August 24, 2009 Major News Stories

50% price cut on drugs needs fine-tuning

One week into the implementation of the Cheaper Medicines Act, health authorities admitted there is still much fine-tuning to do to enforce a 50-percent price cut on essential medicines.  Amid allegations that some pharmaceuticals and drugstores continue to defy the Cheaper Medicines Law, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the Department of Health (DOH) still needs to make help desks fully operational on a nationwide scale.

Drug testing covers vocational studes

The government has included vocational school students in the random drug testing it has been conducting across the country, a Department of Education (DepEd) official said on Sunday.

EMB approved use of ash: Chiong

NAGA town officials said yesterday that they had permission from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 to use coal ash in one of their projects.

Male texter could have ignited quarrel

The strongest angle the Cebu City Police Office investigators are looking into in the killing of a female call center agent allegedly by her live-in partner is nothing but love triangle.

PO3 Geoffrey Gutual of the CCPO Homicide Section said that they cannot see any other angle except for love triangle on the death of Ana Marie Nuez.

Nuez, 28, of Albay province in the Bicol region was reportedly stabbed to death by her live-in partner, Von Eric Moyo, 28, before taking his own life last Saturday dawn in Saint Lawrence Street, La Guardia, barangay Lahug.

Tom off to US next month for check-up

Mayor Tomas Osmeña will be flying to the United States again next month for his quarterly check-up at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas where he was treated of his cancer of the urinary bladder.

Cebu: Most tuberculosis cases in CV

Cebu has the highest number of cases of tuberculosis in the region while Central Visayas is included in the top 10 regions nationwide with the highest incidence rate of TB cases.

Full-blown inquiry on Philhealth sought

Labor partylist group, Partido ng Manggagawa is calling for a full blown inquiry by Congress on the reported impending collapse of the Philhealth system so that the people, especially the working class, can get into the bottom of what could be another scam or lest a case of wanton neglect of the government's sole universal health care system.

Gov't: No politics in P12-B OFW fund

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said on Sunday that the strict internal controls and audit by the Commission on Audit have been enough to ensure prudent and transparent disbursements from the P12-billion OWWA Trust Fund.

5 OFWs face deportation in Saudi Arabia

The remaining five officers and members of an overseas Filipino workers group still detained in Saudi Arabia for violating a religious-cultural law on the mixing of sexes are facing deportation after their employers refused to take them back.

Comelec warned vs poll hackers

A computer expert on Sunday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to adopt cyber-security measures to prevent hackers from manipulating the 2010 automated elections.

Palace to Noynoy: Be your own man

Be your own man. Malacañang on Sunday gave this unsolicited advice to Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.  A Malacanang spokesman said the senator should not run for higher office based mainly on the popularity and political achievements of his late parents, the martyred Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino and democracy icon and former president Corazon Aquino.

Domestic airline plane in landing mishap

A plane of the domestic Seair airline swerved out of control while landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at around 12:33 p.m. on Sunday.

Nobody among the 32 passengers and three crewmen was injured. The passengers were loaded to a shuttle and transferred to the domestic passenger terminal.

Flight DG-0624 came from Caticlan Airport in Aklan. It was piloted by Captain Aldrin Sabana, with a certain Capt. Yu as co-pilot.

Two Marines laid to rest in Cebu, Bohol

Two members of the Philippine Marines killed in the recent bloody clash with Abu Sayyaf bandits in Basilan province were laid to rest in their respective homes in the provinces of Bohol and Cebu. 

Muslim soldiers granted Ramadan leave

Amidst intensified offensives against the Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao, Muslim soldiers and police personnel were granted special leaves to allow them to celebrate Ramadan with their families, authorities said on Sunday.

Palace defends stay of US troops

A Malacañang official on Sunday defended the continued stay of American soldiers in southern Philippines, saying their modern technology is needed in security operations in the troubled region.

Bayan: US troops in Minda permanent

The decision of the United States to keep US troops in Mindanao could spell their permanent stay in the Philippines in violation of the Constitution and the 1991 bases treaty rejection, the leftwing Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said Saturday.

Sison doubts peace talks can resume soon

Stung by the Philippine government's alleged failure to comply with the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).

Razon: NDF changing demands on talks

Infighting within the National Democratic Front may be behind its new demands, presenting another hurdle in peace efforts, Malacañang"s peace process adviser said Sunday.

P300K reward for capture of ex-gov

The family of slain Abra Representative Luis "Chito" Bersamin offered a P300,000 reward for the whereabouts of former Gov. Vicente "Vicsyd" Valera whose arrest was ordered by the court two weeks ago for the murder of Bersamin and his bodyguard.

Thousands of tax cheats exposed

About 13,400 corporate tax cheats have been exposed and penalized by the Bureau of Revenue over the last three years using data uncovered though a lottery partnership with publicly listed technology provider Philweb.com Inc.

RP to export yellow corn to Vietnam

The National Food Authority (NFA) is in talks with Vietnam to export yellow corn amid declining prices, Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap said.

WHO warns of swine flu's 2nd wave

The World Health Organization is urging the planet to brace for a second wave of the swine flu pandemic as the heavily populated northern hemisphere edges towards the cooler season when flu thrives.

WHO to China: Share swine flu vaccine

With a likely "explosion" of swine flu in the coming months, a leading WHO official has urged China to distribute vaccines to needy nations to help contain the disease.

Swine flu, crisis overshadow Ramadan

Muslims entered the fasting and feasting month of Ramadan on Saturday with swine flu and the economic downturn adding to security fears in several Islamic countries in dampening the mood.

5M short of water in north China drought

The worst drought to hit parts of north China in six decades has left nearly five million people short of water, while officials warn of another dry spell further south.

Vatican deplores indifference to migrants

A senior Vatican official Saturday deplored indifference with regard to migrants after 73 Eritreans were reported to have died from hunger and thirst trying to reach Europe from North Africa.

Viloria foe fighting outside home first time

Mexican challenger Jesus Iribe may find himself like a fish out of water when he collides with Filipino-American Brian Viloria for the latter's light flyweight title on August 29 at the Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.

66 AFP athletes, coaches out of nat'l teams

After the Philippine Sports Commission revoked their detailed service to the national team, 66 soldier-athletes and coaches from nine sports will be forced to return to their respective mother units in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Miss RP ready for Miss U final

Isang tulog na lang at aarangkada na ang Miss Universe 2009! At siyempre, todo suporta ang kanyang mga kapamilya at ang buong bansa! Dumating na rin ang pamilya ni Miss Philippines Bianca Manalo sa the Bahamas para palakasin ang loob ni Bianca.

UV Chorale shines in national contest

Cebu's pride, the University of the Visayas Chorale, won top awards at the first-ever Cultural Center of the Philippines National Choral Competition held last August 18 to 22.

Pacquiao can't imagine life without boxing

As Manny Pacquiao nears his "retirement" from boxing, the world's pound for pound king admits he cannot foresee a future far from the sports he loves.

Pacquiao donates books to students

Pound-for-pound boxing king Manny Pacquiao donated P1 million worth of reference materials for Grade 1 and Grade 2 public elementary school pupils in Malungon town, Sarangani Province.

Make Chinese New Year RP holiday, too

Kung hei fat choi! Filipinos just might get one more reason not to go to work, apart from the 19 holidays in a year already declared by the government.

Under Republic Act 9492, considered regular holidays are New Year's Day, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Eidl Fitr, Araw ng Kagitingan, Labor Day, Independence Day, National Heroes Day, Bonifacio Day, Christmas and Rizal Day.

Special non-working days are the Ninoy Aquino Day, All Saints Day, All Souls Day, December 24 and December 31. This year, January 2 was also declared a special non-working day, while February 23 was a school holiday in order to commemorate the 1986 EDSA revolution anniversary. Former president Corazon Aquino's burial was also declared a special non-working day.

Chinese New Year does not have a fixed date in the Western calendar. It is determined by the lunar calendar, but it usually falls in January or February.

Palace: Push through with Cory monument

The Arroyo administration will still pursue the construction of a monument in honor of the late former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino even if her son does not see the need for one.

Aquinos to come up with rosary DVD

The Aquino siblings are planning to make a rosary DVD as a tribute to their parents, former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr and former president Corazon "Cory" Aquino.  "The Buzz" host Kris Aquino, Ninoy and Cory's youngest daughter, said she and her sisters, Ballsy, Pinky and Viel, are going to pray the four mysteries of the rosary. The songs of composer and close friend Fr. Manoling Francisco, will be part of the DVD, she said.

She added that the DVD will be their gift to their parents in their wedding anniversary on October 11.

Lloydie confirms calling Liz Uy anew

John Lloyd Cruz has confirmed that he is regularly communicating with former girlfriend Liz Uy again.

Encyclopedia of Life grows

An online encyclopedia aiming to describe every type of animal and plant on the planet has reached 170,000 entries and is helping research into aging, climate change and even the spread of insect pests. 

Mike Ditka  - "If God had wanted man to play soccer, he wouldn't have given us arms."