‘Undas’ allow students to earn extra

STA ANA -- Some of the students who are out on their semestral break have trooped to St. Anne Memorial park in Barangay Sta. Lucia this town to earn extra money by providing their services in terms cleaning tombs for the love ones of those who are still busy a few days before “Undas” or All Saints’ Day on Monday.

According to Patrick Rodriguez, 13, a high school student, the annual All Saints’ Day observance has been providing them opportunity to earn.

Consumers urge to report sellers of uncertified Christmas lights

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Thursday urged consumers in Central Luzon here to report merchants who are selling uncertified lighting chains and Christmas lights.

The DTI, in a supplemental release, said the move is in view of the forthcoming Christmas season and the increasing demand for Christmas lights.

Farmers advised to explore ways to improve yields

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday urged local vegetable farmers to explore new and better ways of increasing agricultural yields through the use of modern techniques to improve production.

DA Regional Director for Operations Roi Imperial told Sun.Star Pampanga that the DA is willing to spearhead seminars and training for local growers across the province on production of high value vegetables and other quality crops.

Poll body says sorry for delayed elections

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) apologized Thursday over the delays during the conduct of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls last October 25, saying it has no one to blame but itself.

“I can say from the heart, we apologize for these delays that happened in our country causing much anguish and pain among our voting public,” said Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento.

Hubert Webb seeks freedom

CONVICTED rapist Hubert Webb asked the Supreme Court (SC) to acquit him and order his release after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) failed to conduct a DNA analysis on the semen specimen from the body of slain victim Carmela Vizconde.

In a 28-page Urgent Motion, Webb said that through the “negligence and willful suppression of vital evidence,” he is deprived of an opportunity to fully amplify his defense to reverse his conviction.

Andal Jr. fakes illness to skip hearing

FORMER Ampatuan town mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., the prime suspect of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, faked his illness Wednesday to skip the hearing at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu said he had a conversation with accused police officer Sukarno Dicay, telling him that Andal Jr. was never sick and was just "playing basketball.”

Mayor orders pipeline shutdown

MAKATI City Mayor Jejomar Binay Jr. ordered the First Philippine Industrial Corporation (FPIC) to shut down its pipeline following the discovery of continuous petroleum leak near a condominium in Bangkal village.

Charges vs Lacson strengthens

THE double murder charges against Senator Panfilo Lacson gained strength following the approval of a United States District Court, allowing the Philippine government to extradite former policeman Michael Ray Aquino.

Aquino is expected to shed more light in the 2000 killings of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito.

Gabriela dismayed over rude labor attaché issue

A LAWMAKER upholding women's rights criticized the maltreatment that a distressed Filipina worker in Hong Kong received from labor attaché Romulo Salud.

Gabriela Women's party-list Representative Luzviminda Ilagan called the attention of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz over the verbal abuse that Agnes Tenorio received from the labor officer.

Enrile defends staff allowances

SENATOR Juan Ponce Enrile on Thursday said the allowances of Senate employees are reasonable and even smaller than the workers at the House of Representatives.

His statement came after reports circulated that the Commission on Audit (COA) is allegedly investigating the excessive allowances given to the workers at the Senate Secretariat.

Aquino names new Asean envoy

PRESIDENT Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III appointed Wilfredo Villacorta as the Philippines’ permanent representative to the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean).

Aquino made the announcement while he is in Vietnam for the 17th Asean Summit.

Philippines to go from ‘RP’ to ‘PH’, ‘PHL’

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that the country will do away with the use of the acronym “RP” and will instead use “PH” and “PHL” when referring to the Philippines.

DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo said the department wants to ensure that the Philippines will go with the standards set in the country’s acquisition of membership in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

House committee to fight corruption pushed

ALARMED by the “highly corrupt” status of the Philippines, a lawmaker proposed the creation of a permanent oversight committee that would keep track on the major regulatory agencies of the government.

Representative Ben Evardone (lone district, Eastern Samar) said the committee would look into government offices especially those with rate-setting and franchise-awarding functions.

Geo-hazard mapping in Eastern Visayas almost done: DENR

TACLOBAN CITY -- The geo-hazard mapping being conducted to identify villages in Eastern Visayas with high, medium, or low disaster risks already nears completion.

Strafing incidents mar in rescheduled polls

TACLOBAN CITY -- The conduct of the rescheduled elections in eight towns in Samar province went smoothly on Tuesday despite strafing incidents in three villages.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said the strafing incidents occurred in Barangays Tinubod, Rizal, and Camonoan of Matuguinao town, where the rescheduled balloting was held.

Vote buying, detention reported in Northern Samar

CATARMAN, Northern Samar -- Election watchdogs received complaints from parents about their children “detained” by supporters of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) candidates in the province.

Lawmaker: P50M is not extra pork barrel

TACLOBAN CITY -- The P50 million funds for congressional projects provided for district representatives is not an extra-pork barrel but an entitlement.

Mayor: 'No Objection' to Casino

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog issued a Certificate of No Objection on Thursday to show he is not against the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) operating a casino in the city.

Mabilog said that Pagcor, a government-controlled corporation, is planning to establish a theme Pagcor Club at the Amigo Terrace Hotel in downtown Iloilo City. He said he expects the casino to further economic activities and raise the city's revenue.

Visayan bloggers to meet in Iloilo

MORE than 200 bloggers in western, central and eastern Visayas are set to met in the city on November 27, 2010, for the first ever Visayas Blogging Summit.

Marie Claire Ponsaran, president of the summit host Iloilo Bloggers Organization, said the summit will allow bloggers to come face-to-face with their other Visayan counterparts as well as personalities, organizations and places of interest that are the subject of their blogs.

Child laborers receive books from World Vision

CHILD laborers and children of families who can hardly afford sending their children to school in four municipalities of the province received books and other instructional materials from benevolent donors.

The distribution of the learning materials was facilitated by World Vision's ABK2 initiatives for child laborers.

Kararrua Festival in Bauang

ON ITS third year, the municipality of Bauang is preparing for another Halloween festivity.

Both local townsfolk and visitors anticipate and look forward to this distinctive merriment.

Mining summit set Thursday

A MINING summit is set here Thursday to talk about concerns of the industry.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Technical Director Clarence Baguilat said the balance between mining and the environment is to be tackled during the Cordillera Regional Minerals Development Council (RMDC) mining summit.

BFAR backs yu-yu production through magazine

JAPANESE loach or yu-yu that grows abundantly in rice terraces in the region is being pushed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) as an additional source of income for farmers.

In the recent launch of Indigenous Knowledge System and Practices of yu-yu production in the Cordilleras magazine, assistant regional director Lilibeth Signey claimed yu-yu production is a profitable source of income.

House committee okays Baguio Charter revision

THE House committee on local governments approved the proposed revision of the city’s century-old Charter in order to conform to the trend of the present times.

House Bill No. 121, which was re-filed by Representative Bernardo Vergara, seeks to consolidate the century-old Charter so that its provisions will conform to the present times after the original manuscript of the same was reported missing by the city general services office.

Police report peaceful polls in Baguio

THE Baguio police reported peaceful conduct of elections in the city.

A report from the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) community relations office, stated that despite incidents of a stand-offs in one barangay polling precinct, elections in Baguio was generally peaceful compared to other provinces.

Motorists urged to follow clean air ordinance

OFFICIALS from the city and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) warned the motorists to follow the clean air ordinance.

“Pollutants must pay.”

Jueteng ordinance up for review

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – In a bid to rid this town against jueteng, a local ordinance is up for review to become an ordinance.

Mayor Oscar Camanatiles has stood firm on his stand against all forms of gambling and has gotten the backing of the entire municipality.

71 village chiefs reelected

MAJORITY of the incumbent barangay chairmen were reelected in synchronized village polls Monday.

Of the 128 barangay chairmen in the city, 71 were reelected including Association of Barangay Councils president Joel Alangsab who won his second term in City Camp Central barangay.

Motorists oppose clean air campaign

MOTORISTS have opposed the Clean Air ordinance and the law that governs it saying there are provisions that have to be addressed first before it will be complied.

In a dialogue called by the Public Transport Affairs Office (PTAO) Tuesday, affected drivers complained about discrepancies in results of smoke emission tests done by private smoke emission testing centers and the City Environment and Parks Management Office (Cepmo).

Teachers renew calls for optional poll duties

DESPITE additional pay and the assessment of the Philippine National Police and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that the village polls were generally peaceful, teachers reiterated their position that the election should not be made compulsory.

The Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) said that with Comelec chairman Jose Melo's admission that the poll body lacked preparation for the smooth conduct of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections last Monday, the public school teachers who were board of elections tellers served as pawns of the Comelec.