MikeLigalig.com

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Inquirer Visayas

Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas, president of the ruling Liberal Party, said over the weekend he had no plans of running for president in 2016.

“I can honestly, sincerely, absolutely, transparently tell you that I have no plans,” said Roxas, when asked by the Inquirer if he would run for president in 2016 on the sidelines of the Capiztahan festival in Roxas City Saturday.

But he added that he was at his party’s “disposal.”

Roxas is widely assumed to be the next standard-bearer of the LP. Roxas dropped his presidential ambitions in 2010 to give way to then Sen. Benigno Aquino III, running instead as the LP’s vice presidential bet. But while Mr. Aquino emerged victorious, Roxas lost to Binayâ€"a surprise winner in that race.

there are many in tagbilaran and around bohol.

Wow Philippines

Nine Things I Learned from Alan Mulally by Bryce G. Hoffman

“I spent many hours sitting across the table from Mulally in his corner office on the twelfth floor of Ford’s world headquarters. I learned a lot about how to change cultures and streamline organizations, and I believe these principles will prove as valuable to your organization as they have to Ford.”

Stop Selling and Start Storytelling by Jason L. Baptiste

“Successful entrepreneurs are never selling, and always storytelling. Throughout this manifesto, I want to focus on how an entrepreneur can use storytelling to persuade four key constituents that can ultimately make or break their startupâ€"the press, team members, customers and investors.”

Becoming China’s Bitch: A Radical Centrist Manifesto for Fixing What’s Broken by Peter D. Kiernan

“Where do I get off using a title like that? Because the time has come to get you out of your comfort zone. In fact, it’s well past time for all of us. If we don’t, we will lose more than our superpower statusâ€"we may well lose our national soul.”

We Say We Want a Revolution: How to Activate the Activist and Surf the Tidal Wave of Radical Change by Gina Amaro Rudan

“I confessâ€"the revolutionary climate we’re experiencing right now excites me. Why? Because every monster economic crisis or socio-political upheaval brings bottom-up innovation, top-down collaboration, and a flurry of creativity ... ”

The Unasked Question: How Do You Run a Company? by Dick Cross

“Despite all the hand-ringing and acerbic rhetoric over the American economy, we could be just one step away from solving it all.”

Getting Money from LBC

Five Rules for Pricing Excellence: Getting the Most for Your Services by Patrick Lefler

“Pricing is critical, and short-changing your pricing strategy is the fastest way to leave cash on the tableâ€"money that will be lost forever and never recovered.”

Face to Face with Butanding

Shakira is Colombian...

Many members are from the Philippine Army

Philippine Dragon Boat Team

Tambobo Bay in Siaton, Negros Oriental

The US Secret Service, embroiled in a deepening sex scandal, said Saturday it had suspended 11 agents assigned to President Barack Obama’s trip to Colombia amid reports they had used prostitutes.

Five US military personnel are also being investigated for misconduct said to have taken place at the same hotel where the Secret Service staff were staying in the Caribbean resort city of Cartagena, and have been confined to barracks.

US Secret Service Assistant Director Paul Morrissey said the allegations were made on Thursday against the Secret Service personnel, who included both special agents and Uniformed Division Officers, though none of them was assigned to Obama’s personal security detail.



U.S. secret service agents walk around the Convention Center in Cartagena, Colombia, prior to the opening ceremony of the 6th Summit of the Americas at the Convention Center in Cartagena, Colombia, Saturday, April 14, 2012. Last Thursday, a dozen secret service agents sent to provide security for U.S. President Barack Obama, were relieved from duty and replaced with other agency personnel after an incident of alleged misconduct. AP Photo/Fernando Llano

@islander, grabe bitaw ning juta kung mao nay hisgutan sa Pilipinas. sa gawas, wala man kaayo ni nga problema. diri sa ato grabe ang history nato sa mga kaso. filled with blood, murder, broken relationships. tungod seguro ni sa atong psychological abnormality as a nation nga gipang-ilogan ta ug juta panahon sa mga katsila. karon ang mga Pinoy mangingilog ug yuta.

diha sa anda, bohol, rampant kaayo ang pagpangilog ug yuta. inig adto nimo sa munisipyo to pay your land tax, matingala nalang ka nga lain ng ngalan imong yuta.

naa pa diay gihapon ka sa USA, balong? kay wa pa man diay kay maid.

Honestly, I don't know. Unsa gani?

source: PNA

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has urged Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) Executive Director Rafael Yap to organize a traffic summit to educate all drivers in the city.

He said the Cebu City Government is willing to fund the seminar.

”All drivers, including all of us, need to undergo massive traffic consciousness on the ABCs of traffic,” said Rama.

Sylvan Jakosalem, chairman of the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) Board, agreed that drivers must be re-educated on traffic rules.

This became more evident with the death Tuesday of 44-year-old Singapore-based Filipina nurse Trecie Abano, who, along with six others, was accompanying an American tourist in an ambulance for a chartered flight bound for Singapore.

The driver of the pickup truck, instead of slowing down, reportedly sped past flashing traffic lights at an intersection and rammed into the ambulance, killing Abano.

Jakosalem said a blinking light means caution and drivers must slow down at the intersections and that the right-of-way of emergency vehicles must be observed.

Jakosalem said some traffic lights in the city are left flashing at certain times of the day because their sensors have become faulty because of age.

”We have to leave the lights blinking so the drivers won’t need to wait for the go signal,” Jakosalem said.

He said they won’t be changing the faulty detectors because they are planning to put up a Bus Rapid Transit system in Cebu City by 2013, which includes a camera system to monitor cars and change traffic lights accordingly.

Citom Executive Director Rafael Yap said their usual programming of traffic lights is to leave the red and yellow lights flashing from 12 midnight to 5 a.m.

Yap said they are reviewing their programming and may turn on the traffic lights if necessary.

However, Yap said the fatal vehicular incident was the first of its kind and was “not preventable” because Noel Anthony Logarta, the driver of the pickup truck was allegedly drunk.

balong, naa ba kay plano nga bag-ong avatar for the year 2012?

Jurassic Coast

CEBU CITY, Phils (PNA) â€" A man who attempted to kill himself by jumping off the old Mandaue-Mactan Bridge last Wednesday night, instead landed on and killed a fisherman in the waters below.

Police said one Aniano Berdin, 30, of Barangay Babag Lapu-Lapu City, jumped off the bridge.

Unknown to him, Danilo Sison, 59, a resident of Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City, was spearfishing in the waters below.

Berdin landed squarely on Sison who had just emerged from the sea.

A rescue team brought Sison to the nearby Mactan Doctors hospital but he died a few minutes after arrival.

Berdin, the would-be suicide, only suffered a bruise in the right eye.

Lapu-Lapu City Police chief Rey Lyndon Lawas said Berdin, who is reportedly suffering from a mental problem, is now detained in Police Station 3 in Barangay Gun-ob.

Lawas said they are still waiting for the death certificate of the victim so they can file homicide charges against Berdin.

Last year, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia pleaded with the public not to carry out suicide attempts in any of the two bridges after three suicide attempts in a span of a month. (PNA)
LAP/EB/re

Can This Man Save the World?

by Rey Anthony Chiu

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Bohol warned consumers against buying products especially detergents from “vendors” on alleged promotional sales.

This warning is posted on its DTI-Bohol Facebook account to inform the public on this scam. According to DTI-Bohol Provincial Director Ma. Elena Arbon promotional vendors on house-to-house sales promotions need a DTI home solicitation permit.

"These vendors that suddenly went on a marketing binge apparently lack the necessary local DTI nod," Arbon said.

A home solicitation permit allows the DTI to check on the quality and standard of the product being sold in the market and assures the consumers that these products indeed pass the minimum standards for health, environment and safety, DTI explained.

In its Facebook account, a notice is posted: "Notice is hereby given that field sales representatives of a laundry detergent called Mr. Win are going house to house claiming that by purchasing their product, consumers are entitled to claim Tide bars."

The marketing ploy states that any consumer buying Mr. Win automatically wins for free Tide bar laundry detergent from Puregold via its Tindahan ni Aling Puring.

In a disclaimer posted by DTI-Bohol, "Procter and Gamble makers of Tide Bar denies any promotion of this nature in conjunction with the makers of Mr. Win."

“They have no knowledge whatsoever of the existence of the product itself and/or the supposed company that manufactures it,” Procter and Gamble added.

by Rey Anthony Chiu

San Isidro, a 5th class town in Bohol wants to go on a ââ,¬Ëœslow but sureââ,¬â,,¢ kind of strategy in its eco-tourism package as it opts for low capital, low impact to the environment tourism promotion.

San Isidro mayor Jacinto Naraga admits, ââ,¬Å"first thingsââ,¬â,,¢ first. We do not want to get big right away, we have a decent offer of environment adventure and like what Boholanos aspire, we do not want to commit mistakes we canââ,¬â,,¢t do something about later,ââ,¬Â the mayor added.

Naraga  bared that tourism development in his town includes a two-storey cave, a majestic waterfall and a unique panorama of western Bohol as seen only on a hilltop perch high up in town. 

Eyed for tourism activities are Cantijong Cave in Cansague Sur, Kilab-kilab Falls in Baunos and Candungaw Peak in Barangay Candungao, the mayor added.   

ââ,¬Å"These are interesting sites and getting there also opens up countless possibilities of entrepreneurship that our people can get into. Small business but one that can perk up our local economy,ââ,¬Â Naraga said.

San Isidro tourism officer Eric Jinne Flor agreed with the mayor and explained further, ââ,¬Å"we want to do away from mass tourism for now while we still grope on what to do best for our sites, one that will sustain it and deals with the minimum impact on the resources we offer,ââ,¬Â Flor said.

Flor added, not your usual mass tourism site, San Isidro wants to cater to the kind of tourists that are aware of what they are intoââ,¬â€as nature lovers and those whose concept of tourism is full of respect for cultures and environmental education.

Relishing from its successful hosting of Agbunan Festival on June 29, last year San Isidro residents have awakened their sense of pride and now believe that if there are shortcuts to attaining a new engine for development, it must be an honest to goodness eco-tourism package. (mbcn/rahc/PIA-Bohol)

Punta Isla Resort in Lake Sebu, Cotabato

wala pa ko katilaw ug dragon fruit, Raqz. ang ako ra natilawan kadtong Dragon Kape nga mao intawoy madali-dali ug pabukaw sauna.

or try ginger tea (tons of health benefits)

you are not alone, ms islander. mas grabe tong mga biktima sa pyramiding scam sa bohol sauna. and there was the legacy group of rural banks scandal, and of course, the infamous debacle of CAP.

you better buy gold or land. my sister bought a gold ring sauna P4K lang. karon pagprenda gidawat ug prenda nga P8K.

trusted insurance companies: Pro Life UK, Sun Life Canada, Axa...

islander, mix tea with fresh milk or powered milk. that's indian and british taste. and i like it very much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qemWRToNYJY#ws
Watch Live: Someone Like You by Adele

more reason to drink tea instead of poisonous softdrinks

A Field in Geneva

Ireland

Lonely Tourist

Daybreak

Turtle

Rural Life

Turista

Bata Pa

Dragon Fruit, Atis and Banana

Court finds Rep. Ecleo guilty of killing wife
By Charisse Ursal
Inquirer Visayas

Ten years after his wife’s body was found inside a black garbage bag dumped in a ravine, Rep. Ruben Ecleo Jr. of Dinagat Island was found guilty of parricide and sentenced to reclusion perpetua, or at least 30 years’ imprisonment.

Ecleo, who was not present during the reading of the verdict, was found guilty of killing his wife Alona Bacolod-Ecleo inside their home in Cebu City in 2002.  Aside from a life sentence, the “supreme master” of the cult group Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA) was also ordered to pay the heirs of his wife P25 million in compensatory damages, to represent what Alona would have earned had she been able to finish and practice medicine.

Alona, a fourth year medical student, was strangled by Ecleo inside their home at Sitio Banawa, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City on Jan. 5, 2002. Her body was found three days later inside a black garbage bag dumped in a ravine in Dalaguete town, southern Cebu.

Aside from the compensatory damages, Judge Soliver Peras of Regional Trial Court Branch 10 also told Ecleo to pay Alona’s family P200,000 in moral damages, P200,000 in exemplary damages, P200,000 in attorney’s fees and P50,000 temperate damages.

By NELLY FAVIS-VILLAFUERTE
Manila Bulletin

Have you heard of the wonderful news that guyabano, a native fruit abundant in our country has awesome healing power in twelve (12) types of cancer, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer? Unbelievably, studies show that the compound extracted from guyabano is 10,000 times more potent in slowing the growth of cancer cells than adriamycin, a commonly used drug in chemotherapy. And yet the guyabano compound kills only cancer cells and does not harm healthy cells. Research further shows that extracts from guyabano as a cancer cure do not cause severe nausea, weight loss or hair loss and the patient feels stronger during the treatment episode â€" compared to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

The scientific name of guyabano (a Tagalog word sometimes spelled as guayabano or guanabano) is annona muricata. In English, the fruit is known as soursop and the tree is known as the Graviola tree. In Brazil the fruit is known as pawpaw.

The graviola tree grows in warm tropical areas like in South America and in the Philippines. All parts of the guyabano, like bark, leaves, roots, fruits and seed are natural cures for many kinds of ailments. Aside from being a natural cancer treatment, guyabano is a sedative, a tranquilizer and a nerve tonic. It is also effective in maintaining our intestinal health like eliminating stomach and bowel discomforts. By lowering blood pressure, guyabano has a calming effect on our moods.

Here are additional trivia about the medicinal benefits of guyabano (soursop): -

• Do you know that in Netherlands, guyabano leaves are placed inside pillows or placed on top of the mattress to induce a good night’s sleep;

• Do you know that the leaves can be used as a cure for gall bladder trouble as well as coughs, diarrhea, dysentery, fever and indigestion;

• Do you know that the juice taken when fasting is reported to relieve liver ailments and leprosy;

• Do you know that the seeds can be used in the treatment of vomiting;

• Do you know that the leaf decoction is effective for head lice and bedbugs; and

• Do you know that the crushed fresh leaves applied to skin eruptions hastens healing;

Yes, my dear readers. Guyabano is not just an ordinary fibrous fruit with a delectable flavor (a sweet-acidic taste). It is a healthy food. It is a safe and effective natural cancer killer which has the ability to kill cancer cells and preserves the healthy cells at the same time. This is the claim to fame of the graviola tree, a wonderful gift of our Lord God to us.

By GENALYN D. KABILING and ROLLY CARANDANG
Manila Bulletin

Boxing champion and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao is open to joining the political party of Vice President Jejomar Binay in preparation for his plans in the 2013 elections.

But Pacquiao made it clear that he has not yet taken his oath as member of Binay's PDP-Laban. Pacquiao, currently member of the Nacionalista Party, is reportedly planning to run for governor in the 2013 elections.

"The Vice President and I are friends. We are close. Some people think I have joined PDP but I have not taken my oath yet. I support all worthwhile endeavors," Pacquiao said, in Filipino during a chance interview with reporters at the sidelines of the energy summit in Davao City.

Asked if he has talked to Binay about it, Pacquiao said he regularly talks with the Vice President. "We are friends so there is no problem." At present, Pacquiao said he continues to work alongside the Aquino government in programs to uplift the poor despite belonging to a different political party.

Cebu Pacific Promo Manila to Kuala Lumpur

Stiff Neck

isog ug baho.

by afp

While Kobe Bryant again sat out, Andrew Bynum cleaned up.

Pulling down the first 30-rebound game in the NBA in more than two years, Bynum made Bryant's third missed game in a row an afterthought by the time the Los Angeles Lakers finished off the San Antonio Spurs 98-84 on Wednesday night.

The 7-footer became the first player with 30 rebounds in a game since Minnesota's Kevin Love corralled 31 against the New York Knicks in 2010. Bynum also had 16 points while joining Love as the only two players in the last 12 years to hit the 30-rebound mark.

“It's great to have 30 boards, but my shots not working and I'm little upset about that,” said Bynum, who was 7 of 20 from the field. “For me, I'll remember shooting poorly.”

The Tattoo Artist

By LYLE BRENNAN



A disastrous mistake looked set to cost Kimberley Vlaeminck more than her looks after the young Belgian had 56 stars tattooed on her face.

Last summer she was preparing to shell out £9,000 for laser surgery and said she hoped to have the design removed by the end of September.

But, almost three years after the 21-year-old decided to go under the needle, the constellation shows little sign of fading.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2128662/56-stars-tattooed-Belgian-womans-face-visible-year-planned-laser-surgery.html#ixzz1rtz5LI2N

Ranking of World's Worst Tourists

by CNNGo.com
(comment from xmisax)
excerpt: http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/life/tell-me-about-it/who-are-worlds-worst-tourists-291643

I have worked in front desk for big (300+ rooms) and small hotels (~100 rooms) in several Asian countries and Australia for over 7 years, I could say bad apples exist in every nations, and it all depends on what ticks you off the most. Below are some experience I'd like to share:

Chinese - Tends to talk loud, as if the reception desk were 10m wide but was actually less than 1m. I find it more often to see Chinese tourist degrading themselves by acting "however they want" in public in Asian countries. In Australia, I find them with more self-aware, probably the reason is they won't be able to communicate if they're in trouble. They still talk loud, especially "Hello" and "Thank you".

American - 50/50. Some are extremely arrogant, they think they own the world, clear signs at the reception mentioned about Credit Card surcharge but they insist that's against the law (or their law). Always "That's not how it works in the US", and rarely say "Thank you". On the other hand, some are so friendly and easy to get along, almost like a local guest.

Indian, Pakistan etc - Very high maintenance, and a bad day for the housekeeping team when they check out. Time allocated to clean a standard 1 bedroom apartment (with full equipped kitchen) is ~45 minutes, but it's definitely not enough because of the curry, heavy flavored food they cook, and the pile of unwashed pots and dishes, and the smell of the room...

Hong Kong - 2 perspective here. When they're in Asian countries, they would act even worse than the arrogant Americans, they love to complain, to bargain, to get freebies. However in Australia, they usually act humble during check in, but only if you understand their language, you'll realize they could be complaining anything from the size of the hotel lobby to the way you draw your eyeliners, while smiling and say "Thank you".

Japanese - Always allocate them to a room which the bathroom has a bathtub, walk-in shower is a BIG NO-NO. Oh and learn some basic Japanese, especially Blanket Pillow Toilet-Paper Towels etc.

Doc talking to moms. Mahilig ka sa sweets so you named her CANDY. Mahilig ka sa pera so you named him PENNY. 3rd mom tumayo, "Let's go DICK bago tayo mainsulto dito!"

Anak: FIRST LOVE NEVER DIES Anak: Inay, totoo ba na 'First love never dies'? Nanay: Aba , oo. Tignan mo yang tatay mo, hangga ngayon, buhay pa ang animal!

Proud Student

Evidence of Philippine Poverty

Research Topics

Published by Philippine News Agency

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 arrested Cebu City’s seventh most wanted man in Clarin, Bohol late Sunday afternoon after they stumbled on his account on the social networking site, Facebook.

Jerome Japson, 34, of Barangay Hipodromo, Cebu City, had been eluding authorities for almost five years.

He was charged for allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl when he was still a minor.

Unfortunately for him, Facebook is not only used to connect with friends.

Policemen also use it to check the activities of suspects and wanted persons.

Japson was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 22 Presiding Judge Manuel Patalinghug.

A P25,000 reward was placed on his head.

He had been hiding form authorities since a criminal complaint for rape was filed against him five years ago.

Chief Insp. Fermin Armendarez III of CIDG 7 said the incident happened in March 2007 when the suspect was only 17 years old.

Japson claimed he was sleeping inside their house when the victim, who is now 15 years old, visited him. He considered the victim a family friend.

Japson denied raping the girl and said that he merely touched her private parts when the victim started to resist.

Armendarez told reporters that they relied on Facebook to track down the suspect during their case build-up, after receiving the warrant three months ago.

”Upon discovering his online account, we we’re able to trace his location also with the help of his former female co-worker,” he revealed.

by pna

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 supports a proposed law granting additional benefits to Filipino centenarians, an official said.

The bill will help alleviate the plight of poor senior citizens, said Aileen Lariba, DSWD 7 information officer.

Under House Bill 834, otherwise known as Centenarians Act of 2010, Filipinos who will celebrate their 100th birthday will receive P100,000 and a letter from the President.

Other proposed benefits include additional cash reward from the local government unit where they are residing and 50 percent discount and exemption from the value-added tax.

Under the bill, the government will also give posthumous plaques of recognition in honor of deceased centenarians to their nearest surviving relative.

”DSWD supports whatever bills will be advantageous to senior citizens, who are a vulnerable sector,” she said.

The bill, authored by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, also seeks to declare September 25 of every year as National Respect for Centenarians Day.

There are around 8,000 Filipino centenarians, based on the 2010 estimate of the National Statistics Office.

this ad was found in panglao, bohol.

by associated press

One man traveling through Tennessee allegedly completed a crime spree with such urgency that even local police say they’d never seen anything like it.

William Todd, 24, is accused of committing ten felonies in just nine hours while going on a “terror” through Nashville.

“I have never seen such efficiency in a criminal,” said Police Sgt. Tony Fagles, “especially here in the South where everyone’s dumb as rocks. He was just on a terror, a fine-tuned crime-committing machine, almost robotic in his lawlessness. When you look at him, though, you think ‘no way can this guy behave with terrible precision’. I mean, he looks like he couldn’t find his ass with both hands.”

Todd is not even a native of Nashville. Police say he traveled there on a Greyhound bus from Kentucky to commit his crimes. Upon arriving in Nashville, he allegedly broke into a local business called The Slaughterhouse, where he stole a Taser, revolver, and shotgun. He proceeded to another business and stole a T-shirt, then burned the place to the ground.

Todd moved on to a local bar, where he held four patrons at gunpoint. He robbed all four individuals but not before using the Taser on one and pistol-whipping another (both were country music fans).

Just five minutes later, Todd moved onto his next alleged felony, carjacking a taxi driver at gunpoint. After parking the cab, he used the credit cards he had stolen from the bar patrons to buy food (Taco Bell).

“He was then able to locate a Walmart,” said Sgt. Fagles, “where he purchased $199 worth of items with the stolen credit cards. It was just a bunch of useless plastic junk from that heathen hellhole called China, so we’re not too upset about it. I doubt we’ll even charge him for that.”

In the early hours of the following morning, Todd broke into a local law office. He not only vandalized the office equipment but also defecated on a desk and smeared feces on some of the framed law degrees. He also wrote on a meeting room table “What do you call a lawyer at the bottom of the sea? A good start” in his own semen.

Leaving the law office, Todd went to a nearby hotel and robbed several of the guests. He knocked on their doors pretending to be a female housekeeper, using a high-pitched falsetto voice, then robbed them at gunpoint. He was also reportedly crying while doing so.

He then paused briefly in one of the hotel’s bathrooms and shaved his head.

Dumaluan Beach in Panglao

Husband Day Care Center

by pna

A regional trial court has unseated Nazif Ahmad B. Abdurahman as the mayor of Simunul, a fourth-class and one of the 11 municipalities in Tawi-Tawi province.

Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 5 Acting Presiding Judge Peter V. Eisma of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, has issued a five-page Special Order dated April 2, 2012 granting the “motion for execution” of its February 10, 2012 order that “annulled and set aside” Abdurahman's proclamation and declared Benzar N. Tambut as the duly elected mayor of Simunul municipality, Province of Tawi-Tawi..

The Court issued the order after Tambut protested Abdurahman's proclamation citing various irregularities allegedly conducted and/or perpetrated by Abdurahman and/or his followers and cohorts during the conduct of the May 2010 automated national and local elections.

Tambut has contested and impugned the results of six of the total 20 clustered precincts for the mayoralty position.

Earlier, Abdurahman was proclaimed as winner having garnered a total of 2,955 votes as compared to Tambut who obtained 2,386 votes, the second highest among six aspirants for mayor.

However, the Court, after the revision and judicial appreciation of ballots, has annulled and set aside Aburahman's proclamation since it found out that Tambut garnered 2,329 votes while Abdurahman garnered a total of 1,933 votes or with a difference of 396 votes.

The Court in its April 2, 2012 decision has cited “public interest” in granting the “motion for execution” filed by Tambut and his legal counsel.

BALANGA CITY, Bataan, April 11 (PNA) -- This province on Tuesday gave recognition to the outstanding achievement of an internationally-renowned Filipino fashion designer based in the United States.

Bataan Tourism Council chair Vicky Garcia and City Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III led local officials in honoring Hollywood fashion designer Oliver Tolentino in fitting ceremonies at the provincial capitol here.

Tolentino was guest of honor at the Bataan Day celebration in the opening of the agri-aqua trade fair where various products under “Galing Bataan” are on display and for sale.

Mayor Garcia described Tolentino as among the new breed of heroes after Bataan fell 70 years ago who used talents not guns anymore in giving honor to the country.

"I am indeed so happy because my ultimate dream to return in Bataan has been fulfilled and I was even given recognition during the celebration of Bataan Day and Araw ng Kagitingan," Tolentino said.

The fashion designer was born in this city but grew up in Orani town.

“Wherever I go, Orani goes with me. I will always be the little Bataeno who will offer my success to the province,” he said.

Just three years ago, Tolentino became the first ever Philippines-based fashion designer to expand to the U.S. when he opened a boutique on Melrose Avenue near Beverly Hills.

He has dressed people for the Oscars, Golden Globes, Grammys, Emmys and American Billboard awards.

He has presented clothes promoting Philippine fabrics in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Palm Springs, San Diego, Hongkong, Switzerland, Bali, the Bahamas and soon in Barbados.

At the Galing Bataan Trade Fair, Tolentino displayed three gowns worn by celebrities like Amber Riley of the TV show Glee, Shamcey Supsup and Gwen Ruais.

He was fresh from his successful San Diego gala and dressing Michelle Trachtenberg of Gossip Girl.

He was given standing ovation at the Lexus Centre where he presented 65 pieces of his collections, mostly made of Philippine fabrics.

Comfortable Life

by Bohol Standard

Amid perceptions of “political motives” behind the deployment of Prosperity Teams (Pro-Teams) in some twenty-three towns, top officials of the police, army and the provincial government yesterday defended the peace and development program initiated by Governor Edgar Chatto.

Col. John Bonafos, commander of the Philippine Army’s 802nd Brigade; SSupt. Constantino Barot Jr., PNP provincial director; and Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio II all said that they see no political dimension in the deployment of Pro-Teams in 55 barangays in 23 municipalities.

“The decision to put up Pro-Teams in selected barangays is not based on political considerations, but was a result of studies made by a technical working group composed of different provincial government agencies, the PNP and Army,” Damalerio explained over a radio interview.

“Pro-Teams are mainly conducting peace and development operations which helps particular communities, from the purok level through the implementation of the Purok Power Movement (PPM), and sustain Bohol as an insurgency-free province by also putting in place tools for livelihood and other basic services,” said Bonafos in a separate interview.

Earlier, Carmen Mayor Conchita Delos Reyes ordered Pro-Teams assigned in barangays Montesuerte and Villa Arcayo in her municipality to cease their activities and conduct their program instead in other towns which the lady mayor considers less progressive â€" such as Balilihan â€" the hometown of Gov. Chatto.

Delos Reyes, who is eyeing a gubernatorial bid in next year’s mid-term election against Chatto, apparently views the presence of Pro-Teams in Carmen as a political ploy of the incumbent governor.

Catigbian Mayor Roberto Salinas shares a similar view saying the Capitol-initiated program is a waste of government funds since it just duplicates existing programs in their barangays.

However, Damalerio explains the Pro-Teams’ monitoring group have not received such adverse comments from the other 21 municipal mayors where they are implementing the program.

“Except for the Carmen and Catigbian mayors, there are no negative feedbacks or complaints so far from the other mayors, but just the same, we will continue to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the program,” Damalerio added.

He said the two mayors may have misinterpreted the genuine intent of the program which operates through the recommendations of the PNP and the Army components.

SSupt. Barot on the other hand clarified that Pro-Teams are trained to be rural development specialists and have no political orientation of sorts.

“If Mayor Delos Reyes thinks our teams in Carmen should stop the program, then we will have to respect her decision. Right now we still have to consider how to utilize the trained personnel so they may be deployed in other areas,” Barot said.

According to Damalerio, all municipal mayors were invited during the launching of the program which officially took effect in July 2011, on the occasion of the Bohol Day commemoration where the governor signed an Executive Order for the program in support of the national government’s PPM.

Since then, trainings and workshops were conducted for personnel who will compose the Pro-Teams which eventually saw its initial deployment sometime in October and November last year.

“The program has been in the pipeline even before talks of 2013 (election) surfaced,” Damalerio added.

The Pro-Teams are composed of peace and development teams (PDT) comprising military personnel, and the Community Organizing for Countryside Development (CO-CD).

The main effort is the task of the CO-CD undertaken by its 30 employees, while the Special Forces of the military field 60 personnel to undertake support effort, and 15 police non-commissioned officers (PNCOs) take charge of another layer of the support effort.

Each team is composed of two members from the CO-CD, four from the Special Forces, and one police officer.

When told of Mayor Delos Reyes’ comments that Pro-Teams assigned in Carmen should be sent to Balilihan instead, Damalerio said there are three teams in said town.

“We still believe in the intentions of this program; that it is for the good of our communities and it is important that the gains we have achieved in eradicating insurgency in the province be sustained through the Pro-Teams,” Damalerio said.

Bonafos bared that based on their intelligence reports communist legal fronts have been trying to re-establish their strongholds in areas they have previously controlled â€" one of which is Carmen.

“The proactive measures implemented through our Pro-Teams, with the help of our stakeholders and the local government units, can prevent the resurgence of armed groups and formerly communist-influenced areas,” Bonafos said.

Damalerio assured that Pro-Teams will continue to implement their tasks and objectives not only to maintain peace and stability but also to promote development in the barangay level.

Why U.S. Bounties on Terrorists Often Fail
By Scott Stewart

U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman announced April 3 that the U.S. government's "Rewards for Justice" (RFJ) program was offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the capture and conviction of Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). In other Rewards for Justice cases involving Pakistan, suspects such as Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Abdel Basit and Mir Amal Kansi have hidden in Pakistan and maintained relatively low profiles. In this case, Saeed is a very public figure in Pakistan. He even held a news conference April 4 in Rawalpindi announcing his location and taunting the United States by saying he was willing to share his schedule with U.S. officials.

While the Saeed case is clearly a political matter rather than a pure law enforcement or intelligence issue, the case has focused a great deal of attention on Rewards for Justice, and it seems an opportune time to examine the history and mechanics of the program.

sukahan para sa mga gidagat nga mosakay ug oceanjet o weesam.

sounds like a reenactment of the centuries-old acacia trees in guindulman, bohol which were cut by the town mayor.

the dog is shaved?

1995 Oklahoma City Bombing

by pna

Iran said Wednesday that it has cut oil exports to Germany, local satellite Press TV reported.

The announcement by Iran came a day after it said that it had halted crude sales to Spain as a part of preemptive measures to counter sanctions endorsed earlier by the European Union (EU), said the report without detailing on the source.

Also, Iran's Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said Tuesday that his country had already stopped oil exports to Greece.

In February, Iran announced that it had stopped oil exports to British and French companies and threatened to possibly cut its oil exports to six other EU states, including Portugal, Spain, Greece, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands.

In January this year, EU leaders endorsed the latest restrictive sanction measures on Iran's oil exports to be implemented from July 1.

by pna

Rep. Kimi Cojuangco of the fifth district of Pangasinan called on the country's leaders to have a new look at nuclear power plants in the face of the current power crisis gripping Mindanao and some parts of the Visayas and the looming power crisis in Luzon.

Speaking to newsmen when she joined the celebration of the 432nd foundation day of Pangasinan here Wednesday, Cojuangco said only the putting up of a nuclear power plant could ensure sufficient power for the whole country for use of home and industries.

She admitted that when she first came to Congress in 2010, she refiled the bill seeking the revival of the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), picking this up from her husband, former Rep. Mark Cojuangco, whom she replaced after serving for three consecutive terms.

"I refiled the BNPP bill. Ipinagpatuloy ko talaga (I really continued it)," said Rep. Cojuangco, admitting that she only stopped when she declared a moratorium to her advocacy when a big tsunami occurred in Northern Japan, that affected the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.

She said Japan and other countries found out that despite that big tsunami that occurred in Japan, not even one person died as result of the melt down of the Fukushima nuclear power plant but all from the tsunami.

In fact even after the Fukushima incident, countries like Taiwan, China, Vietnam and South Korea are ordering the new nuclear plants-- new generation type.

Even United Arab Emirates was also putting up its nuclear power plant although already producing oil, which it used to generate its own power requirements, she added.

"I believe that if we will not join the nuclear plant age, we will never have a chance to progress and will remain a third world country," Rep. Cojuangco said.

by pna

The Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao (CIDAM) is aiming to plant millions of cacao trees in order to meet the high demand for cacao products in the local and international markets.

CIDAM chair Charita Puentespina said several farmers in the Davao Region were trained on the new technology of propagating cacao, given the bright prospects of the agri product in the international market.

She said the Philippines needs at least 55,000 tons annually, 70 percent of which is provided by the Davao Region.

Puentespina said Philippines was the only cacao -drinking country in Asia that's why the demand locally was also substantial, aside from the processed products that would need cacao as raw material.

She said in the 80s, Davao was producing about 40,000 tons a year but figures in 2007 showed that the region's produce was only at 6,000 tons.

With the help of Agricultural Cooperative Development International/Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance (ACDI-VOCA), she said they were able to start up with technology transfer to the farmers.

"It is still not that massive but we had been doing it slowly and correctly," she said.

The ACDI-VOCA partners with Mars Chocolate and this resulted to the putting up of a demo farm within the Puentespina Farm in Malagos, Calinan. Mars, which produces the famous chocolate brands like M & M's, Snickers and others need about 100,000 tons of cacao beans.

She said what they started resulted to an initial shipment in November 2008, which drawn interests of other traders from Europe particularly the Netherlands.

The demand was there but we need to plant more trees in order to meet the volume, she said.

Right now in Mindanao, there are only 10,000 hectares with fruit bearing cacao plants even as Puentespina said they wanted to create a Mindanao-brand for cacao.

She estimated that an open space with "madre de cacao" as shade can accommodate some 1,000 seedlings. A tree per year could yield 1.5 kilos of dried cacao beans, she said.

Meanwhile, Puentespina said some of the old cacao trees should be rehabilitated.

She also said the good varieties were still present here and in fact they had registered 15 varieties for accreditation by the National Seed Industry Council.

Among the famous varieties still available here are B12, B25, UF 18, K1, K2, K9, Puentespina said. However, the international market does not specify any variety because the quality of cacao bean comes out during fermentation.

murag OA ra pud ning bayhana nga pwede ra man unta moikid gamay.

nauso man ni panahon sa ilaga gang sa mindanao sauna. i don't know if the kublans still exist.

many pinoy sailors are plainly careless. they never use condom abroad. when they fly back home, they bring with them HIV, leaving innocent wives miserable.

By Scott Stewart | April 5, 2012

Mohammed Merah, the suspect in a string of violent attacks culminating with the March 19 shooting deaths of three children and a rabbi at the Ozar Hatorah School in Toulouse, France, committed suicide by cop March 22 after a prolonged standoff at his Toulouse apartment. Authorities believed Merah also to have shot and killed a paratrooper March 11 in Toulouse and two other paratroopers March 15 in Montauban.

While Merah's death ended his attacks, it also began the inevitable inquiry process as French officials consider how the attacks could have been prevented. The commissions or committees appointed to investigate such attacks normally take months to complete their inquiries, so the findings of the panel looking into the Merah case will not be released in time to have any impact on the French presidential election set to begin April 22. However, such findings are routinely used for political purposes and as ammunition for bureaucratic infighting.

beautiful flower arrangement

advantage for frequent travelers. pero some of pinoys pabilin lang sa purok, handay-handay.

Flower Arrangement







for wedding decoration...

To my Airphil Express Family,

I wish to share with you a very important development in Airphil Express' corporate existence.
Last night, San Miguel Corp. president Ramon S. Ang and I, signed an investment agreement which paves the way for SMC's entry into Airphil Express.

This development bodes well for the airline as one of the country's fastest growing low-cost carriers. The expected infusion of fresh capital and planned acquisition of new fleet are expected to result in better service to the flying public and more secure jobs.

I am proud to say that over the past several years, Airphil Express has displayed competitive edge in the market clamoring for affordable yet efficient airline service. It has been a tough and uphill climb, but we managed to survive in this challenging airline environment.

SMC's entry should further boost efforts towards ensuring synergy between our two companies. With this mindset, I believe we are entering into a new and exciting phase in our corporate existence.

I look forward to your continuing support in making Airphil Express the leading low cost carrier in the country.

DR. LUCIO C. TAN

Iran's Strategy
By George Friedman

For centuries, the dilemma facing Iran (and before it, Persia) has been guaranteeing national survival and autonomy in the face of stronger regional powers like Ottoman Turkey and the Russian Empire. Though always weaker than these larger empires, Iran survived for three reasons: geography, resources and diplomacy. Iran's size and mountainous terrain made military forays into the country difficult and dangerous. Iran also was able to field sufficient force to deter attacks while permitting occasional assertions of power. At the same time, Tehran engaged in clever diplomatic efforts, playing threatening powers off each other.

The intrusion of European imperial powers into the region compounded Iran's difficulties in the 19th century, along with the lodging of British power to Iran's west in Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula following the end of World War I. This coincided with a transformation of the global economy to an oil-based system. Then as now, the region was a major source of global oil. Where the British once had interests in the region, the emergence of oil as the foundation of industrial and military power made these interests urgent. Following World War II, the Americans and the Soviets became the outside powers with the ability and desire to influence the region, but Tehran's basic strategic reality persisted. Iran faced both regional and global threats that it had to deflect or align with. And because of oil, the global power could not lose interest while the regional powers did not have the option of losing interest.

Whether ruled by shah or ayatollah, Iran's strategy remained the same: deter by geography, protect with defensive forces, and engage in complex diplomatic maneuvers. But underneath this reality, another vision of Iran's role always lurked.

By Jess Diaz
Philippine Star

The House of Representatives has proposed that passports be good for 10 instead of five years.

The proposal is contained in Bill 5854, which lawmakers have approved on third and final reading. The measure seeks to amend the Philippine Passport Act of 1996.

Under the bill, a Filipino applying for a passport would have the option of choosing either a five-year or 10-year validity of his travel document.

Authors of the measure said this would obviate the need for passport holders, particularly those frequently traveling abroad or those working abroad for long periods, to renew their passports every five years.

The bill also expands the list of former and incumbent officials who can apply for diplomatic passports.

The expanded list would include former Senate presidents, former Speakers of the House of Representatives, associate justices of the Supreme Court, presiding justice of the Court of Appeals, secretary of the Senate, and secretary-general of the House.

The current law does not entitle these former and incumbent officials to diplomatic passports. Only former presidents and vice presidents are given such privilege.

by agence france presse

A jealous Taiwanese husband led an assault on a Facebook user who had flirted with his wife online, beating him to death with baseball clubs, police said Monday.

Chou You-huang, a 34-year-old resident of south Taiwan’s Pingtung county, told police that he had requested a meeting with the 40-year-old victim, Chuang Shih-chang, after he found out about the online relationship.

When Chuang turned up at the agreed spot outside a restaurant early Saturday morning, Chou and two of his friends attacked him with baseball bats, according to police.

The three men beat him ferociously and then left him there, believing he had not suffered life-threatening injuries, according to police statements.

Chuang was discovered dead shortly afterwards. Police subsequently arrested the three allegedly involved in the assault.

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Birdfeeder.com offers family friendly bird hobby tips that are easy to implement with practical product solutions for the enjoyment of backyard birds. We offer an extensive selection of functional, affordable, american-made products that support our mission of making birdfeeding easy, fun and rewarding!

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by pna

Topbulb.com is THE place to find ANY light bulb. With over 80 years experience in the lighting industry and over 1 million specialty and general bulbs in stock and ready for same-day shipping, customers can count on Topbulb.com for all of their lighting needs. In fact, Top Bulbs regularly provides bulbs used in healthcare, education, scientific, military, stage/studio, photography, retail display, audio visual, building maintenance, and consumer applications. At Topbulb.com, customers can access a visual bulb ID search feature and quickly locate the bulb that meets their needs. And if customers can't find a specific bulb on the site, a simple toll free call connects them to a lighting specialist who will happily locate hard-to-find bulbs.

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America's Pacific Logic
By Robert D. Kaplan

The Obama administration "pivot" to the Pacific, formally announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last November and reiterated more recently by the president himself, might appear like a reassertion of America's imperial tendencies just at the time when Washington should be concentrating on the domestic economy. But in fact, the pivot was almost inevitable.

When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, signaling communism's defeat in Europe, security experts immediately talked about a pivot -- a shift in diplomatic and military energies -- to the Pacific. But Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait in 1990 led to a decadelong preoccupation with the Middle East, with the U.S. Army leading a land war against Iraq in 1991 and the Navy and Air Force operating no-fly zones for years thereafter. Then came 9/11, and the Bush administration's initiation of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as a response. Finally, the ending of both those conflicts is in sight, and the United States, rather than return to quasi-isolationism as it has done with deleterious effect after other ground wars in its history, is attempting to pivot its focus to the geographical heart of the global economy: the Indian and Pacific oceans.

by pna

Oil companies have reduced the prices of their petroleum products by P0.30 to P0.50 per liter effective Tuesday.

Pilipinas Shell, Petron Corp. and Total Philippines cut prices of diesel by P0.50 per liter, kerosene by P0.40 and regular gas by P0.30.

But they raised prices of their unleaded gasoline by P0.30 per liter.

Small industry players Seaoil and Phoenix Petroleum followed suit as they implemented similar price adjustments.

Other oil firms have yet to announce any adjustment in their prices.

The new price adjustment reflect price movements in the world oil prices.

As of Monday, the price of diesel in Metro Manila averaged P47 per liter while gasoline and kerosene at P57.

by pna

The Philippines has been re-elected to another two-year term in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) -- an agency that works to ensure that marginalized people worldwide have access to communications technology which they can use to improve their plight.

Manila will be represented by Secretary Herminio Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office and will serve a two-year term commencing from 2012 to 2013 as Vice-President of the UNESCO Information for All Programme (IFAP) Council along with Austria and Grenada representatives.

IFAP member-states include Austria, Belgium, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Grenada, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Niger, Oman, Peru, Russian Federation, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania and Uruguay.

Also elected to the IFAP Bureau are the Russian Federation as President, Latvia, Oman and Tanzania as members and Colombia as rapporteur.

by PNA

The city government of Paranaque has prohibited the breeding, raising or domesticating of pigeons and other bird species within eight miles or 13 kilometers radius from the City of Parañaque boundary adjoining the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The Sanggguniang Panlungsod of the City of Parañaque passed City Ordinance No. 12-02, Series of 2012, authored by City councilor Eric Baes, amending Municipal Ordinance No. 93-08, Series of 1993 that stipulated the prohibition on the raising of bird species in the immediate vicinity of the NAIA.

This stemmed from the request of Manila International Airport Authority General Manager, Jose Angel Honrado to Parañaque Mayor Florencio Bernabe, Jr. to widen the area/radius stated in the old ordinance in the interest of aviation safety and in compliance to standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Birds in flight are known to cause air accidents (bird strike) as birds on the ground can compromise aircraft take-offs and landings.

“To ensure the safety of international air travelers flying in and out of the country via NAIA as well as our residents and the general public, we need to expand the restrictions on the raising of pigeons and other bird species within the air safety radius of our international airport.”, Bernabe said.

Under the new ordinance, it shall be unlawful for any person, entity, partnership, corporation or association to breed, raise or domesticate pigeons and other species of birds within 8 miles/13 kilometers or 12,800 meters radius from the City of Parañaque boundary adjoining the NAIA.

“The City of Parañaque will assist and cooperate with the MIAA and the national government to ensure and promote aviation safety without necessarily jeopardizing the bird sanctuary in our city.”, Bernabe said.

Cebu to Bacolod Fare Promo of Cebu Pacific Air

kapugngan pa ang baha dili ang ihi sa bata.

By Faye P. Velasco

Eight Filipino sailors were rescued safely in high seas by the Iranian navy but two others died during the April 2 rescue operations.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Raul Hernandez on Tuesday said one Filipino sailor died of a gunshot wound in the head while another died of suffocation in the engine room, where he had sought refuge while the mission was underway.

Hernandez said the eight crew members who were rescued will arrive in the Philippines on April 11 via Malaysian Airlines flight 804.

The DFA also said 12 Somali pirates were captured during the Iranian navy's rescue operations.

The 10 Filipino seamen were among the 23 crew members of the MV Eglantine, a Cypriot-flagged and Iranian-owned bulk carrier, which was hijacked on March 26 off the southwestern coast of India.

Hernandez also said that according to the rescued Filipinos, when the pirates became aware of the Iranian navy's plan to stage the rescue mission, they tied the crewmen and used them as human shields in the ensuing firefight.

He added that the Kish Shipping Lines managing director in Bandar Abbas assured the Philippine Embassy that his company will provide sufficient financial compensation to the families of the deceased and facilitate their immediate repatriation.

by pna

Japan completed deployment of interceptor missiles Monday ahead of the planned satellite launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Defense Ministry said.

Japan's Self-Defense Force had installed ground-based Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptors on Okinawa, Ishigaki and Miyako islands and in Tokyo, ministry official Takaaki Oono told Xinhua.

Furthermore, three Maritime Self-Defense Force Aegis destroyers are on their way to the East China Sea, according to the ministry.

The DPRK announced last month that it would launch an "earth observation" satellite between April 12 and 16 to mark the 100th birthday of late leader Kim Il Sung.

The launch of the Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite using a long-range rocket from the DPRK's northwest has raised strong fears and unease in Japan and South Korea.

Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said, "I am certain that the launch would be a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions," and Japan was calling for UN Security Council action against the launch.

An official from the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters at a briefing earlier in the day that South Korea and the United States "are keeping close tabs on movements" related to what the official called the DPRK's "long-range missile launch."

The South Korean military was "fully prepared" to respond to any acts of provocation, added the official, who declined to be named.

South Korea has said it might shoot down the rocket if it strays into its territory.

Last Friday, a DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesman, answering a question from the country's official KCNA news agency, said the DPRK would not give up the planned launch, which he said was a "legitimate right of a sovereign state and requirement essential for its economic development."

On Sunday, the DPRK invited a group of some 70 foreign journalists to visit the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in the DPRK's northwest and take a look at the 30-meter high Unha-3 rocket that will carry the Kwangmyongsong-3 into space.

"It is a carrier rocket but not a ballistic missile," Jang Myung Jin, who is in charge of the station, told reporters. He said the launch was a peaceful program aimed at developing the DPRK's economy and raising the people's living standard.

China has expressed its concern about the development of the situation and called on all parties concerned to take a broad and long-term perspective, remain calm and exercise restraint, and seek proper solutions to the relevant issues through diplomatic channels and by peaceful means.