Y101 Diaries

255 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
After a long time, Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid on Monday showed up for a hearing on a bill that seeks to give tax credits to private lawyers who provide services to the poor.
After the hearing, Lapid said he was inspired to file Senate Bill 2301 by the story of a man who spent five years in jail for throwing a stone at a streetlamp because he had no lawyer to defend him. The bill proposes tax credits of between P10,000 and P30,000 for all legal services, and P50,000 for services involving litigation.

A strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake rocked the northern Philippines and southern parts of Taiwan early Sunday, shaking houses and prompting authorities to order some people to leave their homes. Most of the activity was under water, under the seabed of the Batanes Islands. There were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage and no tsunami warning was issued. The quake was also felt in southern counties of Taiwan, where the Central Weather Bureau measured it at 6.8 on the Richter scale and at a depth of 46 kilometres.

355 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
Over the weekend, Speaker Prospero Nograles announced that we the taxpayers may now keep an eye on them congressmen through Global News Network (GNN) or online. GNN (Channel 3) will feature live broadcasts of the House plenary sessions as well as committee hearings when Congress is in session. These will be replayed during non-session days. They call it Congress TV which will be simultaneously on a webcast. Hopefully you're hooked on Destiny Cable. The test broadcast started last Friday. Regular programming is expected to start this week.

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The fashion world grieves as we speak as the industry suffers the loss of the man who put women in pantsuits. International fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent died Sunday night at his home in Paris. Saint-Laurent has been increasingly dogged with ill health and retired in 2002 wile some critics said his work was becoming repetitious. In 1999, he sold the rights to the YSL brand to Gucci for $70 million, retaining control of Sanofi Beaute. Saint Laurent was the last of an era of fashion designers that included Coco Chanel and Christian Dior, for whom Saint Laurent worked until Dior's death in 1957.

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HEADLINES. Australia, one of the first countries to commit troops to the war in Iraq five years ago, has ended its combat operations there. Australian troops are due to begin returning home in a few days in line with a promise by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who swept to power in November. He said the Iraq deployment was making Australia more of a terrorist target. The Australians had deployed more than 500 troops in Iraq, helping to train some 33,000 Iraqi soldiers. About 300 Australians will remain inside Iraq on logistical and air surveillance duties. No Australian soldiers were killed in combat in Iraq though several were wounded.

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A Canadian privacy group has filed a complaint against the social networking site Facebook accusing it of violating privacy laws. The Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic has listed 22 separate breaches of privacy law in its country. Officials say Facebook needs to be held publicly accountable. Facebook rejects the charge, claiming some of the highest standards around. The complaint, filed with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, states that Facebook collects sensitive information about its users and shares it without their permission. It goes on to say that the company does not alert users about how that information is being used and does not adequately destroy user data after accounts are closed.

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Barack Obama is poised to claim the Democratic presidential nomination this week, but Hillary Clinton shows no signs of conceding. How their endgame plays out -- in continued rivalry, as running mates or something in between -- will go a long way toward determining Democrats' fortunes this fall. With more Democratic Party leaders -- the so-called superdelegates -- set to endorse Sen. Obama in coming days, and the dispute over Michigan and Florida convention delegates settled over the weekend to Sen. Obama's and the states' satisfaction, Sen. Clinton's last hopes of an upset appear to be dashed. Sen. Clinton reportedly isn't too ecstatic about her victory n Puerto Rico's Democratic primary where she scored a 68% to 32%, winning about 20 more of its 55 delegates than did Sen. Obama. The weekend's gains still leave her too far behind in the overall delegate tally to overtake him. Even so, Sen. Clinton vows to fight on, though the Puerto Rico landslide almost certainly will be the last in a recent string of wins that came too late and brought her too few delegates. Mr. Obama is heavily favored in Tuesday's final two primaries.

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Government task forces\, Task Force on Energy Contingency led by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, met with transport groups today in hopes of paralyzing transport holiday and to ddress their concerns about soaring oil prices in the country. TRansport groups have been awarded provisional fare hikes last week while President Arroyo continues to reject calls to scrap the 12-percent eVat. The government has instead offered a P2-billion subsidy in the diesel products for public utility vehicles and promised to intensify the campaign against "kotong" cops and colorum vehicles. The Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) also announced a P1billion allocation for the conversion of diesel-fed engines to LPGfed vehicles. Other support mechanisms being eyed are rice subsidies for the public transport sector and tax exemption on spare parts. We'll keep you in the loop for how this meeting turns out.

155 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
The government’s economic managers yesterday passed on to a smaller group the task of studying and recommending measures to reduce the cost of electricity in the country. Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the creation of the technical working group was reached following the economic officials’ separate meetings with officials of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). Bunye said the closed-door meeting between economic managers and Meralco executives led by President Jesus Francisco "went well" but could not provide more details. Bunye assured that the government’s efforts to reduce energy costs would be independent of the corporate matters of the Lopezowned power distributor. He added that the government will keep its distance from the legal tussle over the ownership of Meralco between the Lopez family and the GSIS. Bunye urged the public to let due process take its course following the filing of estafa charges against Meralco by consumer groups.

WORLD. Envoys from 26 Latin American and Caribbean countries meet on Friday to discuss the rising cost of food and draw up a united policy for the region. The talks in Caracas, Venezuela, mark the beginning of a week of meetings on the issue, leading up to a three-day UN food crisis summit in Rome on Tuesday. According to the World Bank, global food prices have risen by 83% over the past three years. The lender has announced a package of food grants totalling $1.2bn (£608m). An influential report on Thursday warned that higher food prices might be here to stay as demand from developing countries and production costs rose. Watchgroups say prices would fall, but only gradually.

255 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.
The Philippines and Thailand will strongly push for the adoption of a common visa that would make all ten countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) become a single tourism destination. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo bared this in her toast during the fficial dinner Thursday night in Malacanang in honor of the visiting Thai Prime Mister who is on a two-day official visit to the Philippines. Thailand is the acknowledged leader in tourism in our region and Arroyo gladly accepted Thailand's intention to share the market with the rest of ASEAN. Philippines and Thailand would jointly push for the adoption of a common visa for member countries when the kingdom assumes the ASEAN chairmanship in July. We can look forward to more package tours while the common visa will allow entry into all the ten countries of the ASEAN. Thailand benefits from the deal with the Philippines supporting its bid for leadership of the ASEAN. Turning ASEAN into a single tourism destination is in keeping with the full integration of ASEAN into a "One Caring and Sharing Community" by 2015, which the Philippines strongly pushed during its chairmanship in the Cebu Summit.

BENEFITS OF THE WAGE BILL. Congress's bill to exempt minimum wage earners from income taxes will allow us to have more savings. The wage bill was authored by Se. Mar Roxas and he explains that for an employee earning P7900 in Manila, te wage bill saves about P34 a day. What's more, all holiday, night differential, hazard, and overtime pay were also exempted from income taxes. The bill also increases personal exemptions.

355 Anchor Family Milk
International Space Station astronauts are eagerly awaiting the arrival of shuttle Discovery - it is bringing a new pump to mend their broken toilet. The station's urine collection unit, as opposed to its solid waste unit, has been malfunctioning for several days. Nasa said it thought a separator pump was at fault, and the three male crew members were operating it manually. To make room for the new part, Nasa has had to remove other equipment from the shuttle, which launches on Saturday.
The Discovery mission is the second of three to take up key components of the Japanese-built Kibo laboratory.

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Forex rates are worth watching these days due to the finicky status of oil prices. The peso exchange rate closed lower at P43.925 to the US dollar yesterday at the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. (PDEx) from P43.72 the previous day. The weighted average rate depreciated to P43.882 from P43.643. Total volume amounted to $ 617 million.

Still in money matters, Finance Secretary Margarito B. Teves reports a P4-billion windfall from the 12 percent value added tax (VAT) on oil as of April, on account of the higher cost of imported crude in the global market. The P4 billion has already been programmed as additional spending which will counter the developments taking place (such as slower global growth and higher prices of oil and rice). Sec. Teves continues to buck proposals to remove the VAT on oil. He said earlier that the power to suspend the VAT on oil rests on Congress.

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Petron, the Philippines’ leading oil company, was awarded a Gold Trusted Brand by Reader’s Digest in ceremonies held recently. This marks the eighth consecutive year that Petron has been granted the gold award in the "petrol station" category of this prestigious Asiawide consumer survey. Petron advertising and promotions director Charmaine Canillas, on receiving the award, noted, "We are very happy to receive our eighth Reader’s Digest Gold Trusted Brand Award in eight years."

TECH - The International Telecommunications Union said in a report that the number of mobile phone users world soared to over 3.3 billion by the end of 2007. There's a positive trend suggesting that developing countries are catching up. Africa showed the strongest gains over the past two years and more than two thirds of all mobile subscribers were from developing countries by the end of 2007. Mobile subscription growth stood at 39 percent annually in Africa between 2005-2007, and 28 percent in Asia over the same period. India and China added 154 million and 143 million new subscribers respectively.

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The Lakers, who have not been to the NBA finals since Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal feuded their way through the spring of 2004, are heading back to the championship round. Bryant scored 39 points Thursday, 17 in the fourth quarter, as the Lakers finished off the San Antonio Spurs with a 100-92 victory at Staples Center, where the mood was rhapsodic. In the final minutes, two chants filled the air: "MVP" for Bryant, who claimed that award this season, and "We want Boston!" – a booming request to renew a long-dormant rivalry. The Celtics have a 3-2 lead over the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals, with Game 6 in Auburn Hills on Friday. The finals begin June 5 in the East.

Senate President Manuel Villar and Minority Leader Aquilino "Nene" Q. Pimentel Jr. (PDP-Laban) have introduced a bill that seeks to correct the flaws in the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003 (Republic Act 9189), especially in the areas of registration, voting and disqualification of voters from among Filipinos abroad who want to exercise their right of suffrage. Senate Bill 2333, authored by Villar and Pimentel, provides that qualified overseas Filipinos, including seafarers, will have the option to vote either personally or by mail or by any other means as may be allowed by law. They can vote for president, vice president, senators and party-list representatives, as well as in all national referenda and plebiscites. The bill prescribes the procedures and requirements by which absentee voting right can be exercised by Filipinos who are citizens of other countries but who have reacquired Filipino citizenship by availing themselves of the Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act (RA 9226).

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255 All batteries. More batteries, more power.
At PLDT's launching of their Asia America Gateway (AAG) fiber cable network, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo vowed on Tuesday to continue providing businesses with a “friendly environment.” Arroyo says she is confident that the voting public will acknowledge the sustainability of her administrations reforms in the long term. The AAG project is a $550-million, 20-kilometer long fiber optic cable network that will connect Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Guam, Hawaii, and the US West Coast. The AAG will provide added protection from disruptions like the 2006 earthquake that caused massive interruptions of telecommunication services to corporate and retail customers across the region. Of the total cost, PLDT will spend $50 million. Arroyo said investments in communications such as the AAG network help boost the economy and helps avert too much government spending. How is it good for the rest of us? PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan said the project will not only serve large corporations but medium entrepreneurs who need Internet access.

STILL IN BUSINESS AFFAIRS, The dollar was slightly weaker in subdued Asian trade Tuesday as traders fretted about high oil prices and the state of the US housing market. The dollar slipped to 103.35 yen in Tokyo morning trade from 103.43 in European trade on Monday. The euro firmed to 1.5790 dollars from 1.5750 and to 163.20 yen from 162.89. Investors kept a close watch on oil prices which last week hit a record high above $135.00 a barrel on concerns about tight supplies and strong demand. Recent market optimism about the possibility of a recovery in the US economy has given way to renewed concerns about the outlook with the US dollar being pressured in recent days by worries that high oil and commodity prices could weigh on consumer spending in the US economy and hit corporate profits, hindering an economic recovery. Activity was muted as players waited for fresh leads after a long holiday weekend in the United States and Britain on Monday. Meanwhile, figures on euro zone consumer prices, German retail sales and Japanese inflation are set to be released Friday.

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Saying that patent applications provide a good indicator of the country's technological innovation, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of the Philippines urged local universities and research and development institutions to patent good ideas, and not be content in merely publishing them in academic papers. Records of the IPO showed that about 97 percent of the patents applied for and granted by their office belonged to foreign applications, while the rest belonged to Filipinos. Cristobal said the lack of knowledge and understanding of the IP system has been seen as one of the factors hindering patenting in the country. He stressed that the prevailing culture of "publish or perish" remained in local universities and RDIs, encouraging most scientists and researchers to publish their work in scientific and technical journals to maintain tenure rather than develop their work and obtain IP protection through patents. Cristobal also pointed out the absence of a sound IP policy in the community as another factor hampering patenting in the local universities.

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Canada's foreign minister has resigned after he admitted leaving classified documents in an unsafe place. Maxime Bernier's resignation has been accepted by Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He said Canada's International Trade Minister, David Emerson, would serve as interim foreign affairs minister. Mr Bernier had been criticised in recent weeks amid allegations that a former girlfriend had relationships with men connected to organized crime. The girlfriend later disclosed during a TV interview that Bernier had come over to her place and forgotten a document there, which she later returned to the governmtne via a lawyer. It has not been revealed what the document contained, nor whether any other party saw it. What's more, she was officially designated as Bernier's spouse so she could join him on official trips overseas. But her earlier connection with motorcycle gangs did not become public knowledge until later, and the couple reportedly broke up some months ago. [BBC]

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Following the latest P1 fuel price increase, several transport groups in Cebu will now seek a P2.50 fare increase for jeepneys instead of their original P1.50 demand.Following the latest P1 fuel price increase, several transport groups in Cebu will now seek a P2.50 fare increase for jeepneys instead of their original P1.50 demand.Following the latest P1 fuel price increase, several transport groups in Cebu will now seek a P2.50 fare increase for jeepneys instead of their original P1.50 demand. If it's granted by LTFRB, us commuters will be paying P8.50 for a ride. The P2.50 increase was a joint decision for the transport groups who met about this last Saturday. The increase was the 11th this year, bringing the prices of premium unleaded gasoline to between P49.17 and P53.65, diesel to between P41.41 and P46.50 and kerosene to between P46.80 and P52.30 a liter.

TECH. Web users are reportedly getting selfish and ruthless, says a research study done by usability guru Jakob Nielsen. The findings were part of Nielsen's annual report onm web habits which says that web users these days simply to reach a site quickly, complete a task and leave, instead of the dawdling we usually expect. Most ignore efforts to make them linger and are suspicious of promotions designed to hold their attention. Nielsen says this may be because web designs have become better but also users have become accustomed to that interactive environment, making them very resistant to highlighted promotions or other editorial choices that try to distract them. Web users were also getting very frustrated with all the extras, such as widgets and applications, being added to sites to make them more friendly. Such extras are only serving to make pages take longer to load. There has also been a big change in the way that people get to the places where they can complete pressing tasks.

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The government will confer the Order of Sikatuna Award on Indonesian Foreign Minister Dr. N. Hassan Wirajud for his contributions to the Philippine’s peace process, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said on Monday.

Wirajud arrived Monday for a two-day visit and will receive the award on Wednesday, May 28, Romulo said.

Wirajud, the current chairman of the Ministerial Committee of the Eight of the Organization of the Islamic Conference on Muslims in Southern Philippines or the QIC Peace Committee for the Southern Philippines (PCSP), has been active as a facilitator in the peace talks between the government and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

“Minister Wirajud, through his meaningful contributions to our peace process, has endeared himself to the Philippines and the Filipino people. It is but fitting that we give him due recognition for his efforts, which helped advance our peace process, through President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's conferment on him of the Order of Sikatuna,” Romulo said.



A 6.7-magnitude earthquake shook the eastern Indonesian province of Maluku on Saturday (May 24), the meteorology office here said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

A 3.9-magnitude earthquake struck Davao del Norte Sunday night (May 25), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) in southern Mindanao said on Monday.

No damage to property was reported caused by the 11:36 p.m. tremor, located 7.44 North and 126.22 East, said Eleazar Jorgio, Phivolcs Davao senior research assistant.

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HOLLYWOOD SCENE. Studio estimates say "Indiana Jones" unearthed box office gold at domestic theaters with a performance that puts it on track to become the second biggest Memorial Day movie opening ever. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," grossed an estimated $101 million from Friday to Sunday, plus $25 million from its opening Thursday. Paramount Pictures is expecting to rake in another 25 million Monday.

CHINA QUAKE. Chinese military engineers Monday prepared to dynamite a potentially dangerous "quake lake" created when landslides dammed a river after this month's earthquake in which more than 65,000 people were killed. Authorities are concerned the swelling lake will burst as water from the Jianhe river in Beichuan county in China's southwestern Sichuan province rises behind the earthquake-created dam. More than 30 of the so-called quake lakes were created by the 7.9-magnitude quake that devastated the region on May 12. Authorities want to control the flow of water -- rather than have the dam give way all at once -- by creating a spillway.

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MYANMAR UPDATE. UN Sec. Ban Ki-moon announces how Burma's leaders have just agreed to allow foreign aid workers into the country, in what's now known as a breakthrough decision by Burna's Gen. Than. It is not clear exactly whether he has agreed to give visas to foreign aid workers or let them into the delta to deliver aid. Gen. Than had until recently failed to respond to the secretary general's letters and phone calls. It wasn't until Sec. Ban himself flew to Myanmar that some headway took place. To date, about 78,000 people died and 56,000 are missing after the 2 May cyclone.

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MORE NEWS FROM ACROSS THE CONTINENT . . . Windsor town in Colorado was it by a massive tornado Thursday, killing one person and damaging many homes and businesses. The funnel cloud, accompanied by golf-ball sized hail, blackened the skies over Windsor as it knocked down power lines, shredded crops in fields outside the city and blasted whole neighborhoods. The southeast side of town was hit the worst by the storm, which began around noon. The storm, moving northwest, dissipated quickly after the tornado struck. But watches and warnings remained posted for northeastern Colorado.

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QUICK LOOK AT BUSINESS NEWS: Most Asian currencies fell moderately on Friday, surrendering part of their gains from the previous session as investors fretted about the strength of inflation and prospects for slower economic growth. The Philippine peso was an exception to the trend and rose by a fifth of a percent to recoup some of its heavy losses from Thursday, when it fell to its lowest level since since November 2007. Crude oil prices retreated below $131 per barrel on Friday from a record above $135 per barrel on Thursday on profit-taking, but analysts say inflation is a major threat to Asia.

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ON TO CONCERNS CLOSER TO HOME: Amidst concern that Filipino hcildren are not sufficiently educated for the future, Sen. Mar Roxas says the education sector should look into filling in the learning gaps between elementary and high school. Sen. Roxas is advocating the use of our mother tongue as a medium of teaching while citing how teachers in Kalinga teach in the Kalinga language to the lower grades for their English and Filipino subjects. Those students' test scores reportedly showed better results than those in other districts where the medium of instruction used was English. They are also more participative in class, and their attendance and receptiveness have improved. He added that students are not given enough time learning the basic foundations: only 10 years compared to the 12 years of basic education that those in other countries receive. This, says Roxas, is why the first two years in college are spent on “trying to fill the gaps in the early years.”

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Thursday, May 1, 2008

1055 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.

the Committee to Protect Journalists docketed the Philippines at the 13th spot for countries with the poorest records of running after and prosecuting murderers of journalists. This is the list they call Impunity Index. Most countries on the Impunity Index are democratic, are not at war, and have functioning law enforcement institutions, yet journalists are regularly targeted for murder and no one is held accountable. The Impunity Index comes ahead of World Press Freedom Day on Saturday, May 3. As of presstime, the Philippines has had 24 unsolved cases of journalists' murders. The Philippines was ranked just below Sri Lanka, which was desribed as a country where "journalists are more like to be assassinated than to die in crossfire, with many of the victims ethnic Tamils."

There will be no wage increase announcement for the private sector today, but President Arroyo is expected to sign an executive order that would grant a 10 percent pay increase to government workers. When she was in Cebu earlier this week, President Arroyo informed the public of her intention to announce a package for workers today. The draft of the EO was similar to the one issued by the President in March last year which granted a 10 percent increase in the basic salary of civilian employees in the national government, and a P1,200 hike in the monthly subsistence and other allowances of policemen, soldiers and other uniformed personnel.

1155

EXPOSURE THEORY ON ASTHMA. New York-based Columbia Univesity found that children who live in tree-lined streets dhave lower rates of asthma---specifically, asthma rates fell by 25% for every extra 343 trees per square kilometre. In New York City, asthma is the leading cause of admission to hospital among children under 15.Researchers believe more trees may aid air quality and inspire children to outside play, possibly reducing the risk of asthma by maximising the odds that children will be exposed to microbes. New York City is planning to plant 1 million extra trees by 2017.

Now that j. Solon street's been dealt with, Councilor Sylvan Jack Jakosalem expressed concern over new cracks seen on some portions of Escario street and Archbishop Reyes Avenue. What's worse, the Office of the Building Official says that if that sidewalk in Escario isn't fixed, it just might cave in. If you recall, a portion of J. Solon Street caved in August last year, which prompted the road to be partially closed. The incident was blamed on the ongoing hotel construction along Archbishop Reyes Avenue. In April 15, the contractor's buidling permit was suspended by the mayor until Young Builders properly restores J. Solon street. Restoration was completed in April 19. The City Engineer's Office wants the contractors to submit approved test results on the road.

Monday, May 5, 2008

All Batteries. More batteries, more power.

There's been an increase in pump prices over the weekend so in reaction, Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes is meeting officials of oil companies to demand explanations. In the meantime, auditing firm Sycip, Gorres and Velayo will determine whether the price increases were reasonable. Petron's spokesperson rationalized the increase as an adjustment to reflect world prices amid the peso no longer appreciating against the dollar. On Monday, US crude futures steadied $116.15 per barrel in early trading after jumping more than 3 percent last week on the back of better than expected US jobs data.

TECH. rivers have long known that slowing down on the highway means getting more miles to the gallon. Now airlines are trying it, too -- adding a few minutes to flights to save millions on fuel. Southwest Airlines, for example, expects to save $42 million in fuel this year by extending each flight by one to three minutes. Northwest is flying slower too, adding eight minutes to the flight in order to save 162 gallons of fuel. Fliers, already beleaguered by higher fares, more delays and long security lines, may not even notice the extra minutes. The extra flight time is added to published flight schedules or absorbed into the extra time already built into schedules for taxiing and traffic delays. Across the board, airlines are feeling the pain of higher energy prices. It's a tough time for the airline industry. Several smaller airlines have filed for bankruptcy protection in recent weeks, many citing high fuel costs. Fuel costs have also resulted in sharp first-quarter losses by some airlines.

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Gov. Gwen Garcia will be in a series of meetings with six congressmen to discuss the planned redistricting of Cebu. The group planned to create additional districts in the province but Pablo John Garcia of Cebu’s 3rd district said nothing definite was discussed during the two-hour meeting. According to the Census, Cebu province is populated by 2.44 million, meaning we can afford to create 4 to 5 more districts. If additional districts were to be created before the 2010 elections, Garcia said this would provide an opportunity for the election of more Cebuano congressmen to represent the newly created districts.

The Philippine Constitution requires one representation in Congress for every 250,000 in population.

In observance of the 42nd World Communication Day Sunday, Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal urged priests to follow Pope Benedict XIV example in giving importance to the media. Pope Benedict had earlier recognized the media’s important role in the life of individuals and the society through a published message. To the media, the Pope said “to avoid becoming spokesmen for economic materialism and ethical relativism, true scourges of our time.” This year’s celebration of the World Communications Day, carried the theme—The Media: At the Crossroads between self-promotion and service. Searching for the truth in order to share it with others.

Monday, May 12, 2008

255 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.

Survivors of this weekend's deadly tornadoes that ripped through the Plains and the South spent Mother's Day sifting through the wreckage of their homes. The storms left 20 people dead in the Midwest United States. The system charged into Georgia, killing one person, and late Sunday reportedly hit the coast off the Carolinas. The US National Weather Service reports that at times the tornado was at times a mile wide and churning at 175 mph. The storms propelled at least five tornadoes through Oklahoma and two in neighboring Arkansas. President bUsh has already pledged federal support. A twister touched down in the northeastern corner of Oklahoma shortly before 6 p.m. and killed six people in Ottawa County. And a 20-mile area in Picher was destroyed.

10th oil price hike. Over the weekend, oil firms raised prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene by another P1. The rise in prices was spearheaded by Pilipinas Shell, Total Philippines, and Flying V, followed by Petron Corp., Chevron Philippines Inc. and Eastern Petroleum Corp. at 6 a.m. Unioil Petroleum Philippines Inc. was to implement similar adjustments at 12:01 a.m. today. Oil firms riased prices at a total of P6 this year. Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem, who serves the transportation committee as chairman, urges the public to implement some measures to save on fuel---like carpooling. Jakosalem also suggests that the mayor come up with incentive programs for vehicle owners who will adopt carpooling. Jakosalem suggests staying home or commuting in PUJs. World oil prices continued to climb these past days due to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries' reluctance to hike production. The weak dollar and supply disruptions in Nigeria also contributed to the price escalation.

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FROM OIL PRICE HIKES, WE MOVE ON TO THE INEVITABLE JEEPNEY FARE HIKES. Drivers are absorbing that cost for now as they wait or the approval of their petition to adjust the minimum fare to P7.50 from the present P6. The LTFRB offered to give a subsidy of P2 per liter to help the drivers while they look into the petition. It was a good enough deal for CITRASCO so they pulled out from the nationwide transport strike scheduled for today and tomorrow. To make the jeepney drivers feel a little better, they're being issued coupons which they would present to the gasoline stations so they would be entitled to a discount of P2 per liter of diesel. The owners of the gas stations would then ask reimbursement from the government for the discount given to the drivers. As for the cabbies, taxi operators would only ask an increase in the flagdown rate if the price for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) will reach P35/liter. As of now, LPG costs P31 per liter. Some 90 percent of the about 6,000 taxi units in Metro Cebu run on LPG. The remaining 10 percent are using either gasoline or diesel.

Up north, about 60 percent of 15,000 jeepneys plying Angeles City stopped for four hours on Monday to demand an oil price rollback and the scrapping of the oil deregulation law. Even drivers in Baguio City staged their own strike, marching down Session Road to denounce the successive oil price increases. Here's the tally from Inquirer: transport group PISTON says 7 Mindanao cities were stalled by the strikes. In region 7, 2 Visayas cities, 3 provinces were almost paralyzed by the strikes while in Bicolandia, 95% of public transport was paralyzed due to the strike.

World oil prices crashed through records every day last week and have rocketed 25 percent since the start of the year, when they broke the $100 barrier. For now, world oil prices remain above $125. This complicates China's plans somewhat since they'll be needing more crude oil to power facilities, transportation and energy supplies that are required to power a successful Olympic Games. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) cartel last week insisted that the oil market was well-supplied and driven by speculators rather than by underlying demand.

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THE PLIGHT OF MYANMAR. The first US aid flight to Burma following the devastating cyclone nine days ago has taken off from an air base in neighbouring Thailand. Permission for the aircraft to land in Rangoon was granted after a week of talks with Burma's military rulers. Experts have warned that aid entering the country is vastly inadequate for the scale of the disaster. They say help has reached less than one third of those in need - and say many thousands of people are still missing.

On Sunday, Burmese TV said the death toll had risen to 28,458, while 33,416 were missing. Aid agencies, however, estimate that 100,000 have died and warn that this figure could rise to 1.5 million without provision of clean water and sanitation.

WE NOW MOVE ON TO WHAT PRESIDENT ARROYO HAS TO SAY ABOUT THE OIL CRISIS. Secretary Cerge Remonde of the Presidential Management Staff said she'll first need to find out first how much the government will lose before she decides whether to suspend VAT on oil products. Remonde said that suspending the VAT could downgrade the credit rating of the country by international financial review agencies. Our credit rating is presently stable, up from poor to unstable and this is why the peso is stronger against the US greenback. Remonde found it unfair for some sectors to blame the President for the imposition of the VAT on oil products, considering that it was Congress that decided on tax laws imposed by the government.

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The headline resonating across the nation is Arroyo's executive clemency for the nine Magdalo leaders who earlier pleaded guilty to coup charges in connection with the failed July 2003 Oakwood mutiny in Makati City. Two of those soldiers were meted life sentences for leading the short-lived mutiny while the seven others were sentenced to six to 12 years in prison as accomplices. Captain Gerardo Gambala publicly asked for pardon. Retiring AFP chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon recommended pardon for Gambala's group, which was accepted by Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro. The defense chief passed the recommendation to Malacañang.

WEATHER. Typhoon ‘Butchoy’ continues to move farther away north from the country. A low pressure area has been spotted 300 west northwest of Mindoro. Widespread rains are expected over the western portion of the Visayas and Mindanao, including Palawan. The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to northwest will prevail over northern Luzon. Winds coming from the southwest and west will prevail over southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. There will be moderate to rough seas in these areas.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

255 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.

CHINA EARTHQUAKE (CNN). State-run media in China reported the arrival of 1,300 aid workers nearly a day after a massive earthquake killed more than 10,000 in central China. A string of nearly 30 quakes peppered Sichuan province in the first 24 hours following Monday's deadly temblor and slowing the progress of rescue teams. All of those quakes were magnitude 4.0 and above. Wenchuan country, in particular, was rocked by a 7.9 magnitude quake. Military doctors and soldiers have had to walk to the site what with roads blocked by rocks and mudslides. These roads were expected to be made possible by midday today as its been the government's top priority. The Chinese government said the death toll was sure to rise as authorities began to reach some of the worst-hit areas. Thousands remained trapped under the rubble, including hundreds of children at a half-dozen schools.

Which now brings us to the question on whether the Olympics pushes through as planned . . .

BEIJING OLYMPICS. The Beijing Olympics won't be derailed, however, as the Olympic torch embarked on its 12th domestic leg in the southeastern province of Fujian, one day after the 7.8-magnitude quake devastated vast areas of southwest China. The torch is due to head for Jianxi province by Wednesday and pass through disaster-hit Sichuan province in mid-June, with a leg planned for the provincial capital Chengdu on June 18, four days after visiting Chongqing, which is also reeling from the quake.

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CEBU (SSD)---Government officials are getting somewhere with the proposed Bus Rail Transit (BRT) system with the Cebu City Government looking into aqcuiring financial and technical assistance from the World Bank. City Planning Officer Nigel Paul Villarete met with World Bank officials and requested them to help create "a conceptual plan for a corridor system that will enable a BRT-like transport system. The City also wants the WB to help in the formulation of an internal transport system at the South Road Properties." The BRT is a priority of the City. Villarete hopes to her from the World Bank's Infrastructure Facility within the next two months. DOTC also plays a hand in the BRT project. They're "formulating a draft, terms of reference, for a possible feasibility study for the BRT, specifically for the Talamban-CBD (Central Business District) route." And it isn't just the World Bank, Villarete spoke to. The City Planning office has been in touch with Japan Bank for International Cooperation. All this sopunds good so far but here's the catch, Villarete said the City is open to all forms of mass transport, as long as it does not cost City Hall anything.

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UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his "immense frustration" at Burma's slow response to the cyclone that hit the country 10 days ago. Less than a third of those needing aid has been reached and worse, Sec. Ban still hasn't been able to speak with the leader of Burma's military government. The official toll for the cyclone has risen to almost 32,000, although foreign aid workers say the real number of dead may be much higher. A BBC reporter in Burma says that while major cities are being cleaned up, many areas along Burma's coast are still untouched by the rescue effort. Unless those people get help soon, they will die, and many could be dead already. Just this Monday, Sec. Ban commented that the reaction of the Burmese regime to the cyclone had been "unacceptably slow". US President George W Bush added his voice, describing Burma's leaders as either "isolated or callous". On Monday the first US aid flight was allowed to land in Rangoon, after days of negotiation.

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A bishop from Luzon, who's being sued for libel, was issued a warrant of arrest. Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz wrote in an article back in 2004 that Pagcor employees were made to work as "nothing more than pitiful GRO's [guest relations officers]" during a birthday party for First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo in the same year. In reversing the Manila prosecutor, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez dismissed Cruz’s claim that he was concerned about the welfare of the girls when he wrote the article. PAGCOR employees sought redress from the courts.

BUSINESS AFFAIRS. Most Asian currencies fell Tuesday amid jitters about a global slowdown and high oil prices, with the Philippine peso and Thai baht hitting multi-month lows. The peso fell about a quarter of a percent to its weakest level since late November. One trader in Manila said the peso was trading in line with other Asian currencies against a firmer dollar. Analysts say there is a potential for further peso weakness as inflation concerns are still prevalent. The peso was Asia's top performer in 2007 with a 19 percent gain versus the dollar; just that recently, we've been weighed down by oncerns about slowing exports and rising oil prices. We've lost 3.0 percent versus the dollar so far this year.

HOLLYWOOD. The Sex and the City movie premiere was a miraculous and simply unforgettable night for Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon, who all got a noisy reception as they arrived on the red carpet in Leicester Square. Fans have waited four years to see the big screen version of the hugely popular TV series. Some fans had been waiting for the stars in Leicester Square since early morning. The film will be released in cinemas on 28 May. SJP wore a a green tulle and feather dress by Alexander McQueen and a headpiece by Philip Treacy. Asked why the premiere was in London and not New York, where the series is set, she said: "This is where our bosses told us to go and we were thrilled to do so." Following the London screening, the film heads to Berlin on 15 May before finally showing in New York on 27 May.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

255 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.

Cab drivers may not be joining the ranks in the nationwide transport strike but they sure make themselves felt. Last night, SPO4 Asterio Boltron--who moonlights as a cab driver---expired from gunshot wounds on his right cheek and on the lower left portion of his back during the robbery past 9 p.m. He was on a dark stretch of road in Mactan, at the Maximo Patalingjug Ave when his passengers declared a holdup. Police have yet to determine whether the robbers got anything from Boltron. All they have is that the gunment were dressed in t-shirts, jeans, and a baseball cap.

LTFRB case no. 07 960 934

Plate no. GVV 282

Taxi Company: B-Quinan

Taxi Driver's Name: Rene Gonzales

TECH NEWS---not necessarily available in the Philippines. HBO cable network is expected to start selling shows on Apple Inc's iTunes digital entertainment service, with flexible pricing, sources familiar with the discussions said on Monday. Episodes of some HBO shows are likely to be sold at the standard price of $1.99 per episode or higher, these sources said, marking the first time Apple has agreed to selling television shows at different prices in the United States. Although some global iTunes stores, including Japan, already sell songs at different prices, Apple has resisted offering music or television shows at different prices for the sake of simplicity for consumers. The deal could be announced as early as tomorrow. For HBO -- home to hit series like "The Sopranos" and "Sex and the City" -- the move marks the first time it has made its shows available for sale in electronic form. It is currently testing a broadband service for subscribers in Wisconsin, which streams episodes of shows shortly after their first airing.

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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS. The Tony's is in for an unconventional season as number of its nominees are under 33 and cast in a show called "In the Heights." In the Heights was a musical with a hip-hop, rap and salsa-infused score that led the field on Tuesday with 13 Tony nominations (including shots at best musical and best direction). The show received good, but not glowing, reviews when it made its debut off Broadway last year and raised eyebrows when it moved to Broadway, but may get the last laugh when the Tony winners are announced at the ceremony at Radio City Music Hall on June 15. Ratings for last year’s Tonys were the lowest ever, though, granted, the broadcast was up against the final episode of “The Sopranos.” This year, Whoopi Goldberg will host.

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For a decade starting in the mid-1990s, Annika Sorenstam was the face of women’s golf: the winner of the most tournaments, the biggest money-winner, a fresh-faced native of Sweden who brought public attention to the L.P.G.A. On Tuesday, she announced she would retire at the end of the year. Well, not retiring from the golf scene, but giving up the tournament grind. She closed the door, but didn’t lock it, and at 37 she will do other things with her life, starting with marriage in January to Mike McGee. Sorenstam's got quite a list of other priorities, among them a golf academy, a foundation, golf-course design projects (she is working on her fifth course, with two more planned), corporate relationships, clothing lines and hosting golf tournaments. She said there were more, including starting a family.

Her career numbers are staggering. She has won 72 L.P.G.A. tournaments, including three of the eight she entered this year, and she ranks third on the career list behind Kathy Whitworth (88) and Mickey Wright (82). She has won 10 majors, 8 L.P.G.A. Player of the Year awards, 8 money-winning titles and 6 Vare Trophies for lowest scoring average.

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In a continuing update of the Black Suede scandal, the health department Tuesday slapped a 3-month suspension against 2 doctors and a nurse of VSMMC. Surgeons Philip Leo Arias and Max Joseph Montecillo, as well as circulating nurse Carmenia Sapio were preventively suspended pending the hearing. The victim, Genaro Jorolan, welcomes this decision by DOH and will pursue the ad-ministrative case against these medical professionals. Jorolan also wants a public apology from the surgical team and will call for a revamp of the management and staff at the VSMMC. He's also asking for the retrieval and destruction of all the unauthorized videotapes taken of the surgucal procedure.

Last Monday, the Office of the Ombudsman approved the upgrading of the complaint against the medical staff at VSMMC after finding reasonable ground to charge seven doctors, five nurses and two clinical instructors for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The five other doctors aside from Arias and Montecillo are Marlowe Parreno, Angelo Linawagan, Joseph Alfred de Leon, Joanne Mae Merilles, and Serapio T. Salazar.

The Ombudsman identified the four other nurses aside from Sapio as Isabelita Remulta, Consuelo Tecling, Ida Sumayang and Rosemarie Villareal.

The two clinical instructors were identified as a certain A. Oplado of the University of Southern Philippines and Ramon Penley Pandaan of Southwestern University.

METRO MANILA---The LTFRB Board Tuesday found reasonable the P0.50 riase that the transport sector's been clamoring for. The raise was a petition by the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP). The petition covers not only Metro Manila, but also provinces in the Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon regions. If the petition is approved, the minimum jeepney fare in the three regions will be raised to P8. After FEJODAP's petition, Lantion said the LTFRB will hear proposals for a P2 additional fuel subsidy that will benefit jeepney, taxi, and bus drivers and operators. The proposal, if approved, will raise the fuel subsidy for the transport sector to P3. He said the LTFRB will also hear the P1 jeepney fare increase petition of other transport groups right after deciding on the fuel subsidy proposals.

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The World Bank has approved a $232 million loan for a Philippine road project after putting it on hold last year following allegations of bid-rigging in the first phase. The loan was approved only after the Philippine government adopted measures to prevent any recurrence of corruption. The project is the second phase of a program to improve roads in the Philippines. In the first phase, the World Bank rejected two contracts worth $33 million because of signs of collusion and excessive pricing. The World Bank lent $150 million to the government for the first phase of the roads project. Under the project's second phase, 450 kilometers of arterial roads and bridges will be upgraded and rehabilitated across the archipelago.

It's crunch time for the builders of the Banilad-Talamban flyover. The 2008-to-9 schoolyear is fast approaching and we don't see major progress yet. City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem said he received reports that parents and school officials are worried that traffic may worsen when the school year opens, pointing out that classes in all schools start and end at around the same time. Jakosalem proposes that the entire streetch of Gov. Cuenco be widened to accommodate two lanes. The issue on land aqcuisition has hounded this project and this came as a surprise for Councilor Jakosalem who was informed along with the rest of the City Counicl at session last week, that DPWH and the contractor have had no problems with land acquisition and that the lot owners have already agreed to the road widening. Jakosalem is urging the lot owners to allow the road widening if they laready have documents showing they will be paid. Jakosalem also shrugged off public perception that the construction of the flyover has slowed. He explained that the public will not be able to see the construction because the site has been fenced off.

WORLD. The Clinton-Obama wrestling match is on its homestretch---just 3 weeks left. West Virginia was a big win for Clinton, who got about 67% of the vote. And a real thumping for Obama, who got only 26 points. With most of the West Virginia results in, the Illinois senator had not won one single county in a state that, since 1916, Democratic presidential candidates must win in order to reach the White House. Clinton has vowed she is "more determined than ever to carry on this campaign until everyone has had their voices heard."

Thursday, May 15. 2008

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ENDANGERED SPECIES. Polar bears joined the list of threatened species under the Endangered Species Act Wednesday since the meltdown of the North Polar Cap may drive them to the brink of extinction in less than four decades. The decision to list polar bears, which have become the iconic symbol of global warming's impact, highlights how the US administration which is opposed to mandatory cuts in emissions has begun to acknowledge the growing evidence of their effects. Interior Secretary Kempthorne pointed to satellite images of shrinking Arctic sea ice that has outpaced scientists' most dire projections. Polar bears use sea ice as a platform to hunt ringed seals and other prey. Under the law, the federal government is now required to draft a recovery plan for the species, which entails assessing the population and its habitat. The ruling also compels federal agencies to consult with the Interior Department when considering decisions that could further imperil the polar bears. Sec. Kempthorne made clear that the decision would not justify regulating emissions from power plants, vehicles or other human activities. This is the first time that the Endangered Species Act was invoked to protect an animal principally threatened by global warming.

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TECH NEWS. Google said Wednesday it is blurring the faces of people in street scenes pictured at its free online mapping service. Google's testing he technology in updated "Street View" pictures woven into its map of Manhattan and, if successful, would put it to work across its mapping website. While blurring faces may reduce complaints that snapshots of street life posted with Google Maps results could violate people's privacy, that is not the motivation for applying the technology. By doing so, Google has had to advance state-of-the-art automatic face detection. The street view pictures of Manhattan has also been modified to allow people to look up to admire skyscrapers and the cityscape. Street View photos were added to Google online maps of major US cities a year ago.

Thursday, May 15. 2008

455 Headlines are brought to you by Frenzy Condoms: When she's in the mood, better be good---with Frenzy Condoms. (Written by KimV)

INT'L SPORTS - Los Angeles Lakers beat the Utah Jazz by 111-104 last Wednesday night to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals. The Lakers can advance to the conference finals for the first time since 2004, if they will win the game this Friday in Utah. But if the Jazz wins, they will be playing a deciding game on Monday night at Staples Center.

INT'L NEWS - The number of deaths caused by a killer cyclone in Myanmar soars. From the 22, 000 figure released by Myanmar's government, United Nations confirmed that it has already reached 38, 941 number of deaths. Meanwhile, the weather forecast calls for rain in the next several days in Myanmar. This could cause flooding in the low-lying areas that are already saturated with water after Cyclone Nargis slammed into the country last May 2. In another development,

Myanmar's government announced that a military-backed constitution was approved by voters in last week's referendum. Because of this strong reign of military junta in Myanmar, aid agencies have difficulty in gaining access to the country. The country would like to accept supplies and not aid workers.

LOCAL NEWS -The continuing rains in Cebu prompted Cebu City Government to evacuate 20 families in Barangay Sinsin. These families live near the area of the landslide. Acting Mayor Mike Rama issued an order for an immediate evacuation of these families. In their session yesterday, City Councilor Gerardo Carillo requested 205 000 pesos as financial assistance to the 41 affected families. This request is urgent and a delay would risk the safety of the residents.

LOCAL NEWS - A text message about an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 scheduled to hit the Philippines last night alerted the public. However, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said that the text message was a hoax. Philvocs also said that there is no recorded US Geological Society, only a US Geological Survey. And it is imposible to predict the intensity of an earthquake and even determine when and what time it would hit. It is only after an earthquake has hit that its intensity, when and where it hit can be determined.

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CONTINUING UPDATE ON THE RESCUE EFFORTS IN CHINA. China is mobilising 30,000 extra troops and 90 more helicopters to help with the rescue operation after Monday's devastating earthquake. About 10 million people in Sichuan province have been directly affected by the 7.9 quake that flattened entire villages. Nearly 15,000 people are known to have been killed, and another 26,000 are still trapped in the rubble. Troops and helicopters will bring food and water to rescue survivors. They will add to the efforts of almost 50,000 soldiers and police already despatched to the region to dig any remaining survivors out of the rubble and bring food, medicine and drinking water to those made homeless. The Chinese government has appealed to the public to donate basic equipment to help in the rescue operation.

IN OTHER NEWS. The automation of elections in autonomous Mindanao goes full steam ahead now that COMELEC's signed the contract with Avanti International Technologies, Inc. Avanti is one of two companies that will provide the machines, the other is Smartmatic-Sahi Technologies, Inc. Avanti will be providing the Optical Mark Reader (OMR) Technology to be used in the elections in the provinces. The Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) technology will be used in Maguindanao. The automation of the ARMM elections is expected to curb cheating during the casting and counting of ballots.

May 16, 2008, Friday

255 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.

Here's an example of how sick things can go in the Internet . . . In Los Angeles a 49-year-old woman from MIssouri was accused of pretending to be a love-struck teenage boy on MySpace and drove a 13-year-old girl to suicide with cruel messages. The woman, whose name is Lori Drew, was said to have created the fake MySpace persona of a 16-year-old boy to woo neighbour Megan Meier for several weeks, then abruptly ended the relationship and said the world would be better off without her. Megan Meier eventually committed suicide by hanging back in 2006, just hours after she read those final messages, made worldwide headlines and prompted calls for social networking sites like MySpace to crack down on cyber-bullying. This Thursday, Drew---the woman pretending to be loverboy---was indicted on federal charges based on the notion tht any "adult who uses the Internet or a social gathering Web site to bully or harass another person, particularly a young teenage girl, needs to realize that their actions can have serious consequences."

UPDATES ON MYANMAR (BURMA). nother major storm made its way towards Burma Thursday night. The bad weather is expected to strike the country on Friday morning, bringing more rain to parts of the country already devastated by Cyclone Nargis. As international criticism continued to mount about the Burmese government's aid efforts in the aftermath of the cyclone, the country's government threatened legal action against those who hoard or trade international aid supplies. The warning comes as reports out of Burma said that foreign aid was being sold on the black market and that the military was pilfering the supplies for themselves. It's been almost two weeks since Cyclone Nargis devastated the Southeast Asian country and criticisms have been rising steadily about the Burmese government's response to the crisis. The cyclone's official death toll has now soared past 43,000.

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UN disaster officials say that the poor regions of southwest China hit by this week's devastating earthquake lag far behind the more developed eastern regions in building safety standards. Although modern buildings in the boom towns of China's east coast "are built with great care" to withstand earthquakes, poorer regions like Sichuan is unfortunately not yet in this position. But you can't do everything at once in a country as huge as China. Meantime, search-and-rescue operation was entering its most crucial phase yet four days after the quake struck, with the chances of finding survivors diminishing by the hour.

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Making headline in the US, California's Supreme Court quashed a ban on gay marriage in a historic ruling Thursday, effectively leaving same-sex couples in America's most populous state free to tie the knot. The winning argument disputed that restricting marriage to men and women was discriminatory despite possible nationwide implications. Before Thursday only one US state -- Massachusetts -- allowed gay marriage, although California, New Jersey and Vermont have legislation which grants same-sex partners many of the same legal rights as married couples.

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Outgoing Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye says Arroyo's Cabinet revamp will not be extensive, adding that his and Secretary Ricardo Saludo’s departure from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s official family “triggered a chain reaction” and created vacancies. Bunye added that he recommended his successor to the President, which he would reveal on June 6. Although he refused to name his replacement, Bunye hinted that “he” was a Cabinet official and was capable to handle the task of press secretary. Bunye will leave his post on July 3 to become a member of the Monetary Board at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines).

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PAG-ASA reports that two tropical depressions were in the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) late Thursday evening, with more rains forecast in Luzon and the Western Visayas. Signal number 1 is still raised over northern Palawan, Occidental Mindoro and Lubang Island due to tropical depression "Cosme." There's a low pressure area too---hovering ff the eastern coast of Luzon, which they've nicknamed Dindo. At 10 p.m., "Dindo" was located north of Batanes, moving northeast 30 kph.

ENTERTAINMENT. Country pop diva Shania Twain is separating from her husband of 14 years, music producer Robert Lange. There has been no further comment other than the confirmation of the split from their publicist. Twain, 42. and Lange, 59, married in 1993, six months after meeting. The couple, with homes in New Zealand and Switzerland, have a six-year-old son.

Monday, May 19, 2008

155 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.

Speaker Prospero Nograles proposed some nifty ideas to ease the burden of the rising prices of basic goods. Over the weekend, he's had the House of Representatives ponder over taking action to suspend the application of the 12-percent expanded value added tax on the electricity used by residential consumers whose consumption costs have been P5,000 or less a month. This is a measure that he hopes would be temporarily applied until the world market stabilizes and may be adopted to permanent government policy if proven to have no adverse effects on the economy. Nograles said that suspending the E-VAT on electricity for ordinary residential consumers would help the government in its campaign to conserve energy and minimize greenhouse emissions from power plants. The lower house is also looking into he controversial "systems loss" charges being imposed by power distribution firms.

The China Seismological Bureau on Sunday revised upward the magnitude of the May 12 earthquake, which was felt as far away as Bangkok, to 8.0 from 7.8 on the Richter scale. The US Geological Survey has put the magnitude of the tremor at 7.9, as has the Japan Meteorological Agency. The magnitude was revised upward after Chinese specialists carried out detailed measurements of the earthquake, according to international practices. Of course, the rating has a lot to do with the number 8 being auspicious for the Chinese. Eight is a lucky number in China, where the Beijing Olympics are set to open on Aug. 8—8/8/8—at 8:08 p.m. The Internet has been abuzz with commentary on the fact that the earthquake, China’s most devastating in three decades, took place exactly 88 days before the Olympics’ opening ceremony.

255 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.

Any guy who's seen Robert Downey as Iron Man wishes he had that robotic suit. It's much closer to reality than you think! In Salt Lake City, Rex Jameson works for a robotics firm Sarcos Inc. He's a 5-foot-11, 180-pound software engineer who bikes and swims regularly. But for fun at work, he gets to step into an "exoskeleton" of aluminum and electronics that multiplies his strength and endurance as many as 20 times. The suit works by sensing every movement the wearer makes and almost instantly amplifying it. With the outfit's claw-like metal hand extensions, he gripped a weight set's bar at a recent demonstration and knocked off hundreds of repetitions. Sarcos Inc. is under contract with the US Army and they're helping to assess the suit's viability for the soldiers of tomorrow. The Army believes soldiers may someday wear the suits in combat, but it's focusing for now on applications such as loading cargo or repairing heavy equipment. Sarcos is developing the technology under a two-year contract worth up to $10 million, and the Army plans initial field tests next year. The Army's exoskeleton research dates to 1995, but has yet to yield practical suits. Sarcos' technology sufficiently impressed Raytheon Co., however, that the Waltham, Massachusetts-based defense contractor bought Sarcos' robotics business last November. Sarcos also has developed robotic dinosaurs for a Universal Studios' "Jurassic Park" theme park ride.

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The most relevant headline for the day - and I think so because we'll all feel the pinch - is the news that a nationwide jeepney fare hike of 50 centavos will be imposed by noon of Wednesday this week. Bus fare will go up for the same amount as well, but taxicabs are not. To prevent confusion over the new rates, the LTFRB ordered all buses and jeepney operators to post the notice for the provisional fare increase on their vehicles at the start of the implementation. LTFRB Chairman Thompson Lantion clarified that the the increase is “provisional,” meaning it can be withdrawn depending on the situation. The LTFRB also emphasized that the 20 percent fare discount given to the elderly, students, and handicapped passengers, remains.

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In news beyond the Philippines, the US Democratic nominees continue the race: Obama draws huge crowds in Oregon while Clinton courts Kentucky.

Moving west of the United States, firefighters in Florida are working to control a large fire in the Everglades and other smaller fires in various parts of the state. The increased humidity in some areas was helping firefighting efforts.

Things are heating up as well in South Africa where gangs of armed men chased thousands of Zimbabweans and other foreigners from their homes over the past week, leaving at least 12 people dead and scores injured. The nighttime rampages have turned police stations in several townships in the Johannesburg area into virtual refugee camps, with makeshift tents, portable toilets and clusters of terrified people, many displaying wounds from the attacks.

Many have vowed never to return to their looted houses but have few options when their own nations are experiencing a dearth of economic opportunities, or, in the case of Zimbabwe, a devastating political crisis. South African residents complain bitterly that foreigners have moved into many of the government-built concrete homes in recent years and are undermining wages, contributing to high crime rates and establishing relationships with South African women. The attacks have embarrassed many South Africans, including prominent members of the ruling African National Congress, whose own leadership depended on the hospitality of its neighbors during decades in exile before the fall of apartheid in 1994.

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The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has deferred the implementation of the provisional fare increase set by the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB), pending a review of other government support mechanisms. LTFRB chairman Thompson Lantion has not been reached for comment as yet, but bus and jeepney operators said they would respect the deferment. This doesn't mean they're not pushing through with the fare hike, rather just a matter of pushing the date of implementation, and that jeepney and bus operators would definitely get a provisional fare increase. LTFRB could implement the fare increase simultaneously with the P2 subsidy on fuel, possibly in June.

PhiVolcs Director Renato Solidum Jr. strongly urges the education department to conduct safety checks on all schoolbuildings nationwide. Solidum stressed continuing efforts to building inspections and school drills in order to prevent a similar catastrophe to China. In support of Solidum's suggestion, DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus said he would "issue an order [on conducting building inspections and school drills] after our disaster unit comes out with guidelines;" while CHEd acting chair Romulo Neri assured they would discuss the issue in Monday's commission meeting at the CHEd headquarters in Pasig City.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

255 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.

The LTFRB are in the unenviable position right now for being caught between a rock and a hard place especially after they suspended the fare hike for jeepneys Monday. The fare hikes were announced Sunday and then taken back pending reviews from the communications and transportation sector. This decision, however, offers relief to commuters already dealing with the rising prices of the basic commodities. Communications and Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza said he ordered the line agency to defer the hike "pending review of other government support mechanisms."

Government support mechanisms for the road transport sector include the P2- per-liter fuel subsidy, access to National Food Authority rice, tax exemption to spare parts, anti-extortion and anti-colorum campaigns, a program to build infrastructure for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) pipelines and stations, and the conversion of jeepney engines from diesel to LPG use.

IN A CONTINUING UPDATE OF RESCUE OPERATIONS IN CHINA. A man was rescued after being trapped for nearly 179 hours in a collapsed building near the epicenter of the May 12 earthquake that struck China's Sichuan province. The 31-year-old man was pulled out of the debris of a flattened power plant, but the news report didn't indicate hoiw seriously he was injured. It was the second case of someone being found alive a week after the May 12 earthquake struck Sichuan province. Earlier, a miner, was in stable condition Tuesday after being trapped for 170 hours. It did not give any details of his rescue Monday.

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Myanmar launched three days of official mourning Tuesday for more than 133,000 people left dead or missing by Cyclone Nargis, lowering national flags to half mast at 9:00 a.m. (0230 GMT). The mourning period is one of the first demonstrations of public grief since the tropical storm ravaged swathes of this impoverished nation 18 days ago, leaving about 2.4 million survivors desperately in need of aid. The reclusive junta leader Than Shwe spent a second consecutive day on Monday touring the disaster zone, venturing into the hardest-hit regions of the Irrawaddy Delta for the first time. Until Sunday, the senior general had not made a public appearance or remark about the disaster.

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EARTHQUAKE WATCH: A powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake shook the western coast of Indonesia's North Sumatra province on Monday. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The US Geological Survey clocked the quake at 5.9 magnitude. The Indonesian archipelago sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire where continental plates meet and cause frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

AFTERSHOCKS IN CHINA. Thousands of people poured onto the streets of Chengdu in southwest China amid rumors late Monday of an imminent major aftershock following last week's massive quake. Residents said there was a report on television warning of an aftershock with a magnitude of between 6.0 and 7.0 on the Richter scale some time during the night between Monday and Tuesday. Giant traffic jams developed as drivers headed towards the suburbs or open spaces such as parks, construction sites and stadiums.

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It came as no surprise when labor unions and employers presented conflicting positions at Monday's public hearing on the wage hike petition. The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) 7 is set to rule on the wage hike petition after deliberations on May 22. Labor’s push for a P150 hike in wages was opposed by employers, who warned of dire consequences of another round of wage increases. In a show of unity, eleven labor groups filed the joint petition for a P150 across-the-board adjustment in daily wages, noting that the cost of living in Central Visayas has gone beyond the purchasing capacity of workers. Business groups, in turn, say the amount being asked for is shocking and could trigger unprecedented spiraling cost-push inflation, job losses and unemployment.

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TECH NEWS. Google Inc. opened a free Web site that manages patients' medical records online, part of a plan to boost user loyalty by adding new services. Patients can upload medical records from organizations, enter their own data and search for information on health conditions. Users will control who has access to their information and can change those permissions at any time. Google is forging partnerships with hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and medical-test providers so people can store and manage their electronic files on one Web site. Google Health won't be funded by advertising. Instead, the site is designed to lure more users to all of Google's services, helping boost ad revenue

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

255 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.

The motorcycle vigilantes struck again this morning, gunning down the lawyer of Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza, Richard Sison, at the corner of MJ Cuenco Avenue and V. Sotto St. near the port area around 11 this morning. Atty. Sison is a member of ERUF and served as lawyer of Mayor Radaza in at least two cases involving alleged overpricing of lampposts installed in the city overpricing of computers. He was driving his pick-up truck on his way to a conference when three men on motorcycles caught up with him in front of COA's regional office, shooting him four times, twice each to the head and neck. The assailants reportedly wore brown and blue T-shirts and helmets while the triggerman was in a red T-shirt and was without a helmet. Police were reportedly in hot pursuit of the assailants. Cebu City Councilor Jack Jakosalem said Sison was declared dead at 1:30 p.m. despite efforts to resuscitate him at Chong Hua Hospital.

TECH. Geeks may not seem like they exercise much but if things go as planned and Wii Fit becomes mass market friendly, the geeks might be more fit than the average gym junkie. Wii Fit doesn't try to motivate you with before and after photos. It doesn't try to motivate you with testimonials from fitness gurus. It doesn't even offer you three easy payments. But it does entice you to get into shape by making working out look like fun. And that it does very well. Getting started with Wii Fit is a snap, but you might have to get some bad news out of the way first. The balance board connects to the Wii through a Wi-Fi connection. You stand on it and use the Wii remote to record your height and age. The balance board then registers your weight. From those figures, Wii Fit calculates your body mass index (BMI), a standard metric many doctors use to determine a person's overall fitness, which you can track over time. Oddly, however, there's no easy way to just use the scale to see your weight without recalculating your BMI each time. The Wii Fit-ness program is organized into 48 activities divided among four general areas: yoga, aerobics, strength training, and balance games. You can choose to work through all four in one session or just concentrate on one.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

155 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards in Central Luzon (Region 3) and Central Visayas (Region 8) approved the new wage orders Wednesday. workers in Central Luzon will get a P5 increase in their daily pay and a P10 cost-of-living allowance(COLA). The new wage orders were approved unanimously by the board. The previous P9 COLA will be integrated into the worker’s basic daily pay. Workers in Central Visayas, on the other hand, will get an additional P10 to their current P8 COLA. The average minimum wage in the region will become P238, inclusive of the new P18 COLA. Employees in sugar mills in the region will get P240 daily while those in the plantation and non-plantation sector will receive P213.50 and P198.50, respectively. Those employed in the agriculture (non-sugar) sector will get P219 while cottage and handicraft industry employees will receive a P216 daily wage. Workers in retail and service industry firms with no more than 10 regular employees will receive P207. Other regional wage boards are expected to release their approved wage adjustments by the end of May.

255 All Batteries. More batteries, more power.

The United States's flotilla of warships and helicopters carrying aid for the starving cyclone victims of Myanmar weren't welcomed with open arms by the Burmese military junta. According to the New Light of Myanmar newspaper, "The strings attached to the relief supplies carried by warships and military helicopters are not acceptable to the Myanmar people." US military officials responded to this allegation saying they were on a purely humanitarian mission. So instead of utilizing the U.S. military's assets, Myanmar has agreed to allow a relief operation focused more on the use of the helicopters operated by the World Food Program. It has also been more open to aid from neighboring countries such as Thailand and India.

STILL IN WORLD AFFAIRS, Crude oil rose to a record above $135 a barrel in New York after U.S. stockpiles unexpectedly dropped and a report said the IEA may lower supply forecasts. This has been the biggest drop in four months! Oil's rally to a record above $135 a barrel came as traders bought crude to cover wrong-way bets that prices would decline. The International Energy Agency, the Paris-based energy analysis organization, will predict that companies may produce 100 million barrels a day by 2030, lower than the 116 million previously forecast. The group is analyzing the 400 oilfields that provide more than two thirds of crude today to determine how much they are likely to produce in the future based on field health and investment.

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ASTRONOMY. A Princeton astronomer sounded a worldwide alert on a supernova explosion. In the following hours and days, as most of the big telescopes on Earth, and the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory watched from space, the star erupted into cataclysmic explosion known as a supernova, lighting up its galaxy and delighting astronomers who had never been able to catch an exploding star before it exploded. Supernova 2008D was the first to be found from its X-ray emission. Dr. Soderberg---who sounded the alert---said the star that died last January could have been 20 times as massive as the Sun or even bigger. It was probably a type called a Wolf-Rayet star. They are very hot stars with surface temperatures of 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit or more and are often blowing gas away in strong winds. Dr. Soderberg described them as “very violent stars, very massive.”

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NBA. When the Lakers gathered Monday night at a restaurant to watch Game 7 of the Spurs-Hornets series, Kobe Bryant presented each of his teammates with a $9,800 watch — a thank-you present for helping him earn the Most Valuable Player award.

On Wednesday night, he had a different message: Not on my watch.

With his teammates floundering and the Staples Center crowd grumbling, Bryant led Los Angeles from a 20-point third-quarter deficit, and carried the Lakers to a rousing 89-85 victory over San Antonio in the opener of the Western Conference finals.

Bryant, who appeared to be more of a facilitator in the first half with only 2 points and 3 shots, finished with 27 points, including a game-winning fall-away jumper in the lane with 23.9 seconds to play.

Bryant also had nine assists, several on alley-oops to center Pau Gasol that helped spark the Lakers’ comeback.

He was not the only star to shine. Tim Duncan scored 30 points and collected 18 rebounds for San Antonio, and Tony Parker, who had 18 points and 10 rebounds, was a headache all night. [NY Times]

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Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York won the Kentucky primary while Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois won in the Oregon primary, but while Obama claimed he was within 100 delegates of the total he needs to claim the presidential nomination, Clinton vowed to remain in the race through the last primaries in early June. But in a fresh sign that their race was coming to an end, Clinton and Obama praised one another and pledged a united party for the general election. Clinton scored a lopsided win Tuesday in Kentucky, winning at least 54 delegates in the two states and Obama won at least 39, according to an analysis of election returns by the Associated Press. All the Kentucky delegates were awarded, but there were still 10 to be allocated in Oregon.

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According to Chinese officials, Last week's deadly earthquake in China has created more than 4,000 orphans. Further saying it will take time to determine the real number of parentless children because of the large number of people still missing and displaced. The May 12 quake has killed more than 41,000 people and left more than 5 million homeless. Thousands of Chinese have called government offices and posted their pleas online to adopt an orphan from the quake. he earthquake also robbed many parents of their children, many of whom were killed when their schools collapsed. Chinese newspapers ran photos of piles of dusty bookbags and of small hands emerging from the rubble. But officials say adoptions won't begin until the earthquake-affected area is brought under order. Until then, local governments will take care of the orphans.