Mary Jane Veloso, UN for Nepal, Mayweather vs Pacquiao | The wRap

Today on Rappler.

• The overseas Filipino worker on death row for drug smuggling reunites with her family after Indonesia stays her execution. 
• The United Nations appeals for a $415 million aid for Nepal. 
• Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr promise a fan-friendly fight. 

MARY JANE VELOSO REUNITES WITH FAMILY
Overseas Filipino worker or OFW Mary Jane Veloso reunites with her family a day after Indonesia stays her execution.
Veloso’s parents Cesar and Celia lead the family in visiting her at Yogyakarta’s Wirogunan prison
arriving around 8:30 a.m. in Jakarta or 9:30 a.m. Manila time.
Among the visitors are Veloso’s sons Mark Darren and Mark Daniel,
sisters Darling and Maritess, brother Christopher and ex-husband Michael Candelaria.
Philippine Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose says
Manila can appeal for clemency while it investigates Veloso’s alleged illegal recruiter.
Jose says, “Let’s wait for the outcome of the case against the recruiter.
Veloso’s alleged illegal recruiter Maria Kristina Sergio is under the protective custody of the Philippine National Police
but officials clarify this will not absolve Sergio of charges filed against her and two others.
The probe on Sergio’s case will continue based on Veloso’s testimony.
Malacanang highlights President Aquino’s last-minute efforts to save Veloso.
Indonesia acknowledges Aquino’s plea but says
it also recognizes the work of human rights groups.
The viral petition that helped save Veloso is considered the fastest growing plea on Change.org Philippines…
now with more than 200,000 signatures from 127 countries.
The petition reached the Indonesian State Palace
through social media and various social movements.

COMMISSION ON AUDIT ORDERS RETURN OF ILLEGAL PERKS
The Commission on Audit or COA orders the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Regulatory Office or MWSS-RO to return P82 million in allowances and other benefits.
This comes after COA junked with finality MWSS-RO’s appeal on the notices of disallowance the agency issued against the government corporation on Tuesday.
COA says it can no longer consider the petition for review filed by MWSS-RO because it was submitted after the 6-month period allowed for appeals.
It also notes that MWSS-RO did not even justify the delayed filing of the review petition.
In its decision, COA says, “With, premises considered, the petition for review is hereby dismissed for having been filed out of time.
The 48 Notices of Disallowance are final and executory.”
COA says MWSS officials, employees, and members of the Board of Trustees received unauthorized cash perks on top of regular salaries, bonuses, and allowances in 2009.

NEPAL QUAKE: FAR-FLUNG AREAS AWAIT AID, RESCUE
The United Nations or UN appeals for $415 million in aid for Nepal quake survivors
as coordinators warn it might take a 5-day trek to deliver relief to the worst-hit rural areas.
Nepal acknowledges it is overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis
as Nepalis clash with riot police, and seize supplies of bottled water in the capital Kathmandu.
The death toll is now at least 5,489 with more than 10,000 people injured.
UN resident coordinator for Nepal Jamie McGoldrick says it will be a 3-month exercise to address the relief needs
then it will turn into a recovery and reconstruction process.
The Philippine Metropolitan Manila Development Authority or MMDA says it will send a team of trained disaster rescuers to help Nepal.
Days after the massive quake 
Rescue teams continue to recover miracle survivors from the rubble.
Rescuers pull out a 15-year-old boy from the wreckage of a guesthouse in Kathmandu.
And on Tuesday, Nepalese and French emergency workers recover a 28-year-old man alive. 

NON-COMPULSORY ELECTION DUTIES FOR TEACHERS PUSHED
Various groups call for the approval of a House bill seeking non-compulsory poll duties for teachers.
House Bill 5412 or the Election Service Reform Act states that a public school teacher may refuse election duty due to health, age, or security concerns.
But those who will sign up for election duties will receive fixed compensation, legal assistance, and service credit.
Although the bill is important for over 600,000 public school teachers nationwide
lawmakers admit that implementing the bill for the 2016 elections is not feasible due to lack of preparations.
Earlier, the Supreme Court nullified the contract between the Commission on Elections or Comelec and Smartmatic-Total Information Management,
raising the possibility of reverting to manual elections in 2016.

QUIET STORM BREWS AS MAYWEATHER VS PACQUIAO DRAWS NEAR
Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr keep it classy when they faced the press for the last time before fight night…
choosing instead to promise a fan-friendly fight on Saturday, May 2 or May 3 in Manila.
Pacquiao extends an invitation to Mayweather that no fighter is likely to have offered his opponent before.

MANNY PACQUIAO, BOXER: The most important thing, I’m hoping after the fight we can have a conversation with Floyd sharing my faith about God.

Pacquiao says the fight is nothing personal.

MANNY PACQUIAO,BOXER: Nothing personal but we’re just doing our job, on Saturday. I’m gonna do my best.

Mayweather also explains why he took a quieter approach this time and avoided trash talking Manny Pacquiao.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR, BOXER: This fight sells itself. I don’t have to say anything. I’m a lot older now I’m closer to 40 so I’m a lot wiser, I’m more mature.

Mayweather adds, it’s about wisdom.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR, BOXER: I wanna gain more wisdom. In so far as wisdom, that’s the way I’m trying to grow.

Check out Pacquiao’s boxing boots
in shades of the Philippine flag.
The pair is made of Nike’s Flywire technology built to Pacquiao’s specifications for both training and fight night.
The 36-year-old boxer is also using an eight-ounce pair of Cleto Reyes boxing gloves
Pacquiao’s weapon of choice since 2001.

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– Rappler.com

Production Staff