanakaw ng GSIS sa kanyang mga Miyembro - Privilege Speech ni Rep. Antonio Tinio, ACT TEACHERS Partylist_8/16/2010

Nitong nakaraang mga buwan, sa panahon ng kampanya para sa pambansang eleksyon ng Mayo, nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataong umikot sa iba’t ibang probinsya ng ating kapuluan upang makapanayam ang mga public school teachers at mapag-usapan ang kanilang kalagayan at mga hinaing. Saan man ako magpunta, iisa ang kanilang pambungad. Dapat daw tugunan ang kanilang mga problema sa GSIS (Government Service Insurance System).

Sa kabila ng pagkakapiit ng Morong 43: Manggagawang pangkalusugan tuloy sa paglilingkod

By Darius Galang

Hindi natatakot ang mga panggagawang pangkalusugan sa bansa na maglingkod sa mga maralita sa kabila ng pagdukot at pagpapahirap ng militar ang tinaguriang “Morong 43.”

Ito ang napatunayan ng Council for Health and Development (CHD) matapos matagumpay na nakapaglunsad ang organisasyon ng kanilang ika-10 General Assembly of Community-Based Health Programs (CHBP) in the Philippines.

Balik-tanaw sa muling binubuhay na patay: Kasaysayan ng ROTC sa bansa

By Darius Galang

Isang bangkay ng binatang lalaki ang natagpuang lulutang-lutang sa Pasig River noong Marso 18, 2001. Balot na nga ang kanyang katawan ng isang karpet, binalutan pa ng packing tape ang kanyang mukha. Nakagapos pa ang kanyang mga paa at kamay.

Ang binata ay si Mark Welson Chua, isang estudyante ng University of Sto. Tomas. Ayon sa mga imbestigasyon, biktima si Mark ng pamamaslang matapos isiwalat niya sa pahayagang pangkampus na The Varsitarian ang mga anomalya at pangungurakot sa loob ng programang Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) sa kanyang pamantasan.

All Eyes Today on SC as Farm Workers, Cojuangco-Aquinos Battle Over Luisita

Lawmaker says Supreme Court itself will be on trial. “The Hacienda Luisita land dispute is the first acid test of the Supreme Court under the Aquino administration. The Cojuangco-Aquinos have put the Supreme Court on trial here,” says Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano.

Bukas na ang Interactive Website ng Pangulo sa Taong-bayan

Bukas na ang Interactive Website ng Pangulo sa Taong-bayan

Binuksan na ng Malakanyang ang isang bagong interactive website na magbibigay ng pagka-kataon sa taong bayan na malaman ang official events ng Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III at upang magsilbi ring makabuluhang feedback mechanism na gamit ang digital media.

Inilunsad ni Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma ang opisyal na website ng Palasyo na “www.president.gov.ph” sa media briefing sa Malakanyang noong Lunes, ika-16 ng Agosto.

Under Aquino III: Promoting Ties of Dependency with the U.S.?

Under Aquino III: Promoting Ties of Dependency with the U.S.?
By the Policy Study, Publication, and Advocacy
Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG)
August 14, 2010

Those who are watching the first 100 days of the new administration can now start focusing their lens on President Benigno S. Aquino III’s coming visit to the United States in September - his first major official foreign trip. The decision to make the U.S. as his maiden foreign destination is not only symbolic but will have far-reaching implications not only on foreign policy but also on the so-called special relationship between a former colony and a superpower. In the long run, it will have broad implications on the Filipino people.

Lawmakers hit P-Noy for SK abolition

Two youthful legislators today lambasted the proposal of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III to abolish the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections for its failure to be functional and effective in the delivery of public services under the Local Government Code.

Rep. Raymond V. Palatino (Party-list, Kabataan) said the aim of the Sangguinang Kabataan is to encourage the youth to take active part in governance and to serve as an educational experience for them. It should contribute to the political education of the youth, Palatino said.

DOLE affirms commitment to promote gender equality in workplace

Responding to the ever changing need for gender equality in the workplace, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) today said it will continue to evolve its policies and align itself to the demands of the Filipino workforce, especially on the need to address issues concerning gender and discrimination against women, lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBTs)

P-Noy calls for hourly broadcast of original Pilipino compositions

President Benigno S. Aquino III has directed the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to fully implement Executive Order No. 255 requiring all radio stations to play in the airwaves at least four original Filipino music every hour from hereon.

KMU to Lucio Tan: heed PAL workers’ demands

Amidst a brewing strike by the Philippine Airlines’ ground employees and cabin crew, labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno called on PAL owner Lucio Tan today to immediately heed the PAL workers’ demands, saying Tan has clearly gone overboard in implementing his anti-worker policies.

Aquino gov’t shouldn’t wash hands off VAT on toll fees

The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan today criticized the Aquino administration for “washing its hands” in the issue of the Value Added Tax on toll fees set to take effect on Monday. The group said that Malacanang’s reasoning that the VAT is an old law from the previous administration is unacceptable.

RP Consulate General in Guangzhou Reiterates Warning Against Consequences of Drug-Related Offenses in China

The Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou is reminding Filipinos of the uncompromising treatment of the Chinese courts on foreign nationals convicted of drug-related offenses in China. Recently, the Intermediate People's Court of Guangzhou sentenced to death a Chinese-French citizen for manufacturing, transporting and dealing large amounts of crystal methamphetamine.