Articles

Legazpi City (25 June) -- Albay Governor Joey Salceda declared that the toll fee hike imposed by the South Luzon Tollway Corporation (SLTC) is illegal because the franchise given to them by Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC) has expired and has not been renewed.

Salceda said the concession agreement between SLTC and PNCC commenced in May 2006 while the franchise given to PNCC expired in May 2007, without being renewed by Congress.

PILI, CAMARINES SUR - THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) regional office has sent experts to probe a reported "fish kill" after hundreds of dead Tilapia were seen floating the surface of Lake Buhi in Barangays Sta. Elena and San Buena, villages near the town proper for the last three days.

BFAR provincial fishery officer Santiago A. Noblefranca said "we are investigating the report after TV footage on the fish kill was shown in the local news the other day."

YERBA BUENA, Argentina, June 14, 2010--Archdiocesan officials are calling for prudence regarding an image of the Last Supper that some claim shows Christ's forehead seeping blood that runs down his left cheek.

The Oratory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Yerba Buena -- where the image is kept -- was so overwhelmed by the faithful last Sunday that Father Jorge Gandur and Father Luis Brandán concelebrated Mass outside.

But the Archdiocese of Tucuman appealed for prudence and caution, until scientific evaluations shed light on the occurrence.

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz has appealed to incoming President Benigno Aquino III to abolish the state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

Since gambling is synonymous with corruption, Archbishop Cruz said, the company is also identified with corruption.

"Kalayaan, tagumpay ng Bayan", this year's theme for the 112^th Philippine Independence Day celebration, aptly captures the essence of this year's commemoration of every Filipinos' much treasured freedom.

In honor of this historical moment, the University of Northeastern Philippines ' Center for Culture and the Arts ((UNEP-CCA) rendered a soul-warming interpretation of "Lupang Hinirang" through their dance and magnificent movements.

LEGAZPI CITY, June 17 -- Bicol Regional Development Council (RDC) chairman and Albay Governor Joey S. Salceda assailed the decision to raise the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) toll fees which, he said, is tantamount to curtailment of trade and freedom to travel.

"Being a regular user of the SLEX, the 250% toll hike cannot be justified by the physical improvements we feel or likely to see, a far cry, compared to the dramatic changes in NLEX (North Luzon Expressway)," Salceda said.

LEGAZPI CITY, June 17 - The Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) has approved a P700-million loan package to Albay province to finance its technical and tertiary education scholarship program designed to produce "a college graduate for every family."

Albay Governor Joey Salceda signed the loan agreement with LBP president and Chief Executive Officer Gilda Pico to formalize the multi-million loan package that would finance a first-in-the country education strategy.

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna, June 15  -- The Philippine National Railways (PNR) is set to resume regular trips to the Bikol Region by Friday next week, PNR officials told President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Tuesday.

The PNR halted its daily train trips to the Bikol province after the San Cristobal bridge here was destroyed when typhoons "Milenyo" and "Reming" battered Southern Luzon one after the other in 2006.

MANILA, June 11, 2010- A Catholic bishop called on the incoming administration to be active in the campaign to eliminate "all unlawful gambling," especially jueteng.

Bangued Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian said president-elect Benigno Aquino III should also turn his attention to the illegal numbers game and to jueteng lords who remain untouchable.

"It will be a miracle (if Aquino could stop jueteng) but we are hoping he could do something about it," Jaucian said.

The bishop said jueteng has been a problem that past administrations have failed to totally eradicate.

MANILA, June 12, 2010- A Catholic bishop has joined calls for the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee to form an independent body to assess the just-concluded automated elections.

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo along with other conveners of the Automated Election System Watch (AES Watch) made the appeal in a letter sent to the House committee.

To further enhance their skills and develop their oral proficiency in English, librarians from selected academic institutions attended a 2-day conference held May 27 at the C & E Information Resource Center in Quezon City.

Sorsogon City (11 June) -- In the light of crafting ways to minimize electric power consumption, the fifth year electrical engineering students of the Sorsogon State College here, have finished a research study on Light Emitting Diode (LED) as an alternative electronic component in designing a lighting device.

The design proposed by Zendy Dematera, Dyronne P. Ajas, Gissell C. Dogillo, and Rusan James Freo was adjudged best among the six competing groups and was given credit by the SSC in its recognition ceremony last March.