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By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

Claims by spas that "lipodissolve" injections can melt away fat are unsubstantiated and the procedures' safety also remains in question, according to warning letters issued Wednesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA warned six U.S. based medical spas and a Brazilian company to stop making false claims about the drugs used in these procedures.

Sold on the Internet and used by some spas, lipodissolve is a procedure that its proponents claim will eliminate fat. U.S. companies claim that the drugs used in the procedure are safe and effective, but these products have never been approved by the FDA, the agency said.

"We are concerned that these companies are misleading consumers," Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a prepared statement. "It is important for anyone who is considering this voluntary procedure to understand that the products used to perform lipodissolve procedures are not approved by the FDA for fat removal."

Lipodissolve involves several injections that supposedly dissolve and remove small pockets of fat from areas of the body.

Lipodissolve is also known as mesotherapy, lipozap, lipotherapy, or injection lipolysis. The drugs most often used are combinations of phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholate.

By Beverly T. Natividad
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The Shangri-la Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City was temporarily closed to customers on Saturday following a fire in its basement the night before.

The mall management was unavailable for comment as the mall offices were closed on Saturday but employees of its sister company, the EDSA Shangri-la Hotel, said that they were asked to tell hotel guests that usually frequent the adjacent mall that the establishment was to remain closed for the day.

EDSA Shangri-la Hotel duty manager Maricar de Ocampo told the Inquirer that Shangri-la's mall management had not given any reason for the temporary closure and had not advised them on when the mall is due to reopen.

"They only said to wait for further notice," said De Ocampo.

Fire broke out in the basement stockroom of Rustan’s at the Shangri-la Plaza Mall on EDSA corner Shaw Boulevard at 10:30 p.m. Friday, prompting mall security to evacuate tenants and moviegoers.

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PHP788 - Manila to/from Bacolod, Cebu, Dipolog, Iloilo; Cebu to/from Davao
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Travel Dates: April 27 to May 31, 2010

Regional (rountrip from Manila)
USD300 - Brisbane
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A sexually abused former US boy scout has been awarded punitive damages of $18.5m (£12m) at a trial which cast light on the organisation's workings.

The order against the Boy Scouts of America for negligence was made by an Oregon jury. It is on top of an earlier award of $1.4m in compensatory damages.

Kerry Lewis, now 38, was abused by an assistant scoutmaster in the 1980s.

The BSA was planning to appeal against the court verdict, insisting it had always stood against child abuse.

During the trial, lawyers won the right of access to the Boy Scouts' secret files on suspected sexual predators.

These documents, formally known as "ineligible volunteer" files and nicknamed the "perversion files", have been compiled for nearly a century, since the organisation was formed.

They were kept under lock and key at BSA headquarters in Irving, Texas, and the organisation argued in court that its system was put to good use, quietly keeping out molesters for decades.

But Mr Lewis's lawyers argued that the BSA should have brought the files out into the open decades ago, and the Oregon Supreme Court ruled that jurors should be allowed to see about 1,000 of the files, from 1965-85. - BBC

Tell us about it...

The Philippine Airlines (PAL) is supposed to surprise us with its latest plane ticket gimmick. But as of midnight (April 25), PAL's website has this message: 503 Service Temporarily Unavailable.

Shane Mosley: Greatest Hits
The Best of Sugar Shane Mosley Fights

HBO Boxing: Mayweather vs. Mosley - Game Plan (HBO)
Floyd Mayweather vs Sugar Shane Mosley Countdown

By Carmela Reyes-Estrope
Central Luzon Desk

Ballsy Aquino-Cruz said the Aquino family has asked youngest sister, Kris Aquino-Yap, to take a leave of absence from her daily television soap so she could join the campaign rallies of their brother, Senator Benigno Aquino III, in the last two weeks of the campaign.

They asked Kris if it would be possible that her character in the television drama "Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo" could be "killed" but she said this was not possible.

Instead, Ballsy said, Kris told them that her character would meet an accident and would be hospitalized, requiring lighter taping schedules that would allow her to join the stumps around the country.

Ballsy said they wanted Kris on the campaign trail because people always look for her.

"Kung dati every other day lang makapag-campaign si Kris, ngayon po after ng palabas sa teleserye niya na maaksidente… at mawawala muna siya pansamantala sa palabas, magiging madalas o araw-araw na po siya makapag-campaign for Noynoy (It used to be that Kris would join the campaign every other day. Now, after the episode in her TV soap, where she would meet an accident and would be hospitalized, is shown, she will be able to campaign for Noynoy frequently or every day)," she said.

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ADVICE FROM A  RETIRED HUSBAND:

It is important for men to remember that as women grow older, it becomes harder for them to maintain the same quality of housekeeping as when they were younger.  When you notice this, try not to yell at them.  Some are oversensitive, and there's nothing worse than an oversensitive woman.

My name is Carlos.  Let me relate how I handled the situation with my wife, Annie.  When I retired a few  years ago, it became necessary for Annie to get a full-time job along with her part-time job, both for extra income and for the health benefits that we needed.  Shortly after she started working I noticed she was beginning to show her age.  I usually get home from the golf club about the same time she gets home from work.

Although she knows how hungry I am, she almost always says she has to rest for half an hour or so before she starts dinner.  I don't yell at her.  Instead, I tell her to take her time and just wake me when she gets dinner on the  table.  I generally have lunch in the men’s club at the club so eating out is not reasonable.  I'm ready for some home-cooked grub when I hit that door.



She used to do the dishes as soon as we finished eating, but now it's not unusual for them to sit on the table for several hours after dinner.  I do what I can by diplomatically reminding her several times each evening that they won't clean themselves.  I know she really appreciates this, as it does seem to motivate her to get them done before she goes to bed.
Another symptom of aging is complaining.  I  think.   For example she will say that it is difficult for her to find time to pay the monthly bills during her lunch hour.  But, boys, we take 'em for better or worse, so I just smile and offer encouragement.  I tell her to stretch it out over two or even three  days.  That way she won't have to rush so much.  I also remind her that missing lunch completely now and then wouldn't hurt her any -- if you know what I mean.  I like to think tact is one of my  strong points.

When doing simple jobs, she seems to think she needs more rest periods.  She had to take a break when she was only half-finished mowing the yard.  I try not to make a scene.  I'm a fair man.  I tell her to fix herself a nice, big, cold glass of freshly squeezed lemonade and just sit for a while.  And, as long as she is making one for herself, she  may as well make one for me too.

I know that I probably look like a saint in the way I support Annie.  I'm not saying that showing this much consideration is easy.  Many men will find it difficult.  Some will find it impossible!  Nobody knows better than I do how frustrating women get as they get older.  However, guys, even if you just use a little more tact and less criticism of your aging wife because of this article, I will  consider that writing it was well worthwhile.  After all, we are put on this earth to help each other.

Signed,
Carlos   


EDITOR'S NOTE:
Carlos died suddenly on February 7 of a  perforated colon.  The police report says he was found with a  Calloway extra-long 50-inch Big Bertha Driver II golf club jammed up his rear end, with barely 5 inches of grip showing, and a  sledge hammer laying nearby.  His wife, Annie, was arrested and  charged with murder.  The all-woman jury took only 10 minutes to find her Not Guilty, accepting her defense that Carlos, somehow without looking, accidentally sat down on his golf club.

Carlos Valenzuela
Wichita Falls, Texas
" Life is a three step process - Man - Moment- MINI!"

Belgium plunged into political crisis on Thursday as Prime Minister Yves Leterme threw in the towel after a key Flemish party quit his coalition government two months before the country assumes the EU chair.

The situation was in flux, however, as the Belgian king delayed a decision on whether to accept Leterme's resignation saying a political crisis would "seriously threaten" the country's role in Europe.

Leterme's decision to offer his resignation was forced when his Flemish liberal allies, the Open VLD, quit the five-party coalition earlier Thursday over a long-running row between the country's Dutch-speaking and francophone communities over electoral rules in flashpoint suburbs of Brussels.

Flemish Christian democrat Leterme informed King Albert II of his decision to quit, after just five months at the helm, from the job he inherited from predecessor Herman Van Rompuy who left to become the first EU president.

Belgium is fiercely proud of the role of Brussels as 'the capital of Europe' where the EU's main institutions have their headquarters. - afp

Comedienne Eugene Domingo said she is also thinking of getting married in the future.

“Gusto ko rin maglakad naman sa gitna kasi naiiyak talaga ako kapag may naglalakad na bride tapos sinasalubong ng groom,” said Domingo, who is set to star in a film titled "Here Comes The Bride."

“Dumating naman ang pagkakataon na nangarap naman akong ikasal… kahit nga bakla iniintay ‘yon,” she teasingly said.

For now though, the 38-year-old veteran comedianne is happy being single.

"Here Comes The Bride" also stars Tuesday Vargas, Cherry Pie Picache and Angelica Panganiban. The movie will be screened in June of this year.-SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon

GIKUMOT-KUMOT BY KANTEEN

Baleleng ( Visaya version )

Igo na day - Max surban
Igo Na Day by Max Surban

MAX SURBAN - Pasayawa Ko Day
Pasayawa Ko Day

Inday Consing by: Max Surban
kay miadto ka sa Olongapo...

pagkaluoy sa Bohol. Billions of money lost. But a lot of praise release.

Air traffic in Europe should be back to "almost 100%" on Thursday, after six days of unprecedented travel chaos, the air traffic agency Eurocontrol says.

Airlines resumed services across Europe on Wednesday, with most scheduled flights going ahead.

But tens of thousands remain stranded around the world after ash from an Icelandic volcano caused the shutdown.

The airline industry says it has lost $1.7bn (£1.1bn) and has called for compensation from European governments.

BBC News - Air travel 'to return to normal' after volcano chaos

France's justice minister has called for legal action to be taken against a man who was photographed wiping his bottom with the French flag.

Michel Alliot-Marie said it was unacceptable for the Tricolour to be insulted in this way, and called for those responsible to be prosecuted.

Her response came after the photograph was displayed in a competition run by the media retailer, FNAC.

The image won a special mention in the "politically incorrect" category.

Taken on the street, the photograph shows a man seen from behind: his trousers are around his ankles and he is apparently wiping his bottom with a French flag. - BBC

Police in India say a controversial Hindu holy man facing charges of obscenity has been arrested.

Nithyananda Swami was detained in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh where police said he had been hiding.

The guru stepped down last month as head of a religious organisation based in the southern city of Bangalore.

His announcement came after a video apparently showing him engaging in sexual acts with two women. He says he is innocent and the video is a fake.

Nithyananda Swami has a huge following in southern India and his mission has branches in several countries, including the US and Europe. - BBC

Deadline: End of the month, nat-cast

18 Hello, Garci II
That's why we have an illegitimate president... period.

A Colombian cardinal has been dropped as the main celebrant of a special Mass this week in Washington, following protests by Church abuse victims.

Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos was to preside over a Latin Mass at the National Basilica marking the fifth anniversary of the Pope's inauguration.

Abuse victims had complained that the cardinal praised a French bishop for not denouncing a paedophile priest.

Pope Benedict earlier publicly promised action to deal with the abuse scandal.

Speaking during an audience in St Peter's Square in Rome, he recalled how he had shared the suffering of victims during a visit to Malta.

But the Pope did not go into details about what action he planned.

Saturday's Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception has been three years in the planning. - BBC

from the Bohol Chronicle

Presidentiable Sen. Manny Villar is finally arriving at 9 o'clock this morning after several postponements of his previous scheduled visits here.

The senator who is the standard bearer of the Nacionalista Party will proceed for radio visits of the city's radio stations before meeting the local group of the Nacionalista Party at Bohol Tropics.
   
Gubernatorial bet Vice Gov. Julius Herrera and running mate Atty. Tomas Abapo Jr. will welcome Sen. Villar at the party meeting this morning. Villar is also slated to meet the members of the local media at the Bohol Tropics.

It could not be certain if Gov. Erico Aumentado, a known ally of Sen. Villar will meet with the senator in a private meeting. Aumentado, who is Lakas-Kampi-CMD official bet for congressman in the second district continues to banner his full support to presidentiable Gibo Teodoro in all public rallies.

By 2 o'clock this afternoon, he will do a caravan around the city's main streets.

He will fly by chopper to Carmen for a town campaign hosted by Carmen reelectionist Mayor Boy Molina.

From Carmen, he will fly by chopper back to the city en route to his next stop which is Dumaguete City.

By Bohol Chronicle

Police Senior Supt. Anthony Obenza vacated his post as provincial director of the Phil. National Police (PNP) in Bohol after a turnover ceremony was held Monday night at Camp Sergio Osmena in Cebu City.

Obenza told the Chronicle last night that he ended his short term as Bohol PNP superintendent following orders from higher headquarters.
       
Police Senior Supt. Rodolfo Llorca arrived here last night on board the last trip from Cebu City to assume the post vacated by Col. Obenza.

The turnover ceremony in Cebu City was officiated by PNP Regional Director Lani-O Nerez.

The assumption of Col. Llorca even as a motion for the issuance of a temproary restraining order (TRO) was re-raffled yesterday to RTC Judge Suceso Arcamo.

Arcamo, when interviewed yesterday said "if the turnover was done already, then there is nothing to be restrained."

The assumption of Col. Llorca as the new Bohol PNP chief came despite objection from Gov. Erico Aumentado who wanted Obenza to remain in post due to ongoing operations especially in the monitoring of some armed elements who reportedly arrived in the province to operate for certain candidates in the May polls.

Col. Llorca will report this morning for his first day in office at Camp Dagohoy.

By the Bohol Chronicle

Three inmates of the Bohol District Jail managed to escape in the middle of their gardening activity while jail guards were holding a meeting at the detention center past 4 o'clock last Sunday afternoon.

Jail Warden Felixberto Jagorin Jr. identified the escapees as Cayo "Dodong" Olandria, Enrico Melencion and Julito Gamolo.
       
Jagorin issued a province-wide alert through PNP Prov'l Director Anthony Obenza who immediately issued the alarm to the 47 PNP stations in the province.

Jagorin immediately ordered a cordon around the borders of Cabawan District, but the trio managed to slip the team which conducted the manhunt. He is confident the three have not gone far yet and are just hiding in some caves in the vast land at the back of the jail compound.

Jagorin called on the public and the media to help monitor the presence of the jail watch for the three.

Meanwhile, a P50,000 reward was announced last Monday for whoever can give information that would lead to the arrest of the escapees.

Being members of the Batman gang, a group organized inside the jail, the three have tattoos on their buttocks.

Olandria, 31, who stands 5'7'' and weighs 55 kilos, have tattoos all over his body including his face with the mark 666 on his ear and forehead.
         
Olandria, a resident of Ubay, is facing charges of rape, and it is his third time to escape from jail- -once when he was still detained in Carmen municipal police lock-up jail before he was turned over to BDJ.

Jagorin said Olandria had been requesting to be transferred to Carmen, but authorities disapproved it.

Gamolo, stands 5'3" and weighs 57 kilos and hails from Dimiao, though he had been residing in barangay Ilijan, Inabanga with his live-in partner. He is facing charges of rape and robbery.

Gamolo has tattoos on his back, chest, right leg and ear. He also has a mole on the lower part of the forehead between his eyes.

Melencion, 20, a CAFGU member in his hometown in Buenavista, was still a minor when charged of murder. He has scar on his neck.

Jagorin said that the CCCTV camera showed that they wore sweatshirts to hide their tattoos.

He said three jail guards were absent that day, leaving the 3rd outpost unguarded.

The inmates might have noticed it, because they escaped between the 3rd and 5th outpost.

The 3rd outpost had been entrusted to the main sentinel.

Jagorin said that when he took over the then Bohol Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), he had advocated the therapeutic approach rather than the punitive.

Jagorin said that the three escapees when recaptured will be placed in an isolation cell inside the district jail.

By Niña Calleja
Philippine Daily Inquirer

On Tuesday night, Mayor Eulalio Alilio of Lemery, Batangas, went to the police to report that he lost P100,000 in cash and valuables, including two firearms, to thieves who smashed the window of his Ford Expedition while it was parked in front of a restaurant on Macapagal Avenue, Pasay City.

Senior Supt. Raul Petrasanta, Pasay police chief, said the robbery took place between 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in front of Hong Tai Yang restaurant.

The mayor told the police that he lost his clutch bag which contained P80,000 in cash and a cell phone. Also stolen were a laptop computer, a cal. .40 firearm and a Colt .45 pistol along with the gun permits, he added.

Petrasanta said the robbery occurred while Alilio and his bodyguards were eating at the restaurant.

He added that the mayor and his men were seated far away from their parked vehicle and did not hear or see anything unusual.

They noticed, however, that a white van parked beside their vehicle as a woman and her child walked around the parking lot.

After a few minutes, the woman left, taking the child with her as the van drove off.

The police, meanwhile, said the robbers probably used the van and the woman and child as distractions.

By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net

Senator Manuel “Mar Roxas II is not desperate for the support of the prominent Ampatuan clan for his vice presidential bid, a Liberal Party (LP) official said on Tuesday.

“This is pure foolishness and sheer falsehood. Senator Roxas is not desperate to seek the support of the Ampatuan cheating machinery in Maguindanao,” LP campaign manager Florencio “Butch” Abad said in a statement.

“Mar will never be in cahoots with the perpetuators of the Maguindanao Massacre, especially since he and Senator Noynoy Aquino led the Liberal Party in condemning the gruesome massacre and their call for justice for the 57 victims,” he said.

Abad was reacting to a newspaper report quoting a military source that Roxas was among those who visited Andal Ampatuan Sr. to get his support.

Ampatuan Sr. is one of the accused in the November 2009 massacre of 57 people, including 32 journalists in Maguindanao province.

The mention of Roxas’ name in the report could only be part of a “mind-conditioning scheme mapped out and perpetrated by other vice presidential candidates who have been lagging in pre-election voters preference surveys conducted by independent polling firms,” Abad said.

Roxas has been leading in various vice presidential surveys.

MANILA SCANDAL

mga pinoy nga way laing mabuhat sa kinabuhi

By Dona Pazzibugan, PDI

Justice Secretary Alberto Agra is facing a mutiny over his move clearing two members of the Ampatuan clan in the massacre of 57 people, including 32 media workers, in Maguindanao last year, considered the country’s most brutal election-related killings.

State prosecutors led by Chief State Prosecutor Claro Arellano Monday protested the resolution that Agra issued on the night of April 16 absolving suspended Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and his uncle, Maguindanao Vice Gov. Akmad Ampatuan Sr., of the murders.

The prosecutors questioned the basis and the timing of the resolution that Agra issued a day after he assured the families of the victims that he had yet to study the petition for review filed by the detained Ampatuans asking Agra to drop the charges against them.

“We are deeply concerned that the resolution will all the more convince a long skeptical public that our criminal justice system is impotent when the accused are politically influential,” Arellano said, reading a statement on behalf of the 2,000-member National Prosecution Service and the panel of prosecutors handling the case.

Flanked by a number of prosecutors on the steps of the Department of Justice (DoJ) building in Manila at 11 a.m., he said the department was supposed to be the sword and shield of law and order.

Arellano pointed out the irony of the situation in which Agra released the resolution when Zaldy and other members of the clan were being transported from their places of detention in General Santos and Davao cities to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City on orders of the Quezon City judge presiding over the murder trial.

“The court detains, the prosecution arm absolves,” Arellano noted wryly.

Revisit resolution

He said the prosecutors were hoping that justice would ultimately be served to the victims of the tragedy.

“It is along this line that we earnestly and respectfully request Acting Secretary Agra to revisit this resolution.

“Otherwise, we dishonor the primary reason for which our institution exists and its very name: the Department of Justice,” the chief state prosecutor said.

Unprecedented ‘open war’

Roan Libarios of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines noted that it was the first time that there was an “open war” at the justice department between its secretary and the prosecutors.

“Under ordinary rules, that would be insubordination. But in this case we should support our prosecutors for taking such a risky position based on their principles,” Libarios said.

Arellano said it pained them as professional career prosecutors to publicly disagree with the justice secretary’s resolution.

By Jun Burgos
PDI

A study recently released by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) provides an informative and substantially probing picture of how families of overseas Filipino workers spend their remittance money.

The study, entitled "Remittances and Household Behavior in the Philippines," was conducted and written by Filipino Alvin Ang, Indian Shikha Jha, and Indonesian Guntur Sugiyarto based on their analysis of data from the 2000, 2003, and 2006 Family Income and Expenditures Survey (FIES) reports of the National Statistics Office (NSO).

The authors noted that some 18.05 percent of all Filipino households received cash from abroad in the year 2000, and this rose to 20.72 percent in 2003 and then to 23.3 percent in 2006.

From the data, the authors observed that more families of OFWs were spending less on food and more on health, with the percentage share of expenditures of migrant households on food down slightly from 44.9 percent in 2000 to 43.3 percent in 2006, while expenditures on health increased from 2.3 percent in 2000 to 3 percent.

Allocations for durables, they said, were found to be steady at 2.2 percent from 2000 to 2006, while fairly stable were those for education (4.5 percent in 2000 to 4.4 percent in 2006), and for housing operations (2.0 percent in 2000 to 2.1 percent in 2006).

They noted though that spending of OFW families for transportation and communication (including cellphone expenses) increased from 6.2 percent in 2000 to 7.2 percent in 2006.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has reported that remittance inflows to the Philippines in 2009 reached $17.348 billion, equivalent to some 11-12 percent of the gross domestic product, with the country being the third biggest recipient of workers’ remittances.

In its 2008 and 2009 reports, the BSP noted increasing savings and investments by OFW families largely in banks, other financial instruments and real estateâ€"an observation regarded as a big improvement from earlier reports describing OFW families as using a large part of their money on “unproductive expenses.”

According to the BSP, the percentage of households that allotted portions of remittances to savings increased to 40 percent in the first quarter of 2009, compared with only 35.8 percent in the fourth quarter 2008 survey.

The bank added that there was also a slight increase in the number of OFW families that set aside money for investments, from 4.7 percent in the previous quarter to 5.9 percent in 2009.

BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo has said, “In a sense, the greater proportion of remittances recipients’ saving and investing is good for the economy because the multiplier effects can be significant in the future…. savings and investments increase the pool of resources available to both households and corporate borrowers for their credit needs. That helps sustain economic activity.”

Tour operators are urging the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to help hundreds of tourists from Scandinavia, who have been stuck at Suvarnabhumi Airport for four days after most flights to Europe were cancelled due to a volcanic ash cloud over European skies.

Apichart Sankary, an honorary adviser to the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said the TAT should lend a hand to help stranded tourists and show the country's spirit.

"Most of them are independent tourists. Many of them have no money and have to stay many nights at the airport. We should help them such as providing food and drinking water until they can go home," he said.

His inbound travel company, A.E.D. Asia Travel, has about 1,000 Scandinavian clients who are currently unable to fly home.

Mr Apichart estimated that more than 10,000 tourists have been stuck in Thailand since a volcano in Iceland erupted and its ash caused the cancellation of scores of flights on safety fears.

"For tourists who bought package tours from big travel agents like Thomas Cook UK & Ireland, their agents have looked after them such as arranging accommodation," he said.

"We must find ways to bring back our guests to their home because they are more concerned about local political conflicts, which is likely to get more serious." - Bangkok Post

A patient lost a testicle during an operation because the surgeon cut it off by mistake, a General Medical Council (GMC) hearing has been told.

Dr Sulieman Al Hourani was only supposed to cut out a cyst, but removed the whole right testicle instead.

Dr Al Hourani was a locum surgeon at Fairfield General Hospital in Bury, Greater Manchester, at the time of the surgery in September 2007.

He is accused of misconduct and also of stealing medication.

It is alleged the doctor, who is now practising in Jordan and was not present at the hearing, also injected himself with a drug meant for a patient.

Sarah Prichard, counsel for the GMC, said the mistake was made as a nurse helping the surgeon turned her back to get a stitch.

When she turned around the testicle had been removed. - BBC

Toyota has agreed to pay a record fine of $16.4m (£10.7m) in the US for failing to report defects in some of its vehicles' accelerator pedals.

The Japanese carmaker denied hiding the defects, but again acknowledged that it could have handled the issue better.

Some 2.3 million Toyotas were recalled in the US in January amid reports the accelerator pedals could become stuck.

Later on Monday, Toyota announced it was recalling about 34,000 Lexus GX 460 and Land Cruiser Prado SUVs worldwide.

The company said it would update the vehicles' stability-control software programme to reduce the risk of them sliding sideways when turning sharply at high speeds, partly because the fuel tank and the presence of the driver might make the left side of the vehicle heavier. - BBC

Snake bites
Biggest Snakes in the World

filipino accents.
Just for fun?

The number of Filipino nurses seeking to practice their profession in the United States fell by 28 percent in the first quarter compared to a year ago, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said in a news release.

Only 3,024 Filipino nurses took the NCLEX for the first time from January to March, down 1,170 from 4,194 in the same quarter of 2009, according to TUCP secretary general and former senator Ernesto Herrera.

The NCLEX refers to the licensure examination administered by the US National Council of State Boards of Nursing Inc.

"We are around 2006 levels in terms of the number of Filipino nurses taking the NCLEX for the first time and indicating their desire to enter the US nursing profession," said Herrera, former chairman of the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development.

Herrera said many recession-hit American employers are still reluctant to hire additional skilled foreign workers, including nurses.

"Instead of recruiting new practitioners, many American hospitals are simply asking their existing nursing staff to work extra," Herrera said.

With the American economy still emerging from a deep slowdown, Herrera said local governments there are struggling to cope with massive tax revenue shortfalls and stiff budget cuts.

"In the case of community hospitals and nursing homes run by state and city governments there, they are definitely reeling from funding constraints," Herrera said. - PDI

MANNY PACQUIAO AND MILO FAMILY
Manny Pacquiao Joke

Acrobatic ballet of PGMA

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has stopped a Saudi Arabian labor hiring firm from recruiting Filipinos after it failed to repatriate one of workers who had run away after complaining of contract violations.

In an order dated April 12, POEA administrator Jennifer Jardin-Manalili temporarily suspended the processing of all job orders for the Annasban Contracting Group and its mother agency Annasban Group until the repatriation of their former employee, Marissa Pajarillo-Andes.

Manalili said the POEA notified Annasban on March 29 to facilitate an exit visa and plane ticket for Andes within 10 days in accordance with the POEA rules and the implementing guidelines of Republic Act No. 8042 or the Migrant Workers Act of 1995.

The 10-day period, however, lapsed without compliance by Annasban, according to the administrator.

Andes, 31, a native of General Natividad, Nueva Ecija, is currently staying at the Bahay Kalinga refuge center of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

She was deployed to Saudi Arabia in October 2009 and was sent to the eastern city of Taif to work as a caregiver.

Andes said she was promised a salary of 750 Saudi riyals (about P8,800) and another 127 riyals (about P1,500) for food allowance, but she only got 650 riyals with 160 riyals further deducted for her placement fee, and no food allowance.

The OFW ran away from her workplace in January. More than 100 other Annasban-hired OFWs who experienced similar situation as Andes stopped working in the following weeks; some even staged a hunger strike to get the attention of Saudi and Philippine labor officials after Annasban refused to let them go.

Many were later repatriated but according to the OFW group Migrante International, 24 more Filipinos in three Annasban barracks remain after they stopped working to protest alleged labor malpractices.

In a statement, Migrante chair Garry Martinez, said “victims” of Annasban learned of the good news while they were in POEA to attend the first hearing of the cases they filed with the group’s help against the company and its partner recruitment agencies.

At the same time, the families of the OFWs still being held by Annasban, also read the document while they were having a dialogue with POEA officials pleading for the immediate repatriation of 24 OFWs currently on work stoppage in protest of the business giant’s alleged gross labor malpractice, he said.

“We’re overjoyed with this good news. It’s an inspiration for us to continue our fight so that the sufferings of our fellow workers in Annasban be put to end and its conniving recruitment agencies punished. Our fight for justice continues,” said Helen Manlavia, one of the ex-employees of Annasban who was among the repatriated and one of the complainants in the case before the POEA.

“Now that this decision is out, we request and challenge the POEA and other agencies of the government to do all they can to repatriate my daughter and her colleagues.Their sufferings there are no joke. It is but right that those who caused my daughter and all OFWs these difficulties be punished,” added Carolina Ventura, mother of Shiela Marie, an Annasban worker who remains in the city of Abha.

Martinez noted that Annasban can resume its hiring of workers once it complies with the repatriation of Andes.

“We welcome this favorable decision. We are further challenging them (POEA) to do their job by quickly deciding for the permanent ban of Annasban. We are warning Administrator Manalili that if the POEA does not move for the total ban, she will face the wrath of the OFWs and forever be known as the official who throws Filipino workers to the dogs,” he said.

Elections Commissioner Armando Velasco urges Filipinos abroad to vote for the May 10 polls, either by mail, in person or using the pilot automated polls in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Velasco, who chairs the Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting (COAV), said a total of 589,830 Filipinos abroad registered as overseas absentee voters this year.

“The process for voting is simple, whether by mail, in person or using the automated system piloted in Hong Kong and Singapore,” he said.

Personal voting

Here are the steps for personal OAV voting in Philippine consulates or designated voting center abroad where the voter must go to vote:

* The voter should verify with the Special Board of Election Inspector (SBEI) if his name is on the list of registered voters; if he is, he will be given a ballot and be directed to the voting area. Also bring a passport and other identification documents to facilitate identity verification.

* Using a ballot secrecy folder, an OAV will cast his vote for one president, one vice president, 12 senators, and one party-list group.

* After voting, fold the accomplished ballot the same way it was given and return it to the SBEI.

* Affix right thumb mark on space provided on the ballot coupon and on space at the OAV list.

* The SBEI will detach the ballot coupon (found at the bottom part of the ballot) and it will be deposited to the compartment for spoiled ballots. The SBEI will hand the ballot to the voter who will be instructed to drop it in the compartment for valid ballots.

After this, the voter can leave the voting premises.

Voting by mail

If you decided to vote by mail, follow these steps:

* By April 10, the voter in countries that will have postal voting should receive a mailing packet, either directly from Comelec Manila or through the Philippine embassy in the area. The mailing packet contains these: official ballot, list of national candidates, instruction to voters, official ballot envelope, and two pieces of paper seals.

* If you have not yet received the mailing packet, follow it up with the Philippine embassy or call the COAV at +632 522-2251, the OAV Secretariat at +632 834-4361, 832-9725, and 833-0686

* Personally accomplish the ballot by writing the names of candidates chosen for president, vice president, senators, and party-list group on the spaces provided.

* Affix right thumb mark on the space provided at the lower portion of the ballot; tear off the portion (coupon), and put it inside the ballot envelope.

* Fold the accomplished ballot to prevent the contents from being seen. Seal it with the paper seal and put inside the ballot envelope.

* Seal the ballot with the other piece of paper seal. On left hand corner of the envelope, the voter must write his printed name and affix signature above it before sending the mailing packet to the Philippine embassy or consulate in the locality by mail or hand delivery.

It should be received by the SBEI on or before 6 p.m. (Manila time) on May 10 for canvassing.

Automated voting

For OAVs in Hong Kong and Singapore voting in the pilot automated election system, go to the Philippine embassy to vote:

* Verify with the SBEI if your name is on the list of the registered voters; if it is on the list, OAV will be given a ballot, secrecy folder, and a marker pen before proceeding to voting booth.

* Using the ballot secrecy folder, shade the ovals opposite the names of candidates chosen for president, vice president, senators, and party-list group.

* Do not make any other marks or creases on the ballot so it will not be rejected by the poll machine. Once shading is completed, feed the ballot into the poll machine which will scan and count the shade marks as votes.

* If the ballot is accepted and scanned by the poll machine, it is dropped inside the ballot box with translucent windows on each side. If the ballot has spurious marks or creases, it will be ejected through the other end of the machine.

* Voters must return the secrecy folder and marker pen to the SBEI, affix his thumb mark on the computerized voters' list and have his right index finger marked by an indelible ink. After this, the voter shall leave the polling center.

For assistance, call the Philippine consulate in Hong Kong at +852 282-38501 or in Singapore at +65 6737-39-77.

A New Zealand father was convicted by a court Monday for leaving a baby with a heart condition locked in a car while he visited a strip club.

Wayne Schwamm, 42, left his 18-month-old son in the car for about 40 minutes before a passerby alerted police, who broke a window and rescued the baby. The child was taken to hospital. They found his father in the nearby strip club.

Schwamm pleaded guilty in court to leaving the child without reasonable supervision in Wellington on April 13 and was fined 200 dollars (142 US).

The baby was not reported to have suffered any serious harm.

Lawyer John Tannerhill said Schwamm had gone to the strip club about 2.30 a.m. to pick up a friend who worked there, but he found out the friend had to work overtime.

Although he stayed longer than intended, Schwamm had not indulged in "fantasies of desire," Tannerhill said. - AFP

As the amended Migrant Workers Act come into force, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) can now count on some P1.3 billion in extra savings with the abolition of the documentary stamp tax (DST) on all their remittances under the new law.

This was revealed by former Labor Undersecretary and now Nacionalista Party senatorial candidate Susan "Toots" Ople in a news release over the weekend.

"The scrapping of the DST on remittances is timely, and should help the beneficiaries here of migrant Filipino workers recover some of the buying power lost due to the peso's recent surge against the dollar," Ople said.

The local currency closed Thursday at $1:P44.36, eight percent or P3.85 higher compared to $1:P48.21 a year ago.

The removal of the DST on all funds wired home by OFWs would help drive down money transfer charges, and put more cash in the pockets of those receiving remittances, Ople said.

She urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and the Department of Finance (DoF) to promptly issue the new law's implementing rules and regulations so that OFWs would immediately benefit from reduced remittance charges.

Local banks and non-bank money transfer agents such as The Western Union Co. and Moneygram International Inc. collect the DST before the funds sent home by OFWs are actually paid out to their beneficiaries here.

Based on the projected $19 billion worth of remittances from OFWs this year, the DoF said government would be giving up around P1.3 billion in revenues annually with the removal of the DST. - pdi

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reminds the public to check the validity of their passports and renew them six months before expiry to avoid the hassle of rushing to get a replacement in light of increased passport applications especially during the summer season.

A passport is valid for five years, but airlines and countries require passports with validity of six months prior to the expiry date.

"This way, they avoid the hassle of rushing at the last minute to secure a passport, especially when they already need to travel overseas," DFA Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Jaime Victor Ledda said in a news release.

Currently, the DFA charges P950 for regular processing (20 working days) and P1,200 for expedited processing (10 working days). For those applying in the DFA's regional consular offices (RCOs), another four days is added for transport of the passport booklet from Manila to the RCO.

The DFA also reminds passport applicants to avail of the appointment system to ensure quick and comfortable service. Walk-in applicants are discouraged.

The DFA further reiterates that securing an appointment online is free of charge. It is warning the public against unscrupulous individuals charging applicants P200 fee for securing for them online appointments.

Applicants can check the passport requirements and secure an appointment at the DFA passport website or by calling hotline (02) 737-1000. They may also call the DFA helplines at telephone numbers (02) 831-8971, (02) 551-4437, (02) 551-4402, (02) 834-4855, and (02) 834-4424. - pdi

In one interview, Mayweather said: "When you talk of boxing, you talk of Mayweather. You see, I'm the face of boxing."

Gizmodo: This Is Apple's Next iPhone

A senior army general whose his name starts with the letter “P” is planning a military coup to spare the Democrat Party from dissolution, Puea Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said on Wednesday.

The coup would also  enable the general’s subordinates  who used force against the red-shirt protesters on Saturday to avoid punishment, Mr Prompong claimed.

“If the general succeeds in staging the coup, the 2007 constitution will be revoked and the Democrat Party will  escape punishment,” the Puea Thai spokesman said.

Mr Prompong claimed  the army general in question was now busy verifying the number of commanders who would support him. Several commanders were opposed to another  coup,  saying it is not a solution to political problems, he said.

He warned that if the general tries to stage a coup, there would be more clashes, more violent than Saturday's incident.

The people would come out and fight  the coup-makers. A civil war was likely, he said. - Bangkok Post

Manny Pacquiao on the mitts with Freddie Roach

Hatton defeated Castillo

Ricky Hatton vs Jose Luis Castillo 4th round knockout

Rematch!

Castillo's Revenge

Jose Luis Castillo and Diego Corrales 2 (Entire Fight)

Diego Corrales vs Jose Luis Castillo (10th Round)
Corrales vs Castillo 10th Round

10 reasons why PCs crash you must Know

Fatal error: the system has become unstable or is busy," it says. "Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications."

You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Mcft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?

1 Hardware conflict

The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.

For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.

If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.

Often if a device has a problem a yellow '!' appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.

Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as 'IRQ holder for PCI steering'. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.

Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is www.driverguide.com. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).

When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.

To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.

2 Bad Ram

Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.

But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.

One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.

Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.

EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.

3 BIOS settings

Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.

Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.

A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer's display.

Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to 'yes' to allow Windows to do this.).

4 Hard disk drives

After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to

* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter

This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.

The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).

Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.

Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.

Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to

* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk

Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.

5 Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors

Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.

These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings

Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.

If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager

Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.

If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.

The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.

Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics

Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).

Look up your video card's manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.

6 Viruses

Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs

Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.

A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.

An excellent antivirus programme is McAfee VirusScan by Network Associates ( www.nai.com). Another is Norton AntiVirus 2000, made by Symantec ( www.symantec.com).

7 Printers

The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.

Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer's performance.

If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer's default settings and you may be able to carry on.

8 Software

A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.

The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.

Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don't do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from www.jv16.org

Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message "Starting Windows" press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.

Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.

Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn't work.

Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.

9 Overheating

Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.

One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from www.computernerd.com or www.coolit.com

CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.

10 Power supply problems

With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.

If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.

It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.

The body that represents the world's airlines, IATA, has criticised Europe's governments for the way they closed air space because of volcanic ash.

The head of the airline industry body, Giovanni Bisignani, told the BBC: "This is a European embarrassment and it's a European mess."

Millions of passengers have been affected by the crisis, which is now into its fifth day.

Britain ordered three Royal Navy ships to help bring home stranded nationals.

And the French railway company SNCF has said it will offer reduced fares and 80,000 extra seats between Paris and London this week.

European aviation control agency Eurocontrol said only about 30% of the normal number of flights - 8,000 to 9,000 - would operate in Europe on Monday.

Mr Bisignani, of the International Air Transport Association, has said the scale of the crisis facing the airline industry is now greater than at the time of the 9/11 attacks on the US.

"The decision that Europe has made is with no risk assessment, no consultation, no co-ordination, no leadership," he said.

"Europeans are still using a system based on a theoretical model which does not work... instead of using a system and taking decisions on facts and on risk assessment."

The Spanish-funded Poder Y Prosperidad dela Communidad is set to construct six health stations and five school buildings for elementary, high school and kindergarten in a town of Agusan del Sur province, it was learned Sunday.

The construction of health stations and school buildings in far-flung villages in Sibagat town of that same province is part of the Spanish-funded Poder 5 Project.

This new development, after the conduct of the Expanded Municipal Development Council â€" Participatory Development and Resource Allocation (EMDC-PDPRA) activity joined by leaders and residents of the municipality’s 24 barangays, it was also learned.

Poder 5 Project is a continuation of the Poder Y Prosperidad dela Communidad Project implemented in the Caraga region for five years now.

Managed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Poder 5 now focuses on the supply-side of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), another program of the DSWD which provide cash grants to extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition and education particularly 0-14 years old children.

Poder 5 aims to provide classrooms and health centers necessary for these 4Ps beneficiaries.

It was gathered that a total of Php 8.1 million was allocated for the twelve fortunate barangays who in turn will give their cash counterparts ranging from Php 50,000 to Php 100,000. Counterparting is necessary in the Poder 5 Project as this consequently achieves the community’s “sense of ownership” of the sub-project, it was also gathered.

Meanwhile, members of the municipal office committed to give additional funding support to those barangays who cannot be funded by Poder. - pna

By Scott Hensley
NPR.org

Oh, dear. Most illnesses caused by bacteria and parasites in food are just as big a problem now as they were in 2004.

There's been some progress, though, if you look back to the late '90s, including for a particularly severe infection caused by the bug Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli 0157, or STEC 0157, for short, according to data just out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

People catch STEC 0157 from contaminated beef -- especially hamburger -- that's not cooked thoroughly, unpasteurized milk and juices and even some vegetables, including sprouts. In about 5 to 10 percent of cases, the victims' kidneys fail. Read the harrowing tale recounted by the New York Times a couple of years ago of a hamburger that left a 22-year-old woman paralyzed from the waist down.

Secrets of Manny Pacquiao

"Yep, I'm better than Muhammed Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson? Yep, I'm better than Sugar Ray Robinson, I would never say there's another fighter better than me" -Floyd Mayweather Jr.

- quoted from HBO 24/7 Episode 2

By Ven rebo Arigo

The lady director of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Bohol is accused by barangay heads of electioneering when she allegedly allowed the Nacionalista Party (NP) candidates to distribute provincial aids in the recent orientation on automated election.

The recent incident ruined the credibility of the Coordinating Council for Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Election (CCHOPE) created by Gov. Erico Aumentado. Provincial Local Government Operations Officer (PLGOO) Rose Mascariñas heads the council.

Mascariñas’ vice chairman of the CCHOPE is lawyer Eliseo Labaria, provincial head of the Commission on Elections, who was not in the orientation.

The orientation, held at Bohol Tropics days before the start of the campaign period for local candidates, was attended by the barangay captains from First and Second Districts.

While the intent of the affair would suggest what activity should take place, the giving of financial aids by NP candidates Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera and Ex-Provincial Administrator Tomas Abapo, Jr. instead highlighted the event, captains said.

They said the local DILG notices said provincial aids would be given during the orientation, but there was no mention of who would distribute the financial assistance.

Aumentado did not appear in the gathering of the captains but Abapo, who is no longer a provincial official, instead came together with Herrera to distribute the provincial barangay aid.

Reports said the group, still using Mascariñas and the CCHOPE, would gather other barangay figures like tanods.

Well-meaning Boholanos said Mascariñas should not have allowed the CCHOPE to be used for whoever’s politicking. The council membership alone of figures held with high esteem like Bishop Leonardo Medroso should have been respected, they said.

It was the PLGOO herself who announced in the captains’ automated election orientation that they had come to the part of provincial aid distribution.

A governor’s office worker then got the microphone to introduce Herrera together with Abapo for the giving of the financial aids worth P10,000 to each captain.

Abapo, despite his being no longer officially connected with the provincial government, would then shake hands with the captains as soon as Herrera turned over the aids.

Herrera was made to deliver campaign promises to the barangay officials on the same occasion.

Board Member Concepcion Lim joined her fellow captains in that activity, but she left the venue when the NP bets distributed money aids. Captains said Lim was the one who felt ashamed for Mascariñas, Hererra and Abapo.

Lim, the vice gubernatorial candidate of Lakas and runningmate of gubernatorial aspirant Rep. Edgar Chatto, attended the affair also in her official capacity as the provincial federation president of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC).

Lim was not accorded respect even if she is the Bohol head of all barangay captains or the Liga ng mga Barangay.

The Provincial Government of Bohol, through the Bohol Employment and Placement Office (BEPO), will sponsor a one-day Local and Overseas Jobs Fair on April 24, 2010 at the Island City Mall Activity Center this city from 8:00AM to 6:00PM. Big-time recruitment agencies which are based in Manila and Cebu have been invited and have already confirmed their participation in the said project.

In relation to said activity, all job seekers are invited to take advantage of this opportunity which has been designed to bring a broad range of employment opportunities right here in the province of Bohol.

All applicants are advised to pre-register either at the BEPO, DOLE Bohol Field Office or at any Municipal PESO and secure gate passes in order to avoid delays and congestions at the entrance on the day of the activity.

Job applicants are further advised to proceed to the venue earlier and to bring all relevant and important application documents in their proper business attire.

For more details and inquiries, all interested parties are advised to contact Ms. Erlie C. Heramis at the BEPO through telephone numbers (038) 411-3544 and 501-9847.

An ailing, 84-year-old World War II veteran is making a desperate plea to Oprah Winfrey: Please admit I'm your father!

Norh Robinson, a dirt-poor Mississippi farmer now living in a rural VA hospital, wants Oprah to submit to a paternity test that he says would once and for all prove that he sired her in 1954.


Robinson said he dreams of just once speaking with Oprah as father and daughter before he dies -- and revealed that, years ago, he tried to reach the talk-show queen to beg her to agree to a DNA test.

"I told her [in a letter], if she wanted, I'd give her one," Robinson told The Post in an exclusive interview this week.

In the letter, he placed mementos from his life, including his Social Security number and a picture of him from the Navy in World War II, he said.

"I never got no answer," Robinson told The Post. "I never did get no answer. If I did, it didn't get to me."

The vet insisted he wasn't looking to get his hands on Oprah's millions.

"I'd like her to call me," he said.

Oprah's spokeswoman said the TV host wasn't available to comment on Robinson's claims.

Oprah was raised by her mother, Vernita Lee, 75, and Lee's longtime boyfriend, Vernon Winfrey. She considers Vernon her father but has figured out he isn't her biological dad.

source: New York Post

About 63, 000 flights have been cancelled in Europe since Thursday because of a huge cloud of ash from a volcano erupting in Iceland, the European air traffic coordinating agency said.

Some 20, 000 flights were cancelled on Sunday alone, according to a midday count, the Eurocontrol agency said.

"On a normal Sunday, close to 24,000 (flight) movements are recorded. At the end of the day, we will have had only 4,000 movements," it said.

Agence France-Presse

Pope Benedict XVI wept as he met Maltese victims of the pedophile priest scandals rocking the Roman Catholic Church on Sunday and expressed his own "shame and sorrow".

"He listened to us individually, and prayed and cried with us," said Lawrence Grech, one of eight abuse victims who met the pope for 25 minutes in the Vatican's embassy in Malta.

The Vatican said that Benedict "expressed his shame and sorrow over what victims and their families have suffered."

The pope "prayed with them and assured them that the Church is doing, and will continue to do, all in its power to investigate allegations (and) to bring to justice those responsible for abuse," a Vatican statement said.

Benedict promised the victims "effective measures designed to safeguard young people in the future," it added.

Grech told AFP he was impressed by Benedict's "humility," adding that the 83-year-old pontiff "was ready to take on the embarrassment (for deeds) done by others. He was very courageous."

The pope was "the topmost person who could have listened to me and my story," Grech said. "I will continue my battle, not against the Church but against pedophilia."

Malta recently joined the list of countries shattered by pedophilia priest scandals in the past several months.

Grech and other members of the group gave a press conference last week at which they told how they were abused at an orphanage in central Malta run by priests.

Benedict, who met with victims in Australia and the United States in 2008, has come under increasing pressure over allegations that the Vatican hierarchy, himself included, helped protect predator priests.

While the Vatican and senior bishops have rallied around the pope, the Catholic leadership has faced mounting pressure to repair the Church's image.

On the flight to Malta on Saturday, the pope said Church had been "wounded by our sins".

"Malta loves Christ who loves his Church which is his body, even if this body is wounded by our sins," he said.

Predominantly Catholic Malta, where one in three children under 16 attend Catholic schools, has itself been hit by numerous abuse cases.

The Maltese Church revealed recently that a pedophilia "response team" it set up in 1999 had received allegations against 45 priests.

Although nearly half of these had been ruled groundless, it added: "For the Church, every case is one too many."

Malta has also been scandalized by revelations that a suspected pedophile priest has retired here from Canada.

Amid the global furor over pedophile priests, the pope has faced an uphill challenge in getting across the messages he had planned for Malta -- notably on immigration.

Malta is the smallest member of the European Union with a population of some 443,000. It lies halfway between Sicily and the north African coast, and took in a record nearly 3,000 boat people in 2008.

Applications are now open for 2011 Japanese government scholarships in various fields, the Japanese embassy said.

For undergraduates in social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences of five years of study, applicants need to be 17 to 21 years old, with 12 years of formal education (from Grade 1) and good academic standing.

For professional training in civil engineering, electrical engineering, electronics, wireless communication, business, nursery teacher training, nourishment, travel, music, dress making, design, photography, etc. of three years of study, same requirements as for undergraduate applicants.

For College of Technology in mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, information, communication, and network engineering, materials engineering, architecture and civil engineering, maritime engineering, etc. of four years of study, applicants must be 17 to 21 years old and have 11 years of formal education (from Grade 1) and of good academic standing.

For research (as research student, master’s, or doctoral course) in social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences with 1.5 to five years of study, applicants must under 35 years old, with 16 years of formal education (from Grade 1), a clear and feasible research proposal, and good academic standing

Under the research category, “if grantee desires to proceed to a regular graduate course from a research student course, or to a doctoral course from a master’s course or a professional graduate course, he/she may have the term of his/her scholarship extended upon successfully passing the examination by MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan) provided that he/she has outstanding academic achievement that meets certain criteria,” the embassy said.

These scholarships are open to all Filipino citizens. Application forms are available at the JICC Library in Manila, the Consular Offices of Japan in Cebu City and Davao City, or may be downloaded from the embassy website.

Deadline for submission of requirements is on 28 May 2010, a Friday.

The selection process is composed of several stages: document screening, written exams, and interviews. Only selected applicants at each stage will be notified for further instructions.

Free scholarship consultations are also held at the library of the embassy of Japan every Friday at 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Interested individuals are requested to bring a valid ID so they can enter the embassy premises.

For more information, visit or call: Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC), Embassy of Japan, 2627 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City 1300, Tel #: (02) 551-5710 local 2315 and 2317.

Consular Office of Japan in Cebu, 7/F Keppel Center, Samar Loop corner Cardinal Rosales Avenue, Cebu Business Park, 6000, Cebu City, Tel #: (032) 231-7321/22.

Consular Office of Japan in Davao, Suite B305m, 3/F, Plaza de Luisa Complex, 140 Ramon Magsaysay Avenue, 8000 Davao City, Tel #: (082) 221-3100. - PDI

Ampatuan Massacre and Gloria Arroyo's Tactic

NBA Playoff Schedule 2010: NBA Playoffs First Round Schedule (USA Time:
Western Conference

Los Angeles Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder Playoff Schedule
Game 1 Sun April 18 Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers 12:00PM 3:00PM ABC/R
Game 2 Tue April 20 Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers 7:30PM 10:30PM TNT
Game 3 Thu April 22 L.A. Lakers at Oklahoma City 8:30PM 9:30PM TNT
Game 4 Sat April 24 L.A. Lakers at Oklahoma City 8:30PM 9:30PM ESPN/R
Game 5 Tue April 27 Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 Fri April 30 L.A. Lakers at Oklahoma City TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 Sun May 2 Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers TBD TBD TBD

San Antonio Spurs vs Dallas Mavericks Schedule

Game 1 Sun. April 18 Spurs @ Mavericks 7:00 p.m. Fox Sports Southwest HD
Game 2 Wed. April 21 Spurs @ Mavericks 8:30 p.m. Fox Sports Southwest HD
Game 3 Fri. April 23 Spurs vs. Mavericks 8:30 p.m. Fox Sports Southwest HD
Game 4 Sun. April 25 Spurs vs. Mavericks 6:00 p.m. Fox Sports Southwest HD
Game 5 Tue. April 27 Spurs @ Mavericks TBA Fox Sports Southwest HD
Game 6 Thur. April 29 Spurs vs. Mavericks TBA Fox Sports Southwest HD
Game 7 Sat. May 1 Spurs @ Mavericks TBA Fox Sports Southwest HD

Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trailblazers Playoff Schedule

Game 1 Sat April 17 Portland at Phoenix 7:30PM 10:30PM ESPN
Game 2 Mon April 19 Portland at Phoenix 7:30PM 10:30PM TNT
Game 3 Thu April 22 Phoenix at Portland 7:00PM 10:00PM NBATV
Game 4 Sat April 24 Phoenix at Portland 1:30PM 4:30PM TNT
Game 5 Mon April 26 Portland at Phoenix TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 Thu April 29 Phoenix at Portland TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 Sat May 1 Portland at Phoenix TBD TBD TNT

Denver Nuggets vs Utah Jazz Schedule

Game 1 Sun April 18 Utah at Denver 8:30PM 10:30PM TNT
Game 2 Tue April 20 Utah at Denver 8:00PM 10:00PM NBATV
Game 3 Fri April 23 Denver at Utah 8:30PM 10:30PM ESPN2
Game 4 Sun April 25 Denver at Utah 7:30PM 9:30PM TNT
Game 5 Wed April 28 Utah at Denver TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 Fri April 30 Denver at Utah TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 Sun May 2 Utah at Denver TBD TBD TBD
         
Eastern Conference

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Chicago Bulls Schedule

Game 1 Sat April 17 Chicago at Cleveland 3:00PM 3:00PM ABC
Game 2 Mon April 19 Chicago at Cleveland 8:00PM 8:00PM TNT
Game 3 Thu April 22 Cleveland at Chicago 6:00PM 7:00PM TNT
Game 4 Sun April 25 Cleveland at Chicago 2:30PM 3:30PM ABC/R
Game 5 Tue April 27 Chicago at Cleveland TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 Thu April 29 Cleveland at Chicago TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 Sat May 1 Chicago at Cleveland TBD TBD TNT

Orlando Magic vs Charlotte Bobcats Schedule

Game 1 Sun April 18 Charlotte at Orlando 5:30PM 5:30PM TNT
Game 2 Wed April 21 Charlotte at Orlando 7:00PM 7:00PM TNT
Game 3 Sat April 24 Orlando at Charlotte 2:00PM 2:00PM TNT
Game 4 Mon April 26 Orlando at Charlotte TBD TBD TBD
Game 5 Wed April 28 Charlotte at Orlando TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 Fri April 30 Orlando at Charlotte TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 Sun May 2 Charlotte at Orlando TBD TBD TBD

Atlanta Hawks vs Milwaukee Bucks Schedule

Game 1 - Sat April 17 Milwaukee at Atlanta 5:30PM ESPN
Game 2 - Tue April 20 Milwaukee at Atlanta 7:00PM NBATV
Game 3 - Sat April 24 Atlanta at Milwaukee 7:00PM ESPN
Game 4 - Mon April 26 Atlanta at Milwaukee TBD TBD TBD
Game 5 * Wed April 28 Milwaukee at Atlanta TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 30 Atlanta at Milwaukee TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 2 Milwaukee at Atlanta TBD TBD TBD

Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat Playoff Schedule

Game 1 Sat April 17 Miami at Boston 8:00PM 8:00PM ESPN
Game 2 Tue April 20 Miami at Boston 8:00PM 8:00PM TNT
Game 3 Fri April 23 Boston at Miami 7:00PM 7:00PM ESPN
Game 4 Sun April 25 Boston at Miami 1:00PM 1:00PM ABC
Game 5 Tue April 27 Miami at Boston TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 Thu April 29 Boston at Miami TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 Sat May 1 Miami at Boston TBD TBD TNT

Ateneo has found Rabeh al-Hussaini's replacement.

The two-time UAAP defending champion Blue Eagles snared one of the biggest catch this pre-season when 6-foot-11 slotman Greg Slaughter decided to enroll in Ateneo this summer.

No less than long-time Blue Eagle supporter Manny V. Pangilinan made the announcement during Friday's SCOOP sa Kamayan in Padre Faura.

"Slaughter is enrolling this summer and will serve the residency rule for Ateneo," said Pangilinan. "More than the talent of this player, I believe he's doing well academically that is why Ateneo is a good choice."

Under the UAAP rules, transferees should complete a one-year residency while a two-year residency is being imposed to foreign student-players.
         
Slaughter will sit out his junior year with the Eagles and is expected to play for Ateneo in the Season 74. He is expected to be the cornerstone of a Blue and White crew that will have Eric Salamat and Ronjay Buenafe as Ateneo's backcourt duo.

A former University of Visayas stalwart, Slaughter was one of those seriously considered to join the national team aspirants of Serbian coach Rajko Toroman.

He got the nod of the FIBA Asia Champion coach after steering the Green Lancers to their third straight title in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI).

Slaughter will join the Gilas squad in its next training at the Abunassar Institute of Sports, an institute also attended by NBA superstars Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics, Andrei Kirilenko of the Utah Jazz and Chauncey Billups of the Denver Nuggets from April 22 to 30.

The team is also set to play in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup in May, the William Jones Cup in July and other various pocket tournaments that would prepare them for the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China in November. - GMANews.TV

The Inter-purok and Commercial Basketball Tournament, one of the city's summer premier presentation closes its curtain next week at the hardcourt of the Dao multi-purpose center with Bohol's top gubernatorial bet Edgar Migriño Chatto as guest of honor.
         
This year's edition dubbed as Chatto Cup will start its cross-over games today with the Nisa Travellers/Park N' Go Bakeshop going up against Pure N' Rite at 7:30 tonight.

This will be followed by Chery's Automobile vs Classique Herb encounter.

The winners in the knockout games will automatically advance to the finals on Wednesday in a best-of-three series. The losers will dispute for third place on Friday in a do-or-die battle.

Game 2 is set on April 27. The date of Game 3 (if necessary) will be announced by tournament organizers before the month ends. Lawyer and Bohol's top sports patron Chatto will award the winners in the inter-purok and commercial level. A top cash prize of P25,000 will go to the champion team, P15,000 for the first runner-up and P10,000 for third.

Dao PB Atoy Cosap will introduce the guest of honor.

By BOB SALSBERG
Associated Press Writer

Frank Whittemore has been growing fruit for a lifetime and can't ever remember a year when the buds started peeking out on his 30,000 apples trees so early in the spring. And that's what has him worried.

"We're just praying that we don't get some really, really cold weather over the next few weeks," said Whittemore, 85, co-owner of Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis, N.H. "It would be a disaster for us."

While most residents of the Northeast were enjoying the recent spate of warm weather, apple growers fretted about an unprecedented early bloom that could leave the nascent fruit vulnerable to a dangerous cold snap. And farmers around the country fear that other fruits, including cherries, blueberries and plums, could also fall victim to frost.

Orchard managers and fruit experts said a balmy early spring - the mercury climbed to a record-shattering 92 degrees in parts of New England on April 7 - combined with an early snow melt and heavy rains in March has trees blossoming two to three weeks ahead of schedule on average. That leaves plenty of time on the calendar for the region's notoriously unpredictable weather to strike back with a killer freeze.

"There will be a couple of weeks where the growers, I think, will be pretty nervous," said Russell Powell, executive director of the New England Apple Growers Association, which represents hundreds of commercial orchards in the region.

The danger with the accelerated growing pattern, Powell explained, was that once the tiny buds push out, they can easily be killed off by a hard and sudden frost.

And it's not just apples that are at risk. Peaches and plums that generally blossom slightly ahead of apples are also off to a much faster start this season. Even blueberries, just starting their growth cycle, could be susceptible to cold.

A hard frost is not uncommon in New England in the last two weeks of April and not unheard of in early May.

Snow showers were forecast for the weekend in parts of New England, though temperatures were not expected to fall much below freezing.

Experts say a drop in temperature to 28 degrees could damage 10 percent of the crop and a drop of a few more degrees could damage up to 90 percent of the crop. The stakes are high: The six New England states combined to produce 182 million pounds of apples commercially in 2008, the last year for which the United States Department of Agriculture had final statistics.

While that is only a fraction of the nearly 9.8 billion pounds produced nationwide, in New England much of it is sold directly to consumers at pick-your-own establishments in the fall, when apple-picking is a time-honored tradition and a lifeblood for family farms.

John Burns, general manager of Lookout Farm in Natick, Mass., said the first of his 60,000 fruit trees - about a third of them apple trees - bloomed 24 days ahead of last year. While he will be watching the weather closely over the next few weeks, he says there are few precautions he can take since like most farms in the Northeast he is not equipped with irrigation systems that could help protect the fruit from extreme cold.

By VERENA DOBNIK
Associated Press Writer

The Rev. Al Sharpton is a "lightning rod" for President Barack Obama on inner city streets, Obama's former Harvard mentor and friend said Saturday at a forum in Harlem.

But Sharpton, who led the event, told The Associated Press that America's first black president "has to work both for us and for others," and that if Obama were to push a race-based agenda, "that would only organize the right against him."

Sharpton spoke on the last day of an annual conference organized by his National Action Network. Speakers included three members of Obama's Cabinet and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, as well as Charles Ogletree, the president's Harvard Law School professor, now a friend.

"Al Sharpton has become the lightning rod in moving Obama's agenda forward," Ogletree told the AP, describing Sharpton as a conduit between the disadvantaged and powerful leaders. "And he has access to both the streets and the suites, to make sure that the people who are voiceless, faceless and powerless finally have some say."

Standing at the back of a balcony overlooking Harlem's ornate First Corinthian Baptist Church, the 57-year-old lawyer said that some black Americans may be disappointed the president they helped elect isn't doing more for them.

"And President Obama expected to do a lot more," said Ogletree, referring to the challenges Obama faces in two wars and the struggling economy. Still, he predicted, the new health care law would affect uninsured black Americans more than any other segment of the population.

Sharpton clearly was at the center of this forum. Saturday, the front page of The Washington Post featured a photo of him with a headline that read: "Activist Al Sharpton takes on new role as administration ally." -

The Knights of Columbus of Bohol will send delegates to the8th National Convention of the Knights of Columbus scheduled on April 16-18 at the Waterfront Hote, Cebu City.

Heading the Bohol delegates are Provincial Deputies Florencio Talan, Isidro Mirontos, Lazaro Artiaga, and Jorge Cabalit of the K of C Bohol East, Bohol West, Bohol North, and Bohol South, respectively.

Expected to attend the National Convention are state deputies, regional deputies, district deputies, grand knights, and members of the different K of C councils in the country.

Slated to grace the K of C National Convention is K of C Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, according to Visayas State Deputy Dionisio R. Esteban Jr., the host state deputy.
         
Bishop Leonardo Medroso of the Diocese of Tagbilaran and other bishops in the country are invited to attend the National Convention. The convention will reel off at 8 a.m. with a Holy Mass at the Cebu Cathedral.

Brother knights and ladies from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao are expected to gather for the triennial convention to renew fraternal ties, exchange views on how to better implement service programs. They will be tasked to make collective statements and decisions that seek to strengthen our Catholic faith in general and ideals of the Order in particular.

Theme of the convention is: "Volunteerism: Neighbors Helping Neighbors."

The delegates will not only attend the convention but also have a tour to the white sand beaches, Cebuano heritage sites and more importantly, experience the signature Cebuano hospitality. A raffle with a P500,000 grand prize will wind up the activity.
(Bro. Charles T. Cabalit/provincial public relations chairman)

Bohol Chronicle:

Doctor Kazan S. Baluyot was invited and congratulated for being selected by the Society of Vascular Medicine (SVP) penalist and the program committee and trustees of the society headed by Harvard-based incoming president-elect Dr. Joshua Beckman wherein some members composed of cardiologist surgeons from New York, Texas and Massachusetts, diplomats and consultants, interventionist.

The affair is the Convention of the International 21st Annual Scientific Sessions of the Society for Vascular Medicine which starts April 28 to May 3, 2010 to be held at the InterContinental
Cleveland (Ohio) Hotel. On April 29, 2010 Dr. Baluyot will speak from 6:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. during the interactive discussion. His topic is "Near Total IVC Occlusion in a Nephrotic Syndrome Patient Secondary to Membranous Glomerulonephropathy" during the cases over cocktails.

Questions and answers will be done only thru the panelists wherein selected participant may ask only 10 minutes; subjects are interpretation with presentation of present illness and past medical history, noninvasive vascular data, differential diagnosis, key clinical issues, therapeutic dilemma with angiographic studies, its treatment plan and follow-up teaching points. Baluyot research will automatically be the property of International Society of Vascular Medicine.

This will be participated by various countries and more than thousands delegates of cardiologists, surgeons, internists, among other specialties.         

Baluyot is the first Filipino doctor invited to present and lectured said topic of said society. He will be accompanied by delegates of cardiologists, surgeons, from hospitals in private practices in Manila and Cebu and other cities.

Baluyot during his medical study days likewise put-up a research wherein is now part of Tokyo College of Medicine. Last year, he was also recognized during the 38th Annual Convention of the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) for garnering first place in the PCP Young Investigators Award in the Analytical Category for his research entitled "The Efficacy of Povidone-Iodine Oral Rinse in Preventing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial." He had been invited as speaker and presenter in several countries.

Dr. Baluyot took elementary school at the Bohol Wisdom School as valedictorian; his secondary at the Philippine Science High School at Quezon City as honor graduate. He took his pre-med and medicine proper at UP-PGH as Cum Laude and was the best intern. He was chosen as the most exalted brother of UP College of Medicine Mu Sigma Phi and got internal medicine of same school. Presently, he is a consultant fellow cardiologist, diplomate at the Medical City. He is a bachelor.

Kazan is the youngest son of the late Atty. Manuel Baluyot and Fancy S. Baluyot, with brothers Al and Jojo, sisters Judy and Cates, all nurses; Dr. Mary Ann, a pediatrician; and international lawyer Fama. Most of the family members are now in USA. A multi-awardee speaker and researcher is the 3rd generation line of family studying at the University of Philippines as a state scholar. His grandfather Ambrosio first graduate of agriculture and his father Manuel.

By ARIEL E. FULLIDO

Summer sizzles with fun and surprises as Island City Mall is teeming with hot events these months of April and May.

On Wednesday, April 21, is the RnB/HipHop Dance Showdown presented by JCI-Bohol, at 3 PM, at the Activity Center; while the "Suzuki Invasion" will take place from April 22 to 24 at the Island Sky Area, highlighted by Raffle Draws; Giveaway Treats; Games like the Raider Breed Two-Ball Challenge, Gymkhana, and the Thunder Challenge (Intense Obstacle Race); "Show Me Da Moves" Street Dance Contest; and a free concert.         

The said event also features free Test Ride and free Safety Riding and Preventive Maintenance Seminar, Service Campaign with free oil, filter, motor check-up, and change oil, plus 20% discount on spare parts during the event.

For job seekers, the Provincial Government of Bohol, in coordination with with DOLE and POEA, will hold the Bohol Employment Expo, a local and overseas job fair at the Activity Center on April 24, Saturday, from 8 AM to 6 PM. The target sectors are Call Centers, Design & Engineering, Medical/Nursing, Hospitals, Hotels & Restaurants, Shipping, Retailing, Domestic Housekeeping, Manufacturing, Accounting, and General Administrative. Applicants are advised to register at BEPO, DOLE Bohol Office, or in any Municipal PESO.

The Talent Presentation of Kiddie Idol 2010 is on April 25, Sunday, 5 PM, at the Activity Center, while the Grand Finals is on May 1. The finalists are Cris Gio Sumampong, Jerecho Villarmia, Vincent Noel Sagolili, Maria Angelika Colarines, Isabel Iris Garsuta, Rena Lea Irabelle Tatad, Orfeshaine Quiñones, Charity Dawn Monteron, Mary Grace Gara, and James Aaron Camacho.

On May 2, the Summer Fashion Show will take the spotlight at the Activity Center at 5 PM, while the First Monthly Draw of "Instant Milyonaryo, Cash Papremyo" 2010 Raffle Promo is scheduled on May 7, 4 PM, at the Activity Center, featuring the Crazy Boys of Cebu. The Sexy Babes Female Dance Competition will also be launched on May 9, 5 PM, at the Activity Center.

By Engr. Jes Tirol
Bohol Chronicle

Proem

When Americans and other westerners come to Bohol, they are always struck by the relaxed and "laid back" way of life in Bohol. My usual response to these comments will be, "in Bohol, the aim of life is contentment and not satisfaction." This needs explanation.

A Joke

An American saw a Boholano fisherman drinking tuba (toddy) early in the morning. "I see, you are enjoying yourself early," said the American. "I had a good catch of fish and my wife is now at the market selling it," replied the Boholano.

The American said, "Why not go back fishing, it is still early, and catch more fish?" "What for?" said the Boholano. "So that your wife can sell more," said the American.

"What for?" said the Boholano.

"So that you will have more money, buy more fishing boats, and become rich," said the American. "What for?" said the Boholano.

"So that when you become rich, you can travel and enjoy yourself," said the American.

"So that is the objective? Enjoy myself? What am I doing now?" said the Boholano.

The aforementioned may be a joke but we can see that different cultures have different viewpoints.

The Americans work their butts the whole year and then travel to spend and enjoy. The Boholanos travel to earn money the whole year and come back to spend and enjoy, especially during the fiesta.

Contentment vs. Satisfaction

In the Boholano mind, the aim in life is kahimuót or contentment (Sp: contento). You can usually hear the statement, "Pila ra bay kinahanglan ibitad sa hábol? = How much do you need to pull a blanket?" It is a clear indication that Boholanos are a contented people.

In the American and western viewpoint, the objective in life is satisfaction (katagbawan).

Both contentment and satisfaction connotes a fulfillment of an expectation. They only differ in the ways of achieving them; contentment is based on need while satisfaction is based on want.

Language Reveals

In English, when you say "I want to be a lawyer," it connotes determination and even obsession to become a lawyer. Since most of us were/are educated the English language we miss to notice that it is different when said in Sugboanon Bisaya.

In Binisayâ we say it as "Buot/Gusto ko mahimong manlalaban/abogado (Sp:)." This exact Sugboanon translation connotes only a wish, not an obsession, in the Boholano mind.

The Binisayâ "Kinahanglan (need) nga mahimo kong abogado" connotes determination and obsession. The exact English translation "I need to become a lawyer" connotes only a desire and a wish. In Sugboanon, it is only after the "need" is accomplished that a person becomes contented.

How it is Done

In the English language, a need is a necessity arising from a situation. It is only part of a want. A want is a desire that should be satisfied. If you want to become a lawyer, you need to hurdle many requirements. A want tends to make a linear path and at the end will be satisfaction.

In the American culture, a lawyer is not satisfied with a Bachelor's Degree. They must study further to obtain a Master's and Doctorate Degree.

In the Sugboanon language, a kinahanglan (need) is a must. It is a goal to be attained. Once the goal is attained, the Boholano is contented. He will then set another goal for contentment.

It is very common in Bohol to find people with many academic degrees. For example, a Boholano sets his goal to become a CPA. Since it needs only a Bachelor's Degree, he becomes contented and no longer aspires for a Doctorate Degree. He next set his goal or "need" to become a lawyer. Since it needs only a Bachelor's Degree, he will be contented and will not aspire to become a Doctor of Laws, and so on. The particular Boholano may not be the best in one profession but at least he is versatile and qualified in many professions.

In the Boholano way, contentment is achieved by having a step-by-step set of goals as a guide for his needs. The problem is, everyone have different ambitions (tingusbawan). Everyone has a different concept of what is the kinahánglan (need). If the level of need of a person is achieved, he becomes contented. All psychologists know that it is very difficult to motivate a contented person.

In the American concept of satisfying a want, the aspiration is limitless. They call it "Pursuing the American dream." However, many of them cannot achieve their ambitions and frustration is very common.

In the Boholano way, frustration is uncommon but the achievement level is low.

However, we can attain the American level of achievement if we will motivate the young ones to have a higher need. If we can motivate a young child that kinahánglan (need) that he will become the best scientist, then he will not be contented until he becomes the best scientist.

So which is a better aim in life, contentment or satisfaction? It depends upon where you are in the cultural divide. What I am trying to show is the difference in culture.

By Bohol Chronicle

US priest involved in sex scandal exposed

An American priest now assigned in Calape town, Bohol became a victim of a continued campaign against the Catholic Church wherein his case which happened many years ago before he was ordained priest was published in newspapers and in the internet recently.

Battered by sex scandals worldwide, the Catholic parish of Tagbilaran was not spared the humiliation of another sordid case of sexual abuse of children when American priest Fr. Joseph Skelton was exposed as being convicted for sexual misconduct with a 15 year old boy.         

The more than two decades old case involving Fr. Skelton surfaced after an exhaustive investigation by the Associated Press (AP) documented 30 cases of accused or convicted priests covering twenty one countries across six continents.

According to the Washington Post, Skelton, then a 26 year old Theology student at St. John Provincial Seminary in Detroit, Michigan together with Fr. George Stallings, pastor of St. Teresa of Avila were accused in a civil suit filed by a 15 yr. old boy for sexual misconduct.

The case was settled for US125K after Skelton pleaded guilty and was in probation for three years even as the Catholic Archbishop of Washington could not substantiate allegations against Fr. Stallings.

Bohol Chronicle:

Another member of the dreaded City Task Force was arrested yesterday dawn during a buy-bust operation conducted by elements of the Provincial PNP Intelligence here.

The suspected drug pusher was identified as Romeo Blanco, a resident of Katipunan st, this city who was apprehended in front of the Ramiro Hospital early dawn yesterday.

He is the brother of Mansasa Barangay Captain Manolo Blanco, whose house yielded more than half millions pesos and swertres paraphernalia when raided by Regional PNP operatives last year.

Earlier, reports said drug addiction in Mansasa district was unabated as suspected pushers were not arrested by the city police. The buy-bust was conducted not by city PNP but cops based in Camp Dagohoy.

Together with Blanco were Clark Lester Fabiosa and Crasel Gadgode, both residing in sitio Karaw-an, this city.
         
Seized by operatives were one cellophane with white powder, 7 sachets with traces of white crystalline powder, a metal container, rolled tin foil and two P500 bills.

The trio is locked at Camp Dagohoy jail while appropriate charges will be filed tomorrow.

Few minutes before the three were arrested, the same operatives led by PSInsp Vener Santos likewise cornered another drug suspect while renting a room at Ahoy Lodge along Penaflor St., this city.

Arrested was Ronald Telmo of sitio Cainggit, Graham Ave. this city. Seized were medium sized sachet containing white crystalline improvised tin foil tooter, a disposable lighter, and two marked P500 bills.

Charges for violation of RA 9165 will be filed tomorrow.

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID
AP Science Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- If the Census Bureau thinks it has its hands full counting Americans, imagine what scientists are up against in trying to tally every living thing in the ocean, including microbes so small they seem invisible.

And just try to get them to mail back a form.

The worldwide Census of Marine Life has four field projects focusing on hard-to-see sea life such as tiny microbes, zooplankton, larvae and burrowers in the sea bed.

Tiny as individuals, these life forms are massive as groups and provide food that helps underpin better-known living things.

"Scientists are discovering and describing an astonishing new world of marine microbial diversity and abundance, distribution patterns and seasonal changes," said Mitch Sogin of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass., leader of the International Census of Marine Microbes.

The Census of Marine Life, which is scheduled to be reported Oct. 4 in London, has involved more than 2,000 scientists from more than 80 nations.

The decade-long census has discovered more than 5,000 new forms of marine life. Researchers think there may be several times that many yet to be found.

Previous updates have focused on larger creatures, such as a city of brittle stars off the coast of New Zealand, an Antarctic expressway where octopuses ride along in a flow of extra salty water, the deepest comb jellyfish ever found and The White Shark Cafe, a deep Pacific Ocean site where sharks congregate in winter.

Now the researchers have turned to the tiniest of things, some of which burrow in the sea floor.

Remotely operated deep-sea vehicles discovered that roundworms dominate the deepest, darkest abyss. Sometimes, more than 500,000 can exist in just over a square yard of soft clay. Only a few different types have been studied.

There are also 16,000 or more species of seaworms. There are loriciferans, which the scientists call "girdle wearers" because of hind shells resembling a corset. And there are hundreds of types of tiny crustaceans.

"Such findings make us look at the deep sea from a new perspective," says researcher Pedro Martinez Arbizu of the German Center for Marine Biodiversity Research. "Far from being a lifeless desert, the deep sea rivals such highly diverse ecosystems as tropical rainforests and coral reefs."

Consider zooplankton, the tiny, often transparent animals that some call sea bugs. They form a vital link in the food chain.

As of 2004, scientists had identified about 7,000 species of zooplankton. Now they expect that to double when they finish analyzing all the samples collected in the marine census.

Improved techniques such as DNA analysis have helped unravel some errors along the way. DNA, of course, is the genetic code in the cells of each living creature.

Tracey Sutton of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and colleagues led by the Smithsonian Institution's G. David Johnson used genetics to show that three types of fish thought to be different are really one.

They found that even though they look different, the Mirapinnidae (tapetails), Megalomycteridae (bignose fishes) and Cetomimidae (whalefishes) are really the same species. The tapetails are the larvae and when they grow up they become either the bignoses (girls) or the wehalefish (boys).

After studying samples taken from more than 1,000 sites, scientists concluded there may be as many as 100 times more microbe genera in the sea than they had thought. Indeed, a 2007 study in the English Channel alone yielded 7,000 new genera of microorganisms.

Genus is the category of life ranked between family and species. For example the mammal family has many genera, such as homo (humans), canis (dogs) and equus (horse).

What ocean microbes lack in size they make up for in numbers. Marine census researchers calculate there are a "nonillion" of them.

Never heard of nonillion? Well, it's a lot. It's 1,000 times 1 billion, times 1 billion, times 1 billion.

Of course no one can really envision a number like that, so the researchers turned to the popular comparison measure - the African elephant.

A nonillion microbe cells, they say, is about the same weight as 240 billion African elephants - or the equivalent of 35 elephants for every person on Earth.

NO ELECTION "TERRORISM' IN BOHOL?
Editorial of the Bohol Chronicle, April 18, 2010
   
Does the Holy Name Research Center headed by Patpat Jimenez Espiritu, who conducted an pre-election survey of the city ,know something that the public does not?

People are asking. Because why would some of the abominable characters associated with the City Mayor Dan Lim's dreaded City Monitoring Task Force (armed to the teeth) intimidate people in various ways -as claimed during the "Radyo Merkado" so as not to support his rival Jose Antonio Veloso?

We thought the ratio was 70% to 20% (rounded) was the mayor's lead over Veloso? If that is indeed true- why is there a need for what people call "Limdan's Private Army" to sow fear in people -like some dictator's minions going for an over-kill?

This is the mini-version (city-scope) of "Martial Law" as practiced by the apparent clone of Ferdinand Marcos, the hated despot lined in the category of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, WW II's anti-heroes.

That the task force will eventually become an election terror group was already feared months ago. We recall how haplessly city Police Chief Julius Gornez, who wanted a definition of terms ruling the accountabilities of the PNP and Task Force , but was mercillessly over-ruled by a supine City Legislature who just made his request as a "permanent restraining order."

This is an abomination that happens when the task force is beholden directly to the City Mayor Dan Lim and the city police reports directly to the city chief executive, as well. Obviously, the two cannot police each other -but takes the cue from the mayor's baton before the dance the Argentine Tango.

But this style is typical of a despot who rules by fear -and not respect- of his constituents. He continues to harass media men like Gerrys Pabe and Cajes and Boy Requeron, some of those who disagree with his warped type of governance. And the whole city -and some parts of the country - know this is not the first time, Mayor Dan Lim harassed media.

The City Mayor (by reports of his shady deals and human rights violations) is indeed the biggest "turn-off" why many businessmen, vacationers and foreign investors will start skipping the province -for fear of passing through the Capital City of fear and Intimidation. The City Executive is fast becoming a disgrace to the province -indeed a source of national embarassment.And this is not just media bias.

Three former city mayors and a former provincial governor had already condemned Hitler's resurrected ways here - and City Mayor Dan Lim still does not get the point.

Something must be wrong, somewhere.

One such thing is the myopic opinion of Provincial Election Supervisor Eliseo Labaria who claims to the high heavens there are no "election hot spots" in Bohol. Doesn't he see what is going on in the city? Does Comelec Chair Melo have to know this to understand Labaria's source of underestimation?

Does the local Comelec chief also want to contradict then our own provincial Governor Rico Aumentado who filed and got a restraining order to replace Provincial Police chief, Senior Superintendent Anthony Obenza , since there is a presence of armed men in the province and he has good experience in controlling "goons and guns" included? There must be something amiss.

And what about PNP provincial chief Obenza - what will he do in the face of the threats of these armed city task force and he is not directly supervised by City Mayor Dan Lim- will he just watch this rape of democracy take place?

There must be a reason - or reasons - why National PNP Chief Jesus Verzosa, Police Director Abner Cabalquinto and DILG Chief Ronnie Puno - asked that he be relieved and replaced by Police Chief Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Llorca. Would a continued inaction be one more reason for the national leadership of Chief Verzosa to look again at his leadership in the province not too kindly?

What about the Philippine Army? In many provinces, it is public knowledge that the army is not as compromised poltically as the PNP, precisely because of the absence of jurisdictional control by local politicians.

Very often -the Army men had vowed - and executed their steadfast belief in the Constitution and intervened to keep peace and order during the election period.

In the face of all these, we call on the Head of the Philippine Army in Bohol, the professional Colonel Alan Luga, to look into the threats against the people's democratic choice imposed by people with guns protected by the power of the political kind.

Let us recall that President GMA had fulfilled one of her 10 Dream Wishes when she assumed office in 2004 to automate the polls and make our elections truly representative of the will of the people. It is shameful that some parties would still sabotage that otherwise noble goal by other forms of aberrations that seriously threaten the credibility of elections - like force and intim idation.

A silver lining is in place,however. Two of the leading presidential candidates had calendared an agenda that once in the Palace , they will seek a revision of the law that gives local politicians power and control over the police.That should be very comforting.

In the meantime, we enjoin everyone to remember that "vigilance is the price of liberty." If we do not stay awake - then one day we will find our community "ruled by men and not by law"- a place where we will certainly not like our children to dwell while this takes place.

By Bohol Chronicle

Presidential bet Sen. Manny Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP) is finally arriving on Wednesday after several postponements of his final Bohol sortie before the May 10 election.

The well-funded presidential bid of Villar has attracted some mayoralty bets who wish to make sure of their fund assistance for the coming election.

He will be arriving before 9 o'clock in the morning.

Upon arrival, Sen. Villar will do radio visits for live interview and interaction with the Boholanos over the airlanes.
         

He will be holding a citywide caravan winding up its way for a luncheon press conference at Bohol Tropics Resort.

Villar will motor to Carmen town to meet his personal friend, Mayor Boy Molina while doing mini stops in selected municipalities. He will proceed to Dumaguete City before sundown.

By Bohol Chronicle

Tagbilaran City mayor Dan Lim is facing another complaint before the office  of the Ombudsman (Visayas) in connection with his order to cut-off electricity at the residences of a broadcaster and a radio technician of station dyRD.

Criminally and administratively held liable for the indiscriminate power disconnection were Mayor Lim and Teodoro Estoque, building official of the city government.

Jeremias "Jerry" Pabe, anchorman of dyRD's "Tagbilaran-By-Nite" and Gerardo "Gerry" Cajes, a radio technician filed the complaint last Friday citing the act of cutting their power connections as a violation of Sec. 3(e) of RA 3019 on Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Also included in the charge sheet were Engr. Eulogio Signe, Engr. Ray Grapa and Rotelo Lamdagan, Jr., all of Bohol Light Co. Inc. for conspiring with the mayor in the commission of the discriminatory power disconnection.

The mayor was charged for violation of Sec 3 of RA 3019 on corrupt practices of public officials which caused "undue injury to the party in the discharge of his official, administrative or judicial functions through evident bad faith."

The BLCI personnel were charged in their respective capacities having shown participation in the conspiracy, with the public respondents in deliberately depriving the broadcasters of their electric power service by arbitrarily and maliciously disconnecting the power service with no valid and legal reason.
         
It may be recalled that BLCI cut the power service at their residential houses after the mayor withdrew his warranty for Pabe and Cajes "due to conflict of interest."

The move of Mayor Lim drew massive indignation from the community.

During an interview with Cebu media after the filing of the complaint, Pabe said it was "plain and simple harassment" considering that he is connected with dyRD, the station which Mayor Lim has been attacking after the station continued in its series of exposes' of alleged anomalies at the city hall.

In denouncing the mayor's act, Cajes, for his part said he was an "innocent" victim of the on-going crusade of dyRD in exposing the mayor of his irregularities.

The public denounced Mayor Lim for such act viewed as part of his media harassment especially also that Pabe is running as an independent bet for city kagawad in the May polls.

It's already 19 days since the two residences were deprived of the basic benefits as the two households have no electricity.

In defending himself, the city mayor said he has the right to withdraw his warranty since Capitol Valley Subdivision Part II has no permanent connections before he assumed as guarantor for the residents to avail of the temporary electric service connections with BLCI.

But the complainants asked: where is the conflict of interest?

"Tagbilaran City is not Mayor Dan Lim nor Mayor Lim is not Tagbilaran," according to the complainants while strongly lambasting the mayor's act as oppression especially that of the 150 residential houses at the Capitol Valley only the two of them have their power lines disconnected upon orders of the mayor.

The city Mayor is facing a number of cases in the Ombudsman.

By Bohol Chronicle

Gov. Erico Aumentado and members of the provincial government bidding body are facing serious charges in the Ombudsman for heavy equipment purchase anomalies, including an alleged overprice, involving P165.564 million.

Part of the corruption was a huge allocation of P158.984 million for bulldozers, graders, vibratory compactor,excavators, loaders and dump trucks when the sum of the lowest bids for the different units only cost P129.542 million, according to the formal complaint filed by Rep. Roberto Cajes.

The instant case includes the separate purchase of a backhoe which was overpriced by more than P3 million. This transaction was done in 2006. The above-mentioned several equipment were subjected to bidding in 2009.

Cajes charged Aumentado, lawyer Handel Lagunay who is the chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), his vice chairman Provincial Engr. Edwin Vallejos, and BAC regular members Laura Boloyos and Felix Mejorada.

The Second District congressman asked the Ombudsman to suspend Aumentado and all other respondents considering their respective positions and the gravity of the charges.

Copy of the charge sheet reached the Chronicle yesterday. Efforts to contact Gov. Aumentado proved futile until newstime.
         

Subject to pertinent election laws, the preventive suspension will prevent the respondents from devising ways and means of suppressing the records relative to the matters, which are under their direct control and custody.

This is strictly in the interest of justice and fairness, Cajes asserted in his complaint, which specifically cited violations to Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019, Fraud Against the Public Treasury under Article 213 (1) of the Revised Penal Code and violations to RA 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

Cajes' first cause of action involves the purchase of one backhoe or hydraulic excavator from the Cebu-based Civic Merchandising, Inc. (CMI) which was overpriced by P3.069 million.

CMI was the only bidder-supplier. Until the contract awarding, the same was the lone supplier to participate in the entire bidding process.

Section 36 of RA 9184 states that a single calculated/rated and responsive bid can be considered for award. But it also mandates that in all instances, the procuring entity, in this case the provincial government, shall ensure that the single calculated/rated and responsive bid reflects the most advantageous prevailing price for the government.

No action, however, was taken by the BAC members and other concerned capitol officials under Aumentado, to include the conduct of even a cursory canvass of the prices of backhoes of the same class or category in order to determine the prevailing market price, at the very least.

Cajes asserted this because a CMI salesman had in fact said that a Volvo EC210BLC backhoe with same specifications as that of the one subject of the bid was only worth P6.2 million, plus 10% rebate if paid in cash or a net cash price of P5.580 million.

On the other hand, the cost of a breaker, an attachment to the backhoe, was only between P850,000 and P1 million. In sum, the net cash price of a complete backhoe would have only been P6.580 million.

Meanwhile, the province opened a letter of credit (LC) in the Philippine National Bank (PNB) in Cebu for the purchase of a Volvo backhoe at over P9.649 million.

Cajes wondered why would the province pay more than P9.649 million for the backhoe which was supposed to cost only P6.680 million. "The P3,069,500 difference is a clear overprice. Where did the money go? Definitely not to charity."

Cajes asked that if there was no overprice, why did Aumentado promise to return the overprice amount.

In fact, subsequently, the supplier "voluntarily" donated P750,000 worth of goodies like rice and canned goods to the provincial government after the overprice was then exposed.

Aside from the "donations," CMI also returned to the province a total of P238,940 allegedly due to "miscomputation" in the backhoe price. "Was there really a miscomputation? Or was it just a scheme adapted to cover up the highly anomalous transaction," Cajes asked.

The congressman said the "clearly manipulated 'bidding' and the huge overprice constitute evident corrupt practices of PBAC and Aumentado," the latter as the approving authority.

There was a purposeful orchestration to defraud the government to its damage, injury and prejudice, Cajes assailed.

He also noted that the LC opened by the province in PNB-Cebu was denominated in US dollar when the quoted backhoe price was in peso.

The LC beneficiary was Sydex Limited of Kowloon, Hong Kong when the supplier was supposed to be the CMI in Cebu.

Cajes asked what had Sydex of Hong Kong to do with the purchase of just one backhoe.

A search on the Internet revealed that Sydex Limited located at the same address mentioned in the letter of credit is into shipment of tablewares, ceramics, stonewares and the like, not heavy equipment.

The issue of importation is another matter worth looking into. Aumentado asked Vice Gov. Julius Herrera for a Sangguniang Panlalawigan resolution authorizing the governor to open the letter of credit for backhoe purchase thru importation.

ANOTHER DEAL

In 2009, the province conducted another bidding, this time to buy two tracked excavators with breakers, two bulldozers, two payloaders, 10 six-wheeler dump trucks, four graders and four vibratory compactors.

Participating bidders included the RDAK, JVF, Camec JCB Corp. (CJC) and, again, CMI-Cebu.

Section 34 of RA 9184 provides that in all cases, the contract shall be awarded only to the lowest calculated responsive bid or highest rated responsive bid. This is to maximize government savings but which, Cajes said, was "far from the mind of PBAC and Gov. Aumentado."

RDAK bid the lowest for bulldozers and graders at a total of P70.260 million; CMI for vibratory compactors at P14.352 million; and CJC for excavators, loaders and dump trucks at P74.180 million. Their bids totaled to P129.542 million.

Instead of disbursing an amount equivalent to the lowest bids, the Approved Budget for the Contracts (ABC) for the equipment amounted to P158.984 million. The province would have saved more than P29.4 million.

Other than the highly anomalous biddings, Aumentado failed to act on the delay of RDAK to deliver two brand new payloaders under Purchase Order No. 221 also in 2009. The PO was signed by the governor himself.

The supplier ought to deliver the units within 90 days upon receipt of the PO. Otherwise, it could be held liable to pay a penalty of one-tenth (1/10) of one percent of the cost for every day of delay.

Up to this date, nothing has been delivered and yet Aumentado failed to do something about it. Cajes said this is a clear advantage of RDAK but to the detriment and due damage and injury to the Bohol government.

Cajes' complaint was duly certified, verified and subscribed. (Ven rebo Arigo)

By Bohol Chronicle

A Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge temporarily stopped the Department of Interior and Local Government, the National Police Commission and the Philippine National Police from relieving the provincial police director of Bohol saying it might affect the current efforts of preventing election-related violence due to the presence of suspicious armed men.

Regional Trial Court Branch 49 Executive Judge Fernando Fuentes III issued a 72-hour ex-parte temporary restraining order on the memorandum issued by Police Director Abner Cabalquinto terminating the designation of Police Senior Supt. Anthony Obenza as acting provincial director and designating Police Senior Supt. Rodolfo Llorca as officer-in-charge of the Bohol Police Provincial Office based at Camp Dagohoy.

The TRO took effect last Wednesday, a day before Cabalquinto's memorandum to Police Regional Director Lani-o Nerez was supposed to take effect, though it (memorandum) was dated April 8, 2010 and was received at the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 on April 13.

Fuentes acted on Gov. Erico Aumentado's petition for an injunction order to prevent Sec. Ronaldo Puno of DILG and Napolcom, Police Director General Jesus Versoza and Cabalquinto and all other persons acting under their authority - including Nerez - from enforcing the memorandum.

The injunction case had been set for special raffle on April 16.

In his capacity as governor, Aumentado strongly cited in his petition that Obenza "has shown the capacity to neutralize the use of guns, goons and gold in Bohol by some congressmen, in order to promote and preserve an honest, orderly and peaceful election in the province".

By Bohol Chronicle

Tagbilaran City residents are alarmed on the rising acts of terrorism prevailing during the campaign period, including threats to media practitioners.

Lakas-Kampi-CMD mayoralty bet, Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso said that their supporters fear attending their caucuses at night in the barangays due to intimidation done usually by members of the dreaded task force of the city mayor otherwise known as the City Monitoring Team.

It is public knowledge that some members of the task force known as tough guys in the barangays are armed. In fact, one of its members, Filber Ingles eluded police arrest during a drug raid at their residence in Lindaville subdivision, Dao district, this city. Ingles is seen roaming around "untouched" by police operatives.

Veloso told the Chronicle yesterday that he noticed people slowly coming out from nowhere as they wind up their caucuses to "confess" that they were just listening to their talks from a distance for fear that task force members will see them attending their caucuses. This happened in barangays Manga, Cogon and Poblacion 3, this city.

The "reign of terror" in the city during the campaign period was affirmed during a random survey conducted by the top-rated independent weekly program "Radyo Merkado" of dyRD.

A significant majority (89%) of the respondents said they are being intimidated by supporters of Mayor Dan Lim. The 11 percent, perceived as supporters of the mayor, tried to convince the public there is no such thing as reign of terror in the city.

Asked to specify how they were being intimidated, most of the respondents cited the harassment made by members of the mayor's task force.
         
For instance, a group of drivers under TAFILTRA, INC said they were threatened if they will not support the mayor this election.

Two tricycle drivers narrated they were threatened if they will not remove the stickers of mayoralty bet Veloso while a lady resident, who claims to be the daughter of a businessman called to say her family was literally forced to have the tarpaulin of Mayor Lim placed at the entrance of their house.

Other respondents who courageously went on-air narrated that they were threatened to be cut off of their benefits from city hall should they be known to support Veloso for mayor.

The respondents questioned why they be deprived of the benefits of city hall programs when all these are funded by the city government designed to be extended to all, regardless of political affiliation.

Such programs as the Blue Card medical program and the cakes for senior citizens are being given selectively only to the supporters of the mayor.

Former Gov. Relampagos, congressional bet for the first district, during a separate interview said several tricycle drivers personally went to him and apologized that they will have to remove his (Relampagos) tarpaulin after they were threatened by members of the task force

MEDIA HARASSMENT

Broadcaster Boyet Requeron said he will be forced to go back anchoring his daily program live at the studio of dyTR after station manager Lito Responte said it is station policy that broadcasts through the phone will no longer be allowed.

Requeron resorted to phone patch hosting after he was harassed by task force members twice coming out from the station after his radio program.

The broadcaster deplored Mayor Lim's continued threats to media practitioners who are crusading to tell the truth particularly on prevailing anomalies at the city hall.

"He is one person who has no room for criticisms, thus he resorts to violence perpetrated by his task force members," Requeron said.

NO "MARTIAL RULE"

Mayor Lim, in his radio program yesterday denied insinuations of "martial rule" in the city saying he could have closed station dyRD for allowing commentators to criticize him especially during this campaign period.

"Being a re-elected mayor, it means I got the acceptability of the people," Lim said.

When asked why he has no paid political programs over dyRD, he said he was not allowed to get airtime in the station.

However, in a check made with dyRD management, it was learned that Mayor Lim did not arrange any airtime with the station as he is banking solely in his several paid slots over dyTR. Likewise, he admitted during his radio program that he has unpaid accounts with station dyRD.

Chinese-American actor Daniel Wu says he married his girlfriend, TV host and model Lisa Selesner, in South Africa two weeks ago.

The 35-year-old actor announced the nuptials in his blog on Sunday. He did not reveal where in South Africa the April 6 wedding took place, but posted photos on his blog showing the couple attending the ceremony seated on a blanket in a small forest.

Wu, who was born in Berkeley, California, and graduated from the University of Oregon, moved to Hong Kong in 1997, starting out as a model before moving into acting. Now one of Chinese-language cinema's biggest stars, his credits include "Around the World in 80 Days," "New Police Story," "The Banquet" and "Shinjuku Incident."

By Teofilo P. Garcia

Three of the Abu Sayyaf bandits responsible for the bomb attacks that left 15 people dead in Isabela City, Basilan on April 13 were killed by pursuing government forces in a 15-minute firefight Friday evening, a top military official said Saturday.

Two of the soldiers were wounded in the gun battle that broke out at around 7:09 p.m. in Barangay Mazola, this city, Rear Admiral Alexander Pama, Naval Forces Western Mindanao and Task Force Trillium chief, said.

Pama said the firefight took place when the troops, who have been continuously pursuing the Abu Sayyaf bombers, caught up with the fleeing bandits in Barangay Mazola.

He added that the recovered remains of the slain bandits were turned over to the local officials for decent burial.

Pama said the rest of the bandits managed to escape.

He said the troops recovered a Squad Automatic Weapon, an M-16 Armalite rifle and an M-14 rifle with several rounds of ammunition from the possession of the slain bombers.

The slain terrorists were still dressed in Special Action Force (SAF) uniforms which they used in disguising themselves as policemen when they carried out the bomb attacks in the downtown area.

The recovered high-powered firearms, ammunition and the uniforms were presented by Pama to reporters in a press conference Saturday at Camp Luis Biel II that houses the headquarters of the 1st Marine Brigade in this city.

Meanwhile, Pama said that more than an hour before the firefight erupted, the troops from the Marine Battalion Landing Team-1 (MBLT-1) had detonated an improvised bomb in Barangay Upper Maligue, this city.

The government’s no non-sense communist insurgency drive is already gaining headway as the top area commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Saturday declared four provinces in Mindanao as “communist insurgency-free”.

Maj. Gen. Mario F. Chan, commanding general of the Army’s Northeastern and Northern Mindanao Fourth Infantry (Diamond) Division, made this announcement Saturday during the 37th Founding Anniversary Celebration of the 30th Infantry Battallion (IB) headquarters at Barangay (village) Sta. Cruz, in Placer town, Surigao del Norte.

Gen. Chan, identified these alleged communist insurgency free provinces as Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Camiguin and Misamis Oriental.

The AFP area commander also bared that they will now be turning over the internal security operations' (ISO) responsibility to the local government units (LGUs) and local police to these communist insurgency-free provinces.

“This means that basic social services will now be undertaken by the LGU. However, we will not be pulling out our men, we will still be around and we will still help the LGU in completely eradicating insurgency in these areas,” stressed Gen. Chan.

“Napakaganda ng performance ng 30th IB. The New People’s Army (NPA) was so devastated when they suffered major losses last year,” claimed Gen. Chan.

Chan acknowledged the effort of various LGUs for their continuing assistance to field units in helping one another in eradicating the communist problem.

During the 30th IB anniversary celebration, Chan spearheaded the distribution of plaques of recognition to LGU executives for their laudable support to the AFP’s peace and development program. Along with 30th IB commander Lt. Col. Roberto Valencia, Gen. Chan also pinned medals to deserving military personnel and also pinned chevrons to the newly promoted enlisted personnel.

Top provincial, municipal and barangay officials led by Gov. Robert Ace Barbers and national government agencies led by Philippine Information Agency Director Abner M. Caga also graced the occasion.

Meanwhile, in that same 30th IB anniversary celebration, Gen Chan vowed not to involve his men in partisan politics this May 10, 2010 national and local elections.

“The AFP is, again reiterating, we will not side any politicians and we will be apolitical,” stressed Gen. Chan.

He added that the soldiers will remain focus in their mandate of protecting the votes and ensure a peaceful and credible elections. (PNA)

Bohol boasts of another “first” on having the country’s first oxygen generator installed by the Brilliant Metal Craft (BMC) at the Holy Name University Medical Center at Dampas District here.

HNU embarked on the state-of-the-art medical breakthrough in Bohol to help improve competitiveness and medical tourism that integrates pipeline, vacuum system and oxygen generators.

HNU administrators believe the new facility “will help prepare their medical center for a better patient experience, increase competitiveness and advance medical tourism capabilities”.

The facility package includes oxygen generators, centralized medical oxygen pipeline system, centralized medical suction pipeline system and a machine that shreds sharp and infectious waste materials from the hospitals like used syringe.

The shredded syringes can be recycled as materials for making hollowblocks, according to Dampor Sr. of BMC and James and Jean Newell of OxyAir Gases.

Gov. Erico Aumentado lauded HNU for launching another missionary endeavor, aside from making a name in academic excellence.

The governor was the guest of honor during the inauguration of the HNU medical center medical pipeline and commissioning of its oxygen generator.

“This occasion is very auspicious to the medical tourism program of the provincial government of Bohol. It comes at the time when our poor people and those in the middle-class suffer the high cost of hospitalization. The entry of HNU to this field provide the stop-gap,” Aumentado said.

The governor cited HNU medical center as a new partner in the provincial government’s effort to ensure that poor and middle-class Boholanos will have access to medical services.

In fact, the province has enrolled about 90,000 indigent Boholanos provincewide and 52,000 barangay officials and workers in the universal PhilHealth coverage.

“This occasion speaks well of the vision of HNU leaders of providing us one new technology that could help our patients with necessary life-saving device which could be very expensive in other hospitals,” Aumentado said.

Since the technology utilizes free air in the oxygen generation, it would be cheaper at the HNU medical center.

“Congratulations to the people behind the project for the move to enhance health care to the people and for embarking on a medical center that could help the people. It helps us realize our program on medical tourism in Bohol,” Aumentado added.

The governor cited that by December 31 last year, influx of tourists already reached the 500,000 mark, most of them asking for any facility that could provide medical tourism. - Angeline Valencia, PNA

Two persons were killed while another was critically injured in a road accident Saturday morning along the national highway in Barangay San Teodoro, Bunawan, Agusan del Sur province.

Field reports received at the Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13) headquarters here from the Agusan del Sur provincial police office identified the fatalities as Nera C. Deque and Gina D. Havana, both of Barangay San Teodoro.

The injured victim, Rolando H. Deque, is currently confined at the Bunawan District Hospital, police said.

Investigation showed that Rolando was driving his motorcycle with his wife Nera and her friend Gina as back riders when they were sideswiped by a 10-wheeler truck driven by Joel A. Macalos.

Due to the strong impact, the two women were thrown off the motorcycle towards the path of the truck which hit them and caused their instantaneous death.

Macalos voluntarily surrendered to the Bunawan Municipal Police Station after the incident. (PNA)

Water at the Angat dam has breached its critical level and continues to deplete due to prevailing El Nino phenomenon.

Engineer Efren Esclandia, division manager of the Angat dam hydro electric power plant, said water elevation at the dam’s reservoir went by 0 .21 meters every day since the critical level of 180 meters was breached last Tuesday morning when the water level reached 179.94 meters.

Esclandia said that from 179.94 meters on Tuesday last week, the water level dropped to 179.62 on Wednesday, 179. 41 meters on Thursday and 179.35 meters on Friday.

The dam official also said that the four turbines, which supply water to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), had already been shut down.

Esclandia, however, said that since the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) had issued a memorandum stopping the release of irrigation water to farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga, the dwindling of water reserve at the dam would now be minimized.

He also said that MWSS wawithdraws water at 36 cubic meters per second from Angat dam.

Despite this, Esclandia said the public and the concessionaires of MWSS should conserve water to prevent the speedy depletion of the water reserve at the Angat dam reservoir. - pna