Wednesday, April 02, 2008
20080402_Live @ 55
955
- Philippines: one of the world's biggest rice importers (ironic)
- Our economic managers are considering cutting duties on rice imports or shouldering part of the import costs of the private sector to attract more buyers. Import tariffs are at 50 percent as we speak and cutting that down means lost revenues for the Bureau of Customs. Farmers are naturally opposed to the tariff cuts because this means they'll have to sell their supplies at lower rates. Two options are being pondered on: cut the rice import tariff, or to increase a subsidy given to the National Food Authority (NFA) to allow the state agency to shoulder some of the import costs of private importers. We are on the verge of importing the most volume of rice in the decade---2.2 million tons, which became a problem when exporting nations clamped down on sales to combat food inflation at home. We'll see how this goes down in the next few days. The Philippines imports around 10 percent of its annual needs and has bought around 1.2 million tons this year.
Mayor Tommy Osmeña walks the precarious edge by asking the Cebu City Council to donate ONE fire extinguisher to the fire station of Oslob, which the Mayor refers to as a good deed.
BRIDGE MANAGMENT. Something good has, at least, come out of the collision incident at the Marcelo Fernan Bridge. It's brought attention to the proper maintenance of both bridges connecting mainland Cebu to Mactan Island. At a meeting Tuesday, the Mactan Cebu Bridge Management Board is thinking of outsourcing security operations for both bridges and will invite security systems providers at their next meeting. The bridge management board also raised the issue of appointing an administrator who will oversee the two bridges as well as the purchase of vehicles and a communication system. With available funds amounting to P4.5 million, these projects are doable. We'll hear some more about it after they next meet.
WORLD NEWS. France's government has been accused of pandering to the US, clashing with the opposition Socialists along the way, but still sending out a few hundred extra troops to Afghanistan. The number of troops is lower than the size of the reinforcement earlier promised to NATO, a decision which may be in part due to the French populace's opposition to the plan. There is also the opposition Socialists' stand that US interests are being put before those of France's. Nevertheless, France's constitution gives the president the power to send troops to combat zones without the approval of parliament.
1155
KID BAN. Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. is pushing for the passage of a bill that will prohibit children seven years old and below from riding with their parents or adults on motorcycles on a national highway.
Revilla said children were seriously hurt in several recent accidents on the road while riding on motorcycles with their parents or adults. Revilla says this bill is separate from Senate Bill 1863 filed last year, mandating the wearing of standard quality helmets by all motorcycle drivers and back riders. This new bill cited global NGO Safe Kids Philippines' study stating that at least 20 million children are at risk of dying or being injured in road accidents every year: 35,000 Filipino children die or are hurt in road accidents each year, or about 263 a day.
Under Senate Bill 1863, all motorcycle riders – the driver and the back rider – must wear standard quality helmets while on motorcycles, whether on long or short distance drives, at any time of the day, and in any type of road and highway. Exempted are drivers of tricycles.
In calling for the ban on children as back riders, Revilla said that it is the duty of the government to protect the welfare of children.
BAR EXAMS. In an expression of alarm over this year's low passing rates of the Bar examinations, Speaker Prospero Nograles urged the Supreme Court yesterday to padlock substandard law schools whose graduates fail in licensure examinations. As we know, the Supreme Court has “oversight powers” over all law schools in the country. This move is intended to improve the quality of not just lawyers, but also those of nurses and of education in general. Chief Justice Reynato Puno earlier called for a review of the performance of schools and their law curriculum. Earlier, other House members expressed concern over the low passing rate in the December nursing licensure tests of many schools in Metro Manila and the provinces.
They noted that these schools recorded a below 50 percent success rate.
They said the Professional Regulation Commission is supposed to recommend to the Commission on Higher Education the closure of substandard nursing schools but has apparently failed to do so.
They noted that many schools registered low passing rates for both first-time takers and for repeaters in the December tests.
- Philippines: one of the world's biggest rice importers (ironic)
- Our economic managers are considering cutting duties on rice imports or shouldering part of the import costs of the private sector to attract more buyers. Import tariffs are at 50 percent as we speak and cutting that down means lost revenues for the Bureau of Customs. Farmers are naturally opposed to the tariff cuts because this means they'll have to sell their supplies at lower rates. Two options are being pondered on: cut the rice import tariff, or to increase a subsidy given to the National Food Authority (NFA) to allow the state agency to shoulder some of the import costs of private importers. We are on the verge of importing the most volume of rice in the decade---2.2 million tons, which became a problem when exporting nations clamped down on sales to combat food inflation at home. We'll see how this goes down in the next few days. The Philippines imports around 10 percent of its annual needs and has bought around 1.2 million tons this year.
Mayor Tommy Osmeña walks the precarious edge by asking the Cebu City Council to donate ONE fire extinguisher to the fire station of Oslob, which the Mayor refers to as a good deed.
- In his news conference yesterday, the mayor said he hopes the City’s donation will encourage the Cebu Provincial Government to address the problem on the lack of facilities in the fire stations in the municipalities. When asked why the City would be donating only one fire extinguisher, Osmeña said: “Why? It’s the thought that counts, diba?” (SSD)
BRIDGE MANAGMENT. Something good has, at least, come out of the collision incident at the Marcelo Fernan Bridge. It's brought attention to the proper maintenance of both bridges connecting mainland Cebu to Mactan Island. At a meeting Tuesday, the Mactan Cebu Bridge Management Board is thinking of outsourcing security operations for both bridges and will invite security systems providers at their next meeting. The bridge management board also raised the issue of appointing an administrator who will oversee the two bridges as well as the purchase of vehicles and a communication system. With available funds amounting to P4.5 million, these projects are doable. We'll hear some more about it after they next meet.
WORLD NEWS. France's government has been accused of pandering to the US, clashing with the opposition Socialists along the way, but still sending out a few hundred extra troops to Afghanistan. The number of troops is lower than the size of the reinforcement earlier promised to NATO, a decision which may be in part due to the French populace's opposition to the plan. There is also the opposition Socialists' stand that US interests are being put before those of France's. Nevertheless, France's constitution gives the president the power to send troops to combat zones without the approval of parliament.
1155
KID BAN. Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. is pushing for the passage of a bill that will prohibit children seven years old and below from riding with their parents or adults on motorcycles on a national highway.
Revilla said children were seriously hurt in several recent accidents on the road while riding on motorcycles with their parents or adults. Revilla says this bill is separate from Senate Bill 1863 filed last year, mandating the wearing of standard quality helmets by all motorcycle drivers and back riders. This new bill cited global NGO Safe Kids Philippines' study stating that at least 20 million children are at risk of dying or being injured in road accidents every year: 35,000 Filipino children die or are hurt in road accidents each year, or about 263 a day.
Under Senate Bill 1863, all motorcycle riders – the driver and the back rider – must wear standard quality helmets while on motorcycles, whether on long or short distance drives, at any time of the day, and in any type of road and highway. Exempted are drivers of tricycles.
In calling for the ban on children as back riders, Revilla said that it is the duty of the government to protect the welfare of children.
BAR EXAMS. In an expression of alarm over this year's low passing rates of the Bar examinations, Speaker Prospero Nograles urged the Supreme Court yesterday to padlock substandard law schools whose graduates fail in licensure examinations. As we know, the Supreme Court has “oversight powers” over all law schools in the country. This move is intended to improve the quality of not just lawyers, but also those of nurses and of education in general. Chief Justice Reynato Puno earlier called for a review of the performance of schools and their law curriculum. Earlier, other House members expressed concern over the low passing rate in the December nursing licensure tests of many schools in Metro Manila and the provinces.
They noted that these schools recorded a below 50 percent success rate.
They said the Professional Regulation Commission is supposed to recommend to the Commission on Higher Education the closure of substandard nursing schools but has apparently failed to do so.
They noted that many schools registered low passing rates for both first-time takers and for repeaters in the December tests.
// posted by Unknown @ 9:59:00 AM 
