June 8, 2009 Major News Stories

CHED order floods phones of schools

Calls flooded the phone lines of Universities and Colleges in Cebu in trying to confirm the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) order to postpone the opening of classes from today to June 15.  The University of San Carlos (USC), Collegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion (CIC), University of Cebu (UC), and Cebu Normal University (CNU) have posted announcements that classes in all levels will open on June 15.

The University of the Philippines Cebu College (UPCC), which is under the UP System and not under CHED, has also announced that classes will start next Monday yet.

Classes are supposed to start today in these schools but as per order of CHED, college students will be given a week long extension and upon the administration's discretion, elementary and high school will also get the extension.

Some schools however did not defer the original schedule so classes start today in elementary and high school of St. Theresa's College (STC).

The STC administration said in an announcement, "We have classes tomorrow."

The University of San Jose-Recoletos basic education division, meanwhile, will start holding classes tomorrow.

For its various colleges, USJR and the rest of the 159 Higher Education Institutions in Central Visayas will open on June 15.

DepEd won't follow CHED suspension

The Department of Education (DepEd) said Sunday that they are not planning the cancellation of classes in public elementary and secondary school, after the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) moved the start of classes in all colleges and universities nationwide to June 15 due to cases of influenza A (H1N1) in several universities.  Meanwhile, the education department said it will let private elementary and secondary schools decide on their own if they will cancel classes.

The department said they only have authority over private schools with regard to curricular concerns, and not over administrative and operational concerns.

The DepEd also reiterated that they already have protocols regarding the suspension of classes if ever there are reported cases of influenza A (H1N1) in schools.

"AHN1" ituturing na lang na trangkaso

Paiigtingin pang ma buti ng Department of Health ang pagkumpirma ng mga inuulat na kaso ng influenza A H1N1 virus sa bansa.

Dakay: No ban on close contact in Cebu

With a few cases of the Influenza A H1N1 virus in the Philippines, precautions are being taken in many areas including the places of worship, but the policy in one area does not also follow for the others.

Consultant negative for A(H1N1) - UCPB

The foreign consultant of United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) in Makati City who showed up at the bank with flu-like symptoms has tested negative for the A(H1N1) virus, the bank's spokesman told abs-cbnNEWS.com Sunday.

DOH to release result of test on FEU stude

The Department of Health (DOH) said on Sunday that it would confirm if a student from the Far Eastern University (FEU) has the A(H1N1) influenza virus by Monday.  This comes even after FEU Medical Director Dr. Blanca Destura told ABS-CBN News on Saturday about the female FEU student that, she said, has tested positive for the influenza A (H1N1) virus.

Oil firms raise prices, LPG hike moved

OIL COMPANIES yesterday increased pump prices for the fifth consecutive week, while a supposed adjustment in cooking gas was deferred for next week.  At 12:01 a.m. yesterday, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. was first to adjust gasoline prices by a peso per liter, and diesel and kerosene by P1.50. Shell, in a text message, said the increase was made "to reflect higher product costs."

Petron Corp., Chevron Philippines, and Total Philippines Corp. followed at 6 a.m. Seaoil Philippines Corp. also raised prices at 6 a.m. save for kerosene.

Transport groups protest new oil price hike

Transport groups will picket in front of the offices of Big Three oil players, Chevron, Shell and Petron, to protest the new round of petroleum prices increase.

Oil price will stay at $65-$70 until 2009

Crude oil would remain priced at around $65 to $70 a barrel until the end of 2009 before rising, Algeria's Energy Minister Chakib Khelil said Saturday, the APS agency reported.

Constituent assembly convenes in July

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's allies in the House of Representatives said they would convene a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution without the Senate when Congress reopens in July despite outrage by religious and civil society groups.

Makati rally vs con-ass raises martial law 

Fears that the government will use Wednesday"s rally against constituent assembly to declare martial law loomed over the weekend, with the Catholic Bishop" Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) appealing to the rallyists to keep the activity peaceful.

Arroyo not running in 2010 elections

 

President's Arroyo's spokesman on Sunday has reiterated that the president is not running for public office in the 2010 election amid protests by her critics slamming the approval last week by the lower House of a resolution to convene a constituent assembly (con-ass).

Palace:  2010 polls to push through

A Palace official today said it is "hearsay" to claim that President Arroyo will run as prime minister once the government shifts from presidential to parliamentary system.

Palace: Why fear 'unpopular' Arroyo

So what if she runs again? Incensed that President Arroyo was being accused of intending to extend her hold on power beyond 2010, Malacañang blasted critics for harping on the possibility of Arroyo running for reelection, when they had also been ridiculing her for her unpopularity.

Senators see 3- to 5-way presidential race

Senators Loren Legarda and Manuel Roxas said on Sunday they were expecting only three to five aspirants to run for president in the 2010 elections.

Mar, Chiz, Gibo magtigi dinhi sa Cebu

Tulo ka mga nangambisyong mahimong presidente sa nasud sa umaabot nga eleksyon ang gipaabot nga magtakos dinhi sa Sugbu niining semanaha alang sa usa ka forum.

PNP: Jail term for delinquent gun owners

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is pushing for gun owners who are delinquent in renewing their firearm licenses to be jailed for six months.

Arraignment ni Mancao inihahanda

Pinaghahandaan na ng prosecution ang pag hahain ng mosyon sa korte para maitakda ang pag basa ng demanda o arraignment laban kay dating Police Senior Superintendent Cezar Man cao kaugnay ng kasong pag paslang sa public relation man na si Salvador Dacer at sa driver nitong si Em manuel Corbito.

Female Basilan captive escapes

Moro rebels belonging to a "lost command" with links to the Abu Sayyaf lost its lone female hostage, an employee of a micro-finance firm, after she escaped Saturday night in a village in Sumisip, Basilan, a military official said.

Troops bomb MILF lair in Maguindanao

Military planes dropped bombs and fired rockets into areas where Muslim insurgents are believed to be holding out in the southern province of Maguindanao on Sunday, officials said.

Mar to BI: Probe influx of Chinese engrs.

Sen. Manuel Roxas said yesterday he will ask the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to look into the reported influx of Chinese electrical engineers into the country, to the disadvantage of their Filipino counterparts.

ABS-CBN expects P3.8 B in 2nd quarter

Media conglomerate ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. expects its revenues to hit P3.8 billion in the second quarter of this year, boosted by record revenues of P1.4 billion in May.

3,000 villagers flee Myanmar shelling

More than 3,000 ethnic Karen villagers have fled into Thailand as Myanmar troops shelled near a camp where they were sheltering, one of the largest movements of refugees across the border in a decade, aid groups said Sunday.

US is putting N. Korea back on terror list

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday the United States was "going to look at" putting North Korea back on its list of countries that sponsor terrorism following Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests.

Brazil recovers 3 bodies near crash site

Three more bodies were found Sunday in the ocean near the spot where an Air France jet is believed to have crashed a week ago, bringing the total number of bodies plucked from the water to five, Brazil's military said.

Pacquiao to challengers: One at a time

 

Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao is already excited for his next fight but is taking his sweet time to make his much-awaited choice for opponent. To his challengers like Sugar Shane Mosley, he has this to say: "I can't take all your challenge at once, so one at a time, please."

Manny-Mosley at 144 not advisable, Wakee

Manny Pacquiao should avoid falling into the trap being laid out for him by Shane Mosley.

Federer wins French Open

Roger Federer won the French Open for the first time at Roland Garros on Sunday defeating Robin Soderling of Sweden 6-1, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 in the final.

NBI trying to find uploader of Kho video

Probers of the 'Hayden cam' case are now focused on finding whoever uploaded on the Internet the Katrina Halili-Dr. Hayden Kho sex video.

Ruffa fights with ma anew, leaves home

Actress Ruffa Gutierrez on Sunday confirmed that she left her parents' home in Makati City after a heated argument with her mother, talent manager Annabelle Rama.

Kris' two kids hospitalized due to dengue

The two children of television host-actress Kris Aquino have tested positive for dengue fever.  Aquino announced on "The Buzz" Sunday that Joshua and baby James are now confined at the Makati Medical Center where their conditions are being closely monitored.

Korina says wedding still on

The wedding of Sen. Manuel "Mar" Roxas II and veteran broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez will push through.  Sanchez made this statement to dispel speculation that the couple might call off their wedding after thepamamanhikan of the lawmaker and his family was postponed. 

Pamamanhikan is a Filipino tradition where the man and his parents visit the woman's family to ask for her hand in marriage. 

The journalist said the pamamanhikan will instead take place on June 13.  It was originally scheduled Saturday but due to bad weather the couple decided to postpone it. 

Erap, Chavit together again

The last time Pres. Joseph 'Erap' Estrada and former Ilocos Sur Gov. and now National Deputy Security Adviser Luis 'Chavit' Singson were seen together in one place was last January at the wake for Erap's mom, Doña Mary Ejercito.

Carradine kin gets expert to examine body

The family of David Carradine is asking the FBI and a private forensics expert to help investigate the "Kung Fu" actor's death, attorney Mark Geragos said Saturday, the same day Thai police said surveillance footage indicated no one had entered his hotel room before he died.

Sunny weather until Thursday -- PAGASA

Expect more sunshine and drier weather in the coming days, the state weather bureau said on Sunday after a week of heavy rains that led to flooding and the cancellation of classes.

86,000 tons lost, disasters cause 1.2% drop 

Climate change is likely to have a negative impact on our agriculture, this according to a press conference by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration on the impact of typhoons on agriculture and health.