. NEWS ROUNDUP .
Travel group hits unfair competition
from subsidized foreign airlines
THE National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas)
yesterday urged authorities to set safeguards that would ensure a level
competitive field, including measures against anti-competitive and
discriminatory behavior of some foreign governments that subsidize their
airlines.
Robert Lim Joseph, chair emeritus of Naitas, said government
subsidies to airlines from other countries should be eliminated as these distort
competition under an open skies regime.
Asean member-countries agreed in 2004 to adopt open skies in
the region, beginning with unlimited flights between Asean capital cities by
December 2008.
Joseph said all Asean carriers, except for Philippines
Airlines, are either fully or partially owned or subsidized by their
governments. Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International, United Arab
Emirates, Qatar Airways and Malaysian Airlines are known to receive government
subsidies. United Arab Emirates is 100-percent owned by the Dubai government.
"Competitors of Filipino carriers, 90 percent of them, in the Asean region,
Middle East and the United States are supported by their governments," he said,
adding that Japan Air Systems and All Nippon Airways got $760 million in
emergency government loans after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and Korean Airlines
and Asiana Airlines were given $195 million in financial aid by Seoul.
SSS opens payment facilities in 26 SM malls
THE Social Security System (SSS) has opened payment
facilities in 26 SM malls nationwide to allow its self-employed and voluntary
members to pay contributions and loans at SM Business Centers, outgoing SSS
president and chief executive officer Corazon de la Paz-Bernardo said.
She said payments through the SM malls would be reported
electronically to the pension fund, resulting in quick posting of contributions
and loan amortizations.
The pension fund launched pilot payment facilities in SM
North EDSA, SM Southmall, SM Fairview and SM Megamall on May 15. Twenty-two
other SM malls started accepting SSS payments in June.
Participating SM branches include the Mall of Asia, Sucat,
Bicutan, Taytay, Dasmariñas, Clark, Batangas, Baguio, Sta. Rosa, Marilao,
Pampanga, San Lazaro, Bacoor, Lucena, Lipa, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de
Oro, Davao, Sta. Mesa and Manila.
De la Paz-Bernardo also announced the revised deadline
beginning July for contribution payments of self-employed and voluntary members
which is now the 20 th
day after the applicable month of quarter. Under the law, self-employed persons
earning at least P1,000 monthly are under mandatory SSS coverage. Those who
ceased to be employed, land-based overseas Filipino workers, and non-working
spouses of SSS members could also avail themselves of voluntary membership.
Money shop loses P1.2M to robbers
TAKING advantage of the heavy rains, three armed men broke
into a branch of the Western Union-H. Lhuillier, a pawnshop-money transfer
company located in Blumentritt, Manila, Tuesday afternoon, carting away some
P1.2 million in cash and pawned jewelry.
Case investigator SPO1 Arnulfo Amor of the Manila Police
District said one of the suspects pretended to be a customer and was joined
later by his two armed cohorts. They tied up security guard Ernie Franciona and
appraisers Leonard Isorena and Irene Juan with masking tape then took P200,000
in cash and jewelries worth about P800,000 to P1 million from the company vault.
Amor said the robbery only lasted a few minutes and the armed
men fled aboard a white car and one motorcycle. - Evangeline C. de Vera
Guards fire guns in the air
during spat
TWO security guards caused tension in front of the Avignon
Tower along Dela Costa Street in Salcedo Village Tuesday morning when they fired
their guns in a fit of rage, shattering the glass window of a nearby bank.
The suspects, Juanito Cruz, 58 of Baliuag, Bulacan and Samson
Fernandez, 43, Tangos, Navotas, were arrested by police at the Avignon where
they hid after the mayhem. The two were employed as security guards of the EPEC
Security Agency and were on their way to Avignon to deliver two Ford Expeditions
that had just come from a repair shop.
Supt. Gilbert Cruz, Makati police chief, said Juanito Cruz
and Fernandez figured in traffic-related spat with an Arnel Reyes who was
driving a Mitsubishi Adventure and proceeded to chase him aboard the two SUVs
which nearly collided with two taxicabs. Juanito fired shots in the air while
arguing with the cab drivers, sending passersby scampering away and smashing the
third floor window of Planters Bank.
Police said they are thinking of filing malicious mischief, slight physical
injuries and illegal discharge of firearms against the duo after a paraffin
test. - Ashzel Hachero
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