Information and measurement company Nielsen today released in Singapore the first Southeast Asia Digital Consumer Report, declaring that widening internet usage is “revolutionizing digital media usage” in the region.

According to Nielsen:

Rapid technological developments, including high-speed internet access and WiFi, and increasing ownership of connected devices such as smartphones and tablets are revolutionizing digital media usage in Southeast Asia, with internet usage in some markets surpassing time spent on traditional media such as television, radio or print.

Sen. Escudero announces resignation from NPC (Photo courtesy of Yahoo PH)
Sen. Escudero announces resignation from NPC (Photo courtesy of Yahoo PH)

Sen. Chiz Escudero today surprised the nation by announcing his resignation from the Nationalist People’s Coalition and begged for time to make a final decision on a possible presidential candidacy in 2010.

Speaking before media and supporters at Club Filipino, Escudero railed against party politics and attempted to tackle specific people’s issues — surprise! surprise! — as he explained his decision to resign from his erstwhile party:

blogfestI have a couple of good news to share.

First is about what is touted as a gathering of Asian bloggers, Blogfest.Asia ’09 set to be held on Nov. 5-8 in Hong Kong.

Among the speakers are fellow bloggers Blogie Robillo and Juned Sonido. They will share insights on “Peace Initiatives through Blogging” based on the experience of Mindanao bloggers as well as introduce the Philippine blogosphere to the participants.

I will also be a Blogfest.asia speaker on the topic “Bloggers and social media users in the aftermath of typhoons Ketsana and Parma”.

comelecsealThe Commission on Elections en banc on Tuesday adopted a resolution deleting 26 partylist organizations from the official list of accredited national, regional or sectoral parties, organizations or coalitions under the partylist system.

In Resolution No. 8679, signed by the Chairman and all commissioners,  the Comelec cited Section 6 of Republic Act 7941 (Partylist System Law)  which states that the poll body may remove or cancel the registration of partylist groups that fail to participate in the last two elections or fails to win at least two percent of all votes cast for partylists.

The deleted partylists are:

logotxtpowerSoon after turning over to the Philippine National Red Cross the last check from  TXTPower’s fundraising campaign for typhoon Ondoy’s victims, I received a call from Mr. Mario Shiliashki, general manager of PayPal Southeast Asia & India.

Mr. Shiliashki told he was “reaching out on behalf of the company” to apologize for the incident and assured the company’s respect and support for the efforts of Filipinos and our friends abroad to provide relief aid to victims of the typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. He said that what had happened would help improve Paypal’s processes and procedures.

DFA Sec. Alberto Romulo (Courtesy of the DFA)
DFA Sec. Alberto Romulo (Courtesy of the DFA)

DFA Secretary Alberto G. Romulo today rejected calls for him to resign his post after expressing support for Sen. Noynoy Aquino’s bid for the 2010 presidential elections. Malacanang was obviously rattled by Romulo’s expression of support for Aquino, who has been very critical of President Arroyo, so much as so that the Palace junior spokesperson has gone to the extent of insulting perhaps the most senior member of the cabinet.

Here is Secretary Romulo’s full statement:

The comments that I have on the candidacy of Sen. Noynoy Aquino has created some concern from various quarters. These comments were originally made in a private conversation. When the comments saw print, I sought, to put things in perspective by explaining that my long years of association with Tita Cory and the Aquino family was the basis of my position.

I have to make it very clear that such comments do not in any way diminish my service and support for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Neither does it mean that I am moving to the opposition, I am standing by the President until the end of her term and beyond.

National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera (Photo courtesy of lumbera.ph)
National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera (Photo courtesy of lumbera.ph)

The family of National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera issued this statement this morning:

At around 6am, a group of men was seen taking photos of and asking information regarding National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera’s house in a subdivision in Quezon City. One of them was approached and apprehended by subdivision security officers. His companions fled as the man was being questioned. The man was found to be an enlisted AFP intelligence personnel and upon inspection of his military ID was identified as Corporal Guerrero Hannival Mosura Mondido of the Marines.

marroxas
Mar Roxas lights a candle at the tomb of former President Aquino whose son Noynoy he now vowed to support as Liberal Party presidential candidate. (Courtesy of MarRoxas.com)

PLEASE SEE UPDATES BELOW. Liberal Party President and Senator Mar Roxas II made the following “major and important announcement” tonight at the historic Club Filipino.

After months of being considered LP’s presidential candidate-in-waiting, Roxas formally gave way to partymate Senator Noynoy Aquino, son of former President Cory Aquino and former Sen.  Ninoy Aquino. Noynoy and other LP leaders joined Roxas at the press conference.

Roxas could not have chosen a better date to make this announcement as it falls exactly a month after the death of President Aquino who herself took her presidential oath of office at the same venue.

However, Roxas did not directly state that he is open to be Aquino’s runningmate or whether he will abandon plans to run for higher office and instead run for reelection as senator next year.

Following are excerpts of Sen. Roxas’ statement:

More than 200 leaders of faith-based groups, unions and labor rights advocates, Filipino-American organizations and academics have written the US Congress to protest human rights abuses in the Philippines and the misuse of US foreign military assistance.

Among the signatories to the letter, which was sent to every member of the US Congress, were:

Nestor Burgos Jr., the Inquirer’s correspondent in Iloilo,  is now the new chairperson of the  National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).

Burgos replaced erstwhile chairperson Jose Torres Jr. who was removed as officer and member of the NUJP over violations of the NUJP By-Laws and the The Journalist’s Code of Ethics.

Below is the NUJP’s official statement on the issue which I got through email:

Statement on the election of a new set of officers

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) elected a new set of officers last November 11, 2008 after its former chairman, Mr. Jose Torres Jr. was removed from office for violations of the NUJP’s By-Laws and The Journalist’s Code of Ethics .

Mr. Torres was found to have personally solicited money from a source for his personal use. The decision was reached after hearing the allegations against Mr. Torres and after he presented his explanation and defense for his action.

Ni ANTHONY IAN CRUZ
Pinoy Weekly
Enero 18, 2009

MATAPOS magreklamo ang ilang magulang, pinigilan na ng panrehiyong tanggapan ng Department of Education-National Capital Region ang parusang sampung araw na suspensyon na ipinataw kamakailan sa apat na estudyante ng Quezon City Science High School (QCSHS).

Nakatakda sanang ipatupad ang suspensyon sa mga estudyante simula ngayong Lunes, Enero 19, bilang parusa sa mga sinulat na artikulo sa kanilang mga blog na tumutuligsa kay Dr. Zenaida Panti Sadsad, punong-guro ng paaralan.

Looking at the monthly averages of Dubai crude, foreign exchange (forex) and their combined impact on domestic pump prices, the multisectoral umbrella Bayan today said that petroleum prices should be lowered further than what the oil firms have done so far.

Bayan spokesman Arnold Padilla said that the group’s study justifies a rollback of P60.81 in the price of an 11-kg  tank liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Padilla also said that diesel prices should be cut by P9.56 per liter; kerosene by P12.60; and unleaded gasoline by P3.57.