NEWSCAPS
March 21, 2013
(POLITICAL)
I. MALAYSIA’s TERRORISM CHARGES VS 8 FILIPINOS
 Malaysian police filed charges of launching terroristic acts under
Section 130A of the Penal Code and waging war against
Malaysian King Abdul Halim under Section 121 of the code
against eight Filipinos in a makeshift courtroom in Lahad Datu.
More than 100 others face similar charges.
 Abraham Idjirani, Spokesperson for the Sultanate of Sulu,
condemned the filing of terrorism charges, as he feared the rights
of the eight men were being violated and that there was a lack of
transparency in the handling of their cases.
II. JACEL KIRAM ON JOHOR SULTAN AS PRESIDENT AQUINO’s
ADVISER
 Princess Jacel Kiram said that President Aquino was heeding the
advice of Sultan Ibrahim Ismail of the sultanate of Johor,
Malaysia, on the Sabah crisis. Princess Jacel also criticized the
President for “lawyering for the Malaysians” and for his supposed
statements that “only favored the interests of Malaysia.”
III. PULSE ASIA SURVEY ON PRESIDENT AQUINO’s APPROVAL
RATINGS
 Despite the ongoing Sabah crisis, President Aquino continued to
enjoy high approval ratings, the latest Pulse Asia survey showed.
In the survey, conducted from Feb. 24 to 28, the President
registered an approval rating of 68 percent and a trust rating of 70
percent.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, on the other hand, obtained
approval and trust ratings of 70 percent and 72 percent,
respectively. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, meanwhile,
received approval and trust ratings of 46 percent and 43 percent,
respectively.
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IV. COURT RULING ON ORTEGA MURDER CASE
 The Court of Appeals (CA) voted 3-2 to nullify a second body
created by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima that recommended the
prosecution of former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and his brother
Mario for the 2011 murder of radio commentator Gerry Ortega
after the first panel she formed had cleared them of the charges.
V. KRIS AQUINO VS JAMES YAP
 Complaining of “overt sexual advances,” television talk show host
Kris Aquino wants her estranged husband James Yap to be
permanently barred from seeing her, their son and household
members. Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 144 granted the
request of Aquino for a temporary protection order (TPO) against
Yap on the same day she filed her petition on March 15.
VI. HEART EVANGELISTA’s PARENTS VS SEN. ESCUDERO
 Cecile Ongpauco, mother of actress Heart Evangelista, is
demanding an apology from Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero for
being supposedly disrespectful and arrogant and for
“manipulating” her daughter into “going against the family.”
VII. BAR TOPNOTCHER FROM ATENEO
 Ignatius Michael D. Ingles, 29, with a rating of 85.64 percent in
what was said to be the toughest Bar examination in 13 years,
gives Ateneo de Manila University its third straight year of topping
the Bar.
VIII. UP PROTEST OVER KRISTEL TEJADA’s SUICIDE
 University of the Philippines (UP) students and faculty members
posted their school identification cards beside a poster-size copy
of UP Manila student Kristel Tejada’s ID card as they launched an
alliance to seek justice for Tejada, who committed suicide last
week after failing to pay her tuition.
IX. RESIGNATION OF LTFRB CHIEF JACOB
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 Jaime Jacob has resigned as Chairman of the Land
Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
“Even as I have tried my best after almost two years in office, I
have come to the conclusion that I cannot, under prevailing
circumstances and by my standards, satisfactorily perform the
functions as chairman of the LTFRB,” he said in his resignation
letter dated March 18.
X. US MILITARY FORCES IN PH / CHINESE NAVAL WAR DRILLS
 A high-level United States defense and military delegation
assured the Philippines of increased joint military exercises as
China announced its own naval war drills. Amid tensions over
rival maritime claims in the region, the presence of US military
forces in the Philippines is expected to increase.
XI. RELOCATION POLICY FOR INFORMAL SETTLERS
 President Aquino has ordered the construction of on-site or
nearsite resettlement areas for informal settlers living along
waterways in Metro Manila. Interior and Local Government
Secretary Mar Roxas said that the government would implement
the relocation policy of the President, who also approved the
release of P10 billion for the effort provide alternative homes for
families removed from so-called “danger zones” in the metropolis.
XII. PADACA INHIBITION FROM OWN ELECTION CASE
 Isabela Gov. Faustino Dy III asked election commissioner Grace
Padaca to inhibit herself from participating in the Commission on
Elections (Comelec) deliberations on the election protest she filed
against Dy in 2010. “I’ve already signed with the word ‘inhibit’ an
en banc order to transfer records to First Division. I did that earlier
than their motion for inhibition which my office received
(yesterday),” Padaca said.
XIII. KAYA NATIN! ENDORSEMENT OF 4 TEAM PNOY BETS
 The Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Government and Ethical
Leadership, a group closely associated with the late Interior
Secretary Jesse Robredo, endorsed the candidacies of reelectionist Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, former Sen. Ramon
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Magsaysay Jr., former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros and social
entrepreneur Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV.
XIV. UNA CAMPAIGN STRATEGY
 The offsprings of the so-called “three kings” of the United
Nationalist Alliance (UNA) will each head their own groups of
senatorial candidates in their campaign throughout the country.
UNA plans to divide its nine candidates into groups of three to
enable them to cover more ground during the campaign period,
according to the candidates. The three groups will be headed by
Nancy Binay, Joseph Victor Ejercito, and Jack Enrile.
XV. HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH ON SUSPENSION OF RH LAW
 New York-based Human Rights Watch assailed the Philippine
Supreme Court (SC)’s decision to suspend implementation of the
Reproductive Health (RH) law as it puts women at unnecessary
risk. Human Rights Watch Asia director Brad Adams said that
Filipino women and families have waited long for the passage of
the RH law to address grave health risks.
XVI. P5-BILLION INFUSION INTO PTV 4
 More than two years after rescuing it from financial “hemorrhage,”
the government is infusing P5 billion into the government-run
People’s Television Network (PTV) 4 to make it “digitally
competitive.” President Aquino has signed into law Republic Act
No. 103901, or the Act Revitalizing PTV Inc., authorizing the
infusion of fresh capital into the government TV network.
XVII. SAFETY OF FILIPINO PEACEKEEPERS
 The Philippines has asked the United Nations Security Council to
“exert all efforts” to ensure the security of all peacekeepers
following the recent detention of 21 Filipino troops assigned to the
UN Disengagement Observation Force (UNDOF) in the Golan
Heights, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
XVIII. PH INVITATION TO POPE FRANCIS
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 According to Vice President Jejomar Binay, Pope Francis has
expressed openness to an invitation to visit the Philippines during
the 51st International Eucharistic Congress slated in 2016.
XIX. PH AS 26TH FRIENDLIEST COUNTRY
 The Philippines is the 26th friendliest country in the world. Based
on the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s 2013 Travel and Tourism
Competitiveness Report, the Philippines has made significant
improvement in the travel and tourism industry, from rank 94 in
2011 to 82 in 2013.
 The top 10 friendliest countries were Iceland, New Zealand,
Morocco, Macedonia, Austria, Senegal, Portugal, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Ireland and Burkina Faso.
XX. REP. PADILLA’s PDAF SCAM
 The foundation that received pork barrel funds from Nueva
Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla could no longer be located, but it left
a trace of alleged anomalies in the disbursement of the Priority
Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of lawmakers.
 Aaron Foundation Philippines Inc. (AFPI), which is being linked to
the anomalous release of Padilla’s PDAF from 2007 to 2009,
showed that it had been involved in the P724-million fertilizer fund
scam in 2004.
XXI. FORMER DBP OFFICIALS ON DISMISSAL OF GRAFT
CHARGES
 Fourteen former officials of the Development Bank of the
Philippines have asked the Sandiganbayan to dismiss two graft
charges filed against them by the Office of the Ombudsman in
connection with the alleged “behest” loans granted in 2009 to
Delta Ventures Resources Inc. (DVRI), a firm owned by
businessman Roberto Ongpin.
XXII. CA RULING ON PAL WORKERS BID VS OUTSOURCING
 The Court of Appeals has upheld Malacañang in its decision to
allow Philippine Airlines to axe 2,600 employees in 2010, saying
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that this was a valid management move to revive the money
losing airline. In a decision dated March 13, the appellate court’s
Special 8th Division junked a motion for reconsideration filed by
labor union PAL Employees Association (PALEA), which accused
PAL of “unfair labor practices.”
XXIII. DOH GUIDELINES ON STEM CELL THERAPY
 The Department of Health (DOH) released the implementing rules
and regulations that will cover stem cell and cell-based therapy to
prevent abuses and dubious practices. Health Secretary Enrique
Ona said that the regulations contained in DOH Administrative
Order 2013-0012 aimed to ensure that human stem cell and cellbased therapies in the country would be safe and effective for
their intended use.
XXIV. PETA ON ‘FREE MALI’ CARDS
 The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said that
they would send President Aquino cards containing drawings and
handwritten appeals from students of various schools in Metro
Manila to transfer the elephant Mali from Manila Zoo to a
sanctuary in Thailand.
XXV. WEATHER
 Two days after the official onset of summer, a low pressure area
(LPA) was observed developing east of the country which might
bring rains over Eastern Visayas and Eastern Mindanao in the
next few days, the state weather bureau said.
(ECONOMY)
I. WORLD BANK ON $300-MILLION LOAN TO PH
 The World Bank is extending a $300-million development policy
loan (DPL) to the Philippines to help the country enact its reforms
in accelerating inclusive growth and creating more jobs.
 A DPL provides quick-disbursing assistance to countries
undertaking reforms. The loan supports policy and institutional
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changes needed to create an environment for sustainable and
equitable growth, as defined by borrower-countries’ own
development agenda.
II. PH AND MALAYSIA LEADS ASIA BUSINESS OPTIMISM SURVEY
 Business sentiment in Asia improved in the first quarter from the
previous quarter with the Philippines and Malaysia having the
most optimistic outlook for the period given the two countries’
positive economic conditions, according to a survey of Thomson
Reuters and INSEAD.
 The latest Thomson Reuters/INSEAD Asia Business Sentiment
Survey showed that the Asia Business Sentiment Index rose to
65 in March from 63 in December. A reading above 50 indicates
an overall positive outlook.
III. BSP ON SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND
 The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has offered to sell US
dollars to the National Government to capitalize the proposed
sovereign wealth fund.
 BSP Governor Amando V. Tetangco Jr. said that the country’s
economic team led by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima is
proposing to establish a sovereign wealth fund, which would be
government’s tool to make investments in the open or
international market as another instrument for raising funds.
However, the wealth fund must be capitalized with US dollars.
IV. MBC ON OPTIMISTIC REVENUE FORECASTS
 Most businesses see higher revenues and income this year as
the country is expected to continue to post strong economic
growth, according to a survey conducted by the Makati Business
Club (MBC).
 The MBC’s Executive Outlook Survey for the first semester 2013,
which covers 64 business executives from the period Feb. 5 to
March 6, showed that majority expect higher gross revenues and
income this year compared to 2012.
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V. IRISH MINISTER ON PH AS A STRONG ECONOMIC FORCE
 Not only Ireland but the entire European Union (EU), and many
other countries as well will be paying more attention to the
Philippines and to its economic development as it is foreseen that
the country once considered as “the Sick Man of Asia” will soon
be “a significant international mover both in the region and the
entire world.”
 This was the declaration made by visiting Irish Minister for Public
Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin. Minister Howlin said
that the Philippines has become “a very strong economic force”
owing to a “growing middle class and higher purchasing
capacity.”
VI. FAA AUDIT ON PH AVIATION
 The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is set to conduct
an audit of the Philippines amid the decision of the International
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to lift the “significant safety
concerns” (SSC) on the country.
VII. PH STOCK EXCHANGE
 Local stocks retreated for the eighth straight session yesterday,
dragging the main composite index below the 6,500 level as the
market continued to consolidate.
 The PSEi dropped 0.10 percent or 6.63 points to settle at
6,419.62 after ending the morning session down 0.82 percent or
52.75 points to 6,373.50.
(END)
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