Thursday, April 17, 2008
20080417_Live @ 55
The headlines were brought to you by Castrol Magnatec---Keeps your car at its peak longer.
Doctors have described as unethical, the behaviour of the operating team for “Jan-Jan” with Vicente Sotto’s media liaison officer, Dr. Emmanuel Gines, leading the pack in apologizing to the badly publicized florist. Hospital administration and respective regulatory boards are looking into meting out appropriate punishment---with licenses revoked for nurses found to be guilty of violating ethical standards and one doctor, Dr. Ariel Arias who is to be investigated. Jan-Jan is determined to file a ase against Vicente Sotto unless he's happy with the penalties impose dont he operating team, promising a legal battle. Doctors found violating medical ethics will be expelled from the Philippine Medical Association while the ombudsman launched its own fact-finding investigation. The nursing student suspected of posting the video at YouTube was not allowed to graduate and by Friday, we'll all hear from VSMMC on the results of their investigation. They're also to promise how they're going to prevent similar incidents from happening again PLUS reveal the list of doctors and nurses involved in the scandal.
In other news, Lima Peru's potato center asserts at their conference this month about the potato being the "food of the future." UN's Food and Agriculture Organization followed the same tack while declaring 2008 to be the International Year of the Potato. Here's what CNN says: FAO says Potato farming is ideally suited to places where land is limited and labor is abundant, conditions that characterize much of the developing world. Potatoes are nutritious, too: They have the highest protein content of root and tuber crops (around 2.1 percent), half the daily recommended intake of vitamin C, and a fifth of the recommended daily value of potassium. The rootcrop is the number 4 food crop worldwide. The Potato Center continues to develop new varieties like looking for ways to produce potato varieties that require less water for growing and have greater resistance to pests and climate change.
Filinvest---we build the Filipino dream.
Following the mudslide that wrecked households in Guadalupe and Sitio Dakit, Mayor Tomas Osmeña ordered developer Landco Pacific Corp.and Genvi Development to stop working on the 200-hectare Monterrazas de Cebu. Landco acknowledged the mayor's conditions for the revocation of the permit and continued working on the fifth detention pond. Landco is in the process of contructing all 25 to 30 detention ponds for the property which will each hold 2,500 cubic meteres of rainwater and detaine rainwater within the property. Landco is still working on the fifth detention pond and now promises that quality will be considered despite additional costs. Flood victims have been given monetary support along with basic supplies and a number are willing to be relocated. The City Council is due to meet today to discuss the declaration of Sitio Dakit as a calamity area.
STILL IN NEWS AT THE HOMEFRONT, CHED reports 31 higher education institutions have applied for a tuition fee increase for the upcoming schoolyear. The names of the schools have been withheld pending completion of their application papers. St. Theresa's College is new in the list.
NBI CLEARANCE. Wednesday, the NBI launched the Clearance Renewal Card or CRC which will be available in 150 Automated Clearance Machines (ACL) nationwide on the first of July. It takes just two to three minutes to apply for a CRC worth P120 each. For those of you who can't imaging what I mean, it works just like ATMs used by banks. Just that this one requires a fingerprint instead of a PIN number. This is good news for people who share the same name with individuals with criminal records. Starting July 1 all NBI clearance kiosks in malls nationwide will be converted to unmanned ACMs and will be open for the entire week including Saturdays and Sundays.
At Tuesday;s Tripartite Labor Conference in Malacañang, President Arroyo floats the possibility of exempting rice allowances from taxes. What we have now is a BIR regulation exempting taxes from rice allowance or subsidies of up to a thousand pesos. Arroyo wants non-wage benefits like allowances be exempted from taxes altogether. Other proposals were looked into, like extending of income tax exemptions for minimum wage earners through the passage of a bill; the condonation of penalties for housing and salary loans; the expansion of income augmentation program to cover workers in the public sector; accessibility and affordable of government housing programs; and the speedy resolution of labor cases.
All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
DID YOU KNOW? Rice accounts for 35 percent of the average daily calorie intake of about 65 percent of Philippine households, where each member eats 100 kg of rice a year. The wastage of rice at the household level is as important as the losses incurred at farm level. At farm level, about 12 percent of rice is lost. In households, wastage may be classified as quantitative and qualitative. We waste rice when we spill grains while washing them. In rural areas, villages let grains of rice spilled on the ground for chicken feed. Some allocate half of the family’s rice to their pets. We waste about 25,000 bags of rice every day, enough to feed more than 3.5 million Filipinos for one day.
Filling in for Captain Karyna.
155 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday its Pixar animation studio is committing to 3-D and will release all of its movies in the format beginning with "Up" next year. Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter made the announcement in New York at a presentation of Disney's upcoming lineup of animated movies through 2012. He said Walt Disney Animation Studios will offer "The Princess and the Frog," a musical set in New Orleans, in the traditional hand-drawn format for release for Christmas 2009. Meanwhile, Pixar movies will be released in 3-D and the traditional two-dimensional format, beginning in May 2009 with "Up," about an elderly widower who embarks on a South American adventure.
ON TO ANOTHER TECH STORY, a survey of UK Net users by Broadbandchoices.co.uk indicated that more Brits expect next-generation broadband to enable them to DVD-quality fims as quickly as possible ahead of video calls, high-definition video downloads, and home surveillance. By quickly, the Brits mean downloads in 5 minutes. Interestingly, they don't quite know how much they're prepared to pay for extra services of this kind. UK and its Net regulator Ofcom is in the midst of consultation on the issue of future net services, the most important of which hinges on whether the UK is falling behind the rest of the world.
255 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
Here's a reality check for everyone: the Philippines isn't known for good governance or fantastic mass transport systems. Today we made headlines the world over. Let me read you some of the headlines made by newspapers the world over about our little surgery fiasco:
US News & World Report headlines read, 'YouTube surgery video investigated."
CBS injected a more serious note with their headline saying,"Philippine Surgeons Goof Off on YouTube."
The nursing student allegedly responsible for the posting has taken the video off his YouTube. We'll all hear from VSMMC on the results of their investigation. They're also to promise how they're going to prevent similar incidents from happening again PLUS reveal the list of doctors and nurses involved in the scandal.
IN TECH NEWS, Software firm Symantec Internet Threat Security says that we're the third highest number of "bot-infected" computers in Southeast Asia, ranking just behind Malaysia and Singapore. From July to December 2007, Manila is the sixth highest among cities with bot-infected computers in Asia Pacific and Japan. This was a tremendous jump from the previous 83rd ranking of Manila in the last ITSR study for the first half of 2007. Bots are software applications that run automated tasks over the Internet, including the sending of spam e-mail and even hosting a phishing Web site on an infected computer. The rise in number of "bot infections" could mean that cybercriminals could use networks of bot-infected computers to commit crimes on the Internet. This means that a hacker in Peru can use a computer with a bot script in the Philippines to take down a server in, say, Switzerland. The Symantec study also showed that the Philippines already ranked fourth in Southeast Asia for malicious activity, right behind Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. This includes bot activity, command-and-control servers, hosting of phishing Web sites, "spam zombies" and malicious code.
355 The headlines were brought to you by Castrol Magnatec---Keeps your car at its peak longer.
LITERATURE. JK Rowling has called for authors' rights to be protected in an angry outburst on the final day of a trial over an unauthorised Harry Potter encyclopaedia. In her second stint on the witness stand, Rowling told US District Judge Robert Patterson Jr that he if allowed the lexicon to be published, it would clear the way for countless rip-offs of her books, as well as the work of other popular authors. She has called Vander Ark's book "sloppy, lazy" work, unlike other Harry Potter companion books already published, which added original commentary and criticism. Small publisher RDR Books which created a book from the website, has argued that it is little different than any other reference guide to an important novel, and should be allowed to go to press without interference. Rowling told the court she was "vehemently anti-censorship," and generally supportive of the right of other authors to write books about her novels. But she said Vander Ark had "plundered" her prose and merely reprinted it in an A-to-Z format. Lawyers now have several weeks to file legal documents before a verdict is considered. Both sides have been urged to settle with the presiding judge saying the case reflected an emerging part of copyuright law with no lear precedents.
GRAIN RETAILERS are plagued with not having enough budget to tramsport rice to store outlets so the city government and the NFA will install additional rice outlets to answer to the demands. There used to be 30 operating outlets in Cebu City but as of now there are only 16. Of the 14 inactive stores, there are already 10 applicants interested.
455 Filinvest---we build the Filipino dream.
If you're on the verge of proposing marriage to your life-partner, here's how the geeks do it. A financial software programmer and blogger from New Jersey took a month to alter the code of the Nintendo DS Console to propose to his girlfriend. The girlfriend plays Bejeweled and as re-programming went, the screen went clear and a ring a dropped down when she reached a certain score. Of course, they followed this up with a nice dinner and everything else. Most companies frown on having their programs messed with but not Bejeweled-maker PopCap who instead of suing, will fly the newlyweds to the city as part of their honeymoon. PopCap will also supply the popular Bejewejed puzzle game as wedding tokens for the guests. Bejeweled is a popular puzzle game in which players arrange gems into chains.
EARTH WATCH. RecycleBank founder, Ron Gonen, says, "Recycling is something you can do today that has a significant environmental impact on the way you live. It touches your life." And he's made it worth its while for a lot of Americans by letting them earn redeemable points. Here's how it works: every family on a garbage route is issued a special container with a computer chip. When garbage trucks pick up the recycling, they weigh the container and record how much each family is recycling by weight. The more you recycle, the more RecycleBank points you earn, which can be redeemed for offers at merchants like CVS/pharmacy. It's that easy. Since RecycleBank launched in Philadelphia in 2006, its formula has led to unqualified success everywhere it has gone — and it now operates through much of the Northeast U.S. Recycling rates in one of the first Philadelphia neighborhoods that RecycleBank served rose from 7% to 90% in a matter of months and total waste sent to landfills is down considerably.
555 . . . brought to you by Caltex with the unbeatable cleaning power of Techron.
PREDATOR PRIESTS. Pope Benedict XVI on his first full day on the US Tour Wednesday berated US bishops for their poor handling of the child sex scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic church, but laid part of the blame on the breakdown of values in US society. Benedict told a gathering of bishops they had "sometimes very badly handled" the decades-old problem of pedophile priests. But he urged efforts "to address the sin of abuse within the wider context of sexual mores." The Pope is caaling or a determined, collective response, but did not outline any firm action that the Vatican intended to take to purge the church of pedophile priests. Instead, he had measured praised for the efforts made so far by the US church to heal the wounds left by the scandal.
Backstory:
The US church was plunged into the worst crisis in its 200-year history in 2002 when the Archbishop of Boston confessed he had protected a priest who had sexually abused young members of his church.
After the scandal blew up, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops drafted a charter for the protection of children and has issued an annual report outlining progress made in implementing the plan.
Last year, 689 new allegations of abuse were lodged, and the church paid out 615 million dollars (400 million euros) to settle child sex abuse cases involving members of the clergy -- 54 percent more than the previous year -- the annual progress report said.
Doctors have described as unethical, the behaviour of the operating team for “Jan-Jan” with Vicente Sotto’s media liaison officer, Dr. Emmanuel Gines, leading the pack in apologizing to the badly publicized florist. Hospital administration and respective regulatory boards are looking into meting out appropriate punishment---with licenses revoked for nurses found to be guilty of violating ethical standards and one doctor, Dr. Ariel Arias who is to be investigated. Jan-Jan is determined to file a ase against Vicente Sotto unless he's happy with the penalties impose dont he operating team, promising a legal battle. Doctors found violating medical ethics will be expelled from the Philippine Medical Association while the ombudsman launched its own fact-finding investigation. The nursing student suspected of posting the video at YouTube was not allowed to graduate and by Friday, we'll all hear from VSMMC on the results of their investigation. They're also to promise how they're going to prevent similar incidents from happening again PLUS reveal the list of doctors and nurses involved in the scandal.
In other news, Lima Peru's potato center asserts at their conference this month about the potato being the "food of the future." UN's Food and Agriculture Organization followed the same tack while declaring 2008 to be the International Year of the Potato. Here's what CNN says: FAO says Potato farming is ideally suited to places where land is limited and labor is abundant, conditions that characterize much of the developing world. Potatoes are nutritious, too: They have the highest protein content of root and tuber crops (around 2.1 percent), half the daily recommended intake of vitamin C, and a fifth of the recommended daily value of potassium. The rootcrop is the number 4 food crop worldwide. The Potato Center continues to develop new varieties like looking for ways to produce potato varieties that require less water for growing and have greater resistance to pests and climate change.
Filinvest---we build the Filipino dream.
Following the mudslide that wrecked households in Guadalupe and Sitio Dakit, Mayor Tomas Osmeña ordered developer Landco Pacific Corp.and Genvi Development to stop working on the 200-hectare Monterrazas de Cebu. Landco acknowledged the mayor's conditions for the revocation of the permit and continued working on the fifth detention pond. Landco is in the process of contructing all 25 to 30 detention ponds for the property which will each hold 2,500 cubic meteres of rainwater and detaine rainwater within the property. Landco is still working on the fifth detention pond and now promises that quality will be considered despite additional costs. Flood victims have been given monetary support along with basic supplies and a number are willing to be relocated. The City Council is due to meet today to discuss the declaration of Sitio Dakit as a calamity area.
STILL IN NEWS AT THE HOMEFRONT, CHED reports 31 higher education institutions have applied for a tuition fee increase for the upcoming schoolyear. The names of the schools have been withheld pending completion of their application papers. St. Theresa's College is new in the list.
- The other schools, mostly in Cebu City and the Cebu Province, include AMA Computer College-Cebu City, Asian College of Technology, Cebu Doctors’ University and Cebu Institute of Technology.
- Also in the list are University of Cebu-Main, University of San Carlos, University of San Jose-Recoletos, University of Southern Philippines and University of the Visayas (UV)-main campus. The highest proposed tuition increase is 20 percent by the UV-Pardo and UV-Minglanilla. [SSD]
NBI CLEARANCE. Wednesday, the NBI launched the Clearance Renewal Card or CRC which will be available in 150 Automated Clearance Machines (ACL) nationwide on the first of July. It takes just two to three minutes to apply for a CRC worth P120 each. For those of you who can't imaging what I mean, it works just like ATMs used by banks. Just that this one requires a fingerprint instead of a PIN number. This is good news for people who share the same name with individuals with criminal records. Starting July 1 all NBI clearance kiosks in malls nationwide will be converted to unmanned ACMs and will be open for the entire week including Saturdays and Sundays.
At Tuesday;s Tripartite Labor Conference in Malacañang, President Arroyo floats the possibility of exempting rice allowances from taxes. What we have now is a BIR regulation exempting taxes from rice allowance or subsidies of up to a thousand pesos. Arroyo wants non-wage benefits like allowances be exempted from taxes altogether. Other proposals were looked into, like extending of income tax exemptions for minimum wage earners through the passage of a bill; the condonation of penalties for housing and salary loans; the expansion of income augmentation program to cover workers in the public sector; accessibility and affordable of government housing programs; and the speedy resolution of labor cases.
All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
DID YOU KNOW? Rice accounts for 35 percent of the average daily calorie intake of about 65 percent of Philippine households, where each member eats 100 kg of rice a year. The wastage of rice at the household level is as important as the losses incurred at farm level. At farm level, about 12 percent of rice is lost. In households, wastage may be classified as quantitative and qualitative. We waste rice when we spill grains while washing them. In rural areas, villages let grains of rice spilled on the ground for chicken feed. Some allocate half of the family’s rice to their pets. We waste about 25,000 bags of rice every day, enough to feed more than 3.5 million Filipinos for one day.
- OTHER FACTS:
- The Philippines ranks third (100 kg a year) in rice consumption in Asia. According to Rice Awareness Teaching Module, a high-school home economics guide prepared by the Rice Media Advocacy Network Philippines (RMAN), the average person in Myanmar eats 195 kg of rice a year, while in Laos and Cambodia a person consumes 160 kg. The average European eats 3 kg, while the American, 7 kg.
- Three of the world’s most populous nations—China, India and Indonesia with a combined population of 2.5 billion, or half of the world’s—depend on rice for their daily meal, too, data from Asia Rice Foundation showed.
- Every year 50 million people are added to Asia’s ever-increasing population of 3.5 billion.
- What is eaten today is the “domesticated” rice grass, which belongs to the species Oryza sativa with more than 140,000 varieties listed so far. The other species is Oryza glaberrima.
- Rice domestication, or cultivation, had a vague historical origin although “the most convincing archeological evidence” was discovered in Non Nok Tha in Thailand in 1966, upon pottery shards bearing the imprint of both grains and husks of O. sativa.
- Migrants from China and North Vietnam were said to have brought the wetland-rice cultivation to the Philippines during the Second Millennium or about 4,000 years ago, said the Rice Awareness Teaching Module. [abs-cbn]
Filling in for Captain Karyna.
155 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday its Pixar animation studio is committing to 3-D and will release all of its movies in the format beginning with "Up" next year. Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter made the announcement in New York at a presentation of Disney's upcoming lineup of animated movies through 2012. He said Walt Disney Animation Studios will offer "The Princess and the Frog," a musical set in New Orleans, in the traditional hand-drawn format for release for Christmas 2009. Meanwhile, Pixar movies will be released in 3-D and the traditional two-dimensional format, beginning in May 2009 with "Up," about an elderly widower who embarks on a South American adventure.
ON TO ANOTHER TECH STORY, a survey of UK Net users by Broadbandchoices.co.uk indicated that more Brits expect next-generation broadband to enable them to DVD-quality fims as quickly as possible ahead of video calls, high-definition video downloads, and home surveillance. By quickly, the Brits mean downloads in 5 minutes. Interestingly, they don't quite know how much they're prepared to pay for extra services of this kind. UK and its Net regulator Ofcom is in the midst of consultation on the issue of future net services, the most important of which hinges on whether the UK is falling behind the rest of the world.
255 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
Here's a reality check for everyone: the Philippines isn't known for good governance or fantastic mass transport systems. Today we made headlines the world over. Let me read you some of the headlines made by newspapers the world over about our little surgery fiasco:
US News & World Report headlines read, 'YouTube surgery video investigated."
CBS injected a more serious note with their headline saying,"Philippine Surgeons Goof Off on YouTube."
The nursing student allegedly responsible for the posting has taken the video off his YouTube. We'll all hear from VSMMC on the results of their investigation. They're also to promise how they're going to prevent similar incidents from happening again PLUS reveal the list of doctors and nurses involved in the scandal.
IN TECH NEWS, Software firm Symantec Internet Threat Security says that we're the third highest number of "bot-infected" computers in Southeast Asia, ranking just behind Malaysia and Singapore. From July to December 2007, Manila is the sixth highest among cities with bot-infected computers in Asia Pacific and Japan. This was a tremendous jump from the previous 83rd ranking of Manila in the last ITSR study for the first half of 2007. Bots are software applications that run automated tasks over the Internet, including the sending of spam e-mail and even hosting a phishing Web site on an infected computer. The rise in number of "bot infections" could mean that cybercriminals could use networks of bot-infected computers to commit crimes on the Internet. This means that a hacker in Peru can use a computer with a bot script in the Philippines to take down a server in, say, Switzerland. The Symantec study also showed that the Philippines already ranked fourth in Southeast Asia for malicious activity, right behind Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. This includes bot activity, command-and-control servers, hosting of phishing Web sites, "spam zombies" and malicious code.
355 The headlines were brought to you by Castrol Magnatec---Keeps your car at its peak longer.
LITERATURE. JK Rowling has called for authors' rights to be protected in an angry outburst on the final day of a trial over an unauthorised Harry Potter encyclopaedia. In her second stint on the witness stand, Rowling told US District Judge Robert Patterson Jr that he if allowed the lexicon to be published, it would clear the way for countless rip-offs of her books, as well as the work of other popular authors. She has called Vander Ark's book "sloppy, lazy" work, unlike other Harry Potter companion books already published, which added original commentary and criticism. Small publisher RDR Books which created a book from the website, has argued that it is little different than any other reference guide to an important novel, and should be allowed to go to press without interference. Rowling told the court she was "vehemently anti-censorship," and generally supportive of the right of other authors to write books about her novels. But she said Vander Ark had "plundered" her prose and merely reprinted it in an A-to-Z format. Lawyers now have several weeks to file legal documents before a verdict is considered. Both sides have been urged to settle with the presiding judge saying the case reflected an emerging part of copyuright law with no lear precedents.
GRAIN RETAILERS are plagued with not having enough budget to tramsport rice to store outlets so the city government and the NFA will install additional rice outlets to answer to the demands. There used to be 30 operating outlets in Cebu City but as of now there are only 16. Of the 14 inactive stores, there are already 10 applicants interested.
455 Filinvest---we build the Filipino dream.
If you're on the verge of proposing marriage to your life-partner, here's how the geeks do it. A financial software programmer and blogger from New Jersey took a month to alter the code of the Nintendo DS Console to propose to his girlfriend. The girlfriend plays Bejeweled and as re-programming went, the screen went clear and a ring a dropped down when she reached a certain score. Of course, they followed this up with a nice dinner and everything else. Most companies frown on having their programs messed with but not Bejeweled-maker PopCap who instead of suing, will fly the newlyweds to the city as part of their honeymoon. PopCap will also supply the popular Bejewejed puzzle game as wedding tokens for the guests. Bejeweled is a popular puzzle game in which players arrange gems into chains.
EARTH WATCH. RecycleBank founder, Ron Gonen, says, "Recycling is something you can do today that has a significant environmental impact on the way you live. It touches your life." And he's made it worth its while for a lot of Americans by letting them earn redeemable points. Here's how it works: every family on a garbage route is issued a special container with a computer chip. When garbage trucks pick up the recycling, they weigh the container and record how much each family is recycling by weight. The more you recycle, the more RecycleBank points you earn, which can be redeemed for offers at merchants like CVS/pharmacy. It's that easy. Since RecycleBank launched in Philadelphia in 2006, its formula has led to unqualified success everywhere it has gone — and it now operates through much of the Northeast U.S. Recycling rates in one of the first Philadelphia neighborhoods that RecycleBank served rose from 7% to 90% in a matter of months and total waste sent to landfills is down considerably.
555 . . . brought to you by Caltex with the unbeatable cleaning power of Techron.
PREDATOR PRIESTS. Pope Benedict XVI on his first full day on the US Tour Wednesday berated US bishops for their poor handling of the child sex scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic church, but laid part of the blame on the breakdown of values in US society. Benedict told a gathering of bishops they had "sometimes very badly handled" the decades-old problem of pedophile priests. But he urged efforts "to address the sin of abuse within the wider context of sexual mores." The Pope is caaling or a determined, collective response, but did not outline any firm action that the Vatican intended to take to purge the church of pedophile priests. Instead, he had measured praised for the efforts made so far by the US church to heal the wounds left by the scandal.
Backstory:
The US church was plunged into the worst crisis in its 200-year history in 2002 when the Archbishop of Boston confessed he had protected a priest who had sexually abused young members of his church.
After the scandal blew up, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops drafted a charter for the protection of children and has issued an annual report outlining progress made in implementing the plan.
Last year, 689 new allegations of abuse were lodged, and the church paid out 615 million dollars (400 million euros) to settle child sex abuse cases involving members of the clergy -- 54 percent more than the previous year -- the annual progress report said.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
20080416_Live @ 55
- how several doctors described the behavior of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) doctors and nurses during the operation: how several doctors described the behavior of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) doctors and nurses during the procedure that removed a deodorant cannister lodged in the rectum of a gay florists following a bout of kinky anal sex with a stranger
- Dr. Emmanuel Gines, VSMMC media liaison officer: they will apologize to the 39-year-old patient identified only as Jan-Jan because of the embarrassment he suffered
- at least six doctors, including Dr. Ariel Arias, are being investigated, no word on the number of nurses to be investigated
- five-member body tasked to look into the controversy is expected to release its findings this Friday
- no comment from the Cebu Medical Society
- nurses licenses to be revoked if proven that they violated the ethical standards of their profession
- Basak Pardo Barangay Captain Dave Tumulak said Jan-Jan is bent on filing a complaint and has already executed an affidavit against the doctors and nurses, some of whom were shown in the video. Jan-Jan will also complain before the Department of Health (DOH), the Professional Regulations Commission, and the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas.
Doctors have described as unethical, the behaviour of the operating team for “Jan-Jan” with Vicente Sotto’s media liaison officer, Dr. Emmanuel Gines, leading the pack in apologizing to the badly publicized florist. Hospital administration and respective regulatory boards are looking into meting out appropriate punishment---with licenses revoked for nurses found to be guilty of violating ethical standards and one doctor, Dr. Ariel Arias who is to be investigated. The Cebu Medical Society has declined to comment for now. Vicente Sotto’s five-member body tasked to look into the controversy is expected to release its findings this Friday. On Jan-jan’s end, he’s bent on filing a complaint and has already executed an affidavit against the doctors and nurses; likewise complaining to the Health Department, the Professional Regulations Commission, and the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas.
- UN and World Bank report: 850 million people were still not getting enough food to eat
- "The key point is how do we address these issues in a way that is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable?"
- one consequence: We have lost some of our environmental sustainability.
- authors' projections: global demand for food was set to double in the next 25-50 years, primarily in developing nations. As a result, they said that it was necessary for the agricultural sector to grow, but in a way that did not result in social hardship or environmental degradation.
- The
- The study found that access to food was taken for granted in many nations, and farmers and farm workers were poorly rewarded for acting as stewards of almost one-third of the Earth's land. It recommended a fundamental rethink of agricultural knowledge, science and technology, in order to achieve a sustainable global food system.
The experts said that efforts should focus on the needs of small-scale farmers in diverse ecosystems, and areas with the greatest needs. Measures would include giving farmers better access to knowledge, technology and credit. It would also require investment to bring the necessary information and infrastructure to rural areas.
BUSINESSMEN LIKELY TO OPPOSE CAR BAN
- Cebu Business Club president, Gordon Alan “Dondi” Joseph, proposed that the city government carefully evaluate the ban on private vehicles
- Joseph: he present modes of public transport are not conducive [for general patronage]; an efficient world-class system should be in place if private car owners were to leave their vehicles at home, foresees the scenario where the businessmen will be considered anti-poor;
- Joseph to discuss proposal with other businessmen but is “110 percent certain that the board will oppose a private car ban.”
- the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) to release their official stand after they pore over the ban's specific rules and regulations
- City Council to hold a public hearing on May 14 to discuss transportation issues among others
- the executive director of the City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM), Arnel Tancinco, has defended the proposed ban as a shift in city's planning, with public transportation getting higher priority over private transportation.
- Mayor Tomas Osmeña said this is a way to mitigate the fuel price hike and a way to help the public utility Jeepney (PUJ) drivers in the city since this would ease traffic in the identified areas.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20080415-130501/Businessmen-slam-proposed-car-ban
The private car ban elicited strong reactions from the business sector. Cebu Business Club president, Gordon Alan “Dondi” Joseph, proposed that the city government carefully evaluate the ban on private vehicles before going on to say that this is the ultimate solution to augment the jeepney drivers’ income or that it’s going to ease traffic on arterial roads. Jospeh will be discussing this proposal with other businessmen but is 110 percent sure the board will oppose the private car ban. The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) will release their official stand after they pore over the ban's specific rules and regulations as executive director of the City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM), Arnel Tancinco, has defended the proposed ban as a shift in city's planning, with public transportation getting higher priority over private transportation. The City Council will hold a public hearing regarding this matter on May 14.
BRIDGE ISSUE: old bridge to get rubber fenders for protection from impact of wayward shipping vessels;
OIL PRICE WATCH: Crude oil prices surged Tuesday settling at a new record high above $113 a barrel as the U.S. dollar weakened further against the euro. Trading remained the same despite MOnday's news that Brazilian oil company Petrobras (PZE) may have made the largest oil discovery in 30 years (will take 5 years to develop)
RISE OF SEA LEVEL: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) forecast sea evels could rise by up to one-and-a-half metres by the end of this century
- rise of this magnitude would have major impacts on low-lying countries such as
-The rapid rise in the coming years is associated with the rapid melting of ice sheets.
- latest satellite data indicates that the
- There's a lot of evidence out there that we're going to see at least a metre of sea level rise by 2100
- a rise of even a metre could have major implications for low-lying countries, those whose economies are not geared up to build sophisticated sea defence systems.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
20080415_Live @ 55
955 . . . brought to you by Caltex with the unbeatable cleaning power of Techron.
Private vehicle owners, prepare your minds! These are the exact words of Mayor Tomas Osmeña who plans to ban private vehicles from traversing along main roads in efforts to promote mass transportation. It's being called a progressive step and has the support of the drivers' coalitions. The date of implementation hasn't been set but it's being seriously considered by the mayor especially after oil price hikes Sunday. Meantime, Cebu jeepney operators and drivers continue their clamor for an increase in the minimum fare to P7.50 from the present P6 which Mayor Tommy feels is disadvantageous to students and the unemployed. Since 80 percent of the city's vehicles are privately owned, the ban will substantially decrease the number of vehicles plying the main roads during peak hours which are from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. This plan stays on the back burner until CITOM finishes studying the efficiency and availability of public transport. The roads they're looking to implement the ban on are what are called arterial roads, roads like N. Bacalso Avenue, S. Osmeña Road and N. Escario Street. Asked how he would deal with the concerns of owners of private vehicles, Mayor Osmeña replied: “They can always go to work late or they go to work early.” http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20080414-130278/Ban-private-vehicles
For the past two days we've been hearing news about possible wage hikes. President Arroyo has been encouraging the provision of "wage and non-wage benefits" to workers like the putting up of daycare centers in the places of employment for working mothers while Trade Secretary Peter Favila wants the employers' plights to be considered too. It was Sec. Favila who suggested provisions of emergency or additional allowances instead of a salary increase. Meantime, labor group, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), is filing for an 80-peso across-board-wage increase for the NCR wage board. Here's what's exciting for us taxpayers, based on hearsay and I quote from the news source, "there is a pending bill in the House which intends to exempt from paying income taxes workers, who are receiving monthly pays ranging from P7,457 to P9,209." How true that is, we'll soon find out, but everyone keep your fingers crossed!
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/net/2008/04/15/arroyo.orders.wage.review.html
SPORTS. It's always been this time of year when we look forward to hitting the beach and watching the Nestea beach Volleyball Competition, but not so this year as the bigger-budget Shell Open takes top marks for the summer's ball game of choice. This is still good news for Cebu's winning teams---we've won four of the six slots for the national finals. For the Shell Open, the competition is for both men and women teams. on a per invitation basis and those who will be invited will be the top achievers in the sport. Though the roster of teams are not yet finalized, expected to get a sure slot is Nestea champion and MLSDF champion University of the Visayas duo Jusabelle Brillo and Janez Armie Igot. There will be 12 teams per category and a P20,000 prize up for grabs. Shell Open will be exciting what with players coming in from Iloilo and Dumaguete, or as far away as Tawi-Tawi. Mindanao State took home the crown last year. We'll keep you posted for more of the Shell Open.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2008/04/15/sports/shell.to.hold.beach.volley.html
1155
Monday's floodwaters displaced both ends of the economic spectrum; dislodging homes and belongings in Brngy. Guadalupe, Sitio Dakit, especially the subdivision Monterrazas de Cebu. In Guadalupe, homeowners woke up to find their belongings floating about in rainwashed mud and limestone. The calamity was reportedly caused by the uphill development project of Landco Pacific Corp. (Landco). Local government has stepped in to inspect the construction site and prevent any more flooding. Nine houses were completely submerged in floodwater, but 10 more stand on areas where water from the construction site flows. At least three houses in a neighboring upscale subdivision were also affected. For now, flooding victims will have to settle for the monetary aid given out by Landco representatives while the city government provided food and water.
Private vehicle owners, prepare your minds! These are the exact words of Mayor Tomas Osmeña who plans to ban private vehicles from traversing along main roads in efforts to promote mass transportation. It's being called a progressive step and has the support of the drivers' coalitions. The date of implementation hasn't been set but it's being seriously considered by the mayor especially after oil price hikes Sunday. Meantime, Cebu jeepney operators and drivers continue their clamor for an increase in the minimum fare to P7.50 from the present P6 which Mayor Tommy feels is disadvantageous to students and the unemployed. Since 80 percent of the city's vehicles are privately owned, the ban will substantially decrease the number of vehicles plying the main roads during peak hours which are from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. This plan stays on the back burner until CITOM finishes studying the efficiency and availability of public transport. The roads they're looking to implement the ban on are what are called arterial roads, roads like N. Bacalso Avenue, S. Osmeña Road and N. Escario Street. Asked how he would deal with the concerns of owners of private vehicles, Mayor Osmeña replied: “They can always go to work late or they go to work early.” http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20080414-130278/Ban-private-vehicles
For the past two days we've been hearing news about possible wage hikes. President Arroyo has been encouraging the provision of "wage and non-wage benefits" to workers like the putting up of daycare centers in the places of employment for working mothers while Trade Secretary Peter Favila wants the employers' plights to be considered too. It was Sec. Favila who suggested provisions of emergency or additional allowances instead of a salary increase. Meantime, labor group, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), is filing for an 80-peso across-board-wage increase for the NCR wage board. Here's what's exciting for us taxpayers, based on hearsay and I quote from the news source, "there is a pending bill in the House which intends to exempt from paying income taxes workers, who are receiving monthly pays ranging from P7,457 to P9,209." How true that is, we'll soon find out, but everyone keep your fingers crossed!
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/net/2008/04/15/arroyo.orders.wage.review.html
SPORTS. It's always been this time of year when we look forward to hitting the beach and watching the Nestea beach Volleyball Competition, but not so this year as the bigger-budget Shell Open takes top marks for the summer's ball game of choice. This is still good news for Cebu's winning teams---we've won four of the six slots for the national finals. For the Shell Open, the competition is for both men and women teams. on a per invitation basis and those who will be invited will be the top achievers in the sport. Though the roster of teams are not yet finalized, expected to get a sure slot is Nestea champion and MLSDF champion University of the Visayas duo Jusabelle Brillo and Janez Armie Igot. There will be 12 teams per category and a P20,000 prize up for grabs. Shell Open will be exciting what with players coming in from Iloilo and Dumaguete, or as far away as Tawi-Tawi. Mindanao State took home the crown last year. We'll keep you posted for more of the Shell Open.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2008/04/15/sports/shell.to.hold.beach.volley.html
1155
Monday's floodwaters displaced both ends of the economic spectrum; dislodging homes and belongings in Brngy. Guadalupe, Sitio Dakit, especially the subdivision Monterrazas de Cebu. In Guadalupe, homeowners woke up to find their belongings floating about in rainwashed mud and limestone. The calamity was reportedly caused by the uphill development project of Landco Pacific Corp. (Landco). Local government has stepped in to inspect the construction site and prevent any more flooding. Nine houses were completely submerged in floodwater, but 10 more stand on areas where water from the construction site flows. At least three houses in a neighboring upscale subdivision were also affected. For now, flooding victims will have to settle for the monetary aid given out by Landco representatives while the city government provided food and water.
Monday, April 14, 2008
20080414_Live @ 55
April did 755
855 Filinvest. We build the Filipino dream.
Those of you who gas-ed up over the weekend may have noticed how petrol is more expensive by 50 cents. Fuel breached the P50 per liter mark with premium unleaded gasoline at P49.15. Fuel price hikes took effect at 12:01 AM, Saturday---increases were by Pilipinas Shell, Eastern Petroleum, Flying V, Unioil Petroleum, Petron, and Chevron Philippines. Diesel is up too---priced between P37.41 and P41.50 a liter and kerosene to between P41.80 and P47.30 a liter. International crude hit an all-time high of 102.18 a barrel on April 10, so the increase in petrol prices is no big surprise.
World Bank raised a food alarm as food prices go up in countries like our own, in Haiti,Ivory Coasty, Ethiopia, even in Egypt. World Bank officials roughly estimate that "a doubling of food prices over the last three years could potentially push 100 million people in low-income countries deeper into poverty." We're among the countries hit hard because our usual suppliers imposed restrictions. The World Bank is urging richer nations to provide aid and food to needy people in poor countries as well as help the farmers with seeds for the new planting season. The IMF for its part, forecast mass starvation and other dire consequences if food prices continue to rise sharply.
DJ went ahead with her editorial anyway, contrary to the straight-news format agreed on (and stressed on by CEO) at the on-air meetings. I made as little comment as possible.
1055 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
The price of palay has gone up and so should the prices of NFA rice but only within the one peso range. This was a move to reduce losses and help farmers boost their income. The increase in prices of NFA rice may be implemented in the coming months despite strong objections by lawmakers. Just so you know, Cebuano farmers earn about P11 per day for a four-month period of farming because of the high cost in the production of palay. Farmers also only have a hectare of rice field to plant on due to lack of space (rice fields have been turne dinto subdivisions and golf courses) then there's the P1,200 they have to pay for privately-owned irrigation system for the irrigation of their rice field. To that end, Provincial Board Member Victor Maambong said Cebuanos should explore other staples like camote---which we have a lot of. Board Member Maambong is encouraging its production and consumption. Other abundant staples are cassava, bananas, and potatoes.
In tech news, European politicians shot down calls to throw suspected file-sharers off the Internet. The vote holds no legal force for now and is seen as strongly supportive of civil liberties and human rights for unrestricted online information. It also leaves national governments free to implement their own anti-piracy plans. An example is France which in November 2007 announced its "intention to implement a law that turns net firms into anti-piracy watchdogs. Information gathered about individuals who persistently share music and movies online will be passed to a government unit that will issue warnings or ask for an individual's net access to be suspended or shut off. The British government has floated similar plans but net firms have rejected calls for them to act as watchdogs. [BBC]"
855 Filinvest. We build the Filipino dream.
Those of you who gas-ed up over the weekend may have noticed how petrol is more expensive by 50 cents. Fuel breached the P50 per liter mark with premium unleaded gasoline at P49.15. Fuel price hikes took effect at 12:01 AM, Saturday---increases were by Pilipinas Shell, Eastern Petroleum, Flying V, Unioil Petroleum, Petron, and Chevron Philippines. Diesel is up too---priced between P37.41 and P41.50 a liter and kerosene to between P41.80 and P47.30 a liter. International crude hit an all-time high of 102.18 a barrel on April 10, so the increase in petrol prices is no big surprise.
World Bank raised a food alarm as food prices go up in countries like our own, in Haiti,Ivory Coasty, Ethiopia, even in Egypt. World Bank officials roughly estimate that "a doubling of food prices over the last three years could potentially push 100 million people in low-income countries deeper into poverty." We're among the countries hit hard because our usual suppliers imposed restrictions. The World Bank is urging richer nations to provide aid and food to needy people in poor countries as well as help the farmers with seeds for the new planting season. The IMF for its part, forecast mass starvation and other dire consequences if food prices continue to rise sharply.
DJ went ahead with her editorial anyway, contrary to the straight-news format agreed on (and stressed on by CEO) at the on-air meetings. I made as little comment as possible.
1055 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
The price of palay has gone up and so should the prices of NFA rice but only within the one peso range. This was a move to reduce losses and help farmers boost their income. The increase in prices of NFA rice may be implemented in the coming months despite strong objections by lawmakers. Just so you know, Cebuano farmers earn about P11 per day for a four-month period of farming because of the high cost in the production of palay. Farmers also only have a hectare of rice field to plant on due to lack of space (rice fields have been turne dinto subdivisions and golf courses) then there's the P1,200 they have to pay for privately-owned irrigation system for the irrigation of their rice field. To that end, Provincial Board Member Victor Maambong said Cebuanos should explore other staples like camote---which we have a lot of. Board Member Maambong is encouraging its production and consumption. Other abundant staples are cassava, bananas, and potatoes.
In tech news, European politicians shot down calls to throw suspected file-sharers off the Internet. The vote holds no legal force for now and is seen as strongly supportive of civil liberties and human rights for unrestricted online information. It also leaves national governments free to implement their own anti-piracy plans. An example is France which in November 2007 announced its "intention to implement a law that turns net firms into anti-piracy watchdogs. Information gathered about individuals who persistently share music and movies online will be passed to a government unit that will issue warnings or ask for an individual's net access to be suspended or shut off. The British government has floated similar plans but net firms have rejected calls for them to act as watchdogs. [BBC]"
Friday, April 11, 2008
20080411_Live @ 55
855 The headlines were brought to you by Castrol Magnatec---Keeps your car at its peak longer.
BEIJING GAMES. The chaos that has interrupted the torch relay and rattled the International Olympic Committee (IOC) came as the authorities here announced the discovery of what they described as a plan by terrorists from the country’s restive Xinjiang region to disrupt the games by kidnapping foreign journalists, athletes and spectators at the Summer Games. Now, the president of the IOC called on Chinese authorities to respect its "moral engagement" to improve human rights and to provide the news media with greater access to the country ahead of the Beijing Games, a comment which was seen by the Chinese government as unwelcome meddling in the host country's domestic affairs. The protest hounding the torch relay is seen as a crisis by the IOC, who in turn assured that it would not derail the six-continent pageant leading up to the Beijing Games in August. Despite this, the IOC swore to push on with the torch relay and remind the public to focus on the essence of the Olympics: athletic competition and world unity.
MANILA---BREAD PRICES GO UP. Starting April 15, P10 will buy you only four small pieces of pan de sal, instead of today’s five because bakers are raising their prices to reflect soaring flour prices amid low global supply. Three umbrella groups of bread makers Thursday announced that pan de sal would cost 16 percent to 25 percent more. The price of pan de sal would go up to P2.50 apiece from P2 for the small size, and P3.50 from P3 for the regular size. This is due in part to rising costs of flour.
955 Capitol's reply to the threat of law suits was to say, "So sue me!" IN THE CONTINUING SAGA surrounding Provincial Ordinance 93-1 and in lieu of 500 of the urban poor encouraged to file charges against Gov. Gwen Garcia for the delay in releasing their lot titles, the governor's consultant, Rory John Sepulveda, responded with a challenge to go ahead and sue. Third district Rep. Pablo John Garcia says the law suits will only further delay the issuance of their lot titles and advises instead to "stay out of the politics." Sepulveda explained that the reason for the delay in the issuance of the deed of sale to the beneficiaries, who have fully paid their obligations to the province is the review that they are conducting. The review was made in consideration to other beneficiaries who have not paid their obligations and whether or not all of them have complied with the conditions set by the ordinance. The conditions include the prohibition of using the lot for commercial purposes, there should be no absentee occupant and that the beneficiary shall have no other properties.
1055 ALL BATTERIES. MORE BATTERIES, MORE POWER.
I.T. SECTOR. Cebu Educational Development Foundation for Information Technology (Cedfit) is hosting the fourth Philippine IT General Certification exam for 100 graduates from Mindanao. Cebu needs close to a hundred thousand people to fill in the vacancies in the IT sector, as well as in other IT-enabled services, by the year 2010. Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP) projected that in 2010, there will be a need for 75,000 software developers and 950,000 workers in the BPO industry nationwide. to match that forecast, the number of software developers in Cebu has to grow by 200 percent while the number of BPO workers has to double in the next two years. Sadly, there's a shortage of labor supply so the CEDFIT foundation partnered with local colleges and universities in the region to extend training to faculty members, hosting this Philippine IT General Certification exam today, and establish a pool of graduates that companues can screen for competency.
Why it's better to eat chicken than pork meat these days and the upcoming rice consultations slated for next week.
1155 The Visayan Island Rice Consultations convenes next week (April 15) to appraise the situation in joint Regions 6, 7, and 8. Governors, city and municipal mayors will be attending the meeting which also aims to inform the LGUs on current initiatives, interventions and plans of the government's Rice Program. The NFA will be joined by representatives from the International Rice Research Institute who will lecture on the global and regional rice situation. The Rice Consultation is expected to wrap up their session with a commitment sharing on specific activities to be undertaken.
PRICE HIKE. Thursday, we heard news of pork meat prices going up due to highers costs of feeds and the fact that we import from other provinces. Great! We'll have chicken instead. Cebu Daily reports that the prices of chicken meat have gone down by at least P5 and they had it in good authority that the later in the morning you buy, the cheaper the chicken gets. Chicken meat was sold at a hundred pesos per kilo last week, now selling at P95. This goes down to P93 or P92 by ten in the morning or at 12 noon. Eggs come cheap too, since summer weather is conducive for chicken to lay eggs.
BEIJING GAMES. The chaos that has interrupted the torch relay and rattled the International Olympic Committee (IOC) came as the authorities here announced the discovery of what they described as a plan by terrorists from the country’s restive Xinjiang region to disrupt the games by kidnapping foreign journalists, athletes and spectators at the Summer Games. Now, the president of the IOC called on Chinese authorities to respect its "moral engagement" to improve human rights and to provide the news media with greater access to the country ahead of the Beijing Games, a comment which was seen by the Chinese government as unwelcome meddling in the host country's domestic affairs. The protest hounding the torch relay is seen as a crisis by the IOC, who in turn assured that it would not derail the six-continent pageant leading up to the Beijing Games in August. Despite this, the IOC swore to push on with the torch relay and remind the public to focus on the essence of the Olympics: athletic competition and world unity.
MANILA---BREAD PRICES GO UP. Starting April 15, P10 will buy you only four small pieces of pan de sal, instead of today’s five because bakers are raising their prices to reflect soaring flour prices amid low global supply. Three umbrella groups of bread makers Thursday announced that pan de sal would cost 16 percent to 25 percent more. The price of pan de sal would go up to P2.50 apiece from P2 for the small size, and P3.50 from P3 for the regular size. This is due in part to rising costs of flour.
955 Capitol's reply to the threat of law suits was to say, "So sue me!" IN THE CONTINUING SAGA surrounding Provincial Ordinance 93-1 and in lieu of 500 of the urban poor encouraged to file charges against Gov. Gwen Garcia for the delay in releasing their lot titles, the governor's consultant, Rory John Sepulveda, responded with a challenge to go ahead and sue. Third district Rep. Pablo John Garcia says the law suits will only further delay the issuance of their lot titles and advises instead to "stay out of the politics." Sepulveda explained that the reason for the delay in the issuance of the deed of sale to the beneficiaries, who have fully paid their obligations to the province is the review that they are conducting. The review was made in consideration to other beneficiaries who have not paid their obligations and whether or not all of them have complied with the conditions set by the ordinance. The conditions include the prohibition of using the lot for commercial purposes, there should be no absentee occupant and that the beneficiary shall have no other properties.
1055 ALL BATTERIES. MORE BATTERIES, MORE POWER.
I.T. SECTOR. Cebu Educational Development Foundation for Information Technology (Cedfit) is hosting the fourth Philippine IT General Certification exam for 100 graduates from Mindanao. Cebu needs close to a hundred thousand people to fill in the vacancies in the IT sector, as well as in other IT-enabled services, by the year 2010. Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP) projected that in 2010, there will be a need for 75,000 software developers and 950,000 workers in the BPO industry nationwide. to match that forecast, the number of software developers in Cebu has to grow by 200 percent while the number of BPO workers has to double in the next two years. Sadly, there's a shortage of labor supply so the CEDFIT foundation partnered with local colleges and universities in the region to extend training to faculty members, hosting this Philippine IT General Certification exam today, and establish a pool of graduates that companues can screen for competency.
Why it's better to eat chicken than pork meat these days and the upcoming rice consultations slated for next week.
1155 The Visayan Island Rice Consultations convenes next week (April 15) to appraise the situation in joint Regions 6, 7, and 8. Governors, city and municipal mayors will be attending the meeting which also aims to inform the LGUs on current initiatives, interventions and plans of the government's Rice Program. The NFA will be joined by representatives from the International Rice Research Institute who will lecture on the global and regional rice situation. The Rice Consultation is expected to wrap up their session with a commitment sharing on specific activities to be undertaken.
PRICE HIKE. Thursday, we heard news of pork meat prices going up due to highers costs of feeds and the fact that we import from other provinces. Great! We'll have chicken instead. Cebu Daily reports that the prices of chicken meat have gone down by at least P5 and they had it in good authority that the later in the morning you buy, the cheaper the chicken gets. Chicken meat was sold at a hundred pesos per kilo last week, now selling at P95. This goes down to P93 or P92 by ten in the morning or at 12 noon. Eggs come cheap too, since summer weather is conducive for chicken to lay eggs.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
20080410_Live @ 55
OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY. The only North American leg of the Olympic torch relay has been marked by confusion after the route was diverted to avoid crowds of protesters. Thousands of pro-Tibet and pro-Beijing demonstrators had gathered in San Francisco, prompting fears of violence. Officials sent the torch on a new route citing safety concerns. The closing ceremony was also moved to a new site. There were disruptive protests as the relay passed through Europe. It will end in Beijing, home of the 2008 Games. Meanwhile, President George W Bush has urged China to "begin a dialogue" with Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. The US House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed a motion condemning China's "extreme" response to protests in Tibet.
HOUNDED BY CONTROVERSY. Gov. Gwen Garcia continuues to dominate headlines, this time for not having released the lot titles of the urban poor who have fully complied with requirements for ownership as provided by Provincial Ordinance 93-1. Beneficiaries went to meet Mayor Tomas Osmeña Wednesday and he suggested that all 500 of them file individual cases at the ombudsman to compel the Capitol to release the titles to them. These beneficiaries already received their certificates of full payment, but have yet to receive their lot titles.
Backstory:
Under Provincial Ordinance 93-1, occupants of the province-owned property were entitled to purchase their lots on installment basis from 1993 to 1998. This was later extended to May 2004. The occupants asked for another extension, but Garcia vetoed the ordinance seeking to move the deadline for payments.
Of the total 4,148 families occupying provincial lots, only 1,467 families have paid in full for the lots. To spare the 2,900 families from being evicted, land swapping was considered a solution.
Osmeña offered a land-swap deal with the provincial officials so the affected urban poor families will no longer be evicted from their locations which Capitol officials are initially okay to.
But a conflict rose when Vice Mayor Michael Rama, in his privilege speech at the city council, said the Capitol officials meant to pass the problem of collecting the remaining installment payments from the urban poor families to the city.
The deal was shelved for a while and Capitol later announced it was willing to negotiate with the city but this time, they demanded for a “value-for-value” deal instead. This irked Osmeña and prompted him to order for a moratorium on the development of the Capitol lots in the city.
The governor retaliated by closing the roads that traverse the Capitol’s lots and recovering its properties that are occupied by the city like the famous Fuente Osmeña and Cebu City Zoo, among others.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Local%20News&p=52&type=2&sec=70&aid=20080409167
HOUNDED BY CONTROVERSY. Gov. Gwen Garcia continuues to dominate headlines, this time for not having released the lot titles of the urban poor who have fully complied with requirements for ownership as provided by Provincial Ordinance 93-1. Beneficiaries went to meet Mayor Tomas Osmeña Wednesday and he suggested that all 500 of them file individual cases at the ombudsman to compel the Capitol to release the titles to them. These beneficiaries already received their certificates of full payment, but have yet to receive their lot titles.
Backstory:
Under Provincial Ordinance 93-1, occupants of the province-owned property were entitled to purchase their lots on installment basis from 1993 to 1998. This was later extended to May 2004. The occupants asked for another extension, but Garcia vetoed the ordinance seeking to move the deadline for payments.
Of the total 4,148 families occupying provincial lots, only 1,467 families have paid in full for the lots. To spare the 2,900 families from being evicted, land swapping was considered a solution.
Osmeña offered a land-swap deal with the provincial officials so the affected urban poor families will no longer be evicted from their locations which Capitol officials are initially okay to.
But a conflict rose when Vice Mayor Michael Rama, in his privilege speech at the city council, said the Capitol officials meant to pass the problem of collecting the remaining installment payments from the urban poor families to the city.
The deal was shelved for a while and Capitol later announced it was willing to negotiate with the city but this time, they demanded for a “value-for-value” deal instead. This irked Osmeña and prompted him to order for a moratorium on the development of the Capitol lots in the city.
The governor retaliated by closing the roads that traverse the Capitol’s lots and recovering its properties that are occupied by the city like the famous Fuente Osmeña and Cebu City Zoo, among others.
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Local%20News&p=52&type=2&sec=70&aid=20080409167
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
20080409_Live @ 55
855 The headlines were brought to you by Castrol Magnatec---Keeps your car at its peak longer.
MEAT PRICES GO UP. Every housemaker knows this already, the price of meat went up by P15 per kilo in recent months, coupled with the higher cost of rice. A kilo of pork now costs P140 to P150 per kilo. Then there's also the issue of markups by some of the market vendors. Hog raisers' group representatives have been urging the government to conduct price inspections and implement price control. There are cases where meat is being sold at P180 per kilo. Meat prices are likely to rise to P165 since suppliers have announced an increase of prices to P130, up from P108 to P110. Here's how it boils down: farm gate price of live swine is only P93 per kilo. Dressed pork is sold between P123 and P125 per kilo. Buyers or middle man would sell the pork meat at P160 per kilo to the market vendors. Another fact you should also know is that Carbon Public Market sources their meat from the Visayas Mindanao area after cholera infestation hit the swine population in Bulacan province. cebu pork suppliers usually sell their stocks to Manila where prices were higher and the demand bigger.
RICE HEADLINES. NFA licensing divison official, Jaime Ang, admitted in open court that the Mandaue City warehouse containing businessman Regan King’s rice did not have a license. NFA records showed license application for warehouse 52 of the Mandaue North Central Castelex Compound which in turn was refuted by King's lawyer, Councilor Gerry Carillo,that what the official meant was the absence of a license plate. Carillo further explained that the NFA has not yet conducted the bidding for the manufacturing of the plates that all registered warehouses are supposed to display. Ang’s testimony clarifies allegations that the raid the NBI carried out against the warehouse was baseless and done simply to harass the businessman. The hearing will continue today with two NFA officials subpoenaed to take the stand: NFA Provincial Manager Ramon Astilla and NFA Regional Director Danilo Bonabon.
955 Filinvest---we build the Filipino dream.
BRIDGE MISHAPS. Two maritime accidents and bridge management board meetings later, here come a group of shipping operators who on Monday expressed concern on a plan to reroute vessels away from the Mactan Channel to avoid passing under the two bridges. The group called Visayan Association of Ferryboat and Coastwise Service Operators suggested to bridge management that they instead impose higher penalties on those who cause damage to the bridges. Here's the crux: the plan to have shipping vessels go around the rosie will entail having the ships pass through the south channel entrance and proceed to the Hilutungan Channel going north passing through the Bagacay Point to their destinations. What this means is an additional two to two and a half hours, depending on the speed of the vessel before they can proceed to their usual route. And to us riding public, that means a price increase in both fares and freight. The shipping operators will be submitting their position paper on the issue. Just so you know, Visayan Association of Ferryboat and Coastwise Service Operators is composed of 80 percent of the Cebu-based vessel companies and is presided over by Chester Cokaliong.
PRICE INCREASE. DTI's monthly price monitoring reports for March indicate an increase in the prices of commodities ranging from P0.18 and P2. The trade agency is coming up with a task force intended to protect the rights of consumers and will work hand in hand with the Department of Agriculture and the National Food Authority to monitor rice prices and supply. Catch is, the government may not impose price controlling measure until prices reach an abnormal level. Price control adversely affects trading by discouraging traders from bringing in supplies.
1055 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
The contruction moratorium in the Banilad corridoor stays even after the flyover is completed. New guidelines will be set for new structures and these will set height limits and parking requirements for buildings especially for high-growth areas. Mayor Tomas Omeña set the Banilad height limit at three to four levels, which means that no high-rise buildings will be constructed along Gov. Cuenco Ave., including Capitol’s joint venture project, Ciudad.
Plot twist: For the first time since Rep. Raul del Mar (Cebu City north district) proposed the flyover project, Osmeña admitted that it is not a good idea to put a flyover in an area that is already congested, since it will only attract more businesses and people. Development, says the mayor, should be directed to the soutern end of the city, at the SRP.
The redirection of new structures--which will be backed up by city ordinances--is meant to ensure balanced growth throughout the city. [SSD & TF]
STILL IN NEWS FROM THE MAYOR. Osmeña on Tuesday proposed the curfew on minors be moved to 3AM until 5AM--to begin, then gradually move it up to 2:30 then to 2 o'clock. Osmeña pointed out that his suggestion may serve as the key in the proper implementation of City Ordinance 1786, which prohibits minors on the streets from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. without a parent or guardian.
Penalties: First-time offenders will be turned over to their parents or guardian who will be required to execute an undertaking to the effect that the minors will not be allowed to go out alone. On second offense, the violator will be required to undergo a half-day parenting course together with either the parents or guardian. Third-time offenders will have to render seven days community service and orientation on the importance of the curfew. On fourth offense, appropriate charges will be filed against the offender’s parents or guardians. (TF)
1155 PULITZER PRIZE. Antipolo-born Jose Antonio Vargas joins an elite group of Pulitzer Prize winners, including at least four Filipinos and Fil-Americans. Carlos P. Romulo won the award for international journalism in 1941.
This wasn’t followed until 1997 when two Fil-Ams won separate Pulitzers while working for the Seattle Times. Byron Acohido was selected for best beat reporting for his investigation into faulty rudders on Boeing 737 jets that prompted corrective measures that could have saved many lives.
Alex Tizon was selected for best investigative reporting for his in-depth look into the federal Indian Housing program.
Cheryl Diaz Meyer won the news photography category in 2004 for her work in Iraq for the Dallas Morning News. Meyer also covered the war in Afghanistan and delved into the counter-terror campaigns in Indonesia and the Philippines.
Vargas wrote two stories for the Washington Post on America’s deadliest shooting incident, the April 2007 Virginia Tech Massacre, where South Korean student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people before committing suicide. The Post packaged those two articles with seven others as their entry in the Pulitzer Prize. They bested the staff of the Idaho Statesman for the scandal involving Senator Larry Craig, and the New York Times staff for a deadly Bronx fire that killed nine people, eight of them children.
AGRI AID FROM WB. The World Bank is keen on providing technical and loan assistance to improve food production and supply management in the Philippines. The finance department said programs that would help improve agriculture production were now necessary, given the supply problems that result in higher prices of commodities. the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Food Authority (NFA) would be the implementing agencies for the proposed program on improving food production. The World Bank's contribution would be to rovide experts who could help train Filipino farmers on improving productivity, and could lend the amount needed for the program.
MEAT PRICES GO UP. Every housemaker knows this already, the price of meat went up by P15 per kilo in recent months, coupled with the higher cost of rice. A kilo of pork now costs P140 to P150 per kilo. Then there's also the issue of markups by some of the market vendors. Hog raisers' group representatives have been urging the government to conduct price inspections and implement price control. There are cases where meat is being sold at P180 per kilo. Meat prices are likely to rise to P165 since suppliers have announced an increase of prices to P130, up from P108 to P110. Here's how it boils down: farm gate price of live swine is only P93 per kilo. Dressed pork is sold between P123 and P125 per kilo. Buyers or middle man would sell the pork meat at P160 per kilo to the market vendors. Another fact you should also know is that Carbon Public Market sources their meat from the Visayas Mindanao area after cholera infestation hit the swine population in Bulacan province. cebu pork suppliers usually sell their stocks to Manila where prices were higher and the demand bigger.
RICE HEADLINES. NFA licensing divison official, Jaime Ang, admitted in open court that the Mandaue City warehouse containing businessman Regan King’s rice did not have a license. NFA records showed license application for warehouse 52 of the Mandaue North Central Castelex Compound which in turn was refuted by King's lawyer, Councilor Gerry Carillo,that what the official meant was the absence of a license plate. Carillo further explained that the NFA has not yet conducted the bidding for the manufacturing of the plates that all registered warehouses are supposed to display. Ang’s testimony clarifies allegations that the raid the NBI carried out against the warehouse was baseless and done simply to harass the businessman. The hearing will continue today with two NFA officials subpoenaed to take the stand: NFA Provincial Manager Ramon Astilla and NFA Regional Director Danilo Bonabon.
955 Filinvest---we build the Filipino dream.
BRIDGE MISHAPS. Two maritime accidents and bridge management board meetings later, here come a group of shipping operators who on Monday expressed concern on a plan to reroute vessels away from the Mactan Channel to avoid passing under the two bridges. The group called Visayan Association of Ferryboat and Coastwise Service Operators suggested to bridge management that they instead impose higher penalties on those who cause damage to the bridges. Here's the crux: the plan to have shipping vessels go around the rosie will entail having the ships pass through the south channel entrance and proceed to the Hilutungan Channel going north passing through the Bagacay Point to their destinations. What this means is an additional two to two and a half hours, depending on the speed of the vessel before they can proceed to their usual route. And to us riding public, that means a price increase in both fares and freight. The shipping operators will be submitting their position paper on the issue. Just so you know, Visayan Association of Ferryboat and Coastwise Service Operators is composed of 80 percent of the Cebu-based vessel companies and is presided over by Chester Cokaliong.
PRICE INCREASE. DTI's monthly price monitoring reports for March indicate an increase in the prices of commodities ranging from P0.18 and P2. The trade agency is coming up with a task force intended to protect the rights of consumers and will work hand in hand with the Department of Agriculture and the National Food Authority to monitor rice prices and supply. Catch is, the government may not impose price controlling measure until prices reach an abnormal level. Price control adversely affects trading by discouraging traders from bringing in supplies.
1055 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
The contruction moratorium in the Banilad corridoor stays even after the flyover is completed. New guidelines will be set for new structures and these will set height limits and parking requirements for buildings especially for high-growth areas. Mayor Tomas Omeña set the Banilad height limit at three to four levels, which means that no high-rise buildings will be constructed along Gov. Cuenco Ave., including Capitol’s joint venture project, Ciudad.
Plot twist: For the first time since Rep. Raul del Mar (Cebu City north district) proposed the flyover project, Osmeña admitted that it is not a good idea to put a flyover in an area that is already congested, since it will only attract more businesses and people. Development, says the mayor, should be directed to the soutern end of the city, at the SRP.
The redirection of new structures--which will be backed up by city ordinances--is meant to ensure balanced growth throughout the city. [SSD & TF]
STILL IN NEWS FROM THE MAYOR. Osmeña on Tuesday proposed the curfew on minors be moved to 3AM until 5AM--to begin, then gradually move it up to 2:30 then to 2 o'clock. Osmeña pointed out that his suggestion may serve as the key in the proper implementation of City Ordinance 1786, which prohibits minors on the streets from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. without a parent or guardian.
Penalties: First-time offenders will be turned over to their parents or guardian who will be required to execute an undertaking to the effect that the minors will not be allowed to go out alone. On second offense, the violator will be required to undergo a half-day parenting course together with either the parents or guardian. Third-time offenders will have to render seven days community service and orientation on the importance of the curfew. On fourth offense, appropriate charges will be filed against the offender’s parents or guardians. (TF)
1155 PULITZER PRIZE. Antipolo-born Jose Antonio Vargas joins an elite group of Pulitzer Prize winners, including at least four Filipinos and Fil-Americans. Carlos P. Romulo won the award for international journalism in 1941.
This wasn’t followed until 1997 when two Fil-Ams won separate Pulitzers while working for the Seattle Times. Byron Acohido was selected for best beat reporting for his investigation into faulty rudders on Boeing 737 jets that prompted corrective measures that could have saved many lives.
Alex Tizon was selected for best investigative reporting for his in-depth look into the federal Indian Housing program.
Cheryl Diaz Meyer won the news photography category in 2004 for her work in Iraq for the Dallas Morning News. Meyer also covered the war in Afghanistan and delved into the counter-terror campaigns in Indonesia and the Philippines.
Vargas wrote two stories for the Washington Post on America’s deadliest shooting incident, the April 2007 Virginia Tech Massacre, where South Korean student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people before committing suicide. The Post packaged those two articles with seven others as their entry in the Pulitzer Prize. They bested the staff of the Idaho Statesman for the scandal involving Senator Larry Craig, and the New York Times staff for a deadly Bronx fire that killed nine people, eight of them children.
AGRI AID FROM WB. The World Bank is keen on providing technical and loan assistance to improve food production and supply management in the Philippines. The finance department said programs that would help improve agriculture production were now necessary, given the supply problems that result in higher prices of commodities. the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Food Authority (NFA) would be the implementing agencies for the proposed program on improving food production. The World Bank's contribution would be to rovide experts who could help train Filipino farmers on improving productivity, and could lend the amount needed for the program.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
20080408_Live @ 55
755 The Bridge Management Board is to look intosea traffic and come up with alternate routes for motorists as instructed by Governor Gwen Garcia. This came after another shipping vessel came in contact with one of the bridges Sunday. Less than a month after MTKR Damar, the ship that rammed the Marcelo Fernan Bridge last March 10, a barge identified as L. Acuario-2 drifted and slightly scratched pier number 8 on the Lapu-Lapu City side of the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge at around 7 a.m. last Sunday. The shipping managers allege that there is an abnormal current under the two bridges. In that incident with the barge, it was reportedly nudged into the accident due to a strong current. Cebu-based Asian Shipping Corporation have already expressed its willingness to shoulder all the expenses for the repair of the damaged portion of the bridge.
Six months of testimony, 250 witnesses, a $6 million bill for the British taxpayer, and 23 hours of deliberation by the jury have all boiled down to one moment. On April 7, at around 4.30pm London time, five men and six women delivered their verdict on the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed, officially closing the book on what seemed a never-ending story. Their decision: unlawful killing due to the negligence of the paparazzi and driver Henri Paul.
Originally instructed to emerge with a unanimous verdict, the jury was deadlocked into the fourth day of deliberations. The judge, coroner Scott Baker, then told them he would accept a majority decision of nine jurors. An hour after that, they came back with "unlawful killing." In an inquest of few real surprises, this was one of the biggest. Most observers had thought they would agree with the conclusions of the French and British police, ruling the incident an accident. But the jury decided someone had to take the blame.
Not included was the conspiracy theory that Dodi's father, Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed, has been pushing from the start, claiming that Prince Philip had ordered Britain's intelligence service, MI6, to orchestrate the crash and kill the two lovers. Baker explained throughout the entire inquest that he had not seen "a shred of evidence" to prove that the Duke of Edinburgh or the British intelligence service were behind the crash, so he was legally obliged not to offer "staged accident" as a possible verdict. But even with murder off the table, the panel decided to assign responsiblity for the death.
In their verdict, nine of the jurors agreed that "the crash was caused or contributed to by the speed and manner of driving of the Mercedes, the speed and manner of driving of the following vehicles [and] the impairment of the judgment of the driver of the Mercedes through alcohol." And all eleven believed that the fact that Diana and Dodi weren't wearing seat belts and that the Mercedes hit a pillar in the Pont d'Alma tunnel, instead of a larger surface that might have lessened the impact, were major factors in the deaths. Just as Baker directed, the jury delivered exactly the same verdict for both Diana and Dodi.
While the coroner recognized that "unlawful killing is a form of the very serious crime of manslaughter," the inquest is not a criminal trial. The verdict can't be used to launch a criminal investigation or prompt the pressing of charges against any of the paparazzi who are still alive.
855 Filinvest. We build the Filipino dream.
WORLD. In a report from the AP, the last part of the Olympic torch relay in Paris was canceled Monday after a day of chaos in which anti-China protesters forced authorities to extinguish the flame at least five times, take to a bus and skip some scheduled stops, including city hall. There were confrontations between the authorities and demonstrators throughout the day as the relay attempted to crisscross Paris. The torch was eventually driven by bus to its ending destination, where it was displayed again during a public ceremony at a stadium. Numerous protesters, some armed with fire extinguishers, were taken away by police. At other times police used tear gas to remove demonstrators who lay in the road and tried to block the route. The chaos came one day after human rights activist demonstrators made the torch's journey through London more like running the gauntlet than a journey of celebration, as UK police made more than two dozen arrests.
HOT MEAT AT CARBON MARKET. Be careful of the meat you buy because the selling of hot meat is still rampant at Carbon Market, in Pardo, still others were said to have been sourced from Mandaue. Authorities have intensified routine inspections especially since the meat smugglers developed ingenius ways. Hot meat comes from illegally slaughtered pigs---possibly slaughtered in ways not conforming to sanitary standards---that were not awarded inspection certificates. It also did not have the incision on its cheek and the branding that would signify that it has undergone proper inspection and slaughter. This doesn't mean they're unfit for human consumption but without regulations, there's no way of knowing if the slaughtered animals are carriers of diseases which may endanger the lives of those who will eat the meat.
955 All batteries. More batteries, more power.
ENTERTAINMENT. Legendary musician and folk icon Bob Dylan was handed a special citation from the Pulitzer Prize board Monday, following in the footsteps of fellow musicians Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane. Dylan was honored by the Pulitzer board with the special citation for his "profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power." The board normally concentrates on US print journalism yet does make special citations every year.
TECH NEWS. US Internet company Yahoo on Monday rejected software giant Microsoft's three-week ultimatum to accept its takeover offer, saying they continue to believe that Microsoft's proposal is not in the best interests of Yahoo as it undervalues the internet company. The written response came after an ultimatum issued by Microsoft on Saturday for Yahoo to accept its $44.6-billion takeover offer in three weeks or face a hostile battle for the support of the Internet giant's shareholders.
1055 The government may use its police powers and take over rice warehouses if traders make good their threat to stage a “rice holiday” to dramatize their protest against the ban on the retailing of the staple from the National Food Authority (NFA), Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez warned yesterday. This developed as Malacañang announced the lifting of the import quota for rice and corn to ensure adequate supply of the staples. Gonzalez said the constitutional provision on national economy and patrimony allows the government to take drastic action such as securing food stocks in case of emergencies. What's more, government prosecutors would be closely coordinating with agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) assigned to the Anti-Rice Hoarding Task Force (ARHTF).
SPORTS. Tiger Woods arrived at Augusta on Monday with fellow American Steve Stricker saying the four-time Masters champion will be unstoppable if he is on form. The world number one launches his bid for a fifth green jacket and a 14th major title on Thursday having triumphed in nine of his last 11 starts. Woods comes in as the odds-on favorite to win. He's been unstoppable in 2008, winning his first four tournaments before finishing fifth at last month's WGC-CA Championship in Miami.
1155 EARTH DAY [The Freeman]. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, in line with Earth Day 2008, is spearheading the Earth Day people’s caravan today. With the theme “Lakbay para sa Kalinisan! Lakbay para sa Buhay at Kinabukasan,” the caravan aims to increase the level of awareness and participation of the public in addressing issues related to environmental management and protection, most pressing issues of which are climate change and solid waste management. The caravan starts in Cebu City to Toledo City and is set to proceed to San Carlos City in Negros Occidental. The DENR is inviting all local government units, other government offices and non-government agencies as well as private institutions to participate in this activity to demonstrate commitment for the conservation of the environment.
IN A MOVE TO AUGMENT THE RICE SITUATION, Bulacan Agricultural State College comes forward with aerobic rice varieties they've developed in 2007. These came from the International Rice Research Institute in Laguna and could become the solution for those mountainous areas that do not catch much rainwater. Research on the “aerobic rice” has shown that it could grow in sloping and poorly irrigated agricultural lands. Aerobic rice seeds are likely to be mass produced for and in idle and arable lands of our agricultural state universities and colleges (SUCs).
Six months of testimony, 250 witnesses, a $6 million bill for the British taxpayer, and 23 hours of deliberation by the jury have all boiled down to one moment. On April 7, at around 4.30pm London time, five men and six women delivered their verdict on the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed, officially closing the book on what seemed a never-ending story. Their decision: unlawful killing due to the negligence of the paparazzi and driver Henri Paul.
Originally instructed to emerge with a unanimous verdict, the jury was deadlocked into the fourth day of deliberations. The judge, coroner Scott Baker, then told them he would accept a majority decision of nine jurors. An hour after that, they came back with "unlawful killing." In an inquest of few real surprises, this was one of the biggest. Most observers had thought they would agree with the conclusions of the French and British police, ruling the incident an accident. But the jury decided someone had to take the blame.
Not included was the conspiracy theory that Dodi's father, Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed, has been pushing from the start, claiming that Prince Philip had ordered Britain's intelligence service, MI6, to orchestrate the crash and kill the two lovers. Baker explained throughout the entire inquest that he had not seen "a shred of evidence" to prove that the Duke of Edinburgh or the British intelligence service were behind the crash, so he was legally obliged not to offer "staged accident" as a possible verdict. But even with murder off the table, the panel decided to assign responsiblity for the death.
In their verdict, nine of the jurors agreed that "the crash was caused or contributed to by the speed and manner of driving of the Mercedes, the speed and manner of driving of the following vehicles [and] the impairment of the judgment of the driver of the Mercedes through alcohol." And all eleven believed that the fact that Diana and Dodi weren't wearing seat belts and that the Mercedes hit a pillar in the Pont d'Alma tunnel, instead of a larger surface that might have lessened the impact, were major factors in the deaths. Just as Baker directed, the jury delivered exactly the same verdict for both Diana and Dodi.
While the coroner recognized that "unlawful killing is a form of the very serious crime of manslaughter," the inquest is not a criminal trial. The verdict can't be used to launch a criminal investigation or prompt the pressing of charges against any of the paparazzi who are still alive.
855 Filinvest. We build the Filipino dream.
WORLD. In a report from the AP, the last part of the Olympic torch relay in Paris was canceled Monday after a day of chaos in which anti-China protesters forced authorities to extinguish the flame at least five times, take to a bus and skip some scheduled stops, including city hall. There were confrontations between the authorities and demonstrators throughout the day as the relay attempted to crisscross Paris. The torch was eventually driven by bus to its ending destination, where it was displayed again during a public ceremony at a stadium. Numerous protesters, some armed with fire extinguishers, were taken away by police. At other times police used tear gas to remove demonstrators who lay in the road and tried to block the route. The chaos came one day after human rights activist demonstrators made the torch's journey through London more like running the gauntlet than a journey of celebration, as UK police made more than two dozen arrests.
HOT MEAT AT CARBON MARKET. Be careful of the meat you buy because the selling of hot meat is still rampant at Carbon Market, in Pardo, still others were said to have been sourced from Mandaue. Authorities have intensified routine inspections especially since the meat smugglers developed ingenius ways. Hot meat comes from illegally slaughtered pigs---possibly slaughtered in ways not conforming to sanitary standards---that were not awarded inspection certificates. It also did not have the incision on its cheek and the branding that would signify that it has undergone proper inspection and slaughter. This doesn't mean they're unfit for human consumption but without regulations, there's no way of knowing if the slaughtered animals are carriers of diseases which may endanger the lives of those who will eat the meat.
955 All batteries. More batteries, more power.
ENTERTAINMENT. Legendary musician and folk icon Bob Dylan was handed a special citation from the Pulitzer Prize board Monday, following in the footsteps of fellow musicians Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane. Dylan was honored by the Pulitzer board with the special citation for his "profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power." The board normally concentrates on US print journalism yet does make special citations every year.
TECH NEWS. US Internet company Yahoo on Monday rejected software giant Microsoft's three-week ultimatum to accept its takeover offer, saying they continue to believe that Microsoft's proposal is not in the best interests of Yahoo as it undervalues the internet company. The written response came after an ultimatum issued by Microsoft on Saturday for Yahoo to accept its $44.6-billion takeover offer in three weeks or face a hostile battle for the support of the Internet giant's shareholders.
1055 The government may use its police powers and take over rice warehouses if traders make good their threat to stage a “rice holiday” to dramatize their protest against the ban on the retailing of the staple from the National Food Authority (NFA), Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez warned yesterday. This developed as Malacañang announced the lifting of the import quota for rice and corn to ensure adequate supply of the staples. Gonzalez said the constitutional provision on national economy and patrimony allows the government to take drastic action such as securing food stocks in case of emergencies. What's more, government prosecutors would be closely coordinating with agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) assigned to the Anti-Rice Hoarding Task Force (ARHTF).
SPORTS. Tiger Woods arrived at Augusta on Monday with fellow American Steve Stricker saying the four-time Masters champion will be unstoppable if he is on form. The world number one launches his bid for a fifth green jacket and a 14th major title on Thursday having triumphed in nine of his last 11 starts. Woods comes in as the odds-on favorite to win. He's been unstoppable in 2008, winning his first four tournaments before finishing fifth at last month's WGC-CA Championship in Miami.
1155 EARTH DAY [The Freeman]. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, in line with Earth Day 2008, is spearheading the Earth Day people’s caravan today. With the theme “Lakbay para sa Kalinisan! Lakbay para sa Buhay at Kinabukasan,” the caravan aims to increase the level of awareness and participation of the public in addressing issues related to environmental management and protection, most pressing issues of which are climate change and solid waste management. The caravan starts in Cebu City to Toledo City and is set to proceed to San Carlos City in Negros Occidental. The DENR is inviting all local government units, other government offices and non-government agencies as well as private institutions to participate in this activity to demonstrate commitment for the conservation of the environment.
IN A MOVE TO AUGMENT THE RICE SITUATION, Bulacan Agricultural State College comes forward with aerobic rice varieties they've developed in 2007. These came from the International Rice Research Institute in Laguna and could become the solution for those mountainous areas that do not catch much rainwater. Research on the “aerobic rice” has shown that it could grow in sloping and poorly irrigated agricultural lands. Aerobic rice seeds are likely to be mass produced for and in idle and arable lands of our agricultural state universities and colleges (SUCs).
Monday, April 07, 2008
20080407_Live @ 55
755 Castrol Magnatech. Keeps your car at its peak longer.
Economic adviser to the president, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, warns of the possibility of our having to deal with a "food price crisis" which may last until 2010. Gov. Salceda names several factors: that of wrong policies coupled with climate change, rapid population growth, and increasing incomes of developing countries. If increasing rates for staples such as rice continue and no drastic interventions are done, Gov. Salceda says inflation could average over six percent this year. Salceda suggested 14 policy moves that President Arroyo should implement to sustain the economy and prevent runaway food prices without jeopardizing the government’s fiscal health.
Another top story is Gerry “The Fearless” Peñalosa's defiance of all odds with his successful defense of his WBO bantamweight crown versus Thai fighter, Ratanachai Sor Vorapin. Peñalosa pounded Sor Vorapin so hard, referree Gino Rodriguez had to stop the fight at the 2:31 mark. Next up, is a match with Peñalosa's tormentor, Daniel Ponce de Leon.
855 Filinvest. We build the Filipino dream.
The commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan for Wednesday this week has been moved up to today, hence the declaration of April 7 as a non-working holiday. Employees who are working today will receive 200 percent of their daily wage, and for work in excess of eight hours, plus 30 percent of the hourly rate for the said day. The labor department's acting secretary Marianito Roque says that moving the observance of the Araw ng Kagitingan to April 7 will allow the public, especially the workers, to spend more time with their families while remembering the period in the country’s history when 75,000 Filipino and American soldiers displayed valor and heroism in Bataan on April 9, 1942.
955 First, the bad news: Edvard Munch's most famous painting, The Scream, is damaged beyond repair. Conservators and the museum itself would rather live with the damage and the inevitable questions on why it hasn't been fixed rather than try to fix the damage when they're not sure how to do it in a safe way. It's been four years since The Scream was stolen in an armed raid on an Oslo museum, and two years after Norwegian police found it, scratched and water-damaged.
Unlikely as it might seem, however, there is some good news for Munch fans: art experts believe the damage may have added to the value of a painting that was already estimated to be worth up to £50 million.
As final preparations are made to put the 1893 masterpiece back on show next month, The Scream's keepers are nervously awaiting the public's verdict. Despite the skill and dedication of a restoration team who have worked tirelessly to repair most of the damage, the bottom-left corner of the painting has been washed out and left scarred by a dirty brown water mark.
Under normal circumstances, the team would have used suction techniques to wash away the mark, drawing the moisture out through the back of the canvas. But Munch painted The Scream on cardboard and glued it to a board: the only possible approach is from the front, and the risk of creating more damage is considered too great.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/06/wscream106.xml
More stories about home, brace yourself for the heat says PAG-ASA about this fine summer weather we're having. Temperatures are expected to peak in April and May. It's a good idea to wear sunscreen all the time and bring a water bottle along to prevent heat strokes and dehydration. This still doesn't mean that the dengue onslaught will stop. Officials say, dengue along with diarrhea, colds, and sore eyes will be prevalent during this hot period.
1055 ALL BATTERIES. More batteries, more power.
That hotel Young Builders is putting up along J. Solon street adjacent to the Cebu Business Park may have to stop construction-work pending a thorough explanation required by the CITOM Board and the restoration of J. Solon street. Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem says that Young Builders had earlier given assurance that they're to fix the portion of J. Solon that caved in last year, yet up to now, there've been no signs of repair. Jakosalem insists that the rehabilitation be prioritized since J. Solon is a public road. Just last week, trucks were no longer allowed to pass by the construction area to prevent more pressure on the already precarious J. Solon Street. Incidentally, Young Builders Construction wanted to ask the city for the partial closure of the road for the next four months while they finish backfilling work. They can only restore the damaged asphalt once the backfilling is done.
• A portion of J. Solon Street caved in August last year, prompting for its partial closure. Young Builders has blamed the incident on the “overflow of water” from the ongoing rehabilitation project on adjacent Escario Extension at that time. [The Freeman]
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS. We associate Texas largely with oil, but the state is starting to be known for the potential it's presented with algae as an energy source and as a way to deal with global warming. Algae is usually referred to as pond scum but they are also the fastest growing plants in the world and 50 percent of their weight is in oil. This algae oil can be used to make biodiesel for cars, trucks, and airplanes.
• And after more than a decade hiatus, the U.S. government is back in the algae game. The 2007 Energy Security and Independence Act includes language promoting the use of algae for biofuels. From the Pentagon to Minnesota to New Zealand, both governments and private companies are exploring the use of algae to produce fuel.
[http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/04/01/algae.oil/index.html]
1055
social networking Web site has redefined privacy online by allowing users to create profiles with photos, quotes, personal information and relationship statuses. Facebook users list themselves as single, in a relationship, married, engaged, in an open relationship or to say "It's complicated." In order to be listed online as a couple, both people have to agree to the designation. For many college students, a new relationship isn't real until it's on Facebook. It sometimes seems users' relationship statuses change just about every time you log on to the Web site. Thanks to the main page's "news feed," which keeps tabs on everyone a user has listed as a friend, users can see every change their friends have made to their account, including up-to-the-minute reports on whether couples are still together. Little red broken hearts appear next to a user's name if he or she recently went from "in a relationship" to "single."
"You got a Facebook and it's not on there, then it's not official,
Former Philippine president Joseph Estrada on Sunday refused to rule out running for re-election in 2010 but hinted he may be content with the role of kingmaker ahead of the vote. Pressed on what the chances are of his running again, he said: "50-50 percent." For now he said he was concentrating on his comeback film, a comedy, the proceeds of which he hopes to donate to charity, and his many trips and speaking engagements across the country to "thank the people." He said if he does seek re-election it would be to prove his critics wrong for ousting him as president.
Economic adviser to the president, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, warns of the possibility of our having to deal with a "food price crisis" which may last until 2010. Gov. Salceda names several factors: that of wrong policies coupled with climate change, rapid population growth, and increasing incomes of developing countries. If increasing rates for staples such as rice continue and no drastic interventions are done, Gov. Salceda says inflation could average over six percent this year. Salceda suggested 14 policy moves that President Arroyo should implement to sustain the economy and prevent runaway food prices without jeopardizing the government’s fiscal health.
Another top story is Gerry “The Fearless” Peñalosa's defiance of all odds with his successful defense of his WBO bantamweight crown versus Thai fighter, Ratanachai Sor Vorapin. Peñalosa pounded Sor Vorapin so hard, referree Gino Rodriguez had to stop the fight at the 2:31 mark. Next up, is a match with Peñalosa's tormentor, Daniel Ponce de Leon.
855 Filinvest. We build the Filipino dream.
The commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan for Wednesday this week has been moved up to today, hence the declaration of April 7 as a non-working holiday. Employees who are working today will receive 200 percent of their daily wage, and for work in excess of eight hours, plus 30 percent of the hourly rate for the said day. The labor department's acting secretary Marianito Roque says that moving the observance of the Araw ng Kagitingan to April 7 will allow the public, especially the workers, to spend more time with their families while remembering the period in the country’s history when 75,000 Filipino and American soldiers displayed valor and heroism in Bataan on April 9, 1942.
- "Department of Labor and Employment acting secretary Marianito Roque said Proclamation 1463 issued by President Gloria Arroyo provides holiday pay rules for the commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan on Wednesday, April 9, will be applied today.
- April 9 is a customary regular non-working holiday, but this year it will be celebrated two days ahead in line with R.A. No. 9492 which provides that holidays, except those which are religious in nature, are moved to the nearest Monday unless otherwise modified by law, order, or proclamation." [SSD]
955 First, the bad news: Edvard Munch's most famous painting, The Scream, is damaged beyond repair. Conservators and the museum itself would rather live with the damage and the inevitable questions on why it hasn't been fixed rather than try to fix the damage when they're not sure how to do it in a safe way. It's been four years since The Scream was stolen in an armed raid on an Oslo museum, and two years after Norwegian police found it, scratched and water-damaged.
Unlikely as it might seem, however, there is some good news for Munch fans: art experts believe the damage may have added to the value of a painting that was already estimated to be worth up to £50 million.
As final preparations are made to put the 1893 masterpiece back on show next month, The Scream's keepers are nervously awaiting the public's verdict. Despite the skill and dedication of a restoration team who have worked tirelessly to repair most of the damage, the bottom-left corner of the painting has been washed out and left scarred by a dirty brown water mark.
Under normal circumstances, the team would have used suction techniques to wash away the mark, drawing the moisture out through the back of the canvas. But Munch painted The Scream on cardboard and glued it to a board: the only possible approach is from the front, and the risk of creating more damage is considered too great.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/06/wscream106.xml
More stories about home, brace yourself for the heat says PAG-ASA about this fine summer weather we're having. Temperatures are expected to peak in April and May. It's a good idea to wear sunscreen all the time and bring a water bottle along to prevent heat strokes and dehydration. This still doesn't mean that the dengue onslaught will stop. Officials say, dengue along with diarrhea, colds, and sore eyes will be prevalent during this hot period.
1055 ALL BATTERIES. More batteries, more power.
That hotel Young Builders is putting up along J. Solon street adjacent to the Cebu Business Park may have to stop construction-work pending a thorough explanation required by the CITOM Board and the restoration of J. Solon street. Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem says that Young Builders had earlier given assurance that they're to fix the portion of J. Solon that caved in last year, yet up to now, there've been no signs of repair. Jakosalem insists that the rehabilitation be prioritized since J. Solon is a public road. Just last week, trucks were no longer allowed to pass by the construction area to prevent more pressure on the already precarious J. Solon Street. Incidentally, Young Builders Construction wanted to ask the city for the partial closure of the road for the next four months while they finish backfilling work. They can only restore the damaged asphalt once the backfilling is done.
• A portion of J. Solon Street caved in August last year, prompting for its partial closure. Young Builders has blamed the incident on the “overflow of water” from the ongoing rehabilitation project on adjacent Escario Extension at that time. [The Freeman]
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS. We associate Texas largely with oil, but the state is starting to be known for the potential it's presented with algae as an energy source and as a way to deal with global warming. Algae is usually referred to as pond scum but they are also the fastest growing plants in the world and 50 percent of their weight is in oil. This algae oil can be used to make biodiesel for cars, trucks, and airplanes.
• And after more than a decade hiatus, the U.S. government is back in the algae game. The 2007 Energy Security and Independence Act includes language promoting the use of algae for biofuels. From the Pentagon to Minnesota to New Zealand, both governments and private companies are exploring the use of algae to produce fuel.
[http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/04/01/algae.oil/index.html]
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social networking Web site has redefined privacy online by allowing users to create profiles with photos, quotes, personal information and relationship statuses. Facebook users list themselves as single, in a relationship, married, engaged, in an open relationship or to say "It's complicated." In order to be listed online as a couple, both people have to agree to the designation. For many college students, a new relationship isn't real until it's on Facebook. It sometimes seems users' relationship statuses change just about every time you log on to the Web site. Thanks to the main page's "news feed," which keeps tabs on everyone a user has listed as a friend, users can see every change their friends have made to their account, including up-to-the-minute reports on whether couples are still together. Little red broken hearts appear next to a user's name if he or she recently went from "in a relationship" to "single."
"You got a Facebook and it's not on there, then it's not official,
Former Philippine president Joseph Estrada on Sunday refused to rule out running for re-election in 2010 but hinted he may be content with the role of kingmaker ahead of the vote. Pressed on what the chances are of his running again, he said: "50-50 percent." For now he said he was concentrating on his comeback film, a comedy, the proceeds of which he hopes to donate to charity, and his many trips and speaking engagements across the country to "thank the people." He said if he does seek re-election it would be to prove his critics wrong for ousting him as president.
20080404_Live @ 55
955 FILINVEST.
HEALTH. Here's news for men who think they need to go longer at it to please their women lovers: Findings to be published in the May issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine say that a survey of sex therapists concluded the optimal amount of time for sexual intercourse was 3 to 13 minutes. This completely negates the popular notion that endurance is the key to a great sex life. The 3-minutes doesn't count foreplay, of course because the therapists also rated intercourse lasting from a minute or two as too short. Prior research revealed that men and women want foreplay and sexual intercourse to last longer. Editor of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, Dr. Irwin Goldstein, cited a four-week study of 1,500 couples in 2005 that found the median time for sexual intercourse was 7.3 minutes. (Women in the study were armed with stopwatches.)
Here at home. in a case of illegal warehousing activity, a warehouse in Mandaue City was raided Wednesday and was found to store an estimated 30,000 sacks of rice from Vietnam.
Businessman Regan King, who confirmed owning the shipment in a separate interview, said the rice importation and its storage at the warehouse were above-board.
He lambasted the government agencies involved in the raid, saying they are only delaying the release of the rice and compounding the supply shortage that is driving prices up. [SSD]
King's warehouse was not among those authorized by NFA for rice storage and warehousing.
Meanwhile, NFA retailers are being monitored to make sure they sell government-subsidized rice to indigent families, amid worries that hoarding will create an artificial shortage that pushes prices upward.
The NFA revealed yesterday that at least 24 rice retailers under the Tindahan ni Gloria and Bigasan ng Bayan program have been suspended pending investigation.
The violations include alleged overpricing and the sudden disappearance of supplies. [SSD]
HEALTH. Here's news for men who think they need to go longer at it to please their women lovers: Findings to be published in the May issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine say that a survey of sex therapists concluded the optimal amount of time for sexual intercourse was 3 to 13 minutes. This completely negates the popular notion that endurance is the key to a great sex life. The 3-minutes doesn't count foreplay, of course because the therapists also rated intercourse lasting from a minute or two as too short. Prior research revealed that men and women want foreplay and sexual intercourse to last longer. Editor of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, Dr. Irwin Goldstein, cited a four-week study of 1,500 couples in 2005 that found the median time for sexual intercourse was 7.3 minutes. (Women in the study were armed with stopwatches.)
Here at home. in a case of illegal warehousing activity, a warehouse in Mandaue City was raided Wednesday and was found to store an estimated 30,000 sacks of rice from Vietnam.
Businessman Regan King, who confirmed owning the shipment in a separate interview, said the rice importation and its storage at the warehouse were above-board.
He lambasted the government agencies involved in the raid, saying they are only delaying the release of the rice and compounding the supply shortage that is driving prices up. [SSD]
King's warehouse was not among those authorized by NFA for rice storage and warehousing.
Meanwhile, NFA retailers are being monitored to make sure they sell government-subsidized rice to indigent families, amid worries that hoarding will create an artificial shortage that pushes prices upward.
The NFA revealed yesterday that at least 24 rice retailers under the Tindahan ni Gloria and Bigasan ng Bayan program have been suspended pending investigation.
The violations include alleged overpricing and the sudden disappearance of supplies. [SSD]
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
20080402_Live @ 55
955
- Philippines: one of the world's biggest rice importers (ironic)
- Our economic managers are considering cutting duties on rice imports or shouldering part of the import costs of the private sector to attract more buyers. Import tariffs are at 50 percent as we speak and cutting that down means lost revenues for the Bureau of Customs. Farmers are naturally opposed to the tariff cuts because this means they'll have to sell their supplies at lower rates. Two options are being pondered on: cut the rice import tariff, or to increase a subsidy given to the National Food Authority (NFA) to allow the state agency to shoulder some of the import costs of private importers. We are on the verge of importing the most volume of rice in the decade---2.2 million tons, which became a problem when exporting nations clamped down on sales to combat food inflation at home. We'll see how this goes down in the next few days. The Philippines imports around 10 percent of its annual needs and has bought around 1.2 million tons this year.
Mayor Tommy Osmeña walks the precarious edge by asking the Cebu City Council to donate ONE fire extinguisher to the fire station of Oslob, which the Mayor refers to as a good deed.
BRIDGE MANAGMENT. Something good has, at least, come out of the collision incident at the Marcelo Fernan Bridge. It's brought attention to the proper maintenance of both bridges connecting mainland Cebu to Mactan Island. At a meeting Tuesday, the Mactan Cebu Bridge Management Board is thinking of outsourcing security operations for both bridges and will invite security systems providers at their next meeting. The bridge management board also raised the issue of appointing an administrator who will oversee the two bridges as well as the purchase of vehicles and a communication system. With available funds amounting to P4.5 million, these projects are doable. We'll hear some more about it after they next meet.
WORLD NEWS. France's government has been accused of pandering to the US, clashing with the opposition Socialists along the way, but still sending out a few hundred extra troops to Afghanistan. The number of troops is lower than the size of the reinforcement earlier promised to NATO, a decision which may be in part due to the French populace's opposition to the plan. There is also the opposition Socialists' stand that US interests are being put before those of France's. Nevertheless, France's constitution gives the president the power to send troops to combat zones without the approval of parliament.
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KID BAN. Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. is pushing for the passage of a bill that will prohibit children seven years old and below from riding with their parents or adults on motorcycles on a national highway.
Revilla said children were seriously hurt in several recent accidents on the road while riding on motorcycles with their parents or adults. Revilla says this bill is separate from Senate Bill 1863 filed last year, mandating the wearing of standard quality helmets by all motorcycle drivers and back riders. This new bill cited global NGO Safe Kids Philippines' study stating that at least 20 million children are at risk of dying or being injured in road accidents every year: 35,000 Filipino children die or are hurt in road accidents each year, or about 263 a day.
Under Senate Bill 1863, all motorcycle riders – the driver and the back rider – must wear standard quality helmets while on motorcycles, whether on long or short distance drives, at any time of the day, and in any type of road and highway. Exempted are drivers of tricycles.
In calling for the ban on children as back riders, Revilla said that it is the duty of the government to protect the welfare of children.
BAR EXAMS. In an expression of alarm over this year's low passing rates of the Bar examinations, Speaker Prospero Nograles urged the Supreme Court yesterday to padlock substandard law schools whose graduates fail in licensure examinations. As we know, the Supreme Court has “oversight powers” over all law schools in the country. This move is intended to improve the quality of not just lawyers, but also those of nurses and of education in general. Chief Justice Reynato Puno earlier called for a review of the performance of schools and their law curriculum. Earlier, other House members expressed concern over the low passing rate in the December nursing licensure tests of many schools in Metro Manila and the provinces.
They noted that these schools recorded a below 50 percent success rate.
They said the Professional Regulation Commission is supposed to recommend to the Commission on Higher Education the closure of substandard nursing schools but has apparently failed to do so.
They noted that many schools registered low passing rates for both first-time takers and for repeaters in the December tests.
- Philippines: one of the world's biggest rice importers (ironic)
- Our economic managers are considering cutting duties on rice imports or shouldering part of the import costs of the private sector to attract more buyers. Import tariffs are at 50 percent as we speak and cutting that down means lost revenues for the Bureau of Customs. Farmers are naturally opposed to the tariff cuts because this means they'll have to sell their supplies at lower rates. Two options are being pondered on: cut the rice import tariff, or to increase a subsidy given to the National Food Authority (NFA) to allow the state agency to shoulder some of the import costs of private importers. We are on the verge of importing the most volume of rice in the decade---2.2 million tons, which became a problem when exporting nations clamped down on sales to combat food inflation at home. We'll see how this goes down in the next few days. The Philippines imports around 10 percent of its annual needs and has bought around 1.2 million tons this year.
Mayor Tommy Osmeña walks the precarious edge by asking the Cebu City Council to donate ONE fire extinguisher to the fire station of Oslob, which the Mayor refers to as a good deed.
- In his news conference yesterday, the mayor said he hopes the City’s donation will encourage the Cebu Provincial Government to address the problem on the lack of facilities in the fire stations in the municipalities. When asked why the City would be donating only one fire extinguisher, Osmeña said: “Why? It’s the thought that counts, diba?” (SSD)
BRIDGE MANAGMENT. Something good has, at least, come out of the collision incident at the Marcelo Fernan Bridge. It's brought attention to the proper maintenance of both bridges connecting mainland Cebu to Mactan Island. At a meeting Tuesday, the Mactan Cebu Bridge Management Board is thinking of outsourcing security operations for both bridges and will invite security systems providers at their next meeting. The bridge management board also raised the issue of appointing an administrator who will oversee the two bridges as well as the purchase of vehicles and a communication system. With available funds amounting to P4.5 million, these projects are doable. We'll hear some more about it after they next meet.
WORLD NEWS. France's government has been accused of pandering to the US, clashing with the opposition Socialists along the way, but still sending out a few hundred extra troops to Afghanistan. The number of troops is lower than the size of the reinforcement earlier promised to NATO, a decision which may be in part due to the French populace's opposition to the plan. There is also the opposition Socialists' stand that US interests are being put before those of France's. Nevertheless, France's constitution gives the president the power to send troops to combat zones without the approval of parliament.
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KID BAN. Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. is pushing for the passage of a bill that will prohibit children seven years old and below from riding with their parents or adults on motorcycles on a national highway.
Revilla said children were seriously hurt in several recent accidents on the road while riding on motorcycles with their parents or adults. Revilla says this bill is separate from Senate Bill 1863 filed last year, mandating the wearing of standard quality helmets by all motorcycle drivers and back riders. This new bill cited global NGO Safe Kids Philippines' study stating that at least 20 million children are at risk of dying or being injured in road accidents every year: 35,000 Filipino children die or are hurt in road accidents each year, or about 263 a day.
Under Senate Bill 1863, all motorcycle riders – the driver and the back rider – must wear standard quality helmets while on motorcycles, whether on long or short distance drives, at any time of the day, and in any type of road and highway. Exempted are drivers of tricycles.
In calling for the ban on children as back riders, Revilla said that it is the duty of the government to protect the welfare of children.
BAR EXAMS. In an expression of alarm over this year's low passing rates of the Bar examinations, Speaker Prospero Nograles urged the Supreme Court yesterday to padlock substandard law schools whose graduates fail in licensure examinations. As we know, the Supreme Court has “oversight powers” over all law schools in the country. This move is intended to improve the quality of not just lawyers, but also those of nurses and of education in general. Chief Justice Reynato Puno earlier called for a review of the performance of schools and their law curriculum. Earlier, other House members expressed concern over the low passing rate in the December nursing licensure tests of many schools in Metro Manila and the provinces.
They noted that these schools recorded a below 50 percent success rate.
They said the Professional Regulation Commission is supposed to recommend to the Commission on Higher Education the closure of substandard nursing schools but has apparently failed to do so.
They noted that many schools registered low passing rates for both first-time takers and for repeaters in the December tests.
