MANY PEOPLE who have been affected by the economic downturn or have simply lost their jobs due to retrenchment have realized the importance of spending wisely every single centavo in their pockets. The basic question is always "Do I need to buy this?" Need becomes the criterion for spending. Instead of buying clothes, shoes and other stuff, many are becoming more conscious to prioritize food, medicine and utilities in their budget. "Let's face it: Most people spend way too much money on things they don't really need. The more money we make, the more we tend to spend. This endless cycle of materialism has led many people to confuse the word "need" with the word "want." As in, "we need a big-screen TV for our new home theater." Or, "I need a new pair of shoes to go with my new outfit."

On June 20, the Naga City Government launched its self-styled "Governance Institute." It is reportedly supported by World Bank money, so I will not quarrel with its establishment for now. Hence, I will only dare the institute to immediately look into the string of violations of Commission on Audit rules and regulations like unliquidated cash advances or unpaid dole-out loans that the city government has callously committed over the years of Robredo's administration and without proper accountability of those directly involved.

QUEZON CITY, June 24, 2009-It is the United States government that pushes hard for the Constitutional Change in the Philippines. This was the allegation of the independent think-tank, Ibon Foundation Inc., explaining that the US needs more market for its surplus product, that is why, it is exerting all efforts to remove nationalist and other progressive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, now more so with the US economy under recession. London of School Economics and Political Science graduate Jose Enrique Africa, Ibon's research head said foreign capital has been aggressive in seeking profitable opportunities for itself, including pushing for Charter change (Cha-cha) since the 1990s.

VATICAN, June 24, 2009-- The Vatican confirmed today Benedict XVI will receive in audience U.S. President Barack Obama next month. The meeting, set for the afternoon of July 10, will be the first between the Pontiff and the new president.

MANILA, June 24, 2009-A church official is seeking transparency in expenditures of President Arroyo's foreign trips. At trying times, he said, every peso that can be saved by the government counts and every trip abroad by the President should be accounted for. Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) media director said the call for transparency does not zero in only on Mrs. Arroyo but also on other government officials.

Fruits alone are not enough? Well, many a German would think so. The woman next door takes in food supplements in form of pills. Pills that contain pressed essence of fruit or vegetables. She would swear by those and thus she spends some 75 Euros (around Php 5000) a month for the additional supply of health.

NAGA CITY-Two persons were found dead in two towns in Camarines Sur on Sunday while a vehicle was sprayed with bullets for unknown reason very early On Monday in Naga City, reports from Camarines Sur and Naga City police offices said.

NAGA CITY-A and a backhoe were completely burned by 10 armed suspected rebels, reportedly belonging to the group of Francisco Mendoza, in Bula, Camarines Sur at noon Tuesday, said Major Christopher Morales, spokesperson of 9th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines based in Camp Elias Angeles, Pili, Camarines Sur.

UNITED NATIONS, June 27 (PNA/Xinhua) -- Governments have failed to provide developing countries with the resources they need to deal with the financial crisis, according to an umbrella group of trade unions, civil society and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), which released a report card critical of the United Nations economic conference on the financial crisis here on Friday.

NAGA CITY-The Naga City council has passed a resolution in strongly opposing a House bill seeking to amend the Local Government Code of 1991 (Republic Act 7160) to allow several municipalities to become cities by exempting them from income requirement. In the resolution, the city council said it was joining the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) in opposing the Hose bill that "discriminates on other local government units and favors the 16 municipalities that recently lost in the case LCP versus the Commission on Election."