Bacolod awards honest taxi drivers

EIGHTEEN taxi drivers who are members of the Bacolod Negros Taxi Drivers Club have received recognition from Bacolod City government on Monday for their acts of honesty.

They received the award for returning the money and other important documents, which were inadvertently left by their passengers in their taxicabs.

Fire officials urged to check establishments

THE Bacolod City Council passed a resolution urging the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to conduct a thorough inspection of all establishments in the city.

The resolution authored by Councilor Al Victor Espino called on City Fire Marshal Pamela Rojane Candido to conduct the inspections following a fire in Tuguegarao City, which killed 15 people.

Western Visayas posts P7B drop in domestic trade

WESTERN Visayas posted a P6.82-billion domestic trade share in the third quarter of 2010, down by at least P7 billion from the P13.84 billion commodity flow in the same period last year.

Western Visayas focuses on increased employment opportunities

WESTERN Visayas allotted the bulk of local government funding or P4.79-billion to programs and projects geared toward increasing job creation through economic growth.

Militants condemn human rights abuses of CPP

THE militant group Lumaya Ka vowed to continue to condemn all human rights abuses committed by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) through its military arm, the New People’s Army (NPA).

Police arrest 2 wanted persons

TWO suspects who are wanted for rape and robbery, respectively, were arrested on Sunday in two separate operations by the police in Bacolod City.

Mayor's son sightings provoke residents’ plea

AFTER keeping a low profile for a few days, Joavan Fernandez has gained access to the two hilltop subdivisions of Sta. Realty Development Corp. (SLRDC) in Talisay City, some residents said.

His presence at the “house of prayer” in Upper Candulawan has caused worry among some residents of Vista Grande and Pacific Heights Subdivisions—and prompted a call for Mayor Socrates Fernandez to assure the residents’ safety.

Suspects in death of volunteer claim self defense

CLAMING they were acting in self-defense, suspects in the death of an anti-illegal fishing campaign volunteer said they are not bothered by their conscience.

“Nganong magbasol man mi? Kon namatay pa mi, kami ray mabasol (Why should we regret what we did? We could have been killed),” Luis Fernandez told reporters yesterday.

LGU to seek Capitol’s help to build sea patrol office

THE death of Rudy Sultan has prompted the Municipal Government of Cordova to seek Capitol’s assistance to construct a permanent headquarters for the town’s anti-illegal fishing unit.

Mayor Adelino Sitoy said the local government plans to build an office for the Cordova Marine Watch, somewhere along the town’s coastline.

Rama ‘not in hurry’ to talk with guv

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama is determined to talk with Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia on the fate of the 93-1 lot occupants.

Rama just wanted to be a part of the solution after the proposed land swap deal between the City and the provincial government went amiss.

COA cuts refund by P581T

ANOTHER inspection by state auditors showed the materials Aloguinsan bought to make the façade of its town hall match that of the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) were fairly priced, a lawyer said.

The P1.19-million purchase earlier led to the filing of an anti-graft case, for which the Sandiganbayan ordered the arrest of former mayor Cynthia Moreno and seven others last week.

Officials abroad for brief vacations

WITH work winding down during the holidays, some of Cebu’s top officials are taking a brief time out from official duties.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia left for Hong Kong last Sunday night with her family for a short vacation. Her chief of staff Elizabeth Francia said the governor will return to the country on Dec. 31.

Half of elderly sector unable to claim CH aid

LESS than half of the senior citizens who are entitled to get P4,000 from Cebu City Government were able to claim the assistance last Dec. 23.

But Office of Senior Citizens Affairs head Dodong Casinillo assured all of the 5,666 seniors whose applications for financial aid were approved will receive their cash incentives.

‘No typhoon until new year’

EXCEPT for scattered rains and cloudy skies, the weather in Central Visayas will be fine in the days leading up to New Year, the weather bureau said yesterday.

As of yesterday, no tropical cyclone threatened or affected the country, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Toughies bully villagers

RESIDENTS fear an alley in Macanhan, Barangay Carmen in Cagayan de Oro City where daily hold ups, extortion, and riots happen while barangay officials do nothing to curve these misdeeds.

Residents said that the Phase 3 alley in Macanhan is favorite hangout of teenagers believed to be under the influence of drugs and liquors who waylaid passersby during wee hours in the morning since the start of December.

Rebel group getting weaker: military

THE government concluded that the communist organization is already weak and less influential with the fewer turnouts of attendees during the 42nd anniversary celebration of the New People’s Army (NPA).

On December 26, the rebel group celebrated its anniversary at Sitio Pong-on, Barangay Sto. Nino in San Agustin, Surigao del Sur.

Employers paid 13th month pay: labor department

THE Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Northern Mindanao noted no complaint of non-payment of the 13th month pay from workers in the private sector.

The yearly one-month-equivalent salary pay, according to law, must be received by employees not later than December 24 of the year as an additional benefit before the year ends.

Bill to fast track pending cases filed

A BILL that aims to fast track various pending criminal cases in the city’s courts has been filed by two lawmakers.

House Bill 1407 seeks to establish five additional branches of Municipal Trial Courts (MTC) in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental.

Labor groups to fight cab fare hike

CEBU CITY -- Two labor federations are fighting an order that will increase taxi fare by at least 33 percent in less than three weeks.

Workers, especially those who work at night, like the thousands of employees in business process outsourcing companies, will suffer the most from the increase, said Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) president Jose Tumongha.

Fil-Am drug suspect jumps to his death

MANILA – A Filipino-American serviceman jumped to his death Monday morning at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after security officials arrested him for alleged possession of cocaine.

Scintar B. Mejia, a 35-year-old US Navy officer, was about to board a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Los Angeles on Sunday night when he was accosted by airport authorities and held at the pre-departure area of the NAIA Terminal II.

Christmas Eve shooting ends child's life

A FATHER accidentally shot his seven-year old daughter on Christmas Eve amidst the alleged heated quarrel with his wife, police said.

Based on the report from the Abra Police Provincial Office, Municipal Councilor Rey Tandi accidentally shot his daughter, Reyma Grace, inside their rented house at the CRC compound in Bangued town on December 24.

Children most at risk from firecracker injuries

HEALTH officials warned the public anew to avoid firecrackers during the holidays as the region reported that children suffer most from firecracker-related injuries.

City Health Office Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Donna Tubera said majority of firecracker victims were children ages five to nine years old.

Ancestral screening body of city questioned

AN ELDER of one of the first Ibaloi families in Baguio is questioning the creation of an ancestral lands screening committee in Baguio.

The Baguio City Government has recently announced a screening committee has been given a mandate to sift through claims before they can be handled by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

Cordillera farmers, groups judged as PH’s best

FOUR entries from the region were recently hailed as the best farmers and farmer’s organization in the country.

In the 2010 Gawad Saka Achievers Awarding ceremony held at the Rajah Soliman Hotel on December 23, Department of Agriculture Regional director Lucrecio Alviar said this is the first time after three years that the region won the national search.

Gay group commends UN envoy for homosexuals stand

ANG LADLAD party-list (Ladlad) commended Ambassador Libran Nuevas Cabactulan for making a statement on ending violence and criminal sanctions against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBTs).

Scientists promotes pigeonpea planting

INTERNATIONAL Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) scientist Dr. Myer Mula said planting pigeonpea could prevent erosion and provide a source of income for farmers.

OFWs warned on packages

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) warned many overseas Filipino workers (OFW) and balikbayans to be vigilant of their packages.

Charges to be filed vs chop-chop suspect

DAVAO CITY -- Charges will be filed Tuesday against the suspect in the killing of a 39-year-old woman inside her house at a mid-scale subdivision in Talomo, this city.

Firecracker injuries reach 173

MANILA (updated 2:24 p.m.) - Four days before the New Year revelries, the health department has now monitored 173 cases of firecracker-related injuries reported across the country.

The Department of Health (DOH) said 83, or 40 percent, of these injuries are attributed to "piccolo."

Veto on some budget items backed

SENATOR Franklin Drilon expressed support to President Benigno Aquino III when he vetoed some items in the General Appropriations Act of 2011.

Among the items Aquino disallowed for next year’s budget was the re-channeling of the savings on the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program and the debt cap that limits his power to borrow more funds.