Newscast: The World Tonight - Broadcast date: 12/10/96
Homepage: ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.
Copyright © 1996, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.
Subject: NAMServe LAUNCHES ANTI-PIRMA
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/10/96
A group of Edsa veterans have launched their own signature campaign to block the move to change the charter and allow President Ramos to run for re-election. But the first challenge for the group is to get enough support for their cause. It took 1-million signatures to make Cory Aquino run for President in the 1986 snap elections. And the Ninoy Aquino Movement, Social and Economic Reforms through Volunteer Efforts (NAM-SERVE) helped gather those 1-million signatures.Today, NAM-SERVE is behind another signature campaign. This time they are saying "no" to charter amendments. NAM-SERVE director, Congresswoman Tessie Aquino-Oreta says, their manifesto will be a "counter-voice" to at least two pro-charter-change groups that have mushroomed over the weekend. They want whoever is President to have enough time to do a good job. But not enough time to entrench himself in the palace. Oreta has sent the President a copy of the manifesto, hoping she can convince him to sign up. She also wants ex-President Aquino, Jaime Cardinal Sin, Senate President Ernesto Maceda, and House Speaker Jose de Venecia to sign. De Venecia was non-committal about signing, but he toed the official party line just the same. Oreta isn't getting that much support from her colleagues either. A number of them have advised her to drop the signature campaign and fight it out instead, when a plebsicite is held on the issue. The charter does not mandate the Comelec to entertain any anti-charter amendment, but it does mandate the poll body to authenticate signatures gathered for a people's initiative. Some of Oreta's other colleagues promise to sign the manifesto. Congressmen Edcel Lagman and Jose Zubiri believe the pro-charter-change groups form just the advance party, the front-line, for the major players. But according to Malacanang, it is discouraging Lakas party members from joining any move to amend the constitution. The President's adviser on political affairs also says, they'd rather keep silent about private initiatives in the hope they will just go away. However, PIRMA's plan to gather 4 million signatures by January won't be so easy to dismiss.
Subject: WHO'S BEHIND IT
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/10/96
Former Ambassador Alberto Pedrosa says, it was a spontaneous move; a phone conversation, informal discussions, and finally, the decision to bring it out in the open. He says it wasn't planned, but it was bound to happen. And so, the initiative came from a newspaper columnist, a former leftist labor leader, a businessman, and a judge - a most unlikely combination of people who hardly know each other. Pedrosa denies they share a link with Lakas, or that they are members of the Ramos campaign in 1992. What brought them together, he says is their belief in a second term for Ramos.Presidential adviser Gabriel Claudio says, Lakas members are under strict orders to keep off any move to change the charter. Yet Malacanang's approach on the matter has not discouraged private initiatives like "PIRMA". PIRMA hopes to gather 4 million signatures by January next year, a bold objective for an organization that claims to have no political backing at all.
Meanwhile, Senator Raul Roco is challenging PIRMA's people's initiative before the Commission on Elections. The Comelec will hear this Thursday. Roco wants to intervene in the people's initiative process. Comelec chairman Bernardo Pardo is now open to the possibility of holding a referendum on charter amendments in May next year.
Subject: SC LETS HIM REGAIN SMC
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/10/96
The Supreme Court has cleared the way for former Marcos crony, Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco to regain control of San Miguel Corporation. The high court upheld Cojuangco's right over his shares. The high tribunal rejected a petition from the Presidential Commission on Good Government to keep five PCGG-appointed directors in the 15-member board. Cojuangco wants to oust the five PCGG directors to allow him to regain his sequestered shares and become the single biggest shareholder in the food and beverage giant. Government sequestered Cojuangco's shares 10 years ago, after Marcos was ousted.
Subject: MACEDA HITS OGCC, AMARI SIDE
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/10/96
Senate President Ernesto Maceda stepped up his call for the resignation of Government Corporate Counsel Oscar Garcia. Maceda says Garcia failed to see any anomalies in the deal between the Public Estates Authority (PEA) and Amari Coastal Bay Development Corporation. As the PEA's lawyer, Garcia reviewed and cleared the land deal. Maceda is accusing Garcia of incompetence. He claims government lost P20 billion from the deal entered into by then PEA administrator Amado Lagdameo.In Malacanang, Executive Secretary Ruben Torres says the committee of peers investigating Lagdameo will complete its probe this week. ACBDC insists, the price they paid for the land was fair.
Subject: CRACKS IN THE BRIDGE
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/10/96
The Public Works department has blacklisted 272 contractors for substandard projects. One of these projects is the flyover in Tandang Sora, Quezon City. It's barely 4 years old, but the Commonwealth-Tandang Sora flyover is already falling apart.The Public Works department calls it a slab failure. It's another way of saying it's the fault of the contractor. The Francis C. Yu Construction Company built the flyover for almost P48 million. It was completed in only a little over 2 months. What resulted was a flyover with a less than smooth ride that gets flooded during heavy rains. And when engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) recently tested its strength, it fell below specifications.
FCY Construction was the same contractor that built the very controversial, and very much delayed Bonifacio Tunnel in Mandaluyong City. FCY was blacklisted for that, along with 271 other contractors. The project has a 15-year guarantee. FCY has yet to acknowledge the defects in the Tandang Sora flyover. And the Public Works department is tired of waiting for it to respond to its notice. Government could file a criminal charge against the contractor. But in the meantime, the DPWH is rushing the repair of the flyover which they know, is an accident waiting to happen.
Subject: NEW PARTY / PNP CATER BUDGET
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/10/96
NEW PARTYExpelled Laban members are forming a new party. They are expected to make the announcement tomorrow. Included in the group are Congressmen Emigdio Tanjuatco, Jose "Peping" Cojuangco, Amado Bagatsing and Herminio Aquino.
PNP
At the Senate, Senator Franklin Drilon recommends scrapping the P14 million budget of the Philippine National Police for catering. Drilon, who is chairman of the Senate finance subcommittee, also proposes slashing the P20 million intelligence budget of the Office of the Press Secretary. He says the OPS cannot explain how its intelligence budget is spent.
Subject: DUBAI OCW / POISON / CANCER
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/10/96
Two Filipino crewmen were killed and 4 others were injured during a routine safety test on board an oil tanker docked in Dubai where the Yahre Vicking was undergoing general repairs. The seamen died instantly when their lifeboat, which they were testing for seaworthiness, plunged about 35 meters into the sea. Initial investigations show the tanker's lifeboat chain snapped.Here at home, a non-government organization says 400 Filipina workers in a factory in Taiwan are in danger of chemical poisoning. MIGRANTE says one woman identified as Joyce Chimicag has already died, while 20 others were hospitalized. The group says the workers were suffering from taxicodermia, a chemically-induced disease. Still at home, Senator Juan Flavier warns against the proliferation of cancer-causing sugar in the market. He urges the health department to stop its distribution. Flavier says the sugar contains cyclamate, an artificial sweetener that can cause cancer. He says the sugar was first spotted in Cotabato and Zamboanga, and may have been smuggled into the country.
Subject: RP WTO AGENDA
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/10/96
The Philippines is pushing for a consensus on three main items in the World Trade Organization's first ministerial conference in Singapore. Trade and Industry Secretary Cesar Bautista says, previous talks on textiles have not been encouraging, and most items crucial to developing countries remain restricted. The changes in the rules of origin law on garments is another setback for developing countries.In agriculture, Bautista criticized the over-emphasis on market access issues without giving enough attention to support measures. The country is also lobbying for four new issues to be resolved in the meeting - labour standards, investments and competition policy, government procurement, and trade facilitation.
Subject: OCW $ HIT 7B / STOX DN
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/10/96
OCWOverseas Contract Workers are exprected to send home a record US$7 billion, nearly a third more than last year. The actual figure could even be higher since the amount is based on money remitted through banks by the country's 4.2 million registered OCWs. Many work abroad unofficially and send home money through other channels. The large remittances have helped offset the trade deficit. To compare the figure with the country's other sources of foreign exchange, it is almost three times more than the US$2.5 billion expected from foreign donors. It is also more than the total foreign investments made last year, and still more than the stock market investments.
STOCKS
In another front, the market took another beating today following the drop in the Dow with a lot of weak hands cutting losses. Sun Hung Kai Securities expects the market to drop further. Asia Brewery has forged an agreement with US-based Anheuser-Busch, the makers of Budweiser Beer. Under the agreement, Asia Brewery will be allowed to manufacture and sell Budweiser Beer in the Philippines. The agreement was signed by August Busch, Chairman and CEO of Anheuser-Busch, and Lucio Tan, chairman of Asia Brewery.
Subject: JETSKI / TENNIS / BADMINTON
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/10/96
JETSKIReigning jet ski rider of the year Jan-Jan Gonzalez topped the expert ski class of the first leg of the 1997 National Jet Ski Tour in Subic. He ruled the two 6-lap races to finish with 40 points. Jon Naval finished second. Female rider Wacky Del Rosario was third.
TENNIS
World number 6 Boris Becker picked up the biggest paycheck of his life by winning the $6 million Grand Slam Cup. His devastating serves powered him over defending champion Goran Ivanisevic, the game's most ferocious server, in straight sets. The win gave him $1.87 million.
BADMINTON
Taipei's Fung Permadi won the men's singles title of the World Grand Prix in Indonesia. He beat Sun Jun of China in straight games. The match was evenly contested until Sun slipped and injured his knee late in the first game.
Go Back TO News Service Index
Subject: YOUR DATE WITH HISTORY
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 12/10/96
Trouble for the organizers of the Michael Jackson Concert. The finance department says they have to pay, not 2, but 30 percent for amusement tax amounting to P45 million. Thousands of Filipinos trooped to Asiaworld yesterday to watch Jackson's concert. It was their date with history. People started lining up for shuttle buses to the concert area as early as noon. People paid as much as P5,000 for a seat and the best view. The rest had to stand up. Police arrested a couple of pickpockets. Otherwise, the large crowd proved to be no problem. For two and a half hours, the "King of Pop" had the audience spellbound. And like anything big, the Jackson concert had its problems, and organizers promise a better-planned show tomorrow. One complaint: the shuttle buses were not enough. But the audience didn't mind. Whatever the hassles, they were worth the thrill of seeing the "King of Pop", live.