Gloria orders NLEX: Reduce road toll rates
MINALIN, Pampanga -- President Arroyo Wedensday ordered the Toll Regulatory Board to reduce toll rates at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) starting June 30 to bring down the cost of food and other goods and services, due to the appreciation of the Philippine peso.
Addressing the Minalin Egg Festival here, the President said the people can expect no toll rate increase during the remainder of her term.
The President said the TRB should work on a new toll rate adjustment formula in the 83-kilometer NLEX that would result in package of benefits for all types of vehicles using NLEX, citing the "favorable exchange rate regime and favorable interest rate regime."
She did not say how much the toll rates could be reduced.
She said the reduced toll rates would ease the burden of motorists as well as consumers already saddled by the soaring costs of food and oil.
"I hereby direct the TRB to implement the downward adjustment of NLEX toll rates as a result of the new toll rate formula to take effect on June 30th this year 2008," she said.
"A toll rate reduction will bring relief to the area within the NLEX axis, particularly Metro Manila, North Luzon, Central Luzon. This is expected to bring down the cost of rice and basic food items, and construction materials," she said.
The President said the Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC), NLEX operator, can afford to slash toll rates because it generated a huge windfall collection for its toll road operations due to the strong peso.
Cops cited for bravery in hostage incident:Bus operators urge PNP: Tighten terminal security
LUBAO, Pampanga – The Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines has appealed to the Philippine National Police to intensify police patrols and inspection operations at major bus terminals in Metro Manila and the provinces to ensure the safety of the riding public.
This, even as the management of Genesis Transport Service, Inc. (Genesis) have assured financial help for the families of the two shooting victims who were among those hostaged by a mentally unstable man in one of its buses here last May 29.
In Camp Olivas, Pampanga, the police officers instrumental in the safe rescue of eight female bus passengers who were taken hostage in Lubao last May 29 were given the Medalya ng Kagalingan.
The recipients were Supt. Edwin Mangaliman, Lubao police chief, and his men SPO1 Arman Mangaliman and PO2 Jay de Guzman.
Fely Bautista of Genesis’ legal department said her company has already met with relatives of Gener Reyes, 40,of Naic, Cavite who was shot dead during the hostage drama and Aeron Santos, a freshman student of the Rizal Technological University in Mandaluyong City, who was seriously wounded and was brought to the Guagua hospital.
“We are also tracking down the other passengers who survived the hostage because we’d like to help them cope with the psychological trauma caused by the incident,” Baustista said.
Hostage taker Rey Digo, who apparently was mentally ill, was shot dead by policemen to save the lives of the other hostages.
Bautista said Genesis has also beefed up security at its terminals in Metro Manila and various parts of Luzon by augmenting its security guards and seeking police presence.
“We have intensified security checks and inspections at its terminals in Metro Manila, Bataan, Baguio City and Cabanatuan,” she said.
PBOAP president Homer Mercado, in a letter to PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr., said “the safety and security of the buses and their passengers would be enhanced by intensified police patrols in terminals where the police officer can carry out the inspection of passengers and their luggage.”
Mercado also requested the PNP “to field police inspection teams before and after the major toll booths of the South Luzon Expressway and the North Luzon Expressway.”
“This would also deter holdup gangs preying on passenger buses,” Mercado said. The PBOAP likewise asked the PNP to print out “wanted posters” identifying known members of highway robbery gangs. It assured police such posters would be posted at all terminals of its members.
In Camp Olivas, Pampanga, the police officers who were awarded for the rescue of the Gnensis bus passengers were identified as Supt. Edwin Mangaliman, Lubao police chief, and his men SPO1 Arman Mangaliman and PO2 Jay de Guzman.
The hostage crisis, which lasted for five hours, resulted in the killing of the hostage-taker, Rey Vigor, a security guard.
Vigor fatally shot passenger Gener Llagas Reyes, 40, and wounded Aaron Paul Santos, 24, who was still in critical condition.
Vigor, 35, armed with a caliber .38 revolver and a knife, fired shots at the Genesis bus bound for Balanga City in Bataan as it reached Barangay Lourdes, Lubao town.
“There could have been many casualties among the passengers if not for the speedy and timely strategy of the responding police officers who tried their best to negotiate with the hostage-taker to surrender peacefully but to no avail,” said Chief Supt. Errol Pan, Central Luzon police director.
DepEd website shows girlie ad
SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Love beautiful women? Love Penthouse right now. This text came with the photo of a scantilly clad woman lying seductively on her right side at the bottom page of the official website of the Department of Education in Central Luzon on May 31.
Shocked by the advertisement on deped3.net, DepEd regional director Mario Ramirez ordered yesterday the shutting down of the website.
“I will order an investigation into this,” he told that during the motorcade for Brigada Eskwela at the Nayong Pilipino park at the Clark Freeport.
The website has been promoted by the DepEd regional office as source of news about the department in Central Luzon, as well as data related to education in the region.
The advertisement ran the entire length of the bottom of the webpage dated June 1, 2008 and featured a beautiful woman in skimpy pink bikini.
It was obviously promoting the international magazine Penthouse which caters to men and features nude women.
The webpage’s top section highlights the official logo of the DepEd at the left, the nameplate saying “Republic of the Philippines, Department of Education, Region III” at the center, and the contracted DepEd with the letter P topped by a flame drawing at the right side.
Below the nameplate are news items, with a banner story titled “Regional intensive training program for campus journalists.”
In an interview, Meloto Manalo, education program specialist of the DepEd regional office, said the website was constructed last year with the help of the Department of Science and Technology.
“We don’t have the technical capability here so we sought the help of the DOST since it is also a government agency,” he said.
He said that while websites of other DepEd regional offices sport the top-level domain (TLD) “.gov.ph”, he recalled that DOST experts told him there was nothing wrong with using “.net”.
Manalo initially suspected that the entry of the Penthouse might have been caused by a virus, but apparently changed his mind when told that people saw the advertisement on the official DepEd regional website using different computers in various areas, including the Visayas.
The advertisement was actually from Google which was apparently “wrapped” into the TLD which normally comprise generic names of three or more characters.
Unsponsored generic TLD’s include not only .net, but also .com, .edu, .gov, .info, .int, .mil and .org, among other short names.
Among sponsored TLDs are .aero, .asia, .cat, .coop, .jobs, .mobi, .museum, .pro and .tel.
Government agencies in the Philippines and other countries normally use the TLD .gov for their official websites, followed by so-called “eCountry code” TLD’s. The eCountry code for the Philippines is .ph.
Research indicate that some “cyber” companies offer low-cost or even free domain registrations with a variety of models suited to recoup the costs to the provider. -- DC
Gov Panlilio rejects snap elections, supports GMA
By George Trillo
MINALIN, Pampanga — Pampanga Gov. Eddie "Among Ed" Panlilio Wednesday rejected legislative proposals calling for snap elections, saying it was prudent to let President Arroyo complete her tenure until 2010.
Panlilio, the provincial governor who exposed alleged bribery attempts by Malacañang last year, said proponents of the snap polls should wait for a change in government in the 2010 national and local elections.
"Snap election bill at this point in time, I do not think so. It is two years before the national elections. Malapit na. Hintayin na lang," Panlilio told newsmen at the launching of the Minalin Egg Festival here.
Panlilio said he would support a bill calling for snap elections only in extreme cases. "If the crisis is just too much and the situation is getting out of hand, then I will support a bill that calls for snap elections," he added.
For the meantime, Panlilio said, he would continue to support the President, particularly her programs on "good governance and responsible citizenship" until her mandate ends.
He denied insinuations his relationship with President Arroyo turned sour at the height of the bribery scandal involving local government executives in Malacañang last year.
"I am an independent candidate and I am a public servant that advocates for good governance and responsible citizenship and I support for her administration in so far as these two advocacies are concerned," he said.
Asked if he is in good terms with the President, Panlilio said, "Hindi naman nasira relasyon namin."
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