BI TO PALACE: RECONSIDER ORDER RE NOY'S CARDS / ADVICE RE HOTDOGS...
MANILA, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010 (STAR) By Rudy Santos - The Bureau of Immigration (BI) urged Malaca�ang to reconsider the decision to recall the arrival/departure cards bearing the photograph of President Aquino and allow the bureau to use up the remaining cards with Aquino photos.
The President ordered the BI to stop using the cards after he found out that his photograph was printed on the front page of the cards without his permission.
�They (BI) just asked that those published be consumed first. Konting panahon na lang po at mauubos na rin ang mga cards na yan na may litrato ng pangulo (It�s only a matter of time before they run out). His overall policy is he doesn�t want his picture everywhere,� said Presidential Communications Group Secretary Herminio Coloma.
Airport sources said that the BI had already printed about a year�s supply or an estimated 18 to 20 million copies of the arrival/departure cards and distributed these to some 34 members of the Airline Operators Council (AOC).
Philippine Airlines (PAL), the biggest user of the cards, use up about five million copies a year, followed by Cebu Pacific with a yearly consumption of three million copies.
The remaining 10 million copies are distributed to other airliners belonging to the AOC.
The international airline carriers issue about 30,000 copies of the arrival/departure cards daily, according to airport sources.
The President got irked when he saw his smiling face on the cover of the card while he was filling it up prior to his departure for a working visit to the United States last week.
He immediately ordered that all the cards with his photograph be removed, an order he had issued to all government agencies, especially members of the local government units (LGUs), who made it a habit to put their photographs and names in all government projects.
Since January 2010, the BI took control in the distribution of the arrival/departure cards to passengers at the airport terminals.
BI allegedly signed a contract with X-tend, Inc., allegedly for 10 years, to print the cards reportedly at a cost of P5 per copy, although the airline said they were able to have the same cards printed for only P1.50.
Too many hotdogs bad for health, Zubiri tells Noy By Christina Mendez (The Philippine Star) Updated September 27, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (54) View comments
MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday advised President Aquino not to indulge in too many hotdogs and instead eat more nutritious food to avoid heart disease and fatty liver.
Earlier this week, Mr. Aquino was seen having a hotdog sandwich on a New York City sidewalk.
Zubiri said he understands that Mr. Aquino wants to show that his administration is not overspending on trips but would like to remind the President to have healthy eating habits.
�But if our President eats hotdogs and hamburgers every day, he might suffer from heart disease and fatty liver,� he said. �I appeal to the President to watch our for your health.�
Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is also known to suffer from fatty liver.
Malaca�ang has promised that the expenditures of Mr. Aquino�s delegation to the US would not be as much as the previous administration�s.
There were adverse reactions, however, to the hiring of a public relations firm based in the US to handle the publicity for Mr. Aquino�s visit because it offsets the government funds saved from simple dinners.
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