MikeLigalig.com

It is heartwarming to learn of compatriots coming home, after a long stint abroad, to share what they have learned and observed in their adopted abodes overseas. It does seem like corruption and patronage politics stink to high heavens in our place. But life does move on, generally with progress here and there, even in what used to be laid-back Bohol. With such social ills, however, we could never optimize our accomplishments in terms of uplifting the general welfare.

Diony Castro would do well, however, to check first if his American citizenship does not disqualify him from running in elective office. It was only very recently that another Boholano public official was dislodged from his seat because he was a permanent resident overseas.

Quote from: michael-ligalig on May 27, 2008, 12:06:48 PM


I don't have the complete details of this story. I got a newspaper clip from discoverbohol.com. Here's the portion of the controversial story: City Councilor Danilo Bantugan vs Board Member Ae Damalerio.

Their verbal exchange can never be more obnoxious than the stench that comes from Tagbilaran's drainage. So let them exchange missiles as long as the issue is addressed expeditiously.

Quote from: michael-ligalig on May 27, 2008, 08:25:03 PM
Hi Ben,

Nalipay ko nga imong giablihan kining maong sugyot. Matahom sud-ongon ang imong mga plano.
Dugay na sab kong naghuna-huna mahitungod niini. Ang paghipos sa atong mga nasulat dinhi diha sa usa ka libro nga handumanan maoy mahimong kabilin sa mosunod sa atong mga lakang.

Dugangan nato pagplano kining maong sugyot sa umaabot nga mga adlaw.

Mike,

TB is an amazing melting pot of Boholano talents in diverse disciplines. You have really been the grand architect of this great intersection, although I believe you've never forseen that all these people would converge and make TB not only a social network but a venue for creative expression as well.

Dili na man jud siguro ko makadungan ninyo sa pagsuwat ug pagsulti ug Binisaya kay naa namay mental displacement sa acquisition of new language skills at this age. Pero gibasa ta mong tanan ug na-appreciate nako ang inyong literary abilities. Sa tinuod, karon ra naku na-appreciate ang balak. Ug ang kalidad di lang balak-pangbarbero kundi pang-literature jud. TB will be a good custodian and mentor of our literary heritage kung padayunon nato ning tradisyon sa pakigbaylo sa atong mga obramaestra. The next logical thing of course is to immortalize these vernacular literary opuses into a book form. Siguro, Mike, para dali i-surf sa internet, naa pud ta'y Hall of Fame section for works that have been conferred distinction.

I just have to tell you--kay ako dili pa jud ko makasulat ug balak nga Binisaya ug makaapil lang ko bilang magbabasa--that I sure am proud to be part of such a creative group here at TB. I really am proud to be a Bol-anon.

Mahimo bang mupili na ta sa unang batch of winners bag-o mag-grand EB sa July aron i-recite sa mga mudaug ang ilang mga balak?

Mura sigurog mas may substance ang atong pagtigum-tigom kung dili lang socials and tour...

I am sure TB members like me who want to reconnect to our roots, by feasting on our cultural and linguistic heritage, will come home from the grand EB with even grander memories that will whet our appetite for the next TB gathering.

Saludo ko sa mga entries. Murag sayang ning inyong mga creative output kung dili ta mag-compile ug libro, published by TB. We have to mobilize ourselves to raise the funding for this. Kana bang coffee-table type of book nga ang text inyong mga balak ug ang graphics mga photos nila RV, Belle, etc. ug digital enhancements nila Mari ug Orchids, ug uban pang graphic artists nato diri sa TB.

Pang-regalo nato sa mga amigo ug amigo nga Bisdak sa sulod ug gawas sa nasod. I think this will be the first undertaking of its kind from the grassroots literati of Bohol courtesy of TB...

What do you think?

Quote from: orChids on May 27, 2008, 02:17:41 PM
wOw,wonderful.I will sing a song, 'Love on the rocks' hahaha

Oist dear,you love the guy or the 'habal-habal'? which? Ninduta oy.

Aya,

Favorite naku nang "Love on the rocks" by Neil Diamond sa DAM...

Got nothing to do with personal life, but I just like the husky vocals, dramatic melody, and masculine rhythmn of the song.

Break time na pud ko...

Pareho jud mong duha, da Binsi ug Aya. You not only have green thumbs, but also crystal-clear eyes for small details in photography. What I like about these photos, murag moving images, not still images, kay murag matagak na jud ang duga.

Quote from: michael-ligalig on May 27, 2008, 11:43:10 AM
Hi Ben,

I know Pastor Trigo. I had attended their church services several times while I was still living in Tagbilaran. March of Faith organized "Rise Up Bohol", a 24-hour praise and worship gathering. I am not sure if they are still holding this Rise-Up Bohol activity.

I know one Pastor Trigo's daughter. Her name is Sarah. She's such a gifted praise and worship leader. She sings with so much passion and love for the Lord.

As planned, I might be home last week of June or first week of July. Mga 3 to 4 days lang akong stay sa Bohol. Basin magka-timing na magkameet ta, God willing.

HI Mike,

I feel a double portion of joy to know that we have moved in the same spiritual orbit, albeit at different times, in Tagbilaran. I do not know that "Rise Up Bohol" is still a going concern. But I am really impressed by the musical talents of the youth--the instrumentalists and the vocalists. Through their musical gifts, I and my wife want to help reach out to more people in Tagbilaran. Through God's grace, we've had a successful ministry, in my capacity as a lay worker, and have put up a church building here in Japan serving former entertainers who have married Japanese and raised their families here (check out http://www.philippinestoday.net/index.php?module=article&view=637). We just had our 8th anniversary last May 25 attended by about 150 people. I'll give an update as soon as the videos are uploaded.

Mike,

By the way, when are you scheduled to visit Bohol next? Shall we see each other in July? Actually, tentative lang gihapon ni kay usahay naay mga short-notice projects nga ihatag nga lisod palabyon kay blesssing man. Kung maminaw ko sa mga bata, I should be home again in June... God willing, I should be home for the grand EB.

Quote from: michael-ligalig on May 27, 2008, 10:14:32 AM
Hi Ben,

Are you referring the Family Christian Fellowship (FCF) which is holding Wednesday prayer meeting near Plaza Marcela in Tagbilaran? I am a member of FCF, Tagbilaran City. The pastor is Mr. Felix Bernaldez, whose wife works at the First Consolidated Bank (Bohol).

Hi Mike,

I think the name of the church is March of Faith, which is pastored by Dr. Trigo. They are building a 5000-capacity cathedral now on a sprawling 5-hectare estate in San Isidro. This is actually the third church that they visited, and have now been attending for about a month now. The mode of worship is similar to what we are used to--not very solemn, intense on praise and worship, and lots of warm, informal fellowship. She attends the Ladies Fellowship Fridays which holds various practical learning sessions--like pan de sal preparation, etc. She was requested to conduct a class on Japanese flower arrangement or ikebana next week. I've asked her to check out FCF sometime.

Quote from: orChids on May 27, 2008, 08:08:29 AM
Maayo pa diha kay naay mga celebrasyon.Ako kay nagnilko sa tanom,hehe mura'g ud.Thanks bitaw kaayo Sir Benne.Ingna unya ko ug naay nay sked sa NHK nang imong gipang-translate ha kay manan-aw mi.Take care and be good while okusan is not around.

Bibo mi diri sa Ibaraki, pirmi naay aktibidades. Good boy ko pirmi, daghan gwardiya sa kilid ug sa taas.

BS satellite man siguro ni ipagawas, documentary bahin sa American rock-'n'-roll singer Janice Joplin sa 60's. Natawo na ba ka ani? Karon ra gani ko kadungog, busa nalisdan ko gamay kay wa kaayo koy background... Anyway, i'm on my last two tapes... breaktime sa ko busa nag-post ko...

Mike,

You have not only soothed our loneliness and longing for home, you have also enriched our spiritual lives through postings on God's word.

I know there are more wayword use for the internet--porn, business scams, etc.--than for evangelism. You're doing God a great service by persisting in spreading His word.

My wife has found a Christian church she's really at home with by Marcela in Tagbilaran. I used this site to look for some possible churches we could attend, and later on she spent a whole week going around different churches to check which suited her best.

Being involved in the church's activities has helped her settle spiritually relatively fast in a new environment whose tongue she doesn't even speak. The youth music ministry is really inspiring. Even my teenage daughter and son, who used to be aloof at church in Japan, are finding themselves slowly being involved in youth activities. On the only Sunday I spent there, she arranged for a choral number of Rich Mullins' classic "Awesome God" which we practiced overnight and sang with the youth praise and worship team.

On my next trip in July, in time for the grand EB, God willing, we are planning on an inter-fellowship Christian music concert... Hope I can get Vida aka Melrose's hand on this... My wife and I have always both been involved in the music ministry.

It's a pathetic state of affairs that we stretch ourselves far and wide promoting the services of our nurses and health care workers overseas and yet suffer such shabby treatment for our family members and kababayans home. Sadly, even our doctors bear the indignity of enrolling as nurses to improve their chances of getting a job abroad...

As an island, with the closest alternative for medical attention in Cebu, Bohol should improve its hospital services, especially for emergency cases.

Our topnotcher in the doctor's licensure exam this year is from Tagbilaran. We have produced topnotch medical practitioners who are now reaping success overseas. What a source of pride for Boholanos! But what a shame as well that we cannot look after our own sick and give them decent medical attention.

There was some brouhaha that the basketball tournament last May 25 organized by DYRD in cooperation with Montano and his showbiz colleagues was in fact an early mobilization, nay a veiled one, for his foray into the gubernatorial contest in 2010.

DYRD, of course, vehemently denied this--walay pulitika daw, usa lang daw ka kalihukan para sa mga kabus.

That sounds to me a lot like a political slogan. Not that I am personally against Montano, who should at least be given credit for giving Bohol a share of the limelight in the heydey of his celluloid career. We should not be snooty about actors getting into politics. But yes, I think Montano should try the lower rung first, if he is really intent on pursuing a political career, so he could move on a gradual transition to heavier responsibilities.

Quote from: orChids on May 26, 2008, 01:59:02 PM
Sir Benne,nagdaguok akong tiyan sa alas 10 sa buntag,kay wala pa koy pamahaw.Maayo na lang
naay nag doorbell,sus gikan diay nimo.Kalami jod Sir Benne sa akong brunch.Empanada,kuchinta,lechon.
and naa pay mga pakapin nga useful gadgets.First time jod ko nakakaon ug lechon ug kuchinta dire
sa Japan. . Today is my daughter's birthday,na, nalibre ang pagkaon,hehehe.
God bless you Sir Benne,kung makadayon mi sa disney sa summer muhapit unya ko sa inyo ha.Anha mi manihapon,hehehe.

Hi Aya,

Happy birthday Isa! What a happy coincidence diay.

Gikan pa jud ko ron sa duha ka Immigration offices sa Mito ug Tokyo, about 100 km apart, kay naay nagpakuyog naku nga mga kliyente nga iya-iyag problema. Am just happy that most of the cases went well. I am really tired ug nagpahuway lang karyo kay naa pa koy tapes i-translate para sa NHK.

Just logged in and am happy nga nadawat nimo nga OK. Nagrequest man ko nga i-refrigerate nila aron sigurado nga di mapan-os. We had a big celebration at church yesterday, mga 150 ka tao ang nag-attend ug nagpa-reserve naku kanang mga dili kaayo makit-an nga pagkaon diri sa Japan para makatilaw pod ka.

Again, happy birthday to daughter Isa!

Quote from: Bambi on May 25, 2008, 03:02:37 AM
Unsay  title sa atong balakon "Kabaw"?    Well, I will try to fly high up--up to the sky like the....
           
                         TABANOG

Bagti ang kasakit sa imong pagpikas sa akong lawas
Di-in ang kaha-it sa sanggot nga midulas,
Baga nga kubal sa imong kamot mihapuhap, mihapyod
Gilud-an, giga-idan  ang pag-bugkos sa kalipay gayod.

Katam-is, katunhay ang kaanyag sa kapula
Sama sa matam-is nga ngabil nga kanunay ginahagkan
Ampingi ang pag-gunit sa akong  talagsaong kadan-ag
Aron dili magisi ang kanipis ug kalunsay para ugma damlag.

Sa patag sa kadarohan imong akong gigunitan sa katapusan
Gihapuhap ang ikog sama sa nangalimyon nga buhok
Gitugpo aron ni Bathala makita, gustong aboton ang langit
Di-in sa gibating kalipay, kay gibuhian..way pugong ang pag-singgit.

Kasidlak sa ka-init sa adlaw, huyohoy sa bugnaw nga hangin
Milatay sa sulod sa kaunoran, ako miki-ay sa ganang dili na mapug-ngan
Maoy natagamtam aron ang garbo, kaanyag sa uban makit-an
Apan sa  kalit... sakit nga sagpa nga huros sa hangin misugat sa
Akong dalan...ulan, unos nga usahay sa tumang kasakit sa kainit
Sa akong kahidlaw kanimo, kanako nag-mugna ug nagpasakit.

Dili na mapug-ngan, kalipong sa kamingaw akong
Nahimuslan...nagisi kining kasing-kasing nga gi-ipit
Sa kagahi sa sanga nga maoy misugat sa pagbalik sa
Imong mga bukton, ang baga nga kubal sa imong kamot
Usab gikamingawang singgot ug ang iyang kahumot.

Ginahamdum.. mabati ang ka-init, mousab ug hapohap.
Aron ang nagisi, natun-as, di-in ang dun-as nga kaanyag,
Kining ngabil naluspad sa mabugnaw nga halok
Sa huros sa misugat nga hangin gipanamas-tamasan.

Bambi                 

What you think Mr. boylawas...okey na ni? Hala kamo napod.

Hi Bambi,

Natural jud imong talent. Murag mataha ta mutubag sa imong hagit kay taas man kaayo ang lupad ning imong balak.

Vote pud ko aning imong entry, Bambs, kay so far, unique ang imong first-person perspective. Also, through the use of figure of speech called "personification", your poetic expression gains deeper emotional density.

Taman ra siguro ko sa critique ug interpretation kay kulang pa akong bokabolaryo... Sagdi lang kay sa padayon sa pagtaas sa pisi samtang nagpalupad mo sa inyong mga tabanog, makat-on siguro ko sa inyong mga angkon nga talento. Good idea nga mag-raise ta ug fund sa Tubag Bohol aron ma-publish nato ning mga masterpieces ug makatabang ta pagpalambo sa atong Visayan literary heritage.

Quote from: Bambi on May 24, 2008, 06:47:46 PM

I will try to compose, okey?  Please post your "tabanog balak" first.

Hardworking, cosmopolitan, export-quality animal man diay nang imong kabaw kay mutun-ob man sa interracial group...

Ga-review pa ko sa akong Binisaya kay nasagulan nag Japanese, English, Ilonggo ug Tagalog. Maminaw sa ko usa ka bulan sa DYRD aron madugangan akong bokabolaryo kay wa ra bay dictionary diri sa Binisaya. Nahinumduman nako akong Philosophy professor sa college nga niingon, "Visayan is a very rich and profound language which embodies even abstract philosophical concepts." I can only agree, reading the poetic opuses of our friends here at TB. As a translator by profession, I have great interest in languages.

Una sa kag palupad sa tabanog...

Hi Scott,

Belated Happy Birthday. Just yesterday, I remembered you and noted this in the thread of boylawas, who is our most recent resident poet from Davao.

Hope you continue to keep those creative juices flowing this way and to share those lensviews...

Again, belated Happy Birthday!

I was informed by my wife, Lynne, in Tagbilaran, and my sister, in Manila, that there was a news item on TV last night, May 23, about a misdeclaration in the label of a popular local Gluta product and the ill effects of the substandard product.

According to the report, the dosage was printed as 500 mg per tablet but actual lab analysis proved it was significantly lower. I hope you take heed of such warnings.

Mosbeau is made entirely in Japan, whose standards for pharmaceutical and cosmetic products are very stringent. In contrast, none of our locally made gluta products have passed Ministry of Health standards because of harmful substances contained therein.

This does not preclude the negligible possibility of allergic reactions to our product, but this should become immediately obvious after you take it two or three times, in which case you are advised to stop.

For any concerns about Mosbeau, please PM me.

Quote from: kiamoy` on May 24, 2008, 06:32:38 AM
yes kuya bene. and especialyl if you are exposed to high earning people sad..kay ciempre magparehas mana ang lifestyle. especially if kamo tanan single.. ang kwarta inyu ra jud.. this is another type of temptation bya..

ang 1% nga tubo kay every month

ang amo time deposit sa una 3% ra tubo.intawn..

I like going around with high-living people once in a while, not to keep up with the Joneses, but to sell them something or offer them high-value services that they need.

Pildi man ka kung makiglumba sa lifestyle, because lifestyle upkeep is dead investment.

Quote from: kiamoy` on May 24, 2008, 06:08:20 AM
that is what we are doing jud kuya ben! nag invest ko ug seideline..and hopefully ill get money from it para maka save more.. unsaon nalang nang kwarta nga 1% ra ang tubo sa banko..

Mao ba? Unsa man ning 1%, every month o every year? Kung monthly, that's a fair ROI kay dire sa Japan, sa ordinary savings account less than 1% p.a. Naa pud ra ba mga investment schemes nga too good to be true. Remember, if the interest is too high, the risk is also high.

Maayo gyud siguro ka sa financial management kay bisag sa in-ana nga sweldo, makatigom ka pa pang-invest. That's a trait that's hard to come by among Filipinos. Sige lang kay sunod nako labay sa Cebu, manghagad kog EB aron magkailaila tang mga taga TB ug basig naay interesado mag-sideline ug Japan-made products o bisag unsa gud nga sideline para makadugang sa income... Gamay ra gyud kaayo ang Php 8000 bisan single ka especially when you live in a metropolis like Cebu.

Quote from: Bambi on May 24, 2008, 05:57:21 AM
Macky, very nice! lol... you were inspired of my kabaw ha?

Bambi,

Musul-ob ka ba ug fur coat kay murag animal lover man kaayo ka? Imong avatar man gud sa sa una katong gamagting nga tarsier (in Japanese, meganezaru, literally translated as eyeglass-wearing monkey) ug karon kabaw... Are these two animals poetically reflective of your character, fragile at times and  hardy at other times...

Asa naman imong balak sa tabanog?

Unsa kaha'y daily recipe sa pamahaw, paniudto ug panihapon para maigo ning monthly budget if you have three kids? Di pa apil ani mga tuition sa bata?

Mga singles, kinahanglan samtang single pa, makat-on na'g diskarte sa kinabuhi. If you just rely on fixed income, prepare for a long, unrelieved hardship. No price has ever gone down since I was born. The cost of living is going up, and that's beyond our control. But we can control our means and capacity to earn by trying entrepreneurship. Kung naa'y fixed salary, it's good to try side business and when things really turn up, you can even make business your full time job.

Quote from: Macky Ferniz on May 23, 2008, 09:18:45 PM
OT: I check na lagi kung wala bay distributor dinhi sa mong region anang Mosbeau para maka sugod na ta. Hehe.

Puede pod house-to-house selling and word-by-mouth advertising atong strategy.

Macky,

O Tabanog, pa OT pud ko karyo.

Wala pa. Pwede naman nato sugdan galing lang kung commercial volume, kinahanglan nato export permit.

Naa na'y gasugod negosyo naku dire sa US, ang market mga nurses pero naa lang sila'y ipabitbit. Murag similar system gihapon sa ginagmay inquiry sa Europe.

How do you propose to do this? Sa Pinas, hapit na ang official launching pero daghan na pud kong kliyente.

Nisangit na imong tabanog sa kalibunan PM na lang tag makalugar.

Quote from: Macky Ferniz on May 23, 2008, 08:40:42 PM
O Tabanog,

Ka anindot sa imong ikog
Mi sayaw sayaw sa mabugnaw nga huyohoy.
Ang akong kalipay ug katawa mi lanog
Ug na pukaw ang mga bukid nga nag kisdom

Apan sa wala damha, kalit mi hugpa ang unos,
mi ngit ngit ang palibot, mi huyop ang kusog nga hangin,
ug mi bundak ang ulan

O Tabanog, sa kalit, imo akong gi biyaan,
gi putol ang tanod sa atong gugma
Ug mi uban ka sa panganod

Imo akong gi biyaan nga nag inusara,
ga kurog sa katugnaw, ibabaw sa kabaw,
niining darohan nga mamingaw

O Tabanog, akong luha mi sagol sa ulan
akong kalipay uban kanimo, gi handom sa kanunay

Balik intawon sa akong mga bukton
ug atong sawhan ang malipayong kagahapon
--De En--

Mao ni akong on-the-spot balak ug ako ni gi dedicate sa mga Boholano nga wala na mag handum mo balik pa sa ilang yutang natawhan, ang Lungsod Bohol.

Hi Macky,

Wa naku damha nga magkita ta ani nga thread kay kahibalo man diay ka magpalupad ug tabanog sa imong ginlandong...

Nice to know that your portfolio contains not only toiletry but also poetry...

Quote from: boylawas on May 23, 2008, 07:30:33 PM
hala.. gwapo jud kaayo...

one comment lng sa grammar.

dapat falls "ONTO" your dress

poetic license na sa werewolf of Bohol... Paul, nasugdan na siguro nimo ang Cabernet Sauvignon nato kay waxing romantic man ta ron...

Quote from: boylawas on May 23, 2008, 07:16:39 PM
TO benylenne:
who's RV? regalado? naa koy classmate nga rv.

RV Escatron aka Scott (his handle in this forum). Don't know his real name. But he's a talented poet like you.

Quote from: boylawas on May 23, 2008, 07:16:39 PM

woooh?!!!! really, what's in my avatar, anyway? lol

naked creative prowess and lemon-soaked irony in your expression

Quote from: boylawas on May 23, 2008, 07:16:39 PM

thanks.. i appreciated your comments..

dili ko taga-bohol. just my father.. davao ko. hehe.

Your poetic genes are still rooted in Bohol. Anyway, your input is really appreciated here.

Quote from: michael-ligalig on May 23, 2008, 07:08:50 PM
Ben, tungod sa kadaghan sa mga posts sa TB, basin dili makahibalo ang mga friends nato. I suggest na you'd send a PM to them about this post.

Thanks, Mike. I already received responses but I will PM the others as well.

Quote from: svetlana on May 23, 2008, 04:45:09 PM
I intend to, Sir Bene (marry and live happier, i mean)

Abi nakug "I do" na imong tubag, Svet. Nangita kog laing reply ug naa ba pud "I do"...

Quote from: ms da binsi on May 23, 2008, 01:30:09 AM
...and they have a very good government too...i think that is the major key  of having a peaceful place... Ginger or Asianfairy, magpa reserved na ko ug usa ka RETIREMENT APARTMENT diha kay diha ko mo retire! hahahahahah

da binsi,

makawa peace of mind ning imong signature...

Kanang Japanese judge sa news, murag mas grabe pa nang offense kaysa "gross ignorance of the law" nga gipataw sa Judge sa Tagbilaran kay kaning Hapon, "gross mockery of the law."

Quote from: asianfairy on May 23, 2008, 03:46:09 PM
Ms Bams, naa sab dire sa Sweden ay mga psychopats ila isod ilang anak sa washing machine unya paandaron.
Bisan asa nga lugar dunay mga bu**** bu****.

Today's headlines and news excerpts from the 5th Most Peaceful Country in the World:

Tokyo court holds second appeals hearing over Blackman's death
Friday 23rd May, 08:51 AM JST

TOKYO â€"Prosecutors sought again Thursday to prove that a man killed a British bar hostess whose dismembered body was found in a cave near Tokyo, in a second appeal hearing in the high-profile case.

Joji Obara, a wealthy former property developer in his mid-50s, was sentenced by the Tokyo District Court to life in prison in April 2007 for raping nine women including one who died, Australian Carita Ridgway.

Man held for killing grandparents, torching their bodies in Shimane

Friday 23rd May, 09:55 AM JST

SHIMANE â€"A 23-year-old man was arrested on Thursday night for allegedly killing his grandparents at their house in Tsuwano, Shimane Prefecture. Naoki Arita, 23, was arrested for allegedly stabbing his grandparents, Takashi, 81, and his wife Tsurumi, 76, to death and then torching their bodies in the backyard. Police said Arita showed up at a local police station, saying that he had killed his grandparents.

Rape victim demands U.S. apology for serviceman's crime

Friday 23rd May, 06:03 AM JST

TOKYO â€"An Australian woman demanded Thursday that the U.S. government apologize for her rape by a U.S. serviceman in Japan in 2002 and that it try to detain the man, while questioning a legal system under which the Japanese government will compensate her on his behalf. ‘‘I deserve an apology from the U.S. government,’’ the woman who called herself ‘‘Jane’’ told the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan. ‘‘I want justice and the legal system the U.S. government has failed to give me.’’

Ex-defense trader exec admits to payment of money to gov't-linked body

Thursday 22nd May, 11:43 PM JST

TOKYO â€"A key codefendant in the bribery trial of former Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya said Thursday his company has paid about 100 million yen to a Foreign Ministry-linked organization over a Japanese government project to dispose of chemical weapons abandoned by the Imperial Japanese Army in northeastern China at the end of World War II. Motonobu Miyazaki, 69, former managing director of defense equipment trader Yamada Corp, gave the testimony as a sworn witness before the opposition-controlled House of Councillors’ Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Judge, 55, arrested for stalking woman in Yamanashi

Thursday 22nd May, 06:21 AM JST

KOFU â€"A 55-year-old judge of the Utsunomiya District Court was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of harassing a woman in her 20s who is a court staffer in Yamanashi Prefecture, police said. Yoshiharu Shimoyama is accused of repeatedly sending emails from Internet cafes to the woman’s cell phone between February and March, and pressing her to meet with him, asking ‘‘When can I see you next?’’ or ‘‘What are you doing tonight?’’

In a survey among Japanese females aged 15 to 22, "hostessing"  was chosen as the No. 9 profession most aspired to, outstripping civil servants and nursing.

Other interesting facts gathered from a survey by cultural studies institute:

20% of female high school students are interested to work as hostesses
21% of university students are interested to work as hostesses
33% of career women are interested to work as hostesses
30% of professional models moonlight as cabaret hostesses

Source: The Theory of Japan’s Meltdown by Atsushi Miura

PHP 8,000 is the minimum monthly income for a Filipino family to eat three meals a day, have clothing on their back, and buy some medicines for minor discomforts. Forty percent (40%) of Filipino families earn less than this amount.

Quote from: Bambi on May 22, 2008, 10:28:51 PM
Welcome Mr. boylawas here in our most progressive site and enjoy with us.

Nindot nga balak gjod, maka-ubo sa kasakit bation sa bakak nga pasalig ni Inday.
I like it!

Bambi,

Sumpay dayon. Gimingaw na pod ko sa imong balak, daring kaayo ang tema.

Saludo jud ko nimo, Arian Rey (di ni pen name?)

I dabbled in English poetry, but am hopeless in balak. But it's my first time to appreciate a Visayan poem. Great work! Share with us more of your creative output.

Calling on RV as well... I'd appreciate reading more of your verses.

Quote from: boylawas on May 23, 2008, 01:18:29 PM
This all about poetry and the process of making. Every week, a subject will be posted for the contest. All you need is your creative imagination and the final output. The winner will be recognized in accordance with the highest votes and number of feedbacks.

All members are requested to pick their choice.

This is open for all. So make an entry now and post your creative powers here.

The only rule: All entries should be in Cebuano language.

This week's subject:

make a poem entitled "TABANOG"

Last day of submission will be Friday next week.

Unsa may premyo?

By the way, your avatar is an understatement of the great poetic genius in you.

I like your poem, rhymed almost like a Japanese haiku.

Amigo mo ni RV? That's another great poet (and lensman). Daghan diay mo diha sa Bohol?

Quote from: orChids on May 23, 2008, 12:16:12 PM
Sir Benne,ang akong pasalubong nga banana?Hehehe Ok lang ba imong son didto?

Hi Orchids,

Wa man ko nimo gitagad dayon, nadunot na hinuon. Akong son, nalisdan siya sa una, kapin pa tong naa pa mi sa Cebu, puro reklamo. Pero pag-abot sa Bohol, maajo na ijang buot... Nagsipa-sipa daw ug bola ug naglapuk-lapok na daw sa luon sa likod sa balay kay na-bored gamay busa gipangitaan na intawon ug soccer team. Naa silang tulo sa HNU. Enjoy man pirmi ilang tubag ug pangutan-on nako ang kinabuhi nila sa Tagbilaran...

Quote from: ms da binsi on May 23, 2008, 10:36:31 AM
I agree with you Benne san, ingon pa to akong maestra sa Nursing diri nga ug gusto kuno nimo patyon ang banana (husband) pakan-on daw ug daghan saging! para ma overdose sa potassium (joke nija) pila sad kaha ka bulig nga saging usa mamatay? hahahaha

OK man ni da binsi: feed your banana lots of bananas. I eat at least three bananas a day. OK ang akong energy level, bisag usa ka semana na overtime. At least dili junk food, which I avoid. Kung natural ang source, dili man siguro ma-overdose.

Quote from: teng on May 23, 2008, 10:33:13 AM
  3 ug 4 kayang kayang.....1 & 2 hmmmnnn
taym pa murag ganahan jod ni si sir Ben mag pari ko dah..gi hatagan naman ko sa mga Vows....huh

Hisgutan nato ning topic sa parin-on nga paagi, kay murag serious option man nimo ni. Pero ug mahagbong ka sa 1 & 2, kujaw.

Matod pa ni Pablo sa 1 Corinthians 7:

8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am.
9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Murag para jud nimo ni nga verse Teng.

Ako bitaw, naghunahuna man ko magpari sa una, mag-Jesuit pa unta. Pero nahagbong pod ko sa 1 & 2. Busa karon, bisag dili chaste and celibate, I make sure faithful ko. Naa na ko'y 3 ka contribution sa atong population, mga gwapa ug gwapo.

As man to another man, let me tell you marriage is not bad.

According to statistics, married people have longer lives.

And to Svet, according to statistics, married women have a higher happiness index.

My older sister is returning to the U.S. on May 28 and is willing to hand-carry and ship your order from within the US for lesser delivery cost. Just PM your name, address, contact no and order details until May 24.

Those who have already placed their orders, you will receive them around 1st week of June.



Price is US$ 55 plus delivery cost, payment of which may be made after you receive the products. I will just PM you the payment instructions.

Quote from: orChids on May 23, 2008, 07:27:16 AM
That's true,kami pod dire choosed to use the kei (mini) vehicles kay mahal na ang gasolina.Maglakaw na lang gani ko kung makaya.Dalang exercise noon,but di unta ing-ani ba.Saon na lang akong mga coming kaapohan no?

Ako, kung ang tuyo within 2 ~ 4 km radius from my office, bisekleta lang ko. Good for your sense of well-being and health. Depressed na ang ekonomiya, depressed pa ang imong mood, flat-tire na jud ta. According to health and exercise writer Paige Waehner, exercise:

    * Increases your sense of mastery which can help for people who don't feel in control of their lives and moods
    * Increases self-esteem
    * Provides a distraction from your worries
    * Improves your health and body, which can help lift your mood
    * Helps you get rid of built-up stress and frustration
    * Helps you sleep better, which can often be a problem when you're depressed

Quote from: Bambi on May 22, 2008, 10:18:38 PM
No. 2 as the cheapest country to live?    Could it  be if you will be receiving a monthly pension of 2,000.00 Euro (makalibre nata ug mga ka-igsoonan).  This was my meaning from our last Dec. 2007 home vacation......

PILIPINAS means ...

                  PILI -  Pili na sa
               
                  PINA - Pinakabaratong

                  S      - Saging        

Hi Bambi,

A favorite of athletes, banana is called "perfect food" kay very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium and a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Potassium and Manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin B6.

Lipay tang Pinoy kay ang saging perfect for the body, perfect for the pocket as well.

The Power Behind Bananas

After reading this, you may never look at the banana in the same way again!

Doctors Home Remedy
If you want a quick fix for flagging energy levels, there is no better snack than a banana.

Containing three natural sugars-sucrose, fructose and glucose-combined with fiber a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

For more info, check out http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/food/articles/bananas.html

Quote from: lumine on May 22, 2008, 09:52:28 PM
murag dili naman tinuod na cheapest kay even my husband who is earning euro can feel or even complain na mahal na.

Tong bag-o pa abot akong misis sa Tagbilaran, excited kaayo siya mag-istorya sa mga presyo sa utan ug isda sa Dao market kay barato ra kaayo (compared to the prices we've been used to in Japan). Since fish and veggies are the staple of my kids, nalipay kaayo ko ug niingon nga sobra ra diay ang monthly allowance kay kung ikumpara mas dako pa man sa sweldo sa bank manager. Pero towards the end of the month, mag-SOS na kay pahurot na raw... Especially with schooling kids, there are many hidden or unexpected costs even in supposedly relatively cheaper Tagbilaran.

Quote from: teng on May 21, 2008, 04:42:25 PM
bitaw sad noh...pwede paba kaha?...ako na gi imagine ako self mag misa...in front sa mga singles nga ni support sa population grwoth control

Vows of priesthood:
1. Chastity
2. Celibacy
3. Obedience
4. Poverty

Kaya ba ni?

Who lives in any of these countries? Please copy and paste the list and write your handle or real name. You may also include your impressions, experiences and photos living in the country:

1. Iceland
2. Denmark
3. Norway
4. New Zealand
5. Japan--Benny
6. Ireland
7. Portugal
8. Finland
9. Luxembourg
10. Austria

Most peaceful countries in the world

1. Iceland
2. Denmark
3. Norway
4. New Zealand
5. Japan
6. Ireland
7. Portugal
8. Finland
9. Luxembourg
10. Austria

Source: Global Peace Index, a collaboration between international businessman Steve Killelea and the Economist Intelligence Unit

Meralco used electricity worth PHP 531,000,000 in its own offices which it passed on to customers in 2007.

Quote from: orChids on May 21, 2008, 08:29:08 PM
Ang death status pila man?Maayo pa ang Pinas multiply jod.Ang Japan minus pirme.

Philippine Population growth rate:
   1.728% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
   24.07 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
   5.32 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Source: The World Factbook

Quote from: teng on May 21, 2008, 04:42:25 PM
bitaw sad noh...pwede paba kaha?...ako na gi imagine ako self mag misa...in front sa mga singles nga ni support sa population grwoth control

Ug mupari ka Teng, saad ko lechon baka sa imong ordination. Ug mupakasal, lechon manok (pakapin na lang ni sa lechon de leche, luoy pod imong misis). Tinuod.

Quote from: teng on May 21, 2008, 04:36:05 PM
hmmmmn bogoy ka sir Ben hah....oppps!!!!

Murag ang avatar ni Svet gaingon nga, "Catch me, I'm falling..."

Quote from: svetlana on May 21, 2008, 04:32:59 PM
feeling nako Sir Benelynne, may pagka parion ni si Teng. ;-)

Ang nagtubag Teng nagpadungog  nimo...

Quote from: grazie7y on May 21, 2008, 04:29:09 PM
Teng, it's not enough that you stay single to be able to help control the population growth.  You also have to stay celibate.  hahahaha

Mao pud unta akong isulti, Grace. Teng, parion ka ba?

teng, svet,

Unsa man ni? Murag kamong duha na gaistorya unya naa ko sa tunga. Padaplin sa siguro ko...

Bitaw, the handsome and beautiful race of Bohol should be continued to posterity.

Murag interesado kaayo atong mga singles ani nga topic... Everytime you remain single, you help control our population growth.

Quote from: grazie7y on May 21, 2008, 04:04:36 PM
Bene san, thanks for the encouragement.  I will not only be having a bakeshop but I also want to have a restaurant with cosmopolitan menu to cater tourists from different nationalities.  Oh diba?

About PGMA's SAL, yeah, I also have questions in my mind because I can't seem to figure out how she earned this much, and we are not only talking obout 11M earnings because they also have to spend for their personal expenses.  11M is just a net increase of her net worth. 

There is dearth of fine dining in Tagbilaran. OK ang kombinasyon sa cosmopolitan menu... with a Boholana chef. Your plans will just be in time for the opening of the Panglao international airport. Basig ma-develop na nako ang akong yuta tupad sa Bee Farm, ipaarkila na lang naku nimo... Bitaw, mangandoy lang sa ta kay tan-awon ko pa ang developments in the next two years...

2,000,000 Filipino babies are born every year with an estimated annual growth of 1.728%.

Quote from: grazie7y on May 21, 2008, 03:34:00 PM
Bene san, disregarding the currency sign, pare-pareho ra bya sa sweldo pod sa atong President ba?  There must be a demand of lawyers in Japan kay I noticed the salary is almost the same as the PM. 

As to PGMA's SAL, I was just wondering if she can be audited basing on this report? Or, maybe in her supporting statements we can see where she invested her money.  I see that she also has over 11M COH.  Her financial adviser must have missed this because I think her money earns more somewhere else than in the bank, even if it's placed as premium time deposit.  IMO.

Gawas jud imong pagka-banker Graze. Pero ug tinud-on pa nimo na imong bakeshop sa ICM ug sa BQ, daku pa jud imong sweldo kaysa ni PGMA and you'll be laughing your way to the bank.

Dili man ko financial expert, pero I sense that her SAL does not really sum up here and there. I am sure more comments will be aired in the media in the days to come.

Quote from: teng on May 21, 2008, 03:19:18 PM
mao jod Ms Graz...pareha nimo earning dollars...ahehehehe....bitaw mahal na jod kaau ang basic commodities diri....lisod jod pag budget sa regualr income.....single pa gani ko hah...naka feel ko ana, how much more kadto married wd kids nah

Sakto ka Teng. Matud pa ni Dr. Federico Macaranas, executive director of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center, sa paghatag sa iyang opinyon matud aning report, "the purchasing power of the people did not increase. This reflects the maldistribution of income.”

Ang weight nga gigamit sa pag-compute nila sa competitiveness ranking is dollar-based or international. Just because the cost of living in the Philippines is cheap according to international standards does not mean it is also cheap by local standards. Pangutan-a si Juan ug Pedro sa kanto.

By Philippine standards, Gloria is really living comfortably, especially when compared to the jeepney drivers, farmers and salesgirls.

Pero kaluy-an niya iyang kaugalingon kung ikumpara ang iyang sweldo sa Singaporean Prime Minister, kay bisag opisyal ni George Bush nakurat ug gusto na mo-immigrate sa city-state. Read:

Singapore PM's salary stuns White House official

Tue Apr 10, 6:50 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - A senior White House official on Tuesday admitted he was floored by the news that Singapore's prime minister earned five times more than US President George W. Bush.

"I'm going to emigrate and run for office in Singapore," the official said on condition he be identified only as "a senior administration official who sits in disbelief after reading that story."

On Monday, the Singapore government had announced a fresh 25.5 percent pay hike for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, boosting his salary to 2.05 million dollars per year.

Bush gets paid 400,000 dollars per year for doing his job, according to the White House.

Combined with personal investment income, he and his wife Laura reported 618,694 dollars in taxable income in the 2005 fiscal year. They had to pay 187,768 dollars in federal taxes.

But maybe Bush shouldn't feel so bad. The Singaporean's paycheck is eight times fatter than Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's.

Quote from: grazie7y on May 21, 2008, 02:43:24 PM
Yeah, the president is getting a measly over 57k monthly salary - that is if we compute it to 12 months and not 13 months to include the usual 13th month pay.  Bank Managers are earning more than this and considering that the task of the President is unimaginably huge!

Looking at the figures given my Bene san per PGMA'S SAL, how did she increase her net worthiin a year over 11 million?  I guess her earning assets, bulk of which are stock investments, are doing well.  It can't be coming from the real estate properties because it's only less than 7M.

Hi Grazie,

I was really asking the same questions. How could anyone increase one's net worth by P11 million over one year from passive income? Unsa kaha ni iyang gi-investan nga stocks? Murag daghan kayo kong pangutana diri sa Statement of Assets and Liabilities ni PGMA.

By the way, by way of comparison, in-ani ang mga sweldo matagtuig sa lain-laing propesyon sa Japan according to a recent Asahi TV special feature. Note, for example, that the Prime Minister is paid roughly 10 times more than a truck driver or a nurse. It pays to look at the relative, not absolute, values of the paychecks:

New TV “talent”    $9,000
Stuntman    $20,000
Bicycle taxi driver    $25,000
Shinto priest (27-years-old)    $35,200
Ice cream salesperson    $40,000
Noh actor (25 year veteran)    $45,000-50,000
Truck driver    $45,000
Pharmacist    $45,000
Limousine Driver    $50,000
Portrait artist    $50,000
Nurse    $50,000
Carpenter specializing in temple construction    $60,000
Dentist (1 year after beginning a practice)    $60,000
Beautician/Hairdresser    $65,000
Hostess    $70,000
Creator of food samples    $70,000
Fisherman    $70,000
Calligrapher (7 year veteran)    $90,000
Food coordinator    $100,000
Takoyaki shop owner    $100,000
Handyman    $120,000
Farmer    $120,000
Handwriting analysis expert    $200,000
Gynecologist    $240,000
Politician    $300,000
Ramen store owner    $300,000
Sumo wrestler (Yokozuna Wakanohana)    $324,000
Famous beautician/hairdresser    $450,000
Manga creator    $500,000
Lawyer    $500,000
Prime Minister    $514,000
Dentist specializing in advanced techniques    $700,000-$800,000

No. 2

Philippines is the second cheapest place to live in among 55 economies surveyed by the Swiss-based Institute of Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY).

Published since 1989, the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook is the most reliable and comprehensive report on the competitiveness of nations.

PHP 99,616,000

This is the personal net worth of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2007 as declared in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

This makes her P11 million richer than in 2006 when she declared a net worth of P88,588,000.

The president is paid a salary of P693,000 a year.

She has 7 real estate properties amounting to P6,875,637. These properties consist of a house and lot in Baguio; residential lot in Antipolo City in Rizal; commercial lot in Tayabas in Quezon; agricultural lands in San Rafael, Bulacan and Nasugbu, Batangas; and raw land in Coron, Palawan.

The bulk of her assets are accounted for by stocks amounting to P62,919,000.

She has cash on hand and in bank deposits of P11,266,853.51 and jewelry worth P3,400,000.

I would like to share with you a recipe that is a hit with my kids and is often requested of me in potluck parties. Am proud to say this is original (as they say, just add another ingredient and you can claim it's original). I have taught many housewives here how to prepare this but they say the original is always best.


Simmering in low fire will enrich the flavor.


Not it's ready to be served.


My Adobo a la Japon

1/2 kg   pork
1/2 kg   chicken legs or wings
1 1/3 cup soy sauce
1 1/3 cup vinegar
Grated black pepper
3 pcs laurel leaves
Minced garlic
1 tablespoon sugar
5 eggs
2 blocks of deep-fried bean curd (atsuage)

Slice pork into cubes of desired sizes. Slice the deep-fried bean curd into 1-inch cubes. Hard-boil the eggs in a separate kettle. Marinate the meat in soy sauce, vinegar, grated black pepper, laurel leaves, half of the minced garlic and sugar for ten minutes in a stewpot and simmer in low fire until half cooked. Separate the pork and chicken from the broth. Fry pork and chicken in a pan with other half of the minced garlic while pouring broth a spoonful at a time until the meat is a little brown. Be sure to leave at least one half of the broth in the stewpot. Put the eggs and the deep-fried bean curd together with the meat into the stewpot with the remaining broth. Simmer until the meat is tender and the broth almost dries up . Adjust to your taste by adding sugar, soy sauce or vinegar.

Eaten best with a glass or two of red wine. I'll share more self-styled recipes when I have the time. Next is Mechado.

Naka-front page na pud ta sa mga newspapers sa gawas, pati na sa Yahoo, for these series of gruesome crimes in the same locality.

Taud-taod naa na pud na'y travel advisory.

The measure of effective governance is not how you are able to preserve your seat in power and keep the loyalty of your key men, but how your authority is being respected by the ordinary people who are beyond the scope of your eyes. If I were Arroyo, I should take it as a personal offense that these bandits and hoodlums are thinking they can get away with flagrant violation of the law with impunity. Massacre one after another in the same place, taking 20 lives in a span of days... Where are we? In Afghanistan or Iraq?

Quote from: olintaha on May 20, 2008, 06:25:17 AM
Taga bukid ko, that's why I love sea foods kay na tagbaw na ko kaon utanon since childhood.

Mga pagkaon sa bukid maayo man na sa lawas. My family is also mainly into veggies and sea foods. That's why Tagbilaran is paradise for them. It's nothing we ever contemplated. Basta mga anak nako, kung karne ang pagkaon sa lamesa simhut-simhuton sa ayha tilawan, unya di na tandugon. I only have one Chinese recipe for beef that they really like, and another self-styled adobo with dried bean curds, but I have to bring the ingredients from Japan.

8.3% is the latest inflation rate for the month of April from National Economic and Development Authority.

Inflation is a rise in general level of prices of goods and services over time.

This roughly means that your P100 last month is worth only about P92 when you buy goods at the market this month.

NEDA attributed the rice of level of prices partly to a "hefty" 12% rise in food prices, in particular a 24.6% increase for rice.

Quote from: olintaha on May 20, 2008, 05:33:45 AM
For a successful power meeting in Panglao, the parties should also eat the abundant "power foods" of the place like: SUWAKE/TUYOM/TIHI-TIHI; BAKASI; ENDONG; KINILAW ISDA, etc. . . . . .

Olintaha, taga Panglao ka ba? Murag expert kaayo ka sa culinary specialty aning lugar. I only know the last dish. What are the rest?

The crucial component of this project--the funding--should have been made a central issue from the outset.

Since PAL stands to benefit from servicing new markets if routes are opened domestically and internationally, PAL should have been at the forefront of the lobby for expediting this project. It should have helped the proponents in providing economic justification for this project.

But PAL has been deafeningly silent. Now I realize this is probably the reason--it is being made to pay up P3 billion within two years. Given PAL's financial position, the condition for completing the airport within Arroyo's term is very much iffy.

Kung sabagay, Bohol is known for its unfinished white elephants... an unfinished agora, an unfinished bridge... so what does it matter if we have another unfinished airport?

Quote from: olintaha on May 20, 2008, 05:11:13 AM
In fairness to the judge, he is a good musician.   
He is a known composer in the pop song industry.  In fact he used to compose songs for the Cebu Metro Pop Song Festival.
Even in his chambers you can hear him strumming his guitar.

Then he should be able to face the music... Maybe a change of career is in the offing, perhaps as judge of music competition? Here, he does not have to take note of the fine print of the law, he just has to play by the notes...

Quote from: preciousNpolite on May 19, 2008, 11:15:38 PM
Good evening all! I know long time and no speak but speak now! I have been busy with media affairs and of them being invited media to help assist and entertain the American specail visitors from the Million Organization.
We had a press breifing at Chatto hall held in the Provincail Capitol, and affter headed to eat lunch in ICM's prawn farm.
Then on our way to Inabanga to have a meeting with Municipal persons there. we were given a talk on weaving , Mangroves, and fishing.
We also walked down to the coastline in Inabanga and heard a talk on fishing and mangoves.
In on our way to Loboc via Sabayan we planted trees at a scrince center in the town of lar and had a choir performance from the LOboc youth choir and went on the riverboat we where we were served a buffet dinner and kicked up our heels along the newly lit up Loboc River and they had a good time.
The Millinium asked me if I would keep in touch with regarding sittuations here.
I told them I would do my best.
Darius Teter tried askiing directly too the community and not the municipality workers about education fishing, and weaving livelyhood but he complained that the municpalkity would but in and not let the people answer for themselves.
Other than that it was a good time.

Hi Precious,

As I understand it, Bohol has cleared the standards for "political and economic freedom, investments in education and health, control of corruption and respect for civil liberties and the rule of law" that's why it was granted this US aid fund.

No doubt your presence as a media watchdog has reckoned well with them. As an adopted citizen of Bohol, I hope you continue to pursue your mission with fervor, making sure such grants go where they should.

Wait a minute, I smell something fishy in this Panglao Int'l Airport deal.

I am just bothered by the statement made by MIAA General Manager Alfonso Cusi that the bulk of the funding--or about 72% of the total 4.2 billion budget for the airport--will be sourced from Lucio Tan's PAL's payables to MIAA.

My reaction stems from a report by Bohol Chronicle as follows: "Cusi has committed that the P3 billion payables of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) to MIAA will form part of its corporate funds to be spent for the Panglao airport."

So we have already upturned and bulldozed Panglao's terrain on the premise that Lucio Tan will indeed come up with the hard cash in time for its scheduled completion in 2010. And that's barely two years!

If I remember correctly, PAL's cash flow is certainly cause for concern--what with declining passenger traffic and downgrade of MIAA's aviation safety ratings.

The last time I flew from Mactan to Narita, you could certainly seat two giant elephants in the economy class and a whale in the Mabuhay class that was less than half-occupied. (And golly, they insisted on making me pay for 10 kg of excess luggage!)

If Lucio Tan really has the money, he should have dispensed with the disgraceful publicity by just paying the BIR bills he is still contesting and should have retrieved his airplanes faster when they were seized by the international creditors in the US just a few years back.

Malambot na nga ang limestone foundation ng Panglao, mukhang sasandal pa tayo sa hangin ng PAL.

Quote from: Dot (.) on May 19, 2008, 04:28:36 PM


Let us all join hands to become God's good stewards of ensuring that Panglao will remain ever as beautiful with the the airport in its midst.

I don't believe it's all downhill from here on. Some of you may consider the airport a scar on a beautiful face. But a scar does not take away the ability of that face to beam with a smile.

Some of you may portray the airport as an ugly deformity of a woman's back. But you can never discount that that woman can still give a loving, healing touch.

The reality is: the airport will be in Panglao. But rather than speculate how this will destroy Panglao's beauty, let us all join hands as God's stewards to make all things work for the good of all.

Have hope. Be positive. Live.

Hi Dot(.),

Admittedly, all this discussion has become moot (ug mo-ot pud sa Bisaya), since Arroyo will finally be laying the ceremonial spade on the groundwork for the airport tomorrow, May 20.

But I think these discussions, when widened to the mainstream media and every Boholano's awareness, should egg on our local government to do its job of providing basic services better. If we keep on bungling these small, basic things, I wonder what mess we could do with a gigantic project such as the international airport. And the harm on the environment, once done, will certainly take years to reverse...

As I mentioned earlier, I could simply take the self-centered position of saying that this project will certainly raise the land values on the island, and I myself would benefit from this windfall. But for me, the more important thing is preserving Panglao's pristine beauty.

SC scolds, fines judge for gross ignorance of law

By Kit Bagaipo
Visayas Bureau
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:56:00 05/18/2008

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines--For gross ignorance of the law, a Regional Trial Court judge in Tagbilaran City was reprimanded by the Supreme Court and ordered to pay a fine of P20,000.

RTC Branch 3 Presiding Judge Venancio Amila was found guilty by the high tribunal of gross ignorance of the law in connection with his decision in a criminal case involving bouncing checks.

The high court ruling, promulgated on March 28, 2008, is an offshoot of three separate complaints filed by government prosecutor Lord Marapao at the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) against Amila for allegedly promulgating erroneous rulings.

The high court dismissed the first and third complaints since both cases are still being tried. But it found Amila's conduct in the second case to be in violation of the New Code of Judicial Conduct.

The second case, which stemmed from Criminal Case Nos. 14988 and 14989 both entitled People of the Philippines v. Ricardo Suarez for violation of Batas Pambansa 22 (Bouncing Check Law), is an appeal of a decision of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC), convicting Suarez for issuing bouncing checks. The appeal landed in Amila's court.

Amila reversed the MTCC ruling on the ground that the penalty imposed by the law on Suarez was harsh and oppressive. Amila then absolved Suarez of any criminal liability.

Marapao questioned the RTC ruling before the Court of Appeals, which later voided Amila's decision and reinstated the MTCC order.

The CA ruling became the basis for the complaint that Marapao filed against the judge before the OCA, saying that Amila's ruling was contrary to prevailing jurisprudence involving the bouncing check law.

The judge admitted he was not conversant with recent jurisprudence about the law because of his lack of time to read and the many cases he had to attend to. He said his decisions were based on codal provisions and on what he called common sense on justice, fairness and equity.

But the Supreme Court, quoting Canon 6, Section 3 of the New Code of Judicial Conduct said that judges should at all times "take reasonable steps to maintain and enhance their knowledge, skills and personal qualities necessary for the proper performance of judicial duties; take advantage, for this purpose, of the training and other facilities which should be made available, under judicial control, to judges."

"A heavy case load is no reason for a judge not to keep abreast with recent decisions of the Supreme Court. Ignorance of the law excuses no one," the high tribunal said.

The Supreme Court also stressed that a judge must "be conversant with basic legal principles and be aware of well-settled authoritative doctrines" and should "exhibit more than just a cursory acquaintance with statutes and rules."

The resolution warned Amila that he would face more severe penalties should he be judged guilty of gross ignorance of the law again.

Hoodlums in uniform--I thought this was a phrase that describes more appropriately some of our wayward cops. Known to be one of the most disciplined in the world, the Japanese cops seem to have shed their respectability as well with such outrageous behavior as this. In the last few months, a Japanese cop was held for groping a woman in a commuter train, another for pilferage, etc...

I thought the setting for this story was somewhere closer to the Philippines--but it's right here, in a country with supposedly one of the lowest crime rates in the world thanks to an efficient police force.

Cops under fire for giving cigarette, lighter to kerosene-soaked man

Tuesday 13th May, 02:15 AM JST
JAPAN TODAY

NAGOYA â€"Nagoya prefectural police authorities said Monday they are considering disciplinary action for three police officers after they gave a cigarette and a lighter to a man in their custody who had doused himself with kerosene. The man set fire to himself in front of police after asking to smoke during interrogation on Sunday. He died of his burns on Monday, police said.

Hifumi Kubota, 45, was taken for questioning to a police station in Nagoya on Saturday after a woman who was living with him told police that he was acting violently. When officers came to his house, “he poured kerosene over himself in front of police,” a police spokesman said.

Kubota refused to change his kerosene-soaked clothes at the police station and asked to smoke during questioning, according to police.

Despite no-smoking rules in the building, a police official gave him a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. When Kubota stood up, his right knee was ablaze and he quickly turned into a fireball, the reports said.

8 Ways to Affair-Proof Your Marriage

By Therese J. Borchard
Beliefnet

According to Peggy Vaughan, the author of "The Monogamy Myth," 60 percent of men and 40 percent of women will have an affair at some point in their marriage. In other words, the person who stays monogamous within her marriage is among a growing minority.
Twelve years into my marriage, I can appreciate that statistic. Eric and I are getting to the hard part, where the pressing responsibilities of raising kids and growing two careers could easily blow apart the vows we recited on our wedding day.
Because I want my marriage to stay on the happy side of the statistics, I've gathered these tips for how to make marriage absolutely affair-proof.

1. Nurture Safe Friendships: This is the most important affair-preventer in my life.
“No marriage can give you everything.”
No marriage can give you everything. A husband is going to have interests that his wife will never care about like fishing, hunting, or golfing. So he's less likely to stray if he can find some good guy buddies with whom to fish, hunt, and golf.

2. Recognize the Drug: Depressives and addicts are especially prone to affairs because of the head rush that comes with infatuation. The spikes in dopamine and norepinephrine we experience upon connecting with someone new fools us into thinking that the sexy man or attractive woman at the bar holds the key to our nirvana and the end to our problems. This is the same as, say, the high from cocaine. Recognizing that that rush is not real, meaningful, or lasting, can help a married person to "just say no."
3. Keep Dating: I'm serious here. Visiting with your spouse with some regularity--just the two of you and no one else--will bring some very definite rewards to a marriage. By dating, you will learn how to talk to each other again.
In her book, "Mating in Captivity," Esther Perel urges a client to imagine her spouse as if she has just met him, to put him into that mysterious category again. This is really hard when you got a little one screaming, "Wipe me!" from the bathroom. However, when you can pull it off, I find her theory very effective.

4. Find a Creative Outlet: People get lured into emotional and physical affairs because the infatuation provides an exciting, stimulating place where they are energized.
So to stay affair-proof, you have to find other sources of stimulation and excitement. For me, my blog is that outlet. I can't wait to log on each day to see what all of my dear readers have to say. When I get overwhelmed by the domestic chaos of our lives, Beyond Blue provides me that outlet where I can create something new, where I can run away, however temporarily, from the stress.

5. Hang Out with Happy Couples: If you're hanging with a bunch of guys (or girls) that see nothing wrong with sleeping around, you are much more likely to do it yourself. The good news is that the opposite is also true. If you have a set of friends committed to their marriages, you will be less likely to cheat on your spouse.

6. Learn How to Fight: Wait before saying something really ugly, and make sure you weren't tired or hungry, or in a stressful situation. I'm not saying that you can't confront your spouse if you're tired, hungry, or stressed, because then we'd live in a silent world. But, it's a good idea to recognize situations that tend to accelerate arguments.

7. Be Nice and Listen: "Duh," you're saying to yourself. But think about it. This is the hardest part about marriage. Listening. Keeping your mouth closed when the other person is talking.
In my conversations with men and women who have had affairs, the number one reason for pursuing the affair was this: "She listened to me. I mattered to him."

8. Remember These Tools: Never forget that you have a toolbox of resources to draw on when you feel tempted by an extramarital affair. Here are some tools offered to me by those healing from affairs, insights to keep in mind when you feel that familiar head rush and are tempted to abandon logic for a thrill:
# Don't go there: Don't put yourself in a threatening situation. Skip the conference in Hawaii with the colleague who flirts with you. If you absolutely have to go, avoid all opportunities to be alone with him.
# You've got mail: When you don't know if your email crosses the line into appropriate language, send it to yourself first. Read it again, and ask yourself: would I feel comfortable showing this to my husband?
# Dress with intentions: One woman told me that she saved her lingerie for her husband, and wore the ratty old underwear to the high-school reunion where she'd see a flame from the past.
# Talk about your spouse: A guy friend told me that whenever he is alone with a woman he finds attractive and things are getting uncomfortable, he'll start talking about his wife--what her hobbies are, and how much he loves her. It immediately kills the mood.

http://dating.personals.yahoo.com/singles/relationships/21641/8-ways-to-affair-proof-your-marriage

Hi Macky,

When I came back to Japan last week, I already met three Japanese groups who have been to Bohol to see the Chocolate Hills in the last three months. As soon as I arrived at my office, I had a group of clients waiting for me and surprise of all surprises, when I told them they were lucky to find me as I had just arrived from Tagbilaran, they said they were there just a week earlier... And we exchanged fond memories of the visit.

You see, last year, Bohol had a great exposure here in Japan, one of which was the docu on the tarsier that was aired on primetime TV.

Bohol has a magical charm of its own that is enough to attract visitors to our enchanted islands. There are many nature-loving Japanese, those into scuba-diving, into river cruising (this is one of the main attractions of Tokyo Disneyland), kayaking, etc.

But you are right, a lot of things remain to be desired for our tourism to even get anywhere near Malaysia's volume (16 million vs our 3 million). Top on the list is the exorbitant airfare (I paid US$650 for a return flight between Narita and Mactan, and most comparable destinations charge one-half to one-fourth less), inadequate accommodation facilities, sloppy service, and so on and so forth...

Nonetheless, given the actual increase of tourism traffic to Bohol, even without significant changes to the above conditions, I believe there are a lot of opportunities to do business...

Hi Joe and Gemma,

Though we do not have the chance to meet one another yet, except virtually, I really wish you both eternal love and friendship. Keep that love burning!

Benny and Lynne

Quote from: Bambi on May 18, 2008, 01:34:18 PM
Is this meeting has to do with that proposed Panglao International Airport?  More Light power aron di madusmo ang aroplano, Sir? 

I hope they will also bring forward to their discussion  about Panglao Island water irrigation system. I think this is still a problem there.

I think they just need the fresh and cool air of Panglao to talk about an electric--figuratively and literally--issue.

Arroyo perhaps also would like to survey the promised monument of an airport she will build to herself before her term expires...

And the water, I think it is Aumentado's role to make sure there is always a glass of cold water to douse both of them in case the discussion heats up.

Who knows? Panglao will also be written in history books as the place where Lopez' second most expensive power price in Asia has been brought down as a result of which Arroyo's political power has been brought up.

Quote from: Bambi on May 18, 2008, 01:21:12 PM
There was a TV  report here from particular part of our country ( I forgot where was it done like a study), they were "breeding worms" .  It was a program to help solving our hunger destitution. They grinded it, mixed with pepper and other spices and mixed it like in a hamburger.  It contains lot of protein and healthy.

Mas maayo man siguro ipa-grind sa earthworms ang compost ug uban pang organic materials ug himuon na lang fertilizer kaysa ang earthworms ang i-grind ug atong kaunon diretso... I wonder how it tastes. I think if it's prepared as a burger, it won't taste so wormy.

Quote from: grazie7y on May 18, 2008, 12:50:47 PM
Thanks a lot, Bene san!  Pohon-pohon and in God's perfect time, we will be there na sa Tagbilaran.

Diri sa Japan, ug bata-bata pa, pwede pa hilig eye-ball. Ug tiguwang na, gate ball na. Di na unta ta muabot anang idara bag-o pa ta magpahayahay sa atong yutang gigikanan.

Quote from: Macky Ferniz on May 17, 2008, 07:33:12 PM
Just today, we received a newsletter issue from our Japanese partners (Pigeon Corporation, baby products).

It is about demographics and new business opportunity. It says according to Japanese census, senior population (who needs nursing care) outnumbered newborns.

Due to this new opportunity in Japan, Pigeon Corporation was prompted to divert/shift thier business focus to "elderly care" products, over the "baby care" ranges.

Low birth rate is blamed on current Japanese lifestyle, where career is foremost priority among the new generation.

It also says that Japanese banks launched loans to private companies who wished to open a nursing care, facilities and retirement homes for elderly citizens in Japan.

Hi Macky,

Japan is called a greying society for good reason. In ten to twenty years' time, there will be more senior citizens than working people. In fact, for the first time in 2006, Japan's population growth was negative. There is a sense of crisis now. Though Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda at 72 is himself is an old man, he is widely perceived as having betrayed his own generational interests by not doing anything about the pension mess. Old people are taking to the streets because payout for their welfare and health needs are being cut by the government.

Some Japanese elderly citizens are opting to retire outside the country so that their measly pension will go a longer way.

Gusto nimo magbantay tag mga Hapon nga tiguwang sa Panglao, Macks? A retirement home for Japanese retirees perhaps?

Cooperative worms its way into profit

By Tina Arceo-Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:51:00 05/17/2008



SAN MIGUEL, Bohol -- They’re creepy, crawly creatures, but for members of the San Miguel Multipurpose Cooperative, the African Nightcrawlers are nothing short of spectacular.

This is because the voracious earthworms are leading them slowly but surely out of poverty by turning organic waste into valuable, nutrient-rich natural fertilizer.

The African Nightcrawlers are tiny, yet they are mean, fertilizer-producing machines. Weighing just a gram each, they can eat the equivalent of their weight in organic material every day.

Such an appetite means that these hardy worms can quickly transform waste, such as chicken and cow manure, leaves, kitchen leftovers, rice straw, wood shavings, into compost, providing cooperative members with an additional source of income.

SMMPC manager Benjamin Mejorada said in an interview here that the cooperative ventured into vermicomposting -- the process of producing organic fertilizer from the waste of earthworms -- in October last year after some cooperative members learned the technology at the Center for Rural Technology Development of the Philippine Business for Social Progress in Calauan, Laguna.

Convinced of the bright prospects of vermicomposting, the cooperative invested about P50,000 in the venture, which went to the construction of a shed at the back of the training center.

The shed houses several vermicomposting beds or pits.

Each bed, measuring 1 x 5 x 0.3 meters, can contain about 1,500 kilos of “substrate,” composed of worms and organic material, 45 percent of which turn into compost.

It was estimated that each bed can produce 675 kilos of compost, which means revenue of at least P4,725 a bed for the cooperative, as the compost is sold for P7 a kilo.

The project actually cost a total of P170,000, but a grant from TeaM Energy Foundation covered the purchase of the initial 125 kilos of worms, each worth P800, and the training of cooperative members at the CRTD.

Former SMMPC chair Norberto Buñao said the cooperative started stocking its vermicomposting beds in December last year, and the first batch of organic fertilizer was sold three months later.

Buñao said neighboring farmers and the cooperative members themselves bought the organic fertilizer at P350 per 50-kilo sack to fortify their land.

More farmers are turning to organic fertilizer, he said, as chemical fertilizers have become too expensive, selling for over P1,500 a bag due mainly to the surge in the prices of crude from which chemical fertilizers are derived.

It takes about five to seven bags of chemical fertilizers to provide a hectare of riceland with the needed nitrogen and potassium.

To cut costs, an increasing number of rice farmers in the province have started mixing organic with chemical fertilizers.

“Now, we cannot keep up with the demand,” Buñao said in Filipino. “Our compost is sold even before we produce them, which is why we are thinking of expanding our vermicomposting operation.”

The cooperative, which has an asset base of P5 million, expects to recover its initial investment in less than a year as the venture is expected to gross as much as P476,500 a year. Thus it is raring to invest some more of the group’s money in the production of organic fertilizer.

The 24-year-old cooperative with some 600 members has high hopes for its vermicomposting business as the local government has declared its intention to make Bohol, the country’s 10th largest island, the center of organic agriculture in the Philippines.

Such an ambitious target will mean a surge in demand for organic fertilizer, and the SMMPC is working to be a primary source by putting more worms to work.

Aside from earning from the compost, it also plans to sell the earthworms themselves for those interested in going into vermicomposting. It helps that the African Nightcrawlers reproduce quickly.

The farmers here have no problem looking for the worms’ food as the municipality is rich in raw materials that would have otherwise been thrown away.

These include rice straw, coconut saw dust, coco coir, madre de cacao leaves and household wastes such as rotten vegetables.

“With vermicomposting, we not only earn extra income, we also contribute to the management of solid waste, protection of the environment and promotion of organic agriculture,” added Buñao.

He admits, however, that the initial cost of going into fully organic agriculture is significant as the farmer will need some 37 sacks of organic fertilizer to at least match the yield of a hectare of rice land using chemical fertilizers.

But the investment is worth it since the volume of organic fertilizer will go down by 20 percent a year until the farmer no longer needs to fertilize the land since the nutrient content has been restored.

Leo Hilado, director of operations of PBSP, said that with the province’s thrust toward organic agriculture, the private sector-led nongovernment organization is encouraging more cooperatives in the province to invest in vermicomposting.

SMMPC is one of three partner cooperatives identified for commercial production of vermicompost. The other two cooperatives are in Candelaria and Trinidad.

A combined 280 kilos of African Nightcrawlers were distributed by PBSP and TeaM Energy Foundation to these groups and six other community-based organizations to jumpstart the vermicompost industry in the province.

Hilado said that vermicomposting is now a major part of PBSP’s area resource management program for Bohol. The same goes for Samar and Cebu.

The Bohol ARM is aimed at assisting 10,283 poor households in 40 communities in eight municipalities to increase their productivity and income. It is envisioned that by the end of next year, the farmers’ groups would be able to develop and manage their own organizations and projects.

Hilado said commercial production of vermicompost was just starting in Bohol, but he expressed confidence that more groups would eventually find economic salvation in the tiny worms.

Two of the country's powerful icons--one a political power titan and the other an electric power tycoon--are scheduled to discuss "power" on Panglao this week.

This is the first time I'd pray for a power outage even just during the duration of their meeting, so they would both see the urgency of the problem.

Arroyo to meet Meralco chair

By Michael Lim Ubac, Ronnel Domingo, Nancy C. Carvajal
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:32:00 05/18/2008

PRESIDENT MACAPAGAL-ARROYO IS WILLING TO MEET with Manuel Lopez, the Manila Electric Co.’s chair and CEO, amid an increasingly acrimonious media war between the power distribution utility and administration allies in and out of Congress.

But only if the talks will revolve around lowering power rates, said Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Golez as reports emerged yesterday that a meeting between the President and Lopez had in fact been set for Tuesday on the resort island of Panglao in Bohol.

The President is scheduled to preside over a Cabinet meeting either in Panglao or nearby Balicasag island on that day, according to Press Undersecretary Jose Capadocia.

According to reports, a meeting between the President and Lopez and Meralco president Jesus Francisco came up following the airing of an interview over the Lopez-owned ABS-CBN television network the other day in which Lopez said he had no quarrel with Ms Arroyo, and would like to meet with her to discuss electricity rates and explain Meralco’s side in the issue.

A highly placed source, who asked not to be named, said Lopez and Francisco will be in Bohol on Tuesday and that “the President had granted their request for an audience.”

“Indeed there is a meeting and the Lopezes are meeting with the President. They are expected to ask for the head of GSIS president Winston Garcia because he is Meralco’s pain in the a--,” the source said.

Secretary Cerge Remonde, the head of the Presidential Management Staff who is rumored to be the likely replacement for outgoing Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, would not confirm the meeting with Lopez but said energy was one of the items on the agenda of the Cabinet meeting.

“Energy is one of the governance themes of the month. Hence, energy is one of the agenda. Whether Lopez is attending or not is something I can neither confirm nor deny,” said Remonde.

The audience with Ms Arroyo comes with a price.

“The meeting will be in exchange for ABS-CBN’s cooperation,” said the source, pointing out that it is an open secret that the Lopez-owned TV network has been critical of the President.

Garcia, whose state pension fund that he heads holds four seats in the 11-man Meralco board, has been waging a media war against Meralco, accusing it of shady corporate and financial dealings. He said he would seek a change in management in the company and was quite ready to buy out the Lopezes.

Consumer groups and administration allies in Congress swiftly got into the act with the Senate and the House holding a joint inquiry in the midst of Garcia’s media offensive. The congressional hearings have initially focused on the reasons for Meralco’s high rates, bringing up the issue of Meralco’s “self-dealing” with Lopez-owned suppliers and the utility’s passing on systems loss charges to its customers.

The government holds a 33-percent stake in Meralco, of which 23 percent is owned by the GSIS. The Lopez family controls about 33.4 percent.

Golez said if the objective of the meeting with the President that the Lopezes are seeking is to discuss the GSIS-Meralco issue, “as we have said from the very beginning, that matter is between the GSIS and the Meralco.”

He said Ms Arroyo would not interfere in the management change in Meralco being sought by the GSIS.

“But if the objective is to talk about lowering the rates, then the President is very much welcome to talk,” said Golez.

“That’s the number one objective of the President,” he said.

Sought for comment on the rumored meeting in Bohol, Elpi Cuna, Meralco’s corporate communications director, said Lopez could not be located.

“He is probably resting. As you know, he has cancer. Mr. Lopez might be able to issue a statement when he returns to work on Monday,” Cuna said.

Cuna said Lopez had mentioned a possible meeting with the President because the Meralco chair believes Ms Arroyo was being misinformed about Meralco and that he wanted to explain.

Meralco officials on Saturday said the company was studying a system of pre-paid electricity to address the problems of pilferage, which adds to the systems charge in consumers’ monthly electricity bills.

A pre-paid electricity meter system will use the same concept as pre-paid cellular phones and phone cards where consumers pay in advance for their consumption, Meralco treasurer Rafael Andrada told reporters at a Quezon City press forum.

“Everything is being studied thoroughly as one of our concerns is that it would be labeled antipoor because you have to pay first before you can use [electricity], unlike now that it would be used first before collection,” he said.

Meralco also wants to ensure that the meters would be tamper-free, said Ivanna de la Peña, the vice president for utility economics.

De la Peña said the prepaid meter system has been successfully implemented in South Africa and China and the United States though it is not in popular use in those countries.

“We are considering it because it’s also viewed as a solution to collection problem and delinquency,” she said.

Cuna, who was also at the forum, said that despite the controversies that Meralco is facing now, the company’s annual stockholder meeting on May 27 would be no different from last year.

“It will be business as usual and agenda would just be exactly like last year, including the election of the directors,” he said.

Andrada expressed confidence that the present Meralco management would prevail despite the questions raised about its capability and moral authority to manage the utility.

“A lot of things could happen during the stockholders meeting but at the end of the day, the management stands by its record and its commitment to continue providing service,” he said.

Cuna said no major announcement would be made at the meeting.

“It will be exactly like last year, the same agenda, the annual report, report of the company president and the election of the directors,” he stressed.

Francisco, the Meralco president, meanwhile said consumer groups should support congressional initiatives to stop levying the value-added tax on Meralco’s systems loss charge instead of engaging in disparate efforts to address the issue.

Francisco, who is also Meralco’s chief operating officer, said the National Power Corp. was already taking steps to bring down generation charges.

At a hearing last Monday of the Joint Congressional Power Commission, Del Callar said Napocor’s rates would be expected to go down by 35 centavos per kilowatt-hour with the onset of the rainy season.

This is because rising water levels in reservoirs brought on by the rains will mean that hydro-electric power plants would be operating at higher generating capacities.

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and People Opposed to Warrantless Electricity Rates (Power) said consumers cannot leave everything to Congress.

“Congress can’t do it alone, it needs a push from consumers. Sometimes, lawmakers need some guidance on how to approach an issue,” said Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes.

He said Bayan and Power would file petitions with the Bureau of Internal Revenue to remove the VAT on systems losses and to seek a refund from Meralco for what consumers paid in systems loss charges in the past two years, estimated at P4 billion.

Reyes called on customers of other distribution utilities nationwide to also start making their computations on how much VAT was levied on systems losses, which he should should also be refunded.

Several nongovernment organizations on Saturday said they would file a class action suit against Meralco in the next two weeks.

Around 30 NGOs, grouped under the Refund Energy Fees Unjustly Debited (Refund Movement), demanded a respite from what they said were “unjustly imposed and oppressively collected electric rates.”

Dante Jimenez, chair of the Volunteers against Crime and Corruption, said Refund will not only file a civil suit, it will also charge Meralco with large-scale estafa for overcharging consumers and for the slow release of the P30 billion in refunds ordered by the Supreme Court.

In a manifesto read Saturday, Refund members urged a full accounting of Meralco’s charges and an immediate refund of the “unjust” charges.

“Just for the first quarter of 2008, Meralco gained a net profit of P655 million. Yet, Meralco makes all their consuming public pay for Meralco offices’ unlimited consumption of electricity amounting to hundreds of millions of pesos. Meralco keeps the profits and makes us pay for its losses,” Refund said.

The group also denounced Napocor for its “continued inefficiency and dubious loans and contracts,” and the Energy Regulatory Commission for failing to protect consumers from Meralco.

But it opposed a government takeover of Meralco, saying the key to a well-governed Meralco is to have significant consumer representation in it.

Quote from: grazie7y on May 18, 2008, 12:43:43 AM
Bene san,

There's no other place to come home to but Bohol.  This should happen in the next two to five years pohon.  It would be my pleasure to invite you and your family for a dinner.  Modesty aside, I am equally good in cooking and baking pastries.  I can even prepare a Japanese meal or Italian cuisine or anything!  And GEC is invited as well!

Great! Your plans jibe with mine. Mingaw man diay ning mahimong OFW, which is what I am actually feeling now that my family is already in the Philippines. But I'll be going home every three to four months... In three to five years, I intend to make Tagbilaran or Cebu (where there are many Japanese companies for my translation and documentation) my main base.

Kung ikaw mukuha lang kag outlet sa usa ka dako nga mall, OK na imong retirement. Murag wa may crisis sa Bohol. ICM is teeming with shoppers even on regular days, rain or shine... I think if you have tried entrepreneurship overseas, like myself who is running my own small company, you don't have to worry much about settling in the Philippines. You even have the advantage of using your overseas network, technology and experience overseas.

Filipino wins London public speaking title

goodnewspilipinas.com
First Posted 13:46:00 05/17/2008


GIAN Dapul of Philippine Science High School, won the English Speaking Union’s International Public Speaking Competition in London.

The incoming senior student bested 57 other contestants representing 35 countries with his delivery of a five-minute speech on the theme “New Frontiers.”

In his speech titled “Fish Mucus and Foot Fungus,” Dapul cited recent scientific finds and expressed his desire to help his country by joining the avant-garde army of science researchers discovering new ways to enhance health and extend life spans.

The sixteen-year old became the official Philippine representative by winning the local contest for 16- to 19-year-old students held at UP Diliman a few weeks ago.

Gian was named one of 12 finalists after the preliminary heats held at Dartmouth House, ESU International’s headquarters.

The finals were in turn conducted at the American Embassy at Grosvenor Square, with Philippine Ambassador to the Court of St. James Edgardo Espiritu in attendance, together with Loline Reed, a Filipino officer of the Overseas Women’s Club who has helped the young Filipino contestants since 2002.

As the very first speaker, Gian led off the highly competitive Heat 1 with 14 other participants from the US, UK, the Netherlands, Australia, India, Hong Kong, Pakistan and China.

In the finals held later in the day, he competed against representatives, mostly college students, from Thailand, Poland, Bulgaria, Argentina, Lebanon, and China. This time he was the last speaker.

Gian reportedly impressed the judges and audience with his relaxed and humorous delivery of a substantive speech with a clear message.

Placing second was a young lady from Thailand who spoke on the need to avoid pre-marital sex, while the third-placer, from Bulgaria, promoted the use of bicycles instead of cars.

Reed recounted that the chairman of the judges for the finals, Peter Kyle, the chief executive of the Shakespeare Globe Trust, acknowledged that Gian “impressed everyone with his speech, which from the start got the audience’s attention.”

The other judges were Dame Mary Richardson DBE, who set up the HSBC Global Education Trust, and Tony Byrne, special adviser to major cultural organizations in the UK.

Reed added: “Not only did Gian speak very well, but his replies to questions from the floor were succinct and quite scholarly. One question asked of him was, ‘What does he think of the ethics of stem cell research?’ He obviously knew what to say, which should make his school proud, as he evidently knows his Science subjects, indeed!”

In November, Gian will be presented with a certificate at the ESU Awards Ceremony at Buckingham Palace by His Royal Highness, Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Most likely, the Queen herself will be present as well, since the English Speaking Union marks its 90th anniversary this year.

Quote from: grazie7y on May 17, 2008, 03:39:10 PM
Really, Bene san?  I wish I can be home soon and start my pastry shop there in Bohol.  I also plan to share my skill by providing short courses in cake and cookie decorating and of course, baking too! 

For GEC:  Promise me to show up this July's EB and you'll get from me a cookie with design of your choice!  Be man - or woman enough to take my challenge!  hahahahahha  Gihagit tika ka ka ka!

Hi Grazie,

I think you can live comfortably off your expertise in Tagbilaran--with lesser stress and anxiety that characterizes our daily life abroad... Makatilaw na gyud ko sa imong mga pastries pohon. Basta sa Tagbilaran lang gyud mo retire.

This is a chilling reminder that our society has slipped down the drain as far as basic security is concerned, with hardened criminals taking cue from the impunity of felonies at the top.

Just imagine what effect this will have on our foreign investors, as this crime is perpetrated in the backyard of an industrial park occupied by foreign companies.

Progress is a two-edged knife, attracting both fortunes and evils. Bohol should pace its development so that the material benefits do not remain in the hands of a few but trickle down as well to the greater masses. Gross inequalities largely spawn these gruesome crimes.

Our government will never effectively rein in these crimes as long as it is perceived as a perpetrator itself of crimes against society and the common weal.

Quote from: Mari on May 17, 2008, 04:54:24 PM
bisan walay pasalubong Bene san i will still meet up with TB family kay priceless kaau ang friendship

Right, Marie. In fact, I never promised to bring anyone any pasalubong except GEC, ug siya pa ang nang-indian!

Just meeting our TB family is more than enough. Mae, wala may dress code sa ordinary EB (except perhaps the grand EB)... 

By the way, nia diay ko'y gisulat nga interview bahin aning pagkalangan sa approval sa agreement nga makapadala na unta ug nurses and health care workers sa Japan...

Conferido talks on delay in caregiver deployment
PHILIPPINES TODAY

Interview by Benigno D. Tutor, Jr.

Philippine Labor Attache Reydeluz D. Conferido has been through the most tumultuous time in his Tokyo stint, arduously trying to shore up the country’s employment niche in Japan’s entertainment industry since he assumed his post on November 1, 2004.


Labor Attache Reydeluz D. Conferido reminds us that other countries will not sit still while the Philippine Senate drags its heels on the bilateral free trade agreement with Japan allowing a limited number of Filipino nurses and caregivers.

However, Japan finally enforced its Action Plan on Anti-Human Trafficking through a revised Immigration Law passed in March 2005, which effectively halted the deployment of Filipino entertainers to Japan by the end of that year. For the entire 2006, not more than 5,000 Filipinos have been allowed to Japan to work as entertainers.

With the signing of Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) on September 9, 2006, Conferido had hoped to usher in a new era for Philippine labor deployment, focusing on the more high-end caregivers and nurses. But the process of unhinging this frontier is stalled at the Senate, whose approval is needed for the first 400 nurses and 600 caregivers to be allowed to Japan.

Conferido recently gave Philippines Today an updated picture of the situation.

Q1: How do you foresee the vote in the Senate on the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) to go?

R: Lately, the dynamics in our Philippine legislature have shown so many twists and turns that it would be foolhardy for anyone to boast that he could read everything definitively. However, as a believer in our democratic institutions, I am optimistic that however the dynamics flow, our legislators would ultimately vote on the basis of what they see as in the best interest of our country and in accordance with the light that God gives them.

Q2: What are specific items in the JPEPA are problematic for the Senate?

R: From what we could read in the newspapers and according to those who have attended some of the public hearings that the Senate has conducted on JPEPA, the questions that have been posed against the ratification of the JPEPA are based on the erroneous perception that the JPEPA â€" because it provided zero tariff to certain products that may be considered waste â€" could be used as justification to dump toxic waste products from Japan to the Philippines, and the feeling by certain sectors that the concessions and gains in agricultural trade did not turn in favor of the Philippines.

There are also sentiments that JPEPA negotiations should have linked the treatment of our entertainers in the discussion of the movement of natural persons.

The issue on toxic waste does not have a strong ground because JPEPA recognizes the right of the parties to enforce their respective environmental laws in relation to the import and export of products. Thus, the Philippines has the right to deny acceptance of any importation that violates our environmental laws. Moreover, JPEPA upholds the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and Their Disposal. Thus, the parties cannot ignore the environmental safeguards guaranteed by that convention just because of JPEPA.

On the issue of the fairness of the outcome of negotiations in the agriculture sector, I am not an expert on this matter so I will not dare comment on it. However, what I know is that the lead agencies in the various negotiation areas conducted extensive consultations with the affected sectors and negotiated on the basis of the inputs they have managed to secure from those consultations.

As in most cases, negotiations do not always result 100 percent on what we want to achieve. They involve a process of give and take that takes into account not only present day interests but also of long term views. Sometimes you make concessions in the short term so you could achieve better results in the long haul.

As regards the entertainers, the parties have agreed that the issues involving them are separate matters that are better dealt outside of JPEPA.

Q3: What happens if the Senate votes the JPEPA down?

R: This is a highly theoretical question. But should this happen, our political framework provides that the agreement could not be effective. Thus, the parties have the option to re-negotiate or to adopt a stand still option. But I believe that our legislators would take into account the hard work and good faith invested by negotiators of both countries to come up with the agreement, the imprimatur of the countries’ leaders, and the future relationship of the Philippines and Japan.

Q4: I heard that after JPEPA was signed on September 9, 2006, other Southeast Asian countries have followed suit, demanding that their health care workers be given access to Japan as well. How does this development affect us?

R: This is expected. Actually, Japan had earlier proposed a framework economic partnership agreement with the whole of ASEAN. The bilateral negotiation initiatives have been pursued because the multilateral process of trade liberalization has suffered some setbacks. But it would be difficult to turn the world around away from globalization and further trade liberalization. It is just like a rush of tide that finds various means to seek its level, in the process going around various hurdles.

And with globalization and information technology revolution, information spreads around fast, nothing is hidden, and all concerned are free to utilize those information to pursue their respective interests.

This means that our government and all concerned have to realize that others will not stand still if we do. Others will pursue their interests and compete with us. Thus, we have to act fast on our interests and utilize agreements to our advantage. We have to understand our advantages and leverages and use them to protect our cause. We could also use those information to invoke fairness from among those with whom we deal. We should make them realize that like them our people receive information from all over the world and will take the best opportunities presented to them.

To read more, check out http://www.philippinestoday.net/index.php?module=article&view=146

Quote from: mae_flor on May 17, 2008, 01:55:48 PM
sir Bene,

just call me Mae, we look forward to meet you too pohon labi na nga
interested pud ko to know more bout your beauty products. Bout sa EB
you dont have to mind oy bout us kay honestly mauwaw pud ko pakita
labi na kay wala baya ko mailhi kay tagsa ra man ko tigpost dire but am just reli interested to see real faces of TB Personality labi na ni Mari nga maoy muse dire, ug sa uban pa nga mga distinguished TB pipol. Mao to nga akng gi remind si Leo bout dat affair kay nakalimot pud sya. Hope to see you soon. Sayanga man sa gipangitsa nga mga chocolates wala hinoon mi makailog dah. Heheheh

Nag-exaggerate lang baya si Mari nga nag-itsa kog chocolate. Actually, I gave them chocolates in properly sealed boxes. Mao lang lagi, ang share nimo ug ni Leo ako na lang gidugang sa ila aron di na ko mabug-atan pag-uli. Next time, kita-kita ta... Sayang lang kay ug daghan na akong ka-EB, basig tagsa na lang ka Stork akong pasalubong...

Quote from: Bambi on May 17, 2008, 01:23:30 PM
Japan fascinates me seeing TV reports (crazy life mixtures) and shocked me hearing how expensive life there...how much more for the tourists?  To visit Japan would be nice hmmmmmmm I will start to play lottery, Sir. Well, let's just meet in Bohol and drink "Dornfelder" together, okey?
Will be in Paris by August and in a hope that Mr. Lindy will share a few minutes from his Paris holidays to meet me.  Mag EB ming duha didto pohon.
Middle of August, we will transfer to a 130 sq.meters domicile for the 2 of us and our 2 cats..the rent is quite expensive but it is 5 minutes walk to where I work (perting mahala nas gasolina diri), I must have to sale my Toyota "Aygo" car which my hubby gave me as Pinaskohan 3 years ago. You see...I even driving a Japanese car!

Tokyo and London--ga-compete lang ni silang duha sa position as the most expensive city in the world. I think Tokyo is No. 1 most of the time. Fortunately, I live in the outskirts where cost of living is about half...

Murag lami paminawon ng Dornfelder... looking forward to your pasalubong, whenever fate will bring us together to Bohol...

Bitaw, diri sa Japan, ga-train na lang kasagara sa tawo kay mahal na ang gasolina. Mas energy-efficient pa nang imong avatar, kanang kabaw, pero di man tingali na pwede diha..

Quote from: Bambi on May 17, 2008, 12:46:11 PM
Bitaw Sir sobra ka pas KOREK!  Sus....magpa-presyo pod ug mahal ang Pilipinas! Sayang lang! 
OT: only  4 1/2 hrs. ra diay lupad diha, how expensive is the fare? tnxs!

Hi Bambi,

Basta ug favorable ang hangin, mga in-ani ra siguro kadugay. Ug dili, mga 5 hours man siguro. Last time, I paid about US$ 630 dollars for a round-trip ticket. Ari ka diri?

Quote from: Dot (.) on May 15, 2008, 07:59:12 PM
I thought Prof. Pernia only wanted a clarification and not an outright rejection of the airport in Panglao. Well, this was what the Editorial in the Bohol Chronicle said anyway.

But looking at this video gave the clear message that Prof. Pernia does not want to have the new airport in Panglao. The idea of having the airport in Panglao was started way back from the Governorship of Constancio "Nonoy" Torralba in 1988. The Boholanos have to wait for twenty (20) years before this dream of having an airport in Panglao would now come true.

If he wants to transfer the airport in another place, that would mean waiting for another 20 years before having a new airport will be realized.

Twenty years is a very long time. And with the increasing frequency of flights between Tagbilaran and Manila presently 6 flights per day, the chances of an aircraft related accident at our very short runway in Tagbilaran in a highly populated residential and institutional zone could happen--God forbid! Do we have to let this tragedy happen in that span of 20 years while waiting for a new airport to be built in a location other than Panglao? Who will be blamed when this tragedy will occur (again, God forbid)? Not Prof. Pernia and the rest who are oppose to having an airport in Panglao, no sir. It will be the government officials who will be blamed for their "inaction". The pilots will be blamed. The airline company will be blamed for providing flight services in Tagbilaran's inadequate airport. And will Prof. Pernia and the rest of the oppositors come forward and admit part of the responsibility. No siree, not a chance.

The video also shows that Prof. Pernia already has a closed mind. No amount of clarification or dialogue will get him to change his mind. He said that he is sure that whatever evaluation on the economic benefits that will be derived  on the airport in Panglao was not properly done. Let us ask, did Prof. Pernia read the feasibility study? What was his basis in po-poohing the study? How could he, in good consccience, prejudge the project without even studying the data or conducting his own study for good measure? Well, you can't blame him. After all, he is a Professor in the University of the Philippines. 

Prof. Pernia is giving too much credit to Bohol's local officials on the realization of the Panglao airport. Hey, the local officials do not have the monopoly in the realization of this project. The national officials played a more vital role. It's them up in the national government who hold all the gold coins, they have the say how much money to put in and when.

Inter-generational equity? Sure, it sounds cool and "in" to be looking out for the good of the future generation. No one would quarrel with him about that. But hey, let us be realistic. According to Balong, quoting some genius on self-improvement, the only power we have is the power of the NOW. The past and the future do not count.

What is the reality of the NOW?

1. We have a dangerous airport in Tabilaran. A new airport must be developed pronto. We can't wait for a disaster to happen.
2. There is a looming food crisis and the people are hungry. We can't wait for another 20 years before the people in Panglao and in Bohol in general will get a better chance to improve the quality of their life.
3. Investors are accelerating their investment in Panglao because the airport will be located there. Take away the airport from the equation and you are depriving the people of jobs and livelihood.

It's so easy to say the project is bad because you have a full stomach and financially secure. But just try to explain to the parents they and their children will have to go to bed on an empty stomach for one more night -- no, for twenty more years -- because the airport, and the job-generation potentials and livelihood that comes along with it, will just have to be moved elsewhere.

Hi Dot(.),

Pardon me if I beg to differ.

I believe some of the points raised by Dr. Pernia have merit. Offhand, I think a project that took 20 years to gestate should have a more deliberated form and substance that incorporates the inputs of all concerned parties and interests.

The way Panglao International Airport is being touted by its proponents smacks more of political posturing than consideration of the long-term economic and environmental interests of Bohol. I am just leery of Arroyo bandying dialogue with Aumentado that the airport has to be completed before the president's term ends in 2010. It seems to me that the remaining two years of Arroyo's term weigh more than the last 20 years of this project's conception.

I understand that Dr. Pernia's position is not all-or-nothing. I think at the outset, he recognizes the need for an airport, nay a bigger one, not on environmentally fragile Panglao but in a more appropriate mainland location.

I have expressed my position earlier on a similar thread regarding the Panglao airport construction. If ecotourism is the goose that lays the golden eggs for Bohol, building the airport in a prime nature destination will be endangering this goose.

I was in Bohol only last week. I notice how vibrant the international tourist traffic has become compared to four years go, as about half of the passengers on the boat were foreigners.

But rain-drenched Bohol provides a clear illustration of the Biblical parable on stewardship--that only those who can be entrusted with the small things can be entrusted with the grander things.

If our local government is unable to address the drainage and the garbage problem, not to mention the water and power crisis, which are key to the long-term sustainability of the tourism enterprise that gave this province its newfound prosperity, how can we be expected to handle such a huge infrastructure project?

As Mactan demonstrates, the presence of an international airport alone will not draw all the tourists in the world. We can widen the gates of our house, but no guests will come unless we remove the stench in our gutters and improve our security.

Let's join hands to build a bigger airport outside of Tagbilaran and Panglao. And while we are doing this, let us improve the management of the basic services of our city and localities so that when the airport is done, tourists will find Bohol's natural charm intact.

Quote from: Bambi on May 17, 2008, 11:38:48 AM
As I understand it Sir....we have really a government nga "bugo ug panabot ug dili kinahambog ba hinoun kadako". It is normal, that  every foreign workers must have to undergo training before doing some responsible assignment and important activities, right?  Could be that they are afraid not to get a big piece of cake in behalf of this agreement. Na mirisi hinoun! Pitiful for those who really want to work for existence where in our country is more than as restrictive survival.

There is a saying, "Beggars can't be choosers." It just seems not right for us to think that Japan needs this agreement more than we do. Japan can always choose from our neighboring countries and beyond for their trade and labor needs--and Indonesia has already clinched the deal ahead of us. Next in line perhaps would be Malaysia, Thailand, and even Vietnam...

Maayo unta kung Japan lang ang adtuan sa atong nurses kay 4 1/2 hours lang from Mactan.

Quote from: grazie7y on May 16, 2008, 10:39:19 PM
Syaro di ma konsyensya si GEC!  Ah, next time, she'll show up to sip the Cabernet Sauvignon with you, Bene san!  Right, GEC?

Basig mugawas ni siya kung makasimhot sa imong cookies and cakes... Murag di man kaayo lami ang ilang pastries sa Bee Farm...

Quote from: Bambi on May 17, 2008, 09:51:53 AM
Sir, do we have no agreement with the Japanese gov't. in this case?  I firmly believe that we have the best export nurses throughout.
Hope.. that the Japanese are not only taking our friendly,educated Pinays as their loyal to death housewives. Sayang!
Kaluyahon gjod ning atong Pilipinas oi....here in Germany they have Korean nurses under contract of employment.

Arroyo had made about three official trips to Japan to push for the acceptance of our nurses and care-givers that she claimed are of world-class calibre.

The Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), was drafted to provide the legal framework for a freer exchange of goods, services and labor between Philippines and Japan. The final stage for the implementation of this treaty, the ratification by the Philippine Senate, is being stalled on charges that the agreement is unbalanced and will prejudice Philippine interests.

Also, the Philippine government finds the conditions for accepting the nurses and caregivers too restrictive--since they will enter Japan as trainees and not as employees covered by full labor benefits.

Rather than digging their heels and making a lot of noise that never gets conveyed to the other side, the rest of our ASEAN neighbors are negotiating patiently with Japan to conclude bilateral free trade agreements that are mutually acceptable.

That's why Indonesia, which actually came late into the bargaining table, has come home with the bacon ahead of us.

Quote from: orChids on May 17, 2008, 10:03:37 AM
Here in our prefecture we have numbers of workers from Thailand,chinese than Filipinos.Why kaya?

Hi Aya,

Nangumusta na baya ko nimo kay nakabalik na ko.

The approval of our bilateral agreement with Japan, the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement, is being stonewalled at the Senate kay gansi kuno ta kung wala na'y tariff o tax ang trade between Philippines and Japan kay ilabay lang daw sa Japan ang iyang toxic waste sa Pilipinas.

This economic partnership agreement is supposed to liberalize not only the trade of goods and services but also of labor, including our nurses and health care workers, on a staggered basis.

Pero ang ingon sa Senado, bentaha lang daw ni nga agreement sa Japan, dili sa ato...