Business, Economy, Health & Medicine, Human Interest, Law Enforcement, Politics

PHILIPPINE TOBACCO LAW PUT ON HOLD: GRAPHIC WARNING ON CIGARETTE PACKETS TOO GRAPHIC

August 7, 2014 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Filipinos won't see similar graphics seen in this warning label on cigarette packs in Thailand. — Filipinos won’t see similar graphics seen in this warning label on cigarette packs in Thailand.

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – A new law requiring that graphic warnings showing the harmful effects of smoking be placed on all cigarette packs sold in the Philippines has been put on hold. The reason: Filipinos consider the graphic photos too graphic.

The new law, signed by President NoyNoy Aquino last July, was supposed to be in effect this month, but it has been postponed until May of 2016, to the delight of the powerful tobacco-growing industry.

The proposed graphic warnings feature gruesome photographs of the ill effects of smoking, including skin and throat cancer as well as emaciated bodies of smokers.

Soon after the proposed graphic designs were made public, tobacco companies initiated a petition to put the new law on hold until less offensive, less repulsive and less nauseating photographs are used on cigarette packs. The petition drew more than 1 Million signatures, prompting officials to suspend the law’s implementation.

In an exclusive interview with The Adobo Chronicles, a spokesperson for the Inter-Agency Committee on Tobacco (IAC-T) said that the committee has decided to replace the graphic photos with a picture of President Aquino smoking a cigarette. “Because of the growing unpopularity of Aquino, having his photograph on cigarette packs would encourage smokers to quit while discouraging young kids from starting to smoke.”

The new graphic warning on cigarette packs won’t be rolled out until May of 2016, just weeks before the president’s six-year term as president comes to an end. “That way, there will be no conflict of interest or impropriety when Aquino receives compensation and royalty from the tobacco companies for the use of his photograph,” the spokesperson said.

This will be the photo that will be used in the graphic warnings on cigarette packs:

Law Enforcement, Politics

PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT FACES TOTAL SHUT DOWN AS IMPEACHMENT CASES POUR IN

August 6, 2014 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice Sereno

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Impeachment is a legitimate process in most democratic governments in which officials violating the constitution are tried, investigated and booted out of office. It is part of the principle of checks and balance, ensuring that the three branches of government – executive, legislative and judicial – are functioning within the rule of law.

But it is this very same legitimate process that may lead to a total government shut down in the Philippines. Top legislators are facing impeachment for unlawful use of PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund); the President faces impeachment for unlawful use of DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program); and the Supreme Court Chief Justice faces impeachment for unlawful use of JDF (Judiciary Development Fund). The common denominator of these funds is, of course, taxpayer money.

Three top senators – Juan Ponce Enrile, Bong Revilla, Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada are now in jail for alleged participation in the 10 Billion-peso pork barrel scam, while President NoyNoy Aquino faces impeachment complaints after the Philippine Supreme Court ruled that some of his actions under DAP violated the constitution. Now, Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Serena herself is being threatened with impeachment in connection with JDF.

“So who is left to run the government?” This question is foremost in the minds of 100 Million Filipinos.

Leading political experts are predicting that with a total government shut down, the country is left with a few options: convert to a monarchy, become a militaristic state or submit to the administrative rule of the Vatican. More tham 86 percent of Filipinos are Catholic.

Incidentally, Pope Francis is scheduled to visit the Philippines next January.

Politics

RALPH NADER CONFLICTED OVER POTENTIAL RUNNING MATE IN 2016 U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

August 6, 2014 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Winsted, Connecticut (The Adobo Chronicles) – Ralph Nader is a five-time candidate for president of the United States. In 1992, he was a write-in candidate in the New Hampshire Democratic primary. In 1996 and 2000, he was the nominee for the Green Party. In 2004 and 2008, he ran as an independent candidate.

Now, Nader, 80, is ready to be the standard bearer for the Tea Party and this is making the Republican Party stalwarts nervous about their chances of securing the presidency in 2016.

That Nader is running again, or that he has embraced the Tea Party, is not the big news. Rather, it is the fact that the political activist, author, lecturer and attorney is very conflicted about whom he will choose as his vice presidential running mate. He has narrowed down his choices to three — all women: former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann and Arizona Governor Jan Brewer.

In an exclusive interview with The Adobo Chronicles, Nader said that having a woman as his running mate is crucial, given that the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee is Hillary Clinton. “We need to ensure that we have the support of women voters,” he said.

Explaining his conflicted mind, Nader added that “all three women are recognized leaders and have the political experience on both the state and national levels. I am very impressed with their bold and intelligent stance on issues important to the voters — from immigration, to health care, to gay rights. They are all model soccer moms. Any of the three would be a darling of the religious and conservative right as well as the sparsely-populated states in the south and midwest.”

“In terms of media appeal, they represent the spectrum of endearing personae. They are all great public speakers and it’s hard to choose among Palin’s high-pitch tone to Brewer’s baritone voice to Bachmann’s nasal sound. It all boils down to who is the most telegenic of the three,” Nadal said with a wink in his eye.

Nader is expected to announce his decision by the fall this year. “The early bird catches the worm,” he joked. It was not clear which of the three women he was referring to when he made the joke.