KAKAMMPI News

ABS-CBN News Posted at Dec 21 2020 01:14 PM MANILA - The killing of an unarmed mother and her son at the hands of a policeman in Tarlac is an "isolated" case, the Philippine National Police said Monday as it condemned the incident. Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank Anthony were shot dead Sunday by their neighbor Police Senior Master Sgt. Jonel Nuezca after an altercation in Paniqui town. The PNP assures the victims' family that it "does not and will never condone any criminal act of our police officers," said its chief Gen. Debold Sinas. "The PNP considers this as an isolated involvement of the person of PSSg (Nuezca). In no way will such incident affect the sworn duty of the 221,000 police personnel to serve and protect our people," he said in a statement. "Again, let me express my sincere condolences to the family of the victims, and I am extending to them any form of assistance within my power as chief PNP to appease their emotions in this...

Daniel Woolls with AFP bureaus, Agence France-Presse Posted at Sep 01 2020 06:38 AM WASHINGTON -- The United States surpassed 6 million coronavirus cases on Monday, adding a million infections in 3 weeks, as India and parts of Europe reported alarming news on the pandemic's economic toll. While it accounts for a quarter of the global caseload, the US is reporting a third fewer new daily infections than it did during the July peak, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker. But the virus is still raging in some regions, with no coordinated federal response, and President Donald Trump -- desperate to present a positive picture as he seeks re-election in November -- has made clear he favors less testing, so that America does not look so bad. The US remains the country hit hardest by far by the health crisis gripping the world, with 183,203 Covid-19 deaths, the Baltimore-based university's tracker showed. The US charted its 5 millionth case on August 9. That was just 1...

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday said a total of 124,717 overseas Filipinos have been repatriated as of August 8 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This number was reached after 8,924 overseas Filipinos were brought back to the country this past week. Of the 124,717 Filipinos repatriated, 39.8% or 49,655 are sea-based while 60.2% or 75,062 are land-based. Meanwhile, of those repatriated this past week, 3,660 were from UAE who were flown in via 13 special commercial repatriation flights and one DFA-chartered flight. "The DFA reaffirmed its commitment to bring home our overseas Filipinos from the UAE as the deadline to leave the country, for those with expired tourist visas, drew near," the department said in a statement. A total of 2,349 seafarers also arrived this past week from Bangladesh, Italy, Spain, Japan, Singapore, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago, among others. The DFA also facilitated the repatriation of stranded Filipinos from Mongolia, Palau, an...

Despite the political bickerings, Vice President Noli "Kabayan" De Castro gave hope to Filipinos, saying the Philippines is facing a better future. Speaking during the Centro Escolar University (CEU) Centennial Quality Awards in Mendiola, Manila yesterday, De Castro said he sees better days ahead for the country owing to the kind of education that the youth is getting from schools today. De Castro particularly cited the educational institutions that can be found in the University Belt in Manila such as the CEU and the University of the East (UE) where he graduated.Proof to this, he said, is the growing number of Filipinos who are being employed in foreign lands because of their competitive will in almost any field."Our educational system continues to produce quality graduates who can make it abroad," De Castro, who is also the Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), said. The Vice President cited the benefits of having more OFWs among which is that...

The country's largest banking institutions have joined hands to develop a special and more affordable remittance system for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as part of their efforts to support the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) in ensuring the effective reintegration of OFWs from the time they decide to leave for abroad until their eventual return to the Philippines. Labor and Employment Secretary Arturo D. Brion said that nine major cooperating banks have jointly expressed their support and commitment to collaborate with the NRCO to actively engage in delivering programs, services, and projects or activities aimed at reintegrating returning OFWs to the social and economic mainstream. Brion said the cooperating banks issued a joined statement of support to the NRCO during the recent stakeholders' workshop held at the Blas P. Ople Development Center Bldg., which houses the NRCO in Intramuros, Manila.The banks, which were represented at the stakeholders' worksh...

DOLE starts issuing certificates to successful nursing exams retakersThe Department of Labor and Employment on Monday started issuing Certificates to successful examinees who took the June 11, 2007 nursing licensure retake examination. Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said his office started issuing Certificates upon presentation of the examinee's PRC license from 9 a.m. and from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.The DOLE set up a schedule for the successful examinees to follow for the release of individual certificates. Brion said those residing outside of Metro Manila who wish to claim their Certificates via the DOLE Regional Offices are advised to register with the Regional Office nearest their place of residence/work.Proxy claimants or representatives are required to present an authorization letter and a photocopy of the examinee's PRC License. The original license must be presented, it said.The schedule for the issuance of certificates is as follows: September 3, 2007 AALA - ANGELES September ...

A Turkish court acquitted this week a Filipino ship captain and four of his crew of charges of smuggling marijuana into Turkey last May. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported Friday night that the 14th criminal court in Istanbul found no evidence to substantiate the charges against the accused. Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Bahnarim Guinomla said those cleared were Captain Reynaldo Derige, Second Officer Julio Cagampan, Chief Engineer Othoniel Bungalso, Chief Officer Alberto Jose and Bosun Franciscio Pontillas.Guinomla said he has asked Mrs. Ana Maria Cristina Oben-Nazareno, Vice President of Wallem Maritime Services, Inc., to help coordinate the early repatriation of Capt. Derge and his crew with the shipping agent in Istanbul. The case against Derige and his crew stemmed from the discovery of marijuana inside metal containers and attached to the bottom of the ship “Federal Fuji" that they were manning.Court records showed that the marijuana was discovered when the s...

A Filipino seafarer died while nine others were rescued off Port Alfred in South Africa when their ship, MV Douala Tide capsized on Aug. 23.Philippine ambassador to South Africa Virgilo Reyes reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday that the 37-foot anchor handling tug was sailing from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to Douala, Cameroon when it ran into six to eight-meter swells with 20 to 25-knot winds around 25 nautical miles offshore from the Fish River Lighthouse in Port Alfred.The DFA is withholding the identity of the lone fatality pending notification of his immediate family.The nine Filipinos who survived the sinking are: 1. C/Engr. Genovevo Albarracin2. 2/Engr. Fidel Mascardo, Jr.3. 2/Mate Exserio Olasiman4. Bosun Jessie Villanueva5. Jose Feliciano, Jr.6. Ronelo Supot7. Octavio Omaguing, Jr.8. Nilven Dieron, and9. Warren Erlano.The ship’s Honduran captain was also rescued.The South African National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) reported that Maritime Radio Services ...

Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. on Thursday called for a Senate probe on the move of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to require seafarers to take additional management-level course (MLC). Pimentel said he found no justifiable reason for the additional subject requirement, which will cost each seaman P42,000 for marine deck course and P52,000 for engine course.The PRC junked the appeal of seafarers’ groups to scrap the MLC as a requirement for the issuance of certificate of competency that seafarers need for employment."The mandatory MLC, besides being an additional cost to seafarers, is allegedly a repetition since most of the topics in the course are already part of four to five-year marine deck and marine engineering courses," Pimentel said.The Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping Convention (STCW) does not require the MLC. Moreover, foreign employers do not also require the course as a condition for employment, the senator said.He ...

The nine Filipino seafarers rescued off Port Alfred in South Africa when their ship capsized and sank on Aug. 23 are due to arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport shortly before noon Monday. Claro Cristobal, spokesman of the Department of Foreign Affairs, said the survivors from MV Douala Tide will be planing in via Cathay Pacific flight CX 901 from Hong Kong at 11:15 am.It was not known if the remains of the lone Filipino fatality would also be arriving on the same flight. Philippine ambassador to South Africa Virgilo Reyes reported to the DFA last Thursday that the 37-foot anchor handling tug was sailing from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to Douala, Cameroon when it ran into six to eight-meter swells with 20 to 25-knot winds around 25 nautical miles offshore from the Fish River Lighthouse in Port Alfred. The nine Filipinos who survived the sinking are:1. C/Engr. Genovevo Albarracin2. 2/Engr. Fidel Mascardo, Jr.3. 2/Mate Exserio Olasiman4. Bosun Jessie Villanueva5. Jose Fel...

Manpower agencies sending Filipino workers to Saudi Arabia have urged the Department of Health to widen the coverage of health insurance for dependents of OFWs. The Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. lamented that the program as limited in time, funding and coverage, according to online news site Arab News (www.arabnews.com) Sunday. “You cannot expect to achieve something significant with a pittance of funding considering the big number of Overseas Filipino Workers and their dependents," said PASEI president Victor Fernandez Jr. Fernandez also said PhilHealth has to be more vigilant to prevent fraudulent claims, which were reported to have deprived the agency of at least P1 billion the past few years. Under the current arrangement, vacationing OFWs and their legal dependents would get enhanced medical benefits under a “zero co-pay system" or free medical services with accredited hospitals until December. Acting PhilHealth president Lorna Fajardo said there wil...

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo instructed the Social Security System on Monday to expand its membership base by covering all overseas Filipino workers. Currently, OFWs are covered by the SSS on a voluntary basis. Documented workers overseas are estimated at more than eight million. In a speech marking the pension agency’s 50th founding anniversary, the President said OFWs should be included in its roster of more than 27 million members by making their coverage mandatory. SSS members regularly paying their monthly contributions may be entitled to benefits such as death, disability, maternity (for females), retirement, sickness, funeral, medical care, 13th month pension and dependent’s pension. Members can also apply for loans for salary, educational, calamity, housing, stock investment, privatization, livelihood lending and other business loans. During the anniversary rites at the agency’s main office in East Avenue in Quezon City, Mrs Arroyo also directed the SSS executive...

Vice President Manuel "Noli" De Castro Jr. will endorse to President Arroyo a petition by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to establish a preferential foreign exchange fund for them. Online news site Arab News ( arabnews.com ) reported Tuesday that De Castro agreed to endorse the letter seeking a fixed P50:$1 rate instead of the varying daily market price. The website of De Castro posted a press release regarding the matter, which said that, "For his part, De Castro explained to the (OFW) group that he would endorse their letter to the President and will monitor the progress of their request." "De Castro said that the government should reciprocate OFWs sacrifices with more incentives and protection," De Castro's website said.It said the petitioners Center for Migrants Advocacy (CMA) and the V-Team – Advocacy and Community Service sought "a fixed 10% premium above the exchange rate prevailing in the market or a flat rate" of P50 pesos to a dol...

Hello all. As everyone has been using the Web as their medium of communication, KAKAMMPI has launched its website and other online materials to continue reach to more and more OFWs and OFW migrants all over the world. KAKAMMPI.org a.k.a. "KAKAMMPI Online" will be hosting various medias such as OFW Radio Drama, Weekly OFW News (via YouTube) and hopefully, Peercast OFW Radiostation. Please check back our site always for new updates.