Dabawenyos celebrate Pope's beatification

THOUSANDS of Catholic faithful in Davao City on Sunday joined the celebration of the beatification of the late Pope John Paul II at the campus of John Paul II College of Davao in Ecoland Drive, Matina, Davao City.

Hundreds of Catholics, including youth groups from San Pedro Cathedral, San Pablo Parish, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Sta. Ana Parish, Sacred Heart Parish, Sto. Rosario Parish, and San Lorenzo Parish, trooped to the school to celebrate the beatification of the late Pope.

700 workers join protest, appeal for P125 pay hike

MORE than 700 workers, belonging to various labor groups in Davao City, on Sunday held a march protest to commemorate Labor Day, calling on President Benigno Aquino III to take immediate action to address problems that have caused poverty among Filipinos.

Members of the Solidarity of Workers in Mindanao (Sow-Min), Southern Philippines Federation of Labor (SPFL), National Federation Labor (NFL), AJMR Sumifru-Port Services Labor Group, Terminal Facilities and Services Corporation (Tefasco) Labor Union, Davao Doctors Hospital Union, Ilang Manpower and Allied Services (Imas), and Union Galvas Steel Corporation, along with students and other supporters trooped to Bonifacio Monument on Magallanes street in Davao City yesterday afternoon to air their grievances.

Labor agency to continue public consultation on wage increase

A DEPARTMENT of Labor and Employment (Dole) official in Davao Region said public consultations will continue to be held between various stakeholders to assess if there is a need for a possible wage increase in the region.

Politicos urged to help fund youth delegates

UNABLE to raise the target of P6 million, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila (RCAM) is now turning its sights on seeking the help of government officials.

In an interview after the 1st World Youth Day Fun Run, RCAM Commission on Youth Director Fr. Ramon Licuanan did not discount the possibility of seeking the financial help of politicians if only to be able to get enough funding for the 13 delegates for the international youth gathering.

Aquino wants justice for party-mate

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III on Sunday directed Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Raul Bacalzo to speed up investigation on the death of Calbayog City Mayor Reynaldo Uy.

Uy, 59, was Aquino's party-mate in the Liberal Party. He was killed in an ambush in Hinabangan, Samar on Saturday night.

Aquino looks for brave, dedicated Ombudsman

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III on Sunday revealed his criteria for the next Ombudsman.

"What criteria we are looking for? Of course, someone who is dedicated, has convictions, has courage and intelligence to push the (Ombudsman) cases," Aquino said at the sidelights of the Labor Day's breakfast forum in Malacanang.

Labor Day job fair meets target hiring

AT LEAST for the first half, the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) has managed to meet its expected 15 percent applicants being hired-on-the-spot (Hots) on Labor Day celebration.

Senate to probe P1.5-billion loss by coco-levy firm

THE Senate committee on government corporations will hold a hearing Monday to look into a P1.5-billion loss suffered by a state-run conglomerate bought with coco levy funds.

Farmers' group set to appeal coco levy ruling

A GROUP representing coconut farmers is set to appeal an "anti-farmer and anti-poor" Supreme Court (SC) ruling granting businessman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. 20 percent of San Miguel Corp. (SMC) bought with coco levy funds.

Palace ordered to answer Pichay's petition

CHIEF Justice Renato Corona has ordered Malacañang to answer a petition filed last week by Local Water Utilities (LWUA) board chairman Prospero Pichay seeking to declare Executive Order (EO) 13 unconstitutional.

CA rejects lower court's ruling on massacre case

THE Court of Appeals (CA) has overruled a Pasig regional trial court decision that allowed the release from jail of one of the accused in the Maguindanao massacre after granting his petition for habeas corpus.

Voter registration resumes Tuesday

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to reopen its continuing registration of voters and validation of registration records on Tuesday, May 3, almost two years before the next nationwide polls.

Police expand manhunt for radio worker's killer

POLICE authorities expanded their manhunt for the suspect in the killing of a radio employee in Caloocan City who continues to elude arrest one week after the incident.

4,000 Pinoys in Syria urged to return home

REPRESENTATIVES of the Philippine Embassy in Damascus were ordered to constantly check on the status of some 4,000 Filipinos in Syria, wherein the pro-democracy protests against President Bashar al-Assad escalate.

'Genuine' consultation on K+12 education program sought

A TEACHERS group urged the Department of Education (DepEd) Sunday to conduct more "genuine" public consultation on the government's plan to add two more years to the current 10-year basic education cycle.

Fire razes House leader's ancestral home

A FIRE razed an ancestral home of House Deputy Speaker for Mindanao Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar and two other houses belonging to her family in Zamboanga City early Sunday morning.

Fire Officer 1 Jerry Dapa said the fire started shortly after midnight from a wooden house being rented out to Mimi Retino, a disco pub owner, and quickly spread to the two other houses.

Trader dies in traffic mishap

A 30-YEAR-OLD businessman died in a traffic accident Saturday afternoon in a west coast village in Zamboanga City, the police reported.

The Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) Police Station 10 identified the fatality as Danny Tan, 30, a resident of Guiwan village, east of the city.

Mindanao seafood traders eye EU markets

MINDANAO seafood traders are now reaching out to new markets in the European Union (EU) following their recent participation in the 29th International Boston Seafood Show.

Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chairperson Secretary Luwalhati Antonino said ten Mindanao seafood companies are joining the Philippine delegation to the 2011 European Seafood Exposition to be held from May 3 to 5 in Brussels, Belgium.

Zamboanga to hold Chabacano rap competition

THE Zamboanga City Government, through the City Tourism Office, is holding a "Chabacano Rap" competition as part of the 2011 Summer Festival and part of the initiative to preserve and conserve the dialect.

Pope John Paul II declared 'Blessed'

VATICAN CITY (Updated) -- Pope Benedict XVI beatified Pope John Paul II before more than a million faithful in St. Peter's Square and surrounding streets Sunday, moving the beloved former pontiff one step closer to possible sainthood.

The crowd erupted in cheers, tears and applause as an enormous photo of a smiling John Paul was unveiled over the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica and a choir launched into a hymn long associated with the Polish-born pope.

Government workers to get an 'early' salary hike

MANILA (Updated 3:30 p.m.) -- President Benigno Aquino III on Sunday announced that government workers will get salary increases as early as June.

In his Labor Day announcement, Aquino said the release of fund for the third tranche of the wage hike for government workers under the Salary Standardization Law III (SSL III) will be ahead of one month.

Aquino sees wage hike for Metro Manila, Visayas

MANILA (Updated 1:32 p.m.) -- President Benigno Aquino III urged the regional tripartite wage board on Sunday to fast-track the deliberations on proposed wage increase so that all regions will benefit from it next month.

The President, in an ambush interview following a breakfast meeting with labor groups, said there will most likely be an adjustment in the minimum wage for workers in the National Capital Region (NCR) next week and for the Eastern and Western Visayas within the month.

Barangay Kalunasan residents approve 5-year development plan

BARANGAY Kalunasan, Cebu City yesterday approved their P225-million five-year development plan, the bulk of which goes to infrastructure projects.

The plan, which was presented before Kaluna-san residents yesterday, will guide barangay officials in implementing projects and drafting ordinances for the next five years.

PNoy sends wreath to Sanchez’s wake

PRESIDENT Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III sent his sympathies to the family of the late Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. as chairman of the Liberal Party.

The President sent a wreath to the Crystal Palace of the Cebu Cosmopolitan Homes where the wake of the vice governor is being held.

Groups to ‘padlock’ labor offices

VARIOUS groups will symbolically padlock the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in observance of Labor Day today.

Pending cases won’t be affected

THE resignation of Merceditas Gutierrez as tanodbayan will not affect cases pending at her office.

The process of selecting her replacement can immediately go full swing, with the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) kicking off the process by receiving applicants.

Mall employee dies in a jeepney heist

SIX men were arrested for robbing and killing a 22-year-old mall employee inside a jeepney in Mandaue City at dawn yesterday.

Police believed that the suspects, who are gang members, were behind the series of robberies and hold-up incidents in Metro Cebu.

Ylanan, another cop may face probe

THE chief of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch of the Cebu City Police Office (IDMB-CCPO) and another police officer may likely face an investigation in relation to the arrest of a woman in Barangay Guadalupe last Friday afternoon.

CCPO Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe said he may consider placing IDMB Chief George Ylanan and PO3 Richard Valencia under investigation to verify Lyzanne Labiste’s claim that it was the police, not her, who offered money.

Traveling Pope gets ‘Blessed’ status in Vatican rites today

CEBU CITY -- The Pope who canonized 482 people, more than all his predecessors, will himself be beatified in ceremonies in Rome Sunday.

Beatification or declaring a person “Blessed” is a step closer to sainthood or canonization.

Labor groups push for wage hike, end to contractualization

MANILA — Various groups confirmed plans to seek from the government improved conditions for workers nationwide while Malacañang is set to announce a package of non-wage benefits for workers as part of Sunday’s Labor Day celebration.

“We’ll push for increased wages and an end to contractualization in the workplace,” National Labor Union president Dave Diwa said during the Kapihan sa QC forum at Annabel’s Restaurant in Quezon City on Saturday.