Arroyo leads restoration of ‘pork barrel’ for legislators

Happy days are back for legislators following the decision of the House to include pork barrel allocations in the proposed P3.757-trillion budget of the national government for 2019.

House majority leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said the P51.792 billion lump sum item with no details in next year’s budget proposal would be divided among the senators and congressmen to fund their pet projects.



The pork barrel funds were removed from the budget when the Duterte administration assumed power following the controversies and the Supreme Court ruling that declared as unconstitutional the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) under the previous administration.



But then, Andaya, who was budget secretary under the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said that without funds for congressional districts in the budget, some districts got a low of P200 million to as much as P6 billion each.



Restoring the funding mechanism, he said, would equalize the allocation of resources among legislative districts across the country.




But Andaya said it would not be called pork barrel funds in respect to the Supreme Court ruling on the PDAF and DAP.

The funds would rather be called proposals for congressional districts which, by practice, would be the same as the pork barrel funding system.

Earlier, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Arroyo, who is now speaker of the House, has been leading the move to restore the pork barrel allocations, in an apparent move to consolidate the legislators and speed up the approval of the 2019 budget proposal before the end of year.

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Pinoy seafarer pleads guilty to trafficking 2kg of cocaine

The 1.98 kilos of cocaine molded as shoe soles

By Vir B. Lumicao

A Filipino seafarer has pleaded guilty to a charge of trafficking nearly 2 kilos of high-grade cocaine molded like shoe soles in June 2017.

Carlito Platon admitted his guilt before High Court Justice Esther Toh on Nov 27, a day before the start of a nine-day trial of his two Colombian co-defendants – Cristhian Enrique Posso and Jose William Uribe.

Consul Saret attended Platon's arraignment 

Consulate officials said Justice Toh deferred sentencing of 49-year-old Platon until after the verdict on Posso and Uribe is known. 

Consul Paulo Saret, head of the Consulate’s assistance to nationals section, and ATN officer Joel Oronan were at the High Court for the arraignment of the seafarer.

“Hopefully, (Platon’s guilty plea) would lead to a further reduction of his sentence,” Saret told The SUN.

Platon pleaded guilty to drug trafficking
at the High Court 

Oronan said ATN had already informed Platon’s family in Batangas about the development.

“Hindi na sila nagpunta pero continuous naman ang coordination nila sa amin through email and phone. Nagpapabalita na lang sila if may new update,” Oronan said.

The three suspects were initially charged with trafficking 1.33 kg of cocaine camouflaged as shoe soles following their arrest on Nathan Road in Yaumatei on June 2, 2017.

They were also initially accused of obstruction when intercepted by an arresting team comprising customs and police officers.

According to the prosecution, Platon disembarked from a cargo vessel that docked at Kwai Chung port that day. He had in his backpack two pairs of shoe soles that somebody had allegedly asked him to deliver to Posso and Uribe in Yaumatei.

But the officers accosted Platon and found the two shoe soles, which turned out to be molded cocaine, in his bag. They also recovered US$10,000 from him.

Posso and Uribe were arrested in a follow-up operation on the same day.

In a hearing in Kowloon City Court on Oct 26, prosecutors amended the trafficking charge and applied for a transfer of the case to the High Court after laboratory tests showed the cocaine seized from them weighed 1.98 kilograms.

The prosecution also dropped the three charges of obstructing a customs officer.

Platon had not applied for bail since his arrest, but his two co-defendants did, but were rejected.

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Sports Fest 2018 kicks off ATIS-HK 26th anniversary celebration

The winners in both the sports and beauty contests receive their citations during the 26th anniversary of Abra Tinguian Ilocano Society-Hong Kong (ATIS-HK).

“Every team showed its competitiveness in a friendly manner as everyone wished to win. However at the end of the day, Mango Team composed of the municipal groups of Luba, La Paz and Bucay went home with the gold for volleyball.”

This was declared by Regina Batoon, committee chair of the ATIS-HK Sports Fest 2018 that
was held at the Fa Hui Park in Mongkok on Nov 4.

“ATIS@26: Strengthen and Expand Service, Solidarity and Empowerment of Abra Migrants & Families” is this year’s anniversary theme. Known for their love of sports, ATIS members decided to break from their Sunday routine in Central to expand their family and forge stronger unity.

Aside from Mango Team, three other groups participated in the one-day sports fest, which came as a prelude to the main celebration of ATIS’ 26th anniversary on Nov. 18.

They included second placer Narra Team composed of San Juan, Bucloc, AMWWA & DiWMA; third placer Banaba Team composed of Tayum, Bangued, Langiden, Manabo and San Isidro; and fourth placer Sagat Team composed of Lagangilang, Licuan, Tubo and Dolores.



According to ATIS-HK president Ludy Guinaban, all participating teams had to undergo a briefing on ATIS history as well as a seminar on “The Reality of Migration” before they were allowed to join.



The mandatory orientation set the mood for a whole day of fun and enjoyment, which lasted from 7 am until 9pm.



Aside from the volleyball competition, the traditional Search for Ms. ATIS-HK 2018 was concluded. But the awarding of prizes to the winners in both contests will be held at the main anniversary celebration.



Beyond doubt, the goals to strengthen unity, camaraderie and sportsmanship were achieved at Fa Hui Park as the teams also engaged in parlor games, practiced their cheering and cultural presentations for the main anniversary celebration, and shared their sumptuous Ilocano and Tinguian food and delicacies.

After all, this is the trademark of the ATIS Family. – contributed by Vicky Casia

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4 grupo ng hikers, nagdiwang ng unang anibersaryo

Naging masaya ang paligsahan sa dodgeball, na pinanalunan ng Group D. Tinatayang nasa 90 katao ang dumalo na nanggaling sa iba’t ibang grupo, kabilang ang The Adventurers, Sexy Lady Hikers, Eggstreamers, Filipina Extreme Hikers at Ultimate Survivor Philippines.

Isang masaya at di makakalimutang salo-salo ang naganap noong ika-11 ng Nob sa Repulse Bay Beach upang ipagdiwang ang unang anibersaryo ng Group of Hikers HK na pinamunuan nina Nora Pagaduan at Jessie Quevedo.

Tinatayang nasa 90 katao ang dumalo na nanggaling sa iba’t ibang grupo, kabilang ang The Adventurers, Sexy Lady Hikers, Eggstreamers, Filipina Extreme Hikers at Ultimate Survivor Philippines.



Panauhing pandangal at tagapagsalita si Liza Avelino, isang OFW na sumikat bilang mountaineer, at kamakailan lamang ay tagumpay na inabot ang tuktok ng Mt Kilimanjaro, ang pinakamataas na bundok sa Africa.



Nagbigay siya ng mga payo, papuri at panghihikayat sa lahat na ipagpatuloy nila ang gawaing tumulong sa mga nangangailangan.



Nagdagdag-kulay sa okasyon ang labanan ng mga muse na nakapang-halloween ang kasuotan. Itinanghal na nanalo ang Wonder Woman ng Ultimate Survivor Ph.



Sa palaro, ang bawat grupo ay binuo mula sa pinaghalong grupo ng mnga hiker dahil layunin nito ang maging masaya at magbahagi ng magandang relasyon sa pagitan ng bawat grupo.

Ang mga laro at mga nagsipagwagi:

Dodgeball 
Champion: Group D
1st: Group A
2nd: Group C
3rd: Group B

Sack race
Champion: Group D
1st: Group A
2nd: Group C
3rd;  Group B

Relay
Champion: Group A
1st: Group D
2nd: Group C
3rd: Group B

Tug of War 
Champion: Group A
1st: Group D
2nd: Group B
3rd: Group C

Ang bawat isa ay nakatanggap ng medalya ayon sa kanilang sinalihang laro. Umuwing may ngiti ang lahat na dumalo dahil dito.

Nagdaos din ang The Adventurers ng munting proyektong “Hotpot and Coffee for a Cause” na mapupunta ang kalahati ng kinita sa “Alkansya for Bethune House”.

Patuloy pa ring tumatanggap ng donasyon ang grupo para ihatid sa alkansya ng Bethune. Para sa mga katanungan tungkol sa proyekto, maari lang na tawagan ang Bethune House sa 2522 8264. – contributed by Analyn Soriba

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