P7 B more released as cash gift to gov't employees
Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya said the cash gifts, ranging from P7,000 to P10,000, would be released to 1.1 million national government employees beginning next week.
"It will be a minimum of P7,000 and a maximum of P10,000,'' he told reporters in Malacanang. "We're drafting the guidelines, and we will start releasing next week.''
The cash gifts are on top of the Christmas bonuses that the government released in two tranches in late May and mid-November this year to the government employees.
"This is the last bonus that we've all been waiting for,'' said Beldad Gantalao, administrative aide at the Office of the Press Secretary in Malacañang.
The cash gifts cover permanent, casual and contractual employees, and the money
He said the national government is shouldering P7,000 for every employee while government agencies have the option to add P3,000 from their own savings.
"We looked for items in the budgets of departments to source this. We've been doing this every year,'' he said.
In October, the Department of Budget and Management gave government employees, devastated by powerful storms, the option to avail themselves of the second tranche of the year-end bonus a month ahead of its release. The second tranche was released Nov. 15.
Teachers welcome raise in election honorarium
Telcos differ in pulse billing compliance
As of December 6, the first day of implementation of NTC Memorandum Circular 05-07-2009, Globe Telecom announced publicly in its website that it is implementing the per-pulse charging guideline.
Globe's implementation of the per-pulse charging – a "flag down" rate of P3 for the first 12 seconds – will cover their Globe and TM postpaid and prepaid subscribers.
It will be available via dialing additional numbers 232 before the next sequence of numbers. A caller must type in 232 instead of the 0 in the mobile number of the person to be called.
Globe also set new rates for calls made from Monday to Saturday, which is at P0.10 per second. Voice call rate during Sundays is lower at P0.05 per second.
Smart Communications, on the other hand, said that it is not yet complying with the December 6 deadline of the NTC.
Instead, it argued that the NTC order is "not yet final and executory". It also stressed that the NTC order is still subject to a 15-day mandatory review process, wherein respondents are given time to seek a reconsideration of the order.
"In the case of Smart, the review period lapses on December 21," Smart said in a statement.
Instead, Smart implemented several "adjustments" in their billing statement, as well as process to avail of new rates.
Like Globe, Smart will also use a set of prefix numbers, "899" as a solution to carry out the per-pulse billing requirement.
Smart, however, said that their solution is a "routing plan" to distinguish from the rest of its services.
Sun Cellular has kept mum over the NTC order and still continues with some of its bucket pricing for its voice calls.
The per-pulse billing system was borne out of public request for cheaper voice calls. But the prominence of the demand to implement a per-pulse billing was attributed to Senator Juan Ponce Enrile who demanded the telecommunications providers to explain "disappearance" of his mobile phone prepaid credits.
Exploding cellphone battery kills farmer in Laguna
A TV Patrol World report said a farmer in Pila, Laguna was killed after a burning cellphone battery exploded and opened up a wound on his neck.
Residents said Mang Florentino was burning garbage near his house to ward off mosquitoes when an old cellphone battery inside the refuse bin exploded. A piece of the battery struck Florentino on the neck and opened up a wound.
Neighbors brought the farmer to a nearby hospital but he died along the way.
The NTC said there are safety regulations on how to properly dispose of cellphone batteries to avoid such accidents. First on the list is not to burn them. Secondly, cellphone batteries should not be crushed or dismantled. Instead, cell phone batteries should be placed in ordinary garbage bins or even sent to recycling plants.
Many environmental groups recommend that cellphone batteries be recycled instead of being buried in landfills.
Ombudsman Visayas "gags" personnel
Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol did not only gag the other anti-graft officials in the Visayas from granting interviews to the media, he likewise shut his doors to the reporters following criticism because of his reported instruction to graft investigators handling the investigation of the alleged anomalous construction of the Cebu International Convention Center to clear Gov. Gwen Garcia.
Rama to quit SFI if COA disallows fund from city
Vice Mayor Michael Rama is set to step down from the chairmanship of the Sinulog Foundation Inc. shortly after Christmas if the Commission on Audit will not approve Cebu City's request to grant financial assistance to the foundation.
Peras decides not to quit Ecleo case
Regional Trial Court judge Soliver Peras has decided to go on and hear the parricide case against cult leader Ruben Ecleo Jr. by setting aside his earlier order to voluntarily inhibit himself from the case following media criticism for his security measures.
Police round up 80 street carolers
At least 80 carolers were rounded up from the streets by the city police during two operations to enforce City Ordinance No. 1931 or the Anti-Mendicancy and Street Caroling Ordinance.
Comelec team in China to inspect poll machines production
2 men on motorcycle gun down Cortes backer, who filed cases vs. bry. chief
A SUPPORTER of Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes was shot and killed at 10 a.m. yesterday by two suspects who shared a motorcycle.
Opao Police Station investigators recovered three shells and a slug believed to be from a .45 near the body of Greg Genon. Gunshot wounds marred his back, head and upper left arm.
Lawyer Francisco Amit, one of the mayor's advisers, said he was not making an accusation, but pointed out that Genon had filed three cases against Umapad Barangay Captain Zaldy Lumapas.
Registered voters in Cebu top 2.4M
The number of voters who registered with the Commission on Elections all over Cebu City and Province has reached 2,416,092.
Cebu City has a total number of 516,232 registered voters for next year's elections, as revealed by the Comelec Cebu City office.
This is 5.72 percent higher than the 486,711 who registered for the 2007 elections.
Of the 516,232 registered voters in the city, 237,340 come from the 46 barangays in north district and 278,892 from the 34 barangays in the south district.
The city has a total of 2,938 established precincts in 70 voting centers, but with the implementation of the poll automation next year, some precincts will be clustered and the city will now have 560 clustered precincts.
City election officer Marchel Sarno disclosed that Smartmatic will be putting one Precinct Count Optical Scan machine in eachclustered precinct and assign a technician to each machine.
"Kay in case ug dunay trouble sa machine, marimidyuhan dayon kay naa may standby technician, dili ma-hamper ang flow sa election," Sarno stressed.
The election officer said the city will need some 4,000 teachers to man the clustered precincts as members of the Board of Election Inspectors and support staff. In 2007, the city Comelec acquired the services of more than 8,000 teachers and support staff for the said elections.
Meanwhile, Cebu province has a total number of 1,732,775 registered voters excluding the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu.
Lapu-Lapu residents can no longer vote for any elective position in the province after it was declared as highly urbanized city last year, but it has a total number of 167,085 registered voters in 30 barangays and has 190 clustered precincts in 38 voting centers.
This leaves the province with only 2,319 clustered precincts and 1,077 voting centers in 1,093 barangays.
Mandaue has the most number of registered voters with 182,813, followed by Talisay City with a 103,111 voting population, Toledo City with 101,713 and Danao City with 78,686 registered voters.
In the municipalities, Consolacion has the biggest number of registered voters with 55,433 while Tudela has the lowest number with 8,066 registered voters.
Kusug "placeholder" bets set to withdraw tomorrow
The Kugi Uswag Subgu's candidates for mayor and vice mayor are set to withdraw their respective candidacies today to make way for their real candidates.
Landelino Bontilao and Jonah John Rodriguez are expected to be replaced as what their party announced after they filed their Certificates of Candidacy last December 1.
The deadline for substitution of candidates is Monday, but Garcia admitted that Kusug is still in the process of choosing who among them will take the place of Bontilao and Rodriguez.
Garcia said that their choices include Government Service Insurance System president Winston Garcia and former mayor Alvin Garcia. The Kusug spokesman added that there is also a possibility that they might adopt the candidate who already filed their COCs for mayor like Georgia Osmeña of Go Cebu, and independent candidates Samuel Darza and John Henry "Sonny" Osmeña as their possible standard bearer.
Martial law led to more arrests, claims DoJ chief
More 'persuasion flights' in Maguindanao
Militiamen in 2 Maguindanao towns yield guns
Live grenade found near Ampatuan town hall
Biggest stockpile of arms, ammo found in Maguindanao
Search in Ampatuan mansion yields more arms, SUVs
'Sloppy' police impair massacre probe: critics
Convoy bearing massacre evidence ambushed
Senior Supt. Willie Dangane, Cotabato City police director and deputy Task Force 12 Alpha, was on board a Toyota Altis police car with evidence recovered from the mansion of Andal Ampatuan Sr. in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao's provincial capital, when three men standing at a road side opened fire with M-16 rifles at about 8 p.m.
With Dangane in the car was Chief Supt. Felicisimo Khu, chief of the Central Mindanao police. Neither official was hurt in the firing.
Dangane said he thought the three men were ordinary civilians standing at the road side in Barangay Labo-Labo, Ampatuan, Maguindanao, and appeared to be about to cross the street as his vehicle passed.
"We heard gun bursts and something hard landed on our car," Dangane said in a phone interview. Dangane and Khu's car sustained bullet holes.
Dangane said their escorts returned fire as the vehicle continued to move with its headlights turned off.
Nobody in the convoy was hurt in the incident.
Dangane said he believed the gunmen belonged to private armies involved in the Nov. 23 massacre.
Soldiers from the 73rd Infantry Battalion responded by sending troops – backed by armored personnel carriers – after the gunmen.
Dangane's patrol car was escorted by two Simba armored vehicles and soldiers going to Isulan, Sultan Kudarat en route to Gen. Santos City.
Bursts of gunfire were heard a few meters from an Army checkpoint where journalists were being held by soldiers following the shooting.
At least 100 soldiers were deployed in the area.
Maj. Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said the convoy came from Shariff Aguak where Khu supervised the search for weapons stashed by the Ampatuans.
US Congress to RP govt: Prosecute Maguindanao massacre culprits
NSO-ARMM assures priority for death certificates of massacre victims
Classes in 6 Ampatuan schools suspended till January
Three more Ampatuans moved to police custody
18 hostages freed, 2 escape in Agusan kidnapping
Group appeals for quick rescue of schoolchildren
Gordon: 'Should we declare martial law in Agusan too?'
Activists in Cebu say Arroyo worse than Marcos
Santiago warns against endorsement of martial law
Cotabato City, Maguindanao lawyers' group hit martial law
Bishop wants martial law in Basilan
Basilan college official kidnapped
Thousands hold protest in Davao vs martial law
Palace promises daily review of martial law
Joint session appears a unicameral 'rehearsal'—Nograles
Militants urge Ampatuans to admit poll fraud
Militants hold protest outside NBI office
Comelec seeks passage of law allowing early ARMM polls
Comelec seeks probe into voter"s IDs found near Ampatuan home
Acting ARMM governor takes oath
DILG: Suspend 8 Ampatuans in Maguindanao govt
Pinasusupinde na ng DILG sa Ombudsman ang 8 miyembro ng pamilya Ampatuan na opisyal sa Maguindanao. Pinaiimbestigahan na rin ang yaman ng angkan.
Victim beheaded for failing to pay P1.5M ransom
Troops hunt 2 hostages after beheading
P54-M worth of cocaine seized in Davao airport
Enrile seeks passage of P1.5-T nat'l budget
Ermita substitutes for daughter, eyes Congress seat
Duque still health department chief
Rising HIV cases in RP alarms Saudi embassy
RP seamen to take mandatory anti-piracy training
No cement shortage, says industry group
Philippines fails to get MCC nod
Obama says others more worthy of Nobel Prize
Pacquiao-Mayweather appears headed for Vegas
Roach: Floyd fight most difficult for Pacquiao
Roach, Pacquiao to craft new game plan vs Mayweather
Jins Rivero, Briones bag two more golds for RP
Gullas: Service continues even if one is not in politics
CEBU, Philippines - Former Congressman Jose R. Gullas, who is proof that one can really turn his back from politics, but continue to pursue his dreams for the people, is doing such as he seeks to preserve Cebuano songs.
In a press conference, Gullas announced yesterday the holding of the 2010 Halad sa Kanta ug Kinaiyang Sugbuanon or simply HALAD.
He said that he was approached by at least three persons, who urged him to seek an elective post in the May 2010 elections, but he flatly turned them down.
"I want to enjoy my life and I believe that I can still be of help to others as a private citizen," Gullas told reporters inside his office at the University of the Visayas-Main Campus.
HALAD is the pet project of Gullas for his Tipiganan sa mga Kanta ug Kinaiyahang Sugbuanon Foundation.
This is the third HALAD. It was first held in 2007 at Casino Español and last year it was at the Cebu International Convention Center.
In the past HALAD, Gullas honored and recognized Cebuanos who made a name in the field of music such as the late Domingo "Minggoy" Lopez, Manuel "Maning" Lopez, Dr. Francisco B. Maningo, Max Surban and Ciriaco "Cacoy" Cañete (founder of the local martial arts known as arnis which is now internationally known and practiced) in the field of martial arts, Ben Zubiri, Vicente Rubi and Maning Velez. Gullas' dream and main objective for HALAD is to reawaken the Cebuanos, young and old, to our traditions which are fading and sadly unknown to the youth.
"I decided to bring back the HALAD due to many requests of the Cebuanos here and abroad to re-introduce some of our beautiful Cebuano songs of yesteryears, as well as kinaiyang Sugbuanon that have been nearly if not already long forgotten," Gullas said.
The HALAD concert will be aptly headlined by top Cebuano artists – Pilita Corales, Dulce and Raki Vega together with the University of the Visayas Chorale.
This will be held at the Pacific Grand Ballroom of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino on January 13, 2010. Ticket prices are from as low as P200, P500, P800 and P1,000.
Prior to the concert, Gullas said he will unveil the Tipiganan's museum that will house music memorabilia, commissioned artworks and other works of Cebuano artists on January 12.
The museum will be located at the old building of The Freeman at corner V. Gullas and D. Jakosalem Streets.
The museum will be called Don Vicente and Inday Pining Gullas museum in honor of the parents of Jose, who were not only known as esteemed educators for having founded the University of the Visayas, but were also staunch supporters and patrons of Cebuano culture and the arts.
Actress seeks probe of 4 others in sex video scandal
Hayden Kho: Give back my license
Umapela sa professional regulation commission ang kontrobersyal na si Doktor Hayden Kho kaugnay ng desisyong permanenteng bawiin ang kanyang medical license. Ayon sa kampo ni Kho, marahas ang desisyon ng PRC gayung maraming doktor ang sinuspinde lang para sa mas malalang mga kaso.
Piolo Pascual to play Ninoy Aquino in 'MMK'
LJ Moreno, PBA player are engaged
Tiger's girlfriend apologizes in TV interview
Nicolas Cage's ex-girlfriend sues for fraud
El Niño hits 4 provinces in S. Luzon, Visayas
Pablo Picasso - "Computers are useless. They can only give you answers."
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