Philippines NewsNews on Philippines continually updated from thousands of sources around the net.Survey finds world's top 10 intellectuals are Muslims- June 29, 2008 WASHINGTON - The bimonthly US international affairs journal Foreign Policy has just published a survey of the world's top 20 public intellectuals and the first 10 are all Muslims. Fethullah Glen, who heads a network of schools and media that is probably the world's largest moderate Muslim movement, came first. Other Muslim religious personalities made the top 10 - weekly preacher on al-Jazeera satellite television Youssef al-Qaradawi (3rd), popular Egyptian television preacher Amr Khaled (6th),.http://www.topix.net/world/philippines/2008/06/survey-finds-world-s-top-10-intellectuals-a... More bodies found from Philippine typhoon, U.S. vows aid- June 29, 2008 SIBUYAN ISLAND, Philippines -Some 50 bodies were found 100 km (60 miles) from a giant capsized ferry in the Philippines on Wednesday, and Washington said it would send an aircraft carrier to help with typhoon relief efforts. More than 430,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes, and nearly 300,000 people remain with friends and relatives or are packed into churches, town halls and schools. Fengshen, which has weakened to a tropical storm over southern China, has also killed at least 288..http://www.topix.net/world/philippines/2008/06/more-bodies-found-from-philippine-typhoon-u... Sandigan: Recovering ill-gotten wealth more important than collecting unpaid taxes- June 29, 2008 The recovery of ill-gotten wealth of corrupt officials is more important than the function of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to collect unpaid taxes, the Sandiganbayan ruled Friday. The special division of the anti-graft court said this rule also applies in the disbursement of illegally acquired assets of deposed President Joseph Estrada, particularly the P1.1-billion Jose Velarde account at Banco de Oro Unibank (BDO). "Forfeiture (of ill-gotten wealth) takes precedence over payment of...http://www.topix.net/world/philippines/2008/06/sandigan-recovering-ill-gotten-wealth-more-... Taiwan envoy: Spratlys belong to us- June 29, 2008 A Taiwanese ambassador yesterday reaffirmed his government's claim on the Spratly Islands, saying that Taipei has sovereign authority over the disputed islands in the South China Sea. Ambassador Donald C.T. Lee of the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines, said at a press conference that his government's position is non-negotiable: 'There is no doubt that the islands belong to Taiwan and there is no room for negotiation for that." The Spratly Islands, with more than 100 rocky..http://www.topix.net/world/philippines/2008/06/taiwan-envoy-spratlys-belong-to-us?fromrss=... Perez, former Sec of Justice ordered to attend June 30 hearing- June 29, 2008 Former Justice Secretary Hernando Perez and his co-accused were ordered yesterday to appear in court on June 30 after the Sandiganbayan sustained the $2-million robbery-extortion case filed against them by former Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez. The graft court had junked their challenge to the validity of the information filed against them by the Ombudsman and sustained their indictment. Due to this ruling, Perez and his co-accused have failed to stop proceedings in the robbery-extortion case. ...http://www.topix.net/world/philippines/2008/06/perez-former-sec-of-justice-ordered-to-atte... After the lies, come the bribes. Is this the Gloria- June 29, 2008 When President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said she did nothing wrong despite having said "I'm sorry" in the aftermath of the "Hello, Garci" scandal, the people believed her and thought nothing more of it. Her ingenuousness no doubt emboldened even her underlings to lie through their teeth. Thus, amid charges that police operatives kidnapped NBN-ZTE witness Jun Lozada to keep him from testifying, Police Director General Avelino Razon would have the temerity to say that the police were merely...http://www.topix.net/world/philippines/2008/06/after-the-lies-come-the-bribes-is-this-the-... Shame, Philippine Style- June 29, 2008 It is all right, after all, to be viewed as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, or as one of the most corrupt in Asia, or one that systematically condones the torture, abduction and murder of many of its more outspoken citizens. But to have the United States of America accusing the Philippines of discourtesy, for the unforgivable crime of skipping out on official dinners and missing keynote speeches The shame is agonizing. President Gloria macapagal-Arroyo and her..http://www.topix.net/world/philippines/2008/06/shame-philippine-style?fromrss=1 Price of Oil Takes Off Again, Tops $140- June 28, 2008 The Associated Press 5 comments Oil prices climbed to a record above $141 a barrel in Asian trading Friday as the dollar's protracted slump prompted investors to flock to oil as a hedge against inflation.http://www.topix.net/world/philippines/2008/06/price-of-oil-takes-off-again-tops-140?fromr... Arroyo defends RP's importation of rice- June 28, 2008 Friday, June 27, 2008 Arroyo defends RP's importation of rice PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo maintained that there is a need for the Philippine government to import more rice despite the rising price of the ...http://www.topix.net/world/philippines/2008/06/arroyo-defends-rps-importation-of-rice?from... OFW money fails to bridge income inequality- June 27, 2008 MAKATI CITY - EXTREME reliance on money from Filipinos overseas hasn't helped the country get out of the poverty rut and may even hobble the poor's income capability, says an economist. Using government's triennial Family Income and Expenditures Survey (FIES), University of the Philippines economist Ernesto Pernia said in a research that remittances from overseas Filipino workers may even be contributing to the persistence of high inequality in the country. As overseas employment and permanent..http://www.topix.net/world/philippines/2008/06/ofw-money-fails-to-bridge-income-inequality... |