Rappler Newscast | March 5, 2013

Story 1: SPOKESMAN: FILIPINO GUNMEN SURVIVE MALAYSIA ATTACK
Filipino gunmen in Sabah survive a bombing raid and ground attacks by Malaysian security forces.
Sulu sultanate spokesman Abraham Idjirani says the group moved outside the area before the assaults began.
More than 200 armed men loyal to the sultan refused to leave Sabah for about three weeks.
Online newspaper The Star quotes Malaysian police sources saying, “The Sulu armed group was totally routed by Malaysian security forces’ overwhelming firepower.”
The Filipinos are followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.
They sailed to Sabah on February 12 to reclaim the territory.
Malaysian police say the situation is now “under control” and there are no casualties.
Idjirani says he spoke with the leader of the standoff in Sabah to confirm their safety.
In a statement, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak says, “The government must take action to defend the country’s dignity and sovereignty.”
He adds all efforts to prevent bloodshed had “failed.”
Shootouts between Malaysian security forces and the Filipino group first broke out on Friday and continued over the weekend, killing at least 27.

Story 2: DFA: MALAYSIA MUM ON PH REQUEST
The Foreign Affairs Department says Malaysia has yet to act on the government’s request to allow a “humanitarian” mission to assist Filipinos affected by the standoff in Sabah.
On Monday, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario travels to Kuala Lumpur to convey the request to Malaysian foreign minister Anifah Aman.
He asks Malaysia to allow a Navy ship to proceed to Lahad Datu so the Filipinos there may receive medical attention and consular assistance.
Del Rosario also asked for authorization to “establish a safety corridor for women, children and other civilians not involved in the hostilities.”
DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez says the department has sent 4 notes verbal to the Malaysian embassy in Manila.

Story 3: SENATORIAL BETS REVEAL K-TO-12 STAND IN UE FORUM
Where do senatorial candidates stand on the most contentious educational issue today– the K to 12 program?
Angela Casauay reports.

In front of an audience of students and teachers from universities across Metro Manila, senatorial candidates tell youth voters their plans to address the backlash of the K-12 program.
The new program adds 2 more years to students’ 10 years of basic education.
It places the Philippine educational system at par with the rest of the modern world– where a 12 year basic education is the norm.
Universities and colleges face the problem of having zero freshmen enrolment during the 2-year adjustment period.

BRO. EDDIE VILLANUEVA, BANGON PILIPINAS CANDIDATE: Ang stand po ni Bro. Eddie sa K+12. I believe this is a bitter pill, bitter bill pero kailangan.

The K-to-12 bill is now awaiting the signature of the President.
For most of the candidates, their stand on the K-to-12 bill is this: Despite the problems, it will soon become a law. Let’s find ways to deal with it.

MITOS MAGSAYSAY, UNA CANDIDATE: Siguro ang pwede nating gawin is to make at least all universities that will be affected to be allowed to enroll as TESDA partners. At least universities will be able to augment their income through vocational courses.

But the Democratic Party of the Philippines says it should abolished.

GRECO BELGICA, DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF THE PHILIPPINES: Di kami naniniwala na magiging effective ang K-to-12 program. Palagay ko yung quality ng pag-aaral ang mas mahalaga kaysa pahabain pa ang pag-aaral. (We don’t believe that the K-to-12 program will be effective. I believe the quality of education is more important than lengthening the duration of study.)

The Ang Kapatiran Party has a “martial plan”. They want to provide state subsidies for all universities. They say teachers should use those 2 years to finish their postgraduate degrees.

MARWIL LLASOS, ANG KAPATIRAN: Para sa mga teachers, ‘yung 2 years na ‘yun na walang estudyante, di naman pwede na kukuya-kuyakoy na lang ang mga teachers. In our plan, magiging parang sabbatical yun. Di aalisin ang benefits pero gagamitin mo yun para matapos ang master’s mo, ang PhD mo. (For the teachers, those 2 years without students, you can’t just bum around. In our plan, it will be like a sabbatical. Benefits won’t be removed but it would used to finish your master’s, PhD.)

Aside from Magsaysay and Villanueva, no other big names made it to the forum.
JV Ejercito, Jack Enrile and Edward Hagerdorn confirmed but were no shows.
Students say it’s a pity– it would have been a good opportunity to talk about real issues that matter to the youth and move away from the slogans.
Angela Casauay, Rappler, Manila.

Story 4: TEAM PNOY: WE’LL WIN MINDANAO WITH ‘AQUINO MAGIC’
The opposition United Nationalist Alliance says Mindanao is “Erap country.”
But the coalition of President Benigno Aquino says it will win the region with “Aquino magic.”
Natashya Gutierrez reports.

Erap magic? That’s no more.
Mindanao-born senatorial bet Koko Pimentel says he feels the support for President Benigno Aquino III’s Team PNoy in his home region, coining it  “PNoy” or “Aquino magic.”
He shows little concern for the supposed “Erap Magic” in Mindanao saying times have changed and so have opinions.
“Erap Magic” refers to the political power of former president Joseph Estrada in the area, which overwhelmingly supported his presidential bid over now president Aquino.
Estrada is a stalwart of the United Nationalist Alliance of UNA.

KOKO PIMENTEL, TEAM PNOY SENATORIAL BET: The Erap Magic is for himself, Erap is not a candidate, there is nothing to worry about. Definitely ang turnout dito sa Mindanao will be unanimous for Team PNoy.

Pimentel is not alone.
Fellow bets believe they will emerge victorious here because they are being supported by Aquino, whose track record speaks for itself.
But not all is well for the President.
Aquino received criticism for his handling of the Sabah standoff with Malaysians, which resulted in a deadly gunfight.
The attack left 12 Filipinos dead, all Mindanaons.
Campaign manager Franklin Drilon however, says the conflict will not affect the slate’s chances because it is an isolated incident.

FRANKLIN DRILON, CAMPAIGN MANAGER: What’s happening in Sabah will not have an effect on us. We are confident people will understand the limitations of the government to fully take control of the situation.

But the so-called Aquino Magic is hard to believe, at least so far.
In Sultan Kudarat and South Cotobato, crowds in the rallies of Team PNoy are small compared to UNA’s.
Supporters are not as enthusiastic, a far cry from those that attend the sorties of Estrada and his bets.

NATASHYA GUTIERREZ, REPORTING: Despite small-sized crowds and the Sabah conflict, Team PNoy remains confident of its chances in Mindanao, because of what Aquino has achieved so far. But is banking on the President the best idea in Mindanao, which has historically supported the leader of the opposition?

Natashya Gutierrez, Rappler, South Cotabato.

Story 5: VILLAR ON NURSE COMMENT: I WAS MISUNDERSTOOD
Team PNoy senatorial candidate Cynthia Villar responds to the controversy on her comment about Filipino nurses.
In a television forum, Villar was asked why she opposed a move in 2005 to close nursing schools that did not meet minimum requirements for operation.
Villar says she was only given 60 seconds to explain a “complicated issue.”

CYNTHIA VILLAR, TEAM PNOY CANDIDATE: I was just enabling those who will be displaced by the school closure to get a certificate so they can work in some health related facilities that doesn’t need a BSN degree. I’m not putting down the nurses, I’m just saying that those who are unable to graduate getting a BSN degree should be given a chance to work.

Villar says she wanted the Commission on Higher Education to take responsibility for issuing permits to underperforming schools.

MARIA RESSA: The core of the question though that Winnie Monsod threw at you is that you would give preference to the concerns of the business people who ran the schools over the…
CYNTHIA VILLAR: No I was just requesting the CHED to make a transition for them. Kasi, in the first place, they were the ones who gave the permit to the schools. If they don’t like the schools to be like that, then why did they give the permits.

Story 6: 2 NEGROS DIOCESES SAY NO TO ‘TEAM PATAY’ TARPS
The dioceses of San Carlos and Kabankalan in Negros Occidental are not placing Team Patay, Team Buhay tarpaulins in their areas.
The tarpaulins were put up by the Diocese of Bacolod to campaign against senatorial candidates who voted for the reproductive health bill.
On February 26, the rector of San Sebastian Cathedral says over 90 priests agreed to hang similar posters in their parishes.
But Fr. Jaime Laude from the Diocese of San Carlos says they will not hang the tarps.
He says, “We don’t want to put some titles [on the candidates, such] as Team Patay or Team Buhay.”
The Commission on Elections earlier ordered Bacolod bishop Vicente Navarra to take down the posters because they are oversized campaign materials.
Navarra asked the Supreme Court to stop Comelec from implementing its order.
The court issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday.

Story 7: 11 FILIPINOS AMONG WORLD BILLIONAIRES
Eleven Filipino businessmen make it to Forbes’ 2013 list of world billionaires, up from the 6 who were part of the list last year.
They have a combined wealth of $37.85 billion.
In its March 4 release, Forbes lists 1,426 billionaires all over the world with a collective net worth of $5.4 trillion.
Tycoon Henry Sy Sr. remains the richest Filipino with an estimated wealth of $13.2 billion.
He ranks 68th in the Forbes list, up from Rank 116 in 2012.
The second richest Filipino, Lucio Tan, moves up to 248th spot from 314th, while port and casino businessman Enrique Razon edges out Andrew Tan.
Businessman Eduardo Danding Cojuangco, who was among the 6 Filipino billionaires in 2012, dropped out of this year’s list.

Story 8: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 4, A record 259 nominees — 209 individuals and 50 organizations — are in the running for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
The list includes Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl-turned-icon of Taliban resistance, former US president Bill Clinton, and Myanmar’s reformist President Thein Sein.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee will announce the winner in early October, and the prize will be awarded on December 10.

At number 7, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to follow the footsteps of his grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, who was instrumental in Tokyo’s hosting of the 1964 Games in Tokyo.
Abe tells the International Olympic Committee, Tokyo’s bid to host the 2020 Olympics is his “life-long dream.”
Tokyo’s plan features a “compact” and “dynamic” Olympics based on its financial wealth and track record in hosting international sports events.
Tokyo is up against other contenders, including Madrid and Istanbul.

At number 8, Global warming will only make the heatwave, bushfires and damaging floods in Australia worse.
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology says the 3 summer months ending February 28 were the hottest season ever recorded in Australia.
The government’s Climate Commission labels it the “Angry Summer.”

And at number 10, Lonely Planet, a decades-long travel guide book, is for sale.
In a report, Skift says current owner BBC is in the final stages of negotiation with Kentucky billionaire Brad Kelley for the sale of a majority stake in Lonely Planet.
Kelly used to sell discount cigarette brands like USA Gold, Bull Durham, and Malibu, then sold the company for almost $1 billion in 2001.
BBC Worldwide says, “We have been exploring strategic options for Lonely Planet for some time now but no deal has been done.”