Wage hike plea hit
THE Cebu furniture industry yesterday opposed the proposal for a P128 across-the-board wage increase in Central Visayas.
Oil lower on demand concerns, stronger dollar
'With or without drought, power rate hike inevitable'
But an official of an electric cooperative here said power rate hikes would increase in 2010 with or without the drought.
The National Power Corp. had privatized almost all of its generation plants in 2009 and would need to start recovering losses soon, said Gerardo Versoza, general manager of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco).
Power rate hikes seemed inevitable because the National Power Corp. has filed three petitions before the Energy Regulatory Commission for rate adjustments, Versoza told reporters on Wednesday.
Napocor asked for increases in its incremental currency exchange rate adjustment (ICERA) and its generation rate adjustment mechanism (GRAM) so it may recover outstanding dollar exchange losses.
Napocor used to transact in dollars when it began to buy electricity generated by independent power producers (IPP) in the 1990s.
But it sold the electricity at a loss because the firm billed consumers in pesos.
The cost of bunker fuel now being used by Napocor plants throughout the drought period may require further ICRA and GRAM adjustments in the future, Versoza said.
"It was Napocor which was keeping rates low. It used to own the hydros and the thermal plants. This was how [the government] could order rebates or power rate reductions [after the passage of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 or Epira]," he said.
"But now that it owns only the expensive plants, which are fueled by imported bunker oil, nothing else would keep power rates cheap," he said.
He said EPIRA was designed to lower power rates through open market competition, and it had succeeded in part because the law allowed local power distributors to choose their own suppliers.
Beneco buys power from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) and has a supply contract with the Sual (Pangasinan) coal-fired plant owned by the San Miguel Energy Corp. that earned the utility P170 million in savings in 2009.
Versoza said power utilities have also been permitted to invest in their own power generation projects to keep their power rates low.
But EPIRA has not been able to lead to affordable power rates because the electricity market "relies 100 percent" on plants which government has privatized.
"There are no new private plants," he said.
For Versoza and Dominador Liway, retail service manager of the Dagupan Electric Corp., a plan to build nuclear power plants is attractive.
A nuclear power plant could soften the blow of high power rates projected to last until 2015, Versoza said.
Liway said nuclear technology would allow the operating firm to cut power rates drastically.
Pangasinan is served by the private utility in Dagupan and three electric cooperatives.
The Pangasinan board on Monday endorsed a resolution inviting South Korean investors to build nuclear power plants in Pangasinan.
Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco, who asked the provincial government to invite the South Koreans, said the nuclear power plants could lower electricity cost in the province.
But Versoza said he was not endorsing the nuclear option yet "because there are very real concerns about the environmental impact of this technology."
Government may also need to develop a uniform system of valuating power generated by nuclear plants to enable their owners to sell to the administrators of the Luzon grid.
Mindanao power situation critical, says utility
Agri secretary told to help farmers displaced by drought
Gov't allots P882M to help farmers battered by El Niño
Council to ask DOTC to probe issuance of new taxi franchises
The City Council will ask the Department of Transportation and Communications to investigate the alleged illegal issuance of new franchises by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board 7.
February is National Down Syndrome Consciousness Month
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has declared the month of February as the "National Down Syndrome Consciousness Month" pursuant to Proclamation No. 157 she signed on February 18, 2002.
Provincial police chief says no harassment in Bogo
There is reportedly no truth to reports that members of the City of Bogo Anti-Crime Task Force are harassing residents in the city, Provincial Police Director Sr. Supt. Erson Digal said yesterday.
3 police stations get new chiefs
Three police stations under the Cebu Provincial Police Office get new chiefs following the turnover ceremony at the provincial police headquarters yesterday.
Former Minglanilla police chief Senior Insp. Leoncio Baliguat Jr. was sworn in as the new chief of Sta. Fe Police Station, while former San Fernando police chief Chief Insp. Jovito Canlapan was tasked to take over the post vacated by Baliguat. On the other hand, former Santa Fe police chief Senior Insp. Jaime Santillan will assume the position that was vacated by Canlapan.
Also affected by the re-assignment was Minglanilla Police Station deputy chief SPO4 Romeo Elacion who was transferred to Lilo-an Police Station.
Baliguat was transferred while facing administrative investigation for his alleged failure to supervise his men to man the traffic in their area while the convoy of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo passes by going to Argao for the wake of the late Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.
CPPO director Senior Supt. Erson Digal said that the transfer of the police chiefs was approved and supposed to take effect last February 16.
City to sue province over DA eviction
Lawyers of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña are now contemplating what charges to file against the Cebu provincial government for the latter's alleged "unlawful" eviction of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office from its location in a lot along M. Velez Street, Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City.
Lito O sues ABS-CBN for not airing his ads
Senatorial candidate, former Cebu governor Emilio "Lito" Osmeña, has filed a complaint before the Commission on Elections Central Office against the management of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation for its alleged refusal to air his Cebuano political advertisements.
In his complaint filed before the legal department of the Comelec-Central Office, Osmeña said that the failure of ABS-CBN to air his political advertisement is a violation of his right to equal access to media time and space.
He was represented by lawyer Batas Mauricio in filing the complaint.
In yesterday's press conference, Osmeña's other lawyer Rory Jon Sepulveda said the refusal of ABS-CBN to air the political advertisement of his client is a form of discrimination.
Sepulveda said that they hope Comelec Manila will look into the actions of ABS-CBN.
Osmeña said his rights to equal access to media time and space is recognized and protected by Republic Act No. 9006, otherwise known as the Fair Elections Act.
According to Osmeña, his secretary inquired with ABS-CBN Cebu for the rates of TV airtime of political advertisements to be aired in ABS-CBN local station Channel 3 Cebu.
He said that ABS-CBN Cebu faxed to his office the requested rates.
The former governor said that with the rates identified, he wanted a 30-second campaign advertisement aired over ABS-CBN Cebu during the TV Patrol Central Visayas program from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., daily except Saturdays and Sundays.
Osmeña explained that he sent one of his campaign aides, Alex Bolongaita, to the office of ABS-CBN Cebu to give them a CD containing a 30-second campaign advertisement in Cebuano and a check payment for a seven-day placement starting from February 10, 2010.
An acknowledgement receipt dated February 10, 2010 stated that the check for P95,000 was received by Frank Adlawan of the network's Admin/Finance Department.
But according to Osmeña, his political ad material was not aired on February 10, 2010.
However, ABS-CBN Cebu called his staff and explained that his material in Cebuano language cannot be aired unless its Tagalog version is reviewed.
Upon hearing this, Osmeña said he was shocked and dumbfounded as he found the requirement to be downright discriminatory against Cebuano-speaking Filipinos.
Earlier, Osmeña's certificate of candidacy for senator was disapproved by the Comelec because he and 99 other aspiring senators lack the capability to wage a national campaign.
But after Osmeña filed his motion for reconsideration, the Comelec reversed and allowed him to pursue his candidacy.
Osmeña filed his COC as a candidate of Promdi, the party he formed to promote the development of the countryside when he ran for president in 1998.
The management of ABS-CBN Cebu refused to comment on the issue.
Officer-in-charge Leo Lastimosa, in the absence of area manager Tata Cinco-Sy, announced over TV Patrol Central Visayas that it is ABS-CBN Manila who can best comment on the issue as it is the accused.
ABS-CBN Manila has not issued any official statement yet as of yesterday.
Comelec urges celebrities to help in voters' education drive
Namfrel to go ahead with parallel count
Namfrel can re-apply for accreditation --Comelec
Comelec sets April 15 deadline for media accreditation
No Cabinet post for Teodoro if he loses presidential race
Businessmen 'very impressed' with Teodoro
Loren accuses Mar of dishonesty over cheaper medicines law
"That is intellectual dishonesty," she said.
Suplico, now Iloilo vice governor, and Biron are both seeking reelection under the NP.
"Merong nagpanggap na syang author ng cheaper medicines ni Cong. Rolex, kinuha yung titulo at tinanggal yung laman at ginawang pro-multi national at hindi maka-mahirap. This law is really anti-poor. It is pro-multinational it is anti-poor. Pinatay ni Mar yung batas," Legarda said in a separate press conference held at Hotel de Rio where the NP ticket stayed.
(Someone is claiming authorship of the cheaper medicines law of Congressman Rolex but he merely took the title and eliminated the contents to favor multi-nationals and not to benefit the poor. Mar killed this law.)
In the same press conference, Biron said the cheaper medicines law originated from the House of Representatives and pushed by Suplico during his first term in the 13th Congress.
"I think we have to settle the remarks straight. We pushed this and the heart and soul of this cheaper medicines law is the price regulation commission na inayawan ni Senator Mar Roxas," he said.
He added: "In fact during the 13th Congress, in a forum na dinidiscuss ito, he's really against the price regulation. When we filed it again in the 14th Congress inayawan ni Sen. Mar to the last day of the discussion in the bicameral conference committee.
(During the 13th Congress, when this matter was being discussed in a forum, he was really against price regulation. When we filed it again in the 14th Congress, Senator Mar Roxas opposed this until the last day of the discussion in the bicameral conference committee.)
"So it is so ironical that now he is claiming that he is the one responsible for bringing down price of medicines when in fact sya ang pumatay nito na batas na ito because what he was pursuing was amendment to the intellectual property code not the price regulation," Biron said.
(It is ironic that he is claiming responsibility for bringing down medicine prices when in fact he himself killed the law because because what he was pursuing was amendment to the intellectual property code not the price regulation.)
Suplico and Biron claimed that the senator watered down the law by removing the provision mandating pricing mechanisms and making it more favorable to drug companies.
"It's a weak law. In fact, when it was passed we made a statement that this law is a weak law, that it will not benefit the majority of the Filipinos. But at least we have something because everyone is aspiring in the last 50 years to reduce price of medicines. So hinarangan, you know, ngayon ang humarang he's the one laying claim as the author of the law. Dahil kay Mar Roxas naging bakla ang batas," Suplico said.
(The person who claims authorship of the law is the same one who has emasculated it.)
He said Roxas pushed for the deletion of the provision that would have required setting up a drug price regulation board which will govern the pricing of the medicines.
For his part, Roxas said that criticism leveled against him only shows that its "desperation time."
"Cheaper medicine has been something I've fought for over ten years," Roxas said in a text message to GMANews.TV.
"The pharmaceutical companies have filed cases and have thrown black propaganda against me because of this," he added.
He began his efforts as a congressman by filing legislation exempting medicines and raw materials from taxes in order to bring down their cost, the same text message said.
As Trade Secretary under former president Joseph Estrada, Roxas said he brought in the first parallel importation of drugs.
When he became President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Trade Secretary, Roxas said he negotiated world trade agreements exempting medicines from intellectual property restrictions.
"I expanded the parallel importation program to what is now Botica ng Bayan/Barangay," he said in the same text message.
"When I became a senator in 2004, I began the leg work on this and it finally passed onto law in June 2008," he said. "Since then I have consistently fought for its strict implementation, even fighting President Arroyo for giving consideration to pharmaceutical companies and allowing them to do voluntary reduction vs. mandatory."
Manzano: Call centers pull students away from higher learning
Erap admits lack of campaign donations
Pimentel on Arroyo reconciliation offer: 'Admit first you erred'
Mikey Arroyo eyes party-list seat in House
With his mother, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, filing her certificate of candidacy for his seat of the second district of Pampanga in the House of Representatives, Congressman Arroyo joked he has been "eased" out of a reelection bid.
But the congressman said "more than five party-list groups" have offered him a slot as their nominee.
"There are certain party-lists who are trying to offer me a nomination so we'll see," Congressman Arroyo said, adding he would decide by mid-March.
"Right now, the better alternative seems to be spending time with my kids, and working on my golf handicap," he added.
Mikey, the first son of President Arroyo, jested about being "eased" out during a House energy committee hearing. His mother's candidacy has been widely criticized in Metro Manila, the seat of power.
"I'm the incumbent congressman there (in Pampanga's second district)…I was eased out…It's my last term," said Mikey, who is just on his second term.
The joke elicited laughter from everyone present during the hearing on the energy crisis in Mindanao.
Mikey made the quip after Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez asked Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chair Zenaida Ducut if she was running for Congress. Ducut was the three-term congresswoman representing Mikey's district before he took over in 2004.
"I'm not sir because I have my fixed term in the ERC. My term will expire in 2015," Ducut answered Golez.
"I thought you were going to run against…" Golez replied before he was drowned out by laughter as those present realized what his question was leading to. It was then that Mikey made his quip.
"It's a joke," Mikey later told reporters in an ambush interview, adding that he might even become a nominee of party-list group.
While Mikey studies his options, his mother's congressional allies continue to clamor that she contest the post of House Speaker in the next Congress.
Deputy Speaker Simeon A. Datumanong (Lone District, Maguindanao) said Lakas-KAMPI-CMD was the biggest political party and most of its candidates for Congress would most likely win.
"It will not be difficult for PGMA who will be congresswoman in the 15th Congress to become the Speaker," Datumanong said.
Deputy Speaker Eric D. Singson (2nd District, Ilocos Sur) also saw a "big possibility" of President Macapagal-Arroyo becoming Speaker if Lakas-KAMPI-CMD stayed as the majority party in Congress.
Rep. Lorna C. Silverio (3rd District, Bulacan) said majority of those running for Congress belonged to Lakas-KAMPI and tshe saw "no reason why majority would not choose PGMA as Speaker."
"She is an efficient and hardworking leader. The legislative work is not new to her for she was a former Senator," Silverio said, adding that Ms. Arroyo would make history if chosen the first woman Speaker.
Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano earlier said that Lakas-Kampi was going to field Ms. Arroyo as its bet for House Speaker in the next Congress.
Meanwhile, Mikey welcomed reports that Gina de Venecia, wife of former Speaker and erstwhile Arroyo ally Jose de Venecia Jr., had said that she had reconciled with Ms. Arroyo.
"We have gone through much. If you notice, I never say anything bad about her family because I want to reconcile," he said.
First Gentleman escapes serious injury in car accident
Massacre victims' kin fear suspect was allowed to escape
Army man tagged in ambush of Maguindanao exec
3 killed in Maguindanao explosion
IMT to be redeployed in Mindanao next month
MILF: Peace pact should bind next government
Suspect in 2001 kidnapping of 3 Americans arrested
DOH chief scores Church for blocking AIDS prevention effort
More single Pinays, says NSO
US warship rescues stranded Filipino fishermen
New president has to brace for P41-B impact tax relief measures: Teves
Soldiers launch coup against Niger president—sources
Bomb kills 29 in Pakistan as US envoy visits
A bomb blast at a mosque in Pakistan's northwestern tribal belt killed 29 people including some militants Thursday, underscoring the relentless security threat here even as Pakistani-US cooperation against extremism appears on the upswing.
Roach: Opening rounds hard for Pacquiao, Clottey
Donaire arriving in Manila on Friday
Gary Valenciano to take a break from showbiz
April Boy Regino is back, plans to do a duet with Pacquiao
New mansion for Mommy Dionisia, from Manny
Kristine Hermosa, Oyo Boy Sotto to tie the knot in US?
Made in RP solar car costs P5-M
Jonathan Swift - "May you live every day of your life."
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