June 11, 2009 Major News Stories

WHO head quizzes govts on raising alert

The head of the World Health Organization quizzed health officials from several nations in a conference call yesterday, asking about a recent spike in swine flu cases that may show the world is already in a global epidemic.

WHO gets ready declare flu pandemic

The World Health Organization is gearing up to declare a swine flu pandemic, a move that could trigger both the large-scale production of vaccines and questions about why the step was delayed for weeks as the virus continued to spread.

AH1N1 sa RP, 77 na

May 23 bagong kum pirmadong kaso ng influenza AH1N1 sa bansa ang nadagdag sa talaan kaya umakyat na sa 77 ang ka buuang bilang ng mga indibidwal na nag-positibo sa nasabing virus sa bansa.  Of the 77 cases, 23 are students in Metro Manila – 15 from the De La Salle University (DLSU), three from the Ateneo High School, two each from the College of St. Benilde and the East Asia College-Far Eastern University, and one from the St. Andrew School, the DoH said.

The DoH could not immediately say how many of the 23 new cases are students.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III maintained that there was no cause for alarm since the A(H1N1) cases were "mild" and the infections were traced to persons who traveled from countries with confirmed cases of the disease.

The 23 new cases include 19 Filipinos and four foreigners, aged eight to 49 years old, who came from the United States and Japan.

Health undersecretary Mario Villaverde said it was up to school officials to decide whether or not to postpone the opening of classes in the college level on Monday, which had been delayed for a week.

"The postponement of classes until Monday is their [schools'] own decision… We can't continue postponing classes since the flu transmission won't stop--it will be impossible to predict when it will stop," Villaverde said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque urged school authorities to continue reporting students with flu symptoms, especially those who came from abroad.

Aside from the 77 confirmed cases, the DoH has 68 suspected A(H1N1) cases under observation, 85 suspected cases have pending laboratory cases, while 505 were cleared of the disease.

DoH: Don't forget other deadly viruses

WHILE THE public is fixated on avoiding contracting influenza A(H1N1), the Department of Health (DoH) yesterday warned against more threatening diseases as it promoted the so-called WILD illnesses associated with the onset of the rainy season.

Dengue mipatay og 14 ka tawo

Ang sakit nga dengue mipatay na og 14 ka tawo dinhi sa Central Visayas ug 9 niini gikan sa dakbayan sa Sugbu, sukad sa bulan sa Enero hangtod sa Mayo ning tuiga, matud pa ni Dr. Raymund Ogan ang Dengue Coordinator sa dakbayan sa Sugbo.

Oil players raise pump prices again

Oil players announced they will raise pump prices effective Thursday.  Effective midnight, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. will raise gasoline prices by P0.50 per liter and diesel and kerosene prices by P1 per liter, said vice president for communications Bobby Kanapi.  Flying V chairman Ramon Villavicencio made a similar announcement earlier.  Phoenix Petroleum will also implement the same price adjustments at 6 a.m. Thursday, said lawyer Raymond Zorrilla, assistant vice president for corporate affairs.  Petron Corp. and Chevron (formerly Caltex) will also hike gasoline, diesel, and kerosene prices at 6 a.m., said Petron spokesperson Virginia Ruivivar and Chevron communications manager Toby Nebrida.

NADSU: No auction of impounded vehicles

Saying that the move will violate their constitutional rights, the Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo strongly opposed the proposal of City Councilor Raul Alcoseba to dispose of by selling unclaimed vehicles at the city's impounding area.

School buildings to be ready in 2 months

CEBU City education consultant Joy Augustus Young said school buildings under construction will be finished in two to three months.

Teacher charged embarrassing HS student

A PUBLIC school teacher was charged with child abuse for allegedly embarrassing a student for being a habitual absentee.  The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas yesterday found probable cause to prosecute Vigil Rosalind Lanquino. It recommen-ded P16,000 as bail.

In 2003, a 14-year-old second year high school student of Don Carlos Gothong National High School filed the complaint against Lanquino after he was allegedly berated by the teacher for being absent.  "Ikaw ha, absenos kaa-yo ka (you are always absent)," the boy recalled Lanquino telling him in front of his classmates, while hitting his head with her knuckles.  In the Talisay incident, Bulacao Elementary School teacher Lea Lolon admitted using a chain to tie the feet of one of her students. But she denied using a padlock and said the chain was loose.

She said she did it because the student kept on standing up and walking across the room to copy answers while they were having a test. She said she immediately sought the forgiveness of the student's mother after the incident.

Department of Education division superintendent Ed Bacaltos said they are looking into the incident.

Seek help for traumatized Danao students 

A CLINICAL psychologist yesterday urged parents of Grade 1 kids in Cambubho Elementary School to seek the help of their local social welfare worker on their allegation that their kids suffer from harsh punishment in the hands of their public school teacher.  Parents of several students complained against the harsh punishment of students allegedly by a certain "Mrs. Quitaraño," a newly-assigned teacher of the Cambubho Elementary School in Danao City.

At least 20 Grade 1 kids complained that their teacher would severely punish them because they couldn't read and write well.

Thousands reject conass

THOUSANDS OF OPPOSITION supporters brought the main financial district to a standstill yesterday in protest at plans to change the Constitution before the 2010 presidential elections.

Conass to push RP into recession

Administration congressmen's push for Charter change through a constituent assembly (Con-ass) would worsen the economy and hasten the country's fall into recession, GlobalSource, a New York-based think-tank, warned in a report.

Farmers leader shot dead in Dumaguete

Unidentified assailants shot dead a leader of a farmers' group on Wednesday afternoon in Dumaguete City.  Supt. Leopoldo Cabanag, the Dumaguete City police chief, identified the victim as Fermin Lorico, leader of the militant peasant group Kahugpongan Alang sa Ugma sa Gagmay'ng Mag-uuma sa Oriental Negros (Kaugmaon, Union for the Future of Small Farmers in Negros Oriental).

Lorico was shot dead at about 4 p.m. in San Jose Extension, Barangay (Village) Taclobo, Dumaguete City, Cabanag said.

Arroyo could run again, says Gonzalez

Sa gitna ng mga kilos-protesta kontra sa con-ass, inamin ni dating justice secretary Raul Gonzalez na posibleng kumandidato ulit si Pangulong Arroyo para maupo bilang prime minister! 

Lakas-Kampi-CMD names interim officers

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is taking a direct hand in Lakas-Kampi-CMD's destiny in the 2010 polls by appointing her "little president" as point man of the merged party.  Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita would be the president of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, one of 64 interimofficers handpicked by Arroyo to guide the newly merged party in the upcoming turnover of power.

In a press conference, Belmonte, senior vice president for external affairs, revealed that former president Fidel V. Ramos has agreed to be chairman emeritus while the former heads of the two parties – Speaker Prospero Nograles and Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno – were appointed as co-vice chairmen.

Lakas-Kampi deputy secretary-general Raymundo Roquero said that Ermita was chosen because of his "closeness" to the President. "He's just a whisper away," he said.

Belmonte said that the President, the party's national chairman, chose the "best leaders" from both parties to flesh out the merged party's programs and promote consensus among the membership as well ensure the party's victory in 2010.

Ermita and Puno are two of 11 Cabinet men and Palace executives that have key positions in the merged party. The others are Secretary Gabriel Claudio (secretary-general); Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III (senior deputy secretary general); Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando; Chief Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez (vice president for legal affairs); Immigration Commissioner Marcelo Libanan (senior deputy secretary general); presidential adviser for constituency affairs Edgardo Pamintuan; Local Water Utilities Administration chair Prospero Pichay; National Youth Commission chair Richard Nalupta (vice president for youth); and deputy national security adviser Luis "Chavit" Singson.

Other key appointees are Deputy Speaker Pablo Garcia (executive vice president); Deputy Speaker Simeon Datumanong (senior vice president for internal affairs); Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (senior vice president for finance); and Deputy Speaker Raul del Mar (treasurer).

Glo's Independence Day in Koronadal City

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will observe Independence Day tomorrow in this fledging city, with local militants preparing to greet her with protest actions even without a rally permit.

Supreme Court junks laws on new cities

THE SUPREME Court has quashed with finality several laws converting municipalities into cities for being unconstitutional, dashing hopes of increased benefits and privileges through central government support.

'Princess of the Stars' may be re-floated  

With more than week before the first anniversary of the sinking of M/V Princess of the Stars off Romblon, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday said there is a possibility that the vessel would be re-floated and brought to shore.

DENR clearance for expired drugs disposal

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said expired medicine as well as medical supplies can only be disposed of with a clearance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

San Jose chief richest bgy captain 

SAN Jose's neophyte village chief is the richest Cebu City barangay captain for the second straight year.  From a net of P17 million last year, Barangay Captain Merinisa Arinasa's statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) this year showed an increase of around P3 million.  Next to Arinasa in terms of net worth is Inayawan Barangay Captain Rustico Ignacio, who said in his SALN that he is worth P15.085 million and without any liabilities.  The third richest Cebu City Barangay Captain is Domingo Lopez of Tinago, who has P14.745 million worth of properties, including land along M. J. Cuenco Ave. and Barangay Bacayan in Cebu City, Sogod town, Talisay City, and Masbate province totaling P11.1 million. He also has three vehicles worth P3.645 million.

Guadalupe Barangay Captain Eugenio Faelnar is the fourth richest, with P12.608 million worth of jewelry, five residences, three vehicles, and cash in the bank. He, however, has liabilities of P600,000.

Next to Faelnar is Day-as Barangay Captain Rey Cañada, who has P10.48 million in assets and P100,000 in liabilities.

Cañada reported inherited residential and agricultural lots totaling P4.8 million and P10.48 million worth of personal properties, which include audio equipment and three vehicles.

Rounding up the top 10 are Quiot' Vicente Ramos (P9.07 million, with P350,000 in liabilities), Tejero's Jessielou Cadungog (P8.2 million, with P80,000 in liabilities), Buhisan's Rustica Asid (P6.141 million), Sambag I's Jerry Guardo (P6.42 million, with P400,000 in liabilities), and Banilad's Mary Luz Tabar (P5.497 million).

UNICEF condemns killing of Filipina 

The United Nations Children's Fund on Wednesday said the killing of its Filipino staff member in the bombing of the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar, Pakistan Tuesday was "reprehensible and unacceptable."  

Amir of Kuwait grants Vecina full pardon

Mae Vecina, the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) whose death sentence was earlier commuted to life imprisonment can finally go home to the Philippines.

DOF to rethink additional cigarette tax

The drop in cigarette excise tax collections this year following an increase in rates last Jan. 1 should force the Department of Finance to rethink its proposal for yet another round of tax increases as this would not only result in dwindling revenue collection but may very well sound the death knell for the entire local tobacco industry.

Car bomb in Iraq's south kills 30 people

A car bomb ripped through a market in southern Iraq's Shiite heartland yesterday as shoppers were buying meat and vegetables, killing about 30 people and wounding dozens more, officials said.

Mayol confident against Calderon

Filipino junior flyweight challenger Rodel Mayol feels confident over his chances against reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion Ivan Calderon of Puerto Rico when they meet head on at the Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

Body found in drum actress' sister?

The body of a woman, believed to be that of the missing sister of actress Rochel Barrameda, was fished out by operatives of the National Capital Regional Police Office in the seawaters of Navotas yesterday.

DOJ summons Belo, Kho over sex video 

Dr. Vicki Belo and Dr. Hayden Kho Jr. have until June 19 to answer the case filed against them by Katrina Halili.

Independence Day - Maria A. Ressa

by MARIA A. RESSA, Head, ABS-CBN News & Current Affairs; Managing Director, ANC

You are powerful. You will make a difference. If we all come together now, we will reach the tipping point when change becomes inevitable and irreversible.