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NAGA CITY (30 November) -- AFTER THE CHAIR of the Bicol Regional Development Council (RDC) in Legazpi City had directed the temporary suspension of the construction of the P 1.9- Billion, Libmanan-Cabusao Dam Project (LCDP), to give way its review, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) regional official here said they will cooperate with the team from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the DENR tasked by the RDC to conduct the project assessment.

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 4 --Mt. Mayon's edifice continue to bulge on Friday, an indication that the volcano's condition is still on a restive state that may lead to a possible explosive eruption.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) in its recent aerial and ground deformation surveys indicated that the volcano's edifice was still inflated in the two leveling sites of the 2,450 meters high volcano.

NAGA CITY (2 December) - THREE WERE REPORTED DEAD and 15 others injured in a reported collision of a loaded multi-cab vehicle owned by the San Fernando local government and a 10-wheeler truck along the Maharlika Highway at Sitio Baraca, Barangay Del Pilar, San Fernando, Cam. Sur, about 7:00 A.M. on Tuesday (Dec. 1).

The Universidad de Sta. Isabel-Mother Seton Hospital spokesperson Rowena Guadaña had confirmed the identities of three "DOA" victims as: Barangay Councilor Jerry Notado, 36, (driver of the multi-cab) Herwin Santiago, and Victor Noora Jr.

A writer's first book is cause for celebration, more so if the book happens to be selected as one of the best of its kind. On December 11, 2009, Vox Bikol columnist Victor Nierva's book joins three other best first books in English for 2007 and 2008 in being honored in a forum in UP Diliman. The forum is in line with the conferment of the prestigious Madrigal Gonzalez Best First Book Award to one of the four finalists.

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 3  - Albay's political arena would be a derby among three dominant political parties belonging to the administration's Lakas-Kampi-CMD party, Nacionalista and the Liberal parties as 42 candidates would slug it out in various high stake provincial posts, the Commission on Election (Comelec) provincial office told the Philippines News Agency, Thursday.

NAGA CITY (2 December) -THREE MORE SUSPECTS FELL TO THE POLICE, after a major suspect in the robbery-slay of a businessman and his house-boy   in Libmanan Cam, Sur voluntarily surrendered to the Libmanan  PNP, the police provincial office here reported last December 1.

Living up to its mark as "Home of Global Achievers", the University of Northeastern Philippines always sees to it that the quality of trainings given to their students is at par with international standards.  Anchored also on this vision is the desire to give its students the latest advancement and exposure in the field of journalism.

Ending the speculations which had been rife seen last year, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo confirmed the apprehensions of many that she is not leaving the corridors of power just yet. Arroyo, eschewing delicadeza (an alien concept to her, it seems), has filed a bid for the congressional seat of Pampanga's second district.

As the grim details of the Maguindanao slowly come out, we find ourselves at a loss for words to describe it other than -

UNSPEAKABLE, BARBARIC.

And equally for us all, we assert that the massacre is not "a mere aberration" as Malacañang puts it. In truth, it stands as a stark reminder of unfettered lawlessness in the country by lawless elements tolerated, if not encouraged by direct support or inaction, by the "Strong Republic" of the present dispensation.

MANILA - The Ampatuan massacre last November 23 shocked the nation and the world. It was shocking not only because of its ferocity, claiming the lives of 57 innocent people including passersby, and barbarity, which included the rape of women, desecration of bodies and beheading of some victims, but also because of the brazenness in the commission of such abhorrent atrocities.

Gusto kong magtubod na sa ngunyan, gabos na kamo nakakaaram kan mamundong nangyari sa satong kapwa-Pilipino sa Maguindanao. Sosog sa huring bilang, 64 katawo an nakuang gadan. Tinaradtad nin bala sa lalawgon. Dai na magkabiristo. 37 an mga journalists. 21 an mga kababaihan. Linupigan bago ginaradan. Saro bados. Asin 3 an mga kaakian.

Last Monday I was in this school, which now bears the name "Universidad" but one that will always be for me the Colegio de Santa Isabel.

I was not expecting much that night; I was there to provide moral support to Beth, my sister-in-law and my niece, Teris, who were both playing the violin as part of the symphony orchestra of music majors, faculty and alumni.

It appears to me that ever since couples had kids they at the same time had the trouble of putting them to bed in the evenings. I believe all cultures have their "strategies" to finally get their offspring to sleep. Many would read bedtime stories or fairytales to them, before or after that they say a prayer with them, and then hope they fall sleepy and end up dozing away.

KAN NAKAULAY TAKA PO, MAYOR Raul Matamorosa, makusog an pagsabi mong bilang alkalde kan banwaan, prayoridad mo an kamugtakan kan mga taga-Lupi. Alagad, an sinabi mong ini garo natunaw kan sinabi mo man sako na mayong plano an lokal na gobyerno kan Lupi na kontrahon an proyekto kan mag-inang Gloria asin Dato na dam diyan sa Malaguico, Sipocot, na maglulublob sa banwaan na saimong pinamamayohan.

MUMBAI, India (UCAN) -- As people recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, the news was full of euphoric memories as well as critical analysis. Berlin's Archbishop Cardinal Georg Maximilian Sterzinsky pointed out that there are still fundamental differences across that former East-West border.

I learned about a new mechanism that ensures substantial and sustained involvement of civil society in addressing human rights issues in our country. In a Training Conference on Human Rights of Women in Southeast Asia sponsored by the Swedish International Development Agency, a representative from the United Nations Human Rights Council introduced this mechanism called the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).