Legazpi City (27 September) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Bikol will stage anew the the "Orgullo kan Bikol" Regional Trade Fair on October 7-10, 2010 at Megatrade Hall 2, of the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.
DTI Bicol Regional Director Jocelyn L.B. Blanco said the trade fair is an annual marketing event where Bikol's homegrown entrepreneurs are afforded valuable market exposure showcasing the region's distinct products, ethnic foods, and delicacies, among others.
San Andres, Catanduanes (29 September) -- Army soldiers in pursuit of the killers of a village youth leader clashed last September 28) with more or less ten suspected NPA bandits in Catanduanes, a military official said.
Lieutenant Colonel Danilo Aquino, commander of the Army's 83rd Infantry Battalion, said that a squad of soldiers, led by Corporal Rocky Bumalay, caught up with the fleeing bandits of the Probinsyang Yunit Gerilya led by a certain Ka James in Magsaysay village in Bagamanoc town at around 9:30 am.
NAGA CITY- THE RAPE AND SLAYING of a 16 year-old lass in the remote barangay of San Pascual, Tinambac, Camarines Sur last Sept. 26 has remained unsolved with the confirmation that the arrest of a certain Jesus Pujo Olic, 46, in Canaman, Camarines Sur by a team of the Tinambac town PNP was unrelated to said crime.
LEGAZPI City, Sept. 26, 2010-Multi-stakeholders of the power cooperative here have approved a resolution mandating the Board of Directors (BOD) of the Albay Electric Cooperative (ALECO) to facilitate a special meeting of member-consumers on October 16 to come up with solutions that will bail out the ailing power facility
ALECO consumers asserted their right to call for a special assembly under Article 3, Section 2 of the cooperative by-laws to find a way out of the problems hounding the power cooperative.
MANILA, Sept. 24, 2010-Politicians have threatened to ban retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz in Pangasinan as they condemned his linking of Governor Amado Espino Jr. to the illegal jueteng.
In a manifesto published in a national daily newspaper Thursday, Pangasinan's provincial officials criticized Cruz for his "sweeping and unfounded accusations" against Espino.
MANILA, Sept. 24, 2010-Politicians have threatened to ban retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz in Pangasinan as they condemned his linking of Governor Amado Espino Jr. to the illegal jueteng.
In a manifesto published in a national daily newspaper Thursday, Pangasinan's provincial officials criticized Cruz for his "sweeping and unfounded accusations" against Espino.
MANILA, Sept. 24, 2010-A Catholic Church-backed poll watchdog is again serving as the citizen's arm of the Commission on Elections in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls on October 25.
In a resolution dated Sept. 21, the commission en banc took notice of the extensive experience of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting as its best asset in becoming the citizen's arm for the sixth straight time.
MANILA, Sept. 24, 2010-A Catholic Church-backed poll watchdog is again serving as the citizen's arm of the Commission on Elections in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls on October 25.
In a resolution dated Sept. 21, the commission en banc took notice of the extensive experience of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting as its best asset in becoming the citizen's arm for the sixth straight time.
MANILA, Sept. 24, 2010-Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes, SVD said he fully supports the campaign of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines against illegal gambling as he pledged to issue another pastoral statement for his diocese reiterating his commitment against the proliferation of the illegal numbers game.
Interviewed recently by CBCPNews in Naga City, the 66-year old prelate said his stand against gambling has not changed and the CBCP has been very vocal against it.
MANILA, Sept. 24, 2010-Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes, SVD said he fully supports the campaign of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines against illegal gambling as he pledged to issue another pastoral statement for his diocese reiterating his commitment against the proliferation of the illegal numbers game.
Interviewed recently by CBCPNews in Naga City, the 66-year old prelate said his stand against gambling has not changed and the CBCP has been very vocal against it.
Naga City -- Competing delegates from the University of Northeastern Philippines (UNEP) went home with all smiles, triumphantly chanting on their way home after they seized the much coveted crown as Voyadores Champion for this year's competition, held September 15 at the Metropolitan Cathedral grounds here. What is more significant is the fact that it was their first time to join the said challenge.
Legazpi City (21 September) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through its Coastal and Marine Management Division and Environmental Management Bureau is set to organize the region's biggest volunteer environmental event, as the world marks the 25th year of the International Coastal Clean-Up (ICC) day on September 25, 2010.
"Thousands are expected to volunteer for the 25th ICC Day to clean up coastlines and waterways in the region.
Legazpi City (24 September) -- The National Maritime Week celebration has commenced Monday (September 20) promoting the contribution of the maritime sector and a fitting tribute to the country's seafarers who enliven the domestic and foreign commerce.
This year's celebration evolves on the theme, the "Philippine Maritime Industry: Onward to Global Competitiveness"
MANILA, Sept. 23 (PNA) - Acting Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo said Thursday he is eyeing his hometown Naga City, Camarines Sur as a pilot test area for the new and improved Small Town Lottery (STL).
He told reporters he already submitted recommendations to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on how to strengthen STL operations, which the government has been promoting as an alternative to "jueteng," an illegal numbers game.
LEGAZPI CITY, Sept. 20 -- Bikol Region's annual inflation rate slipped further in August, chipping off 0.1 percentage point from the level recorded in the previous month.
The year-on-year change was placed at 3.8 percent, 0.2 percentage point lower than the national average. The rate, however, is much faster than the 1.6 percent inflation rate registered the same period of 2009.
Among the regions of the country, inflation in ARMM was highest at 6.0 percent while Regions I (Ilocos) and VIII (Eastern Visayas) recorded the lowest at 2.5 percent.
CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur (22 Sept) -A SANGGUNIANG Kabataan (SK) Chairman in San Isidro, Pandan, Catanduanes was summarily executed by suspected NPA assailants near his home, the 83rd Infantry Battalion commander, Lt. Col. Danilo Aquino in Catanduanes province reported to the 9th Infantry Division in this camp on Tuesday (Sept. 21).
MANILA, Sept. 26, 2010-Jesuit run Ateneo de Naga University (AdNU) has elected a new leadership to run the premier university in the Bikol region.
Fr. Primitivo Viray, S.J., who was elected by the university's Board of Trustees last September 22, will succeed outgoing AdNU President, Fr. Joel E. Tabora, S.J.
In a letter announcing the appointment of Fr. Viray as the new AdNU president, Jesuit provincial Fr. Jose Magadia, SJ thanked Viray for generously accepting the responsibility of taking over the helm of the university.
Legazpi City (23 September) -- The Bicol Microfinance Council, Inc. (BMCI), a strong network of 18 Microfinance Institutions, in partnership with the Bicol Consortium for Development Initiatives (BCDI) and the Philippine Social Enterprise Development Center (SEDCen), is holding the Microfinance Summit and Regional Bazaar on September 22-26, 2010 at the Landco Business Park here.
Activities of the summit are basically grounded on the need to consolidate and sustain the efforts of the Microfinance Institutions in the Bicol Region to mainstream the micro-entrepreneurs.
Sorsogon City- Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Sorsogon would soon find themselves being penalized whenever they go absent during regular sessions.
This was agreed upon by the board members after they failed for the third time in as many months to muster a quorum for its session.
Vice-Gov Antonio Escudero, Jr. said they have decided to make use of the provision of the council's internal rules which imposes a fine on members who would go absent without official leave.
LEGAZPI CITY, Sept. 23 - The Department of Health (DOH) in Bikol said Thursday that dengue cases shot up by 71 percent as compared to last year's incidence, prompting health authorities to be on heightened alert.
DOH data disclosed that at least 11 people have died and 1,889 people were hospitalized in various parts of Bikol mainly due to dengue, a mosquito-borne disease.
MANILA, Sept. 14, 2010-Not just government officials but even some Catholic bishops are receiving payola from the illegal numbers game called jueteng.
Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz admitted he is saddened with what is happening but these church officials are getting jueteng money as donations from the illegal gambling operators.
"There are about 12 dioceses that we are looking into but we are most certain of the eight (dioceses that are getting jueteng money)," he said.
MANILA, Sept. 14, 2010-Not just government officials but even some Catholic bishops are receiving payola from the illegal numbers game called jueteng.
Retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz admitted he is saddened with what is happening but these church officials are getting jueteng money as donations from the illegal gambling operators.
"There are about 12 dioceses that we are looking into but we are most certain of the eight (dioceses that are getting jueteng money)," he said.
LONDON, SEPT. 17, 2010--Benedict XVI is underlining the need to base political decisions in ethical foundations and objective moral principles, without which democracy is threatened.
Today in London, the Pope addressed representatives of civil society, the academic, cultural and entrepreneurial world, the diplomatic corps and religious leaders at Westminster Hall. The meeting took place on the second day of the Pontiff's four-day state visit to the United Kingdom.
LONDON, SEPT. 17, 2010--Benedict XVI is underlining the need to base political decisions in ethical foundations and objective moral principles, without which democracy is threatened.
Today in London, the Pope addressed representatives of civil society, the academic, cultural and entrepreneurial world, the diplomatic corps and religious leaders at Westminster Hall. The meeting took place on the second day of the Pontiff's four-day state visit to the United Kingdom.
NAGA City, Sept. 19, 2010-The Bikolanos' deep devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia is what makes the region's faithful different and distinct from other devotees.
This was the impression shared by Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes, SVD in an interview with CBCPNews at the Archbishop's Chapel, a couple of hours before the traditional fluvial procession along the Bikol River yesterday.
"(The devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia) is something different and very unique," he said.
