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Precisely one year ago, rumors emerged that ABC was preparing to cancel the once immensely popular show “Ugly Betty,” inspired from the Spanish-speaking series of the same name. Back then, “Betty” was simply put on hiatus to make room for new shows; this time, it’s official: ABC has pulled the plug on the show, announcing the fourth season will also be its last, as Michael Ausiello of The Ausiello Files reports.

The news doesn’t really come as a shock, Ausiello himself says, especially since “Betty” took a serious hit in ratings in recent months. The good part to this development is that producers will now be able to come up with a brilliant season finale, one that will make fans happy and that will bring back to the show some of its former (ratings) glory. The bad part is that, aside from axing it, ABC also cut the fourth season short, to just 20 episodes of 22.

“This is about as ugly as it gets, folks. ABC has just informed Ugly Betty producers that the show’s current fourth season will be its last. What’s more, the network has trimmed Betty’s episode order from 22 to 20. Although not a complete shock given the show’s heinous ratings, the news is nonetheless a total bummer â€" particularly in light of Betty’s creative resurgence this season,” Ausiello writes, perhaps anticipating fans’ reaction to the news that the show will go off air for good.

“The good news is that ABC has given Betty’s bosses enough time to craft a satisfying series finale. Exec producer Silvio Horta and ABC president Steve McPherson confirmed as much in this joint statement: ‘We’ve mutually come to the difficult decision to make this Ugly Betty’s final season, and are announcing now as we want to allow the show ample time to write a satisfying conclusion. We are extremely proud of this groundbreaking series, and felt it was important to give the fans a proper farewell.’ But back to the bad news: Betty is about to hang up her poncho for good,” the television insider further writes.

Just to set the record straight, there is no exaggeration to the “groundbreaking series” description, as the show made record ratings until just recently, when for some reason it slipped out of people’s preferences. The fourth and final season will air sometime in spring 2010 â€" for more updates on this, keep an eye on this space. - softpedia.com

Though she usually keeps her personal life out of the media, in the sense that she rarely opens the doors of her apartment for the cameras to come in, an upcoming episode of The Insider will change all that. A just released teaser for it shows Lindsay Lohan talking about her issues, like her problems with her father, as well as her hoarding tendencies, as E! Online can confirm.

The short clip shows Lindsay sitting down for a talk with Niecy Nash, while footage shown reveals an entire room converted into a shoe closet and other rooms where clothes are simply piled on furniture and on the floor. The shoes are carefully laid out, each pair in its labeled box, which also comes with a picture of what’s inside. The clothes, though, are an entirely different matter, as some of them hang neatly on racks in plastic bags, while others are simply scattered on the floor or build up in piles.

“Is Lindsay Lohan a Clean House candidate?” E! writes after the teaser was released. “The 23-year-old actress and tight-pants peddler has apparently let her clutter get out of control, according to an Insider teaser for an upcoming interview with Lohan. ‘It’s kind of a sore subject,’ she tells Clean House host Niecy Nash as the camera pans to a spare bedroom that hosts a forest of shoe boxes and a living room full of... well, junk. (And clothes and other stuff that probably cost a lot, but which look like garbage when all heaped together.)” the e-zine further wirtes.

“I just need to get rid of stuff,” Lindsay says. ‘That’s personal stuff that I have to, you know, work on,” she adds after a voiceover reveals her secret: she’s a secret celebrity hoarder. Granted, this shouldn’t come as a surprise since it’s only a short while that the actress admitted to being a shopaholic in the sense that she understood her shopping habits were completely out of control and that she needed help for it.

It’s not the money spent or, better put, thrown down the drain, that’s the problem here, it is being said in the media, but rather the fact that all this, all those items purchased and then discarded without as much as being worn once, hides a deeper issue, one for which Lindsay needs help. The episode of The Insider on Lohan should air soon â€" meanwhile, check out the teaser below. - softpedia.com

What really happened then?

...what would it be?

A student has auctioned her virginity to a stranger for almost £20,000 to help fund her university tuition fees.

The 19-year-old New Zealand woman offered her virginity to the highest bidder in an online auction on the www.ineed.co.nz website after she found herself desperate for money.

The student, who called herself "Unigirl", said that she was delighted with the outcome and thanked auction participants who had bid more than she expected.

"Thank you to the more than 30,000 people who viewed my ad and to the more than 1,200 offers made," she said on the auction site yesterday. "I have accepted an offer in excess of $NZ45,000, which is way beyond what I dreamt." - Mirror.co.uk

The icy dwarf planet Pluto undergoes dramatic seasonal changes, according to images from the Hubble Space Telescope.

The pictures from Hubble revealed changes in the brightness and the colour of Pluto's surface.

Mike Brown, from the California Institute of Technology, suggested Pluto had the most dynamic surface of any object in the Solar System.

Hubble will provide our sharpest views of Pluto until the New Horizons probe approaches in 2015.

The researchers note that Pluto became significantly redder in a two-year period, from 2000 to 2002.
   
Imagine the Moon changing by that much
Professor Mike Brown, Caltech

When Hubble pictures taken in 1994 are compared with a new set of images taken in 2002 to 2003, astronomers see evidence that Pluto's northern polar region has become brighter.

Referring to the striking changes on Pluto, Professor Brown commented: "Imagine the Moon changing by that much. We're used to looking at the Moon and it being the same night after night. This thing has changed dramatically in that time.

"If you look around the entire Solar System, the only things that change their surfaces by any noticeable amount are the Earth, where ice caps come and go. There is Mars, where ice caps come and go. That's it.
   
"[With Pluto] you are looking at the surface in the Solar System that has the biggest changes of anything we've ever seen."

Pluto is one of a population of icy objects which inhabit an outer region of the Solar System called the Kuiper Belt. - BBC

DNA differences which appear to affect the risk of giving birth early have been found by US scientists.

The US National Institutes of Health study found the variants in both babies and mothers, a US conference was told.

It is thought they may play a role in controlling immune responses which could theoretically trigger labour if they become too powerful.

Premature birth - which accounts for 7% of UK births - is one of the biggest threats to a baby's future health.

The causes of premature birth are poorly understood, although infections and other medical complications are blamed in some cases.

The study looked at 700 DNA variants in 190 genes in women who delivered early, and those who carried their baby to term.

The cord blood of the babies was also tested for these variations.

They narrowed the search down to a handful of gene variations found more often in the women who gave birth prematurely, and their babies.

In particular, babies who carried the gene for the "Interleukin 6 receptor" were more likely to be born early.

This was a good candidate gene because Interleukin 6 is produced by cells in response to infection and is involved in inflammation.

High levels of Interleukin 6 in the amniotic fluid and foetal blood have been linked to the onset of premature labour. - BBC

A man has appeared in court charged with harassing actress Keira Knightley.

Marek Daniluk, 41, a Polish national, of Godolphin Close, Enfield, appeared before magistrates in Westminster who set a trial date for 4 June.

He was arrested on Thursday outside the Comedy Theatre, Panton Street, London where Knightley, 24, is currently appearing in Moliere's The Misanthrope.

It came after a woman complained to police about the behaviour of a man outside the theatre on Wednesday.

Knightley complained of being stalked by five people two years ago. It is believed to have led to her decision to move from the UK to the US. - BBC

Los Angeles prosecutors will file a criminal case against Michael Jackson's doctor on Monday in connection with the singer's death, officials say.

Dr Conrad Murray's legal team says it expects him to be charged with involuntary manslaughter.

The announcement came shortly before the doctor had planned to surrender himself at a Los Angeles courthouse.

Details of charges will be officially released Monday, the LA district attorney's office said.

Involuntary manslaughter occurs when a death is the indirect result of negligence or recklessness.

Jackson died at his Los Angeles home on 25 June aged 50. His death was ruled as homicide, mainly caused by the powerful anaesthetic Propofol. - BBC

A 17-year-old bug in Windows will be patched by Microsoft in its latest security update.

The February update for Windows will close the loophole that dates from the time of the DOS operating system.

First appearing in Windows NT 3.1, the vulnerability has been carried over into almost every version of Windows that has appeared since.

The monthly security update will also tackle a further 25 holes in Windows, five of which are rated as "critical".

Home hijack

The ancient bug was discovered by Google security researcher Tavis Ormandy in January 2010 and involves a utility that allows newer versions of Windows to run very old programs.

Mr Ormandy has found a way to exploit this utility in Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and 2008 as well as Windows Vista and Windows 7.

The patch for this vulnerability will appear in the February security update. Five of the vulnerabilities being patched at the same time allow attackers to effectively hijack a Windows PC and run their own programs on it. - BBC

Sir John Dankworth, a mainstay of the British jazz scene for over 60 years, has died.

Saxophonist Sir John, 82, served as musical director to the likes of Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald.

Sir John, known as Johnny, died in a London hospital on Saturday. He had been ill for several months.

His wife, the singer Dame Cleo Laine, announced his death at a concert at their Buckinghamshire theatre, where she was performing with their children.

The concert on Saturday was celebrating 40 years of the theatre, which the couple founded in the grounds of their home in Wavendon. - BBC

Hundreds of thousands of people remain without power in Washington DC and nearby states after a blizzard blanketed the area with record snows.

Electricity was cut to at least 300,000 homes as the snow felled trees, and cut power lines. Emergency workers are struggling to restore power.

Washington got up to 2ft (61cm) of snow, one of the heaviest snowfalls in decades.

The storm disrupted transport from West Virginia to southern New Jersey.

A record 3ft (91cm) of snow fell on Maryland.

Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland have declared emergencies, allowing them to activate the National Guard to help cope with the wintry onslaught.

Some 300,000 homes are without electricity in Maryland and neighbouring Virginia - the two states which bore the brunt of the storm.

Another 250,000 customers were hit by blackouts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the New York Times reported.

Pepco electric company said its workers were scrambling to restore power, but warned it could be a few days before everyone was back up.

"We have a lot of scattered outages and the road conditions are not really working with us," spokesman Andre Francis told AFP news agency. - BBC

Former US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has spoken at the first US Tea Party convention, urging a return to conservative principles.

Speaking in Nashville, Mrs Palin called President Obama's 2011 budget "immoral" and said it would raise the US debt.

The year-old Tea Party movement includes many people who oppose Barack Obama's plans for healthcare reform and the president's stimulus package.

Mrs Palin said future generations would pay the cost if spending was not cut.

"It's easy to understand why Americans are shaking their heads when Washington has broken trust with the people that these politicians are to be serving," she told the convention. - BBC

What is your most favorite hair shampoo?

The number of visas granted to students from outside the EU is to be cut in a crackdown on abuses of the system, UK Home Secretary Alan Johnson has said.

Mr Johnson said tougher rules would require applicants to speak English to near-GCSE level and ban those on short UK courses from bringing dependants.

He said the rules were aimed at those who came to the UK primarily for work.

The Home Office would not confirm reports the changes may cut visas issued this year by tens of thousands.

A spokesman said the review of student visas had been ordered in November. In 2008/9, about 240,000 student visas were issued by the UK.

News of the measures, which will not require legislation and will be introduced within weeks, comes a week after student visa applications from Nepal, northern India and Bangladesh were suspended amid a big rise in cases. - BBC

Taylor Swift

A Beautiful Woman of Your Dreams

By Jonas Cabiles Soltes
Inquirer Southern Luzon

Two passengers, a man and a woman, died on the spot while 37 others were injured Saturday night when the bus they were riding in, smashed into trees in Barangay (village) Sibujo in Libmanan, Camarines Sur, a report from the Libmanan town police said Sunday.

Police said the southbound Raymond Bus was negotiating a curve in a portion of the Maharlika Highway when it experienced a mechanical problem, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle at around 9:30 p.m. and sent the bus crashing into two acacia trees along the highway.

The identities of the reported fatalities were still being withheld pending notification of their immediate families.

The injured, which included the bus driver, were brought to the Mother Seton Hospital and the Bicol Medical Center in Naga City, where they underwent treatment.

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Inquirer Visayas

The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) in Western Visayas wants to limit the rights of repeaters to re-take the nursing licensure examination.

Repeaters are considered those who have failed to pass the examinations the first time around.

Dr. Rex Casiple, CHEd assistant regional director, said repeaters pulled down the passing percentage of 16 nursing schools in Western Visayas, which otherwise performed well during the November 2009 nursing board examinations.

Citing data from the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC), Casiple said 4,028 out of 8,047 examinees in Western Visayas or 50 percent passed the examination, the result of which was released on February 1. The regional passing rate is 10.28 percent higher than the national passing average of 39.72 percent.

Sixteen of the 21 nursing schools in the region or 76 percent were high performers or performing above the national average, according to Casiple.

Ten of the 48 examinees who were in the top 10 passers were from Western Visayas including Katrina Isabel Doromal of St. Paul University-Iloilo who was tied with two other examinees for fifth place with a passing grade of 86.40 percent.

Those who made it to the top 10 included five graduates from the St. Paul University-Iloilo, two from Central Philippine University, and one each from the West Visayas State University, Aklan State University and West Negros College.

But Casiple said the repeaters pulled down the regional passing average. He said 60 percent of the first-time takers passed but only 24 percent of the repeaters or 548 out of the 2,286 did.

He said this held true in the national passing average of 39.72 percent with the passers among first-time takers reaching 49.39 percent while only 26.69 percent of all repeaters nationwide passed.

Of the 94,462 examinees who took in the nursing board in the country, 54,326 or 57.6 percent were first-time takers and 40,069 or 42.2 percent were repeaters, according to Casiple.

By Harumi Ozawa
Agence France-Presse

Toyota, reeling from car safety woes that have sullied its global reputation, will announce this week the recall of 300,000 of its flagship Prius hybrid because of brake flaws, newspapers reported Sunday.

The move by the Japanese auto giant will affect the latest model of the Prius, a car beloved of Hollywood stars and environmentalists, following scores of complaints about malfunctioning brake systems.

The Prius problems have dealt a new blow to Toyota, which has already had to recall around eight million cars around the world because of sticky accelerator pedals.

The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said the Prius recall, to repair a software program for the anti-lock braking system designed to prevent skidding, is expected to affect some 270,000 vehicles in Japan and the United States alone.

"The company has notified its dealers in Japan that it would recall all the (new model Prius) vehicles sold in the country," the mass-circulation paper said, without giving a source.

"The company will also repair the software free of charge in the United States and other countries in a similar manner," Yomiuri said, adding that the company would make an official announcement this week.

The Nikkei business daily said Toyota would also repair about 30,000 vehicles sold in Europe, China, Australia, Middle East and other areas.

"We've been told the automaker will soon give us an official instruction about Prius," said a Toyota dealer in Tokyo.

Company representatives were not available for comments.

Toyota, the world's largest automaker, has sold more than 300,000 of the latest Prius in 60 countries and territories since the new model rolled out in May.

Toyota had originally considered a voluntary repair for the problem, which the company said is not a fundamental defect, but decided on a recall to try to regain customer trust, the Yomiuri newspaper and Kyodo News reported.

Problems can be fixed at Toyota dealerships in less than an hour, media reports said, adding that units manufactured in January and after already have the updated software.

Toyota came under fire after it said it had fixed the Prius brake system last month without warning drivers, who already own the model about the possibility of brake failure.

Japan's transport ministry reportedly received about 80 complaints this month about brake malfunctions and called for an investigation, while Toyota has separately received more than 100 complaints since the crisis broke.

What do you like to receive this Valentine's Day?

By Jeffrey M. Tupas
Inquirer Mindanao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines â€" The Guinness World Records has recognized the bat sanctuary in the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) as the world's largest for any colony of Geoffrey's Rousette Fruit Bat (Rousetteus amplexicaudatus), a conservationists’ group said.

Conservationists here and abroad said this recognition highlighted efforts to save one of the country's most hated and misunderstood creatures.

The Texas-based Bat Conservation International has described the colony as among the few known to scientists.

"If the wonder of nature still exists, then the bats at Monfort Cave are one of the very few left on Earth, particularly in the Philippines," the BCI said in a report released in 2006.

Mariamarta Ruano-Graham, head of the records management team of Guinness, said in a letter addressed to Norma Monfort, head of the Monfort Bat Cave and Conservation Foundation, Inc., that they took notice of the BCI estimate of 1.8 million bats living in the cave inside the 24-hectare property owned by Monfort in Barangay Tambo in Igacos.

Graham said Guinness was "pleased to inform that you have set a new Guinness World Records…and a certificate to commemorate this is included."

"Although the certificate does not automatically guarantee an entry in our world-famous annual record, we do consider all new records for inclusion in future Guinness World Records publication and products," Graham said in her letter dated February 1.

Happy for the recognition of their efforts to save the bats inside the sanctuary, Monfort said the Guiness citation highlighted their role in protecting biodiversity.

"The role of bats in the environment and the ecosystem has been so understudied and undervalued, that you will be amazed to know that the diversity of many exotic fruits coming from the Davao region, such as the durian, has been scientifically attributed to bats as major pollinators," Monfort said.

Kini si Ong Guat ang nailhan sa mga empleyado sa BQ nga labihang ka manggiloy-on ug mapainubsanon. Masabtan usab kini kay gikan gyud siya sa pobre nga kagikan. Miabot ug Bohol nga nagapos sa kapit-os sa kinabuhi.

Naa bay outward signs ang baje aron mahibaloan nga bisan dili pa siya mohubo sa iyang panty, mahibaloan nang daan aron walay trahedya nga mahitabo?

Loren was well-respected when she was still in the media. After she joined politics, she had lost all that respect.

By Emilio San Pedro
BBC News, Miami

A US judge has ordered the son of ex-Liberian President Charles Taylor to pay more than $22m (£14m) to five people tortured during its civil war.

The abuses were carried out by a paramilitary unit led by the son, Charles McArthur Emmanuel Taylor.

It comes a year after Taylor, known as Chuckie, was sentenced to 97 years in prison by the same Miami federal court.

He was the first person convicted by a US court of committing human rights abuses outside the US.

The five Liberians had testified before the court that they had been tortured and abused by the Anti-Terrorist Unit - the official title by which the group Mr Taylor ran was known.

They said they had been held in pits in the jungle that were filled chest-high with water, had been exposed to electric shocks to the genitals and other body parts and had witnessed the killing of others by the paramilitaries.

At the end of the civil trial last week, Mr Taylor, a US citizen currently in prison in Illinois, dismissed the torture allegations as deceptive propaganda.

An "extremely dangerous" storm has dumped large amounts of snow in the eastern US, killing at least two people and paralysing parts of the region.

Up to 28in (71cm) of snow had reportedly fallen by 1100 (1600 GMT) in Washington, which would be the heaviest snowfall there in almost 90 years.

The weather has caused road accidents, cancelled flights, and left tens of thousands of homes without electricity.

A rare blizzard warning is in effect for the Washington-Baltimore area.

The storm - dubbed "snowpocalypse" and "snowmageddon" by the local media - is expected to stretch from Indiana to Pennsylvania and into parts of New York and North Carolina.

It comes less than two months after a December storm dumped more than 16in (41cm) of snow in Washington. - BBC News

By Cora Lucas
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Music video director Raffy Francisco is still high from his victory on “HP Space,” a Singapore-based Asian reality series, where he landed in the final three.

Never mind that the $50,000 grand prize went to Singaporean art director David Tang â€" who accumulated more points than Raffy and Chinese student Lora Lee â€" it was still a dream come true. Raffy was offered work as second director of “Bubblegum Crisis,” a live action film feature to be produced by Fox Studios this year in Sydney.

High-profile

This chance to work on the cult anime franchise based on Japanese director Katsuhito Akiyama’s classic original video animation is part of the prize for the grand winner. Topnotcher David got a full-pay job as print art director of the $30-million production, but Raffy got the higher-profile job, obviously.

“It’s not everyday that you get an opportunity to direct a Hollywood movie,” the 37-year-old told the Inquirer. “Doing second-unit directorial work is definitely a good start. I’m going to learn working in legit film sets. This is a multimillion-dollar live-action remake of an ’80s anime cult classic. I will be worlds away from some of my earlier sets, which were literally held together by duct tape and paper clips.”

“HP Space,” an eight one-hour episode series aired on Star World last November and December, had Asian artists from different fields facing different challenges each week.

The show received 2,500 applications from all over Asia, which were short-listed to around 60 and eventually, trimmed further down to the best 16. Another Filipino contender, Hong Kong Disney theater artist Adrienne Vergara, made it to the final six.

“‘HP Space’ was awesome. It opened my world to new possibilities,” says Raffy, who has directed over 50 music videos for different local artists, among them Gary Valenciano, Piolo Pascual, Lani Misalucha, Vina Morales, True Faith and Christian Bautista. “I had the privilege of working with some of the most creative people in Asia. I also met new contactsâ€"the producers, mentors and judges. It was fun to be a reality show celeb, get your 15 minutes of fame and be recognized on the streets of Singapore and have the occasional picture taken with total strangers who follow the show.”

Agence France-Presse

Legendary US director Martin Scorsese and his favorite actor Leonardo DiCaprio said Friday they took their collaboration to new heights for the gothic thriller "Shutter Island."

The Oscar-winning director who made a star of Robert De Niro in "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull," has formed a close bond in the past decade with DiCaprio since "Gangs of New York."

After "The Departed," which finally gave Scorsese the Best Director Oscar, "we began to realize there was something more that we could push with each other," Scorsese told a press conference in Paris.

With "Shutter Island," their fourth collaboration, they saw an opportunity.

The film, in competition at next week's Berlin Film Festival, follows two US marshals in 1950s Massachusetts pursuing a missing psychiatric patient on Boston's remote Shutter Island.

When a hurricane hits the area, the marshals are stranded on the island, home to a hospital for the criminally insane.

In their previous films together, "you had to dig deep in the recesses of a psychiatric labyrinth," Scorsese said, and with "Shutter Island" they saw a new opportunity but, he joked, they did not realize how far it would push them.

"At its core it's a character piece," DiCaprio said. "It's one man's journey dealing with his own emotional cathartic trauma."

"Shutter Island" evokes paranoia and fear in 1954, but Scorsese said there were parallels with today. "The War is The War... The horrors of that are something we all have to deal with and constantly think about. And question."

what do you think?

By the Bohol Chronicle

Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso led the minority bloc in demanding transparency amid an application for another P50 million loan despite figures showing in the disbursement of funds at the city government.

This consistent stand of the vice mayor on public accountability was stressed during last Friday's session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod when he demanded for the "complete accomplishment report" of the P50 million loan released last year by the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

Veloso said his battle cry for transparency is an off-shot of the pending issues which revolve on the non-release of pertinent documents as he cited pending cases of Mayor Dan Lim before the Omdudsman, namely; malversation of funds (Case no. CPVL-090279), anti-graft case (Case no. CPLV-09-0294) while his two other cases pending involved an enviromental issue (CPLV-080943) and tax harrassment (OMB-VV-09-0166).

The vice mayor sustained the call issued by City kagawad Zenaido "Djingo" Rama for the detailed accomplishment report in order to show to the taxpayers on how the loan was spent on road improvement projects.

Rama was susprised to read a short summary of various road projects given them during the session by City kagawad Oscar Glovasa, chairman of the SP appropriations committee.

"Whoever reads the one-page enumaration of road projects can never say that it was an accomplishment report," Rama exclaimed, saying it was just a "simple listing of projects."

With a claimed expenditure of P49.9 million, the report should not be as simplified as what was given by Kagawad Glovasa, he stressed.
         

City kagawad Mariquit Oppus likewise joined her co-fiscalizers in insiting that the accomplishment report is a needed to document how the first P50 million was spent.

"We will never support the release of another P50 million if we will not be given a clear breakdown of how the first release was spent," Veloso stressed.

The statement of the vice mayor followed after Kagawad Glovasa, who is the city mayor's protegee to run for congressman, sought the passage of the resolution to support the release of another P50 million by the bank. In fact, the majority bloc kagawads identified with the city mayor wanted it treated as "special order of the day" during the previous session.

Kagawad Glovasa, surprised the minority bloc when he told his colleagues during last Friday's session they can get the program of work of the first P50 million funded road improvement projects from the city mayor.

When asked of the program of work, Kagawad Glovasa told the minority bloc they can get it from the office of the city mayor.

Kagawad Rama, during an interview said the statement of the mayor's ally shocked the minority bloc saying "program of work and other supporting documents should come from the concerned agencies such as the city engineering's office and not from the city mayor."

The majority bloc identified with the city mayor passed for the approval of the committee report which was objected by Kagawads Bebiano Inting, Rama and Oppus.

Veloso said while the committee report was approved last Friday, the move for the proposed resolution will still pass for second reading during the next session.

"The public is doubly vigilant on how manuevers are done by the majority bloc enjoying the tyranny of number at the city law making body," Veloso concluded.

WHY LOAN?

Kagawad Inting said he could not understand the fiscal management when an LGU has to avail of a loan when it has more than P100 million surplus. During last Friday's session, Inting questioned City Budget Officer Rose Palma on the non presentation of a "trial balance" since the yearend of 2008.

Palma mentioned of a possible surplus of P43 million which Inting said was an understatement covering 2007-2009. He noted that in the yearend 2007, a "cash-on-hand" of P280 million was recorded "It won't be justifiable to endorse another P50 million loan with DBP if the budget officer could not first present a trial balance to show how much is the actual surplus of the city government," the city lawmaker concluded.

By the Bohol Chronicle

A ranking official of the Philippine National Police breezed into town yesterday to check the veracity on the alleged arrival here of members of the dreaded Kuratong Baleleng, a Mindanao-based armed group.

A confirmed report reaching the Chronicle yesterday bared that the PNP official was supposed to meet with PNP Prov'l Director Anthony Obenza. The meeting did not push through as Obenza left for Cebu mid-morning yesterday.

Aside from gathering information from Camp Dagohoy, the PNP officer conducted interviews among possible sources of information in the locality on the alleged arrival of Kuratong Baleleng members.

In the absence of Obenza, the visiting PNP official met with Camp Dagohoy officials.
         

Reports will be verified that Kuratong boys are here, but, did not bring firearms to avoid being noticed by the military who recently mounted checkpoints in several areas in the province.

However, it was feared that these Kuratong boys must have known that there are available firearms here which they can use once "commissioned" by politicians for the coming elections.

The PNP check followed after Gov. Erico Aumentado alleged that Kuratong men were commissioned by a ranking government official in the second congressional district.

Aumentado who is at odds recently with Rep. Roberto Cajes, issued the alarm during the last meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC).

For his part, Cajes said the disclosure was done to "cover a grand design of hiring these armed Kuratong for the coming campaign period."

Campaign for local officials will commence on March 26, 2010.

From the Sunday Post:

The patriarch of OG Holdings, owner of the centrally-located BQ Mall, died in his sleep yesterday. Antonio Ong Guat died at the ripe age of 94 years old. Ong Guat, as he was popularly known, pioneered the retail business when Tagbilaran was still reeling from the ravages of World War II. Starting with a small establishment which he called as Bohol Quality Store at the Lumayag building infront of the St. Joseph School (now Holy Spirit School ), Ong Guat specialized in school supplies.

The school has since engaged in general merchandize when it transferred its location in the busy downtown area. When the mall fever hit this city, it was the Ongs through son Frederick, started it all. What used to be the corner lot where Bohol Quality Store stood becomes an outlet of the multi-national MacDonalds. The food giant is a tenant of the BQ property. The prime lot in downtown Tagbilaran has since expanded to practically the entire block bordered by CPG Avenue , H. Grupo and Gallares Sts. giving way to what now proudly stands as BQ Mall.

Another OG Holdings business along CPG Avenue is the Metro Center Hotel which houses two restaurants and a 24-hour convenience store. Just a few meters away is the hardware arm of the conglomerate named Builderware, a full service store dealing in household and construction materials. The late Ong Guat is survived by his wife Luisa and children Fred and Babs Gonzaga; Lourdes and Faro Go (now deceased); Ben and Atie Huan; Tessie and Tony Tan; 12 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

By The Bohol Chronicle

A towering business icon of exemplary entrepreneurial skills Antonio Ong Guat, 94, silently left yesterday the city he had dramatically transposed.

The Filipino-Chinese, known endearingly as "Mr. Bohol Quality" bade farewell after leaving a trailblazing record of business success that will have few equals.

"Ong Guat" took a chance in the fledgling city of Tagbilaran, then a small town in relative terms and became retail king in no time. No doubt he could have made it big as well if he stayed in his motherland China.
       
His corner-lot Bohol Quality department store - then was a landmark of the town and had served three generations of satisfied Boholano retail shoppers. It was his keen sense of smell for "what sells" to the Boholano crowd and his indomitable patience to hurdle business challenges that rewarded "Mr. Bohol Quality" with the success his enterprise deserves.

Antonio "Ong Guat", soft-spoken and low profile, will rest in peace - knowing he had left his hard-earned business in the able hands of heir apparent Fred, a graduate of the Ateneo MBA graduate school.

His business has since grown by leaps and bounds into what is now known in the corporate world as Bohol Quality Corp. that branched out to other businesses
like hotel/resort, agri business, and shopping mall.

The late business icon is survived by wife, Luisa Lim and children Fred and Babs Gonzaga, Lourdes Go, Ben and Atie Huan, Ressie and Tony Tan, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

His remains lie in state at the Ong's residence along Gallares Street, this city.

The family issued a public advisory that they would most appreciate donations (rather than flowers) which they will give to their chosen charities.

As of press time, date of interment was still to be decided by family members.

Then vote wisely in May 2010...

By Bohol Chronicle

Gabriela and Kabataan-Bohol yesterday condemned the government's intelligence report linking their organizations to the Communist Terrorist Movement (CTM).

As they consider it a form of harassment, Martina Bisaya of Gabriela and Alvin Cortanesa of Kabataan-Bohol threatened to resort to legal action against the military intelligence unit.

This is in reaction to the news article about the report from the intelligence unit of the 2nd Special Forces Battalion of the Special Forces Regiment (Airborne), SOCOM of the Philippine Army based in barangay Riverside, municipality of Bilar that saw print on the January 31 issue of the Chronicle.

In the yesterday's joint meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) Provincial Development Council (PDC) and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), Major Jose Laplap - executive officer of the 2nd Special Forces Battalion reported that "the party-list groups (PLGs) and their candidates will strengthen their political machineries by establishing their respective provincial, municipal and barangay chapters in the province of Bohol to assure victory in the so-called electoral struggle".
         

The statement is also part of the intelligence information that Bisaya and Cortanesa refuted.

Bisaya said they will elevate the matter to their national office by sending the published news item through email.

She said the issuance of the said statement is a form of harassment as it will discourage their members to pursue their cause.

Bisaya and Cortanesa denied that their party-list groups are mainstream connections of the CTM.

As she admitted having held meetings, Bisaya explained that they were just conducting information campaign on how to cast their votes, especially with the poll automation, and part of their advocacy is women's rights and women's empowerment.

For transparency, she said, they made it a point that before they conducted the meetings, they asked permission from the barangay captains.

On this, Bisaya said the intelligence unit of the military should research further on the veracity of their information, especially that none of their members were carrying any firearm.

Instead of watching them, the military should rather focus on the reports about the alleged entry of Kuratong Baleleng and incidents of illegal gambling, carnapping, and the problem on illegal drugs, she said.

Cortanesa, for his part, pointed out that the fact that the Comelec recognized their organization as a legitimate party-list group indicates that it is a legal entity that must have no connection with any illegal or underground movement like the CTM.

He said the semblance of the terrorist is different from that of a party-list like theirs.

He also explained that Kabataan-Bohol is not a redundancy of the Sangguniang Kabataan, although both groups are carrying the voice and concerns of the youth.

It is just that Kabataan-Bohol is engaging in election matters, and that they are just protecting the youth from being used by politicians, he said.

He further explained that their representative in Congress, Mong Palateno, has already facilitated bills that aim to strengthen the youth through unity and by raising their concerns. Cortanesa, however, could not elaborate on what particular bills were these.

Bisaya and Cortanesa were reacting to reports that the military keep their eyes on the reported effort of the CTM to regain lost mass bases for the "revival of armed struggle in the province of Bohol".

The Bohol Standard

Lawyer Salvador Diputado, a print and broadcast practitioner, and former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP-Bohol Chapter) said it is very unfortunate that Rep. Roberto Cajes (2nd District-Bohol) has maligned and destroyed his name and reputation in a forum where he is completely defenseless.

Diputado said this in reaction to the accusations hurled by Cajes in a privilege speech made during the January 20 session of the House of Representatives.

In that speech, Cajes described Diputado as “somebody who happens to be married to a Boholana, who has chosen to live in Bohol and savor the wealth of his wife’s family (nanghantok) because he has no credibility in his home province.”

A member of the Lower House is protected by parliamentary immunity from all court actions in relations to whatever he says while using his privilege hour in the halls of congress.

Diputado expressed surprise by the personal attack.

He said “how can the solon say that about his life.”

“Does he know me? What’s the difference in my life between then and now? I graduated from the Silliman University but I don’t deny my humble beginnings and I have remained the same,” Diputado said.

He added that he is just an ordinary man with simple needs and wants. He comes from a poor but decent family in Negros Oriental. His parents taught him to be honest and God-fearing.

“I don’t have any credibility crisis in Negros Oriental or elsewhere. I’m wondering where he got that stupid idea. I know that I am not perfect but one sure thing is, never in my life did I break my commitment to God. I don’t know about Congressman Cajes,” Diputado said.

He admitted he was retained by Governor Erico Aumentado as legal counsel in the CONA [Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance] case before Comelec [Commission on Elections] Manila.

“My involvement in this case is purely professional. I don’t understand why Congressman Cajes, a fellow lawyer and priest at that, should attack my personal life,” Diputado said.

Cajes also warned Diputado “whose utterances had been recorded, that a lawyer shall employ only fair and honest means to attain the lawful objectives of his client and shall not present, participate in presenting or threatening to present unfounded charges to obtain an improper advantage in any case or proceeding.”

Diputado said he is wondering why Cajes should warn him for alleged ethical misconduct in the House of Representatives.

“If there is falsity in the pleading that I filed before the Comelec Law Department, he could easily challenge the same in his own pleading with his own evidence.”

“There is no need to cloak his action with parliamentary immunity where I am not given the chance to answer his terribly unfair charges,” Diputado added.

Honda announced a recall for 646,000 2007 and 2008 Fit, City and Jazz models worldwide, after a fire hazard involving a power window switch resulted in a death in South Africa.

In an e-mailed statement, Honda said extreme amounts of liquid, such as rain or melted snow, can flood the master power window switch on the driver's side, causing the vehicle to overheat. - cnn.com

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The Close Talker

As portrayed in a memorable episode of Seinfeld, the close talker positions her face mere millimeters from yours, making it exceedingly difficult to carry on a conversation (you’re too focused on dodging spittle and avoiding direct inhalation of funky breath smells). When taking two steps back feels rude and obvious, here’s an alternative: “What I tend to do is take one leg and pivot it to the side so my body is no longer directly facing the person,” says Palm Beachâ€"based etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore. If you’re at a crowded party, you can also hold your cocktail out from your body to encourage the space between you to gradually widen. Keep in mind that the close talker might simply be hard of hearing or from a different cultural background, notes San Antonio, Texasâ€"based etiquette expert Diane Gottsman. “The norm in the U.S. is to speak at approximately arm’s length, or the distance of a handshake, but the definition of personal space varies among different cultures,” she says.
-source: womansday.com

The Excessive Toucher

Whether she’s ducking in for an overly familiar hug too early in your relationship or distractingly stroking or jabbing your upper arm during conversation, this personality type also lacks a sense of personal boundaries. If you’re uncomfortable simply saying you’re not much of a touchy-feely type, the easiest way to dodge contact is to use props whenever possible, says Marblehead, Massachusettsâ€"based etiquette expert Jodi R. R. Smith. “Try to sit down at a table opposite her, or hold somethingâ€"a plate of food, even a childâ€"to create a barrier between you and the other person.”
-source: womansday.com

Debbie Downer

Saturday Night Live based an ongoing sketch on this familiar character, who possesses an uncanny knack for putting a negative spin on just about anything. To avoid letting her glass-half-empty outlook deflate your mood, pose questions in a strategic manner. “Instead of ‘How was your vacation?’ ask, ‘What was the best part of your vacation?’” Smith suggests. “And when the person is telling a tale of woe, listen, then ask, ‘So what did you learn from that?’” Whatever you do, resist the temptation to join her for an occasional group therapy session about office politics. “Complaining often begets complaining, so be sure not to chime inâ€"not even a little!” Gottsman adds. Instead, she suggests saying that for 2010 you’ve decided to start looking on the bright side of things and that it feels great, so maybe she should join you.
-source: womansday.com

Ms. Me, Me, Me

This personality type quickly steers any conversation back to her own ongoing personal dramas. Not only is this habit annoying, it breaks a basic rule of etiquette. “Being a good conversationalist really is all about asking the other person things about him or herself,” Whitmore notes. However, in this case, you should probably suspend that rule of thumb and cease asking questions about the other person once the conversation starts to feel boringly one-sided. “If you’re really good friends, you can steal a line from Bette Midler and jokingly say, ‘Enough about you. Let’s talk about me!’” Gottsman says. With others, you might try, “Nice chatting with youâ€"next time remind me to fill you in on some of the things I’ve been up to!”
-source: womansday.com

The Oversharer

This is the person in whose honor the popular term “T.M.I.” (too much information) was coined, so feel free to use it when the oversharer begins to reveal the gory details of her sex life, health issues and/or most recent dramatic bathroom episodes. Smith’s other suggestion: “Shh! Someone might overhear you!” Gottsman likes, “Sorry, this is a topic I wouldn’t even discuss with my own mother!”
-source: womansday.com

The Constant Competitor

Making one-upmanship into an art form, this type reflexively negates even your most innocuous social updates with braggy accounts of her own (apparently much more impressive) accomplishments, purchases, travels and children. “This person probably acts this way because she is seeking attention and wants to feel important and included,” Whitmore says. Of course, that doesn’t make the behavior any less of a turnoff. Rather than feed into back-and-forth competition, let her next one-up put an end to your conversation. If, as you mention your trip to Napa Valley, she cuts in with a tale of Sicilian vineyards, say, “Oh, that’s nice,” and let the conversation awkwardly end. Maybe she’ll take a hint.
-source: womansday.com

The Small-Talker

With this type, it’s exceedingly difficult to progress the conversation much past “How are you today?” She may make only generic comments about the weather or the nice house where the party is being held. A chronic small-talker remains firmly in that mode, even when you’ve known her for quite a while. “You can get real with this person if you know the right questions to ask,” Whitmore says. “Rather than simply ask what profession she is in, ask what the biggest challenge she’s having at work these days is.” Or, ask how she got into the profession in the first place and whether it’s what she always wanted to do. Or bring up a hobby of your own and ask what her recreational interests are.
-source: womansday.com

The Smack Talker

There’s harmless gossip and then there’s the relentless, mean-spirited stream of misinformation that comes from this acquaintance’s lips. It’s better to avoid this person or risk being associated with herâ€"especially in work situations. “You could say, ‘I don’t think it’s fair to talk about Missy without her here to give us her side of the story. Shall we call her?’” Gottsman says. “Most people don’t gossip to be mean but to make conversation,” Whitmore notes. “Why not politely help that person understand that her words could be hurtful or destructive in the current setting? You could always turn the tables and ask how she’d feel if someone was saying that about her.”

source: womansday.com

Why do so many Mexicans work for Taco Bell and El Pollo Loco? Don't they know they only add a false credence to the belief that this is Mexican cuisine? The bastardizing of the truly great and diverse food of Mexico by the money-hungry corporations of the United States, I feel, contributes to the overall misconception about the diversity and culture of the Mexican people. = Gustavo Arellano

what do you think?

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Tider Woods has been linked to 19 women...

By the Bohol Chronicle   

The Chief of Staff of the Vice-Governor's Office (VGO), Lawyer Hilario Ayuban, admitted having called a meeting with some Capitol staff to promote the online survey
conducted through the website dyRD-AM worldwide.

Ayuban issued the statement amid reports that the camp of Vice-Governor Julius Caesar Herrera has resorted to a massive cheating in the online survey wherein VGO casuals were instructed to create numerous email addresses so they could cast multiple votes.

It was further confirmed when dyRD came across a copy of a guide sheet on how to cast vote in the online survey with specific instruction to vote only for Herrera and his runningmate, former provincial administrator Tomas Abapo Jr.

However, Ayuban denied having distributed instruction sheets and the allegations that Herrera had forced the casuals to vote for him in the online survey.
       
Ayuban explained that it was his initiative to gather the staff of VGO, provincial public library and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to inform them about the online survey conducted by the Chronicle.

He pointed out that when he called the meeting Friday afternoon, Herrera was already leading by 11 percent in the online survey in the gubernatorial race.

He also denied that he forced the staff of offices under the VGO to vote for Herrera, as he said he respects the preference of some of them whom he knew are not really for the vice governor.

He said he only encouraged them to take part and be counted, so that the real pulse will show as he believes Herrera was only lagging behind in the past surveys because only few knew about the online survey.

Ayuban also pointed out that the vice governor had no knowledge about the meeting that he called, to belie reports that the vice governor was caught raising his voice.

He further explained that the vice governor is not even keen on surveys, as he give more importance on the response of the barangayfolk that would meet him in his sorties.

By Bohol Chronicle

The activist fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) is pressing Malacañang to intercede and stop the ambitious plan to reclaim 450 hectares off Panglao Bay.

Asserting that the environment and the livelihood of small fisherfolk should not be sacrificed in exchange for business accommodation and money making, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should immediately reject the reclamation project in Panglao.

Hicap said that if the plan pushes through, it will be "a geographic devastation and environmental holocaust".
         
"Imagine the national government and the provincial government will change the geography and engage in all-out destruction of Panglao just to please their corporate clients? The situation merits the immediate cancellation of the project proposal," Hicap stressed.

The Pamalakaya leader believed the proposed man-made islands project off Panglao shores has the seal of approval of Malacañang.

"The fingerprints of Arroyo and her staunch ally Gov. Erico Aumentado are imprinted in this extremely mind-boggling project," he said.

Hicap said it will appeal to militant representatives in Congress - Bayan Muna Reps. Satur Ocampo, Teodoro Casiño and Atty. Neri Javier Colmenares, Gabriela Women Party lawmakers Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan and Anakpawis party list Reps. Rafael Mariano and Joel Maglunsod to conduct an investigation on the controversial project in aid of legislation.

Hicap said Pamalakaya will formally write Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on Climate Change to conduct her own investigation on the possible impact of offshore reclamation in Panglao Island on climate change.

"We will explore all possible venues to ventilate the opposition of the fisherfolk and other concerned sectors on this outrageous plan in Panglao," he said.

Published by the Bohol Chronicle

Roberto Cajes (2nd district) has called Gov. Erico Aumentado to spearhead the call for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to place the province under its control.

Cajes yesterday reiterated his plea addressed to fellow congressmen, as a reaction to the disclosure of Gov. Aumentado that there are members of the dreaded and outlawed Kuratong Baleleng who are holed up in the second district of the province.
He said that since it was the governor who sounded first the "alarm" on the alleged presence of armed men in the province, then he should spearhead the move to place Bohol under Comelec control.

"It is to the best interest of all parties concerned if Bohol be placed under Comelec control," Cajes stressed.

The solon also bared his police security escorts, including those detailed to his wife Trinidad Mayor Judith Cajes, were recalled by Bohol Police Provincial Director SSupt. Anthony Obenza despite an allowance of 30 days under PNP and Comelec guidelines.

Despite repeated appeals and a serious threat to their lives, the PNP Regional Office-7 has not reinstated their police detail, according to Cajes.

Cajes alleged that the presence of the Mindanao-based crime group is known to SSupt. Obenza, but the provincial police director "feigns and continues to pretend not to know this fact because the patron of the said illegal armed group is Gov. Erico Aumentado."

The congressman said that while Obenza recalled police escorts detailed to him and his wife, the provincial commander did not recall the policemen assigned to the governor. He said Obenza is a relative of Aumentado's wife.

"These brazen acts of partisan politics and blatant injustice committed by SSupt. Obenza," Cajes stressed, "is too obvious, that stretching it would strain the fiber of truth and be converted into the inevitable acts of violence against myself."
         

"The foundation to sow fear and terror has already been laid," Cajes claims.

Cajes told fellow congressmen that the governor "is planning for the demolition of his political adversaries" and later laid the blame to the Kuratong Baleleng and other unlawful elements.

"Should anything happen to me, to Mayor Cajes, or to any member of my family, or even to Rep. Chatto, there is no one to blame but the governor," Rep. Cajes declared.
The Comelec is urged by the solon to replace Obenza with another impartial official not related to the governor.

THE OTHER WAY AROUND

Answering Cajes' accusations, Gov. Aumentado said that he is a man of peace who abhors violence.

"Rep. Cajes could be dreaming, spinning a thread of lies since police and military intelligence reports have pinpointed him as the one bringing elements of Kuratong Baleleng into the province," Aumentado countered.

The governor said that in an effort to protect the electoral process from being marred with political violence, he launched last week a crusade for clean, peaceful and orderly elections.

Aumentado said he created a coordinating committee to work for an honest and orderly polls chaired by Interior and Local Government Provincial Director Rustica Mascariñas and Provincial Election Supervisor Eliseo Labaria as co-chairpersons.

According to the governor, the PNP and military are already looking into reports that members of the Kuratong Baleleng robbery gang are being hired by a powerful official in the second district and are just waiting for the signal to strike.

"Instead of spreading wild accusations and lies, I challenge Rep. Cajes to join in our efforts for a peaceful elections," Aumentado concluded.

double-dead
adj. (of meat) killed by accident or disease then butchered to be sold as fresh; uninspected or contaminated, and illegally sold. - source: doubletongued.org

Caloocan City Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri ordered an intensified documentation and inspection of hogs at the city’s slaughterhouse to prevent the possible selling of “double-dead meat” in the city.

According to Echiverri, the City Veterinary Office (CVO) is continuously monitoring the operation of the city’s slaughterhouse to ensure the quality of meat being sold in Caloocan ’s various public markets.

Also, the Caloocan mayor said representatives from the CVO likewise conducted a thorough inspection of chickens that are being sold in various local markets in the locality.

On the other hand, the CVO has also been conducting free consultations for animals of “walk-in” pet owners in Caloocan.

He explained that pet owners should be aware of the proper methods on how to take good care of their animals.

Meanwhile, Echiverri said the city government, through the CVO, has also been conducting orientations on the avian influenza protection program for the various barangay officials in Caloocan for their subsequent dissemination to their respective constituents.

This include the distribution of relevant flyers, posters and different information materials on proper measures to avoid the spread of the dreaded disease in the locality.

On the other hand, Echiverri advised the local residents to coordinate with the CVO for the vaccination of their pet dogs.

Three police officers who showed courage and bravery against criminal elements in separate armed engagements last year will lead individual awardees in the 19th anniversary celebration of the Philippine National Police on Friday.

Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will present the Medalya ng Katapangan (PNP Bravery Medal) to Police Inspector Christopher Obien of the 306th Provincial Mobile Group of Bulacan Police Provincial Office.

Obien was cited for conspicuous courage and gallantry when he figured in an encounter with three armed robbers who held-up a passenger bus along EDSA on May 21, 2009.

Obien single handedly neutralized the ongoing armed robbery and saved the bus passengers from harm.

President Arroyo will present similar Medalya ng Katapangan award to two members of the Taguig City Police Station who bravely engaged heavily armed members of the notorious Alvin Flores Group that staged a daring robbery at the Greenbelt 5 Mall in Makati City last Oct. 19.

SPO1 Cesar Tiglao and PO1 EFren Ceniza Jr. were cited for gallantry in action for successfully preventing the heavily armed robbers from pulling off the robbery resulting in the killing of one suspect and the recovery of the loot consisting of expensive Rolex and Tudor men’s watches.

Other individual awardees in the 19th PNP Day celebration are:

P/Supt Nereo Torrecampo, Medalya ng Kadakilaan (PNP Heroism Medal) for conspicuous courage displayed as team leader of the PNP team that rescued some 500 victims of storm Ondoy in Cainta, Rizal last Sept. 26.

P/SSupt William S Macavinta, Medalya ng Pambihirang Paglilingkod (PNP Special Service Medal) for highly commendable and invaluable service rendered in co-hosting a marathon broadcast that attended to requests for police assistance from victims of storm Ondoy.

President Arroyo will also award the Medalya ng Katangitanging Gawa (PNP Outstanding Achievement Medal) to selected PNP officers and personnel for outstanding individual achievements:

CSupt George Regis, for distinguished achievement in drafting the oath-taking procedures and successful implementation of the conferment of the PNP badge of Honor to all PNP uniformed personnel nationwide.

CSupt Milton Dolino, for outstanding achievement as member of the steering committee and technical working group that competently formulated and completed the Performance Governance System in the PNP.

CSupt Cipriano E Querol, for outstanding achievement in the formulation and completion of the Manual on Barangay Peacekeping Action Teams (BPAT).

SSupt Charles Calima, for outstanding achievement as prime mover in transforming and strengthening the PNP Training Service comparable to other world-class police training schools.

SSupt Ulysses Abellera, for outstanding achievement in the formulation and completion of the PNP Citizen’s Charter Manual (Internal) and re-engineering of its internal frontline services.

P/Supt Nino David Rabaya, for outstanding achievement in the creation of the PNP Citizen’s Charter Manual (External) that serves as the PNP’s guidebook in dealing with the public in official business transactions.

NUP Cynthia Rosales will receive a Plaque of Merit for being adjudged as the Best PNP Non-Uniformed Personnel for the Year 2009.

P/Supt Sterling Raymund P Blanco, Chief of Police of Laoag City Police Station will receive the 1st Lead PNP Award for Chiefs of Police for Year 2009.

In the same 19th PNP Day ceremony, DILG Secretary and Napolcom Chairman, Ronaldo V Puno and PNP Chief, Director General Jesus A Verzosa will assist President Arroyo in presenting Unit awards and citations to Outstanding PNP Units.

PNP Unit Streamers will be awarded to:

Police Regional Office 11, Model Police Regional Office for the year 2009 (to be received by CSupt Pedro Tango, Regional Director)

Engineering Service, Model National Administrative Support Unit for year 2009 (to be received by CSupt Benedict Michael Fokno, Director Eng’g Svc)

Special Action Force, Model National Operational Support Unit for year 2009 (to be received by CSupt Leocadio Santiago, Director, SAF)

Quezon City Police District, Model District Police Office for year 2009 (to be received by CSupt Elmo San Diego, District Director QCPD)

Davao City Police Office, Model City Police Office for year 2009 (to be received by SSupt Rene Aspera, City Director DCPO)

7th Regional Public Safety Management Battalion, PRO7, Model Regional Maneuver Unit for year 2009 (to be received by SSupt Lyndon Lawas, Group Director)

705th Provincial Mobile Group, Negros Oriental, Model Provincial Maneuver Unit for year 2009 (to be received by CInsp Rogelio Raymundo Jr., Group Director)

Butuan City Mobile Group, Model City Maneuver Unit for year 2009 (to be received by SInsp Ronaldo Plaza, Group Director)

Police Station 6, Cebu City Police Office, Model Urban Police Station for year 2009. (to be received by SInsp Noel Lomente, Station Commander)

Mati Municipal Police Station, Davao Oriental, Model Rural Police Station for year 2009 (to be received by Supt Fermin Valdez, Chief of Police)

Special Award of a Plaque of Merit will be presented to the National Capital Region Police Office for its invaluable contribution in attaining the goals of the PNP Transformation Program by establishing the state-of-the art Regional Tactical Operations and Intelligence Center.

Police Director Roberto L Rosales will receive the award from President Arroyo.

Barangay Sta. Rita of Olongapo City will receive a similar Plaque of Merit for being adjudged as Model Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) for year 2009. The award will be received by Barangay Chairman Jerome Michael S Bacay. (PNA)
LDV/PR/utb

By Lilybeth G. Ison

MANILA, Jan. 27 (PNA) -- The Philippine government has stepped up monitoring of retail prices of sugar in Metro Manila and elsewhere as it warned it will not hesitate to padlock establishments or stores -- and file appropriate charges against their owners -- caught selling this commodity beyond the newly pegged suggested retail price (SRP) of P52 per kilo.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap on Wednesday said both the DA and and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will keep tabs on price movements across the supply chain from the sugar mills to retail outlets "so the government can spot abnormal price adjustments."

"We will swoop down on establishments selling sugar for P55 to P60 a kilo and ask their owners or managers to explain their price levels," said Yap.

"If they cannot give a valid explanation for selling sugar beyond the newly set SRP of P52 a kilo, then we can close down their outlets and file charges against them for violating the Price Act," he added.

Initial field reports reaching the DA and DTI showed that supermarkets have generally been selling refined sugar between P49 and P52.

Yap said the DA and DTI Monitoring teams will be deployed to wet markets amid reports that sugar is being sold in some of these areas at beyond P52 per kilo.

He said the DA started deploying monitoring teams to check on retail prices of sugar to complement the array of consumer-friendly steps it has taken to immediately beef up the domestic buffer stocks of sugar in the face of a global supply and price crunch.

Earlier, Yap ordered the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and the National Food Authority (NFA) to make available at once 150,000 kilos of sugar to poor consumers via the NFA’s "Tindahan Natin" outlets in Metro Manila.

The DA chief said he also talked with local sugar traders to fast track the planned importation of some 60,000 metric tons (MT) to 150,000 MT of sugar into the country as a way to stabilize the supply of the commodity amid the recent price spike in the domestic market.

Accredited sugar importers and traders were originally set to bring in their imports by May yet, but ensuing retail price spiral have prompted DA and DTI to let them ship such deliveries months ahead of schedule and via the NFA’s tax expenditure subsidy (TES) of zero tariff.

Both the Philippine Air Force and the US Air Force are now preparing for the holding of Pacific Angel bilateral military exercise in Ilocos Norte, the military reported on Wednesday.

Pacific Angel, according to Col. Ernesto Fonbuena Jr., Pacific Angel’s mission commander, will focus on engineering, medical, dental, optometry and veterinary activities for a week starting February 15 in various sites in Ilocos Norte. A disaster planning component will be integrated into the activity, he said.

The exercise, part of the bilateral military exercise agreement between the Philippines and the US, will also be participated in by the Philippine National Police, the Philippine National Red Cross, Laoag medical and community health professionals as well as local disaster management officials.

Medicines, billeting and transportation will be purchased locally using US funds, he said, adding that such is a welcome gesture considering that the communities affected are still in the stage or recovering from the effects of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

The US Air Force unit based in Hawaii and Guam will be representing the US while the Philippine Air Force will be the main contingent assigned by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Fonbuena further revealed that two elementary schools will benefit from the exercise’s engineering component, adding that each will undergo replacement of building roofs, installation of ceilings, electrical, window, door, plumbing and structural repairs.

He said that this joint humanitarian activity will start appropriately on Valentine’s Day, February 14, and will end on February 21 when the structures will be turned over to local authorities.

The medical teams, he added, will conduct free medical, dental and optometric clinics in four sites also starting on Valentine’s Day. Two mobile teams composed of Filipino and US veterinarians will also visit 41 barangays in Laoag to vaccinate and deworm the goats and cattles of farmer residents.

Pacific Angel, Fonbuena added, is not related to Balikatan. However, he said, it provides the same type of interoperability training and community support to various activity areas in Ilocos Norte.

On top of providing support to the local government units, Fonbuena said that Pacific Angel will provide an opportunity for various sectors involved to increase their interoperability capabilities specially in responding to basic humanitarian requirements of the communities. (PNA)

Another local official from Maguindanao province tagged on Wednesday detained Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. of Datu Unsay town as the one who led the massacre of at least 57 civilians in Ampatuan town last year.

Mohammad Sangki, a Sangguniang Bayan member of Datu Abdullah Sangki town, corroborated the earlier testimony of his nephew -â€" Ampatuan town Vice Mayor Rasul Sangki â€"- that Ampatuan Jr. led the November 23, 2009 gruesome killing of the group of Ginalyn Mangudadatu, wife of Buluan town Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu.

In his testimony, Mohammad Sangki also tagged the patriarch of the powerful Ampatuan clan, Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., as the “old man” who ordered the massacre of the group of Mangudadatu which included 30 media practitioners in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan town.

Mohammad Sangki also claimed that erstwhile Autonomous Regionb in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Zaldy Ampatuan, a certain "Argie" and "Nuri" supported the plot.

Prior to Sangki’s testimony, a representative of Smart Communications Inc., Geoffrey Lizada, authenticated the billing statement of Ginalyn Mangudadatu for the period November 17 to December 18, 2009, apparently to back up claims by her husband that she called him before the massacre was carried out by the group of Ampatuan Jr.

The Buluan vice mayor has tagged Ampatuan Jr. as the one who led more or less 100 armed men who intercepted the group of his wife and sisters Farida and Eden Mangudadatu, along with more than 30 media practitioners, while on their way to file his certificate of candidacy for Maguindanao governor.

As in the past scheduled hearings, Ampatuan Jr. arrived at the trial venue in Camp Crame at around 6:30 a.m., or two hours ahead of the slated trial time set by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Non-Commissioned Officers Clubhouse.

Reports said Ampatuan Jr. was whisked by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) from its detention cell at the NBI headquarters in Manila at about 6:16 a.m. and arrived at Camp Crame some 14 minutes later.

The convoy was escorted by patrol vehicles of the Manila Police District, the PNP’s Highway Patrol Group and the NBI.

At Camp Crame, security was again tight within the vicinities of the PNP headquarters, particularly at the entrance gates. (PNA)
scs/MM

Senator Joker Arroyo on Wednesday declared that “senators are all guilty” and must share the blame for the C-5 issue as the 2009 national budget that authorized the funding for the road project was approved by the Senate four times.

Arroyo said the particular item appropriating funds for extending the C-5 as a toll-free road drew no objection from senators as the budget advanced through the legislative mill.

“On four occasions, the members of the Senate agreed to the P200-million insertion,” Arroyo said.

Arroyo traced the paper trail of the bill from the approval by the Senate finance committee to the Senate’s ratification of the bicameral conference committee report, which hammered out the bill’s final version before it was sent to President Arroyo.

”What bothers me is this: Did we all not agree to the insertion of P200 million? All of us are guilty,” Arroyo said in his speech sponsoring the resolution acquitting Villar of unethical conduct in obtaining funding for the C-5 Road project.

“The finance committee is composed of practically the entire membership of the Senate. [Its members] allowed it; they passed it. After that, it went to plenary, and then after it went to plenary, we adopted it. No objection,” Arroyo said.

“In the Bicameral, it was adopted both by the House and the Senate panels. Then it went back to the Senate for ratification. We approved it. So on four occasions, the members of the Senate agreed to that P200 million insertion,” the senator pointed out.

Arroyo said all senators cannot escape blame as they are presumed to have diligently studied every bill that has come up for a vote.

“Are we now to say that we can just simply affix our signatures, raise our hands and vote for it and then later on object to what we did?”, he said.

Because the 2009 national budget carries with it the imprimatur of the Senate, then its members are estopped from challenging the feature of a measure they shared the responsibility of passing.

“We are in estoppel,” Arroyo said, referring to a legal doctrine, which if applied to the issue at hand precludes a senator from asserting anything to the contrary of a law that he himself helped craft. (PNA)
DCT/jfm

Responding to public criticisms, the Senate has decided to suspend the discussions of the committee report on the C-5 road investigation to focus on the important bills which need immediate approval before the adjournment in Wednesday next week.

”We, as your senators, are under attack for focusing our time in the debates on the C-5 road committee report and not working on the important bills. So, we decided to call a ceasefire and finish first the priority bills we need to approve before the adjournment,” Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said on Wednesday before the start of the session.

Among the important measures that need to be passed include Freedom of Information Act and Senior Citizen Act which are up for ratification; Immigration Law for third and final reading; Early Voting Bill and a number of local bills.

The Senate absorbed negative criticisms for spending more time in what perceived as unnecessary debates that happened last Monday when Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile presented the report of the committee of the whole on the C-5 road controversy involving Senator Manny Villar.

Tensions flared up as the allies and critics of Villar exchanged offensive words in a live televised debates on whether to adopt the committee report recommending the censure of Villar and his reimbursement of P6.2 billion the government had spent for the project.

Zubiri, however, clarified that the decision to suspend the debates is not a ploy to delay the proceedings of the committee report No. 780.

”It is not a ploy to delay. Of course, we have to finish this issue but we have to pass first the priority bills because some my colleagues might not come already next week,” Zubiri explained.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago favored the suspension of debates on C-5 road controversy even as she insisted that two-third votes are needed to approve the recommendation of the committee of the whole chaired by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

”That’s why I’m telling my colleagues to stop the debates because mostly the words are below the belt concerning personalities,” Santiago explained.

Although she supported resolution 1476 dismissing case against Villar, Santiago still urged the Nacionalista Party’s presidential candidate to appear in the session and answer the accusations against him.

Villar has already denied that he committed wrongdoings in the construction of C-5 extension road project. (PNA)

Except for a minor glitch in the transmission of test results, the Commission on Elections reported Wednesday that the field tests conducted on the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines in 10 areas in the country was successful.

Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said that the small problem they encountered in Anguho Elementary School in Pateros, Metro Manila was on the SIM card they used which failed to transmit the data.

“The concern there [in Pateros] was not the system, but the use of the mobile network. After they changed the SIM card, it was able to transmit. We just changed the SIM card and that was it,” he explained.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said they will conduct more trials on the SIM cards in order to avoid the same problem, especially during the May 10, 2010 elections.

“What we will do, after this, is we will test the SIM cards more strenuously to see how we can avoid such problems,” he said.

The Comelec officials did not identify the telecommunications company that owns the SIM card.

Larrazabal said that only Pateros encountered minor problem during the PCOS machines end-to-end field test out of the areas selected.

“We conducted field tests today in 10 areas. The satellite transmission from Benguet was successful. The transmission from other mobile networks were successful,” he added.

Meanwhile, Larrazabal said they will conduct another field test on Friday, January 29, also in Taguig City and Pateros that will be open to media and other observers.

According to him, some members of the joint oversight committee on poll automation also want to observe the process.

“The reason we did it [field test] is so we can simulate considering the peculiar character of each region,” he said.

Comelec tested the use of SIM cards and satellite networks for the transmission. The process started at 7 a.m. and ended at noon. (PNA)

The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) is looking at multilateral funding for the construction of the first intermodal transport system in the country.

Undersecretary Guiling Mamondiong said the $ 1.3 billion Mindanao Railway Project would be funded in the form of official development assistance, which carries below-market interest rates and longer maturities.

"We are looking at Export-Import Bank of Korea and Saudi Fund for Development to finance the project," Mamondiong said.

The Transport official said the government is currently in discussion with the Saudi government to finance the project.

"We have are waiting for the approval of the feasibility study," Mamondiong said, referring to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Mamondiong said the Mindanao rail will connect to Laguindingan Airport, and interconnect it to the largest seaport the Mindanao Container Terminal in Misamis Oriental and to be connected to bus terminal.

The project, which is a 120-kilometer stretch of railway that will pass through Cagayan de Oro to the Iligan industrial corridor covering key industrial zones Phividec Industrial Estate, Metro Iligan Regional Agri-Industrial Center, Alwana Business Park, Ayala Light Industrial Part and FCDO Business Park.

"The railway project will promote tourism, trade, accelerate agricultural growth and industrial activity in the area," Mamondiong said.

Earlier, the agency said it will push for the creation of a trust fund to finance future mass rail projects.

The DOTC said the fund may consist of an increase in real property tax and portions of the road and sin taxes to constitute the railway trust fund.

The agency would also push for the creation of a railway regulatory board (RRB) to handle the standardization of railway fares.

It will also regulate Metro Rail Transit (MRT), Light Rail Transit (LRT), Philippine National Railways and other provincial rail services. (PNA)
LOR/DGA/utb

The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday dismissed the petitions of 10 party-list groups seeking to participate in the May 10, 2010 elections but were disqualified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The groups include the controversial "Alyansa ng mga Sabungero" and FPJPM led by its president Lorenzo Cadsawan, a known supporter of the late "action king" Fernando Poe Jr.

Their petitions were dismissed for failing to comply with the requirements of the Party-list Law.

The SC also dismissed the petitions of the "Alab ng Pusong Pinoy", "ASK", "1-Ka Negosyo", "AAA Veteran", "Anak sa Pantalan", "APEX", "1Angkan" and the "Alyansa ng Sambayanang Pilipino".

Likewise dismissed was the petition of Gerardo del Mundo, a vice presidential wannabe for his failure to show that the Comelec committed a grave abuse of discretion when it disqualified him for being a nuisance candidate.

In another resolution, the SC also dismissed the petition of a certain Richard Recto who for his failure to comply with the rules.

Seeking to run for senator, Recto was declared by Comelec as a "nuisance candidate" because former senator and erstwhile National Economic Development Authority Director General Ralph Recto is again running for senator. (PNA)

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said on Wednesday that he has witness who can prove his accusation that Senator Manny Villar tried to buy him off in exchange of favorable decision.

”I have a witness who can prove that Villar is a liar if he is claiming that he did not say it (bribery attempt),” Enrile said in a radio dzLT interview on Wednesday.

Enrile said he can swear to the life of his children that Villar has indeed attempted to bribe him at the height of the investigation into allegations against Villar in connection with the C-5 road extension project controversy.

”Maisusumpa ko sa buhay ng aking mga anak na totoo ‘yon na sinabi ni Manny Villar. Ewan ko lang kung maisusumpa niya sa buhay ng kanyang mga anak na hindi totoo ang sinabi kong ‘yon. (I can swear to my children’s life that Manny Villar really said it. I don’t know if he also can swear to his children’s life that I’m not telling the truth),” Enrile said.

Enrile said Villar offered the bribe at a luncheon meeting in Shangri-la Hotel in Makati on August 29 last year.

The Senate president did not name his witness but he had already claimed that he was with his chief of staff Atty. Gigi Reyes during the luncheon meeting.

Villar, standard-bearer of the Nacionalista Party, denied Enrile’s accusation, admitting that the allegation hurt him.

”I can’t do it (bribery). The accusation of Senator Enrile hurt me. This is foul. He is throwing different allegations against me these past few days. The report is pure lie. They said I borrowed, I offered bribe. That‘s too personal,” Villar said in a separate radio dzXL interview.

Villar linked the series of attacks against him to the recent surveys which show him getting closer to frontrunning Noynoy Aquino, presidential candidate of Liberal Party.

”They are now in panic situation. They are just doing this to stop my increasing rating in the survey,” Villar said.

Villar said he will answer the accusations in the Senate although he claimed he had already answered the allegations a hundred times in the radio, TV, print and different forums.

”It is clear that I will not get fair judgment because my accuser is presidentiable and judge at the same time,” Villar said, referring to Sen. Jamby Madrigal who filed the ethics complaints against him.

Villar explained anew that C-5 extension road project was not realigned “since there were two road projects” including the tollway under the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB).

”This C-5 extension road project is for free because it was constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highway. Some six million commuters in Cavite, Las Pinas and Paranaque will benefit from this road project,” Villar said.

The report of committee of the whole recommends that Villar be censured and return the amount of P6.2 billion that the government had spent for the project.

Enrile has already submitted the report at the plenary after mustering 12 signatures but suspended the debate on whether to approve the report following the Monday’s tensions-filled proceedings.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said the majority bloc decided to suspend it to give way to the approval of the priority measures. The debate will resume on Monday. (PNA)
vcs/jfm

Recognizing the great contributions of Chinese-Filipinos in the country, Senator Edgardo Angara has filed a bill seeking to declare the Chinese New Year a special non-working public holiday.

“The Chinese-Filipinos have made significant economic and societal contributions to the country in the form of employment generation, community service, trade and socio-economic programs,” Angara said.

“In recognition of their great contributions and in observance of their valued tradition, I am pushing for the declaration of Chinese New Year as a non-working public holiday,” he said, adding that this will further strengthen the relationship between the Filipinos and the Filipino-Chinese community.

Senate Bill 3569 mandates the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to promulgate the rules and regulations of this act in consultation with the Federation of the Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc.

Once enacted, the holiday will be in addition to the existing five special non-working holidays, 11 regular holidays and three nationwide special holidays listed under Republic Act 9492. (PNA)
DCT/jfm

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has banned an Australian national from entering the country for maltreating a Filipino couple whom he had hired to work at his motel in Australia.

Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan on Wednesday issued the order placing Julian Simone in the bureau’s blacklist after receiving a report from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) about the unjust treatment that the Australian allegedly committed against his Filipino employees.

The DFA described Simone as an undesirable alien based on the complaint of Loreto Trocio and his wife Marilou who accused their former employer of unjust labor practices by forcing them to perform long hours of work in his hotel at a very low pay.

Libanan said it is only right that Simone should be banned from re-entering the Philippines to prevent him from maltreating other Filipinos whom he might also hire to work for his business.

According to DFA Assistant Secretary Renato Villapando, a foreign service circular has been issued instructing all Philippine missions abroad not to issue any visa to Simone.

In their complaint to the Philippine consulate in Sydney, the Trocios said they met Simone at their hometown in Davao City. And after being friendly with them for two years, Simone asked them to work for him in Australia.

They said they started working for Simone at his motel in Artamon, New South Wales in October 2008 where they were obliged to work from 7:00 in the morning to 8:00 in the evening, and sometimes up to 10 p.m. without any overtime pay.

And while the prevailing wage rate then was 18 to 20 Australian dollars per hour, they were paid only 11 Australian dollars an hour, the Trocios said.

The couple also complained of being forced to work even during weekends and that they were not given any free accommodation but instead were charged 48 Australian dollars a week for their room.

The couple resigned from their work in March last year and went back home.

But even when they were back in Davao, Simone allegedly continued to bully, intimidate, threaten them and their family, the couple said. (PNA)
vcs/FMB

The Senate lived up to its promise to approve priority measures as it passed on second reading the Senate Bill 2972, allowing early voting for members of the media, detainees, inmates and law enforcers including members of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

The measure also allowed the early voting in the election hotspots including in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) where 57 people have been massacred while on their way to the filing of certificate of candidacy.

”I’m confident that the bill will be approved on third and final reading by Monday next week,” Sen. Richard Gordon, the bill author and father of modernization in the Philippines, said after the bill approval on Wednesday night.

Gordon said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has been given authority until March 10 to determine the date of the early voting.

”Once it will be approved on third and final reading on Monday, it will be immediately forwarded at the bicam where I expect smooth passage,” Gordon said.

The House of Representatives approved on Tuesday on third and final reading its own version of the bill, House Bill 6928.

Gordon explained that the results of the early voting will not be counted during the actual counting and canvassing of the results of the country’s first automated national and local elections on May 10 this year.

The early voting bill known as ‘An Act Allowing Early Voting in National and Local Elections” was filed last December as proposed by the Comelec. (PNA)
vcs/jfm

By Jelly F. Musico

The Senate ratified Wednesday night the bicameral conference committee (BCC) report on the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act,” seeking to exempt the elderly from paying the 12 percent value added tax (VAT).

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said the ratification is part of the Senate promise to finish all the priorities measures before the sine die adjournment next week.

Composed of Senate and House members, the BCC approved the reconciled version of the measure last Wednesday.

The “Expanded Senior Citizens Act” will be forwarded to Malacanang for the President’s signature.

The bill will allow senior citizens to fully enjoy the 20 percent discount as the VAT exemption will be applied to medicines and essential medical supplies, accessories and equipment; fees of attending physicians; medical, dental fees and diagnostic and laboratory fees;

Fares for buses, jeepneys, taxis, AUVs, shuttle services, public railways, domestic air transport and other vessels; utilization of services in hotels, restaurants and similar establishments; admission fees in cinemas, theaters and other places of culture, leisure and amusement;

And funeral and burial services for the death of senior citizens.

In addition, indigent senior citizens will be given a monthly stipend of P500 which will be subject to the periodic review of Congress in coordination with the Department of Social Work and Development.

In case of death of an indigent senior citizen, an amount of P2,000 will also be awarded to his or her nearest kin as death benefit assistance.

Senior citizens may also enjoy a five percent discount on their water and electric bills on the condition that the utilities are named under the senior citizen residing in the household, and that the consumption for electricity and water should be below 100 kilowatt-hours and 30 cubic meters per month, respectively.

The measure likewise expands the coverage of penalties for establishments that refuse to grant the mandated benefits.

Violating establishments including their owners, managers and personnel may be fined a penalty of not less than P10,000 but not more than P50,000, or imprisonment of not less than a month but not more than six months. (PNA)
vcs/jfm

Vice Gov. Julius Herrera had strongly commended municipalities that have enacted local measures to mitigate the increasing global warming.

Herrera earlier said that a project, such as power plants utilizing husks, could help the growing concern over disposal that can harm the environment when husks decomposed because they released greenhouse gases that contribute air pollution.

He cited a finding that if rice husks are burned they discharge unfiltered smoke and toxic carbon dioxide that can help deplete the ozone layer.

Herrera added that it’s about time to tap our resources while there is still time to save our environment.

He expressed elation that municipalities are now enacting measures banning the burning of biodegradable materials such as rice stalks and husks as these could contribute to the global warming.

Leading the way is the Sangguniang Bayan of Dagohoy town that has strictly prohibited the burning of what it considers as non-biodegradables.

Municipal Ordinance No. 2009-100 sternly bans the “burning of plastics, all kinds of cellophanes, all kinds of sachets and garbage within the territorial jurisdiction” of the municipality.

The municipal lawmakers of this town have imposed penalties under Municipal Ordinance No. 2009-100 to the violators.

Section 3 of said Ordinance provides that a fine of P500 for the violation for first offense and P1,000 and P1,500 for second and third offenses, respectively, or “both imprisonment of five days and fine at the discretion of the court.”

The environmental measure was approved on December 29, 2009 by Mayor Germinio C. Relampagos and signed by Vice-mayor Ma. Shirley A. Amodia and certified by municipal secretary Gloria O. Abregana.

Mountains of rice husks which are very abundant in the province could be an alternative source of electric if the government will only harness and give it a priority.

Based on the study, rice husk power plants can generate between 1.5 and 10 megawatts capacity and the technology is viable energy source as used in Japan

The Department of Agriculture said in a study that rice husks can produce as much as 20% of the paddy production.

“In 2004, about 3.14 million metric tons of rice husks were generated of the total 14 million MT of rice produce and this translates to 1,600 mega-watt-hour of potential energy that can light a highly urbanized city for a year.” (RVO)

King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) announced here Sunday the launch of the first phase of the national initiative for water desalination by solar energy, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The news agency said the initiative was developed in cooperation between KACST and American IBM company through the Joint Center for Nanotechnology Research.

The initiative aims at finding solutions to the problems of energy and water at lowest costs.

It also contributes to the national economy and reduces the dependence on oil and gas in the operation of plants which currently consume about 1.5 million barrels, the news agency added. (PNA/BERNAMA)

Around 1,000 vigilant Ilonggos expressed their intention to become "Bantay Suba" volunteers who will be deputized to guard round-the-clock on several shifts the riverbank from littering and vandalism.

The "Operation Bantay Suba" which is being spearheaded by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) in close partnership with the Youth Eco Defenders was launched here recently.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, who is also the chair of the Iloilo River Development Council (IRDC), said that the "Bantay Suba" was launched to “encourage Ilonggos to be more concerned and participative about the plight of the Iloilo River.”

The volunteers coming from academe, youth, business sector, civic groups, non-government organizations, environment advocates, and religious sector took their oath simultaneous with the River Walk that was held recently.

Also joining the list of volunteers are members of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary and Philippine Naval Auxiliary Reserve and non-government organizations such as the Bantay Bayan.

The Bantay Suba volunteers will assist the IRDC in the monitoring and implementation of laws relevant to the preservation of Iloilo River including mangrove protection, anti-illegal encroachment, anti-illegal fishing, and proper solid waste and wastewater management.

The initiative is anchored on the Iloilo River Development Master Plan (IRDMP) which envisions at reviving and preserving the Iloilo River. (PNA)
FFC/ajp/PGL/vlo

Successful birth control in Thailand may cause a shortage of laborers in the country in “less than five years,” warned a senior Labor Ministry official on Sunday.

Songsri Boonba, deputy director-general of the Employment Department, said a study by the Labor Market Research Division found that demand for labor in Thailand between 2010-2014 will increase every year, especially in the production, agriculture, industry and service sectors.

It is estimated that demand for laborers in the country would be at least 38 million by then, but many workers who were laid off last year have now returned to the agricultural sector while fewer numbers of new graduates have joined the industrial sector, not as high as the 400,000-500,000 workers needed by the industrial sector as claimed earlier by the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), Ms Songsri said.

A number of industries now face worker shortages, she admitted. Workforce people in Thailand are aged between 40-59 but it is worrisome that the number of those aged between 25-39 who would replace aging people to retire soon have declined every year due to successful birth control.

Last year alone, more than 200,000 people disappeared from the workforce system in Thailand, said Ms Songsri.

If the situation does not improve, the production sector, especially the industrial will have to use more advanced technology to fill the shortage of workers, she said.

“Concerned agencies such as the BoI (Board of Investment) and the Industry Ministry will have to promote industries which employ few workers but use high technology in order to cope with the current situation. If not, the worker shortage would become a severe problem within five years,” Ms Songsri said. (PNA/TNA)

Beijing is no longer content to be only an international city; it intends to become a "world city," Mayor Guo Jinlong said Monday.

Guo gave no agenda for the objective when he announced the plan on the opening day of the third session of the 13th Beijing Municipal People's Congress.

Huang Yan, director of Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning, told Xinhua Monday that the government hoped to achieve the transformation of Beijing into a "world city" by 2050.

The international community generally regarded a world city as having a per-capita gross domestic product (GDP) exceeding US$ 15,000 a year, while Beijing had just surpassed the US$ -10,000 mark in 2009, said Huang.

Huang said a world city usually had a global influence in terms of politics, economy and culture. It was usually favored by influential international organizations to base their headquarters. (PNA/Xinhua)
vcs/ebp

The A$ 100 million expansion of the Gold Coast Airport, which doubles its size, was officially opened on Monday by Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese.

Albanese said the airport was the sixth busiest in the nation and contributed about A1 billion to the economy each year.

He said the redeveloped terminal, now covering over 30,000 square meters, would lead to "substantial increases in economic activity over the long term".

"It is one of the fastest growing airports in Australia and a vital gateway to some of Australia's most popular tourist destinations in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales," he was quoted by the Australian Associated Press as saying.

The minister said the new terminal has been specifically designed to support low-cost airlines, including AirAsia and Tiger Airways, and their passengers, a growing segment of the aviation industry.

The airport currently handles 4.9 million passengers annually, including over half a million international visitors. (PNA/Bernama)

At least 50,000 seafarers are needed for the shipping industry to realize its full potential and stimulate the desired economic growth in Nigeria, the This Day newspaper reported on Monday.

Citing Temisan Omatseye, director general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the report said the shipping industry in Nigeria has become dominated by foreigners due to the manpower gap.

The official attributed the problem to the absence of a national shipping line, the lack of interest among young Nigerians to pursue careers in the sector, and the apparent disconnect between government policy framework, the institution designed for policy implementation and the maritime industry.

According to the NIMASA boss, Nigeria lost the perfect laboratory platform for breeding young sailors since the early 1990s when the Nigerian National Shipping Line collapsed and its fleet completely depleted.

He said that though the Nigerian Maritime Academy in southeast Nigeria Cross River State has been churning out professional seamen over the years, the institution has limited capacity as it can produce only about 200 seamen each year.

Beyond this limitation, he said, graduates of the Nigeria Maritime Academy lack access to ocean going vessels which they would have used to earn the necessary man hours required for their professional qualification.

Omatseye expressed hope that with the ongoing collaboration between the Academy and the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas project the industry will gradually surmount the problem. (PNA/Xinhua)
DCT/utb

The risk of nuclear terrorism is "real" and it is only because of "sheer dumb luck" that an all-out nuclear attack has not occurred since World War II, Professor Gareth Evans of Australia said here on Monday.

"The nature of the risks are real," Evans said. "It's sheer dumb luck that we have succeeded as a world in surviving ... a major nuclear catastrophe since 1945. It's not a function of good policy or anything other than luck."

Evans, who is co-chairman of the International Commission on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (ICNND), presented the December 2009 report "Eliminating Nuclear Threats."

The 230-page report comes in a "new environment of optimism," said Evans, noting bilateral disarmament talks between the U.S. and Russia.

An independent global panel of 15 commissioners, produced the unanimous report, which Evans called "realistic" and "pragmatic" in the way it was put together, and "not just a wish list."

There is a new opportunity for nuclear disarmament and non- proliferation -- the first time since the post-Cold War years, said the report.

In May, the United Nations will hold a conference aimed at reviewing the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), and in April, U.S. President Barack Obama will host an international nuclear security summit.

The world has come "hellishly close to a (nuclear) catastrophe on many occasions during the Cold War, which are only now beginning to come to light after all these years," said Evans. " You cannot make any assumption at all that the status quo will continue." (PNA/Xinhua)

By the Bohol Chronicle

Three active fault lines could trigger a destructive earthquake in Bohol that would cause deaths and wreak damage to properties, an official of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) bared yesterday.

Phivolcs-Bohol chief Engr. Eusil Talisic has advised Boholanos to be ready for a big quake that could reach a maximum magnitude of 7 or even higher on the Richter scale, although no one could exactly say when it can happen.

Talisic said that an earthquake with a high magnitude could occur anytime because of three fault zones - the East Bohol Fault, North Offshore Fault and the South Offshore Fault.

The death toll may not be as high as the world's most devastating quakes, such as the recent one in Haiti , since two of the fault lines are offshore.

The East Bohol Fault traverses through the eastern municipalities of Loay, Lila, Dimiao and Valencia , going to the interior towns of Carmen, Sierra Bullones and Pilar.

Based on scientific data, the South Offshore Fault, lying between Bohol and Camiguin Island , has recorded a maximum intensity of 7.5 in the Richter scale on February 1990. The tremor was felt inland that brought destruction on the St. Michael the Archangel Church and several bridges in Jagna.
         
A strong tremor may cause tidal disturbances which could flush out coastal communities within proximity of the quake's epicenter.

Situated in between Cebu and Bohol, the North Offshore Fault line recorded a maximum intensity of 6.2 in the Richter scale during a quake in 1922.

A magnitude 6 earthquake is already destructive according to Talisic especially when its epicenter would hit a densely populated area.

According to Talisic, the East Bohol Fault traverses through mostly mountainous areas.

After the dreadful earthquake in Haiti, seismic activities have been observed to be more frequent in the Visayas and Mindanao areas.

But Talisic said the tremor in the Caribbean nation was not a triggering factor, the fault lines in Bohol being thrust faults in nature.

The Phivolcs registers an average of 20 seismic activities daily throughout the country, but most are low intensity disturbances and only a few of them are actually felt.

Recent quakes that jolted the Visayas and Mindanao occurred last January 21 in Northern Samar with a magnitude of 4.8; January 21 in Surigao del Sur which registered a magnitude of 3.2; January 17 in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental with a magnitude of 2.2; a 5.3 magnitude quake which jolted Davao last January 15; and a 5.1 magnitude tremor in Sultan Kudarat province last January 13.

The Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where frequent seismic and volcanic activities are caused when continental plates collide.

The New Zealand dollar slipped below 71 U.S. cents to a four week low on Monday morning, after U. S. markets felt the impact of moves by the President Barack Obama to curb bank risk-taking which would in turn hit banks' profits.

Around 8:00 a.m. Monday the New Zealand dollar was buying 70.95 U.S. cents, down from 71.30 U.S. cents at 5:00 p.m. on Friday.

The NZ dollar also dropped further against the euro to 0.5014 - a new low for the year from its position of 0.5046 at Friday's close. Against the Australian dollar it was a similar story, down to 78.57 cents, from 78.86 cents.

At 12:30 p.m., the New Zealand dollar was trading at around 71. 38 US cents.

Westpac Bank strategist Imre Speizer said the NZ dollar would continue to be affected by an aversion to risk and to fall further in the short-term, according to Radio New Zealand.

He said the euro had been helped by stronger European industrial orders and a bond issue by Greece while the yen had benefitted from the uncertainty. (PNA/Xinhua)

A massive recall by Toyota Motor Corp. in the United States is likely to help Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate, Kia Motors Corp., increase their sales in the American market, an analyst said Monday.

Last week, Toyota said it will recall 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. due to potential problems with acceleration, marking its second massive recall in four months and raising further questions about the safety of its vehicles.

"The report of Toyota's second massive recall would pose a positive effect for Hyundai and Kia to regain market shares in the U.S. market," said Suh Sung-moon, an auto analyst at Korea Investment & Securities Co.

"In particular, it would be a boon for Hyundai, which is set to begin selling the YF Sonata sedan in the U.S.," the analyst said. (PNA/Yonhap)

Tobacco producing giant Philip Morris International (PMI) broke ground on its new regional tobacco warehouse facility in a 50,000- square meter total land area inside Subic Techno Park that will store tobacco leaf for shipment and processing in various PMI cigarette factories in the Asia-Pacific region.

Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc. (PMPMI) Managing Director Chris Nelson, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Feliciano G. Salonga and SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza led the groundbreaking Monday morning to signal the commencement of the project.

“Today we break ground in what described to be the largest humid warehouse facility that will established Subic as a major center of regional leaf tobacco trading and a major center for international distribution, “ SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said.

This new warehouse will have state-of-the-art features such as humidity control, fire suppression equipment, and air conditioning to handle the imported tobacco leaf from China, Indonesia, Thailand, and India, among others, which will be used by PMI cigarette manufacturing facilities in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia..

“The expected project completion will be August this year, so definitely, the economic benefit of this project will accrued to the community in a very short period of time,” Arreza said.

“What we are groundbreaking today is actually the Phase II of our investment here in Subic.. You will recall that in January 2008, exactly two years ago, we opened the first phase which was a 10,000-square meter leaf warehouse that used to be Building 8120 of SBMA located at the Boton area,” PMPMI Managing Director Chris Nelson said.

At present, the existing refurbished warehouse in Boton Area can only accommodate 6,100 metric tons of tobacco leaf. Phase-I has an initial investment of P30-million while the new project is peg at around P500-million worth of investment, Nelson said.

“The new warehouse stands on a 20,000-square meter lot out of the almost 50,000-square meter total land area that we have leased from SBMA for 50 years. In the future, we could further expand the warehouse facility to handle 24,000 metric tons of tobacco depending on the region’s demand,” he added.

The construction of the Subic Techno Park warehouse, with an initial capacity of storing 14,000 metric tons of tobacco, is expected to be completed in July this year.

Nelson disclosed that Subic was chosen from among several possible locations in Southeast Asia “as it provides reasonable advantages in cost and efficiency over the various storage areas where tobacco leaf are previously kept.”

“Through the years, we have steadily expanded our investments here in the Philippines. The project that we are groundbreaking today further cements our commitment to the economic development of the country and our faith in the Philippine tobacco industry,” Nelson said.

PMI is the leading tobacco company in the world with over 15 percent share of the international adult smoking market (excluding China).

It previously invested more than $ 300 million in the construction of its first class cigarette manufacturing facility in Tanauan City, Batangas which became operational in 2003.

PMI’s affiliates, which include PMPMI, manufacture and market seven of the top 15 best selling international brands â€" including Marlboro, the world’s number one cigarette brand. (PNA)
LOR/zst/MALOU DUNGOG/ps

Retail prices of electrical wires ease in NCR
By Catherine J. Teves

MANILA, Jan. 25 (PNA) --The retail price index (RPI) for electrical wires slowed down year-on-year in December 2009 to 4.8 percent in the National Capital Region (NCR) from 10.8 percent the previous year, National Statistics Office (NSO) data show.

Latest NSO data showed that it was the first time since 2007 that the RPI for electrical materials eased to a single-digit rate. RPI for electrical wires reached 2.6 percent in 2007.

The index moved up over five times faster in December 2006, which was at 16.5 percent.

NSO data also show that the December RPI for selected construction materials in NCR, including those used in electrical work, decelerated to -0.7 percent in 2009 from 6.1 percent during the same month in 2008.

These materials and corresponding rate of RPI movement in December 2009 are those for carpentry (-1.1 percent), masonry (1.9 percent), painting (1.1 percent), plumbing (1.6 percent), tinsmithry (3.0 percent) and miscellaneous construction work (-6.3 percent). (PNA)

The Subic Freeport airport may be converted into a logistics hub to maximize its potentials after its failure to find a replacement of the FedEx, which used to operate its Asia Pacific hub in the Freeport.

This was revealed by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator Armand C. Arreza to reporters covering the ground breaking ceremony of the regional leaf warehouse of Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc.

Arreza said they are still studying the conversion of the airport.

The planned conversion has taken into consideration the more competitive Clark freeport, which is being groomed as the country’s next international airport.

Arreza said the Freeport currently pays P250 million in debt service annually and P80 million for maintenance.

“We need between 12 to 15 flights a day to break even,” he said.

“With the departure of FedEx, Subic is left with no user at all and source of revenue. How can we sustain that?” Arreza said.

On the other hand, Arreza said that Clark offers free parking and landing fees to the budget airlines operating in the former American Airfield.

FedEx left Subic as its Asia Pacific hub in February 2009 to a more profitable Guangzhuo, China.

“We are still studying its conversion, but we also want Subic to a subsidiary airport to Clark,” he said.

The airport, he said, could be converted into a logistics hub noting that they have not enough space for the logistics firms operating in the Freeport .

Earlier, however, SBMA was in talks with several groups that could replace the slot left by FedEx, which has finally closed its Asia Pacific hub in Subic Freeport as it transfers to a more profitable new hub in Guangzhou, China leaving 500 workers jobless.

“We’re in talks with several groups but no immediate replacement,” said Arreza the day after FedEx pulled out its last plane in Subic after operating its Asia Pacific hub in the former U.S. military base for the past 16 years.

Arreza, however, refused to elaborate except to say that negotiations for possible replacement of FedEx are ongoing.

Last year, SBMA forged an agreement with UK-based Stratospheric Airship Technologies (SAT), which has committed to invest $ 500 million for aircraft manufacturing by taking over the facilities of FedEx.

But SAT official said that SAT is not going to replace the Asia Pacific hub operations of FedEx but rather transform the facility into an aircraft manufacturing hub.

The FedEx hub, which began operations in 1996, earned the Subic Bay authority about P150 million (3.2 million dollars) from landing fees and warehousing in 2008.

About 500 workers were expected to lose jobs. At the peak of its operations in 2004, the FedEx unit in Subic employed about 800 people.

At the time FedEx came into Subic, it was hoped it would lure foreign businesses to Subic and breathe new life into the area after the US closed its military bases in the Philippines in 1992. (PNA)

The rate of Philippine Treasury bills (T-bills) moved sideways Monday as investors await this week's policy decision of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) as well as the government's 2009 budget deficit.

Rate of the three-month paper averaged at 3.89 percent Monday, lower than the 3.91 percent it fetched previously. Its highest rate reached 3.899 percent while lowest was at 3.895 percent.

Bids for this tenor reached P6.985 billion, more than three-fold the offering of P2 billion, which was awarded in full.

For the 182-day bill, rate averaged at 4.16 percent from 4.12 percent previously, with highest at 4.22 percent and lowest at 4.12 percent.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) offered it for P3 billion and tenders was more than twice at P8.155 billion.

The auction committee, on the other hand, awarded only P1.955 billion.

The 364-day debt instrument averaged at 4.66 percent, up from the 4.58 percent it fetched in the previous auction. Highest rate was at 4.72 percent while lowest was at 4.60 percent.

BTr offered this tenor for P3.5 billion but the auction committee awarded partially at P1.7 billion even as total tenders reached P4.75 billion.

National Treasurer Roberto Tan told reporters after the auction that movements of the debt paper on the average were below the average of done deals in the secondary market.

“But, of course, there will still be market uncertainty due to the policy meeting of Thursday given the news release on the Bangko Sentral action moving forward as well as the deficit level for 2009,” he said.

The policy-making Monetary Board (MB) of the BSP will have their rate setting meet Thursday this week and analysts expect it to again keep central bank rates similar to its decision since August 2009.

To date, BSP's overnight borrowing rate is at record-low of four percent while the overnight lending rate is at six percent.

Meanwhile, the government is expecting P2.5 billion inflow from a project loan this month while some P15 billion worth of program loan is expected to come in in February, which would be for budgetary support. - PNA

Philippine exporters are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand.

In addition to new market access, the Agreement provides greater transparency and certainty for companies doing business in the region. Through its various review provisions, the Agreement will also remain a ‘living’ document that will continue to have ongoing commercial relevance.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the FTA brings a number of benefits to the Philippines, primarily the improved market access to the Australian and New Zealand economies.

The FTA also allows the Philippines to have equal footing with Thailand which has a bilateral FTA with Australia. In 2010, 96.4% of all tariff lines of Australia will be at zero percent rates. Starting January 1, 2010, a number of major Philippine exports to Australia, like automotive parts, including ignition wiring harness, batteries, wheels and tires, yachts and vessels for transport, and agricultural products such as canned pineapples and tuna, will enjoy zero tariffs. On the other hand, 84.7% of New Zealand’s tariff will have zero rates in 2010. By 2020, practically all sectors would benefit when Australia and New Zealand eliminate tariffs on all products. Philippine merchandise exports to Australia amounted to US$ 471 million in 2008 while exports to New Zealand were placed at US$ 48 million.

DTI Secretary Peter B. Favila signed The Agreement Establishing the ASEANâ€"Australiaâ€"New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) last year on the occasion of the 14th ASEAN Summit on 27 February 2009 in Cha-am, Thailand. (PNA)
DCT/BAC/utb

The year 2010 promises to be another eventful year as economies are poised to recover from the adverse effects of the financial crisis.

Leading commercial property and real estate services adviser CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) recently made its forecast on the possible state of the Philippine property market in the coming year, saying that in spite of the volatile situation expected, the country still has much to gain with minimal risk in the medium to long term as long as cards are played right.

The country’s strength remains to be in the office sector, with continued demand in the BPO, offshoring, and outsourcing shared sectors, which have caused traditional businesses to expand.

Economies such as the US and Europe will continue to rely on cost-effective destinations for back-end processes.

“As the Philippines remains to be at the forefront of offshoring destinations with cheaper but good quality services and talent, it can further take advantage of this demand from recovering economies,” said CBRE chairman Rick Santos.

The growth in the offshoring sector, according to the firm, contributes to growth in the bricks and mortar businesses which paves the way for more buildings â€" developments in both the residential and tourism sectors sprouting up because of increased employment rates.

Meanwhile, the residential sector remains firm as banks remain liquid and continue to lend. Demand also continues from OFWs and from international and local banks.

Finally, highly competitive development firms are expected to continue to do well in 2010, including companies such as: Ayala, SM, Robinson’s, Megaworld, Greenfield, Filinvest, Daichi, The Kwok Group, JTKC, Rockwell, Vicsal of the Gaisanos, Ortigas, Anchor Land, Ascendas, DMCI Homes, Eton and Vistaland. These companies have shown themselves capable of competing regionally and internationally across all property segments with continuous production of cutting-edge developments. (PNA)

Japan's Nikkei Stock Average fell 0.74 percent on Monday on renewed concerns about the health of the global economy and Japan's exporters slid on a stronger yen. The key benchmark Nikkei lost 77.86 points from Friday, to a four-week closing low of 10,512.69.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange dropped 6.35 points, or 0.67 percent, to 934. 59.

Brokers indicate that today's losses were trimmed by bargain hunting in late trade, but point towards a continued sense of pessimism among investors about the US proposal to toughen regulations on banks and this dissuading investors' purchasing of high risk assets like stocks.

Adding to investor anxiety is the uncertainty about Ben Bernanke's future as US Federal Reserve chairman.

"The fact that people are selling so much shows the insecurity they have about the likelihood of Obama's plan proceeding," said Masaru Hamasaki, chief strategist at Tokyo-based Toyota Asset Management Co.

Foreign investors account for a large proportion of trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and coupled with concerns over credit tightening in China and renewed worries about the economic situation in Greece, brokers say the increased skepticism about global issues may lead to a decline in trading by foreign investors.

Worse-than-expected domestic earnings reports and negative earnings-related news also weighed on the market Monday, with Mitsui Chemicals Co. Ltd. falling 4.2 percent to 251 yen after the Nikkei business daily newspaper said the company likely broke even on an operating basis for the three months ending in December, against analysts' expectations for a profit of several billion yen.

Nissha Printing Co. Ltd. plunged 7.6 percent to 4,090 yen after the world's largest maker of small and medium-sized touch panels cut its annual earnings forecast by 19 percent, citing sharp price falls.

Pharmaceutical maker Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. Ltd. fell 4.3 percent to 921 yen after stating its nine-month profit outlook was lower than an earlier estimate, hit by weaker sales and drug licensing fees.

A particular bleak spot on Monday's Nikkei was trading house Mitsui Co. Ltd. plunging 21.52 percent to 1,094 yen although rival import-export firm Marubeni Corp. managed to close trade in positive territory, edging up 0.19 percent to close at 526 yen.

By volume decliners were led by real estate issues with Sumitomo Realty & Development Co. Ltd. slipping 2.04 percent to 1, 679 yen and Tokyu land Corp. falling 1.41 percent to 350 yen. Real estate operator and developer Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd. lost 1.84 percent to 1,597 yen and counterpart Daiwa House Industry Co. Ltd. also closed down, dropping 2.2 percent to 980 yen.

GenSan tuna industry seen to slow down in Q1, says business exec
By Judy G. Quiros

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 25 (PNA) - The tuna industry in General Santos City is expected to suffer a 20-percent drop in the first quarter this year, SOCKSARGEN Federation of Fishing Association president Marfenio Tan said.

In a press forum here Monday, Tan said the slump will result from the recent closure of the high seas in the Pacific Ocean where Philippine purse seine vessels routinely operate.

The closure of the high seas was ordered by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) for two years starting January 1.

Tan said General Santos’ tuna industry generates an annual export of 400 metric tons (MT) valued at $ 380 million.

“For our projects this year, the tuna catch will lie low by 20 percent during the first quarter because fishermen who are affected by the closure of the high seas will look for other fishing grounds. Also, catch is usually scarce during the lean months or first quarter and will pick up starting April to May up,” he said.

Tan said some 150,000 persons on board about 200 big and small fishing boats will be affected by the closure.

Catch by purse seiners are mostly for export to the European Union and the United States in canned form, Tan said.

But Tan said he is confident the situation will be temporary, provided government will make some interventions.

He said the industry is counting on the pending Mindanao Economic Development Authority (MEDA) bill which is about to be signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, saying it will help the country’s tuna industry.

The tuna sector is hoping MEDA, once approved, will come up with new bilateral agreements with other countries in terms of the fishing business, Tan said.

He said the tuna sector is also urging the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to implement the Tuna Management Plan and to make a full assessment of the fishing boats operating in the Pacific Ocean in order to avoid the problem of overfishing.

Canadian stocks gained after the biggest weekly decline in three months. Financials, oil & gas and healthcare led the rise. Utilities, Technology and basic materials were in red. The S&P/TSX Composite Index rose 0.10 percent, or 11. 09 points, to a level of 11,354.51 on Monday.

The index measuring financials improved 0.5 percent. The Bank of Nova Scotia gained 1.08 percent. Toronto-Dominion Bank climbed 1.15 percent. Bank of Montreal rallied 0.9 percent.

Crude oil for March delivery finished on a gain of 0.88 percent at 75.26 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Raw materials account for half of the Canadian export revenue.

Talisman Energy Inc. rose 0.33 percent, while Teck Resources Limited lost 1.02 percent.

Gold for February delivery finished up 0.61 percent at 1,096.40 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange on Monday. The Canadian metals and mining index initially climbed but then finished lower by 0.6 percent.

New Gold rose 0.22 percent after making more significant gains earlier. Yamana Gold fell 1.85 percent, while Barrick Gold lost 1. 53 percent.

Canadian dollar traded at almost the lowest level in more than a month versus its U.S. counterpart and underperformed its commodity-linked peers as global equities and oil fluctuated. Canada's currency dropped the most by 2.7 percent last week since October. One U.S. dollar was buying 1.0578 Canadian dollars at 5 p. m. local time (2200 GMT), comparing with 1 U.S. dollar purchasing 1.0577 Canadian dollars last Friday. (PNA/Xinhua)

Artists made less income from their creative works last year than in 2006, and three out of 10 couldn't make any money at all, a government survey showed Monday.

According to the survey of 2,000 artists by Korea Culture & Tourism Institute, a research arm of the culture ministry, 37.4 percent of the respondents said their works drew zero income last year, up from 26.6 percent in 2006.

The respondents spanned the arts ranging from writers, painters, photographers and architects, to performers of traditional Korean and classical music, choreographers, filmmakers and actors.

Those who said their average monthly income was less than 1 million won (US$ 870) accounted for 25.4 percent, compared to 28.4 percent in 2006.

Higher income brackets with more than 2 million won a month made up 20.2 percent, down from 23.4 percent.

Most of the artists appeared to have side jobs or live on their spouses' income, as 37.8 percent said their household monthly income was more than 4 million won, followed by 30.8 percent with 2 million to 3 million won.

About 59.3 percent said they still love their profession, but only a handful of them, 9.6 percent, were satisfied with the government's culture and arts policy.

According to a government report released in December, employed South Koreans earned an average of 2 million won per month in 2008 and worked 49.3 hours a week. (PNA/Yonhap)

When the disabled Haidar Talib Erabeh invented the solar wheelchair, he was not thinking of profit or fame, but his main concern was to help handicapped people in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Emirates news agency (WAM) reported Monday, citing a local daily.

Erabeh, a United Arab Emirates (UAE) national, said he had always wanted to support the disabled in the UAE and thought about a solar wheelchair when he was watching a television program about solar cars and aircrafts.

"Then I thought that if they can make cars and planes that are powered by the sun, why can't we make a solar wheelchair that will help the handicapped and at the same time save energy," he said.

Last week, Erabeh's invention was displayed at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, drawing dozens of curious people to see the solar wheelchair.

The wheelchair has massive panels hanging overhead and overshadowing the chair, and some visitors mistook the wing-like panels for a metal umbrella to be used for protection against the sun. The chair is also equipped with four batteries that can keep it moving for six hours under cloudy skies.

Erabeh explained that the the panel was to draw sunshine and power to the solar wheelchair, WAM said.

"I have searched hundreds of websites to check if a solar wheelchair was in use somewhere else but I couldn't find any. This is the first solar wheelchair in the world," said Erabeh, who works as a computer programmer.

"I designed and built this chair myself. I am not thinking about making money or drawing public attention but mainly to do something for the handicapped people in the UAE.

He added: "I have tested this chair and it is working perfectly. I have made a trip on this chair from Sharjah to Abu Dhabi and it was a total success."

Erabeh said he had invented the chair in collaboration with the Masdar Technological Institute in Abu Dhabi and is now awaiting funding and sponsorship of the project.

He has been involved in negotiations with Masdar and a Japanese company to produce the chair on a commercial basis.

"Besides helping my fellow citizens, I also wanted to contribute to the UAE's efforts to protect the environment and save energy," he said.

Erabeh said thousands of paralyzed persons in the country would benefit from his chair once it is in the market, as the solar wheelchair will offer tremendous comfort and assistance to crippled people.

"They will no longer have to wait for hours to charge the batteries as the chair will just roll ahead once it is exposed to the sun. This is a highly feasible machine here as the UAE has clear skies most of the year - perhaps that's why they did not think about one in the West," he added.

Erabeh used the UAE's National Day on December 2 last year to unveil his solar wheelchair by making a 200- kilometer journey from Sharjah to Abu Dhabi. (PNA/Bernama)
DCT/utb

A symposium on medicinal chemistry brought together researchers from Britain and the South East Asia region to discuss current progress and challenges in the specialization here on Monday.

The two-day symposium includes lectures by experts from the pharmaceutical industry. The speakers will cover various topics such as the treatment of cancer, obesity, malaria and inflammatory pain, and the application of techniques such as diversity- orientated synthesis, fragment based drug discovery and the use of biophysical techniques in medicinal chemistry.

The symposium is targeted at researchers in industry and academia, including graduate students and will provide participants with an excellent opportunity to meet and network with potential collaborators.

Participants will also have opportunities to discuss new strategies in drug discovery and highlight cutting-edge research in the field. (PNA/Xinhua)

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, Jan. 26 (PNA) â€" This city’s persistent attempt to sell itself as the Music Capital of the South has paid off.

The city led by Mayor Rey Uy has been chosen as venue for the 3rd International Rondalla Festival 2010.

In preparation for the event to be held in November, the National Management Committee of the festival met with Mayor Uy and the Tagum City Tourism Council early this month to conduct planning and management for the big event.

Dr. Ramon Pagayon Santos, Ph. D., of the University of the Philippines College of Music and president of the Musicological Society of the Philippines led the festival management committee in the first planning session with Mayor Uy. The festival is a project of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCAA) and World Rondalla Society.

Unfazed by the Mindanao situation, Dr. Santos said the organizing committee chose Mindanao as site to help bring peace to the southern island.

“We hope to relieve pain and restore peace in the island through music,” said Dr. Santos whose visit to Tagum City came a week after the Maguindanao massacre, where 57 people were killed.

Tagum City has gained fame for its "Musikahan" Festival, an annual music festival that started three years ago, that has since been luring hundreds of participants from all over Mindanao.

According to Dr. Santos, invitations have been sent out to rondallas in 23 countries to make the festival an international music event.

Held every three years, the rondalla event was first held in Naga City in 2004 and in Dumaguete City in 2007.

The Philippine rondalla is a unique national heritage starting from the Spanish regime that has enriched the musical life of Filipinos. (PNA)
FFC/RMB/lvp

Sikat, the solar car, wooed Dabawenyos
By Digna D. Banzon

The car that was on display at SM City Davao made Dabawenyos curious as to how the solar powered car works.

And when it was driven around the mall, the public was behind it all the time, awed and amazed. It's location at the atrium of SM allowed shoppers to view it, some took pictures and a lot stopped to listen to the audio visual presentation on protecting the environment that accompanied the roadshow.

"Sikat", the second solar powered car, designed by 33-man team of students and faculties of De La Salle University, was first shown to the Davao public on Saturday. It was the first roadshow outside of Manila which was part of a 50-day historic tour around the country to generate awareness among Filipinos on the use of solar energy.

The car was transported to Ateneo de Davao University and at the University of Mindanao on Monday, Jan. 25.

Anna Liza Mauhay, electrical team member of Sikat, also a fifth year electrical engineering student of DSLU, in an interview, said her involvement gave her more reason to learn and explore the earth's resources like hydro and solar for sources of power.

But aside from being exposed to the work, the 21-year old graduating student from Bulacan said she realized that it was important also to be knowledgeable on technopreneurship.

She said her knowledge on electrical engineering could best be translated to doing technology and business at the same time.

"This is the best test when one could apply the knowledge learned in school to something that could benefit the people," she said.

"With this I am encouraged to do some advocacy on renewable energy perhaps through hydro," she said.

Mauhay joined the team after completing a screening when she was in fourth year, an opportunity she valued much given the chance to be part of the team that made Sikat, the solar car that will compete in the World Solar Car Challenge in 2011 in Australia.

The first solar car Sinag, finished 12th in 2007, was among the 40 competing teams in the World Solar Car Challenge also in Australia.

She also said the roadshow was another avenue for them to see the market in the provinces, an experience that was rare for a student like her.

SM City regional operations manager Debby A. Go said the solar powered car is a testimony of the Filipino talent and ingenuity and because they are one in advocating messages of environmental conservation and protection, they could only hope that the roadshow could inspire the public.

She said the exhibit could be a source where everyone becomes mindful of how to conserve energy and a challenge to further find means of environmental conservation.

On the other hand, Jonathan Go, also an Electrical and Communications Engineering (ECE) student of DSLU and a member of the Sikat team, said the solar car had improved design features of new generation sun power cells and sleeker as it was more maneuverable and of aerodynamic design.

The car weighs 190 kilograms without the driver and all the parts put together cost the car P5 million, he said.

He said from Davao City, they will do some road test to Cagayan de Oro City where another roadshow will be held at SM City Cagayan de Oro.

Go said many might wonder how the car will be driven at night but he said it has lithium ion phosphate batteries, where the solar power is stored.

"It is a matter of managing it considering that during the race at the World Car Solar Challenge, it has to go from the north to the southern part of Australia and one has to traverse the leg during day and night time," he said.

He said the solar car was only intended for the race and he had no idea as yet for other purposes like commercialization. (PNA)
RMA/Digna D. Banzon/lvp

Toys and baby products which contain a potentially dangerous chemical have been banned in Australia, Consumer Affairs Minister Craig Emerson said on Monday.

Dr Emerson said in a press release on Monday he was banning items containing more than one percent Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) because of international research linking it to reproductive difficulties.

While toys and baby products on Australian shelves are thought to be DEHP-free, they are available in some other countries.

"This is largely a precautionary measure because when it comes to the safety of our children, I will err on the side of caution," Dr Emerson said.

DEHP is a chemical used in plastic manufacturing to make products soft or pliable. It has been found in footwear, garden products, vinyl flooring and a range of toys and baby products like teething toys, he said.

"Research has shown there is a risk factor when products containing this chemical are chewed or sucked for long periods that's why I am not taking a risk when it comes to babies and children."

The types of toys and equipment covered by the ban include dummies, bowls, plates, cups, cutlery, soft books, infant activity centers and rattles if they contain more than one percent DEHP. (PNA/Xinhua)

The number of foreign tourists visiting Japan in 2009 tumbled 18.7 percent year-on-year to 6.79 million visitors, according to a report issued by Japan's National Tourism Organization (JNTO) on Monday.

The 2009 figures mark the first drop in foreign tourists visiting Japan for six years and is the first time since 1986, when the yen's value shot up against the dollar causing tourists to veto Japan as a travel destination, that the percentage decline has reached double-digits.

The global economic downturn and the spread of the A(H1N1) strain of influenza contributed to the falling numbers of foreign tourists visiting Japan last year and subsequently the government may be hard pushed to reach their target of attracting 10 million tourists this year, sources with knowledge of the matter said.

However, in a bid to address the plunging numbers of tourists, the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), a subsidiary organization of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan, has started work on a strategy to quadruple the number of foreign visitors to Japan by 2019.

The JTA recently upgraded the target numbers of foreign visitors to 15 million in 2013, 20 million in 2016 and 25 million in 2019. (PNA/Xinhua)
vcs/ebp

By Chris Gourlay
Sunday Times

We may be able to amass 5,000 friends on Facebook but humans’ brains are capable of managing a maximum of only 150 friendships, a study has found.

Robin Dunbar, professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at Oxford University, has conducted research revealing that while social networking sites allow us to maintain more relationships, the number of meaningful friendships is the same as it has been throughout history.

Dunbar developed a theory known as “Dunbar’s number” in the 1990s which claimed that the size of our neocortex â€" the part of the brain used for conscious thought and language â€" limits us to managing social circles of around 150 friends, no matter how sociable we are.

These are relationships in which a person knows how each friend relates to every other friend. They are people you care about and contact at least once a year.