Employers, recruiters 'must shoulder' OFWs repatriation

AMID reports of abandoned overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in strife-torn areas, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is not about to allow employers and recruitment agencies to simply shirk from their responsibilities to their workers.

"All employers and recruiters are required to handle the repatriation of OFWs, including those they have initially abandoned, in cases of war, epidemic, disasters or calamities," POEA Administrator Carlos Cao said, citing Memorandum Circular 04-2011.

Mutiny leader applies for amnesty

ANOTHER core leader of the short-lived July 2003 Oakwood mutiny sought amnesty proclaimed by President Benigno Aquino II last year a few weeks before the 90-day application period expires.

Public school teachers seek income tax exemptions

A GROUP of public school teachers has appealed for income tax exemptions, saying this is one of the ways government can help its members with increasing costs of living.

"We call on our government especially the President to act to this appeal. Since they do not intend to give us increases in salary or grant us cost of living allowances, tax exemptions and other forms of non-wage benefits will surely help us and our families," said Benjo Basas, national chairperson of the Teachers' Dignity Coalition.

Bishop: Ombudsman should go on leave

AN OFFICIAL of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) called on Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to reconsider calls for her to go on leave amid her looming impeachment trial.

CBCP Public Affairs Committee Chairman Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez, in an interview, said it would be good if Gutierrez would temporarily leave her post as her impeachment trial at the Senate looms.

HIV-positive Filipinos now at 150

THE number of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in the Philippines has gone beyond 100, as more than 150 new cases have been recorded only in the first month of 2011.

Based on the January Philippine HIV and Aids Registry report of the Department of Health (DOH), there were 152 new "sero-positive" individuals confirmed to have acquired HIV.

Saudi political tension will not escalate: Foreign Affairs

DESPITE alerting Filipino nationals, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is optimistic that the political tension in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) will not escalate.

Unlike the situation in Libya, the government has a good hold on its citizens and it does not tolerate demonstrations and protests of any kind, DFA Undersecretary Rafael Seguis said.

Special polls in Basilan, Mt. Province will be manual

SPECIAL polls in certain precincts in the provinces of Basilan, Mountain Province, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and Cagayan will be manual.

Instead of shading dots, as the electorate did during the May 10 national and local polls, voters will write the names of their chosen candidates in the official ballot during the elections on Saturday, March 12.

Tough measures vs animal diseases ordered

AGRICULTURE Secretary Proceso Alcala on Friday ordered concerned agencies to carry out more stringent measures to deny the entry of major animal ailments such as foot-and-mouth disease.

The directive issued to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) came in the wake of reports that over three million heads of cattle are currently affected by the FMD in South Korea.

Water firm offers rewards to cut pilferage

RESIDENTS in the western part of Metro Manila and nearby areas should look forward to better water connection as the Maynilad Water Services Inc. jumpstarted a program to address perennial leaks.

Dubbed "Sugpuin ang Ilegal na Koneksyon Agad" (Sikad), the undertaking offers a reward to individuals who submit verified reports of illegal connections of commercial and industrial establishments.

City suspends building work after fatal accident

CEBU CITY -- The City Government suspended Friday the work on a condominium project where a construction worker died.

In an interview, Engr. Josefa Ylanan of the Office of the Building Official (OBO) confirmed the suspension, adding City Hall wants the contractor to report on the incident.

Dagupan City prepares for tsunami

DAGUPAN CITY – City Administrator Vladimir Mata convened Friday disaster officials in the city following a tsunami alert issued by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Mata also designated the City Tourism Office at the ground floor of the City Museum as the command center. The command center is operational until such time that the NDRRMC has declared all the provinces included in the watch list to be out of danger.

Tsunami alert up

THE most critical hours passed last night with no unusually large waves spotted near Philippine shores, after a huge earthquake and a tsunami hit Japan yesterday.

But government warn-ed coastal residents the first waves may not always be the largest and “these may continue for hours,” so they should avoid the coast and head inland.

Naga residents complain against black particles from power plants’ stockpile

MAYOR Valdemar Chiong of the City of Naga yesterday criticized the Kepco-SPC Power Corp. for failing to contain the dust emitted by coal being delivered to its newly built coal-fired power plants.

City residents have complained of black particles settling on their clothes, cars and furniture inside their houses.

Over 55,000 return home after tsunami alert lifted

MANILA (Updated 12:08 p.m.) -- Thousands of people who evacuated after the 8.9 earthquake that struck Japan have returned home as the government lifted the tsunami alert in 19 provinces.

A radio report said 55,335 residents have returned home after the government lifted at 11:30 p.m. Friday the tsunami alert in the country as no "unusual waves" were monitored in the eastern seaboard of the Philippines where evacuation was earlier ordered.

‘Thieves’ kill cop

A NEOPHYTE policeman on field training was shot dead while responding to a robbery alarm in Sitio Mananga 2, Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City yesterday afternoon.

PO2 William Mangubat, 26, of Pardo, Cebu City, succumbed to bullet wounds in the head and shoulder after he was shot by two armed robbers at 4:15 p.m., police said.

Buses to charge less for first 5 km

CEBU bus operators have decided not to implement the fare matrix approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in 2008, contrary to their previous statement three days ago.

They have agreed to lower the fare for the first five kilometers to P6 from P8.50, but they want to collect P1.20 for every succeeding kilometer, instead of the current rate of P1.

Macasaet 'mistahs' offer cash reward

MISTAHS (slang for Philippine Military Academy classmates) of slain Philippine Military Academy (PMA) instructor Ferdinand Macasaet are pooling their resources to identify the man who shot their classmate last March 3.

The reward would depend on how substantial the information would be, said Baguio City Police Public Information Officer Karissma Sta. Juana.

Dumpit not safe here: jail chief

POLICE officer Adonis Dumpit is not safe at the Cebu City jail, even inside an isolated cell, a jail official told the court yesterday.

Supt. Felixberto Jagorin, Cebu City jail warden, said the prison management could not fully secure Dumpit, who was transferred from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 stockade to the city jail last March 7.

Philippine Science High School still a squatter

THE Philippine Science High School (PSHS) in the Cordillera Administrative Region still has no permanent home, said Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Regional Director Ben Ladilad.

The regional science high school is being managed by the agency and it is still using a portion of the Baguio City National High School (BCNHS)-San Vicente Annex to hold classes.

Martial Law victim says justice served after 26 years of waiting

CIRIACA Sipsip was pregnant when her husband was abducted in 1985. When the class action suit filed against former president Ferdi-nand Marcos won, receiving the compensation and finding justice for her missing husband had become the subject of her prayers for several years. When it finally came yesterday, Sipsip cried.

“I’m crying because I’m very happy. We waited for so long, and now it’s here,” the 52-year-old resident of Toledo City said.

Wife won’t sue welder over hubby’s death

RENE Bangcale, 34, planned not to work on Thursday morning. His money was not enough for the jeepney fare from his home in Sitio Orel, Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City to his workplace in Cebu City.

But a neighbor and co-worker lend him money, Bangcale’s wife Ernanie, 33, said.

Fuel allocation cut by 15 percent

THE Cebu City Government cut the fuel allocation of all City Hall and barangay vehicles by 15 percent.

The move came after City administrator Jose Marie Poblete found out from the fuel consumption report submitted by General Services Office (GSO) chief Engr. Rolando Ardosa that the City’s monthly fuel allocation is higher than the actual monthly consumption for most City-owned vehicles.

Mayor searching for Itogon OFWs in Libya

ITOGON, Benguet -- Mayor Oscar Camantiles is closely coordinating with government agencies to find his constituents still stuck in Libya.

"I know there are constituents in Libya but they are in safe grounds," Camantiles said, adding the Municipal Government is coordinating with both the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to verify these reports.

Fisherman, 47, ‘blown to pieces’ after compressor tank exploded

A FISHERMAN is believed to have been blown to pieces after an improvised compressor he was using to catch fish exploded in the waters off Barangay Punta Engaño at midnight last Thursday.

Fisherman Eugenio Daño, 47, couldn’t be found. But in his damaged boat were blood, a severed hand, other bits of flesh and torn pieces of clothing.

Police: Crime in Baguio down

BAGUIO policemen remain jovial at their recent accomplishment in lowering the crime rate during the month-long celebration of Panagbenga in the city.

Margot ‘loses’ PCL post without fight

CEBU City Councilor Edgardo Labella was dismayed when his bet for the Philippine Councilors’ League (PCL) elections didn’t file her candidacy.

Labella was determined to nominate his colleague Councilor Margot Osmeña for the PCL presidency, but the guidelines prevented him from doing so.

Tomas, Cutie ‘open to support’ bill on Mandaue as lone district

IF Rep. Luigi Qui-sumbing (Cebu, 6th district) files the bill to turn Mandaue City into a lone district, Cebu City representatives would support the move.

Reps. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south) and Rachel del Mar (Cebu City, north) both said they are agreeable to the proposal.

Cordillera repatriates get cash assistance

LABOR officials remain optimistic that the P10,000 assistance given to Filipino repatriates would already help start-up their own business or find new job opportunities in other countries.

Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) Regional Director Evelyn Laranang said 70 out of the 115 repatriates from the Cordillera region already received their cash assistance.

Angara: More consultation on additional 2 years needed

AURORA Representative Juan Edgardo Angara, chairperson of the committee on higher and technical education, said consultations have to be done "on the ground" first before the Department of Education proceeds with plans of adding two more years to basic education.

Angara's committee is now conducting consultations around the country to get the feedback of groups to be affected by the plan.

Hedcor hands over P1.4 million Itogon backlog

ITOGON, Benguet -- Mayor Oscar Camantiles opted to forgo a court case and accepted payment from Hedcor Incorporated.

Camantiles received P1.4 million worth of financial assistance and national wealth tax backlogs from the hydro company in simple ceremonies, Tuesday morning.