August 14, 2012 Edition

Justino Arciga Jr.

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

  1. CJ race: De Lima out, Carpio in

    CHOSEN ONE? Is Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, reportedly a top choice of President Aquino, qualified to be Chief Justice?
    Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, the favored choice of President Aquino III to replace sacked Chief Justice Renato Corona, is out of the race for the highest post in the judiciary. On August 13, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) did not include her in the shortlist of nominees for chief justice after she was disqualified due to the disbarment cases filed against her. The JBC submitted a list of 8 — 5 Court insiders and only 3 outsiders — to President Aquino who has until August 27 to make his final choice from the shortlist. In the shortlist are Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio who is the most senior in the high court, followed by SC Justice Roberto Abad, SC Justice Arturo Brion, SC Justice Ma Lourdes Sereno, Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, former San Juan Rep Ronaldo Zamora, SC Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, and former Ateneo Law Dean Cesar Villanueva.


    Read more on Rappler.


    For more on SCWatch, go to Rappler’s microsite.

  2. ‘Helen’ brings heavy-to-intense rainfall

    MTSAT ENHANCED-IR Satellite Image showing tropical storm Helen, 5:32 A.M., 14 August 2012. Image courtesy of Pagasa.
    Tropical Storm “Helen” (international codename Kai-tak) has maintained its strength and is still on course towards northern Luzon, putting more areas are under public storm warning signal #2. The estimated rainfall within the 500 km diameter of the tropical storm is about 15-25 mm per hour, considered heavy to intense. As of 11 a.m. August 14, Helen’s center was last spotted at 230 kilometers east northeast of Casiguran, Aurora, with maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h near its center and gustiness of up to 90 km/h. Pagasa forecasts that Helen will continue to move toward the west northwest at 13 km/h and is estimated to be 50 km north northeast of Tuguegarao City by evening of August 15.


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  3. With agriculture’s feeble growth, is inclusive growth possible?


    The farm sector, a key indicator of the Philippines’ ability to post a robust economic growth and lift more people out of poverty, registered a paltry 0.93% growth, far below the 4% to 5% target for the year. Agriculture officials cited the 2-month fishing ban on the overfished parts of the Pacific Ocean near Zamboanga, where tuna and canning industries thrive in southern Philippines. The fishing ban has since been lifted and the agriculture officials remain optimistic of better performance of the sector in the last half of the year, despite the consecutive typhoons and monsoon rain-led floodings that inundated crops and hit the country before the 4th quarter. The performance of agriculture, which has a 15% direct impact on GDP growth and employs a third of the working population, is key to the Aquino administration’s goal of inclusive growth.


    Read more on Rappler.

  4. ‘Bourne’ movie bests Batman

    'THE BOURNE LEGACY' stars Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton. Movie still from Universal Pictures/IMDb
    “The Bourne Legacy,” which was partly shot in various sites in the Philippines, dethroned the new Batman film to take the top spot in the North American box office, industry figures showed August 13. The 4th and latest installment in the popular action series starring Jeremy Renner as secret agent Aaron Cross, raked in US$38.1-M in its opening weekend, according to movie tracker Exhibitor Relations. “The Dark Knight Rises,” the final installment of the Batman trilogy directed by Christopher Nolan, fell to 3rd place with US$19-M, after topping the chart each week since it opened last month.


    Read more on Rappler.

  5. Lawmakers tackle RH bill with emotions, logic

    LOSING CHILDREN. Senator Tito Sotto listens to Senator Pia Cayetano who tries to comfort him over the death of his child 37 years ago. Both Sotto and Cayetano lost babies but attribute their deaths to different reasons. Photo by Ayee Macaraig
    Tears flowed at the Senate on August 13 as lawmakers continue to deliberate on the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill. Comedian-turned-politician Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III became emotional in his “turno en contra” 40-minute-long speech when he shared why his anti-RH stand is personal: he lost a son exactly 37 years ago because of the contraceptives his wife took. It capped his stand stand that contraceptives are abortifacients and have many side effects threatening the life of mothers and babies. The senator cited studies which he said came from experts of law and science. Meanwhile, Senator Pia Cayetano who is an advocate of the RH bill, said she sympathizes with Sotto but stands by her position on the bill, citing her experience of not being emotionally prepared to bear a child after she lost one. She hopes there will be no more delays in passing the RH bill, which is now in the period of amendments and faces several challenges at the Senate.


    Read more on Rappler here, here, here and here.

  6. PH is Asia’s economic star: Deutsche economist

    STANDOUT NATION. In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Michael Spencer, the Hong-Kong based chief economist for Asia at Deutsche Bank AG said strong export growth was helping the Philippines become a leader in the region. Screenshot from BloombergBusinessweek.
    Duetsche’s chief economist for Asia Michael Spencer touted the Philippines as the strongest as well as the safest place for funds to be. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Spenser said, “The strongest performing economy in Asia today is the Philippines,” which recorded an impressive 6.4% growth in the first 3 months, making it the best performing economy in the region next to China. Spencer’s bold pronouncements is among heaps of attention this Southeast Asian country has been getting from foreign investors that traditionally only had western countries or neighbors Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia in their investment radar. Already, eastward-bound hot money have made it to the Philippine Stock Exchange, which hit record highs almost 20-times since President Aquino took over in 2010.


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  7. 65 yrs after independence, India, Pakistan thread different paths


    After Britain pulled out of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, the republics of India and Pakistan prepare to mark the 65th anniversary of their independence with different stories. Military and political issues have hounded Pakistan, further challenged after 9-11 and the finding of Osama bin Laden in their land. India has been focused on keeping its economy humming, though foreign investors have experienced bumps. Border tensions have been sparked by occasional skirmishes. Both countries, however, look to a future where political stability and economic prosperity could lead to a stronger and more friendly relationship.


    Read more on Al Jazeera.

  8. NASA’s Curiosity shows difference between Obama and Romney

    US President Barack Obama talks on the phone with NASA's Curiosity Mars rover team aboard Air Force One during a flight to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, Aug. 13, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
    When US President Barack Obama talked to scientists behind NASA’s roving robot Curiosity, it highlighted an example of the advantages of being the incumbent. Obama personally talked to the scientists in his official role from his presidential plane while his Republican foe Mitt Romney only got to talk about them. Obama ribbed the scientists to let him know right away if they found life on Mars, while Romney cited the Mars landing while in Florida sortie. Curiosity touched down on Mars last week, after a high-risk landing, and will hunt for soil-based signatures of life on Earth’s nearest neighbor and send back data to prepare for a future human mission.


    Read more on Rappler.

  9. Pope’s butler, accomplice face trial


    Pope Benedict XVI’s former butler, Paolo Gabriele, who was arrested in May on suspicion of stealing secret documents that exposed feuds within the Church and leaking them to journalists, is accused of “aggravated theft” and must stand trial. Also charged with complicity was Claudio Sciarpelletti, an analyst and computer programmer in the Vatican state secretariat. The Vatican has said the trial will not take place until October at the earliest. They face up to 6 years in prison. Under Vatican laws, a reprieve from the pope could come at any moment during the investigation or trial, but religious observers say that while Benedict may offer his spiritual pardon, he is unlikely to interfere in the legal process. The Vatican has been shaken by the scandal, which has drawn attention to divisions between senior clergymen in the Vatican and in particular growing criticism of the powerful Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone.


    Read more on Rappler.

  10. Scientists, doctors, social workers among heaviest coffee drinkers


    A survey by Dunkin’ Donuts & CareerBuilder® showed that 46% of respondents in the US claimed they are less productive at work without coffee. The results showed that 61% drink at least two cups each workday, and that more younger workers, aged 18 to 24, claimed that coffee has helped their career by providing an opportunity to network with other co-workers. Among the professionals who need coffee to get through the daily grind the most are: Scientist/Lab Technician, Marketing/Public Relations Professional, Education Administrator, Editor/Writer, Healthcare Administrator, Physician, Food Preparer, Professor, Social Worker, Financial Professional, Personal Caretaker, Human Resources Benefits Coordinator, Nurse, Government Professional, and Skilled Tradesperson like plumber, carpenter, etc.


    Read more on Business Insider.

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