11.30.2005
Newsbriefs 30 November Morning
Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan
Team RP stays on top on Day 3 of SEAG (www.manilastandardtoday.com)
ARNEL Ferrera threw the hammer to a new mark and Team Philippines continued to throw its weight around to stay in front of the medal race on Day 3 of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games.
Ferrera’s record-shattering heave served as the spark that sustained the Filipinos’ winning streak, as they added 12 more golds for the day as of 8 p.m. last night to bring the country’s total haul to 35.
The 24-year-old Ferrera threw the hammer to a distance of 60.47m, or 1.67m better than the 56.80m set by Wong Te Kue in the 1993 Singapore Games.
Peso now below P53 (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
Buoyed by hefty remittances from overseas Filipino workers, the peso breached the P53 level Tuesday against the US dollar, its strongest showing since March.
The peso closed at 53.94 to the dollar, up from 54.15:$1 on Friday.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas attributed the peso’s forward movement to money being sent home by OFWs to their families for Christmas.
"The continued improvement of the peso is due to sustained inflows, particularly OFW remittances as expected this time of the year. There is not much corporate demand," said Amando Tetangco Jr., the BSP governor.
Palace tells Garci: Just tell the truth about polls (www.manilastandardtoday.com)
LIKE the opposition, Malacañang has only one piece of advice for former elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano: Just tell the truth.
“We believe that he has resurfaced to clear or defend himself. In the process, he will tell the truth and we are hoping that he can be as thorough and comprehensive and as truthful and as honest about his testimony,” said presidential adviser on political affairs Gabriel Claudio said yesterday.
Palace eyes cutting $1.5B of RP debt (news.inq7.net)
MALACAÑANG IS NOW SERIOUSLY considering cutting as much as $1.5 billion of the country's outstanding debt next year to take advantage of the peso's sizzling run and heavy inflows of remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Finance Secretary Margarito Teves told the Inquirer that his department together with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and Bureau of the Treasury were looking into paying part of the country's P5.5-trillion debt using savings generated by the unexpected strength of the peso and the surge in dollar reserves due to remittances.
Ocampo clarifies stand on Estrada (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Satur C. Ocampo on Tuesday took issue with The Times’ story on Monday that his group and its five allies will accept former President Joseph Estrada if it is the people’s will.
"I categorically deny ever supporting an Estrada restoration as an alternative to the questionable Arroyo presidency," Ocampo said in a press statement. "Bayan Muna and its allied parties [Anakpawis, Gabriela, Anak ng Bayan, Migrante and Suara Bangsamoro] are united in the proposal for a Transition Council to take over in the event that Mrs. Arroyo is removed from Malacañan."
House majority OKs resolution for ConAss (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
The House of Representatives approved Tuesday night a resolution calling for the two chambers of Congress to convene to amend the 1987 Constitution, ABS-CBN's Insider reported.
Lawmakers approved House Resolution 26 through voice voting after almost three hours of debate at the plenary.
House Majority Floor Leader Prospero Nograles said they will now wait for the Senate's concurrence to the resolution.
House committees resume Garci hearings next week (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
The five committees in the House of Representatives investigating into the "Hello, Garci" tapes will resume hearing Wednesday next week, confident that former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano will finally testify.
Emerging from a three-hour executive session, the committees, now headed by Rep. Emmylou Talino-Santos of the Committee on Public Information, announced they would again summon Garcillano to appear at the hearing.
The committees also decided to keep the warrant for Garcillano’s arrest unless he promises to appear voluntarily before the committees.
GMA flies to Visayas to cheer athletes on (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
Inspired by the impressive haul of gold medals by Filipino athletes in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games, President Arroyo flew to Cebu and Bacolod City on Tuesday to cheer for her countrymen competing in events there.
The President arrived in Mandaue City, Cebu, just in time to see karate bet Nelson Bacalso fighting for the gold in the men’s individual kumite for 65kg and below against Vietnamese Nguyen Bao Toan.
She joined the crowd, clapping her hands and applauding for Bacalso at the packed Mandaue City Coliseum.
Inspired by the President’s presence, Bacalso rallied to tie the bout, 5-5, and went on to score a chop to the head just a few seconds before the fight ended to nip the Vietnamese, 6-5, and snare the Filipino karatekas’ third gold medal in the competition.
Mrs. Arroyo herself awarded the gold to Bacalso, a senior police inspector.
"What I really had in mind when I was behind on points was that my commander in chief was looking and seemed to be ordering me to fight to the end. I told myself I should obey the order and never lose before the very eyes of the President. I felt like I am a true soldier," said the 35-year-old Bacalso, a native of Atok, Benguet.
Chavez: Plunder raps moving too slow (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
Former solicitor general Frank Chavez will ask the Office of the Ombudsman to speed up deliberation on the plunder charges he filed against President Arroyo and several other personalities implicated in the fertilizer scam.
At a roundtable with editors and reporters of The Times on Tuesday, Chavez said he would send a fourth letter to the Ombudsman urging immediate action on the charges.
"I cannot understand why there is no movement in the agriculture fund, which was exhaustively discussed in the Senate and the media," Chavez said.
He said that although President Arroyo enjoys immunity from suit, the Ombudsman should not stop its investigation, because there are other respondents, including former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante, former agriculture secretary Luis Lorenzo and former budget secretary Emilia Boncodin.
Chavez believes Bolante is still in the country and is in hiding.
The Senate Committee on Food and Agriculture is investigating allegations that P728 million in farm input funds was diverted to President Arroyo’s election campaign last year. ¶ 10:47 AM
Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan
Team RP stays on top on Day 3 of SEAG (www.manilastandardtoday.com)
ARNEL Ferrera threw the hammer to a new mark and Team Philippines continued to throw its weight around to stay in front of the medal race on Day 3 of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games.
Ferrera’s record-shattering heave served as the spark that sustained the Filipinos’ winning streak, as they added 12 more golds for the day as of 8 p.m. last night to bring the country’s total haul to 35.
The 24-year-old Ferrera threw the hammer to a distance of 60.47m, or 1.67m better than the 56.80m set by Wong Te Kue in the 1993 Singapore Games.
Peso now below P53 (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
Buoyed by hefty remittances from overseas Filipino workers, the peso breached the P53 level Tuesday against the US dollar, its strongest showing since March.
The peso closed at 53.94 to the dollar, up from 54.15:$1 on Friday.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas attributed the peso’s forward movement to money being sent home by OFWs to their families for Christmas.
"The continued improvement of the peso is due to sustained inflows, particularly OFW remittances as expected this time of the year. There is not much corporate demand," said Amando Tetangco Jr., the BSP governor.
Palace tells Garci: Just tell the truth about polls (www.manilastandardtoday.com)
LIKE the opposition, Malacañang has only one piece of advice for former elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano: Just tell the truth.
“We believe that he has resurfaced to clear or defend himself. In the process, he will tell the truth and we are hoping that he can be as thorough and comprehensive and as truthful and as honest about his testimony,” said presidential adviser on political affairs Gabriel Claudio said yesterday.
Palace eyes cutting $1.5B of RP debt (news.inq7.net)
MALACAÑANG IS NOW SERIOUSLY considering cutting as much as $1.5 billion of the country's outstanding debt next year to take advantage of the peso's sizzling run and heavy inflows of remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Finance Secretary Margarito Teves told the Inquirer that his department together with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and Bureau of the Treasury were looking into paying part of the country's P5.5-trillion debt using savings generated by the unexpected strength of the peso and the surge in dollar reserves due to remittances.
Ocampo clarifies stand on Estrada (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Satur C. Ocampo on Tuesday took issue with The Times’ story on Monday that his group and its five allies will accept former President Joseph Estrada if it is the people’s will.
"I categorically deny ever supporting an Estrada restoration as an alternative to the questionable Arroyo presidency," Ocampo said in a press statement. "Bayan Muna and its allied parties [Anakpawis, Gabriela, Anak ng Bayan, Migrante and Suara Bangsamoro] are united in the proposal for a Transition Council to take over in the event that Mrs. Arroyo is removed from Malacañan."
House majority OKs resolution for ConAss (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
The House of Representatives approved Tuesday night a resolution calling for the two chambers of Congress to convene to amend the 1987 Constitution, ABS-CBN's Insider reported.
Lawmakers approved House Resolution 26 through voice voting after almost three hours of debate at the plenary.
House Majority Floor Leader Prospero Nograles said they will now wait for the Senate's concurrence to the resolution.
House committees resume Garci hearings next week (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
The five committees in the House of Representatives investigating into the "Hello, Garci" tapes will resume hearing Wednesday next week, confident that former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano will finally testify.
Emerging from a three-hour executive session, the committees, now headed by Rep. Emmylou Talino-Santos of the Committee on Public Information, announced they would again summon Garcillano to appear at the hearing.
The committees also decided to keep the warrant for Garcillano’s arrest unless he promises to appear voluntarily before the committees.
GMA flies to Visayas to cheer athletes on (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
Inspired by the impressive haul of gold medals by Filipino athletes in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games, President Arroyo flew to Cebu and Bacolod City on Tuesday to cheer for her countrymen competing in events there.
The President arrived in Mandaue City, Cebu, just in time to see karate bet Nelson Bacalso fighting for the gold in the men’s individual kumite for 65kg and below against Vietnamese Nguyen Bao Toan.
She joined the crowd, clapping her hands and applauding for Bacalso at the packed Mandaue City Coliseum.
Inspired by the President’s presence, Bacalso rallied to tie the bout, 5-5, and went on to score a chop to the head just a few seconds before the fight ended to nip the Vietnamese, 6-5, and snare the Filipino karatekas’ third gold medal in the competition.
Mrs. Arroyo herself awarded the gold to Bacalso, a senior police inspector.
"What I really had in mind when I was behind on points was that my commander in chief was looking and seemed to be ordering me to fight to the end. I told myself I should obey the order and never lose before the very eyes of the President. I felt like I am a true soldier," said the 35-year-old Bacalso, a native of Atok, Benguet.
Chavez: Plunder raps moving too slow (www.abs-cbnnews.com)
Former solicitor general Frank Chavez will ask the Office of the Ombudsman to speed up deliberation on the plunder charges he filed against President Arroyo and several other personalities implicated in the fertilizer scam.
At a roundtable with editors and reporters of The Times on Tuesday, Chavez said he would send a fourth letter to the Ombudsman urging immediate action on the charges.
"I cannot understand why there is no movement in the agriculture fund, which was exhaustively discussed in the Senate and the media," Chavez said.
He said that although President Arroyo enjoys immunity from suit, the Ombudsman should not stop its investigation, because there are other respondents, including former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante, former agriculture secretary Luis Lorenzo and former budget secretary Emilia Boncodin.
Chavez believes Bolante is still in the country and is in hiding.
The Senate Committee on Food and Agriculture is investigating allegations that P728 million in farm input funds was diverted to President Arroyo’s election campaign last year. ¶ 10:47 AM
