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LG Electronics Inc., the world's second-largest TV makers by shipment, said Wednesday that it has launched a 72-inch, light-emitting diode (LED) TV equipped with 3-D capability in the domestic market.

The 3-D-equipped LED TV model features the largest screen among the 3-D LED TVs available in the market, LG said in a statement.

The new product is priced at 20 million won (US,825). (PNA/Yonhap)

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is embarking on a two-pronged approach to boost the country’s export.

First is the drafting of the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2011-2013 which is targeted for Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III's approval this year.

Second is the massive information campaign on the opportunities and benefits of utilizing the benefits of the free trade agreement (FTAs) that the country has entered into.

The PEDP is now on its second draft with the export sector gathering the export road map of the various industry sectors.

“The feedback we gathered from the multi-sectoral consultations show that we need a more strategic approach in our export development plan,” DTI Undersecretary for International Trade Adrian S. Cristobal Jr. said.

“With the new PEDP, the export sector should focus moving up the value chain and present more competitive products and aim for bolder goals.”

Consultation meetings with various export sectors are now ongoing at the department to validate and revise the draft PEDP.

Cristobal added: “With investor confidence returning to the Philippines, the export sector should aim for challenging targets in the next three years.”

The government and the private sector are hopeful that a final draft be finished and signed by President Aquino III before the year ends.

On FTAs, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said the export market is not fully utilized because businessmen are not properly informed of the abounding business opportunities that the country has gained because of many free trade agreements that the country has entered into.

Information to market access and the products with zero tariffs will enlighten our businessmen to engage or expand their business that is skewed to viable export products and FTA markets, the trade chief said.

Presently, there are six FTAs that the country has entered into. These are the Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), ASEAN Free Trade Agreement Area (AFTA), ASEAN-Japan, ASEAN-China, ASEAN-Korea, and ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand.

In relation to this, Domingo has instructed its DTI International Trade Group (ITG) to conduct a massive information campaign on all free trade agreements to increase their utilization rate and enable Philippine businesses to partake of their benefits.

Cristobal reported that the first wave of info sessions, dubbed as “Doing Business in Free Trade Areas", will cover 12 key cities and will run from November 5 â€" December 7.

Discussions will focus on export opportunities and center on products with zero or reduced tariffs as a result of the FTAs, Cristobal said.

“Each market and FTA discussion would include a testimonial by an exporter who was able to avail of FTA benefits.”

Cristobal said the Bureau of Customs (BOC) will present a simplified, step by step procedure on how exporters should apply for a Certificate of Origin (CO) which may be necessary in the availment of the FTA preferential tariff.

Help Desk from DTI, BOC and the Tariff Commission will be set up after the information session to answer specific queries. BOC and TC Desk have facsimile copies of the different CO forms and questions on procedures and tariff rates. DTI’s Bureau of Export Trade Promotion and the Bureau of International Trade Relation desk will answer questions on export assistance as well as tariff rates for products under FTYAs.

The first session is scheduled in Manila on November 5 with an estimated 500 attendees comprised of exporters from the National Capital Region and Region 4B, importers, brokers, representative from FTA partners, business support groups civil society and other government agencies.

Outside Metro Manila, the venues are: Laguna (Nov. , Clark, Pampanga (Nov. 10), Iloilo (Nov. 12), Cebu City (Nov. 29), Zamboanga City (Nov. 19), Cagayan de Oro City (Nov. 22, General Santos City (Nov. 25), Legaspi City (Nov. 26), Tagaytay City (Nov. 29) and Baguio (December 7)

Cristobal added next year, the second wave info session on FTA will be more industry specific.

“We expect export growth next year when businessmen tap the export potential of our FTA deals,” Cristobal said. “The export market is promising with the rebound of our products in overseas sales. We expect our sales to further increase next year. Data on month to month sales are very encouraging.”

It will be a waste of time if all the hardships of our negotiating team of the export sector will not avail of these opportunities, Cristobal added.

Cristobal concluded that “business confidence is at its highest and combining that with the whopping 70 percent satisfaction rating of the President with the population, businessmen will not hesitate to put their bets on the economy and its exports. We see a bright export performance ahead.” (PNA)

PNA: President Lee Myung-bak said Wednesday the development of solar, wind power and other forms of substitute energy sources will become the backbone of South Korea's future economy.

"Given the sharp growth in the world's market, we will be able to nurture solar energy and wind power industries as 'the second semiconductor' and 'the second shipbuilding' industries and make them the pillar of the future national economy," Lee said in a pan-governmental meeting on green growth held at the Convention and Exhibition Center (COEX) in southern Seoul under the theme of "The Power of Opening the Future: Sun, Wind and Water.

The Lee administration has been staging a "low-carbon, green growth" campaign to reduce heavy dependence by Asia's fourth-largest economy on oil and gas imports and tackle greenhouse gas emissions.

The president numerated accomplishments, including the export of nuclear power plants to the United Arab Emirates and the development of electric cars, hydrogen fuel cells and light-emitting diodes (LED).

Lee also stressed the importance of securing a stable supply of water and said his government will map out a comprehensive water resource management plan for the upcoming century.

"As the water industry is emerging as the core industry in the 21st century, South Korea, based on its experience in managing water resources, should nurture the water industry through an active push for making inroads into foreign markets and make contributions to the international community," he said.

Japan's core machinery orders rose a seasonally adjusted 10.1 percent in August from a month earlier to 843.5 billion yen (10.3 billion U.S. dollars), the Cabinet Office said in a report on Wednesday.

August's figure, which far exceeded market expectations, marks the third straight month of growth, the government report said, despite concern being voiced over the impact of the yen's strength on corporate spending.

Economists had predicted a 4.5 percent decrease in August on month of core machinery orders, which excludes volatile orders from ship builders and power companies.

Core orders, a closely watched leading indicator of capital spending in Japan, had previously risen 8.8 percent in July.

Compared to a year earlier, core machinery orders rose 24.1 percent in the recording period.

Overall machinery orders climbed 9.8 percent in August, the Cabinet Office said. (PNA/Xinhua)

Tokyo stocks opened slightly higher Wednesday with the key Nikkei index up 0.63 percent.

At 9:15 a.m., the benchmark Nikkei 225 Average gained 59.34 points from Tuesday to 9,447.98.

The broader Topix index advanced 2.81 points, or 0.34 percent, to 827.41. (PNA/Xinhua)
ALM

The U.S. dollar traded in the upper 81 yen range Wednesday morning in Tokyo.

At 9 a.m., the dollar bought 81.80-82 yen, against 81.65-75 yen in New York and 81.92-94 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The euro was quoted at 1.3919-3921 dollars and 113.86-90 yen, compared with 1.3919-3929 dollars and 113.80-90 yen in New York and 1.3813-3814 dollars and 113.16-20 yen in Tokyo late Tuesday. (PNA/Xinhua)

Canadian stocks gained for a second day on Tuesday. The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed up 40.05 points, or 0.32 percent, at 12,575.64.

Eight out of 12 sectors on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) registered gains on with the index measuring the telecommunication services sector rising 1.31 percent. The gains and losses of all the other sectors were less than one percent.

Rogers Communications Inc., Canada's largest wireless carrier, added 1.86 percent. BCE Inc. climbed 1.55 percent.

Bank of Montreal increased 1.03 percent.

Canadian National Railway Company declined 1.47 percent. Canadian pacific Railway Ltd. dropped 1.49 percent.

First Quantum Minerals Ltd. tumbled 3.73 percent.

Agrium Inc., Canada's second-biggest fertilizer producer, surged 5.32 percent after corn futures rose to a two year high. Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc., the world's largest fertilizer producer, rose 1.02 percent.

On the currency front, the Canadian dollar appreciated against its U.S. counter part on Tuesday.

One U.S. dollar was buying 1.0099 Canadian dollars at 5 p.m. local time (2100 GMT), compared with one U.S. dollar buying 1.0108 Canadian dollars on Friday. (PNA/Xinhua)
ALM

Chicago corn and soybean futures both climbed for the fourth session in a row on Tuesday, fueled by aggressive buying from fund and end-users, who were worrying this year's U.S. crop may turn out smaller than expected. Wheat eked out a 0.1 percent gain.

The most active corn contract for December delivery surged 23. 25 cents, or 4.2 percent, to 5.79 U.S. dollars per bushel. Earlier the price hit 5.8425 dollars, the highest level since August 2008. December wheat added 0.75 cents, or 0.1 percent, to 7.1 dollars per bushel. November soybean jumped 26 cents, or 2.3 percent, to 11.785 dollars per bushel.

Traders mainly attributed corn's rally to strong buying from fund and residual support from USDA's Crop Production report released last Friday, in which USDA drastically slashed corn production down to 12.664 billion bushels, carry-over down to 902 million bushels, which were much worse than most traders had expected.

"Corn futures had a record volume of 570,038, soybean futures also were hitting a record 366,792 contracts in the previous session," said Frank Lesh, an analyst with Future Path Trading.

Crude prices fell on Tuesday ahead of a meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

OPEC on Tuesday revised its forecast for growth in oil demand slightly higher for this year and next, saying that the world economy continues to expand at below-average levels.

The cartel, which is expected to keep quotas unchanged, is scheduled to meet Thursday in Vienna to discuss its official policy.

Light, sweet crude for November delivery fell 54 cents to settle at 81.67 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

In London, Brent crude fell 22 cents to settle at 83.50 dollars a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange. (PNA/Xinhua)

The U.S. government on Tuesday lifted a moratorium on deepwater oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico that was imposed after the BP oil spill.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar told a news teleconference that new rules imposed after the BP spill have strengthened safety measures and reduced the risk of another catastrophic blowout, and the government have decided it is appropriate to lift the suspension on deepwater drilling for those operators that are able to clear the higher bar that the government have set for safety.

"The oil and gas industry will be operating under tighter rules, stronger oversight, and in a regulatory environment that will remain dynamic as we continue to build on the reforms we have already implemented," he said.

The new rules include many recommendations made in a report Salazar released in May, including requirements that rigs certify that they have working blowout preventers and standards for cementing wells. The cement process and blowout preventer both failed to work as expected in the BP spill.

Under the new rules, a professional engineer must independently inspect and certify each stage of the drilling process. Blowout preventers must be independently certified and capable of severing the drill pipe under severe pressure.

Salazar said many observers will be displeased by the decision; some will find the new regulations "too onerous," while others will say the moratorium is being lifted too soon because deep water drilling remains too risk.

But the U.S. still needs oil and gas from the Gulf Coast, Salazar said, even as the nation transitions to a clean energy economy.

"The truth is there will always be risks associated with deep water drilling," Salazar said. "But we can and we will make the drilling ... safer than it has ever been."

The six-month moratorium was put in place following the explosion in April that destroyed a BP drilling rig and led to the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. It was due to run until Nov. 30. With congressional elections approaching, however, U.S. President Barack Obama was under intense pressure from industry and both Democrats and Republicans from the Gulf of Mexico Coast to end the work stoppage, which they said was costing the region thousands of jobs.

A federal report said the moratorium likely caused a temporary loss of 8,000 to 12,000 jobs in the Gulf region.

Canada's finance minister Jim Flaherty said on Tuesday in Mississauga that Canada remains on track to return to a balanced budget over the medium term.

He made the remarks after releasing an update of the government 's economic and fiscal projections."The fiscal projections set out in today's update show the Government's plan is on track," said Flaherty, adding that "for the first time since the global financial crisis, we are forecasting a balanced budget."

According to Flaherty, Canada's Economic Action Plan has underpinned a solid and enviable economic recovery, and Canada has recouped virtually all of the output lost during the recession. As a result, nearly 423,000 jobs have been created since July 2009.

The International Monetary Fund continues to expect that Canada will have the strongest average economic growth among Group of Seven countries over 2010 and 2011.

According to the average forecast of private sector economists, real GDP growth is expected to be 1.8 percent in the third quarter of 2010 followed by growth of about 2.5 percent over the next three quarters. While economic growth will continue, the private sector forecasters believe the economic recovery remains fragile due to current global challenges, including uncertainty in the U.S. economy.

"The uncertainty in the global economy means we must continue to keep our primary focus on jobs and growth," said Flaherty.

He stressed that the Canadian government's top priority in this year will continue to be the economy and the implementation of the Economic Action Plan.

For over a decade, the Canadian government's fiscal projections have been based on the average of private sector economic forecasts. The update maintains this approach.

However, in light of the uncertainty surrounding the global economic outlook, the average private sector forecast has been adjusted downward for fiscal planning purposes. (PNA/Xinhua)
ALM

The U.S. dollar slipped against major currencies in late New York trading on Tuesday as Fed's minutes showed new round of monetary easing policy was around the corner.

The Fed's minutes released after its latest meeting on Tuesday said it was prepared to take further moves to bolster the U.S. economy if needed. The euro traded around 1.3855 against the dollar before the release, but bounce to above 1.3872 after that, as investors expected the dollar would retreat due to Fed's action.

The European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council member Axel Weber acknowledged earlier Tuesday that the bond-buying program by ECB had not worked and should be scrapped. The euro gained slightly by his remarks.

Against the yen, the dollar kept on declining in most of trading session, barely above 81.75.

In late Tuesday trading, the dollar bought 81.88 Japanese yen, comparing with 82.07 late Monday, and the euro rose to 1.3914 dollars from 1.3891.

The British pound fell to 1.5778 dollars from 1.5886. The dollar dropped from 0.9637 to 0.9578 against Swiss francs, and dipped to 1.0109 Canadian dollars from 1.0133. (PNA/Xinhua)
ALM

Wall Street rose on Tuesday after minutes from the September meeting of the Federal Reserve showed the central bank was prepared to ease monetary policy.

Although the possibility of U.S. economy sliding back to a recession is small, the U.S. "output growth, and the associated progress in reducing the level of unemployment, could be slow for some time," the Fed said in the minutes released Tuesday.

The central bank said it was prepared to take further moves to jump-start the sagging U.S. economy if needed.

The Dow Jones average rose 10.06 points, or 0.09 percent, to 11, 020.40. The S&P 500 was up 4.45 points, or 0.38 percent, to 1,169. 77 and the Nasdaq composite rose 15.59 points, or 0.65 percent, to 2,417.92. (PNA/Xinhua)

Foreign portfolio investments posted net inflows of US$ 494 million in September, reflecting a substantial increase from the net inflows of US$ 225 million in August 2010, and US$ 47 million a year ago.

Registered investments amounted to US$ 1.4 billion while outflows reached US$ 929 million during the month.

Registration of inward foreign investments with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is voluntary. It entitles the investor or his representative to buy foreign exchange from authorized agent banks or their subsidiary/affiliate foreign exchange corporations for repatriation of capital and remittance of related earnings.

Net inflows reached US$ 1.4 billion in the past first nine months of the year, more than six times the US$ 229 million net inflow for the comparable period in 2009.

Registered investments aggregated US$ 7.2 billion, up by 53 percent compared to last year’s US$ 4.7 billion. Investments in Philippine Stock Exchange -listed shares of US$ 5.3 billion grew by 44 percent compared to last year’s US$ 3.7 billion level.

Major beneficiaries consisted of banks (23 percent), property companies (21 percent), holding firms and telecommunication companies (18 percent each), and utility( firms (11 percent).

The United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Luxembourg and Hong Kong comprised the top five investor countries, contributing 80 percent to total registered investments.

Outflows from January to September 2010 reached US$ 5.8 billion compared to US$ 4.5 billion in 2009 and were mostly withdrawals from interim peso deposits (IPDs). Sales proceeds of BSP-registered investments, including earnings thereon, may be placed in IPDs pending subsequent reinvestment or repatriation/remittance.(PNA)

pagka-swerte sa bana. samot mahubog ang asawa.

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. -- A horrified 8-year-old boy watched as an alligator ate his pet turtle at a Panhandle aquarium.

Colton Guthrie had donated his pet red-eared slider, Tomalina, to the Gulfarium in Panama City when she outgrew her home aquarium. Colton's mother told the Panama City News Herald on Tuesday that the family watched as Tomalina was placed in an exhibit with other red-eared sliders and an alligator.

Although the alligator had long ignored the other turtles, Brenda Guthrie said the gator ate Tomalina as Colton shouted, "Oh no, alligator, let it go."

The Gulfarium apologized to the Guthries' and gave them a special meet-and-greet with the dolphins after the Thursday incident. - source: wftv.com/news/25375062/detail.html

A 33-year-old man who fractured a friend's skull with a Calvin Klein cologne bottle said he acted out of self-defense.

Corey Tyshawn Green, who lives in Fort Walton Beach, was charged with felony battery for the Oct. 8 incident, according to his Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office arrest report.

Green and another man had been going to different night clubs when they got into an argument over women in the parking lot of Sammy's. The two got in a car and left together, but the argument continued.

About 15 minutes later, they pulled into a shopping center on Miracle Strip Parkway and got out of the car. They were still fighting. As the argument continued, Green went into his car, grabbed the bottle and threw it at the other man's head, the report said.

The impact caused a large laceration and fractured his skull.

After being read his rights, Green said that he had hit his friend with his fist.  Later, when he was told the doctor said it was a blunt object, he admitted it was the bottle, the report said.

source: nwfdailynews.com/news/bottle-33812-skull-cologne.html

FORT WALTON BEACH -- A 33-year-old woman who called her husband and demanded he bring home vodka was charged with battery, according to her Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office arrest report. Her husband did not bring home any vodka.

The woman called her husband on Sept. 8 to say she was home alone and had drunk all the vodka. She told him to bring her more or she would drive herself to the store.

He came home and took her keys away from her, at which point she took him to the ground and tried to get her keys, the report said.

He told deputies she also struck him, scratched him and kicked him in the groin.

She was charged with domestic battery. - source: nwfdailynews.com/news/home-33813-husband-vodka.html

Two decades after Latvia shook off Soviet communist rule, the country's women have survived the transition to capitalism better than men - they are better educated and are less likely to die young. But a high male mortality rate means for many women, it is hard to find a partner.

Dania and Zane are both single and have come to a cafe in the centre of Riga to chat about one of their favourite topics - the lack of decent men.

The two women are both 29, beautiful, stylish and well-educated, but it seems that in Latvia there are simply not enough eligible men to go round.

Dania has been working at a film festival where 98% of her colleagues are women.

"There's nothing wrong with that... but just for the good balance you would want to have some more men to flirt or chat with. It's just more interesting," she laughs.

"That's why all my friends have gone abroad and found boyfriends there," agrees Zane.

Stats:

Latvia's gender divide:

There are almost 9,000 more men than women in the under-30s age group
There are 3,000 more women aged 30-39 than men
The country has 8% more women than men
Women live 11 years longer on average, the highest disparity in the EU

more of this story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11493157

sa Philippine congress: assholes.

Bon Jovi - Bed Of Roses
Bed of Roses by Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi - I'll Be There For You
I'll Be There For You by Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi - Always
Always by Bon Jovi

Pwede Ba Maggama ug Tableya Shake Using a Blender?
I haven't tried this but I want to.

USA ka wa mailhing babaye namatay human nabanggaan sa usa ka boom truck sa dihang mitabok sa dalan didto sa Purok 8, Barangay Poblacion, lungsod sa Nabunturan, Comval Province, Martes sa buntag.

Sa report gikan sa Comval Province Police Provincial Office nasayran nga pasado alas 10:30 sa buntag, usa ka boom truck nga dunay plate number MOU-124 ug gidrayban sa usa ka Mnalio Carrasco taga Purok Ilang-ilang, Barangay Poblacion, lungsod sa Maragusan nagdagan gikan sa lungsod sa Maragusan padulong sa siyudad sa Davao ug sa pag-abot sa Purok 8, kalit lamang nga nabanggaan ang biktima nga mitabok sa dalan.

Nahiagum og grabing pangos ug bun-og sa kalawasan ang biktima ug daling gidala sa Nabunturan Doctor's Hospital.

Apan wa na kalahutay ang biktima ug nakutluan sa iyang kinabuhi samtang giatiman sa mga doktor.

Ang drayber sa truck mitahan sa iyang kaugalingon ngadto sa mga otoridad.

Kapulisan sa lungsod sa Nabunturan mihimo na og dugang imbestigasyon aron sa pag-ila sa biktima.

Ang kasong reckless imprudence resulting to homicide gihikay sa kapulisan batok sa drayber. (Marvin Pineda) - Sun Star

USA ka patay nga batang lalaki nga gisulod sa plastik napalgan sa daplin sa dalan niadtong Lunes.

Naukay ang katawhan human nahibalo nga may usa ka patay nga bata nga gilabay gahapon mga alas 7:45 sa buntag didto sa Corrales Extension, Puntod, ning siyudad sa Cagayan de Oro.

Si PO3 Camaloding Macmac, sa Police Station 5 (PS5) sa Macabalan, nga nahinabi sa Sun.Star Superbalita nibutyag nga dili na fetus ang ilang nakita atol sa ilang pagresponde kun dili usa na ka bata nga gituohang bag-o pang gihimugso sa inahan.

Kini human namatikdan nga duna nay buhok ug kumpleto na ang hitsura niini.

Ang mga residente sa dapit nakamatikod sa dili maayo nga baho hinungdan nga gisusi ang plastik nga mibabag sa dalan.

Giputos og lampin ang bata una gisulod sa plastik ug gibutang lamang daplin sa dalan, diin ordinaryong basura lamang kini kung tan-awon.

Si Kapitan Marvin Beja sa Barangay Puntod mohimo usab sa pagsusi kung kinsa sa ilang dapit ang bag-ong nagmabdos human ang midwife sa dapit nagtuo nga gikan pa gi-anak ang bata ug patay kini daan.

Gibutyag sa kapolisan nga bisan man kung patay na dihang gianak ang bata, dako gihapon ang tulubagon sa inahan human gilabay lamang kini ug wala gihatagan og saktong lubnganan.

"Ang mahitabo man gud kining uban mga ginikanan dili na magpa-prenatal kay gasto ug magdritso na lamang sa mga mananabang," butyag sa usa ka midwife. - Sun Star CDO

NATAPTAN og venereal disease ang lima ka mga menor de edad nga niakusar sa usa ka sakop sa Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) nga ning-abuso kanila.

Kini ang gibutyag sa usa ka tinubdan nga duol sa giingong mga biktima ngadto sa Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.

"It's been really horrible for them (the victims). They thought all the abuses had already ended with the arrest of the suspect," matud sa source.

Ang pagkadiskobre nga naangkon sa mga biktima ang sexually transmitted diseases (STD) nakapataas sa psychological trauma, butyag sa laing tinubdan.

Ang mga tinubdan niini pulos naghatag og hinabang ngadto sa mga biktima hinungdan nga naghangyo sila nga dili magpa-ila alang sa ilang seguridad.

Samtang si Regional State Prosecutor Jaime L. Umpa nikompirma sa pamahayag sa tinubdan ug niingon nga ang support group ang nagtabang sa mga batan-on sa ilang pagpatambal.

"They're still undergoing medication until now. Based on the medical examination, they have contracted STD," matud ni Prosecutor Umpa sa Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.

Ang lima ka mga batan-on una nang nipasaka og kaso nga eight counts of sex abuse ug two counts of rape batok kang Police Officer 2 Lonie J. Rementizo.

Si Rementizo pinaagi sa iyang legal counsel nga si Alejandro Jose C. Pallugna nihimakak sa maong alegasyon.

Nasikop si Rementizo atol sa entrapment operation gawas sa usa ka motel niadtong niaging bulan apan nakapiyansa og P120 mil alang sa iyang temporary nga kagawasan. (ALR/SSCDO) - Sun Star CDO

USA ka tinun-an sa Grade II ang nagpatabang sa iyang silingan human gilugos sa iyang uyoan sa Poblacion, lungsod sa Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

Ang biktima mao si Lara (dili tinuod nga pangalan), 8, ug kasamtangan nga nagtungha sa Tagoloan Elementary School kinsa wala nay mga ginikanan.

Nitug-an ang biktima sa iyang silingan kinsa maoy nagpahibalo sa maestro niini.

Ang magtutudlo nisaysay sa usa ka interbyu sa sibyaan sa radyo nga nakigsulti kaniya ang bata dihang iyang gipangutana kabahin sa nadungog niini.

Ug positibong gikumpirma ni Lara nga sugod pa siya sa Grade I gisugdan paglugos sa iyang uncle nga giilang si Antonio Sabio, 60.

Gisaysay sa biktima sa maestra niini nga adlaw-adlaw himuon sa iyang uncle ang pagpanglugos ug ang schedule matag alas 4:00 sa hapon dihang mouli na gikan sa tunghaan ang bata.

Bisan unsang matang sa sex giingong gibuhat sa suspetsado ngadto sa biktima.

Dili lamang mahitabo ang pagpanglugos sa adlawng Domingo tungod kay ang asawa sa suspetsado anaa raman sa puloy-anan ug dili molakaw. Nasayran nga ang asawa sa suspetsado adunay negosyo ug dili kanunay makita sa puloy-anan tungod kay gabii na nga mo-uli.

Wala na naagwanta sa biktima ang kasinatian tungod sa kakapoy nga adlaw-adlaw kining gibuhat kaniya hinungdan nga nagpatabang sa silingan.

Nasayran nga nagpuyo si Lara sa panimalay sa iyang uncle human ang amahan niini namatay sa aksidente samtang anaa pa siya gimabdos sa iyang inahan.

Ang inahan usab sa biktima kinsa igsuon sa asawa sa suspetsado ang namatay bag-o lamang niadtong nilabayng tuig hinungdan nga gisagop kini sa magtiayon. - Sun Star CDO

SAMARAN ang usa ka pasahero human giluba sa konduktor niadtong Domingo mga alas 11:30 sa gabii sa Mahayag, Puerto ning siyudad sa Cagayan de Oro.

Giila ang biktima nga mao si Herbert Pellerin, 23, ulitawo, taga Puerto ning siyudad.

Si Senior Police Officer 3 Bermel Alinas sa Police Station 6 (PS6) sa Puerto nga nahinabi sa Sun.Star Superbalita niingon nga gikan namista ang biktima niadtong higayona sa Barangay Agusan.

Nisakay si Pellerin sa Bugo liner.

Hapit na moabot ang biktima dihang mihangyo kini sa konduktor nga walay siyay ikaplete ug manaog na lamang apan nasuko ang konduktor ug gusto niining ipakanaog si Pellerin.

Nidumili usab sa pagkanaod si Pellerin ug padayon sa paghangyo apan nasuko ang konduktor ug kalit lang niining giluba si Pelleren gamit ang gituohang dala-dala nga kutsilyo sa suspek.

Matud ni Alinas nga wala nailhan ang suspek human nimando kini sa driver nga biyaan ang biktima ug nisibat.

Hinuon pipila sa pasahero nga apil sa nikanaog niingon nga mailhan nila ang konduktor kung makita pag-usab dihang mitaho sa PS6. Niini, padayon pang gipangita ning panahona ang suspek. - Sun Star CDO

Two out of every three Americans want to live to be 100 years old, and they expect science  to help  them  achieve  that  goal,  according  to  a 2001  survey on  attitudes toward aging and longevity conducted for the Alliance for Aging Research. Survey respondents believed  that personal actionsâ€"such as keeping a positive outlook, exercising  regularly, eating nutritious  foods, and keeping  stress  to a minimumâ€"were important to remaining healthy as they aged.

“[The survey] results indicate that Americans believe staying healthy in old age
is not just a mater of fate, but something they themselves can afect,” said Daniel
Perry, executive director of the Alliance, according to an article about the survey on
SeniorJournal.com. “Most Americans want to hit the century mark, but don’t view
living longer as an end in itself. Tey want to live with health and vitality and beneft
from the many scientifc breakthroughs now on the horizon.”

Those  expectations  aren’t  unfounded. Te Centers  for Disease Control  and
Prevention  (CDC) noted  in  its  report, Te State  of Aging and Health  in America
2007, that the three lifestyle factors of poor nutrition, inactivity, and smoking were
the root causes of more than a third of all deaths in the United States, and that these
factors underlie  the development of some of  the nation’s most prevalent chronic
diseases, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. Te CDC also found
that people who were 65 years of age or older were more likely than any other group
to eat fve or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

The 200 SuperFoods Tat Will Save Your Life is designed to be a one-stop nutri-
tional wellness  resource, providing expert, professional guidance on  choosingâ€"
and enjoyingâ€"nutritious foods as part of a proactive approach that can add years
to your  life. Te plan  is  realistic, emphasizingâ€"and encouraging you  to makeâ€"
small  incremental  changes  that  are  efective  and  contribute  to  long-term health.
None of the foods I’ve  included are esotericâ€"they’re all easy to fnd and easy to
include in your meals or snacks.

This book  is a Livitâ€"instead of a dietâ€"that will allow you  to  improve your
health without feeling deprived. How does a Livit difer from a diet? A diet includes xiv
a long list of what not to eat (ofen excluding whole categories of foods, as in the
no-fat and no-carbohydrate fads of the past 20 years) and restricts your daily caloric
intake  to  below  your  resting metabolic  rate. When  you  eat  less  than  your  body
needs for survival, your metabolism goes into a hibernation mode that increases fat
storage, causes water loss, and breaks down muscle and organ tissue. Tis is not a
good long-term strategy for healthâ€"or even for achieving or maintaining a healthy
weight!

A Livit is a way of life that you can follow for life. You do not need to deprive
yourself calorically or be self-denying  in your  food choices  to begin eating more
life-sustaining foods.

The foods in this book are organized into categories to emphasize balanced eat-
ing and what that really meansâ€"balancing carbohydrates, proteins, and fat sources.
Balancing these three vital classes of nutrients sustains your energy throughout the
day and helps stabilize glucose (sugar) levels, which contributes to preventing and
controlling heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Te specifc amounts of carbohy-
drate, protein, and fat per serving are stated for each food, based on the seventeenth
edition of Bowes & Church’s Food Values of Portions Commonly Used (1998).
We begin with the carbohydrate food sources (fruit, starchy vegetables, “true”
vegetables, grains, and most dairy) because they provide our bodies’ primary fuelâ€"
glucose. Our brain, muscles, and organs all require glucose to function, and carbo-
hydrates are the best place to get it.

Although many popular weight-loss diets are based on cutting carbohydrates,
this macronutrient is essential for optimal metabolism and health. When the body
does not get enough carbohydrates  from  food,  it has  to convert protein  into glu-
cose, which is a very inefficient process. This requires a lot of water, which can lead
to dehydration if you don’t drink extra to compensate. It also releases excess nitro-
gen, which the liver and kidneys must work overtime to process and excrete. A diet
that’s too low in carbohydrates can contribute to fatigue and put stress on the liver
and kidneys.

The bottom line is this: Eliminating food groups is not a healthy choice. Carbohy-
drates  are  essential. Choose  high-fber  carbohydrates, which  are more  nutrient-
dense and more slowly absorbed than the more refned, “white,” low-fber versions.
Whole grains and other high-fber carbs tend to include some protein too.
Vegetables  are  listed under  carbohydrates, but  their  essential  role  in healthy
eating is to provide vitamins, minerals, and fber. Tey are not a very efcient source
of carbohydrate fuel and need to be balanced with fruits or starches that will pro-
vide more energy.

The next chapter focuses on protein foods, which are the sustainersâ€"they pro-
vide  the materials  to  rebuild muscles  and  organs,  sustaining  us  in  the  long  run. Introduction
xv

Because they are absorbed more slowly than carbohydrate foods, they help provide
sustained  energy  throughout  the day. For  example,  fruit  takes  about  an hour  to
digest, whereas cheese or nuts, with their higher fat and protein content, take three
to four hours to digest. For sustained energy, have cheese or nuts along with your
fruit or other carbs. Te  fruit will keep you  from being hungry again  in an hour,
while  the protein  foods will  stretch  your  energy out over  the next  three  to  four
hoursâ€"definitely a more efcient use of your eating time!

A good rule of thumb regarding protein foods is to choose predominantly vege-
tarian protein sources. A number of studies have shown a strong correlation between
vegetarian and semi-vegetarian diets and a reduced risk of diabetes, cancer, heart
disease, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia,  age-related ocular macular degeneration,
colonic diverticula, and gallstones. Aim to limit meat consumption so that animal
protein plays a central role in, at most, one meal a day. If you eat a turkey sandwich
at lunch, try to have a vegetable protein source at dinner. (Although fsh is an ani-
mal protein, many types of fsh are low in saturated fat and are such a great source
of omega-3 faty acids that I do not count them against the meat total for the day.)
Fats  are our  satisfer. Te  third macronutrient  in our balancing  act,  fat  is  the
most slowly digested, keeping us satisfed longer and slowing the absorption of the
glucose in carbohydrate foods. Dietary fat is essential for hormonal balance, insula-
tion  of  our  skin  and  nerves,  and  healthy  skin  and  hair. Tese  dietary  fats must
include  essential  faty  acids, which help  lower  cholesterol,  increase high-density
lipoproteins (HDL) or “good” cholesterol, and lower triglycerides.

This book provides not only the nutritional content and special health benefts
of each  food, but also ways to  incorporate the  foods  into a healthier approach to
eatingâ€"from grocery lists to meal plans. Learn easy ways to increase your overall
health through food choicesâ€"increase metabolism and immunity, understand the
benefts of fber, discover what  to watch  for on  food  labels,  learn alternatives  for
coping with food intolerance and food allergies, and fnd out which foods have anti-
infammatory properties that may be the key to preventing disease.

The 200 SuperFoods Tat Will Save Your Life demonstrates the power you have
to be proactive and to make specifc food choices that will help you live younger,
longer. Read on  to unlock  the  secrets  to  increasing your energy, helping prevent
disease, and attaining optimal healthâ€"one bite at a time!

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Surigao

Virgox Travel Airways Agency
Amat cor., Rizal Sts., Washington Surigao City Surigao del Norte
Tel: (086) 826-8818

Sade Marketing
03765 Narciso St., Brgy Taft Surigao City Surigao del Norte
Tel: (086) 826-0259

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Ozamiz City

QSC Travel & Tours
Quality Shopping Center, Washington St., Ozamiz City
Tel: (088) 521-1525

ECL Travel & Tours
G/F Geeg Mall, Ozamiz City
Tel: (088) 521-3479

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in GenSan

Davao Importer & Distributor, Inc. (DIMDI)
J. Catolico Sr., Street 9500 Gen. Santos City
Tel: (083) 552-8336

Pacific Wide Travel & Tours â€" GES
Mezzanine Floor Gaisano Mall J. Catolico Sr.,
Street 9500 Gen. Santos City
Tel: (083) 301-7820

Skyteam Services Inc., - GES
Door #4 Philippine Champion Bldg., J. Catolico Sr.,
Street 9500 Gen Santos City
Tel: (083) 301-0083

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Dipolog City

Dipag Travel Agency
106 Bonifacio St., Dipolog City
Tel: (065) 212-6516 / (065) 212-8229 (fax)

Exceline Travel & Tours
Osmena St., Dipolog City
Tel: (065) 212-2426 / (065) 212-3482

Ramar Services â€" Dipolog
Gen. Luna St., Dipolog city
Tel: (065) 212-9005

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Cotabato City

Summit  World Cotabato
Roman Vilo St. Cotabato City

Cebu Pacifict Ticketing Office in Zamboanga City

Summit  World Zamboanga
Lantaka Hotel NS Valderroza St. Zamboanga City
Tel: (062) 993-1145 / (062) 993-1166 / (062) 991-3567

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Cagayan de Oro City

Summit World Cagayan
Hayes Ticket Office, Cagayan de Oro City
Tel: (088) 586-3936

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Butuan City

Marian Air Inc.
#044 Montilla Blvd. Butuan City
Tel: (085) 341-7519

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Davao City

Summit World Davao
2/F Victoria Plaza Mall, Davao City
Tel: (082) 224-0960 to 62

Trip Makers Travel And Tours
Gomez corner Cajurao St., Calbayog
Tel: (055) 209-4623

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Catarman Northern Samar

MARG Services
Del Pilar St., Brgy Mabolo Catarman Northern Samar
Tel: (055) 500-9041

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Puerto Princesa City

East Asia  Ticketing Services Inc
Puerto Princesa Airport Rizal Ave.
Extension Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Tel: (048) 433-5541 / (048) 434-8100

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Tagbilaran City Bohol

Tarsier Tours and Travel Services
Gallares Bldg. Graham Avenue Tagbilaran City, Bohol
Tel: (038) 235-3541 / (038) 411-3615

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Tacloban City

Summit  World Tacloban
Senator Enaje St. Tacloban City
Tel: (053) 325-7747 to 49 / (053) 321-9410

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Roxas City

Jonar Resources
Roxas City, Airport
Tel: (036) 621-0307 / (036) 621-4548

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Kalibo, Aklan

Jonar Resources
Toting Reyes St. Kalibo, Aklan
Tel: (036) 268-7264 / (036) 262-7249

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Iloilo City

Maves Services
Sm Branch, SM Iloilo
Marymart Shopping Arcade Iloilo
Tel: (033) 338-0585 / (033) 508-7144 / (033) 336-7817 / (033) 320 9284

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Dumaguete City Negros

Ramar Services
479 Gov. S. Perdices St. Dumaguete City
Tel: (035) 225-6850

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Bacolod City Negros

Summit  World Bacolod
Victoria Arcade Rizal St. Bacolod City
Tel: (034) 434-2021 to 23

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Downtown Cebu City

Robinsons Place-Cebu
F. Ramos St. Cebu City
Business Hours: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Daily

Skyliner Services-SM City
Lower G/F North Reclamation Area Cebu City
Tel: (032) 233-4983

Skyliner Services-Ayala Center
South Parking Area Cebu City
Tel: (032) 231-6808

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Lapu-lapu, Cebu

Cebu Airport Ticket Office
Mactan International Airport Lapu-Lapu, Cebu City
Business Hours: 1:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Sun / Mon / Thu / Fri
Business Hours: 5:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Tue / Wed / Sat

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Cauayan City

GD Travel and Ground Services
E&A Canciller Bldg, Canciller Avenue, Cauayan City
Tel: (078) 652-2719 / (078) 353-0207

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Occidental Mindoro

Gateway 21 Holidays - San Jose (Mindoro)
Liboro St. San Jose Occ. Mindoro
Tel: (043) 491-2134

Kendi Air Travel Agency - San Jose (Mindoro)
Burgos St., Brgy6, San Jose Occidental Mindoro
Tel: (043) 491-4745

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Virac Catanduanes

Gateway 21 Holidays - Virac
019 Sta Cruz St., Virac Catanduanes
Tel: (052) 811-1738

Golden Ace Resources Corporation
San Juan St., Virac, Catanduanes
Tel: (+63 52) 811-2788

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Masbate

Gateway 21 Holidays - Masbate
Masbate Lodge, Quezon St., Masbate City
Tel: (056) 333-2184 / (052) 487-5103

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Laoag City Ilocos Norte

Travel Ilocandia Tours & Travel
Ground Floor CF Bldg.,
#80 Gen. Luna Street 2900 Laoag City Ilocos Norte
Tel: (077) 770-5050 / (077) 770-4049 / (077) 771-1295 (fax)

Ticketing Office of Cebu Pacific in Vigan City Ilocos Sur

Caritas Tours & Travel
Rm. 32 Colegio Business Center
Nuevo Segovia St. Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Tel: (077) 722-21-41

Ticketing Office of Cebu Pacific in Sorsogon City

Gateway 21 Holidays - Sorsogon
Sorsogon Commercial Piot, Sorsogon City
Tel: (056) 421-5756 / (056) 421-55555 / (056) 211-2128

Ticketing Office of Cebu Pacific in Naga City

Golden Ace Resources Corporation
#2 Taal St., Mayon Ave.,
Naga City 4400 (Head Office)
Tel: (+63 54) 473-9669

Golden Ace Resources Corporation
Crown Hotel, Elias Angeles St., Naga City
Tel. (+63 54) 478-8933

Gateway 21 Holidays Naga
CBD Plaza Hotel, Near SM - Naga across Central Bus Terminal
CBD II, Brgy. Triangulo, Naga City
Tel: (054) 472-5777 / (054) 475-5202

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Albay

The Hubs A.T.O - POLANGUI
Bichara Commercial Complex Basud Polangui, Albay 4506
Tel: (+63 52) 435-1122 / (+63 52) 212-6589
Manila Line: (+63 02) 697-3693
Mobile : (+63 0919) 578-1199

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Legazpi City

Golden Ace Resources
Airport Site, Legazpi City
Tel: (+63 52) 480-9667

Golden Ace Resources Corporation
Casablanca Hotel Penaranda, Legazpi City
Tel: (+63 52) 481-2328

Gateway 21 Holidays - Legaspi City Airport
Airport Site, Mayon Airport Canteen,  Legazpi City
Tel: (052) 480-5055 / (052) 820-2121 / (052) 481-9147

Gateway 21 Holidays
Metroglass Office Peñaranda St. Legazpi City
Tel: (052) 480-5005 / (052) 820-5252

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Cavite

Robinsons Place-Imus
Level 4, Aguinaldo Highway Imus, Cavite
Business Hours: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Daily

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Palawan

RCL Ticketing Outlet
183 National Highway Brgy., 5 Coron Palawan
Tel:  (048) 725-4425

East ASIA Ticketing Services Inc.,
MOA Bldg., Brgy, Coron Palawan
Tel:  (048) 723-1224

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Pampanga

Pentravel Tours Phil.
2/F Clark Hauz Bldg., Bayanihan Park Clarkfield
MA Roxas Highway Balibago Pampanga
Tel:  (045) 625-6203
Fax No.: (045) 625-6208

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Angeles City

Supersonic Services Clark
Unit 106 Marlim Mansions, Balibago Angeles
Tel:  (045) 892-5397

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Makati City

Supersonic Services Makati
G/F, Collonade Res. C. Palanca St. Legaspi Village, Makati City
Tel:  (02) 840 2952 / (02) 893 9614

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Quezon City

Access Universe
#24 Bohol Avenue South Triangle, Quezon City
Tel: (02) 928-8911 to 12 / (02) 924-1348

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Mandaluyong City

Summit World Manila
Level 5, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
Tel:  (02) 631-2277 / (02) 6350775

Express Ticket Office
Terminal 1, Manila Domestic Airport, Pasay City
Business Hours: 4:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Daily

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Manila

Robinsons Place Manila
Beside Adriatico entrance
(in front of Malate-Adriatico Grand Residences)
Business Hours: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Daily

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in Pasig City

Robinson's Galleria
West Lane, Level 1, Ortigas Ave. Pasig City
Business Hours: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Daily

Cebu Pacific Ticketing Office in NAIA 3

T3 Sales Office
Level 3, Departure Hall,
Naia Terminal 3, Andrews Ave., Pasay City

How does an "alimatok" look like?

Why can't environmentalists just say "Father Earth"?

What do you like: a movie with a happy ending or with a sad ending?

By Gloria Jane Baylon

Forty-four percent of 1,200 adult Filipinos interviewed nationwide last month by pollster Social Weather Stations(SWS) has “high expectations” of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III keeping the promises he made in his first State-of-the-Nation-Address (SONA) last July.

SWS conducted the survey on September 24 to 27, which also indicated that 48 per cent said he is serving the interest of the poor and that 78 per cent was aware of his SONA.

Aquino is expected by the 44 per cent “to keep most/all of his promises in his July 26, 2010 SONA,” SWS reported on Thursday.

The same September survey found that his trust rating was at +60 per cent and he was evenly rated in all areas of the Philippines, across socio-economic classes and genders. This trust aspect of the survey was released by SWS earlier last Monday.

It noted that in comparison, only 19 per cent expected his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, to keep most/all of her promises in her first SONA on July 23, 2001.

SWS said this was reflected by a September 2001 survey.

Also,only 44 per cent was aware of Arroyo’s SONA in 2001. SWS also said that only 25 per cent in 2001 and 19 per cent in 2007 said Arroyo was serving the poor.

According to SWS, Aquino’s first SONA was watched live on television by 56 per cent, 15 per cent heard about it on TV, 9 per cent heard about it from other people, 8 per cent listened to it live on radio, 5 per cent heard about it on radio, 3 per cent read about it on the newspapers, and a few (0.1 per cent) learned about it on the internet.

Two questions were posed to respondents in Filipino language. One was: “In your opinion, how many of the promises of Pres. Noynoy Aquino can be fulfilled?” The other was: “Do you think Pres. Noynoy Aquino is serving the interests of the RICH, the MIDDLE CLASS, or the POOR?” (PNA)

At least 50 families were rendered homeless when a fire believed to be caused by faulty electrical wiring hit an informal settlers’ community in Barangay Bagbag, Novaliches, Quezon City Monday afternoon, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Text Fire Philippines (TFP) said.

BFP and TFP said the blaze, which reached Task Force Alpha, began shortly after 1 p.m. in one of the houses along Quirino Highway near Seminary Road. It was still raging as of 3:10 p.m. (PNA)

Art. II, Sec. 1 1987 Constitution: 

The Philippines is a democratic and republican state.  Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.

A democratic and republican government derives all its powers, directly or indirectly, from the people at large. Its essence is indirect rule.  Actual sovereignty is exercised by the people by means of suffrage.

MALACAÃ'ANG
M a n i l a

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 852 December 19, 1975

AMENDING PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 551

WHEREAS, there is a need to equalize the cost of fuel among those which are generating electric power for residential, commercial and individual uses and those manufacturing "city gas";

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the power vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and decree:

Section 1. Any provision of law or local ordinance to the contrary notwithstanding, the franchise tax payable by all grantees of franchises to generate, distribute and sell electric current for light, heat and power and for the manufacture, distribution and sale of city gas shall be two percent (2%) of their gross receipts received from the sale of electric current and from transactions incident to the generation, distribution and sale of electric current and of manufactured city gas.

Such franchise tax shall be payable to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue or his duly authorized representative on or before the twentieth day of the month following the end of each calendar quarter or month as may be provided in the respective franchise or pertinent municipal regulation and shall, any provision of the Local Tax Code or any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, be in lieu of all taxes and assessments of whatever nature imposed by any national or local authority on earnings, receipts, income and privilege of generation, distribution and sale of electric current and of manufactured city gas.

Section 2. Tariff Heading No. 27.09 of Sec. 104 of the Tariff and Customs Code, as amended, is hereby further amended as follows:

Tariff Heading No.   Description of Articles   Rate of Duty
27.09    Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude.
a. for use as fuel oils for the generation of electric power and for the manufacture of "city gas"   Ad Val. 10%
b. Others   Ad Val. 20%

Section 3. Sec. 106 of the Tariff and Customs Code, as amended, is further amended by inserting a new paragraph "b" and relettering sub-paragraphs (b), (c), and (d), thereof to (c), (d), and (e), respectively, the new paragraph (b) of the said Sec. 106 to read as follows:

"b. On Petroleum Oils and Oils Obtained from Bituminous Minerals, Crude Eventually Used for Generation of Electric Power and for the Manufacture of City Gas. On petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous materials, crude oils imported by non-electric utilities sold, directly or indirectly, in the same form or after processing, to electric utilities for the generation of electric power and for the manufacture of city gas, a refund or tax credit shall be allowed not exceeding fifty per cent (50%) of the duty imposed by law upon such oils, which shall be paid or credited under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Commissioner of Customs with the approval of the Secretary of Finance."

Section 4. All the savings realized by electric franchise holders from the reduction of the franchise tax under Section 1 and tariff reductions and tax credits under Sections 2 and 3, shall be passed on to the ultimate consumer. The Secretary of Finance shall promulgate rules and regulations and devise a reporting system to carry out the provisions of this Decree. Violation of this section or the rules and regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Finance to implement it shall be penalized by a fine of not more than P50,000.00 and imprisonment of not more than six (6) months. In addition, the Secretary of Finance may order compulsory price or rate reduction, which may be either prospective or retroactive in application. If the offense is committed by a juridical person, the manager or person in charge of the management of the business or affairs thereof shall be responsible therefor.

Section 5. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 19th day of December, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-five.

PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

Section 33. Programs and Projects - For a period not exceeding five (5) years, the National Government and the concerned departments and agencies shall provide the following programs and projects:

a. Tobacco Grower's Assistance Program - This program shall be utilized to support financially the tobacco farmers who may be displaced due to the implementation of this Act has voluntarily ceased to produce tobacco. To avail of this program, a beneficiary shall present convincing and substantial evidence that:

1. He or she has been a tobacco farmer for the last three (3) years prior to January 1, 2004;

2. He or she belongs to the tobacco producing provinces;

3. He or she has certificate of eligibility to apply issued by the local government Unit and the NTA; and

4. He or she has ceased to plant tobacco for the next preceding season after the enactment of this Act.

b. Tobacco Growers Cooperative.- This program shall promote cooperative programs to assist tobacco farmers in developing alternative farming systems, plant alternative crops and other livelihood projects. The requirements of subsection (a) shall likewise apply.

c. National Smoking Cessation Program - A National Smoking Cessation Program shall be undertaken with the approval of the IAC-Tobacco. The implementing rules and guidelines to reinforce this program shall be submitted to the IAC-Tobacco by the Secretary of Health within three (3) months after the effectivity of this Act.

d. Research and Development Program - The IAC-Tobacco shall establish a research and develop a program to be spearheaded by the NTA in cooperation with the DOST, which will undertake studies concerning technologies and methods to reduce the risk of dependence and injury from tobacco product usage and exposure, alternative uses of tobacco and similar research programs.

e. National Tobacco-Free Public Education Program.- State Universities and Colleges and technical and Vocational Schools shall provide scholarships programs to defendants of tobacco growers for which the administrator of the NTA shall provide implementing rules and guidelines. The guidelines shall be submitted to the IAC- Tobacco within three (3) months after the effectivity of this Act.

f. Displaced Cigarette Factory Workers' Assistance Program.- The Secretary of Labor and Employment with the concurrence of the IAC-Tobacco shall establish a program to assist displaced terminated/ separated or retrenched cigarette factory workers as result of the enactment of the Act. The Secretary of Labor in coordination with the NTA and DTI shall provide the rules as guidelines to effectuate this program and submit the same to the IAC-Tobacco within three (3) months after the effectivity of this Act.

g. Health Programs.- The IAC-Tobacco, in consultation with DOH, shall be responsible for awarding grants to all medical institutions for the purpose of planning, carrying out, and evaluating activities related to smoking-related illnesses. The IAC-Tobacco shall submit to Congress and President of the Philippines the annual report of expenditures related to this program.

h. Withdrawal Clinics.- The DOH shall establish smoking withdrawal clinics to provide counseling regarding the hazardous health effects of tobacco/ cigarette smoking and to rehabilitate smokers form the hazardous effects of such products.

If a smoker-minor voluntarily submits himself for treatment, counseling or rehabilitation in smoking withdrawal clinic located in any medical institution in the Philippines, or through the parents/ guardian, the expenses incurred shall be reimbursable outpatient service of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.

INFORMATION PROGRAM

Section 34. Informative Drive. - Consistent with the provisions of this Act, the DOH shall, in cooperation with the DepEd and with the assistance of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), undertake a continuous information program on the harmful effects of smoking.

The DOH shall enlist the active participation of the public and private sectors in the national effort to discourage the unhealthy habit of smoking.

Section 35. Instructions on the Hazardous Effect of Smoking as Part of School Curricula. - Instruction on the adverse effects of cigarette tobacco smoking, including their health, environmental and economic implications, shall be integrated into the existing curricula of all public and private elementary and high schools.

The DepEd Secretary shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the abovestated policy hereof, and, with, the assistance of the Secretary of Health, and with the approval of the IAC-Tobacco, shall cause the publication and distribution of materials on the unhealthy effects of smoking to students and the general public.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Section 36. Congressional Oversight Committee on Tobacco. - a Congressional Oversight Committee on Tobacco (COC-Tobacco) is hereby constituted which is mandated to monitor and review the implementation of this Act for a period not exceeding three (3) years. The COC-tobacco shall be composed of the Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Health , Trade and Commerce, Agriculture and Public Information and the House of Representative Committees on Trade and Industry, Health, Public Information and Agriculture and a Member of the House of representatives representing the tobacco producing provinces, to be nominated by all the Members of the House of Representatives from tobacco producing districts.

The Secretariat of the COC-Tobacco shall be drawn from the existing secretariat personnel of the standing committees comprising the Congressional Oversight Committee and its funding requirements shall be charged against the appropriations of both the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines.

Section 37. Implementing Rules. - The IAC-Tobacco shall promulgate such rules and regulations necessary for effective implementation of this Act within six (6) months from the date of publication of this Act. The said rules and regulations shall submitted to the COC- Tobacco for its review. The COC-Tobacco shall approve the implementing rules and regulations within thirty (30) working days of receipt thereof: Provided, That in the event the implementing rules and regulations are not promulgated within the specified period, the specific provisions of this Act shall immediately be executory.

Section 38. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement the provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the concerned national government agencies. Thereafter, such funds as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the budgets of the concerned national government agencies under the annual General Appropriations Act.

Section 39. Repealing Clause. - DOH Administrative Orders No. 10 s. 1993 and No. 24 s. 1993 are hereby repealed. Article 94 of Republic Act No. 7394, as amended, otherwise known as the Consumer Act of the Philippines, is hereby amended.

All other laws, decrees, ordinances, administrative orders, rules and regulations, or any part thereof, which are consistent with this Act are likewise repealed or amended accordingly.

Section 40. Separability Clause. - Should any provisions of this Act be subsequently declared unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 41. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette and at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved,

FRANKLIN DRILON
President of the Senate
   

JOSE DE VENECIA JR.
Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 1859 amd House Bill No. 5960 was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on June 3, 2003 and June 2, 2003, respectively.

OSCAR G. YABES
Secretary of Senate
   

ROBERTO P. NAZARENO
Secretary General
House of Represenatives

Approved: June 23, 2003

GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
President of the Philippines

Section 21. Restrictions on Advertising On The Internet And Similar Medium - Advertisement are prohibited on the internet and other similar medium unless that Internet site is restricted to persons eighteen (18) years of age or older. A site will be deemed restricted if a person cannot obtain access beyond the first page of the website unless the persons has established that he or she is at least eighteen (18) years old. This limitation applies to commercial communications and shall not prevent the use of company Internet websites to provide information regarding a company, its products and smoking and health related information. This Section shall prohibit business-to-business transactions conducted on the Internet, and other similar medium between tobacco manufactures, retailers and distributors.

Section 22. Ban On Advertisements - Beginning 1 January 2007, all tobacco advertising on television, cable television and radio shall be prohibited.

Beginning 1 July 2007, all cinema and outdoor advertising shall be prohibited. No leaflets, posters and similar outdoor advertising materials be posted, except inside the premises of point-of-sale retail establishments.

Beginning 1 July 2008, all forms of tobacco advertising in mass media shall be prohibited except tobacco advertisements placed inside the premises of point-of sale establishments.

Section 23. Restrictions on Tobacco Promotions - The following restrictions shall apply on all tobacco promotions.

a. Promotions must be directed only to persons at least eighteen (18) years old. No person below eighteen (18) years old or who appear to be below eighteen (18) years old may participate in such promotions. The participants in promotions must be required to provide proof of age.

b. Communications to consumers about tobacco promotions shall comply with the provisions of this Act governing tobacco advertising. In addition to the required health warning, the age requirement for participation in any promotion must be clearly marked on the program materials distributed to consumers.

c. All stalls, booths and other display concerning tobacco promotions must be limited to point-of-sale of adult only facilities.

d. Telephone Communications concerning promotional offers, programs or events must include a recorded health warning message in English or Filipino consistent with the warnings specified in this Act.

e. No placement shall be made by manufacturer, distributor, or retailer of any tobacco product or tobacco product packages and advertisement as a prop in any television program or motion picture produced for viewing by the general public or in a video, or optical disc or on video game machine.

f. The name, logo or other indicia of a cigarette brand may appear on cigarette lighters, ashtrays, of other smoking related items. If such name, logo or other indicia of the cigarette brand is larger than fifty (50) square centimeters, the item must carry a health warning consistent with the warnings specified in this Act.

g. No merchandise such as, but not limited to, t-shirts, caps, sweatshirts, visors, backpacks, sunglasses, writing implements and umbrellas, may be distributed, sold or offered, directly or indirectly, with the name, logo or other indicia of a cigarette brand displayed so as to be visible to others when worn or used. Clothing items must be in adult sizes only.

h. No name, logo or other indicia of a cigarette brand or element of a brand-related marketing activity, may appear on items that are marketed to or likely to be used by minors such as but not limited to sports equipment, toys, dolls, miniature replicas of racing vehicles, video games, and food. The manufacturer or company must take all available measures to prevent third parties from using the company's brand names. Logos or other proprietary material on products that are directed toward minors.

i. No tobacco advertisements may be placed on shopping bags.

Section 24. Naming Rights. - Subject to the provision of this Act:

a. No manufacturer may enter into any agreement pursuant to which payment is made or other consideration is provided by such manufacturer to any sports league, or any team involved in any such league, in exchange for use of tobacco products brand.

b. No manufacturer may enter into any agreement for the naming rights of any stadium or arena using a tobacco product brand name or otherwise cause a stadium or arena to be name with such a brand name.

Section 25. Restrictions on Sponsorships. Beginning 1 July 2006:

a. No sponsorship shall be provided for:

1) an event or activity which bears a tobacco product brand name, unless there is reasonable basis to believe that all persons who compete, or otherwise taken an active part, in the sponsored events or activities, are person eighteen (18) years of age or older;

2) a team or individual bearing a tobacco product name, unless all persons under eighteen (18) years of age or older;

3) a sponsored event or activity reasonably believed to be particular appear to persons under eighteen (18) years old.

b. Tobacco brand sponsorship shall be prohibited except where there is a reasonable basis to believe that:

1) attendance at the sponsored event or activity will comprise no less than seventy-five percent (75%) persons at least eighteen years of age or older;

2) the sponsored event or activity will not be of particular appeal to persons under eighteen (18) years old;

3) the sponsored event or activity will not receive exposure, other than as a news item, on television or radio or the Internet, unless such exposure complies with the provisions of this Act governing tobacco marketing through those media; and

4) the principal activity associated with the sponsorship does not require above-average physical fitness for someone of the age group of those taking part.

c. All persons authorized to bear tobacco product advertisement, logos and brand names at sponsored events shall be at least eighteen (18) years old.

d. All forms of advertising associated with or ancillary to sponsorship shall comply with the marketing provisions of this Act.

Section 26. Ban on Sponsorships. - Beginning 1 July 2008, cigarette and tobacco companies are hereby prohibited from sponsoring any sport, concert, cultural art or event, as well as individual and team athletes, artists, or performers where such sponsorship shall required or involve the advertisement or promotion of any cigarette or tobacco company, tobacco product or tobacco use, name, logo or trademarks and other words, symbols, designs, colors or other depictions commonly associated with or likely to identify a tobacco product; Provided further, That no manufacturer may register a tobacco brand name as a company name after the passage of this Act.1ªwphï|.ñêt

Section 27. Restriction on Sampling. - The distribution of samples of tobacco products to persons below eighteen (18) years old is prohibited.

Section 28. Legal Action. - Any legal action in connection with the tobacco industry shall be governed by the provisions of the Philippine Civil Code and other applicable laws.

IMPLEMENTING AGENCY AND APPLICATION

Section 29. Implementing Agency. - An Inter-Agency Committee- Tobacco (IAC-Tobacco), which shall have the exclusive power and function to administer and implement the provisions of this Act, is hereby created. The IAC-Tobacco shall be chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) with the Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH) as Vice Chairperson. The IAC-Tobacco shall have the following members:

a. Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA);

b. Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ);

c. Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR);

d. Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST);

e. Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd);

f. Administrator of the National Tobacco Administration (NTA);

g. A representative from the Tobacco Industry to be nominated by the legitimate and recognized associations of the industry; and

h. A representative from a nongovernment organization (NGO) involved in public health promotion nominated by DOH in consultation with the concerned NGO's;

The Department Secretaries may designate their Undersecretaries as their authorized representatives to the IAC.

Section 30. Application to Tobacco Products - This provision of this Act shall apply to all tobacco products placed into commerce in the Philippines. Except as provided below, no provision of this Act shall apply to tobacco products intended or offered by the manufacturer for export and not for (retail) sale in the Philippines.

Tobacco products intended or offered for export shall be subject only to the requirement that the shipping container shall be prominently marked on the outside "Export Only": Provided, that tobacco products which are marked for export, but are sold/traded or distributed in the Philippine market, shall be subject to immediate confiscation and destruction.

Section 31. Compliance Monitoring - Not later than one (1) year after the date of the effectivity of this Act, and annually thereafter, the IAC-Tobacco shall submit to the President of the Philippines and to both Houses of Congress a Compliance Monitoring Report on the compliance of the manufacturers on all applicable laws and ordinances with respect to the manufacture and distribution of tobacco products.

The report shall contain pertinent information on the methods, goals and implementation program of said manufacturers with respect to the requirements of this Act.

Section 32. Penalties - The following penalties shall apply:

a. Violation of Sections 5 and 6. - On the first offense, a fine of not less than Five Hundred Pesos (Php500.00) but not more than One Thousand (Php1,000.00) shall be imposed.

On the second offense, a fine of not less than One Thousand Pesos (Php1,000.00) but not more than Five Thousand Pesos (Php5,000.00) shall be imposed.

On the third offense, in addition to a fine of not less than Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) but not more than Ten Thousand pesos (Php10,000.00), the business permits and licenses to operate shall be cancelled or revoked.

b. Violation of Sections 7,8,9, 10 and 11 - On the first offense, any person or any business entity or establishment selling to, distributing or purchasing a cigarette or any other tobacco products for a minor shall be fined the amount of not less than Five Thousand Pesos (Php5,000.00) or an imprisonment of not more than thirty (30) days, upon the discretion of the business licenses or permits in the case of a business entity or establishment.

If the violation is by establishment of business entity, the owner, president, manager, or the most senior officers thereof shall be liable for the offense.

If a minor is caught selling, buying or smoking cigarettes or any other tobacco products, the provisions of Article 189 of Presidential Decree No. 603 otherwise known as The Child and Youth Welfare Code, as amended, shall apply.

c. Violation of Section 13 to 27 - On the first offense, a fine of not more than One Hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000.00) or imprisonment of not more than one (1) year, or both, at the discretion of the court shall be imposed.1ªwphï|.ñêt

On the second offense, a fine of Two hundred thousand pesos (Php200,000.00) or imprisonment of not more than two (2) years, or both, at the discretion of the court shall be imposed.

On the third offense, in addition to a fine of not more than Four Hundred thousand pesos (Php400,000.00) or imprisonment of not more than three (3) years, or both at the discretion of the court, the business permits and licenses, in the case of a business entity or establishment shall be revoked or cancelled.

In the case of a business entity or establishment, the owner, president, manager or officials thereof shall be liable.

If the guilty officer is an alien, he shall summarily be deported after serving his sentence and shall be forever barred from re-entering from the Philippines.

Republic Act No. 9211             June 23, 2003

AN ACT REGULATING THE PACKAGING, USE, SALE DISTRIBUTION AND
ADVERTISEMENTS OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the "Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003."

Section 2. Policy - it is the policy of the State to protect the populace from hazardous products and promote the right to health and instill health consciousness among them. It is also the policy of the State, consistent with the Constitutional ideal to promote the general welfare, to safeguard the Interests of the workers and other stakeholders in the tobacco industry. For these purposes, the government shall institute a balanced policy whereby the use, sale, and advertisements of tobacco products shall be regulated in order to promote a healthful environment and protect the citizens from the hazards of tobacco smoke, and at the same time ensure that the interest of tobacco farmers, growers, workers and stakeholders are not adversely compromised.

Section 3. Purpose - It is the main thrust of this Act to:

a. Promote a healthful environment;

b. Inform the public of the health risks associated with cigarette smoking and tobacco use;

c. Regulate and subsequently ban all tobacco advertisements and sponsorships;

d. Regulate the labeling of tobacco products;

e. Protect the youth from being initiated to cigarette smoking and tobacco use by prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors;

f. Assists and encourage Filipino tobacco farmers to cultivate alternative agricultural crops to prevent economic dislocation; and

g. Create an Inter-Agency Committee on Tobacco (IAC-Tobacco) to oversee the implementation of the provision of this Act.

Section 4. Definition of Terms - As used in this Act:

a. "Advertisement" - refers to any visual and/or audible message disseminated to the public about or on a particular product that promote and give publicity by words, designs, images or any other means through broadcasts, electronic, print or whatever form of mass media, including outdoor advertisements, such as but no limited to signs and billboards. For the purpose of this Act, advertisement shall be understood as tobacco advertisement.

b. "Advertising" - refers to the business of conceptualizing, presenting, making available and communicating to the public, through any form of mass media, any fact, data or information about the attributes, features, quality or availability of consumers products, services or credit.

For the purpose of this Act, advertising shall be understood as tobacco advertising. This shall specifically refer to any messages and images promoting smoking; the purchase or use of cigarette or tobacco trademarks brand names, design and manufacturer's names;

c. "Advertiser" - refers to a person or entity on whose account of for whom an advertisement is prepared and disseminated by the advertising agency, which is service established and operated for the purpose of counseling or creating and producing and/or implementing advertising program in various forms of media;

d. "Cigarette" - refers to any roll or tubular construction, which contains tobacco or its derivatives and is intended to be burned or heated under ordinary conditions of use;

e. "Distributor" - refers to any person to whom a tobacco product is delivered or sold for purposes of distribution in commerce, except that such terms does not include a manufacturer or retailer or common carrier of such product;

f. "Mass Media" - refers to any medium of communication designed to reach a mass of people. For this purposes, mass media includes print media such as, but not limited to, newspapers, magazines, and publications; broadcast media such as, but not limited to, radio, television, cable television, and cinema; electronic media such as but not limited to the internet;

g. "Minor" - refers to any person below eighteen (18) years old;

h. "Manufacturer" - refers to any person entity, including a re-packer, who makes, fabricates, assembles, processes, or labels a finished product;

i. "Package" - refers to pack, boxes, cartons or containers of any kind in which any tobacco product is offered for sale to consumers;

j. "Persons" - refers to an individual, partnership, corporation or any other business or legal entity;

k. "Point-of-sale" - refers to any location at which an individual can purchase or otherwise obtain tobacco products;

l. "Promotions" - refers to an event or activity organized by or on behalf of a tobacco manufacturer, distributor or retailer with the aim of promoting a brand of tobacco product, which event or activity would not occur but for the support given to it by or on behalf of the tobacco manufacturer's name, trademark, logo, etc. on non-tobacco products. This includes the paid use of tobacco products bearing the brand names, tradenames, logos, etc. In movies, television and other forms of entertainment. For the purpose of thus Act, promotion shall be understood as tobacco promotion;

m. "Public Conveyance" - refers to mode of transportation servicing the general population such as, but not limited to, elevators, airplanes, buses, taxicabs, ships, jeepneys, light rail transits, tricycles, and similar vehicles;

n. "Public Places" - refer to enclose or confined areas of all hospitals, medical clinics, schools, public transportation terminals and offices, and building such as private and public offices, recreational places, shopping malls, movie houses, hotels, restaurants, and the like'

o. "Retailer" - refers to any person who or entity that sells tobacco products to individuals for personal consumption;

p. "Smoking" - refers to the act of carrying a lighted cigarette or other tobacco products, whether or not it is being inhale or smoked;

q. "Sponsorship" - refers to any public or private contribution to a third party in relation to an event, team or activity made with the aim of promoting a brand of tobacco product, which event, team or activity would still exist or occur without such contribution. For the purpose of this Act, sponsorship shall be understood as tobacco sponsorship;

r. "Tobacco" - refers to agricultural components derived from the tobacco plant, which are processed for use in the manufacturing of cigarettes and other tobacco products;

s. "Tobacco Products" - refers to any product that consists of loose tobacco that contains nicotine and is intended for use in a cigarette, including any product containing tobacco and intended smoking or oral or nasal use. Unless stated otherwise, the requirements of this Act pertaining to cigarettes shall apply to other tobacco products;

t. "Tobacco Grower" - refers to any person who plants tobacco before the enactment of this Act and classified as such by the national Tobacco Administration (NTA); and

u. "Warning" - refers to the notice printed on the tobacco product or its container and/or displayed in print or alert in broadcast or electronic media including outdoor advertising and which shall bear information on the hazard of tobacco use;

HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT

Section 5. Smoking in Public Places - Smoking shall be absolutely prohibited in the following public places:

a. Centers of youth activity such as playschools, preparatory schools, elementary schools, high schools, colleges and universities, youth hostels, and recreational facilities for persons under eighteen (18) years old;

b. Elevator and stairwells;

c. Location in which fire hazards are present, including gas stations and storage areas for flammable liquids, gas, explosives or combustible materials;

d. Within the buildings and premises of public and private hospitals. Medical, dental, and optical clinics, health centers, nursing homes, dispensaries and laboratories;

e. Public conveyance and public facilities including airport and ship terminals and train and bus stations, restaurant and conference halls, except for separate smoking areas; and

f. Food preparation areas.

Section 6. Designated Smoking And Non-Smoking Areas - In all enclosed places that are open to the general public, private workplaces, and other places not covered under the preceding section, where smoking may expose a person to the other than the smoker to tobacco smoke, the owner, proprietor, possessor, manager or administrator of such places shall establish smoking areas. Such areas may include a designated smoking area within the building, which may be in an open space or separate area with proper ventilation, but shall not be located within the same room that has been designated as a non-smoking area.1ªvvphï|.ñêt

All designated smoking areas shall at least one (1) legible and visible sign posted, namely "SMOKING AREA" for the Information and guidance of all concerned. In addition, the sign or not posted shall include a warning about the health effects of direct or secondhand exposure to tobacco smoke. Non-smoking areas shall likewise have at least one (1) legible and visible sign, namely: "NO SMOKING AREA" or "NO SMOKING".

ACCES RESTRICTIONS

Section 7. Vending Machines, Self-Service Facilities - unless the vending machine has a mechanism for age verification, the sale or distribution of tobacco products to minors by means of a vending machine or any self-service facility or similar contraption or device is prohibited, except at point-of-sale establishments.

Section 8. Retailer Compliance With Respect To Self-Service Facilities. - Each retailer shall ensure that all tobacco-related self-service displays or facilities, advertising, labeling and other items that are located in the establishment of the retailer and that do not comply with the requirements of this Act are removed or are brought into compliance with the requirements of this Act.

Section 9. Minimum Age Sales - Under this Act, It shall be unlawful:

a. For any retailer or tobacco products to sell or distribute tobacco products to any minor;

b. For any person to purchase cigarettes or tobacco products from a minor;

c. For a minor to sell or buy cigarettes or any tobacco products; and

d. For a minor to smoke cigarettes or any other tobacco products.

It shall not be a defense for the person selling or distributing that he/she did not know or was aware of the real age of the minor. Neither shall it be a defense that he/she did not know nor had any reason to believe that the cigarette or any other tobacco product was for the consumption of the minor to whom it was sold.

Section 10. Sale of Tobacco Products Within School Perimeters - The sale or distribution of tobacco products is prohibited within one hundred (100) meters from any point of the perimeter of a school, public playground or other facility frequented particularly by minors.

Section 11. Sinage - Point-of-Sale establishments offering, distributing or selling tobacco products to consumers, shall post the following statement in a clear and conspicuous manner: "SALE/DISTRIBUTION TO OUR PURCHASE BY MINORS OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS IS UNLAWFUL" or " IT IS LAWFUL FOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS TO BE SOLD/DISTRIBUTED TO OR PURCHASED BY PERSONS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE".

Section 12. Proof Of Age Verification - In case of doubt as to the age of the buyer, retailers shall verify, by means of any valid from of photographic identification containing the date of birth of the bearer, that no individual purchasing a tobacco is below eighteen (18) years of age.

ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS

Section 13. Warning On Cigarette Packages - Under this Act:

a. All packages in which tobacco products are provided to consumers withdrawn from the manufacturing facility of all manufacturers or imported into the Philippines intended for sale to the market, starting 1 January 2004, shall be printed, in either English or Filipino, on a rotating basis o separately and simultaneously, the following health warnings:

"GOVERNMENT WARNING; Cigarette are Addictive";

"GOVERNMENT WARNING; Tobacco Can harm your Children"; or

"GOVERNMENT WARNING; Smoking Kills."

b. Upon effectivity of this Act until 30June 2006, the health warning shall be located on one side panel of every tobacco product package and occupy not less than fifty percent (50%) of such side panel including any border of frame.

c. Beginning 1 July 2006, the health warning shall be on the bottom portion of one (1) front panel of every tobacco product package and occupy not less than thirty percent (30%) of such panel including any border or frame. The text of the warning shall appear in clearly legible type in black text on a white background with a black border and in contrasts by typography; layout or color to the other printer materials on the package. The health warning shall occupy a total area of less than fifty percent (50%) of the total warning frame.

d. The warning shall be rotated periodically, or separately and simultaneously printed, so that within any twenty-four (24) month period, the four (4) variations of the warnings shall appear with proportionate frequency.

e. The warning shall not be hidden or obscured by other printed information or images, or printed in a location where tax or fiscal stamps are likely to be applied to the package or placed in a location where it will be damaged when the package is opened. If the warning to be printed on the package is likely to be obscured or obliterated by a wrapper on the package, the warning must be printed on both the wrapper and the package.

f. In addition to the health warning al packages of tobacco products that are provided to consumers shall contain, on one side panel the following statement in a clear, legible and conspicuous manner; "NO SALE TO MINORS" or "NOT FOR SALE TO MINORS." The statement shall occupied an area of not less than ten percent (10%) of such side panel and shall appear in contrast by color, typography or layout with all the other printed material on the side panel.

g. No other printed warnings, except the health warning and the message required in this Section, paragraph F shall be placed on cigarette packages.

Section 14. Warning On Advertising - Under this Act:

a. All tobacco advertising in mass media shall contain either in English or Filipino, the following health warning; "GOVERNMENT WARNING: Cigarette Smoking is Dangerous to Your Health."

b. For print and outdoor advertisement, the warning frame shall be centered across the bottom of the advertisement and occupy a total area of not less than fifteen percent (15%) of such advertisement including any border or fame. The text of the health warnings shall be clearly visible and legible, printed in a prominent color as approximate and shall appear in contrast by color, typography or layout with all other printed material in the advertisement. The warning shall not be hidden or obscured by other printed information or images in the advertisement.

c. For television and cinema advertisements, the warning shall be clearly shown and voiced over in the last five (5) seconds of the advertisement, regardless of the duration of the advertisement, even when such advertisement is silent. The health warning shall occupy a total area of not less than fifty percent (50%) of the television screen and shall be clearly visible, legible, and audible, in black text on white background or white text on black background. No other images except in writing shall be included in the warning frame.

d. For radio advertisement, the warnings stated after the advertisement shall be clearly and audibly voiced over in the last five (5) seconds of the advertisement, regardless of its duration.

Section 15. Restrictions On Advertising - The following restrictions shall apply to all tobacco advertising:

a. Advertisement shall not be aimed at or particularly appeal to persons under eighteen (18) years of age.

b. Advertisement shall not feature a celebrity or contain an endorsement, implied or express by a celebrity.

c. Advertisement shall not contain cartoon characters or subjects that depict humans or animals with comically exaggerated features or that attribute human or unnatural characteristics to animals, plants or other objects.

d. Advertisement shall not show, portray or depict scenes where the actual use of, or the act of using, puffing or lighting cigarettes or other tobacco products is presented to the public.

Section 16. Restrictions on Print Media Advertising - The following restrictions shall apply to all print media tobacco advertisements:

a. Advertisements shall not be placed in any printed publication unless there is a reasonable basis to believe that at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the readers of such publication are eighteen (18) years of age and above, and the number of youth who read it constitutes less than ten percent (10%) of all youth in the Philippines.

b. Advertisements shall not be placed on the packaging or outside covers (front and back) of a magazine, newspaper, journal or other publication printed for general circulation.

Section 17. Restrictions on Outdoor Advertising - The following restrictions shall apply to all print media tobacco advertisements:

a. Outdoor advertisements shall not be placed on billboards, wall murals, or transport stops or stations which are within the one hundred (100) meters from any point of the perimeter of a school, public playground or other facility frequented particularly by persons below eighteen (18) years of age.

b. Outdoor advertisements shall not, either individually or when placed indeliverate combination with other outdoor tobacco advertising, exceed seventy (70) square meters in total size.

c. Outdoor advertisements shall not be placed on taxis, buses, trains or other public conveyance or in stations, terminals or platforms thereof, except point-of-sale establishments.

Section 18. Restrictions on Advertising In Cinemas - Tobacco advertisements are prohibited in connection with the showing of any film where persons below eighteen (18) years old are permitted admission

Section 19. Restrictions on Television - Advertisements shall not be broadcast on television, cable television, and radio between seven o' clock in the morning and seven o' clock at night.

Section 20. Restriction on Advertising In Audio, Video And Computer Cassettes/discs And Similar Medium - No electronic advertisements shall be incorporated within any video or audio cassette, videogame machine, optical disc or any similar medium, unless access to the item is restricted to persons eighteen (18) years of age or older. For the purpose of this Section, video game includes any electronic amusement device that utilizes a computer, microprocessor, or similar electronic circuitry and its own cathode ray tube, or is designed to be used with a television set or monitor that interacts with the user of the device.

Nakasuway na ka ug Bajuok?

Cebu Provincial Board (PB) Member Arleigh Sitoy wants to amend the Provincial Women’s Code (PWC) to allow participants in beauty contests to wear swimsuits.

Sitoy, who has earned criticisms for his controversial proposed ordinances on chicharon and a special comfort room (CR) for gays, believes a provision of the code has often been understood to mean an absolute ban on the swimwear portion of beauty pageants.

Sitoy said the portion is supposed to be a highlight of beauty contests.

In a proposed ordinance he filed last Friday, Sitoy said Section 5, Article 1, Chapter III of the Code needs to be amended.

He said it should state beauty contests may include a swimsuit event, provided the contestants are made to wear uniform one-piece bathing suits, which will be pre-approved by an authorized body in the place where the contest is held.

The actual code said beauty contests, which tend to commodify, abuse, humiliate and treat women as sex objects, shall be strictly prohibited in schools, communities and barangays in the Province of Cebu.

But it encouraged that beauty contests should promote the strengths and potentials of women specially those that are related to culture.

Manila-based actresses Maui Taylor and Jennifer Lee last February asked for a public apology after Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia filed a case against them for violating the Women’s Code. They were in a bikini show in Bantayan Island during a Holy Week Celebration.

PB Member Agnes Magpale, author of the code, said there is no need for Sitoy to file an amendment.

She said what is prohibited are the skimpy bikinis that tend to project women as sex objects.

Sitoy said the swimwear portion of a beauty contest can be held under a legitimate set of rules and restrictions.

It can be held based on internationally-accepted standards on female grace and posture.

Sitoy said it is awkward that the towns are afraid to hold beauty contests because of the women’s code.

”I want to be attuned to the global standard. We should keep up with beauty pageants such as Ms. Universe and Ms. World,” Sitoy said. “Why can’t we be like them.” - PNA

(PNA/Xinhua) -- A shallow undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 jolted West Papua in easternmost of Indonesia on Tuesday, not potential for tsunami, the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency reported here.

The quake rocked at 17: 21 p.m. Jakarta time (1021 GMT) with the epicenter at 131 km Southeast Kaimana of West Papua and with the depth at 10 km under sea bed, an official of the agency said.

The USGS reported on its website that the quake was measured at 5.9 magnitude.

The Cebu City Government has set aside P80 million for environmental projects in its P900 million fifth supplemental budget.

Cebu City Councilor Jose Daluz, who chairs the council’s committee on budget and finance, said, aside from the P100 million for the city-wide asphalt storm, the proposed fifth supplemental budget (SB) will include funds intended for eco-management.

Daluz also said the next SB will cover P100 million for road concreting and P17 million for the purchase of uniforms for all barangay officials and employees.

For the environment, Councilor Nida Cabrera, who chairs the council’s committee on environment, said she has proposed to include in the next SB the purchase of several equipments for plastic trading and for the purchase of motorcycles with sidecars to be sued by the barangays to pick up biodegradable waste.

Cabrera said she also incorporated funds to support the continuing establishment of material recovery facilities (MRF) as well as composting sites in the different barangays of the city.

Cabrera said out of the 80 villages, there are 25 functional MRFs in the city. MRFs are used to reduce the amount of garbage brou8ght to Inayawan Sanitary Landfill and o remove the stench there.

City Treasurer Ofelia Oliva said they are still finalizing the source for the funds.

She said she is waiting for city Budget Officer Nelfa Briones’ itemized proposed expenditure for the SB so that she can identify the source of funds for the additional budget.

Aside from asphalt storm, road concreting, environment and uniform allocations, city Hall’s next SB covers also electrification and a waterworks system for the mountain barangays, P30 million for the City’s Hospitalization and Medical Assistance Program (Chap), P20 million additional funds for the renovation of Plaza Independencia and P8 million for the purchase of rice to be distributed to barangay workers.

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Himos Ka Ba Niadtong Baby Pa Ka?

May your tribe increase, Wolfpack! I hope more people will do like this.

The national police reiterated its call against barangay tanods posing as bodyguards of candidates in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Oct. 25.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Spokesman Senior Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr., said the PNP will closely monitor the tanods who will be serving as bodyguards and that they will be questioned.

“The PNP will not tolerate watchmen to engage themselves in partisan political activities,” Cruz said.

Last Sunday, PNP Chief Director General Raul Bacalzo issued the directive to all regional and provincial directors and chiefs of police to double its effort and conduct 24-hour checkpoint operations.

Bacalzo also ordered his men to expand its checkpoint operations and seek the assistance of the people from barangays as watchmen.

The barangay watchmen will help the police in securing checkpoints which will be installed in the barangays.

Meanwhile, Cruz said that at least 2,301 areas nationwide were placed as election hotspots for the upcoming elections.

By Gina Elorde
Tribune

The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday announced that there were decreased in carnapping cases in the country for the past eight months of this year.

The PNP-Highway Patrol Group (HPG) carnapping statistics showed that for the year 2010, a total of 612 cases of carjacking and car theft were recorded over an eight-month period from January to August.

Vehicles lost to carnappers include 334 motorcycles or 55 percent of the total number of stolen vehicles during the period.

Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina, HPG director in his report to PNP Chief Director General Raul Bacalzo said that 612 cases of carnapping recorded in January to August this year was 32 percent lower than the 911 carnapping cases reported during the same eight-month period in 2009.

Espina said the efforts of HPG to reverse the trend of carnapping and car theft cases involve proactive and preventive measures, including aggressive interdiction operations against carnapping syndicates.

The strategy resulted in the neutralization of at least 13 organized crime groups engaged in carnapping, more notorious among them were the Eduardo Bonifacio Group; the Ogie Dominguez Group; the Edwin Madrigal Group; and Charlie Lim and Boyet, ringleaders of the syndicate, were selling stolen cars in Northern Mindanao.

Anti-hijacking and anti-highway robbery operations by HPG during this year resulted in the neutralization of four hijacking gangs, including the dreaded Ching Gaza Group responsible for the hijacking of millions worth of assorted goods in Metro Manila and Luzon provinces.

By Gina Peralta-Elorde
Tribune

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) lauded the move of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) in throwing the petition for bail against two of Alabang Boys.

PDEA Director General Dionisio Santiago said the decision of Hon. Judge Juanito Guerrero, presiding judge of RTC Branch 204, to deny the petition for bail of the accused Richard Brodett and Jorge Joseph was right as it was based on “massive evidence” against the suspects.

In a 15-page order, Judge Guerrerro said, “wherefore, premises considered and finding the evidence adduced by the prosecution as strong to warrant the conviction of accused, for the offense charged sans presentation of evidence to the contrary, the petitions for filed both accused are denied for lack of merit.”

“This is another partial victory for the national anti-drug campaign. We are likewise grateful to the City Prosecutor’s Office of Muntinlupa City, represented by Assistant City Prosecutors Agripino Baybay III and Dale Liban for competently presenting our case in court. The PDEA Legal and Prosecution Service under lawyer Alvaro Lazaro will continue to work hand-in-hand with the prosecutors to ensure a complete victory in this legal battle.”

In a related development, the PDEA and cause-oriented anti-drug groups are closely monitoring the ongoing Motion for Reconsideration on the Petition for Bail of another Alabang Boy, Joseph Tecson that is pending before RTC Branch 227 in Quezon City under Judge Elvira Panganiban. This Petition was earlier denied by Judge Jaime Salazar on July 2, 2010. Judge Salazar inhibited himself from the case as requested by the defense.

By Benjamin B. Pulta
Tribune

A ruling by the Court of Appeals (CA) has given the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) the green light to evict several retired military personnel and their families from the Villamor Airmen’s Village (VAV), in Pasay City.

In a 16-page ruling by Associate Justice Mariflor Punzalan Castillo, the CA’s Fourth Division granted the petition filed by the BCDA seeking to annul and set aside the orders issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Pasay City which denied its motion to dismiss and dissolve the writ of preliminary injunction.

Concurring with the ruling were Associate Justices Josefina Guevara-Salonga and Franchito Diamante.

The Pasay RTC issued the writ of preliminary injunction enjoining the BCDA, the National Housing Authority (NHA), the Local Government of Pasay City (LGPC) and the Department of National Defense (DND) from evicting and padlocking the quarters of the concerned retired military personnel who are among the 192 families occupying the residential housing quarters located within that village.

The appellate court held that the trial court committed grave abuse of discretion in issuing the said orders considering that the issue involving the eviction of retired military personnel had already been settled in the first case for ejectment in civil case 799-99.

Such ruling, according to the CA, constitutes a bar to the litigation of subsequent suits, including the petition for declaratory relief that was filed by the retired military personnel.

The CA further noted that the parties in the ejectment case and the declaratory relief cases are the same.

“We are convinced that a finding in the declaratory relief case that the private respondents herein may not be evicted from the subject premises would be plainly inconsistent with the finding in the ejectment case that they are not entitled to the material possession of the residential units in question pursuant to the contract of occupancy they had executed,” the CA ruled.

Cambodia issued a warning alert on Monday to the public to be aware of heavy rain and winds within these few days in the country.

In an announcement, released Monday, signed by Lim Keanhor, minister of water resource and meteorology, it said within these few days, that is, from Oct. 10 through Oct. 13, a number of provinces, especially those lying along coastal area and several others in central part of the country will be affected by the heavy rains and winds.

It said those provinces and cities might include Koh Kong, Sihanoukville, Kep, Kampot, Kompong Speu, Kandal, Pursat, Prey Veng and Svay Rieng.

A preliminary report filed by Sihanoukville province showed that a number of houses and restaurants built along the beach were destroyed while several fishermen were missing due to heavy rain and storm occurred in the province on Sunday.

Cambodia is located in tropical zone in Asia and is rarely affected by severe storm, nor by earthquake and volcano. (PNA/Xinhua)

The BASIC countries in climate change talks of China, India, Brazil and South Africa on Monday urged developed nations to fulfill their obligations and help developing countries combat global warming.

The four countries called the developed nations to achieve significant emission reduction in the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, according to a joint statement issued at the ministerial meeting of the BASIC Group held here from Oct.10 to 11. (PNA/Xinhua)

By Danny O. Calleja

(PNA) â€" Commercial establishments, including public markets and sidewalk vendors, in the province of Sorsogon will soon be prohibited from using thin wrappers and single-use plastic bags.

The prohibition takes place upon implementation of the ordinance authored by provincial legislative board member Vladimir Ramon Frivaldo and unanimously approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) last week.

The ordinance seeks to penalize the use of plastic materials among commercial establishments in the locality.

The move to ban the use of plastic as wrappers in commercial establishments is “long overdue” considering the harmful contributions of this kind of material to the environment, Frivaldo said.

“The ubiquitous thin plastic bags are blamed for polluting our environment to the highest level. It chokes birds and fishes, clog drainage, canals, waterways to cause destructive or even deadly floods,” Frivaldo said in the resolution, copy of which he furnished the PNA over the weekend.

He said “an estimated 500 billion to one trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year and most, if not all of these end up as trash doing terrible thing to our environmentâ€"pollution of long term duration considering the fact that this material does not easily decompose nor it can be recycled”.

In the Philippines, government data indicate that plastic comprises 15 percent of Metro Manila’s solid waste, with food and kitchen waste accounting for about 45 percent, paper 16 percent, glass and wood 9 percent and other discards 15 percent.

According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), some 756,986 kilos of garbage were collected during the coastal cleanup operations in 2009, with plastic bags constituting 300,176 kilos or almost half of the retrieved garbage from shorelines and waterways nationwide.

Given the ill-effect that these plastic bags contribute to the environment, including a recent finding that the inks and colorants used in some of it contain lead, a toxic chemical, both the national and local governments have been slow-moving in undertaking measures against them.

“This ordinance, the first of its kind in the Bicol region will compel stores and similar commercial establishments in the province to do away with this kind of plastic bag as wrappers thus, reducing the release of pollutants into our environment,” he said.

The ordinance provides for penalties to violators ranging from cash fines of P3,000 to P10,000 and suspension or cancellation of business permits which means closure of operation of a commercial establishment, Frivaldo said.

Its implementation has been assigned to the local government units composed of this city, the provincial capital and 14 municipalities of the province through their respective Business Permit and Licensing Offices, he said.

Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes commended the move which he said goes by the recent “Global Work Party”, an ecological weapon against global warming of the Church and ecological groups seeking solutions to the climate crisis.

The Church and ecological groups' move pushes on the switching from plastic bags to bayong (native basket) as wrappers provided by the commercial establishments to shoppers to help in attaining the safe upper limit of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which scientists set at 350 parts per million (the current level being 390 ppm), Bastes said.

“We wanted to help in reversing the statistics and in stabilizing the earth’s climate by getting rid of plastic bags and shifting to the bayong and the Frivaldo ordinance will do a lot for Sorsogon insofar as this campaign is concerned," the bishop said.

Frivaldo, a grandson of the late Juan Frivaldo who served as governor of the province for eight terms starting in the early 1950s, is a neophyte provincial legislator who had assumed the role of a people’s watchdog in the provincial board. He belongs to the rank of fresh, young bloods among local political wannabes.

The former governor died at 86 in 2000 shortly before he could be reinstalled to his 9th term after the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) found out that he was the real winner in the 1998 gubernatorial race and not Raul Lee who was the one proclaimed by the provincial board of canvassers.

The elder Frivaldo was incumbent governor seeking relection during that election and believing that he was cheated, he filed a protest with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and recount of votes in contested voting precincts in the province showed him the winner. All the poll body could do to give him justice, however, was a decision posthumously proclaiming his victory. (PNA)

Vice President Jejomar Binay is expected to arrive in this resort island Wednesday at the invitation of the Philwater for its international conference on water resources management.

According to the itinerary of Binay's arrival, he is expected to arrive in the Kalibo International Airport from Metro Manila Wednesday afternoon and will be welcomed by Gov. Carlito Marquez and the League of Mayors (LMP)-Aklan Chapter.

He will then be proceeding to Malay town, but will have a whistle stop in Nabas, Aklan. After the stop, he will then proceed to this resort island to be welcomed by Department of National Defense Undersecretary Ding Domingo and Philwater officials.

The next day, Binay will grace the 18th International Conference on Water Resource Management at the Boracay Regency Resort here.

Binay will conclude his affair in this resort island with a lunch with Malay mayor John Yap together with the town officials and employees. The vice president will then be proceeding back to Manila after the luncheon meeting.

This will be the first time that Binay will visit this province after he won the vice presidency post last May election.(PNA)

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) expressed interest in adopting the city's regulations against littering and jaywalking nationwide, according to Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog.

The city strictly implements ordinances against jaywalking, littering and smoking.

Mabilog said DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo personally called him up and asked about the secrets of successful implementation of the city’s anti-jaywalking, anti-littering and anti-smoking ordinances.

“He wants to know how we were able to do it here in the city. Consequently, he also wishes to adopt these practices in the whole country,” Mabilog said.

The city government takes pride in the hard work done by Social Services Unit (SSU) teams in carrying out the regulations.

Mabilog said he would beef up the number of SSU personnel going around the city to ensure the implementation of the ordinances.

The agents of Iloilo City Anti-Smoking Task Force (ICAST), chaired by city councilor Joshua Alim, were also directed to strengthen their apprehension of violators.

At the start of Mabilog’s administration, he has ordered the intensified implementation of ordinances and to effectively carry out the law despite being branded as “cheerleader” by local media. - PNA, source

By Arlie O. Calalo
Tribune

The Joint Security Control Center (JSCC) in Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela) area has convened and threshed out measures aimed at achieving an orderly and peaceful Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Oct. 25.

The JSCC, composed of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Northern Police District (NPD), Department of Education (DepEd), the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and city treasurers, has been activated to monitor and supervise daily election activities and developments in connection with the upcoming polls in the northern part of the metropolis.

According to NPD director Senior Supt. Edgardo Ladao, JSCC’s co-vice chairman, the special body has agreed to initiate peace covenants among candidates which will be spearheaded by the respective city election officers and PPCRV.

At the same meeting, which was presided over by JSCC chairman Patrick Enaje and attended by members, including city treasurers and school superintendents, it assessed the threats that were previously recorded during May 10 polls.

“It was important that we have assessed those threats, may they be small or big, for reason that we all want to make sure that the coming barangay and SK elections in Camanava area would be peaceful and orderly,” Ladao told Tribune in a phone interview.

The JSCC pushed the sustained setting up of checkpoints in various strategic places, especially in densely-populated areas in Camanava, which it said have greatly contributed to the decline of crime-related incidents since its establishment last month.

Meanwhile, the city treasurers and school superintendents were in unison in planning out the delivery of election paraphernalia during the elections.

The JSCC, which tackled the strict implementation of all prohibited acts stated under the Omnibus Election Code, has likewise activated the “Eleksyon Tawag Center” which is primarily tasked to monitor the election-related activities.

Though there are no areas under watch as compared to other places outside Camanava, Ladao said they also discussed possible areas of concern like one barangay in Dagat-Dagatan, Caloocan City.

 The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has revoked the accreditations of seven private towing companies previously authorized to operate on Edsa and other major thoroughfares for violating guidelines for towing operations.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino also canceled the accreditations of 13 other MMDA-accredited towing firms and issued them one-month temporary permits while their operations are being evaluated by the agency.

“As of now, all previous accreditations are hereby cancelled. You will be given temporary accreditation, which is good for one month, pending a review of your records and performances,” Tolentino told towing operators during a meeting at the MMDA office in Makati City yesterday morning.

Of the 20 towing services licensed by the MMDA, seven, however, were denied temporary accreditations following concerns raised by various bus operators, who also attended the meeting, on the abusive practices of the towing companies.

Those were NJP Towing Services based in Pasig City; JGFC Towing Services in Project 6, Quezon City; Lard Towing Services, Edsa-Cubao, Quezon City; JEARLM Towing Services, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City; Road Eye Towing Services in Novaliches, Quezon City; CD3 Monde Towing Services, San Juan, Taytay, and Mac & Paul Towing Services in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

Unlike the 13 other towing firms, these seven towing firms will no longer be allowed to operate on Edsa and other major roads effective today, according to Tolentino.

Only seven towing companies, however, were actually issued temporary accreditations yesterday because the rest were not represented at the meeting.

Under MMDA Ordinance No. 78-03, only towing companies accredited by the MMDA are allowed to operate along major thoroughfares. There have been 20 private towing companies licensed by the MMDA as of this year.

Tolentino advised the owners of the seven towing firms who were denied the one-month temporary accreditation to show good basis for their re-accreditation.

The MMDA chairman summoned the 20 towing firms and the various bus companies to put a stop to the illegal practices of these towing services, such as exorbitant fees being charged to towed or impounded buses and private vehicles. - Tribune