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NAGA CITY - - A RANKING OFFICIAL of the Bicol River Basin and Watershed Management Project (BRBWMP) has confirmed the relocation of some 300 families along the low-laying banks of the Sipocot River due to the expected rise of water-level, once the P 1.9 Billion, gigantic Malaguico Dam project in Sipocot, Camarines Sur is completed by 2010.

DARAGA, Albay --- Government engineers will speed up the construction of the Binitayan bridge here following the release of a P40 million promised by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Albay Representative Al Francis Bichara disclosed over the weekend.

Bichara said President Arroyo in her recent visit here directed Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro through the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bikol to immediately release the amount for the construction of a new bridge in this town.

IRIGA CITY (31 August) - - Iriga City is celebrating its 41^st Charter Foundation Anniversary on Thursday (Sept. 3) this year.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Secretary Ronaldo Puno is this year's guest of honor in the City's Foundation rites.

Puno together with City officials led by Iriga City Mayor Madelaine Alfelor-Gazmen will lead the award ceremonies of the "2009 Sumagang Awardees" at the City Ceremonial Grandstand on the morning of Sept. 3.

The Philippine Association of University Women (PAUW) - Naga City and Camarines Sur Chapter, will hold its Annual Regional Oratorical Contest on September 25, 2009, 1:00 p.m. at the Auditorium of the Naga College Foundation, Naga City.

The contest is an annual activity of the organization, participated in by female college students from invited schools, colleges and universities in the Bicol Region. The contest is also endorsed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) sponsored a two-day basic playwriting workshop at Ragay National Agricultural and Fisheries School (RNAFS), Liboro, Ragay, Camarines Sur.

Held at the Resource Training and Development Center (RTDC) of the school on August 25-26, 2009, the workshop boasted of 53 participants and a multi-awarded Bikolano playwright as discussant.

MAGARAO, Camarines Sur, Sept. 4, 2009- Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi has led the Solemn Canonical Erection of the Our Lady of the Annunciation Parish, the archdiocese's 77th parish, and the Rite of Installation of Fr. Ryan Fenis, its first parish priest.

Held last Aug. 22, several parishioners attended the said rites that took place during the feast of the Queenship of Mary, at the patio of Barangay Casuray Chapel, Magarao, Camarines Sur.

SORSOGON CITY, Sept. 3 (PNA) - Illegal fishing is still rampant in some coastal areas in the province of Sorsogon, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) provincial office.

Sorsogon provincial fisheries and aquatic resources chief Gil Ramos said that dynamite and other modes of illegal fishing are more rampant in the coastal areas of Magallanes town.

LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Education (DepEd) Bicol regional office based here announced in its Regional Bulletin No. 2 that the University of Northeastern Philippines (UNEP) High School Department topped the 2009 Regional Secondary Achievement Test held Feb. 9 in all private and public schools in the six provinces of the region.

According to the DepEd bulletin, high school examinees from UNEP garnered the overall highest score in various subject areas particularly in Mathematics, Science, English,MAPEH, Filipino, Araling Panlipunan, TLE, and English Proficiency subjects.

MANILA, Sept. 6 --The death count in the sinking of MV Superferry 9 off Siocon Bay near Zamboanga Peninsula Sunday morning rose to five as 900 passengers and crew were rescued while 63 others remained missing.

This developed as Philippine Coast Guard dispatched vessels BRP Corregidor (AE 891)and MCS 3009 from Puerto Princesa Port, Palawan to join the search, rescue and oil spill response operations.

MANILA, Sept. 5- Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Saturday asked Malacañang to sign into law the Anti-Torture Bill once the House of Representatives ratifies the consolidated version of the landmark legislation.

The Senate ratified Wednesday the measure seeking to end the human rights violations allegedly committed by state agents. The reconciled version of bill was approved by the bicameral conference on Monday.

This year's traslacion is a welcome mixture of old and new practices. Intended to enjoin more devotees toward a more solemn and prayerful participation, the traslacion procession returns to its original route of commencing at the Peñafrancia Shrine (instead of the Basilica Minore) and ending at the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral.

In the middle of dishonesty, fraud and cheating that plague the present national government, I long for sincerity and truthfulness. Amid extravagance and squandering by government officials from the illegitimate president and her cabinet  to the congressmen and women down to the barangay captains, I long for decency and prudence. In the midst of self-enrichment and wealth accumulation of politicians, I long for simplicity and self-sacrifice.

It's almost certain now that Noynoy will run for president, especially given Mar's sacrifice followed by other presidentiables withdrawing to support Noynoy. The next question would be his pick for vice-president, a presidential candidate's first most defining decision.

This coming Friday, the Virgin will be taken out of her Shrine and brought to the center of the city. If we follow the chronicles of old, and by metaphor of geography, She will be coming from Naga - the old settlement across the river - and to the Nueva Caceres, the colonial capital.

We are living in times of recession and we all try to make do with the reduced resources we now have. In Germany the government worked hard and made many an effort to not hand down to the voters the full consequences of the global economic depression.

UYA AN RAWITDAWIT na binasa sa 'Haliya nin Banwaan: Protesta sa Pagratak kan National Artist Awards':

Haliya! Haliya sa itaas!

Haliya! Haliya sa too!

Haliya! Haliya sa wala!

Haliya! Haliya sa ibaba!

Madiklom! Madiklom!

Hilnga an kalangitan, abo an panganoron.

Totoo nanggad an bulan hinalon,

Tampalasan na Bakunawa satong purisawon!

Amakan an baga, ibudbod an arawa,

Hare baya, mga katood, si Bakunawa pahangusa.

Tangani na an bulan ibalik niya sa langit