Bicol needs P320B in infra investments – Salceda

 Economy
Jun 132013
 
Bicol needs P320B in infra investments - Salceda

MANILA, Philippines – The Bicol region needs P320 billion worth of infrastructure investments to contribute to the country’s economic boom, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said on Thursday. “What drive our economy today are investments, particularly on the aspect of infrastructure but most of infrastructure investments are still concentrated in the urban areas, particularly Metro Manila,” Salceda said. Salceda said the investments should complement tourism development projects such as the P3.4-billion Southern Luzon International Airport currently being constructed in Daraga, Albay. In terms of tourism growth rate, Albay has posted a 49-percent growth in 2012. Salceda said large investments are expected to come in with the positive perception that the present administration receives from the private sector. “Investors clearly trust the presidency that projects the image of anti-corruption and this trust is manifested by bigger stakes they put in now, particularly in food manufacturing and tourism- today’s upscale industries,” he said, adding that the industry sectors improved by 31 percent this year. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 He said the reason for the growth in food manufacturing is import substitution or producing locally the products what we used to import. Local products directly compete with imported goods,” Salceda said.

Southwest Monsoon to bring rain to SLuzon, Visayas

 News
Jun 112013
 
Southwest Monsoon to bring rain to SLuzon, Visayas

A weak southwest monsoon may bring rain to parts of Southern Luzon and Visayas in the next 24 hours, state weather forecasters said Tuesday afternoon. PAGASA, in its 5 p.m. bulletin, said the southwest monsoon is affecting the western sections of Southern Luzon and Visayas. “Mimaropa, Bicol region, (and) Visayas will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms,”it said. It added Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.” For Wednesday, PAGASA said Metro Manila may expect temperatures of 25 to 32 degrees Celsius, while Tuguegarao City may expect temperatures of 25 to 36 degrees Celsius. Angeles and Olongapo Cities may expect temperatures of 24 to 32 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, PAGASA said moderate to occasionally strong winds from the southwest to west will prevail over Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to opcassionally rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the southwest with slight to moderate seas, it said. — TJD, GMA News

Cebu Pacific: Several Saturday flights to be delayed due to Friday night rain in NCR

 News
Jun 072013
 
Cebu Pacific: Several Saturday flights to be delayed due to Friday night rain in NCR

Passengers of air carrier Cebu Pacific may have to put up with flight delays on Saturday as a result of the downpour on Metro Manila Friday night. Cebu Pacific admitted this in a post on its Twitter account early Saturday, but did not immediately specify the affected flights. “Please be informed that several flights have been delayed due to rainfall from last night’s downpour in Manila. Please stay tuned for updates,” it said. Cebu Pacific also advised passengers who want to check their flight for Saturday to visit its website or call 70-20-888. On Friday night, heavy rain fell over parts of Metro Manila, causing floods in some areas. For Saturday, state weather forecasters said Metro Manila may expect more rain showers and thunderstorms. PAGASA also warned Tropical Depression Dante may bring rain that may trigger flash floods and landslides in parts of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.  — ELR, GMA News

Flash flood warning up in Bicol, Eastern Visayas

 News
Jun 052013
 
Flash flood warning up in Bicol, Eastern Visayas

Flash floods and landslides may be expected in parts of Bicol and Eastern Visayas in the next 24 hours from the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), state weather forecasters said Wednesday afternoon. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the ITCZ is affecting the Bicol region, Visayas and Mindanao, and may bring moderate to heavy rain. “Bicol region and Eastern Visayas will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rain and thunderstorms which may trigger flash floods and landslides,” it said. Calabarzon, Mimaropa, the rest of Visayas and Mindanao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms, it added. Also, PAGASA said Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be “partly cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.” On Thursday, Metro Manila may expect temperatures of 25 to 34 degrees Celsius while Tuguegarao City may expect temperatures of 25 to 37 degrees Celsius. Angeles and Olongapo Cities may expect temperatures of 25 to 33 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, PAGASA said light to moderate winds from the east to southeast will prevail over Northern and Central Luzon and coming from the east to northeast over the rest of the country. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate, it added. — TJD, GMA News

DAN BROWN’S ‘GATES OF HELL’ MUST BE IN THESE PLACES

 News
Jun 012013
 
DAN BROWN’S ‘GATES OF HELL’ MUST BE IN THESE PLACES

Dan Brown could be right: Metro Manila indeed has places with names that may lead the unwary to the “gates of hell.” While many communities in this predominantly Catholic country invoke the names of saints and things holy, there are pockets with a shared history of darkness called “Kalye Impyerno” (Hell Street) in Navotas City, “Pasong Dyablo” (Devil’s Pass) in Muntinlupa City and “Pulong Dyablo” (Devil’s Island) in landlocked Antipolo City. READ FULL STORY

PAGASA: Rain over parts of Mindanao due to wind convergence

 News
Jun 012013
 
PAGASA: Rain over parts of Mindanao due to wind convergence

Rain is forecast over parts of Mindanao on Sunday due to the inter-tropical convergence zone, state meteorologist said in a weather bulletin. PAGASA also said in the Sunday morning bulletin that Metro Manila and other parts of the country may expect isolated rain showers and thunderstorms. “The regions of Davao, Soccsksargen, Zamboanga Peninsula and the Autonomous Region Of Muslim Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms,” it said. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms,” it added. For Sunday, PAGASA said Metro Manila may expect temperatures of 23 to 34 degrees Celsius while Tuguegarao City may expect temperatures of 24 to 36 degrees Celsius. Angeles and Olongapo Cities may expect temperatures of 25 to 35 degrees Celsius, it said. Meanwhile, PAGASA said light to moderate winds from the east to southeast will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and coming from the east to northeast over the rest of the country. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate, it added.  — ELR, GMA News

Youth groups seek SC help vs. tuition hikes

 News
May 292013
 
Youth groups seek SC help vs. tuition hikes

A party-list group advocating students’ rights and several youth and student organizations on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to stop 354 higher educational institutions (HEIs) from hiking their tuition and other fees this coming school year. The approval from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) that paved the way for the hike should likewise be reversed, the petitioners, led by Kabataan party-list, said in a 46-page petition for certiorari, mandamus, and prohibition. “The Commission on Higher Education violated the petitioners’ constitutional right to accessible and quality education for failing to perform its constitutional duties to take appropriate steps to make education accessible to all and to exercise reasonable supervision and regulation of all educational institutions,” the petition read. The petitioners asked the SC to issue a writ of preliminary injunction and a temporary restraining order/status quo ante order to prevent the schools from implementing the tuition and other fees hike. The group accused CHED of failing to exercise “reasonable regulation and supervision” when it approved the increase without “implementing the statutory procedure for tuition consultation” as prrovided under Section 10 of Republic Act 6728 or the Government Assistance To Students and Teachers In Private Education Act. Section 10 states that “[i]n any proposed increase in the rate of tuition fee, there shall be appropriate consultations conducted by the school administration with the duly organized parents and teachers associations and faculty associations with respect to secondary schools, and with students governments or councils, alumni and faculty associations with respect to colleges… Read More …

DOTC: Five flights canceled due to 'aircraft situation'

 News
May 292013
 
DOTC: Five flights canceled due to 'aircraft situation'

At least five domestic flights of air carrier Cebu Pacific were canceled Wednesday due to “aircraft situation,” the Department of Transportation and Communications said. In a post on its Twitter account, the DOTC said the affected flights had destination points in Metro Manila, Bicol, and Visayas. The affected flights included: – 5J-519 and 5J-523 (Manila to Naga)– 5J-520 and 5J-524 (Naga to Manila)– 5J-557 (Manila to Cebu) The DOTC did not elaborate on the “aircraft situation” that prompted the cancellation of the flights. Earlier Wednesday, state weather forecasters had warned of rain showers and thunderstorms as the rainy season approaches. — LBG, GMA News

DA asks DTI to monitor lead content in rice

 Economy
May 282013
 
DA asks DTI to monitor lead content in rice

MANILA, Philippines – The Agriculture department is asking the Trade department to monitor rice being sold in Metro Manila, citing reports that the packages of these goods have been found to contain lead. Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Proceso Alcala said in a letter dated May 24 to Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Gregory Domingo, they would want the Trade department to monitor the packages of rice being sold in the market. This, as the DA received information from the EcoWaste Coalition of the presence of lead in rice sacks. The EcoWaste Coalition is a public interest network of community, church, school, environmental and health groups pursuing sustainable solutions to waste, climate change and chemical issues facing the Philippines and the world. “It is informed that out of 125 sacks, representing 100 brands of rice purchased between the periods of April 13 to 18, 2013 from various rice dealers in public and private markets in cities of Metro Manila, about 53 percent showed low or non-detectable levels of lead, while 47 percent were found to contain lead in the range of 124 parts per million (ppm) to 2,605 ppm,” Alcala said. Alcala noted that the lead content of the rice sacks exceeds the US limit of 90 ppm for lead in paint and surface coating. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 He said lead was detected in the outer portions of the sacks as well as in the inner sections, posing a concern for adulteration Read More …

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