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Pasakalye |
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| Quotable
Quotes |
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“The
verdict of our people and of history is far more important
to me than any courts of this land...Naintindihan
ninyo ba iyon?”
— Former President Joseph Estrada speaking in
San Juan shortly after his release, October 26 |
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“This
catastrophic failure of leadership has led us to a
moment where it’s not just Democrats who are
listening to what we have to say, but independents
and Republicans who have never been more disillusioned
with what the state of our leadership in Washington
has done to this country.”
—Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama
referring to U.S. President George Bush’s leadership.
“If you look at how much structural damage,
with walls reinforced with concrete… our experts
feel that if there was really gas explosion in the
basement, it would be difficult to explain what happened
in the ground floor.”
—Ayala Land Inc. President Jaime Ayala upon
their presentation of the finding of their own investigation
on the October 19 Glorietta 2 blast which killed 11.
Their findings contradict the PNP investigation that
the blast could have been accidental.
RP
ranks 128th in Press Freedom Index
Phew! If the Philippines ranked earlier as the second
most dangerous place for journalists next to Iraq,
this time the France-based Reporters Sans Frontières
or Reporters Without Borders placed RP on the 128th
spot of its Press Freedom Index from among 169 countries.
Yay! We’re not in the bottom 20!
Among the Asian countries which ranked poorly in the
latest RSF list are China (163), Burma (164), and
North Korea which placed last. Pakistan, Sri Lanka,
Laos, and Vietnam are also included in the bottom
20 list.
Non-Asian countries that are also included in the
list are Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Somalia,
Eritrea, Syria, Iraq, Palestinian Territories, Iran,
Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. |
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Pinoy
single parents burdened by tax
Do not have children out of wedlock! This seems to
be the government’s sentiment as it expressed
its apprehension in granting tax exemptions to single
parents.
In a hearing on allowable personal exemptions to individual
taxpayers called by Senator Francis Escudero, BIR
Commissioner Leticia Balausa said that BIR is also
following government policies under the Family Code,
such as upholding certain “moral values”
and “keeping the family intact.”
“Our objective is to make sure the law recognizes
that this is not a sin,” says Senator Escudero,
who has been pushing for additional tax exemptions
for single parents. “Unlike a person with a
family where two (husband and wife) are making money,
we want to recognize the need to give ample tax deductions
for single parents.” |
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| Taking
good care of Inday |
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A
bill protecting domestic workers by guaranteeing their
right to just and humane working and living conditions
has recently been approved by the senate on second reading.
The bill provides that all house helpers should have:
1. a notarized job contract at the start
of any service;
2. a provision for annual pay increases;
3. statutory pay rates;
4. 13th month pay equal to one month’s
salary;
5. mandatory coverage by the PhilHealth,
in addition to SSS protection;
6. normal work hours not exceeding 10 hours
a day;
7. at least eight hours of continuous rest,
in addition to one-hour breaks for breakfast, lunch
and dinner;
8. a weekly day-off and 14 days annual vacation
leave with pay;
9. basic necessities, including three full
meals everyday;
10. adequate, private, and safe sleeping quarters;
11. advances to cover work-related illnesses or injuries,
subject to reimbursement by the SSS and Philhealth;
12. the right to privacy of communications; and
13. the right to pursue schooling, subject to flexible
work schedule without pay reductions. |
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Halo-Halloween |
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Erap
visits FPJ. Nagkagulo sa North Cemetery noong bisperas
ng Undas nang dumating ang freshly-pardoned na si
Joseph Estrada para dalawin ang puntod ng yumao niyang
kaibigan sa pelikula at politika. Isa si Erap sa mahigit
na 1 milyong nagpunta sa Norte noong Halloween, All
Saint’s Day at All Soul’s Day.
Forbes Park haunted by ghosts? Not really. Cinareer
lang nila ang Halloween kaya ganito ang decoration
nila sa kalsada. |
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