MANILA, — The Department of Education is prioritizing the National Capital Region, Bicol and the Cordillera Administrative Region for the implementation of the Toxics-Free Schools Program (TFSP) for school year 2014-2015. Under a memorandum of agreement signed on Friday, DepEd has partnered with the environmental group BAN Toxics to prevent […]

MANILA, Jan. 15 — The low pressure area off Mindanao has a high chance of developing into a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours, the state weather bureau said on Wednesday. PAGASA weather forecaster Connie Dadivas said that as of 4:00 a.m., the LPA was spotted at 100 km […]

MANILA, Jan. 14 — The Department of Education sets an early registration for public elementary and secondary schools nationwide beginning on Jan. 25. “We want to prevent logistical problems when the new school year starts in June. If our school heads know how many students they will have ahead of […]

The proverbial “sword of Damocles” hangs over the lifeline of another electric cooperative in Bicol. This time, it is the Camarines Sur II electric cooperative (CAURECO II). Casureco II recently received the notice of disconnection from the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) that could be effected on Wednesday, January 15. […]

MANILA, Jan. 13 -– PAGASA has expanded to the Bicol region its flooding and rainfall warning, expecting the low-pressure area currently driving rains in Mindanao to move to that location in the next three days. ”We expect the LPA to exit Mindanao, move to the Visayas then be pulled by […]

LEGAZPI CITY — There is no reason to be flaunting about the age of modern air travel in the region via the Southern Luzon international airport. The thing is, the airport’s completion may come beyond the 2016 national elections, yet. Because of this, Bicolanos, more specifically the people of Albay, […]

LEGAZPI CITY — The seemingly endless saga of Albay province’s lone electric cooperative continues. Already saddled with a four-month-old labor strike, the Albay Electric Cooperative is again facing another threat of power disconnection after it received on Wednesday the notice for its failure to settle last year’s outstanding power bills […]

NAGA CITY — The third district of Camarines Sur will get at least P1.4-billion worth of projects in 2014 from the national government even as the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) has been scrapped after the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional. Before the scrapping of the PDAF or […]

MANILA, Jan. 10 — Be forewarned. The waters off Northern Luzon, the Visayas and eastern seaboards of Aurora, Quezon, and Southern Luzon, may experience rough to very rough seas with waves 3.4 meters to 4.5 meters high due to strong to gale force winds associated with the northeast monsoon which […]

Idolatry, fanaticism, religious devotion. Refer to it in any way, but the number of individuals that will be joining the people swarm during the Feast of Blazk Nazarene procession on Thursday, January 9, is estimated to border the 12 million count. Manila mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada ordered on Wednesday the […]

MANILA, Jan. 8 -– PAGASA reiterates its warning about sailing in waters off the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon and the Visayas. Expect rough to very rough seas with waves between 3.4 to 4.5 meters high as strong to gale force winds associated with the northeast monsoon are forecast to […]

MANILA, Jan. 7 -– People in Luzon are in for colder weather as the temperature is expected to dip further in coming days brought about by the northeast monsoon or hanging amihan. The northeast monsoon is known to be at peak in January and February which now already prevails in […]

MANILA, Jan. 6 — The country’s economy is projected to sustain a robust growth of 6.5 percent this year, slightly lower than the 2013 estimate of 6.75 percent, on the back of buoyant infrastructure investments and stronger consumption, according to a finance firm. “The administration’s main thrust is infrastructure spending […]

CAMP GEN. SIMEON A. OLA, Legazpi City, Jan. 6 — A police officer died when the motorcycle he was driving was hit by a passenger bus coming from opposite direction along the Andaya highway in Barangay Agrupacion, Ragay, Camarines Sur, Monday morning. According to the police report the victim, SPO1 […]

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 6 — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) here on Monday suspended for an hour the operations in the Legazpi City domestic airport after a Cebu Pacific plane that had just landed and was negotiating the runway suddenly stopped due to a mechanical trouble. Antonio […]

MANILA — This is never good news. And should never be taken too lightly. But read, Malacanang seems to have a different view. The prospect of the Philippine population reaching the 100-million mark presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the country, the palace said Sunday. More in the […]

MANILA — There will be no new tax imposition this year. This assurance came from Malacanang reassuring the public that there will be no new tax policy to be imposed by the government in 2014. A palace deputy presidential spokesperson instead said the Aquino administration will continue to focus on […]

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 4 — The Green Climate Fund will be operational this January with the assumption of duties by the start-up secretariat within a few days. The Fund has headquarters in Incheon, South Korea. On Saturday, GCF co-chair and Albay Governor Joey Sarte Salceda said the first batch of […]

MANILA, Jan. 4 — The proposal to move the opening of classes from June to either August or September has gained the attention of Malacanang. On Saturday, a palace spokesperson said that the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education are now studying the proposals. Deputy presidential spokesperson […]

BERLIN — Good news come in trickles, and at a slow pace, dedication and cost. But this one will sprinkle the drought in knowledge in the treatment of leukemia. German scientists have developed a prototype of artificial bone marrow, which can simplify the treatment of leukemia in a few years, […]

As the new year of 2014 ushers in, unexpected out of pocket expenses and traditional contributions also push up. Already discussed in a separate post was the effective increase in employer and employee contributions in the SSS this January. Now here’s another. The membership with, and coverage by, the Philippine […]

The 2014 Quadrantids, a little-known sky spectacle of meteor showers named after an extinct constellation, will present an excellent chance for hardy souls to start the year off with some late-night meteor watching. Peaking in the wee morning hours between January 3 and 4, the Quadrantids have a maximum rate […]

Here’s a look back on the list of Filipinos who made it in Forbes world’s richest billionaires in 2013, four of them, listed in top 500. Rank Name Net Worth Age Source 68 Henry Sy & family $13.2 B 89 diversified 248 Lucio Tan & fmaily $5.2 B 79 diversified […]

MANILA, Jan. 1 — Petron Corporation rolled back the price of its liquefied petroleum gas products for the month of January effective on New Year’s Day. In an advisory, Petron decreased by P7.56 per kilogram of its LPG products inclusive of value added tax. For calamity-stricken areas of Cebu and […]

MANILA, Dec 31 — As the country is set to usher in the coming of year 2014, Department of Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo urged the public to synchronize their time with the Philippine Standard Time. Through following the PST, everyone would be able to inculcate the value of […]

MANILA — The Commission on Elections disclosed that all public school teachers who served as Board of Elections Tellers (BETs) in the October 28 barangay elections will be getting additional P300.00. This, after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the request of the elecion agency to use […]

MANILA – The Social Security System will start implementing the new rate of 11 per cent in monthly contribution beginning January 2014 as previously announced. The current rate of contribution is 10.4 per cent regularly collected by the state-owned pension fund. The increase in contribution rate is part of the […]

LEGAZPI CITY — Six persons died when a Suzuki sports utility vehicle collided head-on with a passenger bus early Sunday morning along the Maharlika Highway in barangay Bacolod, Juban, Sorsogon, a Philippine National Police official in Bicol said. Inspector Malu Calubaquid, PNP Bicol spokesperson, said the Suzuki SUV with plate […]

LEGAZPI CITY — Fresh from her triumph in the Tokyo pageant, that definitely capped the year’s unprecedented haul of various international beauty titles ever, the newest Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago will be home in the Bicol region before the year ends. Bea Rose will mark her homecoming with […]

Albay governor Joey Salceda is giving a P1,000 cash reward to anybody who could furnish a video or photo, much better if accompanied by audio recording, of any provincial employee lighting firecraker on New Year’s eve. Identity of the “whistleblower” will also be kept confidential. “This is not a joke,” […]

MANILA — The Philippine National Police has issued a directive to all operators, managers and security officers of police security agency, police detective agency, company guard forces and government security units to conduct muzzle taping of all their firearms. This is in line with the agency program to prevent the […]

A federation of senior citizens in the municipality of Calabanga in Camarines Sur is a recipient of a P1 million investment capital assistance from the regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The fund will be earmarked to finance the opening of a drug store in the […]

Pope Francis Christmas 2013 message: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours (Lk 2:14) Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, Happy Christmas! I take up the song of the angels who appeared to the shepherds in Bethlehem […]

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 24 –- Mt. Isarog and its abundant resources and wildlife has been nominated into the biosphere reserve program of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The nomination sponsored by the DENR seeks international recognition for the Mt. Isarog Natural Park and its surrounding areas […]

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to […]

MANILA, Dec. 24 (PNA) — Expect heavy rain over Bicol region and Quezon province that may cause flashfloods and landslides on Christmas eve, PAGASA said on Tuesday. In its advisory, the weather agency said that northeast monsoon affects Northern Luzon while a trough of low pressure area is affecting Mindanao. […]

MANILA, Dec. 22 – Ten new judges get appointment in various courts in different provinces of the country. The transmittal letter dated November 27, 2013 by Malacanang to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes O. Sereno also contain the appointment documents of the new judges destined for the provinces of Catanduanes, Benguet, […]

NAY PYI TAW, Dec. 22 – The Philippines formally closed its dismal campaign in the 27th Southeast Asian Games at seventh place, its worst finish since it started competing in 1977. With only 29 gold, 34 silver and 38 bronze medals to show, the Philippines bowed to powerhouse Thailand, Vietnam, […]

ORENBURG, Russia, December 22 – Almost over. That is, the long journey of the Olympic flame around the world, when its Asian odyssey ended Sunday as the torch relay crossed into European Russia on its way to the host city of Sochi. The flame crossed the Ural River in the […]

MANILA — Major reorganization was implemented in the Bureau of Customs including the installation of its new head, Commissioner John Phillip Sevilla. The new chief of the bureau was a former undersecretary for Corporate Affairs Group and Privatization of the Department of Finance, succeeding former Commissioner Ruffy Biazon, who served […]

Completing the almost grandslam sleuth of Philippine beauties in various pageants around the world was the triumphant win of Bicolana stunner who hailed from Cataingan town of Masbate province. Binibining Pilipinas 2013 Bea Rose Santiago was crowned 2013 Miss International in the beauty pageant held in Tokyo, Japan last week. […]

MANILA, Dec. 22 –The northeast monsoon or “hangin amihan” will continue to be the dominant weather system to affect the country as the Northern and Central Luzon can expect cloudy skies and rain on Sunday, according to Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). PAGASA said that Cagayan Valley, […]

TACLOBAN CITY — United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday called for unity of the international community in the bid to reconstruct the areas battered by super typhoon Yolanda. Saddened by the magnitude of destruction wrought by the super typhoon, the highest UN official said the international community will […]

LEGAZPI CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development should provide a “Noche Buena” package to each of the 1.1 million families displaced by super typhoon “Yolanda” in the Visayas, Albay governor Joey Salceda said Saturday. “DSWD should have started repacking Noche Buena packages, but four days to go, […]

MANILA, Dec 20 — The Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 was passed by congress designed as a boon to the electric power generators and wholesalers but a bane to end users, the consumers. Now, Senate President Franklin Drilon raised the possibility of amending the law regulating the power […]

MANILA, Dec. 20 — The death toll from super typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) rose to 6,100, with most of the fatality from Eastern Visayas, the national disaster council said on Friday. The running total of the death toll is broken into at the Calabarzon, 3; Mimaropa, 19; Bicol, 6; Western Visayas, […]

LEGAZPI CITY — Barely a month after the occurrence of a deadly explosion in an illegal coal mining operation in Batan ssland in Rapu-Rapu, Governor Joey Sarte Salceda urged the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to conduct an investigation into the reported unabated illegal coal mining operation in the area. The massive illegal […]

A local electric cooperative serving one of the largest coverage areas in terms of consumers in the province of Camarines Sur gears for a whopping increase in power rate charges. The Camarines Sur II electric cooperative will arbitrarily increase its rates from P11.50 per kilowatt hour in November to P15.30/kwh […]

Sixteen town and city mayors, and hundreds of barangay captains, received recognition from the regional office of the Department of Health for initiating blood-letting drives in their localities during the agency’s Dugong Bicol Awards. Awardees include the mayors of Tabaco city and Tiwi in Albay, Naga city, Ragay, Sipocot, Cabusao, […]

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 18 –United States government boosted its humanitarian aid to typhoon-afflicted areas of the Philippines with an additional US$24.6 million on top of its $ 62 million already been provided. US Secretary of State John Kerry during his visit here Wednesday underscored the additional assistance to be coursed […]

MANILA, Dec. 18 — The United States renews its commitment to the security of the Philippines and the Asian region with the visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry in the country. Kerry arrived in the Philippines Tuesday morning and met President Benigno S. Aquino III later in the […]

MANILA, Dec. 18 — A total of only three hundred seventy-seven (377) examinees (283 males and 94 females) passed the highly-competitive PNPA Cadet Admission Test (CAT) held last November 10 in 24 key cities nationwide. The 377 successful examines represents only 3.4% out of the total 10,966 qualified applicants who […]

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 16 — On Tuesday, the city of Tacloban and regions ravaged by destructive typhoon Yolanda, come full circle in honoring the lives of thousands of people who perished in the calamity. Thousands of Tacloban residents whose family members died due to Typhoon Yolanda will mark the 40th […]

MANILA, Dec. 16 — Expect heavy rains over Mindanao that may cause flash floods and landslides due to the trough of a low pressure area (LPA), the state weather bureau said on Monday. PAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said that due to the trough or extended clouds of the LPA, […]

BEIJING, Dec. 16 — China hailed its Chang’e-3 lunar probe mission “a complete success” Sunday night, after its first moon rover Yutu, or Jade Rabbit, and lander took photos of each other on lunar surface. The one-minute photographing, a day after the country finished its first lunar soft landing, showed […]

MANILA — President Benigno S. Aquino III expressed that the P130-bllion fund needed by the Philippines to finance the rehabilitation of devastated communities in the Visayas regions is almost complete. This he said, after noting that it will be thru the help coming from Japan, the World Bank, Asian Development […]

December 2013 Dentist Licensure Examination results The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 271 out of 580 passed the November 2013 Dentist Licensure Examination (Written Phase) and 265 out of 281 passed the Dentist Licensure Examination (Practical Phase) given by the Board of Dentistry in Manila this December 2013. The […]

MANILA — The Civil Service Commission (CSC) will be administering four examinations simultaneously on Sunday, Dec. 15 in testing centers nationwide to a total of 18,557 examinees. Employees affected by rationalization of various government agencies comprise 48.32 percent or 8,966 of the hopefuls for the Career Service Professional and Sub-professional […]

MANILA, Dec. 12 –The head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines urged the faithful to imitate Pope Francis, named as “Person of the Year by Time Magazine”. “I encourage our Catholics to stay focused on the Pope’s eyes—always on God. The sincerest form of honoring him is to […]

MANILA — Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Thursday said he is giving the 20 congressmen named by the Commission on Elections who have not submitted their statements of election contributions and expenditures (SOCE) to fix their data until Monday (Dec. 16) or he will be forced to ask them to […]

December 2013 Special Certification Examination in Ocular Pharmacology for Optometrists The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 2 out of 3 examinees passed the Special Certification Examination in Ocular Pharmacology for Optometrists given by the Board of Optometry in Manila this December 2013. The members of the Board of Optometry […]

The successful examinees who garnered the ten (10) highest places in the December 2013 Optometrist Licensure Examination are the following: RANK N A M E SCHOOL RATING(%) 1 ANTHONY AMOS KOA MANILA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY-CALOO CAN CITY 90.90 2 HANS IAN ANDERSON CO ONG CENTRO ESCOLAR UNIVERSITY-MANILA 88.80 3 AMALIA LORAINE […]

MANILA, Dec. 10 — The death toll from super typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) rose to 5,936 while the affected persons have reached 12 million, the national disaster council said on Tuesday. The running total of the death toll is broken into at the Calabarzon, 3; Mimaropa, 19; Bicol, 6; Western Visayas, […]

MANILA, Dec. 9 — Employees of the Department of Labor are poised to receive P10,000 bonus with official announcement from the President Benigno Aquino III on Monday as the agency marked its 80th anniversary. Aquino made the announcement as he lauded the department and Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz for a job […]

MANILA, Dec. 9 — The death toll from super typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) rose to 5,924 according to the national disaster council on Monday. The death toll is broken into at the Calabarzon, 3; Mimaropa, 19; Bicol, 6; Western Visayas, 238; Central Visayas, 74; Eastern Visayas, 5,582; Zamboanga Peninsula, 1; and […]