All barangays to put up women’s desk: council

ALL 22 barangays of Talisay City will each have their own women’s desk soon.

During its regular session last Tuesday, the Talisay City Council approved a resolution requiring all the barangays to establish a violence against women desk.

Renal therapy replacement cases increasing nationwide: institute

HEALTH officials noted a decrease in the number of renal disease patients in Central Visayas, which now ranks ninth among the regions with the highest number of renal disease patients.

Dr. Jocelyn Abellana, renal disease control program (Redcop) coordinator of the Department of Health (DOH) 7, attributed the decrease in the number of patients to the availability of information regarding kidney ailments.

Senate approves rules for impeachment

MANILA -- The Senate is ready to convene as an impeachment court in May after it approved Wednesday night the rules it will use for the impeachment trial of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Rebel in Panabo attack arrested

DAVAO CITY -- Police arrested Tuesday a wounded member of the New People's Army (NPA) who was among those who attacked the main police station in Panabo City last Saturday night.

The rebel was identified as Elesio Mariano, 41, a resident of Barangay Longaog in Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte.

Lawmaker: 'Yes' to Ombud impeachment

CAGAYAN de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez on Wednesday said Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez should be impeached on the ground of "laxity".

Rodriguez was one of the members of the House of Representatives who voted "yes" and approved the justice committee resolution recommending Gutierrez's impeachment for betrayal of public trust.

Transportation exec receives death threats

THE newly-appointed regional director of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Northern Mindanao reportedly received death threats.

Lawyer Esteban M. Baltazar said somebody is out to silence him but he refused to divulge more details.

Oro residents oppose water hike

MAJORITY of residents from Cagayan de Oro City's 80 villages are opposing the Cagayan de Oro Water District's (COWD) plan to increase its water rates by 30 percent.

The residents said during a public hearing Wednesday that the increase is too much considering the financial crisis.

Aquino opens road project

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III led the inauguration of the 9.1-kilometer road project in Misamis Oriental on Wednesday.

The President also expressed hope that the Phase I Opol-Basak-Tingalan project will bring jobs and help improve the lives of farmers in the area.

13 XU Law grads pass Bar exam

THIRTEEN graduates from the College of Law of Xavier University (XU) successfully passed the 2010 Bar Examinations, seven of whom are first-time takers earning XU a passing rate of 26 percent.

Dagupan to begin anti-measles immunization a day earlier

DAGUPAN CITY -- The City Health Office will start on Thursday its massive door-to-door immunization activity, ahead of the nationwide campaign of the Department of Health (DOH).

The nationwide DOH Measles-Rubella Special Supplemental Immunization activity dubbed as "Iligtas sa Tigdas ang 'Pinas" will start on April 4, City Health Officer Leonard Carbonnel said.

Davao drivers to join nationwide strike

TRANSPORT groups in Davao City will join the one-day nationwide transport strike on March 31 to protest the spiraling prices of oil products in the country.

Edil Gonzales, secretary general of Transport of Mindanao for Solidarity, Independence and Nationalism (Transmision), said major transport groups in the city are joining the protest action.

Man arrested for shabu possession

PHILIPPINES Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives arrested a man for shabu possession in front of the Land Transportation Office in Davao City on Wednesday.

Emerson R. Rosales, office-in-charge of PDEA-Davao Region, identified the suspect as Romulo Suzon, a resident of Barangay 76-A in Davao City.

Woman accuses rebel group of abducting hubby

A WOMAN on Wednesday reported to police the alleged abduction of her husband in North Cotabato province by suspected members of the New People's Army (NPA).

Teofilo Coquila was abducted on March 2 in Barangay Tiko, Magpet in North Cotabato while he and his friend, Genaro Tero, were on their way to visit a friend in the area, said the victim's wife, Jocelyn.

Anti-poverty efforts focus on Mindanao towns

THE National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) is focusing its efforts on Mindanao municipalities by tapping microfinance corporation's help in teaching and providing funds for the entrepreneurial poor.

Joel Rocamora, NAPC lead convenor, said they have organized the Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS) that will help identify the poorest of the poor municipalities in the region.

Group warns of mercury level build up in air

MANY areas in the country are showing high levels of mercury in the air, according to studies by Ban Toxics, a Manila based non-government organization.

More national conventions in city: Duterte

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Wednesday said the city is expected to play host to around 1,000-1,500 participants to different conventions slated this summer.

Davao to join in South Africa trade fair

THE Davao City Government is sending a delegation to South Africa next year for a trade fair that will showcase various agricultural products.

2 banana plantations violate buffer zone policy

AN ENVIRONMENT group said two banana plantations in Davao City have not complied with the 50-meter buffer zone requirement.

Davao Sur police intensify illegal logging crackdown

POLICE in Davao del Sur have strengthened their campaign against illegal logging following orders from the Davao del Sur Provincial Police Office (DDSPPO).

Sayyafs lower ransom demand for kidnapped trader

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Kidnappers of Largio Tam Delos Santos, a resort owner from Isabela City, have lowered further their ransom demand from P5 million to P1 million.

The kidnappers initially demanded P20 million, but they lowered it to P5 million barely two months after Delos Santos was abducted.

Over 200 academics, ex-Cabinet members support RH bill

OVER 200 instructors and professors, including a national artist and ex-Cabinet members from the country's top universities, said the Reproductive Health (RH) bill deserves to be passed in the 15th Congress as it is a "vital piece of legislation."

Government gives up on fate of 3 Filipino drug mules

MALACAÑANG has apparently given up on three Filipinos awaiting execution in China.

Ramon Credo, Elizabeth Batain, and Sally Villlanueva, all drug mules convicted of smuggling more than 4,000 to 6,000 grams of heroin into China, is set to be executed on March 30, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

Time running out to push back Armm elections

THERE may be no more time for the Senate to work on a bill to push back elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm), said Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday.

He said the chamber can no longer tackle the bill on its last day before going on recess, the same day the bill was transmitted by the House of Representatives.

Arroyo allies ready to question Armm poll deferral

ALLIES of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are ready to challenge the constitutionality of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) poll postponement once President Benigno Aquino III signs it into a law.

"I think the minority is prepared to challenge the constitutionality of the Armm elections postponement and the appointment of OICs (officers-in-charge) once it is enacted into law," Minority Leader Edcel Lagman said Wednesday.

Dole fines Lucio Tan property firm, contractors

THE listed property unit of Lucio Tan, the Philippines' alcohol and tobacco magnate, and its contractors have been slapped with a P5.2 million fine after they were found to have violated numerous labor standards.

June polls eyed for post vacated by Singson

CONSTITUENTS of convicted drug trafficker Ronald Singson in the first district of Ilocos Sur will not have a congressional representative for at least 10 more weeks.

Over 750 school buildings may not withstand strong quake

MORE than 750 school buildings nationwide have structural defects and may be unable to withstand a strong earthquake similar to the one that hit Japan more than a week ago if no intervention is conducted, said the Education department.

Palace behind zero pork text: opposition lawmaker

THE House opposition leader thinks that Malacañang is responsible for the text messages that circulated last week, threatening legislators with a zero pork barrel allotment if they vote against or abstain from voting on the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Aquino: I am not happy with Ombud's performance

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III continued to voice out his strong opinion against Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

PAL to submit counter-proposal in 2 weeks

A LEADER of the Philippine Airlines' (PAL) labor union said Wednesday he is expecting a landslide vote favoring a legal strike against the carrier's management.