Other News

Increasing abnormalities in Mayon

There is a marked increase on the abnormal activity of Mayon Volcano in the past 24 hours. According to a PHIVOLCS report, a total of 245 rockfall events have been recorded. Authorities have increased their efforts on evacuating residents living near the said volcano.

Malacañang declares October 6 a regular holiday

Malacañang declares October 6 as regular holiday in connection with the celebration of Eid’l Adha or Feast of Sacrifice by our Muslim brethren. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that this is in relation to Presidential Decree No. 875 signed by President Aquino. According to the pay rule of the Department of Labor and Employment, employees who will work on said holiday will receive 200% of their regular salary.

No salary raise for government employees

There will be no salary increase for government employees next year. House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Ernesto Ungab explained that there was no allocation for salary increase of government employees on the 2015 budget. He added that the government did not finish its study on how much increase should be given to government employees due to the series of disasters that struck the country this year. But the government was able to allocate 30 billion […]

Unliquidated CCT Fund at half a billion

According to Congressman Maria Carmen Zamora, only half a billion pesos remain unliquidated in the Conditional Cash Transfer program. Based on the information given by Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman, more than 200 million pesos remain unliquidated for the year 2013 while for the year 2014, it’s 300 million pesos. Zamora said that this marks a huge development compared to the past findings of the Commission on Audit which place the […]

Wrong advertisement by telcos

Senator Bam Aquino is asking the Department of Justice and the Department of Trade and Industry to investigate the allegedly false advertisements of telecommunication companies offering unlimited internet access. In the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship hearing, the senator said that many consumers were dismayed by the false advertising. On the other hand, a telecommunication company said that it will promptly revise its ads, indicating the limits of said internet promo.

More than Php 6 billion for additional power capacity

The government must spend more than 6 billion pesos to provide for the additional 300 megawatts capacity. According to House Energy Committee Chairman Reynaldo Umali, each 100 megawatts is valued at 1 billion pesos. But the price would double since the government will have to enter a two-year contract since no business entity will enter into a short-term contract with the government. The contracting of additional power capacity is the last resort of the emergency […]

Senator blames President Aquino regarding energy crisis

Senator Serge Osmeña blames President Aquino regarding the energy crisis. According to Osmeña, he warned President Aquino about possible electricity supply shortage since the start of Aquino’s term, but the Palace did not heed his warnings. He added that giving emergency powers to the President is not a light matter, saying that this will only add to the worries of consumers. He said that the public should be consulted on how much will the increase […]

Joint resolution on emergency powers

House Energy Committee Chairman Reynaldo Umali assured that they could approve the joint resolution giving emergency powers to President Aquino by the end of October. Umali said that even if the Congress is in recess, his committee can still hold hearings to hurry up the process. But he admitted that they can only start the hearings after the Department of Energy has submitted the information that they need. To alleviate fears of abuse of emergency […]

Emergency powers for President Aquino

Malacañang is confident that Congress will approve the proposed bill giving President Aquino emergency powers to avert the looming power crisis. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said that there is still ample time for Congress to approve said bill. She added that there is still 6 months before the country feels the effects of energy shortage. She further said that Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla is the one who knows the process on how to resolve […]

LPA trough to bring rains over E. Visayas, parts of Mindanao

MANILA, Sept. 17 —  Eastern Visayas, CARAGA and the Davao region will still experience cloudiness and some rains Wednesday as a low pressure area or LPA still hovers about a thousand kilometers east of the Visayas region,  according to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) as of 4 a.m .today, the LPA was estimated based on all available data at 1,070 km east of Visayas (13.2°N, 136.3°E). Because of this Eastern Visayas, Caraga and […]

Funds for Yolanda not given

(BY Christine Herrera, MANILA STANDARD) THE Aquino government has not released a single peso for victims of typhoon Yolanda because Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman resorted to “double accounting” and claimed credit for P779 million in foreign donations released by the World Food Programme, lawmakers said Sunday. Reps. Jonathan dela Cruz of Abakada and Terry Ridon of Kabataan demanded that Soliman reveal exactly how much in government funds had been released following a report by the Commission […]

PNOY dropping hints for 2nd term again

(BY Joyce Panares, C/O Manila Standard TODAY) FOR the nth time, President Benigno Aquino III played coy on whether he will seek a term extension or not, throwing the question instead to the public, whose sentiments, he said, will shape his final decision. Aquino, in an interview en route to Belgium aired over state-run Radyo ng Bayan, said if majority of the Filipinos want a fresh mandate for him, then there has to be a […]