February 6, 2014 Edition

As the word war escalates anew between Manila and Beijing, President Benigno Aquino III said his administration and the United States are close to arriving at a military-to-military agreement that would allow the increased presence of American troops in the country and give them more access to military bases here. Negotiations resumed last week after an impasse last year. The President told the New York Times both sides were on their way to sealing the long-delayed deal. The Philippine panel earlier opposed an American condition that limits Filipino troops’ access to temporary facilities that US troops will be building once the access deal is signed.

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The Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) and the University of the Philippines (UP) will both be shifting the start of their scholl years to August. ADMU’s undergraduate and graduate schools will begin the school year in August and end it in May, effective 2015. The school calendar of its grade school and high school units will remain unchanged. Meanwhile, the Board of Regents of the UP System approved the shift of their academic calendar, moving the start of the school year from June to August. All constituent universities except for UP Diliman are covered by the decision, according to a report from Tinig ng Plaridel, the official student publication of the UP Diliman’s College of Mass Communication.

Read the full story on UP’s shift on Rappler.
Read the full story on Ateneo’s shift on Rappler.

With tensions already high over Beijing’s imposition of an air zone above islands administered by Japan in the East China Sea, the United States on February 5 urged Beijing to clarify or adjust its claims in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea), calling for a peaceful solution to one of Asia’s growing flash points. Danny Russel, the US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, challenged Beijing’s so-called “nine-dash line” that outlines its territorial claims over much of the disputed islands, supporting the Philippine government’s decision to take its case to a United Nations tribunal. The statement comes a day after Philippine President Benigno Aquino III appealed for international support against China over its territorial dispute with the Asian giant.

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President Benigno Aquino III reiterated his stand against apologizing to Hong Kong over a 2010 hostage crisis in Manila that led to the death of 8 Hong Kong tourists. In his first public response to Hong Kong’s “first phase of sanctions” against the Philippines, Aquino told the New York Times February 5 that an apology could create a legal liability, adding China has not paid compensation to the families of Filipino victims who died in the mainland. The article was released on the same day Hong Kong’s sanction on visa-free entry for Philippine government officials and diplomats took place.The Philippines’ foreign affairs department issued a separate statement saying Manila has done “everything possible” to resolve the issue.

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In a hard-hitting report, the United Nations children’s rights watchdog asked the Vatican to remove all child sexual abusers from their posts and turn them over to the police. The committee said that the Roman Catholic Church was still failing to do enough to live up to its stated commitment to stamp out child abuse by priests and lay employees, including in schools. It blasted the practice of transferring child abusers from parish to parish within countries, and even across borders. The Vatican said it would study the matter but slammed criticism of its religious teachings as “interference.”

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Only policemen with investigative skills will be allowed to receive police blotters, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced February 5. This means cops who belong to other desks – administrative, intelligence, logistics, finance, comptroller, police community relations – will no longer be allowed receive complaints from citizens that will be turned into a police blotter. The change came after the PNP sacked 5 members of a police district over lapses they committed when they received a “rape complaint” by model Deniece Cornejo against top comedian Vhong Navarro. The scandal has spawned criticism of how the policemen handled the mater during the first hours after it was reported. Beaten black and blue when brought to the police district, Navarro claims he was set up by Cornejo and her friends.

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According to Jobstreet’s 2014 Annual Salary Report, the top high-paying industries include the oil and gas sector, utilities, non-government organizations, business process outsourcing firms or information technology companies. Around 60 industries were part of the report. The salaries were based on actual amounts posted by employers on Jobstreet.com.ph from September 1 to November 30, 2013. The report was released during the launch of Jobstreet.com.ph’s new homepage, featuring a resume builder and a “salary matching” tool, a first in Philippines and in Asia.

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To some, it’s one among thousands of mindless mobile games. To others, it’s a test of patience and willpower. However you look at it though, one thing is certain, Flappy Bird is soaring and nothing is stopping it. This game is the unprecedented number one app in the world at the moment, overtaking other more familiar apps such as Snapchat, Skype, and Candy Crush Saga. With over 10 million downloads on the Android platform alone, Flappy Bird has come a long way since its launch in May of 2013.

Read the full story on Rappler.
Read people’s reactions to Flappy Bird on Rappler.

Russia paraded the Olympic torch through host city Sochi on Wednesday, February 5 – two days before the official opening of the Winter Games – as President Vladimir Putin declared the country “ready.” Seven years after its successful bid stunned the world and paved the way for the hosting of the biggest event in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union, organizers are now making the finishing touches for the opening of the 22nd Winter Olympics. Concerns remain, however, regarding Russia’s suitability as a venue, as another anti-Games ecological activist was sent to jail. Protests are also planned worldwide over Russia’s now notorious anti-gay law.

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Subdued fans laid roses, photographs, and beer outside the apartment of Oscar-winning American actor Philip Seymour Hoffman on Tuesday, February 4. Results of an autopsy on the actor’s body were inconclusive, and further tests have been ordered, the New York medical examiner’s office said Wednesday, February 5. Meanwhile, police investigating Hoffman’s death arrested 4 people on the night of February 4, with more than 350 bags of heroin, the New York Times reported. Three men and a woman were arrested in a search of 3 Manhattan apartments. Investigators recovered the bags of heroin inside the apartments, the paper said, quoting a law enforcement official.

Read the full story on Rappler.
Read more on Hoffman’s autopsy on Rappler.