12 Volcanic earthquakes
MANILA, Philippines – Two of 12 volcanic earthquakes jolted Thursday residents near Taal Volcano, noting rumbling sounds that lasted for a few seconds. In its latest bulletin, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded 12 volcanic earthquakes, where two of these were felt, in the last 24 hours. July Sabit, Phivolcs supervising science research specialist, said Taal Volcano continues to manifest increase in seismic activity due to the number of earthquakes that are felt around the volcano. Two of the earthquakes had intensities that ranged from 1 to 2. (Ellalyn de Vera)
OIL V.A.T. CUT FAVORED
Senator Ralph Recto said he is in favor of reducing the value added tax (VAT) on oil if only to help the ease the burden of public in view of the unabated oil price hikes. “I’m open to VAT reduction on oil, let says scrapping the excise tax on gasoline by about P4.00 per liter,” Recto, chairman of the Senate ways and means committee, said. Recto said this even as he criticized oil companies which he described as “opportunists” by using the volatile situation in the Middle East in increasing the oil prices. (Rolly Carandang)
PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
The House committee on justice, headed by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. has started hammering out the provisions of bills that seek to protect and promote the rights and welfare of the whistleblowers. Authors of the bills, including Sorsogon Rep. Salvador Escudero III, Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo M. Angara, and Bayan Muna Reps. Teddy Casino and Colmenares are counting on the 285-man Lower Chamber to work towards the passage of the proposed Whistleblowers Act and of the bill granting additional benefits for state witnesses when it resumes its session in May. “The protection of victims and witnesses giving evidence in criminal cases, is crucial in order to achieve successful results in the fight against crime,” Escudero, author of the House Bill 4079, said. (Charissa M. Luci)
ENRILE ON GAS WELLS
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile cautioned Malacanang Thursday against spending P430 million from the Malampaya gas wells as subsidy for fishermen and public utility operators without congressional appropriation. ‘’I suggest that they should carefully look at it because that must be covered by an enactment of a Congress authorizing the subsidy. You cannot pay out money from the treasury without an appropriation from Congress,’’ Enrile said during a dialogue with Senate reporters. Enrile said that the government’s share from the Malampaya gas wells ‘’is supposed to be used a trust fund to be placed in a special account.’’ Using the government’s share from the Malampaya to finance the Aquino administrations’ subsidy scheme without any appropriation by Congress would become ‘’very problematic and I hope they will look into it carefully so that they will not run any constitutional issue,’’ Enrile said. (Mario Casayuran)
HOSPITAL GETS ACCREDITATION
The British Embassy has announced that the Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital recently became the first hospital in the Philippines to achieve full accreditation for two years by UK-based healthcare company QHA Trent. In a statement, British Ambassador Stephen Lillie stressed that the accreditation by QHA Trent should raise the profile of Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital internationally (Roy C. Mabasa)
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