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Batanes celebrates 232nd Foundation Day
By Villamor Visaya Jr.

CITY OF CAUAYAN, Isabela, July 1 (PNA) -- The Province of Batanes has marked on July 1 its 232nd Foundation Day with celebrations that started even a week ago, a tourism official said.

Hegel Ruiz-Valones, designated provincial tourism coordinator, said the Batanes foundation dayâ€"dubbed as Ivatan Festival has been known nationwide and the name has been used to denote the people of Batanes and the language they speak.

This year’s theme is “Kultural at Kapaligiran; Yaman ng mga Ivatan â€" Ating Pangalagaan”

Various activities are now being conducted in line with the foundation day like novena masses, ethno-sports Olympics featuring indigenous games, agro- industrial tourism and trade fair, cultural presentation, sale and display or agri-fishery products and beauty pageant among others, Valones added. (PNA)

Before he passed away, Kidapawan clergy hopes to establish home for elderly priests

COTABATO CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- A diocesan priest in North Cotabato has dreamed of establishing a "home for the elderly priests" of the Diocese of Kidapawan long before he died last week.

However, even before Fr. Rogelio Jake Nim could start his noble project, he died due to cardiac arrest last week.

During his burial Tuesday, his brother Reynando, appealed to the Diocesan clergy to push with his brother's dream for retiring priests.

In his eulogy, Reynando recalled that during the family reunion last year, Fr. Jake told his family that he wanted to build a home for the elderly priests so those who have served and retired will have a place called home.

Fr. Jake who died of cardiac arrest on June 22 was laid at the Queen of Prophets cemetery inside the Bishop’s residence in Barangay Balindog, Kidapawan City.

Reynando personally appealed to the diocese to push with his brother's dream.

“This is not a demand but I hope that the Diocesan Clergy will fulfill the dream of our brother as his legacy to fellow diocesan priests,” Reynando said.

Reynando also said the family had decided to ask the Diocese of Kidapawan leadership that whatever amount acquired and accumulated in the pasts 24 years of priesthood of Fr. Jake will be used for the establishment of home for elderly priests.

He said this is to ensure that all elderly diocesan priests can settle and live normally once they retire or become sickly.

Kidapawan diocesan priests who retire will return to their respective families.

“That is the reason why my brother wanted to have their own homes so that even in their twilight years they are still together,” Reynando said.

Monsignor Carlito Garcia DCK, the diocesan administrator, said the request of Fr. Jake's family will be considered and will be decided upon once a new bishop is named for the diocese.

Since March last year, the diocese have no bishop after Archbishop Romulo dela Cruz was named archbishop of Zamboanga.

Hundreds of parishioners, religious priests and nuns, lay leaders and ordinary people trooped the bishop’s residence to pay their last respect to Fr. Jake before he was laid to his resting place.

Cotabato Auxiliary Bishop Jose Collin Bagaforo officiated the requiem mass for Fr. Jake with other priests from the dioceses of Kidapawan, Koronadal and Cotabato.

Fr. Jake’s remains was laid between the grave of Fr. Tulio Favali PIME and Fr. Fausto Tentorio PIME at the Queen of Prophets cemetery. Fr. John Collago DCK was also buried in the same place.

“I hope that the good deeds my brother Jake had left will remain in our hearts and never be forgotten as we bury his earthly body here,” Reynando said. (PNA)

Chiz urges voters to help ensure honest 2016 elections

LEGAZPI CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- Senator Chiz Escudero has asked Filipino voters, especially those still considered unregistered under Republic Act No. 10367 or the Mandatory Biometrics Registration Act of 2013, to actively work for the holding of honest, clean elections in May 2016.

In an emailed statement received by Philippines News Agency Wednesday, Escudero said the Mandatory Biometrics Registration Act of 2013 being implemented by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) contained provisions on voters’ disqualification if they were unable to be validated by providing biometric data.

This means voters will be removed from the voters’ list, making them ineligible to vote.

“The entire Filipino people, especially those who are eligible to vote, must recognize that voting is a sacred civic duty to preserve and promote our country’s democratic ideals and aspirations. While I recognize the difficulties of many of countrymen in providing their biometric data to the Comelec, these biometric data are legally required by the Mandatory Biometrics Registration Act of 2013,” Escudero said.

He called on all eligible Filipino voters to comply with the biometric data requirements under the law.

"Full compliance with these biometric requirements is the very first step and among the primary foundations of protecting the democratic process of elections. Let us help the Comelec remove from the voters’ list those who may have evil and other designs that will taint and destroy the holding of a clean and honest 2016 elections,” Escudero said.

The Comelec has estimated that at least four million voters may be delisted from the voters’ list in time for the 2016 elections if they will not comply with the Mandatory Biometrics Registration Act of 2013.

Comelec data in Bicol reveal that of the 2.8 million registered voters 362,869 voters, or 13 percent, have yet to register under the Mandatory Biometrics Registration.

“That is why is strongly urge them to fully understand that these biometric data are crucial to preserving the integrity of the national voters’ list. We should say 'no' to flying voters by giving biometric data to Comelec,” Escudero said.

Under the law, a voter is required to have an “automated identification” to be able to vote starting May 2016.

Biometric data are composed of a voter’s photograph, fingerprint and signature.

At the same time, Escudero called on the Comelec to ensure that its offices and personnel are ready and accessible to the voters.

“I am requesting the Comelec under Chairman Andy Bautista to make legally permissible changes in the working hours and deployment of Comelec personnel to handle the biometric registration,” he said.

Perhaps, he said, the Comelec should consider opening its offices from 6 a.m. and extending their operations until 10 p.m., from Monday to Sunday.

"The Comelec should also consider opening satellite biometric registration sites in commercial centers, malls, universities and colleges, and other areas frequented by a great number of people of voting-age,” Escudero said. (PNA)

Defensor: Iloilo province and city receive most assistance from Aquino administration

ILOILO CITY, July 1 (PNA) â€" Gov. Arthur Defensor, Sr. said that Iloilo province and city are the most benefited areas by the Aquino administration and the national government that the political leaders here are most grateful for.

Defensor further said in an interview July 1 that the administration of Pres. Benigno Aquino III has not been discriminatory to the local chief executives here regardless of their political affiliation.

”You see everyone has so far received assistance from the administration,” the governor, who cited some of the local chief executives here who belong to the opposition, said.

Defensor said that he will though give a more comprehensive assessment of the Aquino administration just before the State of the Nation Address.(PNA)

114,000 voters in Pangasinan still not validated

DAGUPAN CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office called on some 114,000 registered voters in the province with incomplete biometric data to validate their registration with their offices before the deadline on October 31.

Lawyer Marino Salas, provincial election supervisor, reminded the voters that they cannot exercise their right to vote in the coming 2016 elections unless they complete their biometric data as provided for in the Mandatory Biometric Law.

He said most of the invalidated voters are from central Pangasinan particularly Dagupan City, Calasiao, Malasiqui, San Carlos City and Sta. Barbara, all having the most number of voters.

Salas said Pangasinan recorded 328,000 voters with incomplete biometric data before the start of validation last May 2014.

“We are already doing our best efforts to reach the voters so that they will have no excuse,” said Salas.Comelec offices in the province are conducting off-site registrations in barangays, schools and even private establishments like malls with the onset of registration and validation.

He said Comelec offices are conducting off-site registrations on Saturdays. Salas encourage voters to validate or register as early as now to avoid possible long queue comes the deadline.

Meanwhile, Salas attested that the records of Comelec provincial office is intact and safe despite the reports that some files of the agency were corrupted.

He explained that amid the corrupted 1.9 billion voter’s files which were submitted to the Comelec central office, the municipal and city election offices in the province have back-up files.

“We have back-ups and I believed it is the same with other Comelec offices in the province,” said Salas. (PNA)

APEC Summit organizers meet Cebu officials to discuss concerns

CEBU CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- Organizers of the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) Summit later this year Tuesday met with officials of the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu and the Cebu provincial government to discuss the various concerns during the summit.

Ambassador Marciano Paynor, who heads the national organizing committee, earlier said Cebu will host 30-40 meetings on Aug. 24-Sept. 11, Oct. 8-10 and Oct. 12-14.

Aside from security, the other concerns include managing flood-prone areas, repairs on the roads delegates are likely to use and the stability of power supply during the events, said Cebu Provincial Tourism officer Mary Grace Paulino.

Ador Canlas, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 director, said he will submit a flood map during the next meeting on July 6 among Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III and the mayors of the three cities.

Canlas said it stopped all road excavations at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

All road works will be suspended a week before August, to resume after APEC events, it said.

Lawyer Ramil Abing, assistant Cebu provincial administrator, said they will also study the possible declaration of local holidays during the APEC events.

Joy Tumulak, operations division chief of the Cebu City Traffic Operations and Management (Citom), presented during the meeting a proposed traffic plan for Cebu City during the APEC events.

Tumulak said their will also consider the implementation of the color-coding and number-coding scheme as proposed by APEC coordinator Lito Maderazo.

Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 said all areas in Central Visayas, not only conference and billeting sites, will be covered by security.

Lawas showed the 89 most visited tourism areas in Central Visayas.

He also said that the PNP has requested additional personnel from other regions during the APEC events. (PNA)

Police raid yields firearms, shabu in Masbate town
By Norman B. Tamar

CAMP BONNY SERRANO, Masbate City, Julu 1 (PNA) -- A police raid in the residence of a suspected drug pusher in Uson, Masbate, at 5:07 a.m. Monday resulted in his arrest and the confiscation of firearms, ammunition and shabu.

Police Senior Supt. Prexy Dugas Tanggawohn, officer-in-charge of the Masbate Police Provincial Office (MPPO), identified the arrested pusher as Rainier B. Pepillo, a resident of Barangay Buenavista, Uson, Masbate.

Tanggawohn said the raiding team led by Senior Insp. Leus Anselmo Prima, Uson chief of police, confiscated seven transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu, a caliber 9mm pistol with inserted magazine, two live ammunition for caliber 9mm and 13 empty shells for .45-caliber pistol from Pepillo.

The operation was armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Manuel L. Sese of Regional Trial Court Branch 45, Masbate City.

The suspect is now under the custody of the Uson Municipal Police Station and charges for violation of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013 are now being prepared against him.

Tanggawohn lauded the town’s police force for taking a swift action in their fight against illegal drugs.(PNA)

Cebu City’s proposed PHP250M first supplemental budget to cover 5,000 workers’ bonus

CEBU CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- The Cebu City government’s proposed PHP250-million first supplemental budget (SB1) for this year will cover the productivity bonus for the city’s 5,000 employees.

Cebu City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas said the city will give a bonus equivalent to a one-month salary to each employee.

Cuevas said the PHP250-million SB1 will include PHP78 million for the one-month productivity enhancement incentive (PEI) of the employees while PHP50 million will be used for asphalting.

Cuevas said SB 1 will also include the payment of the city's obligations in the past years.

Cuevas said they can use part of the PHP1.6 billion bid security generated during the bidding Tuesday of a total of 45.2 hectares of lots at the city-owned South Road Properties (SRP) for SB1.

The PHP1.6 billion is the bid security equivalent to 10 percent of the lot's total bid price.

Cuevas said the SRP lots fetched a total of PHP16.76 billion, exceeding the city’s expected sale of PHP9.15 billion for the lots.

Cuevas said the city is also expected to earn another PHP8.383 billion because the winning bidders are required to make a 50-percent downpayment immediately after the award of the contract. (PNA)

NPA rebels shot dead CAFGU member in Camarines Norte

CAMP GEN. SIMEON A. OLA, Legazpi City, July 1 (PNA) -- New People's Army (NPA) rebels gunned down an active member of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) who was watching a public dance at about 8 p.m. Tuesday at Barangay Magsaysay, Capalonga, Camarines Norte.

Dead on the spot was Malix Alvarez, 19, a student, who belonged to the Barangay Alayao Patrol Base of the Philippine Army and a resident of the Old Camp in Capalonga.

Alvarez had just came from a motorcycle shop with another CAFGU member to have his vehicle fixed.

They passed by a barangay feast day public dance when they came back and decided to watch the activity.

Two men, armed with .45-caliber pistol, approached him and fired at him, causing his instantaneous death.

The victim's companion ran towards their camp to get reinforcement but the rebels had already escaped.

Maj. Gen Yerson Depayso, commander of the 9th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, has ordered his men to be doubly alert as a result of the offensive stance of the rebels. (PNA)

Archbishop reminds typhoon survivors to serve, share
By Irish O. Alonzo

TACLOBAN CITY, July 1 (PNA) â€" The Roman Catholic church has reminded typhoon survivors in this city to instill the spirit of service and sharing as the city celebrated its 126th fiesta on Tuesday.

Palo Archbishop John F. Du asked the people to remember the example of Christ’s compassion to the poor.

“God hears the cry of the poor at the time when we are being devastated by typhoon Yolanda. This was an encouragement to the Yolanda survivors that the kingdom of heaven is open to those who are poor and that, this was also to gear up all the people to give a helping hand to those who are in need,” Du said.

Du enumerated to hundreds of church goers packed at the Sto Nino church some factors why many people are struggling from poverty.

“We are not anymore sensitive with the feeling of others. We only think of our own interest and there’s no longer room for others, we became self-centered,” said Du.

The gospel shared to the people aimed for unity among people in Tacloban, that all must be Christ-like, to be able to defeat poverty. It is not the poor that causes poverty but it is the lack of giving of people to the needy, he pointed out

“People must stop criticizing each other but instead always look at the goodness of every person with this we can rise up and start all over again”.

The sermon ended by pressing into the hearts of people to share and to serve, that since they have received then they can also give.

Various fiesta-related activities have been lined up this week to portray the city’s resilience after suffering from impacts of the 2013 super typhoon Yolanda. Messages of gratitude for those who helped typhoon victims also flooded on city’s streets. (PNA)

One of top 10 most wanted in Quirino province arrested in Dagupan

DAGUPAN CITY, July 1 (PNA)â€"The Dagupan City police arrested here on Monday one of top 10 most wanted persons in Diffun, Quirino province.

Supt. Christopher Abrahano, chief of polcie of Dagupan, identified the suspect as Sonny Boy Tubera, a native of Andres Bonifacio, Diffun in Quirino province.

Abrahano said Tubera was arrested on Galvan Street where he works as a vendor although he is currently residing at Nalsian- Bacayao, Calasiao town.

Tubera was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest dated February 27, 2012 issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Anonuevo Solomon of Quirino for three counts of rape in relation to Republic Act No. 7610 without bail recommended for his provisional liberty. (PNA)

Cebu City sells 45.2 hectares of SRP lots for PHP16.76B

CEBU CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- The Cebu City government sold in a bidding Tuesday 45.2 hectares of lots in the city-owned South Road Properties (SRP) for PHP16.76 billion, almost double of its expected sale of PHP9.15 billion for the lots.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, whose earlier planned to sell the SRP lots were blocked by the City Council, welcomed the results.

“God is good all the time. All the time, God is good. I am elated. I am the happiest man,” he said.

A consortium of Ayala Land-Cebu Holdings Inc. and SM Prime Holdings Inc. was the lone bidder for a 26-hectare parcel and offered PHP10.009 billion or roughly PHP38,000 per square meter.

The city government’s floor price was PHP20,000 per sq. m. or an expected sale of at least PHP5.267 billion.

Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) placed the highest bid for the two other parcels, which have combined area of 19.2 hectares.

It offered PHP6.758 billion or about PHP35,128 per sq. m. The city expected to sell these parcels for at least PHP3.847 billion.

The city also received Tuesday PHP1.6 billion from the winning bidders as the bid security, which forms part of the down payment and is equivalent to 10 percent of the total bid price.

The Ayala-SM consortium paid a bid security of PHP1.1 billion, while FLI paid a bid security of more than PHP600 million.

The bid security will serve as a guarantee that the successful bidders will enter into a contract with the city after they are awarded the lots.

Cebu City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas said the PHP1.6 billion was the highest revenue the city has ever generated in just a day. (PNA)

6 persons hit by lightning in Pangasinan town

VILLASIS, Pangasinan, July 1 (PNA) -- Six persons were hospitalized for first and second degree burns when they were struck by lightning in two separate places during a thunderstorm that happened one after the other before 5:00 p.m. of Tuesday, June 30.

A report of the Villasis police stated five of the victims are farmers from Barangay Capulaan and another from Sto. Tomas town but was hit by a lightning in Poblacion, Villasis, near the town's Catholic Church, just at the back of the town hall.

The five from Barangay Capulaan were tending their rice fields when the thunderstorm came and were forced to go to a hut for shelter from the rain. But while they were inside, the hut was struck by lightning.

On the other hand, the victim from Sto. Tomas town was fetching his children from school when the rain came and was forced to seek shelter under a tree that was struck by a lightning.

The police could not yet give the names of the victims.

Chief Inspector Jesus Manalo, chief of the Villasis police, said all the victims were rushed to the Urdaneta District Hospital for treatment and five have so far been discharged. (PNA)
LAP/LVM/LVMICUA/RMA

Over 48,800 senior citizens in Northern Mindanao to receive pensions

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- More than 48,800 senior citizens in Northern Mindanao will receive a quarterly pension of PHP1,500 pension, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) here said Wednesday.

Charmaine Tadlas, the regional DSWD information officer, said that the DSWD arrived at the figure after validating 29,499 additional senior citizens to the DSWD’s existing 18,501 lists of senior citizens in the region.

She said that the government has extended a quarterly pension to qualified senior citizens in Northern Mindanao in January 2011 to augment the senior citizen’s medical needs and foods.

Any qualified senior citizen could apply at the City or Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office under the local government unit. They can also apply at the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA), Tadlas said.

She said that the qualified senior citizens are those considered to be indigent, and are aged 66 years old above and are not beneficiaries of any pension such as SSS, GSIS, among others.

The DSWD would announce the release of the pension on a quarterly basis (March, June, September, and December). The senior citizen could claim the pension at the OSCA or City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office. (PNA)

Bicolanos active in National Disaster Consciousness Month observance
By Nancy Ibo Mediavillo

LEGAZPI CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- Bicolanos have started to actively participate in the observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month this July, Office of Civil Defense Regional Director Raffy Alejandro said.

This year's activities will revolve around the theme: "Pamilya at Pamayanang Handa Katuwang sa Pag-unlad ng Bansa."

The observance of NCM month is based on Executive Order Number 137 made effective in l999.

Alejandro said the month of July is full of activities in connection with disaster consciousness, kicking off with a Holy Mass, motorcade and program on Wednesday.

There will be a series of earthquake and multi-hazard drills and training by local government units in the six provinces of the Bicol Region -- Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Catandunaes and Masbate -- including their towns and cities.

The OCD regional head said the annual observance of the NDCM aims to develop a higher sense of awareness among the public on readiness in the face of various forms of calamity that could hit a certain area.

Alejandro said authorities are closely monitoring two active volcanoes -- Mayon in Albay and Bulusan in Sorsogon.

He said that based on the advice of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the rainy season has officially started and there is again the possibility of strong typhoons to hit the region and its neighboring areas.

The OCD Bicol regional director claimed that the Bicolanos have 90-percent awareness on different types of calamities, compared to other regions, especially on typhoons and volcanoes.

He said the Bicolanos are fully aware of the zero-casualty goal and pre-emptive evacuation strategy, which has its roots in the Province of Albay headed by Governor Joey Sarte Salceda.

This best practice of the province, he added, is recognized not only nationally but also internationally.

In fact, the province has received awards and recognition in this field like Hall of Famer in the National GAWAD Kalasag Award.

The province and OCD-Bicol have long joined forces in sharing their knowledge on disaster awareness and preparedness to other local government units, national government agencies, private sector and multinational companies that want to learn disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. (PNA)

14 LGUs in Iloilo recipients of Ray 2

ILOILO CITY, July 1 (PNA) â€"- There are 14 local government units (LGUs) in Iloilo that received checks amounting to P51,490,593 distributed by Department of Interior and Local Government Regional Dir. Anthony Nuyda and Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor, Sr. under the Rehabilitation Assistance for Yolanda (RAY) 2 program on July 1.

Dir. Nuyda said that because of the efficient implementation of the RAY 1 that funding for Ray 2 is released today. Ray 1, which was released last year, was used for the rehabilitation of municipal halls, public markets and civic centers that were damaged by super typhoon Yolanda in Nov. 8, 2013.

Funding assistance under Ray 2 released today will go to the repair of 52 barangay halls, 68 day care centers, and 111 civic centers in the 14 LGUs. The repair of the structures were not included in RAY 1 nor had it been repaired already from other funding sources.

The 14 LGUs whose mayors were present to receive the checks were Anilao, Badiangan, Banate, Bingawan, Cabatuan, Calinog, Duenas, Dumangas, Lambunao, Mina, Pototan, San Enrique, Zarraga and the component Passi city of Iloilo province.

Gov. Defensor said that the assistance is a great help for the LGUs and that he particularly thanked Interior Sec. Mar Roxas for being instrument for the province to get the needed rehabilitation aide.

Likewise, Bingawan Mayor Mat Palabrica thanked the DILG for identifying his hometown again as recipient of the RAY 2 that will benefit 14 barangays. “This is good news for the barangay captains,” Mayor Palabrica said.

Mayor Palabrica said that priority will be the repair of Day Care centers because children are now in school but that they could not concentrate well for they get wet with their leaking classroom rooftop.

Bingawan under Ray 1 also received funding for the repair of the municipal hall in the amount of P6.8 million and gym P3 million and market P900,000.

Arnel Mata, a barangay captain of Janipaan West and president of the Association of Barangay Captains in Mina town, said that he is thankful the repair of the Day Care Center in Bgy. Tipulo has been covered under RAY 2 in the tune of around P250,000.(PNA)

Army, PNP hunt down ambushers of 2 cops in Maguindanao
By Edwin O. Fernandez

COTABATO CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- Joint police and military authorities have launched a manhunt against two suspected hitmen of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) who ambushed two policemen in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao Tuesday.

Senior Inspector Solaiman Bakal, police chief of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, said police have the identities of the suspects but withheld them as pursuit operation was still on going.

Bakal said the suspects shot and killed Police Officer 1 Habib Nasifu and wounded PO1 Abdullah Asim, both belonging to the PNP Regional Public Safety Battalion based in Datu Salibo town, Maguindanao.

Bakal said the two unarmed and in civilian clothes police officers were onboard a tricycle at 10 a.m. when two men riding tandem opened fire on them from behind in Sitio Manhole, Barangay Lower Salbo.

Responding policemen recovered empty shells of cal. 45 pistols at the crime scene.

Tuesday’s attack was one of the series of "hit and run" tactics by the BIFF whose strength had been reduced to less than 50 after the Army launched massive offensive against them in February.

Its spokesperson, Abu Misri Mama, quickly admitted his group was behind the attack.

Since January, at least 10 soldiers and policemen have been neutralized by BIFF hit men in Maguindanao.

Capt. Joan Petinglay, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said the BIFF could no longer launch major attacks against government forces and shifted to guerilla tactics, attacking soft targets like policemen and soldiers in civilian clothes conducting rehabilitation efforts in the province.

Before Tuesday's attack, the BIFF shot dead two young soldiers who were working as carpenters of Datu Unsay Elementary School.

The soldiers, both unarmed and in athletic uniforms, were on board motorbike from Shariff Aguak town carrying carpentry tools when ambushed by BIFF gunmen riding in a separate motorbike.

Following the rising cases of BIFF attacks, Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th ID chief, directed all military units in Maguindanao to refrain from using motorbike as mode of transportation along hot spot areas of the province.

Soldiers were directed to always move in tandem and armed using military vehicles to prevent sudden and unexpected attacks from BIFF lawless groups.

Despite the harassment against foot soldiers, Pangilinan said the Army will continue its peacekeeping mission in Maguindanao by helping civilians during calamities, rehabilitate damaged schools and infrastructures. (PNA)

South Cotabato board reaffirms ban on open-pit mining method

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- The South Cotabato provincial board has shut down calls for the amendment and lifting of the controversial ban on open-pit mining in the area as set in the province’s five-year-old Environment Code.

In a resolution passed during its regular session on Tuesday, the board reaffirmed the validity of Section 22 (B) of the Environment Code that prohibited the use of the open-pit mining method in mining activities in any part of the province.

The measure, which was pushed by the Committee on Environment, was approved by the board on unanimous sponsorship.

Board member Ellen Grace Subere-Albios, environment committee chairperson, said they upheld the mining method’s prohibition as a safety measure against potential mining-related disasters.

“The province does not prohibit mining but regulates it through methods that would not gravely endanger and adversely impact the environment,” she said.

The open-pit mining method, the resolution pointed out, could cause massive deforestation, loss of biodiversity, degradation of lands and the depletion of the water resources of surrounding communities.

It could also trigger the destruction of human settlements and eventually affect the cultural integrity of the area’s indigenous peoples, among others.

Foreign-backed mining firm Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) had signified to utilize the open-pit mining method for its planned large-scale USD5.9 billion copper and gold mining project in Tampakan town in South Cotabato.

As a result of the ban and its failure to obtain necessary local permits as well as endorsements, the company was forced to drastically downsize its operations two years ago.

Albios said the passage of the resolution is an offshoot of a review conducted by her committee regarding the open-pit mining ban.

She said the review was based on a request earlier submitted to the board by some local stakeholders.

“Based on our review, there’s no need for us to amend the Environment Code and the open-pit ban at this time,” she said.

Aside from the passage of the resolution, the board issued a position paper as a supplemental attachment to the measure.

The position paper mainly pointed out three major questions on the “impact of the open-pit mining method on the watersheds, forests and river systems; its effects on the water supply of downstream communities when the watershed are compromised; and, the risks it can cause it the project sits on the fault line and situated near active volcano.”

It said the board recognizes the importance of mining but it has a duty to regulate mining methods and make sure that they will not put the people and the area’s environment in “great danger.”

As for SMI, it advised the company to “explore other mining methods that are environmentally and socially sound.”

South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes said she fully supports the provincial board’s stand on the open-pit mining ban.

She assured that as long as the Environment Code remains enforced, the provincial government will not allow the use of the open-pit mining method by any mining company within the province.(PNA)

Lengthened water service interruption in Laoag

LAOAG CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- Over the past two months, some residents living in elevated areas of Laoag City continue to experience lengthened water service interruption due to water scarcity.

On Tuesday, all barangays on the east part of Bacarra road and south of the Padsan river had water service interruption for almost 24 hours due to the replacement of a 20-horsepower submersible pump and motor pump 27 in Barangay 29.

Like Raiza Respicio, she said her family literally bathed under the rain as the Ilocos Norte Water District (INWD) failed to bring back water service the whole day of June 30. According to INWD, they failed to restore water service immediately due to a delay in the welding process of interconnection.

“At the moment, we are still working on the welding process of the interconnection. We apologize for this lengthened water service interruption but we assure that we will get the work done as the General Manager is on site at the moment. Thank you for understanding,” said an advisory of INWD posted on Facebook with a number of netizens airing their dismay about the on-going water problem in the city.

Amidst the occurrence of rainfall for the past few days due to a low pressure area, Ilocos Norte is still experiencing weak El NiÅ,,o condition, according to Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

“Recent analyses from global climate models suggest that the on-going El Niño condition will likely to continue until mid-2015 with chances of strengthening toward the end of the year,” PAGASA added.(PNA)

PAF cites outstanding personnel, units during 68th founding anniversary rites at Clark
By Froilan E. Magtoto

CLARK AIR BASE, Pampanga, July 1 (PNA) --The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Wednesday cited the efforts of its personnel and units for their vital contribution to the success of their mission, vision and programs of the organization.

President Benigno Aquino III, together with PAF Chief Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado presented the awards to the deserving men and women of the Philippine Air Force in its 68th founding anniversary rites held at the Haribon Hangar here.

The Division of the Year award went to the 3rd Air Division, under the command of Major Gen. Emeraldo Magnaye, who is also the concurrent vice commander of PAF.

The Command of the Year award, on the other hand, was given to the Air Logistics Command under the command of Major Gen. Isagani Silva. ‪

The Wing Support of the Year award was bestowed to the 420th Supply Wing under the command of Brig. Gen. Rene Santos while the PAF Model Base award was presented to the 530th Air Base Wing under the command of Brig. Gen. Anselmo Doroteo Junsay III. ‬

The Group Tactical of the Year award went to the Tactical Operations Group 10 which is under the command of Lt. Col. Leo Fontilla.

The Headquarters Service Support Group, which is under the command of Col. Abner Maranon, was recognized as the Support Group of the Year.

The 4th Air Force Wing Reserve, Air Force Reserve Command, Antonio Bautista Air Force, under the command of Col. Constancia De Guzman, named as the Ready Reserve Wing of the Year.

Meanwhile, Major Rhanjee Lao, the squadron commander of the 471st Field Maintenance Squadron (FMS), 220th Airlift Wing, was awarded as the PAF Officer of the Year.

TSgt. Eugenio Tuyay, who is the helicopter mechanic of the 452nd Field Maintenance Squadron, 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing, was named as the PAF Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year.

The PAF Airman of the Year award, on the other hand, went to Sgt. Reynaldo Gomez, who is the aircraft maintenance mechanic of the 431st Field Maintenance Squadron (FMS) Defense Wing, Basa Air Base. ‪

The PAF Model Employee of the Year award was bestowed to Roy Dave Magbanua, supply accountability officer for disposal of the 420th Supply Wing (SW). ‪

The PAF Model Supervisor of the Year award was given to Monina Jovenal, who is the chief civilian personnel, Management Branch, Headquarters Service Support Group (HSSG), HPAF, VAB.

The PAF chief, in his message, urged his colleagues to strive hard for the realization of the organization’s mission.

With this year’s theme "Matatag na Bagwis, Dangal ng Bayan, Lakas ng Sambayanan," the event was highlighted with the display of its air assets. (PNA)

LGUs urged to have local economic and investment promotion officer

ILOILO CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- To better market their locality, local government units (LGUs) have been encouraged to create a plantilla position for local economic and investment promotion officer.

“The EDC (Economic Development Committee) realized that the reason why there is no concerted effort at the LGU level is because there is no investment and promotion officer to speak of,” said regional director Ro-Ann Bacal of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Bacal said that LGUs must continue to “undertake promotional activities to attract more investors and tourists in their areas.”

Once created the officers will undergo training with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on how to better sell their LGUs, she added.

Bacal said that they looked forward to see the creation of the position within the year although it’s still up to LGUs to decide because it needs an approval from their respective sanggunian.

She added that they hoped to see cities of Western Visayas complying with the request.

The creation of the position was approved during the June 19 quarterly meeting of the Regional Development Council (RDC) in Antique.

The RDC, meantime will also be creating an investment promotion special committee that will look into the promotion of Western Visayas. (PNA)

2 NGP sites in Antique up for rehabilitation

ILOILO CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- Two plantation sites established under the national greening program (NGP) in Antique will be subjected to rehabilitation after being affected by the extreme weather condition.

Forester Bernabe Garnace said that they found out during their evaluation of best NGP plantation sites that those established in towns of Barbaza and Patnongon have been “adversely affected by climate change” and must be completely rehabilitated.

The Patnongon covers around 50 hectares while the plantation in Barbaza is more than 100 hectares.

Garnace said that the people’s organization (PO) that is tasked to undertake the project is willing to do the replanting.

However, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will no longer shell out funds because their three-year letter of agreement (LOA) has already concluded.

The NGP regional coordinator said that the PO in-charge of the project is diligent, however, they have no control over the natural circumstances such as typhoons and fire, among others.

“They informed us that come rainy season they will do the replanting,” he added. (PNA)

Almost 200 DENR 6 personnel promoted

ILOILO CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- There were almost 200 newly-promoted personnel from the different field offices including those in the regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 6.

DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations Demetrio L. Ignacio Jr., together with the DENR 6 regional director Jim O. Sampulna administered the oath of the newly promoted DENR VI personnel yesterday, June 30.

The promotion of the personnel was in line with the implementation of its Rationalization Plan (RatPlan).

According to DENR 6 officer-in-charge for Personnel Myla C. Reyno, the promotion of some personnel was only the initial placement of personnel as there are additional appointments readied for approval.

The DENR has first accommodated the application of the permanent personnel before it catered other applicants vying for a position.

However, 42 environmental partners from various local government units and the police force in the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros Occidental were also awarded for being strong environmental partners of the DENR 6.

DENR has given certificates and plaques of recognition to their partners to strengthen the board of collaboration and support from various stakeholders, especially among the local government units and the media sector.

DENR fortifies the strong linkages among them and made the implementation of its environmental programs easier.

There were also media partners whom DENR has recognized for being an active media channels through which environmental news were prioritized for publication and airing.

Sampulna said that Western Visayas is the best implementer of the environment projects of the DENR.

“DENR Region 6 is the number one best performing office of the DENR in the Philippines,” Sampulna said.

The oathtaking and awarding was held at the DENR 6 regional office during the 2015 Environment Month culmination program with the theme “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care”.(PNA)

‘Doctors to the barrios’ needed in Ilocos Norte

LAOAG CITY, July 1 (PNA) -- Ilocos Norte’s long time standing as the first province to have universal health care for the poor may diminish over time unless "doctorless" villages in the province’s remotest health stations are properly filled up.

Citing the case of Tamdagan District Hospital servicing about 10,000 population in Vintar’s 11 upland villages, Dr. Juanito Chua, head of the Ilocos Norte Hospital Management Council, said Tuesday the Department of Health (DOH) has downgraded its classification from a primary health care to out-patient clinic due to the lack of a doctor assigned in the area.

Unlike a primary health facility that operates round the clock with a health physician, an out-patient facility only caters to indigent patients with or without PhilHealth, based on the DOH re-classification standards.

“If you lack manpower, apparently, your efficiency is sacrificed too. Like if we lack nurses or doctors, our effectiveness is also compromised,” Chua said as he reported there had been a great number of Ilocos doctors who retired or about to retire already but their vacant positions are not yet filled-up.

In 2000, Ilocos Norte has been recognized as the first province to have universal health care but with the lack of doctors and other specialists waiting to fill in vacant positions in Ilocos health care facilities, the overall health care system in Ilocos Norte will be affected.

As this develops, Chua has urged concerned local authorities to address this situation to keep pace with the DOH High Impact Five (HI-5) strategies to achieve universal health care by 2016.

“We hope and pray all the vacant positions will be open and slowly but surely, we move on to improve our health care system in the province,” Chua said.

Back in 1993 during the time of former Health Secretary Juan Flavier, the DOH launched the “Doctors to the Barrios” program to encourage medical graduates to consider spending at least two years of their professional practice to serve the country’s poorest and inaccessible villages, where it is most needed.(PNA)

Isabela town placed under calamity status due to dengue outbreak
By Villamor Visaya Jr.

LUNA, Isabela, July 1 (PNA) -- This town in the third district of Isabela has been declared under the state of calamity following a dengue outbreak here.

Luna Mayor Jaime Atayde has reported at least 33 villagers who were afflicted with dengue fever in the past weeks aside from those brought to private hospitals.

The patients were eventually treated and survived.

Vice Mayor Andy Domingo and the town councilors have unanimously approved a resolution declaring Luna under calamity state due to the onslaught of dengue cases.

At least P500,000 has been earmarked from the calamity fund of the local government for fogging operations and financial assistance to affected families.

Due to the hike of cases, Atayde asked village officials to lead information drive on dengue prevention.(PNA)

Antique Capitol to rescue minor sacadas
By Rey P. Alcalde

SAN JOSE, ANTIQUE, July 1 (PNA) -â€" Aware of the sad reality that minors are being forced to work as migrant sugar cane plantation workers locally known as sacadas at the haciendas in Negros Occidental due to extreme poverty, the Provincial Government of Antique thru the Sacada Desk vowed to stop this illegal recruitment of minors at all cost.

Sacada Desk OIC Bien Nallos, said he has marching orders from Gov. Rhodora J. Cadiao to reach out to the families of the sacadas from all over the province to assess their conditions and find ways and means to help them, especially in stopping these minors from working as sacadas.

Nallos said that minors are sort of being forced to work as sacadas because of poverty so the best solution is, give the families of sacadas alternative livelihood so that their children need not join their parents in going to Negros as sacadas.

“We are presently conducting a series of labor forums with the sacadas in the different municipalities. We are gathering as much information as we can which we will use in formulating livelihood programs for the sacadas. Among these livelihood programs are hog fattening, hog raising,” Nallos said.

The Sacada Desk is also coming up with policies to prevent the hiring of minors as sacadas.

“We are talking with the parents and the local officials. We are doing our best to inculcate into their minds that working as a sacada is dangerous for the young people. We always emphasize that minors should be in school and not out there in the sugar fields of Negros,” Nallos stressed, adding that his office is coming up with a program to help the minors go back to school.

Nallos said that in their recent labor forum in Barbaza town, he met Jay, a 16-year-old sacada from Brgy. Igpalge, Barbaza, Antique.

“At a young age of 15 he started to work in Negros Occidental to help his family. The eldest among five siblings, Jay felt the need to work to help his family survive. He only finished Grade 6. Now, Jay is 16 and has no choice but go to Negros to work as a sacada again having got P7,000 antecepo from a labor contractor,” Nallos said.

Antecepo is an advance payment to a sacada given by a recruiter to ensure that the recipient would work with his team when the harvest season for sugar cane comes. Usually, the recruiter gives out antecepo in June while actual harvest work starts on October and usually lasts until April.

The antecepo ranges from P7,000 to P10,000 depending on the recruiter and owner of the hacienda. It is being deducted from the salaries or earnings of the sacada within the first two months of work.

According to Mr. Nallos, Jay said that if he only has another job or another way to help his parents, he would not go to Negros to work as a sacada.

Ngano gud intawong maghikog man nga pwede ra man ug maghuwat na lang sa gitakdang panahon. 67 anyos na unta nga gipakabuhi sa Labawng Makagagahum.

China wants to poison all human beings in the world, except its own.

News - Malacañang’s unrealistic and improbable promises to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are the reasons why the Bangsamoro Basic Law is being challenged in Congress and the Supreme Court, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. said today.

Addressing the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) at the Manila Hotel, Marcos lambasted the President for his ‘’arrogation of powers’’,  especially in his policies and actions on Mindanao.

Marcos, Chairman of the Committee on Local Government deliberating on the BBL, was Philconsa’s guest of honor and speaker in their meeting where the group also awarded the senator as “The Great Protector of the Constitution”.

Philconsa has asked the Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) and the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro (CAB) between the MILF and the Philippine government, which serve as the basis of BBL.

Among others, Philconsa argued that peace panel has no power to commit to provisions in the agreements that would cause amendments to the constitution and existing laws.

“The proposed BBL is unbelievable for the sheer extravagance of the concessions the government makes to the MILF,” Marcos said.

He noted that as drafted, the BBL confers to the Bangsamoro entity powers normally reserved for the national government such as its own security force, Commission on Audit, Commission on Elections, and trial courts, which would give the Bangsamoro the features of a state.

Likewise, Marcos said that allowing the Bangsamoro entity to have a parliamentary form of government “betrays a level of carelessness and superficiality that dooms the Bangsamoro project to rejection.”

Aside from the constitutional issues against the BBL, Marcos said the glaring lack of consultation triggered opposition to the BBL.

“In the peace negotiations leading to the FAB and the CAB, the presidential peace adviser and the government peace panel did not consult with all the stakeholders in Mindanao, whose well-being and welfare will be greatly affected by the changes contemplated by the BBL,” Marcos noted.

Marcos said entire communities â€" Muslims, Lumads and Christians â€"were stunned when they found out that they were left out of the peace negotiations. He noted that even the heirs of the Sultanate of Sulu were completely excluded in the process.

The senator also said it remains a big puzzle why the peace panel summarily lumped together as one community the 13 Filipino-Muslim groups---to be represented and led by the MILF and the Maguindanao group---who are known to be oftentimes in conflict with one another.

These 13 ethno-linguistic Muslim groups are: Iranum, Magindanaon, Maranao, Tao-sug, Samal, Yakan, Jama Mapun, Ka’agan, Kalibugan, Sangil, Molbog, Palawani and Badjao.

Instead of merely pushing for the approval of the draft BBL, Marcos said a better approach toward lasting peace would be to embark on a full-scale modernization program for all of Mindanao.

“Mindanao’s modernization is the vision that I will introduce in my substitute bill for the BBL,” Marcos said. He earlier explained that he is crafting a substitute bill to address the flaws of the draft BBL and improve it.

He said the amount of money that the Aquino administration is prepared to commit to its BBL experiment is enough to design the equivalent of a mini-Marshall plan for Mindanao. On the first year of its operation, the Bangsamoro entity would get an estimated total funding of P75 billion.

“If we combine internal funds with financial assistance from international institutions and foreign countries, we can mobilize funds on a scale that will not fall short of effecting the full transformation of Mindanao into a hive of modernization and productivity for the nation,” Marcos said.

Marcos said such a modernization program should include the following components: pacification campaign, modernization of power and road infrastructure, modernization of civil service, and efficient delivery of basic services.

“With the same can-do spirit that enabled our people to transform Subic Bay and Clark air base into havens of rapid modernization and development, we can effect a similar and even bigger transformation in Mindanao,” Marcos said.

Marcos urged the Palace and Congress, along with the public, to join hands for the passage of a modernization and development act for Mindanao.

“Let that day come to pass. Let the proposed decommissioning of weapons point in this direction of constructive building.  Let us allow the peacemakers to take over from the fighters.  Then let us allow the builders to come and put up the structures of the new and modern Mindanao, where Muslim, Christian and Lumad can all prosper,” Marcos said.

1.      3.   Unconscionable promises to MILF â€" the proposed BBL is unbelievable for the sheer extravagance of the concessions government makes to the MILF.  It confers on the Bangsamoro entity its own security force, Commission on Audit, Commission on Elections, Civil Service, fiscal and monetary policymakers and trial courts. It also allows in many instances the Bangsamoro Parliament to amend and even repudiate laws passed by Congress. As drafted by the MILF and seconded by our peace negotiators, these powers that are normally reserved for the national government would give the Bangsamoro the features of a state.


1.      4.   Parliamentary political structure â€" the political structure of the Bangsamoro entity is parliamentary in form. It is described as asymmetric with that of the national government. However, its ministerial features are symmetrical to those of the states of the Malaysian Federation.


This betrays a level of carelessness and superficiality that threatens the Bangsamoro project with rejection.


1.      5.   Portraying ARRM as a failed experimentâ€"to sell the Bangsamoro entity, the constitutional Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is aggressively portrayed as a “failed experiment” by no less than the President and the peace negotiators on both sides. They mean to displace it with the BBL.


This is a fantasy that will not fly.


I cannot agree with this assertion that the ARMM is a failed experiment. Rather it is my view that it is an ongoing experiment that may have flaws and weaknesses but it is precisely our function to strengthen and correct those as we learn from experience. The ARRM has been in existence for two decades. It has a bureaucracy of 26,000 civil servants. It has had a democratically elected government for almost as long.


I can only surmise that this reasoning is used to give the MILF supremacy over the MNLF in the final result that is the Bangsamoro government. We must remember that the ARMM is the product of peace agreements between the MNLF and the government, while Bangsamoro is the result of agreements between the MILF and the government.


1.      6.   MILF cannot deliver peace in Mindanao.  This is a point that was repeated over and over by Muslim groups and Mindanaons. The Mamasapano massacre appeared to prove to many that the MILF cannot discipline its own ranks or stop violence in its own backyard.  It provided a safe haven to dangerous terrorists who were enemies of the republic. It should be feared that the MILF may now seek backing from the jihadists in the Middle East as other armed groups in Mindanao have done.


1.      7.   Upgrading and strengthening ARMM may be the better way forward for peace and development in Muslim Mindanao. This was startling for us to discover but most Muslim groups are opposed to the BBL and the MILF. An honest to goodness survey of the areas proposed for inclusion in the Bangsamoro entity will show that a good majority is opposed to such inclusion.


Modernization is the way forward


            The more I study the issues and recent developments in Mindanao, the more I am convinced that it’s not enough to just restrain the passage of the proposed BBL as originally drafted by the Palace and the MILF. Defeating it may be easy.


Coming up with something that will work is clearly the better strategy.


            From our studies of the problems in Muslim Mindanao and the whole of Mindanao, I am convinced that the best approach is a fullâ€"scale modernization program for all of Mindanao â€" politically, economically, socially and culturally.


            We cannot just keep on talking of one small slice of what   was once called “our land of promise.” We must now deal with the whole â€" all of Mindanao and Sulu, and all the people there. Our planning, our actions, our strategies, and our labors must measure up to that challenge.


            With the kind of money and numbers that this administration is prepared to commit to its BBL experiment, we can design the equivalent of an accelerated development plan for Mindanao. If we combine internal funds with financial assistance from international institutions and foreign countries, we can mobilize funds on a scale that will not fall short of effecting the full transformation of Mindanao into a hive of modernization and productivity for the nation.


            If we get the private sector â€" domestic and foreign investors -- fully involved, there’s no telling what we can accomplish. As we unleash the full potential of Mindanao for development, the investments and resources will follow.


            This of course needs full study and planning. This must involve planners and managers in Manila, and planners and managers in Mindanao. But even this early, I can already envision what may be possible and what the essential elements of a Mindanao modernization program will consist of:



1.      1.   A full-scale pacification and law enforcement program to bring to a halt the various insurgencies and rebellions in Mindanao. The integration of willing rebel troops into the armed forces and the PNP should be undertaken. We already have some experience of this under 1996 Djakarta peace agreement between the Ramos government and the MNLF.


The costs of pacification and integration will certainly be worth it, because peace will produce economic dividends throughout the south.


1.    2.   Modernization of Mindanao infrastructure. Once and for all, Mindanao’s perennial power problem must be resolved with a stable, adequate and affordable power supply. Roads should be built and modernized to connect all parts of the island into one economy.


1.      3.   A feasibility study for a railway system in Mindanao should be undertaken.


1.      4.   The Modernization of the Civil Service should be launched.


The adoption of meritocracy and the moderation of patronage politics should pave the way for an effective bureaucracy to support the modernization effort.


1.      5.   Provision of modern public services by the government and the private sector. With the right policies, both government and the private sector can provide better public services, such as better public transport, and adequate social services in peace and order, education and health care.


A Marshall Plan for Mindanao


            It was the historic Marshall Plan in post-war Europe that got me thinking of modernization as possibly the best strategy for Mindanao in the aftermath of secessionist conflict.


            The Marshall Plan laid the seeds for Europe‘s rapid recovery from war and devastation in 1948. It was proposed by George Catlett Marshall, who was at the time   secretary of state under President Truman.


            His plan led to the creation of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC) on 16 April 1948, organized in order to meet Marshall's request for "some agreement among the countries of Europe as to the requirements of the situation and the part those countries themselves will take". The mandate of the OEEC was to continue work on a joint recovery programme and in particular to supervise the distribution of aid. In 1961, the OEEC evolved to become the OECD.


            General Marshall was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953 for his role as architect and advocate of the Marshall Plan. This is the idea that perhaps the President should keep in mind if the Nobel Peace Prize is his intended goal as has been speculated by many.


            What fired this highly successful and potent recovery and development program?


            Plainly, it was the power of the vision, the urgency of the challenge, the clarity of the ideas, and the generosity of spirit that would make it happen.


            I believe we need a similar approach to the challenge of raising Mindanao’s economy and its people and redeeming once and for all its mighty promise.


            Mindanao’s modernization is the vision that I will introduce in either my substitute bill for the BBL or an amendment of the organic act for ARMM, which I will submit to Congress. I will request the support of both Houses of Congress to join me in sponsoring this program of transformation.


            With the same spirit that enabled our people to transform Subic Bay and Clark air Base into havens of rapid modernization and development, we can effect a similar and even more profound transformation in Mindanao.


            Just as Congress, the Executive and the citizenry joined together in the swift passage of the Bases Conversion and Development Act in 1992, so let me urge Congress, the Executive and the people to pool their efforts once again in securing passage of a Modernization and Development Act for Mindanao.


            Let that day come to pass. Let the proposed decommissioning of weapons point in this direction of constructive building.  Let us allow the peacemakers to take over from the fighters.  Then let us allow the builders to come and put up the structures and systems of the new and modern Mindanao, where Muslim, Christian and lumad can all prosper.


            I pray that some of these ideas will find support within your association and this assembly of acolytes of the law. For it is only when a vision finds life in law that they truly come alive.


            Thank you again for the privilege of this forum.


            Mabuhay ang Philconsa.

            Mabuhay ang Republika ng Pilipinas.

            Maraming salamat po!

Towards the full modernization of Mindanao
By Sen. Bongbong Marcos


Address of Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Philippine Constitution Association

30 June 2015


Philconsa Chairman

Justice Manuel Lazaro;

Philconsa President

Congressman Martin Romualdez;

Members of the Philippine Constitution Association;

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen:



            It is both an honor and a privilege to address this assembly of the Philippine Constitution Association, at this particular time when great questions of law and policy engage the nation and when many of our people are embroiled in a debate on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) for Muslim Mindanao.


            Also, when Justice Lazaro told me that I would be receiving an award for being “the great defender of the Constitution” I found this quite ironic. First, that a non-lawyer would be accorded such a singular and, I must admit, flattering honor. Second, the greater irony is that it is Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that has become the “great defender” of the Cory Constitution! I can almost hear my father looking down upon these proceedings, scratching his head and asking, “How did that happen?”


I come here from the frontlines of this national debate, which has taken me to many parts of our country, from North to South, as chair of the Senate committee on local government, which has conducted hearings and consultations with our people and stakeholders firsthand â€" often in the key capitals and towns of our Muslim communities.


            The consultations have included our indigenous and Christian communities in Mindanao, as well as other communities in other parts of our country, mindful that their thoughts and feelings on this policy issue are vital to achieving the peace and stability we all desire.


            We have even consulted with foreign business groups who have a keen interest in what happens in the South, like the European Chamber of Commerce and the IOC and its members, whose participation and assistance in economic recovery and expansion will help in the successful implementation of our future policy and plans in the South.


The Supreme Court’s shield and sword


            My address today will be a report on our consultations, on the progress of our work, on the discussions held, the impressions I’ve had, the conclusions and insights, and the counsel we have received â€" all of which, when taken together, will help complete the final version of the substitute bill which I plan to submit to Congress upon the opening of our third and final regular session on July 27.


            It is fitting that this visit with Philconsa should be an important part of this consultation effort, because your Association, throughout its 53-year history, has been steadfast and unwavering in preserving, protecting and defending the Constitution of our Republic.


            Central to that mission also is the protection and defense of our governmental trinity â€" the separation and balance of powers of the three branches of our government â€" the legislative, the executive and the judicial.


It has been suggested that the exquisite, if precarious balance of power that has kept our ship of state afloat and moving forward rests critically on our independent Supreme Court.


            When the President or Congress attempts to weaken that independence by forcing the Judiciary to do the political work of the other two branches, they threaten that balance.


            When the intrusion becomes obvious and substantial, even obsessive, it constitutes a clear danger to the nation, because it can dilute the people’s confidence in their Supreme Court.  I learned at the feet of a parent who knew the law, that “the people’s confidence is both the court’s shield and its sword.”


            That confidence is clearly reflected in Philconsa’s recent decision to question before the Supreme Court the constitutionality of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) that the government hurriedly and somewhat rashly signed with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).       


            When I saw some of your number on TV â€" holding the petition you filed in the Supreme Court, I thought to myself, “What a telegenic group of lawyers!” After reading the petition you filed, I told myself, “They’re not only telegenic, they’re right!”


Your initiative, joined by others, is an inestimable service to the nation, because on these agreements rests the administration’s ambitious enterprise of creating a new Bangsamoro political entity or sub-state. With a favorable resolution from the high court, I see the possibility of our society vaulting over the divisions over this issue. 


            Because I hear it often used these days, I decided to look up the term “sub-state” in the leading English dictionaries and encyclopedias. I was surprised to discover that the word does not exist.


            Each stop in our committee’s consultation effort has been important and significant. Each will have a place in the report that our committee will submit to the Senate plenary. And each will be reflected in the substitute bill that I will submit to Congress and the nation when Congress opens its last regular session on July 27.


            In writing the report and crafting the legislation, we are being painstaking and as comprehensive as possible, anxious not to fall into the kind of errors that marred earlier efforts to write an enabling law for autonomy, peace and development for southern Philippines


            I will not attempt here a summation of our committee report or a preview of my substitute bill, because my time here is short, and we all have work awaiting us.


            What I will do instead is highlight some of the key themes that will be reflected in the report and the draft legislation.


Doing the right thing


            As I have endeavored to explain, the object of all our hearings and consultations is to produce the right law and policy for effecting the full cessation of conflict in Mindanao, for ensuring a stable peace, for accelerating the recovery and expansion of Mindanao’s economy, and for planning the long-term development of the South.


            As a concept of political science, public policy is a government plan of action to solve a problem that people share collectively and cannot solve on their own. That is not to say that the subject problem is always solved; sometimes the plan can create more difficulties or sometimes even worsen problems.


            It’s useful to remember the distinction between domestic and foreign policy. When the problem occurs within the country, the government response is domestic policy. When the problem concerns our relations with other nations, it is foreign policy.


            Public policies are usually created by members of Congress in the form of new laws.


            The role of Congress in creating and legitimizing policy through its lawmaking is critically important and takes precedence over that of other players.


            The President may also create policy, by putting an issue on the public agenda, by including it in his budget proposal, by vetoing a law made by Congress, or by issuing an Executive Order that establishes a new policy or augments an existing one.  Executive Orders sometimes can direct profound changes in policy.


            Finally, the courts are policymakers as well.  When the courts rule on what the government should do or not do, they are clearly taking an active policymaking role.


            The fact that all three branches participate in the making of public policy should not confuse us on the primordial responsibility of Congress of lawmaking. It is a responsibility that we legislators must never abdicate. For the lawgiver must always answer when a particular law or policy fails, or worse, cause harm.


            Ours is a system not only of separated powers; it is also a system of enumerated powers, meaning that the powers of each branch are limited to those explicitly granted by the constitution.


            The point is clearly important because once we examine the problems that have bedeviled the President’s policies and actions on Mindanao, we find what some critics have called the arrogation of powers by the President.


            It’s been suggested by some political scientists and scholars that the memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) undertaken by the Macapagal-Arroyo government was a case of thinking “out of the box” in order to establish an alternative process for lasting peace in the South.


            By this measure, the CAB and the BBL are not only out of the box thinking; they are in the vacuum of outer space. This is the reason why controversy hounds the Bangsamoro experiment everywhere it turns, and why it finds scant support and little traction in Congress and in public opinion across the nation.


Some key findings at hearings


            From our consultations and hearings, which listened not only to stakeholders, but also to key agencies of government and the private sector, I can outline some of our key findings, conclusions and insights, which consequently will be reflected in our committee report and substitute bill.



1.      1.   The government peace panel did not consult with all stakeholders. The first of these findings is that in the peace negotiations leading to the FAB and the CAB, the presidential peace adviser and the government peace panel did not consult with all the stakeholders in Mindanao, whose well-being and welfare will be greatly affected by the changes contemplated by the BBL.     It stunned entire communities â€" Muslim as well as lumad and Christian â€" to find that in the peace negotiations they were regarded as non-existent and non-entities. A particularly egregious example was that the heirs of the Sultanate of Sulu were completely excluded. This is a grievous oversight by the government negotiating panel as the peace process cannot succeed without an understanding of the process by, and the support of, stakeholders such as the Sultanates, the different tribes, LGU’s, the business community, the MNLF, Christian groups and IP’s to name a few.


Furthermore, it came as a surprise to them that the MILF, whom they neither authorized nor recognized as their representatives in the negotiations, were speaking and making decisions on their behalf in that process. It was only upon consultation with those stakeholders that their particular issues and concerns were brought to light.


1.      2.   Treating 13 Filipino-Muslim groups as one homogeneous community. It is also a big puzzle why and how 13 Filipino-Muslim groups â€" were summarily lumped together as one community, to be represented and led by one group, the MILF and Maguindanao group.


These thirteen (13) ethno-linguistic groups are: Iranum, Magindanaon, Maranao, Tao-sug, Samal, Yakan, Jama Mapun, Ka’agan, Kalibugan, Sangil, Molbog, Palawani and Badjao.


Treating them as one homogeneous community is a misrepresentation of their respective identities and cultures. It also glosses over the fact that historically Muslim groups have oftentimes been in conflict with one another because of different concerns and priorities.


Introducing the term “Bangsamoro” is a clever attempt to unify them for separatism; but it is plainly a falsification of reality. For our government to take part in this misrepresentation is a fundamental mistake that has since come to plague the draft BBL.


On learning that they must submit to the leadership and control of the MILF, one Muslim tribal leader remarked, that under the guise of being liberated from imperial Manila, they would instead be subjected to the imperial rule of the MILF.

eight years ago pa ni nga post. looking forward to 8 years more sa Tubag Bohol.

NEXT PRESIDENT SHOULD ABANDON POLICY OF POLITICAL VENGEANCEâ€"SEN. MARCOS

The next President should not make it a government policy to jail political opponents, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. said in a radio interview.

Marcos said such policy, adopted in the past and present administrations, is counterproductive and divides Filipinos.

“We should do away with what we have been seeing in the past few years when recent administrations adopted a deliberate campaign of vengeance against their political foes, practically making it a national policy,” Marcos said.

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sent her predecessor Pres. Joseph Estrada to jail on charges of plunder. Arroyo met the same fate under the Aquino administration.

The Aquino administration had also actively sought the impeachment of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, who is an appointee of Arroyo.

Recently, opposition senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Ramon Revilla, Jr. were jailed on allegations of corruption.

For his part, Vice President Jejomar Binay accused the Aquino administration of implementing “selective justice”â€"going after political foes while allowing allies in the Liberal Party to go unpunishedâ€" in his initial salvo against Malacañang on Wednesday after resigning from the Aquino Cabinet.

Binay, who has announced his intention to run for President in the 2016 elections, is likewise being hounded by charges of corruption, which he claims to be politically-motivated and orchestrated by allies of the Aquino administration.

Many political observers believe Pres. Aquino may suffer the same fate as Arroyo and Estrada after the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the administration’s Disbursement Acceleration Program, which funneled billions of public funds into various projects.

If Pres. Aquino had indeed violated the laws, then he should face charges that may be filed against him after his term, according to Marcos.

However, Marcos said the next administration should not have a direct hand in the filing of such charges and should treat them as any ordinary criminal case.

“We should leave that culture of vengeance behind us. What the next President should strive is to unite the country so that every Filipino could work together for the good of our country---not for personal gain, not for the benefit of a party, but for the benefit of the entire nation,” Marcos stressed.

“The top priority of the next President is not to go after political opponents and play politics. His priority should be how to push the development of our country, how to improve the lives of our people, how to grow the economy,” he added.

sa iyang tinubagan sa interview, klaro kaayo nga wa na ni sa maayong pangisip. daut na kaayo sa illegal nga druga.

sa ato pa kung niwang mosakay, half nalang pud unta ang plete.

Hi, everyone --

This Father's Day, I want to take a moment to thank all of the dads across the country -- and across the world -- who aren't just "around," but are deeply involved in the lives of their kids.

But today also reminds me of the countless children whose fathers aren't showing up for the most important job they'll ever have.

As a man who grew up without a father, this is personal for me. And it's a big part of the reason why I started the My Brother's Keeper initiative last year.

I want every child to know -- especially those growing up without dads -- that regardless of their circumstances, they're no different from me.

I want every child to know that they matter. They count.

Having a father around drives that point home, but the rest of us can step up to make sure that every kid can reach their full potential.

Share your own story of how you're making a difference in the life of a young person in your community -- and learn more about My Brother's Keeper and how you can get involved.

Being a dad is the most important job many of us will ever have. And that's something that should be on our minds today -- and every day.

Thank you, and Happy Father's Day.

President Barack Obama

SUBSTITUTE BBL WILL HELP ENSURE ENERGY SECURITYâ€"SEN. MARCOS
                       
The substitute Bangsamoro Basic Law being crafted by Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr., Chairman of the Committee on Local Government, would help ensure energy security in Mindanao and the entire country.

In his speech at the celebration of Pagadian City’s 46th anniversary as a chartered city, Marcos said the rotating brownouts occurring in Mindanao not only make life difficult for the people but also hinder progress and development in the area.

“I am doing my part as a legislator to help solve this serious problem,” Marcos said.

For instance, Marcos said he is carefully studying the significant implications of the provision on inland waters in BBL which gives the Bangsamoro government control and supervision over Lake Lanao. He noted that this could affect energy security in Mindanao and the entire country.

Lake Lanao is a critical water resource for the entire Mindanao that provides over 50 percent of the energy supply of Mindanao generated from 6 power plants in the lake’s outlet, Agus River. These power plants are connected to the national grid.

“What would happen if Lake Lanao is allowed to be claimed as part of the “Bangsamoro territory”? Of course, control over it would be divested from the National Power Corporation (NPC) and transferred to the Bangsamoro government,” Marcos said.

In the Senate hearing on BBL, the Mindanao Development Authority urged Congress to exclude Lake Lanao from the Bangsamoro territory and ensure it is maintained and kept under the control of the national government for the communal use and benefit of the entire Mindanao.

“We are doing everything to craft a BBL that will be inclusive and beneficial to the whole of Mindanao and our entire nation,” Marcos said.

In addition to his efforts to craft a better BBL, Marcos said he is also working with electric cooperatives to enable them to improve their services with tax breaks and other privileges they enjoy under the law.

Marcos believes that with proper coordination and cooperation between the government and the private sector, it is possible to remedy the power supply problems of Mindanao. He cited how the National Electrification Administration was able to work with all electric cooperatives to ensure there would be no brownouts during the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight.

“This simple example speaks volumes about the effectivity and workability of the mechanisms of coordination and regulation that are in place in our overall system,” Marcos said.

The senator said the public is tired of hearing excuses such as aging power plants, the need to conduct preventive maintenance, or even sabotage to explain the continuing power supply problem in the country.

To avert an even worse power crisis, Marcos stressed that the concerned government agencies and the private sector should join hands to find a lasting solution to the problem.

image of loneliness - I want to break free (by Queen)

SEN. MARCOS URGES LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXECS TO GET INVOLVED IN BBL DISCUSSIONS

Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government has urged local government officials to get involved in the discussion on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, saying it affects not only Mindanao but the entire country as well.

“I encourage everyone, to get involved. Come and talk to us, and be part of the discussion. This affects you too,” said Marcos in his speech at the 62nd national assembly of the League of Vice-Governors of the Philippines in Tuguegarao City on Thursday night.

Marcos revealed that other LGUs in the country will have to contribute funds to the Bangsamoro government.

Under the BBL, the Bangsamoro government’s budget will come from three sources: the annual budget of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao of about P24.6 billion in current levels, the Internal Revenue Allotment share that LGUs under the Bangsamoro government will still receive, and  a block grant, estimated to be between P35-P36 billion annually.

“The question is, where would that fund come from? Ultimately, it would come from you,” Marcos said.

Marcos said he acknowledges the argument that the Bangsamoro government would need additional funding support because Muslim Mindanao is still lagging behind other areas of the country in terms of development. However, he pointed out that the BBL should provide safeguards to ensure the funds would be used properly. Such safeguards are lacking in the draft BBL, according to Marcos.

Marcos also cited that other issues that his panel needs to address are the constitutional issues raised against the BBL, as well as issues on administrative matters, wealth-sharing, power-sharing, and economic provisions.

As a lawmaker, the senator said it is his duty to ensure every law the Senate would pass is constitutional, legal, and is practical enough to actually work towards achieving its goal.

In accepting the challenges his committee faces in preparing a substitute bill, Marcos said the BBL presents “an extraordinary opportunity for us to take some of the first steps to peace in Muslim Mindanao”.

Likewise, he reiterated that the BBL won’t succeed unless it earns the support of the Filipino people. Marcos said this is the reason he takes advantage of opportunities to explain his position on the BBL and report what his committee is doing on the proposed law.

“It's important that everyone around the country, especially our local government executives, understand what is at stake, how important it is, and how important it is that we get it right,” Marcos said.

NO Philippine SENATE REVAMP IN THE OFFING

Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government, today said Senate President Franklin Drilon has given assurance that there is no impending reorganization of the Senate.

Earlier, Marcos cited reports of plans to revamp the Senate leadership to hasten the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law now under deliberation in his committee.

In a press briefing, Marcos told local reporters in Tuguegarao City that he received a text from Drilon, in effect assuring him he can continue work on the BBL unhampered by any threat of reorganization.

Marcos was in Tuguegarao as keynote speaker in the 62nd National Assembly of the League of Vice-Governors of the Philippines.

“While we are in discussion I received a text message from SP Drilon. Here’s what he said: ‘There are no plans to reorganize the Senate’,” Marcos said.

Marcos said he is grateful that Drilon stood his ground to defend the independence of the Senate.

“It seems that such threat of reorganization will not push through anymore,” Marcos said.

Reports of impending reorganization in the Senate floated after President Benigno Aquino III spoke during the decommissioning of Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters and turnover of their guns, where he lashed at lawmakers who are blocking the passage of BBL.

Marcos said he did not feel alluded to because he has been working non-stop to address the flaws of the draft BBL.

If Malacanang wants to speed up the passage of BBL, Senate reorganization is not the solution, Marcos said.

“Nothing will change. If you reorganize, it will not make the BBL more constitutional. If you reorganize, it will not change the problems that we found in the BBL,” Marcos said.

On the contrary, Marcos said a revamp in the Senate leadership would only serve to delay further the passage of BBL because the new committee that would handle the proposed law would have to begin anew from scratch.

Marcos said the supposed plan to reorganize the Senate apparently came from someone who has no understanding of the legislative process and the work that his committee has been doing on the BBL.

The senator stressed that his committee is on track with its target to complete the preparation of a substitute bill, which the panel members could discuss when the Senate resumes its session on July 27.

June 27, 2010 as published by the Bohol Sunday Post
Insurgency-free Bohol is Aumentado's legacy â€" Army

INSURGENCY has become irrelevant in Bohol. Brig. Gen. Alan Luga, commander of the Philippine Army's 802 nd Infantry Brigade (802 Bde) based in Camp Rajah Sikatuna in Carmen town gave this assessment during the last Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting under the Aumentado administration held at the Dagohoy Hall of the Bohol Tropics in Tagbilaran City. Luga congratulated Gov. Erico Aumentado and the multi-sectoral PPOC for the civilian government-led anti-insurgency campaign that allowed the military in the province to hasten the accomplishment of its mission.

“ The Armed Forces of the Philippines in general, the 8 th Infantry Division under Maj. General Arthur Tabaquero, the 802 nd Infantry Brigade and the 2 nd Special Forces Battalion in particular would like to congratulate Gov. Erico Aumentado for a successful anti-insurgency campaign in Bohol,” he said. The Aumentado formula of poverty reduction for peace and development showed that the five front committees of the New People's Army (NPA) the army had faced in 2001 have been reduced to zero â€" and with it, the dramatic drop of the rebels' strength, high-powered firearms and barangay affectation, Luga pointed out. He also said poverty incidence dropped from 53.6 percent to 28.4 percent, while tourist arrivals increased from 90,000 to 500,000, citing Aumentado's leadership and unwavering support extended to army units and commanders assigned in Bohol for the past nine years.

“The declaration of Bohol province as insurgent-free and subsequent hand-over of ISO [internal security operations] responsibility from the AFP/PNP [Armed Forces of the Philippines/Philippine National Police] to the Bohol PPOC in March 2010 is a clear manifestation of this successful anti-insurgency campaign,” Luga said. The military attributed the success to the holistic approach introduced by the provincial government, good governance and convergence of efforts of all stakeholders. “And, for as long as the new set of elected provincial and local leaders would continue the kind of governance, programs and the strong political will of denouncing the NPA and their illegal activities, Bohol will continue to be insurgency free,” he added. At the same time, he assured the PPOC members that the army will never be complacent even with the feat since Bohol will always remain a priority recovery area for the NPA.

To note, this feat earned for Bohol Administrative Order 201 wherein, among others, President Arroyo made the province a template for other local government units to follow in the fight against insurgency. The order also urges relevant agencies to accelerate or expand such development efforts, "especially the Bohol local peace efforts." "The message should be clear: When peace is forged, development follows," the AO reads. Aumentado has also been in the forefront in strategizing against the re-entry of insurgents â€" and other lawless elements and contraband â€" to the province through the Bohol Local Integrated Security System (Bliss) that the army is implementing. Luga vowed that they will remain on alert to “preserve the anti-insurgency gains we have established in Bohol and to prevent the reentry of insurgents for a continued peace and economic development”.  The army does not limit its missions to combat operations, however. Their two-pronged approach includes the left-hand punch â€" special operations team (SOT) methodology and other “civilian” approaches like active participation in medical-dental civic action programs (Medcap) initiated by the PPOC.

In Bohol, the military is also a pillar in the Local Peace Forum (LPF) chaired by Bishop Leonardo Medroso of the Diocese of Tagbilaran and Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak before him, co-chaired by the governor; assists rebel returnees in the Social Integration Program of the government, participates in the Local Monitoring Board of the provincial government, conducts skills training for rebel returnees and civilians under the SPIN Program spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry, and constructs school buildings and other infrastructures â€" all strengthening Aumentado's legacy: his signature poverty reduction for peace and development.

okay, please post photos.

unsa gud ni nga kalihokan, balong?

Study finds links between obesity, male breast cancer

LONDON, June 13 - Researchers have found a possible association between the rise in obesity and the increase in cases of male breast cancer, according to a report released Friday by the University of Leeds.

It is known for a long time that fat cells of obese men contain enzymes that convert male hormones testosterone into female hormones estrogen.

It follows logically that the more fat a man carry the more opportunity he has for estrogen production, so men with a body mass index over 25 have more female hormones in their blood, according to the study.

"We also know that more than 90 percent of male breast cancers seen in the clinic have receptors on the cell surface that recognize these female hormones and use them to grow," said Professor Speirs, from the University of Leeds.

In addition, cholesterol can be converted into a compound that mimics the activity of estrogen. Obese men tend to have much higher cholesterol levels, so they have more of the estrogen-mimicking compound in their bodies which also encourages cancer growth, the researchers said.

It was recently reported at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual conference in Chicago that obesity is set to overtake tobacco as the leading cause of cancer.

As well as raising awareness of male breast cancer, researchers said they also wish to stress that obesity is a preventable condition and men can take measures to reduce their risk of developing the disease, including eating a healthier diet.(PNA/Xinhua)

unsa may contact number? ug asa man ang display center? thanks.

Bridge to provide new access to Davao airport, seaport for village folks, farmers
By Lilian C. Mellejor

The village folks and farmers of the remote barangay of Lampianao in this city’s third district will have easier access to Davao International Airport and seaport as a new bridge will soon be completed to serve the northeast and southwest part of the city.

While the P70 million bridge, which is funded out of the budget allocation of third district Representative Isidro Ungab, will benefit the residents of Lampianao, it will also be an access for other barangays in Calinan and Marilog districts to the second district where most of the industries are located.

A combined population of Calinan and Marilog districts totals to over a hundred thousand. Other nearby barangays in the third and second districts will also benefit from the Lampianao-Callawa Bridge. Callawa is a barangay in the second district.

Ungab said this new bridge will boost travel of persons and goods within the 3rd District to the 2nd District of the city where both seaport and airport are located.

According to him, many people from his district and those as far as Bukidnon will benefit from the project which has been in the pipeline since the time of former Mayor Elias Lopez and Congressman Manuel Garcia.

The project was a priority during the time when Leoncio Evasco was assigned by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as head of the City Engineer's Office. Evasco is now serving as Mayor of Maribjoc in Bohol.

Ungab stressed the project was realized today because the amount is beyond the city government's budget and it has to be funded when he assumed as Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

He said Lampianao-Callawa is now the 6th bridge crossing the Davao River after Bankerohan, Bolton, San Rafael, Maa and Lamanan.

He also disclosed that the Lamanan Bridge is part of his P270 million budget for the Lacson-Lamanan-Inayangan-Malabog Road which also links the 3rd and 2nd Districts.

Ungab has already brought in P2.4 billion worth of projects this year. Last year a total of P1.7 billion worth of projects were implemented for the benefit of the people of the 3rd District.

He said this amount is a tremendous increase from Congressman Ungab's first term when he had only a total of P170 million projects. (PNA)

“You know, sometimes kids get bad grades in school because the class moves too slow for them. Einstein got D's in school. Well guess what, I get F's!!!”
― Bill Watterson

“I don't believe in colleges and universities. I believe in libraries because most students don't have any money. When I graduated from high school, it was during the Depression and we had no money. I couldn't go to college, so I went to the library three days a week for 10 years.”
― Ray Bradbury

unsa kahay nakaon ni si iyo? So-en?

diha pud toy balita 2 weeks ago nga asawa gidunggab sa bana ug namatay kay gibasol sa bana nga wala tay-i ang numero sa swertres. unya kay nigawas man ang numero. nakaingon ang bana nga gitay-an. wala man diay. mao to nga gidunggab patay iyang asawa. diha pa ang mga anak nakasaksi.

grabeha naman ning mga tawo karon sa pilipinas. paghugas lang sa plato, mopatay naman ug amahan.

wala ba kaha to nahubog sa shabu? abi tingali niya ug dili na motugpa.

The United States has overtaken Saudi Arabia as the world's biggest oil producer in 2014 while India has recorded the highest growth in energy consumption among major economies.

The US produced 15.9 per cent more oil in 2014 at 11.6 million barrels of oil per day to topple Saudi Arabia's 11.5 million bpd production, according to BP Plc's Statistical Review of World Energy released on Wednesday.

Russia with 10.8 million bpd oil production was placed third.

The US surpassed Russia as the world's largest producer of oil and gas, producing 1,250.4 million tons of oil and oil equivalent natural gas in 2014. This compared with Russia's 1,062 million tons of oil equivalent.

BP said the US shale revolution helped it overtake "Saudi Arabia as the world's biggest oil producer and surpass Russia as the world's largest producer of oil and gas."

On the consumption side, BP Statistical Review said world primary energy consumption slowed markedly, with growth of just 0.9 per cent in 2014, a lower rate than at any time since the late 1990s (other than in the immediate aftermath of last decade's financial crisis).

Chinese growth in consumption slowed to its lowest level since 1998 as its economy rebalances away from energy intensive sectors, though China remained the world's largest growth market for energy.

India, however, posted a 7.1 per cent rise in energy consumption, the fastest among major economies and second only to Algeria's 8.4 per cent expansion.

It consumed 637.8 million tons of oil and oil equivalent natural gas, coal, nuclear energy, hydro electricity and renewable energy.

This consumption was dwarf in comparison to 2972.1 million tons of oil equivalent energy consumed in China and 2298.7 million tons in the US. It was also lower than Russia's 681.9 million tons but more than Japan's 456.1 million tons oil equivalent energy consumption.

While India's oil production declined 1.3 per cent at 895,000 bpd, consumption rose 3 per cent to 3.8 million bpd.

Though India is heavily dependent on imports to meet its oil needs, it is self-sufficient in refining capacity, housing a total capacity of 4.3 million bpd, fourth largest in the world behind the US (17.79 million bpd), China (14.09 million bpd) and Russia (6.3 million bpd).

Natural gas production dipped 5.9 per cent to 31.7 billion cubic meters.

BP Group Chief Executive Bob Dudley said: "The eerie calm that had characterised energy markets in the few years prior to 2014 came to an abrupt end last year. However, we should not be surprised or alarmed.

"These events may well come to be viewed as symptomatic of a broader shifting of the tectonic plates that make up the energy landscape, with significant developments in both the supply of energy and its demand. Our task as an industry is to meet today's challenges while continuing to invest to meet tomorrow's demand, safely and sustainably," he added.

Spratlys mentality of an intsik wakang.

There are 111 islets dotting around Bohol province. Unfortunately, we can't legally buy any of the islets.

Sent from my Lenovo A7000-a using Tapatalk

Sent from my Lenovo A7000-a using Tapatalk

"Posted via Tapatalk, a free app downloadable at Google Play Store and Apple iOS. Browse and post on TUBAGBOHOL.com through your smartphone or tablet by using Tapatalk app."

kahilakon pud ko. huhuhu

mao ning nitulibagbag ang utok ug miingon nga baji kono sija?

"Posted via Tapatalk, a free app downloadable at Google Play Store and Apple iOS. Browse and post on TUBAGBOHOL.com through your smartphone or tablet by using Tapatalk app."

Consequence of Sexual Harassment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=40&v=GNTstH7Yai4

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18. NUM LOCK for five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off)
19. Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)
20. Windows Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts
21. END (Display the bottom of the active window)
22. HOME (Display the top of the active window)
23. NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) (Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder)
24. NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) (Display the contents of the selected folder)

MMC Console keyboard shortcuts

1. SHIFT+F10 (Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item)
2. F1 key (Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item)
3. F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
4. CTRL+F10 (Maximize the active console window)
5. CTRL+F5 (Restore the active console window)
6. ALT+ENTER (Display the Properties dialog box, if any, for theselected item)
7. F2 key (Rename the selected item)
8. CTRL+F4 (Close the active console window. When a console has only one console window, this shortcut closes the console)

Remote Desktop Connection Navigation
1. CTRL+ALT+END (Open the Microsoft Windows NT Security dialog box)
2. ALT+PAGE UP (Switch between programs from left to right)
3. ALT+PAGE DOWN (Switch between programs from right to left)
4. ALT+INSERT (Cycle through the programs in most recently used order)
5. ALT+HOME (Display the Start menu)
6. CTRL+ALT+BREAK (Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen)
7. ALT+DELETE (Display the Windows menu)
8. CTRL+ALT+Minus sign (-) (Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
9. CTRL+ALT+Plus sign (+) (Place asnapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboardand provide the same functionality aspressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)

Microsoft Internet Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts
1. CTRL+B (Open the Organize Favorites dialog box)
2. CTRL+E (Open the Search bar)
3. CTRL+F (Start the Find utility)
4. CTRL+H (Open the History bar)
5. CTRL+I (Open the Favorites bar)
6. CTRL+L (Open the Open dialog box)
7. CTRL+N (Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address)
8. CTRL+O (Open the Open dialog box,the same as CTRL+L)
9. CTRL+P (Open the Print dialog box)
10. CTRL+R (Update the current Web page)
11. CTRL+W (Close the current window)

almost 8 years ago naman ni bai Hubs. hehehe

mao poy ijang hilig. makalilisang hinuon nga tattoo.

Photoshopped nga ka-gwapa?

pwede ba diay nga mogahi kung nakatulog ang laki o kaha walay gusto? pilian baja pud na si junior.

naka-save, imbis moadto sa Hotel Sogo, didto nalang sa menteryo nagshort-time. mao niy klarong one-night stand.

mo-file kaha si bugsay ug kaso kung siya ang natungdan?

World Bank predicts increase in poverty in Russia for the first time since 1998 crisis

MOSCOW - The World Bank (WB) predicts growth in poverty in Russia for 2015-2016 for the first time since the 1998 crisis, according to the World Bank report published Wednesday.

Last year poverty increased significantly from 10.8 percent in 2013 to about 11 percent in 2014, the document says.

"The baseline scenario projects that the poverty rate will rise to 14.0 percent (20.1 million people) in 2015 and 14.1 percent (20.3 million) in 2016. This would be the first significant increase in the poverty rate since the 1998-1999 crises," the document said. According to the document authors, poverty did not grow even in 2008-2009 because there was some growth in disposable income.

A baseline scenario also projects a contraction of 3.8 percent in 2015 and a modest decline of 0.3 percent in 2016 in Russia, the report says.

The WB downgraded its growth prospects for 2015-2016 as 2015 is likely to witness the postponed effect of oil price plunge and 2014 sanctions. "It is likely that when the full effects of the two shocks become evident in 2015, they will push the Russian economy into recession," the document says.

Earlier the WB projected a 2.9 percent drop in Russian GDP in 2015 and 0.1 percent drop in 2016.

Risks for the Russian economy

According to the World Bank report, the main risks to the medium-term forecast of Russian economic growth is continued shortage of available credit resources and low investment demand. Other noted risks mentioned by the World Bank are the expected slowdown in the global economy.

Additionally, according to the World Bank analysts, Russia's medium-term economic growth will also depend on how the country can adapt to shocks caused by changes in oil prices and sanctions, which pose a threat to financial stability and fiscal sustainability. (PNA/TASS)

(Feature) Get up and get a job: Study says slow school-to-work transition diminishes 'employability'
By Kris M. Crismundo

MANILA - There are around half-a-million college graduates expected to join the Philippine labor force every year. But some graduates have slow transition from school to work, as some still want to have a break from at least 15 years of staying in the academe from kindergarten to college.

The school-to-work (STW) transition refers to the duration and process of finding a job after leaving school or college.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has cited that STW transition may include job search behavior, short-term skills training, temporary work or household duties, and inactivity or staying at home out of employment, education, and training.

“A young person’s slow transition from school to work reduces their chances of finding a good job because their ‘employability’ diminishes,” DOLE noted in a recent meeting with the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC).

For example, Arjay Berboso, a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Computer Technology, has yet to land a job after he graduated last year.

“I want to get a job after graduating in college so I applied for work a month after graduation,” he told the Philippines News Agency.

He said he tried to pass application through online job hunting sites, going to job fairs, and even walk-in application.

However, he admitted that 80 percent of the job positions he had applied for was not related to his specialization.

He also mentioned that he often lacked confidence when going to an interview: a factor not to pass the process.

Based on the survey of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), it takes one year for a college graduate to find a first job and up to two years to get into a regular job while it takes for a high school graduate up to three years to find a first job and four years to land in a regular wage job.

“Limited social networks, inadequate life skills, including job search behavior, are significant factors influencing length and quality of the STW transition,” the ADB survey noted.

Moreover, DOLE said young educated population has the largest share in unemployment in the country.

Based on the January 2015 Labor Force Survey (LFS) of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), of the total 2.64 million unemployed Filipinos in the said period, 20 percent were college graduates while 34 percent were high school graduates.

In order to arrest the increasing slow SWT transition among youth and to further reduce the number of unemployed population in the country, DOLE, in partnership with ADB and Canadian International Development Agency, further promotes and pushes for JobStart Philippines program.

The program aims to enhance the "employability" of at-risk youth to improve their integration into productive employment.

At-risk youth include those who are currently not working or enrolled in school or training.

An individual may avail of the program with less than one year or no work experience, at least high school graduate, and aged 18 to 24 years.

The program will provide the youth with access to career guidance, life skills and technical, and on-the-job trainings.

Interested individual may inquire with the Bureau of Local Employment through 02 527-2543 or 02 527-2539 or via email jobstartph@yahoo.com.

Get up and get a job

JobStreet.com earlier released a survey regarding what employers are looking for actual work experience from fresh graduates, and among the top three answers of employers are internship, grades, and part-time job.

“Willingness to learn, initiative, and honesty and integrity continue to be the most important qualities employers consider in fresh graduates. On the other hand, the most prized hard skills in fresh graduates are communication skills and trainability,” JobStreet said. (PNA)

Free WAKI therapy technology drawing young and old at Wilcon QC
By Ben Cal

MANILA, May 15 (PNA) -- With spiraling medical cost, a Japanese company is offering for free using high potential therapy technology called WAKI that helps cure various illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems, high cholesterol and many more.

People from all walks of life, young and old have been trooping to the Health WAKI center at Wilcon Building along Visayas Avenue in Quezon City since last month.

The free WAKI treatment is 20 minutes daily for 30 days.

Everybody is welcome to try WAKI therapy. One can just walk into its clinic at the 2nd floor of Wilcon building, register and register your name and presto you are in without any hassle.

WAKI is a Japanese invention way back in 1995 and has treated tens of thousands of people from 21 countries, including the Philippines the past 20 years.

Rodolfo Valentino Castillo, 53, of Barangay Culiat, Quezon City who suffered a stroke last March this year, said he recovered from his stroke three weeks after undergoing WAKI treatment.

“After being hospitalized for five days last March, I could not walk, my speech was blurred and I could not raise my hands but now I can walk with the help of a cane, talk and raise my hands, thanks to WAKI,” Castillo said in an interview.

Mrs. Hershey Lou, 41, who was diagnosed with a stone in her kidney and was due for surgery, said that “after undergoing WAKI treatment for five days the kidney stone was flushed out. I’m amazed.”

Siegredo O. Sison, 60, said that after 10 days of therapy “my blood pressure was back to normal and my rheumatism and back pain were gone.”

Another patient, Noel Tayam, 48, had clogged arteries and suffering from dizziness and had to take nine different maintenance medicines, but after 20 days his dizziness was gone and his maintenance was cut down to four medicines.Mrs. Rheyma Diaz was suffering from irregular menstruation with pain in her foot but all these disappeared in thin air after seven days of WAKI therapy.

Mrs. Merlyn Saddul, 62, was relieved of her rheumatism and numbness after only 20 days of therapy.

The Metrowealth International Group (MIG) that owns WAKI was founded by Teo Choo Guan (Pak Teo) in 1995 after merging with some companies from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

Alfie Dindo Bernardo, WAKI supervisor, said that since then it has gained acceptance in various countries offering free therapy to its customer who would like to own a WAKI therapeutic equipment to prove to them that the technology is worth owning to cure an array of illnesses without side effect as proven by those who underwent WAKI treatment.

His assistant, Socrates M. Tolentino said that the company will continue to extend free therapy to the public as its contribution to the wellness of the Filipino people.

Both Bernardo and Tolentino said that WAKI customers have testified openly that they have recovered from their illness after undergoing WAKI treatment.

WAKI is designed to revive and recover body cells, increase metabolism, remove toxins, free radicals, improve blood circulation, revive energy for married couples and strengthen immunity.

They also said that healthy people can use WAKI as prevention from diseases. (PNA)

Half of LGUs in Cebu now affected by dry spell

Half of the towns and cities in Cebu Province have reported some damage to crops and vegetables, as the heat continues to dry out their farms.

At least 24 local government units (LGUs) are also experiencing water supply problems in the midst of this mild El Niño, a qualitative survey conducted by the Cebu provincial government said.

Baltazar Tribunalo Jr., head of the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), said the provincial government had assigned six departments to survey all the towns and cities in the province to check the effects of El Niño.

These are the agriculture, environment and natural resources, veterinary, health and engineering departments.

The survey focused on how the heat has affected agriculture and fisheries, the environment and ecosystem, and health.

The PDDRMO office said that vegetables and other crops have been damaged, and some cracks have been seen in the land in the towns of Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Tabuelan, Balamban, Pinamungajan, Tabogon, Borbon, Catmon, Compostela, Liloan, Tudela, Minglanilla, San Fernando, Sibonga, Argao, Boljoon, Malabuyoc, Alegria, Badian, Moalboal and Alcantara.

The cities that are experiencing the same conditions are Bogo, Toledo, Danao, Carcar and Talisay.

Earlier, the state-run Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Cebu is “likely to experience a drought or dry spell.”

Its May 2015 map showed that 41 provinces are already experiencing drought or dry spell, but the conditions are “likely to improve.”

These provinces include Bohol and Siquijor in Central Visayas.

Pagasa classifies an area as drought-affected if, for three straight months, it has reported less than 60 percent of the average rainfall for the period.

It is a dry spell when the rainfall is 21 to 60 percent of the average for three consecutive months.

During the Water Summit at the Capitol on Tuesday, Pagasa Visayas Bureau Chief Oscar Tabada said the weather bureau had expected at least nine rainy days this month.

So far, not a single rainy day has been recorded.

Pagasa also expects that the mild El Niño will continue until the end of the year.(PNA)

Rola Misaki: Russian-Japanese Beauty

press release

ILO eyes improving lives of Talibon folks

Talibon, Bohol - International Labor Organization (ILO) representatives have paid a courtesy call on Talibon Mayor Restituto B. Auxtero regarding the seaweed identification of people’s organizations (Pos) for funding in coordination with ILO.

The ILO representatives wanted to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues.

Bohol has been identified for rehabilitation since the onslaught of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake and the passing of storm Haiyan (Yolanda).  Talibon was listed as one of the possible recipients of ILO’s financial aid if POs can be identified properly.

Talibon POs have been formed and some were registered already with DOLE, which is one of the requirements of ILO.  The only challenge is that ILO required groups of 100 or more so LGU Talibon needs to restructure the groups to meet the requirements.

If pushed through, ILO will fully support the project proposals that the Pos would identify and submit, and this includes the payment of materials and those of trainers and financial assistance for PO members.

ILO’s visit was assisted by Jerry Macadine and Engr. Solatar, who were accompanied by Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources official, Ghenee I. Mayol. (ellenmarieobuno)

diha puy nipusta ni mayweather nga nagtuo nga si pacquiao ang nidaog, moa nga iyang gihatag ang kwarta ngadto sa iyang kapusta. talagsaon.

labihay pud, bisan nasakpan na nga human na sa pagtakmag, molimod gihapon nga walay nahitabo. pastilan ning tawo, bai hubag, dili masabtan.

8 Filipino firms lands Forbes list for 2,000 publicly listed companies for 2015
By Juzel L. Danganan

MANILA - Eight Filipino firms have been featured among Forbes’ list for the top 2,000 listed companies for 2015.

According to Forbes’ 2000 Biggest Public Companies for 2015, Sy-led SM Investments Corporation seized the spot of 911 with a market cap of US$ 16.7 billion.

The 164 year-old Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), got the 1,243 rank. It has a stock offer limit of US$ 9.1 billion.

The third highest Filipino firm in the list is Philippine Long-Distance Telephone (PLDT), having landed the 1,259 place. It has a market cap of US$ 14.2 billion.

With a stock offer limit of US$ 7.1 billion, Metropolitan Bank and Trust gained the 1,297 spot.

Ayala Corporation bagged the 1,344 rank, with a market cap of US$ 11.2 billion.

At the 1,525 spot is Gokongwei-led JG Summit Holdings Inc., which has a stock offer limit of US$ 11.9 billion.

It was followed by Ang-led Top Frontier Investment Holdings at the rank of 1,792. The company has a market cap of US$ 763 million.

The last Filipino firm on the list is distribution-utility Manila Electric Company (Meralco), having grabbed the 1,808 spot. It has a stock offer limit of US$ 6.8 billion.

Last year, 10 Filipino companies made the top Global 2000 list.

Forbes Global 2000 is the list of the world’s largest, most powerful public companies, based on revenues, profits, assets and market value.

The 2015 list recognizes 2,000 companies from 61 countries, which have a combined revenue of US$ 39 trillion, profits of US$ 3 trillion, assets worth US$ 162 million, and a market value of US$ 48 trillion. (PNA)

gilamian intawon sa burger si doggie. murag dugay nabuntas.

give up na ang mga fashion savvy!

Palace: 2016 election must push through

MANILA - The Palace said the May 2016 general elections must push through despite the scrapping of a deal on the repair of voting machines, which could disrupt election preparations.

“The election should push through. It is constitutionally mandated and everybody should comply with the Constitution. We are very certain that the Comelec (Commission on Elections) is very aware of its mandated role of making sure that elections happen in 2016,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told reporters during Wednesday’s press briefing in Malacañang.

Lacierda was responding to questions regarding concerns that next year’s election could be postponed after the Supreme Court nullified the P268.8 million contract between the Comelec and Smartmatic-Total Information Management for the repair of 82,000 voting machines.

According to the Supreme Court, the Comelec had violated the procurement law when it directly hired Smartmatic-TIM for the maintenance of the voting machines instead of holding a public bidding.

ATTENTION TO ALL PASSPORT HOLDER...!!!!1

PLS DO SHARE TO ALERT THE OTHER PASSPORT HOLDER...

Alert: Passport
Awareness at the Airport PASSPORT
AWARENESS AT THE AIRPORT Please be
Careful at the Airports, This is a well
organized conspiracy by Immigration,
Police, Customs and Airline staff with networking at all International Airports.
Be careful when ever you give your
passport to Immigration/Customs/ Airline
staff. The pass port can be easily
tampered and can create trouble to you.
They have found an easy way of making money. This is the way it works:At the
time of the passenger’s departure, if the
passenger is not looking at the officer
while he is stamping the exit, the officer
very cleverly tears away one of the page
from the passport. When the passenger leaves the immigration counter, the case
is reported on his computer terminal
with full details. Now all over the
country they have got full details of the
passenger with Red Flag flashing on the
Passport number entered by the departure immigration officer. They have
made their money by doing above. On
arrival next time, he is interrogated.
Subject to the passenger’s period of stay
abroad, his income and standing etc., the
price to get rid of the problem is settled by the Police and Immigration people. If
someone argues, his future is spoiled
because there are always some innocent
fellows who think the honesty is the
basis of getting justice. Please advise
every passenger to be careful at the airports. Whenever they hand over the
passport to the counters of Airlines or
immigration or the customs, they must
be vigilant, should not remove eyes from
the passport even if the officer in front
tries to divert their attention. Also, please pass this information to all friends, media
men and important politicians. Every
month 20-30 cases are
happening all over the world to rob the
passenger the minute he lands.
A similar case happened with Aramco‘s Arifuddin in Pakistan . He was travelling
with his family.
They had six passports. They got the visa
of America and decided to go via Jeddah.
When they reached the States, the page
of the Americanvisa on his wife’s passport was missing. At the time
of departure from Pakistan it was there,
the whole family had to return
helplessly. On arrival at Pakistan , they
were caught by the police and now it is
over 2 months, they are running after the Police, Immigration officers and the
Courts. On going in to details with him,
he found out the following: One cannot
imagine, neither can believe, that the
Immigration dept can play such a nasty
game to harass the innocent passengers.All the airlines passengers
must be aware of this conspiracy. Every
month 15 to 20 cases are taking place, at
each mentioned airport, of holding the
passengers in the crime of tearing away
the passport pages. On interviewing some of them, none of them was aware
of what had happened. They don’t know
why, when and who tore away the page
from the middle of the passport. One can
imagine
the sufferings of such people at the hands of the immigration, police and the
court procedures after that. The number
of cases has increased in the last 2-3
years. People who are arriving at the
immigration, they are questioned and
their passports are being held and they have to go in for detailed interrogation.
Obviously, the conspiracy started about 2
to 3 years ago, now the results are
coming. Some of the Airline counter staff
too is involved in this conspiracy. SO
MAKE SURE NOT TO LET THE PASSPORT GO OFF YOUR SIGHT EVEN FOR A SECOND. THE
IMMIGRATION COUNTERS ARE HIGH AND
TIRED AND SHORT PASSENGERS REALLY
HAVE TO WORK HARD TO KEEP THE
PASSPORT IN SIGHT, SPEACIALLY AFTER
THE EXHAUSTINGJOURNEY, EVERYONE WANTS TO GET OVER WITH THE AIRPORT
FORMALITIES AND GO HOME. SO BEING
VIGILANT FOR AN EXTRA MINUTE WILL
SAVE YOU A LIFE TIME OF MISERY. BEST OF
LUCK IN YOUR TRAVELS.KINDLY SEND THIS
TO AS MANY OF YOUR INTENDING TRAVELLERS AND FRIENDS ACROSS THE
WORLD REQUEST THEM TO CHECK THE
PASSPORT AT THE CHECKING COUNTERS
AND BEFORE LEAVING THE AIRPORT. I think
at least have a full photo copy of
Passport and Keep scan of your passport in your Hard drive or flash memory and i
will advise same for ticket also â€"
This information
will save lives of passengers. Spread the
word and share! Act Now!
This is a re-blogged from a concerned citizen!

Two mild earthquakes struck the provinces of Davao Oriental and Bohol on Sunday morning, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
In its bulletin, Phivolcs said the first quake with a magnitude of 2.8 occurred at 4:42 a.m. with the epicenter traced at 17 kilometers southwest of Governor Generoso town in Davao Oriental.
The quake, which was tectonic in origin, had a depth of 150 kilometers.
The second tremor with a magnitude of 2.9 happened at around 10:49 a.m. and its epicenter was located six kilometers northeast of Cortes in Bohol. It was felt at Intensity 3 in Antequera and Intensity 2 in Balilihan, Bohol
The temblor, which was tectonic in origin, had a shallow depth of seven kilometers.
Phivolcs said there was no casualty or damage reported from the two tremors and no aftershocks were expected.
The Philippines lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where 20 to 25 earthquakes per day -- mostly imperceptible -- are common, Phivolcs said. (PNA)

init ug ulo mga tawo, islander, kay labihang inita sa panahon sa Pilipinas karon.

Gikan sa Banat Newspaper

Nanggukod og sundang ang usa ka lalaki nga nasuko sa ka daghang magkawos og tubig sa tabay nga duol sa iyang panimalay sa sitio Biasong, Duangan, lungsod sa Pinamungajan niadto’ng nakalabay nga adlaw.

Apan gisikop sa kapolisan si Ignacio Tangihan Jr., human gireklamo sa usa ka Elvira Rico, 29-anyos, minyo.

Matud ni Police Officer 1 Ian Patrick Carvellido, desk officer sa Pinamungajan Police Station, nga nasuko si Tangihan kay daghan kaayo’ng mogamit sa tabay duol sa iya’ng balay.

Ang mga silingan niingon nga dili si Tangihan ang tag-iya sa tabay ug igo lang kini nag-atiman. Sa kalagot ni Tangihan giingong iya giguba apan giayo ni  Rico.

Human nakita ni Tangihan nga giayo sa babaye ang tabay nagdala kini og sundang nga nidasmag sa iya’ng silingan dala ang singgit nga “patyon tika ug ang tanan nga mohilabot sa tabay”.

Pwerte’ng dagan sa babaye gumikan sa kahadlok ug nangayo og tabang sa kapolisan.

Mura man ug si Bugsay ang gabangka ana!

From the Facebook account of Okazu Higashi: NO BBL NO BBL NO BBL ito ang dahilan nyan PERA, BANGSAMORO AGREEMENT A SELL-OUT TO MALAYSIA:

On Annexure of the Agreement it said “Bangsamoro government will own the natural resources in its territory.” The Philippine Constitution states “all natural resources are owned by the Philippine State.” No wonder, MILF has already allotted 75% shares of Liguasan Marsh estimated to be worth US$500 billion of oil and gas deposits in Cotabato to Petronas Malaysia, 20% to unknown interests (presumably Philippine government cronies) and 5% shares to MILF.

Is it surprising Malaysia calls the shot in the Bangsamoro territory? NO. Malaysia is the paymaster and funder of the MILF. Thus, it can dictate terms to the MILF. Since 1996 till today Malaysia paid senior leaders of MILF with money and mansions in Kuala Lumpur, plus money, guns, bullets, uniforms and bullets to the MILF troops to fight the Philippine Government in a secessionist war, not because Malaysia loved the Mindanao Muslims, but to keep Sabah and continue its illegal Sabah occupation as well as to continue its exploitation and plunder of Sabah’s riches amounting to US$100 billion from its oil and gas, agriculture, forestry, fishing, tourism etc., own by Tausugs and Filipinos.

In other words the Bangsamoro territory will be the BUFFER ZONE against Return of Sabah to the true Sultan of Sulu His Majesty Sultan Fuad A. Kiram and to His Tausug people and Filipinos.
In the Bangsamoro Agreement WHO IS THE WINNER? Malaysia. WHO ARE THE LOSERS? The Filipino people. Is it worth it? CERTAINLY NOT. You need a hole in the head to even consider it.

So why are current Philippine government officials over eager for the Bangsamoro Agreement passed by Congress? Who are the real WINNERS with Malaysia? Is there a sell-out like a fire sale to Malaysia of Sabah and South Philippines territories? I think so. I like to know and who are the guilty culprits?

Stories persist Malaysia paid Philippine government officials US$1 billion negotiated by a Malaysian sultan but only US$750 million paid to the officials before the signing of the Bangsamoro Agreement on March 27, 2014. Now it will be sensational news to know who these officials were who received less than 1% of Sabah's annual illegal plunder by Malaysia. The mind boggles.

Diabetes drug metformin linked with intersex freshwater fish

MILWAUKEE (UPI) - As the rate of diabetes skyrockets in the United States, so too are prescriptions for the drugs that treat the blood sugar disorder. One of the most common Type II diabetes medication is metformin.

But metformin isn't just being found on pharmacy shelves and private medicine cabinets. It's also increasingly showing up in freshwater systems. Now, new research suggests it could be to blame for intersex fish.

Rebecca Klaper, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, has been looking to the drug's prevalence in watersheds, as well as exploring its potential effects on wildlife.
"It is the chemical we found in almost every sample and in the highest concentrations compared to other emerging contaminants -- even higher than caffeine," she said in a recent press release.

Fish expressing combinations of male and female sex organs are increasingly common in waters downstream from water treatment plants. The phenomenon has mostly been blamed on hormone-related drugs like birth control and beauty products such as acne medicine.

Metformin isn't a hormone. Like other diabetes drugs, it targets blood-sugar regulation. But it's also been occasionally used to treat a hormonal disease, common in women, called polycystic ovary syndrome. Klaper believes metformin may act as an endocrine disruptor.
When Klaper exposed fish to metformin in her lab, their growth or physical appearance was not altered, but eggs produced by the females showed signs of male and female morphology -- suggesting metformin is indeed disrupting hormone-related reproductive processes.

Klaper and her colleagues plan to conduct additional experiments in order to locate the exact genomic changes induced by metformin.

"We're now working on a paper that investigates the metabolic pathways at various points in the fishes' life to see what is changing," she explained.

Klaper's latest paper on the subject -- co-authored by Nicholas Niemuth, a researcher in Klaper's lab -- was published online this week in the journal Chemosphere. It will appear in physical form in the journal's September issue.

Statement of Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter S. Cayetano

on LTO’s refusal to postpone “No Plate, No Travel” policy implementation

We need a government that will make a real change in people's lives, not make their lives harder.

It is, therefore,  regrettable that LTO chooses not to help itself and in the process relieve the public of the stress and inconvenience caused by its officials' inefficiency and failure to serve the agency's mandate.

We all know there is the law and our people also know that it's LTO that created the problem because it could not provide the plates within 7 days early on. And LTO is being given a chance to put its house in order through the suggested moratorium.

The  insistence of LTO officials to make law abiding taxpayers suffer for their inefficiency, will not be taken lightly by our people.

If LTO insists on punishing  taxpayers, then our people have the right to hear LTO officials explain their inefficiency to them

Our people also have the right to know who created this problem, who must face the administrative cases, and who decided not to  provide our people the relief they deserve.

We'll also wait for their explanation during the budget hearing to determine what kind of budget it deserves given what the taxpaying citizens are made to suffer, from late delivery of plates to late issuance of license cards, because of LTO officials' inefficiency and incompetence.###

Reference: Communications Office of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. Contact 0917-814-1703 (Ms. Cherry Dacanay) and 0917-633-05349 (Ms. Ofel Rodeles)       

Two of the country’s best PESO sign up for JobStart Philippines held in Davao City

MANILA, April 20 (PNA) -- JobStart Philippines, the pioneering collaborative project which aims to ease youth unemployment, has reached the shores of Mindanao and is now being rolled out in the island’s largest city, Davao City, and in its neighboring urban enclave, Tagum City.

On Sunday, Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz flew to Davao City and joined the Hon. Karlo B. Nograles, Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Labor and Employment, to witness the signing of Memoranda of Agreement between JobStart Philippines, represented by the Bureau of Local Employment headed by Director Dominique R. Tutay, and the local chief executives (LCEs) of the two cities, Mayor Allan Rellon of Tagum City, and Atty. Dwight Howard representing Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City.

These two cities have been identified as JobStart partner-implementers in Mindanao basically because of their fully-capacitated and well-established Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs)â€"the PESOs of Tagum and Davao are institutionalized, well-acclaimed and multi-awardedâ€"and the willingness of their LCEs to implement the JobStart program. Also, the two cities were chosen because of their high youth unemployment rates and both have significant presence of prospective employers.

In fact, 38 employers attended yesterday’s MOA signing and many of them already signified desire to sign-up for the program, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. JobStart Philippines is supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and funded by the government of Canada.

ADB’s Director Kelly Bird was present to witness the MOA signing, held at Radisson’s Park Inn Hotel in Lanang, Davao City, and so were the officials of the DOLE Regional Office No. 11, lead by Assistant Regional Director Atty. Jason Balais, officer-in-charge, Ruth Rodriguez, chief of the BLE’s LMI division, and DOLE’s tripartite partners in the hospital, construction, and BPO sectors.

“Davao and Tagum Cities now join San Fernando City, Pampanga; Gen. Trias, Cavite; Taguig City; Quezon City; Bohol, and 11 other municipalities and cities all over the country which will run the JobStart’s full roll-out this year,” said Baldoz, who said launches are also being planned in the next month in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan and in five PESOs in the National Capital Region.

“This is the only program I know that while still being pilotedâ€"JobStart’s pilot run ends yet in Juneâ€"cooperators, such as employers and LGUs are already signing-up. This is very exciting,” she added.

JobStart is full-cycle employment facilitation service that seeks to address youth unemployment by capacitating PESOs and helping youth beneficiaries jumpstart their careers by creating opportunities to improve their technical skills and develop their life skills necessary for success in today’s competitive workplace.

“With this program, we aim to increase the youth’s employability to 80 percent or higher and also shorten their school-to-work transition from two to four years to only six months or lower,” said Baldoz.

JobStart starts with the provision of career guidance through skills assessment, career and self-awareness, and career coaching. Following the assessment of a participant’s job readiness, he or she is provided with an eight-day life skills training designed to holistically hone the attitude and behavioural skills of the youth into a person well-prepared to face the challenges of the world of work.

“The completion of career guidance and life skills training enables the youth to be matched in jobs available in partner-employers for the technical training of up to three months, and an application of what has been acquired and learned through internship program for also up to three months,” Baldoz said.

Rep. Nograles, who had filed in February H.B. 5468, or “An Act Institutionalizing the Nationwide Implementation of JobStart Philippines Program and Providing Funds Therefor, Otherwise Known as the JobStart Act”, said he is convinced JobStart will serve as a tangible and sustainable answer towards providing inclusive development for our people through equality in employment opportunities.”

“The need to provide our country’s at-risk youth with the opportunity to become productive citizens and to be able to provide them with the training to not just acquire the technical skills, but more importantly the life skills they need to build better life for themselves, is a paramount responsibility of the State,” he said.

The DOLE targets some 3,200 youth beneficiaries this year for JobStart, even as it will continue to implement it in the four pilot areas.

“JobStart partners with employers in providing a comprehensive and systematic approach in assisting young jobseekers, from planning their career paths all the way through acquiring the best-fit jobs,” said Baldoz.

JobStart calls for employers to be selected through the signing of a memorandum of agreement. They, in turn, prepare a training plan and select from the JobStart youth participants and provide them with technical training and work experience. They receive the full cost of the technical training from the Bureau of Local Employment, the project management office. Youth participants are also paid an allowance to cover the employers’ administrative cost. In turn, employers pay the trainees an amount of at least 75 percent of the prevailing minimum wage in their region.

Baldoz lauded the following private companies for joining the launching in Davao City: Uni Frutti; SRL International Manpower Services; PBGEA; NCCC; Sumifru; Chariffer Builders; DLPC; MDC; Tristar Group of Banana Co.; Accendo Commercial Corporation; TMI-M; Davao doctor’s Hospital; DDC; Techno Trade Resources, Inc.; EMCOR; SM Supermarket; TADECO; Pritong Manok; Lapanday Foods Corp; Uraya Land Development Corp.; HEDCOR; Pinnacle Hotel and Suites; Earthgrain Goldilocks; UPI; SM Lanang Dept. Store; SM Home Lanang; DSG Sons; Big 8 Corporate Hotel; Stanfilco; Convergys; and San Pedro College. (PNA)

Reforestation of huge mangrove, beachfront forests in Bicol to involve coastal communities
By Danny O. Calleja

LEGAZPI CITY, April 22 (PNA) -- Bicolano coastal communities will be busy working on the reforestation of their beach fronts and mangrove areas this year and onward.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has recently announced its release of Php400 million in initial amount to finance this undertaking nationwide called the Mangrove and Beach Forest Development Project (MBFDP) that is part of the National Greening Program (NGP), a flagship environmental agenda item of the Aquino administration.

The release represents 40 percent of the total Php1-billion funding requirement of the project as recommended by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMMC) which will be charged against the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Program (RRP) under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 General Appropriations Act (GAA), according to the DBM.

Under this project, the national government â€" with the participation of concerned stakeholders from both local government units (LGUs) and the private sector or non-governmental organizations (NGOs)â€" will develop mangroves and beach forests in areas affected by typhoons and other disasters that hit several regions in the country.

Under RRP, all rehabilitation efforts are to be grounded on ensuring the safety of communities against natural disasters in the future, thus, comprehensive preparation and prevention are key elements in the policy of “build back better (BBB)”, which includes the reforestation of mangrove and beach forests on local coastlines.

Among the priority sites of the project are areas in the Visayas and Bicol affected by Typhoon "Yolanda"; communities in Zamboanga affected by siege and unrest; areas in Cebu and Bohol which were damaged by earthquakes; and areas in Mindanao badly hit by Typhoon "Pablo".

The estimated land area of 27,400 hectares covered by the project is broken down to 22,000 hectares of mangrove forests and 5,400 hectares of beach forests and the activities involved are site preparation, nursery development, mangrove and beach forest planting, maintenance, and protection.

The DBM said that since the Php400 million was an initial release, subsequent releases of the remaining fund would require the DENR to submit requirements, including identified sites for target planting activities and actual planting activities supported by with geo-tagged photosâ€"to the DBM.

Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, in announcing the release, said, “Our country’s natural resources not only shower us with abundant riches but also provide us with a natural defense against typhoons and storms.”

Hence, proper management of resources is part of the Aquino administration’s strategy in climate change mitigation to safeguard our countrymen against future calamities, he stressed.

Under the FY 2015 GAA, the national government allotted a budget of Php21.7 billion to implement BBB strategy that integrates a preventive approach with efforts that focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation and disaster risk reduction management actions and interventions, Abad added.

DENR Bicol Regional Director Gilbert Gonzales on Wednesday said that with the region getting as much as Php135 million for the rehabilitation under MBFDP, a total of over 7,100 hectares of beaches scattered through the region's six provinces, NGOs and other community-based organizations would be tapped into its implementation.

The areas of implementation insofar as Bicol is concerned involve 1,000 hectares in Camarines Norte; Camarines Sur, 1,100 hectares; Masbate, 2,130 hectares; Albay; 1,000 hectares; Catanduanes, 700 hectares; and Sorsogon, 314 hectares.

The DENR’s regional Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) has been tasked as overall coordinator of the project while its implementation is assigned to the respective Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Offices (PENROs) of each province in cooperation with local government units (LGUs) and support of other line agencies, Gonzales said.

So far, he said, DENR-Bicol already has its composite action team composed of its personnel who would conduct site assessment, validation and mapping, and determine the sources of planting materials to be used.

Site preparations, production of planting materials, planting, maintenance, protection and other activities will be delegated to barangays or communities through duly registered people’s organizations â€" meaning the actual implementation works would make people in the barangays occupied by these activities, he said.

Every activity is assigned with budget--with the seedling production getting 67 percent of the fundâ€"that is why involvement in any of the activities of the project implementation will also provide these barangay folk extra earnings, the DENR regional chief added. (PNA)
RMA/FGS/DOC/cbd/eds

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