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Residents in Surigao del Sur in Northeastern Mindanao (Caraga region) went into panic when a 4.7 magnitude earthquake struck at 6:18 Wednesday night, disaster council report on Thursday said.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Northeastern Mindanao however said that there were no reports of damage or injuries as of press time.

OCD said the undersea epicenter was located 90 kilometers, at a depth of 78.7 kilometers south-southeast of Hinatuan town, in Surigao del Sur.

Two earthquakes were already felt in Northeastern Mindanao this month.

The Philippines sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where continental plates cause frequent seismic and volcanic activity, geological and volcanic experts said. - PNA

Despite the reeling effects of the global financial crisis, the Philippine economy posted a 4.6 percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2008.

Latest statistics from the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) show that the major growth drivers were trade, manufacturing, agriculture and fishery, construction and private services.

On the demand side, major contribution came from increased household spending aided by the growths in investment in construction and government consumption

For its part, the agricultural sector grew by 3.2 percent from 4.9 percent while industry also posted a 5 percent expansion from 7.1 percent and services grew by 4.9 percent from 8.1 percent.

The NSCB also said the economy continued to keep pace with the population growth in the fourth quarter of 2008 as per capita GDP grew by 2.5 percent from 4.4 percent; per capita GNP by 4.3 percent from 3.9 percent.

On the expenditure side, consumer spending reported a lower growth of 4.5 percent from 6.2 percent in 2007. General government consumption expenditure accelerated slightly to 4.7 percent from 4.6 percent in the same quarter last year. - PNA

More facts at http://www.naturodoc.com/library/public_health/doctors_cause_death.htm

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It will also help Pfizer diversify its product portfolio, thanks to Wyeth's presence in biotech drugs and vaccines. - BBC News

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The Philippine Academy of Family Physicians-Bohol Chapter elected its 2009 set of officer during a meeting held at the U.B. Alumni Hall.

The elected officers are: Dr. Sharlene Lim, president; Dr. Valeria Sulatra, vice president; Dr. Gloria Casabal, secretary; Dr. Aida Ramiro, treasurer; Dr. Aleth Relampagos, assistant treasurer; Dr. Benjamin Galia, auditor; Dr. Jelpha Robillos, press relations officer.

Dr. Miguelita Espinosa is the outgoing president.

The board of directors is composed of Dr. Miguelita Espinosa, Dr. Pura Inting, Dr. Azucena Gatal, Dr. Simeona Virtusio, Dr. Ma. Lilia Pague, Dr. Rey Belderol, Dr. Juanita Arcay and Dr. Melba Namata.

One of the past presidents who served PAFP-Bohol is Dr. Disi Yap, is now a national director.

The PAFP Annual Anniversary and Convention will be held at the Philippine International Convention Centre on February 26-28, 2009.

PAFP-BOHOL members are encouraged to get in touch with the secretariat at the U.B. Alumni Hall for further details of said convention through Dr. Gloria Casabal. (Dr. Aida Tallo, outgoing PAO).

Editorial of the Bohol Chronicle

All the stakeholders of democracy will bend backwards to preserve democracy.

When Media criticizes certain acts of the members of the Judiciary, it is only because the country needs the Judiciary to balance off the excesses of either the Executive or the Legislative or the last two in tandem together.

Media criticizes certain acts because it wants the Judiciary - the arbiter of right and wrong - to be pure and appear pure in the eyes of the public. Can we imagine a society that looks down with disdain on its judicial system?

Thus when we say that when five of the seven RTC judges inhibited themselves from acting on the class suit against the 100% realty taxes increase without wide public consultation because they were tax payers is a "cop-out", we meant it. Because if this is so, would cases involving sales taxes and movie theater amusement taxes increases be skirted by judges because they are all consumers and movie-goers respectively? Think about it.

The issue did reach the Supreme Court’s regional court administrator - not for the latter to judge the merits of the case - but to decide what   to do with it after the Executive Judge (upon complaint for former Governor Rolly Butalid about the case delay) asked for the High Magistrates' advice what to do with a legal "hot potato".

It was upon the Supreme Court  regional court administrator’s advice  to the Executive Judge that the case be assigned to a court of which at that time only the sala of Judge Pablo Magdoza was available since Judge Venancio Amila was a Family Court Judge. This development followed after five city based RTC judges already inhibited themselves from handling the case.

Now that it is inside the court of Judge Magdoza, the public expects him to dispense with the case with decent speed and utmost impartiality.

Every sound, expeditious court judgment bolsters the image of the Judiciary in the eyes of the public.

It was an inadvertent oversight of the Chronicle to have stated that no RTC accepted the 100% Real Estate Taxes Hike  case since it did eventually fall into Judge Magdoza's turf.

That said, however, we take exception to the statement of Judge Magdoza in his "Letter to the Editor" in this issue viz: " It is very unfortunate that you are using the newspaper founded by your late father to peddle half truths, calculated to erode and destroy the faith and confidence of people in the judiciary."

Save for that overlooked statement above, all statements we made were facts and (if not) opinions meant to egg some members of the judiciary to act in a manner precisely to preserve the image of the Courts as independent juridical body.

As an equal stakeholder in our fragile democracy - the Media is as anxious as the rest that the Judiciary maintains its independence to preserve its luster as a check and balance vehicle - and not work for its erosion as a bastion of public trust.

By the Bohol Chronicle

Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado and Felino Palafox Jr. of the Makati City-based Palafox Associates recently signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) laying out their responsibilities in the master planning of the resort island of Panglao.

Aumentado said the move ensures that horizontal infrastructure in Panglao and Dauis towns will be in harmony with the terrain in relation to the beach and the sea, that support infrastructure for the Panglao Bohol International Airport will similarly be in harmony and not clash with the rest of the structures, and that drainage and separate sewer lines are properly installed, among others.

The governor said he chose Palafox over its contender because of the former’s international track record.

“Palafox has projects even in Dubai â€" the most modern city in the Middle East and even the world,” he said.

Besides, he added, Palafox gave the more advantageous offer â€" it computed its professional fees by the square meter but gave a 70 percent discount, hence it quoted P9.5 million for the job.

In addition, it waived charges of P600,000 for the engineering concept design for the water and drainage system which it will do first in order to help Mayor Benedicto Alcala and the Municipal Council led by Vice Mayor Pedro Fuertes determine the loan amount that the local government unit will avail of to finance a modern and comprehensive waterworks system.

Aumentado said Panglao needs to anticipate the future if it intends to attract more tourists â€" tourism being its main economic driver.

The MOA already outlined the cost sharing for the undertaking by the stakeholders: P2 million from the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) under General Manager Alfonso Cusi, P1 million each from the Department of Tourism (DOT) under Secretary Joseph Durano and the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA); P1.5 million from the provincial government, P1 million from Rep. Edgar Chatto; and P2 million and P1 million respectively from the local governments of Panglao and Dauis.

The amount does not include yet Palafox’ out-of-pocket expenses for his team’s coming to the island to conduct consultations with the stakeholders.

The master plan, the governor said, will already include the establishment of an aeropolis or airport city as envisioned by Cusi and MIAA’s think-tanks.

By Ric Obedencio
The Bohol Chronicle

The combined and continued efforts and vigilance of stakeholders in preventing dengue illness from spreading in the province have paid off.

The number of dengue cases significantly dropped to only 145 cases in 2008 compared to 1,678 cases in 2007.

The number of deaths has been reduced to five (5) last year, very much lower than 16 fatalities during the same period in 2007, according to records of the Provincial Health Office.

The fatalities (last year) included Renz Joseph Paredes, 5, resident of Panggangan, Clape, Bohol died at Ramiro Hospital; Kevin Carlon, 4, of Cabilao, Loon, also died at same hospital; Josh Zander Libres, 3, Cayacay, Alicia, died at Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in the city; Alma Trazo, 8, of San Agustin, Talibon, died at Garcia Memorial Provincial Hospital in Talibon; and Christian Pracullos, 21, of Cagawasan, Dagohoy town died at Gallares hospital.

During the same period (2008), the most number of cases (47) occurred during January in Calape, Loon, Baclayon, Dimiao, Maribojoc, Panglao, Buenavista, Clarin, Corella, Cortes, Dauis, Tagbilaran city, Talibon, Alburquerque, CPG, G-Hernandez, Trinidad, Ubay, Valencia and Sevilla.

The month of February last year there were 26 cases; March, 8; April, 12; May, 11; June 7; July, 5; August, 3; September, 4; October, 7; November, 13; and December, 2.

In comparison during the eight-year period beginning year 2000, the year 2007 was the deadliest with 1,678 cases and 16 fatalities, records showed.

Dengue cases was recorded at 231 in 2006; 1,113 in 2005; 283 in 2004; 365 in 2003; 289 in 2002; 712 in 2001; and 70 in 2000, also based on PHO’s hospital admission and monthly monitoring documents.

There were three fatalities in 2006; 21 in 2005; five in 2004; three in 2003; two in 2002; five in 2001; and none in 2000.

In the city, occurrences of dengue surfaced anew that alarm city health officials. Report said that city health office led by Dr. Antonio Porticos has started monitoring these occurrences.
City councilor Edi Borja, health committee chair, also vowed to look into these reports regarding dengue in some barangays.

Based on monitoring last year, areas identified to have these dengue incidence included St. Joseph Village, Manga, Mansasa, Tabaco Street, Parras St., F. Torralba St., Ubujan district, Booy, Tamblot St., Gallares St., Borja St., Cogon, Poblacion III, B. Inting St., and R. Enerio St., all in Tagbilaran City with a total of 17 cases.

By the Bohol Chronicle

The Provincial Prosecutor’s Office will hear the complaint for illegal extraction of manganese against Candijay Mayor Sergio Amora Jr. and eight others on Thursday.

Amora was charged with theft of manganese with an estimated amount of P1 million for mining the mineral in an area claimed by Cebu-based Hench Mining Services Development Corporation.

Also named respondents in the complaint filed by Domingo Chua of Hench Mining were Sofronio Simacio, Cecilio Melecio, Nestor Romero, Rommel Santos, Emilio Santos, Ronald Reyes, Rob Langden Harwood and Teodoro Casimsiman.

Hench Mining claimed the area encroached by the mining activity of respondent Simacio and in fact applied a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) at the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) regional office which had been submitted by Chua.

Chua reported the illegal mining operations of Simacio to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Bohol field office on August 5, 2008 after receiving information of the latter’s activities at the site covered by his company’s mining claim.

The NBI found at the mined out site traces of manganese extraction, a backhoe excavator and approximately 7,000 stockpiled sacks of fine manganese materials, weighing approximately 275 metric tons.

Some 116 laborers were also seen extracting manganese ore in the said area that were allegedly supervised by a casual employee of the municipality of Anda under the orders of Mayor Paulino Amper.

The raiding team also discovered several sacks of manganese being loaded into two dump trucks allegedly ready for delivery to a stock yard in Sitio Basdacu, Candabong, Anda.

Mayor Amora was later identified by the two drivers as the owner of the trucks. The NBI team personally turned over the vehicles to the Anda PNP for custody.

By the Bohol Chronicle

Businessman Frederick Ong sought the release of nine workers who were arrested by the police yesterday morning for alleged violations committed against coastal laws.

The 9 laborers, were among 42 construction workers who were contracted by Ong to repair a riprap in a beach property located in barangay Bingag, Dauis, were arrested by elements of the Dauis PNP and the Bohol Police Provincial Office for constructing the riprap that purportedly impede the 20-meter public easement.

According to the laborers, the police team showed them a cease and desist order issued by Dauis Mayor Luciano Bongalos which is in line with an executive order of Gov. Erico Aumentado prohibiting structures within the coastlines.

Most of the workers evaded as the policemen started rounding them up. The 9 cornered were brought to the Dauis Police Station and were later transferred to Camp Dagohoy , this city, last night.

Ong filed a petition for the issuance of a Writ of Habeas Corpus at the Regional Trial Court (RTC) yesterday for the release of the detained laborers.

Arrested were Jorge Orang Jr., Noel Cuas, Junrey Motoc, Romulo Birong, Benedicto Cagande, Eddie Roti, Armando Miasco, Jaime Racho and Renante Auxillo, all are workers in Ong’s property near the Panglao Island Nature Resort.

In his petition, Ong stated that the workers were arrested and detained without any legal authority.

According to the businessman, the arresting policemen did not possess any warrant of arrest that was issued by the court.

He stressed that the arrest and detention is illegal.. Aside from the absence of a warrant, no case have ben filed against the said employees before the fiscal’s office or before the courts.

“Clearly, their arrest was made in gross violation of the constitutional rights of the employees,” Ong added.

The petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus was made after the businessman, together with counsel Atty. Alexander Lim, failed to persuade the acting police chief of PNP Dauis SPO4 Mauro Sumaylo, to release the employees.

By the Bohol Chronicle

Two overseas Filipino workers jailed for separate offenses in Saudi Arabia have finally gone home on intercession of Rep. Edgar Chatto, to the OFWs their champion.

Ranelo Gallo and Reynaldo Exclamador, both already jobless in Jeddah owing to their imprisonment,safely returned home just days ago and have been reunited with their respective deeply-worried families.

The first was supposed to serve in the Arab jail for one full year because of fake iqama (work and
residence permit) while the other for six months following a bribery charge.

Gallo, a Balilinhon, and Exclamador, who has relatives in Dauis, have long both settled in Mindanao with their families.

Meanwhile, Chatto reported his coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), thru the Gov.
Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital, and Philhealth for free services to the land-based OFW-members and their dependents at selected government hospitals in the country.

Gallo and Exclamador thanked the First District congressman for their repatriation while their loved ones took the return of the two OFWs and their reunion with them as most precious, although belated, Christmas gifts.

There are other formerly jailed OFWs released much earlier than Gallo but who still remain undeported back to the Philippines probably because no officials in their home provinces are assisting them or coordinating with the proper agencies like the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), according to Gallo. 

The working permit of Gallo, an electrician in Jeddah, already expired but his desire to still earn for his family back home prodded him to find another work.

There are several similarly-situated TNT (tago ng tago) OFWs in Saudi Arabia but who are not caught despite monitoring by the strict Arab authorities.

Gallo wished to earn more despite his expired working visa because he had been paid lesser than how much was stipulated in his original contract. 

Upon arriving in Jeddah, he was made to sign another contract without understanding its Arabic contents.

The OFW learned later that in signing the Arabic document, he thus "agreed" to work there for three years instead of only two with a salary far smaller than how much was agreed in his original contract written in English.

Gallo admitted that he did not undergo pre-departure orientation by proper Philippine authorities in going to the Middle East for employment.

Exclamador, on the other hand, was accused of attempting to give money to an Arab authority just to get a driver's license.

A relative in Bohol had sought assistance from Chatto to rescue Exclamador from the Saudi prison and facilitate his repatriation as in Gallo's case.

In another case, Chatto interceded for the rescue and protection of a maltreated Maribocjanon maid in the United Arab Emirates.

By Ric Obedencio
the Bohol Chronicle

Is Agriculture Sec. Arthur Yap running for congressman in the 3rd district of the province?
This question has lately stirred the political circles of the 3rd district composed of 19 municipalities while some political leaders are agog over the Yap-for-congressman talks.

According to some leaders here, one indication of Yap’s running is his frequent visits in the 3rd district.

Another gauge is the fact that he has committed millions of agriculture funds to help the plight of the farmers, also, mostly, if not, all of the 19 municipalities in the district.

In his speech in Dimiao town, where he was the guest speaker during the foundation day of the town, Yap told the crowd in vernacular not to talk about politics but “what we can do more for our country.”

As if dismissing allegation he favored the 3rd district because of pouring so much funds, the secretary said other towns would also get slices of the funds.

He was not categorical, in his statement of his running for congress. He has been visible lately, including the activity of Loay fish port and several fiesta activities in Carmen, Anda and Valencia towns.

Some Loboc town residents are watching for Yap if ever he so decides to throw his hat in congressional derby once he registers as a voter with the Comelec in Loboc. His wife is a Lobocanon of the Varquez scion.

In a document obtained by the Chronicle, Yap has committed a total of PhP106.7 million for rehabilitation of communal irrigation systems (CIS) mostly located in the towns of third district.
A total of PhP36.3 million for farm to market roads in Corella, Carmen, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Sevilla and Valencia and another P2 million for farmers training center of Dagohoy town and P1 million for farmers trading center in Sevilla.

By the Bohol Chronicle

The public is banned from the City Accountant’s Office (CAO), an administration’s act which is probably a bad first in the history of Tagbilaran City governance.

Many government officials and employees were shocked to see the sign “OFF LIMITS TO EVERYONE” already posted outside the office created for the people and whose insiders are paid by people’s taxes.

Only authorized “personnel, messengers and carriers delivering mails and communication” are spared from the prohibition, believed by many at city hall to be ordered by the mayor on “ill advises” from within his power circle.

Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso and Councilor Zenaido Rama reacted to the overly strict rule, saying it can jeopardize the operation of many city government departments.

The only authorized government personnel who can get inside the accounting office are the “designated messengers and liason officers of the city mayor, General Services Office (GSO), City Budget Office (CBO) and City Treasurer’s Office (CTO).”

Officers and employees of other offices worry over who can be allowed now to process their payrolls and follow up papers involving the operation of their offices.

The off-limit warning says all officers and employees of all other departments are welcome but “only upon invitation” by the accounting office.

Rama assailed the ban as a nemesis to transparency in the government, adding that it can also only further spawn suspicion of irregularities at city hall which may be fully exposed if the accounting office is open to the public.

The prohibition has been ordered as Veloso and the minority councilors professed to sustain their vigilance after the approval of the annual city budget they tagged as “irregular and suspicious.”

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The controversial Rehabilitate, Operate, Transfer (ROT) case involving the Tagbilaran City Square which has become  a judicial “hot potato” when one  trial judge after another inhabited,   finally fell into  the lap of a magistrate who is  believed “to have no love lost” with one of  the respondents of the case.

Whether it was to the good fortune or whatever to Presiding Judge Teofilo Baluma of Regional Trial Court Branch I that he was the last arbiter of justice in a pool of  four judges who inhabited from handling the case, remains  to be seen while the conflicting parties are preparing for the legal showdown.

Baluma who as of now is the presiding judge of the case refused to inhibit even as he was called upon to do so by City Legal Officer Donie Piquero, counsel of respondent Citty Mayor Dan Neri Lim.

But Mayor Lim appeared confident of winning the ROT case even if Baluma were the third man in the legal ring. Judge Baluma and Lim  tangled in the past on the issue of cases where Baluma was at the helm of  the family court.

Judge Baluma accused Lim as instrumental in having him audited of his case load by the Supreme Court. The mayor, however, denied the accusation except saying that what he did was assist a litigant in a sexual abuse case who had to endure not only the horrors of the incident itself but of the incompetence of the court that tried him.

So confident that Lim dared Judge Baluma to accept the case even in the wake of the inhibition motion filed by his lawyer.

Earlier, Mayor Lim twitted Baluma in a biting letter citing the judge’s “uncharacteristic swiftness of your order and the unfounded and irresponsible allegations contained therein only the said motion given your manifest resentment therefore partiality against the undersigned and your incompetence to rule on the case on the basis of its merit”.

The Lim’s scathing letter was preceded with the motion for inhibition as filed by the mayor’s legal counsel.

In the same letter which answered an earlier communication by Judge Baluma containing his refusal to inhibit in the case, Mayor Lim also castigated the presiding judge for his repeated reference to the city executive as “top honcho”

Mayor Lim said describing him as top honcho betrayed the judge’s propensity for verbose orders that have no place in formal issuances of the court. He said he was no top honcho but a mere public servant who deserves to be treated civilly if not respectfully.

At the same time, Mayor Lim also took exception to the judge’s allegations regarding allowances received by RTC judges.

According to Mayor Lim, Judge Baluma made himself looked heroic as if he was deprived of the monthly honoraria while other magistrates are enjoying the same.

Mayor Lim said, records showed that Judge Baluma had been religiously receiving his representation allowance from the city government since 1997 until 2006.

In his own answer to Mayor Lim’s tirades, Judge Baluma made it clear that he was not ready to issue an inhibition order in the tricky case, without delving in matters that will protect the integrity of the judiciary.

On the issue of allowances courtesy of the city, Judge Baluma said he was one of the possible two out of the seven judges who was not receiving any honorarium since 2006. The judge said the five other RTC judges were willing recipients of honoraria from the city government.

According to the judge, these “recitals” were primordial to stress that he can assure the conflicting parties that he can dispose the case within the level of the law and available trends or jurisprudence not influenced by any peripheral issues for judges were placed in their posts and priveleged to wear the robe to apply the law even if the heavens fall. He said judges should rule issues not because their honoraria were delivered chamber to chamber by pawns of the city governance.

In parting, Judge Baluma, citing transparency, called on the parties involved to submit within 24 hours from receipt of the order of manifestation that they are submitting to the cold neutrality of an impartial judge, which the court will uphold and guarantee having no master but law, no guide but conscience to uphold the rule of law, waiving all other objections and contests mandatory and or directory to the court to try, hear and decide cases.

The controversial civil action for the issuance of the temporary restraining order (TRO) was triggered by the ROT scheme  entered into by Mayor Lim with a consortium to develop the Agora also known as Tagbilaran City Square which had been languishing for 14 years as a white elephant.

  The ROT contract was assailed by lawyers Victor de la Serna, Alexander Lim and Zotico Ochavillo  as grossly disadvantageous to the city giving rise to the civil suit. - source: Sunday Post

Presiding Judge Pablo Magdoza of the Regional Trial Court Branch 48 has chided the Bohol Chronicle Tuesday arising from its editorial last Sunday for using the newspaper as a vehicle to peddle “half truths, calculated to erode and destroy the people’s faith and confidence in the judiciary”.

The beef of Judge Judge Magdoza’s protestation is this portion of the editorial which reads: “This of course is not the first time that public’s eyebrow went up north -- looking at the credibility of the judges -- what is left of it (if any). The first time was related to the class suit filed against the City Mayor regarding the questioned 100% hike in real property taxes without exhaustive public deliberation. Again, no RTC judge in the city accepted the case, mainly because perhaps the respondent is the City Mayor. Their lame excuse that being taxpayersâ€"the judges will benefit on the real estate tax issue is a pure copout.

It has to reach the Supreme Court for a decision as to who must handle the case.

This is a black mark against the credibility of the judges”.

Taking exception to the insinuation that no RTC judge accepted the case mainly because perhaps the respondent was the city mayor, Judge Magdoza corrected the bi-weekly that it was his sala is handling the case.

The civil action which sought injunctive relief from the city’s plan to increase real property taxes was tossed up and down in the in the wave of inhibitions by several RTC judges. But not in the case of Judge Magodoza according to his own manifestation when he corrected the Bohol Chronicle of its editorial last Sunday.

But the planned increase in real property taxes which was supposed to be implemented this year was deferred until next year. The supposed increase was supported by an ordinance of the Sangguniang Panglungsud.

The presiding magistrate said contrary to the inaccurate report, the case was not elevated to the Supreme Court.

In fact, the judge said, as proof that he did not inhibit in the case, he set it for hearing last January 8.

In conclusion, the presiding judge has this to say: it was very unfortunate that the editor was using the newspaper founded by his late father as a vehicle to peddle half truths, calculated to erode and destroy the people’s faith and confidence in the judiciary.

source: Sunday Post

       Last week’s regular session of the City Hall sent frustration to observers from the private sector and the  councilors themselves, following the harsh comments that Councilor Zenaido Rama addressed to City Accountant Kurt Bungabong.

       Bungabong gained the sympathy of the observers whenever Rama batted in just to confront him about his letter to the councilor even before Councilor Lucio Balbin, the acting presiding officer, could give him the floor.

       Rama wanted Bungabong to explain why he claimed he was insulted.

       Rama even asked if Bungabong, indeed, wrote the letter.

       Before Bungabong could utter a word, Councilor Oscar Glovasa came to the rescue and rise, questioned Rama’s approach.

       Glovasa explained that Rama should not be asking Bungabong by that time since the latter was invited to answer queries from City Councilor Bibieno Inting about the unliquidated financial assistance of the barangays.

       However, despite Glovasa’s intervention, Rama continued to be rude in questioning Bungabong until Glovasa requested Rama to be declared out-of-order.

       On this, Glovasa asked that Bungabong be allowed to leave the session and will be invited in their next regular session to answer the queries of Rama.

       But Rama continued harassing Bungabong which prompted Glovasa to escort the accountant out of the session hall to stop the discussion.

       While Glovasa and Bungabong were already outside the session hall, Rama turned to

ABC president Faro Cabalit to the extent of daring each other to a physical fight.

       It only stopped when the other councilors pacified them.

       After the incident, department heads of the city government expressed fear of appearing before the City Council in aid of legislation.

       Inting said he hopes the incident won’t be repeated considering that the officials were duly elected by the people and are supposedly professionals.

       Inting and Glovasa said that next time that they would invite a department head, the city council must make the invitation formal, indicating in the letter the intention and the issues that they shall shed light on.

       Majority of the councilors pointed out that in case they have to resolve an issue it must be tackled in a civilized manner to avoid a repeat of the incident.

       However, when the session resumed, Cabalit extended a reconciliation hand to Rama. - source: Sunday Post

By Sen Guingguing
Sunday Post

The lid of an elaborate sting operations involving the son of an airline executive was blown off Wednesday with the arrest of the suspect leaving in its trail a string of victims mostly prominent city residents who are engaged in the van-for-hire business.

As the modus of the suspect identified as Jose Glenn Cadampog y Ceniza, 26, married and jobless of Siteville Homes, Dao district, this city, surfaced so were his victims who took turns in pointing at him as the one who  swindled them. The suspect was said to be a son of an airline manager out of wedlock. The manager was assigned here in this city sometime ago before he was transferred to a Mindanao city. The mother is now in the States and is married to another guy.

The swindle came in various guises but the most common was that the suspect approached the owners of rent-a-car shops and then have their vehicles rented. That done, the vans and or cars were either sold or mortgaged.

The most prominent victim was City Councilor Edgar Bompat. In fact, he was the one who tipped off police to make an entrapment operation to bag the suspect.

  The city councilor’s vehicles for hire, a Mazda Familia and a Besta vans, were reportedly hired by the suspect at P2,500 per day. When the agreed time that the vans were returned to their owner, the suspect was nowhere to be found. The agreed duration of rental was only one day. Instead of returning the vans as agreed, it took the suspect nine days later to return them resulting in the piled up of rentals to the tune of P42,000.

Since it was a con operations, the suspect has nothing to pay, forcing Bompat to file carnapping and estafa charges.

It was not until Bompat threatened Cadampog to report  to the police that the later was forced to return the rented vans. Only one of the two vehicles was returned on Wednesday driving  Bompat to call the police and laid the trap to collar the suspect. The other van was found abandoned in a shop in Dao.

The sad experience of the city councilor was also the sob stories told by victims to the local police.

Another prominent victim was a high ranking police official. The official who was not identified in the report was that he lost his armalite rifle after the suspect befriended him ultimately resulting in having the gun mortgaged to another person.

Sensing that he would be in trouble with his superior due to his reckless imprudence, took pains in locating the firearm. Good for him that his colleagues in the police force pooled some amount to redeem the pawned gun. The mortgage amount was P35,000 and the firearm is now in the tight possession of its owner “may be vowing, never   will it  happen again”.

As he duped more victims after another, the suspect became indiscriminate in the choice of potential customers.

This developed after no less than former Inabanga mayor Jose Jumamoy, Jr. as another tempting victim. In his case, the former mayor was the recipient of a bogus mortgage courtesy of Cadampog. Jumamoy was lured into accepting the mortgage after he was shown a special power of attorney that he indeed was the owner of the van.

The transaction was exposed when Cadampog was arrested in the Bompat case.

It was surmised that the same van mortgaged to Jumamoy must be one of those vehicles the suspect rented from vehicle-for-hire shops. When the former town executive threatened him with legal remedy, the suspect convinced the mortgagee to accept a titled property.

As of last report, it was learned that Jumamoy was still in possession of the land title but the suspect’s mother and stepfather assured the former mayor to pay him in cash.

  Like Jumamoy, Cristino Lagumbay of J. Borja St., this city, can be considered as “big gainer” of the  transaction if they decide to sell the titled properties to other buyers.

Lagumbay’s case was that his van was rented by Cadampog but refused to return it when the owner demanded the same. Until the rental accumulated to something like P350,000 that Lagumbay was already alarmed.

When he confronted Cadampog,  no van  was found in his possession but he promised to pay his rental dues with a titled house and lot. Lagumbay said if he decides to sell the property he would appear to have made a killing out of the shady deal  because somebody already offered to buy it at P4 million. But he said he was not inclined to sell the property but all he wants was that he should be paid the rental of his van.   

Further investigation showed that the original owner of Lagumbay’s van was the mother of Cadampog. Then the suspect cajoled Lagumbay to rent the same van at P1,500 per day for it to make money. Finding the deal “to be too good to be true”, Lagumbay obliged only to learn later that it was used to ferry tourists to the Eskaya Resort and Spa in Tawala, Panglao. Unknown to Lagumbay, his van also engaged in the rental business by Cadampog.

When recovered upon Lagumbay’s representation, the van was at Eskaya with Cadampog on the wheels.

The story of Rodrigo Balaba of Dampas district this city, bore the same circumstances with that of the suspect’s previous capers.

Also in the rental business, Balaba, three of his vehicles were rented by Cadampog. After accumulating the rental fees to P210,000, the owner confronted the suspect only to discover that his  Toyota Vios was mortgaged to Panglao Councilor Benjie Arcamo of P120,000. The two other vehicles were a Nissan Sentra and Toyota Altis but until now they remain nowhere in sight.

Another car dealer along CPG Avenue was almost victimized by the same modus if he was not alerted of the con job.

A woman who was not identified in the report was divested of her multicab when Cadampog approached her to test drive the vehicle. That was the last time she  saw the multicab which happened to be under repair in a shop she owned. Until now, it was not known where the multicab is and the unidentified woman is filing a case against the suspect.

Now holding the empty bag, the poor lady was made to pay by the original owner the amount of P70,000 in exchange for the lost vehicle.

The younger brother of Panglao Mayor Benedicto Alcala was also a victim. Bernard Alcala bought a KIA Rio sedan of P110,000 only to learn later that it was a mortgage vehicle whose real owner was a certain Mrs.Palwa from Balilihan. With the same modus, the sedan was rented by Cadampog from the Balilihan lady  made a turn around and sold it to the unsuspecting Alcala. The poor woman from Balilihan had since gained possession of her car.

It was a “miracle” of sort for the woman because she and Alcala met at the police station complaining on the same con artist.   

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Article 4 of the Philippine Constitution

Section 15. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended except in cases of invasion, insurrection, or rebellion, or imminent danger thereof, when the public safety requires it.

Section 14. No involuntary servitude in any form shall exist except as a punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.

Article 4 - Philippine Constitution

Article 4 - Philippine Constitution

Section 13. No person shall be imprisoned for debt or non-payment of a poll tax.

Section 12. No ex post facto law or bill of attainder shall be enacted.

Article 4 - Philippine Constitution

Article 4: Philippine Constitution
Section 11. No law impairing the obligation of contracts shall be passed.

Section 10. No law granting a title of royalty or nobility shall be enacted.

Article 4 of the Philippine Constitution

Section 9. No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, or the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.

Article 4 of the Philippine Constitution

Article 4 of the Philippine Constitution

Section 8. No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights.

Section 7. The right to form associations or societies for purposes not contrary to the law shall not be abridged.

Article 4 - Philippine Constitution

Article 4 - Philippine Constitution

Section 6. The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, shall be afforded the citizen subject to such limitations as may be provided by law.

Article 4 - Philippine Constitution

Section 5. The liberty of abode and of travel shall not be impaired except upon lawful order of the court, or when necessary in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health.

Article 4: Section 4.

(1) The privacy of communication and correspondence shall be inviolable except upon lawful order of the court, or when public safety and order require otherwise.

(2) Any evidence obtained in violation of this or the preceding section shall be inadmissible for any purpose in any proceeding.

- Philippine Constitution

Article 4 - Bill of Rights - Philippine Constitution

Section 3. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures of whatever nature and whatever purpose shall not be violated, and no search warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except upon probable cause to be determined by the judge, or such other responsible officer as maybe authorized by law, after examination under oath or affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he may produce, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Article 4 of the Philippine Constitution

Section 2. Private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation.

Article 4 - Bill of Rights (Philippine Constitution)

Section 1. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.

Section 4. A natural-born citizen is one who is a citizen of the Philippines from birth without having to perform any act to acquire or perfect his Philippine citizenship.
 
Article 3 of the Philippine Constitution

Section 2. A female citizen of the Philippines who marries an alien retains her Philippine citizenship, unless by her act or omission she is deemed, under the law, to have renounced her citizenship.

Article 3 of the Philippine Constitution

Section 1. The following are citizens of the Philippines:
 
(1) Those who are citizens of the Philippines at the time of the adoption of this Constitution.
(2) Those whose fathers and mothers are citizens of the Philippines.
(3) Those who elect Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of nineteen hundred and thirty-five.
(4) Those who are naturalized in accordance with law.

Article 3 of the Philippine Constitution

Section 10. The State shall guarantee and promote the autonomy of local government units, especially the barrio, to ensure their fullest development as self-reliant communities.

Article 2 - Philippine Constitution

Article 2 - Philippine Constitution

Section 9. The State shall afford protection to labor, promote full employment and equality in employment, ensure equal work opportunities regardless of sex, race, or creed, and regulate the relation between workers and employers. The State shall assure the rights of workers to self-organization, collective bargaining, security of tenure, and just and humane conditions of work. The State may provide for compulsory arbitration.

Article 2 - Philippine Constitution

Section 8. Civilian authority is at all times supreme over the military.

Article 2 - Philippine Constitution

Section 7. The State shall establish, maintain, and ensure adequate social services in the field of education, health, housing, employment, welfare, and social security to guarantee the enjoyment of the people of a decent standard of living.

Section 6. The State shall promote social justice to ensure the dignity, welfare, and security of all the people. Towards this end, the State shall regulate the acquisition, ownership, use, enjoyment, and disposition of private property, and equitably diffuse property ownership and profits.

- Article 2 of the Philippine Constitution

Article 2 of the Constitution

    Section 5. The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote their physical, intellectual and social well-being.

Article 2 of the Philippine Constitution

Section 4. The State shall strengthen the family as a basic social institution. The natural right and duty of parents in the rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and the development of moral character shall receive the aid and support of the government.

Article II of the Philippine Constitution

Section 3. The Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national policy, adopts the generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land, and adheres to the policy of peace, equality, justice, freedom, cooperation, and amity with all nations.

Article 2 of the Philippine Constitution

Section 2. The defense of the State is the prime duty of government, and in the fulfillment of this duty all citizens may be required by law to render personal military or civil service.

The children from the landlocked province of Sichaun in China gushed, oohed-and-aahed, shrieked, laughed, danced and totally enjoyed good, clean fun during their two-day Bohol stay.

Their leaders and teachers enjoyed as well, especially the night cruise up the magically lighted Loboc River â€" especially at the stops on the way back at the rafts or balsa where Special Envoy to China Carlos Chan led the delegates’ participation in jivy native dances, tinikling included performed to the accompaniment of ukeleles and banjos. The song-and-dance groups and accompanists included both children and adults.

The Bohol leg formed part of the Sichuan secondary students’ itinerary in their week-long stay in the Philippines. The students had lost close relatives during the Magnitude 8 earthquake that hit their province on May 12 last year. The quake left almost 80,000 people dead and over 18,000 missing.

The children made the trip to the Philippines on the invitation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. This after President Hu Jintao of the People’s Republic of China accepted Arroyo’s invitation for 100 children that she conveyed during her visit to the Chinese capital Beijing on August 9, 2008.
Chan’s assistant however intimated that only 99 children made it to Bohol. One was left in Manila because of a minor ailment.

Gov. Erico Aumentado led local officials and the Capitol Band at the reception line at the Tagbilaran Airport in meeting delegation head Du Kewei and his assistant Liu Dong, Charge d’Affaires Deng Xijun and Assistant Director Jesusa Susana Paez of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the 99 children and their teachers as they disembarked from the chartered Philippine Airlines plane. Chan introduced the leaders to Aumentado.

From the airport, the convoy of a coaster, three tourist buses, an ambulance, a police mobile car in front, with another for tail security and two motorcycles as sweepers proceeded to the Bohol Cultural Center where students from the Bohol Wisdom School welcomed their counterparts with leis.

Aumentado formally welcomed the delegates while Du gave his response. BWS teacher Jennifer Diez translated Aumentado’s message that included the hope for sister-province relations with Sichuan at the proper time while Kong Xiangwen of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines, protocol officer for the children’s visit, translated Du’s response capped with an invitation to visit his province. - source: The Bohol Chronicle

NHK, the biggest television network in Japan will bring its crew to highlight the islets off Talibon and Getafe towns in a program dubbed as "Voyage to the Future."

Masao Nidaira, executive producer of the show arrived yesterday in Mahaba islet to finalize preparations for the arrival of the TV crew together with some  students from various Asian countries.

The Japanese TV producer was accompanied by Edgar Reyes of National Broadcasting Network abd Junta Shinozawa, project manager of business development department of International Employment Business Group.

Gov Erico Aumentado, Talibon Mayor Juanario Item and Kagawad Item welcomed the Japanese nationals yesterday afternoon  together with Prov'l Tourism Council Chair Peter Dejaresco, PNP Prov'l Director Edgardo Ingking and Jo Cabarus, prov'l tourism officer.

The group will also visit  the famous Banacon mangrove plantation and other nearby islets.
Aside from Bohol, the group will also visit Apo island in Negros Or. and will proceed to Palawan. In Luzon, Puerto Galera  will likewise be featured. - source: The Bohol Chronicle

Bohol lost almost one-third of the estimated tarsier population in the past ten years, according to a research by experts that include the National Geographic Society.

Director Dioscoro Melana of the Protected Area Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENBR) in Central Visayas said the move of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) against the capture of tarsiers from the wilds and their display for commercial use is on right track.

Quoting the expert studies in his powerpoint presentation during a committee hearing at the Capitol, Provincial Board Member Alfonso Damalerio II said tarsiers were estimated to number 1,000 in 1991.

A decade later or in 2001, the population of Bohol’s eco-tourism icon believed to be already 45 million in existence dwindled to 700 more or less.

The trend can render the tarsiers extinct in the next 20 years, Damalerio expressed.
Melana, himself present in the SP environment committee hearing headed by Damalerio, assured to support the move banning the capture of tarsiers and their commercial display by enterprising tourism outlets, primarily those in Loboc.

The committee gathered inputs vital to the enactment of a provincial ordinance towards this end.
The proposed ordinance is enough bases to reject all future applications to domesticate tarsiers purposely for leisure and fees from viewers who are mostly tourists and visitors.

The present system does not require a clearance from the provincial environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), whose head Nestor Canda also appeared to Damalerio’s committee, when applying for DENR Regional Office permit for the captive breeding of tarsier.

The intent of the permit is good, but the blatant display of the primate for commercial viewing mocks the very purpose of the license from the DENR, according to other eco-tourism stakeholders attending the committee hearing.

Even some existing laws and special issuances was blamed for the permitted capture and domestication of tarsiers. - source: The Bohol Chronicle

A spike in prices of rice hit local markets the past weeks even as officials assure of an abundant supply for the entire province.

Monitoring done by Station dyRD showed an increase of P2 per kilo to as high as P6 per kilo in all rice varieties sold in public markets.

Commercial rice such as those sold at P26 and P28 per kilo are now priced at P29 and P34, respectively. The premium variety is sold at P37 to P40 in the market from a per kilo price of P34 a few weeks ago. Fancy rice are sold at P42 to P46 per kilo.

Weekly increases were attributed by retailers to a decline of supply.
Early last week, the National Food Authority (NFA) Bohol allayed fears that the prices of rice will increase to as much as last year at the height of a nationwide supply shortage.

NFA-Bohol assistant manager Ma. Fe Evasco said that the current increase in the prices of rice is normal at this time of the year when supply from the last harvest season has already been consumed.

“There is no reason for the public to resort to panic-buying or hoarding, this increase is temporary,” Evasco stressed saying irrigated ricelands in the province will start harvesting soon.
Gov. Erico Aumentado have announced late last year of a big increase in rice production which improved the province’s rice sufficiency level to 113% from only 82%.

This year, Bohol is expected to yield 115,473 metric tons of palay, according to data provided by the Bohol Agricultural Promotion Center (BAPC). The harvest will further go up to 122,931 metric tons in 2010.

According to BAPC head Engr. Eugene Cahiles, rice consumption in the province is around an average of 107,140 metric tons and will increase to 108,275 metric tons this year.

Evasco explained that rice prices increase during the months of January and February but will start to drop when harvests boost the local supply.

Retail prices of commercial rice varieties range from P27 per kilo for regular milled (ordinary), P28 to P30 per kilo for the well-milled, P31 to P37 per kilo for premium variety and P42 to P46 per kilo for fancy rice.

The NFA sells the government subsidized premium rice variety at P30 per kilo which is 15% broken and P35 for the 5% broken premium variety.

The NFA’s highly subsidized rice is still sold at P18.25 per kilo which is available only at Tindahan Natin outlets intended for its identified beneficiaries.

source: The Bohol Chronicle

The fourth judge of the Tagbilaran City Regional Trial Court (RTC) assigned to hear the complaint filed against the controversial contract of the City Square inhibited from handling the case on Friday.

RTC Branch 4 Presiding Judge Achilles Melicor issued his inhibition order Friday morning hours before the first scheduled hearing on the application for a temporary restraining order (TRO) in the complaint of lawyers Victor dela Serna, Alexander Lim and Zotico Ochavillo.

The complainant-lawyers filed the motion for inhibition on Thursday believing that Judge Melicor will not be impartial in hearing and deciding the case.

The case was returned to RTC Executive Judge Fernando Fuentes III who may refer it to the last City RTC judge to handle the case â€" Branch 1 Presiding Judge Teofilo Baluma.

The case was first raffled to Fuentes, then later to Judge Baudillo Dosdos and Judge Suceso Arcamo. The three inhibited following motions for inhibition filed by the petitioners and respondents.

City RTC Branch 48 Presiding Judge Pablo Magdoza has asked to be excluded from the raffle as the complaint involves the cancellation of a contract which was notarized by his son, lawyer Pablito Grecio Magdoza.

The complaint filed by Dela Serna, Lim and Ochavillo seeks for the cancellation of the rehabilitate-operate-transfer (ROT) contract entered into by the city government and a private consortium to develop the City Square , the complainants are also asking for the issuance of an injunction and TRO to stop operations at the recently opened business center.

The plaintiff-lawyers call the ROT contract a “sweetheart deal” for Mayor Dan Lim and the consortium led by businessmen Juan Apostol and Ko Beng Sum. - source: The Bohol Chronicle

Depositors of the closed Pilipino Rural Bank (PRBank) Tagbilaran Branch who have been promised swift payment of their insured deposits are dismayed by the slow process of getting their money back.

Since personnel from the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) left the closed bank last December, the deposit insurer has not returned to process insurance claims.

Engr. Abdon Anora, one of PRBank’s hundreds of depositors, told the Chronicle that not one depositor had been given papers to accomplish for the return of their money since PRBank was placed under receivership and no insurance claims had been released yet.

An advisory released by the PDIC stated that deposits not going beyond the P250,000 insurance limit will be processed first. Deposits exceeding the insured amount would have to wait until PRBank assets had been liquidated.

However, no PDIC personnel had accommodated so far bank clients here inquiring about the status of their deposits.

PDIC Communications Stakeholders Relations Group head Auramar Calbario said in a statement that it would take a while to release any money claims.

Calbario said the examiners would have to make a master list of all the depositors before starting the process.

“PDIC will pay all valid claims for deposit insurance of depositors,” the PDIC statement said.
On January 29, PDIC Vice President and Comptroller Geronimo Ambe, a native of Ubay town, will be meeting with PRBank depositors upon request of Gov. Erico Aumentado, according to Anora. - source: The Bohol Chronicle

There's no stopping the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) majority bloc who practically rammed the approval of the P337,052,121 city budget for 2009 despite vehement protests by opposition lawmakers.

City Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso and minority councilors Zenaido Rama, Anne Mariquit Oppus and Bebiano Inting cast doubts on the "unjustified increase" of this year's fund appropriation by P78,813,732 or 31% higher than last year's.

The minority accused their colleagues allied with the city mayor of railroading the budget approval even when they still have pending questions raised on some items that needed clarifications.
Vice Mayor Veloso told the Chronicle the approval breezed through SP deliberations in record-breaking time of just two regular sessions.

Prior to the approval on final reading, Veloso said he could not recall any other meetings where the 2009 city budget was exhaustively discussed and scrutinized.

"There would have been enough time to hold deliberations for the questioned items to be properly explained and exhaustively discussed," Veloso added.

CAMPAIGN KITTY?
Still fighting to publicly divulge the names of city officials and employees involved in the P6.5 million unliquidated cash advances, Kag. Rama now regards the 2009 city budget as the city administration's 'campaign kitty.'

With the 2010 elections just around the corner, Rama pointed out that the "unjustified" increases in the budget could be used to woo votes.

"Where will the increase go?" Rama asked, indicating that city residents should be vigilant of how much of the city's revenue is actually utilized as reflected in the budgetary items and other expenditure details.

"Fund appropriations and actual expenditures come from us, the taxpayers. At the end of the day, we are the ones who will be actually paying for government expenses," the lawmaker stressed.

According to Rama, there are indications that the proposed 2009 city budget is "stuffed with funding" for infrastructure and other activities to draw the electorate's support.

Rama cited that appropriation for public works has surprisingly increased this year, while there have been past allocations, including supplemental budgets, for road improvements and concreting.

The city lawmaker emphasized the huge allocation of P15 million for city casual workers which could only mean that the city will double the number of its casual employees this year and ensure captive voters in the 2010 polls.

"Why not fill up vacant plantilla positions having precise responsibilities and functions instead of hiring many casual workers whose tasks are doubtful?" Rama questioned.

Majority councilors defended the questioned annual budget saying it is reportedly the smallest annual appropriation by a city in Central Visayas.

source: The Bohol Chronicle

China's exports have dropped into their biggest decline in a decade.

Exports in December were down 2.8% from the same time last year, a bigger decline than November's 2.2% drop, the China Daily said.

The numbers provided fresh evidence of a serious trade slump that has caused a wave of factory closures and staff layoffs, analysts said.

The communist leadership has expressed fears of social unrest as economic problems worsen.

The BBC's correspondent in Shanghai, Chris Hogg, said that China's economy relies on domestic demand for its goods and services more than any other country in Asia.

Only around 30% of the economic activity here is dependent on exports, suggesting that problems in the export sector are affecting less than a third of the economy.

The US trade deficit dropped to its lowest level in more than five years in November as the economic slowdown led to lower demand for imports.

The trade deficit shrank 28.7% from October to $40.4bn (£27.7bn), the Commerce Department said.

Total imports fell 12%, led by a 36.5% drop in oil imports after the price of crude dropped sharply.

There are expectations that the US trade deficit will continue to narrow as 2009 progresses.

The latest deficit figure was lower than expected and came after October's downwardly revised $56.7bn trade deficit. - BBC

Yahoo has named Silicon Valley veteran Carol Bartz as its new chief executive.

Ms Bartz, 60, is a well-respected industry figure who led business software maker Autodesk for 14 years before becoming its chairman in 2006.

Her appointment follows a search for a replacement for the internet portal's co-founder Jerry Yang.

His departure followed lengthy criticism of his stewardship of the company, which has coincided with its share price collapsing to about $12.

He angered investors by turning down a $47.5bn takeover offer from Microsoft last May - worth $33 a share.

Microsoft did however come back and offer to buy the search part of Yahoo, but a deal was never struck. -BBC

More carbon dioxide needs to be absorbed than emitted by 2050 in order to prevent catastrophic climate change.

That is the conclusion of a report by the Worldwatch Institute which urges bigger cuts in greenhouse emissions.

The authors say that even a rise in temperatures of 2 degrees C poses unacceptable risks to natural systems.

But they add that it is still possible to arrest and manage climate change with renewable technologies and more efficient ways of living.

"Sealing the deal to save the global climate will require mass public support and worldwide political will to shift to renewable energy, new ways of living, and a human scale that matches the atmosphere's limits," said Robert Engelman, vice president for programmes at the Worldwatch Institute. - BBC

Israeli troops have entered the suburbs of Gaza City and are engaged in street fighting with militants, reports say.

Witnesses said Israeli special forces had advanced several hundred metres into several neighbourhoods and that intense gunfire could be heard.

Earlier, Israeli planes attacked more targets in Gaza as Israel's offensive against Hamas entered an 18th day.

A UN watchdog meanwhile accused Israel of showing a "manifest disrespect" for the protection of children in Gaza.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child said more than 40% of those killed in Gaza were women or children, even though the Israeli government had signed a UN protocol condemning attacks on places where children were likely to be present.

The attacks would have a severe emotional and psychological effect on an entire generation of children in Gaza, it added. - BBC

The EU has told Russia it is disappointed that little gas has flowed into Europe from Ukraine, despite an agreement to resume deliveries.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said only limited access was given to EU officials monitoring Russia and Ukraine's gas network.

Moscow said it had resumed gas supplies into Ukraine early on Tuesday, but Kiev was refusing to pass the gas on.

Ukraine blamed Russia for changing the delivery route.

The dispute dashed hopes of ending a row which has hit several countries' supplies, leaving hundreds of thousands of Europeans without gas for a week. - BBC

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) at 5 a.m. Wednesday recorded 9.6 degrees celsius which is the lowest temperature so far recorded this year.

PAGASA weather forecaster Wilson Locando said the temperature in this mountain resort 250 kilometers north of Manila and other parts of the Cordillera region in northern Luzon could further go down until next month due to the effect of the "Siberian winds".

Records show that the all-time low temperature recorded here was 6.8 degrees celsius in 1960.

In Tuba, Benguet particularly atop Mount Santo Tomas, Jun Willy, a resident in the area, noted the drop of the temperature this morning at 8.2 degrees celsius which resulted in the formation of frost commonly known here as "andap" or thin film of ice formed overnight atop grasses and leaves.

In La Trinidad, Benguet, Dominador Dongla, supervisor of the vegetable trading post, said frosting might occur in the high-lying towns of Atok and Buguias due to the cold temperature prevailing in the area. - PNA

Hi Everyone,

Nia na ko sa Bohol. My number is 0907-807-2095. Please let me know sa inyong mga number, mga based sa Bohol ug Cebu.

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By Ven Arigo

Rep. Edgar Chatto yesterday surprised and “shocked” Mayor Dan Lim by calling the radio program Mayor’s Report hosted by the mayor himself and putting the record straight on the drainage outfall closure wrongly, repeatedly  blamed on the solon.

The lawmaker clarified---once again on air but for the first time on Lim’s slot on DYRD---that it was the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) which ordered the non-opening of the outfall.
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Nestor Canda had earlier repeatedly declared that his agency, not the congressman, was responsible for the order.

Surprised by Chatto’s call, Lim first refused to accommodate his “listener”, saying they could “settle” the issue in the meeting on the nagging city drainage issue called by Gov. Erico Aumentado with the DPWH, DENR, drainage project contractor and other concerned parties on September 23.

But Chatto was already on the other line, firmest to speak his side and be heard because he could not attend the meeting that conflicts with his scheduled important budget hearings in Congress.

The solon recounted that he had instructed the local Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to finish the drainage outfall which national fund he and the governor had secured.

The city government committed to build the waste water treatment facility as its counterpart to the project.
Chatto made the instruction/request in a meeting of the department heads of the DPWH-I headed by District Engr. Celestino Adlaon.

The finished project would include the completed three-linear-meter gap of the San Jose Street outfall canal from the main drainage along the CPG Avenue and the restoration of the asphalt road under which the outfall channel traverses.

In the same meeting, the DPWH men raised the position of the DENR not to allow the outfall to operate until the illegal toxic connections to the CPG main drainage would be cut.

Chatto said their main concern then was to complete the outfall project, and so he suggested to the highways people to finish digging the three-meter outfall gap and then close it according to the want of and in coordination with the DENR while the illegal drainage tappings remain uncut.

Chatto told the mayor that the DENR has been reiterating its policy not to open the outfall in the absence of the waste water treatment plant---and while the disallowed drainage connections remain.

The DENR and DPWH people can attest to DENR’s own outfall closure order, Chatto told Lim on the Mayor’s Report.

The lawmaker said that the PENRO head himself had repeatedly admitted that it was his agency responsible for the outfall closure.

Chatto said it was just right for him to ensure that the outfall component of the drainage project should be completed.

The congressman reminded the mayor of their phone talk then on the assurance of the national government o release the initial fund for the outfall after the city hall could commit fund its project counterpart, the water treatment plant.

Chatto recalled right to Lim that the latter assured in their same phone conversation that the city would do its part as agreed.

It was admitted in their verbal encounter on the air yesterday that the mayor had thought that the water treatment facility could only cost the city some P20 million.

It was further revealed that Lim had told, long before the outfall work was to start, Chatto to assure the DPWH of available city fund for the water treatment facility.

While the city ought to fulfill its promise, Chatto’s main role in the project was to help the governor secure and release the necessary national fund for the outfall.

The project was implemented thru the DPWH in coordination with agencies such as the DENR.
Lim admitted to Chatto in their radio interaction yesterday that he had no knowledge of who actually ordered the outfall closure, saying he just based his claim attributing the closure to Chatto on the minutes of a city council meeting then attended by DPWH people.

In that meeting, one lady DPWH engineer made what Chatto described as a “wrong, erroneous” statement pointing to him as ordering the closure.

It turned out that the local DPWH personnel, a certain Engr. Palacat, had “wrongly appreciated” the result of the earlier DPWH meeting during which Chatto asked the highways people to complete the outfall and coordinate with DENR should the latter have it closed.

Chatto told Lim he would appreciate much if the mayor would contact him for any future clarification.
The First District congressman reiterated his support for various projects in the city as what he has been doing.

The listening public noticed the vocal mayor “tamed” by Chatto’s unexpected call.

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

The family of Boholano ship captain Florencio Marimon Sr. broke their silence on Wednesday as the skipper of the sunken MV Princess of the Stars was laid to rest in Cebu.

Rose Marimon, the wife of Florencio Sr., appealed for understanding from the victims of the sea tragedy saying they “all suffered losses.”

Rose said the family did not mean to hide the captain but only wanted to mourn in private and spend the past days with Florencio Sr.

She said the family was planning to announce her husband’s death only after the burial at the Pardo Public Cemetery.

According to Rose, the body of her husband was among 76 remains retrieved in Masbate on July 21, a month after the vessel sank near Sibuyan Island, Romblon at the height of typhoon “Frank”.

The body of Florencio Sr., whose roots is from Catagbacan, Loon town, was identified by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) victims’ identification team last Sunday.

The DNA of the captain’s remains matched those submitted by his relatives.

Suspicions that the ship captain was still alive and in hiding ended with his burial last Wednesday.
Florencio Sr., who would have turned 55 in October, was reported to be alive after his family purportedly received a phone call from him informing them that he survived the sea tragedy and was somewhere in Iloilo City the day after the vessel capsized off Romblon.

Marimon had been with Sulpicio Lines Inc., the owner of the Princess of the Stars, since 1976 and rose through the ranks to become on of the shipping firms most trusted skippers.

Rose was accompanied by her five children, two of whom are still in college, during the burial.
There were at least 59 Boholanos reported missing after the sinking of the “Princess of the Stars”.

By Kit Bagaipo

A new tax scheme imposing over 100-percent increase on real property assessments has both alarmed and confused Tagbilaran residents even as a class suit is still pending against city officials who approved its implementation.

Complainants of the revised real property taxation, representing Butalid Realty Inc., EB Gallares Properties and Associates Inc., Mercedes Subdivision Inc., Tagbilaran Women’s Club, Benjamin Udtohan and Simplicio Yap Jr., told the Chronicle that the tax assessment is being imposed by the city government despite their unresolved complaint on its legality.

Likewise, the new assessment’s implementation had been suspended by City Mayor Dan Lim until January 2009, the complainants said.

It may be recalled that a class suit was filed against Lim and three city officials by the complainants for implementing the new real property tax rate.

Until now, the case could not be resolved as all trial court judges in the city inhibited from handling the complaint. The case was endorsed to the Supreme Court to designate a judge who would preside over the case.

City Hall imposed a real property tax increase of 72.39 percent on lands and 35.67 percent on buildings effective January this year.

After suspending its implementation, Lim created an ad hoc committee to review the tax schedule based on Ordinance No. RC-058 while declaring a refund for residents who already paid their realty taxes.

The committee was also directed to look into the scope, authority and legal aspects in implementing the new tax adjustments.

The United States will provide a P1.9- billion grant to the Philippines to support the Arroyo administration’s “investing in people and capacity-building” program, and help sustain the country’s economic growth.

According to Press Secretary Jesus G. Dureza, the President wants the bulk of the grant to be mobilized for capacity-building on reforestation and environmental programs as a whole.

Part of the grant would also support the country’s infrastructure, energy modernization and health projects, including water supply and sanitation, he added.

Dureza said the President is also pushing for the inclusion of farm-to-market roads in the funding program in support of the country’s food security program.

Inclusive of the government’s counterpart fund of P600 million, the total amount would reach P2.645 billion, Dureza added. - PIA

By the PIA

President Gloria Macapagalâ€"Arroyo raised from P10.5 million to P15 million the cash pot for the gold medal that Team Philippines will win in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The President made the announcement during the courtesy call of Team Philippines on her at Malacanang’s Heroes Hall.

An Olympic gold medal would be first for the Philippines. The country has been participating in the World Games for 84 years, or since 1924, but has come up with only nine medals, none of them gold.

The Philippine Olympic Commission had earlier announced that the athlete who wins the first Philippine Olympic gold will receive P10.5 million, but the President added P4.5 million, to make it P15 million.

The President also gave $1,000 allowance to each of the athletes.

In this year’s Olympic Games in Beijing from Aug. 8 to 24, the Philippines is sending 15 athletes who will compete in eight sports disciplines: boxing, taekwondo, shooting, archery, diving, swimming, athletics, and weightlifting.

Reigning World Boxing Council lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao was appointed by the President as the country’s special Olympics envoy and flag-bearer during the parade of nations.

By Kit Bagaipo, Bohol Chronicle

For over three months, our very own Chocolate Hills have stayed in the top five nominated sites on the search for the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

The Chocolate Hills' climb into the top 10 came even after it was de-listed from the online voting five months ago as no official support committee backed its nomination into the search.

The de-listing could have eliminated the Chocolate Hills if not for private groups here and Boholanos now based in the United States who have worked for its reinstatement as an official nominee.

Coming back into the rankings, the Chocolate Hills went up to as high as the 4th place behind another Philippine natural site, the Tubattaha Reef.

As of yesterday's online rankings on the New 7 Wonders (N7W) of Nature website, the Chocolate Hills has slipped down to No. 10, still behind Tubattaha Reef at No. 9.

The Puerto Princesa Underground River followed at No. 11 while the fourth Philippine nominated site, Mayon Volcano hangs at the 20th spot.

Online voting for the nominated sites will be until December 31, 2008. Afterwhich, those ranked within the top 70 will be shortlisted to only 21 finalists.

By Ric Obedencio
Bohol Chronicle

To protect the interest of the province and quarry permit holder, Vice-Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera assailed the conduct of raid by the Bureau of National Investigation (NBI) of the manganese mining in Anda town.

Herrera was reacting to NBI men who recently seized the extracted manganese without the information of Task Force Kabukiran (TFK) formed by Gov. Erico Aumentado. TFK was created to curb indiscriminate illegal logging and quarrying in the province to preserve the environment.

The vice-governor said the raid was deplorable, adding that the NBI should have coordinated with TFK, being a member.

He said NBI's inappropriate action has contributed to the mounting outcry of the people against the government. In attaining a certain degree of success in whatever government project or activity being undertaken for the people, government agencies should put their acts together, he said.

"CROSSFIRE"

The provincial government appears to be caught between grudging manganese businessmen, according to Capitol reliable source.

The source said that a Manila-based manganese buyer shifted transactions to Anda town from Hench Mining Service Development Corp. (HMSDC), which has quarry operations in Candijay. It is reportedly owned by a certain Domingo Chua of Cebu City.

The source said the shift was triggered after HMSDC was found to have "illegally" mined the manganese in barangay Panas, Candijay town.

In his letter to Gov. Erico Aumentado, Kagawad Elmer Hinautan of barangay Panas, Candijay town asked the governor to revoke the small-scale mining permit issued to HMSDC for illegal extraction of manganese. Similarly, Liga ng mga Barangay federated president Arlene A. Caadlawon, an ex-officio member of the Candijay Sangguniang Bayan, also urged the governor to cancel and stop the said mining because "no municipal Resolution has been granted" to the miner.

Bohol Environment Management Office head Engr. Rene Villaber said in a separate interview that Aumentado has already halted HMSDC from extracting manganese in Candijay.

It could not be ascertained whether HMSDC had "deputized" the NBI to raid the Anda manganese operations seemingly because of trade competition. This writer tried to contact NBI office here for comments but to no avail. Its telephone did not answer.

Herrera said the NBI should not have been allowed itself to be used by some businessmen if indeed it was allegedly being "tapped" to raid the mining operations owned by a certain Sofronio Simacio of Anda.

Villaber said that the governor upheld Simacio's extraction because it has legitimate documents to support mine operations. He also said that following the NBI's raid, TFK has released the confiscated cargo trucks and restore the Simacio's mine operations.

BLAME GAME

"Blame" is the name of the game between the provincial government and the Cebu-based Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regarding the proliferation of the quarry operations in the province.

It appears that both are accusing each other on the issuance of permit to quarry that led to the unabated illegal extraction activities in the province.

The province and the DENR based here noted that a lot of pre-requisite documents have been processed and issued by the MGB without the knowledge of the former. One of these pre-requisites, DENR Tagbilaran said, is the needed consultation with and favorable endorsement of the locality just like what happened in Candijay.

In its letter to the governor, the MGB asked the provincial government to stop issuing special permits because "it has somehow contributed to the difficulty in the management of mining or quarry activities in the province" unless standard procedures are being followed.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan did not take the issue sitting down and passed on June 2008 a Resolution urging the MGB to stop processing applications for mining operations prior to issuance to permit exclusively by the governor, said board member Alfonso Damalerio II, environment protection committee chairman.

He said that the demand for the MGB to freeze the applications processing was prompted until such time that the Bohol Small-scale Mining Ordinance he proposed is approved by the SP.

The demand is also an answer to the clamor of the local government units where there are quarry operations, Damalerio said.

By Kit Bagaipo
Bohol Chronicle

Tricycle drivers and operators here in the city have formally filed a petition at the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) asking for another P1 increase on the minimum fare.

The Tricycle Drivers and Operators Alliance of Tagbilaran (TRIDOA) explained that they had to cope with increases in the prices of gasoline even with the increased provisional minimum fare of P7 granted to them last month.

TRIDOA chair Kenneth Menoza said an additional P1 is reasonable as the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has also granted a P1 increase to public utility jeepneys and multicabs.

"We hope that the city government will also consider our petition and craft a new ordinance for a new minimum fare," Menoza said.

The petition was formally referred to the SP committee on public utilities chaired by Kag. Nerio Zamora II during last Friday's regular session.

the Bohol Chronicle

National Electrification Administrator (NEA) Edita Bueno recently installed the signage of excellent performance on Bohol I Electric Cooperative based in Macaas, Tubigon town.

The signage lavished superlatives on Boheco I: NEA proclaimed it as a seven-star luminary electric cooperative, a grand hall of fame awardee and "Rated A" cooperative for its outstanding performance in 2007, with Fr. Francisco Silva, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's consultant on electric cooperatives and Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, chair of the NEA board of administrators as signatories.

The installation highlighted Boheco I's 37th anniversary celebration.

Gov. Erico Aumentado congratulated the cooperative, its manager, Engr. Carlos Itable and Chairman of the Board Jeremias Boligao for their A-1 performance. He said the recognition is the fruit of their collective pro-active efforts that have benefited the member-consumers.

He noted that Boheco I has only a 6.3 percent systems loss - lesser than Manila Electric Co.'s (Meralco) 9.5 percent as Bueno revealed.

Under a big brother-small brother scheme, Itable was also able to turn Boheco II's performance into similarly outstanding, he added. Boheco I serves Bohol's western towns while Boheco II serves the eastern half.

Meanwhile, Aumentado's announcement that the National Economic and Development Authority's Investment Coordination Committee Technical Board (Neda-ICC TB) has approved the P1.6-billion Bohol Backbone Transmission Project met a hearty

The project of the National Transmission Co. (TransCo) will make power in Bohol more dependable and efficient. It will entail the expansion of the sub-station in Ubay town, and the installation of overhead high-tension steel towers from Ubay to Corella town.

The towers mean less trip-offs that cause power outages as the towers will be higher than coconut palms, trees and other structures, making it less vulnerable to falling fronds, branches or debris, he explained.

He also congratulated Itable for bagging a gold medal for topping their recently concluded competency-based training program. He was the unanimous choice of his instructors and peers alike.

For her part, Bueno said Boheco I may have been through humps and bumps but the 67 awards it has earned - the latest being the mega seven-star award, the highest that NEA gives - prove that its management, staff, rank and file, the board of directors and members are one in striving for a goal that would benefit everyone.

She cited the cooperative for being first in the effort to energize the sitios after energizing all barangays including the islands

By tapping hydroelectric power, Boheco I also gets carbon credits for using "green gas" that also redounds to the good of the consumers.

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

The Tagbilaran City Schools Division of the Department of Education (DepEd) is now challenging claims by City Mayor Dan Lim that the city government still owns the lot where they are eyeing to transfer its offices.

Documents showing that a 1.3 hectare lot that is partly occupied by the Tagbilaran City Science High School was indeed donated to the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (now DepEd) on November 6, 1998.

The deed of donation was executed between then City Mayor Jose Torralba and Bohol Schools Division Superintendent Cerina Bolos and City Schools District Supervisor Conchita Pizarras.

The said documents which were provided to the Chronicle, included two resolutions of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) providing for the said lot donation.

One of the said resolutiona which was adopted by the 4th Sangguniang Panlungsod, Resolution 90-44, authorized the city mayor to enter into a memorandum of agreement with DepEd for the said lot donation.

An examination of the said resolution, which was adopted on March 12, 1990, however shows that the donation to be executed between the city and the DepEd was "conditional" in nature.

The condition for the donation was that the lot will have to be reverted back to the ownership of the city government when the DepEd "will no longer use the same".

The second resolution No. 95-06, adopted by the 5th Sangguniang Panlungsod on January 16, 1995, allowed the DepEd "to use indefinitely the conditional donation of the city government lot as the site for the city science high school.

Last week, Lim declared that the City DepEd will not be allowed to transfer to the City Science High School as he is planning to build additional classrooms in area.

The mayor said the DepEd has no right to transfer in the lot since it is still owned by the city.

Lim had given the DepEd 60 days to vacate their offices at the old city hall building following a dispute with City Schools Superintendent Norma Varquez on some policies, specifically the hiring of teachers.

In yesterday's Mayor's Report, Lim advised that if the DepEd want to transfer, they could do so at the City Central Elementary School or the Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School.

RECONCILIATION

Efforts to reconcile the mayor and the city schools head could bog down with this reaction from the DepEd.

Kag. Danilo Bantugan, chair of the Sanggunian committee on education, however told the Chronicle that he finds both parties willing to patch-up their differences.

By the Bohol Chronicle

The report that the multi-awarded radio program "Pulso" ended its broadcast last Friday generated an outpouring of encouragement and moral support from radio listeners.

"Pulso" is heard over dyRD-AM from 9 to 10 in the morning Monday to Friday, and also in the Internet by logging on to www.dyrdam.com.

Anchorman Kagawad Roberto "Batchoy" Alba together with co-anchor university professor Fred Ticong lamented the alleged harassment directed against the program's sponsors, initiated by the Office of the City Mayor, to silence their no-holds-barred commentaries of the city's actual situation under the administration of City Mayor Dan Lim.

"This is a clear curtailment of press freedom and the right of the people to freely express their grievances to government," Alba said.

In just a matter of one day, four of the program sponsors pulled out, allegedly through pressure from the Office of the City Mayor. The establishments had no choice but to withdraw their sponsorship or face possible revocation of their Mayor's Permit.

LIM DENIES, OFFERS TO SUPPORT PROGRAM
Mayor Lim vehemently denied pressuring the sponsors of the radio program.

During his weekly "Mayor's Report" over dyRD yesterday, Lim instead offered to pay the airtime of Pulso, if only to prove that he was not behind the termination of contracts of its advertisers.

"I will pay its airtime, and will even do advance payment in order for Pulso to remain on the airlanes," the mayor categorically stated. He said that even if he will be paying the airtime of the radio program, he won't mind if Alba will continue his tirade against his administration.

The mayor, usually picks up the issues aired in Pulso which would criticize his administration. In fact, Alba said it is almost every week the city mayor will attack him whenever his program would air criticisms against Lim's administration.

Asked why he always hit the mayor in the program, Alba said the program is actually not against the mayor. In fact it is helping him to identify the problems in the city that must be acted upon by city hall. All are constructive and objective commentaries, he said.

"All issues affecting city hall are broadcast in good intentions. However, it is unfortunate that the city mayor gives it a different interpretation," the anchorman clarified.

LAST BROADCAST

Pulso, which is one of the top rated commentary/public affairs programs of dyRD, made its last broadcast last Friday.
Alba said that his radio program which is his vehicle of a personal advocacy for clean governance has to temporarily stop due to unpaid months of broadcast. Alba told dyRD management that his inability to pay is due to the withdrawal of his supposedly loyal sponsors who were pressured by city hall to terminate their broadcast contracts with the block-time program.

Pulso recently emerged No. 1 in listenership in the "Internet radio" here and abroad.

The radio program was also recognized by the Filipino Chamber of Commerce in Hawaii, USA last May for its "role in linking the Boholanos worldwide." The program was also awarded by the Bohol Tri-Media Association in 2006 for its contribution in the service of the Boholano community.

Pulso earned the respect of listeners, including former OIC Gov. Victor de la Serna and other citizens of the community, as avenue to discuss issues where government failed, in matters of public concern.

As published in the column of Juan L Mercado

As a hobby, an editor-friend collects the text of ads, billboards and bumper stickers. They provide a rich lode of humor, he says. Here are some:

Ad in a newspaper classified section: "Guitar for Sale. Cheap. No strings attached."

Billboard in a hospital room: "Smoking Helps You Lose Weight ... One Lung At A Time! Ad in a management glossie: "Success Is Relative. More The Success, More The Relatives."

Barber shop ad: "We Need Your Heads To Run Our Business"

Ad in a family magazine: "You Know Your kids Have Grown Up When: Your Daughter Begins To Put On Lipstick.. Or Your Son Starts To Wipe It Off. "Ads in a women's magazine: "Behind Every Great Man, There Is A Surprised Woman.

Restaurant Notice: "All drinking water in this establishment has been personally passed by the Manager." Signs in three bars: "When I Read About The Evils Of Drinking...I Gave Up Reading." "My Grandfather Is 80 And Still Doesn't Need Glasses... He Drinks Straight Out Of The Bottle." And: "Those Of You Who Are Drinking To Forget, Please Pay In Advance."

Billboards In Driving School: "If Your Wife Wants To Learn To Drive, Don't Stand In Her Way". " Don't Let Your Kids Drive If They are Not Old Enough Or Else They Will Never Be."

Those who hold the information regarding this issue should contact the police in Panglao or the police office in Camp Dagohoy, Tagbilaran. Or contact any of the media personalities in Bohol. Police offices have SMS. The informant may send text to the proper authorities.

By Kit Bagaipo, the Bohol Chronicle

The Department of Education (DepEd) City Schools Division is hopeful a settlement can be reached with City Mayor Dan Lim on certain policy issues through a dialogue.

City schools Superintendent Norma Varquez clarified to the Chronicle yesterday that copies of a deed of donation transferring the ownership of the lot occupied by the Tagbilaran City Science High School (TCSHS) from the city government to the DepEd did not come from her office.

Varquez said the City DepEd is making efforts to resolve the issues raised by the mayor. She denied having issued any statement challenging the city mayor.

It may be recalled that Lim had given the City DepEd 60 days to vacate the old city hall building. This prompted the DepEd to plan its transfer to the TCSHS.

However, the mayor said the lot occupied by TCSHS is owned by the city government.

She said, "I hope we can make a clarification on the news articles that appeared in the papers and aired over the radio regarding our office. While the documents said so as to the lot ownership this might muddle our efforts for reconciliation."

According to Varquez, she has requested for an extension of their stay at the old city hall building from the mayor.

"We hope to thresh this out in a dialogue. I did not make any statement on [lot ownership issue] nor did I authorize anybody to do it," Varquez pointed out.

Last week, copies of the deed of donation executed by the city government to transfer the lot ownership occupied by the TCSHS to the DepEd were leaked to the media which purportedly came from the City DepEd.

Aside from the deed of donation there were also copies of two Sangguniang Panlungsod resolutions authorizing the lot donation.

By the Bohol Chronicle

A mother and her two children were wounded in an aborted robbery. The suspect stabbed them upon entry at their residence in Capitol Valley, Tagbilaran City.

The victims were identified as Evalaine Evangelista, 34, pawnshop manager and her two children, John Reeve, 8 and Danielle Joyce, 6.

The three entered their house from Church last Sunday when they found the suspect holding a knife and immediately attacked them. The mother was stabbed in her left breast while both of her children's left thighs were also wounded.

The suspect immediately rushed out from the house after stabbing the victims who were rushed to the Ramiro Hospital.

The suspect was identified by eyewitnesses as Mark Joseph Remedio alias Bayogyog, 20, jobless, of Dao district, this city, a neighbor of the victims.

Police said the suspect is a known "rugby boy" and has been a suspect in previous burglary cases.

The suspect, after 24 hours, surrendered to the police.

Robbery with 3 counts of frustrated murder will be charged against the suspect who told police that he barged into the Evangelista residence to get some food to eat. (With reports from Willie Maestrado)

Windgate,

Will you please avoid using huge colorized letters? Please use the normal size and color in posting comments.

Thanks,
TB Friends

The topic was locked due to endless off topics which was started by YOU.

I thought you already quit? But how come you are still here posting your endless complains?

Come on, ivyliz. Be sensitive. You are not the only member on this forum. The Admins are trying hard to please everyone. If we can't please you then so be it.

And one more thing, try to visit other forums with tight restrictions. You will be surprised to see your username with bold letters being WARNED or MUTED. Without any explanations.

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