1 of 2 suspects in slay of driver named

POLICE have identified one of the two suspects in the killing of a habal-habal (motorcycle for hire) driver in Davao City on Sunday night.

Social Welfare office partners with civic groups

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Davao Region aims to strengthen its partnership with civic society organizations (CSO).

Government, rebels agree to achieve peace deal in 2012

THE Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) on Tuesday concluded their first round of formal talks, agreeing to complete peace negotiations in 18 months.

Both sides tried to find "a common political solution" to finally end decades of armed conflict in the country, government peace panel chairman Alex Padilla said on Tuesday during the resumption of peace talks in Oslo, Norway.

Senate summons ex-general's wife

THE spouse of a former general accused of receiving cash illegally drawn from military funds has been summoned by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

Erlinda Ligot, wife of former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) comptroller Jacinto Ligot, is now required to appear before the committee to shed light on her frequent foreign trips and houses in the US that she allegedly acquired.

No Filipino workers deployment to Libya, Bahrain, Yemen

THE Philippines has temporarily stopped the processing of labor contracts of Filipino workers headed for Libya, Bahrain, and Yemen where political tensions have escalated.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda announced this Tuesday, citing a move by the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole).

RH debates in plenary to start next week

THE reproductive health (RH) measure is set for plenary sponsorship on March 1 after it passed the House Committee on Rules Tuesday.

Palace hopeful bishops will return to dialogue

MALACAÑANG still hopes that Catholic bishops will return to dialogue with the government regarding the reproductive health (RH) bill.

Church official pessimistic over Edsa celebrations

FORMER Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi on Tuesday expressed pessimism over the forthcoming Silver Anniversary of the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution, saying it has massively failed its ideals.

Zero casualty in New Zealand quake

NO FILIPINO was injured in a powerful earthquake that hit New Zealand on Tuesday, the Philippine embassy in Wellington said.

Over 400 schools to raise tuition this June

YOUTH and student groups said Tuesday that more than 400 colleges and universities are expected to raise their tuition and other fees in June despite assurances from the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) that fewer colleges will hike fees this coming academic year.

TV network workers file strike notice

LABOR unions of government-owned television station RPN 9 filed a notice of strike (NOS) at the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) early this week.

Trillanes calls for review of COA rules

A SENATOR has filed a resolution asking the Senate to review rules covering the Commission on Audit (COA) after it was alleged that some of its officials helped cover-up corruption in the military.

DepEd, suppliers sign integrity pact to curb corruption

VOWING to stamp out graft and corruption in the department tasked with providing quality basic education, Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Armin Luistro signed on Tuesday a pledge of integrity pact with its suppliers, business partners, and civil society groups.

Senate committee backs NGO participation in budget process

A BILL to include people's organizations in the national budget process got the nod of the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday.

Penalties for abuse of the elderly proposed

A BILL has been filed at the Senate to protect Filipino elderly from abuse at the hands of their caretakers.

Recto: Extend pre-school, not high school

THE Department of Education (DepEd) should put more years into pre-school instead of extending high school by one year, Senator Ralph Recto said Tuesday.

Lawmaker moves to save music industry through tax exemptions

TO SAVE the dying music industry, Bayan Muna Representative Teddy Casiño is pushing for the passage of a bill exempting concerts by local artists from amusement taxes.

2 jailbreak inmates shot dead in Zambo

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Police gunned down two fugitives who were among the seven prisoners who escaped a detention facility in Zamboanga del Sur on Monday.

A jail guard and a prisoner were killed in a firefight Monday when the fleeing inmates grabbed a guard's pistol during visiting hours at the facility in Pagadian City, Philippine National Police spokesman Agrimero Cruz Jr. said.

1st batch of female bus drivers to undergo skills test

THE first batch of 23 female bus drivers will undergo an assessment of their skills on Wednesday, after completing a road safety training program.

Benefits of updated country map discussed

A PROJECT expected to produce an updated Philippine map with high-resolution images would be beneficial to the Philippines, allowing effective delivery of goods and services up to the grassroots level in the archipelago.

Armm poll postponement approved

TAKING the cue from President Benigno Aquino III, members of the House Committees on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms and Muslim Affairs voted to postpone the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).

Guv approves 'garbage summit'

LUBAO -- Governor Lilia Pineda on Monday gave her nod on a "garbage summit" designed to curb the growing waste problem.

Pineda, upon seeing photographs of open dumpsites, expressed alarm and dismay on the non-cooperation of some mayors on the issue, which has been dragging on for many years.

Hearing on election protest vs lawmaker set

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A House of Representatives panel is set to conduct a preliminary conference to look into an election protest filed by a Liberal Party candidate against a re-elected Pampanga lawmaker.

House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) chairperson and Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales scheduled the conference on February 24 at 10:30 a.m. It will be held at the conference room of the HRET building in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City.

Feb. 25 a regular working day nationwide

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz announced that February 25, or the commemoration of the Edsa Revolution is a regular working day across the country.

Based on Proclamation Number 84, Baldoz said President Benigno Aquino III declared the 25th anniversary commemoration of the Edsa Revolution as a special holiday only for schools nationwide, but not for government and private offices.

PhilHealth registers 1.48 million members in 2010

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in Central Luzon has registered nearly 1.5 million members and gathered more than P1 billion worth of contributions in 2010.

Bizmen assured of intensive anti-criminality drive

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Military and police officials here assured over the weekend members of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PamCham) of an intensified anti-criminality and security program.

Calibration site launched in Clark

CLARK FREEPORT -- The Department of Natural Resources and the Geodetic Engineers of the Philippines Inc. (Gepi) launched over the weekend the first-ever calibration site for geodetic equipments at the Stotsenberg Park here.

Council endorses construction of road

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The San Fernando City Council formally passed during its recent regular session a resolution endorsing the construction of a circumferential road at Barangay Calulut to the Regional Development Council (RDC).

Execs urged to help employ Kapampangan nurses

CANDABA -- A group of parents is asking the help of the Provincial Government for the possible employment of their children who are currently unemployed after passing the nursing board examination.

Rotarians donate medicines, supplies to hospital

ANGELES CITY -- Members of the Rotary Clubs of Midtown Tarlac and Mabalacat recently donated medical supplies and pediatric medicines to the Ospital Ning Angeles (ONA).