MikeLigalig.com

I don't know. I'm just so emotional about our country that every time I hear the song "Halika Byahe Tayo" I find myself soaked in tears.

source: http://english.ohmynews.com
By Paterno Jr Rebosura

Korean visitors, students and "tourists" in the Philippines have been seen and observed as "too noisy, undisciplined and rowdy."

Because of their behavior many Filipino businessmen do not welcome the presence of Koreans in their establishments.

In Baguio City, for instance, Filipino golfers refer the former American rest and recreation enclave as "Kim Jong Hay" because there are more Koreans than locals in Camp John Hay.

A golf club in the northern part of the Philippines reportedly put a sign "Koreans are not allowed," a racist move.

I once visited Korea and saw them otherwise. They are disciplined, friendly and helpful contrary to their actuations in Manila or in Puerto Galera.

When I was in Seoul, I even befriended the assistant manager of a posh music lounge although we had language barrier. We even exchanged souvenir items.

But in the Philippines columnists say Korean visitors are not contributing to the economy. This is because Koreans own Internet and gaming cafes, computer shops, restaurants, travel and tour companies, groceries, spas and salons, freight companies, language schools and even churches.

Immigration officials say of the more than 240,000 Koreans in the country about one-sixth are documented. This means more than 200,000 Koreans have no travel and immigration papers -- half of the number have been waiting for their papers and the rest are unregistered.

But who are the gatekeepers? If immigration officials are wondering their presence, the government operatives themselves are to be blamed.

The strength of the peso, which has the same value more than seven years ago, and the growth of the Korean economy could be the factors that emboldened the salaried Koreans and the middle class to enjoy their money in Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete, Manila or even Boracay Island.

It is cheaper to spend their vacation money in the Philippines than in other Asian countries, like Japan or Singapore.

Another factor could be that Korean parents want the best for their children-- and an English education is a passport for a better paying job or moving to the United States.

Koreans could be right. For example, our interpreter in Korea earned $100 an hour, comparable to top executive heading an export division who has no export marketing training but with only an English major diploma as credential.

Filipinos should understand the culture of the Koreans before they conclude about them. Filipinos tolerate the presence of the Chinese or the Spaniards because they live among Filipinos for centuries.

In fact most Filipinos have Chinese blood in their veins. Even the national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, had Chinese ancestors.

The foundation of the Korean Catholics in the Philippines started way back in the 18th century when Father Kim Dae Gun established a mission in Bulacan province.

The second wave was from 1945 to 1970; the third wave in the 1980s, the fourth in 1990s and the fifth since 2000 onwards.

But compared to the more than 15,000 undocumented Filipinos in cities outside Seoul who could not be seen during daytime or nighttime but only during Christmas and special holidays, undocumented Koreans in the Philippines are even selling used computers in cites in Metro Manila, like in San Juan City or in Laguna and Cavite provinces.

In Seoul I met a Cebuano undocumented entertainment worker in a bar in the Red Light district. I saw a Filipino woman in our hotel past midnight. She said she had to move secretly since immigration agents in Korea are strict compared with those in the Philippines.

My investigation, however, showed that these retail stores are owned and run by Filipino women married to Korean businessmen, who could be overstaying.

I even interviewed one of the shop owners in Calamba City where I bought a computer package for my daughter.

She said they get their slightly used units from Korea in bulk. However, I failed to interview her Korean husband. The couple also owned a branch store in Santa Rosa City, also in Laguna province.

Whether Filipino traders welcome the Koreans or not, it is a fact that as long as Koreans invest in the country, there are jobs for Filipinos.

Even Consul General Hong Sung Mog would suspend the issuance of working visa to Korea,as he did earlier this month, there are jobs offered by Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction and its ship building facility for welders, and for others in Subic in Zambales.

In short, understanding the culture of the Koreans is the only way to better appreciate their contribution to the Philippine economy.

By Kit Bagaipo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The Department of Health (DOH) regional office has declared an outbreak of dengue in two city barangays as dengue patients crowded hospitals here.

The DOH regional office declared the outbreak in Barangays Cogon and Dao in Tagbilaran City based on the recommendation of Tagbilaran City health officer Dr. Antonio Porticos.

Susanna Madarieta, DOH Central Visayas regional director, said officials declared the outbreak in the two barangays as the number of dengue patients steadily increased and surpassed the number in the previous months.

The DOH has recorded 54 dengue cases in Barangay Cogon and 48 in Barangay Dao since January.

As of Friday morning, the DOH reported 512 dengue cases in the province, with 10 casualties since January this year.

Dr. Reymoses Cabagnot, provincial health officer, said 208 of the 512 dengue cases come from Tagbilaran. The DOH also declared the towns of Jagna and Dauis as dengue “hot spots.”

In July alone, DOH recorded 142 dengue cases in Bohol, more than half of the number of dengue cases reported in the province for the entire 2006.

Last year, the provincial health office recorded 268 dengue cases in Bohol. This figure has already been surpassed halfway through this year.

But the figure could be much higher, said Cabagnot, as their records are only based on hospital listings.

As the number of dengue cases continued to rise, six private hospitals have already refused to admit dengue-related patients.

Hippie,

Glory to God! Life is beautiful...

NOTICE:

I deleted the PHOTOS BUT THEY WILL BE RESTORED LATER. I NEED TO RELOCATE THE image SERVER HOST OF TUBAG BOHOL PICTURES. SORRY FOR THE TECHNICAL INCONVENIENCE.

THANK YOU,

TUBAG BOHOL TEAM

One more thing, this was sent to a Yahoo address.

I never gave a Yahoo address to my Paypal account.

The letter contains all the typical Paypal look, logo, color, perfect duplication. Watch out!

If you receive this letter, never click any of the links because these are questionable sites and don't bring you to Paypal page. Besides, secureaccess.com is not a legitimate domain, but only a landing page or parked domain.


PayPal <paypal@secureaccess.com> wrote:

    PayPal

    Limited account access details
    Dear Paypal member,

    As a part of our security measures, we regularly screen all activity in the Paypal system. After reviewing your site, and in accordance with the Paypal User Agreement, we need more information to help us provide you with secure services. For your protection ,we have limited access to your account until additional security measures can be completed. We would like to restore your access as soon as possible, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

    Why is my account access limited?

    We recently noticed the following issue on your account:

  # July 24, 2007: We would like to ensure that your account was not accessed by an unauthorized, third party. Because protecting the security of your account is our primary concern, we have limited access to sensitive Paypal account features. We understand that this may be an inconvenience but please understand that this temporary limitation is for your protection.

    (Your case ID for this reason is PP-124-448-529.)
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By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

Three still unidentified armed men took off with some P110,000 after robbing a Petron gasoline station around 4:30 p.m. Monday in barangay Dampas, Tagbilaran City.

According to one of the gas station's cashier, the day's cash collections were supposed to be deposited to the bank when the robbers, reportedly armed with Uzi submachine gun held up all three cashiers of the gas station owned by Carmelita Racho.

According to one of the gasoline boys, Niño Casanova, the robbers were in their early 20s and were Tagalog-speaking.

Casanova said two of the cashiers stationed near the gas refilling stations were held at gunpoint by one of the suspects while a second one, who carried a bag, emptied the cash drawers.

The third suspect entered the gas station's office and took the cash collections of the third cashier.

One of the cashiers assigned in the office said she knew they were being held up after she heard their internal alarm but could not call for immediate police assistance as one of the suspects had entered the office and pointed a gun on her.

The gas station does not have a security guard during daytime.

Customers of the gas station who witnessed the broad daylight robbery said the suspects simply walked off after the incident.

A customer reportedly saw the suspects getting aboard a getaway motorcycle parked along Dampas Road, just at the back of the gas station.

SECOND ROBBERY

Unfortunately, Monday's robbery was the second time for the Racho Petron gas station. The first robbery which happened sometime last year where robbers took some P7,000.

According to Racho, the cashier in-charge of depositing their daily cash collections, a nephew, missed going to the bank on time which could have prevented the robbers from getting the loot.

The cashier designated to deposit collections usually deposits their cash at around 4 p.m., Racho disclosed.

The gas station owner said she employs a security guard from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The gasoline station has three cashiers and four gasoline boys.

STILL NO LEAD - POLICE

City PNP investigator SPO4 Justiniano Saco said they are still investigating if the incident had any connection to the robbery which victimized a cashier of Island City Mall last May.

Initial investigations of the City PNP revealed that the three suspects were allegedly spotted infront of the gas station hours before the hold-up incident.

Meanwhile, City Mayor Dan Lim, in a separate interview said that business establishments here in the city were already warned to beef up their security during the series of daring daylight robberies that victimized the Lim Caltex gas station, a Unitop Department Store cashier, three FCB Foundation employees and others in late December last year.

The mayor urged anew business owners to take into serious consideration the security of their establishments.

source: news.bbc.co.uk

A panel reviewing health issues at Nasa has found that US astronauts have been allowed to fly while intoxicated at least twice, an aviation magazine says.

The panel also found heavy alcohol use within the 12-hour "bottle to throttle" ban for flight crew, according to Aviation Week and Space Technology.

The independent panel is due to present its findings later on Friday. Nasa has declined to comment on the allegations.

Separately, Nasa confirmed that a contractor had sabotaged a computer.

The damage to wiring in a network box - which is to be taken to the International Space Station (ISS) - was intentional and obvious, the agency said.

However, it stressed that the equipment was not essential and that astronauts' lives had not been at risk. An investigation is under way.

Meanwhile the health panel is preparing to announce its conclusions.

It was set up following the arrest on kidnapping and assault charges of Nasa astronaut Lisa Nowak in February.

She is accused of attacking her love rival, the girlfriend of a fellow astronaut.

The panel's findings do not deal with Ms Nowak directly or mention any other crew by name.

According to Aviation Week, the panel found that on at least two occasions astronauts flew after doctors and fellow astronauts had warned that they were intoxicated and posed a flight-safety risk.

The report did not say when the alleged incidents took place, or whether they involved pilots.

Regarding the sabotage allegations, Nasa's Associate Administrator for Space Operations, William Gerstenmaier, said the computer problem had been discovered earlier this month.

"The damage is very obvious, easy to detect," he told reporters on Thursday. "It's not a mystery to us."

Mr Gerstenmaier said wires had been found cut inside the unit before it had been loaded onto the shuttle.

The computer is designed to collect and relay data from sensors which detect vibrations and forces on the space station's external trusses.

The equipment had been supplied by a sub-contractor, he added.

Mr Gerstenmaier said engineers would try to repair the hardware before 7 August, when the space shuttle Endeavour is due to fly to ISS, but that the mission would not be delayed.

The damage is believed to be the first act of sabotage of flight equipment Nasa has discovered.

source: BBC News

Google is the brand that has gained the most in value over the past year, according a survey of global brands.

The report from Interbrand found that Google's brand value had risen 44% in the past 12 months to $17.8bn (£8.8bn), which put it in 20th place.

Coca-Cola came top of the league for the seventh year running, despite its value falling 3%.

Nokia is the highest-ranking brand from outside the US, while American brands made up more than half of the top 100.

BEST GLOBAL BRANDS 2007

Coke cans
1 Coca-Cola
2 Microsoft
3 IBM
4 GE
5 Nokia
6 Toyota
7 Intel
8 McDonald's
9 Disney
10 Mercedes-Benz

Source: Interbrand/Business Week

The brands are valued using sales and a consideration of how important the brand is in the sector.

In soft drinks, for example, branding is considered very important, while it is much less important to people buying garden tools.

The biggest faller was Ford, whose brand value fell 19%, putting it at number 41 in the league.

The report says that Ford's long-term decline demonstrates how an iconic brand can lose its way.

It highlights the carmaker's permanent discount policy in the US as a factor that has eroded the value of its brand.

source: CNN News

APE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) -- The U.S. space agency NASA has confirmed it had discovered the apparent sabotage of a noncritical component of the international space station due to be carried up by the space shuttle Endeavour. It launched an investigation after finding cut wires in a piece of computer equipment intended to transfer data from station sensors to the ground, the agency said.
art.iss.nasa.jpg

NASA says it discovered the apparent sabotage of a noncritical component of the international space station.

NASA said it will try to launch Endeavour on August 7 for the spacecraft's first mission in nearly five years.

Endeavour, fresh from a complete overhaul and the last of NASA's three remaining shuttles to return to flight following the 2003 Columbia disaster, is due to carry out a construction mission to the $100-billion space station.

It will be NASA's second shuttle flight of the year.

Endeavour was almost totally rebuilt during its overhaul and was like a new space shuttle, shuttle program manager Wayne Hale told reporters at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where the launch will take place.

"It's like driving a new car off the showroom floor," Hale said.

Endeavour's seven crew members include teacher-astronaut Barbara Morgan, who trained 22 years ago as the backup to teacher-in-space Christa McAuliffe, one of the astronauts who died when Challenger blew up at liftoff in January 1986.

Endeavour will be carrying a new support beam for the half-finished space station and a replacement gyroscope needed to help the outpost maintain its position in space.

Among the shuttle's upgrades is a new system that will enable the spacecraft to tap into the station's electrical system and stay longer at the outpost.

If the power transfer system works properly, NASA plans to extend Endeavour's mission from 11 to 14 days. That will allow time for the crew to finish extra work preparing the orbital outpost for the arrival later this year and next year of laboratories built by Europe and Japan.

It also will carry a module loaded with about 5,000 pounds of equipment and supplies for the station crew.

Quote from: udtohan on July 27, 2007, 05:50:53 PM
wala man diay klaro atong water system sa bohol..unya mamaligya pa ta sa laing lugar? charity begins at home...

Leo, sauna sa amo sa Anda, adto mi mangabo ug tubig sa langob. Ang mga langob sa Anda tinubdan sa bugnaw ug lab-as nga tubig.

Naay water system na karon apan labihang hugawa ang tubig kay among Mayor ang sige gilimpyohan ang iya lang buwangan sa manok sa lungsod.

Galen, salamat sa image sample. At least si Leo maka-identify na asa ang McAfee SiteAdvisor mahimutang.

Quote from: Ginger on July 25, 2007, 10:03:11 PM
Pareho sa habal-habal driver nga ma minyo ug maestra...

Sa Bohol, dili na ko kaihap sa mga maestra nga naminyo ug habal-habal driver.

There is a phenomenal trend.

Leo, not a literal flag. They just call it "flag."

If McAfee SiteAdvisor has not been installed in Firefox, then you cannot see it.

McAfee SiteAdvisor has to be installed first in your computer.

Tubag Bohol has just earned the nod of McAfee. You can see a green flag in Tubag Bohol site if you are using Firefox.

source: BBC News

Two drugs commonly prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes double the risk of heart failure, a study of data on more than 78,000 patients suggests.

More than 1.5 million prescriptions for rosiglitazone and pioglitazone were issued in England alone last year.

The researchers, led by the University of East Anglia, suggest fluid retention caused by the drugs may be to blame.

Writing in the journal Diabetes Care, they call for a rethink on the drugs by the regulatory authorities.

Patients are advised not to stop taking the drugs, but to consult their GP if they have concerns.

Prescriptions for the drugs, known as thiazolidinediones, have doubled over the last three years.

Rosiglitazone, brand name Avandia, was linked to heart attacks by research published earlier this year.

The latest analysis of data estimates that one in every 50 people taking the drugs over a 26-month period will require hospital admission because of heart failure.

Lead researcher Dr Yoon Loke said: "This means that the diabetes drugs could have caused thousands of additional cases of heart failure, creating a substantial burden on hard-pressed NHS services."

The researchers also looked in detail at more than 200 cases of patients with heart failure related to the diabetes drugs and found that the problem developed even in patients taking low doses of the drugs.

While heart failure is often thought to be a problem affecting older patients, the researchers also found that one quarter of cases occurred in people younger than 60.

General risk

The manufacturers' information leaflets say that rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, brand name Actos, should not be used in patients known to have heart failure, but this research indicates that the drugs can provoke the problem even in those without a history of heart disease.

Dr Loke said: "Most patients in the studies did not have heart failure prior to starting on treatment with these drugs.

"There doesn't seem to be a group of patients who are safe from these side-effects."

Matt Hunt, of the charity Diabetes UK, said the drugs were recommended by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as a safe and effective treatment for type 2 diabetes.

He said: "Obviously new evidence should be considered by the MHRA on an ongoing basis.

"Both the MHRA and the European Medicines Agency say that people should not stop taking glitazones and if concerned they should consult their doctor."

Both the EMEA and the MHRA said their experts were currently performing a re-evaluation of the benefits and risks of both rosiglitazone and pioglitazone in view of the concerns on cardiovascular safety.

This re-evaluation is intended to be finished later this year.

A spokesman from the drugs' guidance watchdog NICE said: "If the EMEA decides on the basis of this new research that the risks posed by these two glitazones outweigh their benefits, they will issue updated prescribing advice to healthcare professionals.

"This will take precedence over the existing NICE guidance."

Drug company GlaxoSmithKline, which makes Avandia (rosiglitazone), said: "The risk of heart failure in diabetes patients and with use of these medicines is well recognised and is clearly identified in prescribing information to doctors in the UK."

Written By Rey Anthony Chiu
Philippine Information Agency

Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado sounded the call for action and called for participation in governance especially in managing and protecting Bohol water resources for the economy, the community and the needs of the environment.

Speaking at the Bohol Water Summit Monday at the MetroCenter Hotel, the governor painted a gloomy future shared by the whole world if access and water sources become compromised.

Citing the alarming state of water here, the governor as well as the summit convenors believe that the situation needs not just knee-jerk reactions but carefully planned, integrated and harmonized action, just as the Bohol Medium Term Development Plan describes the current water quality here as poor and still deteriorating.

With Bohol mostly using groundwater sources extracting at a rapid rate thereby allowing saltwater intrusion, which again hosts several concerns, a study presented by an Australian Youth Ambassador revealed.

Confronted with a picture of diminishing water resources and lengthening gap in access to uncontaminated water, the Bohol Water Summit came, organizers shared during the Summit opening.

As he optimization of the water resources use here, an inter-agency Bohol Integrated Water Resource Management Team was created with a dual aim: to strike a balance between continuing demand for available clean and safe and affordable water and the call to effectively protect and safeguard biodiversity and environmental health, according to a summit brochure.

To formally advance the cause for water protection here, an executive order establishing the muti-sectoral Bohol Integrated Water Resources Management Board was signed by stakeholders including the governor to establish, consolidate, build on and strengthen existing institutional arrangements and structures that deal with Bohol water resource management. 

The Bohol move is one innovation which comes at a time when the whole of the country is faced with the issue of water scarcity including the diminishing supply and access to potable and safe water, thereby worsening problems of contamination and posing danger to health, GTZ consultants said.

Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself has urged Filipinos today to conserve water as the possibility of a critical water shortage looms in the wake of a "dry spell" sweeping the country.

The President made the call during a press briefing by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in Makati City this week.

"We need everybody to conserve water to mitigate this disturbance," President Arroyo said.

She directed the NDCC to prepare information kits and to launch an information campaign to increase awareness among the people on the need to conserve water.

The President also instructed the Department of Agriculture to plant "water-resistant" crops or plants that do not need much water to sustain growth.

This way, the President said, agricultural output would not be affected too much.

During the briefing, Science and Technology Undersecretary Graciano Yumul informed the President that the country, particularly Luzon island was experiencing an "extended" dry spell for the past two months, when the rainy season should have been around already.

He said that if no rains come by next month, the possibility of drought might be declared in the regions. (rachiu/PIA)

By Rey Anthony Chiu
Philippine Information Agency

Filled with conviction, Governor Erico Aumentado believes Panglao International Airport moves from the drawing boards to reality just as President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo promised to complete the Super Regions as her Administration’s legacy before her term ends.

This is despite the rantings of former Gov. Victor dela Serna who openly aired his skepticism of the realization of the project during the Alarma, a Bohol Tri-Media Association sponsored forum.

In her SONA, the President laid out her vision of the country, which is one that keeps pace with modernization after 20 years. She then urged the Congress, which opened its sessions Monday to help her put the mechanism in place.

The President hinted that laying out the ground works would need investments in physical, intellectual, legal and security infrastructure to increase business confidence and investments in a stronger and wider social safety net, all to guarantee an ambitious one million jobs a year. She also talked about investments in peace; crushing terrorism and putting a stop to human rights abuses.

In Bohol and in the Visayas where the President wished to transform into a key tourism region, she updated the Filipinos about the local initiatives to pursue the planned airport in destination island Panglao during her SONA.

“The local government [in Bohol] has acquired 85 percent of the land for the international airport on Panglao Island,” she said.

The P2.87B airport project brings tourists directly to the world fame beaches in Panglao and about two hours away from the crown of Bohol countryside destination: the Chocolate Hills.

The Department of Transportation and Communication has earlier earmarked at least P3B as per order of the President, DOTC secretary Leandro Mendoza confirmed to the governor last year.

The P3 billion will be for the civil works for the airport which is set for completion in September 2009,” Aumentado then said.

Earlier, the DOTC released P125 million for the land acquisition for the runway and for social preparation for which the provincial government also released P40,000. 

This week, reports leaked from the capitol again confirmed that a DOTC bigwig is arriving Monday to personally handcarry P70M worth of checks for the land acquisition of the airport, which was designed to include a 3.5 kilometer runway, an air control tower, cluster of administration buildings, ample parking areas from planes and commuter parking space. (rachiu/PIA)

Written By Rey Anthony Chiu
Philippine Information Agency

Can we call it sleeping with the enemy?

The question that has baffled a fact finding team digging into the Auxilio murder is that why would the cultural group called Alimaong be branded as anti-communists when in fact, its high ranking leader is also a Bayan Muna member.

The new twist in the investigation presents another wayward development and an unraveling thread in the propaganda war spun to possibly muddle the investigations, a fact-finding team member admits.

By so doing, those who did this can benefit by gaining an edge in the campaign to smear government in its effort to address what has been insisted as political killings.

The inter-agency Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) fact finding team, led by Capitol-based Romeo Teruel learned of the poser in an interview with Alimaong tribal chieftain, Jaime Tabigue of Bien Unido.

The PPOC team was sent to investigate and gather facts in hopes to enlighten investigating officials of the circumstances behind the Mario Auxilio murder, Bayan Muna secretary general and staunch government critic.

Police said witnesses saw the victim’s close friend Hilario “Larry” Diola shot Auxilio June 15.

After the shooting and eventual death of the victim, Bayan Muna immediately clamored for justice and insisted that the death was one political killing since according to them, the killer was a member of the Alimaong.

Interview transcripts presented by the PPOC team during the recent PPOC meeting revealed that Alimaong Bien Unido tribal chieftain Jaime Tabigue claims his group is not involved in any government anti-communist or anti-insurgency operations.

Tabigue claimed Alimaong is a cultural group (indigenous people) whose primary objective is revival of Filipino values and traits that promote unity and harmony. He also said his group supports the government’s campaign against criminality, protection of marine resources and moral recovery program.

The Bien Unido tribal head said the Auxilio killer was recruited to the Alimaong by Bohol tribal chieftain Antonio Tabada, who is also a known Bayan Muna member.

He added that Alimaong legal counsels include a certain Atty Archival and Atty. Marlon Sayson, who are also legal counsels of the Bayan Muna.

The least that should be put into account is personal motive as how could Bayan Muna claim that the Auxilio murder is political when they and Alimaong share something in common?, a team member asks during an interview. (rachiu/PIA)

By Rey Anthony Chiu
The Philippine Information Agency

Diverse reactions popped after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo delivered her State of the Nation Address (SONA) and urged Congressional support to achieve what she envisions as a country with the hallmarks of the modern society in the next years.

The most vocal militant groups Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) and its youth party ally Kabataan still hammered on a sorry SONA of poverty Monday.

As television and radio stations broadcasted the President’s SONA in time to inaugurate a new Congress, Bayan and Kabataan Bohol used a mounted public address rather than mobilize a rally and rounded the city’s main thoroughfares to further insist that the indication of a good economy is poverty alleviation for every ordinary citizen.

When the President lavished in the credits of reining a strong economy with the aid of the past Congress, the militant groups said the ordinary Filipino has not felt progress.

SONA

Drum beating of a P1.7 trillion public investment program, Mrs. Arroyo, who cited putting up the paying off fundamentals in investments said she is for more into information technology support to prop up business e-services and get into the aim of $12B earnings from 1M workers in the industry in 2010.

As if knowing the militant groups’ clamor for education, she talked about P150B investment this year, P29B more than last year, which funds scholarships, infrastructure, salaries and vocational training to strengthen capacities of teachers and students for globally competitive graduates.

As to the questioned social services prioritization, she said she is asking Congress to pass the cheaper medicines bill, which she thinks would complement the provision of affordable health services.

She also said the government is putting up P3B in indigent hospitalization through Philhealth, P50B for socialized housing and still more for senior citizens’ privileges.

The P1.7 Trillion medium term public investment program, she said would be funded by about P1Trillion from state revenues, P300B from state corporations and the balance from government financial institutions, private sector investments, local government equity and bilateral or multilateral partners.
Reactions

Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Joseph Norris Oculam said the SONA was ambitious but if she can deliver even half of what she said, then we are better off.

While admitting he is still pro-government, Oculam was referring to a failed attempt to hit the target deficit and the target revenues.

According to Tripartite Industrial Peace Council representative Loreto Palapos, he still is an incurable optimist and would believe that the President is bent to leave a lasting legacy to the country in her last years.

Staunch critic and Boholano lawyer Victor dela Serna continued his ranting against the Arroyo Administration, during a media Forum Thursday at the Island City Mall. As usual, he also failed to offer succinct solutions to all his perceived government maladies.

Sorry SONA

“We already knew that the SONA would boast of the rising value of the peso, strengthening foreign investments, high Gross Domestic product, seemingly more jobs, the enactment of more laws favoring the foreign investments,” they stated in a leaflet dated July 23.

Instead of crediting the Arroyo reforms for the turn-around however, both groups argued that the strengthened peso was caused not by other factors but by opening up the nation’s resources to foreign capital, privatization of power utilities, water, hospitals and those investments favoring foreign interests.

Using their accusations of lowering the poverty bar to lessen the number of national destitution, Bayan and Kabataan said the government’s anti-labor policies, restrictive commercialized education, agricultural liberalization, rising costs of basic commodities would result in smaller fund sources for social services while assuring 34% for foreign debt payments and from 20-40% funds wasted on the worsening corruption.
Post SONA impressions from solons

Meanwhile, asked on his comments about the SONA, opposition Congressman Roilo Golez of Paranaque City said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's development targets and strategies to sustain the country's progress even beyond her term is doable.

These are very modest targets and if Congress, Malacanang and the Cabinet can work together we can achieve a lot of these things and make it really easy for the new President by 2010 to take over," Golez said.

Citing his observation on the President’s inclination to work with Congress, he said “This augurs well for a very good working relationship between Malacanang, the President and Congress including members of the minority.”

With that, he said the minority is prepared to have a very good working relationship with Malacanang and with the majority. I think we can assure the public on that," Golez said.

Golez said the President made very good objectives   such as the call for legislations for the provision of cheaper medicines, electoral reforms, harsher penalties for political killings and rogue members of the military and police, and amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001 which, he said, is crucial to accelerate the modernization of the energy sector.

On the other hand, Sen. Manuel A. Roxas also said that opposition senators would support legislations being pushed by the administration as long as it would benefit the general public.

"We will not be obstructionists as long as it is for the good of the people," Roxas said.

At this, former First Lady Imelda Marcos said she is very optimistic on the country's future as she called on everyone to unite and work for the good of the nation.

"For the sake of the Filipino people, let us all get united so that we will have progress for this country," Mrs. Marcos said. (rachiu/PIA)

Reported By Rey Anthony Chiu
Philippine Information Agency

Tagbilaran City, Bohol - Sourcing out water for kitchen use has always been laborious: a long walk on slippery moss-laden path up to the mountain while burdened by the sag-ob to the spring about a kilometer away from his small hut.

Fermin Baluran never thought it would come any easier now because he has gracefully surrendered to age his fate of gathering that water. But at 82, the Sevilla born-farmer sighs in relief when a convergence of priorities by government and non-government agencies made water available to him and 76 other households in his remote barangay in Untaga, Alicia.

Identified as one of Bohol’s still existing waterless barangays by Bohol Local Poverty Reduction Action Program, Untaga may have water sources to be tapped, but it’s the fund to develop such that they could not avail.

In Sitio Campayud, Fermin along with several residents owns a house about accessible by a steep and slippery cart trail a kilometer and a half from the national road.

Aware of meager barangay funds, Barangay Chairman Esteban Duyaguit has since prayed for a bigger intervention to allow water from its source to go flowing down the slopes to sitios Aracan, Balikwing and Campayud.

What barangay Untaga residents did not know was that the Philippine Australian Countryside Assistance Program (PACAP) implemented a project called Focused Community Assistance Scheme (FOCAS), which was on the sustainable water and sanitation development initiatives.

In Alicia as in 17 other Bohol towns, NGOs like the People’s Fair Trade Assistance Center (PFTAC) is empowering communities to sustain a water sanitation program when such could be turned over for community based management.

Organizing and dealing with people is a tough job, but I have to do it, said PFTAC Community organizer Felix Calabria.

The project runs after the community has identified their need and would commit to co-partner with the program implementers, at times putting up their own counter parts, PFTAC project supervisor Renato Renegado shared.  That way, our community organizers should be here many times to meet the residents and refine the plans.

The identified project, water system development would cost about a million pesos, the biggest fund coming as financial assistance from the PACAP AusAid at P800T. LGUs Alicia and Untaga gave about P50T while the Untaga Multi-Purpose Cooperative led by Shirley Molina gave their labor and financiaf counterpart at P71T. PFTAC also put in P35T including supervisory and organizational skills.

First started in July of 2006, a year later and with a 21,000 liter reservoir atop a hill to ensure the gravitational push of the water to the waterwork’s 13 tapstands, now bringing the water is much safer and easier for our children, a consumer admitted.

Moreover, PROCESS’ Tony Boncales said the accessible tapstands assure that the children can still have enough time to play, study and for the parents to perform other productive activity.

During the official launching of the level-two-water system, PFTAC executive Director Engr. Vicente Locquellano said he wished the people could own the system as the only way the project could be sustained and maintained.

Now with a new water system to serve the residents of a portion of his barangay, Chairman Duyaguit said at least Untaga residents could now look at other concerns and perhaps do the more important things in life. (rachiu/PIA)

Written By Rey Anthony Chiu
Philippine Information Agency

Lending more teeth to the newly passed Human Security act, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during her recent State of the Nation Address (SONA) shrugged off the criticisms heaped against the law and instead asked Congress to fortify it with a transformed state response to violence.

This as militant groups in Bohol continue to call for opposition and raise concern over what they termed as serious trampling of human rights and the Marcosian proclamations to ensure continued stay in power.

While calling enough of this, Bayan and allied youth sector party Kabataan insisted 7 Boholanos have been politically murdered.

Local authorities including the local Human Rights Commission office however said the some of the cases were done with other motives than political.

“Some killings, which the progressive groups consider as political have personal angles and could not be considered as political killings,” Provincial Peace and Order Council fact finding team leader Romeo Teruel said.

Despite passing through the characteristic heated debates in Congress, Bayan and Kabataan insisted that the new law is not just violative of the Constitutional guaranteed rights but is also patterned after the Marcosian dictatorial proclamations.

Pressing on what they pointed out as vague definition of terrorism, both groups allege that the law could be a tool for persecution by allowing illegal detentions, surveillance, house arrests and freezing of bank accounts on mere suspicion.

With this, the President urged Congress for laws to guide the state's response to political violence.

The President asked Congress to enact on a stronger protection program so the state could protect witnesses from lawbreakers and law enforcers. She also urged the plenum for help in guaranteeing swift justice from more empowered special courts.

Moreover, she begged Congress for harsher penalties for political killings and finally, to put up the harshest penalties for the rogue elements in the uniformed services who betray public trust and bring shame to the greater number of their colleagues who are patriotic.

In Bohol, sectors have asked the militant groups to consider that their representatives were also part of those who deliberated on the law.

“If they think their party representatives did not work for their concerns, then that’s their problem,” a Tagbilaran City sidewalk fish vendor who refused to be named said in an interview.

Written By Rey Anthony Chiu
Correspondent
Philippine Information Agency

Inabanga, Bohol - Inabanga's one-town-one-product (OTOP) Center’s raffia-based crafts amassed a total of P8,189,377 in cash and bookings to emerge as Bohol’s most promising crafts industry in this year’s Sandugo Products and Lifestyle Fair held last week at the Island City Mall.

But fair organizers however only considered cash sales in their top sellers list so that Tubigon-based Bohol Countryside Souvenirs Enterprises managed by Ernesto Polan bagged the best-seller award with P230,675 in reported cash sales as of July 21, 2007 the cut-off time.

Bohol Countryside Souvenirs Enterprises displayed bags with coco-shell accessories sold the most.

When the booths however were dismantled, Inabanga-based Bohol Beads and Fibers declared a P257,035 cash sales, a report that could put them ahead had they complied with the report cut-off time.

In booked sales, next to Inabanga OTOP Center is Pinayagan-based Tubigon Loom-weavers’ Multi-Purpose Cooperative which generated P5,040,000 to be the fair’s next most promising industry.

Bohol Countryside Souvenir Enterprises netted P3,480,675 in cash and booked sales to head the top three sellers.

Meanwhile, former industry crafts-giant Antequera, Bohol’s basket capital capped a dismal showing in this year’s Sandugo showcase, a fact most observers ascribe to the death of basket industry father and mayor elect Jaime Quibel.

The 19th Sandugo Showcase and Lifestyle Fair has billed a P26,340,833 sales, data from the sales report furnished by the fair organizer, the Department of Trade and Industry states.

The net sales were computed according to cash and booked sales for the 53 exhibitors from Bohol, the Visayas and some from as far as Luzon, fair organizers said.

The fair, which has been the DTI venue for lending the marketing and promotional exposures for local products as well as boost micro-enterprises in the country sides has also become a venue for stout business deals that nourish small community economies in the country.

In the past years, the DTI adopted the Japanese borrowed concept of One-town-One Product to showcase creative attempts at mainstreaming design while focusing on craftsmanship, which lends the needed international market interest on local products, a DTI official said.

Among the top ten cash best sellers are Partnership and Access Center in Albay, Inabanga OTOP Center, Bahandi Producers Association of Eastern Visayas, Bol-anon United Sectors Working for the Advancement of Community Concerns, and Cordillera Network of NGOS and POS.

Written By the Philippine Daily Inquirer

Singapore-based Ascendas Pte. Ltd., Asia’s leading business space solutions provider, has announced the first closing of its Ascendas ASEAN Business Space Fund, or ASEAN Fund, at $200 million.

The fund said it would invest primarily in the key reemerging markets of the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Specifically, it will invest in a portfolio of assets such as central business district and suburban office space, technology-related facilities, as well as science, biotech and IT-related assets. The fund will also invest in mixed development projects as well as industrial and logistics facilities.

Ascendas specializes in developing, managing and marketing IT parks, industrial parks (manufacturing, logistics and distribution centers), business parks, science parks, high-tech facilities, office and retail space.

Chong Siak Ching, Ascendas president and CEO said: “The ASEAN Fund will enable investors to participate in a diversified geographical portfolio with exciting opportunities coming from the emerging economies of Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. The strong growth primarily in the industrial as well as IT (information technology) and BPO (business process outsourcing) sectors has generated greater demand for high-quality business space. This is an area where Ascendas can play a role in setting new benchmarks for business space solutions and bringing our unique Ascendas business lifestyle to new markets.”

Ong Beng Kheong, Ascendas’ CEO of Southeast Asia Operations, said: “The ASEAN Fund is an ideal vehicle for sophisticated investors to invest in real estate, both matured and development assets, in some of the region’s fastest-growing economies. We are committed to delivering attractive yields, stable income and capital growth to investors.”

“From its initial size of $200 million, we target to grow the fund eventually to $400 million with an asset size worth about $1 billion. We are actively exploring a pipeline of assets in Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. There is growth potential from the addition of properties and development projects that meet our investment criteria,” the official said.

Reported By Ronnel Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Golfers and students are not the only Koreans coming to the Philippines. The retirees are, too.

Figures from the government’s retirement and tourism agencies showed that since 1987, 3,225 Koreans have availed themselves of the Philippine Retirement Authority’s special retiree program.

These “long-stays” commit to spend a part of their retirement money here in exchange for residency as well as a lower cost of living.

Over the past 20 years, at least 13 South Korean retirees a month have been moving to the Philippines.

South Koreans are the third largest retiree group in the country, after the Chinese (3,690 as of June 2007) and the Taiwanese (3,241).

Officials observed that the top reason why South Koreans choose to retire here was their search for schools for their children.

Another reason was to put up businesses of their own or for their compatriots.

According to the United Korean Community Association (UKCA), there are 100,000 Korean residents in the country, aside from tourists who numbered some 575,000 in 2006.

UKCA president Young Baek Lee said the influx of Koreans residents and visitors -- along with their investments and spending money -- has been a good source of income for Filipinos.

“Aside from supplementing (Philippine) national investment, the majority of the value-added from Korean investments would remain here by way of taxes, salaries, rentals and others, as well as profit share for local shareholders in Korean firms,” Lee said.
Still, Korean presence has caused some friction with the local populace due to what Lee described as the “uneducated and ill-mannered few” among Koreans.

Also, Lee said the Koreans have also been fair game to unscrupulous people like extortionists, including government agents.

The Korean Embassy has lamented a “spate of harassment and inappropriate arrests” of Koreans in the past three weeks.

Hong Sungmog, Consul General and deputy chief of mission, decried “incidents in the past three weeks that involved visits of supposed immigration agents to Korean citizens very late at night or even in places of worship.

“It was like living in the Soviet Union,” Hong said. “They [immigration agents] come at 11 p.m. or sometimes when the Koreans are praying in the Buddhist temple.”

The Philippines' number one and most trusted newspaper in the country both online and offline has been tagged by McAfee SiteAdvisor as "spammy", meaning PDI is behaving in the web universe like a SPAM advocate. It is ironic that while PDI has gained trust and respect not only in the Philippines but also in countries abroad, it had unknowingly failed to pass McAfee's stringent test.

Here's the exact statement of McAfee, the virus-maker:

After entering our e-mail address on this site (inquirer.net), we received 6.7 e-mails per week. They were somewhat spammy.

You can read the full details in the link below:

http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/inquirer.net?ref=safe&aff_id=0

PDI has to do something to improve its McAfee ranking because having a yellow flag in McAfee SiteAdvisor would paint an ugly first impression to the international community.

McAfee is used by more than 300 million Internet surfers all over the world. The SiteAdvisor can be downloaded free at mcafee.com and after the installation it automatically integrates into your Firefox browser.

It is now absolutely necessary to have a McAfee SiteAdvisor installed in your browser. You never know you might fall onto a dangerous website that will forever ruin your life. McAfee is your guiding light.

McAfee gives a green flag to safe and secure websites, yellow to questionable sites, and red to high-risk websites.

Written By Jhunnex Napallacan
The Philippine Daily Inquirer

Twenty-one elementary students in an island-village of Tubigon, Bohol, Philippines were hospitalized for food poisoning after eating the fruit of tuba-tuba or jatropha tree on Wednesday.

The public school students were on their way home when they passed by two jatropha trees and started picking the nuts and eating its seeds, not knowing they were poisonous, physician Adoracion Torregosa, administrator of the Tubigon Community Hospital, said Thursday.

Torregosa said the students, with ages ranging from 7 to 13 years old, immediately complained of abdominal pain and headache after they ate the seeds. Some of them started vomiting, he said.

Tuba-tuba, or jatropha, is considered as one of the country's most promising sources of bio-fuel today because its nuts contained oil that can be processed into biodiesel.

But while the plant is also being used in traditional medication, it has poisonous properties.

The students are all residents of Batasan Island, an islet 30 minutes by motorized boat from mainland Tubigon, in the central Philippine province of Bohol.


The children had just been released from their morning class at the Batasan Island Elementary School at past 11 a.m. when the incident happened.

Torregosa said the pupils were brought to the hospital at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, around four hours after the poisoning.

Their parents gave them first aid treatment by making them drink coconut milk and cooking oil, he said.

"The leader of the group, the one who enticed the other children to eat the seeds, ate four seeds but he was up and about because (his) resistance was strong. The rest were the ones who were poisoned," Torregosa said.

Torregosa said the children ate the jetropha nuts because they tasted like peanuts and pili nuts.

Torregosa said the tuba-tuba trees were inside a fence but some fruit-bearing branches hanged over the road and became easy picking for the passing children.

Torregosa said that 19 of the children were brought to the town's hospital. Everlie Bopero, 8, was brought to St. Joseph Clinic in the town, and John Alfie Oldinaria, 12, was brought to Tagbilaran City's Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital.

The 19 pupils who were brought to the Tubigon Community Hospital were Princess Mae Ladrera, 7; Chandrina Premacio, 10; Jollyvie Bañanola, 7; Jessa Bañanola, 7; Krishia Cosicol, 7; Christine Mae Sucano,7; Jhul Raven Fernandez, 13; Jenalyn Cubellas, 8; Jonalyn Alipoyo, 8; Dynaven Saavedra, 7; Aina Plaza, 9; Reggie Premacio, 9; Rica Mejares, 7; Angelica Cabillo, 8; Billy Joe Premacio, 12; Erica Mae Mejares, 7; Jerrick Elle, 9; Stephen Oldenaria, 7; and Steven Tabat, 7.

Torregosa said the pupils brought to TCH were given dextrose and confined overnight. They were released at 10 a.m. on Thursday, he said.

Torregosa said Bopero was already home while Oldinaria was also about to be released.

source: reuters.com

Americans who feel bored and underpaid do work hard -- at surfing the net and catching up on gossip, according to a survey that found U.S. workers waste about 20 percent of their working day.

An online survey of 2,057 employees by online compensation company Salary.com found about six in every 10 workers admit to wasting time at work with the average employee wasting 1.7 hours of a typical 8.5 hour working day.

Personal Internet use topped the list as the leading time-wasting activity according to 34 percent of respondents, with 20.3 percent then listing socializing with co-workers and 17 percent conducting personal business as taking up time.

The reasons why people wasted time were varied with nearly 18 percent of respondents questioned by e-mail in June and July said boredom and not having enough to do was the main reason.

The second most popular reason for wasting time was having too long hours (13.9 percent), being underpaid (11.8 percent), and a lack of challenging work (11.1 percent).

"While a certain amount of wasted time is built into company salary structures, our research indicates that companies with a challenged and engaged workforce can expect more productivity in return," said Bill Coleman, chief compensation officer at Salary.com.

While the amount of time wasted at work seems high, Coleman said the numbers have improved, with the amount of time wasted dropping 19 percent since Salary.com conducted its first annual survey on slacking at work in 2005. Then workers reported wasting 2.09 hours of their working day.

"I think (the decline) is really a result of the economy and that there's more business, more work available and less time to sit around wondering what you are going to do with your day," Coleman told Reuters.

CNN News and
Associated Press

PATERSON, New Jersey (AP) -- Daisy Valdivia is annoyed that someone stole her backyard pool -- and baffled at how they did it without leaving behind a splash, drip or trace of the 1,000 gallons of water it contained.

Valdivia awoke to find her family's hip-high, inflatable, 10-foot diameter swimming pool gone from her back yard Wednesday.

Valdivia told The Record of Bergen County the theft must have occurred between 1 a.m., when her husband went to bed, and 5 a.m., when she awoke.

She's amazed someone could steal the pool that quickly and just wanted to know "what the heck they did with the water," she said.

Valdivia told The Herald News of Passaic County that she was surprised the thieves chose the pool to steal.

"We have two grills, chairs, umbrellas, they're much easier to take," she told the paper.

Paterson police told The Herald News the theft was apparently planned.

"Someone took a little time and effort thinking about this," Lt. Anthony Traina of the Paterson Police Department said. "This wasn't just walking by and snatching a bike. That tells us something, too."

By Sumner Lemon, IDG News Service
pcworld.com

Google Inc.'s global privacy counsel, Peter Fleischer, wants to see t-shirts replace the tie as standard business attire, saying the tie "constricts circulation to the brain."

In addition, the tie "acts as decorative camouflage for the business suit, designed to shield the middle-aged male physique, with its shrinking shoulders and protruding paunch, from feeling sufficiently self-conscious to hit the gym," Fleischer wrote in a recent letter to The Financial Times.

The letter, written in response to an article that praised the tie as appropriate business attire, was signed using Fleischer's Google job title.

Fleischer suggested replacing the tie with t-shirts, which he said do less to hide the shape of a man's body. "Wouldn't you like to know whether your business partners are fit? Why should you trust a man in business if he abuses his own body?," Fleischer wrote, saying casual attire may also result in greater creativity.

"If your fashion editor can hardly imagine a better garment for men to exhibit their personality, power and masculinity than wearing ties, well ... I work at Google. Our unofficial motto is, 'Be serious without a suit,'" Fleischer wrote.

Google, like many other technology companies, allows employees to dress casually for work. A company recruitment video posted on YouTube shows the range of attire, including t-shirts and dress shirts, worn by employees. None of the employees are shown wearing ties.

However, several of Google's senior managers are shown wearing ties in their official photographs, including Omid Kordestani, senior vice president of global sales and business development; Elliot Schrage, vice president of global communications and public affairs; and Vint Cerf, vice president and chief Internet evangelist.

filehippo.com describes Free Download Manager (FDM) with the following words:

Free Download Manager (FDM) is a full-featured download accelerator and manager. You can easily download a list of files and whole web sites from any remote server via HTTP, HTTPS and FTP.

FDM is a light-weight, powerful and easy-to-use application. This software product is well-known for its intuitive and user-friendly interface. FDM can function as a site manager, accelerator, site explorer and scheduler.

FDM can resume broken downloads. So you needn't start the downloading process from the very beginning after casual interruption. You can resume unfinished download from the moment when it was interrupted. Also this program warns you if resuming isn't supported by the servers. It allows you to make a decision about the downloading. So with FDM you save your time and money.

I believe all this is a crap. I tried FDM and all I got was headache. Whether you use Explorer or Firefox, FDM would freeze your browsing activity. It seems that there is a trigger mechanism that commands FDM to download all the contents of the website that you're browsing. Software tragedy. To make things worst, FDM will not allow you to uninstall itself from your computer.

Don't settle for mediocre. Raise your right hand and declare your pledge of alliance to Download Accelerator Plus, which you can get free at www.speedbit.com DAP is made by an Israel-based software company. So popular it is that more than 142 million Internet users all over the world are trusting DAP.

Businessweek Magazine at one time ran a story on DAP about its "Incredible Shrinking Download." Yes, DAP can speed up your download activity at 400% faster than the normal speed.

The first time I used DAP, which was a year ago, I felt the encounter with DAP was such a momentous time of my Internet experience. What was once an hour of waiting for a download to complete has been slashed down by DAP into 10 to 15 minutes.

Try DAP and your life will never be the same again.

P.S. Don't forget to go into DAP Options and integrate DAP with your Firefox browser.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. â€"Psalm 103:12

My wife usually has to remind me to take out the garbage on trash pick-up days. It’s not one of my favorite jobs, but I muster up the determination to get it done and then just do it. Afterward it’s a nice feeling to have it out of the house, and I forget about it till the following week.

Just as we need trucks to pick up the garbage that accumulates in our homes, we need to let Jesus remove the “trash” that inevitably accumulates in our hearts. When we forget to take out the trash, it’s not a pretty picture. Jesus wants us to dump it regularly at the foot of the cross. In fact, He has promised to remove it and forget it.

But wait a minute! Could we be rummaging through the cans, trying to find that thing we weren’t quite ready to part with? A sinful habit we don’t want to give up, a fantasy we want to cling to, a revenge that we still want to ignite? Why are we wanting to hang on to the garbage?

Taking out the trash begins with confession, and then counting on Jesus to get rid of it. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Today is garbage day. Take it out and then leave it there! â€"Joe Stowell

Lord, help me not to cover sin,
Those secret wrongs that lurk within;
I now confess them all to Thee;
Transparent I would always be. â€"D. De Haan

Confession is the key that opens the door to forgiveness.

from Our Daily Bread devotional

The house to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent. â€"1 Chronicles 22:5

We had rehearsed the song for several weeks, and it sounded good. But there was one tricky section that we just couldn’t get right. We were ready to call it good enough. Our choir director seemed to agree. He too was weary of rehearsing the same few measures over and over.

Finally he said, “We’ve worked hard on this. You’re tired. I’m tired. We’re running short on time. And 99 percent of the people won’t know whether or not we sing it right.” As we started to put away our music, he continued, “But we’re going to sing it right for the 1 percent who know the difference.” We groaned as we reopened our music to the rumpled page.

On Sunday morning when we sang it right, few people knew. But that didn’t matter. What really mattered was that we were singing from our heart for an audience of Oneâ€"One who deserves excellent praise.

King David wanted an “exceedingly magnificent” house built for the Lord (1 Chronicles 22:5). So before he died, he made sure his son Solomon had everything he needed to build the templeâ€"an abundance of gold, silver, bronze, iron, timber, stone, and skilled craftsmen (vv.14-15).

Whatever we do, our audience of One deserves our very best. â€"Julie Ackerman Link

O worship the King,
All glorious above,
And gratefully sing
His power and His love. â€"Grant

When we worship God, only our best is good enough.

from Our Daily Bread devotional

Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. â€"Exodus 17:9

Zookeepers who must handle snakes will tell you that you should never grab one by its tail. It can coil around in a split second and sink its fangs into your hand. The right way is to control it by its head. (Please don’t try this at home!)

Picking up a snake by its tail is exactly what God told Moses to do (Ex. 4:1-5). Moses, who must have encountered snakes in the Midian desert, knew this was unwise.

What was God trying to teach Moses? God wanted him to realize His power and be willing to be used by Him as His messenger. Basically, there was little difference between throwing the rod to the ground and taking the snake by its tail. Both were acts of obedience to the Lord. The lesson was that God was able to use whatever He wanted in order to validate His message to the people through Moses.

What is in our hands? In a sense, our lives are in our hands. We choose whether we’ll squander the hours, days, weeks, months, and years in our own pursuits or if we’ll live an obedient life that’s useful to Almighty God.

We will be surprised at what the Lord will accomplish in us and through us as we obediently do what He asks.

What’s in your hand? â€"Albert Lee

O that my life may useful be
As I serve Jesus faithfully;
And may the world see Christ in meâ€"
This is my earnest prayer. â€"Hess

God’s call to a task includes His strength to complete it.

--from Our Daily Bread devotional

Page-view tracking was enabled only for the month of July. And we'll do it for all months.

We don't have stats for June, May, and the 10 days in April 2007.

Kindly check out stats. Here's the link:

http://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?action=stats

source: zeenews.com

It may not seem possible, but the fact is that the type of friends and family that you surround yourself with not only effects your behaviour, but also your weight.

The finding is based on a study by researchers from Harvard Medical School and the University of California, San Diego, who found that obesity spreads through social ties.

They also found that when a person piles on the pounds, the chance that people around them â€" friends, siblings and spouses â€" will also gain weight dramatically increases.

The researchers also noted that the closer two people are in a social network, the more likely it is that they will put on weight â€" and that’s something that doesn’t change even if they happen to live miles apart.

“What we see here is that one person’s obesity can influence numerous others to whom he or she is connected both directly and indirectly. In other words, it’s not that obese or non-obese people simply find other similar people to hang out with. Rather, there is a direct, causal relationship,” said. Nicholas Christakis, MD, PhD, a professor in Harvard Medical School’s Department of Health Care Policy.

Quote from: junayag on July 23, 2007, 02:35:33 AM
Thanks for the warm welcome.

Hi Mike,

Glad to learn that you're initiating this noble effort.

We missed you then in our first alumni grand homecoming of HIA in Anda, Bohol - the Ruby Jubillee celebration which was just concluded last May 2007 (your good self as one of the brilliant products being the Valedictorian of  Class 95).  To spur development for our school, we convened the 1st HIA Alumni Association that comprised more than 40 batches and whom yours truly was the elected President.

Hope we could venture into endeavors that would be mutually rewarding to all of us.

Jun Ayag

Note:  Am presently based in Saudi Arabia as an HR Consultant

Hi Jun,

I have heard of your name a lot of times. I remember that you were one of our top advertisers in the pioneering yearbook which our batch had initiated. I never had a chance to see you during one of our town fiestas, let alone during our grand reunion. (By the way, Batch '96 ko, not '95.)

Last April I did visit our province but I stayed there for a week only. I had to return to Thailand for summer classes.

I had seen some pictures taken during our reunion. They were posted by a classmate who has an account in friendster. And it broke my heart to see my classmates now gaining enormous pounds.

Mike

Quote from: Sigbin II on July 26, 2007, 03:26:58 PM
This is very disheartening news.

To a certain degree, parents may share in the blame, but whether they are minors or not, these misguided young girls are also responsible for their own actions, although the well-intentioned Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 may say different.  No matter how good a parent you are, you are not privy to the thoughts of your child and, ultimately, his or her decisions are his or her own.

Sigbin,

The tragedy in this story is that a supposed public servant was allegedly behind the buyout of justice.

Quote from: udtohan on July 26, 2007, 03:11:48 PM
ingana jud na mike. i understand sa taga HNU maskin kaila pa mo ni mikey. sa ub madali dali ra... pero sa hnu dili jud.

daghan baya scam sa email hehehe
unya wala tay mahimo ana.

Ridiculous, Leo. Scam for what? My transcript of records for scam purposes? Non-sense, Leo. Non-sense.

Silliman did not demand anything from me. Besides, I feel that it was as if a man from another planet who was requesting a transcript that they would subject him with a lot of bull-**** trouble.

Written By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

Former city councilor Jose "Boy" Angalot, who died at age 71 last Friday, will be interred on Saturday, July 28.

Angalot, who served as Tagbilaran City councilor for a total of 30 years, succumbed to pneumonia.

The former councilor served his last term in 2001-2004.

Angalot is survived by his spouse Zita Matuod Angalot and their 7 children Marichona, Marjorie, Maribelle, Mark Jansen, Marlowe, Maristela and Marian.

A holy mass will be celebrated at the Bool Parish Church before his burial at the Victoria Memorial Park at 2 p.m.

After a record-breaking run by Eduardo "Vertek" Buenavista last week in the Metro Manila leg, the 31st National Milo Marathon resumes its provincial sojourn in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on Sunday, July 29, 2007.

Like last year, Boholanos are expected to embrace the chance to join the early morning festivities and, at the same time, earn slots for the Milo Marathon finals set on Nov. 18 in Metro Manila.

More than 4,000 runners are expected to participate in the 21K elimination race, the 5K fun run and the 3K race for kids 6 to 12 years old where a total cash prize of P159,000 is at stake.

The centerpiece race was ruled by Joseph Penales in the men’s division and Gin Adan in the women’s division here last year.

They are expected to defend their respective crowns on Sunday.

Also on hand on Sunday is the inter-school cheer-dance competition which has become one of the major attractions in the MILO Marathon.

Invited to fire the starting gun in front of the Provincial Capitol Bldg. at exactly 6 a.m is Gov. Erico B. Aumentado assisted by Vice Gov. Ceasar F. Hererra.

Also invited to grace the awarding ceremonies to be held immediately after the races are board members Ae Damalerio and Jose Veloso, Mayor Dan Neri Lim, Vice Mayor Jose Veloso, and Kagawad Kit Uppos.


--Published by Tempo Newspaper - July 26, 2007

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

Government hospitals in the province will be setting up emergency treatment sections to provide primary treatment to dengue patients coming from the towns.

This is an off-shot to the urgency of decongesting hospitals in the city that started to refuse admission of patients due to overflow of dengue victims.

The fastlane program came even as "Dengue Alert" of DYRD-Chronicle, Alturas Group and the city government enters its fourth day today (July 26, 2007) with its fogging operations at dengue stricken areas.

The Department of Health (DOH) Regional Office raised a province-wide dengue alert after cases of dengue fever has already claimed 10 children and afflicted 512 others, per latest official count of the Provincial Health Office yesterday.
          
Eleven district hospitals, provincial hospitals and the Gov. Celestino Gallares Regional Hospital will set up the "dengue fastlane" as teams from the regional office have observed that most of dengue patients from the towns prefer to be treated here in city hospitals.

This scenario has caused the congestion of public and private hospitals here. <a href="http://boholchronicle.com/2007/jul/25/front1.htm">Read the full story HERE</a>

Quote from: Marcos on July 26, 2007, 12:04:49 PM
Okay I'll do that. I still need to get myself familiar with this website for there are many options. But thanks anyway for your tips.

Mr. Admin, SHOULD WE ABOLISH TBTK?

I don't think that's a good idea. My answer to your question is a question: Will you burn a house just to get rid of a rat?

Quote from: Marcos on July 26, 2007, 11:55:53 AM
Hello All, Im a newbie here. Hmm I just found this website after some search. What caught my attention deals with TBTK. For me TBTK should be placed in our trashcan. My parents told me that those who attended this gathering are arrogant, boastful, and maybe hypocrite. My parents told me that those who arrived from the U.S. were very snubbish and they never started a talk to you unless you are part of the elites of our province. Do you think we should abolish TBTK? What do you think?

Hi Marcos, welcome to Tubag Bohol. Feel free to use our "POST NEW POLL" tool of Tubag Bohol. This tool is important when you want to know what others are thinking about a particular issue.

Or if you want to share a topic, just use our "SEND THIS TOPIC" tool. It works like an e-mail - one e-mail at a time.

My random thoughts for today...

1. Too much intrusion into the private life.
2. It will make you lazy all day.
3. You don't like reading something in a small screen.
4. You don't want to injure your finger(s).
5. You hate .mobi domain extension.
6. You don't want today's computer to be replaced by something so small.
7. You feel that today's Internet is more than enough.
8. You believe that there is no need for too much technology.
9. You know that there are more essential things to buy for yourself or for your loved ones other than an iPhone or Blackberry.
10. You don't want Dell, Acer, HP, IBM, Fujitsu, Toshiba, Lenovo, Asus, Sony, BenQ to run out of business when all people on our planet would switch to a tiny plastic steel for Internet browsing.
11. You believe that great websites such as google, digg, yahoo, facebook, myspace, flickr, friendster, msn, craigslist, youtube, ebay, nytimes would be better off if they are browsed on a wide-screen computer.
12. Your $500 dollars can be used to buy 5 laptops for the poor kids in Laos, Cambodia, Africa, etc.
13. You don't want to mess up your life when new generation of viruses will hijack iPhones and Blackberries.
14. You want to use your $500 for support to the blind and deaf kids in the world.
15. You believe that iPhone and Blackberry will create more gaping gaps between the rich in the West and the poor in the East.

This is how Iraq celebrates victory.
source: news.bbc.co.uk

Two bomb attacks have killed at least 50 people and injured 135 in Baghdad as crowds celebrated the Iraqi national football team's win over South Korea.

The first strike killed 30 people in the Mansour district, where fans were marking Iraq's victory, which takes the side into the final of the Asian Cup.

Twenty died in the next blast, at an army checkpoint in east Baghdad.

Thousands had filled the streets of the capital, dancing and waving flags in a rare moment of national unity.

Police said the two attacks deliberately targeted the jubilant supporters.

The first explosion occurred about 1830 local time (1430GMT) in the western neighbourhood of Mansour, where a car exploded in a crowd of cheering fans.

"I was in a car with my friends, people all around were celebrating and then there was a huge explosion and a lot of fire," an anonymous eyewitness told the AFP news agency.

Death and joy

Less than an hour later a suspected suicide car bomber struck in the midst of dozens of cars filled with supporters near a military checkpoint in the eastern district of Ghadeer.

Quote from: i-volunteer on July 26, 2007, 08:43:19 AM
sUggeStion lang pud ni nako mga SAnos ug Sanas and to Mr. Admin, pa-applaya na si Francine og trabaho sa Department of Immigration sa U.S.A.

i-volunteer, DO YOU AN APPLICATION FORM? PLEASE DO VOLUNTEER TO SEND IT TO HER.

Quote from: i-volunteer on July 26, 2007, 08:41:34 AM
Kining hinganlang og FrAncine mao ni ang Secretary sa Immigration sa America?

We don't know who she is. Perhaps we can ask the schools in Bohol where came from.

Violent Reaction from our source: Name - Confidential

nakasabot baya ko sa na-feel nimo and dili jud fair ng uban na mag accuse dayon kung unsa mahitabo kung naa na ang mga bol-anon diri sa america by the time mag start na ang CONBUSAC.

Hambuggera kaayo na sya na mag istorya ana about sa invitation na dili daw apilon kanang mga taga panglao under ni dr. dumaluan kay naa di maayo na plano after convention. kinsa pa man ganahan mo attend ani kung ing ani na diay sila ka hambog ug wala sila motan aw sa ilahang guiguikanan? sus intawon, pasagdi na lang ang mga tawo particularly kung unsa ilahang idiskarte kung moabot na sila sa america kay it's not her business anymore baya!
  lisod na man intawon mag stay sa america kung wala kay papers nowadays kaya dili sya mag pressume na mao nay buhaton sa uban na bola nons!
  we  have different stories when we arrived in america and how we survived without others help and who knows gui unsa pod nila pag kuha sa ilahang papers di ba? wa ta kahibalo na naka papel lang sya kay nag minyo ug foreigner and karon naka papers na sya and foreign sounding name iyahang name, hambog na kaayo sya!
  ingna intawon na si mr. president na dili sya mamugos sa klaseng tawo na anti bola non and paki alamera sa buhay ng may buhay! kung makit an ni nako sya mosurop jud akong dugo and kay hilas ra kaayo sya mo accuse and label boholanos who comes here na magwork jud and mag TNT. it's not her f***** business!!!
  naa kay picture aning tawhana Fiel? i was invited man sad but totally changed my mind na gubot ra diay akong adtuan!

source: confidential

Here's the original e-mail of Ted Apalisok, president of CONBUSAC

Hello Francine,

The CONBUSAC has been holding biennial conventions in its 21 years of existence. One of
the goals of these conventions is to foster comaraderie among Boholanos wherever they
may be.  It is not surprising therefore that in each of the conventions of the CONBUSAC
there are always Boholanos from Bohol attending these conventions. This year is no
exception.

The CONBUSAC has an open invitation to each and every Boholano who wants to participate.
The CONBUSAC does not discriminate against anyone whatever their political affiliations
are.

Having said that, I am reiterating my invitation to you and to other Boholanos to join
us in San Francisco where we can really feel the Boholano brand of comaraderie.

Ted Apalisok
President, CONBUSAC

I cannot imagine this Filipina named Francine accusing Nila Montero, branding the owner of Alona Tropical Resort as a prospect TNT in America.

Leo Udtohan, please tell Madame Nila about this.

Let us expose the hypocrisy of this Francine.

This is the exact call from this supposed Boholana named Francine. She wanted the above e-mail to be spread all over the world: PLEASE PASS TO AS MANY BOHOLANOS / PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD!!

We are publishing this e-mail to expose the discrimination and hypocrisy of some Boholanos.

source: confidential

Hi Mr. Ted (Apalisok),
>
>   Greetings from New York! The CONBUSAC gathering is drawing nearer and I hope we can
go
> there in San Francisco to join our other paisanos.
>
>   How's my first letter? Did you give invitation to the Panglao people? You should not
> give them invitation to attend the CONBUSAC. If they are calling you that they are
coming to promote their activity for the TANDA LANTAW, they lied. DR. DUMALUAN is no
longer the mayor and Nila Montero is not a councilor. Gov. Erico Aumentado labelled them
anti-progress in Bohol. You can call the governor's office to ask about DUMALUAN''s
background.
>
>   What the group will do during the CONBUSAC? They have nothing to do but they will do
> TNT after the convention! Bringing more than 6 -10 people is called alien smuggling
and is against the US law. These people no longer works in the municipal hall when MAYOR
DODONG ALCALA is now the mayor. They want to go to US to work.
>
>   Please. I beg you not to give them invitation for the Organization's sake. Gov.
Erico
> Aumentado will not be pleased when he knows you're inviting these anti-people.
>
>   Sincerely,
>
>   FRANCINE GARCIA-CAMPBELL
>   Jackson Street, New York

Written By By JOAQUIN M. HENSON
Columnist, Sporting Chance
The Philippine Star

Czar Amonsot was in his Las Vegas Valley Hospital room the other day, talking about his family, his future and his brutal fight against WBO interim lightweight champion Michael Katsidis.

I phoned long distance to speak to Amonsot who cheerfully took the call in bed. It was about 8 p.m., Las Vegas time.

“God will give me another chance to win the world title,” he said in Pilipino. “I’m sure Katsidis and I will meet again. I can’t wait to go home.”

Amonsot, 21, gave the unbeaten Katsidis, an Australian of Greek descent, the fight of his life in losing a 12-round decision at the Mandalay Bay Events Center last Saturday night.

Although Amonsot took a pair of mandatory eight-counts, he finished the bout on his feet. He decked Katsidis with a clubbing right to the head in the seventh round but referee Jay Nady ruled it a slip. If Nady called a knockdown instead, judge Patricia Jarman’s scorecard would’ve read 114-112 for Amonsot instead of for Katsidis. That’s how close it was.

“Not yet my time,” said Amonsot. “I tried my best. I feel bad I let my countrymen down. But I’ll be back.”

Amonsot blamed himself for getting tagged by Katsidis and suffering two knockdowns. His consolation was Katsidis conceding it was the toughest fight in his career.

Amonsot and Katsidis were in the same waiting room at the hospital after the bout. There were other boxers also in line for the SOP medical checkups.

“It was like a scene from a Rocky movie with all the fighters in one room, waiting to be examined,” said Amonsot’s manager Michael Aldeguer from Las Vegas. Katsidis looked like he lost, not Amonsot, because his face was a mess.”

Aldeguer said Golden Boy matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz isn’t optimistic the Nevada State Athletic Commission will renew Amonsot’s license because of the slight bleeding in the outer skull.  Three CT-Scans and an MRI showed the bleeding never penetrated the brain, prompting neurosurgeon Dr. Debra Nelson to call the superficial hematoma something like a “black eye.”

Dr. Nelson advised three months of complete rest then suggested for Amonsot to undergo another MRI for final clearance before returning to the gym.

“The Nevada officials are very strict and Sampson isn’t sure if they’ll risk allowing a fighter to fight again after even a slight bleeding in the outer skull,” said Aldeguer. “We’ll wait for the commission’s decision.” Amonsot, 21, is the second youngest of nine children. His father Julian, Sr. died when he was only 11, leaving his mother Miguela, now 63, to take care of the family by working as a Metro Aide and selling fish and vegetables in the Tagbilaran City public market.

Amonsot and an older brother Wilfredo, a seaman, pool their resources to take care of their mother and a sister Zenaida who’s a third year education student at the Holy Name University in Bohol.

Amonsot said he’s eager to see his girlfriend Kate Valerie Tapere of Cebu. They’ve been going steady for 3 1/2 years. His message to Kate was: “Don’t worry. I’m fine. My condition is nothing serious. I’ll be back soon.”

Amonsot is arriving in Manila early Saturday morning.

Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Neri Lim said the priority is Amonsot’s health and he wouldn’t advise resuming his boxing career until doctors clear him for training after another MRI in three months.

Lim was in Las Vegas for three days last week to encourage Amonsot and flew back home to watch the fight on TV.

A lawyer, Lim was also in Las Vegas to renegotiate the contracts of several Filipino fighters with Golden Boy. He worked out a three-year extension of Boom Boom Bautista’s contract. Both Amonsot and Bautista are from Bohol, Lim’s home province.

Last September, Amonsot lost the WBO Asia-Pacific superfeatherweight title on the scales and in miserable physical condition, was knocked out by Simson Butar Butar of Indonesia in one round before a disappointed home crowd in Tagbilaran City. He was earlier kicked out of Tony Aldeguer’s ALA stable when he was caught drinking liquor in his quarters.

But Amonsot changed his ways, promising Aldeguer and Lim to walk the straight path. He never strayed again. Last February, the reformed “bad boy” won the WBO Asia-Pacific lightweight crown via a split 12-round decision over Da Woon Jung in Seoul and earned the crack at Katsidis’ title.

Lim said Amonsot showed a big fighting heart in losing to Katsidis. “He proved he can take a punch,” said Lim. “He went down twice but got up. I’ll grade him 90 to 95 percent for ability to take a punch and 70 percent for ability to punch. If he ever fights again, I’d like to see Amonsot put more punches together, not just 1-2s. We’ll refine his training approach and introduce more techniques. But before we think about boxing, I want to be sure Amonsot is in perfect health. That’s the priority.”

Quote from: GEC348 on July 25, 2007, 08:49:16 PM
And then--

The image of a steaming, luscious, mouth waering chez andre pizza fresh from the oven flashed back to my mind.

This can't be! I just finished eating my second family size chez andre pizza.
Now I'm craving for it again!

God help me! I miss chez andre!

Hunong na GEC.

Maayo man ka diha kay makapalit pa man ka ug Chez Andre. Ako diri maglaway lang. Maghulat pa ug one year or two before maka-Chez-Andre.

Quote from: GEC348 on July 25, 2007, 08:39:45 PM
The muffled reply behind the door struck me with terror.

I didn't order pizza hut. I always go for chez andre.

I swallowed hard... grabbed the heaver glass ashsray in my hand and stepped gingerly to the door as I slowly turned the knob.

And then--

I love Chez Andre. Mao ra na akong anhaon sa BQ. Usa ka order (the small one at P50) mao na akong panihapon or paniudto.

Now I miss Chez Andre.

Macky, I don't have a copy of the pastoral letter. This news was an excerpt of what was reported by GMA 7.

I can translate sa pastoral letter kung naa.

Knock, knock... Who's there?

Pizza Hut delivery.

Macky,

Mao nay giingon nga magbutang ug bukid sa usa ka gamayng bungtod.

Quote from: Macky Ferniz on July 16, 2007, 02:50:55 AM
Sa akong na ubserbahan, ang usa sa nakaingon nga pobre ang Pilipinas tungod kay minos ta kaayo sa entrepreneurial skills. Maihap lang sa tudlo ang mga Filipino nga tag-iyahan ug dagkong kompanya sa International level. Kung duna may mi lampos nga Filipino, nagpa American, Canadian, European or Australian citizen na pod. Mabasahan na lang nato sa mga pamantalaan ang ilang mga ngalan pero kutob ra diha. Wala nay pulos kay ang kita sa ilang companya adto na sa ubang nasod mo sulod. Wala na silay huna-huna pa nga mobalik sa ilang yutang natawhan.

Tinuod ang nag buhi sa Pilipinas karon mao ang mga OFW. Pero ang kita sa OFW naay kinutuban hangtod ra sa iyang pag retire. Kadaghanan sa mga OFW mga trabahante lang ug mga impleyado. Kutob ra ba diay kita niini ang atong abilidad. Ang atong mga iskwelahan wala mag tudlo kanato para kita mamahimong mga entrepreneur. Kinahanglan ta ug reform sa atong educational system. Ang atong educational system, nag tudlo sa mga estudyante para mamahimong mga trabahante or mga empleyado. Pero wala nag tudlo kung unsaon nga kita mag himo ug dagkong companya para manguha ta ug mga Amerkano or mga British nga mahimong atong mga empleyado ug kita ang mga boss. Kung mo adto ka sa Hong-kong, ang mga locals didto, mga tag-iyahan ug mga companya ug ang ilang empleyado mga British. Mag lugos pa man gani ni sila ug sulti ug ininglis pero ang ilang mga empleyado mga hi-profile nga mga British.... pahuway una ko sa akong lecture...

So kinsay intresado nga mo apil... mag tukod ta ug kompanya... si Mike Ligalig akong ituboy nga presidente or chairman....

Please list your name below:
1. Mike Ligalig - Chairman
2. Macky Ferniz - Member / Adviser
3.
4.
5.

Just a flashback...

1. Google started in a garage.
2. Dell computers started at a room in a school dorm.
3. Facebook site (now worth $1-2 billion) started at a room in a Harvard dorm.
4. Henry Sy's SM started as a makeshift shoe shop.
5. The owner of Cebu Pacific, John Gokongwei, tulod-tulod lang na ug kariton sauna sa Cebu mamaligya ug uling and he always tells people about his humble beginning.

Quote from: Macky Ferniz on July 24, 2007, 07:35:22 PM
Dear Ashton,

I will give you a simple example: Last month, a Nike shoes distributor in our place went on a clearance sale. They made 3 categories on their shoes at $9, $15 & $26. In peso, it is P420(walking & kids shoes), P660 (Running/Training shoes) & P1,188 (Hi-cut for Basketball).

So, please tell me where in the Philippines could you buy as cheap as like that. Even if we impose a 100% mark-up, lets say the we will sell the basketball shoes at P2,000 to P2,500 still it would be cheaper than the cheapest Nike shoes sold in the Philippines (I mean this is original and not counterfeit).

Of course we have to send in bulk to save freight cost. Actually, we have in our place an owner of a forwarding company WRJ Mr. William Jao (of Tubigon Bohol). He charges $1.73 per Kg. on sea cargo at 1 month to 45 days duration from Saudi to Tagbilaran.

Also we have TV (Sony, JVC, Samsung) at a very low clearing price & Cell phone too.

Please give me a model no. of Cell Phone you would like to buy. Maybe it is cheaper here and you may compare it to prices there. Like we have Nokia N70 at $240 and Nokia Panda at $173. However, I will impose some margins + shipping fees and let me know if you are serious and we can compare prices there in the Philippines and we can start business.

Kinsa lagi mo apil...

Macky,

Pwede ta magtukod ug business diri sa Thailand. Akong Thai na classmate ug anak ug gobernador gusto mo-start ug business sa laing country.

Daghan pud mga products diri sa Thailand nga segurado mabaligya sa Saudi or other Mid East countries.

Quote from: Macky Ferniz on July 25, 2007, 07:50:36 PM
Coming back to the topic. I remembered Engr. Jess Tirol asked us "unsa ang iningles sa - Ika pila nga Presidente si Cory Aquino", which nobody could answer during that time and until now, I am still puzzled.

Also he asked us that bisaya is a very sophisticated language where we can use a one sylable word, five times to form a complete sentence like "Ang ang-ang ang ang". Meaning the stairs are narrow.

There is a bisaya term for ever number. How will you say 1,929,991 or 999,999,999? My Bisaya friends from Bisaya Magazine know how to twist their tongue. I gave up learning the translation. I don't want to get into trouble of remembering "Kasiyam, kasiyam, ug siyam, ug siyam ka blah..blah...blah.." Labihang taasa kaajo.

Quote from: Snowhite on July 25, 2007, 06:22:33 PM
Dili man amoa ang Caingget Beach, ang yuta ra where the compound is apil ang kalsada. Pero dili pwede ipasira kay wala nay agian ang mga tao. Mao na gadako ko na daghang bono og away sa Caingget/Cainggit/Kainggit/Kaingget tungod sa mga hubog.

Delaguna used to jog padung sa dagat sa una. Sa bata pa ko, modagan gyud ko aron makakita ko niya. My mom said, manundog gyud ko niya kay bright og boutan na siya. I grew up looking up to him.

Delaguna is an idol ng bayan to many Boholanos young and old.

Long live, Delaguna.

Database of history of each Bohol town is scarce. What is found in the Internet and even in government records is a 2- or 3-sentence "snapshot" of our towns.

We need more Boholanos like Olintaha who can invite us to take a closer look at our town roots.

Troy University wants my transcript of records sent to them as soon as possible so I would be considered an unconditional MBA student. And it must be sent from the schools where I had attended.

I contacted Silliman University and asked them to have my transcript sent to Troy University. No question asked. No kuskos balungos. Nothing. They just gave me a bank account number to which I would send my TOR processing and postal fees. That's all.

Here comes HNU. I was a law student of that school. I requested Mikey Gatal's sister to process my transcript for me. Many thanks to Mikey's kind sister.

HNU demands an authorization letter from me. I thought I wouldn't encounter this trouble because in the first place Raul Gatal, a brother of Mikey Gatal, is teaching at HNU and he knows me personally. So, to comply with the requirement I sent an authorization letter through my personal e-mail info@mikeligalig.com. If I send the letter through the post office, I have to travel 2 hours for this journey and if I fax the letter I would spend money for that. Thus, the e-mail.

But HNU refused an e-mail coming from info@mikeligalig.com because according to them anyone can create an e-mail as info@mikeligalig.com. So, I replied: "Does HNU mean an e-mail from Yahoo?" If they mean yahoo.com, yes, anyone can mask and create thousands of e-mail under Yahoo. But an e-mail from mikeligalig.com? I was about to say that if HNU could send me an e-mail using info@mikeligalig.com and the e-mail is legitimate, which means I can reply to it without bouncing back, then I will give up my MBA and give up website-making and perhaps shut down Tubag Bohol.

While it is true that a spammer can masquerade as info@mikeligalig.com but for earth's sake, why would a spammer use a mikeligalig.com just to obtain a transcript of records? Will a spammer earn millions of dollars for routing e-mails under the mikeligalig.com domain?

Why this trouble? Am I an absolute stranger in my province? That no one can vouch that I exist and live in Thailand and in need of a transcript for my future and for my career?

If Silliman did not ask any question and did not require anything from me, why would I be subjected to bureaucratic maze by HNU? For what? Will I be using my transcript to dupe the world so I can earn millions from hoodlums and syndicated crimes? What's the difference between Silliman and HNU?

I remember my mother when she wanted to put up a sari-sari store right there inside our small house in Anda, Bohol. It was her way of entertaining herself for her two children were already in college and my father was working in Panglao Police Station and she was alone all day long. But she gave up the dream. And I strongly opposed her plan of having a sari-sari store.

Your home-based business is worth P500 as you are only selling rinipak nga asin, rinipak nga paminta, rinipak nga kamay, but our government wants you to pay thousands of pesos for this permit, for this paper, for this document, for this **** receipt, for that **** signature...

HNU and my mother's dreamed sari-sari store are all the same story.

I doubt if we can move on as a developed nation if this kind of mentality is prevalent all over our country.

"Hello im Sonny from STI COLLEGE LIPA, the original creator of TAGA LIPA ARE! virus...Its a virus but it gives no harm to your computer. anyway...to delete the virus you need to disable the "Hide Protected Operating System Files" in your Windows Explorer folder options (TOOLS - FOLDER OPTIONS - VIEW). Search the file name FS6519.dll.vbs (THE VIRUS) in your hard drive or just to make sure in your My Computer then delete the file. Note: On searching make sure you activated "Search Hidden Files and Folders" on more advance options. To get rid of the word "TAGA LIPA ARE!" on your internet Explorer go to your windows registry (START-RUN-then type regedit)Search the word "TAGA LIPA ARE!" and "FS6519" ..right click and delete. Your done...txt me for more info 09193093003 or mail me on friendster dragantra@rock.com .... SORRY FOR INCONVINIENCE"

Quote from: Delaguna on July 25, 2007, 05:21:15 PM
Galen:

My IE title bar also shows "TAGA LIPA ARE"

Is this the same as hacked by godzila? Is the procedure to remove the same as you outlined?

Thanks.

Atty. Handel,

Your computer has been hijacked. Yes, that is a virus now happily living in your system courtesy of Internet Explorer.

Use Firefox as soon as you can and never look back on IE.

Mike

Quote from: ashton on July 25, 2007, 05:04:42 PM
Sus oi ka dilikado na sa Bohol karon daghan na ang crime ( robbery/holdup/kidnap etc. unya karon may gi pung-gutan napod sa liog, basin ug may abusayaff na-diha sa ato-a. Mahadlok naman ta mo pa-uli.

There is no such thing as safe place on earth. The advanced, high-tech, educated, rich America, for instance, has the highest crime rate in the world.

Galen, salamat kaayo aning detailed nga instruction on how to obliterate Godzilla. Really appreciate it.

Leo, we are coming up with an Online Miss Bohol and Online Miss Sandugo Bohol. We'll give you more details soon. A special website for this purpose is under construction.

A friend of mine has just bought a new computer. He already has a wireless Internet in his house. Last weekend he invited me to come to his home and stay with his family. I was excited to explore the world of his new computer.

But something happened.

He doesn't have a Firefox browser in his computer. I was forced to use Internet Explorer instead, to my sorrow. Everything was perfect in his computer except for one: his Internet Explorer was just hijacked by Godzilla. He was running NOD32 anti-virus but the anti-virus failed to catch Godzilla. Does size really matter?

I don't know who this Godzilla is. I've seen many computers using Internet Explorer being hijacked by Godzilla. I couldn't find a solution because there was no way I could access the Internet and download an anti-virus or anti-spyware or whatever online tools that could kill Godzilla. Do you have a solution to kick out Godzilla from a computer?

Okay, a new computer of my friend, fresh from the manufacturer, was rendered useless until now. I'll be back to his house next week and bring some weapons of mass destruction to destroy Godzilla. For the nth time I realized that using Internet Explorer is an act of digital suicide. I had mentioned this before that I had to wipe out all the contents of my hard drive after my Internet Explorer was compromised by a fatal virus that even disabled Windows System Restore and prevented me from rebooting the computer.

If you're not yet convinced and you still want to use Internet Explorer, you are courting digital disaster.

Save the world, don't use Internet Explorer.

Dr. Victoria Tan Camacho was inducted charter president of Zonta Club of Bohol during the club's charter presentation and inaugural dinner at the Bohol Plaza last night.

She, together with the other charter officers was inducted by Oliva V. Ferry, president of Zonta International.

Other officers inducted were Enriquieta Borja Butalid, vice president; Rosalina Rara Sarabosing, secretary; Aoracion Pinat Penales, treasurer and Inocenta Hontanosas Cabagnot, asst treasurer.

Board of directors are Estelita Gonzaga-Ocampo and Marietta Gomez Udtohan.

Committee chair are Ma. Fe Camacho-Lejos, committee on the United Nations; Atty. Sylvia Varquez-Adame, women and girls; Violeta Clarin-Abasolo, public relations and communication and Gemma Proscianos Abacar, finance.

District Gov. 17 Victoria Virgel de Dios welcomed the new club and inducted the members.

Natividad Young, president of Club of Cebu 2 introduced Ferry, the Zonta Club International president who was the guest speaker.

Ferry also presented the charter and gavel. Filna Espina installed the charter officers and board. Dr. Camacho as charter president delivered her response.

ZONTA INTERNATIONAL

Zonta International is a worldwide service organization of executives in business and the professions working together to advance the status of women since 1919 through service, education and advocacy.

The group aims at improving the legal, political, economic, educational, health, and professional status of women through service and advocacy, to work for the advancement of understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of executives in business and professions, to promote justice and universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedom and to be united internationally to foster high ethical standards, to implement programs.

Zonta International is non- partisan, non-sectarian. (press release, The Bohol Chronicle)

Joseph "JJ" Alagon, 13, of Watson Court, Benicia California, USA was awarded a President's Education Award by US President George W. Bush and US Secretary of Education Margaret Spelling and Principal Susan Hutchinson for Outstanding Academic Excellence for the year 2007.

He is a Junior National Young Leaders Conference Alumnus - Washington D.C. Member, National Junior Honor Society, member Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) since 2004, member Gifted Student Academy, University of California - Irvine.

This is the second time that he received the Presidential award. He will enter his grade VIII this September 2007 at the Benicia Middle School. His hobbies include playing the piano, clarinet, basketball and video games. He is the eldest son of Joseph "Jojo" S. and Susan C. Alagon who are both nurses in California, USA and the grandson of Atty. Manny M. and Fancy S. Baluyot. (The Bohol Chronicle)

--press release

Richard U. Lim topped in the Certified Pesticide Applicators examination conducted by the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority (FPA) Manila.

He was first placer in the fumigator category and second placer in the exterminator category.

He graduated cum laude at the University of San Carlos and valedictorian in high school at Bohol Wisdom School.

He is presently the manager of Fortune Enterprises & Agrivet Supply, RMJ Pest Control and Tagbilaran Meat Center.

Meanwhile, Michelle U. Lim, younger sister, placed sixth in the Real Estate Broker Licensure Examination given by the Department of Trade & Industry through the Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection.

She graduated magna cum laude in Pharmacy at the University of San Carlos and a gold medallist of academic excellence and salutatorian at the Bohol Wisdom School.

She placed third in the National Pharmaceutical Board in 2005. Aside from being a registered pharmacist in the country, she likewise passed the board in the California, USA as pharmacy technician.

She presently manages Paz Pharmacy of this city.

They are the children of Engr. Fortunato Lim and the late Paz Lim.

Philippine Pitbull Club - Bohol supports the rabies eradication program. The club is assigned by the anti-rabies council of this city as the chairman of the I.E.C. (Information Education Campaign).

Their job is to disseminate info/proper education on rabies, pet ownership and dog bites to each barangays and private schools by August of this year.

The Club is also encouraging other NGOs (non-government organizations) to join the campaign to accomplish and strengthen the campaign against in the province by 2010.

For inquiries, contact the City Veterinarian at 411-5160 / 0928-5030-024; Provincial Veterinarian: 500-1391/ 411-2378; Phil. Pitbull Club: 411-2798/ 0917-6185-955. --the bohol chronicle

source: BBC News

The social networking website MySpace has reported a four-fold increase in the number of convicted sex offenders using its service.

The company found more than 29,000 convicted sex offenders in the United States had profiles on MySpace - up from a figure of 7,000 given in May.

MySpace said it was pleased it had identified and removed the profiles of the offenders.

Critics of MySpace call for new laws to make such sites safer for children.

MySpace is a personal website tool allowing people to post blogs, music, and videos.

More than 80 million people have registered a MySpace page. News Corp bought the site for $580m last year.

'Screams for action'

The new figures were first released by officials in two states - North Carolina and Connecticut - which have been pressing MySpace to reveal data about sex offenders found to be using the site.

"The exploding epidemic of sex offender profiles on MySpace - 29,000 and counting - screams for action," said Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.

In North Carolina, Attorney General Roy Cooper wants a state law that would require children to obtain parental permission before creating profiles on sites such as MySpace, and require the site to check parents' identity.

He said such a law would mean "fewer children at risk, because there will be fewer children on those web sites".

Under current rules, users must be over the age of 14 to register with MySpace.

In a statement, MySpace said: "We're pleased that we've successfully identified and removed registered sex offenders from our site and hope that other social networking sites follow our lead."

There are about 600,000 registered sex offenders in the United States.

Snowhite, you're like my mother. She can see many things that we, her two kids, couldn't see or feel.

Snowhite, our God is great and powerful. Nothing can harm you when you are with the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray, Snowhite.

Quote from: archevangelista on July 25, 2007, 10:36:02 AM
can we post picture for business section.?

Yes, you can, arche

Copy image location.
Paste it in the box.
Highlight the url.
Click insert image.

Are you scared, Snowhite?

By Salven Lagumbay
philboxing.com

IBF and IBO flyweight king Nonito Donaire Jr breezed into Tagbilaran City, Bohol yesterday and was warmly welcomed with a drum-and-bugle ensemble befitting a conquering hero coming home after a difficult battle.

Donaire was accompanied in his trip by his father Nonito Sr, and was immediately met at the airport by Mark Monton, the executive assistant to Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Neri Lim.

The young champion, who flew in from Manila, then paid a courtesy call on Lim before heading to the Bohol provincial capitol where he was mobbed like an icon.

Donaire, however, is visiting Bohol not for its world-famous beaches and white sands.

The young world champion is visiting a grandfather in Talibon, Bohol whom he had not seen for years prior to his world title attempt.

"I will always remember my grandfather because as a young boy, he was the one who encouraged us to take up boxing as he would always listen to boxing events on the radio," Donaire explained, teary-eyed.

Prior to his visit to the old man, Donaire dropped by a local church where he prayed alongside a priest-relative teary-eyed. (July 25, 2007)

Leo, thank you for letting us know about this horrible crime. Please provide us an update anytime soon.

Snowhite, be careful. Ayaw na ug kompyansa diha sa Tagbilaran.

Quote from: udtohan on July 24, 2007, 02:42:26 PM
hadlok to nga experience. i was there during the entrapment!!!

Leo, kindly send my congratulations to our friend, Madame Nila. I'm proud of her.

Quote from: galen on July 24, 2007, 03:33:30 PM
naa international flights ang tagbilaran mike? sorry if wala ko kahibalo, layo man gud amoa sa tagbilaran... mas duol pa mi sa cebu.

Galen, wala pa tay international flights. Sa Cebu, Davao ug Manila lang ang naa. Ang atong giingon ug Panglao Airport, hulat hulat lang sa ta hangtud mangapo na ta.

Quote from: udtohan on July 24, 2007, 01:09:28 PM
true... as if unsay mga trabaho nila sa US! hehehehe

pero naa jud uban wala manampo kay "founder" kunuhay sila sa TBTK> si maam betty veloso gani mingtampo sa registration.

muanha lang na ang uban kay moattend kunuhay magpalibre og kaon!!!! no offense, pero tinuod.

sad to hear that Leo. kulang pa diay ug cooperation and unity ang atong TBTK.

Tinuod ba Leo nga daghan daw kaayo mga arogante na manulti murag daw ug diin gikan?

By RIC V. OBEDENCIO
The Bohol Chronicle
reported last year

The election of officers of the 3rd Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK) held yesterday at Metro Centre Hotel was declared a failure.

Since its existence for the last nine years, this will be the first time that TBTK scrapped the election of officers due to infighting among its members.

TBTK top guns debated lengthily on electoral rules and policies formulated by the TBTK Comelec chaired by Ted Apalisok.

The seemingly unruly affair aggravated by shouting of some members that created a stalemate between two warring parties â€" the group of Betty Veloso-Garcia, who is the incumbent TBTK chairperson and that of Purita Ramirez Soliven, whose staunch supporters belonging to Boholano Association of Metro Manila Inc. (BAMMI) wanted her elected as new TBTK president.

Garcia’s group was consistent in sticking to the rules espoused and formulated by the TBTK Comelec chairman stating that those who failed to register after the June 30 deadline were disqualified to cast their votes based on the adopted Articles of Commitment.

But, such rules were apparently without the sanction or ratification of the assembly.

Lawyer Milet Adame of BAMMI, cited the rules in having the election as harsh for those who may be qualified to vote and be voted upon.

Garcia questioned why others, especially BAMMI members, were not able to register before the deadline when the forms were sent earlier. She said it would be unfair for others who religiously register early and paid their dues.

But, BAMMI and those residing here countered that they should be given a fair share because they too registered themselves and paid their dues even if it was late.

Adame questioned why there has been no effort to inform them (BAMMI and other delegations) beforehand of the registration deadline. She also asked on what authority that Apalisok based his self-proclaimed election rules of which the latter failed to categorically answer.

WIN-WIN FORMULA PROPOSED

After more than three hours of huddle, both camps came up with a proposed win-win solution with the intercession of TBTK founder Dr. Nick Lopez and other top honchos.

Lopez, Adame and lawyer Bernie Calibo, BAMMI president, said both parties agreed for a “status quo” until next year. Part of the agreement was that Garcia will relinquish her post by March 27, 2007 and Soliven will take over as TBTK chairperson.

However, some TBTK stalwarts were skeptical on the agreement.”

TBTK AS INCORPORATED ENTITY

Another issue raised by Lopez was the registration of TBTK as an incorporated entity with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) without the sanction of the highest authority â€" the Board of Administrators (BOA).

TBTK Board of Administrators include Gov.Erico Aumentado, City Mayor Dan Lim, Congressmen Edgar Chatto, Roberto Cajes and Eladio Jala, Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak, Lopez, Apalisok, Tony Pueblos, Calibo, Betty Balatero, Carmelito Fernando, Liklik Schroeder, Councilor Toto Veloso, Luciano Pamaong, Honorata Stephenson, Serge Doverte, Shirley Camacho, Douglas Hontanosas, Gerard Madanguit, Leah Magno, Rene Rocha, Remegio Inting, Atty. Adame, Pureza Chatto and Ramon Lomosbog.

Garcia explained to the assembly that the registration of TBTK with SEC was prompted by fund raising activities conducted, particularly the Search for Mrs. Bohol International 2006 for the benefit of Sunshine Homes.

She stressed that TBTK could not launch the undertaking without registering with SEC as required under Philippine laws.

A bank account was likewise necessary where the funds would be deposited, which can only be possible if TBTK is a registered entity with SEC.

TBTK was also registered with the Bureau of Internal Revenue for purposes of taxation.

During a press conference held at Villa Alzhun Tourist Inn last night, Soliven’s group was amenable to the “power sharing” where Garcia will end her term in March next year when Soliven would supposedly take over.

<a href="http://www.discoverbohol.com">Published by the Bohol Sunday Post newspaper</a>

After the fanfare of the Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK) died down, the next question that springs to mind is, what's next? With three Bohol hosting attempts, this year's organizers have finally agreed that the global gathering of Boholanos has finally found its name. And a place it can rightfully call home.

This year's TBTK has committed to a mission, says elected TBTK Chair, Maria Elizabeth Veloso-Garcia. In an e-mail to the Post, Veloso-Garcia said the gathering of Boholanos from around the world will continue to promote Bohol 's tourism industry. More than that, TBTK will also serve as the marketing arm to promote Bohol .

The commitment popped despite a typically Boholano heated passion for position that marred the otherwise generally successful reunion of sorts. The Post earlier reported that the capping elections for TBTK 2009 turned from bad to worse. The chaotic election left everything hanging including an extended term for the chair, pending elections. Incepted in 1999, TBTK attempted to do the seemingly impossible. It aimed to cause Bohol to “sink an inch” capitalizing on the expatriates heeding the primeval call for home.

The reunion also becomes a venue for locally prioritized projects to be seen and committed for funding by successful expatriates, via the investment forum. Staggering to set up parameters for the gathering, organizers met and connected by burning lines, exchanging mails, passing gossip and patting everyone's back for that zap of power. There is just one big push about inviting Boholanos to the gathering, early organizers shared to the Post. “Most are fueled by the primeval call for home, propelled by the longing to touch base and anchored finally by the embrace of kin and friends,” they said. This has also made up the essence of a big brotherhood of extremely patriotic people called Boholanos.

In 2003, the second TBTK was molded but no quite. Activities need to be honed well, schedules to be streamlined to assure the widest of participation, but then, there was just one willing to take the lead to make things happen. Things looked promisingly well with Veloso-Garcia devoting her time and energies for the organization and orchestration of seemingly irrelevant activities. And when the big days came, all fell into place.

This year, officially the third TBTK finally rolled into gear with that same jolly old feeling of reunion, reaffirming familial ties, strengthening bonds with loved ones, reliving the fleeting past and basking in the pleasure of country-living. TBTK, the ‘transplanted” Confederation of Boholanos in the US and Canada (CONBUSAC) gatherings used to be hosted by Boholano organizations in the US and Canada .

Now, in Bohol , it has become a convenient reason for Boholanos and their family friends to tag along. In her election in 2003, Veloso-Garcia drew a plan to get as many groups to hold their functions in Bohol in time for the global gathering. Indeed, three years after, the TBTK reunions exceeded what was expected, she shares to the Post. Then, Boholanos have found another reason to gaze back home: TBTK 2009. (August 2006 - Bohol Sunday Post)

Written by Loy M. Palapos

The country has all categories and types of politicians in every nook and cranny, many of them shouting to high heavens their dedication for the welfare of the people, and some performing their tasks in silence. In the Philippines, the term “trapo” (a contraction of traditional politician), a by-word with negative connotation, is a part of the vocabulary. But there are always exceptions. One is former Governor Constancio Chatto Torralba, who was the Provincial Governor of Bohol from April 1975 to June 1992. He is the Father of Sandugo, now on its 19th year.

Constancio Torralba was born in Patrocinio, Cortes, Bohol on November 29, 1928 to Jovino Torralba and Consorcia Chatto. A typical barrio lad, the entire natural world, far from the glitter of city life, was his sanctuary. This upbringing explains why Nonoy (a term of endearment by his relatives, friends and associates) until today has retained his simple and humble ways, devoid of put-on sophistication in a material world of “no guts, no glory” syndrome.

He studied at the Patrocinio Primary School until Grade II, then continued his primary and elementary education at the Tagbilaran City Central School. He was in first year high school at the Bohol High School when World War II against Japan broke out in 1942. The war years accorded the young boy nuggets of experiences that became useful in latter years. He resumed his studies at the same school when the war ended in 1945, until his 3rd year in high school. He transferred to the Holy Name College in 1947 as a night school fourth year student, as he was then employed as a clerk in the Philippine Relief and Trade Rehabilitation Administration (PRATRA). That was his first opportunity to pursue further studies as a working student.

He took first year studies in commerce at the University of the East in Manila in 1948 while working as a sales clerk in a drugstore. He transferred to Cebu City in 1949 where he worked as a bookkeeper of Cebu United Enterprises, and at the same time continued his studies in commerce at the Southwestern University, where he obtained his BSC degree in 1953. At that time he was already Assistant Chief Accountant of the Cebu United Enterprises and Federal Marketing Corporation. Then he was assigned in Manila as Chief Accountant of these companies’ Manila offices in 1957 until 1961. He became a CPA in 1957. It was during these years that he conducted specialized studies in flour milling, and when General Milling Corporation was established in 1961 he moved back to Cebu City to become the comptroller of the firm. Subsequently he became its Senior Vice-President and Treasurer. He occupied this position until February 1986 when he was invited to join the administration of President Corazon Aquino after the EDSA revolution.

He was given the position of Assistant Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) under then Secretary Hernando Perez, and was later designated Undersecretary of the department. While in this department, he concurrently served as President of Metro Manila Transit Corporation. It was during his stint at the DOTC when he conceived the expansion and modernization of telecommunications in Bohol. So when he was elected Governor of Bohol in 1988, he caused the implementation of the telecom plan for Tagbilaran City and the public call stations in all towns of Bohol.

As Bohol governor, he revived the implementation of he Bohol Irrigation Project in Pilar, initiated irrigation projects in Talibon, worked for the completion of the detailed engineering studies of the Bohol Circumferential Road, its approval by the national government and inclusion for funding by the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) of Japan. He also initiated the establishment of the Panglao Island Tourism Estate which was the first of its kind approved by the Cory administration.

As member of the National Governing Board of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) from March 1994 to March 1998, he espoused the establishment of the Ubay Coconut Seed Garden which was calculated to supply the need for hybrid coconut seedlings throughout the Visayas, an accomplishment even the skeptics consider superlative. Today the Ubay CSG is serving the three Visayan regions.

While in the private sector, he undertook specialized studies in Industrial Development at the University of the Philippines, and Grains Products Marketing at the Northern Crops Institute in Fargo, North Dakota, USA. He was a member of the Philippine Flour Millers mission to Japan and the USA from July to August 1979.

While in government, he was the lone Philippine delegate to the International Conference on Telecommunications Development held at the United Nations, New York City in October 1986.

He is married to the former Genoveva Evangelista-Lopena who had also a professional career of her own in the field of education. She had been a public school principal in Lapu-lapu City when she availed of an early retirement plan. The couple is blessed with eight children, namely: Luz T. Crystal, a medical doctor practicing in Alabama, USA; Fleur de Liz T. Tubio, a CPA and real estate broker in Cebu City; Cristito L. Torralba, an import and export executive in Cebu City; Constancio L. Torralba, Jr., a businessman in Tagbilaran City; Carl L. Torralba, a computer software consultant in California, USA; Genevieve T. Pfaff, Marissa T. Pagdanganan, and Cliven L. Torralba are computer software engineers in New Jersey, USA.

I had the opportunity to work with Governor Torralba at the Provincial Capitol. It was a rare experience to observe a non-politician doing his tasks. For one, there was no fanfare in his moves. If there was media mileage, it was not of his own initiative. He labored silently sans the trimmings politicians covet. Seldom did he have kibitzers with him when he performed official functions outside of his Capitol office. He usually carried his own attaché case, and there was not a minute wasted in his moves.

It was during his incumbency as Governor when the Sandugo Street Dancing was born. Earlier there were celebrations to commemorate the Treaty of Friendship between local Chieftain Sikatuna and the Spaniard Miguel Lopez de Legaspi.

That was many years ago, but I can still remember when he asked me what cultural event in Bohol could be appropriate to celebrate. I only had one answer, The Blood Compact. There were celebrations of the event in previous years, but they were not very consistent. There were times when it was totally forgotten.

Convinced of the importance of the Sikatuna-Legaspi meeting, and its impact in the international community, Governor Torralba anointed the project appointing me as Chairman. Despite the limited time, the first Sandugo was a success, with twenty-two contingents participating in the Street Dancing.

Governor Nonoy Torralba and his wife now spend most of their time with their children and grandchildren here and the United States. The simple, humble, and hardworking barrio lad, who became a highly accomplished administrative man in the metropolis, can now look back with a sense of fulfillment, capping his career by serving the Boholanos, which he considers the best part of his life.

The July 22, 2007 editorial by the <a href="http://www.theboholstandard.com">theboholstandard.com</a>

Today is the climax of the month-long Sandugo celebration in the province of Bohol . Fittingly coinciding with the observance of the Bohol foundation day, this is expected to be a day of revelry and fun.

The observance comes at a time when there are few reasons to celebrate in other fronts. Notwithstanding claims to the contrary by administration spin masters, there is little doubt about the economic crisis that beset the nation.

Long queues line up at the United States embassy as foreign contract workers wannabe try their luck in what is perceived as the most affluent nation on earth. The long lines negate whatever hopes of a brighter future in this country.

Otherwise, why flee if there is still reason to expect a brighter future here?

That is precisely the point â€" there is not much hope that we have seen the light at the end of the tunnel. On the contrary, there is more reason to fear that the worst is yet to come.

It is not difficult to understand why people are so pessimistic. While Filipinos are known for their resiliency, there are few signs that things will improve. Not in the near future. Certainly, not now.

Take the case of Bohol . Despite the much-ballyhooed claims of mega-projects being poured into the province, only the politicians who benefit from them have reasons to be optimistic.

Whatever hopes of the agricultural sector turning things around have since vanished. At the rate the dam projects are being devastated by controversies, farmers will just have to look up to the sky for rain as they have done in old times.

Indeed, the National Irrigation Administration seems to have perfected the art of how not to complete a dam in Bohol . The experts and managers have all the arguments to their side, but the dams remain nothing but empty boasts.

Except for tourism, there is no other bright spot in Bohol . Little wonder that more and more Boholanos have resigned themselves to the fact that the only way out of poverty is to either to send a family member abroad or migrate altogether.

In this light we look to the Sandugo celebration as a welcome respite from life’s vicissitudes that is fast closing in on us. It is simply a matter of perspective.

No matter how we look at it, the Sandugo celebration is nothing more than entertainment. Some people begrudge the organizers for that but there is little point in complaining.

If we cannot do much about our present situation, we might as well laugh as hard and as loud as we can.

By Fiel Angeli Gabin Arao-arao

To ensure the competent and impartial conduct of the career service examinations on Sunday, July 22, the Civil Service Commission â€" Regional Field Office 7, the City Government of Tagbilaran and the Provincial Government of Bohol sponsored the test administration training for supervising examiners, room examiners and deputized examiners last Monday and Tuesday at Saya’s Restaurant and JJ’s Seafood Village.

After three (3) years, the City of Tagbilaran has been selected as test center for both professional and

sub-professional levels, this time to be held at the Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School (DCPNHS), formerly Bohol National High School, and the University of Bohol (UB), respectively.

Atty. David E. Cabanag, Jr., CSC regional director, Director Nissi Cherit Asis, CSC-Bohol Provincial Field Office head, Lorenzo R. Canapi, chief personnel specialist, Cynthia Castanares, supervising personnel specialist, John Laureto, CSC-Cebu IT specialist and Mario Lloyd I. Gutierrez, City Human Resource Management Officer and president of the Bohol Council of HRMO, Administrative Officers and Personnel Officers (BCHAPO) facilitated the training. --<a href="http://www.theboholstandard.com">you can read the full story at theboholstandard.com</a>

<a href="http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2007/07/24/sports/czar.fine.ct.scans.show.no.blood.clot.html">published by Sun Star Daily Cebu</a>

The series of CT scans conducted on Czar Amonsot following his brutal 12-round lightweight championship bout with Michael Katsidis showed no blood clot in the Filipino boxer's brain.

The good news was posted by Philboxing.com in its website, allaying fears that Amonsot's career could be over after he was brought to the Valley Hospital after the fight.

Amonsot, who is form Tagbilaran, Bohol, absorbed punishing blows to the head in the bloody encounter and was floored twice against the more aggressive and power powerful Katsidis.

The Filipino pug complained of a severe headache after the fight, which was the reason he was brought to a nearby hospital in Las Vegas.

Three CT scans conducted on the boxer, however, showed no blood clot and Amonsot's cutman Tony Martin said the Filipino fighter is in high spirits at the hospital.

Quote from: Snowhite on July 24, 2007, 09:31:36 AM
Let's ask mike, rivz. Wa mankoy kopya adto.   

Rivz and Snowhite,

Some of my poems, including the winning piece "Dili Ikaw Ang Kataposan, Oliver", can be read at www.balak.mikeligalig.com

"Life or death, blessing or curse."

This was how the Bohol archdiocese described the situation faced by residents of Bohol province in the face of a new oil drilling project in four of its towns.

In a pastoral statement, Tagbilaran, Bohol Archbishop Leonardo Medroso said the local clergy is "appalled" that the seismic survey was conducted in the seawaters of Panglao, Dauis, Maribojoc and Loon.

"Will the blue sea of Bohol Strait remain the pure essence of life-giving water to the present and future generations, or will it degenerate into a murky water of non-life, an ugly reminder of our indifference and irresponsibility?" he asked.

Medroso scored the government and the foreign firm conducting the survey for not even consulting the local residents about it.

"We are appalled to learn that, given the nature of the seismic survey and its short and long term impact to human and marine life, the local communities and their officials as well as other groups who have a stake in the area were not duly consulted before the survey had been undertaken," he said.

He noted a foreign company, NorAsian Energy Ltd. (NAEL), conducted the survey with the approval of both the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
<a href="http://www.gmanews.tv/story/52331/Church-opposes-Bohol-oil-exploration">--full details of this story can be read HERE</a>

Written By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

Three officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) were ordered dismissed by the Ombudsman for trying to extort from a resort owner in Panglao.

The Office of the Ombudsman issued the dismissal order last Wednesday against Special Investigation Division chief Bonifacio Ybanez, Revenue Officer 1 Edgar Palgan and Intelligence Officer III Francis Mercado.

The three officials are assigned at the Special Investigation Division of BIR Region No. 13 in Cebu City.

The complaint was filed by Alona Tropical Tourist Inn and Beach Resort owner Leonila Montero, a former municipal councilor, back in 2005.

Montero claimed the three BIR officials promised to absolve her alleged under-declared income in 2005 in exchange for P60,000.

The three revenue officials purportedly found out about Montero's understated income after staying for several occasions at her resort allegedly to conduct surveillance.

According to Montero, Palgan summoned her to the BIR Regional Office in Cebu City to discuss surveillance findings which the three officials conducted.
          
Montero was allegedly found under-declaring her income from January to March 2005 which amounts to P200,970.61. The BIR official, however, did not show Montero a copy of the supposed surveillance findings.
<a href="http://boholchronicle.com/2007/jul/22/front1.htm">--you may read the full details of the story HERE</a>

By Kit Bagaipo

The provincial government voluntarily assured to assist in sourcing out funds for the much-needed wastewater treatment facility at the drainage outfall going to the Tagbilaran Bay.

Gov. Erico Aumentado made the assurance last Friday during his weekly radio program, "The Governor Reports" as the public clamored that water to be released from the drainage outfall be free from household and commercial wastes.

For his part, City Mayor Dan Lim repeatedly claims that the city is constructing its wastewater treatment plant somewhere near Graham Avenue, this city. However, until this time, no work has started when checked by the Chronicle despite the start of the rainy season.

An estimate made by Pacific Consultants Inc. (PCI) showed that a water treatment plant that could hold the volume of water coming from the city's drainage network is pegged at P80-million, according to Aumentado.
        
PCI is the consultant of the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Project contracted by Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC).

The governor said that a project as expensive and environmentally critical as a wastewater treatment plant should be established immediately.

According to Aumentado, although the city government has not asked for fund assistance, the governor said the provincial government is willing to put up a counterpart just to ensure a water treatment facility is built.

The governor, however, did not give a specific amount. <a href="http://boholchronicle.com/2007/jul/22/front5.htm">full details of this story can be read HERE</a>

continuation...

Vida Tirol

Quote from: GEC348 on July 23, 2007, 03:11:41 PM
Using jackhammers to demolish a part of the building could have adverse effects on the entire structure.

Engr. Adlaon has a point giving the stoppage order, in the context of preventing the continued use of jackhammers. Our engineer-members in Tubag Bohol could share their views on this regard.

But stopping the demolition for good? This is another story....

Demolish a P40 or P50 million worth of skeleton and trash? Too expensive for us, taxpayers.

Quote from: nahisalaag on July 23, 2007, 03:04:41 PM
grabeha gud ani nga news....pwede nako ni i-forward sa akong mga fellow boholanos nga dili pa member sa Tubag Bohol?

Nasobrahan ra man gud pod og pasaway ang mga AUTHORITIES sa atoa. ambot lang ha, basta ani nga case bisan pa og mi drop ang mga parents sa case, ang DSWD and PNP and unsa pa ng mga government agencyies in charge mao jud mismo ang mo file sa kaso. i am studying in Japan and really appreciate their way of persecuting child abuses. i hate to compare but i can't help help.

Nahisalaag, you can forward to as many friends and loved ones as you want.

For your convenience, use our site's SEND TOPIC tool. Send this topic one e-mail at a time.