POPNews|today (02•04•2014)

1. Featuring
The wRap (Rappler)
04 FEBRUARY 2014 • TUESDAY

2. TOP 5
Tobacco firms’
influence in PH
and Southeast
Asia
The Philippines is among the countries in Southeast
Asia where tobacco companies enjoy unregulated
influence over policies affecting their industry.
With a score of 71, the Philippines ranks 3rd in the
Tobacco Industry Interference Index. The
Philippines follows Indonesia (78) and Malaysia
(72). Following the Philippines are Cambodia (68),
Lao PDR (61), Thailand (51) and Brunei (29). This
indicates the Philippines is failing to implement a
global treaty on tobacco control, which seeks to
limit interference by tobacco industry in the
implementation of health policies. The index
found that there is a high level of unnecessary
government interaction with the tobacco industry,
like corporate social responsibility (CSR)
activities and participation in policy development.

3. TOP 4
Corruption in
European Union
“breathtaking”
The European Union said corruption is costing the EU economy at
least 120 billion euros annually. In a BBC report, EU Home
Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem said the extent of
the problem was “breathtaking,” with the cost roughly
equivalent to the bloc's annual budget. The Commission
studied corruption in all 28 EU member states, the first time it
has done such a survey. In Croatia, the Czech Republic,
Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece, between 6% and 29%
of respondents said they had been asked for a bribe, or had
been expected to pay one, in the past 12 months. There were
also high levels of bribery in Poland, Slovakia and Hungary,
where the most prevalent instances were in healthcare. The
best results were from the UK, where only five people out of
1,115 - less than 1% - said they had been expected to pay a bribe.
The BBC quoted Malmstroem saying corruption was eroding
trust in democracy and draining resources from the legal
economy. The report had its share of controversy, as some
countries criticized the European Commission for interfering in
areas which they believed were none of its business.

4. TOP 3
Biggest issue is
mobility
Despite a relatively peaceful election,
tourists in Thailand are advised to avoid
rally sites as anti-government protests
are still expected in the capital Bangkok,
which remains under a state of
emergency. CNN reports the biggest issue
for tourists is mobility, with six major
intersections closed off by protesters.
Some of the protests are also in popular
tourism areas near major hotels. Tourists
are advised to leave for the airport four
hours before their flight. Thailand's
Ministry of Tourism has also set up
assistance centers at the country's two
major airports.

5. TOP 2
US warns against
a coup
The United States warned against moves to stage a
military coup in Thailand as anti-government
protesters vowed to press on with their fight after
a disrupted weekend election. The US said it was
"concerned that political tensions" were
challenging the divided kingdom's democracy.
Thailand's protest-plagued elections have
ushered in a new chapter of political uncertainty
that experts say leaves the embattled government
increasingly vulnerable to court intervention or a
military coup. "We certainly do not want to see a
coup or violence," US State Department
spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. Defiant
demonstrators pledge to continue weeks-long
street rallies aimed at ousting Thai Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra. There is little sign of an end
to the deadlock, with the ruling Puea Thai party
braced for court challenges against the poll.

6. TOP 1
Int’l advocacy
group: PH lost
$410 billion in
illicit
transactions
An international advocacy group said the Philippines lost
$410 billion in illicit transactions. The $133 billion in
outflows and $277 billion in inflows mean so much trade
goes on unreported. Global Financial Integrity
managing director Tom Cardamone said the country
has “continually ranked very high” in terms of illicit
money flowing in and out of it over the last several
years. Cardamone said the illicit transactions needed to
be addressed in the immediate term, adding, "It's
unclear where the economy is going to go from here
with that kind of tax loss." He also said there appears to
be a correlation between levels of corruption and levels
of illicit flows. Since 1995, the Philippines has shown a
“steady decline in the control of corruption.” Poorlygoverned countries also tend to have a large
underground economy. In the Philippines, this
constitutes about 39% of the GDP.

7. SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Rappler
COPYRIGHT:
13 January 2014
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