Last Friday, the city woke up to a whole day of "Traslacion." The day and the week promise - or threaten - to bring about more changes to old practices. Some of these acts and gestures gathered through accretion, some by introduction from outside, and other by sheer power of local or native culture.

But even as this "nakakagirabong" cry of the crowds has become part of our cherished traditions, we might as well examine what it really means. Or else, we end up like clanging cymbals-making loud noises, but empty in between.

Fr. Miguel Robles de Covarrubias was within his first decade of priesthood when he changed the course of history. His story is a classic example of how a man's personal convictions can influence 300 years and a world beyond his wildest dreams. His life's work is a perfect proof of the wisdom of God's ways.

MANILA, Sept. 11, 2009─Aiming to promote lay vocation and its potentials in motivating change in one's life and society, this year's celebration of the National Laity Week once again calls for lay people to become primary agents of change.

VITERBO, Italy, Sept. 6, 2009-- Benedict XVI is expressing the hope that by commemorating the anniversary of World War II, there will be a renewed effort to build a culture of peace for future generations.

LEGAZPI CITY, Sept. 9 -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has announced Wednesday that mobile personnel were dispatched since August this year to Hong Kong.

IRIGA CITY ---- The University of Northeastern Philippines (UNEP) Chorale was awarded the prestigious 2009 Sumagang Award for Outstanding Achievements in Music and Culture by the Iriga City government as part of the highlights of the celebrations of the city's 41st Charter Foundation anniversary on Sept. 3 at the ceremonial grandstand here.

No matter how oil firms deny the allegations that they are overcharging the consumers, the widespread public perception that oil companies are abusive and profit-hungry will remain. This will be the case as long as the oil industry is deregulated and oil companies are allowed to automatically increase their prices and at the same time not compelled to publicly divulge how they compute their price adjustments.

LEGAZPI CITY, Septembet 11 - - WITH THE ANTICIPATED INCREASE in the volume of motorists and vehicles plying the stretch of the Maharlika National Highway in the provinces of Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon , as the regional Peñafrancia festivity starts on Friday (Sept. 11), motorists' assistance centers have been fielded by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional office to assist travelers from Sept. 11 to 21, this year .

Pili, Camarines Sur (8 September) -- Bikol now ranks first among the regions in the entire country in palay production growth rate based from the report of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS).