International News

US Pinoys Need Water

Consul General Mario De Leon yesterday said some Filipinos in Connecticut and Long Island were reported to be running low on potable water while many others in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut have no Internet, telephone, or mobile phone connectivity following the devastation caused by superstorm Sandy on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States last October 29.

As of press time, the Philippine embassy and the Philippine Consulate General in New York said they do not have the exact figures on the number of Filipinos directly affected by Sandy but they have received reports that some Filipinos were evacuated in Atlantic City, Jersey City, New Milford, and other areas in New Jersey as well as in City Island and Staten Island in New York due to floodwaters.

De Leon said reports from the leaders of the Filipino Community also indicate that a large number of Filipinos are among the 8.5 million people in 13 states who are currently without electricity.

He said there are also reports that several Filipinos sustained some damage to their homes in Nassau and Queens counties in New York as well as in Hamden and Stamford in Connecticut as a result of violent winds and storm surges.

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Celebrity News

Christian Bautista Dodges Question About Virginity, Plans To Marry In Two Years

Wearing the “31-year-old virgin” tag more as a badge of honor than a coat of shame, Christian Bautista, for the longest time, has directly said he has not done "the deed" just yet.

In a recent interview, however, Bautista dodged the question about his virginity though he did dismiss rumors that he and girlfriend Carla Dunareanu live under one roof.

“Hindi po kami nagli-live in. We’re separate..." said he in an interview with PEP posted Wednesday.

Despite being of age, the international singing sensation maintained that it’s his “personal conviction” not to succumb to the seeming trend of couples living-in prior to tying the knot.

“For me, I believe na mas okay kung hindi muna i-blur yung line by living together. I think it’s better to grow apart and then grow together in a different setting,” the “ASAP XV” mainstay said.

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Politics News

Palace: No pressure on PNP chief Bartolome

President Benigno Aquino III is not pressuring Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Nicanor Bartolome to retire ahead of his mandatory retirement in March next year, Malacañang said Thursday.

The President has not said anything about talking Bartolome into retiring early, said deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.

“And obviously, even from the demeanor and the statements of DG Bartolome, there’s no pressure on him,” Valte told state-run dzRB radio.

Valte said Interior Secretary Mar Roxas’ designation of PNP Deputy Director General Allan Purisima as head of Task Force Halalan, which will oversee security in next year’s midterm elections, should not be seen as an insult to Bartolome.

Purisima, who was promoted last Wednesday to police deputy director general, the equivalent of a three-star general rank in the military, is widely rumored to be the designated successor of Bartolome, who is retiring on March 16 when he turns 56, the mandatory retirement age for police officials. The date falls right in the middle of the election campaign period.

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Riyadh Blast

Filipino among 22 killed in Riyadh blast

A Filipino was among 22 people killed in a fuel truck blast and building collapse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Thursday, Philippine officials said.

At least 12 other Filipinos were injured in the explosion, with 9 admitted to hospitals.

Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ezzedin Tago confirmed Thursday night that one of the fatalities is a Filipino.

The victim was inside a vehicle parked in the area when the explosion occurred, reports said.

"Iyung namatay na Pilipino, kasama niya yung bayaw niya kaya na-inform yung mga kamag-anak sa Pilipinas," Tago told ANC's The World Tonight.

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Raul Hernandez also confirmed that a Filipino died in the fuel truck blast.

He said 9 are in hospitals while 3 have been discharged.

The victims were brought to the National Guard Hospital, the Habib Hospital, the Jazira Clinic, and Shumaisi, Hernandez said.

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Sports News

Pacquiao to spar vs 5 different boxers

Manny “The Pacman” Pacquiao put on his sparring gear and took his first US sparring session, as he prepares for his December 8th matchup against Juan Manuel Marquez.

“Feels good. I think I'm 70-80% conditioned. We have five, five and a half weeks. We have enough time,” Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao spent Tuesday sparring six rounds with long time sparring partner Ray Beltran and Russian Ruslan Provodnikov, who began sparring with the Filipino earlier this year.

Top Rank's chief Bob Arum was at the Wild Card Gym, watching the sparring session.

“Well it's the first day so you can't expect him to be on the first day the way he's going to be at the end of the sparring,” said Arum.

Last week, Pacquiao had begun sparring sessions while training in General Santos.

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Politics News

'Political dynasties' haunt party-list system

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes on Wednesday maintained his personal stand against party-list groups whose nominees come from the same family or clan.

He told radio dzMM that the subject is still up for debate among members of the commission en banc.

Brillantes said the next announcement of cancellations of party-list registration and denials of party-list applications will be made next week.

He hopes for the poll body to release all cancellations and denials by November 15 and publish the final list of those who are approved for participation in the May 2013 elections by end of November.

Brillantes also hopes that the Supreme Court can, by December, rule on the appeal of those whose registrations were cancelled and denied by the Comelec, in time for the configuration of PCOS machines in January.

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