MikeLigalig.com

The top prizes went to Santo Niño, Kaloy-i Ako (by Jafet Vistal and interpreted by Wilson Mendez Jr.), Daghang Salamat, O Santo Niño (by Emmanuel Abellana and interpreted by Danica Caballes) and Viva Santo Niño (by Niño James Banares and Ma. Lyndie Abella and interpreted by Wilson Po), winning first, second and third slots, respectively.

Friday, January 11, 2008
P1 billion Erap assets discovered

MANILA -- The anti-graft court have found over P1 billion worth of suspected assets of pardoned former President Joseph Estrada placed in a trust account with Equitable PCI Bank, which is now known as Banco de Oro-EPCI, Inc.

The money is being eyed for forfeiture in favor of the government for allegedly being part of the ill-gotten wealth of Estrada, who in September last year was convicted of plunder by the Sandiganbayan Special Division.

In an update report he submitted to the Special Division last Thursday, Chief Sheriff Edgardo Urieta said the amount was found intact at the bank under IMA (Investment Management Agreement) Trust Account No. 101-78056-1.

The amount covers P500 million listed under "promissory note and chattel mortgage;" 450 million shares of Waterfront Philippines with an estimated value of P427.5 million (at today's P0.95 per share); 300 million shares of Wellex Industries worth some P84 million (at today's P0.28 per share); and cash deposits in a common trust fund investment account containing P95.76 million, which will mature on July 25 this year.

The trust account is traceable to the infamous Jose Velarde account, although Urieta failed to state it in his report.

Urieta attached to the report the December 14, 2007 letter of lawyer Gerardo Banzon, head of Banco de Oro's legal advisory and research department, confirming that the stock investments and trust deposits remain intact as of that date.

Banzon said nobody has been able to touch the assets because of a "constructive distraint order" imposed by then Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) deputy commissioner now Commissioner Lilian Hefti dating back to January 29, 2001.

A distraint order is slapped on certain properties as a safeguard to ensure recovery by or indemnification of an aggrieved party.

Hefti's order was addressed to the then president of the Equitable-PCI Bank, a copy of which was attached by Urieta to his report.

In her 2001 order, Hefti specifically identified that properties to be covered by the order are assets of "Joseph Ejercito Estrada a.k.a. Jose Velarde and Kelvin Garcia".

Hefti explained that the order was issued "to protect the interest of the government and to prevent them (Estrada family) from dissipating or conveying their properties without authority from this Office (BIR)."

Urieta's office continues to search for Estrada's properties that may be levied to satisfy the Sandiganbayan's forfeiture ruling, which was not covered by the executive clemency granted to the convicted leader by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Among the properties that were ordered forfeited in favor of the government include the P545.3 million that Estrada received as kickbacks from jueteng operations, the P189.7 million representing the commission that he got from the purchase of Belle Corp. shares by two government pension funds, and the house and lot dubbed "Boracay Mansion" in New Manila, Quezon City.

In its September 12, 2007 decision, the Sandiganbayan held that Estrada was the beneficial owner of the Jose Velarde account although the former President maintains that the real owner is businessman Jaime Dichavez.

However, the anti-graft court said the prosecution failed to show that the entire P3.22 billion once deposited in the Velarde account were all "ill-gotten" as only P545.3 million was supported by evidence to have come from jueteng payola. (Sunnex)

For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao.

Hi Ms. Bambs~

Kumusta na?
Kumusta ang byahe ninyo?

Quote from: st. agnes on January 10, 2008, 06:07:01 PM
yeah! gets ko ana cuzz... kay murag ma dungog jud namu si Jorg Comahig mo kanta ana.. kay duol ra tag linya sauna... hehehehehe

hahaha. mao jud cuzz. got to go na. still have a meeting in a bit.
aju aju mo diri. ayaw bya mo pag away. yay!
I am officially signing off for today.

Quote from: Sigbin II on January 10, 2008, 04:44:07 PM
DWC High School alumni here.

Let's not forget the immortal parody of the Holy Name March:

Wheelchair sakyanan sa mga pi-ang...sa hospital
Purlon sakyanan sa mga patay...sa menteryo.... hehehe (Pasayloa ako kay wa na ko nahibalo sa ahong gihimo. )

I can't forget these lines "Her loyal sons so BOLD" stress on the BOLD by Jorge Comahig, with a bugal bugal way of singing each Monday morning ceremonies. hahahha

her loyal sons so BOLD!

Quote from: ligiah on January 10, 2008, 05:28:11 PM
I had my first encounter with the tarsier and the Tarsier Man when I was in Grade 2... i was 9 years old then and our family has just moved from Tagbilaran to the small town of Corella. During that time, the Philippine Tarsier Foundation has not been put together and the tarsiers I saw where put in a very big enclosure in the Tarsier Man's backyard in Cancatac Corella.

Mr. Carlito Pizarras, or so I call Nong Lito, eventually became a good friend of mine over the years to come. I studied Biology in college and I was the one who frequently arranged class visits to the Tarsier Sanctuary. I have seen his dedication to the survival of the tarsier and his admirable knowledge of these little creatures. When I was in the Philippines, I would never miss to go to the Sanctuary (besides it is just a 7-minute drive from my home) and visit the Tarsiers and Nong Lito. I have become very fond of his broad knowledge of the forest and actually do got tips from him for my thesis.

Now I do not know what has become of him and the Tarsier Sanctuary but to those who have just visited there, I would like to hear how things are going there.

To know more of Nong Lito... check out this site... http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1170/is_2000_May-June/ai_61479221/pg_1

my anthropologist friend is currently in the tarsier sanctuary to do "mapping"
no updates yet.

By Pocholo Concepcion
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:34:00 01/10/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones once said he’d rather be dead than still be singing “Satisfaction” at age 40. But he’s now 64 and just finished a world tour that made his band richer by $437 million.

Arnel Pineda has just turned 40 and the roller-coaster ride that has marked his profession as a rock singer is about to take a new turn. On Feb. 1 he will fly to the United States to start rehearsing and recording as the new vocalist of Journey -- the American band famous for its power ballads, and whose records have sold 75 million copies since 1973.

Landing the slot wasn’t exactly the biggest deal of his life. “At least [not] in the first few days after Neal Schon (Journey founder and lead guitarist) told me I was their new man,” Pineda said Wednesday in an interview at the Greenhills office of his manager, TV director Bert de Leon.

Pineda recalled telling himself, “This isn’t a very secure job; they can fire me anytime.”

But the thrill of everything that lay ahead -- performing as a Filipino musician who would certainly make his countrymen proud sank in soon enough. “I thought my Friendster account would explode with the volume of e-mail that poured in from Filipinos based in the US and Europe,” Pineda recounted. “But here at home, there was little noise about it. Lately na lang.”

for more:
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20080110-111456/Filipino-rocker-hits-global-stage

By Joey A. Gabieta
Visayas Bureau
First Posted 17:05:00 01/10/2008

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines -- Eight fishermen from Eastern Samar earlier declared missing returned safely after 10 days of drifting in the Pacific Ocean, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) regional office reported Thursday.

The OCD identified the eight fishermen, all residents of the City of Borongan, as boat captain Nestor Sale, 43, brother Felimon, 26, Kerby Ricafort, 35, Gilbert Toral, 19, Billy Quitorio, 24, Leonardo Medrado, 36, Jose Lustre, 30, and Rogel Gaco, 30.

The eight, who sailed January 1, failed to return home and were declared missing.

Members of the Coast Guard in Borongan, Eastern Samar and other rescue groups set out to sea but could not find the missing fishermen.


for more of this news, click the link below

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20080110-111554/8-fishermen-return-after-10-days-adrift-in-Pacific-Ocean

By Janette Toral
Digital Filipino
Sunstar Cebu

SINCE last month, I’ve been managing a blog that features Filipino migrants and those working abroad. Reading stories about them firsthand made me more sensitive to the reasons they are there.

Those who have family members who are working or have worked abroad are more inclined to pursue the same path. The young ones tend to take up courses that will give them the opportunity to travel or work overseas.

I have a cousin who did not pursue careers related to the degree (advertising) she finished; she was determined to get a job abroad. Her dad was based in the Middle East for more than a decade and her two brothers are out of the country working. Even if she gets a redundant or clerical job, she prefers to work in a strict-culture country than settle with the kind of income she is getting here today. I guess, with assistance from her brothers, she can earn more abroad.

Young people are now pressured to take courses out of practicality rather than passion.

As a typical Filipino family has more than three children, taking care of household, school and other expenses â€" with escalating cost of living, uncertain government support and without significant income increases â€" can be frightening for some parents. Thus, we may ask, “is the trend of Filipinos working overseas really caused by lack of competitive opportunities in the country or by a determination to earn a large income? Or do many Filipinos merely desire to just leave the country right away and look for opportunities to migrate?

If this lack of interest to build a career in the country continues, what will become of this nation?

Thanks to the Internet, resources are now available for families to keep in touch, such as text messaging and affordable international phone calls (where a growing number is done through voice over Internet protocol), online chat, web cam, blogs and e-mail. At least, the absence and tension caused by having a member of the family work abroad is eased through these means.

It is through the Internet that most of us discover opportunities that can be worth exploring to improve our lives. What the future holds for our country will greatly depend on our future leaders. Which path do we want them to take us?


Join the Sun.Star message board

MORE and more Filipino women, like those working as care-givers, are showing interest in becoming embalmers or professional morticians, an industry official said.

Philippine Embalmers and Morticians Association (Pema) president Sarah Dychangco said women, especially those that have taken care-giving courses, are now venturing into the funeral services industry to become embalmers as they foresee a huge demand for this type of job abroad.

“A lot of embalmers abroad are nearing age retirement and so the demand is so huge. Now, you see caregivers wanting to become embalmers because of the hefty salary,” Dychangco said, who is also president of the Pacific Center for Advanced Studies (PCAS).

In an interview with reporters, she said that in order to gain competitive advantage as professional embalmers, more women, even those outside of Cebu, have started to take advanced studies on embalming at PCAS, the first formal embalming and mortuary training school in the Asia Pacific.

PCAS is found at Nivel Hills, Cebu City.

Great chances

Dychangco said the good reputation of Filipinos as world-class caregivers is something that the country can capitalize on as embalming has become an extended service in the global care-giving industry.

“Caregivers abroad, who have embalming skills, have greater chances of (getting a) huge income as this kind of service pays higher than the basic care giving,” she said.

Jeffrey Chancellor, Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes Inc. (CFHI) consultant and PCAS chairman, earlier said that an average embalmer or mortician abroad earns more than $30,000 annually or roughly P1.2 million based on the current foreign exchange rate.

Apart from the Philippines, demand for professional embalmers is seen in the United States (US), Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

Chancellor said the US government recently opened employment opportunities for this profession, through a guest worker program as the demand for skilled embalmers has risen to 50,000.

Last year, Canada also announced it needed to hire 200 professional embalmers, he said.

However, Philippine Mortuary Association president Renato Dychangco Jr. earlier pointed out that while the mortuary industry is a “sunrise industry,” he understands the call to “change its image” if it wants to lure more people to become professional embalmers, especially since it is a misconstrued profession in the Philippines.

He said there is a need to professionalize the funeral services industry by upgrading the standard of death care services. (MMM)

By EMMA VANDORE, AP Business Writer


PARIS - What price happiness? French President Nicolas Sarkozy is seeking an answer to the eternal question â€" so that happiness can be included in measurements of French economic growth.

He's turned to two Nobel economists to help him, hoping that if happiness is added to the count, the persistently sluggish French economy may seem more rosy.

"It reflects a general feeling in Europe that says, 'OK, the U.S. has been more successful in the last 20, 25 years in raising material welfare, but does this mean they are happier?'" said Paul de Grauwe, economics professor at Leuven University in Belgium.

"The answer is no, because there are other elements to happiness," said Grauwe, once a candidate for the European Central Bank governing council.

In terms of gross domestic product, the internationally recognized way of measuring the size of an economy, French growth lagged behind the U.S. throughout most of the 1980s and '90s and in every year since 2001.

Although recent turmoil in financial markets may hit the U.S. economy harder, the loss of speed in the world economy's biggest player will also drag down growth in France. Economists say growth may fall short of the government targets this year.

Sarkozy's move raised questions about whether he wants to ward off disappointing growth numbers as a rise in oil and food prices combined with a slowdown in the U.S. clouds the effect of his economic reforms.

Since his election in May he has sought to boost growth, notably by encouraging people to work longer than the much maligned 35-hour week.

Sarkozy has often appeared impatient with the French economy's lackluster performance, once declaring: "I will not wait for growth, I will go out and find it."

Frustrated with the what he termed Tuesday "the growing gap between statistics that show continuing progress and the increasing difficulties (French people) are having in their daily lives," Sarkozy said new thought should be given to the way GDP is calculated to take into account quality of life.

At a news conference Tuesday, Sarkozy said he asked U.S. economist Joseph Stiglitz, winner of the 2001 Nobel economics prize and a critic of free market economists, and Armatya Sen of India, who won the 1998 Nobel prize for work on developing countries, to lead the analysis in France.

Sen helped create the United Nations' Human Development Index, a yearly welfare indicator designed to gear international policy decisions to take account of health and living standards.

Once the preserve of philosophers, measuring happiness has now become a hot topic in economics.

A recent report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development considers taking into account leisure time and income distribution when calculating a nation's well-being. And the European Commission is working on a new indicator that moves "beyond GDP" to account for factors such as environmental progress.

Richard Layard, a professor at the London School of Economics and author of the 2005 book "Happiness: Lessons from a New Science," said Sarkozy may be seeking recognition for policies, popular in Europe, that promote well-being but don't show up in the GDP statistics.

Governments are rated on economic performance, and this influences policy in favor of boosting GDP, the value of goods and services produced over a calendar year, he said.

"But people don't want to think they live in a world of ruthless competition where everyone is against everyone," Layard said. "Valuable things are being lost, such as community values, solidarity."

His book shows that depression, alcoholism and crime have risen in the last 50 years, even as average incomes more than doubled.

Jean-Philippe Cotis, the former OECD chief economist who took over as head of France's statistics office Insee two months ago, said Wednesday that a measure of happiness would complement GDP by taking into account factors such as leisure time â€" something France has a lot of.

France's unemployment rate is stubbornly high, and when French people do work they spend less time on the job â€" 35.9 hours per week compared with the EU average of 37.4.

Cotis said he looked forward to a "passionate" debate beyond the traditional realms of his science.

"Statisticians are also interested in happiness," he said.

And so, it would seem, are presidents.

Basking in the happy glow of new love with model-turned-singer Carla Bruni, Sarkozy showed on Tuesday that his concern for happiness is universal.

A president, he said, "doesn't have more right to happiness than anyone else, but not less than anyone, either."

 

Quote from: Vito Andoline on January 10, 2008, 03:06:45 PM
ang  kinabuhi sa  usa ka OKRA.LOL

naa na bay testimonial?
para atong buhaton ug capsule form, ibaligya jud dayun

Quote from: orChids on January 10, 2008, 03:06:23 PM
Makabuhi ug patay nang okra Scott.

as in miraculous jud?

Quote from: lindy on January 10, 2008, 03:03:38 PM
naulahi diay ka ining Okra Scott?

mukaon lang kog okra kung isagul sa pinakbet. unsay jud diay epek beh

Quote from: orChids on January 10, 2008, 03:03:00 PM
Naa'y thread about sa okra Scott.Di ko kahibalo mo search lang.

go okra!

way thread sa epek sa tisa?

Quote from: orChids on January 10, 2008, 02:59:45 PM
Na samot kung nadiskobre ang power sa okra.Basin ang nataran puno ug okra.Maglaway laway gajod ang agi.

unsay diay epek sa okra? share beh

Quote from: Sigbin II on January 10, 2008, 02:38:42 PM
Need anyone here be reminded that no topic is off topic in TubagBohol?   Take for example your discussion with Elsie on Havaianas in this same thread.   Dili kalikayan ang pagtulibagbag sa TubagBohol.

In a mad world, only the mad are sane.
-- Akira Kurosawa

from Ron Tan of Sinulog Foundation



Join us as we move on to a higher level of excitement and opportunities! We're getting bigger! Be with us in embracing a wider scope of a more challenging experience.

In addition to the Video Documentary Competition, we are now including entries for the Sinulog Short Story! Tell us your point of view, or better yet share your actual personal experience with the Señor Santo Niño's miraculous power that has affected and changed your life! You, too, can be an instrument in changing other people's lives!





Be a part of it and win the Grand Prize!

Grand Prize: Php 30,000.00 / trophy
Second Prize: Php 20,000.00 / trophy
Third Prize: Php 10,000.00 / trophy
Consolation Prizes Seven (7) Php 1,000.00

Special Awards:
Best Story
Best Director
Best Cinematography
Best Production Design
Best Sound Engineering & Musical Scoring
Best Editing

Deadline of Registration : January 15, 2008, Tuesday, 5 P. M.

For more information, contact:

Ron Heri Tan, Chairman
Sinulog 2008 Short Film Festival Committee
09272589909 / 09229906074 or e-mail:
ronheri888tan@yahoo.com

Sinulog Foundation Office
Ground Floor, Cebu city sports Complex, R. R. Landon St., Sambag II, Cebu City
Telephone Numbers: (032) 253-3700/254-5010 / 253-2224
Telefax: (032) 416-4845
or visit our Website: www.sinulog.ph

Quote from: grazie7y on January 10, 2008, 12:31:11 PM
You are doing good, Scott!  Thanks!

Thanks Grazie. My five-cents worth

Quote from: wowboholphilippines on January 10, 2008, 01:00:43 PM
To SCOTT: Yes, Bombo Radyo is not a member of the KBP. There are other media outifts which are not members of the KBP. Why? They chose not.

Thanks for pointing that out Sir. But that's the other side of the story. My esteemed professor told us that Bombo is not a member of KBP because it rules of engagement, so to speak, violates the organization's rules.

Kung ma citizen ko sa Kuwait (they don't pay taxes, instead the government gives them money due to their oil reserves), adtu jud ko mag puyo sa Amanpulo each summer. hahahhah

Quote from: grazie7y on January 10, 2008, 12:47:22 PM
Outrageous naman pod na nga rate oi!  Simply that's not for local people.

If company paid, sure thing. hahhahahaha

Bohol and Cebu's top market now are the Koreans, Americans (mostly balikbayans), and Japanese

Quote from: orChids on January 10, 2008, 08:50:35 AM
Maayo unta makadaug ko sa lotto no?Aron makasulod pod ko diha.

i don't think they charge entrance fees, or if they do, consumable siguro.

Quote from: Angie Gulle on January 10, 2008, 12:49:15 PM
Correct.....kay bisan si Vice Pres. Noli de Castro...ni atras man sya sa rate sa Amanpulo Beach Resort sa Palawan...pero si Assunta og iyang bana didto jud sila..murag si Claudine and Raymart didto man gani pod ilang honeymoon...

Amanpulo, as it appeared in photos is truly a paradise.
Count Julia Roberts as one of its high profile guests.

Quote from: ms da binsi on January 10, 2008, 08:47:18 AM





Private Pool in it's room???

how big the room must be?

murag basketbolan???

not as big.

the private pools are as big as Pulchra Resort's or can be as cute as Leyte Park's. It's the idea of a private pool that lures tourist who has the spending power, methinks.

provided that the truck driver was drunk while driving, then, by all means, full extent of the law! But that's for the court to decide. But aren't "just and fair" all in the books only? And that's another story.

I have nothing against the West, but a person who writes a column with the hope of shaping the opinion of others, that person must make it a point to capture the nuance of the language and keep in mind the sensibility of its captive audience.

Goodness! The way things are said sometimes draws the thin line between bigotry and prejudice!

I admire preciousandpolite's upfront and confrontational way of doing things but aren't other things supposed to be considered--like getting the other side of the story and all? It's trivial to discuss why BOMBO RADYO is not accredited by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas.

Lets us stop drawing conclusive findings if the case has not been resolved yet. Then, should there be one already, let's discuss things as civilized, mature earthlings. And this is not trying to sound preachy!

Quote from: Ginger on January 10, 2008, 04:20:35 AM
Asa man pud nang ESKAYA Resort, Scott?

its the Sunrise Beach sauna (If I'm not mistaken)... the other side of BBC (Dumaluan ang pikas side) Ginge

Quote from: Ginger on January 09, 2008, 08:15:19 PM
oi...ka gwapa ni Kathy!

basta Boholana, gwapa jud

HNU CHOSEN AS ONE OF THE CENTERS OF TRAINING INSTITUTIONS FOR DEPED CERTIFICATION AND OTHER IN-SERVICE PROGRAMS
Dr. Eddie R. Babor

Excellence is non-negotiable. It is both a cause and an effect -- arguing from an a priori demonstration. It is a cause because it is undoubtedly the reason of peoples' achievements. It is an effect because it is an ontological exhibit of its beholder's reaping of rewards, appreciation, and above all, a source of inspiration and an effective paradigm for the holder's adherents.

Yes, Holy Name University did not negotiate of her excellence. And yes, she is the cause of her graduates' achievement in their varied academic undertaking, i.e., topping board and bar exams. And finally, yes, HNU's excellence is the effect why she reaps a lot of honors, rewards, and appreciation-in a word, prestige.

In the light of prestige, she is chosen as one as one of the Centers of Training Institutions for DepEd Certification and other In-Serving Programs. Of the numerous schools in Regions 7 and 6, only six qualified to reap the air of conquest and might as Centers of DepEd's new program. Sharing with Holy Name University's excellence are the following academic institutions: Cebu Normal University, St. Theresa's College of Cebu, Silliman University, University of San Carlos, and University of San Jose Recoletos.

In support of the above claim, here's the letter written by Dr. Beatriz G. Torno, Executive Director II, to the Regional Directors of the Depatrment of Education.

      
"FOR       : THE REGIONAL DIRECTORS

             Department of Education

THROUGH    : DR.VILMA L.LABRADOR

             Undersecretary for Programs and Projects

FROM       : DR.BEATRIZ TORNO

             Executive Director II

SUBJECT    : LIST OF CENTERS OF TRAINING INSTITUTIONS FOR

             DEPED CERTIFICATION AND OTHER IN-SERVICE PROGRAMS

DATE       : 10 September 2007

--------------------------------------------------------------------

During the regular Technical Panel for Teacher Education (TPTE) - Commission on Higher Education (CHED) meeting held on September 7, 2007, it was agreed that the Teacher Education Council (TEC) would inform the DepEd on the official list of Centers on Traning Institutionsas identify by the CHED.

In this connection, please see the attached list of Centers of Training Institutions per region which could be tapped as service providers for the DepEd Certification and other in service programs. The regional Directors/School Division Superintendents are encouraged to request the said Training Institutions to design induction/INSET programs for our beginning teacher including the newly hired locally funded teachers in 2007. The training shall take place during the INSET break from October 22 - 26, 2007 and this coming summer of 2008...

For your information and guidance. Thank you.

TORNO

Cc. President, Center of Training Institutions"

Based on the list provided by Dr. Torno, there is a total of 82 schools throughout the country which are accredited by DepEd for the aforesaid purpose. In Regions 7 and 6 - to repeat - only six schools got the title as Centers. And in Bohol, only Holy Name University earns the merit of being an excellent school - from the standpoint of the Department of Education. What else?

"The coming revolutions in fundamental physics"

A dialogue with Professor David Gross
2004 Nobel Laureate in Physics

College of Architecture and Fine Arts Theater - University of San Carlos :: Talamban Campus
Friday, January 11, 2008, 2:00 p.m.

video


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKEcoifqhTI

Some Tips on voting for the 2008 Miss Cebu Viewer's Choice
Submitted by ryohio on Mon, 12/17/2007 - 14:24.

Dear all,

We thank you all for enthusiastically helping choose Cebu's Most Beautiful and registering in the www.itsngenius.com/photos website.  Also for supporting www.itsngenius.com/mscebu2008
NGenius IT Hub is proud to be hosting the website. We understand that getting a viewer's choice is fraught with different ways to shortcut the system, and it is our intention to do our best to really reflect the best intentions of Cebu's population as to who will represent Cebu.
We have gotten some emails and questions. First is if you have any questions, please feel free to write rio at rcalle@ngkhai.com.
We will try to answer the best we can, and if it concerns everybody, we will also send everybody the update! Although Miss Cebu will not be chosen by viewer's choice alone, Viewer's votes are a good way to know who are the crowd favorites, and it is also a good way to involve the general public. The more involved the general public, the more exposure ALL of Ms. Cebu participants will get,and you will all be winners!
Here are some answers and some tips:
1.   BUT BEFORE THAT, I KNOW MANY OF YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO GET YOUR CONFIRMATION EMAILS.  THE FIRST UPDATE IS WE WANT insure that as much as possible,  one person votes once ONLY.  The easiest way is to tag the computer that is voting ( and we allowed that on saturday).  Later on, we found out that some people may go to all internet cafes and put in the votes.  So we HAVE REVISED.  ALL HAVE TO REGISTER TO VOTE.  When you register, you will be asked for an email address.  You need to open your email there to confirm your registration.  This is to insure that one person as much as possible gets only to vote once.  However, since there are millions of people in Cebu there is no way we can know that somebody is not pretending for somebody else.  But since most people normally have only one email address, the email address is used to authenticate.  One email address can only be used to register once.
LET me tell you in advance that this is NOT foolproof. If you have 2 UNIQUE email address, technically you are one person but represent two people and can vote twice.  We feel it is only fair that everybody knows this.... but one email address, one vote is the best we can do for this contest.
You cannot view or RATE unless you are registered and LOGGED in.
When you register, the confirmation is automatically sent.  IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE, it is most likely in the SPAM or JUNK MAIL area.  Sometimes, the email can be tagged as spam, so that is the first place you should look for.  IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU WILL RECEIVE future UPDATES ON Ms Cebu, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU TAG THE EMAILS COMING FROM US AS NOT SPAM.  This will insure you will receive our future communications and updates.
2. BTW, all of you who register (even if you are not a candidate) automatically gets a 200 megabyte space for your private picture gallery FREE.  Check it out!  You may want to upload your own private pictures and share it!
3. The best way to know who are the front runners is to go to the MissCebu2008 albums.  In the uppermost column, you will see TOP RATED.  Clicking on top rated will show you in chronological order who is the top rated, and so on.  Remember the scores of the candidates is the sum total of the three pictures ( it is important that you get high marks for ALL THREE PICTURES, not just one) .  If you thinkthe candidate is good, you should vote 5 ( highest score) for her on the three pictures. 
The candidates score for instance is a total of 12 ( if she gets an average of 4 for first picture, 4.5 for second picture, and 3.5 on the third picture).

4. ONe other indicator you may want to go for is the comments and also the most viewed.   Although there is no prize for that,  People may normally vote for candidates who are popular, and who have more comments.
TO THE CANDIDATES:  ( some tips)
1. All who register gets a free private gallery album for 200 megabytes.  For you ( we don't know which names you used to register),  you might want to create a special albums of your other pictures and upload it here.  When you upload it, we can create a link for you.  although people will not be able to vote on your private pictures, the more pictures ( especially nice ones you have), the more appreciated you might be by the general public.
You can create the albums yourself ( tell us so we will create a link from your official pictures to your private album) , or if you want, we can help create one for you.  Assemble your nicest pictures, put it on the CD, and drop it at any NGenius IT HUb stores, and we will upload it for you.
There are many private galleries in the website, take a look!
2. Send your official photo as an Electronic Greeting Card!
We are working on this, but we don't want everybody to do it, only the candidates!  So if you are an official candidate, please inform us which name you use to register.
We will enable the feature for you to go to your photo, and then from there, send that photo as an electronic card to your friends from inside the webiste!  You can create your own private message, like " Merry Christmas!  I am a candidate for Ms Cebu 2008, and this is my photo... I do look forward to your support to click on the link, and vote for me for the viewer's choice award , etc etc!"
We think if you do that, you will be able to create more awareness and publicity not only for yourself, but also for the whole MS Cebu 2008 pageant.
Thank you for your support, and please do write asap to rcalle@ngkhai.com, and inform us your login name as a candidate so we can empower you to send e-cards!

Best regards,
It's NGenius!  The latest word for Cool!

http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/learning/the_month_of_january_iap/the_space_between.shtml

Paul B. '11 | January 07, 2008
"The Space Between"

Over Winter Break, whenever any of my friends or relatives asked me when I was going back to MIT, I couldn't help but sigh, just a tiny little bit. In the past semester or so, I've realized that being an MIT student makes answering supposedly “normal” questions into rather elaborate affairs. As one example, when someone asks me what classes I took during fall semester, my natural, MIT-conditioned response is to rattle off the course numbers: “18.02, 5.112, 7.012, and 8.012.”

So I know I'm not in Cambridge anymore, Toto, when I - realizing that none of my relatives know what any of those numbers mean - have to force myself to say the actual subjects themselves: “Well, I took calculus, chemistry, biology, and physics.” It's the same problem with majors, or buildings, or the Pass/No Record system for freshmen, or any of the wide variety of acronyms that have worked their way into the lexicon of MIT slang.

So, when someone asks me when I'm going back to MIT, what I'd really like to tell all my friends and relatives is that, “Oh, I'm heading back this Sunday for IAP.” If I actually said that, though, I'd be met with, at best, a raised eyebrow and an innocent query of “What's...IAP?” Or, somewhat more likely, I'd receive a blank, quizzical stare, as my aunt silently thinks to herself, What are they feeding my nephew out there in New England? It's like he's talking in another language! (For all you pre-frosh out there, just think: next year, this could be your aunt. Another great reason why you should come to MIT.)

All humor aside, that basically brings me to the point of this entry: what is IAP? The one-sentence, in-a-nut-shell version that I like to tell my friends and relatives is that “IAP, which stands for Independent Activities Period, is a month-long intersession in January between the fall and spring terms, which we spend taking courses, doing research, or just hanging out and having fun.” At which point the aforementioned friends and relatives nod knowingly and generally go, “Ah, that makes sense, I guess.” (I'll be addressing my answer to their common follow-up question - “So what are you doing for this IAP?” - a little later.)

But there's a slight problem with that explanation. While it's a perfectly true statement, that single sentence doesn't really capture the true sense and scope of IAP. Today's MIT homepage describes IAP as “an intriguing array of possibilities.” Again, that's completely accurate - but at the same time, it's quite not the whole story, either.

I think the real answer is that IAP is truly what you want it to be. MIT students and faculty are, after all, famous for their innovation. So when you give 4,000-some undergrads, approximately 1,000 faculty, and countless other staff and community members four almost-completely-free weeks to participate in and organize whatever ridiculous, crazy, and/or freaking sweet activities they can up with...well, you can bet some sparks will fly. (Literally and figuratively speaking. Have you heard about the welding class?)

If you ask two people what they're doing over IAP, you'll almost certainly get two completely different answers. Melis already blogged about the variety of activities some of her sorority sisters are pursuing, and I've witnessed the same breadth and depth of pursuits among my own friends. Their plans range the gamut from fun (if perhaps slightly absurd) things like truffle-making lessons and a Mel Brooks movie marathon, all the way to completely serious and intense offerings like the EMT training course and for-credit classes in physics, computer science, or calculus. Other friends are rounding out their month by studying glass-blowing, investigating the history of constructed languages, taking PE courses, or just relaxing with friends and enjoying all that MIT, Cambridge, and Boston have to offer. And, of course, there's always Mystery Hunt to look forward to.

Of course, not all students come back to MIT for IAP. A few of my friends are indeed using the first week or two of January to extend their winter break, although they'll be back for the rest of IAP. And campus definitely feels quieter, at least around the dormitory areas, although main campus remains fairly busy. (Perhaps the fact that more people are sleeping in has something to do with it as well. But that's just a hypothesis.) All that said, most students who remain off-campus for IAP are actually pursuing some other sort of educational or career experience outside of Boston, anywhere from New York and California to Spain and India. Since taking a full semester abroad can sometimes be disruptive, visiting another country during IAP can be a great way to expand your global horizons without sacrificing too much else.

As for me, I'm trying to keep things low-key during my first few weeks back at MIT. I'll be spending most of my time working on my UROP in the Langer Lab - I actually wrote most of this entry during my lunch break. A little later on, I'll be dedicating another entry to how UROP works at MIT, and how I found mine. In about two weeks I'll be joining Matt, Bryan, and maybe a few other bloggers as we compete in the annual Mystery Hunt - an IAP tradition I've been looking forward to for quite a while now. And with any luck, I should have evenings open (more or less) to hang out with friends, watch some movies, play a little Rock Band, go to a quick seminar or two...that sort of thing. I guess we'll just have to see how it all goes.

It's IAP, after all. Anything can happen.

But requires consultations with parents

By Jerry E. Esplanada
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:03:00 01/09/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- Good news for owners and operators of private tertiary schools nationwide but bad news for students and parents.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo recently gave private educators the go-signal to lift the ceiling on tuition and other school fees earlier imposed by the government, "provided there would be consultations with students, as well as the parents," top officials of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) quoted her as saying.

Arroyo arrived at the decision after a series of meetings with CHED, Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) and the Coordinating Council for Private Educational Institutions (COCOPEA), among other groups.


click the link for more
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080109-111345/Arroyo-lifts-tuition-cap-for-private-colleges

ug sa dihang pwede na sungkitun ang tambis~ sa iro LOL
call: 1-800-stud-service

LOL

(german shepherd, labrador or chihuahua available)

Quote from: lindy on January 09, 2008, 05:13:17 PM
i like that word scott NANAMBIS... kauban ra red lips...

hahaha. morag tooooot sa anay pod. hahahahah
that's closer to it. hahahah. PUN INTENDED

Quote from: ligiah on January 09, 2008, 05:13:15 PM
scott... karon pa ko nakadungog ana da... ang akong nahibaw an kay NAMAYABAS man!

I think the word comes from the color and shape of the TAMBIS. kabantay mo sa anay nga ga biga? di ba naay morag tambis somewhere? hahhahahahah

go NANAMBIS!!! hahaha

for you...

a little lesson in Charity:

char·i·ty       (ch?r'?-t?) 
n.   pl. char·i·ties

   1. Provision of help or relief to the poor; almsgiving.
   2. Something given to help the needy; alms.
   3. An institution, organization, or fund established to help the needy.
   4. Benevolence or generosity toward others or toward humanity.
   5. Indulgence or forbearance in judging others. See Synonyms at mercy.
   6. often Charity Christianity The theological virtue defined as love directed first toward God but also toward oneself and one's neighbors as objects of God's love.



[Middle English charite, from Old French, Christian love, from Latin c?rit?s, affection, from c?rus, dear; see k?- in Indo-European roots.]

(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
charity
1137, "benevolence for the poor," from O.Fr. charite, from L. caritas (acc. caritatem) "costliness, esteem, affection" (in Vulgate often used as translation of Gk. agape "love" -- especially Christian love of fellow man -- perhaps to avoid the sexual suggestion of L. amor), from carus "dear, valued," from PIE *karo-, from base *ka- "to like, desire" (see whore). Vulgate also sometimes translated agape by L. dilectio, n. of action from diligere "to esteem highly, to love."

    "Wyclif and the Rhemish version regularly rendered the Vulgate dilectio by 'love,' caritas by 'charity.' But the 16th c. Eng. versions from Tindale to 1611, while rendering agape sometimes 'love,' sometimes 'charity,' did not follow the dilectio and caritas of the Vulgate, but used 'love' more often (about 86 times), confining 'charity' to 26 passages in the Pauline and certain of the Catholic Epistles (not in I John), and the Apocalypse .... In the Revised Version 188


Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

ang taong hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika ay...


YUCK!

new twist on good old wisdom



ang taong hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika ay...


YUCK!



bow.

is this a trial by publicity of sorts. o c'mmon!

lessons for 8-year-olds have a dose of what's fact and what's opinion for crying out loud!

If you had to describe yourself using three words, it would be…




one lucky bastard

one
two
three

unya, nanambis na ba mo? hahahahhaha

blatant ra man na nga word oist! use NANAMBIS para suave. bwahahhahahahhaa

Basta Boholano ug Boholana, AMBUNGAN JUD!

MSCEBU Kathy <your email add>

and send to 09178902327 for all network or 2327 for Globe and Touch Mobile subscribers.
1 mobile # = 1 vote (regardless of the number of txts sent)

Kathy Lynn G. Atuel

Age: 23 years old
Height: 5? 5?
Vital Statistics: 35-25-35
Cebu Doctors University
Capitol Site, Cebu City







see voting guidelines in this thread~

PIT SENYOR!

Quote from: st. agnes on January 09, 2008, 11:48:58 AM
sa ato pa.. mi hirit sa diay ka Vin? lol

slight lang. hahahha

Quote from: svetlana on January 09, 2008, 11:33:31 AM
Arvs, imong New Year's resolution biklon ko nuh?! hehehe

dili sad tawn oist. peace out~
happy new year! werk na kow belik oist. boring sa layp!

I used to have a handle on life, but it broke....
(saun jud) YAY!

Quote from: lindy on January 09, 2008, 12:36:23 AM
thanks Scott ...

winks

Quote from: willmerit on January 09, 2008, 10:10:09 AM
nakatrabaho man ang ahong apuhan aning casaha Scott kay ahong apuhan plumber man, tiawan kuno na.  motoo ba ka ug tiaw?

mutuu man ku ug tiaw. Maayo pa ang tiaw tuuhan kay dili man manghilabut. Makahadluk pa ang taw nga buhi. hhahahaa

Quote from: Ginger on January 08, 2008, 07:17:59 PM
Scott, takas ko anang chinese food sa una kay sa Majestic baya ko ga work. Karon gimingaw naku!

i see.
go peking duck! chicken feet! yum yum yum

Quote from: Ginger on January 08, 2008, 07:13:05 PM
aguy!!! kalami...siomai lang ako.

tilawi unya ang bacon siomai, di ba sulirap jud imong mata sa kalami. LOL

Quote from: orChids on January 08, 2008, 07:07:20 PM
Of course Scott,naa pay kanin sa daing,steamed alimango,guso,hmmnnnnn
gimingaw na jod ko. .

Agnes hain ka na man?tawga na ang uban nga members.

habhaban na jud ni bah. hahahhaa

kita kits pohon.

Quote from: orChids on January 08, 2008, 06:59:24 PM
Sayang lang lagi to si Anhing wa na,naparesan pod ni Emedific samot jod.

world peace. yes world peace. LOL

Quote from: orChids on January 08, 2008, 06:55:33 PM
Guys,I hope ok ra mo sa

January 15, location;Light House Countrymall at 6:45 pm.

YUM YUM YUM baked scallops!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! shrimps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!lsteamed lapu-lapu!!!!!!!!!!!

for books, nothing beats the find in Booksale, though Powerbooks sometimes has a steal of a price of hard to find books!

for professional cameras and lenses (slightly used), there's always Hildago St. in Manila


for food, nothing beats Carbon and Tabuan! GO DANGGIT!!!!!


At Christmastime, MEPZ Bazaar is my ultimate destination!

dirt-priced! (factory overruns) original Gap, CK, Old Navy, Nike, Puma, Nautica merchandise


for Hollister, Fitch and Billabong shirts and boardshorts, there's always the Surplus Shop at SM!

Quote from: orChids on January 08, 2008, 06:43:55 PM
Maayo to siya mo-speech Scott.Kadtong mag SONA siya,dili siya magtambong ug basahon from the start to finish.In fairness bright jod to siya pod.

He was brilliant. No doubt. Praning lang jud hinuun.

According to stories, he was imprisoned sa charge nga murder ug iyang gi depensa ang iyang kaugalingon kay abogado na man tu siya adtung panahuna, ug nakadaug siya sa kaso. Ug ang iyang gipatay daw? iyang ig-agaw nga politiko.

Bar topnotcher sad to siya

Quote from: Vito Andoline on January 08, 2008, 06:35:01 PM
looy ang dollar sa atoa ron gamay ang rate mao sayang ipadala sa pinas.

basin sa sunud bulan, ang dolyar mora nag rate sa grade six pa ko, $1=Php27.00 YAY!

Quote from: orChids on January 08, 2008, 06:30:28 PM
But Marcos was a brilliant speaker.More than Obama I think.(I'm not his loyalist hinuon)

OT,da.

di ko relate kay akong nakit-an nga speech sa kanahan kadtu ra mang pag declare niyag martial law.
though I am always interested with the unique lunacy of Imelda~ payter! I enjoyed watching the docu Imelda. astig!!!!

can't help but *sniff* sniff* sniff*

if you don't mind my asking, why the nick?

If one compares the countries under the Spanish rule--i.e. Latin American countries like Mexico, pareho ra jud ang dagan sa governance ug ekonomiya sa Pinas.

Blame jud ang Espanya. hahaha

Bow. kay Siesta Time na pod! Yay!

Reply: I Can Only Wish Our Politicians Spoke Like Obama

I am not familiar if you have chanced upon a research finding (I think from the University of Washington) which tries to pin down the root cause of dirty Philippine politics, governance and all.

According to research, mao dawng pobre ang Pilipinas (nga unta mas datu pa man sa Japan ug South Korea sa unsa pa to nga dekada) tungod sa sistema diin ang mga tawo gasalig sa bahandi nga dili kinayuran, kun di mga  sinundan pa sa mga apuhan. Ug ang lain pa mao nga ang mga Pinoy nakasunud sa political dynasty, sa nepotism...ug sa diha, mu sud ang graft ug corruption ug uban pa.

If you happen to compare other Asian countries, layu na jud ang lanak. Hong Kong and Singapore was under the British rule, Vietnam was under Dutch ba? basta, in the research, it kind of imply nga Philippines would have been very different kung dili pa ang mga kastila ang nisakup sa atua.

Blame the Spaniards jud ang drama? hahahaha.

Quote from: asianfairy on December 13, 2007, 04:09:11 PM


Naay resort sa panglao tag 50,000 pesos ang gabii.
Morag kaning Flushing meadows man siguro to?

Di ta makatog ana maghunahuna.:-))

Ms. Asianfairy, I think the Php50,000.00 accommodation you are referring to is the Eskaya Resort. My friends told me it was featured in a TV show. and OH BROTHER!!! with the price!!! only the filthy rich will splurge the amount. They said it has a private pool in each room and all.

with hedonism becoming a trend, little wonders if it's fully booked during peak season

ON TOPIC: Amorita Resort, used to be Crystal Coast Resort, the one perched on top the cliff sa Alona Beach, is loverly! loverly! bloody loverly!

The owners (La Roca Group) sold it sometime last year. I haven't visited the new resort though, but my student who spent the family weekend there last month said, for lack of better words, nice!

I missed those Ocean View Villas (whatever happened to them after construction of the new buildings). In between quarters in Cebu, my colleagues and I used to stay there, all-expenses paid, work-related, for 3 months  in Summer and December each year. (best things in life!!!)

the sound of surf each morning, the jog in the whole stretch of Alona, the Friday night-out in oops bar, the quick meals in Trudis Place, lunch in Alona Tropical, swimming during amihan~ pheeeww.

Life's a beach Baby!!!!

1

Quote from: orChids on January 06, 2008, 08:08:35 PM
Scott,magkakita ra man jod ta soon.Pili-a tawon ang maanindot nga pics para nato ha?Sabot ta daan.

of course. of course. hehehe
have a safe trip Orchids~

Quote from: st. agnes on January 06, 2008, 08:03:05 PM
Pual! musta!?
kumusta ang outing gahapon?

whilst taking the bus to Dumaguete, the sun was up. No clouds hovered Panglao island as seen from Argao. I was officially envious with the Beach Outing. so, how was it Paul?

Quote from: st. agnes on January 06, 2008, 07:59:10 PM
OT: Scott, naay iparating nga message si Mikey... ayaw probs daw kay walay "hanky panky"

hehehe. yay! gi tinuud jud. hehehe. joke ra baya tu.

anyhow, deal or no deal?

banker says deal... if makalugar. hehehe. but I'll probably be stuck sa Sugbu until the next long weekend. tenks.

Quote from: benelynne on January 06, 2008, 07:42:09 PM
Hi Scott,

This is like visual poetry... great composition and contrast of light and dark...

BTW, I've stumbled accidentally upon this recommended site of yours a few months ago and got amazing photographic updates of CDO, my second home.

thanks Sir. happy surfing

Quote from: Manong JOSE on January 06, 2008, 07:29:31 PM
salamat kaayo. I hope and I pray that someday, I could share some beautiful photos here too. It would be a long run for me who is a struggling Boholano.

all the best

Quote from: BlueAngel on January 05, 2008, 09:42:19 PM
Scott very guafo ka Dong
kita na gyod ko nimo

aguy. nailad lang ka sa litrato. hehehe

happy epiphany diha (happy 3 kings) Ms BlueAngel

Quote from: Manong JOSE on January 06, 2008, 07:20:08 PM
kanindut sa mga kuha. mosamot ang akong damgo ani karon. mao rabang di ko ganahan mo tan-aw ug nindut nga mga pics kay alimungawan ko mag huna huna sa akong pangandor nga SLR cam... mamaligya sa ko ug papel arom matuman...

www.siampinoy.com/forum2 pls bisitaa sad mi didto Scott. naay forum didto sa mga pinoy photographers pero apil apil lang ko kay wa koy cam....ijawat makakuha technique ba magamit pohon ug naa na pud ko.. hahahahha

Oh I see. Thanks. you might to try also this forum: skyscrapercity.com

Quote from: B:) on January 06, 2008, 04:10:38 AM
O I miss you so much St. Joseph Cathedral. Thank you for the pix scott.

no problemo
no place like home, no?

Quote from: ms da binsi on January 06, 2008, 04:16:45 AM
Aw abi nako sa Europe ni!

RV, nice shot dear!

thanks Ms Dabins

Quote from: B:) on January 06, 2008, 04:14:40 AM
Looking at this picture, I can't help to realize that it's actually quite a work of art, cloisters. I appreciate the beauty of capitol bldg. more and more now. Nice shot scott, you're quite a Photographer. Where did you get your training?

thanks.
a semesters worth of class (part of the curriculum) and the rest is through the University of Hard Knocks

Quote from: Happy on January 06, 2008, 07:10:44 AM
Scott's snapshot

They're great Arvs

thanks Happy. Bee happy

Quote from: B:) on January 06, 2008, 04:17:54 AM
O my God, where is this? I didn't know about this while I was there in 2006. Is it new?

It's at the Old Provincial Library building po
(the photographs on exhibit lasted only in December. It has to move to a different location, I think)

Quote from: willmerit on January 05, 2008, 09:48:10 PM
kanunay man ko molabay ani sauna oi.

Oh, I see.

photography: RV Escatron

Provincial Capitol

photography: RV Escatron

St. Joseph Cathedral

photography: RV Escatron

Old Town Center

Sitio Ubos, Tagbilaran City

WHAT GIVES?
seeking for some thrill this holiday slash break

Thirdy has to justify the two grand I paid after its shutter broke. Thirdy has to make his amu smile. hahaha

So what does a restless kiddo do with a camera in tow?
here goes...

(kids, under any circumstances, don't try this at home, este, in a museum)
I'm not saying that the curator took a catnap *winks*

Quote from: lindy on January 05, 2008, 02:17:47 AM
Will you please post some pictures on that area Scott so that we can see haw bad it is.

no worry. when i get the chance

[/quote]

Quote from: frog70 on January 05, 2008, 11:09:00 AM
yes Scott,
  kung naa ka sa Bohol sa usa ka hotel,well na sad kay libre na Home Service Massage courtesy nako,thank you diay sa imuha pod.

nyay! no hanky panky ha?!? hahaha
aju aju!

Quote from: Happy on January 05, 2008, 08:36:41 AM
Maayo jud ka motira Arvs

tira jud ha? hahaha
tira-tira

Quote from: Bohol Bol-anon on January 05, 2008, 01:56:29 AM
Those excavations were already there three years ago. When I asked the GSO why they cut down the trees they said they would beautify the plaza.

Stupid government.

I see. When I heard about the cutting, I thought they will revive the pool that used to be there. When I happen to linger there sometime last week, they replaced the cypress with a miniature chocolate hills. Personally, I think, it was done in bad taste

Quote from: Bohol Bol-anon on January 05, 2008, 01:36:40 AM
Rv, the provincial government cut down many trees at Plaza Rizal. I wrote a report about it in the Bohol Chronicle and I was really mad at what they did to those decades-old pine trees at Plaza Rizal.

Until last week, part of the plaza is still covered with "saku"--with some excavation near the old fountain. I don't exactly get what they are gonna do with it.

Fathom This Darkness
Sunset in Plaza Rizal, Tagbilaran


It takes its shape from blackbirds
                 swarming
Toward the branches, leafless in December.

And announces its coming, swirling above us,
Above posts,
   posts covering this vast sadness
         pulling its silken sheet.

It further takes its shape, in a single file,
In livewire, between a withered yellow blossom
And a pigeon standing on one leg
In the [Capitol's] eaves.

And tries to seal itself on a dead leaf
On this bench catching

Beads of rain.




A. Scott Calamba
29 December 2007

loverly, loverly smile.

nobody escapes the camera, no?
including the owner of the cafe (in the background). hehehe

Quote from: Lorenzo on January 05, 2008, 12:30:32 AM
Pare!! Beautiful smile

count me in.
holler back if fixed na ang date mga sano ug sana.

ebidensya sa CSI Tagbilaran~
matsalams Mari. sa uulitin

Quote from: Mari on January 01, 2008, 06:23:06 PM
TB Family here are the first batch of pictures of the TB Bohol EB.

hahhaha. kita na jud ang ebindensya sa mga hulagway!

A gazillion thanks sa tanan! It was such a smashing get-together!
of course, special mention sa mga the sponsors from all over the globe, in so many ways, you made the EB one big memorable event. ASTIG!

Keep rOckin! ug sa sunud na pud nga higayun~

PAdayun!

Yellow there Mike!

way pinaskuhan dinha? ako ra ba ang na niyot, ahem, gahulagway sa imong chalet. ahem.
just kidding

Bambi!!!!!  for lack of better words, THANKS A MILLION to you and to your bananana for the FIFA shirt. *clap.clap.clap*

I had so much fun during the day-long EB. Smashing vacation break! Truly hearthwarming to meet active and interesting people like you guys~

Keep rOckin' symbol of POSITIVE HUMANITY! phewww.

Holler whenever you guys will be in Cebu this January.

Can't make it to the Beach Outing! Im turning green with envy! For some reasons, I have to drag my arse back to Cebu.

MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- Dramatically played out on live television, an opposition politician and rebel military officers surrendered to government forces after taking over a luxury hotel in Manila.


"We're going out for the sake of the safety of everybody," Philippines Sen. Antonio Trillanes said.

The senator made the decision to give up after the military peppered the inside of the hotel with tear gas. Live pictures from inside the hotel showed reporters and rebel soldiers covering their faces.

An armoured personnel vehicle was also seen firing into the lobby of Manila's Peninsula hotel and later rammed through the front entrance of the building.

"The situation is contained within the Peninsula hotel, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told CNN.

"The perpetrators are in the process of being arrested." Those who held the hotel were shown being loaded into a Philippine National Police bus.

Teodoro said no one was injured, but Associated Press reported that at least two people were injured.

The standoff began hours earlier when a group led by Trillanes and Army Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim bolted from a court hearing on charges linked to a failed 2003 coup attempt. Video Watch footage of troops storming the hotel in Manila »

"What happened, to me, was clearly either an attempted rebellion or an attempted coup d'etat," Teodoro said.
Don't Miss


Philippines military and police personnel had been surrounding the hotel, where the group was asking for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to step down. After Trillanes' announcement, soldiers milled around the outside of the hotel, but the scene had calmed noticeably.

Arroyo had issued orders to the military and police in response to the seizure of the hotel, located in Manila's Makati financial district, journalist Adrian Addison told CNN. Few supporters of the rebels were visible around the Peninsula hotel, Addison said.

Philippine authorities gave the rebel group until 2:30 p.m. (0630 GMT) to allow guests to leave the hotel, and until 3:00 p.m. (0700 GMT) to surrender, the ABS-CBN news service reported.


Businessman Peter Parcel was caught in the middle of the hotel's takeover and subsequent tear-gassing. Listen to the eyewitness in the hotel describe what happened Video

"I couldn't see and couldn't breathe," he said, noting he faced "at least 100 guns" as he exited the hotel. E-mail to a friend



All About Manila • Philippines • Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo