MikeLigalig.com

by pna

India is likely to float one of the world's largest tenders for acquiring multirole helicopters for its Navy at an estimated cost of over 4 billion U.S. dollars, local media reported Saturday.

The tender would be part of the Indian Navy's plans to acquire more than 75 such choppers to meet the demand of its expanding area of operations, and is to issue a global Request for Proposal soon.

"The Indian Navy would require more than 75 of these Naval Multi-role Helicopters and this would be world's largest tender for multi-role helicopters," U.S. defense major Lockheed Martin's vice president George Barton was quoted as saying.

The Navy may use the choppers to carry out anti-submarine warfare, special forces' operations and anti-submarine and anti- surface warfare, the reports said.

by pna

The White House on Saturday welcomed the swearing-in of Joyce Banda as new president of Malawi, calling it a transition following the constitutional procedures.

"We welcome today's announcement that Vice President Joyce Banda was sworn in as president," National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said.

"By following constitutional procedures for this transition, the government and people of Malawi have reaffirmed their commitment to democratic principles and demonstrated the critical importance of sound democratic institutions," he said in a written statement.

He extended condolences to the people of Malawi and the family of President Bingu wa Mutharika, whose death of a heart attack was confirmed Saturday by the government.

"We stand with the people of Malawi during their time of mourning, and look forward to deepening the partnership between our nations," Vietor said.

by pna

The robust business process outsourcing (BPO) industry has fueled growth of the country’s fast food chains that proliferate in areas near BPO centers.

Binalot Fiesta Foods Inc. (BFFI), home of Pinoy favorites wrapped in banana leaves, is one such franchised business that enjoyed great success together with the BPO industry.

Binalot chief executive officer Rommel Juan said Binalot franchisees Cookie Escondo, Nap Casibang and Maz Uno, whose stores are located right at the middle of the Ayala BPO hub, are enjoying strong growth.

They serve a variety of multinational expats and Filipino call center agents employed by BPOs.

“We are finding more commercial sites beside BPOs and we see the industry growing even more. Because we see parallelisms with the BPO industry and the food industry, we know that it will complement each other. This industry is definitely one where the Philippines have an advantage. Filipinos are naturally caring. We do not argue with our customers. It shows the Filipino’s natural hospitality, warmth and quality of service,” Rommel said.

It came as no surprise when Binalot, who’s known as a Pinoy green fast food, partnered with BPO giants Accenture and SPI Global.

In a Corporate Tie-Up agreement, a ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ system was introduced. Clients can now order their favorite eco-friendly banana wrapped dishes, have it delivered, and pay after seven days. This Bulk Service Orders and Delivery (BOSD) scheme is perfect for meetings, seminars and corporate parties.

Juan further noted that according to Chinese astrology, 2012 is the Year of the Water Dragon, it’s dark deep hue promising wealth and prosperity. With a strong network of 38 stores nationwide.

“Binalot foresees more outlets to open and provide trademark Pinoy service to call centers this year,” Juan said.

This is not just because of what the astrology says, Juan said, but is largely due to the growing BPO industry.

He said the BPO industry in the country will continue to grow because the Philippines is the third largest English-speaking country in the world, next to the US and UK.

“The Philippines is an obvious choice for foreign companies looking for a country to host its overseas outsourcing operations,” he said.

Aside from less expensive operational and labor costs, the Filipinos’ close cultural relations to Westerners, English proficiency and high information technology literacy also proved beneficial in being a competitive destination for BPO or simply, call centers.

Now considered as one of the fastest growing industries, the call center industry has been dubbed a sunshine industry by the government.

According to the call center directory of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the Philippines now has 1,140 call centers in 32 key locations with the business valued at an estimated $ 150 billion.

Despite recent efforts to pass an anti-outsourcing bill in the US, thousands of American-based customer service positions are still being outsourced.

In a report published by USA Today, the Philippines' call-center industry recently surpassed India's as the largest in the world.

In the past year alone, the call center industry grew by 21 percent to $ 6.2 billion and had a work force of 344,000, overtaking India as the call center capital of the world. It is expected to double its growth to $ 14.7 billion and expand employment to 816,000 by 2016.

And with such expansion, other sectors are also experiencing prosperity from the sunshine industry.

by pna

Financial professionals from around the world attending a symposium here have called for more protection against the risk in the derivatives market.

At the symposium on Central Clearing of Over-the-Counter (OTC) Derivatives on Friday, experts shared ideas and each other's concerns about recent topics in the futures market, particularly regarding clearing and regulation, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

After the outbreak of the global financial crisis, OTC derivatives, and particularly credit default swaps, faced large amounts of scrutiny, with liquidity crises in the futures market being one of the main factors contributing to the crisis.

More recently, the collapse of financial derivatives broker MF Global in October 2011 and news that the firm had lost over 800 million U.S. dollars in customer funds caused public outrage, as MF Global was revealed to have mixed clients' money with the firm's own.

MF Global's primary regulator was the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), the largest operator of U.S. futures exchanges.

After MF Global's colossal failure, some skeptics questioned the quality of oversight CME gave to MF Global, and asked if CME could have done more to supervise and protect customer accounts.

In February, the U.S. Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued two subpoenas to CME to investigate the exchange operator's possible conduct and regulatory role regarding MF Global, though no charges have been made yet.

At the Fed Symposium, a representative from CME was one of the panelists chosen to speak on the topics of central counterparty (CCP) default management, and of how bankruptcy could play out in the futures market.

Dale Michaels, managing director of Credit and Market Risks at CME, said the group was developing new ways to protect client funds in case of a default.

Through "robust" stress testing measures such as ones currently being developed, CME will be prepared in the event of another mass default situation, Michaels said

Making preparations for the situation and setting up new ways to protect client funds were now among CME's primary concerns, he added.

by pna
A man from Morong, Bataan committed suicide by hanging himself on Black Saturday in Lingayen.

The victim was identified as Arnel Mamaril, 29, of Morong Ibabaw in Bataan who hanged himself in a mango tree in their backyard on Alvear Street, Lingayen.

The lifeless body of Mamaril was found by his father-in-law, Danon Bautista, at 6:30 a.m. with noose of rope, around his neck attached to a mango tree.

Elements of the Lingayen police led by PO3 Anthony Columbino responded at around 7:40 a.m. and found the dead body of Mamaril.

Family problem was tagged as the possible motive that drove Mamaril to hang himself.

Elements of the Scene of the Crime Investigation Office (SOCO) led by Senior Inspector Eric Galsim Magtaan were summoned to conduct investigation at the scene.

as usual, nothing happened. just media mileage.

by pna

Two persons, including a soldier, were jailed for illegal possession of drugs and gun after a raid conducted by the local police in Barangay Joson, Carangglan, Nueva Ecija on Saturday.

Senior Insp. German Lising, town police chief, said the suspects, identified as Private First Class Morrison Altamera, a member of the 7th Infantry Division's 71st Infantry Battalion and Albert Pascual, 31, tricycle driver, both residents of Sto. Nino, San Jose City, were arrested at about 11:30 a.m.

The duo were arrested in possession of "several inhaling drugs paraphernalia," which include improvised tooter, two small plastic sachet of suspected shabu, among others, he said.

Police also recovered one cal. 45 pistol and several bullets, Lising said.

The suspects were locked up in jail pending charges of violations of Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Law and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

by pna
Robbers strike even during the Holy Week.

On Good Friday, Butuan City police arrested Joselito Macanas, single and resident of Purok 11, Barangay Obrero, for stealing a steel manhole cover inside the church compound of the Mormons located in Andaya Subdivision, Barangay Port Poyohon this city.

Police said the heavy steel manhole cover was owned by the Church of the Latter Day Saints (Mormons Church) and was about to be sold by Macanas and a certain alias "Babay" Talan to Sabo Junk Shop located at Montilla Boulevard, Butuan City when nabbed.

Police said Macanas and Talan destroyed the concrete pavement of the church to pull out the steel cover.

It was when the suspects were on the way to the junk store when intercepted by police, who acted on tips of a civilian that two men were stealing the steel manhole cover.

Police said only Macanas was arrested since Talan was able to escape.

Stealing of steel manhole covers, electric posts’ copper wires, steel kabilyas of concrete pavements of public roads increased over the years here in Butuan City and Caraga Region.

In another development, a man, armed with a handgun, barged into Triple A Rice and Corn store at Ong Yiu Building along Langihan road, Barangay Holy Redeemer, Butuan City on Holy Thursday and carted away the day's earnings of about P15,000.

Butuan City police said the unidentified suspect poked his handgun on Rhea Jane Olila, 17, Triple A's cashier, and forcibly took the store's earnings for the day.

The suspect then fled aboard an XRM motorcycle, without plate number and driven by a companion.

By Ed O Barrita

Some 10,000 spectators braved the blistering heat of the sun to watch Gilbert Bargayo being crucified for the 17th time in Barangay Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City last Good Friday.

Prior to his crucifixion, Bargayo, 52, carried a cross made of yakal, a hardwood, and walked one kilometer to the crucifixion site.

A group of assistants dressed as Roman centurions and Pontius Pilate walked with him.

He was wearing a crown of twigs while the actor-soldiers whipped him in the back.

At one time, a bystander was told to carry the cross for Bargayo.

Before he was crucified, Bargayo gave last instructions to his assistants to make sure the nails are hammered on the right spot.

At 2:15 p.m., Bargayo was hanging on the cross, flanked by two men tied to their own crosses.

Bargayo grimaced in pain as six-inch nails pierced his palms and feet for 45 minutes. It took 45 minutes to hammer all the nails in.

Bargayo looked calm as he watched the crowd from his perch.

An assistant thrust a sword into Bargayo’s chest, causing blood to flow.

The whole spectacle elicited various reactions from the crowd, some of whom were foreigners.

Stacy Law, a 35-year-old from North Carolina, said, “It’s nice to see this kind of culture but I think what he did was not necessary.”

At 3 p.m., Bargayo was taken down from the cross and was given first aid by a medical team.

He asked the medical team to take him to the sea at the South Road Properties instead of the hospital.

Bargayo said he nearly fainted during his crucifixion because his arms were stretched incorrectly while his left palm bled profusely.

“I almost fainted because my arms were not positioned correctly and they removed the nails the wrong way. But other than that, everything’s OK,” he said.

He said he was happy about what he did. He said his dream is to build a chapel of his own.

But he said he cannot say if he will have himself crucified again next year as all depends on his health.

By Ben Cal

At 111 years old, Alfonso C. Fabros, the oldest surviving Filipino veteran of World War II and probably the whole world, recalls with pride his war exploits in fighting the Japanese Imperial Army, particularly his great escape following the fall of Bataan 70 years ago.

Fabros’ wartime experience could have been relegated to the dustbin of history were it not for meticulous effort of retired Lt. Gen. Ernesto Carolina, administrator of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), in keeping the records of WWII veterans intact through the years.

Tracing the whereabouts of the aging Fabros, who lives in Calaanan, Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, was facilitated by Ms. Jet Rivera, PVAO public information officer.

Partly deaf and practically blind, Fabros’ testimony was relayed to this writer through a phone conservation with his 54-year-old daughter, Ella Fabros Gandalera, and Analee Gandalera, Ella’s sister-in-law, over the weekend.

The two women said they have heard the aging Fabros relating about his combat experience during the Second World War in the jungles of Central and Northern Luzon.

Fabros was 41 years old when the Pacific War broke out on December 8, 1941. He was recruited as a soldier in the 1st Regular Division, Philippine Army, under the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) and was deployed in Bataan where Filipino and American troops defended the strategic peninsula until it was captured by the highly superior Japanese Imperial Army on April 9, 1942.

The battle in Bataan was a defining moment of the Filipino and American soldiers who, despite the overwhelming odds, fought the Japanese forces in fierce combat for four months that delayed the Japanese’s timetable of the war in the Philippines.

The Japanese thought they could conquer the Philippines in a month or two but they miscalculated the fighting spirit of the Bataan defenders who stood their ground until they ran out of ammunition, food, water and medicine that forced them to surrender.

But before Bataan fell, Fabros and some of the Filipino and American soldiers were able to escape, thus sparing themselves of being part of the infamous “Death March” of captured Fil-Am troops who were forced to march 100 kilometers from Bataan to Capas, Tarlac.

Fabros joined the guerrilla forces in Luzon where he continued his fight against the Japanese invaders.

During the three years of his being a guerrilla member, Fabros was lucky of not being wounded.

Ella said her father told his siblings that the guerrillas had to survive eating root crops, fruits and vegetables which were abundant in the jungles.

The guerrillas had to use the hit-and-run tactics when mounting an attack on the Japanese.

During the phone interview, Ella credited her father’s surviving the war and long life to his being a religious man.

“My father does not forget to pray everyday. In fact, he keeps the Holy Bible inside his room since he could not read anymore because he is blind due to old age,” she said.

Asked about what her father eats, Ella said: “My father loves to eat all kinds of foods without prohibition even at his present age of 111 years,” Ella said.

“He loves to drink beer and chews nganga, a rolled tobacco leaves during his pastime,” she added.

“Aside from being blind and could hardly hear, my father’s blood pressure is normal. He complains of some pains in his legs. He can walk with some help from his sons,” she said.

Ella said her father’s monthly pension is P5,000 a month and is looking forward to the promise by PVAO that the amount will be doubled in due time. The last time Fabros received his pension was on April 2, 2012.

“My father is the one getting his monthly pension from Land Bank in Cabanatuan City,” she said.

Carlito Gandalera, Ella’s husband, is the one always accompanying the older Fabros in getting his pension.

“Ten years ago, when my father was still 101 years old, he would always watch television and tuned in the radio, but now no more,” she said.

“Nowadays,” Ella said, “my father would ask his children about the weather, if there is a typhoon coming.”

Ella said her father was born on February 13, 1901 in Balaoan, La Union.

Her mother died in 2000 at the age of 80. The Fabros have 12 children but only four are alive -- Florentino, 73; Florencio, 66; Gerry, 64; and Ella, 54.

“My father and mother have over 50 grandchildren and great grandchildren and counting with one to be born in a few months from now,” she said.

Despite his age, Fabros plans to attend the 70th celebration of the Bataan Death March, telling his children he can still make it to commemorate the historic event to be held in Capas, Tarlac on Tuesday, April 10.

As an aging veteran, Fabros' regimen in life is eat, sleep, drink, smoke, walk around the house a little as his daily routine exercise. But most of all, he prays everyday to thank the Good Lord for His abundant blessings and enjoy life to the fullest until he breaths his last.

by PNA

The Philippine population as of 2010 reached 92.34 million, higher by 15.83 million compared to the 76.51 million in 2000, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO).

Data from NSO show that the population increased at the rate of 1.90 percent annually, on the average, during the period 2000 to 2010.

This means that there were two persons added per year for every 100 persons in the population.

In 1990, the total population was 60.70 million.

Among the 17 regions, CALABARZON had the largest population with 12.61 million, followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) with 11.86 million and Central Luzon with 10.14 million.

The population of these three regions together comprised 37.47 percent of the Philippine population.

Among the provinces, Cavite had the largest population with 3.09 million. This was followed by Bulacan with 2.92 million and Pangasinan with 2.78 million.

Six other provinces surpassed the two million mark: Laguna (2.67 million); Cebu, excluding its three highly urbanized cities Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City (2.62 million); Rizal (2.48 million); Negros Occidental, excluding Bacolod City (2.40 million); Batangas (2.38 million) and Pampanga, excluding Angeles City (2.01 million).

The provinces with a population of less than 100,000 persons were Batanes (16,604), Camiguin (83,807), and Siquijor (91,066).

Of the 33 highly urbanized cities (HUC), four surpassed the one million mark. Three of such HUCs are in NCR: Quezon City (2.76 million), City of Manila (1.65 million), and Caloocan City (1.49 million).

Outside NCR, only Davao City has a population of more than one million (1.45 million).

by pna
Farmers on central Quang Ngai Province's Ly Son Island, Vietnam, known as the garlic kingdom, have suffered the worst crop ever due to torrential rains, the Ly Son Island District People's Committee said.

This year, farmers grew garlic in over 290-ha of land, but heavy rains during the past three months have ruined 80 per cent of the crops. Productivity is currently about 3,000-3,500 kilos per ha, reduced by half compared to last year, it said.

Ly Son garlic, a well-known local specialty, has been sold nationwide for its special taste. Garlic crops are grown only one time per year, usually at the end of August.

"All the garlic was rotten. I've got nothing left this year," Vo Thi Mia, a farmer in An Hai Commune said.

Mia grows six sao (2,160 sq.m) of garlic. Last year, it brought her VND50 million ($ 2,400) in profit.

"It kept raining. We had to use nylon canvas to avoid too much water to reaching each bulb, but it was useless," she said.

Another farmer Vo Thanh Long was luckier in collecting 400 kg of garlic, despite normally making two tons.

Apart from suffering from crop loss, farmers had to deal with fake products, Truong Nghia, chairman of the district's Garlic Manufacturing, Processing and Trading Association said.

"Some traders transport garlic grown in central Khanh Hoa Province's Ninh Hien District to the island and sell them under the name of Ly Son," he said.

District inspectors have kept examining products sold at the island's markets to find the fake ones. All of Ly Son's products were required to attach labels. Last year, a trader was fined up to VND40 million ($ 1,920) for selling fake garlic, Nghia said.

Currently, farmers receive no support from the government when they face poor crops, he said.

By Bingo P. Dejaresco III

Tourism, Bohol’s flagship industry, gets one more shot in the arm as thousands of Boholanos from all over the world come home for the traditional once-every-three-year provincial homecoming called “Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan” or TBTK on May 8-15.

Now on its fifth observance since 2000, the TBTK has been a phenomenon in provincial homecoming that then Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Richard “Dick” Gordon urged all provinces to replicate the successful tourism experiment.

No province, however, has come close in terms of participants and events celebrated, according to the DOT.

An institutionalized global get-together which started with just participants from the United States and Canada, TBTK now includes the European countries, Middle East, Asia and Australia, virtually the four continents. Not only the expatriates and their offspring join the TBTK but Boholanos from other provinces as well.

It will be SRO (Standing Room Only) for Bohol tourism since the event which was traditionally observed in the month of July has been moved (this 2012) to May, Bohol’s “fiesta month.”

May is unique fiesta month for Bohol wherein almost everyday, a town observes a happy, well-attended “fiesta” - giving rise to the so-called “professional fiestaâ€"goes.”

Marketing budget in May is oftentimes saved ahead of time for transportation to as many towns observing their special day.

The “May Fiestivities” begin on May 1, the big fiesta of the provincial capital Tagbilaran City.

The balikbayans will be escorted by Bohol officials led by Governor Edgar Chatto on a courtesy call on President Benigno S. Aquino III at Malacanang on May 8, signaling the beginning of the week-long celebration of TBTK 2012.

It is expected to be the biggest TBTK delegation ever to visit the Palace.

The TBTK will feature the famed Mrs. and Miss Bohol International contests, choice of TOBAW (Ten Outstanding Boholanos Awardees Worldwide), fun run, basketball tourney to feature PBA players with Boholano roots led by former cage star Bernard Fabiosa of Crispa and the much-awaited reunions among families, clans and schoolmates.

Tagbilaran City has become some sort of a “university town” where hundreds of alumni are expected to attend the school reunions of Holy Name University, University of Bohol, Holy Spirit School, Bohol Wisdom School, Philippine Maritime School, Bohol Institute of Technology, Cecilio Putong National School, MISU, Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary and the Bohol Provincial Hospital School of Nursing which has sent hundreds of world-class nurses overseas.

On the other hand, the Mrs. Bohol International contest is a benefit event of the TBTK to help sustain the operation of the “Bohol Crisis Intervention Center,” which rescues and rehabilitates abused women and children.

Tourism boost

Already one of the most preferred tourist destinations in recent years, Bohol and its famous island resorts are expected to be “fully booked” during the TBTK -- even though at least one new resort is opened every month in the fabled island, headed by the Panglao island, globally renowned for its azure blue waters and white sandy beaches.

Diving and snorkeling in the famous sites as Balingcasag and Pamilacan will again be a preferred activity although dolphin-watching with an island-hopping tour has been gaining ground, even among local tourists.

The most popular “countryside tour” featuring the famous Chocolate Hills, the Loboc River Boat ride, man-made forest, tarsier watch and the famous markers of heroes and the century-old churches continues to be a source of fascination even for those who had already savored the package tour.

Potentially, Bohol can bring in over 5,000 tourists per day, assuming full capacity of the nine daily Manila-Bohol flights of Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Zest Air and Air Philippines and a slew of fast crafts from Cebu and nearby islands.

The “new kid in the tourism block” for the balikbayan, however, has to be the rise of the so-called E.A.T. (Extreme/Educational Adventure Tour) in the once obscure fourth class municipality of Danao (some 95 kilometers northeast of Tagbilaran) headed by Mayor Tom Gonzaga.

The Danao folks took the cue from the fantastic rise of Camarines Sur as the No. 1 tourist spot in the country on the basis of its active, water-based activities.

They sensed that there is a growing “tourism market segment” who finds it more “fun in the Philippines” if they are participatory rather than passive visual observers of the beautiful sites in the country.

Danao’s mountainous terrain gave rise to high adventure rides like the zipline (one-half kilometer, RP’s longest and tallest), skyride, suislide and the breath-taking “plunge” patterned after the thrill ride in New Zealand.

Its Wahig River now is the site of kayaking, trekking and canoeing while the mysterious caves and sloppy hills give much room for the adventurous for wall climbing, camping and a village tour, including an educational section of organic farming.

Boholanos are keenly awaiting the jumbo boost that the completion in three years of the P7-billion Bohol Panglao International Airport will do to its tourism flagship industry.

But for now, the thousands of balikbayans will be more than content to savor all there is for the May 2012 TBTK homecoming.

Among the enduring positive traits of Boholanos has been their fabled attachment to their home province -- making the TBTK a homing instinct, a bird to its nest event -- that “stokes the inner Boholano fire deadened by the ordinariness of daily life in a foreign land.”

It is the main reason all past four TBTKs have been a resounding success.

by pna
More than 50 Korean nationals and a few Filipinos on Maundy Thursday passed by this town on their way to Mariveles town after starting what they called as “Life March” in Capas, Tarlac.

Marchers said they began their trek of the 111-kilometer route of the dreaded Death March forced on thousands of Filipino and American soldiers after Bataan fell to the Japanese invaders on April 9, 1942.

Instead of beginning from Mariveles town where the Death March started, the Koreans did the opposite. They began the daily march from Tarlac on March 31 that will end in Mariveles in nine days.

“We carry different flags representing unity,” said a young Korean boy.

Life for all, No to Death March!” the marchers shouted in chorus.

In this town, they passed by the century-old acacia tree that was a mute witness to the sufferings of Filipino soldiers during World War II.

some filipinos have also gotten into trouble for frying dried fish (bulad).

Leave processed meat on the shelf

For colon health don’t include a great deal of processed or cured meat in your diet, urges a Canadian study. This includes bacon, hot dogs, and salami. Preservative nitrites in salami and “pressed ham” have been
associated with increased risk of colon disease. In the same study, choosing fresh red meat or chicken
breast seemed to lower the risk of disease by 39 percent.

by pna

Ayala Center Cebu has recently launched Green Fridays, a campaign to encourage shoppers to use eco-bags or recyclable bags every Friday.

Officials of the mall said the initiative is aimed at protecting the environment by minimizing the use of plastic bags.

Ayala Center Cebu marketing manager Janice Parreno said the advocacy is in collaboration with all the merchants to encourage the use of recyclable bags when shopping.

Unlike previous program, Ayala Center Cebu general manager Joy Poloso said this campaign has already been mandated to all tenants, whether food and non-food establishments.

”We want to build the habit among tenants and shoppers on the use of eco-bags or recyclable bags when shopping every Fridays to eventually lessen the use of plastic bags to save the environment,” Polloso told reporters.

She said they will start with Fridays and eventually roll out the program and make it an everyday habit.

Polloso said mall shoppers could bring their own bag every Friday starting March 9 or buy the Ayala Malls Eco bag, available at the mall’s concierge for P50 each.

Polloso said they bundled the eco-bags campaign with incentives and promotions.

She said participating customers will get a chance to win El Nido travel packages in Palawan and one unit of Avida Village House and Lot.

The promo runs from March 9 to June 8, 2012. The grand raffle draw is scheduled on June 13.

A shopper will get one raffle coupon for every use of the Ayala Malls eco bag or any reusable bags, and paper bag/box when shopping at any merchant of the mall.

Published by Bohol Chronicle

Hinting the 2013 picture, a probable challenger in the gubernatorial derby finally draw the turf line when she rid her town of the services of the provincial administration's pulse rater of the community's needs and concerns called Prosperity Team.

The Prosperity Teams has been designed to help strengthen existing puroks or sub-villages by capacitating their purok leaders and volunteers through the Countryside Development Program: Purok Power Movement (CDP:PPM) defined under Executive Order 31 issued in 2011.

However, Carmen Mayor Conchita Toribio-Delos Reyes declared that her town is already progressive and peaceful and no longer need the military-initiated Prosperity Team or Pro-Team.

The mayorâ€"who questioned the major role of people from the provincial government in Pro-Team activitiesâ€"even advised to bring the Pro-Team to Balilihan, hinting that the town which happened to be the hometown of the governor needs their intervention more.

In fact, an emissary approached the Prosperity Team on Thursday afternoon last week to relay the mayor's order to have the teams operating in Carmen pulled out.

During the Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) meeting in the morning of the same day, Delos Reyes announced her decision to have the Pro-Team pulled out from her municipality.

In response to the mayor's move, Col. John Bonafos--commander of the 802nd Infantry Brigade--recommended the temporary suspension of the Pro-Team's operations in the barangays of Carmen town while the multi-agency Technical Working Group (TWG) assesses the concerns of the mayor.

Governor Edgar Chatto, who chairs the Executive Committee, concurred with the recommendations of Bonafos.

Delos Reyesâ€"who had recently announced her plan to run for governor in 2013â€"said she had told Chatto that whatever lies ahead, she would always want them to remain in talking terms.

She pointed out that it was the way the members of the Pro-Teamâ€"allegedly dominated by people from the provincial government â€" asked the questions to the households regarding the issues, concerns and problems that they want addressed.

The Pro-Team allegedly asked the households what were the barangay officials doing that the problems in their areas remain unsolved.

This irked the barangay officials, prompting the mayor of Carmen to ask the commander of the 802nd Brigade, Col. John Bonafos, to pull out the Pro-Team which had already visited barangays Montesuerte, Villaflor, Buenavista, Katipunan, and Poblacion Norte in Carmen.

Mayor Delos Reyes added that being progressive, her town no longer needs assistance that are as simple as water-seal toilet and water pumps which the Pro-Team had distributed.

From this experience the mayor of Carmen declared that she can no longer allow the Prosperity Team to enter her town again.

She said the military is negotiating with her for some changes in the set up with the condition that people from the provincial government will no longer be involved.

The commander of the 802nd Brigade, for his part, explained that Carmen has been included in the first phase of their project because the town has a history of having been infiltrated by rebels in the past.

And, the Prosperity Teams are there to maintain the people's trust and confidence with the government so that the rebels will no longer convince them to support the armed struggle.

Other barangays covered in the first phase of the Pro-Team project are barangay Sto Nino in Talibon; Calanggaman and Pampang in Ubay; Nueva Estrella and Nueva Esperanza in Bien Unido; Concepcion in Danao; Paraiso in Mabini; Katipunan in Alicia; Panadtaran in Candijay; Matabao in Tubigon; Doljo in Panglao; Totolan in Dauis; and Kagawasan in Dagohoy.

Prosperity Teams, working as one to spread development at purok level, facilitate dialogues among sectors in the community to gather priority concerns which are segregated for immediate action by the concerned agencies of the government.

In a way, the Pro-Teams serve as bridge between the people at the purok level and the government for prompt response to the needs of the community.

ProTeams are assigned in five of the 29 barangays of Carmen, wherein each team comprise of community organizers, members of the Philippine Army from the 2nd Special Forces Battalion and the Bohol Provincial Police Office.

The teams conduct house-to-house visits to collect data and various development-related issues in the household level.

The Prosperity Team is the vehicle of the operational strategy adopted by the provincial government in partnership with the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police to give substance to the provincial development agenda anchored on HEAT or Health and Sanitation, Education and Technology, Agriculture and Food Security, Tourism and Livelihood up to the Purok level.

The purok is a cluster of household members living near each other in a barangay providing mutual, common interests, security and clannish in nature.

The Purok System is a collaborative and comprehensive approach in social development and delivery of basic services to sub-villages defined under Provincial Ordinance No. 36, series of 2011.

Easter Sunday Cebu Pacific Promo

by bohol chronicle

Barangays hosting the resorts in the tourist town of Panglao woke up one day with peace and order already deteriorating.

Both Panglao Mayor Benedicto Alcala and Municipal Councilor Edward Mejosâ€"chairman of Sangguniang Bayan Committee on Peace and Orderâ€"admitted this as they sought extra effort from police forces.

The mayor, however, assured that the situation is still under his control.

He believes criminals from outside the town gain grounds by befriending local folks.

Drugs, burglary, robbery and hold-up have already become rampant, according to the officials.

At the height of criminalities, the police put up checkpoints in town and the adjacent areas.

According to Mejos there have been six victims of hold-up in Tawala and Danao since the start of the year, which threatened visitors and investors.

On this, Mejos said he coordinated with the local police to address the concerns.

It is also in barangays Tawala and Danao that drugs have been monitored to be rampant, according to Mejos.

Danao Barangay Captain Necito Liquit admitted that drugsâ€"which the mayor also admitted earlier as the roots of all the crimes in his townâ€"have been rampant in his place.

Liquit said that the entire barangay council even join the roving tanods in patrolling at night and noticed that young people on motorcycles stay up until the wee hours.

They had even apprehended a person possessing 51 sachets containing shabu, but were surprised to see the suspect already a free man the next day.

He said the presence of foreigners made it difficult for them to implement the curfew.

The drug users and pushers must have underestimated the capacity of the barangay officials to implement the law as they must have noticed also that the officials have been so lenient, he added.

Liquit said they had been finding ways to stop the illegal activities in his barangay, but they have a hard time producing the legal requisitesâ€"such as search warrants, warrants of arrests, and other documents--to apprehend individuals engaged in illegal activities.

Mejos raised the concern on the rising crime rate in the town, especially barangays Tawala and Danao--which host resorts frequented by tourists.

The councilor raised the concerns during the regular session of the SB last Monday to push local officials into action to address the problem.

In fact, Mejos' son had recently been held up right in front of their residence. From the experience, Mejos realized how criminals had become so daring these days.

This prompted the councilor to propose the creation of an auxiliary police who can assist authorities in maintaining peace and order of Panglao.

Police Inspector Jojet Mananquil, OIC of the Tourist Police, said that they deployed 50 cops to Alona area to ensure the safety of the tourists and the residents in the area during the Holy Week.

Alcala, for his part, called on the people to help in information gathering instead of entrusting everything to the police.

The mayor said the Civilian Auxiliary Police can assist the local police in monitoring the activities of people coming in and out of the town.

Alcala reiterated that he always mention in barangay assemblies that residents must stay vigilant and report to the police the presence suspicious individuals.

by pna

Picky females play a critical role in the survival and diversity of species, according to a Nature study published on Sunday.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Vancouver-based University of British Columbia and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Austria.

It presents the first theoretical model demonstrating that selective mating alone can promote the long-term coexistence of ecologically equivalent species with overlapping ranges, such as frogs, crickets, grasshoppers and fish that readily interbreed.

To date, biodiversity theories have focused on the role played by adaptations to the environment: the species best equipped to cope with a habitat would win out, while others would gradually go extinct.

"The focus on ecological adaptation has failed to explain much of the biodiversity we see right before our eyes," says the study's first author Leithen M' Gonigle, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California at Berkeley.

M' Gonigle said that their model shows that species can stably coexist in the same habitat as long as two simple conditions are met.

"First, the distribution of resources they use must not be uniform, so that groups of females with different mate preferences can occupy different resource hotspots. Second, females must pay a cost for being choosy, through reduced survival or fecundity," says M' Gonigle.

Resource distributions are never uniform over space, even in seemingly homogeneous habitats like grasslands and lakes, said the researchers.

"By being picky, females almost always suffer a cost, because they spend energy either to find a preferred mate or to avoid an undesirable one," says UBC zoologist and co-author Sarah Otto.

According to the researchers, these costs turn out to be crucial for reinforcing species boundaries because they prevent females with a particular preference from invading areas dominated by males they find unattractive.

corella, bohol is in troubled waters again.

by pna

Many biofuels are less sustainable than the common petrol and diesel, according to a report published on Tuesday by the Dutch think tank CE Delft.

If you take into account the land use, CO2-emissions and artificial manure, the results of the biofuels are less sustainable than presumed, the study said.

According to the report, biofuels from soya oil and palm oil are the least sustainable.

Biofuels have been subject to discussion for a long time. Specialists in the field argue that if you take into account the indirect CO2-emissions that are caused by the reclamation of new soil , most biofuels emit more carbon dioxide than fossil diesel.

CE Delft indicates that biofuels from cooking oil is the best biologic alternative. In the Netherlands this is the most used of all biofuels.

by pna

World leaders in the electronics industry will gather in the country to come up with resolutions on the industry’s new roles and directions in the future to help shape agendas.

Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. (SEIPI) president Ernesto Santiago announced this as the Philippines, through SEIPI, will host the four-day 17th World Electronics Forum at the Mactan Shangri-la Island Resort in Cebu, Philippines from April 18 to 21.

WEF is a voluntary gathering of CEOs and Directors of electronics industry organizations worldwide.

Founded in 1995, WEF meets annually to discuss major topics of common interest, exchange information on services and data, and strengthen relations between various electronics industry organizations.

Previous WEF meetings were hosted by USA, China, Japan, UK, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, Israel, India, among others.

“The Philippines was elected during the 16th WEF held in USA last January 2011 to host the 17th WEF meeting for year 2012, with SEIPI as the host organization. Over 200 delegates from various foreign electronics industry organizations worldwide including CEOs, Presidents, and executives of SEIPI members are expected to attend the meeting," Santiago said.

During the WEF meeting, Santiago said the delegates are expected to come up with discussions and resolutions on the new roles and directions WEF has to undertake in the next coming years to make it a more effective and beneficial industry platform of the electronics industry that could help shape country, regional and global agendas.

Its business and technology forum also aims to be an exchange of information on the latest developments, challenges and changes happening in the electronics environment so as to know how the industry could adopt, align or move in-sync with global technology vectors.

WEF speakers will talk on the recent business and technology trends as presented during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held at Las Vegas in January 2012; the state of electronics and software in Israel; talk of the President of Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) on standards and safety, and many other interesting topics namely: energy efficiency; environment; business trends; and international trade policies that affects electronics business.

"The Philippine semiconductor and electronics industry is gearing up for a snap back and is expecting a strong recovery this year. Present industry guidance for the year is a projected industry growth of 10 to 15 percent," Santiago said.

SEIPI chairman and TI Philippines President Bing Viera said "This important international gathering of electronics industry leaders will help in building the confidence of investors in the Philippines as a competitive and conducive environment for electronics business."

"Electronics is one of the priority industries of the government and WEF could also be a good venue for the government to present its plans and programs in moving the country’s economy forward â€"from infrastructure development to curbing corruption to efforts in continually finding a stable and predictable business environment in the Philippines, among others. The WEF delegates, other than the Philippines being a smart choice for doing business, could be made aware that it is indeed more fun in the Philippines," Viera added.

In the Philippines, electronics is the country’s biggest export.

Last year, the electronics industry accounted for more than US$ 24 billion of exports or more than half of the total Philippine exports, invested $ 2.4 billion, and directly employed 530,000 engineers, technicians and operators .

From a study, for every one direct jobs, there are seven jobs created, hence more than four million Filipinos are benefiting from this industry.

by pna

A man found guilty of committing serial arson attack and causing millions of euros in damage last summer was sentenced to seven years in prison by a court here on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old defendant, who was known as Andre H, was charged for setting fire to a total of 102 cars, most of which were luxury sedans, on street in Berlin from July to August in 2011.

The indictment attributed his criminal motivation to "frustration, jealousy and hatred of the society."

The judge said the criminal's "excessive aspiration for recognition" had led him to commit the crime which caused widespread fears and rumors in the capital city and posed threat to the human life, as the flames could potentially spread to the nearby residential buildings.

The defendant had made a full confession to all the 86 cases of arson to which the Berlin district court charged against him.

Andre H had long been laid off and barely got a stable job.

"It was such a feeling of injustice that people can afford such expensive cars while he has only to be stuck in debt," a lawyer was quoted as saying in referring to his criminal motivation.

by pna

A book -- Feeding the Forgotten Poor: Perspectioves of an Agriculturist -- will highlight the opening of a symposium here sponsored by the Bureau of Agricultural Research and India's International Crops Research Institute, officials said.

Gracing the symposium are Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala and BAR Director Nicomedes Eleazar for the Philippines and ICRISAT Director General William D. Dar and scientists for India.

The 144-page book -- written by Dar and prof. Arun Tiwari -- details two of the most pressing challenges besetting developing countries: hunger and poverty.

The book is an autobiography, raising the question of how the world is going to feed the poor, given its growing population.

The book is a recount of Dr. Dar’s rise from an unknown educator to a national leader and to a regional and international innovative manager in agricultural research development.

Feeding the Forgotten Poor consists of four chapters, namely: 1) Soil and Roots, 2) Stems, Leaves and Fruits, 3) Skin of the Earth, and 4) Growth and Prosperity.

Prior to its Philippine premiere, the book was launched in New Delhi, India in February 2012 during the inaugural session of the 2nd Global Agri-Business Incubation Conference wherein former India President APJ Kalam graced the activity as keynote guest.

After the book launch, a symposium will be held in the afternoon featuring presentations on various research and development and extension collaborative programs between ICRISAT and BAR.

The symposium aims to highlight the partnership between two countries and two R&D institutions that was strengthened through time and through a common goal which is to better the lives of the marginalized farmers.

One of the BAR-ICRISAT initiatives that will be highlighted during the symposium is the Philippine Rainfed Agriculture Research, Development and Extension Program (PhiRARDEP) which was launched in 2011. The program is in collaboration with the DA-High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) and RDE partners from the state universities and colleges (SUCs) and DA-Regional Field Units (RFUs).

Updates will be reported on the various projects under the PhiRARDEP.

“In general, the Philippines has been benefitting from this strong partnership with ICRISAT which dates back since 1975. It was through this partnership, built and flourished through time, that the introduction of ICRISAT-bred materials, including peanut, sweet sorghum, pigeonpea, and chickpea has been potentially realized,” said Dr. Nicomedes Eleazar, BAR director.

According to ICRISAT, 3,302 samples of 2,786 germplasm accessions have been distributed to the Philippines.

ICRISAT supplied 58 sets of trials, 901 advanced breeding lines, 36 mapping population parents, and 72 segregating populations to various institutions in the Philippines from 2000 to 2010.

“These efforts have led to the development and release of improved, high-yielding varieties.

ICRISAT-supplied peanut germplasm line ICG 7827, which was released as UPL Pn 10 in 1992; Namnama-1 (ICGV 90320), was released in 2003 by Ilagan Experiment Station, Isabela; NSIC Pn 12, locally known as Ilocos Pink â€" was released in 2004 by the MMSU research farm at Dingras, Ilocos Norte.

ICGV 00440 was released in 2007 as Namanama 2/NSIC Pn 14; and ICGV 86564 (Asha) in 2009 as NSIC Pn 15.

Two sorghum varieties were also released in the early 1990s in the Philippines, and a total of 936 sweet sorghum seed samples were also sent to the country.

Intensive testing and seed multiplication have also been done with pigeonpea,” reported Dr. Dar, ICRISAT director general.

More than 250 partcipants, including researchers and representatives from SUCs, RFUs, DA attached agencies and staff bureaus, are expected to attend in the book launch and symposium.

by pna

The Armed Forces of the Philippines formally welcomed and honored Wednesday the 155-strong Philippine Contingent to Haiti during ceremonies in Camp Aguinaldo Wednesday.

Col. Arnulfo Burgos, Jr., AFP spokesperson, said the 14th PCH served for six months in Haiti and helped the Caribbean country recover from years of conflict and a deadly disaster.

He added the all-Navy contingent was led by Col. George S. Fernandez.

His detachment consisted of 12 officers and 143 enlisted personnel, including six women.

Burgos said the unit was responsible for maintaining perimeter security of the force headquarters of United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH); providing administrative and logistics clerical services in the force headquarters; and operating and maintaining vehicles of the UN.

He added the PCH also provided security and protection to VIPs of the UN mission.

The AFP Peacekeeping Operations Center, under Col. Abraham Claro C. Casis, facilitated the welcome and awarding of UN Service Medals to Fernandez and his men.

Guest speaker Maj. Gen. Gregorio E. Macapagal, AFP deputy chief of staff, awarded the medals and formally welcomed the contingent.

AFP chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Jessie D. Dellosa extended his congratulations to the 14th PCH.

“The entire AFP organization gladly welcomes you and we are thankful for your safe homecoming. We congratulate you for showing the skill and professionalism of the AFP even in a foreign country,” he added.

Dellosa said: “It isn’t easy to be deployed for a long time, away from your family and your own country. But you have shown the world our own brand of unity that is the 'Bayanihan'.

"You showed that the Internal Peace and Security Plan can be implemented in an international context. It is truly important to give you the honor you deserve because of your selfless sacrifices.”

i haven't heard of this shake. not even sold in the philippines

by pna

Yemeni tribesmen released three Filipino sailors who were kidnapped two weeks ago in the central province of Marib, the Yemeni Defense Ministry said in a brief statement on Wednesday.

"The three Filipino sailors have been released, after efforts made by the Yemeni government," the ministry said in a statement, without providing further details.

On March 21, Yemen's interior ministry said a group of armed men belonging to Bani Jabr tribe in Marib abducted three Filipino sailors when they were heading to Nashton port in neighboring al-Mahra province, off the Arabian Sea. It said the kidnappers demanded the release of their jailed relatives in exchange for the sailors.

The sailors work for Navigational Nour Company, according to officials of the ministry.

Foreigners are frequently kidnapped in Yemen's remote areas where many armed tribal groups often resort to such acts to force the Yemeni government to meet their demands. Most of the abducted foreigners are freed unharmed.

by pna

North Korea's determination to go ahead with a planned long-range rocket launch is indicative of the new regime's "structural intransigence" under young leader Kim Jong-un and a "self-defeating" choice, a South Korean unification policy advisor said Wednesday.

Hyun In-taek, a unification policy advisor to President Lee Myung-bak who served as Seoul's point man on North Korea for almost three years until last October, forecast a repeat of the North's provocations in 2009, when it last launched a long-range rocket in April then conducted its second nuclear test a month later.

Despite international condemnation, North Korea has vowed to go ahead with the launch of a long-range rocket between April 12 and 16, ostensibly to put a satellite into space orbit. South Korea, the United States and other countries have condemned the proposed launch as a disguised test of the North's improved ballistic missile technology.

The North's announcement also jeopardized a Feb. 29 agreement between the food-scarce nation and the U.S., in which Pyongyang would freeze its uranium enrichment program, allow U.N. inspectors back into the country and put a moratorium on nuclear and missile tests in return for 240,000 tons of food aid from Washington.

"North Korea's long-range missile launch is a clear case to reaffirm the structural intransigence of the North Korean regime," Hyun said in a prepared speech for an academic forum in Seoul on Wednesday.

"For the new Kim Jong-un regime, the forthcoming long-range missile launch will assuredly be an event just like the behavior of 'buttoning the first button in the wrong hole,'" Hyun continued. "Eventually this event will be self-defeating behavior for North Korea."

Many analysts have been puzzled by the North's timing of the announcement of its rocket launch plan, just 16 days after the deal with the U.S. was unveiled. While visiting Seoul late last month for the Nuclear Security Summit, U.S. President Barack Obama said it was uncertain who was "calling the shots" in North Korea under the young leader.

Hyun, however, said the North's moves were deliberately calculated to bolster legitimacy for the survival of its dynastic regime, casting doubts on whether North Korea seriously and sincerely intended to fulfill its agreement with the U.S.

"From North Korea's perspective, the Feb. 29 agreement was not destined to be dead-on-arrival by accident," Hyun said.

"It is highly likely North Korea's decision on the missile launch was made far before the agreement. Under this circumstance, the Feb. 29 agreement seems to be the result of a highly calculated tactic by North Korea," the former unification minister said.

The North's latest maneuver "shows us North Korea's foreign ministry is no more than an 'errand runner' of the military authority of North Korea," Hyun said.

Together with its nuclear weapons program, the North's missile program has long been a regional security concern.

North Korea is believed to have advanced ballistic missile technology, though it is still not clear whether it has mastered the technology to put a nuclear warhead on a missile.

"We already had the exact same situation in 2009," Hyun said. "The whole message North Korea tries to convey through its plan for a long-range missile launch is that a nuclear warhead can be loaded onto the missile.

"By doing this, North Korea thinks the effect of their blackmail will be greater. This is part of their underlying and careful political calculation. Therefore, it is highly likely they will follow the same pattern."

by pna

A welder was fatally shot while two others were seriously wounded while having a drinking spree in sitio Caranglaan Barangay Bolo, Labrador on the night of Holy Wednesday.

Police identified the lone fatality as Zemy Valeriio, 32, welder, of Barangay Bolo, Labrador who was pronounced dead on arrival at the Don Mariano Verzosa Memorial Hospital (VMHS) in Lingayen.

Wounded were identified as Reynaldo Valerio, 37, carpenter of Barangay Magtaking, Bugallon; and Alvin Alcadeza, 30, of Sitio Malunec, also in Barangay Magtaking who were also rushed to the VMHS but later transferred to the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City.

Investigation showed that the victims had a heated arguments earlier with suspects Renan Pacho, Rogelio de la Rosa and Romeo Molina, all of Sitio Kadampat, Barangay Bolo, while having a drinking spree in Sitio Kadampat.

The altercation resulted in a fist fight, which was later pacified that led the victims to leave the place.

The victims, instead of heading home, dropped by Sitio Caranglaan where they continued their drinking spree. Unknowingly, the suspects followed them.

by pna

The United States in various regions of the world is creating elements of its missile defense that are gradually making up a global system, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in an interview with journalists in Tokyo on Wednesday.

He held consultations on strategic issues with his Japanese counterpart Koro Bessho. They were attended by representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry, which, according to the diplomat, “made the consultations highly professional from the defense viewpoint.”

“We realize,” Sergei Ryabkov said, “that the US-Japanese military-political alliance is important for both countries. We have no illusions about the fact that this alliance is valuable for Washington and Tokyo. However, we pay attention to and understand the objectives Washington pursues in enhancing its presence in the Asia-Pacific region. The fact that various elements of the US missile defense system are gradually making up a global system, arouses Russia’s major concern.”

Japan and the United States conduct joint research in the missile defense sphere, in particular, they together upgrade the SM-3 high-speed long-range missile, which can shoot down ballistic missiles outside the Earth’s atmosphere. Tokyo has recently amended its legislation to allow the use of these missiles in other regions, including within the missile defense systems in Europe.

by pna

As part of its capacity-building partnership programs with power customers, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) continues to offer its comprehensive lineman's training modules to electric cooperatives nationwide.

Isabela II Electric Cooperative (ISELCO II) availed of NGCP's free course on April 2-3, 2012. As in past courses, lecturers and resource persons were from NGCP's regional and district operation and maintenance groups. Hands-on trainings and demonstration on line maintenance activities were also part of the two-day course in Ilagan, Isabela.

NGCP is the country's only power transmission service provider and system operator. It operates and maintains high-voltage transmission lines, substations, and other facilities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. ISELCO II, which distributes electricity in parts of Isabela, is one of NGCP's grid customers.

Although the lineman's training program is designed for electric cooperatives which acquired 69-kiloVolt lines or sub-transmission lines, it is available even to distribution utilities not acquiring sub-transmission facilities.

NGCP can customize its training modules to accommodate utilities who want to upgrade its personnel's capabilities. The transmission company conducts the training for free and provides the training modules and services of expert resource persons.

NGCP p President and chief executive Henry T. Sy, Jr. welcomed the growing interest of DUs and electric cooperatives in the training, which he cited as a good opportunity for capacity building and technical information exchange and cooperation.

NGCP's partnership with electric cooperatives in upgrading line maintenance skills is expected to result to faster restoration time, shorter power interruptions and overall improvement in power reliability and security.

by pna

After a gap of two decades, India is all set to join the elite club of nations having nuclear-powered submarines with the induction of the Russian-origin 'Nerpa' into the Navy Wednesday.

Defence Minister A K Antony will formally commission the Akula II class Nerpa rechristened INS Chakra into the Navy at the Ship Building Complex in Vishakhapatnam, pti reported quoting Defence Ministry officials as said in Vishakhapatnam.

India has earlier leased and operated Charlie Class Russian nuclear submarine from 1988 for training its personnel on such submarines.

With INS Chakra and the indigenous INS Arihant expected to start operational patrols soon, India will soon have two nuclear submarines guarding its vast maritime boundaries.

The Nerpa has been taken on lease from Russia for ten years and would provide Navy the opportunity to train and operate such nuclear-powered vessels.

'Our crews will get the experience of operating under water for several months at a go as unlike the conventional diesel electric submarines, which have to come to surface at regular intervals, nuclear submarines can remain under water for months,' Navy officials said.

India had signed a deal with Russia in 2004 worth over USD 900 million for leasing the submarine.

It was expected to be inducted a couple of years earlier, but after an accident in 2008, in which scores of Russian sailors died during trials, the delivery schedule was changed.

Indian Navy crews have already been imparted training for operating the submarine in Russia.A crew of over 70 people including around 30 officers is required to operate the INS Chakra.

The heart of the submarine is its nuclear reactor which has been made by Russia.Its displacement is around 8,140 tonnes.With a maximum speed of 30 knots, the vessel can go up to 600 meters in water and has an endurance of 100 days with a crew of 73.

by pna

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) recently signed a Collection and Remittance Agreement (CRA) with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) for the collection of premium contributions of Filipino workers overseas and migrant workers.

The LandBank, which has been a partner of PhilHealth for the past 14 years, will be collecting premium contributions abroad through its accredited remittance companies (RemCos) based in Europe, USA, Australia, Canada, Middle East, and throughout Asia.

The RemCos started collecting premium contributions last March 15, 2012 from Fiulipino workers overseas and migrant workers based in HongKong, Macau, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) through its foreign tie-ups namely, Pacific Ace Forex H.K., Macau Pacific Ace Remittance, Ltd., and Al Rajhi Bank in KSA.

When paying their PhilHealth premium, workers overseas need only to present their PhilHealth ID card or Overseas Employment Contract (OEC) as proof of identity to the RemCos’ authorized representative. They may use their host-country’s currency as payment for one or two years’ premium contributions, depending on the number of years specified in their OEC.

Migrant workers who want to sign up with PhilHealth need only to scan their accomplished PhilHealth Member Registration Form (PMRF) and send it to PhilHealth Special Programs Department on any day of the week via electronic mail with the following addresses to owp-itu@philhealth.gov.ph orphilhealth_hk@philhealth.gov.ph

PhilHealth president and chief executive Dr. Eduardo P. Banzon said that the partnership was a big favor, not just for PhilHealth, but particularly for Filipino workers overseas members as well. >p>He also said said:“We are really trying to expand, among other things, our benefits, which will redound to the welfare of our members. We believe that we should be much more aggressive in ensuring that our OFW members continue to be eligible.”

He added that “we have been challenged, mandated by the President and Health Secretary (Enrique) Ona to prime universal health care. It’s a daunting task, difficult task. We believe it’s doable. But with partners like Land Bank, the more it becomes doable for us.”

On the other hand, Landbank president and chief executive Gilda Pico said that “we are very pleased with this arrangement with PhilHealth. We hope that this will pave the way for a more convenient collection and remittance system for PhilHealth contributions for our overseas Filipinos. We have always looked at the OFWs as our valuable partners in economic development.”

Gov. Chatto introduced TARSIER Emergency Response in Bohol. Just dial 117. This is Bohol's version of America's 911.

by pna

Outgoing World Bank President Robert Zoellick says he will back the proposed BRICS bank desired by the five-member grouping for various reasons, including India's large infrastructure demand.

The bank chief said he favored his organization working with such a lending agency as with any other development bank.

He was answering questions at the Boao Forum for Asia in China's Hainan province on the plans of BRICS countries-- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa-- to have a bank of their own.

Zoellick said it is still to be finalized by the Finance Ministers of the five nation bloc, PTI reported.

'It's still at the stage where the Finance Ministers are analyzing it to go forward. As a general principle, my view would be, if the countries want to develop it, then we should work with it,' he said, according to the transcript circulated to the media by the World Bank.

He said it is important to understand what was driving countries like, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to have a bank of their own.

'People often jump to an issue and they don't step back and think about what's driving it. In India it's very much a concern that they want more multilateral financing. Their needs for infrastructure financing are very great,' he said.

'They've drawn on the Bank support over years. I think our total outstanding accounts are about USD 38 billion from different sources in India.

Stating that BRICS will face problems like who will head the proposed bank, he said it will help China to further internationalize its currency.

'Now I have to say, forming a bank is not an easy venture. So there'll be some sensitive issues as to who the President of the Bank is, and where it's located, and where the capital will be. It will have to get a rating. We have a AAA rating, which influences your overall financing,' he said.

By Joann Santiago

Inflation for March 2012 slowed to 2.6 percent from month-ago's 2.7 percent primarily on account of slower rise in the prices of utility rates, making monetary officials see a continued manageable inflation ahead.

Rate of price increases last month was at the lowest end of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' (BSP) 2.6-3.1 percent forecast range for the month. This brought the average inflation in the first quarter of the year to 3.1 percent, the lower end of the government's three to five percent target until 2014.

"This further supports our view of manageable inflation over the policy horizon," BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said in a text message to reporters Wednesday.

The central bank chief said monetary officials "will continue to monitor price developments, particularly volatilities in international commodity price, to see how these would impact on domestic price setting."

"We will also follow data closely to see how previous policy actions are working through market behavior, to see if any further policy adjustment is needed to ensure continued well-behaved price expectations and actions," he said.

Central bank's policy-making Monetary Board (MB slashed BSP's policy rates by a total of 50 basis points in two consecutive policy meetings last January and March.

by pna

Foreign investors were net buyers of South Korean stocks in March, but the amount tumbled from the previous month on massive profit-taking, the financial watchdog said Wednesday.

Overseas investors bought a net 939 billion won (832 million US dollars) worth of local stocks last month, compared with net buying of 3.9 trillion won in February, according to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS).

The March tally raised foreigners' net buying of local shares to some 11 trillion won during the first three months of the year.

In January, foreigners bought 6.2 trillion won worth of local stocks, a record high for monthly purchases, after dumping a massive 9.6 trillion won worth of shares last year amid the first-ever U.S. credit rating cut and eurozone debt concerns.

"European investors continued their net buying, but U.S. investors turned net sellers last month," said an official at the FSS.

Foreign investors' stock holdings reached 400.7 trillion won at the end of March, according to the FSS.

By country, investors based in the Cayman Islands were the biggest purchase group with their buying of local stocks reaching 724 billion won. Investors from Luxemburg came in second with purchases amounting to 529 billion won.

by pna

Farmers devoted to flowers tract farming here are about to harvest tons of their produce in time for big demand in places of worship during Easter Sunday.

Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan predicted this as flower vendors in Baguio City acknowledged the increased volume of demand this weekend.

Flower growers in the province had huge sales last February during the annual Baguio Flower Festival, known as "Panagbenga", when an estimated 12,000 tons of fresh temperate flowers were bought for the event's floral parade.

Alongside the flower harvests, many strawberry and vegetable farmers are also ready to "flood" the local markets with their products to take advantage of the presence of hundreds of visitors now in Baguio City.

The farmers here are committed in stabilizing the prices of their produce in cooperation with other local government units' needs in this part of the region.

Meanwhile, Gov. Fongwan confirmed the noted increase of summer visitors in La Trinidad as they spill out from Baguio City. La Trinidad is being developed as eco-tourism destination in Benguet.

by pna

Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu calls on China and Uganda to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to jointly promote the bilateral friendly and cooperative relations to a new stage.

Hui made the call on Monday when he met with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala, capital of Uganda.

He said China and Uganda share a profound traditional friendship and that the bilateral relations of the two counties enjoy a healthy development.

The two sides, he said, should maintain frequent high-level exchanges, increase political mutual trust, expand cooperation in various fields and intensify coordination and cooperation in international affairs.

The Chinese side appreciates President Museveni for his contribution to the Sino-Ugandan and Sino-African friendship, the Chinese official said.

In recent years, the two countries have seen economic and trade cooperation develop quickly and diversified, fully embodying the principle of mutual benefit and common development. China is willing to work hand in hand with Uganda to deepen pragmatic cooperation in trade, agriculture, infrastructure and other fields, Hui said.

Museveni said the two countries enjoy traditional friendship. As an old friend of China, Uganda is very glad to see the great achievements China has made.

Ugandans, he said, have also made progress in building their own country, but there is still urgent need to improve infrastructure, and agricultural and mineral processing.

Russia calls on the international community to rethink its reaction to a planned rocket launch by North Korea, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday.

“There should be no place for emotions and we must not instigate a new loop of confrontation,” Ryabkov said adding that the world’s reaction to the launch should be ‘gauged.’

Pyongyang said the rocket will put an earth observation satellite into orbit.

“We [Russia] are deeply concerned with such [launch] plans and believe that they confront UN Security Council resolutions,” the diplomat added.

North Korean officials insisted the launch is part of a peaceful space program and said the Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite will circle along the solar synchronous orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometers for two years.

by pna
by pna

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Wednesday that the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should be more proactive to cope with challenges which could threaten regional peace and security to ensure sustainable growth and competitiveness.

Attending the ASEAN leaders' retreat, part of the 20th ASEAN Summit in Cambodia, the Thai premier said the regional group should play a wider and more constructive role in peacebuilding and closely cooperate with powers outside the region on trade and political stability as well as raising concerns about important new issues such as the battle against transboundary crime and money laundering.

As the economy is essential to regional peace and security, ASEAN should rely more on both the overall Asia-Pacific region and its Southeast Asian region amid the Euro-zone crisis and the US economic slowdown.

ASEAN should also foster regional economic partnerships such as Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement and active participation in G-20, the Thai premier suggested.

Ms Yingluck said that maritime cooperation would become ASEAN important agenda and the regional grouping should cooperate with its dialogue partners in tackling problems such as its anti-piracy mission, search and rescue operations, and maritime environmental protection.

Such cooperation, she said, should help build trust and confidence as well as maritime safety.

Maritime security and national interests should be separated from any international maritime disputes, she said, which could be solved through peaceful means.

As for the South China Sea dispute, she urged the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) which should help maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Regarding political developments in Myanmar, Ms Yingluck said Thailand supported and welcomed development in Myanmar and ASEAN should support Myanmar and serve in a proactive role as a go-between Myanmar and the international community.

Thailand also encouraged ASEAN to call for the international community to end sanctions against Myanmar and supported Myanmar’s involvement in the international arena in organisations such as the United Nations.

Prosecutors in Moldova have opened a criminal investigation into the activities of MMM-2011.

This is the new business project of Sergei Mavrodi, the notorious mastermind of the MMM pyramid scheme which robbed millions of Russians of their savings in 1994, news agency Novosti-Moldova reported on Tuesday.

A license from Moldova's National Bank is required for all entities that carry out financial transactions in Moldova, the Prosecutor General's department of social and economic investigation said.

The National Bank confirmed that acceptance of deposits from the population requires a license, which MMM-2011 does not possess.

Mavrodi’s MMM-2011 (the three letters stand for "We Can Do a Lot" in Russia) uses an online payment system, WebMoney, to allow investors to buy tickets that work like shares, but have no real value.

The project's mastermind has promised investors returns of 20-30 percent per month.

A former mathematician, Mavrodi was released from prison in 2007 after serving a sentence for offenses relating to the collapse of the original MMM.

He described the new project as a “financial social network.”

While his 1994 scheme used an aggressive TV and radio advertising campaign to reel in investors, the new project relies solely on the Internet, a move which many see as a bid to attract Russia’s technologically-savvy youth.

Mavrodi’s 1994 swindle, which came to be regarded as a symbol of the lawlessness of the chaotic 1990’s in Russia, was one of the largest among hundreds of other such schemes in that era.

The pyramids took advantage of the ignorance of a nation still learning the basics of a new capitalist system.

Ponzi schemes became so commonplace that their prices were quoted on the front pages of newspapers.

by pna

United Nations Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos praised on Tuesday Brazil's response to natural disasters such as floods and mudslides.

Amos met with several officials in Brazil's capital city Brasilia and in Rio deJaneiro to study Brazil's response to disasters, as well as the transparency of federal, state and local governments in those occasions.

She said that Brazil's experience can help other countries develop action plans for similar situations.

"I am very interested in sharing Brazil's wide experience with natural disasters and food security, both in domestic situations and in its peacekeeping mission in Haiti," she said.

The Undersecretary also commented on the delays in the release of emergency relief resources or embezzlement of reconstruction funds which often occur in Brazil. According to her, those are areas where other countries can draw lessons.

by pna
The 20th ASEAN Summit which was held here on Monday and Tuesday discussed the continuation of free trade consolidation with the region`s six trading partners, Indonesian Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said.

Indonesia was appointed to lead the process of formulating the free trade agreement, he said on the sidelines of a plenary session of the ASEAN Summit here on Tuesday.

As a follow up to the process, ASEAN member states agreed to set up a working group, he said.

"The working group will be set up soon," he said.

Earlier, at their 19th ASEAN Summit held in the Indonesian resort island of Bali, ASEAN member states agreed on the formation of a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership framework with the region`s six trading partners -- Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, China and India.

The ASEAN leaders were aware of the need to involve the six trading partners in the effort to increase economic integrity and cooperation based upon common interests, transparency and best practices.

The agreement will be implemented under the principles set by ASEAN in the field of trade, investment and other fields, Director General of International Trade Cooperation at the Trade Ministry Iman Pambagyo said.

yes, sa pilipinas, luoy nang mga veterans kay lain ang nagdawat sa ilang pension. daghang buhi gideclared nga patay, ug ang mga patay gipanghimong buhi.

dili na kay daghan na mang mga balaod nga gi-file sa mga congressman mahitungod niini. naay civil code of the philippines, naay revised penal code, naay daghang mga special laws nga nagdili sa mga buhat sa discrimination. 9 out 10 sa mga balaod sa pilipinas duplicate.

ang congressmen ug mga senador mobuhat ug balaod.
ang president mo-issue ug executive order (has a legal effect)
ang governor mobuhat sab ug executive order
ang sangguniang panlalawigan mopanday pud ug balaod
ang sangguniang bayan mopanday pud ug balaod
ang mga sawsawiro nga mga kagawad sa purok mobuhat pud ug balaod

ang resulta: doble-doble. unsaon nga kadtong nagbuhat ug balaod sa local level wala man makahibalo nga nag-exist na diay ning balaora sa national level.

iya-iya lang palusot ug balaod mao nga gubot pa sa lukot ning atong legal system sa pilipinas. there are more than 10,000 pending house bills karon sa congress. lahi pa nang senate bills. ambot nalang.

with me are tens of thousands of books (ebooks and audio books) stored in three external hard disks with a combined storage capacity of nearly 1 terabyte. bisan asa ko lakaw kuyog ang digital library. free sa tanan nga mangayo nako.

padz, daghang kaayong corruption sa agency nga naghandle sa mga veterans that is in the form of issuing millions/billions worth of pension checks to dead/non-existing veterans, unya ang mga opisyales lang sa gobyerno ang modawat.

lately, pres obama signed a law that provides $10,000 to all qualified world war 2 veterans. problema lang adto kay daghang wala kahibalo, and there was a deadline. beyond the deadline, the US says "sorry, dili na ka kadawat sa imong benefit."

kind of unfair to filipino veterans who fought with american soldiers during the world war 2 kay other nationalities who also fought with americans in that war were given so many benefits, including american citizenship and lifetime pension in u.s. dollars.

by pna

A Turkish court on Wednesday started hearing a case in the Turkish capital of Ankara on a military takeover in Turkey in 1980, a significant trial regarding a controversial era in Turkey's political history.

Two surviving leaders of the 1980 military coup, 94-year-old former chief of general staff Kenan Evren who led the coup and then run the country as president from 1982 to 1989, and former commander of the air forces Tahsin Sahinkaya, 86, are facing charges of crimes against the state and can possibly be sentenced to lifetime imprisonment.

The pair, in poor health, have been hospitalized and did not attend the trial.

The courtroom of hearing was overcrowded with spectators and people who applied for intervention. Turkey's parliament, cabinet and the government as well as eight political parties have lodged applications to be intervening parties of the trial.

"The court had no authority to put the coup leaders on trial," the defendants' lawyer started in his defense, quoted by Turkish media on Wednesday.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Ankara Court House, carrying banners reading "we did not forget, we do not forgive" and pictures of those killed during the coup, as police have taken extensive security measures.

Evren shut down the parliament in 1980 and suspended the constitution. He and Sahinkaya imprisoned civilian leaders and banned political parties before civilians returned to politics three years later.

Some 650,000 people were taken under custody and 230,000 of them stood trial, nearly 50 executed, during the three years of military junta, according to official figures. Some 171 people died as a result of torture.

Suleyman Demirel, the prime minister ousted by the coup, said by telephone Tuesday that he would not intervene in the trial, even though he and the nation suffered a lot.

by PNA

As the nation prepares to celebrate "Araw ng Kagitingan" on April 9, the Armed Forces -Civil Relations Service (AFP-CRS) thanked World War II veterans who fought bravely to liberate the Filipinos from incarceration and foreign rule.

Maj. Gen. Rolando B. Tenefrancia, AFP-CRS chief, said the sacrifices by the latter should be treated with honor and respect.

Tenefrancia said: “Our retirees/veterans have dedicated years of their lives and their strength in noble and selfless service to the country and to the Filipino people.

"As such, we should not only treat them with honor and respect but also support them in their retirement and old age, continuously giving them the benefits that they deserve, which is the least that we can do to recognize the invaluable service that they have brought to the nation.”

Tenefrancia also stressed that the AFP-CRS fully supports the veterans as the latter are responsible for liberating the Filipino people from the hands of foreign rulers.

"They have fought bravely and endured so many sufferings to defend the motherland and reclaim once again freedom that has been deprived from the Filipinos during the Japanese occupation in the 1940s," he pointed out.

He added this is not only a time to remember past heroes.

“We should also recognize the efforts and sacrifices of present day heroes, our current soldiers, men and women in uniform, who dedicate everyday of their lives, in serving the country and the Filipino people, defending freedom and democracy, promoting peace and national development.”

By Eddie G. Alinea

Two Former senators, three-division world boxing champions, two Olympians and a pro-basketball great cast their lot with embattled boxing icon Manny Pacquiao in the latter's fight versus charges of discrepancies in his recent tax payments.

Both former lawmakers Nikki Coseteng and Freddie Webb deplored the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s premature announcement of the alleged discrepancies without first ascertaining the facts.

“For one, there’s a big difference between tax evasion and tax avoidance,” Coseteng, who represented Quezon City in both the Lower House and the Upper Chamber one after another in her lawmaking days, stressed.

“It could be that it was Pacquiao’s accountants who made the mistakes, wittingly or unwittingly. Alam naman natin magagaling ang accountant gumawa ng paraan kung paano mababawasan ang babayaran without really intending to cheat,” the first and only woman to own and manage a professional basketball team, added.

“So announcing and insinuating that Pacquiao cheated and tried to evade paying taxes is rather premature. Singling him out in the first place leaves a bad taste in the mouth, isn’t it?” Coseteng remarked.

“Ang dami dyan gumagamit ng expertise para mababa ang bayaran, malalaking tao din, pero di ina-announce. Si Manny ibinalita agad.”

“Manny, as has been said over and over again, is a national treasure who should show good example sa mga Filipino. He is a role model and to brand him as tax evader, marami talagang madi-disappoint at magagalit sa gobyerno,” Coseteng explained.

Webb, former national player, coach and another congressman to rise as a senator, felt the World Boxing Organization welterweight champion and the only man to win eight world titles in as many weight divisions might have been a victim of a “big fish” used as sample to show the government’s determination to weed out the system of shenanigans.

by pna

The Philippine Army's 3rd Infantry Division urged New People's Army (NPA) fighters based in Jamindan, Capiz to return to the fold of the law and reunite with their families this Lenten Season so that peace and healing will finally come to their respective communities.

Major Enrico Gil Ileto, 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson, said this will also serve as their chance to spend a "week of peace, freedom and tranquility in our democratic country" particularly in this region.

"In the spirit of peace, we call on them (NPAs) to stop deliberate offensive operations against the people," he stressed.

As this developed, Ileto stated that the 3rd Infantry Division will continue to secure and protect the public, maintain its vigilance and intensify further its security operations in various parts of the country.

He added that PA units in this region will not raise their alert status.

Ileto said commanders on the ground are continuously conducting assessment of the security conditions in their respective localities and can make the necessary security adjustments to ensure that the week-long commemoration is safe and secure for the people.

vrl's apartment is new and spacious, overlooking the sea. if i'm correct, i think that is located not far from the blood compact shrine.

source: PNA

The combined effects of exercise plus caffeine consumption may be able to ward off skin cancer, U.S. researchers reported Wednesday.

The findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2012, held in Chicago on March 31- April 4.

The researchers evaluated the effects of caffeine and exercise on mice at high risk for developing skin cancer. Results showed that mice that took a dose of caffeine and exercised with a running wheel experienced 62 percent fewer skin tumors. The volume of tumors also decreased by 85 percent compared with the mice that did not consume caffeine or exercise.

Positive effects were found with either caffeine or exercise alone, but to a lesser extent. Researchers observed a 27 percent reduction in tumors in caffeine-only mice and a 61 percent reduction in tumor size. In the exercise-only mice, researchers found that tumor activity decreased by 35 percent and tumor volume decreased by 70 percent.

by pna

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) of Santiago city conducted a capability training to selected firefighter-volunteers.

Claro Comoda, City Disaster Risk Reduction Management officer, said the city government has allowed to accept firefighter volunteers in the city to help Rescue 206 and the BFP to immediately respond to fire incidents to lessen damages on lives and properties.

Comoda admitted that the Rescue 206 and BFP only has limited personnel to effectively carry out its mandate to serve and protect the needy constituents particularly on fire incidents.

“I salute firefighter volunteers who willingly offered themselves to serve as firefighters in the city,” Comoda said.

Firefighter volunteers were taught the basics in firefighting from laying out water hose to firefighting using the fire trucks and its equipment.

Comoda said the acceptance of firefighting volunteers is first of its kind in the city as the need to increase manpower is needed due to the limited manpower of the BFP and Rescue 206.

by pna

The Inter-Religious Solidarity Movement for Peace (IRSMP) has asked the authorities to take a strong move to put a stop to the killings in this southern port city.

The call by the IRSMP came after the killing of Universidad de Zamboanga (UZ) Chief Executive Officer Hadji Arturo Ammar Eustaquio, which the group said “has shocked present and former city residents, and hopefully the city’s authorities from their smug complacency as well.”

Eustaquio, 63, was gunned down by three suspects around 1 p.m. Sunday while he was coming out of his residence's compound driving a motorcycle at Maestra Vicenta Street, Barangay Sta. Maria, north of this city.

The statement was signed by Fr. Angel Calvo, Prof. Ali Yabub, Rev. Paulino Ersando and Nulhamdo Cegales, the IRSMP Convenor for Catholic, Muslims, Evangelicals and Indigenous Communities, respectively.

The IRSMP noted that the killing of Eustaquio, an honorary mbmer of the IRSMP, was the 61st that took place since January of this year in this city.

They asked President Simeon Benigno Aquino, III “to utilize his extraordinary/special powers to order appropriate officials, agencies and sectors to restore and preserve peace and order and the rule of law in Zamboanga City.”

They also asked Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat “to take seriously his job in regard to his constituents’ safety, peace and sense of security, to utilize and properly his office’s considerable resources, power and authority for that pre-eminent concern and need of city residents.”

The IRSMP called on the law enforcement officers to do their job, citing “you know your peace and order job, so just do it because if you don’t it is tantamount to not knowing at all or constitutes a neglect of duty.”

“We condole with his (Eustaquio) good, grieving family and the men and women of the Universidad. Words cannot describe our sense of outrage and condemnation of this dastardly incident,” the IRSMP said.

by pna

By Aure A. Galacgac

Strong rains here this afternoon soaked Burnham and other parks but visitors from the lowlands danced in glee in the rain as temperature reached 32 degrees Celcius.

Weatherman Wilson Locando of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the rains were just an effect of a diffused tail-end of cold-front affecting Luzon.

Before the rains, Baguio despite of its unique ever-cool temperature had a 26 degrees celsius, one degree higher than the normal high.

Visitors gathered at the Burnham Park instead of being scared away just simply walked towards available shades like the matured eucalyptus, bottle brush and other ornamental trees.

Locando said that the city and suburbs would enjoy fair weather throughout the Holy Week with some cloudy periods and afternoon rain showers and thunderstorms.

by pna

Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has urged Dabawenyos to actively participate in fine-tuning the proposed anti-discrimination ordinance, a landmark law that will attempt to penalize acts of discrimination.

He said the measure is due for second reading as city councilors continue to debate its merits and relevance. The plenary will be opened to the public to voice their opinion on the measure.

The ordinance is aimed at promoting equal opportunity, respect and good relations amongst all peoples in the city, regardless of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, descent, national or ethnic origin, religious affiliation and beliefs.

“This proposed ordinance is encompassing and imposes penalties like P500 fine and 15-day imprisonment if violated. It must be discussed thoroughly in order to realize its purpose accordingly,” Duterte said.

He underscored the importance of following the democratic processes which guarantees the rights to be heard, to be informed and to take another position.

The vice mayor also encouraged Dabawenyos to read the measure, which was posed on the “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa” fanpage on Facebook, for them to understand and evaluate its content and make educated recommendations during the public hearing.

If passed into law, the proposed anti-discrimination ordinance will guarantee equal opportunities for all in terms of access to education, employment, work promotion, purchase of subdivision lots, and the like.

“My primary objective is to ensure good relations and the right attitude in dealing with our fellowmen for now and the future generation,” he said.

Duterte stressed there must be a measure that addresses discrimination especially in the city which has become the melting pot of all cultures in the country. As the city grows in population, bigotry must be avoided in order to ensure equal opportunity for all.

“You might want to exercise your right to select but you can no longer use sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, descent, national or ethnic origin, religious affiliation and beliefs as standards,” Duterte said.

by pna

Some practicing media and journalists here joined the Diocese of Bacolod for the Lenten Recollection in preparation for the commemoration of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ Sunday night at the St. Marie Vianney Hall of San Sebastian Cathedral Rectory.

Fr. Felix Pasquin, Chairman of the Commission on Social Communications and concurrent rector of San Sebastian Cathedral, facilitated the recollection, with Fr. Segundo Chua, Pastoral Director of the Sacred Heart Seminary.

The recollection centered on the sincere reflection of man’s relationship with God, others, and self, to become effective instruments in spreading the good news.

"As children of God, let us be concerned for others. Show it in love and good works. A man who stands with you through all obstacles is your true friend," Fr. Pasquin said.

Meanwhile, Fr. Segundo Chua recognizes the media's role in sending messages to the people through their respective media outlets. He urged them to be responsible Christians “to go out to all the world and proclaim the good news.”

by pna

Emergency teams and public assistance centers are now in place in strategic places in the province, assisting motorists and the exodus of people coming home to Bulacan this Holy Week.

Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado said that through the Lakbay Alalay Sumvac Program which started on Wednesday to Easter Sunday, emergency teams, police assistance teams and volunteer radio and rescue groups are deployed province wide to respond to emergency road situations.

Alvarado said that he would be making rounds and also visit hospitals to see to it that public assistance centers are well in place and ready.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Office with its Bulacan Rescue Team and its local government rescue teams partners, different volunteer groups like Assistance and Rescue through Radio communications for Emergency Situations and Traffic (ARREST), Bulacan Integrated Rescue Association (BIRA), Kabalikat Civicom â€" Bulacan, Rescue 117, Baliwag Assistance & Rescue Group, Inc. (BARG), Philippine Red Cross, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine National Police and Spectrum Communications Group are also part of the composite team that will provide free assistance to travelling public.

by PNA

The crew of M/V Logos Hope, the world’s largest book fair, said they are happy that Filipino book lovers keep on visiting their ship since its arrival here in Subic on March 16.

The vessel, which is currently berthed at the Alava Pier here, has received more than 33,000 visitors who browsed through some 5,000 available book titles on board, and viewed interactive displays like “Life X-perience,” which is about HIV.

More visitors are expected to flock to the book fair each day until it closes on April 8, which is Easter Sunday.

Until then, the book fair remains open every day, from 10:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., except on Holy Thursday and Good Friday in observance of the Holy Week.

Tom Dyer, captain of M/V Logos Hope, said that it has always been a pleasure for them to be in the Philippines.

“I like being in the Philippines. You have a very positive cheerful spirit,” he said.

“Anywhere in the world that you go, when you find a Filipino community, there is so much joy. We are very thankful to be here,” he added.

Dyer also thanked the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority for providing assitance to the ship’s crew. He also praised the Freeport’s port facilities.

“It’s nice when we come in to a berth and we’re not moving because of the swell and the tide,” Dyer said.

“In some ports we have to actually leave the berth because there’s just too much motion. But we feel very secure here and we feel very welcome here, so thank you,” he added.

Apart from making books available to the public, the crew of M/V Logos Hope also conducted offshore volunteer services in communities surrounding the Freeport.

“We have been working in prisons and schools. We have been in places where we can provide books,” Naomi Armstrong, one of the Logos volunteers, said, adding that “our dentists have also gone out doing work in the communities.”

Armstrong also said that after the book fair closes on April 8, the ship will stay in Subic for dry-docking for about two months. Then the ship will be sailing out of Subic on June 25 and head off to Indonesia, their next book-fair stop.

by PNA

A big whale died a few minutes after being stranded at the beach in Barangay Nalvo, Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur last Monday night.

Benny Saraos of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), said the mammal belonging to the species "pygmy killer whale" was the biggest whale stranded along the shore of the province since year 2000.

The whale was measured 16.6 feet long and its body measured 266 inches in diameter and with an estimated weight of at least one ton.

At least 20 persons carried the whale from the beach to its burial site on Tuesday afternoon.

“We were supposed to bury the dead whale at the BFAR provincial office but due to its weight, we were forced to bury it here. However, we will soon exhume its skeleton after its total decomposition as we need to store it in our office for future reference,” he said.

Saraos suspected that the cause of whale’s death had something to do with internal hemorrhage due to illegal fishing activities in mid-sea.

“The bruises and slight wounds in various parts of the body of the whale are not enough to cause its death but rather due to internal hemorrhage," he said.

He warned the fisherman along the coastal areas of the province not to catch this kind of whale which is already endangered.

by pna

By Teofilo P. Garcia

Authorities remain clueless on the group behind the abduction of a municipal mayor in the province of Zamboanga del Norte.

Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) Chief Supt. Napoleon Estilles on Wednesday said no suspects have been identified “so far” involving the abduction of Salug, Zamboanga del Norte mayor Jeffrey Lim, 37,Monday night.

Ten gunmen seized Lim at about 7 p.m. Monday while taking a dinner with his wife at an eatery at the town's bus terminal.

The gunmen shoved Lim into a getaway vehicle and sped towards Caracol, a coastal barangay of Salug, and left behind his wife.

From the coast of Caracol, the suspects burned and abandoned the getaway vehicle and boarded two motorized banca together with the town mayor.

“The mayor has just finished playing badminton,” Estilles said.

Lim, like his father, did not have security escorts, according to Estilles.

Lim's father, Jesus, also served as the mayor of Salug municipality.

Estilles disclosed that even the address of the getaway vehicle's owner, which was traced to be registered in Zamboanga City, turned out to be non-existent the reason why they remain clueless who abducted Lim.

Estilles said that they were thoroughly evaluating ther text messages they received concerning Lim's abduction.He did not disclosed the content of the text messages.

by pna

Hundreds of Novo Vizcayanos are expected to flock to the Bangan Hill National Park in Barangay Magsaysay here during the observance of the Lenten Season.

During the Lenten Season from April 5 to 8, the park which has three huge crosses, serves as a venue for the yearly procession in remembering the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Police Senior Supt. Valfrie Tabian, police provincial director said they have laid down the security detail of the yearly activity as it is being participated in by hundreds of devotees in Nueva Vizcaya and in Quirino province.

“We have already mapped out a plan to secure the smooth flow of the procession and the crowd of devotees that will be expected to join the observance,” Tabian said.

Bishop Ramon Villena, head of the clergy here and in Quirino province, said the procession will start from the St. Dominic Church in Bayombong town on April 6 going to the provincial capitol and toward Bangan Hill in barangay Magsaysay.

He said the reading of the seven last words will be done at the St. Dominic Church while the crucifixion of Jesus Christ will be conducted at the Bangan Hill.

“We are encouraging our faithful to participate in this very important gathering to renew our faith in the Almighty. Let this Lenten observance bring peace in each one of us,” he said.

Bangan Hill, Nueva Vizcaya’s structural and environmental version of Golgotha or Calvary, the site of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion outside Jerusalem, started its history as an important venue during the observance of the Lenten Season in 2005.

Bangan Hill has been declared a national park, called as the Bangan Hill National Park, on March 29, 1995 through Republic Act No. 7954.

by PNA

Two civilians were wounded when their house was hit by a stray rifle grenade fired by rebels at an Army detachment in Purok 2, Barangay Malamodao, Maco, Compostela Valley Thursday morning.

Major Rosa Maria Christina Manuel, executive officer of the 10th Civil-Military Operations Battalion based in Camp Panacan, this city, identified the victims as Rosena Camporedondo 44, and her son Andy, 16, of Purok 2, Barangay Malamodao, Maco town.

Manuel said the victims were wounded after the rebels opened fire at around 6:20 a.m. on an Army detachment, using a rifle grenade which consequently missed the target and instead hit the house of the victims located several meters away.

Manuel said the victims were rushed to the Davao Regional Hospital in Tagum City for treatment.

Lt. Col. Camilo Ligayo, commanding officer of the 71st Infantry Battalion, chided the rebels for the attack.

Moving is the best medicine. - Arthritis Foundation

By Saul E. Pa-a

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) IV-A and the Calabarzon Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) here on Wednesday advised local government units and residents of Polillo island on their disaster preparedness and emergency plans in the event of debris fallout when North Korea launches its rocket observation satellite next week.

Regional Director Vicente Tomazar of the OCD Calabarzon regional office and RDRRMC IV-A chairperson confirmed reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Operations Center (NDRRMC-OPCEN) that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will be launching an earth observation satellite kwangmyongsong-3 between April 12 to 16, 2012 at about 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. (Philippine time).

The Satellite will be launched in the North Korean Sohae Satellite Launching Station in North Phyongan Province and once in flight, its debris fallout has two stages.

The first debris is expected to fall between the international waters of South Korea and China and the second on the northeastern part of Luzon, about 190 nautical miles northeast of Sta. Ana, Cagayan and 150 nautical miles east of Polillo Island in Quezon province.

Polillo Island, about 140 kilometers east of Metro Manila, hosts three municipalities of Polillo on the Southern part with Burdeos on the east and Panukulan on the north and home to more than 65,000 inhabitants.

Disaster preparedness and risk reduction agencies cautioned that the said launch may bring debris that might endanger the people residing in the identified areas.

Tomazar issued the advisories for the concerned Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officers (PDRRMO) to make the necessary preparedness measures.

According to the OCD/RDRRMC regional head, the concerned PDRRM member-agencies must convene for coordination, identification of possible scenarios and gaps, formulation of contingency plan and implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) when necessary.

The OCD/RDRRMC Calabarzon regional offices also enjoined the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operation Center (DRRMOC) and Emergency Response Group to be placed on “Standby Alert” from April 12 to 16 on a 24-hour basis.

Local government units (LGUs) on the identified areas in Quezon province were also advised to collaborate with public information officers and the media on the widest dissemination of precautionary measures and for possible evacuation of residents if the need arises.

Tomazar also urged local leaders and DRRMC officers to inform the inhabitants in the areas of responsibility (AOR) to stay indoors and confine themselves in their homes during the said dates and time for their safety and protection.

He also advised fishermen and people from coastal towns to avoid venturing into the sea following NDRRMC advisory on no sea travel path for seacraft on whatever purpose especially for the specified areas.

The local officials, residents and constituents are urged to report any debris that may reach the ground and immediately report to their local DRRMC officers or any focal person for the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) personnel to handle such occurrences.

by PNA

Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador said the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO)-Tourist Police Office will increase police visibility and strengthen their intelligence network in “vulnerable’ areas during the Holy Week.

Areas described as “vulnerable’ by the mayor include pawnshops, convenience stores, money changers, cellular phone shops, and malls.

The Regional Management Council (RMC) assured the safety of travelers during the Holy Week under the Oplan Ligtas of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

Comendador, CPPO director, said the new 117 police officers would be assigned to the tourist police desks of 50 police stations.

They will perform the usual police functions like enforcing peace and order, but they will “give more emphasis on tourist matters.”

The TPU launch was attended by Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale and Chief Supt. Samuel Yordan, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 deputy director for administration.

Yordan said the deployment of the tourist cops was timely because tourists would be going to Cebu’s beaches and other resorts during the Lenten break.

He said creation of TPU was part of the PNP’s proactive policy in deterring criminality and promoting crime prevention.”

”The police officers are ambassadors of goodwill, not just law enforcers,’ said Yordan.

Magpale said the creation of CPPO-TPU would help boost province’s tourism and economic activity.

The CPPO is part of the 24 new tourist Police Units (TPUs) that were established nationwide last January to beef up the 14 units established in 2010, following a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Tourism and the PNP.

Comendador said at least two tourist police officers will be assigned to each police station. Six to four tourist police officers will be assigned in busy areas like the beaches in Moalboal, Bantayan, Malapascua Island in Daanbantayan, and Camotes.

by PNA

Seven drug personalities, including a former barangay chairman, were arrested by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) after separate anti-drug operations in Misamis Oriental and Lanao del Norte on Monday.

PDEA Director General Jose S. Gutierrez, Jr. identified the suspects as Riel Calisang, 40 years old, male; Andy Sobrado, 24, male; Bobong Mondero, 49, male; Omen Dumlas, 29, female; Liling Macalbi, 38, female; Saed Dumlas, 29, male; and Sapidon Mato, 38, female.

Elements of PDEA Region 10 (PDEA RO10) under Director Roberto Opeña, nabbed Calisang and Sobrado in Barangay Cogon, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, after selling shabu to a poseur buyer.

Calisang is a former barangay chairman of Barangay 1 Heights, Malaybalay City in Bukidnon.

Assorted drug paraphernalia and the motorcycle, bearing plate number KF 5734, used during the transaction was also recovered from the duo.

A follow-up operation conducted in Barangay Macabalan, Cagayan de Oro City on the same day resulted in the arrest of Bobong Mondero, who sold shabu to a PDEA undercover agent.

Mondero supplied shabu to Calisang and Sobrado for distribution in Misamis Oriental.

Simultaneous buy-bust operations conducted by PDEA R010 in two locations in Purok 5, Tambacan, Iligan City, Lanao Del Norte resulted in the arrest of three female pushers and one male.

Omen Dumlas and Liling Macalbi, both jobless and Purok 5 residents, were caught red-handed for selling shabu to a poseur buyer.

A total of six plastic sachets of shabu in assorted sizes were recovered from the two female pushers.

PDEA agents also nabbed Saed Dumlas, for illegal possession of live ammunition and an improvised shotgun, popularly known as sumpak.

Another female pusher, Sapidon Mato, also residing in Purok 5, was also arrested after she sold one plastic sachet of shabu to PDEA poseur-buyer. Further search on Mato yielded 12 more plastic sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia.

PDEA RO10 filed charges against the suspects for violation of Section 26 (Conspiracy) in relation to Section 5 (Sale and Delivery of Dangerous Drugs), Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs) and Section 12 (Possession of Paraphernalia), Article II, Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

by PNA

The state witness whose testimony led to the conviction of the “Shabu Lab 11” who operated a mega shabu laboratory in Mandaue City cannot leave the country yet.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said the British tourist Hung Chin Chang, also known as Simon Lao, needs to pay P187,500 for staying beyond what his visa allowed.

Immigration officials said Lao has been overstaying in the country for more than seven years since Aug. 25, 2004.

Alex Tolentino, counsel for Lao, said they asked the immigration bureau and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to waive the fees, since he even testified for the government.

Besides, Lao was “not enjoying” his stay in the country for seven years and five months, he said.

Last Feb. 23, then Regional Trial Court Judge Marilyn Lagura-Yap found Filipino-Chinese businessman Calvin de Jesus Tan and 10 others guilty of manufacturing shabu. Yap is now an associate justice of the Court of Appeals.

She sentenced the group to life imprisonment and ordered them to pay a fine of P10 million each. Tan and the 10 other convicts are challenging the court ruling.

Yap, however, acquitted Lao and ordered his release from jail.

In her 27-page judgment, she noted that the testimony of 47-year-old Lao was a “a direct, personal and positive declaration of the roles” of the convicted nine tourists and two Filipinos in the illegal manufacture of shabu.

”Based on the testimony of Hung Chin Chang, the prosecution was able to establish the participation of the other accused in the operation of the shabu laboratory inside the Caps R Us warehouse,” Yap’s ruling read.

In his letter dated April 2 to BI Commissioner Ricardo David Jr., Tolentino said they were informed that Lao cannot yet leave the country until he settles his overstaying fees.

Lao was detained a month after his arrival on Aug. 25, 2004 until Feb. 26. 2012.

Under Sec. 17 and 18, rule 119 of the Revised Rules of Court, Lao was subsequently acquitted after he became a state witness.

Now, he “cannot afford to pay these insurmountable overstaying fees. Since he was imprisoned, he has not had any visitor except his lawyer and the consul for the British “embassy,” said Tolentino, who added that his client underwent a divorce while in jail.

by PNA

A city councilor in Zamboanga City has proposed that all 16 city councilors should share part of their Countryside Development Fund (CDF) to help the poor pay for water services connections and buy gadgets for communal water services in the barangays.

Councilor Benjamin “Nonong” Guingona III, chairman of the City Council’s Committee of Ways and Means, said he would sponsor a resolution that would grant this aid for poor water consumers in the east and west coasts of the city.

Guingona said that the funding would come from the CDF of councilors of both District 1 and 2. He has yet any figure on how much the councilors’ share would be.

He said he received reports that poor people in the two districts needed the help of the city councilors for the water assistance project.

If the amounts cannot be used for individual house connections, the fund can be used to finance communal faucets but a system must be in place to ensure the equal distribution of water among the poor.

"I will hold a meeting with the members of the Committee about the proposed resolution and how much percentage will be taken from the councilors’ countrywide development funds. I will also talk to Mayor Celso Lobregat about this proposed resolution,” Guingona said.

He stressed that potable water is very important to the health of the people.

“Many people get sick due to unclean water sources. People in far-flung areas get water from deep well and it is not safe for their health. Less fortunate people who can not afford for water installation fee should be given consideration,” Guingona said.

by PNA

Passengers awaiting boat rides in this port reached some 15,000 as of 6 p. m. Wednesday, the highest number of travelers registered since Monday this week, officials said.

Batangas Coast Guard commander Lt. Commander Troy Cornelio expects the number of passengers to increase Wednesday evening and Thursday morning considering that offices in both government and the private sector officially closed as of Wednesday afternoon.

To ensure protecting the increasing number of travelers, the PCG, Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) had beefed up security measures at the Port of Batangas and at the ports of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Cornelio said.

He said the security alert would remain until after the Holy Week for the anticipated return of thousands of passengers to Metro Manila.

Cornelio said rubber boats of the PCG and K-9 units of the PNP had been deployed at the ports.

He said “Oplan Ligtas Kwaresma” passenger assistance desks had also been set up near the ticketing booths at the ports.

Meanwhile, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) announced Wednesday that fares for all motorized bancas bound for Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro would increase starting Thursday because of rising fuel prices.

Marina officials said one-way passenger fare would increase from P230 to P250 while round-trip ticket would jump from P450 to P500 on Maunday Thursday.

Officials also said that promotional fares of all boats arriving and departing in Oriental Mindoro and Batangas City ports would be suspended because of the anticipated volume of influx of passengers and tourists.

Authorities said an estimated 10,000 tourists flock yearly to Puerto Galera’s White Beach, some 130 kilometers south of Metro Manila, during Holy Week.

by PNA

Department of Education (DepEd) 7 officer-in-charge Carmelita Dulangon warned public schools against withholding the report cards of students who failed to pay school dues.

”Report cards should never be withheld,” she said.

Schools should also set specific dates for the release of cards so “children will not have to keep going back to school,” Dulangon said.

In some schools, teachers forward their students’ report cards directly to advisers of the next year level.

But Dulangon said parents should be given the chance to see their children’s grades.

Some parent have complained about the refusal of some schools to release their children’s report card because of their failure to pay contributions to the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA).

Dulangon said PTAs should not force poor students to pay contributions.

She said, however, that DepEd cannot compel private schools to release the report cards of students who failed to pay their tuition

Before enrolling their children in a private school, parents should make sure they are capable of paying the school’s tuition, Dulangon said.

Parents who cannot afford sending their children to a private school should instead enroll their children in a public school.

by PNA

Travel time from Imus town here via Dang Hari to the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) in Muntinlupa City would cut travel time by as much as half an hour upon completion of the construction of the four-kilometer, four-lane highway in November 2013, officials said.

Governor Juanito “Junvic” Remulla Jr. issued the statement following the signing by the government and Ayala Corporation of a concession agreement Tuesday, providing for the construction, operation and maintenance of the Cavite-SLEx Link Road, which will take off next month and completed by November next year.

The agreement was signed by Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson and Ayala Corp. Chair Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Remulla said.

He said the SLEX Link Road highway is the very first public-private partnership project successfully auctioned by the Aquino administration, adding that upon its completion, the project is expected to provide relief to motorists using the congested Alabang-Zapote Road and help boost further the economic development of Cavite province.

The Ayala conglomerate will build the link road in partnership with Getinsa Ingineieria, a Spanish engineering company.

Remulla also said that with the opening of the Daang Hari-SLEx connection road, motorists would go straight to SLEx through Susana Heights in Muntinlupa City, and that means significantly cut travel time.

Of course, the opening of the link road would also open up new areas along the Daang Hari stretch that goes all the way to the Aguinaldo highway in the towns of Imus and Bacoor, and also open up new businesses in these Cavite municipalities, he said.

by PNA

Workers in the Calabarzon provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon Region are likely to get a wage hike after the Holy Week, labor authorities said.

Dole IV-A Regional Director, Atty. Ricardo S. Martinez Sr., said Calabarzon’s Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) has already conducted at least five public consultations and is expected to issue a wage order and wage advisory after the Holy Week.

Martinez said he has no idea yet on how much increase the regional wage board would grant, but has been considering the possibility of raising wages before the Trade Union of the Philippines (TUCP) filed a petition on March 26, seeking an P86-wage hike for the workers in Southern Tagalog.

In fact, it was not necessary for the petition to be filed before the study can proceed because the last wage increase in Calabarzon was granted over a year ago, he said.

Martinez said that under the Republic Act No. 6727 or the Wage Rationalization Act of 1989, the issuance of a new wage increase is prohibited within 12 months after the previous one was issued, unless the wage board declares the existence of a ‘supervening condition,’ such as the fuel price hikes.

The TUCP petition asked the regional wage board to add P86 to the basic pay of Calabarzon workers, citing as reasons the continuing increases in the prices of basic commodities triggered by a series of price hikes on gasoline, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas; and automatic adjustments in rates of electricity and other utilities in the region, he said.

The petition was filed by TUCP president Democrito Mendoza at the RTWPB-Calabarzon office here at around 10 a.m. on March 26, he added.

According to Martinez, the current minimum pay for workers in Calabarzon is P337. If the RTWPB approves the petition, the minimum daily wage in the area would be raised to P423 for non-agriculture workers. The raise, according to TUCP, is a little more than half of the P809 per day needed by a family of six for their basic needs, he said.

The TUCP, citing government data in Calabarzon, said that as of December 2011, the purchasing power of the P337 daily minimum wage has been eroded by 42.4 percent due to inflation, Martinez said.

by PNA

All banks in this city has assured that there will be enough cash in Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) in this city during the four-day Holy Week break Thursday to Sunday.

The Zamboanga City Bankers and Financiers Association (ZCDFA) said that while the banks will be closed these days for over the counter transactions, depositors will still be able to avail of cash through the ATMS available outside most banks in the city.

ZCDFA President Rosendo N. Castillo III said bank officials have agreed to check on a regular basis their ATMs and to reload these with cash as the case may be.

Castillo said that the association counts on 58-member banks including financing companies.

Aside from servicing bank clients in this city, out of town bank clients can also withdraw money from ATMs in Zamboanga.

Other than ATMs outside banks, there are also ATMs in or near hospital premises and big department stores where clients can withdraw money anytime of the day or night.

by PNA

“No Lenten season breaks for Cavite police officers and men.”

A tall order indeed for the police in this province, but Senior Supt. John Bulalacao, Cavite police provincial director, had to issue the directive in support of the strict implementation of Oplan SumVac (Summer Vacation) he had earlier ordered, to ensure security and peace and order in Cavite during the vacation season.

Bulalacao said the enforcement of the yearly Oplan SumVac in Cavite started on Palm Sunday (April 1) and will last for two months.

He noted that thousands of people are expected to trek to the province during their Holy Week and long vacation, particularly in Tagaytay City, other tourists destinations, including upland areas.

The provincial police director created a team to oversee Oplan Sumvac with his next ranking officers as overall supervisors and other staff members as inspectors to protect visitors, tourists, vacationers and local residents.

by PNA

Twelve small parcels of land at the 300-hectare South Road Properties (SRP) are now available to buyers.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama made the announcement after inspecting infrastructure at the SRP Tuesday with Roberto Varquez, the property’s manager.

Varquez said base price of the 12 SRO lots will be from P30,000 to P35,000.

But he said there are no takers yet.

Rama said he will also check if Cebu Investment Promotions Center (CIPC), the marketing arm of the SRP, got proposals.

Rama is urging investors to act now, saying the market price of the lots is expected to double once the place is developed further.

The 12 lots up for sale are considered “small cuts,” with land areas between 2,300 and 3,000 square meters, located beside the development of SM Prime Holdings Inc.

The base price proposed by Rama and Varquez will be confirmed through a bidding.

Varquez said, though, that the bidding can only proceed with the blessing of the Cebu City Council.

”The right thing to do is sell the SRP. We’ve been promoting the SRP for a long time because we’ve been wanting to sell it. I have always maintained that position,” said Rama.

Rep. Tomas Osmena (Cebu City, south district) did not want to sell the SRP lots.

Rama said he talked with Gabby Lopez, owner of ABS-CBN and Rockwell in Manila, who has expressed interest in investing in Cebu.

Rama said Lopez was “amazed” at developments in the city and was thinking of expanding his business in Cebu.

Rama, however, did not say if Lopez had specified the SRP.

He also raised the need to fund the development of a white sand beach near the area.

by PNA

The Department of Agrarian Reformâ€"Zamboanga del Norte (DAR-ZN) under the Agrarian Reform Communities Project 2 (ARCP2) has briefed town mayors in Zamboanga del Norte on the rural infrastructure (RI) sub-project that will be implemented in the province.

The briefing held in Dipolog City last week was conducted by Director Homer P. Tobias, ARCP2 National Project Coordinator of the National Project Coordinating Office.

He discussed with the different city/municipal mayors, Municipal Planning and Development Coordinators (MPDCs) and the Municipal Engineers (MEs) the salient features of the projects that would cost about P155.6 million in Zamboanga del Norte.

Tobias stressed that under ARCP2, the project’s service standard is “Mas pinadali, mas pinabilis at mas pinagaan” (made faster and easier) implementation of projects.

“This is the direction of the project for 2012 and the enhanced service standards for the sub-project implementation,” he added.

Director Tobias also emphasized the guidelines on Performance Based Grant System (PBGS) and the National Government Assistance to Local Government Units (NGALGU) in the implementation of projects.

He also presented the summary of approved sub-projects and those for approval wherein the total project cost for approval for the month of March alone ranged from P300 to P400 million nationwide.

As of this time, Zamboanga del Norte has already six approved sub-projects (SPs) amounting to P7.9 million, 29 SPs on the pipeline for approval costing P76.9 million, and 51 SPs to be prepared and processed amounting to P155.6 million.

DAR-ARCP2 in Zamboanga del Norte covers 19 agrarian reform communities with 13 municipalities and two cities.

It has four program components, namely, the Community-Driven Development (CDD) which builds the capacities of farmers; ARC organizations and LGUs; the Agriculture and Enterprise Development (AED) that enhances productivity and creates opportunities and wealth; the Rural Infrastructure (RI) which links farms to markets and improves access to services; and the Project Implementation Management (PIM) to ensure efficiency and sound development management.

The project’s goal is for farmers to access to productivity and enhancing interventions and for them to engage in agribusiness and sustainable livelihood, viable and sustainable people’s business organizations to contribute to the government’s efforts toward poverty reduction.

This project supports DAR’s thrust to continually deliver intensive support services to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and other farmers in the different ARCs through the implementation of foreign-assisted projects (FAPs), providing a package of intervention to ensure productivity of awarded lands which may result in increased household incomes and improved socio-economic standing of the ARBs.

Cebu Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre said the provincial government will send notices of levy to companies and individuals who have unpaid real estate taxes not later than April 15.

Those with tax delinquencies will receive a warrant of levy, 20 days after the issuance of the notice of levy, he said.

A month after issuing a warrant, Cebu Capitol will issue a notice of sale or bidding, which will be published in newspapers.

Salubre said property owners have a year from the date of the auction to pay their tax dues and avoid losing their properties.

But if no payment has been made during the period, he said, the final deed of conveyance will be issued to the one who bought the property in the public action.

He said the provincial treasurer’s office will keep the Provincial Board, Register of Deeds and other Capitol offices updated “every step of the way.”

The Capitol earlier announced it will auction assets of telecommunications and power utility firms that owe the provincial government real estate taxes.

According to the Capitol, those with tax delinquencies include the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), with P192 million, and the Mactan Electric Co. (Meco) with P3 million.

Globe Telecom, Digital Mobile Philippines (Sun Cellular) and Camotes Electric Company (Celco) promised to pay Capitol on or before May 15.

Globe reportedly owes Capitol P49.6 million; Digitel, P4.4 million; and Celco, P8.5 million.

Cebu Electric Cooperation 1, 2, and 3, on the other hand, asked the Capitol for an inventory of their levied assets and promised to pay.

The NGCP reserved its comment on the issue until it receives a notice from the Capitol.

Meco said it will wait for the decision of the court on the case filed by the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco) questioning the tax on poles, wires and transformers.

In 2009, Veco filed a civil complaint against the Capitol and two Consolacion councilors for imposing real estate tax on the distribution utility’s posts and transformers. In that case, Veco argued that poles, wires and transformers are not immovable assets and are, therefore, not considered real property. - source: PNA

For flights within the Philippines: 1 Peso Cebu Pacific Promo 2012

by PNA

The leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) gathering for the 20th Asean Summit here in Phnom Penh made several commitments for the realization of a progressive and unified Asean community by 2015 and beyond.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, Asean summit chairman, said in a statement that Asean leaders vowed to maintain the momentum of the bloc’s progress, continue community building, deepen regional integration and pursue Asean connectivity.

The leaders also vowed to work with external partners in developing the region, ensuring greater cooperation to address peace-building through Asean defense ministers’ meeting, and fighting nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.

At the same time, Asean-member countries pledged to strengthen cooperation among themselves in times of natural disasters, ensuring food security, fighting terrorism, transnational crimes, and human and drug trafficking.

They also want greater promotion of democracy and good governance as well as strict adherence to the rule of law and the protection of human right and social justice.

The Asean is also looking forward for the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in celebrating the 10th anniversary of the pact when Asean leaders meet their Chinese counterpart in the Asean-China Summit in November, also here in Phnom Penh.

The Asean leaders also made a commitment to work closely with the Plus Three countries in undertaking productive activities to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Asean-Plus Three cooperation, and with the US and Canada marking the 35th anniversary of the Asean-Canada and Asean-US Dialogue Relations, respectively.

Aside from cooperating with other countries, the regional grouping looks forward to convening the Asean-China Commemorative Summit in India in December 2012. The meeting is in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Asean-India Dialogue Relations.

by PNA

President Benigno S. Aquino III joined other leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in meeting the representatives of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) from the Asean member-States at the Peace Palace, here in Phnom Penh on Tuesday.

During the meeting, the CSOs representatives presented their collective statement under the theme “We the People of Asean Joining Hands Together for an Asean Community” with their recommendations to the Asean leaders.

The representatives raised the issues of gender and development, labor, migrant workers and decent work, disability and development, ethnic and minority groups, democracy, and human rights, good governance, and natural resources.

The discussion with Asean leaders also included environment and climate change, livelihood improvement and food security, ICT, mass media, financial and banking infrastructure development, CSOs-state partnership, peace and security.

by PNA

Members of the international community must work together in persuading North Korea to abandon its planned missile launch this mid-April because of the risks it poses to the Asian region, President Benigno S. Aquino III told fellow leaders during the Retreat Session of the 20th Asean Summit here.

President Aquino said North Korea’s planned rocket launch violates United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874, and presents risks to countries in its flight path, including the Philippines.

“It increases tensions, particularly in the period of uncertainty leading up to the launch-where no one is sure of the trajectory of the missile. In particular, debris from the launch may potentially land in our territory. This is a needless provocation not only in the Korean peninsula, but in our entire region,” President Aquino told his Asean counterparts.

The situation in the Korean Peninsula has far-reaching implications on regional stability, and it may affect the developments of Asia-Pacific countries.

“Stability, peace and prosperity in our region require all of us to continue to engage with each other, and the larger international community in ways that build confidence,” he said.

“The way forward is for the North Korea to abandon the launch and return to actions that promote confidence-building among its neighbors. We hope for the early resumption of the Six-Party Talks and for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to eventually undertake complete, irreversible and verifiable denuclearization,” the President added.

by PNA

President Benigno S. Aquino III reiterated Wednesday the proposal for Philippines to host a meeting among claimant states in the West Philippine Sea, including China to arrive at a peaceful and diplomatic resolution on the disputed territory.

The dialogue among claimant countries will be under the auspices of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), according to the President.

“I would like to reiterate, however, our earlier proposal for the Philippines to host a meeting among claimant states, including China, under the guidance of ASEAN, in the hope that this will constitute an important step in the peaceful and diplomatic resolution of the disputes in the West Philippine Sea,” he said in a speech delivered during the Retreat Session of the 20th Asean Summit at the Peace Palace here in Cambodia’s capital.

Also, the President said the Philippines believes there would be a peaceful resolution of the dispute through a rules-based approach under dispute-settlement mechanisms of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

And as the regional grouping commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) this year, the chief executive welcomed the move of Asean to identify the elements of a regional Code of Conduct as a legally-binding instrument.

“We believe that the Code of Conduct must be a real ‘move forward’ in terms of substance, that it should contain not only provisions on cooperative activities but, more importantly, provisions on dispute settlement and the clarification and segregation of disputed and non-disputed areas,” he said.

Member states should arrive at a common and collective position on the said code before conducting a dialogue with China to create a legally-binding guideline in the West Philippine Sea, he said noting the importance of the Asean centrality in dealing with the issue.

by PNA

The Philippine government will coordinate with American and Japanese experts with regards to the impending missile launch by North Korea in mid-April to avoid damages and casualties.

“We will ask for everybody who has knowledge about it. So, initially, the Americans, baka the Japanese also… we’ll also talk to them,” the President told the members of the Philippine media during a coffee meeting at the Sofitel Hotel here on Tuesday evening.

The President was responding to questions whether the government needed outside help in assessing the danger posed by North Korea’s planned rocket launch to effectively prepare for it.

“Yung radars natin have a very low, small window of areas that they can survey. We will ask those that have more extensive surveillance capabilities to be able to give us more warning time in case it really poses a danger to any of our population,” he said.

As an initial response, however, the President noted that concerned government agencies are now doing assessments, particularly the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) so that the country could prepare for it.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development is also preparing should the missile launch pushes through and affects the country, the President said.

But President Aquino appealed to the press not to hype the issue because it may needlessly cause panic.

“We are preparing for any eventuality. Kaya pakiusap ko naman sa inyo, huwag n’yo naman isusulat na the ‘Earth is falling tomorrow.’ Huwag naman ganoon. May mamasaktan pa rin ‘pag ganoong nagpa-panic,” he said.

“We have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Kesa naman prepare for the best, and be totally unprepared for the worst,” the President stressed.

Despite the pronouncement of North Korea that it will proceed with the launch, the President said he hopes the reclusive nation abandon its missile launch particularly if negotiations involving the US and other nations resume.

By Jamaluddin Muhammad

Asean will prepare a code of conduct in the South China Sea before discussing the overlapping claims issue with China.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Wednesday, China would not be involved with the drawing up of the code prepared by Asean.

"Once we have settled with Asean, then we will discuss with China," he told the Malaysian media at the end of the two-day, 20th Asean Summit here.

He said several countries highlighted and emphasized the discussion on the South China Sea should be conducted in an Asean-China framework.

Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, China and Taiwan have jurisdictional and territorial overlapping claims in the South China Sea.

During the Asean Summit Retreat Session, leaders from the 10 Southeast Asian nations also touched on the Korean Peninsula issue by calling for early resumption of the Six-Party Talks, in the interest of peace, security and stability in the peninsula.

Najib said the leaders hoped North Korea's plan to launch a missile in the near future would not take place.

On the Global Movement of Moderates mooted by Malaysia, he said the country appreciated all Asean member countries for the support on this idea.

Najib also attended the 6th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Summit and the 8th Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit here.

by PNA

U.S. Defense Department on Wednesday announced charges against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and four others also involved in the 2001 attacks.

The charges were referred to a military commission in the case of "United States v. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin'Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi."

It alleged that the five terrorist suspects are responsible for planning and execution of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in New York, Washington D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, resulting in the killing of 2,976 innocent people.

The five suspects are litigated with charges ranging from terrorism, hijacking aircraft, conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians and civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, to destruction of property in violation of the law of war.

The Pentagon has referred all charges to a joint trial.

According to Military Commissions rules and procedures, the chief judge of the Military Commissions Trial Judiciary will assign a military judge to the case, and the five accused will be arraigned at the Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within 30 days of service of the referred charges upon them.

By Priam F. Nepomuceno

As the nation commemorates Holy Week, the Philippine Army (PA) on Thursday expressed its gratitude to its chaplain officers for being always there to guide Filipino soldiers to God.

Major Harold Cabunoc, PA spokesperson, said that the role of the chaplains have been clearly defined this past few years as the bulwark of organization in regards to emotional and spiritual security.

"Contrary to popular beliefs, soldiery is not about leading people to war; soldiery is about leading men to God," he added.

Cabunoc also emphasized chaplains are responsible for keeping the country’s armed forces in the service of God.

He added that they play a vital role in upholding the spiritual and moral attributes of military men who have lived through the worst and abominable experiences and misfortunes one could ever encounter in life.

A chaplain may be a priest, a pastor or an imam (Muslim prayer leader) who acquires an officer’s rank of a probationary 2nd Lieutenant upon joining the military for their special services.

Cabunoc said that the latter considered non-combatant soldiers and are protected under the international law from any form of attack or violence by the opposing party.

They are bound to the five pillars of serving namely: the religious worship, pastoral care and ministration, moral education, counseling and social leadership.

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Around 1.5 million Ukrainians stopped smoking in the past three years as a result of an anti-tobacco campaign that came into effect in 2008, the health ministry said Tuesday.

"Now some 22 percent of the adult Ukrainian population, or about 10.12 million people, smoke or use tobacco products, down from nearly 26 percent just 3 years ago," the ministry said in a report.

According to the document, the habit is unevenly distributed between the sexes, with 46 percent of men and 6 percent of women being smokers.

There has been a large reduction in the number of young women smokers. The population of girl-smokers aged between 18-29 fell from 13.3 percent in 2008 to 8.5 percent in 2011, the ministry said.

Ukraine began to impose a general ban on smoking outdoors where the public has access, and launched a major anti-tobacco television campaign broadcasting commercials social calling to stop smoking in 2008.

In March 2012, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych signed a law banning cigarette advertising and tobacco sponsorship.

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if only PAL could improve its quality of service, it can very well compete with any airline in the world.

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