MikeLigalig.com

Teacher with cancer seeks help

Philippine Daily Inquirer
Sunday, September 15th, 2013


RODELAS

Glenda Ramos Rodelas, 34, a public school teacher in Rosario, Batangas, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer early in 2010.

She immediately underwent chemotherapy but in July this year, a tumor was found in the right portion of her chest. She was again advised to undergo chemotherapy which would cost her P268,800.

Rodelas, who has two children, is asking Inquirer readers for help so that she gets the treatment she needs.

A Grade 1 teacher at Salao Elementary School, she is currently on sick leave. Her husband, a construction worker, earns barely enough for the family’s basic needs.

Those interested in helping Rodelas can call 0928-4781210 or 0917-5233869.

Donations can be deposited through the UCPB account of her cousin, Franco Emman Von M. Cena, with account number 2511016480.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

GMA News reporter Chino Gaston and his cameraman seek cover inside an abandoned house in Zamboanga City as gunshots erupt during a firefight between government forces and MNLF gunmen on Monday, September 16. GMA News/http://www.gmanetwork.com/

Twin fires rage in Sta. Barbara and Rio Hondo, Zamboanga City on Monday, September 16, as fighting between government forces and Moro National Liberation Front gunmen continues on the eighth day of the siege. At right is the old Spanish stronghold Fort Pilar. Sandra Aguinaldo/http://www.gmanetwork.com/

Army soldiers fire mortar rounds to pound suspected MNLF positions in Sta. Barbara, Zamboanga City on the eighth day of fighting between government security forces and MNLF gunmen on Monday, September 16. Chino Gaston/http://www.gmanetwork.com/

Stranded passengers from Zamboanga City arrive at the port of Isabela, Basilan early Monday morning, September 16, after they were allowed by the Coast Guard to travel. The passengers were stranded for several days in Zamboanga City due to clashes between government forces and MNLF gunmen. LGU Basilan/http://www.gmanetwork.com/

mag-unsa na lang kaha intawon ko kun akoy naka-experience ani.  ambot na lang.  i should count my blessings more...

Estrada, for his part, also criticized the way he is supposedly being projected by the government as a "thief" before the public.

"The public's minds are being conditioned that we are the worst thieves. That, I cannot accept," Estrada said.

He added that the administration should also probe other questionable non-government organizations identified by the Commission on Audit, and not just those allegedly connected with Napoles. â€" Andreo Calonzo/RSJ, GMA News

http://www.gmanetwork.com/

'Demonized'

In a separate statement, Revilla's lawyer, Joel Bodegon, lamented how his client has been supposedly "demonized" in public even before the filing of the plunder complaint against the senator.

"The bar of public opinion is not in our favor. Hindi pa man po naisasampa ang kaso laban sa kanya, guilty na siya sa mata ng publiko," Bodegon said.

The lawyer added that Revilla's camp "welcomes the filing of the complaint because we can finally confront the allegations being leveled against" the senator.

Last month, Revilla denied having close ties with alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, saying that he only saw the controversial businesswoman "“occasionally in certain social gatherings."

In contrast, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who is also included in the charge sheet for plunder, appeared unfazed when he faced the media at a press conference.

"Nais ko pong ipaalam sa inyo [na] nakahanda akong harapin lahat ng mga bintang at paratang laban sa akin. Ako po ay walang kinalaman sa anumang katiwalian sa PDAF [priority development assistance fund]," Estrada read from a prepared statement.

The Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation submitted before the Office of the Ombudsman plunder raps against Estrada, Revilla and Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile for allegedly benefiting in the supposed P10-billion PDAF scam.

Earlier in the day, Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III said Enrile was rushed to the hospital on Saturday due to high blood pressure.

Bong Revilla emotional, Jinggoy unfazed amid filing of plunder raps

September 16, 2013

A teary-eyed Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. on Monday appealed to the public not to prejudge him in the face of a plunder complaint filed against him before the Office of the Ombudsman due to his alleged involvement in the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

"Ang hiling ko sa sambayanan, huwag kaming husgahan. Ipapaliwanag namin ito hanggang sa kahuli-hulihang detalye," Revilla told reporters.

When asked how he is dealing with the plunder complaint against him, Revilla said, "Ang sakit."

Troops capture battle-weary MNLF female snipers in Zambo battle

September 16, 2013


Two alleged female snipers of the MNLF who were captured by soldiers during a firefight in Barangay Sta. Catalina, Zamboanga City on Monday, September 16, are detained at a police station. MNLF spokesman Rev. Absalom Cervesa has confirmed that the group has deployed female snipers in the city as they engage government forces in sporadic clashes for a week. Ian Cruz

http://www.gmanetwork.com/

more at http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/326687/news/regions/some-mnlf-fighters-including-women-joined-zamboanga-siege-for-money

yeheeey, at least naay gimaw from your end.  morag nikibra man tingali gamay ang tb bagyo, bai tigs.  motuaw ra man pod tingali ang unos.  let's hope for the best, mao nga ajaw usa pamija. 

Some 60 other people are included in the charge sheet for plunder and malversation of public funds, lawyer Levito Baligod said in a previous report.

Napoles allegedly siphoned billions of pesos from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), commonly known as pork barrel, of lawmakers through bogus nongovernment organizations (NGOs). With a report from Kristine Angeli Sabillo

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

According to De Lima, the chiefs of staff of the eight respondents in the plunder case are also facing charges, including officials of the implementing agencies under the executive department.

The criminal complaints for plunder were filed along with boxes of evidence gathered by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The sworn affidavits of the whistle-blowers, including Napoles’ cousin Benhur Luy who previously testified in a Senate Blue Ribbon hearing, were included in the filed evidence.

She said among the former representatives recommended to be charged with plunder, malversation of public funds and other cases through the Office of the Ombudsman are Rizalina Seachon-Lanete of the third district of Masbate and Edgar L. Valdez  of the Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives partylist.

Meanwhile, malversation, direct bribery and other graft and corrupt practices were recommended to be filed against former congressmen Rodolfo Plaza, Samuel Dangwa, Constantino Jaraula, De Lima added.

PLUNDER CASES: Janet Lim Napoles, Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. named in the complaint PHOTO by INQUIRER.net’s Matikas Santos

Napoles, 8 others face plunder raps over pork barrel scam

By Matikas Santos
INQUIRER.net
Monday, September 16th, 2013

MANILA, Philippines â€" Plunder charges were filed before the Ombudsman Monday against Janet Lim-Napoles, alleged mastermind of the P10-billion pork barrel scam, Senate minority leader Juan Ponce Enrile,  Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. and five former representatives.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Monday said  at a news conference at the Ombudsman office that in total 38 were facing charges over the pork barrel scam after the “historic” filing of the case over alleged conspiracy to to divert P10-billion to dummy aid organizations and ghost projects in exchange for kickbacks.

I get an answer from a nineteen-year-old sniper named Udab from Talipao, Sulu who was among those captured.

He tells me they were promised ten thousand pesos to attend a supposedly planned MNLF flag-raising at the Zamboanga City Hall. Most of them did not have guns when they came to Zamboanga. On Monday, just before the planned march, they were issued firearms somewhere in Barangay Santa Barbara.

In the past week, the military had been circulating news about the death of Commander Malik, perhaps in an effort to dampen the morale of the remaining MNLF fighters. But Udab shakes his head when I try to confirm the death of the senior MNLF commander. He tells me he last saw Malik Friday night.

"It is God's will that he is alive. Bullets cannot harm him."

Before I leave, I take one last look at the Santa Catalina sniper. He is sleeping again. It must be the first real sleep he has had in days. â€" HS, GMA News

http://www.gmanetwork.com/

Incredible odds

One of the thoughts that had been burning in my mind in the past days was the seeming indifference of the MNLF fighters to the incredible odds stacked against them.

Government troop estimates number around 5000 in the conflict area while intelligence reports had pegged rebel numbers at just around 180 armed men, and that was before the 52 dead gunmen reported by a military spokesman.

The devastation and loss of life caused by the MNLF are unforgivable, whatever motive and belief behind it. But one cannot help feeling a sense of awe at the determination of these men.

What made these simple folk follow the man they call Commander Malik to the gates of hell?

A flicker of recognition crosses the man's face and he breaks into a wide, almost sheepish smile. It was like watching a chameleon, a killer turning into someone's goofy uncle.

We had seen each other before, not in Zamboanga but in the jungles of Sulu. "I know you," I tell him. He nods and cracks an even bigger smile.

"Tausug," he replies.

"Bitanag?" I ask, referring to MNLF Commander Ustadz Habir Malik's old stronghold in Panamao, Sulu that I visted almost ten years ago.

He nods again. I try to prod him for more information but the only word he utters is “Tausug.” He was with Malik again in Zamboanga City. Malik is believed to be the leader of the rebels occupying several neighborhoods and holding dozens of hostages in the heart of the city.

A police official sidled next to me and whispered with unmasked awe, "That's the Santa Catalina sniper," referring to the barangay where the most intense fighting had been waged since the rebels entered the city on September 9.

The man must have heard us for he suddenly opened his eyes and stared in our direction. His eyes were like coals, smouldering with the fire of purpose.

I was told this man was one of the most relentless MNLF snipers, preventing soldiers from advancing towards rebel positions along Lustre Street, the scene of some of the fiercest combat.

For days, the rebel snipers held their positions, on top of buildings and inside attics, shooting out of windows. This man did not surrender. He was cornered by government troops after he ran out of bullets.

Soldiers capture MNLF sniper in Zambo City. An alleged Moro National Liberation Front sniper in Barangay Santa Catalina, Zamboanga City, captured by government troops on Saturday. Chino Gaston

The MNLF sniper who recognized me

By CHINO GASTON, GMA News
September 16, 2013

The police facility near the fighting was crowded with newly captured MNLF rebels, some of them bleeding from bullet wounds, a few of them over 60 years old.

They smelled of sweat and gun powder, their hands blackened and faces burnt dark brown.

That's where I saw him: a heavy-set man with mop-like hair and huge hands, fast asleep in a sitting position in a corner of the room. His head was leaning on a makeshift blackboard where a list of names of known hostages were written.

His handcuffed hands were swollen from burns and cuts, a patina of soot rendering his skin an ashen grey. His thick fingers were scarred, calloused, and bruised.

His camouflage pants had faded to a light grey and his right arm had a bandaged wound. His skin, a deep, dark olive brown, glistened with grime. A serene expression marked the sleeping man.

this will be more in keeping with what is probably close to your heart... ESQ (e-sulod quick) of tanduay's memories. 

i remember fr chic's take on this.

yes!  i am an inheritor ug usa ka kaang nga yuta, take note.

who knows?  it takes one to know... aherm.

ready, sing!

come back, our teacher bai tigs
come back, our teacher bai tigs
mr weatherman you are
tb's weatherman you are
come back, our teacher bai tigs.

i do not believe.  photo ooops ra na.

na, panghinguto na lang henceforth, okay?  at least, ang unggoy mo-enjoy ug manghinguto, morpa.

yes, si, oo, opo, ja.  di ko milyonir, never was, never will be.  what do you take me for?  a janet napoles?  di man gani ko kaadto sa sunod eskina dinhi sa manila kay mahadlok ko masaag ug matumba sa sidewalk, sa senate ug congress na ba hinoon?  arrrayyy... napakasakit po nga paratang niyo.

ganyan.  natauhan din kayo, ano?  thanks, cujo, for disabling the walking firebombs here, hehe.  lorenz's prayers were finally answered.   

duha na mong akong latuson.  awwww, tawgon nako ron si cujo, maoy injo.

Lack sense of nationhood

Baligod said corruption is a “problem of character and lack of love of country.”

“We lack a sense of nationhood; we have an unfinished business at nationhood,” Baligod said.

Asked how this generation would judge him and the witnesses, he said it was better to “judge us as selfless, patriotic Filipinos.”

“I expected nothing (in return), except for the altruistic feeling that I was able to contribute to bringing back decency in government,” Baligod said.

He then quoted Leo Rosten, the Polish-born American novelist and scholar:

“I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.”

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

“Public vigilance will ensure that the justice system works according to the purpose it was designed,” he said.

Baligod and his wards’ short-term goal is to stop the pork barrel racket, which mercilessly steals from the poor, especially the farmers, much-needed subsidies from government, he said.

The long-term impact of going after crooks in government is the return of faith and trust of the people in the rule of law and public office, according to the lawyer.

“It’s still possible for ordinary people to initiate reforms, and anyone of us can contribute to improving our country,” Baligod said.

‘Golden chance’

Baligod and the whistle-blowers do not seem to think that they are fighting an uphill battle despite the obvious clout and connections of senators and other lawmakers who will be charged on Monday.

With the boxes of evidence plus corroborating testimonies from Benhur Luy and company, the cases will prosper, he said.

Baligod is also counting on the people to be “vigilant,” stressing that this was a “golden chance to contribute to reforming the system.”

“Most of the Filipino people are still decent and they have patriotism,” he observed, pointing to the public furor generated by the Inquirer’s exposé of the PDAF’s misuse.

He said the root of this indignation was the “betrayal of public trust, a breached covenant with the Filipino people.”

Experienced lawyer

Baligod is an experienced criminal lawyer, with 13 solid years as a courtroom litigator.

After finishing economics and political science degrees at the UP, he took up law in San Beda College and later at the University of the East, where he graduated in 1999.

He passed the bar the following year.

In 2005, he formed the Villanueva and Baligod Law Offices with lawyer Raul Villanueva, his upperclassman at the UP Vanguard.

Baligod handles mostly criminal cases, while Villanueva takes care of civil and corporate matters.

For the relatively brief span of time in the legal profession, Baligod has a high batting average, losing only once in a criminal case due to a mere procedural oversight.

Besides litigating criminal cases, he found his footing in election-related disputes.

Among his clients was former Cagayan Gov. Edgar Lara.

Quote from: hubag bohol on September 16, 2013, 04:26:03 PM
Hmm, cool pud og dating ni si Benhur, he he. Abi nakog a la Charlton Heston...

cool mo lang.  bilib god niya si senator guingona.  mora hinoon ug na-crush, hihihi.  jawk.

more cheers, indeed!  may he and the rest be safe as the country meets its own destiny too in this scam of scams.


Lawyer Atty. Levito Baligod, right, addresses a forum with whistle-blowers Merlina Sunas, center, and Benhur Luy (represented here by his mother Gertrudes Luy) at St. Schoslatica's College, a Catholic school, on the recent pork barrel scandal which centered on a powerful businesswoman who allegedly collaborated with Philippine senators and congressmen in channeling the funds but went into hiding after she was charged with illegal detention of a whistle-blower Friday Aug.23, 2013 in Manila, Philippines. The pork barrel scandal prompted President Benigno Aquino III to go on nationwide television and promised to reform a system that allows lawmakers to allocate government funds following an audit that millions of dollars were misused. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

2-week introspection

“If we don’t care about what’s happening (with public funds), … let’s stop calling ourselves Filipinos,” he told the Luys, exhorting them to help initiate the legal case to “reform the system.”

It took them two weeks to weigh all options before making any move.

After the two-week introspection for Baligod, the Luys and Suñas, they finally started the ball rolling when the lawyer wrote a letter to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima in March informing the latter of Benhur’s detention.

Explaining why he did not go to police authorities but to the justice secretary, he said she has supervision over the NBI, which wields both police power and investigative power to look into anomalies involving lawmakers and state funds.

Asking detailed questions

In February, Baligod started to “ask more detailed questions” from the Luys on Napoles’ motives for detaining Benhur.

“It was at this point that they began to narrate to me the businesses of Napoles,” said the lawyer, who then went out of his way to “validate” the authenticity of this web of corruption involving baffling amounts of state funds that allegedly lined the pockets of lawmakers and made Napoles rich overnight.

With the claim of the involvement of lawmakers, their staff and their conduits in the implementing agencies and the budget department, Baligod said he began to suspect that the case could be bigger and more complex than what he had initially expected.

“I was alarmed because prior to that, the newspapers had already come out with stories about abuses related to PDAF. Through my questioning (of the whistle-blowers), I learned about these dummy foundations,” he said.

Baligod then advised the Luys and Suñas to “take legal action not only on illegal detention but on anomaly (related to PDAF).”

the lawyer (in light blue barong) with benhur luy and justice secretary leila de lima at the senate hearing.  behind benhur are his security team

As earlier reported, Luy and Merlina P. Suñas claimed that businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, who is believed to have masterminded the pork barrel scam, allegedly kidnapped Luy to prevent him from spilling the beans on the bogus Napoles-controlled nongovernment organizations (NGOs) that allegedly served as conduits to channel Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to ghost livelihood projects over a period of 10 years.

The serious illegal detention case is now being heard by the Makati Regional Trial Court, which had issued the warrant of arrest on Napoles.

She is now detained at Fort Santo Domingo in Santa Rosa, Laguna province, after she and her brother, fugitive Reynald Lim, were charged with serious illegal detention for the alleged abduction of Luy from Dec. 19, 2012, to March 22, when he was rescued by the National Bureau of Investigation.

Napoles retaliated by filing a perjury case against Luy, his parents Arturo and Gertrudes, siblings Arthur and Anabelle, and Suñas, whom Napoles allegedly designated as one of the presidents of her many fake NGOs.

Mystery link

Asked who the link between him and the Luys was, Baligod identified a military officer who had served in Mindanao. The Luys are from Zamboanga.

When Benhur went missing, the Luys sought out this military officer who, in turn, referred them to Baligod.

Baligod and this officer were former members of the University of the Philippines Diliman (UP) Vanguard, the officer corps of the university’s Reserved Officers Training Course.

This Vanguard officer did not finish his UP degree but opted to transfer to the Philippine Military Academy. He is now assigned to Camp Aguinaldo.

A widower and a father of four boys aged 8 to 16, he found his date with destiny early this year while he was in the middle of a grave family crisis: His spouse, Marilyn Anne Navarro, was battling breast cancer. She died on Feb. 11.

While shuffling to and from the hospital, Baligod was multitasking: He was attending to the family of Luy whose mother, Gertrudes, and sister Annabelle had sought his help in December 2012.

Unknown lawyer’s date with destiny: Enough to have truth on our side

By Michael Lim Ubac
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Sunday, September 15th, 2013

There’s no stopping the people’s battle against corruption in the highest echelons of power, said Levito Baligod, private counsel for principal witness Benhur Luy and five other whistle-blowers in the P10-billion pork barrel scam.


Atty. Levito Baligod

“We are in the same boat, and everybody is concerned about plugging whatever hole there is in that boat. To redress our grievances, it’s enough to have the truth by our side, enough love of country and the courage to [see it through],” said the 43-year-old Baligod, who was a virtual unknown until he took up the fight to uncover the truth.

how creative naman.  hasta ako gi-thrillingan, hadlok when naay matuwad.  kalayo ra ba gyod anang oac, hehe.

tekret: during the snap elections of yesteryears (when i was young and restless), i got 1k.  no words were said.  just a gift.  but i'm a sucker for clean currency bills and serial numbers that are in order (that's how i save.  i usually don't spend money that pass these 2 tests, hehe.)  so i checked the serial numbers because those were new and crisp bills.  surprise!  the 10 100-peso bills had only one serial number for all.  and they weren't fake, mind.

on hindsight, it must have been great collector's items.  but i went jobless for awhile after edsa1 and had to spend all i had, except my memories.

tradition?  the horror, the horror.  i hope this is just an aberration.

this means that in my case, having paid a total of 240k plus for the two plans and without any claimed benefits as yet, i will get back only around 19k for the educational plan and 40k for the pension plan.  and that's being very positive about it.  i still don't know what other deductions are being imposed.

i read in the news weeks prior that there was a near riot for the claimants of these measly returns.  my back is too weak to join such a crowd.  i opted to send an email (as instructed) to have the checks due me deposited to my bank account as an option.  it's been more than a week, and still i have no answer. 

Under the terms of liquidation of the company, policyholders will be reimbursed the amount they spent for premiums but with huge cuts.

According to the Insurance Commission (IC), payments shall be done in two installments. The first covers the recovery of PPI’s liquid assets (cash), while the second covers nonliquid assets, mainly investments in securities.

Under the first installment, holders of PPI education plans shall get back only 19 percent of their total contributions; holders of pension plans, 40 percent; and those of memorial plans, 80 percent.

This means that an educational plan holder who paid P100,000 in premiums but did not receive benefits before PPI’s collapse will recover only P19,000.

A pension plan holder, who paid the same amount and did not receive benefits, ought to get P40,000, and a memorial plan holder, P80,000. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net

Quote from: TUBAGBOHOL.com on September 16, 2013, 06:22:29 AM245,000 plan holders

Roxas and Lubong were just two of some 245,000 plan holders who suffered losses from the collapse of PPI.

it's just so close to home.  i am one of the 245,000 plan holders, both for pension and educational plan.  thankfully, i didn't cry.  nauwaw lang ko ni banana republic because i asked for this, telling him that we could rest easy for the college education of our youngest and i'll have my own pension. 

zero on both counts. 

hehe, and while the driver is reading this billboard, he may just go straight to its post...

Quote from: hubag bohol on September 16, 2013, 01:27:28 PM
He he, here's one from Bay Aqua (oi, wa na man tawon siya mobalik dinhi):

Cebuano: Midagan ang bata.
Spanish: El niño misutoy!

classical spanish.  in the league of cervantes.

maybe it's safe to say that chavacano is pidgin spanish.

Quote from: Lorenzo on May 28, 2013, 01:05:17 PM
Hispanized kaayo ning Chavacano. It's 75% Spanish with some native Pinoy words mingled here and there.

funny lang for the spanish purists kay chavacano does away with conjugations, e.g., bailar is bailar no matter how it's used (whether first, second or third person).

the mccoy, the real mccat

he just saw an angel...

my good cat is not drunk, i hope.  he's just too tired nursing those human drunks throughout the night.

hahaha!  right on, lorenz.  a filipino doctor friend of ours who's based in germany had said many times... go on smoking so we can continue to earn a living.  he's a pulmonologist.

do i believe in IQs?  not really...

the first IQ test i took was when i was in college.  result: 137.  honest.  i learned that the school administration made a curiosity out of me.  i was dubbed the "under performer".  but i continued to behave like a brat with the world at my feet knowing i'll make it through any exam sans notes and notebooks.

the next IQ test i took was for graduate school.  result: 99.  i barely made it (the minimum limit for admission was 90.  it turned out that i failed to answer all the flip sides of the test question pages and the tester didn't give me another chance after time was up.)

what good did IQs do me?  just that the first one made me arrogant and the second one brought me back to earth.  now i'm neither here nor there, not a skilled clerk nor a neurosurgeon.

what matters most, after all, is EQ-- emotional quotient.

how profound!

Quote from: cujo on September 16, 2013, 08:26:35 AM
I must have been gone too too long from Tubag Bohol...And to read this crap of grown men bickering, calling names,threats,whatever.And please don't even dare to attack me by saying I don't know the whole story because it all sounds ridiculous to me.Grow up guys!Nobody wins.You all are smart in your own individual way.Lordy,Lordy,Lordy.Geez,

one year, cujo.  you've been "gone" almost a year.  it's great to hear from you again, and...

HAHAHAHAHA!  HAHAHAHAHA!  HAHAHAHAHA!  you just made my day!  never had i laughed so hard here than after reading this particular post of yours.  way to go, cuj.  way to go.  HAHAHAHAHAHA!

klaro na man intawon.  if they are human enough, they would now be repeating the mantra of "if i could only turn back the time, i would not have done it..."  luoy baya.  but then, wa man god pod silay kaluoy. 

buotan lagi ka karon.  is it because it's sunday?

Quote from: hubag bohol on September 15, 2013, 09:38:12 AM
Like idol, like fan...

aguy.  molansar sad ka, bai hubs?

unsaon na lang ang kuto ani.

harumph!  with matching attire.

sayang di mapahimuslan ug search and rescue sa baha diri sa manila.  (wish i could try jetskiing too.  bow.)

i didn't read the details.  mabali unya ang akong tiyan.  but judging from the headline, it must be real terrible.  i hope the full force of our animal welfare act is applied here.  i know that most judges are still wary of applying this law.  but it's the law, please. 

sure.  great reminder.  i know, i know... your heart is filled with love for balong, diablo, ayesha, robert, lakandula, moneytree, steve whatchamacallit, and who knows what other esteemed authorities there are.

Quote from: Lollapalooza on September 15, 2013, 05:02:27 PM
happy...... fwedi ma inspired ^__^

dapat lang.  always!

Quote from: chicogon on September 15, 2013, 08:56:01 AM


Dia ra isda akong kuha... shot sa frying pan hehehe

dagko diay?  unbelievable!

sajo lagi ang valentine nato dinhi. 

this thread is Whispers of the Heart
another thread is Korog my Heart
still another is Fill your Heart with Love

santa claus must be coming to town!

Quote from: Lorenzo on September 15, 2013, 12:56:17 PM
he he he, you brought a good point. it was the greeks who started the assumption that feelings were from the heart. it was later refuted that feelings and thoughts were of neurological origin. nonetheless, people still refer to hurt feelings as "a broken heart..."

he he he. humans. we're so slow to change.

mahirap kasi ang "broken brain" or "broken nerve"...

Quote from: hubag bohol on September 15, 2013, 05:38:26 AM
Sureness nga ganahan ani nga movie ang atong cat ladies diris TB...

true gyod.  ka-cute!   arigatou gozaimasu, bag-hu.

Firefighters have been helpless as homes burned in areas with MNLF snipers ready to shoot anyone who approached. Photo was shot Thursday night. Chino Gaston/http://www.gmanetwork.com/

As gun battles raged in Zamboanga City throughout Friday, fires raged out of control in three barangays, from left: Santa Catalina, Santa Barbara, and Rio Hondo. Firefighters were prevented from doing their jobs by the conflict. Chino Gaston/http://www.gmanetwork.com/

great.  what a therapeutic activity.  nakasuway baya ko sa causeway sa tagbilaran... tuk-ong sa daplin kay nag-fishing kunohay.  zero catch, hehe.  wa nako butangi ug paon kay mahadlok kog isda nga mokisikisi.  p.s. ibog lang ko sa imong boat.

di baya gyod diay poor ang pinas, fr chic.  makasabot gyod ko why nag-cry si cardinal tagle as he delivered those famous words... "you can do better than that."

on a more personal level, nihilak tawon years ago akong kid sister pag-increase sa iyang sweldo.  nalampas na gamay ug certain bracket.  ang resulta, nigamay hinoon ang iyang take-home pay kay ni-shoot up ang withholding tax.  she became an issue because for the first time in the history of that school, there was someone who asked the administration to lower her salary instead.

fastforward, karon nag-aginod tawon siya sa iyang medical bills kay di lalim ang iyang chemo.  sakit sa dughan gyod tuod nga sayon-sayonon lang ug kawat atong taxes. 

The official added: “The fighting continues and no change in orders to police and AFP.”

Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas did not comment on the reported truce when contacted by phone late Saturday afternoon.

He did confirm that three members of the Philippine National Police were killed in the fighting: Inspector Jay Oyoyan, PNP Academy Class 2012, Police Officer 3 Murphy Abbilani and PO2 Christian Hernaez, a member of the PNP Special Action Force.

The three were killed during a clearing operation at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, Roxas said.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

Peace Process Adviser Teresita Deles said as much.

“I checked with (Social Welfare) Secretary Dinky Soliman, who’s in Zamboanga. She said Gazmin is already sleeping,” said Deles.

A Cabinet member who also could not be quoted on record  also denied that the government had agreed to a truce.

“Till this minute, no mention of such initiative in Zambo headquarters, but only Secretary Volts can say for sure,” said the Cabinet member, adding: “Sorry, I couldn’t give you good news. Ask (Gazmin). He’s the competent person who can say what happened.”

Before midnight Friday, the Philippine Daily Inquirer immediately contacted several Palace officials after learning that Binay announced he had negotiated a truce with Misuari that was supposedly taking effect shortly.

But two Palace officials, who were privy to the situation on the ground, expressed surprise.

“I’m sorry, I am not aware of that,” said National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia in a text message.

apropos "Babel of tongues in government?" thread, this board... tua na lagi.

Binay not authorized to negotiate with Misuariâ€"Cabinet execs

By Michael Lim Ubac
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Saturday, September 14th, 2013



Vice President Jejomar Binay INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines â€" Vice President Jejomar Binay was not authorized by President Aquino to negotiate a truce with Nur Misuari, and there were “no instructions” from the President that Binay travel to Zamboanga City, a member of the Cabinet said Saturday.

The official, who asked not to be identified by name for lacking authority to talk about Binay’s actions, said Binay was negotiating with Misuari or his loyal followers in the Moro National Liberation Front on his own.

“He (Binay) is trying to insert himself. He’s jeopardizing the safety of the troops because of politicking,” said the official. “Per Volt (Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin), there’s no ceasefire.”

Foods to Eat

This is a sample food list:

Fresh fruits. Have 3 or 4 pieces of fruit every day. Make one of these fruits an orange; they are very high in antioxidants and phytochemicals, substances that protect us against diseases. Berries (such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) are also a must in this diet because of their antioxidants. Antioxidants are essential in the fight against heart disease and cancer. If you want to follow a Mediterranean diet, eat some fruit for dessert. That is how Mediterraneans eat their fruit most of the times.

Veggies. Have a salad in your main meals. Use olive oil and lemon for dressing; This is a powerful antioxidant combination. Tomatoes and tomato products are a staple food in the Mediterranean diet; they contain lycopene. Cut a whole tomato and spread it with olive oil and some basil as part of your side dish or include them in your salads. Sauté green beans with olive oil and garlic to have a complete Mediterranean side dish. Zucchini are also a delightful complement; sauté them with olive oil.

Whole Grains. Have a piece of whole wheat or whole grain bread with your main meals (except with pasta). Have whole wheat pasta 2 or 3 times a week. It is low in calories, and the fiber enhances the feeling of fullness.

Legumes. Eat dried beans, lentils, or garbanzo beans 2 or 3 times a week. Nutrition experts at the Michigan State University tell us that eating 2 to 4 cups of cooked legumes every week can protect us against heart disease. Dry beans have fiber that eliminates cholesterol from the body. Eat legumes and a piece of whole grain bread to have the perfect protein. Vegetable protein does not put a load on kidneys as animal protein does.

Nuts. Have a handful of nuts as a snack in your morning break. Nuts are also a staple food in Mediterranean countries and are high in monounsaturated fat, the one that does not get stuck in the arteries. Read the food label and be aware of portions because nuts are high in calories. Scientific studies have found that almonds and walnuts are the healthiest choices.

Olive oil. Use olive oil in your meals both to cook and as a condiment in your salads. Olive oil is the main source of fat in Mediterranean countries and is the “cause” of the low incidence of heart disease in those countries. Use olive oil and lemon as a dip in your salads.

Fish and sea food. Have fish and sea food two or three times a week. Salmon and sardines are excellent choices because they provide omega-3 oils, oils that the body needs but cannot create in enough quantities.

Garlic and aromatic herbs. Use garlic and aromatic herbs as condiment. Garlic is the leading contributor to the low incidence of high blood pressure in Mediterranean countries because it dilates the blood vessels walls.

more at http://www.mediterraneanbook.com/the-mediterranean-diet/

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet is not a “diet” per se. It is a mix of the traditional eating habits of people living in Spain, Italy, France, Greece and the Middle East.

How to Start the Mediterranean Diet

Eat natural, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts.

Make olive oil your primary source of dietary fat

Reduce the consumption of red meat (Monthly)

Eat low to moderate amounts of fish (Weekly)

Drink a moderate amount of wine (up to one to two glasses per day for men and up to one glass per day for women)

one of my cats was almost a victim too.  nahibung ko nganong magsige ug siyagit.  aguy, ambot unsa tong inahana nga sigehan man niyag laparo ug makmak.  usa ra siya nga anak atong iring nga layaw.  gipunit na lang nako intawon ug gigamitan ug syringe (without the needle of course) for feeding kay di pa siya weaned.  he is now 9 years old and is my favorite cat tungod sa iyang gawi.  arang ka maayog batasan iringa.

Photo by: istockphoto

Live longer

Who doesn't want to live longer? According to a large-scale study measuring thousands of older adults over a 40-year period, people who eat a Mediterranean diet have a 20% higher chance of living longer. Bring on the Greek salad!

http://news.yahoo.com/lightbox/

Photo by: istockphoto

Fight off illnesses

Sticking to a full Mediterranean diet provides substantial protection against major chronic diseases, including cancer and Parkinson's disease. A team of researchers looked at 12 international studies, which collectively included more than 1.5 million participants. The researchers found that people who stuck strictly to a Mediterranean diet had significant improvements in their health, including a 13% reduction in incidence of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, and a 6% reduction in cancer. (They also had a 9% drop in overall mortality and a 9% drop in mortality from cardiovascular disease.) Not too shabby, right?

Photo by: istockphoto

Have a healthier heart

Want to keep your heart healthy? Metabolic syndrome is one of the main causes of cardiovascular disease, characterized by large waist circumference, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high blood glucose levels. A Mediterranean diet helps to normalize levels on each of the components of metabolic syndrome, which is great news considering that each one is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease in its own right. One study found that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or tree nuts reduces the risk of cardiovascular death, a myocardial infarction, or a stroke by up to 30%.

Source: University of Barcelona

Photo by: istockphoto

Have lower blood sugar levels

Because the Mediterranean-style diet is generally low on the glycemic index, it may offer some protection against getting Type-2 diabetes. Researchers followed over 22,000 people over 11 years, and found that people who strictly followed a Mediterranean diet were significantly less likely to develop diabetes than people who did not follow the diet. Even those who moderately followed the diet were less likely to develop diabetes. A separate study showed that a gene variant strongly associated with development of Type-2 diabetes interacts with a Mediterranean diet in a way that prevents the occurrence of a stroke.

Source: Tufts University

Photo by: istockphoto

Sleep better

Know someone with sleep apnea? This may help. Research has found that eating a Mediterranean diet combined with physical activity can help to improve some of the symptoms of sleep apnea, including a reduced number of disturbances during the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep, which usually accounts for approximately 25% of total sleep during the night. Sleep apnea causes frequent pauses of breathing to occur during sleep, disrupting the normal sleeping pattern (and often the person sleeping next to them too). Many of those with sleep apnea wear a mask during the night which gives them continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and keeps the airway open during sleep. Approximately 2 to 4% of the adult population has sleep apnea, and this percentage increases up to 20 to 40% among those with obesity.

Photo by: istockphoto

Be happier

Following a Mediterranean diet may ward off depression. The prevalence of mental disorders is lower in the Mediterranean than in other countries, and it may have to do more with diet than the gorgeous scenery and weather. A study of over 10,000 participants from Spain showed that those who closely follow a Mediterranean diet have over 30% less risk of depression than who do not follow a Mediterranean diet. So don't worry, eat happy!

Photo by: istockphoto

Stronger bones

Sticking to a Mediterranean diet has a significant impact in women's bone health. Researchers carried out a study to understand the effects of different meals on bone mass. They found that adhering to a dietary pattern with features of the Mediterranean diet, including a diet that is rich in fish and olive oil and low in red meat, has a positive effect that could help to preserve bone mass throughout a person's entire adult life.

Photo by: istockphoto

Better brain power

People who eat a Mediterranean diet are less likely to have brain infarcts, which are small areas of dead tissue that are linked to problems with thinking and memory. Researchers followed the diets of over 700 New Yorkers over a period of six years. Those who strictly followed a Mediterranean diet were 36% less likely to have areas of brain damage, and people who were moderately following a Mediterranean diet were 21% less likely to have brain damage than those who did not follow the diet.

Sources: University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Exeter

You'll Live Longer â€" and 7 More Compelling Reasons to Jump on the Mediterranean Diet Trend

-By Jessica Cohen

It has long been known that a diet consisting of higher levels of vegetables, fruit, and fish is healthier for you than one which consists of cheeseburgers, fries, and an extra large soda. You do not have to move to Greece to be healthier, however - you can adopt a Mediterranean diet right here at home.

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the Mediterranean diet, as well as the benefits of the individual components of the diet, are life-changing. The combination of omega-3 fatty acids from fish combined with unsaturated fatty acids from olive oil and nuts, as well as the flavonoids and antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, have tremendous health benefits for those who follow it. In fact, we may just be hearing more and more doctors recommending the diet to patients for the prevention of health issues.

Here are 8 reasons why you may just want to try a Mediterranean diet for yourself:

first things first... the mediterranean diet pyramid:

usahay wa nay lami basahon ang tb kay nagkalata lang ang posts ni mr bagyo about his obsession with hubag.  wa ra bay kalainan, mao ra gihapon balik-balik.  wa kay makuha ana uy.  kinsa god tawoy mahadlok nimo dinhi? 

balik na sa impiyerno, diablo.  klarong panurangsurang lang nang imo.  adto pahungaw sa pm kang hubag.  ayaw ibansiwag sa tibuok kapupod-an nga lubog na kag utok.  kasabot ka?

Quote from: hubag bohol on September 14, 2013, 08:30:00 PM

is jabba the hutt the unmasked oblong ranger?

how nice.  you already 9 years old diay?

may pumapapel?

aruy, which is which now?  shouldn't there be only one official spokesman?

NEWS 1:

Gov’t, MNLF agree on ceasefire starting Saturday midnight, says Binay

By Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
12:03 am | Saturday, September 14th, 2013

MANILA, Philippinesâ€"After five days of heavy fighting, Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Chair Nur Misuari and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin have agreed to observe a ceasefire and discuss a “peaceful settlement” of the crisis in Zamboanga City, Vice President Jejomar Binay said Friday night.

In an interview, Binay said he spoke with both Misuari and Gazmin around 10 p.m. Friday about the implementation of a ceasefire while pursuing a deal to end the security crisis in Zamboanga City.

“Both sides agreed to stop the fighting while pursuing a peaceful settlement. They agreed to implement a ceasefire as soon as possible tonight,” said Binay when reached by phone at midnight.

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/487263/govt-misuari-agree-on-ceasefire-starting-saturday-midnight-says-binay#ixzz2evHGdkEf


NEWS 2:

Military denies ceasefire in Zamboanga

By Nikko Dizon
Philippine Daily Inquirer
2:43 pm | Saturday, September 14th, 2013

MANILA, Philippinesâ€"A military spokesman said Saturday no directive had been given to the Armed Forces of the Philippines for a ceasefire in Zamboanga and government troops were continuing with the “calibrated offensive” ordered by President Benigno Aquino against a faction of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) loyal to founding chairman Nur Misuari.

“We haven’t received any orders yet [about a ceasefire]. Because of the mortar attacks and the burning of the houses by the MNLF, the AFP did a calibrated offensive operation against the MNLF to stop them from endangering the lives of the civilians,” Armed Forces spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala told the Inquirer by phone.

Zagala said the “calibrated operations” had the approval of Aquino, who spent the night in Zamboanga City.

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/487603/military-denies-ceasefire-in-zamboanga#ixzz2evINvc7l