Tuesday, January 10, 2006 (Philippines)

Religious procession of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo District in Manila becomes a tragedy. A stampede yesterday crushed one to death while at least a dozen others were injured as devotees jostled to get near the image that survived fire and World War II.(Ap photo) More road repairs, streetlights and repainting of public structures will be done in preparation for the Asean summit next year, amid suspicions of underground efforts to transfer the venue to Manila. As he announced yesterday his plan to create a “cosmetic team,” Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he will not meddle in the megadome or Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) issue since it will be built in Mandaue City anyway. “We can’t help them on that because it will be there in Mandaue. Anyway, I thought the problem is the lot but it turns out it isn’t. I offered the SRP but I was misunderstood so I don’t want to have anything to do with it,” he told a news conference. [full story]