Top 10 2012 news highlights featured in Pagtuki

By Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.
January 4, 2013

CEBU CITY – The Dec. 30 episode of “Pagtuki”, the official radio program of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), wraps up the top ten news makers of 2012 – from big political names, current events to weather forecast, among others.

The suspension of Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia tops the list. Garcia asked the Court of Appeals to stop the suspension order against her that stemmed from an administrative case in 2010.

Garcia said that police could only stop her if they will physically drag her out from her office. The Cebu police, however, said they would not physically remove Garcia from her office unless ordered.

Garcia still continues to “hole up” in her office from December until now.

Second is the canonization of Pedro Calungsod. Filipinos followed the journey to sainthood of Blessed Pedro Calungsod, who officially became a saint last Oct. 20 in a ceremony officiated by Pope Benedict XVI in Vatican, Rome. Saint Pedro Calungsod is a Visayan teenage Catholic missionary who died a martyr in Guam.

Third, super typhoon Pablo caused havoc in areas in Mindanao. Based on the records of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), typhoon Pablo has destroyed P36.95 billion worth of infrastructure, agricultural products and private properties. The death toll from the typhoon stayed at 1,067 while 834 persons are still missing.

Thousands of people remain homeless after Pablo brought flash floods that wiped out the affected areas.

In Cebu City, classes and work were suspended on Dec. 4 and 5 in all school levels and government offices. The mayor also held a meeting with the Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Council.

The earthquake and the false tsunami alert in Cebu last February 2 ranks fourth. People ran to the streets, cars were abandoned, and traffic was jammed after reports of rising seawater in the coastal areas of Cebu City.

The panic was due to a tsunami scare brought about by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit Cebu and Negros islands.

The passage of the Reproductive Health Bill places fifth. The House of Representatives approved the bill last December, which had been certified as “urgent” by President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino Jr.

The church continues its futile campaign against the move since it has now been made in a law.

On sixth spot is the death of then Department of Local and Interior Government Secretary Jesse Robredo. His lifeless body was recovered at the crash site off the coast of Masbate City last Aug. 18.

Pilot Captain Jessup Bahinting and co-pilot, Nepalese flight student Kshitiz Chand, were also confirmed dead. From August 21 until his interment, all government buildings and installations around the country lowered the national flag to half-staff in compliance with the President’s proclamation declaring the national days of mourning for Robredo.

Seventh on the list is the implementation of the controversial Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 even after its provisions were questioned before the Supreme Court last October. But the High Tribunal issued a temporary restraining order (TRO), which lasts for 120 days, thus oral arguments on the case will be held on Jan. 15.

On May 29, 2012, Corona was found guilty of Article II of the Articles of Impeachment filed against him pertaining to his failure to disclose to the public his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Corona was appointed Chief Justice on May 12, 2010. He was the most senior Supreme Court justice among the four nominees from the Judicial and Bar Council.

Second to the last is the feeding of whale sharks in Oslob. The practice was questioned after Dr. Lemnuel Aragones, a marine mammal expert, said that feeding whale sharks is an “irresponsible use of natural resources, which could easily be mismanaged and abused.”

Oslob officials still continue to raise awareness and education about marine life among its locals.

Completing the list is the formation of Mega Cebu. Cebu’s private sector is determined to lead in pushing for the realization of the Mega Cebu project, a move to create a 30-year master plan that will put Cebu at par with key metropolitan destinations in the world.

The Metro Cebu Development Coordinating Board (MCDCB) is the proponent of the Mega Cebu master plan led by the Cebu Provincial Government, RAFI, and six large private sector groups like Cebu Business Club (CBC), Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) and Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), among others.