Landfill ban on 6 septic haulers

THE Cebu City Government will no longer allow the six septic haulers to dump their septic wastes at the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill.

Engr. Randy Navarro, landfill manager, said the move is in line with Mayor Michael Rama’s plan to completely close the 15.4-hectare facility to all forms of dumping by October.

CH sued for P3.5M over income loss

A CONSTRUCTION firm wants the Cebu City Government to pay it P3.5 million for damages and income loss. N & N Construction filed the “money claim” against the City before the Office of the Ombudsman.

It said it lost income when its equipment was not used for almost a month for a road rehabilitation project in Barangay Sinsin.

DENR to discuss delisting of absentee claimants

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has initiated efforts to streamline the list of farmer-occupants living in a reforestation site located within a protected area.

DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Maximo Dichoso said he would seek a dialogue between the claimants and the City Assessor’s Office.

Schools in C. Visayas to hold Brigada Eskwela next week

SCHOOLS in Central Visayas will hold the annual Brigada Eskwela next week, as part of preparations for the school opening next month.

Education officials in the region will kick off the weeklong activity in Bohol on May 23.

Capitol, Rafi to restore old school buildings

AT LEAST 28 towns in Cebu will soon have new school buildings. Apart from these, all Gabaldon-type buildings in schools in the province will also be restored.

These undertakings are projects of the Department of Education (DepEd), the Provincial Government and the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Rafi).

No cash aid, relocation to families along Mahiga: Rama to councilor

CEBU City Councilor Alvin Dizon failed to convince Mayor Michael Rama yesterday to provide financial assistance and a relocation site to families affected by City Hall’s clearing operations on both sides of Mahiga Creek.

Dizon, chairman of the City Council’s committee on housing, said the mayor stood firm on his stand that the City will not provide cash aid and relocation sites to the affected families.

Cebu lawmaker robbed while at home

CEBU CITY -- The family of Cebu Provincial Board (PB) Member Julian Daan lost an estimated P1 million worth of jewelry when a robber barged into his house Monday while the lawmaker worked on a radio drama script.

The robber, said Daan, held him up at knifepoint.

Oro has 14 HIV cases

FOURTEEN people tested positive of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Cagayan de Oro City as of March this year, according to a report from the Department of Health (DOH).

Fritzie C. Estoque, Misamis Oriental-Cagayan de Oro Aids Network (Mocan) chairperson, said that based on the DOH report, one of the registered cases is a female and 13 are males.

Energy department to 'switch on' light

ENERGY Secretary Jose Rene Almendras will grace Tuesday's turnover ceremony and ceremonial switching-on of the rural electrification project in Medina, Misamis Oriental.

Jerome R. Soldevilla, Steag State Power (Steag) communications officer, said residents from 16 villages mostly located in the hinterland of Claveria, Sugbongcogon, Kinoguitan, Balingoan and Medina towns, are expected to join the ceremony who are beneficiaries of the P7.35 million energization project.

Farmer leader's murder in 2008 remains unsolved

SOME 40 farmers of the Farmers Association of the Davao City (FADC) on Monday urged the police to continue their investigation on the killing of their leader, Celso Pojas, three years ago.

The farmers held a picket in front of Davao City Police Office (DCPO), seeking justice for Pojas, who was killed by motorcycle riding gunmen in Bugac, Ma-a in Davao City on May 15, 2008. A case still has to be filed.

Police: Low-resolution CCTV doesn't give much about killer

POLICE still do not have a suspect in the killing of a Manila-based businessman in a hotel room despite images of the suspect taken by a close-circuit television camera.

Norman K. Dy, 51, president of MKD Trading Corporation and resident of Banawe Street, Quezon City, was found dead inside his room at D'Leonor Hotel last May 16.

Woman stabbed dead by live-in partner

A 28-YEAR-OLD woman was stabbed dead by his live-in partner in Boholand Inn on McArthur Highway in Matina, Davao City shortly after midnight Monday.

Police Officer 2 Roman Agor, Talomo police investigator, identified the victim as Myrna Lao Bolotaolo of Barangay Bato in Toril.

SMI also putting up 500-megawatt coal plant

A MULTINATIONAL mining company is also putting up a 500-megawatt (MW) coal fired power plant in Malalag, Davao del Sur.

The company plans to start the construction by 2012. The power plant estimated to cost P25.3-trillion is the biggest investment in the country next to Petron's Malampayan oil project in Palawan, the communications manager of Sagittarius Mining Incorporated (SMI) said.

HIV-Aids info must be at barangay level: health office

HUMAN Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (HIV-Aids) can be best addressed if the programs are delivered right at the barangay and community levels, a city health official said Monday.

Illegal recruiters increasing: POEA

THE Philippine Overseas and Employment Administration (POEA) in Davao said Monday that the number of illegal recruitment agencies is increasing.

Group wants representation in power rate hike hearing

AN ELECTRICAL consumer's group has petitioned before the Davao Light and Power Company Inc. (DLPCI), seeking to participate in the public hearing regarding a pending application for rate increase by the DLPC from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

8 bombs unearthed in Pantukan roadside

THE military unearthed eight improvised explosive devices (IED) suspected to have been buried by members of the New People's Army near a road in Barangay King-king, Pantukan, Comval Province, Saturday afternoon.

Coop's contract to buy power from TMI not yet approved

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is yet to approve a contract that will allow the Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative (Dasureco) to purchase power from Therma Marine Incorporated (TMI) to address the power shortage in Davao del Sur.

House commends Pacquiao anew

MANILA -- Eight-division world boxing champion and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao earned recognition from the House of Representatives for his latest triumph against American boxer Shane Mosley in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In a 10-minute ceremony, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. presented Pacquiao an enlarged copy of House Resolution 109, which contains the chamber's admiration for the boxer's discipline and brilliance that has brought honor to the country.

Palace remains dead set on Armm poll postponement

MALACAÑANG remains determined to push for poll postponement in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) to institute long-term reforms in the country's poorest region.

While the administration is confident that its bets will win if ever the elections will push through in August, what matters more to President Benigno Aquino III is a clean and honest election, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said in a press briefing in Malacañang Monday.

At least 20 nominated for Ombudsman

AT LEAST 20 names were submitted during the 10-day application and nomination period for the position of Ombudsman, sources at the Judicial and Bar Council said on Monday.

Although the council has yet to release an official list, the eight-member panel accepted the nomination for three more bets -- human rights lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno, public interest lawyer Marlon Manuel, and former Justice Secretary and former CA justice Artemio Tuquero. All three have accepted the endorsements.

Roxas a most 'qualified' appointee: Church official

MANUEL "Mar" Roxas, the losing running-mate of President Benigno Aquino III, is a "qualified" appointee, a retired archbishop said on Monday.

Oscar Cruz, former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said he was not surprised about Roxas's appointment as the President's chief of staff.

Malacanang not big enough for Roxas, Ochoa

A FORMER executive secretary, now at the Senate, said Monday that there is no room in Malacanang for both a chief of staff and an executive secretary.

Senator Joker Arroyo, executive secretary to former president Corazon Aquino, said the functions of the executive secretary are already defined by and appointing former senator Manuel Roxas II as presidential chief of staff could result in a turf war over overlapping roles.

PAL workers to bring dispute to the international group

WORKERS of Philippine Airlines (PAL) will bring their labor dispute with the management at the International Labor Organization (ILO), its employees association said.

Church can't be cool about RH bill

MEMBERS of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Monday said they are unable to "be cool" when there is a threat to human life.

Senator expects RH fight to start after Sona

SENATOR Miriam Defensor-Santiago, author of the Senate version of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, is girding her loins for war as she anticipates the debate on contraceptives reaching the Senate by July.

Palace to study bill seeking fixed salaries for drivers

MALACANANG on Monday expressed willingness to study a bill that seeks to give bus drivers fixed salaries and schedules to prevent future accidents.

Lawmakers seeks more funds for road safety, improvement

A PORTION of funds collected annually from motor vehicle registration must be used to keep the country's dangerous roads safe, Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara said Monday.

Only 2 Davao nursing schools surpass passing rate

DAVAO CITY -- Only two of the 13 nursing schools here surpassed the national passing rate of 80 percent set by the Commission on Higher Education (Ched).

Based on the overall performance percentage released by the Board of Nursing, San Pedro College of Davao (SPC) garnered an 89.67 passing rate, while Ateneo De Davao University (ADDU) got 80 percent.

MMDA, bus operators to meet on Wednesday

THE Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and owners and operators of buses that ply Quezon City's Commonwealth Avenue will hold a meeting on Wednesday, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said.