December 11, 2013 Edition

Malacañang issued on Tuesday, December 10, an order defining the authority and responsibilities of former Senator Panfilo Lacson as the President’s assistant for rehabilitation and recovery. Memorandum Order No. 62 – signed by President Benigno Aquino III on December 6 – makes a powerful rehabilitation czar of Lacson, an independent political ally whom the President’s party mates are known to be wary of. As part of his responsibilities, Lacson will be the “over-all manager and coordinator of rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction efforts of government departments, agencies and instrumentalities in the affected areas.” The post allows him to “call upon any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the government, including Government-Owned or Controlled Corporations (GOCCs), Government Financial Institutions (GFIS), local government units (LGUs) and request non-government organizations (NGOs), the private sector, and other entities for assistance as the circumstances and exigencies may require in carrying out his mandate.” Danilo Antonio was also appointed undersecretary for rehabilitation efforts. Lacson earlier said he hopes to finish the job by June 2016, before Aquino’s term ends.


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A thread of reconciliation ran through the memorial service for peace icon Nelson Mandela Tuesday, December 10, which was marked by a historic handshake between arch foes America and Cuba. Several speakers at the memorial service, which gathered tens of thousands of people at Soweto’s Soccer City stadium despite persistent rain, referred to Mandela’s ability to unite people from opposing camps, even in death. US President Barack Obama shook hands with Raul Castro, leader of long-time Cold War foe Cuba, before mounting the stage to give his speech. Tuesday’s gathering brought together mourners from both sides of the apartheid-era black-white divide, the leaders of other international rivals like Zimbabwe and Britain, as well as representatives of competing South African political parties.


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Newly released unemployment figures show a hiring economy, as the number of jobless Filipinos fell. In the latest Labor Force Survey (LFS) report released by the National Statistics Office, the number of unemployed dropped to 2.6 million in October from 2.76 million a year ago. This translated to an unemployment rate of 6.5%, lower than the 6.8% recorded in October 2012. The rate is a key indicator of whether or not economic growth is trickling down. This indicates robust hiring in the industry and services sectors, despite a slowing agricultural sector according to the National Economic and Development Authority Director General Arsenio Balisacan. He also said the rate could have dropped because workers are satisfied with their current income levels. The underemployment rate, in the meantime, also fell to 17.9% in October from 19% last year. Underemployed individuals are those working but are still looking for additional jobs or work hours. In contrast, the country’s employment rate rose to 93.5% from 93.2%. There were 37.73 million individuals with jobs in October, higher than last year’s figure of 37.67 million. The labor force, composed of those aged 15 years and above, reached 63.1 million in October.


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The Supreme Court issued Tuesday, December 10, new guidelines to speed up the Maguindanao massacre trial, which has been ongoing for 4 years. In a resolution, the Court directed the presiding judge, Quezon City Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes, to require remaining witnesses from both the prosecution and defense panels to submit judicial affidavits instead of direct testimonies at least 10 days before the scheduled date of testimony. Under the new rules, the presiding judge is authorized to issue separate decisions for issues which are “ripe for resolution” and hold separate trials of the accused. A 3rd assisting judge will also be appointed for the trial. In November 2009, armed men abducted and killed 58 people, including 32 journalists, who were accompanying now Maguindanao Gov Esmael Mangudadatu in the filing of his certificate of candidacy to challenge then Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr.


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Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Tuesday, December 10, refused demands by anti-government protesters to resign ahead of upcoming elections, urging them to abandon their “people’s revolution.” Earlier she announced she would dissolve parliament and call for general elections.  Yinluck is now a caretaker prime minister until a new set of officials are elected. Bangkok has been shaken by more than a month of mass opposition rallies aimed at ousting Yingluck and ridding the kingdom of the influence of her older brother, deposed former leader Thaksin. A visibly emotional Yingluck – who said she had not discussed with party colleagues whether she would run in the February 2 election – reacted angrily to protesters’ calls that her family be removed from Thailand. Rally leader Suthep Thaugsuban has rejected elections and vowed to set up a parallel government that would suspend the democratic system in Thailand and redraw its constitution.


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Four companies, including San Miguel Corp. (SMC), have expressed interest in bidding for the P65-billion Light Rail Transit (LRT) Cavite extension project, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) announced Tuesday, December 10. SMC, DMCI Holdings, Megawide Corporation, and Spanish rail transport operator Globalvia purchased bid documents for the project. An earlier bidding failed after most firms that were pre-qualified backed out due to viability concerns, which the DOTC has addressed in this second round. The DOTC said the agency has begun rolling out major PPP projects, such as opening financial bids for the P1.7-billion Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) project and the scheduled opening of bids for P17.5 billion Mactan Cebu International Airport expansion on Thursday. The agency has set April 28 as the deadline for bidders to submit their proposed bids.


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Pop megastar Justin Bieber sang to and played basketball with young survivors of the Philippines’ deadliest typhoon Tuesday, December 10, after he flew into the disaster zone to boost an international relief effort. Bieber flew unannounced to the central city of Tacloban just over a month after it was devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan and sang Christmas carols to children at City Central School in Tacloban amid tight security, witnesses said. “Justin brought a lot of joy, hope and cheer to the hundreds of children who were there,” said Kate Donovan of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The money that would be raised would give child survivors access to education, vaccinations, clean water and sanitation, she said. Bieber tweeted about his performance describing it as the last and “most important” show of his Believe World Tour.


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Myanmar officially welcomes thousands of athletes on Wednesday, December 11 for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, an event billed as a coming-out party for the former pariah nation emerging from decades of international isolation. The opening ceremony for the regional showpiece is being held in a spotless, purpose-built 30,000-capacity stadium in Naypyidaw, the utilitarian capital built by secretive generals — far from the bustle of commercial capital Yangon. Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, last hosted the games more than 4 decades ago and the return of the multi-sport event comes as political and economic reforms sweep the impoverished nation following the dissolution of the ruling junta in 2011. The SEA Games are held every two years, offering regional bragging rights and a chance for athletes from lesser sporting nations to shine in sports ranging from athletics to the obscure cane-ball game chinlone and martial arts vovinam and pencak silat.


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New York City has announced the launch of what they say will be the US’ biggest Wi-Fi network, in a bid to improve the city’s internet access. The network will blanket 95 blocks of Harlem and be called the Harlem Wi-Fi network. It will serve approximately 80,000 residents and be completely free of charge. Once completed, it will be the largest outdoor Wi-Fi network in the United States, according to city mayor Michael Bloomberg. This is not the first time mayor Bloomberg has tried to wire the city. He earlier announced a series of new public networks across five boroughs in the city.


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Uruguay’s Senate has approved ground-breaking legislation legalizing marijuana, becoming the first nation in the world to oversee the production and sale of the drug. After a marathon debate, 16 leftist senators out of 29 lawmakers voted Tuesday, December 10 (Wednesday, Manila time) in favor of the legislation championed by President Jose Mujica, who must now sign it into law. Outside the Senate, hundreds of cannabis-smoking supporters launched fireworks in what they dubbed “the last march with illegal marijuana.” It authorizes the production, distribution and sale of cannabis, allows individuals to grow their own on a small scale, and creates consumer clubs – all under state supervision and control. The legislation has caused unease in neighboring Brazil and Argentina.


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