Meralco seeks P18B in under recoveries

BY JOHN POQUIZ Manila Electric Co., the country’s largest power distribution company, has asked the Energy Regulatory Commission to allow it to raise rates by 35 percent in the next five years to P1.90 per kilowatt-hour.

Utilities discount eyed for senior citizens

MANILA, Philippines—Distribution utilities and electric cooperatives will soon be mandated to provide discounts and subsidies to senior citizens for the electricity they consume. This is in accordance with the Expanded Senior Citizens Act

PNP told to withhold salaries of cops with unliquidated advances

MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Audit has asked the Philippine National Police to withhold the salaries of personnel who fail to liquidate their cash advances, after finding that in 2009, the police agency had a total of P174.943 million in unliquidated funds. The COA, in its latest report on the PNP, said the bulk of the amount consisted mostly of cash advances by its personnel. Aside from withholding policemen’s salaries, the COA also recommended that the PNP exert more effort in asking its personnel to liquidate, and make its…

Church and union leaders unimpressed by Luisita doles

MANILA, Philippines—The P20-million financial assistance distributed by the Hacienda Luisita Inc.

Comelec asked to stop Buhay proclamation

MANILA, Philippines—The complainant who filed the disqualification suit against the party-list group Buhay and one of its nominees, El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde, accused the Commission on Elections of preventing him from filing an appeal so it could go ahead with the proclamation of Velarde’s group. Broadcaster Rolando Layug told the Inquirer Saturday that the Comelec’s second division never informed him that it had dismissed his suit last June 15,…

Comelec urged to fix problems in automated election system

MANILA, Philippines—The National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) has cautioned the Commission on Elections against its plan to conduct automated elections in 2013 pending ‘unresolved’ issues in the first computerized balloting last May 10.

In Search of the Truth of the May 10, 2010 Philippine Polls

THE recent Philippine automated elections were held on May 10, 2010, the 113rd anniversary of the murder-by-execution of the “Father of Philippine Revolution,” Andres Bonifacio. A month after, on June 19, the 149th anniversary of the birth of Jose Rizal, a coalition seeking mainly to “unravel the truth surrounding the May 2010 elections” held a seven-hour forum that explained the mechanics of the AES and its failure and showed the many blatant lies perpetrated by both the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Smartmatic-TIM. Could the apparent historical coincidences timed with important days associated with the country’s two national heroes forebode of the ultimate revelation of what really…

CBCP starts reviewing sex education modules

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is reviewing the controversial sex education modules that are supposed to be integrated into the basic education curriculum this school year. Education Secretary Mona Valisno said Bishop Oscar Cruz told her over the weekend that the CBCP’s Commission on the Family and Life is going over the modules and will…

Arroyo move to convert hacienda hit

BY JP LOPEZ SENATE minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. yesterday denounced the move of the Arroyo family, led by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, to convert Hacienda Bacan in Isabela, Negros Occidental, into an industrial estate despite its being placed under the land reform program.

Enrile: Bangit bypassed by CA, must vacate office

MANILA, Philippines—Bad news for AFP chief of staff Gen. Delfin Bangit. Because Congress adjourned on Friday without him getting the nod of the Commission on Appointments, Bangit is deemed bypassed and thus he has to vacate his position and be replaced by his vice chief of staff, Lt

800,000 votes for VP voided Glitches traced to birthing pains –>

BY WENDELL VIGILIA AT least 800,000 votes for vice president have been nullified or invalidated, Speaker Prospero Nograles said last night. The figure is the same as the lead of Jejomar Binay of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino over Mar Roxas of the Liberal Party in partial unofficial tallies of the Commission on Elections and its…

CHED gives ‘failing’ nursing schools 3 years to shape up

MANILA, Philippines—Shape up or close shop. The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) warned nursing schools with dismal board examination passing rates to shape up within the next three years or close shop.

Visayas college students face tuition increases up to 30%

CEBU CITY – Tuition increases, ranging from 3 to 30 percent, await students of 18 tertiary institutions in Central Visayas. Amelia Biglete, Commission on Higher Education regional director for Central Visayas, said one public institution and 17 private colleges and universities, which comprised about 12 percent of the region’s 141 tertiary…

Negros poll execs reconstitute vote counts from 8 precincts

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – The Boards of Election Canvassers in three cities and four towns in Negros Occidental convened Thursday to recount votes in eight clustered precincts because what their precinct count optical scan machines transmitted last May 10 were test results and not actual election-day tallies. The Commission on Elections, in Resolution 8923 dated May 15, ordered the manual reconciliation of election…

New PSC chair is up to Noynoy, not Peping

Many names have been mentioned as possible replacement for Philippine Sports Commission chair Harry Angping, who has handed in his courtesy resignation and will stay in office only up to June 30 of this year.

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