January 6, 2008 Major News Summary

More oil price rollbacks seen January

Local oil firms are expected to cut fuel prices this month, according to the Department of Energy.

Oil slips as global worries re-emerge

Re-emerging global economic worries nudged oil prices lower to $45 per barrel, but the fall was kept in check by evidence that OPEC was serious about production cutbacks and new unrest in Nigeria.

Bank holiday gideklarar sa RBS

Nahasol ang bank depositors sa Rural Bank of Subangdaku Inc. nga nideklarar og 'bank holiday' sugod kagahapon ug wala pay kasigurohan kung kanus-a kini mobalik og abli.

Furniture firm retrenches workers

DOZENS of workers of Giardini del Sole Manufacturing Corp. in Mandaue City have filed a notice of strike with the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) against their company.

Furniture firm folds, fires 400 workers 

The country's biggest furniture manufacturing and exporting company, Giardini del Sole, in Mandaue City, declared a temporary shutdown after it received zero orders from international market.

Job losses as firms stop operations

Concerns of job losses due to a continuing economic downturn came into sharper focus yesterday, with the country"s main exporters group announcing industry retrenchments and company closures and the Trade department baring a government initiative to aid displaced workers.

Unemployment numbers disputed

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque scoffed at the projection of economist and former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno that the global financial crisis would render 11 million Filipinos jobless.

KMU renews fight for p125-wage hike

As workers returned to start a new year, militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) vowed to continue its fight for a P125-wage hike.

Senate to hike in SSS, GSIS benefits

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr on Monday urged colleagues to expedite action on a pending bill seeking to increase the pension benefits for Social Security System (SSS) and Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) members.

OFW deploy widens rich-poor gap

Overseas Filipinos are now in 239 countries and territories and have sent more than $120 billion in remittances in the last three decades, but only the richest provinces have benefited and unemployment remains chronic, data show.

Parties pursue case on capitol parking

THE legal battle between a group of lawyers and the Provincial Government over the latter's continued collection of parking fees inside the capitol grounds and its operation of spy cameras has spilled into the New Year.

City hires former Capitol administrator 

Cebu City acting mayor Michael Rama has appointed former provincial administrator Frank Japson as the city's consultant on the Cebu City Medical Center.

MCWD, Mactan Rock meet today

In a last ditch effort to avert a possible water supply problem in Lapu-Lapu City and the town of Cordova, representatives of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District and Mactan Rock Industries, Inc. are scheduled to meet today.

10T helpers for Sinulog

AROUND 10,000 volunteers will help make Sinulog 2009 the best grand parade so far, as organizers promise to stage a show that locals and foreign spectators will not forget.

Surprises from Sinulog stage

Despite the financial constraints, the Sinulog stage at the Cebu City Sports Center for the grand Mardi Gras on January 18 promises a lot of surprises, said Sinulog Foundation Inc. Executive Director Ricky Ballesteros.

Gwen Sinulog with "Tostado" dancers

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia will be dancing in the Sinulog grand parade with the dancers of "Tostado" Festival of Santander town.

'Love' keeps Filipinos in Gaza

As the number of Filipinos who agreed to leave Gaza continued to go down from 70 to 66 to 13, and as of last briefing to six, most of those who have decided to stay in the war-torn strip, have done so because of love and family.

6 Filipinos' trip out of Gaza cancelled

The ongoing Israeli attack in Gaza Strip prevented the evacuation of the six Filipino nationals there, An official of the Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday.

Roadblock bars Pinoys from leaving 

The bus that would supposedly take foreigners, including Filipino nationals, to the border had to go back to Gaza because of a road blockade due to intense shelling.

Hamas keeps firing rockets at Israel

A spokesman for Hamas says the Islamic militants will fire more rockets deeper into Israel.

Oil as weapon in Gaza snubbed

The call to use oil as a weapon against Israel's friends once would have echoed in capitals across the Middle East and struck fear in the West's heart. But even as the crisis in Gaza deepens, threats of an embargo by some officials in Iran and Bahrain are falling flat.

Malacañang defends Pangandaman

Malacañang continued its defense of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman regarding his involvement in an altercation at a golf course, saying that it is still too early to talk about suspension as called for by the official's accuser.

Pangandaman apologizes anew 

Agrarian reform secretary Nasser Pangandaman Sr. apologized anew to the public after his sons exchanged charges with a golfer and his family over an altercation last Dec. 26.

DENR chief reshuffles directors

Environment secretary Lito Atienza on Monday started reorganizing his department by effectively removing six regional directors and reshuffling seven others. Three other regional directors were retained to their current positions.  In his order, Atienza assigned/reassigned the following DENR directors to: 

* Antonio Principe – Region 3 
* Jose Andres Diaz – National Capital Region 
* Regidor De Leon – Region 8 
* Maximo Dichoso – Region 9 
* Ernesto Adobo Jr – Region 10 
* Jim Sampulna – Region 11 
* Raquil-Ali Lucman – Region 12 
* Nilo Tamoria – Region 4-A (retain) 
* Marcial Amaro – Region 4-B (retain) 
* Joselin Marcus Fragada – Region 5 (retain)

Arroyo holds 1st Cabinet meet in 2009

Iligan City will be the venue of the first Cabinet meeting of 2009 to be presided over by President Arroyo Tuesday.

Automation of 2010 elections uncertain 

One month before the original deadline of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the funding of the 2010 automated elections, Malacanang's budget office has yet to submit to Congress the supplemental budget for it. Assuming efforts to extend political term limits don't succeed, elections will be held in May 2010. It's one year and four months away.

Set aside time for sessions, not 2010 

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday urged his colleagues who are planning to run for higher posts in the 2010 elections to continue attending sessions and fulfilling their duties rather than making rounds in provinces to campaign.

Teodoro tatakbo ba sa 2010?

Nakatakdang ihayag bukas ni Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro ang kanyang desisyon kung sasabak ito sa presidential race sa darating na 2010 elections.

7,000 Pinoy voters in N Marianas

Some 7,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) are expected to qualify to register this year as absentee voters for the 2010 presidential elections.

House push con-con in Cha-Cha

THE HOUSE of Representatives will push the constitutional convention (con-con) mode in amending the Constitution, with delegates simultaneously elected in next year's general polls.

Bagong SC justice, italaga na!

Hinikayat kahapon ni Senator Kiko Pangilinan si Pangulong Gloria Arroyo na huwag nang pata­galin ang pagtatalaga nang kapalit ni Supreme Court Justice Ruben Reyes na nagretiro noong Enero 3.

5 houses razed in Tudela

FIVE houses were razed in a fire sparked by an electrical short circuit in the island town of Tudela, Cebu Sunday noon.

Firetruck gi-padlock wa karesponde

Wala makaresponde ang firetruck sa lungsod sa Tudela Isla sa Camotes human niulbo ang dakong sunog niadtong Domingo diha sa barangay Calmante gumikan kay giingong gidala ang yawe niini.

Fire guts office of Glo spokesperson

A small fire broke out in a Malacanang building Monday burning the office of the deputy presidential adviser on Central Luzon and concurrent deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo.

Sultan Kudarat town vice mayor dead

SULTAN KUDARAT, Philippines - Unidentified suspects on Monday evening shot dead the vice mayor of President Quirino town in this southern Philippine province.

MILF accuses AFP of 'food blockage'

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) today accused the Army's 68th Infantry Battalion of imposing a "food blockade" on supply routes to a known community of MILF supporters in Alamada, North Cotabato.

Math teacher raped 12-yr-old pupil

A math teacher from Mandaluyong City is facing rape charges for allegedly raping his 12-year-old pupil whom he allegedly enticed by giving her a mobile phone and iPod.

RP imports 3,000 goats, sheep 

The Philippines is set to import some 3,000 goats and sheep from Australia as part of the heightened agricultural trade between the two countries, according to Australian Ambassador to RP Rod Smith.

House probes envoy to Australia

An investigation is being sought into the country's ambassador to Australia who has been allegedly neglecting his duties because he was studying full-time at the expense of the Philippine government.

PNP, US join Balikatan exercises

Elite members of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) will participate in the Balikatan exercises between the troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and United States.

Peso surges on first trading day

The peso on Monday bounced back against the dollar as financial markets resumed trading after a one-and-a-half-week long Christmas break.  The peso surged by 36 centavos to close at P47.16 per dollar, recovering from its 2008 finish of P47.52 per dollar.

Customs lowers targets for tax cuts

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) will seek approval to reduce its revenue targets this year since lower oil costs and duty-free imports may cut its collections.

Obama picks Panetta to head CIA

Two Democratic officials say President-elect Barack Obama has chosen former Clinton White House chief of staff Leon Panetta to run the CIA.

POC wants ready pool of elite athletes

The Philippine Olympic Committee wants to form an elite group of 100 athletes from the national training pool that will serve as constant source of talents for international competitions.

Pacquiao faces more physical Hatton

Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao's conditioning guru Alex Ariza predicts Pacquiao will face a more physical fight with Ricky The Hitman Hatton than he did with Oscar de la Hoya at the MGM Grand last December 6.

Morales puts money on Hatton

Once again, Mexican boxing hero Erik Morales is putting his name, his reputation or even his friendship with Manny Pacquiao on the line.

DepEd, NCCA endorse Baler

Baler by Viva/Bida Films got the most number of honors, besting seven other films, in the recently-concluded awarding ceremony of the 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Fate of 'Ploning' known on Jan 22

Come January 22, the whole world will know whether or not the film will be included in the list of five Oscar nominees that will be read during the awards night in February.

Arroyo takes time out with dolphins

SINACABAN, Misamis Occidental—Meet Liberty and Prosperity, two dolphins that are seen to symbolize two pillars of what the Arroyo administration seeks to achieve as its legacy.

Joey Marquez cleared of estafa, graft 

The Sandiganbayan has junked criminal charges against former Paranaque City Mayor Joey Marquez and two of his co-defendants concerning the alleged anomaly in the P6.41 million textbook supply contract entered under his term in 1998.

Church feels economic crunch

The pews are filled but the offering boxes are not. Apparently, an increase in the number of churchgoers does not necessarily mean an increase in Mass collections.  Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz told Radio Veritas in an interview that even the Catholic Church has been feeling the effects of the worldwide economic crunch.

Travolta 'furious' about autism report 

John Travolta was "furious" over reports that his 16-year-old son, Jett, who died recently, was suffering from autism.

Cruise: Church helped beat dyslexia

US actor Tom Cruise said Scientology teachings helped him overcome childhood dyslexia, a Spanish magazine reported.

Eddie Izzard  - "I grew up in Europe, where the history comes from."