Articles

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.

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.

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 9^th 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.

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'.

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.

MANILA, August 29, 2010-Filipino migrants across the globe have offered prayers for the families of victims of hostage-taking incident in Manila that left eight tourists and hostage taker dead.

Four days after the bloody end to the hostage-taking incident, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines' Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People called on various Filipino communities worldwide to pray for the families of the victims.

Matnog, Sorsogon (27 August) -- Local public officials have joined residents and the Catholic Church here in calls for the cessation of the operations of a mining project extracting iron ore in a watershed area of this small fourth class town.

The calls are directed to incumbent Sorsogon Gov. Raul Lee whose office issued the small-scale mining permit (SSMP) to the project and the regional office for Bicol of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) that provided an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) to it.

Iriga City ---   Even before flying off to Chicago to attend the First International Grand Alumni Homecoming last July, the UNEP community already extended its congratulations to Ms. Conchita Albino-Ibarondo, chosen by Metrobank Foundation as one of this year's Outstanding Teachers of the Philippines.

Atty. Remelisa Alfelor-Moraleda, UNEP President, said the university took pride in her achievement being one of the university's alumnae who, up to now, continuous to give credence to the university's battle cry of promoting quality education.

NAGA CITY, Aug. 27 -- In furtherance of its socialized housing program, the city government laid down once again the cornerstone for the development of a new resettlement site in Sitio Salunguigui, Barangay Cararayan, this city.

The one-hectare resettlement area is seen to accommodate 116 family beneficiaries whose home lots will have an average of 60 square meter area each.

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 27 -- The Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) Family Circles Confederation, Inc. in Bikol has sought the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) here to take the necessary steps to protect OFWs based in Hong Kong from possible harassment and maltreatment as an offshoot of the tragic hostage-taking incident in front of Quirino grandstand last Monday.

PILI, CAMARINES SUR (23 Aug) - THOUSANDS of bus passengers along the Maharlika Highway, at the Central Bus Terminal in Naga City, and even passengers at Pili Airport were stranded for seven hours on Sunday (Aug. 22) after organizers of the triathlon sports "Ironman 70.3 Philippines" had required the closure of 42 km. of the national highway from Naga boundary in Del Rosario to the junction of Anayan, Pili; and the stretch of the Fuentebella Highway up to Tigaon, Camarines Sur.

MANILA, August 19, 2010-Two Catholic priests based in Manila have been denied the faculty to celebrate the sacraments.

The Archdiocese of Manila, in a circular, warned the faithful Fr. Romeo Tena of the Society of African Missions who has been asking donations without permission.

Fr. Rufino Sescon, Manila archdiocese's chancellor, said Tena has reportedly been celebrating Mass and collecting money at Manila's Port Area.

"We wish to inform you that Father Tena has no permission from his society to celebrate the Sacraments," Sescon said in the circular.