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MANILA, May 8 (PNA) -- At least 20 persons died and many others were injured as typhoon "Emong" battered Northern Luzon with strong winds and heavy rains, relief and disaster response officials said today.

Defense Secretary and National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) chairman Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said 12 fatalities were initially reported from the worst-hit Pangasinan, where he conducted an aerial survey to check on the damage caused by the howler.

Teodoro said he also received an initial report that eight persons died in Ifugao.

I had been writing week after week for this column, and then one day I realized it had been over two years already. So just before Holy Week, I asked for a break. It was also time to retreat, rethink, and envision again the reason and purpose of this weekly piece “for Bikol and the World.”

WASHINGTON D.C., May 8, 2009-The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on Wednesday launched a campaign to oppose embryonic stem cell research and support ethical cures, encouraging citizens to contact Congress and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

After President Barack Obama's March 9 executive order permitted federal funding for further embryonic stem cell research, the NIH proposed guidelines to fund research that will require stem cells harvested from the destruction of living human embryos.

LEGAZPI CITY, May 7 (PNA) - The Philippine National Railways (PNR) management announced Wednesday that construction of new central station in Naga city to serve as railway terminal in Bikol is expected to be completed before the end of 2009.

Nicolas Beda Priela, Private Sector Consultant to the PNR, told members of the Regional Development Council (RDC) during the full council meeting that repair and rehabilitation of rail tracks and bridges were on-going.

Vox Bikol columnist Tito Genova Valiente has been invited to be part of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, the country's premier critics' group. Popularly known as URIAN, the panel of respected critics is responsible for bestowing the prestigious Gawad URIAN to the best of Philippine cinema.

Last night, I had to buy a phone gadget in a hurry. It was eight in the evening and I had to look for a store to buy it. And look what I found---SM City Naga! The gadget I needed was right there at SM Appliances---all options and various models available at Manila prices.

The unusually heavy traffic along Panganiban avenue on a very rainy, almost stormy night courtesy of three weather disturbances around Luzon, suddenly reminded me that this was the day the much hyped grand opening of SM took place. All parking spaces outside the mall were occupied. Guards on raincoat guided us to a third-level parking area. We were told there were more parking spaces at the fourth level.