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Roman Catholic bishops in Bikol region are all out against the planned coal mining project in Catanduanes province alleging that it would destroy ecology.

Despite strong opposition from church leaders and residents of Catanduanes province to Monte Oro Resources and Energy Inc., the mine still obtained green light from the Department of Energy.

Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes said mining has "ripped apart" the ecological, cultural and social fabric of many communities in Bikol where there's mining.

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 18  -- Albay province will host the National Livestock Summit set on September 16 to 18 this year at the Albay Astrodome, this city, a provincial agricultural officer said on Tuesday.

The three-day summit with a theme "Coping with Emerging Challenges to Livestock and Poultry: Climate Change, Global Trade, Emerging Diseases and Food Security," will be a joint project of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the provincial government of Albay.

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 19  - Albay governor Joey Salceda has urged all local government units throughout the province to strictly integrate climate change adaptation and proofing in the municipal and city plans.

During the Climate Check workshop held here on August 18-19, Salceda told all planning officers that the spreading of awareness on climate change issues are now being pushed down to the local levels to mitigate its impact and incorporate this important issue into development planning efforts in Albay province.

Goa, Camarines Sur. A faculty researcher of the main campus of the Camarines Sur State Agricultural College won first prize in the recent Regional Symposium on Research & Development Highlights at the Partido State University here.

"Winning is sweet especially when you don't expect it," said Prof. Marilyn B. Balderas, who competed under the Agriculture, Forestry & Natural Resources (AFNR) Category, on her winning entry, "Pollen   Sources of Stingless Bees (Trigona biroi)."

NAGA CITY - - SINCE JULY, throngs of poor rural folks from the island municipality of San Pascual in Masbate, converged by groups at the Rizal Park fronting the Land Bank Building at the middle of this city's old commercial district here, to claim their cash subsidy from government.

Beneficiaries of the government program "Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program" (PPPP) or "4Ps," these residents of Masbate have to travel all the way to Naga City in order to receive their cash subsidy meant to alleviate their plight.

On September 1, 2009, the Tercentenary Committee of the Archdiocese of Caceres, through various religious groups, will conduct Harubay, Para ki Hesus asin Ki Ina, to mark the beginning of September as a pilgrim's month.  The activity will commence with a motorcade through the major thoroughfares of Naga City and culminate with a Eucharistic Celebration at the Peñafrancia Basilica.

MANILA - Followers of El Shaddai Catholic Charismatic movement are divided on whether or not to support the presidential bid of their leader, Bro. Mike Velarde.

Velarde admitted that his 2010 political plans is one issue that somehow rocks the unity of his followers due to their varied perceptions about him leaving the pulpit to politics.

The situation in a way, he said, made him dilly-dally whether to pursue or not his "childhood dream" to become a president.

How true and sincere is the statement of Monte Oro Resources & Energy Inc. that it has abandoned its coal mining project in Catanduanes? Pangataman-Bikol, an NGO pushing for environmental protection and preservation, is highly skeptical of it given that it is a quick repudiation of Monte Oro's earlier declaration that it was still exploring prospective coal areas.

"The Filipino is worth dying for." But twenty-six years since Ninoy's assassination, we remain a country mired in widespread poverty, endemic graft and corruption, trapo politics, unending civil strife, and worst, abuse of power often unnoticeable in almost all levels of government. Take for example a Makati judge who cited in contempt of court an employee who occupied his parking space.

Last week I went to celebrate my sister in law's 50th birthday. As many times on such occasions, like on weddings, baptisms or other anniversaries, one gets to meet people from beyond one's usual circles. People, strangers in fact, who one suddenly shares stories to and gets to hear stories from.

Both Philippine and American media have reported about the dinner splurges of Gloria Arroyo and her entourage in the July US visit. One dinner was at Le Cirque, a posh French restaurant in Manhattan , New York , where the group had caviar, bottles of champagne and a big meal worth $20,000 or P960,000. Another one was at Bobby Van's Steakhouse in Washington D.C.

PERHAPS, I'M JUST LUCKY to have a munchkin for nephew. Let's say it makes everything different. It makes leaving in the morning a little funnier than when we were just three adults in the house. Phone calls are always interrupted by reminders of the much awaited úbong (guess what it means). Arrival in the evening are welcomed with a fanfare of jubilation. That's why the úbong should never, never ever be forgotten; a child will appreciate anything from three pieces of chocolate krinkles to a twenty-peso worth plastic toy to a rubber octopus filled with water. The úbong defines what the family will experience on the night it was given. My sister-my nephew's mom-abhors any úbong that is musical by nature. It means same music-or, yes, noise-playing over and over again until late midnight, until the boy sleeps, tired and exhausted. His sleep would be frequented with dreams and sleep-talking about playtime, other children, toys, and animated movies.

What does it entail an artist to represent the nation? If you are following the debate, we have newly selected National Artists. Two of them are being disputed: one is Carlo Caparas and the other is Cecille Guidote-Alvarez. Caparas is to be conferred the title for Visual Arts (he did not draw those komiks stories for which he is being recognized) and for Film (when in fact he is notorious for making those bad massacre films).

In 2004, Napoleon Brandy ran an ad campaign with the line "Nakatikim ka na ba ng 15 anyos?"

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines and militant women's groups lost no time to demand for the pull out of the commercial in TV, radio and billboard. The double meaning, according to them, undermines the dignity of women and insults every family. The ad was eventually pulled out.

All the brouhaha regarding the one million peso dinner of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her cohorts stem from the fact that millions of Filipinos are starving while she is living the high life and jet-setting around the world trying to sell our country.

THE TITLE OF THIS COLUMN is from the poem of Chiara Lubich.  The homily of the Jesuit Father Catalino Arevalo during President Corazon Aquino's funeral mass spoke of her selflessness, faith, and love for her family.  I think great men and women lived their lives with a great sense of sacrifice, with a tenacity of purpose and a consistency of life that finds its source from an ardent love of God and neighbor.  I would like to dedicate this poem to President Corazon Aquino who was not only an icon of democracy but a living witness of faith.