News stories from the Philippines and all other important information about the Philippine islands.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Cebu Pacific adds flights to Cagayan de Oro, Tacloban and Tagbilaran
Cebu Pacific (CEB) has announced that it will add one flight each to its Manila-Tacloban, Tagbilaran and Cagayan de Oro routes to meet the increasing demand of passengers availing of the airline's 'Go' fares.
Starting August 17, 2006, CEB's service will rise from 14 to 21 flights weekly for Manila-Tacloban and Cagayan de Oro, while Manila-Tagbilaran will increase from 7 to 14 flights weekly.
This comes after the airline introduced its reduced 'Go' fares last June 2, 2006, where the lowest 'Go' fares were brought down by as much as 43%. Lowest 'Go' fares start at P568 for Manila-Tacloban and Tagbilaran and P868 for Manila-Cagayan de Oro. The 'Go' fares are exclusive of surcharges and government taxes.
"Since the introduction of our 'Go' fares, we have seen the steady growth in our passenger numbers not only during peak but even more so during the lean season. This is evident with our 41% market share for the month of June. With the additional daily frequency to Cagayan de Oro, Tacloban and Tagbilaran we will be able to offer more seats at the lowest fares which also means further stimulation of travel for these destinations." Candice Iyog, CEB marketing director said
Retired Major General Jovito Palparan Jr.
Stressing he despises anti-development legislators occupying sensitive positions in government enough to derail progress, the man maligned to be called "berdugo" intends to rise into the Senate while putting up a watch group to balance the same threat in Congress.
Retired Major General Jovito Palparan Jr., the nemesis of insurgents, activists and leftists now thrusts Bantay, a sectoral representative group committed to balance the threat of anti-development agents tilting the precarious balance for the real anti-development solons.
Elevating his anti-insurgency campaign after he laid down arms in his retirement, Maj. Gen. Palparan said he faced left-leaning partylist representatives then and would follow them in the Senate to uncovers their real desire to stall or totally shoot down development.
Development would be bad to them because with development, there is progress and issues gainst poverty would be useless, so they would not want that to happen, he pressed during a rare interview.
To equalize this threat, Maj. Gen Palparan posts his group Bantay, a sector who has been active in the counter-insurgency fight.
I would count on the support from the police, military, barangay tanods, peace loving groups and support groups who have benefited from the peace as an product of our efforts, he said.
Palparan, who had successful stints as commanding general for army's 7th and 8th Infantry Divisions admits his quixotic role against insurgency has reaped for him national and international indignation instead of medals.
The fear that people get when they hear his name may have been an effect of what he called as insurgency as a psychological war.
Evrytime he finishes his tour of duty, he also flushes insurgency or disperses them to nearby safer regions.
During the interview with the Cagayan de Oro born retired warrior who has reaped so much criticisms and monikers ranging from the torturer to the butcher hinted that all the "insinuations may be products of a psychological war."
"If all they said were true, how could I get as many votes to put me up as partylist representative in areas of my previous assignments," he asked. (PIA)
Automated Election in the Philippines
Speaking at the weekly Kapihan sa PIA, Atty. Labaria said that apart from nearly half of the Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) to be delivered yet and the trainings for technicians delayed, the move to fully automate the country's electoral system is in full steam.
The historic move to change from the manual to automated system will hasten the process and assure us credible results eliminating the insinuations of fraud, he claimed.
According to research, the longest time for national manual elections to declare a winner was 42 days whereas in the automation, winners are declared quickly as the transmission of results are done automatically.
Erasing all doubts about a bug or a program error, the poll office top man said in requests of recall, the local authorities can proceed to manually count the ballots, if there are questions about the electronic counting.
He said the PCOS copies the ballots optically and stores them in the PCOS databanks so a digital counting can be facilitated.
Over the threats of power outage, Atty. Labaria revealed that the PCOS come with a backup power through a battery that can last from 12 to 14 hours, more than sufficient to cover for the 11-hour voting and counting time it would need for the automated elections in the precincts.
"That provision is for areas where there are no power connections and electricity," he stressed.
By February, Atty Labaria said, local COMELEC would start the trainings and the information dissemination in Bohol.
He also assured voters and the teachers who would handle their poll duty that the PCOS would be very user friendly and easy to use even as he said interest groups have already tied up with them to help in the information campaign.
Pending the COMELEC guidelines, information officer Juvenal Beniga also assures that they would put up the usual aired information drives at the Comelec Hour on Bohols top radios. (PIA)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Burial and Wake of Cerge Remonde
Negros Oriental Media Mourns for Cerge Remonde
Members of the local media in Negros Oriental mourn the untimely death of Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.
The late Secretary Remonde was declared dead 11:51 a.m. Tuesday at the Makati Medical Center after he succumbed to heart attack. He was 51.
The publisher of Metropost and local NBN chief Alex Pal said "Cerge" as he was fondly known to many was a very good and vital asset in the Arroyo administration. He was a friend to all journalists and he did a very good job as press secretary and in his previous other assignments.
Kapisanan ng Mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP)-Negros Oriental chapter president Roy Bustillo said Remonde's death is a big loss to the industry as he is called the Big Bro of the KBP and the media.
"A very approachable and humble secretary. He is the best press secretary so far in the country. Journalists in the Philippines would surely miss him," he said.
"A big loss not just to government but to the media as well. He was somebody we in the media and Visayans should be proud of," said Dumaguete Bureau Chief of the Philippines News Agency, Mary Judaline Flores-Partlow.
Remonde traced his roots to Argao in nearby Cebu province.
A press statement released by the Dumaguete Press Club Inc. through the chairman emiritus and owner/publisher of Negros Chronicle and DYEM-FM Ely Dejaresco said the passing of Press Sec. Remonde, a true blue Cebuano, has never come so untimely as when he left at a time when he was most needed not only by the President but by the nation. He died with his boots on, during the thick of the election season.
Remonde was just seen in full attendance to Sunday's Sinulog de Cebu. Most mediamen in Cebu were surprised to see Remonde in almost all Sinulog activities in Cebu and even met with Cebuano media and gave them black t-shirts as souvenir from the Office of the Press Secretary, the statement said.
Known as the golden boy of Malacañang, Press Sec. Remonde was the trusted media propagator of Malacañang who precisely would know how and when to answer issues, which are raised for or against the administration.
He was the dream of any president as press secretary because Remonde was himself a practicing journalist and broadcaster who was easily able to blend into the media psyche.
His last great stand for the administration was when he stepped out of the gates of Malacañang to meet journalists who were protesting the Maguindanao massacre. Remonde was there both to defend the administration and empathized with the cause of media, the Dumaguete Press Club statement said.
He was long time president and chairman of the national KBP and that was how he was able to gain foothold and goodwill from the print and broadcast industry.
Admittedly, media is the hardest industry to organize. But for almost one decade as KBP chairman, Remonde was able to stand tall in upholding the tenets of a true broadcaster and journalist, the statement further said.
Remonde has virtually become an instant icon in the government and private media, both in upholding as well as maintaining a balanced press secretariat and even before as a private broadcaster and labor-oriented radio commentator who has given the journalism profession a mighty booster in gaining a high sense of moral duty and dedication to the service of the people, the statement added. (PNA)
Pampanga Media Mourns for Cerge Remonde
Capampangan media practitioners on Wednesday expressed sadness over the sudden demise of Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, even as they inducted their incoming new set of officers.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, dressed in black, inducted the eight officers and seven directors of the Capampangan in Media Inc. (CAMI) at the Holiday Inn Hotel here this morning.
"We extend our condolences to the family of Cerge. We also condole with the President for the loss of one of her most devoted assistants," said Crispulo "Jun" Icban Jr., chief editor of the Manila Bulletin and chairman of CAMI.
"We will surely miss Cerge for his professionalism, industry and humility. We will miss him as friend and brother in the profession," said Philippine Star columnist and CAMI president Federico "Dick" Pascual Jr.
Aside from Icban and Pascual, the other inductees were DZXQ anchorman Ernesto "Ernie" Tolentino (CAMI vice president for Metro Manila); Manila Bulletin correspondent and Sunstar Pampanga columnist Fred Roxas (CAMI vice president for the provinces); Philippine Graphic senior writer Jose "Joe" Cortez (Secretary); Business Mirror chief news editor Dionisio "Nonnie" Pelayo (Treasurer); and LUB Banner chief editor Ashley Jay Manabat (Auditor).
Inducted as CAMI directors were Pilipino Star Ngayon editor-in-chief Al Pedroche; Philippine Broadcasting Service Radyo ng Bayan director John Manalili; Philippines News Agency (PNA) General Manager and News and Information Bureau Director III Vittorio "Vot" Vitug; Tony Lozano, in-charge of the Senate media; Virgilio "Vet" Vitug of North Luzon Railways Corp.; former PNA managing editor Jake Espino; and NOW columnist Willie Capulong.
Formed in 2005, Pascual said CAMI acts whenever press freedom is threatened, helps raise the competence and professionalism in the industry, and looks after the welfare of mediamen from Pampanga.
The President was accompanied by Acting Press Secretary Conrado "Dodie" Limcaoco Jr. and Press Undersecretary Romeo "Butch" Junia. (PNA)
Monday, January 18, 2010
Media outlets in the Philippines
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Thursday, January 14, 2010
Jobs in the Philippines: Hiring in Butuan City
We would like to hire from Butuan first before we seek applicants from other parts of the Philippines. The employee will be located in Butuan.
Please email your letter and resume to 3ML@ sbcglobal.net.
Thanks,
Mina Montilla-Ladlad
Los Angeles, CA