US: Inverted Philippine flag was `honest mistake'

NEW YORK CITY – President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, Vietnam President Nguyen Minh Triet and US President Barack Obama in a press conference at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Friday (Saturday in Manila). The leaders discussed points of cooperation and agreement between the United States and the member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). President Aquino serves as the coordinator of the summit as the Philippines is the current Country Coordinator for the ASEAN-US Dialogue relations for 2009-2012. (Photo by: /Malacañang Photo Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines – The U.S. government said Sunday it made an "honest mistake" when it displayed an inverted Philippine flag — which wrongfully signified that the Southeast Asian nation was in a state of war — in a meeting hosted by President Barack Obama.

The Philippine flag was displayed upside down behind President Benigno Aquino III when leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met Obama in New York on Friday.

"This was an honest mistake," U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Rebecca Thompson said in a statement, adding, "the U.S. treasures its close relationship and close partnership with the Philippines."

The American embassy will find out how the "unfortunate" incident happened, she said.

Philippine foreign affairs department spokesman Ed Malaya said the government understood that it was "an honest error" that "should not detract from the true significance of the summit, which showed the unprecedented cooperation between the ASEAN and the U.S."

It was not immediately clear who pointed out the mistake. A photograph of Aquino sitting beside Obama with the inverted flag behind them was displayed on a government website Sunday but its caption did not point out the error.

During the summit, Obama discussed ways of bolstering economic ties between the U.S. and Southeast Asia as well as Asian regional concerns such as territorial disputes in the South China Sea and Nov. 7 elections in military-ruled Myanmar.

Source Yahoo.com

OFWs in Dubai irked by new BI (Bureau Of Immigration) requirement

Mga Bagong Bayani ng Bansang Pilipinas

DUBAI – Overseas Filipino workers in Dubai are irked with the new procedure imposed by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration that compels Pinoys going to the United Arab Emirates to re-authenticate their visit visas.

The BI’s new procedure requires OFWs to have their visit visas authenticated or acquire the red ribbon for the affidavit of support from their sponsors.

According to Consul General Benito Valeriano, the move is to prevent Filipinos from falling prey to human traffickers.

“Ang paghihigpit o ang pag screen ng BID sa mga travelers to the UAE ay to prevent yung mga tinatawag na human trafficking," said Valeriano.

Valeriano said the authentication would ensure that the visitor has a sure sponsor in the UAE.

However, many OFWs see this new requirement as a hassle and just another form of red tape as each applicant needs to pay an equivalent of P1,000 for the new process.

“Kami ho'y hirap na hirap na ho. Sabi ninyo bayani kami? Pinahihirapan ninyo ho kami,” said an applicant.

Valeriano stressed that they want to thoroughly screen applicants to verify their true purpose in coming to the UAE.

Those who trooped to the Consulate in Dubai for visa authentication had to endure the long line, slow processing of documents and even the hot weather.

“Siguro kulang ang tao. Tapos kaunting lamig sana, sobrang liit ng space,” said OFW Caridad Pineda.

Many complained that the area was too crowded and the Consulate lacked manpower to accommodate everyone.

The Consulate admitted that they lacked the manpower as they did not expect a large turnout of OFWs.

“Kanina pa ho kami dito 8 o’ clock. Okay lang maghintay sana, pero may magandang place na pwede kaming maghintay. Sa loob, hindi sobrang init," said another OFW. 

Source ABS-CBN News.com
Report from Dindo Amparo, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau Chief

5 Things You Must Not Do on Facebook

Do you have a facebook account if, Please you must not do this 5 things...

Password Hint

If you've got online accounts, you've probably answered a dozen different security questions, telling your bank or brokerage firm your Mom's maiden name; the church you were married in; or the name of your favorite song. Got that same stuff on the information page of your Facebook profile? You're giving crooks an easy way to guess your passwords.

Putting Your Birth Date and Place

Sure, you can say what day you were born, but if you provide the year and where you were born too, you've just given identity thieves a key to stealing your financial life, said Givens. A study done by Carnegie Mellon showed that a date and place of birth could be used to predict most — and sometimes all — of the numbers in your Social Security number, she said.

Vacation Plans

There may be a better way to say "Rob me, please" than posting something along the lines of: "Count-down to Maui! Two days and Ritz Carlton, here we come!" on Twitter. But it's hard to think of one. Post the photos on Facebook when you return, if you like. But don't invite criminals in by telling them specifically when you'll be gone.


Home Address

Do I have to elaborate? A study recently released by the Ponemon Institute found that users of Social Media sites were at greater risk of physical and identity theft because of the information they were sharing. Some 40% listed their home address on the sites; 65% didn't even attempt to block out strangers with privacy settings. And 60% said they weren't confident that their "friends" were really just people they know.

Confessionals

You may hate your job; lie on your taxes; or be a recreational user of illicit drugs, but this is no place to confess. Employers commonly peruse social networking sites to determine who to hire — and, sometimes, who to fire. Need proof? In just the past few weeks, an emergency dispatcher was fired in Wisconsin for revealing drug use; a waitress got canned for complaining about customers and the Pittsburgh Pirate's mascot was dumped for bashing the team on Facebook. One study done last year estimated that 8% of companies fired someone for "misuse" of social media.

source yahoo.com

Clean-Up the World 2010 Theme: Communities Care for Nature

Dubai: It's time to help clean up the world, and the team at Dubai Municipality's waste management department says it is ready for the annual flurry of activity.

This year's Clean Up the World campaign will be held in October, and it will be the 17th year UAE volunteers have taken part in the country's largest clean-up drive.

Hassan Makki, Director of Waste Management Department and the Head of the Clean Up the World Team, said: "We have decided that the campaign slogan for this year will be ‘Communities Care for Nature'.

Makki said in light of worsening environmental problems which posed a threat to public health and safety, the waste management department considered the clean-up drive to be integral to its purpose.

The clean-up was also important in helping the department raise awareness about vital environmental issues among members of the public across Dubai.

Makki said the UAE's Clean Up the World effort was part of the annual worldwide "Clean-up" campaign which started in Australia.

source: gulfnews

A Letter to The Hongkong and PRC People

 Someone send me this letter asking to share it to my fellow Kababayan's

To the Hongkong and PRC People,

You hate the Filipino people for the hostage fiasco that unfortunate incident that went out of control at the end. This was a hostage situation that was under control and which netted 7 Chinese tourists to be released upon the efforts of our policemen.

You appear and sound sanctimonious and have even stepped upon our sovereignty. You have demanded apology, the moon and the heavens. You hate the Filipino people as if we wanted this unfortunate incident to happen. First and foremost, we offer our condolences to the families of the 8 that were killed in this incident. Secondly, we are sorry for the bungled handling of this hostage taking. It was unfortunate, it was an accident, we never planned it that way. Is it fair to blame a whole nation for a situation that was never planned?

Let me ask you this question, "Should we hate you also for the lead poisoning caused by the paint you used in your baby furniture and toys for the children of the world? Should we hate you also for the use of cardboard in the "siopao" that you sell to tourists? Should we hate you also for the melamine contamination wherein not 8, but hundreds, maybe even thousands have suffered and some even died?

Or, let us talk of Filipino casualties. A few years ago, 3 Filipino tourists, all surnamed Madrigal, a family of 5 were walking on Tienemen Square and Beijing. One Chinese stabbed the father and two of his children, killing all three. Were you even sorry for what this one Chinese did? Did the Filipino people even demand that China apologized for this unfortunate incident. This was PRE-MEDITATED MURDER.

Just as the use of lead, cardboard, melamine was pre-meditated - used because they were cheaper materials, in order to generate PROFITS for the Chinese businessmen. Did you pay damages the same way you are demanding damages from the Filipino nation and people?

Where was the anger of the Chinese and Hongkong people? Did you even apologize to the world? My God in the case of melanine, you even kept this information from the world, until you were exposed for what you are!!!

Enough! We sympathize but don't blame the Filipino people.

So you want to send our OFWs home, that take care of your children? They play an important part in your lives. Both spouses are able to work, earn money because of the tender loving care being heaped on your children by Filipino maids and yayas/amahs. While you pay our OFWs for the work they do, you earn more for the love and care they bestow on your children. Go ahead, send our OFWs home. Let us see how that will affect your family incomes.
~~~ O ~~~
If you love your country, please pass this on to all Filipinos you know. Thanks! 

More alleged scams in Globe Asiatique-Pag-IBIG housing loans

Through the office of the Vice President, Pag-IBIG authorities revealed that they already had started the blacklisting proceeding against the Globe Asiatique Realty based on the result of their investigations whether the company has violated one of the terms such as:

* Developers guarantee against ineligible or fraudulent borrowers, non-completion of projects and fraudulent transactions.

* Developers issue guarantees on loans against default within a period of two years.

* Developers also commit to buy back faulty accounts.

* Developers should not fail to remit collections (under their collection service agreement with the Fund).

The Officer in charge of the Pag-IBIG Fund stated in a television interview that Globe Asiatique has 1,600 questionable accounts in the two Xevera projects, noting that “Special Buyers” owned those accounts.

“Special Buyers” according to the loan documents are tricycle drivers, market vendors, students or anyone who filled-up Pag-IBIG member’s form along with the notarized affidavit of income in exchange of something (i.e money). These people are also called, “Ghost Borrowers“.

Two of the agents of the Globe Asiatique for the Xevera Subdivision in Pampanga told ABS-CBN News that they really recruited people to apply for Pag-IBIG loans even if they didn’t have the capacity to pay. These people received nothing as part of the loans they applied for, except for the money the agents paid them in as much as PhP5,000 in exchange of the application they made. One of the real estate agent revealed that…

All that she had to do was to look for applicants that can produce identification cards, birth certificate and billing notices. If their prospective applicants do not have these documents, Maria was told it will be Globe Asiatique that will produce these papers, and they will later be called to sign.

As the result of this development against Globe Asiatique Realty Holdings Corp., the company has sought to withdraw its initial public offering and plan to list on the Philippine Stock Exchange, following the resignation of its lead manager and underwriter [1].

The Globe Asiatique, on the other hand, denies the allegations of fraud saying that all transaction with the Pag-IBIG are legitimate.

From world's texting capital, RP now leads in online videos

MANILA, Philippines - From the world’s text messaging capital, the Philippines is once again in the global limelight for having the highest percentage of users that watch videos over the Internet.

According to global media agency Universal McCann’s Power to the People - Social Media Tracker - Wave 4 survey 98.1 percent, of more than four million Filipinos who are active Internet users watch videos on the Internet, higher than the global average of 82.8 percent. China and Spain follow with 89.1 percent and 84.1 percent, respectively.

“Filipinos use the Internet not only for social networking but also for watching videos in websites like YouTube. This highlights the importance of having a superior, high-speed broadband Internet network in order for subscribers to fully enjoy real-time video streaming such as the previous fights of boxing champion Manny Pacquiao,” Smart Communications public affairs group head Ramon Isberto said.

“We are broadbanding the nation, so to speak. Like what we did to the cellphones, we aim to make Internet accessible and affordable to all Filipinos nationwide,” Isberto said. As of end-June, Smart Bro has 1.3 million subscribers. Of Smart’s 45.3 million cellphone subscribers, meanwhile, roughly 10 percent access the Internet from their mobile phones.

Universal Mccann’s survey involved 22,729 Internet users (those who use the Internet everyday or every other day) between 16 and 54 years old in 38 countries.

Source: By Mary Ann LL. Reyes (The Philippine Star)