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LEGAZPI CITY, Sept. 25 (PNA) - Government forces killed nine rebels in separate fierce engagements with a band of New People's Army (NPA) in villages in the provinces of Albay and Sorsogon, the Philippine Army (PA) said Friday morning.

One of the fierce firefights occurred in the town of Pilar in Sorsogon, where eight NPA rebels died while the other one was in Manito, Albay where one rebel was killed.

AROROY, Masbate, Sept. 24- After years of being hooked to nose-irritating kerosene lamps, households in a remote mountainous village of this gold-rich town have recently realized the dream of shifting to electricity for their lights.

The power comes from a generator provided by the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) project of the government being implemented through various agencies led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

LEGAZPI CITY, Sept. 16 - The Albay Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) on Wednesday said that disaster preparedness action plan is now in place and ready for implementation in the event Mayon volcano's exhibits possible signs of an eruption.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda, PDCC chairman, said disaster operating scenarios have been drawn up and ready for execution in times the volcano's abnormal behavior turns worst.

NAGA CITY (September 17)- - THE POLICE PROVINCIAL OFFICE (PPO) here has directed the Tigaon Police investigators to probe an illegal numbers game-related violence that resulted to the killing of a known gambling lord and another jueteng henchman during a shooting incident at Barangay Poblacion, Tigaon, Camarines Sur in the evening of September 14. including two others wounded in a crossfire,

NAGA CITY - An army corporal was shot dead by one of his militia man in Barangay Calagascas in San Fernando, Camarines Sur early evening on Saturday, police report said on Sunday.

Corporal Jaime Ramos was shot by Cesar Rentoria, 29, member of Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu), at about 7:30 in the evening, SPO4 Elmer Coros of San Fernando police told the Inquirer.

Rentoria, a resident of Barangay Pipian of the same town, surrendered to the police Sunday morning accompanied by family members.

As a fitting tribute to the upcoming celebration of the 300 years of devotion to our most revered Ina, the Patroness of Bikolandia, the highly acclaimed performers of the University of Northeastern Philippines' Performing Arts Group, danced and offered every sway of their hands in a loving gesture of faith and devotion in one of their best performances.

 

Two stories for children, three essays, four short stories, one 1-act play and eleven collections of poetry are in contention for top honors in the 6^th Premio Tomas Arejola para sa Literaturang Bikolnon.

This was announced by Carlos Arejola, chairman of the Bicol-wide literary competition widely regarded in the literary circle as the region's premiere literary prize.

LEGAZPI CITY, Sept. 19, 2009-The local Church in Catanduanes is up in arms in opposition to the proposed mining operations in the province claiming the activity will lead to environmental destruction.

Virac Bishop Manolo Delos Santos registered his flock's opposition to the proposed mining operations in Catanduanes at a public hearing conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Senator Jamby Madrigal at Pepperland Hotel, this city, to investigate a mining contract granted to a mining company without public consultation.

GUBAT, Sorsogon, Sept. 17 (PNA) -- The Department of Energy (DoE) has recently awarded a coal operating contract (COC) to a private firm that offered a P15.20-million work commitment for the two-year exploration of the 3,000-hectare coal-rich property in this second class farming and fishing municipality.

With the imminent United Nations Summit on Climate Change this year, Benedict XVI's address to world leaders pertaining to issues to be discussed in said gathering has significance for us as well in view of the controversy caused by the coal-mining operations of Monte Oro Resources Energy Inc.

Mar has accepted Noynoy's offer to run for vice president under the Liberal Party. But this is anything but definite. It was actually the only logical thing to do for Mar after he gave way to Noynoy in a purely internal affair within the LP. And I maintain that to push through with such an exclusive tandem would be a tragic blunder for 2010.

MABOSONG SINDANG NAGRARATAK sa mga konstituwenteng pinabayaan nindang dai nag-aaram huli ta pinag-imotan ninda nin impormasyon. Mabosong sindang nagpapaabaw-abaw sa paagi nin bilyon-bilyon na kuwarta mantang an mga tawo nagtitios. Mabosong sindang magagayon an mga harong mantang an mga tawo inaabisuhan na bayaan na an saindang mga erokán huli suboot ta malalantop nin tubig an banwaan.

The city will wake up on Monday with the streets suddenly quieter. Till the next festival. Till the next fiesta and till the next Traslacion that perhaps will also end in a riot. For that was how GMA-7 presented the land procession that opened this year's nine-day devotion to the Lady of Peñafrancia.

Till the next media bias and dumb reporting.

Look around these days, and see all the people roaming the place. How different they all are, what various places and backgrounds they all come from; Nagueños and Bikolanos, but also Filipinos from other regions, young ones and elderly ones, kids and adults, men and women, priests, laymen, famous and ordinary people, ones are excited, others are cool, still others are serious or contemplative and again others are loud and shouting.

MANILA - As expected, the revived proposal to impose a tax on text messaging is generating controversy and broad opposition. What surprised some people perhaps are the strong statements from telecommunication companies (telcos). They called the plan "anti-poor," "oppressive" and "one of the worst anti-consumer legislations ever made."

Fr. Miguel Robles de Covarrubias was within his first decade of priesthood when he changed the course of history.  His story is a classic example of how a man's personal convictions can influence 300 years and a world beyond his wildest dreams. His life's work is a perfect proof of the wisdom of God's ways.

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.