ASEAN summit, Lacson hits Romualdez, peacekeepers Ebola-free | The wRap

Today on Rappler.

• Fresh sparring over the South China Sea expected at the ASEAN Summit
• Secretary Ping Lacson hits Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez for ‘below par’ performance
• Vice President Binay downplays debate with Senator Trillanes as a ‘conversation’

NEW DISPUTE OVER SOUTH CHINA SEA EXPECTED AT ASEAN SUMMIT
Fresh diplomatic sparring over who owns what in the South China Sea – that’s likely to break out this week at the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Myanmar.
The issue is also a key testing ground for diplomacy between China and the United States.
Observers see a softening of Chinese rhetoric in recent weeks, including the removal of an oil rig from Vietnamese waters and two diplomatic visits to Hanoi.
Southeast Asia expert Carl Thayer says “China waxes hot and cold and moderates its behavior prior to ASEAN summits.”
But he doesn’t expect a policy shift from Beijing.

ROMUALDEZ LIED, PERFORMED ‘BELOW PAR’ – LACSON
Rehabilitation Secretary Ping Lacson hits Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez saying his performance in the rehabilitation efforts after Typhoon Haiyan or Yolanda were “below par.”
In a speech Monday, Lacson says Romualdez’s persistent statements that Tacloban did not receive rehabilitation funds are lies.
Lacson adds, Tacloban already received P230.7 or $5.1 million in cash and projects worth P6 billion or $133.7 million from the national government.

PH PEACEKEEPERS IN LIBERIA TEST NEGATIVE FOR EBOLA
The United Nations says all 108 Filipino peacekeepers in Liberia test negative for the Ebola virus.
They will arrive in the Philippines Tuesday and will undergo a 3-week quarantine in a Navy outpost in Manila Bay.
Liberia is one of 3 West African countries suffering from an Ebola outbreak.

SALARIES ACROSS ASIA-PACIFIC TO RISE BY 7% IN 2015 – SURVEY
A survey says salaries across Asia-Pacific will rise by 7% in 2015.
Global professional service company Towers Watson says employees in Philippine companies may get a raise at par with the rest of the Asia-Pacific region.
Vietnam will see the highest increase in salaries at 11%, followed by India at 10.8%, and Myanmar 10%.
Japan will see the smallest raises at 0.6%.

DEBATE WITH TRILLANES? MORE LIKE ‘CONVERSATION,’ SAYS BINAY
Vice President Jejomar Binay wants clear parameters in his debate with Senator Sonny Trillanes scheduled for November 27.
Binay earlier challenged Trillanes to a one-on-one debate to answer Trillanes’ corruption charges against him.
But the Vice President refuses to refer to it as a debate.
He adds, “It’s more of a conversation, an explanation of both sides.”

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– Rappler.com

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