On May 11, ANC sponsored a “Leadership Forum” at the Ateneo de Manila University for prospective presidential candidates for the 2010 elections. Those who attended were Chiz Escudero, Dick Gordon, Ed Panlilio, Mar Roxas and Gilbert Teodoro.

In its latest report on Asia the IMF raised the need for governments in the region to implement measures that will boost domestic demand. It said that the Philippines and other Asian countries must rely more heavily on domestic consumption to keep their economies afloat. The government, however, is less pessimistic than the IMF and expects the country’s growth in gross domestic product to expand by 3.1-4.1 per cent this year.

We from the Bikolano Alliance for Nationalism against Balikatan (BAN BALIKATAN) call on the Senate and the House of Representatives to investigate the corruption exposed by former Lieutenant Nancy Gadian, former officer-in- charge (OIC) of the Civil Military Operations (CMO) Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) in the 2007 Balikatan Exercises in Jolo, Sulu. She accused Lt. General Eugenio Cedo, the former chief of the Westmincom of pocketing a lot of money from the exercises.

MANILA, May 14, 2009- Zero Waste activists, a prominent church leader, a distinguished public servant and pro-environment beauty titlists spoke as one in urging political parties and wannabees to think "green" as they woo the "pinoy" votes.

VATICAN, May 12, 2009-- The Vatican has announced that during the Year for Priests, which will run June 19, 2009 - June 19, 2010, the Pope Benedict will grant plenary indulgences to priests and the faithful.

IRIGA CITY --- The popular local ABS-CBN TV morning show MagTV na Oragon featured in its May 16 edition the University of Northeastern Philippines (UNEP) campus here, its various college departments, modern laboratories and facilities to give parents and students the opportunity to know the best courses the university offers and its tradition of academic excellence as a prestigious learning institution in the Bikol region.

NAGA CITY-Where the Naga and Bikol Rivers meet in Barangay Sabang, hook and line anglers gather from sunrise to sunset everyday to fish in the grayish black waters that have become not just cultural landmarks but also lifelines for the poor in Naga City. One of those anglers is Roberto Magas, 35. He would come to the riverside at six o'clock the morning to catch fish for viand.

Naga City (13 May) -- The National Youth Commission (NYC) invites youth organizations to join the 7th Search for Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations. The search is open to all groups (school-based, parish-based and community-based youth organizations) composed of at least 15 members who are 15-30 years old. The basis for judging is the project entry conducted by the organization that shows the efforts of the youth in contributing to the improvement of their community.

MY RECENT odysseys devoted to taking pictures of promotional materials of our esteemed trapoliticians have sidetracked me into a conclusion that I would have failed them if they were my students in a course on Typography. Or the other way around: I might have failed to open their minds and enrich their tastes on the looks and disposition of an excellent print design. But hell, no, the latter was just for crying out loud; the former was far more real in essence. This would mean, of course, that they were never serious in whatever they have been promoting, save perhaps for earning a few points on matters of x-factor and the ostentatious exhibiting of their faces and names on tarpaulins to catch public attention replicated by the great number of prints ordered.

BANGKOK, Thailand, May 14, 2009--Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Bishop Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitvanit of Nakhon Sawan as the new archbishop of Bangkok.