2007 July – PinoyPress — Philippines news, opinion, blogs.

Archive for July, 2007

Celebrating Johnston’s Release, IFJ Calls for all Media Captives to be Set Free

The IFJ today joined with journalists around the word in welcoming the release of BBC journalist Allan Johnston from his four months captivity in Gaza.
“Today will be a great moment of joy for journalists and media workers who have seen a peaceful end to this terrible ordeal,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. “We send our [...]

7/05/07 11:05 PM Full Story

Sri Lanka: Young girl facing death sentence by beheading seeks urgent gov’t intervention

(Hong Kong, July 4, 2007) “The government of Sri Lanka must
clearly state its position regarding providing legal assistance to
young Nasik who is facing death sentence by beheading in Saudi
Arabia” said Basil Fernando, the Executive Director of the
Asian Human Rights Commission.

7/05/07 11:04 PM Full Story

Foreign chambers welcome hike in Philippines tourist arrivals, cite problems

The Foreign Chambers of the Philippines warmly welcome the increasing tourist arrivals in the Philippines, which in 2006 grew at an annual rate of 14% (twice the regional average). If fast growth continues, we believe the government’s target of five million visitors by 2010 is achievable.

7/05/07 10:59 PM Full Story

Pimentel proposes cadastral survey of entire Philippines

MANILA — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Nene” Q. Pimentel,
Jr. (PDP-Laban) is proposing a cadastral survey of the
entire country to identify the legitimate landowners
or claimants and effectively curb the proliferation of
fake land titles.

7/05/07 10:54 PM Full Story

Philippines’s 10 outstanding students honored

manila — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo presented today the 2007 Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) awards to the winners of the annual search for young students committed to moral leadership, social responsibility, and academic and professional excellence.

7/05/07 10:49 PM Full Story

Let justice take its course in Estrada case — Palace

MANILA — Malacanang reiterated today its adherence to the rule of law and in letting justice takes its course as the nation awaits with eager anticipation the verdict of the Sandiganbayan on the plunder case against former President Joseph Estrada.

7/05/07 10:48 PM Full Story

Philippiens cites importance of RoRo system in boosting interisland farm trade, domestic tourism

MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cited today the importance of the administration’s Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) and Roll-on, Roll-off (RoRo) Ports system in spurring interisland farm trade, improving distribution of basic goods, reducing travel time and transportation costs,and promoting domestic tourism.

7/05/07 10:48 PM Full Story

Philippines remains committed to P63-billion deficit goal, P1.1-trillion revenue target

Finance Secretary Margarito Teves said that despite tax collection shortfalls in the first half of the year, the full-year deficit and revenue targets could be attained through improved collection efficiency, aggressive privatization efforts, and more effective anti-corruption programs.

7/05/07 10:47 PM Full Story

Metro Manila suffers shortage of qualified labor

Despite a labor surplus, large enterprises in the country’s premier region experienced shortage of skills ranging from high-end positions such as accountants, engineers, and IT-based occupations to blue-collar jobs such as welders, drivers, and skilled laborers.

7/05/07 10:42 PM Full Story

Philippines gun industry sees positive growth

DAVAO CITY — Gun manufacturing players noted a positive growth of the industry in the export market.
Amscor chair Demetrio Tuazon at The Marco Polo Hotel’s Club 888 forum said they saw a 30 percent growth in the world market.

7/05/07 10:23 PM Full Story

Philippines’s anti-terror law ‘like gun in hands of homicidal maniac’

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño today called on the Macapagal-Arroyo administration “to immediately issue an indefinite suspension of the implementation of the country’s anti-terror law to give adequate time for the incoming Congress to expansively look into the anti-civil liberties law.”

7/05/07 10:17 PM Full Story

ILPS statement on the Global Forum on Migration and Development

Office of the Chairperson
ILPS STATEMENT ON THE GLOBAL FORUM
ON MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT
By Prof. Jose Maria Sison
Chairperson, International Coordinating Committee
International League of Peoples’ Struggle
July 4, 2007
On July 9, 10 and 11, the first Global Forum on Migration and Development will be held in Brussels, Belgium. The first day will be the Civil Society Dialogue where the [...]

7/05/07 10:16 PM Full Story

An urgent appeal to opposition senators-elect

“We are alarmed at the way the fight for the Senate presidency is developing. The 14th Congress has not yet opened, and already we are seeing the people’s mandate for an opposition-dominated Senate being squandered.”

7/05/07 10:14 PM Full Story

Thailand: Website promoting former primer minister blocked

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has voiced its continuing concern about internet censorship in Thailand, after the recent ratification of new cyber crime legislation.

7/05/07 10:12 PM Full Story

IFJ calls for immediate safety measures for journalists after bloody confrontation in Pakistan

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is shocked and distressed to hear of the loss of life in Islamabad, Pakistan, during the day-long confrontation between government forces and a radical religious group operating in and around the premises of the Lal Masjid on July 3.

7/05/07 10:08 PM Full Story

Terror law a serious threat to Philippines press freedom — NUJP

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines treats as a serious threat to press freedom and the people’s right to know Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez’S statement that under the Human Security Act he may recommend wiretapping journalists government believes to be “co-mingling” with terror suspects.|

7/05/07 10:05 PM Full Story

Maestro from Philippines in UK conducting debut

MANILA —Filipino Maestro Eugene Castillo, Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra made his conducting debut in the UK at a choral and orchestral concert at Brentwood Cathedral in Essex on 30 June 2007.

7/05/07 10:01 PM Full Story

Engineer from Philippines one of 50 outstanding Asian-Americans in business

MANILA — Engineer Rodolfo Quiambao, President and CEO of Rudell & Associates, Inc., and active Filipino community leader in the northeast US, is one of the 50 recipients of the Outstanding Asian Americans in Business award given by the prestigious Asian American Business Development Center (AABDC) during its awarding ceremonies on 22 June 2007.

7/05/07 10:00 PM Full Story

LATEST STORIES FROM DAVAOTODAY.COM

Duterte-Nograles tiff over park prelude to 2010?

Urban poor group hits Arroyo on housing mega-sale

Military operations in ComVal is linked to mining – environmental alliance

San Isidro town govt to penalize cacao felling

Boston villagers recount tales of military abuses

STORIES BY CARLOS H. CONDE

40 die as Philippine ferry capsizes

Asia, too, feels the pain

As the MOA Unravels, What Now?

Peace process fraught with peril for Arroyo

Islamic separatists kill 28 in Philippines rampage

THE NEWS IN PICTURES

Spawn. This photo, taken by photojournalist Sonny Espiritu, won the Best Single Photo award in the recent annual PopDev Awards. The photo was first published by the Philippine Human Rights Reporting Project with this caption: "An urban poor woman feeds her youngest child while washing clothes for a living and looking after other children. Modern contraception advocates say having fewer children would help fight poverty and hunger, but the predominent Catholic Church says there is no link between poverty and population, of which the Philippines has now almost 90 million."

End The Violence. Members of the women's group Gabriela make known their sentiments about violence against women. They commemorated yesterday, Nov. 25, the "International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. (Photo courtesy of arkibongbayan.org)

Anti-GMA Protest in LA. Members of GABNet, the progressive Filipino women's group in the United States, outside the LAX Sheraton in Los Angeles last week to protest the persecution and killing of political activists in the Philippines. The protest was timed for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo stopover en route to Peru for the Apec summit. (Photo courtesy of Ninotchka Rosca/GABNet)

Tagaytay on a Sunday. Kite-flying has become a favorite activity at the Picnic Grove in Tagaytay. On an overcast but generally pleasant afternoon last Sunday, dozens of kites colored the skies, complementing the view of Taal Volcano in the background. (Photo by Ayi Muallam)

Downed. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front released Friday this photo of some of its members playing with what the group claimed was an unmanned spy plane that crashed earlier this month. The front said the alleged drone was a property of the US military. More details here.

Hunger Amid War. This child refugee is one of the thousands affected by the war in Mindanao. The situation in North Cotabato and Maguindanao has deteriorated since renewed fighting between government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) broke out in Aleosan and Midsayap, North Cotabato last Aug. 8, according to groups that held last month the National Interfaith Humanitarian Mission in North Cotabato and Maguindanao. (Photo courtesy of Kalinaw Mindanao/arkibongbayan.org)

Another Bayan Muna Leader Killed. Danny Qualbar, an officer of the Compostela Farmers' Association and coordinator of Bayan Muna was on his way to Compostela town Thursday afternoon to buy fish for his family when assassins in motorcycles shot him. Qualbar was the second Bayan Muna member killed this year in Compostela Valley. Top photo shows Qualbar’s eldest child grieving his death. (Photo by Jonald Mahinay/davaotoday.com)

Stairway to Heaven. Found in the middle of the forest, the cascading waters of Aliwagwag waterfalls in Cateel, Davao Oriental, looks like a descending stairway. No wonder it is considered one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Mindanao. (Photo by Grace S. Uddin / davaotoday.com)

Stop Militarizing Communities! Members of farmer's group Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas in Southern Mindanao Region held a rally October 8 in front of the headquarters of the Eastern Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Camp Panacan, Davao City. The group called for the pullout of troops conducting massive military operations in Tamayong in Davao City, Talaingod in Davao del Norte, Monkayo in Compostela Valley and in the towns of Baganga, Cateel, Boston in Davao Oriental and Lingig Surigao Del Sur. (Photo by Jonald Mahinay/davaotoday.com)

Land and Peace Concert. Students from Tribung Bayanga National High School perform before the crowd at Gaston Park in Cagayan De Oro City on October 23 night during the Yuta ug Kalinaw Concert. The two-hour concert was part of the Integrity of Creation Solidarity week that kicked-off last October 19. The week-long activity was a gathering of mining affected communities and support groups to discuss the issues affecting their communities. (Photo by AKP Images / Keith Bacongco)

Full Capacity. Normally, passenger vans are allowed to carry 14 people. But this one is apparently beyond its carrying limit as it negotiates the zigzag road in Sulop, Davao del Sur, a known accident- and landslide-prone area. (Photo by Keith Bacongco / AKP Images)

The Child as Vigilante. A 10-year-old boy carries a firearm and joins members of the Ilaga, an infamous anti-Moro militia, in its camp in Aleosan, North Cotabato. The child's father leads the dreaded vigilante group in the area. (Photo by Romy Elusfa/Philippine Human Rights Reporting Project)

Under Repair. A "Skylab," the most common mode of transportation in the Agusan provinces and elsewhere in Mindanao, undergoes a repair at a shop in Butuan City. The motorcycle is fitted with wooden "wings" on both sides -- hence the moniker -- and is capable of carrying up to eight passengers. (Photo by Keith Bacongco / AKP Images)

Free At Last. Pastor Berlin Guerrero of the National Council of Churches of the Philippines, shown above with wife Mylene, was released after 15 months in police detention. He had been abducted and went missing for days before the police came out to say that he was arrested on a murder charge, which his family and colleagues said had been fabricated. A court ordered him released on Sept. 11. (Photo by arkibongbayan.org)