MikeLigalig.com

Congratulations to my fellow Valencianhon, Dra. Concepcion "Inday Conching" Ong Lim, for making history as the first woman vice governor of the equally historic province of Bohol.

Prior to winning the race to become the province's highest elected official, Dra. Inday occupied various positions as follows:

Municipal Mayor of Valencia - 1988 to 1998 (undefeated)
Executive Vice President, League of Municipalities of the Philippines Bohol Chapter - 1992 to 1995
President, League of Municipalities of the Philippines Bohol Chapter - 1995 to 1998
National Treasurer, League of Municipalities of the Philippines - 1995 to 1998

Member, Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Bohol - 1998 to 2007 (undefeated)
National President, League of Provincial Board Members of the Philippines

Barangay Captain, Canmanico, Valencia, Bohol - 2007 -present (unopposed)
President, Association of Barangay Captains - 2007 - present (unopposed)

Official and final result:

Mayor:
Henrietta Lim-Gan -   6,490
Leo Lim-Olegario -     5,334

Vice-Mayor:
George Busolon -       5,808
Boy Dango -             5,483

Councilor: 7 from Lim-Gan Team and 1 from O/D Team

Humana! maghiusa na ta para sa kauswagan ug kaugmaon sa valencia ug mga valencianhon.

Patrick Nambatac is a former SK President of Valencia and i think, a barangay kagawad of Poblacion Occidental, Valencia and a known ally and supporter of the Lim family. 

Joe Cagulada is a retired military officer and presently the barangay captain of Poblacion Occidental and a known figure of the opposition.

Unsa mang hitaboa nga gikapkapan man si patrick samtang nagpatubil sa gasoline station.

This is political harassment at its best. dugang sa live bullet nga gipada sa kapitan (from the opposition, most probably) sa anoyon nga ally sad sa mga lim.

Ang problema ining mga taga opposition sa valencia, kung sila ang muduwa, legal. pero kung muduwa si conching lim ug henhen gan, illegal! Yataps! 

Unja kung mapildi, mag people power kuno silang mga taga oppostion. Yataps again!

(from the bohol standard online)

“Down to the barangay level and puroks, the support is very clear and loud, - for the Chatto-Lim tandem and the whole party slate here.”

This is how the Lakas-Kampi-CMD group bannered by gubernatorial timber Rep. Edgar Chatto and his vice governor, Board Member Concepcion Lim, assessed the chances of winning in the coming May 10 elections.

Lim, the incumbent provincial federation president of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC), which is composed of captains and councils of 1,109 barangays in Bohol expressed confidence that the support of barangay leaders, all declaring their commitment to the Chatto-Lim group, will determine the outcome of the elections.

The genuine Lakas group also reaffirmed their support to the party line-up led in the national level by presidential bet Gibo Teodoro and in Bohol by Chatto.

The true Lakas said it had proven its solidarity while opportunists have failed in their attempts to convince the people that they are still credible, especially during the Bohol visit of NP’s Manny Villar.

“The true Lakas party had remained faithful, strong and intact, and this will insure victory in the polls,” the party’s advocacy group Padayon Bol-anon said.

STRONG LINE-UP

By its actual account, the Chatto camp is bolstered by the forces of congressional bets ex-Gov. Rene Relampagos of the First District, Judith Cajes of Second District and former Sec. Arthur Yap of the Third District, nine incumbent provincial board members and 27 incumbent mayors.

The majority board members include the provincial federation presidents of ABC, Philippine Councilors’ League (PCL) and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK).

The true Lakas group further involves the force of Rep. Roberto Cajes, who runs for Trinidad mayor and whose wife vies for Second District congresswoman.

The Chatto-led Lakas has a complete slate in Tagbilaran City, the provincial capital and Bohol’s richest in vote, and strong line-ups in the rest of the 47 towns. It also has Lakas candidates in towns where the mayors are not reelectionists.

Reports said Villar was not happy in learning that NP has no mayors and slates in Tagbilaran City and many towns. It has only three incumbent mayors and its candidates for mayors in only about 30 towns are either few former mayors, vice mayors or councilors.

The incumbent provincial board members in Chatto’s group are Lim, who is now running for vice governor, Yul Lopez, Jose Veloso, Alfonso Damalerio II, Jing Trabajo, Aster Apalisok Piollo, Ester Corazon Galbreath, PCL-Bohol President Boy Imboy and SK-Bohol President Jane Censoria Cajes.

Damalerio takes charge as Lakas provincial campaign manager while Veloso and Galbreath respectively runs for mayors in Maribojoc and Bilar under the Chatto flag. Lawyers Abel Damalerio and Benjie Arcamo and former Board Member Godofreda Tirol respectively fill their slots as candidates for board members.

The incumbent mayors in Chatto’s group are Cecilia Rebosura of Antequera; Victoria Chatto, Balilihan; Sulpicio Yu, Calape; Vito Rapal, Corella; Apolinaria Balistoy, Cortes; Luciano Bongalos, Dauis; Benedicto Alcala, Panglao; Lloyd Peter Lopez, Loon; Ireneo Calimpusan, Sikatuna; Luna Piezas, Tubigon; Hermogenes Diezon, Clarin; Tesalonica Boyboy, Pres. Garcia (formerly Pitogo); Apolinar Gumanid, Jr., San Isidro; Judith Cajes, Trinidad; Eutiquio Bernales, Ubay; Pedro Miasco, Alicia; Fanuel Cadeliña, Bilar; Sergio Amora, Jr., Candijay; Sylvia Adame, Dimiao; Manuel Tan, Duero; Myrna Schreurs, Garcia-Hernandez; Maria Fe Piezas, Guindulman; Rosemarie Imboy, Loay; Wilson Pajo, Pilar; Ceferino Digal, Sevilla; and Henrietta Gan, Valencia.

The loyal Lakas group likewise involves the force of the Bohol president of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines (VMLP), Tagbilaran City Vice Mayor Jose Antonio “Toto” Veloso, who is now running for city mayor.

TRUE LAKAS

Boholanos continue to amplify their support to the Chatto group, which crusades for a “selfless servant leadership.”

The group drew huge crowds in the proclamation rallies in Trinidad, Pilar and Alicia, as well as in the municipal slate rally in Guio-ang, Gundulman over the week.

Considered as the most serious and willing candidate for governor, Chatto has offered all his experiences, capacities and character in the best service of the Boholanos.

He confided to the people the truth against the consummate lies, mega-deceits and half-truths peddled by the man he has otherwise learned to respect all these years---Gov. Erico Aumentado---and his fellow conspirators, according to Lakas’ advocacy group Padayon Bol-anon.

In his open letter to his fellow Boholanos, Chatto let the people judge according to their wisdom, especially now that the grand design of deception of Aumentado, Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera, Mayor Dan Lim and their cohorts have been exposed to bare bones. (Ven rebo Arigo)

Maka-diyos ba ni?
Maka-tao ba ni?
Maka-demokrasya ba ni?

Village chief of Anoyon, Valencia, Bohol was threatened by the group of mayoralty candidate Ret. Brig. Gen. Leo Olegario.  The barangay captain, a known ally and loyalist of the group of incumbent mayor and administration candidate Mayor Henhen Lim Gan, found a live bullet enclosed in a letter with the note "ajaw pag-apil-apil".

Mao ni magpapipili pagka mayor sa valencia, bohol? wa pa gani mudaog, maghari hari na? wa pa mulingkod manghasi na?

Ug para sa mga naa sa gawas/abroad nga gidungug nga nagpaluyo sa kandidatura ni leo olegario, hope dili mo magmahay nga nakahatag mo.

What a shame!

Shame on you all sa naghimu ug niconsente ani!

Maka-diyos ba ni?
Maka-tao ba ni?
Maka-demokrasya ba ni?

Village chief of Anoyon, Valencia, Bohol was threatened by the group of mayoralty candidate Ret. Brig. Gen. Leo Olegario.  The barangay captain, a known ally and loyalist of the group of incumbent mayor and administration candidate Mayor Henhen Lim Gan, found a live bullet enclosed in a letter with the note "ajaw pag-apil-apil".

Mao ni magpapipili pagka mayor sa valencia, bohol? wa pa gani mudaog, maghari hari na? wa pa mulingkod manghasi na?

Ug para sa mga naa sa gawas/abroad nga gidungug nga nagpaluyo sa kandidatura ni leo olegario, hope dili mo magmahay nga nakahatag mo.

What a shame!

Shame on you all sa naghimu ug niconsente ani!

Maka-diyos ba ni?
Maka-tao ba ni?
Maka-demokrasya ba ni?

Village chief of Anoyon, Valencia, Bohol was threatened by the group of mayoralty candidate Ret. Brig. Gen. Leo Olegario.  The barangay captain, a known ally and loyalist of the group of incumbent mayor and administration candidate Mayor Henhen Lim Gan, found a live bullet enclosed in a letter with the note "ajaw pag-apil-apil".

Mao ni magpapipili pagka mayor sa valencia, bohol? wa pa gani mudaog, maghari hari na? wa pa mulingkod manghasi na?

Ug para sa mga naa sa gawas/abroad nga gidungug nga nagpaluyo sa kandidatura ni leo olegario, hope dili mo magmahay nga nakahatag mo.

What a shame!

Shame on you all sa naghimu ug niconsente ani!

Contrary to their claim that the group of olegario and dango, candidates for mayor and vice mayor, respectively, of the opposition in valencia, armand namoc, a candidate for sangguniang bayan under the opposition and son-in-law of sangguniang panglalawigan candidate dionisio balite, is giving out P50 per vote in valencia.

hahay!

Sa miaging piniliay sa tuig 2007, ang 3rd district gipalit sa mga Jala sa COMELEC (less than PhP1 million) para makapadayon ug hari si Eladio pinaagi sa iyang anak nga si Adam sa atong distrito.

Karung piniliay 2010, gibaligya sa mga Jala ang 3rd district nigadto kang Arthur Yap ug PhP50 million ug posisyon bali Commissioner sa Securities and Exchange Commission.

3RD DISTRICT, TUBAG mo.

Hi guys!

we are planning to conduct a seminar on anti money laundering laws and its implementing rules and regulations in bohol this march 2010 pero wala pa mi venue. please help!

this seminar will be conducted as part of our government's drive to fight money laundering and terrorism financing.

thanks and i am expecting suggestions/proposals this week.

from the bohol chronicle, on the rumored preparation of the Concepcion Ong Lim's family for the derby in the vice-gubernatorial race:

"Lim, until presstime, could not be reached for comments amid reports that the wealthy Lims of Valencia are having their funds ready for a vice gubernatorial race."

Vote now!

Dr. Gan is the incumbent mayor and scion of reputedly Bohol's richest and most liquid family.

Gen. Olegario, although a native of Valencia, is virtually unknown especially to the new generation of Valencianhons (except by name) since he was in the military and is (was?) residing in Manila. I am not aware too of his programs of government.

In Bohol Chronicle's editorial last 10 May 2009, an unnamed town in the province's third district was labeled as Bohol's "Maguindanao".

Which one is it? And why?

In accord with the town's leadership policy thrust of providing free secondary education to the least of our brethren, Governor Aumentado inaugurated on Saturday the new Mayor Pablo O. Lim Memorial High School in Marawis, a mountain barangay located some kilometers away from the town proper.

The school is named after the late mayor Pablo O. Lim, patriarch of the cash rich Lim family that ruled the town for more than two (2) decades, a key ally and campaign contributor of the Governor.

Before the establishment of the said school, the town has only one public high school serving its mountain barangays bounding with interior towns as far as bilar and carmen. The school is particularly a good news to our students from the said barangays as not only will it enable them to save on expenses in going to and from school, they will also be able to stay with their families as some of them are forced to rent rooms in the town proper just to finish high school.
     

kinsay nakadaug diay mga sano/sana?

nagelection daw last sunday ingun ako source. bibo ra ba na sila mag election kay sagulan ug politica sa mga alumni.

BSP Approves New Rules for Pawnshops

05.04.2009


The Monetary Board, the policy making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, approved on 30 April 2009 a new set of rules that will govern all pawnshops operating throughout the country.

Pawnshops have increased in number over the years and they have provided an alternative source of credit to a large segment of our population, particularly those who do not like to go to banks.

The new rules will replace the existing implementing rules and regulations of Presidential Decree No. 114 also known as the Pawnshop Regulation Act issued in 1973.

The new rules are designed to enhance consumer protection and foster confidence in the pawnshop industry by the pawning public.  For instance, proprietors, partners, incorporators, directors, stockholders and officers of pawnshops must meet certain “fit and proper” standards to ensure that pawnshops are owned and run by people without any derogatory record and to promote good governance.  Pawnshops will also be required to maintain a minimum level of capital or net worth in relation to their loan portfolio.  The existing statutory capital of P100,000 has become too small and it is susceptible to the proliferation of “fly-by-night” operators.

Under the law, pawners have 90 days after maturity to redeem their pawned articles and pawnshops must notify their clients within the 90 day period before they can sell the pawned items in an auction.  For the convenience of pawners, the new rules will require them to indicate in the pawn ticket their preferred mode of receiving the notice, whether by mail or courier to a given address, or by SMS or text through a specified mobile phone.

On the part of pawnshops, they will be required to comply with explicit “Know Your Pawner” procedures consistent with the requirements of the Anti-Money Laundering Act and to address concerns on the Anti-Fencing Law.  For transparency and to minimize malpractices, pawnshops will be required to post in their premises the Acknowledgement of Registration or Authority to Operate issued by the BSP, business days and hours of the pawnshop, their interest rate and charges for loans, among others.

The new rules will take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.

Recently, the BSP signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Interior and Local Governments on the sharing of information between BSP and the city and municipal government units to ensure that only those that have the proper business permits and registered with the BSP are transacting with the public.

Let your voice be heard!  Vote now, mga sano/sana!

wala lang, mingaw na man mga taga valencia.

pwede i-announce diha sa mga radio stations nga naay forum ngani sa internet?

(got this one on the bulletin of my friendster account)

Message: My dear Fellow Alumna/Alumnus,

A group of VHS alumni met at the principal's office of our alma mater last Sunday, Nov. 23, to discuss about the possibility of holding another grand reunion. There were close to 30 alumni in that meeting among whom were Vic Bantol who also presided in behalf of Lindy Adame, President, Dr. Guido Lim, Atty. Dionisio Balite, Mary M. Dairo, Gloria Cajilog, Lilio Palac, Ben Gamalo, and other young alumni.

Anyway, the body agreed to hold the grand reunion on May 8, 9 and 10, 2009 - Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We are aware that time is short but with each and every alumna/alumnus putting in some extra effort, we are confident that this reunion will surpass the two previous ones.

We are, therefore, calling on you to help us network among all alumni in your contact list and let them know that plans are being laid for the next reunion. The body believes that the dates selected will be close enough to the fiestas of May 3 (Sta. Cruz), May 5 (Pob. Sur), 6 (Canduao), 9 (Cansibao), 15 (San Isidro) etc., etc. We know how important the fiestas are to our townmates and to come home for the homecoming is an added bonus. It is like killing two birds with one stone.

I am asked to head the committee on communication. Thus, I am taking the liberty to start the ball rolling right away as the internet is the most effective way today to get in touch. I am still awaiting the list of alumni with email addresses by batch. I thought we should task each batch to do their share in the networking process. Maybe each one of us could get in touch of your own classmates.

I will be grateful if you could put in a comment/suggestion or two that will be helpful for us to realize our goal of being able to make this grand reunion successful. Your attendance, for one, will be needed if we are going to attain success.

The group will meet again this Sunday and we will let you know what will transpire by then. Please forward email addresses of VHS alumni on your list.

Thanks.

My best to the family,

(got this one from friendster)

Message: My dear Fellow Alumna/Alumnus,

A group of VHS alumni met at the principal's office of our alma mater last Sunday, Nov. 23, to discuss about the possibility of holding another grand reunion. There were close to 30 alumni in that meeting among whom were Vic Bantol who also presided in behalf of Lindy Adame, President, Dr. Guido Lim, Atty. Dionisio Balite, Mary M. Dairo, Gloria Cajilog, Lilio Palac, Ben Gamalo, and other young alumni.

Anyway, the body agreed to hold the grand reunion on May 8, 9 and 10, 2009 - Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We are aware that time is short but with each and every alumna/alumnus putting in some extra effort, we are confident that this reunion will surpass the two previous ones.

We are, therefore, calling on you to help us network among all alumni in your contact list and let them know that plans are being laid for the next reunion. The body believes that the dates selected will be close enough to the fiestas of May 3 (Sta. Cruz), May 5 (Pob. Sur), 6 (Canduao), 9 (Cansibao), 15 (San Isidro) etc., etc. We know how important the fiestas are to our townmates and to come home for the homecoming is an added bonus. It is like killing two birds with one stone.

I am asked to head the committee on communication. Thus, I am taking the liberty to start the ball rolling right away as the internet is the most effective way today to get in touch. I am still awaiting the list of alumni with email addresses by batch. I thought we should task each batch to do their share in the networking process. Maybe each one of us could get in touch of your own classmates.

I will be grateful if you could put in a comment/suggestion or two that will be helpful for us to realize our goal of being able to make this grand reunion successful. Your attendance, for one, will be needed if we are going to attain success.

The group will meet again this Sunday and we will let you know what will transpire by then. Please forward email addresses of VHS alumni on your list.

Thanks.

My best to the family,

BSP to Launch the Bohol Coopreneurs Surety Fund

02.13.2009


On 15 February 2009, all roads will lead to Tagbilaran City as it hosts the formal launching of the Bohol Coopreneurs Surety Fund or BCSF, a credit surety fund, at the Bohol Beach Club in Panglao Island. Expected to grace the occasion are Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando M. Tetangco and Monetary Board Members Juanita D. Amatong and lgnacio R. Bunye. Governor Erico B. Aumentado and Vice Governor Julius Caesar F. Herrera are expected to lead the Bohol contingent.

A brainchild of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Credit Surety Fund or CSF is a program that involves the creation of a trust fund contributed by cooperatives from a province and its provincial government intended primarily to make micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) bankable by giving them access to formal sources of financing by means of a surety cover. Basically, MSMEs who cannot get financing due to the absence of collaterals can now do so using the surety cover as substitute.

The CSF concept was first introduced with the launching of the Cavite Coopreneurs Surety Fund in the Province of Cavite back in August 2008 followed by the Aurora Province Coopreneurs Surety Fund in January 2009.  The BCSF is the first credit surety fund to be organized outside of Luzon and boasts of having the shortest gestation from conceptualization to actual launch.

The CSF program received overwhelming reception from cooperatives from both Cavite and Aurora Province as it opened a wider source of financing for their member MSMEs.  It was also welcomed by the banking sector as the program makes it more comfortable for them to lend even in the absence of collaterals.  The Bangko Sentral hopes to cascade the CSF concept to all key areas of the country.

   
(CNN) -- It's been 145 years since Abraham Lincoln appeared on a ballot, but admiration for the man who saved the union and sparked the end of slavery is as strong as ever, according to a new survey.


Abraham Lincoln, seen in an 1861 photo, tops the list of former presidents in a new survey of historians.

Lincoln finished first in a ranking by historians of the 42 former White House occupants. The survey was released over Presidents Day weekend.

The news wasn't quite as good for the latest addition to the nation's most exclusive fraternity: George W. Bush finished 36th in the survey, narrowly edging out the likes of historical also-rans Millard Fillmore, Warren Harding and Franklin Pierce.

James Buchanan -- the man who watched helplessly as the nation lurched toward civil war in the 1850s -- finished last.

"As much as is possible, we created a poll that was non-partisan, judicious and fair-minded," said Rice University professor Douglas Brinkley, who helped organize the survey of 65 historians for cable television network C-SPAN.

The survey -- which asked participants to rank each president on 10 qualities of leadership ranging from public persuasion and economic management to international relations and moral authority -- was the network's second since 2000.  See which presidents ranked highest and lowest »

The hero of Springfield, Illinois, finished first nine years ago as well.

"It's fitting that for the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln that he remains at the top of these presidential rankings," Brinkley said.

"Lincoln continues to rank at the top in all categories because he is perceived to embody the nation's avowed core values: integrity, moderation, persistence in the pursuit of honorable goals, respect for human rights, compassion," Howard University's Edna Medford added.

Founding father George Washington finished second in the new survey, followed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, and Harry Truman, in that order.

Bill Clinton registered the greatest gain among recent presidents, jumping from 21st to 15th in the survey. Ronald Reagan edged forward from 11th to 10th overall, while George H.W. Bush moved up from 20th to 18th.

The prize for the greatest jump in approval from historians over the last nine years, however, went to a president who has often sat near the bottom of such rankings: Ulysses S. Grant. The Civil War general jumped 10 notches, from 33rd to 23rd.

Grant has traditionally received poor marks for corruption among people in his administration and the failed postwar reconstruction effort he presided over. But the nation's 18th president may be getting a bounce from all of the recent attention focused on Lincoln, Medford said.

"Grant won the war for Lincoln," she noted during an appearance on C-SPAN's "Washington Journal." "A new look at the totality of his career may be improving his presidential stature," she said.

"Bill Clinton and Ulysses S. Grant aren't often mentioned in the same sentence -- until now," historian Richard Norton Smith said. "Participants in the latest [survey] have boosted each man significantly higher than in the original survey conducted in 2000. All of which goes to show two things: the fluidity with which presidential reputations are judged, and the difficulty of assessing any president who has only just recently left office."

In his final news conference before stepping down last month, George W. Bush made it clear he wasn't concerned with poor initial judgments of his presidency.


"There is no such thing as short-term history," Bush said. "I don't think you can possibly get the full breadth of an administration until time has passed."

The survey's participants ranked Bush 41st on international relations and 40th on economic management -- ahead of only Herbert Hoover

From: Melita Adame <miletadams@yahoo.com>
To: mgcaj7456@yahoo.com
Sent: Sunday, February 8, 2009 12:04:51 AM
Subject: VALMANRES Fiesta 09


Dear Fellow Valencianhons:

Good morning to all of you. Once again we will be celebrating the annual Sto Nino feast day here in Metro Manila.  A time wherein we gather as one community in order to break the monotony of everyday living in this concrete jungle of Metro Manila and environs. Time to share laughter and exchange pleasantries with our relatives, friends and town mates to celebrate life.

VALMANRES fiesta celebration will be on February 15, 2009 (Sunday) at the Basilio Valdes Hall, Veterans Memorial Medical Center, North Ave., Quezon City.  The affair starts at 10:00AM with the 4th annual blood letting activity. Celebration of the holy mass will be at 11:00AM to be followed by series of programs and merrymaking activities.

The hermanos & hermanas for this year are as follows: Gen. Leo Olegario, Capt. Saulo Cajilog, Arch. Leonardo Japos, Atty. Elmar Galacio, Engr. Gil Cago, Engr. Romy Sales, Capt. Noel Limpo, Capt Rene Abarado, Ms. Maribel Adame - Ynso and Miss Ellaine LIm. They are the generous individuals who share to us their bountiful blessings by providing us food for the occasion.

In this connection, may we request the pleasure of your company to renew our bonding and in fellowhip with our relatives, friends, and town mates. It is but fitting that we gather as one community (Valencianhons) as we celebrate and give thanks to the Lord for all the graces, the gift of life, and our very existence.

A minimal entrance fee of P50.00 (adult) and P20.00 (child) will be charge to cover the cost of venue and other administrative expenses. For a while let us forget our woes and join us in this joyous occasion. For sure we will have another wonderful celebration this year.

Thank you for your usual support and cooperation. See you all in February 15.


Very truly yours,


Atty. MELITA B. ADAME
President

Lacoste son on ‘feeling of security’


By Cheche Moral
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:46:00 01/29/2009

ON the same day its global brand ambassador, Andy Roddick, advanced to the semifinals in the Australian Open this week, Lacoste’s chair and chief executive Michel Lacoste was in Manila to visit some of the brand’s boutiques in Makati City.

Lacoste was en route to Melbourne the next day, to catch the match between the seventh-seed Americanâ€"a Lacoste endorser since 2005â€"and the Swiss champion Roger Federer.

Last year, on the brand’s 75th anniversary, the company signed a long-term deal to be the official outfitter of the Australian Open, providing the uniforms for on- and off-court officials, lines people and ball kids.

Rene Lacoste, the brand founder and Michel’s father, was a tennis champion in the 1920s, “but he never went there [Australian Open],” said his son.

“He played in all the majors but not there. It’s only fair, though 80 years too late, that we go to Australia and be there on the court beside all the champions.”

Innovative

This Lacoste generation has steered clear of competitive sports. (Rene’s wife Simone and daughter Catherine were champion golfers.) The company is focused on providing athletes and non-athletes alike with the same innovative pique polo shirt that helped popularize the family name worldwide.

Rene Lacoste invented the first pique polo shirt to replace the stiff and inconvenient tennis uniform in his day. The brand has since diversified into eight product categoriesâ€"from apparel to footwear, leathergoods, fragrances and eyewear, among others.

As head, Michel Lacoste, 65, who took over the company after his brother Bernard’s death in 2006, is bent on keeping the brand relevant to today’s consumer.

“We want to stay completely modern but within the roots of the brand,” he said. “We’re not taking a right-hand or left-hand angle turn at the corner. But we know the world is changing very quickly, and the needs and wants of consumers are changing very quickly. We must continue on looking at modernity.”

It’s a challenge that he is seriously taking, especially with the current economic situation.

“The effect [of the recession] on Lacoste has been less significant than what one would think,” he said. “We have negative figures [in total sales] but very small, probably 3, 4 or 5 percent, which is comparatively good versus what is [being] experienced by other brands. The forecast is single-digit downward movement.”

He sees the “feeling of security” imparted by a classic product like Lacoste has been helping buoy the brand through the crisis.

“It will stay for a long time in [the consumer’s] wardrobe. It’s not [a] fashion-oriented [item] that will perhaps no longer be in fashion in three months... We address ourselves to those who buy and use it, so it gives us a little amount of protection.”

Satisfaction

Lacoste said he sees the wisdom in suggestions by some companies to lower price points of products to sell more.

“For some, competition is on the basis of price. It’s perfectly reasonable, but it’s not the Lacoste way of doing things. Our job is to be sure the consumer is happy when he wears our product. It’s the satisfaction of the need of the consumer.”

At the moment, he is ensuring that all company activities are “sound and cost-conscious... We want to do the same things for less money. If completely unforeseeable things happen, [we have] to make sure that we stay alive. We have contingency plans. What if sales go down by 20-25 percent?”

He added, “We want to make sure that our shops are well-located, that our communications, advertising, sponsorships and public relations are done very well.”

On the Philippine stores he had visited, all operated by Stores Specialists Inc., the exclusive local distributor, Lacoste said he found them “very attractive.” It was his first visit to the country in decades.

He also said the company’s social responsibility efforts are being strengthened, not only through the Rene Lacoste Foundation, which introduces underprivileged kids to sports, but also through a new World Bank initiative called Save Your Logo, which asks businesses that have built their name on threatened species to contribute to the species’ protection and survival.

Lacoste’s famous logo is the alligator, which represents the founder’s tenacity on the tennis court. The company was the first to announce its participation in the World Bank effort.

Lacoste said that of the 16 species of alligators, two in Asia are endangered. “Nobody’s going to solve it on his own. But if companies each take a little step...”

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20090124-185362/Bea-Zobel-Jr-leaves-lifestyle-for-Bohol

Bea Zobel Jr leaves lifestyle for Bohol


By Marge C. Enriquez
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:01:00 01/24/2009


Close this BEATRIZ Susana Zobel de Ayala, aka Bea Jr., is pouring not only her own money but also her mind and soul into the cultural preservation of Bohol.

In Dauis, a quaint town in Pangalo island, she’s helping develop a first in the countryâ€" world-class tourism center with complementary sustainable livelihood programs revolving around a church complex and heritage site.

“It’s been my dream of saving our heritage by [making it benefit] the community,” Zobel tells Inquirer Lifestyle in an interview at Mandarin Oriental.

“I don’t feel communities have gained enough from tourism. There are many investors, but the people from the grassroots are not directly involved. My heart bleeds for them. I have a mission in life, and I usually work through my gut feel.”

With businessman and diver Joel Floro Uichico, and the Ayala Foundation Inc. (AFI), Zobel aims to build a self-supporting local economy while preserving the environment and culture of the historic towns of Baclayon and Dauis.

Zobel forged an agreement with the Diocese of Tagbilaran through Bishop Leonardo Medroso to support the redevelopment of the Dauis Rectory Courtyard and Center which includes the pilgrimage shrine, the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady.

She then formed the Dauis Renaissance Company Inc., with her as chair, CEO and president. It aims to restore the colonial church and to turn the complex into a viable tourist attraction, with its venue for functions, museum on local culture, café and souvenir shop featuring the best of Bohol.

Having tourism facilities in sacred sites is common abroad. Culture worker Ino Manalo says Bohol’s landmarks, such as the Baclayon Church, attract 200 tourists daily, and the Loboc Church has an art gallery.

“It’s not a new thing that heritage structures are used for tourism or making people more aware of the story of the church and the meanings of the church,” says Manalo.

“We are not reinventing the wheel. Dauis is the first example in Bohol where the church heritage structure can be set up to provide tourism facilities that, in turn, provide livelihood by having local people as suppliers.”

Suspicion and doubt

The plan did not sit well among the conservative sector of Dauis. Some residents complained there was lack of consultation. A manifesto circulated opposing Zobel’s project and expressing suspicion that the support of Ayala companies was to cover up the plunder of church relic.

There was even talk that Zobel was using the restoration project just to acquire the church’s treasures. The paper also alleged that the bishop took out a bank loan using the Dauis church, convent and cemetery as collateral. The bank denied this.

“I’ve learned through my ups and downs,” Zobel said about the criticism. “It’s like mountain climbing on high heels. It has taught me patience and to listen to what the community wants, not what Bea Zobel wants for them but what they need. It’s a process.”

Her involvement with Dauis began when museum worker Ino Manalo and the local clergy organized a dinner at the Assumption Church to make a presentation. The roof of the 140-year-old church was leaking. On its ceiling was a painting depicting the old complex, done by Rey Francio Canuto Avila in 1920. The water was destroying the painting.

By coincidence, the relic of St. Therese of the Child Jesus was also set to be brought to the shrine. However, Dauis didn’t have the facilities to host 5,000 pilgrims for the February 2008 visit.

Behind the complex is a sacred ground where, legend has it, two date palms grew after the image of the Virgin Mary image arrived in Dauis. The area had suffered from neglect. Zobel spent P2 million to build a deck to accommodate the pilgrims and also funded the lighting of the entire complex. This scenic deck is now a tourist spot and a venue for functions.

Movement 8 designers

Zobel, with another volunteer, Medi Singh, helped restore the deteriorating facilities of the adjacent convent. She flew in Movement 8 designers Milo Naval, Tes Pasola and Tony Gonzales to act as consultants in renovating the museum, the souvenir shop and heritage-theme café which are housed in the adjacent convent.

The convent bodega was restored and turned into an audio-visual and function room. She also sent cooks to train with chef Heny Sison, and staffers to train at the Ayala-owned Hotel Intercontinental and Marriott Cebu.

Although the pilgrimage was well-managed, Zobel got the flak from some church council members. She admits to having started on the wrong foot.

“You don’t come in with people from Manila and take over a whole site.”

Development plan

Learning from this, Zobel and the local clergy formulated a development plan and formalized it into a memorandum of agreement. The plan includes upgrading the restrooms, completion of the museum, construction of the kitchen and bakery, and acquisition of implements for dining and banquet services.

With a 10-year projection, the project is divided into three phases and will cost more than the estimated P18 million.

“Since we’ll have a hard time getting funding, let me put my own resources into this. Let’s build a template, and people will see that it works, I hope. That’s when funding will come in afterwards,” says Zobel.

A third of that amount (at least P6 million) is Zobel’s personal donation while the two-thirds (at least P12 million) is her capital outlay. She is heading this project for the first five years, and envisions that the complex will be able to run by itself.

Manalo says the plan is to provide employment and livelihood opportunities.

“We are launching a tour guide program, training locals such as the out-of-school youths,” he says. “We are consulting with the people to get the story of the town and the church. They will make the story themselves and will be put together. We will train the young people to tell the story.”

Zobel’s bigger job is that she’s organizing people to get involved, like planting organic crops that will supply the café and forming crafts groups like jewelry makers and weavers so they can make products that can be sold in the shop.

Zobel has collaborated with women who have been producing Boholano jewelry for several generations. Urnas, little shrines in old homes, were made into tourist souvenirs. These are selling well in Dauis’ museum shop.

Hospitality training

Zobel plans to provide training of waiters so that more functions can be held in the complex.

“That is to make Dauis self-sufficient and that the convent will be the engine in which they would feel they have to preserve this church,” she says.

“Spirituality is the center of all these towns,” Zobel explains. “If people could only see that it could also put food on their table. They are not just feeding their souls. They are feeding their human needs. It could be a win-win situation. We have to pass down to the community what is going on. It’s the first time ever that they’ve seen like this.”

On Feb. 1, Zobel’s group will meet with church organizations to come up with an information campaign. She also tapped a local nongovernment organization to do a survey on the living standards of each household.

“Joel and I have pledged that we will not leave until we see a sustainable structure on hand,” Zobel says. “Ino, Joel or I are not there to make money out of this. We are doing it because we love our country. We can do much more by standing back and helping them that way than if we had businesses there. We refuse to buy any property here. It hurts when there are these loud people who say I’m there for my own interest. I wish they could see what I’ve sacrificed.”

Widowed 14 years ago, Zobel has three children who are studying abroad. She travels just to attend to parental duties in school. She’s based in Bohol and comes to Manila only for important matters. Jaime Urquijo, 21, and Paloma, 18, are based in the United States. Still in London, Monica, 13, will also study in Rhode Island.

“My children are my priority,” Zobel says. “They lost their father [Juan Urquijo] when they were very young. They need me. I’m the only person they ever have. But there were many times I could not be with my kids because something was calling me in Bohol. I juggle to balance my life in doing the things that I’m passionate about. I gave up so many things. I left my lifestyle behind for
Bohol.”

“I try to be strong. I’ve put in so much already. For me to be suspected of stealing santos or digging for gold, it’s like whoa! Guys wake up! I don’t see myself so superficial. We’re here to work for our country and not for ourselves. I believe in you [referring to Bohol] and I believe in my country.”

CNN) -- Is a woman's virginity worth $3.8 million? That's how much a 22-year-old from San Diego, California, said she has been offered through an auction she announced in September.


Natalie Dylan, 22, said she has put her virginity up for auction through the Moonlite Bunny Ranch.

The woman, who goes by "Natalie Dylan," set up a private auction through the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, a legal brothel in Nevada, has given her lots of "business opportunities," she said.

Her top bid comes from a 39-year-old Australian, but she has no immediate plans to settle the auction, she said in a recent interview with CNN.

Some men may seek virgins because they want them as trophies, or desire purity. But as to why men would bid so much money on virginity, she said she has no answer.

"I honestly don't know what they see in it," she said.

If you think Dylan's auction amounts to prostitution, she completely agrees. She also said she's not breaking any laws -- after all, prostitution in Nevada is legal.

"I feel people should be pro-choice with their body, and I'm not hurting anyone," she said. "It really comes down to a moral and religious argument, and this doesn't go against my religion or my morals. There's no right or wrong to this."

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The idea that virginity has a high value harkens back to the days of early humans -- if a man has sex with a virgin woman, he knows for sure that her children will be his, anthropologists reason. In early civilizations, women were also considered the property of men, said Laura Carpenter, assistant professor of sociology at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.

Through the 1950s in America, women were expected to remain virgins until marriage, Carpenter said. But with the availability of the pill and the IUD in the 1960s, combined with youth counterculture and gay rights movements, it became more common for women to engage in premarital sex, she said.

Attitudes shifted toward the conservative side in the 1980s with the worldwide HIV/AIDS pandemic, which made the stakes much higher for choosing a sex partner, especially for men. Abstinence-based education programs also took off around that time, with government support, she said.

Today, about 95 percent of Americans have sex before they're 25, Carpenter said. But worldwide, virgin prostitutes can claim larger fees, certain cultures still attach larger dowries to virgin brides, and some women undergo reconstructive surgery to restore their hymens.

In looking at Dylan's auction, "To some extent it's not new. The new part is the Internet," Carpenter said.

Dylan is not the first to hold a public sale for her sexual innocence. An Italian model reportedly had plans to sell her virginity for more than $1 million in September. Dylan said she was inspired by a report of a Peruvian woman who put her virginity up for sale.

Some think Dylan's auction may be indicative of a shift in the way society treats sexuality.

"In a world that is teeming with brand messages, with sponsorships everywhere, intimacy is really just the next thing to go," said Jon Ray, a 24-year-old marketing consultant in Austin, Texas, and author of the blog Who is Jon Ray?

Brett Austin Vanderzee, a 19-year-old student at Oklahoma Christian University who has pledged to stay a virgin until marriage, finds Dylan's actions somewhat appalling, but not shocking.

"It's kind of crazy, but I think it's the general direction that society has been heading in for a while," he said. "We're becoming more accepting of things that normally would have been considered unwise."

Kiara Daines, a 17-year-old from Detroit, Michigan, said she's saving herself until marriage for personal and religious reasons. Both Vanderzee and Daines said they have endured teasing from their peers because of their choice to remain abstinent.

Others say there's just too much hype around virginity. Martha Kempner, vice president for information and communications for the nonprofit Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S., said telling a young woman to stay"pure" misses the point that sexuality will influence her long after she loses her virginity.

"By putting the emphasis there, [on virginity], we're actually devaluing the rest of women, the rest of her, and the rest of her sexuality for the rest of her life," she said.

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A recent study in the journal Pediatrics showed that religious teens who take virginity pledges are as likely to have sex before marriage as their religious peers, and less likely to use condoms or birth control when they become sexually active.

Many people say losing one's virginity has different implications for men than women. While young women see the act as a symbolic giving of themselves, young men are more prone to want to get it over with and brag about it. Similarly, says Kempner, women are taught to keep themselves "pure" and help men exercise control, while there's a "boys will be boys" attitude around men.

Do men really think that virginity is worth millions of dollars?

Audacia Ray, a 28-year-old former sex worker from New York and author of "Naked on the Internet: Hookups, Downloads and Cashing In on Internet Sexploration," is skeptical. She views Dylan's auction as a publicity stunt and doesn't anticipate she'll "continue in the industry."

The importance of a woman's virginity may vary in different cultures, but generally there's not the high value there used to be, Ray said.

"It begins to be viewed more as a burden over time -- a burden in that losing virginity is an event, so that it has to somehow mean something, which is part of the reason why people are all up in arms about Natalie," she said.

How do Dylan's friends and family feel? Dylan, who said she was raised in a conservative, non-Christian religious household, said although her mother doesn't agree with her, she still loves her as a daughter. Generally people have been supportive, said Dylan, who uses "Natalie Dylan" as a pseudonym.

"I've talked with my exes, some different guys, and they understand it's just a business deal, and they know me, and they know I'm not this promiscuous girl. Honestly, even if I didn't do this, I'd always be the girl who thinks prostitution is OK," she said. "I would always want to find a partner that can accept me for me."

Landowner wants CARP for family hacienda



Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:01:00 01/17/2009

Filed Under: Agrarian Reform


Our extended family â€" through a family corporation, Eusebio Inc. â€" owns a 70-hectare hacienda in Negros Island. As a firm believer of land reform, I recently emailed my cousins and other relatives (some are now based abroad) who co-own the land, asking them to voluntarily offer the property for land reform coverage. I hope my e-mail will touch their hearts and prod them into helping our workers who have silently accepted their bondage and existence as landless farmers. This in essence is what I told them.

In the final weeks of December 2008, a number of news stories in Philippine media centered on the issue of whether or not the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) of the Philippines should be extended as is or with some amendments, or scrapped altogether. The issue practically pitted the farmers against the government (more particularly the Department of Agrarian Reform) and Congress.

The members of our family who are now based abroad might feel that the issue does not concern them anymore. But the fact is our family still owns Hacienda Sta. Ana, a 70-hectare sugarcane plantation.

It’s almost 100 years since our great-grandparents acquired the plantation. Some of the workers in the hacienda are the great-grandchildren, grandchildren and children of the workers who had worked for our great-grandparents, grandparents and parents years back. The present workers remain in bondage to the land they till but do not own. I call this “generational poverty/bondage” where those who till the soil can never fully realize their dream of freedom from poverty for their own children and grandchildren.

Ironically this is the same dream that we, especially those of us who have migrated, have for our own children: that they live a much better life. We as parents are, therefore, no different from the workers of our hacienda, who are also parents.

In 2007, my mother commissioned a study by the Ateneo de Manila University-based Fr. John J. Carroll Institute on Church and Social Issues. The study covered three successful farmers’ cooperatives in Negros, which helped improve the lives of the farmer-owners. The study showed a very obvious reason for the cooperatives’ success â€" a P40,000 income going to a landowner was not enough for his family’s basic needs and wouldn’t last a week; but P40,000 in the hands of farmers allowed them to purchase not only their basic needs but also house appliances such as stoves, washing machines and even TV sets. This, plus the realization that they were the masters of their own destinies made their hard work fulfilling.

I appeal to my relatives: in the name of social justice, give the land to the tillers. Let’s help them. With all the blessings we now enjoy as a family, let’s express our gratitude to God by following what the Church has been teaching and help the workers in our hacienda.

Let us make 2009 a happy and socially relevant year for our family and for those who have worked for us for generations.

GERRY REONISTO, 139 Lipa St., Muntinlupa City

NY nuns sue Pinay over 'tuyo'
By Cristina DC Pastor Philippine News Updated January 15, 2009 12:00 AM 

NEW YORK â€" It may be a cultural thing, but when you’re up against a congregation of nuns and your neighbors in an apartment building in Manhattan, a lawsuit would make an interesting anthropological study in ethnic tension.

The Missionary Sisters of Sacred Heart (MSSH) in Manhattan has filed a complaint against a Filipino-American couple, Michael and Gloria Lim, over a Filipino delicacy called tuyo (dried fish), and its funky cousin, the tinapa (smoked fish).

The case is now with the Manhattan Supreme Court.

Reports say Gloria was smoking fish outside her apartment window when the smell â€" noxious stench to the nuns, divine aroma to the Lims â€" of the salted fish wafted throughout the Gramercy apartment building.

The “foul smell” was too strong the nuns suspected it was coming from a decomposing body and called in the Fire Department.

According to reports, the firemen searched every unit of the building and were able to trace the source of the smell to the Lims’ unit.

They knocked, and when no one came to the door, the NYFD came barreling in.

Gloria, a nurse, found her door knocked down and was obviously peeved.

It appears the MSSH leases the unit to the Lims and may have authorized the assault.

“I cook dried fish,” Gloria defiantly declared to the NY Post.

The average American may find it puzzling how one can derive pleasure of the palate from dried fish. Foodie Andrew Zimmern, who has been to the Philippines and braved balut (fertilized duck egg with an embryo) and Soup No. 5 (bull’s rectum and testicles soup, believed to be a powerful aphrodisiac), might be able to share the gustatory experience.

Gloria was referring to the tuyo, a Philippine staple usually eaten with steaming hot rice and fresh tomatoes. Some eat theirs dipped in vinegar and crushed garlic paired with fried rice and sunny side up egg.

Dried fish is not a Philippine exclusive. It is an essential in the traditional Chinese and Malaysian fried rice along with chopped spring onions, garlic and chili. Sometimes, it is pulled and sprinkled on chocolate porridge or champorado.

Food with a strong salty taste like tuyo or tinapa might be too intense for the morning stomach, but many Filipinos would never leave for work in the morning without having it for breakfast.

In the lawsuit filed by the nuns, Gloria was even more adamant. She was quoted as saying that “she is causing the smell by cooking and/or smoking fish, and she is going to continue to do it.”

The complaint appears to divide the apartment tenants, some finding themselves squarely on the side of the sisters who find the smell “potentially dangerous to life and health,” and some defending the FilAm family’s right to eat their own ethnic food in the privacy of their home.

“This is plain racist,” comes a shout-out from a supportive blogger.

The complaint says some tenants closer to the Lims’ unit have moved out, and that the Lims have been warned repeatedly about the smell emanating from their 16th floor apartment unit. Gloria, a 30-year resident of the US, denies this.

Which side to take, undecided tenants turn to what’s stated in the housing rules: Cooking smelly food is not allowed.

The nuns are seeking $75,000 in damages. They made it clear that they have nothing against Filipinos as a people.

Kinasingkasing nga nagpasalamat ang mga parokyano sa parokya ni Sto. Nino sa Valencia sa mga Valencianhon nga anaa na karun nahimuyo sa United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island nga gipangunahan ni engr. sam cajilog nga minghatag ug laptop ug multi-media projector para sa among simbahan.

Kudos mga sano/sana!

Kami nanghinaot nga ang Labawng Makakagahum kanunay maggasa ug maayong panglawas kaninyo ug sa inyong pamilya

Usbon namu, daghan salamat!

Wa lagi topic diri sa peacock garden diha sa laya?

Grabeha mga sano/sana. I never thought such kind of resort would rise in bohol.

Was there for dinner last xmas holidays.

Truly amazing!

Going rural


By Jacqueline Majella R. Uy, MD
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:44:00 12/02/2008
Filed Under: Healthcare Providers, Human Interest


I was an undergraduate scouring Recto Avenue for used books when I came upon a tattered, thin book written by Dr. Juan Flavier. It was about his “Doctors to the Barrios” program, about young doctors being sent out to the rural areas. It was all the push I needed to decide to become a doctor of medicine. I was inspired and I thought that going to the barrios was a great way to give service where I was needed.

During five years of medical school, I got my fair share of grueling exams, hospital grime, sleepless nights, overcrowded emergency rooms, 24- to 36-hour duties, summary rounds, community immersions. It was a good educational experience and also a lot of fun. Despite everything, being a doctor is still a fulfilling vocation.

In medical school, I also realized that there are many opportunities open for a doctor. The temptation to go abroad is very strong; more than half the members of our class are going abroad. Specialization, up-to-date medical technology, research, and big salaries await those who go outside the country.

Almost everyone goes through this train of thought, and I was sorely tempted. I had a US visa, and my parents had always dreamed of me going abroad and they were willing to spend for it. But what about this idealistic voice in my head, the push that made me decide to go into Medicine in the first place?

It is always best to follow our dreams, because if we do not, then we might regret it. I did not want to live a life full of regrets, so I decided to stay on the path less taken. I submitted my application for the Doctors to the Barrios program. It was a crucial step for me and I heaved a huge sigh of relief as I handed over my application to the Department of Health’s Human Health Resource Development Bureau Office. All I needed to do was to wait for the call.

But call, they did not. It was one of the worst disappointments of my life. I could not believe it was happening. I thought the Philippines needed doctors to stay and serve.

I found out later that they had lost my application. But when I look back and think about it I am left wondering if submitting it was a mere figment of my imagination. I did not get a copy stamped “Received” but I’m sure the logbook in their office would show that I was there. Did I lack follow-up? But I did go to the provincial office of the DOH to follow up my application and submit some additional requirements. Still, it happened. I have to live with the inefficiencies of our government offices.

With my father’s help, I got a job as acting municipal health officer (MHO) in a small town. Basically, this is what a doctor to the barrio does; he or she is the rural health physician in a municipality.

My starting salary was P15,000 a month. I found out later that this was much lower than the standard pay of a municipal doctor. This has made me realize, that for the government health care has a low priority. No wonder many health workers opt to go abroad.

My stint as an MHO has taught me many things and brought many changes to my life. Every morning, I wake up at 5 so I can take the bus that leaves at 7. It is an hour-long drive to the town where I work and I have to ride a non-air-conditioned bus that passes through some unpaved and bumpy roads. I get to the clinic at 8 and see patients the whole day. Market days are busy days and I see between 50 and 100 patients then. These are usually simple cases, but many times I have wanted to do some diagnostic exams or treatments but couldn’t because of the lack of resources.

Sometimes, I get medico-legal casesâ€"mostly rape or mauling. I have signed many death certificates for persons I had not even attended to.

Sometimes, we go to the villages to give lectures or immunizations. I have to deal with staff members who are older than I am and who have been working in the rural health unit for a long time. Fortunately, the people I have encountered are very accommodating and welcoming.

I am still learning to adjust, to deal with my issues, to know when to speak out for what is right, to be conscious of the hierarchy in government offices, to live without my peers, and to make do with what is available.

My bus trips are usually times to ponder over so many things. On my way home one day, the bus was full. As I stood there, holding on to the handrails and watching people still forcing themselves into the overcrowded bus, I kept hoping we would not have an accident. “What the heck am I doing here?” I asked myself.

Some of my friends and relatives are laughing at me for choosing this job. They say I should seek greener pastures, go somewhere for my advancement. And sometimes I am tempted to follow their advice.

Every day I have to remind myself of my purpose in life: service. Repeating this like a mantra helps me cope with my issues and focus on my goal. It gives me great joy to know that I am somehow doing something to make the lives of my fellow Filipinos better. I believe in destiny. I believe God has a great plan for my life and that He has put in me this stubborn desire to serve in the countryside for a reason. I am sure I will end up a better person after this experience.

Jacqueline Majella R. Uy, MD, 25, graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine in 2008. She is the acting municipal health officer of Catigbian, Bohol.

MANILA, Philippines -- Acknowledging the difficulty of passing the proposed extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program before the Christmas break, the Senate has initiated a resolution with the House of Representatives to extend the program for another six months, Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri disclosed Tuesday.

Zubiri said the joint resolution was being circulated among senators for their signatures.

Zubiri said Speaker Prospero Nograles, in a meeting in Malacañang earlier on Tuesday, has agreed to the resolution.

If approved by both houses, the program will be extended until June 30, 2009.

The program is set to expire this December.

Zubiri also cited the difficulty of the House to get the required numbers to pass the CARP extension bill as a reason for the Senate decision to draft the joint resolution.

Karung semanaha (specific date withheld for security reasons) muabot na si Zosimo Calle, aka, "Imo Boy" "Calle ang Batang Bronzie", ang kinakusgan ug bangiitang anak sa panangatan.

Busa, mga higala ko diri sa tb, ako manamilit usa sa makadiyot kay murag way internet sa kabukiran sa panangatan.

(CNN) -- Winter travelers trek thousands of miles to the frozen north each year seeking the sky's "dancing lights," which provoke awe, excitement and, some say, sex.


CNN iReporter Bruce Barrett shot this rare red aurora in Canada's Whitehorse, Yukon.

more photos »  Scientists call the natural phenomenon aurora borealis: cascading beams of greens, yellows, blues, purples or reds -- which paint a breathtaking backdrop across the wilderness and attract thousands of tourists annually.

"Usually it starts slowly as kind of a hazy greenish color -- like a mist -- building up in frequency dancing across the sky ... and to me that's religion," said photographer Dave Brosha of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, who's seen more than 100 Canadian auroras. "It's just one of the most incredible feelings a person can have -- sitting there watching that."

To the west in Canada's Yukon province, tour operator Torsten Eder likes to tell a story about a marriage that was forged under the glowing curtains of light.  See spectacular photos of auroras »

"I had one guy from Mexico, and he wanted to surprise his girlfriend by proposing marriage with a ring under the northern lights," said Eder from his office in Whitehorse.

"We got lucky and the lights were visible ... so our guest went down on his knee and proposed to his girlfriend and she was totally blown away. The funny thing was -- she wouldn't wear gloves for the first three days -- so she could show the ring off."

The otherworldly lights also have provided inspiration for almost sacred pilgrimages, Eder said. Guests who said they were going blind or battling cancer told him they wanted to view the auroras at least once in their lives.

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"It puts enormous pressure on us," said Eder. "You can't guarantee that the lights will be visible because it's a natural phenomenon." The display is generally visible at least every three days, he said.

Scientists say the northern lights are created by the sun's super hot atmosphere, which blasts particles into the protective magnetic field surrounding the Earth. The magnetic field forces the particles toward the north and south poles. About 60 to 200 miles overhead, the particles bump into the Earth's atmosphere and become electrically "excited" -- throwing off light of various colors, said Prof. Dirk Lummerzhein of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

"The forecast for this winter is a continued quiet sun, in general," he said. The sun is on the upswing of an 11-year cycle. "Maybe we will have a few periods once a month where the aurora can get a little bit more active."

Although the phenomenon occurs around the clock, the lights are only visible at night. The best time of year to see them is during winter, when darkness in the upper latitudes stretches up to 24 hours.  See map where northern lights can be seen »

Eder's Northern Tales tour company picks up guests at their hotels about 10 p.m. and takes them to an area about 20 minutes outside Whitehorse's city lights. There, travelers can enjoy nature's colorful show from a heated, walled tent until around 2 a.m.

"We almost take it for granted sometimes," said Brosha. "No matter how many times you've seen the aurora borealis -- when they really dance, when you get some really unique colors -- you just kind of say, 'Wow, I'm so lucky to see that.' "

A warmer way to enjoy the northern lights is a shallow, natural rock lake at Chena Hot Springs outside Fairbanks, Alaska, which allows bikini-clad guests to enjoy the lights in temperatures of 106 degrees Fahrenheit.

"I mean, honestly, it's the best way to see them," said spokeswoman Denise Ferree. "Because you're warm and toasty and you're watching the northern lights above."

Chena's owner, Bernie Karl -- who's often as colorful as the lights themselves -- said the auroras sometimes spark the libido.

"Having sex under the northern lights -- it's an awesome experience," Karl said. "Have you ever been out in nature at 35 below zero with northern lights bouncing over your head and your bare ass? Well, you need to try it."

If the hot springs aren't for you, Chena also takes guests up a nearby mountain to observe the auroras from heated Mongolian-style tents called yurts.

The resort prides itself on its environmental initiative, which has led to the generation of clean electricity from geothermal heat produced by the hot spring.

"Iceland is probably one of the best places to see the northern lights," said Reykjavik tour guide Arni Magnusson of AM Tours. That's especially true as the U.S. dollar gains value against the Icelandic krona -- offering some attractive hotel and shopping opportunities.

Guests are picked up at their hotel for a 20-minute drive outside the city to view the lights from higher elevations. "People say they feel closer to Earth and to the forces of nature," said Magnusson. "The lights totally overwhelm them."

Dan Hershman's life changed dramatically after he photographed a spectacular aurora in Washington state in 2000, which was a peak year in the solar cycle.

"These things are just dynamic and they seem just alive and organic," said Hershman, who at the time was a high school music teacher.

The photo was unique enough to attract the attention of NASA, which ran the image on its Web site, Hershman said. This spurred his interest in photography and soon, as Hershman put it, "my hobby became my profession and my profession became my hobby."

Now Hershman performs as principal bassoonist in local orchestras as a hobby -- and he teaches high school photography in Federal Way, Washington, as his profession.

The trick to photographing the auroras, Hershman said, is choosing to take the picture when the lights aren't moving as much. "Otherwise it looks like nothing but a big blob," he said.

  please share with us anything about valencia's endemic "an". your experiences, your idea on its origin..

when i was in mindanao, a friend of mine laughed at me because when i asked him after eating davao's mangosteen i said: "lami an" to which he replied "ann ba diay akong ngalan"

BOLANTE’S LIST: WHO’S WHO GOT HOW MUCH
The following officials received the P728 million from the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani
program of the government, as shown by a 2004 document from the Department of Budget and
Management, a copy of which was given to reporters by Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano:
CITY/ PROV. DIST. PROPONENT AMT.

NCR
Quezon City 3 Rep. Ma. Theresa Defensor 3M
Navotas Lone Rep. Federico Sandoval II 3M

REGION 1
Ilocos Norte 1 Rep. Roque Ablan 3M
Pangasinan 1 Rep. Arthur Celeste 3M
Pangasinan 4 Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. 5M
Ilocos Sur 1 Rep. Salacnib Baterina 3M
Ilocos 2 Rep. Eric Singson 3M
La Union 1 Rep. Manuel Ortega 5M

REGION II
Quirino Lone Rep. Junie Cua 3M
Batanes Lone Rep. Florencio Abad 3M
Cagayan 3 Rep. Manuel Mamba 5M
Isabela 2 Rep. Edwin Uy 5M

REGION III
Bataan 2 Rep. Enrique Garcia 5M
Pampanga 2 Rep. Zenaida Cruz-Ducut 3M
Pampanga 3 Rep. Oscar Rodriguez 3M
Zambales 1 Rep. James Gordon 3M
Bulacan 1 Rep. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado 3M
Pampanga 4 Rep. Juan Pablo Bondoc 3M
Tarlac 2 Rep. Benigno Aquino III 5M
Tarlac 3 Rep. Jeslie Lapus 3M
Bulacan 2 Rep. Wilfrido Villarama 5M
Bulacan 3 Rep. Lorna Silverio 5M
Bulacan 4 Rep. Reylina Nicolas 3M
Nueva Ecija 3 Rep. Aurelio Umali 5M
Nueva Ecija 2 Rep. Eleuterio Violago 3M
Zambales 2 Rep. Ruben Torres 5M

REGION IV
Cavite 1 Rep. Plaridel Abaya 3M
Quezon 1 Rep. Rafael Nantes 3M
Quezon 2 Rep. Lynette Punzalan 3M
Quezon 3 Rep. Alela Suarez 5M
Batangas 1 Rep. Elenila Ermita-Buhain 3M
Batangas 2 Rep. Francisco Perez 3M
Batangas 3 Rep. Victoria Reyes 3M
Batangas 4 Rep. Oscar Gozos 3M

REGION V
Albay 2 Rep. Carlos Imperial 3M
Albay 3 Rep. Jose Salceda 5M
Camarines Norte Lone Rep. Renato Unico Jr. 3M
Camarines Sur 4 Rep. Felix Alfelor Jr. 3M
Sorsogon 2 Rep. Jose Solis 3M

REGION VI
Aklan Lone Rep. Gabrielle Calizo 5M
Antique Lone Rep. Exequiel Javier 5M
Capiz 1 Rep. Rodriguez Dadivas 3M
Capiz 2 Rep. Fredenil Castro 5M
Guimaras Lone Rep. Edgar Espinosa 5M
Iloilo 1 Rep. Oscar Garin 3M
Iloilo 2 Rep. Augusto Syjuco 5M
Iloilo 3 Rep. Arthur Defensor 3M
Iloilo 4 Rep. Narciso Monfort 3M
Negros Occ. 2 Rep. Alfredo Maranon Jr. 5M
Negros Occ. 3 Rep. Jose Carlos Lacson 3M
Negros Occ. 5 Rep. Apolinario Lozada Jr. 5M
Iloilo Lone Rep. Raul Gonzales 5M
Bacolod Lone Rep. Monico Puentebella 5M

REGION VII
Bohol 1 Rep. Edgardo Challo 3M
Bohol 2 Rep. Roberto Cajes 3M
Bohol 3 Rep. Eladio Jala 3M
Cebu 5 Rep. Joseph Durano 5M
Siquijor Lone Rep. Orlando Fua Jr. 3M

REGION VIII
Leyte 2 Rep. Trinidad Apostol 3M
Leyte 4 Rep. Eufrocino Codilla Sr. 5M
Leyte 5 Rep. Carmen Cari 3M
W. Samar 1 Rep. Reunaldo Uy 3M
W. Samar 2 Rep. Antonio Nachura 5M
N. Samar 2 Rep. Romualdo Vicencio 5M
E. Samar Lone Rep. Marcelino Libanan 5M
Biliran Lone Rep. Gerardo Espina 5M

REGION IX
Zamboanga del Norte 3 Rep. Angel Carloto 3M
Zamboanga del Sur 1 Rep. Isidro Real Jr. 5M
Zamboanga del Sur 2 Rep. Filomena San Juan 5M
Zamboanga Sibugay Lone Rep. Belma Cabilao 5M

REGION X
Bukidnon 3 Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri 5M
Bukidnon 2 Rep. Berthobal Ancheta 3M
Misamis Or. 2 Rep. Augusto Baculio 5M
Misamis Occ. 2 Rep. Herminia Ramiro 3M
Lanao del Norte 1 Rep. Alipio Bedelles 5M
Lanao del Norte 2 Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo 5M

REGION XI
Compostela Valley 1 Rep. Manuel Zamora 3M
Compostela Valley 2 Rep. Prospero Amalong 5M
Davao del Norte 1 Rep. Ariel Olano 5M
Davao del Norte 2 Rep. Antonio Florendo Jr. 5M
Davao del Sur 1 Rep. Douglas Cagas 3M
Davao Or. 2 Rep. Joel Mayo Almario 3M
Davao City 1 Rep. Prospero Nograles 3M
Davao City 2 Rep. Vicente Garcia 5M

REGION XII
Sarangani Lone Rep. Erwin Chiongbian 3M

CAR
Abra Lone Rep. Luis Bersamin 3M
Benguet Lone Rep. Samuel Dangwa 3M
Ifugao Lone Rep. Solomon Chungalao 3M
Kalinga Lone Rep. Laurence Wacnang 3M

MIMAROPA
Mindoro Occ. Lone Rep. Josephine Sato 5M
Romblon Lone Rep. Perpetuo Ylagan 3M
Marinduque Lone Rep. Edmundo Reyes Jr. 5M
Mindoro Or. 1 Rep. Charity Leviste 5M
Mindoro Or. 2 Rep. Alfonso Umali Jr. 3M
Palawan 1 Rep. Vicente Sandoval 5M

CARAGA
Agusan
del Norte 1 Rep. Leovigildo Banaag 3M
Agusan del Sur Lone Rep. Rodolfo Plaza 5M
Surigao del Norte 2 Rep. Robert Ace Barbers 5M
Surigao del Sur 1 Rep. Prospero Pichay 5M
Surigao del Norte 1 Rep.Glenda Ecleo 3M

ARMM
ARMM Lone Rep. Gerry Salapuddin 5M
Tawi-Tawi Lone Rep. Soraya Jaafar 3M
Sulu 1 Rep. Hussin Amin 3M
Sulu 2 Rep. Munir Arbison 3M
Lanao del Sur 1 Rep. Faysah Dumarpa 3M

PROVINCIAL GOVERNORS 265M
Abra Vicente Ysidro P. Valora 5M
Agusan del Sur Adolph Edward Plaza 5M
Aklan Florencio T. Miraflores 5M
Aurora Ramoncila P. Ong 5M
Basilan Wahab M. Akmad 5M
Batanes Vicente DS. Galo 5M
Biliran Rogelio J. Espino 5M
Bohol Erico B. Aumentado 5M
Bukidnon Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr. 5M
Bulacan Josefina M. Dela Cruz 5M
Camarines Norte Jesus O. Typoco Jr. 5M
Camarines Sur Luis R. Villafuerte 5M
Camiguin Pedro P. Romualdo 5M
Capiz Vicente B. Bermejo 5M
Catanduanes Leandro B. Verceles Jr. 5M
Compostela Valley Jose R. Caballero 5M
Davao Norte Rodolfo P. Del Rosario 5M
Davao Or. Ma. Elena T. Palma Gil 5M
Davao Sur Benjamin P. Bautista Jr. 5M
Eastern Samar Clotilde J. Salazar 5M
Ifugao Teodoro B. Baguilat Jr. 5M
Ilocos Sur Deogracias Victor B. Savellano 5M
Iloilo Niel D. Tupaz 5M
Isabela Faustino S. Dy Jr. 5M
La Union Victor Francisco C. Ortega 5M
Laguna Teresita S. Lazaro 5M
Lanao del Norte Imelda Q. Dimaporo 5M
Lanao del Sur Mamintal M. Adiong 5M
Maguindanao Andal S. Ampatuan 5M
Marinduque Carmencita O. Reyes 5M
Masbate Antonio T. Kho 5M
Mindoro Or. Bartolome L. Marasigan Sr. 5M
Misamis Occ. Loreto Leo S. Ocampos 5M
Negros Occ. Joseph G. Marañon 5M
Negros Or. George P. Arnaiz 5M
N. Cotabato Emmanuel F. Piñol 5M
Nueva Ecija Tomas N. Joson III 5M
Palawan Mario Joel T. Reyes 5M
Pangasinan Victor Aguildo E. Agbayani 5M
Rizal Rebecca A. Ynares 5M
Romblon Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona 5M
Sarangani Miguel D. Escobar 5M
Siquijor Orlando B. Fua Sr. 5M
Sorsogon Raul R. Lee 5M
Southern Leyte Roselle Y. Lerias 5M
Sultan Kudarat Datu Pax Paking S. Mangudadatu 5M
Sulu Yusoph H. Jikiri 5M
Surigao Norte Robert Lyndon S. Barbers 5M
Surigao Sur Vicente T. Pimentel Jr. 5M
Tawi-Tawi Rashidhn Matba 5M
Zambales Vicente P. Magsaysay 5M
Zambo Norte Isagani S. Amatong 5M
Negros Occ. Vice Gov. Isidro P. Zayco 5M

Municipality
Alicia, Isabela Mayor Napoleon S. Dy 2M
Aurora, Isabela Mayor William T. Uy 2M
Echague, Isabela Mayor Leoncio K. Klat 2M
Gamu, Isabela Mayor Alfredo P. Burkley Jr. 2M
Maconacon, Isabela Mayor Francisco G. Talosig 2M
Melig, Isabela Mayor Edward S. Isidro 2M
Quirino, Isabela Mayor Edward D. Juan 2M
San Mateo, Isabela Mayor Roberto G. Agcaoili 2M
Tumsuini, Isabela Mayor Arnold S. Bautista 2M
Kalibo, Aklan Mayor Reymar Rabaldo 5M
Malinoo, Albay Mayor Emiliana Kare 3M
Buenavista, Agusan del Norte Mayor Percianila G. Racho 3M
Nasipit, Agusan del Norte Mayor Enrico R. Corvera 3M
Butuan City Mayor Leonidad Therese B. Plaza 5M
Tamparan, Lanao del Sur Mayor Datu Topean Disomimba 2M
Wao, Lanao del Sur Mayor Elvino C. Balicao 2M
Buadiposo-Bunlong, Lanao del Sur Mayor Camaludin T. Dadayan 2M
Bubong, Lanao del Sur Mayor Usoph Baunio Munder 2M
Lumba-Bayabao, Lanao del Sur Mayor Guimil Romi Milmug 2M
Marawi City, Lanao del Sur Mayor Omar S. Alid 2M
Himamaylan, Negros Occ. Mayor Carmina G. Bascon 3M
Tanay, Rizal Mayor Tomas Ricardo A. Tanjuatco 2M
Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur Mayor Sabdullah Macabago 2M
GRAND TOTAL 728M