LEGAZPI CITY (Sept 24, 2012) - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) in this city ordered the seizure of 94,000 bags of Vietnam Rice worth P 112.8 – Million over the weekend.

The seizure order signed by Legazpi city BOC collector Leovigildo Dayosa was issued to the National Food Authority (NFA) Albay branch after the grain agency failed to meet the deadline last week to submit the required import permits and other related documents of the said rice imports.

 

After having seen, heard and felt the people’s reactions to the untimely death of DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo, and the somewhat unexpected groundswell of grassroots clamor for his brand of servant leadership, I should probably not have been surprised by the administration’s almost blind and fanatical adoration of the departed cabinet member. But how can you blame me: I still remember how shabbily he has been treated by this administration. I have not forgotten how he cannot be fully entrusted with the full functions of his office because of difference in working styles. It is still very clear in my mind how he was initially offered as the scapegoat in the Luneta massacre of tourists. All of these are still clear in my mind.

Tropical Storm Lawin (International name: JELAWAT) is rapidly gaining strength as it moves west-southwestward slowly over the warm Philippine Sea and it is expected to cause heavy rains in the Eastern Visayas, Bicol Region and eastern Luzon provinces. Storm signal number 1 is now raised over Eastern Samar as its center was spotted at 6:00 P.M. today 521 kilometers (km.) East-Northeast of Borongan City.

Pili, Camarines Sur – Ms. Risa Hontiveros, Chairperson of AKBAYAN shares some light moments during the gathering of Pili Networkers and DSWD Day Care workers at the Pili Municpal covered court last September 14. The gathering was attended by Under Secretary Ibarra Gutierrez, III, Malacañang Office of the Political Affairs, Pili Municipal Mayor Tomas Bongalonta, Vice Mayor Ronald Boclot, SB members Camano and Belen, and an estimated 300 networkers and Day Care Workers.

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - A 70-year old fisherman was killed and over a hundred families were displaced due to bad weather caused by Typhoon Karen in the Philippines, a senior government official said today.

Benito Ramos, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director, said that 70-year old Juan Cabales of Tomas Oppus, a town in Southern Leyte, went on fishing last Thursday, but his body was found off the shore of Kawayan village of Libangon town in the same province two days later.

PILAR ‘Pilaring’ VALDEZ GIMPAYA, widow of the late NIA Director Crisanto ‘Joy’ Gimpaya, passed away yesterday at the age of 82.

MANILA, Sept. 9, 2012—From a Dominican to a Carmelite. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI named Prelature of Infanta Bishop Rolando J. Tria Tirona, OCD as Metropolitan of Caceres succeeding Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi, OP.

Much talk  has been focused on newly appointed Chief Justice Sereno's "God Speech" at her first flag-raising ceremony in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sep. 4.

MANILA, Philippines (Sep 7, 2012) - President Benigno Aquino III's net satisfaction rating jumped to a whopping +67 in August from last May's +42, based on the third quarter survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) released on Friday.

NAGA CITY, Philippines (Sep 7, 2012) – Lawyer Leni Robredo says that at present, she is “200 percent” certain she will not run for senator in the 2013 elections despite a growing clamor for her to run under the Liberal Party, the party of her late husband DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo.