Chevron hikes oil prices
LTFRB checks earnings of taxi operators
AMID PROTEST: Seismic survey off Camotes Island for petroleum exploration program
NorAsian Energy Philippines, Inc., service contractor of the Department of Energy for Service Contract 69 in Camotes Island will conduct a 2D marine seismic survey at the area starting this week until the end of the month.
2.8M Filipinos jobless in January; unemployment rate eases
Don't use magic sugar—health chief
"From what I hear, magic sugar is being smuggled in from Indonesia to the southern provinces," Cabral said.
Cabral was in Bacolod City for the groundbreaking of the Bacolod Heart, Lung and Kidney Center at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital compound on Monday.
She described magic sugar as an artificial sugar also called sodium cyclamate that could cause dizziness, vomiting and stomach ache.
Cabral said the magic sugar has not been registered as a food by the Food and Drug Administration.
"It is banned in the United States because of some studies that show that it increases the incidence of cancer, such as urinary bladder cancer," she said.
The Bureau of Food and Drugs, in its advisory, said "magic sugar as food sweetener is prohibited due to its evidence of carcinogenicity in animals."
Meanwhile, Cabral said the El Niño dry spell has not really caused a lot of health problems in the country.
"We have the usual summer diseases like measles, chicken pox, prickly heat. And we are watching out for paralytic shellfish poisoning in areas where there are algae blooms, such as red tide," she said.
Cabral also warned of diarrheal diseases caused by spoiled food.
"In the summer when it is very warm. Food spoils very quickly so we need to make sure that the food that we eat is not spoiled," she said.
Measles cases have more than tripled early this year - DOH
Storm with Ondoy's strength can solve Mindanao's water, power shortage
58 lose homes in Talisay City fire
Fire investigator SFO1 Cesar dela Serna said the fire started at the ceiling of the two-story house owned by George Flores in Sitio Crusher, Lawaan Tres at 11:55 a.m. on Tuesday.
The fire immediately spread to the nearby houses built alongside the Mananga River, Talisay City, 2.8 kilometers south of Cebu City, and mostly made of light materials.
Flores' wife Amelita told investigators that she was with her seven-month-old daughter on the ground level of the house doing laundry when she noticed a thick smoke coming out from the ceiling of the second floor.
Dela Serna said Amelita failed to save her belongings because she had to leave the house to secure her daughter.
Dela Serna said the fire could have been caused by electrical misuse. He said an electrical wire in the ceiling might have sparked the fire.
He pegged the damage at P180,000. The fire was placed under control after seven minutes.
Village chairman Delia Ybañez of Lawaan III said the 12 families displaced by the fire would each receive P17,000 in assistance from the Talisay City government, including P10,000 worth of housing materials.
The victims stayed with their relatives or were housed temporarily in an abandoned warehouse near the fire scene.
57 more fires hit CV in 2009; 13 lose homes in Talisay City
THE Bureau of Fire Protection in Central Visayas reported an increase in fire incidents by 57 cases, up 12 percent, in 2009 compared to 2008.
Public urged to be extra cautious to prevent fires
The scorching heat of the sun brought about by El Niño is a big factor in the ignition of fires, Cebu City Fire Marshal Esmael Codilla said yesterday.
Codilla explained that the increasing level of heat kindles fire faster, which is most likely the reason why there have been numerous fires in the city and rest of the province since the start of 2010.
Codilla said this is aside from the fact that most of the causes of the fires are faulty electrical wirings, something that owners of households should prevent by constantly checking their connections as often as possible.
He said some households also have "octopus" connections, which is very dangerous, just like other illegal connections such as illegal tapping and the so-called "flying connections."
Codilla said the danger of illegal connections such as these is the reason why the fire department constantly reminds the public to ensure that their lines are safe and properly operating by regular checking of electric lines and to immediately change their connection to maintain the standard.
The fire chief also said that for their part, they are also persistently making inspections all over the city especially in apartments, boarding houses and buildings and continually have fire drills to ensure preparedness on the part of the public.
Codilla said they need the help of the public in preventing more fires and more loss of lives. He said these can be prevented if the public would remain cautious, especially in using materials that easily catch, start or spread fire.
Codilla said they appreciate the help they are getting from major establishments that have agreed to share water if the Bureau of Fire Protection needs it when responding to fires.
As for other facilities, Codilla said that they "do not have but could still manage."
Meanwhile, an expert in the study of earthquakes, Gus Ouano, recommended during the weekly 888 news forum at Marco Polo Plaza Hotel that the city government acquire equipment or heavy machinery that could help take away big pieces of rubble in the event of a strong earthquake.
Ouano said heavy equipment would be very useful, considering that Cebu has many concrete buildings, even more than those in Haiti where lots of residents died following the 7.0 magnitude quake that hit the place.
Ouano said it is better to be ready, especially that there is yet no equipment that can detect if an earthquake is coming.
SPLIT OF BARANGAY GUADALUPE: Court subpoenas papers on barangay boundaries
After issuing a 20-day Temporary Restraining Order to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on the holding of a plebiscite on the proposal to split barangay Guadalupe, the court has subpoenaed the secretary of the Sangguniang Panglungsod to bring all documents related to the split to the next hearing on Friday.
AIRPORT EXPANSION : MCIAA says no flights will be affected
Expansion of the domestic and international passenger terminals of the Mactan – Cebu International Airport amounting to at least P178 million is now underway, the Mactan - Cebu International Airport Authority announced yesterday.
Balili probe out this week
RESULTS of the Balili executive committee investigation will be out this week if the body will have a quorum today, said National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 Director Medardo de Lemos yesterday.
Automation allows bets to concede early: Comelec
2 presidential bets face disqualification over billboards
Seniors, disabled to be given priority during election day
First poll machines to be shipped out Wednesday
Namfrel: Number of flying voters higher than Comelec estimate
Comelec to "strengthen" indelible ink
He said the dye stays the same and it is the silver nitrate that burns into the finger of the voter, staying for about two to three days. But he said some people have figured out that if you wet the finger with the old indelible ink with acetone right away, the dye washes off, though the stain remains.
"The stain which is the burn, that's what's harder (to remove), that's what we're gonna increase," Jimenez said.
Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said that in previous elections, the nitrate concentrate on the indelible ink is just about five percent. Now they have increased it to seven percent. He said that they plan to increase it more if possible.
"We're thinking of increasing it (more), we will be increasing it... we just want to make it more stronger, more concentrated," said Larrazabal, who heads the steering committee on poll automation.
In a separate interview, Commissioner Rene Sarmiento suggested that the nitrate concentration be increased to at least 20 percent.
"Sa India 25 percent yung nitrate, dito 7 percent lang ... dapat siguro dagdagan (In India, they used 25 percent, here we use seven percent ... maybe we should increase it)," he said.
Jimenez said that they are already testing by how much they can increase the nitrate concentrate, taking into consideration the voter.
"We're balancing that with the physical integrity of the tao, ayaw naman nating maging painful yung burn (person, we don't want the burn to be painful). If more than seven percent becomes intolerable, then we will adjust accordingly," he said.
But he said that as of the moment, 7 percent is "tolerable." Larrazabal added that indelible ink with seven percent nitrate concentrate cannot be washed off with acetone.
Larrazabal said the orders for the indelible ink have yet to be awarded to any bidder. He said that poll machine supplier Smartmatic-TIM did not bid for the indelible ink because it was "not their line."
Gordon promises to pay nurses, doctors well
Aquino: I will run after tax cheats and corrupt officials
Estrada to Aquino: Get elected first before passing judgment on pardon
Estrada: Aquino commission may become another graft-ridden PCGG
Aquino accused of posturing on land reform issue
NP accuses Noynoy of 'political double-speak'
Special en banc session set on CJ issue
SC upholds suspension of 'Ang Dating Daan'
Asian journalists ask Arroyo to stop killings of journalists
AFP chief: Intensify operations vs Abu Sayyaf in next 60 days
AFP official unhappy about being bypassed for Army chief
Lieutenant General Raymundo Ferrer, chief of the Army's Eastern Mindanao Command, said that while he and other ranking military officials respected the decision of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to name Major General Reynaldo Mapagu as Army chief, they were "not clapping our hands nor celebrating."
"But we're not questioning the prerogative of the President," Ferrer told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
"It's the prerogative of the President to appoint military officers whom she trusts, in key positions," he added.
Ferrer, the administrator when martial law was declared in Maguindanao following the November 23 massacre of 57 people in the province, appeared at the witness stand at Tuesday's hearing of the rebellion case against the Ampatuans in Camp Crame.
Asked what he felt after he was apparently snubbed by Arroyo, he said: "I will just do my job. As a soldier, I will follow orders. I respect the prerogative of the President."
Police academy topnotcher vows to fight terrorism
Ex-general pleads not guilty to money laundering
Filipino transexuals nabbed for illegally entering Japan
The three had the illegal passports made by forgers in the Philippines using women's identification so that they could live in Japan as the "wives" of Japanese men they had met, Kyodo News said.
While working at nightclubs in Fukuoka, they secured spouse visas from local authorities, said Kyodo and other news reports, quoting local immigration authorities.
They were quoted as telling investigators they wanted to live as women and lead their lives with their loved ones, Kyodo said.
"They looked female. We could not tell they are men," an immigration official said, according to the Nishinihon Shimbun.
Peso ends at 45.72 against the dollar
Thai protests turn bloody -- but not violent
Riots rock Jerusalem as Hamas calls for new 'intifada'
Confessors can't turn in paedophile priests: Vatican official
The confessor is not required to "ask the sinner to turn himself in to the authorities," Gianfranco Girotti said in an interview with the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.
Girotti, a bishop responsible for one of the Vatican's three courts, said: "The only possible outcome of confession is absolution."
Asked about the paedophilia scandals, he said: "It is not up to the confessor to make (confessions of paedophilia) public, nor to ask the repenter to turn himself in to his superiors."
Girotti argued: "For one thing, the seal of the (confession) sacrament is inviolable, and for another we must not engender mistrust among penitents."
When a sinner approaches the confessional he "must expect only absolution from the confessor, and surely not a judgement or an injunction to confess his crime in public."
Paedophile priest scandals have rocked several churches in Europe since the Irish government released two explosive reports in November.
Revelations followed in Switzerland, The Netherlands, Austria and Germany -- the homeland of Pope Benedict XVI.
The latest churches to become mired in scandal are that of Brazil, where three priests in northeastern Arapiraca have been removed for suspected paedophilia, and Spain, with the jailing in Chile of a Spanish religious instructor for possession of pornographic images of children.
Earlier scandals shocked Catholics in the United States, Canada, Australia and Mexico.
Mayweather Jr. claims Pacquiao one-dimensional fighter
Floyd Mayweather Jr., however, was unimpressed, claiming that Clottey 'exposed' Pacquiao as a one-dimensional fighter when the Filipino ring icon beat him and retained his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown.
"Personally, I think Pacquiao got exposed in that fight for being one-dimensional," Mayweather told Tom Jenkins of Cagereport.net.
"You can have all [the] offense ability in the world but with no defense you're not going to last long against a good counter puncher such as myself.
"Look at the way Clottey was getting through. Each time he threw something it landed. Then at the end Pacquiao's was all busted up. When's the last time you've seen my face all messed up like that? That's the difference between an amateur and a true pound for pound boxer."
The unbeaten Mayweather, of course, was deemed to be world No. 1 until he retired and Pacquiao bamboozled the opposition. Mayweather even made his comeback announcement last May 2, the day Pacquiao demolished Briton Ricky Hatton in two rounds. Even when he returned and beat Juan Manuel Marquez last September, however, Mayweather never reclaimed his lofty position from Pacquiao.
Perhaps envious of the success Pacquiao has attained, Mayweather has always found a way to criticize the lone fighter to become a seven-time champion in as many divisions.
This time, Mayweather dared to criticize the way Pacquiao fights, conveniently forgetting that the Filipino superstar is hailed as a livewire and is largely considered as the most exciting boxer ever.
"I think Pacquiao gave the fans a boring fight, he was punching his arms for all 12 rounds. At least when you watch Floyd Mayweather you know you'll be seeing non-stop action for 30 minutes straight and that's what you'll see on May 1st.''
The 33-year-old Mayweather is slated to do battle with fellow American Shane Mosley on that date for the World Boxing Association welterweight crown. Originally, Mayweather was supposed to fight Pacquiao on March 13, but negotiations fell through when Team Mayweather insisted on Olympic-style drug testing.
Mayweather also downplayed the 50,994 attendance posted by the Pacquiao-Clottey tussle, saying that he had drawn more in the past and generated a (gate) revenue of $2.5 million for one fight.
As to Pacquiao's immense popularity, Mayweather said: ``The only reason why he's popular is because he's an ethnic minority and from the Philippines so it's something special. If he was from Africa he would be just another boxer.''
Pressure now on Floyd Jr to beat Mosley
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No buyers of Pacquiao-Clottey bootleg DVDs
Pacquiao's official earnings: $27.5M in last 2 years
Based on records of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Pacquiao earned $3 million against Juan Manuel Marquez in March 2008; $3 million against David Diaz in June 2008; $6.6 million against Oscar de la Hoya in December 2008; $7.4 million against Ricky Hatton in May 2009; and, $7.5 million against Miguel Cotto in November 2009.
The total amount of $27.5 million does not include Pacquiao's pay-per-view earnings from these fights.
In his fight against Cotto, Pacquiao reportedly got a $10 million share from the 1.25 million pay-per-view buys the fight generated.
The bigger draw
Against Clottey, the former donut vendor from General Santos City reportedly stands to receive a total of $12 million, according to boxing analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz.
"[Base sa] lahat ng information galing sa States, mga total take home ni Pacquiao baka mga $12 million," he said.
He stressed that it was Pacquiao who attracted the most boxing aficionados into the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas last March 13.
"Clottey is not such an exiting fighter. Pacquiao is the main draw. Pacquiao is the one who brought almost 51,000 people into that venue," said Nathanielsz.
Pacquiao is set to earn more if the anticipated fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. pushes through.
The fight between the pound-for pound kings could give Pacquiao $40 million to $50 million in total earnings.
The Pacquiao-Mayweather bout, however, was shelved because of Mayweather's demand for Olympic-style drug testing procedures.
"I want also that fight," said Pacquiao in an interview by ABS-CBN's Dyan Castillejo. "But I don't think he wants [it]."
The Filipino champ thinks Mayweather bought time to prepare for their much-awaited clash.
"Nagretire siya, nagcomeback siya tapos lalaban kaagad siya ng malaking laban. Hindi siya ready masyado. Kelangan siguro niya ng ibang laban bago fight with me," said Pacquiao.
Pacman rules out retirement
Pacquiao said he will be focusing on his political career in the coming weeks as the May 10 elections approaches.
The pound-for-pound king is vying for the lone congressional seat in Sarangani Province against Roy Chiongbian, younger brother of incumbent Sarangani Gov. Erwin Chiongbian.
When asked if he plans to retire if he becomes a member of the House of Representatives, Pacquiao replied, "Hindi naman," implying that he might fight later this year.
He admitted that he has had to face more difficult fighters as he prolongs his professional career.
"Alam mo, habang patagal ng patagal, pahirap ng pahirap sa akin 'yung boxing. Dati parang easy lang sa akin, sandali ko lang natatalo ang kalaban," said Pacquiao.
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World's shortest man dies aged 21
Arteries improve after smokers quit, study finds
Quitting smoking can turn back time.
A year after kicking the habit, smokers' arteries showed signs of reversing a problem that can set the stage for heart disease, according to the first big study to test this.
The improvement came even though smokers gained an average of 9 pounds after they quit, researchers found. Their levels of so-called good cholesterol improved, too.
"A lot of people are afraid to quit smoking because they're afraid to gain weight," said the study's leader, Dr. James Stein, a University of Wisconsin-Madison cardiologist.
The new research shows these people gain a health benefit even though they pick up pounds that hopefully can be shed once they've gotten used to not smoking, he said.
Smoking is one of the top causes of heart disease, and about one third of smoking-related deaths in the US are due to heart disease. A heart attack often motivates longtime smokers to give it up.
Quitting is known to lower the risk of developing or dying of lung cancer. This is the first major clinical trial to show it quickly improves artery health. Results were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and presented at the group's annual conference on Monday.
In the study, 1,500 smokers were given one of five methods to help them quit — nicotine patches; nicotine lozenges; the drug bupropion, sold as Wellbutrin and Zyban; or a combination of patches and lozenges or the drug and lozenges. A sixth group received a dummy treatment.
After one year, 36 percent had quit, and it made no difference which method they used, Stein said.
Before the study started and one year after smokers quit, doctors did ultrasound tests to see how well blood vessel linings relaxed and handled blood flow. Hardening of the arteries is an early step to heart disease. Using a tourniquet, they stopped blood flow in the forearm for a few minutes, then measured how a major artery responded when the flow was restored.
"It's a valid test" and is considered a good sign of how healthy the heart arteries are, said Dr. Alfred Bove, a Temple University heart specialist and president of the cardiology group.
Doctors found that artery function improved 1 percent in the quitters.
"That may not sound like much," but research shows that translates to a 14 percent lower risk of developing heart disease, Stein said.
"It's a small improvement at one year. The question is, do these folks keep getting better?" Bove said.
The study is continuing another two years to give an answer, Stein said.
London-based GlaxoSmithKline PLC provided smoking cessation medicines for that part of the study, and several authors have research funding from the company. Federal government grants paid for the artery study.
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