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Estrada sibling rivalry, Holy Week truce calls
SAN Juan Mayor and Genuine
Opposition deputy campaign manager Joseph Victor Ejercito said the
so-called growing sibling rivalry between him and his half-brother,
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, will not affect the chances of the GO
candidates’ victory in May.
“It’s a local issue . . . I
can very well handle that . . .,” Ejercito said.
He also discounted talks about
his father being sidelined by the GO candidates and campaign manager
Serge Osmeña. He said former President Estrada is still “one of
the most important pillars of the opposition.”
--Francis Earl Cueto
House leaders,
Malacañang
call for Holy week ceasefire
House leaders on Monday called on
all candidates in the coming elections to cease political noise and
propaganda for a proper observance of Holy Week.
House Assistant Majority Leader
Vincent Garcia of Davao City and Rep. Monico Puentevella of
Bacolod City made the call in support of the appeal of the Catholic
Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for the faithful and
candidates to set aside politics during this Holy Week.
According to Garcia, it leaves a
bad taste in the mouth to see politicians taking advantage of
religious rites just to gain mileage.
President Arroyo on Monday also
for a political truce as Filipinos and the Catholic believers
worldwide reflect on the sacrifices of the Lord Jesus Christ.
--Maricel V. Cruz and
Sam Mediavilla
Angara calls
for
amending labor rules
Sen. Edgardo J. Angara on Monday
sought the overhaul of the country’s labor rules in the wake of
the radically altered labor environment and the emergence of
information technology-based employment.
The senator pressed for the
realignment of university programs with the job market so that
education and training would suit the needs of the economy.
“We are missing a great
economic opportunity because our educational system is not entirely
in sync with the demand of the job market,” he observed.
“The rules and environment of
employment have undergone rapid changes. The labor rules should be
relevant to the changing job environment,” said Angara, who has
gained a reputation as keen spotter of social and economic trends.
--Efren Danao
Secretary
Claudio chides
Tamano for cheating insinuation
Secretary Gabriel Claudio,
political adviser to President Arroyo, on Monday chided Adel Tamano,
spokesman for Genuine Opposition, for insinuating that the 12-0
victory projected by Team Unity will only become possible because of
Malacañang’s “cheating machinery.”
Claudio interviewed by Radio
Mindanao Network clarified that administration machinery is not
synonymous to cheating.
“I will emphasize that
machinery is not cheating,” he stressed.
Claudio explained that 90 percent
of incumbent local officials in the country belong to the
administration and out of that 90 percent, 70 percent are running
for reelection that gives them the impression that governors, mayors
and other local official would have great influence on the
preference of voting of the public.
He said the administration do not
deny the fact that local officials
are on the side of the administration.
“In the end what we’re saying
is that local candidates and the local officials will deliver the
votes not the survey. The surveys don’t determine the victory of
national candidates but the groundswell of support of local
leaders,” he added.
Executive Secretary Eduardo
Ermita, in a chance interview after the Lakas-Christian Muslim
Democrats national convention said the 12-0 battle cry of the Lakas
coalition is only consistent with their vision that majority of the
candidates of Team Unity will win in the May polls.
--Sam Mediavilla
Pasig
politicians go for peace covenant
THE two rival parties for the
local positions in Pasig City are amenable to a covenant of peace to
ensure smooth and peaceful elections this coming May, Eastern Police
District Director Luizo Ticman said on Monday.
Ticman said the Pasig City
mayoralty post is considered as the most hotly contested seat in the
EPD, but the camps of incumbent Rep. Robert “Dodot” Jaworski of
Pasig City and Councilor Bobby Eusebio have both agreed to sign a
covenant of peace to ensure peaceful elections.
--Francis Earl Cueto
Pasay City pols
also sign covenant
Pasay City mayoralty bets and
their fellow candidates on Monday urged all candidates vying for
elective positions in the May election to follow all the guidelines
for a peaceful and honest elections.
They made the call shortly after
the signing of a peace covenant attended by candidates running for
different elective positions held at the Sta. Clara de Montefalco
Parish in P. Burgos Street, sponsored by the PNP, PPCRV and Comelec
last Sunday.
The standard-bearer of the Lakas
Party, Connie Dy, and of the Kampi Party, along with their running
mates and councilor candidates and other candidates from different
parties signed the covenant prepared by the PNP, PPCRV and
Comelec-Pasay.
--James Konstantin Galvez
Youth leaders
express support for Pimentel
Several youth organizations have
banded together to support the agenda of Genuine Opposition
senatorial candidate Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel 3rd to promote the
culture of science among the youth by providing them opportunities
to acquire skills and keep themselves in step with the advances in
information and communication technology.
Pimentel drew up the youth agenda
dubbed “Koneksiyon ng Bawat Pilipino” (KoPi) which seeks to make
as many young Filipinos as possible to be computer-literate and to
widen the access of people in urban and rural communities to
computer facilities, including Internet connection.
Leaders of youth groups,
including officials of student councils of various colleges and
universities, Sangguniang Kabataan and civic organizations, joined
to sign the Youth Leaders Covenant at the UPAA Hostel at the
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.
--Francis Earl Cueto
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