Monday, July 27, 2009

RP shares open strong despite vague political plans of Arroyo

MANILA, Philippines - Despite the mixed reactions on the State of the Nation Address by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Philippine stock market opened stronger with the benchmark index hitting a more than 10-month high.

The 30-company bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index rose, 2,746.32, just a little off its September 4, 2008 opening of 2,750.49.

Investors seemed to have shrugged off political noise and focused on the bright economic prospects going forward, said Justino Calaycay Jr., Accord Capital Equities trader.

"I think the people are giving Mrs. Arroyo the final benefit of the doubt that she will step down once her term expires next year. There's no reason to doubt her yet since amendment of the Constitution would take at least more than 10 months," Calaycay added. Cheryl M. Arcibal, GMANews.TV

Sunday, July 26, 2009

For GMA, it's person over institution

From ABS-CBN News
12th in a series on GMA's 9th State of the Nation Address

MANILA - President Arroyo has governed using a very personal lens, trumping institutions. She has used her power of appointment for political survival. This has been a hallmark of her presidency.

more

Hayden Kho faces ban from performing surgery

MANILA, Philippines - Controversial celebrity doctor Hayden Kho’s woes are far from over.

The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) yesterday said Kho might soon be banned from performing cosmetic surgery if the association decides to expel him for his alleged involvement in a sex video scandal.

PMA spokesman Dr. Bu Castro said Kho should be penalized for tainting the image of the medical industry with the spread of his sex videos with actress Katrina Halili and other women.

Kho allegedly taped his sex encounters with the women without their consent and knowledge. He said certain people stole his videos from his laptop and distributed them over the Internet.

This prompted Halili to file charges against Kho and the people behind the spread of the sex videos.

Castro said the PMA’s ethics committee has already submitted a recommendation to the board, which is “either Kho’s suspension or expulsion.”

“The discussion was very heated among members of the committee so we just agreed to put it through secret balloting, but of course the final decision will still be with the board,” Castro said in an interview.

The board’s final decision will be released on Aug. 9.

Halili earlier filed a petition before the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) seeking the revocation of Kho’s medical license for alleged immorality.

The PRC scheduled a hearing last Friday but Kho’s camp requested it be reset to this week.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Red Alert

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Soldiers gather at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City yesterday as part of the military’s red alert in Metro Manila for the State of the Nation Address of President Arroyo tomorrow. Val Rodriguez

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Count Down to SONA

5 Days before SONA, Arriyo halts offensive vs MILF Rebs

Five days before her last State of the Nation Address, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines Thursday to stop its offensives against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels in a bid to restart peace talks, a move welcomed by the guerrillas.

As of Today

The basic jeepney fare is php 7.00, 48.18 pesos is equal to 1 dollar. The top stories are:

Ex-VP asks Arroyo ‘vital questions’
Former vice president Teofisto Guingona Jr. on Thursday morning issued an open letter to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo asking "vital questions" about her term of office three days before she delivers her State of the Nation Address.

Guingona, at a press conference at Club Filipino in San Juan City, questioned Arroyo about how she plans to cover a deficit of P154 billion for the first six months of the year.

Will you borrow or impose new taxes?" he wrote in the five-page letter titled, "I ask—The People Have a Right to Know."

Guingona also asked Arroyo about her previous Sona promises including her pledge to provide one million jobs each year. "And yet, our unemployed soared to 2.9 million in April 2008, and the underemployed to 6.6 million. Where are the jobs promised?" he said.

During the open forum that followed, Guingona said he received an invitation to attend a Sona rally and that he would likely attend.

He also said three conditions for a declaration martial law are not present: credibility of current administration, support of military, and support from the international community.


Ex-defense chief:
Defy unlawful orders

By Philip C. Tubeza

Warning about a “disturbing pattern” showing that the Arroyo administration will try to perpetuate itself in power, former Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz Jr. Wednesday urged soldiers to defy “patently unlawful orders” for partisan political ends and for subverting the Constitution.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Prelude to a Blog


Recently I was assigned by my Grand Reunion Committee to research the significant events that happened in the year of our Graduation. I tried Google and all types of search engines to find out the jeepney and bus fares, price of basic commodities, dollar to peso rates back then. It was very frustrating endeavor which gave me an idea to create a blog that documents significant events here in the Philippines.