The prevailing Philippine mining laws grant the Department of Environment and Natural Resources the sole authority to approve large-scale mining. Neither the provincial or local governments enjoy the same authority. At last, the powers that be in the government showed the true color of their skins.

Francia Falcon Apelo, one of the pillars of the local educational community will be surely missed soon enough. She last handled the post of school counsellor at the Calabanga Polytechnic college (now the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture). Previous to that, she was well remembered at the Calabanga Central Division Pilot School for the several subjects she ably handled.

In 2004 a Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study was commissioned on the probable scenarios of earthquake impact in Metro Manila. It disclosed that a big inland earthquake of 7.2 magnitude could happen in the area as an offshoot of the movement of the West Valley Fault.

On the day this writer visited the parish of St. Peregrine of Laziosi in barangay Sto. Domingo of Calabanga, a drizzle was on its way. Anyhow, we were able to take the needed frames for our purpose. Our first stop was the construction and project site of the bell tower structure cum “tontonan” combined.

The parish of St. Peregrine of Laziosi is currently building its “Tontonan” or that structure we are always familiar with used during the Catholic church’s Easter Sunday ceremony of “Salubungan” or “Domingo sabat.” The parish is located in barangay Sto. Domingo, municipality of Calabanga.

The open-walled Octagon building of Calabanga is a constant venue of people on the move. Poor and deprived residents of the town’s different barangays pour in mass on a scheduled day, converge, queue on long hours, and associate with the assigned personnel of the LGU/DSWD for paperworks. They are prospective beneficiaries of the national government’s conditional cash grants program.

The calm, salty sea of San Miguel bay kiss the breakwaters of Sabang, Sibobo and other shoreline villages of Calabanga in a clockwork manner. So much unlike as those that brought a devastating tsunami caused by an earthquake that hit the Japanese prefecture of Fukushima and surrounding areas last Friday.

Students enrolled at the Associate in Computer Technology (ACT) course of Central Bicol State University of Agriculture here in Calabanga are engaged in an immersion project in the community and residents of barangay Belen.

In one of our trip to Legaspi city this week, we chanced upon a government building where sacks full of rotten NFA rice were filed up near its entrance. Of course, it’s of no use holding up to those physical vestiges of ineptness and error of a government agency for such a long time. Go ahead, dump the rotten grains which anyway are not consumable anymore.

A walk by the breakwaters of Sabang on a Saturday morning is an exercise of inhaling almost seafresh air. What caught the attention of this passerby was the rickety-raggedy nipa structure with kids playing cards. I offered to take a photo of the group as one boy retreated to a corner, and back of the camera.

Many Pinoys feel a sense of pride upon learning that the Philippines has been acknowledged the text messaging capital of the world in the past years. It is of no wonder since in one household, almost all members of the family that can read and write, therefore can text, have a cellphone for the purpose. But wait, there could be a looming change on this.

For income year of 2007, the local government unit of Libon eclipsed the always front runner first class Albay town of Daraga which slid one notch lower. Libon earned over P113M against Daraga’s P109.8M. Polangui followed in far third with P84M. Coming close was Bacacay with P83.6M annual income.

The unabated rain experienced in major parts of the Bicol region has caused danger to lives and property of Bicolanos. In Camarines Sur, the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council issued an advisory prompting its municipal counterparts to take appropriate actions in their respective areas.

A documentary feature presentation about “Amang Hinulid” of Calabanga, Cam Sur, Philippines. Presented by Cbanga360 Production in two parts.

All the merriment and festivities that came with the happiest season of all is winding now, but not until the three mens’ visit to the infant Jesus is consumated. The event is closely associated to the Epiphany.

Discipline and restraint should be the keywords for tonight’s celebration and merriment of the 2011 new year welcome parties. But while majority can not be prevailed, the DOH and the national police have banned the use of some firecrackers such as super lolo, bawang, goodbye Philippines, lolo thunder and others deemed dangerous, life threatening or more, including watusi and piccolo.

The past weeks, Albay inmates had been busy doing “assembly” of the always popular, but traditional Bicol parol (Christmas lanterns) made of bamboo and adorned/wrapped with Japanese paper in various colors, shades, cut and design. The end product are hundreds of cute, small and big, five-pronged-star of a Christmas decor.

This year’s yuletide also brings peace, serenity and confidence in the far flung and hinterland areas of the Bicol region with the unilateral declaration of the PH government of a holiday ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines from December 16, 2010 to January 3, 2011.

For the fiscal year of 2007, the LGU of Libmanan was the first and only that surpassed the P100M earnings among the 35 municipalities, while capital town Pili had P87M. Rinconada’s Nabua made P73.2M and the third district town of Calabanga earned P72.6M.

In the past few weeks, we featured five build-up guest posts with specific reference to prevailing human rights atmosphere in the PH. What a good “coincidence” that as the Philippines, and other nations of the world, observe today, December 10th International Human Rights day, president Benigno S. Aquino III has ordered the department of justice (DOJ) to withdraw the charges against the Morong 43.

The big, influential businesses accumulate profits and get the government’s favorable attention much of the time. On the other side are hapless workers literally wrapped in the palms of big business, choking. Already, they howl and scream on the city streets yet get the caressing water guns of the government. Hence, workers are warped into a time very much comparable when there exist no justice for all but for the people wtih deep pockets and capital.

Fifty eight years last month, in November 18, 1952, the former mayor of Calabanga town unveiled a donation of a (cement) bench located at the plaza. Now with the onslaught of change and modest modernization, the bench still occupies its original location. But it has served its purpose and the passage of time clearly made its mark.

Tomorrow, December 1, 2010, we observe the 23rd World Aids Day. We join the multitude of people in marking the day in a more significant way. We quote the message of UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on this post.

During the initial days of the new administration, many were shocked (sic) on how voluminous the past government imported rice from other Asian countries. The issue was heightened when some National Food Authority warehouses were found with rotting stockpiles of the commodity.

Alas, there is more on the drawing board for the Divine Mercy parish and community. The next project will be the proposed construction of another facility to service the growing religious community around Paolbo. Yes, the parish of Divine Mercy is set to build a new pastoral center building within […]

The new airport in Daraga town of Albay, otherwise referred to as the southern Luzon international airport, is Bicol’s share in the PPP project being initiated by the PH government. Funding for its construction and completion will be sourced thru the new initiative.

Some 540 families in the towns of Irosin and Juban in Sorsogon province were evacuated Sunday as Mount Bulusan spewed thick ash clouds. The evacuees came from three villages directly affected and within the six kilometer permanent danger zone around the erupting volcano.

One of the fastest growing city in terms of annual income and population of PH and the only one in the province of Rizal, Antipolo is one LGU that effectively host a mix of residential, commercial and industrial use. The city center overflows with devotees on Sundays and Holy days that city streets are devoted to foot traffic. One of the pitfall effect of urbanization which could be solved with effective planning.

The city of Quezon has a land area of 166.20 square km. or 64.2 square miles with a population of 2,679,450 or a density of 16,114/km2 (41,735/sq mi). It is roughly the size of the municipality of Calabanga (163.84 sq. km.) in terms of land area.

We are bound in some specific ways with generally accepted standards and norms in our daily lives. So with government and industry transactions and liaisons are done in standards that will facilitate and ease the orderly and non-confusing conduct of business.

In time of domestic rice shortages, to whom the Philippine government rely more often than not. Or at least, for the immediate past year? No, not the Filipino farmer, are you kidding me!

Tomorrow, we go to the polls, for the third time in a row in one year. First was the national election last May, then the Comelec-bungled barangay election last month. But tomorrow will be the selection of board of directors of the Camarines Sur II electric cooperative for resident-consumers of the nine towns of Siruma, Tinambac, Calabanga, Bombon, Canaman, Magarao, Milaor, Minalabac, Pili and Naga city.

For purposes of checking out how Bicol municipal LGUs’ income compare outside of the region, thus we continue the series on this one. Twenty five towns of the Philippines earned between +P200M and +P1.05B for the year 2006. The National Capital Region’s San Juan dwarfed all others on this category.

But while Bicol LGUs earn millions (in pesos), it does not follow that the constituents are also that rich. On the contrary, not much has changed on more than majority of the people’s earnings and income. Many families are still below the poverty threshold level around the region. So that there is the strong contrast of the government awashed with money and the people stricken in poverty.

For the fiscal year of 2006, 33 out of 107 Bicol municipal LGUs earned an income over and above the P50M mark. Camarines Norte capital town of Daet topped with an annual income of P158M followed by Albay’s premier town of Daraga. CamSur’s Pili earned P77M to place 6th. Catanduanes capital of Virac earned P65M for the 17th.

The ties that bind close family relatives makes the strong pull during certain occasions of the year. One of that is like today’s and tomorrow’s All Souls and All Saints day. However and whenever day the family would like to celebrate (Monday or Tuesday?), commemorate or memorialize again and again our dear departed rests on the schedule and preparations, but mostly on the first of the month as many could be seen around the cemeteries and memorial parks.

To give us a broader and over-all picture of the total annual income of all LGUs, all provinces, all cities and all municipalities, would it be better if they are summed-up by region? So here it is, the table of consolidated income of all LGUs. This post finally closes the presentation on the 2005 income of Philippine towns, cities and provinces.

In our continuing presentation of the annual income of Bicol LGUs we take a look at how they compare in rank with others. The province of Rizal topped the list. Quite remarkable considering that many of its premier and urban towns were chopped from its jurisdiction when the National Capital region was created.

The Peñafrancia Rural Bank of Calabanga branch in barangay Del Carmen lost to persistent thieves the amount of P705,000 last October 10, 2010.

Just thinking aloud, why is the Comelec shipping election paraphernalia a few days before the actual election, or midnight before election to be exact? So that it always comes to a frustrating situation where these materials either arrive late or never at all on actual election day.

There are similarities between the cities of Davao and Puerto Princesa. Both have large land area than any of the cities one can locate in the country. Same cities are outside of Metro Manila. Before, respective residents claim either of the two LGUs was the biggest in the Philippines in terms of territory covered. Checking their websites and Wikipedia recently, it seems that has been settled.

All candidates for barangay position rests today as the campaign period ended Saturday midnight. The waiting game will be over as voters write their verdict in ballots tomorrow. One fact we are sure, there will be more non-winning candidates than winners.

After a devastating typhoon, villagers would immediately act to salvage whatever household items could be useful and still serviceable. Us in Bicol having undergone the same experience more than many times in the past several years as our fellow Filipinos in northern Luzon, can not help but feel the sorrow and pain of typhoon victims.

She came to America a few months after loving husband first stepped unto the soils of Long Beach. Ever since, she never transferred to another city. She worked hard for her daughter’s family to join her before but since it was far more important to give the grandson a choice she had to forego the dream even though they stayed for sometime with her.

As part of the Blog Action Day 2010 which unfolded October 15th, wherein we posted an appeal to save our rivers and creeks, we looked around the house what simple chores and tasks every member of the family were doing in support of the cause and more and in a simple way, save us few pesos by making minor changes on our daily habit.

They are the cream of an elite group unto themselves. If they are human, they could be living “la vida loca.” But since they are neither, then they could be comparable to virtual money machines, search engine optimized, sucks every single centavo that comes near their sphere.

Extraordinary times like this we wish to ourselves that some extra able super guy (Superman??) would come, rescue not only young ladies in distress but the public as well. But for our country there should be many.

We are on an intense weather watch due to the tropical disturbance by typhoon Juan (international code name: megi). But rather than get the bulletin from the local channels, we have to rely on the internet which are much more detailed (words and graphic) with updates as often as the sites get one, without the interruption of lengthy advertisements except those pay per click links.

Looking deep at the 2005 income of cities and provinces of Bicol this time, the trend is no different from previous years. The moneys earned stay more on the uptrend. The cities of Legazpi and Naga are truly rivals. Sorsogon may seem to occupy the third position now and the next years to come.

There is no stumbling block on the surge of Camarines Norte’s capital of Daet to the top of regional ranking by income of Bicol municipalities for the year 2005. Albay province’s top earner Daraga did not even take the second spot and was relegated to number 3. LGU Labo (again, of Camarines Norte) ranked second.

Blog Action Day 2010: WATER– Time is running out for our rivers and creeks. But we have time on our hands to save and salvage them. Let us put an end at dumping refuse and garbage on our rivers. Saving these waterways begin at home, spreading awareness in our communtiy and helping the local government. Let us organize and move. The time is now. Not tomorrow, but today.

We cannot help but raise two thumbs up for that endearing and commendable efforts shared by the educational community of Central Bicol State University of Agriculture in Calabanga. On August 26th this year, the Technology Department moved its staff, instructors and students for a fun clean-up drive about the town working hand-in-hand with the local government officials of Calabanga.

For the fiscal year of 2004, 48 Bicol towns out of 107 earned an income of P37M or more which totalled P2,478,990,989 out of the regional earnings of P3,951,780,429. Of these local government units, twenty breached the P50M yearly income while the reamaining 28 municipalities earned between P35 but less than P50M.

The province of Camarines Sur and the city of Naga lead the list of top earners in their category for three consecutive years of 2001, 2002 and 2003. The perennial seconders are Albay province and Legazpi city for the same reference periods.

Positioned in rank #1 is Albay province’s premiere town of Daraga with annual income of P108,615,847. Daet, the capital town of Camarines Norte earned P79,165,000 and ranked 2nd. Another town of Camarines Norte, Labo, had annual earnings of P78,378,000 and ranked 3rd. Big town Libmanan of Camarines Sur with earnings of P71,331,958 was ranked 4rth.

On this post, we check out changes and performance of Camsur towns’ earnings and expenditures for 2003. 13 towns earned beyond P35M. Libmanan maintained its hold on the 1st rank followed by capital town Pili, then Buhi (from 5th on 2002). Calabanga stayed on 4rth. Tinambac has a “carry-over data” from 2002, at 6th.

In the year 2005, another classification took effect. Municipalities earning P50M or more are now classified as 1st class; P40M or more but less than P50M are 2nd class; P30M or more but less than P40M are 3rd Class; P20M or more but less than P30M are 4rth Class; P10M or more but less than P20M are 5th class; and, Below P10M are 6th class.

This second post covers the year of 2002. Check out how towns, big and small, tumbled down in their rankings as others managed to stay on the top earning money and spending less. It is interesting to note how municipalities “played” with numbers in allocating tax money.

We just got hold of information about income and expenditures of towns, cities and provinces. So this post begins a series related to that, and we will try to make the most logical presentation with analysis and comparison to better understand the data.

Albay governor Joey Sarte Salceda is at his best when speaking in behalf of his provincial constituents. This time, he was thinking aloud about the disparity and inconvenience Albayanos receive when it comes to electricity service and pricing.

For a robust exchange of trade and commerce to prosper, the physical infrastructure obtaining in the area will play a vital role. Libmanan has access to several mode of transport facility, Calabanga has the one lane provincial road that leads either to Tinambac/Siruma or Naga and beyond.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration reminded us these weather systems are expected to affect the nation from October until December, more of the tail end of a cold front, inter-tropical convergence zone, easterly wave, ridge of high pressure area, the easterlies, and more tropical cyclones.

“All’s well that ends well,” a popular saying that is often quoted by many and here we are, doing the same, for we just can not leave behind the immediately past regional event last week without this concluding piece. The Penafrancia tercentenary, religious festivities, celebration and fiesta all rolled into nine days in the Bicol region which centered its focal events in the city of Naga eclipsed the previous and many years of observance.

Here’s the results of the civic parade competition during the Peñafrancia regional parade held in Naga city last week. All photos here are from the vantage point near or about the parade review stage at the Plaza Quezon.

Here’s the results of the military parade competition during the Peñafrancia festivities regional parade held in Naga city last week. Photo here is the winning form of the corp of cadets of the CBSUA-Calabanga.