LEGAZPI City, Sept. 12, 2010-The power cut off by the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. (PEMC) to the Albay Electric Cooperative (ALECO) on Sept. 12, was seen by its more than 200,000 member-consumers as a means to pave the way for the power rate hike and privatization of the sole power distribution in the province of Albay.
NAGA CITY (11 Sept) - After being kept from the public for decades, the 300 year-old original image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia carved by a Chinese artisan during the Spanish colonial years in Naga in 1709, was again shown to devotees during the Traslacion Mass last September 10.
The icon was venerated during the mass after the "Traslacion" procession on Friday which marked the start the week-long religious rites of the 300th year "Tercentenary celebration" of the Patroness of Bikolandia.
CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur Sep 8, 2010 - Joint elements of the AFP and PNP intercepted a shipment of shabu in Masbate port at around 10am today.
Senior Superintendent Thomas Seminiano, Masbate Provincial Police Commander said that he sent the combined elements of soldiers and policemen to arrest the drug dealers after receiving a tip-off from a 'reliable informant'.
MANILA, Sept. 3, 2010-In what they call an act of religious solidarity, Catholics are doing an outreach activity for Muslim inmates in Southern Philippines.
Basic needs such as toiletries, soap and medicines will be given to around 200 inmates in both the Marawi City and Provincial jails on September 7, the eve of the feast of the Virgin Mary.
"It will also be like a fiesta (celebration) because Maranaos have high regard for Mama Mary," said Marawi Bishop Edwin Dela Peña.
"So we want Mama Mary to be our bridge for peace (between Christians and Muslims), he said.
MANILA, Sept. 3, 2010-In what they call an act of religious solidarity, Catholics are doing an outreach activity for Muslim inmates in Southern Philippines.
Basic needs such as toiletries, soap and medicines will be given to around 200 inmates in both the Marawi City and Provincial jails on September 7, the eve of the feast of the Virgin Mary.
"It will also be like a fiesta (celebration) because Maranaos have high regard for Mama Mary," said Marawi Bishop Edwin Dela Peña.
"So we want Mama Mary to be our bridge for peace (between Christians and Muslims), he said.
MANILA, Sept. 1, 2010- A Catholic bishop criticized reports that officials of water utility MWSS received P384 million in bonuses and allowances last year.
Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said the excessive salaries and benefits of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System's employees is an abuse that must be investigated.
He said the 25 months of bonus last year plus their 12 months basic salary is a "form of corruption."
"They corrupt themselves... there is no reason for them to receive that amount," said Bastes.
MANILA, Sept. 1, 2010- A Catholic bishop criticized reports that officials of water utility MWSS received P384 million in bonuses and allowances last year.
Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said the excessive salaries and benefits of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System's employees is an abuse that must be investigated.
He said the 25 months of bonus last year plus their 12 months basic salary is a "form of corruption."
"They corrupt themselves... there is no reason for them to receive that amount," said Bastes.
MANILA, August 31, 2010- Election watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPRCV) asked the poll body to utilize pre-printed ballots for the barangays and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls in October.
Henrietta de Villa, PPCRV national chairperson, said it would be good if said ballots under the automated elections system would be utilized in the Oct. 25 elections for the voters to be more familiarized with it.
MANILA, August 31, 2010- Election watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPRCV) asked the poll body to utilize pre-printed ballots for the barangays and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls in October.
Henrietta de Villa, PPCRV national chairperson, said it would be good if said ballots under the automated elections system would be utilized in the Oct. 25 elections for the voters to be more familiarized with it.
MANILA, Sept. 2, 2010-The Vatican has confirmed the appointment of Father Gregory Ramon Gaston as the next rector of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome.
The Congregation of the Catholic Education (for Seminaries and Educational Institutions) announced the appointment of the priest who has been assigned since 2008 at the Holy Apostles Senior Seminary in Makati City.
A communiqué about Gaston's appointment was also sent to the Manila Archdiocese by the congregations' prefect, Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski.
MANILA, Sept. 2, 2010-The Vatican has confirmed the appointment of Father Gregory Ramon Gaston as the next rector of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome.
The Congregation of the Catholic Education (for Seminaries and Educational Institutions) announced the appointment of the priest who has been assigned since 2008 at the Holy Apostles Senior Seminary in Makati City.
A communiqué about Gaston's appointment was also sent to the Manila Archdiocese by the congregations' prefect, Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski.
The University of Northeastern Philippines (UNEP), known for its matriarch's deep religiosity and devotion to Mama Mary is all set to join thousand of Marian devotees around the globe as the highlight of the Tercentenary celebration draws closer.
LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 31- An official of the Department of Tourism (DoT) on Tuesday said that the tourism industry in Bikol remains stable despite adverse travel advisories from China and other countries to the Philippines after the bloody hostage drama last August 23 at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
Bicol tourism regional director Maria Ong-Ravanilla said that tourism in the region is holding steady so far.
"We are closely monitoring all local and foreign arrivals throughout the Bikol region and there has been no reported room cancellations so far," she said.
LEGAZPI CITY, Sept.3 -- The Department of Health (DOH) in Bikol on Friday said that at least eight people have died and 1,003 people were hospitalized in various parts of Bikol mainly due to dengue, a mosquito-borne disease.
The surge in dengue case in Bikol for the first two quarters of the year prompted health authorities to be on heightened alert by intensifying the agency surveillance units in the six provinces of Bikol.
SORSOGON CITY, Sept. 3 -- Livestock raisers of Bicol have reason to rejoice as the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) has already certified the region as a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)-free territory.
Sorsogon provincial veterinarian Enrique Espiritu on Friday said he received over the week a copy of the certification issued by the Organization Mondiale de la Sante Animale or WOAH saying 10 Philippine zones including Bicol are finally free of FMD.
CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, PILI, CAMARINES SUR - WITH THE Commemoration of the International Humanitarian Law Month this August, the Armed Forces' 9th Infantry Division based in this camp issued a statement condemning the series of summary executions perpetrated by communist rebels against civilians in Bikol.
The army reported that the latest victims were Joaquin Candea, 60, a resident of Cogon, Bulusan, Sorsogon, who was shot dead by a rebel hitman in Sabang, Bulusan town on Sunday afternoon (August 29).
Legazpi City (2 September) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has recently issed Memorandum Order No. 2010-07 now authorizing the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) director and regional director, the provincial governor and city mayor of an independent city to issue Mineral Ore Export Permit or MOEP.
The Memorandum, signed by the then DENR Secretary Horacio C. Ramos, has authorized the MGB director to issue MOEP to first time applicants, with the succeeding issuances going under the authority of the MGB regional director.
NAGA CITY (30 August) - FIVE PEOPLE travelling in an owner-type jeep died in an ambush perpetrated by heavily armed men in an isolated barangay road in Sitio Landing, Barangay Bulod in San Pascual, Burias, Masbate at about 2:30 PM last August 28.
This was reported by the San Pascual Municipal Police Station to a local radio in this city last August 30.
The San Pascual MPS made the report on the ambush incident on Naga radio due to the town's proximity to the Camarines Sur coast than to Masbate City which entailed better phone signals.
CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur- Philippine Army soldiers stormed Naga City's Bicol River to spearhead the river's clean up drive yesterday , a military report said.
LtCol Erwin De Asis, the 9th Infantry Division's Civilian-Military Operations (CMO) officer said that three hundred soldiers were sent to participate in the cleaning of the river's surroundings in preparation to the upcoming Penafrancia Festival.
Armed not with rifles and machineguns, the soldiers cleared the 2-kilometer river bank using bolos, rakes and even their bare hands starting at 8:00am.
NAGA CITY (4 Sept)-MORE THAN 400 policemen who are mostly rookies and have newly graduated from the Public Safety Basic Recruitment Training at Camp Simeon Ola in Legazpi City will augment the current Naga Police force of some 200-man strong for the 20-day Tercentenary celebration of the Peñafrancia devotion this year.
Spokesman of the Camarines Sur Police Office, SPO4 Romulo Pabiano, said that with the scheduled big religious rites of the "Peñafrancia Tercentenary," Catholic bishops, clerics from all over the country, and Pope's emissaries from the Vatican are expected to come to this year's Peñafrancia festivities.
Pabiano said that Camarine Sur Police Director Sr. Supt. Jonathan Ablang has directed a separate force of a 42-man police team from the Provincial Police Office (PPO) to secure visiting Church dignitaries and ranking government officials.
This year's tercentenary celebration for Bikolandia's most revered Patroness, Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia, more popularly known as 'Ina,, will not be totally complete without making mention of the two historic bells adorning the belfry of the centuries-old Our Lady of Peñafrancia Shrine in Naga City.
The two antique and ancient bells were donated in 1863 and 1868 by Simon Li Tuanqui, a successful Chinese trader-philanthropist converted to the Catholic faith and who has since become a devotee of 'Ina'.
MANILA - The Catholic Church appealed to President Benigno s. Aquino III to fulfill his pro-poor platform of governance by implementing the agrarian reform law by not honoring the compromise deal, which, they said, runs counter to state laws and policies ordering the distribution of some 4,415 hectares of land in the Hacienda Luisita complex he and his family own.
"The president cannot feign neutrality in this issue, for his silence and inaction will mean an implicit endorsement of the unjust compromise deal orchestrated by Cojuangco-owned HLI," the bishops said in a statement.
MANILA - The Catholic Church appealed to President Benigno s. Aquino III to fulfill his pro-poor platform of governance by implementing the agrarian reform law by not honoring the compromise deal, which, they said, runs counter to state laws and policies ordering the distribution of some 4,415 hectares of land in the Hacienda Luisita complex he and his family own.
"The president cannot feign neutrality in this issue, for his silence and inaction will mean an implicit endorsement of the unjust compromise deal orchestrated by Cojuangco-owned HLI," the bishops said in a statement.
CAGAYAN DE ORO City, August 29,2010-The bishop of the Diocese of Malaybalay called on the faithful Sunday to remain calm and pray in the aftermath of the Sunday morning grenade attack on a church in Bukidnon that wounded two parishioners.
Bishop Jose Araneta Cabantan also urged the faithful, especially the relatives of the wounded parishioners of the San Vicente Ferrer Parish in Kalilangan, Bukidnon to let law enforcement authorities solve the case and not take justice into their own hands to prevent bloodshed.
CAGAYAN DE ORO City, August 29,2010-The bishop of the Diocese of Malaybalay called on the faithful Sunday to remain calm and pray in the aftermath of the Sunday morning grenade attack on a church in Bukidnon that wounded two parishioners.
Bishop Jose Araneta Cabantan also urged the faithful, especially the relatives of the wounded parishioners of the San Vicente Ferrer Parish in Kalilangan, Bukidnon to let law enforcement authorities solve the case and not take justice into their own hands to prevent bloodshed.
