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China's trade surplus with the rest of the world, and with the United States in particular, has raised political hackles in slower-growing regions of the world, where many policy makers argue that the renminbi is artificially weak, giving Chinese exporters an advantage. Since June, China has allowed its currency to rise around 2 percent against the U.S. dollar.

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President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared Tuesday, November 16, 2010 as a national holiday in celebration of Eid'l Adha or Feast of Sacrifice.

President Aquino signed Proclamation No. 60 dated November 09, 2010 declaring November 16 as a national holiday in celebration of the Feast of Sacrifice or Eid'l Adha, one of the two greatest feast of Islam.

In issuing the Proclamation, President Aquino said that RA 9849 provides that Eid'l Adha shall be celebrated as a national holiday.

The President also took into cognizance the fact that the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos has confirmed that the feast of Eid'l Adha falls on November 16, 2010.

The Eid'l Adha or "Greater Eid" is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son Ishmael (Isma'il) as an act of obedience to God, but instead was able to sacrifice a ram (by God's command). - PIA

Prospective buyers in Holland were in awe of this Filipino's craftsmanship, with orders for his eco-friendly bamboo-framed bicycles reportedly running at U.S.$400 each in their vision of pedaling for cleaner air and reducing the world's carbon footprint.

But on Sunday, 7 November, the country lost a genius and Mother Earth lost a friend as entrepreneur Ronald Hector "Hecky" Villanueva succumbed to aneurysm of the brain at the age of 43.

As author of the Kawayan Tech Bamboo Bikes 2009 business plan, Hecky was able to compete in the Business in Development (BiD) Challenge International Marketplace in the Netherlands only last June together with three other Filipino winners.

With his bamboo bike frames, Hecky will best be remembered for his Philippine kawayan innovation of using the bicycle's inherent characteristics highly efficient, functional and affordable, easy to maintain, and environment-friendly.

Craig D. Calfee, an American consultant of Hecky and his partners, had initiated the building of bamboo bicycle frames at the Calfee Design studios in California since 2005.

In 2008, Calfee pioneered his Bamboosero initiative in Ghana in Western Africa, with Ghanian bamboo bike frame builders getting an average of $195 each for their bicycle craft and the finished product selling in the United States reportedly by as much as $950 each.

In his business plan, Hecky had stressed that there was a strong demand for bamboo bikes from various sectors of society that promote biking and strive in reducing their carbon footprint.

He had planned that his social enterprise project in the Philippines would develop bamboo into an ecologically friendly alternative transport option worldwide.

Kawayan Tech has been collaborating with biking enthusiasts, bamboo aficionados, and those wanting to reduce carbon emission in the world.

Hecky also had plans to network his innovation with environment friendly resorts and establishments, local governments and national agencies, bike rental firms, and communities with poor infrastructure and transportation.

His body cremated, Hecky's remains lie in state at the Sanctuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park, Makati City until Thursday (11 Nov).

His fellow entrepreneurs at the 2009 BiD Challenge Phils. and friends at the Philippine Business and Social Progress (PBSP) have expressed their condolences to Hecky's family over his sudden demise.

The Dutch group BiD Network also contributed to a Facebook page in memory of Hecky and his share in the preservation of the ecology.

In the Friends of Ronald "Hecky" Villanueva Memorial Page on Facebook, members of the BiD Network team said they had "received the very sad news" of Hecky's loss.

"We met Ronald in the Netherlands as the entrepreneur of the bamboo bikes business," the BiD Network team said. "'We grow your bikes' is a slogan we won't forget."

The team added: "Ronald was making use creatively of what nature offers and was persistent to establish a profitable business with positive gains for his underprivileged fellow beings in the Philippines ? a true social entrepreneur."

The BiD Network said it wished "Ronald's colleagues and business partners a lot of success in continuing this admirable business venture. To all relatives and friends of Ronald: please accept our condolences and we wish you every strength in coming to terms with your loss." (PBSP/Mitchel Confessor)

By Francis B. Bilowan

MANILA, Nov. 9 (PNA) -- Immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) stumbled upon a new modus operandi of human traffickers with the recent arrest of three prospective overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who concealed their travel documents in their underwear in an attempt to hide their true destinations.

Bureau of Immigration Officer-In-Charge Ronaldo Ledesma said the three female “tourist workers” were intercepted at the NAIA last Oct. 25 as they were about to board a Philippine Airlines flight to Singapore.

It turned out that the women, who pretended to be tourists, were actually bound for Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates. The government bans the deployment of female workers to Lebanon.

“It appears that the illegal recruiters and human trafficking syndicates are using all tricks so their victims can avoid detection by immigration officers,” Ledesma said.

He said the new modus operandi is a sign of desperation on the part of the syndicates whose operations are reportedly severely crippled by the BI’s intensified drive against human trafficking.

USA ka taxi drayber ang gitulis sa iyang tulo ka mga pasahero sa ala 1:40 sa kaadlawon kagahapon didto sa Gem Village, Barangay Ma-a, siyudad sa Davao.

Ang biktima mao si Romelito Demicillo, 31, minyo, drayber sa STC Taxi ug nagpuyo sa Purok 2, Barangay Langub, ning siyudad.

Base sa imbestigasyon ni PO2 Jonnel Bonguyan sa Talomo Police Station, ang biktima gisakyan sa tulo ka mga lalaki gikan sa dalang F. Torres ug nagpahatud dito sa Datu Luho, Barangay Ma-a.

Si Demicillo nagbutyag sa kapulisan nga ang usa ka pasahero milingkod sa front seat samtang ang duha milingkod sa back seat sa iyang gimaneho nga taxi nga dunay body number 87.

Matud ni Demicillo nga ang tawo nga milingkod sa front seat dunay dalang granada samtang ang duha dunay dalang wa matino nga kalibre sa armas.

Dihang miabot na sila sa Gem Village, suma sa biktima, gitionan siya og armas sa duha ka mga tawo dungan sa pagdeklara nga tulis.

Si Demicillo nagsulti nga gikuha sa iyang katapad ang iyang kita sa pagpamasada nga nagkantidad og P3,100. - Sun Star

Too many photos. It's difficult to open the web page. I think photos should be posted in separate threads, otherwise page loading will always be a problem.

WHAT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN WHEN WE PRAY? 

This is one  of the nicest e-mails I have seen and is so  true:

I dreamed  that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing  me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large  workroom filled with angels. My angel guide  stopped in front of the first section and said,  ' This is the Receiving Section. Here, all  petitions to God said in prayer are  received. 

I  looked around in this area, and it was terribly  busy with so many angels sorting out petitions  written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps  from people all over the  world.   

Then we  moved on down a long corridor until we reached  the second section.   

The  angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging  and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and  blessings the people asked for are processed and  delivered to the living persons who asked for  them." I noticed again how busy it was there.  There were many angels working hard at that  station, since so many blessings had been  requested and were being packaged for delivery  to Earth.   

Finally  at the farthest end of the long corridor we  stopped at the door of a very small station. To  my great surprise, only one angel was seated  there, idly doing nothing. "This is the  Acknowledgment Section, my angel friend  quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed."   How is it that there is no work going on  here? ' I asked.   

"So  sad," the angel sighed.  "After people  receive the blessings that they asked for, very  few send back  acknowledgments"   

"How  does one acknowledge God's blessings? " I  asked..   

"Simple,"  the angel answered. Just say, "Thank you,  Lord. " 

"What  blessings should they acknowledge?"  I  asked.   

"If you  have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your  back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you  are richer than 75% of this world. If you have  money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare  change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of  the world's wealthy. "   

"And if  you get this on your own computer, you are part  of the 1% in the world who has that  opportunity."   

"If you  woke up this morning with more health than  illness .. You are more blessed than the many  who will not even survive this  day. "   

"If you  have never experienced the fear in battle, the  loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of  torture, or the pangs of starvation ... You are  ahead of 700 million people in the  world." 

"If you  can attend a church without the fear of  harassment, arrest, torture or death you are  envied by, and more blessed than, three billion  people in the world."   
   
"If  your parents are still alive and still married  ...you are very rare." 

"If you  can hold your head up and smile, you are not the  norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and  despair......." 

Ok,  what now? How can I start?   

If you  can read this message, you just received a  double blessing in that someone was thinking of  you as very special and you are more blessed  than over two billion people in the world who  cannot read at all.     

Have a  good day,  count your blessings , and  if you care to, pass this along to remind  everyone else how blessed we all  are   

ATTN:    Acknowledge Dept . 
"Thank you Lord, for giving me the ability  to share this message and for giving me so many  wonderful people with whom to share  it. "     

If you  have read this far, and are thankful for all  that you have been blessed with, how can  you  not    send it on ? I thank God for  everything, especially all my family and  friends.

Your low fare leader and pioneer, Cebu Pacific (CEB) offers a seat sale to select domestic and international destinations from now until November 12, 2010 or until seats last, for travel from January 1 to March 31, 2011.

It's ‘Go Lite’ seat sale fares to Bicol for Manila-Virac flights for as low as P399, and P499 from Manila to Legazpi and Naga, and Cebu to Legazpi!

You can avail of P1,499 ‘Go Lite’ seats from Manila, Cebu and Clark to Singapore, as well as Manila to Brunei. Meanwhile, P1,999 ‘Go Lite’ seats are available for Manila-Kuala Lumpur flights.

Guests who have plans to travel to Singapore, Brunei, Kuala Lumpur and Bicol early next year can book in advance with this seat sale, which further lowers our trademark low fares as much as 50%!

Starting December 17, 2010, our Manila-Singapore service will be 32 times weekly. Meanwhile, starting December 16, 2010, flights from Manila to Kuala Lumpur and Brunei will be increased to 10 times weekly and thrice weekly services, respectively.

The European Commission on Tuesday fined 11 air cargo carriers, including Air France-KLM and British Airways, a total of 799 million euros (1.1 billion U.S. dollars) for price fixing in cargo services.

"It is deplorable that so many major airlines coordinated their pricing to the detriment of European businesses and European consumers," said Joaquin Almunia, commission vice president in charge of competition.

The 11 carriers fined by the commission were Air Canada, Air France-KLM, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Cargolux, Japan Airlines, LAN Chile, Martinair, SAS, Singapore Airlines and Qantas.

Germany's Lufthansa, which also participated in the price-fixing cartel, received full immunity from penalty because it was the first to provide information about the cartel.

The commission found that the carriers coordinated their action on surcharges for fuel and security without discounts over six years, from December 1999 to February 2006.

The cartel arrangements consisted of numerous contacts between airlines, at both bilateral and multilateral level, covering flights from, to and within Europe.

Air France-KLM was hit with the biggest sum of fine, which amounted to 183 million euros (255 million U.S. dollars), while British Airways came in second, facing a fine of 104 million euros (145 million U.S. dollars). = phil news agency

mao nay gitawag ug "gipusil"

Freddie Roach says Antonio Margarito has “zero chance” against Manny Pacquiao and predicts his Filipino champion will take down the Tijuana Tornado via an 8th round knockout.

“The tornado will be downsized to a tropical storm,” said Roach to the Asian Journal. “There’s no way this is going to past eight rounds.”

Roach, Pacquiao and other members of Team Pacquiao boarded a 4pm chartered flight out of a private terminal nearby LAX to Texas on Monday. Pacquiao has his eyes set on capturing an eighth world title in as many divisionsâ€"this time a middleweight titleâ€"on Saturday at Dallas Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas but standing in his way is Margarito, who is seeking redemption after serving a one year suspension after boxing official found plaster in his hand wraps before his fight against Sugar Shane Mosley in 2009.

Shalani is now Willie's co-host in Willing Willie at TV 5 Channel. Knowing Willie Revillame's past adventures, we can only surmise. For now.

Australia's gas output is expected to eclipse Malaysia's by 2020.

The country is also poised to overtake Norway to become the third largest gas producer among the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations by 2035, driven mainly by the booming liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector.

By this stage, Australia's gas output will only be surpassed by the United States and Canada, according to the International Energy Agency's Annual World Energy Outlook report released overnight in London.

Australia's gas output is also expected to eclipse that of Indonesia's by 2025. - pna

Will Shalani Soledad Become a Girlfriend of Willie Revillame? What do you think?

By TJ Burgonio
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The Philippine population will continue to grow in the next 50 years even if each couple limits children to two, an official of the Commission on Population (Popcom) said Tuesday.

In the four months since President Benigno Aquino III occupied Malacañang, the country has about 500,000 more mouths to feedâ€"the fastest rate of increase in Southeast Asiaâ€"bringing the population to 94 million.

Rosalinda Marcelino, Popcom director for Metro Manila, told members of the House committee on population that the population was “predominantly young,” with 35 percent below 15 years old, and 15 percent belonging to the 15-24 bracket.

“We are talking here of more than 50 percent of [Filipinos] who are young and, in due time, would become parents. And even if each couple would only have two children, our population will still continue to grow in the next 50 years,” she said in a PowerPoint presentation.

Three Filipino workers died in an early morning fire in Dubai, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.

The Filipinos, whose names were withheld, were asleep when fire broke in their rented apartment, the DFA said, quoting a report of the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai.

“When they woke up, the apartment’s receiving room and kitchen were all in flames and no exit can be used,” the DFA said.

Three other Filipinos were able to escape through the window, said Philippine Consul General Benito Valeriano.

He said two of the survivors suffered minor injuries while the third sustained second degree burns in the face, back, arms and toes and is now confined at the Surgical Intensive Care Unit of Al Rashid. - Agence France Presse

Good night, wolfpack. The good thing is you can create your own thread in TubagBohol for all your status messages. Or, you may start a new thread for each status message separate from one another.

We are conducting a public opinion survey on who the worst president of the Philippines is. Only registered members of TubagBohol.com can vote above. If you are not a member yet, please register now (for free) and have your vote counted.

by Avivah Wittenberg-Cox

“Most companies would like to become more gender balanced at all levels, with women and men dancing together in a smooth and natural way. They have been trying for decades to attract, retain and promote more women. They have tried to grow their female customer bases. […]

But nobody ever bothered checking if the prince can actually dance.”

by David Meerman Scott

“So ubiquitous have Web sites become that it’s hard to believe they’ve been with us for less than 20 years. It was the 1994 introduction of the browser-enabled World Wide Web that gave birth to the Web site. Since then they have gone through about four stages of evolution: […]

Now, we’re entering a fifth era of the evolution: transformation of the Web site into a real-time marketing (and sales) machine. This is the natural evolutionary outcome of a process that started with a new way to slip brochures under people’s doors.”

by Marcia Conner

“Social media has the potential to dramatically improve the inner workings of every company. The interstitial connections can quickly cross business silos, inform decision making, educate people at all levels, and allow employeesâ€"especially new entrantsâ€"to pick up the natural rhythms of how people around them work. But only if the company allows access to social networks. And most companies don’t.”

by John Torinus Jr.

“Major change usually comes off a platform of crisis, and I think everyone can agree that crisis conditions surely exist in health care economics. The nation’s health care bill has been doubling every eight years for the last four decades. The runaway costs have been busting the budgets of federal, state and local governments, and they have bled the bottom lines of corporations.”

by Erik Wesner

“When they’re not around you or me, the Amish speak a language called Pennsylvania German. Demut is their word for humility. And Demut isn’t just for the Amish.

Why does humility matter?

It matters in business. It matters in life. It matters in our relationships.”

by Alan Lewis

“Most organizations believe they are not working as well as they used to. They blame the rapid and unpredictable changes that are going on around them. But many of them have failed to grasp one fundamental truth: CHANGE IS THE NEW CONSTANT. To be successful in the 21st century requires an approach that change is here to stay, so one of the most critical components for success is now the ability to build a culture to adapt and thrive in change.”

On Sunday please return to this thread and post the fight result between Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito. Thank you.

Canadians will need a visa to enter the United Arab Emirates (UAE) starting January 2, the UAE embassy in Ottawa announced Monday.

The announcement comes as the two countries have been at odds over landing rights in Canada for UAE-based carriers, the closure of a UAE military base to Canadian use, and a UAE threat to ban key services for Canada-based Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry smartphones.

Requirements for the visas were not immediately announced.

"All sovereign states have the right to decide the entry requirements for visitors to their countries," Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon's spokesman Jacques Labrie told AFP by email. - Agence France Presse

What is an ePub format? What's the best application to use to read an epub book?

German architects on Monday criticized that the world's tallest building opened in Dubai has set a bad example for building design.

This huge glass and ferroconcrete tower "hardly represents a sustainable contribution to current world building practices," said Christian Baumgart, president of German architects' association DAI.

The building is just a symbol of showing power without rational and economical thinking, said German architect Meinhard von Gerkan, who designed Berlin's central train station. Suffered by astronomical building and maintenance costs, such kind of buildings are hard to make profits, he said.

The Burj Dubai, opened on Monday is 828 meters tall, more than 300 meters taller than the Taipei 101 towers. It was designed by American architect Adrian Smith. It has 160 floors, using 330,000 cubic meters of reinforced concrete and the total area of glass reaching 103,000 square meters. (PNA/Xinhua)

A Boholana municipal office head is one of the Philippine’s most outstanding officials and employees this year, grabbing the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award which is regarded as the country’s Nobel Prize for public service.

Teodosia S. Bernaldez, municipal civil registrar of Loboc, on Friday was conferred the honor by no less than Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall, Malacañan Palace.

In China, the visiting Boholano delegation led by Gov. Edgar Chatto celebrated Bernaldez’ rare distinction described by the governor as “one more national testament to the Boholano excellence in local governance.”

Chatto was himself a Presidential Lingkod Bayan awardee during his stint as vice governor of Bohol in 2000. For his feat, the Philippine government raised his salary, among other prizes, equivalent to the governor’s at that time.

The award is the highest honor given to state workers for exceptional contributions resulting from an idea or performance that has a nationwide impact on public interest. There are also winners in two other categories, the Dangal ng Bayan Award and CSC Pagasa Award.

The annual prestigious selection has been spearheaded by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) together with the Office of the President and this year’s honoring highlighted the 110th Anniversary of the Philippine Civil Service.

The CSC’s commemoration theme is RACE for “responsive, accessible, courteous and effective public service.” More than this year’s anniversary central theme, RACE represents an ideal in public service, a perennial goal, an unending challenge.

Bernaldez bested another Boholano nominee, former governor and now Second District Rep. Erico Aumentado, who was included among the 19 semi-finalists. His record was submitted as then governor.

The Loboc civil registrar shared the 2010 Lingkod Bayan final honors with only six others from across the country, namely DTI Senior Usec,. Thomas Aquino, Clark Air Base Command aircraft mechanic Pablo Lasprilla, Jr., Philippine Institute of Volcanology & Seismology Dir. IV Renato Solidum of Quezon City, Major Danilo Atienza Air Base technical sergeant Salvador Buenaobra, Jr. of Sangley Point in Cavite City, 85thInfantry Batallion commander Col. Lope Dagoy of Tanay, Rizal, and Komisyon sa Wikang Pilipino Acting Dir. Gen. Fe Yap of San Miguel, Manila.

Chatto said Bernaldez’ honor will motivate fellow local government workers not just in Bohol but the whole nation.

The governor himself launched as soon as he assumed capitol office the search for model provincial government employees by departments to inspire workers, stressing that “inspired people work better.”

Bernaldez is the only appointed local official among this year’s major awardees. Chatto, on the other hand, has been reputed to be the only elective official ever honored the Lingkod Bayan Award.

CSC Chairman Francisco Duque III chaired this year’s award committee together with Exec. Dir. Ma. Nieves Confesor of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Team Energy for Bridging Societal Divides, Chief Exec. Officer Milwida Martin Guevara of Synergeia Foundation, Associate Editor Marichu Villanueva of Philippine Star, and Chief of Presidential Protocol Miguel Perez-Rubio. (Ven rebo Arigo)

By Rey Anthony Chiu

PILAR Mayor Wilson Pajo, who has been working to get the town off the list of most poverty stricken towns in Bohol said he appreciates the new team members who are getting the people’s mandate in the past barangay and Sangguninag Kabataan elections.

These people, he said would be his partners in plotting the development plans for the town’s 21 barangays.

This too as the town retained about half of its village chairmen while residents also elected 11 new punong barangays, town information officer Gualberto Jaspe said Friday.

And from independent sources, this early, at least two returning barangay chairmen and three more newly elected chairmen would be contesting the coveted seat of the town’s Association of Barangay Councils. 

Winning however is another story, Jaspe said as he pointed out that these hopefuls would contend with incumbent ABC ex officio Sangguninag Bayan Member and still eligible candidate captain from Barangay Cansungay.

Newly elected punong barangays to man the town’s frontline offices in the basic local government units are Henry Tutor (Pamacsalan), Marcelino Auguis Jr., (Lumbay), Margarito Soriano (Ilaud), Rodelio Balaba (Lundag), Samuel Dusal (San Carlos).


Angelito Balaba (Catagdaan), Timoteo Andub (Inaghuban), Flavio Bernaldez (Buenasuerte), Aniceto Amper (San Isidro), Genaro Perenio (Estaca) and Arthur Ente (Poblacion). 

Getting fresh mandates however were Mauricio Bitancor (Aurora), Tirso Albit (Bayong), Alfredo Daguplo (Bagacay), Nicomedes Lusica (San Vicente), Carlos Cagape (Cansungay).

Gabriel Lusica (Bagumbayan), Legorio Ruperez (La Suerte), Jonas Suson (Cagawasan), Celestino Jamil (Rizal) and Lilia Butron (Del Pilar).

Pilar has remained among Bohol’s towns with the most poverty incidence, one that has caught the attention of Capitol Officials who brought in along with the Provincial Peace and Order Council’s Civac, the HEAT Caravan.

Also seen as a town with huge potential for agro-industry, Pilar has caused District representative Artur Yap to scour government resources to build a rice processing complex that aims to reduce production losses in Bohol’s most potential town for rice production.

Hosting the region’s biggest man-made body of water, the Pilar Dam has the potential to irrigate around 5,000 hectares of prime rice fields in nearly its 21 barangays. (racPIABohol)     

By Rey Anthony Chiu

DECADES of neglect has caused a chronic illness to the country’s education system, one that may have never happened if the country listened to former President Carlos P. Garcia half a century ago.

In fact, according to Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro, the Boholano president has seen the “education crisis” and called for changes to heal the problem.

As early as 1959, Garcia has called for a review of the government’s financing program for the elementary and secondary schools to make it sustainable.

The year before that, the Boholano teacher, orator, poet, lawyer and public servant, apparently felt the problem and suggested reforms.

He accordingly called for a full day instruction for primary education and lobbied for reduced size of classes from 60 to 40.

That same year, the poor man from Sitio Luy-a, Barangay san Roque has called for the use of vernacular instruction on the first two years in the elementary, Luistro, who was the keynote speaker during the 114th Carlos P. Garcia Day in Bohol enumerated the reforms proposed by the most illustrious Boholono son.

Apart from a living a distinctive life as politician and statesmanship who helped prop up the precursor Association of South East Asian Nations in the South East Asian Treaty Organization, Luistro said he believes that the Garcia’s first two years as a public school teacher at the Bohol Provincial High School has shaped his personality. 

Luistro sees the two years of his (CPG) life as the most critical as his being a teacher in the public school had in him the greatest impact on how he was to cover his government after he would assume the country’s top seat after the death of President Ramon Magsaysay.

CPG made a lasting impression on how to care for our bother Filipinos, Luistro intoned, not after reminding Boholanos of the Filipino First Policy and the Austerity program he played to the hilt.

“Every President leaves a lasting legacy, he left his by enunciating the Filipino First Policy.”

And when we see the government urging for the public-private sector partnership being frontloaded by the 2oth century Aquino Administration, as early as 1961, the private-public sector partnership has already been used by Garcia to help the public schools, Luistro said. (racPIABohol)

FIVE Boholanos who help perpetuate the memory of Bohol’s most illustrious son and former Philippine President Carlos P. Garcia (CPG) earn recognition during the 114th CPG Day, November 4.

Chosen to exemplify the attributes of the Boholano president who was best known as a teacher, poet, orator, lawyer, statesman, sports enthusiast and guerilla leader, this year’s CPG Awardees were for public service, education, arts and sports.

Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio said an award for statesmanship was supposed to be handed out, but the committee couldn’t find time to screen potential awardees.

Boholano president Garcia was schooled in Bohol, Cebu, Silliman University in Negros Oriental and the Philippine Law School where he passed the bar among the top.

Despite the distinction, Garcia opted to be a teacher first rather than practicing law.

He then threw his hat into politics and rose until peaking at the country’s top political power seat.

114 years after his birth, Boholanos unite to commemorate the man who has popularized the patriotic Filipino First Policy and an Austerity Program that allowed government to save its scant resources.

To facilitate the easy memory of the man, Boholanos who have excelled in different but distinctive fields of endeavor reap the CPG awards.
EDUCATION

Boholanos and Ramon Magsaysay Awardees Christopher and Ma. Victoria Bernido earned their CPG award their innovative implementation of the Dynamic Learning program.

The equivalent of the Nobel Prize for Asia, the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation heaped praises to the Bernidos for opting to leave their lofty national posts to bring the much-needed change in the country’s education system.

The couple developed an efficient learning and teaching method via a student centered learning system, where teaching focuses on student activity rather than on traditional classroom lectures.

Sources said that the set-up is 70% student activityâ€"30% lecture/discussion, and usually national experts do the majority of the lectures via video, and the students learn independently, because each activity is provided with a clear, learning target.

Students also understand lessons on their own by reading the concept notes and exercises in their portfolio of works which act as their schoolwork documentation.

The Bernidos are also nationally acclaimed physicists and academicians having been assigned top positions at the country’s premier state university.
PUBLIC SERVICE

The Local Civil Registrar of Loboc town here has been this year’s Presidential Lingkod Bayan Awardee, after a search by the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

Teodosia Bernaldez earned the annual national CSC recognition for outstanding public official and employees for their work performance in 2010 last September.

The Lingkod Bayan is notably the country’s Nobel Prize for public service.

Bernaldez beat Governor Erico Aumentado to the position as the former was also nominated in his capacity as Bohol top public servant.

Bernaldez won together with six other public officials and employees from across the country who were nominated to the prestigious search for this year. 
ARTS

CPG awardee for the Arts is multi-awarded artist and cultural impresario Lutgardo Labad.

A recent winner in the Aliw 2010 Awards, Labad romped with the Best Stage Director for a Philippine Educational Theater Association play billed “Post Office” and as a musical composer for the zarsuela “Baler sa Puso Ko.”     

The Aliw awards, one that recognizes the best in live entertainment is the latest addition to Labad’s personal achievements.

He took three FAMAS Awards, and the Best Film Scores each for Manunuri Award of the Film Academy of the Philippines, Manila Film Festival, Metro Manila Film Festival and the Golden Screen.

By Rey Anthony Chiu

ENLIVENING the spirit of Bohol’s poor and yet deserving students, Capitol has found anew a way to help the financially challenged dreamers realize their dreams.

By institutionalizing a special college subsidy program, which it launched last November 4, 2010, Capitol has to earmarked P6M annually to fund the Bohol Educational Subsidy Program (BESP).

The program is for avail-ment by poor high school students who would have been stopped by circumstances top pursue their dreams for college due to poverty.

The BESP can be considered an offshoot and younger sib to the President Carlos P. Garcia (CPG) Scholarship as it build on what the other could not totally serve.

The CPG scholarship was institutionalized in 1994 under the tandem of Gov. Rene Relampagos and Vice Gov. Edgar Chatto.

The new BESP however just started and opens the door wider for more slots available to high school graduates who can receive a semestral subsidy of P2,500 per student.

And just like CPG Scholarship, which is backed by a provincial ordinance, the BESP has and hopes to offer an alternative educational aid fund to students who may have failed the stringent screening for the CPG scholarship, Board member Cesar Tomas Lopez read on the program briefer.

The CPG scholarship gives beneficiaries some P5,000 for tuition fees, P400 to P600 monthly allowance, and a one time aid of P500 for books, Lopez said.

CPG scholarship beneficiaries, numbering 141 students and currently enrolled in the different colleges and universities attended the launching of its twin financial educational support program, the BESP.


Designed as a financial support to families of high school graduates, Lopez said that the BESP’s P2,500 per semester is renewable so a lucky scholar can get as much as 5,000 a year.

On this Capitol has earmarked P3 million per semester or P6M for a year, Gov. Edgar Chatto beamed.

We hope we can ease a bit the burden of families paying the full tuition fees, which does not come cheap, Bohol governor once said. (racPIABohol)

By Rey Anthony Chiu, PIA

Public land settlers who have been there for more than ten years get a chance to claim titles for their residential lots as the government eases the requirements and procedures.

By this, the lengthy court debacles for owners who have to wait for the court approval as demanded by the Public Land Law, has simply been scrapped in favor of the DENR title approval, research showed.

This window of opportunity takes effect after former President Gloria Arroyo signed it into law last March.

Known as Republic Act 10023, the act authorizes the issuance of free patents to residential lots has just had its implementing rules and regulations, but the environment department picks Bohol as its pilot site, reveals DENR Undersecretary Regidor de Leon.

The undersecretary came to Bohol in time for the 114th Carlos P. Garcia Day in lieu of secretary Ramon Jesus Paje who was still on an engagement abroad.

Bohol would be the first among the provinces, said the environment undersecretary as he aired the department’s confidence that the program runs well in a province where environment and natural resource protection and conservation is on top of the agenda.

Citing the successful crafting of the country’s first environment code, Usec. De Leon said that the choice for Bohol would also open up the chances of some 103,000 residential lots to benefit from the move.

In the first year of program implementation however, the DENR said they expect about 20,000 titles for beneficiaries as the remaining 80,000 plus lots first need to be reclassified, a task that would entail a fast-tracked action by the local legislative bodies.

The environment bigwig said the first 20,000 lots are those from the towns, which have already approved Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUP).

Free patent law covers only agricultural lands and so a local legislation action is needed to make the local land use plans jibe with the law to facilitate titling.

We now urge local officials to fast-track the approval of CLUPS to let us cover the remaining 80,000 lots.

He stressed that aside for a potential source of revenues for local governments, titling grants owners a tenurial instrument that also makes them pay annual taxes to the benefit of local governments.

The DENR boasts of streamlined titling processes that makes the move cost-efficient, less hassles and allows owners an assured titles in 120 days. (racPIABohol) 

By Rey Anthony Chiu

Most people who saw galleon Andalucia said it was huge. The Manila galleons however were enormous.

Just as Andalucia needed about 150 tons of steel and concrete ballasts to steady herself, the Manila galleons made in Cavite in the Philippines between the 16th to the early 18th century used between 500 to a thousand tons of weight to keep them manageable, according to research.

The visiting 51 meters museum-galleon Andalucia weighed around 500 tons. A Manila galleon once weighed between 1,700 to 2,000 tones and loads between 7000 to over a thousand people, an account quoted by historical researcher Dave Sandersfeld said.

16th century galleons averaged 700 tons, the size doubled to 1500 tons in the next century.

By the 18th century, galleons ranged from 1700 to 2000 tons, most of them built in Punta Cavite and these were the largest galleons the Spanish ever built out of Philippine hardwood, the researcher stressed.

The galleon Andalucia used a combination of iroko (African) word, teak and pine. Manila galleons used Philippine teak, pine, mahogany and possibly metal woods.

And why use these enormous ships?

The answer lies in the economy of loading big boats over the frequency of trips and the distance they have to cover.

While Ferdinand Magellan claimed the Philippines for Spain in 1521, it was Miguel Lopez de Legazpi who discovered and built Manila 1565, realizing that it was already an established trading center and was a hub of trade and commerce among prime Asian states.

Well within the “Spice Islands”, Manila port was closest Spanish port to Acapulco, about 9,000 miles and a short offloading and land route from Acapulco to Vera Cruz Port on the eastern Mexico cuts huge travel time and eliminates the threat of pirates awaiting for the bulky galleons at the Magellan’s Strait.

The galleons carry Chinese silks and porcelain, furniture, Burma jade and gemstones, Manila hemps, musks, exotic spices and other very valuable cargo for Spain, treasures that could lay a pirate comforts into his long retirement.

The usual ambush takes place at the strait of Magellan off the southern coasts of South America, where the galleons take on to Spain or on the coasts of the Americas.

Moreover, the areas around the Philippine archipelago seethed with Chinese, Japanese and Malayan pirates as the Dutch and English pirates waited for them at open waters.

When the galleon’s precious merchandise was an easy target for the pirates’ greed, and the galleons, but were quickly displaced by ships with much more loading space and defensive capacity, able to carry up to 50 canyons onboard.

The galleon Andalucia only had 10 defensive cannons.

In olden times, an ocean crossing galleon crew is always threatened by scurvy, epidemics, hunger, thirst, or exposure. The Andalucia comes complete with the modern amenities that a sick crew is never a problem.

Sailors of old depended on astrologers, cosmologists, cosmographic maps and experienced pilots. Andalucia crew had the comforts of a Global Positioning System that makes them virtually impossible to get lost.

As old sailors scamper on rope ladders to the crows nest and look out for shoals, reefs of sand bars, or drop sounding equipment to measure depths, Andalucia pilot need not visually navigate as he can always consult a radar system that gives him virtually everything in his finger tips.

But, whether aboard the Andalucia or on any one of the Manila galleons, the eerie feeling of a swashbuckling eye-patched pirate on a crutch and a parrot never fails to invade one’s memory. (racPIABohol)

By Christine O. Avendaño
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Did P-Noy watch ex-girlfriend Shalani Soledad’s TV debut on the game show “Willing Willie” Monday night? Whether he did or not, he had one wish for herâ€"that she would find “true happiness.”

Asked Monday afternoonâ€"hours before the show came onâ€"if he planned on watching it, President Benigno Aquino III gave a long-winded reply that meant “maybe”: “Depends on how much material I will be given tonight to study. I have only two and half days to prepare for my trip to Japan.”

Mr. Aquino is set to leave this weekend to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Yokohama.

In any case, he seemed well-briefed on the latest about the pretty councilor from Valenzuela City, who has broken into show business. She is co-hosting the new TV5 production headlined by Willie Revillame, former colleague of the President’s sister, Kris Aquino, in ABS-CBN.

In a chance interview after an event at the Palace, P-Noy managed a brief message, if a tad too formal, for Soledad: “[It seems she] is looking at it as a perspective to broaden her ability to serve her constituents. The downside in being in show business, hopefully, will be very mitigated or non-existing.”

“We wish her really well,” he said.

The 50-year-old bachelor split up with Soledad recently.

Cheap Plane Ticket Philippines to Hong Kong

Enjoy our super low fares to Hong Kong and other destinations! We've slashed as much as 68% in a Hong Kong seat sale from now until November 10, 2010 or until seats last, for travel this January 1 to March 31, 2011.

Guests traveling to Hong Kong from Cebu and Clark can avail of P799 ‘Go Lite’ seats, while those from Manila can avail of P999 ‘Go Lite’ seats.

Fly from Cebu to Bacolod, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Tacloban and Clark, as well as Manila to Laoag and enjoy our offer of P299 ‘Go Lite’ seats.

We are set to add flights to our Manila-Hong Kong service, making it five times daily starting December 4, 2010.

If rapists, okay lang. Maayo gani paligsan sa pison after confession and repentance.

Quote from: vrglguapo on November 07, 2010, 02:05:10 PM
It look like the pinoy rapists executed by bystanders .I saw it in you tube.

Alice Eve in Maxim Magazine

Has someone told you that?

Many of my friends who have Yahoo email accounts were shocked to learn that their emails were sending all sorts of links to the contacts listed in their accounts. Of course, without the owner's knowledge.

If you're still using a Yahoo email, please think twice. You could be the next victim of this massive Yahoo email hacking.

I wish Yahoo could stop it, but it seems that millions of Yahoo email accounts have been compromised.

If you want to change email, you may get a free one at http://www.gmail.com, owned by Google Inc. It's the world's most secure email service.

TV Patrol anchors Karen Davila and Julius Babao on Friday bid goodbye to the country’s top prime time news program, which will have veteran anchors Noli de Castro and Korina Sanchez back starting on Monday.

“Salamat sa pagtitiwala at suporta na ibinigay niyo sa akin....sa inyong lahat, na 6 na taon niyo po kaming pinanuod dito sa TV Patrol. Magkikita na naman po tayo muli,” Davila said before the program closed.

She urged Kapamilya viewers to extend their support to the 2 returning veteran broadcast journalists.

“At sa Lunes, suportahan niyo po ang TV Patrol, kasama po si ‘Kabayan’ Noli de Castro, Korina Sanchez at si Ted Failon,” Davila said.

She also expressed her thanks to her anchor-partner for 6 years, Ted Failon.

“Maraming salamat sa anim na taon, partner. And, sa ngalan ni Julius Babao, na nakabakasyon pa po,” she said.

Babao also bows out as TV Patrol anchor starting on Monday.

In response, Failon said the changes were in the interest of Kapamilya viewers.

“Change is constant. It’s a matter of papaano po natin tinatanggap yon. At siyempre, yung pag tanggap natin ay para po sa kapakanan ng mas makararami na atin pong Kapamilya,” he said.

Davila then added: “At hindi naman po nagbabago ay ang pagmamahal ko sa inyo.” - ABS-CBN

Isla Vista Beach Resort

How do we get to Isla Vista Beach Resort by private vehicle?
Our resort is about 249 kilometers from Manila OR 2 and a half hours drive from Subic Bay to Isla Vista. From NLEX to SCTEX to Subic Bay then follow "to (Sta Cruz) ZAMBALES" road directions.

Ealdama St., Uacon, Candelaria, Zambales, Phil.
www.islavistabeacresort.com
Globe 09175149007 ; Sun 09228851964
Email/YM : isla_vista_resort@yahoo.com
Facebook -   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Isla-Vista-Beach-Resort/343244984741  

What do you think is the safest place in the Philippines?

Unsa man pud nang moingon ug: "Hala ka, nag-jingle bell ka!"

By Kevin A. Lagunda and Jovy T. Gerodias, Sun Star Cebu

BY THE time barangay tanod Edgardo Cuizon realized the shooting wasn’t for real, it was too late.

Cuizon is now detained after he shot the actor Kirk Abella, 27, during a film shoot Saturday night at the corner of Ibarra and JC Zamora Sts., Barangay Parian, Cebu City.

Click here for Election 2010 updates

“I thought it was a shooting alarm,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.

Chief Insp. Alexis Relado, chief of the Parian Police Station, said Abella was acting in a mock documentary film, “Going Somewhere.”

The attack happened in the fifth take of a scene, in which Abella and his partner dramatized the drive-by shootings that hit the city a few years back.

They rode a motorcycle. Both wore black masks and jackets. Abella was the back rider.

Cuizon, who was inside his house, was jolted awake by a neighbor who told him there were armed persons in the neighborhood.

He immediately got up, went out of his house and walked toward the corner where the filming was.

He reportedly approached the motorcycle, held on to its rear and introduced himself as a barangay enforcer.

But the motorcycle allegedly sped off. Cuizon was dragged and wounded on his knees.

When he saw the back rider, Abella, draw out a gun, he also pulled out an unlicensed .357 revolver. He shot Abella, hitting him in the back.

Abella was rushed to the Perpetual Succour Hospital, where he later died.

PO3 Geoffrey Gutual of the Homicide Section said the slug that entered Abella’s back remained embedded in his chest and killed him.

“I would like to ask for forgiveness. I did not mean it,” Cuizon said in Cebuano.

Police Chief Relado said that Cuizon went to the station and told the police there were armed men.

It was SPO1 Alexander Rustilla who informed Cuizon the armed men were actors. Another policeman, Insp. Pepito Pelostratos, reportedly told Cuizon to stay away from the set, but the latter did not listen.

A liquor test showed Cuizon was not drunk at the time, Relado said.

“I think he was sleepy,” he said.

Relado further said he wondered why Cuizon failed to see six policemen assigned to secure the film crew, as well as a patrol car nearby, with its lights blinking.

Cuizon will face homicide and gun ban violation charges.

“My neighbor did not tell me it was a film shoot,” Cuizon said.

When asked why he carried an unlicensed firearm, Cuizon said he borrowed it from a friend whom he refused to identify. He said he brought the gun with him because he thought he would have to deal with armed felons.

Cuizon now plans to resign his position as a barangay tanod. He has served in that capacity for five years and received a monthly honorarium of P600.

Ni Guam P. Logroño
Sun Star Cebu

GIPATAY sa iyang bana ang ig-agaw sa aktres nga si Angel Locsin pinaagi sa pagdunggab ginamit ang pinuti sulod sa ilang balay kagahapon sa alas 10:30 sa buntag sa Sitio Kapatagan, Barangay Perelos, dakbayan sa Carcar.

Selos ang gitumbok nga motibo sa pagpatay samtang nakuha sa mga pulis ang duha ka SIM cards gikan sa underwear sa biktima nga gipaabot nga makagiya kanila sa imbestigasyon.

Si Rachelle Marie Colmenares Salvador Sansan, 28, nagpuyo sa nahisgutang lugar, lumad sa Ginigaran, Negros Occidental, giluba sa banang si Fernando, 44, supplier og mga prutas ug ang tindahan niini nahimutang sa Unit 3 Carbon Public Market, dakbayan sa Sugbo.

Ang suspek dali nga nakasibat.

Gihulagway sa kapulisan nga grabe ang kasuko sa suspek sa biktima base sa ilang nakita sa mga samad.

Gigulgol ang liog niini ug ang mga samad dinunggaban sa tiyan minglapos sa likod sa lawas samtang duna pay mga samad sa mga kamot timailhan nga nanagang ang biktima.

Si SPO1 Rey Fuentes, imbestigador sa Carcar police station nga nahinabi sa Sun.Star Superbalita, nagkanayon nga sa wa pa mahitabo ang krimen, ang mga silingan nakabati sa biktima nga si Rachelle Marie ug Fernando nga nagkaaway.

Matod pa ni Fuentes nga usa sa ilang nahuptan nga saksi si Arsenio Duran, 67, handler og manok sa suspek taga Englis V. Rama, kinsa maoy nakasumbong sa mga silingan.

From Cebu Pacific Air News:

Enjoying our low fares is S.O.P. Catch our seat sales to Surigao, Ozamiz and Pagadian!

We're reducing our fares to Surigao, Ozamiz and Pagadian in a seat sale from now until November 8, 2010, or until seats last, for travel from January 1 to March 31, 2011.

Guests traveling from Cebu to Ozamiz, Surigao and Pagadian can avail of P399 ‘Go Lite’ seats, while P999 ‘Go Lite’ seats are up for grabs for those traveling from Manila to Ozamiz and Pagadian.

We encourage guests who usually take ferries to book Cebu Pacific seats with this seat sale. With a flying time between 45-85 minutes and 15 kilos free baggage allowance for ‘Go fare’ bookings, it is definitely more convenient for guests who travel for business or leisure.

We are also increasing frequencies to select domestic destinations due to demand and the timely arrival of three brand-new Airbus A320 aircraft this last quarter of 2010!

Our Cebu-Bacolod direct flights will be twice daily starting November 24, 2010.

From December 5, 2010 onwards, our Manila-Cebu flights will be 12 times daily, and Manila-Boracay (Caticlan) flights will be 11 times daily. Flights from Cebu to Puerto Princesa will also be increased from thrice weekly to seven times weekly.

Meanwhile, flights from Cebu to Boracay (Caticlan) and General Santos will be twice daily on the same day.

Starting December 16, 2010, Manila-Kalibo flights will be 16 times weekly, and Manila-Puerto Princesa flights will be four times daily starting February 5, 2011.

Standings after seven rounds:
14 points â€" A. Onischuk (US), G. Meier (Germany)
9 â€" W. So (RP), Z. Almasi (Hungary)
4 -- E. Perelshteyn (US)
3 -â€" R. Robson (US)

LUBBOCK, Texas, Nov. 5 (PNA) -- GM Wesley So battled to a draw with GM Eugene Perelshteyn of the United States to keep his hopes alive in the 2010 SPICE Cup chess championship at the Texas Tech University here Friday.

So, who played white, split the point with Perelshteyn after 42 moves of the Queen’s Gambit Declined Exchange variation to raise his score to nine points on two wins, three draws and two losses in this six-player, category-16 tournament.

When the game was agreed drawn, So had a rook, knight and three pawns against Perelshteyn’s rook, bishop and two pawns.

The lower-rated American player, however, had nine minutes and 14 seconds left on his game clock against So's 35 seconds.

With the draw, the 17-year-old Filipino champion remains five points behind GMs Alexander Onischuk of the United States and George Meier of the Germany with three rounds remaining.

Onischuk outduelled Meier in 35 moves of the Catalan in the other featured seventh-round encounter Friday.

Top seed GM Zoltan Almasi of Hungary also halved the point with GM Ray Robson of the United States to keep his share of third to fourth places with So with nine points.

So, who is hoping to improve his fourth-place finish in the same tournament last year, gets another chance to improve his score when he meets last-placed Robson in the eighth round Saturday.

So defeated Robson in their first meeting in the first half of the competition last week.

Meanwhile, So finished second to Meier in the accompanying SPICE Cup blitz chess tournament.

So finished with five wins, one draw and one loss to clinch runner-up honors with 5.5 points, half a point behind Meier. He pocketed the runner-up prize of US$ 300.

So won over IM Bryan Smith, GM Gergely Antal, GM Simen Agdestein of Norway, FM Darwin Yang and IM Danny Rensch and drew with Onischuk.

His only setback came at the hands of Meier.

Onischuk, Rensch, Agdestein and GM Anatoly Bykhovsky tied for third to sixth places with 4.5 points.

So’s eighth major international campaign this year is being supported by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, headed by president/chairman Prospero “Butch” Pichay and secretary-general and Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. (PNA)

One of the two bombs posted from Yemen last week was transported on two passenger planes before being seized in Dubai, Qatar Airways has said.

The device was carried on an Airbus A320 from Sanaa to Doha. It was then flown on another aircraft to Dubai.

It contained the powerful explosive PETN, which is difficult to detect.

Yemen has meanwhile granted conditional release to a woman who was arrested on suspicion of mailing the devices, her family and officials said.

Human rights groups named her as Hanan al-Samawi, a 22-year-old student.

Her lawyer, Abdel Rahman Burman, told Reuters news agency she was a "quiet student and there was no knowledge of her having involvement in any religious or political groups". - BBC

Alcohol is more harmful than heroin or crack, according to a study published in medical journal the Lancet.

The report is co-authored by Professor David Nutt, the former UK chief drugs adviser who was sacked by the government in October 2009.

It ranks 20 drugs on 16 measures of harm to users and to wider society.

Tobacco and cocaine are judged to be equally harmful, while ecstasy and LSD are among the least damaging.

Prof Nutt refused to leave the drugs debate when he was sacked from his official post by the former Labour Home Secretary, Alan Johnson.

He went on to form the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs, a body which aims to investigate the drug issue without any political interference.

One of its other members is Dr Les King, another former government advisor who quit over Prof Nutt's treatment. - BBC

At least 37 people have been killed after Iraqi security forces stormed a Catholic church in central Baghdad to free dozens of hostages being held by gunmen there, security sources say.

Twenty-five hostages were among the dead, along with seven members of the Iraqi security forces and at least five of the attackers, they told the BBC.

About 100 people had been inside Our Lady of Salvation for an evening Mass.

The gunmen had reportedly demanded the release of jailed al-Qaeda militants.

The local TV station, al-Baghdadiya, said it had received a phone call from someone claiming to be one of the attackers, who said they were from the Islamic State of Iraq, a Sunni militant umbrella group to which al-Qaeda in Iraq belongs.

Reports said the attackers were not Iraqis, but foreign Arabs.

The raid came two days after a suicide attack on a cafe in Diyala province left 21 people dead. - bbc

there is a possibility that the koreans are only interested in bohol's gold treasures. the japanese have been using this kind of tactic. they will build a building or bridge, as donation, but the japanese are actually digging treasures.

on the bioethanol plantation of the koreans, we should remember that not a single drop of biofuel will go to bohol. the foreigners will exploit our natural resources but bohol will never be benefited.

we should also remember that this is not a small project. it will cover 1,000,000 hectares. i repeat 1 million hectares. every inch of the sea of Bohol will be a no-fisherman zone. all our small fishers will fish somewhere else outside the gmo-infested seaweeds plantation.

what will happen to the ecosystem when everything is covered with seaweeds? there will be an imbalance of nature. everything in the seas will die as millions or billions of seaweeds will dominate the seas.

again, not a single drop of biofuel will be used in bohol. everything will be shipped to korea.

i rest my case. it's either you favor the foreigners or you pity the 1.2 million boholanos who will never be able to eat fish fished out of bohol seas.

Nakasuway na mo? Kay nakalimtan ug agda?

50% off Halloween seat sale on all domestic and international destinations!

More than 300,000 promo seats up for grabs

Your low fare leader Cebu Pacific (CEB) slashes 50% off our lowest year-round fares to all our international and domestic destinations, in a seat sale starting now until November 2, 2010 or until seats last. This is for travel from January 1 to March 31, 2011.

This 50% off seat sale is available for CEB’s 33 domestic destinations including Boracay and Cebu. Discounted seats are also available on all of CEB’s 16 international destinations, namely Bangkok, Beijing, Brunei, Busan, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Incheon, Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Osaka, Singapore, Shanghai and Taipei.

By Tina Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Christmas came early for residents of West Tower condominium in Barangay Bangkal, Makati City.

Ruby Chuaunsu, an apartment owner and head of the condominium’s housekeeping committee, said they considered the tracking down of the source of the leak that has been seeping through the basement of their building for the past four months an early Christmas gift.

“We’re very happy when we heard about the latest development; it gave us hope. God is really so good,” she told the Inquirer.

“To me, this is also a nice birthday gift,” added Chuaunsu, who is celebrating her birthday on Monday. “The unit owners were so happy that we feel like celebrating, we're actually holding a post-Halloween event next week to celebrate the good news.”

Besides the Chuaunsus, some 60 to 80 families and a number of businesses holding office in the condominium were affected by the oil leak.

In July, the city government shut the building down and ordered the tenants' evacuation following the accumulation of a mixture of water and oil in the basement. Fire officials also declared the building a “ticking time bomb.”

On Thursday, the First Philippine Industrial Corp. (FPIC), operator of the pipeline that transports about 60 percent of Metro Manila’s fuel needs from a refinery in Batangas to the Pandacan oil depot in Manila, finally acknowledged that the leak was coming from its facility.

By Tina Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer

A 63-year-old British woman was found stabbed dead inside her house in Las Piñas City Saturday morning.

According to Chief Inspector Jenny Tecson, Southern Police District public information officer, Jennifer Jane Isherwood was found lying on the floor inside her house on Dau Street, Pilar Village.

The lifeless body of the victim bore stab wounds and was reportedly discovered by her husband Kevin and househelp Jennifer Casamayor around 8:30 a.m.

The killer or killers as well as the motive for the stabbing were unknown, Tecson said, adding that the Las Piñas police was investigating the killing.

The Inquirer tried to reach Superintendent Noel Mercayer, officer in charge of Las Piñas Police, for more information but he did not take calls or answer text messages.

By Leila B. Salaverria
Philippine Daily Inquirer

HANOIâ€"Be careful what you tweet lest you twit someone.

This was the lesson that presidential speechwriter Carmen Mislang, a member of President Aquino’s delegation to Vietnam, has apparently learned after posting a Twitter message supposedly saying that the wine served at a dinner hosted by Vietnamese officials for Aquino and his party “sucks.”

Online surfers claimed to have read another tweet from Mislang to the effect that crossing Hanoi’s motorbike-infested streets is an “easy way” to die.

Communications Group Secretary Ricky Carandang on Friday came to Mislang’s defense and said the issue about her Twitter messages about Vietnam was a minor one, and a closed book.

Carandang said Mislang, who has since deleted the messages, meant no offense and was apologetic. She had been told to be more circumspect about what she would post on her Twitter account.

Carandang also said Mislang’s tweets were “pretty harmless,” although they might be also “potentially embarrassing.”

Facebook and Twitter have since been abuzz with reactions to Mislang’s tweets.

A tweet is a text-based post of up to 140 characters on the microblogging site Twitter.

We Filipinos are taught in schools to get education so that we can find jobs here and abroad. In other countries, their students are taught how to start their own business and be independent.

Network giant ABS-CBN Corp. has signed a loan agreement with eight local financial institutions worth P10 billion to take advantage of low interest rates.

In a statement, the company said it signed a P10-billion syndicated term loan agreement to refinance existing debt as well as fund planned capital expenditures and general working capital requirements.

Bank of the Philippine Islands, Banco de Oro, Security Bank, Insular Life, Allied Bank, Allied Savings Bank, Philippine National Bank and PNB Life funded the loan.

“The oversubscribed order book for our debt refinancing and new debt is a clear manifestation of how our partnership has grown over the years,” ABS-CBN chief financial officer Rolando Valdueza said.

Of the P10 billion, P6.6 billion will refinance existing debt while the remaining P3.4 billion will help fuel the company’s continuing growth. - PDI

The packages “originated in Yemen,” the President said, one sent with UPS and the other with FedEx, and were directed to “Jewish places of worship” in Chicago. (Obama’s town, incidentally.) One of the clues, according to the Washington Post, was “a suspicious printer cartridge,” and “the package in Britain contained protruding wires and white powder.” John Brennan, the President’s counterterrorism adviser, said that the explosives “were in a form that was designed to try to carry out some type of attack…. The materials that were found and the device that was uncovered was intended to do harm.” In the course of the day, another plane, carrying passengers and headed to J.F.K., was escorted in by fighter jets. That one seems to have been all right. Airport security is being increased for now, and UPS has suspended cargo flights from Yemen.

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/closeread/2010/10/they-do-indeed-contain-explosive-material.html#ixzz13pRyBDFD

forwarded email

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper.... His Father gave him a bag of nails
and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the
back of the fence.

The first day  the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence... Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily  gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy
didn't lose his temper at all.

He told his  father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail
for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days  passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father  took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, 'You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will  never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. But It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound will still be there.
A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

Failure of voters to exercise their suffrage due to the delayed delivery of ballots could not be used to invoke failure of elections in some places in Bohol.

City Comission on Elections (Comelec) chief Atty Ariel Selma bared this on a radio interview as voters who failed to vote last October 25 said there were simply no ballots available.

Several polling places here in Bohol failed to open as scheduled as some election paraphernalia from the Comelec in Manila only came at 4:00 dawn on the day of the elections.

When these opened later, voting was suspended when ballots were used up and the remaining officials ballots were delivered late.

In Tagbilaran City, only about 39, 244 ballots arrived on the first batch when 47,858 ballots are needed for city registered voters. On the second batch, only 7,800 arrived, interviews with Provincial Election supervisor Eliseo Labaria and City Comelec Registrar Ariel Selma revealed.

In fact, the 7,800 ballots were delivered only late in the afternoon of the election day, where most of the voters have either gone home to eat of have been too frustrated while waiting for their turn.

Citing pertinent Comelec Resolutions, Atty Selma hinted that unless it had been on account of force majeure, violence, terrorism, fraud or other analogous causes that the election in any precinct has not been held on the date fixed, it would have been a failure.

According to Comelec Resolution 8899, other than the one stated above, failure of elections can also happen when the voting has been suspended before the hour fixed by law for the closing of the voting.

For Atty. Selma, by invoking the voter’s presence within 30 meters of the polling place at the close of the voting, these voters can still vote.

All those who were within the vicinity and who were there intending to vote were accommodated even after the extension time, he claimed.

Moreover, in the same resolution, the poll body also ruled out that in case the suspension happened after the voting and during the preparation and the transmission of the election returns and in the custody of canvass, such election results in a failure to elect.

In Tagbilaran City where most of the problems were noted, neither of the conditions warrant any case where failure of elections could be declared.

Admitting that the delay has produced uncomfortable results with voters having to wait, the Comelec has done what it can do: extend voting so that the started polls can continue at the arrival of more ballots. (rac/PIABohol)

By PIA

A ranking Commission on Elections (COMELEC) official has volunteered to be a witness, should the poll body call for an investigation on alleged sabotage to disrupt the elections, at least in Tagbilaran City.

City Comelec registrar, Atty Ariel Selma said he would be a willing witness if only to prove that he has nothing to do with the allegations that would implicate the long questioned capability of the poll body to conduct the polls five months holding after national elections.

Last Monday, as early as 6:00 AM, reports have reached radio stations about the unusually delayed delivery of the remaining election paraphernalia, which were made available only at about 4:00 AM on the day of the elections.

Poll authorities in the precincts also share the same observation: the delayed delivery caused late start of the poll opening, or until the materials were withdrawn from their respective city or municipal election offices.

In Jagna town, reports said that at least a precinct opened when most precincts opening at 7:00 would be closing.

In Tagbilaran City, while most precincts opened by around 9:00, at lunchtime, several polling places have reportedly run-out of ballots.

According to Provincial Comelec Supervisor Atty Eliseo Labaria, the city needs 47,858 ballots but only about 39,244 of these arrived [from Manila].

Of these, 33,900 were included in the delivery’s first batch, he added that the city accordingly awaits for the 7,800 remaining ballots on the second batch of deliveries, which was expected at around 11 AM.

Because of this, many supporters of candidates accused the City Hall of sabotaging the elections by withholding ballots, one which the city government has vehemently denied.

In early morning radio interview, Atty. Selma said the office of the City Treasurer through has appraised him that the office is awaiting for the 7,800 ballots to be delivered to city precincts.

It turned out however that the Provincial Comelec through Atty Eliseo Labaria has found out that ballots at the CTO were awaiting for delivery by lunchtime.

Atty Labaria immediately ordered the speedy delivery of the same while his team roved around the precincts around 3:00 to collect extra ballots to be used in other ballot starved precincts.

In the meantime, polling have to be temporarily suspended in precincts without ballots, while Board of Election Tellers (BET) of concerned precincts allegedly announced polls to continue as soon as the remaining ballots are delivered.

The delay has ignited chaos in several precincts as tempers rose and impatient voters who were made to wait, went home.

Over the controversy, voters who were not able to vote demanded from the Comelec a probe to determine culpability.

Atty Eliseo Labaria has also hinted that an investigation would be called to answer questions as to who would be held responsible. (racPIABohol) 

Two holidays await Boholanos this week as All Saints’ Day and Carlos P. Garcia Day share the same the first work-week of the month of November this year.

By law, November 1, which falls on Monday has been declared special non working day.

The day is traditionally celebrated in the Christian world as All Saints' Day.

November 2 or the All Souls' Day, unlike last year however, is a regular working day.

Meanwhile, by virtue of Republic Act 7448, November 4, Thursday is a special non-working holiday in Bohol.

Such is to commemorate the 114th birth anniversary of the late Boholano President Carlos P. Garcia.

By special non-working holiday, according to memorandum circular issued by the Department of Labor and Employment, workers get no pay, unless there is a favorable company policy, practice or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment of wages on special days.

If workers are forced to work on the day, they get 30% more of their 100% daily rate in the first 8 hours of work.

When working in excess of 8 hours, workers get an additional 30% of hourly rate on said day.

On the day, if it is the employee’s rest day and if worked, his first 8 hours gets an additional 50% of his daily rate. If he works over 8 hours, he gets 30% of his hourly rate on said day.

For the 114th CPG Day, Capitol has lined up activities to remember the most illustrious Boholano who is represented as a star in the Bohol flag.

On the other hand, according to Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto, the day’s commemoration activities include the visit of Department of Education Secretary Amin Luistro.  

In his weekly program, Chatto said that the secretary’s visit would be an opportunity to bring Bohol closer to its dream of making the province a center of educational excellence in the region. (racPIABohol)

A barangay in Loon’s dog population control is as easy as keeping the males off the streets.

In barangay Cogon Norte, a home-owner who insists on keeping an un-sterilized male (bull) dog pays P1,000 annually, and that excludes immunization and registration fees, officials said, citing a provincial ordinance.

In a barangay of 371 households, its 121 dogs in 2007 has only gone up to 123 dogs in August 2010 survey. 

Citing a municipal ordinance aiming to leash an wayward dog population, Cogon Norte, which hosts the town hall and is in proximity with the public market decided that leashing their dog population helps in the drive against the spread of rabies.

The decision to look into a controlled dog population has awarded the local government unit a citation and cash for “The Governor’s Award for Best Bantay Rabies sa Barangay (BRB), one of the three barangays awarded this year, according to Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz, executive officer of the provincial anti-rabies council.

Using a local municipal ordinance no 7-006, series of 2007, the barangay has toed on the rule of keeping castrated male dogs at the owner’s expense.

For reproduction purposes, an uncastrated male dog is retained, but the local anti-rabies task force shall supervise and regulate its reproductive functions, said the ordinance.

Here too, mating of the uncastrated male dog can be done, but only once in every two years.

In fact, the local ordinance says owners of females who want their dogs impregnated will have to pay P200 or P300, either to the barangay which owns the uncastrated male or to a private bull owner who has paid P1,000 for his dog’s annual dues.

The barangay also practices leashing of their registered dogs, in tune with the provincial ordinance.

According to the cited ordinance, an unleashed dog seen in a public place is already treated as stray, and owners would be fined P500 every time their dogs escape to public areas.

Solving the problem of stray dogs impregnating their females, barangay captain Alexander Luzon has appointed four tanods as dogcatchers who will be roving around the barangay’s seven puroks.

It is in the early part of 2010 that the barangay started dog catching, using pre-exposed, trained and competent personnel led by the Barangay Livestock Aide, Cogon Norte documents show.

Stray dogs are impounded, and at the absence of claimants three days later, these impounded canines would be eliminated and then buried in a designated barangay burial sites, the program documents showed.

For all of these, the barangay  is one of Bohol’s entries into the search for best performing provinces against rabies in the country. (racPIABOhol) 

Salamat Bedo for preserving all the memories of our friends!

The death toll of tsunami in West Sumatra of Indonesia has reached 112 people, while 109 others are still missing, data shows on Wednesday.

The tsunami hit two islands of Pagai Selatan Mentawai and Pagai Utara Mentawai in West Sumatra after the 7.2 magnitude quake.

Based on the data of crisis center in Padang, as many as 112 people were killed, 109 are missing and 520 others took refuge.

Meanwhile, 579 houses are heavily damaged and 300 got mild damage. (PNA/Xinhua)

The Philippines and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam signed four agreements which aim to further strengthen and enhance bilateral relations between the two countries specifically in the fields of Education, Defense, Environmental Concern and Search and Rescue at Sea.

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III and President Nguyen Minh Triet of Vietnam witnessed the signing of said four memoranda on Tuesday in Hanoi during the expanded bilateral meeting of the two heads of state.

The meeting took place shortly after President Aquino arrived at the Noi Bai International Airport Tuesday morning for a two-day state visit and to attend the 17th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits.

The agreements signed include Academic Cooperation, Defense Cooperation, Oil Spill Preparedness and Response and Search and Rescue Operations at Sea.

Higher Education Commissioner Patricia Licuanan signed the MOA on Academic Cooperation in behalf of the Philippines. The agreement aims to promote cooperation on higher education and professional training, provide a framework within which detailed proposals for programs of education cooperation are to be jointly considered.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin signed the agreement on Defense Cooperation that intends to create a framework for boosting bilateral cooperation between the defense agencies and armed forces of both countries. Such cooperation specifically covers defense and military, equipment and technology, and defense industries.

Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo signed for the Philippine Government the MOA on Oil Spill Preparedness and Response. It will undertake Philippines-Vietnam cooperation in oil spill preparedness and response, particularly in the areas of human resources development, mutual assistance, information exchange, research and development, and other areas of cooperation.

Apart from these, Admiral Tamayo also signed the MOA on Search and Rescue at Sea that further aims to enhance the efficiency of search and rescue operations for ships and aircrafts and persons in distress.

“These agreements will improve the lives of the poor”, President Aquino said.

After the signing ceremonies, the Chief Executive met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The President congratulated the Vietnamese leader for Hanoi’s 1000th Founding Anniversary.

In turn, the Vietnamese Prime Minister congratulated the President for his success in the May 2010 polls.

In the evening, President Aquino attended a State Banquet hosted by the Vietnamese President in his honor at the Presidential Palace.

Philippine Ambassador to Hanoi Jerril Santos said the state visit and the President’s attendance to the ASEAN Summit is a good start citing the importance of the Chief Executive’s meeting with the leaders of ASEAN and Dialogue partners that will benefit the people.

The President’s state visit was upon the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart during their meeting last month in New York at the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Asa ni nagsugod nga panultihon?

A Palace official on Tuesday said November 2 (All Soul’s Day) has not been declared a holiday.

Executive Secretary Paquito “Jojo” Ochoa said only November 1 (All Saint’s Day) was declared a holiday to allow Filipinos to visit their dead loved ones.

In previous years, November 2 was declared a holiday, as part of the former administration’s “holiday economics”.

This year, November 2, which falls on a Tuesday, remains a regular working day.

”He [President Benigno Aquino] did not sign any proclamation,” Ochoa said. (PNA)

Bohol, China’s Jiangxi province celebrate twinning relations
By Gloria Jane Baylon

Bohol province and its south Chinese sister-city of Jiangxi celebrated recently their twinning relations, featuring their respective icons, Jiangxi’s Lushan Mountain and Bohol’s Chocolate Hills.

Jiangxi is south of the Yangtze River, and Lushan Mountain is located in the municipality of Jiujiang. Carmen town is the home of the Chocolate Hills.

In ceremonies on October 12, a first-edition commemorative stamp cover depicting ancient Lushan Mountain and the world-famous Chocolate Hills was unveiled as part of a Stamp Exhibit to also celebrate the 35th year of Philippine-China diplomatic relations.

About 2,000 copies of the first edition letter envelope were produced and were first introduced last August in Manila in ceremonies attended by Foreign Secretary Alberto G. Romulo and China ambassador Liu Jianchao and Postmaster-General Hector Villanueva.

As a project between sister-cities, the letter-envelope is considered a historic first in Chinese philatelic history, according to the Philippine consulate-general in Xiamen, which has jurisdiction over Jiangxi.

A mail exchange program between 35 Bohol and Jiangxi grade school students was also launched as part of the event series aimed at highlighting the friendship between the sister provinces.

Copies of the Chinese translation of the book, "A Selection of Folktales from the Philippines for the Young Chinese Reader," were presented to 35 Chinese students participating in the mail exchange program with Bohol students, the consulate-general reported.

The book was launched at the Shanghai World Expo in June, when then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited China.

In Jiangxi, Bohol provincial governor Edgardo M. Chatto and Carmen town mayor Conchita T. de los Reyes led the Bohol delegation to the event, joined by Philippine diplomats based in Xiamen and Beijing.

The Chairman of the Jiangxi Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Fu Kecheng, led the Chinese delegation, accompanied by Foreign Ministry officials. Local officials from Jiangxi and Jiujiang also joined.

The book contains 10 illustrated Philippine folktales especially published as a gift from the Filipino children to the Chinese children.

The Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) of Jiangxi will distribute copies to schools in Nanchang, the provincial capital of Jiangxi.

Helping in the event were the Lushan Scenic Spots Administration, Philately Association of Jiangxi Province, Jiujiang Post Office, PhilPost and Liwayway (China) Company, Ltd.

The Consulate General co-organized the event with the Jiangxi Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, the Philately Association of the Chinese MFA, China Post of Jiangxi Province and the Jiujiang Municipal People's Government. (PNA)

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By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao gave his training mentors the slip Sunday, spending his first day in the United States on a trip from Los Angeles to San Diego to coach his basketball team in an exhibition game.

San Diego resident Pat Michael told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that Pacquiao did not play in the game that pitted his basketball team against a high school selection at the Mira Mesa High School gymnasium.

He also said that assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez and the other members of Pacquiao’s team from Los Angeles “played for laughs,” even though they won both games they played.

Michael said that Pacquiao, who was supposed to rest before the start of his grueling two-week final grind Monday, was merely keeping a commitment and his presence in San Diego “made a lot of people happy.”

Present during the game was Pacquiao’s congressional chief of staff lawyer Franklin “Jeng” Gacal and members of his entourage. They travelled to San Diego in three vans. - PDI

A three-year-old girl was repeatedly stabbed by her mother who then doused her body in acid, a court has heard.

Alia Jama's mother Iman Omar Yousef, 25, from Birmingham, has been declared unfit to stand trial.

A jury at Birmingham Crown Court has instead been asked to decide if she unlawfully killed her daughter, but to disregard any question of intent.

The child's body was found at a house in Milverton Road, Erdington, in February.
'Shocking sight'

James Burbidge QC told the jury that on the day Alia's body was found two officers from West Midlands Police went to the address after concerns were raised by Yousef's mother.

"What they found was truly a shocking sight," he said.

Alia was found on the floor, with her body in a state of decomposition. - BBC

By June Navarro
Philippine Daily Inquirer

It’s Kuwait, not Saudi Arabia, that the Smart Gilas national five will have to hurdle first to keep its basketball campaign going in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China next month.

Saudi Arabia withdrew recently from the Asiad, prompting Fiba Asia to tap Kuwait as replacement, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Noli Eala bared on Monday.

The Nationals will meet Kuwait on November 13 with the winner joining defending champion Iran, Qatar, Japan, Chinese Taipei, along with the survivor of the Afghanistan-India knockout clash, in Group F in the second round.

The development favors Smart Gilas since it will get a chance to test Kuwait in two tune-up games in Manila on November 4 and 5.

Meanwhile, the country’s bid to host the 2011 Fiba Asia Championship got a new lease on life after Fiba Asia officials recently withdrew from Beirut, Lebanon, the hosting rights for the continent’s Olympic qualifier.

Eala said the Fiba (International Basketball Federation) is now looking for a new host after Lebanese officials failed to impress the sport’s governing body during the Fiba Asia Stankovic Cup, also held in Beirut in August.

The winner of the 2011 Fiba Asia tournament will represent the continent in the 2012 London Olympics, the main target of the Smart Gilas national team now preparing for the Asian Games next month in Guangzhou.

Aside from the Asian championship, the SBP also wants to stage the 2011 Fiba Asia Champions Cup, a tournament featuring the best club teams in the continent.

Agence France-Presse

Basketball great Allen Iverson is set to sign for Turkish basketball side Besiktas, according to a director of the club.

The 35-year-old, who starred for the Philadelphia 76ers for 10 years from 1996-2006 and was MVP in 2001, is expected to fly to Istanbul in 10 days time and sign a one-year contract with the option of extending it by a year, according to Seref Yalcin.

"I am going to the United States on Friday for a final face to face meeting with him (Iverson)," Yalcin told Turkish agency DHA.

"Unless there is a massive difference of opinion, we think he will come to Istanbul in 10 days.

"Our agreement is for a year with the option of extending it by another year. We have agreed wages of $1.5 million for the first year, to which will be added a bonus of $300,000 on his passing a medical after arriving in Istanbul," he added.

Philippine Daily Inquirer

BEFORE you post that umpteenth status update about your toddler’s latest witticism or your feelings for Glenn Beck, consider this.

According to research by a graduate student at the Business School at the University of Colorado Denver, the top two reasons that Facebook users unfriend people is that they post too frequently on trivial topics or about polarizing subjectsâ€"particularly politics and religion.

“One of the interesting things about unfriending is that most real-world friendships either blow up or fade away,” said Christopher Sibona, who wrote the study with his adviser, Steven Walczak, an associate professor of information systems management.

“But on Facebook, users actively make the decision to unfriend, and people often don’t know why or what’s happened in the relationship.”

Not everyone, it seems, really wants to be friends with everyone. - PDI and AFP

BBC: So farewell... Paul the octopus, famous for predicting football results

Paul the octopus, an unlikely star of the 2010 World Cup who 'predicted' the outcome of eight matches, has died at an aquarium in Germany.

Staff at the Sea Life centre in Oberhausen said they were "devastated" to learn that he had passed away during the night.

Paul made his name by successfully choosing a mussel from one of two boxes bearing the flags of competing nations.

Octopuses rarely live beyond two years so his death was not unexpected.

Paul was two-and-a-half years old and had been hatched at another centre at Weymouth in England in 2008.

Scans appear to show differences in brain functioning in women with persistently low sex drives, claim researchers.

The US scientists behind the study suggest it provides solid evidence that the problem can have a physical origin.

They measured brain activity as the women watched erotic videos.

But a spokesman for the charity Relate said the study simply demonstrated low libido at work in the brain, rather than exposing its cause.

Sex drive

In recent years, a diagnosis of "hypoactive sexual desire disorder" (HSDD) in women has become more accepted by science.

However, there remains controversy about whether the term can or should be used to describe a lack of sexual desire, which may be caused by a variety of psychological, emotional and physical factors.

The latest study, carried out at Wayne State University in Detroit and presented to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine conference in Denver, highlights differences in mental processing in women who have low sex drives.

Its author, Dr Michael Diamond, said it suggested that HSDD was a genuine physical problem.

He recruited 19 women who had been diagnosed with the condition, and compared their brain responses with those of seven others using a functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner, which can measure levels of activation in different parts of the brain by detecting increased blood flow.

The women were asked to watch a screen for half an hour, with everyday television programmes interspersed with erotic videos.

In the seven women who did not have the HSDD diagnosis, increased activity in the insular cortices - parts of the brain believed to be involved in the processing of emotion - could be seen. The same did not happen in the women with HSDD. - BBC, source

By Ania Lichtarowicz Health reporter, BBC News

Child receiving polio vaccine The new oral polio vaccine could help to finally eradicate the virus

A new vaccine against the polio virus has helped reduce the number of cases by more than 90%.

Research published online in the journal The Lancet, shows that the new vaccine is significantly better at protecting children against polio than the current popular vaccine.

It has already been used in Afghanistan, India and Nigeria.

The scientists behind the work believe this new vaccine could help to finally eradicate the disease.

By Ben Cal
PNA

A Filipino invention may yet be the answer to stop global warming.

Roberto V. Celis, 77, said it took him 14 years to develop his invention called "Hydrogasifier" using water as supplemental fuel for all kinds of internal combustion engines that use gasoline, diesel, natural gas, hybrid or bio-fuel, eliminating deadly pollutants from spreading into the atmosphere.

Celis is seeking financiers, local or foreign to finance for the mass production of his invention which he claims will solve the pestering global environmental problem.

During an interview with the Philippines News Agency at his office in Marikina City, Celis said that the Hydrogasifier “utilizes the hot exhaust gases from the engine to dissociate water into hydrogen and oxygen gases that are immediately introduced into the combustion chamber to completely burn the fuel."

"The ultimate solution to stop global warming is now here in the Philippines," Celis said.

Celis said that when he perfected the development of the "hydrogasifier" as an anti-pollution device, it turned out also as an engine enhancer, increasing power of the vehicle and at the same time cutting down fuel consumption.

"It was just marvelous and I was surprised to this unexpected bonus to my invention which would benefit the Filipinos and the whole world," he said.

"Fuel saved from gas or diesel is from 30 to 50 percent and that is a lot of savings," he added.

Using the "Hydrogasifier" would save the Philippines some US$ 2-billion of fuel annually, he said.

Celis said that carbon emission is near zero during a series of laboratory tests by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) "that makes this device a potential carbon eliminator to prevent global warming that's threatening man's health."

To prove his invention works perfectly, Celis installed the device to test its effectiveness in a Ceres Liner Bus, a Jeep Star Bus, and jeepney operated by Ryan Transport Services, all based in Bacolod City last March and came up with the following results: the 174 horsepower (Hp) of the Ceres Bus increased to 199 Hp, while emission from 9.6K down to 0.21K, cutting down emission by 94 percent; The Jeep Star Bus from 137Hp to 144.83 Hp and from 9.9K to 2.29K or emission reduction by 76 percent; and The Ryan jeepney powered by an 87 Hp reduced its emission by 90 percent.

A Pajero installed with "Hydrogasifier" saved fuel by 40 percent in city driving, and by as much as 87 percent in highway driving, Celis said.

He said a 1994 Toyoto Corolla car using the device saved fuel by 50 percent in highway driving and up to 30 percent in city driving.

"It is my humble contribution to the world in containing global warming which is threatening man's existence," Celis said.

"I do believe that my invention can contribute greatly in conserving energy and reduce global warming in response to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, wherein the World Bank will pay us US$ 20 per ton on carbon emission reduction," he said.

The Filipino inventor said that the "Hydrogasifier" does not only save motor vehicle owners with lots of money due to less fuel consumption but also complies with the Clean Air Act of 2003.

Celis also said that the success of his invention will "generate employment for our people and earn foreign exchange from exporting the device."

He said his invention can also be installed in factories to control pollution.

He said that vehicles using the device are like trees, which helps lower carbon emission in the environment, as these release only 6.5 percent to 7.6 percent oxygen from the tail pipe to make cities clean and healthful. (PNA)

Is Your Life An Open Highway?

US approved on Monday a permit for the largest solar energy project in the worldâ€"four massive plants at the cost of one billion dollars each in southern California.

"The Blythe solar power plant will consist of four, 250-Megawatt plants, built on public lands in the sun-drenched Mojave desert," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said.

"When completed the project is expected to generate up to 1,000 Megawatts of energy... That's enough electricity to power up to 750,000 average American homes and to make Blythe the largest solar power plant facility in the world."

The total capacity will be roughly equal to the turbine output of a nuclear power plant or a large modern coal-fired power plant, according to Solar Millennium, the company developing the facility. agence france presse

Hello Almino. Ang kalamay mimahal na ang kada bagol.

There were times I slept at 10 or 11 in the morning and had lunch at 1 or 2 in the afternoon. I sleep when my body is demanding sleep. If my body does not want sleep, then I stay awake all night long.

An anti-Iraq war activist dramatically hurled shoes at former Australian prime minister John Howard on live national TV on Monday, mimicking the famous protest directed at ex-US leader George W. Bush.

The protester stood up and threw two shoes, which missed Howard, while shouting slogans during a stormy edition of public broadcaster ABC's Q&A debate-style show.

"That is for Iraqi dead," the protester shouted, before being quickly escorted away. A woman audience member yelled: "You've got blood on your hands" before walking out of the studio.

Howard smiled and appeared unfazed by the stunt, which followed a surprise recorded question from "Aussie Taliban" David Hicks, a former Guantanamo Bay inmate, during a series of tough questions about his time in power.

"It's all right, don't worry. Forget it, forget it. Relax," he told host Tony Jones.

The conservative Howard, whose 11-year rule ended in 2007, sent Australian troops for the US-led invasion of Iraq as a staunch supporter of then-president Bush. - Agence France Presse

Only half a century ago, densely built Villa Carlos Paz was a bucolic hill town in the Sierra Chica at the outlet of the Rio Suquia. Development around sailboat-studded Lago San Roque - the result of a dam project originally built to store drinking water for the capital in the 1980s - turned it into a summer madhouse for tourists from all over Argentina, as well as a popular weekend destination for cordobeses.

More recently, a four-lane toll road has turned it into a bedroom community for capital commuters. Packed with upwards of 10,000 hotel beds, receiving 850,000 visitors per year, it's become a small-scale Mar del Plata with fresher water but without cultural appeal of Argentina's premier beach resort. - source: Moon Handbooks

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By NICK GIONGCO
Manila Bulletin

Antonio Margarito said Manny Pacquiao and Top Rank have committed a huge mistake in choosing him to fight the world's pound-for-pound king.

Margarito is facing Pacquiao in a world super-welterweight title fight at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas and the Mexican slugger said he is preparing like never before and that he will shock the world on Nov. 13.

"I guess they were thinking it's an easy fight against a guy with a lot of issues and a lot of weight on his shoulders," Margarito told the Los Angeles Times. "They chose the wrong time to pick me as an opponent."

Margarito is obviously referring to his one-year suspension that was only lifted a few months ago for using loading up his fists with a Plaster of Paris-like substance in a fight with Shane Mosley in 2009. Mosley's trainer discovered the loaded handwraps during an inspection just before the match and Margarito's licensewas later revoked.

Pacquiao and Margarito both fight under the Top Rank banner of Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, who hinted last week in Baguio City that an upset win by Margarito  would certainly pave the way for a much-awaited rematch even if there is no rematch clause in the contract signed by the two parties.

Margarito's training hasn't a missed a beat and trainer Robert Garcia is of the belief that an upset is possible.

Garcia said he knows how to capitalize on Pacquiao's so-called weaknesses and that Margarito's sheer size and pressure would be too much for the Filipino star to overcome.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has initiated moves to put a complete stop to the rampant illegal fishing, in any form committed by Filipinos and other nationalities, in its territorial waters and thus ensure a continuous, steady, and sufficient supply of marine food for all its citizens and subsequent generations to come.

This effort is spearheaded by the proposed acquisition by the DA through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of modern, high speed, and equipment loaded boats for monitoring, control and surveillance of the country’s territorial waters, the acquisition of these boats are made possible through substantial grants from the government of the kingdom of Spain.

Bidding for the supply of said boats was recently conducted and concluded by the DA, to ensure a fair and transparent bidding procedure, secretary Angara constituted a prequalification, bids and awards committee (PBAC) headed by the young, energetic and no non-sense Undersecretary Demaree Raval, as a result of the fearless transparency of the bidding procedures, inspite of attempts of vested interests to influence and rig the bidding in their favor, the PBAC arrived at a conclusion which realized a US$3 million advantage to the Philippine government. -philippine star

At least five people died and 23 others were hurt in a road mishap here on election day, the Batangas Provincial Police Office (BPPO) said.

Initial investigation by BPPO showed the five fatalities were involved in a collision between a passenger bus and a cargo jeepney along the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway here early Monday morning.

The bus plunged into a ravine, said Chief Inspector Von Nicasio of the Bureau Fire Protection (BFP)-Lipa City.

Nicasio identified three of the five fatalities as Gilbert Calaluan, 30, of Barangay Isla Verde, Batangas City; Marcelo Bagos, 42, of Barangay Bucal, San Isidro, Tingloy, Batangas; and the bus conductor Aben Llanes, 41, of San Vicente, Albay.

Two women fatalities remain unidentified - one described as 50 to 60 years old, wearing a floral blouse and blue jeans, while the other was described as wearing white and blue striped jacket, Winnie the Pooh blouse and pair of maong pants - were brought to San Fernando Funeral Homes and Batangas Regional Hospital respectively.

Philippine Red Cross (PRC)-Batangas Chapter administrator Ronald Generoso said the five died on the spot when they were pinned at the bottom of the bus.

Fourteen other victims were brought to Batangas Regional Hospital, eight were rushed to St. Patrick Hospital and one to Golden Gate Hospital for treatment. - PNA

In conclusion to the research war, if you feel sleepy after lunch, then sleep, but if you don't, don't force yourself to take a nap just because a research says so.

The Book of Proverbs has something to say: "He who loves to sleep loves poverty." I think more than 8 hours of night rest is too long already.

Would you sacrifice one life to save five?

Is it okay to steal a drug your child needs to live?

Is torture ever justified? 

These are the questions Professor Michael J. Sandel poses in his legendary course and New York Times-bestseller Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?

His class on moral philosophy is consistently the most popular at Harvard with over 1,000 students at a time. On November 7th, we're taking his accessible approach directly to you.

It's a new, interactive form of the traditional author reading, one where readers can join in from anywhere in the country.

All you need to participate is a telephone. The teleforum format enables you to interact with Professor Sandel directly, answering his questions and asking your own. Simply sign up in advance and we call you as the event begins. It's completely free.

"What Justice does, and does very well, is teach. Sandel explains theories of justice based on utilitarianism (minimize social harm), libertarianism (maximize personal freedom) and communitarianism (cultivate civic virtue) with clarity and immediacy honed by years of classroom presentation; the ideas of Aristotle, Jeremy Bentham, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, Robert Nozick and John Rawls have rarely, if ever, been set out as accessibly."
-The New York Times Book Review
"Justice" Live with Michael J. Sandel
Sunday November 7, 2010
5:00-6:00 p.m. EST / 2:00-3:00 p.m. PST

Seven destinations for as low as P799! CEB offers P799 Cebu-Hong Kong seats

Cebu-Korea, Cebu-Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Macau seats as low as P1,499

Cebu Pacific Air slashing fares for select international routes in a seat sale from now until October 27, 2010 or until seats last, for travel this December 1, 2010-January 31, 2011.

Guests traveling from Cebu to Hong Kong can avail of P799 ‘Go Lite’ seats, while those traveling from Cebu to Singapore can avail of P1,999 ‘Go Lite’ seats. Meanwhile, guests from Cebu to Seoul (Incheon) or Busan can avail of P2,499 ‘Go Lite’ seats.

From Manila, up for grabs are P1,499 ‘Go Lite’ seats from Manila to Brunei, Ho Chi Minh and Macau. We're adding another frequency to our Manila-Brunei flights, making it a thrice weekly service starting December 16, 2010!

We do not only offer the lowest round-trip fares from Cebu to Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea, we are also the lowest fare alternative from Manila to Brunei, Vietnam and Macau.

By Hannibal C. Telete, PNA

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday said classes in all public elementary and secondary schools nationwide will be suspended to give teachers who serve as members of the Board of Elections Tellers (BET) time to rest.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro made the announcement in a press briefing Monday afternoon where he also disclosed that a teacher and BET member died in a traffic accident in Ilocos Norte while on their way to get election materials assigned to her.

“In consideration of the efforts our teachers exerted during the conduct of the 2010 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan election, particularly their having to wait for the election materials practically over night, DepEd declares that classes in all public elementary and high schools nationwide are suspended tomorrow Tuesday, October 26," LUistro said.

At the same time, the DepEd chief said “for schools where elections are postponed to October 26, classes are suspended tomorrow and the following day October 27.”

“This suspension is made to give our courageous, dedicated and persevering teachers time to rest after a long poll duty,” Luistro said.

About 490,000 teachers are currently serving as BET members, upped from the 229,000 that do poll duties in the May 10 presidential elections.

About 1,732 barangays (villages) have suspended the holding of election to October 26 to the late arrival of ballots and other election paraphernalia and security concerns.

Due to the delay, the DepEd said its Election Task Force and Operations Center will extend its operations until 10 p.m. of October 26. It was originally set to end its monitoring at 12 noon Tuesday.