Page 8 - LM Confidential Issue December 2014

Philippines
NEWS
Philippine economy cools
Typhoon Rammasun (Glenda) left 111 people dead or missing, caused a million people to flee their homes and left millions of others without power for several days across the country’s economic heartland in mid-July.
output, Economic Planning Secre- tary Arsenio Balisacan said.
“Given this quarter’s perfor- mance.... even meeting the low end of the target growth rate for the year could pose a big challenge,” he told a news conference.
Economic output had expanded by a red-hot 7.0 percent in the same quarter last year, before Super Ty- phoon Haiyan (Yolanda), the stron- gest cyclone to ever hit land and the deadliest in the Philippines’ recorded history, caused huge problems.
Even then, gross domestic product (GDP) growth rose 6.0 percent
in the first half of 2014, making
the Philippines one of Asia’s top performers.
the year.
Interim deputy chief statistician
Romeo Recide said the third-quarter growth was the lowest since the last quarter of 2011 when it hit 3.8 percent.
Balisacan said bad weather typical during the season also had a huge impact on farm output.
Apart from agriculture, Balisacan
said government consumption and public construction activities slowed as President Benigno Aquino’s government adjusted to “new spending protocols”, some imposed to fight corruption.
He also cited the “lingering negative impact” of Haiyan, as well as delays in the layout of the government’s massive post-typhoon reconstruction program across the devastated central Philippines.
Nevertheless, Balisacan said business sentiment remained optimistic.
He said export growth was robust
in the third quarter, supported by the “strengthening of the global manufactur- ing industry” that boosted the country’s key exports of semiconductors, wiring harnesses for vehicles and garments.
MANILA - Typhoon damage and fall- ing public spending slowed the Philip- pines’ previously red-hot economy to its weakest pace in nearly three years with growth expanding 5.3 percent in the third quarter, officials said.
Fierce winds and destructive floods generated by typhoons led to a 2.7 percent year-on-year contraction in farm
This also gave the government opti- mism that it would achieve its full 2014 GDP growth target of 6.5-7.5 percent.
However, he said typhoon damage and weaker performances in other key sectors since then meant the economy only grew 5.3 percent in the past quarter and 5.8 percent through the first nine months of
Philippines
NEWS
Filipino at UN
MANILA - Filipino law professor, Ricardo Sunga III, was appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council to the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent.
Professor Sunga’s appointment to the position was discussed and confirmed by UN Human Rights Council at its meeting on November 06, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. He will represent the Asia Pacific states at the said working group of experts.
The UN Human Rights Council to the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent was established by the UN Commission on Human Rights resolution number 2002/68 of April 25, 2002. This UN working group of experts was established primarily to study the problems of discrimination faced by people of African descent in diaspora and to propose measures to end such discrimination. Professor Sunga is expected to serve the working group of experts for a full term of three years.
The Philippines is one of the 47 member states of the UN Human Rights Council.
Drug Lords control Prison
QUEZON CITY - Jailed drug lords have formed at least nine syndicates to lord it over 23,000 inmates at the National Bilibid Prison, openly selling illegal drugs in collusion with high-ranking prison officials, a House committee on justice investigation has found.
Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., said.
Tupas said these rich drug lords were accorded special treatment and were housed in “kubol” with a second floor that was equipped with wi-fi and cellular phones used in their illegal trade.
Tupas urged the national government and the Justice Department to eradicate the illegal drugs trade in the NBP.
Tupas said the panel would continue its hearings until the government agencies, led by the DOJ and the Department of Budget and Management are compelled to implement the modernization law.
Increase in Rape
MANILA – House Deputy Majority Leader and Makati City Rep. Mar-Len Abigail Binay lashed out at Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II for failing to curb violent crimes, after the national police reported that an average of 28 women and children were raped every day from January to September this year, up from 25 cases daily in 2013. “Some observers say the Philippine National Police under Secretary Roxas has by and large been remiss in suppressing violent crimes against persons and property,” Binay said. “We need a new get-tough policy on crime. And we need it yesterday.”
She demanded that Roxas explain the “alarming increase” in rape cases under his watch.
Binay flayed Roxas, the civilian head of the PNP, for the lack of forceful action in fighting the growing number of brutal sexual attacks on women and children.
Jackie denies living in with BF
Jackie Rice looked so sexy at her launch as the endorser of Robust. But isn’t the product intended for men who want to enhance their virility? “Ako’ng muse nila,” she says. “Ang boyfriend ko, tumagal ang relasyon namin ng six years dahil nagte- take siya ng Robust para maging masaya kami pareho. Maganda talaga itong food supplement para maging astig ang mga gustong maging tunay na barako.”
Jackie says they’re not living in. But after six years, do they plan to walk down the aisle in the near future? “No, hindi
pa. 24 lang ako. Matagal pa bago ako magpatali. I don’t see myself settling down soon and having my own baby. Gusto kong maging mother someday, pero matagal pa. But I’m hoping itong boyfriend ko na ngayon ang Mr. Right sa buhay ko. Ayoko naman ng papalit-palit.”
Jackie is such a competent actress. She has proven this in her recent acclaimed movie, “Kamkam”, where she played the feisty third wife of Allen Dizon who later on kills him. A contract star of GMA7 after winning in Starstruck 3, how come she doesn’t have a new soap yet? Her latest was “Inamorata” that ended several months ago.
“One soap lang po talaga ako a year, e,” she says. “2011, I was launched in ‘Si- sid’. After that, naging kontrabida na ako in 2012 in ‘Kasalanan Bang Ibigin Ka’ and in 2013 in ‘Bukod Kang Pinagpala’. Next year na po uli siguro ako bibigyan ng bagong show.”
We wish GMA would utilize Jackie more. She’s not only sexy but also can act, so she should be given more assignments. We last saw her in an episode of “Wish Ko Lang” where she is shown berating
an old woman. A lot of people reacted against her, thinking she is just being overly “mataray” to a fan. But it turned out it’s all just a part of a social experi- ment that “Wish Ko Lang” was conducting and the old woman she berated was also an actress like Jackie.
Paskuhan at Wychwood Barns
FIRST, Singer Maria Panaligan is joined by a young girl while singing “Let it Go,” the theme song from the Disny movie “Frozen.” SECOND, Josie De Leon School of Performing Arts singers Rita Tabago, Lara Denise, Myka Escano, and Bea Cerbas pose after their perfromance. THIRD, The Panaligan family with mom Gen, Nadeene, Ampee and Maria pose for a photo. FOURTH, Paskuhan organizers Ronnie dela Gana and Claire de Rivera are happy with the outcome.
8 L. M. Confidential DECEMBER 2014
LMC