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I've met some priests and pastors who have voluntarily confessed their past sinfulness and offer their present lives as testimony of how Christ has changed them. Regretfully, Fr. Skelton had to wait for this media barrage to come out in the open about his past. A forced confession has doubtful sincerity. Openness about one's past, especially for those who have dedicated themselves to the Gospel, is also submitting oneself to personal accountability about one's renewed life.

St. Paul in his epistles makes it a habit to open up about his depraved past as Saul, the persecutor of Christians, to drive his point of the need for man's salvation through Jesus Christ. Paul also proclaimed that we actually stand equal before God as sinners, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

Christ himself said that he did not come for the good men, but for the bad: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

I guess the media should stop hounding Fr. Skelton for interviews, but instead do their homework silently among those he has worked with or the youth he has surrounded himself with since he was ordained.

Needless to say, Christian faith is all about second chances. If this man is found out to have really straightened his ways, praise God! If not, he better face the music, not sing it!

WITH ALL MY LOVE

by

James B. Reuter, S.J


When I came to the Philippines, I thought that I was a missionary.  Bringing to the
Filipinos  the  beautiful values of God.

But I discovered, when I got here,   that the beautiful gifts of God had arrived,  in the
hearts of the people,  long before I did.

It was a strange fulfillment of the truth in the Gospel;  “You have not chosen Me, but I
have chosen you.”

The desire to become a missionary came to me when I was seven years old, in Grade
Two, at Saint Mary’s Catholic School,  in Elizabeth, New  Jersey,  U.S.A.

It never left me.  I went to a Jesuit High School â€" Saint Peter’s Prep in Jersey City.  I was
fascinated  by  the gentleness,  the  wisdom,  and the genuine desire of the teachers to
show  us how to live according to the law of God.

So I became a Jesuit, and a missionary,  and I came to the Philippines.

I thought I was coming to give.  But I was not.  The Filipinos gave to me.  From them I
Learned  how natural it was for them to love God, by loving each other.

These are not just words. It is an amazing reality.  During the Japanese Occupation one
of my students, Ramon Cabrera, went into the underground.  He was picked up by the
Japanese.  They asked him to give the names of all his friends who were in the
underground.

He said:  “I don’t know any names.”

To  make him talk, they beat him in the mouth with a gun butt.  They broke out all his teeth.  They smashed his jaw and his nose.  Then they asked again for the names of his
friends in the underground.

He said:  “I don’t know any names.”

So they brought him to the cemetery, gave him a shovel, and told him to dig his grave.

He said:  “Dig it yourself!”

So they bayoneted him.  As he dropped to his knees, he looked up at the Japanese and
smiled.  And then he died.

“Greater love than this no man hath, that he  lay down his life for his friend” . . .
“Whatever you do for the least of these my little ones â€" you have done  it to ME”.

He would not give  the  names of  his friends in the underground.

At the age of 93, in the hospital with pneumonia, I am saying this to tell you â€" all of you,
my friends. . .

·         The Filipino has deep, strong courage. . .
·         He has courage enough to die for his friends. . .
·         He loves God with all his heart, because â€"

“Greater love for God no man has  - that he lay down his life for his friend. Whatever you do for the least of these, my little ones, you have done it to Me.”

What I discovered when I came to the Philippines was that the Filipinos do not need
missionaries.

I did.

And so I am deeply grateful to God for sending me here.


I did not choose Him.

He chose me.

Hi Pads,

For keeping a detached and balanced perspective of what's happening within the Catholic Church, you have all the more won my respect. The highest homily an evangelist can deliver and the greatest praise he can sing is how he lives. I am blessed by your music, and all the more blessed by your down-to-earth camaraderie with us, your cyber-parishioners.

Quote from: chicogon on April 22, 2010, 03:38:47 AM
For along time ngana bitaw ang simbahan, mahilig og tago2x (secrecy) ug baylo2x (reassignments/reshuffling). But since the scandal of the early 2000s "zero tolerance" na ang ilang approach to priests' abuses (Google "Dallas Charter Sex Abuse") which is good news. Karon ang "purgation" (hehehe) is sweeping all over Europe. Philippines should follow suit.

But still beware... the so-called "predators" are not only within the ranks of the clergy... but in all walks of life and in many families amongst us. Paghikot jud kapunay ug "lata" aron kung naay manghilabot, mag tingog-tingog, bwahahaha... 

Hi Mine, my friend at San Carlos U already got in touch with the contact person. He said a unit presently occupied by Koreans will be vacated at the end of this month. The owner is recommending their newly built apartment which is a little more expensive, but still within the budget range. Thanks a lot for taking the time to help me out in this house-hunting.

Quote from: lumine on April 22, 2010, 01:48:27 PM
Sir Bene, ako lang baya to niresearch though nakalabay nako anang Peace Valley. but as you said, it's nice that you check it yourself.

Daghang salamat, BNC. Naa na ko'y gipa-check nga usa ka apartment duol diha sa JY Square Mall nga gi-refer ni Lumine. I'll check out the recommended places myself when I go to Cebu after May 20. Actually, I'll be working in Mandaue, but my main consideration is proximity to the children's school and safety. I really appreciate kung unsa pa may safety precautions inyong mahatag to be able to live peacefully in Cebu.

Quote from: bol-anon nga cebuano on April 22, 2010, 05:48:38 AM
there are lots of safe places to live in lahug area more particularly in the upscale sudlon where the beverly hills is located. there are also nice condos and subdivisions near UP or there is a UP dorm for students which also very nice and secure. however, the paths leading to that area is not safe as lots of hoodlums and gangs roam around that area most specially in camputhaw where UP is located, salinas drive near apas, crossing leading to sudlon near deped and leading to nivel hills. it's best recommended to ride taxis all time when going in or passing that area.

daghan salamat bay calle. ingnon nako akong younger sister who's doing the house-hunting to check out the area.

I will be living in Cebu City for at least three months from June. I have never lived in Cebu but I am looking forward to this working stint for a Japanese consortium in the Philippines. My daughter intends to take up schooling at UP Cebu this school year, so I prefer the Lahug area. Sa atong mga kaubanan sa Cebu, naa ba mo'y marecommend nga apartment nga safe neighborhood para sa mga bata? Mas barato mas OK, 15K~20K ang budget. Thanks!

The ballot is useless if enforced under the barrel of a gun. If we can't choose freely, there's no point in voting.

Beware, there are more predator priests on the prowl in the Philippines...

3 ‘fallen’ priests fled to Philippines

AN investigation spanning 21 countries across six continents found that 30 priests accused of sexual abuse were transferred or moved abroad, with three of them ending up in the Philippines, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

Some of the priests escaped police investigations. Many had access to children in another country, and some abused again.

A priest who admitted to abuse in Los Angeles, Santiago Tamayo, went to the Philippines, where US church officials mailed him checks and advised him not to reveal their source.

A priest in Canada was convicted of sexual abuse and then moved to France, where he was convicted of abuse again in 2005. Another priest was moved back and forth between Ireland and England, despite being diagnosed as a pederast, a man who commits sodomy with boys.

‘‘The pattern is, if a priest gets into trouble and it’s close to becoming a scandal or if the law might get involved, they send them to the missions abroad,” said Richard Sipe, a former Benedictine monk and critic of what he says is a practice of international transfers of accused and admitted priest child abusers. “Anything to avoid a scandal.”

Joseph Skelton was a 26-year-old student at St. John Provincial Seminary in Detroit, Michigan, in 1988 when he was convicted of sexual misconduct with a 15-year-old boy. He was given three years’ probation and dismissed from his seminary.

Two decades later, he lives in the Philippines, where he was ordained a priest and now serves as parochial vicar of the St. Vincent Ferrer parish in the remote town of Calape, Bohol, according to the diocese directory. He is also a popular gospel singer.

Reached on his cell phone, Skelton declined comment.

He finished his seminary studies in Manila and was ordained in 2001 in the diocese of Tagbilaran.

The bishop who ordained Skelton said he would not have made him a priest if he had known about the criminal conviction.

“I ordained him because, while there was some talk about his effeminate ways, there was no case against him,” Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak said.

Tumulak, who has since stepped down, said it would be up to his successor to reopen the case.

“The priest is trying to live well,”Tumulak said. “If he has really changed, the heart of the church is compassionateâ€"although in America, Europe, they have different ways of looking at it. Not the church, but the government, the people. In the Philippines, it’s a little bit different.’’

The archdiocese of Detroit, after learning Skelton had been ordained, sent a letter about his conviction to the Tagbilaran diocese in early 2003. Tumulak, the former bishop, said he didn’t remember if he received the letter, and in any case, it would have been too late.

Informed of the case, current Bishop Leonard Medroso said he would investigate. But he added: “The case has been judged already. He was convicted and that means he has served already the conviction. So what obstacle can there be if he has already served his punishment or penalty?”

Tamayo, who was accused of abusing Rita Milla in Los Angeles, was urged to stay in the Philippines, court documents show.

Milla maintained that she was molested by Tamayo at a church in Carson, California, when she was 16. After she turned 18, she said, she had sexual intercourse with Tamayo and he introduced her to six other priests who also abused her.

After she was impregnated in 1982 by another priest at a Los Angeles-area church, Milla said, Tamayo suggested she get an abortion, then devised a plan to send her to the Philippines to have the child.

Milla returned to California after giving birth to her daughter, Jacqueline. She sued the archdiocese in 1984 and won a $500,000 settlement.

Tamayo later went to the Philippines and apologized for having sex with Milla years before he died in 1999.

In 2004, Milla’s lawyer released documents showing the church mailed him checks. AP

I remember a dark movie that became very controversial a few years back. It profiled one sexual predator who was a typical tender, loving father but led a double life preying on children as old as his own. The point is, pedophiles don't walk around flashing a shirt print, "I am after your children." They are ordinary people, sometimes with extraordinary charms and skills--white-collar executives, preachers, singers, actors, etc.

The first time I came across Fr. Skelton was through this youtube clip, while I was searching for live Christian music in Bohol. Since they rendered this difficult duet piece unrehearsed, I was really amazed. This was a few weeks before the news of his past conviction in the US broke out. You can just imagine how younger minds could even be more easily impressed.

more than wonderful

And the Ateneo Board of Trustees decided to reject his tender of resignation!

Manny V. Pangilinan's Keynote Remarks Inauguration  of the New Rizal Library, Ateneo de Manila University, 8th December 2009: Libraries are as old as civilization. From the 30,000 clay tablets found in the library of Ashurbanipal  at Nineveh, to the computers of a modern library â€" stretch more than five thousand years of man’s insatiable desire to establish written immortality, insure the continuity of culture and civilization, to share his wisdom, his dreams, his memory, and his story with the rest of mankind, and with future generations
Dr. Vartan Gregorian in his Keynote Address White House Conference on School Libraries: Libraries are as old as civilization-the object of pride, envy and sometimes senseless destruction. From the clay tablets of Babylon to the computers of a modern library stretch more than five thousand years of man's and woman's insatiable desire to establish written immortality and to insure the continuity of culture and civilization, to share their memory, their wisdom, their strivings, their fantasies, their longings, and their experiences with mankind and with future generations.
*****
Manuel V. Pangilinan at the 8th Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility 26th November 2009: From the streets of Marikina to the flooded plains of Pangasinan, Filipinos should write the next chapter in their stories. Together, we should ensure that the legacy of a terrible storm is a country that is safer, and better prepared, for the tragedies that may come
Barack Hussein Obama Katrina Anniversary 29th August 2009: From the streets of New Orleans to the Mississippi Coast, folks are beginning the next chapter in their American stories. And together, we can ensure that the legacy of a terrible storm is a country that is safer and more prepared for the challenges that may come
*****
Manuel V. Pangilinan at the 8th Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility 26th November 2009: These trials also remind us that we are tied together in this life, in this nation â€" that the despair of one touches us all
George W. Bush Hurricane Relief Address to the Nation 15 September 2005: And they remind us that we're tied together in this life, in this nation -- and that the despair of any touches us all.
*****
Manuel V. Pangilinan at the 8th Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility 26th November 2009: But we must believe that that future will come -- that with every tragedy comes the chance of renewal, that adversity can give birth to hope, and the lessons of the past hold the key to a better future
Barack Hussein Obama Katrina Anniversary 29th August 2009: But we also remember that with every tragedy comes the chance of renewal. It is a quintessentially American notion â€" that adversity can give birth to hope, and that the lessons of the past hold the key to a better future
*****
Manny V. Pangilinan Commencement Address Xavier University Ateneo de Cagayan 23rd March 2007 : I just want you to do me a favor. Just one favor. Exercise your right to dream. Sure, you must face reality â€" that which is. But dream of a reality that ought to be â€" that must be.
Martin Luther King Jr: I just want young America to do me one favor, just one favor. Exercise the right to dream. You must face reality -- that which is. But then dream of a reality that ought to be -- that must be.
*****
Manny V. Pangilinan Commencement Address Xavier University Ateneo de Cagayan 23rd March 2007 : As for myself, I have always believed in the strenuous life, in the life of labor and effort. The highest form of success comes not to the man who desires easy peace or inherits instant wealth, but to the man who does not shrink from risks, from hardship, or from bitter toil
Theodore Roosevelt 10th April 1899: I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life, the life of toil and effort, of labor and strife; to preach that highest form of success which comes, not to the man who desires mere easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph.

Riding on the wave of accusations that the Catholic Church hierarchy all the way to Rome has been complicit in sweeping under the carpet the clergy's sexual offenses, the American media continues to hound Fr. Skelton who has a conviction of sexual misconduct in the US.

More snapshots of priests accused of abuse

By The Associated Press (AP) â€" 2 hours ago

JOSEPH SKELTON

Skelton was studying for the priesthood in Michigan in 1988 when he was convicted of sexual misconduct with a 15-year-old boy and dismissed from his seminary.

He went to the Philippines, where he was ordained a priest in 2001 in the diocese of Tagbilaran in Bohol province. Today, at 48, he is parochial vicar of St. Vincent Ferrer parish in the town of Calape, according to the diocese directory. Reached on his cell phone, Skelton declined to comment.

The bishop who ordained Skelton said he wouldn't have made him a priest if he had known about the criminal conviction. But he added: "The priest is trying to live well. If he has really changed, the heart of the church is compassionate."

The archdiocese of Detroit, after learning Skelton had been ordained, sent a letter about his conviction to then-Bishop Tumulak in early 2003. Tumulak said he doesn't remember if he received the letter. In any case, he added, it would have been too late.

Informed of the case, current Bishop Leonardo Medroso said he would investigate. But he added: "He was convicted, and that means to say he has served already the conviction. So what obstacle can there be if he has already served his punishment or penalty?"

Dili gyud angay ibilin ang bata mag-inusara ron sa bisag asa nga public place. Mga ginikan pud kinahanglan tudluan gyud ang bata nga dili mosalig ug dili mukuyog sa dili kaila. Maayo na lang gani nakit-an ra ang bata. All is well that ends well, but such distress could have been spared with enough precaution from the parents.

Happy birthday Anne!

Thanks, Bran. Springtime is indeed beautiful everywhere. It's what I'll miss when I work full blast in Cebu. Given the wet and chilly temperature in Japan even in April, I'm just dreaming of Bohol's sunshine now.

HI Anna,

If you live around the intersection of CPG and the road going to Upper Mansasa (kanang naa'y taas nga koral sa kanto) towards Alsa Baso (my kids always give tricyle drivers this direction)--which is the reported site of the incident--silingan ra gyud ta. Siguro wala pa'y 1 km ang distansya (silingan pa ba ni?) Malinawon man hinuon kanang among neighborhood ever since. It's really a shock to hear of a crime within a one-kilometer radius.

Quote from: Anna&Jorge on April 11, 2010, 09:54:54 PM
upper mansasa?? basig silingan ta

Quote from: lumine on April 09, 2010, 10:17:33 AM
Sir Bene,murag wala jud koy flowers nakit-an didto ron sa Gaston Park.

Murag niadto pa man tong high school ko nga naa'y nagsulti cherry blossoms daw ang mga kahoy didto. Wala pa ko kakitag cherry blossoms at that time. Kung tinuod nga cherry blossoms, mura gyud tingali maglisod ug bulak kay tibuok tuig init man sa atoa. Cherry blossoms react to the change in temperature from winter to spring to bloom.

Get well soon!

Mura bitaw ug abstract ug vague kaayo ang punto ani niya, pero somehow I get the feel of what he's saying.

It's probably the first time that a massive employment dislocation on a global scale is happening. It's now easier to compare notes because of our cyber connection. And everywhere from US, NZ to Italy, our friends are echoing the same gripes about the bleak economic prospects. I think this is not just a temporary thing or being in the trough of an economic cycle. A new economic reality is taking shape.

In Japan, which long prided itself on its life-time employment policy, probably half of employees are presently being dispatched by temporary placement agencies. Temporary employment arrangements and annual contracts are now the rule. The case of Toyota worker who committed suicide inside a Prius that was being moved through the production line is emblematic of the spiritual angst in the wake of the Toyota scandal, which also symbolizes the secular slide of the Japanese economy. Just a few years ago, Toyota was almost synonymous to the "safety" trademark. Now I notice that cars veer away every time a Prius comes nearby.

I read here at Yahoo that in the US, medical doctors are leaving private practice in droves and just apply as medical personnel in larger, better-funded hospitals.

Being a self-employed professional, I really feel it's harder to make a living now just going by the same old routine. Kinahanglan bag-ong diskarte, flexibility, and being always on the lookout for new opportunities.

Quote from: www.tubagbohol.com on April 09, 2010, 08:16:59 AM
“With the downturn in the economy, the elimination of jobs, and the increased desire for work-life balance, people are looking for more stability, greater fulfillment, and increased satisfaction from work. Unfortunately, most people are still operating with an old set of career rules that no longer apply to today’s employment reality.

Now is the time to take control of your career destiny so you can enjoy greater work-life balance, security fulfillment and satisfaction. The secret lies in understanding the new employment reality and rewriting the rules of what a career can be.”  - by Paula Caligiuri, Ph.D.

Just as I thought. Nagngisi na si Aya sa kalipay pagdungaw sa bintana sa langit kay ang Japan nalukop na ug pink sa cherry blossoms.

Quote from: BlueAngel on April 09, 2010, 08:23:58 AM
c Aya ky moangay tog Kirschblüten (cherry blossom)   

I also remember Orchids this cherry blossoms season.

God willing, naa na gyud tay opportunity nga magkahimamat ani either sa Cebu or Bohol. Agianan man gyud ang Cebu sa tanan. I just hope dili kaayo piot akong schedule, kay kahibawo ka na sa Japanese working style.

Quote from: Bambi on April 08, 2010, 05:21:30 PM
Back to roots....mag original Pinoy na pod ka Sir Benelynne?  Wish you and all the members of the Family  the best of everything!  Wish to meet in you in person anytime we will be in Cebu or Bohol. Take care over there ha!
Very nice photos! Like it!  I do remember Orchids seeing that beautiful cherry blossoms.

Sige, EB unya ta ug mahiluna na ko. Chada man daw ang The Terraces Ayala Center. Nahinumdum diay ko Men, di ba naa man pud to'y cherry blossoms sa Gaston Park didto sa Cathedral? Gabulak pa ba to?

Quote from: lumine on April 08, 2010, 05:08:59 PM
that's good news,sir bene. panagad baya ha kung magkita ta either bohol or cebu.

If there's any consolation for us ordinary mortals, this incident simply shows that great men do have feet of clay. While we can easily dust off ours, theirs are magnified and feasted upon, and sometimes engraved on stone to posterity.

But as the saying goes, you can't really put a good man down. If MVP is as he is being hyped, then this blunder should just be an interesting anecdote to an exalted life. 

I believe we should judge a person by his finest moment. This incident will certainly be outshone by MVP's best moments--of which more should still come.

It's amazing how Luzon, in the midst of terrible environmental degradation, is still able to harbor such rare species up to this time. I wonder how many species we have already lost forever and how much more biodiversity we should have had we heeded the call for environmental protection earlier. Take note, proponents of Panglao development! Panglao has been discovered by a team of multi-national researchers to have one of the greatest bio-diversities in the world, and our politicians seem to be scrambling to sacrifice such an irreplaceable treasure to progress.

Sa pagdali-dali, nahibaw-an na hinuon nga inferior ang structure. Kinsa na man la'y gusto mag-rent ug mag-shopping ani nga mall?

Tua siya sa iyang Tita sa Bohol. Nauna man ug anhi diri si Sarah kadtong January, kay naa man ni sila giasikaso nga papeles dire. Kuyog mi niuli sa Bohol atong February. Gitugnaw ug gimingaw na sa iyang mga amiga sa school. God willing, dayon na gyud akong pagkadestino sa Cebu as early as next month, ug pasalamat ko nga duol na hinuon sa Bohol. Japanese project pud gihapon. Kita-kita lang unya ta pohon didto.

bitaw, 16 pa man si paolo murag maupawan pa gyud ko ani.

unsa man diay blue ang imong nahinumduman? mura pud tulip ng imong gikubtan sa avatar.

Here are some snapshots taken during my two kids' vacation in Japan (FB friends, sensya na for the redundant post). Despite the erratic weather, the cherry blossoms are brightening up the surroundings on schedule. But such a glorious sight is expected to be around for only two weeks. That's why the Japanese invariably wax poetic over sakura. The best things in life are ephemeral--so breathe them in, relish those moments, seize the here and now! This moment is the only certainty we have of joy!


The family--sans Sarah who's temporarily with her auntie in Bohol--greets the first buds of sakura at the Kasimagaura Lake Park in Tsuchiura City, about 80 km from Tokyo.


Raya and Paolo taking a whiff of Japan's springtime air and refreshing themselves before the start of college life.


A father is only too happy to have his son tower over him.


A family that prays and relaxes together always gets the windmills behind them.


Lynne with friends Dinah and Evelyn


Tulips in blazing red

Thanks for the compliment. Bukad pud akong atay ani. Lisod pud tingali nga main-ana na ta ka importante ni MVP nga magsalig ta sa uban para sa atong speech.

Ironically, ADMU's motto is Lux in Domini, or Light in the World. What a spotlight to hog for an illustrious alumnus and generous benefactor! The man who clinched multi-million deals in make-or-break business decisions tripped over a tiny lapse of judgment in choosing the speechwriter who would have enshrined his glory in the country's top academic institution.

The price we pay for economic progress is the entry of undesirable elements.

By the way, Winnie Monsod made an official disclaimer about this article. As an academic, she says she is maintaining her neutrality. Though the writer almost succeeded in misrepresenting her, Winnie says this article is not on par with her writing standards and is a hoax.

I checked out this link. It's really disgusting to see our local papers peddle gore and mayhem in sordid colors on the front page, without the smallest thought about the victim's family. In better enlightened societies, you never splash snapshots of bloody corpses on the front page. Since Bohol Chronicle appropriates for itself the role of moral guardian of our politicians (albeit not equally), it should likewise practice some basic journalistic ethics.

Quote from: jig37504 on April 05, 2010, 07:47:34 AM
it's true, just read on the link http://www.boholchronicle.com/2010/apr/4/front2.htm

What a shame! I just wonder if a mogul who got caught with his lips in another person's manuscript had not also got his finger in the cookie jar on the way up in the dog-eat-dog world of business. Fr. Ben Nebres should accept his resignation instantly or this alumnus' dishonesty will rub on Ateneo.

This piece of news also alarmed me because our house is in Mansasa. Nganong ang mga bug-at ug high-profile nga krimen sa Tagbilaran naa man kasagaran mahitabo sa Mansasa? I guess those who should be on the lookout for the residents' safety themselves need to be watched.

I'm proud of my high school alma mater! Murag nabag-o na gyud kaayo ang Xavier! I am no longer familiar with many of the buildings.

Good for you, aquarius. Naa man gyud plus ug minus, whichever side of the ocean you are in right now. Ang tawo mo-adjust man sa iyang lifestyle to the resources and income available to him. Some have provided well for their family by going abroad, but missed the growing years of their children, or even ended up with broken homes. Naa pud sama nimo nga igo lang ug usahay tingali kulang pa sa panginahanglan, pero uban kanunay ang pamilya--ug kani dili mabutangan ug balor. Labi na karong panahona, mas dako ang risk sa paningpalad sa laing lugar. Bisag asa man ta ron, kinahanglan gyud mag-save for the rainy days or El Nino season.

Quote from: aquarius on March 26, 2010, 01:45:46 PM

..diri sa 'Pinas kanang imong anak pwede na pabantayan ug lain, isang tawag ka lang, "BANTAY BATA 163"  .. (joke3x)..

Seriously, di pod lalim manarbaho sa gawas, way dali-dali nga maduolan in case of emergency kay mga langyaw imong kasilinganan, dili pareha'g culture... kung may mga kababayan man ,of course, nangdiskarte pod na'g panarbaho....  dapat kung mag-abroad man gani dapat stable ka both heart and mind kay dili tanan nga naka abroad palaran... naay uban pagawas "pasahero" pagbalik "kargamento" na.. you know what I mean, naa tawo'y uban, "nawawala sa sarili..".. konting ingat lang... kaya I really appreciate those who gamble themselves in far-away land for a better future...

Personally, kung ako pod siguro ang may chance, why not?.... for the meantime, I am contented now of working here in the Phils as bank employee with my counterpart, my wife as public school teacher.. at least we can monitor both us  our kids esp they're all boys as they grow up, elementary pa nuon.. hehehe.. pag-abot sa kolehiyo puhon, anhi na siguro ta makapangawot ug di katol... mao siguro ng kasagaran ang lalaki maupaw kay sige kawot sa ulo without knowing nangalagas na diay ang buhok....    ... that's the reality of life.. we have to work hard... but don't forget to give ourselves a time also to relax.....

Mao lang bitaw nakaapan sa ato ron, ang presyo sa accommodation. Ingon ang Dep't of Tourism nga tungod kuno ni sa shortage sa rooms. Makurat bitaw ka to compare the package tour rates of Cebu and Bali, for example. I think the real problem is that we have not reached the critical tourist traffic volume to offer prices for the mass market. There is only one airline plying the Cebu-Narita route six times a week. Airfare alone costs a lot. Add the hotel costs. We still have a long way to go to even catch up with Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, whose tourist traffic is three times or more. But in terms of the destinations we can offer, I think ours compare favorably.

Quote from: Bambi on March 22, 2010, 04:50:25 AM
Correct!  Perting pagka-asenso sa atong Bohol na gjod. Sorry to say, nga haskang saka sa rates sa mga hotels pod.  Bisan ahong bana since year 2000  ka unom na gjod gabalik-balik bisan ug mahal pa kuno kay sa laing Asian tourist countries like Thailand which we had our 2006 holidays. Mas nindot gjod unta ug duna pay mga special promos  (with Flight/Hotel and with breakfast) nga ilang i-offer para sa taga gawas. This this coming November 24, 2010...adto lang una mi sa Bali kay barato ikomparar sa ato.

Filipinos are usually the last to appreciate what they have.

Ug dili pa tungod sa mga langyaw nga nagsangyaw sa kanindot sa atong lugar, dili tingali molambo ug in-ani ang Bohol. In fact, until 2001, Bohol was a God-forsaken island that was the 7th poorest province in the country, which drove most of its locals to greener pastures within the country and overseas. Now, Bohol is a model province in terms of per capita income and peace and order, and Tagbilaran has been selected by the Asian Institute of Management as the most livable city in the country. We may dispute the merits of these accolades. But everyone agrees that Bohol has really gone a long way now. One of the engines of its growth is tourism--consisting mostly of foreigners who were wowed by our majestic natural endowments. I have a Japanese friend who visits Bohol ten times a year. A diving enthusiast, he used to work for a travel agency and has been to 70 countries, but he tells me that he loves Bohol of all the places he has visited. I am proud of Bohol, but I have never been as generous as this Japanese in giving praises to our islands.

Mas hadlok man ng galakaw-lakaw nga di makit-an ang tinaguan nga hinagiban. I really wish for Bohol not only zero insurgency but also zero criminality.

He seems to me like a well-educated, charismatic leader--a far cry from Thaksin Shinawatra whom he replaced. I don't have an in-depth knowledge of Thai politics, but sometimes good leadership is undermined by rowdy, partisan politics.

Ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra must really have used his vast wealth to keep these people engaged in dramatic opposition. Thaksin had an extensive business empire when he joined politics, and continued to expand it in office. His populist policies obviously gained him a very loyal following.

There, there, let's not be charmed by the wiles of astute businessmen running for office whose supposedly humble origins make them friends of the poor.

Brod Gener, palaisipan sa akin kung ano ang moral of the story. Eto kaya?

The idealist looks for love and ends up empty-handed. The realist looks for someone to marry, and finds someone good enough to love.

Erectile dysfunction is strong predictor of fatal heart ailments, study finds

By Thomas H. Maugh II

March 16, 2010

For the first time, researchers have shown that erectile dysfunction is a strong predictor of the likelihood that men will die of heart disease.

Men who suffer from the problem, which some consider more an emotional than a physical issue, are twice as likely to succumb to cardiovascular disease or heart attacks as those who do not have the problem, German researchers reported Monday in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Assn.

Researchers have known for years that there is a link between erectile dysfunction, commonly abbreviated as ED, and heart disease, said Dr. Sahil Parikh, an interventional cardiologist from University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland who was not involved in the study. "But now there is pretty clear evidence that there is a substantially increased risk of heart attack and death when patients have erectile dysfunction."

The results are probably not too surprising, added Dr. Robert Kloner, a cardiologist at USC's Keck School of Medicine, "because arteries in the penis are smaller, so atherosclerosis shows up there sooner," perhaps three to four years before the onset of cardiovascular disease.

The take-home message, both experts said, is that when a patient seeks treatment for ED, typically from a general practitioner, he should be given a full physical work-up to look for heart disease and referred to a cardiologist.

"When they are treated aggressively early, we can prevent heart attacks and stroke and they can have many years added to their lives," Parikh said.

Existing guidelines for treating men with ED from the Princeton Consensus Conference already state that "a man with ED and no cardiac symptoms is a cardiac (or vascular) patient until proven otherwise." Kloner, a coauthor of those guidelines, said that when the guidelines are updated this year, they will probably carry a stronger recommendation that a patient presenting with ED get a cardiovascular examination.

Dr. Michael Bohm, a cardiologist at Germany's Saarland University, and his colleagues studied 1,519 men from 13 countries who were involved in a study of two drugs to treat cardiovascular disease. The men were also queried about their ED at the beginning of the study, two years into it and at the end at five years. A full 55% of the men had ED at the beginning of the trial, nearly double the normal incidence of about 30% in the population at large.

The team reported that, in the five years of follow-up, men with ED were 1.9 times as likely to die from heart disease, twice as likely to have a heart attack, 1.2 times as likely to be hospitalized for heart failure and 1.1 times more likely to have a stroke. The risks increased with the severity of the ED.

Disappointingly, the two drugs tested in the study, ramipril and telmisartan, did not improve the course of the ED.

That's not surprising, said Dr. Peter Pelikan, a cardiologist at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, "because it takes years and years and years to get any resorption of cholesterol" that would reduce blockage of the penile arteries. "The study was too small and too short to see that."

Many men with ED see a general practitioner or a urologist to get treatment and are prescribed drugs like Viagra or Cialis, Bohm said in a statement. "The drug works and the patient doesn't show up any more. These men are being treated for ED, but not the underlying cardiovascular disease. A whole segment of men is being placed at risk."

EDITORIAL - Blame the system, not those who leave
(The Freeman) Updated March 16, 2010 12:00 AM


Roughly 200 hospitals around the country, many of them in the provinces and rural areas, have been reported to have closed down. And the reason given was that there were no more doctors or nurses to serve in them.

While that may be true, it is quite unfair to stop just there and not put things into context. To do so is to cast doctors and nurses in a bad light, making them appear as if all they want in life is go abroad and earn good money there.

First of all, let us not lose sight of the bottomline. And the bottomline is that doctors and nurses do not just save lives. They have to live too. And with the kind of salaries they are being given, especially in these hospitals, they will be dying first before their patients.

If it has not sunk in to those concerned, medicine and nursing have become among the most expensive college courses to take. Nursing in particular has become especially prohibitive, and for no other reason than that schools are cashing in on the demand.

The nursing boom of a few years ago, which in fact has grown bust by now, drove many young people to take up the course. But instead of the time-tested laws of supply and demand prevailing, something unique has happened in the Philippines.

Yet, for all the expense invested in taking up a nursing course, nurses are paid peanuts if they work here. Not only is it an affront to the dignity of a profession requiring great skills, it is also damning to perdition to be paid less than half of what a jeepney driver makes.

Many jeepney drivers never went to school. Most even secured licenses by greasing some palms so they do not have to take driving tests. Yet on a good day they make at least P500. Many nurses working in government hospitals are lucky if they earn half of that.

And yet we make it sound as if it is their fault that hospitals are closing because they prefer to work abroad. Perhaps the question to ask is -- has anybody made any effort to make it even just morally worthwhile to work here?

First you milk the nurses in school, then you starve them when they work. And you blame them for saying enough is enough? Instead of blaming those who leave, they should be declared heroes for finally standing up and fighting the rotten system.

San Pedro
LITO BANAYO
Malaya
March 11, 2010


HOW could a piece of property sequestered by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), and a lis pendens annotated upon its transfer certificate of title, land in the hands of a corporation called Crown Asia, owned and controlled by the so-called "brown taipan", Manuel Villar, who wants to be president of the land?

The 2.18 hectare property is in the vicinity of a swanky golf course called TAT, before that Filipinas Golf Course, and even before that, during the Marcos years, known as Holiday Hills, in the municipality of San Pedro Laguna. It straddles the boundary of the first town of Laguna with the last city of Metro Manila, and is now connected to the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) by an interchange, and to Las Piñas and Bacoor to a so-called Daang Reyna, which in turn connects to Daang Hari. Pretty good property, one must say.

It used to be titled to one Maximo Argana, remembered by many to be the feared and powerful mayor of Muntinglupa during the martial law years. When the dictatorship fell, the newly-created PCGG went after the unexplained wealth of Marcos, his cronies and other public officials. They went after Maximo Argana’s wealth, and this San Pedro property was one of them. Because Argana had meanwhile died, the PCGG attached an encumbrance upon the title, what is called a lis pendens, which means the property cannot be sold, leased, or otherwise encumbered while the case is pending. And up till today, that case pends before the Sandiganbayan.

Meanwhile, the informal settlers who had stayed in the property by tolerance or sufferance of the registered owner, Argana, had hoped that when the government finally got full leave of the court to confiscate the San Pedro property, they could apply for land ownership under the social justice programs of the State.

Their hopes brightened with the enactment of the Urban Dwellers Act during the Cory administration, otherwise known as the Lina Law.

But lo and behold! In the year 2000, a corporation called Crown Asia suddenly claimed ownership of the property, on the basis of a deed of sale executed between it and Capitol Bank. Both Crown Asia and Capitol are owned and controlled by the spouses Manuel and Cynthia Villar. Crown Asia, along with its sister corporations, had already acquired other properties in the vicinity, which it was then developing into medium and high-end housing projects.

How did this happen? There was a lis pendens on the property, and a check with government agencies, including the Office of the President shows that the Argana title should not and must not be the subject of a deed of sale, not even a contract of lease, for as long as the courts would not lift that lis pendens (or pendente lite, which means pending legal resolution of the case.

But apparently, Capitol Bank foreclosed the property from a certain Jose Nunez, who failed to pay a short-term loan, and made no effort whatsoever to restructure or re-schedule the loan, as most are wont to do, but instead, immediately had his property foreclosed by the Villar bank. And the Villar’s Capitol Bank turns around and sells the property also immediately, to Crown Asia. Seems like this is a pattern, a modus operandi of the Villar’s interlocking corporations.

In 2002, Villar’s Crown Asia posted security guards and then ordered demolition of the settler’s houses. The demolition squad succeeded in destroying 30 houses and led to the killing of Quirico "Rico" de los Santos, a leader of the neighborhood association of poor informal dwellers called ironically, Paradise Park. But the informal settlers resisted and they remain there to this day, their Paradise Park Neighborhood Association knocking from one government agency door to another, hoping to seek justice and their urban dwellers’ rights under the laws of the benighted land. There are now some 205 family houses walled inside the 2.18 hectare property, with no basic services such as electrical connections and water. They have to walk to buy expensive retailed water and inter-connect or share one electricity source. Guards of the neighboring walled subdivision, armed with shotguns strictly monitor their movements. They are not allowed to bring in construction materials even to repair their rickety dwellings.

Is this another racket where fake titles are produced surreptitiously, and prey on helpless landowners, such as the Dumagat and Remontado farmers in Norzagaray, Bulacan (read our articles of February 25 and 27, Malaya)? In Norzagaray, the titles issued during the Japanese occupation, which under Commonwealth Act 141, as amended, have been declared null and void, were "foreclosed" by Capitol Bank, and then paid in kind to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas which had earlier issued an emergency loan to the said Villar-owned bank of 1.5 billion pesos.

In San Pedro, property encumbered in temporary favor of the Republic of the Philippines, pending resolution of a sequestration case, is suddenly claimed by a family corporation which "bought" the property from the same family-owned bank, which in turn foreclosed the same from a person, fictitious or real, who "borrowed" a short-term loan and "failed" to pay.

But the Paradise Park homeowners are now in mortal fear of imminent ejection, should this "poor man turned billionaire", whose heart "bleeds for the poor", and who makes a holy vow (panata) to end poverty (tatapusin ang kahirapan), become president. Truly, night will fall upon the lives of these poor people "squatting" on government-owned land. Because if Villarroyo succeeds with his money, and buys the presidency come May 10, 2010, with secret help from the woman who replaced the man he impeached in 2000, then the "government" and their nemesis will be one and the same.

"Mayaman na siya. Huwag na niyang agawin sa amin ang karapatan na manirahan sa lupang hindi naman kanya", said Aling Gloria Barrameda of the Paradise Park Neighborhood Association , who along with some 40 other settlers marched and picketed the front of the historic Laurel House that Money Villarroyo bought two years ago, and from whence he launched his quest for the presidency.

The man who claims to have shared the tribulations of the poorest of the poor, who used to live in a single-room house with his entire family (but transferred as a kid later to a 560 square-meter property in San Rafael Village in Balut, built by his government employee of a father and his industrious fish merchant of a mother) and used to sleep in a narrow bench in Divisoria market (but was schooled in a Catholic parochial school where he and brood were fetched by a stainless steel owner-type jeep), and virtually mocks the toil and sacrifices of his truly industrious parents in order to propagandize alleged poverty, now sends his guards to confiscate property held by the Republic, at the expense of poor, landless settlers, one of whom was executed by his unknown security guards.

As Aling Gloria stated in poignant anger: "Sa ginagawa niya sa aming mahihirap, kasinungalingan ang sinasabi niyang siya ay para sa mahirap at siya ay may malasakit. Siya ang tunay na pasakit. Siya ang tunay na pahirap".

What is happening to Thailand should be a cautionary tale for us.

Thaksin Shinawatra has shown that a shrewd business magnate does not always make a good political leader. It is easy to win votes by promising that one will replicate his rags-to-riches story in the lives of each and every Filipino, and throw in "show" money to each voter's pocket at the same time. With MannyV, MannyP and Willie's combined liquidity, it is very likely that this election will indeed be clinched by money. But woe be unto us!

Unless Manny Villar divests himself of all his business interests--which is impossible--his complex overlay of business interests will dominate his political agenda.

The money used for his campaign are not unfettered--they come with strings from business interests, who will certainly demand a payback. MannyV has consistently declared an amazing personal net worth, but his business interests in real estate are reportedly in debt. His wife's Capitol Bank, heavily exposed to his own real estate ventures, folded up at about the same time he made a soft entry into politics.

If elected, Manny needs to pay back too many business partners and supporters to really be concerned by the urgency of uplifting the lives of the so-called poor, from whose ranks he claims to come from.

I just surveyed today's crime headlines in Japan and there does seem to be a conscious editorial effort not to mention the nationality of an offender in the headline but identify him instead by his work, purpose or the nature of his violation.

For instance, a New Zealander who was apprehended for jumping on a whaling ship is reported, Detained Activist Says He Boarded Whaling Ship to Arrest Captain.

The news of an American who runs an English school and was arrested for child pornography is headlined, English School Manager Indicted for Filming Child Porn.

On the other hand, crimes of US military personnel are identified as such even in headlines, Two US Marines Arrested in Okinawa over Drunken Driving.

There does seem to be varying standards on what constitutes discrimination. While Japan meticulously avoids abrading the sensibilities of compatriots of apprehended criminals, it routinely publishes nationality, age and gender requirements for job adverts (which is banned in other countries).

If I were the editor, the headline for this article should perhaps read, Bigamist Deported for Visa Fraud. The main offense of the foreigner as far as the Philippine government is concerned is visa fraud. Bigamy, which can be proven only in his country of origin, is a civil offense for which he is answerable to his own government.

This does seem like an overkill. After all, it's unlikely the Japanese guy was armed. In many countries, this offense would fall under the category of "civil cases" and would not merit such a high-powered operation.  The SWAT team just perhaps received their training completion certificate and needed a practicum.

Quote from: Keko on March 16, 2010, 06:05:13 AM
"The SWAT team was headed by PCInsp Nicomedes Olaivar Jr. while the Dauis PNP team was headed by PInsp Albert Timpac."

A SWAT team for this?   

LOL

bnc, asa ni dapita? unsay ngan sa carenderia?

Quote from: bol-anon nga cebuano on March 16, 2010, 02:05:43 AM
naay carenderia diha sa cogon nga arang lamia ang kilawin. dugokon jud na sa mga driver ug conductor diha. dili jud ko malimot ug hapit diha kada uli nako sa bohol.

This just goes to show that Filipinos, and Filipino politicians in particular, have not really matured yet to the level where one can expect loyalty to political parties and the social agenda that they stand for.

Lakas, Nacionalista, Liberal--how do we tell one from the other? They are better known by their standard-bearers and not the standards that the parties stand for.

For "career" politicians, their allegiance is really based more on who has the money to mobilize the political machinery and clinch the votes. And the voters? I think they're no different--they'll vote for the likeliest person to bring the bacon.

Wonder why we're always back to square one, election after election? Despite the combined fortunes of Villar, Pacquiao and Revillame behind Nacionalista Party, I still hope Liberally...

Villar is just following the sound, practical advice that you should suit your resume to the job you want.

When Villar was building his real estate empire, he consistently promoted himself as the well-connected mogul with a net worth to die for.

Now that he wants the top job in Malacanang, he is peddling his supposed past of poverty to win the votes of the poor, who comprise perhaps two-thirds of the electorate.

Since Philippine elections are determined largely by money, just imagine what a triumvirate with Manny Pacquiao and Willie Revillame can do to change the course of the elections with less than two months left.

If this presidency will be won by sheer hard cash, I can't imagine what the poor will get afterwards when debts and debts of gratitude will have to be paid back.

I just have the gut feel that if we buy the "poor Manny" story, we may just end up with an even poorer Philippines.

Hi Ging,

Happy Birthday ko nimo dinhi! May you have many more sweet years to come.

To Bran, daw budlay gid ning ginahangyo mo, hay indi ta kabalo kon diin maumpisa. Ano ayhan kon mamangkot ka sang basic phrases or sentence patterns, kag amo lang na anay sabton namon?

Translation: Doy Bran, murag lisod man ning imong gihangyo, kay di ta kahibawo asa magsugod. Unsa kahag mangutana sa kag  basic phrases or sentence patterns, unya mao lang sa na'y among tubagon?

Example:  Unsay nga'n nimo?
             Ano ngalan mo?

             Asa ka gapuyo?
             Diin ka gaistar?

             Pilay idad nimo?
             Pila ka na ka tuig?

             Nahigugma ko nimo.
             Naluyag ko sa imo.

             Ka lami!
             Ka namit!

             Katahom gyud nimo!
             Kagwapa gid sa imo!

             Kasabot kag Cebuano?
             Makaintindi ka sang Cebuano?

             Mauwaw man ko motan-aw sa imong katahom!
             Nahuya gid ko matan-aw sa imo kagwapa.
           

Happy Birthday Bay!

You guys are fast learners! Pastang haboga ug layua na ang lupad sa topic, pildi pa ang agila. Muot man hinuon tanan, ha ha ha... Pangkinder man tingali ni ning eagle story, dili pang masters.

Political parties are meant to consolidate the constituents behind well-defined social agenda.

But in our country, political parties seem to be just a convenient vehicle to get at least a low-cost, and at best a free ride, to elective public office. We have not really nurtured our parties to be anchored on social platforms and principles that will be the electorate's basis for evaluating their performance when they are in office.

Instead, our political parties are personality-centered. No wonder Chatto is calling the shots in Lakas--he enjoys a lot of popularity and has been taking a lot of credit for the good press that Bohol is getting. Elsewhere, being identified with the administration has been shown to be a candidate's kiss of death, but in Bohol, Chatto seems to have rallied the people behind, and in spite of, his unpopular party.

Having seen the last minute party-switching, I believe we're still a long way off from choosing our leaders on the basis of what they stand for. Opportunism rules the day over party loyalty.

Narco-politics and the elections
March 05, 2010 07:06:00
Cebu Daily News

Two candidates and a barangay captain in Cebu and Bohol are reportedly being investigated due to their links to illegal drugs.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) claims these three have history of arrests due to their alleged involvement in illegal drugs trade.

The investigation was announced after a tricycle driver from Bohol was arrested for trying to sell 12 medium packs of cocaine worth P720,000 to policemen who posed as buyers in barangay Capitol Site on Monday afternoon.

Vedasto Jubahid Corsiga, 54, later led the police to an abandoned shanty in Borongan town, Samar where a kilo of cocaine worth P6 million was seized.

The arrest of Corsiga confirmed intelligence reports that cocaine, a preferred illegal substance of the rich, has penetrated Cebu.

Corsiga's arrest as well as the ongoing probe of the three politicians in the region happened to be a loose thread in the web of narco-politics that supposedly swept across the country based on a claim by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

What gave the PDEA report some credence was a United States government advisory that supposedly warned the national government about the possible involvement of powerful drug lords with ties to the South American cartel that may help influence the course of elections.

As if Filipinos don't have enough problems trying to understand how the automated elections work and sifting through the promotional gimmicks of national and local candidates, now they have to deal with the moneyed death grip of drug traffickers.

To be sure, most voters are wary and uncompromising when it comes to drug traffickers but the problem lies in verifying who among these candidates are backed by drug lords.

According to Sen. Richard Gordon, who is running for president, a recent rice shipment from Vietnam supposedly contained a sizable cache of drugs and entered the company through Bacolod, Iloilo and Capiz.

It would be quite easy for the national government, specifically senators to call on the US government to issue the names of these candidates.

But there is protocol to observe and the Americans certainly would provide all the information needed.

Arresting drug traffickers, however, isn't as simple as obtaining a shopping list of names.

There is plenty of legwork to be done by all the agencies concerned. The national government should do its homework in order to effect the arrest of these pushers and traffickers and stem, if not totally stop the flow of drugs in the country and not just during this year's elections.

Why I will Vote for Noynoy Aquino

     
    Monsod's Musings
    Winnie Monsod

    Villar still refuses to attend the Senate to face questions, and it only reminds me of how GMA used the privilege of her office to avoid questioning. What will happen if Villar wins and more corruption scandals surface?With Villar catching up to Noynoy in the polls, I am honestly quite terrified of the prospect of him winning. There is a clear case of graft in this instance, and instead of delving into the issues, his allies in the legislative are simply brushing off the allegations as "politically motivated". As a citizen, we should not accept this. If there is smoke, we must see if there is a fire that needs to be put out. Yes, the timing of the allegations seem a bit off. ( Joker Arroyo was pushing these issues as early as 1998). A known crook and political opportunist, Juan Ponce Enrile, is the person leading the censure. However, when the facts are presented, it is clear as day that something is amiss. It just further builds on my strong suspicions that Villar is a businessman simply looking to control the political arena to make a boat load of money.I have never trusted Villar since day one. I never trust businessmen who enter politics, because in the end, their core value is and always will be profit maximization. It is well documented that Villar's real estate empire ran into some serious financial problems when his overexposure to the real estate market and the Asian Financial Crisis made him unable to pay debts he took out to expand his real estate business in the early 1990s. After the Asian Crisis hit, Capitol Bank, owned by Villar and heavily exposed to his real estate investments was essentially ran to the ground and needed to be bailed out. In 2005, Villar tried to solve his debt problems by hiring a group of investment banks to advise him on how he can consolidate all his assets into one company (Vista Land). With the local and foreign investment bankers, Villar came up with a growth story for investors: "Invest in my company because we need it to fund all these wonderful project!" However, what was downplayed during the IPO roadshow was that instead of financing growth, resources from the offering would be used to finance his debt. To appease creditors, Villar even had his investment bankers pitch some form of a debt-to-equity conversion that raised skeptical eyebrows of many. In 2007, the IPO of Vista Land did not do as well as planned, in part because many investors and brokers were the same people who were burned by Villar's inability to pay back his loans.Now, as part of a corporate growth (or should I say corporate restructuring) plan, Villar is lusting for the highest position in the land. This scares me because Villar already has a track record of using his political position to gain the upper hand for his businesses. To save his empire and increase shareholder value of his business, Villar used his influence as Senate Finance Chair to shrewdly derail a Cavite road project that was supposed to be BUILD, OPERATE, and TRANSFER. Villar built a longer and more expensive road, the C-5 extension, adjacent to it; subsequently forcing the private investor in the initial project to pull out. The fishy thing is that this new road, longer and more expensive than the previously planned project, passed through all of Villar's land in Cavite. It is a clear case of graft, pointing to Villar use of influence and government funds to substantially improve the values of his real estate properties. To add insult to injury the right of way the government would have to pay in order to complete the project was substantially higher for the land that Villar owned. These funds could have easily been used to build needed schools.This scandal should be a red flag for all voters. However, the scary part is that Villar is spending billions to keep this out of the picture as he continues his attempt to brainwash our masses that he is their saviour. He convinces the masses that he is one of them. A poor boy from the slums of Tondo. In actuality, he is more like the 5-6 and syndicates, slum dwellers themselves who make a profit out of their poor brethren. Villar's ad agencies are doing an excellent job of maintaining this image as well as doing damage control. TV and radio continues to churn out Parokya Ni Edgaresque jingles that compete with "Nobody, Nobody." Dolphy is Villar's new spokesperson and Wowowee is one giant ad for him. In this process of brainwashing, the masses are not cognizant of how Villar conducts business as a politician. What they do not see is a man hell bent on turning our archipelago into his own personal piece of real estate.It is sad that the efforts of Juan Ponce Enrile, who is leading the censure for Villar, is actually giving Villar more sympathy votes. People do no trust Enrile, and when Enrile pounces on someone, it is usually met with a high degree of skepticism. I do not blame people for feeling this way. I also think Enrile is a crook who should be jailed for conspiring to implement Martial Law, for coup attempts, and for the human rights abuses during the Marcos regime. If someone with a more respectable reputation were to level these charges on Villar, I am sure the surveys would tell a different story.
    I also fear from some credible reports that Malacanang has actually made a deal with Villar (under the table). Essentially, GMA's goons said, "We will help you, in return, leave us alone when you win". Villar's behaviour in recent forums further adds credence to these reports as Villar has been very tame and quiet when it comes to how he will treat GMA after the elections. Appealing to common sense, it makes ALL THE SENSE for GMA to support someone who has a chance of winning, not a person rating at 4% in the surveys. GMA tried to reach out to Noynoy after Tita Cory died. All she got was rejection.

    Who can stop Villar in his quest for the presidency?

    I am known to be a Noynoy supporter, but to those skeptics and to those who are still undecided, I do concede that he is not perfect. His record as a politician is average and unspectacular at best. He does not have the charisma of his father. Before the death of his mother, he did not get much mileage. But I am going all out in support for Noynoy in 2010 because he stands for clean governance and appear willing to accomplish this. In addition, he has the best chance of preventing a opportunistic businessman, the assured next President of our country before Cory died, from using the Office of the President as a personal growth asset to his business empire.

    Noynoy's clean record is a big plus for me. It is a trait that I think should be the most important quality that we should look for in our next president. His appeal is that his track record is not tarnished by corruption scandals and his political debts are minimal. I know that many critics are trying to make an issue over his involvement in Hacienda Luisita, but Noynoy is not even heavily involved in the company. As a shareholder, Noynoy only owns .04% of Hacienda Luisita, a drop in the ocean and hardly in any position to do something about it. The case of the Hacienda does not have the substance that the C-5 extension controversy has a lot of.

    In addition, Nonoy also has an incredible legacy to live up to. All the pressure is on him to be clean and stay clean. He can't afford to tarnish the Aquino name and the immense legacy that his parents left behind. Cory and Ninoy practically sacrificed their family for their dream of a better Philippines. For Noynoy, to know that your father and mother went through so much hardship to improve our country is a heavy burden to think about if you do decide to become a crook and destroy everything that they fought for.

    We all have to make a choice. In my opinion, it has to go to the presidentiable who has an independent mind, stands up for what he believes in, is clean, and has the legacy his parents to live up to and maintain. For me, Nonoy, with all his flaws, is that candidate. For what this
    country needs is a clean president who can set an example top-down for the entire state; it needs a president with the will to change things and stamp out corruption; it needs a President who can set an example and is willing to perfect our dysfunctional democracy.

    I want someone who stands for being clean. He does not need a degree from Harvard. He does not need to have a multi-million peso business to show me he can make us all rich. He does not have to speak well. He just has to be clean. Nothing else should matter. He has to prioritize a platform of clean and effective governance and make sure that it delivers on that promise. Policies on the economy, education, energy, environment and health can all follow after the fundamentals are taken cared of. So far, the only candidate who promotes my vision with a clean record to back it up is Noynoy.

    Our urban landscape is replete with political slogans that attempt to convince people of certain candidate's ability to lead our nation

    Galing at Talino? Sorry Gibo, those were the supposed qualities of GMA, rubber stamped with a Phd in Economics. And what happened? She only worsened our economy. To GMA's credit she did balance our budget at one point, but it has again ballooned to the level where the next president will have to deal with the same economic issues she faced in 2005. During GMA's watch investment in infrastructure was insufficient, poverty incidence worsened, public education deteriorated, our nautical highway is still incomplete, goons like the Ampatuan's flourished in the south, and a culture of corruption flourished in our institutions. Instead of creating jobs, GMA focused on a policy of exporting labor without measuring the social costs of such a policy- thousands of broken OFW families and children of OFW's who do not have the proper parental supervision to teach them the differences between right and wrong. In effect, our next generation is left on their own to figure out how to become empowered patriots who love their country and will fight to defend it. In effect, whatever statistics in GDP growth GMA and her allies love to advertise, non of it trickled down and benefitted the poor..and none of it accounts for the social costs to her policies.

    Good speaker? Sorry Gibo, Marcos had that quality and he did nothing good for our contry. In fact, Marcos squandered the opportunity to be our Lee Kuan Yew and Dr. Mahatir. If I want a good, charismatic, and eloquent speaker, let's just run down the list of effective public speakers and vote them in.

    Para sa mahirap? Sorry Erap, you had your chance and failed miserably. Your only accomplishment is in convincing our masses that movie roles do not carry over into the political area.

    My only concern with Noynoy is how deep he might be in the Liberal Party and whether he has accumulate political debts to Liberal trapos. The Liberal PArty, like any party, has its own share of crooks (including those bandwagon trapos who jumped off GMA"s boat to ride on Aquino's popularity). How much will Nonoy have to give back to the Liberal trapos (and bandwagon Liberals who jumped GMA's ship) if elected? We will never know. However, I am willing to live with that unanswered question if it means preventing someone like Villar from turning the Philippines into Vista Land's next subdivision development. I am also reassured by the fact that he has that "Aquino" name and the ghosts of his parents to answer to if does decide to go down the immoral path.

    Nonoy will not solve all our problems. One person can't. But we need a start somewhere and it should be with someone who pushes honesty, reform, and good governance. It will be a tough battle, but I want to give Noynoy the chance to build on what his mother tried to accomplish. And I hope that if Noynoy wins, he will have the courage to make tough decisions and go after crooks, even if it means hurting a lot of friends and colleagues in government.

    To give you a better sense on how Villar conducts business, here is also a link to Joker Arroyo's 1998 privilege speech:
    http://www.malayang halalan.com/2010/01/ 26/joker- arroyo-raises-issue- of-accountability-of-public- officers-against-manny- villar/

    Actual notes scanned: http://www.scribd. com/doc/22789941/Joker- Arroyo-Privilege-Speech

    I guess "if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck.." Well, as the saying goes......

    Vote wisely Philippines. And continue to work towards uplifting the masses and freeing them from their state of hopelessness. Defend them from opportunists. DEVELOP THEM (FIRST) SPIRITUALLY AND BEHAVIORALLY; THEN ECONOMICALLY! When we lift up the poor and ween them off the mentality of hopelessness, our country will become first world. Only then will we have the powerful middle class that our young democracy is screaming for.


    Winnie Monsod

I was recently asked to deliver a message on love to close the Valentine month, and I just found this heart-warming piece on how a female eagle chooses her male partner. Ladies, I think you can learn a lot from this.

HOW THE FEMALE EAGLE CHOOSES HER MATE
(As told by the Wintu Tribal Elders of California)

When it comes time for the female Eagle to choose her mate, she prepares herself for many suitors. And many come before her. She looks them over quite well and then picks one to fly with for awhile.

If she likes the way he flies she finds a small stick, picks it up and flies high with it. At some point she will drop the stick to see if
the male can catch it. If he does, then she finds a larger stick and flies with it much higher this time. Each time the male catches the
sticks, she continues to pick up larger and larger sticks. When she finds the largest, heaviest stick that she herself can carry, the stick is at this point almost the size of a small log! But she can still fly very high with this large stick.

At any time in this process, if the male fails to catch the stick, she flies away from him as her signal that the test is now over. She begins her search all over again. And when she again finds a male she is interested in, she starts testing him in the exact same way. And she will continue this "testing" until she finds the male Eagle who can catch all the sticks. And when she does, she chooses him, and will mate with him for life.

One of the reasons for this test is that at some point they will build a nest together high up and will then have their Eaglettes. When the babies begin to learn to fly, they sometimes fall instead. It is then that the male must catch his young. And he does!

Come to think of it, Gloria is really stuck in an awkward place now. This peripatetic president has already overshot her travel budget in foreign travels.

When she bragged in her last SONA how those travels have in fact boosted investments and GNP, the onslaught of Ondoy and Peping, not to mention the downward spiral of the global economy, has all but wiped out those economic achievements.

She has come to terms with being the most unpopular president, saying "my job is not to be popular" but to work even if it means making unpopular decisions. But as an economist, she certainly wishes history will remember her kindly for her economic achievements. Her provincial jaunts don't really mean much now for administrative candidate Gibo, since her endorsement has been shown to be "a kiss of death" for any presidential wanna-be.

At this point in her lame-duck presidency, only a trip to Pampanga will give her political payoff since she needs the local votes there. Why travel to Cebu and Bohol? She still hangs by the thread of hope that Cebu and Bohol (along with Ampatuan's Maguindanao), that clinched her votes in the last elections and benefited immensely from her infrastructure spending spree, will help her consolidate her legacy.

Pathetically, GMA's greatest fear is that people will forget her even before she vacates the presidency.

I hope the next governor will do even better than Erico Aumentado, who has certainly raised the bar for public performance in local government.

If his predecessor's shoes are too big for him, he need not go barefoot at the capitol. The next governor should be willing to be mentored or take advice from him, while pursuing his own vision for Bohol.

She flew to Bohol perhaps to remind us, lest we forget, that the roads and ports, and Bohol having shown up in the world tourism map, happened during her presidency.

It's a pity GMA's much-vaunted infrastructure projects did not earn her popularity, and she's going down in history as more hated than Marcos, if opinion polls are to be believed.

She thought that maybe Bohol, who voted her to the presidency, will listen to her swan song. Or perhaps she just needs to show that the lame duck still flies.

Mingawon man tag sud-ong aning nindot nga mga hulagway. Just last Sunday, the kids and I were treated to a sumptuous dinner by Japanese guests at the BBC. Kapin pa nga tugnaw kaayo ron dire, kalami gyud ilupad sa ato.

Have our candidates run out of solid platforms that they have to resort to inventing fancy houses to undercut one another?

ABS-CBN has already verified this as a hoax:

Pictures of Villar's 'US mansion' a hoax

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 02/24/2010 12:34 PM

MANILA, Philippines - The latest attack against presidential candidate Sen. Manny Villar floundered after an e-mail purportedly showing the senator's opulent mansion in Salt Lake City, Utah in the United States turned out to be a hoax.

The e-mail, titled "Who owns a house like this?", was sent to several e-groups and forwarded to the ABS-CBN news desk earlier this week. The e-mail was prefaced with the question: "Imagine who would have such taste and live in such opulence?" and then showed various pictures of the alleged mansion, which had lavish Victorian-style interiors.

At the end of the e-mail, the sender then identifies the owner of the mansion as Sen. Villar.

"While Filipinos starve, and die because of abject poverty and while Sen. Villar brags that he had poor beginnings and he had helped his poor countrymen over and over again... but look now.. he and his family live like this, his GREED kills his poverty stricken fellow Filipinos," the e-mail read.

A check on the Snopes.com website, which investigates urban legends and forwarded e-mail rumors, however, showed that the e-mail has been circulating as early as 2008 and that the mansion was first linked to Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe.

A copy of the e-mail about Mugabe's mansion also had the same wording as the recent e-mail about Villar, with minor changes to make it appear that it was written for a Filipino audience.

The Snopes website said that the mansion is not in Salt Lake City but in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles. It also noted that the mansion has been extensively photographed because it is sometimes used as a site for TV shows and films.

Snopes also revealed that the mansion has been linked to various personalities such as former Nigerian military ruler Ibrahim Babangida, Indian film star Shahrukh Khan, and Edir Macedo, founder of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.

In a phone interview, Nacionalista Party spokesman Gilbert Remulla downplayed the latest attempt to besmirch the reputation of Villar.

"Who would want to buy a mansion in Salt Lake City? Are there papers to support it?" he said, adding that there was absolutely no truth to the rumor.

He added: "The campaign being waged by Villar's opponents reaches record lows everyday, starting with the false associations of 'Villaroyo.' It only shows that his opponents are insecure and desperate. We pray that they campaign on platforms and capabilities rather than mudslinging."

At least one of those who forwarded the e-mail about Villar has apologized. Domingo Guevara Jr. of the Guevara Group of Companies apologized to the Villar camp for forwarding the bogus e-mail to his contacts. He said he issued his apology "not because I support Villar but I wish to be fair to all concerned."

Mudslinging against Villar

The e-mail hoax is the latest in a series of attempts to spread black propaganda against the Nacionalista Party standard-bearer.

Earlier this month, an e-mail sent to news organizations by a certain duwagsatondo@gmail.com said Villar would allegedly hold a press conference at the NP headquarters in Mandaluyong City.

The e-mail sender said Villar will talk about his campaign expenses and even hinted at an alleged romantic relationship between him and his vice presidential candidate, Loren Legarda.

The e-mail then ends with a note that journalists covering the event should go to NP Senator “Allan Cayetano” to get their envelopes.” It then lists the amounts to be received by the reporters, which range from P1,000-P3,000, depending on the media organizations they represent. (Read: Anti-Villar camp tries false media advisory)   -- David Dizon, abs-cbnNEWS.com

Poverty by choice is the luxury of the rich. When a rich man decides to give away his wealth--even all of it, like this guy--you can be sure he still won't miss a meal.

Sadly, 99 percent of the poor are both penniless and choiceless.

Site picks 'Unusual Places for Romance'
Published: Feb. 5, 2010 at 7:45 PM

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif., Feb. 5 (UPI) -- A U.S. tourism Web site's list of "Unusual Places for Romance" includes cities with amorous names and an island shaped like a heart.

Topping VirtualTourist.com's list was Heart Island, N.Y., a heart-shaped island home to Boldt Castle, a century-old structure that now hosts weddings.

The Manhattan Beach, Calif., based Web site said Kissing, Germany, was chosen due solely to its name, while Oregon's Hug Point State Park boasted a name evocative of affection as well as romantic views for lovers of nature.

Fourth on the list were the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, Philippines, which VirtualTourist said resemble "something out of a Tim Burton movie," despite being natural formations.

Finishing off the list was Valentine, Neb., chosen not only for sharing its name with the most romantic day of the year, but for the scenic splendor of the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge.

11 points na lang ang apson ni Manny V kang Noynoy, matud sa kinaulahiang survey. Kambyo sa "family values" ang strategic theme ni MV kay murag mao ni ang pinakaluya nga tipik sa kinabuhi sa No. 1 endorser ni Noynoy nga si Kris. Nganong namili man gyud ug in-aning panahon aron maggara-gara si James Yap? Tua, nagpabuto na pud ug eskandalo si Kris.

This is a heart-wrenching account of the disaster. Since we are within the ring of fire, and are thus susceptible to tremors due to tectonic slips and have active volcanoes to boot, we should take precautions for a calamity of this magnitude.  

Daghang salamat sa pagdasig, Day Mist. Duha ra ba mi nga Ben diri, pareho pud ming modelo sa peloka, pero dawaton nako ning tanyag nimo nga mahimo pud nga model dad. Nanghinaot pud ko nga karong tuiga, mabulahan mong duha sa inyong kaminyuon. Happy New Year!

Quote from: mistyeyed on December 30, 2009, 01:46:33 PM
Sir Ben:

The man,whom his wife and children should be proud of. Continue to be the model dad.May your 2010 be full of blessings and good health.Happy New Year to you Sir.

Happy Birthday miga!

Naaprubahan naman diay ning planoha sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan through a resolution recently passed that empowers Gov. Erico Aumentado to negotiate for this project with proponent Oasis Leisure Islands and Development Inc. (OLIDI).

Ngano pud kaha nga kung kanus-a pa-exit na si Guv daghan kaayo gipanghanyag nga plano nga puro dagko ra ba?

Skip trip--sa pagkadalin-as nakog basa abi nako'g 'skin trip' ang bag-ong gi-promote sa Bohol.

Unsa man ning promoters sa atong tourism industry nga angayan ni sila lektyuran sa pag-coin ug words. Sa una naa'y travel writer sa Inquirer nga ang pagkadungog sa day tour fee kay gator fee, nabaniog na hinuon nga naay mga buaya ang Panglao.

Karon nagpasiugda na pud sila'g skip trip--ug makalitan sama nako, mahimo gyud ning skin trip.

More ‘skip trips’ in Bohol eyed
By PHOEBE JEN INDINO
December 27, 2009, 2:47pm

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol â€" As more and more people inquire about additional day tours popularly known as “skip trips,” many tour and travel agencies are eyeing collaboration with SuperCat Fast Ferries Seacrafts Inc., in possibly launching additional packages in 2010.

Lourdes Sultan, the Managing Director of one such agency, Travel Village, said that with the numerous good feedbacks they are receiving from their clients, they are thinking of organizing more day tour packages next year.

“We are going to launch at least eight more packages next year, which will now include an over night stay so that our clients will have more options to choose from,” she said.

Sultan explained that since the province has opened new tourist destinations like the town of Danao â€" approximately three hours away from the port area - with its adventure rides and zip lines, an overnight stay package would be a good option for visitors intending to check out the place.

She added that for tourists who want to go on a night cruise at the famous Loboc River, an overnight stay is highly recommended.

Presently, the agency is offering a one-day tour package which features a tour to Baclayon Church and museum, lunch while cruising Loboc River and trips to the Chocolate Hills, the Butterfly Farm, and other places worth seeing before returning to Cebu at the end of the day.

The so-called skip trip is an original collaboration between Travel Village and SuperCat where the former provides the itinerary for a day tour in Bohol, while SuperCat handles the transportation from Cebu to Bohol and back to Cebuvice versa.

Regular day ra man ang pasko diri, unya tugnaw pa kaayo. Mao ni pamalandong akong gisuwat sa FB aning adlawa:

The flood of illumination that decks out the streets and major landmarks in Japan can make one believe he is in Christendom. But Christmas in Japan is just that--luminous fanfare without the True Light. As it is a regular working day, we are fortunate to gather a few people to celebrate with us on Christmas day itself.

Ang mga Pinoy nga naa sa gawas ug layo sa pamilya sa Pilipinas mura man ug mag-overcompensate sa ilang kamingaw kay daghan ug lain-laing party ang tambongan. Kami ni misis, date lang mi like the good ol' times, kay nagsaulog mi nga wala ang mga bata. Matag oras chat lang hinuon sa internet... Mao na tingali ni ingnon nga Christmas is in the heart.

Ang nag-sponsor sa resolution nga nagdeklara sa pagka persona non-grata ni Hayden mao si Aster Apalisok-Piollo, chairman sa committee on women and family affairs, ug ang namuno sa session si Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera.

Mahilig man gud kuno ni sa diving si Hayden, busa lagmit nga modalikyat siya sa Bohol aron magpabugnaw sa isyu atong panahona. Laing klase man sa diving ang hilig aning tawhana.

Quote from: buwadsanga on December 29, 2009, 09:38:36 AM
tama ka Ben ni sakay lang sa issue sa hyden sex scandal. si Bong na sina to kay kuyaw man gud modag sex si hyden pang 3x rated hahahaha!  kinsa kaha tong board member nga nag una ani? pildi unta sija sa elecion....

Sagad kaayo ang aksidente sa motorsiklo bisag asang dapit sa ato. Sa bisperas sa Pasko, ang igsoon sa among kauban sa simbahan ug ang iyang bana naaksidente pud sa motorsiko ug parehong nakalasan sa kinabuhing himsog didto sa Davao. Ang anak nga uban niangkas mao ra'y nakaluwas. Kinahanglan gyud ug hugot nga pagpatuman sa mga safety regulations.

Kung mahuman ang Panglao Int'l Airport, pangitaan gyud ug alternative use ang domestic airport kay magyaka na lang ni. But for this business park to become viable, bureaucratic reform and investment incentives have to be put in place. Gamay ra man gani ng Agora, daghan kaayo problema. For us to get high-end investments like business process outsourcing or information technology, the city hall bureaucracy has to implement greater transparency and streamline business procedures.

Provincial board sa Bohol ang nagdeklara nga persona non grata si Hayden Kho sa atong lalawigan,“We hereby manifest that we detest Mr. Kho’s presence and he is not welcome to set foot on Bohol’s soil.”

Makakatawa bitaw ni nga deklarasyon. Una, it's not even implementable kay daghan kaayo entry points unya murag wala pud guidelines kung unsa'y buhaton kung moabot gyud ang hingtungdan. Ikaduha, kung ang basehan sexual morality sa isa ka tawo aron makabisita sa Bohol, murag maminosan gyud ug dako ang bisita sa Bohol. Nagsakay lang man pud tingali sa isyu atong panahona ang provincial board aron makakuha ug media mileage.

Hayden Kho confirms Bohol getaway with Vicki Belo
ABS-CBN

MANILA, Philippines â€" Embattled doctor Hayden Kho confirmed reports that he and his former girlfriend, Dr. Vicki Belo, have recently spent time together in Bohol.

In a taped interview done at his new bar along Tomas Morato in Quezon City, Kho shared that while in Bohol Belo mostly talked about her plans for the future.

Kho also maintained that they went there for “bonding” session only.

“Galing kami ng Bohol. Bonding lang. Wala siyang kasamang pumunta ng Bohol kasi gusto niyang pumunta. Ako, hindi pa ako nakapunta. Nagkayayaan lang… We talked about her plans for the future,” Kho told “The Buzz.”

Reports said Kho and Belo, who broke up due to his affair with actress Katrina Halili, were spotted in one of the province’s tourist spots. In his previous interview, Kho declined to say if Belo was with him during his vacation in Bohol.

He also shared that Belo had once visited his bar, and that he was happy to see his former girlfriend’s approval of the place.

“Isang beses pa lang siyang nagpunta… Nagandahan din siya, which is good. Parang nakita niya na kahit magkahiwalay na kami ng landas, I’m still up on my own 2 feet,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kho, one of the most controversial personalities this year, is looking forward to a fresh start in 2010.

He said: “I do plan to make amends with some people... build relationship, start slowly [and] develop new friendships.”

He also plans to appeal the decision of the Professional Regulation Commission to revoke his medical license due to his involvement in the sex video scandal.

Kho reiterated that he regrets videotaping his most intimate moments with various women, some of whom were movie and television personalities, as he branded his actions as "very stupid.”

He is, however, positive that people will eventually forget about the scandal.

“Kung akala natin hindi na makakalimutan yang mga videos na yan, makakalimutan din yan eventually,” he added.

Written by Willy Rodolfo III / Reporter
Business Mirror
Sunday, 27 December 2009 19:13

THE Central Visayas Regional Development Council (CVRDC) has endorsed for funding the feasibility study on the proposed Bohol Business Park, which will rise from the existing Tagbilaran City domestic airport.

With the construction of Panglao International Airport expected to go in full swing, the old airport was planned to become a new center for business and investments and has received full endorsement from the local governments of Tagbilaran and Bohol.

According to CVRDC economic development committee chairman Ernesto Quiamco, the development of the old airport is also part of the 10 in 2010 Development Agenda of Bohol.

“The agenda envisions the establishments of nonagricultural economic drivers for the province of Bohol,” Quiamco said. He said the business park proposal is also part of their response to President Arroyo’s order to study the privatization of the old city airport.

The CVRDC resolution will be sent to the office of the President whom they are asking to fund the prefeasibility study.

He said the business park intends to develop a high-quality business area and environmentally-friendly light industrial complex. It will also be a site for mixed, but complementary prime areas for commercial, business office spaces, tourism and high technology uses to stimulate economic growth.

The old airport is about 8.7 hectares in size, mostly owned by the provincial government with a smaller section owned by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Tagbilaran city government.

Bohol was once one of the poorest provinces in the country and a hotbed of communist insurgency. Huge infrastructure investments and development, however, positioned the island province as one of the biggest tourism draws of the country as well as an agricultural center.

Mura man ug naghabi sa iyang kaugalingong bersyon sa The Prince and the Pauper si Prince William. Galing lang kay mubo ra kaayo ang usa ka kagabii -- nga gilirongan pa siya'g mga gwardiya -- aron tinuod niyang masinati ang makaluluoy nga kahimtang sa mga kabos. Kung ako'y pangutan-on, wala'y lahot ning istorya aron ipatik sa kinaunahang panid sa mga mantalaan. Mura man gud ug nawala na sa himungaya sa katawhan ang monarko, busa kinahanglan ug publicity stunt.

This reminds me of the banner story at Yahoo today about a mom who turned in her 6-year old daughter for shoplifting a knickknack to the shop manager and the police! Murag OA ra pud ang reaksyon sa inahan, pero gusto kuno niya tudluan ug leksyon ang iyang anak. Grabe pud ning leksyona, mura man ug tudluan nimo'g calculus ang bata nga di pa kasabot ug arithmetic ... Naghunahuna ko, basin lang ba nadunggan aning bataa ang wali ni padre?

I really wish his exhortation were just a badly phrased figure of speech. But he took pains to elaborate on it, and made clear that he meant it literally. When one stands on a pulpit, I think one should give a message that addresses not only poets and broad-minded people like some us (who have the intellectual latitude to assume that he probably means this or that) but also the ordinary people who may likely take such verbal flourish literally.

But the attention his message is getting does spotlight the greater need for economic justice especially in these hard economic times.

Quote from: Lorenzo on December 24, 2009, 02:27:34 AM
Mr. Benne,

I don't think this particular Anglican Minister was spreading and illiciting the congregational faithful to commit sin, but rather sending a bleak message, given the economic hardship of the current time, to support themselves, the poor, and the small businesses that are being robbed by the rich international conglomerates.

I think the liberal news media is blowing his innocent and pure message out of proportion and already being too quick to judge his basis for giving the message.

We have to take his message symbolically and not in literally.

Help the poor brothers and sisters, support the struggling and not give it to the pockets of the modern 'tax collectors'.



In HIS Name,
Bran Lorenzo

Unsa pud kaha'y reaksyon kung naa'y magwali nga ok lang mangupit sa collection basket sa simbahan total tax-free man ang church income? Just wondering, if the pulpit were turned around. Murag dili lang bulsa ang pit-os ron, pati pud spiritual values.

Mas komun man gud sa NZ ang sheep teats busa nabag-ohan ang driver.

Hi Mari,

I feel relieved about your positive review of Avatar. My kids asked permission to watch this movie tomorrow. The last movie they watched last weekend was Paranormal Activity whose trailer I checked out on Youtube and I was surprised why it was not PG. When I talked to my 10-year old, I think my alarm was an overreaction. It did seem like a pretty scary movie to me...

Quote from: Mari on December 22, 2009, 12:53:01 PM
we watched Avatar in 3D cinema. it was so beautiful and amazing! Superb animation!!!

Please accept my condolences.

I notice that the northern parts of Visayan provinces like Cebu (Bantayan) and Bohol (Talibon) have rings of Ilonggo in their vernacular. Tingali gapamatuod ni sa pagkaaktibo sa mga Ilonggo, labi na katong naay dugong Intsik, sa negosyo ug magtabok-tabok sila sa coastal towns sa laing dapit.

Uban ko sa una sa TV crew sa NHK nga naggama ug docu bahin sa illegal fishing sa Bantayan. Abi nako sayon ang pagtranslate kay kahibawo ko mag-Cebuano ug mag-Ilonggo pero ug isagol diay nimo ning duha, lisod na hinuon sabton. Interesante pud kaayo ang pinulongan sa Bantayan.

Congrats, Pads! Here's a toast to a long life of service to God.

Angay lang ipalawom sa oversight sa PNP ang CVO o dili kaha tangtangon ug palig-onon na lang ang PNP mismo aron walay sawapay'g papel ug wala'y abuso. Gubot lang ang kadangtan kung ang "civic" o "civilian" volunteers pulitikanhong pwersa ang magnumrar ug magdumala.

Not again!

Ha ha ha!

Sige, paabot lang ko.

Quote from: taga tigbao on December 11, 2009, 03:29:20 PM
Nabusy lagi intawon ko Sir kay dihay gisang-at nga tulubagon naho isip usa ka mamumuo dire sa dakbayan sa Manila.

Karong pasko kay mouli man ko sa amoa didto sa bukid sa Southern Leyte, manghagpat ko ug mga pulong Binisaya nga lawom o wa pa nato maistoryahe dinhi Sir.

Bay Lindy,

Happy birthday! Keep growing younger every year!

Belated Happy Birthday, Lolla!

Salamat, Bay Zec. Kanang insidente sa hapit nga pinusilay dito sa JJ's Seafood nabasahan nako kay nigawas pud na sa lain-laing mantalaan. Dako kaayo akong pagkadiskorahe kay lagi mopili man unta ta'g kamay-ong nato ang nawong. He he. Impresyon pud nako ni Cesar renaissance man nga palambuon ang kurtural nga kabilin sa atong lalawigan. Importante gyud bitaw mahibaw-an nato tanang kilid sa pagkatawo ug baruganan sa isyu. Naghuna-huna hinuon ko ron. Dinhi ra ba ko sa gawas nakerehistro as Overseas Absentee Voter (OAV), pero in-aning panahon naa na man tingali ko sa Pilipinas. 

Quote from: ZecurB on December 11, 2009, 02:19:38 PM
Halu BAI BENE! Actually dili na siya privileged info kay na broadcast na ni siya nga mga panghitabo unya na print na pa sa local papers nato dire sa Bohol. Pwera lang tingali sa areas nga dili kaabot ang signal sa mga local AM stations nato dire. And I think kani nga mga panghitabo gi-capitalize na sa mga other opposing camps pagka karon palang. And by the way kadtong mga kaigso-unan natong mga Bol-anon nga toa sa gawas nga wala pa masayod nga On-Line na ang atoang duha ka local stations dire sa Bohol, their websites are www.dytrbohol.com og www.dyrdam.com og isabwag pud sa uban natong mga "Sano"

Daghan salamat, taga tigbao. Ubay-ubay pud kang nawa, namingaw hinuon ang mga tanod sa lunsayng binisaya. Sugdi na pud!

Quote from: taga tigbao on December 11, 2009, 12:48:34 PM
Sir Benne, happy birthday sir. Usa katuig na pud ang milabay sa imong kinabuhi, tuig nga buhong sa kalipay ug kasadya. Hinuon sa paglabay sa mao nga tuig miabot sa sidlakan sa kinabuhi ang bag-o nga tuig nga mas masadya ug magahatag ug mas malipayon pang mga butang sa imong kinabuhi.

Malipayong adlaw nga natawhan Sir.

Makatandog pud ning imong obra-maestra, blueskie. Nagpalami man pud ko'g dawat anig timbaya bisag nilabay na ang akong kaadlawan.

Quote from: BlueAngel on December 10, 2009, 10:24:26 PM
beetir lyt dan nievah hehe³







mag malamposon unta ka Benskie
  bisan sa unsang panglimbasog sa kinabuhi
      ma career   "oder" (or)   pra sa familia

         above all Good Health !