News Briefs: Saudi Arabia to hire 200 nurses for cardiac centers

Saudi Arabia to hire 200 nurses for cardiac centers

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health is looking for 200 critical care nurses for the country’s cardiac centers. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration  has set a tentative schedule for the examinations and interviews from Feb. 20 to 24. The positions come with a monthly salary of 4,110 Saudi riyals (about P54,580), a SR 295 yearly increase, free food and lodging and a paid annual vacation with free round trip plane ticket. Applicants must have Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees, nursing board license, a prometric passer, at least three years work experience and be 45 years old or below.  Applicants should register online at www.eregister.poea.qov.ph and personally submit a detailed resume. Other requirements are school credentials, employment certificates, copy of passport and two 2×2 ID photos.  The requirements should be submitted in a folder with the marking “MOH-Cardiac Center” at the Manpower Registry Division, Window T, Ground Floor, Blas F. Ople building at Ortigas Avenue corner EDSA, Mandaluyong City. —Julie M. Aurelio

Former PhilPost chief posts bail

Former Postmaster-General Ma. Josefina dela Cruz has posted a bail of P360,000 after the Sandiganbayan denied her motion for the reinvestigation of her cases for her alleged failure to remit an employee’s loan payments to the Government Service Insurance System. This secures her temporary liberty, shortly after the court, in a six-page minute resolution, ordered her arrest and affirmed there was probable cause to try her for 15 counts of violating Section 52(g) of the GSIS Act of 1997. The Philippine Postal Corp. was found not to have remitted on time the amortization deducted from the salary of Zamboanga City employee Santos Jose Pamatong, Jr. —Vince F. Nonato

Dismissal of Puerto Princesa mayor still hangs

The dismissal from services of Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron could not be implemented yet, the Court of Appeals (CA) said. Bayron was ordered dismissed from service by the Office of the Ombudsman last November over nepotism-related charges. The appeals court’s 8th Division said the mayor’s petition with the appeals court is considered “premature” because his Motion for Reconsideration with the Ombudsman has yet to be resolved. Bayron urged the CA to issue a Temporary Restraining Order and Writ of Preliminary Injunction from the appellate court citing an implementing endorsement of Assistant Ombudsman Jennifer Jardin-Manalili to the Department of Interior and Local Government for implementation of the dismissal order. “In actual fact, the dismissal is not immediately executory,” the CA’s four-page resolution stated. —Tetch Torres-Tupas

Gatchalian seeks court nod to go on study tour in Japan

Valenzuela City Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian has sought the Sandiganbayan Second Division’s permission to go on study tour to Fukuoka, Japan from Feb. 28 to March 6. In a three-page motion, Gatchalian’s camp told the court that “he has not shown, by word or by deed, that he is of such a flight risk.” The motion stressed that the mayor “has consistently been respectful” of the court’s proceedings in the criminal case over the May 2015 Kentex slipper factory fire that killed 74. But state prosecutors filed a two-page opposition because Gatchalian had not informed the court of details such as the place and contact number of his accommodations in Japan. They also noted that Gatchalian attached an itinerary that was “in Japanese characters and covers only up to March 3, 2017.” —Vince F. Nonato

Casual gov’t employees to get one-time gratuity bonus

Job order and contractual workers in the government will be getting a one-time gratuity bonus courtesy of President Rodrigo Duterte. Under Administrative Order No. 2, job order and contractual workers who have rendered a total of four months of service as of Dec. 15, 2016, and whose contracts remain effective, may be granted a one-time gratuity pay of P2,000 each. Those who have worked for less than four months as of Dec. 15, 2016, and with effective contracts may get a one-time gratuity pay not exceeding P1,000. The order, which was dated Jan. 31, takes effect immediately. —Leila B. Salaverria

BI launches mobile app for alien certificate of registration

Next month, foreigners applying for an alien certificate of registration identity card (ACR I-Card) won’t have to go to the Bureau of Immigration to follow up on their papers. The BI will launch a mobile text messaging platform aimed at making the application process for the ACR I-Card more convenient for foreigners in the country. Starting March 1, foreigners no longer need to go to the BI’s offices to follow up on the status of their application. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the applicants would receive text messages informing them that their ACR I-Cards are ready for pickup at the BI main office in Intramuros, Manila. —Julie M. Aurelio

New bishop of Puerto Princesa named

Bishop Socrates Mesiona has been installed the new prelate of the diocese of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, in ceremonies held at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral on Friday.  The Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Guiseppe Pinto, Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo and some 30 archbishops and bishops attended the three-hour installation of Mesiona, who was named by Pope Francis in October last year. Mesiona replaced bishop Pedro Arigo, 77, who served the diocese for 20 years. Born in Tagbilaran City in September 1963, Mesiona was ordained as a priest at the age of 25 in 1989. —Julie M. Aurelio