1. Art and Diseño

A NewsLink service for NPA
Sunday, February 1, 2015
P-Noy vows continuing support to
families of slain SAF commandos
Nautilus International has welcomed the UK
government's decision to abandon
controversial proposals to scrap rules
requiring ro-ro passengerships to be fitted
with lockers containing emergency
equipment. Following an eight-week
consultation between the concerned parties,
the government said 'persuasive' arguments
had been made in favour of retaining the
regulations, which were introduced following
the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster in
1987. The regulations were developed in
response to the findings of the formal
investigation into the loss of the ferry and
require ro-ro passenger ships to be fitted
with on-deck emergency equipment lockers,
containing such items as axes, crowbars,
lifting gear and ladders.
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President Benigno Aquino III spent more than
12 hours on Friday talking with the families
of the 44 slain Special Action Force (SAF)
commandos discussing how the government
could assist them after the deaths of their
loved ones, a Palace official said on Saturday.
In a radio interview, Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary
Herminio Coloma Jr said the chief executive
asked the families about their needs and the
dreams of the dead policemen for their
relatives.
Most of the SAF men wanted their families
to have decent lives, send their children to
college and help their parents by giving them
livelihood, Coloma told dzRB Radyo Ng
Bayan as reported by the Philippine
Information Agency.
"Sa mga susunod na araw at linggo
makikipag-ugnayan ang iba't ibang kagawaran
at ahensiya ng pamahalaan upang maihatid sa
kanila ang tulong at kalinga sa lahat ng
aspetong nabanggit," he said.
"Para
sa
hinahangad
na
tulong
pang-hanapbuhay, permanenteng empleyo
ang igagawad at tutulungan din sila sa aspeto
ng ibayong pagsasanay at pagpapahusay ng
skill set," the official added.
To provide them a source of living, Coloma
said the government will provide assistance to
those engaged in farming, fisheries and trade.
The government will also help the SAF
men's children go to school even until college
by extending financial grants and counseling,
he added.
"Sa kabuuan, nagkaroon ng unawaan ang
mga pamilya at ang Pangulo hinggil sa
pangangailangan na maging matatag sila para
mabigyan ng buong kahulugan ang
kabayanihan ng kanilang mga anak, asawa, o
kapatid," the official said.
After meeting the families of the slain
commandos, Aquino also talked with the
members of the SAF around 12 midnight at
their headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa.
The president thanked them for their
bravery and sacrifices, gave awards to those
who fiercely fought in Mamasapano,
Maguindanao last week.
Government vouches for strict
compliance of human rights
As the report acknowledges the human
rights record in the country, it enticed
President Benigno Aquino III to take decisive
actions against torture and extrajudicial
killings.
Human Rights Watch acknowledged the
administration's implementation of "Justice
Zones" that accelerate court proceedings.
The government continues to strive for
promoting stronger institutions through
strengthening the justice system, the police
and the military to observe human rights,
according to Presidential Communications
Operations Office Secretary Herminio
Coloma Jr.
"Patuloy na sinisikap ng ating pamahalaan
na mapalakas ang ating mga pampublikong
institusyon, kabilang na diyan ang ating
criminal justice system, ang ating militar at
kapulisan para sila ay maging balwarte ng
pagtatanghal sa mga karapatang pantao,"
Coloma said as reported by the Philippine
News Agency.
In the Human Rights Watch 2015 report, it
indicated that the government's overall record
in addressing serious human rights violations
remains poor despite initiating major
initiatives last year.
'Presidential pork' funds
Operation Wolverine: Bayan
Militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
(Bayan) on Sunday bared that the funding for
the botched mission of the Philippine
National Police-Special Action Force came
from the inaudited intelligence and
confidential funds of President Benigno
Aquino III also known as "presidential pork."
Only Malacañang can authorize the
distribution of the said funds, the militant
group said in a statement.
PAGE 2 - Sunday, February 1, 2015
KVH Media Group | NEWSlink
Bayan added that the money was used to
mobilize the troops for the Mamasapano
operation, also known as "Operation
Wolverine," the Philippine Daily Inquirer
reported.
"If the operation was not run via the DILG
(Department of the Interior and Local
Government) and the PNP, then someone else
must have authorized the funding," said
Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes.
"The funding could have come from the
unaudited PHP300 million intelligence and
confidential funds of the President. It would
then be easy for Aquino to deny
involvement," he added.
Biazon: all-out war against
MILF a stupid idea
Muntinlupa City Representative Rodolfo
Biazon has insisted that waging a war against
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front will never
bring peace in Mindanao.
In an interview with radio dzMM, Biazon, a
former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief
of staff and senator, said that it will further
cause problems in the region.
"Magkakaroon ng maraming malawakang
collateral damage - civilian life, mga
Kristiyano, mga Lumad, mga peace-loving
Muslims," Biazon said as reported by the
Philippine Star.
The lawmaker pointed out that declaring a
war following the misencounter in
Mamasapano, Maguindanao last week could
only bring more complications in the region.
Biazon suggested to push forward with the
passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic
Law, saying that it is the last mechanism that
can influence peace in Mindanao.
The representative urged the government to
administer justice for the slain commandos
and grant benefits for their families.
"Siguro huhupa ang emotional reaction
kung may hustisya at 'yung hustisya na 'yan e
makakamtan lamang sa pamamagitan ng
koordinasyon ng Philippine government at
MILF," Biazon said.
DTI to lead creation of
E-Commerce 2020 Roadmap
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
has expressed its commitment to facilitate the
formulation of the 2020 E-Commerce
Roadmap.
"The coming years will be bullish for
Philippine e-commerce and come 2020, our
strategies and plans for the industry will
exhibit a 20/20 vision - utterly perfect and
accurate," Undersecretary Prudencio Reyes Jr
declared in the just concluded E-Commerce
Forum.
BEIGE PUSHED AS UNIFORM
GOVERNMENT BUILDING COLOR
MANILA - A legislator is pushing for the
mandatory use of the color beige or
similar hue as the uniform paint color on
all government buildings in the country.
Quezon City Second District
Representative Winston Castelo has
filed House Bill 5314 or the "Beige
Uniform Paint Color on all Government
Buildings Act of 2015," which seeks to
dissuade political identification and
patronage that create an atmosphere of
social dissonance among constituents.
Under the bill, all government buildings
or structures built and constructed
through public funds or may have been
foreign-assisted should have a single,
uniform and standard requirements for
their protective coatings and official color
which should be established for common
application.
The measure mandates the
Department of Public Works and
Highways to effectively implement that
no plan of work could be undertaken by
any public official, appointive or elective,
without the approval of the DPWH, which
sets the standards for protective
coatings.
It shall accredit protective coating
painting contractors into a program, to
ensure product standards for coatings,
tests and approves paint products
available in the market and insure
compliance of official color for all
government structures or buildings.
(PNA)
The 2020 program is dubbed to be the
industry's blueprint of perfect vision, the
Philippine Information Agency reported.
To formulate the scheme, DTI is set to
conduct a series of Technical Working Group
meetings this year to gather stakeholders and
involve them in the process.
"It is important to involve everyone
(stakeholders) in the process of coming up
with the roadmap. Their active involvement is
needed to arrive at an accurate and perfect
vision of where the industry is and where it
ought to go," Reyes said.
Furthermore, the official mentioned that the
exchange of ideas between and among
stakeholders through the TWG meetings
holds the most important part of the process,
as it is where the industry can identify its true
and correct direction.
TPB: hosting of APEC 2015 to
improve tourism industry
The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) has
expressed optimism that the hosting of the
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Senior Officials' meetings and Economic
Leaders' summit this year will boost the
tourism industry in the country.
During the Department of Tourism-led
launching of Visit the Philippines Year 2015
at the Baguio Country Club, TPB Market
Specialist III Milo Oropeza said that around
25,000 foreign country officials and leaders
coming for the series of high-level policy
dialogues and ministerial meetings that will
culminate in the APEC Economic Leaders'
Meeting in November, are also expected to
tour around to discover the Philippines.
The first Seniors Officials meeting is
scheduled to begin on Saturday at the Clark
Freport Zone, in Pampanga, the Philippine
Information Agency reported.
Oropeza also affirmed that the DOT
through TPB is continuously doing
international
promotion
of
tourism
destinations, events and activities, to show
the world that "It's (truly) more fun in the
Philippines," as the tourism department's
tagline depicts.
Metro Manila and Southern
Luzon in Focus
News from around Metro Manila and
Southern Luzon over the past seven days. (In
tomorrow's issue: Central Luzon)
MMDA to temporarily lift
truck ban along Roxas
Boulevard
MANILA - The Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday
announced that it will allow trucks to traverse
Roxas Boulevard. starting on Monday.
MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino signed
a memorandum circular which paves the way
for trucks to use the thoroughfare from 12
midnight to 5am.
"This is just temporary, upon the request of
Secretary Rene Almendras, head of the
Cabinet Cluster on Port Congestion, because
of the backlog in the operations of the
truckers brought about by the holidays,"
Tolentino said.
The new scheme will take effect for two
weeks only and it will end on February 15.
In December 2014, MMDA implemented a
new truck regulation along Roxas Boulevard
in preparation for the Feast of the Black
Nazarene and the Papal visit.
"I am optimistic that this will somehow
contribute to the government's efforts to
decongest the ports," Tolentino said.
"Thereafter, Roxas Boulevard will be
prepared and rehabilitated by the DPWH
(Department of Public Works and Highways)
in preparation for the APEC (Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation) Summit slated this
year," he added. (PNA)
PAGE 3 - Sunday, February 1, 2015
KVH Media Group | NEWSlink
Govt releases PHP14mn for
BCSP scheme in CamSur
MARKET DATA
STOCK INDEX
(January 30)
PSEi
7,689.91 (+72.61)
EXCHANGE RATES
USD 1 =
GBP 1 =
JPY 1 =
EUR 1 =
Source:
EUR 1 =
Source:
PHP44.132
PHP66.484
PHP0.372
PHP49.957
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
USD1.132
European Central Bank
SCOREBOARD
BASKETBALL
PBA COMMISSIONER'S CUP
Blackwater
78-88 Talk 'N Text
*Game played on Sunday, Feb 1
NBA
Wizards
116-120 Raptors
Pacers
94-99 Kings
Magic
93-108 Mavericks
Hawks
91-85 76ers
Pistons
114-101 Rockets
Grizzlies
85-74 Thunder
Timberwolves 90-106 Cavaliers
Bucks
95-88 Trail Blazers
Nuggets
86-104 Hornets
Spurs
85-105 Clippers
Warriors
106-87 Suns
*Games played on Saturday in the US
VOLLEYBALL
UAAP SEASON 77
Men
UP
FEU
3-2
3-2
UE
DLSU
LEGAZPI CITY - The national government
has released a total of PHP14 million for 200
family- beneficiaries of the Bicol Core Shelter
Program (BCSP) in Tinambac, Camarines
Sur.
According to Evelyn Jerusalem, information
officer of the Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD), the government,
through the DSWD, released 200 checks
amounting to PHP70,000 each and were
distributed to family-beneficiaries from
barangays Antipolo, Bulao, Balite, Bangi,
Cagliliog, Magtang, Sugod, Bataan, Tierra
Nevada, Olag Pegueño, Canayunan and Lupi all in Tinambac town.
According to Jerusalem, BCSP is a
rehabilitation program which provides
structurally strong shelter units that can
withstand
180-kilometer-per
hour
to
220-kilometer-per-hour winds to families
whose houses were totally destroyed by
natural and man-made calamities and have no
capacity to build or construct their own units.
The project aims to reduce the number of
homeless families by providing a structurally
strong shelter and at the same time, develop
and promote the value of self-reliance among
the beneficiaries and the community. (PNA)
Women
AdU
3-0
UE
FEU
0-3
UST
*Games played on Sunday, Feb 1
Quezon pushes for
construction of coal-fired
powered plant
LUCENA CITY - Quezon Province is
pushing for the construction of a
1,200-megawatt power plant in Atimonan
town, provincial Board Member Bong
Talabong has said.
According to Talabong, the provincial
council is negotiating with Meralco Power
Gen to build the coal-fired power plant in
Atimonan.
"When negotiations bring positive result,
the province will then become the power
capital of the country," he said.
"The project will also create job
opportunities for the people of Quezon and
generate greater income from real property
taxes," the official added.
Talabong pointed out that the provinces of
Bataan and Batangas are also interested in the
project that is why the council is constantly
keeping in touch with Meralco for its final
decision. (PNA)
IS claims killing of second
Japanese captive
TOKYO - The Islamic State group claimed in
a video that it had beheaded a second
Japanese hostage, drawing international
condemnation and outrage from a visibly
upset Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who
denounced it as a "heinous and despicable"
act.
The apparent killing of 47-year-old Kenji
Goto - the second beheading of a Japanese
hostage in a week - was announced in a video
released online that included no mention of a
Jordanian pilot also being held by IS, whom
the jihadist group has threatened to kill.
Goto, a respected freelance journalist, is
seen in an orange outfit kneeling next to a
standing masked man who speaks with a
British accent and blames the Japanese
government for his "slaughter."
The man, dressed head-to-toe in black with
his face covered, appears to be the same IS
militant who has featured in the group's
previous execution videos.
The executioner addresses Abe, saying the
murder was the result of "reckless" decisions
by the Japanese government and would mark
the beginning of "the nightmare for Japan."
Abe vowed to "never forgive terrorists"
after news of the video broke early Sunday
morning in Japan. (AFP)
Pro-democracy protesters to
return to Hong Kong streets
HONG KONG - Thousands of pro-democracy
protesters will rally on Hong Kong's streets
on Sunday for the first time since mass
demonstrations shut down parts of the city for
more than two months.
The afternoon march through central Hong
Kong is expected to draw 50,000 people with
police warning that attempts to reoccupy key
roads cleared of a sea of tented protest camps
in December "are likely".
However no protest group has announced it
intends to relaunch the occupation.
It is set to gauge the public's appetite for the
continued fight for free leadership elections,
with authorities having made no concessions
to activists' demands and tensions still high in
the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
"The rally continues to call out to people to
join the democracy movement," organizer
Daisy Chan told AFP.
Officials in December cleared the final
protest camps which brought roads to a
standstill with rallies that drew around
100,000 at their peak and saw violent clashes
with police. (AFP)
Indonesia resumes search for
AirAsia crash victims
JAKARTA - Indonesian rescuers on Sunday
resumed their search for 86 victims still
missing from the AirAsia plane that crashed
on December 28 with 162 people on board,
an official said.
National search and rescue agency chief
Bambang Soelistyo last week said search and
rescue teams were being given two days'
break after weeks searching in inhospitable
conditions.
Sixty-eight divers from the national search
and rescue agency as well as others from
companies and clubs would focus on scouring
the fuselage of Flight QZ8501 and the seabed
for remaining bodies, he said.
So far, 76 bodies have been recovered after
the plane went down in the Java Sea in
stormy weather during what was supposed to
be a short trip from the Indonesian city of
Surabaya to Singapore.
"Search operations have resumed. Our focus
today is to find bodies that could be trapped
in the fuselage, or buried in mud," SB
Supriyadi, a search and rescue agency official
who has been coordinating the hunt, said.
(AFP)
PAGE 4 - Sunday, February 1, 2015
KVH Media Group | NEWSlink
NBA
Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley,
Cordillera, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA,
Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas,
Caraga and the province of Aurora
will experience cloudy skies with
light rains. The rest of Luzon will
have partly cloudy to at times
cloudy skies with isolated light
rains. The rest of Visayas and of
Mindanao will be partly cloudy to
cloudy with isolated rainshowers or
thunderstorms.
Texters slam Elite
Blackwater Elite 78 - Talk 'N Text
TropangTexters 88: Talk 'N Text came from
behind to outclass Blackwater in the first
game
of
the
out-of-town
PBA
Commissioner's Cup doubleheader at the
Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna, on
Sunday.
Richard Howell exploded for 19 of his 29
points in the payoff period to lead the
Tropang Texters in the reversal.
Howell also grabbed 21 rebounds and
dished out five assists as Talk 'N Text
unleashed a 24-5 run in the fourth to turn
back a 60-66 deficit for their second-straight
victory, Interaksyon.com reported.
The Tropang Texters reinforcement joined
forces with Jayson Castro at the start of the
fourth period as they combined for six points
to tie the game at 66 apiece.
Howell again led a 13-0 blast that helped
Talk 'N Text pull away, 84-71, with 4:15
remaining in the game. The import scored
eight points during that span.
The Texters elected to defend their
advantage to prevent a possible comeback by
the Elite in the following minutes of the game
to seal the victory.
Castro contributed 22 points - 11 of them in
the first quarter - for Talk 'N Text as he was
the only local in double figures for the Manny
Pangilinan-owned franchise.
The Texters controlled the close first half as
Blackwater run riot in the third with Gilas
Pilipinas naturalized center Marcus Douthit
leading the charge to give the Elite a 66-60
headway. Bryan Faundo led Blackwater,
which fell to their 13th-consecutive defeat
this season, with 19 markers as Douthit added
14.
Energy target share of lead
against Kings
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings vs
Barako Bull Energy: Barako Bull aim to
grab a share of the top spot in the PBA
Commissioner's Cup as it faces crowd
favorite Barangay Ginebra on Sunday at the
Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.
CAVS TROUNCE T-WOLVES
Minnesota Timberwolves 90 Cleveland Cavaliers 106: Kevin Love
scored 14 points and grabbed a
game-high 17 rebounds in his triumphant
return to Minnesota as Cleveland ripped
the Timberwolves for their
tenth-consecutive victory in the National
Basketball Association regular season
action on Saturday night.
Star forward Love had made it clear he
wanted to leave Minnesota and he was
traded to Cleveland last August in a
three-team deal that helped give the
Cavaliers the support needed to become
a contender after the signing of four-time
NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron
James.
But Love left behind jilted T-Wolves
fans that quickly displayed their
unhappiness, booing him in the
pre-game introductions and most every
time he touched the ball.
Minnesota led 79-76 entering the fourth
quarter, but the Cavaliers outscored the
Timberwolves 30-11 in the final period to
seal the victory. James took over in the
final minutes, scoring 16 of his
game-high 36 points in the fourth
quarter.
The Timberwolves fell to a
league-worst 8-39 despite 33 points from
19-year-old Andrew Wiggins, who like
Anthony Bennett was a former No1 NBA
Draft pick sent to Cleveland in the Love
deal. Wiggins hit 14-of-25 shots from the
field. (AFP)
Fresh from a 92-70 conquest of import-less
Blackwater Elite, the Energy will look to
prove that they are a force to reckon with in
the conference against the more talented
Kings, who suffered a surprise 74-85 setback
against the Meralco Bolts.
Barako Bull will bank on another amazing
performance of 2.13-meter giant Solomon
Alabi, who sizzled in his debut game against
the Elite tallying 21 points, 22 rebounds and
five blocks, as the Energy locals, led by point
guard Solomon Mercado, will try to duplicate
or surpass their offesive output to back up
Alabi.
Barako Bull coach Koy Banal expects the
crowd favorites to bounce back following
their sorry loss, but he assured that his team
will be ready for the onslaught of the Kings.
On the other hand, Barangay Ginebra will
look to regain their swagger as they are eager
to bounce back and grab their first win in the
tournament.
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Highly-touted
reinforcement
Michael
Dunigan had a hard time in his first game
wearing the Kings uniform against Meralco,
as he was limited to just 17 markers and 15
boards.
The run-and-gun offense employed by
returning coach Ato Agustin likewise stalled
against the Bolts as LA Tenorio, Japeth
Aguilar, Greg Slaughter and Mark Caguioa
were held down by Meralco's stingy defense.
Mayweather dampens hopes
for Pacquiao fight
LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Unbeaten fighter
Floyd Mayweather dampened talk of a
possible megafight agreement with Filipino
boxer Manny Pacquiao on Saturday, a day
after the Asian star's promoter said a deal was
near.
Mayweather posted a message on his Shots
account that said in part "While they continue
to lie about making the fight ... I'm just going
to continue to travel and explore the world on
my private jet. #FightNotMadeYet #Jamaica."
Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum told the New
York Post on Friday that he was optimistic a
Pacquiao-Mayweather deal for a May 2 fight
in Las Vegas would be completed in the next
couple of days, with only a few final details
to be settled between rival telecasters HBO
and Showtime, the rights holders for
Pacquiao and Mayweather, respectively.
Mayweather, who turns 38 on February 24,
left England's Amir Khan hanging for months
until announcing on his birthday last year that
he would fight Argentina's Marcos Maidana
instead.
Mayweather wound up beating the South
American twice in 2014, but has yet to test
himself against Pacquiao or Khan.
Filipino southpaw Pacquiao is 57-5 with
two drawn and 38 knockouts while
Mayweather is 47-0 with 26 knockouts. Fans
have sought a showdown between the two for
five years, thus far in vain. (AFP)