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 […]
As we were trying to grasp the true apt meaning of people swarm, we were guided by the unfolding events of the celebration of the feast of the Black Nazarene prominently exemplified in the image enshrined in Quiapo church of Manila. The throng of people of different and varied persuasions […]
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, […]
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 […]
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. […]
Expedition 38 Flight Engineers Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins wrapped up a 5-hour, 28-minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station at 12:29 p.m. EST Saturday, completing the first in a series of excursions aimed at replacing a degraded ammonia pump module associated with one of the station’s two external cooling […]
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 […]
CAMP GEN. SIMEON A. OLA, Legazpi City, — A housewife died while 23 other passengers swam to safety when their boat capsized after hitting a floating big piece of wood while cruising the Tipya River in Jovellar town, Albay, early Friday afternoon at the height of heavy rains in the […]
Miss PH 2013 Ariella Arida hosts Miss Universe behind the scenes. Do you know that former Filipina beauty queen Ariella Arida hosts behind-the-scenes coverage of the Miss Universe pageant? According to the official site of the pageant, the Miss Universe Organization is giving fans an inside look into the glamour […]
We have to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. The Commission on Elections the other day made notice of the posters, be it tarpaulin or otherwise, the material of the kind bearing crappy congratulatory messages from candidates are considered campaign materials. Now, what? Since Comelec personnel nationwide are eyewitnesses […]
651 trees on Naga City main thoroughfare presents road block to proposed widening The Department of Public Works and Highways in Bicol has lined up a road widening project which will pass by the city of Naga encompassing the national road that traverses the barangays of Concepcion Pequeña, Concepcion Grande, […]
NAGA CITY -– National Irrigation Administration announced that on September 1st, engineer William Ragodon, the regional manager based in the city of Naga, was being replaced with a new one. The personnel reshuffle is instituted by the NIA board of directors headed by its new chairperson, former senator now head […]
Ex-President Fidel Ramos chides P-Noy on Mamasapano incident Former President Fivel V. Ramos sounded off a somewhat spicy message for President Aquino. “You must balance your actions with hot pursuit, this is law enforcement with peacemaking,” former President Fidel V. Ramos said in a speech during ceremonies in Intramuros marking […]
LEGAZPI CITY, April 4 -– Bicol tourism made a noticeable upswing trend in 2013 as some 3.2 million visitors arrived in the past year with an estimated P1.9 billion revenue earned on tourist-related activities. Maria Ong-Ravanilla, regional tourism director, said of the 3.2 million tourist arrivals, 2.5 million were domestic […]
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) needs a shot in the arm as it might have its last breath after 10 months since it is fast losing blood with its fund payout larger than its members’ monthly contributions and income. This was disclosed by PhilHealth board member Eddie Dorotan, who […]
Calabanga, April 12 — In the local scene, one wonders why so many candidates are running in the May elections? Twenty three individuals jockey for seats less than a third of the number in the sangguniang bayan and yet they hang on the campaign trail. “As if the incumbents have […]
Jueteng bet collector shot dead in Matnog MATNOG, Sorsogon Feb. 12 – A jueteng collector of this town was shot dead Tuesday morning while on his regular route of bet collection. Fatality Reynaldo Gabad, 39 years old, was riding a tricycle on his way to Barangay Lajong of this town […]
Sharing here the attendance of Vice President Leni Robredo during the 121st Independence Day rites this morning at Rizal Park in Manila. And below is the commemorative message of the vice president for the occasion: Sa araw na ito, bilang nagkakaisang lahi, ipinagdiriwang natin ang ika-isangdaan at dalawampu’t isang taon […]
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.
WATCH THIS: Pope Francis celebrates mass at St. Peters Basilica for Vespers of the Feast of Saint Mary, Most Holy Mother of God and Te Deum of Thanksgiving marking the end of year. The coverage has an English voiceover/ translation. Much later, the first New Year mass at the Vatican […]
PARIS, Nov. 15 (PNA/Xinhua) — French President Francois Hollande announced a national mourning for three days after attacks claimed by the Islamic State (IS) radical cell that struck the French capital, causing 129 dead and 352 injured among whom at least 99 are in very critical situations, Paris Prosecutor Francois […]
Typhoon “Glenda” has slightly intensified as it moves closer to Catarman, Samar, the state weather bureau said on Tuesday afternoon. In its 2:30 p.m. update, PAGASA said the eye of typhoon Glenda was located by Virac radar at 60 km North Northeast of Catarman, Northern Samar or 110 km East […]
It is back. They are back. The ‘Gilmore Girls’ is back. And the whole team is on-board. After signing off from free TV years back, Gilmore girls- the series is back. At least for a very limited time, eh, episodes. The much-anticipated return comes with four memorable chapters from the […]
LEGAZPI CITY, March 2 — Almost halfway through its construction phase, only then that a commercial building rising in the city center here is getting its building permit processed by the city engineering office. For months, works on the construction of structure attributed to as the Yashano Mall has been […]
Former child actress Leizl Martinez died peacefully at 6:35 am yesterday, witnessed by her loving family, including her mother Amalia Fuentes. She courageously fought but finally lost her final bout with cancer. In 2008, she was diagnosed with a Stage 3 breast cancer and had a mastectomy coupled with successive […]
MANILA, March 26 — Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Diosdado M. Peralta announced on Thursday that a College of Law graduate of the San Beda College in Manila topped the 2014 Bar Examinations. Peralta, who chairs the 2014 Committee on Bar Examinations, said that out of 5,984 Bar examinees, 1,126 […]
Reintroducing the musings of Luis G. Dato We are so privileged to present some of the works of one of the early, maybe the right choice of word is pioneering, Bicolano poet and writer as personified by the consumate and dedicated muse-inspired Mr. Luis G. Dato himself. We consider him […]
In the know: Cam Sur’s Camaligan most densely populated town in Bicol. The tiny teeny town of Camaligan in Camarines Sur registers the highest in terms of population density among all the 107 municipalities and 7 cities in the region. It has a total land area of 4.68 square kilometers […]
Looking back how Asia’s Got Talent finalist Gerphil Flores flunked the chance to reach the finals of Pinoy Got Talent due two judges favored the other contestant. Ironic as the other contestant failed to reach the high note which the other judge rightfully pointed out. Fast forward now, Gerphil (Fame) […]
Pope Francis in the USA – Holy Mass and Canonization of Fr. Junipero Serra Watch here as Pope Francis presides at the celebration of Holy Mass for the Canonization of Blessed Fr. Junipero Serra, on the occasion of his apostolic visit to the United States. Scheduled for Sep 23, 2015
It is interesting that Albay first district Rep. Edcel B. Lagman Jr. has filed a house bill seeking mandatory resignation for all elective officials who wish to run for any position other than the one they are currently holding. Lagman’s House Bill 6210 will amend the provision in the Fair […]
Malacanang on Wednesday defended Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman on the allegation that she was campaigning for the Liberal Party candidates instead of leading from the frontlines for the relief and recovery of those affected by typhoon ‘Lando.” Soliman chided the accusation of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s spokesperson that she was […]