NEWSCAPS
April 10, 2013
(POLITICAL)
I. GROUNDED CHINESE FISHING BOAT IN TUBBATAHA
 On Monday night, a Chinese fishing vessel with a crew of 12 ran
aground in Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park. Initial reports indicated
that the Chinese had no permit to enter the marine sanctuary and
were expected to be charged with poaching and illegal entry. No
estimated damage has been released by authorities.
II. SWS SURVEY: 1 IN 11 CONSIDERS LEAVING CATHOLIC
CHURCH
 About one in every 11 Filipino Catholics, or 9.2 percent,
sometimes considers leaving the Church, a recent survey by
Social Weather Stations (SWS) found. Results of the survey,
conducted from February 15 to 17, also found that compared with
members of other denominations, Filipino Catholics were less
devout and active in attending church services.
III. US DIPLOMATIC CABLES ON PRESIDENT MARCOS IN
WIKILEAKS
 Then Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos forced his military
chiefs to parade as women during a tasteless, sycophantic
birthday party planned by his unstable wife, according to US
diplomatic cables.
 The US ambassador to the Philippines in the mid-1970s, William
Sullivan, wrote a series of blistering criticisms of Ferdinand and
Imelda Marcos in secret cables that have since been declassified
and published by WikiLeaks.
IV. MARGARET THATCHER’s DEMISE
 Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died from a
stroke at age 87. She retired from public engagements in 2002
following a series of small strokes, and was only occasionally
seen in public since then.
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 Admirers, friends and sympathizers of the late former British
prime minister Margaret Thatcher may post messages in a
condolence book provided by the British embassy in Manila.
V. NORTH KOREA’s NUCLEAR THREAT
 North Korea warned foreigners in South Korea to leave the
country because they were at risk as the Korean peninsula was
headed for a “thermonuclear” war, the latest in a series of
apocalyptic threats.
VI. SOUTH KOREA’s PROTECTION OF FOREIGNERS
 South Korea continues to assure foreign diplomatic missions that
they are capable of protecting the country and ensuring the safety
of foreigners there, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
 Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said that the
Philippine embassy in Seoul diligently monitors developments in
the Korean peninsula. “We have a contingency plan, which we
are continuing to update as we speak,” Del Rosario said.
VII. JAPAN’s MISSILE DEFENSES
 Japan deployed missile-defense systems at three sites around
Tokyo ahead of a possible missile launch by North Korea. Chief
Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that the Japanese
government would not publicize any missile-defense deployment,
saying "It would show our strategy to North Korea."
VIII. SC PETITION TO PURSUE SABAH CLAIM BEFORE ICJ
 Legal issues over the territorial claim of the sultanate of Sulu in
Sabah have reached the Supreme Court (SC) for judicial review.
In a 17-page taxpayer’s suit filed last week, Louis Biraogo asked
the high court to compel the government to pursue what he said
was a valid claim before an international tribunal.
 Specifically, he asked the SC to issue a writ of mandamus
directing the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to take the case
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before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or other bodies
authorized to resolve the dispute under international laws.
IX. CLAIM OF SABAH REINFORCEMENTS
 More than 400 “volunteer fighters” of the so-called sultanate of
Sulu have arrived in Lahad Datu, Sabah, to reinforce the
sultanate’s “Royal Security Forces (RSF),” triggering clashes with
Malaysian security forces, the sultanate’s spokesperson Abraham
Idjirani said.
 “We have not monitored anything like that. Our naval blockade in
the area is in place [in Tawi-Tawi area],” said the military
spokesperson, Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr.
X. PRESIDENT AQUINO ON FULL BENEFITS TO VETERANS
 President Aquino pledged to fully deliver the benefits of the
thousands of World War II veterans. He said that the government
was working hard to deliver in full the administrative disability
pension, a monthly P1,700 for veterans who have reached the
age of 70, on top of the P5,000 monthly pension.
 The President said that the government was also aggressively
monitoring the implementation of the Filipino Veterans Equity
Compensation Law, through which the United States has given,
as of January 2013, $224 million worth of compensation to more
than 18,700 applicants.
XI. PCGG ON
APPOINTEES
EXCESS
COMPENSATION
OF
FORMER
 Ten former government-appointed directors in two sequestered
companies risk being haled to court for the excessive pay and
allowances they allocated for themselves during their tenure.
 The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG)
issued demand letters last December to 15 former government
nominees in the boards of the Independent Realty Corporation
(IRC) and the Bataan Shipyard and Engineering Corporation
(Baseco).
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 PCGG Chair Andres Bautista said that they are ready to file
cases before the Ombudsman against those they have not heard
from.
XII. PH VISIT OF BRUNEI SULTAN
 Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah will be in Manila next week,
his first trip to the Philippines during the Aquino administration, in
a visit seen to boost long-standing ties between the two countries.
Bolkiah’s visit to the Philippines is set just weeks before Brunei’s
hosting of the 10-member ASEAN Summit in its capital.
XIII. FILIPINOS’ DRUG SMUGGLING IN INDONESIA
 Three Filipinos could face death penalty in Indonesia after being
caught trying to smuggle methamphetamine with a street value of
$2.1 million into the country. The three were arrested last week
with the 15.3-kilogram (33.7-pound) drugs haul after arriving from
Hong Kong at the main airport serving the capital Jakarta.
XIV. COA ON RETURN OF P60-MILLION UNAUTHORIZED PAY TO
DOE EXECUTIVES
 Officials and employees of the Department of Energy (DOE) were
found to have received more than P60.3 million in unauthorized
yearend financial benefits and subsidies in 2010 and 2011.
 The Commission on Audit said that Malacañang did not authorize
the release of the money for yearend benefits and food and utility
subsidy. DOE personnel must refund the P78,000 they each
received, the COA said.
XV. DROPPED GRAFT CHARGES VS DPWH EXECUTIVES IN
MALAMPAYA PROJECTS
 Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon has cleared officials of the
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Region IVB (Mimaropa) and several private contractors of all criminal and
administrative charges filed in connection with the construction of
P420 million worth of infrastructure projects financed with
Malampaya gas share funds.
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XVI. REP. PALMONES ON P1.8-BILLION PAGCOR ANOMALY
 Rep. Angelo Palmones of Agham party-list has accused the
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) of
awarding an anomalous P1.8 billion casino paper deal for a
paper-based ticket-in/ticket-out (TITO) technology in casino slot
machines.
XVII. COMELEC ON PARTY-LISTS WITH MULTIPLE SETS OF
NOMINEES
 The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to resolve the
issue of seven party-list groups having two sets of nominees. The
groups that submitted two sets of nominees were Ako Bicol
Political Party (AKB), Anak Mindanao Party-list (Amin), Trade
Union Congress Party (TUCP), Adhikaing Tinataguyod ng
Kooperatiba (Ating Koop), Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption
(Cibac), Coalition of Associations of Senior Citizens in the
Philippines Inc. (Senior Citizens) and Abakada-Guro (Abakada).
XVIII. REP. ANGARA ON FILING OF SALNs AND ITRs FOR
CANDIDATES
 Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, one of President Aquino’s
handpicked senatorial bets, has suggested that candidates who
are now in public office to disclose not just their statements of
assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) but their income tax
returns (ITRs) as well.
XIX. SEN. SANTIAGO’s HEALTH
 Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago is worried about her worsening
health condition caused by a bone marrow disease. Santiago said
that her bone marrow disorder may develop into leukemia if she
continues to produce less red blood cells.
(ECONOMY)
I. ADB ON PH GROWTH FORECAST UPGRADE
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 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised to six percent its
forecast gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the Philippines
in 2013, from an earlier projection of five percent.
 ADB Senior Economist for the Philippines Norio Usui said that the
country is expected to experience robust growth over the next two
years buoyed by strong consumption, increased government and
private spending on infrastructure development, amid modest
inflationary pressures.
II. MINDANAO POWER WOES
 If the power deficiency in Mindanao continues to widen, this could
result to depriving electricity to at least five major cities in the
island, according to a top official of AboitizPower, one of the
country’s largest producers of renewable energy.
 These cities include Davao and General Santos in Southern
Mindanao; Butuan and Cagayan de Oro in Northern Mindanao;
and Zamboanga in West Mindanao, said Bobby Orig, First VicePresident for Mindanao Affairs of the AboitizPower.
III. USTR ON PH LABOR POLICY REFORMS
 Further clarification has been requested from Manila by the Office
of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), which is
hearing a labor rights complaint that has been tied to retention of
country’s export privileges.
 The USTR said that they wanted the Philippines’ Labor
department, along with complainant the International Labor
Rights Forum (ILRF), to address issues raised during a March 28
hearing on the country’s inclusion in the generalized system of
preferences (GSP) program.
IV. PH AS ‘BROADWAY OF ASIA’
 Genting Hong Kong Ltd., the partner of real estate tycoon Andrew
L. Tan in Resorts World Manila, remains bullish on gaming
prospects in the Philippines. The Philippines has the potential to
be the “Broadway of Asia” through a $1.1-billion integrated casino
complex along Manila Bay, the company said.
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V. IMF ON POOR NATIONS: BETTER PREPARED NOW FOR TAKEOFF
 There is a higher probability of “take-off” for low-income countries
(LICs) such as the Philippines now compared to more than a
decade ago, but a mixture of macroeconomic stability, structural
reforms and investments is still needed, the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) said.
 In a chapter of the World Economic Outlook, LICs are defined as
those whose average income per capita for the past five years
have fallen below the threshold $2,600 income for emerging
markets.
VI. DTI ON SEAL FOR ONLINE SELLING SITES
 The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Digital
Commerce Association of the Philippines (DCOM) will meet later
this month to discuss the grant of a seal on online selling sites
that comply with certain rules as part of promoting consumer
protection.
VII. FIRST HYDROPOWER PLANT IN PANAY
 The first hydropower plant in Panay Island is set to start
operations in August. Sunwest Water and Electric Co., Inc.
(Suweco) said its eight-megawatt Villasiga-1 hydropower plant in
Igsoro, Bugasong, Antique is targeted to be completed by June
and is expected to start operating in August.
VIII. GOCC SUBSIDIES
 The government extended P3.07 billion in subsidies to stateowned and controlled corporations in the first two months of the
year, data from the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) showed. The
amount is double the P1.53 billion shelled out in the same period
in 2012.
IX. CUSTOMS’ TAX COLLECTION TARGET
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 The Bureau of Customs (BOC) failed to meet their revenue
collection target for March, recording a P6.93-billion collection
deficit. BOC figures showed that the bureau collected P21.09
billion last month, way off the target for March set at P28.02
billion.
 It was learned that 12 out of 17 collection districts, including the
Port of Manila, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), and
Manila International Container Port failed to meet their targets.
X. SEN. SANTIAGO ON RETAINING CUSTOMS CHIEF BIAZON
 Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago joined supporters of embattled
Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon, and expressed
her belief that the supposed black propaganda against the official
are being peddled by people interested in his position and crooks
hurt by his anti-smuggling drive.
XI. P31.7-MILLION REVENUE FROM MINING APPLICATIONS
 The government, through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau
(MGB), generated a total of P31.7 million in revenues from filing
and processing fees when it resumed accepting new mining
applications on March 18, 2013.
(END)
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