Saturday, March 29, 2008

I.BANNER STORIES

1. Philippine Daily Inquirer

Land conversion moratorium eyed

Rice tariffs may be cut to end NFA monopoly

By Amy R. Remo, Christine Avendaño

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 01:01:00 03/29/2008

MANILA, Philippines—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants a moratorium on the land use conversion of agricultural land, particularly rice land, in view of the worldwide tight rice supply that has been jacking up the local prices of the grain.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080329-127086/Land-conversion-ban-eyed

2. The Philippine Star

Yap: Family not in rice trade

By Marianne Go and Reinir Padua

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap denied yesterday insinuations by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. that his father-in-law, prominent retailer Jimmy Gaw, is involved in rice trading.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080328163

3. Manila Times

Privatize rice–economists

Agri chief Yap: ‘Supervised’ sale will steady prices

Economists on Friday said opening up rice importation to the private sector is the most feasible long-term solution to the supposedly looming “rice crisis” in the country. At present, only the National Food Authority (NFA) is allowed to source rice from abroad. In the past several decades or so, similarly authorized government agencies also acted as sole importers of the staple.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/mar/29/yehey/top_stories/20080329top1.html

4. Malaya

‘Open up rice imports’

Ex-planning chief links cartel to gov’t

BY ASHZEL HACHERO and MAX ESTAYO

THE government should end its control of rice importation to insulate the availability of the staple from market shocks such as the current supply shortage, former Planning secretary Felipe Medalla said yesterday.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/mar29/news1.htm

5. Manila Bulletin

Peralta is Sandigan Presiding Justice

Peralta takes over from De Castro who moved to SC

Genalyn D. Kabiling

President Arroyo yesterday appointed Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Diosdado M. Peralta, one of the magistrates who convicted former President Joseph Estrada for plunder, as new Presiding Justice of the graft court.

http://www.mb.com.ph/MAIN20080329120497.html

6. The Daily Tribune

Move to clip Gloria power over SC readied

By Charlie V. Manalo

03/29/2008

Supreme Court justices who issued the majority ruling in essence granting President Arroyo immunity from public accountability continued to be subjected to harsh criticisms from the public, even as a congressman moved to clip the power of the President in appointing justices to the SC.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20080329hed1.html

7. Abante

CALAMITY FUND IBUHOS SA BIGAS

Nina BOYET JADULCO, NONNIE FERRIOL, NOEL ABUEL, JULIET DE LOZA at ERALYN PRADO

Habang ginigiyera ng pamahalaan ang mga rice hoarders at mga sangkot sa NFA rice rebagging, iginiit kahapon ni Sen. Mar Roxas na dapat ding ilabas na ang calamity fund ng mga local government units (LGUs) upang magamit sa mga programang pansakahan bilang ‘immediate solution’ sa dinaranas na krisis sa bigas.

http://www.abante.com.ph/issue/mar2908/default.htm

8. Abante-Tonite

KAMAY NA BAKAL SA RICE CRISIS

Bernard Taguinod With Rey Marfil

Kailangan nang gumamit ng kamay na bakal si Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo para proteksyunan ang interes ng mga consumers laban sa mga rice hoarders na posibleng magsamantala sa napipintong kakulangan ng supply ng bigas.

http://www.abante-tonite.com/issue/mar2908/news1.htm

9. Pilipino Star Ngayon

“Nene, mag-‘sorry’ ka” – Yap

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Hiniling kahapon ni Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap kay Senador Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel na mag-“public apology ito sa kanya kaugnay ng bintang nito na nagbebenta ng bigas ang kanyang biyenan.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Bansa&p=50&type=2&sec=54&aid=2008032882

10. Journal

CRACKDOWN

By: Tess Bedico

GMA moves vs NFA rice diversion; 8 traders face raps

SENDING a strong warning that rice profiteers and hoarders will be dealt with the full force of the law, President Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday ordered the filing of charges against eight distributors in Butuan City and Agusan del Norte found to be selling NFA rice at jacked-up prices.

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2008-03-29&sec=1&aid=54099

11. Business World

RP to keep pace with Asia-Pacific slowdown, UN study shows

... Southeast Asia less affected by US woes than Northeast Asia

Philippine economic expansion is expected to slow down with the rest of Asia and the Pacific this year, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) said in its “Economic and Social Survey for Asia and the Pacific 2008.”

http://bworldonline.com/BW032908/content.php?id=001

12. Business Mirror

II. POLITICAL

ADB loan conditions blamed for rice crisis

By Jocelyn Uy

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 01:34:00 03/29/2008

MANILA, Philippines—Advocates of food sovereignty blamed the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Friday for the looming rice shortage in the country, saying its loan conditions had been pressuring the government to deregulate and privatize agriculture.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080329-127089/ADB-loan-conditions-blamed-for-rice-crisis

Yap denies kin is in rice trade; no Pimentel apology

By Amy R. Remo, Allison Lopez

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 01:35:00 03/29/2008

MANILA, Philippines—Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap on Friday denied that his father-in-law was involved in the rice trade as Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. appeared to suggest.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080329-127090/Yap-denies-kin-is-in-rice-trade-no-Pimentel-apology

NPC may field Legarda-Escudero duo

By Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 23:10:00 03/28/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- The Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) is touting that a potential team-up of its charter members and poll-toppers, Senators Loren Legarda and Francis Escudero, will be the team to beat in 2010. But the question remains -- will the two agree on who will be the standard-bearer?

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080328-127067/NPC-may-field-Legarda-Escudero-duo

Tariff reduction on rice imports eyed

Saturday, March 29, 2008

President Arroyo has ordered Finance Secretary Margarito Teves to study a mechanism similar to that of oil importations to relax rice tariffs and allow greater private sector participation in rice importations.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080328166

Bill seeks to clip President’s power to appoint justices

By Jess Diaz

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Opposition Rep. Roilo Golez of Parañaque proposed yesterday that the Supreme Court and the rest of the judiciary be insulated from Malacañang and politicians to make justices and judges truly independent.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080328175

Peralta named Sandigan head

Saturday, March 29, 2008

President Arroyo has appointed Diosdado Peralta as presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan.

Mrs. Arroyo signed the appointment of Peralta yesterday. It was subsequently transmitted to Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

Peralta was one of four nominees submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council in its shortlist for the President’s consideration.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080328177

Noli on his being No. 1 choice for 2010: Just doing my job

By Charlie Lagasca

Saturday, March 29, 2008

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – With all humility, Vice President Noli de Castro said his topping the recent surveys was the result of hard work which has apparently paid off.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080328181

JDV to push passage into law of baselines bill when session resumes

By Jess Diaz

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. urged his colleagues yesterday to pass the bill delineating the country’s baselines immediately upon the resumption of congressional session on April 21.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080328187

Villar vows to defend Senate powers before SC

By Aurea Calica

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. vowed yesterday to defend the chamber before the Supreme Court, saying the tribunal’s decision upholding Commission on Higher Education chairman Romulo Neri’s invocation of executive privilege in certain questions regarding the ZTE broadband deal was an affront to the Senate as an institution, as a whole.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080328189

III. BLUE RIBBON

Editorial

After Neri

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 02:04:00 03/29/2008

Most Read

MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court decision in Neri vs. Senate Committee has stumped not only the Senate but the public at large. In the light of evidence that the national broadband network (NBN) contract awarded to ZTE Corp. is anomalous, what should law-abiding citizens and their representatives do?

http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/editorial/view/20080329-127093/After-Neri

SC may still reverse ruling on executive privilege

But Gonzalez says Senate plea is futile

By Jerome Aning, Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 22:58:00 03/28/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) The Supreme Court could still reverse its ruling that executive privilege holds when it handed down a judgment on a petition filed by Commission on Higher Education chair Romulo Neri, according to the tribunal’s spokesperson.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080328-127065/SC-may-still-reverse-ruling-on-executive-privilege

Neri: We’ll pay builder of P300-million call center

By Francis Earl A. Cueto, Reporter

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Romulo Neri on Friday told The Manila Times that he will work for the immediate payment of the controversial P300-million call center project of the agency. On Thursday, the builder complained of not having been paid months after it turned over the project to the commission. The project was said to have been completed during the term of Dr. Carlito Puno. http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/mar/29/yehey/top_stories/20080329top3.html

Broadband scandal pinatatapos kay Neri

Bernard Taguinod/Rose Miranda

Sa halip na magpadaig sa takot, hinamon kahapon ni Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon si Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairman Romulo Neri na tapusin na ang sinimulang kanta sa broadband scandal at nang magkaroon ng katuparan ang pinapangarap nitong reporma sa gobyerno

http://www.abante-tonite.com/issue/mar2908/news2.htm

UNO blasts SC ruling on Neri case

THE United Opposition (UNO) declared yesterday that the Supreme Court decision limiting the Senate’s powers over Commission on Higher Education Chair Romulo Neri will hinder them from uncovering the truth regarding the controversial $329-million ZTE-National Broadband Network government deal.

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2008-03-29&sec=4&aid=0

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