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BULACAN - Farmers representing more than 230 families have denounced an attempt by a congressman to reverse land reform in their area.

Legazpi City (25 January) -- Police operatives arrested 13 persons in various police checkpoints in three provinces of Bikol region for violation of the nationwide gun ban imposed b the Commission on Election (COMELEC).

DAET, Camarines Norte, Jan. 27 -- All systems go for the Palarong Bikol 2010 in this province set on Feb. 1 to 5.

Department of Education (DepEd) regional director Celedonio Layon said delegations from the elementary and secondary levels from different provinces and cities across Bikol region are expected to arrive starting Wednesday.

Prior to the sports competition, organizers slate the rehearsal and pictorial of candidates for Search for Palarong Bikol on Jan. 28; literary, musical and folkdance contest on Jan. 29; and talent competition on Jan. 30.

LEGAZPI CITY - More than P2 million worth of illegal forest products were confiscated in Bikol last year, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources reported.

DENR authorities here said this was due to the strict campaign against illegal logging which resulted in the apprehension and confiscation of 200.109 cubic meters of forest products consisting of round logs, flitches and lumber worth about P2,226,863 and 42 conveyances and 11 chainsaws used in the illegal trade.

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 29 - The Philippines through the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) have recently signed an Expression of Interest, a document that formalizes reciprocal scientific, technical and educational activities on the basis of reciprocity between the two institutions.

Eight students from the University of Northeastern Philippines (UNEP) joined more than a hundred delegates from 21 schools and universities in the recently concluded 10^th Regional Tertiary Schools Press Conference, held at Villa Mila Garden Resort, Daet, Camarines Norte.

The occasion was spearheaded by the Bicol Association of Tertiary Press Advisers, Bicol Association of Student Campus Writers and Commission on Higher Education and was sponsored by the Bicol Association of Tertiary Press Advisers.  Mabini Colleges was this year's host school for the said event.

As of December last year, a total of 8,495 hectares of open and denuded forest lands have been rehabilitated within the Bicol River Basin, The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said.

Aside from this, some 111 kilometers river banks were also rehabilitated, and under a structural measures, 2,738.5 cubic meters gabion/check dams, 2,699 linear meters eco-blocks and nine (9) units small water impounding system were constructed.

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 29 - The Naval Forces Southern Luzon in partnership with Office of Civil Defense led anew an outreach project for the victims of Mayon Volcano eruption in response to a call of Albay Governor Joey Salceda for assistance.

The naval forces distributed rice to displaced families in Amore resettlement area as part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) joint project dubbed as "TARABANGAN: Sama-sama sa pagtulong para sa mga Biktima ng Bulkang Mayon."

MANILA, Jan. 22, 2010- President Arroyo has no power to appoint the next chief justice of the Supreme Court, constitutionalist Fr. Joaquin Bernas, SJ, said Friday.

Bernas, dean emeritus of the Ateneo Law School, said that Mrs. Arroyo will be violating the Constitution if she would insist in appointing the successor of Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

The Charter, he said, forbids the President from making appointments within 60 days before her term ends on June 30 this year.

MANILA, Jan. 21, 2010-Retired Catholic Bishop Teodoro Bacani maintains he is against Joseph's Estrada's comeback bid for the presidency, saying the country needs a new leader.

Bacani, one of Estrada's spiritual advisers, said it's a high time to have genuine reforms in the government and that includes filling it up with better leaders.

"Personally, I am against his candidacy because the country really needs real reforms... wherein there is a new leader who will lead us," he said.

Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) recently opened 10 new branches beefing up its network to 60 branches nationwide. Last January 18th, PVB simultaneously opened 10 new branches all over the country. These are located in Pasay City, Malolos, Bulacan; Santiago City, Isabela; Olongapo; Lipa, Batangas; San Pablo, Laguna; Kalibo, Aklan; Tagbilaran, Bohol; Pagadian, Zamboanga de Sur; and Koronadal.  Late last 2009, the Bank opened 5 new branches in Luzon as part of its branch expansion and rationalization plan.

Last week, it was reported that since the COMELEC gun ban had been implemented, 13 violators had been apprehended in the region. "According to the Regional Election Monitoring Action Center (REMAC) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office here, police arrested 11 violators in Masbate and one each in the provinces of Camarines Sur [sic] as of January 18, 2010," stated the news report.

MANILA - The decision of the second division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) junking the disqualification case against former president Joseph Estrada makes the May 2010 elections a historical aberration. For the first time since the people's ouster of the Marcos dictatorship, a former president has been allowed to seek for the second time the highest position in the country.

Sad to say, Mayor Robredo (through Mr. Prilles; email 01/26/10) is now accusing me, among other personal attacks, of having "cherry-picked" data and of "intellectual dishonesty." He also dragged in Fr.

The poet sent me this manifesto. There is no need to introduce as the text speaks for itself with such compelling sincerity. Jimple Borlagdan is a poet, a very good poet, with a heart and mind for rhythm and the tenderest of pains.

How is a poem made?

It usually starts with a blank paper, a space, a white wondering.  Also a vast field where dreams, agony or joy are the seed, the words are the fruit.

Being a teacher I enter my classes and see the future, the coming generation, those who will form the society we will live in tomorrow. I look at them and I see an increase of loss of values, loss of orientation, loss of sense. All of these are visible via many symptoms among which a very alarming one is the increase of alcohol abuse among students. Not all are into drinking of course, but over the years the number of those who are, has remarkably grown.

BIBIKOLON KO NA SIRING sa nakagawian ko sa kolum na ini bilang pagmidbid kan pagiging unibersal kan satong lenggwahe. Alagad an sakong pag-Bikol ngunyan huli naman sa dakulang kamawotan na masabotan kan mga nanunungdan kan Libmanan-Cabusao Dam Project an mga kahagadan kan mga taga-Lupi huli ta garo dai ninda nasasabotan kun nakasurat sa Ingles.