LOS ANGELES
Jodi on having a new leading man: I don’t mind See JODI page 31
VOL. XXII, NO. 16
MAY 24-30, 2014
THE LEADING SOURCE OF NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR FILIPINO-AMERICANS
PHL touted as the ‘next Asian miracle’
President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomes members of the ASEAN Business Club, led by Ayala Corporation chairman and chief executive officer Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and CIMB Group Sdn Bhd. Malaysia group chief executive Dato Sri Nazir Razak, during the courtesy call at the Reception Hall of Malacañang Palace on Wednesday, May 21, 2014. (MNS Photo)
MANILA, May 22 (Mabuhay) – The Philippines has the potential to be the next “Asian miracle” but more has to be done to make growth inclusive and sustainable, business leaders said. Kevin Lu, a distinguished fellow at ISNEAD, said that while the Philippines is seeing positive momentum, there are risks and uncertainties in policies that have to be addressed. He said policies should be further streamlined to attract more foreign investment. “There is still a fairly strong sense from foreign investors that there is regulatory and policy uncertainty,” Lu said at the first session of the World Economic
Forum on East Asia on Thursday. Karim Raslan, the chief executive of Malaysia’s KRA Group, said some foreign investors see the Philippines as quite “tricksy.” “I have a lot of friends who are looking or who have bought assets here and generally they find the Filipino market it’s quite ‘tricksy’. More difficult that Indonesia, to be frank. That is something to be borne in mind. The size of the market is that much smaller, and if it’s that more tricksy, then that’s something to know,” he said. Raslan added that more improvement is needed in key sectors like infrastructure, education See MIRACLE, page 16
Jinggoy ready for jail, says Erap MANILA, May 22 (Mabuhay) – Former President and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada believes his son, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, has already readied himself for the possibility of going to jail after being linked to the pork barrel scam. Estrada said he knows his son is ready to defend himself from charges that he pocketed millions
of pesos in priority development assistance funds (PDAF) through the Napoles scam. “Hindi ako naaapektuhan. I know he can defend himself,” the Manila mayor said. “Mahirap sa Senado puro publicity. Kailangan mailagay sa Ombudsman yan at maumpisahan na ang mga hearing sa korte,” he added.
He said Jinggoy’s situation is the same one he faced when he was accused of plunder by the Arroyo administration. Estrada was convicted by the Sandiganbayan in 2007 but was later pardoned by President Arroyo. Asked if Jinggoy has already readied himself for the possibility of jail, he said: “Palagay ko See JINGGOY, page 16
Senator Jinggoy Estrada
Two OFWs die of MERS virus in Middle East: gov’t MANILA, May 22, 2014 (AFP) – The Philippines said Thursday that two of its citizens working in Saudi Arabia have died from the MERS coronavirus. Foreign Department spokesman Charles Jose said their relatives have been informed and efforts were being made to bring the bodies home. “Our consul general in Jeddah confirmed that there were two Filipinos who died of MERS,” he told AFP. “The consulate is helping to repatriate their remains,” he said, adding that the deaths were recorded on May 12 and 18. The identities of the two, as well as
other details, were not revealed to protect their relatives’ privacy. Thousands of Filipinos work in the Middle East, while it is estimated as many as 10 million work overseas to escape widespread poverty at home. MERS or the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome is considered a deadlier but less transmittable cousin of the SARS virus that appeared in Asia in 2003. It infected more than 8,000 people, and had a fatality rate of nine percent. Health authorities in Saudi Arabia this week reported new deaths from the MERS coronavirus, taking the death toll to 173. It
has been the worst affected by the outbreak with a total of 537 people infected. Other nations including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and the United States have also recorded cases, mostly in people who had recently returned from travel in the desert kingdom. The Filipinos’ deaths came as the Philippines has been stepping up its defense against the virus by screening all those coming from the Middle East at ports of entry. Last month, it quarantined a male Filipino nurse who had tested positive for the virus.
US suspends aid as Thailand coup criticism grows By Shaun Tandon
WASHINGTON, May 23, 2014 (AFP) – The United States on Friday suspended one-third of its aid to ally Thailand after a military coup as international calls mounted for a return to civilian rule. Moving swiftly a day after the military seized power, the United States said it froze $3.5 million in military assistance out of around $10.5 million in total aid to America’s oldest treaty-bound ally in Asia. The United States contacted junta leaders and urged “the immediate restoration of civilian rule, a return to democracy and, obviously, respect for human rights during this period of uncertainty,” State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf See THAI COUP, page 16
Army chief General Prayut Chan-O-Cha made the coup announcement Thursday in a televised address to the nation, saying the powerful armed forces had to act to restore stability after nearly seven months of political turmoil in the capital Bangkok. Thailand’s new ruling junta on Friday warned it would block any social media platforms in the country found to carry content that incites violence or is critical of its military leaders. Photo: Rhony Laigo/Bangkok