May 24, 2013 Edition

The regional breakdown of election results in the May 2013 senatorial race does not support claims made by some sectors about a supposed uniform and pre-determined 60-30-10 share of votes – indicating systematic cheating – in favor of the administration’s Team PNoy. A professor recently pointed out an “interesting pattern” in the results, as reflected in the 1st to 16th official canvass of the Commission on Elections. Rappler studied the regional results of the race from officially canvassed results, and found that nothing suggests that the vote shares were anomalous. While Team PNoy swept all the regions based on the aggregate votes of its 12 bets compared with UNA’s 9, the percentages that each coalition got per region varied.

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The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday, May 24, partially proclaimed winning party-list groups. They are the first batch of party-list groups to be proclaimed. The winners are led by Buhay, A-Teacher, Bayan Muna, 1-Care, Akbayan, Ako Bicol, and Abono.

Check the list here

Manila has vowed to “defend what is ours” as part of a standoff over a Chinese warship circling a South China Sea reef which is occupied by Filipino marines. The Philippines this week protested the “provocative and illegal presence” of the warship near Ayungin Reef, also called Second Thomas Shoal, but China brushed off the complaint with an insistence that the area was part of its territory. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said two China Marine Surveillance ships and a frigate were spotted near the reef on May 21, approximately 120 nautical miles from the town of Rizal, Palawan. Another 10 dinghies were seen, possibly fishing in Philippine territory. The area is not disputed, Gazmin says. “That is clearly an intrusion, a violation. They already entered our territory.”

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Read Japan’s stand on PH’s move to bring dispute to international arbitration here

British police made two further arrests on May 23, and raided houses across London following the brutal murder of a serving soldier who survived a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Police searched 5 properties in London and one in a village in eastern England, and announced the arrests of a man and a woman, both aged 29, for conspiracy to murder. Prime Minister David Cameron appealed for calm after 25-year-old Lee Rigby was butchered outside a London army barracks, while an extra 1,200 officers were deployed on the capital’s streets in a bid to reassure the public. The intelligence agencies came under scrutiny after it emerged that the two murder suspects, who were injured in police gunfire at the scene, had been known to the security services.

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Professional boxer and Sarangani Rep Manny Pacquiao is still the wealthiest lawmaker in the House of Representatives. The list of the top 10 richest solons is almost the same as in 2011 except for a new entrant — Las Piñas City Rep Mark Villar, son of outgoing Sen Manuel Villar Jr and senator-elect Cynthia Villar. His net worth jumped from P161.3-M in 2011 to P361.8-M in 2012 to become the 7th richest representative as of last year. And if Pacquiao is still the wealthiest solon, Anakpawis Rep Rafael Mariano continues to be the poorest member of the House. Except for South Cotabato Rep Daisy Avance-Fuentes and Bulacan Rep Joselito Andrew “Jonjon” Mendoza, most of the top 10 poorest solons are party list representatives.

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The Internet has significantly changed the way Filipinos do business. From crude virtual showrooms to conveniently managing stock portfolios, the Internet has paved the way towards a bustling mecca of businesses.While the experience of on-ground transaction remains, online deals make processes more efficient and convenient for the busy Filipino consumers. Enjoy this interactive infographic!

Check it out here

The 3 investment grade credit ratings the Philippines has recently won from global debt watchers caused business sentiment in the Philippines to reach a record high in the second quarter. Overall confidence index rose to 54.9% from the first quarter’s 41.5%, according to the quarterly Business Expectations Survey that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas released on May 23. The index reflects the difference between the percentage of firms that answered in the affirmative regarding questions on a given sector, and the number of firms that answered in the negative.

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Samsung announced on May 23 that the Galaxy S4 smartphone has surpassed 10 million units sold less than a month after launch. The company compared the traction of the S4’s sales to previous iterations of the Galaxy S series. The Galaxy S took 7 months to hit 10 million in sales, while the S2 and S3 took 5 months and 50 days, respectively, to hit that mark.

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The Boy Scouts of America said on May 23, it will allow openly gay youths to join the organization but maintain a ban on gay adult leaders, after a vote at its annual meeting in Texas. The resolution, passed during the gathering at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, will go into force on January 1, 2014. The text said “no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.” The 103-year-old institution, famed for its outdoor training programs and support of wholesome virtues, has close links to the country’s conservative and religious heartland.

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A small Ecuadoran satellite collided in orbit with the remains of a Russian rocket, but it is too soon to know how much damage it might have sustained, Quito’s space agency said on May 23. Ecuador’s space agency EXA had warned on May 22 that a space fender-bender was likely between its “Pegaso” (Pegasus) nanosatellite and the remains of the Soviet rocket S14 launched into space nearly 3 decades ago. The agency’s director Ronnie Nader said in a Twitter message sent after the crash that US space officials had confirmed Pegaso had suffered only a glancing blow from the Russian space debris. Despite the collision, the satellite seemed to be holding its course though Nader says it was too early to say what the extent of the damage to the nanosatellite is, adding that it would take another day or two to know for sure.

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