Philippine Daily Inquirer articles from January 2011, page 25

Philippine Daily Inquirer archives from January 2011

Tough questions.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Juan L. Mercado PRESIDENT AQUINO signed into law his first national budget. He stitched in mandatory postings provisions. Are we on the cusp of a good-governance initiative? Or a big bust? Like it or not, legislators must upload on...

Kick old habits, Luistro tells DepEd employees.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Tarra Quismundo STARTING the new year with optimism, Education Secretary Armin Luistro called on the employees of the governments largest bureaucracy to kick old, bad practices and make habits of honesty and hard work as the...

Laguna police keeping watch on expansion of jueteng.
January 4, 2011... STA. CRUZ, LagunaPolice in Laguna are closely monitoring a recent intelligence report that jueteng lords in southern Metro Manila are expanding their operations to the province starting this year. We are closely monitoring (any) attempt in...

Govt looking forward to peace talks with best, friendly panel.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Christine O. Avendano and Cynthia Balana LOOKING forward to starting the peace talks with the communist insurgents this month, Malacanang officials yesterday said the rebels would be facing the best peace panel whose members were...

Make Black Nazarene feast day green.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Jaymee T. Gamil AN ENVIRONMENTAL group has asked officials of the Minor Basilica in Quiapo, Manila, to remind devotees to make the feast of the Black Nazarene on Jan. 9 a green celebration. Thousands of devotees are expected to...

Man arrested for burglary inside police camp.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Julie M. Aurelio A MAN was arrested before dawn on Monday for allegedly breaking into the quarters of a police official inside Camp Crame in Quezon City. Police identified the alleged burglar as Jemer Cube, 23, of Barangay Sta...

Manhunt ongoing for cop who stabbed merrymaker in the head.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Jeannette I. Andrade OPERATIVES of the Manila Police District have launched a hunt for a colleague who stabbed a man in the head on Jan. 1 in Manila. Members of the MPD General Assignment Section (GAS) said they were looking for...

Maynilad offers tank cleaning services.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Riza T. Olchondra MAYNILAD Water Services Inc. (Maynilad) has scheduled free septic tank cleaning operations this month for its customers in several areas in Malabon, Manila, Valenzuela, Muntinlupa, Las Pinas and Cavite. In a...

Policeman wanted for rape, robbery.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Jeannette I. Andrade THE TOP official of the Manila Police District (MPD) has ordered the filing of criminal and administrative charges against a policeman accused of arresting a vendor on a trumped-up charge and then robbing and...

More Asian men taking over kitchen.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Riza T. Olchondra A GENDER shift is taking place in the kitchen in the Philippines and the rest of Asia, according to the Electrolux Asian Food Survey 2010. Women have traditionally ruled the kitchen but these days, more men are...

NCAA volley resumes Jan. 10; SSC battles CSB.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Jasmine W. Payo A REMATCH of last seasons title showdown kicks off the semifinal action in the 86th NCAA womens volleyball tournament next week at the Emilio Aguinaldo College gym in Manila Defending champion San Sebastian remains...

Negros rebs bare plan to recruit more fighters.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Carla P. Gomez, Inquirer Visayas BACOLOD CITYThe communist underground movement in Negros would continue recruiting more guerrillas to achieve what communist leaders said was a stalemate stage in the insurgency. In a press...

Rizals open secrets.
January 4, 2011... Byline: John Nery THE TAGALOG letters exchanged between Jose Rizal, Mariano Ponce and Marcelo del Pilar give the modern Filipino reader a privileged glimpse not only into the life and work of the three leading Propagandists but the nature of...

Graduated toll hike a Palace option.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Christine O. Avendano MALACANANG said yesterday it hoped to pull off a balancing act in dealing with the public reaction to the steep increase in expressway toll fees and coming the increase in metro train fares. We want to be sure...

NPD police end drive against indiscriminate firing.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Kristine Felisse Mangunay MEMBERS of the Northern Police District (NPD) covering the Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela) area removed the tape from the muzzles of their firearms yesterday. In a short ceremony held...

Ochoa revamps office.
January 4, 2011... AFTER SIX months of studying the operations of the Office of the President, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. announced yesterday he would restructure the office to improve its efficiency. Under the new organizational structure, Ochoa has...

OFWs must be taught ways of hosts.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Philip C. Tubeza ITS NOT JUST about airplane etiquette anymore. The government should conduct country-specific pre-departure orientation seminars (PDOS) for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to avoid embarrassing incidents like the...

Pasig police official removed from post.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Nina Calleja A PASIG police official has been relieved of his post after he was caught on a security camera making a scene and wielding an Armalite in Ortigas Center on New Years Eve. Senior Insp. Oscar Mansibang, deputy chief of...

US Peace Corps volunteers cant get over awe of Filipinos.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Tarra Quismundo WHEN Peace Corps volunteer Shashank Iyer turned 22 in September, a Zambales family he knew for barely two weeks got a videoke machine going and prepared a special vegetarian feast: Bicol express with tofu, ginataang...

Pia to see RH bill through Senate.
January 4, 2011... Byline: TJ Burgonio WHILE ITS not a priority of the Senate leadership, the reproductive health (RH) bill will be shepherded through the regular legislative process, Sen. Pia Cayetano said yesterday. The committee on health and demography,...

Bishop to Aquino: Pick competent execs, not pals.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Jocelyn R. Uy A CATHOLIC bishop has called on President Aquino to replace the officials in his Cabinet with very capable people in order to effect real reforms in the country. Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos yesterday said Mr....

Pressure to find Ping.
January 4, 2011... JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday said she was feeling the pressure from the continued failure of law enforcers to find Sen. Panfilo Ping Lacson who has been in hiding for a year now. More than anything, De Lima said she wanted the...

Pro-poor.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Conrado de Quiros P-NOYS FIRST budget, a huge P1.645 trillion, 7 percent more than the previous budget, puts into pesos the Aquino governments unabashed bias for the poor. So says Butch Abad, the budget secretary. Proof of that is...

Revamp in offing for fire, jail, police officials, says Robredo.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Alcuin Papa A MAJOR revamp this month will shake up the leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). Interior and Local Government Secretary...

A Facebook outcast.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Rina Jimenez-David ARE YOU a Facebook narcissist? According to macmilliandictionary.com/buzzword/entries, Facebook narcissism is an extreme interest in your own life, appearance and problems, caused by obsessive use of the Facebook...

US says drug rings using OFWs as couriers.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Jerry E. Esplanada SOPHISTICATED transnational drug-trafficking syndicatesincluding a West African group using overseas Filipino workers as couriersremain the biggest challenge to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and...

2 more Pinoy seamen seized by Somali pirates.
January 4, 2011... TWO FILIPINOS are among the 27 crew of a Greek-owned cargo ship seized by Somali pirates on Saturday off Oman, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs. The hijacking has brought to 109 the number of Filipino sailors held by pirates in...

Search on for 2013 Asian Beach Games venue.
January 4, 2011... Byline: June Navarro THE 2013 Asian Beach Games in the Philippines will be staged in a venue that has the resources to hold an international event for 45 countries and house at least 3,000 athletes. Philippine Sports Commission chair...

Slammers down Patriots in double overtime.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Jasmine W. Payo A THREE-MINUTE scoring drought in the second extra period doomed the AirAsia Philippine Patriots Sunday. Sustaining their fiery forms, the Chang Thailand Slammers outlasted the Patriots in double overtime, 83-76, to...

Mosley huge 1-9 underdog.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Roy Luarca WILL SHANE Mosley be the next member of Manny Pacquiaos lucky loser club? The answer will be known on May 7 when they tangle at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. A former three-division world champion, Mosley has...

Tesda to train bus, truck drivers following rash of road accidents.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Tarra Quismundo FOLLOWING a string of road accidents over the holidays, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) has offered to provide technical training and safety reorientation to some 50,000 public utility...

Where are Bruan and Gozon now?
January 4, 2011... Byline: Ramon Tulfo ILOCOS SUR Gov. Chavit Singson has a point: Some of his son Ronalds colleagues in the House of Representatives are talking about expelling him from the lower chamber, but how about Sen. Ping Lacson, who is in hiding and...

Villanueva stakes WBO Orient title Down Under.
January 4, 2011... LORENZO VILLANUEVA will defend his WBO Oriental featherweight title against Australian Billy Dib on March 12 at the Joondalup Arena in Perth. A tall southpaw, the undefeated Villanueva, from the Braveheart Boxing Gym of former North Cotabato...

Trading places.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Iris C. Montellano MEET SONIA. Shes 8 years old. She is an angel. It was just another afternoon in the bukid. I met Sonia and Tore on my way to the store to buy native coffee. They were fetching water for the nights consumption. I...

Banks extend more loans to individuals.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Michelle V. Remo BANKS EXTENDED more loans to individual borrowers in the first three quarters of 2010, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said the trend would contribute to further growth in the economy this year. The BSP...

SMC acquires 40% stake in Eastern Telecom.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Doris C. Dumlao SAN MIGUEL Corp. has expanded its presence in the highly competitive telecommunication business with the acquisition of a 40-percent interest in Eastern Telecommunications Philippines Inc. from a group led by former...

Govt foregone revenue amounted to P40.8B in 10.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Ronnel W. Domingo THE GOVERNMENT reportedly lost about P40.8 billion in foregone taxes in 2010 due to the effects of what finance officials referred to as revenue-eroding laws. Finance Undersecretary Gil S. Beltran said in an...

Gardenia goes to Cebu.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Abigail L. Ho GARDENIA Bakeries Philippines Inc. will inaugurate tomorrow its Cebu plant, the companys first manufacturing facility outside Luzon, in a bid to reach customers in the Visayas and Mindanao. The new plant in Mactan...

JFC completes sale of Delifrance to Euro-Med unit.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Doris C. Dumlao LOCAL FASTFOOD giant Jollibee Foods Corp. has completed the sale of its European deli-inspired restaurant business, Delifrance. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange yesterday, JFC said its wholly owned...

In 2011, local stocks seen to gain for 3rd straight year.
January 4, 2011... LOCAL STOCKS are expected to gain for a third straight year ahead as a prolonged regime of low interest rates may compel yield-seeking investors to quit fixed income instruments in favor of equities, financial experts said. The Philippine...

Starting anew.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Den Somera MY GREETINGS: Happy New Year! My wish: May the new year bring good health and good fortune to you and your family in 2011. My invitation: Join me again to another promising year of adventure to the most elusive but...

In mining, investments may hit $17B.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Riza T. Olchondra INVESTMENTS IN the mining sector are expected to reach $17.35 billion by 2016 as the government steps up efforts to promote the Philippines as an investment area while streamlining the permitting process for the...

MPTC raises stake in yet another major toll road.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Paolo G. Montecillo METRO PACIFIC Tollways Corp. (MPTC) has slightly increased its stake in Metro Manila Skyway, making it the third major toll road in the country in which the company has an interest. MPTC, led by Manuel V....

Petron buys 35% of MNHPI.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Amy R. Remo PETRON CORP., the countrys largest oil refiner and a subsidiary of San Miguel Corp., is acquiring a 35-percent stake in Manila North Harbor Port Inc., operator of the Manila North Harbor. In a disclosure to the...

Govt, private borrowers urged to prepay more foreign loans.
January 4, 2011... GOVERNMENT AND private entities prepaid more debts denominated in foreign currencies in the first 10 months of 2010, seeing it prudent to settle their external liabilities in advance given a strong peso. According to the Bangko Sentral ng...

Shares firm up on rosy prospects this year.
January 4, 2011... STOCKS YESTERDAY firmed up as investors snapped up shares ahead of what could be another buoyant year for equities. On the first trading day of 2011, the main-share Philippine Stock Exchange index added 14.07 points, or 0.33 percent, to...

Past-life hypnotic regression and healing is not for everyone.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Jaime Licauco SEVERAL READERS asked if I do individual past-life hypnotic regression. Yes, I do, but only if the client has a serious problem or concern which can be traced to a past-life event or trauma. And this is always done only...

New Years resolutionssay them in a new light.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Cory Quirino STARTING THE year creatively is a unique way to welcome 2011. Perhaps, this time you can do something differently, even if your wellness goals remain the same. The usual resolutions? Here they are in a new light. ...

Not quite lost in transition.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Alya B. Honasan Why did the menopausal woman cross the road? To kill the chicken. Jane Condon, comedian, from The Perimenopause Blog IT STARTED well, actually. As an Iyengar yoga practitioner, youre not supposed to invert (i.e.,...

Top global spa trends in 2011.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Emmarose Policarpio, Contributor SPAHOLICS ALERT! Spa Finders 2011 Top Spa Trends is out! Credit goes to Susie Ellis, president of Spa Finder, a global spa and wellness resource, for being the first to predict numerous industry...

Crowded house.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Pocholo Concepcion WEVE been watching concerts in the city for the past 30 years and theres been quite a number of memorable venues that have hosted countless local and foreign music acts. Back in the day, a favorite destination...

Jennylyn hurt by MMFF defeat.
January 4, 2011... JENNYLYN Mercado admitted she felt hurt but has learned to accept the decision of the judges of the ongoing 36th Metro Manila Film Festival not to give her the Best Actress award for the epic drama Rosario. Mercado, widely expected to win,...

The power to persuade.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Pocholo Concepcion PETER Musngi works fast. His work is about catching peoples attention and persuading them to listen to his message. His name may not ring a bell, but his voice is probably the most familiar sound that ABS-CBN...

More goods, less bads in 2011.
January 4, 2011... Byline: Cielito F. Habito TWO RELATED items caught my attention in the TV news a few nights ago. One was a story reporting that sellers of fireworks and pyrotechnics enjoyed brisker sales this New Year season compared to last year. Random...

Baguio shivers but P-Noy gone.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Vincent Cabreza and Delmar Carino, Inquirer Northern Luzon BAGUIO CITYCouples could easily handle the chill here when early morning temperatures dropped from 12.8 degrees Celsius on Jan. 1 to 10.8 degrees the following day. The...

Build infrastructure to help farmers, Aquino told.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Kristine L. Alave THE GOVERNMENT must invest in agriculture infrastructure if the Filipino farmer is to be helped to weather the effects of climate change. Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, in a report to President Aquino, said...

Chapel amid terraces seeks donors.
January 3, 2011... UP IN the remote mountains of Ifugao, a small Catholic community is hoping for kind souls to help them build their dream housea solar-powered chapel where they can celebrate Mass and hold community events. Composed of 92 households with 437...

Chavit to solons: Expel Ping first.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Leoncio Balbin Jr., Inquirer Northern Luzon and TJ Burgonio HOW ABOUT expelling the legislator wanted for murder first? Irked by some House members urging that his congressman son, who is facing drug-related charges in Hong Kong,...

A place in the sun.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Jose de Venecia Jr. THE RESUMPTION of formal talks with the CPP/NPAscheduled in Oslo, Norway in mid-Februarygives the Philippine government (GRP) an opportunity to make a clean start after four decades as a conflict state. The...

Cops still probing US Navy mans death.
January 3, 2011... A POLICE official yesterday said their investigation was continuing into the death of Lt. Cmdr. Scintar Buenviaje Mejia, a US Navy man, who arrived on the country on Dec. 25. Mejia was killed after he leaped headfirst into a stairwell outside...

Donaire plans to unify world bantam title.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Ronnie Nathanielsz IF HE succeeds in dethroning WBC-WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel next month, Nonito Donaire Jr. plans to unify the title by next taking on WBA king Koki Kameda of Japan. Donaire, popularly known as The...

Kilometer Zero.
January 3, 2011... NOW THAT is some good news: Half a million Filipinos thronged to Rizal Park on Dec. 31 to take part in the first New Years Eve countdown. By most accounts, the free event was orderly, well-organized, entertainingand safe. The last time the...

Fab-ulous Leviste triumph.
January 3, 2011... EQUESTRIENNE TONI Leviste showcased her versatility anew by topping the advance division of the World Dressage Challenge recently at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City. Leviste, a show jumping specialist, scored a runaway victory aboard Fab...

Strictly for our senior citizens.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Ramon Farolan FIRST OF all, I wish to greet my fellow senior citizens a Happy and Prosperous New Year, but most especially a year free from the ailments and afflictions that commonly impact on us in this stage of our lives. Special...

Firecracker toll now 794; injured told to seek care.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Jocelyn R. Uy MERRYMAKERS who sustained minor injuries during the New Year celebration must not delay seeking medical attention as their condition could worsen, health officials warned as the number of firecracker-related accidents...

FPIC tells Senate: Oil leak remediation plan on track.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Gil C. Cabacungan Jr. FIRST PHILIPPINE Industrial Corp. (FPIC) has assured the Senate that its three-point remediation program for areas affected by a leak in its oil pipeline was being implemented on schedule. In a letter to...

Garcias wife, 3 sons absolved in court deal.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Leila B. Salaverria THE WIFE and sons of former military comptroller Carlos Garcia could walk free of any charges should the Sandiganbayan approve his plea bargain agreement with government prosecutors. Garcia, in the plea bargain...

Gringo would make Yanks pay.
January 3, 2011... THE GOVERNMENT should use the ongoing review of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) to demand that Washington pay for most of the long-delayed modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. This according to Sen. Gregorio...

HIV infections rising in some areas of PH, warns UN official.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Jerry E. Esplanada ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10, with 10 being the most alarming, the HIV-AIDS problem in the Philippines is now pegged at five. But it is already eight to nine in specific sites (nationwide), according to Teresita Marie...

An owners meeting like no other.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Beth Celis IN THE PBAs 36 years of existence, topics involving the television coverage, the national basketball team and the proposed PBA coliseum have been discussed countless times within the confines of the leagues boardroom. ...

Search for new PBA partner hinges on faith.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Ronnie Nathanielsz THE ANNOUNCED Jan. 25 meeting of the 10 PBA teams is long overdue and almost certain to infuse new life into the pro league. The PBA has often been toutedand rightly soas the best organized in Asia. But it has...

From aces to zest.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Isagani Zarate WAS IT propitious that 2010 ended with Mindanao figuring prominently in the national consciousness, particularly in our quest for a just and lasting peace? Despite the brickbats thrown by some hawkish elements, both in...

The Epiphany for a divided world.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas S. J. ONE OF the eternally fascinating elements of the Christmas story is the journey of the Magi. The Philippines celebrated the feast yesterday. In other countries it is still celebrated on Jan. 6. The feast...

Knights help Church against RH measure.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Jocelyn R. Uy THE KNIGHTS of Columbus, a Catholic fraternity and service organization, is employing a creative tack to help the Catholic Church in its campaign against the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill pending in...

Melligen deep in training for crucial fight.
January 3, 2011... WELTERWEIGHT MARK Jason Melligen is deep into his conditioning training at the famed ALA Gym in Cebu for his fight in the undercard of the world bantamweight battle between Nonito Donaire Jr. and WBO-WBC champion Fernando Montiel. The...

7 members of family die in accident.
January 3, 2011... IBAAN, BatangasA three-vehicle collision in the Star tollway in Batangas yesterday killed seven members of a family who were returning to Manila after celebrating the New Year holidays in the province. Four other members of the family, who...

UST sues firm.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Jeannette I. Andrade THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) has sought P3.5 million in damages from a company which built and operates a multi-level car park on the Manila campus. In a petition filed on Dec. 30, UST also asked the...

Make more fireworks displays, not mini-bombs.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Neal H. Cruz MY DAUGHTERS, nieces and other relatives and I spent New Years Eve on top of a condominium and, from there, watched the skies around blossom with beautiful, multicolored fireworks as 2010 turned to 2011. Rockets zoomed...

3 deaths start New Year.
January 3, 2011... QUEZON THREE persons were dead in separate accidents in this province on New Years Eve. In Tiaong town, one Ronaldo Lagonero, 19, a resident of Sta. Rosa, Laguna, was traversing the Maharlika Highway in Barangay Lagalag aboard his...

P35,000 in bonuses.
January 3, 2011... LEYTE GOVERNMENT employees of Hilongos, Leyte, received at least P35,000 each in Christmas bonuses. Hilongos has a population of 64,000, an annual income of P17 million and an internal revenue allotment share of P70 million. This is...

Zambales festival held.
January 3, 2011... ZAMBALES IN A BID to boost tourism in Zambales, a two-day festival was launched to highlight the provinces beaches, caves and islands. The provincial government said the event, dubbed Kaligawan sa Mayanan, a Zambal phrase roughly...

Reds complain vs troops.
January 3, 2011... ILOILO CITY COMMUNIST rebels on Panay Island have accused government troops of violating an 18-day bilateral ceasefire. Jurie Guerrero, spokesperson of the New Peoples Armys Jose Percival Estocada Command, alleged that soldiers under the...

AFP, Reds take up fight positions.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Dona Pazzibugan THEIR 19-DAY ceasefire ends today with both government troops and communist rebel fighters resuming their combat positions. The communist-led National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) also accused...

Philippine sports needs starsnow.
January 3, 2011... Byline: Sev Sarmenta INTEREST TO ride on the crest of the achievements of the national football team is a boost for a sport that we knew we could do well in. The Azkals recent high exposure in the front pages and in the sports sections...