Monday, May 19, 2008

I. BANNER STORIES

1. Philippine Daily Inquirer

Jeepney, bus fares up

Drivers to charge new rates on May 21

By Riza T. Olchondra

Philippine Daily Inquirer, INQUIRER.net

First Posted 01:51:00 05/19/2008

MANILA, Philippines—In a further blow to the country’s already groaning consumers, public transport officials Sunday announced a provisional or temporary increase in the minimum fare of jeepneys and buses in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.

The new rates will take effect at exactly 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, May 21.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080519-137393/Jeepney-bus-fares-up

2. The Philippine Star

Esperon named peace adviser

By Paolo Romero

Monday, May 19, 2008

Newly retired Armed Forces chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. has been designated by President Arroyo as her new peace adviser, replacing Jesus Dureza who has been appointed as the next press secretary.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080518103

3. Manila Times

Filipinos getting poorer

Surging prices push more into poverty–ADB

Soaring food prices are forcing millions of Filipinos into poverty, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in a study released Sunday.

“Increases in food prices have enormous impacts on poverty” in the Philippines, where poor people spend nearly 60 percent of their income on food, the Manila-based lender said.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/may/19/yehey/top_stories/20080519top1.html

4. Malaya

Jeepney fare up by P.50, bus by P1

LTFRB: Increase is provisional

BY ASHZEL HACHERO

THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board yesterday said it has approved "provisional" increases of 50 centavos in the minimum fare in jeepneys and P1 to P1.50 for buses in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and the Calabarzon-Mimaropa region.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/may19/news1.htm

5. Manila Bulletin

6. The Daily Tribune

7. Abante

PAMASAHE TUMAAS NA!

Nina Erika Maala, Jun Tadios at Dindo Matining

May bagong pasakit na naman kay ‘Juan dela Cruz’, ito ay matapos ianunsyo kahapon ng Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) ang panibagong fare hike sa Metro Manila, Region 3 at Region 4.

http://www.abante.com.ph/issue/may1908/default.htm

8. Abante-Tonite

LOVER NA MAY STD PINUTOL ANG ARI

Aries Cano

“Hindi po ako makaihi, nakakaranas po ako ng matinding sakit at pangangati kapag nagtatalik po kami. Nahahawahan niya po ako ng sakit. Sagad-sagad po kung gamitin niya ang aking katawan, mahapdi na nga po ang akin ayaw n’ya pa ring tigilan!”

http://www.abante-tonite.com/issue/may1908/news_story1.htm

9. Pilipino Star Ngayon

P10-B scam

Ni Butch Quejada

Monday, May 19, 2008

Nabunyag kahapon ang umano’y malaking scam sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas kung saan umaabot sa P10 bilyon ang nawawala sa kaban ng bayan dahil sa hindi pagdedeklara ng tamang dibidendo na dapat sana’y napupunta sa National Treasury.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Bansa&p=50&type=2&sec=54&aid=2008051863

10. Journal

FARE HIKE

By: Joel dela Torre

Minimum jeepney fare raised by 50 centavos, buses by P1.50

FOLLOWING the latest increases in prices of oil products, the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board yesterday raised the minimum fare on jeepneys and on buses.

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2008-05-19&sec=1&aid=60080

11. Business World

BY ALEXIS DOUGLAS B. ROMERO, Reporter

Food-poor Filipinos increase

TWO OUT OF FIVE FILIPINO FAMILIES consider themselves "mahirap" or poor in terms of food, an increase from a historical low seen just last year, a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed.

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW051908/content.php?id=001

12. Business Mirror

UN warns of deep growth cuts

By Cai U. Ordinario

Reporter

DEVELOPING countries like the Philippines are in danger of experiencing an almost 50-percent cut in potential economic growth in 2008 and 2009 if the credit crisis in affluent countries, the decline of the United States dollar and soaring oil and commodity prices persist and worsen.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/05192008/headlines01.html

II. POLITICAL

Esperon appointed peace adviser

By Christine Avendaño

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 01:58:00 05/19/2008

MANILA, Philippines—Retired Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. is transforming himself from warrior to peacemaker and is getting brickbats.

A week after his retirement as chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Esperon was named President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s adviser on the peace process, outgoing Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye announced Sunday.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080519-137394/Esperon-appointed-peace-adviser

GSIS chief peeved at Arroyo-Lopez meet

By Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 03:59:00 05/19/2008

MANILA, Philippines—He is willing to put his head on the chopping block if that is the price of dismantling the Lopez family’s control over Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and lowering power rates for consumers.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080519-137402/GSIS-chief-peeved-at-Arroyo-Lopez-meet

New NBN-ZTE witness wavering

Suplico: Gov’t may have learned his identity

By Norman Bordadora

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 05:41:00 05/19/2008

MANILA, Philippines—There is a possibility the new witness in the controversial National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with China’s ZTE Corp. will back out of the Senate inquiry, Iloilo Vice Gov. Rolex Suplico admitted yesterday.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080519-137418/New-NBN-ZTE-witness-wavering

Lozada, Madriaga costing Senate, complains Enrile

By Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 05:40:00 05/19/2008

MANILA, Philippines—Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile wants the Senate to drop its security arrangements for NBN-ZTE witnesses Rodolfo Lozada Jr. and Dante Madriaga after the two whistle-blowers racked up almost P2 million in food bills, travel expenses and overtime pay for bodyguards over the past three months.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080519-137417/Lozada-Madriaga-costing-Senate-complains-Enrile

Solgen files comment backing SC on Neri

By Leila Salaverria

XFN-Asia

First Posted 05:41:00 05/19/2008

MANILA, Philippines—The Solicitor General has joined former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri in defending the Supreme Court’s decision that upheld Neri’s invocation of executive privilege in a Senate hearing on the controversial $329-million National Broadband Network deal with China’s ZTE Corp.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080519-137419/Solgen-files-comment-backing-SC-on-Neri

Analysis

Summit in Panglao may result in political truce

By Amando Doronila

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 06:50:00 05/19/2008

MANILA, Philippines—The escalating conflict between the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Lopez-controlled Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) over high electricity rates scales the summit at a meeting in Bohol Tuesday.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080519-137421/Summit-in-Panglao-may-result-in-political-truce

Church feels economic pinch, too

Monday, May 19, 2008

Even the Catholic Church is feeling the economic pinch with the significant drop in collections from the faithful attending Mass, a ranking prelate said.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080518106

Removal of VAT on power mulled

By Jess Diaz

Monday, May 19, 2008

Speaker Prospero Nograles has proposed the removal of the 12 percent value-added tax (VAT) from the electric bills of residential consumers that do not exceed P5,000 a month.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080518107

LTFRB raises bus, jeep fares

By Rainier Allan Ronda

Monday, May 19, 2008

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has finally granted the separate petitions for provisional fare hikes of public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and buses (PUBs).

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080518108

GMA ally soliciting proxies for Meralco vote

By Zinnia Dela Peña

Monday, May 19, 2008

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is raising the ante in a high stakes battle for control of the country’s largest power distributor by taking the proxy war route.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080518109

New ZTE witness fears for his life

By Sandy Araneta

Monday, May 19, 2008

Iloilo Vice Gov. Rolex Suplico revealed yesterday that his witness in the national broadband network (NBN) controversy, a certain Alex, now fears for his life after suspicious looking men were seen asking questions about him in his neighborhood.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080518110

Hanjin’s first Subic-made ship to undergo trials May 27

Monday, May 19, 2008

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Eight months after the keel was laid, the first oceangoing vessel built here by Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp.-Philippines (HHIC-Phil) is set to undergo sea trials this month prior to its delivery in June this year.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080518111

CA set to confirm Andaya in two weeks

Monday, May 19, 2008

The Commission on Appointments is set to confirm Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. in the next two weeks, Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas, a CA member, disclosed yesterday.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080518113

Insurance plan for disaster-prone schools proposed

Monday, May 19, 2008

Sen. Francis Escudero called yesterday on the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to insure school buildings and classrooms in disaster-prone areas, particularly in Quezon province and the Bicol region.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080518114

Cabinet to hear Meralco side tomorrow

BY REGINA BENGCO

THE Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) will have a chance to air its side on the power controversy when the Cabinet holds a "power" meeting tomorrow in Bohol.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/may19/news2.htm

House to initiate moves to remove E-VAT on electricity

A lawmaker has filed a bill which seeks to exempt poor families from the expanded value added tax (E-VAT) on electricity.

House Bill 3440 filed by Rep. Exequiel Javier of Antique seeks to give a 50-percent discount to electricity users who consume 0 to 50 kilowatt hours per month, 35-percent discount for those consuming 51 to 70 kilowatt hours per month, and 20-percent discount for those consuming 71 to 100 kilowatt hours per month.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/may/19/yehey/metro/20080519met2.html

Villar slams President on medicines bill signing

President Arroyo might be waiting for a photo-op, or photo opportunity, before signing the “Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008,” Senate President Manuel Villar said over the weekend.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/may/19/yehey/metro/20080519met3.html

OSG asks SC to junk bid to reverse Neri ruling

GOVERNMENT lawyers yesterday asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the motion for reconsideration by the Senate on its decision to uphold the move of former Planning Secretary Romulo Neri to invoke executive privilege during the NBN-ZTE broadband inquiry.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/may19/news7.htm

Bagong ZTE witness iniikutan na

(Juliet de Loza)

May pagbabanta ng natatanggap ang bagong ZTE-National Broadband Network (NBN) scam witness na si “Alex” kasunod ng paglalabas nito ng mga larawan ng First Couple at pagpapahayag ng kahandaang tumestigo sa kontrobersiyal na $329 milyong transaksyon.

http://www.abante-tonite.com/issue/may1908/news_story5.htm

Lozada ‘pinapaalis’ na sa Senado

By: Marlon Purificacion

P.6M na ang gastos sa kustodiya

IGINIIT ni Senador Juan Ponce Enrile ang pagtanggal kay Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada sa kustodiya ng Senado.

Kasunod ito ng ulat na umaabot sa P676,441.76 ang ginastos ng Senado sa pagkustodiya kina Lozada at Dante Madriaga mula noong Pebrero 7 hanggang Abril 28, 2008.

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2008-05-19&sec=4&aid=0

Bagong witness sa NBN deal may death threat

DAHIL sa pagpahayag ng kahandaang tumestigo sa kontrobersiyal na $329-M National Broadband Network(NBN) deal, nakatanggap ng pagbabanta sa kanyang buhay ang bagong witness na itinago lamang sa pangalang si “Alex.”

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2008-05-19&sec=4&aid=60044

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