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Human Events Stories

PNP Bicol sacks 6 police chiefs due erroneous crime stat reports

The Philippine National Police Bicol regional office sacked the chiefs of police of six local government units in the region because of erroneous reports on crime statistics in the respective areas of responsibility. Insp. Malou Calubaquib, PNP Bicol regional spokesperson, identified the sacked police as Supt. Lorenzo Trajano of Daraga […]

Ako Bicol Party List Representatives are Not Marginalized but Multi-Millionaires

Do you know that the party list Ako Bicol (AKB) representatives purporting to represent a marginalized group are multi-millionaires? AKB Representative Christopher Co has a net worth of P87.5 million and the 36th among the millionaires sitting in the Philippine’s 15th congress. The second AKB rep, Rodel Batocabe, has P29.2 […]

License of 3 Recruiters Gets Axed For Misrepresentation

The windfall volume and value of dollar remittances from Ex-Pats and overseas Filipino workers coursed through banking and monetary institutions that help float the Philippine economy is of paramount importance both to the beneficiaries and to the government. OFWs nonetheless deserve not only respect and adulation but active, instead of […]

2.5M Domestic Helpers Get Protection from RA 10361

An estimated 2.5 million domestic workers around the country will now get PhilHealth coverage, thanks to the signing into law of Republic Act number 10361. The new law specifically aims to protect the welfare of all domestic workers. It defines the labor rights as well as standardizes wage and entitle […]

Albay Receives Today Robredo’s Pamana Award

Albay province gets recognition for its innovations and excellence in local governance with the 2012 Gawad Pamana ng Lahi from the Department of Interior and Local Government. The award is the penultimate seal of good housekeeping given only to local government units with consistent showing over a consecutive three-year period. […]

DSWD Remind EPals Leave 4Ps Alone

Sorsogon city, Sorsogon – Department of Social Welfare and Development regional public affairs office chief for Bicol Agnes Mayor divulged that some local politicians in the province have been causing confusions among beneficiaries of the 4Ps. She cautioned some have been causing confusions among beneficiaries of the 4Ps by spreading […]

Comelec Disqualifies Party-List Ako Bicol in the May 2013 Election

The Commission on Elections today announced the disqualification of party-list Ako Bicol from participating in the coming May 2013 mid-term election. It must be recalled during the 2010 general election, the Bicol party-list received about 1.5 million votes enough for three seats of their nominees in the House of Representatives. […]

New Trick on Creation of Nueva Camarines Known

There’s a new twist in town. The move to split the province of Camarines Sur into two may move forward under a new trick. The twist is here: reports said that the group belonging to those opposing the division have agreed to convert the Partido area or the 4rth congressional […]

West Philippine Sea, Kalayaan, Scarborough, Miangas, Sabah, Etc.

Can’t wait to see the “actual” new map of the Philippines that reflects the West Philippine Sea, the previous name of which “was” South China Sea. We learned earlier that Philippine President Benigno Aquino III signed administrative order (AO) number 29 officially renaming that portion of the sea west of […]

Denial or Whatever, Are We Really Independent?

On July 4, 1946, the Bicol High School led the celebration of independence day in Calabanga. One of the highlight of the occasion was a parade around the town with adorned floats of young maidens and men of the locality, many of whom were students of the distinguished school. It […]

10 Bicol Light Stations Not Operating Despite Over Supply of Spare Parts

Special Report Calabanga, CamSur, September 20, 2011- A total of ten light house stations in the six provinces of Region V (five) covered by the Bicol Coast Guard District are not operating, according to the agency’s web site. This is in the heels of a finding disclosed by the Philippine […]

Drug Mules Execution Highlights Crisis of PH Labor Export Policy

No Filipino goes out of the country with a death wish. When the 122 others on death row and more than 7,000 in jails abroad left, they were full of hopes and dreams to provide a better future for their families. Fifteen million overseas Filipino workers left the country to seek greener pastures abroad in the absence of jobs, livelihood and decent living conditions in the country.

Government Urged to Probe Military Torture Training

A torture video was uploaded in a popular video-sharing site showing some Philippine military men beating young and new trainees. The torture video was, accordingly, submitted by the beaten soldiers, to express their dismay over the extremely cruel exercises of the Philippine Military.

Is Ph Ready Yet for the Earthquake?

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.

Neglect of PH Government on OCWs Seen

After nine years of neglect under former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, expectations among overseas Filipino workers were high when the Aquino administration was installed.

Bonot and a Beach Memoire

It was one of those summer and Holy week scheduled vacations when we packed our bags for a short respite from the pressures of office work and daily commute from Antipolo to Makati. Days we looked up to as the only opportune time we connect with relatives in the province.

Human Rights Day 2010, Morong 43 and Diplomacy

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.

Cases of EJKs, Other Rights Violations Under Aquino Piling Up

After Justice Secretary Leila de Lima submitted her review on the case of the Morong 43, the legal team of Malacanang also reviewed de Lima’s review and forwarded recommendations to the President. Aquino already said twice that he would let the courts decide on the case of the health workers.

Sorsogon NPA’s Declare Unilateral Ceasefire

The threat of eruption of Mt. Bulusan in Sorsogon and its possible challenges to the surrounding populace has one immediate positive effect, if we can qualify it as one. The provincial unit of the rebel movement in the province has made known their declaration of a unilateral suspension of offensive military operations (SOMO) in areas near the volcano.

PH Not RP is Philippines ISO Country Code

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.

The Bicol Farmer and Double Talk on Rice

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!

Barangay Election Postponed in Bicol Towns

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.

All Systems Go for Barangay Elections on Monday

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.

Waiting for Superman on Stormy Weather

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.

Daraga Town Leads in Bicol 2003 Income

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.

The Season to Prepare and be Proactive

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.

Albay Fights Back with Inter-Generation Class Suit

The province of Albay is in a tight bind caused by the pending threat of electric supply disconnection by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on Albay electric cooperative (Aleco) due to unpaid and outstanding power bill debts.

Albay Under Threat of Electric Service Disconnection

The province of Albay and the Albay Electric Cooperative braces for a bleak week with the looming disconnect action that dangles from the National Power Grid Corporation of the Philippines. This is due to Aleco’s falure to pay the PHP982M outstanding electric bill with the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation.

The Glutenous Politics on Rice

To many who eat always with rice as part of the regular meal, the knowledge that the country is awash in supply of the commodity is one good news.

San Miguel Iron Ore Deposit Up for Grabs

With the looming prospect of the San Miguel bay to exploratory mining for iron ore deposit, we surmised the immediate areas that maybe opened. Here we conceptualized that prospective zone of one kilometer from the shore and three kilometers outward. The same area runs in conflict with municipal ordinance that […]

Doppler System Soon to Rise in Bicol

Our folks would always tell us that experience is a good teacher. I beg to disagree in some instances when the subject is like weather, weather forecasting and disaster preparedness in our country. Either people don’t seem to learn or have short and protracted memory.

Election Marred with Malfunctioning Machines

Majority of the fifty million registered voters trooped to Philippine polling precints as early as six in the morning Monday in the nationwide exercise of electing a new set of government officials from the president down to municipal town councils.

High Poverty Incidence Prevails in Rural Areas

The great divide between the poor and the rich in the country is nowhere more clear than when one goes to the rural areas. In the seaside village of Sabang, more than many nipa houses abound and inhospitable for people to live in. Dilapidated. Frail. Not safe for human habitation. Inadequate.

A Building Only in Barangay San Pablo

San Pablo is a small village of Calabanga town, one of the few that comprises its poblacion or urban center. Actually, it is just a one-street affair with both sides cramped with residential structures of varying designs defined by the financial well-being of the residents.

What's Recommended

Cases of EJKs, Other Rights Violations Under Aquino Piling Up

After Justice Secretary Leila de Lima submitted her review on the case of the Morong 43, the legal team of Malacanang also reviewed de Lima’s review and forwarded recommendations to the President. Aquino already said twice that he would let the courts decide on the case of the health workers.

New judges in the lower courts get Malacanang appointment

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 […]

New Trick on Creation of Nueva Camarines Known

There’s a new twist in town. The move to split the province of Camarines Sur into two may move forward under a new trick. The twist is here: reports said that the group belonging to those opposing the division have agreed to convert the Partido area or the 4rth congressional […]

Bitano Massacre was a grave insult to every Albayano

Albay governor Joey Salceda just called the power blackout that inconvenienced constituents for eight days and eight nights as “Bitano Massacre”. Adding that the hapless occurrence which highlighted the seervice of the Albay Power and Energy Corporation, a creation of the San Miguel Enenergy Corporation, may have made residents firmer […]

City mulls statue of St. John Paul II

LEGAZPI CITY — The city government will pursue its plan to build a monument of Saint John Paul II here. Vice Mayor Vittorio Roces said Tuesday they could not help regretting why they had not done it before. This is not a very original idea, but more of a copy […]

“Agaton” strand thousands of passengers and vehicles in Matnog

LEGAZPI CITY — About 7,500 passengers and 445 vehicles composed of 251 trucks, 128 buses and 66 cars have been stranded at the Matnog port in Sorsogon, the Office of Civil Defense said Friday. The number of stranded passengers at the Matnog port surged due to shortage of ferry boats […]

Cash is better, Salceda proposes rather than in-kind assistance for ‘Yolanda’ victims

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 […]

Government Urged to Probe Military Torture Training

A torture video was uploaded in a popular video-sharing site showing some Philippine military men beating young and new trainees. The torture video was, accordingly, submitted by the beaten soldiers, to express their dismay over the extremely cruel exercises of the Philippine Military.

Albay, Legazpi to showcase economic potentials in APEC meet

Legazpi City — The province of Albay and this city will be able to showcase as a booming economic and tourism hubs outside Manila in the coming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in 2015, DFA Undersecretary Laura del Rosario said Thursday. Earlier, reported here that probably 10 of 63 APEC ministerial […]

UN Chief Ban Ki-Moon calls for unity of int’l community in reconstruction

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 […]

Albay Under Threat of Electric Service Disconnection

The province of Albay and the Albay Electric Cooperative braces for a bleak week with the looming disconnect action that dangles from the National Power Grid Corporation of the Philippines. This is due to Aleco’s falure to pay the PHP982M outstanding electric bill with the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation.

3rd Batch of complaint on alleged misuse of P10-B PDAF may be filed?

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 […]

Human Rights Day 2010, Morong 43 and Diplomacy

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.

Drilon calls for review of the EPIRA law

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 […]

The Season to Prepare and be Proactive

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.

What's Throwback

High Poverty Incidence Prevails in Rural Areas

The great divide between the poor and the rich in the country is nowhere more clear than when one goes to the rural areas. In the seaside village of Sabang, more than many nipa houses abound and inhospitable for people to live in. Dilapidated. Frail. Not safe for human habitation. Inadequate.

Albay Receives Today Robredo’s Pamana Award

Albay province gets recognition for its innovations and excellence in local governance with the 2012 Gawad Pamana ng Lahi from the Department of Interior and Local Government. The award is the penultimate seal of good housekeeping given only to local government units with consistent showing over a consecutive three-year period. […]

No new tax imposition this year – Malacanang

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 […]

Bicol NIA has new regional chief effective September

NAGA CITY -– The Bicol regional office, here, of the National Irrigation Administration has a new chief, part of the reorganization instituted by the current board of directors. Engineer Vicente Vicmudo was named the new regional manager replacing engineer William Ragodon, who has been reassigned to Region 4A or the […]

All Systems Go for Barangay Elections on Monday

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.

Lower House agree to focus on legislative duties after SC PDAF decision

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, […]

Albay power blackout enters sixth day

LEGAZPI CITY, — Power blackout in Legazpi City and parts of Albay entered its sixth day on Monday after the 35-year-old 20-MVA transformer in the Bitano sub-station here, covering four feeders, totally collapsed on Wednesday morning and is now beyond repair. The problem in power supply lack came a few […]

Government Urged to Probe Military Torture Training

A torture video was uploaded in a popular video-sharing site showing some Philippine military men beating young and new trainees. The torture video was, accordingly, submitted by the beaten soldiers, to express their dismay over the extremely cruel exercises of the Philippine Military.

Gypped: 250,000 Aleco consumers face electric power rate increase

LEGAZPI CITY — Unknown to the 250,000 power consumers in Albay, the National Electric Administration has filed for a power rate increase in anticipation of the final takeover of the San Miguel Corp. of the operation of its recently acquired bankrupt electric cooperative of the province, according to documents obtained […]