Coloma, RPN-9 union to hold dialogue Feb. 22
Moves to privatize government-owned television station Radio Philippines Network Channel 9 (RPN-9) remain on course when a dialogue with government, represented by Presidential Communications and Operation Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., is held with union members on Tuesday, February 22.
This meeting, Coloma said, is a result of his directive to network management “to call the union leaders anew to explain programs aimed at making the network’s operations more viable in order to address the employees’ needs.”
He added that part of the meeting is meant to discuss plans on how to improve the station’s financial status in order to be more attractive to potential investors.
Coloma, who earlier held a two-hour meeting with 15 leaders of the RPN-9 employees union last January 31, said the meeting on Tuesday is part of government’s continuing efforts to finally privatize RPN-9 and sister station IBC (Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation) Channel 13 (the latter still awaiting formal talks between union leaders and PCOO).
The sale of the said television stations could boost the government's coffers and help stop the ballooning budget deficit. (PCOO)
Religious group join Aquino's call for unity and prayer for 3 Filipinos facing death in China
Various religious organizations have expressed elation over the decision of the Chinese Supreme Court to defer the scheduled executions by lethal injection of three Filipinos convicted for drug trafficking on Monday and Tuesday, saying the development is a result of prayers and mounting appeals to save them from the death row.
On Friday, Vice President Jejomar Binay, head of the high-level Philippine delegation organized by President Benigno S. Aquino III, announced that China had agreed to postpone the execution and the diplomatic triumph they got was the result of their last-ditch appeal for clemency for the three Filipinos. He returned home Saturday night from China.
As a result of this, Monsignor Pedro Quitorio III, media director of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines said the Catholic Church is happy over the diplomatic triumph and thanked the Chinese government for postponing the execution of Ramon Credo, 42, Sally Villanueva, 32, and Elizabeth Batain, 38.
Carmen Buencamino, head of the Awit ng Bayan ni Maria interfaith spiritual community has also said Catholic Church laity organizations join the mounting appeals for the Chinese government to commute the capital punishment meted the three Filipinos.
“We hope and pray that our pleas be heeded by our Chinese brethren. We also urge our people to continue praying for our countrymen,” Buencamino said.
Efren Rafanan of the National Spiritual Council of the Philippines said as a peace loving and pro-life nation, Filipinos are asking for divine intervention so that the Chinese government would downgrade from death to life imprisonment the punishment of the three Filipinos.
“We do not condone drug trafficking but what we are appealing that the lives of the victims be saved as it is the heads of these drug rings that deserve to be caught and punished if we really want to put an end to drug trafficking,” Rafanan said in a statement.
On the other hand, Imam Council of the Philippines chairman Aleem Said Ahman Bashen said they are supporting President Aquino’s call for national unity in praying to save the lives of Batain, Credo, and Villanueva.
“We are praying for reprieve or leniency, we are not asking that they be pardoned. What we are asking is for a clemency or their punishment to be downgraded from death to life imprisonment,” Bashen said. (PCOO)
