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LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 17- The National Food Authority (NFA) regional office here assured local officials of Albay that there is a sufficient rice supplies not only for the province but for the entire Bicol region.

Catalina Jaylo, NFA regional Enforcement and Regulatory officer told members of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) that as of December 14, 2009, there are 1.5 million bags of rice available. "The available supply is good for 122 days consumption for the six provinces in the region."

NAGA CITY - Bikol writer and Vox Bikol columnist Victor Dennis Nierva has asked the Camarines Sur chapter of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) on Monday to act immediately on the "political and politically-motivated" infomercials aired in radio stations in this city and in Camarines Sur that use children as voice talents.

Nierva, in a letter to KBP-Camarines Sur President Emmanuel Llagas, has asked the "prompt decommissioning of [the] crass, children-employing advertisements."

Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) and long-time partner, PhilHealth, recently signed a memorandum of agreement whereby PVB will be providing PhilHealth Region 3 employees ATM and payroll services including PVB's unique "5-in-1" card that works as a company ID, ATM, timekeeping card, debit card, and discount card . The MOA was signed by PVB President and CEO Ricardo Balbido Jr. (2^nd from left) and PhilHealth President Dr.

While anxiety and grim expectations grip the people of Albay with Mayon Volcano's imminent explosion, and while grave concerns of inundation due to a dam project flood the populace of the First District of Camarines Sur, Christmas comes.

HERE IS THE LETTER I sent last December 14 to Emman Llagas, president for Bicol of the Kilusan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas. This is in connection with the ongoing radio airing of political advertisements employing children as voice talents. A copy of the letter was also sent to each media outfits in Naga.

Philippine politics is riddled with fraud, deceit, corruption, bribery, and manipulation. Politicians have been used to capitalizing on the weakness and powerlessness of the poor, and profiting from the silence and poverty of Filipinos. The son and daughter of a dictator mustered the callousness to run for senator and governor. An ousted president has filed his candidacy in a desperate attempt to go back to Malacanang.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

This is the message of Christmas that we take to heart each year.

This Christmas is even more special since it comes with our celebration of the Year for Priests that Pope Benedict XVI opened on June 19, 2009, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the 150^th anniversary of the death of Saint John Mary Vianney, patron of parish priests.

I like to believe my good friend, Howard Tate, brother under the skies because of the great late writer, Socorro Federis Tate, believes there is Christmas. Still, I offer this column to all those who, like Howard, reads, and is conscious of the coming Christmas even as he is bothered by the dam being constructed somewhere in our province. Howard wonders " why some stinking politicians and their rah rah boys are moving heaven and earth for its completion when the Pangasinenses are cursing those people responsible for constructing SAN ROQUE DAM which brought havoc to some parts of Pangasinan a few months back. I'm not being paranoid, but I assume there's a lot of money at stake here not only for the contractor but also for some people who are recipients  of what we call SOP. As the saying goes, When money talks, people listen. Dae na bale kung magkaralamos ang mga taga Pamplona."

Unpack your sack, St. Nikolaus

I've been well-behaved, as everyone knows.

I am an honest child - you know this for sure -

listening to my Mom, not annoying her.

I never teased my sister all year,

never took her toys nor put her to fear.

Unpack your sack, St. Nikolaus

I've been well-behaved, as everyone knows

I'm nice and kind and early to bed

close my eyes right away. I am a good lad.

MANILA - The Ampatuan massacre last November 23 shocked the nation and the world. It was shocking not only because of its ferocity, claiming the lives of 57 innocent people including passersby, and barbarity, which included the rape of women, desecration of bodies and beheading of some victims, but also because of the brazenness in the commission of such abhorrent atrocities.