Us asian post september 9, 2014

Vol. 3. No. 51 LOS ANGELES Wednesday - Tuesday, September 10 - 16, 2014

Billy in hot water; explains

self to cops

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See REVIEW GUIDELINES, page 12

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“We ask for forgiveness of the public,” President Benigno Aquino III said as acknowledged that traffi c problems have an impact on the growth of the economy.

MANILA, Sept 8 (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Aquino III on Monday personally said sorry for the monster traffi c that kept many motorists and passengers stranded for several hours on Fri-day.

“We ask for forgiveness of the public,” Aquino said on the side-lines of the Mindanao Inclusive Agribusiness Program launch at Davao City.

Aquino also said that once he returns to Manila in the after-noon, he hopes to “personally see” what happened.

“And I don’t want to rely on the reports anymore. I want to see the

videos,” he said.He acknowledged that traffi c

problems have an impact on the growth of the economy.

“We don’t want to exacerbate problems like increasing prices of food,” he said.

Meanwhile, Some 900 trucks have availed of the “last mile” privilege offered by the govern-ment to help decongest Manila ports, an offi cial from the Metro-politan Manila Development Au-thority (MMDA) said Monday, al-though an offi cial from a truckers’ association gave a signifi cantly low number.

Emerson Carlos, MMDA as-

sistant general manager for op-erations, said that so far, about 900 trucks have been tagged for the trucking scheme, which will enable them to travel the main roads from September 8 to Sep-tember 21, even during truck ban hours, provided that they carry cargo for shipment to their desig-nated end-points.

“Dahil ita-tag sila, anywhere ito ngayon, basta papunta sila sa kanilang fi nal destination, pwede sila 24/7, and that is the reason bakit nili-limit natin itong pagta-tag na ito,” said Carlos.

Ruperto Bayocot, president of

MANILA, September 8, 2014 (AFP) – President Benigno Aqui-no will seek European support for Philippine efforts to resolve maritime territorial disputes with China during a week-long visit to EU nations including France and Germany, a foreign ministry offi -cial said Monday.

Aquino will also raise his pro-posal to stop China from further escalating tensions in the strate-gically-vital South China Sea, as-sistant foreign secretary Zeneida Collinson said.

“In all the meetings starting with Spain, we will seek their con-tinued support on the Philippine position in the West Philippine Sea,” she told reporters, using the local term for the South China Sea.

“It’s important for our presi-dent to have the opportunity to

apprise these world leaders di-rectly on what is happening in... the South China Sea,” when he visits Spain, Belgium, France and Germany from September 13 to 20, she said.

Such support can be “tacit” and did not need to be contained in a formal document, she added.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea, a vital shipping lane and fi shing ground that is believed to hold vast mineral re-sources.

This confl icts with the territo-rial claims of the Philippines as well as Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

In recent years, tensions be-tween the Philippines and China have risen as Beijing has aggres-sively pressed its claim, citing “historical facts” and occupying

MANILA, Sept 8 (Mabuhay) – Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya on Monday enumer-ated the list of planned improve-ments for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) including 48 new coaches, an automated ticketing system and replacement of rails.

Speaking before a televised press conference at the Depart-ment of Transportation and Com-munications, Abaya said they expect three to four coaches to be delivered per month starting the last quarter of 2015.

“We anticipate the require-ments for the new 48 (coaches),” he said, adding that the agency is already working on procuring an-cillary systems.

He said power-substations will be upgraded while additional tracks will be laid down at Taft Avenue station. Certain parts of the rails will also be replaced.

An automated fare collection system is also expected to be un-veiled by 2015.

Abaya admitted that they only recently learned that the train overhaul done in 2006 was not completed.

“After the Senate hearing we found out that the 2006 overhaul done by the previous maintenance provider wasn’t the complete overhaul required,” he said, add-ing that only the traction motors were replaced.

MANILA, Sept 8 (Mabuhay) – A solon grilled the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) exempting American soldiers from paying taxes while they are in the coun-try, but a Cabinet offi cial said this is standard practice in mutual de-fense pacts.

During the DFA’s budget delib-erations in the House of Represen-tatives on Monday, Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmena-res cited Article 7, Paragraph 1 which stated that the Philippines grants the US “the use of water, electricity, and other public utili-

The increasing demand for a passport is being addressed, the Department of Foreign Affairs amid complaints of delays, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario said.

MANILA, Sept 8 (Mabuhay) – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is addressing con-cerns related to the processing of passports of Filipino applicants amid complaints of delays, Secre-tary Albert Del Rosario said.

“The increasing demand is be-ing addressed,” Del Rosario told the appropriations committee at the House of Representatives at the hearing of the budget of the

agency Monday.On questioning by Isabela Rep-

resentative Rodito Albano, Del Rosario said the passport require-ment for 2014 could reach 2.7 mil-lion.

For 2015, the DFA is seeking a budget of P2.80 billion for the processing of 3.2 million passport booklets.

“That’s 15,000 passports a day,

MANILA, Sept 8 (Mabuhay) – The Philippine government has asked the United Nations to re-view the principles and guidelines of its peacekeeping operations fol-lowing the recent controversy in-volving Filipino troops stationed in Golan Heights.

In a letter sent to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Foreign Af-fairs Secretary Albert del Rosario urged the UN to revisit its rules on peacekeeping to keep up with the “new threats” faced by peace-keepers.

“The Philippines strongly pro-poses a revisit of the outstand-ing operational and tactical is-sues [related to peacekeeping], including the UN’s command and control vis a vis the safety and se-curity of peacekeepers during kid-napping and siege incidents, the accountability of UN peacekeep-ing mission leaders for decisions made during crisis operations, as well as the contingency plans and procedures [in place] to address these situations,” Del Rosario

MANILA, Sept 5 (Mabuhay) – Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile on Friday pleaded not guilty to the 15 graft charges he is facing at the Sandiganbayan in connection with the pork bar-rel scam.

Likewise, his co-accused businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and Technology Resource Center director general (on leave) Den-nis Cunanan both pleaded not guilty to the graft raps.

Enrile’s chief of staff Atty. Jessica “Gigi” Reyes on the other hand refused to enter a plea.

All of them are facing graft charges for allegedly pocketing kick-backs from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (also known as pork barrel) diverted to fake nongovernment organizations run by Napoles.

Enrile, Reyes, Napoles, Ronald John Lim and Raymund De Asis allegedly amassed P172.8 million from 2004 to 2010.

Enrile and Reyes were accused of repeatedly receiving from Na-poles and her representatives Lim and De Asis kickbacks and com-missions.

Other co-accused in the graft cases were Enrile’s staff Jose Anto-nio Evangelista and offi cials of the Department and Budget Man-agement and implementing agencies who allegedly helped divert government funds to bogus non-government organizations linked with Napoles.

Also accused were offi cials and representatives of the NGOs.

MANILA, Sept 6 (Mabuhay) – Members of the Gilas Pilipinas basketball team deserve a warm welcome and congratulations from the Filipino people upon their return to the country from the FIBA World Cup, Malacañang said Saturday.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda also indicated the team may make a courtesy call to Presi-dent Benigno Aquino III following their gallant showing in the tour-nament.

“Ang sambayanang Pilipino, dapat maghanda sa kanilang magiting na panalo sa Senegal...We’re very, very proud of the way the Gilas team, our Gilas team performed,” Lacierda said on gov-ernment-run dzRB radio.

He added the Palace is sure Filipinos will be celebrating when

Aquino sorry for nightmarish traffi c

DFA’s Del Rosario grilled over PHL-US defense agreement

Aquino to seek Europe’s help in China sea dispute

Abaya presents planned MRT improvements

Enrile pleads not guilty to graft charges in pork barrel scam

Increasing demand for passports causes delays – DFA chief

Palace: Gilas deserves warm welcome, celebration upon return

PHL seeks review of UN peacekeeping guidelines after Golan controversy

See GILAS WELCOME, page 6See ENRILE NOT GUILTY, page 6

See MRT IMPROVEMENTS, page 12 See AGREEMENT, page 6

See PASSPORT, page 6

See NIGHTMARISH, page 12

See AQUINO SEEKS page 6

The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) plans to procure 48 new coaches, an automated ticketing system and replacement of rails, the latter of which was necessitated by a recent derailment. Apart from long – very long – lines being suffered by commuters, heavy traffi c mars the Metro roads. (MNS Photo)

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MANILA, Sept 8 (Mabuhay) – Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte lashed out at United Na-tion Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) commander Lt. Gen. Singh Singha over the issue involving the standoff between Syrian rebels and Filipino peace-keepers in Golan Heights.

In his weekly television pro-gram, Duterte said Singha should be shot in the head for calling Fil-ipino troops “cowards” after they defi ed an alleged order to surren-der to the Syrian rebels during a standoff last August 28.

“I am offended… Kapag nakita nyo yung UN general barilin nyo sa ulo. Sabihin nyo request ni Mayor Duterte,” the mayor said.

“Filipino soldiers are not obliged to kill for any country ex-cept your own,” he added.

Singha is the force commander of the Filipino UNDOF troops who decided to craft a dangerous escape out of position 68 in the Golan Heights.

The Armed Forces of the Phil-ippines (AFP) said this was an order given after the Filipinos were engaged by the rebels in a seven-hour fi refi ght, signifi cantly depleting their supply of ammuni-tion.

In an interview with the pub-lication “India Today,” Singha ac-cused the Filipino troops of being unprofessional for breaking the chain of command.

Singha also implied that it was the Filipinos who aggravated the situation in the Golan Heights.

“The non-professional actions of the Filipino troops have endan-gered the lives of the Fijian sol-diers. They have defi ed orders at a time when we had negotiated a ceasefi re with the rebels to ensure that all troops in the confl ict area could exit,” said Singha, as quoted by India Today.

The early morning evacuation by the Filipino troops – the very act of defi ance lauded by the AFP as “the greatest escape” – was

called by Singha as nothing more than cowardice.

“It is an act of cowardice to desert posts especially when a delicate ceasefi re was in place,” Singha was quoted as saying. “They broke the chain of com-mand and UN orders.”

Singha said the move by the Filipinos ruined the ongoing ne-gotiation with the rebels, both for safe passage of the Filipinos from position 68 and the possible re-lease of the Fijian peacekeepers.

Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr., chief of staff of the AFP, however, said Singha was about to extri-cate the Filipinos from position 68 the same way he did with those in positions 60 and 69, but then changed his mind at the last min-ute.

“General Singha ordered no military operations. He put a stop to it. He told us when the next attack comes in, surrender your fi rearms and put up a white fl ag,” Catapang said. (MNS)

By Christian DONIO

ZAMBOANGA, September 8, 2014 (AFP) – Thousands of people displaced by a Muslim rebel as-sault on a major Philippine city are enduring squalid conditions in an evacuation camp where doz-ens have died, while the guerilla leader remains free one year on.

The attack by Moro National Liberation Front gunmen trig-gered three weeks of urban bat-tles with the military in Zambo-anga, a southern port city, which left more than 240 people dead.

As Zamboanga this week marks one year since the confl ict began, about 11,000 people whose homes were destroyed are still living in the city’s sports stadium, where atrocious conditions are regularly claiming lives.

“Life is diffi cult here. You have to line up to draw water from the faucet,” said housewife Vilma Di-osma, 43, who shares a tent with her young sons and another fam-ily at the sports stadium.

“If you want to use the toilet you have to queue up, and bring your own pail of water to fl ush. My children are really suffering.”

Pneumonia, dysentery and other illnesses generated by the slum-like conditions have claimed 168 lives over the past year, ac-cording to Rodelyn Abulos, who is in charge of the city’s health ser-vices.

He said most of the deaths oc-curred in the fi rst few months after the confl ict when the make-shift evacuation camp was more crowded, but diseases linked to the poor conditions were still kill-

ing people.Portable toilets are so scarce

that there is an average of one for every 50 people, according to the city government, while children walk along muddy paths amid fl imsy shanty homes on what used to be the grass of the stadium.

Overwhelmed -The cash-strapped Philippine

government struggles to provide basic social services even in nor-mal times, with roughly one quar-ter of its 100 million people living below the poverty line.

However, the Zamboanga con-fl ict occurred at the start of a par-ticularly devastating stretch of disasters that overwhelmed the relief-providing capacities of the government and aid agencies.

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake and Super Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest storm ever recorded on land, claimed more than 7,500 lives late last year across the cen-tral Philippines.

Tens of thousands of survivors from Haiyan, as well as deadly storms from previous years, also continue to live in makeshift shel-ters or evacuation camps.

In Zamboanga, the government has struggled for resources and manpower to rebuild the roughly 10,000 homes, mostly belonging to the city’s poorest people, that were destroyed in the confl ict.

Most of those homes were set alight by the gunmen, who also took dozens of people hostage, as they sought to deter the sur-rounding security forces.

At least 116,000 civilians – about 10 percent of the city’s pop-ulation – fl ed their homes when

the MNLF gunmen sailed in from neighbouring islands.

MNLF leader Nur Misuari is accused of organizing the violence in a failed bid to derail a peace ac-cord between the government and a rival Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The MILF is close to fi nalising a pact that would end a decades-long insurgency that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, and Misuari believes his group has been sidelined in the peace pro-cess.

Both groups have been strug-gling for independence or auton-omy for the mainly Catholic Phil-ippines’ Muslim minority, and a new self-rule area planned for the southern Philippines is set to be dominated by the MILF.

The military said 208 MNLF gunmen, 25 security forces and 12 civilians died during last year’s unrest.

However Misuari did not par-ticipate directly in the assault and is believed to be living with sym-pathetic locals on nearby Muslim-populated islands, avoiding mili-tary and police search efforts.

“(Misuari) is in hiding and eventually the law will catch up to him,” Philippine military spokes-man Lieutenant-Colonel Ramon Zagala said.

The military has also deployed an extra 500 soldiers to Zambo-anga in a bid to prevent a repeat attack.

Meanwhile, the national gov-ernment has said it is aiming to build enough temporary shelters to close the evacuation camp at the sports stadium by Christmas.

MANILA, Sept 8 (Mabuhay) – A festival has prompted a Bu-lacan court to postpone on Mon-day the pretrial proceedings of retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. to next week.

Bulacan Judge Teodora Gon-zales reset to 9 a.m. on Sept. 15 the next pretrial proceedings for Palparan.

In Monday’s pretrial, Gonza-les was expected to decide on Pal-paran’s petition to be transferred from the Bulacan Provincial Jail to the Intelligence Service, Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) or the PNP Custodial Center.

Last Sept. 1, Palparan sought a transfer from the Bulacan Pro-vincial Jail. At the time, Gonza-les gave all parties concerned un-til Sept. 8 to give their comments.

Last Aug. 18, Palparan was arraigned before the Malolos,

Bulacan regional trial court on charges of kidnapping and seri-ous illegal detention.

The court entered a “not guilty” plea for Palparan after the former military offi cer not enter one.

The charges against Palparan stemmed from the disappearance of University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño in Bulacan in 2006. Palparan had denied the allegations.

Palparan was commander of the Army 7th Infantry Division based in Fort Magsaysay in Nue-va Ecija when the abduction of the two students took place.

He retired from the military in 2006, and won a seat in Congress through the anti-communist par-ty-list group Bantay. He ran for the Senate in 2010 but did not win. (MNS)

Retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. did not enter a plea when he arraigned, but the Bulacan court entered a “not guilty” plea for him on kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges over the disappearance of two women in Bulacan in 2006.

Duterte wants UNDOF commander shot in the head

Enduring pain after MNLF rebels attack Zamboanga

MANILA, Sept 6 (Mabuhay) – A 15-year-old high school student died allegedly after un-dergoing hazing rites in Bacolod City last week, a Visayas-based radio report said Saturday.

The family of the boy – a Third Year high school student – is now crying for justice.

The boy’s grandfather said he was greatly sad-dened since he had tak-en care of the boy, whose mother had to work in Kuwait.

Initial information indicated the boy was brought to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Me-morial Regional Hospi-tal last Aug. 30 after he vomited blood.

His relatives decided to rush him to the hospi-tal after seeing the blood was black and not red.

At the hospital, doc-tors saw the boy had bruises in both knees, cigarette burns on the feet, a fracture on the shoulder, and a wound in the buttocks that may have been from an ice pick.

The boy died Monday morning.

His grandfather said the boy did not answer questions on who may have injured him.

15-year-old dies in Bacolod hazing – report

Palparan pretrial postponed to Sept. 15

MANILA, September 9, 2014 (AFP) – Rogue policemen who staged an audacious robbery on one of the Philippines’ busiest roads have been exposed by a photo of their crime that went viral on Twitter, au-thorities said Tuesday.

Social media-fuelled anger over the image, apparently taken by a motorist of gun-wielding men surrounding a van in daylight last week, forced law-enforcers into a manhunt that led to some of their own.

Two men have been arrested while seven others are being pursued, all former or active policemen, said national police spokesman Senior Superintendent Reuben Sindac.

“We really started our investigation based on this photo,” said the head of the suburban police force investigating the incident, Chief Su-perintendent Abelardo Villacorta.

The Twitter photo helped investigators trace a vehicle used in the crime, on Manila’s main thoroughfare to a policeman who eventually confessed.

He revealed that the rogue offi cers accosted two men aboard a van, robbed them of two million pesos ($46,000) and then held them in a police station for seven hours.

The two were only freed after the Twitter photo went viral, said Vil-lacorta.

“They got scared because of the photo so they released the two... and warned the two victims that they would be killed if they fi led a complaint,” he said.

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas, who is in charge of the police, told AFP they knew the identity of the person who took the picture and uploaded it on Twitter.

“But we are withholding that for privacy and security reasons,” he said.

The Philippine police force has long been regarded as extremely cor-rupt, and kidnappings or robberies by police is not unusual.

Twitter helps catch rogue cops for robbery

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MANILA, Sept 5 (Mabuhay) – Pork barrel scam suspect Gigi Reyes, the former chief of staff of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, wants a laptop, Wi-Fi connection and printer in her detention cell at Camp Bagong Diwa, her lawyer said Friday.

Lawyer Anacleto Diaz said they have fi led a motion asking the Sandiganbayan Third Divi-sion to allow Reyes to have a com-puter, internet connection, and printer to help them prepare for her defense.

“Nahihirapan kaming mag-prepare. Kahit kayo nahihirapan kahit walang tulong ng computer at saka ng printout at internet,” he told reporters.

“Para makapaghanda kami sa defense namin. It’s not easy. Alam niyo naman na abogado siya,” he added.

The court set the hearing on the motion on September 8, 2015.

Reyes is facing one count of plunder and 15 counts of graft at the Sandiganbayan for the pork barrel scam.

She is accused of acting on behalf of Enrile in identifying the government-owned and -con-trolled corporations that became the implementing agencies of the bogus projects funded by his Priority Development Assistance Fund (pork barrel).

On Friday, Reyes refused to en-ter a plea to the graft charges.

She likewise refused to enter any plea last July on the plunder complaint.

Diaz noted that in the United States, inmates, even suspected terrorists, are allowed access to a computer.

“Sa America even terrorists, ‘yung mga nakakulong dun sa Guantanamo Bay, inmates in various states in the US are al-lowed access to computers and in-ternet,” he said.

He said the location of Camp Bagong Diwa prevents them from consulting her on the case.

“Sa Camp Bagong Diwa ang layo. All that wasted time and ef-fort can be prevented kung meron kaming internet access,” he said.

MANILA, Sept 5 (Mabuhay) – To obtain vital information for leg-islation, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago urged Senate to conduct a “question hour” with Budget Secre-tary Florencio “Butch” Abad on the controversial Disbursement Accel-eration Program (DAP).

According to Santiago, the “ques-tion hour” is provided for in Article VI, Section 22 of the Constitution, where the head of a department of the Executive may be requested by the Senate or the House of Repre-sentatives to appear and answer questions pertaining to their de-partment.

Santiago said she will fi le a reso-lution on Monday, 8 September, re-questing Abad to appear before the Senate, and to bring with him a list of the total DAP amounts distrib-uted to every legislator.

Santiago also said she wants Abad to specify the projects for which each disbursement from so-lons’ DAP was released; and to an-swer questions from the senators.

Santiago said the power of the Senate to conduct a question hour and obtain information from Abad

is pursuant to Congress’ oversight function.

“The senators and representa-tives who received DAP funds must account for these public funds, especially amid allegations that DAP funds were diverted to Na-poles NGOs and fake or grossly overpriced projects,” Santiago said. Santiago said she sees no reason for President Aquino to forbid Abad from appearing before the Senate and being subjected to the question hour, since the information that the Senate seeks is not covered by the doctrine of Executive Privilege.

“Sec. Abad has no reason to shy away from the Senate question hour because the doctrine of Execu-tive Privilege is recognized only in relation to certain types of informa-tion of a sensitive character,” she said.

Santiago said these types of information include military, diplomatic, and other national security matters; presidential con-versations, correspondences, and discussions in closed-door Cabinet meetings; and information on in-vestigations of crimes by law en-

forcement agencies before the pros-ecution of the accused.

“The extraordinary character of the exemptions indicates that the presumption inclines heavily against executive secrecy and in favor of disclosure,” the senator ex-plained.

The DAP controversy started when Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Es-trada delivered a privilege speech in the Senate on 25 September 2013, revealing that certain sena-tors, including himself, received an additional P50 million each as “incentive” for voting in favor of the impeachment of Chief Justice Re-nato C. Corona. The additional P50 million was on top of their regular PDAF allocations.

Responding to Estrada’s rev-elation, Abad issued a public state-ment entitled “Abad: Releases to Senators Part of Spending Accel-eration Program,” explaining that the funds released to the senators had been part of DAP, a program designed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to ramp up spending to accelerate economic expansion.

“We can shoot out questions to her and she can immediately re-spond,” he added.

He said however that they will abide by the rules to be set by the court.

“We are willing to abide such orders, such terms and conditions as court may impose and under strict supervision by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penol-ogy,” he said. (MNS)

MANILA, Sept 5 (Mabuhay) -- The Phil-ippine Stock Exchange, Bankers Association of the Philippines and other business organiza-tions asked the Supreme Court to strike down and/or suspend a Bureau of Internal Revenue or-der that would require companies to submit lists and information on all their shareholders.

The PSE and other organizations say com-panies can’t comply with the requirement because they don’t know the identities of all their shareholders.

They also say that if they comply, they may be violating secrecy and privacy laws, as well as turning off investors, especially foreign inves-tors.

The BIR said the re-quirement in Revenue Regulation 1-2014, which it issued at the end of last year, is need-ed to build a database it can use to improve anal-ysis and enforcement.

The BIR regulation imposes the require-ment on companies as withholding tax agents. Companies withhold taxes on the dividends they pay their stockhold-ers.

Revenue Regulation 1-2014 is one of at least 2 controversial regula-tions the BIR is trying to enforce this year.

Lawyers and doctors have gotten a TRO on another one, RR 4-2014, which applies to self-employed persons like themselves. (MNS)

Miriam wants Abad to face Senate ‘question hour’ on DAP

Gigi Reyes asks to use laptop with Wi-Fi in detention cell

PSE, BAP ask SC to stop BIR order to release list of dividend payees

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MANILA, Sept 8 (Mabuhay) – Amid the claim of Vice President Je-jomar Binay’s camp that the Senate probe on the allegedly overpriced Makati building is politically-motivated, President Benigno Aquino III stressed the importance of searching for the truth.

“At the end of the day the truth will set us all free,” Aquino on Mon-day said.

He, however, said he himself did not know what the truth was re-garding the controversial building.

“Do I have knowledge as to the veracity of the accusations against the Vice President? I have no personal knowledge,” he said after the launch of the Mindanao Inclusive Agribusiness Program launch at Davao City.

He said he only relies on media reports. “I have nothing to add to the truth or falsehood,” Aquino said.

Meanwhile, Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza asked the Senate to stop its in-vestigation on the alleged overpriced construction of Makati City Hall building II and let the Ombudsman and Commission on Audit do their job.

“The issue is best handled by a formal investigation. Merong Om-budsman, COA. We should allow these agencies do their job para hindi mahaluan ng pulitika,” Atienza said in a news forum in Manila.

He said it is about time that the government agencies work properly.He added that he understands why Vice President Jejomar Binay

would refuse to face the Senate probe.“Why should he go to a forum where he will be pilloried, not investi-

gated but prosecuted?” he said.The former Manila mayor said he thinks the investigation is just a

waste of the Senate’s time.He added that Binay’s accusers will not accept whatever the Vice

President will say because they already have a conclusion on the mat-ter.

Albay Governer Joey Salceda, on the other hand, said an impeach-ment complaint should instead be fi led against Binay for the enlight-enment of everybody.

“Gusto ko rin ng disclosure dito. Dapat may mag-fi le ng impeachment against Binay para the people can decide ahead of the 2016 (polls),” he said. (MNS)

MANILA, Sept 5 (Mabuhay) – A spokesman of Vice-President Jejo-mar Binay described as a “kangaroo court” yesterday’s Senate hearing after a former Makati offi cial accused Binay of corruption without pre-senting any evidence.

Cavite Governor and vice presidential spokesman for political con-cerns Jonvic Remulla said engineer Mario Hechanova did not give concrete proof or evidence to back his claims that the bidding for the Makati City Hall building 2 was rigged.

“Hechanova was given the widest leeway to malign the name of the Vice President without any evidence. The words of a former city offi -cial who admitted rigging bids were taken as gospel truth by Senators Antonio Trillanes and Alan Cayetano and milked for whatever ounce of opportunity to malign the name of the Vice President,” he said in a statement.

In an earlier interview, Remulla also said Hechanova has links to former Makati Vice-Mayor Ernesto Mercado who has also testifi ed against Binay.

The spokesman said Mercado hired Hechanova to become the head of the general services offi ce of Makati in charge of procurements.

“Tao ni Mercado. We discovered that they put up a company called Twin Leaf Marketing, which cornered all the supply contracts of Makati. At that time, the de factor mayor was Mercado and the GSO was Hechanova and they did all the biddings and they did all the busi-ness,” he said.

He also said it was later discovered that Mercado “owned Twin Leaf.”“He bought the company. He was always part of it. There are docu-

ments to prove it. Eventually they found the collusion and they fi red him. And then the vice-mayor ran for mayor and he lost,” he said.

“[Binay] fi red Hechanova after he discovered the collusion in the bidding process,” he added.

In his testimony, Hechanova, the former head of Makati City’s gen-eral services department and vice chairman of the bids and awards committee, claimed he was ordered by then-city Engineer Nelson Mo-rales to rig the bidding for the project.

He said Morales was relaying the instructions of then Mayor and now Vice-President Jejomar Binay.

To rig the bidding, he said the favored contractor, Hilmarc’s Con-struction Corp, was instructed to submit bidding documents even be-fore the actual bidding so that they could check the completeness of their papers.

He said the bids and awards committee also got the competitors for the project to make sure that Hillmarc’s would bag the deal.

“Kami ang kumuha ng magiging kalaban nila. Kami ang kumuha ng documents at sinigurado namin na mas mataas ang bid nila sa bids ng Hillmarc...Kalakaran na ho sa amin sa Makati yan,” he said.

Hechanova said he did not get kickbacks from any of the deals but was paid P200,000 allowance monthly as a member of the BAC.

He also denied bagging any supply contract for Makati.He also said he quit in 2009 after 19 years as a Makati City employ-

ee after Binay did not honor an agreement to support then Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado in his mayoral bid for 2010.

Binay fi elded his own son, Junjun, to run for mayor during the 2010 polls. Binay won the vice-presidential race in the same year.

MANILA, Sept 6 (Mabuhay) – Malacañang is not too keen on accommodating suggestions to have presidential assistant on rehabilitation and recovery Panfi lo Lacson head a task force to com-bat kidnap-for-ransom gangs.

But presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Lacson’s recommendations and suggestions would be welcome for the Philippine National Police, an agency he once headed.

“Right now, Sec. Lacson is handling the Presi-dential Assistant on Rehabilitation and Recov-ery, a very important job also. We are going to raise, build back communities affected by Yolan-da... ang focus ni Sec. Lacson kasi sa Yolanda rehabilitation and reconstruction,” Lacierda said on government-run dzRB radio.

He was referring to Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Al-bano III’s suggestion that Lacson head an anti-kidnapping task force amid reports of a rise in

kidnapping cases.Lacson had headed the Philippine National

Police from 1999 to 2001. He also headed the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force during the Estrada administration.

During the Ramos administration, he headed the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission’s Task Force Habagat, which scored against kidnap-for-ransom groups.

But Lacierda said Lacson is presently focused on helping Yolanda victims recover from the ef-fects of Yolanda, which left more than 6,000 dead.

However, he said Lacson may give recommen-dations and suggestions.

“I’m sure his recommendations and sugges-tions will be well-received by the PNP. I’m sure Sec. Lacson will be more than glad to share his insights in combating kidnapping,” he said. (MNS)

MANILA, Sept 6 (Mabuhay) – Malacañang on Saturday sought more time for the government to study a proposal to have the government take over the glitch-prone Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) system.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Palace is still waiting for the Department of Trans-portation and Communications to fi nish its study on how to improve the MRT’s service.

“’Yan ay pinag-aaralan ng DOTC,” he said on gov-ernment-run dzRB radio, when asked to comment on a proposal for a full government takeover of the MRT’s ownership and management.

“Sana matapos ang pag-aaral at isusumite ang recommendation kay Presidente para ma-fi nalize na-tin paano mapahusay ang pagpapatakbo ng MRT,”

he added.He also said there are other options being studied,

including the acquisition of new coaches.Earlier, Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III urged

government to take over the ownership and manage-ment of MRT so its operations can be improved.

Service disruptions had hounded the MRT in past weeks, including the overshooting of a safety barrier at the Taft Avenue station last month, and the sus-pension of operations due to a signaling problem.

Other glitches that plagued MRT riders included a coach running despite its doors still open.

The MRT connects North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City via Epifanio delos San-tos Avenue. (MNS)

MANILA, Sept 6 (Mabuhay) – Alarmed by the lat-est hazing which killed a 15-year-old boy in Bacolod City, Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian on Saturday urged his colleagues to join him in fast-tracking the approval of a new anti-hazing law.

The report claimed that a 15-year-old boy died from injuries sustained during an alleged hazing rites. The victim went home uneasy after he under-went hazing rites but his family initially thought the boy only had fever.

But when they found out that their son vomited blood, they decided to rush him to the hospital where they found out how grave his condition was. The boy died on Monday.

Attending physicians found minor bruises all over his back, legs, and arms. He was also stabbed in the back with an ice pick.

Before the victim died, his father said the boy struggled to tell them something. But due to his very weak condition, he was only able to make a hand gesture. They said it looked like a fraternity hand sign.

Last June, Guillo Cesar Servando, a 2nd year stu-dent of De La Salle-College of St. Benilde died from injuries he suffered from initiation rites.

The following month, the Department of Justice has summoned 20 members of the Tau Gamma Fra-ternity involved in the fatal hazing of Servando.

With the growing clamor to pass a new law that will totally ban all forms of hazing, Malacañang or-dered a review of the two-decades old anti-hazing law.

Gatchalian penned House Bill 4714, also known as the Servando Act which seeks a total ban to all forms of hazing.

The lawmaker said the “Servando Act” is now

with the technical working group (TWG) of the House Committee on Revision of Laws chaired by Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas.

During last week’s hearing on HB 4714, Gatch-alian was appointed by the committee to lead the TWG, which has been tasked to consolidate all proposed hazing-related measures fi led before the House of Representatives.

The TWG will consolidate Gatchalian’s proposed “Servando Act” together with similar bills fi led by Ako Bikol Party-list Rep. Christopher Co, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, and Bacolod City Rep. Evelio Leonardia.

The Gatchalian-led TWG is scheduled to hold a meeting on Wednesday to come up with a consoli-dated bill that will ban all forms of hazing in fra-ternities, sororities, other student organizations and even in military schools and allied organizations.

“I’ll do my best to hasten the passage of the pro-posed amendments in the Anti-Hazing Act of 1995. The enforcers should have more ammunition in im-posing the law. That’s why I plan to make the provi-sions very clear to make the enforcement of sanc-tions and prosecution easier for the authorities and the judiciary,” he said.

Gatchalian’s HB 4714 will repeal Republic Act No. 8049 or the Anti-Hazing Law which proved to be toothless in not only preventing hazing but also in going after those responsible for such violent acts, including school authorities who always keep a poli-cy of silence on the matter.

Philippine National Police report shows 11 haz-ing-related fatalities from 2000 to June 2014, saying that the Anti-Hazing Law of 1995 was ineffective in stopping violent initiation rites in colleges and uni-versities. (MNS)

MANILA, Sept 9 (Mabuhay) – Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday blamed the traffi c problem in Metro Manila on the government’s National Capital Region-centric policy as he pushed for massive infusion of resources and infrastructure funds to other regions.

Cayetano said the government should initiate the development of provinces now to allow them to grow and create opportunities for their residents.

“The answer given to us when we ask for solu-tions to solve congestion in Metro Manila is to build, build, and build; more, more, and more,” he said in a press statement.

“That is what makes it ridiculous. If you have a house na punong-puno na, ang tama bang sagot ay hatiin ang kwarto? Hindi ba ang solusyon is to buy another house o palakihin mo ang lote mo?” he add-ed.

Cayetano said while billions of pesos are being lost due to traffi c in the National Capital Region every day, other regions in the country continue to experience slow development.

“There are 19,137 Filipinos per square kilometer in Metro Manila. Ganoon kadami ang tao dito. Ang pinakamalapit na bilang ay sa Calabarzon, which only has 758 people per sq.km. The rest, ang aver-age is around 300 per sq.km. Karamihan nasa Metro Manila na,” he said.

“The solution to decongesting Metro Manila ay hindi ang pinapakita sa telebisyon na mga bagong kalye, bagong Skyway. Hindi ‘yun ang solusyon. Lalo lang sisikip ang NCR. Ang solusyon ay gawin ang mga projects na ‘yan sa labas ng Metro Manila,” Cayetano added.

He said that based on the data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI), around 230,000 to 250,000 vehicles will be purchased in the country next year, 58 percent of

which will be fi lling up the already-congested streets of Metro Manila.

“100,000 new cars entered this year in Metro Ma-nila. Add the 100,00 next year, for a total of 2.2 mil-lion vehicles in Metro Manila every year na guma-gala, kaya traffi c,” he said.

He added that this shows it is not the provincial buses that cause traffi c in Metro Manila.

“Hindi dahil sa [provincial] buses kung hindi sa dami ng sasakyan. So how would we get inclusive growth? Bakit kasi sa Metro Manila lang (ang pina-paunlad)?” he said.

Cayetano said that a more feasible solution to de-congest NCR is to allot more funds for infrastruc-ture programs in other regions to encourage people to consider moving and looking for employment op-portunities outside the capital.

He said that many Filipino families are robbed of opportunities because the biggest chunk of the na-tional budget pie is allocated to NCR.

The senator said in 2013 alone, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) ap-proved P184.2 billion worth of 10 major infrastruc-ture projects, eight of which are located in NCR.

He said the two other projects are the Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project worth P24.4 billion and Mactan Cebu International Airport Expansion at P17.5 billion.

Cayetano said this stressed the need for govern-ment to promote a more inclusive economic plan that will allow the implementation of a specifi c economic strategy for each of the 17 regions.

“There is no one cure, there is no one-size-fi ts-all. Kapag nag-economic planning tayo, dapat may na-tional vision; may coherent policy. Pero dapat may 17 regional strategies kung saan ang bawat region ay may strategy at mabibigyan ng pera,” he said. (MNS)

Aquino on Senate probe on Binay: Truth will set us free

Binay camp: Where’s evidence of rigging?

Palace: Lacson suggestions vs. kidnap gangs welcome

Palace seeks time to study suggested govt takeover of MRT

Gatchalian pushes for immediate approval of new anti-hazing law

Gov’ts NCR-centric policy led to traffi c – Sen. Alan Cayetano


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LOS ANGELES, September 5, 2014 (AFP) – California governor Jerry Brown said late Thursday he will approve a ban on single-use plastic bags, in what would make the western US state the fi rst to outlaw them.

Lawmakers passed the bill late last Friday, and it now only re-quires Brown’s signature to pass into law. The governor must do so before the end of September.

“I probably will sign it, yes,” Democratic veteran Brown said during a televised debate with his Republican election rival Neel Kashkari, who is trailing badly in opinion polls.

“In fact, I’ll tell you why I’m go-

ing to sign it: there are about 50 cities with their own plastic bag ban, and that’s causing a lot of confusion,” he said, cited by the Los Angeles Times and other me-dia.

He added: “This is a compro-mise .. It’s taking into account the needs of the environment, and the needs of the economy and the needs of the grocers.”

Under the Californian legis-lation, single-use plastic bags would disappear from grocery stores and pharmacies from July 1, 2015, and then from conve-nience and liquor stores from July 1, 2016.

The bill would allow stores to

charge 10 cents for paper or reus-able bags. Similar bans, backed by environmentalists, are already in place in cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco.

A ban is opposed by Repub-licans who say it would be too much government meddling for small and medium sized busi-nesses, and by bag manufactur-ers who fear job losses.

Kashkari – who latest polls in-dicate trails by 50 percent to 34 percent for the November 4 gu-bernatorial post – said he opposes the legislation.

“No chance would I sign that bill,” he said in Thursday’s de-bate.

economic transformation now taking place in the Philippines,” Ambassador Cuisia said as he paid tribute to the 3.5 million members of the Filipino-American Community who con-sistently account for more than half of the total remittances the Philippines receive annually from abroad.

Citing NEDA fi gures, Ambas-sador Cuisia said remittances by overseas-based Filipinos reached a new high for the year in June when infl ows went up by 5.9 per-cent to $2.050 billion that month, raising the total for the fi rst half by 5.8 percent to $11.422 billion.

“Our economy is performing well as result of a stronger in-dustry and services sector and robust remittances from over-seas Filipinos,” Ambassador Cui-sia said.

He said “This should make the Philippines more competitive and more attractive to investors, particularly those in the US.”

Ambassador Cuisia cited the improved performance of the Philippine economy in urging a group of businessmen in New York to consider doing business in the Philippines.

“It is important to point out that the emergence of the Philip-pines as “Asia’s New Emerging Tiger” is a strong demonstration of a tipping point phenomenon – the results of transformational leadership changes and policy reforms introduced in almost 30 years,” Ambassador Cuisia told businessmen at the Har-vard Club during a luncheon co-hosted by Samish Kumar, Chief Executive Offi cer of Transfast, a leading international money transfer company and Peter Tichansky, President and Chief Executive Offi cer of the Business Council for International Under-standing.

“With all this dynamism and optimism, I hope your interest in the Philippines will contin-ue,” Ambassador Cuisia told the group that included senior-level executives involved in fi nancial services; consumer goods; phar-maceuticals; equipment manu-facturing; communications; and law and government.

In response, Kumar said his company, which operates a pro-prietary network of over 200,000 payment points across more than

100 countries in the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Africa, will continue to be a major player in the remittance sector in the Phil-ippines.

“The 3.5 million Filipinos in the US and the 850,000 in Can-ada send nearly $13 billion – or more than half of the approxi-mately $25 billion – of global, cross-border remittances sent annually to the Philippines,” Ku-mar said.

“Transfast delivers a large percentage of these remittances making the company a signifi -cant player in the Philippines economy,” he added. “Transfast has a 25-year commitment to the well-being of Filipinos, wherever they may be across the globe. We are proud to be a contributor to the health and growth of the Fili-pino economy.”

In July, Transfast expanded to over 20 banks the instant bank deposit service for money transfers to the Philippines that it fi rst launched in 2009. Kumar said this makes Transfast the only remittance company that offers instant deposits to most Philippines banks.

The Philippine economy grew by 6.4 percent during the second quarter of 2014 also because of the millions of dollars that our kababayans, especially those in the US, have been sending home says Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Remittances from Filipinos in the United States and other parts of the world helped the Philippines regain its position as Southeast Asia’s best performing economy during the fi rst semester of the year.

“The Philippine econ-omy grew by 6.4 percent during the second quar-ter of 2014 also because of the millions of dollars that our kababayans, especially those in the US, have been send-ing home,” Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said after the National Eco-nomic and Development Authority (NEDA) an-nounced the good news.

“Our diaspora plays a very important role in the

Los Angeles – The HIFI CALI EXPO LLC, Filipino Ministry of the Wilshire United Methodist Church of Wilshire ( FM-WUMC) and the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) on Saturday, Sep-tember 27, 2014 from 9-11 a.m. FACLA Director and Ms. FILAM INTER-NATIONAL LLC President Bernie Targa-Ganon “ The feeding program has been one of the community services feature of FACLA since July 2014 and it is in this third month. We call all Fil-Am seniors and indigent needy families to avail of this feeding program.”

Pastor Rudy Somaling of FM-WUMC also said; “ we are not only involve on feeding the souls but also helping people to make their daily ends meet.”

Food Distribution Every Last Saturday of the MonthOn the other hand FACLA President Jun Baul said, “we welcome this

monthly community service activity of these organizations so they can help in feeding the Fil-Am seniors, veterans, widows and indigent families and distributing food to the families who need it.”

The Justice for Filipino American veterans (JFAV) MS FILAM INTRNA-TIONAL LLC and the Seniors for Filipino American Community Empower-ment supports this once a month endeavor and community service that is held in FACLA every last Saturday of every month.

For more information please call FACLA c/o Clarita Julian or Cording at (213) 484-1527 or JFAV at (213)241-0995 email us [email protected].

The Knights of Columbus (KofC) Council 1920, which is comprised of these 5 parishes, St. Dominic’s Church (Eagle Rock), Cristo Rey Church (Los Angeles) Incarnation Church (Glen-dale), Holy Family Church (Glendale), and Holy Trinity Church (Atwater) parish, is celebrating its 96th anniver-sary on Sept. 29, 2014.

The “Modern day Knights” serves! He serves the papal tenets, the church, and fulfi lls the needs of his fellow pa-rishioners and communities. The KofC is a Fraternal Order of Catholic men dedicated in Charity, Fraternity, Unity and Patriotism!

However, in observance of tradi-tion, the requirement for joining the KofC still remains fervently the same. To join, one must be 18 years of age and must be a “practical” catholic man. To be a “Practical Catholic”, one needs to be in communion with the Holy See!

KofC Council 1920 meets at the KofC Hall located at 2515 Canada

Blvd, Glendale CA 91208 every fi rst Thursday of the month and is very active in church, catholic schools, and in their respective parishes.

The KofC Council 1920, in this very festive occasion… and for its 96th an-niversary celebration, is inviting you to become a member, and be involved!

Also, on September 20th 2014, Sat-urday from 12-2PM, we will be hav-ing a “Free Kick” soccer competition at the St. Dominic Church’s parking lot at Eagle Rock Los Angeles.

This event is open to all boys and girls ages 9-14. For further details about this event please contact Pab-lo at (323) 257-8896 or (323) 580-1926 (cell).

To learn more about us, please visit our website at Www.JoinKnight-sOfColumbus.org.

For Banquet Hall Rental, please call “John” at (818) 545-0175. To join the Knights of Columbus Council 1920, please call “Ferdinand” at (818) 600-1658.

The company that guar-antees to deliver smiles and move more than just sea cargo and money remittances is once again making the up-coming holidays more exciting. In the spirit of spreading more smiles this season, LBC is giving away over two hundred fi f-ty thousand dollars ($250,000) worth of prizes through their Smile and Drive promo which launched on September 1.

A total of nine (9) brand new Toyota Corollas and numer-ous Gift Certifi cates will be raffl ed off to LBC customers who avail of their cargo and money remittance services through any LBC branch or partner agents in the US and Canada. Smile and Drive runs from September 1 to November 30, 2014. All transactions during the promo period will be automatically entered in the electronic draw during the monthly raffl e, the fi rst of which will happen on October 3, 2014. For more details about the promo, you may visit www.lbchome.com or www.lb-cexpress.com.

To coincide with the launch of the Smile and Drive promo is LBC’s answer to the expected holiday rush. Dubbed as the LBC Premium Service, our trusted friends from LBC will move your balikbayan box to your loved ones in no more than fi fteen (15) days or your next shipment is FREE. This unique offering from LBC was introduced to mitigate the congestion and uncontrollable delays happening in the Philippine ports. Now, with LBC’s Premium Service, you will have more time to catch the best sales of the season and give you less worries about missing those special occasions.

LBC’s Premium Service is priced at a minimum of $130.00 for the timely delivery of a 50- pound balikbayan box. To avail of this service, simply visit participating LBC Branches or call 1- 844- LBCFAST (1-844-5223278) to schedule a free pickup.

California to be fi rst US state to ban plastic bags

FACLA feeding program/food distribution for Fil-Ams on Sept. 27

KofC Council 1920 celebrates its 96th Anniversary

Life and Leisure News for Filipino-Americanswww.usasianpost.com

Remittances from Fil-Ams a big boost to PHL economy

More reasons to smile this season


PALA, CA, September 9, 2014 – Popular Filipino singing star An-geline Quinto, with special guest Jon Secada, will appear in concert at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 22, in the Infi nity Showroom at Pala Casino Spa & Resort.

Quinto came to prominence in 2011 after she won Star Power: Sharon’s Search for the Next Fe-male Superstar in Manila, which earned her a recording contract with Star Records. Her career exploded after her album, Himig Handog P-Pop Love Songs, went platinum in 2012.

Secada is an international star who has won two Grammy awards, has sold over 20 million albums and was one of the fi rst bilingual artists to achieve inter-national crossover appeal. His latest single, “I’m Never Too Far Away,” is his fi rst collaboration with Rudy Perez, Billboard mag-azine’s fi ve-time producer of the year and producer of the decade (2000-2010).

Angeline Quinto with Special Guest Jon Secada at 7 p.m., Sat-urday, November 22 at the Pala Casino Spa & Resort

Infi nity Showroom. Tickets: $98, $78.

Tickets on sale, with no ser-

vice charge, at the Pala Box Offi ce in the casino, or call 1-877-WIN PALA (1-877-946-7252). Tickets also are available at Star Tick-ets, 1-800-585-3737, or www.star-tickets.com.

Pala is located in Northern San Diego County; from San Diego/Riverside, take I-15 to Highway 76 east fi ve miles; from Los An-geles County and Orange County, take I-5 south to Highway 76 east, then travel 23 miles. Pala is 15 miles north of Escondido, 12 miles south of Temecula.

Address: 11154 Highway 76, Pala, CA 92059; Telephone: 1-877-WIN-PALA (1-877-946-7252); Web site: http://www.palac-asino.com

Other shows coming to Pala:The Stylistics, The Dramat-

ics, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Septem-ber 20, Events Center. Tickets, $65, $55, $45, $35 at www.star-tickets.com

Tim Braun, Psychic Medium, 8 p.m., Friday, October 3, Infi n-ity Showroom. Tickets, $35, $25, at www.startickets.com

Pala Majestic Nhac & Cuoi (Music and Laughter) Vietnam-ese Concert, 7 p.m., Saturday, Oc-tober 4, Events Center. Tickets, $70, $40, $30, at www.startickets.

com and all Vietnamese ticket outlets.

Neil Sedaka, 7:30 p.m., Satur-day, October 11, Events Center. Tickets, $47, $35, at www.star-tickets.com

Battle of the Badges, Ben-efi t for Cops 4 Kids & Communi-ties, 6 p.m., Saturday, October 18, Events Center. Tickets, $30, $20, at www.startickets.com

4 Da Laffs, Filipino Comedy Show, 7 p.m., Saturday, October 25, Events Center. Tickets, $110, $88, $78, $68 at www.startickets.com

Aaron Lewis, 8 p.m., Friday, November 14, Infi nity Showroom. Tickets, $53, $48 at www.star-tickets.com

Jim Gaffi gan, The White Bread Tour, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, De-cember 6, Events Center. Tickets, $70, $65, $55, $40 at www.star-tickets.com

Kathy Griffi n, 7:30 p.m., Sat-urday, January 10, 2015, Events Center. Tickets, $60. $50. $40. $30, at www.startickets.com

About Pala Casino Spa & ResortPala Casino Spa & Resort in-

cludes a Las Vegas-style casino with 2,000 slot machines, 87 table games and 13 poker tables; a 507-room hotel; a 10,000-square-foot,

Filipino singing star Angeline Quinto, with special guest Jon Secada, at Pala, Nov. 22

Angeline Quinto Jon Secada

full-service spa and salon that features 14 treatment rooms; a state-of-the-art fi tness center; swimming pool with 12 private poolside cabanas, and dual-tem-perature outdoor whirlpool hot tub. Pala also offers 10 restau-rants and 40,000 square feet of meeting and convention space. Pala Casino Spa & Resort is an AAA Four-Diamond Award win-ner for 11 consecutive years. Its state-of-the-art Pala Spa was named the number one spa on the West Coast and one of the top 100 spas in the United States for 2013

by Spas of America. Previously, Pala Spa was named the 2009 Best Casino Spa by Spas of Amer-ica, the 2009 Best Casino Spa by the Southern California Gam-ing Guide and in 2012 received a spaAward and was selected by Spas of America as one of the top 100 spas in the United States.

In 2011, Pala Casino Spa & Re-sort was voted Best Casino in San Diego by the public in the 10News.com annual A-List poll sponsored by KGTV-TV 10 News in San Di-ego. For more information, vis-it http://www.palacasino.com.

AGREEMENTFrom page 1

PASSPORTFrom page 1

From page 1ENRILE NOT GUILTY AQUINO SEEKS

From page 1and fortifying outcrops and islets.

Last month, the Philippines protested at China’s increasing patrols in the Reed Bank, the site of a confrontation between vessels from the two countries in 2012.

While the poorly-equipped Philippine military cannot match China, Aquino has resorted to diplomatic and legal means in-cluding an arbitration case before a UN tribunal. However China has refused to participate in the proceedings.

Collinson said the Europeans have previously supported the Philippines in seeking a “peaceful resolution of confl ict”.

During his meetings with Eu-ropean leaders, Aquino will also bring up his “triple action plan” calling on China and other claim-ants to halt all provocative ac-tions, she added. While in France, Aquino will meet with French President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls.

The Ombudsman said that be-fore, during and after the project identifi cation, the accused sena-tor or his representative received a percentage of the cost of the project to be funded by the PDAF in exchange for the endorsement to the government agency of Na-poles’ foundation which became

ties… less the charges for taxes and similar taxes, which will be for the account of the Philippine government.”

“This means US soldiers are not required to pay basic taxes like Value-Added Tax (VAT) as ordinary Filipinos do,” Colmena-res said in Filipino.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Al-bert Del Rosario, who was pres-ent during the hearing, said ex-empting US soldiers from taxes is a standard practice in mutual defense pacts.

“Because of the mutuality of benefi ts, this is a common prac-tice under international law,” Del Rosario said.

The Cabinet offi cial also begged off from elaborating as the agree-ment, which seeks to implement the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement, is pending due to petitions before the Supreme Court.

“One of the assumptions is

GILAS WELCOMEFrom page 1the team arrives home.

Although Gilas lost its chance to advance to the next round in the FIBA World Cup, it ended its stint on a winning note by win-ning over Senegal, 81-79, in over-time.

what’s the current capacity of the supplier?” Albano said.

Del Rosario replied that the supplier of the document, which is the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi-nas, is capable of meeting the de-mands.

Each applicant is charged P950 for a passport application, which includes the ink and laminates.

The department is seeing a P12.8-billion budget for 2015. This is six percent higher than its current appropriation. (MNS)

mutuality of benefi ts… We have similar arrangements with other countries,” Del Rosario said, not-ing that while the Philippines exempts US forces from taxes, American soldiers train Philip-pine soldiers in large-scale train-ing exercises.

Colmenares said the agree-ment “foregoes such an income from the US [which] really needed bases here.”

Del Rosario maintained that it is for “mutuality of security.”

Below are the important provi-sions of the agreement:

It gives the United States ac-cess to “agreed locations,” mostly Philippine military facilities, for security cooperation exercises, joint training, etc. US forces may also use these locations for bun-kering of vessels, refueling of air-craft, temporary accommodation of personnel, prepositioning of equipment and supplies, etc.The locations will be used by US forces without rental or similar costs.

the recipient or target implemen-tor of the project.

The project turned out to be ghost or fi ctitious thus enabling Napoles to misappropriate the PDAF proceeds for her personal gain.

The Ombudsman said the ac-cused took “undue advantage, on several occasions, of their offi cial position, authority, relationship, connection and infl uence to un-justly enrich themselves at the expense and to the damage and prejudice of the Filipino people.”

LOS ANGELES


en need to eat more potassium-rich foods,” says Dr. Wassertheil-Smoller. “You won’t fi nd high potassium in junk food. Some foods high in potas-sium include white and sweet potatoes, bananas and white beans.”

Before piling these foods into the grocery cart in bulk, Dr. Wassertheil-Smoller suggests checking with one’s doctor to assess potassium intake be-cause too much of it can be dangerous to the heart.

Still, only 2.8 percent of women in Dr. Wassertheil-Smoller’s study met the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s

recommended daily potassium intake of 4,700mg and only 16 percent of par-ticipants met the World Health Organi-zation’s daily potassium recommenda-tion of 3,510mg.

The study did not take sodium con-sumption into account, and the balance between sodium and potassium is im-portant. Further research, says Dr. Was-sertheil-Smoller, should account for sodium and investigate the need for a potassium rich diet in younger people.

The study was published in the American Heart Association’s journal Stroke.

According to a recent study, postmenopausal women should eat a diet rich in potas-sium to ward off stroke. ©Aleph Studio/shutterstock.com

(Relaxnews) – Healthy postmeno-pausal women reduce their risk of stroke if their diet is rich in potassium, according to a research team led by Sylvia Wassertheil-Smoller, Ph.D., of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx.

According to Dr. Wassertheil-Smoller, previous research has shown that potassium could lower blood pres-sure, but it was never clear as to wheth-er it could ward off stroke.

“Our fi ndings give women another reason to eat their fruits and vegeta-bles,” she says. “Fruits and vegetables are good sources of potassium, and potassium not only lowers postmeno-pausal women’s risk of stroke, but also death.”

Over the course of 11 years, re-searchers worked with 90,137 post-menopausal women between the ages of 50 to 79, observing their potassium intake and incidence of stroke.

At the start of the study, none of the participants had undergone a stroke and they averaged a daily potassium quotient from food of 2,611mg.

Those whose diets were among the richest in potassium reduced their gen-eral risk of stroke by 12 percent over those whose diets contained the least amount of potassium.

Participants whose blood pressure was in the normal range and who were not taking medications for hyperten-sion reduced their general risk of stroke by 21 percent. On the other hand, for women with high blood pressure, in-cluding those taking medications for hypertension, a potassium rich diet did not lower risk of stroke, suggesting that a high potassium diet could be ben-efi cial before the onset of high blood pressure.

“Our fi ndings suggest that wom-

Recent research could improve quality of life for dieters, indicating that adherence should play a role when se-lecting their diet. ©Gts /shutterstock.com

Potassium-rich foods off er health benefi ts for older women: study

(Relaxnews) – Researchers from Canada conducted a meta-analysis in which they compared the effectiveness of several trademarked weight loss programs and concluded that due to the similarity of outcome, dieters should select their battle plan according to personal taste.

The study analyzed 59 studies with data from 49 trials involving 7,286 dieters whose median age was 46 and median weight was 207.5 lbs.

Researchers limited their material to medical literature on experiments in which participants with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or greater followed at will a trademarked diet for at least three months.

While all diets were superior to not dieting, and low-fat and low-carbohy-drate diets indicated to be the most ef-fective, weight loss outcomes between individual trademarked diets were min-ute. For example, a six-month follow-up showed that followers of the Atkins diet lost 3.8 lbs. more than Zone diet-ers.

“Although statistical differenc-es existed among several of the diets, the differences were small and unlikely to be important to those seeking weight loss,” the authors wrote in a response to the aforementioned fi nding, clearly unimpressed by a difference that

is not signifi cant in light of the BMIs of participants involved.

The study by Bradley C. Johnston, Ph.D., of the Hospital for Sick Chil-dren Research Institute in Toronto and McMaster University in Ontario, and his colleagues was met with a scath-ing editorial by Linda Van Horn, Ph.D., R.D., of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, pub-lished in the Journal of the Ameri-can Medical Association along with the study.

“Overall, the fi ndings from the study by Johnston et al, along with other recent data, under-score the importance of effective diet and lifestyle interventions that promote behavioral changes to support adherence to a calorie-restricted, nutrient-dense diet that ultimately accomplishes weight loss,” writes Dr. Van Horn. “Choosing the best diet suited to an individual’s food preferences may help foster adherence, but beyond weight loss, diet quality including micronutrient composi-tion may further benefi t longev-ity.”

Dr. Johnston and his colleagues plan further studies to examine the ef-fectiveness of switching between diets in the interest of improving quality of life for dieters.

Weight loss outcomes for popular diets nearly the same: study

LOS ANGELES


FAMILY FEATURES

We all want to eat more vegetables — and in the summer, when farmers markets and grocery stores are fi lled with fresh, colorful produce, it’s easier than ever. From juicy red tomatoes and yellow sweet corn to vibrant green broccoli, seasonal produce can be even more enjoy able with the addition of spices and herbs.

“I’m always thinking about ways to make vegetables taste great and be more healthful and exciting — other than just adding butter and salt,” said registered dietitian Wendy Bazilian. “Adding spices and herbs is easy to do, and they only cost pennies per serving. Plus, they’re already in your kitchen.”

To add fl avor to everyday vegetable favorites like zucchini and carrots, Bazilian recommends an easy rule of thumb: start with 1/4 teaspoon of spices and herbs, such as basil and oregano, per cup of veggies, along with a splash of citrus juice or olive oil.

“You can also dial up the fl avor depending on the cooking method,” Bazilian said. “Roasting vegetables like broccoli and tomatoes creates a caramelized fl avor that pairs deliciously with garlic, basil, oregano, honey and white vinegar. Grilling vegetables gives a smoky, charred fl avor. Or, let the natural fl avor of green beans shine by steaming them with rosemary and thyme.”

Try these simple fl avor tips to season your favorite vegetables and visit www.McCormick.com for more ideas you can use all year long.

Mixed Vegetable GrillServings: 61 tablespoon light brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick Basil Leaves 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Garlic Powder 1/8 teaspoon McCormick Ground Black Pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 6 cups assorted cut-up vegetables, such as asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini, yellow red onion and small sweet potatoMix brown sugar, basil, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in small bowl.

In large bowl, drizzle oil over vegetables; toss to coat well. Add seasoning mixture; toss to coat well.

Place vegetables in grill basket or rack, or thread onto skewers.

Grill over medium heat 10–12 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning occasionally.Kitchen tip: If using sweet potatoes, pierce them with fork and microwave two to three minutes on high or until tender.

Roasted Broccoli & Tomatoes

Servings: 41 tablespoon olive oil1 teaspoon McCormick Garlic Powder1/4 teaspoon McCormick Coarse Ground Black Pepper12 ounces broccoli fl orets1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar2 teaspoons honey1/2 teaspoon McCormick Basil Leaves1/4 teaspoon McCormick Oregano LeavesPreheat oven to 425°F.

Mix oil, garlic powder and pepper in large bowl. Add broccoli and tomatoes; toss to coat well. Spread in single layer on foil-lined 15-by-10-by-1-inch baking pan.

Roast in oven 13–15 minutes or until broccoli is lightly browned.

Meanwhile, mix vinegar, honey, basil and oregano in small bowl. Drizzle over roasted vegetables aft er removing from oven; toss to coat well. Serve immediately.

Herbed Green BeansServings: 41 pound trimmed green beans1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar2 teaspoons olive oil1/2 teaspoon fi nely crushed McCormick Rosemary Leaves1/2 teaspoon McCormick Th yme Leaves1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt from McCormick Sea Salt Grinder1/8 teaspoon McCormick Ground Black Pepper Place beans in medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover beans. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer four to six minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain. Return beans to saucepan.

Toss with vinegar, oil, rosemary, thyme, sea salt and pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat one to two minutes or until heated through.


“Wala akong nasak-tan, wala akong tinulak, wala akong tinamaan kundi yung salamin.”

This was the brief ex-planation of singer-host Billy Crawford when he narrated what hap-pened when he went berserk at a police sta-tion in Taguig early Sunday morning.

In an interview after he was held at the police station, Crawford said he was under a lot of stress when the incident happened. He also ad-mitted to being drunk.

“I was under the in-fl uence of alcohol. I ac-tually went to the pre-cinct, nasa Fort kami, sabi ko, ‘Pa-hold na lang ako, dito muna ako.’ Of course, they can’t do anything kasi wala na-man akong ginagawa so they couldn’t hold me. I walked back outside and called a few people. I asked if they can just hold me. Then I went back and I said to the offi cer on duty, sinabi ko lang po na ‘Please i-hold niyo na lang ako dito kasi makakasakit pa ako ng tao at makakasakit pa ako sa sarili ko.’ And then nakabasag ako ng sala-min,” he said.

Saying he does not remember hitting anyone, Crawford said: “I’d rather myself be held kesa makasakit pa ako or maaksidente pa ako or mabangga pa ako. I was under the infl uence of alcohol, it was my responsibility, it was my fault.”

Admitting that he is not per-fect, Crawford said it is unfortu-

nate that he handled the situa-tion the wrong way.

“Wala akong kaaway. To be honest, lahat naman tayo sumas-abog. I’m under a lot of stress that time, fatigue, I was really tired. I actually just wanted to have a good time which turned sour. It was my fault. Wala akong nasak-tan, wala akong tinulak, wala akong tinamaan kundi yung sa-lamin,” he said. Authorities said Crawford may be facing charges of malicious mischief, resisting arrest, direct assault and disobe-dience of agent of authority.

However, his lawyer said no complaints have been fi led against the “It’s Showtime” host as of writing. (MNS)

Luis Manzano drew laughs in a joint interview with his girlfriend, Angel Locsin, when he said, in jest, that it’s up to the “Darna” ac-tress to propose marriage.

The couple was interviewed after participating in Batangas’ Alay-Lakad charity event, which was organized by Manzano’s mother and the province’s gover-nor, screen veteran Vilma Santos.

“Baka masyado mo naman dib-dibin ‘yan, ah!” Locsin told Man-zano, when he quipped that he has been waiting for the actress’ wedding proposal.

Alluding to a controversial wedding mixup in Balesin Island Club, Manzano joked that they had been planning to hold their wedding there. The two, however, did not give a serious answer on their plans to wed. Locsin went along with Manzano’s jokes that she had agreed to shoulder the expenses of the special day, in exchange for the “gift” of his

good looks. Reacting to her son’s statement, Santos said, in jest: “Mga kaibigan, masanay na po kayo sa anak ko. Ganyan lang po ‘yan, pero maniwala kayo sa akin, napakabait niyan!”

“Mayabang lang po ‘yan. Mawala na ang yaman, huwag lang ang yabang!”

In the interview, Santos also referred to Locsin as a “good fi rst lady,” amid speculation that Man-zano is planning to pursue public offi ce in Batangas. The TV host, however, clarifi ed that he has yet to make a decision and will likely come up with one in a month’s time.(MNS)

“Whatever makes her happy.”This was the meaningful state-

ment of Anne Curtis when asked if she approves of her younger sister’s relationship with singer-actor Sam Concepcion.

This comes months after Curtis and Concepcion got embroiled in a controversy where the “The Gift-ed” actress supposedly confronted the singer-actor during the birth-day celebration of Vice Ganda at a high-end bar.

Curtis explained that she is only after the happiness of her sister, rising star Jasmine Curtis-Smith.

“Whatever makes someone happy, you can’t do anything about it. So for me, kung saan siya masaya, doon ako,” she said.

Curtis, however, admitted that just like any other older sister,

she still does not want Jasmine to be in a relationship.

“Of course, kahit sino namang ate, ayaw munang mag-boyfriend ‘yung baby sister. You’d like to protect her as much as you can or if ever, you’d like someone who re-ally values her worth. ‘Yun lang ang hanap ko sa isang lalaki,” she said.

When directly asked if she does not like Concepcion for Jasmine, Curtis said: “Basta ako, whatever makes her happy.”

According to Curtis, she and Concepcion are not close but they do greet each other if ever their paths cross.

But asked if Concepcion is ex-erting effort to also reach out to their family, Curtis said: “I don’t know. No comment. No comment na lang.” (MNS)

Billy Crawford explains what happened at police station

Billy Crawford

Luis tells Angel: I’m just waiting for proposal

Luis Manzano and Angel Locsin

What Anne Curtis thinks of Sam Concepcion

Anne Curtis

Sexy actress Bangs Gar-cia fi nally opened up about her supposed romantic ties with Philippine Azkals striker Phil Younghusband, months after the athlete confi rmed that they are “hanging out.”

“We are going out, we’re not hiding. We always go to the malls. We always eat out. We go to Ba-claran and we love going to vid-eoke. We love singing. Mahilig kami manood ng sine. Actually a lot of people see us outside. We’re not hiding anything,” she said.

The actress, however, added

Bangs Garcia opens up about ties with Phil Younghusband

Bangs Garcia

that they are still getting to know each other.

“We cherish every moment eh. Sobrang okay kasi kami eh. So-brang click kami,” she said.

According to Garcia, she and Younghusband have actually known each other for two years now.

“Magkakaibigan ‘yung mga ex namin. Well siyempre kahit na nandiyan ‘yung mga ex namin nag-uusap na kami. Okay kami, naguusap kami but we never texted each other at that time un-til this year. So nagulat kami that we clicked so much,” she said.

Saying they have many things in common, Garcia said: “Sabi ko para kaming mag-best friends talaga eh. We can talk about any-thing under the sun. We can just keep on talking the whole day. As in. Of course with the company of his sister and our friends. Marami kaming common friends.”

Asked if things are okay be-tween her and Angel Locsin, Gar-cia said, “Angel and I are friends and she’s happily with Luis [Man-zano], who’s also my friend. Dead-ma. I don’t care.”

Younghusband and Locsin used to be in a relationship but they broke up late last year. The Kapamilya actress is now in a re-lationship with Manzano again, years after they fi rst parted way. (MNS)

Raymart Santiago and Bettinna Carlos have both re-peatedly denied rumors that a relationship is brewing be-tween them.

It seems the issue is gain-ing traction, however, with people speculating that they are already living together. The matter escalated when Bettinna and Raymart posted photos on their respective In-stagram accounts that were seemingly taken in the same location – later identifi ed as Raymart’s condo unit.

While the actress readily acknowledged that the photo, a solo shot of her daughter Amanda Lucia, was indeed taken at Raymart’s unit, she stated that they were there only at the latter’s invitation for a “potluck dinner.”

She maintained that, aside from her daughter, they were “people from the production” of the now-defunct series “Villa Quintana” where they worked together.

Bettinna insisted there is “no truth” to the living in ru-mor, saying, “Ang purpose ko lang ay picturan ‘yung anak ko tapos nagawan na ng ga-nung issue na nag live-in kami.”

She maintained that de-spite her seeming closeness to Raymart, romance isn’t nec-essarily in the offi ng.

“Pwede ako ma-in love ka-hit kanino pero depende ‘yan sa pintig ng puso mo,” Bettina said.

“Kung kay Raymart, siyem-

Bettinna Carlos quells ‘live-in’ rumors with Raymart Santiago

Bettinna Carlos

pre I completely understand the situ-ation that he’s in, ‘yung sa mga anak niya, problem sa marriage niya (with Claudine Barretto), and I’m not one to meddle into something I know is dangerous.”

Still, she admitted, “I am not clos-ing my doors on anything and any-one dahil ang tadhana ko ay hindi ko hawak. It’s just a matter of who will come along, sinong maglalakas

ng loob (manilgaw) at kanino titibok ang puso ko.”

Bettinna wishes that people would stop dragging Claudine’s name in her issue with Raymart.

“’Wag na lang po sana nila kam-ing pagbanggain. I’m sure Claudine also wants to have a peaceful life. With all their legal battles, I know everyone is trying to minimize the gulo,” she related.

Actor Robin Padilla will never run for public offi ce again.The touted “Bad Boy of Philippine Movies,” who gunned for but

failed to secure the vice governorship of Nueva Ecija in 1995, said that while he still gets “many” offers from various parties, particu-larly to run as senator in 2016, his mind is already “closed” on the matter.

“Hindi talaga kaya, kahit saan mo tignan,” he said. “Ang (ibang) mga anak ko ay nag-aaral abroad, ang mga tuition fees nun (ay) dollars. Ang sweldo ng isang politician, hindi makakapagpaaral sa abroad kasi hindi (sapat) ’yun.”

Padilla claimed he once refused a position in the housing sector supposedly offered to him by Vice President Jejomar Binay. “Mag-papatayo na lang po ako ng housing,” he recalled telling Binay, insisting that, if ever, he will use his own money for such a project.

He said, “Hindi ako naniniwala na kung gusto mong makatu-long at meron ka naman, eh kukuha ka pa ng pera sa gobyerno. Ang pera ng gobyerno ay para sa taong (kapuspalad).”

Padilla echoed the notion when asked for qualities he is look-ing for in a president. More than anything, he believes that the country’s future leader should be willing “gastusin ’yung pera niya (para sa mga mahihirap).”

Robin Padilla: Politics will remain a closed door


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(Relaxnews) – Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute in Ger-many have developed an innova-tive solution with the potential to change the way power is delivered to electric vehicles. The inductive charging method relies on a por-table column that is placed ahead of the vehicle’s front license plate.

Already found in certain small home appliances, inductive charg-ing uses electromagnetic fi elds to transfer energy from one source to another. One induction coil, locat-ed in the power source, creates an alternating electromagnetic fi eld, while a second coil draws the en-ergy from the fi rst to recharge a battery.

The originality of the charge spot created by Fraunhofer lies in the concentration of the technol-ogy needed to power a car within a relatively small yellow column that contains the stacked coils. The energy is received by another set of coils placed just behind the vehicle’s front license plate. By design, this technology is compat-ible with all electric vehicles, from ultra-compact city cars to large

SUVs.In contrast, other inductive car

charging platforms rely on costly and complex underground instal-lations, such as the ones tested by certain car makers including Vol-vo. With their compact column, the engineers at the Fraunhofer Institute promise a solution that is more economical but also more practical, as it is portable and can be used anywhere.

For the time being, the system is only able to transmit three kilo-watts (kW), far less than current wired charging stations. Still in the prototype stage, the technol-ogy will only be developed for the mass market if it can be produced and sold relatively cheaply.

The charge spot prototype developed at the Fraunhofer Institute (Germany) stands out for its portability and compatibility with all types of electric vehicles.©Fraunhofer IISB

(DETROIT-AFP) – General Mo-tors CEO Mary Barra unveiled plans Sunday to make driving safer through hands-free technol-ogy, after a string of recalls that has dogged the company.

GM’s top-of-the-line Cadillac brand will provide a semi-auto pilot mode dubbed “Super Cruise” on certain 2017 model year cars.

In the same timeframe, the 2017 Cadillac CTS will feature vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology that allows cars to re-act to others in intersections and other situations.

Barra said the new technology will be available outside the Unit-ed States. It is also in demand in heavily congested Europe and in China, where accidents are tak-ing an increasingly heavy toll.

“We are not doing this for the sake of the technology itself. We’re doing it because it’s what custom-ers around the world want,” she said.

“Through technology and in-novation, we will make driving safer.”

Super Cruise will offer custom-ers a new type of driving experi-ence that includes hands-free lane following, braking and speed control in certain highway driving conditions.

The system is designed to in-crease the comfort of an attentive driver on freeways, both in bum-per-to-bumper traffi c and on long roadtrips.

The vehicle-to-vehicle commu-nication technology could miti-gate many traffi c collisions and improve traffi c congestion by sending and receiving basic safe-ty information such as location, speed and direction of travel be-tween vehicles that are approach-ing each other.

It will warn drivers and can supplement active safety fea-tures, such as forward collision warning, already available on many production cars.

As the world becomes more congested and new populations need access to personal mobility, accidents continue to be a global concern.

A recent National Highway Traffi c Safety Administration study estimated that the econom-ic and societal impact of motor ve-hicle crashes in the United States is more than $870 billion per year.

“Advancing technology so that people can more safely live their lives is a responsibility we em-brace,” Barra said.

GM cars ‘safe’Despite massive recalls in re-

cent months, Barra said consum-ers still trust GM.

She denied that consumers have grown more skeptical of GM’s technology or the safety of its vehicles since the recalls be-gan.

New vehicles sales in the US have risen 5.1 percent this year through the end of August, ac-cording to Autodata.

LOS ANGELES (Sept. 8, 2014) – Celebrating diversity means being an active part of the culture, and Nis-san is ramping up efforts to increase engagement in the Asian American community, starting with activations at the three largest Autumn Moon celebrations in the U.S. Nissan will host family activities, give away spe-cial prizes and showcase the brand’s latest line-up of innovative vehicles at each of these events.

“Moon Festival is one of the most important events in Chinese-Ameri-can culture, bringing friends and fam-ily closer together to celebrate their heritage. As sponsors of the three largest Moon Festivals in the U.S., we have the opportunity to join in the revelry alongside the Asian American community,” said Jason Yang, gen-eral manager, Nissan West Region. “Nissan has the most diverse consum-

er base of any full-line auto manufac-turer, and sponsoring cultural events such as Moon Festival is just one ex-ample of how we are broadening our outreach to refl ect that diversity.”

Nissan kicked off the Autumn Moon Festival this past weekend as major sponsors of the World Journal 2014 Happy Moon Festival in Irvine, California on Sept. 6, the Chinese Merchant Association AT&T Moon Festival in San Francisco’s China-town Sept. 6 and 7, and the Harvest Moon Festival in Arcadia, California on Sept. 7.

Nissan also is the title sponsor for this year’s Chinese American Muse-um’s Annual Historymakers Awards Gala in Los Angeles on Sept. 25. Now in its 18th year, the gala is recog-nized as one of the premiere Chinese American events in Southern Cali-fornia and honors the achievements

of extraordinary individuals who have made lasting contributions to-ward the advancement of the Chinese American community.

Nissan’s engagement with the U.S. Asian American community spans several decades. The company has donated brand new Nissan Titan pickup trucks to organizations such as the Koreatown Youth and Com-munity Center (KYCC), Korean Com-munity Services and the Asian Youth Center. Since 2007, Nissan has been the title sponsor of the Leadership Education for Asian Pacifi cs’ “Leader-ship in Action” Internship Program, which develops emerging young lead-ers in the Asian and Pacifi c Islander community. Nissan, in keeping with its commitment to the environment, has also worked with KYCC to help local youth build connections between themselves and nature.

GM to launch hands-free driving

Nissan celebrates Asian American heritage, sponsors largest Moon Festival events in U.S.

Researchers develop portable inductive charge spot for e-cars

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He said they will address the problem and will complete the overhaul by 2016.

To address the complaints of passen-gers, he said they are also reviewing the conveyance systems.

He said they will consider purchas-ing new elevators and escalators if it can no longer be repaired because of obsolete parts.

Radio communication among the trains and the control center will also be looked into, in addition to the construction of a more convenient footbridge at North Av-enue.

At the moment, the current maintenance provider continues to serve the MRT, its contract renewed every month.

the Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines, said only around 400 trucks have availed of the privilege, less than half of the fi gure Carlos mentioned.

While the scheme had good intentions, Bayocot said truckers are not inclined to get on the road on Sundays because it is their lone rest day.

“’Yung Sunday kasi, rest day ng driv-ers. Kapag napuyat sila ng Monday to Sat-urday, sinasamantala po talaga nila na makapagpahinga. Hindi naman po namin mapilit ‘yung drivers dahil from Monday to Saturday, halos 24 hours po sila [na nasa daan],” he said.

Designated truck routes under the new scheme include A. Bonifacio Avenue com-

said in the letter.The correspondence with Ban was read

by Del Rosario during the budget briefi ng of the Department of Foreign Affairs at the House of Representatives on Monday.

The controversy erupted earlier this month after several Filipino peacekeepers defi ed an order from the commander of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UN-DOF) in Golan Heights at the height of a standoff with Syrian militants.

The commander, Lt. Gen. Iqbal Singh Singha, supposedly wanted the Filipino troops to lay down their fi rearms to ensure the safety of Fijian peacekeepers seized by the rebels.

The UNDOF offi cial has slammed the

Filipino troops’ actions, calling their subse-quent escape an “act of cowardice.”

Asked why his men surrendered, Fijian Army Chief Brig. Gen. Mosese Tikoitoga said they were following a direct order from the commander of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).

“At no stage in an operation would I expect any of my offi cers not to follow the decisions of the fi rst commander,” he said. “The Filipinos chose to do so and the Phil-ippines government have supported them for having chosen that path. “We cannot criticise them for it, nor can we follow the decision they have made, we live by our own ethos of following command.”

He said offi cers on the ground had to make a snap decision in a fraught situa-tion. (MNS)

ing from NLEX, pass-ing through C-3 and Caloocan, straight to Road 10 to Manila’s ports. Trucks coming from CAVITEX may go straight on Roxas Blvd. to the port area.

Meanwhile, trucks coming from South-ern Luzon may pass through Osmeña High-way-Quirino to Roxas Boulevard until they enter the port.

“Ang reason natin bakit binibigyan na-tin ng privilege ‘yung mga na-tag is because napansin din ng Phil-ippine Ports Author-ity (PPA) [at ng] Public Cluster on Decongestion na walang naglalabas ng kargamento kapag Sundays at Monday mornings, so bumababa ‘yung effi ciency natin sa mga port sa ganitong araw,” Carlos said.

“Supposesdly, Sun-day is the leanest day sa traffi c, tapos walang gumagamit no’n, so pa-rang incentive na rin ito – magtrabaho kayo ng Sunday, you get this reward,” he added.

A new batch of trucks will be tagged next Sun-day and Monday morn-ing, September 14 to 15, Carlos said.

Carlos also said that the deadline imposed by the government on own-ers of overstaying con-tainers may have added to the monstrous traffi c experienced last Friday.

LOS ANGELES





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