Mar S. Arguelles

Stories from Mar S. Arguelles

Farmers, Fisherfolks Rehabilitate Bikol Forest Lands, Mangrove Areas
Submitted by voxbikol on Mon, 08/03/2010 - 08:15
Mar S. Arguelles
Monday, March 8th, 2010

LEGAZPI CITY, March 2  - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said some 1,921 hectares were planted with trees in the Bikol region last year under the Upland Development Program (UDP).

The DENR in Bikol reported the trees planted were in the UDP priority sites for development and management such as Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) projects, Protected Areas, Mangrove and Coastal Areas, and Watershed areas.

Albay PDCC Shifts Strategy as Philvocs Lowers Mayon's Alert Level
Submitted by voxbikol on Mon, 08/03/2010 - 07:50
Mar S. Arguelles
Monday, March 8th, 2010

LEGAZPI CITY, March 4  --The Albay Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) has shifted its disaster strategy from response to risk reduction following the lowering of the alert level in Mayon Volcano from two to one.

The risk reduction strategy centers on the full relocation of households still living in the 6- kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ).

Gov’t Operatives Seize Arms Cache from Masbate Village Chieftain
Submitted by voxbikol on Sat, 20/02/2010 - 07:02
Mar S. Arguelles
Saturday, February 20th, 2010

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 16 -- Operatives of Task Force Masbate (TFM) on Sunday collared a village chief with a cache of high powered assault rifles at his residence in Placer town in Masbate, a police official said to PNA, Tuesday.

Operatives of TFM arrested Antonio Deocampo, village chief of Barangay Daraga, Placer, Masbate.

The arrest of the suspect brings to four elected local officials in Masbate nabbed for violating the Commission on Election (Comelec) gun ban at the onset of the May polls.

3 Army Soldiers Receive Globe Education Grants
Submitted by voxbikol on Mon, 15/02/2010 - 14:28
Mar S. Arguelles
Monday, February 15th, 2010

NAGA CITY, Feb. 10 - Three Philippine Army soldiers in Bikol were recipients of the Globe Telecommunications education grants in a recently held Philippine Army 9th Infantry Division Service Awards ceremonies held at Camp Elias Angeles, Pili, Camarines Sur.

The awardees were First Lieutenant Wilbert Basquiñas, Private First Class Rene Belga, and CAFGU Active Auxiliary Mark Apollo Perias of the 9th Infantry Division.

Each received P20,000 education grant from Globe to support the education of their dependents.

Legazpi Airport Gets P12M to Upgrade Runway Lights
Submitted by voxbikol on Mon, 15/02/2010 - 14:16
Mar S. Arguelles
Monday, February 15th, 2010

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 11 -- The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said civil and electrical works will start for the rehabilitation of the Legazpi Airport runway lights which was destroyed by Super Typhoon Reming in 2006.

CAAP has released some P12 million funding to finance the rehabilitation works with the installation of runway lights at 2.2 kilometers stretch of the Legazpi airport runway.

Two Rebels Surrender, Another Captured in Bikol
Submitted by voxbikol on Mon, 08/02/2010 - 19:14
Mar S. Arguelles
Monday, February 8th, 2010

PILI, Camarines Sur, Feb. 4 - The strength of the communist movement operating in Camarines Sur was cut down following the surrender of two ranking New People's Army rebels to Philippine Army (PA), the Army Bikol spokesman said on Thursday.

Those who surrendered were identified as Jolito Caneso, 33, his brother Benjamin, 34, all native of Bula town in Camarines Sur.

Army Maj. Harold Cabunoc, 9ID Spokesman, said that two rebels surrendered to the 42nd Infantry Battalion, PA based in Nabua, Camarines Sur, on Wednesday morning.

Task Force vs Private Armies Nabs Two in Masbate
Submitted by voxbikol on Mon, 08/02/2010 - 01:36
Mar S. Arguelles
Monday, February 8th, 2010

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb.5 -- Operatives of Task Force Masbate collared on Thursday two suspected members of a political armed group (PAGs) operating in the island province of Masbate, with several high powered assault firearms seized in their possession, a Bikol national police official said.

Arrested were Rodnie Gelotin and Jun Lorieta David members of a political armed group under a certain Valenzuela group.

Police Supt. Eliciar Bron, Bikol PNP spokesman, said TF Masbate operatives swooped down a safe house at about 5:30 a.m. Thursday in Uson town in Masbate.

Masbate Political Violence Claims 2nd Victim
Submitted by voxbikol on Sun, 24/01/2010 - 00:18
Mar S. Arguelles
Sunday, January 24th, 2010

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur, Jan. 22  - Unidentified armed men shot dead on Thursday a village chieftain of San Jacinto town in Masbate, a Philippine Army official said on Friday.

Killed was Danny Amor, village chief of Barangay Bartolabac in San Jacinto, Masbate.

Army Maj. Harold Cabunoc, 9th Infantry Division spokesman, said the incident took place around 8 p.m. on Thursday.

Dry Field
Albay Forms El Niño Task Force
Submitted by voxbikol on Sun, 17/01/2010 - 02:35
Mar S. Arguelles
Sunday, January 17th, 2010

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 15 -- Bracing for the onset of the dry spell, the Albay Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) created on Thursday the El Nino Task Force to oversee the implementation of the response strategy to curb the impacts and adverse effects of this climate change phenomenon.

'No man’s land' Rule Still Up Over Mayon Volcano - Salceda
Submitted by voxbikol on Sat, 09/01/2010 - 20:52
Mar S. Arguelles
Saturday, January 9th, 2010

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 5 - As Mt. Mayon's seismic activity is gearing up towards normalcy, disaster authorities here are continuing to enforce the "No man's land" rule in designated danger zones surrounding the volcano.

Albay Governor and Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) chairman Joey Salceda directed the Philippine Army (PA) to strictly enforce the ban on any human activity in the permanent danger zone (PDZ).

UNDP Hails Albay’s Mayon Disaster Preparedness Program
Submitted by voxbikol on Sat, 09/01/2010 - 20:21
Mar S. Arguelles
Saturday, January 9th, 2010

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 5 - The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) hailed Albay's Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) for its recent Mayon volcano eruption disaster preparedness and response strategy.

Prelate Seeks Serious Gun Ban Campaign from PNP
Submitted by voxbikol on Sat, 09/01/2010 - 20:16
Mar S. Arguelles
Saturday, January 9th, 2010

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 7 - Joel Baylon of the Diocese of Legazpi called on the PNP to conduct a more intensified campaign against loose firearms proliferating in the Bikol provinces.

Baylon urged the PNP to undertake an aggressive campaign against loose firearms in the region specifically in Masbate province where undocumented guns and high powered firearms reportedly exist in every household.

Bishop Baylon, who has been the Bishop of Masbate for 10 years, said as part of his evangelization program, he has been advocating making Masbate a gunless province.

Mayon Volcano
Mayon Eruption This Christmas Season Feared
Submitted by voxbikol on Sun, 20/12/2009 - 10:36
Mar S. Arguelles
Sunday, December 20th, 2009

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 19 --Harmonic tremors continue to shake Mayon volcano, an indication that the volcano is in the brink of a volatile eruption expected within weeks or days.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the volcano manifested an increased seismic activity as 248 volcanic quakes and tremors were totally recorded by instruments for the past 24 hour observation period.

Fifty of these events were explosion type, however, only seven were observed during times of good visibility.

These explosions produced dark gray to dark brown ash columns that reached a maximum height of up to 1,000 meters above the summit before drifting towards southwest.

Sulfur Gas and Quakes Jolts Mayon
Submitted by voxbikol on Mon, 14/12/2009 - 03:53
Mar S. Arguelles
Monday, December 14th, 2009

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 11 -- At least 29 volcanic earthquakes jolted Mayon Volcano on Friday, the highest recorded seismic event this week indicating that the volcano's abnormality is still up, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

Scientists are continuously observing Mayon volcano's fluctuating seismic precursors such as quakes, gas emission and ground deformation these are indication that the volcano's seismic activity may possibly lead to an explosive eruption.

Highpowered Firearms & Ammunition Recovered in Masbate
Submitted by voxbikol on Mon, 14/12/2009 - 03:28
Mar S. Arguelles
Monday, December 14th, 2009

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur, Dec. 9 -- Army troopers recovered from an abandoned safe house on Tuesday a cache of high powered firearms and ammunition in a remote village in Mandaon town in Masbate, report reaching the 9th Army Infantry Division said Wednesday.

The soldiers were on combat and retrieval operation after villagers tipped off military authorities of the presence of unidentified armed group in the area.

Lakas, NP, LP to Closely Contest Provincial and Congressional Posts in Albay
Submitted by voxbikol on Sun, 06/12/2009 - 20:06
Mar S. Arguelles
Sunday, December 6th, 2009

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 3  - Albay's political arena would be a derby among three dominant political parties belonging to the administration's Lakas-Kampi-CMD party, Nacionalista and the Liberal parties as 42 candidates would slug it out in various high stake provincial posts, the Commission on Election (Comelec) provincial office told the Philippines News Agency, Thursday.

Mayon Still Bulging -- PHILVOCS
Submitted by voxbikol on Sun, 06/12/2009 - 19:21
Mar S. Arguelles
Sunday, December 6th, 2009

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 4 --Mt. Mayon's edifice continue to bulge on Friday, an indication that the volcano's condition is still on a restive state that may lead to a possible explosive eruption.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) in its recent aerial and ground deformation surveys indicated that the volcano's edifice was still inflated in the two leveling sites of the 2,450 meters high volcano.

Mount Mayon Exhibits Intense Crater Glow
Submitted by voxbikol on Sat, 21/11/2009 - 09:15
Mar S. Arguelles
Saturday, November 21st, 2009

LEGAZPI CITY, Nov. 17 -- Mayon volcano continues to exhibit intense crater glow and is emitting fluctuating sulfur dioxide gas signs, that magma is developing and moving up to the volcano's vent.

This prompted the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to request and install additional seismic equipment to closely monitor the restive behavior of the volcano.

RDC Suspends Dato's Dam Project
Submitted by voxbikol on Sat, 21/11/2009 - 09:02
Mar S. Arguelles
Saturday, November 21st, 2009

LEGAZPI CITY, Nov. 19 --The Bicol Regional Development Council (RDC) directed the temporary suspension of the P700-million Libmanan-Cabusao Dam Project (LCDP) in Camarines Sur pending results of a project review.

RDC Chairman and Albay Gov. Joey Salceda directed the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in Bikol to temporarily put the project on hold following the creation of an RDC project review team composed of technical people from the RDC, Environment Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the NIA.

Ranking NPA Leader Nabbed in Albay
Submitted by voxbikol on Thu, 19/11/2009 - 01:44
Mar S. Arguelles
Thursday, November 19th, 2009

LIGAO CITY (Nov. 11) - Elements of the Philippine Army (PA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) collared on Tuesday a ranking member of the communist movement in a remote village in this city, an Army official told the Philippines News Agency, Wednesday.

Army and PNP operatives arrested Miguel Pedrateja alias Mike, a native of this city, in his safehouse in barangay Nabunton, a remote village 10 kilometers from this city.