1.Manila hostage crisis occurred when a dismissed Philippine National Police officer took over a tour bus in Rizal Park, Manila, Philippines on August 23, 2010. Disgruntled former senior inspector Rolando Mendoza, from the Manila Police District (MPD) hijacked a tour bus carrying 25 people (20 tourists and also a tour guide, all from Hong Kong, and four Filipinos) in an attempt to get his job back. He said that he was summarily dismissed without the opportunity to properly defend himself, and that all he wanted was a fair hearing.
According to the reports, negotiations for the release of the hostages had been uneventful until violence erupted when Mendoza allegedly saw his brother on television, who was at the scene, being arrested and dragged away by the police. There were 15 Chinese tourists and a Filipino driver being held in the bus when the violence erupted. sad to say, It ended with a bloodbath.
It killed eight hostages and the lone hostage taker, a dismissed policeman named Roland Mendoza -- whom reports say resorted to the hostage taking to demand his reinstatement.
it was very sad, we do hope that this will never happen again.
2.Super typhoon Juan
Although the weather remains rainy and windy over much of northern and central Luzon, the worst of the storm has passed, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), which has downgraded storm signal warnings.
Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Renato Corona said that the suspect in the bombing of Bar examinees last Sept. 26 in Manila "has no soul".The bombing incident injured 47 individuals, including law students and Bar examinees themselves.Corona said that the suspect in the bombing incident in front of the De La Salle University (DLSU) along Taft Avenue, Manila last September 26 on the last day of the Bar Examinations could be considered as "no soul".Corona disagreed with "speculations" that the bombing incident was triggered by a "fraternity war".The Chief Justice said that the authorities concerned had not yet established that the bombing incident was a result of the "fraternity war".A special committee, created by the SC, started on Monday its own investigation into the bombing incident.Corona gave them until Oct. 15 to submit its report and recommendation as to who should be held criminally responsible for the bombing incident.
Opinion/comment:
It is very sad that in the middle of a celebration, a tragedy would happen. The crowd gathered happily to celebrate the end of the just concluded Board Exam. Many were hurt, some were even badly injured flooding the hospital rooms. In fact, one of the students’ leg was badly damaged it has to be removed. Every year, they celebrate the end of board examination but no one knows that this would happen. And the one who is responsible to this incident must be in jail.
4.The Maguindanao massacre, also known as the Ampatuan massacre (after the town where the mass graves were found), occurred on the morning of November 23, 2009, in the town of Ampatuan in Maguindanao province, on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. While the victims were on their way to file a certificate of candidacy for Esmael Mangudadatu, vice mayor of Buluan town, they were kidnapped and brutally killed. Mangundadatu was challenging Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr., son of the incumbent Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan, Sr., in the forthcoming Maguindanao gubernatorial election,[1] part of the national elections in 2010. The 57 people killed included Mangudadatu's wife, his two sisters, journalists, lawyers, aides, and motorists who were witnesses or were mistakenly identified as part of the convoy.
opinion/comments:
“It was really frustrating to hear about the evil people like them do those thing that very immoral. the details, facts are already out in the open, but still those people are still out there. Let us all pray that justice will be served as soon as possible, and such cruelty will never happen again.”
5.President Aquino Vows to Achieve More Beyond 100 Days
MANILA, Philippines (PNA) — President Benigno S. Aquino on Thursday said he is more determined to work harder to fulfill his promise of an honest government and a decent life for every Filipino.In his report on his first 100 days in office, the President said the trust the people have given his administration has inspired him to achieve more.
“Hinding-hindi po tayo titigil sa tuwid na landas. Unti-unti na pong natupad ang ating mga pangarap (We will not stop to take the right path. Our dreams are slowly taking shape; our goals are slowly being achieved),” the President said.
He said his determination to rid the bureaucracy of corruption is paying off -- business confidence is back and the economy is stronger.
Among the great strides he took in his first 100 days included the issuance of Executive Order #7 ordering the suspension of all privileges of officials of 122 government-owned and -controlled corporations and government financial institutions that resulted in savings of P2.5 million.
The Philippines’ winning the case on the Ninoy Aquino International Airport 3 also saved the government P43.4 billion, he said.
The President’s order to stop negotiated contracts with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the re-bidding of urgently-needed projects also saved the government P934.1 million.
He said his order to defer the purchase of a helicopter for the Department of Defense due to allegations that it favors one company allowed the government to set aside P3.6 billion.
The President said he has ordered a thorough study on the P18.5 billion Laguna de Bay project to avoid waste of money.
The Chief Executive noted that weather forecasting has improved from the every-six-hour update to an hourly, more focused weather update when he ordered the change in the stewardship of the country’s weather bureau and saved the government billions of pesos.
“Lahat po iyan naibalik natin sa kaban ng bayan,” the President said adding that the benefits derived from an improved economy will be given back to the people through projects that will uplift their lives
According to the President subsidies for agricultural inputs that made the rich richer and the poor poorer and funds for projects such as the Kalayaan Barangay at Kilos Asenso were transferred to projects that will really benefit the poor.
Some P11 billion were poured into education, health and other pro-poor projects.
The 2011 Reform Budget reflects all of these with the increase in the budget allocation for the Department of Education from P175 billion to P207.3 billion, to build 13,147 new classrooms and hire 10,000 new teachers.
The Department of Health budget increased to P33.3 billion from P29.3 billion so as to strengthen the National Health Insurance program while the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s budget more than doubled from P15.6 billion to P34.3 billion.
The conditional cash transfer program was also strengthened and expanded from one million families to 2.3 million families covered in 2011.
The President stressed that his priority is to create more jobs. He said the $ 2.4 billion in investments he got from his recent US trip will create 43,600 new jobs. And, if the investment climate will be friendlier, more investors will be coming into the country.
