New PhilHealth circular issued

AN OFFICIAL of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in Eastern Visayas said a circular requiring nine-month contribution to be able to avail its confinement benefits was recently issued.

PhilHealth regional vice president Walter Bacareza has called on all its members to pay their contribution promptly after the issuance of PhilHealth Circular 25, series of 2010 to its office.

Landslide hits Saint Bernard anew

A MINOR landslide incident happened again in Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte early Wednesday morning, affecting at least 12 families.

Rey Gozon, officer-in-charge of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-Eastern Visayas, said the incident took place in Barangay Lipanto between 1 a.m. to 3 a.m.

Church urges public to denounce RH bill

THE Catholic Church urged the public to denounce the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill as it called it as a form of "moral corruption."

In a pastoral letter entitled "Choosing Life, Rejecting the RH Bill," which was read in all Catholic churches in the region and other parts of the country, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said disregarding the moral implications of the RH bill is a form of corruption that the present government must fight.

Social welfare department hikes poverty program beneficiaries

A LAWMAKER announced that the number of beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer (CCT) through the National Government's Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P's) will be increased to close to 7,000 families in the province of Sulu.

Task force checks on illegal pier facilities

THE illegal construction of piers in the coastal areas of Zamboanga City has prompted the creation of a task force intended to conduct an actual inventory of all illegal piers facilities.

The creation of the Task Force Pantalan is formalized through Executive Order 383-2011 issued by Mayor Lobregat dated January 17, 2011 outlining the duties and functions of the task force.

Mayor halts activation of new police station

MAYOR Celso Lobregat said he is holding in abeyance the activation of the Central Police Station (CPS) in Zamboanga City until all high profile cases being handled by the city police are completely resolved.

13 dead in Moro rebels clash

NORTH COTABATO (12:55 p.m.) -- Hundreds of rival Moro rebels have clashed over land in North Cotabato, leaving at least 13 dead and thousands of villagers displaced in the month-long fighting, the military and rebels said Thursday.

26 Filipinos to be flown out of Egypt

MANILA (Updated 11:14 a.m.) — The Philippine government said Thursday that it will fly the first batch of 26 Filipinos out of the Egyptian capital this weekend.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Ed Malaya said the evacuation flight will leave Cairo's airport for Manila on Saturday.

Ombud open to withdraw plea bargain deal

MANILA (Updated 11:32 a.m.) -- Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez said Thursday that she will file a manifestation before Sandiganbayan to withdraw former military comptroller Carlos Garcia's plea bargain as recommended in Senate.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee resumed Thursday its investigation on the plea bargain agreement between government prosecutors and Garcia.

Bizmen warn public on looming price hike

THE public should brace themselves for more price increases on basic needs and services following the fare hike that was implemented on Wednesday.

Frank Carbon, president of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the increase in prices of goods and services will be minimal at only about seven percent.

City dismantles illegal stalls

THE City Government of Bacolod dismantled illegal temporary market stalls, which were impeding the flow of traffic along Amelia Street and Mercedez Avenue at the Libertad Public Market.

City and market administrator Dr. Rogelio Balo said the clearing operation is part of the city’s plans to restore order to the operations of the vendors in the three public markets in the city.

Bacolod marks 6th Bacolaodiat Festival

BACOLOD City will celebrate Thursday the Bacolaodiat Festival, which will highlight the Chinese New Year.

The festival runs until February 6, 2011 with the theme “Hopping towards Prosperity.”

Capitol tightens security at Lagoon

THE Provincial Government vowed to tighten the security at the Capitol Lagoon because of complaints of robbery and other petty crimes committed in the area.

Lawyer Jose Maria Valencia, chief of staff of Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., said the Capitol will detail more security personnel at the lagoon.

Guv to discuss food security project with Aquino

NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. will discuss some of his priority projects for the province during President Noynoy Aquino's visit in Bacolod City.

Flyover superstructure component now at Bredco

THE superstructure components for the flyover at the Lacson Street-Circumferential Road in Barangay Bata were already at the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. (Bredco) port since November 2010.

Kali-kalihan Fest highlights organic agriculture

ORGANIC farm produce will take center stage in the 21st Kali-Kalihan Harvest Festival of the municipality of Don Salvador Benedicto from February 5-9, 2011.

Traffic re-routing starts today

THE Traffic Management Unit (TMU) will implement the traffic re-routing in along Lacson Streets, particularly the area within the Provincial Capitol, as the 6th Bacolaodiat Festival opens Thursday.

ABC suspends benefits, aid

WITH no contributions yet from its members and the monthly expenses eating up the current funds, the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) of Cebu City may have to suspend the delivery of services to its members and employees soon.

It has now suspended the hospitalization and burial assistance to barangay officials and employees because there is no money available, ABC Cebu City President Michael Ralota said.

Sea trips cancelled

CEBU CITY -- At least 16 vessels cancelled their trips due to bad weather Wednesday, leaving some 200 people stranded, a Coast Guard (CG) official said.

Four of these vessels are inter-island ferries while four others are fastcraft plying various routes in the Visayas, such as Bohol, Leyte, Negros Island, Dumaguete City, Danao City and Camotes Island, Cebu.

New taximeter means 3% tax

TAXI operators using the new receipt-issuing meters are now required to declare their monthly gross receipts.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) set the requirement and will collect three percent, not 10 percent as earlier reported, from the taxi operators based on the gross receipts.

Hearing on P0.50 power rates hike set

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) in Cagayan de Oro will conduct a hearing on the application of the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company (Cepalco) to increase its power rates here by P0.50 per kilowatt hour.

The hearing, called by members of the City Council, is open to the public. It will take place tomorrow at the South-East Asia Rural Social Leadership (Searsolin), Father Mastersons Road in Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City.

2 wanted murder suspects collared

CITY police operatives arrested two suspects in separate occasions in Bukidnon and in Lopez Jaena, Misamis Occidental, for two separate killings.

City Police Director Benedicto Lopez identified the suspects as Ferdinand Sorre, 46, of Sitio Kolambugan, Barangay Danatag, Baungon, Bukidnon, and Rowe Sorre, Ferdinand's nephew.

Suspects, victims tight-lipped on 'resto' shooting

POLICE looking into the shooting incident at a restaurant on corner Velez and Fernandez Streets on Tuesday morning are still facing a blank wall after the families of both the suspects and the victims refused to cooperate in the on-going investigation.

City police director Benedicto Lopez said the victims and their family members rejected police investigations and say nothing about the identities of the suspects.

Fire officials conduct inspection on hotels

THE city fire department is now conducting priority inspection on some 2,500 hotels, inns, resorts, pension houses and motels in Cagayan de Oro City to make sure these establishments are safe.

Top official pushes for review of law on exploitation of minors

LAWYER Jose A. Fabia, director general of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) is calling on lawmakers to re-visit the Comprehensive Juvenile Justice and Welfare System (Republic Act 9344).

Councilor member denies letting Council buy meds

A MEMBER of the majority bloc in the Provincial Council of Misamis Oriental denies allegations that the purchase of drugs and medicines in the province could be done only on recommendation of Provincial Board member Jeremy Pelaez.

Prevent loitering, fix cameras on bridge

CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia asked the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) to have a crowd control system in place at the Marcelo Fernan Bridge to prevent loitering in the area.

The governor also ordered the supplier of the cameras installed on the bridge to replace defective units as its deadline had lapsed last Jan. 17.

DPWH told to do drainage

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) should also look at addressing the drainage problem in Cebu City, instead of constructing more flyovers.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said DPWH’s mandate also covers the construction of drainage systems, adding that the flooding problem has made the construction of an efficient sewage system more urgent.

Bill seeks to stop bank charges on idle accounts

REP. Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu, fourth district) wants banks to stop imposing charges on dormant accounts, or those that have remained idle for two years or more.

Salimbangon filed House Bill 3358, saying the practice is “unreasonable” and contradicts the nature of a bank’s operations.

Medellin offers Kospo tax perks

MEDELLIN Mayor Ricardo Ramirez wants a Korean company to put up a power plant on a 100-hectare parcel of land in his town.

He said the Municipal Government will give tax incentives to the investor, Korea Southern Power Co., Ltd. (Kospo), a sister company Korea Electric Power Corp. (Kepco).