Rappler Newscast | February 14, 2014

Story 1: DOJ: MAT RANILLO’S COOPERATION ‘WELCOME’
The Department of Justice or DOJ says it will welcome the cooperation of actor Mat Ranillo in the plunder case against lawmakers involved in the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam.
In her testimony on the scam, potential state witness Ruby Tuason earlier said the actor delivered Sen Jinggoy Estrada’s P11.9 million commission from the scam.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima earlier said the department will be investigating Ranillo and others named in Tuason’s sworn affidavit.
Tuason’s testimony links Senators Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile as direct recipients of kickbacks from the pork barrel scam, where lawmakers allegedly siphoned their discretionary funds to fake NGOs of alleged mastermind Janet Lim Napoles.
Tuason appeared before the Senate hearing on the scam Thursday.
On Friday, de Lima says Ranillo may want to testify.
She adds, “We would welcome that. Let’s see what will be the value of his testimony if and when he cooperates.”
De Lima says Ranillo is eligible as an ordinary witness because he is not a respondent in any of the complaints related to the scam.

Story 2: GOV’T AGENCIES HIT OVER HAIYAN BUNKHOUSES
Nearly a hundred days after Super Typhoon Yolanda or Haiyan, Senator Bongbong Marcos inspects bunkhouses for typhoon survivors in Leyte.
Marcos heads the Senate public works committee.
During his visit, he disputes a claim by the Department of Public Works and Highways or DPWH that it finished building all 222 bunkhouses.
Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson tells Rappler the DPWH finished building the bunkhouses but – quote – “what is lacking would be the corrections of the deficiencies.”
Marcos also criticizes the social welfare department for its slow turnover of bunkhouses.
Based on his estimates, Marcos says only 20 percent of bunkhouses have been given to Yolanda survivors.

SEN BONGBONG MARCOS, CHAIR, SENATE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE: At sa tingin ko naman, inaayos naman talaga nila. Pero sana mas mabilis, at sana ‘yung mga report na ganyan na sinasabing tapos na lahat, eh make it accurate. We have a long way to go. And again, uulit-ulitin ko, sana bilisan na ‘yung pag-turn over ng mga bunkhouse, mga unit, kasi nakita naman ninyo na meron pang nakatira sa tents. (I think they’re working hard on it but hopefully they move faster. And they should make sure reports saying all the bunkhouses are complete are accurate. Let me repeat. Please rush the turn over of the bunkhouses because some people are still living in tents.)

On Sunday, the Philippines will mark the 100th day after the super typhoon killed at least 6,000 Filipinos and affected 16 million others.

Story 3: FILIPINO FIGURE SKATER ADVANCES TO NEXT ROUND
Filipino figure skater Michael Martinez goes on to the next round.
Martinez finishes 19th of 29 competitors in the men’s short program at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
His Top 24 finish qualifies him for Friday’s long program.
With a score of 64.81, the 17-year-old figure skater from Manila, the Philippines’ lone bet to the Games, impresses the judges with a clean triple axel – where he completed a 360-degree spin thrice over.
Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan tops the program with a score of 101.45.
The competition continues Friday night with the longer free skate program, which will determine who leaves Sochi with a medal.
Martinez’s chances for the gold may increase because of the unexpected withdrawal of 2006 Olympic men’s gold medalist Evgeni Plushenko, who didn’t compete because of a back injury.

Story 4: 4-DAY SCHOOL WEEK TO EASE METRO TRAFFIC?
Will a 4-day school week help ease traffic in the metro?
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino proposes shortening the school week to –quote– “[lessen] traffic congestion and [reduce] education and energy costs.”
In a statement Friday, Tolentino says this model is being tried in at least 21 states in the United States.
He also suggests alternatives like “open universities” and offsite campuses” to ease traffic.
Tolentino says he already proposed the set-up to Education Secretary Armin Luistro.
This comes as Metro Manila braces for heavy traffic from the stage 3 construction of the Skyway and other infrastructure projects.

Story 5: LOVE IN THE TIME OF HIV
Advocacy groups raise the alarm on the rise of HIV cases.
More than 4,400 new cases of HIV were reported in the Philippines in 2013.
An HIV positive advocate says there’s life – and love – after being diagnosed HIV positive.
David Lozada reports.

Like other young adults his age, this young man maintains a healthy lifestyle and takes good care of his body.
But unlike his peers, he has the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV.
Choi, not his real name, got infected in 2012.
Choi says it was difficult to accept at first but he has learned to face reality.

CHOI, PERSON LIVING WITH HIV: My parents had a difficult time when I told them about my situation. I had regrets at first. Now, I’m enjoying my life. I’ve given up on my regrets.

Choi is in a relationship with a guy who is HIV negative.
He says the disease never got in the way.

CHOI, PERSON LIVING WITH HIV: I told my boyfriend that I was HIV positive after 3 months. He accepted me. I was so happy because he said he wasn’t afraid of the virus.

Choi and his boyfriend are members of Love Yourself Incorporated, a volunteer organization that deals with HIV awareness, education, and prevention among youth and men having sex with men.
People can get free HIV testing in Love Yourself clinics.
They offer counselling to people diagnosed with HIV.
Love Yourself founder and president Vinn Pagtakhan says the organization aims to stop the spread of HIV.
And a big part of that is sexual education.

VINN PAGTAKHAN, LOVE YOURSELF INC. PRESIDENT: Here in the Philippines, when young people talk about sex, it’s bad. People are not exposed to things that they should know at an early age and they explore without them knowing. So the tendency is that they do risky behaviors.            

According to a report, around 4,500 new cases were diagnosed with HIV from January to November 2013.
95% of these cases involved males, while 28% were aged 15 to 24 years old.
Males having sex with males account for 83% of sexual transmission.

DAVID LOZADA, REPORTING: Conservative groups say chastity is the best way to prevent the spread of HIV. But Love Yourself says this is no longer true for this generation. Given the current culture among the youth, advocates says HIV awareness and safe sex is key.

As for Choi, he says he learned to appreciate life and other people better.

CHOI, PERSON LIVING WITH HIV: Never ever be afraid to get HIV testing. If you found out that you are negative, you’ll be able to maintain your status and take care of yourself more. If you’re positive, it’s okay. There are people who can provide your biomedical and psychosocial needs.

It’s a simple message: life doesn’t end with HIV.
HIV positive people need our love and understanding.
As they say, hate the condition but not the person.
David Lozada, Rappler Makati.

Story 6: #LOVEFROMAFAR: RELATIONSHIPS
A special Valentine’s Rappler Hangout, #LoveFromAfar, on #BalikBayan, tackles a subject close to many – long distance relationships.
Rappler talks to two couples living continents apart but whose relationships thrive despite the distance.
Ryan Macasero reports.

This is Lara, a classical opera singer and songwriter from the University of the Philippines.
Her partner, Gian Gonzales, plays the cello.
He is a music scholar at the University of Tennessee in the United States.
Music brought them together – and at the same time – moved them apart.

GIAN GONZALES, MUSICIAN: I was talking to my friend and I was planning to send her flowers every new moon for the whole two years I was here – and the time we were a couple. I was happy when we became a couple because I really love her.

Leaving loved ones behind is a harsh necessity in the Philippines when one goes to work or school abroad.
Most respond to long distance relationships – or LDRs – with skepticism.
A study done by Queen’s University and the University of Utah says there’s little difference in well-being between couples who live close together or far apart.
And there are couples who make LDRs work.

GIAN GONZALES, MUSICIAN: One of our friends was really scared because she wanted us to be together. She was scared that ‘what if something goes wrong. She wanted to me make a move when I got back.

Lara admits she hesitated when she got together with Gian, knowing he was going abroad to study.
But she says it just felt right.

LARA MAIGUE, OPERA SINGER: You know, we just had to. We felt it was right. With all these apps now – available – free – online. We just knew that we could make this work.

Michelle Dumbrique’s partner, Paul Rojas, lives in Southern California.
She has been in a long distance relationship before and says communication is key.  

MICHELLE DUMBRIQUE, BANK EXECUTIVE: I guess its more about honest communication. You just really have to get rid of that filter, inhibitions, and really tell that person – show them how much you appreciate them, because oftentimes when you’re in a long distance relationships it is really easy to neglect when you get busy with your day to day stuff.

Long distance relationships take time, constant communication and leaves no room for excuses.
In the end — it’s not the distance — but the strength of the love, that matters.
Ryan Macasero. Rappler, Manila.

Story 7: THAI RIOT POLICE CLEAR ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTEST SITES
Thousands of riot police clear anti-government protest sites in Bangkok Friday, reclaiming areas near government headquarters.
The operation is an unexpected shift in tactics by the government, which previously allowed protesters to camp out at locations around Bangkok in their bid to force Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from office.
Thailand’s national security council chief says they will arrest protest leaders and adds, “It’s not a crackdown on the protests – it’s enforcement of the law over the protest sites.”
Protesters occupied major intersections in the capital since January 13, although disruption to people’s daily lives has been limited.
Yingluck’s government held a general election earlier this month in an attempt to ease political tensions in the country.

Story 8: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 7, the International Energy Agency or IEA says more oil is needed globally to keep up with unexpectedly strong demand.
Analysts earlier warned of oil surplus, but the IEA says advanced countries, led by the United States, increase their demand for oil.
IEA urges the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries or OPEC not to cut down on its production, saying the market needs to replenish “exceptionally low stocks.”

At number 8, Some 200,000 people from 36 villages evacuate Friday after Mount Kelud in Java, Indonesia erupted.
Kelud is one of the most dangerous volcanoes on the island, and has killed more than 15,000 people since 1500.
This comes days after Mount Sinabung on western Sumatra island erupted, leaving at least 16 people dead.

And at number 10, Poor physical health isn’t the only sign of malnutrition among children.
Doctors observe malnourished kids are more irritable, lethargic, and apathetic.
The World Health Organization says malnourished children lack energy, so they become less curious and playful.
In nearly a decade, the prevalence of underweight children in the Philippines has barely changed.
In March, Rappler will launch #HungerProject, which brings together advocates who believe hunger can be solved.

Newscast Production Staff