October 31- Idineklarang non working holiday

Idineklara ng Palasyo ng Malakanyang na special non-working holiday ang darating na Oktubre 31.

Una rito, nilagdaan ni Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. ang Proclamation 265 bilang special non-working holiday sa buong bansa.

Ito ay nangangahulugan na magkakaroon ng mahabang oras ang mga Pilipino sa darating na October 31 to November 1.

4-Day Long Weekend

October 29 - Saturday
Octoebr 30 - Sunday
October 31 - Monday (Special non-working holiday)
November 1 - Tuesday

No Extra Funds

Malacañang is not inclined to seek a supplemental budget from Congress to bankroll the increasing cost of rehabilitation of typhoon-hit provinces which now stands at P13.8 billion.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Sunday the government has sufficient funds as of now to address the multi-billion-peso damage to agriculture and infrastructure left by the typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel.”

“As stated by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, there is enough fiscal space in our budget to handle the calamity,” Lacierda said over staterun Radyo ng Bayan, when asked if the Palace will consider seeking additional budget from Congress. Asked if the Palace will seek international aid for people adversely affected by the recent floods, Lacierda said: “Let us wait and see. We will discuss the issue of state calamity this week and we will let you know.” Defense Secretary Voltaire

Gazmin had earlier recommended to President Aquino the declaration of calamity in areas affected by the massive devastation wrought by the back-to-back typhoons, correcting earlier reports that the Defense Chief had called for a national state of calamity.

Continue Reading at The Manila Bulletin

Comelec to ask Congress to allow Internet voting for OFWs

The Commission on Elections is considering the idea of internet registration and voting for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

In an interview, Commissioner Armando Velasco told reporters Sunday the poll body is looking at the possibility of allowing Filipinos abroad to register and vote through the internet from the convenience of their home or office.

“Actually, one problem kasi sa low participation is yung convenience eh. If we can address yung kanilang convenience, I believe they will participate,” he said.

The poll body receives a number of registrants for overseas absentee voting, but only a small portion of this actually vote.

At the 2004 national polls, there were 359,296 registered overseas absentee voters but only 233,137 voted; at the 2007 midterm polls, the registered OAVs increased to 504,124 but only 81,732 overseas Filipinos voted; and during the 2010 automated national polls, the number of OAV registrants jumped a little to 589,830 but only 153,323 voted.

Velasco said more are likely to participate if they could from their homes and offices. The current law allows only personal or postal voting.

He noted that even the House of Representatives approved of the idea of Internet registration and voting if Comelec could secure the system against hacking.

So far there is no law that allows Internet registration and voting among OFWs, but the Velasco, who is the head of OAV, urged for the amendment of Republic Act 9189 or the OAV law.

“Wala kasi sa batas e (There is no law yet), so there must be an amendment to the law to include the use of Internet,” he stressed.

The OAV registration for the 2013 midterm elections will start on October 31, 2011 and end on October 31, 2012.

RA 9189 clearly states that “All citizens of the Philippines abroad, regardless of their immigration status, can participate I Philippine elections via the OAV.”

In Section 8 of the law, OFWs registrants are required to furnish a valid Philippine passport; accomplished registration form prescribed by the Commission containing that 1) last known residence of the applicant in the Philippines before leaving for abroad; 2) address of applicant abroad, or forwarding address in the case of seafarers; and 3) where voting by mail is allowed, the applicant’s mailing address outside the Philippines where the ballot for absentee voters will be sent.


by Pots de Leon, InterAksyon.com

Manila to Host ASEAN Maritime Legal Experts Meeting

The Philippines will host the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Maritime Legal Experts’ Meeting on September 2011 at Hotel Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City.

Maritime legal experts from the ten Member States of ASEAN – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam–will meet to discuss the Philippine proposal for a Zone of Peace, Freedom, Friendship and Cooperation (ZoPFF/C) in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

The forthcoming Meeting was based on the decision of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers at the 44th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) in Bali for the ASEAN Senior Officials to study the proposal with the assistance of maritime legal experts.

Subsequently, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers accepted the Philippine offer to host the Maritime Legal Experts’ Meeting.

The Meeting seeks to establish a common understanding among ASEAN Member States on the ZoPFF/C proposal.

Its findings will be reported to the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (ASEAN SOM), which will then make recommendations for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers to consider before the 19th ASEAN Summit in November 2011 in Bali.

Source: DFA

OWWA to Expand Pre-departure Seminars

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) plans to expand its Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) so that this will now include dependents or families of overseas Filipino workers, according to OWWA 6 Family Welfare Officer Rizza Joy Mapa.

PDOS is a mandatory requirement for all OFWs before they are deployed to their country of destination. It aims to prepare OFWs to cope with the new culture and work environment of their host countries.

On the other hand, Mapa said the PDOS for OFW Family intends to help dependents or families of OFWs cope with the challenges of separation, to understand migration realities and financial literacy, and to inform them about OWWA programs and services, among others.

Mapa said Western Visayas is one of the three regions in the country being considered as pilot areas for the PDOS for OFW Family.

“The initiative is part of the continuing efforts of OWWA to look into the rising needs not only of our OFWs but also their families or dependents,” said Mapa in response to the queries on how the OWWA could help OFW families access government programs and projects and give importance to their remittances, during the round table discussion at UP-Visayas Training Room, Iloilo City.

The roundtable discussion was held to get the responses of concerned agencies in Western Visayas on how they can best address the needs of the OFW families based on the focus group discussions conducted by Women’s Feature Service Philippines, in line with its study on the impact of female migration on Filipino families.

The three FGDs were participated in by OFW children, teachers, parents and carers/guardians here in the city and province of Iloilo.

Some of the recommendations of the study are the following: counseling program or support organizing groups for carers or guardians of OFW families wherein they can get tips on good financial management, dealing with school, appropriate discipline and response to sensitive child issues like sexuality, physical/sexual abuse, special education services, among others; inventory of skills for carers and guardians to be done by concerned government agencies to provide jobs and other opportunities for self-employment; counseling centers with programs focusing on family issues involving OFW parents effective communication with guardians and absent parents, among others.

Source: PIA