Take that. Students protesting President Arroyo’s
lavish dinners in the United States face the wrath of members of the Presidential
Security Group and anti-riot police. At least 20 were arrested and two photographers
were hurt during the dispersal.
Peace talks on hold 3 weeks
Malaysia is studying gov’t, MILF proposals
BY RAYMOND
AFRICA
INFORMAL talks between the government and the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front will push though possibly
three weeks from now, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said
yesterday.
Iqbal said they are waiting for Malaysian
facilitators of the peace negotiations to set a new date.
MALACAÑANG yesterday said the austerity
policy does not apply to President Arroyo’s foreign trips, where
she is expected to bring in more investments than what she
spends.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said while
Arroyo’s austerity policy still applies to all government
agencies, there are "exceptions."
"Among the exceptions are the ministerial and
other important meetings. When it comes to the travel of the
President, that’s more than ministerial. In fact, mga summit
meetings iyan," Remonde said.
THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp. might
cease operations in 2016 because of the failure of the budget
department to remit some P19.2 billion since 2001.
The amount represents the government’s
counterpart contribution to government workers’ contributions to
PhilHealth.
If the government does not pay, "we will go
bankrupt," Nerissa Santiago, PhilHealth vice president for
actuary, told a hearing of the Senate health committee
yesterday.
