Rabbies Rampant in Iloilo Philippines

The province and city of Iloilo emerged as having the most of rabies cases in Western Visayas, according to the Department of Health regional field office here. 

DOH Regional Director Ariel Valencia said that as of last March 11, there are 28 positive rabies cases registered in the region with Iloilo City posting 11 positive cases of rabies from dog bites. The city also emerges as Number 1 with positive rabies cases in the entire Visayas area. 

The same period showed 1 positive case in Aklan, 2 in Antique, 1 in Capiz, 10 in the province of Iloilo and 3 in Bacolod City, Valencia said. 

DOH reported that 14 deaths due to animal bite and human rabies cases and 19,707 animal bites were registered in 2009, 14 deaths in 2008, 15 in 2007 and 20 in 2006 in the region. 

The province of Iloilo has nine deaths and 9,013 animal bite cases, Aklan with 1 death, 1 death in Capiz and 3 deaths in Negros Occidental. 

Valencia said the Department of Health, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), World Health Organization (WHO), Department of Agriculture and the City Health Office jointly conducted a media launching for the "Rabies-Free Visayas Islands" Tuesday at the Grand Hotel in Iloilo City. 

The affair was also attended by agriculture regional executive director Larry Nacionales, NRPCP coordinator Dr. Victor Atienza, city health officer Dr. Urminico Baronda, city veterinarian Tomas Forteza, district city health officials and DOH regional officials. 

Dr. Raffy Deray, program medical coordinator of the National Rabies Prevention and Control Program (NRPCP) said the project, funded from the BMGF of some million, will cover three countries namely, Tanzania, South Africa and the Philippines.

How to Hitch a Charter Plane Flight

It is now possible to charter, rent or lease an aircraft for less than ever 

before and it has also become easier.

Why charter an aircraft?

Here are some good reasons:

The increased security and hassle of commercial airline boarding.

There are fewer airlines around.

Fewer airlines are flying to fewer cities

Because of economy restraints there are fewer seats for more passengers.

It is now easier to charter, lease or rent a plane because there are  more companies entering the aircraft leasing business.

Also, a new generation of small jets is being produced as we speak, the so-called air taxis seating between 4 to 6 passengers for a total airplane cost of as low as 1 million dollars.

These small jets are being produced in a so-called cookie-cutter design, 100 at a time and are also being purchased 100 at a time.

Real Air Taxis will soon be on their way into major cities," says London based AVCEN. Avcen is to bring its innovative Jetpod aircraft design off the drawing board and into proof-of-concept build and flight trials. 

The Jetpod is a unique, lightweight, Very Quiet Short Take-Off and Landing (VQSTOL), 6-seat, twin-jet powered aircraft. 

The Jetpod cruises at 350 mph and uses an unbelievable 410 feet of landing space. This is achieved through a combination of horizontal and vertical thrust management as developed by Avcen. 

No runways are required so you can take off from a private parking lot or your neighbor's driveway.

There are similar small jets being manufactured in the US as well.

Aircraft Charter companies provide the following 4 functions in a variety of innovative ways:

Renting (sometimes selling) aircraft for private use, performing aircraft maintenance, providing fuel, and aircraft management. 

The best way of finding an aircraft charter company is on line.

You can also contact an aircraft charter broker who will sort of act as your airplane travel agent.

They will  handle all of your flight arrangements, including price comparisons, they will determine the correct aircraft for your trip,they will  locate the correct charter company, make sure insurance is in place, and obtain copies of FAA flight certificates.

There are also aircraft charter auctions available on the Web.

Using a unique online auction, your trip itinerary is instantly sent to a network of pre-approved jet operators who are invited to bid on your trip. This increases competition and ultimately drives the price down. You can view this bidding action live, online. 

Fleet Membership allows you to buy occupied flight time in your preferred category of business jet in blocks of whatever flight hours you want with guaranteed availability. You enjoy the freedom and convenience of business jet travel without the costs or commitment of aircraft ownership.

One Ways and Empty Leg Flights When a one way aircraft charter  flight is booked, many times the aircraft has to return to it's original airport. In a case like this, the plane will be flying empty. This is known as an empty leg. Because the aircraft charter  operators like to make money if possible, they offer these empty legs for much less than a typical charter would cost.

Flying in a Private Jet has become a Status Symbol.

One of the perks most valued to CEO's and lawmakers today is to have the use of a Private Jet.

This is another reason why the Charter Aircraft business is at present growing at an astonishing rate which will increase even more as the air taxis costing one million dollars or so will enter service.

Bad English in Philippine Newspapers?

By Jose Carillo

Like several of my acquaintances, I always expect the Education, Arts, and Culture sections of the major Metro Manila broadsheets to make themselves proud showcases for excellent English. I have this notion that their education stories will be nothing less than exemplars of good writing as befits the aspirational majesty of education as a subject, and that their arts and culture features will always be told in an aesthetically pleasing, intellectually satisfying, and editorially tasteful manner. Every so often, however, I get so disappointed when these sections fall short of even the minimum standards of language and editorial quality. Indeed, one of the major broadsheets did such a shoddy writing and editing job recently for the stories in its Education and Culture section, so I felt obliged to critique them extensively in this week's edition of My Media English Watch.

This week I also decided to post in Jose Carillo's English Forum "The Grammar of Clerics and Preachers," an essay I wrote in 2003 after listening to a priest bungle his English grammar so badly in his homily. That experience had set me thinking: In their efforts at evangelization, should the major organized religions just rely on the momentum and stickiness of their age-old belief systems? Or should they make a purposive, continuing effort to be better communicators and defenders of the faith, whether in English or whatever language? My essay sought to answer these questions.

Tourism in the Philippines

Central Visayas' unique natural wonders and cultural heritage complemented by the extraordinary hospitality and warmth of their people make its potential as a world class tourist destination strong.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (PGMA) has to admit this, during possibly her last official visit to the tourism super region comprised mostly of five regions in Central Philippines.

PGMA came here last week to speak before tourism and hospitality management courses to bare the government's infrastructure support investments in the Central Philippines, the one region packaged for tourism.

The tourism super regions, as the country's official tourism packaged destination comprises of Region IV-A, V, VI, VII and VII including Camiguin and Siargao island, she explained.

The region includes Boracay, Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan, or the typical areas where ideal vacations are usually spent, the executive clarified.

Eyeing the unique potential of the region in its showings in the global tourism market statistics, the government heavily invested on the brisk tourism arrivals in the country despite seen decline in almost all regions, according to the president.

In her speech, PGMA said the administration has strongly invested in tourism infrastructure in the region since 2001.

This as her engagement's backdrop mapped the tangible projects implemented under her administration: 42 airports built or upgraded in the region: 108 ports including roll-on roll-ff accesses, 145 municipal fish ports and almost 9,000 kilometers of tourism highways, she narrated duing her 26 minutes speech. 

She also thanked the private sector investments in tourism facilities in Central Philippines for complementing the government efforts. 

 

PGMA said tourism investments reached P271.45 billion since 2004 with about 20 projects, mostly resorts and hotels, were registered with the BOI, costing P6.6 billion.

The President personally mentioned institutions like Holy Name University for their efforts to strengthen tourism by putting up related courses for young stakeholders.

She said the institution has helped young people be assured of jobs as soon as they finish school.

Over all these, she resounded the call for all Boholanos to help preserve the culture and the environment of Bohol, two of the greatest hinges in the region's potentials for tourism. - (PIA) 

Bohol Politician Framed Up?

A string report run by a national daily paper could put any one of the 28 Boholano candidates for Board members (BM) at ill ease: one among them is under probe for alleged links to illegal drug trade.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer, in reports has bared one Boholano BM candidate as among the six candidates in Western Visayas and two in Central Visayas with alleged links with drug personalities.

The report cited the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) confirming that six candidates in Western Visayas eye various posts in government while two more candidates in Central Visayas running for public posts have links with drug personalities and groups.

PDEA Central Visayas regional director Randy Pedroso also revealed that two local candidates, one in Cebu and another in Bohol, were also being investigated for their alleged links to the illegal drug trade, the same report said.

He however admitted that the government agents are still heaping up evidence to support a case, should one be filed against any one.

Pedroso said that the Cebuano under investigation is a candidate for councilor in Cebu City.

Meanwhile, the un-named candidate for board member in Bohol is similarly under the narcotics agent's scopes.

Both candidates accordingly have a history of arrests due to their involvement in illegal drugs.

PDEA did not also identify if the alleged personalities were men or women.

Over these reports, about twenty three male candidates and women candidates in Bohol's three districts may be into an uncomfortable position.

 

The drug trade has become lucrative that drug dealers have shifted to narco-politics to protect their interests.

 

The US State Department has also said drug money may affect the upcoming Philippine elections in May 2010.  

Development in Bohol Island

  This is the development style Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado is pushing for the countryside – piloting the second district for better manageability.

  Referring to the plan as the present provincial administration's "graceful exit for a dramatic entrance", the governor said the Barangay Master Planning under the Integrated Area Development Strategy lays down the finishing touches on the needs of the common people.

  He presented the concept to barangay captains and municipal officials during the string of inaugurations of school buildings in San Miguel and Inabanga towns in his trip last week.

  For the simultaneous growth and development of the villages in the pilot district, Aumentado allocated P1 million for Barangay Master Planning to be conducted by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

  Under this plan, more school buildings will be built. He will distribute brand new computer units with internet connection for which he has asked the Bohol Division of the Department of Education (DepEd) to inventory the existing functional computers in the schools throughout the province.

  These will be used, he said, to implement the Gearing-up Internet Literacy and Access for Students (GILAS) project in partnership with Ayala Foundation, and the revival of the Sine'skwela in partnership with ABS-CBN. a 30-minute television show on science and technology shown in the mid 90's educate and entertain children.

  "This is to uplift the quality of education in public schools, so they can stand at par the private and leading institutions," Aumentado explained.

  He also proposed the Barangay Road Support Program, completion of the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Project Phase 3 that includes concreting of the roads traversing the towns of Ubay to Mabini, Candijay, Cogtong, Anda and Guindulman or the Anda Peninsula Highway, with funding assistance of P1.4 billion from the Korean government.

  The only hitch remaining is the conversion of the road from provincial to national since the Official Development Assistance (ODA) concessional loan will be paid by the national government.        

  Waterworks systems and electrification are also top in the barangay development agenda, as well as the improvement of ports including the development of the Tapal Wharf in Ubay into a multi-industry cluster (MIC) seaport.

  As such, it will serve as the major port for the transportation of products from multi-million investments like the bio-ethanol, organic fertilizer and biomass electricity to be extracted from seaweeds, jatropha and other raw materials.

  The Ubay Airport will also be developed to cater to domestic aircraft and training aircraft of aeronautic schools.

  He also identified the Bohol-Cebu Multi-Access Friendship Bridge, anchoring in Getafe town on the Bohol side and Cordova, Mactan on the other side, as the leverage to cascade economic activities to the towns of Clarin, Inabanga and Ubay.

  The bridge will also complement the eyed special economic zone to rise in barangays Tanghaligue, Bagacay and Burgos in Talibon town with expansion eyed to reach barangays Tulang and San Jose on the Getafe side.

  To connect the interior town of San Miguel to the special economic zone and onwards to the proposed friendship bridge, the provincial government will allocate an additional P3 million to open a road leading to the coastal area.

  In a recent meeting at the Korean Embassy in the Philippines, Aumentado said the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) will soon start the feasibility study and drafting of the detailed engineering design for the 22-kilometer bridge after the proposed project site had been inspected by Man Hwan Park, country director of the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of the Korea Export-Import Bank (Eximbank), and Korean Ambassador Choi Joong-Kyung, together with a technical team.

  Koica will spend US$3 million for the feasibility study. For the actual construction, Park estimates the cost at about P30-40 million.

  The interior part will be developed for agriculture and eco-tourism, the governor said, as he welcomes San Miguel Mayor Claudio Bonior's initiative to draft a tourism plan for his town.

  Aumentado also proposed to develop the raffia industry and other handicrafts or cottage industries in the second district to boost the micro, small and medium enterprises and to strengthen the cooperatives of farmers, fisherfolk and other cooperatives.

  He has facilitated the release of P60-million to implement small reservoir irrigation projects (SRIP) in Bonotbonot in Buenavista town, Hibale in Danao town, and Benliw-Cagting in Ubay town, each starting with P20-million from the Department of Agriculture's 2010 budget.

  Also in Inabanga, the Provincial Engineer's Office will implement the asphalting of the town's circumferential road from the highway in Poblacion to the church up to the Riverside tourism center where officials usually hold meetings to the tune of P4 million.

  Still in Inabanga, the governor had also requested Vice-Governor Julius Caesar Herrera and Provincial Board Members Josephine Socorro Jumamoy and Ma. Fe Camacho-Lejos to take charge of the legislative requirements to convert the road along Nabuad High School (NHS) in barangay Nabuad into a provincial road so that it can be allocated with a budget for maintenance.

  Moreover, Aumentado said, he had agreed with Herrera and Jumamoy to raise P40,000 as counterpart to the P20,000 allocation from the municipal government to complete the construction of a fence around NHS.

  The governor also announced the approval of his recommendation to allocate P36.5 million as counterpart for road construction connecting San Miguel-Danao, San Isidro-Catigbian, Sagbayan-Danao, Danao-Mahayag, Danao-Panghagban (Buenavista)-Lapacan (Inabanga), Cangmundo (Getafe)-Kauswagan (Trinidad)-Tomoc (San Miguel) and other areas that need road improvement to boost food production, tourism, education and efficient delivery of health and basic services to the people.

  He said the Provincial Road Management Facility (PRMF) funded by the Australian Agency for International Development AusAID) is already up for bidding as discussed during the governor's meeting with the management team, taking as priority the Danao-Mahayag and San Isidro-Catigbian roads, these being the components of the project. It will be through an international competitive bidding to ensure that international standards will be followed.

  AusAID already has P48 million for the two roads while the provincial government will release P36.5 million as counterpart.

  He thanked Vice-Governor Julius Caesar Herrera, Jumamoy and her colleague Amalia Tirol for pushing the approval of a P28 million supplemental budget as additional funding since the 2010 budget carried only P6.9 million. AusAID had required a 12% equity from the province. 

Bohol’s close tie with the administration assures of more development projects

By Angeline Valencia 

Bohol's close tie with the administration assures of more development projects.
Sticking with a winnable presidential bet spells best political stunt geared towards sustaining infrastructure projects and even more of it, according to Gov. Erico Aumentado.

The governor, seeking a return to Congress, urged barangay officials in second district to support Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilberto Teodoro Jr. to keep their present development endeavors on the track.

The governor had a chance to interact with barangay officials during the distribution of checks worth P50,000 for each of the 18 barangays in San Miguel on Wednesday, 23 barangays in President Carlos P. Garcia on Thursday, and 24 barangays in Getafe on Friday.

As a precedent, Aumentado cited the continuity of the implementation of the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Project (BCRIP) phase 1, the Bohol Irrigation Project (BHIP) phase 1 and the Leyte-Bohol Interconnection Project from the time of former President Fidel Ramos up to the second stages of the projects and the inauguration of Ubay substation of the Leyte-Bohol Interconnection Project when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took over.

Up for implementation are the third stages of BCRIP and BHIP.

"Labing maayo nga makasandig ta og kandidato nga mahimong presidente aron mapatuman ang mga proyekto (It's better that we can stick with a candidate who will become president so we can implement these projects)," Aumentado said.

He said that Teodoro was already leading in the survey conducted by Strat Poll- -a more recent one.

Just like the 1992 trend, FVR has been consistent as No. 4 in surveys, yet he made it to Malacañang after a late-blooming lead by March then, though as a minority President having garnered only 23 percent of the total votes cast.

"So, Gibo has big chances, especially that Lakas-Kampi-CMD is the only party with 98-percent complete slate down to municipal level, while Liberal Party only has 42 percent, and Nacionalista Party has 48 percent. [Former President Joseph Estrada's] PMP has only 22 percent and their candidates are even almost rarely visible," Aumentado said.

Prayer for El Nino

Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal will soon issue an "oratio emperata" or a special prayer to guide the faithful in coping with the effects of the El Niño phenomenon, which is causing droughts and water shortage in some parts of Luzon and Mindanao. 

Vidal said the faithful need to be informed of the situation.

An "oratio imperata" is a special prayer for a special intention, besides the ones prescribed by rituals, that the Pope or the bishop of a diocese may require to be said during Mass in all parishes.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has predicted that the El Nino phenomenon hitting the country is expected to worsen in the coming months.

The government urged the public to conserve water, around 10 percent, to diminish El Nino's effect.

Vidal recently met with officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and discussed with them about the programs in the parishes on environmental issues.

Environmental advocacy on the part of the Catholic Church is in line with Pope Benedict XVI's message urging Catholics to "protect peace by protecting creation."

Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Manuel Villar, who visited Cebu over the weekend, said solutions to counter a possible destructive El Niño must depend on strong political will, by putting up quick irrigation for farmers whose crops were affected by the drought.- PNA

Philippine Politicians

By Satur P. Apoyon

In the Philippines, politicians are pestered with all kinds of moochings or solicitations especially during election season.

The money-making assault is carried out either by individuals or groups, associations or religious congregations.

Only a few dozen among politicians in this former Spanish colony of four hundred years, especially those with party support and tossed by advocacy groups, who can withstand the onslaughts of fund-raisers that some have adopted as an industry.

The media industry is not spared in the madness of such a culture that has barnacled in the psyche of a large segment of the Filipino population up to these days.

Some scoundrels out to misappropriate the clout it brings to the community adopt a myriad of schemes.

One of their modus operandi is to organize an instant press association involving popular journalists in the roster of membership for media plan quota.

Sad to say, the scandalous operation oftentimes prosper due to gullibility or plain tolerance of some politicians or staff of a party media bureau.

In 1992, for example, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and fellow senatorial bet former Health Secretary Juan Flavier were among those molested by pseudo media persons for broadcast propaganda money, knocking their hotel rooms in this city even at bed time.

Other scalawags, competing with so-called barangay ward leaders bringing lists of their controlled voters for funding, would whip out newspaper advertising rate card that does not even exist.

The professional moochers also hound candidates with a string of hospital billings or prescriptions of medicines needing immediate cash allocation, too.

There are also genuine poorest of the poor who would beg from politicians to take care of the transport of the cadaver of kin or give them transportation money to go back to their place of origin from the big city to the province.

The Davao or Mindanao experience can also be prevalent elsewhere in many towns, cities and provinces in the country's archipelago of 7,100 islands.

It is a never-ending charitable obligation for a Pinoy politician to get elected or reelected especially in this time of financial scarcity hitting the majority of the country's burgeoning population now in the vicinity of 93 million.

But not in the United States of Uncle Sam.

According to my fan on Bisayan fiction and now intimate friend, Briccio, a native of Loay, Bohol who now lives in Vallejo, California, USA, it is the other way around there.

Briccio, 80 plus, said in his latest overseas call it is the electorate who are being taxed by American candidates from either the Republicans or Democrats.

He said voters in USA are asked which political party he belongs upon registration in a state electoral office.

As the election campaign starts, solicitation from either the Republicans or Democrats, Briccio said, is mailed to their "members" to give some contribution for the party expenses.

Big contributors are given presentable certificates of appreciation and sometimes given special attention by the victorious party.

In the case of my fan and fellow provinciano, he would only give a little and sometimes made excuses to skip his voluntary obligation being a small-time retiree.

Thus, the system seems to echo the philosophy of John F. Kennedy, one of the great presidents of New England, which summarizes this way: "Think of what you can dole out for a candidate rather than squeezing him or his party of a few dollars".

Briccio did not yet mention the corporate or millionaire's party contribution to the two leading political parties, one of which is that of Barack Obama, the incumbent and first African-American president ever elected since l776.

With our culture as certified blue-blooded everlasting blessed receiver of gifts in cash or in kind such Americanism will ever or will never come to pass yet in our time.

Therefore, Pinoy politicians take cover from pests out to take away a part of your campaign fund or to say the least your pocket money in the sortie trail. (PNA)

One of Asia's freest press is the Philippine's rambunctious, noisy press

Bohol Chronicle Editorial: To be able to live and breathe democracy, after 14 years of Martial Law, is a luxury many have often taken for granted. But we should not.

A Congress to make laws and democratically-elected LGUs to govern communities, by and large, are there to see. One of Asia's freest press is the Philippine's rambunctious, noisy press. Largely, there is freedom of expression - let us cherish that.

Philippine elections showcase this type of democracy, though sometimes marred by guns and gold that alter the outcome of the popular will. But it can pass the test.

That is why the decision of progressive groups like those under the wings of Makabayan and Akbayan, among others, to come into the open to compete in the democratic debate of ideas through election to Congress, must be respected.

It is the COMELEC, a constitutional body, which is the only entity empowered by law to accredit candidates and their parties as qualified to run for the people's mandate - not the military nor the police. These groups should be allowed to freely campaign for the people's vote.

It would be unfair to dump all of them as communist fronts since they were precisely accredited by COMELEC since they represent a marginalized constituency that renounces violence as a method for reforms and change. That's why they run for office.

Besides, the military has been specifically mandated by law to remain non-partisan in elections but just maintain peace and order. If the Army runs after rebels asking for permit-to-campaign funds - that is their sound duty. But to discredit COMELEC approved Party List groups and other candidates as "communists" is not part of their job.

Among those parties under the Makabayan wing are: Bayan Muna, Anak Pawis, Gabriela, Kabataan and ACT Teacher. Akbayan has produced some of most avid nationalist-reformists in Etta Rosales, Risa Hontiveros and Walden Bello. Communists?

They should be allowed to say their piece in the same way that Retired Army Major General Jovito Palparan of the Bantay Party List was accredited and then elected as Party List Congressman for 2007.

Palparan was given the chance to debate with the "communists" in Congress which means that is the democratic route for reform in this country. No double standard, please.

Let us be on guard because if we sleep on our sacred duties, we could lose the cherish freedoms that our heroes and the EDSA freedom warriors had fought for.

Let us cite one other example.

The raid and detention of 43 health workers doing a seminar in a resort in Morong Rizal and detained for three days - incommunicado- is a throw back to the Dark Days of Martial Law, that we should never allow to happen again.

Reports of psychological torture and sexual harassment by their captors in Camp Capinpin, Tanay have been media subject for days.

The Military defied for days the order of the Supreme Court of the land to produce the 43 victims before the Court of Appeals. Even AFP Chief Victor Ibrado and former Defense Chief and Lakas presidential candidate Gibo Teodoro were aghast at the Military's violation of a constitutional mandates by not immediately producing the victims in court.

Talk about abuse with impunity.

The Military accused some of the 43 of manufacturing bombs (during the seminar?) and as being active members of the NPA.

If that is so, why the need for interrogation and detention when the Military could just throw the book at them and jail them if indeed the Army had the goods on them?

If only some of them were suspect, why then hold the entire 43 health workers in detention -blindfolded, forced fed and mentally tortured?

Martial Law had caused us so much loss - that of our freedom and bread.

We have not regained the bread - for many are still poor - and now our precious freedom is slowly being carted away with impunity.

In Bohol, seven reformist-leaders have disappeared or died from assassins' bullets.

Today, there are talks that armed men have landed on our shores for the May 2010 elections - which can therefore become bloody.

That is the reason the Sanguniang Panlalawigan had endorsed a Motion to place the entire Bohol under COMELEC control. Fine by us, actually.

That might be the only way we can maintain the respect for democratic space on our way to national reform and progress.