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Year: 2010

Kawawang hepe ng Pag-asa

Published by Ellen on August 7, 2010

Naawa ako kay Prisco Nilo, ang sinibak ni Pangulong Aquino na hepe ng Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric and Astronomical Services Administration).

Sinibak ni Pangulong Aquino si Prisco Nilo, hepe ng Pagasa dahil naka strike two na daw na palpak sa weather forecast.

Maganda ang kampanya ni Aquino na pagwawalis ng mga korap sa pamahalaan. Kung isasama niya ang mga incompetent, yung mga hindi napapakinabangan ang serbisyo, maganda rin yun.

Ngunit mali ang kanyang sinibak. Hindi dapat si Nilo. Dapat inalam n Aquino muna ang rason bakit hindi makabasa ng eksakto ng mga taga-Pagasa ang mga bagyo. Hindi kasalanan lang yan ni Nilo.

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‘Forsaken Lives”

Published by Ellen on August 5, 2010

I can just imagine the horrified reaction of the Catholic priests and Manangs if they were at last Tuesday’s Bulung-Pulungan at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza.

Guests were Melissa Uppreti, senior regional manager and legal adviser for Asia of the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights and Dr. Florence Tadiar of the Institute of Social Studies and Action. The topic was “Forsaken Lives,” a study conducted by CRR in the Philippines on the impact of the abortion ban.

As well all know, abortion is a crime under the Revised Penal Code. There are exceptions. But as the study showed, “there is a lack of clarity regarding the circumstances under which an abortion may be legally performed or be considered legally justifiable.”

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On the eve of US envoy’s visit, a bomb explodes in Zamboanga

Published by Ellen on August 5, 2010

From GMA News:

Sulu governor hurt in Zamboanga airport blast

One person was killed Thursday while several others, including the governor of a southern Philippine province, were wounded when a bomb exploded at the arrival area of the Zamboanga International Airport.

Sulu governor Abdusakur Tan was among the 12 hurt in the explosion, according to a report in GMA News’ “24 Oras.”

The explosion occurred a day before US Ambassador Harry Thomas’ visit to the city for “a series of activities,” according to Mayor Celso Lobregat.

Thomas on Thursday night announced that he is postponing his scheduled visit.

Continue readingOn the eve of US envoy’s visit, a bomb explodes in Zamboanga

Manny Pangilinan buys into Inquirer

Published by Ellen on August 5, 2010

Pangilinan is into real estate development (The Fort), telecommunications, power (Meralco), and what else? He is slowly becoming a force in media, another field of influence.

ABC5 buys 10% stake in PDI

The Philippine Daily Inquirer announces that after two decades of productive partnership with the (Ben) Pangilinan and Garcia families, they have decided to sell their equity in the company.

As a result, Associated Broadcasting Company (ABC), which owns TV5 and other stations, has bought a 10% stake in the Inquirer.

ABC’s purchase of the shares was finalized on Wednesday.

The Inquirer thanks the Pangilinan and Garcia families for helping steady the company’s course through the years toward the fulfillment of its mission and vision.

The newspaper welcomes the entry of ABC, now under the management of Manuel V. Pangilinan.

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Aquino withdraws GMA midnight appointments

Published by Ellen on August 4, 2010

Palace lists 997 midnight appointees

by Regina Bengco
Malaya

President Aquino has ordered the recall, withdrawal and revocation of midnight appointments made by former President Gloria Arroyo for violating the appointments ban in the Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code.

Aquino issued Executive Order No. 2 on the midnight appointments last July 30 but it was released only yesterday.

Click here (Official Gazette) for the text of E.O No. 2.

The order defined “midnight appointments” as those made on or after March 11, 2010, including those dated prior to March 11 where the appointee has accepted, taken his oath or assumed public office on or after March 11, except those appointed under exigencies of the service; those made prior to March 11 but which took effect after it; appointments to positions that would be vacant only after March 11, 2010; and appointments and promotions made 45 days before the May 10, 2010 elections in violation of the Omnibus Election Code.

Chief presidential legal counsel Edgardo de Mesa said there are 977 suspected midnight appointments so far, excluding those in the judiciary.

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Justice for Phillip Pestaño

Published by Ellen on August 3, 2010

This was one time when I remarked,”Multuhin ka sana.”

Even if one wants to give Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez the benefit of the doubt, it’s really difficult not to join the call for her ouster with the recent decision of her office to dismiss the murder charges filed by the family of Ensign Phillip Pestaño against Philippine Navy officials.

It didn’t even take into consideration the findings of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights released six days before it finalized its own that said, “It now appears undisputed that the death of the author’s son was a violent one, resulting from homicide.”

Homicide is murder. It’s not suicide as Navy officials claim.

The Ombudsman’s ruling reflects indifference and incompetence. Trabahong tamad. It said that there was no evidence who had killed Pestaño, or if a crime had been committed at all.

They were not sure that a crime had been committed?

This is the story of Phillip as narrated by Fr. James Reuter, S.J:

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Hindi tinatantanan si Arroyo

Published by Ellen on August 3, 2010

Sa unang araw ni Gloria Arroyo bilang kongresista, hindi pa raw uminit ang kanyang upuan, umalis na.

Paano kasi, itong si Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello ay nag-privilege speech na ang titutlo ay “Corruption was the signature of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.” Ang pirma ni Arroyo ay korapsyun.

Sabi ni Bello,”If the subordinates of the GMA administration behaved like pigs, kung ang mga galamay ng nakaraang administrasyon ay kumilos parang buwaya, ito ay dahil meron silang magandang halimbawa sa pangungurakot sa taas.”

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Researchers discover fossil of human older than Tabon Man

Published by Ellen on August 3, 2010

By Howie G. Severino, GMANews.TV

Move over, Tabon Man. Callao Man is here.

Callao bone
Evidence has emerged that the islands comprising the Philippines could have been inhabited by humans more than a dozen millennia before the so-called Tabon Man of Palawan, long thought to be the archipelago’s earliest human remains.

A team of archaeologists led by Dr. Armand Mijares of the University of the Philippines-Diliman has confirmed that a foot bone they discovered in Callao Cave in Cagayan province was at least 67,000 years old. Tabon Man’s remains were a relatively young 50,000 years old.

The foot bone discovered in Callao Cave was a mere 61 millimeters or 2.4 inches. Photo courtesy of Dr. Armand Mijares.
“So far this could be the earliest human fossil found in the Asia-Pacific region. The presence of humans in Luzon shows these early humans already possessed knowledge of seacraft-making in this early period,” Mijares told GMANews.TV in an exclusive interview conducted by email in between archaeological digs.

Continue readingResearchers discover fossil of human older than Tabon Man