As Hagupit approaches, LGUs reminded: Don't abandon your posts

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) reminded local government officials on Wednesday to stand their ground in the face of Typhoon Hagupit so as to best coordinate public response to the typhoon.

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Govt has P4.69B on standby for Hagupit damage

The government has standby funds amounting to P4.69 billion if Typhoon Hagupit makes landfall and causes damage in the country.

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Senate bill seeks protection, assistance for children displaced during disasters

A neophyte senator has proposed the creation of a national program that will provide protection and assistance to Filipino children displaced during disasters.

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Miriam: Secretary Ona should resign

Instead of just extending his leave, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said Health Secretary Enrique Ona should resign from his post to give President Benigno Aquino III a free rein on how the Department of Health should proceed.

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No graduation for Air Force cadets in Batangas hazing incident

The Air Force cadets implicated in a hazing incident involving two fellow cadets will not be graduating this month pending the result of the ongoing investigation, Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Enrico Canaya said Wednesday.

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MILF assures UNICEF: No more child soldiers

CAMP DARAPANAN, SULTAN KUDARAT, Maguindanao - The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is set to make history as the only non-state armed organization seriously exerting all means to remove itself from the United Nations list of armed groups using child soldiers.

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Coast Guard on heightened alert for Typhoon Hagupit

The Philippine Coast Guard went on heightened alert Wednesday for Typhoon Hagupit, which intensified before noon as it continued to approach the Philippines.

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Govt giving full attention to ‘Hagupit’ preparations –Palace

Malacañang assured the public Wednesday that the government is giving its full attention to preparations for tropical cyclone Hagupit, which threatens to hit Eastern Visayas during the weekend.

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Drilon accuser claims P740-M ICC initially estimated to cost only P200M

The construction and development of the controversial Iloilo Convention Center was initially estimated to cost only P200 million, the accuser of Senate President Franklin Drilon said Wednesday as he submitted to a Senate panel the deed of donation which he claims will prove that the construction of the building was overpriced.

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FDA warns vs. batch of purified embryo cell rabies vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration warned the public against what it described as an illegally imported batch of Purified Chick Embryo Cell Rabies Vaccine (inactivated) 2.5 IU/mL.

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FDA: Some batches of Hepa-A vaccine recalled

A batch of vaccines for Hepatitis A is being voluntarily recalled due to a quality issue, the Food and Drug Administration said.

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Navy vessel to fetch peacekeepers from Caballo on Tuesday

A Navy vessel is now on its way to Caballo Island to fetch 133 Filipino peacekeepers quarantined in the area since last month.

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PNP to hold rights-related activities leading to Human Rights Day

The Philippine National Police will hold human rights-related activities leading to the International Human Rights Day on December 10.

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PHLPost allows domestic money transfers for P1

Filipinos wanting to send money to their loved ones during the holidays can now do so for as little as P1 at their local post offices.

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NDRRMC advises Eastern Visayas to prepare for Typhoon Hagupit

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has advised local officials in Eastern Visayas to prepare their constituents for approaching Typhoon Hagupit, radio dzBB's Rodil Vega reported Wednesday.

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Jinggoy petitions Sandiganbayan to set his bail, despite continuing bail hearings

After five months of bail hearings, detained Sen. Jinggoy Estrada has asked the Sandiganbayan to set an amount for his bail, despite the hearings not being concluded.

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Filipino language advocates to seek SC help vs. new CHED curriculum

An alliance of Filipino language advocates on Tuesday said they will ask the Supreme Court to overturn Commission on Higher Education's decision to keep its new General Education curriculum.

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Palace certifies reso granting PNoy special powers as urgent

The House of Representatives is expected to fast-track deliberations on President Benigno Aquino III’s request for special powers to address the looming power crisis next year now that the executive has certified the measure as urgent.

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Pinoy peacekeepers end quarantine, leave Caballo Island

Filipino peacekeepers from Liberia have left Caballo Island on Tuesday after undergoing a 21-day quarantine there, Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc said.

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MILF troops undergo orientation for child protection in armed conflicts

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Drilon belittles second plunder complaint against him

Senate President Franklin Drilon on Tuesday belittled the new plunder and graft complaint filed against him by former Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco Jr., saying all the projects funded by his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations were accounted for.

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No SC TRO for Comelec PCOS bidding

The Commission on Elections may push through with its scheduled December 4 public bidding for the purchase of additional and new counting machines for the 2016 elections.

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Pinoys’ ‘poor’ health-seeking habits result and factor in lackluster healthcare system

It may be a consequence of all that is lacking in the system, but the poor health-seeking habits of Filipinos, especially those in rural areas, are contributing further to the problem.

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P8B of P22.4-B supplemental budget earmarked for construction of Yolanda homes

The National Housing Authority (NHA) will receive the largest chunk of the proposed P22.467-billion supplemental budget for the construction of permanent housing for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda.

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Cardinal Tagle to local leaders: Don’t use papal visit for personal gains

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Tuesday called on local communities, particularly its leaders, who may wish to welcome Pope Francis with banners and other festive decorations to keep their preparations simple, in line with the Pontiff's request.

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Jinggoy fears he'll suffer same fate as Bong Revilla

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on Tuesday expressed apprehension that the Sandiganbayan's decision to deny Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. bail would affect his own bid for provisional liberty.

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Syjuco files another graft, plunder complaint vs. Drilon

Former Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco Jr. on Tuesday filed a new set of plunder and graft charges against Senate President Franklin Drilon, this time for the alleged anomalous misuse of P75 million worth of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in 2011.

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5 Bohol quake victims to dine with Pope Francis

Five survivors who suffered greatly from last year's magnitude-7.2 quake that devastated Bohol province have been chosen to dine with Pope Francis when he visits the Philippines in January next year.

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QMMC officials face graft raps for bidding violations

The Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to file graft charges against high-ranking officials of the Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC) for violating procurement rules in connection with the acquisition of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine worth P44.9 million in 2004.

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Bong Revilla to appeal junking of bail petition –lawyer

The camp of detained Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. will appeal the decision of the Sandiganbayan denying his request to post bail.

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PNoy signs law giving scholarship grants to top graduates of public high schools

President Benigno Aquino III has approved a law allowing top graduates of public high schools to secure scholarship grants in state colleges and universities.

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Sereno: SC serious about ‘house cleaning’ in judiciary

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Tuesday said the Supreme Court (SC) under her watch is serious about cleaning the judiciary.

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22 PAF personnel detained over hazing

At least 22 Philippine Air Force personnel are currently detained at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City for their alleged involvement in a hazing incident last August, according to a television report.

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PNP cracking down on fireworks, trigger-happy revelers

Now that December is here, the Philippine National Police will be stricter in cracking down on illegal firecrackers and pyrotechnics, as well as those firing their weapons indiscriminately.

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October BuCor report sounded alarm on signal boosters inside the NBP

Sources have told GMA News that Bureau of Corrections and New Bilibid Prisons officals have known for some time that contraband items, such as signal boosters and Wi-Fi antennae, could be found inside the prison.

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Pope Francis musical in Pampanga hopes to inspire youth to enter the church

A community theater group in the Philippines is inspiring the youth to enter the church through a musical which puts a contemporary spin on the life of Pope Francis.

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CA denies Syjuco's plea to stop construction of Iloilo dam project

The Court of Appeals has refused to temporarily stop the construction of a water reservoir in the Jalaur River, which former Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco Jr. claims would displace and adversely affect 17,000 residents from 25 villages.

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Benhur Luy: Senator Loi is ‘Inay,’ Pauline is ‘Kris Yen’

Pork barrel scam whistleblower Benhur Luy took the witness stand on Monday and linked former First Lady and former Senator Luis "Loi" Ejercito to the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam, adding that the alleged mastermind Janet Lim Napoles even referred to her as "Inay."

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Palace to ER Ejercito: Don’t blame PNoy for dsiqualification

Former Laguna Gov. ER Ejercito should not blame President Benigno Aquino III for his removal from office, Malacañang said Monday.

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PHL-hosted APEC 2015 to focus on ‘building inclusive economies’

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit to be hosted by the Philippines next year will focus on "building inclusive economies," President Benigno Aquino III announced Monday.

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De Lima fears there won't be enough men to replace erring NBP staff

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Monday expressed fears that there might not be enough persons who could replace New Bilibid Prison (NBP) personnel who might be found conspiring with convicts in drug tractivities while in detention.

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SC gives Henares access to Sandiganbayan justices' SALNs

The Supreme Court has finally allowed Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares to take a peek at the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) of some members of the judiciary.

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DOH: Ona-approved anti-dengue treatment placed lives in danger

An experimental treatment for dengue and malaria patients may have placed thousands of Filipinos in danger, the Department of Health announced on Monday.

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Enrile, Jinggoy's 90-day suspension ends

Detained Minority Floor Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Jinggoy Estrada can now perform their duties as senators — albeit on a limited basis — after the 90-day preventive suspension imposed on them by the Sandiganbayan ended.

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Reso expressing Senate’s ‘collective wisdom’ on EDCA to be filed soon –Miriam

The Senate will pass a resolution expressing its “collective wisdom” on the country's Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said Monday, even as she insisted that the agreement should've been brought to the chamber.

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Gloria Arroyo asks for 12 days of Christmas at home

Former President and incumbent Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Monday asked the Sandiganbayan to allow her to spend the Christmas holidays in the comfort of her own home.

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Ruby Tuason has P200-M ‘Malampaya Mansion’ –Jinggoy

Detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Monday bared that pork barrel scam suspect turned whistleblower Ruby Tuason was one of those who profited greatly in the alleged anomalies regarding the use of royalties from the Malampaya gas project in Palawan.

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Reshuffle, drug testing eyed at NBP after seizure of marijuana, gadgets

A reshuffle of personnel and drug testing inside the New Bilibid Prisons are in the offing following the confiscation of marijuana leaves and various communication devices inside the national penitentiary over the weekend.

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12 NGOs linked to Napoles cornered P900-M Malampaya funds – COA

Twelve non-government organizations linked to alleged pork barrel scam brains Janet Lim-Napoles cornered the P900 million in royalties from the Malampaya gas fund released to the Department of Agrarian Reform, Commission on Audit chairperson Grace Pulido Tan said Monday.

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ER Ejercito cries foul over ‘unfair’ treatment of Aquino administration

Ousted Laguna Governor Emilio Ramon "ER" Ejercito expressed his anger toward President Benigno Aquino III for what he said was unfair treatment that he and his relatives have been getting from him just because they belong to the opposition.

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