MANILA, Philippines – A Filipino ex-priest is facing extradition to the US for allegedly sexually abusing minors there in the 1990s, authorities said Wednesday, November 22.
Fernando Sayasaya, 53, was tracked down by police in a province outside Manila on Sunday nearly two decades after he fled the US and went into hiding in the Philippines.
He was accused of molesting two boys in the state of North Dakota where he worked for the Catholic Church, police said.
He was put on administrative leave in 1998 following the allegations, but a US court only issued an arrest warrant for Sayasaya in 2002.
"He was charged of gross sexual imposition, that he (allegedly) made sexual contact on two young brothers who were aged under 15 at that time," Chief State Counsel Ricardo Paras told AFP.
Before fleeing the US, Sayasaya apparently told his superiors he wanted to spend Christmas in the Philippines but never returned, Paras added.
He said the suspect, since defrocked, would be sent to the US for trial in compliance with a 2006 US extradition request that was approved by a Filipino court in 2012.
An official of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said he was not aware of Sayasaya's case.
"Even if he is a Filipino but he is not (assigned) in the Philippines, we don't have any jurisdiction over him," Father Jerome Secillano, the conference's executive secretary for public affairs, told AFP.
The church in the mainly Catholic Philippines has also seen sexual abuse charges levelled against its clergy.
A priest was arrested in a Manila suburb in July after he was allegedly caught with a 13-year-old girl supplied by a pimp. – Rappler.com
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When hate and anger are weaponized, it creates a spiral of silence.
When critical questions are simplistically equated with an anti-government agenda, it requires courage to hold decision-makers accountable.
We launched Rappler in 2012 to marry the highest standards of journalism with technology to strengthen Philippine democracy.
We didn’t want to just give you the news; we aimed to promote critical thinking, self-reflection, and empathy to encourage informed decision-making.
Help keep us free and independent of political and commercial interests.
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Results: November 2017 Chemical Engineer board exam
MANILA, Philippines – The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced on Wednesday, November 22 that 627 out of 942 passed the Chemical Engineer Licensure Examination administered by the Board of Chemical Engineering in Manila and Cebu this November 2017.
The members of the Board of Chemical Engineering who gave the licensure examination are Engr. Ofelia V. Bulaong, Chairman; Engr. Jeffrey G. Mijares and Engr. Cyd P. Aguilera, Members.
The top performing schools in the November 2017 Chemical Engineer Licensure Examination as per Commission Resolution No. 2010-547 series of 2010:
Chem1117 Alpha.doc by Rappler on Scribd
From November 28 to November 29, 2017, registration for the issuance
of Professional Identification Card (ID) and Certificate of Registration
will be done on-line. Please go to www.prc.gov.ph and follow
instructions for initial registration. Those who will register are
required to bring the following: duly accomplished Oath Form or
Panunumpa ng Propesyonal, notice of admission (for identification only),
2 pieces passport sized pictures (colored with white background and
complete name tag), 2 sets of documentary stamps and 1 piece short brown
envelope. Successful examinees should personally register and sign in
the Roster of Registered Professionals.The date and venue for the oathtaking ceremony of the new successful examinees in the said examination will be announced later. – Rappler.com
Philippines
Justice De Castro 'very much willing' to testify vs Sereno, says Larry Gadon
TESTIFY?
Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo De Castro is
"willing" to testify against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno,
according to complainant Larry Gadon.
MANILA, Philippines – Supreme Court (SC)
Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro is “very much” willing to
testify against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno in the ongoing
impeachment proceedings at the House of Representatives, lawyer Larry
Gadon told the House panel hearing the case on Wednesday, November 22.
Gadon, the complainant in the impeachment complaint
against Sereno, gave the assurance to Oriental Mindoro 2nd District
Representative Reynaldo Umali when the chairman of the House justice
committee asked him to secure the affidavits of the witnesses he would
tap in his complaint against Sereno.
“Justice De Castro is very much willing to execute an affidavit and testify,” Gadon told the panel.
When asked, Gadon said he knew that De Castro would be
willing to testify at the impeachment hearing through a "friend who is
talking to her on my behalf."
Rappler tried to get in touch with De
Castro through the SC Public Information Office, but the statement she
issued was on a different matter: her response
to Gadon's claim that she was the source of a news report about her tiff
with Sereno over a temporary restraining order, which is included in
the complaint.
Gadon said he got this information from Manila Times reporter Jomar Canlas, who wrote the report.
In response, De Castro said in a statement, “I have never released to Jomar Canlas any information, report, or document regarding the work of the Court."
Canlas, a veteran SC reporter, has written many exclusive stories on the High Court, citing sources. In 2016, the SC en banc issued a show cause order against him to explain why he should not be cited in indirect contempt for reporting insider information.
During the hearing, Gadon referred to De Castro many times
in response to questions regarding this allegations in his complaint,
saying she would be the best person to respond to questions about the
TRO issue.
"The best resource person is Associate Justice De Castro," the lawyer said.
Gadon referred to De Castro so many times that Dinagat Representative Kaka Bagao ask him: "Sino
ba ang complainant, ikaw ba or si Justice....Nalilito ako kung sino ang
complainant dito. Hindi mo naipapaliwanag, turo ka nang turo kay
Justice."
(Who is the complainant here, you or the Justice?...I'm
confused on who the complainant is. You can't explain fully, you keep on
pointing to the Justice.)
Falsified TRO?
During the hearing, Gadon said that after
he read Canlas' report on Sereno's supposed falsified Temporary
Restraining Order (TRO) on party-list proclamations in 2013, he talked
to the journalist to get details of the report, including who his source is.
The committee said it will subpoena Canlas.
Grilled why Sereno would falsify a
document that she has to issue herself, Gadon said De Castro sent Sereno
an initial TRO as the head of the division handling the case. Gadon
said what Sereno issued eventually was different.
“Yes, it was really substantially amended
and when, as I understand, from the facts that was given to me by Jomar
Canlas, it was only after Justice De Castro confronted Justice Sereno
that the TRO was replaced and rectified,” Gadon said.
In her written answer sent to the committee, Sereno said that as Chief Justice, she has the authority to issue a TRO when the petition is filed during recess.
“She simply did not fully adopt the
recommended draft order submitted to her for approval. The Chief Justice
cannot possibly falsify, tamper with or alter a TRO issued under her
own authority,” the answer reads.
SC eventually corrected the TRO that in
effect contained De Castro’s ruling, but Sereno said that was also the
en banc, acting on its power to review the Chief Justice’s TRO decisions
while on recess.
De Castro is also the justice who sent a memorandum to other justices questioning some of the actions of Sereno, some of which appeared in Gadon's complaint.
'Violation of SC rules'
Sereno's spokesperson, Josa Deinla, said
that De Castro would be in violation of the Internal Rules of the SC if
Gadon's claims are true.
"Atty Gadon’s disclosure that his source of information
for Supreme Court Internal Memorandum is no other than Senior Justice
Teresita De Castro, if indeed true, reveals that Senior Justice De
Castro clearly violated the Internal Rules of the Supreme Court," Deinla
said in a statement.
"The Internal Rules of the Supreme Court prominently
safeguards the confidentiality of Supreme Court sessions and its
internal documents," she added.
Deinla said that under the rules, Supreme Court sessions
"are executive in character, with only the Members of the Supreme Court
present."
"The Supreme Court deliberations are confidential and
shall not be disclosed to outside parties, except if authorized by the
Supreme Court," she said.
Deinla added that based on on SC rules, "the Supreme Court
rollos may only be released upon an official written request from the
Judicial Staff Head or the Chief of Office of the requesting Office."
"All persons handling the rollos are bound by the same strict confidentiality rules," she said.
The House panel is determining probable
cause in the impeachment complaint against Sereno before the case is
forwarded to the Senate sitting as an impeachment court. – Rappler.com
How to cook bibimbap, lumpia, and other dishes with Angus corned beef
Published 8:17 AM, November 11, 2017
Updated 8:18 AM, November 11, 2017
In Partnership with
MANILA, Philippines – How much do we love corned beef? Let us count the ways.
Although it’s not a traditional Filipino dish, most of
us grew up enjoying corned beef any time of the day: at breakfast, it’s
fried and paired with fried eggs and garlic fried rice or enjoyed as palaman for pan de sal or slices of tasty bread. At lunch or dinner, it’s usually incorporated in egg torta or cooked with potatoes, either as gisado or as a stew.
Every time we go home to a steaming plate of corned beef
and enjoy bite after bite, we can’t help but remember happy memories
from our youth. We’re easily reminded of how its flavorful, smoky taste
and firm texture, especially if its made from pure, premium meat like
Angus beef, are enough to complete our day.
This is why our love for this classic remains, even as we learn to enjoy cuisine from around the world.
Below are examples of how we can recreate some international dishes with premium Angus corned beef. Here are five dishes from Asia, Europe, and the Americas that you can make at home with a delicious, nostalgic twist:
Bibimbap
Bibimbap is a popular, colorful, and healthy Korean dish
often served in a bowl. It’s easy enough to make and enjoy. You can
tweak the ingredients to suit your taste, but the standard usually
includes pre-cooked toppings like bean sprouts, zucchini, cucumber,
spinach, shiitake mushrooms, and fried egg.
Meat is also added, but instead of pork, beef, or
chicken, use a spoon or two of fried corned beef to add another layer of
taste and texture to your bibimbap. Don’t forget to add a dollop of gochujang (Korean red chili paste) and a drizzle of sesame oil, and mix well!
Spaghetti carbonara
Make this Italian dish the traditional way by skipping
the pre-packed mixes and making your own sauce from scratch. Carbonara
calls for a mixture of raw eggs, hard cheeses, and ground pepper for the
sauce, in which the freshly cooked pasta and fried pork (usually
guanciale or pancetta) are tossed into.
For your dish, you can either add corned beef in
straight from the can (it’s pre-cooked!) as substitute for the pork or
mix it in with strips of fried bacon.
Nachos
Nachos is a fusion of American and Mexican cuisines, or
Tex-Mex. In this dish, a bed of crispy tortilla chips is topped with
sliced pickled jalapeño peppers and olives, beans, salsa, sour cream,
and melted cheese, among many other toppings.
Nachos usually call for ground pork, beef, or chicken, but feel free to make it your own by replacing it with fried corned beef.
Hamburgers
Hamburgers is an all-American dish, often enjoyed with
fries on the side. Its star is the patty, which is made by seasoning raw
ground beef with salt and pepper and forming into a disc-like shape,
then cooked by either grilling or frying.
For this version, make the patties as you would but use
corned beef. Pan fry your patties and when they’re done, sandwich one or
two in between a bun along with lettuce, tomato, and cheese.
Fried lumpiang shanghai rolls
Lumpiang shanghai, like corned beef, is a quintessential
Filipino favorite often served during birthdays, family reunions,
Christmas, New Year, and other occasions in between. So how about
combining two well-loved dishes to create a new one?
The traditional lumpia shanghai recipe calls for a
mixture of ground pork seasoned with salt and pepper, chopped carrots
and onions, and wrapped in lumpia wrappers. These are then deep fried
until golden brown to make sure the filling is fully cooked.
To give your lumpiang shanghai a new twist, use corned
beef! Mix it straight from the can and make the filling as you normally
would. The corned beef will give this old favorite a new flavor and
texture.
By simply opting for corned beef instead of pork, beef,
or chicken, you can easily add a new layer of smoky, beefy flavor and
texture to any of your favorite dishes.
Of course, the quality of your corned beef can affect
your dish. So make sure to cook your dishes with corned beef that’s made
from 100% premium Angus beef, which makes it juicier, tastier, firmer,
and more flavorful.
How do you plan to incorporate corned beef to your next meal? – Rappler.com
All illustrations by Raffy de Guzman.
Try the new Highlands Gold Corned Beef, the corned beef with Angus. Like
our Facebook page (link) to know more about Highlands Gold Corned Beef.
#AnguSarap
Sereno lawyer: Expedite hearing, bring impeachment to Senate
SERENO
TEAM. Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno's legal team attends the House
committee on justice hearing on an impeachment case against her. Photo
by Darren Langit
MANILA, Philippines – Minutes after a House panel barred
them from participating in deliberations on an impeachment complaint
against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, lawyers of the chief
magistrate said they were “inclined” to have the proceedings “expedited”
and have the case forwarded to the Senate sitting as in impeachment
court.“It is our inclination to have the proceedings before the committee expedited if they believe that the complainant has evidence then by all means, prepare the articles of impeachment," lawyer Alexander Poblador said in a media interview on November 22, Wednesday, on the sidelines of a justice panel hearing on an impeachment case against Sereno.
"We are willing to face them before the Senate where the rights of the chief justice will be protected,” Poblador added.
The House committee on Justice on Wednesday began hearings to determine probable cause to pursue the impeachment complaint. Oriental Mindoro 2nd Representative Reynaldo Umali, committee chairman, wants the House plenary to vote on the eventually committee report – wherein they will either recommend on reject impeachment – by December 13.
On November 22, the committee voted against allowing non-committee members from asking questions and voting in the proceedings. It also voted against allowing Poblador and the rest of Sereno’s lawyers from conducting a cross-examination on Gadon and his witnesses.
'Considering all options'
Still, Poblador said the legal team is “considering all options,” including going up to the Supreme Court.
“The decision to expedite would really be the committee’s. We are hoping that they would in fact now expedite the process if they believe that Gadon has evidence…why go through this hearing if not to provide evidence, which Gadon seems not to have? In that case, why not go to the Senate?” he reiterated.
For the case to reach the Senate, the House – through a plenary vote – would have to impeach Sereno first. If that happened, she would be the second chief justice in recent history to be impeached, after the late Renato Corona.
After the vote on Sereno's motion on Wednesday, Umali assured Sereno she would not be deprived of her right to counsel. Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas also said that cross-examinations aren’t allowed in preliminary investigations, which the committee hearing was akin to. Umali said Sereno’s lawyers can also course their questions through members of the committee.
Poblador said the setup was unacceptable.
“The cross is conducted by the counsel of the other party. That’s me, as lead counsel of the chief justice. They cannot conduct the cross-examination on behalf of the chief justice because the chairman of the committee, the members of the committee are not her counsels. Why should they restrict the right of the chief justice to choose their counsel?” he added.
Sereno was invited to the hearing but opted to skip it, instead submitting a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) to allow her lawyers to speak and act on her behalf.
'Sad day for justice'
The Sereno camp said the House justice committee had denied Sereno her constitutional rights when it thumbed down her motion.
“This is a sad day for justice in this
country that the Chief Justice, who has fought steadfastly to uphold the
Constitution and the right of the citizens, has now been denied her own
constitutional rights,” said lawyer Josa Deinla, one of Sereno’s
spokespersons.
Deinla said Sereno looked foward to the
time when the proceedings would reach the Senate and hopefully there,
“her rights will be respected.”
She reiterated that the House ruling
violates Section 13(2) of their own rules which says that “the
participation of counsel for the witness during the hearing and while
the witness is testifying shall be limited to advising on the legal
rights of the said witness.”
“It is difficult to understand how this
rule can defeat the rights of the Chief Justice to counsel when this
right is enshrined not only in the very Rules or Procedure on
Impeachment but in the Constitution itself that is read into such
rules,” Deinla said.
She said it is ironic for the committee
to deny Sereno's lawyers the right to cross-examine, yet House leaders
are saying that Sereno should be the one to cross-examine herself.
“Even the position of the committee that
Sereno must conduct the cross-examination herself, concedes that she has
such a right,” Deinla said. – Rappler.com
Students urge undecided senators to back proposed tobacco tax hike
LETTERS
TO SENATORS. Students from various universities write letters to
senators who have yet to decide on the tax reform bill. Photo by
Danielle Nakpil/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Students from different universities and
organizations gathered on Wednesday, November 22, in the University of
the Philippines (UP) Diliman to launch a campaign that urges legislators
to back a proposal to increase tobacco tax. (READ: EXPLAINER: Senate, House versions of the tax reform bill)They wrote letters to undecided senators, hoping to convince them to support the move to raise the levy on so-called “sin” products, especially tobacco. In October 2017, Senator Manny Pacquiao filed Senate Bill No 1599, which seeks to amend Republic Act 10351 or the Sin Tax Reform Act of 2012 aimed at generating more government revenue. The young people went to the Senate on Wednesday afternoon to hand their letters to the legislators.
"For the past months, we went to the Senate building, knocked at the senators' offices, and used the reach of social media to deliver our appeal," Joel Estoesta of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila Economics Society said.
Pass bill in haste
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier vowed to overhaul the country's tax code as part of his economic program. He called on the Senate to "support the tax reform in full and to pass it with haste."
The bill proposes to increase the present unitary excise tax rate to
P60 from P30 per pack. The annual excise tax will also be increased from
4% to 9% (READ: Pacquiao wants to increase cigarette tax to P60 per pack)
Senate Committee on Ways and Means chair senator Juan Edgardo
Angara has not yet expressed commitment to back the bill, according to
the young advocates. Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros has included
tobacco tax increase in her proposed amendments to the proposed measure.
The rest of the senators are still undecided on the issue. "It is of utmost importance that this measure be included in the first package expected to be passed this year. Failure to do so is tantamount to blocking this reform altogether," UP Economics Towards Consciousness president David Baldivia said.
Better health, more revenue
Pacquiao said that the passage of the measure will at least add P60 to P70 billion to government revenues.The student leaders also highlighted the benefits of increasing tobacco tax aside from saving lives. (READ: Senate files version of tax reform bill seen to exempt 3.2 M Filipinos from income tax)
According to UP Economics Towards Consciousness president David Baldivia, adding tobacco tax into the package will generate around P50 billion in additional funds "that can be used by the government to improve healthcare in the country.
"The evidence is clear. There is no excuse not to prioritize the passage of this measure. The ball is now in the Senate's hands to choose the welfare of the people over the corporate interests. One thing is for sure, the youth is watching," he added.
"One of our movement's main calls is to include tobacco tax in the current tax reform package being discussed in the Senate.
'No-vote media campaign'
The group Youth for Sin Tax also launched a zero vote media campaign to "reject and give zero votes to senators running in 2019 elections who will block the proposal to include tobacco tax increase in tax reform bill."
The 2019 senatorial elections is fast approaching and according to UP Diliman University Student Council chair Benjie Aquino, "those who side with corporate interests over the welfare of the youth do not deserve the votes of the youth in 2019." Incumbent senators who are eligible for reelection include Francis Escudero, Gregorio Honasan, Loren Legarda, Aquilino Pimentel III, and Antonio Trillanes.
"Individually, we may seem small compared to these corporate giants,
but together our voices will be the key towards changing the political
landscape in the country into something better," he said. – Rappler.com
CSC releases 2018 civil service examination calendar
MANILA, Philippines – The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has announced the conduct of the 2018 Career Service Examination - Pen and Paper Test (CSE-PPT) on March 18 and August 12. Aside from the CSE-PPT, CSC will also administer other nationwide civil service examinations next year namely, the Career Service Examination for Foreign Service Officer (January 28); Fire Officer Examination, and Penology Officer Examination (June 17); and Basic Competency on Local Treasury Examination (June 17 and October 14).
Application period for CSE for Foreign Service Officer (CSE-FSO) is ongoing. Applications should be personally submitted at any Regional Consular Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), or Philippine embassies and consulates abroad not later than December 1, 2017; or at the DFA-Board of Foreign Service Examinations, Pasay City, not later than December 8, 2017. Examination fee is P500. The CSE-FSO, if passed, will result in the conferment of the Career Foreign Service Officer Eligibility that is appropriate for appointment to clerical and technical positions in the government that do not require practice of profession and are not covered by Bar, board and special laws. The CSE-FSO is also the qualifying test for the five-part Foreign Service Officer Examination administered by the DFA to recruit candidates for the position of FSO Class IV.
Also, filing of applications for the first schedule of the career service exams on March 18 is ongoing and will close at January 31, 2018. Applications must be filed at the CSC Regional Office (CSC RO), or at any of the CSC RO’s field offices, where applicants intend to take the examination. For details on application requirements and procedure, interested parties may access CSC Examination Announcement No. 04, s. 2017 now posted on the CSC website www.csc.gov.ph. Examination fee is also P500.
The Career Service Professional and SubProfessional examinations are open to Filipino citizens who are at least 18 years old at the time of filing of application regardless of their educational attainment, and who have not yet met the limitation on the frequency of taking the career service exams, which shall be once in three months for the same level of examination.
Passers of the Career Service examinations will be conferred either the Professional Eligibility, or the SubProfessional Eligibility. The former is also appropriate to clerical and technical positions in the government while the latter is appropriate only to clerical positions.
The CSC shall issue separate examination announcements on the CSC website for the Fire Officer Examination, Penology Officer Examination, and the Basic Competency on Local Treasury Examination.
On October 14, CSC will also administer Pre-Employment Test, Promotional Test, Ethics-Oriented Personality Test (EOPT), and Intermediate Competency on Local Treasury Examination (ICLTE). Corresponding exam announcements shall also be issued.
For updates, interested individuals may visit CSC’s website and follow its official Facebook page. – Rappler.com
Finding comfort in our memories of lolo and lola
Published 12:33 PM, September 26, 2017
Updated 3:25 PM, September 26, 2017
In partnership with
For Filipinos, lolo and lola mean more than the names we call our grandparents.
They’re our kakampi, or the allies who take our side readily when our parents tell us off for being too naughty. They are the ones who spoil us with all the candy and toys mom and dad would otherwise not give us too much of.
They are more than the parents of our own parents.
Recently, we asked our followers to share with us some of their most treasured memories with their grandparents. We specifically asked about the little ways lolo shows his love, summer memories with lolo and lola, and favorite dishes made by lola.
These are some of the best responses that triggered our own nostalgia for times spent with lolo and lola.
Summers with lolo and lola
It also meant vacations. And that one trip we look forward to the most is our visit to our grandparents’ place, if they don’t live with us. It’s one of the few things we look forward to in the year because it allows us to relax and spend time with the family while enjoying yummy treats.
Fathers are tough. While they want to keep their children from harm, they’d also want them to toughen up as well and be independent.
(READ: How one father single-handedly raised three teens)
But as grandfathers, they become more relaxed. They spoil their apo in ways they spoiled their own kids – sometimes, even more.
Some of these ways include waiting for them to get home from school, bonding with them, and simply providing guidance and care even when the apos are already grown-ups themselves.
(READ: In praise of mama’s cooking)
It was lola who taught her everything she needed to know. She’s the one who handed down to our mothers the family recipes that we now enjoy. And for those who are able to enjoy lola’s sumptuous home cooked recipes, nothing tastes quite like them.
But while lola’s cooking repertoire might be diverse, it’s the simple treats – the comfort food we look forward to after a long day from work or school, made even better with cheese – that we remember most.
They show their love in a million different ways, big and small. Now that we’re grown-ups, we miss the time we used to spend with them and the way their home cooked meals give us comfort like nothing else can.
For us, the words lolo and lola come with some of our fondest, warmest memories that hug us when we’re down.
Do you have your own #YakapStory with lolo and lola to share? Sound off in the comments section! – Rappler.com
Illustrations by Alejandro Edoria
Eden has the savory, rich creaminess that lingers like a mom’s warm,
comforting hug inside & out. Para sa creaminess na umaakap, Eden!
VisMin’s go-to restaurant for comfort food, Hukad, expands to Manila
HUKAD. Gerald Anderson is presented to the media as Hukad's food ambassador. All photos by Precious del Valle/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – With international franchises opening
left and right, it’s getting harder and harder to get excited about our
very own cuisine. Really, how many ways can you “put a twist” on the
traditional adobo?
So rather than rely on gimmicks, Hukad is banking on
Filipinos’ love for local flavors. Even in today’s competitive dining
landscape, the people behind the popular Cebu restaurant believe that
nothing beats the taste of good ol' Pinoy comfort food.
“Many world-savvy Filipinos may try out different
cuisines and international concepts, but there will always be a place in
their hearts for the homegrown Filipino comfort food that they grew up
on. Offer delightful flavors, great hospitality, and amazing value, and
the love will always be there,” says Hukad’s Kenneth Kokseng.
Gerald Anderson, Hukad’s new endorser,
echoes Kenneth’s sentiment. According to him, eating traditional
Filipino dishes brings back some of his fondest childhood memories from
General Santos.
“I always remember how mom took care of me when I was young,” he said.
(In case you’re wondering, Gerald’s go-to Hukad dishes are
lechon, eggplant adobo, pomelo salad, and the popular Cebuano street
food, Ngohiong.)
Celebrity endorser Gerald Anderson
Hukad, which in Bisaya means “to serve up
food on one’s plate,” offers over a hundred dishes, with main courses
ranging from P200 to P500. True to their tagline “Always a feast!”
almost everything on the menu is good for sharing. They also offer
unlimited rice, with a choice between plain and garlic.
Check out some of Hukad’s best selling dishes below:
Baked Bantayan scallops (P239):
Hukad prides itself in sourcing only fresh scallops from Bantayan
Island. Baked to perfection with a generous serving of garlic cheese,
this is definitely a must-try.
Baked scallops
Pomelo Salad: A refreshing
appetizer topped with crispy dried squid bits and turnip slices. Served
with calamansi dressing, it has just the right amount of sweet and sour.
Pomelo salad
Ngohiong (5 pieces for P135): One of
the most popular street foods in Cebu is now available in Manila.
Ngohiong is their version of a spring roll stuffed with jicama (singakamas) and heart of coconut palm (ubod) seasoned with five-spice powder.
Ngohiong
Adobong Talong (P150): I’m not the biggest fan of
this dish, but Gerald insists that this is among Hukad’s must try. It’s
also a good option for our vegetarian friends. 
Adobong talong
Crispy Pata (Small: P495; Large: P669): A visit to
any Filipino restaurant wouldn’t be complete without crispy pata and
Hukad’s take on this popular dish did not disappoint. The meat was
easily fork-tender while the skin was crispy and crunchy.
Crispy pata
Lechon Belly de Cebu (1/4 kilo: P315): Crispy skin and meat that has that melt-in-your-mouth goodness. It’s indeed belly belly good!
Lechon belly de Cebu
Zarzuela de Maicos: A mouthwatering serving of clam, squid, and crab served in tomato sauce, olive oil, tomatoes, and coco wine.
Zarzuela de Maicos
Ube Halaya Crisp Ala Mode (P130): Hukad makes their very own ube halaya
from scratch, which is quite delicious, but they could have definitely
added a tiny bit more. Thankfully, the generous serving of queso ice
cream made up for it.
Ube Halaya Crisp Ala Mode
Hukad now has over 40 branches in the Philippines, with more stores
opening soon, especially in Metro Manila. See a list of Hukad branches here. – Rappler.comAustralia, SE Asia join forces to choke militant financing
DESTRUCTION
This photo taken on October 25, 2017, shows bombed-out buildings inside
of what was the main battle area between government troops and
ISIS-inspired Muslim militants in Marawi. Ted Aljibe/AFP
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Australia and Southeast Asia have joined
forces to choke financing for militant networks, Australia's justice
minister said Wednesday, November 22, amid recent concerns about the
Islamic State (ISIS) group gaining a foothold in the region.ISIS militants seized the southern Philippine city of Marawi in May, a move Philippine officials and analysts say was part of the group's plan to establish a base in the region.
The new alliance aims to disrupt the funding of militant groups through enhanced financial intelligence sharing, Australian Justice Minister Michael Keenan said on Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, where he is attending a counter-terrorism conference.
"The stability and security of Southeast Asia is of critical importance to Australia," said Keenan, who also assists Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull on counter-terrorism issues.
Canberra "is committed to defeating the threat posed by terrorist groups, including ISIL, in the region," he added, referring to ISIS by another name.
Dozens of Australians were killed in a militant attack on the Indonesian resort island of Bali in 2002, one of the worst such attacks in the region.
Keenan said under the new initiative – endorsed by representatives from across the region – participating states will "directly target and disrupt the funding lifeline of terrorist groups" by denying them access to the international financial system and other sources of funding.
Australia's financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC and the Philippines' Anti-Money Laundering Council will lead the group.
The creation of the alliance – named the South East Asia Counter Terrorism Financing Working Group – is the latest effort to enhance regional cooperation against militants.
Earlier this year, Australia sent two Orion aircraft to provide surveillance support to Philippine troops in their bloody 5-month battle with militants to liberate Marawi.
Australia has been sharing intelligence with some Southeast Asian countries for many years but those arrangements need to be institutionalized, Keenan told reporters on Wednesday.
"We all know that the key weapon that we have in this war against terrorism is information. And ... we must find ways that it is shared seamlessly and shared in a timely way." – Rappler.com
31st ASEAN SummitFull coverage of the 31st ASEAN Summit in Manila, Philippines.
Public Advisories
Public Advisories
- 31st ASEAN Summit schedule
- Class/work suspensions for ASEAN Summit
- Lockdown areas around ASEAN Summit venues
- NLEX on lockdown for leaders' arrivals
- No-fly zones in Manila, Clark
- Flight cancellations
Berlusconi takes comeback bid to Europe rights court
HOPING
FOR A COMEBACK. This file photo taken on December 10, 2016 shows Silvio
Berlusconi on December 10, 2016 at the Quirinale Palace in Rome.
Vincenzo Pinto/AFP
STRASBOURG, France – Italy's scandal-plagued former prime minister
Silvio Berlusconi on Wednesday, November 22, takes his comeback bid to
the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, asking it to weigh in
on his ban from holding elected office.Ahead of a general election set for the spring, the 4-time premier is hoping the court will rule against the 6-year ban imposed over his 2012 conviction for tax fraud.
But although 17 judges will begin examining his case this week, their ruling may not come in time for the election.
The defiant politician has assured he will play a role regardless.
"I will be on the pitch, as captain or coach," he said last week, using the sort of football jargon that won him support during his rise to power in 1994.
He is not expected to attend Wednesday's hearing in the French city of Strasbourg, instead being represented by an eight-strong legal team led by Niccolo Ghedini, a member of his centre-right Forza Italia party.
The court's rulings are binding on countries that have ratified the European Convention of Human Rights, including Italy.
Besides winning the right to run again for office the billionaire tycoon is hoping to be reinstated as a senator, four years after the Senate kicked him out and stopped his salary, also over his fraud conviction.
His legal team argues the stripping of his Senate membership violates "his right to fulfil his mandate".
They say the ban on him holding office is further punishment for the 81-year-old politician who carried out ten-and-a-half months of community service for his crimes.
The Italian government rejects the accusation, noting that the exclusion automatically applies to anyone sentenced to two or more years in prison.
Berlusconi was sentenced to four years in prison, which was commuted to four hours of work a week in a home caring for elderly patients with Alzheimer's Disease.
Any salary payments he recoups from the Senate will go toward the home, the Correire della Sera newspaper reported.
The Immortal
Berlusconi was found guilty of tax fraud in connection with the purchase of TV rights by his firm Mediaset.
Under an amnesty measure, his sentence was reduced to one year but he avoided prison because of his age.
The politician notorious for his 'Bunga Bunga' sex parties and off-color gaffes has been written off as a political force several times only to bounce back.
Dubbed "the immortal", he made a resounding return to the centre stage earlier this month when a right-wing coalition he helped put together won elections in Sicily.
"He incarnates, as ever, both the system and 'anti-system', the moderate and extremist wings, and manages to hold it all together," said Marco Damilano, the editor-in-chief of l'Espresso magazine. – Rappelr.com
Senate OKs P250K annual income tax exemption
EXEMPTION. The Senate has approved the higher income tax exemption of P250,000 annually. Photo by Camille Elemia/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Senate on Wednesday, November 22, approved a
higher personal income tax exemption for Filipinos of P250,000
annually, effectively increasing the take-home pay of taxpayers.Senate ways and means committee chair Juan Edgardo Angara said the P250,000 exemption covers all workers, including employees and self-employed, no matter if the income is greater than that. Angara also said the tax burden will be transferred to the rich.
Once approved into law, Filipinos earning P21,000 a month will be exempt from paying income taxes. The exemption approved by the Senate essentially followed the versions of the Department of Finance and the House of Representatives.
“You’ll pay less taxes, bigger exemption. Mas malaki mauuwi (the take-home pay is bigger). It’s available to anybody who earns more than P250,000," Angara told reporters.
The Senate version also retains the P82,000 tax exemption for 13th month pay and other bonuses and the maximum P100,000 additional exemption for up to 4 dependents.
Here is the approved income tax scheme under the current Senate version effective January 1, 2018:
Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto then proposed the flat P250,000 exemption, which was the exemption that was approved.
Angara also claimed that the current Senate version has exceeded the DOF revenue target of P130 billion, as the measure is supposedly expected to generate P159.5 billion.
The Senate version is still significantly different from that of the House, which has a two-tier tax scheme for personal income tax from 2018 to 2020 and 2021 onwards.
After the Senate passes the bill, both chambers of Congress would have to undergo a bicameral conference committee to thresh out differences between the two versions. – Rappler.com
Air China suspends flights to North Korea
WAITING.
In this file photo, a North Korean soldier stands in the arrivals hall
of Pyongyang's International airport on October 8, 2015. Ed Jones/AFP
BEIJING, China – Air China has suspended flights to North Korea,
further limiting the secretive state's links with the outside world, in
what the government said was a business decision with no political
motives.The suspension comes shortly after US President Donald Trump visited Beijing and pressed his counterpart Xi Jinping to do more to rein in North Korea's nuclear program.
China sent a special envoy, Song Tao, to the North last week but his 4-day trip ended with no direct statement on the crisis, after Pyongyang's series of nuclear and missile tests triggered global alarm.
Air China last cancelled flights to North Korea in April, citing low customer demand, but resumed them soon after.
A customer service representative for the airline said Wednesday, November 22, there were no flights scheduled for the Beijing to Pyongyang route through June.
China has denied any political motives behind its flag carrier's suspension of the route.
"The airliners just work out their own operation plans based on the state of operation and the market," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a press briefing on Tuesday when asked about the apparent move.
Passengers flying from Beijing to North Korea are now left with just three regularly scheduled flights each week, on the North Korean state airline Air Koryo.
Air Koryo also operates flights from the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang to Pyongyang, though it halted flights from the Chinese border city of Dandong earlier this year.
Beijing is Pyongyang's only major ally and biggest trade partner, though in August China said it would abide by new UN sanctions which heavily curtail the North's exports of its most profitable goods.
The US on Tuesday, November 21, unveiled new sanctions targeting North Korean shipping and Chinese traders doing business with Pyongyang, again raising the pressure on the pariah state to abandon its nuclear program. – Rappler.com
DBM: 2018 budget, tax reform bill to be passed by December
Q&A.
DBM Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno talks with media during "Breakfast
with Ben" at the DBM Executive Lounge in Manila. File photo from the DBM
MANILA, Philippines – Budget secretary Benjamin Diokno said he's
hopeful that the 2018 national budget will be approved by December."We are optimistic that the fiscal year 2018 budget will be signed on time. We expect it to be approved on the first week of December," Diokno told reporters on Wednesday, November 22.
The second national budget crafted under the Duterte administration, the proposed P3.77-trillion budget is 12.4% higher than last year. The figure represents 21.6% of the projected gross domestic product (GDP) for 2018.
Under the proposed national budget, education and infrastructure departments receive the lion's share of the pie. (READ: Education, infra to get bulk of proposed 2018 nat'l budget)
Diokno also said "he is confident" that the tax reform bill will be passed into law around the same time. (READ: How will the proposed tax reform package affect Filipinos?)
If passed into law, workers get to have a bigger take-home pay under the proposed tax reform package, but the prices of several commodities will increase.
In an earlier statement, Socioeconomic Secretary Ernesto Pernia also said he is optimistic that the implementation of the tax reform package can begin by January 2018.
Salary hike
Diokno also said that the 3rd tranche of the pay adjustment for government workers will be out by January 2018.
According to the budget chief, the government has set aside P24 billion for the 3rd tranche of the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) and would benefit about 1.2 million government workers.
Diokno said that aside from the increase in pay, government employees will also receive midyear and yearend bonus. (READ: These gov't workers will get P40B in yearend bonuses, cash gifts)
In 2015, former President Benigno Aquino III pushed for the SSL which mandates a 4-year salary increase to the basic salaries of government employees, arguing that government pay is only 55% of market rates.
The last tranche will be out in 2019. – Rappler.com
CHR's Gascon to Duterte: Words matter
WORDS
MATTER. Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Chito Gascon reminds
President Rodrigo Duterte to raise public discourse. File photo by Bea
Cupin/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Regardless of
whether or not President Rodrigo Duterte will make good on his threats,
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chairperson Chito Gascon reminded him
to raise the public discourse since "words matter" – especially those coming from the Philippines' highest official.
"Words matter whether spoken in public or
in private and this is particularly important to remember when words
are spoken by those who are supposed to be our leaders," Gascon said in a
statement on Wednesday, November 22.
"What they say could indicate policy,
they could incite followers to a particular action, and worse, they
could serve to orient our children as to what could be viewed as
acceptable language or behavior," he added. (READ: A foul-mouthed 2016: The year in Duterte's curses)
Gascon's statement comes after Duterte once again threatened the CHR chairperson on Tuesday, November 21.
"Human rights, bakit ka tahimik
diyan? Kaya itong si Gascon, putang ina kapag nakita kita, leche ka –
better avoid that we cross paths. Putang ina, sampalin talaga kita," the President said during the 65th General Assembly of the League of Cities of the Philippines.
(Human
rights, why are you quiet there? This Gascon, son of a bitch, when I
see you – better avoid that we cross paths. Son of a bitch, I will slap
you.)
"Totoo lang, hindi ko malaman kung bakla ka. Either masipa kita, 'di man ako mademanda," Duterte also said.
(Truth be told, I don't know if you're gay. It's either I will kick you, I won't get sued.)
This is not the first time Duterte lashed out against Gascon. Last September, he slammed Gascon for allegedly politicizing the CHR – even calling him a pedophile for supposedly focusing on two teenagers killed by police. (READ: Kian and Carl: What the deaths of two boys have in common)
Gascon, however, said the CHR will continue to perform its functions "whatever Duterte's personal attitude to us might be."
"Wala pong personalan, trabaho lang po tayo pare-pareho sang-ayon sa batas (Don't take it personally, let's all just work within the law)," he said.
The CHR and other human rights advocates have been the target of tirades by the President and his allies as they continue to criticize his violent war on drugs. Around 3,967 suspected drug personalities have been killed during police operations as of October 25.
On November 9, Duterte also threatened to slap United Nations (UN) special rapporteur Agnes Callamard if she investigates him for alleged extrajudicial killings.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein
on Tuesday condemned "the repeated insults and threats of physical
violence against [Callamard] by the President of the Philippines and his
supporters." – Rappler.com
Fernando Sayasaya, 53, was tracked down by police in a province outside Manila on Sunday nearly two decades after he fled the US and went into hiding in the Philippines.
He was accused of molesting two boys in the state of North Dakota where he worked for the Catholic Church, police said.
He was put on administrative leave in 1998 following the allegations, but a US court only issued an arrest warrant for Sayasaya in 2002.
"He was charged of gross sexual imposition, that he (allegedly) made sexual contact on two young brothers who were aged under 15 at that time," Chief State Counsel Ricardo Paras told AFP.
Before fleeing the US, Sayasaya apparently told his superiors he wanted to spend Christmas in the Philippines but never returned, Paras added.
He said the suspect, since defrocked, would be sent to the US for trial in compliance with a 2006 US extradition request that was approved by a Filipino court in 2012.
An official of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said he was not aware of Sayasaya's case.
"Even if he is a Filipino but he is not (assigned) in the Philippines, we don't have any jurisdiction over him," Father Jerome Secillano, the conference's executive secretary for public affairs, told AFP.
The church in the mainly Catholic Philippines has also seen sexual abuse charges levelled against its clergy.
A priest was arrested in a Manila suburb in July after he was allegedly caught with a 13-year-old girl supplied by a pimp. – Rappler.com
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Help keep us free and independent of political and commercial interests.
When hate and anger are weaponized, it creates a spiral of silence.
When critical questions are simplistically equated with an anti-government agenda, it requires courage to hold decision-makers accountable.
We launched Rappler in 2012 to marry the highest standards of journalism with technology to strengthen Philippine democracy.
We didn’t want to just give you the news; we aimed to promote critical thinking, self-reflection, and empathy to encourage informed decision-making.
Help keep us free and independent of political and commercial interests.
38
DAYS
:
11
HOURS
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37
MINS
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23
SECS
P430,000
P5,000,000
9% OF GOAL
Results: November 2017 Chemical Engineer board exam
MANILA, Philippines – The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced on Wednesday, November 22 that 627 out of 942 passed the Chemical Engineer Licensure Examination administered by the Board of Chemical Engineering in Manila and Cebu this November 2017.
The members of the Board of Chemical Engineering who gave the licensure examination are Engr. Ofelia V. Bulaong, Chairman; Engr. Jeffrey G. Mijares and Engr. Cyd P. Aguilera, Members.
The top performing schools in the November 2017 Chemical Engineer Licensure Examination as per Commission Resolution No. 2010-547 series of 2010:
Chem1117 Alpha.doc by Rappler on Scribd
From November 28 to November 29, 2017, registration for the issuance
of Professional Identification Card (ID) and Certificate of Registration
will be done on-line. Please go to www.prc.gov.ph and follow
instructions for initial registration. Those who will register are
required to bring the following: duly accomplished Oath Form or
Panunumpa ng Propesyonal, notice of admission (for identification only),
2 pieces passport sized pictures (colored with white background and
complete name tag), 2 sets of documentary stamps and 1 piece short brown
envelope. Successful examinees should personally register and sign in
the Roster of Registered Professionals.The date and venue for the oathtaking ceremony of the new successful examinees in the said examination will be announced later. – Rappler.com
Justice De Castro 'very much willing' to testify vs Sereno, says Larry Gadon
TESTIFY?
Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo De Castro is
"willing" to testify against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno,
according to complainant Larry Gadon.
MANILA, Philippines – Supreme Court (SC)
Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro is “very much” willing to
testify against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno in the ongoing
impeachment proceedings at the House of Representatives, lawyer Larry
Gadon told the House panel hearing the case on Wednesday, November 22.
Gadon, the complainant in the impeachment complaint
against Sereno, gave the assurance to Oriental Mindoro 2nd District
Representative Reynaldo Umali when the chairman of the House justice
committee asked him to secure the affidavits of the witnesses he would
tap in his complaint against Sereno.
“Justice De Castro is very much willing to execute an affidavit and testify,” Gadon told the panel.
When asked, Gadon said he knew that De Castro would be
willing to testify at the impeachment hearing through a "friend who is
talking to her on my behalf."
Rappler tried to get in touch with De
Castro through the SC Public Information Office, but the statement she
issued was on a different matter: her response
to Gadon's claim that she was the source of a news report about her tiff
with Sereno over a temporary restraining order, which is included in
the complaint.
Gadon said he got this information from Manila Times reporter Jomar Canlas, who wrote the report.
In response, De Castro said in a statement, “I have never released to Jomar Canlas any information, report, or document regarding the work of the Court."
Canlas, a veteran SC reporter, has written many exclusive stories on the High Court, citing sources. In 2016, the SC en banc issued a show cause order against him to explain why he should not be cited in indirect contempt for reporting insider information.
During the hearing, Gadon referred to De Castro many times
in response to questions regarding this allegations in his complaint,
saying she would be the best person to respond to questions about the
TRO issue.
"The best resource person is Associate Justice De Castro," the lawyer said.
Gadon referred to De Castro so many times that Dinagat Representative Kaka Bagao ask him: "Sino
ba ang complainant, ikaw ba or si Justice....Nalilito ako kung sino ang
complainant dito. Hindi mo naipapaliwanag, turo ka nang turo kay
Justice."
(Who is the complainant here, you or the Justice?...I'm
confused on who the complainant is. You can't explain fully, you keep on
pointing to the Justice.)
Falsified TRO?
During the hearing, Gadon said that after
he read Canlas' report on Sereno's supposed falsified Temporary
Restraining Order (TRO) on party-list proclamations in 2013, he talked
to the journalist to get details of the report, including who his source is.
The committee said it will subpoena Canlas.
Grilled why Sereno would falsify a
document that she has to issue herself, Gadon said De Castro sent Sereno
an initial TRO as the head of the division handling the case. Gadon
said what Sereno issued eventually was different.
“Yes, it was really substantially amended
and when, as I understand, from the facts that was given to me by Jomar
Canlas, it was only after Justice De Castro confronted Justice Sereno
that the TRO was replaced and rectified,” Gadon said.
In her written answer sent to the committee, Sereno said that as Chief Justice, she has the authority to issue a TRO when the petition is filed during recess.
“She simply did not fully adopt the
recommended draft order submitted to her for approval. The Chief Justice
cannot possibly falsify, tamper with or alter a TRO issued under her
own authority,” the answer reads.
SC eventually corrected the TRO that in
effect contained De Castro’s ruling, but Sereno said that was also the
en banc, acting on its power to review the Chief Justice’s TRO decisions
while on recess.
De Castro is also the justice who sent a memorandum to other justices questioning some of the actions of Sereno, some of which appeared in Gadon's complaint.
'Violation of SC rules'
Sereno's spokesperson, Josa Deinla, said
that De Castro would be in violation of the Internal Rules of the SC if
Gadon's claims are true.
"Atty Gadon’s disclosure that his source of information
for Supreme Court Internal Memorandum is no other than Senior Justice
Teresita De Castro, if indeed true, reveals that Senior Justice De
Castro clearly violated the Internal Rules of the Supreme Court," Deinla
said in a statement.
"The Internal Rules of the Supreme Court prominently
safeguards the confidentiality of Supreme Court sessions and its
internal documents," she added.
Deinla said that under the rules, Supreme Court sessions
"are executive in character, with only the Members of the Supreme Court
present."
"The Supreme Court deliberations are confidential and
shall not be disclosed to outside parties, except if authorized by the
Supreme Court," she said.
Deinla added that based on on SC rules, "the Supreme Court
rollos may only be released upon an official written request from the
Judicial Staff Head or the Chief of Office of the requesting Office."
"All persons handling the rollos are bound by the same strict confidentiality rules," she said.
The House panel is determining probable
cause in the impeachment complaint against Sereno before the case is
forwarded to the Senate sitting as an impeachment court. – Rappler.com
How to cook bibimbap, lumpia, and other dishes with Angus corned beef
Published 8:17 AM, November 11, 2017
Updated 8:18 AM, November 11, 2017
In Partnership with
MANILA, Philippines – How much do we love corned beef? Let us count the ways.
Although it’s not a traditional Filipino dish, most of
us grew up enjoying corned beef any time of the day: at breakfast, it’s
fried and paired with fried eggs and garlic fried rice or enjoyed as palaman for pan de sal or slices of tasty bread. At lunch or dinner, it’s usually incorporated in egg torta or cooked with potatoes, either as gisado or as a stew.
Every time we go home to a steaming plate of corned beef
and enjoy bite after bite, we can’t help but remember happy memories
from our youth. We’re easily reminded of how its flavorful, smoky taste
and firm texture, especially if its made from pure, premium meat like
Angus beef, are enough to complete our day.
This is why our love for this classic remains, even as we learn to enjoy cuisine from around the world.
Below are examples of how we can recreate some international dishes with premium Angus corned beef. Here are five dishes from Asia, Europe, and the Americas that you can make at home with a delicious, nostalgic twist:
Bibimbap
Bibimbap is a popular, colorful, and healthy Korean dish
often served in a bowl. It’s easy enough to make and enjoy. You can
tweak the ingredients to suit your taste, but the standard usually
includes pre-cooked toppings like bean sprouts, zucchini, cucumber,
spinach, shiitake mushrooms, and fried egg.
Meat is also added, but instead of pork, beef, or
chicken, use a spoon or two of fried corned beef to add another layer of
taste and texture to your bibimbap. Don’t forget to add a dollop of gochujang (Korean red chili paste) and a drizzle of sesame oil, and mix well!
Spaghetti carbonara
Make this Italian dish the traditional way by skipping
the pre-packed mixes and making your own sauce from scratch. Carbonara
calls for a mixture of raw eggs, hard cheeses, and ground pepper for the
sauce, in which the freshly cooked pasta and fried pork (usually
guanciale or pancetta) are tossed into.
For your dish, you can either add corned beef in
straight from the can (it’s pre-cooked!) as substitute for the pork or
mix it in with strips of fried bacon.
Nachos
Nachos is a fusion of American and Mexican cuisines, or
Tex-Mex. In this dish, a bed of crispy tortilla chips is topped with
sliced pickled jalapeño peppers and olives, beans, salsa, sour cream,
and melted cheese, among many other toppings.
Nachos usually call for ground pork, beef, or chicken, but feel free to make it your own by replacing it with fried corned beef.
Hamburgers
Hamburgers is an all-American dish, often enjoyed with
fries on the side. Its star is the patty, which is made by seasoning raw
ground beef with salt and pepper and forming into a disc-like shape,
then cooked by either grilling or frying.
For this version, make the patties as you would but use
corned beef. Pan fry your patties and when they’re done, sandwich one or
two in between a bun along with lettuce, tomato, and cheese.
Fried lumpiang shanghai rolls
Lumpiang shanghai, like corned beef, is a quintessential
Filipino favorite often served during birthdays, family reunions,
Christmas, New Year, and other occasions in between. So how about
combining two well-loved dishes to create a new one?
The traditional lumpia shanghai recipe calls for a
mixture of ground pork seasoned with salt and pepper, chopped carrots
and onions, and wrapped in lumpia wrappers. These are then deep fried
until golden brown to make sure the filling is fully cooked.
To give your lumpiang shanghai a new twist, use corned
beef! Mix it straight from the can and make the filling as you normally
would. The corned beef will give this old favorite a new flavor and
texture.
By simply opting for corned beef instead of pork, beef,
or chicken, you can easily add a new layer of smoky, beefy flavor and
texture to any of your favorite dishes.
Of course, the quality of your corned beef can affect
your dish. So make sure to cook your dishes with corned beef that’s made
from 100% premium Angus beef, which makes it juicier, tastier, firmer,
and more flavorful.
How do you plan to incorporate corned beef to your next meal? – Rappler.com
All illustrations by Raffy de Guzman.
Try the new Highlands Gold Corned Beef, the corned beef with Angus. Like
our Facebook page (link) to know more about Highlands Gold Corned Beef.
#AnguSarap
Sereno lawyer: Expedite hearing, bring impeachment to Senate
SERENO
TEAM. Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno's legal team attends the House
committee on justice hearing on an impeachment case against her. Photo
by Darren Langit
MANILA, Philippines – Minutes after a House panel barred
them from participating in deliberations on an impeachment complaint
against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, lawyers of the chief
magistrate said they were “inclined” to have the proceedings “expedited”
and have the case forwarded to the Senate sitting as in impeachment
court.“It is our inclination to have the proceedings before the committee expedited if they believe that the complainant has evidence then by all means, prepare the articles of impeachment," lawyer Alexander Poblador said in a media interview on November 22, Wednesday, on the sidelines of a justice panel hearing on an impeachment case against Sereno.
"We are willing to face them before the Senate where the rights of the chief justice will be protected,” Poblador added.
The House committee on Justice on Wednesday began hearings to determine probable cause to pursue the impeachment complaint. Oriental Mindoro 2nd Representative Reynaldo Umali, committee chairman, wants the House plenary to vote on the eventually committee report – wherein they will either recommend on reject impeachment – by December 13.
On November 22, the committee voted against allowing non-committee members from asking questions and voting in the proceedings. It also voted against allowing Poblador and the rest of Sereno’s lawyers from conducting a cross-examination on Gadon and his witnesses.
'Considering all options'
Still, Poblador said the legal team is “considering all options,” including going up to the Supreme Court.
“The decision to expedite would really be the committee’s. We are hoping that they would in fact now expedite the process if they believe that Gadon has evidence…why go through this hearing if not to provide evidence, which Gadon seems not to have? In that case, why not go to the Senate?” he reiterated.
For the case to reach the Senate, the House – through a plenary vote – would have to impeach Sereno first. If that happened, she would be the second chief justice in recent history to be impeached, after the late Renato Corona.
After the vote on Sereno's motion on Wednesday, Umali assured Sereno she would not be deprived of her right to counsel. Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas also said that cross-examinations aren’t allowed in preliminary investigations, which the committee hearing was akin to. Umali said Sereno’s lawyers can also course their questions through members of the committee.
Poblador said the setup was unacceptable.
“The cross is conducted by the counsel of the other party. That’s me, as lead counsel of the chief justice. They cannot conduct the cross-examination on behalf of the chief justice because the chairman of the committee, the members of the committee are not her counsels. Why should they restrict the right of the chief justice to choose their counsel?” he added.
Sereno was invited to the hearing but opted to skip it, instead submitting a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) to allow her lawyers to speak and act on her behalf.
'Sad day for justice'
The Sereno camp said the House justice committee had denied Sereno her constitutional rights when it thumbed down her motion.
“This is a sad day for justice in this
country that the Chief Justice, who has fought steadfastly to uphold the
Constitution and the right of the citizens, has now been denied her own
constitutional rights,” said lawyer Josa Deinla, one of Sereno’s
spokespersons.
Deinla said Sereno looked foward to the
time when the proceedings would reach the Senate and hopefully there,
“her rights will be respected.”
She reiterated that the House ruling
violates Section 13(2) of their own rules which says that “the
participation of counsel for the witness during the hearing and while
the witness is testifying shall be limited to advising on the legal
rights of the said witness.”
“It is difficult to understand how this
rule can defeat the rights of the Chief Justice to counsel when this
right is enshrined not only in the very Rules or Procedure on
Impeachment but in the Constitution itself that is read into such
rules,” Deinla said.
She said it is ironic for the committee
to deny Sereno's lawyers the right to cross-examine, yet House leaders
are saying that Sereno should be the one to cross-examine herself.
“Even the position of the committee that
Sereno must conduct the cross-examination herself, concedes that she has
such a right,” Deinla said. – Rappler.com
Students urge undecided senators to back proposed tobacco tax hike
LETTERS
TO SENATORS. Students from various universities write letters to
senators who have yet to decide on the tax reform bill. Photo by
Danielle Nakpil/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Students from different universities and
organizations gathered on Wednesday, November 22, in the University of
the Philippines (UP) Diliman to launch a campaign that urges legislators
to back a proposal to increase tobacco tax. (READ: EXPLAINER: Senate, House versions of the tax reform bill)They wrote letters to undecided senators, hoping to convince them to support the move to raise the levy on so-called “sin” products, especially tobacco. In October 2017, Senator Manny Pacquiao filed Senate Bill No 1599, which seeks to amend Republic Act 10351 or the Sin Tax Reform Act of 2012 aimed at generating more government revenue. The young people went to the Senate on Wednesday afternoon to hand their letters to the legislators.
"For the past months, we went to the Senate building, knocked at the senators' offices, and used the reach of social media to deliver our appeal," Joel Estoesta of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila Economics Society said.
Pass bill in haste
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier vowed to overhaul the country's tax code as part of his economic program. He called on the Senate to "support the tax reform in full and to pass it with haste."
The bill proposes to increase the present unitary excise tax rate to
P60 from P30 per pack. The annual excise tax will also be increased from
4% to 9% (READ: Pacquiao wants to increase cigarette tax to P60 per pack)
Senate Committee on Ways and Means chair senator Juan Edgardo
Angara has not yet expressed commitment to back the bill, according to
the young advocates. Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros has included
tobacco tax increase in her proposed amendments to the proposed measure.
The rest of the senators are still undecided on the issue. "It is of utmost importance that this measure be included in the first package expected to be passed this year. Failure to do so is tantamount to blocking this reform altogether," UP Economics Towards Consciousness president David Baldivia said.
Better health, more revenue
Pacquiao said that the passage of the measure will at least add P60 to P70 billion to government revenues.The student leaders also highlighted the benefits of increasing tobacco tax aside from saving lives. (READ: Senate files version of tax reform bill seen to exempt 3.2 M Filipinos from income tax)
According to UP Economics Towards Consciousness president David Baldivia, adding tobacco tax into the package will generate around P50 billion in additional funds "that can be used by the government to improve healthcare in the country.
"The evidence is clear. There is no excuse not to prioritize the passage of this measure. The ball is now in the Senate's hands to choose the welfare of the people over the corporate interests. One thing is for sure, the youth is watching," he added.
"One of our movement's main calls is to include tobacco tax in the current tax reform package being discussed in the Senate.
'No-vote media campaign'
The group Youth for Sin Tax also launched a zero vote media campaign to "reject and give zero votes to senators running in 2019 elections who will block the proposal to include tobacco tax increase in tax reform bill."
The 2019 senatorial elections is fast approaching and according to UP Diliman University Student Council chair Benjie Aquino, "those who side with corporate interests over the welfare of the youth do not deserve the votes of the youth in 2019." Incumbent senators who are eligible for reelection include Francis Escudero, Gregorio Honasan, Loren Legarda, Aquilino Pimentel III, and Antonio Trillanes.
"Individually, we may seem small compared to these corporate giants,
but together our voices will be the key towards changing the political
landscape in the country into something better," he said. – Rappler.com
CSC releases 2018 civil service examination calendar
MANILA, Philippines – The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has announced the conduct of the 2018 Career Service Examination - Pen and Paper Test (CSE-PPT) on March 18 and August 12. Aside from the CSE-PPT, CSC will also administer other nationwide civil service examinations next year namely, the Career Service Examination for Foreign Service Officer (January 28); Fire Officer Examination, and Penology Officer Examination (June 17); and Basic Competency on Local Treasury Examination (June 17 and October 14).
Application period for CSE for Foreign Service Officer (CSE-FSO) is ongoing. Applications should be personally submitted at any Regional Consular Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), or Philippine embassies and consulates abroad not later than December 1, 2017; or at the DFA-Board of Foreign Service Examinations, Pasay City, not later than December 8, 2017. Examination fee is P500. The CSE-FSO, if passed, will result in the conferment of the Career Foreign Service Officer Eligibility that is appropriate for appointment to clerical and technical positions in the government that do not require practice of profession and are not covered by Bar, board and special laws. The CSE-FSO is also the qualifying test for the five-part Foreign Service Officer Examination administered by the DFA to recruit candidates for the position of FSO Class IV.
Also, filing of applications for the first schedule of the career service exams on March 18 is ongoing and will close at January 31, 2018. Applications must be filed at the CSC Regional Office (CSC RO), or at any of the CSC RO’s field offices, where applicants intend to take the examination. For details on application requirements and procedure, interested parties may access CSC Examination Announcement No. 04, s. 2017 now posted on the CSC website www.csc.gov.ph. Examination fee is also P500.
The Career Service Professional and SubProfessional examinations are open to Filipino citizens who are at least 18 years old at the time of filing of application regardless of their educational attainment, and who have not yet met the limitation on the frequency of taking the career service exams, which shall be once in three months for the same level of examination.
Passers of the Career Service examinations will be conferred either the Professional Eligibility, or the SubProfessional Eligibility. The former is also appropriate to clerical and technical positions in the government while the latter is appropriate only to clerical positions.
The CSC shall issue separate examination announcements on the CSC website for the Fire Officer Examination, Penology Officer Examination, and the Basic Competency on Local Treasury Examination.
On October 14, CSC will also administer Pre-Employment Test, Promotional Test, Ethics-Oriented Personality Test (EOPT), and Intermediate Competency on Local Treasury Examination (ICLTE). Corresponding exam announcements shall also be issued.
For updates, interested individuals may visit CSC’s website and follow its official Facebook page. – Rappler.com
Finding comfort in our memories of lolo and lola
Published 12:33 PM, September 26, 2017
Updated 3:25 PM, September 26, 2017
In partnership with
For Filipinos, lolo and lola mean more than the names we call our grandparents.
They’re our kakampi, or the allies who take our side readily when our parents tell us off for being too naughty. They are the ones who spoil us with all the candy and toys mom and dad would otherwise not give us too much of.
They are more than the parents of our own parents.
Recently, we asked our followers to share with us some of their most treasured memories with their grandparents. We specifically asked about the little ways lolo shows his love, summer memories with lolo and lola, and favorite dishes made by lola.
These are some of the best responses that triggered our own nostalgia for times spent with lolo and lola.
Summers with lolo and lola
It also meant vacations. And that one trip we look forward to the most is our visit to our grandparents’ place, if they don’t live with us. It’s one of the few things we look forward to in the year because it allows us to relax and spend time with the family while enjoying yummy treats.
Fathers are tough. While they want to keep their children from harm, they’d also want them to toughen up as well and be independent.
(READ: How one father single-handedly raised three teens)
But as grandfathers, they become more relaxed. They spoil their apo in ways they spoiled their own kids – sometimes, even more.
Some of these ways include waiting for them to get home from school, bonding with them, and simply providing guidance and care even when the apos are already grown-ups themselves.
(READ: In praise of mama’s cooking)
It was lola who taught her everything she needed to know. She’s the one who handed down to our mothers the family recipes that we now enjoy. And for those who are able to enjoy lola’s sumptuous home cooked recipes, nothing tastes quite like them.
But while lola’s cooking repertoire might be diverse, it’s the simple treats – the comfort food we look forward to after a long day from work or school, made even better with cheese – that we remember most.
They show their love in a million different ways, big and small. Now that we’re grown-ups, we miss the time we used to spend with them and the way their home cooked meals give us comfort like nothing else can.
For us, the words lolo and lola come with some of our fondest, warmest memories that hug us when we’re down.
Do you have your own #YakapStory with lolo and lola to share? Sound off in the comments section! – Rappler.com
Illustrations by Alejandro Edoria
Eden has the savory, rich creaminess that lingers like a mom’s warm,
comforting hug inside & out. Para sa creaminess na umaakap, Eden!
VisMin’s go-to restaurant for comfort food, Hukad, expands to Manila
HUKAD. Gerald Anderson is presented to the media as Hukad's food ambassador. All photos by Precious del Valle/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – With international franchises opening
left and right, it’s getting harder and harder to get excited about our
very own cuisine. Really, how many ways can you “put a twist” on the
traditional adobo?
So rather than rely on gimmicks, Hukad is banking on
Filipinos’ love for local flavors. Even in today’s competitive dining
landscape, the people behind the popular Cebu restaurant believe that
nothing beats the taste of good ol' Pinoy comfort food.
“Many world-savvy Filipinos may try out different
cuisines and international concepts, but there will always be a place in
their hearts for the homegrown Filipino comfort food that they grew up
on. Offer delightful flavors, great hospitality, and amazing value, and
the love will always be there,” says Hukad’s Kenneth Kokseng.
Gerald Anderson, Hukad’s new endorser,
echoes Kenneth’s sentiment. According to him, eating traditional
Filipino dishes brings back some of his fondest childhood memories from
General Santos.
“I always remember how mom took care of me when I was young,” he said.
(In case you’re wondering, Gerald’s go-to Hukad dishes are
lechon, eggplant adobo, pomelo salad, and the popular Cebuano street
food, Ngohiong.)
Celebrity endorser Gerald Anderson
Hukad, which in Bisaya means “to serve up
food on one’s plate,” offers over a hundred dishes, with main courses
ranging from P200 to P500. True to their tagline “Always a feast!”
almost everything on the menu is good for sharing. They also offer
unlimited rice, with a choice between plain and garlic.
Check out some of Hukad’s best selling dishes below:
Baked Bantayan scallops (P239):
Hukad prides itself in sourcing only fresh scallops from Bantayan
Island. Baked to perfection with a generous serving of garlic cheese,
this is definitely a must-try.
Baked scallops
Pomelo Salad: A refreshing
appetizer topped with crispy dried squid bits and turnip slices. Served
with calamansi dressing, it has just the right amount of sweet and sour.
Pomelo salad
Ngohiong (5 pieces for P135): One of
the most popular street foods in Cebu is now available in Manila.
Ngohiong is their version of a spring roll stuffed with jicama (singakamas) and heart of coconut palm (ubod) seasoned with five-spice powder.
Ngohiong
Adobong Talong (P150): I’m not the biggest fan of
this dish, but Gerald insists that this is among Hukad’s must try. It’s
also a good option for our vegetarian friends.
Adobong talong
Crispy Pata (Small: P495; Large: P669): A visit to
any Filipino restaurant wouldn’t be complete without crispy pata and
Hukad’s take on this popular dish did not disappoint. The meat was
easily fork-tender while the skin was crispy and crunchy.
Crispy pata
Lechon Belly de Cebu (1/4 kilo: P315): Crispy skin and meat that has that melt-in-your-mouth goodness. It’s indeed belly belly good!
Lechon belly de Cebu
Zarzuela de Maicos: A mouthwatering serving of clam, squid, and crab served in tomato sauce, olive oil, tomatoes, and coco wine.
Zarzuela de Maicos
Ube Halaya Crisp Ala Mode (P130): Hukad makes their very own ube halaya
from scratch, which is quite delicious, but they could have definitely
added a tiny bit more. Thankfully, the generous serving of queso ice
cream made up for it.
Ube Halaya Crisp Ala Mode
Hukad now has over 40 branches in the Philippines, with more stores
opening soon, especially in Metro Manila. See a list of Hukad branches here. – Rappler.comAustralia, SE Asia join forces to choke militant financing
DESTRUCTION
This photo taken on October 25, 2017, shows bombed-out buildings inside
of what was the main battle area between government troops and
ISIS-inspired Muslim militants in Marawi. Ted Aljibe/AFP
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Australia and Southeast Asia have joined
forces to choke financing for militant networks, Australia's justice
minister said Wednesday, November 22, amid recent concerns about the
Islamic State (ISIS) group gaining a foothold in the region.ISIS militants seized the southern Philippine city of Marawi in May, a move Philippine officials and analysts say was part of the group's plan to establish a base in the region.
The new alliance aims to disrupt the funding of militant groups through enhanced financial intelligence sharing, Australian Justice Minister Michael Keenan said on Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, where he is attending a counter-terrorism conference.
"The stability and security of Southeast Asia is of critical importance to Australia," said Keenan, who also assists Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull on counter-terrorism issues.
Canberra "is committed to defeating the threat posed by terrorist groups, including ISIL, in the region," he added, referring to ISIS by another name.
Dozens of Australians were killed in a militant attack on the Indonesian resort island of Bali in 2002, one of the worst such attacks in the region.
Keenan said under the new initiative – endorsed by representatives from across the region – participating states will "directly target and disrupt the funding lifeline of terrorist groups" by denying them access to the international financial system and other sources of funding.
Australia's financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC and the Philippines' Anti-Money Laundering Council will lead the group.
The creation of the alliance – named the South East Asia Counter Terrorism Financing Working Group – is the latest effort to enhance regional cooperation against militants.
Earlier this year, Australia sent two Orion aircraft to provide surveillance support to Philippine troops in their bloody 5-month battle with militants to liberate Marawi.
Australia has been sharing intelligence with some Southeast Asian countries for many years but those arrangements need to be institutionalized, Keenan told reporters on Wednesday.
"We all know that the key weapon that we have in this war against terrorism is information. And ... we must find ways that it is shared seamlessly and shared in a timely way." – Rappler.com
31st ASEAN SummitFull coverage of the 31st ASEAN Summit in Manila, Philippines.
Public Advisories
Public Advisories
- 31st ASEAN Summit schedule
- Class/work suspensions for ASEAN Summit
- Lockdown areas around ASEAN Summit venues
- NLEX on lockdown for leaders' arrivals
- No-fly zones in Manila, Clark
- Flight cancellations
Berlusconi takes comeback bid to Europe rights court
HOPING
FOR A COMEBACK. This file photo taken on December 10, 2016 shows Silvio
Berlusconi on December 10, 2016 at the Quirinale Palace in Rome.
Vincenzo Pinto/AFP
STRASBOURG, France – Italy's scandal-plagued former prime minister
Silvio Berlusconi on Wednesday, November 22, takes his comeback bid to
the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, asking it to weigh in
on his ban from holding elected office.Ahead of a general election set for the spring, the 4-time premier is hoping the court will rule against the 6-year ban imposed over his 2012 conviction for tax fraud.
But although 17 judges will begin examining his case this week, their ruling may not come in time for the election.
The defiant politician has assured he will play a role regardless.
"I will be on the pitch, as captain or coach," he said last week, using the sort of football jargon that won him support during his rise to power in 1994.
He is not expected to attend Wednesday's hearing in the French city of Strasbourg, instead being represented by an eight-strong legal team led by Niccolo Ghedini, a member of his centre-right Forza Italia party.
The court's rulings are binding on countries that have ratified the European Convention of Human Rights, including Italy.
Besides winning the right to run again for office the billionaire tycoon is hoping to be reinstated as a senator, four years after the Senate kicked him out and stopped his salary, also over his fraud conviction.
His legal team argues the stripping of his Senate membership violates "his right to fulfil his mandate".
They say the ban on him holding office is further punishment for the 81-year-old politician who carried out ten-and-a-half months of community service for his crimes.
The Italian government rejects the accusation, noting that the exclusion automatically applies to anyone sentenced to two or more years in prison.
Berlusconi was sentenced to four years in prison, which was commuted to four hours of work a week in a home caring for elderly patients with Alzheimer's Disease.
Any salary payments he recoups from the Senate will go toward the home, the Correire della Sera newspaper reported.
The Immortal
Berlusconi was found guilty of tax fraud in connection with the purchase of TV rights by his firm Mediaset.
Under an amnesty measure, his sentence was reduced to one year but he avoided prison because of his age.
The politician notorious for his 'Bunga Bunga' sex parties and off-color gaffes has been written off as a political force several times only to bounce back.
Dubbed "the immortal", he made a resounding return to the centre stage earlier this month when a right-wing coalition he helped put together won elections in Sicily.
"He incarnates, as ever, both the system and 'anti-system', the moderate and extremist wings, and manages to hold it all together," said Marco Damilano, the editor-in-chief of l'Espresso magazine. – Rappelr.com
Senate OKs P250K annual income tax exemption
EXEMPTION. The Senate has approved the higher income tax exemption of P250,000 annually. Photo by Camille Elemia/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Senate on Wednesday, November 22, approved a
higher personal income tax exemption for Filipinos of P250,000
annually, effectively increasing the take-home pay of taxpayers.Senate ways and means committee chair Juan Edgardo Angara said the P250,000 exemption covers all workers, including employees and self-employed, no matter if the income is greater than that. Angara also said the tax burden will be transferred to the rich.
Once approved into law, Filipinos earning P21,000 a month will be exempt from paying income taxes. The exemption approved by the Senate essentially followed the versions of the Department of Finance and the House of Representatives.
“You’ll pay less taxes, bigger exemption. Mas malaki mauuwi (the take-home pay is bigger). It’s available to anybody who earns more than P250,000," Angara told reporters.
The Senate version also retains the P82,000 tax exemption for 13th month pay and other bonuses and the maximum P100,000 additional exemption for up to 4 dependents.
Here is the approved income tax scheme under the current Senate version effective January 1, 2018:
Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto then proposed the flat P250,000 exemption, which was the exemption that was approved.
Angara also claimed that the current Senate version has exceeded the DOF revenue target of P130 billion, as the measure is supposedly expected to generate P159.5 billion.
The Senate version is still significantly different from that of the House, which has a two-tier tax scheme for personal income tax from 2018 to 2020 and 2021 onwards.
After the Senate passes the bill, both chambers of Congress would have to undergo a bicameral conference committee to thresh out differences between the two versions. – Rappler.com
Air China suspends flights to North Korea
WAITING.
In this file photo, a North Korean soldier stands in the arrivals hall
of Pyongyang's International airport on October 8, 2015. Ed Jones/AFP
BEIJING, China – Air China has suspended flights to North Korea,
further limiting the secretive state's links with the outside world, in
what the government said was a business decision with no political
motives.The suspension comes shortly after US President Donald Trump visited Beijing and pressed his counterpart Xi Jinping to do more to rein in North Korea's nuclear program.
China sent a special envoy, Song Tao, to the North last week but his 4-day trip ended with no direct statement on the crisis, after Pyongyang's series of nuclear and missile tests triggered global alarm.
Air China last cancelled flights to North Korea in April, citing low customer demand, but resumed them soon after.
A customer service representative for the airline said Wednesday, November 22, there were no flights scheduled for the Beijing to Pyongyang route through June.
China has denied any political motives behind its flag carrier's suspension of the route.
"The airliners just work out their own operation plans based on the state of operation and the market," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a press briefing on Tuesday when asked about the apparent move.
Passengers flying from Beijing to North Korea are now left with just three regularly scheduled flights each week, on the North Korean state airline Air Koryo.
Air Koryo also operates flights from the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang to Pyongyang, though it halted flights from the Chinese border city of Dandong earlier this year.
Beijing is Pyongyang's only major ally and biggest trade partner, though in August China said it would abide by new UN sanctions which heavily curtail the North's exports of its most profitable goods.
The US on Tuesday, November 21, unveiled new sanctions targeting North Korean shipping and Chinese traders doing business with Pyongyang, again raising the pressure on the pariah state to abandon its nuclear program. – Rappler.com
DBM: 2018 budget, tax reform bill to be passed by December
Q&A.
DBM Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno talks with media during "Breakfast
with Ben" at the DBM Executive Lounge in Manila. File photo from the DBM
MANILA, Philippines – Budget secretary Benjamin Diokno said he's
hopeful that the 2018 national budget will be approved by December."We are optimistic that the fiscal year 2018 budget will be signed on time. We expect it to be approved on the first week of December," Diokno told reporters on Wednesday, November 22.
The second national budget crafted under the Duterte administration, the proposed P3.77-trillion budget is 12.4% higher than last year. The figure represents 21.6% of the projected gross domestic product (GDP) for 2018.
Under the proposed national budget, education and infrastructure departments receive the lion's share of the pie. (READ: Education, infra to get bulk of proposed 2018 nat'l budget)
Diokno also said "he is confident" that the tax reform bill will be passed into law around the same time. (READ: How will the proposed tax reform package affect Filipinos?)
If passed into law, workers get to have a bigger take-home pay under the proposed tax reform package, but the prices of several commodities will increase.
In an earlier statement, Socioeconomic Secretary Ernesto Pernia also said he is optimistic that the implementation of the tax reform package can begin by January 2018.
Salary hike
Diokno also said that the 3rd tranche of the pay adjustment for government workers will be out by January 2018.
According to the budget chief, the government has set aside P24 billion for the 3rd tranche of the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) and would benefit about 1.2 million government workers.
Diokno said that aside from the increase in pay, government employees will also receive midyear and yearend bonus. (READ: These gov't workers will get P40B in yearend bonuses, cash gifts)
In 2015, former President Benigno Aquino III pushed for the SSL which mandates a 4-year salary increase to the basic salaries of government employees, arguing that government pay is only 55% of market rates.
The last tranche will be out in 2019. – Rappler.com
CHR's Gascon to Duterte: Words matter
WORDS
MATTER. Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Chito Gascon reminds
President Rodrigo Duterte to raise public discourse. File photo by Bea
Cupin/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Regardless of
whether or not President Rodrigo Duterte will make good on his threats,
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chairperson Chito Gascon reminded him
to raise the public discourse since "words matter" – especially those coming from the Philippines' highest official.
"Words matter whether spoken in public or
in private and this is particularly important to remember when words
are spoken by those who are supposed to be our leaders," Gascon said in a
statement on Wednesday, November 22.
"What they say could indicate policy,
they could incite followers to a particular action, and worse, they
could serve to orient our children as to what could be viewed as
acceptable language or behavior," he added. (READ: A foul-mouthed 2016: The year in Duterte's curses)
Gascon's statement comes after Duterte once again threatened the CHR chairperson on Tuesday, November 21.
"Human rights, bakit ka tahimik
diyan? Kaya itong si Gascon, putang ina kapag nakita kita, leche ka –
better avoid that we cross paths. Putang ina, sampalin talaga kita," the President said during the 65th General Assembly of the League of Cities of the Philippines.
(Human
rights, why are you quiet there? This Gascon, son of a bitch, when I
see you – better avoid that we cross paths. Son of a bitch, I will slap
you.)
"Totoo lang, hindi ko malaman kung bakla ka. Either masipa kita, 'di man ako mademanda," Duterte also said.
(Truth be told, I don't know if you're gay. It's either I will kick you, I won't get sued.)
This is not the first time Duterte lashed out against Gascon. Last September, he slammed Gascon for allegedly politicizing the CHR – even calling him a pedophile for supposedly focusing on two teenagers killed by police. (READ: Kian and Carl: What the deaths of two boys have in common)
Gascon, however, said the CHR will continue to perform its functions "whatever Duterte's personal attitude to us might be."
"Wala pong personalan, trabaho lang po tayo pare-pareho sang-ayon sa batas (Don't take it personally, let's all just work within the law)," he said.
The CHR and other human rights advocates have been the target of tirades by the President and his allies as they continue to criticize his violent war on drugs. Around 3,967 suspected drug personalities have been killed during police operations as of October 25.
On November 9, Duterte also threatened to slap United Nations (UN) special rapporteur Agnes Callamard if she investigates him for alleged extrajudicial killings.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein
on Tuesday condemned "the repeated insults and threats of physical
violence against [Callamard] by the President of the Philippines and his
supporters." – Rappler.com
Filipino ex-priest faces U.S. extradition on sex charges
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