August 7, 2009 Major News Stories

Arroyo, Erap in Cebu for wedding

PRESIDENT Arroyo will face her predecessor and bitter political rival during this Saturday's wedding of the daughter of Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to the mayor of Liloan town.

PGMA due in Cebu late this afternoon

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be in town for two days to grace an international business forum and the wedding of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia's daughter.

Gwen: Incentives up for employees

On the celebration of the province's 440th founding anniversary yesterday, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia was in a giving mood.

City welcomes pre-audit by COA

Mayor Tomas Osmeña and some other city officials welcomed the move of the Commission on Audit to subject to pre-audit all major government transactions because it will prevent government officials from committing violations of state audit procedures.

DOJ asked: Reconsider reso clearing priest

The Department of Social Welfare and Development asked the Department of Justice to consider its resolution exonerating Father Benedicto Ejares from criminal liability over his "inappropriate" conduct during confessions of students of Abellana National School three years ago.

BJMP eyes list of inmates qualified to vote

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-7 has ordered all jail units in Central Visayas to submit the list of inmates qualified to vote in the May 2010 elections.

Free insurance for brgy execs

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will grant free insurance coverage to barangay officials and members of their families if the barangay's annual income from the Internal Revenue Allotment is below P1 million.

Talisay mass for Cory; Council honor

TALISAYNONS will offer a special mass at the Sta. Teresa de Avila Parish Church for the late former President Corazon Aquino this Sunday.

Cory fever puts brakes on Charter change

The outpouring of grief for the passing of former President Corazon Aquino may discourage proponents of Charter change -- which the democracy icon had opposed -- from pursuing the matter at this time, lawmakers said on Thursday.

Palace: Cory funeral turnout a good sign

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo did not feel threatened by the multitudes of people who had gathered for the burial of her arch critic, former President Corazon Aquino, on Wednesday, a Malacañang official said here on Thursday.

'Kris Aquino to Senate, Sen. Aquino as VP'

Television host Kris Aquino will win a seat in the Senate if she decides to join politics, while his brother, Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III could seek higher office, lawmakers said Thursday.

Noynoy wants Kris spared from politics

Senator Benigno Simeon Aquino III, the only son of late former President Corazon Aquino, wants her youngest sister, television personality Kris Aquino, spared from politics.

Condolences from Queen Elizabeth, OFWs

Even as former President Corazon Aquino has been laid to rest Wednesday, people around the world like Queen Elizabeth II and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso continued to express their condolences for her passing.

UN, ILO pay tribute to Aquino

The United Nations (UN) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) have paid tribute to the contributions of the late President Corazon Aquino in achieving world peace.

Cop in Aquino cortege gets promotion

Police Officer 1 Danilo Malab Jr., one of the four honor guards at Corazon Aquino's presidential cortege, has been promoted to a higher rank, Philippine National Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina said on Thursday.

Senate commends honor guards of Cory

A resolution commending the four honor guards of the late former President Corazon Aquino during the funeral procession will be filed at the Senate.  Senator Pilar Juliana Cayetano said PO1 Danilo Maalab, Pfc. Antonio Cadiente, Airman 2nd Class Gener Laguindan, and Navy Petty Officer 3 Edgardo Rodriguez were role models of what a public servant should be.

Bids to make Aquino a hero gain support

Proposals in the House of Representatives to make former President Corazon Aquino a national hero are gaining support, even as several lawmakers affirmed that the late leader was a hero in the hearts and minds of the Filipino people.

BSP backs adding Cory image to P500 bill

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) supports proposals to have the P500 bill bear the late President Corazon Aquino, BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said.

9 hurt in North Cotabato blast

Nine people -- most of them children -- were injured in an explosion in Pikit, North Cotabato around 12:30 p.m.

Village, youth council polls in Oct 2010

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has set the 2010 barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK, Youth Council) elections on October 25, a spokesman for the poll body said.

Poll body to buy P1.6B poll machines

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will purchase an automated fingerprint identification system (Afis) and biometrics machines by end of the month, an official said.

Son to Glo: Pampanga yours after 2010

Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo on Thursday continued to fan the flames of a possible congressional bid for her mother, President Arroyo, when he declared in front of a big audience in Sasmuan, Pampanga that "this is your home after your term."

Glo visits Pampanga, her 21st in 6 months

A day after returning from a visit to the United States, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo went to visit her home province of Pampanga.

Arroyo names new SC justice

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has appointed a Court of Appeals associate justice to the Supreme Court.  CA Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo was chosen by Mrs. Arroyo from the list of six nominees submitted to her by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), according to SC spokesman Midas Marquez. 

Arroyo sets P500M for school repairs

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced here on Thursday the allocation of P500 million to repair school buildings in the country.

50% of Filipina moms breastfeed babies

The Department of Health (DoH) will beef up its breastfeeding campaign after a study revealed that only one in two mothers exclusively breastfed for two months or less.

Add'l tax on mobile services planned

A bill that formalizes an earlier proposal to impose a five-centavo excise tax on mobile telecommunication services has been filed at the House of Representatives.

Legacy chief asks: Suspend PDIC probe

Legacy head Celso Delos Angeles on Thursday asked the Department of Justice (DoJ) to suspend its preliminary investigation on the syndicated estafa (fraud) case filed by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC).

Obama approval rating sinks to 50 percent

US President Barack Obama's approval rating has slumped to 50 percent, the lowest since his inauguration, according to a poll released Thursday on the eve of his 200th day in office.

Hiroshima wants nuke-free world by 2020

The country marked 64 years Thursday since Hiroshima was hit in the world's first atomic bomb attack with a call for a nuclear-weapons-free world, a goal backed by United States President Barack Obama.

Dog suspected source of China plague

A dog is suspected to be the origin of an outbreak of pneumonic plague in northwest China that has killed three people and left 10,000 under strict quarantine, state media reported.

Yellow will unite Archers, Eagles

Expect a sea of yellow at Araneta Coliseum this Sunday.Fierce rivals Ateneo and La Salle will be wearing yellow armbands and yellow ribbons on their jerseys in honor of deceased former President Cory Aquino, according to school officials.

Roach: M'weather best pick for Pacquiao

Freddie Roach can't take his eyes off Floyd Mayweather Jr.

China hopeful Yao will recover quickly

China hopes that superstar Houston Rockets centre Yao Ming will make a speedy recovery and will not force him to play for the national basketball team, a top sports official said Thursday.

'Dolphy deserves to be National Artist'

Pointing out Dolphy's many contributions to the movie industry, Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista has raised questions on the selection of this year's National Artists, which excluded the iconic comedian.

Caparas, Alvarez urged: Reject award

Concerned artists groups, among them National Artists, are set to march in protest against the allegedly "anomalous" declaration of some National Artist Award winners this year. They also urged two of the awardees not to accept the recognition.

UK awards scholarships to 6 Filipinos

Six outstanding Filipinos in the fields of law, finance, engineering, and business have been granted United Kingdom's Chevening Scholarships to pursue their master's degrees in Britain, the UK embassy here announced Thursday.

In a statement, the embassy also said that it is now accepting applications for the Chevening Scholarships for the school year 2010-2011. Those interested may visit the British Council Philippines website for more information. The deadline for submission of applications is October 14, 2009.

The Chevening scholars are Susana Beatriz Latay, Andrea Patricia Tan, Josephine Maribojoc, Azela Arumpac, Gerard Chan, and Rene Pacturan. Latay will take up finance at the University of Edinburgh. Tan will pursue a Master's Degree in Business Administration at the London Business School. Maribojoc and Chan will further their law studies, the former at the University College London and the latter at Durham University. Pacturan will be attending the University College London to pursue further studies in Mechanical Engineering, while Arumpac will take up International Studies and Diplomacy at the School of Oriental and African Studies. Two of the scholars, Chan and Pacturan will be studying in the UK under the Shell Centenary Chevening Scholarships.

'Kiko' intensifies as it heads for Taipei

Typhoon "Kiko" (international name: Morakot) strengthened and slightly accelerated as it moved towards Taiwan, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, Astrolonomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Thursday.

Evacuation for 13,000 in Mayon readied

Local officials from the villages near the restive Mayon Volcano met Thursday to firm up their evacuation plan for close to 13,000 residents after the state volcanology agency reported a high level of sulfur dioxide emission for the last two days.

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PDS Wtd. Avg.	Previous Close
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As of August 06, 2009 4:36 PM

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