MANILA, Philippines – Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the Liberal Party will field senatorial candidates in the 2019 midterm elections.

“Well, we will field candidates for senators and up to local level and we will present a slate to the people for them to judge us and in effect, renew the mandate of the Liberal Party,” Drilon, an LP stalwart, said in a Rappler Talk interview on Friday, September 1.

Asked for names, Drilon said they have yet to decide who would be included in the lineup. So far, only one name is sure: reelectionist Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV.

Ifugao Representative Teddy Baguilat, LP vice president for internal affairs, said another possible candidate is former Quezon Representative Erin Tañada, but nothing is final yet.

“Too early to say, it’s too early to say, one day is too long in politics,” Drilon told Rappler.

Once the ruling party, the LP has now lost most of its members to President Rodrigo Duterte’s PDP-Laban, which has started organizing its 2019 campaign and mass oath taking of politicians nationwide.

It remains to be seen if the LP could complete a 12-member slate.

“Lean team ang balak (is the plan). Maybe 4-5. We will see who has chances pa. But it depends on us building a network of committed party members from various sectors and backgrounds who will now serve as backbone of our activities,” Baguilat told Rappler.

‘New normal’

The reality is not lost on LP, as Baguilat said they had to “adapt” to the new normal – from being the largest and most powerful to being the minority.

While some LP members are part of the supermajority in the House, President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly criticized the party, accusing it of masterminding plots to oust him. Detained Senator Leila de Lima, Duterte’s fiercest critic, is part of the LP.

“The party has had to adapt to the new normal, from being the most powerful political party to being the most prominent political counterforce and fiscalizer of the administration,” Baguilat told Rappler in a text message.

This, Baguilat said, “forced the LP to rethink [its] recruitment process.” With many jumping ship to PDP-Laban, the LP is now open to non-politicians.

“Obviously, the mass exodus of members to other parties has forced us to rethink our recruitment process,” Baguilat said.

“We’re now rebuilding from the grassroots, looking for younger, more loyal and dedicated party members who will promote liberal democratic ideals beyond elections. Non-politicians included,” he added.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, PDP-Laban president, earlier told Rappler that they are eyeing a full slate for 2019. (READ: Pimentel says he may ‘rethink’ Senate presidency to focus on 2019 polls)

Aside from him, Pimentel said the ruling party is eyeing Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chair Martin Diño and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chief Francis Tolentino as candidates.

Tolentino ran as an independent candidate in the 2016 senatorial race, after he was excluded from the LP ticket following the controversial lewd performance at a lawmaker’s birthday party in October 2015. He is now a staunch ally of Duterte

Source: rappler.com

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OLONGAPO CITY, Philippines —Itinalaga ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte si da­ting administrator ng Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) na si Atty. Randy Escolango bilang de­puty commissioner sa Insu­rance Commission.

Atty. Randy Escolango

NiIagdaan ang appointment ni Escolango noong Agosto 23 subalit naipalabas ang impormasyon kasama ang iba pang presidential appointees noong Agosto 29.

Unang nakilala si Esco­lango noong 2016 makaraang italaga ng Malacanang bilang officer-in-charge (OIC) administrator ng SBMA na nagpapatakbo sa Subic Freeport Zone.

Bago magsimula sa mataas na opisyal ng SBMA, nagtatag ng sariling law office at nagsi­mula ang kanyang professional career bilang private practitioner at naging dalubhasa sa corporate at litigation lawyer.

Nag-umpisa naman sa serbisyo sa gobyerno bilang clerk III (civil case in charge) ng Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 4 sa Maynila noong 1999 hanggang 2002.

Noong 2010, nakompleto ni Escolango ang kanyang public management at noong 2014 na Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration.

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Naging national vice-pre­sident si Escolango ng prestisyosong Philippine Association of Government Corporate Lawyers (PAGCLAW).

Pormal na uupo sa bago nitong posisyon si Escolango sa susunod na linggo kasabay ng kanyang pagpupulong kay Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez.

Source: philstar.com

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Himalang nakaligtas sa brutal na pananaksak ang 29-anyos na dental assistant na itatago na lang natin sa alyas na Barbie. Mahigit sa sampung saksak sa iba’t ibang bahagi ang tinamo ng biktima mula sa suspek na hanggang sa ngayon ay hindi pa rin nakikilala ng mga otoridad.

Ulat ni Lolito Go

Himalang nakaligtas sa brutal na pananaksak ang 29-anyos na dental assistant na itatago na lang natin sa alyas na Barbie. Mahigit sa sampung saksak sa iba’t ibang bahagi ang tinamo ng biktima mula sa suspek na hanggang sa ngayon ay hindi pa rin nakikilala ng mga otoridad.
Ilang araw ding naratay sa ospital ang biktima na nagtamo ng mga saksak sa leeg, sa batok at sa tagiliran. Aniya, maging sya ay hindi makapaniwala na makakaligtas pa sya sa insidente matapos makita ang sariling dugo na naglalawa sa paligid ng clinic.

Sa eksklusibong panayam ng SBC news sa biktima, idinetalye nito ang mga nangyari noong ika-26 ng Agosto sa loob ng pinapasukan nitong dental clinic sa loob ng Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Ramdam kay Barbie ang takot at ang trauma habang ikinukwento ang malagim na sinapit sa kamay ng suspek na aniya ay tila lango sa ipinagbabawal na gamot.

Hirap ding magsalita ang biktima dahil nakagat umano nito ang sariling dila nang tangkain nyang sumigaw habang inuumpog ng suspek ang kanyang ulo.

Kwento ni Barbie, hindi umano nya inakalang masamang tao pala ang pinatuloy nya noong hapon ng Sabado habang mag-isa sya sa clinic at dapat sana’y magliligpit na lamang ng mga gamit. Nagpanggap umanong kustomer ang suspek at nang makatyempo, agad nitong kinabig sa baywang ang biktima, binalibag at inundayan ng mga saksak.

Samantala, sa paunang imbestigasyong nakalap ng SBC News mula sa OCPO Station 3, lumalabas na papasok sana ng clinic ang saksing si Jinky upang bisitahin ang kaibigang si Barbie nang makita nya ang duguang katawan nito na dahan-dahang lumalabas ng pintuan. Agad na tumawag ng tulong ang saksi at naisugod kaagad ng mga tauhan ng SBMA LED sa ospital ang biktima. Tinitignan na ngayon ng mga otoridad ang anggulong pagnanakaw dahil umano sa ilang gamit na nawawala kabilang na ang cellphone at wallet ng biktima. Samantala kamakailan lang ay natagpuan naman sa Brgy. Gordon Heights ang wallet ni Barbie subalit wala na roon ang kanyang ATM card.

Sa ngayon ay blangko pa rin ang mga otoridad sa motibo at pagkakakilanlan ng suspek. Ang tanging pinanghahawakan ngayon ay ang salaysay ng saksi na namataan umano ang isang lalaking nakasuot ng green na tshirt at itim na pantalon na huling lumabas sa naturang klinika noong mga panahong iyon. Sinisisi naman ng ilang mga saksi ang kawalan ng CCTV sa establisimento at sa paligid nito. Sa ngayon, patuloy pa rin ang isinasagawang follow-up investigation ng Olongapo City Police at ng LED ng SBMA.

Nagpapasalamat naman si Barbie sa aniya’y maituturing niyang ikalawang buhay. Umaasa rin sya na sumuko ang suspek at panagutan ang ginawa nito.

Source: Subic Broadcasting Corporation @ Facebook

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I think I will not live up to 2030 to witness the full fruits of the ambitious infrastructure projects that the present administration of the former city mayor of Davao envision to start up under the Duterteconomics “ build, build, build” goals.

Funding of these flagship public works program will come from foreign lenders such as Japan and China, after the economic managers of DU30 dropped the PNoy’s PPP formula which enlisted private sector participations and management expertise. What I am talking are the multi-billion projects sired by Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the government owned agency tasked to develop and ensure the profitable activities of former US and local military facilities.

BCDA unknown to the general public is now headed by political associates of DFA Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano, Digong vice presidential running mate and now the chieftain of the foreign affairs office, they are Vivencio Dizon, president and Greg Garcia, as chairman of the board. Garcia took charge of the advertising and public relations support to the Duterte-Cayetano tandem during the May 2016 election. Moreover, Garcia’s wife was the partner of Allan’s mother in a private school at BF Homes Paranaque.

While both Garcia and Dizon are professionally capable, I hope they do fall to the same alleged extra income from feasibility study contract that the former agency president was notorious. The three major development and economic projects that will be undertaken under the build build and build scheme are the construction of P300 billion Manila to Clark Railway aimed to provide easy travel to passengers using the Clark International Airport; the New Clark City, billed as the next site for government center , which offers 9,500 hectares of space to accommodate the anticipated exodus of urban dwellers of Metro Manila by the year 2020.

Moreover BCDA also eye the building of Clark-Subic Cargo Train Service to spur further manufacturing and export growth between the two former US military bases fully utilizing the Clark Airport and the Subic seaport. The Cargo trail system to be built by China will cost P32.5 billion and expected to be completed in two years using the road right of way of the Subic-Clark -Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).

Former BCDA and SBMA chairman Felicito C. Payumo has earlier expressed his misgiven on the Cargo train service which is still unnecessary at this time due to limited volume, but his position was contested by SBMA administrator Amy Eisma who told this corner that she fully support the project. “When will the government act when it’s too late? Better this early although we do not have the volume yet. It’s still cheaper to undertake the project. Moreover, SBMA will share any centavo for the project because it is one of the major flagship of the Duterte government,” Eisma pointed out

As I mentioned at the start of this piece, I foresee that the full completion of the series of project and economic development plans to fuel the growth and expansion of Central Luzon to be bestowed as the next grand urban destination in line with the campaign to help in decongesting the national capital region.

The government of Pampanga in close collaboration between Gov. Lilia Pineda and former President Gloria M. Arroyo and incumbent 2nd district Representative retained the service of urban planner Felino Palafox to adopt a master plan for Pampanga and its environs like Subic and Clark to line-up activities to be offered to locators looking at new area to transfer their business and workers. The completed master plan done in four phases covering the four districts of the province, East, South, West and North sides, identifying business activities, transport, housing sites and schools.

Subic town pushes for its cityhood

A collateral beneficiary of the Central Luzon growth triangle is the fishing town of Subic, the mother cell of Olongapo City , which was eclipse when the former US Naval reservation converted into another municipality on December 7, 1959 and eventually into a highly urbanized community. But after living the shadow of its former barrio, Subic now, the home to the country’s biggest shipbuilding site and 4th world largest shipbuilder is gearing to become a metropolis , with increased population and income.

Last termer mayor Jay Khonghun, said the bill elevating the town is just awaiting for the completion of LGU requirements such as putting up a 50-bed hospital. In a recent visit to him, we learned that existing municipal hall will converted into the required medical facilities while the new government center will moved to a new site with ample parking and open spaces.

Meanwhile, Mayor Khonghun inform us that in spite of political pressures from people with strong connection to the provincial capitol , he will not allow “jade mining” in one of the seaside village in Subic He said he and the town council will not be pressured by name dropping and willing to face legal action against the mining disapproval.

Source: subicsun.com

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Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is not ashamed of his 0-2 record in mounting coup d’etat which Senator Dick Gordon pointed out in an ugly tit-for-tat in the Senate Thursday.

The exchange between the two started when Trillanes chastised Gordon for his “irrational ruling and behavior” as chair of the blue ribbon committee.

Trillanes dissed Gordon for making the committee a “one man show” and mocked him for his non-stop monologues which he called “not normal.”

Trillanes claimed that this was part of Gordon’s efforts to stonewall him from pursuing the connection of presidential son, vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, and presidential son-in-law, abogado Mans Carpio, to the “Davao Group” which allegedly facilitated the smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of shabu into the country.

But Gordon was not one to let Trillanes’ name calling go unanswered.

Gordon fired back with this zinger: “The trouble with this gentleman (Trillanes) is that if he doesn’t like this thing, he will conduct a coup. And then he will be forgiven and go to the Senate. And conduct another coup and he will be forgiven again.”

But Trillanes there were more things worse than having a winless record in mutinies, specifically Gordon’s refusal to vacate his post as chair of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority as ordered by then newly-elected President Joseph Estrada.

“E dito nagbarricade ka sa Subic just to hold on to your position that is more pathetic,” said Trillanes.

This is Asiaweek’s Tony Lopez account of Gordon’s “last stand”:

“At dawn on July 26, commandos stormed Subic’s Administration Building 229 to ferret out Gordon’s supporters who had been keeping vigil there. Within 30 minutes, this symbol of Gordon’s authority was in government hands. But the volunteers launched a counterattack, with sticks, stones, broken bottles and molotov cocktails. At the end of the melee, two firetrucks were in flames, the police had sustained 22 casualties, and 73 of Gordon’s backers had been hurt. Gordon was finally ejected from the offices, and he and his supporters withdrew to the nearby Building 255.”

Source: politics.com.ph

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