The longest Christmas Season unfolds only in the Philippines. Long before the traditional midnight mass (simbang gabi / simbang banggi) unfolds, beginning on the 16th of December, christmassy songs are already on the air. Because it is only in the Philippines that the longest Christmas Season is observed up until […]
SONGDO, Incheon City, South Korea — Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, co-chair of the UN Green Climate Fund (GCF), issued a call from here Thursday, urging world governments to support and cooperate in the gargantuan task of rebuilding the devastation of climate change and combat its threats. Salceda made the call […]
LEGAZPI CITY — The United Nations green climate fund will likely receive more contributiions next year. Some developed nations are likely to remit their pledges to the US$100-billion United Nations’ Green Climate Fund next year, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said Wednesday. In a statement received here from Incheon city, South […]
PRC cancels Lucena and Iloilo as Testing Centers for the December 2013 Electronics Engineers and Electronic Technicians Manila – The Professional Regulation Commission and the Professional Regulatory Board of Electronics Engineering announces the cancellation of Lucena and Iloilo as Testing Centers for the December 2013 Licensure Examination for Electronics Engineers […]
Provincial capitol employees of Catanduanes will skip the Christmas party this year. This was confirmed as the governor of Catanduanes has scrapped the traditional merriment in favor of a very noble purpose.. Governor Araceli Wong said in a statement that the savings by the provincial government from the cancellation of […]
The Philippine Coconut Authority is recommending the inter-cropping strategy to coconut farmers after the devastation brought by killer typhoon “Yolanda” in Samar and Leyte provinces. PCA Albay official Ed Bailon said inter-cropping should be introduced as an alternative income of the affected coco farmers while waiting for the total recovery […]
MANILA, Dec. 3 — The death toll from super typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) rose to 5,680 while the missing persons almost reach 1,800, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Tuesday. The death toll is broken into as follows: Calabarzon, 3; Mimaropa, 19; Bicol, 6; Western Visayas, 238; […]
MANILA — The House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading Joint Resolution No. 7 extending the validity of appropriations under the calamity and quick response funds until Dec. 31, 2014. This includes those sourced from savings realigned in the current year, as well as all unobligated […]
MANILA, Dec. 2 — The peso strengthened against the United States dollar on Monday and is seen to remain this way until Friday on account of the volume of data set for release this week that is expected to be on the US dollar’s disadvantage. It gained P0.10 to end […]
Legazpi City has new police chief, 100 more cops and 100 Glock firearms CAMP GEN. SIMEON A. OLA, Legazpi City, Dec. 2 — The Bicol Regional Police Office leadership has installed a new police chief, assigned 100 more police officers and turned over 100 Glock 9mm-caliber pistols to the Legazpi […]
LEGAZPI CITY – Despite the emergence of synthetic substitutes, abaca, keeps Bicol on top of its producers’ circle. It remains unshakable in both the domestic and international markets, according to the Bicol Consortium for Agriculture and Resources Research and Development. Synthetic ropes may have some technical advantages but abaca has […]
LEGAZPI CITY — The United Nations Green Climate Fund (GCF) headquarters will formally open on Wednesday, December 4 with an inaugural dedication at 10:30 A.M. The center is located at the G-Tower of Songdo in Incheon City, South Korea. The G-Tower building is specially designed for the GCF and other […]
CAMP GEN. SIMEON A. OLA, Legazpi City — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has offered a reward of P50,000 for the capture of the barangay captain of Sabang in this city now hunted by authorities for alleged illegal drugs trafficking. Regional director Archie Grande identified the fugitive barangay official […]
The domestic airport in Legazpi receives a boost from the provincial government of Albay with the allotment of P11 million for upgrading geared towards making the city a prospective gateway for chartered flights of foreign tourists. This was confirmed as the provincial legislature unanimously approved last week the allocation requested […]
Manila – 35,493 examinees from various testing centers nationwide will try to hurdle the Nursing Licensure Examination set on December 7 and 8, 2013 to be given by the Professional Regulatory Board of Nursing. Bulk of the examinees will come from the National Capital Region with a total of 11,333 […]
MANILA — President Benigno S. Aquino III and his Cabinet ironed out government programs aimed at immediately rehabilitating typhoon-affected areas in Eastern Visayas, a Palace official said on Saturday. In a statement Saturday, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the government priority areas are the localities within […]
MANILA — A new batch of complaint involving the alleged misuse of the P10-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund may be filed as a new group of whistleblowers, including government officials, have surfaced. Because of this, the second batch of complaint involving the alleged pork barrel scam filed before the Office […]
MANILA, Nov. 30 — President Benigno S. Aquino III led Saturday commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio in Caloocan City and asked the nation to unite, move forward and continue the fight for a meaningful future. In his message during the event, he likened the heroism and […]
CAMP GEN. SIMEON A. OLA, Legazpi City — Two Albay local police chiefs get the ire of their superiors very lately, that eventually get axed in the current cleansing of the force in the region. The Bicol regional police office here has formally removed two police chiefs from their respective […]
MANILA — Malacanang has appointed four regional trial court judges and six others for municipal trial courts in various regions of the country. During the regular palace press briefing on Friday, spokesperson Abigail Valte announced that President Benigno S. Aquinoo III appointed the judges on November 22. The appointees for […]
Comet ISON went around the sun on Nov. 28, 2013. Several solar observatories watched the comet throughout this closest approach to the sun, known as perihelion. While the fate of the comet is not yet established, it is likely that it did not survive the trip. The comet grew faint […]
Nov 29, 2013 @ 10:24 MANILA, Nov. 29 — The official death toll from super typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) rose to almost 5,600 while the cost of damage also went up to P27.839 billion, according to the national disaster council on Friday. The death toll is now at 5,598 and broken […]
Miss Grand International 2013 was the first edition of the beauty pageant. It was held in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 19, 2013. At the end of the event Miss Puerto Rico, Janelee Chaparro was crowned as Miss Grand International 2013. Miss Philippines beauty Annalie Forbes finished 3rd runner-up. Full Show […]
SORSOGON CITY — All thirty-two international beauties from countries over the world descended on this city Tuesday to compete in the “Resort Wear” segment of the Ms. Earth International competition on Wednesday at the provincial gymnasium. The candidates arrived late Tuesday morning from Metro Manila and proceeded to the Siama […]
Top Ten of November 2013 Civil Engineer Licensure Examination The successful examinees who garnered the ten (10) highest places in the November 2013 Civil Engineer Licensure Examination are the following: RANK N A M E SCHOOL RATING(%) 1 PAUL MARION JOAQUIN DEMAPELIS UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS 96.90 2 GERARD PAUL […]
LEGAZPI CITY — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Bicol will intensify its coastal reforestation project after giant storm surges spawned by super typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) devastated coastal towns in Eastern Visayas, a regional official said Wednesday. Regional director Gilbert Gonzales said they will build “Beach Forest” through massive […]
MANILA — Board Exam Results- November 2013 Civil Engineer Licensure Examination. A total of 3,168 out of 6,584 examinees passed the Civil Engineer Licensure Examination, the Professional Regulation Commission has posted. The examination was given by the Board of Civil Engineering in the cities of Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, […]
LEGAZPI CITY, Nov. 27 – Sorsogon serves as jump-off point of Typhoon Yolanda survivors from Samar. As of Nov. 25, there were 21 families and 69 individuals who received aid from DSWD through the Public Assistance Desk. Herminia Diorico of Barangay Maya, MacArthur, Leyte, and six other members of her […]
CAMP GEN. SIMEON A. OLA, Legazpi City, Nov. 26 – The Bicol regional police director has ordered an investigation of the chief of police of the Rapu-Rapu island municipality in Albay after the latter appeared unaware of an explosion in a mining company that killed two persons and injured two […]
A total of 785 old first-class species of shady and fruit-bearing trees that have been giving life to the environment will be cut down in Sorsogon. Earlier, there was a similar plan to remove more than 650 same old trees in Naga city, and discussed also here 651 Trees on […]
MANILA- Almost a year since the Holy Father went online via Twitter, the Pope has recently hit the 10-million mark in terms of followers. But did you know that a “huge” part of his Twitter followers came from Muslim-dominated Middle Eastern countries? It came as a surprise to Msgr. Paul […]
LEGAZPI CITY — Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has urged foreign donors to start giving cash relief to the Philippines or donate to the World Food Programme, an agency with proven expertise in addressing protracted humanitarian crises, to help expedite positive impacts and improve aid effectiveness. Salceda, co-chair of the United […]
LEGAZPI CITY -– The booming tourism industry here will get a boost as the city locates a new boulevard to be constructed in its northern part anytime next year after the completion of all the necessary requirements, permits and clearances, Mayor Noel E. Rosal said in an interview. The proposed […]
Eight-time world champion Manny Pacquiao makes his comeback known with a convincing victory over Brandon Rios at their bout held at the Cotai Arena at the Venetian in Macao, China. In the 12 rounds Pacquiao dominate the bigger Rios landing uppercuts and straights, with the southpaw cruising to a unanimous […]
NASA’s Solar Observing Fleet to Watch Comet ISON’s Journey around the Sun. Officially labeled as Comet C/2012 S1, ISON can be seen in these images along with Earth, Mercury and Comet 2P/Encke. The tails streaking out from behind both comets can be seen moving along with the steady stream of […]
The national disaster council on Sunday announced that the damages caused by super typhoon “Yolanda” to properties and infrastructures has hit the P22,659,851,383.76 mark. Damage to agriculture was estimated at P10,701,971,349.76, including P5,096,116,351.70 in crops and P2,184,011,881 in livestock. While damage to infrastructure was estimated at P11,957,880,034. As of Sunday, […]
Pacquiao vs. Rios live stream online [Online feed delete by provider already.] Watch Pacquiao vs. Rios live stream online from Macau, China. There will be four fights possibly shown on the pre-fight show: Jason Butar-Butar vs. Harmonito Dela Torre Ik Hang vs. Hero Tito Rex Tso vs. Susu Sithjadaeng Kuok […]
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Board for Professional Teachers (BPT) announces that 19,384 elementary teachers out of 62,160 examinees (31.18%) and 25,755 secondary teachers out of 64,792 examinees (39.75 %) successfully passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (L.E.T.) given last September 29, 2013 in 17 testing centers all […]
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Board for Professional Teachers (BPT) announces that 19,384 elementary teachers out of 62,160 examinees (31.18%) and 25,755 secondary teachers out of 64,792 examinees (39.75 %) successfully passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (L.E.T.) given last September 29, 2013 in 17 testing centers all […]
The Philippine national disaster council on Friday said the number of fatalities for super typhoon “Yolanda” spiked to 5,209, with 23,404 injured and 1,582 still missing. Executive director Eduardo del Rosario attributed the sudden spike in the number of fatalities to the number of dead recovered five days ago. In […]
Roll of Successful Examinees in the Chemical Engineer Licensure Examination Held on NOVEMBER 19, 2013 & FF. DAYS Released on NOVEMBER 22, 2013. Seq. No. N a m e 1 ABALOS, SERJAN ENANO 2 ABARQUEZ, DIANA GRACE LLAGUNO 3 ABDON, JOANNE ESPALDON 4 ABRENICA, FERLIN PAN 5 ABRINGE, JEZER MOYA […]
Bicol University grad 3rd placer in November 2013 Chemical Engineer licensure exams The Professional Regulation Commission announces that 428 out of 734 passed the Chemical Engineer Licensure Examination given by the Board of Chemical Engineering in Manila and Cebu this November 2013. List of successful examinees who garnered the ten […]
NAGA CITY, Nov. 22 — The Bicol Medical Center here is up for a big-budget expansion project next year. The national government, through the Department of Health, will start the construction of the P200-million Bicol Medical Center expansion project in January next year. Dr. Jensy Ong, BMC chief training officer, […]
Good News here. Eleven municipalities and one city in Eastern Samar with a total of 60,307 dislocated families after the devastation brought by “Yolanda” have been given top priority for relief assistance by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Bicol regional office. “Operation for relief assistance continues to reach […]
Albay Governor Joey S. Salceda, concurrently Bicol Regional Development Council chairman, is proposing to give cash transfers to the internally displaced families in Samar and Leyte provinces rather than in-kind assistance. Salceda explained that cash transfer is much better than providing in-kind assistance to the surviving victims of calamities since […]
Watch this. Gamma-ray bursts are the most luminous explosions in the cosmos. Astronomers think most occur when the core of a massive star runs out of nuclear fuel, collapses under its own weight, and forms a black hole. The black hole then drives jets of particles that drill all the […]
There is the continuous dispatch of relief teams from Bicol to typhoon-stricken areas of Eastern Visayas region. On Thursday, the third humanitarian group left from Legazpi destined to the province of Eastern Samar. The mission from Team Albay-Office of Civil Defense Bicol, composed of 63 members, left in the afternoon […]
House members agreed Thursday to move forward and focus on enacting vital legislative measures and exercising its oversight functions for the benefit of the people. The “consensus” seem to emerge following the Supreme Court decision that the Priority Development Assistance Fund system was unconstitutional, Rep. Rodolfo Albano III (1st District, […]
Survivors of super typhoon Haiyan (local Yolanda) in Samar and Leyte who were left homeless and have no place to stay are accepted with pleasure in the province of Albay. They can permanently resettle in the province and start a new life of their own or stay for a year, […]
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on Tuesday lamented “insufficient” emission-cutting actions and criticized some rich countries for backtracking in fighting global warming. “I am deeply concerned that the scale of our actions is still insufficient to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels,” Ban said. […]
BACOLOD CITY, Nov. 19 (PNA) — The state pension fund Government Service Insurance System is opening a window for emergency loans for its pensioners from the areas devastated by super typhoon “Yolanda,” including Negros Occidental, its chairman Daniel Lacson Jr. announced Tuesday. The EML for pensioners facility is being rushed […]
MANILA, Nov 19 — In its latest official tally, the national disaster council on Tuesday announced the death toll for Supertyphoon “Yolanda” has reached 3,982 while damage to lives and property reached over P11 billion The casualty count is broken down in Calabarzon with 2; Mimaropa, 5; Bicol, 5; Western […]
In its latest official tally, the national disaster council on Monday announced the death toll for Supertyphoon “Yolanda” has reached 3, 976. The update was issued by disaster spokesperson Major Rey Balido around 6:50 p.m. Number of injured was placed at 18, 175 with 1,602 missing. In relateed news, the […]
The port of Bulan in Sorsogon is now ready to accommodate trucks bound for Allen town of Northern Samar, according to B/Gen Jett Velarmino, commanding officer of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army. Velarmino, chair of Task Force Yolanda, in Monday’s coordination meeting at the Tacloban’s Leyte Sports […]
A convoy of twenty five truckloads of relief goods from Bicol intended for Leyte and Samar leaves Matnog port in Sorsogon Monday and will arrive at their destinations on the same day, a regional official of the Office of Civil Defense said. Rafael Bernardo Alejandro, civi defense regional director, on […]
The province of Albay is preparing to accomodate 10,000 individuals or 2,000 families from among the survivors of typhoon Yolanda from Samar and Leyte. This was known Sunday as governor Joey Sarte Salceda made the announcement, that displaced families will be accommodated in the newly constructed Japan-standard evacuation centers of […]
The government has launched a website that allows the public to monitor the status of foreign aid for relief operations in super typhoon Yolanda-hit areas. Department of Budget and Management Undersecretary and Chief Information Officer Richard Moya said the initiative, called Foreign Aid Transparency Hub (FAiTH), may be accessed through […]
The official count of fatalities of Super Typhoon Haiyan (local name Yolanda) was raised by the government to 3,976 persons reported dead as of 6:00 PM of November 17, with 18,175 injured and 1,590 missing. A total of 2,182,312 families or 10,174,296 individuals affected in 10,312 villages in 44 provinces, […]
Malacanang on Sunday welcomed the tribute that CNN anchor Anderson Cooper paid to Filipinos affected by super typhoon “Yolanda.” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said it was indeed good that Cooper thanked Filipinos for showing others how to live. “Ikinalulugod po natin ang patuloy na pagpapahayag […]
The Russians are leaving. “Our relief mission in the Philippines is over for now,” Deputy Emergencies Minister Vladimir Stepanov said on Saturday. “We arrived in the country, considered all questions of assistance to rescuers and medics, and discussed all options of using a mobile hospital and providing humanitarian aid.” The […]
An European Union commissioner noted that the Philippine government’s pre-positioned coordination capacity for Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) was quickly overwhelmed, underscoring that investment in preparedness should be towards disaster of the future. European Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva underscored the need for everyone to arm themselves with a “mindset of preparedness and prevention, […]
Yolanda damage to Bicol agriculture peg at P175M with displacement of 708,464 residents. The latest update on the damaged wrought on Bicol provinces from the Office of Civil Defense in Legazpi city says that damage to agriculture amounted to an estimate of P175 million with 4,005 farmers were affected. A […]
One of the major players in the telecommunications providing wireless cellular has put back 75% to its network online. Globe Telecom on Saturday said 75 percent of its network in Visayas have already been restored amid continuing efforts of the company to fast-track restoration. Globe has so far restored 90 […]
For the nine Philippine regions battered by the typhoon. We are the World for the Philippines. (Eastern Visayas) We are the World for the Philippines. (Central Visayas) We are the World for the Philippines. (Western Visayas) We are the World for the Philippines. (Mimaropa) We are the World for the […]
As of 6:00 PM, November 16, there are now 3,637 individuals reported as dead, 12,501 injured and 1,186 missing. A total of 2,104,037 families or 9,815,895 persons were affected in 9,699 barangays in 44 provinces, 539 municipalites and 56 cities of Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Western Visayas, […]
The news that the Philippines has overtaken India in the number of new hires in the call center industry has prompted a labor education NGO recently to warn industry stakeholders and the government against risking its workers’ welfare for the sake of such boom, or the projected boom up to 2016.
Monoblock chairs and school supplies for teachers were delivered by the education department over the weekend as confirmed Sunday by the agency’s Twitter account with accompanying post of photos. The school equipments were dropped off by trucks. In a related story, governor Joey Salceda and education officials distributed to teachers […]
SC DAP ruling to lead prosecution of erring gov’t officials – CBCP MANILA, Feb 5 — Archbishop Socrates Villegas said people are hoping the recent ruling of the Supreme Court (SC) will pave the way for the investigation and prosecution of those who were involved in the use of the […]
CAIRO, March 29 — An Egyptian passenger plane flight MS181 en route from Alexandria to Cairo was hijacked and landed at Larnaka airport on the south coast of Cyprus, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation and Cyprus state radio. It was also confirmed that the plane’s pilot was […]
This is how activists reacted on the internet and social media on the stealthy but successful burial of the remains of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos with full military honors last November 18, 2016 at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani. Though pictures and graphics were accompanied with lengthy words as […]
MANILA, Feb. 25 — Is there a need for a memorial dedicated to the slain SAF44? Former President Fidel V. Ramos sees the need for a memorial honoring the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) police commandos killed in action last month during a mission against two terrorists in Maguindanao province’s […]
PDAF is too hot to handle. Under the scrutiny of the public and the lawmakers themselves, funds disbursed for projects in the region are getting good attention, this time, Read this interesting report discussion here. Albay Rep. Fernando Gonzalez (LP, 3rd District) is questioning the P25-million dredging projects in Polangui […]
MOSCOW, Dec. 26 — A Russian military Tu-154 aircraft crashed into the Black Sea on Sunday, killing all 92 people aboard, a source from the the Russian Defense Ministry said. The plane was en route to Russia’s Hmeimim air base in the Syrian port city of Latakia, when it vanished […]
RODRIGO R. Duterte’s presidency has altered and controlled the public discourse so radically in its favor in ways rude and bold. One tragic result: it has restricted and narrowed the celebrated freedom of the Philippine press and the people’s cherished right to know. Pooled Editorial: Speak Truth to Power, Keep […]
Thousands of survivors of super typhoon “Yolanda” are now trying every means possible to flee to Manila or nearby Cebu due to lack of food and drinking water. Other looming problems facing city residents are health and sanitation due to still unretrieved bodies and inadequate toilet facilities or clogged comfort […]
The number of stranded passengers since Saturday in major ports in Bicol due to Typhoon “Labuyo,” has reached 3,485 as of 11:00 a.m. Sunday, according to an official of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC). Bernardo Rafael Alejandro, Office of Civil Defense Regional Director and RDRRMC chair, […]
And then, the final show begins with the finalists on the limelight. Watch and enjoy the results night of Asia’s got Talent. Finalists Perform Together For Opening Act in Asia’s Got Talent Grand Final Results Show. All video and photograb courtesy of Asia’s Got Talent.
The current threat and presence of the deadly Chinese coronavirus was not a hindrance for most of practicing or devout Catholics (whichever you are on this side of the spectrum?) worldwide in observance of the most holiest days in their calendar year. Masses and rites became centered online offered by […]
LIVE BLOGGING. This afternoon, the official religious festivities on the closing celebration of the tercentenary of Peñafrancia in the region kicks off at the Shrine here in the city of Naga,
We continue the Road Tour Albay series with a short public utlity van ride from the central bus terminal in Legazpi fronting The SM City and passing through small through-streets navigating several private subdivisions and barangay roads way past the bustling town of Daraga Albay. Notable on this road tour […]
Amitabh, the blind bear, rings the bell in time for the holiday season. Of course, more than ready to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. The handicapped animal lives in an enclosure at the Abra Bear Rescue Facility. The program is part of the Wildlife SOS advocacy project with main […]
The iconic R&B singer Natalie Cole, has died at the age of 65, Thursday night. Born in 1950, Cole is the daughter of Nat King Cole and singer Maria Hawkins Ellington. Ms. Cole is best remembered for her songs which started in 1970’s with her debut album ‘Inseparable,’ released in […]
The good news here is that the Philippine Department of Tourism is hosting the ASEAN Tourism Forum from Jannuary 18th up to the 22nd of this year. The other half of the news is way different. After the government foot the bill of P10 billion APEC summit last November 2015, […]
The exciting 4-stage cycling event dubbed as the Le Tour de Filipinas in Luzon kicks off next month. Now on its 7th year, the four-day sporting competition starts on the 18th from Antipolo City and ends in Legazpi city. Stage One of the race will test 75 cyclists negotiating a […]
Too many bad eggs in Mindanao. There were 156 mayors and other top ranked government officials got dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman of Mindanao in 2015 for various unlawful transactions. Of these number, five mayors, one regional director, and one deputy provincial treasurer were axed from public service. […]
Salceda to junk LP bets because of unfinished Bicol International Airport, which may tip the balance of LP’s winning or losing in his province even as Roxas said he is not afraid to lose Albay. On Thursday, Salceda said his province may junk the administration ticket after the failure of […]
The Philrem Service Corpoation, which is being involved in the alleged money laundering of about US $81 million stolen from Bangladesh Bank (BB), faces possible charges for violation of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas rule on third party reliance. During the Senate hearing on Thursday, Philrem owner Salud Bautista was asked […]
About US S4.63 million, part of the $81 million stolen from Bangladesh Bank have been recovered and turned over at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas main office in Manila Thursday afternoon. The money was returned by the lawyer of casino junket operator Kim Wong to officials of Bangladesh, BSP and […]
This is just the tip of an iceberg in the Comelec’s readiness in the conduct of the May 9, 2016 elections. Less than sixteen days before the anticipated national polls, the Commission on Elections agency was confronted with ‘minor’ glitches in the highly anticipated tests of its system, at least […]