MikeLigalig.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8Ln6qKmTiU

President Carlos P. Garcia's (CPG) Birthday. Video by Nestor Daarol of DYTR.

 Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) shot a president of the Liga ng mga Barangay of Bien Unido town last Wednesday in an attempt to serve a search warrant for guns.

Regalado Bunado, barangay captain of Esperanza, Bien Unido, was shot on his nape after an alleged shootout with the raiding agents and is currently recuperating at the Gov. Celestino Gallares Regional Hospital.

According to NBI Bohol head Atty. Jonard Malvar, two teams of the NBI raided the residences of the barangay captain and his father Roberto early dawn Wednesday.

Bunado has been linked by police to six murders in Bien Unido including the supposed murder of one Rito Boniel, a relative of town Mayor Nino Boniel.

The raiding agents of the NBI were able to recover two pistols in Regalado's residence where incidentally his parents were staying during the raid.

According to the NBI, it was Mayor Boniel who sought their assistance after persistent reports that Regalado and Roberto go around barangay Esperanza carrying weapons. - The Bohol Chronicle

Suspected arsonists attempted to put to torch the residence of radio commentator Kagawad Roberto "Batchoy" Alba early dawn yesterday in outskirt barangay San Isidro, this city.

Alba who is a barangay kagawad in Poblacion 2 anchors the top-rated "Pulso" radio program over dyRD.

PO3 Edwin Torres, Jr of the city PNP found the left-front fender of his Toyota Avanza burned as well as a portion of the bamboo fence near the car. A water hose and rags near the car also got burned.

SFO2 Cirilo Gamba also arrived at the scene to conduct separate probe on the incident.

Alba said it was his house help who called his attention past 6 o'clock yesterday morning regarding the damaged fence as well as the burnt portion of his red Avanza.

He recalled hearing the barking of his dogs at around 3 a.m. yesterday.

"It was pure intimidation and harassment that the suspects did to me," the radio commentator said while asserting that the incident will not stop him from crusading against bad governance.

- The Bohol Chronicle

Democrat Barack Obama captured the White House on Tuesday after an extraordinary two-year campaign, defeating Republican John McCain to make history as the first black to be elected U.S. president.

Obama will be sworn in as the 44th U.S. president on January 20, 2009, television networks said. He will face a crush of immediate challenges, from tackling an economic crisis to ending the war in Iraq and striking a compromise on overhauling the health care system.

McCain saw his hopes for victory evaporate with losses in a string of key battleground states led by Ohio, the state that narrowly clinched President George W. Bush's re-election in 2004, and Virginia, a state that had not backed a Democrat since 1964.

Obama led a Democratic electoral landslide that also expanded the party's majorities in both chambers of Congress and firmly repudiated eight years of Republican President George W. Bush's leadership.

The win by Obama, son of a black father from Kenya and white mother from Kansas, marked a milestone in U.S. history. It came 45 years after the height of the civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King. Reuters

Time flies so fast. We hardly notice the length of our life's journey. Aya's legacy of friendship and love will always remain in our hearts. And may the Lord keep her children in good health.

Sister Aya, rest in peace... we love you and miss you always.

May the Lord show mercy to the survivors and the grieving families of those who perished. Basin overloading ang barko. Naa bay bagyo sa ato sa Phils karon?

By Borys Kit
HR

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire got out of a rabbit hole, only to be ensnared by a spider's web.

Lindsay-Abaire, who won a Pulitzer in 2007 for his drama "Rabbit Hole," is in final negotiations to write "Spider-Man 4" for Columbia.

Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire are back as director and star, respectively, as are series producers Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad. Kirsten Dunst also is expected to return for the latest movie featuring the Marvel Comics character.

Plot details are under lock and key.

Columbia always has gone off the beaten path during the development process when hiring writers for the "Spider-Man" movies. Alvin Sargent, a veteran scribe best known for 1973's "Paper Moon" and 1980's "Ordinary People," served as a writer on the second and third films. Michael Chabon, another Pulitzer winner, also worked on "Spider-Man 2."

By Meg Kinnard
Associated Press

An ex-convict who thought he was being robbed gunned down a 12-year-old trick-or-treater, spraying nearly 30 rounds with an assault rifle from inside his home after hearing a knock on the door, police said Saturday.

Quentin Patrick, 22, is accused of killing 12-year-old T.J. Darrisaw on Friday night. T.J.'s 9-year-old brother, Ahmadre Darrisaw, and their father, Freddie Grinnell, were injured but were released after being treated at a hospital.

A 12-year-old boy trick-or-treating with his family on Halloween was shot to death as he knocked on a door in Sumter, S.C. Police said T.J. Darrisaw was killed by an ex-convict who thought he was being robbed. The boy's father and brother were hospitalized with injuries and released.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSDFzg8_Wfg

The World's Best Talking Parrot

Hollywood star Joaquin Phoenix has announced he is quitting his acting career to focus on music.

A spokeswoman for Phoenix, best known for his Oscar-nominated turn as Johnny Cash in Walk the Line, confirmed his new film would be his last performance.

"He has said that Two Lovers is his last," said publicist Susan Patricola.

"But this is not strange. Joaquin has been directing music videos and been involved in music for the last number of years," she added.

The 34-year-old actor, the younger brother of the late River Phoenix, first announced his intention to quit films on the US TV show Extra earlier this week.

However, he abruptly ended the interview after the reporter questioned whether he was joking.

Phoenix came to public attention as the person who called the emergency services when his brother River collapsed from a drug overdose at a Los Angeles nightclub in October 1993.

He rose to fame in the 1995 indie film To Die For, playing an infatuated teenager who is persuaded to kill the husband of an ambitious weather girl - played by Nicole Kidman.

Subsequent films include M Night Shyamalan's The Village, Quills and Gladiator - for which he received his first Oscar nomination in 2001. - BBC

Vigorous exercise seems to protect against the development of breast cancer in normal-weight postmenopausal women, US research shows.

Regular activity such as running, aerobics or even heavy housework was associated with a 30% reduced risk of developing the disease, a study found.

Strenuous activity was only protective in women who were not overweight or obese and light exercise had no effect.

The 11-year study of 32,000 women is published in Breast Cancer Research.

Women were asked to fill in a detailed questionnaire about how much and what physical activity they did. - BBC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn9u6JLI6nU

Waiting for Jocjoc Bolante: The Fertilizer Scam Brain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxGkjl7_lyk

Waste Water Treatment at Dumaluan Beach Resort. Video by Nestor Daarol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOdXZ3-eUJw

Bohol video provided by Nestor Daarol

A 57-year-old Malaysian Muslim man assaulted his wife and threatened to shoot her after she failed to secure him a young second wife, news reports said on Wednesday.

Mohamad Haris Daud, a local police chief in Kuantan in central Pahang state, said the man forced his 60-year-old wife to seek the consent of a woman in her 30s to be his second wife.

The frightened wife then went to the woman's house but found out that she was already married, he said.

"After she told her husband that the woman was married, he ran amok and started beating her and threatened to cut her with a machete", Mohamad was quoted as saying by the Malay-language Utusan Malaysia newspaper.

Mohamad said the man, a security guard and member of civil volunteer corps RELA, which rounds up illegal immigrants, also threatened to shoot her with a shotgun after she failed to obtain the consent from the other woman.

Muslim men in Malaysia are allowed up to four wives but activists and women's groups say polygamy is cruel and has deviated from its original purpose in Islam, which was to protect widows and orphans. - Free Republic

A Taiwan university student is seriously reconsidering the relationship with her boyfriend as he failed to catch the girl after persuading her to leap from a second-floor window for a late-night tryst, press reports said Tuesday.

The student was left wheelchair-bound with broken ankles, and has become the laughing stock of her university, the China Times newspaper and two television stations reported.

The incident occurred on October 20 at Chungyuan University near Taipei, but became known only recently after students at the university began to discuss it on the internet.

According the reports, the girl and the boy, identified only by their surnames Chen and Su, are both Chungyuan University students.

That fateful night, Su asked Chen to meet him, she could not leave her dormitory as the female students' dorm is locked by 11 pm every night for their safety.

Chen's bedroom is on the second floor, about 5 metres above ground. Su urged her to jump down, promising to catch her in his arms.

But when Chen leapt, Su chickened out and stepped back, causing her to hit the ground, fracturing her ankles.

This "Romeo and Juliet" incident triggered a heated debate on the internet, with some users blaming "Romeo" for being a coward while others calling "Juliet" naive.

One user said that the idea of Juliet leaping into Romeo's arms is romantic, but it may have been better for Juliet to climb down the help of a rope. - DPA

Three more Chinese brands of chicken's eggs have been found to contain high levels of the chemical melamine.

Tests in Hong Kong first revealed dangerously high levels of the substance in eggs from a mainland supplier earlier this week.

Officials were reportedly aware of the contamination a month earlier.

The growing scandal follows the discovery of melamine in Chinese milk, which has killed four children, and triggered product recalls across Asia.

Like the milk scandal before it, the contamination of China's egg supply appears to be far more widespread than first realised.

And as before, it seems that local officials on the mainland attempted to cover up news of the contamination, says the BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Beijing. - BBC

By Jason Palmer

The Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 was not the first of its size to hit the region, according to new research.

Two international collaborations have sampled the sediments in Thailand and Sumatra to examine tsunami history.

At both sites, there was evidence of sediment laid down by a large tsunami between 600 and 700 years ago, pre-dating written and oral records.

The findings, reported in Nature, could be used to put statistical weight behind estimates of future tsunami.

The surge of a tsunami brings with it a great deal of sediment that rushes inland; the bigger the tsunami, the deeper and further inland the layer of sediment it leaves behind.

In locations where those deposits aren't disturbed by wind or running water, they can be used as a historical record of these powerful events after more layers are added. - BBC

Walt Disney was afraid of mice.

All US Presidents have worn glasses. Some just didn’t like being seen wearing them in public.

Marilyn Monroe had six toes.

The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called aglets.

Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.

American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating 1 olive from each salad served in first-class.

A Boeing 747s wingspan is longer than the Wright brother’s first flight.

The king of hearts is the only king without a mustache.

The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley’s gum.

Oak trees do not produce acorns until they are fifty years of age or older.

Donkeys kill more people annually than plane crashes.

No piece of paper can be folded in half more than 7 times.

The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as substitute for blood plasma.

Mosquito repellents don’t repel. They hide you. The spray blocks the mosquito’s sensors so they don’t know you’re there.

‘Go,’ is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

Thanks BNC for supplying the info for the short trivia.

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The electric chair was invented by a dentist.

Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

Are you scared?

Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.

In 10 minutes, a hurricane releases more energy than all of the world’s nuclear weapons combined.

Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.

Michael Jordan makes more money from Nike annually than all of the Nike factory workers in Malaysia combined.

The first owner of the Marlboro Company died of lung cancer. - Info Blast

Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin.

Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.

You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television.

Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least 6 feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush. - Health Info

Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado Friday inaugurated another two-classroom school building in Dagohoy town â€" but blacklisted its contractor from participating in biddings for similar projects in the future.

  Aumentado announced the blacklisting of R.C. Tagala Construction that did not even send a representative to the inauguration Friday of a two-classroom school building for the Dagohoy High School.

  The governor led the inauguration rites amid gripes from local officials that the building was haphazardly constructed.

  Former Vice Mayor Anania David, now Federated Parents-Teachers-Community Association president, complained that, among others, the fascia boards were crooked and too thin, the doorknobs installed were defected and that the painting was not yet complete.

  The governor noted her complaint, and added his own observation that although already very reasonably priced at P300,000 per classroom or P600,000 per building, the R.C. Tagala Construction miserably failed to measure up to the accomplishments of other contractors of similar buildings who, on top of following the specifications to the letter, even donated two blackboards per classroom.

  Aumentado takes pride that using the convergence strategy, he was able to build 34 buildings or 68 classrooms this school year through the counterparting of funds with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Department of Education (DepEd).

  . With the dismal performance of R.C. Tagala Construction, however, the governor said he will push for the implementation of the projects under the next batch by the Engineer Support Battalion (ESBn) under Lt. Col. Ramon Ruiz.

  The handiwork of the battalion is “flawless,” he observed

  Considering inflation and the rising cost of construction materials, the governor caused the adjustment of the building cost from P600,000 to P780,000 or P390,000 per classroom.

  “Even then, the joint project’s cost remains below the pricing of the Department of Public Works and Highways at around P450,000 to P500,000 per classroom or the Principal-Led project of DepEd at P510,000 per classroom â€" with no toilet and smaller in floor area and therefore more expensive,” Aumentado said.

  Just the same, Mayor Germinio Relampagos and Principal Virginia Macul accepted the building, saying that it will help meet the backlog of classrooms especially with the school’s steadily increasing enrolment and the burning to the ground of six classrooms a few months back.

  Provincial Engr. Edwin Vallejos assured the crowd that his office will correct the deficiencies, and that he is giving the building a five-year warranty period within which he can address complaints put forward â€" with funds from the amount retained for the purpose.

  For her part, Vice Mayor Shirley Amodia was all praises for the project, and expressed hope that the governor will allocate another building for DHS during Batch 2 of the Joint School Building Project.

By June Blanco

The next time President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visits Bohol, she will still be traveling in style â€" and in the way she likes it â€" but not on a borrowed vehicle anymore.

  This after the Provincial Government of Bohol recently acquired a 34-seater Mitsubishi Rosa coaster.

  Gov. Erico Aumentado instructed the supplier to deliver the unit before October 25 â€" in time for the use of visiting dignitaries who capped their 6th International Conference for Parliamentarians and Local Authorities at the Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa in Cebu with a visit to tourist attractions in Bohol. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT) organized the conference.

  To note, on land trips, the President wants to travel with members of her Cabinet and their hosts in one big vehicle so that she can consult them on various issues, programs and projects along the way.

  Top on the list of tourist attractions the delegates visited Saturday were the Chocolate Hills â€" Bohol’s candidate to the ongoing worldwide search for the New Seven Wonders of Nature, the tarsiers in their natural habitat in a sanctuary in Corella town, a cruise up the Loboc River with the added treat of performances by the Loboc Children’s Choir and the Loboc Youth Ambassador Band.

  The curious and adventurous also saw the powdery white sand beaches and tried the pristine seawaters in the province, particularly the Bohol Beach Club (BBC) where Aumentado and Rep. Edgar Chatto of Bohol’s 1st District welcomed them. Chatto chairs the House Committee on Tourism.

  There, the visitors were also treated to a performance by a cultural group from Pamilacan Island off Baclayon town. The group had wowed the crowd during the Sandugo streetdancing festival in Tagbilaran City last July.

  Some of the delegates enjoyed the Mitsubishi Rosa for their transfers.

  The province advanced the money to pay for it so that it can be used during the side tour to Bohol.

  As instructed, the supplier delivered it before October 25. Fr. James Darunday, Capitol chaplain, officiated at the blessing rites Friday at the Governor’s Mansion.

  As early as September however Aumentado already received from Malacañang a letter informing him of the approval of the allocation of funds from the President’s Social Fund (PSF) for release to the province, for the acquisition of a coaster for use by visiting dignitaries and other guests.

  In her letter to Aumentado dated September 24, lawyer Erlinda de Leon, special assistant to the president said, “We welcome this opportunity for your province to undertake activities that are consistent with President Arroyo’s programs and projects for the betterment of our people and our country.”

  She enumerated the requirements for the signing of the deed of donation for the vehicle to include a Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) resolution signed by majority of the members authorizing him to sign the deed of donation (DOD). The SP under Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera had approved the required legislation last Tuesday.

By Loy M. Palapos
The Legacy of VARESCON

       Bohol has long targeted eco-tourism as the nexus of economic development alongside agriculture. Ecologically rich and comparatively untarnished by the onslaught of modernization, her natural wonders have become the primary reasons why it is the number one tourist destination of the nation, a pronouncement the President herself made in one of her occasional visits to the locality. Add the well-admired hospitality of the inhabitants, and the bored and weary tourist finds a perfect setting to unwind from the rigmarole of urban existence.

       Consequently, the present administration had allotted large amounts for infrastructure projects, most worth noting of which was the concreting of roads all around the province. This has tremendously bolstered the accessibility to tourist spots and which, in turn, inspired investors to put up facilities to cater to the tastes of the varied international guests.

       But, of what use are good roads without the transport vehicles… the cars? There were sporadic vans for hire which, when not properly monitored and regulated, became subjects of complaints from unsuspecting foreigners who became victims of sculptors disguised as van operators and drivers.

       Until VARESCON came. A franchised chain of taxicabs owned and operated by Linfred Butalid Alvarez (LBA). Born in Cebu of Boholano parents, he gained consciousness and was nurtured in Bohol. A graduate of the University of San Carlos, where he finished Bachelor of Arts, major in Economics, he had the unique experience of working in different establishments doing varied jobs in several places, before he decided on entrepreneurship.

       Last Thursday, he attended the special Board meeting of the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This interview took place after the adjournment of the said meeting.

LMP: What is VARESCON?

LBA: It’s taken from Alvarez, Estrada and Conan.

LMP: What was the reason why you kept on transferring from one job to another?

LBA: Aduna’y gamay nga problema sa management. Layo pa gyod sa pamilya, maong naglisod gamay.

LMP: After Bucarez, you put up Varescon. Why did you go to that business?

LBA: Sa dihang naa pa ko sa Bucarez, mag-sige ko ug travel especially sa Cebu. Didto, na-notice nako nga ang mga tawo mag-sige’g sakay ug taxi. Unya, wala pa man ta’y taxi sa Bohol that time, maong nakahuna-huna ko nga that is one area I could go into.

LMP: How did you start with it?

LBA: Nagkinahanglan gyod kadto siya ug dako nga capital, but that time, gamay pa ang savings nako. At first manghuwam unta ko sa mga bangko but timing man nga miabot ang 1997 Asian financial crisis. Nakasulod na unta ko but nasirado man ang mga facilities sa bangko so I was forced to go to a private financier. That was my mistake.

LMP: When you started operating, how many units did you have?

LBA: 20 units pag-start, then eventually, naka-acquire ko ug another 10 units.

LMP: During that time, did it click with the Boholano?

LBA: Mi-click gyod siya, Sir. It was a need nga wala pa ma-address. Wala man pod kadto’y V-hire, so wala pa’y competition.

LMP: From where did you get the idea to put up a taxi service?

LBA: It was an original idea gyod, Sir. When I saw the franchise from LTFRB nga from Tagbilaran to anywhere in Bohol, gi-grab na nako. Morag missionary route kon Airlines pa.

LMP: You have 30 units all in all. Was there not much of a problem in terms of operation, compensation and maintenance were concerned?

LBA: Maayo man ang pagsugod. Didto ra gyod ko naglisod sa private financier. Gikuha ang 27 units nako, tulo nalang ang nahibilin. That was the lowest part gyod.

LMP: How did you recover?

LBA: At that time, diha nay 3rd party nga eager mo-operate ug units. Tagorha sila ka units, but ako ang nag-manage. Some used our own franchise, others got their own. In order for them to use our tradename, they should submit to our means of doing business.

LMP: Pila man ang cut as far as your share is concerned?

LBA: No entry or franchise free. Management fee lang.

LMP: Pila man ka percent?

LBA: Naa ta’y gitawag nga graduated. Let’s say if mo-garahe sila for 24 hours, sa first P1000 gross nila, they will pay 10 percent. Sa succeeding P500, they will pay 9 percent, beyond that, 8 percent na. Kana kon mo-garahe sila ug 24 hours.

LMP: Is that good for the business?

LBA: Sa pagka-karon, igo-igo lang gyod.

LMP: There’s always a thought that Varescon as a transportation company, has helped tremendously in the tourism industry of Bohol. How do you assess that?

LBA: We would like to think nga tinuod na. Kay mao man gyod na atong primero nga misyon, nga maka-serbisyo gyod 24 oras.

LMP: Pila ka mga tawo imong gi-suweldohan?

LBA: Duna ta’y upat ka radio operators, 8-hour shift kada usa. Aduna ta’y cashier, 2 mechanics ug sa carwash.

LMP: How were you affected by the rise of the prices of oil products?

LBA: The most severely gyod, Sir.

LMP: How did you counter the problem?

LBA: Wala gyod mi nahimo kay it’s beyond our control man. I noticed nga during the successive increase of oil price, ang uban nga transportation, naka-increase sila like sa fast craft, barko, jeepney ug buses. Ang taxi ra gyod ang wala.

LMP: Did you not think of another option like LPG?

LBA: Tulo na ka parties ang mi-express ug interests. Welcome kaayo na namo but wala madayon. Siguro nagtan-aw sila sa volume of units nga dili pa daghan. We are willing to convert but wa pa’y diesel to LPG. Lahi man gud ni kay you have to provide the conversion kit and the cost of the kit is dako.

LMP: How many do you need aron ma-maximize siya?

LBA: Gusto ko mopuno pa ug another units, but ang profitability dili pa maayo karon. If the profitability goes up, there’s a possibility nga daghan ang mosulod. In fact, aduna’y awto karon nga angay himoong taxi kay gamay ra ang fuel consumption, ang Hundai Accent sa Korea. Ang problema sa awto, magkadaan sya, ang iyang fuel efficiency, mag-kaubos. Ang maintenance cost sad, magka anam kadako. Economically speaking, it’s wise to change to a new car.

LMP: How do you see the future of this business in Bohol?

LBA: Dako gyod ang future ani nga business especially for those nga naay dakong capital. This is good business if you can achieve the efficiency nga gikinahanglan. Mas maayo kon moabot na dinhi sa Bohol ang high breed nga mga awto kanang duha ka power source: internal combustion engine ug electric. Ang government unta nato should wave the taxes aning sakyanana para wala na’y tax inig abot sa Pilipinas. When you import a car man gud nga dili sold locally, doble ang tax. Usa pa nga concern nako and this has been a personal crusade, mobiya na unta ta sa fossil fuel. Nganong wala pa man ta maghimo ug hydrogen fuel nga naa naman ang technology dinhi. In fact, Iceland has been doing that. Dili na sila mogamit ug petroleum. To produce hydrogen, i-subject na siya nimo sa electrolysis kay mo-separate ang hydrogen ug oxygen molecules as well as the atoms. To do that, you need a lot of energy. Sa Iceland, since they have geothermal power, mao na ang ilang gigamit to produce hydrogen and to power the electrolysis. Nanghambog pa ta nga the Philippines has the biggest geothermal plant. Kana unta’y gamiton nato. Mao unta na’y gi-focus sa gobyerno. User and environment friendly pa ang emission kay water vapor man. Ang hybrid vehicle cars pwede na makadagan ug 40-60 kms kon kana ang gamiton. Ang principle is to start the car in motion, you use the internal combustion engine kay while nag andar, nagcharge man siya sa fuel. 

LMP: Many have noticed that you are an optimist. Should an entrepreneur like you be always optimistic?

LBA: A big necessity. Gawas sa kakugi ug aggressiveness, an entrepreneur should be persevering. These are traits needed for success. Sa akong bahin, if I am not an optimist, dugay na unta akong mi-surrender. At least I have done something for the economic progress of Bohol, especially on the tourism side. Bisan sa atong kagamay, duna ta’y gikatabang. 


       A sister-in-law, who is a nurse based in Canada, decided to have her two-week annual vacation in Bohol, and stayed at our residence in Dauis. Unfortunately, a day after her arrival, my driver went to his hometown. Thus, she thought she was stranded, with her time fast running out. I told her not to worry, and using my cellphone, dialed (038) 411-2548. Fifteen minutes later, a white taxi was honking in front of my house. She was amazed. A car right at the doorstep. Even the return trip was as comfortable and speedy. It was a pattern repeated daily and which she enjoyed no end.

       This is the kind of service Linfred gives to his commuters anywhere in the province. Even those who opt to taxi to Chocolate Hills and other tourist destinations have expressed their admiration to his efficient service. Besides, with the kind of control VARESCON has for all its affiliated units, the old practice of over-charging passengers has been stopped. Thanks to the scheme practiced by Linfred A and his staff.

       Linfred A had suffered some harsh set-backs in his business but, forever the optimist, he believes things will always turn out better if one learns from his mistakes, and he perseveres. He bewails the high prices of petroleum products, which gravely affects the transport industry. Yet, he looks forward to the day when this recurring problem would be solved.

       The young entrepreneur finds consolation with the fact that, in his own little way he has helped augment the success of the Bohol eco-tourism industry. VARESCON may sound foreign, but its closeness to the hearts of Boholanos is now a legacy.

  Could they be reminiscent to China's -Gang of Four" who was eventually ganged up in the post-Mao Tse Tung era or the biblical Four Horsemen of the- Apocalypse? Well, it depends upon which political fence you belong but the four city councilors, Edgar Bompat, Oscar Glovasa, Danilo Bantugan and Nerio Zamora II, are not taking the letter which circulated at the city hall last Friday morning, sitting down.

  The letter, purportedly authored by "concerned city hall employees" ganged up on the four city lawmakers who belong to the so-called SP majority bloc for their alleged closeness to City Mayor Dan Lim and yet failed to do anything on the clamor for a 10% salary increase of city hall workers.

  The unsigned letter centered on the resolution of City Councilor Ann Mariquit Oppus, a member of the minority bloc, which sought for the wage increase pursuant to an executive order issued by Pres. Gloria Arroyo. The letter claimed that the resolution was consigned to the garbage can by the city mayor for no apparent reason.

  Nobody took the floor during the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod last Friday to bring up the poison letter. But when P19-million supplemental budget was tackled, City Councilor Djingo Rama made mention of the letter prompting City Councilor Leonides Borja to object to Rama's manifestation as the letter was not verified and unsigned.

  It was at this point that Bantugan, one of the four mentioned in the letter, declared that the other city councilors who were not ganged up in the letter, could be suspects as its author. Bompat joined Bantugan's observation. Bantugan went further by daring that an ordinance providing for the salary increase be sponsored by those not mentioned in the letter and he will definitely abstain from its deliberation.

  And as if taking the role of one of the horsemen in the apocalypse, Bantugan said that he will seek for a thorough performance evaluation of city hall employees from time in to time out in order to determine if they deserve a salary hike.

  To distance herself from the letter which tend to make her an unwilling beneficiary, Oppus stood up also to denounce the letter and manifested that it did not make her happy after all.

  The 10% salary wage hike for city employees had become a highly politicized issue at the

  city hall for the past several months now.

  According to city hall insiders, the typewritten poison letter circulated last Friday could be a device of the warring political factions as not all members of the majority bloc were attacked by the letter thereby elevating the four city councilors to the so-called Business Class within the majority bloc.

  Could they be the "Gang of Four" or the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse"? The answer would definitely depend upon which side of your bread is being buttered.

- Sunday Post

By June Blanco
Sunday Post

  The Republic of Bulgaria is pooling Boholano workers for its burgeoning tourism industry.

  Gov. Erico Aumentado and Rep. Edgar Chatto of Bohol’s 1st District Saturday submitted to Minister Anelya Krushova, chair of Bulgaria’s State Agency for Tourism, a a master list of 151 graduates of Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM), Hotel and Restaurant Service Technology (HRST) and Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Service Management (BSHSM) from Bohol’s universities and colleges. Chatto is the chair of the House Committee on Tourism.

  In return, Aumentado said Krushova committed to give the Boholanos the opportunity to work in her country and send representatives shortly to interview applicants.

  The governor said the master list they submitted is not complete â€" there are still many graduates who may want to work in Bulgaria.

  As such, he encourages these graduates to submit their names, addresses, course completed, contact numbers and e-mail addresses to the Bohol Employment and Placement Office (BEPO) under Romulo Tagaan at the Capitol for inclusion in the listing.

  The master list was of graduates of the Holy Name University (HNU), University of Bohol (UB), Central Visayas State College of Agriculture, Forestry and Technology (CVSCAFT) and the Batuan Colleges who already provided BEPO with their contact numbers and e-mail addresses for Krushova and her staff to easily call them up.

  In their letter, Aumentado and Chatto requested Krushova’s office or the Bulgarian Embassy in the Philippines to send representatives to Bohol to interview the graduates and others who will apply and may qualify for employment in hotel- and restaurant-related jobs in the southeastern European country â€" on the schedule of her government’s choice.

  Aumentado said BEPO will coordinate the interviews at the Capitol. At the same time, he asked Krushova to provide him the requirements for the purpose so that BEPO can relay them to the applicants.

  Krushova was with the delegation of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) who attended the 6th International Tourism Forum for Parliamentarians and Local Authorities at the Shangri-la Mactan Resort and Spa in Cebu and who made a side trip to Bohol to see its top attractions.

  Around 200 of the delegates viewed the tarsiers â€" the world’s smallest primate â€" in their natural habitat at the sanctuary in Corella town, visited the Chocolate Hills, Bohol’s candidate to the ongoing search for the New Seven Wonders of Nature, took lunch aboard a floating restaurant cruised the Loboc River, and experienced the province’s powdery white sand and pristine seawaters in the resort island of Panglao, particularly the Bohol Beach Club (BBC).

  With good roads now, the Chocolate Hills in Carmen town are only one hour away by car or bus from the capital, Tagbilaran City.

  Local tour and travel organizers and guides call this most common route the “Chocolate Hills day tour”.

  In Loboc, the delegation was regaled with performances by the Loboc Children’s Choir while at BBC, the Loboc Youth Ambassador Band played James Bond themes and the cultural group from Pamilacan Island off Baclayon town also entertained them with a reenactment of the Sandugo or blood compact â€" the first international treaty of peace and friendship that the Philippines entered into, among others.

  The delegates visibly enjoyed the performances â€" they were still enjoying the band’s performance one hour after their supposed departure back to Cebu through a chartered fast craft.

  Bulgaria is only a third in land area compared to the Philippines. Its population estimate as of July 2008 stands at only 7.26 million while the Philippines’ stands at 96 million.

Gov. Erico Aumentado is not losing hope that in the end he will be able to broker a lasting solution to Panglao’s lingering water problem.

Exuding with optimism as ever, the governor will preside over for the nth time, another meeting with warring Panglao officials to lick the problem once and for all.

The euphoria of finding the right solution to the water problem proved short lived after a public consultation was held about a month ago to discuss the issue.

The meeting which was brokered by Gov. Aumentado and Cong. Edgar Chatto was seen as the final solution to the problem only to discover later that the warring Panglao officials were at each other throats again  throwing the so-called win-win- solution to the garbage heap of history.

Today’s meeting is seen as the governor’s last hurrah after he enlisted “handlers” of bickering officials to attend the meeting with the Bohol Beach Club as venue.

It may be recalled that Mayor Benedicto Alcala and majority of the members of the Sangguniang Bayan led by its presiding officer V-Mayor Pedro Fuertes have a falling out resulting in the water issue becoming a political football.

With his patience nearing breaking point, Mayor Alcala was slighted when he called a meeting Tuesday only to find out that he has only three councilors for an audience. The meeting was supposed to treat an important matter as the water system’s feasibility study but no way that it proceeded with dispatch because majority of the SB members including V-MAyor  Fuertes were nowhere to be found. The absentee officials have offered different excuses prompting the mayor to adjourn the meeting with a broken heart.

The designated handlers were required to convince their respective protegees in the SB to attend today’s meeting for the sake of the people of Panglao.

Mayor Alcala is bullish about solving Panglao’s water crisis after he was informed that at least three “big boys in the tourism business” are interested to construct resorts in Panglao.

He mentioned such big ticket developers like Bellevue Hotel and Regency Boracay.

According to some observers, the bone of contention in Panglao’s water shortage was centered on reports that some local officials were playing favorites on  interested  water providers. To each his own water supplier is all there is  in the scramble to provide the lucrative water supply contract.

This early tourism stakeholders like Gov. Aumentado, Cong. Chatto, Mayor Alcala and resort developer Anos Fonacier are anticipating that Panglao need an abundant water supply especially with the projected construction of the Panglao international airport. - Sunday Post

Happy Birthday, our beloved Ate Lita. Each passing year is a God's gift for you. May you always bloom in the garden of God's love and providence. We love you, Ate Litz. Keep shining.

I want to be an artist
To paint pictures just for you,
So when each birthday comes around,
I can send you quite a few. - Anonymous

Engineers from a Korean construction company building a nickel ore processing plant in Madagascar for a Canadian mining group are in the country to interview applicants for deployment to the said island nation.

Cherry Cleary, president of Jerphi Overseas and Trading Corp., said applicants are invited to personally apply at their office this week to be able to join the first batch of workers scheduled to leave by the first week of December.

“Interviews are being held daily from 9am-6pm at Jerphi offices at Jerphi Unit 219, Aurora Plaza Bldg. 1, Arquiza or Bocobo Sts., Ermita, Manila,” she said.

A Korean construction firm has been commissioned to build a nickel and cobalt processing plant in Madagascar that will need about 1,000 Filipino workers mostly engineers and skilled personnel.

Geu Nam Construction Company based in South Korea has placed a job order with Jerphi for professionals like mechanical, piping, quality control engineers, safety officers, labor controller, foremen, welders (tig), pipe fitters, electricians, steelmen and various categories for the construction project.

Cleary said competitive salaries and benefits such as free food and accommodation, free medical services, two- year contracts and others await interested applicants.

Madagascar, an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southern coast of Africa has started to develop its rich natural resources through oil and mining projects through the participation of international mining companies.

It is the fourth largest island in the world which has started to invest in international mining and oil companies in large deposits of nickel, cobalt and oil in that country. - PNA

The National Statistics Office (NSO) assured the authenticity of civil registration documents it releases through its outlets outside National Capital Region (NCR).

NSO gave this assurance as it observed people aiming to secure genuine documents still flock to NCR applying for such even if they can do so at the agency's outlet nearest them.

People also continue traveling to NCR, particularly to NSO's office along East Ave. in Quezon City, so they can follow up their applications, the agency observed.

"It's not necessary to travel far since documents will be released at the outlets where they filed their applications," NSO civil registration chief Lourdes Hufana clarified, however.

She said NSO prints these documents on security paper.

Public offices and other entities accept NSO documents released through the agency's non-NCR outlets, she said.

Hufana said NSO improved its nationwide documentation system to facilitate release of documents people request.

To help avoid documentation problems in the future, NSO is reminding people to register within 30 days births, marriages and deaths that occurred.

NSO also said people must ensure correctness of information they provide regarding these incidents. - PNA

Pitching a note for Filipinos to support a Philippine plan for Migration and Development, Ayala Foundation co-vice chair Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said the country as a whole is benefiting from migration, and every Filipino family gain its development.

Speaking at the opening of the 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Developmentâ€"Civil Society Days, Zobel cited a number of positive effects of migration.

“Workers’ remittances have strengthened our banking system and spurred local consumption; our telecommunications companies serve the needs for connectivity of our overseas Filipinos and their families; our real estate sector, especially in localities outside the main urban areas, has expanded significantly due in part to sales of homes and condominium units to migrants and their families,” Zobel said, adding that these opportunities show why businessmen across the country should be interested in the Forum.

He added that the private sector -together with civil society and governments and multilateral institutionsâ€" have important roles to play in finding solutions to problems that beset the country, including the negative effects of migration.

“I believe it is in everybody’s best interest to offer specific recommendations for action to all sectors particularly to the business community,” Zobel said.

Another reason why businessmen should participate in the Forum is the fact that they employ migrants.

“From agricultural and ‘blue collar’ jobs in factories to ‘pink collar’ jobs in the services to ‘white collar’ jobs designing software or engineering buildings and large-scale infrastructure; migrant workers and expatriates form a significant part of the global workforce. Indeed, the challenge for global corporations is to find the best talent anywhere in the world. It is therefore in our best and mutual interest to make sure that this continues to happen in ways which serve global economic development and growth,” Zobel noted. - PNA

A dog was hailed as a hero on Sunday after it risked its life to save a litter of newborn kittens from a house fire, rescuers said.

In a case which gives the lie to the saying about 'fighting like cats and dogs', the terrier cross named Leo had to be revived with oxygen and heart massage after his ordeal. Fire broke out overnight at the house in Australia's southern city of Melbourne, where he was guarding the kittens.

Fire fighters who revived Leo said he refused to leave the building and was found by them alongside the litter of kittens, despite thick smoke.

"Leo wouldn't leave the kittens and it nearly cost him his life," fire service Commander Ken Brown told reporters.

The four kittens also survived the fire and on Sunday Leo, who fire fighters nicknamed 'Smoky', was again back at the house. - Reuters

Mao seguro abnormal na ang climate sa Bohol karon.

Happy Birthday Sir Felix. May God bless you always. Thank you for sharing your life with us here in TubagBohol.com.

By Christian Gysin
Daily Mail

A hospital nurse has been suspended for allegedly chatting on her mobile phone while carrying out a blood test.

Calista Ukaegbu is said to have used hand signals to tell the woman patient what to do because she was so engrossed in her conversation.

When the patient made her displeasure clear she mouthed the word 'sorry' but carried on with the call, it is claimed.

She only stopped the conversation when a colleague walked in and made it clear that she should hang up.

Last night bosses at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Woolwich, South East London, confirmed they had suspended Miss Ukaegbu earlier this month after a complaint was made about her 'unprofessional' behaviour.

The incident took place earlier this year, when an unnamed female patient in her thirties visited the hospital's Women's Department.

By Laura Clark
Times Online

Bright teenagers are a disappearing breed, an alarming new study has revealed.

The intellectual ability of the country's cleverest youngsters has declined radically, almost certainly due to the rise of TV and computer games and over-testing in schools.

The 'high-level thinking' skills of 14-year-olds are now on a par with those of 12-year-olds in 1976.

Sir Felix, just make sure that if you opt for the lumpsum the money won't be used up in extravagant spending. Put half of it in the bank as time deposit. You can use the other half for small-time business.

Published by Sunday Post

The reclusive mayor of Cortes town, Bohol  broke her silence as a battered wife in a true-to-life story involving  domestic violence, verbal abuse and kidnapping.

The object of Cortes Mayor Apolinaria “Jasmin” Balistoy’s complaint  was her husband of  15 years. The marriage was blessed with  four children.

Only last week, she was heard in radio news that her driver, driving an ambulance, plowed into a corn field in barangay San Isidro, this city. Radio reports said the lady mayor directed the ambulance driver to proceed to her temporary residence in Lindaville Subdivision. Until now, it was still unclear what prompted the ambulance driver to proceed to barangay San Isidro. Subsequent investigation showed that the driver was drunk.

LAST RESORT

Citing as her last resort to escape from the violent tantrums of her husband, Mayor Balistoy filed a case for violence against women in accordance with Section 42 of Republic Act No. 4660.

With a given address at Canmanico, Valencia town, the mayor’s husband, Jose Balistoy, was supposed to be  served a subpoena regarding the case. The preliminary investigation is set on October 28 or this coming Tuesday.

City Prosecutor Bibiana Baustista is handling the inquest investigation.

3-PAGE AFFIDAVIT

In her three-page affidavit, Mayor Balistoy narrated her ordeal in the hands of her husband.

To support her complaint, she  filed a petition of a Permanent Protection Order with Temporary Restraining Order against her husband on September 7, 2007.Acting on her complaint for PPO, the Regional Trial Court under Presiding Judge Venancio Amila found reasonable ground to believe the existence of the facts complained of.

One of the provisions of the protection order was for the husband to stop threatening to commit or committing personally or through another any acts mentioned in Sec. 5 of RA 9262.

The order also directed the respondent to leave the conjugal residence at Rizal St. in this city, and if he removes his personal effects therefrom, he shall secure permission from the Court in order to be accompanied by law enforcement agents until he shall have gathered all his things.

HUSBAND’S SIDE

In bid to come up with a fair and balanced report, The Post got the side of the husband and sought his reaction given his wife’s complaint.

In a phone interview, the husband  admitted that he did hit his wife but this was out of jealousy.

The jealousy angle was triggered by the husband’s suspicion that his wife was seeing another man other than him.

The husband who admitted he is in possession of their youngest son as a result of that school incident told the Post that he has chosen to stay away from his family. He feared that he could not control his temper  endangering the life of his wife in the process.

He said he’d prefer to get lost in Bohol rather than endear the suspicion of his wife being romantically linked to another person. He chose to keep his whereabouts under wraps.   

PROTECTION ORDER CANCELED

However, against the backdrop of preserving the marriage and made it work,   Mayor Balistoy, decided to condone her husband’s wrongdoing and asked the Court to cancel the protection order. She filed the motion canceling the order on October 17, 2007.

An incident on September 23, 2008 in their residence along Rizal St. provoked the lady mayor to file the instant case of violence against women.

Describing what happened on this day, Mayor Balistoy said while she was cultivating her plants,  out of nowhere her husband hit her, prompting her to run inside their house particularly in their bedroom.

From there, her husband followed, broke the locked door open and again hit her.

In the same affidavit, Mayor Balistoy said the violent attack was witnessed by one of their sons.

When the son  confronted the father, the mayor’s husband  got angrier. He then took two hammers and attacked his son.  The husband also broke the window glass with the use of the hammer and uttered a threatening language demanding for their son to come out from the house.

KIDNAPPING

The following day, the mayor further narrated, her husband went to the Holy Spirit School and took with him their youngest child, then seven years old.

She then immediately went to the school and upon arrival at the gate, she saw her husband’s lawyer, Salva Diputado, on board his car. She reported the incident to the police. It was at this instance that the kidnapping incident took place according to the lady mayor.

She further said in her affidavit that after being abused and battered by her husband for a long number of years, she decided to come to court not only to invoke  her rights as a wife, but also to prosecute him for his wrong doings.

As mayor of Cortes, Balistoy said she has to see to it that she not only execute the laws and put order in the place, but first and foremost, would maintain peace and order in her own household.

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a measure which seeks to grant exclusive low-interest rate credit assistance to departing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are faced with the high cost of placement fees and other recruitment expenses.

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo "Sonny" M. Angara, said House Bill 161, or "An Act Establishing A Credit Assistance Program For Overseas Workers," will greatly benefit the OFWs who have been referred to time and again as the heroes of the present generation.

"We call them heroes because of the million and one sacrifices that they have to endure in the search for social and economic redemption they have failed to achieve here in our country," he said.

"It is but fitting to extend to the OFWs all the assistance the government can give. This should include an exclusive credit assistance program to them as proposed under this measure," he added.

Under the proposed measure, an OFW who has a valid contract as certified by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) may avail of a P50,000 loan from the Overseas Worker and Welfare Administration (OWWA) to defray the living expenses of his family during the first few months of his absence as well as other expenses incurred in his pre-employment. The payment shall be through bank transactions with simple and easy loan terms.

The bank account shall be in the name of the OFW and/or a member of his immediate family as co-borrower to which the monthly remittances of salaries abroad shall be deposited, and where monthly payments on the loan shall be made.

Angara, principal author of the bill, said the measure provides that the loan shall be granted and released to the contract worker by the OWWA upon proper submission of an employment contract, plane ticket, bank account duly certified in writing by the recruitment agency or direct hirer as to their authenticity. The same should also be properly certified and verified by the POEA.

He said the loan shall be covered with loan redemption insurance from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), the premium of which shall be paid by the applicant OFW.

The loan shall be paid in 12 equal monthly installments at a preferred interest rate not to exceed six percent per annum. The OFW shall execute the necessary authority for the bank to withhold the monthly loan amortizations from his remittances.

Failure to pay the loan and/or any violation of the terms of agreement shall be sufficient ground to bar the defaulting OFW-borrower from future overseas employment. - Lilybeth Ison

By Beverly T. Natividad
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The maid-beating case against Princess Revilla, sister of Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, should be taken to a full-blown court trial, said the lawyers of the housemaid, lest the complaint be forgotten and repeated to other minors.

Renalyn Arota, the 17-year-old former maid of Revilla (whose real name is Rebecca Bautista Ocampo), has urged the Pasig prosecutors to take her complaint to trial lest it “vanish like smoke” and be repeated to others.

Her complaint against her former employer is currently undergoing preliminary investigation.

In a pleading filed with the Pasig prosecutors’ office last Friday, Arota’s pro bono lawyers, Yvonne Festijo and Irene Alogoc, maintained that “there is probable cause to indict [Revilla] for the crimes charged” and urged them to elevate the case to court as soon as possible.

In response to Revilla’s counter-affidavit, which presented friends and employees as witnesses to her character, Festijo and Alogoc said that mere perusal of the documents presented to the public prosecutor can already establish that Revilla indeed beat her housemaid several times while she was under her employment.

Gener, I admire your openness. You are a real man.

The mother and brother of Oscar-winning American actress Jennifer Hudson have been shot dead and her seven-year-old nephew is missing, police said.

The bodies of Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson, were found at their family home in Chicago on Friday.

Police are searching for the actress' nephew, but a suspect thought to have abducted him was arrested, reports say.

Hudson's whereabouts are unknown but her publicist confirmed the incident.

"We can confirm that there is an ongoing investigation concerning the deaths of Jennifer Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson," Lisa Kasteler, Hudson's personal publicist, said in a statement.

Deputy police chief Joseph Patterson said Ms Donerson's body was found on the living room floor of her home in the south side of Chicago. Jason Hudson's body was discovered in the bedroom. - BBC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k62f2-SWw8Q

Song: Lost In Love by Air Supply.

“We parents have decided to contribute for somebody to assassinate you. It will only cost us P3,000 for somebody to kill you and your family. We will spend more in tuition if you continue to fail students or give them an INC (incomplete). Do not fail any one of your students. We’re not joking. We just want you to be prepared. Also, keep this quiet because news travels fast, and you will only be inviting death a little early. Give all your students a 2.0 in order to pass. You’re very lucky that we’re giving you this chance. If you make a mistake, we’re very sorry. We’re poor and there is nothing else we can do.”

... to read the full story written by Ian Rosales Casocot, click here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTKi6V6qCBk

Every Woman In The World (Classic 80s) by Air Supply.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sgogXU2G10

Lonely Is The Night by the undying Air Supply.

Unthinkable. Unimaginable. Unacceptable. Shocking. Luoy ang mga bata.

By Ian Rosales Casocot

I find it sad that many in the Philippine literary world do not know the vibrant Cebuano poetry scene that includes the likes of Marjorie Evasco, Cora Almerino, Erlinda Alburo, Merlie Alunan, Ester Tapia, Hope S. Yu, Januar Yap, Myke Obenieta, and Michael Ligalig. One of my favorite Cebuano poets is Adonis Durado, and this year, he is finally coming out with his first book of Cebuano poetry, Dili Tanang Matagak Mahagbong (Not All That Drops Falls), with translation by Merlie Alunan.

... to continue reading this blog, CLICK HERE...

A man who left about $1,000 in $20 bills in an unzipped vinyl bag on a desk at his home is expected to be reimbursed after mice mutilated the cash.

The man left the cash on the desk, but misplaced it during severe weather in March. He eventually found the bag, and in August took it to First Missouri State Bank in Jackson in hopes of covering his losses.

Bank manager Michelle Johns said Wednesday she and two staffers picked through rodent droppings and bird feathers in the bag and reassembled the bills.

The U.S. Mint advised Johns that both sets of serial numbers printed on the bills must be complete to get reimbursement. Associated Press

Glad to hear that you're now okay, Leo. You should be more careful with your food and lifestyle.

How's life so far?

97 percent of people living in Mindanao are Christians. Bravo should stop dreaming.

A Boholano-Canadian Civil Engineer Back to His Roots
By Loy Palapos
Sunday Post Columnist

      Success takes many forms, so varied that its categorization becomes an uncalled for limitation. For indeed, it can’t just be compartmentalized in terms of money and material wealth being accumulated, although these have incessantly been used as the barometer.

      In the case of Engr. Luvino Uy, he transcends self-interest and seeks more green pastures not just for himself but also for his fellow Boholanos. For him, success has to be shared to make it more significant and meaningful. After several years of working and raising his family in a foreign land, he found himself ready for retirement, which he resorted to. But not to become less active nor dormant.

      Instead, he started his own business. After Canada, he has branched out to the Philippines, most specifically in Bohol, where he just put up Lu & Friends Builders. He registered the new establishment with DTI (Department of Trade and Industry), which allows him to operate until October 2013.

      Engr. Luvino Bastes Uy (LBU) belongs to a new breed of Boholanos whose projections in life go beyond what their eyes can see. This seal of service through entrepreneurship is what the country needs. Through their investments, employment is generated, and the economy of the nation grows. Even the present governance knows that the progress of the country is accelerated through the capital invested in small and medium enterprise.

      Engr. Uy commutes to and from Canada, being a holder of dual-citizenship. He breezed into town to lay the groundwork of his new venture, and when this paper reaches the readers, he is already back in Vancouver for his other business concerns. But he will soon be back to concentrate on his new project. 

LMP: Was Canada the first choice when you decided to go abroad?

LBU: I already had an approval in the US, but it took me too long to go there. Since my other siblings were already in Canada, I decided to go there instead. It was in 1977.

LMP: Where did you finish your course?

LBU: I took up Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at the University of San Carlos.

LMP: After graduation, what were the jobs you held?

LBU: I was Personnel Manager of Palawan Development Corporation. The company is into export-import of logs.

LMP: How long was that?

LBU: It took me 4 months to recruit 30 people from Bohol.

LMP: After 4 months, what was your job?

LBU: I went to Manila and worked with Continental Construction Company as Resident Project Engineer. I stayed with the company for 4 years. After which, I went to Davao to manage Mr. Alfonso Uy’s UTC Marketing. We got edible oils from Baguio and repacked them in Davao. I lasted for about 4 years. Then I worked as Project Manager at Master’s Builders, Inc. in Manila and stayed there for 3 years. In 1977, I went abroad.

LMP: When you arrived in Canada, was there a job waiting for you?

LBU: I was already interviewed by a construction company in Canada while I was still here in the Philippines. But when I arrived in Canada, I found out that the company had to cost-cut, so I didn’t push through with the employment.

LMP: What did you do to while your time?

LBU: I worked in a shipping company, then in a plastic manufacturing company which manufactured containers; then I became a Maintenance Mechanic.

LMP: What year did you build your own company after working from one firm to another?

LBU: The Luvino Uy Real Estate Brokerage is already registered in Canada. I have been in business as Sole Proprietor since 3 years ago.

LMP: What other business do you have?

LBU: I also have my water-filter business of which I’m a distributor. I have one in Canada already. Way back, there was still no bottled water. Supposedly, I would have started it in Loboc but didn’t push through.

LMP: Regarding the brokerage business that you have now, do you think that it would still be growing despite the fact that there is a crash in the stock market?

LBU: I don’t worry because that’s in the USA alone. Canada’s not affected.

LMP: Do you consider that you are now at the peak of you career as a businessman, or are you planning to change into another course?

LBU: I am planning to branch out here in Bohol. My dream is to build a construction business.

LMP: I noticed that if someone from a foreign country puts up business in Bohol, that means that they can’t leave the province. In your case, do you find it hard to maintain your businesses in both countries?

LBU: I don’t find it hard because most of my clienteles are from abroad. Tabok-tabok lang ko from Canada and the Philippines.

LMP: What are your guiding principles in life?

LBU: Hardwork, determination, and perseverance.

LMP: What is the difference between life in Canada and life in the Philippines?

LBU: In the Philippines, the people are happy-go-lucky. In Canada, we have to work doubly hard.

LMP: What is the name of your wife?

LBU: Fidela Sarigumba, a BSC-Accounting graduate of Divine Word College. She’s one of the Managers assigned for security and exchange at the Royal Bank in Canada.

LMP: What can you say about Bohol today?

LBU: Bohol is already progressing, and I believe that it will progress more in the future.

LMP: You are a dual citizen. Which is more significant, Canadian or Filipino?

LBU: Filipino, of course.

LMP: What is your message to the Boholanos in other countries?

LBU: You come back to Bohol because the province is already progressing. Be a part of that progress. 

            We greatly admire Boholanos who don’t forget their roots, especially those who achieved success in their endeavors.  For them, success should be shared…that there is more meaning in life where help is extended.  Resting on one’s laurels and gratifying oneself alone is not an altruistic act, nor is basking in glory while the rest of the world suffers.

            For Engr. Luvino B. Uy, the Christian tenet of being his brother’s keeper is an expression of nobility.  Not that he wants to be branded noble, because that is not a necessity, but extending a helping hand makes a difference to the have-nots.  Thus, his decision to put up Home Suite Home through his newly registered establishment, LU and Friends Builders.  Through this project, he can give some jobs, give solace to retirees in their twilight years, and contribute to the progress of Bohol.   

Bolingitboy, if the AFP would pulverize all their enemies, it means Congress doesn't need to raise the budget. In the absence of war, money and business cannot be generated.

Without enemies, the top brass cannot forge new contracts to buy weapons and war supplies.

The final equation. No contract = no commission.

By Katherine M. Berondo, MPIO

      Around 400 patients availed of free consultation, minor surgery, and free medicines during the one-day medical mission that Rotary Club of Bohol conducted on October 4 at the town’s multi-purpose sports and cultural center.

      Rotary Club president, Dr. Angelito Lichago led the medical team, together with eight other doctors.

      The team offered minor surgical procedures, and services on dermatology, ECG section, pedia and adult consultation, and pharmacy section.

      Dr. Lichago also conducted a brief lecture on hypertension for the adult beneficiaries prior to the consultations.

      It was the first ever medical mission that the Rotarians conducted in this municipality.

      On this, local leaders were so thankful and supportive to the group, as the activity had given hope to the less-privileged sector in this town who benefited the Rotarians’ noble undertaking.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxSIvgKMlCc

College Freshman Rejected by the Apple of his Eyes. Produced by the College of Business Administration, Silliman University, Dumaguete City.

By Suzanne Nam
Forbes Magazine

The Philippines is feeling the global downturn; its stock exchange is down 35% in the past 12 months. GDP is now expected to be up just 4.4% in 2008, versus a 7.2% jump last year. Its 40 richest are worth a total of $14 billion, down from $17 billion in 2007 and $16 billion in 2006. This year 25 tycoons are poorer, including a number of them in real estate and banking.

Big losers include Senate President Manuel Villar, whose net worth plunged 55% to $425 million, and Filinvest Land's Andrew Gotianun, who lost $625 million, three-fourths of his worth. Last year's richest, Jaime Zobel de Ayala, was the biggest loser, down $800 million, as the stock of his conglomerate, Ayala Corp., slipped 46%.

Ayala and at least half a dozen other companies backed by the nation's richest--including Gotianun's Filinvest Land, John Gokongwei's Universal Robina and the Hortalezas' Splash--have bought back shares in recent months.

The government is expected to announce later that sex and relationship lessons will be made compulsory in primary and secondary schools in England.

A review was ordered after ministers branded teaching on the issue "patchy".

Currently, it is only compulsory to teach children about the biology of reproduction and changing bodies.

A BBC poll of more than 1,000 people found that 87% would support a change in approach, as long as teaching did not begin at too young an age.

It is not yet clear exactly what will be taught to each year group, but some reports suggest five-year-olds could receive some level of sex education.

The government's review - due at 0930 BST - is being published at the same time as one on drugs education in schools.

The inquiries were announced in December last year as part of the Children's Plan.

The government has said it recognises that sexual experimentation in early adolescence can expose young people to risks.

Young people were in danger of making ill-informed choices which could put their health and future at stake, officials said. - BBC

An anti-obesity drug vastly outperforms currently available rivals, early trials suggest.

Danish tests of tesofensine, reported in The Lancet, found dieting patients on the highest doses lost up to 12.8kg (28.2lbs) in six months.

This is twice the level achieved by drugs such as sibutramine and rimonabant.

But UK experts warned that more trials were needed, and expressed concerned the results may have been hyped.

Tesofensine first came to the attention of obesity researchers when it caused unintended weight loss when given to overweight patients with Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease.

It works by changing the way that three nerve signalling chemicals, noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin have their effects on the brain.

This in turn reduces appetite, so that the person will eat smaller meals and have a reduced urge to snack. - BBC News

By Matt McGrath
BBC News

Scientists in the US say they have developed the ability to selectively wipe out uncomfortable memories.

In experiments with mice, researchers from the Georgia College of Medicine were able to eliminate memories without any damage to the rodents' brains.

They suggested that the technique which works on a particular protein in the brain could, one day, be used to help humans overcome traumatic events.

However, the chief scientist said this was "years or even decades away".

Memories, even painful ones, are an important part of the learning process but for some people recalling traumatic events can be extremely damaging to their lives.

Scientists at the Georgia College of Medicine say they have found a molecular mechanism that can rapidly remove specific memories.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWSjUe0FyxQ

How To Cry for Britney Spears. 83,000 Comments in Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=farT0_DChnM

Man Eats 20-Pound Burger: A World Record

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZwnDVsbgWc

Last Farewell to American Soldiers. A very emotional video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03WHHclCar4

One of the images used in this video was a scene of the burial of Mara Miravillosa, a Filipina-American soldiers, who was killed in Iraq. She was buried in Bohol in full military honors from the US Army.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIw-BP4zfW4

Footage of American Soldiers Killed in Iraq. In war, no one wins.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqY-HZ3YA3w

Snipers: Philippine Scout Rangers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvWq-n_ux3U

How the Abu Sayyaf Slaughtered Filipino Soldiers. A heartbreaking video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tt5nY8pQME

Bakbakan Sa Mindanao. A never-ending war?

Unsaon naman ni nga ang mga banggiitang DepEd officials sa Manila gusto man nga Tagalog ang himuong medium of instruction sa mga schools sa Pilipinas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcHKedFS8Rw

Philippine Army vs MILF: Mindanao War in Actual Video. Produced by Even Demata.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVqYoUQZj4s

Watch Actual Mindanao War Video Footage. Video by Even Demata of Youtube.com

MILF's Commander Bravo, in an interview with ABS-CBN, declared that if he could not get what he wants (taking over Mindanao), blood would flood in Mindanao. He used the threatening phrase: "Ubusan ng Lahi."

How do you feel about it? What is your reaction to his statement?

At least 10 armed men robbed the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) main office in Pasay City late Monday night, carting away an undetermined amount of cash.

Thief and Robbery section Joey Cemclora said that the unidentified armed men who were reportedly wearing police uniforms and brandishing high-powered firearms robbed around 9:30 pm inside the LRTA main office at Aurora, Tramo.

Cemclora said the suspects arrived on board an AUV with red plate at LRTA and managed to gain entry into the compound by posing as policemen.

Security guard Lino Garcia said that when he asked the suspects what brought them to the area, the gunmen told him they were members of a police bomb squad and they were called to check a bomb threat inside the LRTA compound.

Once inside, the suspects disarmed the guards of their service firearms and proceeded to divest about 20 LRT employees of cash and other valuables after finding the vault empty.

But the LRTA management, through its spokesperson Maria Kristina Cassion, clarified that the robbers failed to get anything except the personal money and valuables of around 20 employees.

"Nothing was taken from the LRTA... this is a police matter so we are leaving the investigation to the police authorities," Cassion said, as she assured that the incident would not, in any way, hamper the operations of the LRT. - PNA

The Supreme Court (SC) has disbarred a lawyer for abandoning his wife with 12 children for another woman.

In a 12-page per curiam decision of the SC en banc, Atty. Ponciano Arnobit's license to practice law was revoked after his wife Rebecca charged him with immorality and abandonment.

Based on her complaint, Rebecca was married to Ponciano on August 20, 1942 and they were gifted with 12 children until he went to law school and became a lawyer.

Unfortunately in 1968, Ponciano abandoned his wife and 12 children and lived with Benita Buenafe Navarro and whom he sired with four children.

This situation prompted Rebecca to charge Ponciano but he denied the charges. On the contrary, he blamed his wife for her frequent travel abroad and abandonment of her obligations to their children that forced him to leave her and their children.

While the case was being heard by the Office of the Solicitor General, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) and the Commission on Bar Discipline (Commission), Rebecca presented strong evidences, including the testimony of Melecio Navarro, the husband of Benita.

Despite the order of the Commission for him to submit his counter-affidavit, Ponciano neither presented his evidence nor testified denying such allegations of Rebecca and he even resorted to frequent postponement of the trial of the case.

Because of this, the Commission has found that Ponciano was guilty of the charges of abandonment and recommended his three-month suspension beginning June 21, 1995.

The IBP affirmed the recommendation of the Commission on January 27, 1996 and even found that Ponciano was guilty of gross immoral conduct, hence, his license to practice law was revoked for violation of the Code of Professional Responsibility.

In ordering the disbarment of the lawyer, the SC pointed out that a law practitioner should have a high moral ground and possess good moral character. - source: Philippine News Agency

Agriculture experts will tap cassava as alternative to yellow corn as animal feed, to boost cassava production in the country and ease the burden caused by rising cost of animal feeds in the local swine and poultry industry.

Intensified cassava production is being geared as main option for animal feed, aside from human food use and fuel (bioethanol), under action projects in the Philippine Agriculture 2020, an initiative of the scientific community that seeks to ensure the country's food security and sustainability by 2020.

Emil Javier, National Academy of Science and Technology (DOST-NAST) president, said that cassava shall be included in the One Town, One Product (OTOP) program by the government, to boost cassava poduction, even in the regional level.

Javier said that animal feeds is a big factor in sustaining growth in animal-raising industry, particularly swine and poulty industry.

"This is the rationale for combining swine, poultry and yellow corn into a single industry cluster, he said.

Yellowcorn is traditionally used as feeds, but as demands for pork, chicken and eggs rise to an unprecedented level, the swine and poultry industry must find accessible options to animal raising.

Multimillion food producer San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has been successful in substituting cassava for yellow corn in animal feed, he said. - PNA

The business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, particularly call centers, is unlikely to be adversely affected by the global economic slowdown even with the prospect of a looming recession in the United States, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said today.

Dureza said because of its economic reforms, the Philippines has been least affected by the global economic debacle, and a committed foresight will continue to shield the country from the bad effects of the global crises slowdown.

In a media briefing this afternoon in Malacanang, Dureza stressed that the possibility of mass lay-offs in call centers in the country is unlikely at this time.

“There is no projection that we will be having a mass lay-off of call center employees in the Philippines,” he said.

Dureza added that the global economic slowdown could even benefit the Philippines as affected countries might find it more productive and profitable to establish and operate call centers here.

As it is, Dureza said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has directed her economic managers to come up with a contingency plan in case the current global economic and financial situation worsens into a possible recession.

The contingency plan includes programs spelled out under the proposed P1.4 trillion 2009 national budget that are to mitigate the possible adverse effects of the global food, fuel and financial crises.

The contingency plan also covers increased allotments for social security, welfare and employment, scholarship and better educational services. - PNA