My VERA Files colleague, Yvonne Chua, forwarded to me a note from Jose Ramon Albert, a senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies,enclosing a first-person account by his niece Carina Linao, titled “Near-death experience.”
It was dated Sept. 26, 2011.I’m sharing this letter to warn others to be careful in taking taxis.
Here’s Ms Linao’s story:
“I don’t think I’ll ever go to Mall of Asia ever, again. I don’t like that mall anyway. Besides, it’s too big and far for me. I won’t go there ever.
Photo by Monica M. Davey of EPA. Thanks to MSN.CUPERTINO, Calif. — Steve Jobs, the Apple founder and former CEO who invented and masterfully marketed ever-sleeker gadgets that transformed everyday technology, from the personal computer to the iPod and iPhone, has died. He was 56.
Apple announced his death without giving a specific cause. He had been battling pancreatic cancer.
“We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today,” the company said in a brief statement. “Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.”
Jobs had battled cancer in 2004 and underwent a liver transplant in 2009 after taking a leave of absence for unspecified health problems. He took another leave of absence in January — his third since his health problems began — before resigning as CEO six weeks ago. Jobs became Apple’s chairman and handed the CEO job over to his hand-picked successor, Tim Cook.
By the time he turned the reins of the company over to Cook, Jobs had become one of the business world’s greatest comeback kids.
Thanks to VERA Files and Global Balita for photo.Former First Son and incumbent party-list congressman Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo and his wife Angela Montenegro will be charged with tax evasion, after the Department of Justice found probable cause to sue them.
The DOJ’s Task Force on Bureau of Internal Revenue Case (TBFBIR) released a resolution today saying it has found probable cause to charge Mikey and Angela with multiple counts of violation of Section 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code.
Section 255 penalizes taxpayers for failure to wilfully pay income taxes and file returns, or supply correct and accurate information, among other offenses. The penalties are imprisonment of between one and 10 years, and a fine of not less than P10,000.
The resolution was the DOJ’s response to the complaint the BIR filed in April 2011, which alleged that the couple underdeclared their income for the years 2004, 2006, and 2007.
Angela allegedly failed to file income tax returns from 2003 to 2009, and Mikey for the years 2005, 2008 and 2009.
There’s relative calm in the just recently turbulent waters of South China, which makes it the best time to explore ways to find lasting solutions to the area which is being claimed by Brunei, China, Malaysia, Philippines,Vietnam, and Taiwan.
On Oct. 17, the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation for Peace and Development chaired by former Foreign Secretary Roberto R. Romulo in collaboration with the Institute of South East Asian Studies, Singapore (ISEAS), will host a by- invitation- only forum at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City.
The CPR Foundation said there will be 23 notable former officials and authorities from academe speaking from ASEAN countries, China, Australia, India, Canada, the United States, and Europe. China has agreed to nominate three speakers for the event.
The long wait for our luggage. Almost midnight of Oct. 1, 2011.Alas –tres ng umaga noong Lunes, nasa Centennial Terminal 2 na ako para sa aking Philippine Airlines flight papuntang Iloilo.
Pagdating ko doon, sinabi cancelled daw ang flight ko na dapat ay 7:40 ng umaga.
Uuwi ako sa aming bahay sa Guisijan, Laua-an, Antique. Wala na kasing eroplano na pumupunta sa Antique kaya via Iloilo ako tuwing umuuwi sa amin. Pwede rin via Caticlan sa Aklan, kaya lang mas maraming sasakyan ang bumabiyahe mula Iloilo.
Nang kinuha ko ang aking ticket noong isang buwan, pinili ko ang unang flight, mga 5:00 ng umaga dahil gusto ko bago magtanghalian nasa amin na ako. Apat na oras pa sa bus mula Iloilo papuntang amin.
The Maguindanao massacreAfter eight annual self-examinations, media practitioners, meeting in Cebu’s Marco Polo Hotel last weekend, still had not found the answer to the question, “Who is a journalist?”
The question was crucial because the theme of MediaNation 8 was the Philippines being “The Most Dangerous Place for Journalists.”
Actually, that notorious title which the country achieved after the Nov 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre where 32 of the 58 killed were members of media. Other countries like Mexico, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, have overtaken us in that notoriety but it doesn’t mean the killing of journalists here has stopped. Under the 16-month old government of President Benigno Aquino III, six journalists have already been killed, according to the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines.
Photo by ReutersHindi ako sarado sa pag-amyenda ng Saligang Batas ngunit medyo may kaba ako na mai-pasok ang mga hindi kanais-nais na pagbabago.
Sana hindi nila ibahin ang limitasyun sa edad ng gusto kumandidato para presidente at bise-presidente. Natatakot kasi akong tumakbo si Manny Pacquiao sa 2016 at mananalo. Kawawa naman ang bayan.
Kamakailan sinabi ni Pacquaio na hindi pa naman ang pagka- presidente ng bansa ang sunod na pinupuntirya nya sa 2016. Bise- presidente daw.
Sunod na araw, sinabi na mali daw ang report. Dahil alam naman daw niya na hindi pa siya qualified para tumakbo kahit sa pagka bise-presidente. Pareho naman ang age requirement sa mga gustong kumandidato sa pagka presidente at bise-presidente. Kailangan 40 na taong gulagg sa araw ng eleksyun.
The deafening sound of silenceVERA Files first photobook,”Silenced: Extrajudicial killings and torture in the Philippines,” is an example of the power of images and words combined.
Launched yesterday, the book is a collection of images of human rights victims as sensitively captured by the talented Mario Ignacio IV.
“The two young daughters of a women’s rights advocate try to live normal lives even as they attend the trial of their mother’s murder in Tagbilaran City almost every month. A Lumad family in Davao continues to bereave the death of their patriarch while seeking ways to hold on to their ancestral land. A wife in North Cotabato wrestles with the fact that her husband is a bus bombing suspect and a victim of torture,” Mario describes three of the 14 images in the book.
The world is filled with stories of opportunities resulting from adversities.
There is one report that gives me hope Manila’s landscape would improve after the destruction caused by Pedring.
A Facebook entry mentioned that many of those ugly, multi-colored lamps along Roxas Blvd have been destroyed.
That means, the city government would be allotting millions of pesos again to have Roxas Boulevard lighted. I hope former Tourism secretary Gemma Cruz, who advises Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim on historical and cultural matters, recommends a better- designed lamps that reflect the beauty and character of Manila.
Thanks to Desi-Radio for the photo Much as I’d like to join in the excitement of President Aquino over the interest of American businessmen in coconut water or buko juice, I have my reservations.
Upon his arrival from the United States, where he attended the official launch of the Open Government Partnership in New York – an initiative by US President Barack Obama and Brazil President Dilma Rouseff to promote transparency in governance, the President waxed ecstatic about the information that the Americans have discovered the joys of drinking buko juice, something that Filipinos have been doing since time immemorial.
“Drinking what they call coco water and what we call buko juice is a growing trend in the US. Because of its nutrients, because it is natural and environment friendly, it is becoming the new natural sports drink in America and is now a hundred-million-dollar industry,” he said.
