Dateline Philippines

RP Gov’t slashes PAGASA funds for next year

Monday, 16 November 2009 05:43 Alcuin Papa/Inquirer.net

MANILA - Despite the series of deadly storms that battered the country, the national government has cut the budget of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) for 2010.

Lillibeth Gonzales, chief of the agency’s finance, management and planning division, said they submitted a P1.7-billion budget to the Department of Budget and Management. The amount would cover personnel and maintenance expenses including capital outlays for the purchase of new equipment.

91 Filipino peacekeepers in Darfur honored

Monday, 16 November 2009 05:41 Inquirer.net

MANILA - The United Nations has awarded peacekeeping medals to 91 Philippine police officers who serve as advisers with the UN-African Union Hybrid Mission in Darfur (Unamid), the Philippine Mission to the UN in New York said in a statement Monday.

Unamid Joint Special Representative Henry Anyidoho commended the Filipino peacekeepers for their “disciplined approach to their duties, selflessness, and substantial contribution to the peace process in Darfur.”

Villar on Pacquiao's win over Cotto

Sunday, 15 November 2009 12:37 AJPress

Congratulations on your astounding win over Puerto Rican boxer Miguel Cotto. Today as you set a new world record, you inspired our people to keep trying to make the impossible happen.

RP to push for “Schengen” type visa

Sunday, 15 November 2009 12:28 Tetch Torres/Inquirer.net

The Philippines will push for the adoption of common visa among citizens of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the start of the meeting of ASEAN immigration chiefs and consuls in Manila on Monday.

Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said the Philippines will actively campaign for the plenary approval of a common ASEAN visa among ASEAN member-countries.

Obama asks RP to draft US-Asean partnership accord

Sunday, 15 November 2009 12:27 Christian Esguerra/Inquirer.net

US President Barack Obama and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) tapped the Philippines, on Sunday, to draft a fresh five-year plan covering his country’s groundbreaking engagement with the region on a variety of areas, such as trade, security, climate change and human rights.

Already the coordinator for the first-ever Asean-US leaders’ meeting, Manila was designated to “lead the drafting” of the existing five-year enhanced partnership agreement between the two parties.