February 2008 marks the death of yet another Internet success-story that went kaput. The ever popular netscape navigator will be buried by its master AOL for reasons only the people behind AOL know. Probably, Netscape just can't compete with Internet Explorer and the now getting popular and safer browser Mozzila Firefox.
What's next? Yahoo? Maybe a bit far yet but I guess we're just counting few years.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
The Blue Lady and the Angry Ghost (Hair-raising stories)
It’s halloween and I would like to share to you some ghosts and other unhuman beings stories that I have gathered as a journalist. Most of the stories were a product of my investigative reporting for my college paper (hmmm, not really long ago).
The Blue Lady
This was the most popular ghost story that happened in my college campus. The Blue Lady (a clear distinction from the White Lady) was called so because she had been seen several times wearing a blue dress.
The story goes like this: While the whole class was pausing for the 6 o’clock Angelus, the Accounting teacher suddenly noticed a lady wearing an old blue dress entering the class. Since everyone was praying the Angelus, the teacher ignored the girl although she was at first a bit furious because the lady did not even look at her or greeted her as she entered the class room.
The teacher said the blue lady sat on chair on the corner of the room and was facing the wall. After the Angelus, the blue lady stood up and faced the door. The teacher was so shocked when she saw the girl leaving the room with her feet not touching the ground. She was floating, the teacher told me.
The teacher immediately informed the class about what she witnessed and almost a dozen students said they also noticed the girl.
The Angry Spirit
Another story in my campus was about the spirit of a female student who’s been scaring security guards at night, resulting to at least six security guards resigning from the school due to the incident with the angry spirit.
Based on my investigation and interview with one of the security guards who resigned, the spirit usually comes out at night at the sixth floor of the school. The sixth floor housed the engineering classes.
According to the security guard, it was already past 10 at night when he and his companion conducted their routine check on the classrooms to determine if the lights had been put off or if no students are left in the rooms.
On their way to the sixth floor, the guard said they noticed a lady wearing a white gown with long black hair that covered her face (sort of like the Sadako figure). Thinking that the lady was a student, the guard tried to approach her to ask why she was still in the campus.
“As I was almost near her, the lady suddenly raised her head and looked at me with extended hands. Her eyes were red and looked so angry. As she went near me, I noticed that her feet was not on the ground,” the guard told me during my interview.
The two guards screamed like young boys and ran down the stairs as quickly as they could. After a few days, the two security guards handed their resignation.
After researching and interviewing old teachers in my school, I learned that sometime in the late 70s, a bloody incident took place on the sixth floor of my school. According to my sources, it was already past 7 p.m. when a male engineering student had a heated argument with her girlfriend in one of the rooms located on the said floor.
The girl reportedly told her boyfriend that they could not go on with their relationship because her parents had already found out about it. The guy went furious. He loved the girl so much he said. The girl sobbed but told the guy that she had to follow what her parents told her. She wanted to end their relationship.
Without further saying a word, the girl turned her back on the guy and headed to the stairs. But the guy suddenly pulled out a knife from his bag and stabbed the girl several times. Seeing his lifeless girlfriend already in a pool of blood on the floor, the guy went to the stairs and jumped to his death.
Happy Hallooween Everyone!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
PAL plane overshoots Butuan runway: Sleepy pilot?
A Philippine Airline (PAL) plane with 148 passengers on board overshot the airport runway as it made its landing in Butuan City in Mindanao early this morning (Friday), but no one was reported injured in the incident.
PAL spokesman Rolando Estabillo said the PAL A-320 Airbus flight PR-475 may have sustained damage in the minor accident, but assured families of its passengers that no one was hurt.
"Malamang ma-delay ang pabalik sa Manila. Titingnan natin kung kailangang ma-cancel (The flight will be delayed in its return flight to Manila. We're still assessing if we should cancel the return flight to Manila)," Estabillo said in an interview.
He said the accident occurred at about 6:07 a.m., as the plane from Manila landed at the Butuan City airport. The plane, which left Manila at 5:05 a.m., overshot the airport's Runway 30.
PAL spokesman Rolando Estabillo said the PAL A-320 Airbus flight PR-475 may have sustained damage in the minor accident, but assured families of its passengers that no one was hurt.
"Malamang ma-delay ang pabalik sa Manila. Titingnan natin kung kailangang ma-cancel (The flight will be delayed in its return flight to Manila. We're still assessing if we should cancel the return flight to Manila)," Estabillo said in an interview.
He said the accident occurred at about 6:07 a.m., as the plane from Manila landed at the Butuan City airport. The plane, which left Manila at 5:05 a.m., overshot the airport's Runway 30.
My New Blog
Yes, finally. I now have my own domain name with my new blog.
If you are interested please visit my new blog at:
www.marsmosqueda.com
:)
If you are interested please visit my new blog at:
www.marsmosqueda.com
:)
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Barangay Elections Tidbits
As the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections nears, allow me to share some tidbits that you might find funny or whatever. :)
- In Cebu City, a barangay captain seeking reelection was already several days on his campaign when he found out that he could not run for barangay captain because the certificate of candidacy (COC) he filed at the Comelec Office was for barangay Kagawad.
- Still in Cebu, several SK councilors also got the lesson of their lives when they found out that the COC they filed was for barangay councilor. A Comelec official said that should these candidates vying for SK council win, they still cannot sit as barangay councilors because they are still under age.
- In one barangay in Bohol, a candidate said he is ready to spend P50,000 for his campaign as barangay Councilor. With only P1,200 monthly honorarium that he will get if he wins in the election, he can only get P43,200 in 3 years. I wonder how he will recover his expenses in such a short term. :)
- It is also very common to see similar family names in one line up. A father is running for barangay chairman. His two sons are seeking council seats. His youngest daughter runs for SK chairman. His wife? He promised her she will get a barangay position when he becomes chairman.
- In Cebu City, a barangay captain seeking reelection was already several days on his campaign when he found out that he could not run for barangay captain because the certificate of candidacy (COC) he filed at the Comelec Office was for barangay Kagawad.
- Still in Cebu, several SK councilors also got the lesson of their lives when they found out that the COC they filed was for barangay councilor. A Comelec official said that should these candidates vying for SK council win, they still cannot sit as barangay councilors because they are still under age.
- In one barangay in Bohol, a candidate said he is ready to spend P50,000 for his campaign as barangay Councilor. With only P1,200 monthly honorarium that he will get if he wins in the election, he can only get P43,200 in 3 years. I wonder how he will recover his expenses in such a short term. :)
- It is also very common to see similar family names in one line up. A father is running for barangay chairman. His two sons are seeking council seats. His youngest daughter runs for SK chairman. His wife? He promised her she will get a barangay position when he becomes chairman.
Explosion that killed 11, hurt 70 only "accidental"
And the tide suddenly changed.
Just minutes after an explosion rocked Glorietta 2 Mall last Friday, PNP Chief Avelino Razon hinted that the blast could be caused by an explosive or a bomb based on the intensity of the damage. He downplayed earlier theory that the explosion was triggered by a leaking LPG tank.
Around the same day, police experts also said they found traces of C-4, an explosive device issued only to military agencies. Razon's statement plus the claim of police investigators prompted Sen. Trillanes to conclude that the explosion was 'man-made' and masterminded by some government officials.
Everybody thought it was a bomb really.
Until last Tuesday when senior government officials Tuesday expressed “a high level of certainty” that the Friday explosion at the Glorietta 2 mall in Makati City was an accident, although they clarified that a bomb attack had not been totally ruled out.
Razon said he briefed the National Security Council on an “accidental gas explosion” based on “facts at the scene.”
“But we’re not discounting the bomb blast theory,” he said.
Ano ba talaga kuya?
Here's hoping that US investigators could release their findings on the incident. And here's hoping in addition that the US findings will not contradict the findings of our investigators.
Just minutes after an explosion rocked Glorietta 2 Mall last Friday, PNP Chief Avelino Razon hinted that the blast could be caused by an explosive or a bomb based on the intensity of the damage. He downplayed earlier theory that the explosion was triggered by a leaking LPG tank.
Around the same day, police experts also said they found traces of C-4, an explosive device issued only to military agencies. Razon's statement plus the claim of police investigators prompted Sen. Trillanes to conclude that the explosion was 'man-made' and masterminded by some government officials.
Everybody thought it was a bomb really.
Until last Tuesday when senior government officials Tuesday expressed “a high level of certainty” that the Friday explosion at the Glorietta 2 mall in Makati City was an accident, although they clarified that a bomb attack had not been totally ruled out.
Razon said he briefed the National Security Council on an “accidental gas explosion” based on “facts at the scene.”
“But we’re not discounting the bomb blast theory,” he said.
Ano ba talaga kuya?
Here's hoping that US investigators could release their findings on the incident. And here's hoping in addition that the US findings will not contradict the findings of our investigators.
Friday, October 19, 2007
PNP Chief confirms explosion caused by bomb
Philippine National Police Chief Avelino Razon has confirmed that the explosion in Glorietta Mall 2 in Makati City was triggered by a bomb and not an LPG tank.
The other police offices in the country have also raised a red alert status following the announcement of Razon that it was a bomb explosion that ripped off Glorietta Mall, killing at least 6 and injuring 70 others.
The other police offices in the country have also raised a red alert status following the announcement of Razon that it was a bomb explosion that ripped off Glorietta Mall, killing at least 6 and injuring 70 others.
Metro Manila in red alert after explosion kills 6, hurts 70
Six persons have already been confirmed dead as of 3:45 p.m. Friday following an explosion at the Glorietta Mall in the busy business district of Makati. At least 70 persons have also been rushed to the hospital for various injuries following the explosion that could have been triggered by an LPG tank leak, although police have not confirmed any cause of the blast yet.
The areas around Glorietta 2 have already been closed off to traffic by the police for fear of secondary explosion that could hurt curious onlookers. The police have also cordoned the area for security purposes.
Bomb squad personnel and bomb sniffing dogs have also been fielded at the Gloritta Mall 2 to scour for possible traces of bomb as the National Capital Region Police Office has already declared a red alert in the entire Manila even as the cause of the explosion was yet to be confirmed.
I am just hoping that the explosion is triggered by an LPG tank and nothing else, because otherwise, it will be a big slap again to the economy of the Philippines considerint that the explosion took place in the country's financial capital.
I was at Glorietta 2 a couple of weeks ago with my wife and my son en route to Subic. It was crowded and very much alive. I am just hoping that the death toll will not increase even as reports show more bodies inside the establishment.
The areas around Glorietta 2 have already been closed off to traffic by the police for fear of secondary explosion that could hurt curious onlookers. The police have also cordoned the area for security purposes.
Bomb squad personnel and bomb sniffing dogs have also been fielded at the Gloritta Mall 2 to scour for possible traces of bomb as the National Capital Region Police Office has already declared a red alert in the entire Manila even as the cause of the explosion was yet to be confirmed.
I am just hoping that the explosion is triggered by an LPG tank and nothing else, because otherwise, it will be a big slap again to the economy of the Philippines considerint that the explosion took place in the country's financial capital.
I was at Glorietta 2 a couple of weeks ago with my wife and my son en route to Subic. It was crowded and very much alive. I am just hoping that the death toll will not increase even as reports show more bodies inside the establishment.
Friday, June 22, 2007
In Search For the Hidden Treasure
Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral Rector Msgr. Cayetano Gelbolingo (middle, background) claims he didn't know that the workers tasked to renovate the adoration chapel of the church was already digging at the altar floor to search for buried treasures. (Mars W. Mosqueda Jr.)
Updating Blogs
With the kind of work that I have, I must admit that updating this blog is not an easy task. I need enough time and extra ounce of brains (most of it are used in writing news and feature stories) exclusively for this task.
It has been a while since I logged on to my blogger account and update this blog. There was just no inspiration. When my Adsense Account was disabled late last year, I thought there was no more reason for me to update this blog. I was thinking of the income that I could get from Adsense then.
It was a wrong reaction.
In the first place, I created this blog to write about my thoughts and views on issues and incidents that I have covered as a journalist but I could not include in my news items. Kung baga, inside stories of a certain news. naaks!
When people started emailing me about this blog, I realized that I need to get back to blogging and update this blog regularly. There's just a lot of things to say. As a journalist, I bump into a lot of people and see a lot of things everyday. And i believe those are worth blogging.
For those who have been following this blog since its inception, thank you for your patience and trust. Starting today, I will update this blog and give you the latest happenings behind every news that I write.
It has been a while since I logged on to my blogger account and update this blog. There was just no inspiration. When my Adsense Account was disabled late last year, I thought there was no more reason for me to update this blog. I was thinking of the income that I could get from Adsense then.
It was a wrong reaction.
In the first place, I created this blog to write about my thoughts and views on issues and incidents that I have covered as a journalist but I could not include in my news items. Kung baga, inside stories of a certain news. naaks!
When people started emailing me about this blog, I realized that I need to get back to blogging and update this blog regularly. There's just a lot of things to say. As a journalist, I bump into a lot of people and see a lot of things everyday. And i believe those are worth blogging.
For those who have been following this blog since its inception, thank you for your patience and trust. Starting today, I will update this blog and give you the latest happenings behind every news that I write.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
BREAKING NEWS!!!! Fire Hits Mandaue City
At least 500 houses, mostly made up of light materials, were already eaten up by the fire that hit barangay Mantuyong in Mandaue City. Fire was still up as of 5 p.m. (March 7, 2007).
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
I recently joined AGLOCO because of a friend recommended it to me. I am now promoting it to you because I like the idea and I want you to share in what I think will be an exciting new Internet concept.
AGLOCO’s story is simple:
Do you realize how valuable you are? Advertisers, search providers and online retailers are paying billions to reach you while you surf. How much of that money are you making? NONE!
AGLOCO thinks you deserve a piece of the action.
AGLOCO collects money from those companies on behalf of its members. (For example, Google currently pays AOL 10 cents for every Google search by an AOL user. And Google still has enough profit to pay $1.6 billion dollars for YouTube, an 18-month old site full of content that YouTube’s users did not get paid for!
AGLOCO will work to get its Members their share of this and more.
AGLOCO is building a new form of online community that they call an Economic Network. They are not only paying Members their fair share, but they’re building a community that will generate the kind of fortune that YouTube made. But instead of that wealth making only a few people rich, the entire community will get its share.
What's the catch? No catch - no spyware, no pop-ups and no spam - membership and software are free and AGLOCO is 100% member owned. Privacy is a core value and AGLOCO never sells or rents member information.
So do both of us a favor: Sign up for AGLOCO right now! If you use this link to sign up, I automatically get credit for referring you and helping to build AGLOCO.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR AGLOCO
AGLOCO’s story is simple:
Do you realize how valuable you are? Advertisers, search providers and online retailers are paying billions to reach you while you surf. How much of that money are you making? NONE!
AGLOCO thinks you deserve a piece of the action.
AGLOCO collects money from those companies on behalf of its members. (For example, Google currently pays AOL 10 cents for every Google search by an AOL user. And Google still has enough profit to pay $1.6 billion dollars for YouTube, an 18-month old site full of content that YouTube’s users did not get paid for!
AGLOCO will work to get its Members their share of this and more.
AGLOCO is building a new form of online community that they call an Economic Network. They are not only paying Members their fair share, but they’re building a community that will generate the kind of fortune that YouTube made. But instead of that wealth making only a few people rich, the entire community will get its share.
What's the catch? No catch - no spyware, no pop-ups and no spam - membership and software are free and AGLOCO is 100% member owned. Privacy is a core value and AGLOCO never sells or rents member information.
So do both of us a favor: Sign up for AGLOCO right now! If you use this link to sign up, I automatically get credit for referring you and helping to build AGLOCO.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR AGLOCO
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Mindanao Bombings not linked to ASEAN Summit
As expected, most of the questions asked by the press this morning pertained to the series of bombings that rocked Mindanao last night. At the press conference inside the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) 12th ASEAN Summit Secretary General Marciano Paynor said the bombings in Mindanao do not affect the holding of the summit here in Cebu, stressing that the summit venues are safe and secured.
Paynor said the terrorists are just trying to make a statement by attacking soft targets especially now that the international media is focused in the Philippines as the 10 leaders of ASEAN and six dialogue partner countries are expected to begin their talks tomorrow.
"I symphatized with the families of the victims of the bombings, but rest assured Cebu is safe and secured and there is no change in the schedule of the summit," Lecaros said.
Another round of press conference is scheduled to take place at noon time yesterday.
Paynor said the terrorists are just trying to make a statement by attacking soft targets especially now that the international media is focused in the Philippines as the 10 leaders of ASEAN and six dialogue partner countries are expected to begin their talks tomorrow.
"I symphatized with the families of the victims of the bombings, but rest assured Cebu is safe and secured and there is no change in the schedule of the summit," Lecaros said.
Another round of press conference is scheduled to take place at noon time yesterday.
Monday, December 25, 2006
Ormoc City: After the flood, comes fire
It is so sad to learn that 24 persons have been declared dead due to a fire inside the Unitop store in Ormoc City on Christmas Day. It was just a few years ago when the city saw a tragedy that many residents still remember until now - the Ormoc City flood that killed hundreds of people.
My story for Manila Bulletin below:
-----------------------------------------------
Store blaze kills 24 on Christmas day
By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.
ORMOC CITY, Leyte – At least 24 persons have been confirmed dead as of press time yesterday while several others were still missing following a fire that broke out inside a department store in Real Street, this city on Christmas Day.
Ormoc City Mayor Eric Codilla said 23 bodies, charred beyond recognition, were pulled out from the Unitop General Merchandise store as of press time yesterday, while a female survivor died at the hospital due to carbon monoxide inhalation. The victims included a baby, two children, and a pregnant woman.
Codilla said the number of fatalities could increase as soon as rescue workers will be done with the mopping up operations to pull out all of the remains of the victims. Most of the charred bodies were discovered at the toilet of the store as fire investigators discovered that the exit door of the store was padlocked.
A funeral worker said one body was found hugging a smaller charred body while most of the pulled out bodies were found piling up on each other.
Initial investigations revealed that the fire started at 4:40 p.m. last Monday when a boy allegedly lit a firecracker that ignited the other firecrackers sold at the department store’s entrance. The fire spread quickly, trapping shoppers inside.
“It was very quick. I heard a series of explosions and then I saw fire inside the store,” said Armando Adaya, an ambulant vendor who happened to pass by the one-story store during the incident.
The fire went on until it was placed under control at 7:30 p.m. said Ormoc City Fire Chief Mauro Costa, adding that those killed included customers, vendors, and store employees. People who were near the entrance managed to escape but others were forced to go deeper into a restroom, where 23 charred remains were found.
The 24th fatality died of injuries overnight and 15 were treated in two Ormoc hospitals. Two of them are in critical condition, Costa revealed.
Codilla, meanwhile, said he has already ordered a thorough investigation to determine the real cause of the blaze even as he believed that the firecracker blast could have something to do with the fire. He also stressed that the store was not permitted to sell firecrackers.
The mayor also said that the city government of Ormoc will be providing financial assistance to the families of the victims.
The store’s management has not issued any statement regarding the incident as of press time yesterday but one of the owners of Unitop in Cebu, who requested anonymity, said their stores have passed fire-safety standards.
The owner, who claimed to be a business partner of the owner of Unitop in Ormoc City, admitted that they sold firecrackers at the entrance of their stores but only those firecrackers that are approved by authorities. #
See my other sites:
PhilippineWorks.com
JobsinCebu.com
Filwebhosting.com
My story for Manila Bulletin below:
-----------------------------------------------
Store blaze kills 24 on Christmas day
By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.
ORMOC CITY, Leyte – At least 24 persons have been confirmed dead as of press time yesterday while several others were still missing following a fire that broke out inside a department store in Real Street, this city on Christmas Day.
Ormoc City Mayor Eric Codilla said 23 bodies, charred beyond recognition, were pulled out from the Unitop General Merchandise store as of press time yesterday, while a female survivor died at the hospital due to carbon monoxide inhalation. The victims included a baby, two children, and a pregnant woman.
Codilla said the number of fatalities could increase as soon as rescue workers will be done with the mopping up operations to pull out all of the remains of the victims. Most of the charred bodies were discovered at the toilet of the store as fire investigators discovered that the exit door of the store was padlocked.
A funeral worker said one body was found hugging a smaller charred body while most of the pulled out bodies were found piling up on each other.
Initial investigations revealed that the fire started at 4:40 p.m. last Monday when a boy allegedly lit a firecracker that ignited the other firecrackers sold at the department store’s entrance. The fire spread quickly, trapping shoppers inside.
“It was very quick. I heard a series of explosions and then I saw fire inside the store,” said Armando Adaya, an ambulant vendor who happened to pass by the one-story store during the incident.
The fire went on until it was placed under control at 7:30 p.m. said Ormoc City Fire Chief Mauro Costa, adding that those killed included customers, vendors, and store employees. People who were near the entrance managed to escape but others were forced to go deeper into a restroom, where 23 charred remains were found.
The 24th fatality died of injuries overnight and 15 were treated in two Ormoc hospitals. Two of them are in critical condition, Costa revealed.
Codilla, meanwhile, said he has already ordered a thorough investigation to determine the real cause of the blaze even as he believed that the firecracker blast could have something to do with the fire. He also stressed that the store was not permitted to sell firecrackers.
The mayor also said that the city government of Ormoc will be providing financial assistance to the families of the victims.
The store’s management has not issued any statement regarding the incident as of press time yesterday but one of the owners of Unitop in Cebu, who requested anonymity, said their stores have passed fire-safety standards.
The owner, who claimed to be a business partner of the owner of Unitop in Ormoc City, admitted that they sold firecrackers at the entrance of their stores but only those firecrackers that are approved by authorities. #
See my other sites:
PhilippineWorks.com
JobsinCebu.com
Filwebhosting.com
Thursday, December 14, 2006
ASEAN Summit and all that talks
An event organizer faxed me this morning the new schedule of activities for the 12th ASEAN Summit in January. The fax says the delegates (including the international media) will start arriving on January 4, just few days behind the January 11 schedule. But until now I am still in the belief that the ASEAN Summit will not push through. If it indeed pushes through, that will be a big boost to the country that has been receiving criticisms from dignitaries around Southeast Asia.
I was at the International Media Center inside the Cebu International Convention Center when Amb. Marciano Paynor, the secretary general of the 12th ASEAN Summit, announced that the summit was postponed due to bad weather. There was immediately an atmosphere of doubt among the local and international media. A reporter from a Japanese newspaper asked Paynor whether or not the hot issue on Con-Ass and the impending mass actions have prompted the government to postpone the Summit. Paynor immediately downplayed the issue, saying there was no other reason except for the weather.
But as days passed by, information have started to surface regarding the real reason of the postponement. A military officials claimed that authorities have been tracking down an alleged member of the Jemaah Islamiyah, the group that allegedly planned to sow terror during the summit together with its local counterpart - the Abu Sayaff Group, but failed to locate the terrorist.
This has prompted security officials to call off the summit for fear that the alleged terrorist will succeed in doing a car bombing operation in Cebu City. Prime ministers of ASEAN member countries have allegedly also been informed about it, prompting them to call off their participation.
This was seen as the real reason behind the postponement of the summit. This is very valid as compared to the weather (by the way, typhoon Seniang didn't do much damage to Cebu as what was feared. We cannot compromise security specially that our Air Force does not have the capability to foil air attacks. What our authorities can do is just watch a plane that goes straight to the path of the summit venue.
The summit has been rescheduled in January. With the hectic schedules of presidents and prime ministers, I don't think the organizers can convene at least half of the leaders of the ASEAN member countries. And if (fingers crossed) the summit pushes through this January, let's all hope that any acts of terrorism will be foiled and the summit will go on peacefully.
I was at the International Media Center inside the Cebu International Convention Center when Amb. Marciano Paynor, the secretary general of the 12th ASEAN Summit, announced that the summit was postponed due to bad weather. There was immediately an atmosphere of doubt among the local and international media. A reporter from a Japanese newspaper asked Paynor whether or not the hot issue on Con-Ass and the impending mass actions have prompted the government to postpone the Summit. Paynor immediately downplayed the issue, saying there was no other reason except for the weather.
But as days passed by, information have started to surface regarding the real reason of the postponement. A military officials claimed that authorities have been tracking down an alleged member of the Jemaah Islamiyah, the group that allegedly planned to sow terror during the summit together with its local counterpart - the Abu Sayaff Group, but failed to locate the terrorist.
This has prompted security officials to call off the summit for fear that the alleged terrorist will succeed in doing a car bombing operation in Cebu City. Prime ministers of ASEAN member countries have allegedly also been informed about it, prompting them to call off their participation.
This was seen as the real reason behind the postponement of the summit. This is very valid as compared to the weather (by the way, typhoon Seniang didn't do much damage to Cebu as what was feared. We cannot compromise security specially that our Air Force does not have the capability to foil air attacks. What our authorities can do is just watch a plane that goes straight to the path of the summit venue.
The summit has been rescheduled in January. With the hectic schedules of presidents and prime ministers, I don't think the organizers can convene at least half of the leaders of the ASEAN member countries. And if (fingers crossed) the summit pushes through this January, let's all hope that any acts of terrorism will be foiled and the summit will go on peacefully.
Friday, December 08, 2006
ASEAN Summit Postponed Due To Typhoon (Updated 6:20pm)
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The 12th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), scheduled to open on Sunday, has been postponed to January because of a strong storm that is expected to hit Cebu, ASEAN National Organizing Committee Chairman Amb. Marciano Paynor Jr. confirmed yesterday.
In an emergency press conference at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) yesterday, Paynor, together with Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, the chairperson of the Cebu Organizing Committee, announced the development as tropical depression Seniang was eyed about 1,000 kilometers east of Leyte island and was forecast to make landfall Saturday, before moving toward Cebu on Sunday.
“The summit is postponed to January due to typhoon Seniang… and it is nothing that we can do about so we just have to accept it,” said the saddened Paynor, infront of the international media who were clearly dismayed over the meeting’s postponement.
This decision was made in full consideration of the safety and welfare of the participants, the private individuals and groups involved in the different aspects of holding the event, and the officials who are carrying out the preparations, said Paynor.
As the leaders participating in the Cebu Summit are determined to continue with the work of building A Caring and Sharing Community, the Cebu Summits will be held in January 2007. The specific dates of the Cebu Summits will be determined after further consultations with the governments of the Leaders participating in the Cebu Summits, said Paynor.
Paynor is confident that the slight change in the dates of the Cebu Summits will not in any way affect the determination and the commitment of the Leaders and all officials involved in achieving the objectives of the Summit nor will it diminish the significance of their work.
Even if Typhoon Seniang will change path in the next few hours, Paynor said the postponement will push through because the typhoon could hit other ASEAN member countries. Although the dates have been changed to first week of January, Paynor clarified that the summit will still be held in Cebu.
ASEAN Summit spokesman Victoriano Lecaros said the decision to postpone the summit was reached by the NOC after consulting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Officials of the ASEAN members countries have also been consulted prior to the decision to postpone the summit, Lecaros stressed.
“We were not able to prepare for it,” said Lecaros, referring to the typhoon.
Lecaros said the organizers and everyone who worked hard for the summit were dismayed with the postponement but urged Filipinos to be patient and wait for another one month.
He also clarified that only the leader’s summit has been reset while the ministerial meetings, which started since December 7, will proceed as scheduled. He did not give specific date when the ASEAN Summit will be held saying the schedule will depend on the different schedules of the ASEAN leaders.
Paynor, meanwhile, denied reports that the real cause of the postponement was the travel advisory from five countries who warned their citizens about an impending terror threat in the Philippines, especially in Cebu. He earlier stressed that the organizers have not received any specific threats of terrorism during the ASEAN Summit.
“If there are two persons in this room who want this summit to push through it will be me and Gov. Garcia. We have been working hard to see to it that the summit be held here, but like our health, the weather changes unexpectedly and we can’t do anything about it,” said Paynor.
He said the NOC will negotiate with the hotels with regards to the cancellation of bookings and their current expenses for checked-in guests.
Paynor said the NOC will negotiate with the hotels with regards to the cancellation of bookings and their current expenses for checked-in guests. #
In an emergency press conference at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) yesterday, Paynor, together with Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, the chairperson of the Cebu Organizing Committee, announced the development as tropical depression Seniang was eyed about 1,000 kilometers east of Leyte island and was forecast to make landfall Saturday, before moving toward Cebu on Sunday.
“The summit is postponed to January due to typhoon Seniang… and it is nothing that we can do about so we just have to accept it,” said the saddened Paynor, infront of the international media who were clearly dismayed over the meeting’s postponement.
This decision was made in full consideration of the safety and welfare of the participants, the private individuals and groups involved in the different aspects of holding the event, and the officials who are carrying out the preparations, said Paynor.
As the leaders participating in the Cebu Summit are determined to continue with the work of building A Caring and Sharing Community, the Cebu Summits will be held in January 2007. The specific dates of the Cebu Summits will be determined after further consultations with the governments of the Leaders participating in the Cebu Summits, said Paynor.
Paynor is confident that the slight change in the dates of the Cebu Summits will not in any way affect the determination and the commitment of the Leaders and all officials involved in achieving the objectives of the Summit nor will it diminish the significance of their work.
Even if Typhoon Seniang will change path in the next few hours, Paynor said the postponement will push through because the typhoon could hit other ASEAN member countries. Although the dates have been changed to first week of January, Paynor clarified that the summit will still be held in Cebu.
ASEAN Summit spokesman Victoriano Lecaros said the decision to postpone the summit was reached by the NOC after consulting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Officials of the ASEAN members countries have also been consulted prior to the decision to postpone the summit, Lecaros stressed.
“We were not able to prepare for it,” said Lecaros, referring to the typhoon.
Lecaros said the organizers and everyone who worked hard for the summit were dismayed with the postponement but urged Filipinos to be patient and wait for another one month.
He also clarified that only the leader’s summit has been reset while the ministerial meetings, which started since December 7, will proceed as scheduled. He did not give specific date when the ASEAN Summit will be held saying the schedule will depend on the different schedules of the ASEAN leaders.
Paynor, meanwhile, denied reports that the real cause of the postponement was the travel advisory from five countries who warned their citizens about an impending terror threat in the Philippines, especially in Cebu. He earlier stressed that the organizers have not received any specific threats of terrorism during the ASEAN Summit.
“If there are two persons in this room who want this summit to push through it will be me and Gov. Garcia. We have been working hard to see to it that the summit be held here, but like our health, the weather changes unexpectedly and we can’t do anything about it,” said Paynor.
He said the NOC will negotiate with the hotels with regards to the cancellation of bookings and their current expenses for checked-in guests.
Paynor said the NOC will negotiate with the hotels with regards to the cancellation of bookings and their current expenses for checked-in guests. #
ASEAN Summit Postponed Due To Typhoon
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The 12th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), scheduled to open on Sunday, has been postponed to January because of a strong storm that is expected to hit Cebu, ASEAN National Organizing Committee Chairman Amb. Marciano Paynor Jr. confirmed yesterday.
In an emergency press conference at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) yesterday, Paynor, together with Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, the chairperson of the Cebu Organizing Committee, announced the development as tropical depression Seniang was eyed about 1,000 kilometers east of Leyte island and was forecast to make landfall Saturday, before moving toward Cebu on Sunday.
“The summit is postponed to January due to typhoon Seniang… and it is nothing that we can do about so we just have to accept it,” said the saddened Paynor, infront of the international media who were clearly dismayed over the meeting’s postponement.
Even if Typhoon Seniang will change path in the next few hours, Paynor said the postponement will push through because the typhoon could hit other ASEAN member countries. Although the dates have been changed to first week of January, Paynor clarified that the summit will still be held in Cebu.
In an emergency press conference at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) yesterday, Paynor, together with Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, the chairperson of the Cebu Organizing Committee, announced the development as tropical depression Seniang was eyed about 1,000 kilometers east of Leyte island and was forecast to make landfall Saturday, before moving toward Cebu on Sunday.
“The summit is postponed to January due to typhoon Seniang… and it is nothing that we can do about so we just have to accept it,” said the saddened Paynor, infront of the international media who were clearly dismayed over the meeting’s postponement.
Even if Typhoon Seniang will change path in the next few hours, Paynor said the postponement will push through because the typhoon could hit other ASEAN member countries. Although the dates have been changed to first week of January, Paynor clarified that the summit will still be held in Cebu.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
International Media Center at the CICC
I am writing this entry inside the new International Media Center of the Cebu International Convention Center, one of the venues of the 12th ASEAN Summit of leaders. This place is so huge it can handle more than 1,000 journalists and has more than 200 computer units, all linked to the Internet.
This is my first time to cover an international event. Journalists here come from different countries but what I can see right now are mostly Filipinos (or maybe I am just mistaken as we all know that Filipinos look almost exactly the same as that of our Asian counterparts).
Coffee is free-flowing outside and so is the snacks.
I am here inside the controversial CICC. Costing more than 600 million, this facility has been criticized, battered, and spitted several times by critics who claimed this will not be finished for the ASEAN Summit. But, here I am. Inside the CICC. The elevators are functioning. The air condition system works excellently. The carpets are outstanding. This is one hell of a convention center!
Nothing much to say. :) I'll update this blog everyday while I am here inside the CICC covering the ASEAN Summit.
This is my first time to cover an international event. Journalists here come from different countries but what I can see right now are mostly Filipinos (or maybe I am just mistaken as we all know that Filipinos look almost exactly the same as that of our Asian counterparts).
Coffee is free-flowing outside and so is the snacks.
I am here inside the controversial CICC. Costing more than 600 million, this facility has been criticized, battered, and spitted several times by critics who claimed this will not be finished for the ASEAN Summit. But, here I am. Inside the CICC. The elevators are functioning. The air condition system works excellently. The carpets are outstanding. This is one hell of a convention center!
Nothing much to say. :) I'll update this blog everyday while I am here inside the CICC covering the ASEAN Summit.
Fourth Association of Southeast Asian Nations Business and Investment Summit at Cebu City on December 7 to 10, 2006
FOR the past four years, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Business and Investment Summit, an event held immediately prior to the annual ASEAN and East Asian Leaders Summit, has been providing business and corporate leaders with invaluable insight into the implications of ASEAN integration for the strategies of the regional and global business and investment communities. At the same time, the summit provides an opportunity for the corporate world to engage heads of government and heads of state on urgent issues that are of importance to the corporate world.
The Philippines, as president of ASEAN this year, convenes the business summit meetings in Cebu City starting on December 7 to 10, 2006, the site of the subsequent ASEAN Leaders Summit on December 11 to 13, 2006. In keeping with the conference theme "Bringing ASEAN Business to the World," the invited speakers include heads of government and the captains of major enterprises in the region and the world. They will lead discussions on regional and global issues and business dialogues that will help businesses make better decisions about their future and contribute to the development of government policies to support the further integration of ASEAN's business and investment community.
The 2006 ASEAN Business and Investment Summit has designated priority products and services in developing models for economic integration. These products and services are clustered in 12 categories, namely: Agribusiness; logistics and supply chain management; air transport; electronics; information and communication technology (ICT) and e-ASEAN; health care; automotive; travel and tourism; professional services; banking and financial services; textiles and apparels; and rubber-based products. One session of the conference has been set aside for discussion of progress made within these sectors and what needs to be done to encourage further integration. In addition to the plenary discussion, a number of simultaneous workshops will consider individual industry sectors in detail with a view to developing recommendations for further action that can be carried to the Leaders' Summit.
We congratulate the participants and organizers of the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit headed by ASEAN Business Advisory Council Chairman Jose S. Concepcion Jr. and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Atty. Miguel B. Varela and President Donald G. Dee and wish them success in all their endeavors. We welcome the foreign participants and wish them an enjoyable stay in our country. (Manila Bulletin Editorial, Dec. 7, 2006)
The Philippines, as president of ASEAN this year, convenes the business summit meetings in Cebu City starting on December 7 to 10, 2006, the site of the subsequent ASEAN Leaders Summit on December 11 to 13, 2006. In keeping with the conference theme "Bringing ASEAN Business to the World," the invited speakers include heads of government and the captains of major enterprises in the region and the world. They will lead discussions on regional and global issues and business dialogues that will help businesses make better decisions about their future and contribute to the development of government policies to support the further integration of ASEAN's business and investment community.
The 2006 ASEAN Business and Investment Summit has designated priority products and services in developing models for economic integration. These products and services are clustered in 12 categories, namely: Agribusiness; logistics and supply chain management; air transport; electronics; information and communication technology (ICT) and e-ASEAN; health care; automotive; travel and tourism; professional services; banking and financial services; textiles and apparels; and rubber-based products. One session of the conference has been set aside for discussion of progress made within these sectors and what needs to be done to encourage further integration. In addition to the plenary discussion, a number of simultaneous workshops will consider individual industry sectors in detail with a view to developing recommendations for further action that can be carried to the Leaders' Summit.
We congratulate the participants and organizers of the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit headed by ASEAN Business Advisory Council Chairman Jose S. Concepcion Jr. and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Atty. Miguel B. Varela and President Donald G. Dee and wish them success in all their endeavors. We welcome the foreign participants and wish them an enjoyable stay in our country. (Manila Bulletin Editorial, Dec. 7, 2006)
Friday, December 01, 2006
Dumaguete Gathering
I was in Dumaguete City, particularly at the Southsea Beach Resort, recently for the 1st Multi-sectoral Media Dialogue on the Peace Process, a media forum and consultation on Peace Journalism organized by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process or OPAPP (my friend Felix from West Leyte Weekly Express has a funny meaning of OPAPP, but I won't tell you).
OPAPP Undersecretary Santos talked about the importance of Peace Journalism in effectively resolving conflicts and war. OPAPP is reaching to media men to report the correct, positive side of conflicts and not just the morbid, violent details of a war or insurgency.
Everything went well. Media participants understood the message of OPAPP. Until Mr. Dejaresco (I forgot his first name), who claimed to be a mediaman himself but I'd rather consider him a newspaper businessman, talked about OPAPP spending millions of pesos in media advertisements in exchange of getting their peace message in newspapers or broacast stations.
Whaatt?!!!
"If you commit budget, if you advertise with our newspaper, we will publish your press releases or messages," I remember Dejaresco saying, though not in those exact words. Of course, USEC Santos was clearly uneasy when Dejaresco unleashed his unethical, out-of-the-topic, solicitation of money in exchange of having OPAPP's messages printed in his newspaper.
What a shame. I admired Dejaresco before for his newspapers and other media outlets. But I trashed everything to a dark pit full of garbage when I heard Dejaresco uttered those words.
Yes, media is a business. But why do we always have an editorial office and an admin office in every media outlet? Because there is a need to separate journalists from businessmen. Dejaresco was on a wrong forum, i should say. He was soliciting ad spaces, which would have been nice if he was in a gathering of media account executives.
But por dyos por santos, he was in a forum of practicing journalists and editors. Journalists report and write what is news-worthy and not because the news source has committed to place a full-page ad in the reporter's newspaper. News sources send us press releases, subject to confirmation and further investigation, and we write a news story about it. Account executives sell ad spaces. Journalists and account executives seldom talk about who are the current advertisers.
Yes, advertisers' money comes into our paycheck. But we don't write news for the reason that the source is an advertiser. That sucks. That's not journalism. And Mr. Dejaresco, at his age, I think knows about that. He's clearly a businessman. Not a media man.
Anyway, it was my first time in Dumaguete and i could say that the place rocks. It's peaceful, clean, orderly. People are friendly. Although I still have to see the proof of development in the city, I could say that Dumaguete is one of the best places to be if you want peace, quite, and a good break from the bursting, busy city life in Manila or Cebu.
More about Dumaguete in my next post.
OPAPP Undersecretary Santos talked about the importance of Peace Journalism in effectively resolving conflicts and war. OPAPP is reaching to media men to report the correct, positive side of conflicts and not just the morbid, violent details of a war or insurgency.
Everything went well. Media participants understood the message of OPAPP. Until Mr. Dejaresco (I forgot his first name), who claimed to be a mediaman himself but I'd rather consider him a newspaper businessman, talked about OPAPP spending millions of pesos in media advertisements in exchange of getting their peace message in newspapers or broacast stations.
Whaatt?!!!
"If you commit budget, if you advertise with our newspaper, we will publish your press releases or messages," I remember Dejaresco saying, though not in those exact words. Of course, USEC Santos was clearly uneasy when Dejaresco unleashed his unethical, out-of-the-topic, solicitation of money in exchange of having OPAPP's messages printed in his newspaper.
What a shame. I admired Dejaresco before for his newspapers and other media outlets. But I trashed everything to a dark pit full of garbage when I heard Dejaresco uttered those words.
Yes, media is a business. But why do we always have an editorial office and an admin office in every media outlet? Because there is a need to separate journalists from businessmen. Dejaresco was on a wrong forum, i should say. He was soliciting ad spaces, which would have been nice if he was in a gathering of media account executives.
But por dyos por santos, he was in a forum of practicing journalists and editors. Journalists report and write what is news-worthy and not because the news source has committed to place a full-page ad in the reporter's newspaper. News sources send us press releases, subject to confirmation and further investigation, and we write a news story about it. Account executives sell ad spaces. Journalists and account executives seldom talk about who are the current advertisers.
Yes, advertisers' money comes into our paycheck. But we don't write news for the reason that the source is an advertiser. That sucks. That's not journalism. And Mr. Dejaresco, at his age, I think knows about that. He's clearly a businessman. Not a media man.
Anyway, it was my first time in Dumaguete and i could say that the place rocks. It's peaceful, clean, orderly. People are friendly. Although I still have to see the proof of development in the city, I could say that Dumaguete is one of the best places to be if you want peace, quite, and a good break from the bursting, busy city life in Manila or Cebu.
More about Dumaguete in my next post.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Jobs in the Philippines
Been busy the past days beating deadlines. Blog is unchanged since several days ago. :)
Anyway, I have created a new website that posts Jobs in the Philippines.
visit www.PhilippineWorks.com if you are looking for call center jobs, engineering jobs, nursing jobs, accounting jobs, and a lot more.
More post to come.
ciao
Anyway, I have created a new website that posts Jobs in the Philippines.
visit www.PhilippineWorks.com if you are looking for call center jobs, engineering jobs, nursing jobs, accounting jobs, and a lot more.
More post to come.
ciao
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Killers of Marlene Esperat sentenced to Life Imprisonment
A Regional Trial Court Judge in Cebu has convicted three of the four accused in the killing of lady journalist/columnist Marlene Esperat, and sentenced them to life imprisonment for murder (death penalty has been suspended).
The three convicted were Randy Grecia, Jerry Cabayag and Estanislao Bismanos (picture above). The court acquitted Rowie Barua due to lack of evidence.
Marlene Esperat was a columnist for Sultan Kudarat paper The Midland Review. She also had a stint as a block-time radio broadcaster. Popularly known as "Madame Witness" because of her public service media exposés, she was also elected president of Region 12's Tri-Media Association by her peers.
During her employment in the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 12 from 1987 to 2004, she uncovered numerous cases of graft and corrupt practices allegedly committed by public officials involving rampant misuse of public funds intended for the use of marginalized farmers.
She accused Osmeña Montañer and Estrella Sabay, Region 12 Finance Officer and Regional Accountant, respectively, as "corrupt" DA officials. Esperat worked on numerous cases, such as the unremitted government's share of GSIS premiums of DA 12 employees from January to December 1997.
This was the second time that the Regional Trial Court in Cebu has meted the maximum penalty to the killers of a journalist. Early this year, another Regional Trial Court Judge sentenced to death the convicted killer of The Freeman photojournalist Allan Dizon.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Killing Time Online
I received this morning an advance copy (October issue) of Reader's Digest sent by the Editor-in-Chief himself, sir Jim Plouffe (who is now based in Singapore). On page 28 is my article entitled "Killing Time Online", which tackles the current issue of online games addiction.
The article has several voices - including that of a self-confessed games addict, psychologists, and games experts. It's a must read, i should say (speaking of the adage 'Love your own' hehehehe). I can't really tell you everything about the article because it is copyrighted.
The magazine will be out in the first week of October. Please grab a copy and tell me here what you can say about the article (that's fishing hahahaha).
Regards everyone!
The article has several voices - including that of a self-confessed games addict, psychologists, and games experts. It's a must read, i should say (speaking of the adage 'Love your own' hehehehe). I can't really tell you everything about the article because it is copyrighted.
The magazine will be out in the first week of October. Please grab a copy and tell me here what you can say about the article (that's fishing hahahaha).
Regards everyone!
Monday, September 11, 2006
Cebu Explosion Kills 2, hurts 11
MANDAUE CITY – At least two persons were killed and 11 others, including three young children, where injured in an explosion in barangay Basak, this city, creating a stir among residents and police officials this morning, the anniversary of the 9/11 US attack.
But police investigators were quick to downplay the possibility of a bomb attack, saying the loud explosion was caused by a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-powered laundry dryer that was left open since Sunday night.
Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Intelligence Chief Augusto Marquez said the explosion was triggered when the gas from a leaking lpg pipe, left unattended since Sunday night, was accumulated inside the Gene’s Laundy Shop located along the national road in barangay Basak.
“The shop became a time bomb because gases already accumulated in the area. Even the simple opening of the dryer immediately triggered the explosion,” said Marquez in a press conference at the Provincial Capitol.
Shop attendant Lorna Mercy Rubin said she opened one of the dryers inside the shop to begin her work past 8 a.m. yesterday when suddenly flame engulfed the dryer and the explosion pushed her to the corner of the shop.
“It was very quick. When I opened the dryer I saw flame and then there was an explosion,” Said Rubin, who luckily survived with burns in her face and chest.
Rubin said she crawled her way out of the damaged shop and then lost consciousness. Two other shops located on each side of the laundry shop were also destroyed. The second floor of the building was still unoccupied.
The explosion immediately killed a still unidentified female bypasser, who was thrown several meters away from the shop. Her body was filled with debris from the ground floor of the two-storey building, owned by former Mandaue City Vice Mayor Demetrio Cortez Jr.
Another fatality was identified as Felipe Hermoso, 57, who died inside the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. Hospital staff claimed Hermoso’s body and face bore several lacerations and wounds, causing his death.
Eleven others, including Carmela Labago, 42, and her two children, Maria Lucia, 1; Rosemarie, 5; and niece, Marjorie Tiglao, 11. The four sustained wounds and lacerations in the body due to the explosion.
Carmela said she was across the shop on the other side of the road attending to her food store when the loud explosion occurred. Her two children and niece were playing outside the store she said. All of them, however, were declared safe at a local hospital.
Several motorcycles were also destroyed and their drivers injured due to the explosion. Luckily enough, there was no passenger jeepney or bus in front of the shop when the explosion took place.
Mandaue City Police Office Director Eduardo Catabas said the investigators have already ruled out the possibility of a bomb. He said investigators did not find any traces of explosives at the area. The laundry shop used two units of 38.8 kgs. Shellane LPG to power their dryers.
“The explosion was caused by a leaking LPG tank. There is a big tendency for LPG tanks to explode especially when it gets warm,” said Catabas, who supervised the operation in the area.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia described the incident as a freak accident and instructed her social workers to immediately provide assistance, in all forms, to all the victims of the explosion. #
But police investigators were quick to downplay the possibility of a bomb attack, saying the loud explosion was caused by a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-powered laundry dryer that was left open since Sunday night.
Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Intelligence Chief Augusto Marquez said the explosion was triggered when the gas from a leaking lpg pipe, left unattended since Sunday night, was accumulated inside the Gene’s Laundy Shop located along the national road in barangay Basak.
“The shop became a time bomb because gases already accumulated in the area. Even the simple opening of the dryer immediately triggered the explosion,” said Marquez in a press conference at the Provincial Capitol.
Shop attendant Lorna Mercy Rubin said she opened one of the dryers inside the shop to begin her work past 8 a.m. yesterday when suddenly flame engulfed the dryer and the explosion pushed her to the corner of the shop.
“It was very quick. When I opened the dryer I saw flame and then there was an explosion,” Said Rubin, who luckily survived with burns in her face and chest.
Rubin said she crawled her way out of the damaged shop and then lost consciousness. Two other shops located on each side of the laundry shop were also destroyed. The second floor of the building was still unoccupied.
The explosion immediately killed a still unidentified female bypasser, who was thrown several meters away from the shop. Her body was filled with debris from the ground floor of the two-storey building, owned by former Mandaue City Vice Mayor Demetrio Cortez Jr.
Another fatality was identified as Felipe Hermoso, 57, who died inside the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. Hospital staff claimed Hermoso’s body and face bore several lacerations and wounds, causing his death.
Eleven others, including Carmela Labago, 42, and her two children, Maria Lucia, 1; Rosemarie, 5; and niece, Marjorie Tiglao, 11. The four sustained wounds and lacerations in the body due to the explosion.
Carmela said she was across the shop on the other side of the road attending to her food store when the loud explosion occurred. Her two children and niece were playing outside the store she said. All of them, however, were declared safe at a local hospital.
Several motorcycles were also destroyed and their drivers injured due to the explosion. Luckily enough, there was no passenger jeepney or bus in front of the shop when the explosion took place.
Mandaue City Police Office Director Eduardo Catabas said the investigators have already ruled out the possibility of a bomb. He said investigators did not find any traces of explosives at the area. The laundry shop used two units of 38.8 kgs. Shellane LPG to power their dryers.
“The explosion was caused by a leaking LPG tank. There is a big tendency for LPG tanks to explode especially when it gets warm,” said Catabas, who supervised the operation in the area.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia described the incident as a freak accident and instructed her social workers to immediately provide assistance, in all forms, to all the victims of the explosion. #
Monday, July 17, 2006
My websites and blogs
Feel bored this morning so I went online and checked out my websites and blogs.
Yes, aside from this blog, I also maintain several other blogs. Here's a rundown
OnlineFraud Blog
SecretsBank Blog
TravelPhilippines Blog
Asia Travel Guide Blog
and a lot more.
I also have websites, including the following:
Pinoyworks.com
Tindahangbayan.com
Ringtonesdaily.com
Cebudaily.com
Filwebhosting.com
I would appreciate it so much if you can visit and check out one of my blogs or websites.
Got nothing to say.
- mars
Yes, aside from this blog, I also maintain several other blogs. Here's a rundown
OnlineFraud Blog
SecretsBank Blog
TravelPhilippines Blog
Asia Travel Guide Blog
and a lot more.
I also have websites, including the following:
Pinoyworks.com
Tindahangbayan.com
Ringtonesdaily.com
Cebudaily.com
Filwebhosting.com
I would appreciate it so much if you can visit and check out one of my blogs or websites.
Got nothing to say.
- mars
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Pinoyworks.com - Firm uses net to help jobless Filipinos
Firm uses net to help jobless Filipinos
By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.
CEBU CITY – A web development firm here has tapped the power of the Internet in providing a venue for jobless Filipinos to find job opportunities in the country, a move that is in line with the program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to provide jobs to the Filipinos.
Maribeth Laguna, marketing director of Pinoyworks.com, said the new online job opportunities website is aimed at providing a venue for jobless Filipinos to find job vacancies online and for employers to post their job requirements on the Internet.
“We want Filipinos to just sit in front of the computer and browse through several job opportunities they can find at pinoyworks.com and for employers simply post their job vacancies online for hundreds of computer users to see,” said Laguna in a press conference.
Laguna said the people behind Pinoyworks.com is aware on the increasing number of unemployed Filipinos and their move to put up a website that features job vacancies is their simple share in the government’s program to provide employment.
Laguna said a report of the National Statistics Office revealed that the country’s jobless rate in April rose 0.7 percent year on year. Although unemployed Filipinos numbered a higher 2.93 million this year than 2.91 million last year, the jobless horde composed a smaller 8.2 percent of the total labor force, which has risen to 36 million.
With jobseekers and employers meeting in one website, Laguna said Pinoyworks.com acts as a catalyst that links jobless Filipinos to the jobs that they have been looking for. #
By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.
CEBU CITY – A web development firm here has tapped the power of the Internet in providing a venue for jobless Filipinos to find job opportunities in the country, a move that is in line with the program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to provide jobs to the Filipinos.
Maribeth Laguna, marketing director of Pinoyworks.com, said the new online job opportunities website is aimed at providing a venue for jobless Filipinos to find job vacancies online and for employers to post their job requirements on the Internet.
“We want Filipinos to just sit in front of the computer and browse through several job opportunities they can find at pinoyworks.com and for employers simply post their job vacancies online for hundreds of computer users to see,” said Laguna in a press conference.
Laguna said the people behind Pinoyworks.com is aware on the increasing number of unemployed Filipinos and their move to put up a website that features job vacancies is their simple share in the government’s program to provide employment.
Laguna said a report of the National Statistics Office revealed that the country’s jobless rate in April rose 0.7 percent year on year. Although unemployed Filipinos numbered a higher 2.93 million this year than 2.91 million last year, the jobless horde composed a smaller 8.2 percent of the total labor force, which has risen to 36 million.
With jobseekers and employers meeting in one website, Laguna said Pinoyworks.com acts as a catalyst that links jobless Filipinos to the jobs that they have been looking for. #
Friday, June 23, 2006
Filipinos are most Courteous in Asia: Say's Reader's Digest Survey
Whoa!
According to the latest survey on courtesy conducted by the Reader's Digest Magazine in 35 different countries around the world, Filipinos ranked as most courteous among asians surveyed.
The result of the survey, which will be out in the July 2006 issue of the magazine, also ranked the Philippines 22nd in the 35 countries surveyed.
Reader's Digest sent out undercover reporters to 35 of the globe's largest cities to assess everyday behavior. They used three tests: checking if people walking into buildings held the door open for them; buying things at stores to see if they'd get a "thank you"; dropping a folder of papers in busy places to see if anyone would help pick up. Each test was conducted 20 times in each city.
The rankings, and thanks for reading!
New York, USA: 80%
Zurich, Switzerland: 77
Toronto, Canada: 70
Berlin, Germany: 68
Sao Paulo, Brazil: 68
Zagreb, Croatia: 68
Auckland, New Zealand: 67
Warsaw, Poland: 67
Mexico City, Mexico: 65
Stockholm, Sweden: 63
Budapest, Hungary: 60
Madrid, Spain: 60
Prague, Czech Republic: 60
Vienna, Austria: 60
Buenos Aires, Argentina: 57
Johannesburg, South Africa: 57
Lisbon, Portugal: 57
London, United Kingdom: 57
Paris, France: 57
Amsterdam, Netherlands: 52
Helsinki, Finland: 48
Manila, Philippines: 48
Milan, Italy: 47
Sydney, Australia: 47
Bangkok, Thailand: 45
Hong Kong: 45
Ljubljana, Slovenia: 45
Jakarta, Indonesia: 43
Taipei, Taiwan: 43
Moscow, Russia: 42
Singapore: 42
Seoul, South Korea: 40
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 37
Bucharest, Romania: 35
Mumbai, India: 32
According to the latest survey on courtesy conducted by the Reader's Digest Magazine in 35 different countries around the world, Filipinos ranked as most courteous among asians surveyed.
The result of the survey, which will be out in the July 2006 issue of the magazine, also ranked the Philippines 22nd in the 35 countries surveyed.
Reader's Digest sent out undercover reporters to 35 of the globe's largest cities to assess everyday behavior. They used three tests: checking if people walking into buildings held the door open for them; buying things at stores to see if they'd get a "thank you"; dropping a folder of papers in busy places to see if anyone would help pick up. Each test was conducted 20 times in each city.
The rankings, and thanks for reading!
New York, USA: 80%
Zurich, Switzerland: 77
Toronto, Canada: 70
Berlin, Germany: 68
Sao Paulo, Brazil: 68
Zagreb, Croatia: 68
Auckland, New Zealand: 67
Warsaw, Poland: 67
Mexico City, Mexico: 65
Stockholm, Sweden: 63
Budapest, Hungary: 60
Madrid, Spain: 60
Prague, Czech Republic: 60
Vienna, Austria: 60
Buenos Aires, Argentina: 57
Johannesburg, South Africa: 57
Lisbon, Portugal: 57
London, United Kingdom: 57
Paris, France: 57
Amsterdam, Netherlands: 52
Helsinki, Finland: 48
Manila, Philippines: 48
Milan, Italy: 47
Sydney, Australia: 47
Bangkok, Thailand: 45
Hong Kong: 45
Ljubljana, Slovenia: 45
Jakarta, Indonesia: 43
Taipei, Taiwan: 43
Moscow, Russia: 42
Singapore: 42
Seoul, South Korea: 40
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 37
Bucharest, Romania: 35
Mumbai, India: 32
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Live wire kills 5 Cebu inmates
For the first time in my life as a journalist, I was able to get inside the city jail of Cebu. Not that I was arrested or something, but because I had to take a picture of the cell where five inmates were electrocuted at dawn today (June 20, 2006). What I saw was way beyond my imagination of a jampacked jail. At the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center, the city jail in Cebu, 2,500 inmates crowd the jail facility that has a capacity to hold only 250 persons.
Enough of the description of what I saw inside because before journalists were allowed to get inside the jail, the warden urged us not to take pictures of the view inside other than the cell of the five electrocuted prisoners. Cameramen were also told not to pan their cameras to nearby cells.
Okay. So, I was there standing outside the special security cell, or more commonly known as the holding cell of the city jail. Four candles were ligthed inside the empty cell, which on my calculations cannot accomodate 11 persons even if these persons will be standing up all the time that they will be placed inside the cell. But yes, the cell used to hold 11 persons. Today, however, it was empty because just a few hours ago, five inmates, half-naked while sleeping on the cemented floor of the cell were killed after a live wire touched the metal bar.
The other six inmates escaped death. Why? Because they were sleeping on a makeshift hammocks that they placed just near the ceiling. Meaning, their bodies didn't have direct contact with the metal bars. The five, however, weren't as lucky. It was just a day ago when they were brought to the city jail for various offenses so they were not able to make their own hammocks just as yet.
Jail guards and rescue personnel rushed the five to the city hospital but the victims were pronounced dead on arrival.
All five of them were sentenced to death even before their cases were heard in court, said one inmate. True, indeed. But staying for a year inside the crowded city jail is more than a death sentence and the electrocuted inmates could have been smiling right now because they have escaped from the harsh life inside the city jail.
Enough of the description of what I saw inside because before journalists were allowed to get inside the jail, the warden urged us not to take pictures of the view inside other than the cell of the five electrocuted prisoners. Cameramen were also told not to pan their cameras to nearby cells.
Okay. So, I was there standing outside the special security cell, or more commonly known as the holding cell of the city jail. Four candles were ligthed inside the empty cell, which on my calculations cannot accomodate 11 persons even if these persons will be standing up all the time that they will be placed inside the cell. But yes, the cell used to hold 11 persons. Today, however, it was empty because just a few hours ago, five inmates, half-naked while sleeping on the cemented floor of the cell were killed after a live wire touched the metal bar.
The other six inmates escaped death. Why? Because they were sleeping on a makeshift hammocks that they placed just near the ceiling. Meaning, their bodies didn't have direct contact with the metal bars. The five, however, weren't as lucky. It was just a day ago when they were brought to the city jail for various offenses so they were not able to make their own hammocks just as yet.
Jail guards and rescue personnel rushed the five to the city hospital but the victims were pronounced dead on arrival.
All five of them were sentenced to death even before their cases were heard in court, said one inmate. True, indeed. But staying for a year inside the crowded city jail is more than a death sentence and the electrocuted inmates could have been smiling right now because they have escaped from the harsh life inside the city jail.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Reader's Digest Article
I got a short article published in this month's issue of Reader's Digest magazine. The article, under the 'Everyday Heroes' section of the magazine, is about Jukka Holopainen, founder of the environmentalist group Center for Environmental Awareness and Education in Manila.
What makes Jukka a 'hero' is because he has spent his life, time, and almost everything to make sure that environmental topics are included in all the subjects being taught in the classroom. His aim is to educate the next generation about the importance of environment.
You can read the article online at the website of Reader's Digest Asia magazine. You have to sign-up up though so you can read the entire article, or subscribe to the magazine to read all of the articles.
If you know of someone who think is a good candidate for the Everyday Heroes section, please do let me know so we can also make a story about him/her.
Thanks for reading.
What makes Jukka a 'hero' is because he has spent his life, time, and almost everything to make sure that environmental topics are included in all the subjects being taught in the classroom. His aim is to educate the next generation about the importance of environment.
You can read the article online at the website of Reader's Digest Asia magazine. You have to sign-up up though so you can read the entire article, or subscribe to the magazine to read all of the articles.
If you know of someone who think is a good candidate for the Everyday Heroes section, please do let me know so we can also make a story about him/her.
Thanks for reading.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Blackout hits CEBU!
My laptop is running on a 40% percent battery power while i'm writing this entry. Power cord is useless since Cebu has been on a black out for the past 4 hours already. I was so happy I finished writing my news and done emailing them to the boss before my laptop power expires.
Blackout hit the entire Cebu and selected areas in Panay and Negros following an earthquake in Leyte. The quake damaged the submarine cable of the Negros-Cebu-Panay power grid, which supplies power to Cebu and the rest of the Visayas.
Typing and using the newspaper as fan are not fun to do. I'm perspiring. Very hot... I want to go to Cebu Beach Club for a quick swim. Wow, haven't been to the beach lately.
Anyway, my news about the blackout below. Read on...
------------------
Blackout hits entire Cebu, parts of Visayas
By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.
CEBU CITY – A massive blackout hit the entire Cebu and parts of Panay and Negros provinces yesterday following an earthquake that hit Leyte, which damages the underwater cable of the Negros-Cebu-Panay power grid.
Visayan Electric Company (VECO) spokesperson Ethel Natera said the damages of the underwater cable resulted to the blackout since Cebu depends entirely on the power being produced by the power grid.
The blackout took place at 10:02 yesterday morning, the same time that a tectonic earthquake hit barangay Tungunan and Ormoc City in Leyte. As of 3 p.m. yesterday, power has not been returned.
Robinson Giorgio of the Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs) based in Lapu-Lapu City said the earthquake measured 3.7 in magnitude with the highest intensity of 4 recorded in Tungunan. The geothermal sources are located from Upper Mahiao and Malitbog sectors in the Greater Tongonan Area of Leyte. Electricity generated from the power plants are supplied to the Negros-Cebu-Panay grid via a high-voltage overhead transmission lines and submarine cables
Giorgio, however, clarified that the magnitude of the earthquake was not massive and there was no report of destruction in Leyte as of press time yesterday. Although he did not confirm the connection between the earthquake and the blackout, Giorgio said it could be possible that the power cable was damaged considering that the epicenter of the quake passed through the interconnection area.
Natera, meanwhile, said that VECO has been asking independent power producers (IPP) to supply power even in selected parts of the City. She did not give an estimate on when the power will be brought back on.
The blackout caused businesses and offices to close down and suspend operation, including the Palace of Justice that suspends operation starting lunchtime yesterday. The order came after judges and court workers complained that their salas were too dark and too hot because of the lack of power. The Palace of Justice has no standby power generator.
Offices at the Cebu City Police Office also transferred their operations at the camp’s open ground due to the lack of power. Several businesses and establishments also decided to suspend their operation due to the power blackout.
Blackout hit the entire Cebu and selected areas in Panay and Negros following an earthquake in Leyte. The quake damaged the submarine cable of the Negros-Cebu-Panay power grid, which supplies power to Cebu and the rest of the Visayas.
Typing and using the newspaper as fan are not fun to do. I'm perspiring. Very hot... I want to go to Cebu Beach Club for a quick swim. Wow, haven't been to the beach lately.
Anyway, my news about the blackout below. Read on...
------------------
Blackout hits entire Cebu, parts of Visayas
By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.
CEBU CITY – A massive blackout hit the entire Cebu and parts of Panay and Negros provinces yesterday following an earthquake that hit Leyte, which damages the underwater cable of the Negros-Cebu-Panay power grid.
Visayan Electric Company (VECO) spokesperson Ethel Natera said the damages of the underwater cable resulted to the blackout since Cebu depends entirely on the power being produced by the power grid.
The blackout took place at 10:02 yesterday morning, the same time that a tectonic earthquake hit barangay Tungunan and Ormoc City in Leyte. As of 3 p.m. yesterday, power has not been returned.
Robinson Giorgio of the Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs) based in Lapu-Lapu City said the earthquake measured 3.7 in magnitude with the highest intensity of 4 recorded in Tungunan. The geothermal sources are located from Upper Mahiao and Malitbog sectors in the Greater Tongonan Area of Leyte. Electricity generated from the power plants are supplied to the Negros-Cebu-Panay grid via a high-voltage overhead transmission lines and submarine cables
Giorgio, however, clarified that the magnitude of the earthquake was not massive and there was no report of destruction in Leyte as of press time yesterday. Although he did not confirm the connection between the earthquake and the blackout, Giorgio said it could be possible that the power cable was damaged considering that the epicenter of the quake passed through the interconnection area.
Natera, meanwhile, said that VECO has been asking independent power producers (IPP) to supply power even in selected parts of the City. She did not give an estimate on when the power will be brought back on.
The blackout caused businesses and offices to close down and suspend operation, including the Palace of Justice that suspends operation starting lunchtime yesterday. The order came after judges and court workers complained that their salas were too dark and too hot because of the lack of power. The Palace of Justice has no standby power generator.
Offices at the Cebu City Police Office also transferred their operations at the camp’s open ground due to the lack of power. Several businesses and establishments also decided to suspend their operation due to the power blackout.
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