MikeLigalig.com

Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol â€" The Department of Education (DepEd) continues serving free breakfast for 8,222 pre and primary schoolers in a bid to get to the 70% undernourished kids in Bohol this year.

Bohol pilots the Breakfast Feeding Program which DepEd implements for 160 days or roughly 8 months, said sources at the DepEd.

At the recent Kapihan sa PIA tackling July as National Nutrition Month Celebration, DepEd’s Dr. Aida Calamba told listeners that the move is because within these ages, school authorities note a high drop-out rate.

She also added that breakfast is a crucial meal most kids miss to catch up for school, or their walk to school can easily use up the nutrition intake and thus would struggle with hunger to survive the entire morning class sessions.

A healthy person learns fast and tends to be more productive as he does not tire quickly. When taken in a larger context, a healthy population is also generally more productive and bids well for the economy.

Started in 1997, the Breakfast Feeding Program is a government attempt to get to the 70% of the malnourished kids and ascertain 80% of their attendance and class participation, Dr. Calamba explained. 

The program also hopes to be sustained as the government engages parents’ cooperation and participation in preparing the nutritious food in the menu.

“We also hope that parents pick up the habit of preparing similar food at the home table, to make sure that kids get sustained nutrition boost even when they are out of the school,” Dr. Calamba shared.

She noted that kids lose weights during vacations, a fact that may link to low nutritional value of food at home, or to an excess of activities that sap up the kids energies.

She said while the government provides the funds for the supplemental feeding program, it is in line with the 2012 Nutrition Month Theme “Pagkain ng gulay ugali-in, araw-araw itong ihain”.

The supplemental feeding menu puts in a basic vegetable which is malunggay, adds Angeles Bigcal, a nurse who is among the 22 nurses DepEd hired to attend to the school health service and nutrition education needs.

by Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol - Neglect of duty terminates from service at east 3 province-paid jail guards, a personnel designated to man the prison closed circuit television monitors and two permanent jail officers over the escape of three inmates from their guarded facility.

A fact finding committee (FFC) formed to investigate the escape recommends this after it found probable cause to link jail guards involvement leading to the escape of inmates Exequiel Aniscal, Bryan Ceniza and Mario Yllaya from the Bohol District Jail (BDJ) last May 17.

The committee led by Provincial Legal Officer Mitchell John Boiser along with lawyers Reynard Namocatcat, Paul Magallano, board member Vinzencio Arcamo and Glicerio Doloritos confirmed earlier reports that there was negligence on the part of the jail guards which made it possible for inmates to slip through the guards and to freedom in broad daylight.

According to fact finding head Atty. Boiser, the committee, by virtue of an executive order issued by Governor Edgar Chatto convened five days after the jail breakout, considering also that the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) was on a separate investigation.

It may be recalled that Bohol signed a Memorandum of Agreement in 2008, relinquishing its management, supervision and control of the Bohol Detention and Rehabilitation Center (BDRC) to the BJMP.

The BDRC has long been renamed BDJ.

With the task at hand, the fact finding committee immediately recommended and was granted May 25, the temporary suspension of concerned jail guards to ensure fair investigations and so their influence could not affect the course of the inquiry.

In its formal probe, in which they also took cognizance of their ocular inspections, initial and random interviews of jail personnel, review of documents and re-screening of the closed circuit television footages, the committee found several lapses.

The FFC found that the jail lacks metal detectors at post 1, there is selective logging in of visitors, not synchronized logbook talies, (5 men noted in the premises of the jail early morning of May 17 were not reflected in logbook), no search on BDJ officials and visitors including vehicles, no visitor regulations for inmates, access of cellphones to inmates, delayed reaction of guards, lack of BJMP supervisors at some posts and guards were simply lousy in their duties.

The FFC also found that there was no contingency pan followed during hot pursuit operations.

After the investigations, the team finally recommends termination and filing of administrative charges for Neglect of Duty against provincial government paid Prison Guards (PG1) Fidel Castro, Jorge Lungay, Myrna Catayas and an un-named personnel tasked to man the CCTV monitors during that fateful day.

Moreover, the FFC also recommends filing of similar charges for Neglect of Duty against Senior Jail Officer (SJO3) Bompat and Jail Officer 1 Torreon.

During the investigations, the committee found that jail holds no inventory of its official firearms and guards casually carried unlogged personal fire-arms inside jail premises.

The Capitol formed team also found that the jail has no facility for visitors, the presence of livelihood opportunities became illegal business operations inside the jail while clear indication of poor jail management surfaced.
   
The team also recommends to the BJMP the strict implementation of the BJMP guidelines on its search protocols for BDJ officials and visitors as well as for the jail managers to take appropriate action on issues raised during the fact-finding probe.

Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol â€" Rains may seem a blessing to rural communities but it could also be a downside to urbanized centers, if the recent dengue surveillance reports could be a basis.

According to reports from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) Tagbilaran City and highly populated areas near show more patients afflicted with dengue, bolstering claims that people in heavily populated areas have more worry about the disease.

The same report furnished by the Provincial Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (PESU) based at the PHO showed Tagbilaran City leading the areas where most number of dengue patients at 63 cases and four deaths as monitored.

The same report also showed Panglao, Talibon, Dauis, Calape, Loon, Pilar, Carmen, Bilar, Antequera, Danao, Sagbayan, Sierra Bullones and Maribojoc having notable cases of dengue as monitored from January to the third week of June this year.

As to dengue death cases, after Tagbilaran ranks Calape with two, while Talibon, Antequera, Dauis and Loon with singe deaths.

As to affectation, =https://www.google.com/url?q=http://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php%3Ftopic%3D1314.0&sa=U&ei=XDH5T9__BKGG6QHVw5jyBg&ved=0CBUQFjAI&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNFHhUK4REqCF7GGLxPPXPLF8_OlcwTagbilaran City still at 63 cases, followed by Panglao at 24, Talibon (19), Dauis (18), Loon (, Pilar and Carmen (7) Sagbayan, Ubay, Bilar and Danao with 6.

Even then, health authorities urge communities to get into the fighting groove and join the government in eliminating dengue.

Dr. Aida Calamba of the Department of Education said “4S is still the most potent weapon against the disease.”

By 4 S, she means Search and Destroy mosquito breeding areas, Seek early treatment, Self Preservation and Saying no to indiscriminate fogging, the lady physician at the division office narrated.

Last year, a notably slow year as to dengue affectation, Bohol only records 146 cases topped by Talibon at 25 cases, followed by Tagbilaran at 14, Loon and Dauis at 9 each and Carmen at 8 cases. Deaths then were noted in Bien Unido, Mabini and Tagbilaran.

In 2010, admittedly a high peaking dengue cycle year, Bohol tallied 2,647 cases, accounting 25 deaths.

Tagbilaran City topped the count with 645 cases, 6 deaths followed by Dauis at 126 cases and 3 deaths.

Among the listed towns with dengue cases in 2010 are Loon (115 cases and 3 deaths), Talibon (99 cases and 2 deaths), Carmen (96 cases) and calape, Maribojoc and Panglao each with 80 cases.

Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 29, 2012 (PIA) â€" If dengue then can manifest in “by the books” symptoms, health practitioners now are in for tougher times in dealing with the disease that has nipped lives of at least 10 Boholanos since January this year.

A nurse who sits as Provincial Dengue Program Coordinator, Polizena Rances and a medical officer based at the schools’ division office here confirmed that the new dengue strain, brought by the aedes aegypti mosquitoes, carries symptoms that were not the usual indicators of the disease.

Rances, and Dr. Aida Calamba of the Department of Education (DepEd) here said that dengue then, can be confirmed following symptoms which can be “read” from their college books: headaches, three days high fever, vomiting, exhaustion, rashes, swelling in the lymph nodes, intense joint and muscle pains, and low platelet count.

Now however, dengue fever however has exhibited quite disturbing symptoms which may lead conflicting medical differential diagnosis, both medical practitioners warned.

Explaining more on “off the books manifestation”, Rances said fevers associated with dengue now may not be as high unlike then, or platelet count can go erratic that proper medical monitoring is needed.

Months ago, health sources revealed that dengue has become more virulent, and the disease comes out during rainy seasons, when mosquitoes would have ideal breeding places where water collects after the rain.

At the weekly Kapihan sa PIA on Dengue Thursday, June 28, 2012, Rances bared dengue has hit 273 patients in Bohol from January to the third week of June.

Since then too, ten patients have died marking a case fatality rate of 3.66% in Bohol.

This, according to provincial epidemiology surveillance unit (PESU) through Fritzie Olaguir, is way too high based on the Department of Health standards of 1% of the total cases.

Over this, Olaguir also said most fatalities came to hospitals at a rather late admission.

While several patients arrived at the hospitals and health facilities in time, and were properly treated, some of them came too late, proving that tarrying is fatal in dengue cases.

Dr. Calamba, whose agency has spearheaded an anti dengue drive in schools said while prevention of the disease is still a layman’s best defense, seeking immediate medical attention is a crucial step in dengue treatment.

Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBIARAN CITY, Bohol â€"The Regional Development (RDC) in Central Visayas approved a resolution enjoining Local Government Units (LGUS) to make the big switch to new permits and licensing program which has done miracles in revenue generation.

Already implemented in the Central Visayas is reform program for Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS) developed by the government to streamline the processes in obtaining business permits and local licenses with the end goal of facilitating investments and increasing local revenues.

Aside from that, the reform program recommends standards for BPLS that GUS can follow, develop capacity building programs for BPLS streamlining, organize regional government departments to partner with LGUS on implementing their BPLS reforms and harmonize the many reform initiatives by development partners regarding the BPLS.

The standards consist of limiting the processing time of LGUS as to issuance of BPLS to a maximum of ten days from submission of requirements to be consistent with the Anti-Red Tape Act, the use of a unified form of applications and renewals, as well as limit the steps in applying for new or renew permits and licenses.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regional Director Asteria Caberte, said the program is expected to reduce time in securing permits cutting business costs and the elimination of corruption chances.

She said that the DTI and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) earlier signed a joint circular for the BPLS.

in her presentation to the RDC gathered at the Bohol Cultural Center Thursday, June 28, 2012, broke the biggest news experienced by LGU adopting the BPLS.

Of the more than 40 LGUS adopting the BPLS, most of them had drastically increased revenues in new business registrations and renewals, prompting mom target LGUs to voluntarily opt for the BPLS adoption in their areas.

In Cebu City for example, a 60 working day time frame for a business to be approved now takes 2 days, she cited.

Rey Anthony Chiu

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has raised an alarm against gathering and eating shellfish from the tide flats of Tagbilaran City bay following a suspected case of red tide.

BFAR Bohol head Cresencio Pahamutang, on radio interviews explained that their alarm is based on a algal bloom, which is what causes the red coloration in the water (red tide) which witnesses observed on the sea below Matig-a Lodge along Burgos Street.

He said BFAR confirms the reports based at the latest results from their ten monitoring stations set up at specific points between Dauis Bridge in Junction Mansasa to Maribojoc Bay.

Algal bloom happens when an unusually large concentration of aquatic micro-organisms amass in a coastal area, often causing discoloration, states Wikipedia.

When the algae is present in high concentrations, water can be discolored from murky, to purple to pink or red, thus, its common name the red tide, continues Wikipedia. 

According to the Pahamutang, a worker at the Matig-a Lodge reported the unusual discoloration in the water, prompting the BFAR to investigate by going to their monitoring stations.

From their tests, Pahamutang shared that, from the usual three cells per liter average yield in the collecting stations, they noticed around 1,475 to 1,365 cells per liter.

A total ban and alarm against shellfish gathering and eating is issued when the mirco-organisms monitored reach 10,000 units per liter, he explained.

With the noticed unusually high concentration of algal micro-organisms in the Tagbilaran Strait, the BFAR said they have coordinated with the Provincial Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council as well as Poblacion 1 Barangay Chairman Arlene Karaan to spread the advise to stop harvesting shellfish from mentioned areas.

Pahamutang said these algae, also called dinoflagellates have toxins that are usually absorbed by bottom feeding shellfish, making them unfit for human consumption. 

For fishes from the area, the BFAR chief said as long as the fish is properly prepared before cooking, it may not be affected as much.

By proper preparation, Pahamutang said taking off the gills and the innards can be good enough. 

While some ascribe to the harmful algal bloom as caused by natural phenomenon, many also believe that increased nutrient loading in the water as a result of human activity could somehow trigger the bloom.

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

CORTES, Bohol â€" Fifty-one students from two catholic secondary schools here avail of Philippine Information Agency’s (PIA) Leadership Training Seminar (LETS) Workshop, designed to them with the skills to perform as student leaders in their respective schools.

The students from Infant King Academy (IKA) in Cortes and Saint Vincent Institute (SVI) in Maribojoc gathered at the Parola Hall of the Municipal Port of Maribojoc for a one-day leadership training workshop last Saturday, June 23.

IKA Cortes Student Supreme Government (SSG) adviser Ma Rosario Baroso said the training suits the need of most students who get elected as officers in their respective organizations in class or school who have very little knowledge about how to become a good leader.

Aside from inputs on good leadership traits, the training workshop also includes teambuilding game activities, officers’ rights and responsibilities workshop as well as rules in parliamentary procedures.

According to the PIA, the office has noted that many students who get elected to key positions in their respective schools do not have the necessary skills to conduct meetings that pass without a challenge on procedural deficiencies and evade from being declared illegal.

The PIA designed the leadership training workshop with the aim to respond to that specific need, the PIA said.

Vincent Gee Abrasado, IKA class adviser also hailed the training which he sees as a crucial skills enhancement activity that boosts student leadership capabilities which most students do not always confidently show.

The training workshop also comes with a mock meeting where students go through the usual meeting process but are assessed on their use of training inputs including the terminologies, procedures and the skillful use of efficient and proven methods to make meetings attain its goals.   

Aside from the leadership training workshop, the PIA in Bohol also offers news writing and school organ production training seminar series, which details the tasks and the enhances the students’ skills in news production.

Benefits of Daydreaming

Daydreaming is a natural human event and has long been ridiculed as a lazy or non-productive activity. It is, however, beneficial in many ways:

• It helps you relax. Daydreaming enables your mind to take a minivacation, which releases tension and anxiety.
• It helps you solve problems. You might review the problem in your daydream and then envision what you can do to resolve the problem.
• It strengthens relationships. This occurs when you think about what you’ll be doing with a friend or lover, what you’ll say, and what he or she might
say in return.
• It enhances productivity. By allowing yourself to daydream, you help your preoccupied mind solve a problem, plan ahead, or revisit a pleasant
experience.
• It helps you achieve a goal. When you envision yourself reaching a goal â€" getting a college degree, climbing that mountain, or making a gourmet meal â€" it’s almost as if you’ve reached it and you just need to take the steps to make it.
• It relieves boredom. You’re human; you’ll get bored with whatever activity you’re engaged in, perhaps because the activity doesn’t engage you or interest you. When reading, you might daydream because you’re reading too slowly!

Lotto Draw Result July 7 2012 6/42 Combination
Result: 42-23-40-33-03-11
Prize: 6,504,733.80
7/7/2012 , 1  winner(s)

Lotto Draw Result July 7 2012 6/55
Result:18-26-21-10-25-54
Prize: 30,000,000.00
7/7/2012 , 0  winner(s)

Philippine Native Foods

only in India. tagam.

Umbrella - It's More Fun in the Philippines

The National Housing Authority (NHA) has allocated P10 million for the site improvement and development of the permanent housing site by the landslide victims in Barangay San Juan Bano, Pampanga.

NHA project manager Ines Gonzales said the fund will be used for the construction of road pavement, water system, electricity and other facilities in the area where the permanent shelters were constructed and recently awarded to landslide victims.

Gonzales said they have initially released at least P1.5 million to the local government here to jumpstart the development in the area.

She said the local government of Arayat will also give P2 million for the initial development in the area.

The construction of the facilities and other amenities in the resettlement area will be implemented by this town municipal government.

Governor Lilia Pineda asked the NHA to prioritize the installation of electric posts so that the residents could have connection the soonest time possible.

A total of 57 permanent core shelters were awarded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development to landslide victims on Tuesday.

Maribel Malang Blanco, one of the division chiefs of the DSWD regional office, said they will construct additional 113 units to serve all other landslide victims. - PNA

by PNA - The Vietnam-Latin America Trade and Investment Forum opened here on Thursday, drawing high-ranking delegations and over 200 businesses from two sides.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said that despite the long distance, Vietnam always attaches importance to promoting cooperation with Latin American countries.

Vietnam is ready to boost cooperation and investment with Latin American countries in fields of oil and gas, energy, manufacturing, agricultural and aquatic products.

The country also wants to import raw materials from Latin American countries, Dung said.

Dung believed that Latin America will actively participate and become an important part in the development process of Vietnam, while Vietnam is willing to play as a gateway for Latin American countries to the large markets of the East Asian region, Dung added.

The two-way trade between Vietnam and the Latin American region increased from 300 million U.S. dollars in 2000 to 5.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2011.

Gabriel Duque Mildenberg, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade of Colombia, said that in the context of the dynamic development in the Asia-Pacific region, the establishment of partnership among developing countries is very necessary.

The fine relations between Asia and Latin America have helped keep socio-economic stability in the regions in the wake of global crisis.

In recently years, Vietnam has made great contribution to the development of the region, Mildenberg said.

At the opening ceremony, Vu Tien Loc, President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), announced the establishment of the Vietnam-Latin America Business Council, which is expected to be a policy dialogue mechanism for businesses and governments.

On the sidelines of the forum, seminars and bilateral meetings will be held to discuss and learn about the investment environment of Vietnam and Latin America in areas of mutual interest.

Japan regained supply of nuclear-generated electricity Thursday for the first time in around two months.

This, when a reactor at the Oi power plant was connected to the transmission grid, with all other reactors in the country remaining idled for checks following last year's Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Following its reactivation Sunday after being idled for 15 months for mandatory checks, the No. 3 reactor at Kansai Electric Power Co.'s Oi plant in Fukui Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast began generating and supplying power around 7 a.m.

The reactor had increased its electricity output to 30 percent of capacity by Thursday evening and is expected to run at full capacity from Monday, company officials said. - PNA

By Shinya Ajima

The Bank of Japan Thursday revised upward its assessments of all nine regional economies in the country.

This, compared with three months earlier, the first such move in nearly three years, encouraged by improvements in business investment and private consumption.

The decision, also aided by stable industrial output, added to the encouraging signs earlier this week in the central bank's Tankan business sentiment survey, with some analysts expecting the BOJ to refrain from implementing additional monetary easing next week.

"Many regions noted that the economy had been recovering moderately or picking up, while some regions noted that the economy continued to pause generally, although there were signs of picking up," the bank said in its quarterly report released after a one-day meeting of its branch managers.

by PNA - The Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) concluded the three-day missile drill on Wednesday with Iranian military officials warning against any military aggression on the country.

On the third and last day of the missile drill, the IRGC fired the indigenous "Persian Gulf" rockets at mock sea targets, Press TV reported.

IRGC's aerospace forces also bombarded designated targets on Wednesday by jet fighters as well as pilotless aerial drones, said the report without further details.

The IRGC on Tuesday test-fired a diversity of missiles and tested its unmanned aerial vehicle bombers during a drill.

Earlier, the IRGC's aerospace division commander, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, told reporters that, in the drill dubbed "Great Prophet 7," more than 100 hypothesized spots in the central desert would be targeted by various kinds of missiles.

Some of the IRGC's missiles could even reach 2,000 km, but in the maneuver, only the ones with ranges of 300, 500, 800 and 1,300 km were tested, said Hajizadeh.

Hajizadeh said Wednesday that Iran's missiles can hit the U.S. military bases in the regional countries, Press TV reported.

He said that all the U.S. bases in the region are within the reach of Iran's missiles and Iranian missiles could also easily reach Israel.

Meanwhile, the commander made a reference to Iran's launch of ballistic missiles during the three-day drill and said all the missiles "successfully" hit a designated target that resembled the air bases of foreign countries in the region, according to the report.

Hajizadeh said that the maneuvers were different from the previous ones as all missiles used in the recent exercise were fired at a single target from different locations.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said Iran will give firm response to any military attack against the country, Press TV reported.

"Those who make useless remarks about threatening Iran and have ill intentions toward this country should be ready for a crushing response (from Iran)," Vahidi told reporters.

He said that the maneuver not only manifests the prowess and capabilities of Iran's Armed Forces, but also shows that the forces are fully aware of the vulnerabilities and weak points of those who resort to useless threats against Iran.

Stressing Iran's crucial role in providing security for the region, the commander said that the Islamic republic "will not allow anyone to act against its interests in the region."

In the meantime, Iranian lawmaker Mansour Haqiqatpour said Wednesday that the presence of Western warships in the Persian Gulf is detrimental to regional security, said Press TV.

"Global powers have announced that by dispatching warships, they aim to establish security in the Persian Gulf, but now Muslim countries are able to do this by expanding local and regional cooperation and they do not need their (West's) military presence, " said Haqiqatpour.

The lawmaker, a member of Iran's Majlis (parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, added that Iran closely monitors the West's military bases in the Persian Gulf littoral states and the "slightest mistake will cause them and their regional allies regret."

"The IRGC and the Iranian Army's missiles can target and destroy any threatening target in the region. Therefore, if hegemonic countries do anything against the security of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and Sea of Oman, they will definitely incur losses," he was quoted as saying.

Maid of Honor and Bride's Maids
by Jaypee Noche

Kung Sila Nagkasinabot, Kita Pa Kaha?

By Honor Blanco Cabie

Eduardo, a broadcast journalist came home one Friday, a few ticks away to the midnight hour, looking badly beaten like some pulp and literally spent.

For the past 12 years, it has been like that â€" going home late because the one-hour news program he produces ends at 10 â€" and he has, of late, become irritable, developed ulcers, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Soon as he has entered the receiving room, his three sons already asleep, and has hugged his wife of 14 years, he slouched on the sofa â€" very silent, his eyes closed, while the wife watched his carelessly hung frame near the center table.

Eduardo already had a quick bite at the office â€" a club house sandwich and a popular drink in can rich in sugar level, the latter to prop him up after nine hours of tension and stress in the newsroom he once described as “a laboratory of human character.”

Eduardo’s wife was ready with an analgesic antipyretic, impressed her husband must have gone down depths of headaches yet again.

But before he could wash the tablet down with a glass of warm water, he was already snoring, unaware of the wife’s thoughtful gesture.

She knew he was under stress at the office again â€" the big S in his health kit, what it has done to his mind and body, not to mention the things it had accelerated in his health card.

During Eduardo’s day off one weekend, the couple went to their family doctor for a second opinion â€" he is a health care card holder â€" but the incessant high blood, even for what seemed no reason at all, had raised the anxiety of the husband and the wife, who had taken leave from her counseling job to look after the three sons.

Eduardo was told by the family doctor to manage stress because it was bad for his immunity and makes him prone to infections.

When he is stressed out, his immune system becomes weak.

He was told common colds, flu and even the progression from HIV positive to full-blown AIDS â€" he was glad he did not have the last â€" could be attributed to stress.

The couple were silent as the doctor continued that stress could make him tired, that he might complain of various muscle pains, which should be a wake-up call “to take stock and notice your health vane.”

At the same time, he was told that ulcers in the esophagus, which he had, might have been caused by stress “because stress causes release of hydrochloric acid from the stomach, which contributes to acidity and in the long run may cause peptic ulcers to form.”

Lately, Eduardo was observed to be suffering as well from asthma, a condition that sent butterflies up the spine of his wife.

At the clinic, Eduardo was told, chronic illnesses, like asthma which causes narrowing of the air passages in the lungs and some skin conditions like eczema (extremely dry skin associated with itching), have been linked to stress.

“Stress affects the hormones in the body and a common effect is hyperthyroidism. In this condition the thyroid gland produces excess thyroid hormones, which lead to symptoms like palpitations, tremors and insomnia,” the doctor said.

A bonus information to the couple was that lifestyle diseases like obesity, diabetes mellitus and hypertension are all related to stress.

“To deal with stress you may reach out for unhealthy and high-calorie foods, which leads to obesity; stress affects insulin production by the pancreas which in turn controls blood sugar and stress causes the blood pressure to go higher thus causing uncontrolled hypertension,” the doctor said.

What sent the wife nodding in silence was the doctor’s matter-of-fact statement: “A stressful lifestyle is definitely to blame for lack of desire for sex, erection problems and low sperm count, which may lead to infertility in the long run.”

As the wife looked at her husband drooping at the sofa that night he came home, she remembered what the family doctor said that stress may directly or indirectly contribute to heart ailments.

The doctor had said: “Direct stress may be a cause for heart attacks while indirectly stress may cause heart failure and arrhythmias or irregular heart beats.

“Stress also plays a role in arthritis. Most people having arthritis will remember a stressful event that brought in the ailment on or at the time they were diagnosed.

“Stress is blamed for poor oral hygiene which in turn may cause dental plaque formation and gum disease. Mouth sores may also result from undue stress.”

When he looked at her husband with his conspicuously receding hairline, she remembered what the doctor told them, that hair loss increases in stressful times.

“Male pattern balding or alopecia areata, as well as telogen effluvium â€" where multiple hair cells enter the resting phase and cause significant hair loss are both associated with stress.”

As the wife looked at her husband that night, in that unexpected sloven posture, she began to feel palpitations herself in her chest.

Tomorrow, she promised herself, “I will have an appointment with the doctor.”

Just months before America goes to polls, opinion appears to be tilted in favor of incumbent Barack Obama, with a new 'poll of polls' giving him a 3-point lead over Republican rival Mitt Romney.

Obama leads 48 per cent to 45 per cent in a CNN Poll of Polls, a sample of three recent national surveys of the presidential race that culminates in November. - PNA

kana kung naay iponon.

Shallow Life

President Benigno S. Aquino III assured Filipinos of homeland security by reducing casualties and property loss from extreme hazard events and building disaster resilient communities in the Philippines.

In his speech keynoting the formal launching of the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards or Project NOAH at the Nangka Del Covered Court, Balubad Settlement Phase II in Barangay Nangka, Marikina City on Friday, President Aquino said the project leverages on advanced science and technology to mitigate the impacts of natural hazards.

"Ang Project NOAH po ang magsisilbing arko ng mga Pilipino laban sa delubyo. Tutuldukan na natin ang nakasanayang pagtitiis tuwing tag-ulan. Hindi na puwede ang 'bahala na,' sawa na tayo sa kaba. Sa tama at sapat na kaalaman, sasanayin natin ang mga Pilipino sa puspusang kahandaan," the Chief Executive said.

President Aquino stressed that natural hazards inflicted loss of lives and costly damage to property in the past years. Last year, the devastating impacts of Pedring, Quiel and Sendong resulted to a high number of fatalities with economic losses amounting to billions of pesos.

"Nang magsimula po tayong manungkulan, pinagtuunan po natin ng pansin ang mga suliraning hatid ng bagyo. Isa po sa mga isinulong natin -- ang pagbutihin at dagdagan ang ating mga kasangkapan. Ang apat na locally-assembled na water level monitoring sensors na dinatnan natin noong 2010, nadagdagan natin ng siyam nitong 2011 at labindalawa na ngayong 2012, at hindi pa ho tapos ang 2012," he said.

"Isandaang automated rain gauges naman po ang nai-assemble natin noong nakaraang taon, at ngayon, suma-total walumpu’t anim na ang nai-deploy sa iba’t ibang rehiyon sa bansa. Simula noong 2010, operational na rin ang anim na Doppler radar stations sa Baguio, Subic, Tagaytay, Virac, Mactan, at Hinatuan. Tatlong karagdagang Doppler weather radars naman ang inaasahan nating maging operational sa Tampakan, Aparri, at Baler bago matapos ang 2012," he said.

Through the use of advanced science and technology, the President said Project NOAH aims to improve disaster management capacity of local governments and assure homeland security by reducing casualties and property loss from extreme hazard events.

The project will harness the technologies and management services of disaster risk reduction activities offered by the DOST through the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), and the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute in partnership with the UP National Institute of Geological Sciences and the UP College of Engineering.

"At ngayon pong nailunsad na ang Project NOAH, tiwala tayong madadagdagan pa at mapapabuti ang ating mga kasangkapan at kagamitan. Ang target po ng DOST ay anim na raang locally-produced automated rain gauges at apat na raang water level monitoring sensors ang maipakabit sa mga piling lokasyon sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa bago matapos ang 2013," he said.

Project NOAH is the Department of Science and Technology’s response to the call of President Aquino III for a more accurate, integrated, and responsive disaster prevention and mitigation system, especially in high-risk areas throughout the Philippines. - PNA

Isaiah 44:22

Fresh Catch

Lambay: Philippine Seafood

Philippine Pan De Sal

Megan Fox When She Was a Teenager

Real Men Don't Buy Girls

Roadside Snacks in Malawi
fried rat, anyone?

Lotto Result 6/45 July 6 2012

Winning combination: 11-45-43-04-44-20
Prize: 8,763,177.60
Draw: 7/6/2012 , 1  winner(s)

By Joann Santiago

SM Investments Corp. affiliate Belle Corp. on Friday said it has teamed up with Macau-based Melco Crown Entertainment (MCE) to put up a US$ 1-billion hotel-casino at Aseana Boulevard in Paranaque City.

In a disclosure with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), Belle said its wholly-owned subsidiary, Premium Leisure and Amusement, Inc. (PLAI), on Friday signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with MCE in the development and operation of the resort complex.

MCE owns and operates the “City of Dreams” resort complex in Macau and was formed as a joint venture of Melco International Development Ltd. of Hong Kong and Crown Ltd. of Australia.

It is expected to provide not more than US$ 580 million in capital for the project and this will come from cash, cash flow and debt financing.

The disclosure also said that the new consortium would “enter into implementing and definitive agreements within the next two months” in accordance with the requirements of the Philippine Amusement & Gaming Corp, (PAGCOR).

PAGCOR requires the consortium a US$ 650-million minimum investment at the start of the hotel-casino’s commercial operation and a US$ 1-billion capital for the entire project.

Relatively, the consortium asked the local bourse for a trading halt of Belle’s shares from 9-10 a.m. Friday for the public to digest the news of the partnership.

By Joann Santiago

Investment house Barclays foresees an investment grade level for the Philippines in the next 12-18 months given the continued improvement in the economy’s fundamentals.

In a research note dated July 5, 2012, Barclays Research also projects an outlook upgrade from Fitch Ratings to ‘positive’ from ‘stable’ in the next three to six months following this week’s upgrade by Standard and Poor’s (S&P) of the country’s rating to ‘BB+’ from ‘BB-‘, which the research note said is “already expected.”

Amid the positive developments on the domestic economy, the research note cautioned that “it may take a little longer for it (the Philippines) to receive such a rating from two out of the three main agencies.”

Fitch mirror’s S&P’s ratings level for the country at ‘BB+’, a notch below investment grade, while Moody’s Investor’s Service rates the country two notches below investment grade at ‘Ba2’ with the outlook changed to ‘positive’ from ‘stable’ on May 29, 2012 on account of the continued improvement in the government’s revenue collection even without the introduction of new tax measures.

“We remain constructive on the medium-term outlook for the Philippines given its improving political stability, progress in public private partnerships, increasing FDI interest and structural improvements, such as passage of ‘sin’ taxes by congress and an anti-money laundering bill,” the research note said.

Relatively, the research note also cited the country’s manageable inflation rate and well-anchored inflation expectations.

The drop in commodity prices contains pressure from the faster-than-expected rise of the domestic economy in the first quarter at 6.4 percent, thus, Barclays now projects inflation to average at 3.2 percent from 3.5 percent earlier.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) forecasts inflation to average at 3.1 percent this year and 3.4 percent for 2013.

And because of the manageable inflation rate to date, Barclays sees the central bank keeping its policy rates steady, with the overnight borrowing rate at record-low of four percent and the overnight lending rate at six percent, until year-end.

“In a worst-case scenario, we believe the policy response would lean towards fiscal support, through an acceleration of capex and PPP (Public-Private Partnership) programs,” it added.

Barclays projects a 5.5 percent growth, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), for the Philippines this year and 5.2 percent next year. The government’s 2012 growth target is five to six percent.

Similarly, the research note projects the continued solid backdrop for the peso but noted that the central bank “may consider more measures to curb currency speculation,” citing recent statement by the central bank. - PNA

Philippine Floods

Filipino Men: Fact or Fiction

In Defense of Good Guys

Miriam Defenthor

Banana Barbecue

Unlan

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2

Prayer

By Ben Cal

Kidney transplants among Filipinos afflicted with diabetes have been steadily rising the past 20 years, a leading Filipino urologist said.

Dr. Benjamin l. Mendoza, a US- trained urologist, noted that “most kidney transplants we are doing are those afflicted with diabetes.”

In the 1980s Filipinos afflicted with kidney disease was due to infection, inflammation and hypertension, but during the last two decades the culprit is diabetes.

”About 1,000 kidney transplants are being performed in the country per year during the past two decades and counting,” Dr. Mendoza told the Philippines News Agency in an interview.

”Fifty percent is attributed to diabetes and the other half is due to various illnesses,” Dr. Mendoza added.

To avoid diabetes, the best antidote is diet, regular exercise, including brisk walking for at least half an hour, and a regular medical check-up, particularly blood sugar or even urinalysis, Dr. Mendoza said.

”Drinking plenty of water is also good but intake of water must be done during the day. Drinking plenty of water at night is not advisable because one’s sleep is interrupted when one has to go to the rest room to urinate.”

”Early detection of diabetes is also a big advantage for a patient to enable him to control his blood sugar level,” he said.

Kidney transplant is very expensive, ranging from P1 million if you have a donor and P3 million or more if you have none, Dr. Mendoza said.

Dr. Mendoza holds clinic at the National Kidney Institute, St. Luke’s Medical Center, East Avenue Medical Center and other big hospitals in Metro Manila.

He said it is very expensive to have a kidney transplant.

”The cost is at least one million pesos that is if you have a donor and is more if you have none, running into P3 million,” Dr. Mendoza said.

However, he advised kidney patients to coordinate with kidney foundations found in some big hospitals like the National Kidney Institute.

”The foundation will help facilitate the finding of a donor,” he said.

Dr. Mendoza also said the donor will be taken cared of by the foundation, including livelihood and insurance.

The US-trained doctor warned “to avoid dealing with middlemen in kidney transplant because they are more expensive as their only motive is money.”

”You will be shortchanged,” Dr. Mendoza said.

A prospective donor will be screened thoroughly before he is considered donor, he said.

”We have to make sure that the would-be donor is not suffering from major illness,” he said.

Once a donor is found to be compatible with the patient’s kidney, the donor will undergo a surgery called open or laparoscopy wherein the incision is limited to a small portion of the stomach, Dr. Mendoza said.

It will take one to two weeks to screen a donor.

Dr. Mendoza also said that foreigners are coming to the country to undergo kidney transplant because the cost is much less.

Where to Buy Caterpillar Shoes in Cebu City?
I wonder whether Caterpillar has a shop/outlet at SM or Ayala.

By Ben West

Recent protests throughout Sudan are the latest in an ongoing trend of protest movements around the world, from Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Egypt to oil workers in Norway and opposition parties in Thailand. Protests have proven an effective strategy against autocratic regimes, political repression and austerity measures. Like with insurgency strategy, protests rely on underlying support from the population rather than on superior weapons. Both insurgency and protests are forms of asymmetric opposition in which the insurgents or protesters cannot succeed by using force to overwhelm the state, but must find (or create) and exploit specific weaknesses of the state.

But protest movements are not as aggressive as insurgencies. Violence is integral to insurgent strategy, but protest movements may be simply a negotiation tactic to extract concessions from a state or a corporation. Strikes are one of the most common forms of protest used to leverage labor resources for higher wages or more benefits. Thousands of protests, such as strikes, occur around the world every week. Most are small and insignificant outside the protesters' community. In order to address the geopolitical importance of protest movements, this analysis will focus on protests intended to create political change.

Cebu Pacific Promo July 2012

President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomed the latest upgrade granted by the international credit rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) on the Philippines which has improved to BB+, thereby inching another step closer toward getting an investment grade status.

Speaking to reporters in a chance interview at the World Trade Center on Thursday, President Aquino said this development shows just how well-managed are the fiscal policies of the Philippines that it would allow the government to have more breathing room in paying the country’s debt.

“Credit rating agency sila at sinasabi na well-managed tayo, maayos ‘yung ating fiscal policies, bumababa ang ating debt payment dahil nagkakaroon tayo ng access to loans and that the lenders will think that we are less of a risk,” the Chief Executive noted.

President Aquino added that even if the Philippines has not yet been given an investment grade status by the S&P, some international banks and other financial institutions are already treating the country as having such following these credit rating upgrades.

“Parang pagkatanda ko sa report ni Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, four notches above our rating na...ibig sabihin, tinatrato na tayo ng mga pinagkaka-utangan nating mga institusyon, bangko, etcetera na parang investment grade na tayo... bagama't itong mga nagre-rate ay hindi pa tayo nilagay sa investment grade,” he said.

“Sa atin pong pananaw, ‘yung mga bangko ang mas nagiging realistic. Parang mas sigurado silang eto ang karapat-dapat na ipataw na interes sa atin dahil mas mababa na ang risk sa pagpapautang sa atin,” he added.

Meanwhile, Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad echoed the President’s remarks as he thanked the S&P for its favorable assessment of the Philippines’ sovereign credit and for its recognition of the progress being made by the Aquino administration in ensuring fiscal stability through improved revenue administration and prudent and effective public expenditure.

“We remain committed to fiscal consolidation. Due to our reform efforts, the national government incurred interest payment savings of P49.33 billion or 11 percent of what was programmed for January 2011 to May 2012. Next year, we are programmed to bringing our fiscal deficit down to 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) from 3.5 percent in 2010, as well as lowering our debt stock to 49.5 percent of GDP from 52.4 percent in 2010,” Abad said in a statement.

Abad noted that this credit upgrade by S&P "will bolster our chances to meet or even surpass our fiscal consolidation targets and it will also enable us to reduce the interest cost of our debt and swap our foreign currency-denominated credit into less volatile peso instruments."

“This upgrade validates President Aquino’s platform of good governance as a driver for sustainable economic growth. Buoyed by eight positive credit actions already posted under this administration, the country is now better-positioned to aim for investment-grade credit status and, more importantly, for meaningful economic growth,” Abad said.

For his part, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the country's upgraded credit rating from 'BB' to 'BB+' is a reaffirmation of the confidence that the international community has for the country given the favorable developments happening within.

"S&P cited the increasing fiscal flexibility of the Philippines as one of the key reasons behind the upgrade. Indeed, this fiscal space has allowed us to focus our efforts on investing on both our physical and social infrastructure," Lacierda said.

“The upgrade complements several of the country’s positive economic indicators. Our economy had grown 6.4 percent within the first quarter of this year, compared to 4.9 percent in the same period last year. Inflation, too, has eased to 2.8 percent in June 2012, from 2.9 percent last month. Compared to the inflation rate of the same period last year, which stood at 5.2 percent, this is a significant deceleration,” he added.

“We are confident that through the sustained application of programs geared towards inclusive growth, our interventions will result in, over the long term, a continuous improvement of the Filipino’s quality of life. The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) has enrolled over three million family beneficiaries as of April this year. More of our countrymen now have access to a comprehensive package for education, healthcare, and family development,” Lacierda said further. - PNA

By Ben Serrano

Feeling unsafe on the presence of another huge crocodile, residents of Barangay Nueva Era here now wanted the municipal government to immediately hunt another crocodile believed bigger and longer than Lolong, the Guinness World Record holder as largest crocodile in captivity.

The barangay council of Nueva Era headed by Barangay Captain Teofanies Adlawan passed a resolution last December 27, 2011 and another last April 23 to fast track the hunt, capture, or rescue of another large crocodile they claimed is bigger and longer than Lolong.

In their letters sent to their barangay leaders and town officials, residents claimed that they saw the large crocodile attacking a carabao last April 16 past midnight at Magsagangsang Creek where Lolong was also caught.

The large crocodile the residents saw reportedly even chased the carabao. Luckily, they said no person was near the area.

On April 6, again past midnight, they saw the huge crocodile with smaller ones grouping together and floating like trunk of trees at Magsagangsang creek.

Last April 3, they again saw the large crocodile bump a huge tree trunk floating at the buffer zone of the Agusan Marsh which is near Barangay Nueva Era.

Last March 19, residents claimed they saw the large crocodile with smaller ones near the floating houses of the indigenous people’s (IPs) at the Agusan Marsh.

In their three letters sent to Barangay Nueva Era and Bunawan town officials, the residents all claimed, in most cases, that large crocodiles including the one bigger than Lolong surface and can be seen by people when the water level of Agusan Marsh rises or there is flooding.

Residents who signed the letters said that crocodiles were spotted or seen even in populated areas or near houses at the bank of creeks and rivers and in Agusan Marsh.

“Sirs and Madam at the Barangay Council and Bunawan officials, we are appealing that an urgent hunt, rescue or whatever must be done soon so as to spare people, domesticated animals and livestock lives or maybe spare the lives of these reptiles, you claimed belonged to protective species, We hoped that the hunt will be initiated the soonest or don’t blamed the people if they will act drastically against these crocodiles that endangers people’s lives too,” the residents stated in their three letters dated September 19 and December 22, both in 2011; and March 14, 2012.

The PNA were able to get copies of the letters and resolutions including official letters of the municipal government of Bunawan to Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) Director Theresa Mundita Lim.

Lim in her July 3, 2012 letter to Bunawan Mayor Edwin Elorde, explained the previous survey in Agusan Marsh including that of creeks and rivers were crocodiles are reported spotted indicated no large crocodiles were seen in the areas the residents were complaining.

But the Bunawan LGU in their reply letter to Lim claimed that the surveyors belonging to the Crocodylus Porosus Philippines Inc. or (CPPI) did not stay too long nor scoured the whole area of Agusan Marsh because the surveyors headed by Reneir Pablo only stayed a week or even less.

“We scoured Agusan Marsh, creeks and rivers and in the creek where Lolong was captured for months before we rescued Lolong. The water areas of Agusan Marsh where crocodiles possibly roamed around by now is 55,000 hectares. How can they these CPPI people survey these areas for only one week or even less?” said Mayor Elorde who admitted Renier paid a courtesy call at his office before CPPI started its survey.

Elorde said CPPI which was commissioned by the DENR-PAWB has not officially comprehensively presented yet the results of their survey.

Last September 3, 2011, Lolong was captured/rescued at the Magsagangsang creek in Barangay Nueva Era which form part of the huge Agusan Marsh.

A 43-year-old farmer believed to be attacked by a huge crocodile in the area went missing since 2007. The following year, a 14-year-old girl’s head was chopped off by a huge crocodile in Lake Mihaba in Agusan Marsh which is also part of this town.

The Philippine government’s fiscal consolidation program is expected to get further lift from the upgrade by Standard and Poor’s (S&P) of the country’s credit rating to a notch away from investment grade.

Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad, in a statement Thursday, noted that, aside from strengthening the government’s “chances to meet or even surpass our fiscal consolidation targets”, the ratings upgrade “will also enable us to reduce the interest cost of our debt and swap our foreign currency-denominated credit into less volatile Peso instruments.”

“All of these will help reduce the debt burden on our budget and, consequently, create more fiscal space for social and economic services,” he said.

S&P on Wednesday raised its ratings upgrade on the Philippines to ‘BB+’ with Stable outlook from ‘BB’ with stable outlook after noting the continued improvement in the country’s fiscal flexibility.

At the same time, the ratings agency also affirmed the domestic economy’s ‘BB+’ long-term local currency rating, the 'B' short-term sovereign credit ratings and 'axBBB+'/axA-2' ASEAN scale ratings. It, however, changed to 'BBB-' from 'BB+' the country’s transfer and convertibility assessment (T&C).

“In our assessment, the Philippines's fiscal flexibility is gradually increasing, reflecting an improving government debt profile and moderating interest burden,” the ratings agency said in a statement.

S&P noted that “the stable outlook balances the country's emerging net-external-creditor status, relatively strong external liquidity, and signs of improving growth prospects, against low income levels and continuing challenges in fiscal and structural reforms.”

“We expect the country will move into a slight net-external-creditor position this year,” it added.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Friday said the western part of the country can expect rain from a "weak" southwest monsoon.

Weather Forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said a weak southwest monsoon affecting the country will still bring scattered rain showers in the afternoon or evening.

Aurelio said no weather disturbance has been monitored near the Philippine Area of Responsibility thus good weather is expected over the weekend.

In its advisory, PAGASA said the western section of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms.

The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Light to moderate winds blowing from the southwest to south will prevail over Luzon and coming from southeast to south over the rest of the country. Coastal waters throughout the archipelago wil be slight to moderate.

Meanwhile, Gine Nievares, PAGASA Hydrologist said despite of weather improvement in the metropolis, the La Mesa dam in Quezon City is still on red alert status.

Nievares said the water level in La Mesa as of 6 a.m. Friday was 79.72 meters, near the spilling level of 80.15 meters.

La Mesa dam does not have a gate unlike bigger dams. Excess water in La Mesa merely spills into its floodway and flows to the Tullahan River.

She warned residents near the Tullahan River in Fairview in Quezon City, and the cities of Malabon and Valenzuela, of possible heavy flooding once La Mesa dam overflows.

Nievares said they will only downgrade the alert status of the dam when its water level reaches 79.50 meters or below.

La Mesa dam was placed on red alert status since Tuesday due to intermittent rains.

For his part, Dr. Noel Lansang, chief of the disaster control division of Quezon City’s Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS), said that they are not taking any chances even if the weather has started to improve.

With the unpredictable weather condition, Lansang said nine rescue boats and 30 personnel of the city’s rescue teams remained on stand-by at various areas near barangays Fairview, North Fairview, Greater Lagro, San Bartolome, Santa Monica, Novaliches Proper, Santa Lucia, Gulod and Nagkaisiang Nayon in case the dam reaches its spilling level.

by PNA: An eight-billion peso World Bank (WB)-funded farm-to-market road project is in the pipeline for Central Philippines, including the province of Negros Oriental, according to Rep. Pryde Henry Teves of the 3rd district of the province.

Teves just arrived from a trip in America sponsored by the Committee on Rural Development in Congress where he attended a series of meetings with WB officials, as well as the United States Department of Agriculture, including actual farm tours in Maryland and Virginia.

The solon said he met with the WB country manager to ask for projects and was informed about the package, where local government units in Central Philippines may avail of.

Dubbed as the Central Philippines Rural Development Project (CPRDP),the World Bank is budgeting the equivalent of P8 billion for farm to market roads in four regions of Central Philippines.

The counterparting scheme would be 80 percent funded by the WB and only 20 percent by LGUs that are interested.

This means that if an LGU allocates for P200,000 farm to market roads, P800,000 will be funded by the world bank to make it a P1 million project.

This early, Teves is urging LGUs in the province to communicate with the World Bank through the country manager or to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) of their intention to avail of the project and to already allocate the same in their 2013 executive budget for the realization of the project in 2014.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala on Thursday said the attendance of thousands of farmers from all over the country to the ongoing Makina-Saka agricultural modernization show at the World Trade Center is just a proof that the trust of the people in the government is coming back.

”Nakita naman ninyo kung papaano kainit ang pagtanggap ng mga taong dumating ngayon na galing pa sa iba’t-ibang lugar sa bansa ang proyekto natin at ito’y napakagandang ebidensiya na bumabalik na ang tiwala ng tao sa ating pamahalaan,” (As you see how these people who came from all over the country have warmly welcomed our project and this is just an evidence that the trust of the people in the government is coming back), Secretary Alcala said in an ambush interview at the said event.

Alcala said, “Utang na loob natin ang tagumpay ng event na ito sa ating magsasaka na talaga namang nakikipagtulungan sa atin.” (We owe the success of this event from the farmers themselves who are truly helping us.")

He explained that the equipment being exhibited in the agricultural machinery show which are expensive can be affordable to the farmers as the Department is gradually coordinating with the dealers to make their products cheaper as this is one of the aims of the Memorandum of Agreement with Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo about the website named Matuwid na D.A.A.N (Department of Agriculture Accountability Network) signed today.

”We start with the spare parts so that our inventors will have cheaper products and our farmers can avail of cheaper machineries,” the agriculture chief said.

The Matuwid na D.A.A.N. (MnD), a pioneering website on transparency in governance, features a comprehensive, regularly updated and readily accessible body of information on all of DA’s ongoing projects, their specific locations, actual photos, budget allocations or awarded costs, among others, including a feedback mechanism for the public.

”As we all know, Matuwid na D.A.A.N. (MnD) practically symbolizes the President’s vision of a good government. It was the buzzword that brought him to victory in the 2010 elections,” Alcala said.

”From there, MnD has soon become a government policy and a brand of governance. Given this, we are working to make the government more transparent in its actions and the officials more aware of their accountability and the trust that comes with their respective offices,” he continued.

He likewise said that they are glad that DA is the forefront in having a keen relationship between the government and the public. - PNA

At least 89 barangay food terminals are now established in at least four provinces in Southwest Mindanao.

Eight more were added to the list, according to Nelly Yllanan, head of the Regional Agriculture and Fishery Information Division (RAFID) of the Department of Agriculture in Region 12.

The newest addition to the food terminals, considered depot of agricultural and food products from the villages, were launched last week, Yllanan said.

Five of these are located at Barangays Tambac and Esperanza in Tulunan; Kalaisan in Kidapawan City; Malire in Antipas; and Liliongan in Carmen.

Other food depots are found at Barangays Upo in Maitum, Sarangani; Purikay in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat; and Aflex in T’boli, South Cotabato.

Yllanan said at least 15 more food terminals would be constructed in the region before the year ends.

DA-12 regional executive director Amalia Jayag-Datukan said the terminals served as depots of products of farmers from nearby villages.

“It is also the place where they can buy fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, and other food products manufactured by the locals,” Datukan said in a statement.

The terminal serves also a distribution system that offers affordable, safe, and quality food products.

She also added the depot directly links farmers and other food producers to the consumers. - PNA

Chemical substances that may cause severe side effects have been detected in eight counterfeit healthcare products, including weight-loss pills, the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) said Thursday.

Sibutramine, phenolphthalein and estazolam were among the chemicals found in the products, the SFDA said in a statement.

Studies show that sibutramine and phenolphthalein may cause high blood pressure and breathing problems, as well as lead to severe cardiovascular disease. Diet pills containing sibutramine were banned in October 2010, according to two previous SFDA announcements.

Estazolam, a prescription drug used only for the short-term treatment of insomnia, is said to cause dependence, dizziness, drowsiness and coordination problems.

The SFDA said the counterfeit products were detected through random sampling conducted in drug stores nationwide and were largely manufactured by companies in south China's city of Guangzhou.

The SFDA vowed to hand down severe punishments for the companies and will refer those that may have committed crimes to law enforcement bodies, the statement said. - PNA

By Leonardo V. Micua

The Pangasinan Provincial Hospital (PPH) here has become one of the most advanced health care facilities in Region 1 following its acquisition of a state of the arts Digital X-ray never before seen in any hospital in the province.

Gov. Amado Espino Jr. led in the unveiling of the Digital X-ray that was acquired by the provincial government to make it the most equipped government hospital in the region today.

With Espino in the unveiling rite held at 4:00 p.m. Thursday was Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim and Dr Jackson Soriano, PPH director; and Dr. Policarpio Manuel, chief of clinic.

Espino said the PPH became the only provincial hospital in Region 1 that acquired the Digital X-ray, a gadget which does not need any film to show results and therefore is considered an advancement in diagnostic radiology.

Being film-less, it is more cost-effective than the conventional x-ray machines that the hospital has long been using.

Espino said the other advantage of this equipment is, it does not need a processor and reagents to show result and definitely requires less manpower to run.

The Digital X-ray is also ideal for learning since the result can be sent through Internet to other Radiology Centers in the country for Interactive discussions. .

Governor Espino also reported that four dialysis machines just arrived at the PPH Wednesday night to be installed at the Intensive Coronary Care Unit (ICCU) for patients admitted there requiring dialysis management.

The provincial government earlier delivered last month 10 cardiac monitor machines for patients with heart diseases. Eight of these units were installed at the ICCU and two others at the operating room.

By Juancho Gallarde

Health authorities in this city and Negros Oriental are alarmed over the rise in dengue cases in the province.

The latest casualty in Dumaguete is a nine -year old Grade 3 pupil of the Herminigilda Gloria Elementary School in Banilad, Dumaguete City, who died recently at the Silliman University Medical Center.

The victim, a certain Joseph Torres, a resident of Habitat 2 in Bajumpandan, was brought to the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital last June 25 and was diagnosed to have symptoms of pneumonia and Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).

According to the mother, Jovita Torres, the doctor gave prescriptions for UTI and pneumonia but the patient’s health apparently deteriorated and the patient vomited a brownish color and later sticky blood.

It was only four days later that the girl’s family was told by the doctor that he had dengue symptoms and was told to prepare for five persons as donors of Type O blood.

Last Sunday afternoon, somebody advised them to bring the patient to the Silliman University Medical Center, but to no avail as it was already too late for the patient.

Records at the city health office showed 125 dengue cases for Dumaguete from January to the third week of June this year with 15 cases under validation, compared to only 65 cases in the same period last year.

On the other hand, records at the Department of Health showed that there are 235 dengue cases in Dumaguete.

City health officer Dr. Maria Sarah Talla explained that the number was still subject to validation. She said there are instances patients would tell during the interview they have relatives in Dumaguete.

Bajumpandan barangay chairman Orlando Enguig said they will be conducting a search and destroy operation against breeding places of dengue mosquitoes in Habitat 2 and in three other housing sites in the barangay.

God Listens

Kagomkom

The Philippines and the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency Wednesday brought together business executives from the two nations to promote bilateral trade.

Philippine businesses came looking for Vietnamese partners and distributors in areas like industrial paints, preservatives and other substances used in foodstuff, herbal medicines, confectionery, and animal feed.

Viet Nam is the first destination for the Philippine delegation. Following its three-day visit ending today (Thursday), the group will go on to Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia.

Vo Ta Luong, deputy chief representative of the HCM City office of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said trade between Viet Nam and the Philippines is looking up.

It was worth US$ 2.3 billion last year and $ 1 billion in the first five months of this year. Viet Nam exported rice and other agricultural produce, processed food, and steel and imported machinery, confectionery, and fertilizers.

"The Vietnamese Government has always identified co-operation with neighboring countries as a core priority," Luong aid.

mura man ug naay mga tanghaga nga nagpaluyo anang other means of payment.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday it is pushing to ban drinking in public parks starting next year to enhance public health and reduce disturbances.

The municipal government said it submitted to the land ministry last month a proposal of revising relevant law to prohibit drinking in the city's 2,000-odd parks. Smoking is not allowed in public parks according to law, but no similar rules exist for drinking.

Reacting positively to the proposal, the land ministry is now reviewing it, the city said, adding it expects the revised law to take effect early next year.

"It aims to minimize disturbances caused by drunk men and to promote public health," a city official said. "Drinking will be allowed only at snack bars in the parks, and violators will face a fine of 50,000 to 70,000 won." - PNA

Thor Motorcycle

Born With Heart Outside

Mayor Duterte Warns on Those Who Say "Salad"
salad is a word used by bugaws in davao

That Feeling

How Do You Prepare for an Exam?

Giant Mushroom Age 2,400 Years Old

America Most Affected by Global Warming
resulta sa grabe kaigang nga panahon.

Do You Still Use Liquid Eraser?
Who said lolas are not cool? Think again.

Feeling Sad Today? Look At This Picture

Pinoy Barkada

PCSO Lotto Draw 6/42 July 5 2012
Here's the result of the lotto draw of PCSO

Result = 33-40-04-21-26-20
Prize: P3,090,961.80
7/5/2012 , 0  winner(s)

Result of PCSO Lotto Draw 6/49 July 5 2012
Result of 6/49 Lotto Draw

Results: 31-01-05-04-09-13
Prize: P16,000,000.00
7/5/2012 , 0  winner(s)

Life of an OFW

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the release of P941.3 million to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the purchase of additional chairs and tables for elementary and secondary schools all over the country.

The release will be charged against the DepEd’s Lump Sum for the Requirement of Basic Educational Facilities under the 2012 General Appropriations Act.

“This is part of the Aquino administration’s goal to boost facilities in our public schools, so that we can create a better learning environment for schoolchildren across the country. Too often, the students themselves outnumber the chairs and tables, and many of the children are forced to stand up during class or squeeze uncomfortably into their classmates desks,” says Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad.

“With the addition of much-needed furniture, however, it will be easier for schoolchildren to pay attention to their lessons and participate in class. This will of course result in improved academic performance, and the children will be better-positioned to perform well in and outside the school halls,” Abad added.

According to Abad, the chairs and tables will be distributed to schools with facility shortages, with priority given to newly constructed and still-to-be constructed school buildings. Recipient schools will be furnished 45 arm chairs for every classroom, along with a table-and-chair set for the teacher/class instructor.

Of the P941.3 million, schools in NCR will receive the largest share of the release, with their allocation amounting to P109 million. Region 4-A follows closely with P99 million, while Region 5 will receive P83 million from the total release.

Apart from purchasing additional school furniture, the DepEd is also tasked to construct rehabilitate, replace, complete and repair school buildings in areas experiencing acute classroom shortage, as well as provide sufficient water and sanitation facilities to several schools and campuses.

Earlier this year, President Aquino approved the “K-12” program, which adds one more year in elementary education and one more year in secondary education to boost student competitiveness prior to entering college.

by PNA - Even if the low pressure area (LPA) already dissipates, the Western Visayas and Luzon including Metro Manila can expect rain due to southwest monsoon or “habagat”, the state weather bureau said on Thursday.

Weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said the LPA dissipated Wednesday night, thus the weather finally began to improve in Metro Manila and parts of Southern Luzon.

So far, Aurelio said there is no weather disturbance seen outside the Philippine territory.

In its advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the whole country will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the western section of Central and Southern Luzon which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

Residents living in low lying areas and along mountain slopes are advised to be on alert for possible occurrence of flashfloods and landslides, it said.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the Southwest to South will prevail over Luzon and Western Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.

very beautiful pictures, vrl. hope to see more of your shots.

Anti-Carjacking Tips

In Loving Memory - Epic Failure

Whatever You Give to a Woman - Watch Out

Message from Henry Rollins

Serious Warning to Law Violators

What A Wrong Mistake

The Beginning of Love

Define Overacting

By Perfecto T. Raymundo Jr.

The Supreme Court (SC) en banc ordered on Tuesday the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to answer the petition questioning the voting powers of the congressional members in the JBC.

After an en banc deliberation, the SC directed the JBC to file its comment until Monday (July 9) after former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez questioned the composition of the JBC, in particular the two representatives from Congress, namely: Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., chairman of the House Justice Committee; and Sen. Francis Escudero, head of the Senate Committee on Justice.

Aside from the JBC, both Escudero and Tupas were also asked by the SC to file their respective explanations whether or not each of them will have one full vote or only half vote each.

Likewise, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) was also ordered to file its comment.

All of the six justices of the SC, who are nominees for the Chief Justice position, recused themselves in the deliberation on the issue questioning the composition of the JBC.

The six SC justices who accepted the nomination for Chief Justice were Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Teresita Leornardo-De Castro, Arturo Brion, Roberto Abad and Maria Lourdes Aranal-Sereno.

It can be recalled that Chavez asked the SC to restrain the JBC from further functioning.

In his petition, Chavez said that the composition of the JBC should not be eight but only seven.

He asked the SC to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the JBC from taking further actions on he selection of the new chief magistrate to replace impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona.

The JBC is an independent constitutional body mandated to screen nominees to the positions in the SC and judges of the lower courts, as well as the position of Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsmen.

Chavez cited a phrase in Section 8, Article VIII of the 1987 Constitution which states "a representative of the Congress."

Giant Fish Catch

PCSO Lotto Result 6/45 July 4, 2012
Result: 43-32-02-17-37-30

4,500,000.00
7/4/2012 , 0  winner(s)

July 4 2012 Philippine Lotto Result

Result - 36-26-10-49-32-37
Prize: P163,921,759.20
7/4/2012 , 1  winner(s)

PCSO Lotto Result 6/49 July 3, 2012 Draw
Result: 38-12-03-29-30-27

Prize: P16,000,000.00
7/3/2012 , 0  winner(s)

6/42 Philippine Lotto Draw July 3, 2012 Result
Result: 18-05-27-23-10-22

Prize: 6,451,988.40
7/3/2012 , 2  winner(s)

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Big Mistake In Your Life

kung sa america, ang divorced man mahimulbolan gyud kay mapordoy man tungod sa datong nga ihatag sa babae. $160 Million ang gihatag ni Michael Jordan sa ex-wife upon approval sa divorce.

By Joann Santiago

The Philippine peso posted the highest appreciation among Asian currencies to date but is among the lowest in terms of volatility, with both performances, reflecting positive of the economy.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data show that as of July 2, 2012, the local unit has appreciated by about 4.33 percent against the US dollar.

“The appreciation has reflected the positive development in the economy particularly the improved fiscal position as well as the continuing external liquidity of the economy plus of course the robust GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth that we experienced in the first quarter,” BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr.

The Singapore dollar came in second after strengthening by 2.70 percent; followed by the Thai baht at 0.44 percent and the Malaysian ringgit at 0.40 percent.

The New Zealand dollar rose by 4.18 percent and the Australian dollar by 1.42 percent.

On the other hand, India’s rupee depreciated the most at 4.34 percent; followed by Indonesia's rupiah at 2.82 percentl and Japanese yen at 2.44 percent.

Also, the Euro has depreciated by 2.32 percent against the dollar during the same period.

In terms of volatility, the peso’s stood at 1.14 percent as of Monday this week. This was followed by Singapore dollar’s 1.20 percent, baht’s 1.38 percent, rupiah’s 1.72 percent and ringgit’s 1.93 percent.

The yen’s volatility stood at 2.53 percent and the rupee at 4.76 percent. Also, the Euro’s was at 2.23 percent, Aussie dollar at 2.93 percent and the New Zealand dollar at 3.10 percent.

Tetangco said the local currency “continues to be market determined” and is “moving in line with other currencies in the region.”

“I think now the peso is probably ahead in terms of value vis-a-vis the other currencies but that’s how the market perceives the currencies and we are just allowing the market to determine the rate. At the same time the volatility is one of the lowest,” he said.

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